18th/19th February 2023
Brumby Farm Clinics
Stage 1 - Introduction to Horsemanship (ground skills)
7th/8th December 2024
This is where it all starts - on the ground.
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In our Stage 1 clinic you learn about horse psychology, how horses learn, how to build confidence and how to create responsiveness in order to stay safe and have fun on the ground. This clinic is the pre-requisite to most of our other clinics, both ridden and liberty.
Cost: $440
Dressage Demystified with Sue Edwards - FULL
8th - 10th November 2024
Our coach, Sue Edwards, from the UK comes over every November to help us with our horses and also runs a clinic at Brumby Farm. This year the topic is "dressage demystified" for those of us that need some extra help with our dressage moves.
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Sue is an FEI accredited eventing coach and has years of experience competing at the highest levels.
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Jumping Day with Sue Edwards
11th November 2024
For those of you that enjoy a bit of jumping Sue Edwards will be teaching a one day jumping class. We will have two groups so we can cater for more advanced riders and beginners.
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Cost is $240
Experience Week - ADULTS RETURNING TO RIDING
9th - 13th December 2024
Are you getting back into horses as an adult or even getting your first horse later in life? This week is designed to take you through the basic ground skills and riding skills that will keep you safe and allow you to enjoy your time with your horse.
Spend five days progressing your horsemanship with morning clinics and the afternoons are filled with useful demos, lectures, lessons and practice time.
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Cost: $990 (includes camping, horse board and lunches)
Arena to Trail Clinic
14th/15th December 2024
Do you want to go trail riding, but can't get out of the arena? This clinic is a great way of introducing riding in a group and in an open space whilst still in a safe environment. Arena exercises will set you and your horse up for riding out in the Brumby Farm playground in a safe and controlled way. Great for green horses and less confident riders.
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Cost $440
Young Horse School - FULL
4th - 14th January 2025
For the first time we are offering a course here at Brumby Farm where Russell will coach four lucky students through the process of starting their own horses. Running for eleven days from 4th to 14th January 2025 (with one day off in the middle) this is an exclusive course for existing, dedicated students who have shown an appropriate level of competency. Successful applicants need to have demonstrated that they have advanced beyond the basic ground and riding skills to a point where they have the muscle memory and would be able to execute instructions without hesitation.
Russell will be demonstrating with his own young horse, Riley, who he will be starting during the week and then the participants will work with their own horses under his guidance. The young horses must be a minimum of three years old (although we personally don’t start our own horses until four or five).
The cost is a $3000 for the 11 days, with lunches, horse board and camping included. We only have two places still available so if you want to take part in this unique event and feel that you can meet the criteria above please email Russell directly on russellhigginsnz@xtra.co.nz
Stage 2 - Control & Confidence in the saddle
25th/26th January 2025
The second clinic in the three foundation series clinics. This one is all about transferring your ground skills into the saddle with an emphasis on safety. Learn how to prepare your horse for riding and develop the "three essentials" in the saddle of lateral flexion, hind quarter yields and "go". Students must have completed a Stage 1 ground skills clinic with us.
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Cost: $440
Experience Week - Ride with Awareness
27th - 31st January 2025
Everyone wants to be a better rider so why not spend a week learning all about YOU. This week aims to give you insights into how your riding influences your horse. We look at the effects of rider posture, balance, weight distribution and focus on your horse and give you the body awareness to begin to do less to achieve more. Mornings are spent covering:
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Body awareness simulations
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Theory sessions
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Understanding how your horse moves and why some things are difficult
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Rider makeovers
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Seat awareness exercises
Afternoons are your own time to practice, chill out or have private lessons.
Cost $890 (includes camping, horse board and lunches)
Your horse needs to be able to be ridden in a group with no major behaviour problems.
Green Horse Experience Week
4th - 9th February 2025
Designed for horses that are already under saddle, to keep things on track and further develop your progress,… or if needed get them on track.
Over five days we will evaluate their current developmental stage, highlight any gaps in their fundamentals and introduce you to a plan to build a solid foundation going forwards through our foundation programme. Both you and your horse will be learning and progressing.
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Mornings are spent as a group and afternoons are your time to practice, have a one-on-one lesson with Russell or relax.
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$890 includes horse board, camping and lunches.
Cow Working Clinic
8th/9th March 2025
Horse development through cow working. This is a great opportunity to give your horse a purpose as well as to learn about a low stress approach to cattle working from horseback.
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You will learn how to influence both an individual cow's "bubble" and the herd "bubble" with your horse. It will give you a whole new appreciation of how good your yields and control need to be. It is also a lot of fun.
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$460
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Experience week - Cow Camp
10th - 14th March 2025
Working cattle from horseback is a great way to develop your horse and give him and you a purpose.
This Experience Week is for people who have done at least our Stage 1 ground skills clinic. Over the week we will look at building your horse's confidence with the cattle and develop the yields that you will need to be able to influence the cattle both individually and as a herd.
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The mornings are spent as a group and the afternoons are your own time to practice (not with the cattle), use the Brumby Farm facilities or have private lessons with Russell and Ruth.
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$890 (includes camping, horse board and lunches)
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Working Equitation Naturally Camp - FULL
26th - 30th March 2025
For the first time we are offering a week long camp dedicated to Working Equitation. You will learn how to use a natural horsemanship approach to this exciting and growing sport. Confidence with the obstacles is obviously a big part of the learning as well as how to approach the obstacles with accuracy and flow. We will be joined on the last two days by Jo Bard of Mystery Creek Lusitanos who will share her experience of international competition with group.
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The cost for the five days is $1390 and that includes camping, horse board and lunches.
Stage 3 - Advancing Horsemanship
5th/6th April 2025
This is the third in our foundation series and concentrates on advancing the ground skills and riding from the previous two clinics. We cover increasing speed and distance on the ground, increasing responsiveness, introduce the support rein and the canter. This is open to anyone who has done the previous clinics.
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Cost $440
Confidence with obstacles clinic
12th/13th April 2025
Obstacles can be a great test for your partnership with your horse but did you know,....... there is a way to approach obstacles to improve everything you do with your horse?
Using a technique-based approach to an obstacle may lead to some success with that obstacle, however using an approach based on psychology leads to the challenge of that obstacle reducing the challenge of other obstacles. So whether you just want to get your horse more confident or whether you want to compete in obstacle-based competition, this clinic is for you.
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Cost $440 (plus $15/night horse board)