Control The Feet

A Horsemanship Clinic

Presented by

Karen A.Jarvie

To achieve “Control the Feet, Control the Horse” is the result of almost four decades of experience with hundreds of horses and students competing in every discipline. During that time I have tried many different ways to perfect on that magical winning formula. The bad ones left my body and sometimes the horse, pretty badly beat up. I needed to find a simpler, kinder method for both of us.

I have developed “Control the Feet, Control the Horse” to train competition-winning riders and horses in every discipline. It is an advanced method of developing the all-important partnership and communication between horse and rider as well as making the horse more supple, agile and attentive.

Most importantly, it is safe and gentle on the horse and rider!

History

It all began about 37 years ago when I showed on the Quarter Horse Circuit as a Youth. Although I participated in all disciplines, it was Showmanship that most intrigued me at that time. To place much less win in Showmanship, demands the utmost control and respect from your horse. It was also quite common to have over 30 entries in a class.

At first to place, was a distant reality. So I studied what the winners were doing so differently from the rest of us

I realized that part of it was presentation (grooming, self carriage etc) but in order to win consistently you had to be able to work your horse’s feet like magic! Stop, go, turn, walk, trot, set up and move a specific foot a fraction of an inch. Even after waiting in a 30-person lineup your commands had to go instantly from his brain to his feet

This demanded a whole new level of partnership between my horses and I. Developing and perfecting the ground work then transposing this method to riding became an obsession for me for the next thirty-odd years.

As I continued showing, I began winning consistently in classes that demanded timing and accuracy of both horse and rider.

The versatility of my training methods became apparent when I extended beyond ones discipline to include Showmanship, Trail, Western Riding and Jumpers. I qualified for the Quarter Horse Youth Team twice and was consistently in the Top 6 at Jumper Shows.

I campaigned for many years on the Paint Horse Circuit. I constantly achieved top 5 in the World Standings. In later years I also competed in Dressage, Hunter, Jumpers and Eventing thought out Western Canada and the U.S to prove the versatility of the Trakehner.

American Trakehner Association Awards
Gerda Friedrichs Memorial Award
Reserve Champion Modified Jumper
Reserve Champion Preliminary Jumper
Champion Children's Jumper
Champion Child, Adult, Non Pro Jumper

My students and I continue to shine in the events that require timing and accuracy thanks to

“Control the Feet, Control the Horse”!