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Six Keys to Harmony

 

UPCOMING CLINICS

January 19-20, 2024
Mansfield, GA
Covered Arena

REGISTRATION
Register

March 22-23, 2024
Mansfield, GA
Covered Arena

Register


HOURS
Friday- 7pm - 9:30pm
Classroom session
without horses. Attendance
at classroom is required for 
riders
Saturday- 10am - 5pm
In arena with horses


CONTACT
training@eddabney.com

FEES
Rider Fee $300
Spectator Fee $25
Stalls, paddocks and RV
hook-ups available

Release and Hold Harmless Policy
Cancellation Policy

SIX KEYS TO HARMONY

You will learn easy to understand techniques for establishing respect and trust with your horse and achieving light responses from your horse on the ground and mounted. These essential exercises help you to establish your leadership position, gain your horse's attention and determine each time how your horse is responding to you. The exercises will help your horse be calm, focused and willing, and they will increase his coordination for precise and fluid movements as well as increase his flexibility. By practicing these fundamental exercises with your horse, your speed and direction control will be greatly enhanced. These exercises will prepare both horse and rider mentally, physically and emotionally for a more successful, safe, and enjoyable ride.

Friday night will be a classroom session without your horse. There will be a lecture and power point presentation on establishing leadership and communicating with your horse in a way he can accept and understand.  We will also cover the history of natural horsemanship and why this systematic approach works with great success for horses and humans. 

Saturday morning in the arena, you'll be teaching your horse the Six Keys to Harmony, easy to understand techniques for establishing respect and trust with your horse and achieving light responses from your horse on the ground and mounted.  Because we only accept a small group riders participating in the clinic, you will receive plenty of individual attention from Ed.

Saturday afternoon we'll have a quick review of the ground exercises and then spend the rest of the day in the saddle applying the Six Keys to Harmony exercises mounted to improve riding skills and achieve safety and good control of speed and direction. You'll have an easy to apply skill to absolutely stop your horse and shut his motor off whenever it’s necessary. Your horse will be at peace under your confident, consistent leadership.

No Experience RequiredEd Dabney Gentle Horsemanship

You do not need to be an experienced rider or horseperson to participate with your horse in this clinic. Beginners as well as advanced riders have found the skills taught in Ed's clinics to be very useful. His system of working with horses builds confidence in handling horses on the ground and mounted, equips owners with natural communication skills and establishes their authority as confident, consistent leaders for their horse. You will develop a better relationship with your horse- lighter responses, more respect, trust, and harmony. You will understand how your horse perceives the ideas you present to him and how to communicate with him in the way he communicates with other horses. This is all accomplished with respect for the horse by using gentle, natural horsemanship techniques.

Ed's teaching style is very clear and straight-forward, giving students a methodical and systematic approach which is easy for both horse and rider to understand and apply. His gentle methods have been proven effective by successfully working with hundreds of horses and humans. You will learn problem solving principles and teaching techniques that work with the horse's nature and instincts in order to overcome resistances and find solutions with confidence, patience and understanding.

Thirty-five years of working with horses in the ranching, motion picture and training industries along with Ed's formal training in 17th century classical equitation provide him with a very unique and broad basis of skills and knowledge to pass on to lesson participants. You'll learn gentle horsemanship and classical riding techniques that you've never seen before and that are not taught in any other clinics.

More Information on Ed Dabney Clinics

  • We require to see a current negative coggins before any horse is unloaded.  Please do not unload any horse on the concrete.  Drive into the Parking field before unloading.  You do not need a health certificate unless you are crossing state lines.  
  • We have stalls and outdoor paddocks available for $25 per day.  Our 10 x 12 stalls have shavings and water. 
  • You may trailer in the day before and stay the day after if you wish.  We have two RV hook-ups with 30 amp electric outlets and water hook-ups you can use at night (we need the faucets during the day to fill water troughs).  We live on site and have security gates that are closed at night.  RV hook-up is $10 per night.
  • Bring your lunch and beverage or there is a Subway and Pizza / Bar-B-Q 3 miles from our facility.  We have a refrigerator and microwave in the barn office you may use.
  • Minimum age for riders is 16.
  • No stallions, dogs, drugs, profanity or alcohol.  
  • No smoking near the barns or arenas.  

What to Bring:

Sack lunch and beverage, Lawn chair, Note pad and pen, rain slicker, all horse tack for participants: Snaffle bit (bring your own or they are available for purchase at clinic or from our web site prior to clinic) Rope halter with a 12-foot lead (bring your own or they are available for purchase at clinic or from our web site prior to clinic) Helmets are recommended and are required for participants under 18 years old. 

Location and Contact

The Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship Training Facility is located at 1034 Hodges Cir.  Mansfield, GA.  The clinic will be held in our covered arena.  

For any questions or problems please call Colleen at 770-856-8250.

Lodging

There are Airbnbs available Covington Vacation Rentals & Homes - Georgia, United States | Airbnb and major chain hotels in Covington, conveniently located within an easy 10 min drive to our facility. 

These hotels are all located at exit 93 off I-20:

Hampton Inn 678-212-2500     14460 Lockridge Blvd. Covington 30014              

Holiday Inn Express   470-441-9500  1445 Paras Dr     Covington, GA 30014

Travelodge                 770-784-1849   10225 Hwy 142 N. Covington, GA 30014

Palace Guard Clinic

Techniques applicable to all disiplines and rider levels

The skills you'll learn and the exercises you'll teach your horse apply to riders of any level with any type of riding discipline, (English or Western, competition or pleasure) and horses of any age. This is good, common sense horsemanship that anyone should be able to do.


Friday Evening   7:00 - 9:30 PM
Classroom Session without horses

"Revealing the Mystery of Natural Horsemanship"
A lecture/demonstration on the theory of natural horsemanship.

Ed Dabney

On Friday night Ed will introduce what the participants will be learning on Saturday. Attendance at the Friday night session is required for rider participants. This session is open and free to spectators as well. Topics covered on Friday night:

  • Building a relationship with your horse through Care, Communication and Consistency
  • Predator/Prey Relationship
  • How this type of training relates to the horse's natural instincts by explaining herd dynamics and leadership, especially in the wild horse herd
  • Discussion of tack and bits
  • Attendance at the Friday evening classroom session is required for rider participants. This session is open to spectators as well. 
Ed Dabney Horsemanship Clinics  - Six Keys to  Harmony

Saturday morning  10:00AM - 1:00PM

You'll enter the arena with your horse on halter and lead rope unsaddled. During the afternoon you'll be teaching your horse the "Six Keys to Harmony" essential exercises.

Saturday afternoon  2:00PM - 6:00PM

Enter the arena saddled with your horse on halter and lead rope, not bridled.  We'll have a quick review of the ground exercises and then spend the rest of the day in the saddle applying the Six Keys to Harmony exercises mounted.

The "Riding Skills" portion of the clinic will also include:

  • Safe and Respectful Mounting
  • Confident, Balanced and Independent Seat at all Gaits
  • Emergency Stop
  • Quality of Control of Speed and Direction

Overnight horse boarding is usually available. Please contact host farm for information, or please contact us with any problems.

Required: negative Coggins for participating horses.

What to bring: sack lunch and beverage, lawn chair, note pad and pen, all horse tack for participants.

No dogs or alcoholic beverages please.

Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship

Here are just a few comments from attendees of Ed's clinics:

"I just wanted to be sure to thank you for all your hard work and individual attention at the clinic. Obviously, it was the first time Tuff and I had ever done anything like this and it certainly was an eye-opener for me. You gave us some techniques that I can apply immediately in order to build a relationship with her and to educate both of us!

I have to tell you that the clinic was probably the most informative and productive thing I have ever done with one of my horses. Now, I look forward to learning more." - Sue Kerr

"I want to say I thoroughly enjoyed the clinic and that you are an excellent teacher. I learned a tremendous amount over the weekend and am a testament to that you CAN 'teach an old dog new tricks'. I am looking forward to participating in your upcoming advanced riding clinic!" - Dick Hussey

"Ed - Your video is AWESOME. What I think I like about it most, among many other things is: you get it, Ed. Totally. All that Natural Horsemanship is and was meant to be. I see so few who really get it. I can count on two hands the rest who truly get it. And you do. Not just in talk, but in action. And you articulate it so well. In just the right detail." - Sylvia Scott

"Hi Ed, Rick and I so enjoyed the clinic. You were so helpful and we learned so much. I just can't believe how much we learned in 2 days! Your communication and teaching skills are excellent and so easy to understand and learn from. We could not have asked for a better experience for our first clinic. We will be back for more!!

The thing we appreciated most of all is your love of the Lord!

Can't Wait Till Next Time! Thank you!" - Rick & Rena Compton, Columbus, NC

Gymnastic Benefits of The Six Keys to Harmony Exercises:

Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship