Five star reining clinics

Testimonials

I am 46 years old and have been involved with horses since birth as my father was an horseman and horse dealer. I left school at 15 to work full time breaking in and straightening out problem horses.  I started rodeo at that same age riding open saddle broncs and bare back broncs at 16, i still get on the odd saddle bronc now, I got into reining 2 years ago.  Reining is a huge learning curve and I have a long way to go, but going to Warrens 5 day clinic was the best thing I ever done.  I learned more about horses, reining and my self in 5 days than I did in the 5 years and can recommend the clinic for any 1 who rides horses not just reining horses.

It's a great way to learn from one of the best trainers in Australia, as well as getting to know a great group of people. The food was great. I had a ball & learnt heaps.

Who is Warren Backhouse? The man whose winning pictures regularly grace Western magazines throughout Australia,  a man who is so at the top of his field of Reining you could be forgiven for thinking he would be too busy or exclusive to train the ordinary person just starting out in the sport of Reining.  Well I can attest to being one of the above until earlier this year when I had the greatest pleasure in attending a Warren Backhouse Clinic at Tatura in Victoria .  As a newcomer to the sport of Reining I was apprehensive initially, thinking my lack of knowledge and green horse would not be suitable under the instruction of such a renowned Reining Competitor and trainer.  How wrong was I.  Warren Backhouse showed himself to be keen to train anyone with a passion to learn at any level.  Warren was both patient and easy to understand in the training sessions.  His professional yet friendly and easygoing manner allow the nerves to disappear and the learning to begin.  Whatever level your combination, whatever problem presented, Warren was there to help by giving the training tools, HIS training tools to improve your and the horse's skills. 

The venue at Tatura was very good, with good stabling & a great indoor arena.  The dining was terrific with three lovely meals a day prepared for you, who could ask for more.  There was plenty of space to choose your style of camping, or book a motel in town just a couple of minutes from the venue.  On top of the great training I was fortunate enough to meet some terrific, encouraging & supportive people with the same passion as I.  If you are of the opinion that choosing a trainer is as personal perhaps, as choosing a dentist, you may well be interested in attending a Warren Backhouse Clinic,  you have so much to gain for very little pain.  I have to admit, the body does hurt a little at the end of a good training session but you know what, my green horse and I learnt soooo much that week that we took ourselves off to the Winderadeen Clinic two weeks later for more!    To anyone thinking of doing a Backhouse clinic, especially if your new to the industry or have a young horse, stop thinking about it, DO IT!!  My opinion, you can't loose.

Thanks Warren!

 

 

Guy Wiseman

Greg Anderson

Stephanie Saether-Smith

I went along to a Warren Backhouse Clinic and got so much information out of it - but I'll wrap it up with an acrostic poem 'FRAMED UP' as we must always have our horses:-

   F - Fun                                U - Understand

   R - Respect, Reason         P - Purpose

   A - Attention, Aim high

   M - Meaning, More

   E - Energy

   D - Dedicate

Cheers Vicky

Thanks for a good time.

Vicki Bajada

I am a Western Pleasure rider and although I have a horse in training with Warren ( for reining)I had never actually ridden in one of his clinics before as I thought I either wasn't good enough or that I was only a Pleasure horse rider so I wouldn't be welcome. Well!!!! My friend Glenys ( also a pleasure rider) and I went on our Pleasure horses and from the moment we got there we were looked after. We were fed 3 great meals a day and got to meet some of the nicest people from all walks of horsey life. Warren has a way of communicating with every one from beginners to advanced riders without making the beginners feel any different to the advanced. Nothing is too much trouble for Warren and his Team. By the end of the fifth day we took our (still) Western Pleasure horses out and did a half decent reining pattern (even if it was a tad slow for some of the reiners to watch!) I am booked in every year for the clinics at Gatton and look forward to going. I found that the clinics helped educate myself and my horse so that we show even better in our Pleasure classes.  Maybe I will see YOU at the next one?!

Thank you Warren.

Sharon Adams and SHARADAM SAINT NICHOLAS

Sharon Adams

I was one of the lucky ones that attended the clinic in Tatura - Country Victoria.  Seventeen people plus once fence sitter made the effort of transporting themselves and their horses to Tatura.  When we arrived both straw for bedding and lucerne hay was made available to us organised by Glenn Winsor.  Tatura has a magnificent indoor arena and excellent human as well as horse facilities.  Day one - breakfast began at 6.00 a.m. with almost everything you could think of from eggs, bacon, sausages, omelettes, pancakes, toast and fruit all washed down with tea and coffee.  The first thing we learn is to "feel for the lean".  Anytime we felt our horses lean on either our legs, reins, hands etc. we had to take them off in the opposite direction.  Pretty soon our horses were moving along with straight shoulders.  This feel for the lean process was in every part of our reining pattern.  We all broke for lunch and again we had gourmet food with plenty of variety.

The day was run very well, so that the last group for the day was also the first group for the day, so you could unsaddle your horse and go watch what was on for the following morning.  These groups rotated so if you started first on day one, you went second on day two and so on.  And again at the end of the day around 7pm where we all enjoyed dinner together - with no lack of variety in the food all through the week, we went from curries, to Italian, to hamburgers and whatever your heart desired.  Even trifle and cheese cakes.

Day two - we covered circles and lead changes.  Warren taught us to map out our circles from the moment we walked into the arena.  Some horses that had never done lead changes before the clinic were performing them with ease by the end of the day.

Day Three - we covered turn arounds and roll backs and the neatest backup I have ever seen.

Day Four - was on stopping and fencing and a late afternoon session on showmanship tips - I took notes on this session so I would remember and they were very good.

At the end of the clinic, Warren had us perform a show where we ran pattern 5 whilst he sat up in the arena with the microphone and helped us individually.  It was a great opportunity to put into place all the things we had been working on for the week.

For all of you who missed out, be suitably jealous because there was a great deal to learn, Warren gave us the polish to use in our reining patterns to make them look better and to perform them easier in front of the judge.  Not one person went away disappointed and I am sure we are all looking forward to the Derby Show where we can put them to use.

On day two we had a visitor from the Victorian State Parliament, who handed to the NRHA a flag, which is the oldest design flag in Australia.  Warren and Glenn took this back to the NRHA.  I think we also got a group photo taken for the local paper, which was good publicity.

Special thanks go to Cameron and a very heavily pregnant Michelle Haliwell for their contribution to organising the clinic, and to Wendy Star who did a lot of the cooking of our food from her local delicatessen in Tatura.  Glenn's daughter Casey Winsor did some great cooking and organised all our meals.  Garry Brown donated $200 to the clinic and he and Annette visited for the day.  Thanks go to John Burke from the NRHA for his inspiration and support to establishing the clinics and mostly to Warren for sharing all his knowledge and practical experience with us.  Glenn Winsor organised everything and everyone so it all ran like clock work.  All the profits from the clinics will go back to the NRHA for the Limited division of the Open Futurity and Rick Meredith has also donated a saddle to the this event.

Seriously guys, we all thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evelyn Woods