Relax! Don’t worry too much, it is not age related and it is nobody’s fault. It is just a fact. And it is not a surprise, either. Research has shown our average retention rate as follows:
– 15% what we hear
– 30% what we see
– 70% what we actually do and practice
Yes, these numbers vary depending on what kind of learner we are, but for the most part are about right as an average. So, the old style lecture without visual aid is of very limited learning value.
Many of us have read blogs and watched videos of how to apply Glue-on Easyboots, for example. But, I hear if over and over again during my travels, many still do not feel comfortable doing it. Because our learning is incomplete when only reading and watching. We need the actual hands-on experience to get a good sense and feeling confident to do it. Then we need the practice. Practice itself does not make perfect, only Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.
That is where the Bootmeister’s Clinics come in handy. During these Clinics, participants will have ample opportunities to practice, make mistakes, correct them and do it better the next time around.
Two Clinic participants practicing as a team, applying Easyboot Glue-ons.
With more participants, a station approach works very well. Three to four stations with teams of 2 working together and everybody gets to practice.
For the 2015 horse competition year, I have scheduled quite a few learning and practicing opportunities for everybody. Yes, because of my personal involvement in endurance events, most of these clinics will either take place in conjunction with endurance races or will be conducted at Global Endurance Training Center in Moab, Utah. That does not mean that these clinics are only open for endurance riders. EVERYBODY interested is invited to join in, no matter what your favorite equestrian discipline happens to be. The following list of scheduled educational seminars and workshops is in chronological order, by clicking on the highlighted name link, you get all the necessary details for the event.
April 10th, 5 pm. At Base Camp of Endurance Ride. Duration: 1 hr. Lots of visual aids and short demonstrations. Because of time restraint, no actual practice will be possible.
April 28th 10 am. At Base Camp. This will be a 5 hour hands on practicing opportunity. Bring your own horse and you can learn applying any kind of Easyboots or EasyShoes. Preregistration required by contacting the Bootmeister or GETC by phone or email.
May 15th, 2pm. At Base Camp. Preregistration required for hands on practice. 3 hour practice possible.
June 3rd, 2 pm. At Base Camp. Preregistration required for hands on practice. 3 hours allocated.
June 18th, 2pm. At Base Camp. Preregistration required. 2 hours allocated.
There is no fee charged for any of the above listed opportunities.
Later in the year, you will have the chance to watch the Elite Tevis Gluing Team work on gluing Easyboots at Auburn, California. This is a watch only session, but a great opportunity to see the best in the country gluing Easyboots on up to 50 horses. The dates are in the week prior to the Tevis Cup. For details you may visit the EasyCare website in June/July this year
If demands requires it, I will consider additional clinics in the fall at various rides, with details then forthcoming at an appropriate time.
In November, GETC is organizing another F Balance Trimming Clinic in Moab, Utah. We did conduct a similar clinic last year and you can read up on it again on last years blog, What In The World Is The F-Balance?
Full class room of F Balance students in Germany.
F Balance Certification Courses are now held all over the world. In April, Daniel Anz, the Founder of the F Balance concept and Stephan Stich, his partner, are conducting the first clinic in China. The pair is truly conquering the trimming world with their concept.
The GETC Seminar will be a combination Trimming/Gluing clinic with lots of hands on practice time. We are working on combining it with an Acupressure Treatment Clinic, so I am very excited about this. During last years clinic, I was the first Hoof Trimmer of the USA to certify as an F Balance Professional. Also visit the F-Balance website to learn more about F Balance. If interested in this kind of clinic, please contact me soon or leave a comment under this blog.
For our European Blog readers, two workshops are being held in Europe end of October. Details forthcoming on FB and EasyCare and GETC websites.
From the desk of the Bootmeister
Christoph Schork
Global Endurance Training Center
