hoofcare, natural hoofcare, natural horsemanship, clinics, workshops, lessons, barefoot trim, barefoot horse, laminitis, founder, navicular, whiteline disease, thrush, horses, ponies, ramey, jackson, ovnicek
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2006-2007 CLINICS & WORKSHOPS
During this season I am offering private and semi-private Natural Hoofcare training workshops here at PENZANCE, Douglas, MA. This allows for very personal attention to your individual needs and requirements. Singular day sessions are offered on a pre-arranged day (usually a Saturday but can be a weekday, too.) for up to 3 people at a time with followup training available. The persons attending together should be pretty much on the same page experience-wise so as to facilitate the design of the day's materials. A pre-training interview is required to assess your levels of experience and to determine what topics are most pertinent to your level of skills. This can be done over the phone or through e-mail.
Personal workshops are being offered through the winter months and into the spring. One need not have any prior experience with Natural Hoofcare in order to register and attend. Again, workshops are individualized to your personal skills level and needs. You may bring your own horse on which to work for no additional fee. Arrangement for a day's stall or paddock must be made prior to the workshop.

Lectures and discussions are comfortable, casual and warm. We meet right in my own home with a cozy woodstove and friendly atmosphere. I've always got coffee and hot cocoa to offer or, perhaps, some cheese, crackers and a light wine. The day begins around 10 am and ends anywhere from 4 - 6 pm depending on the flow of the day. The day is pretty much non-stop learning. We "eat on the run" as we learn so as to get as much into the day as humanely possible.

Douglas, MA is easy to reach and close to major highways such as 395, 146, MA Pike, 495 and 95. It is also right on the borders of RI, CT and MA for convenient access. We're about 45 mins. from Providence, 60 mins. from Boston, 1/2 hr. from Worcester, 45 - 55 mins. from Hartford. We're also about an hour from the NH line at Rte. 3. If you are traveling longer distance there are a few nice facilities in which to stay. Please contact me for further info on those.

I am also available for limited clinics in other areas or presentations/demos for organizations. Please call for availability. If you host a clinic you must have a suitable place to seat attending students that is comfortable and out of the weather. There must also be an indoor area in which to comfortably work on horses with room for student observations.

If you would like to know more information please do not hesitate to call me.
(508) 476-1317 or email me: caballus@charter.net  or naturalhoofcare@yahoo.com. My fee is a simple $250 for the day for private and $200 pp for semi-private. If I go to your facility then I have an additional travel charge that will apply as $1.50 per mile over 10 to get to you.

Thanks for your interest! I hope to hear from you soon.

:) -- Gwen
What one recent student has to say about my workshop:

Today I had the opportunity to spend time with someone like Gwen who is a wealth of knowledge! It is hard to get the seasoned professionals to spend time to share their knowledge these days. Everyone seems to take the time to further their education then before they know it they are "too busy" to pass on their skills. Gwen is both extremely knowledgeable AND busy but still made time to teach so much of what she has learned through the years.
    Gwen started the morning with theory and photo discussion and an overall approach that is 'whole horse' not just hooves. Then, we moved onto horsehandling and trimming.
    I have compelte KC LaPierre's Degree Program and feel like my education was very thorough but being out in the field really humbles you. Gwen embraced the fact that I had 101 questions and never made me feel hesitant about our discussion topics.
    I have been trimming professionally now for about 2 years and still learned so much from Gwen about how to bond with the horse you are working with so the trim is a pleasant experience for the trimmer, the horse & the owner!
    Her hands-on approach, her enthusiasm, focus and overall knowledge makes Gwen one of the better seasoned professionals out there. She is always furthering her own education which I think is a good sign when seeking out professional in the field.
    I would highly recommend Gwen for anyone trying to further their education of the Equine hoof as well as the overall handling and teaching of the horse.
    Thanks, Gwen, for an exceptional day. I look forward to more workshops and clinics in the future.
--June O'Brien
Somerville, MA