Harry Whitney - Horsemanship
… from the horse's point of view
Ask Harry Whitney how he’s doing and you will probably get a “…tired and grumpy…!” response, delivered with a twinkle in his eye. A self-professed opinionated and narrow-minded horsemanship clinician, his opinion is solidly rooted in the foundational principles of horsemanship "from the horse’s point of view", and his narrow mindedness is due to the fact that he is committed to what works for the horse. Students observe that change is possible; they are encouraged to build upon that foundation to further improve their relationship with their horses.
Most folks find Harry friendly, knowledgeable and approachable. He welcomes the discussion and questions of riders and auditors as they discover that his principles, simply put, work.
HORSEMANSHIP... from the horse's point of view
"So often, we focus on what the horse is doing, and miss the fact that the mind will affect what he does and how he does it. If we give attention to the horse - how he is feeling in the moment, where his thought is and offer him the help he is looking for - many of the things we thought were problems will be cleared up.”
- Harry Whitney
Growing up on the family ranch in Kansas, Harry developed early on an uncanny connection to horses. This connection became the foundation for his unique approach to horsemanship “…from the horse’s point of view.”
Following his graduation from Kansas State University with a degree in Animal Sciences, he continued to work with horses, and showcased his talents with a roman riding act. It did not seem to matter the breed of horse or the discipline for which it was intended - Harry calmly and purposefully approached each with the sure knowledge that it could willingly do what he was asking. At a neighbor's urging, he started training horses for the locals. It wasn’t long before the friends and neighbors expanded into the public at large, who asked if he would share his knowledge in a clinic format.
The horses became his testimony, and a career was born.CLINIC FORMATS
You will see all sorts of breeds of horses, riding styles and riding levels. Group size is limited to 5-6 riders, which allows each to work with Harry one on one. Expect to start out at a level that is most comfortable to you and your horse. Auditors are encouraged to attend, particularly if you are not yet familiar with Harry’s principles/teaching style. Questions and discussion usually arise during each rider’s session, which also contributes to the learning experience.
Hosted Horsemanship Clinics - Can be either regular or Intensive formats at the ranch/facility of the host. Class size limited to 5-6 riders to optimize learning. Auditors welcome! Please check schedule page to see when Harry will be in your area. Contact the host for information about rider/auditor availability.
There are three formats for Harry’s horsemanship clinics:
Horsemanship Clinic format - Riders will work with their horses under Harry’s direction. Work includes ground work, under saddle. Harry addresses concerns specific to each rider to help develop a better relationship with the horse.
Bible Horsemanship Clinic format - It's about relationships, not religion. Cowboy Chaplain and very good friend, Ronnie Moyer of Moyer Ministries, joins Harry twice a year at clinics held in California and Virginia. Daily Bible studies partner with the horsemanship which illustrate the Biblical principals that apply to all relationships. The horsemanship format may be either regular or Intensive. All are welcome. To learn more about Ronnie Moyer's ministry, click here.
Intensive Horsemanship Clinic format - Riders observe as Harry works with each horse exclusively the first few days, sharing his principles with riders/auditors as he goes. Riders then ride the last one or two days. Clinics are usually limited to 5 riders for a maximum learning experience.
For info about the Bible Horsemanship clinics, please click here
For info about the hosted clinics, please visit the Clinic Schedule page
Auditors are encouraged and welcomed to attend all formats!
"Harry’s keen eye and sense
of what most suits a horse’s needs at any one moment never ceases
to impress me. But even more than that, he has a knack for helping ordinary horse owners find those skills within themselves."
- Ross Jacobs, Australia
"I have traveled several times from my home in England, especially to ride in Harry's clinics in Arizona. While being around Harry, the learning truly never ends. His patience, awareness and laughter create an ideal learning environment for his students. Harry is committed to enabling us to discover how we can help our horses to feel better about their work, no matter what we are asking them."
- Anna Bonnage, England
"Since 1999, when I first met Harry, I have witnessed many peoples' introduction to his perspective of horses.
A common statement is something like "where have these teachings been all my life?" The content delivered can create a whole new level for both horse and rider--a level that, in my experience, brings about an
essential peace that most horse and rider pairs, unfortunately, never get to enjoy without Harry's kindly delivered teachings".
. - Ty Haas, Kansas
CLINIC SCHEDULE
Harry travels most months of the year to hosted horsemanship clinics around the United States.
Clinic formats may be regular horsemanship, Bible Horsemanship or Intensive (see Clinic Format page for additional information).
See below for an up to date schedule.
UPDATE:
Clinic dates may be subject to postponement or cancellation due to community health and safety requirements caused by Covid-19. Every effort will be made to keep you advised and the schedule up to date to better help you plan.
ATTENTION RIDERS AND AUDITORS: The dates listed below are the actual riding clinic dates. Some locations may host a dinner the night before. We try to keep the information on this page as up to date as possible and we don't want you to miss anything. Please read all info you receive from your host thoroughly so you can plan accordingly.
NOV 2021
Nov 29 - Dec 3 - Washington, KS YOUNG RIDERS' 5 Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Harry Whitney. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Sue at sue@harrywhitney.com (preferred) or 765/339-4826 CANCELLED
Dec 6 - 10 - Washington, KS 5 Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Harry Whitney. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Sue at sue@harrywhitney.com (preferred) or 765/339-4826 CANCELLED
JAN 2022 - Happy New Year!
FEB 2022
Feb 7 - 11 Vista, CA 5 Day INTENSIVE Horsemanship Clinic. Host: Ann Laddon, Rancho Dos Palmas. Limited to 5 riders FULL/Waiting List. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact Ann at aladdon@att.net
Feb 14 - 18 Vista, CA 5 Day Horsemanship Clinic. Host: Ann Laddon, Rancho Dos Palmas. Limited to 6 riders . UPDATE: Format will be a hybrid: 3 INTENSIVE slots/3 Regular slots. One Intensive slot remains at this date. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact Ann at aladdon@att.net
Feb 21 - 25 Vista, CA 5 Day Horsemanship Clinic. Host: Ann Laddon, Rancho Dos Palmas. Limited to 6 riders . 4 Slots available at this date. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact Ann at aladdon@att.net
MAR 2022
Mar 7 - 11 - Hereford, AZ, 5 Day INTENSIVE Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Holly Richter, Rancho San Pedro. Limited to 5 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Cindy Normandeau at normandeau@cis-broadband.com.
Mar 14 - 18 - Hereford, AZ, 5 Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Cindy Normandeau, High Desert Ranch. Limited to 5 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Cindy Normandeau at normandear@cis-broadband.com.
APR 2022
Apr 4 – 8 – Washington, KS YOUNG RIDERS 5-Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Harry Whitney. Limited to 6 riders FULL. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Sue at sue@harrywhitney.com (preferred) or (765) 339-4826
Apr 11 – 15 – Washington, KS 5-Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Harry Whitney. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Sue at sue@harrywhitney.com (preferred) or (765) 339-4826
Apr 18 – 22 – Washington, KS 5-Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Harry Whitney. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Sue at sue@harrywhitney.com (preferred) or (765) 339-4826
Apr 30 – May 4 – Van, TX 5-Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Cheryl Dodgen. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact Cheryl at Cddodgen@yahoo.com or (903) 570-2541
MAY 2022
JUN 2022
Jun 21 – 26 – Delano, MN 6-Day INTENSIVE Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Kyla Awes, Terrapin Farm. Limited to 5 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Kyla at DrKyla@animalcic.com or (952) 201-3478
Jun 28 – Jul 2 – Delano, MN 5-Day Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Kyla Awes, Terrapin Farm. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Kyla at DrKyla@animalcic.com or (952) 201-3478
AUG 2022
Aug 22 – 26 – Floyd, VA 5-Day Bible Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Tom Moates. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Tom at tommoates@gmail.com
Aug 29 – Sep 2 – Floyd, VA 5-Day Bible Horsemanship Clinic, Host: Tom Moates. Limited to 6 riders. For questions and rider/auditor information, contact: Tom at tommoates@gmail.com
"I’ve watched Harry work with a broad
spectrum of horses and students,
from the upper levels of dressage to the brand new beginner just trying to sort it all out, and have seen remarkable changes in both."
- Shea Stewart
LIBRARY
Although Harry has never written a book or produced a dvd or video describing his approach to horsemanship, several articles have been written over the years featuring his thoughts on the matter. Tom Moates is a well known equestrian author and has followed Harry for many years, compiling his notes into several books describing Harry's horsemanship. An excerpt from one of his books is included. The library also includes a note from Linda Bertani who hosts Harry's clinics at her Mendin' Fences Farm in Tennessee and a couple of first person experiences written by his students.
Also added are videos produced by good friend and horseman, Ross Jacobs, in which he and Harry chat about horsemanship, and a highlight video produced by Trevor Warren during his clinic visit to Arizona. Enjoy!
ARTICLES
Excerpt from Tom Moates' book “A Horse’s Thought”. Tom has written several books about his experiences as a student and friend of Harry’s and is well known for capturing the voice and wisdom of Harry. Visit tommoates.com.
Eclectic Horseman
Tom Moates writes about his experience at a Harry Whitney Intensive Clinic
Clinic Report by student Alison Visokay. Alison describes her experience at her first Harry Whitney clinic.
Clinic report by student Linda Davenport which illustrates well how nothing changes until something changes
Following a horse accident that resulted in a broken back, Michelle Scully, author of Broken-Tales of A Titanium Cowgirl, was determined to get back in the saddle. Her journey to accomplish that goal led her to her first Harry Whitney-Horsemanship Clinic experience.
VIDEOS
VIDEO
Interview with Ross Jacobs, Pt 1
A video produced by Ross Jacobs. Features an informal chat about clinic format and teaching between Ross and Harry at a clinic in Tennessee, June 2017
VIDEO
Interview with Ross Jacobs, Pt 3
The third in the series of conversations between Ross and Harry at the clinic in Tennessee, June 2017
VIDEO
Arizona Clinic Week Compilation - 2015
An illustrative overview of a typical clinic week at Harry's ranch in Salome, Arizona. Produced by Trevor Warren
Clinic Experience at Mendin' Fences Farm
Linda Bertani has hosted Harry Whitney Horsemanship Clinics at her Mendin' Fences Farm for the last several years. She offers a brief overview of that experience.
VIDEO
Interview with Ross Jacobs, Pt 2
The conversation continues between Ross and Harry at
the clinic in Tennessee, June 2017
VIDEO
Interview with Ross Jacobs, Pt 4
The fourth in the series of conversations between Ross and Harry at the clinic in Tennessee, June 2017
PHOTO GALLERY
Connect with Us
Interested in attending a Harry Whitney - Horsemanship Clinic? For information and/or to make reservations for upcoming hosted clinics, please contact the host(s) listed on the Clinic Schedule page directly for rider/auditor information.
For general information, please contact Sue Hildebrand by either email (sue@harrywhitney.com) - preferred method, or phone (765) 339-4826.
You can also follow Harry by visiting his facebook page (Harry Whitney - Horsemanship).
Auditors are always encouraged to attend clinics, especially if you are not yet familiar with Harry's philosophy of training "...from the horse's point of view".
Hope to see you down the trail!
