Jeff Morse Carriage Driving Clinic at the NEMHA Winter Getaway February 4th

The New England Morgan Horse Association’s Annual Winter Getaway is happening in Richmond, Massachusetts (approximately halfway between Albany, New York, and Springfield, Massachusetts) just off the Mass Turnpike at Exit 1, February 3-5. On Saturday, February 4, there will be a day of clinic sessions (Registration 8 a.m., first clinic at 8:30). More details can be found at www.nemha.com.

At 9:15, Jeff Morse from Green Meads Farm will be giving a clinic about Morgans and Carriage Driving, discussing and demonstrating the transformation of the Morgan show horse (from any discipline division) into a Morgan Carriage Horse. Jeff will identify most of the significant issues commonly encountered and how to approach them, using a Morgan coming from the Classic Pleasure division, who is right now at the early stages of this transformation. Almost any Morgan can be a decent carriage driving horse, and most can be very good. There are reasons for that which Jeff will cover in the 45-minute clinic on Saturday.

If you have had Morgans show horses for a long time and are ready to try something new, fun and mentally challenging, carriage driving may be just the thing for you and your horses. If physical challenges are starting to reduce your time in the saddle, carriage driving is the perfect next step. Did you know the average age of the U.S. World Singles Driving Team in 2008 was 62 years? It was won by a 72-year-old!

It is sometimes difficult to envision how the high stepping, animated show Morgan can become a long and low carriage horse performing a beautiful extended trot. Jeff says his best carriage horses have come from the Park division! Our Morgans are called versatile for reason! On Saturday, February 4 at Sebring Stables in Richmond, Massachusetts, Jeff will show you how easily it’s done!