TRAINING
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PAT’S RESUME
OFFICIAL EVALUATOR FOR FJORD BREED IN USA AND CANADA
PONY PAIR CHAMPIONSHIP, WALNUT HILL, N.Y. 2012
PRESENTED DRIVING CLINIC, NOVA SCOTIA, MAY 2012
JUDGED GYPSY BANNER HORSE SHOW, MAY 2012
INSTRUCTOR, MULTIPLE SKIJORING CLINICS, WINTERS, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
INSTRUCTOR, WEEK LONG BUTTERNUT FARM DRIVING AND DRAFT CLINICS, ALL BREEDS, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
TRAINED 50 PLUS HORSES, ALL BREEDS, FOR DRIVING AND DRAFT FROM 1970 TO 2012
PRESENTED PRE-EVALUATION AND DRIVING CLINIC, NOVA SCOTIA, 2011
EVALUATOR AT HERNDON, VIRGINIA, JULY 14, 15, 2011
JUDGE, LIGHT DRAFT ALL BREED, FJORDS, DALES, HIGHLANDS AND BLACK FORST, HERNDON, VIRGINIA, JULY 16, 2011
JUDGE, DWYER HILL RIDING CLUB DRIVING SHOW, ALL BREEDS, RICHMOND, ONTARIO, AUGUST 2010
ATTENDED NORWEGIAN STALLION SHOW IN NORFJORDIED, NORWAY 2010, 2001, 1996. 1986
EVALUATED AT FJORD INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION, CALGARY, AUGUST 2010, IN WISCONSIN, 2009, IN VIRGINIA AND COLORADO, 2008, IN WISCONSIN, 2005
JUDGE, FINGERLAKES, NEW YORK FJORD HORSE SHOW, JULY 2010
REPRESENTED CANADA IN NORWAY AT ANNUAL STALLION EVALUATION, MAY 2010
PRESENTED, “FJORD HORSE AS DRAFT HORSE”, NORWEGIAN FJORD HORSE ASSOCIATION, HERNDON, VIRGINIA, JANUARY 2010
ORGANIZER OF FIRST EVER FJORD INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION IN CANADA, ALMONTE, OCTOBER, 2009
PRESENTED PRE-EVALUATION CLINICS IN ALMONTE 2009, SASKATCHEWAN 2008, NOVA SCOTIA 2008
INSTRUCTOR, SKIJORING CLINIC TO ICELANDIC PONY CLUB, MARCH 2009
JUDGE, NORTH EAST FJORD HORSE SHOW, VERMONT, AUGUST 2009
JUDGE, DRAFT PONY SHOW, DALES, FJORDS AND HAFLINGERS, HERNDON, VIRGINIA, AUGUST 2008
IMPORTED AND TRAINED FOUR AWARD WINNING FJORD STALLIONS: HOSTAR, MARNIX, FELIX, AND PRYDARSON, 1987 TO 2007
GUEST JUDGED IN DENMARK, 2006
IMPORTED AND TRAINED PRYDARSON, TOP EVER EVALUATED FJORD STALLION IN NORTH AMERICA
TRAINED PRISCO AS A THREE YEAR OLD STALLION, FOR RIDING AND DRIVING
HIGH POINT AWARD WINNER AT THE 25th ANNIVERSARY FJORD HORSE SHOW IN MINNESOTA USA, 2006
MEMBER OF ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OF 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USANORWEGIAN FJORD HORSE REGISTRY, 2005
MEMBER OF THE NORWEGIAN FJORD HORSE REGISTRY EVALUATION COMMITTEE 2000
DIRECTOR, NORTH-EAST USA FJORD HORSE ASSOCIATION 1997
CANADIAN CHAMPION PONY PAIRS DRIVING, 1997
CANADIAN CHAMPION HORSE AND PONY PAIRS DRIVING, 1997
BEST GENTLEMAN DRIVER, CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, 1996
INSTRUCTOR, LEEDS COUNTY DRAFT AND DRIVING WORKSHOP, ALL BREEDS, 1985, 1986
TRAINED 4 MORGAN STALLIONS: ADANAC MIKE, DIAMOND, NICK AND BRUCE, 1980 TO 1995
PAT’S TRAINING STYLE
Typically I will teach a green horse to drive in two months. Everything I do is carried out in a gentle manner. I believe that building trust with an animal is the first step in any lesson.
I begin in the round pen. My goal is to achieve a join-up with the horse. This may take a day or a few days. In this time I get to know the horse and he gets to know and trust me. I am a Reiki practitioner and if the horse is at all nervous or under stress, I will give him a Reiki treatment.
Round pen session
Once the animal trusts me, I will get him used to a saddle, and then to a driving harness. I do this by putting the saddle on him and turning him loose in the round pen. I do another round pen session hoping to achieve another join-up. I do the same thing with the horse in his driving harness. Next I long-line in the round pen getting the horse used to the voice command, “whoa”, and to turning.
Long- lining
Subsequently I ride in the round pen again to work on the “whoa” and on turning. I have him trotting in the round pen as well. I find riding safer for me and for the horse than moving directly to hitching. I can teach the horse many things from a saddle that take much longer and are more difficult to convey from a cart.
Riding
When he understands what I’m asking for, and this takes several days, I take him out to the driving ring. Here, for two weeks or so, I ride at a walk and a trot. I use a cones course to teach him to turn and bend. When he is comfortable in the ring I will ride him on the cross country trails we have on the farm.
Introduction to the training cart
The next step is getting him used to the harness and the cart. I first get him used to the feel of the harness, and the noise, movement, and bumping of the cart. This may take two or three days. I then long-line him for several days in the ring with his harness on. At the end of the first month, he is usually ready to hitch.
Hitching
When it’s time to hitch, I work very slowly with the horse. The first several days, I have him walk only. After he is completely at ease with me touching the whip on trees as we pass by them, and making noise with the cart, and speaking loudly, he is ready to progress to a trot.
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| Walking | Trotting |
The next three weeks I build his confidence. He learns the two walking gaits and three trotting gaits. I try to work with the owner and his horse so that the two of them are comfortable together. It is very important that the owner gives the same aids I have taught the horse.
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| Bending | Learning the aids |
Training Fees $800 a month which includes board.
TRAINING CONTRACT
This Training Contract is to certify that on this _____day of
_________, 20_____, owner ________________________________has requested that Pat Wolfe train the horse ____________________. The initial training period will be ____month(s) with the option of additional time by mutual agreement of the horse's owner, hereinafter "the owner" and Pat Wolfe, hereinafter "the
trainer".
Terms and Conditions:
1. Training fees are $800 a month which includes board.
2. Training will be conducted five days per week.
3. The Trainer will provide the Owner with short training reports
once a week if requested.
4. The horse will be trained for
_______ Obedience
_______ Riding
_______ Driving
_______ Draft Work
_______ Breeding (Stallions)
5. The horse shall arrive in good health. The Owner shall advise the
Trainer of any health issues of the horse, however minor, prior to the
commencement of the training. If any health issues arise with the
horse that affect the Trainer's ability to care for and train the
horse, or should the health of the horse potentially affect the health
of any other horses on the premises, the contract may be terminated by
the Trainer.
6. The Trainer agrees to provide normal and reasonable care to
maintain the health and well-being of said horse. Care and services
not included in the training fee are farrier services, de-worming,
vaccinations and veterinary services.
7. If emergency treatment is needed, the Trainer will attempt to
contact the Owner for approval for veterinary care, but in the event
the Owner is not reached, the Trainer has the authority to secure
emergency veterinary and/or farrier care. The Owner is responsible for
all costs relating to said care. The Trainer is authorized as the
Owner's agent to arrange billing to the Owner.
8. In engaging the services of the Trainer to train and board the
horse(s), the Owner hereby assumes all risks inherent in such
activity. The Owner hereby releases and absolves the Trainer, and
holds harmless any other volunteers, agents, designates,
representatives and employees and the owners and occupiers of the land
upon which the training and boarding are held, from any and all
present and future responsibility, liability or claims of any nature
and kind which the Owner may encounter arising from and including but
not limited to sickness, bodily injury or death of the horse, theft of
the horse, damage to property resulting from the training and boarding
of the horse, and any and all claims of negligence of one or more of
the individuals and organizations referred to herein.
The Owner is aware and hereby acknowledges that the Trainer does not
carry any insurance for any horses not owned by the Trainer, including
public liability, accidental injury, theft, or equine mortality
insurance and that all risks are assumed by the Owner.
All costs, no matter how catastrophic, connected with boarding,
training, or for any other reason for which the horse is on the
premises of the Trainer, are to be borne by the Owner.
9. The Owner agrees to hold the Trainer harmless from any claim
resulting from damage or injury caused by said horse.
10. The Owner has the right to visit the training farm at any time.
11. The Trainer has the right to terminate the training if, in the
professional opinion of the trainer, the horse is found not to be
trainable. The Trainer will put said notice of termination in writing
to the Owner.
When this contract is signed by both parties, it will then be a
binding contract on both parties, subject to the above terms and
conditions.
Trainer _________________________________
Owner _________________________________
Signature ________________________ Signature___________________________
Date____________________________ Date_______________________________
Owner’s Address ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Owner’s Telephone __________________________
Owner’s Email______________________________