A Dressage Clinic was held on 12th,13th,14th,15th September, 2015 at Penndragon Equestrian Centre, Ruretse and was kindly hosted by Sean and Belinda Irish. The visiting instructor was Andrea Harrison and the clinic was subsidised by the Horse Society of Botswana. Thank you HSB. The cost of a forty minute lesson to the rider was BWP350.00. Andrea was accommodated at Penndragon and Belinda collected her and returned her to the airport. This clinic was organised entirely by Mrs Debra Freeman who scheduled the riders in to the times that suited them each day. The 60M X 20M dressage arena was built using jump poles on the ground within the 72M X 45M arena. It was prepared by Belinda on a daily basis and the four loads of water were supplied by HSB. This venue is a “stress free zone”, extremely relaxed, welcoming and friendly to all visiting riders and horses. In Sean’s Sunset Saloon there were hot and cold drinks for all the riders and jolly spectators throughout each day. There were many benches and chairs positioned amongst the garden features around the arena for people to watch all the lessons. There are continual improvements, building and finishing touches made to this livery yard to make it more accommodating to its many visitors.
Andrea taught from sunrise until sunset every day. We were blessed with cool weather for most of the four days. This was an especially well timed clinic just before the South African Dressage Championships next week in which many of our riders and their horses are competing. Our very best wishes go with them all. Andrea will also be riding five horses in this show.
Andrea Harrison is the designated HSB Dressage Coach. She trained in Germany for six years. She spent four years with Johnny Hilbearth and two years with the Kastelmann’s. During this time she was competing for South Africa. She has Protea Colours, SAEA gold, silver and bronze badges. She also won her own Provincial Gauteng Colours and she has been selected on a number of occasions to represent Gauteng. Andrea is currently riding at Grand Prix level. She has her own livery yard at Glenferness, Kyalami where she stables twenty-four horses. Andrea is inspired by teaching dressage at all levels and to all ages and she hopes to be able to help her clients and their horses reach their fullest potential. Andrea uses a small intercom system speaking quietly from her own mouthpiece to a speaker attached to the rider’s ear. This is a very effective method of communicating and always produces positive comments about its efficiency from the riders. It can be adapted to use in either the right or the left ear.
Thank you to all those enthusiastic riders who travelled their horses to Penndragon Equestrian Centre for this always popular clinic. Thank you for the efforts made by Deborah Fourie who travelled her horse from Mokolodi, to Kya and Maya Bergh (and their Mum Sandy Davies for towing the horse box) from Crocodile Pools, to Pearl Naylor-Race, Bridget Tippins, Bridget O’Neill, Seamus O’Neill, Siobhan O’Neill, Claire Chapman, Debra Freeman, Belinda Anslow, Camilla Joyner and Sarah Ward who travelled their horses within Ruretse.