Clinics & Workshops
Clinics:
Susan offers various clinics at Big House Equestrian Center as well as the ability to travel to your farm (see below).
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2026 Open Centered Riding Clinic's
May 15-17 2026, June 12-14 2026 & Sept 4-6
Go to our "Upcoming" page for all the
Clinic details then
​​ contact Susan directly to register
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Open Centered Riding clinics for any level
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You’ll learn how to achieve an independent seat and how to move in harmony with your horse. This information applies to all disciplines. Clinics also include saddle fitting, basic obedience and ground training for the horse.
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A typical clinic begins Friday eve with a Meet & Greet and an interactive Powerpoint Presentation of the 4 Basics plus Grounding & Clear Intent of Centered Riding.
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Then we start 8:30 Saturday & 9:00 Sunday mornings with the Groundwork followed by your first mounted riding session, a lunch break, more body awareness groundwork followed by a second riding session.
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Participants usually finish by 4:00 pm, both days. A strong Centered Riding foundation is carefully constructed throughout the weekend.
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A maximum of six participants ensures each rider receives personal attention and feedback.
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Auditors are always welcome. They take part in all activities except riding. It is a great way to expose more people to Centered Riding.
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Riders may arrange to have their lessons videotaped. With the new video camera system, participants will be able to view their progress during the clinic! (click here for info) Attending instructors are invited into the arena to learn hands-on bodywork techniques.
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Many interesting opportunities for clinic participants are available; please contact Susan directly. click here.
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Open Centered Riding clinics usually involve around 4 hours of mounted riding instruction.This is intermixed with unmounted on the ground work with the horse & body awareness work on the riders & auditors.
Ground work clinics that involve working the horse, un-mounted in hand, along with some advanced lunging techniques and ground driving. Learning how to handle the horse effectively with gentleness.
Centered Riding clinics for special populations such as pony club, riding club, therapeutic riding centers, obstacle training, and trail riders associations.
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Contact Susan for more details
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Note: Please mail all payments to:
Post Office Box 279
Geneseo, NY 14454
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Host Your Own Clinic!
Not able to attend a Open Centered Riding Clinic at the Big House Equestrian Center? Or are you interested in hosting your own clinic?
Please contact Susan as we are booking dates 2026.
Note: There is a non returnable $400 deposit is required to secure your date.
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"Beyond my Expectations​ !
​Can't believe how easy it was to become ( A great start anyway) a better rider!"
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​​To become a Centered Riding Member go to Centered Riding.org
Housing is available next door at my Brother's Hartford House B&B Click here to contact Susan for information.
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"Outstanding instruction.
Very knowledgeable about a wide range beyond just Centered Riding."
"I had a wonderful time at our Center Riding Clinic!
The instruction was life changing.
I found a new balance in myself, and a much better connection with the horses I rode.And those horses were great! So patient and willing with those of us who are not the best balanced riders."
"Spot on. Susan knew how to assess each of 3 riders and their differences/specific needs. She found my weakness and gave clear instruction on how to improve."
Centered Riding Workshops:
First one this year:
April 18, 2026
Workshop description-
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Saturday Morning 9:00-12:00 pm-
Interactive Power Point Presentation of:
Sally Swift's 4 Basics plus "Grounding and Clear Intent"
We practice using these basics, without the horse first!
12:00- 1:00 Lunch Break
1:15-4:00- 2 Group riding lessons- Both starting first with saddle fit to make sure that each participant understands how to evaluate saddle fit and why it is so very important that your horse is comfortable.
Followed by the 2 group lessons, no more than 6 per group as we are limited to 12 participants.
$80 per participant
$25 for limited Stalls available
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​ Unmounted Centered Riding Workshops
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These include the above as well as;
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Improving your balance and turns
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Enhancing flexibility and mobility
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Feldenkrais movement and awareness class
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Foundation groundwork, including correct lunging, finding the soft feel through “timing and release,” and working the horse in-hand.
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Specialized Workshops
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Fox Hunting, Trail Trials, Jumping, Pleasure riding as well as most any competition rider can benefit from learning about using Centered Riding and be a balanced and more effective rider.
In addition, Susan offers working apprenticeships for middle school through college and pre-vet students.
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Susan’s clinics and workshops are offered throughout the year. For her upcoming schedule please click here.
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Contact Susan for information & registration.
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I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed Saturday’s workshop! I had a very pleasant bareback ride tonight and loved implementing all the things I learned - especially those turns! And my horse loved it too.... turning left suddenly started going much better! :)
"Excellent Instruction
Susan explains well in different ways to reach different learning abilities and styles. She demonstrates well what she is teaching and is respectful everyone participating"
Video Evaluations:
One of our most valuable teaching -and learning-tools is the unique application of video for lesson feedback and analysis. Connecting what a student feels when riding and then seeing how it looks often provides that "aha!" moment to understand and incorporate those necessary changes and be the better rider.
Through multi-camera usage in the indoor arena, Susan now has a crucial edge in her ability to identify and diagnose why a rider is having problems, then give them the aids to fix those issues through her knowledge and application of Centered Riding techniques and her experience teaching riders for over 50 years!
In the video below, we show an illustrated Video lesson with our friend Kristen, who is riding our "School-Master" Scotty. This rider has a common problem- She "unconsciously" sits more on heavily on her "right" seat bone while riding. Therefore when Kristen asked Scotty to canter onto his "right" lead, he took wrong lead. Why? you might ask - Because the rider unbalanced the horse making it quite difficult for him to carry out her wishes. As you watch Kristen learns to place more weight on her left, the "outside" seat bone to get a good right lead canter. Susan most often rides while teaching as this allows her to view her student from all angles and demonstrate how to solve the "puzzle" and find success.
Big House Video Evaluation Demo
Learn the basics of the five building blocks of alignment with Level 3 Centered Riding Instructor Susan Strong Kelley.
This video is a recent winner of the Centered Riding 4 Basics video contest.