# Thoughts on Mark Bolender?



## logcabinmom (Nov 25, 2010)

Went to the Equine Affaire yesterday and saw a clinic given by Mark Bolender. Was wondering what others thought of him; personally, there were a few good things I took away from him, but overall I just had an impression of a bully - slapping horses with their lead (hard) to get them out of his space, wearing pretty big spurs; stating, "I never talk to a horse when I'm training him" ---just kind of struck me as odd. He wasn't able to get the horses to do what he wanted to (walk over a box, walk over a teeter-totter) - that could have been time constraints, but despite his saying never let emotion get in the way, he was pretty worked up that he couldn't get an Appy over a box. 
I did think he had some valid points - don't let a horse move you, basic stuff like that. 
What does everyone else think? Has anyone else gone to a clinic of his? This was the first time I've seen or heard of him.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

I have never heard of him. Wearing big spurs means nothing to me ... what does matter is how he uses them - or not. And I know plenty of trainers who don't talk to their horses while training. Also not a big deal to me since there are other more effective ways IMO to "talk" to a horse while training. Slapping with the lead - even hard - depends on the circumstances, too. There are times when it might be necessary. 

Expos are hard situation to present your training style & especially for horses not used to that type of evironment it's hard to retain their focus (I have ridden in a few expos, yea, my horse did OK, but was certainly distracted). That said, I learn alot about a trainer through how he deals with the stresses of presenting at an expo & don't hold it against him if the demo horse is uncooperative. But it is someing I like seeing for myself, since for me and from experience, what another person sees and perceive is not always the same as what I see/perceive. There are certainly trainers I've seen at expos that I would not go to see again. But love the ability to see different trainers at expos.


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