Good Horsemanship

Harry Whitney in Australia in January 2010

Harry is a lifelong horseman and animal trainer who grew up on his parent's ranch in Kansas. He attended Kansas State University where he obtained a bachelor of Animal Science. Like many people Harry has had a variety of careers to make ends meet and support a young family including cowboy, rodeo pick up, rodeo clown, Roman riding, trick roping, traveling display of trick animals for the Kansas State School Board, horse breaker and now horsemanship clinician.


Harry's skills were first noticed early by accident when Dr Deb Bennett was visiting where Harry was conducting his first clinic. Dr Deb persuaded Harry to go to California (clinic capitol of the world) where he met Tom Johnson who was an old friend of Tom Dorrance (the father of natural horsemanship and arguably the best horseman of the last 100 years). Tom Johnson was so impressed by Harry as a person and a horseman that he organized a clinic tour around California and introduced him to Tom Dorrance. Soon Harry had established a reputation as one of the best. Many clinicians had spent years study the teachings of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, but here was a fellow from Kansas who had studied with nobody, yet was more like Tom Dorrance than many of them could hope to be.


Soon after his initiation into the California clinics scene Harry's wife unexpectedly passed away. He moved from the cold and wind of Kansas to the heat and dry of Arizona. Harry still travelled and his clinics were now spread across the entire USA and Canada. Harry didn't enjoy the travelling, so he established 5 day clinics at his home in Arizona where people would come from all over the USA and overseas to study with him.


I first met Harry at a clinic in California in 1997 and we became immediate friends. Since then each year Harry has invited Michele and I to spend several weeks with him in Arizona and it has been our pleasure to do it almost every year. In 1998 and '99 Harry came to Australia and held several clinics and I still get asked from those that attended when is he going to return?

I can tell many stories relating the amazing horsemanship skills of Harry Whitney - but there are lots of good horsemen in the world. I can also tell you stories about how he helped so many people understand and put into practice concepts that had bamboozled them for years - but there are lots of good teachers in the world. But what the horsemanship world does lack are amazing horsemen who are amazing teachers. For my money Harry is the best I have ever seen. I count him in the top two horsemen I have ever witnessed, but as the number one teacher of what he knows.

Everybody should be lucky enough to ride with Harry in their lifetime. But if you can't ride at one of his clinics in January, I urge everybody to try to come along and watch. Everybody from every discpline will find some wisdom or new understanding that will benefit them and their horses.

Clinics

Here is Harry's clinic schedule in Australia

Harry Whitney 3 Day Horsemanship Clinics

Date	Venue	Contact
January 9 - 11	Lindawarra 350 5 Mile Rd, Pakenham, Victoria	Ross Jacobs (03) 5629-2045 0409 414 564 rossajacobs@yahoo.com
January 16 - 18	Amber Lodge 588 Barwon Heads Road, Marshall, Victoria	Marie Walters (03) 52761513 myhappytrails2000@yahoo.com
January 23 - 25	Lindawarra 350 5 Mile Rd, Pakenham, Victoria	Ross Jacobs (03) 5629-2045 0409 414 564 rossajacobs@yahoo.com

Tea and coffee will be available at the clinics, but please bring your own snacks, lunch and other beverages.

Directions:

Lindawarra, 350 5 Mile Rd, Pakenham, Victoria

If you type in the address from your home in the box below the map and click the search button, the box on the right of the map will list driving directions to the venue. The map can be adjusted in scale and also moved in any direction to help you get bearings.

Spectators

Fence sitters are very welcome to all clinics and there is no need to book - just pay at the door on the day. The cost to auditors for the clinics at Lindawarra, Pakenham is $50 per day per person.

Please NO DOGS ALLOWED!

Clinic – January 23-25 – Participant Schedule