Riders (from left to right) Alexa Varaday (on Tommy Jovais), Dina Smith (on Toto) and Mia Rudick (on Lorelei) joined the rest of the Chestnut Hill participants in giving the two-day clinic with Olympian Buddy Brown a huge thumbs up. Buddy (pictured above) started out with a thorough review of the mechanics of a horse’s body, and how a rider’s aids affect those mechanics. He went on to practice in a variety of positions – full seat, 3/4 seat, half seat and “cowgirl.” He encouraged every participant to think about how their breathing affects their communication with their horse and practiced special techniques to make the rider more effective. He also often found creative specific fixes for position problems with individual riders. In addition to offering a wealth of knowledge and ideas, Buddy’s fun, approachable and positive personality made the event a hit.