LM Seminar
I'll get right to the point here....I liked it. This was not my first or second seminar with her, so I had an idea what to expect. Her seminars are about presenting her system and how it works, which is something she's always been straight up about. It is way different than other seminars where the focus is on the handling system, not dog and/or handler issues. She doesn't set up impossible courses and then spend time with you on how to get a dog through the course like many other presenters do. They are for the most part pretty simple sequences that are meant to be experimented with on different ways to get through the course using her system. She is not there to fix your jumping problems, weaving problems, contact problems, etc. She is there to present her handling system, period. This is why she wants experienced dogs, even at her foundation seminars. By having using an experienced dog it takes the focus off the dog and on the handler (however there was a baby dog there that did really well). I will say that her seminars are very progressive so it really is beneficial to start from the beginning with foundation. I did not take foundation this time because I've done it twice before but I did take balancing cues before masters.
She did keep a professional distance from people for the most part, but that didn't matter to me, I wasn't there looking for a new BFF or anything. I was there looking for hands-on information about her system of handling and boy did I get it. I've read a lot of her stuff (like most everyone else I'm sure), but being a visual and a "just do it" kind of person, I relate a lot more to what I see happening in front of me, or what I'm actually experiencing during the sequences. She did spend a lot of time addressing the audience, but again that didn't bother me, I was standing right there and could hear what she was saying and if I had a question, I asked. Personally I always hate it when I have to get up and go stand on the course next to the person running so I can hear the feedback. Call me lazy, I dont mind.
So would I recommend? Absolutely. But know what you are getting into. If you are expecting a more traditional type of seminar (think Nancy Gyes, Stacy Peardot, Rhonda Carter, etc.) then you are going to walk away disappointed. Nothing against those presenters, I've taken seminars with all of them more than once over the years and they were great. But a LM seminar is not like that. If you are looking for a hands on microscopic view of her handling system, then you will get what you paid for.
I really enjoyed it, but everyone's mileage may vary.
She did keep a professional distance from people for the most part, but that didn't matter to me, I wasn't there looking for a new BFF or anything. I was there looking for hands-on information about her system of handling and boy did I get it. I've read a lot of her stuff (like most everyone else I'm sure), but being a visual and a "just do it" kind of person, I relate a lot more to what I see happening in front of me, or what I'm actually experiencing during the sequences. She did spend a lot of time addressing the audience, but again that didn't bother me, I was standing right there and could hear what she was saying and if I had a question, I asked. Personally I always hate it when I have to get up and go stand on the course next to the person running so I can hear the feedback. Call me lazy, I dont mind.
So would I recommend? Absolutely. But know what you are getting into. If you are expecting a more traditional type of seminar (think Nancy Gyes, Stacy Peardot, Rhonda Carter, etc.) then you are going to walk away disappointed. Nothing against those presenters, I've taken seminars with all of them more than once over the years and they were great. But a LM seminar is not like that. If you are looking for a hands on microscopic view of her handling system, then you will get what you paid for.
I really enjoyed it, but everyone's mileage may vary.