Lessons or Clinics with Darren??

[SparklePlenty]

Ok ok - before everyone jumps all over me thinking i'm crazy please just read my post. This is not meant to be a "Bash Darren" thread.. :yes::winkgrin:

I've ridden w/Darren before his accident and learned a LOT from him at that time. So i'm just curious to see if -

1. If he's teaching again or doing clinics?
2. if anyone who HAS ridden w/him POST accident if you could please give me your experiences with him.
3. If anyone's notices he's changed his teaching style (good or bad) since his accident.

I know many of you are not FANS of Darren's, so if you dont want to post your experience with him here on the COTH please PM me.

I really need all experiences people have had GOOD and Bad.

TIA

[olympicprincess]

I rode with him early last year at Equine Affaire and LOVED it. :yes:

But that doesn't really answer your question. Nope, I have not seen him or heard of anyone who has ridden with him post-accident.

[tle]

after hearing first hand accounts from someone I'm working with this weekend regarding his mental state just LAST weekend at an event in Canada.... no way, no how.

[LexInVA]

I don't think he'll do any clinics until sometime next year. By all accounts, he's still putting himself and his business back together in addition to figuring out the whole safety role after his accident.

[Jaegermonster]

I only spoke to Darren face to face on a few occasions before his accident, but had seen him teach etc quite a few times.
I just saw him Thursday and Friday (two days ago) at the Trakehner inspection. I did also speak to him on an individual basis for quite a while about the inspection etc.
He appeared to me to be walking, talking etc normally, nor did I notice any delay in his speech or thought processes. He looks a little thinner than the last time I saw him (Jan 08) and has a slight limp, but other than that I thought he looked great and acted fine.
IMHO he should take it easy with the riding and not try to do too much too fast, but I think I would take a clinic with him.

IIRC, Katie Monahan and Conrad Holmfeld were still teaching clinics (and both their accidents involved serious head injuries) and no one threw a fit about it. But back then we didn't have the 'net and media to blast the video all over like we do now.

[JER]

But back then we didn't have the 'net and media to blast the video all over like we do now.

OTOH, the modern information slipstream will spread a good reputation just as easily as a negative one. To wit: the Sharon Anthony thread (http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=159082).

[Painted Wings]

A friend of mine cliniced with him at the Area IV ICP seminar in June and said he was great. She had also cliniced with him before his accident.

[deltawave]

Again, nobody that I'm aware of is "having a fit" about him teaching or giving clinics. Many of us DO object, however, to him being the poster boy for "safety". There is a very decided difference.

[Jaegermonster]

Again, nobody that I'm aware of is "having a fit" about him teaching or giving clinics. Many of us DO object, however, to him being the poster boy for "safety". There is a very decided difference.

Maybe you should review some of the other recent threads about Darren. Lots of folks having fits about Darren teaching.
Although I do agree he probably should not be on the forefront of the safety issue, at least not for awhile.

[BBowen]

A friend of mine was in a recent ICP session in which he was instructing. She had a real problem with him, not based on the fact that his knowledge is impaired, but instead of actually instructing the participants in the "how to", he would take over when they were supposed to be teaching a lesson, not giving them direction. He also spent quite a bit of time "observing" from the hill all the while he was on his cell phone talking or texting. If people are paying for instruction especially for ICP certification, you dang well better give them your full attention.

Not sure how he would be in a clinic, but you might want him to check the cell phone at the arena gate.

[starboard]

Completely offensive, totally self absorbed, and brain injured... sign me up!

[poopoo]

Actually, that sounds like the Darren I knew before the brain injury.....

[Lisamarie8]

Actually, that sounds like the Darren I knew before the brain injury.....

PooPoo, that's the thing. From the people I know who KNOW him, it is my understanding that he is the same Darren he was before the accident. He didn't lose any articulation skills, nor did he lose his balance or his ability to tell what time of day it is.

What he did lose was his filter, and the Darren that was there before, but managed by his own awareness, has gone the way of the economy.

Filters come in handy when working with the public. With the filter missing perhaps a handler is in order. Brittany is on the upswing, maybe hers is available.

I'm with starboard. Hell, lets throw delusional in there and it'll be a REAL party.

[Carol Ames]

IRC, Katie Monahan and Conrad Holmfeld were still teaching clinics (and both their accidents involved serious head injuries) and no one threw a fit about it. But back then we didn't have the 'net and media to blast the video all over like we do now and Katie refused to wear a helmet :no:or have her young child
wear e:eek: