HORSEMASTERSHIP - DAY 4, 1/25/2008
Hi, everyone!
Today (Day 4), the two groups of four riders participated in a flat lesson without stirrups. Mr. Morris' lesson began with exercises that were directed at improving the rider, i.e.; regulating your walk, trot and canter, with one hand; turning your toe clockwise and counter clockwise while keeping you leg in position; keeping your seat in the saddle while you open and close your leg, and; placing your leg in front of the saddle while you canter. He has continuously and repeatedly stressed throughout the four days of the workshop that riding with your thumb on top of the reins is vital.
When the group's lesson switched to exercises that focused more on the horse, the riders rode a line of cavaletti in the walk, trot, and canter while placing their hands on their head, chest, hip and, back (he cautioned that this exercise needed to be introduced to riders gradually). In addition, the participants rode in serpentine and figure eight patterns, executed the half halt in circles and demonstrated haunches in and haunches out. One of the highlights of the day was watching Mr. Morris ride, Streetwise, a horse belonging to Beezie Madden and ridden in the clinic by Karl Cook. In a very short period of time, Mr. Morris had the horse looking very flexible and elastic!
The lecture today on course designing was presented by Steve Stephens. Initially, Mr. Stephens spoke about his approach to designing courses for the young jumper and children's divisions with an emphasis on the course elements being geared toward the horse and rider's developmental level. The lecture addressed how course elements present different questions to the horse/rider combination such as the placement of the triple combinations, rollback turns and Swedish Oxers. Mr. Stephens believes that a "course designer's responsibility is to make your horse go better, with a nice track and competition."
After the lecture on course designing, the riders set up the course for the jumping clinic scheduled for day five.
Catch up with me tomorrow with some thoughts about the final day.
Talk to you later.
Maria Schaub
posted by Maria Schaub @ 10:04 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Maria, who are the other mentor grooms in the clinic? Thanks.
Wow, I bet all that non-stirrup work KILLED your legs!
Maria, in the future years (longg time from now) do you think you will ever open your own barn and persue teaching others?
Maria, I was reading the results of the 2006 Hampton Classic and saw that Logan, Brianne's horse was listed as being owned by Chelsea Moss. Could you clear that up please? Also do you still have Whimsy? Thank you for doing this blog. It is very inspiring to me and my pony Cruise Control. We are currently doing Jumpers at 2'6 but I am thinking of switching to equitation when I turn 12.
^
yes, chelsea has owned logan for over a year now and maria did sell whismy a while ago too!! that was actually quite a long time ago! where have you been???
Brianne sold Logan for around
$300k to Chealsea Moss. She has been doing very well with him. Maria sold whimsey a while ago to the Polle family, I am pretty sure.
I really dont think its appropriate to be discussing money matters that you dont know are true, and if it is in fact true, its still inappropriate. Im sure noone wants their finances sprawled on the internet. I believe Maria is on here to write about her experiences as a professional now, and not to confirm or deny rumors.
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