Surefire Eventing
  • HOME
  • SUREFIRE EVENTING
    • JAN BYYNY
    • SUREFIRE EVENT TEAM >
      • HORSES
      • SUPPORT
  • LESSONS AND CLINICS
  • SALES
  • BLOG
  • SUPPORT THE TEAM
    • SPONSORSHIP
  • CONTACT

Wellington

2/9/2018

0 Comments

 
Happy New Year! So far, this year has been different than any before. The farm that I’ve gone to in Aiken was sold in November, and for other reasons, too—hurt horses, clients moving, and not a lot of horses in the barn—I took the opportunity to come to Wellington and help Katie and Henri Prudent at their Plain Bay Farm. Right before Christmas, Dr. Johns gave Inmidair (JR) the go-ahead to do whatever I want with him, so I decided I’d bring him to get fit and do some dressage and some jumpers and Volcan to practice in the jumpers. 

I would say I know why people go to Florida—because the weather is beautiful! Every week I fly home on Saturday to ride and teach in Virginia and then fly back to Florida on Tuesday. During the week, I flat horses for Katie and Henri and teach some of their people on the flat. Volcan shows in the medium or high schooling jumpers, depending on how the week is going, and on the flat at Global or White Fences.

I was actually quite nervous about doing this because it’s hard to get out of your comfort zone and make yourself train as precisely as is needed for our sport. This is my biggest take-away from Wellington (other than it’s cold in Virginia this time of year)—that on our own, 
it can be hard to practice with the technique and precision eventing requires because we all have our own, familiar training methods—our comfort zone—that seem to work well enough for us. 

So simple, right? Of course we need to be precise. My Eventing attitude allowed me to make it work and get it done, but to be honest, that attitude is not good enough. To be competitive every stride when jumping—forward, balanced, able to go for the big one or forward to the base, to add one, learn how to get a rub—those are all skills we should have if we want to be truly competitive. These fine points of precision riding and making your horse adjustable are a lot harder to do than you think. Being able to do them with composure and a relaxed mind and relaxed arms is even more difficult! But there's a reason Michael Jung is so successful, and anyone can benefit from immersion in other disciplines.


Even though being able to go into the jumper ring or compete at a dressage show every week is something we don’t do enough of as eventers because it’s hard to make the time, it’s a great experience, and shows become just another day at the office practicing the skills that you need. 

Stay tuned for more updates and to follow Inmidair 2018!
0 Comments

    Archives

    April 2025
    February 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    February 2024
    September 2023
    July 2023
    April 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011

    RSS Feed

Website by Bright Horse Communications