I haven’t been competing much because my horses have been hurt and are all rehabbing. I have plans to compete later this summer and hopefully do Volcan in the four-star at Fair Hill or Ocala, and Kortina in the 2-star at Virginia.
Meanwhile, no rest for the wicked. I’ve been able to travel as a selector and went to Kentucky and then to Badminton. I have to say, going to Badminton and watching was truly inspiring. The first day I contacted Leslie Law so we could watch Woodge Fulton prepare and have a lesson with German trainer Dirk Schrade. I was so impressed with Woodge’s improvement in her dressage (although you didn’t realize how much more understanding she has from her result), and how far she’s come. I was also completely impressed by Dirk’s passion and enthusiasm as a coach. In all the things we know as riders, one of the most important is to be able to ride our horses completely through in the connection, slow down make to them bigger, and then make them smaller—it’s all about the horse being on your aids. Dirk was so smart about how to make Woodge work with her horse, even though he’s a quite a tight Thoroughbred. Dirk had Woodge always putting the pressure on and then releasing without losing the connection, so she could get the results and relaxation.
The dressage tests on Friday were truly great to see. The precision of some of the best tests was mind-boggling and a reminder of how great and competitive this sport is. Watching Kentucky, I was surprised at how many missed the flying changes, and how few missed changes at Badminton in the tests I saw (which was not all of them). As a rider, I know how hard it is to actually ride a clean test! I’m not sure if they practice more, or there were just more competitors, so the odds of seeing the clean changes were higher. I’m not trying to be critical, just making an observation. The quality of horses was mind-boggling, and even Piggy French’s little mare that won; she wasn’t as physically impressive but so correct.
Meanwhile, no rest for the wicked. I’ve been able to travel as a selector and went to Kentucky and then to Badminton. I have to say, going to Badminton and watching was truly inspiring. The first day I contacted Leslie Law so we could watch Woodge Fulton prepare and have a lesson with German trainer Dirk Schrade. I was so impressed with Woodge’s improvement in her dressage (although you didn’t realize how much more understanding she has from her result), and how far she’s come. I was also completely impressed by Dirk’s passion and enthusiasm as a coach. In all the things we know as riders, one of the most important is to be able to ride our horses completely through in the connection, slow down make to them bigger, and then make them smaller—it’s all about the horse being on your aids. Dirk was so smart about how to make Woodge work with her horse, even though he’s a quite a tight Thoroughbred. Dirk had Woodge always putting the pressure on and then releasing without losing the connection, so she could get the results and relaxation.
The dressage tests on Friday were truly great to see. The precision of some of the best tests was mind-boggling and a reminder of how great and competitive this sport is. Watching Kentucky, I was surprised at how many missed the flying changes, and how few missed changes at Badminton in the tests I saw (which was not all of them). As a rider, I know how hard it is to actually ride a clean test! I’m not sure if they practice more, or there were just more competitors, so the odds of seeing the clean changes were higher. I’m not trying to be critical, just making an observation. The quality of horses was mind-boggling, and even Piggy French’s little mare that won; she wasn’t as physically impressive but so correct.
Leslie and I walking the course with Jenny Caras. The first photo shows the Shogun log option.
Cross-country day was a great day for our sport. I thought the track asked difficult questions of the horses and riders—it kept coming and riders had to react to what they felt, not what they thought was going to happen. An influential example was the combination at 10 A/B, the Shogun Sport Hollow, where the riders had to first go through a pergoda that funneled you straight to the ditch—down an incline, over the ditch, and then back up an incline to the choice of a skinny log on the right or the left that walked in two strides. You had no idea how your horse would jump the ditch; we watched a lot of rides here, and no two rides were the same. It was a great lesson in riding what you felt, not what you walked or thought you should ride. The riders that were successful had a strong position, and didn’t give up until they landed from the log. There were people that seemed to give up and their horses didn’t understand to leave the ground.
I think overall my favorite ride of the day had to be Piggy French, she and her mare were so together. They started great and got better and better and were just so in synch. Having watched Piggy at Kentucky with a great result but a much different ride—she had to fight all the way around and it was not smooth—I saw almost the other extreme at Badminton. Sometimes it’s seamless, and sometimes it’s just about getting it done and fighting for it, and not how you look.
Finally, show jumping day. There was some great riding! Sometimes in America, people don’t like to ride on the grass, but at Badminton, Burghley, and Blenheim there’s grass footing and Sunday’s course was quite technical with a lot of related lines. I was inspired watching the quality of horses and riding. Was it everyone’s day? No. But everyone seemed to take it in stride. It always makes me marvel being overseas because horses are such a way of of life. In the U.S., horses are perceived as a luxury. Even if people in Britain don’t ride, they take their dogs and spend the day watching sport. That is inspiring. Also, you can’t help but be jealous if you’re British and Badminton is in your back yard and it’s your first 5-star.
Back here in the States, our Surefire Horse Trials prep is in full swing. We’re really looking forward to this year, so don’t forget to get you entries in!
I think overall my favorite ride of the day had to be Piggy French, she and her mare were so together. They started great and got better and better and were just so in synch. Having watched Piggy at Kentucky with a great result but a much different ride—she had to fight all the way around and it was not smooth—I saw almost the other extreme at Badminton. Sometimes it’s seamless, and sometimes it’s just about getting it done and fighting for it, and not how you look.
Finally, show jumping day. There was some great riding! Sometimes in America, people don’t like to ride on the grass, but at Badminton, Burghley, and Blenheim there’s grass footing and Sunday’s course was quite technical with a lot of related lines. I was inspired watching the quality of horses and riding. Was it everyone’s day? No. But everyone seemed to take it in stride. It always makes me marvel being overseas because horses are such a way of of life. In the U.S., horses are perceived as a luxury. Even if people in Britain don’t ride, they take their dogs and spend the day watching sport. That is inspiring. Also, you can’t help but be jealous if you’re British and Badminton is in your back yard and it’s your first 5-star.
Back here in the States, our Surefire Horse Trials prep is in full swing. We’re really looking forward to this year, so don’t forget to get you entries in!
RSS Feed