{"id":24991,"date":"2015-11-13T16:28:32","date_gmt":"2015-11-13T05:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/?p=24991"},"modified":"2021-08-16T12:00:23","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T02:00:23","slug":"simply-brilliant-steffen-peters-at-equitana-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/2015\/11\/simply-brilliant-steffen-peters-at-equitana-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Simply Brilliant \u2013 Steffen Peters at Equitana – Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"steffenprofile-Feb11\"<\/a>Story – Chris Hector & Photos – Roz Neave and Travis Cole<\/h3>\n

The crowd at Equitana presented a unique sort of challenge to any horse\u2019s temperament, in that they are a study in perpetual motion, coming and going at seemingly random intervals. Jayden Brown\u2019s imported 7 year old, F\u00fcrst Friedrich seemed to think it was pretty amazing, and Steffen was quick to note the horse\u2019s reaction:<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got lots of energy!\u201d\"Jayden2Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cLove it. When you start working, especially with an energetic horse, give more rein, and be careful, if we create energy it must come from your leg, not so much from your seat. If you ride like that, using your seat, the judges will say it looks like hard work. Sit tall\u2026 there aren\u2019t so many of us guys in the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, no prizes for guessing, one of Steffen\u2019s main themes in this session with Jayden is contact, and this time he is worried about a downhill tendency:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is perfectly fine to relax the horse in a lower neck position, but we don\u2019t want to end up with contact with a downhill tendency. Only lower his neck if there is a real necessity. He takes too much contact and he presses down. When the contact is too low it becomes tricky\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is all about self carriage and the best quality of the gait.\u201d<\/p>\n

more follows<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"\"Jayden6Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Steffen has noticed the gelding\u2019s tendency to hold himself back, and not really go with the flow:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can use collection but in between, you must allow him to go. When you increase engagement, you have to increase suppleness. Never accept increased engagement and expression if the horse stiffens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wow, I suggest you go back and re-read that last sentence a few times.<\/i><\/p>\n

more follows below<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIncrease collection, increase suppleness, make him lighter when you engage him. If you don\u2019t ask for suppleness, the horse will not be supple. Forward energy is great, but don\u2019t let forward energy work against you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that you go forward but you must come back just as easily.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s be more colourful, don\u2019t always ride in a grey area, let them enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still Steffen was worried by the tendency to over-use the seat:<\/p>\n

\u201cRide respectfully forward, and allow. Forward not with your seat, just close the leg. It is so important to have adjustability in tempo. Riding with control, that\u2019s a huge benefit. You horse needs to learn to really wait, it\u2019s learning to control the forward tempo. It\u2019s hard for him in trot, let\u2019s try it in canter.\u201d\"JaydencanterSteffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In canter, Jayden\u2019s horse was really not going forward\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know he can collect, ride him forward but control the tempo. Control the neck, it is not up to him to lower, it is up to you to decide you want him lower. When you lengthen, why go downhill? Up hill \u2013 up, up, up and go.\u201d<\/p>\n

And go they did.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat, pat him, get out of the grey zone into the black and white zone. Perfect, pat and tell him, he did it right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning brake pedal with an engaged hind leg, that\u2019s what he has to learn, and he has to stay up there. He takes advantage of longer and lower, don\u2019t let him. You want to step forward, he says \u2018okay\u2019 but he is going on the forehand and pulling. It\u2019s the same when you go posting trot, it doesn\u2019t mean drop the neck. He doesn\u2019t really accept the contact, his tendency is to go evasively down. It is easy to say \u2018more forward\u2019 but is it controlled? Don\u2019t let the length of his neck be an evasion, don\u2019t let him use his muscles against you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a wonderful, talented horse. You need energy for Grand Prix, but you need to channel that energy. And don\u2019t create more energy with your seat. It is tempting, but don\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steffen works with another horse, scroll down<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

https:\/\/goo.gl\/mY2Zq4<\/a>\u00a0For a stockist of the Zilco Range near you<\/p>\n

\"Justine1Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Steffen found very similar issues with the next horse, Yarra Valley Rodrigo \u2013 a locally bred gelding, by Regardez Moi out of a Flemmingh mare, ridden by Justine Greer. \u201cThink about the length of the frame, the length of the neck, be clear that the horse doesn\u2019t use this in an evasive, disrespectful way. Everyone talks about having a long neck, it\u2019s great if you can control it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Justine2Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And the control \/ contact issues began, even before the horse took a step:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contact was heavy in the halt so it will be heavy when he goes forward. Teach him in halt to stay with you, it\u2019s like teaching a puppy to heel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone says \u2018engage the hind legs and the horse will stay light\u2019 \u2013 sorry, you have to teach respectful contact, you have to teach the highest standards of connection. When you go to halt and he pushes his nose out, that is an attention issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Time to trot:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy downhill? Why low in the neck? We as riders have to take responsibility. Tap when he dives like that, there are so many opportunities to tap. Yes, you want forward but it all ended up in your hand. Create awareness because without awareness you cannot stay in light self carriage. I love a steady hand but if you don\u2019t ask for suppleness, the horse won\u2019t be supple. A steady hand can be a creative hand.\u201d\"JustineGreer1Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Again Steffen emphasizes that it is not about riding the movements but how you ride the movements:<\/p>\n

\u201cTest the movement, don\u2019t just ride it hoping things turn out right. You are still thinking about the movement and not about the feeling underneath you. It might look good but if it doesn\u2019t feel honest, you need to do something. You are the trainer. It\u2019s about thinking about the basics, is my horse carrying himself? Is he in front of the leg? Is he into the bridle. Train don\u2019t just ride movements, if it doesn\u2019t feel effortless, I\u00a0 guarantee it doesn\u2019t look effortless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steffen returned to one of his ongoing themes \u2013 the tendency to kick.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you kick, the canter stride just gets quicker, we don\u2019t want quicker, we want to cover ground. Use the spur for two strides, don\u2019t just kick one stride, hold your leg for two strides, get his attention, get the reaction \u2013 close and hold for two strides.\u201d<\/p>\n

And again and again, Steffen stressed that it wasn\u2019t a matter of riding the different movements of the dressage test, but the quality <\/i>of those movements:<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t accept the movement when the horse is not awake. You are doing a wonderful job teaching the movements, but the question you must ask every stride is, is it honest? You have so many tools to use, don\u2019t just ride the movements \u2013 work on energy and self carriage. Every movement in the dressage test is just a test of energy, suppleness and self-carriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it looks effortless, and that is what the sport is all about\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Working with Jenny Gehke and her imported mare, Gitane, Steffen again demonstrated his insistence that every detail be correct, every step the best possible in the situation\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your mare is a little nervous in the walk, she jigs, she is running through the bridle. What to do? Halt. Stop. Then be very picky with the first step of walk. Halt nicely uphill. It is important to be adjustable in halt without the horse going forwards or backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow ride her more uphill. Most people when they think uphill, think shorter reins \u2013 no. Ride her uphill, when she dives, bring it to her attention, ride her uphill not downhill and maintain a consistent frame.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mind if I ride her?\u201d<\/p>\n

I guess we knew the answer to that one.<\/p>\n

Next Steffen rides Jenny’s horse<\/em>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Steffengitane2Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole idea of riding the horse\u00a0 over the back, deep and round, is 100% necessary if the horse develops an under neck, if the horse it going against us, but she is strong enough in the back to ride her a little uphill. Her first step forward is a little against the bridle. That is not okay.\u00a0Tap, do it again. Don\u2019t let her lean on the curb, the curb makes them too round. Engage her hind leg and mind as well, and make it clear to her that we won\u2019t accept the nose dive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer first tendency is to go forward and downhill. She must be respectful when she goes forward, she tricks us into too much contact, then the half halt doesn\u2019t go through. When she goes forward there is no need to be a bulldozer, she can be a dressage horse. She must accept the engagement of the hind leg with lightness. She tricks you into struggling rather than saying, \u2018no sister, you are not running through the bridle.\u201d\"SteffenGittane-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Steffen is riding a few piaffe steps\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am reminding, not supporting. Train them to offer the movement. Give her the opportunity to figure this out but refuse to give her too much spur.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenny is back in the saddle and riding pirouette.<\/p>\n

\u201cRide pirouette to the right, testing the movement, don\u2019t just ride it. Is it honest? Is it true? Is it controllable?\u201d\"JennyGerke2Steffen-Feb11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was Jenny\u2019s turn to ride piaffe:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are riding as if you are teaching her piaffe. You\u2019ve already done that, don\u2019t help her. The half halt is such a mystery after all these years. What is important is the result.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, Steffen works with Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina and Mary Hanna and Sancette \u2013 and has a ride on Shiraz Black\u2026<\/p>\n

Want more of Steffen’s wisdom? Go to his Who’s who entry to find all his articles, lots of articles…<\/p>\n

Peters, Steffen<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n