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We continue our two part series based on George Morris’ Australian Master Class in 2013 – once again, the wisdom is as fresh as tomorrow.<\/strong><\/p>\n Christopher Hector wrote the story, Ros Neave took the photos…<\/strong><\/p>\n On the second day there have been a few horse changes. Jamie Kermond is now riding his World Cup front liner, Colthaga. What is quite noticeable is that all the riders are riding better today. This over-night improvement shouldn\u2019t happen, but it has. Time for George to ride some more, and this time it is on Todd Hinde’s ride Pro Ratina: \u201cThis horse is in front of the leg, but it doesn\u2019t yield to the hand. Watch and you\u2019ll see how quickly I yield my hand. When I take contact I feel the horse blocking on the left side. It must yield to my left leg. Even going to the right, with this horse, I might ask for a counter bend. Even in the halt, I feel with my left hand, but still give. When I rein back, every step I yield, I yield before the horse yields.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch how quickly I yield my hand…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n George has asked the mare to stop in the middle of the cavalettis, she resists, he insists: \u201cI am strong because she is strong, but no temper. No temper, but tough, so the horse is listening.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow when I am walking a circle, compressing the circle, my left hand is taking \/ giving, taking \/ giving. Get her off my left leg and into my right rein. She likes to be on the inside left rein. It is the cart horse in her background (I can feel poor Hilary Scott wincing on the left of me \u2013 Pro Ratina is by a grandson of Pilot out of a grand-daughter of Pilot, but for George, un-reconstructed Thoroughbred fan, she comes from Europe, and is therefore \u2018cart horse\u2019 bred\u2026) <\/em>That\u2019s why they have all those bits over there \u2013 I think she needs a bit with a higher port. Where are those lovely Thoroughbreds, Apache and Slinky? At least I don\u2019t have to go to the gym today.\u201d<\/p>\n next another exercise<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not too forward to the log and the exercise rides well for Georgie Lucas and her Thoroughbred,\u00a0Try My Best…<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cRich Fellers is my direct pupil, he is a great exponent of the forward seat. Rich is my disciple and I am his mentor.”<\/em><\/p>\n \n Jamie and his Grand Prix star, Colthaga<\/em><\/p>\n Jamie suggests that George\u2019s exercises have improved Colthaga\u2019s style. Not so, says George. \u201cPeople get too wrapped up in a horse\u2019s style. Royal Kaliber would never have been bought if we had been hung up on style. He twisted, he hung, but he had huge scope. Don\u2019t try to alter a horse\u2019s style, set up fences for the horses, and let them teach themselves. God made the horse and its style, let the horse cope with its style. Worry if they are honest, or if they have scope, but don\u2019t mess with style. That\u2019s for people who think they are Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour horse is a good horse, but you will get more scope from her if you let her travel with her head up, don\u2019t try and change her style.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n After jumping the line the riders were to aim their horses right at a stout gum tree: \u201cUse the tree at the end to stop. Canter into barriers and it stops a horse almost western style, it helps the half halt, and gets them better listening to the hand. You wouldn\u2019t do this with a young horse but with horses of this age, quick stops are fine. Let the horse bump its nose into the tree, horses can stop very fast.\u201d<\/p>\n more follows<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over and over the riders are enjoined to keep it simple: \u201cBen, circle and go back to the first jump, because you complicated it. I hate that lift in front of a fence. Maybe you do it at a horse show, of course I know how to do it, but I hate it in training. \u201cTodd, jump that plank back and forward. When you lock in on the distance, drop your hands and dare her. If she gets a bad spot, she has to learn to cope with it. Nick Skelton is a master of daring his horses, even with the difficult ones. Watch Nick Skelton, it is a lesson in what I am talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n And yes, the ditch was back: \u201cThe ditch is going to jeopardize impulsion \u2013 impulsion is a moral quality. Some horses have natural impulsion, most have to learn to maintain it at a ditch. Your aids are going to be starting with the softest, the calf, the cluck is stronger, the spur is much stronger, and the ultimate, is the whip. Take your legs off the horse and try to make it go forward with your seat. It doesn\u2019t happen. That\u2019s dogma, the seat produces impulsion, the seat by itself doesn\u2019t produce anything. The seat adds, in conjunction with the leg and hand.\u201d For the next group, the message is the same \u2013 adjust your stirrup leathers. George has this group riding half turns: \u201cThis is neck reining, I want you to get your horses super light to the outside aids, combine the neck rein with the outside leg to mobilise the horse\u2019s shoulder. Now open and close the walk, not with a pumping seat or upper body, use your leg and cluck, and remember, when you release the brake, you are not losing connection.\u201d Trotting over the cavalletti, George wanted the riders out of the saddle: \u201cSitting trot, but when you see the obstacle, get your body forward well before you reach it. It is the Caprilli principle, the light seat makes it easier for the horse to get round, it makes it easier for the horse to go fast. In the 80\u2019s, the horse dealers started this practice of sitting behind the horse, but it wasn\u2019t how Winkler, or d\u2019Inzeo or Schridde rode, they all rode in with a forward seat.\u201d<\/p>\n Winkler – forward seat<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCaprilli changed fast riding when he discovered that is was easier if you shortened the stirrups and leaned forward. Every country adopted this system but the most important thing is the short stirrup to relieve the horse\u2019s back, the back is the most delicate part of the horse after the mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nGeorge is stressing how important each and every detail is: \u201cThose were some very nice halts but the horse should be listening to the contact in the halt. Inside the halt is not free lunch. Think about these little details, that\u2019s why I am here. It doesn\u2019t have to be perfect dressage, but the work has to have discipline.\u201d
\nThe riders are riding a half turn reverse, haunches out: \u201cThis is a very powerful exercise for engagement, it gets the haunches dancing behind your seat, it produces super collection \u2013 the exercise produces collection, not the draw rein.\u201d
\nThis time the cavaletti are on a broken line: \u201cPosting trot, body forward, heel down. You riders love to get back in the chair seat on your bum and raise your heel. Look up and ahead, and on top of the first cavaletti, look to the next. Now go to walk, and I don\u2019t want your horses over-bent. Rolkur is bad physically and mentally for the horse.\u201d
\n\u201cWalk to canter with no trot strides in the upwards or the downwards transition. You must practice perfect canter departs because on every showjumping course, you have a canter depart.\u201d
\nNow George had the riders cantering a figure eight, and holding the counter canter. Why? Because you can\u2019t ride a counter canter without using your inside leg\u2026 and watch out if you start to get aggressive with your horse in the process.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/georgeRatinaCavTrot2.jpg\")
\n\u201cDon\u2019t you boys get in a temper when you get frustrated with the horse. Why is Carl Hester such a marvelous horseman? No matcho. Strong, but subtle \u2013 no matcho. Wait for the horse. Matcho doesn\u2019t wait for the horse \u2013 matcho is not horse training.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pic2GM.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/p>\nThe test is a log to a plank \u2013 bounce \u2013 plank to an oxer. The trick, says George is to let your horse go forward to the log.<\/h1>\n
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\nLower your hands at the jump. Don\u2019t get over-protective, keep the pace, get to the base, and release the horse.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ToddPlankTU.jpg\")
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\nAnother two hours had gone by \u2013 time to lengthen the stirrups, a reminder for the riders to always start their next riding session with flat work. \u201cIt should be embedded in every jumping rider, the habit of adjusting the leathers. First there is walk, trot and canter, it is not just jumping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cGet used to it, every day, the stirrup leathers go up, and down. You can\u2019t get into your horse as well if you are riding with a short stirrup. Cross your reins, ride with the outside hand.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Pic6GM.jpg\")
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\nTime to get fancier, simple changes. \u201cCanter left lead, walk, canter right lead, walk. Start every six strides, if you get down to three or four, that\u2019s good, two or three better, and one stride is even better. The riding is much better in Australia than it was when I first came here, but Christopher when you write your article, I want you to lambast them for their riding, don\u2019t be soft on them, it needs to be much much better.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/winklerMexico066-e1531193868721.jpg\")
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The cavaletti are angled to make a shallow serpentine, the idea here is to teach the opening inside rein: \u201cThe wonderful thing about the opening inside rein is that it doesn\u2019t restrict the bascule.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/LastBest.jpg\")
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