![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/TotoJrTU.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEdward and Glock’s Toto Jr Reserve at the Dutch championships (Dirk Caremans\u00a0<\/em>image)<\/i><\/p>\n And Edward Gal and Glock’s Total US The Reserve champion in the Grand Prix was Glock’s Toto Jr by Totilas out of a mare by the Hanoverian GP star, Desperados out of a Rotspon mare.<\/p>\n Every time you appear in the arena, it seems to be such an emotional experience \u2013 do you find it tiring, all this drama? At Windsor with Totilas it was amazing \u2013 but the retirement ceremony for Gribaldi at the KWPN Stallion show that was sensational…<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat was very special when many of Gribaldi’s progeny came into the arena, and he came in last, and you knew it was the good bye for Gribaldi\u2026 quite emotional. It all started with Gribaldi for me. I rode him for 12 years and that is a long time. Together with Lingh, he was my first real international horse. After Lingh was sold, Gribaldi took over his place, and it was good to have him because I could keep on riding in the big competitions. Then comes his son, Totilas, and that is even more amazing. Every time you are surprised at what he can do, he astonishes me every time!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gribaldi showing us where Totilas got his pirouette from…<\/strong><\/p>\n Do you find the father in the son?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cA lot, not only his appearance, but also his ability for collecting, for piaffe and passage, and the pirouettes \u2013 Gribaldi had it too.\u201d<\/p>\n Totilas seems so strong \u2013 every time you see the footage of him doing the canter pirouette at Windsor, it seems so perfect, so effortless for him\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cYou just say, now pirouette and turn and he starts doing it and it\u2019s so easy with him. Most of the things are easy with him. In the arena, when there is a lot happening, at the prize giving, you can let him walk normal and he just stands there, and when you want him to do something, he immediately reacts, and that is good.\u201d<\/p>\n story continues below advertisement<\/em><\/p>\n His temperament seems to be extraordinary? On the Friday night of the KWPN show, \u00a0he did that incredible performance at the farewell to Gribaldi, but the next day, he came in to accept the Horse of the Year\u00a0award, \u00a0and you would have thought he might get excited remembering the night before but he was so cool\u2026<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I rode him in like I did, because I don\u2019t want him to get like \u2018oh I go into the ring I get excited\u2019 now he also knows it is good again and he can be cool \u2013 and that is also a talent from him, that he can switch in his mind and go, okay relax. And he relaxes. That is very rare.\u201d<\/p>\n “Of course we train that. We want very much energy \u2013 and then also stop. We train it at home, okay, you can\u2019t train it like this with this atmosphere with all the people. When you practice a lot, then I think you can do it, even when it is very exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah when it is necessary, but there is some kind of negative thing about rolkur, but I don\u2019t think it is negative, when it is done properly, then it is good. But when you ride in the old classical school way and you don\u2019t do it well, then that\u2019s not good for the horse either. You really need to get into it before you can judge it, and I think people see something and say \u2018oh that\u2019s bad for the horses\u2019 but I don\u2019t think that\u2019s right. I think everything is bad for the horse when its not trained properly.\u201d<\/p>\n Totalis and Edward at their first appearance at Aachen in 2008 – they had flying change problems which was a problem early in the stallion’s career…<\/strong><\/p>\n Waiting for the final score at the 2010 WEG in Kentucky – they were victorious, but the pair were seen having problems with the changes in the warm-up arena during the competition..<\/strong><\/p>\n With Totilas, would you use this method to warm him up?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt depends how he is. Sometimes I need to make him a little bit rounder when he gets more excited, sometimes it is not necessary. But when it is necessary, I do it.\u201d<\/p>\n There are some times then when you would go into a test without using rolkur at all?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYeah, when he is really relaxed\u2026 but okay I think he is an exceptional horse, he doesn\u2019t need a lot of training to do these things. It\u2019s always difficult to compare other horses with him.\u201d<\/p>\nIn the Grand Prix, Glock’s Total US was the winner and he went on to win the Freestyle with a score of 84.825.Total US is by Totilas out of a Sir Donnerhall \/ Don Schufro mare.<\/h3>\n
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\n(Photo Dirk Caremans)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nBack in 2010 at the KWPN Stallion show, when I sat down with Edward to talk about the horse that started it all, the Trakehner stallion, Gribaldi…<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nHow would you describe your training system?<\/em><\/h3>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t really want to call it a system. I just adapt my riding to every horse. I train every horse different. Okay I have some basics, like I want to have tempo control, and they must be quick on my leg. Some horses I ride a little bit high, some I ride really deep, and it really depends \u2013 what I think is the best for the horse, that\u2019s the way I train him.\u201d<\/h3>\n
Do you like to use the quote, unquote \u2013 Rolkur Method?<\/em><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nAnd of course, Edward is pleased with the success of the two Totilas sons:<\/h3>\n
\u201cBoth horses have shown themselves very well. This competition is great to start again for the first time. It is not that busy around the ring, which gives the horses a lot of confidence. I am very happy with both horses. Toto Jr is a bit more of a powerhouse, Total US a bit more elegant. But it\u2019s great to have two such horses on their way to the Tokyo Olympics,\u201d Edward told Netherlands News Live…<\/h3>\n