2023 GMO Education Event
Last weekend’s symposium brought riders from training level to Prix St. Georges and a variety of different horses. The ongoing theme of the weekend was basics, basics, basics! We can often cruise along in our training (for a time) letting the basics run on autopilot, but Rachel’s finely tuned attention to detail showed the riders and auditors that fixing or improving the basics on their own, often solved or greatly improved the problems the riders were working on without working on the actual problem. Basics are amazing, aren’t they?
Rachel regularly checked in with the audience to make sure they were grasping the concepts and invited them to ask questions. Then we got to the timing of the aids discussion! We all got up from our seats and went over the rail which became our barre for the moment. Rachel demonstrated the exercise and we all did it along with her. She broke down the sequence of movement to create a martial arts kick, which will help strengthen the muscles needed to get your leg on your horse at the correct moment and also train the body and demonstrate how to make the aid arrive at the correct time. So often, it’s not about kicking your horse harder, it’s about making the aid arrive at the exact moment with the right punctuation needed that makes it more effective.
Here are some little gems from my notes:
- Make a narrow, but long corridor (from the leg and hand)
- The horse is not on the aids until he accepts the outside aid
- Spiral in and spiral out– the rider makes it a good idea for the horse to move off the leg on the more difficult 10 meter circle to the easier 20 meter circle
- When on the walk break, if the rider relaxes too completely, signals the horse that the rider is off duty now and the horse should take over “the watch” – not a good plan!
- On the curling horse, if the horse gives you more poll, you give them more neck
- When the horse doesn’t respond to your aids, first relinquish the opposing aids!
- The best way to keep a good tempo is to change it (with transitions in the gait)
- Allow the horse to have a physics problem, then offer (the horse) suggestions on how to fix it
- While bending, allow room for the convex side of the horse
- Make sure your aid has a singular meaning and can be understood in one beat
- As you move up the levels, the basics come together faster
- Posting the walk without stirrups with help with rider fitness
Throughout the day, we watched riders improve their connection by mastering the walk. This was achieved through a correctly timed following hand, that could finesse the connection without disrupting the connection (easier said than done!), a following seat, and a frame that allowed the horse more freedom of movement. These qualities then followed the riders into the rest of their work. Rachel didn’t let any poor geometry slide either! Time was taken to demand correct geometry and use of the aids, and quickly and abundantly rewarded when achievements were made.
Just as she would like to see us do with our horses. Rachel really has a knack for getting the best out of the horse and rider and keeping it positive and feeling good! Everyone from riders to auditors were thrilled with the weekend!
Thank you to USDF, Region 9, and Cadence Ranch for your support!
