Today’s breeding trends toward ever more specialized animals, but columnist William Micklem believes the best horses can excel in any discipline.
The event horse is the ultimate sport horse: the paces and temperament to do a dressage test at advanced level; the gallop, jump and courage to go across country; and the scope, carefulness and soundness to come out again and jump clear in the show jumping.
Unless the person in front of you is naked or wearing a particularly outrageous outfit, you look at the face first. In this respect, the smile says it all. Not all animals can smile, but humans do it beautifully. Without a single accompanying word a smile can say: ‘Welcome, come on in,” “Keep going, you’re doing OK,” or, probably the most valuable of all, “This is fun. I’m enjoying this and enjoying doing this with you.”
So how famous is your coach? Are you in awe of him as he arrives in the arena? Does her gold-medal CV precede her and add value to the lesson? Or is it a barrier to learning?
The extraordinary William Fox-Pitt made headlines with his triple triumph at Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland in the one-, two- and three star competitions held the weekend of May 26-29. With Ollie Townend second to him in both the three- and two-star competitions and also winning the CIC three-star class, the other elite riders were left with slim pickings.
There is a line in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which I just love because it describes how so many feel trying to understand the intricacies of dressage and dressage judging, particularly after an explanation from an expert: “I've just decided to switch our Friday schedule to Monday, which means that the test we take each Friday on what we learned during the week will now take place on Monday before we've learned it. But since today is Tuesday, it doesn't matter in the slightest.”
The problem is that there is just too much to do.
A rider at a major championships often has too many people to please, too many demands on their time and too many thoughts in their heads. All of which can divert them from performing at their best.
In Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Willie Wonka said it all: “The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last.”
Tomorrow the four days of eventing competition start at the World Equestrian Games. For all of us—riders, back-up crews, supporters and owners—there is huge suspense and anticipation as probably the best quality field in the history of the sport unleash their talents in front of the judges.
A story of a special connection between three of the greatest coaches of all time that can help us all today.
It would be difficult to find anyone to disagree with the conclusion, reached in Part 2 of this series, that the common basis for the training success of Bertalan de Néméthy, Jack Le Goff and Herbert Rehbein was Acceptance.
A story of special connection between three of the greatest coaches of all time that can help us all today.
In the early 1970’s Bertalan de Némethy came to Ireland to coach at Iris Kellett’s show jumping mecca at Kill in Co. Kildare. Iris was very proud of her young star pupil Eddie Macken, and at the end of the course could not resist asking Bert what he thought of Eddie.
“He is good,” said Bert, “but I think I would put him on the longe for three months.”
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