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Wellington, Fla., January 21, 2008 -- What do you get when you combine eight talented young riders with a group of legendary horsemen and -women? George Morris, chef d'equipe of the US show-jumping team, hopes it will help grow our next American equestrian team members.
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The 2008 George Morris Horsemastership Training Session, held at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center's South Grounds, kicked off this evening with a reception for the riders, their families, clinicians and sponsors at the Equestrian Club by Tavern on the Green. George addressed the riders to prepare them for the week ahead.
The riders will attend daily mounted riding sessions with George, including flat work, gymnastics and courses--not to forget the full sessions without stirrups! In addition, there will be daily lectures by respected horsemen and -women on topics ranging from Melanie Smith Taylor's "The Importance of Being a Thinking Rider" to veterinary issues, conformation, nutrition and course design.
Sessions are open to the public at no charge, thanks to the program's sponsors: Bates Saddles, Purina Mills, U.S. Equestrian Federation, U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, Practical Horseman magazine, Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament and Equestrian Sport Productions. Click here for the full schedule of events.
Rather than try to summarize the Master, I think it will be more interesting to give you George's opening remarks in his own words. Stay tuned for a report tomorrow, when I hope to bring you some of George's training tips and techniques for working on the flat--maybe even an exercise or two that you can work on at home.
And now for George's comments:
- "Years ago, horsemastership was different from horsemanship. We talked about horsemanship years ago, and we talked about horsemastership. Horsemastership is a level above horsemanship. It encompasses the whole game, which is the horse. Anything you talk about in a riding clinic and anything you talk about in a lesson--a beginner's first time on a lead rope--you tell them to look up...it's for the horse. You tell him to get his heels down...it's for the horse. It helps the horse; it accommodates the horse.
"This horsemastership concept is very, very old, and we used to talk about it in sessions with Bert de Némethy and even way before that. Margaret Cabell Self and Emerson Burr--they were horsemen who promoted horsemastership.
"I want to make you very, very aware of the other people in this program because I want to particularly emphasize that this isn't one of my clinics. I give lots and lots of clinics. Most of you in this session I have taught once, twice, a million times. This is very different than that. I want you to be very aware of the people you are going to be working with.
"Melanie Smith Taylor, firstly, is a great person. We go back a long time. We were both lucky, I think, to have found each other way back. I was very lucky to find her as a person and as a student. She, herself, really exemplifies a horsewoman. That, to me, is why she had such great success. Technically she was very, very good, but there are others as good. She had enormous success because she is so devoted to the horse. And then of course she had a very fierce competitive edge, because when she went to the first fence--it's not like I often see today--she went to the first fence like Frank Chapot would go to the first fence: like she wanted to win the class. LISTEN to every little pearl of wisdom she has to tell you about the horse. And when she talks about competition, listen again, because she knows how to do that.
"We have Dr. Tim Ober, who is a great guy. Tim is a newer friend of mine. He's the Olympic vet for us. I put him in this position over the last years. He's done a great job. He's been to Olympic Games and World Championships. He's very organized; very disciplined; a very good horseman. [To Dr. Ober] We're very lucky to have you with us this week. I appreciate all your efforts.
"And I appreciate all your efforts. I appreciate the trainers who have let their kids come. I know I was in that situation years ago. I appreciate the parents. I appreciated my parents and my grandmother who paid for it. I appreciate all of you people who have sacrificed for this week because it is a long week during a horse show.
