Postcard: Day 5, 2008 George Morris Horsemastership Clinic

I know there were some tense moments backstage. A session like this one makes big demands, and that can cause emotional ripples.

But everything ended in smiles as George told the lunch group, "Despite what you think, I love you people. I may not act like it, but deep down, I do."

He left us all with this thought, "Education, education, education." While he pointed out that everyone can go to horse shows and win ribbons and trophies, there's something that matters more. "What is priceless...is knowledge," he said. "That they cannot take away from you."

I was interested in seeing how many top riders and trainers dropped by at some point during the proceedings. I thought they knew all this stuff.

Olympic show jumping gold medalist Melanie Smith-Taylor was around a lot, taking notes.

Listen: Melanie gives her assessment of the training session.

Beezie Madden served as mentor groom (and, I daresay, an inspiration) helping the kids around the barn. She had some thoughts on the session that she shared with me.

Listen: Beezie Madden on the importance of the clinic

Margie Engle, who has won more than 100 grand prix, told me today while we were chatting on the rail, "You never stop learning. When I was a kid, I would do a clinic with George and then go home, write it down and study it all the time." She pointed out that seeing George in action refreshes her teaching. "George has a lot of imagination with things to try so you don't get stale," she said.

So here are some more pointers for you:

When you're riding a jumper, you don't want to be "gappy," that is, utilizing a long take-off distance, like what you would see in the hunters. Jump close to the base of a fence, especially an oxer.

George said 30 percent of his flatwork is the counter-canter, because it "puts the horse very well to the aids."

Frequent and different transitions get the horse light to the leg and the hand.

Do a half-halt before a flying change so the horse doesn't run through it. Oh, and make sure you produce the flying change with your heel, not your hands.

Okay, that should give you enough to think about for now. I'll let John Madden, Beezie's trainer husband and the originator of the training session, have the last word. By the way, he wastes no time--before lunch even started he had George committed to doing another training session in Florida next year.

Listen: John Madden on the future of the training sessions

That's not quite it for me from here. Next week I'll send a postcard about the transformed Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Showgrounds; not only my impression, but what some others are thinking about it too.

Until then,