ICP Dressage Clinic with Stephen Clarke
Florida hosts many clinic opportunities from top people in all disciplines. The United States Eventing Association sponsored the 2012 2-Day ICP Dressage and Jumping Symposium, Feb. 13 &14th at Longwood Farm in Ocala. Florida Equestrian covered the Dressage phase. By Sally Harvey
Stephen Clarke - British “O” (Olympic) Judge and President of the London 2012 Olympics Dressage Ground Jury gave a stellar clinic. Each session consisted of two riders presenting in each of the eventing levels: Training, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. Eventing and Dressage peers rode together.
On equitation: “Rider position does not compromise to change the horse. The horse must compromise to meet the rider. (There were no neophytes in this clinic)
Photo by Amanda Lloyd Photo by Aimee Greer
To say this was world class instruction would be an understatement. Each rider/horse partnership transformed into a distinctly improved version of themselves. If this were true in only one session, it would be an anomaly. Under Stephen Clarke’s vision and carefully chosen instructions, every horse at every level performed with far more quality and precision by the end of their session.
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction." Albert Einstein
Stephen Clarke keeps it simple and makes it easy, whether speaking about how to judge, train riders or train horses. He quickly assessed the abilities, level of confidence and personalities of the individual horses presented and had the riders ride accordingly. Simultaneously, he involved and instructed the audience. “The purpose of the warm up is to get the horse to relax and swing. Once that is achieved, then do the training exercise - and as soon as you are satisfied with something - let the horse relax and stretch again.
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...Travers and Half Pass are the same thing-
except in half pass only bend enough for the steepness of the angle traveled. Head tilting is proof the horse is not submitting to the outside OR the inside rein.”
8.
Basics were driven home repeatedly. Every improvement was built upon the underlying foundation, and where that foundation was weak, Mr. Clarke had the riders rebuild it - without drilling or irritating the horses. He encouraged the riders to let their horses stretch through their backs during warm up and after each movement the horse executed. “Do not hammer away until the horse is damaged physically and mentally.”
On judging: “There is no difference between training and judging: In training you tell them what they need to do to improve. In judging, you tell them what you expect to see to receive a higher score.” “Scoring is taking away from a 10. If the execution is good, but there is room for improvement, call it a 7. If it is just ok, but… that’s a 6. Don’t be afraid to give a 0 or a 4 if it is a total disaster or not executed. Judging remarks should be helpful - not result in harm. At lower levels do not use the word “collection” because they will go home and crank the head in. Use ‘more engaged,’ ‘more balanced,’ More ‘through’…What you mean is more collected, but at the lower levels that could cause harm because they do not yet understand collection. At the higher levels you would say “more collection” and be perfectly safe.” “There is no difference except emphasis from circle to shoulder in to canter pirouette”
Criteria for a good Travers: “Horse must be bent in the direction he is going. First regularity, Impulsion and ground covering, front legs on track, Hind leg inside with uniform bend around the inside leg; outside of neck and shoulder parallel to the wall. Emphasis is on outside leg influencing the quarters to the inside track. Inside leg is still impulsion.”
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