So, when I heard George would be coming to teach a clinic that was only half an hour away, I jumped on the opportunity. Riding was not an option; not only did I not have $800 to spend on a couple of lessons, but Flora and I did not progress quite as much I had hoped this summer, and our fitness level was not nearly up to snuff.
I should have known George would start before the actual starting time. And, I won't lie: I squealed when I heard his voice. Like a little girl getting a dollhouse (or a toy barn, in my case) for Christmas. Like a keener, I brought my scribbler and pen, and started writing, because although I knew what he said would make sense at the time, I wanted to remember everything he said.
I should have known George would answer all my questions. For many, many years, I have struggled with the two point vs sitting question. When do you sit? When do you get up off their back? Is the answer discipline-related (hunter vs equitation vs jumper)? George explained that there was with the motion, and behind the motion- hopefully never ahead of the motion. With the motion was 2 point, and also 3 point. Now, I always assumed 3 point was the same as just sitting deep in the saddle, but it is not. 3 point is a way of sitting where your crotch has sunk into the saddle, and your base of support in your heels, inner calf, knee, and thigh- contact distributed evenly from calf to thigh, weight in heel, not seat. The two point is different in that your base of support becomes only your heels and calf- not your knee! He also pointed out that the upper body does not change much from 2 point to 3 point. He stressed getting forward in your 2 point, so you could balance yourself over your base of support. Leave it to George to be precise: "your upper body should be approximately 30 degrees in front of the vertical".
An interesting point for me was that your upper body should be the same in two point as it would be when you post the trot. George also stressed posting low to your horse and not "standing in your stirrups" at the 2 point, something I am most definitely guilty of. In George's opinion, 2 point was the jumping and galloping position, a very positive type of riding. 3 point was for "slow work" (flatwork, collection) and for sinking a few strides in front of a larger fence. George agreed that sitting (behind the motion) was useful in situations where you might need to really push your horse to a fence (like jumping a spooky liverpool).
A quote that also has changed me: "The first step to going forward is getting off their back and letting go". There have been times on Flora where I get so frustrated in her sucking back at the canter, that I get in the back seat, hold my hands like side reins, and drive her forward. Sure, she'll go forward, but she's none too happy about it. Her canter is so big, and she's so weak behind, though, that this isn't really getting me anywhere. She needs to WANT to go forward, so what I've figured out is that I need to get off her back and just make her GO. Only once she's forward and in front of my leg can I begin to ask her to go forward into my hand and then relax into it.
George was also very against "rubber-necking", the over-bending that has become very prevalent in most English disciplines. I found that I was also guilty of this. Even though we all KNOW about inside leg to outside rein is how things are supposed to go, we sometimes make exceptions and ride completely off the inside rein. Totally guilty here. George demonstrated keeping your hands together ( contact = straight, steady, definite, supple) and moving them together to move the shoulder with the hind end. For example, he showed that in the corners, instead of opening your inside rein to create a faux and over-bent horse, to move both hands to the outside (inside hand not crossing over the neck, though), and pushing with your inside leg, keeping your outside leg slightly back to balance.
This looked like it would work, so I tried it at home. What a difference!!! I'd been having trouble with Flora tilting and twisting her head, and getting very crooked, and could not figure out why. I now realize I'd simply been asking for too much and incorrect bend- through the neck, instead of through the ribcage, as I should have been. Since I've been concentrating on NOT over-bending, I've had a much straighter-in-the-neck, more-bent-in-the-body-when-told, more supple and happy horse. Really incredible. Likewise in the corners, he should how when circling, you move your hands to the inside, together (outside hand not crossing over the neck), push with your inside leg, and you end up with this nice bend around the circle, as the outside hand blocks the should from falling out and the inside leg bends the ribcage. If you keep your hands the proper space apart, your inside hand comes just enough to the inside for the neck to properly flex.
I realized I have been too easy on Flora, when it comes to forward and reactive. She is neither, and it is completely my fault. After watching and listening to George, who insisted on a forward and reactive (to your leg) horse, I realized my problem. He had a couple different ways of dealing with a lazy horse, and kicking was NEVER an option. When a student who had been standing in line, waiting their turn to jump, had a hard time getting their horse to move from the line, he would have them hold the reins in one hand and use the crop strictly behind the leg, at the halt. Let me tell you, they would be raring to go after that! He also had riders use quick jabs with their spurs as an "attack" to create more impulsion. If you didn't get a reaction after you asked nicely with your leg, you were to jab with the spur or use the crop. After adopting this with Flora, I have significantly more energy under me as I ride, and personally, more energy after I've ridden ;)
George was really incredible, and the last thing that has really changed my riding, was his theories on contact. Ideally, you want the horse to stretch, accept, and seek the hand. Of course, this is not always the case when you begin, as George demonstrated on a couple of particularly stubborn AA hunters that really quite enjoyed poking their nose out on a loose rein. For one, George hated anything that was not a steel bit, because it meant the horse did not truly accept that you would ever even use the bit.
When George asked for the horse to come into the bridle, he first used his legs. He made sure to be straight, steady, definite, and supple with his contact, and if the horse came up against the bit, he would increase his leg, raise his hands, and close his fingers more tightly around the reins. It sounded so simple, and most horses quickly gave in. Obviously, I thought he was genius as a rider. However, when I went to try this myself, I discovered how easily it worked! My automatic reaction to a horse coming above the bit would be to lower my hands, like draw reins. This reaction, though, is much more effective and correct.
It's not like any of this is revolutionary, right? I mean, we've all heard "outside rein, inside leg" and to ask then demand, in regards to your leg. But when you put it all together like this, it's really quite amazing. I've dug up my mom's old Hunt Seat Equitation book, and am definitely going to read it this time. I can't get enough of George, because he's truly changed my life :)
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