Linzi's blog

Just spent a very interesting Saturday Evening at Adington Mannor EC in Buckinghamshire, learning a lot from the unofficial dressage god, Ulli Kasselmann, and 2 top class riders/trainers, Dr. Ulf Möller and Emile Faurie.
This was a masterclass given during the British Dressage Young Horse & Breeding Championships. Note that this is to showcase the best British young horses. From what I saw of our horses in comparison to those brought over by the Kasselmann team, we have a lot of work to do.

Carl Hester impressed in the Prix St George with Moviestar, but, as impressive as the 8 year old stallion was, he paled somewhat in comparison with the 3, 4 and 5 year olds Kasselmann had to show. The difference? Training.

Apparantly, in Britain, if a horse reacts by either lengthening or shortening, we don't praise the horse, we either push the horse forward or hold it back. On the Kasselmann yard, this is a no-no.

"Use these things to your advantage. Praise the horse, give them a pat, tell them they did well. That way, when you ask for the extension or collection, there is more chance the horse will produce that elevation you got when something happened to excite the horse." Says Möller.

Several times during the clinic, we were encouraged actively to "help" the horse with an extended trot. The results were some of the most spectacular, naturally cadent extended trots I have ever seen, and I have seen some very good ones.

During the Q&A session, a question was asked about the working trots produced by some horses earlier in the day. Did we need to push forward more?

"Yes. The horse has to come forwards from the hind legs, swinging through the back, up into the bridle, not backwards. If the horse is not going forward, you cannot have true collection. When the horse is going truely forwards, the shoulders lift and the back is loose. So, yes, you have to ride the working trot forward." Said Kasselmann.

From what I saw, we don't really have any excuse to not be as good as Germany. If only we could get over being "so British and reserved in our riding, we could go to Germany and not say 'Sorry, about that, but we're British.'"

As I say, it was a thoughroughly enjoyable evening, spoiled only by a few people around me who weren't interested in the masterclass and decided to chat to each other through the duration. If you're not interested, leave.

Also, one question I wanted to ask, but didn't. It comes down to one lesson at the start of the year. Young horse named Harley. At the start of the lesson, another horse tried to attack her, making her nervous. In particular, she continually spooked in one corner. Not wanting to upset her too much, I took the decision to work her away from that corner and circled her in walk, rewarding her when she showed signs of relaxing.

Ever since, I have wondered - was that the right choice? Should I have persisted in working her into the corner?

I may never know the answer.

That's what I think of the following show jumping teams who objected to the inclusion on the British team of a 53 year old man:
Netherlands,
Switzerland,

U.S.A,

Canada,

Australia,

Norway,

Sweden.

Obviously, the Brit in question must have commited some henious crime for those 7 to object so strongly, taking their protest the the Equestrian governing body, the FEI, you say.

Well, no. The 53 year old is John Whitaker. His crime? His horse, Peppermill, was sidelined from the first day of the team competition with a stiff back. The horse was passed fit for the second day and the competition officials agreed to the British team request for John to compete. Strangely enough, the German team, Britian's closest rivals, had absolutely no problem with this. But the 7 teams above did. They lodged a protest, which was upheld.

Congratulations on your Gold medal U.S.A. Congratulations for getting Silver, Canada. Congratulations to Norway on your Bronze medal. But, remember, in the minds of a lot of showjumping fans, this one included, your achievements will be forever tainted with an asterisk - John Whitaker did not start for Britain. Where was the fairness that the Olympics is supposed to be about in your protest? Britain reduced to 3 riders, when their fourth was fit and his horse was fit, but deemed inelligible on your say so. Reduced to 3 riders, albeit 3 very good riders, you left Britain with no chance of a medal, having to count all 3 scores, no chance to drop their worst score, without the world's best team rider, John Whitaker to fall back on. Was that fair? The answer is NO. But why should that matter to you? You have your medals and your riders can look forwards to the individual competition without fear of being beaten by one of the World's most experienced championship riders.

You were so brave to make that stand against John Whitaker weren't you?

Actually, your actions reek of cowardice. I for one, don't think of you as brave any more. I used to marvel at how good you were, not any more. Every one of you that protested aginst John's inclusion in the British team for the second day of competition are cowards. I don't respect you or think you are great any more.

To Germany. The most sincere congratulations for overcoming a horrendous first day score of 20 faults to finish joint fifth. I hope that your riders can put their disappointment at not winning a team medal behind them and secure at least one individual medal.

And finally, to our brave, brilliant British riders. I can understand your disappointment at finishing seventh in the team competition. Forget what those cowards did to our chances, and set about proving to them that, the team result was wrong and that Britain was truely the best showjumping team at the Olympics. Then, look to London 2012. With good luck, those 4 horses that started our medals dreams in Beijing will still be competing and winning, and we can put the record straight, winning the team gold.

To those cowards, I hope you enjoy your ill-deserved sucess, it won't last. Whitaker and Peppermill have a point to prove and you still all have to face them again this year. I won't wish you luck when that time comes.

If you have read her blog, you will know that on Friday night, Tess wrote her last ever post. Unfortunately, she gave up her fight with the cancer and chose to join her big sister, Tina and all the other dearly loved pets who are no longer with us at the Rainbow Bridge. I have spent a couple of days and many tears over the following video of a tribute to both Tess and Tina. Unfortunately, we don't have many pictures of Tina, so she only appears twice.

Run free darlings, till we meet again.