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.