28 August 2023 Stephen Clarke Training Forum at Hurstbourne EC, courtesy of Hicks Equestrian.
Images by Kate Simpson Photography
Report by Helen Triggs
16 August 2022 Stephen Clarke Annual Training Forum Report by Helen Triggs and Images by Kate Simpson Photography
Report from 16 August 2022 at the
Central Dressage Training Forum with Stephen Clarke
At Hurstbourne EC by kind permission of Hicks Equestrian
Report by Helen Triggs
Images taken by Kate Simpson Photography
“The world is falling to pieces around us but dressage goes on.”
Stephen’s visits to Hurstbourne are always eagerly anticipated and even more this year as the last two years’ were cancelled because of COVID.
Stephen had a very high quality cohort of horses and riders to work with from green six year olds to two Grand Prix horses. As always Stephen’s clear instructions and useful exercises brought visible improvements.
THE PACES
Gracie Catling and Anke Hoeffler’s 14-year-old Qaterback gelding, Qwinton. Junior rider Gracie was given the ride nine months ago. Qwinton is low mileage and has had a lot of time off because of laminitis and is behind with his training. Stephen commented “you couldn’t have had a much better horse to demonstrate three good paces. His are pure and correct and he has the ability to change gears.”
“These days to be really competitive you have to have three good paces from nature. There are things you can do to improve the trot but more difficult with walk and canter.”
Qwinton demonstrated a very good walk. “The four-beat rhythm is crystal clear. The horse uses his whole body and there is a natural overtrack. “
“In working trot the first important thing is the regularity and the tempo (speed of rhythm). The horse has natural energy and desire to spring forwards. There’s a clear two-time diagonal beat and a nice amount of suspension. With collection the centre of balance will move to the hind leg.”
The Frame in working trot
“I am more than obsessed about the way too many horses drop the poll and come slightly behind the vertical. It’s important the horse influences the frame. The horse should be relaxed and stretched with a steady relaxed connection with the reins, taking the bit forwards and down.
Most Important:
Canter
Qwinton showed a clear three-beat rhythm, active, nicely balanced.
Canter exercises
Canter on circle, activating with inside leg into outside rein, let nose out. Check you don’t have to push and prod. Be able to sit in enough balance to be able to give and retake for a couple of steps. “You see horses collected in the neck but the hind legs are stuck out behind.”
In collected walk the four beat must be maintained. Higher steps (than medium) with hind foot stepping into imprint of front foot. Impression that could do pirouette or go into canter.
Collected walk into canter then medium down the long side, extra collected in the corner then extended. Into collected trot then forward into medium and back to collected trot.
QUESTIONS
How do you create crystal clear reactions to aids?
“It comes back to the rider. Watch riders at a competition – how much is rider doing to create what they want? The less experienced riders are working away and the horse is humming to himself! The rider needs to have enough self-discipline to decide ‘I sit and you go’.
Long-standing partnerships get used to each other and make compromises. Make the decision that the horse will react to the first aid you give. Do a lot of upward and downward transitions.
How do you encourage the horse to lift the poll and keep the nose in front of the vertical?
Without a backward feeling, raise his head and put his poll high. Once he has accepted (the aid) and is in front of the leg, relax the hand. Have to be clear with the horse – needs to know when it’s acceptable to go deeper ie in a stretch.
Coming behind the vertical begins when the horse collapses at the poll to avoid stepping into the contact.
YOUNG HORSE
Dylan Deutrom riding Anne Keen’s six-year-old Inka (by Furstenball). A very hot sensitive mare with lots of natural talent, this elegant mare has been brought on slowly.
Stephen commented that the mare is built uphill and if he was buying, he would look for that. From judge’s point of view, horses higher behind than in front can still be engaged in the back.
Dylan started by stretching in the trot and then used lateral work for suppling. Horse is in the early stages of leg yielding – don’t want to overface her.
Stephen liked the natural energy she has in the trot. “Less is more with her. It’s very important in training that you can develop energy and impulsion but also that you can ‘let the air out of the tyres’ when you want to. Take the time to stretch and take the contact forward when the neck goes low. Get the nose out the front so she doesn’t run over the bridle. As soon as she comes into the contact, push the contact point away from you,”
EXERCISES
In trot put up to bridle, with head even higher than used to, keep in one gear, going for herself. Gradually take the neck down without losing the contact and with nose out. Be careful when you pick her up again that you keep the nose out, Have the feeling that she is going for herself and rider isn’t having to push, the feeling that if rider lets go she stays where she’s put. Don’t over-react when she makes a mistake. Then do same exercise in canter.
LEG-YIELDING EXERCISE
Go straight on the diagonal and then take horse’s shoulders and body parallel to long side. Hold to the line.
PLAY WITH GEARS
Move on and come back without the horse coming behind the aids and still staying up to the bridle.
On long side show a little shoulder in positioning, then straighten and into medium trot, then bring back into shoulder in. This gets the horse used to be ridden up behind in the transition.
“This horse has 25 gears – it’s about showing her the one you want. The golden rule is that the trot tempo should be same in collected, extensions and lateral work.
In extended walk rider should not push or the stride will get shorter. When the horse relaxes into the contact you will see an overtrack. The more relaxed, the better the tempo.
QUESTIONS ON BEND AND FLEXION
Flexion involves the poll and the jaw, bend involves the whole body. Only time I think of flexion rather than bend is in the leg-yield where the horse flexes away from the direction of movement. In all other lateral exercises there should be clear uniform bend from nose to tail.
How much bend in half pass?
If horse is on diagonal line, the correct positioning is shoulders marginally in front of hindquarters with uniform bend around rider’s inside leg with the outside of the neck and shoulder parallel with the line being ridden. It also depends on how steep the line is – medium half pass less steep than grand prix.
How important are transitions when training young horse compared with focussing on gaits?
Transitions are key to everything as long as they are ridden properly. Badly ridden they are destructive. The well-ridden horse learns to take the weight behind in the transitions. Transitions within the pace are also important.
Elementary/Medium
Sonnar Murray-Brown riding Faside Simply Amour a seven-year-old by San Amour x Johnson than Sonny bought as an unbroken three-year-old. She is the current elementary gold winter champion and has only done five competitions and won four of them. According to Sonny, she has a great work ethic but was weak and hot-headed as a youngster and not ready to compete until now when Sonny has control and trust.
Stephen asked what Sonny’s system is with her. It is to stretch her first in walk and trot. In trot transitions within the pace to get her on the seat so can get frame better. Travers helps her to let go and gentle leg-yielding to help her push and swing.
Stephen commented that leg-yielding is one of the most important exercises you can do – helps with acceptance and give the energy of the hindlegs somewhere to go.
Stephen thought the trot tempo initially was on the verge of being slow. The horse has natural cadence – ‘save something for passage’. In the leg yield he asked Sonny to deliberately go a bit faster and then slower and not to slow down on the short side.
EXERCISE
On circle keep quick tempo then find slower passage rhythm and then out into ‘real’ trot and then deliberately back to passage rhythm. “It’s important you have a real say in the tempo. Passage is not going to be a problem!”
The medium trot got a ‘wow’ from Stephen as it showed power and good ground cover.
CANTER EXERCISES
Shoulder-fore into few steps of half pass and back into shoulder-fore. The aim is getting her to relax and used to the rider adjusting her and pushing her sideways.
Travers around the circle and leg-yield back to the track. “It’s all about having the hindquarters where you want them so she can carry herself.” Every now and again when she feels good do a massive give and retake of the reins. On the circle put in more collection and when she accepts, give and retake and then more forward.
WARMING DOWN
Go rising in trot, take her out in front and let her stretch. Let the impulsion quietly close down. Keep the nose forward. Cover the ground but with relaxation. Put in lots of changes of direction.
PSG/INTI
Henry Boswell riding Kristina Rausing’s Rock Emotion, a 10-year-old by Rock Forever, who has been with Henry for four months. Henry wanted to work on straightness in flying changes. He uses quick fire transitions to start his sessions and his main priority is to get the horse active. Henry showed leg-yields in trot across the whole school and Stephen complimented the mechanics of the trot, with the hindleg matching the front leg.
He asked Henry to play with the gears – “It’s so important never to get stuck in a rut. Make sure he’s still active when you come slower.” In the lateral work Henry was asked to change the speed up and down and to use the sh0ulder-in to set up the half pass. More collected in the shoulder-in and then more forward in the half pass.
Trot halts need to be straight, under behind but very important to stand still.
WALK PIROUETTE EXERCISE
Make working pirouettes in walk, make them bigger, smaller, bigger around a 20m circle. “It’s better to do bigger in training than constantly practise incorrect ones.” “If you watch a PSG class, how many good pirouettes do you see?”
CANTER EXERCISE
Collected active shoulder-in into more forward half pass then back to collected shoulder-in.
TEMPI CHANGES
Position for new lead before the change. Improper preparation leads to swinging changes. In counter canter, position for the change but don’t do it until rib cage hollows on the inside.
CANTER PIROUETTE EXERCISE
Do big working pirouettes – when satisfied with the feeling, take them smaller. Needs to be submissive in the flexion and over his back. Don’t allow the horse to panic and hurry around.
QUESTIONS
What routine do you recommend for a 6-year-old?
Horses love routine. Important you develop a logical routine with variation within the training session. Ideally only go in school 3/4 times a week.
INT2/Grand Prix
Paul Friday riding Sarah Overson’s 13-year-old British-bred Hawtins Horatio by Hotline.
Paul wanted to work on piaffe and passage transitions and straightness.
Paul warms up in canter with half passes and flying changes.
“Rider needs to be effective when he has to be, and quiet when you can be. It’s about being effective in the moment and then when you’ve achieved what you want, be relaxed.”
CANTER EXERCISES
Travers on a big circle, then forward out and give and retake reins and take leg off. “Ask the question, get the answer, give the reward. Train him to do what you want and then expect him to do it for himself. Sit down and bring the shoulder around, keep on half halting in pirouette.”
Using whole school, ride a pirouette-type canter then change to counter canter, back to piri canter and when he accepts this, do a flying change to inside. “This exercise gets the horse used to being set up – when they learn tempi changes horses can start to run and become balanced on the shoulder.”
PIAFFE/PASSAGE TRANSITIONS EXERCISE
Walk - into piaffe- walk. Play with the passage – forward and then less forward and then into piaffe.
“If horse is dropping out of canter during lateral work – don’t stay struggling in the exercise. Practise little and often. Use shoulder-fore positioning. Aim at adjustability in the canter both laterally and forward and back.”
QUESTION
What do you do if your horse is late behind in the flying change?
“It’s generally about being active, collected and balanced. When you go to do a flying change, it’s only the lead that should change not the canter. The most important thing for the rider to think about is that the horse doesn’t run away from the collection. The horse that is late behind is usually out of balance.”
International Grand Prix
Andrew Gould riding Genie III (Zhivago x Sandro Hit) who is 11-years-old and just starting his international GP career. This attractive horse has very good paces and is forward going and light off the aids.
Andrew rode the Grand Prix test while Stephen commented on the movements. They rode a good test with Stephen commenting on need for a bit more self-carriage, something Genie will develop as he gets stronger.
During the test, Genie’s left hind occasionally double tapped during the piaffe and passage so Stephen asked Andrew to take him onto a large circle in passage, allow the rein a little, then pat on the neck and give and retake rein when he carries himself. Begin in ‘small’ passage then build up to bigger passage and then back. When he is happy in small passage, ask for piaffe, allowing it to travel a little. Pat when he is relaxed and soft, trot out of the exercise. The quality was much improved with no double-tapping.
END OF DAY GENERAL QUESTION
What is your opinion of grinding teeth and swishing tails?
“This question comes up everywhere. I deliberately don’t draw attention to it on the sheet as what is the rider going to do about it? It’s sometimes a habit or a sign of resistance. You can see if the horse is against the hand or uncomfortable. I try to give comments that help the rider go back to their trainer with.”
“The whole system of training should be to make the horse more athletic. Breeders today are very clever at producing horses born to do dressage.”
“If judges are giving higher marks nowadays it’s because the riders and horses are better.”
SEE YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
Central Dressage Training Forum with Stephen Clarke
At Hurstbourne EC by kind permission of Hicks Equestrian
Report by Helen Triggs
Images taken by Kate Simpson Photography
“The world is falling to pieces around us but dressage goes on.”
Stephen’s visits to Hurstbourne are always eagerly anticipated and even more this year as the last two years’ were cancelled because of COVID.
Stephen had a very high quality cohort of horses and riders to work with from green six year olds to two Grand Prix horses. As always Stephen’s clear instructions and useful exercises brought visible improvements.
THE PACES
Gracie Catling and Anke Hoeffler’s 14-year-old Qaterback gelding, Qwinton. Junior rider Gracie was given the ride nine months ago. Qwinton is low mileage and has had a lot of time off because of laminitis and is behind with his training. Stephen commented “you couldn’t have had a much better horse to demonstrate three good paces. His are pure and correct and he has the ability to change gears.”
“These days to be really competitive you have to have three good paces from nature. There are things you can do to improve the trot but more difficult with walk and canter.”
Qwinton demonstrated a very good walk. “The four-beat rhythm is crystal clear. The horse uses his whole body and there is a natural overtrack. “
“In working trot the first important thing is the regularity and the tempo (speed of rhythm). The horse has natural energy and desire to spring forwards. There’s a clear two-time diagonal beat and a nice amount of suspension. With collection the centre of balance will move to the hind leg.”
The Frame in working trot
“I am more than obsessed about the way too many horses drop the poll and come slightly behind the vertical. It’s important the horse influences the frame. The horse should be relaxed and stretched with a steady relaxed connection with the reins, taking the bit forwards and down.
Most Important:
- Acceptance of aids
- Reaction to aids
- Working through the back into hand connection
- Elastic rein contact
- The horse should be supple enough to each side so it can be made straight
- Poll highest point, nose ahead of the vertical
- Closing up from the back end, raising the shoulder up into the bridle, taking the contact forward.
Canter
Qwinton showed a clear three-beat rhythm, active, nicely balanced.
Canter exercises
Canter on circle, activating with inside leg into outside rein, let nose out. Check you don’t have to push and prod. Be able to sit in enough balance to be able to give and retake for a couple of steps. “You see horses collected in the neck but the hind legs are stuck out behind.”
In collected walk the four beat must be maintained. Higher steps (than medium) with hind foot stepping into imprint of front foot. Impression that could do pirouette or go into canter.
Collected walk into canter then medium down the long side, extra collected in the corner then extended. Into collected trot then forward into medium and back to collected trot.
QUESTIONS
How do you create crystal clear reactions to aids?
“It comes back to the rider. Watch riders at a competition – how much is rider doing to create what they want? The less experienced riders are working away and the horse is humming to himself! The rider needs to have enough self-discipline to decide ‘I sit and you go’.
Long-standing partnerships get used to each other and make compromises. Make the decision that the horse will react to the first aid you give. Do a lot of upward and downward transitions.
How do you encourage the horse to lift the poll and keep the nose in front of the vertical?
Without a backward feeling, raise his head and put his poll high. Once he has accepted (the aid) and is in front of the leg, relax the hand. Have to be clear with the horse – needs to know when it’s acceptable to go deeper ie in a stretch.
Coming behind the vertical begins when the horse collapses at the poll to avoid stepping into the contact.
YOUNG HORSE
Dylan Deutrom riding Anne Keen’s six-year-old Inka (by Furstenball). A very hot sensitive mare with lots of natural talent, this elegant mare has been brought on slowly.
Stephen commented that the mare is built uphill and if he was buying, he would look for that. From judge’s point of view, horses higher behind than in front can still be engaged in the back.
Dylan started by stretching in the trot and then used lateral work for suppling. Horse is in the early stages of leg yielding – don’t want to overface her.
Stephen liked the natural energy she has in the trot. “Less is more with her. It’s very important in training that you can develop energy and impulsion but also that you can ‘let the air out of the tyres’ when you want to. Take the time to stretch and take the contact forward when the neck goes low. Get the nose out the front so she doesn’t run over the bridle. As soon as she comes into the contact, push the contact point away from you,”
EXERCISES
In trot put up to bridle, with head even higher than used to, keep in one gear, going for herself. Gradually take the neck down without losing the contact and with nose out. Be careful when you pick her up again that you keep the nose out, Have the feeling that she is going for herself and rider isn’t having to push, the feeling that if rider lets go she stays where she’s put. Don’t over-react when she makes a mistake. Then do same exercise in canter.
LEG-YIELDING EXERCISE
Go straight on the diagonal and then take horse’s shoulders and body parallel to long side. Hold to the line.
PLAY WITH GEARS
Move on and come back without the horse coming behind the aids and still staying up to the bridle.
On long side show a little shoulder in positioning, then straighten and into medium trot, then bring back into shoulder in. This gets the horse used to be ridden up behind in the transition.
“This horse has 25 gears – it’s about showing her the one you want. The golden rule is that the trot tempo should be same in collected, extensions and lateral work.
In extended walk rider should not push or the stride will get shorter. When the horse relaxes into the contact you will see an overtrack. The more relaxed, the better the tempo.
QUESTIONS ON BEND AND FLEXION
Flexion involves the poll and the jaw, bend involves the whole body. Only time I think of flexion rather than bend is in the leg-yield where the horse flexes away from the direction of movement. In all other lateral exercises there should be clear uniform bend from nose to tail.
How much bend in half pass?
If horse is on diagonal line, the correct positioning is shoulders marginally in front of hindquarters with uniform bend around rider’s inside leg with the outside of the neck and shoulder parallel with the line being ridden. It also depends on how steep the line is – medium half pass less steep than grand prix.
How important are transitions when training young horse compared with focussing on gaits?
Transitions are key to everything as long as they are ridden properly. Badly ridden they are destructive. The well-ridden horse learns to take the weight behind in the transitions. Transitions within the pace are also important.
Elementary/Medium
Sonnar Murray-Brown riding Faside Simply Amour a seven-year-old by San Amour x Johnson than Sonny bought as an unbroken three-year-old. She is the current elementary gold winter champion and has only done five competitions and won four of them. According to Sonny, she has a great work ethic but was weak and hot-headed as a youngster and not ready to compete until now when Sonny has control and trust.
Stephen asked what Sonny’s system is with her. It is to stretch her first in walk and trot. In trot transitions within the pace to get her on the seat so can get frame better. Travers helps her to let go and gentle leg-yielding to help her push and swing.
Stephen commented that leg-yielding is one of the most important exercises you can do – helps with acceptance and give the energy of the hindlegs somewhere to go.
Stephen thought the trot tempo initially was on the verge of being slow. The horse has natural cadence – ‘save something for passage’. In the leg yield he asked Sonny to deliberately go a bit faster and then slower and not to slow down on the short side.
EXERCISE
On circle keep quick tempo then find slower passage rhythm and then out into ‘real’ trot and then deliberately back to passage rhythm. “It’s important you have a real say in the tempo. Passage is not going to be a problem!”
The medium trot got a ‘wow’ from Stephen as it showed power and good ground cover.
CANTER EXERCISES
Shoulder-fore into few steps of half pass and back into shoulder-fore. The aim is getting her to relax and used to the rider adjusting her and pushing her sideways.
Travers around the circle and leg-yield back to the track. “It’s all about having the hindquarters where you want them so she can carry herself.” Every now and again when she feels good do a massive give and retake of the reins. On the circle put in more collection and when she accepts, give and retake and then more forward.
WARMING DOWN
Go rising in trot, take her out in front and let her stretch. Let the impulsion quietly close down. Keep the nose forward. Cover the ground but with relaxation. Put in lots of changes of direction.
PSG/INTI
Henry Boswell riding Kristina Rausing’s Rock Emotion, a 10-year-old by Rock Forever, who has been with Henry for four months. Henry wanted to work on straightness in flying changes. He uses quick fire transitions to start his sessions and his main priority is to get the horse active. Henry showed leg-yields in trot across the whole school and Stephen complimented the mechanics of the trot, with the hindleg matching the front leg.
He asked Henry to play with the gears – “It’s so important never to get stuck in a rut. Make sure he’s still active when you come slower.” In the lateral work Henry was asked to change the speed up and down and to use the sh0ulder-in to set up the half pass. More collected in the shoulder-in and then more forward in the half pass.
Trot halts need to be straight, under behind but very important to stand still.
WALK PIROUETTE EXERCISE
Make working pirouettes in walk, make them bigger, smaller, bigger around a 20m circle. “It’s better to do bigger in training than constantly practise incorrect ones.” “If you watch a PSG class, how many good pirouettes do you see?”
CANTER EXERCISE
Collected active shoulder-in into more forward half pass then back to collected shoulder-in.
TEMPI CHANGES
Position for new lead before the change. Improper preparation leads to swinging changes. In counter canter, position for the change but don’t do it until rib cage hollows on the inside.
CANTER PIROUETTE EXERCISE
Do big working pirouettes – when satisfied with the feeling, take them smaller. Needs to be submissive in the flexion and over his back. Don’t allow the horse to panic and hurry around.
QUESTIONS
What routine do you recommend for a 6-year-old?
Horses love routine. Important you develop a logical routine with variation within the training session. Ideally only go in school 3/4 times a week.
INT2/Grand Prix
Paul Friday riding Sarah Overson’s 13-year-old British-bred Hawtins Horatio by Hotline.
Paul wanted to work on piaffe and passage transitions and straightness.
Paul warms up in canter with half passes and flying changes.
“Rider needs to be effective when he has to be, and quiet when you can be. It’s about being effective in the moment and then when you’ve achieved what you want, be relaxed.”
CANTER EXERCISES
Travers on a big circle, then forward out and give and retake reins and take leg off. “Ask the question, get the answer, give the reward. Train him to do what you want and then expect him to do it for himself. Sit down and bring the shoulder around, keep on half halting in pirouette.”
Using whole school, ride a pirouette-type canter then change to counter canter, back to piri canter and when he accepts this, do a flying change to inside. “This exercise gets the horse used to being set up – when they learn tempi changes horses can start to run and become balanced on the shoulder.”
PIAFFE/PASSAGE TRANSITIONS EXERCISE
Walk - into piaffe- walk. Play with the passage – forward and then less forward and then into piaffe.
“If horse is dropping out of canter during lateral work – don’t stay struggling in the exercise. Practise little and often. Use shoulder-fore positioning. Aim at adjustability in the canter both laterally and forward and back.”
QUESTION
What do you do if your horse is late behind in the flying change?
“It’s generally about being active, collected and balanced. When you go to do a flying change, it’s only the lead that should change not the canter. The most important thing for the rider to think about is that the horse doesn’t run away from the collection. The horse that is late behind is usually out of balance.”
International Grand Prix
Andrew Gould riding Genie III (Zhivago x Sandro Hit) who is 11-years-old and just starting his international GP career. This attractive horse has very good paces and is forward going and light off the aids.
Andrew rode the Grand Prix test while Stephen commented on the movements. They rode a good test with Stephen commenting on need for a bit more self-carriage, something Genie will develop as he gets stronger.
During the test, Genie’s left hind occasionally double tapped during the piaffe and passage so Stephen asked Andrew to take him onto a large circle in passage, allow the rein a little, then pat on the neck and give and retake rein when he carries himself. Begin in ‘small’ passage then build up to bigger passage and then back. When he is happy in small passage, ask for piaffe, allowing it to travel a little. Pat when he is relaxed and soft, trot out of the exercise. The quality was much improved with no double-tapping.
END OF DAY GENERAL QUESTION
What is your opinion of grinding teeth and swishing tails?
“This question comes up everywhere. I deliberately don’t draw attention to it on the sheet as what is the rider going to do about it? It’s sometimes a habit or a sign of resistance. You can see if the horse is against the hand or uncomfortable. I try to give comments that help the rider go back to their trainer with.”
“The whole system of training should be to make the horse more athletic. Breeders today are very clever at producing horses born to do dressage.”
“If judges are giving higher marks nowadays it’s because the riders and horses are better.”
SEE YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
4 September 2019 Stephen Clarke Annual Training Forum Report by Helen Triggs and Photos by Eva Marie Broomer of Horse Power Creative
CENTRAL DRESSAGE
Report from Stephen Clarke Training Forum by Helen Triggs
4 September 2019
Hurstbourne EC
Central Dressage’s annual training forum with FEI 5* judge is always one of the highlights of the year for riders, trainers, judges and dressage enthusiasts. Stephen is perceptive, analytical, fanatical about good training and yet a humane, witty and encouraging communicator.
Kim brought together an interesting and inspiring selection of horse/combinations from novice to grand prix. Most of the horses (and riders!) were bred in the UK which is a testament to the ever-improving quality of British breeding as the horses were of a very high standard with lots of potential for the future
TOP STEPHEN TIPS/COMMENTS/PEARLS OF WISDOM
Young horse: Serena Gordon and Zykanthos B
Zak is a 4yo gelding by Blue Horse Zack out of a De Niro mare. Zak has never competed and been under saddle for only a few months.
Zak demonstrated his lovely, laid-back temperament, seeming unfazed by the audience.
The first impression of his trot was that he had a very natural frame and the tempo didn’t look hurried or laboured. Stephen liked the way the joints of the hind legs flexed and stepped under. “Above all he gives the impression of going by himself and Serena is not holding him in balance.”
“In a year’s time I would expect more engagement, elasticity and expression – not looking for that yet.”
Stephen commented that for a four-year old Zak was pretty straight although the balanced was still on his shoulder. He had nice reactions behind to the leg and a nice contact.
Even at this stage you can start to play with the gears within the paces, using transitions to create more reaction, engagement and balance.
Walk/trot exercise
Important to keep horse straight. In downward transition, the horse’s reward is for rider to relax when transition made.
In upward transition it’s important to think ahead and insist on instant reaction.
What he does in the first step of upward transition is the same as what he’ll do in the grand prix, going from walk to piaffe.
Zak had tendency to come above bit in canter to trot transition as he is using his head and neck for balance. Stephen said not to worry about it as later he won’t need to do it.
In the trot stretching, Stephen made Serena keep Zak going and not walk until he was happily going forward for himself.
Young horse/novice: Charlie Hutton and his and Nicola McGivern’s Active Scalini.
This 5 yo British-bred mare (Scuderia x Daddy Cool) had only competed four times and has qualified for a number of young horse championships. The mare had just had two months off and has been taken slowly as she so big and long.
Stephen commented on her super regularity, tempo, energy and cadence in the trot.
Charlie worked her over her back in a lower head carriage, testing her forwards reaction. “It’s important that the rider is in control of how the horse carries itself and where its head and neck is. Can put up into bridle later.”
Charlie rode the young horse test for Stephen to comment on.
He noted his first impression that the horse was impressive, with energy and cadence and was up to the bridle. Trot steps were light and expressive.
The leg yielding was clear but could be more reaction and self-carriage, and there was some head tilting. In the medium, the tempo quickened. The walk was very good but could be more consistent in the contact. The walk was a perfect four beat and had good natural ground cover.
The way-of-going in the canter showed nice balance, straightness and correct frame. Scalini struggled with balance on the 10m half circles and there could be more energy from behind in medium.
Leg yielding exercise
Ride straight on the long diagonal (left to right), then turn the shoulders parallel to the long side, and then straighten. Repeat on other rein.
Ask the horse to move off your inside leg, then leave it alone.
“Give her the sense of direction and don’t be shy about asking for a reaction off your leg, even if it disturbs the rhythm.”
Medium trot
Stephen’s advice was to take a bit more risk – it doesn’t matter if she breaks into canter. “When she comes from behind, sit like a mouse.”
Sometimes start medium trot half way down long side and go round short end – keep it going – finally the horse will find its balance and confidence to keep it going.
When stretching, the horse can only truly use its back if its nose is forward.
Andrew Gould and Active Solaris
Owned by Jo and Terry Barnett, Andrew has had the ride on this stallion (by Sezuan) for three months.
Although Solaris started a little tense, he showed super paces. “He’s got one of the best canters you could wish to see” said Stephen.
Stephen was not worried about some teeth grinding and tail swishing caused by tension – “the rider can’t do anything about it”. When the horse is balanced and relaxed it stops naturally.
Leg yielding – a vital exercise
Don’t do lateral exercises with bend until you can do them without bend.
In the leg yield send the trot on a bit more sometimes
Leg yield is all about control of the shoulder and submission to the leg
Medium/advanced medium: Elder Klatzko and Dior
Dior was a rescue case who Elder took on as a three year old – he took almost a year to back. Now seven, he is progressing well up the levels.
Stephen asked Elder to do leg yields from track to centre line and back – playing with him.
Medium trot exercise
Stephen asked Elder to put Dior in a slightly lower frame as the fore leg tended to come higher than the hind leg
Go round the whole school in medium, keeping neck soft and thru. Find the medium trot and develop it, then sit quiet and let him do it.
Walk pirouette
Make sure walk is collected enough first and he is front of the leg. Prepare with some shoulder fore positioning to get submission to the bend and keep bend throughout. Keep active.
In canter, Elder rode him on and back to sit him on his hind legs, for just a few strides riding a very collected (pirouette) canter. Dior’s neck came up too much so needs to learn to stay over his back and in the frame.
Exercise
Dior has a tendency to be late behind in the simple changes so Stephen worked with Elder on that.
Shoulder fore into half pass, back into shoulder fore. Serpentine with simple changes.
If a hind leg is slow in the simple changes, it will be the same in flying changes.
Exercise
Walk to canter
Focus on thinking medium from the very first stride. Go into medium and then collect. Walk, put lower and softer and then really go medium
Exercise
Go into counter canter on the long side, then position the bend to the opposite side, almost in a shoulder fore position. Then flying change and immediately onto 20m circle.
PSG/Inter I: Paul Friday and Hawtins Horatio
Sarah Overson’s British-bred Horatio (by Hotline) is now 10 and also featured in the forum last year.
Stephen asked Paul to do canter to walk transitions to back up the half halt and improve the self-carriage. “Ride the canter expecting the horse to carry himself – never allow him to support himself on the connection.”
Exercise
Half pass to the centre line, shoulder fore on the centre line to improve submission to the inside leg. Should be uniform bend from nose to tail.
In the tempi changes, Horatio tended to do one short change and jump a little to the side in the left change. This is mostly to do with balance and self-carriage. Horatio gets onto the hand and this stops him going forward in the change.
Tip: before each line of changes on the diagonal, in the preceding corner, make it all about collection, listening and self-carriage so that when you come onto the line the horse is ready to ride upwards.
Exercise for changes
Stephen recommended a similar exercise as for Dior – using the counter change of bend for some strides before asking for the change. Horse must be submissive to the side he is going to change to.
Canter pirouettes exercises
Horatio started the pirouette a bit tense then got better. Stephen said riders must be able to go out of the pirouette on any stride.
Inter II/working towards GP: Nikki Barker and Durable
A national champion at inter I, Durable is now being aimed at the next level. Owned by Nikki and Viv Gleave, ‘Danny’ (Spielberg x Tango) is an 11yo stallion.
In shoulder in, wait until he is carrying himself, then go into a few half pass steps then back into shoulder in. Go immediately between the two. Don’t be too careful in the first step.
On seeing Danny’s piaffe, Stephen said “Good grief. He finds it so easy it’s ridiculous”.
Stephen asked Nikki to go from active collected trot to passage rhythm then out into trot rhythm again. Keep piaffe and passage separate at this stage.
Passage exercise
Trot shoulder in on long side, straighten and develop passage, keeping him straight. Trot out of it. Make it bigger and then smaller on a 20m circle – this stops one diagonal getting bigger than the other.
“He will have a glorious passage but at the moment he has too many legs and doesn’t know what to do with them.” Work on it, don’t back off.
Durable has a super uphill canter. Stephen advised that Nikki sharpens the canter before the one-tempi changes.
Grand Prix: Elder Klatzko and Woodlander Little Richard
Elder owns the British-bred Longchamp 18yo gelding, having bought him as a quirky 11 year old. They have only done four grand prix and have qualified for the nationals at inter I.
While warming up, Elder and ‘Richie’ showed a text book trot-halt-rein back-trot movement and Stephen commented that he didn’t often see one as good as that.
“A horse doesn’t have to be the biggest mover in the world; it’s about whether they’re trained or not when they get to grand prix.”
Exercise
On and back in trot shoulder-in – bigger trot then smaller trot. From shoulder-in to half pass with direct transition and then go on and back in the half pass.
Exercise – tempi changes
It’s important to have a good quality canter in the corner before the diagonal. Richie tended to back off in the one-time changes.
Do four or six in medium canter just around the school. “Richie can afford to up his game – take a risk!”
You need enough canter and collection, then be brave enough to ride forward.
Stephen complimented Richie’s technique in the pirouettes as he has no problem sitting behind. It’s important to keep on the line so the planning has to be right – make sure you get the line you really want.
“After you’ve nailed the first turning step you can afford to take a risk. Ride forward from the inside leg.”
Exercise – walk-piaffe-walk
Make sure he jumps in the first step then sit like a mouse. He must be active enough so you don’t have to kick every step.
Stephen helped Richie by following the hind legs with a lunge whip – the threat effective enough to make a different.
Pat him while doing the piaffe.
“The quality of horse and rider is outstanding – I don’t know where you find them all Kim - I’ve had a great day and very much look forward to working with you again next year” Stephen Clarke
Photographs courtesy of Horse Power Creative
www.centraldressage.co.uk
Report from Stephen Clarke Training Forum by Helen Triggs
4 September 2019
Hurstbourne EC
Central Dressage’s annual training forum with FEI 5* judge is always one of the highlights of the year for riders, trainers, judges and dressage enthusiasts. Stephen is perceptive, analytical, fanatical about good training and yet a humane, witty and encouraging communicator.
Kim brought together an interesting and inspiring selection of horse/combinations from novice to grand prix. Most of the horses (and riders!) were bred in the UK which is a testament to the ever-improving quality of British breeding as the horses were of a very high standard with lots of potential for the future
TOP STEPHEN TIPS/COMMENTS/PEARLS OF WISDOM
- When the rider asks for a response the horse must react and then reward by leaving alone. Do not accept half-baked reactions.
- The goal is translating a beautiful way-of-going into the competitive environment – “I’ve won countless gold medals at home – the problem is when you have to go down the centre line and produce the goods without the ability to ride a circle and do it again.”
- Once you have committed to a transition, see it through.
- You can only extend as much as you can collect. Find active collection before medium trot and don’t always ask in the same place.
- Calmness comes from obedience – when you have authority over the horse, you can make the decisions.
- I’m a leg yield fanatic as long as it’s done honestly
- Submission to the leg and the bend not to the rein
- To get a better reaction, train from the ground. Not enough people work from the ground, especially with young horses. Get a reaction and give reward to make things black and white
- Never be afraid to go back a bit in your training
Young horse: Serena Gordon and Zykanthos B
Zak is a 4yo gelding by Blue Horse Zack out of a De Niro mare. Zak has never competed and been under saddle for only a few months.
Zak demonstrated his lovely, laid-back temperament, seeming unfazed by the audience.
The first impression of his trot was that he had a very natural frame and the tempo didn’t look hurried or laboured. Stephen liked the way the joints of the hind legs flexed and stepped under. “Above all he gives the impression of going by himself and Serena is not holding him in balance.”
“In a year’s time I would expect more engagement, elasticity and expression – not looking for that yet.”
Stephen commented that for a four-year old Zak was pretty straight although the balanced was still on his shoulder. He had nice reactions behind to the leg and a nice contact.
Even at this stage you can start to play with the gears within the paces, using transitions to create more reaction, engagement and balance.
Walk/trot exercise
Important to keep horse straight. In downward transition, the horse’s reward is for rider to relax when transition made.
In upward transition it’s important to think ahead and insist on instant reaction.
What he does in the first step of upward transition is the same as what he’ll do in the grand prix, going from walk to piaffe.
Zak had tendency to come above bit in canter to trot transition as he is using his head and neck for balance. Stephen said not to worry about it as later he won’t need to do it.
In the trot stretching, Stephen made Serena keep Zak going and not walk until he was happily going forward for himself.
Young horse/novice: Charlie Hutton and his and Nicola McGivern’s Active Scalini.
This 5 yo British-bred mare (Scuderia x Daddy Cool) had only competed four times and has qualified for a number of young horse championships. The mare had just had two months off and has been taken slowly as she so big and long.
Stephen commented on her super regularity, tempo, energy and cadence in the trot.
Charlie worked her over her back in a lower head carriage, testing her forwards reaction. “It’s important that the rider is in control of how the horse carries itself and where its head and neck is. Can put up into bridle later.”
Charlie rode the young horse test for Stephen to comment on.
He noted his first impression that the horse was impressive, with energy and cadence and was up to the bridle. Trot steps were light and expressive.
The leg yielding was clear but could be more reaction and self-carriage, and there was some head tilting. In the medium, the tempo quickened. The walk was very good but could be more consistent in the contact. The walk was a perfect four beat and had good natural ground cover.
The way-of-going in the canter showed nice balance, straightness and correct frame. Scalini struggled with balance on the 10m half circles and there could be more energy from behind in medium.
Leg yielding exercise
Ride straight on the long diagonal (left to right), then turn the shoulders parallel to the long side, and then straighten. Repeat on other rein.
Ask the horse to move off your inside leg, then leave it alone.
“Give her the sense of direction and don’t be shy about asking for a reaction off your leg, even if it disturbs the rhythm.”
Medium trot
Stephen’s advice was to take a bit more risk – it doesn’t matter if she breaks into canter. “When she comes from behind, sit like a mouse.”
Sometimes start medium trot half way down long side and go round short end – keep it going – finally the horse will find its balance and confidence to keep it going.
When stretching, the horse can only truly use its back if its nose is forward.
Andrew Gould and Active Solaris
Owned by Jo and Terry Barnett, Andrew has had the ride on this stallion (by Sezuan) for three months.
Although Solaris started a little tense, he showed super paces. “He’s got one of the best canters you could wish to see” said Stephen.
Stephen was not worried about some teeth grinding and tail swishing caused by tension – “the rider can’t do anything about it”. When the horse is balanced and relaxed it stops naturally.
Leg yielding – a vital exercise
Don’t do lateral exercises with bend until you can do them without bend.
In the leg yield send the trot on a bit more sometimes
Leg yield is all about control of the shoulder and submission to the leg
Medium/advanced medium: Elder Klatzko and Dior
Dior was a rescue case who Elder took on as a three year old – he took almost a year to back. Now seven, he is progressing well up the levels.
Stephen asked Elder to do leg yields from track to centre line and back – playing with him.
Medium trot exercise
Stephen asked Elder to put Dior in a slightly lower frame as the fore leg tended to come higher than the hind leg
Go round the whole school in medium, keeping neck soft and thru. Find the medium trot and develop it, then sit quiet and let him do it.
Walk pirouette
Make sure walk is collected enough first and he is front of the leg. Prepare with some shoulder fore positioning to get submission to the bend and keep bend throughout. Keep active.
In canter, Elder rode him on and back to sit him on his hind legs, for just a few strides riding a very collected (pirouette) canter. Dior’s neck came up too much so needs to learn to stay over his back and in the frame.
Exercise
Dior has a tendency to be late behind in the simple changes so Stephen worked with Elder on that.
Shoulder fore into half pass, back into shoulder fore. Serpentine with simple changes.
If a hind leg is slow in the simple changes, it will be the same in flying changes.
Exercise
Walk to canter
Focus on thinking medium from the very first stride. Go into medium and then collect. Walk, put lower and softer and then really go medium
Exercise
Go into counter canter on the long side, then position the bend to the opposite side, almost in a shoulder fore position. Then flying change and immediately onto 20m circle.
PSG/Inter I: Paul Friday and Hawtins Horatio
Sarah Overson’s British-bred Horatio (by Hotline) is now 10 and also featured in the forum last year.
Stephen asked Paul to do canter to walk transitions to back up the half halt and improve the self-carriage. “Ride the canter expecting the horse to carry himself – never allow him to support himself on the connection.”
Exercise
Half pass to the centre line, shoulder fore on the centre line to improve submission to the inside leg. Should be uniform bend from nose to tail.
In the tempi changes, Horatio tended to do one short change and jump a little to the side in the left change. This is mostly to do with balance and self-carriage. Horatio gets onto the hand and this stops him going forward in the change.
Tip: before each line of changes on the diagonal, in the preceding corner, make it all about collection, listening and self-carriage so that when you come onto the line the horse is ready to ride upwards.
Exercise for changes
Stephen recommended a similar exercise as for Dior – using the counter change of bend for some strides before asking for the change. Horse must be submissive to the side he is going to change to.
Canter pirouettes exercises
Horatio started the pirouette a bit tense then got better. Stephen said riders must be able to go out of the pirouette on any stride.
- Put horse into shoulder fore positioning, take 1 pirouette step then go out of it. Keep the shoulder fore bend. “If you start right the rest is easy.”
- Make the pirouette positioning feel more like half pass
Half pass into the arena, stay in half pass positioning round a half-pirouette, back into half pass. - Ride shoulder fore coming into the half pass, and half pass in the pirouette itself
Inter II/working towards GP: Nikki Barker and Durable
A national champion at inter I, Durable is now being aimed at the next level. Owned by Nikki and Viv Gleave, ‘Danny’ (Spielberg x Tango) is an 11yo stallion.
In shoulder in, wait until he is carrying himself, then go into a few half pass steps then back into shoulder in. Go immediately between the two. Don’t be too careful in the first step.
On seeing Danny’s piaffe, Stephen said “Good grief. He finds it so easy it’s ridiculous”.
Stephen asked Nikki to go from active collected trot to passage rhythm then out into trot rhythm again. Keep piaffe and passage separate at this stage.
Passage exercise
Trot shoulder in on long side, straighten and develop passage, keeping him straight. Trot out of it. Make it bigger and then smaller on a 20m circle – this stops one diagonal getting bigger than the other.
“He will have a glorious passage but at the moment he has too many legs and doesn’t know what to do with them.” Work on it, don’t back off.
Durable has a super uphill canter. Stephen advised that Nikki sharpens the canter before the one-tempi changes.
Grand Prix: Elder Klatzko and Woodlander Little Richard
Elder owns the British-bred Longchamp 18yo gelding, having bought him as a quirky 11 year old. They have only done four grand prix and have qualified for the nationals at inter I.
While warming up, Elder and ‘Richie’ showed a text book trot-halt-rein back-trot movement and Stephen commented that he didn’t often see one as good as that.
“A horse doesn’t have to be the biggest mover in the world; it’s about whether they’re trained or not when they get to grand prix.”
Exercise
On and back in trot shoulder-in – bigger trot then smaller trot. From shoulder-in to half pass with direct transition and then go on and back in the half pass.
Exercise – tempi changes
It’s important to have a good quality canter in the corner before the diagonal. Richie tended to back off in the one-time changes.
Do four or six in medium canter just around the school. “Richie can afford to up his game – take a risk!”
You need enough canter and collection, then be brave enough to ride forward.
Stephen complimented Richie’s technique in the pirouettes as he has no problem sitting behind. It’s important to keep on the line so the planning has to be right – make sure you get the line you really want.
“After you’ve nailed the first turning step you can afford to take a risk. Ride forward from the inside leg.”
Exercise – walk-piaffe-walk
Make sure he jumps in the first step then sit like a mouse. He must be active enough so you don’t have to kick every step.
Stephen helped Richie by following the hind legs with a lunge whip – the threat effective enough to make a different.
Pat him while doing the piaffe.
“The quality of horse and rider is outstanding – I don’t know where you find them all Kim - I’ve had a great day and very much look forward to working with you again next year” Stephen Clarke
Photographs courtesy of Horse Power Creative
www.centraldressage.co.uk
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Report and photographs from 4 September 2018 Stephen Clarke Training Forum
Photos courtesy of Eva Marie Broomer of Horse Power Creative
