GMC Countdown

George Morris Clinic Count Down

Dec 3 and 4, 2013, UP and I will be traveling to Penryn. CA, to attend the George Morris Clinic.  First time for both of us. Background: George Morris was the Chef D'Equipe for the USET from 2005 to 2013, wrote the book (literally) on Hunt Seat Equitation, and is a demanding task masker.  So here is my countdown until December 3 to try to get ready:

10. 25% of the time, drop the stirrups. Remember that line in the book?  It was something like: Work offs are easy for my students if they involve dropping stirrups since we practice 25% of the time without them. I am paraphrasing, but would the Huns have successfully invaded Europe if all those knights had followed his lead? Those stirrups the Huns invented would not have been such a tremendous advantage.
9. Polish boots until they are reflective.
8. Stop eating.
7. Independent legs and hands, instant aids and rewards for a job well done
6. Remember the course.
5. Trust your pony. She can handle it.  I was surprised by the test options for medal classes (walking a 3' jump?), but UP is a capable mare. 
4. If we totally screw up, there will simply be no blog about that. 
3. Tuck in shirt tails. 
2. Remember any new learnings for a lifetime.
1. Have fun. 

G-Forces or Cheap Horses?

Sunday lesson. Usually low key.  HW generally does not want to open up a can of worms and leave things unraveled before the horse weekend (aka Monday).  So I look forward to Sunday lessons if feeling lazy and want an unchallenging ride, truth be told.

But why on this Sunday were we jumping big and technical?  Who knows, but it worked out well.  We did not open up the aforementioned can of worms.  But there is always the challenge of hearing what is said during a lesson.  Wind, truck, planes, going 12 miles an hour with a helmet strapped on.  Sometime I mishear comments and directions.

We finished up over a 4 element combination, then a roll top with natural branch elements, and finished over a one stride oxer to oxer combination, and had to turn in the air over the first oxer. She followed ever cue perfectly.  Good girl.

I THOUGHT I heard "blah blah blah cheap horses", and asked what are you talking about???  She was awesome.  Actually, he said, "there are a lot of G-forces when you jump the big stuff."  Princess calmed down after clarification.