Sophie Warren enjoys her instruction from Jennie Loriston Clarke while riding Heidi Emery's 3 yr old imported Hanoverian colt Latin Lover
Western Australian riders were recently treated to some of the very best advice in the world in the form of UK dressage legend, Jennie Loriston-Clarke. Jennie was invited to WA by the Swan River Horse Trials Club to judge at the Swan River CIC on the 20-21st October and conduct a clinic in the days following the event.
The clinic was held at Nikki Brooks' Brookleigh Estate, a beautiful venue and a perfect place for clinics and competitions alike. Jennie taught 8-10 lessons each day with riders of all levels (eventing and dressage) attending the clinic. The classical principles rang through - with an emphasis on the good old inside leg to outside rein connection. Jennie used subtle exercises to improve each horse and the difference from start to finish was notable.
Jennie's approach to each lesson was empathetic and tailored to suit the type, discipline and development of both the horse and rider. Her kind but firm teaching helped to drive the message home - ride forward to a soft hand, use the half-halt when required, and then give. Jennie was keen that every horse was highly responsive to the aids. If the horse was a 'dull' type - stop them and start them several times and WAKE them UP! At the other end of the scale - if they are hot - by all means take them for a brisk canter up the hill to get some of the beans out. You are then able to allow them to trot and canter forward rather than riding with the hand-brake on.
One of the key differences with Jennie's teaching with young horses was her use of shoulder-fore rather than leg-yields to start teaching the lateral work. So often we see leg-yields being done badly, with the shoulder falling across and the rider not realising the true benefit of leg-yield - to push the horse into the outside rein connection. Jennie uses the shoulder-fore on even the greenest of horses, to teach them to truly move off the leg and into the outside rein. She encourages riders to then ride their leg-yields while thinking of half pass, but without bend. In this way, she feels you don't end up with too much neck bend and a crooked body.
Para-equestrian rider, Sharon Jarvis, riding Courtney Thomson's mare
During her trip, Jennie also conducted a judges seminar which was enjoyed by riders, judges and coaches alike. A gifted speaker and clearly an incredible horse-woman, she casually set about putting across her message whilst including an abundance of funny anecdotes in between the 'serious business' of judging! Jennie's main concern with dressage judges was that they tended to act rather like Policemen. She encouraged them to think of themselves as part of the education process, rather than just needing to police whether every movement and line was exactly, perfectly, perfected! Too often do you see comments like ‘circle to big’ - and this may be the case - but what was the quality like? Was the trot any good? Jennie wanted to remind judges to see, and comment on, the bigger picture.
Everyone who attended the clinic and/or seminar where thrilled to have had the chance to meet and learn from such a knowledgeable and down-to-earth horse-woman. Her manner was funny and kind whilst being sure to get her message across and help us all to develop our knowledge and training skills. We are thoroughly looking forward to her return - with a bit of luck it will be as soon as 2013.
Article by Sophie Warren. Photos also kindly supplied by Sophie
