Five Exercises with George H. Morris at Beverly Equestrian

George Morris at Beverly Equestrian
George Morris at Beverly Equestrian

The Plains, Va. – Oct. 3, 2018 – During the last weekend in September, George H. Morris traveled to Beverly Equestrian to teach his annual clinic at the picturesque facility. Each day he focused on helping riders develop their skills in the saddle to become better all-around horsemen.

Each day began with 45 minutes of flatwork where riders worked on transitions, straightness and lateral movements. He stressed that the purpose of riding is not competition, but to have a well schooled horse. Morris is not concerned with what the judge thinks, but how the horse feels and its way of going. To accomplish this goal he introduced new exercises each day that would help horses with their impulsion, straightness, rhythm and suppleness. Below are the top five exercises from the week.

1) Circle of Fences

Set up a circle of four fences approximately six strides apart on a circle. Start by jumping just two of the fences, then add a third fence and finally a fourth fence. When you horse has jumped all four fences correctly reverse the circle and repeat the exercise. This exercises works on a horse’s rhythm between fences.

Devon Zebrovious and Morningstar

2) Stride Adjustment

To continue focusing on rhythm, the next next exercise demonstrated on the first day of the clinic involved changing the strides in a related line. With a five stride line to a one-stride to start you begin with the single to the double, followed by a liverpool on the diagonal. You then circle back to the same line starting with the double combination riding five strides down the line. Then make another circle, back to the same line, this time with six strides going both directions in the line.

Hannah Neall and Abracadabra

3) Serpentine Fences

With two fences set straight on opposite sides of the ring and two fences set on opposite diagonals next to each other in the middle, begin with the first fence on the long side before making an inside turn to the closest diagonal. Then turn again to the other diagonal before finishing over the final fence on the long side. This will create serpentine of fences that works a horse’s suppleness and change of leg.

Devon Zebrovious and Morningstar

4) Sharp Turns

To continue focusing on a horse’s suppleness, on the third day Morris created an exercise with a short four stride line to a coop set on the short side. By jumping the line on a smaller stride, you are better able to set up your horse to make the short turn over the fence on the short side of the arena, before jumping back over the line in four strides again.

Hannah Neall and Abracadabra

5) Broken Lines Course

As one of the final exercises, Morris set up a course that began over the liverpool on the diagonal to a coop on the straight away longside. You then make a right turn to an oxer on the diagonal and bending line back to the liverpool. You would then continue to three fences set apart by one stride and a sharp bending line back to the oxer on the diagonal. This exercise brings together the skills of rhythm and suppleness for the horses.

Gene Frank and Carrera

The five exercises Morris created during the clinic at Beverly Equestrian all helped riders improve their horses’ impulsion, straightness, rhythm and suppleness. He concluded saying, “If you start with a horse that is rideable, jumping is much easier.” He also stressed the importance of working at home and learning before going to a competition.

 

To learn more about George Morris and his clinics and take the opportunity to train with him please visit www.ghmclinics.com.

George Morris with Gene Frank
No Comments Yet

Comments are closed