United States Eventing Association

About 200 auditors, riders, sponsors, and vendors lined the arena early this morning to watch sixteen horse-and-rider pairs participate in what is, for most riders, a once-in-a-lifetime experience: to school under the watchful eye of William Fox-Pitt.

Fox-Pitt, who most recently dominated the 2013 Les Etoiles de Pau CCI4* by placing 1^st, 3^rd, and 15^th, came state-side to teach for two days at the beautiful Morningside Training Farm in The Plains, VA. Horses and riders from the Training level through Advanced could apply to ride in the clinic, which was organized by Kelly Gage of Team EnGaged Clinics. Breakfast and hot coffee – which was essential on this chilly November morning - was generously provided by Taylor Harris Insurance.

Today was focused on flatwork and theory, although the riders presented their horses in jumping tack. Some of the groups incorporated ground poles, and the jump tack allowed for the riders to get off of their horses’ backs.

It was exciting to see Arthur back out and about with Allison Springer in the first group, and they were joined by Advanced pair Kate Samuels on Nyls du Terrior for the first group of the morning. Next up was Jan Byyny on Why Not and Sharon White on Under Suspection. These two lessons incorporated the most advanced flatwork, including detailed lateral work. Fox-Pitt would link a few movements together and score the riders.

William Wisdom #1: “We can do our training and our movements and feel great, but you’ve got to be able to put them all together in a way that flows in the arena.”

He helped the riders find extra points in their dressage tests by riding in an accurate way that also flowed. The movements should melt together, but he insisted that one movement is ridden to absolute completion before the next, so that the test would not be hurried.

Kendyl Tracy on RF Cameron Velvet and Victoria Jessop on her CIC2* gelding, Desert Mystery or “Dez.” Jessop’s horse was more of a nervous type, and Fox-Pitt suggested using a “breathing leg,” on that type of horse – leg on for one stride, off for one stride, and so on. Tracy’s horse wanted to swap leads in the counter canter, so Fox-Pitt sent them out of the marked dressage arena, into more open space, to work. Both horses produced some lovely work under his guidance.

William Wisdom #2: “Get the horses going evenly in the warmup, and get them to slowly start focusing on you. Start a conversation with the horse, but not too abruptly at the beginning of the ride.”

Fox-Pitt gave the riders in each group a few moments at the start of their session to talk about their horses’ experience, their own experience, and what they were hoping to gain from the clinic. There was a lovely mix of horses, riders, and experience levels. Some horses were spooky, some were lackadaisical and behind the leg, and some were tense. He helped each rider gain a more thorough understanding of the challenges that they faced with their particular horse, but reminded them that every horse has weaknesses.

William Wisdom #3: “When introducing a new movement to a horse, focus on the quality of the steps that you get of that movement, and then later, on the outline of the horse. Quality first, then worry about the degree of whatever you’re asking.”

Alexa Ehlers and Kate Brown were last to go before the lunch break. They worked over a 20-meter circle of 4 cavaletti. He encouraged them to find the step to the poles not by shortening the canter, but by adjusting their line to the poles, and allowing the canter to flow as if the poles were not there. When one of the horses got low in its frame, he asked why. “I don’t mind him being there (in that frame) if that’s the plan. Otherwise, don’t just go along with it.”

William Wisdom #4: “When I look out of my office and see my students riding, I want to be able to tell exactly what stage of the ride they are in. The rider should always have a plan, and work through that plan. Every ride.”

After the lunch break, Fox-Pitt taught the greener horses or riders in the Training-Prelim skill set. Malcolm Dilley and Nicole Kowalski, Lainey Ashker and Lisbeth Storandt, Chris Talley and Kristin Carpenter on their OTTBs, and Connor Husain and Skyeler Icke-Voss on their 4- and 5- year olds were the afternoon pairs.

William Wisdom #5: “I know I am being very picky about position. Sit up. Sit even. It will make your life easier, to develop good position now.”

The instruction focused a lot on basics. Fox-Pitt emphasizes that for young horses, quality of the gaits and forward, balanced movement should be top priority, rather than the frame. “Sometimes we get too focused on what our horse can’t do,” he said. But sometimes, focusing on what the horse can do, instead of only his weaknesses, can build confidence in both horse and rider. He was very fastidious with each rider about the balance of their seat and their position, as well.

William Wisdom #6: “You can develop the trot as much, if not more, by using a slower trot that engages the hind legs, than just sending them forward to try to get them to lengthen.”

He had several of the pairs put both of their reins in their outside hand and continue to travel about the arena when the contact “got a bit fragile,” or the horse was having a hard time with self-carriage. This also ensured that the riders were not controlling their horses too much with the inside rein. Finally, with each pair, he said that he liked to see a stretchy trot at the end (and if possible, also the beginning) of each ride, allowing the horse to stretch forward and down with the rider in rising trot.

Tomorrow is show jumping day, so stay tuned for Day 2 of coverage.