SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL CLINICIAN
In July of 2008, I had the opportunity to audit a clinic with Herbert Seiberl, a Bereiter from the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria. The famous Spanish Riding School has exemplified classical dressage at its best for over 430 years. Herr Seiberl's private students and horses in Europe benefit from his instruction using these time-tested methods, successfully carrying this tradition into the competition arena.
The clinic was hosted by my friend, Peggy Judy from Caduceus Farms in Broomfield, Colorado. Peggy has bred thoroughbred sport horses and warmblood horses for many years. Their facility includes an indoor arena, and outdoor arena, the Centennial Valley Equine Hospital where her husband, Lin, has a veterinary practice. And if it seems as though that is already too much to imagine, they also have a beautiful view of the Rocky Mtns.
It made a perfect location to settle in and enjoy watching riders and horses perfect their skills under Herbert's watchful eye. The variety of horses was interesting. There was a Clyde/TB cross who was training at Prix St. George level, a 23 year old Swedish mare who had been a broodmare for most of her life and was just starting back under saddle, a Wurmberger stallion, imported from Germany, a Lippizaner gelding, and an Andalusian gelding. My friend, Peggy, rode the Oldenburg stallion, Rubinesque. There was also a Saddlebred and a German Sport Pony to round out the variety.
Even though the horses and riders were quite varied, the messages from Herbert remained very similar. I will try to summarize some of his ideas.
The clinic was hosted by my friend, Peggy Judy from Caduceus Farms in Broomfield, Colorado. Peggy has bred thoroughbred sport horses and warmblood horses for many years. Their facility includes an indoor arena, and outdoor arena, the Centennial Valley Equine Hospital where her husband, Lin, has a veterinary practice. And if it seems as though that is already too much to imagine, they also have a beautiful view of the Rocky Mtns.
It made a perfect location to settle in and enjoy watching riders and horses perfect their skills under Herbert's watchful eye. The variety of horses was interesting. There was a Clyde/TB cross who was training at Prix St. George level, a 23 year old Swedish mare who had been a broodmare for most of her life and was just starting back under saddle, a Wurmberger stallion, imported from Germany, a Lippizaner gelding, and an Andalusian gelding. My friend, Peggy, rode the Oldenburg stallion, Rubinesque. There was also a Saddlebred and a German Sport Pony to round out the variety.
Even though the horses and riders were quite varied, the messages from Herbert remained very similar. I will try to summarize some of his ideas.
- Always point both hands in the direction you are turning. This is obviously just a slight pointing.
- The ‘sit’ is the most important phase of the sitting trot. Sit longer to slow down the trot and shorten the sitting phase if you want to speed up the trot. He insisted that riders concentrate on sitting and the rise would come naturally.
- When making a transition from trot to walk. Half-halt two strides before the transition and then breathe out. The horse will settle into a better quality walk with less resistance.
- Trot to canter transition. Cue with the inside leg and half halt with the outside rein. Then cue with the outside leg for the step into canter. Always maintain a slight inside bend prior to the transition.
- Use your inside leg on every stride of the canter.
- The transition to walk should be when the poll is at the highest point. Half-halt when the poll is high and breathe out when the poll is high.
- Watch for the horse's eyelash. If you can see the eyelashes then you have enough flexion. Many people ride with too much flexion.
- When a horse leans on the bit, use your reins left/right and then loosen and give them a chance to go lighter. Repeat until they do. This is not a pull, just a quick flick of the reins to remind them. It reminds to not pull on the reins with both hands as it causes the horse to pull more.
I watched in awe as the higher level riders refined their tempi changes and their canter pirouettes. Another was doing half-steps in preparation for passage and piaffe. It was interesting to watch the riders and horses under Herbert's instruction, but the ability to ride too on a whole new meaning when Herbert would take his turn at riding a horse that was having trouble with a certain movement. He truly seemed to be one with the horse and the antics of the horse beneath him never seemed to change his position or his concentration. Many years ago, I had the opportunity to see a performance of the Lippizanner stallions at the Imperial Palace in Vienna, Austria.........but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be having supper and chatting over coffee with one of those famous riders. Not only was he an amazing rider, but he was an excellent clinician and a wonderful ambassador for the Spanish Riding School. The riders from the SRS are only available to offer clinics in the months of January and July, as those are the only months that the SRS is not in full operation. I think Herbert suffered a bit from the blazing heat of Colorado, but it was a time enjoyed by all.
~ Brenda Leppington
- The ‘sit’ is the most important phase of the sitting trot. Sit longer to slow down the trot and shorten the sitting phase if you want to speed up the trot. He insisted that riders concentrate on sitting and the rise would come naturally.
- When making a transition from trot to walk. Half-halt two strides before the transition and then breathe out. The horse will settle into a better quality walk with less resistance.
- Trot to canter transition. Cue with the inside leg and half halt with the outside rein. Then cue with the outside leg for the step into canter. Always maintain a slight inside bend prior to the transition.
- Use your inside leg on every stride of the canter.
- The transition to walk should be when the poll is at the highest point. Half-halt when the poll is high and breathe out when the poll is high.
- Watch for the horse's eyelash. If you can see the eyelashes then you have enough flexion. Many people ride with too much flexion.
- When a horse leans on the bit, use your reins left/right and then loosen and give them a chance to go lighter. Repeat until they do. This is not a pull, just a quick flick of the reins to remind them. It reminds to not pull on the reins with both hands as it causes the horse to pull more.
I watched in awe as the higher level riders refined their tempi changes and their canter pirouettes. Another was doing half-steps in preparation for passage and piaffe. It was interesting to watch the riders and horses under Herbert's instruction, but the ability to ride too on a whole new meaning when Herbert would take his turn at riding a horse that was having trouble with a certain movement. He truly seemed to be one with the horse and the antics of the horse beneath him never seemed to change his position or his concentration. Many years ago, I had the opportunity to see a performance of the Lippizanner stallions at the Imperial Palace in Vienna, Austria.........but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be having supper and chatting over coffee with one of those famous riders. Not only was he an amazing rider, but he was an excellent clinician and a wonderful ambassador for the Spanish Riding School. The riders from the SRS are only available to offer clinics in the months of January and July, as those are the only months that the SRS is not in full operation. I think Herbert suffered a bit from the blazing heat of Colorado, but it was a time enjoyed by all.
~ Brenda Leppington
