Lucinda Green Clinic Report from Heidi Wright

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Lucinda Green

“Connect your feet to your horse’s eyeballs.”

“Make your legs a tube to guide him through.”

“Refusals are ok, but run outs are not to be tolerated!”

These were just a few of the pearls of wisdom imparted by the great Lucinda Green.   Erin and Dan Kowalewski organized an excellent clinic held at the Wayne Dupage forest preserve.  It was a unique opportunity to get tuned up early in the eventing season, and for those of us that need it -  a great confidence booster to boot!

Lucinda Green is the only person in history that has won Badminton six times, on six different horses, no less!  So when she tells you that one of the most important tools you should use is going straight after your last jump, followed by a halt for a full 10 seconds, you don’t question it.  If you forget, you will get a firm reminder from Lucinda that she expects you to remember to halt 100% of the time – no exceptions!  If you do it well, she is quick to compliment and tell you “well ridden”.

The first day of the clinic focused on XC preparation, with a jump course that appeared deceivingly simple, given the low heights.  However, the course exposed you to many of the challenges you will face in the cross country phase, and it proved to be a challenging course that required precision and control.  Lucinda emphasized the importance of riding every stride, and doing whatever it takes to avoid a run out.  She did not mind refusals, but run-outs were unacceptable!

I rode my inexperienced, fun loving Trakehner gelding, Willaker.  We hope to be ready to enter our first event by sometime later this season.  Initially Willaker attempted to run the show - cantering when he should be trotting, prancing when he should be walking, squirming when he should be halting…..the last thing that Willaker intended to do was stand still.  Lucinda’s instructions were:  “You do whatever it is you need to do to make that red horse stop after the last jump and stand for an ENTIRE 10 seconds!”  Eventually Willaker began to realize that resistance was futile and it was a lot easier to cooperate.

 “Never turn your horse away from a fence.  If he refuses, back him up and then go forward over the fence.  If, God forbid, you do “let” your horse run out, do not turn away from the fence.  Back up in a circle if you have to in order to get him facing the jump again.  Then jump it.  We are not after “pretty”, we are after results!”,  Lucinda explained.   

“Keep your shoulders back!” was a common comment made by Lucinda as she had us practice walking up to a jump and popping over it, letting the reins slide through your hands, and then canter away from the jump to a skinny, without gathering the reins, so we could practice those emergency situations that might occur on course.

Lucinda emphasized the importance of letting your horse look at the jump.  The horse needs to have his head up in front of the vertical on the approach in order to fully see it.  Riders were instructed to allow the horse to stretch their neck to take a look if needed, letting the reins slide through the hands, but keeping the horse straight on his line by using your legs to guide him.  She said to imagine you are creating a tube with your legs that your horse must travel through.  Another mental image she provided was to imagine your feet are attached to the horse’s eyeballs, and you can control what they look at with your legs.

The second day we met at the water obstacle which consists of two pools of water.  After the horses were given an opportunity to get their feet wet  we were ready to get started.  The first exercise entailed jumping over barrels into the water, through the water to two skinny jumps on the strip of land that separates the two pools, through the 2nd water and then up a steep mound, jump the roll top on the top of the mound, land going back down the mound and jump the skinny that was set on a tight turn at the base.  The level of control and precision needed to accomplish this was significant. 

While many horses had no trouble, Willaker attempted to run out at the skinny.  Lucinda told me to shorten my reins a bit, widen my hands if needed and make sure he understands he is going to bounce through those skinnies!  The light bulb went off in Willaker’s head during that exercise, and he began to feel more confident and willing to follow my game plan rather than his.

After schooling some individual jumps, like the ditch, trakehner, and a more difficult water question,  we were ready to run a cross country course of our own design.  Dan and his friend John had set out an amazing range of beautiful cross country jumps, placed in a way that gave you many options on course.  Literally every type of jump you would face on a XC course was readily available – all on freshly mowed paths.  Each rider was allowed to run the course twice.  By this time the horses and riders were feeling so confident that they had few problems on course.  Willaker felt like an enthusiastic partner .  He loved the galloping and learned to look ahead in search of the next jump.  It was a great feeling.  Lucinda kept telling the riders to keep their shoulders back on the approach to the jump, to guide the horse to the jump with your legs, and if your horse needs a correction, do it clearly and then soften.

The last exercise was schooling a corner.  Dan had placed the corner adjacent to a tight turn in a tree line, which made it tempting for your horse to run out.  But by this time the horses were in true listening mode, and I knew Willaker would jump it honestly, which thankfully he did.

The clinic ended with lots of smiles, a feeling of satisfaction and a new found level of confidence by both horse and rider.  Lucinda Green is an encouraging clinician who gives you the tools you need to be safe and successful.  She helps you to prioritize what’s important in your training, and is quick to identify both your mistakes and successes.    It was a unique opportunity to learn from a six time Badminton winner.  Thank you Erin and Dan for bringing Lucinda Green to Area IV!

Heidi Wright