Gareth Hughes Clinic

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greenholmeshandy
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Gareth Hughes Clinic

Postby greenholmeshandy » Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:07 pm

I attended a great clinic watching Gareth Hughes and his novice to grand prix horses. He was the most down to earth dressage coach I have heard. He was brought up in Australia and coaches their Olympic event team so is very to the point.

His horses were lovely but he pointed out their conformation challenges, one was very group high, personality challenges, one was a bronco if too much leg used - he had worked on desensitized it by using lots of leg. Plenty to think about! I made some rough notes afterwards in the car, these were as follows;

Do the same movement well twice, the first time might be just a fluke! Lateral movements, think forward first and only then sideways, be consistent, do as little aid wise as you can _some riders use so many aids at once to get a movement that at grand prix they would need five or ten riders on the horse at once !

Practice the test from two weeks before to when you do it so horse isn't surprised by new movement.

Sraightness also makes a horse stiff, so once straight build in supplying movements.

Not all horses can get to grand prix, aim to be the best horse at the level you are at, then look at moving up a level.

Work in the outline expected at all times. Work 1000s of transitions.

Breeding matters when choosing an unbroken youngster, but a backed horse should be chooses of how it goes.

He doesn't have a Gareth system, just get the back end moving, work on straightness, get the horse flexible and be consistent. If you do use a specific system of training stick to it, don't pick bits here and there, be consistent or the horse will become confused.

Praise the horse when it does well, don't scold when it doesn't as it probably doesn't understand.

Extension isn't that important, nip tucks isn't the greatest but Carl Hester pulls up marks by doing everything else in a test brilliantly. Use the calf for direction, heel for impulsion - don't tap tap all the time.
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mari
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Posts: 446
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:57 am

Re: Gareth Hughes Clinic

Postby mari » Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:54 am

greenholmeshandy wrote:Do the same movement well twice, the first time might be just a fluke!


:lol: :lol: :lol: I need to laminate a poster and stick it to Odie's neck every time I ride... Thanks for the report!
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert


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