Michael Jung won Badminton

[PaulaO]

And $350,000 for winning the Grand Slam of Eventing. He rides all 3 phases in a snaffle.

I realyreally admire him. Saw him at Rolex last week and his dressage test was seamless. I'm so happy for him.

[DJR]

He makes the huge XC fences look like a 3' hunter round. I saw all three of his rides at Badminton and they were a joy to watch. I really admire him.

[Chisamba]

I really dislike it when they say " he is a great technician ". No you idiots, he is a great horseman, he and his horses communicate seamlessly, that takes tact, I repeat, tact.

[galopp]

He is a great technician, that is what makes him artistic because he can control the details (just like Reiner Klimke) of tact and timing. His father being a riding master is helpful because he has promoted the Caprilli seat, and riding in balance. He actual rides xc in real two point and a light connection rather than the standing posture (or the posting the canter). A return to well thought out methodology, and wonder if people will copy his tradition? (AND he does stadium jumping as well as fei dressage!)

[Moutaineer]

A masterful rider, and horseman, and technically excellent. And above all, a cool cucumber who can keep it all together and keep thinking under pressure. I admire that so much.

[Chisamba]

He is a great technician, that is what makes him artistic because he can control the details (just like Reiner Klimke) of tact and timing. His father being a riding master is helpful because he has promoted the Caprilli seat, and riding in balance. He actual rides xc in real two point and a light connection rather than the standing posture (or the posting the canter). A return to well thought out methodology, and wonder if people will copy his tradition? (AND he does stadium jumping as well as fei dressage!)

In my opinion technicians work on robotics. Technical details , laboratories. I dislike the term technician when describing cooperation with a living being. Perhaps it's just my personal dislike of the term.

Galop, I also clearly remember you describing Reiner Klimke as a " farm boy" wrt crudeness of aids. Did you have a change of heart?

[Chisamba]

A masterful rider, and horseman, and technically excellent. And above all, a cool cucumber who can keep it all together and keep thinking under pressure. I admire that so much.

Yes, I can appreciate the description when used this way.

[demi]

tech·nique
tekˈnēk/
noun
a way of carrying out a particular task, especially the execution or performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure.
skill or ability in a particular field.
"he has excellent technique"
synonyms: skill, ability, proficiency, expertise, mastery, talent, genius, artistry, craftsmanship; More
a skillful or efficient way of doing or achieving something.
"tape recording is a good technique for evaluating our own communications"
synonyms: method, approach, procedure, system, modus operandi, MO, way; More
Feedback

[Wicky]

IMHO, once you learn the technique you can become an artist. That is why artists spend time studying different artists' techniques, why musicians practice scales ad nauseum. Once you learn the technique, you can personalize and become an artist. For riding, that means adapting to each horse's individual preferences and weaknesses, and your body issues.... If you do not learn basic technique to start, what are you supposed to do? Invent riding all over again? That seems a waste of time.

[Chancellor]

Why oh WHY does NBC still use Melanie Taylor Smith (or whatever her name is) it commentate Rolex? She doesn't know what she is talking about! Grr..

But onto the subject at hand. Michael Jung is such a master horseman! His rides were amazing! And winning the Grand Slam just makes that point! It is nice to see someone who goes around the course not jerking on their horse's mouth.

[PaulaO]

Jung did the most amazing walk/trot transition in his Badminton dressage test. It is on Youtube. It simply flowed from one gait to another. No hesitation at all.

[boots-aregard]

Not only an amazing feat, but an amazing feat just 1 week apart! Plus he only had one horse at Rolex so only one "chance". Dunno about Badminton.

[Alex]

I liked the very clear and clean distinctions he made for the more challenging XC fences in terms of his seat. He managed most from a very light seat and for the few where he took a fuller, driving seat it was obvious those fences were more challenging. I'm curious as to how his technique is reflected in his various horses. I'm ashamed to say I also haven't yet watched either his full dressage test or his SJ round. (You can tell where my heart lies!!) He's definitely one to watch for a long time to come though for sure. I liked watching the videos of him teaching at home and seeing a real range of horses and riders. He seems like the consummate German professional on that score.

[galopp]

Just say Chisamba's post. Technicians are intially rather robotics, they work on every detail. And imho that is what we can all do. And intitally it is very boring, but still useful. But it can become artistic at some point because it is associated to feeling (you know the change from conscious competenece to unconscious compentance?). And no, not me saying RK was a farm boy (must have been someone else), that is a comment made in Germany about riders with crudeness of aids which cause btv, and no technique, etc.

[kande50]

Technicians are intially rather robotics, they work on every detail. And imho that is what we can all do. And intitally it is very boring, but still useful. But it can become artistic at some point because it is associated to feeling (you know the change from conscious competenece to unconscious compentance?).

Oddly enough, a lot of scientists are also very artistic, and vice versa.

[Ryeissa]

.

[galopp]

Of course, you cant too linear. But intuition is based on observational skills as well. Horses are very logical, and react as equines. And of course riding is all about expirimentals within limits. But it is about respecting the nature of the horse.