Saturday Video: George Morris’ Four Cornerstones of Riding in America

This video comes to us from the George Morris Horsemastership Training Sessions a few weeks ago, where he explains the four basics that make up the American rider over jumps. While he is talking about hunter jumper riders, these are base skills that we can all apply to our riding, even in Eventing. The first cornerstone is the ability to hold a steady position in what he calls the “forward seat”, but can also be viewed as simply a mobile seat that follows the movement over the jumps. His second notion is that of a firmly down heel and a steady lower leg, one that does not unintentionally kick or prod or tap. After this, you’ll notice that he admonishes an auditor for letting their child run loose! As a third cornerstone, George emphasizes the jobs of the eyes and their focus throughout a course. “Eyes have two jobs: direction and distance to the obstacle”. The final basic skill is the ability to have hands that follow the horse’s mouth instead of artificial releases over fences. George knows his stuff, you gotta admit!