The even push off behind that Becky was talking about. Photo via Ingvill Ramberg
Hello Eventing Nation! I come to you with an exciting recap (okay the recap is not exciting, but the clinic was) from a Becky Holder clinic!
Becky graciously let EN follow and document her every move. Thank you to Becky!
Becky came and taught a clinic at Ann Bower’s Carriage House Farm in Hugo, MN on August 19. We work her hard when she comes to MN because her day was filled with group lessons, semi-privates and privates from cross country to show jumping and dressage. She even hopped on and schooled a horse as a last minute request. That Becky, she’s the BEST.
(The recap is of my session with her. The videos are of a BN/N group doing the same exercises.)
Her day started out with a semi-private of Ann and myself. We stated out over trot poles to a gate where Becky really drove home the point of keeping my horse straight so he could use both hind feet evenly on the takeoff. The trot poles were removed and three bounces replaced them. Again, at the very last minute of take off, Becky told me to be mindful of where my horses shoulders were to ensure I was helping him to become a better athlete. She also stressed that I needed to hold my position and stretch down through my leg.
Then Ann and I moved on to a one stride with a placing pole before the first. This rode really well for both of us. Beck also set up two single barrels on their side on diagonals, and we figure-eighted over those.
Next, we hopped up and down the bank really quickly before the real bank work began. Now we were to come down the bank to either one of the barrels (left or right). The idea is to have your horse land and be looking for the next fence. This was a terrific exercise for my horse and I, as generally I fell like he goes around in La-La Land, not even aware of the next fence until he falls over it. It was terrific for me to make sure I was mentally in the game because skinny barrels are easy to miss!
After going down to the skinny barrels, we turned around and went up the bank to an in and out. This rode wonderfully.
Then we jumped up the side of the bank complex, bounced brush boxes, 1 stride across, down the bank on the other side, 3 strides to the one stride in and out we had ridden earlier. Yes, my horse and I almost crashed in to the last element of the in and out. That is why Becky was stressing the importance of jumping and having your horse prick its ears looking for the next fence. Let’s just say, Charles didn’t make that mistake again. He learned to look where he was going. Becky also stressed the importance of jumping one element at a time, whether it was the trot poles in the beginning on the lesson, or the up bank, or the down bank in the middle of a combination.
We finished with the water complex and a couple cross country fences. Throughout the clinic, the key points that were driven home to my horse and I were creating better canter with his withers up, keeping him straight to make him a better athlete, and to ride each element as it comes. Each element deserves its own respect. And for my horse and I in particular, when I feel that he’s not focused on the task at hand, to keep his feet moving and keep kick and not to protect him so much.
If you’ve never ridden with Becky, or a clinic of hers in your area is full, it’s still worth an auditing. Becky has some of the best analogies to get you to be a better rider. They are the best phrases that stick with you as you go around cross country and show jumping at an event.
Go Becky, and go eventing.
