Stephen Bradley Clinic Report

EN reader Mary Smithing kindly send us a brief write-up from a clinic with Stephen Bradley on January 12-13 at Playland Farm.  Many thanks to Mary for writing, and thank you for reading.  If you have a clinic report to share, send it to [email protected].

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From Mary:

Stephen Bradley Clinic 1/12/13 – 1/13/13  at Playland Farm LLC

Maya on PL Queenie

 

On January 12th and 13th, Playland Farm LLC and Mythic Landing Enterprises hosted a Stephen Bradley Clinic at Playland Farm. We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend to have the clinic since temperatures stayed well above 50 degrees on both days.

 

On day one Stephen had three grid lines set up that the riders work through in their lesson. The first line he used was a trot in cross rail one stride to a bounce, one stride to a vertical, and one stride to a parallel oxer. Stephen started them gradually over the line during warm up only going over the cross rail and then building on jumps to the grid line.

Day One grid

 

The next line Stephen had riders go over was a vertical five stride to a parallel oxer. For this exercise Stephen wanted the riders to keep there horse more collected through the line and get in six strides instead of five. He wanted the riders to get a better feel of a more collected canter rather than a longer canter because as eventers we need to be able to make our horses do both.

 

Another point Stephen made was “don’t assume anything, gotta make it happen” because as riders we need to commit and not be indecisive in our riding.

 

The last line riders went through was a double bounce, three stride, to another double bounce. This grid was to help riders maintain a good canter rhythm. The horses couldn’t rush through the grid and had to stay collected.

 

The second day of the clinic Stephen had set up a course with lines, turns, and bounces so riders could work on how to maneuver a technical stadium course. Stephen went on the explain that stadium and cross country are becoming more technical and as riders we need to be able to keep our horses in a very rhythmic and steady canter. He also stressed the need for riders to land on the correct lead because this makes riding a technical course easier.

 

Day Two Course

Stephen also pointed out that jumping is not dressage and we need to not micro manage our horses so much. Stephen then went on to say that horses have to be allowed to make mistakes in schooling so that they can learn because in reality “they don’t like to make mistakes” and they won’t do it again.

 

Stephen had riders warm up over a cross rail that was set at an angle. For every jump Stephen wanted riders to work on coming off on the correct lead, but if the horse didn’t that riders should keep the horse in the wrong lead to practice holding your horse in a lead.

 

After warming up Stephen had riders canter an oxer off the left lead and make sure they landed on the right lead. Once they completed this Stephen started having the riders go around the course. The course had tight turns and roll backs so riders could practice how to navigate a technical course while maintaining a steady, rhythmic canter.

Livia on her mare Sunny

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