Thursday, March 16, 2006

Jan Brink's First Clinic in America Hosted by Arredando Dressage
By Shaneen Kohler

Brink Appeals To All Riding Levels

Brink tried to appeal to all riding levels at the symposium. “If we only had top riders here, doing piaffe and passage and all the difficult things, it would be fine for an hour or two.” But, the people who ride as a hobby would not relate. “It is not their world. Their world might be as a First or Second Level rider.” Brink showed them exercises they could take home with them to incorporate into their routine, exercises that would inspire them to say, “I can try to do that.”

One of the most common mistakes he sees riders making is the use of the inside rein. When people are turning their horse, for example, in a circle or to the left or right, they are putting too much on the inside rein, he said. The horse will get over-bent and the shoulder will run out. Rather, an outside rein should be used and the neck kept “quite straight.”

He also encouraged auditors and riders to know their riding style and find a horse that complements it, especially if you are an amateur rider with only one horse. “I love a horse with a lot of energy and electricity, but that is because I can ride a horse like that.” That type of horse is not for everyone.