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Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship Recipient for 2002
Lindgren ReportBy Luis DenizardOn September 27, 2004, I departed for The Nederlands with two horses in tow, Boeklo and Aleman, for a 2 1/2 month training experience. It was my first time in Europe to train with horses of my own. My reasoning for taking the horses with me was to bring back something tangible from the work I put in over there. In 1987, I participated in a college internship as a working student for six months in Rottingen, Germany and although I learned a lot, the lack of something tangible to bring back left me disappointed. This time I had my horses and the good fortune of working with professionals Henk van Bergen, Wilma van Bergen, Robert Zandvoort, Suzy Dunkley-Zandvoort, and David Hunt. Both my horses arrived in Holland having competed Third Level in 2004 and hoping to move up in training to 4th and Prix St. Georges. The learning that my horses and I went through was the next level of half- halts, waiting and carrying weight on the hind legs in order to make this jump into more difficult work. Let me begin by commenting on the quality care of the horses at both facilities, the everyday needs of the horse came first. Horses ate 4-5 meals per day, were exercised six days a week and either hand walked or turned out or put on a walker for their day off. When ridden, they were always turned out meticulously groomed and with clean exercise bandages, saddle pads and tack. The strong sentiment among these dressage professionals was how you present yourself is how people perceive you, your horses and your training. Fairmount Stables home of Robert and Suzy was where I began this journey. It is a modern facility, based in Stramproy, The Nederlands. It consisted of 14 stalls, and was under construction for an additional 6. The horses ranged from privately owned horses to sales horses. The staff was efficient and professional. Horses were cared for meticulously and amenities to make them comfortable and perform at there top where available to all residents. Riding was a joint effort of either Robert teaching and Suzy giving input to Robert on the overall impression or vice versa. The training was geared towards riding into a steady contact, no unnecessary motion to the horses frame. Throughness into this steady hand was encouraged by riding a forward rhythm in trot and canter. Walk work was individualized to the horse, some did very little, others worked within it. Any and all lateral movements had to maintain the forward tendency developed in the basic paces. Intense work weeks were broken up with relaxing walks around the farms in the area. Also at Fairmount is where I cliniced with David Hunt, a highly respected British Dressage trainer and President of the International Trainers Club. He is a good friend of Robert and Suzy, and clinics at their stables anytime he is in Holland. With David, I worked on riding the correct bend into my horses by placing the inside hind under the horse on whatever path we traveled. Within this stipulation I also needed to maintain forward energy but have a a responsive half-halt to create throughness and self-carraige. The frame stability was a little less stringent with David. He was good at encouraging me to take risk both in the forward and back work and up and down transitions, while cautioning to find regularity of paces inbetween. Dressuurstal Brakkenstein home of Henk and Wilma was in the city of Nijmegen, The Nederlands. It is a college town with much activity even during the winter months. The architecture is beautiful, and next time I would like to see it during the summer. The stables are historical, nostalgic and comfortable, they consisted of 7 resident horses and my visiting two. The facility is capable of approximately 17 in the main barn and 9 in the house barn. It is based in the center of a city park and so riding out is a nice walk with alot of other park visitors. My lessons were mainly taught by Henk but I found Wilma to be a source of encouragement and confirmation for the work going on. She may not have outwardly taught me but her input was vital and respected by Henk and myself. I was pleased to hear that my horses were in front of the leg, forward enough with a good rhythm, but had to learn to accept half- halts, wait, come over their backs and carry more behind. As time progressed, lateral movements were used not as an end but as a means of suppling a horse. What movement was used was never dictated but left to the rider to show the most improvement in the horses body. As the horses became more supple over the back, they were able to carry more behind and wait with easier half-halts. I was continually reminded that you had to have patience in order for the horse to accommodate the harder work. We referred to this patience as, "waiting for the leaves to come on the trees." It was the end of fall beginning of winter after all. On the other hand I was also advised not to become complacent and push for more when the understanding seemed to be there. We referred to this as "good tension." Fairness with firmness was always expressed to all the horses. In this manner one created a "Happy Athlete." Once the horses accepted relaxation, rhythm, and suppleness through their bodies, it was the rider's job to increase the horses range of motion by riding different amounts of impulsion and cadence into the exercises and movements. At any time if the half-halts were lost and suppleness disappeared, the rider was obligated to go back and find them again. Now to most this may not seem very different then what they do in their home barns here in the USA, but in Holland the level to which ones horses and riding is held creates a progress in both horses and riders that is rapid and invigorating. The other riders take their riding very seriously and indirectly push one to aspire to get better while being very supportive to one another. Our journey was over and my horses and I returned on December 17, 2004 in time for the Holidays with family and friends. I am eager for 2005. |
