Equestrian Clinics

A couple of years ago I heard that George Morris was giving a clinic at Karen Healey’s stables in Westlake Village here in California. I wanted to audit that clinic so badly! It’s GEORGE MORRIS - - the father of hunt seat equitation! I knew I could learn so much from watching a clinic with him. I had his and Anne Kursinski’s books sitting on my bedside table and I would re-read them frequently to reinforce my training. But to see the master at work in person would really SHOW me what he is has been talking about in books and magazines. Unfortunately, my work responsibilities kept me from attending. Like many of you, I have a day job to pay for my life and my very expensive horse habit. Determined not to miss out, I started to think - - there must be more people like me who would love to attend a George Morris clinic but are not able. So, why not shoot it? I am a production executive in television and am used to sending crews out all over the world to shoot various programs. So, I got on the phone and talked to Karen Healey, who is an amazing trainer and a disciple and friend of George’s, and to Bill Berman, George’s attorney and friend who sounds exactly like my dad on the phone including the Jersey accent, and worked it out.

 The crew headed out to Karen Healey’s place and shot for three days. The team tried to be as unobtrusive as possible so as not to distract or interfere with the clinic. These crews are very experienced shooters that have shot reality shows for all television networks. Quality of crew, cameras, audio gear and post are very important to me. Karen and her team were very gracious hosts and George was a natural in front of the camera. (I had to chuckle when I was watching the footage in post - - at the end of one session the group auditing started clapping and George said “No applause. No applause. This isn’t Hollywood.”)

 The fun part for me was pouring over all of the footage in editing. I have to tell you, I learned so much from watching the footage over and over. It really reminded me of what I had read in college: that people are visual creatures and learn more from demonstration. I was able to relate to one rider who was making the exact same mistake I always make, and then watch as George Morris schooled her, and then as she rode it correctly. It was also fun teaching the editor the horse terminology (inside leg to outside rein makes sense to us but was completely foreign to him).

 A couple of months later our crew met up with George when he was at Thermal to do a sit down interview. It was a lot of pressure to come up with questions for George, but after reading tons of articles he wrote for Chronicle of the Horse, I had a nice list. The interview feels like you are sitting down over coffee chatting with George on everything from what Americans and Europeans have learned from each other to how trainers should approach teaching their students. This is basically a dream come true for all equestrians - - hanging out with George and listening to him talk.

 There are so many great George quotes from the DVD but my favorite is:

“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”

 Thank you, George. I will remember that the next time I ride.

***Check out the George Morris 3-Day Advanced Jumping and Equitation Clinic DVD. The 2-disk set is available in our store at www.EquestrianClinics.com