I have an opinion about watching horses and riders practice. While most people think the competition is where it's at, I tend to prefer watching riders practice. In competition, especially in populated events like western pleasure and English pleasure, no one does interesting things, they're all exactly the same. The differences are in the length of stride, headset, rider ability, not much. And at high levels of competition the differences continue to decrease. Being familiar with what it takes to get a horse to perform in the ring, I like to watch people practice to see how they get their horse to perform in the ring. Are they using martingales? Kicking their horse and pulling on its mouth relentlessly? Doing little circles or riding the rail? I learn much more about riding while watching the practice ring than the competition. I can identify things I like and would try, and things I don't like and would never do.
Watching the competition at WEG level is truly fascinating, inspiring, awe-some, amazing, exciting, etc.... The difference is that every horse & rider performs differently- dressage has different patterns, think freestyle; show jumpers take thrilling shortcuts, and I mean it is show jumping; cross country has water obstacles. But I still like to watch people practice because it's impossible to not learn by watching these riders - the best of the best. And since I didn't have tickets to any events, I could really only watch horses practice. So, below are some pictures I took of the horses I saw practicing throughout my skip-day, with a couple from the reining clinics.
Holy muscled horse!
In the midst of a flying lead change, look at the rider's body and face.
Anky Van Grunsven, the trail blazing crossover from dressage to reining. Amazing.
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