Tag Archives: George Morris

George Morris Critiques the local riders (a few years later)

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December, 2013 Practical Horseman

December, 2013 Practical Horseman

George with a smile!

George with a smile!

George Morris is one of the top experts on hunter/jumper riding in the world.  He is known to be straight-forward, exact and have high standards.

I strongly recommend his column which appears monthly in Practical Horseman Magazine.  Photos of riders from all over the country are evaluated by him.    George critiques their position, clothing, weight, turn-out and their horse’s ability to jump.  As you read the columns, month after month, and study the pictures, you are able to understand and visualize what the correct riding position is and also what a ‘good’ hunter or jumper should look like.

Rarely is there a moment when we are on horseback, at a show or at the barn with friends, that someone is not taking a picture.  Check out any day on Facebook, you will have plenty of opportunities to critique photos.  All you have to do then is apply what George has taught you, to your own riding, horse and skills.  It isn’t always pretty.

In the beginning, when Lauren was just starting out and we had just “discovered” George, rarely did anything about her riding match his standards.  But as time went on, Lauren and her horses started to approximate more and more what George suggested.  We were never brave enough to actually send a picture in to the magazine.

But local Houston riders, Kavita Sinha and Caitlyn Epperson, did send their photos to George.  Now, both riders are accomplished young women not the youngsters depicted in the photos.  I guess it takes a while for George to get through his mail, like six years.

It is pretty crazy that George picked both ladies out of all his photos to appear side by side, under the heading, Perfect Posture!

Anyway, read, enjoy, and take an opportunity to learn from George!  Congrats, to Kavita and Caitlyn!  George gave both of you pretty high praise.  I bet if he saw them ride now, he would be pretty impressed with the equestrians they have become!

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Final note from George today!

Seems fair enough to me!

Seems fair enough to me!

Flying High-a Feather story in pictures

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Feather and Lauren making a pretty sharp team.

Feather and Lauren making a pretty sharp team.

Lauren is easily five feet off the ground here.

Lauren is easily five feet off the ground here.

The back of this horse may be the closest Lauren ever will come to flying without wings.

The back of this horse may be the closest Lauren ever will come to flying without wings.

If you were going to look for a jumping horse, as they call our horses here in Wharton, the pictures above would be a pretty good guide.  The horse’s knees, should be up to their chest, parallel and tight.  An honest horse takes the center of the jump and Feather is pretty close.

The horse should be using her body, the neck rounded, the shoulders strong and the hind quarter propelling the horse over the jump athletically.  The rider should be evenly balanced in the saddle, and not interfering with the horse. The top picture is a pretty good picture.  Lauren’s position could be slightly improved but anyone witnessing their rounds would know that Feather was jumping hard and landing hard.  Lauren was doing an admirable job of staying with the mare on the slam, bang assault of the jump course.

The second shot is good of Feather showing her natural jumping ability.  I think Lauren’s leg dropped back a tad here with the size of the jump (or at least as high as Feather is jumping).

The third picture shows Lauren in a better position.  Her leg is in a better place, with the stirrup sitting about even with where her little toe is ( I know this as I have x-ray vision).   Her leg is exactly where it should be, with her heel deep.  She is almost pulling off an advanced release where there is a straight line from her elbow to Feather’s mouth.  That is nice.

And finally, the horse and rider must be in harmony, moving as a unit through the various jumps on course with the horse sensing a change in direction, in pace, in stride almost as quickly as the rider thinks it.  Feather is growing in her ability to jump high, in her experience over different types of fences and in her communication with Lauren.

And you thought I was just going to show you some more horse pictures!  Lauren came in while I was writing this and said “who do you think you are?  George Morris?”  Oh, I wish, Lauren.  You would be a better rider then!