George Morris 2009 George Morris clinic Photograph:Sharleen Knox

George will be holding a clinic for coaches on Saturday 17 January at Horseworld, Nelson.  For information regarding the coaches clinic (supported by EFA NSW) please contact Jenny Sheppard on 0418 546 083 or Christine Johnson 0412 405 079

For almost 50 years, Morris has preached the bible of correct and classical training of horses and riders with a religious fervor, through training riders ranging from talented teenagers to Olympic medallists, through conducting a never-ending series of clinics around the world, through writing three influential books about riding and training, and through writing monthly "Between Rounds" columns. 

Morris became an equestrian star at age 14 by winning the US’s two most prestigious equitation championships in the same year, the AHSA Medal Final and the ASPCA Maclay Final. He then earned the team silver medal at the 1960 Olympics before turning his attention to teaching and training, although he returned to international competition in the late ‘80s, winning the world's richest grand prix. 

The unbreakable tenets to Morris' philosophy are rigid self-discipline, doing things "the right way", and proper horsemanship. He endeavors always to instill these ideals in his students and in their students. Alan Balch, former president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, is quoted saying "Since the 1950s, George Morris has been the single most influential teacher of jumper riders in the nation."

The SIEC clinic was well supported by auditors, eager to learn from George’s deep well of knowledge.  Always entertaining, in part due to his tendency to berate a student at any moment (although he admits to having mellowed considerably) but mostly due to his attention to detail. 

The lessons are a running narrative on the philosophies of riding and training.  George uses the students to demonstrate his theories to the crowd.  Stories and examples from Jumping champions throughout time support his points.  It is a riding/coaching/discipline and history lesson all rolled into one.

George says the sport of Jumping today is one of precision, precision, precision! And that is exactly what he demands of his students.  Empathetic to the horses George trains the rider to focus on their own weaknesses.  Many coaches these days seem to concentrate so much on the weaknesses of the horse and it is refreshing to hear George drill into the students the self discipline required to be the best and to expect a horse to perform at its best.  “The leg is an aid, the seat is an aid, the hands are aids but the best aid that you have is you BRAIN!”

George focuses closely on the position of the riders.  A founding father of the “hunter seat” George teaches a light seat to his students.  He also concentrates closely on the elbow-hand-bit contact and repeatedly reminds students to “carry your hands”.  “Don’t lower your hands when the horse resists the bit, follow his mouth with even contact.”

At 70 years-of-age George climbs aboard horse after horse to show how it should be done.

George who says that his favourite horse is the Thoroughbred also stresses the importance of impulsion and reminds us all that this is a state of mind of the horse (the horse is “thinking forward”).  “Your horse must have impulsion, not hurried but active.” 

The age old phrase of “inside leg to outside hand” rightly got a good work out.  Also of high importance to George is the uniform bend of the horse from the tail to the head.  Each day he spent time with the students establishing these basics at the start of the lesson and also re-establishing them throughout the jumping exercises.