Learning from the Leaders
The East Coast U.S. Dressage Federation Trainers Conference is hosted every year by Mary Anne McPhail at her High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, Florida. It feels like coming home for hundreds of trainers all over the U.S. as they converge not only to learn from the featured dressage trainer who is usually a guru from Europe but they also come to renew friendships. It’s a comfortable gathering that is always held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the following Tuesday. After two days of observing a top trainer teach, everyone has plenty of ideas to bring back to their home stables.
This year’s Trainers Conference was different because the official U.S. trainers took the stage this time, and they did not disappoint. George Williams, the U.S. Youth Coach, taught a Junior and a Young Rider each day; Christine Traurig, the U.S. Young Horse Coach, taught riders on two young horses each day. Charlotte Bredahl, the U.S. Developing Coach, taught two Prix St. Georges/Intermediaire horse-and-rider pairs, and Debbie McDonald, the U.S. Technical Advisor taught two Grand Prix combinations. Trainers in attendance got a clear understanding of our very own U.S. pipeline and the superb quality of training at each level. Below are training highlights from each trainer’s session.
George Williams
Williams brings a tremendous history of dressage theory into his teaching. With Junior rider Tori Belle, Williams explained 1) how the rider can assess the aids and 2) how to develop suppleness and balance.
’ A rider should always know where her horse’s legs are so she can ride in rhythm. The timing of the aids depends on the phase of
