14 Tips from German Olympian Hubertus Schmidt
It was September—time for the Old Master Series that is a regular occasion at Anke Ott Young’s Avalon Farm in North Salem, New York—and the great German educator Hubertus Schmidt was featured. The mission of the Old Master Series is for masters to share their wealth of knowledge gained through their lengthy riding and training careers. Schmidt has ridden 77 horses who have placed in the Grand Prix and 50 of those he started himself. That’s a lot of experience! Young makes these events free to auditors, and proceeds gathered from a silent auction, a raffle and donations go to the Norma Pfriem Breast Care Center.
Here are 14 tips worth sharing from Schmidt’s training sessions:
Some people think the warm-up is boring, but for Schmidt, it’s the most important part of the ride—the time when his horse develops the relaxation and suppleness that he will try to retain throughout the more difficult work. His warm-up is the same with every horse, whether it’s a 4-year-old or a Grand Prix horse, and he takes as much time as is needed.
2. How to Begin Your Warm-Up
Correct flexion and bend are the red line that follows through from the warm-up into all the rest of your ride. They are the preparation for every figure and movement, and they
