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Anky Van Grunsven Cinic
– Saturday 5th November, 2005
as part of Equitana Asia Pacific
Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Southbank, Melbourne.
Story and Pictures by Berni Saunders - Page 1
 Anky Van Grunsven is as popular with Australians as Australia is with her
and her trainer/husband Sjef.
The couple arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday and it was straight down to
Werribee Park for Anky, where she met and assessed the riders who would
take part at her Clinic/Masterclass on Saturday morning and the Dressage
Spectacular at Equitana on Saturday night.
On
Wednesday evening Anky and a group of riders, officials and friends
attended an Official Welcome at the Grand Hotel in Swanston Street. The
evening was organised by the Consulate for the Netherlands and sponsored
by the Consulate and the Dutch banking group, Rabobank.
Anky has trained with her selected riders and horses for a couple of days
and now and here we are on Saturday morning with a capacity crowd at the
Melbourne Exhibition Centre (Jeff’s Shed) and the atmosphere is electric.
Anky chose horses and riders which offered her the opportunity to cover
all aspects of training from the Young Horse right up to FEI Dressage and
I suspect that she included some combinations that had some training
issues that we are all likely to experience from time to time.
The first to go was the recent Dutch import to join the team at the AEA Stud
near Geelong. The stunning 4 YO Metallic was ridden by Stephanie Dijkstra and her dad Dirk
told me later, that this is the biggest competition experience that Metallic has
encountered! We both agreed that he handled it very well and sowed
his excellent potential. He is a lovely
modern type with loose supple movement, great energy and swing.
Anky Van Grunsven and Sicca Dijkstra.
Sicca is a principal of the AEA Stud
and also worked with Definitive Events to bring the fantastic educational
program to Equitana Asia Pacific. She is a brilliant organiser.
I was not
sitting close enough to get photos in the poor light and pretty special
equipment is necessary under these circumstances. Where possible I
have used file photos of the horses, but unfortunately I do not have one
for Metallic.
Anky indicated that she wanted to focus on communication. She said “This
is the most important thing. As horses do not talk; we have to communicate
without language.”
Anky explained the agenda for the clinic by saying “We start today with a
4 YO horse and go through to a Grand Prix horse.”
With Metallic and Stephanie, Anky started with transitions and variations
in the degree of forward movement, also variations in the frame of the
horse. “Steph, make a transition from the leg and in the transition back,
do not use the leg. We must try to use as little leg and hand as possible
we want to make the horse light and responsive. The horse must think
forward.” Anky added, “Be really soft in the hand when going forward and
in the transitions at the beginning of the work, only include a few steps
of walk in between. Anky recommended that a 4 YO be worked 4-5 times a
week but only for 20 minutes or so. “If the horse does what you want, pat
him and do not go on with the exercise as he will get confused and then
not know that he has got it right.”
She commented that it is better to keep horses outdoors if possible. “It
is much better for their attitude.” Stephanie pleased Anky by not using
too much leg in the downward transitions. Metallic has a glorious walk
and Anky asked Stephanie to time the transitions when the horse FELT good,
not so much at some pre-determined place or immediately when she was
asked. “This is important in the communication with a young horse and
gives him confidence. The young horse must stay in front of the rider’s
leg.”
In
the canter depart, Anky asked Stephanie to use ONLY the outside leg to
generate the canter as the horse was inclined to push his quarters out
when striking off. “Not too many straight rides for a 4 YO, as they are
too unbalanced for long periods of straight work.” Anky favours the use of
the voice to confirm the aids (leg and hand) for young horses as they gain
great confidence and this way of riding is good for communication and
harmony.
“Give him a chance to stretch his neck before changing reins.” Anky
suggested. Again Metallic was inclined to put quarters out in the canter
depart and Anky asked Steph not to ask for so much bend in the
transitions. Anky’s advice meant that the subsequent transitions were
lovely and straight. Step was asked to change back to the left lead and
repeat the canter transition, trying to achieve the straightness she got
on the right rein. Anky’s aim was to help the horse to remain straight
(not to push the quarters out) by asking for canter with the outside leg
and not ask for too much bend to the inside. This really had an
appreciable effect on the talented young stallion’s straightness and I am
sure that Stephanie felt the improvement.
Anky said, “He has to think forward … very good, I think we have done
enough with this one.”
“Any questions?” Anky was asked to clarify her aids for canter and she
confirmed that she does not like inside leg to outside rein (this creates
crookedness) and this makes horses hollow and therefore lose their
balance. This makes young horses unbalanced. She recommends even weight
in the reins to help the horse’s balance and straightness.
”We NOW know that we do NOT use leg in the downward
transitions” reminded Anky!
The next horse is Campaspi Park Gi Gi ridden by Tori Weir (who
worked as Mary Hanna’s groom for 5 years). “Be soft in the outside rein,
we want to have as little contact as possible. Use the whole arena.
Usually you would start with 10 minutes of walk then into trot in a lower
frame. Tori could you go into a canter.” Anky asked Tori to use a ‘two
point’ seat in the warm-up canter. “Use the voice Tori. Even though we
are not allowed to use the voice (in competition), in training this is the
nice way to help the horse in the beginning. When you use the voice, use
the same aid and this makes it easier for the horse to understand.”
Tori Weir and Campaspe Park Gi Gi at the recent
National Dressage Championships in Sydney,
Anky says, “Back to trot, do not use leg to come back. The warming up is
very important.” “Who goes to the gym or does other exercise apart from
riding? It is important for the horse to be fit and for the rider to be
fit. It is also important to understand how the muscles work. You cannot
ride the horse the same every day as they will get muscle sore. Vary the
work so that he does not use the same muscles every day. Some days, the
work can involve power and other days softness and suppleness.”
Tori is asked to trot again and then to do some transition into and out of
walk. Anky likes Gi Gi and they progress to some medium trot. Anky feels
that, the young mare is running and she asks Tory to slow her down. “Does
she go slow?” “She gets too strong, just three steps forward and make
her slow down, make her wait. Talk to her and make sure that she knows
what you want.” “Hands down and slow her down, I have a feeling that
she is running!” “Just two steps forward and then halt again, talk to her
… when she relaxes, then go forward again.” Anky showed her endless
patience and empathy with young horses.
“You want a soft connection and to get the horse’s concentration by taking
the head down a little. We will ask for some trot again!” On the left
rein Anky asked Tory to move Gi Gi away from the left leg. This was to
straighten the horse and get her more on the aids and better balanced.
“The horse runs when she gets unbalanced. When you touch with the leg you
must feel that the horse uses more hind legs and becomes more engaged.”
Tori Weir and Campaspe Park Go Gi bred by the
Alexander family
formerly from the Bendigo district and keen supporters of Victorian
Dressage.
Anky talked Tori through the lesson, “Slow down and then touch her with
the leg to engage the hind legs – this is the way we develop the medium
trot.” “With the young horse I do not do too much medium or extended
trot, this comes when the horse gets more balance.” Anky encouraged Tory
not to push the horse into Medium. “Give the rein to encourage her to
stretch forward and down with the neck. Slow down and try to encourage
the steps to become bigger! This horse is still unbalanced - she is going
a little wide behind.”
“Tory, only train the medium trot a couple of times a week with this
horse.” Advised Anky, as the session came to a close.
“Are there any questions?”
A
member of the large audience asked, Should young horses have spurs?
Anky answered “Why not use spurs???” “I would rather have the horse move
off the spur than have to use a very strong leg or push and push and
push!” “They all come in with a whip… why?”
“Habit, most riders carry them out of habit. With some students I took
away all the whips and said if you feel that you need it, then come and
get it! With the spurs, if you feel that you need the spur, then use it!
But if you do not need to use them, then take them away!”
Anky is more against pushing all the time with the leg, than the use of
spurs (when you need them)!
“Tori, go again, sitting trot and leg yield. This a good exercise for
getting horses straight. I use Leg Yield a lot on circles if I feel that
a horse is leaning on the leg.” “Try to keep as soft contact as possible,
Try to feel that if you give the rein away the horse will not increase
speed or lose balance.” Anky would have liked Tory to do some
transitions on the circle in Leg Yield. “Keep doing new things! Do not
keep horses doing the same thing, as this gets very boring!” “Now your
trot gets much better. Slow down a tiny little bit more … and then you
get a very expressive trot!”
“Slow her down because she runs.” “When the horse does something well,
stop and leave this exercise so that the horse knows, that is what you
want!” “Do not repeat until the horse is tired and confused.”
“Give the rein and now do a canter right transition. I want you to give
the hand and now canter. Make little transitions in the canter to balance
the horse, and then go into medium canter.” Come across the centre line
and do a flying change. Stop and make a counter canter depart and then
do another change on the long side.”
“I
like the counter canter to change exercise, as this helps to keep the
horse straight.” “Try to not make the change with the hand. This horse
is only 5 years old and she did the change very correct … off the aids.”
“Now go back to trot and let her go long.” Anky noted that this horse is
very aware of everything around her.” Meaning that Gi Gi is quite bright
and takes a great deal of notice of her surroundings. Anky said that Tory
has done a good job
6 YO Welcome by
Weltmeyer.
This ‘sharp’ chestnut is owned by Jim and Emmie Schmul and was ridden by
Tristan Tucker, who trained in Europe with Morten Thompson, for a year.
While Tristan was trotting around to warm up, Rozzie Ryan asked Anky to
talk about the low neck for warm up? Anky said, “All horses are
different and I respond to the feeling that the horse gives me.” “The
horse needs to be on his own leg!” “I do not push too much and then I
do not have to use much rein.” “You should never pull with the reins.”
“I like to feel that most of the horse is in front of me and not too
much behind me. The horse should not go on the forehand, but this has
nothing to do with how deep he is!”
Tristan Tucker and HP Welcome - a talented
combination.
“The aids must always be as light as possible.” Anky confirmed.
Anky asked Tristan not to push the horse out, she felt that Welcome was in
a shoulder-in movement on the straight lines and she wanted him to be
straighter on the circle.
Another question, “When do you start to teach the flying changes?”
“When the horse is balanced at the canter.” “Some horses are balanced
when they are 2 ½ years old and some take much longer to get the balance
that is needed for the changes.” “I like to make the counter canter
first. If the horse knows the change first, he may not be so good at the
counter canter!”
Anky now talks to Tristan. “For me he is too high, feel that he really
needs to relax!” “People feel that the nose always should be in front of
the vertical. It does not HAVE to be in front of the vertical, but you
must feel that you COULD get it in front of the vertical!”
“Slow him down and give the rein - I do not care if he loses the rhythm.”
“I do not like that you ride circles so much, as he is not straight. I
would like to see a few straight lines. Keep him low, you do not need him
in a competition frame now.” “There you go; here the horse starts to
relax. This is all very good!” “Be careful in the circle right he wants
to go in a Shoulder In frame.”
“Now let’s canter, left canter first. Forward and downward, make him
rounder until you feel that he is starting to give. Not just in the hand,
feel that he is getting softer in the back.” “Make him deeper, but always
feel that your horse stays in balance, with his back up!” Anky’s lesson
was full of encouragement and gestures to help the riders to understand
her meaning.
“Play with the higher and lower frame and make the horse relaxed and
soft!” “Lengthen a little, do not bend him so much, ride the whole horse
forward and straight … now you do what I want … that is good!” “He is
straighter to the left. You do not want to keep pushing the horse away
from the leg all the time!”
Tristan Tucker and HP Welcome by Weltmeyer.
“Do the same exercise in the canter, leg yield for a couple of strides and
when you feel that he can go straight, and then you can go forward." He
looks nice now, loose, very good … Ya!”
“See if you can stretch the neck a little, this is very important!” “Very
nice Tristan… Questions about this?”
Now we will go into some leg yield. “Do you not ride corners in
Australia?”
“Go into the flowers – this is the corners!” (The training arena was
marked out by potted yellow flowers) “It is very important to use the
whole arena … you have 6 more meters if you use the corners!” “The horse
will be more concentrated if you ride the corners.” “Feel that he does
not want to run away, do one to the other side. Make a lot of little
transitions so that you do not feel that your horse is running away!”
“Now a half pass.” Anky asked Tristan if he always did the half passes
like this. “They are very nice half passes, but I would never do them
from the same place, as, next time he will do the half pass even if you do
not want one!” “Now I would like you to make little transitions and when
you feel that he is good, AND THEN ride the half pass!” I just want to
play with the exercise and wait until the horse feels ready!”
Anky was taking Tristan and Welcome away from the traditional lines for
the various exercises. She urged, “Do not make it boring for you or the
horse, keep it interesting.” “What can I do to make it difficult???”
“Walk in the half pass, this is good for his training, it will give the
horse and rider the opportunity for some’ training’ to keep the work
interesting and varied.”
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