PrintOur columnist and Julie Winkel put together a popular symposium to discuss various aspects of training and developing young hunters and jumpers.
When I sat down this past spring to write a column on the challenges facing the breeders, owners and trainers of young horses in North America I was only guessing at the interest there might be in the subject. A few weeks earlier Julie Winkel and I had decided to take a chance on offering a symposium on developing young hunters and jumpers.
With the opportunity to utilize her facilities and young horses at Maplewood Stables, along with the support of the Young Jumper Championships and the generous offer of any necessary underwriting by K.C. Kelley of Branscomb Farms, we went forward with planning. The only weekend that both Julie and I had open during the year was the rather inauspicious Thanksgiving one. Knowing the way horse people are when it comes to their passion we decided to go forward regardless, expecting a small gathering and a good learning experience with a new venture.
More than 50 participants—from 14 states and Canada—arrived the day after the holiday to Julie’s beautiful facility in sunny but snowy Reno, Nev. They came from Alaska to Florida, the Northeast, Northwest, and all parts in between. Breeders, owners and professionals (both young and established) came to learn, share experience and discuss the future of this important segment of our industry.
Friday evening participants gathered at Julie’s gorgeous home to go over the schedule for the jam-packed weekend. As we went around the room with introductions it became evident what a high level of knowledge and varied experience was present.
I was fortunate to have had some short videos prepared by horsewoman extraordinaire Pilar Cepeda of La Silla, in Monterrey, Mexico. This incredible operation has bred and trained an array of successful international competition horses over the last 20-plus years.
It set the tone for us to see footage of this year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games top-four finalist, HH Rebozo (formerly Rebozo La Silla), as he progressed from 3 to 6 years of age in Mexico. He then came to the United States to compete in YJC events with Candice King and eventually became Rodrigo Pessoa’s WEG mount. Watching the many years of careful work and appropriate show ring mileage that goes into making even the most talented youngster made an ideal kick-off to the symposium.
Clinician Mindy Bower demonstrated the importance of groundwork and all-around good horsemanship in starting and training sport horses. She worked with horses 2 and 3 years of age and gave us a demonstration of how well behaved babies can be, even in a new, loud and invigorating environment, when they have had a real foundation
on the ground.
Riders took recently started 3-year-olds over small “courses” of ground poles, still in the rope halters that she prefers to start them with. We all saw why she’s such an important part of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Emerging Athletes Program. Many of the riders who are exposed to her horsemanship believe that this is one of the most valuable—and least explored—aspects of what makes a true horseman.
Sharing Techniques
