Lesson with Torrance Watkins

[Anyplace Farm]

All - even though I don't do eventing, I have to post this here because I don't think the hunter/jumper people would 'get it' unless they are of a certain generation.

A friend of mine owns a horse that she doesn't ride. Basically, she's a breeder who does some racing and manages a boarding barn as well. She doesn't ride her horses but several of her boarders do.

Being a friend of hers from high school, I am blessed to be on the receiving end of her generosity. She has a professional/personal relationship with Torrance and arranged for me to ride with her both Saturday AND Sunday this past weekend. I am still star struck.

My friend's horse I rode is one that has just come off of a layup -- he's weak behind and lazy. Torrance took me out cross country and people, all we did was walk and I cannot tell you how much I learned. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you that I've been riding for nearly 40 years and some of what she shared with me were things I didn't know, things I thought I knew, things I knew but didn't think to apply them in the manner she had me apply them.

I'm pretty fit and because it was dreary and cold out, I wore a few shirts and a lightweight rain jacket. I sweated through EVERY layer -- that woman worked my butt off AT THE WALK.

I was just beside myself when she said, "Here, I'm going to teach you something Jack taught me." I tingle right now just thinking about it. Sad thing is, though, I kind of thought I had some decent miles behind me on my journey to learning in the horse world. The finish line just got moved out several hundred miles.

At the end of our ride, I was flattered when she said to my friend, "She can come back anytime."

She was great, she was amazing -- it was magic. Oh, and yes, she is still absolutely stunning.

[Invested1]

all we did was walk and I cannot tell you how much I learned. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you that I've been riding for nearly 40 years and some of what she shared with me were things I didn't know, things I thought I knew, things I knew but didn't think to apply them in the manner she had me apply them..

Well, hello, SHARE! :D

[Anyplace Farm]

Well, hello, SHARE! :D
Of course I want to be stingy because I feel like someone just gave me some really valuable jewels and I want to stuff them in a really safe place so no one can enjoy them but me!

But I'll share a few things. And folks, some of this stuff is probably going to be stuff you know -- I sooooooo don't know dressage -- only the most basic of moves, but obviously, I appreciate what dressage does for a horse and am the consummate student of equestrian sports and respect all disciplines and am always open to learning new things from people I respect. I also love flatwork and from what I've read about her, she's the bomb at it. I'm one of those people that wants to know every single step, every single nuance -- I want to practice it and be good at it until it becomes a habit. So, her way of teaching -- which was that she doesn't skip over or skimp on ANY detail, was very appealing to me.

A little history on the horse -- he's an Appendix QH. Small footed, small, weak gaskins and clearly, due to his layup, weak stifles. He was on walking rest for the past 90 days, had shockwave -- Dr. Allen's on the case so horse is being carefully brought back.

He's lovely but he can be a bit of a sh*t. If out on trails with a mare, he tosses his head intermittently in an effort to gain her attention. If she ignores him, he'll simply try to mount her WITH ME ON HIM. He's very unfocused and I often find myself very much a passenger and very reactive -- just riding along and have to react to whatever he just freaked out over (while out on trails) rather than stop it before it before it happens.

The intent is for the horse to eventually be a show ring hunter. He does enjoy jumping and he does have a neat personality -- kind of the bad boy that you tend to love anyway.

Sorry -- this is getting long....

So, first thing she wanted to do was to improve his walk. Each day, we were out for an hour to an hour and a half and yes folks, I had to left, right, left, right, left, right with my legs with the swing of his walk every step, the whole time. And you know how it is -- you aren't about to say you're tired or do any whining. I didn't cheat a step. While I knew about doing that, honestly, it never dawned on me to bother with it out on trails. Of course, the point of it is that it improves the walk but the result is also that you are in constant communication with the horse and he's 'on the job' and the horse became very, very focused.

He walked through water without missing a beat where he normally would have blown at it or stepped through it. He walked past all manner of 'spookage' that he normally would have freaked out over. Boyfriend was not about to take his eye off the ball. And to his credit, he aimed to please the whole ride.

He'll curl over sometimes and get a little chin to chest and just laaaaaaaaay on your hand. She had me do leg yielding for that which was like magic. Horse immediately became more light and more on the bit and flexed correctly. A good amount of time was spent explaining leg yielding to me because I don't know all the deal on the different tracks and so forth. Still not 100% sure about stuff if left to my own resources but she was always great at explaining stuff when I asked questions.

She picked up on EVERYTHING. She could tell when he was the slightest bit crooked. She watched us like a hawk the whole time and I worked my ass off the whole time. I'd be doing a leg yield to the right and would be looking in the direction we were going and she corrected that -- I need to be looking straight ahead, more so thru the horse's ears or outside edge of right or left ear, dependent upon which direction you're doing leg yield.

Nifty thing from Jack she gave me was -- to get the slightest of a bend through head and neck, let's say to the left, tip your thumb on your left hand to the left. Such a subtle move but it worked.

When we walked down a hill -- I'm used to letting them walk down carefully -- nope -- she wants him working. She had me send him forward and oddly, yes, the step felt more controlled when I pushed him on.

She wants still, still hands. Mine are pretty still but she wants them more still. She taught me to 1/2 bridge the reins. Said it is very useful on young horses. She wants the still hands and alllllll legs. Which yes, I know, but didn't fully grasp to what extent.

She wants the horses working, working, working all the time. Something I've also been taught but got lazy at. Working right up to time of dismount. She said never let them off the hook -- at least not certain personalities of horse -- his is that type. He needs to be on the job constantly.

She wants a shorter rein than I'm used to, but not opposed to. GM wants this same rein length. You hear people say it isn't possible. It is. She had to remind me several times to watch my rein length. Granted, mine don't end up in my lap by any means but this lady is a perfectionist and won't let you botch anything if she can help it. I LOVE that. I don't want ANY slack. Especially not at this part of my life. I really appreciate someone who will tirelessly continue to help you until you get it right.

She taught me how to 'chatter' with my spur a bit. I have a habit of a press and grind. The chatter helped when he needed a wake up call.

I've never been able to ride alongside another horse, much less a mare, without him being fussy and silly. My boy (my friend's boy) was a different horse. Was even better on day two and that was the day he rode next to the mare. He acted like she wasn't even there. And where he tossed his head from time to time the first day, that thing didn't budge on day two. For the head tossing, she taught me a few quick, sharp, humane corrections which were very valuable, but prefers it come from the leg instead. Especially if the tossing keeps up.

Sorry so long....

[Keep1Belle]

Good for you. I love lessons like that, awesome to have good nuggets of wisdom to take home with you and repeat

[Marney]

I had a clinic a long time ago with Torrance and it was amazing. It was one of the toughest clinics that I had ever had but I learned so much. She said that she liked my horse and I will never forget it. I look out at my now 30 yr old boy (Gunther) and I still remember that clinic. What a great experience for you..

[KBG Eventer]

I have never ridden with her, but my trainers are pretty good friends with her and have had clinics at their farm. They really like her a lot, but they say she can be VERY, very tough. I would love to clinic with her one day though.

[Anyplace Farm]

I have never ridden with her, but my trainers are pretty good friends with her and have had clinics at their farm. They really like her a lot, but they say she can be VERY, very tough. I would love to clinic with her one day though.
She's tough but not in a demeaning way, like how some people may describe GM or AK. She's tough in the sense that she really wants you to get it right. I love people like that. I like when people aren't lazy in their teaching that they let you get away with 'kinda sorta right'. I like that she cares enough about your education of the task at hand that she will try everything possible for you to understand and execute.

She said, "Good!, Good!" and "That's it!!" several times. If I didn't get something right, she'd just offer more descriptors to help make it happen. When I kept getting something wrong, then I realized I misunderstood the task. I'd tell her so and she'd demonstrate.

She was also tough in the sense that neither horse nor me got a break. Which honestly, I don't expect. We were both 'learning on the clock' so to speak and she wanted us to 'get our money's worth.' I put that in quotes because I doubt the money is the motivator. She's just very passionate about the teaching/learning/execution aspect and she wants that to be correct. To me, that's just a person that really, really cares about the sport and always tries to do right by it.

[BillytheKid]

Wow - thanks for taking the time to share that. I hope having to re-think through what went on and put it into words (which you did very well) helped to cement it into your memory even better.

I really appreciated your attitude towards learning and your respect for the quality of the education you were receiving - and I'm sure Torrance did as well.

[Anyplace Farm]

Wow - thanks for taking the time to share that. I hope having to re-think through what went on and put it into words (which you did very well) helped to cement it into your memory even better.

I really appreciated your attitude towards learning and your respect for the quality of the education you were receiving - and I'm sure Torrance did as well.

Yes, it actually did help solidify things into my memory, now that you mention it. Thanks so much for letting me share.

[KBG Eventer]

She sounds awesome! I will have to ask my trainers about if they are going to hold a clinic with her anytime soon. :)

[Sannois]

You are soooo lucky! She has always been my idol! :yes:

[kansasgal]

Yes, I feel like that kind of instruction is in short supply these days.....
And of course, you know that you have already become a better instructor yourself, just for having gone through this experience.

That's what is so wonderful and addicting about horsemanship, there is always more to learn!

Some of the best instructors that I have had are those that are constantly pursuing their own education, in addition to teaching.

I remember when I was a teenager, I used to have a picture of Torrance and Paltroon taped to the wall, I think I may have even found that picture in an issue of COTH....

How time flies...... luck you!

[poltroon]

Awesome. :D

I'd love a lesson like that - what a lucky lady you are.

[BaroquePony]

LOL, well now you know why it's called the "working walk"!

Sounds like you had a very good experience and it is great to hear a rider appreciative of an instructor that is dedicated to "correct". Thank you for sharing your experience. Very well written and described. And, yes, it helps you remember it. Keep up the tradition (in your riding).

[Sannois]

she would be that kind of trainer. You are so lucky.
The last time I saw her compete was I think 97 or 98. at Rolex.
Have a bunch of cool pics of her. What an awesome rider.
Any idea why she does not compete anymore?

[Anyplace Farm]

she would be that kind of trainer. You are so lucky.
The last time I saw her compete was I think 97 or 98. at Rolex.
Have a bunch of cool pics of her. What an awesome rider.
Any idea why she does not compete anymore?

I don't know but I can ask. I did see that she does course design, though. Maybe these days she feels its best to give back to the sport by doing that and focusing on developing horses and riders...? Not sure but I'll ask.

[Stephanie de Soultrait]

All - even though I don't do eventing, I have to post this here because I don't think the hunter/jumper people would 'get it' unless they are of a certain generation.

A friend of mine owns a horse that she doesn't ride. Basically, she's a breeder who does some racing and manages a boarding barn as well. She doesn't ride her horses but several of her boarders do.

Being a friend of hers from high school, I am blessed to be on the receiving end of her generosity. She has a professional/personal relationship with Torrance and arranged for me to ride with her both Saturday AND Sunday this past weekend. I am still star struck.

My friend's horse I rode is one that has just come off of a layup -- he's weak behind and lazy. Torrance took me out cross country and people, all we did was walk and I cannot tell you how much I learned. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you that I've been riding for nearly 40 years and some of what she shared with me were things I didn't know, things I thought I knew, things I knew but didn't think to apply them in the manner she had me apply them.

I'm pretty fit and because it was dreary and cold out, I wore a few shirts and a lightweight rain jacket. I sweated through EVERY layer -- that woman worked my butt off AT THE WALK.

I was just beside myself when she said, "Here, I'm going to teach you something Jack taught me." I tingle right now just thinking about it. Sad thing is, though, I kind of thought I had some decent miles behind me on my journey to learning in the horse world. The finish line just got moved out several hundred miles.

At the end of our ride, I was flattered when she said to my friend, "She can come back anytime."

She was great, she was amazing -- it was magic. Oh, and yes, she is still absolutely stunning.
Hello,
My name is Stephanie de Soultrait, I am French and live in France.
My purse with my address book , and of course my phone, were stollen from me recently. I am trying to get back in contact with my old friend Torrance Watkins (we have been friends since 1982) and Google seems to tell me you were the last person to have seen her ...
could you please let me know how I can reach her today or maybe give her my own phone number 00 33 683 36 22 71 in case you think it is better.
Merci beaucoup à vous !
Stephanie.

[RiverBendPol]

Torrance absolutley ROCKS. She has always been my all time favorite. You lucky duck, Anyplace!:winkgrin:

[snoopy]

The woman is a goddess....I remember being asked, when I was younger, what I wanted to be when I grew up...
my response:

Torrance Watkins.

[Mary in Area 1]

oh my god, snoops, THAT is hilarious!

[snoopy]

oh my god, snoops, THAT is hilarious!



Yes Mary but it goes further....the tragic thing is try as I might with lemon juice and "sun in" I could never get my dark hair the Toranne shade of blonde...just a rather nasty orange effect.

Oh the shattered dreams of youth!

[Anyplace Farm]

Hello,
My name is Stephanie de Soultrait, I am French and live in France.
My purse with my address book , and of course my phone, were stollen from me recently. I am trying to get back in contact with my old friend Torrance Watkins (we have been friends since 1982) and Google seems to tell me you were the last person to have seen her ...
could you please let me know how I can reach her today or maybe give her my own phone number 00 33 683 36 22 71 in case you think it is better.
Merci beaucoup à vous !
Stephanie.

Stephanie, all of my contact with her was thru a friend, whose horse I rode in those lessons. I will fwd your information to her and see if she can get you in touch w/Torrance.

[ellemayo]

When I about 10 or 11 I started volunteering with some girls at my barn at Over the Walls, Torrance's event at Great Meadowbrook. My riding instructor was friends with her so we were offered as helpers for the summers that it ran. We basically worked like slaves for 3 weeks getting it ready and cleaning up; starting work while it was still dark and finishing long after sundown. (I don't think I've ever mulched so much in my life)

I can honestly say that those are some of the best memories of my life. Torrance was SUCH a great person to learn from- she was incredibly precise and tough but so nice to all of us. We were little girls who wanted nothing more than to see the ULR's up close and she allowed us to do that and more. We were invited to the competitor's BBQ and were introduced and applauded for in front of all of them. Torrance called us her "blue bells"; the 10 lucky girls allowed to choose our favorite jobs. (Mine was stadium jumping starter, because I had the biggest mouth).

Not only were we treated with respect and allowed to act like the star crazed kids that we were, we were given lesson from Torrance as a bonus. We trailered our little Arabians over to Great Meadowbrook and her home for dressage and jumping lessons. She was tough but patient and communicated in a way that we could all understand. Our horses definitely weren't Olympic quality, but we had so much fun and she never made us feel inferior. And a the end of a hard lesson we were allowed to try jumping into the water jump... the same jump that our idols had just competed at.

If that wasn't enough, every Christmas she remembered us with gifts that she sent over to our farm.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about her. Those three weeks during the summer were the times I most looked forward to; regardless of how hard we were worked and how tough the whole experience was, I will always look back on it with fond memories because of the way she treated us.

[Anyplace Farm]

Ellemayo - what a nice post. And I can totally see her doing all of that. She's such a great person. It was a great experience for me to get to ride with her. I still use a lot of the things she taught me. And yes, she was so, so precise. Not only in how she conveyed things but how she expected you to deliver in your ride. I really, really loved my rides with her.

[three_dayer]

i was a working student for torrance several years ago, and wow, i learned a lot about horse management and riding..I remember the first time she saw me ride, and she picked up on all of my bad habits(at a walk mind you) and saying wow we have a lot of work ahead of us..she was very strict on everything, from scrubbing buckets(which are yellow) to cleaning tack, to how to ride a line....it was so much fun, and quite an experence..is she still in hardwick, mass? i seem to have lost her number, so i have lost contact with her..

[Sannois]

i was a working student for torrance several years ago, and wow, i learned a lot about horse management and riding..I remember the first time she saw me ride, and she picked up on all of my bad habits(at a walk mind you) and saying wow we have a lot of work ahead of us..she was very strict on everything, from scrubbing buckets(which are yellow) to cleaning tack, to how to ride a line....it was so much fun, and quite an experence..is she still in hardwick, mass? i seem to have lost her number, so i have lost contact with her..

opportunity, something I always wanted to do when I was younger.
We need more people out there in the eventing world like her, to give our youngsters in the sport a real quality base of horsemanship! :yes:

[red mare]

She was one of my idols too. I had the good fortune once to audit a clinic with both Jack LeGoff and George Morris. Torrance was one of the riders. That clinic and one given by Reimer Klimke are without a doubt, the two best clinics it has ever been my privilege to audit.

[Anyplace Farm]

Torrance spoke a lot about 'Jack', 'George' and 'Klimke'. It cracked me up when she'd say, "I'm going to teach you a trick that I learned from Jack." It just gave me the tingles.

She spoke about Rodney (Jenkins) and Jimmy (Wofford) too.

One of the coolest things I remember her saying while we were out on a 'trail ride' (I say 'trail ride' because she made me work the whole time we were out there too!) was, "How funny is it that I made the Olympic team and I don't even have a ring!"

[Eventer55]

Where do you find a list of clinics for Torrence Waatkins? Does she have a site?

[Stephanie de Soultrait]

Thankyou very much or as we say here: Merci beaucoup !
Stephanie.

[LexInVA]

Where do you find a list of clinics for Torrence Watkins? Does she have a site?

I don't think she has given a clinic since the days of her HT and it would seem she has been "retired" since the HT was closed. Her website has also been shut down since that period of time.

[Anyplace Farm]

i was a working student for torrance several years ago, and wow, i learned a lot about horse management and riding..I remember the first time she saw me ride, and she picked up on all of my bad habits(at a walk mind you) and saying wow we have a lot of work ahead of us..she was very strict on everything, from scrubbing buckets(which are yellow) to cleaning tack, to how to ride a line....it was so much fun, and quite an experence..is she still in hardwick, mass? i seem to have lost her number, so i have lost contact with her..

I am assuming she is still in Hardwick, MA during the warmer months. She goes from there, to FL, to VA, then back to MA. I went on superpages.com and searched for Erik Fleming (her partner or husband...not sure which) in Hardwick, MA and found this number: (413) 477-0041.

Hope that helps the ppl that are looking for her. None of my sources had anything.

[ellemayo]

Yeah that's the right number :)
I don't suppose anyone has an email address for her... maybe I'll just send a letter in the mail, that's far more personal anyway

[bumbi'spest]

Thank you so much for sharing you lesson with Torrence. I am rehabing my very nervous TB mare from a suspensory injury and figuring out things to keep her mind occuied over this long haul has been a challenge. I tried yesterday to follow her shoulders with my hips with limited success. There was enought success to merit another go at it today a brisk windy day after yesterdays warm humid weather. I was thinking as I tacked up that bubble wrap might be the best uniform. I climbed in the saddle and immediatly put the mare to work and she was unbelievable!! nose to the ground floppy eared unbelievable. We did have one big spook early on, but that was it the rest of the ride was fabulous. She was quiet enough that we were able to get our trot sets done too. Thank you thank you thank you for passing your lesson along.

[Anyplace Farm]

Awwww! My pleasure!