austin
Nov. 13, 2009, 02:45 PM
Some comments from riders and auditors sent to our local club newsletter (there were no negative comments):
The Robert Dover Symposium was held the
weekend of Oct 30th-Nov 1st at Carol Dover¡¦s Farm
in Havana, FL. I asked members to send me
comments on their experience either riding in the
clinic or as a spectator.
From Martha Little: Well anyone who knows my husband
Sonny, knows he is not very effusive, but he said several
times over the weekend that Robert was ¡§brilliant¡¨ and that
the changes he made in the horses ¡§brought tears to his
eyes¡¨. It was a wonderful, maybe once in a lifetime
opportunity for Tiger and me. I thank Sue Williams for
getting us to a place where we could do a respectable job
in the 4th level work.
I so appreciate Carol, Walt, Alison, and Jenna for hosting
and organizing the Symposium and the hard work put in by
them and Lori, Linda, Lucas, Sandy, and others. We had a
great set of riders and I hope all the riders and auditors
were as inspired as I was, and that the horses finished the
two days with added confidence, I think Tiger did.
Mr. Dover gave 110% effort all day everyday; he brought
out the best and made real progress with every horse and
rider. He has a new fan in me.
From Dayle Holleger
Lindsey (my daughter) and I audited over the
weekend and it was just a wonderful possibly life
changing experience. Mr. Dover is just fabulous and
if he ever comes back I hope to have a horse ready to
ride with him. It really made me miss riding my mare -
Luna and look forward to riding her baby.
We can't wait to get out in the arena today and
practice our half halts (breathe, leg, close the fist), keeping our
upright position and really pushing ourselves past our
comfort zones. Again, thanks to all and we can't wait
for the next one.
By Sara Warner
Robert Dover has always been an inspiring figure in the
dressage show world. After years in the limelight of world
events, his innate talent for presentation has been honed to
the mature aura of a very good teacher. And very good
teaching is what participants of his symposium were treated
to over Halloween weekend at Carol Dover¡¦s lovely facility
in Havana, FL.
I really liked this symposium. Unlike so many I¡¦ve attended
over the years, this symposium wasn¡¦t a horse show-like
demonstration, with perfect riders showing horses who
were already well trained in the arts being displayed.
Instead we saw real dressage¡X i.e., training: Riders with
flaws, struggling to correct horses with weaknesses. And
through it all, Mr. Dover explained, guided, encouraged,
and cajoled, establishing a climate of honesty and kindness
that challenged each student to move ahead while
nurturing his or her self-esteem.
Perhaps most helpfully, Mr. Dover cleared the air by openly
addressing riders¡¦ fear. ¡§You¡¦re not afraid of falling off,¡¨ he
told one rider. ¡§You¡¦re not afraid of being out of
control. You¡¦re afraid of failing. Don¡¦t let your mind go
there. You have to define yourself.¡¨ He encouraged riders
to envision their intentions while riding and not allow
themselves to become distracted when making what should
be small, momentary corrections. He was quick to point out
when riders did not concentrate enough. ¡§You only saw the
words,¡¨ he said several times. ¡§¡¥Robert told me to ride
haunches in on the diagonal.¡¦ But you didn¡¦t envision how
you wanted that to happen. You have to see the most
beautiful, flowing, balanced half-pass you can imagine, and
ride that.¡¨
When working with his long-time student Jenna
Wyatt on the lovely, big chestnut gelding Flash Forward
(Contucci), he reminded her to ¡§take time, take time.¡¨ I
would imagine that Ms. Wyatt, as co-organizer of this
symposium with Carol Dover, had not had a moment to
breathe for weeks. This lesson reminded me of how hard it
is not to let the frustrations of my daily life become more
baggage for my horse. Part of what is powerful about the
culture of dressage is the creation of a climate of
timelessness and ease in which the horse and rider can
become lost in their work together, building their trust and
communication to the exclusion of all else. It is a pleasure
to see a teacher guard and ensure this climate, and enable
the rider to concentrate¡Xto beautiful effect.
Another
difference in this dressage symposium was the inclusion of
several event riders. The presence of Katherine Coleman
and her Trader Vic, Allison Otter with Leonidous Van Pelt,
and Darren Chicchia on Zauberruf (Hibiskus x Zauberlied)
gave wonderful examples of the work event riders are doing
in the dressage arena. Martha Little, a former event rider
who now devotes her riding time mostly to dressage, rode
her beautiful, ¡§Tiger¡¨ (Idocus-Kaydee). In Mr. Chicchia¡¦s
lesson, Mr. Dover urged him to ¡§Refine, don¡¦t go
immediately to your strength.¡¨ With several event riders he
reminded them that the difference between the forward seat
ľ
and the dressage seat is the location of the horse¡¦s
center of gravity. ¡§In dressage, we want to shift that
center back, towards the haunches. You have to ride like
the queen of England up there.¡¨
One of the highlights of the day for me was
Adam Lastowka¡¦s ride on Samorano (Gribaldi-
Cabuchon). What a seat this man has! As Mr. Dover
worked through the canter pirouettes with the pair, Mr.
Lastowka effected the minute corrections and brought the
already good work to perfection before our eyes.
Thanks to
Carol, Walt, Allison, and Jenna and everyone who
contributed to the success of this symposium.
From Alison Otter
I was a rider in the symposium and I can honestly say it
was a life changing experience for both me and my horse
Lionus. Robert Dover's famous words of the weekend
"see it with your minds eye" became a phrase I will
consider every time I enter the arena. I learned the power
in believing in myself and my horse. I also learned that
the possibilities were endless when I saw Lionus and I
"with my minds eye." By the second day my young intro/
training level horse was cantering in perfect collection
and floating across the arena. Thank you Robert Dover
for opening my "minds eye."
The Robert Dover Symposium was held the
weekend of Oct 30th-Nov 1st at Carol Dover¡¦s Farm
in Havana, FL. I asked members to send me
comments on their experience either riding in the
clinic or as a spectator.
From Martha Little: Well anyone who knows my husband
Sonny, knows he is not very effusive, but he said several
times over the weekend that Robert was ¡§brilliant¡¨ and that
the changes he made in the horses ¡§brought tears to his
eyes¡¨. It was a wonderful, maybe once in a lifetime
opportunity for Tiger and me. I thank Sue Williams for
getting us to a place where we could do a respectable job
in the 4th level work.
I so appreciate Carol, Walt, Alison, and Jenna for hosting
and organizing the Symposium and the hard work put in by
them and Lori, Linda, Lucas, Sandy, and others. We had a
great set of riders and I hope all the riders and auditors
were as inspired as I was, and that the horses finished the
two days with added confidence, I think Tiger did.
Mr. Dover gave 110% effort all day everyday; he brought
out the best and made real progress with every horse and
rider. He has a new fan in me.
From Dayle Holleger
Lindsey (my daughter) and I audited over the
weekend and it was just a wonderful possibly life
changing experience. Mr. Dover is just fabulous and
if he ever comes back I hope to have a horse ready to
ride with him. It really made me miss riding my mare -
Luna and look forward to riding her baby.
We can't wait to get out in the arena today and
practice our half halts (breathe, leg, close the fist), keeping our
upright position and really pushing ourselves past our
comfort zones. Again, thanks to all and we can't wait
for the next one.
By Sara Warner
Robert Dover has always been an inspiring figure in the
dressage show world. After years in the limelight of world
events, his innate talent for presentation has been honed to
the mature aura of a very good teacher. And very good
teaching is what participants of his symposium were treated
to over Halloween weekend at Carol Dover¡¦s lovely facility
in Havana, FL.
I really liked this symposium. Unlike so many I¡¦ve attended
over the years, this symposium wasn¡¦t a horse show-like
demonstration, with perfect riders showing horses who
were already well trained in the arts being displayed.
Instead we saw real dressage¡X i.e., training: Riders with
flaws, struggling to correct horses with weaknesses. And
through it all, Mr. Dover explained, guided, encouraged,
and cajoled, establishing a climate of honesty and kindness
that challenged each student to move ahead while
nurturing his or her self-esteem.
Perhaps most helpfully, Mr. Dover cleared the air by openly
addressing riders¡¦ fear. ¡§You¡¦re not afraid of falling off,¡¨ he
told one rider. ¡§You¡¦re not afraid of being out of
control. You¡¦re afraid of failing. Don¡¦t let your mind go
there. You have to define yourself.¡¨ He encouraged riders
to envision their intentions while riding and not allow
themselves to become distracted when making what should
be small, momentary corrections. He was quick to point out
when riders did not concentrate enough. ¡§You only saw the
words,¡¨ he said several times. ¡§¡¥Robert told me to ride
haunches in on the diagonal.¡¦ But you didn¡¦t envision how
you wanted that to happen. You have to see the most
beautiful, flowing, balanced half-pass you can imagine, and
ride that.¡¨
When working with his long-time student Jenna
Wyatt on the lovely, big chestnut gelding Flash Forward
(Contucci), he reminded her to ¡§take time, take time.¡¨ I
would imagine that Ms. Wyatt, as co-organizer of this
symposium with Carol Dover, had not had a moment to
breathe for weeks. This lesson reminded me of how hard it
is not to let the frustrations of my daily life become more
baggage for my horse. Part of what is powerful about the
culture of dressage is the creation of a climate of
timelessness and ease in which the horse and rider can
become lost in their work together, building their trust and
communication to the exclusion of all else. It is a pleasure
to see a teacher guard and ensure this climate, and enable
the rider to concentrate¡Xto beautiful effect.
Another
difference in this dressage symposium was the inclusion of
several event riders. The presence of Katherine Coleman
and her Trader Vic, Allison Otter with Leonidous Van Pelt,
and Darren Chicchia on Zauberruf (Hibiskus x Zauberlied)
gave wonderful examples of the work event riders are doing
in the dressage arena. Martha Little, a former event rider
who now devotes her riding time mostly to dressage, rode
her beautiful, ¡§Tiger¡¨ (Idocus-Kaydee). In Mr. Chicchia¡¦s
lesson, Mr. Dover urged him to ¡§Refine, don¡¦t go
immediately to your strength.¡¨ With several event riders he
reminded them that the difference between the forward seat
ľ
and the dressage seat is the location of the horse¡¦s
center of gravity. ¡§In dressage, we want to shift that
center back, towards the haunches. You have to ride like
the queen of England up there.¡¨
One of the highlights of the day for me was
Adam Lastowka¡¦s ride on Samorano (Gribaldi-
Cabuchon). What a seat this man has! As Mr. Dover
worked through the canter pirouettes with the pair, Mr.
Lastowka effected the minute corrections and brought the
already good work to perfection before our eyes.
Thanks to
Carol, Walt, Allison, and Jenna and everyone who
contributed to the success of this symposium.
From Alison Otter
I was a rider in the symposium and I can honestly say it
was a life changing experience for both me and my horse
Lionus. Robert Dover's famous words of the weekend
"see it with your minds eye" became a phrase I will
consider every time I enter the arena. I learned the power
in believing in myself and my horse. I also learned that
the possibilities were endless when I saw Lionus and I
"with my minds eye." By the second day my young intro/
training level horse was cantering in perfect collection
and floating across the arena. Thank you Robert Dover
for opening my "minds eye."