[Beast Of Burden]

I'm not too crazy about him, what has he done lately?

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I'll never be your beast of burdon, All I wanted was for you to make love to me!

[lauriep]

George's talent lies not only in the fact that he was 1) the youngest winner ever of the Medal and Maclay and 2) a winner at the highest levels internationally, but even more importantly, he was also able to become a TEACHER of these skills, something that many cannot do. The list of his students reads like a who's who of hunter/jumper-dom. His books are considered bibles because his system WORKS. And now, he has turned his attention from producing top equitation riders to jumper riders and doing clinics and STILL is tremendously successful (does the name Chris Kappler ring a bell)? Billy was probably a much better rider (George will tell you that too), but for one reason or another, he chose not to teach, and that is where George's true talents surfaced. And in my book, his respect for the caretakers is what sets him apart. No one acknowledges more than he does what an important part of the team the grooms are.

He is not a "god", but the sport will be very much the worse off when he isn't around any longer.

Beast of Burden, have you ever even met the man?

Laurie

[Beast Of Burden]

Yeah, I wasn't too impressed.

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I'll never be your beast of burdon, All I wanted was for you to make love to me!

[lauriep]

Why don't you elaborate? You weren't impressed with his teaching, his demeanor, his looks, his riding, his (you fill in the blank)?

Laurie

[Beast Of Burden]

Never saw him ride, I'm just not too impressed. If he actually did something in the past twenty years maybe I would be a little more impressed.

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I'll never be your beast of burdon, All I wanted was for you to make love to me!

[Lord Helpus]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tachiana:
I know he is a talented horseman, but I see so many other talented trainer's!! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...n_rolleyes.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. And probably 75% of them rode with GM and/or were his assistants when they were younger.

They are talented trainers because they learned directly from GM or teach his system. He, in turn, learned from Gordon Wright and Otto Heuckeroth, as did some of his best contemporaries.

To trace George's theories and understand where he began, read Gordon Wright's books also.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all. http://chronicleforums.com/images/cu...s/winkgrin.gif

[lauriep]

Well, you clearly have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about if you think he has done nothing in the last 20 years. Perhaps Chris Kappler, Anne Kursinski, Leslie Burr Howard, etc., would be interested in hearing this, since they RIDE with him or are helped by him before big competitions.

Or perhaps the thousands and thousands of riders and auditors that attend his 100's of clinics would be interested to hear he is doing nothing for them.

Or the equitation riders who ride with Frank Madden (and others), who is a former student of GM's and learned nearly everything he knows from George.

Or the USET who has benefitted immensely from George's stints as chef d'equipe for the teams we have fielded.

It is fine to criticize someone with specifics, but apparently you can't do that, which indicates to me you don't know him, or of him and his contributions to the sport.

Do I idolize him? Yes and no. I am one of his biggest fans, but I also know that even he has had some missteps, but they do not detract from what he has offered this sport. His contributions are right up there with Bert's, IMO.

Laurie

[Nickelodian]

Careful Laurie, don't want to be taken by a stinky rotten Troll.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.scatteredoaksfarm.com

[Heineken]

Let's not forget Nona Garson in the list of international stars he has helped mold. I also know McClain has worked with him a ton as well.

I met him a few years ago in Florida and he couldn't have been more personable, more friendly or more willing to help me out. While I'm sure he would say I'm a bit overweight if I rode in a clinic with him, he was delightful as a human being.

[Beast Of Burden]

Are we discussing how delightful he is or that he is "GOD". Yes, he is personable, he is delightful, but God?

I think it's a lot of hype.

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I'll never be your beast of burdon, All I wanted was for you to make love to me!

[Linny]

Last fall I saw him get on a rather rank, green horse. The mare was talented but headstrong. GM rode her for 20 minutes, talking the entire time to the clinic's auditors and participants. The entire ride was at the trot and canter and he never stopped talking or riding. It was great to see.
GM isn't God, he isn't a god. What he is is a great horseman who knows how to develop more great horemen.

Resident racing historian
Founder of the Mighty Thoroughbred Clique

[lauriep]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>He is not a "god", but the sport will be very much the worse off when he isn't around any longer.


Laurie<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, I think I addressed the "god" issue already.

Thanks, nick, for the troll alert. I STILL get sucked in sometimes! http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...on_biggrin.gif

Laurie

[Beast Of Burden]

That he got on a rank green horse does impress me.

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I'll never be your beast of burdon, All I wanted was for you to make love to me!

[sesroh]

After reading old threads I noticed there was a very different sentiment about GM when the Florida impaling accident happened a few years ago.

[Dancing Lawn]

The Florida Impaling Accident? Please explain!I spend all my time now in the back woods of Ontario, and I don't get out much. I seem to be missing out on a lot of stuff!

less hard work, more fine dining.
www.dancinglawnhorses.com

If guys can do it, how hard can it be?

[trailblazer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dancing lawn:
The Florida Impaling Accident? Please explain!I spend all my time now in the back woods of Ontario, and I don't get out much. I seem to be missing out on a lot of stuff!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://chronicleforums.com/groupee/f...9856088031&p=1

[AWIP]

It was a sad, freak accident. Given the move towards plastic poles, you could end up with the same situation jumping a skinny fence on a cold winter day. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...icon_frown.gif

[lauriep]

Agreed, "A_Work". As we all know, freak accidents happen all the time with horses, and this was one of them.

Safety is a BIG issue with George; he is not one to do anything to harm a horse or a person. The particular type of fence with a metal pole was something that every trainer I have worked for has used at some time, and was a popular schooling option. This was the first time I know of it to ever go badly. I HAVE seen a bamboo split and cut a horse that landed on it, however, but they are still in use...

Laurie

[Anne]

Beast of Burden, I BELIEVE that George's victory on Jane Clark's Rio in the $1,000,000 du Maurier Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows still falls within your 20 year time frame. http://chronicleforums.com/groupee_c...n_rolleyes.gif

[Fullilove]

Does George do clinics?