[Gil's Girl]

I'll second that RS is one of the few that I would send a jumper to as well - and I just have to say that I've always been a little puzzled about the whole position issue - from the knee up, I think he looks solid, following, quiet and effective. The lower leg is an affectation, as opposed to something that's slipped. Is it all just the swinging leg over the jump that's everybody's issue?

I'd pay quite a lot to see someone get on Cristallo and, was it, ride him more forward from his leg? Godspeed to them

[RedxHandedxJill]

RS loves the forward horse (my gelding he loved) and has a rider understand the concept of "ride every stride". The second day he set up jumps, I think I did the 3' but was more 2 9" since it was just me and a girlfriend, we were both over 40 at the time as well. The combinations were tough, lots of forward corners into tight combos. Very cerebral riding. It actually wore me out mentally. I also bailed on a very technical forward corner to tight rollback since my gelding came up lame on day two and I rode a horse that quite simply I did not trust and I had never riden before. She was not that cooperative and I was not confident with getting a quick response from her. One of my girlfriends has never let me live that down.

He was very good, even when I came off and yelled that no one could tell my DH that I came off as I laid in the sand and watched my horse run off into the farm. So that is a RS teaching, very cerebral, very exhausting, very forward (which I totally agree with) and riding every stride. He will watch and yell when you are not actively riding and yes, your lack of riding is always at fault he takes nothing for granted and it is all about getting as much out of your horse as possible.

I would love to work with him once my gelding and I get to that point. We're still working on cantering lines without wobbles I'll have to keep an eye out to see if he's going to be doing any clinics in my neck of the woods. Thanks for the info!

[AlexS]

I have to laugh about the leg, he can put it anywhere he damn well wants to.

Ain't that the truth. It must be terribly amusing to be at his level and have someone on an internet message board criticizing his form.

[FalseImpression]

esp. someone who, as far as I know from other posts on other boards, does dressage!

[vxf111]

I think year was the year of consistency. With the exception of maybe McLain, who had the unfortunate injury and has been Mr. Consistency otherwise, it seemed to me the the selectors were looking for riders/horses that always came to the table "on" (Beezie and McLain) and not so much riders/horses that were hot/cold-- even though with flashes of brilliance (Laura K. and Margie). With a decision to give a shot to an up-and-comer who showed that consistency at least in the trials (Reed). Richard Spooner and Cristallo, while AMAZING... I think fall into the camp of "sometimes on a brilliant, but sometimes not as on" and therefore didn't really fit the team mold for this year's team. There was maybe one team spot for brilliance but I think it's undisputed that was a lock as there was the ultimate show of brilliance by Flexible pre-selection which was impossible to ignore.

[Coreene]

Oh and a quick PS re being a role model. The rider's responsibility is to his horses, his owners and whatever team and/or nation he may be riding for, and for fulfilling any contract he or she may have signed. He or she is not responsible for setting a good equitation example for the youth of today.

[pds]

Richard is not a fan of the politics that have been a part of the olympic selection, ergo his opinion has been that George plays favorites. It has absolutely nothing to do with his position, horse or the brand or brand of toothpaste he uses.
Once George is no longer chef I think that there might be a possibilty that Richard would be interested in riding for the team. JMHO

George Morris certainly does play favorites (his privilege as Chef) and the current US Olympic Equestrian Team is evidence of that. I don't blame Richard one bit and I'm looking forward to the new regime.

[FAW]

GM lives in the past and I second the forward looking at the new Chef. Spooner should have made the team

[MHM]

What is the black sash he is wearing here for ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPtCj41nyGw

Could the sash have been for leading jumper rider there?

In the video, his style does not really look that outlandish to me, since you can clearly see he gets the job done. The still photos of him sometimes look a bit more... unique.

But obviously it works for him and he has the results to prove it.

[Tha Ridge]

Could the sash have been for leading jumper rider there?

Could it also be in memoriam for Hickstead? It was around the same time.

[MHM]

Could it also be in memoriam for Hickstead? It was around the same time.

Not according to this post on the previous page. I don't remember the exact dates myself.

nope, Hickstead died on the 6th of November, the day after.

[Eye in the Sky]

I LOVE Richard Spooner!

One of my former trainers used to say that my mare was the exact kind of ride RS prefers. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to ride with him.

The man has an instinct few possess.

[Kestrel]

I suspect that he has an exceedingly high level of kinesthetic ability (instinct), higher than most of us would ever be able to develop.

[rockfordbuckeye]

http://www.equestrianlife.com/videos...ichard_Spooner

Ashlee is his student right? I guess we don't have to worry too much about what young people might take from him since her leg looks pretty different than his (if anything, her leg seems to go a bit more forward when it strays from "ideal" - whatever that means with GP fences). So clearly he doesn't ask his students to necessarily assume the same leg position he has if they are not natural to it/comfortable with it.

[equitationlane]

I am a little curious about the Spooner intervue. His mother is a trainer and he had access to horses and ponies all his life. I judged him at Huntington Beach where he was riding with Victor (Hugo-Vidal) and Mark (Mullen). Totally one of the most naturally soft and gifted riders I ever saw. At that time, I don't think he could have been much more than 12, so to be in the lead line at 11 and winning almost every three foot class in a year is pretty remarkable.

[Renn/aissance]

Since this has turned from a discussion of his relationship or lack there of with George Morris to a discussion of his leg position- one of the things I always find interesting when watching him ride, especially on videos where I can slow it down, is that his leg isn't sliding back- it's a deliberate displacement of the lower leg and pivot on the knee that occurs a stride or two back.

Obviously he has incredible balance, feel, and instinct, and it certainly works for him. I just think it's interesting that it does appear so deliberate and it makes me think specifically why in terms of the relationship between the rider's body and the horse's it works so well for him, and if it would work as well for someone with a different body type (we'll leave behind the question of balance and feel.) It's especially interesting given the difference between his ride on the Derby horse posted earlier, where leg displacement was minimal. I don't know if that's because of the fence height and style, the horse's way of going, or what; but academically speaking I find it an interesting question.

[Renascence]

He has an independant lower leg. He does not need it to stabilize himself. He rides better than most. He and Cristallo are rated number one in the world. Its BS politics that they aren't representing us in the Olympics.

[TheHorseProblem]

OT, but Renn/aissance and Renascence, are you two related?

To my untrained eye, it looks like he throws his lower leg back only over some jumps, maybe to prevent the horse from knocking down rails with his hind end.

He gave a very well attended clinic at my barn once. Two horses managed to buck him off but he was non-plussed. To me, it showed how much subtle resistance the average rider tolerates.

[Renn/aissance]

OT, but Renn/aissance and Renascence, are you two related?

To my untrained eye, it looks like he throws his lower leg back only over some jumps, maybe to prevent the horse from knocking down rails with his hind end.

He gave a very well attended clinic at my barn once. Two horses managed to buck him off but he was non-plussed. To me, it showed how much subtle resistance the average rider tolerates.

Only linguistically.

I want to emphasize that I'm not criticizing the way he rides- I like thinking about what a rider as successful as he is gets out of riding the way he does, and what I can learn from it. Mind you, I haven't got a thimble-ful of his instinct and balance so I'd be a lawn dart if I tried emulating specifically what he does with his body and leg over the fence, but it doesn't mean I can't learn from the physiological reason he rides the way he does. Or anyone else rides the way they do.

[jlphilli]

He has an independant lower leg. He does not need it to stabilize himself. He rides better than most. He and Cristallo are rated number one in the world. Its BS politics that they aren't representing us in the Olympics.

^ My thoughts exactly. While it looks ridiculous in pictures, clearly it's not affecting his ride. JMO!

Although from the other side of the fence--he did have some stiff competition, wouldn't you say?