FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2012 93
sort of self-control gives you an amazing strength. Especially
during competition, it lets you focus on yourself, your horse
and your trainer. That’s all there is to think about when
getting ready to go into the ring. All other thoughts are a
waste of energy and take your focus away from the important
things. You can’t change the judge, the scores, the weather,
whomever you ride against, or what other people think and
say about you.
Sidelines:
What is your training philosophy?
LS:
I believe that the classical scale of training (Rhythm,
Relaxation, Connection, Impulsion, Straightness, Collection)
leads to ultimate suppleness when executed correctly over
the days, years and shows of every horse. It sounds like a
simple system to follow, but I believe it takes a lot of discipline
to truly follow this system without skipping any steps.
Sidelines:
What are your personal goals?
LS:
To continuously improve each horse’s ride-ability is my
priority. The more supple, through and mentally engaged
a horse is, the easier it is to improve the gaits, teach new
movements; it simply raises the quality of the overall work. It
is important to create a horse that wants to work and has fun
doing its job, by not over-aiding. Most of the time our leg, seat
and hand aids need to be better timed and better executed,
without losing our position. The aids also need to be better
released. The death of training dressage horses is giving aids
that are stuck in the “grey zone”. Nothing is ever “quiet” and
nothing is ever “loud.” This makes horses dull very quickly.
Sidelines:
How do you individualize your training?
LS:
Each horse tells us every day how we need to approach
its training that day. It’s a matter of staying analytical enough
and continuously heightening your senses as a trainer to find
out what it is the horse needs.
Sidelines:
How do you prepare horses for the young horse
classes but also preserve them to become FEI horses?
LS:
The FEI Young Horse tests are very challenging tests
directed towards horses that truly have the potential to become
FEI horses. Mentally and physically the horses have to be up
for the challenge. It is important to keep the correctness of
your training in mind as you go through the tests. Is every
movement in rhythm? Is the connection correct? Is the horse
supple?
Sidelines:
How do you
decide on where and when to
show young horses?
LS:
The National
Championships are not until
August, usually. There is a
lot of time to qualify. I don’t
think it is beneficial to take
youngsters to show after
show. A few more months
of growing up and proper
training at home can make
a big difference in a young
horse. Regalo, the 4 year old
horse I took to the National
Young Horse Championships
in 2011, just came back from
being in pasture for a month.
I wanted to give him a break
while he was going well, not wait until he was mentally or
physically uncomfortable. He came back great after his month
and is happy to do his job.
Sidelines:
What’s the one quality/skill that every rider,
regardless of level, should keep in mind?
LS:
Every time you ride, ask yourself what it is you are letting
slide in yourself that day and what it is you are to accepting
of in your ride! In other words: Stay critical and disciplined
with yourself. Fix whatever is not working each step as you
ride every day.