by Tommy Brannon
Richard Watson hunter/jumper trainer conducted a Jumping clinic at Highgrove Farm in Collierville June 3-5. The weather was unseasonably hot with temperatures close to 100 and no cloud cover. Much was accomplished though, as riders of all ages and levels benefited from Richard’s observant eye and insightful direction.
Richard is well known in the mid-south, having been a top trainer in Germantown for about 20 years in the 1960s - 80s. Many riders who are now parents and grandparents of riders learned to ride under the tutelage of Richard Watson. Now residing in Florida, he holds clinics in the Mid-South about twice a year.
Most of the riders in the clinic needed to solve a specific problem with their horse or needed a tune up in their riding skills. Richard asked them what they wanted to accomplish and addressed that issue. Richard has a very reassuring manner in a clinic. When a rider was close to tears after a series of jumps, he asked, “Why?” She said that she had never jumped that high before. His reply, “Now you can’t say that anymore can you?” He encouraged a rider to “keep on guiding after the jump.” There were lots of “Perfect, all Right” comments and critiques starting with “I’m not fussing at you.”
Richard said that when a hunter rider comes to him concerned about their “look,” his response is, “If you have control, you can look any way you want to. The riders have to control themselves and their habits. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” In critiquing a very experienced rider, he pointed out a habit the rider had. Stopping the habit solved the problem. He commented about a very green adult rider on a green horse who was having a run-out problem. He directed her to take up the slack in the reins all the way to the jump, not let go, and steer the horse until he left the ground. The horse had figured out the rider’s inexperience and taken advantage of the situation. Watson tries to “read” the horse and rider, and attempts to get them on the same page. “If we listen to the horses, they will tell us the answer to the problem.”
Richard Watson plans to hold more jumping clinics in the mid-south. Watch the Mid-South Horse Review for clinic dates.
Richard Watson hunter/jumper trainer conducted a Jumping clinic at Highgrove Farm in Collierville June 3-5. The weather was unseasonably hot with temperatures close to 100 and no cloud cover. Much was accomplished though, as riders of all ages and levels benefited from Richard’s observant eye and insightful direction.
Richard is well known in the mid-south, having been a top trainer in Germantown for about 20 years in the 1960s - 80s. Many riders who are now parents and grandparents of riders learned to ride under the tutelage of Richard Watson. Now residing in Florida, he holds clinics in the Mid-South about twice a year.
Most of the riders in the clinic needed to solve a specific problem with their horse or needed a tune up in their riding skills. Richard asked them what they wanted to accomplish and addressed that issue. Richard has a very reassuring manner in a clinic. When a rider was close to tears after a series of jumps, he asked, “Why?” She said that she had never jumped that high before. His reply, “Now you can’t say that anymore can you?” He encouraged a rider to “keep on guiding after the jump.” There were lots of “Perfect, all Right” comments and critiques starting with “I’m not fussing at you.”
Richard said that when a hunter rider comes to him concerned about their “look,” his response is, “If you have control, you can look any way you want to. The riders have to control themselves and their habits. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” In critiquing a very experienced rider, he pointed out a habit the rider had. Stopping the habit solved the problem. He commented about a very green adult rider on a green horse who was having a run-out problem. He directed her to take up the slack in the reins all the way to the jump, not let go, and steer the horse until he left the ground. The horse had figured out the rider’s inexperience and taken advantage of the situation. Watson tries to “read” the horse and rider, and attempts to get them on the same page. “If we listen to the horses, they will tell us the answer to the problem.”
Richard Watson plans to hold more jumping clinics in the mid-south. Watch the Mid-South Horse Review for clinic dates.
