by Rhegan White
Is it a combination of extensive knowledge and the ability to convey thoughts and theories clearly to the student?
Is it the art of defining the problem and providing the solution in a 45 minute session?
Is it making the student feel he or she has achieved what the trainer had wanted or is it the ability to make the rider achieve a level a self-confidence through exceptional riding outside their comfort zone?
Perhaps on a perfect day, all of these things can be experienced and we can thank our trainer for his/her ability to make us great, in that time, on that day.
OK here is the pitch!
In my humble opinion the true skill of a great trainer is to develop a long term partnership between horse and rider that will carry them to their peak performance on that important day in the competition ring. Conrad Schumacher believes that a rider must be at their personal riding peak to get the maximum result out of their horse. He submits that correct and concise working patterns and routines at home are the only way to develop a successful working partnership between horse and rider because, he points out, ‘A rider can never be truly at one with their horse until every movement and aid that the rider gives encourages the horse to use his natural, athletic ability to its maximum potential. That sense of dancing, of being in rhythm and in sync with the horse, that is the ‘feel’ the rider must have to achieve peak performance.’
I recently had the pleasure of spending a day with Herr Schumacher at his estate and training base in Neuhof near Frankfurt, Germany. Here, in his home environment, I was party to some fascinating insights from this famous trainer. Currently in the process of creating an interactive training DVD, Herr Schumacher and I were to spend the day reviewing the many hours of riding footage we had filmed and were to edit. This process involved me recording, onto my laptop, the many philosophies of Conrad Schumacher and what he believes it takes to make a winning horse and rider team from the beginning.
‘I began training and judging at the age of 32 and in those days it was considered very young age to make such a change from riding professionally.’, he says, ‘However, I was interested to learn how the master trainers were achieving results and why the judges were rewarding those results as they were. Now, after many years in the sport of dressage, I believe that classical dressage training of horse and rider alone is not enough to make a winning combination. The rider must be taught how to be mentally fit and this process takes a great deal of work on the rider's part. Not working harder on the horses but working smarter and with attention to their own technical skill so that they can really understand what they are feeling and why they are feeling it. A rider that is confident in his work and training will have strong mental fitness which will allow him to ride and influence the horse in a much more positive way. The result will be their optimum performance.’
As a student of Herr Schumacher's ,I can attest to his commitment to ensuring that as the rider, I am always aware of how my aids and position are affecting the movement and motion of my horse. During our training sessions, I am encouraged to ride through feel alone by listening to his voice and commands and surrendering my somewhat questioning nature to an attitude of acceptance and confidence. I imagine that this is what Olympic athletes refer to as ‘in the zone’.
The phenomenon for me is that Conrad Schumacher has shown me how to focus my mind and body on being at one with the horse and he has done that through training me to be confident in my own ability to ride at my optimum. More importantly, I can take that feeling with me to a competition and I find now that I am not racked with nerves and indecision during my warm-up but instead I have well planned routine and a sense of knowing that I have done all that I can to prepare myself for this moment and I ride down centre line feeling focused and relaxed. The ability to teach a rider to a technical level such that he or she feels relaxed and focused on the day of a competition must surely be the skill of a great trainer. It doesn't necessarily mean that that rider will win the class or the medal (though many have under his management) but it does mean that the rider will have every chance to ride at his optimum therefore allowing the horse to perform at its optimum.
Herr Schumacher spends approximately 2-3 months in the United States training in California, Florida, New York and Chicago each year in addition to his commitments in Sweden, Ireland and the United Kingdom. He travels thousands of miles every year and has trained over 4000 combinations and amongst them has seen students win over 40 international medals. He leaves his beautiful family farm and thriving golf and restaurant businesses for extended periods of time to share his extensive knowledge and commitment to dressage.
I asked Herr Schumacher why he does this and he answered simply, ‘Because I love the sport and I am happiest seeing my students grow in their understanding of what good riding is about.’ This charming gentleman is immensely knowledgeable, yet quietly understated. Add to this his passion and commitment to his riders, their horses and the sport of dressage and surely these are the key ingredients of a great trainer. Conrad Schumacher is filled with the desire to help others excel and sees winners in us all. He helps us to ride at our absolute best by developing a strength of mind and commitment which will allow us to perform at our optimum on the day. For myself, I am thrilled that I have had the opportunity to train with and be inspired by this great trainer.