Straight after the ISES conference, the Bartels Academy played host to the Global Dressage Forum. For me it was a once in a life time opportunity to attend the forum - and image my intrepidation when Dr Andrew McLean asked if I would help him present his sessions on over-shadowing techniques to overcome fearful stimuli for dressage horses.
What?! Me out in front of the likes of Jennie Loriston-Clarke; Matthias Rath (the new rider of Totilas) and Hayley Beresford?! Are you kidding?! I could hardly say "No" to that opportunity now could I?!
The Global Forum is held every year in Holland and its where top riders, judges and officials come to meet and greet, share ideas, hear about the latest developments of the sport and to debate hotly contested topics. I have always read about the goings on of the Forum on the Eurodressage website, and now I was finally amongst it!
I would highly recommend going as a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it is definately pricey for those on a budget, but all meals were included and a super dinner, great wine and great company. A better chance to network I don't think can be found!
The forum started with FEI Dressage Chair Frank Kemperman who was talking amounsgt other things about the "Blood Rule". This lead to a very heated debate from all areas of the audience - and it certainly was a firey way to start off!
Then there were three workshops and it was my turn to be in spotlight. Andrew McLean and I went out to a small indoor arena to demonstrate ways to desensitise dressage horses to frightening stimuli like clippers, and how to train them to remain calm in prizegivings etc. We did three demos in total, two were clipping issues and the third was a lovely horse from Bartels Academy who was petrified of brooms! I'm pleased to say all the horses I worked with improved out of sight. It was a bit overwhelming to see faces such as Matthias Rath in the audience watching my every move! But I just tried to focus on the timing of my signals and getting the horse to respond - no time to be nervous!
The other two workshops I wasn't able to see, but it was Dr Hillary Clayton from Michigan State University talking about piroettes and the four beat canter, and Inga Wolframm who gave a talk on psychcological aspects of dressage judging. It was so great to see science involved at the Global forum. And in fact, on every panel of experts throughout the Forum there was at least one scientist asked to give an opinion.
The French rider Alizee Froment on her super Lusitano stallion gave her demo on bitless Grand Prix dressage riding, and then Gillian Higgans presented to us two dressage horses whose muscles and bone structures had been painted on. A very interesting lecture on functional anatomy followed.
The evening session was a night with Princess Natalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein from Denmark. It started with a great intimate interview with Richard Davison. He asked her questions we were all dying to know - such as "are you a real princess?" and "do you live in a castle with turrets?". (She is and she does in case you are wondering!)
Princess Natalie then showed us her training methods and rode some lovely horses in front of us. It was exciting to see her performances critiqued by her peers and experts in their field - the panel had to say what they liked and DID NOT like about her presentation. The panel to ask Natalie questions was Matthias Rath, Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, Imke Bartels and my mentor Dr Andrew McLean. Sitting in the audience seeing Andrew give his opinions amongst these top riders. It still irks me that Dressage New Zealand does not use Dr McLean for any lectures or demos - the rest of the world holds him in such high regard...
The second day of the forum included a clinic from Kyra Kyrklund and it was totally awesome and inspiring. Kyra's training techniques are very similar to those I have learnt via the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre.
Two more sessions followed, one on the London Olympics and the infrastructure behind it, and a talk on FEI judging systems etc. All very interesting...
The forum finished up with another great Richard Davison interview, this time an intimate talk with Carl Hester who had us all in stitches. His life thus far has really been a rollercoaster ride from very humble beginnings. We really all felt that we got to know Carl quite well by the end of it - and Richard asked questions that many of us just wouldn't dare to ask! Risky!
Then Carl showed us his training techniques with the help of his head rider Charlotte Dujardin. I had already seen Carl in New Zealand here years ago and I loved what I saw. Once again this time he was brilliant. Simply brilliant.
The photos below show part of the overshadowing clinic Andrew and I did - the horse is a sensitive GP level Trakehner called Paris who apparently someone had tried to clip a week earlier - he kicked the groom and lay on the floor! By the end of the quick session I could clip even his hind legs without even holding him!
The wonderful Autumn shot is something I realised we just don't get to see in New Zealand. This was a lane we drove down when lost, and the leaves were falling like snowflakes - the colours were breathtaking...