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Home030110 USDF Convention and Symposium

USDF National Symposium Video

by Leslie Mock
Web Site Committee Co-Chair

Mar 1, 2010 - After attending the USDF National Symposium in December 2009, I kept wishing that we could publish a few videos I had taken that would show snippets from a couple of the Saturday training sessions.  I wanted people to see some of what I had seen when I attended the first day of the Symposium.  Due to limitations with the CSDEA web site, I was unable to provide even one of the moments I had recorded to share with the membership.  Imagine my surprise when those restrictions were lifted last week and we now have the ability to provide video (albeit very tiny bits of video) on the web site. 

Since there have been some wonderful articles published about the symposium (see the February issue of "USDF Connection"), I am using this as more of a test for the video than an indepth explanation of the Symposium and the concepts taught by Jan Brink.  Please be sure to drop me a note and let me know if you would like us to use more video on the site, or if you find it cumbersome to view and would like us to use it on a very limited basis.  (I've provided two different menthods of viewing the video as well, so you can also let me know your preference and whether or not you'd like to download it or have it run on the web site).  The entire Web Site Committee is hoping to use this new medium to help the CSDEA continue to educate its membership and provide services the members value.

Before watching the videos you need to know that the lighting in the Travis County Expo Center was very yellow.  Due to this, the pictures and video have a sickly green cast to them.  As an example of what to expect, take a look at the picture of Jan Brink, the symposium presenter/teacher, and the audience (both are below).



Flying Change Video (download video) - The horse in this video was working on flying changes.  The horse had problems anticipating the changes and also making them by throwing his body to the side.  Jan schooled the horse for the rider and forced the horse to stop completing flying changes and was making it wait for the rider's direction.  Once he had placed the owner back on the horse, he then had her work the horse in a similar fashion.  Jan gave the rider the mental picture of having them ride the diagonal as if in a tunnel, and only allowing the change when the horse was no longer anticipating.


Haunches in at Canter (view video in the site) - The horse in this video was schooling canter half pass.  As a horse that had been an open jumper in the past, he had a tendency to get quick (he would also spook at the audience and the camera flashes).  Jan had the rider school the horse first in haunches in at the canter (which you will see in this video) until the horse was between the aids more consistently, relaxed and supple.