There are a group of us Adult Amateur ladies that ride at my barn. We are all good friends and ride at close to the same level (First/Second, give or take). We are supportive of each other and we cheer each other on. We often compete against one another at shows and sure, we’d each rather that WE were the one that took home the blue ribbon, but “losing” doesn’t hurt so bad if your stablemate (and show buddy) wins instead.
Today, two out of the three of us present were watching our trainers school our horses--and our horses were not being particularly, er, ahem, well-behaved. Mine, especially. She has forgotten that she knows how to bend, despite the fact that I have done my best to remind her, which she demonstrates by locking herself up in the poll and setting her jaw against my hand. No amount of flexion, leg, you-name-it that I am able to manage has changed anything, so we decided it was time for a day with Uncle Jürgen. (We try to have those weekly, but June has been a crazy month, and we weren’t able to stick with the program).
My girlfriends and I were watching, with awe and admiration, as he patiently suppled her and got her to work through her back and poll until she was putty to his aids. We had, immediately prior, watched him “repair” the changes that had become sticky on another horse, and before that, fix the “throughness” on yet another horse that tended to become heavy and easily strung out.
That’s when we remarked on what amazing skill Jürgen has, and how sorry we felt for him. The most common phrase he hears? “Here, Jürgen, fix my horse...” and then “Thanks. He/She is perfect now, I’ll take ‘em back.” When the horse is fabulous to ride again, Jürgen (who is worth a million dollars, as far as I’m concerned, both as a coach and rider), gets them yanked from under him. No “Here, why don’t you ride and show my horse--you deserve it,” but rather, “Hey, this feels so wonderful, I think I’ll never get out of the saddle again!”
Sure, we could all fix our own horses. Eventually. What makes Jürgen so unique, however, is that in addition to his incredible strength, he has incredible lightness and quickness in applying the aids--AND (and this is the key), an ability to release so awesomely quickly and clearly that the horse has absolutely no doubt in his/her mind that they have done the right thing. Jürgen can communicate to the horse like no other being I know. He may not look pretty or elegant riding a horse, but I dare anyone to find a more effective rider. Or a more fair one. He is firm, but consistent. The horses get away with nothing, but they adore him for it--even my poor Quila, who used to be scared of everybody and everything when I got her. She has always loved Jürgen.
I’m looking forward to my ride on her tomorrow--I know it will be one of the best. And I’m hoping I can manage to get him to ride her again before he leaves for Pebble Beach to coach Susan at the USEF Junior Team Championships.
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