Geoff Teall on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation. Geoff Teall
and Arms: Fine-Tuning the Feel
An Exercise for Practicing Position
Identifying the Intangibles
Exercises for Developing Lightness and Feel
Relating Stride and Distance between Obstacles
Understanding the Factors of Jumping
Exercises to Develop a Feel for Distance
Be Prepared
12 Notes for Riding Instructors
The Instructor’s Responsibilities
Appendix: USEF Hunt Seat Equitation Tests
Foreword
George Morris
I NOTICE THINGS. Most of my life has been spent watching how riders interact with their horses, weighing one set of weaknesses against another, analyzing how to bring out the best of a horse’s or a rider’s abilities, and determining how the most basic elements of horsemanship affect a rider’s overall performance. As a result, as I said, I notice things.
So few riders seem willing to invest the time, energy, and determination necessary to discipline themselves to master—to perfect—the basic elements of position that form the foundation of good riding. Because of their lack of initiative, their riding never progresses past a certain mediocrity that stems from a faulty foundation.
It is far more common to see poor position than to see proper position. This is why when I saw an Adult Amateur with classically flawless foot position compete at a show last year, I noticed. I stopped her outside the ring, commented that her foot was in the stirrup perfectly, and asked who she rode with. She said she was a student of Geoff Teall’s.
“Oh, yes,” I told her. “He’s one of the good ones.”
I have watched Geoff progress from a talented kid in one of my clinics to a gifted, insightful instructor and clinician in his own right.
Geoff and I share a common mentor. I was fortunate enough to be a long-term student of the legendary Gordon Wright. He became my instructor when I was quite young. It was under his tutelage that I was able to win both the AHSA Hunter Seat Medal Final and the ASPCA Maclay Final when I was just fourteen.
Gordon was a constant influence as I progressed in my riding. I looked to him for guidance when I represented the United States on the gold-medal Pan American Games team, on multiple winning Nations Cup teams, and on a USET team that took Olympic silver. I continued to learn from Gordon for the rest of his life.
Geoff was a student of Gordon’s as well. He also studied under several of Gordon’s outstanding protégés, including Wayne Carroll and Mike Kelly.
When Geoff was still in his teens, he worked for the Jeremy Jacobs family who owned and operated Deeridge, in Buffalo, New York. He brought the family to a clinic I gave at the Buffalo Saddle and Bridle Club. When I saw him ride in the clinic, I noticed his talent. I saw what he was capable of. And I worked with him intensely.
Geoff would probably say that I spent several days chastising him,