George Morris Suppling a Horse

George Morris demonstrates how to supple and loosen a horse during a clinic. He focused on riding back to front, using inside leg to push the horse into the outside rein, and using lateral work to "supple the whole horse" and put the horse on the bit. George Morris gave a clinic hosted by Diane Carney at Telluride in November 2010. For details, see the notes on my blog: collectingtbs.c...

[@remedyfarm]

Hear him say Give every time folks? His timing and skill is something..... Decades and decades and decades of experience - I think more people need to learn to ride back to front.

[@GoLightly01100]

George is a genius. Period.

[@monicawhitmer7927]

I am curious, what did you see improve in the horse through this suppling process? I didn't see much change.

[@Shedrewgraves]

I don't understand everyone commenting on him being heavy handed. You can see slack in the reins in much of this video and throughout the entire demonstration he talks about taking and then giving again. You can see him playing with the feel on the horse's mouth. At no time is it fixed. Maybe you all need to look more closely.

[@pattii55]

I've been to George's clinics for 20 years. You'll see excellent basic Dressage. And my students have had plenty of Championships (local and regional) following his methods. What he says just works. It's almost like magic when you apply his teachings. George is not against Dressage, he is into Classic dressage, not the faddish techniques you see invented today that is just plain incorrect, tapping legs, bobbing heads, sawing hands. His methods have produced some of the best riders in the world.

[@meglook8]

to everyone critiquing the GM way.... call me when you have done with a horse what this man has done..... holding a horse this way will not be a "fight" you are training the horse to ask and look for the bit with their body in proper collection instead of with their chin between their legs. Once the horse has learned how to hold this position( flexing properly at the neck while engaging their back and pushing from the hind end) they will build proper muscle and jump bigger and better

[@horsiegirl97]

In response to those critquing his "suppling" techniques, all I can say is I completely agree. Holding a horses mouth endlessly is doing nothing to teach him, it is just fighting him until he can't fight anymore and drops his head. Riding should not be fighting with your horse to achieve a goal, it should be partnering with your horse to achieve a goal.

[@cubnation]

Mary's Channel *I agree 100%. Wow! It looks more like he is hanging on the horses mouth, and the horse is visibly tensed up! Just because he was famous a hundred years ago, does not mean that what he says is the gospel. Things have changed as they learn new things about horses. Things like the physics of horses and what types of bits are too hard, and especially suppling a horse by asking him to give instead of just dragging on his mouth. George Morris is like a cult leader and all the people who follow him seem to be nothing more than lemmings. I think it's time to retire George. There is nothing about that horse that looks supple! In fact it looks the opposite like he's fighting the hard hands!*

[@allsmiles3215]

The thing is when you see George flatting, he rides the horse for like 20 mins. He has to show results in that time period to validate his skill. However, if you rode your horse like that all the time, it would end up a huge fight in your hands every time. He doesn't teach like that in his books and I bet he doesn't train his own horses like t hat.

[@195419771983]

I am in shock. this horse is the identical twin of my horse right down to the markings! fortunately my horse while very green moves better, and doesn't require being dragged to back up!

[@Dillenburgher]

What a shame that America so misunderstands "dressage." George Morris and so many others lack an understanding of classical horsemanship, the root of dressage which benefits and should be the foundation for any riding discipline - it is patient, truly relaxed, and much kinder to horses. KZbin Walter Zettl to watch videos with a much humbler and deeper approach to riding. I was raised on George Morris but could never go back to his limited mindset having since experienced so much more.

[@missnay976]

a little ground work never hurts.....

[@quixotiq]

Yeah, it's not like the German training scale isn't ever criticised, or anything. I judge these things by results, and I must say, with many horses I have got much better results with George Morris's methods -- more lightness and responsiveness. Perhaps German methods work best with German horses...

[@michellecoutois]

Curious as to why he would do a rein back with that horse so resistant to contact. Looks like a very tense ride on both parts. Would have asked for a nice round relaxed contact first then GIVE with my reins as he went back as a reward. Interesting...maybe I expect more from George.

[@HorsesIC]

Yes. Yes it is.

[@AlexPangmanofficial]

I wish I could figure out how to do inside leg to outside rein in a bitless bridle. Finding it very difficult (our horse has a melanoma in his mouth, hence no bit). I really miss riding with a feel of the mouth. Any suggestions?

[@quixotiq]

Yeah, right. Competition dressage, even at the highest levels, even today, is a great place IMHO to see heavy, rigid, overstressed horses. Oddly, sometimes these horses even get very high marks...

[@MarkRobertCuthbert]

do you see that 0:11 ? how many people when breaking in a 3 or 4 y.o. "Really" do it right?!! Take time to make the horse "Back Back" not 1 or 2 or 3 steps (yes you do jusr 2 or 3 in later life) but at 3 y.o. the horse has to (in long reins) be taught to back back back back back (when he or she is "Not resisting" 3 or 4 max. but if "Resisting" You the trainer has to make them back back ... 4 or 5 or 7 times its called "Obedience" they (horse) has to listen to you) and use your "Voice" too.

[@Strul83]

Intresting... :)

[@faibishclassical]

It is better to do this exercises from the ground, to help more the horse, then, he will have a better chance to round up its body

[@ilovepreciousjim2]

@michellecoutois your questioning a man that is probably one of the best known trainers in the hunter/jumper world....ok thenn

[@horsluva0758]

people, didn't your mom ever teach you if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all :)

[@KerryMackay]

Heavy handed, he's a great jumper but no no for flatwork in my opinion

[@jwf6103]

This is "suppling?" Go watch Buck Brannaman.

[@allsmiles3215]

Haha Americans don't respect our own way of dressage, either. Seriously anyone who's anyone trains dressage with someone foreign, or at least someone who was taught by someone foreign. Usually germans (:

[@missnay976]

well you must be very blind