Neat RFD-TV episode in the past few days. Chris Cox went somewhere in Texas ("heart of cutting country", so he says), and hooked up with a warmblood jumper trainer. She specializes in Thoroughbreds, buys them from Europe, and is developing her own US-based breed stock.
She presented to him a Dutch Warmblood Grand Prix & WEG stallion jumper, 11 years old, I think. He was pushy, and rushed through his jump courses. Chris watched her ride him through the course, made some comments, then, after commercial, he rode the horse.
No spurs, no western saddle. Just his cowboy hat, wrangler jeans, and a close contact english saddle. :) I was impressed. He rode that horse good! Lots of lateral flexion, one reins, then took up both reins, and "braced until the horse gave". I was amazed. The horse threw his head, hopped a little, and Chris stayed right with him.
By the end of the episode, Chris was jumping 5fts with him, and the horse was incredibly better behaved. He was flexed at the poll, head down, at the end of the course. Amazing stuff... even the trainer/breeder was impressed.
Pretty cool to see a Natural Horsemanship Western-trainer comfortable on a warmblood, riding English, and not whining about the saddle. I've seen Clinton ride dressage horses, but he always whines "if I weren't stuck in this english saddle, this horse would be working a lot harder right now". Chris didn't really fight with the stallion, he just kept pressure until the horse gave to it. Neat neat stuff...
Cowboy Chris Cox does Jumpers
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