September 6, 2003 GDCTA Kudzu Klinic With Zeb Fry

Feature Story by Zeb Fry / Photos by Elizabeth Wood

It was a full house at the Kudzu Klinic that was sponsored by the Georgia Dressage Combined Training Association and held at Bits & Bytes Farm.

I worked with organizers to have the fences be designed and set up as a competition course. It allowed some riders and horses to jump a full stadium course for the first time, while others tested their skills over triple combinations, skinny's and an intimidating chevron. My main objective was to keep each horse in the arena "moving" at all times and to have the riders think out-of-the-box and go a step above their comfort level when it came to jumping solid looking fences.

Straightness, rhythm and balance was not overlooked and it became clear to everyone that a forward horse doesn't mean a fast horse, but rather a horse that has "impulsion" and "thrust" from the hind quarters. I really appreciated how the riders worked so hard and went away with better plans and skills needed to properly jump fences.

It was a wonderful day for the horses and riders, with lovely weather, and good food. We were fortunate to also have Elizabeth Wood take the time to give a lecture on Thoroughbreds off the track during the lunch break. That was an added bonus.

A sincere "Thank You" goes out to Liz Heiden and Mary Andrews of the GDCTA who organized the event; to Bits & Bytes Farm who hosted the clinic on their lovely farm; and to all the auditors and riders who made for a successful day.