Genoka
Thomassy
Eclipse - Andalusian
Belle - Andalusian
I live in the
country an hour north of Austin. My Andalusian owner friends
in San Antonio raved about Michael Vermaas back when he
arrived so when I had the chance to see him teach and ride
at a clinic at Kay Skillern’s in south Austin last October I
went. I was so impressed that I immediately began hauling my
husband’s ¾ Andalusian gelding Eclipse down to Kay’s for
weekly jumping training with Michael. Shortly thereafter,
Bellona (Belle), our young Andalusian mare, began coming
along for some beginning work with Michael. We continued in
this fashion and at clinics until mid-December when both
horses went to Retama Equestrian Center (where Michael is
based) for more intensive training.
Eclipse had
been jumped intermittently before and even foxhunted first
field on a couple of occasions. He’d go over 3’+ coops but
he’d never been properly shown how to jump. His previous
jumping training had pretty much consisted of me pointing
him at an obstacle at sufficient speed to clear it. Being a
very willing boy, he always did but it wasn’t pretty.
Michael taught him how to use his body. Eclipse’s stride
length increased and there was more "jump" in his canter.
His rhythm became steadier, slower and more cadenced. His
body developed in all the right places and he carried
himself with more pride even in the paddock. And his form
over jumps improved dramatically. Michael gave him the
guidance to find his own balance and confidence.
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Eclipse spent
part of December and all of January at Retama having a
couple of jumping lessons per week and working on dressage
on the other days. In March we resumed the weekly lessons
but this time with me in the saddle. I was much worse than
the horse ever was! My jumping had consisted mainly of
foxhunting on borrowed horses back home. The friend who
"taught" me instructed me on how to stay on and not hit the
horse in the mouth and I pretty much managed that but my
form was hideous and I wasn’t "with" the horse.
 I am thrilled
with the progress I’ve made in just a few lessons. Though I
have quite a ways to go to be a consistently good jump
rider, there are now moments when I pretty much get it
right. However I’m most happy with the fact that when things
do go a bit wrong I no longer always revert to my previous
defensive style of riding. My position is improving as is my
understanding of how to ride to the jumps. And funniest of
all, the jumps are getting smaller. I thought 2’ 9" was 2’
the other day. Usually it’s the other way around!
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