GM is nothing but a bully.

[Sunnyhorse]

[QUOTE=sunshinestate;5337891]
Actually I would like to see a clinic where trainers, or so-called trainers, work with George in a riding clinic. (I’m not talking about the Grand Prix Riders of today). Now that would sell some tickets and popcorn.

I would almost bet if 100 trainers were offered a free clinic that was being videotaped orlive streamed that more than half would have something more important to do.[/QUOTE]

Count me in to pay to see that – even if it weren’t fabulously educational, it would be fabulously entertaining.

[JSwan]

@findeight;5337757

:lol::lol::lol:

You left the “cry baby” off the end there though.

Well, I didn’t want to offend any of the delicate flowers on the BB.:lol:

Jackwagons!

[sptraining]

[QUOTE=sunshinestate;5337891]
Actually I would like to see a clinic where trainers, or so-called trainers, work with George in a riding clinic. (I’m not talking about the Grand Prix Riders of today). Now that would sell some tickets and popcorn.

I would almost bet if 100 trainers were offered a free clinic that was being videotaped orlive streamed that more than half would have something more important to do.[/QUOTE]

I would play…

[rileyt]

[QUOTE=Ibex;5337869]
There’s a difference between being tough and being abusive. GM crossed that line a long time ago…

What I did like were the comments that people NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR DRESSAGE. Maybe the message will finally sink in and more people will actually learn to ride.[/QUOTE]

Agreed Ibex.

You know, I have so say… I’m really suprised by the amount of support people have for GM on this thread.

I get that people may think he is God’s gift to horses and riders. (I think that there are lots of other people I’d rather train with… but to each his own)

I get that people may defend his methods generally. (Although I won’t)

But I’m shocked that people are defending this specific instance. Are you? Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this? Even assuming the girl rode 50 circles? [And let me clarify… that question has nothing to do with whether the girl should be able to “handle it”. Maybe she can… maybe she can’t… But that’s really not the point. Do you REALLY think its appropriate behavior? Because that’s what I’m hearing, and I couldn’t disagree more.]

[hntrjmprpro45]

[QUOTE=loshad;5337858]
I ride like a drunken monkey and thus would not waste GM’s time clinicing with him, but IIRC the big commandments of riding with him are:

1. Thou Shalt Pay Attention

2. Thou Shalt Try Hard

3. Thou Shalt Make Every Attempt To Do As You Are Told

4. Thou Shalt Be Fit Enough To Perform As An Athlete

Sounds like the girl from the OP violated 3 of the 4. Dumbbell is probably about right.[/QUOTE]

Yes GM values hard work and following directions MUCH more than talent of either horse or rider. He is not the type to be fooled by a fancy horse or “gimmicky” equitation. I have seen him praise hard working yet untalented riders while really coming down hard on those who “have it all” but do not try hard or those with attitude problems.

[Perfect_Pony]

@rileyt;5337931

Are you? Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this?

yes

[MHM]

[QUOTE=rileyt;5337931]
Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this? Even assuming the girl rode 50 circles? [And let me clarify… that question has nothing to do with whether the girl should be able to “handle it”. Maybe she can… maybe she can’t… But that’s really not the point. Do you REALLY think its appropriate behavior? Because that’s what I’m hearing, and I couldn’t disagree more.][/QUOTE]

Would it make any difference to you if it were less of a public setting? Personally, I don’t favor the idea of anyone having a “public” training style that differs from their “private” style. That’s a little too duplicitous for me.

In a perfect world, it would be great if everyone always used tact every time they spoke. It’s not a perfect world, though, and everybody still has to learn to live in it.

[Bethe_Mounce]

I’ve been called worse…in public…and lived to ride another day…

Is it inappropriate, his comments? Beats me, I wasn’t there. Is it ever appropriate to say what he said to anyone? Dunno…

Has the rider who was called that name appeared here on the boards to put forth her side of the story?

This all boils down to who can deal with Mr. Morris’ style of teaching and who cannot. We all have our thoughts on what is considered “rude” and what isn’t.

To each his own…

I would play if he took on the trainers…be there in a heartbeat…to ride!

[ponymom64]

We do our children a disservice if we are not tough with them.

I have a DD that rides and has ridden with some excellent, but very tough trainers - does she always like their criticisms or their delivery, no, but she realizes she’s there to learn from their experience. She has learned to have a tough skin. My 13 year old son plays on our local travel basketball team - we have a paid very accomplished coach who busts their a$$'s and yells at them, calls them lazy and makes them run suicides and laps when they aren’t trying or their technique is poor. He is my son’s favorite coach.

The only time either of my kids have had issues with coaches behaving badly are when that particular coach was not of the same calibre as their other coaches. They’ve learned that good coaches/trainers etc expect your best efforts and if you can’t give them that, be prepared to hear it.

Life is not for the faint of heart and if all you get from your parents, teachers and coaches is rainbows and butterflies - how does that set you up to be successful in the real world?

[BAC]

@rileyt;5337931

Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this?

You are making a mountain out of a molehill. I am so frustrated myself watching some of those kids being told over and over before they execute his command, what’s the matter with them? And how lazy is his “jump crew”? In every session he tells them to “hustle” yet still they saunter over to the jumps and leisurely adjust the fence. As far as work ethic, they have none, I would be telling them to get their fat lazy butts moving and cracking a lunge whip at them. I think GM is showing remarkable restraint. You would think after being told once they would learn to hustle.

[DMK]

@rileyt;5337931

But I’m shocked that people are defending this specific instance. Are you? Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this? Even assuming the girl rode 50 circles? [And let me clarify… that question has nothing to do with whether the girl should be able to “handle it”. Maybe she can… maybe she can’t… But that’s really not the point. Do you REALLY think its appropriate behavior? Because that’s what I’m hearing, and I couldn’t disagree more.]

You can disagree. I still say you don’t go to a GM clinic unless you are dead ass serious about improving yourself and your horse in this sport.

1. Whether his style achieves that for your horse and yourself comes down to individual personalities and not really relevant to the point.

2. If you were surprised by his style and didn’t like it, you didn’t do an ounce of research and were poorly prepared or just flew in from Outer Mongolia. Sux 2 b u.

3. If you did your research, were there to see if his style could help you and you were getting something out of it, isn’t this a case of you getting what you wanted?

4. Honestly, would we be having this discussion if you heard the exact same thing in a boot camp or football camp?

5. Later mom can tell you how wonderful you are, that’s what moms are for.

[2ndyrgal]

GM is, beyond a doubt, a hell of a horseman

And and hell of a rider, still. Though his comments in his recent riding pictorial in PH were a bit milder towards himself, than they would have been to a mere mortal sending in the same picture, and he defaults to using age and falls as a reason for his position. In his “clinics” where riders send in a picture, he does not allow the same liberties. He would be appalled by my horse’s current “fuzzy” mane growing out, feathers getting long state, he gets to be a horse, and I see no reason for him to be clipped and shined to the nines in order to correctly school him over fences. He is in good weight, feet trimmed. I don’t brush his tail out til he’s due for a bath, which will be about the end of march, and I won’t do his mane again until then either. I’ll be wearing half chaps and whatever is warm. My position will be the same as it’s been for 40 years (and I don’t do a crest release, because I learned to not rely on the reins for balance when I was about ten years old). My heels will be down, my leg will be exactly where it’s supposed to be and my horse will have his knees up and square and will be cracking his back like Rox Dene. I however, am no longer a size 6 and I ride a draft cross that you could foxhunt in any country and take over anything you’re brave enough to point him at. I am not going to ride with Mr. Morris
I addressed my disapointment with Mr. Morris’ rude behavior at WEG both on this forum and with the USET Foundation. While this bb was supportive, I received no reponse from Himself or the USET.

I

[Mayaty02]

I am of the camp that you knew what you were signing up for when you went to the clinic. Would I personally clinic with him, nope, but they are among the best young riders in the country so I’d expect they’d do a whole heck of alot better than me. Now if that was my daughter, would I be happy? No, but if he complimented her on something else she did, I would take the bad with the good.

If he was negative towards her for the whole clinic, I would have a bigger problem, but it’s my understanding that he also complimented her.

My favorite trainer from my teenage years was my toughest, she would just tell you to leave the ring and put the horse away if you weren’t trying hard enough or if you hadn’t polished your paddock boots or had dirty tack. What I loved about her though is when she complimented you, it meant THAT much more. And to this day, some 20+ yrs later, I can still hear her in my minds eye every time I get on a horse.

[Perfect_Pony]

@Mayaty02;5338016

My favorite trainer from my teenage years was my toughest, she would just tell you to leave the ring and put the horse away if you weren’t trying hard enough or if you hadn’t polished your paddock boots or had dirty tack. What I loved about her though is when she complimented you, it meant THAT much more. And to this day, some 20+ yrs later, I can still hear her in my minds eye every time I get on a horse.

To me those are the best trainers. I recently rode with a trainer that was a very, very good teacher. Never asked you to do something she didn’t KNOW you could do, yet always stretched your comfort zone. She is very tough when you mess up, but when she compliments you, you EARNED it!

There is nothing I hate more than a trainer that blows smoke up your butt the entire lesson. Please, just give me the truth and give it to me straight. If I am a dumbell doing an exercise call me a dumbell! But if you say something is done well, I want that to mean something too.

[sptraining]

Horses and children know when you’re fair. They both can take the discipline if they feel that it’s justified and when they receive compliments when they deserve them.

[amastrike]

[QUOTE=rileyt;5337931]

I get that people may think he is God’s gift to horses and riders.[/QUOTE]

No, I’m pretty sure he’s God.

[Lucassb]

[QUOTE=rileyt;5337931]
Agreed Ibex.

You know, I have so say… I’m really suprised by the amount of support people have for GM on this thread.

I get that people may think he is God’s gift to horses and riders. (I think that there are lots of other people I’d rather train with… but to each his own)

I get that people may defend his methods generally. (Although I won’t)

But I’m shocked that people are defending this specific instance. Are you? Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this? Even assuming the girl rode 50 circles? [And let me clarify… that question has nothing to do with whether the girl should be able to “handle it”. Maybe she can… maybe she can’t… But that’s really not the point. Do you REALLY think its appropriate behavior? Because that’s what I’m hearing, and I couldn’t disagree more.][/QUOTE]

No, I am not shocked.

And I don’t see anything wrong with what GM said.

I am quite sure he said it deliberately to get a rise out of the rider, who in his opinion was not trying to execute the exercise correctly after multiple efforts and with repeated instruction.

In other words, he said it in order to get her to try harder… not as a gratuitous insult (which is how you seem to be framing it.)

GM is known for being very demanding and for his lack of tolerance - not for mistakes, but for REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE. Which is what that rider was doing.

As others have pointed out, he later complimented the same rider for doing an exercise well.

[trubandloki]

You have one chance when you go into the ring at a show. It is not like you can come out and have your trainer pat you on the leg and tell you it is OK that you did not listen to them when they told you how the corner should ride, try again when you get your sip of water.

This was not a clinic of 6yo up downers who were expecting Barney to show up and they got GM by accident. This was a clinic of people who want to be pros and want to ride with the best of the best.

@Ibex;5337869

There’s a difference between being tough and being abusive. GM crossed that line a long time ago…

Abusive? You are kidding, right?

@rileyt;5337931

Are you? Do all of you really think its appropriate to call someone a dumbell in a public lesson like this?

She paid for his opinion, she got it. She was acting like an idiot, what was he supposed to do? Hold her hand and draw her some stick art?

And seriously, is the term dumbbell really that insulting to anyone? I am shocked that anyone thinks dumbbell is that offensive.

[Lucassb]

[QUOTE=ponymom64;5337992]
We do our children a disservice if we are not tough with them.

I have a DD that rides and has ridden with some excellent, but very tough trainers - does she always like their criticisms or their delivery, no, but she realizes she’s there to learn from their experience. She has learned to have a tough skin. My 13 year old son plays on our local travel basketball team - we have a paid very accomplished coach who busts their a$$'s and yells at them, calls them lazy and makes them run suicides and laps when they aren’t trying or their technique is poor. He is my son’s favorite coach.

The only time either of my kids have had issues with coaches behaving badly are when that particular coach was not of the same calibre as their other coaches. They’ve learned that good coaches/trainers etc expect your best efforts and if you can’t give them that, be prepared to hear it.

Life is not for the faint of heart and if all you get from your parents, teachers and coaches is rainbows and butterflies - how does that set you up to be successful in the real world?[/QUOTE]

Exactly.

[rileyt]

Arghhh… I feel like I’m beating my head against a wall… so I’m going to stop now.

But for the record, only two of you were brave enough to answer my question. (thank you Perfect Pony and Lucassb, although we’ll have to agree to disagree)

Everyone else is answering a whole host of questions I didn’t pose, and are really beside the point. In fact, you might be shocked to know that I ALSO think that (1) stroking kids egos unnecessarily is a bad idea; (2) that anyone who clinics with anyone should do their research beforehand and know what they’re likely to get; (3) in an ideal world, no one should be so fragile that one unkind comment from a moron makes them fall to pieces (although let’s recognize that teenage girls don’t tend to have the thickest skins); (4) sometimes everyone needs to hear the cold hard truth – especially in competitive sports; and (5) I agree that there are far worse things to be called than a dumbell. But never mind that… because it really isn’t the subject of my original question.