I was browsing through the photos on C. Mann’s website and came across this one.
http://www.cmannphoto.com/2006_WEG/SJ_Top25/pages/06WEG25153.htm
Who is this horse and rider? I’m drawing a blank on the names!
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on Shutterfly
She doesn’t seem to be employing the GM style of riding!
Actually she is, at least in part. She is using the direct release and even in this month’s column in PH George mentions that this is a high skill and grossly underused in the USA.
And the angle on the picture does not lend well to an equitation critique.
~Emily
I don’t think her equitation looks bad at all, actually. OTOH, she’s using a pelham with bit converters, which I hate, even for little kids on ponies.
The way she’s riding looks very elegant to me, but
I can’t tell if her heels are really down; and she’s halfway looking down.
At least she isn’t pivoting on her knees like so many jumper riders.
I THINK GM would love her leg, her body position and her hands.
But I know nothing, so all the above is IMHO.
I was struck by her release. I wanted to have this picture saved as a shot of what an automatic release should look like- but wanted to make sure it was properly credited. Thanks!
Flipping through the pictures it looks like most riders are using bit converters.
Edited to Add** I think the converters are for ease only for the sake of trying to fit one rein as opposed to two in the running martingale loop. You wouldn’t want a rein getting stuck in the ring on the running martingale while trying to jump 5’+
It is indeed Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and Shutterfly – who reached the final four and finished in the bronze medal position.
Not much to critique about that :rolleyes:
She looks pretty friggin’ awesome to me.
Ths is not an equitation class ! this is the WEG. No matter how you sit or release or whatevern this is about getting over the jumps - clear - and fast…
Does anybody remember or have seen kevin bacon form Australia ? Well that was an intersting style…
[QUOTE=lonewolf;1860528]
It is indeed Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and Shutterfly – who reached the final four and finished in the bronze medal position.
Not much to critique about that :rolleyes:
She looks pretty friggin’ awesome to me.[/QUOTE]
I was wanting to pretty much write something like this yesterday when I first saw these posts about MMB’s equitation. I had no words to, though. Thanks Lonewolf!
As far as her riding, I think her balance on the horse over fences is in a class apart. You can see this in pics, as well as when you see her ride (which I luckily have had the opportunity to several times)… Her way of riding interferes least with the horse. She has been (one of) the most consistently successful International Show Jumper riders in the past 3 years.
To the internationals, there is an “American” style of jumper riding, which has been around since the 1930’s. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was trained in that style when it was still very prominent, both here and internationally.
If I remember correctly, she did quite well in equitation classes in her youth.
It is possible, after all these years in Germany, that she has achieved a merging of German and American styles into some quite new. Or that she has retained the American style and brought it to the same heights that Beezie Madden has. If you recall, Authentic was the hardest horse to ride, and Michaels-Beerbaum made him look as if she had been riding him for years. That’s riding the American style on an American style trained horse.
I do know that when she won the world cup in Las Vegas, Melanie Smith Taylor commented on how beautifully she rode in the American style.
I should mention that in the American style of riding, form follows function. Thus, good form should equal good function. It ain’t just muscling over jumps; it’s also making it the easiest way possible for the horse. That’s why Authentic wanted a “light” ride. I doubt if rollkur is used for American GP horses very often. And why we comment on rider form
With GM as chef, the US is doing very well internationally.
Off my soapbox now.
[QUOTE=S4zeus;1860109]
Edited to Add** I think the converters are for ease only for the sake of trying to fit one rein as opposed to two in the running martingale loop. You wouldn’t want a rein getting stuck in the ring on the running martingale while trying to jump 5’+[/QUOTE]
I don’t know anyone who puts both sets of reins through the running martingale loop; I’m not sure how/if that would work. Everyone I know runs only the snaffle rein through it, even when they have two sets of reins.
[QUOTE=Illyria;1861023]
I don’t know anyone who puts both sets of reins through the running martingale loop; I’m not sure how/if that would work. Everyone I know runs only the snaffle rein through it, even when they have two sets of reins.[/QUOTE]
This is the correct method, absolutely right!! :yes:
[QUOTE=vineyridge;1860836]
To the internationals, there is an “American” style of jumper riding, which has been around since the 1930’s. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was trained in that style when it was still very prominent, both here and internationally.
If I remember correctly, she did quite well in equitation classes in her youth.
It is possible, after all these years in Germany, that she has achieved a merging of German and American styles into some quite new. Or that she has retained the American style and brought it to the same heights that Beezie Madden has. If you recall, Authentic was the hardest horse to ride, and Michaels-Beerbaum made him look as if she had been riding him for years. That’s riding the American style on an American style trained horse.
I do know that when she won the world cup in Las Vegas, Melanie Smith Taylor commented on how beautifully she rode in the American style.
I should mention that in the American style of riding, form follows function. Thus, good form should equal good function. It ain’t just muscling over jumps; it’s also making it the easiest way possible for the horse. That’s why Authentic wanted a “light” ride. I doubt if rollkur is used for American GP horses very often. And why we comment on rider form
With GM as chef, the US is doing very well internationally.
Off my soapbox now.[/QUOTE]
now here’s a secret I will gladly share with you all:
I am from a very horsey family (eventing/dressage) in Germany and when I grew up (was a teen in the 70’s) I can clearly remember that my whole family LOVED the excellent riding style of the then competing american amazones- they are a loved trademark in Germany- of course against our German male riders…who ride like Lutger or others…but I have to pay my respects to whoever trained those beautiful female jumper riders- that show class, equitation and style over fences…smart man that Marcus Beerbaum (brother of Ludger) to marry one of the best of the bunch…!! Bravo Meredith!
Big difference.
I agree that all those photos show differences. But just one photo can’t describe what a rider normally does.
To my thinking, the best current exponent of the classic American style is Laura Chapot. If you Google Images for her, you’ll see a whole series of photos of her over jumps. Here’s just one example:
http://horsenpony.com/images/wef2003/wef0302261.jpg
But she is by an Olympic medalist out of an Olympic rider. !!!
Margie Engel is just over 5 feet tall, and I’m sure that affects her riding. FYI. 
Here is a photo from the American Show Jumping Hall of Fame of military rider Franklin Wing on Democrat. It’s gorgeous!
http://www.showjumpinghalloffame.net/gfx/sjhf_inductees/f_wing.jpg
The point is this; MMB does not ride in the “American” style any more. Wonder why?
Doesn’t she?
That’s a question worth some research.
