Revolution Equestrian LLC

11/06/2024

11/06/2024

We are overjoyed to introduce Sarah Chapin as our working student, accompanied by her horse Kai! Sarah possesses an impressive expertise in horsemanship and riding/showing in the Hunter/jumper industry, making her an invaluable addition! Sarah will be with us until she heads to Sweet Briar College, where she’s already secured a spot on their elite D1 Equestrian team!

10/21/2024

This weekend's mock show was a triumphant display of camaraderie and passion, uniting the Stetson Equestrian Team, lesson students, and boarders. The abundance of smiles served as a poignant reminder that our pursuit of equestrian distinction is rooted in the profound joy and fulfillment derived from riding these exceptional animals. Thank you to this amazing barn family for all the help and support given out this weekend ❤️

10/12/2024

George Morris, top left, became well known for saying "More hip angle" at his clinics. In his picture he demonstrates a perfect Balanced or Fort Riley Seat jumping position. His feet are on the girth and "home" in the stirrups, just like the right picture of a US Cavalryman.

That right picture was posted in the comments of this page by a woman who sadly, I do not remember her name. She said that this picture is "uncle Eddie". Morris learned his jumping position, that won him international competition acclaim, from Gordon Wright, a former Fort Riley riding instructor.

The top center image is of show jumping Hall of Fame rider Michael Matz. Note that he is on the balls of his feet in order to add the additional flexibility of the ankle joint. Additionally, his feet are somewhat behind the girth or "back on the pegs", as motorcycle riders say, to help absorb the power of large stadium jumps.

These two changes to the original Fort Riley Seat are civilian adaptations for stadium jumping where there are no terrain changes. Note that all the top images riders are not leaning on their horse's necks in a crest release, and thus can follow the movement of their horses' heads and necks over a jump.

The bottom row of images shows riders jumping with their hands on the neck in a crest release, a jumping position that Morris eventually promoted. These riders have far less hip angle. Their feet have slid well behind the girth resulting in a very unathletic position.

When you see a tennis player waiting for a serve, or a linebacker waiting for the play in crouched athletic positions, you see a very agile stance, ready for movement in any direction. This is the basic athletic position for all sports that we also see in the Balanced or Fort Riley position.

Riders stretched out over the horse neck, as in the bottom row, are not athletically ready for movement in any direction. Their jumping positions are vulnerable and unsafe due to their extended hip angles. Quick changes in direction from their horses could put them on the ground. Perhaps this is why Morris constantly can be seen in his clinic videos yelling "More hip angle". Leaning on the neck makes establishing a proper hip angle, and thus a balanced position, more difficult and more dangerous.

10/12/2024

Say it louder for the people in the back 📣

10/10/2024

We were very fortunate once again to have no flooding or major damage to the property 🎉 all horses and humans were safe and happy and are ready to get back to work! Thank you again to the Revolution Family for stepping up and assisting where needed you are the best! 🙏🏼❤️

10/09/2024

Everyone is safe and secure ready for hurricane Milton. Thank you to everyone for the endless support and help over the past few days for round two! I couldn’t have done it without you! 🙏🏼❤️

09/30/2024

Home ❤️ enjoying home life before horse show craziness begins!

09/26/2024

Bacon Bit gets the best hurricane spot out of everyone……. In my house! He loves the Trolls movies as well and is ready for some popcorn 🍿

09/26/2024

Thank you to everyone who helped get us prepared for the hurricane we couldn’t have done it without you! Even though we may not get the brunt of it I find it best to always be prepared for the worst case scenario in case it shifts last second.

09/16/2024

A member asks: Is the crest release in the hunter division acceptable? Or, shall I position my hands against the neck close to the crest/mane?

Julie Winkel with Maplewood Stables responds: “A crest release is in fact resting your hands on the crest. A long crest release has more loop in the rein, while a shorter crest release is closer to the withers. Either is acceptable, as long as you are allowing your horse to use his head & neck in a natural way to jump his best. Additionally, riding ‘out of hand’ (also called an automatic release) by an accomplished rider can create a beautiful jump with immediate and invisible communication on the landing side.

A mane release doesn’t create the best jump in the hunters, but may display a dependable mount in the lower levels. Use the release that showcases your horse the best, without interfering!”

Read that last sentence again. 👌👌

Photo of Rodney Jenkins showing the subtlety of the short crest release when done perfectly.

Learn more by reading our 6-part blog series on Mastering All Releases. Intro 👉 https://equestriancoach.com/mastering-all-releases-a-series-introduction-part-1/

09/11/2024

Hunter Holloway. Zazou Hoffman. TJ O’Mara. Victoria Colvin. McKayla Langmeier. All five riders rode to victory in equitation championships in the last decade. Beyond the accolades, these riders have much in common—most notably, the skills that not only led them to their historic wins, but also s...

09/04/2024

Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity. This week.....

09/02/2024

Elliot appreciation post! Elliot is one of our gorgeous lesson horses with the sweetest personality and loads of talent as a future hunter! Thank you Elliot for being you 🦄💗