Words by Suzy Jarratt and Photos by Cameron Grant Photography
A puff of smoke spiralled up from the rail as Dirk Schrade made adjustments to the jump – he then continued the lesson.
“I know I should give it up,” he declared during a break at Wallaby Hill where he and Christopher Burton were hosting an eventing clinic.
“I’m a serious smoker, that’s for sure”, confessed the 36-year-old. “I do workouts such as running in the forest and I’m fitter than many other eventers but I know I should give away the cigarettes. In Germany we have to do an annual physical test – we go on treadmills and have things attached to us. I usually do better than all the others but this year there were signs that I should stop. Up until now I’ve never even tried but now I’m going to.”
Hopefully he will be as successful giving away cigarettes as he has been accruing medals.
Schrade is one of the world’s best, his most recent triumph being a team gold on Hop and Skip at the WEG.
His theory is that Germany is doing well since eventing became more technical without roads and tracks and steeplechase. As he told editor, Chris Hector, in the October 2014 edition of The Horse Magazine:
“Everything became more precise – a higher level in dressage, showjumping and even in the cross country. It’s more technical – this makes it for Germany a little easier.”
“Years ago if you were brave and a hard worker you could still make it to the top. Nowadays you really need riding skills on the flat. Being brave in showjumping and cross country is no longer enough.
“We don’t learn riding at pony club. In the beginning we’re on the longe, then we work in the school; we don’t go out on a hack until we can ride a proper dressage test – it’s considered too dangerous. That idea might be a bit much but for modern eventing it helps having the horses really on your aids. And also our horses are Thoroughbred and Warmblood crosses which help us to be successful.”
Schrade is based in Sprockhovel near Wuppertal half-an-hour from Dusseldorf Airport.
He works many horses and says he has a good eye for promising young ones.
Dirk and Shardanne Bain
“I really enjoy training, selling them on and seeing them do well with other people. And that’s how I make money.”
For dressage his ‘eyes on the ground’ belong to his partner, international rider, Johanna von Fircks.
“And I showjump and cross country with Felix Foch and Yoshiaki Oiwa who are my training partners.”
Kenki Sato is another Japanese rider who’s played a pivotal role in Schrade’s competitive life.
“He comes from a family of equestrians and Buddhist priests and spent four years in the mountains becoming a monk. I sold him Hop and Skip and he went from one-star to WEG in a year and-a-half – the dressage was crap I have to say.”
“Kenki decided he wanted a horse which was better at dressage so I sold him Chippieh. An owner of mine (Freya Rethmeier) bought Hop and Skip and I’ve been riding him ever since.”
“In 2015 I won’t be going overseas to compete – I have too many horses at home, it’s too much effort and too much money. I’ll take him to Luhmuhlen and then, hopefully to the European Championships.”
During his time at Wallaby Hill he found that the riders displayed two very bad habits.
“Everyone tends to carry their hands too high,” he lamented. “It takes the concentration away from the fence, breaks the horses in the middle and blocks the shoulder.”
“I don’t know if that’s what’s trained here in Australia but it is bad.”
“And the other thing, and I’ve seen it overseas, too, is at fences which have a deep drop. The riders sit like they’re on the flat,” said Schrade, demonstrating with a lurch forward from his chair.
“This can bring trouble – if they’re jumping into water they’ll end up standing next to their horse.”
Dirk and Kathy McKinnon
“My idea of riding a cross country jump with a deep landing is to give them more neck so they can balance. Sit like you’re supporting them instead of leaning on their shoulders.”
“Why does everyone do it here? It would be to your advantage if you did it differently.”
Before his break he had schooled novice one star rider, Jeanan Yassen, through the water continually instructing her to ‘keep your hands near the breastplate’; ‘when he takes off you soften’; ‘one more time – stay relaxed keep your hands down’; ‘a little bit more open and one stride less’.
On another part of the cross country course Christopher Burton was giving the juniors a free-of-charge work out – he wasn’t mincing words nor pulling any punches.
After discussions with Wallaby Hill principal, Alex Townsend, he had agreed to donate his time to twenty young eventers.
Chris with Lachie Dawes
Explained Alex: “Chris and I felt there were quite a lot of Australian riders based in the UK who received funding from Equestrian Australia. At Christmas they come back to see their families and friends and conduct clinics. That’s all very well and good but the point is we’re losing talent overseas and when they come back we have to pay to receive their wisdom. We thought it’d be a nice thing if they put something back. Christopher was keen to help the juniors and that’s what he’s doing this Saturday.”
Burton gave praise where it was due but was quick to scold any rider who wasn’t straight, couldn’t immediately halt or couldn’t count their strides. The going wasn’t muddy but he told everyone to wear studs.
“In Australia the ground gets hard, the horses turn a corner and slip on the dry grass and they get scared. So put them in.”
“I want to see riders schooling horses not horses schooling riders. When you’re training don’t leave any stone unturned.”
“If you can’t ride a halt how can you ride a half halt?” he said to young Lachie Dawes whose horse had taken too many strides before stopping.
Lachie had come from Millthorpe, five hours away, and was inspired after working with Burton.
“My horse, Piper, was bred at Sandhills by Prue and Craig Barrett. My mentor’s been Sam Lyle, I love the way he treats his horses and rides in such a relaxed manner. I’m hoping to move up to two star next year.”
“Chris was very good helping me to move out of my stride, getting me to move to a fence and find my spot.”
Timing, pace, balance – these were the vital elements to riding cross country stated Burton.
“It’s a little bit risky, a little bit scary – that’s what it’s all about,” he told the assembled fledglings.
And while the riders were young some of the horses were aged.
“There’s plenty to learn from him,” he said to Stephanie Collins about 18-year-old Woznme, “but you have to think about having another one.”
“He was George Sheridan’s old three-star horse,” explained Stephanie. “I got him about two-and-a-half years ago after he had an injury. He’s sound now and he’s been such a good horse for me.”
But at some stage young eventers have to upgrade.
“I’m donating my time to the good young riders in Australia who’ll go on and be our representatives. If your horse isn’t good enough don’t waste my time. Don’t waste your time. Get another one. Nag mum and dad – get two or three if you have to.”
A murmur went around the assembled mothers looking on from the sidelines ‘we don’t have much money’; ‘we can only afford to keep one’; ‘did he have to say that?’
During his break Burton explained the reason for his bluntness.
“I found myself being quite harsh on the riders,” he said, “but I wasn’t going to sugar coat it for them. If they want to do this professionally it’s a lot of hard work and you have to do it right. I want to talk to them about how they’re going to get there and how they’re best going to represent their country.”
When told some of the mothers began shuddering upon hearing the need for a new horse and having no money to buy one Burton was unmoved.
“There are other ways, aren’t there?” he responded, “it’s not always about money. I didn’t come to Sydney with a bucket load of it. I did, however, have very supportive parents. There is always a way; so to hide behind the fact that you can’t afford it is not a good enough excuse.”
“At this clinic all you can do is talk about the important things. I’m very fussy about straightness and control. It always fascinates me when I ask people to stop their horse that it takes 5 to 6 strides before it does so – that really winds me up.”
Christopher with Thea Horsley
So what are his thoughts on eventing internationally?
“Good question; we could talk about it for hours. The World Championships are often considered tougher than the Olympics. The Australians coped but the Germans were unbeatable in those conditions. They’ve bred Thoroughbred into their good jumping and dressage horses and we’re finding them hard to beat.”
“I thought the course at the WEG was good although the ground was appalling. I like the balance we’ve got at the moment. Not too unjumpable, not ridiculously big or taxing on the horse.”
When the 33-year-old returns to his yard in Surrey he will begin preparing for the new season. This property, in Godalming, is close to eventing internationals like Pippa Funnell, Kevin McNab and Tina Cook, and sharing it with him is Australian partner, Bek Thompson, an eventing rider herself who handles all the office work.
“We have Jamaimo and we’re quite excited about Graf Liberty, who’s stepping nicely up to four star – I think a prospect for Rio. I feel the same about Tempranillo, she’s having a bit of time off but she’s a lovely mare. She’s tricky and quirky but has everything to win gold at Rio. She’s owned by the very generous Alan Skinner, as is Haruzac, and Graf Liberty’s syndicated.”
Rosie Cohen
Another horse owned by Skinner was at this clinic being ridden by Charlie Brister.
“Alan’s a great asset to Australian eventing,” said the young eventer/trainer. “Gemini’s a four-year-old and I’ve just had a tune up with Burto. We went OK but I need to be more particular and exact when I ride.”
Brister had also brought some other rides to Wallaby Hill, one of which was a chestnut pinto.
“Ashmead Her Highness is a one star Irish Sport Horse, Dirk said she looked like a cow! I suppose she has the same markings as a Hereford. Apparently they don’t have coloured horses in Germany.”
“Like any top trainer Dirk’s messages were very simple but very effective.”
“When I was riding the ‘Hereford’ a toddler was passing by and the mare became very resistant. I was told to slow her down, come back to the walk, leg yield off the inside leg into the outside rein – she then began to concentrate.”
Charlie Brister
These little things help when you spend all your time teaching, schooling and re-educating from your yard in Mulgoa, 66 kms west of Sydney. In the past Brister spent time in Germany.
“I worked at Böckmann’s where half the day was cleaning stables and the other half riding orangutans which nobody else wanted to get on.”
These days he continues to ride tricky horses, but not if they’re too dangerous.
“I haven’t come off since January last year. It was quite a bad fall and I’m getting a bit more selective about which ones I get on.”
As well as a bunch of horses he also has a degree in political science.
“There are a lot of politics in riding like horse administrators, dealers, pupils, mothers – so hopefully it’ll come in handy.”
Rachael Lee, from Somersby on the NSW Central Coast, was another rider who came with horses at varying levels.
She had very positive experiences in all classes with both trainers.
“Dirk’s cross country lessons were very different and very well explained.”
“He was especially interested in Lansina, my mare by Lander which I bought from Stuart Tinney. I’ll be taking her to Equitana to try out for Dirk’s masterclass.”
Helen Hamilton-James loved every moment of her time at Wallaby Hill.
“Dirk was amazing, he has the ability to spot the rider’s issue quickly and then communicate in a really clear and effective way what’s needed to be done differently. For example ‘sit up and keep your hands down’ sounds simple but it made a huge difference to how my horse went.”
“He tailored his comments to the riders’ level really well and each combination improved substantially.”
“I’d love to see him come back.”
This article first appeared in the December 2014 issue of THM.