Bo Jena Clinic, personal experience
by Suzin Daly

    March 14 – 16, 2003 I had the opportunity to ride with Bo Jena at Los Alamos Dressage Center, Freehold, NJ. Living in Raleigh, North Carolina the drive would be eight hours. Owen, my husband, agreed to come along with me for company and to share some of the driving. About five hours into our trek to New Jersey, Owen commented “This is a very long drive for a riding lesson!”

   Over the winter I decided to see what it would be like to work with International riders/clinicians. Since training in Europe is not an option, I would try to ride in clinics with trainers of International reputation. When Gail Hoff-Carmona of Los Alamos suggested that I come up and ride with Bo Jena I jumped at the opportunity. I will write immediately that working with Bo Jena for three days was worth the drive.
Bo is detailed oriented and works with the riders and horses to produce softness, suppleness and elasticity. It has been a long time since in a training session the instructor made corrections right down to how my thumb should be. Bo is easily understood and explicit in his instruction. He has patience and helps you to get more from yourself and your horse. When riders make mistakes, and I made a lot of them Bo is quick to say “no problem.” You know how it is, trainer says right, you go left. All through my training sessions Bo was constantly asking, “do you feel…”. It was work, very exhilarating and definitely a feeling of accomplishment even after the first day.

   Who is Bo Jena? Bo Jena is the director of the dressage program at Flyinge, the National Stud of Sweden. He has worked at Flyinge for the past 30 years, where he has directed the dressage program, worked side by side with Kyra Kyrklund, and has trained and shown numerous stallions in long reins as well as under saddle up through Grand Prix dressage. Bo Jena is also a competitor and FEI level judge in Sweden. Bo Jena has taken a sabbatical to come to the United States with his family. You can find further information by going to the SWANA web site and clicking on the Bo Jena Clinic.

   This is a summary of my personal training sessions with Bo Jena riding L.A. Baltic Sundance. Bo started Sundance out long reining. He warmed him up on a large circle looking to obtain the acceptance of the outside rein. One of the techniques he used was having Sundance yielding, moving away like when you leg yield. At times Bo brought Sundance back to the walk and was almost having him full pass until Sundance took the outside rein and then moving forward again on the circle. Once Sundance accepted the outside rein he would focus on the inside flexion and then he had Sundance move on to transitions. It was fascinating to watch Bo work. Long reining effectively is an art in itself. I could see the horse getting more over his back and stepping a little more under.

   Bo always positions himself on the inside. He has the outside rein over the back through the top ring of the surcingle and attached to the bit. What was interesting was the inside rein goes through the bit first then attaches to the inside ring of the surcingle. This is a new way to attach a long rein in my experience. As Sundance improved Bo then went on with lateral movements. I found it impressive how precise Bo was in bringing Sundance down centerline and having him yield to the wall. I was thrilled when Bo called me into the ring and put the long reins into my hands. I could feel and maintain the outside rein. Sundance had lateral bending with a relaxed inside rein. Bo worked right beside me so I could maintain what he had achieved. He stressed soft wrists. Bo assisted me in developing half halts with long rein and emphasized the importance of yielding with soft wrist and fingers when the horse responded. Through Bo guidance I was able to also come down centerline (maybe not as precise) and have Sundance yield to the wall. We ended the long reining with some work in Piaffe. It was so much fun. There was no question that Sundance was sitting down. I was thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to long rein Sundance in Piaffe. Sundance was relaxed through the training session. Making lovely breathing snorts in Piaffe.

   Bo ended the long reining session and it was time to ride. I wondered if the long reining achievements would transfer when ridden? The moment I sat on Sundance’s back I knew. Yes, the long reining work does transfer to riding. Sundance was energized, elastic and relaxed. Bo had me riding very forward and keeping Sundance over his back. He was very specific that I keep my hands together, thumbs up and to sit very tall. He used the word snobbish, sit snobbish. He has a very good sense of humor. Bo had me work mostly in canter maintain forward impulsion. Bo was adamant that I not lose the rhythm in the turns or circles. I became very aware how I would let Sundance change slightly through the corners. I heard often, “Don’t let him quit.” Transitions to trot where obedient and forward without rushing. I was able to keep the trot rhythm consistent. When Bo asked if I could feel his back, I could absolutely feel his back. We did lots of changes of rein maintaining consistency. I tend to be detail oriented and I was made even more so with Bo. I could feel how Sundance ever so slightly raises his poll in up transitions. I felt his back slightly drop as a result. Bo guided me in becoming more effective in making these corrections.

   The second day Bo opted that I ride the full session. He would long rein again the beginning of the third day. We did more lateral work and strived to get Sundance to jump more in the canter. Sundance tends to be a bit flat and Bo wanted more. I didn’t think the horse could do more. Bo was insistent in what he wanted from us. He guided me in becoming a more effective rider. As a result Sundance developed better gaits. We did a lot of very basic work and I understood where Bo was going with the work. What I really appreciate in Bo is how he can be repetitive; get more from horse and rider without rider and horse getting into a resistant argument.

   The last day Bo again long reined Sundance. He did more lateral work with Sundance and asked for more collection. I again got to man the long reins and Bo and I worked together with Sundance to improve his Piaffe. When Sundance lost energy Bo would tic him on the croup to let him know he can’t quit. Bo was quick giving me corrections so I would keep Sundance straight and on the wall. Bo was clear that I should walk on the inside and not behind the horse.

   Under saddle Sundance was more solid and very willing to move forward cleanly with jump. Bo expected more from me in precision. For example, in shoulder-in he had me work off the wall so the horse cannot use the wall as a crutch. Working off quarter line let me know how honest the shoulder-in truly is. There where a few times I felt the drift either forward or back. When I went to correct the drift forward I ended up shortening the neck and that needed correcting. Bo pointed out that the lateral work should never have a stuck feeling. Everything needs to flow with ease. Bo takes the time for the rider to achieve this. We ended with flying changes and working on more throughness so I wouldn’t have that slight poll lift in the moment of change. I definitely felt a big difference in such a short amount of time. Later after watching the video of my training session I saw that Bo did let some small things slide. I didn’t use the corners of the arena, as I should have. However, I also realize he can’t fix everything in three days. The work I achieved with Bo Jena I have been able to maintain back home. I look forward to my next training session with Bo in May in North Carolina.

   Bo Jena and Gail Hoff-Carmona are putting together videotape on training horses in hand for breed shows and training for free jumping. I was able to view the taping Friday. As it turned out, good thing Owen came with me. Seems they had lost their cameraperson and Owen became cinematographer for the taping. Bo and Owen worked very well together. I believe it will be an excellent educational tape. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

Note: Bo and Gail have successfully produced 'How to Train and Present Horses in Hand and Free Jumping'. If your interested in obtaining a copy go to SWANA

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Hidden Spring Farm, Monroe North Carolina May 24th & 25th, 2003, NC
by Suzin Daly

  Hidden Spring Farm is owned and operated by Barbara and Tom Ritz. Their daughter Diane Ritz heads up the training and instructing. Diane is competing the Swedish Warmblood Stallion Trond, owned by Linda Oliver of Maryland.

  Bo started out demonstrating how you can long rein without the use of a surcingle. Equipment is simple and easy. Equipment includes three metal rings; longReinSample
two double end snaps, and a short strap. For this session Bo used the strap from a Flash noseband but he noted that you could also use a spur strap or girth loop. One double snap and ring is attached to each D ring of your saddle. You use the strap around the girth to hold the ring at saddle flap level. Bo used the second ring on the horse’s stiff side. You can switch this ring over to the other side if needed when switching directions. The outside rein runs from bit through the ring over the withers of the horse. Here is what is interesting for the inside rein. He runs the rein through the girth ring, then to the bit outside to inside and back to the girth and attached the rein there. This assists in keeping the horse from pulling on the stiff side. He works on keeping the horse on the outside rein working with half halts and using leg-yielding movements on the circle and diagonal. As the horse starts to accept the outside rein the horse seems to straighten himself. Most horses that Bo started on the long reins counter bend. Many of the auditors thought Bo was bending them to the outside but then with Bo’s commentary on what the process is, realized this was due to the horse not accepting the contact. As the horse did accept the contact the horse straightened himself and Bo would then establish the inside bend.

  Most of the riders did not have their horses long reined. The theme for this clinic seemed to be forward and working with lateral combinations. Bo made a point that horses should not stop; stopping is not an option, there should be no hesitation going forward in the gait. With most of the riders he wanted more forward, but not rushing, more activity in the hind legs. Bo stressed the importance of soft hands and wrists. The horse must respond from the rider’s leg. One of the Bo-isms is “Sometimes you have to be a little angry with your legs.” With the advanced work of Shoulder- In and Half-Passes Bo put combinations together. For example; Bo would have the rider Half-Pass right to centerline. One centerline the rider moves the horse into Shoulder-In and rides Shoulder-in down centerline. From Shoulder-in the rider rides a half circle onto the track and immediately rides forward medium trot back to collection. This combination shows how supple and forward your horse truly is. There where many riders who felt like their horse had one beer to many. During these combination exercises additional Bo-ism where heard, “That’s OK” and “No problem.” It was clear to me that Bo understood that riders are going to make mistakes. He had the riders repeat the lateral work combinations until the horse and rider improved. It usually takes a few attempts to get the feel and coordination for these types of exercises. It is not just the horse, riders have to become clear in their communications to the horse. Sometimes your body parts don’t always work, as you would like. But for each of the riders the pieces seem to come together the lateral work combinations.

  Bo worked with many riders on their flying changes. Being late behind seemed to be common in this clinic. With horses that are late behind Bo had the riders do a small circle to energize the haunches, then go very forward down the long side and ask for the change. Along the way, as he worked through difficulties such as these, Bo could sometimes be heard to make an intense Grrrr sound with a Swedish inflection. In the end they would work through the problem with smiles all around.

Next clinic stop Bluebird Farm, Friendship Maryland, June 28th & 29th, MD

  Bluebird Farm in Friendship, MD is owned and operated by Lucy and Bill Wilson. This lovely farm, only four miles from the Chesapeake Bay, was an ideal setting for the clinic with Bo Jena. Organized by Lucy Wilson and sponsored by the Southern Maryland Chapter, the clinic had an excellent turnout of riders and auditors.

  Bo Jena is the director of the dressage program at Flyinge, the National Stud of Sweden, where he has worked for the past 30 years. Bo is a world-renowned expert on training horses from the ground using long-reining techniques. He has worked side by side with Kyra Kyrklund, and has trained and shown numerous stallions up through Grand Prix. Bo is also a competitor and FEI level judge in Sweden. Recently he has taken a short sabbatical from Flyinge to come to the United States with his family.

  Bo is detail-oriented and works with the riders and horses to produce softness, suppleness, and elasticity. He is easily understood and explicit in his instruction. He has patience and helps you to get more from yourself and your horse.

  In this clinic, riders had the option of either long reining or riding or both. Since most of the riders were interested in learning more about long reining, Bo made a point of presenting long reining demonstrations. The first was with Guapo, a 7-year-old Thoroughbred owned by Rachael Rosenfeld. Preparing Guapo, Bo pointed out that a wide leather surcingle with about 15 rings is the best type for long reining. The rings are adjusted at about 1 ½” apart, so you have many options for raising or lowering the long reins as needed. This type of surcingle is usually well padded for a secure fit. It is placed over a saddlecloth or you can use a surcingle pad.

  In long reining, Bo always positions himself on the inside. Bo attaches the outside rein from the bit through the top ring over the back. The inside rein goes through the bit first, then attaches to an inside ring of the surcingle. Bo will start on a circle establishing the outside rein. Most horses will counter bend. Bo uses leg-yielding movements to help the horse accept the outside rein. As the horse accepts the outside rein, he will start to straighten himself. Using small half-halts on the inside rein, Bo establishes the inside bend only after the horse has accepted the outside connection. With Guapo, Bo demonstrated how to teach the horse to do lateral work and how to introduce the small trot. The small trot is one of the first steps to introducing piaffe and passage.

  The next demonstration horse was the Swedish stallion L.A. Baltic Sundance, owned by Suzin Daly of North Carolina. Because Sundance would also be ridden after the long reining, Bo used double-ended snaps and rings on each D ring of the saddle. With Sundance, Bo demonstrated the next step in developing the small trot to piaffe and passage. Sundance has more experience and could show the small trot - to piaffe - back to small trot. Bo stressed the importance of the rhythm. Slow trot must be developed before you can piaffe or passage. Bo said, “Many horses need to go in a small trot, maybe half a year up to a year, before you can ask them to do any piaffe steps on the spot and also passage. They need to stay in this small, small trot for a long time, so you can find the rhythm. The rhythm is very important; he has to be strong in this. Small trot is a workout for the hind end. Then you can ask for piaffe. You can just take a little more on the rein -- small contact. Do not let them do it on the spot until they are ready.”

  Bo stressed that it is important that you have soft hands and wrists. “Always the horse must be ready to go forward,” Bo explained. “The horse will give you the feeling when it’s ready to collect them, give you the signs that he is ready. They will sometimes try to do it all by themselves. You have the feeling maybe today I can collect him, and you try it. If it falls apart, then go forward again and find the rhythm. Horses must be strong enough to handle this. The horse must be able to take weight on the hind legs.” Bo used weight lifting as an example to make his point. “You start with a little weight and build up. You don’t do a little weight then the next day use big weights.”

  Bo then explained the benefits of the small trot. “The good thing about learning the small trot is you can go down to piaffe and up to passage. Then you have no problems with the transitions, because the horse already knows something like collected between piaffe and passage.” Bo pointed out that horses sometimes learn to piaffe and passage under saddle. They sometimes find the transitions from piaffe to passage or from passage to piaffe difficult. They can get confused. Teaching these skills using long reining is an excellent method of helping the horse understand and find his balance.

  Lucy Wilson was a great host and Bo Jena had a marvelous time at Bluebird Farm. Everyone wanted him back. Although Bo is at the end of his sabbatical and will return to Sweden right after Devon, he is planning to come back to the USA in 2004 to teach clinics whenever his busy schedule at Flyinge allows. With luck, Bo will return to Bluebird Farm next year. If he does, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity to watch, or better yet, ride with the Director of the National State Stud of Sweden.

  Bo Jena and Gail Hoff-Carmona of Los Alamos Dressage Center have put together an educational video on showing young horses in hand and training for free jumping. This tape is available through the Swedish Warmblood Association. When I asked Bo about the possibility of making an educational videotape on long reining, he smiled and said he is thinking about it.

  Anyone having questions or would like any further information you may email me at Suzin@HalifaxFarm.com.

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