Q & A With Jim Hicks

Questions that are often asked by those who are searching to improve their horsemanship.

# 1 What should I consider when choosing a coach or clinician?
The first decision a rider must make is what type of education they would like to pursue.Once this has been decided, they can begin to research and determine a good place to start. The next point to consider is whether the professional in question is pursuing a quality education on regular basis. This will expose the quality and the integrity of information being taught to their students. A final consideration of importance is to determine a good match in communication style that will suit your needs.

#2 Why did you choose Dressage ?
When I followed the history of Dressage back to the war horse, the horse and soldier needed to communicate effectively. This meant the difference between coming home to their family or dying on the battlefield. In my opinion, this is a great example and expression of a performance horse. In current times, Dressage is the refinement of emotional and physical requirements to execute athletic maneuvers with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency when done harmoniously. My experience has taught me that all horse and rider combinations can benefit from the gymnastics of Dressage.

#3 Can Dressage apply in the development of the Bridle horse?
My experience has taught me you can integrate the athletic qualities and the mental maturity necessary for the development of the Bridle horse or the Grand prix Dressage horse. The common denominator is balance through self-carriage originating from the hindquarters forward to develop a well-rounded athletic horse.

#4 Is there one person who inspired you?
No, however there are two men, Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, who have changed how I think about the horse. There have been several people that have helped me sort things out. Some of my greatest lessons have come from the least expected people. My inspiration has come to me from many sources.