Watch as Beezie Madden discusses her philosophy for young horse development at at the Cazenovia, N.Y., facility she owns with John Madden. This video is brought to you by Ariat.
About This Video
There are many ways to start young horses, but, in this video, four-time Olympic Games medalist and NetJets U.S. Jumping Team rider Beezie Madden talks about how young horse development at John Madden Sales in Cazenovia, N.Y., centers around one simple, core philosophy: to set the horse up for success. Having decades of experience developing and riding top international mounts, Madden explains how she uses a slow and steady approach based on trust and respect, beginning the very first day a young horse enters the barn to begin training. Madden outlines the importance of proper ground work and lunging and how it translates to future riding; how her young horses become accustomed to working with a saddle and bridle; and how they are introduced to a rider and begin arena work and jumping in preparation for a show career.
Key Principles:
- Madden Philosophy
- From the Pasture to the Barn
- Ground Work & Lunging
- Introducing Saddle/Bridle
- Introducing a Rider
This video is brought to you by Ariat.
Additional Information
- Website: John Madden Sales
- COTH Article: With Young Horses, Allow Mistakes and Learn From Them
- USHJA Magazine Article: There's Hope for Young Horses in America
- PS Dressage Article: Starting From Scratch- Charlotte Dujardin on Buying and Training Young Horses
- Practical Horseman Article: A "Wholistic" Way of Training with Debbie McDonald
- COTH Article: Karsten Huck Has a System for Training Young Jumpers
About The Expert
Elizabeth “Beezie” Madden grew up in Wisconsin, where her parents Joe and Kathy Patton owned a horse farm, and she has competed at the grand prix level since 1985. She became the first female athlete to earn more than $1 million in show jumping and, in 2004, she became the first woman and the first American rider to be ranked among the top three on the sport’s world rankings. A four-time USEF Equestrian of the Year, Madden also is a four-time Olympic medalist. With her mount Authentic, she was on the gold medal-winning U.S. teams at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and again at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she also won an individual bronze medal. Most recently, she was part of the silver medal-winning U.S. team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with Cortes ‘C.’ Her numerous accomplishments also include team and individual silver medals at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Aachen with Authentic, as well as individual and team bronzes at the 2014 FEI World Equestrian games in Normandy with Cortes ‘C.’
Madden also won the 2013 FEI World Cup Finals™ in Gothenberg, Sweden, on Abigail Wexner’s Simon, who went on to be named that year’s USEF International Horse of the Year.
Madden and her husband John operate John Madden Sales in Cazenovia, N.Y. Follow Madden on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo: Elena Lusenti
