Cathy's Monthly Article from Texas Horse Talk Magazine

Winning With Frank Madden

By Cathy Strobel

An Icon of the show jumping world, Frank Madden is giving back to the sport. There are not too many hats that this man has not worn during his thirty plus years in the horse world. As a groom, rider, trainer, mentor, barn manager, show manager, promoter, and clinician this man knows the horse business.   Adding to his notoriety, Frank was featured in a 2005 TV series on the Animal Planet called “Horse Power: The Road to the Maclay”, spotlighting his training of several young riders competing for the prestigious medal.

Recently, I had the good fortune to sit down and talk with Frank at dinner during a two day clinic that was hosted by the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. I found that his road to success had a rocky start. 

As a young child, Frank dreamed of a horse in his back yard where he could sit in his pine grove with his four legged friend. He knew nothing of the show jumping world or what the future had in store for him. He just loved horses. As a child in Massachusetts, his parents supported weekly riding lessons while he struggled over choices between ice hockey with the guys and his love of riding horses. At sixteen, he began working for his lessons at a local riding academy and graduated high school early to work with horses full time. Little did he know that mucking stalls, feeding and watering horses and chopping ice in the cold was his road to the Maclay.

In the early eighties his boss, George Morris, grew tired of the equitation business and gave that part of his business to Frank. In 1983, one of Frank’s students realized an epoch making dream for him by winning the Medal Finals. Although proud of this major accomplishment, he unexpectedly felt more relieved than elated. That was the day, he told me, that he learned the journey was more special than the destination. 

Today, he owns and operates Frank Madden Show Stables at Hunter’s Moon Farm in East Norwich, New York. He remains close with his brother, John and sister-in-law, Beezie Madden of show jumping fame who are also very prominent in the horse industry. His other brother, Matt, still helps him with his horse business, as well. One of 4 children, Frank has brought all members of his family into the horse business at some point through the years.

Sharing his knowledge and wisdom with other horsemen is still a huge part of Frank’s life. He spends a lot of time traveling the country, giving clinics to improve the performance of hunters, show jumpers and equitation riders. In a rare visit to the Houston area, riders were divided into groups consisting of hunters, 4’ jumpers, 3’6” jumpers and 3”6” equitation riders. Although the specifics varied in each group, the fundamental principles were the same.

It didn’t take long for him to point out to the first eight riders in the hunter group that he wasn’t there to teach them to ride. He was there to teach them to win! To win you must improve your riding and your horse’s ride-ability. Learn to treat horses like people. They all have emotions, fears and pains. You have to understand them and they need to trust you. We know what we are going to do with our horses but they have no idea what is going to come next.

At the start of the ride, Frank put everyone on the rail for a long flatwork session. Riders were told to turn their horses’ noses to the inside, putting the shoulders toward the rail. Developing steady contact on the mouth, Frank explained that the outside rein was the dominant rein. Then they rode the horses off the rail in a shallow serpentine pattern. “Don’t become addicted to the rail”, he told them. “You need to relax the horse, familiarize him with the aids. Expose him to new situations and fatigue.” Correct hand position, just above and in front of the withers, clearly influenced the horses. As the riders drove their horses up into the bit, their ride-ability improved dramatically. 

A lengthy series of dressage based maneuvers was conducted in each session. As he explained the use of dressage principles and school figures such as circles, turns, diagonal lines and serpentines that were incorporated into the warm-up, the depth of this horseman’s knowledge became clearer. Movements such as shoulder-in, haunches-in, leg-yield and counter canter increased the riders’ control over their mounts.

He told his riders that putting the horse up to the bit is keeping contact with the willingness to move forward. Good flatwork changes conformational shape, and muscles. Using dressage and balancing a horse creates a well developed topline and hindquarters. Show riders like Anne Kursinski and Peter Pletcher are great on flatwork.

Work without stirrups to strengthen and balance the riders proved exhausting but beneficial while giving confidence a boost. Confidence in horse and rider was a theme that seemed to reverberate throughout the clinic. At one point he quoted a line from a Patrick Swayze movie, “Fear causes hesitation and hesitation causes fears to come true.” Frank encouraged people to leave their comfort zones in order to improve. “You can’t improve what you are doing without finding uncomfortable places to go. Find what is difficult for you and work on it until it becomes comfortable.”

Working with the hunters, Frank emphasized the importance of the movement of the horse. He must have a big stride to make the distances and good lead changes are critical. Horses breaking strides and not making flying changes spoil many rounds. The horse should be alert but not frantic. His temperament, displayed in his ears, tail and mouth should be willing. The horse’s frame should have the poll up and nose poked out a little. The poll should never be over flexed. While soundness is always an issue, soundness issues are more worrisome on a younger horse. Older horses are usually faced with manageable wear and tear issues.

In the hunter group he emphasized a steady rhythmic pace with even distances. He told us, "A great horse is like a great waiter; always there but never rushing you." In the jumper portion, the emphasis was on the horse becoming brave, athletic, scopey, sound and careful. Attention to detail must be impeccable, such as studded shoes on grass.

The equitation group focused on control and using form for function. You can't help the horse if you lose your balance. You need to be able to control the horse and vary the length of stride.

The jumping portion of each group incorporated an interesting mix of caveletti jumps with higher verticals and oxers. The hunter group worked primarily on even strides. Adjustability of the strides and the ability of the rider to gauge the distances were addressed in a variety of ways. Riders were told to ride a curved line in two strides and then in three even strides. Distances are important if the horse is riding poorly, he said, and not as important if the horse is rhythmic and balanced on the outside rein.

Pairs of riders took to the courses in tandem increasing the challenge of keeping an even pace. Riders were taught to ride forward, with the horse in harmony and self-carriage, or against the horse by sitting upright and increasing contact on the mouth while closing the legs.

All of the riders rode better by the end of their sessions and the horses were more ride-able. Frank repeatedly instilled the fundamentals of riding. He told us that equitation means good riding, smooth and invisible yet sometimes needing a spur or a stick.

When asked about the future of the sport, Frank responded enthusiastically. With more recreational riding available, more people are being introduced to the sport. Bringing it to the public as a spectator sport is now the big challenge and sponsorship seems to be the key to growth. Perhaps Frank Madden's next journey will pave a new road for the sport.

Cathy Strobel has over 30 years of experience as a trainer, judge and clinician. Contact us if you have a topic that you would like addressed or need help with a particular problem.