The Town-Crier
www.gotowncrier.com
July 5 - July 11, 2013
features
Page 19
Trainer Julius Von Uhl Offering Clinics In Wellington “That’s it, darling! That’s the way to do it.” Sitting in a plastic lawn chair, Julius von Uhl booms at the rider who makes the correction. “There, now. Isn’t that better?” It is, indeed, better. Thirteen-year-old Chirsten Zubka smiles and pats Max, her Quarter Horse gelding, whose walk has now gone from short and pokey to long and working. “See how he can engage his hind legs and really use them now?” von Uhl asked. Zubka nodded. Everyone watching nodded. We can all see the difference. “I love riding with Julius,” said Leon Gerard, who hosts the clinics held periodically at his Border Fox Farm in Wellington. “Julius is great with riders of all levels, beginner through advanced, and any kind of horse, from green to made. He has a great system for starting horses or fixing problems. I’ve seen him take horses who are throwing everyone off to working smooth, light and easy within 30 minutes. His system, which von Uhl calls Ride Like You Walk, works for every discipline — English, western, hunters, jumpers, dressage, reining, cutting and more. “You can apply it to all horses,” Gerard said. “A lot of people don’t believe it until they see it for themselves. He has been teaching this system for 50 years, and his lessons are guarGet updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”
Tales From The Trails By Ellen Rosenberg anteed. If you’re not happy with it, if you feel you didn’t learn anything, then you don’t pay him. Now that’s different.” The clinics are reasonably priced at $75 per private lesson, $125 for the whole day or $275 for five rides: one on Friday, two each Saturday and Sunday. Stabling is available for $25 per night, and auditing is $35 a day or all three days for $50. It’s very informal: comfortable clothes and any tack, and von Uhl recommends recording each lesson for later review. “It’s all about the riding, not what you or your horse look like,” Gerard said. “His lessons are wonderful and unique. He’s quite a character. In addition to training horses, he used to own a circus and worked with lions and elephants. He’s quite a showman.” Von Uhl was definitely fun to be around when I observed part of a recent clinic. He lives in Peru, Ind., and flies into Wellington for clinics every so often. Now 75, he was born in Hungary but grew up in the United States. His father was a brain surgeon and expected him to follow in his footsteps, but he played hooky
Julius von Uhl with Chirsten Zubka aboard Max. and ended up working at a circus. “I learned a lot there,” von Uhl said. “I also learned military horsemanship from my grandfather, who was a Hessian cavalry officer.” I had hoped to ride one of my horses, but
ended up leaving her home. It was the week Tropical Storm Andrea sent us feeder bands and tornadoes. I hadn’t been able to ride in two weeks, and my trailer was sitting in the middle See ROSENBERG, page 20