George H Morris - Unrelenting: The Real Story: Horses, Bright Lights and My Pursuit of Excellence

First published in 2016 by

Trafalgar Square Books

North Pomfret, Vermont 05053

Copyright 2016 George H. Morris

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer quoting brief excerpts for a review in a magazine, newspaper, or website.

Disclaimer of Liability

The authors and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. While the book is as accurate as the authors can make it, there may be errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.

The authors and publisher have made every effort to obtain a release from photographers whose images appear in this book. In some cases, however, the photographers were not known or could not be contacted. Should additional photographers be identified, they will be credited in future editions of this book.

Trafalgar Square Books encourages the use of approved safety helmets in all equestrian sports and activities.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Morris, George H., author. | Terry, Karen Robertson, author.

Title: Unrelenting : the real story : horses, bright lights, and my pursuit of excellence / George H Morris with Karen Robertson Terry.

Description: North Pomfret, Vermont : Trafalgar Square Books, 2016. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015031427 | ISBN 9781570767104 (hardback)

Subjects: LCSH: Morris, George H. | Horsemen and horsewomenUnited StatesBiography. | Horse trainersUnited StatesBiography. | Horse sports. | Horse-shows. | Horsemanship. | HorsesTraining. | BISAC: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Sports.

Classification: LCC SF284.52.M67 M67 2016 | DDC 798.2092dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015031427

All photographs courtesy of George H. Morris unless otherwise noted.

Front cover main photograph by Alix Coleman. Background image and back cover photograph courtesy of George H. Morris

Book design by DOQ

Cover design by RM Didier

Index by Andrea M. Jones (www.jonesliteraryservice.com)

Typefaces: Neutra, Bembo

Printed in China

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In 2005, George Morris took over the role of Chef dEquipe of the U.S. Show Jumping Team. Shortly after, I received a call from a member of one of his first Nations Cup teams. How did you do this? the rider asked. Chris, how did you work for George for twenty years? As the new Chef, George was pushing limits in the pursuit of excellence. Commanding specific attitudes, turnout, and professionalism, he expected an extraordinary commitment from the riders, owners, trainers and support staff to do what it takes to dominate in international competition. I recognized immediately the intensity this rider was describing because I have felt it, in one form or another, for over thirty years. First as a junior competitor with George as my judge; then as his student, his employee and professional rider, his business partner, and ultimately his friend, I have experienced firsthand the zealous pursuit of excellence for which George is famous. If you can take my pressure cooker, George would always say, the Olympics will seem like nothing.

Over the years, I watched George teach hundreds of clinics, and in every one he masterfully orchestrated an atmosphere much like the one he created when he assumed the position of Chef dEquipe. His mercilessly high expectations, daunting (sometimes fear-inducing) commentary, and willingness to play the riders off each other and off anyone who happened to be watchingwhether educated auditor or innocent bystanderresulted in a highly intense, competitive environment where many a rider learned the meaning of sink or swim. George was always a fierce competitor who believed in pushing himself and others to any manner of limitshis favorite T-shirt read, Pain is just weakness leaving the body, and if you knew him long enough youd come to accept that as not only true, but a desirable and achievable goal.

THE George H. Morris, as some might be inclined to describe him, is one of the last of the legendary horsemen still activestill out there, bridging the gap between the old and new worlds. He is one of the few remaining, working teachers with true, in-depth knowledge of the great figures of the pastBert de Nmethy, Captain Vladimir Littauer, Brigadier General Harry Chamberlin, Gordon Wrightas well as the rising stars of the equestrian worlds future. He has taught two solid generations of our countrys finest riders now; the young riders he guides today are the children of those he coached early in his career. I truly think of him as the Godfather of our sport, melding the techniques of the fine horsemen he admired through his own initial development with expertise painstakingly gained over a lifetime of study and a remarkable commitment to style and effectiveness.

George is the only person still riding and training and teaching who has been able to constantly, publicly evolve over such an extended period, not only as a horseman, but as an individual. When you really think about it, such sustained progress in the limelight and continual interest in effecting change in a single sport is an extraordinary accomplishment. Many of his contemporariesother great riders who contributed during Georges heyday as a competitor and trainerarent around anymore. The sport has changed significantly over time, from the genteel pageantry of its early days, when shows were formal social occasions, to todays common diet of near-constant showing with little time earmarked for schooling and horse-care fundamentals. And with this new reality in mind, I cant think of anything as valuable to our future as Georges continued contributions and commitment.

George not only still wants to teach, he brings tremendous enthusiasm to it. Ive watched countless times as, after hours of back-to-back lessons or when a clinic is wrapping up for the day, a rider asks for help or expresses interest in trying to get something rightand George will always drop everything to stay back, answer questions, and further instruct. If you really want to learn, he is absolutely willing to educate you.

This book, Georges story as he has finally chosen to tell it, gives us a look behind the curtain, exposing his many faces. There is the General-George-Patton-like leader with a sharp interest in history and an army-like precision in identifying targets and moving forward toward them, as well as a dedication to methodical, mechanical process. Then, there is the maniacal mentality that George is notorious fora compulsion for control coupled with a tendency to go berserk or become irate for seemingly no reason (I might say there is always a reason) and sudden, volatile, temperamental behavior. And, some will find it surprising to meet George as a fast-living playboy, who, in a time when it was not accepted by many to adopt or pursue a gay lifestyle, came out in a way that allowed him to abide by the strict boundaries of his professional life while still exploring his creative, tempestuous, spontaneous self. Not an easy balance, as is evidenced in many of the stories youll find in the pages ahead. Finally, there is the master operative: a deft handler with an uncanny ability to measure and read people, always coming up with exactly what is needed at the right timewhether a pat on the back or a sharp setdown. His feel for dealing with people and situations, his insight into others mindsets, is simply unmatched.