Hold your Horses
Details of Clinics for B E competitors
HOLD YOUR HORSES
The safest, most logical solution to riding successfully cross country
WITH
MARK SMITH
The aim is to train Rider and Horse in the complex skill of travelling cross country in harmony at an appropriate speed for their ability. My first priority is for the safety of Horse and rider and I will never make compromises on this issue.
Dates for Clinics
Saturday 9th April Guernsey Riding Club
Monday 11th April Isle of wight Pony Club
Thursday 14th April Uk Chasers, Isle of Man
Saturday 16th April, Lincombe Equestrian, Worcester DY13 9RB
Sunday 17th April, Northern Racing College, DN11 0H
Monday 18th April OBH Pony Club,
Tuesday 19th April, Treborough XC, Watchet. TA23 0QW
Wednesday 20th April, Hilltop XC, Ledbury HR8 1LN
Thursday 21st April, Grove Farm, Harwell. OX11 4DE
Tuesday 26th April, Darlington Riding Club
“... he is particularly good with young or difficult horses.”
Yogi Breisner FBHS
The Programme is designed to be appropriate, relevant and helpful to;
2. Amateur Riders wanting to or already competing at Riding Club or BE
4.Competitive BE Riders to wish to get rid of those annoying time penalties that just keep affecting their result, without endangering themselves or their mount.
Rider Position.
Pic above shows position for accelerating
.
Pic above shows position for slowing.
Pic below shows position for cruising.
In pursuance of these aims the programme is divided into four phases. It would obviously be completely inappropriate to allow a combination to proceed to phase 2 if they have not completely mastered phase 1.
Riders must accept that it is for the safety of the combination that this program is embarked on and must realize that very few horses cannot be trained to go SAFELY cross-country at novice event speed (520 metres per minute), any more than few horses cannot be trained to SAFELY do a novice dressage test.
Phase 1
Horse and Rider should be able to canter around an open enviroment in a settled, even rhythm. They learn that time penalties apply for going too fast and for going too slowly.
Phase 2
Rider learns to be able to recognise the different speeds at which they will be required to travel at for various cross country standards. E.g. for BE 90 events 450 metres/ minute, BE 100 events 475metres/minute. Horses do not have a speedo between their ears and riders only learn what 450 metres/minute feels like by experiencing it. This needs to be done, again, in an open field environment.
Phase 3
Rider learns the techniques to be able to move smoothly up and down through the gears to arrive at the stipulated speed to simulate the fact that cross country courses will incorporate some sections where the appropriate speed will be considerably less than the average, and correspondingly some sections will involve travelling at speeds faster than the overall average speed.
Phase 4
Rider learns the appropriate speed for each type of jump, taking into consideration gradient, complexity of combinations, narrowness of fences and types of fences. They are only then properly prepared to incorporate jumps into the equation.
They are reminded that they may still be penalised for dangerous or inappropriate riding, EVEN if they incur no time penalties.
At the trainers discretion any part of the programme may be omitted but this will ONLY happen if the trainer is satisfied that safety requirements have been met.
It seems inconceivable to me that any rider would want to go cross country competitively without having mastered these skills – sadly I see so many frustrated riders, many with shattered confidence, because they have not been through such a programme; so many horses labelled ‘strong’ or ‘lunatic’. I prefer the term ‘uneducated’ – if a horse does not understand us, then we, as the more intelligent species, have to improve our communication skills – he will not learn to understand English!!!
. Any rider astride an animal 10 times their size and strength needs the confidence in their technical ability to control such power ... now such specialist training is available !
Safer cross country riding starts here.
We all know there are risks involved – Let’s work together to minimise them!
Train away all of your horse problems – visit MSJUMP.CO.UK for details of training in all disciplines, solutions to horse problems and upcoming events.
“Mark starts with the premise that horses do NOT deliberately fail to understand the rider – the rider has to learn to communicate their wishes to the horse.” – Georgina Mackewan - amazed student.
For further information please contact:
Mark Smith on 07930151562
Or email on markismsjump@ btinternet.com.
“he is a teacher of confidence for both horse and rider.” Simon Barnes, The Times
“ I am sure this will help riders to ride cross country better.” Yogi Breisner
A Health and safety assessment has been done for all activities engaged in by Mark Smith
He holds BHS certification and has a current First Aid at Work Certificate