‘Aachen CHIO is the top for riders’

Anna Ross has her say on the significance of dressage fundamentals, FEI tack guidelines and why training is essential for improved public notion

Following a break after additional surgical procedure to my hand, I’ve been using our up-and-coming secure abilities. It’s made me realise that the fundamentals are every thing.

A part of teaching is conserving your shoppers, particularly these bringing horses on to a excessive degree for the primary time, invested within the boring bits: corners, transitions, straightness. As soon as they’ve ridden on the degree, the fuss about fundamentals begins to make sense and the riders develop into as obsessive about these particulars as the remainder of us. However first, they’ve to appear related.

For instance, I’d say 99.9% of flying modifications go unsuitable as a result of the horse isn’t actually straight. Or if we let the horse die right into a downward transition at decrease ranges, we’ll solely have to return and repair it later.

I’m satisfied that placing the precise fundamentals into your horse saves put on and tear on him later, too. Too many repetitive actions are unhealthy for horses’ limbs and brains.

One of the crucial essential classes to show is that assortment doesn’t imply slowing down. It’s like transferring slower however with the legs working quicker. Extra revs, extra vitality – not much less. When you attempt to accumulate just by slowing down, you’re simply placing on the handbrake.

The other is true for extension: it feels such as you’re going quicker, however the legs are going slower, taking longer steps.

It’s the identical with downward transitions. It’s essential the horse stays in entrance of the leg, however you’ll discover out if they are surely as you decelerate. Anybody can journey flat out, however it’s solely when you may gradual the velocity whereas nonetheless conserving the vitality that you simply obtain assortment and the horse can begin to sit.

Tack discuss turmoil

Many thought the FEI’s current assertion on streamlining its guidelines meant the identical tack guidelines would must be used throughout disciplines, to current a extra clear picture of the game to the general public and preserve its social licence.

Amongst a lot chuckling and hypothesis about who was going to inform the showjumpers, the FEI swiftly clarified: “Nowhere does the report say that the tack and gear necessities will stop to be discipline-specific and this isn’t what the FEI’s intention is.”

Their assertion continued: “Though the FEI strives in direction of harmonisation of tack and gear throughout FEI disciplines, variations and deviations on account of the disciplines’ technical specificities could also be obligatory and justifiable.”

A wonderful instance of the inequality between disciplines was on show on the great CHIO Aachen. It’s the top for strivers, riders and welfare watchers.

The nice and cozy-up space is public, and boy, has everybody bought an opinion. There are stewards there devoted to answering welfare questions from the general public, who measure every thing by the millimetre: nostril in entrance or behind the vertical, ear positioning, tail swish.

Some riders tiptoe across the warm-up, half using their horse, half managing the group’s interpretation of their efficiency.

I’ve competed at Aachen a number of occasions, and the irony has at all times struck me that if these eagle-eyed lovers circled and moved simply 200 metres away to look at the showjumping warm-up… It appears something goes – bits that want their very own postcode, a number of martingales, draw reins, double nosebands – and only a few questions requested.

Perhaps we’ll all be using our dressage horses in martingales subsequent, to attain that regular head carriage the general public desires to see!

Schooling is the reply to improved public notion. I spoke to Richard White and Kyra Kyrklund at Wellington CDI in regards to the public interpretation of our sport. They instructed me a narrative a few non-horsey pal who noticed how a lot the horse have to be having fun with the dressage check as a result of he was “wagging” (swishing) his tail in time to the music.

A brilliant summer season of sport

As I write, good information is coming in that our under-25 crew have received a bronze medal on the European Championships. The younger riders have been only a whisker out of medal competition with strong performances. Now we’ve the juniors, kids and senior groups to cheer for in a terrific summer season of sport.

● Do you suppose tack guidelines must be the identical throughout all disciplines? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your identify, nearest city and county, for the prospect on your letter to look in a forthcoming concern of the journal

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