British Dressage - Issue 5 2020

British

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR BD MEMBERS | £5.00 | ISSUE 5 | 2020

DRESSAGE Back to basics

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CONTENTS & WELCOME.

DESIGNED AND PRODUCED ON BEHALF OF BRITISH DRESSAGE BY: Fellows Media: www.fellowsmedia.com e: mark@fellowsmedia.com t: 01242 259241 Fellows Media, The Gallery, Manor Farm Southam Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3PB Managing Director: Mark Brown ADVERTISE WITH US: For enquiries, contact Jacob Holmes e: jacob.holmes@fellowsmedia.com t: 01242 259249 SUBSCRIBE NOW: If you aren’t a member and would like to receive the magazine contact 01442 820580, bd@webscribe.co.uk or www.mysubcare.com CONTACT US: British Dressage: www.britishdressage.co.uk Managing Editor: Winnie Murphy e: winnie.murphy@britishdressage.co.uk t: 024 7669 8842 Content Editor: Jane Carley e: janecarley5@gmail.com t: 01926 645981 For the full list of BD Office staff, visit www.britishdressage.co.uk British Dressage, Meriden Business Park, Copse Drive, Meriden, West Midlands CV5 9RG Main switchboard: 024 7669 8830 Fax: 024 7669 0390 Executive: 024 7669 8844 Training & Education: 024 7669 8833 BD Youth/u21 International: 024 7708 7801/024 7669 8834 Membership, Horse Registrations & Results: 024 7669 8832/836 Quest: 024 7669 8908 Sport Operations: 024 7669 8827 Judges: 024 7669 8831 Senior International: 024 7669 8835 Para & International: 024 7708 7803 Fixtures: 024 7708 7804 Championships: 024 7669 8846 BD Shop: 024 7669 8830 – press 1 Finance: 024 7669 8838/841 Marketing: 024 7669 8819 Communications: 024 7669 8842/839 Sponsorship & web ads: 01608 676180 The views expressed by individual contributors are not necessarily those of British Dressage.

Equally the inclusion of advertisements in this magazine does not constitute endorsement of the products and services by British Dressage.

13 – Management of respiratory health for the dressage horse

IN THIS ISSUE...

WELCOME

I

t feels like we’re all awakening from a great slumber as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and uncertainty turns to excitement. It’s been difficult to keep up with the changes, which has been exacerbated by the regional differences in England, Scotland and Wales. We can only hope that in the coming weeks things will begin to align and we all adapt to our new conditions.

Many of you have kept busy during our 12 weeks of lockdown, while some have been unable to work, ride or leave your house altogether, so we’ll all have a different approach and timeframe for returning to a sense of normality. When we announced that that activity was restarting, the news was met with overwhelming positivity, but understandably there are some who are cautious about the return to action. The amount of work which has gone into making activity safe for all participants has been phenomenal and we’re confident that any risks will be minimal – dressage by its very nature is an individual, socially distanced sport.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to getting us in a position to resume. It’s been a collaborative effort: task forces, working groups, committees, member surveys and polls, have got us this far and it’s been a prime example of teamwork under testing circumstances. We appreciate all of the knowledge, expertise and commitment that has helped us get the sport back up and running.

Interpreting government guidance, updates and legislation has been a challenge, to say the least, especially where some of the restrictions have been difficult to comprehend or understand. There have been a number of frustrations, but we’ve managed to adapt to most of these requirements. We all need to be responsive, receptive and prepared for change when necessary.

New guidance will continue to be issued, or there could be a second peak in infections – and we have to be ready to adapt as required. If we keep up the spirit, sense of community and resolve which has been in evidence these last dozen weeks, I’m sure our dressage experience will eventually return to what it once was; a posse of supporters can watch your test, you can hug the person next to you when that score you aimed for is published and we can enjoy a cup of tea and piece of cake at a show. In the British meantime, enjoy your return to action and stay safe. DRESSAGE Winnie Murphy, Editor, British Dressage THE OFFIC IAL

ON THE COVER:

MAGAZINE

FOR BD M EMBERS

| £5.00 | ISSUE 5 | 2020

Back to basics

Matilda Dunkerton-Bennett and Gerhard enjoy coaching from Spencer Wilton ahead of returning to competition # S TA Y S A F

ESAVELIVE

3

From the editor

5

News & Paramatters

7

Profile High Hoes Stud’s Nicky Callam on breeding future champions

13 Breathe easily The importance of respiratory health management 20 Tack for performance New research, developments in fitting plus safeguarding your investment 33 Specifications for stables Latest trends in designs, materials and accessories 40 Revisiting your freestyle Planning for better marks in music classes 44 Ask the expert Take action to protect your back 46 Riding requisites The value of incorporating other sport into your routine 49 Back to basics Nailing essential movements and figures with Spencer Wilton 57 Regional activity Contacts and judges’ diary 59 BD Action BDHQ updates and members’ benefits 61 Competing during COVID-19 Everything you need to know to get back to competition action 66 Dressage Days British Breeding’s Eva-Maria Broomer

S

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 3

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NEWS.

BRITISH DRESSAGE

NEWS COMPETITION RESUMES IN ENGLAND We were given the green light to resume competition from 1 July in England. Extensive planning for our resumption and an operational plan providing a road map gave us a strong start and work with the three RDOs, the office team and our venues and organisers meant a revised fixture list was live within 72 hours. We hope that competitive action will return to Scotland and Wales shortly. All competitors should read the guidance online or there’s a summary on page 61.

PHOTO: ADAM FANTHORPE

BD CLASSIFIEDS ARE BACK! In June we launched our new classified platform on the website. Recognised as the best way to reach the dressage community, the new site is simple to use, has extended search capabilities and new categories. With room for unlimited photos, the facility to embed a YouTube video and a clear location map if you wish, the new platform provides a far more visual way to present your horses, goods and services. Pricing is competitive and members receive a 25% discount on all adverts placed.

ONLINE COMPETITION PROVIDERS We now have three approved providers of online dressage competitions: Dressage Anywhere, E-Riders and Dressage Online Ltd.

PARAMATTERS QUALIFICATION UPDATE All full and part qualifications earned in the summer period (1 December-30 June) will carry over to the winter period (1 July-31 December) for the Equissage Pulse Championships in February.

INTERNATIONAL RIDERS: CLASSIFICATION UPDATE The FEI has clarified their position on handling athletes who need reviews or new classification.

If you have any requirements, please get in contact with Felicity Towers at British Equestrian on felicity. towers@bef.co.uk or 07903 098519.

SUMMER CELEBRATION We’re working on plans to have something for all grades and all sections at Solihull sections at Solihull in August in place of the Equissage Pulse Summer Championships. We’ll be in touch via email shortly so we can work collaboratively to get plans in place.

IN MEMORIAM… Sue Howard Longstanding dressage supporter and List 2A Judge, Sue Howard died peacefully on Tuesday 9 June 2020, in her 90th year.

Sue was an integral part of the sport for over 40 years and was involved in setting up the Eastern Dressage Liaison Group (EDLG), which later inspired the development of the British Dressage regions.

A BHSII, Sue was also greatly involved with the British Horse Society for whom she was a Chief Examiner, as well as The Pony Club, where she was an A Test Examiner, and British Eventing. She was also a keen writer, and for many years wrote a dressage column in Essex Rider magazine. Always eager to give back to the sport she loved, Sue was also one of the first judges to embrace the online dressage platform Dressage Anywhere.

FOR ALL THE UP TO DATE COVID-19 INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT BRITISHDRESSAGE.CO.UK/BD-INFO/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 5

SPRING / SUMMER

COLLECTION

6 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

PERSONALITY

&

PERFORMANCE THE LATEST GENERATION OF YOUNG HORSES FROM THE HIGH HOES STUD ARE MAKING

ABOVE: BREEDER NICKY CALLAM CAME FROM A NON-HORSEY BACKGROUND BUT

THEIR MARK, AND BREEDER NICKY CALLAM RATES TEMPERAMENT AS HIGHLY AS QUALITY IN HER CHOICE OF BROODMARE. POLLY BRYAN FINDS OUT THE SECRET OF HER SUCCESS.

I

n 2000, Nicky Callam set out to breed one foal from her beloved mare, Pandora. Twenty years later, six horses bearing her igh oes prefi x have graced the national championships – with several more reaching regional fi nals – and Nicky has established herself as one of the most successful small-scale dressage breeders in the UK. Not bad for someone who admits she was ‘clueless’ to begin with.

“I had a reasonable mare, Pandora, who had suffered an injury and I decided to breed one foal – that didn’t last! I had no idea about bloodlines, assessing conformation or choosing the right stallion to complement the mare,” recalls Nicky, 65.

“In retrospect, she was a nice mare, but not really good enough. But after failing with frozen semen –

HAS ESTABLISHED ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DRESSAGE STUDS IN THE UK.

which was unsurprising as I hadn’t done any research on it – I switched to use a relatively unknown young stallion, because a friend has said he was ‘nice’. And that was where I got rather lucky.”

The nice young stallion turned out to be none other than Dimaggio – who would later go on to become world young horse champion and a hugely in uential dressage sire. The pairing produced High Hoes Diodorus, who PHOTO: SARA-JANE LANNING

ABOVE: HIGH HOES ESTELLE (ESCOLAR X LAUDABILIS) AND DANNIE MORGAN, NOVICE GOLD REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AT MERRIST WOOD 2020.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 7

ABOVE: NICKY’S ‘VANITY ARCH’ AT HIGH HOES BARN LEADING TO THE ARENA – ‘I ALWAYS WANTED AN ARCH I COULD RIDE THROUGH!’ RIGHT: NICKY’S HUGELY SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND

along with Richard Black, are the professional riders that Nicky counts herself ‘very lucky’ to have on board.

Also based with Dannie is the lofty, elegant mare Estelle, by Escolar out of the Laudabilis mare i a Minelli. t just six years old, Estelle has already achieved plus-80% in her fi rst season at novice, as well as winning two regional titles.

Nicky’s choice of the then four-year-old Escolar as a sire was a deviation from her usual breeding principles – and one that has paid off.

“On the whole I use established and proven sires, although occasionally I will use a younger one if I fall for him and he seems the right

match for my mare,” Nicky explains, adding that she tends to prioritise erman lines.

Escolar is an example of this – I just fell in love with him. Estelle wasn’t a premium foal – she was big and bit gawky – but now she’s fabulous.

“I don’t usually sell foals so I can take the long view and don’t feel the pressure to breed to the latest ‘fashionable’ stallions. Perhaps I am a little old fashioned, but I think that some of the so-called highly modern stallions have limbs that lack strength and correctness. I want to breed horses who will train on to advanced level, not shooting stars who will disappear.”

Nicky’s achievements in the horse world are particularly impressive considering she didn’t come from a horsey family.

“I fell in love with beach ponies and have never looked back, to the total bewilderment of my family, she explains. When my mother died in her 90s she was still waiting for me to ‘grow out of ponies’.”

ANDREW WILSON BRINGING IN THREE YEAR OLD DANVILLE (DANONE X EHRENTUSCH).

8 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

PHOTO: POINT PHOTOGRAPHYLTD

Nicky reports is still going strong, and her edgling breeding career was born.

The year 2002 marked a turning point, when she and her husband Andrew moved to their High Hoes base, a former polo yard just outside etworth in West Sussex, where they built a courtyard-style yard, with 12 handsome stables. With a prefi x established and an addiction to breeding taking hold, icky bought a five year old state premium broodmare, ajana, by the rand rix stallion Dunhill H. ajana was a real pioneer for igh oes, says icky. er fi rst foal, Sigismund, by Show Star, went on to have many successes, but after him we couldn’t get another foal from ajana. I showed her a bridle and the expensive semen I had ordered and told her it was her choice: babies or back to work We re backed her, and she ended up taking us to our fi rst regional and national championships. icky did fi nally get another foal from ajana, now a happily retired fat old lady’ at 23, and this six-year-old gelding, by Dante Weltino, is one of several exciting upcoming prospects forming the latest generation of High Hoes stars. Doodle is poised to make his competition debut with Dannie Morgan who,

ABOVE: HIGH HOES DAJANA COMPETING AT THE NATIONALS WITH RICHARD BLACK IN 2008.

PROFILE.

ABOVE: HIGH HOES ELVEDINA WITH 2019 FOAL DANDELION BY DANONE. BELOW: NICKY, PICTURED WITH THE STALLION BELISSIMO M, USUALLY PREFERS TO USE ESTABLISHED SIRES, ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE ‘FASHIONABLE’.

PHOTO: POINT PHOTOGRAPHYLTD

icky didn’t have her first horse until she was 27. In her thirties, when she spent three years in Swit erland working on an eventing yard, she discovered her true passion lay in dressage.

“I had a great deal of fun, but I was never a very brave, gung ho sort of rider, and I discovered that what I really loved was the training.”

Nowadays, what gives her the most pleasure is seeing her horses out and about competing successfully, and she feels strongly about the importance of matching good horses with appropriate riders.

“You can breed the best horse in the world, but if it doesn’t go to a good rider, it isn’t going to fulfi l its potential. annie and I have gone into joint ownership of Estelle, which provides security for both of us, but this is quite a dilemma for small breeders, and I’d like to see some sort of system whereby breeders and owners can connect with professional riders.

We can’t all send our horses to arl ester and harlotte ujardin , but I would always be willing to negotiate with a good rider who has a decent track record to see my horse well produced. Because that’s what it’s all about – to see the horse you saw

being born out doing its stuff. It’s wonderful and it makes everything worthwhile.

“Breeding is exciting and exhilarating, but it also breaks your heart. Every breeder sooner or later will lose a mare, foal or youngster. But when it goes right it is the best feeling I know.”

For Nicky, it was the power of horses and the support of her husband Andrew that helped her through the toughest period of her life, when she was diagnosed with uillain arr Syndrome in 2014.

“I spent three months in hospital and have been left with permanent nerve damage, then six months later I got cancer, but that was a doddle compared to the uillain arr , says icky.

When I fi rst met ndrew he wouldn’t even touch a horse, but now, 40 years on, he does everything, and even had to take on injecting the broodmares when I was in hospital.

TO SEE THE HORSE YOU SAW BEING BORN OUT DOING ITS STUFF. IT’S WONDERFUL AND IT MAKES EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 9

PROFILE.

RIGHT: MARES AND FOALS AT HIGH HOES – (L TO R) ELVEDINA, DANDELION, LIZA MINNELLI AND ESQUISSE.

YOU CAN BREED THE BEST HORSE IN THE WORLD, BUT IF IT DOESN’T GO TO A GOOD RIDER, IT ISN’T GOING TO FULFIL ITS POTENTIAL

OF

PR

IN TS

PH

OT

OS

confessing that she wasn’t when it came to assessing her fi rst mare, andora. Stand back and look hard at your mare. The fi rst question to ask is whether the mare is good enough, in herself, in her mareline. Look at what the mareline has produced over three generations.

Then look at the things about her that aren’t so good, the things you want to improve. I’m not going to breed for temperament without quality too, but I will walk away from a mare without a good temperament.”

Nicky may have entered the breeding world as a rookie, but she is certainly making up for lost time.

“I’m a total anorak – I have books on erman marelines, she chuckles. I’ve been on some amazing courses in ermany with the Hanoverian and Oldenburg breed societies and I’m indebted to Richard (Black), who is hugely knowledgeable of erman bloodlines and is my go-to when it comes to deciding which stallions to use.

HO

“The horses kept me going during that time too. I had to learn to breathe again, and to swallow, and it was the thought of my horses and my dogs that motivated me.”

The fi rst horse she rode after returning home from hospital was High Hoes Elvedina (Evie) – a ‘saint’ – who was originally purchased to be Nicky’s own riding horse.

Bred by Norbert Borgmann, she is by Ehrentusch and hails from an illustrious Westphalian mareline, being out of the Rubiloh x Ferragamo daughter Rubina.

Nicky’s voice noticeably softens when she speaks about her beloved Evie, in foal this year to Belissimo M, and who encompasses two of her greatest beliefs in breeding – the importance of the mareline, and breeding for temperament.

“Most riders want horses who are pleasant to deal with, who aren’t going to buck them off, she reasons. ll my mares are such nice people – Evie for instance is the sweetest horse going – and I believe the mare is more in uential when it comes to temperament.

The stallion can tweak, but in every foal I’ve bred, the mare has dictated the temperament.

“Always breed from the best mare you can afford. reeders have to be hyper critical when it comes to their mares,” she adds,

I’ve been doing this for 20 years now, but I still consider myself a beginner. One lifetime is not enough to learn how to breed.”

Many might feel Nicky is somewhat underselling herself with her modesty. But what really sets her apart is her passion, and that’s what will keep her going in the years to come.

I’m just such an enthusiast; I’m really pleased with what we’re breeding now. My age means I will have to call a halt to my breeding plans at some point, but I certainly haven’t stopped yet!

“They say that fools breed horses for wise men to ride, but living here with my horses just outside the back door, being the fi rst person my foals see when they’re born, having that connection… I’m a very happy fool.”

FAR LEFT: DANNIE MORGAN HACKING OUT ON HIGH HOES ESTELLE. LEFT: HIGH HOES FLORIZEL (FLORESTAN X LAUDABILIS) ON HIS WAY TO A FIFTH PLACE IN THE ELEMENTARY GOLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE WINTERS WITH DANNIE MORGAN.

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RESPIRATORY HEALTH.

ABOVE: RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS ARE COMMON IN HORSES OF ALL AGES. BELOW: STEAMING HAY REDUCES RESPIRABLE PARTICLES BY 99%.

BREATHE EASY WITH THE CURRENT FOCUS FIRMLY ON RESPIRATORY HEALTH, TAKING EXTRA CARE WITH STABLE MANAGEMENT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. BARBARA YOUNG

T

LOOKS AT THE LATEST ADVICE ON AVOIDING AND TREATING RESPIRATORY ISSUES.

o be able to perform at optimum levels, horses require a fully functioning respiratory tract which allows oxygen to reach their lungs so helping maximise exercise levels.

Research has shown that respiratory conditions, of both infectious and non-infectious types, have a variety of causes and are common in horses of all ages, especially those stabled in larger groups.

With mandatory routine vaccination for equine in uen a providing control, vaccines are also available for common infectious respiratory diseases such as strangles and herpesvirus.

However non-infectious conditions caused by allergies, such as asthma, can often be controlled and prevented with correct management.

Where asthma is suspected, experts caution owners to heed symptoms, seek advice from their vet and take early action by paying special attention to allergens in the environment.

Similar to humans, equine asthma is triggered by inhalation of dusts that contain allergens and other irritants. Coughing and difficulty breathing can be reversed in the short-term by medications, often delivered by inhalers, or in the long-term by removal from the offending dusts.

According to Dr Emma Seamark, equine vet and advisor at Boehringer Ingelheim, equine asthma is the main cause of noninfectious respiratory disease in competition horses and occurs as they develop in ammation in lower airways when dust particles from their environment are inhaled.

“Equine asthma syndrome is a relatively new term and

replaces what used to be called in ammatory airway disease (IAD), recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), broken wind and heaves,” she explains.

“There are a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild signs, such as occasional coughing at exercise and poor performance, to more serious and severe signs, such as an increased respiratory rate and effort at rest.

Experts caution that even infrequent coughing shouldn’t be ignored.

Equine exercise physiologist r avid Marlin, scientific and equine consultant, explains: “You may think that your horse hardly ever coughs, but in reality, you might not actually hear your horse coughing as you may only be around them for a few hours a day.

“Studies have shown that horses may cough once and then three hours later cough six times, then 12 hours later cough twice, and so on. It’s often believed that it’s OK for a horse to cough, especially a few times when warming up, however, a horse with a healthy respiratory tract rarely coughs.”

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 13

RESPIRATORY HEALTH.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Dr Emma Seamark points out that while equine asthma is relatively common, some horses may only show very subtle signs which can get overlooked until more obvious ones develop.

“Equine asthma is caused by exposure to a variety of inhalable particles, or allergens, in the horse’s environment, such as those in straw bedding or dry hay.

As high dust concentrations are common in conventional stable environments, competition horses may be exposed to airborne particles on a regular basis.

Inhaling environmental particles causes in ammation, narrowing and increased mucus production in the lower airways of asthmatic horses, and subsequently results in signs such as frequent coughing, exercise intolerance and an increased respiratory rate and effort. Initially these signs may only be noticed at exercise, but eventually may also develop at rest. In severe cases there can be obvious respiratory effort at rest.

Emma goes on to say that there are different forms of equine asthma; mild to moderate and severe. She stresses: “If owners

notice that their horse is showing any signs of respiratory disease, even an intermittent cough at exercise, then they should contact their vet promptly as horses with asthma often require medical treatment to reduce in ammation in the lungs, open up the airways and relieve their symptoms.”

Emma explains that although a small number are affected by pasture-associated asthma triggered by pollens, she emphasises the benefits of cleaner airspace, highlighting the importance of modifying the horse’s environment to reduce exposure to dust.

“Conventional stable environments commonly have high dust concentrations due to forage and bedding, alongside poor stable ventilation,” she says.

“Everyday yard tasks further increase airborne dust, so aim to reduce horses’ exposure. Simple tips include changing to dustextracted bedding, avoiding feeding dry hay, improving stable ventilation and avoiding mucking out and sweeping the yard when the horse is in the stable.”

Dr Marlin agrees.

“Respiratory disease is an issue that really should be

taken seriously. Several studies have shown that more than 80% of horses have mild to moderate equine asthma,” he explains.

“Most of these horses, but not all, will develop a cough that lingers for a prolonged period of time but show no signs of a temperature or fever. ffected horses may be training well, but don’t perform well in competition and take longer to recover normal breathing. As the disease progresses, horses may show increased breathing efforts, especially during exercise, and some may display mild, watery, or white nasal discharge especially after exercise.

Otherwise, horses with mild to moderate asthma maintain a good appetite and appear bright and alert.”

While susceptibility varies, experts agree that any horse exposed to enough dust will develop in ammation in the airway. In the case of stabled horses, dust exposure is mostly due to hay. In milder cases, decreasing the dust released from hay by soaking or steaming may improve airway health. However,

as soaking has a number of drawbacks, high temperature steaming is becoming the preferred method to reduce dust.

Dr Marlin says owners must look at long-term management and prevention which means dramatically reducing exposure to allergens present in the stable.

“This needs to be a holistic approach between the rider, groom and yard owner to look at the whole environment and feeding regime.

“The stable environment is riddled with respirable dust from bedding, forage and general organic dust,” he explains.

“Straw is probably the worst choice of bedding for horses with asthma. In addition to dust from bedding, horses are frequently exposed to ammonia.

Most owners recognise ammonia by smell originating from decomposed urine in bedding which can be an irritant to the respiratory tract, and levels of ammonia typically increase closer to the oor of the stable.

MANAGING FORAGE Many studies have been carried out into finding the best way to avoid dust in hay, and recent independent research has shown that steaming reduces respirable particles by 99%. Unwanted particles, which can cause mild to severe respiratory issues are only dampened down by soaking, watering, rinsing or wetting hay.

Haygain’s Technical Director Becky James explains: “Although soaking means the dust is less airborne, this will increase bacteria levels in the hay dramatically thereby decreasing its hygienic quality.”

Becky points out that as hay quality deteriorates over time, LEFT: EVERYDAY YARD TASKS INCREASE AIRBORNE DUST.

14 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

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RESPIRATORY HEALTH.

LEFT: IMPROVING STABLE VENTILATION CAN REDUCE THE HORSE’S EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE DUST.

SUPPLEMENTARY HELP According to Kate Hore, senior nutritionist at NAF, targeted supplements have long been associated with supporting optimum respiratory health.

Specifically for the dressage horse, sub-clinical respiratory stress is recognised as a major

limitation to performance, meaning the rider may not be aware of a respiratory issue, but it’s there.

“Horses have a very low cough response, so don’t wait for a horse to cough to think about respiratory health. If they are stabled, regularly travelling or

PHOTO: BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM ANIMAL HEALTH LTD

it’s important to feed older bales first before moving onto a new year’s crop. “Also, protect it from moisture and outside contaminants, as well as rodents, whose droppings can contaminate. Storing hay on pallets or boards can help increase ventilation, but avoiding packing your hay store to the top as you need the all-round ventilation.”

Travelling can also cause respiratory disease or worsen symptoms in horses with existing problems such as asthma.

“Always check your horse’s temperature before travelling,” says Becky. “If your horse has a raised temperature then it is unwise to travel and compete as the risk of respiratory disease will be increased. Travel with good ventilation, make sure forage is steamed hay or haylage and use a low dust bedding. The longer the journey the more important it is to think about respiratory health.”

working on sand surfaces, it is not unreasonable to assume that their respiratory health would appreciate some support.”

Kate explains that supplements can benefit respiratory health in several ways. “Antioxidant ingredients work to harmlessly ush out potentially damaging free radical toxins which occur with in ammation, while natural expectorants ensure a clear passage is maintained, and other nutrients still may be targeting repair of soft tissue, or support of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.”

When choosing an appropriate supplement suitable for competition, Kate advises buying from a trusted company such as NAF, which supports Clean Sport and whose products are part of the BETA NOPS scheme.

“If your horse is on medication we would always advise discussing with your vet any changes, and that would include introducing supplements.”

RIGHT: AIRWAY ENDOSCOPY IS USED BY VETS TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE EXTENT OF RESPIRATORY DISEASE.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 17

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PRODUCT

WATCH

RESPIRATORY MANAGEMENT HAYGAIN HG600 hay steamers reduce up to 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage.

Haygain's patented manifold purifies the hay from the inside out, while the double insulated chest allows temperatures to reach over 100 degrees, vital for killing unwanted pathogens.

RRP: FROM £1395.00 haygain.com

FIVE STAR RESPIRATOR BOOST provides nutritional support to the respiratory mucosal immune system, and the capillary blood vessels surrounding the lungs. It contains a concentrated solution of natural anti-oxidants, alongside herbs such as ginger, rosehip and blueberries. Respirator is also recommended where there's close contact with other horses showing respiratory stress.

RRP: FROM £19.99 FOR 500ML | naf-equine.eu/uk

AIR POWER is thought to be one of the world's most effective cough formulas – often imitated but never bettered! This totally natural but very concentrated syrup can stop a horse coughing all day with a fraction of the quantity of other products.

Safe for pre-race/event use.

RRP: FROM £5.95 | horsehealth.co.uk

BAILEYS GARLIC SUPPLEMENT contains human-grade natural garlic oil which provides more allicin – the component responsible for many of garlic's properties – than some powdered garlic supplements. The potent garlic oil is combined with a nutritious base to create an easy to use powder that mixes and keeps well all year round.

RRP: FROM £8.50 PER 1KG baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

SYNOVIUM® AIRPLUS LIQUID is an innovative equine respiratory supplement, containing a unique blend of potassium iodide, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil and aniseed to help clear airways and mucus, whilst helping to soothe the respiratory tract and support free breathing. Suitable for horses with equine asthma, coughs and allergies.

RRP: £28.00 PER LITRE synovium.co.uk

EQUINE HERBALS ALLERGALLAY supports respiratory mucous membranes and soothes skin conditions associated with seasonal changes, dust and irritants and is safe for competition use. A potent blend of four herbs, is intended to reduce skin reactions and compromised respiratory systems.

RRP: FROM £24.95 500ML | horsehealth.co.uk

AVIFORM BREATHEASY is a natural supplement containing ingredients known for their exceptional benefits to the horse’s respiratory system, which can become compromised due to changes in the environment and seasons.

Great for the Spring/Summer months, that bring the challenge of excessive pollens to the horse's airways and temperament. Contains pine, peppermint and eucalyptus oil.

RRP: £24.95 FOR 1,000ML | aviform.co.uk

RESPIRAID helps support a healthy respiratory system and aids the capillary blood vessels surrounding the lungs. It includes Vitamin C as Ascorbyl Monophosphate, ideal for horses and ponies that are stabled for long periods of time with restricted turnout, or exposed to stressful situations such as travelling, competition, change of yard or a change in hay and feed.

RRP: FROM £14.99 | sciencesupplements.co.uk

18 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 19

DESIGNS ON

Synchronicity

NEW RESEARCH BY FAIRFAX SADDLES HAS STUDIED THE EFFECT THAT THE RIDER’S POSITION AND BALANCE HAS ON THE HORSE’S MOVEMENT. THE RESEARCH BY VANESSA FAIRFAX AND HER TEAM HAS BEEN ACCEPTED

BY THE BRITISH EQUINE VETERINARY ASSOCIATION FOR

T

PRESENTATION AT ITS ANNUAL CONGRESS IN 2020.

he scientific study investigated how the design and configuration of the saddle’s seat and knee block plays a crucial role in enhancing horse and rider synchronicity.

It is the fi rst time that a pressure mat has been incorporated into a seat saver and used to measure the rider’s seatbone pressures, and the study also looks at the three dimensional movement of the horse’s spine, explains anessa airfax.

This research resulted in the development of the new World lass ressage Mono ap which is now being used by top riders including harlotte ujardin. hanging and improving how the seat and knee block interact with the rider’s body as it moves can help the rider maintain a balanced position in the centre of the saddle, enabling them to sit into’ each stride for longer and feel more at one’ with their horse, she adds.

ABOVE LEFT: CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN AND MOUNT ST JOHN FREESTYLE COMPETING AT AMSTERDAM CDI-W IN THE FAIRFAX WORLD CLASS MONOFLAP. LEFT: A PLIANCE PRESSURE MAT WAS USED TO MEASURE RIDER SEATBONE PRESSURE, WHILE MOTION SENSORS TRACKED THE MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE’S SPINE.

IN SYNC Synchronicity is when the horse and rider feel, and look, as if they are moving as one, explains anessa. The rider’s upper body remains stable while the pelvic position is neutral in the middle of the saddle, absorbing the horse’s movement easily and smoothly. ut the movement of the horse generates huge forces with every stride, shifting the rider’s body up out of the saddle and then pushing the weight back down into the seat. r ussell Mac echnie uire, of entaur iomechanics, placed joint markers on both horse and rider to map and record their movement patterns. nalysis of these patterns allowed the team to see exactly how the rider’s pelvis and joint

20 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

angles have to change and adapt to deal with this movement in order to remain synchronised with the stride.

Synchronicity can only be achieved when the rider has a neutral pelvis neither tilted forward nor back and is sitting in a balanced position in the lowest point of the saddle. This is because a neutral pelvis can swing through a greater range of motion and absorsb the movement of the horse. The rider’s trunk upper body becomes easier to stabilise and can maintain its vertical position for longer before their weight gets repositioned by the motion of the horse’s back.

It has now been shown that this is more likely to be achieved when the knee is supported by the saddle but, crucially, not blocked by it, says anessa.

LEFT: MAPPING THE HORSE AND RIDER MOVEMENT PATTERNS (SEEN AS WAVES) SHOWS THAT SYNCHRONICITY IS ACHIEVED WHEN THE RIDER’S SEAT SPENDS LONGER IN THE ‘CORRECT’ POSITION IN THE SADDLE FOR EACH STRIDE CYCLE.

COMPETITION TACK.

KNEE IS KEY ne of the key features of the new World lass ressage saddle is that the knee block is constructed with multiple layers, including a shock absorbing element, which enables it to accommodate the forward movement of the rider’s knee. anessa explains: This is the movement that happens in the phase of the stride where the rider’s weight is pushed down into the saddle, the joint angles change and the knee is pushed forward. Essentially, the knee is given room to function effectively, allowing the rest of the rider’s body the chance to absorb the forces generated by the horse’s movement. knee roll that is unable to absorb the movement of the knee can block it and restrict the rider’s movement, hindering their ability to synchronise with the horse.

DIFFICULT POSITION nalysis of the positions of the elite riders in the trials showed that when the rider’s knee is restricted by a rigid block – in the picture on the left below – the knock on effect is that the pelvis gets pushed backwards and the seatbones are shifted from the lowest point of the saddle towards the rise of the cantle. The rider’s pelvis also becomes tilted and a slight hollow develops in the lower back.

In the picture on the right the World lass saddle the pelvis is neutral – not tilted towards the front or back – and the lumbar spine is straighter.

ABOVE: PRESSURE MAT DATA FROM THE SAME MOMENT IN THE STRIDE SHOWS A MORE SYMMETRICAL PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RIDER’S SEAT IN THE NEW SADDLE (LOWER IMAGE).

SYMMETRY AND MOVEMENT Mark isher, Master Saddler and Master Saddle itter, used liance pressure mapping to gather data which revealed that when a rider has a neutral pelvis, pressure is more evenly distributed between the seatbones and they sit more symmetrically. Every rider in the study showed improvements in pressure symmetry in the new design of saddle. oaches and competitors have always known that a rider who is sitting level with an evenly balanced seat is easier for the horse to carry, and this research reinforces that by demonstrating that the horse’s performance improves dramatically when this is the case. iomechanical gait analysis showed a significant improvement in the horse’s freedom of movement in the new design of saddle, comments anessa.

BACK IN ACTION This research also examined how the horse’s spine moved. The motion sensors demonstrated that the horse was able to use its back more freely behind the saddle when the rider sat symmetrically in the lowest point of the seat.

The World lass saddle is available in seven physique options to achieve maximum comfort, fit and feel according to each rider’s individual anatomy. fairfaxsaddles.com TOP LEFT: THE NEW DESIGN OF KNEE BLOCK (DIAGRAM RIGHT) DE-RESTRICTS THE KNEE AND ALLOWS IT TO MOVE FORWARDS. A KNEE ROLL THAT IS UNABLE TO ABSORB THE MOVEMENT OF THE KNEE (DIAGRAM LEFT) CAN BLOCK IT AND RESTRICT THE RIDER’S MOVEMENT, HINDERING THEIR ABILITY TO SYNCHRONISE WITH THE HORSE. LEFT: EVEN WHEN STATIC, THE KNEE BLOCK CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE RIDER’S POSITION (WORLD CLASS MONOFLAP ON THE RIGHT) WHEN THE RIDER’S KNEE IS RESTRICTED BY A RIGID BLOCK – IN THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT – THE KNOCK-ON EFFECT IS THAT THE PELVIS GETS PUSHED BACKWARDS AND THE SEATBONES ARE SHIFTED FROM THE LOWEST POINT OF THE SADDLE TOWARDS THE RISE OF THE CANTLE.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 21

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COMPETITION TACK.

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT SADDLERY IS INCREASINGLY VALUABLE, SO MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INSURANCE COVER IS ESSENTIAL. SHEARWATER INSURANCE OFFERS SOME USEFUL ADVICE ON CHOOSING COVER FOR TACK AND EQUIPMENT.

HOW DO I GO ABOUT COVERING MY TACK HAVING PURCHASED A NEW HORSE? Insuring tack can be done in a number of ways, as an addition to a horse insurance policy, as a standalone policy, as an addition to a household policy or as part of an equestrian buildings policy.

The most common way we see people insuring their tack is as part of their horse insurance policy, however there is a £3,500 limit which may therefore exclude a number of higher value saddles.

For those with higher value saddlery we’d recommend a ‘tack room’ policy where much higher values of saddlery, and equipment, are able to be insured under one simple policy.

I’VE ALWAYS HAD MY TACK COVERED ON MY HOUSE INSURANCE – IF I BUY AN EXPENSIVE NEW SADDLE WILL THIS BE ENOUGH? Insuring your saddle as part of a house insurance policy could still be an option. You would need to check your policy wording to ensure that there

isn’t a single item value limit and would also need to check that where the saddle is kept meets the requirements of the house insurance policy. Some policies may stipulate that it needs to be stored in a room or building that is connected to the house. Those with tack rooms that are separate or in a different location would then need to look for additional cover.

IS MY TACK COVERED WHEN IT IS STORED IN THE LORRY AT SHOWS?

WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED FROM ME TO INSURE NEWLY PURCHASED TACK? DOES IT DIFFER IF THE TACK HAS COME WITH A HORSE PURCHASE?

Having a saddle security marked can help identify the saddle in the event of a theft.

There is no difference between insuring tack that has been purchased or that that has come with a horse. We simply need the value of the tack and the make and model details.

IS THE COVER JUST FOR SADDLES OR CAN OTHER ITEMS BE INCLUDED? Cover is available for a wide range of equestrian equipment including saddles, bridles, clipping and therapy equipment, feed and forage, show jumping and dressage arena equipment. However, the tack addition to a horse policy is limited to saddles and bridles.

Only if kept behind closed doors and with ‘all risk’ cover as an option on your insurance.

Other forms of cover would be dependant upon horsebox/ trailer/car insurance policies.

IS IT WORTH HAVING SADDLES SECURITY MARKED?

IF MY SADDLE IS STOLEN, WOULD THE INSURER PAY THE FULL COST OF REPLACEMENT OR WOULD IT BE THE MARKET VALUE OF THE SADDLE AT THE TIME? The insurer would pay the current market value of the saddle.

MY TACK IS KEPT AT THE YARD WHERE MY HORSE IS AT LIVERY. AM I COVERED IF A COMMUNAL TACK ROOM IS BROKEN INTO? As long as the required security elements of your policy are met, then yes it would be covered.

The tack room would need to be locked with a close shackle padlock and locking bar for values under £4,000, a ‘bells only’ alarm for values over £4,000 and a ‘central station’ alarm for values over £15,000.

LEFT: CHECK YOUR INSURANCE POLICY TO MAKE SURE HIGH VALUE TACK IS COVERED.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 23

BOMBERS SPONSORED DRESSAGE RIDER

KIRSTEN WING CONTESTS FEI INTERMEDIATE LEVEL II DRESSAGE. HER TOP RIDE IS RAVEL 322.

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THIS SUMMER

WHY DO LEADING DRESSAGE RIDERS CHOOSE BOMBERS BITS? “Every horse has the potential to go well in a Bombers bit, if ridden well. Too many people buy off-theshelf, mass-produced bits, and put them in their horses’ velvet mouths. The bit choice is paramount.

I wouldn’t use any other brand of bits, it isn’t just about the pioneering product design and handmade innovation from Bombers Bits – it’s also the amazing customer support. You can contact Claire Lund at Bombers with questions on a bit.”

“I have an arsenal of Bombers bits now, so can help other riders out too! I do like all of the Bombers bits, but the Happy Tongue is a real favourite. I also love the Bomber Blue mouthpieces – the material helps the horse ‘mouth’ better. You can feel when a horse is in the Bomber Blue, without even looking.”

TWO POPULAR MOUTHPIECES FOR HORSES WITH TONGUE SENSITIVITY

All standard cheekpieces available plus bespoke combinations. Examples of tongue sensitivity include: shaking head when bit pressure applied, putting tongue out of side of mouth, getting tongue over bit.

HAPPY TONGUE

BOMBER BLUE

The Happy Tongue mouthpiece - medium port to create tongue space & relieve tongue pressure.

Often suits horses with sensitive or large tongues.

The Bomber Blue mouthpiece medium port for tongue relief, very lightweight. The material encourages salivation. Particularly suited to horses that object to metal.

Ask your local retailer for details, or call 01825 840002 for UK stockists.

www.bombers.co.za

Email Claire for advice: claire@bombers.co.za

24 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

AVAIL ABLE AT STOCKISTS NATIONWIDE Model wears HyFASHION Passion to Ride T-Shirt in Coral and HyPERFORMANCE Cambridge Denim Look Breeches.

COMPETITION TACK.

FIT TO

perform MARK AND DIANA FISHER DISCUSS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN SADDLE AND BRIDLE DESIGN AND FITTING AND HOW RIDERS CAN CHOOSE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THEIR NEEDS.

M

ABOVE: SADDLE SPECIFICATIONS CAN BE FINE TUNED TO GET THE DESIRED RESULT, FOR EXAMPLE TO SUIT A TALL RIDER SUCH AS CARL HESTER.

ark Fisher, a master saddler and SMS (The Society of Master Saddlers qualified master saddle fitter, works with the E World lass programme to support its riders by ensuring their saddles are helping to improve their performance. iana isher is an SMS qualified master saddle fitter and one of the fi rst SMS qualified bridle fitters; she is also a accredited coach.

Mark explains that there is no single design that works for all: Most of the top riders have a saddle sponsor and we aim to offer an independent eye to assess if they are using the right equipment, and then work with the manufacturers to make improvements where necessary. e points out that many of the innovations developed in conjunction with leading riders then fi lter down to the sport as a whole and benefit all horses and riders.

Saddles are much more bespoke now and can offer adjustability and adaptability for different shapes of horse and riders as they progress through their careers. ne benefit of adjustable trees is that a youngster may now be fitted with a saddle that may last him throughout his career as his conformation changes, Mark says.

There’s no need to buy a cheap saddle for a three year old on the basis that he is going to grow out of it’. iders may want to change saddles because their riding evolves over time or their trainer wishes them to try something different, but it is possible to future proof’ a saddle purchase. egular saddle fit checks are important throughout the horse’s career, he points out.

There may be significant changes to conformation and condition as the horse progresses – competition and even travelling can have an effect. djustable gullet bars offered by a number of manufacturers help, but shouldn’t be altered in isolation; the panel will also need adjusting. made saddles generally have wool ocking in the panel which is easily adjustable, but many continental saddle brands use foam panels which can’t be adjusted on site, often needing to go back to the manufacturer which can mean a week delay.

irth arrangement can also in uence saddle fit, for example on broader horses with low withers, notes iana.

Those in soft condition or croup high can have a forward girth groove. We recently checked saddles on four event horses which had been eased off during the lockdown – instead of sliding back as they normally do, the saddles were coming forward djustable girth strap positioning can address this, but tends not to feature on European made saddles, especially mono aps where they are stitched in position.

Mark comments that trainers can have a major in uence on riders’ choice of saddles, but where both are riding the horse they may have different objectives. saddle that feels secure for the rider could be seen as restrictive by the trainer. ut there is a wide range of specifications that can be fi ne tuned to get the desired results, from seat si e and depth to ap length and angle and the si e and position of blocks used.

FITTING When looking for the perfect saddle, Mark suggests that riders should not be too brand oriented.

We take a variety of different saddles to a fitting and suggest that purchasers try a

LEFT: THE EFFECT OF SADDLE FIT/BALANCE ON RIDER POSITION. Left: CORRECTLY BALANCED SADDLE. Centre: SAME SADDLE 1 WIDTH FITTING TOO NARROW. Right: 1 WIDTH FITTING TOO WIDE.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 25

COMPETITION TACK.

good selection to fi nd the most suitable for the horse and rider combination. It may be that a saddle you love on one horse will feel completely different on another one.

He stresses that it is important that the riders’ home teams’ work closely together, and as well as the saddler and trainer this may include osteopaths, vets and physiotherapists.

This is established practice for the World Class squads, but can be applied at any level. We are sometimes called out for a saddle fitting issue but may have to suggest involving the vet, and on the vet’s advice, the physiotherapist.

Saddle slippage on one rein is one example which points to asymmetry, he says: We try to make the saddle as stable as possible by altering the panel and girthing, and by using a smartphone it’s easy to record changes and share the information. aving chosen a new saddle, it should be checked after 2-3 months as the ocking will have started to settle and it can go out of balance; subsequently checks twice or three times a year are a good idea. ou may not notice a problem until your coach points out its effect on your position.

It’s worth regular checks on big moving horses especially, which exert greater forces on the panel, Mark points out: Wool ock needs to be soft enough to allow movement but stable enough to be supportive. We check our elite riders’ saddles every four to five weeks.

BRIDLES ridle fitting and design is fi nally receiving the attention it deserves, comments Diana.

Manufacturers have been working to increase the horse’s comfort and research has found that most pressure from the bridle is not exerted on the poll as previously thought, but on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). So one manufacturer’s concept of changing the shape of the headpiece to move pressure away from the base of the ears has been a big step forward, and others have followed suit.

She comments that any ‘anatomically shaped’ headpiece must miss the base of the 26 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

ABOVE: DIANA CHECKS A BRIDLE FOR FIT; THE AREA BEHIND THE EARS IS ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE. LEFT: MARK AND DIANA FITTING ADJUSTING SADDLES ON SITE, WHICH IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH WOOLFLOCKED DESIGNS. BELOW: THE ABILITY TO ADJUST GIRTH STRAP POSITION CAN HELP IMPROVE SADDLE FIT.

ears to be of benefit and that there is now a range of designs on the market. iana says that whilst the aim with nosebands is to reduce pressure, they still need to provide the required level of control.

Most pressure from nosebands comes on the bridge – specifically the bones at the side – and there are a number of approaches to padding which can help with comfort. onformation affects how well a noseband will fit – arab type and utch horses tend to have heads that are broad at the top and then taper off, while thoroughbreds and erman breeds have longer noses and are less broad at the top of the head.

She points out that the traditional approach of buying a bridle as a whole in cob or full si e can result in a poor fit.

Some horses will have a full si e head but need a cob noseband. More British manufacturers and some continental brands are now offering bridles as component parts, allowing for a more comfortable and correct fit. hoice of noseband can also be in uenced by breeding and conformation, suggests Diana. onger heads tend to be better in a

grackle, while a drop noseband often suits a wider head. ou may need to try a range of nosebands to see which your horse goes best in – research has shown that a ash exerts the highest pressures and a grackle the lowest. The latest ash designs attach the ash strap further to the side of the nose than the traditional loop which concentrates pressure in a small area. orses can be asymmetric in their heads as well as their bodies and a qualified bridle fitter could advise on small adjustments that will make a difference to fit and comfort.

The Society of Master Saddlers ran its first bridle fitting course in 2 1 , with the eight City and Guilds qualified fitters – including myself – now acting as assessors. Due to ovid 1 we won’t be able to run in 2 2 but it’s an important move for the future.

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

SADDLERS AND SADDLE FITTERS

SOCIETY OF MASTER SADDLERS ooking for great quality saddlery and tack, to have a saddle or bridle adjusted or for a Society of Master Saddlers’ ualified Saddle Fitter? Using a member of the Society of Master Saddlers provides peace of mind that, whether using a Master Saddler with excellent skills or a Master Saddler ualified Saddle itter with the highest standards, all have undertaken years of study and in depth training. Without doubt, the quality of the products made both matches and surpasses the fi nest in Europe and around the world. Explains Society of Master Saddlers’ hief Executive a el Morley, In ritain we’ve been the forefront of saddlery developments of both fitting and manufacture for many years and we’re proud of the history, heritage and skill that is behind the services which all of our members provide.

EASTERN

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NAME: David Kempsell LOCATION: Nationwide EXPERTISE: Qualified Saddle Fitter EMAIL: info@wowsaddles.com WEB: www.wowsaddles.com

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MARTIN WILKINSON SADDLERS NAME: Martin Wilkinson LOCATION: Hertfordshire EXPERTISE: Master Saddler & QSF EMAIL: sales@martinwilkinson.com WEB: www.martinwilkinson.com

CREWE SADDLERY

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NAME: Beatrice Blakeman LOCATION: Cheshire EXPERTISE: Master Saddle Fitter & QSF EMAIL: crewesaddlery1@btconnect.com WEB: www.crewesaddlery.co.uk

RS SADDLES

LOCATION: Walsall, West Midlands EXPERTISE: Master Saddler & SMS QSF EMAIL: sales@ejeffries.co.uk WEB: www.ejeffries.co.uk

NAME: Harry Dabbs LOCATION: Walsall, West Midlands EXPERTISE: Master Saddler & SMS QSF EMAIL: info@harrydabbs.co.uk WEB: www.harrydabbs.co.uk

RB EQUESTRIAN NAME: Sam Gawn LOCATION: Leicestershire EXPERTISE: Qualified Saddle Fitter EMAIL: info@sgsaddles.co.uk WEB: www.sgsaddles.co.uk

EXPRESS EQUINE

THE NATIONAL SADDLE CENTRE

HARRY DABBS SADDLE MAKERS BLISS OF LONDON NAME: Nikki Newcombe LOCATION: Aldridge, West Midlands EXPERTISE: Master Saddle Fitter & QSF EMAIL: contact@bliss-of-london.com WEB: www.bliss-of-london.com

NORTH WEST

NAME: Ted Boggis LOCATION: Buckinghamshire EXPERTISE: Master Saddler Retail & QSF EMAIL: info@rbequestrian.co.uk WEB: www.rbequestrian.co.uk

NAME: Mark Fisher, Di Fisher LOCATION: Leverington, Cambridgeshire EXPERTISE: Master Saddler, Master Saddle Fitter, Qualified Bridle Fitter, BD Accredited Coach WEB: woolcroftequineservices.co.uk

NAME: Sammy Leahy LOCATION: Isle of Man EXPERTISE: Qualified Saddle Fitter EMAIL: enquiries@equissential.co.uk WEB: www.facebook.com/Equissential SCOTLAND

Mayfield Saddlery Serving East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent & Surrey for saddles, bridles and saddle-fitting

MAYFIELD SADDLERY

NAME: Juliette Lilly QSF LOCATION: Sussex, Kent and Surrey EXPERTISE: Saddle and bridle supply and fitting, accoutrements EMAIL: juliettelilly@mayfieldsaddlery.co.uk WEB: www.mayfieldsaddlery.co.uk NORTHERN

AVA SADDLES

NAME: Claire Fitzmaurice LOCATION: North Yorkshire EXPERTISE: Qualified Saddle Fitter EMAIL: claire@avasaddles.com WEB: www.avasaddles.com

AMAYZING SADDLERY LTD

NAME: Laura Nickel (Simpson) LOCATION: Renfrewshire EXPERTISE: SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter and SMS Qualified Saddler EMAIL: info@amayzingsaddlery.co.uk WEB: www.amayzingsaddlery.co.uk SOUTH WEST

CB SADDLERY

NAME: Catherine Baker LOCATION: Wiltshire EXPERTISE: Master Saddler, Master Bridle Maker, QSF, QBF TEL: 07738179008 EMAIL: catherine@wylyevalleyequine.co.uk BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 27

PRODUCT WATCH.

CUSTOM SADDLERY

PRODUCT

WATCH

COMPETITION TACK

BOMBERS DC DRESSAGE SWIVEL BIT features unique swivelling elements, designed to release as many pressure points within the mouth as possible to create a comfortable communication. The Happy Tongue (pictured) uses a sweet iron mouthpiece that’s curved and ported for tongue relief.

Ported titanium version also available.

RRP: FROM £110 equineman.com

THE ADELAIDE saddle features an elegant, defined look that embodies Voltaire Design’s devotion to style, performance and comfort. The Adelaide was designed for riders looking to improve their performance through enabling maximum sensation, closeness of contact and precision for the rider’s leg.

The narrow twist ensures the saddle is comfortable for the rider for even the longest sessions, whilst the 'cut-back' tree makes it is easy to adjust, giving incredible freedom of movement and can be perfectly customised for highwithered horses.

RRP: FROM £4600 voltairedesign.com

HY SPORT ACTIVE COMPLETE GROOMING BAG is filled with co-ordinated brushes and plenty of space.

The bag features an easy-to-clean lining, with a reinforced base and studs to prevent damage, a zip pocket and six open pockets.

Matching brushes include mane and tail brush, comb, body brush, dandy brush, face brush, sweat scraper and hoof pick. Available in a range of colours with new colours coming soon!

RRP: £41.99 | hy-equestrian.com

28 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

are English Saddle manufacturers, and sellers of high-end jumping, dressage and event saddles worldwide. Based in the UK, USA and Europe, the company has over 80 saddle fitters to sell and service saddles – from Dubai to Ireland.

The newest brand, Aviar, takes care in how the saddles are made, designed and assembled. The Aviar saddle features unprecedented shoulder freedom and energy absorbing, interchangeable foam panels.

RRP: FROM £4295 | aviarsaddles.com

STYLETTA DRESSAGE SADDLE Styletta from The Ideal Saddle Company is modern design at its best. This craftsmanmade, close contact European-style dressage saddle features a specially designed tree with a narrow twist for exceptional rider comfort, with flat rails and an open head for enhanced fit and flexibility for your horse. Styletta comes in all covered calf as standard and incorporates many special design features, including two sets of blocks with soft cupped hook and loop fastenings, hidden stirrup leather slots and a wide range of leather tones, textures and many additional options to customise this stylish saddle still further.

RRP: FROM £2295 | idealsaddle.com

PRODUCT WATCH.

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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 29

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YARDS AND STABLES.

BUILDING YOUR FUTURE BUILDING YOUR OWN YARD IS AN EXCITING PROSPECT BUT ONE WHICH REQUIRES THOUGHTFUL PLANNING. STEPHANIE BATEMAN CONSIDERS THE OPTIONS AND HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES FOR YOU AND YOUR HORSES.

W

hen designing a yard, perhaps the biggest decision is whether to have a traditional stable block or an American barn set up. So how to choose? ost is always a significant factor and merican barns tend to work out significantly more expensive than loose boxes for the same stabling capacity, explains Matt room from Tailored Equine Stables. “Obviously, you will get more for your money and the si e of the building, coupled with some other benefits, can make up for the added expense.

MATERIAL MATTERS The requirement is for materials to be strong, durable and hygienic. Options are endless with regards to fi nishes internally and externally, says ames Weaver from ackson td. rom a standard steel frame with a fibre cement roof, concrete block walls and timber Yorkshire boarding which tick all the boxes for workability, durability, light and ventilation, to brick walls externally with an insulated composite roof and ventilating light ridge systems.

VENTILATION AND LIGHT Two factors that must never be overlooked are ventilation and natural light.

The ideal for horses is to achieve around 30 air changes per hour in the stable, and the

best way to achieve this is to have opening doors and windows, and a ventilated ridge in the roof, Matt advises. orses hate draughts; merican barns offer excellent ventilation and the internal partitioning

AMERICAN BARN

STABLE BLOCK

Pros

Pros

✔ Everything is in one place resulting in a more efficient workplace ✔ Mucking out in the winter is much more pleasant ✔ Large sliding doors at either end allow access for a trailer or barrow ✔ Well ventilated ✔ Well-lit with natural light ✔ Better for horses to interact and see each other ✔ Flexible internal partitions

✔ Generally cheaper ✔ Planning permission is easier to obtain due to flexibility ✔ Offers greater scope for expanding whilst retaining original design scheme by simply ‘adding on’ more loose boxes ✔ Offers better isolation options ✔ Can be more aesthetically pleasing

Cons

Cons

✖ More expensive ✖ Planning permission is usually more difficult to obtain due to size ✖ Difficult to prevent spread of disease

✖ Not as well ventilated ✖ Less natural light

ABOVE: VENTILATION AND NATURAL LIGHT ARE KEY REQUIREMENT WHEN DESIGNING A YARD.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 33

YARDS AND STABLES.

stops draughts at horse level. In loose boxes, a ventilated ridge can give the same benefit, but they are generally not as well ventilated.”

Matt advises having the maximum available roof lights when using a fibre cement or composite panel roof system.

“The ventilated ridge is also available as a complete roof light, he says. pening windows in a toughened glass or acrylic material will also add to the natural daylight.”

Modern LED lights are becoming the norm in new builds and have revolutionised brightness and the economy of lighting stables.

DOORS AND PARTITIONS Stable door choice should be made with the type of horse or pony to be housed in mind. or most, a basic swinging door will be the perfect choice,” says Matt. “Sliding doors are very useful in narrow walkways but tend to be noisy.

Stable partitions need to be made to an adequate strength.

“Brick and block can be knocked over,” Matt says. alvanised steel framed panels with recycled plastic infi lls are popular due to their strength, adaptability and hygienic properties.”

When it comes to partitions some horses will crave company while others detest it; grilles on top of the partitions are cost effective and make for an airier stable.

FLOORING All stabling should ideally utilise a concrete base unless a specialist oor is chosen.

“With a new build, appropriate drainage can be allowed for, with a minimal slope in the stable from back to front of approximately mm, and open dish drains running in front of the line of stables, says Matt. rains should be fitted with silt buckets that can be emptied.”

Rubber matting is always a popular option and if the budget allows, having the mats professionally bonded to the oor and all joins and edges sealed will make a far superior finish and prevent urine building up underneath.

SECURITY CAMERAS When it comes to security cameras, there are two options, as Emily Vaughan from Solar Equestrian explains: or animal surveillance such as foaling, box rest and just checking in on your horse, you need to be able to log on via a computer, mobile or tablet. The second option is CCTV/ security cameras to protect your property and animals. must for these cameras is motion detection so you can be notified straight to your smart device if someone is on your property.”

WATERERS AND FEEDERS There are multiple options when deciding on waterers and feeders.

“We sell a lot of automatic water drinkers,” explains Melanie Illman of lus etail td. The benefit is

BELOW: TRADITIONAL STABLE BLOCKS OFFER SCOPE FOR EASY EXPANSION. ABOVE INSET: HAY BARS ALLOW THE HORSE TO EAT AT GROUND LEVEL WHILE MINIMISING WASTAGE. TOP RIGHT: CAMERAS CAN MONITOR FOALING OR, WHERE SPECIFIED WITH MOTION DETECTION, WARN OF INTRUDERS.

ABOVE: CAPTION HERE. BELOW LEFT: CAPTION HERE. BELOW RIGHT: CAPTION HERE.

34 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 35

Celebrating 100 years

FOR STABLES THAT LAST A LIFETIME, CHOOSE SCOTTS OF THRAPSTON

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YARDS AND STABLES.

that the water is refreshed every time the horse drinks, but the downside is that you cannot monitor how much it is drinking. With regards to feeders, the swivel mangers, which offer convenience, are popular.” aynets and hayracks are commonly used for feeding forage, although evidence suggests that horses eating at oor level is beneficial. ay bars that are fi xed to the walls of stables close to the oor not only ensure a correct feeding height but also minimise waste.

PLANNING PERMISSION ermanent equestrian facilities will need planning permission, says ucy alph of Equine lanning. This will cover the use of the land, design as well as access and any impact on the surroundings.”

CASE STUDY Lara Edwards is in the throes of building her own yard. Here, she shares her story so far.

“My parents have a fantastic yard which is only a few miles up the road, now I have my own children, we decided it would be better if I had my own set up at home.

“When we bought our house, we always wanted to buy the field next door, and after only three months of moving in, the farmer put the land on the market, so we bought it.

“When designing the new yard, we used KWA Architects (Cambridge) to help with

• Starting from scratch aving your own land to build your yard can be beneficial from a working point of view. lanning authorities prefer to see applications for all the facilities, and erecting structures on an empty field will be more challenging than if there is already a building on site. reas of utstanding atural eauty and onservation reas, Sites of Specific Scientific Interest etc require additional reports.

Typically needed is a topographical survey, a landscape appraisal, as well as ecology report, tree report, drainage survey and, possibly transport and highways reports. All this, with a Design and Access Statement should assist in getting the required permission. lans for dealing with muck and access to a site are also important.

• Expanding existing facilities If looking to expand on existing equestrian facilities ideally materials used for new structures should match. Existing buildings that could be converted or used alongside new buildings may be a better option.

If existing equestrian buildings are not suitable for re use, then demolition and replacement is possible. Existing agricultural use farm buildings are not brownfield’ and full planning is needed to change the use to equestrian. reen elt policy exceptions include re use of rural buildings so long as they are not materially larger.

ABOVE: A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS CAN BE USED TO CONSTRUCT STABLING; WHERE NEW BUILDINGS EXPAND THE FACILITY, MATERIALS SHOULD IDEALLY MATCH.

plans and planning, although Dad and I had already drawn up what wanted. The design has everything I could have wished for; horse walker, solarium, wash bay, nice sized stables, lorry and muck trailer all under one roof. It is wooden cladded so will also look really smart and tie in with the local area.

“The project will take around six months. We needed planning permission and luckily we had no objections so it went through within 16 weeks. We can’t wait to get started.”

RIGHT: LARA EDWARDS HAD A ‘WISHLIST’ FOR HER NEW STABLE YARD, BROUGHT TO LIFE BY THE ARCHITECTS.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 37

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TOTAL EQUESTRIAN CONSTRUCTION CELEBRATING 100 YEARS Scotts of Thrapston is one of the country’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of desirable equestrian buildings and bespoke timber stables, for private and professional dressage yards. Scotts is celebrating its centenary in 2020 and has established a good reputation for design expertise, quality and service.

Scotts timber stables are individually designed and manufactured to represent equine living at its best. These are timber stables that last a lifetime and provide a practical and efficient environment for you and your horses.

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38 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

is a family run business with over 30 years’ experience constructing American barns and stables. They will provide their own equipment, plant and transport to allow better control and organisation of the project – aiming to deliver excellence both in their products and their service.

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BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 39

ADDING THE

X Factor WITH NO COMPETITIONS THIS SPRING, YOUR FREESTYLE AMBITIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE BACKBURNER. THIS COULD BE THE TIME TO GIVE YOUR FREESTYLE PROGRAMME A MAKEOVER, READY FOR WHEN DANCING IS BACK ON YOUR AGENDA, SAYS HELEN TRIGGS.

S

tart by getting out the test sheets if you have already competed. It’s even better if you have videos of each attempt to compare alongside the sheet.

See if there are any comments in common and places where you are losing marks. These may be technical issues that can be corrected working with your trainer.

Above Medium level there are marks for technical difficulty. ow difficult is your programme Has your horse learned new skills while you’ve not been competing which you can include If he’s had a layoff and is just coming back into work, can you make the oorplan a bit easier for him If the judges have given you average or poor marks for your music and artistic interpretation,

now is the time to honestly appraise how it’s working. The judge doesn’t have to like your music choices but if they don’t enhance the horse’s performance and the rhythm doesn’t match the paces, then you won’t get a good mark. If the music has crescendos, does the oorplan make the most of them Some of the music might no longer suit the horse because his paces have gained more expression and cadence. As you go up the levels and introduce collected work, you need music to fit a more balanced pace.

To get ideas, trawl YouTube and Facebook for examples of programmes. See what oorplans work and maybe some of the ideas will get your creative juices owing.

LEFT: FREESTYLE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN YOUR HORSE’S WORK. RIGHT: YOUR FLOORPLAN SHOULD PLAY TO YOUR HORSE’S STRENGTHS, SUGGESTS ALICE OPPENHEIMER.

PROFILE.

EXPERT TIPS “At each level you should think about having two different plans to reflect the horse’s progress,” says list 1 judge, Kim Ratcliffe. “You could get qualified with your ‘starter’ plan and then change to a more difficult one for regionals.”

The first opportunity you get to impress the judge is your entry “Come in with a bang – ‘Here I am judges, this is me!’ ” advises Tony Hobden of Equidance.

“You can easily refresh your programme by adding a more impressive introductory piece. To work out where to start the music, go into the arena and halt where you would in the test.

Turn round and start the music and ride out of the arena or around the inside to find out how far you get.”

“Try and show off the horse’s highlights at every level,” comments British team rider, Gareth Hughes. “Be smart about where you put your lines to portray the best picture. Don’t let the test get too busy, and mirror the sequences on each rein.”

Gaynor Colbourn is a composer who creates music to fit the horse.

“Because it’s done in a studio, it’s easy to make alterations,” she says. “I keep the master so sections can be updated. The main thing is to get the dynamics and emotion in the music right.”

It’s not always necessary to change your music, suggests GP rider and judge, Sara-Jane Lanning. “My horse Mi Amigo kept the same music from Novice to PSG. I just kept re-editing it.”

Check that your programme highlights your horse’s strong points. GP rider Alice Oppenheimer loves to play around with her floorplans to showcase the horse’s abilities. “Headmore Bella Ruby is naturally very supple so I do a lot to show that off with lateral movements and flowing changes of direction.”

Make the most of a supple horse with lots of circles and steep lines.

And if your horse struggles with suppleness, make your curves larger and inclines shallower so you don’t lose the forward impulsion.

BELOW: GET THE DYNAMICS AND EMOTION IN THE MUSIC RIGHT FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL HORSE, ADVISES COMPOSER GAYNOR COLBOURN.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 41

PROFILE.

Music online learned how to distinguish between the different tomhuntmusic.com movements, learning what words like piaffe and dressagetomusicby passage, half-pass and extension meant. gaynorcolbourn.com “I would say from a technical point of view, the equidance.co.uk music I composed and produced for Charlotte Dujardin’s Rio 2016 Olympic freestyle is definitely one that stands out for me. We wanted to capture the atmosphere and occasion of an Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and at the same time create an original, memorable and fun soundtrack that supported and highlighted Valegro’s movements throughout a technically challenging floorplan design.

“A great freestyle is one that engages its audience, evokes emotions and is remembered for highlighting the horse’s strengths and emphasising movement through the use and variation of rhythm and tempo. A great freestyle should have a clear, distinctive theme and style of music that can support the occasion and narrative.”

MUSIC MAESTRO Tom Hunt sprang to the attention of the dressage world when he created Valegro’s patriotic music programme which won gold for Charlotte Dujardin at the 2012 Olympics.

Tom is a composer and musician who has always loved storytelling and the way music can reinforce the emotion and impact of images on a screen.

“Shortly after graduating, I watched a dressage freestyle on TV for the first time. I remember feeling intrigued at how the music was being used to match what the horse and rider were doing. My initial impression was that the music wasn’t quite fitting the footfall of the horse and that, specifically around the transitions, it sounded disjointed and random.

“I was inspired to compose original music that was designed specifically to a horse’s tempo and rhythm and which flowed seamlessly through the different transitions and changes. I bought a DVD of an international Grand Prix freestyle competition and copied down the commentary for each freestyle. I quickly

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Freestyle fun

Design your floorplan with our help

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LEFT: COMPOSER TOM HUNT WITH CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN – HE SAYS THAT VALEGRO’S RIO FREESTYLE WAS HIS FAVOURITE AS THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE PAIR TO WIN FOR THE SECOND TIME.

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FLOORPLAN GUIDE!

Draw your ideas here before putting them to the test under saddle, print out as many templates as you need, and why not use a different coloured pen for each difference pace!

42 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

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This great floorplan guide is E B available to print off from the BD website V P – draw out your ideas for your new or improved fl oorplan before putting them K F to theAtest under saddle, using a different colour pen for each pace.

For more information on getting starting with freestyle to music dressage, visit the BD website! www.britishdressage.co.uk

Lots more information on freestyle is available at britishdressage.co.uk

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EXPERT OPINION.

Fit to RIDE FORMER ARMY PHYSIO MAJOR NELL MEAD NOW WORKS AS ONE OF LONDON’S LEADING PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND HAS CARRIED OUT RESEARCH INTO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BACK IN ACTION’S MOBILISER. SHE SUGGESTS THAT RIDERS CONSIDER HOW INCREASING FLEXIBILITY COULD IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.

ANALYSE YOURSELF AND YOUR LIFESTYLE Dressage is a sport, so it is important to take care of yourself. Therapists can be fantastic to deal with injuries, but it’s still essential to take action yourself. So, what else could you be doing?

Major Nell Mead explains: “Equestrian sport so often results in injuries from falls and unless a rider is severely compromised very few go to see a practitioner. Many surprise and extreme horse movements such as spooks, bucks or whipping round can give the rider whiplash or injure muscles and ligaments that in true stiff upper lip style, a rider ignores and carries on. Over time these untreated niggles and aches can either become rather more serious resulting in disc problems, or they see riders becoming

one sided as the body tries to compensate by putting more strain onto another part of the body to ‘save’ the injured part.

“Whenever you have had a moment like this, fall or not, we always recommend that you visit a physiotherapist or chiropractor to re balance and straighten you back out, it can save you in the long term. Riders need to be body aware, especially as they grow older and perhaps have the onset of arthritis. Keep your body moving as this is key to keeping supple and fit to ride.

If you are physically fit and well, you can plan to improve your mobility, says Nell.

“First, tackle sitting. Many riders that I work with spend hours sitting which impacts back health and riding.

“Choose a chair

“THERAPISTS CAN BE FANTASTIC TO DEAL WITH INJURIES, BUT IT’S STILL ESSENTIAL TO TAKE ACTION YOURSELF”

ABOVE: LOOKING AFTER YOUR MOBILITY COULD HELP IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THE SADDLE. BELOW: THE MOBILISER WORKS BY USING A SERIES OF ‘THUMBS’ TO WORK UP AND DOWN THE SPINE, GENTLY EASING THE VERTEBRAE APART.

with movement or create it by adding a gadget to the chair. Sit-stand desks can help alleviate back problems and are widely credited with giving people extra vitality.

EXPERT OPINION.

TIPS FOR BOOSTING FLEXIBILITY If you’re sitting on a chair all day at work it’s also important stretch your hips, your back and your knees, which can all get stiff when you spend most of your time in similar poses.

The ‘pelvis raised’ stretch takes you into a great anti-sitting position: hips extended, lower back slightly inverted and decompressed, hip flexors stretched.

If you are lucky enough to use a Mobiliser you can achieve this effortlessly as part of your session, but at a lower cost and with a bit more effort you can use a block under the pelvis.

Stretching your legs is also really important to help to decompress your hip and knee joints. This is a great hamstring (back of thigh) stretch (below). ext find and remove one sided habits you’ve built up over years. These can affect your relationship with your horse and cause both of you pain. But worse still, these habits make building a symmetrical core very difficult. Therapists are the starting point, but if your lifestyle or previous injuries constantly generate a lack of symmetry you may always need treatment. I recommend that patients consider some kind of exercise and use of a Mobiliser to help reduce one-sidedness and keep things moving.”

Many riders with crookedness or onesidedness issues are aware of them but struggle to correct themselves, says Nell.

“Collapsing in the waist or a hip, leaning forward in a transition or using the reins to balance yourself can all be helped with posture re education off the horse if your posture is poor. Nothing replaces regular body awareness focused practice like Pilates and Yoga.

“The horse in balance can move smoothly and more importantly efficiently without undue wear and tear on the body. The horse out of balance will have an unequal work load to parts of its body which will in time cause gait irregularities leading to health issues.”

In 2014 Centaur Biomechanics carried out an independent study looking at the effect that the Mobiliser had on equine movement.

The Mobiliser is a lightweight portable ‘lie on’ bed. It works by mobilising the spine as a number of sets of ‘thumbs’ run up and down the spine, slightly easing apart each joint. The joints are moved from the ankles up to the neck and are repeatedly mobilised encouraging the spine and all of its individual parts to move.

The pre-programmed session lasts 15 minutes and this is designed to kick-start the spine and surrounding muscles ‘back into action’ helping to remove aches, pains, stiffness and soreness and increasing suppleness.

The study concluded that, of the horses correctly measured, all showed an improvement in movement after rider mobilisation.

“The horses had an average of 4 degrees more exion in their hocks while for some it was as high as 10 degrees and they were able to stay softer and rounder, covering the ground with more activity. This indicates that by mobilising the rider, the horse benefits hugely which is seen in its ability to produce a more active trot unhindered by the rider’s stiffness and limitations in the saddle,” she comments.

For riding, it’s also important to have strong and flexible adductor (inner thigh and groin) muscles as these are key to maintaining a good seat (below).

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 45

SPORTING VARIETY IF BRINGING YOUR ‘A’ GAME MEANS PUTTING IN 100%, WHERE’S THE VALUE IN TRYING TO SQUEEZE YET ANOTHER SPORT INTO AN ALREADY BUSY SCHEDULE? WHAT CAN BE GAINED FROM LEAVING THE HORSES ASIDE FOR A NETBALL MATCH, FOR EXAMPLE, OR A ROUND OF GOLF? ANDREA OAKES INVESTIGATES.

M

astering a craft requires commitment.

Experts may have debunked the ‘10,000 hour’ rule, but there’s no denying that practice pays off. nd we all know dressage takes plenty of it. ut have you considered the benefits of a different sport alongside your time in the saddle? rom a wellbeing perspective, a different activity can offer a real psychological benefit, says chartered sport psychologist Jo Davies (www.jdpsychology.co.uk), who explains that stepping out of the equestrian bubble occasionally can bring more than an extra dose of fresh air and fitness work.

“For many riders, their self-identity is entwined with their sport, explains o. This is perfectly natural, especially for professionals, but what happens when the riding doesn’t go to plan? If you only see yourself as a rider or a competitor, problems can arise if you’re sidelined through injury, for example, or because you lose a top horse.

“Enjoying a range of activities can create a broader selfidentity, she says. If you can also say I’m a goalkeeper in my netball team’, or ‘I swim to relax’, you can check in with other areas of your life that bring a sense of fulfilment.

Jo explains that any activity can act as a release from the intensity of riding, creating valuable ‘time out’ to clear the mind and unwind.

“We’re social creatures, so team sports in particular can enhance a sense of connecting with others, she says.

“Riding is often a solitary pursuit. Playing a team game can give us the feeling of being a small cog in the wheels of something bigger.

There are additional positive spin offs. ranching out can offer the chance to hone competitive skills and trial strategies for coping under pressure, such as breathing techniques – whether you’re at match point in a tennis game or aiming to achieve a personal best in a 10km run.

There’s value, too, in committing to an activity, adds o, “It’s about learning to manage the inner critic: the voice of

46 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

RIDING REQUISITES.

self-doubt, or the one that tells us we can’t be bothered when the alarm goes for that 6am swim.

Having a plan helps create the feeling of autonomy over choices and sets up momentum for the day.

Event rider Simon Grieve agrees, describing his early morning swimming sessions as important ‘me time’ before a busy day at the yard.

I try to swim lengths, four mornings a week, says Simon, who started with the aim of developing three-day event fitness. It’s a really good habit that gets me in the right place mentally and brings structure to my day. I also enjoy seeing the regulars at the pool, none of whom are horsey.

The occasional game of squash gives Simon an additional work-out and a chance to catch up with friends.

Squash is brilliant for pushing your heart rate up, he says. “You have to be fully focused to think tactically and make quick decisions. It’s all for fun, but I don’t like losing or rand rix star lice ppenheimer, taking up running has proved a real test. Having signed up to run the ondon Marathon in pril, to raise funds for The Brooke, she was devastated when the event was cancelled due to Covid-19. unning is not something I enjoy or find particularly easy, says lice, who describes herself as a weight carrying family cob’, rather than a racehorse. “But if say I’ll do something, I throw myself into it. lice’s 1 week training programme involved shorter recovery runs, faster sprints and gruelling long distances, building up to a half marathon that she completed in 2hrs 19mins.

It did challenge me, admits lice, who plans to resume training for the rescheduled event.

“I’m naturally very competitive and dressage is something that I’m lucky enough to be good at, yet, no matter how hard I try, I can’t compete at running. Just getting out of the gate some days was an achievement, but I discovered that I can dig deep if I have to. It also taught me that it doesn’t matter if you don’t win all the time.

Ideally, a second sport will serve as an enjoyable and refreshing break from the norm. ust be aware of burn out, advises o. What some see as a refuel, others might find too much.

Check your energy and mood levels to make sure that any additional activities are leaving you feeling enriched.

TRY SOMETHING NEW “Hockey has definitely been my ‘team fix’,” says former European pony champion and current university student Phoebe Peters, who has played competitively with her local club Blockley Hockey for six years. “I’ve been able to enjoy the social side and keep fit at the same time.

“Being part of any team means looking out for and supporting your team mates, something that definitely applies to both hockey and dressage,” adds Phoebe.

“This can extend even further in our sport, as the wider team – vets, farriers, sponsors, supporters – have an invaluable impact. When it comes to the five minutes of performance inside the white boards, the sense of ‘team’ I’ve then felt is the harmony between myself and my horse, something we’re all lucky to experience.”

Playing hockey has improved several areas of Phoebe’s performance that she says are not so easy to focus on when in the saddle, such as mental flexibility, calmness under pressure, swift decision-making and an ability to move on from mistakes yet remain focused ‘in the moment’. She reports enhanced peripheral vision and awareness of others, which contributes to a more relaxed warm-up and greater accuracy in the arena.

“Hockey also gives me the opportunity to maintain aerobic fitness and muscle strength, particularly through the winter months when I’m not so keen to run on the dark, rural lanes,” she adds. “I eat, sleep and breathe dressage, but it’s never a bad thing to have a few hours away to reset and have fun in a different environment.”

ABOVE: PLAYING ANOTHER SPORT CAN IMPROVE PERFORMANCE FOR DRESSAGE RIDERS.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 47

48 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

BACK TO BASICS.

BACK TO BASICS PREPARING YOUR HORSE AND TEST PRESENTATION OUR MODELS Matilda DunkertonBennett and Gerhard (Zhivago x Ferro), a nineyear-old KWPN gelding.

Matilda is looking forward to them making their competition debut, and would ultimately like to compete at FEI Youth level.

AFTER A LENGTHY BREAK, ALL EYES ARE NOW ON THE RESUMPTION OF THE BD CALENDAR. WE TRAVELLED TO COTSWOLD CLUB EQUESTRIAN IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE, THE NEW BASE OF SPENCER WILTON AND DARREN HICKS, TO WATCH SPENCER WORK WITH FOUR RIDERS ON SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPETITION PREPARATION AND TEST RIDING. JOANNA BOWNS REPORTS. PHOTOS AND GRAPHICS BY CAMILLE PETERS

Debbie Stibbe and Billy Elliot III (by Soliman de Hus), an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Debbie. They are competing successfully at Small Tour.

tail first as opposed to nose first.

If the halt is too abrupt, the horse may rock forward and rock back in an attempt to regain balance.

THE HALT Riding down the centre line is your fi rst opportunity to impress the judge. Look ahead as you ride towards C, and prepare well for the halt and salute. Don’t surprise your horse. Ride into your halt progressively through some walk steps. This gives a feeling of forwardness into the halt. As the training advances, the number of steps can be reduced.

The horse should halt with the legs and body as one unit, landing

Exercise At home, train the halt away from the centre line. Ride a trot-walk transition, eight steps of walk, then a walk-trot transition.

This gives the rider a feeling of where any weaknesses may be, such as a tendency for the horse to drift. Then introduce the halt (see diagram). The rider must be honest: “How much help am I having to give the horse to maintain straightness.”

As with the transition to halt,

the transition out can be ridden progressively in relation to the horse’s stage of training.

TOP: THE CENTRE LINE IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT YOUR HORSE TO THE JUDGE. DIAGRAM: IN TRAINING, PRACTICE THE HALT ON THE

Roberto Scalisi and Laurentia II (Blue Hors Zack x Painted Black), a fouryear-old mare owned and bred by Debbie and Eddy Stibbe.

Darren Hicks with Samantha Britton’s Woodcroft Django Mon Ami (Dante Weltino x Royal Diamond), a six-year-old gelding who was placed third with Darren in the Prestige Italia Novice Gold Winter Regionals at Addington Equestrian this year.

QUARTER LINE AND MAKE THE TRANSITION PROGRESSIVE. ABOVE SEQUENCE: THE TRANSITION TO HALT THROUGH A NUMBER OF WALK STEPS.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 49

BACK TO BASICS.

RIDING THE CORNERS Think of arriving at and departing the corners in shoulder-fore. As well as balancing the horse for the corner, it sets him up for the movement that follows. With a more novice horse, the short side goes so quickly, the shoulderfore gives more time. Also, the short side is one of the few opportunities to present the profile of the horse to the judge as well as you can.

FAR LEFT: APPROACHING THE CORNER IN SHOULDER-FORE POSITION. LEFT: ON THE SHORT SIDE, THE JUDGE CAN CLEARLY SEE THE PROFILE OF THE HORSE.

TRANSITIONS BETWEEN PACES For transitions in a test situation there has to be an emphasis on accuracy so they can be executed in the right place. At home, it’s more about creating the perfect moment for the transition. This improves the quality, which can then be translated to the test.

Think of a 70:30 ‘perfect moment

to accuracy’ ratio in training, and a 70:30 ‘accuracy to perfect moment’ ratio for competition.

To develop your ability to present accurate, well executed transitions, formulate a pattern in your mind on how much preparation you need. You must establish a mental pattern of how to achieve the change of pace consistently.

Exercise In training, to prepare for a transition from trot to canter on a 20cm circle as you cross the centre line (e.g. as required for relim 1 , first, ride trot canter and canter-trot transitions repeatedly on the circle. Ask for the transition to canter on the open side of the circle so that the horse isn’t supported by a wall

or fence. Repeat it enough times so you formulate a pattern in your head. It will then become automatic and you can ride for more accurate, test-ready transitions. Next, execute the exercise with a transition to canter exactly as you cross the centre line and a transition to trot at C (see diagram). Repeat the process on the other rein.

DIAGRAM: ON A 20M CIRCLE, RIDE A TRANSITION TO CANTER AS YOU CROSS THE CENTRE LINE FOLLOWED BY A TRANSITION TO TROT AT C. LEFT: THE TRANSITION TO CANTER ON THE OPEN SIDE OF THE CIRCLE.

BACK TO BASICS.

THE SHALLOW LOOP Exercise A useful exercise, to both create suppleness in the trot and establish the shallow loop from the long side (e.g. as required for Novice 24), is to incorporate a circle within the loop (see diagram). When riding a 10 metre loop from F to M, as you touch the centre line make a 10 metre circle right before continuing on the line of the loop (see diagram). If you’re not happy

with the circle, do another to rebalance. Repeat the exercise on the opposite rein.

This will help prepare you to execute a balanced and supple 10 metre loop in the test.

DIAGRAM: INCORPORATING A 10M CIRCLE INTO THE LOOP HELPS TO CREATE SUPPLENESS. BELOW: A BALANCED 10M CIRCLE.

TOP TIP Whatever the size of circle, it’s important to just be able to see the corner of the horse’s eye on the inside of the circle.

CHANGE THE REIN ACROSS THE DIAGONAL When changing the rein, for example from K to M, try to ride towards the corner rather than the letter M. Most horses have a tendency to drift a little, away from the direction of travel. This often means they arrive at the opposite long side just short of the marker. As you make your turn at the beginning, ride towards the corner then change your focus to the marker only after your line is established.

ABOVE: RIDING THE DIAGONAL TOWARDS THE CORNER AS OPPOSED TO THE MARKER.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 51

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52 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

BACK TO BASICS.

MEDIUM TROT

MEDIUM CANTER

At Novice level, when the horse is expected to show a few medium strides, the rider has time to make sure the horse is in a good balance and rhythm before asking. If your arena at home has a perimeter hedge or fence, prepare for and ride your medium trot strides off the track as much as possible.

When fi rst asking for a direct transition to medium, as required at Elementary and above, do so on the long side for support and help with the transitions. It’s most important that the horse is straight before the transition.

Exercise Teach the medium canter on a circle as this allows you time to develop the quality of the pace before returning to collected canter. Work in three gears – collected, working and medium strides, with clear transitions and understanding. Once you have the response you want, miss the working canter and go straight from collected to medium. Now incorporate the movement on a straight line, thinking shoulder-fore to keep the horse straight.

(Medium canter is required from Elementary level; at Novice level horses are required to show some medium canter strides).

RIGHT: WHEN FIRST ASKING FOR A

TOP TIP

DIRECT TRANSITION TO MEDIUM TROT, DO SO ON THE LONG SIDE FOR SUPPORT.

10M CIRCLES – IMPROVING THE BALANCE Exercise An exercise to help develop the carrying power of the hind end, and suppleness in the canter: Using the whole arena, in collected canter ride a 10m circle at each corner marker (K, H, M, F) and half marker (E, B) – see diagram. Control the horse’s shoulders on the circle but keep

the hands forward enough to allow for self-carriage, maintaining the same rhythm and impulsion throughout.

This will help set you up for high quality canter circles in your test (10m circles are required from Elementary level).

RIGHT: A BALANCED COLLECTED CANTER. DIAGRAM: IN COLLECTED CANTER, RIDE A 10M CIRCLE AT EACH CORNER MARKER AND HALF MARKER TO DEVELOP SUPPLENESS AND BALANCE.

When cantering down the long side away from the judge, it can appear to the judge at C that the horse is slightly quarters-in, so ride the canter in shoulder-fore position. Bring the shoulders in but without the neck bend.

BACK TO BASICS.

✔

✖ ABOVE: FOR THE GIVE AND RETAKE, THE RIDER SHOULD MOVE THEIR HANDS IN A DIRECT LINE TOWARDS THE HORSE’S MOUTH.

GIVE AND RETAKE THE REINS IN CANTER This movement is introduced at Novice level and is to test that the horse is in self-carriage. The rider should move their hands towards the horse’s mouth rather than towards the horse’s ears, and give the reins for three strides so that it’s clearly shown.

Exercise If the give and retake is on a straight line, fi rst practise it on a

circle, then ride the straight line without giving the reins before introducing the give and retake.

ON COMPETITION DAY As important as stretching is at the start of the warm up, don’t focus too much on this if your horse is fresh. Asking the horse to stretch if he’s excited by the competition environment may mean that you run out of time to complete your preparation. If you think your horse could be particularly on

his toes, you could perhaps do 15 minutes of work at home before you leave. This is a useful tool to help the horse to settle if you’re travelling to a local competition.

Make sure you’ve studied the test well, so that on the day you can focus on riding your lines and transitions. Think of each element as part of a jigsaw puzzle.

During the warm up, ride each element in isolation, ready to piece them together in front of the judge.

THANKS British Dressage thanks Charlotte Dunkerton of Cotswold Club Equestrian, Spencer Wilton, all the riders, and the owners of the horses that took part. spencerwiltondressage. co.uk

ABOUT SPENCER WILTON Beginning his career in eventing, Spencer represented Great Britain at the Pony European Championships in 1987 and trained with greats such as Ruth McMullen, Lucinda Green and Mark Todd.

To date, he has won 13 national dressage titles, gaining his fi rst in 1 . e made his international debut for reat ritain in 2006 and since then hasn’t looked back. With Super Nova II, Spencer made his senior FEI championship debut at the Olympic Games in Rio where he helped Great Britain to team silver.

They were also on the fourth-placed British team at the 2017 FEI European Championships in Gothenburg and they won team bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018.

LEFT: SPENCER WILTON, RESIDENT TRAINER AT COTSWOLD CLUB EQUESTRIAN. RIGHT: WITH SUPER NOVA II AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN RIO.

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SCOTLAND

NORTHERN RDO: Alex Phillips M: 07495 013192 E: alexandra.phillips@ britishdressage.co.uk

Chairman: Jane Imbush 07739 644064 Coaching: Amy Blount 07773 228562 Rider training: Gemma Dainty 07780 705788 BD Youth: Dawn Fleming 07742 082723 Judges: Richard Baldwin 07903 942498 Para: Caroline Unwin 07842 219043 Marketing: Contact RDO

Chairman: Vikki Hayton 07860 276578 Coaching: Charlotte Wilson 07949 076141 Rider training: Sarah Farrand 07941 640148 BD Youth: Lucinda Bird 07846 893109 Jess Griffiths 07590 732896 Judges: Gwyneth Lewis 07710 021279 Para: Gillian Brown 07872 923456 Marketing: Sarah McClarron 07557 281360

EASTERN

NORTH WEST RDO: Katharine Perry M: 07872 603871 E: katharine.perry@ britishdressage.co.uk

Chairman: Lotte Olsen 01277 822525 Coaching: Tracy Wright 07951 570315 Rider training: Hayley Liddiard 07769 692670 BD Youth: Phillippa Coles 07860 215895 BD Youth (U12s): Jessica Brown 07852 282983 Judges: Jane Howard 07831 406406 Para: Joanne Dagley-Cleworth 07967 605566 Marketing: Katie Tysome 07772 571497

RDO: Nadine Murray M: 07557 233219 E: nadine.murray@ britishdressage.co.uk Chairman: Tim Downes 07775 797484 Coaching: Jane Critchley 07966 865604 (South) Alison Calvert 07980 886004 (North) Rider training: Jackie Crombie 07816 216594 BD Youth: Sue Blackshaw 07528 570681 Judges: Denise Glanville 07966 303633 Brenda Pamplin 07415 203766 Para: Alison Ramseir 07809 456296 Marketing: Contact RDO

SOUTH WEST RDO: Emma Stewart M: 07584 147258 E: emma.stewart@ britishdressage.co.uk

RDO: Jo Byrne M: 07783 791191 E: jo.byrne@ britishdressage.co.uk

RDO: Amanda Heath M: 07894 232355 E: amanda.heath@ britishdressage.co.uk

Chairman: Sharon Lindop 07793 129245 Coaching: Jean Stephen 07718 315834 Rider training: Linda Thompson 07919 441039 BD Youth: Kerry Sutherland 07720 085248 Judges: Caroline Paterson 07554 086211 Gillian Peters 07501 444132 Para: Clare Molyneux 07789 262898 Marketing: Amelia Ratcliffe-Smith 07837 533506

Chairman: Susie Cumine 07860 677977 Coaching: Nicky Du Plessis 07427 674610 Rider training: Nicky Du Plessis 07427 674610 BD Youth: Joanna Lees 07709 376470 Judges: Alicia Anderson 07778 898499 Para: Nick Rodgers 07791 935095 Marketing: Sharon Stuart 07912 225700 Paula Holland 07748 666794

SOUTHERN

WALES RDO: Sharon Walker M: 07894 232358 E: sharon.walker@ britishdressage.co.uk

RDO: Vanessa Archer M: 07398 763414 E: vanessa.archer@ britishdressage.co.uk

Chairman: Samantha Osborn 01428 656188 Coaching: Emma Butler 07843 585504 Rider training: Emma Roche 07789 740006 BD Youth: Jane Lewis 07749 450862 Judges: Yvonne Huber 07933 133132 Para: Joyce Wood 07949 035021 Marketing: Caroline Gibson 07795 035581 Sam Mabb 07971 871888

Chairman: Mike Mullis 07706 940315 Coaching: Amanda Leaker 07980 309398 Rider training: Bethan Powell 07545 082247 Helen Hopewell 07971 490038 BD Youth: Kelly Bergheim 07792 735909 Megan Roberts 07807 053246 Judges: Dianne Breeze 07491 531953 Para: Tracy Ormrod 07973 616497 Marketing: Jen Smithson 07900 993223 Cethin Ravenhill 07974 900941 Quest: Lorry Davies 07940 449002

JUDGES’ DIARY

Important information: To remain on the Judges Panel, all judges must attend one judge training seminar at the correct level every year. Due to the current situation and seminar cancellations, we are extending CPD requirements (seminar attendance) for judges until the end of this year. This extension will remain under review throughout the year, with any further extensions subject to the future situation in regard to the pandemic. With any changes made, communications will be released as necessary. To apply to become a Trainee judge visit britishdressage.co.uk/judging/how_to_become_a_judge.

To remain a Trainee judge in 2020, candidates must attend an induction day, and are then required to attend one seminar every year. For judge training dates and further information on upcoming seminars and induction days, please see the BD website. Please note that the new exam policy is now in place, so any judges wishing to upgrade must have been at their current list for a minimum of one year before coming forward.

PRINCIPLES OF JUDGING SEMINAR Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at Myerscough College, Lancashire Information will be released as soon as available.

NATIONAL CONVENTION Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November at Addington Equestrian, Buckinghamshire Information will be released as soon as available.

REGIONAL SEMINARS Please visit each region’s Bookwhen page for the latest dates and to book your place.

Central Region bookwhen.com/bdcentral Eastern Region bookwhen.com/bdeast Southern Region bookwhen.com/bdsouthern South West Region bookwhen.com/british-dressagesouth-west Wales Region bookwhen.com/bd-wales North West bookwhen.com/bdnorthwest Northern Region bookwhen.com/bdnorthern Scotland Region www.bookwhen.com/bdscotland Reminder: It’s a compulsory

requirement for all judges to attend a minimum of one seminar at the relevant list per year.

PART 3 EXAM DATES 26-27 August – Chard EC, Somerset (Novice – Medium) 3 September – Scottish National Equestrian Centre, West Lothian (Novice – Medium) Following the cancellation of the Part 3 Exam dates at Wellington FEI (June 5-6), Richmond (June 23-24), Hartpury FEI (July 2-5) and Sparsholt (July 15) due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, all candidates have been contacted directly.

All judge examinations that have been cancelled will be rescheduled where possible and this may fall into 2021 to accommodate candidates.

Where possible, those booked onto cancelled dates will be offered priority booking for any rescheduled dates at their previously chosen venue. We’re reviewing remaining part 3 examinations scheduled for the rest of the year on a rolling basis and will ensure that candidates receive a minimum of four weeks’ notice of cancellation.

For more information visit britishdressage.co.uk/judging/judge_training and to book: bookwhen.com/britishdressage

All dates are subject to the status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Please keep an eye on the British Dressage website and social media channels for the latest updates and arrangements. For the most current dates, please refer to the regional Bookwhen pages which can be found on each regional web page: britishdressage.co.uk/regions

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 57

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ACTION

KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST NOTICES, NEWS AND VIEWS FROM BRITISH DRESSAGE AT BRITISHDRESSAGE.CO.UK

BD YOUTH 2020 FOUNDATION ACADEMIES – APPLICATION CUT-OFF DATE EXTENDED Applications for the 2020 Foundation Academies, for B, B+ and A Squad riders who are active in their region, have been extended until midnight on Wednesday 19 August. Selected riders will receive coaching and performance development sessions, both mounted and unmounted, over two two-day camps running through autumn/ winter. If you are a B, B+ or A Squad rider, are actively involved in your region and competing at Elementary level, this could be for you!

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) FAQS For all the latest advice and guidance relating to the coronavirus situation, visit the Coronavirus Hub at britishdressage.co.uk/bd-info/ coronavirus-covid-19 where you can find all the latest statements, important links and advice. This

DIPLOMA IN SPORTING EXCELLENCE (DISE) – STILL TIME TO APPLY

All information can be found on britishdressage.co.uk/ get-involved/bd-youth/youthacademies along with the application form.

includes FAQs to help answer any queries or concerns you may have, including those around Equine Influenza vaccinations.

BD 2020 ELECTIONS AND AGM Full details will be printed in Issue 6 and online at the end of August.

BRITISH DRESSAGE OFFICE Essential contacts For the full list of BD Office staff, visit britishdressage.co.uk Main switchboard: 024 7669 8830 Fax: 024 7669 0390 Executive: 024 7669 8844 Training and Education: 024 7669 8833/024 7708 7809 BD Youth/u21 International: 024 7708 7801 / 024 7669 8834 Membership, Horse Registrations & Results: 024 7669 8832/836 Quest: 024 7669 8845 Sport Operations: 024 7669 8827

Judges: 024 7669 8831 Senior International: 024 7669 8835 Para & International: 024 7708 7803 Fixtures: 024 7708 7804 Championships: 024 7669 8846 BD Shop: 024 7669 8830-press 1 Finance: 024 7669 8838/841 Marketing: 024 7669 8819 Communications: 024 7669 8842/839 Sponsorship & web ads: 01608 676180 Magazine advertising: 01242 259245

If you have any questions about the 2020 entry criteria please contact Hannah James, Youth Development Officer at hannah.james@britishdressage.co.uk

JUDGE RETIREMENTS Carol Hogg (List 3) from Oxfordshire and Fiona Farrell (List 5) from North Yorkshire have retired from the Judges Panel.

British Dressage would like to thank Carol and Fiona for all their hard work and support over the years and wishes them all the best for the future.

PRINCIPLES OF JUDGING SEMINAR 17–18 October at Myerscough College, Lancashire. Information will be released as soon as available.

NATIONAL CONVENTION 21 – 22 November at Addington Equestrian, Buckinghamshire Information will be released as soon as available.

Applications for DiSE are still open, closing on 31 July.

In partnership with British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping, Hartpury College runs the DiSE programme which provides riders with opportunities to improve sporting performance through a variety of training camps and home visits.

If you are an aspiring rider and want the opportunity to improve your performance via a blended learning programme consisting of camps at Hartpury College and practical visits from an experienced mentors, then this course is for you.

The award is notionally a two-year programme for riders in Year 12, who are also studying other academic qualifications at a school or college. Completion of this programme will provide the learner with 64 UCAS points – highly valuable when making university applications.

For more information, please visit Hartpury.ac.uk/ college/courses/diplomas/ diploma-in-sportingexcellence and contact Louise Dennis (DiSE Manager at Hartpury College) at louise. dennis@hartpury.ac.uk to request an application form.

BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 5 2020 // 59

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SHOW GUIDANCE.

COVID-19 SAFE COMPETING COMPETITIONS RESUMED IN ENGLAND ON 1 JULY AND THE HOPE IS THAT MEMBERS IN SCOTLAND AND WALES WILL FOLLOW SOON. A GREAT DEAL OF PLANNING HAS GONE INTO GETTING ALL ACTIVITY UNDERWAY IN THE SAFEST WAY POSSIBLE AND WITH MINIMAL RISK OF SPREADING CORONAVIRUS. HERE’S A SUMMARY OF WHAT COMPETITORS CAN EXPECT WHEN THEY HEAD TO THEIR FIRST SHOW.

STAY SAFE • Do not attempt to travel to venues if you or anyone in your household is feeling unwell or is displaying symptoms associated with the virus.

• Keep your hands and face clean – wash your hands and/or use hand sanitiser regularly.

• Avoid touching your face, mouth and eyes if possible when in public.

• Take hygiene precautions, including using a tissue when sneezing, disposing of it safely, and cough into the crook of your elbow, not your hand.

• Keep your distance – at least two metres on the ground, three horses’ lengths while mounted.

• If closer contact is unavoidable, you should still keep a minimum of one metre apart at all times, avoiding face to face contact where possible.

• Wear face coverings in situations where social distancing may be compromised and limit the number of contacts you have with other people outside of your household.

• Do not share tack or equipment and thoroughly clean all items, including clothes, when returning home after competition.

COMPETITION PROCEDURES • Competitions will be run in a way that avoids unnecessary contact. This includes limited numbers, no spectators, the removal of scoreboards and no prize givings.

• In addition to the rider, only one other person is permitted to attend per horse. This could be an owner, trainer or groom, but the limit is one extra person per combination.

• An additional person is also permitted as the nominated parent, guardian or carer for all under 18s and Para riders.

The secretary’s office will be closed to the public to minimise contact, but assistance will still be available on site and contact numbers will be provided.

• Soft face coverings that cover the mouth and nose are encouraged and may be worn while riding, although these remain optional for competitors. No face shields are permitted and nothing should attach to the riding hat.

• Toilet facilities will be open and cleaned regularly.

• Catering at venues will be on a take away basis. Competitors can take their own refreshments and supplies.

• Horses must be vaccinated in accordance with BD rules. There is an amnesty in place for the six month requirement until 30 September 2020.

• Commanders are allowed for tests but must adhere to social distancing and should be part of a rider’s allocation of attendants.

MAKING AN ENTRY • All entries and payments will be made online, as per the details in each individual schedule.

• A condition of your entry will be that you agree to adhere to all government regulations and BD protocols relating to social distancing, public health and hygiene.

• Normal withdrawal, ballot and refund conditions will apply.

• Entries will be accepted using class tickets.

• Once times have been published, no changes may be made to the class.

BEFORE YOU COMPETE • Communication with the venue is important. Venue websites and BD online

portal will show all the information you’ll need on the day – maps, parking, toilets, contact info.

• Venues will also provide competitors with details of any additional requirements in place to help manage the COVID-19 risk.

• Venues are being encouraged to operate a one way system, if possible, so you should familiarise yourself, even if it’s somewhere you compete regularly.

• If you have any special requirements, please contact the organiser by telephone or email ahead of your arrival.

ON ARRIVAL • Please park where directed by the venue.

Vehicles should remain a three metre distance apart to avoid unnecessary contact.

BELOW: ONLY ONE ATTENDANT IS ALLOWED PER HORSE AND RIDER COMBINATION.

SHOW GUIDANCE.

• Horses should not be tied outside lorries/ trailers at any time.

• There will be a number of posters/notices to help you with the requirements in place and how to contact organisers plus the vet and farrier on call. Venues should have a nominated I 1 ompliance fficer in place and their contact details will be made available to visitors.

WARM UP ARENAS • Warm up time is limited to 40 minutes prior to going down the centre line.

• No more than six riders will be permitted in the warm up at any time (based on a 20m x 60m arena).

• Riders should endeavour to maintain three horses’ lengths from other competitors while in the warm up.

• No helpers/grooms/supporters are permitted in the warm-up, except for para riders. Boots/bandages should be removed outside the warm-up and as quickly as possible.

JUDGING • Where safe social distancing cannot be maintained, judges will either bring a writer with them from their household / support bubble or judge on their own.

• Some venues are adapting judge boxes with screens between the judge and writer, which is permitted under social distancing guidelines from 4 July.

• Where judges are on their own, limited comments will be given with scores but three minutes of extra time has been given for each test so that they can give as much feedback as possible in the summary section.

The amount of feedback may not be as comprehensive as normal.

AFTER YOUR TEST • A separate warm-down arena is recommended, which riders and horses may use for up to ten minutes.

• Once you’ve completed your test and warmed down, you should return to your lorry to wash down and untack.

Read the guidance in full, plus toolkits for organisers,judges and coaches on the website: britishdressage.co.uk/bdinfo/coronavirus-covid-19/ coronavirus-toolkits/

62 // Issue 5 2020 // BRITISH DRESSAGE

• If you have further tests, please wait in your car/lorry as there won’t be any public facilities (except permanent venue retail shops) or spectator areas open.

RESULTS • Score sheets will only be collected at the end of the class to minimise paper handling and will then be processed by the scorer/ organiser.

• Results will be posted on the venue’s website and venues should send them to BD for processing within 48 hours of the completion of competition.

• Test sheets will be scanned and emailed after the competition – some venues may choose to send them by post.

• Prize money will be sent by BACS or electronic transfer where possible andany rosettes won will be posted to the competitor.

BELOW: PREPARE WELL, READ THE GUIDANCE AND PLAN YOUR DAY AND YOUR FIRST COMPETITION BACK SHOULD GO SMOOTHLY.

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DRESSAGE DAYS.

DRESSAGE DAYS Q&A MEET DR EVA-MARIA BROOMER An executive director of British Breeding, Dr Eva-Maria Broomer is responsible for the renowned British Breeding Baileys Horse Feeds Futurity series. Together with her husband Martin she also runs Horsepower Creative, offering Photography, PR and Marketing services to equine businesses. She combines all this with a full-time academic research job, and breeding one or two foals every year. We caught up with Eva, who lives in Shropshire, to discover what’s inspired her passion for the industry and to talk about her hopes for this year’s Futurity series.

DESCRIBE YOUR EARLY EQUESTRIAN LIFE. I grew up in Germany obsessed with horses and learned from some amazing, old-fashioned horsemen (and -women). I used to spend entire days sweeping yards, cleaning tack, and scrubbing my fi rst ride, elle, a grey mare

by Traumgeist XX. I will never forget the amazing feeling she used to give me under saddle, at 24 years old, with a lightness and effortlessness that I still try to emulate in my breeding today.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? I came to the UK in 1997 to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford.

After time working in the automotive industry, I went back to academia, combining university teaching and studying for a PhD with raising our son.

When I started breeding horses, I realised that the industry had

a lot of development potential, so I dusted down my business knowledge, bought a camera, and the rest, as they say, is history.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN SPORT HORSE BREEDING? Where I grew up, breeding and riding were inseparable. Every horse’s pedigree was listed on the stable door, and whenever anybody spoke about a horse, the breeding was mentioned. The highlight of every year was a trip to the I at achen, where they had printouts of the starter lists with the breeding details next to the pick and mix stand. So there I was, big bag of sweets and list in hand, and I would listen to the audience around me discussing the breeding of every horse as they came in.

These are some memories I will never forget…

TELL US ABOUT VIRTUAL FUTURITY 2020.

Even as some restrictions are lifting, we have to do something

different this year, to enable us to use our international evaluators, and to offer a series, in which everybody, regardless of their age and circumstances, can safely participate. I was speaking at an international seminar about youngstock evaluation, when the French showed us an interesting solution: they had been using online evaluations for a few years, with some excellent results.

This inspired me to adapt our own series to use video footage submitted by the participants.

there are interesting advantages: we eliminate the need to travel, which makes the series more accessible to those in far ung places, and participants get a choice of when they want to record their footage over a two month period, allowing them to avoid those inevitable stages when their youngsters have gone bum high, for example. We are very excited about other possibilities opened up by the format, including our very first nline uturity Elite uction, which will take place in September.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES INVOLVED AND DO YOU FORESEE ANY ADVANTAGES?

WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF BRITISH BREEDING?

Unlike any other evaluation series, a key part of the Futurity is the expert advice from our Baileys nutritionists and from our veterinarians. This level of detail means that we have to be very precise in the type of videos that are sent in, which requires plenty of help and guidance for our participants. At the same time,

There is so much potential.

I would like to see breeding and riding working hand-inhand, and to share the love and enthusiasm for breeding that has shaped my appreciation of horses ever since I was a girl. If we learn to come together more, support each other, and rejoice in each other’s achievements, we will create a richer experience for everyone in the sport.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS Ambitious, cheerful, determined.

To find out more about Virtual Futurity 2020, please visit british-breeding.com

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