Horse&Rider Magazine – June 14

ROAD

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Horse WEG

world

Young guns

We feature three young riders who are on the climb to the top of the World Equestrian Games Nicola Philippaerts

Photo: Arnd Bronkhorst

Young Belgian showjumper Nicola Philippaerts is a heart-throb on the showjumping scene and at just 20 years old, he’s proven that he’s not just a good looker. A win at the FEI World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg propelled him up the World Cup rankings, from 31st to 14th, and earned him a spot in the final in Lyon. He’s from the Philippaerts showjumping dynasty that includes his twin brother Olivier, reserve for the Belgian team at London 2012, and his father, Belgian team mainstay, Ludo.

The Philippaerts family must have a rather large trophy cabinet – Nicola won individual gold at the European Junior Championships and team gold at the European Young Riders Championships. He also won team gold at the Summer Youth Olympics in 2010.

He started a degree in finance, but gave it up to continue competing at a high level. He has certainly achieved his goals, with great results already this season – even as far away as Doha in Qatar.

His motto is simply, ‘Work hard’, and he’s certainly proven that he’s got the drive and determination to be a WEG hopeful.

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Brianne Goutal

Photo: Amy Dragoo

American showjumper Brianne Goutal had to beg her mum for pony rides at the local farmers’ market when she was four years old. Born to nonhorsey parents, her climb up the US showjumping ranks has been remarkable.

She has won all four of the most prestigious equitation finals – a showjumping competition judged on rider style – before moving up to Grand Prix showjumping competitions in North America and on the Continent.

Despite competing at the highest level of the sport, she still found time to attend Brown University, taking more lectures in the autumn term so she could compete more in the spring.

She’s not only an English graduate, she is an educated rider, too. She says that she takes a gentle approach to riding, with patience and softness. That sensitivity is certainly apparent as she guides her top horse, Nice de Prissey, around the massive courses of fences at competitions.

She’s light and soft, making jumping look effortless.

Her greatest ambition is to qualify for WEG 2014 and her results certainly look promising.

French-bred stallion Nice de Prissey has had several top placings this season and she was an influential member of the American team in the Wellington leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Florida.

There’s no doubt that this pretty, all-American showjumper will be in the running for a spot on the team.

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As told to Kelly McCarthy-Maine. Photos: Bob Atkins, Bob Langrish, Matt Nuttall. Thanks to Lucinda’s sponsor, The Pure Feed Company, thepurefeedcompany.com Lucinda teaches and takes working pupils, lucindafredericks.com

PART THREE In this feature.. . ➤ Counting a rhythm ➤ Build a secure seat Our trainer Lucinda Fredericks has won some of the world’s toughest four-star events, including Burghley, Badminton and Kentucky, all on her 15.3hh chestnut mare, Headley Britannia, ‘Brit’. Brit officially retired in a special ceremony at Badminton Horse Trials in 2013.

Lucinda and Headley Britannia on their way to glory at Badminton 2007

Our equine pupils Headley Britannia, ‘Brit’, enjoyed the arena cross-country schooling photo shoot for this feature in September 2013 almost as much as Lucinda did. At 21 years old, the ‘best-ever mare in eventing’ was fit and well. Sadly, Brit sustained an injury in 2014 and Lucinda had to make the devastating decision to put her to sleep.

Little Britannia, ‘Millie’, is six years old and daughter of the legendary Headley Britannia. A feisty and talented chestnut mare in her own right, Millie has had great success as a young event horse.

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Brit’s daughter, Millie, and Lucinda are forming a great partnership

In the saddle

➤ Look and ‘lock on’ ➤ Practising technical and unusual fences in the arena

preparation THREE MONTHS TO SUCCESS

Memories... ➤ ”Brit was never a horse who liked a holiday,” says Lucinda. “It was like she felt she was missing out just standing in a field. Even in her retirement, she preferred her daily routine: going on the walker and being ridden in the morning, having a warm bath and standing under the solarium, before being turned out in ‘Brit’s Field’ beside the school. She kept a watchful eye on what we were doing in the arena, timing her rolling and mad romps around the field to maximum effect!”

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ou can’t force a horse to go crosscountry, they have to want to do it with you. Headley Britannia, ‘Brit’, and I built an incredible partnership where we trusted each other enough to ride to win – earning an Olympic silver medal in Beijing as well as firsts at Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky 4* events in the process.

But it’s not just cross-country at the highest level that demonstrates trust and partnership. I’m still buzzing from the first cross-country ride of the season with Headley Britannia’s six-year-old daughter, Little Britannia ‘Millie’. It was a practice run in a novice class at an unaffiliated event – a bit muddy and I wasn’t riding to win – but the feeling I came away with was thrilling.

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World-class

To complete her series, Olympic rider Lucinda Fredericks helps you build skills and confidence for cross-country jumping – with the legendary Headley Britannia and daughter as models!

Confidence is leaving the start box knowing you’re ready for the challenges you’ll meet

It reminded me that cross-country riding, whether at Olympic or at grass-roots level, is all about confidence: confidence in your horse, your partnership and the work you have done to prepare. Confidence is not blindly hoping you will get around safely, it’s leaving the start box knowing you are ready for the challenges you will meet together on the course.

Having been with me all her life, Millie has had quite a deliberate education. From when she was first backed, she hacked through puddles, and up and down hills. She jumped over pint-sized cross-country fences in the arena and on her first proper cross-country schooling sessions, we took it slow and let her think about what she was doing.

She was allowed to walk up to her first, tiny cross-country ditch, have a look and step over. So it’s been a natural evolution to skipping around the novice course together – and such good fun!

So here are some of the ways I use hills, canter work and arena cross-country training at home to help build confident partnerships with my horses.

That means one day they can skip around courses at any level, just like Brit and Millie.

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PART ONE In this feature.. .

Our trainer

Dorothy Marks studied human chiropractic and now uses McTimoney to treat horses and dogs. She has a special interest in both human and equine anatomy and biomechanics. Her Anglo Arab gelding, Solo, is our model in this feature.

➤ Understanding equine posture ➤

Build a

stronger horse By having a greater understanding of how our horse’s body works, we can become an even better trainer, says instructor and equine back care specialist Dorothy Marks

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Photos: Bob Atkins

hether you compete, enjoy training at home or simply enjoy the odd hack out in the countryside, developing correct musculature in your horse will give him the chance of a longer, sounder life.

Just as it does with us, moving around with good posture can prevent horses sustaining back problems and other physical issues, and they will be better equipped to carry out the workload we ask them to do.

Dorothy is an accredited ‘Ride with your mind’ coach, but she says she is also learning a lot from training with Philippe Karl, a well-respected classical dressage trainer and author, who has an immense understanding of the horse’s biomechanics. “Training with Philippe Karl has taught me how important it is to establish a horse’s posture in order to powerfully strengthen his core,” she explains.

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Ride

In the saddle

with better hands ➤ Working him forward, down and out ➤ Effective stretching

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How you sit on your horse is essential to how he carries himself − Dorothy Marks

Practise riding your horse on a contact on a long rein to find a correct, more comfortable way of going

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PART ONE In this feature... ➤ Adopting an effective position ➤ Solving Our trainer Louise Bell is a Championship Working Hunter rider and producer, and she is one of the most successful lady riders in the world of Working Hunter competitions. Having won the Supreme Working Hunter Champion title at the Royal International Horse Show an amazing nine times, plus many other impressive wins, she is also enjoying success in the dressage arena.

Photos: Bob Atkins. Many thanks to Louise’s sponsors, Gersemi, for organising this lesson zebraproducts.co.uk

Our model Christine Dodd is riding Wilbur, her home-bred, 16.3hh, eight-year-old gelding.

They have not yet been competitive, but they have been out hunting and have taken part in fun rides.

Christine enjoys watching the Working Hunters at shows, and would like to find out how to teach Wilbur to gallop for a show.

Improving your position will improve the quality of your horse’s work

Horse&Rider online Want to know what to wear for a Working Hunter class? Watch Louise Bell’s video...

➤ horseandrideruk.com/video.php ➤ tinyurl.com/What-to-wear-showing

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In the saddle

a tongue problem ➤ Activating the hindleg ➤ Perfecting the show gallop

Working Hunter

Riding to win Want to try a Working Hunter class? Showing expert Louise Bell demonstrates how to perfect your position and gallop your way to success

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orking Hunters should display good manners at all times, must have good, sound paces and appear to be a comfortable ride over long distances. But to achieve this, your horse must be working properly, accepting the contact and working through from behind, so a well-schooled horse is essential. A horse who sticks his head up in the air and hollows his back, for example, isn’t going to give the most comfortable ride, and he may catch the judge’s eye, but it won’t be for the right reasons!

It’s not all about how your horse performs, though. To create a nice, overall picture for the judge, a good, effective riding position is key. And you might be surprised to know that some faults in your position can affect the quality of your horse’s work, too. Louise proved just how important this is when she transformed Christine and Wilbur’s performance with only a few simple tweaks.

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