Localrider Magazine
Eventing • Dressage • Pony Club • Riding Club www.localrider.co.uk
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April 2015
WIN!
a Year’s Training with Daniel Watson
Spring ✿
April 2015 • VOLUME XV NUMBER 3
Your favourite Yard Dogs
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TIME TO THINK SAFE:
We look at the latest in Rider Safety Equipment
SHOW REPORTS
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FEATURE The lecture demo riders and organisers with Rafael Soto Andrade
Portugese rider, Ricardo Tavares and the Lusitano stallion, Balaurte de Broa pictured during their lesson.
A touch of Iberia in Hampshire Leila Rahmatallah rider Sussex Lusitano’s Ditadora
Sadie Smith riding Sarah Tyler Evans’s River Rise Escala
for the Lecture demonstration with Rafael Soto Andrade Words by Sherene Rahmatallah and pictures by Jo Hansford Rafael Soto Andrade. Rafael is a three times Olympic dressage rider, official trainer of the Spanish national dressage team and Chief Rider at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.
16-year-old Rachael Christopher and Karin JDJ
O
n Saturday 7th March, a taste of Spain came to the small Hampshire village of King’s Somborne as Pepperwood Park held a Lecture Demo with Rafael Soto Andrade. Rafael is a three times Olympic dressage rider, official trainer of the Spanish national dressage team and Chief Rider at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. It was10 years ago that Rafael gave his last lecture demo in the UK, at Addington Manor, so this was a much awaited event attended by approximately 250 people. As well as Rafael Soto Andrade, who travelled from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, Portuguese rider, Ricardo Moura Tavares and the 2013 Lusitano Champion of Golega Fair, Baluarte da Broa, came from Portugal especially for the event, and the third foreign guest was Spanish rider Gonzalo Obeso who rode Zoe Paramore’s black Lusitano stallion, Atinado.
Fantastic training tips
Rafael Soto Andrade coaching Sam Rahmatallah and Seagry Sanay, owned by Keith Taylor and Seagry Stud
Rafael chatting to Diana Wilson and Arakan
There were 14 horse and rider combinations in total in the lecture demo, some based in the South East and others who travelled from as far away as Lancashire, Norfolk, Somerset and Devon. To start the afternoon, two horses entered the arena, the coloured KWPN Jazzy, ridden by talented young dressage rider, Rachel Christopher, and a young Lusitano mare, Ditadora, ridden by Leila Rahmatallah. They were followed by two black Iberian horses, Karen Manzi’s PRE stallion, Deseado CCV, ridden by Alice Hurley and Lusitano stallion Atinado, ridden by Zoe Paramore. Then came Sadie Smith
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who rode Sarah Tyler Evans’ exceptionally talented young bay Warmblood mare, River Rise Escala, and Sam Rahmatallah with Keith Taylor’s and Seagry Stud’s state premium mare, Seagry Sanay. The first half ended with four Lusitano horses that Rafael worked in hand, showing piaffe, passage, levade and Spanish walk. Following the interval, there were three more demo sessions: Ricardo Moura Tavares with the grey Lusitano Baluarte da Broa, followed by Rebecca Brennand on her PRE black stallion, JF Barquero and finally Diana Wilson riding her own Warmblood Arakan, a horse that she has trained herself up to Grand Prix. It was a delightful way to end the lecture demo.
Tapas, music & dancing
When the lecture demo ended at 5.30pm, everyone moved to the barn next door that had been transformed into an authentic tapas bar and was sponsored by London based Spanish delicatessen La Gaditana, suppliers of quality organic food products from Andalusia. Apart from the tapas, there was sherry, live flamenco music and dancing and also some fabulous equestrian displays. Caroline Clinkard rode her PRE stallion, Balastro and performed a beautiful side saddle demonstration in traditional Spanish costume. She was followed by top working equitation rider, Holly Barber and her Lusitano, Sasa. Ricardo and Baluarte da Broa gave a display of Portuguese traditional equitation and Gonzalo Obeso on Atinado performed a garrocha display. The public then went back to the tapas party where they were served a typical paella style dish from Andalusia called ‘arroz de pollo’. The party carried on into the night with more singing and dancing - it was true Andalucia in Hampshire! The day was enjoyable for all, both those who came as spectators and those who took part in the day. Our thanks go to the master, Rafael Soto Andrade, to Karen and Andy Shepherd who own Pepperwood Park, to La Gaditana, to guitarists Martin Walls and Tim Payne, and to Ricardo Moura Tavares and the Romao Tavares stud. We look forward to planning the next event!
Rafael’s Top Tips ✔ Use leg yield out of the centre line
Caroline Clinkard and her Spanish stallion Balastro
Portuguese rider Ricardo Moura Tavares with Lusitano stallion Baluarte da Broa
Ricardo Moura Tavares & Gonzalo Marques Obeso, pictured at the end of the displays
Holly Barber riding her Lusitano working equitation schoolmaster, Sasa
Spanish rider Gonzalo Marques Obeso and Zoe Paramore’s Lusitano stallion Atinado
Tori Peter riding her Lusitano stallion Sueste and Sherene Rahmatallah with her Lusitano mare, Quota
to improve collection and control.
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Lateral work will help improve balance.
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If you are having difficulty with medium trot, it is best to start with a longer rein, which will help the horse with his balance.
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If your horse starts to get tense (e.g. doing changes), then leave them until the next day and do something that you know he can do well.
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To improve the quality of the horse’s canter, extend and then collect, repeat this a few times and the quality should start to improve.
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Equally once the horse has warmedup and worked well, the quality of his walk should improve.
Rafael pictured during the in-hand work, here he shows a horse doing Spanish Walk
The evening concluded with tapas, music and Spanish dancing
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