Worldwide grand prix dressage rider Anna Ross on younger horses, good horsemanship and the way forward for tack
It’s been an thrilling few weeks for our breeding programme. Newton Feeling Good, the primary son of my high journey Habouche (Holly), was just lately authorised as a stallion on the Oldenburg licensing in Germany. He was snapped up as a foal by Dutch Olympian Diederik van Silfhout, who produced him for this look.
Habouche is betrothed this yr – by embryo switch – to my different journey, Sezuans Donnerhall (Suzi), and there’s one other high stallion who could quickly be a part of us.
Shopping for horses younger is changing into more and more in style in as we speak’s difficult financial local weather.
Seeing so many on the lunge on the stallion licensing, showcasing their pure motion, made me marvel: what qualities do folks worth most in younger horses? Breeding for longevity appears apparent, and fortunately there was a noticeable absence of the lengthy, sloping fetlocks we frequently noticed a number of years in the past.
I’d swap a reasonably head any day for brief upright pasterns, highly effective hindquarters and a well-set neck. In spite of everything, all of them look stunning with a rosette on! For me, pure cadence and confidence are important.
Daring, inquisitive younger horses are likely to adapt extra simply to new environments, staying relaxed and supple in comparison with their extra nervous friends. Whereas ridden motion shouldn’t come from pressure, let’s face it – typically it does.
Even our using faculty horses used to look Olympic-level for the primary 5 minutes after being turned out following an prolonged interval indoors. Likewise, when our stallions piaffe for a ten in entrance of the dummy, they actually aren’t relaxed.
So pure motion isn’t all the time freed from pressure, which begs the query what’s pure, and will complete rest be the last word aim in dressage?
The brand new noseband measuring system
We’ll have to discover a new regular with the noseband measuring system coming in quickly. I’m a fan of the gadget – it’s honest for everybody and removes ambiguity. Riders have acquired yellow playing cards for nosebands being too tight after they’ve been fitted in the identical method all through the season, so this affords much-needed readability.
For so long as riders imagine they’ll be marked down for any exercise within the horse’s mouth, they’ll intention to current it as nonetheless. Nevertheless, a clamped-shut mouth provides a horrible, useless feeling on the rein. Horses want freedom to maneuver their jaws, swallow, and chomp on the bit.
Followers of pure horsemanship have lengthy recognised that licking and chewing are indicators of rest and the FEI guidelines now state the horse ought to “settle for the bridle with a light-weight and constant smooth submissive contact, thereby chewing the bit with a quiet, delicate mouth”.
Clear steering on acceptable motion would assist, as the present directive is imprecise. I assume we’re not trying to resemble a cow chewing the cud or the equine equal of the Wrigley’s gum advert. Seminars and academic occasions might deal with defining what’s supreme.
Rethink custom
Again after we wore yellow factors on our tailcoats and white tape on our plaits, I used to be marked down in a world competitors for my curb rein being too free. It was deemed I didn’t display the acceptance of each the double bridle bits.
Personally, I believe I simply had my reins too lengthy, however it sparked debate at a worldwide judges discussion board and it’d be fascinating to revisit that debate in mild of the evolution of the game since.
In an experimental demo for Myler Bits using in only a slip head with each Weymouth and snaffle bits individually – no noseband, browband or throatlash – most horses closed their mouths and appeared most comfy in single Weymouth bits.
I perceive at this level some traditionalists will likely be ripping up this copy of H&H in disgust, however in plenty of the idealised photos of “ye olden days” most of the classical masters journey on the curb rein with lengthy shanks.
The thought that the FEI may even think about bitless bridles will ship these nonetheless in restoration from the considered using in snaffles into absolute freefall. However finally, there’s no common proper or incorrect – horses react in another way and must be handled as people.
Ultimately, it’s the general impression of the horse – not the gear – that ought to decide compliance with FEI welfare directives. Good horsemanship and feeling for the horse by no means exit of vogue.
● How do you suppose the way forward for tack will form the game? Tell us at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your title, nearest city and nation, for the possibility to your letter to look in a forthcoming situation of the journal
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Instances Kismet (left), Fendi (centre) and Zonik Plus (proper). Credit: Peter Nixon, Alamy and FEI/Dirk Caremans
Laura Tomlinson and Soegaards Bon Royal competing on the 2024 London Worldwide Horse Present.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph
Using double bridles is below debate. Library picture.
Credit score: Emma Herrod Pictures
Credit score: Future
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