Showcircuit magazine, July 2014, LF Taylor
Having a lengthy history in both America and now New Zealand in the hunter or "showhunter" discipline, I am pleased to see progress being made both in the showring and in NZ's schooling methods and techniques. We are still a young country in many ways, including in the Showhunter arena.
There are several areas of commendable growth; and also some issues that need addressing now that NZ Showhunter has graduated to the next level of the dedicated professional competitor and also with the true field hunters, short stirrup, green riders and our amateur / junior market alike. Moving forward, we cannot lose sight that Showhunter is a discipline that is open to all levels of participant, and of mount as well.As a judge, nothing pleases me more, than to see a seasoned campaigner coming back into the showring with a young or inexperienced rider on board, especially when they proceed to show us all what a winning track looks like!
Positives that I recognize in the last season, remembering I am now more often than not, on the outside of the ring, training my students and also as an ESNZ Official, really culminated at Horse of the Year 2014.For one thing, Showhunter course builders and event organizers finally have recognized and rewarded Showhunter with decent sized arenas at our biggest show of the year at HOY. It is imperative to have a large enough and open arena, with good footing, to enable our equine stars to perform at the elite level we expect out of this competition.
I saw many great rounds this year at HOY…and not all of them were my students! I think the Pony Category C title class was one of the best compilations I have watched in a while. I must also say that the Horse title class was strong, with some true, athletic jumping skills on display, which made it quite an exciting and encouraging competition.
Secondly, Showhunter was recognized as being important enough to have time in the heralded Premier Arena. The two classes were well patronized by Showhunter enthusiasts; and the Showhunter Executive took great care to assure it was a qualification based enrolment for the privilege of riding in the Premier Arena, as long as you were a horse rider. I know there were many disappointed pony riders out there who wished for their time in the spotlight. I assure you, your day will come! However, a build on these classes, would have been to have a well written article in the program, outlining the Showhunter discipline, what judges are looking for – even an example of a judges' card…for both the over fences' class and the equitation class. The lack of information to the public was obvious. Showhunter also missed a prime opportunity to have a video playing on the big screen to tell Showhunter NZ's story; even a 30 second promo would have sufficed. Showhunter was lucky to have former Showhunter Pony of the Year title winner, David Nickalls, on the commentating job that day. A true pro on the mike, David filled in a lot of the gaps; and made the Showhunter classes appealing and stimulating, by educating the audience regarding the nuances and intricacies of the Showhunter world.
Note the last phrase, "educating the audience." I think this singular phrase is absolutely key to the survival of NZ's Showhunter of the future. In my opinion, education needs to be the main theme going forward for NZ Showhunter: educating our target market audience (in order to recruit fresh people coming into the sport etc)/ educating our new judges (encouraging people to even become a judge!) / educating and supporting our seasoned judges / educating our riders and their supporters (elite squads, training camps) / educating NZ'scoaches (Pony Club instructors etc) / educating and mentoring other disciplines in equitation (showjumping for example) / educating our officials and technical people.
If we could tick these above boxes across the board, we would in turn, grow our NZ Showhunter discipline again. If more people understood clearly what Showhunter was, how to ride it = more people would do it and be more successful at it. If we trained our judges more, and at a higher level = we would have more satisfied customers because after all we are a business and should approach it as such… which in turn would encourage more people to become judges in the first place. If we educated our riders more, through strong coaching and communication, they would ride better and have increased results in the showring. If we mentored other disciplines, in aspects of our sport that we do well, like equitation, we would all benefit from the relationship. If we educated our course designers, technical delegates, officials more frequently; shows would run smoother, faster, and with less injury to riders, animals and equipment.
This is all in a perfect world; I full well realize that most Showhunter events of all sizes, are run on volunteer labour, which is a lessening commodity at every turn. We can all but try our best – and for sure, I commend those out there doing it.A big pat on the back as many areas still run Showhunter, and have made it through the equine influenza which dropped numbers drastically and also the recession, and basically modern times – no money no time.
Showhunter is not only a discipline in its right; but is also a nursery for teaching our Kiwibred youngstock the basics of a straight approach to a fence, a bascule, and a balanced landing with correct corners, and proper striding. As Greg Best has said in the past, "jumping 1.15m perfectly in the Showhunter ring is a lot more challenging than it looks." You not only have to clear every fence but do it without fault. Showhunter is also a wonderful proving ground and foundation schooling practise for all jumping horses and ponies, at many levels.
There are several areas of commendable growth; and also some issues that need addressing now that NZ Showhunter has graduated to the next level of the dedicated professional competitor and also with the true field hunters, short stirrup, green riders and our amateur / junior market alike. Moving forward, we cannot lose sight that Showhunter is a discipline that is open to all levels of participant, and of mount as well.As a judge, nothing pleases me more, than to see a seasoned campaigner coming back into the showring with a young or inexperienced rider on board, especially when they proceed to show us all what a winning track looks like!
Positives that I recognize in the last season, remembering I am now more often than not, on the outside of the ring, training my students and also as an ESNZ Official, really culminated at Horse of the Year 2014.For one thing, Showhunter course builders and event organizers finally have recognized and rewarded Showhunter with decent sized arenas at our biggest show of the year at HOY. It is imperative to have a large enough and open arena, with good footing, to enable our equine stars to perform at the elite level we expect out of this competition.
I saw many great rounds this year at HOY…and not all of them were my students! I think the Pony Category C title class was one of the best compilations I have watched in a while. I must also say that the Horse title class was strong, with some true, athletic jumping skills on display, which made it quite an exciting and encouraging competition.
Secondly, Showhunter was recognized as being important enough to have time in the heralded Premier Arena. The two classes were well patronized by Showhunter enthusiasts; and the Showhunter Executive took great care to assure it was a qualification based enrolment for the privilege of riding in the Premier Arena, as long as you were a horse rider. I know there were many disappointed pony riders out there who wished for their time in the spotlight. I assure you, your day will come! However, a build on these classes, would have been to have a well written article in the program, outlining the Showhunter discipline, what judges are looking for – even an example of a judges' card…for both the over fences' class and the equitation class. The lack of information to the public was obvious. Showhunter also missed a prime opportunity to have a video playing on the big screen to tell Showhunter NZ's story; even a 30 second promo would have sufficed. Showhunter was lucky to have former Showhunter Pony of the Year title winner, David Nickalls, on the commentating job that day. A true pro on the mike, David filled in a lot of the gaps; and made the Showhunter classes appealing and stimulating, by educating the audience regarding the nuances and intricacies of the Showhunter world.
Note the last phrase, "educating the audience." I think this singular phrase is absolutely key to the survival of NZ's Showhunter of the future. In my opinion, education needs to be the main theme going forward for NZ Showhunter: educating our target market audience (in order to recruit fresh people coming into the sport etc)/ educating our new judges (encouraging people to even become a judge!) / educating and supporting our seasoned judges / educating our riders and their supporters (elite squads, training camps) / educating NZ'scoaches (Pony Club instructors etc) / educating and mentoring other disciplines in equitation (showjumping for example) / educating our officials and technical people.
If we could tick these above boxes across the board, we would in turn, grow our NZ Showhunter discipline again. If more people understood clearly what Showhunter was, how to ride it = more people would do it and be more successful at it. If we trained our judges more, and at a higher level = we would have more satisfied customers because after all we are a business and should approach it as such… which in turn would encourage more people to become judges in the first place. If we educated our riders more, through strong coaching and communication, they would ride better and have increased results in the showring. If we mentored other disciplines, in aspects of our sport that we do well, like equitation, we would all benefit from the relationship. If we educated our course designers, technical delegates, officials more frequently; shows would run smoother, faster, and with less injury to riders, animals and equipment.
This is all in a perfect world; I full well realize that most Showhunter events of all sizes, are run on volunteer labour, which is a lessening commodity at every turn. We can all but try our best – and for sure, I commend those out there doing it.A big pat on the back as many areas still run Showhunter, and have made it through the equine influenza which dropped numbers drastically and also the recession, and basically modern times – no money no time.
Showhunter is not only a discipline in its right; but is also a nursery for teaching our Kiwibred youngstock the basics of a straight approach to a fence, a bascule, and a balanced landing with correct corners, and proper striding. As Greg Best has said in the past, "jumping 1.15m perfectly in the Showhunter ring is a lot more challenging than it looks." You not only have to clear every fence but do it without fault. Showhunter is also a wonderful proving ground and foundation schooling practise for all jumping horses and ponies, at many levels.
Showcircuit magazine, May 2014, LF Taylor, "Helpful Hints"
"WHEN TO APPLY LEADS FOR A FLYING CHANGE."
It's all about the timing. The first thing you need to establish is how to tell when all four of the horse's legs are suspended off the ground; which is called "the moment of suspension."
I teach my students to count, out loud, the footfalls of the canter several strides before asking for the change. "One, two, three….one, two, three...one, two, three…" That pause AFTER the three and before the following one is termed the "moment of suspension."
Next, you need to be able to effectively use your natural aids independently. Your natural aids are your hands, your legs, your seat and your voice.
Let's say you are trying change to the right lead. So cantering on the left lead, immediately following the moment of suspension, the horse will be putting the right hind foot down for the first beat of the left lead canter stride.
When you ask for the flying change to the right lead—you will need to action this in the moment of suspension. You will do so firstly with a slight urge from your left leg just behind the girth (perhaps even a little bump with your left leg), which will signal to your horse that you want him to engage his left hind foot to come down first, thus enabling him to correctly land on his right lead.
Tip: you want to be sure that you are not giving confusing hand signals by either pulling back at this moment of suspension... or moving the horse's head or shoulders away from the direction you are asking for the change. Either or both of these actions will affect the horse's balance and will cause him to either disunite or counter canter; and not achieve a clean, seamless flying change.
I train flying changes using a rail on the ground for both inexperienced riders and green horses.This is a simple way to create your own moment of suspension; and furthermore produces a longer amount of time in the moment of suspension...therefore easily allowing the rider (and horse) to identify just when that magical moment of suspension occurs and act on it.
It's all about the timing. The first thing you need to establish is how to tell when all four of the horse's legs are suspended off the ground; which is called "the moment of suspension."
I teach my students to count, out loud, the footfalls of the canter several strides before asking for the change. "One, two, three….one, two, three...one, two, three…" That pause AFTER the three and before the following one is termed the "moment of suspension."
Next, you need to be able to effectively use your natural aids independently. Your natural aids are your hands, your legs, your seat and your voice.
Let's say you are trying change to the right lead. So cantering on the left lead, immediately following the moment of suspension, the horse will be putting the right hind foot down for the first beat of the left lead canter stride.
When you ask for the flying change to the right lead—you will need to action this in the moment of suspension. You will do so firstly with a slight urge from your left leg just behind the girth (perhaps even a little bump with your left leg), which will signal to your horse that you want him to engage his left hind foot to come down first, thus enabling him to correctly land on his right lead.
Tip: you want to be sure that you are not giving confusing hand signals by either pulling back at this moment of suspension... or moving the horse's head or shoulders away from the direction you are asking for the change. Either or both of these actions will affect the horse's balance and will cause him to either disunite or counter canter; and not achieve a clean, seamless flying change.
I train flying changes using a rail on the ground for both inexperienced riders and green horses.This is a simple way to create your own moment of suspension; and furthermore produces a longer amount of time in the moment of suspension...therefore easily allowing the rider (and horse) to identify just when that magical moment of suspension occurs and act on it.