Fall 1996 Volume 12 Number 3 Issued Quarterly   Training for Equestrian Competition-Part II was the cover story in Volume 12, Number 3. Other articles featured in this issue: Considerations When Adapting Fitness Equipment for Persons in Wheelchairs A Hearing Man's Journey Into the World of Deaf Softball Aquatics for Children with Angelman Syndrome: Earning Your Water Wings Managing Common Injuries: The Ultra-Stretch­A Method for Increasing Flexibility, Strength, and Endurance

 

Part II by Natalie Bieber     Looking ahead in anticipation of the next movement in a dressage arena.   Training for Equestrian Competition       Team USA won three medals and placed fourth overall in the Paralympic Equestrian Games held at the International Horse Park in Conyers, Georgia, on August 20-22, 1996. Vickie Sweigert, from Reinholds, PA, took the gold and Lauren McDevitt, from Atlanta, took the bronze in the Grade 2 Dressage Championship Class. Sweigert also won her dressage warm-up class and another gold medal in the Musical Kur. All Grade 2 riders use wheelchairs for mobility. These riders and their fellow riders at the competition needed to put in long hours in the saddle to achieve this level of riding. The purpose of this article is to provide general information for the prospective or novice rider (or coach) about training for equestrian competition.     Rider and horse alert and ready to do a good job.

Opposite column, a happy, confident rider, but she is not properly centered on the horse. Note that she is slightly off to one side, perhaps because her saddle is not centered and she has more weight in one stirrup.           An older rider with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy riding an obstacle course in winning form. Note that the lead rope is loose and the sidewalkers do not have to stabilize her.

It is important to note that there are more similarities among athletes who choose horseback riding as a competitive sport, even those with disabilities, than dissimilarities. Competitive riders constantly strive to upgrade their skills and risk uncertainties of competition to grow as riders and as persons. Anyone interested in learning to ride a horse for pleasure, therapy, and/or competition should understand that riding well is the result of mutual confidence and effort on the parts of the rider, horse, and coach/instructor. To ride well, one must be taught the correct thing to do and do it over and over until muscles accommodate and strengthen, and reaction becomes automatic. Learning time is a variable all riders face and is strongly influenced by motivation and saddle time. The prime objective of good riding instruction is to enable the rider to develop a secure seat on the horse. Once this is achieved, the students can move ahead to more advanced aspects of performance and competition.

Competent Instruction and Effective Training-Vital Elements The instructor or coach for a rider with competitive aspirations differs from the purely therapeutic riding instructor in that this person should be very knowledgeable about show ring procedures, and must be able to train a rider to meet the demands of competition. Obviously, this person should have an awareness of the special needs of riders with disabilities, as well as coaching expertise. The instructor must exercise special vigilance with regard to safety and fatigue factors without adding an overprotective environment that might stifle challenge and development. As all riding involves the element of controlled risk, it is extremely important that the instructor waits to proceed with the instruction of any new skill until the prerequisite skills have been mastered. Keeping a rider focused during repetitive parts of training sessions requires patience and understanding on the part of all concerned. Going around and around a ring, repeating movements until they are correct can be fatiguing and boring until that breakthrough finally comes. Effective training does not just happen; it is the result of thought and organization on the part of the instructor, and the ability to feel what the horse is doing even when not on the horse. Mounting the rider should be undertaken with the unique needs of the rider in mind, and an understanding of what that rider's goals are. Tack (saddle and bridle) for all riders is determined by physical size and status, and riding style: English (hunt, dressage, or saddle seat) or western. Tack must not only be appropriate for the rider, but also fit the horse chosen to meet the rider's needs. Matching horse and rider can be an almost mystical experience. The right horse for the job is imperative if a rider is to be a successful competitor. The time allotted for the warm-up phase of each session can be influenced by many variables. Riding is a dynamic interaction, and weather and mood may influence warm-up of both rider and horse. Perhaps ten minutes at the walk and the use of suppling and stretching exercises may be needed before proceeding to the more demanding phases of the ride. During this time the rider may need external stabilization in the form of a leader or sidewalker's support, or self-support by holding on to a strap attached to the saddle. A leader and/or sidwalker(s) may be appropriate for a rider with severe physical disabilities who meets the criteria for competition at his/her functional level. The second mounted activity involves development of riding techniques and endurance. The rider actively assumes responsibility for the horse's performance. The most important objective for the instructor is to get the rider to focus on his/her immediate goal and not try to accomplish too much at once. When working on positioning the hands, forget about the heels. Leg position and arm position may be separate issues. Work on individual skills and then put the elements together. Most importantly, the rider must keep eyes up and looking forward. Looking down throws the entire body out of balance. The rider must try to think about how the horse is moving. The horse moves up and down laterally and diagonally under the rider. Feeling the motion of the horse, going with the animal, is critical. The principle aims are to coordinate successive movements, to train reaction capability, and to develop a deep seat. Crossing the bridge in an obstacle course. This competent rider's foot position (toes down), would be improved by having the stirrup iron under the ball of his foot rather than all the way back next to his heel. Keeping heels down is a problem many riders have.

Special Techniques Several special techniques may be used to develop the oneness with the horse that is necessary for all good riding­especially for competition. Sally Swift in Centered Riding refers to the Four Basics which result in controlling one's own body better and making the horse happy. These consist of the correct use of the eyes, breathing, centering, and building blocks. Swift uses imaginative psychological images to help the rider go beyond mere mechanics of riding technique. For instance, the concept of soft eyes means that the rider has wide-open eyes and peripheral awareness. The rider allows him/herself to feel sensations from within. The result is less tenseness and easier and freer forward movement. Writing of breathing, Swift says, "It is easier to work with mental images than to think of specific muscles...Breathe through your whole body. Imagine that you can breathe all the way down into your feet through an imaginary flexible tube" (Swift, 1985). This procedure results in reduced tension for both horse and rider and decreases rider fatigue. Centering, lowering the body's center of control, is especially important and includes having soft eyes and correct breathing. When centered, the seat and lower body seem heavier and more secure. The rider will be relaxed and ready for the next movement or exercise. Lastly, Swift advocates that serious riders have a sense of their skeletal structure instead of concentrating so much on their muscles. The wisdom contained in Centered Riding makes it a valuable resource for a motivated rider or instructor.

Making a final rein adjustment after practice before going into an obstacle course class.

 

Dressage Being able to have a horse go freely forward is a must for all types of riding. This is the foundation for all riders and horses. Work at the walk, trot (unless medically contra-indicated); halt, circles, and change of direction should be included. Practice bending the horse correctly. Canter, too, if appropriate. Special emphasis should be on use of aids and transitions from one gait to another. This is a skill which is used and judged constantly in the show ring and takes an enormous amount of practice to look both fluid and effortless. What is referred to in the preceding paragraph are the foundations of dressage. Dressage is a competition in which horse and rider are judged individually against an ideal score, performing a specific sequence of movements in a specially designated arena. The complexity of the tests increases through many levels, and at the highest level is included as an Olympic event. Dressage requires precision and sensitivity on the part of the rider who works to school the horse to increasing levels of suppleness, obedience, and fluid movement. At high levels, and when set to music, as in the Kur, this is ballet on horseback. Olympic dressage competition was won by a rider with a disability (Liz Hartel) in 1952, and continues to be a favorite with many riders. Perhaps it offers an equality of opportunity not found in other events; perhaps it continually challenges the rider to strive for the 10, the perfect mark for a specified movement.

A judge's eye view of the moves required in a lower level dressage test. Note the circles, diagonals, and lines which must be performed precisely.

 

" ... Competition adds spice to the joys of horseback riding. Winning requires practice, perseverance, precision, and patience."             Ready for an equitation class. Note the nice straight line from the rider's elbow to the bit in the horse's mouth. This rider has riding boots with her short braces.       Natalie Bieber is a Learning Disabilities Specialist and riding instructor now residing in Steamboat Springs, CO. Formerly she directed the Learning Disability Program at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, CT, and was an adjunct lecturer at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. She served as the chairman, National Sports Advisory Committee, UCPA. She was a member of the Board of Directors of NARHA and chaired the Research Committee. She convened the group who wrote the national and international rules for riding competition for individuals with physical disabilities and organized and directed the first international competion at the Paralympic Games in New York in 1984. Selected References Swift, S. (1985). Centered Riding. New York: St. Martin's/Marek. "Team USA..." (1996). Strides, 2 (4), 5.

Competition For All Levels Both rider and coach should have realistic goals that provide opportunities for challenge and success. There are many equestrian events at the walk and trot for those riders not ready to canter. Novice or green-rider classes at open horse shows include these opportunities; they are not found only at events for riders with disabilities. The two most important things for the rider to strive for are freedom of movement and precision. Among the classes offered at horse shows for riders with disabilities are English and western equitation, dressage, obstacle course, jumping, driving (horse and carriage), and a variety of games. Needless to say, riders must really know the rules of their events. To compete successfully they should also be ring-wise. Many equestrian events are judged rather subjectively, so it is important for the competitor to realize the overall impression he or she makes on the judge can be as important as the performance. Neatness of attire is a must and should be appropriate for the event. Protective headgear is required at all shows for riders with disabilities, as well as for all riders entered in the hunter divisions at open horse shows. The rider should be relaxed, but workmanlike, and project a picture of competency and enjoyment. When in the ring, the rider who looks like the class is fun has an edge. In a class, such as equitation, where there is a group of riders, s/he should avoid being blocked from the judge's view by other horses and riders and be alert for instructions from the ringmaster. Transitions from one gait to another should be prompt, but not hurried or sloppy. Being able to anticipate and react accordingly while seeming relaxed and happy is a definite skill. Minor performance mistakes should be subtly corrected. The more polished the performance, the better the chance of winning. It is both fun and instructive to go to horse shows and observe competitions of all levels of riders. This type of observation will provide an excellent insight into the world of horse showing. In some classes only the performance of the rider is judged, in others, only the horse. For the most part, however, how one part of the twosome behaves influences the other. Going to a show with an instructor or coach is especially valuable as that person will be able to point out good and bad points of the entrants in each class. Watching riders at a level above one's present level of performing provides a means of evaluating one's strengths and weaknesses as a rider and setting training goals. Becoming acquainted with preferences of various judges is also a strategy used to good advantage by winning riders. Much has been said, pro and con, about the way horse shows are judged. Remember that only in the jumper division and in horse races are the results strictly objective. Most riders find they are capable of doing much more than they ever dreamed was possible. With good training, determination, and ample time in the saddle progress will continue. Competition adds spice to the joys of horseback riding. Winning requires practice, perseverance, precision, and patience. No matter what the event, enter the ring like a winner in order to be one!

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