Equestrian action at the Bathurst Show
Organiser sheds light on the hard work to get horses showjumping ready
Discipline, fitness, flexibility, movement, rhythm: if that sounds like what a dancer aims for, you’d be right. But it’s also the purpose of the hard work by horse and rider that goes into the art and sport of dressage – the basis for all other equestrian disciplines, says Robyn Gerber, coordinator of the Bathurst Agricultural Horse Show.
“You’ve got to get your horse balanced. “For showjumping you’ve got to get your horse on their hocks.
“They need to be supple, disciplined and reactive to aids – they need to respond to what you tell them to do.
“Building muscle is important – they’ve got to be powerful,” Gerber explains. “And maintaining muscle tone prevents most injuries.
“Strong, with a good top line is important for all the disciplines.”
It’s a lot of work, and it’s good to cross-train – to do all the disciplines – no matter what your horse’s main strength.
“Every day we try do something different, to keep our horses interested and engaged: outrides, exercises in the schooling ring: you have a plan every week in your horse’s training regime.
“We do a lot of hacking here: walking builds good fitness without putting pressure on a horse’s joints. But they still need to canter, jump, to build those muscles.”
Do horses like jumping?
“My horse seems to love it,” says Gerber. “I think some horses are competitive – and he gets bored if I leave him for too long.”
When you see a horse stopping in front of a jump during a showjumping event, it’s generally because of rider error, Gerber says.
The rider is in the wrong position, or has managed the timing of the jump incorrectly.
“If it’s a horse that enjoys jumping, they usually only stop because something hurts, or because of rider error.”
It’s the rider who decides exactly how and when the horse takes off for a jump.
“Adjustability, rhythm and balance is the main thing to get right as you turn the corner to face the next jump,” Gerber says. “In showjumping your reaction time is in split seconds: it’s only 60 seconds to jump the course after all, and you’ve got 12 big decisions to make as you go around.”
The horse show starts a day earlier than the main show: on Thursday March 21, with dressage.
Classes start at 8am and 2pm in the showing arena.
On Friday morning (7am!) are the Working Hunter and Handy Horse or Pony classes. From 11am the course for the showjumping events will be built in the main arena, while more showing classes continue in one section of it.
Saturday, from 7.30am, will be the Accumulator showjumping event (50cm to 1.3m) and at 1.30pm will be the spectacular Pig & Whistle Inn Power Jump.
Last year, the daring horses and riders reached 1.68m before making a joint decision (the riders that is) to quit while the going was good, and while the horses were still relaxed and happy.
The flagship event, the Bathurst Showjumping Championships, is scheduled for the Sunday, starting at 7.45am, and spectators can look forward to seeing top riders and horses in action.
On Friday, at 4pm, and Saturday, at 3pm, a special feature willl be SA Boerperd demonstrations in the main arena.
Organiser Izelle Marais says eight Boerperde will be coming from Somerset East and Makhanda to be put through their paces in various classes: the three-gait event (walk, trot, canter); harness class (drawing a cart, at a walk and at a trot); and the five-gait event.
The latter is a special feature showing off two gaits not inherent in the way they move, namely the slow gait, and the rack (similar to the ‘triple’
that American Saddlers do). What’s special about the SA Boerperd breed, says Marais, is that they are very versatile.
“They can be working horses, or show horses.” Note: There is uncertainty as to whether the equestrian events at this year’s Bathurst Agricultural Show will in fact be able to proceed.
This is because of some cases of African Horse Sickness in the area. Talk of the Town had not yet received a response from the national department of agriculture’s veterinary services by the time of publishing.