 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| Horse
Sports & Activities One of the attractions of horse riding is the great range of sports and leisure activities people can try. This is our guide to the main options available to riders in the UK. Many competitive sports are available at different levels to suit all abilities; we will be providing information on how to compete in the various sports in the near future. A-Z of horse sports and activities
Endurance An endurance ride is a competition against the clock to test the speed and stamina of the horse. One day rides cover distances of 32-160 km (20-100 miles). All competitors' horses are subject to veterinary checks at the start and finish; the longer rides are usually broken down into a number of phases with a compulsory halt for veterinary inspection at the end of each. The fitness of the horse is an important feature of endurance riding and a horse has to be in good condition throughout the ride. Top of Page
Top of Page JumpCross JumpCross is a cross-country sport with knock-down fences. The aim is to help competitors develop their riding and jumping technique. It can also build confidence in both horse and rider because jumping mistakes don't carry the same safety risks as if the fences were solid. Riders can compete individually or in teams of two. The fastest time with the least penalties wins. Top of Page Hacking Hacking is simply going for a ride, either on roads and bridleways or across fields (with permission). A significant proportion of horse owners in the UK would call themselves 'happy hackers'. Slow, steady roadwork can be a good way to build a horse's fitness; it also gives competition horses a break from training. Busy roads create serious hazards and riders must ensure they keep safety in mind. Top of Page
Top of Page Hunting Hunting live quarry with hounds is banned in the UK at the present time. Most hunts have switched to drag hunting, which is where hounds follow a scent trail that has been laid by a person. Traditionally hunting has been a method of controlling the population of a number of wildlife species, including foxes and deer, which have no natural predators. Hunt followers can be on horseback or on foot. Riders enjoy following the hunt across the countryside, jumping a range of obstacles that often test their nerve as well as their riding skills. Top of Page Mounted Games When talking of Mounted Games most people think of the Pony Club and the Prince Philip Cup. Mounted Games grew from Pony Club Games, but there is a now definite distinction between the two, with different games and different rules. Mounted games are races ridden at speed that involve a range of tasks including bending in and out of poles, collecting items such as blocks and flags and either handing them to the next team member or placing them at a specific point. Games are played by teams, pairs or individuals. A team consists of five riders, four of whom take part in any particular game. This is the most common form of mounted games. Ponies must not exceed 14.2 hh, but riders can be of any age. Top of Page Para-equestrianism Para-equestrianism encompasses all riding and driving activities undertaken by people with disabilities. These have been found to have significant physical and mental benefits for those involved - as well as being fun! The main para-equestrian activities and sports are dressage, driving, vaulting and hippotherapy. Para-dressage is a paralympic sport. Top of Page Point-to-Point Racing This is amateur horse racing over fences. Courses are usually three miles long, with a minimum of 18 fences. The fences are not as high as those in steeplechases, but are bigger/more substantial than hurdles. Race meetings take place between January and early June. All jockeys have to be a member or subscriber of a hunt. The horses have to have been hunted a minimum of six times during that season. Top of Page Polo Polo is a game between two teams of four players, who are trying to score goals using a long handled mallet to hit a small ball (3.5 inches in diameter). The polo field is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide. A club match is divided into four to six 'chukkas', each of which is seven minutes long. Riders usually have a different pony for each chukka, because of the speed of the game and the demands it places on the ponies. Top of Page Polocrosse Polocrosse takes its elements from polo and lacrosse. This is a fast team sport where the riders use a long stick with a net to score goals with a sponge ball. Riders obtain the ball by catching it in the net or scooping it up from the floor. They can also knock it out of an opponent's net with their own stick. Matches are divided into six to eight chukkas. Each team has six players, but only three are on the pitch at any one time. Unlike polo, riders are not allowed to change horses, so mounts are rested by playing alternate chukkas. Top of Page
Top of Page
Top of Page Showing Showing classes can be breed specific (eg Welsh Section A) or type specific (eg working hunter). A high proportion of breed specific classes are for youngstock or broodmares and are in-hand (ie led from the ground). In ridden showing classes, judges consider horses' manners as well as performance and conformation. There are also showing classes for driving competitors. Top of Page Team Chasing This is a team cross-country competition. Each team consists of four riders and horses, which all complete the course at the same time. The course usually consists of approximately 30 natural fences, over a distance of 1.5 to 2 miles. Some of the more difficult fences may have time wasting smaller/easier alternatives. The time of the third horse past the finishing post counts as the team time. Top of Page TREC TREC or Technique de Randonnee Equestre de Competition is designed to test the rider and their horse through a whole range of activities rather than focusing on one particular discipline. The competition combines the requirements of trail riding, with cross-country jumping and flatwork. It tests the riders' ability to find their way across country using map reading skills and to deal with all types of terrain. Riders also have deal with the sort of obstacles and problems that can be encountered in the countryside, such as gates and low branches. There are three phases: orienteering, control of paces and cross-country. Top of Page Trekking Sightseeing from a saddle; similar to hacking, but usually over longer distances and in picturesque surroundings. Horses are usually very well trained and the guided routes avoid many of the hazards hackers have to contend with. Top of Page Vaulting Vaulting is gymnastics on a moving horse. The horse moves in a circle, controlled by a person on foot. Vaulting exercises include artistic mounts and dismounts, flips, handstands, carrying or lifting another vaulter, kneeling and standing up. Vaulters perform individually, in pairs, trios or as a larger team. Team exercises are usually performed to music. Top of Page Western Riding Western riding offers a variety of activities/classes for riders to take part in. These include: reining, trail, barrel racing and horsemanship. Horses have to be well-trained to compete successfully in these disciplines (reining is comparable to dressage). Top of Page
|
