The final session at this year’s International Eventing Forum was jam packed full of information that truly worked towards ‘raising your game.’ Split into three sections, we were treated to three of Ireland’s finest horsemen. Tom Holden, FEI level 3 Course Designer kicked off the proceedings, setting up a lovely track that audience members could take a walk around. John Ledingham, coach to winning riders at CSIO Nations Cup, Grand Prix’s and High Performance Manager to Irish Junior and Young Rider teams worked on ‘problem solving’ for the majority of the session. Finally Liam Moggan introduced the use of sports psychology and what his role within the Coach Education Development Team involves.
Tom Holden set up a course that had fences set from 1.20m up to 1.27m. After audience members had the chance to walk the course, Tom talked us through his role as a course designer. “I think we are asking the same questions that we have always asked; it has just become more intense” Tom said. Further to this, it seems there is very little difference between a 4* show jumping course and a Grand Prix course (other than the height of course).
Tom Holden
Host for the day, Eric Smiley, asked Tom if he could sleep at night if all riders are clear in the first round at a show jumping competition. “If you have a field of horses and you build a course that is appropriate to the level and height of competition, if you get two clear rounds, that’s fine. If you get 10 clear rounds, that’s fine.”
It is important to make a course that is legitimate for the specific level of competition. It is unfair to risk making a test that is designed to force faults from combinations. “It's better they’re all clear than none,” Tom says. “The very first thing that we think about is to keep the horse safe.”
Audience members had the chance to walk around Tom's course
Olympian, three times winner of the Hickstead Derby as well as winner of multiple 5* Grand Prix’s, John Ledingham took charge for the majority of the session. “I’ve used the videos of his rounds at Hickstead Derby on numerous occasions to demonstrate wonderful flatwork and brilliant jumping,” Eric explained when he introduced John “He made the course look very easy; there are few people who can do that.”
“We have to make the course builder our friend,” John says
John had four demonstration riders in Sarah Bullimore, Tom McEwen and Tim and Jonelle Price. He spoke to each rider individually as the combinations warmed up, asking them questions about the horses that they were sitting on. “How much stride do they have, how supple are they, how obedient they are, can they hold their balance on the turn?” John asked.
Once the combinations had warmed up John had them perform a simple exercise that involved three planks on the ground in a straight line. To begin with the aim was to go from plank to plank with six canter strides in between. Riders then changed the rein and completed five and five strides. This exercise worked towards creating accuracy in the canter.
“What she lacks in size, she makes up for in attitude,” Jonelle said
“The onus is on you. You must be accurate” John said. “The horse must carry himself in balance, he must be supple.” Whilst the exercise seems relatively simple, the difficulty was in being consistent. The exercise was made somewhat more difficult by performing five and then six strides on the same line and vice versa. This teaches them to open and close up.
Another vital element of training that John pointed out was the importance of straightness. “If a horse is not straight on the point of take off, it is physically impossible for it open and close properly,” John said. If you arrive at a fence half a metre away and you are straight, it is easy for the horse to get there. The same principle applies if they get in too deep. “Straightness is paramount.”
John asked the riders to remember their rounds in absolute detail so they could talk through them after they had finished. “I’m not sure my memory is that good,” Sarah said when this request was made. “Of course your memory is good, you’re a female,” John joked.
Tim Price completes a perfect round
The main purpose of the session was to complete Tom’s show jumping round so John took us through the final moments that he will go through with a rider before they enter the ring. First to go were Tim and Jonelle who warmed up over a single oxer and vertical fence.
“My belief as a coach is that if you are jumping a little vertical with a horse, you don’t get a lot of bascule in the jump,” John said. “I want the feeling over that fence that it’s basculed.” This is achieved by not letting the canter get too polite. “Don’t be afraid to ask for more, you can knock down a practice fence and nobody cares, it doesn’t go on your final score.”
Tim was the first to tackle Tom’s course and he did so wonderfully. “It was an exhibition of excellence,” John said. Tim left all of the poles in their cups as did Jonelle who went straight after him. Sarah also jumped around clear and once the course was lowered for Tom McEwen’s younger horse, he too jumped clear.
John introduces us to Tom McEwen
After Sarah had completed the course, we were treated to the coaching tactics of Liam Moggan. As a coach education development officer, Liam ran Sarah through her paces once she had finished her round. Liam questioned Sarah as to how she prepares for a competition, setting the scene that she is leading after the dressage and cross country at a championship event.
Under the pretence that there is just one hour to go before she has to enter the ring, Liam asked Sarah what challenges she is facing. “Everybody else is jumping clear and breathing down my neck” Sarah said. “I need to focus on the job that I need to do rather than getting caught up with the excitement.”
Liam Moggan
“I want you to abandon the excitement part and focus on the job that you have to do,” Liam said. He then fired a series of questions at Sarah. “Describe what you have to do in order to jump a beautiful round. Tell me what you have to do, to do that. What particular points are you going to maintain the canter on the course? What distance is riding long here? That sounds good, how does it feel for you? How will you do that?”
It is all about the repetition of detail, asking these questions allows the rider and coach to be more informed. Sarah explained that she felt uncomfortable with the questioning when Liam asked how the experience was. “That’s what this should do, there should be an air of discomfort,” Liam said.
Liam then repeated the process with Tim, running through a scenario in which he was psyching him up for the World Equestrian Games. “We need to be conscious of the things that we need to do unconsciously when the time comes,” Liam said. “What we have to do is really galvanise the lessons that are learned.”
Tim faces Liam's questions
That is why feedback from the rider is so important; we need to mentally be able to repeat what went well, as well as the physical. Tim explained what he needed to do by using his hands and diagrams and this was a good thing. “This gives the coach an awareness of their mind set, what their minds are thinking.”
The 2014 International Eventing Forum exceeded all expectations. This final session combined the knowledge of three brilliant minds and audience members left the day armed and ready to raise their game. Each year this event kicks off the start of the British Eventing season and it just gets better and better. With the current World Number One Andrew Nicholson set to present at next year’s forum, it is sure to be an event not to be missed.
Article and photos by Emily Penney
