News and Notices

March 2008

TO ALL GROUPS

I am enclosing the flyer for Fun Day with this mailout, giving you times and costs for this year. I hope to see lots of you there. We have chosen Felbridge Showground as it is in the middle of the Region, so it should save some of you some travelling time. I hope more groups will enter riders for the National Countryside Challenge with the aim of qualifying for the National Championships at Hartpury in July. Those who go to 'the Nationals' have a marvellous time in superb facilities and I can only recommend it to you.

By now you will have received all the details of the Regional Dressage Competition at Hickstead. Again, I hope we have lots of entries. Perhaps some of you could think of entering your riders for both the Countryside Challenge and the appropriate dressage test at Hickstead. There is a cup waiting to be won by the winner!

When the papers went out regarding the Dressage I forgot to put a place on the entry form for the name of the person each group is to nominate as a volunteer to help on the day. Would you please add their name and telephone number to the entry form, so that they can be contacted and given an appropriate job. Thank you.

May I wish you all a Very Happy Easter and I look forward to seeing many of you at the Dressage Training Day at Sands Farm on Thursday 10th April; details of which can be found on our website or from your group correspondent.

With best wishes
Judi Singer
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HERON'S GHYLL DRIVING GROUP - RDA'S O.D.E. 2007
by
Keith Farley

After all the bad weather and the possibility of cancellation due to a flooded pitch, the forecasters had a change of heart and promised us sunshine and temperatures of 24 degrees plus for Thursday August 2, the day of the Heron's Ghyll annual One Day Event at Whitesmith, East Sussex. True to form and for once quite welcome, they got it wrong. It was a fairly overcast but pleasantly warm day that suited both human and equine competitors. It was indeed a pleasure to have entries from the Kipling County and Goodwood groups forward on the day.
There were the usual two classes for Novice and Open and competitors in both classes brought forth positive comments from the dressage judge, Carol Porter who was pleasantly surprised at the overall standard. The Novice dressage was won by a newcomer to the sport, Jamie Williams, who was driving Prince for the Kipling group with Val Eyres as Companion Whip. With a dressage score of 23 and one down in the cones meant he was in the vanguard with a fine 26 for the obstacles after lunch. At the end of the challenging cones course set up by Heron's Ghyll Instructor Hilary Hill, Christine Bassingthwaighte (HG) was chasing Jamie down with a score of 29 with Percy Cox (HG) in a very close third on 30.
The Open Class proved to be just as close a race as the Novice. Paul Mouland (HG) put up a fine display to take the lead with a score of 24 after the dressage with Beth Allsopp (Kipling) one point behind on 25 and Karen Baker (HG) 3rd on 29. Unfortunately Paul had two of the cones over and slipped to second spot (30) behind Karen (29) with Beth also dropping a spot to third (31) after having two down. So, it was a pretty close contest all round which bode well for the afternoon activities.
The obstacles set yet another challenge to everyone with HG's Sarah Baverstock proving that fifth after dressage and fourth after cones is no reason to give up on the day by putting up a fine show to go joint first on a score of 146 along with Beth Allsopp. Karen was next in line with a final count of 148. It was a shame for Paul Mouland, after the fine start his day didn't go well and he finished down the line. However, knowing him, next time he will come out and give his all once again.
The Novice event had just as exciting a finish as the Open which had Christine Bassingthwaighte holding on to her fine second spot on a score of 154 and Brenda Longley (HG) on 178 just pipping Percy Cox to third by one point. Top spot went to Kipling's Jamie Williams who steered the nimble Prince through the obstacles like an old hand. He finished his day by keeping his lead and ended on a final score of 132 which was good enough to see him take the overall championship for 2007. Who'd a thought that he only started to drive back in March and that this was his very first event! One to watch for the future I'm certain of that.
It was a great day enjoyed by all and thanks must go to all those people that made it possible. Special thanks to Sue Vine for her tireless work on the score board all day.

OPEN

NOVICE

THE CARRIAGE DRIVING PONY

I am often asked what makes the perfect carriage driving pony for the disabled. Some have asked if their own pony might be suitable. So what am I looking for?

The Perfect pony….well nearly perfect!

Firstly I need to establish what roll the pony is going to fulfil within our group. We practice in an indoor or outdoor school and have the use of a level field, all our drivers enjoy a day at a show, the odd Concours D'Elagance and some like to compete at ODEs. We also do off road drives in convoy through orchards and woods. You might be in a different situation, as all groups vary. You may find yourselves contained in a field or indoor school for most of your work and not have the help or transport to get to shows. What ever we think we will be doing, the pony we choose must be happy to work in the environment that we have waiting for it.

In my mind you simply need to watch the pony in his current work first. Is he the calm, unflappable type? Even these types have their limits, so I need to find out what that limit is and assess whether it can be worked on or not? Most owners are happy to tell you all the wonderful points about their pony, but I need to know all the quirks, the niggling vices that the able bodied driver may well put up with. It might seem a bit pessimistic to start out like this, but it is better to find out what you are dealing with right at the onset so as not to waste time and effort on something that really is not suitable.

Age; or rather experience will be an important factor. Think twice about using an aged pony for our work. Bearing in mind what you are expecting of the pony, he must have had plenty of experience in this field but. If you are expecting him to spend whole sessions in an indoor school he needs to be supple and fit, light and easy going. If you intend going to shows he needs to travel well and be happy to tie up to a trailer, spend a lot of time standing still and have impeccable manners in the show ring. The RDA Manual states that he must be at least 5 years old.

When I have established that the pony may well be suitable, there are some simple tests that I feel all ponies for use with disabled drivers should pass. If you are considering putting a pony forward for the RDA Assessment the following will certainly help you on your way.

The following tests are not written in a particular order, as all are as important as each other:

The pony must not lean on the Whips hands or be strong or hard in the mouth.
He must stand still and not move unless asked.
He must be sound in wind and limb and therefore not be on any medication.
He must be of a calm mind.
He must be tolerant of sudden loud noises and shouting, flapping of reins and sudden rocking of the carriage.
He must be happy to be driven on his own or in company and be oblivious to other turnouts and their manoeuvres.
He must be unhurried and quietly happy in his work
He must be fit enough to take the weight required and the stamina to work for the length of time required.
He must be quiet in traffic if he is to be driven on the lanes.
Extremes are not good prospects! Stubborn ponies might just pass for the job, but those that feel like they are going to 'tank off' with you at the drop of a hat (literally) are going to take months to get right before they would be any use to an RDA group. If you haven't got the time, do not go down that route!

If you have a pony that you would like to use for RDA, but feel that it will not pass all the tests, do not despair. Simple training is often the key. If you have got the time and determination it is amazing what you can achieve. So here comes the optimistic part.

Take the pony that just will not stand still! This is a common problem. Start right at the beginning. Why doesn't he stand still? Is it because we are in a rush and can't be bothered to address the problem because we haven't got time! Are we afraid that if we insist on a 'stand' that things might get out of control, we think he might get 'cross' and maybe rear and plunge, or back up and have an accident? Maybe he has had an accident. Maybe it stems from being ill-treated in a previous ownership. There are lots of reasons. If you can understand what the pony is trying to tell you, you are half-way to solving his problem. 9 out of 10 times his problem is us.

Help-teach the pony to go relaxed on long reins and use the fence of a schooling area to halt against. As you get close to the fence say 'aand whoa' and as soon as the pony stands, release the contact. Only when he stands still, can he go forward again. You have to be pretty quick here at first, so that your command to' walk on' comes just before he does it any way!

If he will not stand against a fence, have a helper on hand and as you ask the pony to halt have your helper approach and 'whoa' in front of them. Ask the helper to stroke the pony's face and prise him, then walk slowly away, again ask for 'walk on' before the pony moves himself. It is a bit of an art, but eventually the pony will learn that to stand still means no work, that it is a nice place to be and a comfort zone is established. Lessons should be concentrated on just standing still. The first time you achieve a really good halt and stand you should call it a day and not ask the pony to do any more work. He will remember next time he comes out that when he stood still he didn't have to do any more! Go out to your schooling place and 'stand'. Not rocket science! The answer is not being in a hurry to go anywhere. Personally I do not agree with the idea of working a pony that will not stand still on long reins, in a fast trot or canter, until he is tired, so that when you ask for halt he is relieved to do so! You are training him to see halt as an uncomfortable place of stress and pressure, an escape from anxiety and fear. You are also teaching him that speed is the first thing you want from the pony, when in actual fact you want him to stand still!! The alternative way gives the pony release from pressure in halt, so that it is a good place to be. If the pony works this out for himself it will also make a bigger imprint on his brain and he will remember and learn quickly what you require of him.

The RDA have a basic outline for the RDA Driving Pony in the RDA manual. How often to you check your manual for advice? It is like a bible to me, full of resources and all the dos and don'ts are in there. Don't forget carriage driving has been available to disabled people for many years and people have been taking the reins and going through exactly the same things as you over history! Never be afraid to ask someone who has been there before. You are not alone!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who lend ponies for RDA. Thank you for your enthusiasm, dedication and hard work in producing ponies enabling our disabled friends hours of fun over the years. Without your generosity we wouldn't be here.

If you have an experience with training that you would like to share, or would like to comment on this article please write to me at keeley.taylor@btinternet.com

Happy Driving

Keeley Taylor
Written by Keeley Taylor, RDAGI, Cobbes Meadow Driving Group Organiser ,ABW and member of the RDA National Driving Committee
(Registered Charity No: 1074165)

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