Freshers Week!

So it begins... week one for DMU Equestrian back at De Montfort University and what a week it has been! 

This week has kicked off with the Freshers Fair at De Montfort outside the Students Union on Thursday the 26th of September with a very early start for all involved. With a record number of signups the day was extremely exciting and very promising for DMU Equestrian starting the year off in the best way anyone could've hoped for! 

Interest from students was very positive indeed, with everyone on campus talking about us and interested in finding out more about our amazing society and what we do. The most insightful part of the day was our society being approached by a drama lecturer who works alongside Arden RDA, who had heard about us on campus and has asked for our help in volunteering for Riding for the Disabled. This is an opportunity that we could only have dreamed for as being a small society, to be able to have such a positive impact upon the community within our sport is what DMU Equestrian is all about. 

We were joined this year by a new, up and coming society, DMU Polo Team, who also gained some promising interest at this years Fresher's fair and we look forward to working with them this year to boost the Equestrian sport profile at DMU even more. 

The day ended with DMU Equestrian heading out for the Bonkerz Bar Crawl and showing everyone how we work hard, and definitely play even harder! This week we begin our year with the Meet and Greet session on Monday 30th September at 7.30pm and our Taster session running on Wednesday 2nd October at Witham Villa Riding Centre. Until then, feel free to contact us and ask any questions you may have! 

TWITTER- @DMUEquestrian

FACEBOOK- LIKE 'DMU Equestrian Society'

Left to Right
Gemma Elliott- Social Sec. Jenny Walker- Chairperson. Clare Wilyman- Treasurer and Kit Officer.
Gabbi Berrill- Secretary & Becky Shraga - Health and Safety.

Horsey Harmonies

Being on a DMU Equestrian team requires riders to be skilled in two disciplines; dressage and show jumping.

BUCS University level dressage is a Preliminary test standard that consists of basic walk, trot and canter transitions with circles, serpentines, loops and rein changes throughout. Training for dressage differs from show jumping as it requires a more concentrated focus on rounding the horse and following an accurate, forward test. Riders are marked out of 10 for their ability to complete a set exercise within the test for each transition, and collective marks are then given for effective use of aids, responsiveness of horse, rider position and overall style.

Warming up the horse is extremely important, and doing this correctly can affect marks and the grading of your test. A focus should be on getting the horse to respond to your aids and be forward off the leg from the word go, so no room for error can occur. Transitions are significant in helping both horse and rider to quickly get adjusted to one another and will allow the rider to figure out the manner of the horse which they are riding (whether they are forward or perhaps need more of a push on!) Getting the most out of the horse in a short amount of time is the key to BUCS dressage riding, and gaining a sense of how to ride your test interdependently on the horse you a given is probably the hardest skill to learn!

Gaining suppleness and flexion in the horse is something that comes from learning the art of dressage, getting them to round and soften for you without a fight and carry themselves forward in any medium. A secure position with correct leg, supple hands, deep seat and balance is key to mastering a dressage test of any level. Judges will look for a harmony between rider and horse and an acceptance of the horse to ride forward, with the bit and not fighting against the rider's aids as this creates a messy test and loss of precious marks!

This is why our A, B and C teams train every week on different horses to get to grips with riding different horses and getting the most out of them in a short space of time.

Here are some of our riders in action at Varsity 2013, riding horses from Witham Villa Riding Centre.

Charlotte Foxell on Spider

Clare Wilyman and Dexter

Gabbi Berrill and Preston

Gemma Elliott and Jay

Hannah Slinn and Willow

Jenny Walker and Victor

Been there... Jumped that.

So, getting more and more exciting news every single day at DMU Equestrian and some fanstastic new partners and sponsors have been gained for next year joining us on our horsey journey! 

Feeling optimistic is something that we Equestrians are only far too familiar with, as every single feeling and impulse the rider has travels down those reins to your horse. A positive rider and a positive attitude makes for a comfortable and happy horse, and from previous experience, it is the most valuable lesson I have learned to gain the trust of a horse/ pony. This is only too significant when show jumping, as the horse relies upon you as much as you do them when approaching that fence and without a forward, fresh and focussed approach success is even more difficult to reach.

The key elements to make a successful show jumping round are mainly to do with the rider and their mental and physical approach to the challenge ahead. You should prepare your horse by warming him/her up in a balanced manner to ensure the best chance of manoeuvring around those tricky corners, especially if you end up in a jump off situation where accuracy is just as important as speed. Transitions are extremely vital to get your horse/pony listening to your aids and to gain the best response from them, a firm and consistent leg is required at all times, not just for rider benefit but so your horse/ pony knows what you are asking from them. A fence should be approached independently, with a straight line, accurate stride and forward jump position over to allow your horse to lengthen and stretch, with the hocks engaged fully over the fence. Landing requires preparation from both rider and horse as the rider must adopt a deeper seat once over the fence and direct their horse forward nice and firmly, with the correct canter lead taken to approach the next fence on the course.

So show jumping is a discipline that must be taken as seriously as any other, as it requires just as much mental preparation and planning as a dressage test, with the added adrenalin of jumping those fences! At DMU Equestrian we have had a fantastic year of jumping, with some of our riders managing to beat even their own expectations and surprising everyone with bigger, and better jump rounds! So here are a few cheeky snaps of our riders in action at this years varsity against Leicester University and some of the fabulous ponies and horses we get to ride. They vary from 15hh cheeky cobs to 16.2hh thoroughbred eventers imported specially from Holland and yet they all look absolutely amazing proving that with hard work and dedication, any horse can be a BUCS league champion!

Becky Shraga with Preston

Gabbi Berrill and Charm

Clare Wilyman and Benji

Gemma Elliott and Jay

Hannah Slinn and Harrison

Jenny Walker and Ben

Getting ready for the season.

Not long now until the season for 2013/2014 kicks off for De Montfort University and the committee are extremely excited to begin preparations for what promises to be, another fantastic year for Equestrian sport at DMU.

The new 2013 committee is to be chaired by Jenny Walker, a keen and committed rider who has rode for DMU's A team for the past 2 years with successful individual placings. Jenny prides herself on her dressage abilities and has her own cheeky mare 'Copy' who she has successfully competed with prior to coming to De Montfort. With her dedicated and developed equestrian background DMU couldn't ask for a better character to take over from last years golden lady Hannah Slinn who lead De Montfort into an extremely successful year in 2012/2013.The rest of the committee consists of myself, Clare Wilyman, Becky Shraga, Charlotte Scott and Gemma Elliott who are all thirsty for the season to begin with some top riding shown by all last year.

Current preparations are in place to gain some brilliant sponsors for next year, and exciting talk about our new kit and team training plans are all underway to make DMU Equestrian the ultimate experience for any new fresher coming to university.

So what does anyone who wants to ride for one of our teams need?
If you're looking to join our A, B or C team then you will be in for an absolute treat, a university riding programme unique to anything you will get to experience ever. BUCS does not require you to have your own pony/ horse as we travel to different yards in our league and ride their horses that are drawn from a hat for each individual rider. You have an allotted warm up time and then must perform a Prelim level dressage test, and then will draw again for the show jumping phase and warm up to then jump a course up to 90cm depending upon your team.
However, we like our riders to be more than just equestrian talented, the style of BUCS requires every individual to be dedicated to their team, hardworking, committed and up for a challenge. As many riders know, equestrian sport is one that has its ups and downs constantly but having a team behind you is really positive and makes riding at university very special indeed.
So if you are a keen rider, looking for a challenge, up for making some friends for life and pushing yourself in the equestrian world then trying out for one of our teams is an absolute must!

At DMU Equestrian we pride ourselves in our dedication to the sport, our respect and love for the animals we ride, and also our compassion for one another in every single way. Every single rider in DMU Equestrian is 100% supportive of everyone else and it is this network of support that allows us to all reach our individual goals and targets. Whether you want to jump a 1m course, master the working trot or simply get back in the saddle every step of the way DMU Equestrian riders, members and the team will be working behind you and towards a positive, successful future.

Remember to tweet us @DMUEquestrian with any queries you may have or simply your excitement to join us and like our Facebook page DMU Equestrian.