Tim STOCKDALE GBR riding FLEUR DE L'AUBE, during The Longines King George V Gold Cup presented by Longines, during the Royal International Horse Show at The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, West Sussex, UK on 31 July 2016
We’ve teamed up with some of the country’s leading riders and asked them to share with you some exclusive tips, helping you to solve those common problems we all encounter over the coloured poles. Here, Tim Stockdale (pictured) and William Whitaker share some of their pearls of wisdom.
1. “Remember that speed does not show confidence, it shows anxiety. If your horse starts speeding up over fillers, take it back a step.”
Tim Stockdale reveals his thoughts on introducing young horses to fillers
2. “My dad used to say to me, ‘How can you see a stride if you’re not looking at the jump?’ So start looking ahead at your next fence the moment you land from the previous one.”
William Whitaker on improving your ability to see a stride.
2. “I tell my pupils to think of an oxer as a vertical with a back rail, which dulls down the rider-frightener effect of the oxer, and hopefully prevents the rider from over-riding and disrupting the rhythm.”
Tim Stockdale’s advice on approaching an oxer as opposed to a vertical on course
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3. “My groom Benoit videos all my rounds so I can watch them back afterwards. It’s a really useful tool being able to analyse your performance, as you can see if there are things you or your horse are doing wrong and correct them, such as being unbalanced or jumping to one side, which can all affect your horse’s ability to cleanly clear a fence.”
Even William Whitaker knows there’s always room for improvement!
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
