• 3 months ago
David Evans, course designer, invites eventer Will Rawlin to explain how he would ride a particular four-part combination on this year's Blenheim International Horse Trials course
Transcript
00:00So for me, from a rider's point of view, like last year, our main aim coming into this fence
00:07would be very much to have the canter before we jump this A element. We would be coming
00:12up along this scallop, getting in our gear, going down a few gears, probably round about
00:17now, really have your strong powerful canter and you want a power jump over the first one
00:22to then be able to have the control to get your turn. And you know, it's a turn from
00:27A all the way to the D element and you really want to have that control on your outside
00:32rein and have the horse connected through the legs, up to the contact and for you to
00:36really, you might be looking at, you know, from fence A, you might be looking at B, but
00:42you really want to stay on your line, on your tracks and at no point let the horse deviate
00:47to that inside line to make it harder for him and yourself. So as a rider, really have
00:53the control from the A part. David, like he says, has been much kinder this year and
00:58has given us more room, but for me, the principles are still the same. Have my canter before
01:03I jump the A element and then I've just got a bit to play with to the B part, but very
01:09much on the turn, have the canter from the start to the finish as I'm jumping it. So
01:16it jumps well, but you know, these mounds are very deceiving and you know, a horse can
01:20have a little random bit of pity and a hop, skip and a jump, but as long as you're there
01:26to support and do the job that you're meant to do, the horse will do his bit and pick
01:31his legs up and get through the flats.