Western Games trot into town
The games involve teaching horses and riders various skills that will test not only a horse’s discipline, but also the rider’s ability to teach, control and bond with their horse.
For generations the horse has been revered as one of the greatest animals.
It has been used in times of war. It has been used as transport and for work.
Today horses and riders concentrate on more refined aspects of horse riding.
These aspects can be found in the Western Games of horse riding and this sport is growing in popularity in Newcastle.
Last Saturday an informal training show on Western Games was held at Newcastle Equestrian Club.
Club member, Lydia Bruin explained, “We are trying to get more people interested in the games, and for a Western Games club in Newcastle.”
This it would seem is a must, as the nearest Western Games Club is in Howick, making it increasingly harder for interested locals to travel between locations for training and events.
The games involve teaching horses and riders various skills that will test not only a horse’s discipline, but also the rider’s ability to teach, control and bond with their horse.
“The events are timed with computerised timers, and competitors have to finish as fast as possible,” continued Mrs Bruin.
With 13 disciplines involved in Western Games, both horse and the rider are seriously tested.
One such discipline is Western Pleasure.
This discipline requires horses to walk, trot and canter in the arena with other competitors. The rider must have no visible influence over the horse during this time and the horse must be kept on a loose rein.
This is just one of the 13 disciplines and on Saturday, only 11 were practised.
“We know that in competitions we will be tested on all 13 and while this is hard to practise all at once, as the sport grows we will make sure we get all the training we can,” said Mrs Bruin.
