The aim of Mark’s highly successful Hold Your Horses Clinics is to train the rider and horse in the complex skill of travelling cross country in harmony at an appropriate speed for their ability. Mark’s methods are to show the rider how, by correct use of bodyweight and legs, it is possible to show a strong puller that this is not what the rider requires. It is not that the horse deliberately wants to ignore the rider – the rider is inadvertently sending the horse contradictory messages.

Hold your horses clinics can be arranged at any venue with a grass area where mark can mark out with flags a circuit of 400-600 yards.

These hold your horses clinics also take place at grove farm, OX136AD. See forthcoming event page.

More about the clinics

The clinic is designed to be appropriate, relevant and helpful to:

  • Happy hackers
  • Drag hunt riders and team chase riders
  • Children wanting to compete, or already competing, at Pony Club eventing
  • Amateur riders wanting to compete, or already competing, at riding club or BE eventing.
  • Competition riders who wish to improve their technique in order they may safely move up to the next grade of competition (which inevitably means faster).

The Clinics are divided into 4 phases:

Phase 1

The horse and rider are able to canter around an enclosed arena in a settled and even rhythm.

Phase 2

The rider learns to be able to recognise the different speeds at which they will be required to travel for various cross country standards eg for BE 90 events 450 metres/minute, BE 100 events 475 metres/minute. Horses do not have a speedo between their ears so riders only learn what 450 metres/minute feel like by experiencing it. This is done an open field environment.

Phase 3

The rider learns how to move up and down the gears to arrive at the stipulated speed to simulate the fact that cross country courses incorporate some sections where an appropriate speed will be considerably less than the average, and some sections will involve travelling at speeds faster than the overall average speed.

Phase 4

The rider learns the appropriate speed for each type of jump taking into consideration the gradient, complexity of combinations, narrowness and types of fences. Only then is the rider properly prepared to incorporate jumps into the equation.

Mark’s first priority is for the safety of horse and rider. Riders are required to have mastered the skills for each phase to Mark’s satisfaction before being allowed to move onto the next phase and Mark’s decision is final.

Mark is very aware of the safety factors in all clinics and whilst accepting that riding is a risk sport he has developed techniques to reduce the risks to the absolute minimum.

He is very aware of the particularly high level of risk involved when an inexperienced rider is coupled with an inexperienced horse.

Mark will often have to get on the errant horse to show him what is required and then the regular rider will watch, listen and then find that they can do it easily themselves.

Mark has a bit box, complete with leather punch for shorter stirrups and will not hesitate to demonstrate any one of the bits he suggests and the techniques he describes. It would be very unus for him to do a hyh clinic without getting on several horses to demonstrate.

Mark’s mehods are very much designed to make it easy for the pony to understand … and if the pony then finds it fun (he like to please) … so does the rider!!!

Sessions work best with either three riders for ¾ hour or 4 riders for 1 hour.  There is no great advantage in the riders being of the same standard, as they all work competely independently.  The suggested set-up seems to work well for the horse and rider who need plenty of recovery-time in between spins.

Improve your Galloping

Improve your Timing

Hold your Horses

THE COST OF THE CLINIC WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BE APPROPRIATE, RELEVANT AND HELPFUL TO PONY CLUBS, RIDING CLUBS, YARD GROUPS ETC. PRICING IS AS FOLLOWS:

FOR VENUES/CLUBS THAT DO ALL THE ORGANISING, BOOKING AND PROVIDE ALL FACILITIES – £40 PER HOUR.  TRAVEL CHARGE OF 25P A MILE FROM OX136AD (ROUND TRIP), WILL APPLY IF LESS THAN 5 HOURS. ORGANISERS DETERMINE LENGTH OF SESSION AND NUMBERS.

PRIVATE SESSIONS BY NEGOTIATION.

ATTENTION ALL BRITISH EVENTING RIDERS

The BE time penalty rules have dramatically cut the time window for “Clear within the time”. Come to the only training currently available to help make sure you are not caught out by the rule changes. Horses have no speedometer and therefore the only way of recognising these speeds is to experience them. Included is recognition of appropriate speed for different types of fences and the importance of these decisions being taken at course walk.  Competitors at BE lower levels are now permitted stopwatches. Training in their use will be included. Enhanced rider-safety is the aim of the training and to this end a large number of bitting systems will be available to trial. There is no actual jumping in this clinic. The focus is purely on your control in the open field scenario – if you cannot control your horse when there are no fences it is unlikely that you are going to be able to when there are!

Time penalties are frustrating!

Out of control is FRIGHTENING!

Over 50 Pony Clubs from Cornwall to Scotland have availed themselves of this training and found it extremely useful to ALL levels of rider.