I took the opportunity to visit Melbourne, to go to Equitana last November (2001) and had a great time.  The following is my review of the event, the seminars I did or didn't enjoy or learn from and those I'd recommend if you ever get the opportunity. 

An Overview

To introduce you to Equitana, the event is a combination of education and product fair. Equitana happens every second year in Melbourne and there have been a couple on the 'off' years in Brisbane.   The Melbourne Exhibition Centre was transformed to include 3 sand arenas (demonstration areas), a lecture hall, stalls and over 300 exhibitors along with the built-in cafes and seminar rooms.

 

On each of the four days of Equitana there was a full programme of demonstrations, lectures, clinics and competition running concurrently in 6 different locations throughout the day, so you might watch Grand Prix dressage competition in the morning, then go to a panel discussion with Olympic riders prior to lunch, followed by riding clinics, breed information and a end up in a small lecture theatre listening to a motivational speaker.  

 

I enjoyed almost everything at Equitana, of course there were highlights and lowlights but overall the experience was highly enjoyable. The educational aspects were usually excellent and a few surpassed the trainer demos.

 

I particularly enjoyed the information provided by the farrier, dentist and the ophthalmologist (that's eye specialist in case you're heading for the dictionary).

There were always Question & Answer sessions and these were usually highly interesting, with some questions provoking a whole line of others. 

 

There was always something to look at or listen to, with up to 3 demonstration areas and 3 educational seminars going on at once, frequently alongside a competition or special training session in the main arena.   If you want to make the best of your time, you definitely need to plan your attack to make sure that you don't miss out on a particular interest. 

 

There's plenty of time for shopping too!  I attended this Equitana prior to purchasing my (first) horse, so I didn't have a great feel for how good the various specials were, but many people thought that the prices were very good.  If you can attend on the last day of the show, there are some special draws for giveaways of some very nice gear (saddles, computers, rugs etc at this one).  There are a lot of stalls covering almost every sort of horse gear you could imagine, some interesting specialty products are launched at shows like Equitana and of course most of the trainers have a stall selling their various gear, books or videos.

 

The practicalities of attending an Equitana

The Competitions

 

The Clinics

In 2001 I went to each of the clinics; John Lyons, Pat Parelli and Anky van Grunsven. I have to admit that by the time the Pat Parelli clinic rolled around on the final day, I was a little 'cliniced out' but still learned lots. 

 

If you're like me, you may treat this as a rare opportunity and to hell with the expense. However, if you are watching the budget, look out for trainers who are giving demos during Equitana.  You may be better to spend your 'clinic budget' on a trainer or performer who can only be seen at a clinic, and catch the 'free' demos and clinics that the trainers give during Equitana.  Had I known this prior to attending Equitana 2001, I could have caught the John Lyons demos for free and not attended his full clinic - saving myself around $AUS80. 

 

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Equitana may be the one opportunity you get to see some of the great horsemen and women from around the world.  Attending the Anky van Grunsven clinic at Equitana 2001 was one of the great highlights for me. 

 

She worked with a variety of riders and horses, occasionally riding to demonstrate her techniques more clearly. 

 

These two photos show her working with a horse to create a lighter more responsive leg aid.  Note the complete release when the horse mistakenly shoots forward in canter.  Her lesson, first have the horse responsive from the leg, then refine control.  Your horse must understand the basics and the rider must ensure that the lessons are clear. 

 

 

What to expect from a clinic

The opening Event - Wed 21st November 2001  John Lyons 8.30-10.30 pm 

Although Equitana did not officially start until the next day, the John Lyons Clinic was run on the Wednesday night. All of the clinics were run in the main arena and were well attended.  I didn't know an awful lot about John Lyons prior to attending the clinic but he was certainly worth listening to.  He 'performs' with his son and, of course, has a number of products bearing the 'John Lyons' brand.  However, he readily admits that his methods are a work-in-progress and that they are constantly evolving and changing as they learn how to best train horses and deal with problems.

As with many of the trainers, their principles are simple - be firm but not aggressive, be consistent, be patient, have a training plan.  The methods are also simple - pressure and release, pressure to ask and release to confirm the correct action (reward).   Lyons uses the same type of ground control\round pen techniques as Monty Roberts and the other 'natural horsemen' however he adds in his own experiences and flavour including the use of the bridle to teach leading and ground control (the bit providing control and the 'pressure') and the theory of interchanging ground and ridden exercises to provide control for the other.  I'll explain this a little, ground control exercises are performed with riding in mind i.e. in the Lyons training programme, the bridle is used in ground exercises to get the horse to drop its head and relax the neck - the sort of thing you want when riding.  Alternately, when riding he talks about confirming ground control - using the leg to ask the quarters to move - something that is highly useful for getting the horse to move out of your way on the ground.

Of course, putting these principles and methods into practice is quite different from talking about them, after all we have time limits and external pressures and emotions to deal with.  One of the most important points in Lyons' clinics was that if you are trying to deal with a problem behaviour you must choose a time when you will have no time pressures on you - there is no point in choosing to 'cure' your horse of its loading problem when you only have an hour before you have to load up to go to the show - it simply won't work.  It was also very interesting to watch one of the owners step in toward the end of a clinic to attempt the same pressure and release techniques as John had just demonstrated.  She really found it very difficult to put into practice due to the many years of 'hanging on' to the horse that she had been taught.

 

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The following are, of course, my own personal perferences and recommendations

 

The Highlights  - TOP 3, see them anytime you can

• Anky van Grunsven - making dressage 'easy'

• GaWaNi Pony Boy - practical, pragmatic and safe advice and methods

• Richard Weis - becoming the 'master of bounce'

• Fjord Ponies - they're so cute

Also good

• Mary Midkiff - womens riding issues, health fitness, confidence and equipment, must see for us girls!

• John Lyons - natural horseman with a lifetime's experience

• Guy Maclean - amusing and forthright

• Dr Andrew Turner - Equine eyesight, separates the facts from the myths

• Dr's Ian Bidstrup and Mark Burnell - equine chiropracter and dentists whos presentation skills brought their topics to life.

The Low lights

• Colleen Kelly - not so much information as loud self-congratulation (and don't get her started on Andrew Hoy, you'd think Blyth Tait, Andrew Nicholson, Mark Todd and co needed lessons the way she goes on)

• Michael Pariseau  - I guess big showy horses are the equine equivalent of red sports cars ...? Without his Freisians he's sort of corny, egotistical and unoriginal

• Tennesee Walking Horses - sorry, but I just don't get it, they walk fast and they stand kinda funny