Getting to know Dressage rider Matthew Burnett

Getting to know you…

We asked dressage rider Matthew Burnett to share a favourite flatwork exercise, and also asked him ten burning questions, from dinner party guests to regrets.

A favourite flatwork exercise - a matching pair of elbows

A soft connection with your horse’s mouth comes from your elbows. A lot of people use the phrase ‘elastic’, which is a nice way to describe a connected elbow. This starts from a loose shoulder – the arm should drop down in a relaxed way. ‘Matching’ shoulders also help with achieving that desirable upper body straightness which creates a pleasing picture, especially in dressage.

The upper arm should stay quite still as this helps maintain a steady contact and rein length. The lower arm, coming from the elbow, is much more adaptive – for example, inviting the horse to move forward, or softly limiting forward movement. It’s also the elbow that allows that lovely ‘give and take’ when we are just following the movement of the horse’s head, especially in walk and canter.

When we look at it like this, we can see the importance of having equal elbows – that is, an equal pair, without one further forward than the other. To help with upper body straightness, just pay attention to your elbows and ‘feel’ the elbows in towards your hips. Are the elbows ‘matching’? If one elbow is more in front/behind or higher/lower in relation to your hip, adjust the position to make the elbows a pair, and then relax the arms back to your normal position. Do this ‘body check’ whenever you need to make sure you’re symmetrical.

Ten burning questions

1.     Which is your most memorable horse, and why?

Treliver Decanter – he’s my British Warmblood palomino stallion. Decanter is by Keystone Dimaggio, and sired many sport horses in eventing and dressage. He is absolutely breath-taking; so generous with a lovely temperament, and the first horse I trained to Grand Prix. He really put me on the map.

2.     What’s the best piece of advice you could give?

Take as much care of yourself as you take of your horse. Make sure you are well rested physically and mentally, so you can give the best of yourself to your horse. Treat yourself to the physio as regularly as you would your horse,  so that you can both work together like a well oiled machine! (And treat yourself to some comfy riding underwear such as Derriere Equestrian’s fantastic range. It will make such a difference to your riding if you are comfortable and not ‘bracing’ against discomfort. My Derriere Shorties are by far the most comfortable boxers I've ever ridden in!)

3.     Who is the person you most look up to today in equestrianism?

Dressage guru Carl Hester is without a doubt the rider I find the most inspiring, and aspire to emulate. He produces successful happy horses so consistently, and is so well-loved in the industry.

4.     What’s your ultimate riding or training goal?

I would love to ride on a team for Britain on a horse I have trained from start to finish. That’s a goal for so many of us, and it would mean the world to me to have that sense of satisfaction in terms of producing a horse to the highest levels, and representing my country.

5.     What’s your biggest regret?

Selling potentially the most talented horse I had ever had to train, to pay the bills. It’s a constant balancing act when you’re bringing on horses!

6.     What would you tell your younger/teenage self?

I would say slow down, take your time and make sure you enjoy what you have now - it isn't guaranteed to be there tomorrow.

7.     What’s the horse you would like to have ridden?

I would love to have had a sit on Totilas! He put dressage on the map; he will be remembered as one of the most successful horses of all time.

8.     Who are your ideal dinner party guests?

Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson and David Bowie. Complete musical icons. There would definitely be some interesting dinner party conversations!

9.     What would you like to see implemented in the discipline of dressage?

Can we just have one test at each level please; my memory cannot cope with remembering two at a time!

10.  What will you ideally be doing in 20 years time?

I hope more of the same! I love training the horses, and hope to not hang up my riding boots for many years to come.

All about Mat Burnett

After lockdown Mat was keenly out competing, campaigning the eight year old Nibeley Black Pearl with consistent top five results. Mat offers dressage training at his stables in Herefordshire, and also throughout the UK at various venues. His famous dressage training camps with Original Equestrian are due to start running again once restrictions allow. Visit https://www.facebook.com/MatBurnettDressage to catch up on Mat’s news.

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Catching up with customers

We recently caught up with one of our amazing customers, Kevin Stoddart. We asked him to tell us how his riding career started and how he handled a global pandemic.

“I first started learning to ride in February 2016, two of my daughters paid for some initial lessons, they had ponies and horses but until this point I was chief groom and lorry driver, cleaner etc! I soon realised lessons once a week were not enough for me and over a three-month period I was having three lessons per week, and by July/August 2016 venturing off the yard with trainers and enjoying rides on the beach, I had caught the riding bug!

Not long after, my eldest daughter, her trainer Penny Cruttwell and Emily Renouf asked me to ride a beautiful horse, Lisco, a Selle Francais, Dark Bay, 16.3hh ex jumping horse who belonged to Emily. I have had him since January 2017 and we have built up a brilliant bond, hacking over 2,500 miles together. Just over a year later we started to work in the school and focus on dressage.

In January 2018, I also started riding Ryker, an Irish Draught horse owned by a friend of my daughter’s. He was a naughty horse, but I persevered and increased my dressage scores by 10% over less than five months. Everything was going well until late June 2018 when he threw me off in the yard, something I still don’t remember to this day.  It has subsequently been ascertained that I got caught in the stirrups on the way out, smashed my head on the hard standing several times, dragged 50 metres, left unconscious, found two hours later by the owner's father. It was all recorded on my phone tracker and monitor, my heartbeat and blood pressure marginally spiking when I became unconscious. My Gatehouse helmet, internal strength and fitness saved my life.

I was taken to hospital and remained there for 14 days in HDU. I couldn't see, speak or walk for most of this time. I sustained a brain injury in my cerebellum affecting vision and stability and had an extremely swollen right shoulder, arm and hand which I could not use. I have no recollection of the incident or being in hospital, a void of 3 weeks.

The result was very traumatic and my whole life changed. After leaving hospital with no pathway, when I started to come round and see again (mostly in quadruplicate vision and gross distortion) I made it my goal to get better and back to some normality. I missed my horse Lisco terribly, not able to see him my life felt on hold. After a further three weeks, I managed to get back to the yard to see Lisco and from that moment on I was very determined to get back on board.

I found the key was to remain totally positive. My specialist told me I was lucky to be alive, he helped me to recover, well ahead of schedule. I have had a wonderful group of people around me, supporting me and great people coaching me back in the saddle. I completed my first dressage test after the accident in April 2019, just 10 months after. Dressage has always appealed to me; it suits my brain with the dimensions and shapes!  

In July 2019 after Lisco sustained a hoof injury I started hacking a horse called Billy (Unique), a 19 year-old Dutch Warmblood, Gelderlander, then in October that year we started flatwork together and have progressed immensely in dressage and even started doing some pole work including raised poles.

 

Although 2020 saw a global pandemic I have remained positive, I love to ride, it is my passion and keeps me motivated, this did not stop me! Like many people I made the most of lockdown by riding, hacking to the beach and generally having fun with Billy. I missed my lessons greatly but started dressage to music and in September with my team, we won the Dressage to music championships, after only 3 months of training! I also won the Home Farm Equestrian Club Hack Off Challenge, riding 275 miles between June and October and in October we took the Jersey Dressage Novice Prelim Rider Champion title! It’s been quite a year!

I am now looking forward to continuing my dressage and pole work hoping to increase my skills further, and my scores by 3/5% and of course still enjoying my hacking.”

 

We asked Kevin when he first came across the Derriere Equestrian range. He responded “After my first year of riding, I started looking for padded pants and that’s when I found Derriere Equestrian. I purchased two pairs of padded pants and a riding skin and I loved them, that’s when my passion for them started and I haven’t looked back since, purchasing more quite regularly, now wearing the Cannes and Treviso breeches too.”

 

We wish Kevin all the best for the future with Billy and are looking forward to keeping up to date with his equestrian journey!   

Shop the Derriere Equestrian range today, visit:

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Getting to know Andrew Stennett

Getting to know you…

We asked trainer Andrew Stennett to share his news and views.

What did you do during the first lockdown of 2020 – and how did you keep the horses ticking over?

Lockdown gave us the chance to reflect and revaluate our goals; for me, the most important thing was keeping humans and horses safe and happy, both mentally and physically.

Now your stables are open again, what do you have in store for clients?

We are delighted to be open again at Grove House Stables Equestrian centre. Our riders have taken part in online competitions and events, including a win at The British Horse Society Riding School Championship. Next year the centre we shall be celebrating 30 years since I started the equestrian centre, and plans are ongoing to celebrate this achievement! We’re also busy coordinating our not-for-profit organisation www.ipegasus.co.uk, which is playing our role in our equestrian community (both onsite and virtually), and reaching out to the wider community. It’s also collaborating with the British Horse Society’s Changing Lives Through Horses programme, which helps individuals make positive changes to their lives.

Have you had much opportunity for riding in recent times?

Sadly 2020 did not involve much opportunity for riding with the challenge of Covid, and developing the new opportunities for the business. However, we have some super young horses which I hope to be involved with in 2021, our anniversary year!

What’s your top tip for improving horse and rider performance?

For me, a great exercise is to video your horse, both ridden and without a rider. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on your combined strengths and weakness before you book a review session with your coach. If you don’t have an assistant to film your riding session, or even a tripod (flexible ones are great, as they can wrap around wings and fences), you can just prop your smart phone in a safe place, as long as it is off the ground (around 4-5 feet), and has a good viewpoint of where you’re riding. (A position at ‘A’ or ‘C’ in the arena is useful – you can then ride a 20m circle at X and can also ride down the centre line towards the camera). Motion track cameras are useful if you’re doing this regularly. Film yourself in all gaits and ride normally, as if the camera wasn’t there. Try to film your horse without a rider too, either loose schooled or lunged, to study his movement and self carriage.

What to look out for when you review your film

·       Firstly, focus on your position. Check out your symmetry coming straight towards the camera – are your hands carried equally, and is the weight balanced in both stirrups? Are both knees relaxed? Remember, this is a dressage judge’s first impression of you.

·       Notice positional issues like slumped shoulders, unstable lower legs or inconsistent rein contact. Also note good elements that you’re pleased with!

·       Compare your riding on both reins, especially before, during and after transitions. Are there any inconsistencies? Any unconscious habits you can spot?

·       Check your ‘housekeeping’ – do you allow sufficient warm up, spend equal time on both reins, reward and pat the horse regularly, and allow him a stretch and a rest periodically? Could you make improvements?

·       Focus on watching the horse now – are there any clues to his comfort and willingness that you didn’t spot when riding; a flick of the head on a certain rein, or a flattening of the ears when he’s asked to perform a lateral movement? Is he equally sound, and can you spot any differences on each rein?

·       Use the results of what you see to help you formulate a training plan and work on any obvious issues. Keep the footage to refer back to, and share with your instructor if you’re brave enough!

 

Andrew Stennett is a registered instructor, NVQ/UKCC Assessor & Verifier. He is a Qualified Teacher of further Education specialising in Equestrian Learning and Development, and is a British Equestrian Federation Elite Recreational Coach. Andrew is a fan of Derriere Equestrian products, telling us they make a big difference to his riding. “Derrieres enabled me to get back riding in comfort after a break, and they are helping me compete at the same level as in my youth,” he says.

Andrew offers group and private lessons from his base at Grove House Stables in Misterton, Nottinghamshire, as well as clinics when guidelines allow, and competitive events. Visit www.grovehousestables.co.uk or find Andrew and the team on Facebook.

“In 2021 we are launching a series of 'boot camps' to develop horse and rider performance as well as enjoyment of your horse – watch this space!” he says.

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