EDITORIAL SECTION - EXMOOR PONIES AND PEOPLE - THE MUSICAL RIDE |
The Exmoor Pony Musical Ride was set up by Yvonne Campbell, Anne Whittle and Jo Gingell and is a team of eight Exmoor ponies and riders performing to music... |
Please contact Sue McGeever, the Exmoor Pony Society Secretary
Tel 01884 839930 or email [email protected].
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| THE EXMOOR PONY MUSICAL RIDE |
The Exmoor Pony Musical Ride is proving to be a hit at shows and events -�they�have performed at Royal Bath & West, Dunster Country Fair, Exford Show as well as�The TREC European Championships.
They are trained by John Green, a mounted police officer in the Avon & Somerset Constabulary and�are the brainchild of Exmoor pony breeders, Yvonne Campbell, Anne Whittle and Jo Gingell. 'The three of us�were watching the main ring displays at Bath & West last year,' said Anne Whittle, 'and decided that�Exmoor ponies should have a slot for themselves. Yvonne said "there's no time like the present" and we went to talk to the organisers then and there, who were immediately interested and offered us a slot this year.'
The Musical Ride Team performed in front of 12 nations and spectators at the TREC European Championships in September. It wasn't all plain sailing though as a key member of the team broke down en route to the event and they had to re-format at the last minute into six riders and ponies instead of eight. It proved that Exmoor ponies are�highly versatile and capable of coping with the unexpected, as no one watching would have guessed - their seamless performance�was one of their best yet and the crowd was clearly delighted.
Ponies are riders taking part were:
Hawkwell Hercules - ridden by Kathryn Jefferd
Waltersgay Bryony - ridden by Anne Whittle
Dramway Miss Pippin - ridden by Charlotte Razay
Knightoncombe Pale Tussock - ridden by Rachel Fear
Knightoncombe Mother of Pearl - ridden by Tara Priestley
Blackthorn Sea Pink - ridden by Kat Whitell
Other key members of the Musical Ride Team include Knightoncombe Goldfinch, Waltersgay Grasshopper, Haddon Magnus and Knightoncombe Rosie Rustic and riders Yvonne Campbell, Fran Gould and Jo Gingell.
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But it's been no easy ride preparing a team of highly sensitive ponies -�some of whom�are moor bred and had to be socialised to human contact after weaning - to cope with close-formation riding, crowds, noise and excitement. 'We've been galloped off with and thrown off a few times - it's taken a fair bit of training, and a lot of laughing.' said Anne, ''But I have to say, I've been surprised at how well the ponies have adapted and how little they mess about. They hear the music and off they go.'
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Irene Nash, owner of a long established�Native pony riding school with Marian Williams, was pleased with today's performance. 'It worked really well with six ponies - they made a really good job of it. There are usually eight, but you couldn't tell. I've seen every performance they've done so far and they're getting better and better. At Bath & West, we realised that every pony in the team that day had either been bred by us, owned by us, or been in the yard at some point - it was lovely to see.'
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The Exmoor Pony Musical Ride performing at the Sept 2006 TREC European Championships on Exmoor
Anne Whittle on Waltersgay Bryony, with Matthew 'Cone Boy' and Jo Gingell (right)
Grooming and preparation before the show
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When asked how they'd chosen the music for the display, Anne said 'We were doing a lot of trotting in the initial training and we couldn't get "The Woolpackers" - Zac Dingles group from Emmerdale - out of our heads. We went around the record shops and had to sing it to the staff, as we didn't know the name of it, before finding out that it was 'out of print'. Eventually, we found it on Ebay for about 99p! We wanted jolly music - I've watched other musical rides and if the music isn't lively, people in the crowd walk away. We also chose Shania Twain's "Let's Go Girls" to give us a kick start. And the ponies have to like the music too - it's always fun and we have a laugh.'
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The ponies are clearly adored by their riders. Charlotte Razay, who rides the multi-Ridden Champion, Dramway Miss Pippin, is delighted with the way the ponies are progressing. 'They have worked so hard for us and have done us proud. They seem to really enjoy it. I love Pippin - she's been brilliant and exceeded all my expectations - and she's made me fulfill my dream of getting to Olympia.' They certainly have a special bond, 'When I've fallen off her, she's just stood still and waited for me.' said Charlotte.
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Hawkwell Hercules is the senior member of the team, at 18 years old. 'He has done everything and been incredible,' said Anne, 'He is a great family pony, in charge of all the other ponies at home and takes part in showing, dressage, endurance rides and breed displays. He's fantastic.'
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Waltersgay Bryony hadn't been right for about eighteen months, before training began, with hock troubles.'But once we started, she came sound and has thrived since.' said Anne.
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The Musical Ride team is a family affair. Anne's husband Charlie has spent hours mixing the music and son Matthew, 'Cone Boy', puts out all the cones and organises the arena at each event. 'I enjoy it as the ponies are nice and quiet to transport' said Charlie.
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Anne Whittle has organised previous musical rides with mixed, larger breed ponies including Highlands and Fells. So what's different about working with Exmoor ponies? 'You can use faster music with Exmoors because their paces are shorter. And the Exmoor Pony Society has given us a lot of help - they've been so positive and supportive and helped with funding. We're doing this to help promote the Exmoor breed and to generate more interest in the ponies, hopefully helping to sell more of them - especially ridden ponies - into people's homes. There is no reason why they can't do everything other ponies do.'
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Also giving a display were Exmoor driving ponies. Philip Madgwick's young�Exmoor gave a wonderful display�and demonstration of equipment, followed by Ian Stuart Lyon's prize-winning mare, Murley's Octavia - both of whom feature in the Exmoor pony film 'Discovering Exmoor Ponies' - available from The Exmoor Pony Society.
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Anyone interested in booking the Musical Ride for their event should talk to Sue McGeever, Secretary of the Exmoor Pony Society - telephone 01884 839930 or email [email protected]. |
To Contact or Book The Exmoor Pony Musical Ride... |
Please contact Sue McGeever, the Exmoor Pony Society Secretary
Tel 01884 839930 or email [email protected]. |
For more information:
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See the Exmoor pony film 'Discovering Exmoor Ponies'. Click here for details.
www.exmoorponysociety.org.uk
CLICK HERE to view the Exmoor Pony Society Subscriber page
For Exmoor pony merchandise and to support the breed please visit www.friendsofexmoor.ltd.uk
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