HOT PROFILE

Introducing...
EDWARD BULLOCK - SHOWJUMPER, HORSE TRAINER AND INSTRUCTOR

"Edward Bullock" will be a familiar name to some on the New Zealand showjumping circuit. He has competed successfully at World Cup level and trains his own horses, while also offering instruction to horse and rider combinations looking to improve. Located in the South Auckland region, Edward has a busy season ahead of him as he prepares his mixed team of horses for the coming competition season. We have a chat to Edward and find out some of his basic training methods, and also how he deals with pre-competition nerves!

'Melanion' at Cambridge November 2003. (Photo B Thomson)

SHNZ: Have horses and showjumping always been 'in your blood'?
Edward: I started riding at the age of six years, before going up the ranks of pony club. Being inspired by Mark Todds success during the 1980's I initially headed towards a career in three day eventing. It was only when I saw that Melanion's future lay in showjumping that I made my switch. It was at that time I discovered my true passion for the sport

What qualities do you like to see in a prospective showjumper?
The selection process for a prospective showjumper is not an easy one, it is a bit like predicting the weather beyond a week (an hour in Auckland). In a young horse I firstly look at type and conformation to decide if it is possible for this horse to become a jumper. For example a jumper needs to be a reasonable height, say minimum 15.3 to 16 hh, athletic build, long stride, straight legs and long back legs (like a grasshopper).
As far as temperament goes it depends on the capabilities of the rider, in my experience some of the best showjumpers I have ridden, have the worst temperaments, for example, Melanion, Wedgewood Blue and Wesserwolfe Tane. I personally draw the line on a horse that is willing to risk hurting themselves to get rid of their rider, but love riding horses that may give the odd playfull buck or two.
The main attribute I look for in a horse is one who is willing to go that bit extra when it really matters. This is what made Melanion so special, at home he was virtually unridable yet in the big Grand Prixs he would give me everything.

Edward and 'Wesserwolfe Tane' at Taupo 2004

Do you have any basic training methods or exercises you can share with us when introducing a young horse to jumping?
My basic approach is to keep it simple with the most important key being to build the horse's confidence with jumping.
Firstly I like a young horse to have learnt some of the basic flatwork principles, so that the horse can understand the riders commands. For example it is essential for the horse to know how to slow down, go forward, go straight, turn and stop on command before teaching them to jump. This sounds obvious but when teaching and observing at shows and ODE's I see this is rarely practiced. When introducing a jump to the horse I get them to trot over a single pole before putting over a small jump, less that 30cm in height. I often canter over small jumps at this stage as well but its fine to stick with trotting if that is more comfortable. My aim at this stage is to teach the horse to confidently trot/canter down to the jump without changing pace. I keep the jumps low (relative to the horse and rider's capabilities) at this stage so that if the horse arrives at a fence on wrong stride they can still easily negotiate it. I tend to avoid any complicated issues at this stage and stay away from complex combinations, scary fillers and cross country jumps as the horse's confidence is the most important issue.

Regardless on how careful the rider is at this stage problems inevitably do occur, more experienced riders tend to notice these problems sooner and rectify them before they become too apparent. If confidence becomes an issue I immediately lower the jump (or at least simplify it) and then ride more strongly at it. The most difficult problem to deal with is charging or rushing at the fences, this is often due to fear and not boldness (despite what people think). If charging at the fences becomes a habit it is near impossible to fully cure. The best way to cure a charger in my opinion is to ride down to the fence with as little hand as possible and let the jumps back them off, but it does take a bit of nerve.
When the horse consistently canters down to each jump in an even rhythm it is only then that bigger and more complex fences can be introduced. The way I introduce bigger fences is to ask them to jump bigger fences one day and then go back to smaller fences the next time. If too much is asked then it is essential to go back to a more simple exercise.
If the horse canters down to fence on a even stride, it far easier for the rider to see a distance and if the horse can help the too (back themselves off or jump off a longer stride) the more success and enjoyment shall result.

'Melanion' at Taupo December 2003. (Photo B. Thomson)

Alot of people find the warm-up time before a competition class pretty nerve racking and therefore don't perhaps get to prepare themselves or their horse as well as they could. What do you do before a big class, and can you give riders any advice on what to do when feeling a few butterflies in this situation?
This is an area that I used to suffer a great deal of nerves as well, as I am a very emotional type of person. I practised meditation to learn how to relax myself when tension was building. I also find drinking water helps, but often means visiting the loo a bit more often.
I believe that the best approach depends a lot on the rider, many people used to tell me not to talk to anyone before a class and stay focussed, for many that works. For me this approach meant that I would wear my self out through burning excess nervous energy, so before a class I stay unfocussed till as late as possible. Most importantly just be your self!

Before a big class I take bit of time out to chill out (I like to read a book or newspaper) a few hours before the start of the class. I take time to think and visualise how I am going to ride, but for short times only. The horse is prepared (tacked up) well in advance to avoid any last minute panic (often before my time out). About one hour before the class I will get on the horse to warm up on the flat, this will include a walk before doing some simple flat work movements, usually for about a total of 20 minutes, 10 minutes walking and 10 minutes schooling. It is important not to do too much as you want the best in the ring. After that I get off to walk the course and visualise jumping the course.

It can be difficult to judge when to start jumping and how much to do, I usually start at about 8 riders away from my turn. I always start with a low fence before gradually increasing the height. When I am happy with horses jumping I will give them a rest and have a final look at the course. Just before going into the ring I go back to the warm-up arena to jump one final jump, usually a very tall vertical to get the horses mind on the job. Many people warm up and then just stand at the gate for five minutes, by then the horse will have switched off and a stop at the first fence results.

How did you get into the coaching side of things?
I started instructing at Coatsville pony club during my late teens. During my time at university and my initial equestrian jobs I started taking on private lessons. I was a fulltime coach for three years but now only part-time as I have to fit it around my current job.

Are there any common problems you see when coaching that people need to work on more before going out to compete in jumping classes?
As mentioned above I see that too many people fail to establish the basics on the flat before competing let alone jumping. These horses run around the ring totally out of control. Some horses learn to look after themselves and provide short-term success. Many people like to do cross country on very green horses, but I feel that creates further problems like rushing and jumping flat. In the long run the training methods I advocate are the quickest and easiest way to train horses.

'Get Over It' at Taupo 2004

Tell us about some of your favourite horses.
a.. Trinity was a school-master who gave me valuable Eventing experience; he was originally started by Gael Schultz who I currently work my (and her) horses with. He was a cheeky 15.2hh part Arab gelding. While Trinity was a very clever jumper he was not the easiest to ride on the flat, this taught me how to achieve success from hard work.
b.. Melanion who took me up to World Cup level is a 16.1hh bay gelding who was bred by my parents. Mel has been by far the most difficult horse I have ever dealt with as he was highly intelligent, stubborn and super sensitive. During his young days I made a large number of mistakes in his training (some of which are mentioned above), this added to his difficulty but has taught me an immeasurable level of knowledge in horse training. Mel's biggest asset was his strength of character and his ability to rise to the big occasion. But when training him at home it was hard to tell who's training who! To see more on Melanion visit www.ebullock.co.nz/melanion.html
c.. Get Over It a 16.3hh chestnut Gisbourne bred gelding is currently jumping at the 1.30m level but hope to start in small Grand Prix's this season. It has taken me while to learn how to ride Rupert as he has a cold temperament.
d.. Wesserwolfe Tane is a 17.2hh warmblood gelding. Tane (pronounced as 'tarnay') is one of the most talented horses I have ever ridden. Like Melanion, Tane is very difficult to ride and train and spent most of last year training the basics into him. This year I hope to be jumping 1.30m on him.
e.. Kahurangi Vin Rouge is 16.1hh mare by Valiant, and owned by Gael Schultz. While still young Vinnie has shown a high level promise. Last year she jumped 12 consecutive classes without any jump-faults. Vinnie is a relatively straight forward ride who likes to be ridden positively to her fences.

How can people contact you if they wish to know more?
The best way to contact me is via email: ebullock@paradise.net.nz or visit my website www.ebullock.co.nz

Thanks Edward!

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