Dan's Papers - July 27, 2007

Like it or not, the summer is already winding down. For Hamptons horseback riders, however, the end of the summer is a joyous occaision that means one thing and one thing only - The Hampton Classic. And with only four weeks to prepare, most riders have already begun polishing their skills in order to compete in the Classic - one of the most prestigious Hunter and Jumper shows in the United States.

Since the courses at the Classic are notoriously challenging and there isn't a single jumper class for riders over the age of 18 with fences lower than 3'6," Oreo and I will not be competing there this year. So, while the more advanced horse and rider teams are preparing to test the limits of their athletic abilities, Oreo and I are brushing up on our spectator skills so we (well, alright, just me) will know exactly what is going on in each ring. This week, we're brushing up on our knowlege of the Hunter ring, home to the most graceful and beautiful competitors at the Classic.

In Hunter classes, the most important qualities a horse and rider must exhibit are grace, control and a calm, relaxed demeanor. Since the horses and riders are being judged on how good of a match they are, both physically and athletically, the Hunters are always the cleanest, best turned-out horses at the Classic. Hunters must always have braided manes and tails and their riders must fit them in both size and stature.

Hunters are judged on the flat at the walk, trot and canter and over fences. Originally, the Hunter classes were to test horses that would later be used for field hunting. Therefore, Hunters are not required to perform the complicated movements expected of Equitation horses, nor are they required to jump technically difficult courses like the Jumpers. Instead, Hunters are expected to show their three basic gaits and jump a simple figure eight course with panache, impressing the judges with their style and grace.

While jumping the course, a Hunter's job is to make any size fence, from 18" to 4', look easy to jump. Both the rider and the horse must look relaxed at all times, from the expressions on their faces to their body position and the steady pace they keep, no matter which part of the course they are being tested on.

The very best Hunters have an exaggerated bascule, creating a perfectly semi-circular arc in the air, turning their ears forward over each fence and holding their knees up evenly and squarely. When they canter from jump to jump, their strides should be even, their heads in a relaxed, low position and their pace just fast enough to get over the fences with minimum effort. Watching a Hunter glide over a fence is akin to watching dolphins jump over the crests of waves - absolute perfection in motion.

Most Hunter classes are "Under Saddle" classes, which means (in theory) that only the horse is being judged. However, as all Hunter riders know, having an elegant mount is only part of winning these classes. Since the horse has to look perfect at all times, the rider must ride as effectively as they would in any other class, but they must appear completely relaxed. They must ride with long reins and minimal contact with the horse's mouth, using their seat and legs to subtly guide their mount. Since appearance is everything, Hunter riders must wear spotless attire and ride in a relaxed, forward position with a 45-degree hip angle at all times. For a Hunter Classic, riders pull out all the stops, wearing a Shadbelly coat with tails and a stock tie, like foxhunters in 19th Century England.

Beneath all this pomp and circumstance, the Hunters are some of the most talented riders at the Classic. With the Adult Hunters jumping 3'6" and the Professionals making 4' fences look like ground poles, these horse and rider teams are jumping just as high as some of the Jumpers and Equitation riders, all while making it look like a well-choreographed dance.

For more information on the Hunters, visit www.USHJA.org. Check out the August 10 edition of Dan's Papers for a look at the Equitation ring and a talk with one of the world's top equitation riders.