PhD, Associate Professor E.S. Inozemtseva
National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk

Keywords: equestrian sport, dressage, hurdle race training tools, small circle tests, training system, technical fitness, sport excellence stage.

Background. Modern equestrian sport is rather specific in the sense that the sport discipline uses trained animals in competitions, with the technical excellence and artistry of both the rider and horse being equally critical for a competitive success. The competitiveness in modern equestrian sport have been fast growing for the last decades (as is the case for many other sports disciplines), with the experienced athletes gradually giving way to the young newcomers [5]. One of the core reasons for the competitive regresses is the failures in the technical fitness building domain in the sports excellence period [4], and this is the reason why the equestrian sport research and coaching communities give a special priority to the technical progress methods (training system) and tools in the dressage systems for success on the sports arenas.

Objective of the study was to offer and test benefits of a new technical dressage model for horse hurdling applicable in the sport excellence period.

Methods and structure of the study. The new technical dressage model testing experiment was run in September through May 2019 at Jockey Sports Club in Tomsk city. We sampled the 16-18 year old hurdlers (n=24) from the sport excellence groups and split them up into Experimental and Reference Groups (EG, RG) of 12 people each. The group technical fitness progresses were tested by the standard pre- and post-experimental tests.

Results and discussion. The EG training system was complemented by the new technical dressage model to improve the hurdlers’ technical fitness [2]. Every 90-minute training session included a 30-40-minute special show jumping dressage to improve the rider’s contact (tactile sensations) with the horse, posture and riding skills: see Table 1.

Table 1. Special dressage tools used by the EG with a hurdling scheme

Trainings ‘on ivories’ were designed to excel the rider’s posture and muscular sensations in contact with the horse when hurdling. Twice a week the EG was trained on the hurdles system to excel the jumping techniques [3]. The hurdles system included high and wide hurdles to excel both the long and high jumping skills. The hurdle-to-hurdle distances were measured from the landing side of the prior hurdle to the take-off side of the next hurdle [5]: see the hurdles scheme in Table. 1.

The EG made a special emphasis, in addition to the couple hurdle racing skills excellence trainings, on technicalities of every dressage element including: the horse's relaxation, emphasis on the reins, balance, impulse and straight set [1]. Relaxation was trained at the beginning of every workout by special practices – light trot, canter-to-trot and vice versa runs etc.

A special attention in the trainings was given to the horse's anxiety mitigation by an easy riding style to ensure due relaxation of the animal and maintain it for the whole training session. With the growing relaxation, the rider’s leg pushing force was harmonized with calmly restraining hands to develop the correct technical skill known as “rest on the rein”. The couple performance harmony was secured by a special focus on the medium positioning of the horse’s neck and sub-hanging/ vertical relaxed position of the head. When practicing the horse’s direct "stance", a special attention was given to the rider's tactile sensations (contact) and gentle freedom of the horse’s movement control actions.

Table 2. Pre- versus post-experimental technical fitness test data of the sample, points

Analysis of the pre- versus post-experimental test rates of the EG and RG (Table 2) found meaningful (p <0.05) intergroup differences in the trot accept, aerial leg switchover and canter accept moves and half- pirouette on stride; and meaningless intergroup difference in the shoulder-in accept move – that may be interpreted as indicative of the new technical dressage model being beneficial for hurdlers’ training systems.

Conclusion. The new technical dressage model for horse hurdlers in the sport excellence period was tested beneficial as verified by the EG versus RG progress in most of the core technical fitness elements critical for competitive progress in modern equestrian sport.

 References

1. Belinskiy D.V., Beniya D.V. Theory and methodology of chosen sport (equestrian sport). Krasnodar: Kuban State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism publ., 2018. 129 p.
2. Laktionova V.O., Inozemtseva E.S. Features of teaching small circle technical elements in equestrian sports. Physical culture, health care and education, Proc. XI Intern. res.-practical conf. in memory of V.S. Pirusky. 2017. pp. 69-73.
3. Stoilov A.Yu. Seating features of equestrian athletes of the group of Olympic disciplines "dressage, show jumping, triathlon". Resursy konkurentosposobnosti sportsmenov: teoriya i praktika realizatsii. 2019. No. 1. pp. 333-334.
4. Fomichev N.A., Zhmyrko I.N. Equestrian sport. Education and science in modern realities. Proc. XI International res.-practical. conf.. 2019. pp. 182-183.
5. Bezhentseva L.M. Underage female athletes motor abilities developing by aesthetic gymnastics toolkit. Teoriya i Praktika Fizicheskoy Kultury. 2017. No. 8.  pp. 89-90.

Corresponding author: fizkult@teoriya.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to offer and test benefits of a new technical dressage model for horse hurdling applicable in the sport excellence period.

Methods and structure of the study. The new technical dressage model testing experiment was run in September through May 2019 at Jockey Sports Club in Tomsk city. We sampled the 16-18 year old hurdlers (n=24) from the sport excellence groups and split them up into Experimental and Reference Groups (EG, RG) of 12 people each. The group technical fitness progresses were tested by the standard pre- and post-experimental tests.

The EG training system was complemented by the new technical dressage model to improve the hurdlers’ technical fitness. Every 90-minute training session included a 30-40-minute special show jumping dressage to improve the rider’s contact (tactile sensations) with the horse, posture and riding skills. The EG made a special emphasis, in addition to the couple hurdle racing skills excellence trainings, on technicalities of every dressage element including: the horse's relaxation, emphasis on the reins, balance, impulse and straight set. A special attention in the trainings was given to the horse's anxiety mitigation by an easy riding style to ensure due relaxation of the animal and maintain it for the whole training session.

Results and conclusions. The new technical dressage model for horse hurdlers in the sport excellence period was tested beneficial as verified by the EG versus RG progress in most of the core technical fitness elements critical for competitive progress in modern equestrian sport.