http://www.bbc.com/sport/horse-racing

www.thehorse.com

https://www.longines.com/universe/events-sports/equestrian-sports

http://www.worldofshowjumping.com/en/Home/Home.html

“Voyage au pays de Zingaro,” says a poster in the restaurant at the Zingaro theatre. “Journey to Zingaro country” – it’s a phrase that sums up perfectly a couple of days spent in the company of Bartabas the Furious and his troupe of dancing horses. Chevaux must go on: behind the scenes at Bartabas's horse theatre – in pictures View gallery Everything about Zingaro country is strange. It occupies a large site in Aubervilliers, to the north-east of Paris, where the equestrian choreographer was in effect gifted land next to a 19th-century fort to build his circular wooden theatre, complete with restaurant and stables. A 50-strong community of riders, musicians and staff live on the site in caravans. They perform nightly throughout the winter, then tour in the spring and summer. Visitors do not so much watch a two-hour show as spend an evening in another land, imbibing some Gypsy spirit. The 700 seats in the arena are full the night I attend, with the young and the old to the fore. Bartabas has never brought his show to the UK – the latest is called On Achève Bien les Anges (rough translation: They Shoot Angels, Don’t They?). But when we talk in his caravan the morning after the performance, the Frenchman tells me he is in negotiations to bring it to the 2017 Edinburgh festival. It would be a perfect fit, though transporting 30 horses and 19 truckloads of equipment won’t be cheap. A gravity-defying scene from Bartabas’s show On Achève Bien les Anges Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘I have to know the horse perfectly. If they get tense, they can break everything in the theatre’ … a scene from Bartabas’s show On Achève Bien les Anges. Photograph: Hugo Marty For the moment, the UK is being offered a more intimate side of Bartabas: a show at Sadler’s Wells in London next month called Golgota, in which he appears, on horseback of course, alongside the celebrated Spanish flamenco dancer Andrés Marín, recreating the rituals of Seville’s Holy Week in an extraordinary series of tableaux inspired by the paintings of 17th-century Spaniard Francisco de Zurbarán. It is strange, beautiful and highly dramatic; the coup of having four horses (and a donkey) on stage, performing with remarkable precision, is itself unsettling. Advertisement “I wanted to work with Andrés,” says Bartabas. “I was very interested in flamenco, and was waiting for the new generation to take it beyond the tourist image. Now they have. They’ve cleaned it and gone to the heart of flamenco – the rhythm and the expression.” Five years ago, Bartabas visited Britain with The Centaur and the Animal; this was a collaboration with Kô Murobushi, the late master of butoh, the Japanese dance form that mixes extreme motion and stillness to evoke raw emotion. Quite how you teach this to horses is beyond me. Bartabas says such pairings challenge him, take him out of his comfort zone – not that he strikes you as someone who needs such a trigger. “He is very demanding,” says one of his assistants, “very exact in what he wants.” There are certainly no cliches in Golgota. The stage is covered in crumb rubber – to replicate the soil the horses are used to – so get ready for a lot of silent flamenco. “Andrés is a very interesting dancer,” says Bartabas. “When I say I want you to dance on sand without shoes – for a flamenco dancer, that seems to be taking away half his possibilities – he accepts it. He says: ‘I want people to see the rhythm, not hear it.’” A scene from On Achève Bien les Anges. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A scene from On Achève Bien les Anges. Photograph: Hugo Marty/PR Image Inspiration for a piece often starts with music. Tom Waits’s wonderfully weary songs are the soundtrack to the Angels show; for Golgota, the starting point was the great 16th-century Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria, whose soaring sacred music underpins the performance. “I don’t believe in God,” Bartabas says, “but I do believe humans need God. That’s why they create gods. The celebration of God was the first theatrical manifestation, so I constructed Golgota like a mass. I once made a Zingaro show with Tibetan monks, because I was fascinated by the way they used sound to put you in a position of meditation.” A Zingaro show, he says, is like a puzzle. “Each person in the audience makes their own story. Proust said it is the reader, not the writer, who makes the book. You have to let the performance be open to their imagination.” Since Golgota was made for theatres rather than arenas, it poses new challenges. “I can only do it with very old horses,” says Bartabas, “because I have to know the horse perfectly. There is very little space in the theatre and I have to work on their breathing so they are relaxed. If they get tense, they can break everything in the theatre. Communication is more precise on stage, too – you have to trust the horse totally. You see many new details. When a horse moves its ears, you see it.” Is this dance, theatre or circus? “That’s very difficult,” he says. “At Zingaro, we call it equestrian theatre. Golgota is more contemporary dance – but with horses.” Although horse-lovers will come to Sadler’s Wells, he warns them not to expect a conventional horse show. While there are elements of dressage, the equestrian skills are subservient to the artistic vision. Bartabas, a very fit-looking 58, was born Clément Marty – he renamed himself Bartabas the Furious early in his performing career to signal his desire to live the life of the artist, though he has now mellowed sufficiently to let the Furious slide. His father was an architect and, despite an urban childhood spent close to Paris, he developed an early love of horses, skipped university, started performing at the age of 17, and soon had his own circus troupe. Golgota, the show Bartabas is bringing to Sadler’s Wells in London Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘This is like contemporary dance – but with horses’ … Golgota, the show Bartabas is bringing to Sadler’s Wells in London. Photograph: Nabil Boutros Within 10 years, those early experiments had evolved into Zingaro. “To do this kind of thing,” he says, “you have to live with the horses. But at the beginning, I didn’t realise Zingaro would be so intense artistically. The public said, ‘What is that? It’s not a circus, it’s not a theatre.’ And show by show, we found that more was possible. Fifteen years ago, I choreographed Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. I never imagined I could do that.” It speaks volumes about Bartabas’s standing that Pierre Boulez, the great composer and conductor who died last month, agreed to conduct the Orchestre de Paris in three special performances. The Centaur and the Animal – review The horses are astonishing, but the dancers need reining in, writes Judith Mackrell Read more Bartabas has had many offers to work elsewhere: he made two films in the 1990s, and opera companies have also asked him to direct. But mostly he has resisted, even when US producers offered him pots of money to do a circus-style show in Las Vegas. “They thought this Frenchman must be very stupid to say no,” he says, but the show would have been too big, the audience too distant, the horses overworked. Five shows a week is his limit. “My power is the company. If I start to go in another direction, I would lose my originality. Every artist has one special thing. My originality is this, so I have to take care of it and renounce other things. Through your uniqueness you find the universal.” His identification with Zingaro also explains why he lives in a caravan – admittedly, one with a classic Chrysler sports car parked outside. “I have the money to have a house,” he says, “but I know I will never have a house. I have no time to take care of it. And the idea of taking the Métro or a taxi to work – no. I’m living in my work. That is very important. I can say I’ve never worked, because I live my passion. For me it is a miracle.” There was a Mrs Bartabas, but they have separated. When I get a tour, I see one of their two sons working out in the site’s makeshift gym. Bartabas at Sadler’s Wells in 2011 Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bartabas at Sadler’s Wells in 2011. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images “I never buy a horse for a performance,” he adds. “I don’t say, ‘I want to do that, let’s find a horse to do it.’ The horses are there because I like them or they are cheap. They are part of the family.” The same applies to the people. An elderly man has attached himself to the enterprise, becoming part of life in Zingaro country. Dressed in a black Russian fur hat to keep out the winter cold, he sits by the door of the restaurant playing a barrel organ and grunting incomprehensibly as theatregoers arrive. Everyone has a role. Another delightful touch is the lighting of a bonfire close to the theatre after each performance. Instead of hurrying away into the night, people linger, buy a glass of wine, watch the flames dance against the blackness of the sky. The old man playing the organ, the clowns and musicians who seat the audience, the late-night fire are all part of the performance. Bartabas has created a phantasmagoric world visitors are reluctant to leave. After communing with angels, descending into the Métro has little appeal.

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How the horse lost its toes.: Creature evolved hooves 5 million years ago to gallop faster after moving from protected forests to open grassland 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4815392/How-horse-lost-toes-evolved-hooves.html

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.- Sir Winston Churchill From the outside, horseback riding may look like just sitting and that all a rider has to do is give the horse some simple instructions like go, whoa, and turn. In carrying the rider the horse is doing all the work, right? Wrong. There is far more to horseback riding than the casual observer might expect. And, there are benefits beyond simple enjoyment; physically, mentally and emotionally. Physical Riding develops balance and coordination. The movements required to cue a horse require body awareness. Riding also uses many muscles; most importantly the leg, abdominal, shoulder and back muscles. Riding does not depend on strength alone, but strong flexible muscles aid in stability and coordination. Most new riders will find that their inner thigh muscles, particularly the gracilis muscle, become sore, but the muscle will quickly become stretched and strengthened. Riding a horse at a walk stimulates the internal organs just as walking on foot does. This aids in liver function and digestion, and makes riding a great therapy option for those in wheelchairs. You will be burning calories. According to the “Body For Life for Women”, by Dr. Pamela Peeke, General Horseback Riding accounts for 5 calories per minute for a 150 pound woman. Increase the speed and distance you ride and you’ll increase the intensity of your work out and burn more calories. Horseback riding is a sport that people of any age can participate in. As many people approach their middle years they may finally have the time and resources to realize their dreams of riding or owning a horse. With proper instruction and guidance there is no reason why people in their forties and beyond can’t learn to ride or drive. Lots of seniors have ridden or driven into their ‘golden years’ with a favorite equine companion. As you groom, clean stables, carry saddles, equipment or bales of hay you are also doing weight bearing exercise that helps maintain bone mass. Although riding, grooming and mucking out is good exercise, many riders who wish to compete at advanced levels find it beneficial to lift weights and do core strength training such as yoga and Pilates. Mental At first you may feel that just learning to stay on and steer the horse is a challenge. When that becomes easy, many more learning opportunities present themselves. As you progress with riding and horse ownership you will always have questions and problems. Even the most experienced equestrian would admit there is always something new to learn. Research has shown that lifelong learning may prevent memory loss. Just like your muscles, your brain needs exercise to keep young and supple. Riding provides an active avenue for keeping your brain exercised. Riding can provide many opportunities for success. Whether you learn to post the trot or receive high marks in a dressage test, you’ll feel good about what you are doing. Emotional/Spiritual For many a horse is a connection with nature whether they ride in the ring or down the trail. Many people find companionship and solace while working with their horse. Although riding can present its frustrations and challenges, most people find it a relaxing pastime. The camaraderie of people who enjoy similar activities is also appealing. It’s fun to get together with friends for a lesson, team endeavor such as mounted games or drill riding, or a trail ride. If you crave solitude, riding or driving can provide that as well. Many horse owners feel their horse is somewhat of a kindred spirit in tune with their own feelings and emotions; more so than any human companion. In times of stress a horse can be a quiet friend, who is without judgment or guile.

Before we all had cars to drive in, people used horses to get around, and almost everyone was taught to care and ride a horse. Today, our dependence on these large mammals is non-existent and horseback riding has become recreational. There are many obvious health benefits to riding, including strong core and legs, but there are also many less obvious benefits, such as boost in confidence and meditation. Horses are even used in therapy for mentally disabled children- which only proves further how healthy they are! Samir Becic, 4 times Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the world and Health Fitness Revolution’s top list of the health benefits of horseback riding: Body Awareness: Horseback riding really works the core muscles that stabilize the trunk: the abdominal, back, and pelvic muscles. However, it’s not just about the strength of the core, but the coordination and stability of it as well. The more you ride, the more the body learns to move with the horse. Quick Thinking: riding a large, powerful animal with a mind and agenda of its own is a full-body workout that will force you to engage muscles you didn’t know existed and be constantly adjusting to the form of the animal. Coordination: There are many movements that need to happen simultaneously while riding for the horse to be properly guided- this is what coordination consists of. Therapeutic riding programs for the sight-impaired have had a lot of success developing better coordination. Core Strength: Horseback riding is an isometric exercise, which means it uses specific muscles to stay in certain positions, in this case, keeping balanced on the horse. Because of this, postural strength is very important when riding and the posture of riders improves even in day to day activities. Muscle Tone and Flexibility: Along with the core muscles, the inner thighs and pelvic muscles get the biggest workout as a rider positions himself or herself. Riders often have to maintain a squatting position while they ride, constantly adjusting to the cadence of the horse. This exercise helps with good overall muscle tone and flexibility. Stable Strength: Riding is not the only way this activity gives the body a workout. Working in a barn and taking care of a horse strengthens muscles and increases cardiovascular capacity. Mental exercise: There are so many mental benefits to horseback riding. Not only do you really learn about yourself as you experience time on a horse but it can also have a meditative effect because for the time being, the only focus is on riding and staying on the horse. While horseback riding is a great exercise, there is a real benefit i the connection with the animal and the peace of mind that comes with every ride. Although Samir himself loves extreme fitness, his philosophy encompasses a much more balanced approach to fitness, nutrition, mental, social, and spiritual synchrony. To pre-order his life-changing book releasing Oct 31st, 2017, click here. Learn how to become the happiest, strongest, and smartest version of yourself with the revolutionary ReSYNC Method.

       TRULY DESERVING RACE RETIREMENT FOR THIS SUPER HORSE.

Maharashtra’s first-ever Horse Endurance Championship was held in Lonavala on February 19, 2017. Organised by the Indigenous Horse Owners Association of Maharashtra, this endurance event attracted over 50 entries, with riders coming from as far away as Indore. A very scenic and interesting cross-country route was laid out by the organisers to which we had access because Khushru Patel, one of the organisers, is a dear friend. So I grabbed the opportunity and decided to drive the entire route in a Polaris RZR 800 ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle). This proved to be great fun, because under the RZR’s bonnet reside 50 energetic horses and due to its low overall weight it has a very good power-to-weight ratio and packs quite a punch. It’s also capable of going almost anywhere thanks to its rugged long-travel suspension and all-wheel drive with low ratio.

There were three categories in the Horse Endurance. A 20km one in which the participants go over the route once. A Junior category who also had to do the route once and a 40km category that did the circuit twice. The riders were timed at the start and finish and also at checkpoints on the route. The timing in an endurance event is important, but more vital is the condition of the horse at the finish. After riders cross the finishing line, they have 30 minutes to cool the horse down and bring its heartbeat to 64 per minute or lower. If it’s over 64, the rider is eliminated from the competition. The horse is also made to trot, and if it’s found to be limping or lame, again the rider is eliminated. This means that while the rider has to be fast, he also has to care his horse and not push it beyond its endurance limit.

The aim of the Indigenous Horse Owners Association of Maharashtra is to preserve and promote local breeds like the Marwari, which are strong horses capable of covering long distances. Most riders were on Marwaris and the competition in this cross-country event was intense with the stage timings being very close. In the end, it was Krish Saigal who won the 40km Endurance category with a time of 2 hour 25 minutes. In second place was Bakhtiyar Irani, less than a minute behind! In fact, Bakhtiyar led almost all the way; it was only in the last couple of kilometres that Krish on Atlantic Star picked up his pace dramatically and literally pipped Bakhtiyar to the post.In the 20km Endurance category, it was Satyajit Pawar riding Malhar who was triumphant. The Junior category was won by 15-year-old Anurag Gaikwad riding Honey. His mother Sangeeta is the caretaker of Khushru Patel’s farm and all of them were overjoyed. The event was very well organised, and a great time was had by all. Including me, who used the 50PS Polaris RZR to ‘Run with the 50 Participating Horses’.

............. Images by Bob Rupani & Ajay Raut

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