Steve Jefferys Equitana Education Programme

It was fascinating to watch the looks on people’s faces as Steve Jefferys rode his stock horse ‘Drummer’ through the exhibition on his way to his education demonstration. He was riding the horse with a steering wheel, and no bridle!

Steve began by riding ‘Drummer’ around with the steering wheel attached to the front of the saddle, joking about this apparent ‘new technology’. Amazingly the horse turned left and right as Steve turned the wheel. This ingenious device comes complete with a ‘homing device’ so the horse can find the rider and come to pick them up! Steve would say, “How easy can this be, you too can have one of these”. The large crowd, standing ten deep around the arena, was completely captivated. I am sure many kids were pulling on their mum’s shirt sleeves wanting a Steering wheel for Christmas!

Jokes aside, Steve is a master horseman with a serious message, who brings us back to reality by reminding us that unfortunately there is no ‘magic’ in training horses. The steering wheel is not a ‘trick’ it merely provides a graphic demonstration of the control that can be achieved through the correct use of the seat and leg aids. Drummer is responding to light pressure which hopefully you cannot see. That was an important message that came out of this demonstration, that no matter what riding discipline members of the audience were interested in, they could all achieve lighter more responsive horses if they trained themselves to be aware of administering softer, more correct, aids.

Steve emphasized that it was important to have effective equipment, but more important to understand how to use your choice of equipment correctly. Steve related, “There is no such thing as cruel equipment, it is the incorrect or poor use of that equipment that makes it harsh or cruel, and therefore ineffective”. Steve was very strong on the need for a saddle, which not only fits the horse but positions the rider correctly. Without a balanced seat the rider’s hand, seat and leg aids cannot possibly be administered accurately and as Steve points out “it is that ability to administer pressure accurately that limits us all, as horsemen”.

Equitana was the culmination of a 3 months coaching tour for Steve, from Queensland through Victoria to Tasmania and Adelaide, Steve commented, “there is a serious problem evolving primarily due to the incorrect use of the outside rein, resulting in incorrect flexion and resistance through the jaw and neck. This destroys suppleness, giving us a rigid unbalanced horse lacking drive. I don’t believe in holding any aid, for the sake of holding it. I apply all aids for a reason and as such I am expecting a result from that aid. As the horse responds correctly to the aid his reward is immediate relief from the pressure of that aid. This is the principle behind training a horse to do anything. Every movement a horse makes for you as a rider should be as a response to a pressure. We must understand the important difference between a ‘contact’ and a ‘pressure’.”

Drummer is a class act of his own, a real character, he played to the crowd - one minute he was wild, rearing and striking as required for the Man From Snowy River Arena Spectacular and then the next he was being extremely helpful by collecting items and bring them back to Steve, just like a dog would do to please his master.

Steve and Drummer finished off with a balancing act which had the crowd on the edge of their seats. At the end of the arena was a very narrow bridge, just wider than a hoof. Drummer cautiously traversed the bridge, placing one foot carefully in front of the other, once safely on the other side the mesmerized crowd sighed with relief.

Steve’s education segment was info-tainment at its best!