Lean back, reins short, hands together, heels down, and for God’s sake, why are you shoving your feet into those stirrups like you’ve never seen a stirrup before?
It’s little wonder the horse is so cherished in this region. And little wonder also that a Qurani’c chapter is dedicated to these noble beasts, with which any encounter is fantastically sobering. We believe it was Steinbeck who very accurately noted that ‘A man on a horse is spiritually as well as physically bigger than a man on foot.’ The physical aspect being a given, we’ve considered the spiritual and found that there is no better way to describe the bond a rider shares with his steed, than spiritually uplifting.
The moment you mount, there is dialogue going on between you and your horse. There is a mutual effort to establish an understanding, and though ideally the rider should be in charge, the synchrony you eventually reach is a team effort.
With that said, it’s refreshing how accessible horse-riding is in this region. Especially for those of us that have grown up in Europe, where sports concerning four-legged beasts are mainly available to the elite. So if you have an appreciation for horses, you really ought to be making the most of what’s on offer in Abu Dhabi. And what better place to start than Al Forsan Sports Resort, which is responsible for all that Global Champions Tour buzz about town.
Having only opened earlier this year, the resort offers water and motor sports, as well as paintballing, shooting, off-road karting and various recreational facilities. Its equestrian centre is second to none, boasting of four out-door training arenas; an air-conditioned, indoor training arena; and a fully floodlit polo field. Add to all this, its world class stable facilities with 24 hour vets on site, and we’re not surprised Al Forsan is hosting the show jumping finals within its first year of launching.
Lesson prices at the centre are affordable, starting at Dhs90 to Dhs200 for groups (depending on your level), or Dhs320 to Dhs400 for private lessons. And if you’re a real pro, they even train for show jumping. 16 week lesson packages are also available for those who are more dedicated, and prices start at rather reasonable Dhs2,500.
With its shiny new facilities and packages being so appealing, we trotted off to have a look around see. In the arena, we rose to the command to mount with an air of confidence, which was swiftly toppled by a four year-old Irish mare. ‘Irish horses are better for lessons,’ said Gregory Perrin, our personal trainer for the day. ‘They’re stronger, more calm and a little lazy. So you must make more effort to communicate.’ Indeed, Princess (this being her name) had us resenting the ‘amateur treatment’ we were receiving on a few occasions. She did, however, have a few valuable lessons to teach. But before this could be possible, we had much to unlearn. It appears that years of sporadic riding at various (often unprofessional) stables, had resulted in the accumulation of many bad habits. So Greg and Princess were a Godsend.
Thoroughly enthused after our first lesson in over a year, we asked Greg how many more it would take before one could qualify for intermediate. ‘It depends on your progress,’ he said a little impatiently. ‘Some people will pick up quickly and move on way ahead of the group, others remain in the same level for weeks.’ The evasive response dampened our spirits a tad, and had us entertaining visions of being relegated to lead rein level for a decade. But the advice which followed was encouraging: Horses pick up on everything. ‘They know when you’re upset, when you’re angry, when you’re nervous,’ Greg offered. ‘So be confident and maintain your balance.’ That should be easy, once you get the hang of all the other stuff to bear in mind all at the same time.
In partnership with the Global Champions Tour, Al Forsan will be hosting the 2011 equestrian show jumping finals on the November 24. The capital is welcoming 90 of the world’s best show horses, for what promises to be a spectacular three-day contest, where riders will be competing for a Dhs2 million prize. Tickets for the event are reasonably priced at Dhs50 for adults and Dhs30 for children. Head on down.
The Al Forsan Equestrian Centre is open from Saturday to Thursday, and all lessons require pre-booking. Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Khalifa City A. (025568555) www.alforsan.com.
