Start of LHRC Showjumping League

Richard Maxwell to Visit Lewis

Lewis and Harris Riding Club recently approached renowned author, trainer and horse behaviourist Richard Maxwell to see if he would consider visiting the islands to put on a demonstration of his techniques for local horse owners, and indeed anyone interested in animal training. The club thought the chances were slim, being so far off the beaten track, but were delighted when his wife, Sam, responded to say that Richard “sounded excited at the thought of visiting the Outer Hebrides”. The Riding Club were happy to discover that as a Scotsman brought up in Yorkshire and now living in Suffolk, Richard enjoys heading north for demos and lessons. Since Richard travels internationally to deliver courses and clinics including places like South Africa, probably Stornoway doesn’t seem to far away!
Richard said “I have always wanted to visit the Outer Hebrides so when I received an email from Shona from Lewis & Harris Riding Club asking me to go and do a demo I jumped at the chance. I’ve just got to hope that the December weather is kind to me. BUT who knows I might get asked back next summer.”
Richard has been around horses since a young age but didn’t start to ride until he was 9 yrs old and was 11 when he got his first pony, Flicka. Flicka wasn’t an easy pony and he spent the best part of the first six months on the floor. Once a relationship had been established Flicka and Richard became quite a team. This is when he caught the competitive bug that was to remain until one of his own children took up competitive riding.
When he went to join the army at the age of 17 what he really wanted to do was join the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Unfortunately the local recruiting office in Yorkshire where pushing for the regional regiment, 4 /7 Royal Dragoon Guards, which was a tank regiment based in Germany. Richard became a full crewman on tanks, but the draw of the regimental stables was too much and he ended up being a groom at the Rhine Army Polo Association (RAPPA), this led him to joining the Household Cavalry where he became a Military riding instructor. Whilst he was in the Household Cavalry Richard evented and show-jumped and was part of the Riding Staff, a team of instructors responsible for starting and training the young horses that came from Ireland every year to become part of the ceremonial team.
It was during his stint with the Household Cavalry that Max first met Monty Roberts. “Monty opened my eyes to see that there was more to horses than traditional military ways”. He says it was the first chance he’d had to start thinking outside the box. He has every respect for traditional methods. “They are tried and tested for a reason and 99 times out of 100, they are effective.
But horses being what they are, there’s always that 1 horse who hasn’t read the manual. Like people, you get some horses who are just round pegs trying to slot into square holes and for some reason the traditional methods just don’t apply to them. And that’s where the natural horsemanship methods put a few more tools at your disposal. With a foot in both camps, there’s always a Plan B!” After 20 years Richard has developed a process that is a mix of the best of natural horsemanship and traditional horsemanship.
As a competitive rider and trainer of people it has given him brilliant tools to help re-train all sorts of horses from non-loaders to Grand prix dressage horses, show jumpers and everything in-between. People often only see him as some one that only does loading problems, yet he also has a great ability to train riders to a high level.
Lewis & Harris Riding Club member Emily Howey said “We as a club are totally over the moon that someone with such a huge reputation and following as Richard has agreed to visit the islands. Everyone is looking forward to his demonstration and I’m sure will leave the arena full of enthusiasm and ready to put what they have learnt into action. What a brilliant end to the year and tickets would be a great Chrissie pressie for any horse lover in the family. I personally am hoping to go home with a bagful of tips for bringing on my young horse and my Clydesdale”
While Richard is on Lewis he will be available for lessons in either groundwork, polework, flatwork or jumping and also equine massage using the Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™. Richard is trained to use this unique method of bodywork that recognizes and follows the visual responses of the horse to touch, to find and release accumulated muscle and structural stress in key junctions of the horse’s body that most affect performance. This method, which creates an interaction in which the horse participates in the process of release. Due to its intuitive, gentle and interactive nature, it is a wonderful way to increase trust, bonding and understanding between human and horse. The Masterson Method® focuses on releasing tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance such as the poll, neck/shoulder/withers junction, and sacro/lumbar junction.
Islanders are now extremely lucky (thanks to the hard work of a number of individuals) to have access to an indoor arena. Without this facility events similar to this would not be possible during the winter months or even during our ‘summer’. Since the completion of Lochside Arena, which was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal on Tuesday 9th July 2013, there has been a significant rise in the number of events, clinics, competitions and visiting instructors available to local riders and the improvement in skill levels at competitions is evident.
Tickets for the demo will be on a first come first served basis and they are limited. If you would like tickets or would like more information regarding lessons or equine massage please contact Shona on 07796504107 or email shona@shore-print.co.uk.
Lewis & Harris Riding Club and Lochside Arena Directors are delighted to welcome Richard to the islands and the facility, they all look forward to watching the demo and hope he enjoys his visit here.