Demonstrations![]() For many years Victoria has demonstrated at various venues and Horse Expos throughout Australia giving people the opportunity to see and understand dressage as they would not have done so before. Victoria's favourite demonstrations are 1) Dressage Training Demonstration 2) Level Specific Demonstrations 3) Develop your Horse's Core and Coordination Victoria initially began her Dressage Training Demonstrations as she was concerned at the lack of riders entering and progressing through the grades in dressage and wished to promote this discipline by dispelling the myth that dressage is boring. Many riders have not had the exposure to world-class horses performing high level movements which are always very breathtaking and inspiring to watch. In addition her love of horses is contagious and her clarity in explaining her training system helps riders understand and enjoy their horses. It gives them a clear insight into the how’s, why’s and when’s of various aspects of dressage. Some clubs have used these demonstrations at their end of year wind-ups, held them in conjunction with clinics or lectures, or organized special days to increase the awareness in their local community of equestrian sports by inviting local VIP’s, council members, the press and current and potential club sponsors. This can be a very entertaining day, afternoon or evening for these people, especially if combined with a meal or wine and cheese, and in the long run quite beneficial for clubs. The Dressage Training Demonstration lasts approximately one and a half hours and involves 2 or more of Victoria’s team horses. Designed to be interesting it can be tailored to suit the level of the audience and allows time for questions. It begins with a young horse doing basic movements which will be easily identified by all riders. Often in hand work is demonstrated to show the progression from un-mounted work to that under saddle. This is followed by horses doing more difficult exercises as they demonstrate their training towards Grand Prix. It is necessary to have a good working surface for this standard of horse and if an overnight stay is required the stables or yards must be safe and suitable for large horses. Depending on the venue and the expected number of spectators a lapel microphone and sounds system may be necessary. Depending on location and stabling facilities Victoria may be available to teach or lecture for the remainder of the day or the following day. Contact Victoria to discuss this further. Level Specific Demonstrations are shorter in length and are ideal to combine with lessons or a clinic. Victoria discusses the general goals of a particular dressage level, be it Preliminary, Novice, Elementary, Medium, Advanced or FEI and then explains each required movement in great detail. Using her horses she shows
how to introduce these movements, what to watch out for in training, which muscles are taxed by different movements, how to tell if your horse is ready and then also how to tell if you are on the right path. To conclude, Victoria gives great tips and demonstrates test riding. Level Specific Demonstrations open to the public (as opposed to closed club demonstrations) are occasionally held at Mungo Brae Equestrian Centre. Contact Victoria or like her Facebook page for more information. Bookings are required. The demonstration Learn How to Develop Your Horse's Core and Coordination is fantastic for owners of all horses. Using both in-hand and under saddle exercises Victoria explains how important this is and how horses of all ages and levels can benefit immensely from this training. In fact, Victoria religiously does these exercises with her horses from before they are started under saddle to when they are Grand Prix. Each horse she works has an individual program tailored to them according to their age and level of training. Not every horse does every exercise as some exercises are more relevant to particular horses than to others . By spending time watching Victoria as she works her horses you will gain an incredible amount of knowledge and understanding. ![]() Learn How to Develop Your Horse's Core and Coordination demonstrations are often held at Victoria's property, Mungo Brae Equestrian Centre in conjunction with some of the In-hand clinics and workshops. Contact Victoria or like her Facebook page for more information. Bookings are required. |
Victoria Hamilton LecturesVictoria is a very enthusiastic presenter who develops a great rapport with her audience. She actively involves people and encourages them to participate in discussions as well as to ask questions. Being a veterinarian and an international dressage competitor who has trained all her horses herself, Victoria has a wealth of knowledge in many areas. Her experience in horse management, training and competing enables her to use first hand experiences and interesting snippets to make it easy for people to remember salient points. Some examples of lectures that may be suitable for your club are:
6. Myofascial Disease - The Hidden Reason behind many poor performance scenarios. More information on this incredibly interesting topic is found on the information page of www.drvictoriahamilton.com.au 7. What Comes First? A very thought provoking discussion about rider and horse crookedness and how inter-related they are in all aspects of horse training. Great fun as well as people become more aware of the effects of moving one part of their body on other parts. Time permitting the discussion also moves to contemplate whether horse crookedness comes from unsoundness or in fact is the underlying cause of it and how we as riders have a responsibility to ensure our horses travel as correctly as possible. Any of these lectures may be held in conjunction with a Dressage Demonstration or a clinic or can be held on a different day. Some clubs choose to hold lecture nights, free for their own members and then charge for outside people. |