Racewood is a British company that specialises in creating
horse riding
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
simulators. It was established in 1990.
Types of simulators
To this day, Racewood has made 8 different types of simulators as follows:-
*Walking & Trotting: Allows the rider to practice walking and trotting techniques.
*Cantering: Allows the rider to practice cantering techniques.
*Cantering & Galloping: Allows the rider to practice cantering and galloping techniques.
*Riding: Allows the rider to practice walking, trotting, cantering and turning techniques.
*Racehorse: Simulates a real life horse race.
*Polo: Allows the rider to practice
polo shots.
*Dressage: Allows the rider to execute all different types of
dressage movements.
*Jumping: Allows the rider to compete on a
show jumping or cross country course.
Format
Each simulator comprises a
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
-coloured horse (the Riding simulator is coloured
bay, with no legs and real
horse mane and tail. They also come equipped with reins with the user only needing to supply his/her own
saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kno ...
and
stirrups
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal (u ...
.
The simulators are controlled two different ways. The instructor mode is by pressing buttons on the side of the simulators to start, speed up, slow down or stop the horse whilst the rider mode is aid sensitive in the form of squeezing his/her leg on a side sensor panel to start the ride and squeezing again to speed up. To slow down or stop, the rider has to pull the reins.
Some simulators come with equipment for use of a
western saddle, a TV screen to simulate the ride and even a coin box operation. They even use a soundtrack to simulate horse sounds during the ride.
Use in popular life
Racewood simulators can be regularly seen in riding schools and some gyms and tack shops across the UK. They are also sometimes brought in to horse expeditions and shows such as
the Grand National,
Horse Of The Year Show and the
Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is a eventing, five-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International, Concours Complet International (CCI) Five Star events as classified by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Fédér ...
.
A popular nationwide festival, The National Riding Festival, also uses a Racewood cantering simulator called "Trigger", who appears at every date on the festival tour and at some primary and secondary schools to encourage children to take up horse riding.
External links
RacewoodSaddle Up Cheshire articleHorse Talk TV article
Equestrian sports
Real-time simulation
1990 establishments in the United Kingdom
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