FAQs
Target group: Who is using Pushball?
Pushball is a game for riders of all ages and is played with both horses and ponies. As a sport it is open to children from the age of twelve and of course adults. Exceptions to this age bracket are sometimes made for talented young riders and horsewomen. The minimum standard to partake in Pushball is the skill to control a horse either or pony in a group.
The size of the horses either or ponies determines the choice of the size of the ball. Therefore it is possible for youngsters and adults to play together in one team.
Next, Pushball as a technique is a true addition to the more classical disciplines like Dressage and Jumping and brings the following added value to equine sports:
• It can be brought into action in a playful manner by having kids play the ball themselves with their feet causing them as it ware to ‘forget’ being on a pony. Insecure children may relax and build their trust. As their attention and focus are on the ball, it is found they occupy themselves less with the pony, whom they may think scary a bit sometimes. Just because they may relax, the position on the pony may become more stable, in turn allowing their confidence to grow. In all this also team spirit and pleasure in the game may grow and blossom with these youngsters.
• It may be a welcome change to the existing teaching programme for horse and rider. Presently one is of the opinion youth currently specialise too early, practising either only Dressage or Jumping. Pushball stimulates versatility in both horse and rider.
• Horseback Riding is currently experienced as an individual sport. Pushball stimulates individuals to play in a team with and against each other.
• The horse will get accustomed to obstacles so that the rider will grow a tractable horse. This benefits the rider in all sorts of situations, in particular unexpected obstacle rich ones. Horse and rider will become a more oiled combination growing mutual trust. In this context it is always useful to keep in the back of one’s mind that horses are by nature animals of flight.
• Horses will sometimes get quite merry playing Pushball and treat the sport as a jolly diversion to their normal daily routine. This benefits wellbeing of the animal and prevents boredom and one sided work for both horse and rider.
Other benefits of Pushball are noted some other countries:
• In Australia and New Zealand horses are trained using Pushball Techniques to drive cattle. In a safe and controlled environment Horses learn to adroitly drive a Pushball forward. This steering technique makes the horses agile and positions them to easily manoeuvre cattle.
• Horse Soccer, the American version of Pushball, is used in the United States of America by the Mounted Police (Trainings School Geiser Equine) as “Crowd Control Training” and in this way as vehicle to maintain public order.
Which ball can be used for which sort of horse/pony?
A Pushball ball should have the following characteristics:
• The ball is of strong material and burst resistant.
• The ball can resist the pressure of two colliding horses of 600 kg each.
• The ball needs to be heavy enough and have the correct pressure.
• The height of the ball should minimally be the breastbone of the horse or pony.
• Every horse and pony has its own ball size (diameter).
What should never be used:
• Skippy balls with or without their grip still on.
• “Jolly” balls for stable use.
Further explanation of the technical requirements for a Pushball ball.
Burst Resistance
When the ball springs a leak because of horse shoe nail, a nail in the wall or another sharp object, a soft thud should be heard and not a loud bang. The aim is not to startle the horses when the ball springs a leak. This would make them skittish. Burst resistance prevents both the horse and the rider to be frightened which causes a safe situation for both.
Ball Pressure
It sometimes happens that the horse squeezes the ball against the wall or that two horses collide with the ball in between. The ball therefore needs to be able to resist this high pressure (in combination with the speed of the horse). Balls that are only able to resist pressures up to 300kg are therefore not suitable for this fast moving sport with a lot of mutual contact between the horses.
Wight of the ball and tension
The ball should be heavy enough not to bounce. Bouncing balls would frighten the horses and would also make it less controllable.
The ball should have the proper tension, so that it will only be dented just a little bit when one pushes it with one’s fist. A ball with too low tension won’t roll very well and also horses may get a grip on it when biting the ball (which is by the way not allowed in this sport). Conversely too much tension on the ball may cause it to rip or bounce (The latter especially in combination with to light material).
Minimal height of the ball
In general the Pushball ball should have the minimal height of the breast bone of the horse; a bone somewhat above the double pectoral muscles in between the frontal legs.
The reason for this is that it prevents the ball to get between the frontal and rear legs, or the belly of the horse. In addition it prevents the horse from lifting its frontal legs over and across the ball. This would be potentially dangerous as the horse could this way overstretch its shoulder or trip over the ball sideways.
Every horse and its own diameter ball
It has already been noted in that the minimal height of the ball should be the breastbone of the horse or pony. From this it follows that for example a Shetland pony would be able to manage a ball with a diameter of 75 cm.
A Section D pony or "Klein Pferd" ( like: a Welsh pony, a New Forest pony, an Icelandic horse or a Norwegian Fjord horse ) needs a bal with a 1 meter diameter.
A Section E pony en smaller horses (like: Tinker, Arabian horse, Quarter Horse and the Paso Fino) need an in-between size.
The warmbreed horse (like: KWPN, Friesian horse), to conclude, needs a diameter of 1.20-1.30 meter. Some cold-blooded breeds need an even bigger ball.
At present there is a variety of choice on the market for burst resistant balls with a diameter less than 1 meter. A good source would be manufacturers of physiotherapy balls for humans.
The rest is basically a matter of trial-and-error; either using synthetic balls or big leather balls with a synthetic bladder, like our ball from Germany. Also the Czech Republic and Russia are good sources for big leather balls. In this context we refer to the pictures in the photo gallery at the photo album with international varieties.
At the moment Hélène de Fremery is in contact with a variety of ball manufacturers in both Europe and the United States of America to explore to possibility of developing new balls for Pushball for both horses and ponies.
What is altogether wrong from a viewpoint of safety and animal well being
Skippy balls with grips
These balls, often sold at toy shops and drug stores have a number of deficiencies; they are made of material that is too thin, or the pony could get caught in the grip with its horse shoe and panic, or the pony may trip over the grip and or step on the ball.
A playful horse may even take the grip with its mouth and start throwing the ball which will most certainly startle the other horses.
“Jolly” balls for stable use
They are sturdy but to small and therefore form an open invitation for the horse to grab the handle with its mouth. This is obviously not acceptable in this team sport.
What kind of horses can be used?
What is needed?
Pushball can be played by every breed and size of horse or pony; e.g. Shetlanders, Icelandic horses, New Forest ponies but also Quarter Horses, Paso Fino’s, Mules, Crossbreeds and heavy Cold-blooded breeds.
The picture below shows a number of different sized balls, illustrating the fact that every size horse has its own ball size. As a measure of protection the horse wears bandages or leg protectors on its frontal legs. The rider wears a safety helmet, boots or chaps and potentially a body protector.
To form a team, a minimum of 4 to 5 horse-rider combinations are required. The size of the ball available determines what animals can play. It is therefore very well possible to have different types of horses joining in one team; e.g. a Welsh pony together with a Norwegian Fjord horse in one team. Off course in this example, the ball should be big enough for the Fjord horse as well. In forming a team it is recommended to have a spare horse available.
In order for training a arena of minimally 20x40m is required for ponies and 20x60m for horses. To play a match a track of 40x80m (or bigger) would be ideal. For ponies the track could be slightly smaller. The soil could be both grass or that of a riding school. On grass horses with horse shoes should wear pegs in them to prevent slipping on long or wet grass.
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