THE newest "horse" at Tom O'Ryan's Ryedale stables is causing a bit of a stir.

A host of young, keen riders have been beating a path to The Press racing tipster's Brawby home to try their hand on his latest thoroughbred acquisition.

Nika Vorster, an amateur rider with Richard Fahey, along with the Musley Bank trainer's wife Vicki, have been among a steady stream spending a good deal of their time in O'Ryan's picturesque racing paradise.

But it's not just the young riders who have been turning up on his doorstep.

Jamie Moriarty, who rode Charlie Tokyo to victory in the John Smith's Cup at York Racecourse last summer, has also been seen in the vicinity.

So what's getting them all so excited?

It doesn't eat, sleep or cause trouble - and it won't be the next Ebor handicap winner. But this cousin has still captivated the attention of all who have seen it. Not bad for a simple equicisor.

O'Ryan picked up the mechanical horse from Boroughbridge racing legend Kevin Darley, who no longer had any use for the "beast" after hanging up his riding boots at the end of the last Flat season.

Darley used the equicisor for 13 years to help ensure he kept at the very peak of racing fitness. And, as O'Ryan's young recruits are quickly finding out, there's a big difference between riding a horse in work and tackling one under racing conditions.

"The aim for the more experienced riders is to hone their talents and perhaps work on some area they think they may be weak on, and in the more novice riders, it is to get everything working effectively; strength in the saddle, combined with rhythm, ability to change hands' (their grip on the reins) and to use their whip in either hand," O'Ryan said.

"Perhaps the hardest thing to get across to young (inexperienced) riders is the need to instil urgency into their mounts by strong, aggressive riding in the closing stages of a race."

Last week, O'Ryan had 15 different riders take a trip on the equicisor, including Ben Hamilton, younger brother of Malton Flat jockey Tony Hamilton, who is due to ride Collette's Choice for Richard Fahey at York today.

Emma Ramstrom, who works for Sheriff Hutton trainer Tim Walford, and who finished third on Its Moon at Newmarket in an amateur race last Sunday, has also been a regular.

Following some one-on-one tuition with O'Ryan, South African Vorster recently had her first ride at Beverley and, although finishing nearer last than first on Fahey's Dark Charm, still did well for her opening outing.

O'Ryan, a former jockey himself, said he was offering any keen riders the opportunity to take advantage of his equicisor. "You've only got one chance to make a good first impression," he added.

"If you mess it up first time who knows when you will get another ride? So you have to be as prepared as you can and if you can't do it on the equicisor, you can't do it on a horse when it's even harder.

"It can provide basic and vital training. I put a mirror up so they can see what they are doing. Some kids think they look like Jamie Spencer when really they look more like Frank Spencer.

"If they are keen, I will spend as much time with them as I can. It would be a great thrill for me if someone came and felt they had improved and went on to get a winner and do well. I know how hard it can be having been and done it."

Interested riders who want to take a shot on the equicisor should contact O'Ryan by emailing him on tommyoryan@hotmail.com.

* Readers who fancy seeing how tough it is for jockeys to ride a race can find out for themselves on an equicisor at today's The Press Family Raceday at York Racecourse.