HORSE riders and surfers in West Devon are being sought to join in a new extreme sport which is taking the world by storm. Horsesurfing, which involves a horse and rider galloping through the surf pulling a person on a kite board, was invented nearly three years ago by stunt horseman Daniel Fowler-Prime from Halwill Junction — and now countries from Australia to Alaska are joining the craze. The first club in the UK has recently been set up in Bude, where a competition is being organised later this summer. Daniel, who performs live action shows with his company The Independent Horse, and who has appeared in films such as the Da Vinci Code, is looking for new members and people to train as instructors so that they can start up their own local horsesurfing club. All clubs will be affiliated to the Extreme Horse Riding Association. Horsesurfing was born in 2005 when Daniel was staying with a friend in Cornwall. 'We were feeling a bit bored one day so we hitched up a mountain board to the back of a car and tried to ride it,' he said. 'Then we did the same with a motorbike then I thought, why not try it with a horse?' Daniel, who is always trying to push the boundaries of what can be done with horses, said: 'You have got the power of the horse and the power of the wave which are two of nature's most inspiring forces, and from a spectator's point of view it is visually stunning. 'For me personally, it was all about seeing if it could be done, but after that it was about being down on the beach with your horse and doing something a bit more than galloping through the surf.' Always ready to add new tricks, Dan has tried hanging upside down off the horse while it gallops through the waves and has even tried surfing with just the horse and not the rider in a bid to increase the thrill. Behind the scenes the team are working hard to improve the sport — reducing the pressure on the horse and increasing the power to the surfer. 'The horses we use are athletes, they are used to trick riding and we always make sure they are warmed up and fully prepared,' said Daniel. 'None of them have ever suffered any residual injuries while we have been surfing.' The stunt rider added that horsesurfing seemed to be popular among husbands and wives because it often encompassed their two favourite sports. Anyone who would like to know more about getting involved in horsesurfing can contact Daniel on 07796 150329. Alternatively, go to his website at http://www.extremehorseriding.com">www.extremehorseriding.com