to the October 2024 issue
I was so pleased to be asked to guest edit Horse&Rider. While it’s been the summer of dreams for me, work on this issue began months ago, well before ‘that’ phonecall from Dickie Waygood to tell me that Dan and I were off to Paris with Team GB.
I’m so lucky to have been able to make my passion for horses into my career, and feel really privileged to be able to share with you some of the things I’ve learned along the way. The secret to success is down to hard work (and a bit of good luck), and I really enjoyed answering your questions, and sharing my training
exercises with the H&R team. I hope they help to inspire you.
My core piece of advice, which my experiences this summer has consolidated is that there is no such thing as too big a dream. No matter what you love doing with your horse, aim for the stars. It turns out they can be within reach.
OUR PICKS OF THE MONTH
Thirteen experts from every equestrian field, including our Guest Editor, answer your questions – from riding to veterinary, horse care to confidence. Turn to p77.
Do you remember learning the rules of feeding? How much of it still applies, and what has new research taught us about equine nutrition? Find out on p90.
Whatever you enjoy doing with your horse, improving agility and responsiveness has to be on your to-do list –Laura has an exercise for every level of horse and rider on p22.
Find out what a week in the life of Laura Collett really looks like – from alarm call to lights out, via gym trips, working racehorses, coaching and much more, on p138.
From the build-up to the Olympics to life in the Team GB camp and what it was really like to ride into that Versailles arena in her own words – Laura explains it all on p48.
Laura Collett MBE won team gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as team gold and individual bronze at Paris 2024. She’s also won Badminton and Luhmühlen 5*s with London 52.
Laura Collett, Guest Editor
Laura Collett
October 2024 issue
IN THE SADDLE
22 On the bounce Hone your horse’s skills with Laura’s exercise
28 Three-way split Spice up your schooling with Ingrid Klimke’s advice
36 Express yourself Dannie Morgan explains how to develop your horse’s trot
42 Firm foundations Get ready for your best ride yet with Nicola Wilson’s tips
MIND MATTERS
56 8 ways to overcome fear Bringing the fun back into riding
ASK A VET
64 Temporary suspension All about suspensory ligament injuries
ASK THE EXPERTS
78 Management know-how
80 Mind matters
82 Ask a vet
84 Horsey shopping
86 In the saddle
88 In brief
MANAGEMENT KNOW-HOW
90 Rewriting the rules The updated golden rules of feeding
96 Are you laminitis ready? Stay one step ahead
100 Fit for anything A guide to building your horse’s fitness
110 Cutting it fine Prepare for the clipping season
114 Feeding know-how Our experts answer your questions
HORSEY SHOPPING
120 Mud, glorious mud Products to help you battle the elements this winter
128 Illuminate your ride A selection of high-vis garments to keep you safe
132 This month we love... Cooler rugs, sweatshirts, stirrups and more!
IN THIS ISSUE
8 Parisian pressure Cooling experts reveal what went on behind the scenes
Cover stories
October 2024
Guest Editor Laura Collett shares her skill-boosting grid, tells us all about her time at the Paris Olympics and answers some of our readers’ questions.
16 Horseworld hub Keep up to date with the latest horsey news
20 Win! An Ariat bundle
34 Subscribe to H&R Get every issue delivered straight to your door
48 A golden summer Laura gives us an insight into Paris
62 Blenheim is back What’s happening at this year’s horse trials
70 Towards a sustainable future How you can help make an impact
108 Perfect prizes Amazing goodies up for grabs
124 Safety in the saddle Have peace of mind with the right kit for you
134 Dream horsey homes Find your ideal equestrian property
137 Next month A sneak peek at the November issue
138 My life with horses Laura shares what she gets up to in a typical week
Photo by Adam Fanthorpe
On the
bounce
Laura
shares her simple grid that’ll sharpen up your skills
EXPERT
Gridwork is my go-to for developing a horse’s jumping technique, no matter what stage of their career, whether they’re forward-going or laidback, or anywhere in between.
Time spent instilling the foundations – and regularly working on them – is always well spent. And it needn’t be complicated – try my simple, effective grid and you’ll notice improvements in your horse’s skills in no time.
DID YOU KNOW?
If your horse tends to rush at fences, gridwork is a really useful tool to help establish rhythm and encourage concentration.
Laura Collett MBE won team gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as team gold and individual bronze at Paris 2024. She’s also won Badminton and Luhmühlen 5*s.
3–3.7m
6.4–7.5m
6.4–7.5m
3–3.7m
Set it up
For this exercise you’ll need 12 poles and six sets of wings. It’s a progressive exercise, and you’ll end up with two cross-poles on a bounce distance, then one stride to an oxer, followed by one stride to two more cross-poles on a bounce striding.
I set up this type of grid on the centre line in the middle of the arena so it can be jumped from both reins and directions.
In this feature
One grid for every level of horse
Hone your horse’s straightness
How to use highsided cross-poles for maximum benefit
The best part
The great thing about this grid is that it’s suitable for all horses, which is really handy for me when I have so many rides at varying stages in their education. It can be easily tailored to suit your horse’s ability and experience, and will work every part of his body without the wear and tear that comes from bigger fences or lots of courses. By working through the layout gradually and keeping the fences at a comfortable height for your horse, you’ll see improvements in his agility and co-ordination.
yourself Express
Improve your horse’s suppleness and develop expression in trot, with Dannie Morgan’s help
Dannie Morgan is an international Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer based in Hampshire. He has numerous Regional and National Championship wins and has represented Great Britain at Small Tour. EXPERT
There’s no better feel than riding a well-trained horse who feels balanced, supple, forwardgoing and even on both reins.
And the great thing about correct basic training is that when you work on a specific issue, such as suppleness or expression, every other element of your horse’s training starts to slot into place, too.
I’m always analysing the horses I ride to consider what needs more work, how I can turn those sixes and sevens into eights and what specific exercises would benefit their training the most.
Read on to learn more about some of the movements and exercises I use regularly during training sessions with the aim of improving my horses’ overall performance and wellbeing.
Photos: Jon Stroud
In this feature
Lateral work to improve suppleness How to maximise your transitions
Ways to improve self-carriage
8
overcome ways to fear
It’s a natural, common emotion, but can feel overwhelming – if fear is affecting your riding, Alison Buttery is here to help
EXPERT
Alison Buttery is a certified mindset and confidence coach, a BHS APC senior coach and an experienced rider, who specialises in helping riders overcome their nerves. She’s also the founder of The Everyday Equestrian.
Fear is a natural emotion that everyone experiences at some point but, for some riders, it can become a real barrier, stopping them from enjoying time in the saddle. But what exactly is fear and why does it affect riders so much?
Acting on instinct
Fear is the body’s way of protecting it from perceived danger. It’s an instinctive response designed to keep you safe, especially when you’re about to do something your unconscious mind considers risky.
For riders, it often kicks in because the mind craves certainty and sometimes (unhelpfully) goes into overdrive whenever there’s an element of unpredictability – common when dealing with horses! These fears are perfectly normal, but they can hold you back if they become too intense or out of proportion to the circumstances or situation.
The challenge with fear is that your mind can exaggerate dangers, so you feel nervous, anxious or scared. For example, you might have had a bad fall in the past and now your brain constantly reminds you of it, even if it’s very unlikely to happen again.
TOP TIP
Acknowledging that fear reactions are normal and that every rider experiences them to some degree is crucial to managing and overcoming your fears.
Fears are perfectly normal, but they can hold you back if they become out of proportion
Temporary suspension
Suspensory ligament injury follows a long road to recovery. Vet David Rutherford looks at what it means to your horse and the possible treatments
David Rutherford BVM&S Cert ES(Orth) Dip ECVS SFHEA MRCVS is Clinical Associate Professor in equine orthopaedics and imaging at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. EXPERT
Injury to the suspensory ligaments is not uncommon in horses, and it can mean several months o work. Traditionally, a horse would have been completely rested for a prolonged period of time – often at least a year – possibly in combination with cold hosing and gentle walking, to allow healing to take place but, even then, the fi nal outcome was often uncertain. Fortunately, today, there are several modern treatment options available that can both speed up the healing process and lead to a more positive prognosis in the long term.
TOP TIP
It’s important to take su cient time for warm-ups, to vary the exercise your horse is doing and to limit the time spent performing any one activity.
Photos: Jon Stroud
Modern treatment can speed up healing and lead to a more positive prognosis
Rewriting the rules
Nutritionist Griselda Beaumont looks at feeding traditions and assesses how they stack up against modern horsecare methods
EXPERT
Griselda Beaumont BSc (Hons) ANutr is Associate Nutritionist and Brand Development Manager at NAF.
The golden rules of feeding are something we all learn as a reliable guide to the basic practices that ensure horses receive good nutrition. Many of the rules are decades old and, thanks to scientific research and as we find out more about optimising the horse’s digestive health, it appears that some could be in need of updating.
Forage facts
Most of the nutrients a horse needs can be obtained from good-quality forage in the form of grass, hay or haylage, depending on the time of year and location.
However, leading agronomists are raising concerns over the poor soil
nutrient profiles that result from modern farming practices and climate change. As a result, nutrient imbalances are evident across two thirds of UK soils.
When you factor in the low species variation that’s typical of modern pasture, it’s easy to see why forage alone isn’t enough to meet the needs of a naturally diverse browser such as the horse. Forage and fibre should be the largest part of any horse’s diet – at least 1.5% of bodyweight daily – but must be balanced with vitamins and minerals to reduce the risk of dietary deficiencies.
Daily essentials
All horses require the following in their diets, whatever their breed, size, type or workload...
• water • fibre • carbohydrates • fats • protein • vitamins and minerals
Nutrient imbalances are evident across two thirds of UK soils
