to the March 2025 issue
How do you deal with the mental load that life brings? Whatever your circumstances, everyone’s internal monologue can get too loud sometimes, and when it spills over into your passion – horses – it can suck the enjoyment out of, well, everything.
Over the past year I’ve been on a journey to improve my mindfulness – it’s definitely work in progress, but I can feel the benefits in every aspect of my life. Being present in the moment isn’t the only achievement, but it does make an
enormous difference when it comes to spending time with your horse, as Angie Jones-Moore explains on p56. You’ll feel the effect on the equines in your life as well as yourself, so from someone who’s converted, I urge you to give mindfulness space in your life. You won’t regret it.
Until next month
Louise Kittle, Editor-in-Chief
THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Efforts to reduce your environmental footprint don’t stop when you open the yard gates, as sustainability consultant Ruth explains on p60.
Riding in the depths of winter isn’t many people’s idea of fun, but trainer Katy shares some of her favourite simple flat and jump exercises to make a difference on p21.
Being present in the moment can make a huge difference to your enjoyment of the time you spend with your horse, as well as benefiting him, too, as Angie explains on p48.
Developing and refining the precision of your aids can make all the difference to your horse’s understanding of what’s being asked of him. Gareth shares his tips on p34.
DON’T MISS...
Our great subscription offers! Choose from a HKM Lena jacket or amazing discount –turn to p59.
Preparation is the key to success with most things and, in the case of cross-country, it can also help avoid injuries, as vet Sara explains on p64.
Angie JonesMoore
Ruth Dancer
Louise was bitten by the horsey bug at age two, and has ridden and owned horses ever since, competing in eventing as well as enjoying training her horses – and herself: she’s a BHS Int SM.
Louise Kittle, Editor-in-Chief
Sara Vaux
Katy Lawrence
Gareth Hughes
March 2025 issue WIN!
IN THE SADDLE
21 Winter training guide Stay motivated and work towards your goals
28 Going straight Eventer Susie Berry shares a simple but testing exercise
34 The right response Gareth Hughes helps your refine your aids
40 Try something new... Everything you need to know about formation riding
MIND MATTERS
48 Press the pause button Discover the benefits of mindfulness
54 Focal point Overcome distractions and maintain your riding focus
ASK A VET
64 Stay on course Vet Sara Vaux discusses typical cross-country injuries
ASK THE EXPERTS
72 Management know-how
74 Mind matters
76 Ask a vet
78 Horsey shopping
80 In the saddle
82 In brief
MANAGEMENT KNOW-HOW
90 Winter health & wellbeing Gillian Higgins shares her raised pole exercises
102 Saddlery questions answered All you need to know
108 Feeding for winter weight Top tips for maintaining condition
HORSEY SHOPPING
114 Buyers guide Supplements to support the respiratory system
118 Tried and tested Products to help keep your horse’s environment healthy
122 This month we love... Coats, boots, jackets, rugs and more!
IN
THIS ISSUE
8 In too deep Stay one step ahead of extreme weather
WINTER RIDING
Cover stories
Photo by Jon Stroud
March 2025
From feeding advice to breathing techniques and training inspiration, our experts share their tips for a happy horse and a successful partnership.
14 Horseworld hub News, views and what you’ve been up to this month 18 Horseworld science Discover the latest research in the equine industry
44 Win! A bundle from Sprenger
46 A great day out Everything you need to know about the National Equine Show
60 Chain reaction Steps to create a healthier planet for you and your horse
84 Fit for purpose Understand how your core impacts your riding
96 14 things to love about a horsey career We look at why it’s the best
100 Perfect prizes Amazing goodies for you and your horse
128 Dream horsey homes Find your ideal equestrian property
129 Next month A sneak peek at the Spring issue
130 My life with horses Children’s author Vicky Cowie talks us through her week
In this feature
How to perfect counter canter
Work on your horse’s straightness
Adjusting stride patterns
Going straight
Fine-tune your horse’s stride patterns with a simple but testing exercise from eventer Susie Berry
EXPERT
Susie Berry has represented Ireland in the European and World Championships, and was in the Irish team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sometimes, the exercises that look the simplest are the ones that prove the toughest to execute perfectly – and this set-up is a perfect example of that. At first glance, it’s just three poles and a small upright, but it’s surprisingly deceptive and more difficult than you’d think. But, it’s a great learning tool for you and your horse and will serve you well, no matter what level you’re riding at.
It’s a great learning tool for you and your horse and will serve you well
Setting up
This exercise requires three poles, plus one jump, which you’ll set up as a small upright. The poles should be placed 14m apart from one another, while the distance from the last pole to the jump is 15m. When you come down the line in canter, that’ll ride as three strides between each pole and between the final pole and the fence –but if your horse is very short striding, you might find it easier to set the distances as 13m and 14m.
The right
response
Giving clear aids to your horse is the key to successful training. Gareth Hughes explains how
EXPERT
Gareth Hughes is a Team GB bronze, silver and gold medallist in dressage. He was the dressage coach for the Australian eventing team and also the Swiss Dressage technical advisor. He runs Hughes Dressage, based in Warwickshire.
When schooling your horse, it can be easy to overcomplicate things in your mind and become frustrated if the session doesn’t go exactly as planned. But, really, the true goal should always be simply to improve your horse’s way of going, even if only by a small amount, while making it a positive experience for both of you. As riders, it’s up to us to communicate with our horses in ways they can understand and we do this via the aids.
Being clear and precise, while ensuring your horse knows what you’re asking, will build the relationship you need to succeed and see improvements. But learning the aids doesn’t need to be complicated.
Cause and effect
In essence, aids are the cues you give your horse to let him know what you want him to do next. However, for him to learn and understand them effectively, and act on them, we first have to know them thoroughly ourselves.
The aids can be used both separately and together for creating different outcomes, but it’s important to first know which part of your body influences which part of his…
• your arms can make corrections to his head and neck, like an imagined extension of the reins
• your hands influence the shoulders by moving them left or right – note that the bit doesn’t influence the shoulders
• your seat can be used to ask him to bend and create or reduce impulsion
• your legs influence the hindquarters
Swing low
I believe the best way to train walk is on the buckle. That way, you’re allowing your horse freedom in his head and neck to stretch and relax, which are two of the most important components when creating a quality walk. Plus, with your hands on stand down, you can focus more on the other aids required to influence the rest of his body.
As riders, it’s up to us to communicate with our horses in ways they can understand
Press the
pause
button
Angie Jones-Moore reveals how the practice of mindfulness can benefit both you and your horse
EXPERT
Angie Jones-Moore is a certified mindfulness practitioner and runs Moore Unique Life Coaching.
You may have heard about the concept of mindfulness, but what is it exactly? Well, mindfulness is defined as being in the present moment without judgement. That sounds pretty simple, but it can actually be incredibly difficult to achieve and, in fact, we’re only rarely truly mindful.
Life in focus
Mindfulness is one of the cognitive skills your brain uses to pay attention, think in general, process information and remember things. But we lead busy lives and are often thinking about several things at once, resulting in increased stress levels.
This can lead to raised cortisol and adrenaline, the hormones that keep us safe and alert if our autonomic nervous system perceives that we’re in a situation that’s potentially dangerous. These hormones are helpful when we really are in danger, but otherwise they simply result in heightened anxiety and increased feelings of stress.
Stayon course
Vet Sara Vaux discusses typical injuries to look out for when going cross-country
EXPERT
Sara Vaux BVetMed (Hons) CertAVP (ELDT) MRCVS is a veterinary associate at Liphook Equine Hospital and has a particular interest in orthopaedics and sports horse medicine. She holds an RCVS certificate in lameness diagnosis and therapeutics.
From an injury point of view, crosscountry presents unique risks to the horse due to its high-impact nature and the large, solid fixed fences jumped. However, by understanding the most common issues, you can work to mitigate them, or spot and address them promptly.
TOP TIP
When checking your horse, remember swellings and lameness may become more apparent once he’s cooled down and has had time to potentially stiffen up.
The most common injuries in cross-country are through the horse hitting a fence or falling. The limbs have a high risk of injury, particularly the knee and stifle, and overreach injuries can occur. The head, neck and trunk can be injured, too, with injuries such as bruises, abrasions and skin wounds commonly seen.
Common issues
The issues that can arise during, or following, a crosscountry round include...
• muscle conditions such as exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying up) and muscle strains
• general muscle soreness through the neck and back
• sacroiliac pain
• foot soreness, in particular bruising in horses with flat, thin soles, especially when the ground is firm
• soft-tissue injuries and joint problems (although these tend to be diagnosed in the training phase)
Vital checks
It’s important to always examine your horse immediately after you’ve been cross-country – whether training or competing – to check for any injuries. Superficial abrasions and bruising may not need veterinary intervention, but full-thickness skin wounds, those close to a joint or tendon sheath, or those associated with lameness should always be assessed by a vet, even if the wound looks quite minor.
TOP TIP
Foot imbalance can lead to lameness so it’s important for horses to have good, regular farriery to keep feet well balanced.
weight Feeding for winter
Find out how the different elements of your horse’s diet affect his ability to maintain condition
Photos: Peter Nixon, Jon Stroud.
While winter can be a blessing for those of us whose horses could do with losing a few pounds, for anyone caring for a horse who struggles to maintain condition, it can be a real headache. This is because carrying enough condition is crucial if your horse is to be able to perform at his best, but it’s also very important for his general health.
Starting point
There are many possible reasons why a horse needs to gain condition and plenty of advice available on how to promote weight gain, so it can be hard to know where to start...
• First, be sure your horse is actually underweight – being overweight has become so normalised that horses of a healthy weight can look lean in comparison
• Try to identify any potential contributory factors
• Promote a healthy digestive system
• Use high-quality forage as the basis of the ration and add supplementary feed if your horse needs it
