Horse&Rider Magazine - February 2022

In this feature. . .

Setting realistic expectations of your training

Building

balance control

and

PART FOUR: JUMP TO IT

As told to Fizz Marshall. Photos: Jon Stroud

Last month we covered how getting your horse out of the arena and off-grid can help to develop his core strength, control and balance. In part four of the series, Lydia Hannon talks about bringing these gains to your training over fences

TOP TIP

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to jump endlessly, but instead focus on what you want to achieve from your session and stop when you’ve done so.

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In the saddle

My favourite exercise and how it can change your horse

H

orses, like people, can be entirely different from one day or week to the next, and your challenge as a rider is to identify and respond to that. By doing so, you’ll keep your horse feeling engaged with your training sessions while nurturing and retaining his positive attitude to work.

Although you want to make sure your training’s generally following an upward curve, it’s important to accept regular fluctuations in the level and quality of the work. What he finds easy on one day may be more challenging and require a bit more

work on another. This is absolutely normal and doesn’t mean either you or your horse is failing – horses aren’t machines and you can’t expect them to be able to do everything perfectly all the time.

So, rather than focusing on the height or technicality of the jumps, redefine your session goals by making them more about the quality of work you produce, even if it varies in level. This is your recipe for success. Much can be said for shifting your expectations should your horse find something you’re asking tricky on a given day. There’s far more to be gained from finishing on a good note, instead.

Our expert

Lydia Hannon competed successfully as a junior and was selected for the Junior European Championships.

As a senior, she’s completed Burghley, Luhmühlen and Blenheim, and jumped a double clear at Badminton. Based in South Herefordshire, Lydia’s now focusing her attention on coaching, and producing young horses.

Our model

Lydia has owned Irish-bred Quinn, a 16.1hh gelding, for two years. Just seven years old, he’s been placed at Foxhunter level and the pair is aiming for 1.30/40m.

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In this feature. . .

Improve your horse’s rhythm and balance

Young, wild and free Give your horse the solid foundations he needs for a successful ridden career

As told to Kiera Boyle. Photos: Lucy Merrell

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eaching young horses the ropes is one of the best parts of my job. The process certainly comes with its challenges, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to compete a horse you’ve produced from day one. There are fundamental lessons you can teach him in the early stages that’ll make the rest of your training journey easier, and are worth revisiting from time to time even with the more established horse.

Focusing on maintaining rhythm and balance, I share some of my favourite exercises that I practise with my young horses every time we enter the arena, and I consolidate them regularly with my older ones, too. With patience and perseverance, it won’t be long before you have a flatwork superstar on your hands.

Find your rhythm

If your horse struggles to work with an even tempo, you’ll find it hard to train him for any discipline. At all levels, but especially in the earliest stages, rhythm is the key to everything he’ll do. Rhythm and balance always go hand in hand so, before you can think about developing your horse’s paces, he needs to have a certain level of balance in place. As you ask him for more expression or changes of gear, you dont want to lose the quality of the natural paces entirely, but you’ll need to push him beyond his comfort zone for a few strides at a time in order for him to improve and develop.

The key here is that he needs to have an easy, natural pace to begin with – so, making sure these foundations are solid before you progress to focusing on suppleness or roundness will help your future training run a lot more smoothly.

Our expert

Anna Miller is an advanced dressage rider competing at small tour level. She coaches both para and able-bodied riders.

Our model

Black Knight (Lance) is a newly backed warmblood.

He’s five years old and in training for dressage.

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In the saddle

Make seamless transitions

Ride the perfect halt

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With thanks to Redwings Horse Sanctuary for their help with this feature, redwings.org.uk

Our expert

Nicky Jarvis BVetMed CertAVP(EM) CertAVP(ESST) MRCVS is Head of Veterinary Services at Redwings. She qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1990, joining Redwings in 1996. She’s responsible for overseeing the charity’s team of dedicated vets, equine veterinary nurses and equine care staff. She regularly lectures around the world on a wide variety of subjects, including nutrition and veteran care.

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Ask a vet

Winter weight

watchers Vet Nicky Jarvis explains why winter can be a good time to help your horse shed some extra pounds and shares her seasonal tips to support healthy, sustainable weight loss

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s temperatures drop and plant growth slows, horses in the wild naturally lose weight, which they regain in spring. Our interference with this seasonal fluctuation is thought to have contributed to the high number of overweight horses in the UK. Through overuse of supplementary feeding and rugging during the colder months, many domestic horses go into spring already overweight, making weight management a real uphill struggle for the year ahead. So, what can you do to help your horse come out of winter in the best position?

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