In this feature. . .
➤ Slow
down a horse who rushes his fences
Ready,
steady,
slow
Do you struggle to keep your horse cool and under control around a course? Anna Power’s easy exercise will put you back in the driving seat
I As told to Bethany Searby. Photos: Jon Stroud
magine you’re heading into the showjumping ring, ready to ride a clear round. Your horse is hopefully enthusiastic, but the last thing you want to feel is out of control. I once had a horse, Unique, who loved his job, but could become very strong and boisterous over fences, always keen to find the next one. I had to teach him to jump and ‘woah’, so I spent many sessions
Test your transitions
They’re an important and unavoidable part of your riding, but how much do you really work on transitions at home? Be honest with yourself – to achieve success in this exercise, they need to be crisp, particularly your downward ones. Get into good habits by making transitions a mainstay of your warm-up. A good downward transition maintains straightness and the feeling of
24 HORSE&RIDER
jumping single fences with him and then asking for a halt transition. After years of practice, he could halt almost immediately. Being able to bring your horse back to you is an important skill in showjumping, giving you the tools to add a bit of punch to his canter and balance him in preparation for turns. However, you should make sure you have the foundations in place first.
even pressure at the end of both your reins, and your horse should be able to balance himself with his hindquarters, not lean on your hands. When riding a downward transition, remember to... • sit up tall By keeping your position balanced and strong, you’ll help your horse remain balanced, too • keep your leg closed around him This will push his hindquarters into the transition, helping balance him
• avoid pulling on the reins By pulling him back into the transition, youll make him resist the transition, wobble and hollow • talk to him You can’t use voice aids in a dressage arena, but horses are good listeners. Asking him to ‘woah’, or using a command that’s part of your lungeing routine, will help him understand – and your transition will come together more easily and smoothly
➤
In the saddle
➤
Improve your straightness ➤ Perfect your downward transitions
Our expert
Anna Power is an international showjumper based in Somerset. A British Podium Potential squad member and a regular on the Nations Cup circuit, she competes from young horse classes all the way up to Grand Prix.
Our model
Solomon (Solly) is a five-year-old gelding with Heartbreaker bloodlines. Solly’s proving to be a bit of a star, gaining many double clears at 1.10m and 1.15m and is now getting ready for age classes.
HORSE&RIDER 25
e d a r g p U our
g n i e g n lu y
Photos: Jon Stroud
a g to see n i e g n lu p your izz Marshall u g n i p ep sF ys by st of going, say a d r e t or ay st of sh ur horse’s w o m e h o Make t ovement in y r p real im
34 HORSE&RIDER
W
hether you’re looking to mix up your horse’s routine or work him effectively without the weight of a rider, lungeing offers any number of possibilities to enhance your horse’s training regime. But once you’ve both mastered the basics of lungeing, it can be tricky to know what to do to take it to the next level. Integrating more advanced exercises and polework into your sessions will help increase your horse’s physical and mental stimulation, paying dividends in terms of his development versus the return on investment for your time.
In the saddle
Our expert
Fizz Marshall worked with all types of horse in her six years as Centre Manager at the Equine Therapy Centre at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. More recently she’s worked for racehorse trainer Jonjo O’Neill and as Yard Manager for Carl Hester.
➤ HORSE&RIDER 35
Winter PART ONE
inspirati n with
Our models
As told to Rebecca Philpot. Photos: Jon Stroud
Our experts
Chris Burton A regular Australian team member, Chris has competed at two Olympic Games and lifted the Burghley trophy in 2016. In 2018, he won the Event Rider Masters series.
42 HORSE&RIDER
Mary King A prolific British equestrian, Mary has won two World Championship gold medals as well as silver and bronze Olympic medals – including team silver at London 2012.
Caliber Royale is a nineyear-old Holstein stallion owned by the Royale Family syndicate. Athletic and versatile, he has evented up to CCI1* and is now showing great talent for showjumping.
King Robert II is a nine-year-old gelding competing at CCI4*, having come eighth at Tattersalls in 2019. A five-star hopeful, Bobby is owned by The Kings Group syndicate.
Kings Tilly is a five-yearold full sister to King Robert II. Owned by Hannah Lord and Jane Hamilton, she’s competed in age classes and with the aim of progressing through the international classes.
In the saddle
When daylight hours are dwindling and you’re stuck for inspiration, a schooling session might be the last thing on your mind. In the first of our five-part series, we’ve got some quick, effective exercises to make sure your workout packs a punch
H
ow many times have you put off a ride because you can’t bear the thought of yet another hour’s schooling session under the dim lights of your arena? Training seems like much harder work when your competition schedule is empty and your sleek, fit horse feels like something of the past. However, summer bodies are made in the winter, and by schooling effectively now, your horse will be on better form than ever come spring. With the help of Mary King and Chris Burton, we’re guiding you through five months’ worth of effective schooling exercises and advice to make sure your horse comes out of winter ready to kick off his 2020 season in style. This month, start your training how you mean to go on with four exercises that are small in time but big in reward.
➤
Made by horse owners for horse owners In association with
baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk HORSE&RIDER 43