Horse&Rider Magazine - January 2019

In this feature. . .

Our trainer

Nick Gauntlett is a top-level eventer, British Eventing Master Coach and a Fellow of the British Horse Society. He also produced Badminton winner Chilli Morning to four-star level.

Words: Tilly Berendt. Photos: Bob Atkins. With thanks to Ariat for their help with this feature, ariat.co.uk

Our models

Early Morning, known as Alaska at home, is a seven-year-old gelding sired by Chilli Morning.

He’s completed a season eventing at Novice level.

28 HORSE&RIDER

➤ Tackle

accuracy questions with ease

In the saddle

➤

Suss out skinny fences ➤ Jump clear over corners every time

Nick Gauntlett’s

cross-country TOOLKIT

Accuracy questions offer little room for error, but with Nick Gauntlett’s tips for tackling skinnies and corners at home, you’ll soon be flying over them

C

ross-country riding is one of those For a number of reasons, it can be difficult elusive skills that many people to dedicate as much time to cross-country consider difficult to train – fences as the other phases. However, some riders even refuse there are exercises you can do in TOP TIP to school over solid your arena at home that will help Cross-country training over fences, arguing they can’t replicate to prepare you for your next knock-down fences in the arena gives the way they’d do things on cross-country schooling session you the chance to be brave in how you course when riding in cold blood. or competition. Last month, we ride and experiment with the sort of The problem is that there are so looked at the different types of approach that produces a tidy, square many questions that are unique basic fence you’ll find on every effort, giving you more confidence to to cross-country riding, so it’s vital course, and how you should ride tackle this type of question for that you and your horse are familiar them. This month we’ll be delving real out on course. with them and confident tackling them into accuracy questions with skinny before you’re counted out of the start box. fences and corners.

The fundamentals

Forward riding is the key to getting your approach right when tackling any sort of accuracy question, but if you’re like most riders, you’ve been tempted into doing exactly the opposite. Because the margin for error is smaller, many riders slow down and shorten the canter to try to control where their horse takes off. Unfortunately, what this actually does is takes all the power out of their canter, making it much harder for your horse to do his job. Then, because a skinny or a corner presents an easy opportunity to run out the side door, your horse is more likely to do just that.

Instead, you need to make sure your horse is cantering forward into the bridle and listening to your aids. I like to test this by riding up and down through the gears – can I lengthen down the long side? Can I easily shorten as I reach the short side?

Then I add in a few 20m circles, letting my horse really move on underneath me and using the circle as a balancing aid. Once I’ve ridden a couple of flying changes across the diagonal and popped over a small upright on each rein, he’s ready to tackle a skinny.

➤

HORSE&RIDER 29

In this feature. . .

➤ Improve

the quality of your canter

Preparing for

TAKE-OFF

As told to Rachel Dyke. Photos: Jon Stroud. With thanks to Horsehage for their help with this feature, horsehage.co.uk

Getting a clear round isn’t just about jumping – how you ride between the fences is equally important. Emily King shares her favourite flatwork exercises to boost your skills

O

ver half of what happens on a jumping course, whether it’s cross-country or showjumping, takes place between the fences, so it’s important not to neglect this part of the course during your training. The quality of your canter, your balance and rhythm, and your approach and getaway all determine how successful each jumping effort will be.

Using flatwork to develop these skills should be a regular part of your training, no matter what level you’re competing at. These exercises are designed to help you create a responsive horse with an adjustable, powerful canter, increasing your chances of a clear round at your next competition. You’ll see the benefits reflected in your dressage scores, too.

34 HORSE&RIDER

➤

In the saddle

➤

Make your horse more responsive ➤ Get a better line into fences

Our expert

Emily King was recently crowned CCI*** under-25 national champion.

Eventing is in her blood, as she’s the daughter of medal-winning Olympian Mary King.

Our model

Langford Take the Biscuit, known as Hobby at home, is a six-year-old gelding who’s recently completed his first CCI*.

HORSE&RIDER 35

State of

PLAY You wouldn’t choose to work without a break, so it’s no surprise that your horse wouldn’t either.

Equine Behaviourist Anna Haines explores the main ways horses let off steam

Our expert Anna Haines is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist and a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, and has been a freelance Equine Behaviour Consultant since 2012. She has a BSc (Hons) in Animal Behaviour, and an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare, specialising in equines.

It’s an important part of your horse’s natural behaviour 50 HORSE&RIDER

L

ike their owners, horses are social animals who, after clocking off from their hard work with us, enjoy letting their hair down for a play. This might involve running, leaping or bucking across the field.

While your horse’s actions may appear to have no clear purpose as he charges so casually across the field, playing actually serves a variety of different functions, including…

• enhancing general health and fitness • practising survival skills • building social relationships • improving communication skills It’s not unusual to see a playing horse nip, rear, chase, strike out or even mount another horse, and bouts of play are often spontaneous and intense. It’s an important part of your horse’s natural behaviour, so it’s essential to provide him with the opportunity to do it.

There are four distinct types of behaviour you’ll see your horse engage in – object play, locomotor play, play fighting and play sexual behaviour.

Mind matters

DID YOU KNOW?

Play is known as an elastic behavioural need, which means that it’s only likely to take place if the other inelastic – or essential – behavioural needs, such as eating, drinking and feeling safe, are met.

➤

HORSE&RIDER 51