In this feature. . .
➤ Ways
to test your horse’s self-carriage
Unlock his sensitive side As told to Rachel Dyke. Photos: Jon Stroud
If your horse is lacking sensitivity, it can feel as though there’s a block of wood at the end of your reins. Spencer Wilton reveals how to test and refine your contact for a more harmonious connection
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he aim of a correct contact is to create and maintain a connection from your leg to your hand, and from your horse’s hindleg to his mouth. With that connection in place, you’re able to position his neck where you want, whether that’s up, down, left or right, and control its length. However, if your horse’s mouth lacks sensitivity, it can be very difficult to develop this connection. Instead, he’ll feel wooden and unresponsive, often with his nose above the vertical. This makes it very difficult to develop the coveted self-carriage that will propel your dressage marks towards being competitive. Luckily, there are things you can do to develop these qualities, earning you a horse who’s sensitive, supple and more capable of producing a harmonious dressage test.
Get it checked
If your horse is lacking sensitivity, it could be caused or made worse by factors outside of your schooling, such as... • stiffness in his neck or back • pain from an underlying injury • sore or tight muscles • dental problems • ill-fitting tack Before continuing, book visits from your vet, equine dentist, physio and saddler to ensure your horse is comfortable TOP TIP and able to give you You need to establish the feeling you want. connection before worrying about making sure your horse’s head is on the vertical.
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In the saddle
➤ Teach
him to soften ➤ Perfect your position for the best contact Our expert
Spencer Wilton was part of the British team that won silver at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, with his top horse Super Nova II. This was followed by team bronze at the World Equestrian Games in 2018.
Our model
Darren Hicks is an eventer-turned-dressage rider. He’s riding Dr Liz Donald’s seven-year-old stallion, Diamond Cut II.
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In this feature. . .
➤ Improve
your horse’s responsiveness
Stepwith up
cavaletti
As told to Rebecca Philpot. Photos: Rose Lewis for Piaffe Limited
Ingrid Klimke explains how improving your transitions and adding cavaletti to your horse’s training routine will get him engaged and stepping out better than ever
W
hatever level you’re at, and no matter your aspirations, all riders have a shared goal: a horse with rhythmic, active paces. But if the thought of endless flatwork makes you and your horse switch off, there’s good news – cavaletti can help. Using cavaletti will increase the flexion of your horse’s hocks, the freedom of his shoulders and the elevation of his stride, all while working his core muscles. The end result is a horse who’s lifting through his hindquarters and carrying himself better, allowing him to soften and lengthen his frame.
TOP TIP
If you don’t own any cavaletti, you can use ordinary jump wings, as long as you remember that the point of the exercises is to keep the jumps small.
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In the saddle
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Introduce him to cavaletti exercises ➤ Build his paces over poles
Our expert
Ingrid Klimke is the current European eventing champion, and has won eight gold medals, including two team golds at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. She’s the daughter Reiner Klimke and, like her father, competes in both eventing and dressage.
Our models
Eventer Holly Woodhead rides Extravagence (Lou Lou), a six-year-old chestnut mare owned by Megan Heath, and Beancia B (Beni), a six-year-old grey gelding owned by Linda Penfold.
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CL
& SE
RID
ER S LI M M I N G
UB
R With thanks to Dengie for their help with this feature, dengie.com
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TOP TIP
The key mantra to keep in mind when encouraging weight loss is ‘less energy in, more energy out’.
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Management know-how
FOOD for thought Does your horse need to lose weight? Dengie nutritionist Tracey Hammond breaks down his weight loss diet into three simple steps
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besity is a global problem, with rates on the rise, not only in humans but in domestic animals, too. While we don’t exactly know how many of the UK’s horses are obese, studies have reported between 31–54%. For ponies, the news is even worse, with one study suggesting 72% as obese. This is significant because equine obesity is linked to other health problems, including laminitis, and is therefore a welfare issue. So what’s behind the increase? In a nutshell, horses are eating too much and not exercising enough. The pastures they’re grazing are far more energy-dense and bountiful than those that they’ve evolved to eat, and they don’t have to walk very far to find food – in fact, most of the time it’s put in a net or bucket right under their nose. Helping your horse lose weight takes dedication, but you’ll see great improvements in his overall wellbeing and energy levels. In terms of his diet, there are three areas you’ll need to focus on – grass, forage and his bucket feed.
Guess the weight
Being overweight is becoming the norm, which means it’s often difficult to spot if your horse is carrying a few extra kilos. Practical measures to monitor his weight include regular use of a weightape and body condition scoring. As an extra measure, you can
use the camera on your phone to take monthly side-on pictures of him and compare them through the year. Regular use of these tools will enable you to work out your horse’s optimum weight, then quickly identify and act upon any deviation from it.
Our expert
Tracey Hammond MSc (Dist) is a nutritionist at Dengie. She helps owners formulate an appropriate ration for their horse through the company’s nutrition helpline.
WEB EXTRA
For a step-by-step guide to body condition scoring and weightaping, visit bit.ly/WEIGHT_ MANAGEMENT
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