As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Jon Stroud
In this feature. . .
18 HORSE&RIDER
➤ Perfect
line-riding with accuracy
In the saddle
➤ Reduce
his rushing ➤ Problem-solve on the go
Build the
ultimate sport horse with Mike Jackson PART THREE: ON THE LINE Want to decode the secrets of course walks and produce super-efficient rounds? Mike’s multi-purpose exercise gives you the tools you need for an accurate, effective partnership
I
t’s easy to watch top riders at major events and think that a lot of what they’re doing is a world away from your own training goals – but it’s not. While you might not be keen to pop over Badminton’s Vicarage Vee any time soon, you can develop the same skills that professionals use to navigate wafer-thin skinny combinations – whatever your level. There are so many reasons to add accuracy exercises into your schooling regime. If you event, you’ll use them to build your skills for cross-country courses, where you’ll find skinny fences, corners and angled profiles at every level. If you prefer to stay in the ring, learning to plan exact lines and jump fences on clever angles can help you shave valuable fractions of seconds off the clock. And if you just want to enjoy your horse at home? This is the kind of work that’ll make him a responsive, rideable partner, no matter what you get up to together.
Essential skills
This month, we’ll focus on... • navigation, which will help you find your way through tricky combinations
Our expert
Our model
Mike Jackson is a four-star eventer based at Waverton House in the heart of the Cotswolds, where he produces a string of competition horses and moonlights as a field master for the Heythrop.
Trevargo, also known as Belton, is a nine-year-old gelding by Grafenstolz. He’s owned by Heather Bell and completed his first Intermediate event in 2020’s condensed season.
• pace, particularly if your horse is prone to rushing • line – probably the most important part of riding accuracy questions with ease
➤
HORSE&RIDER 19
In this feature. . . Our expert
As told to Megan Hurley. Photos: Lucy Merrell
Matt Hicks is an international Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer. Although his original love was eventing, in which he competed up to three-star, he eventually decided that his passion lay in the dressage arena, where he’s enjoyed many years of success.
24 HORSE&RIDER
➤ Tackle
Our models
Ali Hinchcliffe is Matt’s head girl. She’s previously evented up to two-star and BD Medium, and has lots of experience producing young horses. She rides Rory, a 10-year-old ex-hunter who’s turning his hand to dressage.
tension with handy exercises
In the saddle
➤ Get
to grips with leg-yield ➤ Perfect your transitions
Schooling
made simple part three
It’s problem-solving time with dressage rider and trainer Matt Hicks, who shares his tips to help you get the best out of a tense horse
W TOP TIP
Tension during ridden work can soon manifest into physical issues, such as sore muscles and weaknesses in areas of your horse’s body that he doesn’t use correctly. While learning to work properly is essential to his wellbeing, make sure you’re keeping an eye out for any signs of discomfort and consult your vet for advice.
e’ve all at some point struggled with a horse who just won’t settle down or concentrate, but finding exercises to focus a busy brain isn’t always as straightforward as just running him through certain drills. The most common culprit here is tension, and rather than allowing it to become detrimental to your training, the key is to cultivate a set of tools that’ll help you diffuse the situation. While knowing which everyday tools to use to get the best out of your horse will help you enormously, having some more specialist ideas ready to pull out should he feel particularly fresh one day is sure to help make sure your sessions are still productive, whatever his mood is when you first get on board.
All about tension
Working out what’s causing your horse to become tense and how it affects his way of going is really important when you begin tackling the issue. He could be uncomfortable – in which case a work-up from your saddler and vet is essential – or simply a sharper ride. Once you’re sure your horse is feeling his best, consider under what circumstances he becomes tense or stressed. Is he finding the work difficult? If he lacks balance or suppleness, he
may find it hard to bend through his body or make a transition without hollowing. A tense horse will struggle to stay soft in the contact and may rush rather than work in a swinging, consistent rhythm. He may become mouthy or bear down on the bit, curling his neck instead of working forwards into your hand. While these aspects of your horse’s natural way of going can be tough to tackle, there are plenty of ways you can help him relax.
➤
HORSE&RIDER 25
Weight off his mind
How can you help your horse lose weight while maintaining his natural behaviours and psychological wellbeing? Anna Haines explores the options
I
Our expert
Photos: Jon Stroud, Marie Charouzova/Shutterstock.com, Kent Weakley/Shutterstock.com
Anna Haines is a clinical animal behaviourist and 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.
t’s no secret that the UK horse population is in the grips of a weight crisis. In fact, obesity has become so common in horses (30–50% of equines overall, and up to 70% of native ponies) that many people are no longer able to recognise when their horse is overweight because fat horses have become so normalised. Obesity is a welfare concern and can also be a risk factor for a variety of physical health conditions, so it’s important that we do what we can to maintain our horses at a healthy weight. But how can you help your horse return to a healthy weight while ensuring he’s able to carry out the essential natural behaviours that are important to his quality of life and wellbeing?
DID YOU KNOW
Safe weight loss is more important than fast weight loss. Always discuss a plan with your vet and a qualified equine nutritionist. You may find it useful to speak to an accredited equine behaviourist to ensure your horse’s psychological health remains good, too.
➤
48 HORSE&RIDER
Mind matters
Safe weight loss is more important than fast weight loss
HORSE&RIDER 49