Horse&Rider Magazine – June 2018

The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly

Issue number 580 June 2018 n Achieve the perfect contact n Beat pre-competition nerves n Create a bold, brave jumper n Effective ways to keep him trim n Cross-country confidence n Equine flu

Achieve the

PERFECT CONTACT 3 easy schooling exercises

WEIGHT WATCHERS

Effective ways to keep him trim

Cross-country

confidence Kitty King’s tips for riding different fences

EQUINE

FLU

PROTECT YOUR HORSE

BRING HIM BACK INTO WORK safely & sensibly

BEAT

PRE-COMPETITION

NERVES

Expert advice

jumper Create a bold, brave

with Tom McEwen

£4.25

JUNE 2018

SHOPPING ● Fly masks

on test ● Buyer’s guide to electrolytes

In this feature. . .

➤ Move

his head and neck independently

p o h s y d bo The

K C E N D N A D A E H S I H P U E L P SUP

As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Jon Stroud

ow d shows you h o o w n e e r G n re r Da our horse mo y Dressage ride g in k a m y b ability at a time. In to create ride y d o b is h f o e area adjustable, on ead and neck h is h n o s u c fo this issue we

O

ne of the keys to producing a wellschooled horse is learning how to influence each part of his body separately. If you can adjust his head and neck, his torso and his hindquarters independently of each other, it means you can fine-tune his positioning without putting him out of balance or disrupting the energy flow from his hindend to your hands.

Last month’s exercises helped you establish adjustability through your horse’s torso. Now you’ve laid this important groundwork you can focus on suppling up and unblocking his forehand. Practising exercises that create different amounts of bend through his neck will help you influence his body placement and make it easier to perfect school movements. It’ll also help you lengthen and collect his outline without sacrificing engagement.

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In the saddle

➤ Shoulder-in

made easy ➤ Make use of long diagonals

Our trainer

Dan Greenwood is a dressage rider and trainer.

He’s won many national Championships and ridden for Great Britain at Small Tour level, as well as coaching up to Grand Prix.

Our models

Ashley Jenkins is Dan’s stable jockey and groom, who focuses on introducing young horses to competition. He rides His Highness, a six-year-old gelding owned by Jamie Reynolds, Cat Wood and Cherry Elvin.

HORSE&RIDER 21

In this feature. . .

➤ Introduce

your horse to spooky fences

CREATE

As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Bob Atkins. With thanks to Harry Hall for their help with this feature, harryhall.com

a braver

HORSE Eventer Tom McEwen helps you teach your horse to be bold and brave over fences

I

f you had to describe a top event horse in one word, what would you say? I’m willing to bet your answer would be brave – how else could they tackle the formidable fences at Burghley, Badminton and beyond? Bravery and boldness are crucial, otherwise you’d be lucky to make it halfway round any cross-country course.

Being brave is as much about being able to tackle fences as it is coping

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with atmosphere. But it’s a common misconception that bravery is born and not made. Like any other trait, you can create boldness in your horse, it just takes time, patience and the right approach to teach him to think about, rather than react to, something new or scary. And whether you dream of competing at Badminton or an unaffiliated one-day event, teaching your horse to be brave is a worthwhile use of your time.

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In the saddle

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Improve accuracy ➤ Clear fillers every time Our trainer

Tom McEwen is one of Great Britain’s most exciting young eventing talents. He represented Team GB at Pony, Junior and Young Rider levels, and was on Nations Cup teams at Aachen and Boekelo in 2017. The same season he was 4th at Burghley, riding Toledo de Kerser.

Our model

Tom rides seven-year-old Balleroy de Riverland who last year went from BE90level to Novice with eight top-10 finishes.

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The

fight against flu With thanks to the Animal Health Trust for their help with this feature, aht.org.uk

Would you know if your horse had flu? With many cases going unrecognised, scientist Adam Rash, from the Animal Health Trust, explains how to spot the signs and protect your horse

OUR EXPERT

Adam Rash PhD is a research scientist at the Animal Health Trust and is part of the equine influenza research team.

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E

quine flu is one of the most contagious diseases affecting horses. It’s caused by the influenza virus, which can be passed very easily from one horse to another, and it relies on being transmitted between horses to survive. The virus reproduces in your horse’s nose, throat and windpipe, and is spread when he breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can also be passed on by direct contact between horses and their handlers, so good hygiene is very important.

Equine flu is common, so most horses will come into contact with the disease at some point, but it isn’t always diagnosed and this could be due to a delay in owners calling their vet out or not recognising mild cases, especially in horses who have been vaccinated.

The warning signs

There are several signs of flu in horses, but those affected may only show one or two of them. They include…

• harsh, dry cough • raised temperature • laboured breathing • clear or white nasal discharge • enlarged lymph nodes in the throat • depression • lethargy • loss of appetite

Ask a vet

DID YOU KNOW?

All horses are at risk of flu, but those who are injured or already ill, very old or young, or those who haven’t had regular vaccinations are at higher risk.

DID YOU KNOW?

Flu symptoms usually appear 1–2 days after your horse has been infected and last for 1–2 weeks.

Immediate action

If you think your horse might be showing signs of flu, isolate him immediately to help prevent the disease spreading and call your vet as soon as possible. They’ll take a swab from his nose and blood samples to confirm the infection. If flu is diagnosed, it’s important that your horse receives plenty of fluids to keep him hydrated and he may be given non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to help reduce his temperature. You’ll also need to monitor him carefully to make sure there are no complications, such as pneumonia, developing. It’s sensible to isolate horses who’ve been in contact with him, too, in case they’re now incubating the disease.

Recovery time

It takes time for the lining of your horse’s respiratory tract to fully recover after a flu infection. During his recovery, it’s important that he’s not put under any stress or strenuous exercise because it’ll put him at risk of developing other respiratory infections. A good rule of thumb is for every day that your horse had a raised temperature, he’ll need at least a week off work.

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