Horse&Rider Magazine – March 2018

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Pilates

LYMPHANGITIS

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VET’S GUIDE

Ride better Feel stronger Protect your body from injury

B anish

How to de-stress before you ride

JUMPING SPOOKBUSTING essentials

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Mar 2018

RIDING WORRIES

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Issue number 576 March 2018 n Perfect polework – 8 great exercises n Pilates for riders n 4 easy ways to boost impulsion n Joint health guide n Banish riding worries n On test – wet weather breeches

t c e f r Pe

Joint health

GUIDE

• Help him stay sound • Management tips and tricks

Keep calm JUMPING AND CARRY ON

Achieving a clear round isn’t easy, but it’s even harder when your horse sees a monster hiding behind every fence. Spookbust your showjumping with H&R’s essential guide

B

coloured etween the brightly , wacky ers fill ed rn poles, patte eclectic fence dressings and owjumping arena furniture, a sh tially ten po course is full of spook to rse ho ur yo terrifying things for is he ly on t no , lks sta at. If his eyes are on to him ing at you’re ask distracted from wh les, po k oc kn to re likely do, but he’s also mo t. ou nru or have a refusal or are naturally more While some horses the , spookiness is often nervous than others s an me is Th e. perienc result of a lack of ex , confident round is lm ca a to y ke e th that nty – luckily, there’s ple preparation at home e th e or ign ur horse you can do to help yo the job in hand. on us foc d an s monster

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In the saddle

1. Help him acclimatise

2. Increase the difficulty

Once your horse is used to the new additions in the arena and can calmly school around them, put the fences down so they’re poles on the floor and ride over them. Keep praising and reassuring him, and ride positively by keeping your leg on.

Make sure your hands are forward so you don’t accidentally pull him in the mouth if he shies or cat-leaps.

Gradually raise the poles to create small fences, increasing the height as your horse settles. Once he’s able to TOP TIP jump each one without Fit a neckstrap if your too much trouble, turn horse is inclined to be them into a small course. spooky so you’ve got some extra security.

Put up a few fences in the arena at home, doing your best to make them look as interesting as you can – this could mean putting in fillers or using safe items from around the yard as fence dressings. Don’t aim to jump anything at first, but simply school your horse in-between and around the fences, starting off further away and gradually getting closer as he settles. Use your voice and scratch his withers to reassure him, and distract him with simple exercises – having to listen to you will help take his mind off what’s going on around him.

If he wants to investigate or sniff something, let him do so. However, TOP TIP he may startle himself, so have a Round up your friends to loose rein and keep your body watch you school over fences – relaxed. Hook your fingers in this will help you and your horse get your neckstrap or martingale used to performing for an audience. strap and keep your heels down Plus, you’ll have helpers on hand so you’re secure in the saddle. to help change the fences for you.

3. Repetition is key

Ride through the same course for several sessions until your horse is totally confident. You may find that after not seeing the fences for a day or two he returns to his spooky ways, so be prepared to go back to the beginning and build up until he’s remembered there’s nothing to be scared of.

Once he’s mastered your course, move the fences around or add in some different elements – the more things he sees at home, the less likely you’ll be caught out at a competition. As before, ride around them to start with and slowly build up to jumping.

DIY FILLERS

If you don’t have any fillers at home, . Feed bags and bales of hay or ovise impr bedding work well, or look for other items around the yard that might be suitable.

Try cutting the top and bottom off an old two feed bag to make a tube, then slide it over You . them een poles so it fills the space betw length may need two or three bags to cover the nt preve to taut re they’ sure make – of the poles over rug flapping. Alternatively, drape an old the your poles, but remember to weigh down edges.

DIY ARENA FURNITURE AND FENCE DRESSINGS

Festoon your fences with tinsel and other old Christmas decorations, flags and cheap flowe rs from the garden centre – the more weird and wonderful, the better! You can also scatter larger items around the arena to mimic arena furni ture.

TOP TIP

If your horse isn’t used to it, jumping indoors or under floodlights can add an extra level of scariness. Factor this into your preparations so you aren’t caught out.

4. Get out and about

When your horse is confident at home, take him to local venues that hire out their showjumping courses, particularly those where you plan to compete in the future. A schooling session there will help him acclimatise to the strange environment and different fences without the pressure of competing. Go with a friend and their calm horse, who can demonstrate to yours that there’s nothing to worry about.

When he gets a bit braver, arrange for a lesson at the venue with your instructor. Alternatively, check out training clinics, where he’ll still have the benefit of some buddies around to boost his confidence.

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Relax, ride,

repeat For many of us, spending time with our horses is a way of leaving behind the stresses of daily life. But what happens when stress finds you at the yard? H&R investigates techniques to help you relax 56 HORSE&RIDER

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e’ve all been a victim of stress at some point in our equestrian lives, whether it’s nerves in the run-up to a competition, fear as a result of a bad fall or simply feeling overwhelmed by the feat of juggling your horse with all the other commitments in your life. But what can you do to resolve the situation and begin to feel more positive about your time at the yard?

It’s likely that your go-to de-stressing technique involves a moan to a friend or partner over a glass of wine, or sprawling on the sofa watching a few episodes of your latest TV addiction – or all of the above. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can easily do if stress strikes at the yard, although a hip flask and a good internet connection mean it’s not totally out of the question. However, learning a few simple stress-busting techniques can make everything much more bearable.

Mind matters

WHAT IS STRESS?

We’ve all heard of stress and it’s a term that gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean?

Stress is the body’s natural response to a threatening situation – it’s what your horse experiences when he spooks at a plastic bag flapping in the hedge, for example. In both humans and horses, stress floods the body with chemicals, including the hormone cortisol, to prepare it for fight or flight. In some cases this can be life-saving – think of your horse and the incredibly dangerous plastic bag – but when the situation is beyond your control, it can become emotionally and physically damaging.

Spot the signs

There’s no medical definition for stress, but it’s generally caused by situations or events that put you under pressure and your ability to cope with them. If you find something difficult to cope with or lose control of a situation, it’s likely to cause you stress. This could include moving to a new yard, tackling something with your horse that you find scary, or caring for him when he’s ill or injured.

It’s possible that you’re suffering from stress without even realising it, so it’s important to be able to spot the

signs so you can begin to tackle the problem. Here are some of the common symptoms...

• low energy or lethargy – you may struggle with your usual schooling session or need to take a break while mucking out • a rapid heart rate and fast, shallow breathing – just looking at a course of jumps makes your heart feel as though it’s beating out of your chest and you’re close to hyperventilating • an upset stomach – you might feel sick in the run-up to a

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•

•

competition or at the thought of going for a hack on your own tense muscles – you may notice you’ve got sore shoulders or an aching back while you’re riding or doing yard work feeling overwhelmed – does the thought of going to the yard or getting in the saddle feel too much to cope with? over-reacting to situations – you may find yourself shouting at your horse for a simple mistake or feeling close to tears when something goes wrong

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HORSE&RIDER 57

The low-down on

lymphangitis Finding your horse with a hugely swollen leg can be a shock. Vet James Prutton, from Liphook Equine Hospital, explains how treating lymphangitis in the early stages can prevent it escalating into something much more serious

Our expert

Photo: Bob Langrish. With thanks to Liphook Equine Hospital, liphookequinehospital.co.uk

James Prutton BSc (Hons) BVSc DipACVIM DipECEIM MRCVS is an Internal Medicine Specialist at Liphook Equine Hospital.

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t some point, most of us have walked into our horse’s stable in the morning to be confronted with a totally unexpected fat leg. Fortunately, it’s usually a minor issue that can be easily resolved, but occasionally it’s a sign of something more serious.

A common reason for this type of swelling is lymphangitis – inflammation of the vessels of the lymphatic system – which results in fluid build-up in the leg. Potential causes range from something as simple as standing in the stable for too long to a serious underlying bacterial infection.

The lymphatic system

When your horse’s blood pumps round his cardiovascular system, the capillaries allow the plasma it contains to diffuse through their walls and into the surrounding tissues. This causes

the blood to lose more fluid than it absorbs. To counteract this, his lymphatic system brings the lost fluid back to his circulatory system.

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that start as small as tiny capillaries and get progressively larger, culminating in two vessels the size of veins as it nears the circulatory system. The vessels gather fluid from your horse’s body, then the fluid is pushed along them by his muscles during movement. The vessels all contain valves to prevent the fluid flowing back. When the fluid reaches the two main vessels at the end of the lymphatic system, it empties into veins through one-way valves, where it recombines with the blood.

Lymph nodes form part of your horse’s lymphatic system and they are small glands that filter the fluid to remove bacteria or other infectious agents before it returns to the blood.

DID YOU KNOW?

Because your horse’s leg has limited muscles below the hock or knee, it can make drainage of the lower leg very difficult.

62 HORSE&RIDER

Ask a vet

Signs of trouble

The signs of lymphangitis can vary dramatically from a mildly swollen limb, all the way through to your horse being unable to weight bear on the affected leg due to the pain. Initially his lower leg will swell, and it may be hot and painful.

As the condition progresses, the swelling will become larger and firmer, and move up his leg. The discomfort when walking and when the leg is touched will become worse, and often his whole leg is hot.

Occasionally the fluid and skin become infected, and if this happens your horse may seem depressed, have a reduced appetite and develop a high temperature.

Make the call

If you think your horse may have lymphangitis, call your vet as soon as possible, because the longer it’s left, the more difficult it can be to treat. While you’re waiting for your appointment, make sure his leg is clean, paying particular attention to any wounds or abrasions to reduce the risk of infection.

You can help your horse by walking him in-hand, as long as he’s not very lame, and cold hosing the affected leg, provided there are no wounds.

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HORSE&RIDER 63