FEED PLUS S RIDER TOP FROM ING TRAIN ! N I W The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly
Issue number 579 May 2018 n Effective cross-country schooling n Equine allergies – vet’s guide n Flatwork for flexibility n Catching problems solved n Happier hacking n Gear guide n Manual therapies
10
MINUTES
CHARLOWTITTH DUJARDINE
FREE DVD
Answers t o qu you’ve alw estions wanted to ays ask
effective
CROSSCOUNTRY SCHOOLING S FROM KITTY KING
£4.25
MAY 2018
TOP TIP
MINUTE MAKEOVER Look great straight from the yard
FLATWORK
Happier
FOR FLEXIBILITY
Free up your horse’s body
HACKING Prepare your horse
GEAR GUIDE
119
MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS
for every situation EQUINE ALLERGIES VET’S GUIDE
CATCHING PROBLEMS
SOLVED
MANUAL THERAPIES
Could they benefit your horse?
● Matchy-matchy se ts ● Leather headcolla rs ● Country boots
AND MUCH MORE
In this feature. . .
➤ Create
a more flexible horse
p o h s y d o b The
O S R O T S I H E HOW TO MOV Greenwood n a D r e id r e g g ries, dressa ility by makin In our new se b a e id r te a e r dy w to c area of his bo shows you ho e n o , le b ta s ore adju your horse m rso st up is his to at a time. Fir
Our expert
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.
As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Jon Stroud
Our models
Steve Caley rides his own Indie, a five-year-old mare by Florencio. Steve backed and produced Indie himself, and is a working pupil for Dan, assisting in the training of the yard’s youngsters. 22 HORSE&RIDER
H
ow many times have you heard or read the phrase ‘an independent seat’? It’s one of those holy grails of riding and rightly so – if you have an independent seat you can use each part of your body, and its corresponding aids, more effectively. This means you’ll be able to give your horse
a series of clear cues that will help him understand what you want him to do. Not only is this an important skill for riders, it’s also a key building block in your horse’s training. Dressage is about being able to move his body without sacrificing his freedom of movement, impulsion and suppleness. To do this, you need to be able to ride each part of his body separately.
➤
In the saddle
➤ How
lateral work can help ➤ Make him more responsive
HORSE&RIDER 23
In this feature. . .
➤ How
to structure schooling sessions
Cross training As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Bob Atkins. With thanks to Toggi for their help with this feature, toggi.com
Eventer Kitty King explains how to develop a secure position and an adjustable canter to help you achieve cross-country success
34 HORSE&RIDER
In the saddle
➤ Develop
a safe, effective position ➤ Train an adjustable canter
W
hen you take your horse crosscountry schooling are you unsure how to structure your session? Or do you just pop around fences well within your comfort zone, never really challenging yourself? Knowing how to safely and productively test your own and your horse’s limits while schooling is tricky, and it can be intimidating to try to plan a training session over fixed fences without the input of an instructor. However, avoiding cross-country schooling altogether isn’t the solution, because practice is key to feeling comfortable and confident when you’re competing. Because it’s not always possible to ride under the watchful eyes of an instructor, being able to take responsibility for yourself is vital. The key is to make a practical plan and break up your session into manageable parts. A productive warm-up and some time spent developing a secure position will give you the basics you need to enjoy a safe, fun and constructive schooling session.
OUR EXPERT
Kitty King is the first eventer to represent Great Britain at every level from Pony through to Senior teams. She competed at the 2018 Rio Olympics with her top horse, Ceylor LAN.
OUR MODEL
➤
Kitty rides Drewmain Firefly, a seven-year-old competing at Novice level. He finished third in the Young Horse CIC* Championship in 2017.
Practice is the key to feeling comfortable and confident when you’re competing
➤ HORSE&RIDER 35
Our expert
Photos: Jon Stroud. With thanks to Anna Haines for her help with this feature, equinebehavioursolutions.co.uk
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.
Catch me
if you can
The key to catching your horse every time is gaining his trust and building his confidence. Equine behaviourist Anna Haines sets you up for success with her step-by-step plan
H
aving a horse who’s difficult to catch can be hugely frustrating. Instead of being able to ride or spend quality time with him, you end up walking endless laps of his paddock, watching his bottom disappear into the distance whenever you get close to him. As well as disrupting riding plans, it can add extra stress to farrier and vet appointments, as you’re never quite sure whether you’ll have got the headcollar on him by the time they’re due to arrive at the yard. The good news is there’s a lot you can do to teach your horse that being caught isn’t so bad and by following some simple steps, you may even find that he greets you with enthusiasm.
56 HORSE&RIDER
Mind matters
Detective work
The first step to coming up with a solution is understanding your horse’s motivation for carrying out this behaviour. When a horse doesn’t want to be caught, there can be several possible causes, so you’ll need to put your detective’s hat on and work out which one applies in his case. Consider whether the behaviour... • happens every time you try to catch him or some of the time • coincides with when you want to ride • happens when he’s due to be stabled • only occurs when he’s turned out with others or with certain horses • is affected by the weather • happens before a vet or farrier visit – horses are intuitive and quick to recognise when something different is going to happen that they’re not comfortable with
➤
HORSE&RIDER 57