Horse&Rider Magazine - Spring 2023

Walk this way

PART ONE

Want to improve your horse’s flatwork pace by pace? Dressage master Matt Hicks walks us through how to get the best out of the slowest gait

Walk is the pace horses spend most time in, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to achieve the walk you want under saddle or in competition. Whether your horse is blessed with an impressive, ground-covering step or has a more earth-bound, choppy stride, there are always elements that can be improved. Spending time focusing on walk will not only help you earn those elusive double marks for your free walk on a long rein in a test, but it will also allow you to teach your horse the fundamentals he needs to be successful in the trot and canter.

As a result, the walk is a natural place to start your work. I’ve developed three exercises for you to incorporate into your schooling sessions to help bring out the best in your horse’s walk.

The perfect walk

When we think of an ideal walk, we’re looking for…

• a clear, four-beat rhythm

• as much overtrack as possible

• an active, purposeful gait that doesn’t look laboured

• adjustability within the pace

In this feature. . . ➤ Power up your walk ➤ Improve connection

As told to Keira Boyle Photos: Jon Stroud

➤ Earn top marks for your free walk

Our expert

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.

TOP TIP

For an idea of what to strive for in the ultimate walk, browse video clips of professional riders competing and compare the action and ground cover of their walks and free walks to your own horse.

In this feature. . . ➤ Maximise your jumping space

Go small, think big

Worried that a small school is standing in your way of jumping success? Don’t be –you can pack a serious punch in a compact arena, as eventer Georgie Campbell explains

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to a full-sized jumping arena, but with some creative thinking and a smart use of the available space, you can maximise what you have and produce a horse who’s easy and adjustable in any size space.

Our expert

Our models

Georgie Campbell (née Strang) is a British team rider and CCI5* competitor. She competes and trains from her family farm outside Tunbridge Wells, Kent, which she shares with husband Jesse, who’s on the New Zealand squad. In 2022, she had a decisive win in the CCI4*-L at Lignières, riding Global Quest.

Amy Miller picked up the 15.2hh, 12-year-old No Way Back as a cheap-andcheerful prospect, taking a gamble on her. Luckily, the mare has no shortage of talent and Amy’s now keen to direct the mare’s focus, encouraging her to slow down and think as she tackles courses.

As told to Tilly Berendt.

Photos: Jon Stroud

➤ Get your horse thinking ➤ Improve accuracy on a course

Work smarter, not harder

Your warm-up routine isn’t just about getting your horse’s muscles prepared for harder work – it’s also about laying the foundations for what you want to achieve in your session in a simple, low-pressure way.

Figure-of-eights and serpentines in walk and trot are perfect for encouraging lateral suppleness and relaxation because they’re repetitive, easy and allow you to split your time between each rein – having jumps set up in the arena is all the better. Some horses hot up from the moment they spot a fence, so having jumps around while you’re riding on the flat is very helpful – you can work around them and your horse will soon learn to forget about them.

TOP TIP

If your horse tends to tighten when you pick up canter or approach poles or fences, keep your leg on and check your contact. It should be stable and secure, so you can ride him into it and give him confidence. You can also try using take-and-release to help encourage softness, especially if he’s keen.

Our expert

Believe in yourself

What is impostor syndrome and how does it a ect riders? Alison Buttery looks at this all-too-common condition and the various ways to overcome it

If you’re su ering from feelings of self-doubt, insecurity or that you’re a fraud, it could be you’re su ering from impostor syndrome. The condition is recognised as a psychological phenomenon and is a challenge faced by many riders, even when there’s plenty of evidence to show their fears are unfounded.

Impostor syndrome can lead you to feel anxious, stressed and fearful, which can then a ect your decisions, actions

and, ultimately, how much enjoyment, fun and fulfilment you experience when riding – and that is not a good place to be.

So, how do you know if you have impostor syndrome and is there anything you can do about it? The good news is that it’s absolutely possible to overcome impostor syndrome. But, before you start on your mission to do just that, the first step is to examine exactly how you’re thinking and identify areas that are giving rise to those negative feelings about yourself.

Alison Buttery is a certified mindset and confidence coach, a BHS APC senior coach and an experienced rider, who specialises in helping riders overcome their nerves. She’s also the Founder of The Everyday Equestrian.

Photos: Jon Stroud

Classic ‘impostor’ features

Inadequacy or self-doubt

Riders who su er with impostor syndrome may think that they’re not as capable or qualified as others, and this is often compounded by comparing themselves negatively to other riders. A common place to find this is in the collecting ring at shows when, all of a sudden, it can seem as if all the other horses and riders are so much better, even if it’s patently untrue.

A rider may have a fear that they will be discovered as a fraud and ‘found out’. Often this is strongly linked to a lack of self-worth and not feeling good enough – although that in itself is essentially meaningless without some kind of standard to measure yourself against, which leads us to the next feature of the syndrome.

Perfectionism

A rider with impostor syndrome may set extremely high, often unrealistic, expectations and standards for themself. They believe they have to be perfect in order to be successful. In this situation, the rider will usually be extremely self-critical and have highly negative (sometimes, downright unkind) conversations going on in their head, which then makes them feel even worse.

DID YOU KNOW?

Riders will often create personal barriers that prevent them from doing things or feeling good about themselves or their achievements. This, in turn, creates di culties where there really shouldn’t be any.

It’s absolutely possible to overcome impostor syndrome