PONY magazine – May 2017

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THE UK’S NO1 PONY MAGAZINE

Pippa Funnell’s schooling secrets

EPIC magazin INSIDE e

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Make

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Why we love mares

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May 2017 £3.49 Issue 825

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Top tip!

If you ride in large, op en areas, w not try pra hy ctising yo ur shapes?

You’ll need to be discip lined to make sure you ride th e shapes correctly a s you arena mark won’t have the ers to help you.

There’s loads you can do on hacks to make the most of your time in the saddle PONY magazine

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riding r u o y n i t n e d fi n d co Feeling secure an im for, and go od sa is what al rider impor tant to help rflatwork is supe ck out Pippa Funnel ’s he you achieve it. C your basics ing advice for bo ost

T

he first thing you might think of when you hear the term ‘confident rider’ is somebody storming round a cross-country course, but actually a confident rider feels comfortable in any situation, and this starts on the flat.

Plus, many of the skills needed for jumping are established from correct flatwork, so it’s superimportant to master it.

With thanks to Toggi and Champion for their help with this feature, toggi.com

Our expert

Pippa Funnell is an interna tional eventer who’s won two tea m silver and one individual bronze Oly mpic medals.

She’s been European cha mpion twice and is one of only two ride rs to have won the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, winning the three major fou r-star events back-to-back.

Our model

Piggy French is an international eventer and competes at four-star level. She’s won a European silver medal and was a member of Team GB at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

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PONY magazine

Sitting pretty

Having a secure position in the saddle not only means that you’re able to give your pony clear aids, but it also helps you to feel more stable when you’re riding.

It’s easy to blame your pony for problems with your position by thinking, ‘his bouncy trot pushes me forwards’ or, ‘he falls in, which tips me to the inside’, but most of the time the problems come down to your core strength and balance, as these are the two main things that help you

maintain a strong position.

Concentrating on your core strength will help you stay in balance with your pony as you’ll be able to support yourself rather than relying on him to carry you.

Remember to always sit up tall, look ahead, and pull your shoulders back and down to allow you to open up your chest and engage your stomach muscles. Doing this every time you ride and maintaining it will naturally help you strengthen.

It’s important to perfect your position

Did you know?

If your hips aren’t over your heels you won’t be able to stand up in your stirrups.

Position perfection

Elements of your position that are super-important to work on whenever you ride include... looking up and ahead in the direction you want to go, as looking down can cause you to tip forwards and pull you out of balance keeping your shoulders back so you stay sitting upright maintaining soft elbows so you can create a straight line to your pony’s bit. Locking your arms will cause you to lift your shoulders, which will affect your whole position keeping your hips over your heels at all times.

Think of an imaginary straight line being drawn between the two. This will ensure you’re always over your centre of gravity and in balance relaxing your knees. Gripping with them will cause you to lift your lower leg so your weight won’t be in your heels dropping your heels down – letting your weight fall into your heels will help you keep your leg secure and in the correct position

Top totwipatc! h you as you ridecaanndbe

round on slip. It d on the g your positi f o ts ing. n Ask a frien e m le ting on rid ow if any e concentra e ’r u o let you kn y n e ll wh hard to te

Why warm up?

Top tistrp!ength even

To boost your core some core more, practise doing e not riding. exercises when you’r

Warming up is really important for you and your pony to make sure you’re both happy and relaxed before you start schooling. Walk, trot and canter on both reins, and include lots of transitions and shapes to get your pony listening to you.

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your p e e k o t w o h Find out ith our w m a l g g n i k o lo pony shes u r b g n i m o o r g guide to e them and ho w to us

W

e all know that ponies love nothing more than having a roll in the muddiest part of the field! But giving him a good groom not only stops his tack from rubbing while you’re riding, but also helps keep his coat healthy.

Hoofpick

What it does... removes mud, dirt and stones from your pony’s hooves.

How to use it... use the hoofpick from heel to toe, being careful to avoid his sensitive frog area.

Dandy brush

What it does... removes dried-on mud and dirt.

How to use it... start at your pony’s neck, brushing in the direction of his coat. Pay close attention to where his tack and boots sit to make sure there’s no mud that could rub him, but be gentle on sensitive areas.

Body brush

What it does... gets rid of dust and scurf in your pony’s coat.

Plus, it helps work up a shine.

How to use it... start at his neck and work your way down his body using short strokes of the brush. Following the direction of his coat, brush firmly with each stroke to get him looking supershiny.

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PONY magazine

Top tip

Not sure how to pick out your pony’s hooves safely? Watch our handy how-to video at bit.ly/ hoof_picking.

Metal curry comb

What it does... removes dust and loose hair from your brushes.

How to use it... this tool should never be used on your pony! Hold it in the opposite hand to the body brush. Every few strokes, run the body brush across the teeth of the metal curry comb. Knock it gently against the floor to clean the dust out and stop it transferring back onto the body brush.

Mane comb

What it does... keeps your pony’s mane and forelock tangle-free.

How to use it... starting at your pony’s ears, comb his mane over so it sits neatly on one side. For any particularly tangled sections, work the knots out by combing from the ends of the mane and working your way up to the roots.

Rubber curry comb

Top tip

What it does... removes loose hair and gives him a massage.

How to use it... rub your pony’s coat in small, circular motions to lift up loose hair. Bang the brush on the ground to clean the hair from it every few strokes.

Use a detangling spray or gel on your pony’s tail to make it easier to brush through – it means fewer hairs are pulled out, and adds a shine, too.

Did you know?

Traditionally, a pony’s mane should fall on the right-hand side of his neck. If you want to train your pony’s mane to fall to the right, loosely plait it down and keep it plaited while he’s not being ridden. After a week or so, it should fall on the correct side.

Face brush

What it does... gently cleans dust and dirt from your pony’s face.

How to use it... untie your pony, leaving his leadrope through the bailer twine. Undo his headcollar and fasten the headpiece around his neck. Gently hold his face with your free hand and brush his face and ears, being careful around his eyes. Use your fingers to work out any stubborn, caked-on mud. Once you’ve finished, fasten his headcollar properly and tie him up again.

Top tip

For really stubborn mud, use a rubber curry comb or your fingers to work it out of his coat. Be gentle on boney areas to avoid hurting him.

Tail brush

What it does... removes bedding, leaves and dirt from your pony’s tail, and brushes out tangles.

How to use it... standing to the side of your pony, hold his tail in one hand and the tail brush in the other. Brush small sections of the tail at a time, leaving the detangled hair hanging loose and keeping hold of the tangled hair, until you’ve worked your way through the whole tail.

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