PONY Magazine – June 2015

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Why horses do

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what’s wrong quiz!

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Top summer hacking ideas

X – in th e sc ho ol !

0 6

-country

practice

Which type

of pony

suits you?

June 2015 £3.49 Issue 800

Real Life Experiences

“The stables a r e o n f i r e !“ “H ow wo uld I fa re at th e dr es sa ge ch am pio ns hip s? “

Cute posters

G i r l p o w e r ! U n d e r s ta n d i n g m a r e s

Cross-country

practicol!e - in the scho

rt Pa 1

Want to go cross country riding, but don’t have a course? Worry no more! Aussie Olympic eventing star Brook Staples shows you how to practise your cross country riding – in the school!

Our trainer: Australian-born event

rider Brook Staples has competed at the Sydney Olympics and is a British Eventing Accredited Trainer – so he’s pretty good!

Our models: Blaize and her pony Teddy.

Work on your pace

Do your prep!

it “To jump a cross-country course smoothly and safely, adjust to how – things two really helps to teach your pony says his canter stride and how to adjust himself to a jump,” the riding on more trate concen can you way, “That Brook. actual course!”

Blaize changes her position...

“Come forward out of the saddle to ride your pony more forward.”

Brook first asks Blaize to ride Teddy in a big circle in canter, varying the pace every 10 strides or so. “Your pony needs to be able to go forward, slow down, then go forward again, all within the same balance,” Brook says. “Then when you make changes in a jumping round they don’t become enormous, they’re just adjustments.”

Changing the pace also gets your pony listening to you, so it’s great prep for any jumping you want to do.

... to change Teddy’s stride.

“Sit into the saddle, drop your feet down into the stirrups and lift your hands a little to slow down, so you’re using your position to change the pace.”

A good approach

A balanced approach

When you’re approaching a fence, you want a nice balanced canter with the pony looking at the fence, but not rushing into it. Brook says it’s best not to approach from too far away – turn into a fence from about six or seven strides away for the best chance of keeping your pony balanced. And if your pony gets very excited about jumping, circle away from the fences until he settles down.

Words: Alison Bridge Photos: Louise Siggers Solheim.

8

On the turn

Brook likes riders to use their position, rather than just their hands, to turn. “Once you start pulling his mouth, your pony resists and becomes flat. When you canter around a corner, sit up, slow down and show your pony around the turn, rather than pulling him around, so he stays nice and balanced.”

Starting with a cross-pole...

Pony and rider in harmony

use the cross!

To get pupils started jumping in the school, Brook uses a cross-pole. “They’re good because the pony jumps them in the middle – or they should jump them in the middle!” he says. Blaize jumps the cross poles well.

... but that’s not straight!

uh oh!

Now Teddy starts veering to the right of the jump – not what you want on a cross-country course. You need to be able to ride the best line over the jump, especially when it comes to more complicated combinations.

ss Progrethis at right angles to , Brooke places two poles To correct can l for Teddy. Even so, you the jump, forming a channe e. tur pic e to the right in this see he is still jumping a littl

That’s much better!

believes: “If

about seeing a stride? Brook seeing What you start looking for a stride, it’s never there! If approach in an unbalanced canter, you’ve got a stride you to take off pretty well from just the right spot.

But if you ride a nice, balanced canter to the fence, it’s not so critical where you take off, and nine times out of 10 a stride will come up!”

Next month Learn how to tackle cross-country challenges such as related distances and corners.

9

Hacking basics l Make certain you are capable of riding in the open on your pony. It’s a no-brainer! l Always hack with a friend or a group, never alone. l Make sure someone at the yard knows where you are going, and how long you intend to be. l Wear appropriate clothing for the weather. You can get lightweight, ventilated riding hats for summer, and long sleeves on t-shirts make sense if you are riding in the sun. l Wear suncream or sunbloc – and this goes for your pony if he has any pink bits which may burn if he’s unprotected. l Don’t forget the fly repellent! l When the ground is like concrete, treat it like concrete! You wouldn’t canter your pony on the road, so only canter if the going is good. l Keep to bridleways and places you know you are allowed. Going off-piste may seem tempting, but you may be trespassing, all the same.

Summer is the Follow my der perfect time to Not lea all ponies like going in front, and some hate going do something behind ! Use your hacks different. What to vary who goes where, to get your ponies used to about these? going first and last. If they object don’t get into a fight. Just ease slower ponies towards the front, taking it in stages. Drop whizzy ponies behind just a little until they relax. Ask for just a little more each time and they’ll be behind without knowing it!

Practise your forward-seat Hacking in straight lines is the perfect opportunity to shorten your stirrups and go into your forward, cross country position. Your legs will ache, and your balance will be wobbly, but practising in short bursts (then longer bursts) will strengthen muscles and make you an expert!

Begin in trot, then progress to canter!

Make the most of

summer hacking!

10

Summertime is perfect for lovely hacking. Here are some ideas to make the most of them!

Ride in pairs - or more! pathway or fields Why ride in single file? If the or threes – or even rs, pai in are wide enough, ride r ability to vary your more. This can improve you n’t all go at the same pony’s pace as the ponies wo in a straight line – or ng speed. Can you all ride alo hind leg? ’s dog a does it look more like

Hunt for treasure Is there a group of you at the yard? Organising a treasure hunt can be good fun. Make a list of things for riders in pairs to find. These could include several different flowers (common, not rare!), some grasses and leaves.

Make sure none are poisonous. The first pair back home with everything are the winners.

Long ride, anyone?

Planning a ride which is longer than the usual hour or so can be interesting for both ponies and riders. If your ponies wear a heacollar under their bridles, and you hang a curled-up rope from your saddle, you can all have a breather half-way. Why not take a picnic along – and don’t forget apples for the ponies!

do you see what I see?

on horseback – and Good old I-Spy can be played nt look at the ere diff it’s a great way to take a may not have You . ride you ich countryside in wh izon, or that sign in noticed the church on the hor keep to the paths. the trees telling everyone to on yourself or your ing Top tip – spying someth riders convinced you’re pony may be overlooked by landscape! looking at something in the

Simon says Take time to school est out hacking is a Popping in the odd schooling requ the move. How about on – y good way to educate your pon and go sideways leg r you from asking him to move away on the forehand when along the bridlepath? Or turning a different direction? Even you take a break, so he is facing and making transitions at just stopping at certain points, way to school without the d goo designated trees can be a in the school. pressure associated with being

Remember that party game, Simon Says ? One of you becomes Simon, and everything they suggest, you all have to do. So Simon may say stan d up in your stirrups, or touch your pony’s left ear, or ride with your reins in one hand. Take turns to be Simon.

Whatever you do out hacking this summer, make sure it’s fun for you – and your pony!

11

Duggie asks:

What’s

WRONG

here?

Wanna test your stable managem ent knowledge? Take a look at these pic s (starring me, mos tly). Something ha s gone a bit wrong in each of them, but can you tell what it is, and how to fix it?

2.

1.

Here I am being loaded into a trailer ready to go and win every class at a show, most likely. But what is a bit dodgy here?

Problem................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Solution ................................................................

This one actually isn’t me at all, it’s Soloman, and Penny wants to catch him and go for a ride. What’s the problem?

Problem................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Solution ............................................................... .

3.

4.

Here’s me pretty keen for my dinner!

Problem?

Problem................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

I look like I’ve just woken up from a snooze. Is something a bit funny here?

Problem................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Solution ............................................................... .

Solution ............................................................... .

5.

Look out! It might be time to go for a ride. But something isn’t quite right...

Problem................................................................

24

6.

Someone’s put my bridle on, and made a right mess of it. Right?

Problem...................................................

7.

Don’t I look stunning? I’ve been getting a good groom, but it’s gone a bit downhill.

What’s the problem?

Problem.................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Why is it a problem? ..............................

Why is it a problem? ............................

Solution ............................................................... .

Solution ..................................................

Solution .................................................

25 1. Problem = I’m being lead into the trailer all wonky!

Why it’s a problem = I can’t see where I am going from this angle so I’m likely to get all confused and not go in at all.

Solution = My handler needs to start again, and reapproach the ramp on a straight line from a few paces away.

2. Problem = The headcollar straps and lead rope are trailing.

Why it’s a problem = It could scare Soloman, and Penny is unprepared to catch him.

Solution = Gather up the lead rope and hold both in the crook of your arm as you approach.

3. Problem = Penny is hesitating and letting me put my nose in the feed bucket.

Why it’s a problem = I’m being taught bad manners. I should wait until my feed is in the manger.

Solution = Penny should enter the stable square on, be purposeful and act quickly. We ponies are hungry don’t you know!

....../20

4. Problem = My headcollar is around my neck but still tied to the wall, not on my head (FYI it’s called a headcollar for a reason, come on people!)

Why it’s a problem = I’m not very secure like this, and I could break free or hurt myself – much less likely if it was on properly.

Solution = Put the headcollar on my head! Duh! Or if you’re putting on a bridle, unfasten the rope from the wall.

15 or more correct You’re a pony care master! I would definitely feel safe in your care. At least I could count on you to feed me a treat properly!

Keep up the good work!

8-14 correct You’re getting there, although I wouldn’t quite feel safe in your care just yet. Keep practising caring for ponies as much as you can and take note of how your instructor does things!

0-7 correct Ohhhh dear, you need to start cramming with pony care tips, pronto! Check out all the step-by-step features in past issues of PONY, and put all you learn into practise!

Solution ................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Problem................................................................

10.

Oh look, it’s Soloman again, just scoffing all my grass! Fortunately for me, Penny has decided to catch him.

Can you spot some trouble here?

5. Problem = Penny has left the gate open.

Why it’s a problem = I could run straight past Penny and out of that open gate – now there’s a problem for you!

Solution = Close the gate behind you. Easy!

6. Problem = My cavesson noseband has been done up over my bit.

Why it’s a problem = This could be very uncomfy and cause my bridle or bit to rub my face. It could also obstruct the use and effectiveness of the bit.

Solution = Undo my noseband and do it up correctly, with it threaded underneath the cheekpiece.

7. Problem = My handler is standing directly behind me while grooming my tail.

Why it’s a problem = I could find this strange or scary, or if I am a bit sleepy, mistake her for another pony and kick out. I wouldn’t mean to, but it would hurt!

Solution = Stand to the side of your pony’s back end so that if he does kick out, you’ll be out of harm’s way.

Solution ................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Problem................................................................

9.

Here’s me being taken for a stroll.

My handler decides we need to turn around. Hmmm, I think there could be a problem, do you?

8. Problem = My friend is clenching her hand Why it’s a problem = I can smell the treat so I know it’s there! I might try to get it the only way I know how, to bite at it!

Solution = Hold your palm out flat with your fingers together and thumb tucked in, with the treat in the centre of your palm.

9. Problem = My handler is turning me around her.

Why it’s a problem = I am less balanced and less under control than if I am turned away from my handler. Plus, I could tread on her toes.

Solution = Turn a pony away from you and stay on the outside of the turn.

10. Problem= Soloman might not have seen or heard Penny.

Why it’s a problem = She could give him quite a fright, which could leave her in danger of being kicked.

Solution = Approach a pony towards his shoulder where he can see you.

Solution ................................................................

Why is it a problem? ............................................

Problem................................................................

8.

I’ve obviously been very well-behaved as my human friend has decided to feed me a treat, yum! But hang on, is this right?

Check your answers! Give yourself one point for spotting a problem and one point for knowing why it is a problem!

How did you do?