PONY Magazine – July 2015

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NO1NY O

PAGAZINE M

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pony

erasers!

Be your pony’s

BFF!

UK only

The historic Caspian horse

COLIC! Could you cope?

It’s Pony Club

Camp time!

Try mounted games!

p m ase! u e h t i w s r e n r o Jc

Real Life Experiences

“I rode in our PC M u s i c a l R i d e !“ te “I ri de an d co m pe “ in Th ai la nd !

Cute posters

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770032 425188

July 2015 £3.49 Issue 801

Fizzy pony? Top calming solutions

Get your

nd to ignore o you find ponies tealways trying your aids? Are you Do you feel ons? to keep up on less d about asking rie or w d an nervous, you want? It ponies to do what lem – your leg could be a leg probrginia Shirt. problem, says Vi

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legs working!

What’s the problem?

biggest Question: What do you think might be the problem riders have with their legs?

Answer: That they forget to use them! legs, Not only do novice riders forget to use their if they feel them use to e refus ly cious cons often they , for example. vulnerable – when riding a naughty pony

Leg aids - when?

We use our leg aids from the moment we mount our pony until the moment we dismount! I know, I bet you are very surprised to hear this. We should use our leg aids throughout our session and we should not cease until we are back on the ground again. Think about it, you never stop using your reins in one way or another so why would you stop using your legs?

Golden rules about legs l Always use your legs before your hands. Nudge to generate energy first, and then steer. Without the energy, you have nothing to steer! l The hands must never be used with more pressure than the legs. l Always be aware that ponies have very sensitive mouths that feel pain just as we do. l Train your pony to respond to a mere whisper of the leg aids (and hand aids). l A pony with energy created by your leg aids will be easier to control and direct. Fact!

who’s in charge?

When you first sit on a pony he will take only a few minutes to suss you out. He will ask himself: l Is this a good rider? l Can this rider control me? l How stable is this rider in the saddle? l Can I take charge of this rider?

Yes, it will only take a very short time for the pony to sum up your ability and/or your conviction. If you fail to take charge during those vital minutes the whole of your ride will be compromised!

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Remember!

In a situation where you feel nervous about using your legs, it is even more vital to use them!

Watchpoint!

There is a differe nce between using your legs effectively (so that your pony takes notice) and nagging. Na gging is when riders just kick, without getting any response fro m the pony.

This actually en courages ponies to ignore the le g aids! If you’re going to use yo ur legs, make sure your pony responds!

Remember!

You don’t have to be an experienced rider to take charge – you just need a strong mental attitude. Are you determined? Or do you just sit there and wait for something to happen? It’s up to you to take charge!

How? A rider takes charge by doing just that, riding. It’s that simple. Once on your pony you must ride from the word go. No half-measures, no messing around, no self-doubt and no hesitation. The pony is there for you to ride and ride you must! So ask for some energy with your legs, and then decide how fast you want to go, and in which direction!

Remember! l Pulling on the reins without using your legs means you are only controlling your pony’s mouth! Wouldn’t you rather control the whole pony? You can if you use your leg and hand in unison! l Doing something is always better than doing nothing. You’re no longer helpless. Take charge! l Once you get your legs working, and your pony moving, you’ll find your confidence soars – and your pony’s confidence in you rises, too! Now you’re working as a team!

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! n o e Gam

mes but didn’t know ga ed nt ou m e m so ng yi tr d ie Ever fanc ideas so you can take Mounted games is e m so e ar re He t? ar st to re whe good training for you part this summer! and your pony!

DYK?

You can take up mounted games pretty early – the MGA Association runs Mini Mini competitions for young riders on the leading rein! If you have a willing pony, and you can train him to run straight, stop and turn on a sixpence and run beside you, you’re in with a shout!

Start local

Most gamers start out at gymkhana games at their local shows and get bitten by the mounted games bug! If you find you and your pony have an aptitude for this discipline, you’ll want to take it further. Here’s how!

Pony club gam es

The Pony Club has two sections – Junior (riders under 11) and Senior (riders under 15). Find out whether your branch has a mounted games team or teams, and see whether you can join in. Each year there are Area and Zone finals for branch teams – the winners make it to The Pony Club Championships and then to Horse of the Year Show! But many branches hold training days within each branch for mounted games, so ask your DC. Plus, there are friendly games organised, so you have more opportunities to get noticed!

Learning to vault is an essential skill!

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DYK?

Mounted Games all began when HRH Pri nce Philip suggested Horse of the Year Show held a fun competition for child ren on ordinary ponies. Th e first Mounted Game s Championship took place at the Show in 1957 – and that’s why it’s called the Prince Philip Cup!

G e t t in g on a b it ?

But what if you’re over The Pony Club limit of 14? Founded

by Norman Patrick in 1984, The Mounted Games Association of Great Britain has competing members ranging from four to 40! The object of the Association is To encourage friendship between young people of different nations, and this has led to the formation of the International Mounted Games Association – 22 countries in all are affiliated! In addition to competitions in Great Britain, teams are invited to compete at shows abroad and these trips are an exciting experience for many members of the Association.

Pony power!

Any pony can compete in mounted games! For both The Pony Club, and MGA, however, they must be ponies, so can be no bigger than 14.2hh. Mounted games ponies are trained to go from a standstill to a gallop, to stop and turn on a sixpence and respond quickly to the aids of the rider. Top ponies are highly valued and can change hands for a lot of money!

DYK?

Many games are played in teams

Ride r resp onsi bilit y

Okay, so we know what qualities a mounted games pony needs – but what about the rider? It’s the rider’s job to learn to vault on at speed (start at a slow pace!), to ensure they know the rules and can perform the necessary tasks quickly and accurately. Make a mistake and riders have to correct it before continuing, losing vital time.

Top riders hone their skills to ensure they never let their ponies down!

They need good hand-to-eye co-ordination, accuracy and a willingness to learn how to leap on and off their pony at speed – but don’t go it alone, learn how to with The Pony Club or MGA! Riders are also team players – and have great fun!

No whips or spurs are allowed in mounted games – competing ponies are trained to the highest standard!

DYK?

Both The Pony Club and MGA organise international games!

With World and European Championships, the MGA can offer the top riders and ponies the chance to represent their country!

Ready to get started? Find out more at www.pcuk.org and www.mgagb.co.uk

Top riders have great handto-eye co-ordination!

Turn the page to meet two mounted games experts, and read their top tips to achieve mounted games success!

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e b o t How s ’ y n o p r you

Connemaras Emma with some of the from her liberty team

BFF! Free rider Emma Massingale shares her bonding techniques with us, so you can make your pony your BFF!

Emma Massingale is a free rider based in Devon, with her team of horses and ponies. She works with her team at liberty, which means with no tack! She has been training horses for 17 years and specialises in starting youngsters and working with difficult ponies. Her training involves building a unique bond with a pony which is based on his trust in you.

Emma’s Philosophy Emma says, “Free riding is about showing the versatility and beauty of horses, never being satisfied with what you have, or can do, and always wanting to push the boundaries of what is possible. No reins, no rules, no limits! Simply for the love of horses!”

Don’t try this at home!

Emma has strong relationships with all her ponies

Become best friends Horses will always see us as humans – there is no way around it. The best way to bond with your horse is to be accepted as one of the herd.

Learning to be selfless and understanding that your relationship with your pony is a two-way street will help you. Think about what you can give back to your pony after he has worked hard in a lesson for you, for example. Would he enjoy a nice groom, to be turned out so he can have a good roll, or some quiet time alone in his stable where he can relax? Be prepared to give back and give your pony what he needs. We want our ponies to love us and want to work with us, so the sense of a fair deal is key.

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EM MA ’ S TIP S FOR BU ILD ING A BON D l Work at liberty. Emma works all her horses at liberty, which is a great way to build a strong relationship with any pony. Emma says, “Working at liberty is a great way to start because it builds a true bond. Horses and ponies enjoy it because they like playing and interacting with you.” l Care for your pony. If you are the one who feeds, rides, grooms him, mucks out his stable, changes his rugs, brings him in and out from the field etc, your bond will improve and strengthen. Be the one who does everything for him.

TRU ST TRI CKS Why not have a go at these bonding exercises with your pony?

Come to call

Teach your pony to come to you on command! Firstly, work your pony in a halter or headcollar. With a slack leadrope, take three steps back and ask your pony to come forward using his name or clucking. Once he has got the idea of this, try it with him loose (make sure you work in an arena or securely fenced space) and see if he’s got the idea! If not, return to using a headcollar for a while longer.

l Create contentment. The more content your pony is, the easier he can learn. If the herd is unsettled, it will have a knock-on effect to your pony and mean he is not relaxed. l Variety helps. Vary what you do in your riding.

Vary your hacking routes, activities and the length of time you ride for. Ponies enjoy different experiences, and the more experiences you have, the better your relationship will be.

Walk this way!

Follow the leader

TOP TIP !

TOP TIP!

Avoid us ing treats as rewards – your pon you want y to wan t to come to you, not just because he you’ve g knows ot food!

Reward with a n eck rub or a short bre ak.

Once your pony comes to you on command, see if he will follow you when you walk away. You can initially use a headcollar so he gets the idea.

If he does follow you but not very well or purposefully, turn and call his name and cluck to reinforce what you are asking.

Ponies are most content when turned out in even numbers and grouped together according to age and height.

Where is she taking us now?

Stay, now come!

When your pony is happily following you, you can ask him to stay where you put him, then come to call and follow you.

Put your pony in the position where you want him to stand. If he fidgets, put him back in position. This exercise takes patience and perserverence. Make sure you reward any effort.

Once he stays in position, walk away a short distance and ask him to come to you. When he does, turn and walk away, prompting him to follow you.

Practise these and you’ll be forming a fab bond wih your fave pony, even if you are not totally successful!

THE ISLAN D PROJE Ct During the month of June this year, Emma is planning to live on an uninhabited Irish island off the coast of the Connemara National Park, where she will spend one month with four Connemara ponies from her liberty team, and two new and unhandled Connemaras.

Emma will live in solitary existence with just the ponies for company! Her challenge is to work with, and ultimately back, two unhandled Connemaras completely at liberty. Emma will be tested to the limit, from her ability to live alone on a wild, exposed island, to her ponies’ trust in her.

She will attempt to create a relationship with the two unhandled ponies in just four weeks. She says, “Starting a horse at liberty is the perfect challenge. There is nowhere to hide, you can either do it or you can’t, there’s no shortcut, cheating or easy wins.”

The whole project will be filmed by a combination of cameras, ariel drones, island cameras and Emma herself with a GoPro and a handheld diary camera. Follow Emma’s progress on this exciting adventure by visiting her Facebook page and www.theislandproject2015.wordpress.com!

Next month

Find out if you and your pony are a perfect match!

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