Sports massage
Reiki
This type of massage is used to relieve Reiki is of Japanese origin and is tightness in a gentle and non-invasive healing muscles, method. The aim is to restore particularly in the balance of mind, body and the horse’s spirit. It works by the practitioner back, through a channelling energy flow, through technique called a process of hand positions either compression. on or near the body. It is performed with an open hand to apply pressure. Compressions help the fibres in tight muscles spread out, creating more space between them which improves blood flow and helps loosen the muscle. The treatment is very similar to human massage! Reiki can make the horse or pony feel very thirsty.
DYK
Common signs of muscle tightness:
● The head is lifted or carried high ● The back is hollowed when ridden ● Pony is very flat when jumping ● Pony trails his hind legs ● Pony is unhappy about being saddled
Acupuncture Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique. It works by stimulating the nervous system, which encourages chemicals to be released into the body, including endorphins, which make us happy! Pain may be eased, muscle spasms are relaxed and circulation is improved. Traditional treatment, called ‘dry needle’, is carried out by the acupuncturist inserting thin, sterile needles into the skin at specific points. There are variations of the treatment available, such as aqua- and electro-acupuncture.
DYK The needles are sometimes ‘twirled’ to increase stimulation.
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Alternative
A dummie Chiropractic
Is it painful?
Like most things, ponies will react differently to acupuncture, but the insertion of the needles is virtually painless. In fact, most horses become very relaxed and even sleepy!
This type of treatment is ideal for problems in the back and neck, which may develop after an injury or if the spinal column is restricted. For example, if a pony’s saddle doesn’t fit very well, it can cause muscle spasms, or the joints in the spine to become inflamed. The chiropractor will do a hands-on exam to look for muscle tightness or soreness. If any are found, they can be adjusted by putting pressure on the problem area through quick, firm pushes with the hands.
Take note!
This treatment can leave horses feeling a bit stiff for a day or two afterwards.
Rolf ing Rolfing involves the gentle movement of soft tissues that affect the bones and joints. Connective tissues can become stiff or fused in certain places. The technique of Rolfing is said to release this and helps align the body. The Rolfer uses her fingers, hands, knuckles and elbows to work the tissues in a horse or pony.
Herbal and homeopathic remedies
DYK Rolfing works well on horses that are ‘one-sided’.
These alternative treatments are based on natural ingredients and can help a variety of conditions from muscle soreness to skin irritation – and even behavioural problems. The remedies are usually in liquid or pellet form which are added to a pony’s feed as a supplement.
DYK Rolfing is also known as structural integration.
ve therapies
ies’ guide!
DYK The herbs tend to act slowly so it could take up to three weeks for results to show.
Have you ever wondered how alternative therapies can help our pony pals? Find out with our foolproof guide!
Magnetic therapy This treatment is used to help joints, so can be helpful for horses with laminitis or arthritis. It works by increasing blood flow around the body which eases general stiffness and soreness, and can be used on a daily basis to improve well-being. It works by fitting magnets to the horse which are usually built into boots, wraps or rugs.
Take note!
The length of time a horse should wear a magnetic item depends on the aim of use.
Remember! Only qualified and experienced practitioners should carry out treatment.
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Nottingham
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Meet the staff!
Jade is 18 and has been working at the SPC for years. Her favourite pony is Samson – he rescued her hat when it blew away, and brought it back to her! “Samson always says hello,” says Jade. 17-year-old Madeleine’s favourite pony is Creme Brulee. “He has such a cheeky little face and he comes running over when I call him!” she tells us. Andrew is studying history and politics at university and explains, “I come to the SPC for light relief! I’ve never ridden but I visited the SPC with the Young Farmers Club, and never left!” Prince William is Andrew’s fave pony. Helen is also 17, and her ambition is to study zoology on African reserves. Her mum met Rosemary, suggested Helen go to help out and she was hooked! “Hector is my fave pony,” Helen tells us. “I think he looks like a unicorn – especially when I twist his forelock into a horn! He’s the first pony I got to know, which makes him special.” 16-year-old Thomas has been working at the SPC for two years. “I used to ride Gordon and Teddy Bear – I love Teddy Bear,” he explains. When he’s not working at the SPC, Ben is studying architecture and design. Like his brother, Andrew, Ben has never ridden. “But I love Teddy Bear – mainly because he’s ticklish,” he laughs. “He is also nice and calm – and huggy,” he adds. At 17, Lucy has just started riding. “I love Nottingham,” she says, “because he’s very friendly.” Everyone else agrees that Nottingham loves Lucy! Bethany is the newest staff member – and at 14 she can still ride the ponies. She even rides Hector Moonbeam side-saddle!
Rosemary with her staff!
How it all started
Shetland Pony Club is the brainchild of Rosemary Gibson-Miller, whose daughter Camilla used to ride a Shetland pony called Billy to school! Their adventures are described in Rosemary’s delightful book, The School Trot. Set up in 2008, Shetland Pony Club has 18 equine residents – two of which are now retired. Cupcake keeps retired Parachute Regiment mascot Falkland company in the field, while the other ponies do the work!
Lots to do!
Rosemary is keen to ensure that Shetland Pony Club encourages young riders to be confident around ponies, and the youngest riders start at about two-and-a-half! Parents often accompany their children on the walks around the 40-acre farm in the Bluebell Woods and paddle in the river with the ponies. Rosemany offers own-a-pony mornings, where riders can be more handson with the ponies, a pony share scheme, gymkhana – and even a Shetland Pony Camp! All these activities couldn’t be run without the hard work of her amazing and enthusiastic weekend and holiday staff members!
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Gordon
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Samson
t Shetland Pony Club in Cobham, Surrey, are usually very young, the Club’s staff love the onies just as much! We went along to find out what it’s like to work with the Shetlands!
Best thing about Shetland Pony Club?
“The amazing atmosphere!” says Jade. “We’re like a family – and we’re involved in everything,” agrees Helen. “And we have a great time at Christmas when we all play out the nativity with the ponies,” laughs Thomas. “Prince William played King Herod last time,” says Andrew. “And Hector was the Angel Gabriel,” adds Ben “And it’s fantastic to take the ponies to the river – they love swimming!” Madeleine laughs.
Tweedy!
You’ll notice that all the staff at SPC wear smart tweed uniform!
The ponies (and staff) are a dab hoof (and hand) at Natural Horsemanship!
Worst thing?
“When it’s cold and windy!” says Thomas. “One year the roof blew off!” “Oh, and the ponies sometimes pull the fences apart,” says Bethany, “especially Samson!” “But even when it’s cold and wet, we still love coming up here and being with the ponies,” says Ben. And everyone agrees that the Shetlands don’t hurt much when they stand on your toes!
Out for a ride!
Click on to
ponymag.com for more pictures from Shetland Pony Club! 5
Real Life
w When Danny outgre y, on his beloved pony, Pethey ed in rm te he was de would still compete together!
d e p p a w s I’ve ! g n i v i r d riding for I
drive my Welsh Mountain pony Peony, who I used to ride before I outgrew her. My mum and I started breaking her to drive about a year-and-a-half ago, and began by long reining her. You can also train your pony to pull a tyre, as this means they get used to the weight and the noise behind them. To start with, to get them used to the noise, you get somebody else to pull the tyre! Now we drive Peony in a two-wheeled exercise vehicle, and are members of Bradbourne Carriage Driving Club.
On the marathon
IN AT THE DEEP END! Last year Peony and I entered our first novice driving one-day-event, run by Bradbourne. A driving event is a bit like a riding one so there are three phases, except instead of show jumping you drive through a course of cones, and instead of cross-country you do a marathon. The dressage is in an 80metre x 40metre arena, with the same letters as a long riding arena.
We drive Peony to a two-wheeled vehicle
The course of cones!
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PENALTY CONES
Immediately after you finish your dressage test, you go and do the cones course, where you drive between pairs of cones, called gates. You walk this at the beginning of the day and learn your way round, as you would if you were show jumping. The cones are 145cm apart, but the carriage wheels have to be 125cm apart, so it is quite a tight fit. The cones are specially made for driving trials, and have no base on the inside, so you can only run over the part you can see. The cones have balls balanced on the top, which fall to the ground if you hit the cones. The cones course is timed, and competitors get penalties every time a ball is knocked off. You also get penalties for exceeding the time allowed. This is a set time and you have to go quite fast to get under it.
r lunch!
king fo o o l y n o e P
ON TO THE MARATHON!
In the afternoon, you take part in the marathon. This is a course of roads, tracks and fields that you drive around, and there is an optimum time to finish in. This means you can get penalties for going too fast as well as too slow, like in endurance riding. On the way round the marathon, you tackle obstacles or hazards. The hazards have gaps marked with letters to drive through, and are usually made from wood or plastic fencing. Sometimes they are barrels or trees marked with letters. The gaps in the marathon obstacles are much further apart than the cones. You have to
drive through all the hazards in alphabetical order. The hazards are marked with red and white flags as well as letters, and you have to keep the red ones on your right and the white ones on your left, like in cross-country jumping. The obstacles are timed separately from the rest of the marathon, so the fastest time for these is the best. One of the marathon obstacles at the event we did was difficult because we drove in and out of a dried-up pond, but at some events the obstacles have water to drive through.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
We were thrilled to come second overall in the novice pony class, and did well not to get eliminated in the marathon, as lots of other people got eliminated for going the wrong way. We will definitely be doing more carriage driving events and also driven TREC!
Tacklin
g a...
... two -pa marath rt on haza rd!
Driving through the dried-up pond 55
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15/10/2013 16:12