PONY Magazine - August 2022

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PONY

CCanter anter lleads e a d s explained!

Get Comp

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Epic tips!

Great

RIDING TO THE

NEXT LEVEL Meg Elphick’s

yard

routine

Esme’s e r a c k tac guide

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29 June – 26 July 2022

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riding l e v e N e xt l

Crack the

contact Give your riding the wow factor by asking for a contact

W

ant to boost your riding to the next level? Well, we’re here to help! In this series, we’ll be looking at how you can improve your riding skills so you can become better than ever, and impress anyone who might be watching! This month, we’re talking all things contact.

Riding your pony on a contact when you’re doing flatwork in the arena will not only make you both look like total pros, but it’s also good for him! Not sure where to begin? We’ve got all the tips.

IT? ATT IS IT? WH WHA

und on a contact is You might think riding aro h your pony’s neck wit – about looking pretty ked in – but that’s not arched and his head tuc t happens when strictly true! A true contac his hindquarters, m your pony’s powering fro es, lifting his back scl mu squeezing his tummy the same time. You’ll and feeling relaxed all at ng with keeping a need to use your legs, alo hands and your r steady feel between you reins. Still not sure the h pony’s mouth throug worry – we’ll break how to achieve it? Don’t r. things down even furthe

GET THE UPPER HAND First things first, we need to take a look at what you’re doing with your arms and hands. When asking your pony to work in a contact, there are a few things to think about, including your…

• elbows Keep them bent and by your sides • forearms & wrists Make sure they’re soft and relaxed • thumbs Check they’re on top and secure on the reins. That way, your reins won’t slide out of your hands and get too long!

• fingers They need to be soft and loose so you can use them in a sponge-like way later on – don’t be tempted to grip too hard!

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PONY magazine

ONE STEP AT A TIME Once you’ve made sure your hands and arms are doing what they should be, it’s time to ask your pony for a contact. You can do this in four simple steps…

1. Pick up an active walk and wrap your legs around your pony’s sides to keep him moving forward positively.

2. Sit up tall and squeeze your tummy muscles.

3. Make sure you have a good connection with your pony’s mouth down the rein, but don’t pull so much that he thinks you mean stop!

4. Widen your hands while keeping your elbows bent, and slightly rotate your wrist towards you while moving – or sponging – your fingers a little to encourage your pony to chew the bit and soften.

Keep asking in this way until you feel your pony start to lower and round his neck, drop his head and feel nice and light in your hands.

Once he does this, keep your hands super-still and hey presto! Your pony’s on a contact.

did you know?

Charlotte Dujardin describes the perfect rein contact as feeling like you’re holding your younger sibling’s hand as you cross the road – secure, but not too tight!

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Tack k c e h ch

This Esme shows you how to take great care of your tack

K

n eeping your tack in great conditio of risk at or and knowing it’s not worn give and er long last breaking will help it know you loads of confidence. We all tack our n clea larly regu to is it nt how importa you as it g ckin – but how carefully are you che ck che to how for go? Read my quick guide over your pony’s gear.

Saddle up

There are lots of areas to check on your saddle, but a great place to start is by feeling down the panels to check for lumps, which could indicate that the flocking inside has shifted – this will make it uncomfortable for your pony. You’ll also need to check the girth straps for wear, as they can rub the flaps. Look at the stirrup bars to make sure they’re secure and keep an eye out for any stitching that looks worn down.

It’s also a good idea to check the girth and stirrup leathers for wear. The stitching should be secure and the girth shouldn’t have changed shape at all, especially if it has padding.

Make sure the stirrup leathers are the same length, too, as they can stretch unevenly as you ride in them.

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TOP TIP

Don’t use heat to dry your tack if it gets really wet – leave it in the tackroom and give it a careful clean and condition once it’s dry.

TOP TIP

Panel check!

Using a high-quality leather conditioner will make a real difference to your tack’s lifespan – and it’ll make it look amazing, too!

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