inside! horsey novel
*
th
e Forg otten
The Forgotte n Horse
HORSE The Connem
ara Horse
Adventures
Series
Elaine Hen ey
Elaine He
ney
the forgotte
n horse
cover v3.indd
4
04/01/2024
ALL ABOUT
pony
BFFS Serpentines
1101 01
13:34
15
FUN THINGS
TO DO ON
HACKS We
showing! First aid
riding lessons PONYMAG.COM
DJMurphy
Ace your
7 February – 5 March 2024
Spring 2024 £4.49 Issue 914
essentials
*UK ONLY
INSIDE your mag... Who’s who?
PONY magazine, Olive Studio, The Timber Yard, Grange Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey GU10 2DQ Tel 01428 601020 Advertising enquiries 01428 601028 Email pony@djmurphy.co.uk
Team PONY
Editor-in-Chief Louise Kittle Assistant Editor Sarah Burgess Editorial Assistant Megan Xavier-Witherington Head of Art and Design Sarah Garland Senior Designer Adam Witt Junior Designer Lucy Claydon Digital Marketing Manager Lianne Tadd Marketing Assistant Emily Weeks Art Editor Paul Smail Retail and Merchandising Assistant Evie Epps Marketing Co-ordinator Alison Hill Production Editor Franchesca Slack Advertisement Manager Evie Edgar Production Manager Eleanor Dunn
Executive PONY
Managing Director Zoe Cannon Commercial Director Abi Cannon
PONY team adventures This month...
t
he whole office is buzzing with excitement about the PONY Big Day Out line-ups for this spring. We can’t wait to get out on the road to meet you, and watch the amazing acts strutting their stuff. It’s going to be an awesome show, and we hope to see you there! We’ve really enjoyed brushing up on our jumping skills with help from super-star trainer, Yazmin Pinchen – read her tips for landing on the correct lead every time on p6! Until next month!
xx
Check out 10 epic horsey holidays on p52!
MEET THE PONY TEAM
Smooth operation PONY
Office Manager Vicki Owen Accounts Manager Caroline Leishman Accounts Executive Sarah Smith
Photography
Bob Atkins, Adam Fanthorpe, Lucy Merrell, Peter Nixon, Jon Stroud. Artazum, Summit Art Creations, Joachim Bago, nigel baker photography, MartinaBurianova.cz, Darya Eraleva, Kwadrat, Katho Menden, Denis Moskvinov, oatawa, Makarova Viktoria/shutterstock.com
PONY subscriptions 01442 820580 Back issues ponymag.com/shop Digital issues Visit the App store or Google Play
Lou and Ted PONY Ed
Sarah and Prince Assistant Editor
Fran and Sekonda Production Editor
Write to us at PONY mag, Olive Studio, The Timber Yard, Grange Road, Tilford, Surrey GU10 2DQ or email pony@djmurphy.co.uk
Printed by William Gibbon & Sons Ltd. Distributed by Marketforce
DJMurphy
PONY magazine and Charlie are trademarks and copyright of DJ Murphy (Publishers) Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written authority from DJ Murphy (Publishers) Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure the information and advice contained in these articles is correct, DJ Murphy (Publishers) Ltd, its employees and the authors will not accept any responsibility for loss or damage to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of anything included in or omitted from such articles.
Winter warmers
Articles, photos and drawings are welcome but we cannot be liable for their safe return. Please enclose an SAE. You can read our full terms and conditions, and privacy and cookies policy at bit.ly/PONY_TERMS and bit.ly/PONY_PRIVACY The paper used in PONY is sourced from chain-of-custody certified manufacturers, operating within international environmental standards. This ensures sustainable sourcing of the raw materials and sustainable production.
HOW WE KEEP COSY IN WINTER
We’re sorry, but it may not be possible to include cover gifts on copies of PONY distributed outside the UK. PONY supports social media safety – to have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube account you must be at least 13 years old. Always get your parents’ permission, too.
My long riding coat – it saves me on those chilly days out hacking! Lucy, Junior Designer
PONY recommends you wear an up-to-standard riding hat at all times when mounted.
10
The number of muscles in a pony’s ear
2
PONY magazine
700
The number of muscles in a pony’s body
Tucking my hands into D’Artagnan’s rug. It’s like a huge duvet! Megan, Ed Assistant
WIN
Find out how to land on the correct lead on p6!
CHAMPION HAT BODY PROTECTOAND R see P10
be a better rider
6 12 14 18 20
IN THE LEAD How to land on the right leg ACE IT Jumping position tips THE SECRET TO PERFECT... Serpentines! BE THE BOSS Could you be an instructor? 15 THINGS TO TRY... Out hacking
on the cover
on the cover
on the cover
see yourself in pony
37 66
PONY SQUAD All the horsey news and goss! PONYGRAM The best of #cheekycrosspole
28 44 48
BEST BUDS on the cover All about pony relationships TIME TO RIDE Our ultimate guide to tacking up FABULOUS FIRST AID on the Has your kit got the essentials? cover
Amazing posters! see P33
HANDSOME HOLSTEINER Discover this stunning breed! A BAD START Will Meg make new friends?
the
Forgotten
HORSE The Connemara
horse cover
Horse Adventures
Series
Elaine Heney v3.indd
4
04/01/2024
ALL ABOUT
on the cover
pony
BFFS Serpentines
01 1101
13:34
15
FUN THINGS
TO DO ON
HACKS We
showing! First aid
essentials
Ace your
7 February – 5 March 2024
Spring 2024 £4.49 Issue 914
4 42 50 52 54 58 59 60 63
* the forgotten
awesome stuff PONY LOVES... Showing WHO’S YOUR DREAM PONY? Follow our flowchart to find out COMP READY Complete the crossword! 10 AWESOME... Horsey holidays! SPLASH OF COLOUR Our fave funky brushing boots! WIN Amazing prizes up for grabs! NEXT MONTH A sneak peak at the April issue PONY PICKS Our top products this month HELP Your questions answered
inside! horsey novel
Elaine Heney
26 56
Never miss an issue! Horse
visit the website... Do you know the anatomy of your pony’s hoof? Head to... bit.ly/INSIDE_ YOUR_PONYS_HOOVES
The Forgotten
Great reading
riding lessons PONYMAG.COM
DJMurphy
Pony care explained
*UK ONLY
Subscribe 01442 820580 Digital issues Search for PONY magazine on your app provider Back issues ponymag.com/shop
PONY magazine
3
In In the tth he
lead lead
OUR EXPERT Yazmin Pinche n-McCulloch is a showjum per who has competed fo r Great Brita in since she was 13 years old.
Teach your pony to land on the correct leg to create a smoother showjumping round
14.9-16.7m
6.1-7.3m
D
id you know that you can save so much time in your showjumping round simply by landing on the correct lead? And that’s not all because your pony will also be more likely to jump clear if he’s in good balance and a consistent rhythm. Have a go at my exercise to help refine your aids and teach your pony to land on the correct canter lead every time!
6
PONY magazine
6.1-7.3m 2.5m
Set it up
You’ll need five pairs of wings and 11 poles. Start by creating a treble down the centre line with each fence one stride apart, then place a pole on the ground 2.5m in front of the first fence. Position two more fences – one off to the right and one to the left – after the final fence of the treble, leaving four strides between them.
Step by step Top tip
Change up the direction you turn after the single fences, too, so your pony doesn’t predict where he’s going.
To build your pony’s confidence gradually and give you the chance to really refine your aids, work through this exercise slowly. When your pony feels confident, stays relaxed and in a good rhythm throughout, move on to the next step. 1. Canter down the line of poles, riding straight between the two single fences. 2. Keep all the poles on the floor and ride through, adding in the right- and left-hand turns. 3. Repeat step two with the final part of the treble as a cross-pole. 4. Add in the second and then first fences of the treble and jump through in a straight line. Then, incorporate the left and right turns. 5. Raise the two single fences and ride through the entire exercise, making sure you work your pony evenly. That means approaching on each rein and turning in both directions after the last fence in the treble.
PONY magazine
7
The secret o t
perfect...
PART THREE
serpentines Get to grips with serpentines with our great ways to brush up on your skills
Y
ou’ll come across serpentines in dressage tests right from Intro level, but even if you don’t compete they’re a great way to help your pony be more supple and responsive. It can take a bit of practice – and planning – to ride perfect serpentines but once you get the hang of things, there’ll be no stopping you!
14
PONY magazine
Top tip
Walk the serpentines on foot first to work out their shape and size.
Shape up!
Are you clear what serpentines actually are? Being clued up on the subject is sooo helpful when it comes to riding them well. Here are some really cool facts about these wiggly shapes… • serpentines are made up of half circles of equal size, and straight lines • they start and end at A or C • the mid point of each half circle will touch the long side of the arena • serpentines are usually ridden as either three or four loops but at the higher levels of dressage, they can have five loops • with three-loop serpentines, each loop will be around 13m wide when ridden in a 20x40m arena • four-loop serpentines have loops of 10m width in a 20x40m arena C
C
H
M
H
M
E
B
E
B
K
F
K
F
A
A
PONY magazine
15
Best buds Discover more about pony relationships and behaviour right here!
P
onies are very sociable animals and most ponies love having company when in the field. But, just as with humans, they have their own personalities, which means not all ponies like each other. Let’s find out how to introduce your pony to a new fieldmate and the signs to look out for that will tell you whether they’re set to be BFFs!
28
PONY magazine
Chit chat
Don’t rush the introduction process, because when ponies are suddenly put into new or stressful situations, they can react strongly if they’re not comfortable. The first step is to do your research to find another pony who seems a suitable match in terms of temperament. It’s a good idea to chat to other owners to find out more about their ponies – including what sort of personality their pony has, his likes and dislikes, as well as his turnout routine.
First impressions
Once you think you’ve found the best match for your pony, put on your hat, gloves and suitable footwear, then allow your pony to meet his new potential friend on the yard. Keep them several metres apart to start with and decrease the distance gradually – as long as they are happy – to allow them to greet and smell each other.
Watch and learn
When observing your pony’s behaviour, look out for signs that show he’s unhappy… • ears pinned back • tail swishing • stamping • charging at, chasing or cornering the pony • biting • kicking • squealing Also look out for behaviours that show he’s happy, including… • mutual grooming • grazing happily together • greeting with a whinny
PONY magazine
29