INSIDE your mag... INSIDE your mag...
PONY team adventures
Who’s who? Who’s who?
PONY magazine, Olive Studio, The Timber Yard, Grange Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey GU10 2DQ
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Email pony@djmurphy.co.uk
Team PONY
Editor-in-Chief Louise Kittle
Assistant Editor Sarah Burgess
Editorial Assistants Kirsty Lucas, Megan XavierWitherington
Head of Art and Design Sarah Garland
Deputy Head of Art and Design Adam Witt
Junior Designer Lucy Claydon
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Marketing Assistants Alex Uren, Emily Weeks
Art Editor Paul Smail
Marketing Co-ordinator Alison Hill
Advertisement Manager Evie Edgar
Production Manager Eleanor Dunn
Executive PONY
Managing Director Zoe Cannon
Commercial Director Abi Cannon
Smooth operation PONY
Office Manager Vicki Owen
Accounts Manager Caroline Leishman
Accounts Executive Sarah Smith
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International Horse Show (p. 22-25). Daliyah benhaim, Justine Knight, Rita_Kockmarjova, Wirestock Creators/shutterstock.com. AlesiaKan, callipso88, Viktoria Makarova, severga Creators, Василиса
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e’re counting down to Christmas! The office tree is decorated, we’re humming festive tunes and making a list of what we hope to find under the tree, as well as what we’ll be getting for our horsey BFFs! We. Cannot. Wait. And we know you’re super excited too, so dive into our super festive issue! From Christmas cookies to why we can’t wait for the London International Horse Show, snowy posters and fun puzzles, plus loads of epic riding and pony care info!
on p18!
to us at PONY mag, Olive Studio, The Timber Yard, Grange Road, Tilford, Surrey GU10 2DQ or email pony@djmurphy.co.uk MEET THE PONY TEAM
Family tree The earliest horse –Eohippus – lived 55 million years ago
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spice up your schooling schooling
Five ways to make your flatwork sessions more fun!
If you think schooling your pony’s a snore, then we’ve got just the inspiration you need! Take a look at our five things to try and top tips that will guarantee you a fun flatwork sesh!
1
Play with poles
Incorporating polework into your session is a sure-fire way to spice things up a bit! You could go for a super simple layout or something a bit more jazzy that’ll challenge your skills over a few sessions – there’s loads of inspo online!
Why not try…
• Setting out four trot poles at a distance suitable for your pony’s normal stride length
• Riding over the poles on both reins, thinking about your rhythm, straightness and balance
• Pushing the poles apart slightly (10–20cm, depending on your pony’s experience) to encourage him to lengthen his stride –remember to sit up tall and rise higher, allow with your rein a little to let your pony stretch his neck and press with your leg to maintain the rhythm
TOP TIP
Trotting aimlessly in circles is pretty boring for both you and your pony, so pick a focus for your session to make it productive, too!
2 2
TOP TIP
Search online for dressage tests or ask your instructor if they have any sheets you can use.
Ride a dressage test
Whether or not you have a competition coming up, choosing a dressage test and riding through it will give you purpose and direction for your flatwork session. Learning the pattern of movements and working on them step by step means you can polish the areas that need improving and, importantly, relish in the success that your riding skills are ace! Even if dressage isn’t your thing, give it a go because you never know what might happen – maybe you’re destined to be a dressage diva but you just don’t know it yet!
Make yourself at home Make yourself at home
Make your pony’s stabled time fun and healthy with our top tips and advice
There’s no getting away from the fact it’s winter and, for some ponies, that means more time spent indoors. While long periods of time in a stable aren’t ideal, with a few tweaks you can make sure your fave pony is happy, healthy and living his best life.
toy town
With so many toys on the market, ponies really are spoilt for choice – from licks you can hang in the stable to treat balls that roll around the floor. It’s important to following the guidelines on the packaging and make sure they’re suited to your pony’s needs, and also to remember that the calories they contain are part of his total ration, so don’t overdo it!
make your own make your own
Feeling creative? Then why not make some pony treats? Grab some vegetables such as swedes, parsnips, carrots and apples, ask an adult to make a hole in the middle of each one, then tie a knot in the end of a piece of baler twine and thread it through. Your very own pony kebab! Once your masterpiece is complete, securely tie it up in his stable.
a breath of fresh air
It’s important to keep windows in your pony’s stable open, even when it’s chilly outside. This is to allow more air to flow through the stable, and it helps to protect his airways from dust and mould spores found in hay and bedding.
Your pony will need plenty of good quality forage during his time indoors. If he’s prone to weight gain, soak his hay for a couple of hours before feeding. This reduces the amount of calories in the hay, and also reduces dust intake, too (perfect for ponies who have respiratory issues). Result, right?
TOP TIP
Consider placing your pony’s bucket feed in a treat ball so it increases his eating time and keeps him entertained for longer!
soak it up soak it up time for bed time for bed
Just as you wouldn’t like to sleep on a hard or dirty bed, ponies don’t like it either. During his time indoors, make sure your pony has a soft, clean bed by mucking out daily and topping up bedding as needed. Choose a dust-free bedding and you’ll help to protect his airways at the same time.
mud free mudzonefree zonemud free zone
How to beat the mud this winter!
Leg work
When it comes to cleaning your pony’s legs, you have two options. It’s best to leave the mud to dry on the legs then brush it off, but if you have a show to get ready for you can wash his legs to remove all the mud, then thoroughly towel dry them afterwards. Whichever method you choose, once your pony’s legs are clean and dry, check them carefully for early signs of mud fever, or injuries.
Perfect paddocks
To prevent fields getting too poached, it’s important to ensure there aren’t too many ponies turned out in too small an area. Not only can deep mud pull off ponies’ shoes, cause skin problems and put more pressure on joints and tendons, but it’s not pleasant for ponies to live in these conditions, either! As a rough guide, each pony needs around an acre of space, so talk to your yard owner if you have any concerns.
TOP TIP
Trough and field shelter areas can become boggy too, so why not ask if mats or rubble can be placed in those areas, too?
Guard gateways
Ponies looove standing around field gateways, particularly when it’s time to come in for their dinner. This leads to a build-up of mud which makes bringing your pony in a tedious task! To prevent gateways becoming boggy, they can be fenced off with electric tape or you can put down field mats in those areas. Ask your yard owner what might work best.
Clever cover-ups
Rugging your pony is a sure-fire way to keep him dry in wet weather. Plus, it’ll help him stay cleaner, too! If the weather’s really bad, you could opt for a rug with a neck attachment to help keep your pony’s neck mud-free. That way, you’ll only have his head, legs and belly to tackle when he comes in from the field!
You can buy spray-on products that are designed to help prevent mud from sticking to your pony’s coat. did you know?did you know?
All the gear
Having the right clothing makes winter mud a lot easier – and more comfortable – for you, too. Check your wellies fit and don’t have any holes, and don’t forget waterproof trousers and a jacket to keep you clean and dry.
