R iding confide nce – be a lea de r!
THE UK’S
N O1 PONY
MAGAZIN TM
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Get that lazy pony going!
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Teach your pony to smile!
August 2014 £3.99
Quiz!
Were you Born to Ride?
de in “I ri Kong!” g Hon !” style n r e t es de w o r I “
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S a d d l e c l e a n i n g – st e p- b y- st e p
Case The case of the Study Lazy pony! case study
Kirsty has had Pippin for two years. He’s her first pony and they’ve done everything together – but there’s a problem: Pippin is really lazy! Kirsty didn’t mind at first but now she wants to do more – but Pippin doesn’t! Kirsty has always carried a schooling whip but she tried riding Pippin in her friend’s spurs recently. Pippin hated them! He planted his feet and refused to move – and when Kirsty smacked him, he just bucked! Kirsty’s friends suggested she try feeding her pony competition mix but Pippin was naughtier not faster. She’s feeling desperate – what should she do?
What NOT to do
.
.. n i p p i low P
From s
l Get cross – lazy ponies need inspiration not criticism. Kirsty’s frustration isn’t helping. The more she moans the less likely Pippin is to listen. l Use spurs. Spurs should make leg aids clearer and softer – not harder. Pippin is refusing to move and bucking because he’s cross and his sides hurt! l Use high energy feed. Why?
1 Laziness is a lack of motivation, not a lack of energy.
Kirsty and Pippin are stuck in a rut. He can change if she does, but Kirsty must be consistent. That means doing the same things every time – on the ground or in the saddle – so that Pippin learns and understands. A problem shared (between two!) is a problem halved. When things go wrong it’s easy to ask everyone for advice but it can make things worse. One good riding lesson is worth 100 unqualified opinions. Lessons will give Kirsty confidence and ideas to practise.
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2 Feed only replaces energy that’s been
used – excess comes out as bad energy (lack of attention, spooking, bucking etc), or fat. Fat ponies are less energetic than fit ones (doh!).
Posed by models
Now here’s a common problem – tackled by Lorraine Jennings!
Cheer Up! Pippin has been allowed to be lazy for such a long time he won’t change overnight. He needs motivating and there’s only one person who can do that – Kirsty. He’ll only be lazy if she lets him. Her mood and behaviour affects his. l Appearing at his stable with a happy hello! is better than hanging over the door sighing. l Leading Pippin correctly – walking at his shoulder and tapping him up with a whip so he walks out – will have him thinking forward before Kirsty even gets on. l Praise always works better than criticism. If he feels special, Pippin is more likely to want to do what Kirsty asks.
Schooling Tips ... to
! n i p p i go P
1 20 busy minutes are better than a
boring hour. Kirsty should aim to ride a circle, serpentine or transition on every long side.
2 Speed isn’t energy! Trotting or cantering
could tire Kirsty out before Pippin! She should stay in walk until Pippin is going forward and then short distances in trot and canter will keep them both motivated.
3 Kirsty must stay focused. If she
needs a break she should walk on a long rein but never stop (that means no stopping for a chat or texting, either!).
Lazy Pony? Be a Lazy Rider! The Lazy Rider’s one, two, three... Kirsty needs to teach Pippin to go forward until she asks him to change pace or stop. Every time she passes a marker (in any pace) she should:
1 Squeeze with both calf muscles. No reaction? Try 2.
Don’t miss another Case Study from Lorraine next month!
2 Nudge with both heels. Still nothing? Try 3. 3 A sharp tap with the whip behind her leg. (Never feel bad about
using a whip – one sharp tap is kinder than 20 side-numbing kicks). If Kirsty does this every time she rides – at every marker – Pippin will soon learn to go forward from the first squeeze!
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Jumping? part Jumping combinations! 2
Last month we looked at riding combinations and striding. This month, try these exercises to improve your and your pony’s combination jumping. Concentrate – this is tricky, says Lorraine Jennings!
Distance dictionary!
! m e l b o r No p Jumping on a circle helps your turns into and away from a jump
l A non-jumping stride – a canter stride between fences. lA combination – any number of fences divided by a set number of strides. lAn element – a fence that’s part of a combination lA related distance – a measured distance (set number of strides) between two fences.
Practise Makes Perfect Related distances have nothing to do with the height of the fences and everything to do with the strides between them, so keep schooling fences small.
Look where you want to go!
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Look at your next jump to get a great approach
10 2
8 6 3
a
1
5
b
c
2
1 1 1
Exercises to try
a b c Aim for the centre of each jump
Put a fence at E and a fence at B. Measure three different distances between them (see last month’s PONY). You can go large, circle across the school or round over them, but make sure you ride forward and count those strides! Put a fence on the three-quarter line, a fence three strides on and a fence five strides away on the long diagonal. You can jump them from both reins and go either way on landing – make sure you ride the strides and the line. Use poles between fences (not in front of them) to help you see the non-jumping strides and keep you riding forward. Your pony canters over a pole, not up to it, so space your poles 12ft per stride from the fence (ignore the landing distance).
Do’s and Don’ts when jumping combinations
Always look up...
DO... sit up. Look up. Keep your hands up! You’ll stay balanced and help your pony do the same. DO... push on into a steady contact to give your pony confidence and keep him on the correct line.
... never look down!
DON’T... take your legs off if your pony rushes – it stops him using his hocks and makes him more unbalanced, which makes him go faster, not slower. DON’T... drop your contact and lean forward to encourage your pony to lengthen – it drops your weight – and his – over his shoulders which will make his strides shorter not longer.
Keep calm – keep counting – and good luck! 11
h t i w e d i R
This m o be a leanth – der!
e d n i c f e n ! o c ed that some people seem to be able t c i t o n r o ve ite quickly, while others stay on th you e u q s e e i v n o e Ha etter p isn’t just about their ab t I b ? r e v e e r o f d ility. ies ri er pon n d i s n m e r t i . e h t t n u i o b It’s a beg
I hope he behaves himself
Don’t wait... When people first start riding, they can often fall into the trap of waiting for things to happen. When I’m a better rider, they say, I’ll take charge. When I’m a better rider, I’ll be able to ride more challenging horses. When I’m a better rider, I’ll tell the ponies I ride what to do.
I hope sh e me what tells s wants to he do
... too late! The trouble is, with that attitude, they may never become a better rider! Being a better rider isn’t something that just happens over time. It isn’t a given. It isn’t guaranteed. Being a better rider starts right now! It starts with the pony you are going to ride at the weekend, with the lesson you are on now. It continues with every pony you ride, on every hack and lesson you go on. It is your responsibility to become a better rider!
Are you waiting to be a better rider?
If so, don’t panic. You can turn things around. Here’s how: Stop thinking about yourself and think about the pony. Take charge. Come on, you can do it! Your pony looks to you to be the leader in this partnership, so don’t let him down. This doesn’t mean you have to be mean to the pony, just take a deep breath, decide what you want and expect him to do it.
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I’m in charge today!
How does that work? We knew someone, we’ll call her Susan, who was asked to hold Major at her riding school. The pony stood perfectly. Suddenly, someone asked Susan if she was holding Major. She said she was – and the person asking was astonished. Major, she told Susan, never stood still for anyone! Why had Major stood still for Susan? Because Susan expected him to. It never entered her head that he wouldn’t. Major picked up her positive vibes and stood like a lamb. Susan was a great leader.
Thank goodness for that!
How to be a leader: l Do it from the get go. Gently, but firmly, ask your pony to stand, walk on, wait for you to mount – whatever – and expect him to do it. Why wouldn’t he? l Once on board, take up your reins, sit up confidently, and ask the pony to walk on, stand – whatever. Don’t allow him to do anything you haven’t asked for. If you ask him to stand, he mustn’t creep forward, pull faces at his chums or scratch his leg. l Expect the pony to do what you want him to do. Ask him to go in the corners, ensure he stays in walk, trot, whatever. l Don’t just let him do anything – everything the pony does must be because you ask him to. l It’s not a battle, this riding thing. It’s a partnership. Every time the pony you are riding does something you asked him, thank him. You can pat him, but you can also just mouth the words Thank You – it just puts you in a different frame of mind. If he doesn’t do as you ask him, then ask him again, or in a different way. Maybe he didn’t understand the first time. Try to find the key to the pony you ride. This is what riding is all about.
So, to be in charge, and to be a leader you need to...
Next Month Ride with confidence over jumps!
... be constant with your aids and requests ... be clear ... exercise self control. Losing your temper won’t cut it! ... have patience – but expect the best ... ask yourself questions. Why isn’t it working? What am I doing wrong? What can I do to make my wishes clear? How can I make it easy for the pony to do what I want him to do? Am I expecting the best or the worst?
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n r o B u o y e r e W to Ride? Is riding in y Was it writt our destiny? that you wo en in the stars uld Find out wit love ponies? h our quiz!
The question s 1 Google your birthday. Do you share it with...
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you... walk were ld u o c u o y Before
... a famous equestrian event, such as the Derby or the publication of Black Beauty?
... crawling at ... somewhat
... a famous rider’s birthday?
... riding the
canter? restricted? fa?
arms of the so
... nothing horsey at all?
ghts What are your thou nd an ou when you walk ar historic town?
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s like when ‘I wonder what it wa ly horses?’ on s, car no there were
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How many model ponies did/do you have? I had some but I preferred dolls, actually
?’
‘Where’s the tea shop
Lost count. Over five hundred of various sizes
of that shop ‘The yard at the back s in once – ble sta d looks like he ha and could again!’
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What did you do with them? They all had names and I wouldn’t go to bed without making sure they were all in their stables, tack away!
Not sure. Probably over 50
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As a small child, did you... ... laugh at girls who pretended to be ponies
Displayed them on my shelves
... pretend to be a pony – only when no-one was watching?
Swapped them for dolls
... go everywhere on my hobby horse, whinnying?
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What are your memories of family pets?
What are your first thoughts when you wake up to a sunny day? I must get thicker curtains!
nout rug
I made our dog a tur
, which I We had a guinea pig p! jum taught to show
Let’s get to the stables!
ing me
My sister’s hamster bit
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Nice day for a ride!
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What are your earliest beach holiday memories?
How do you tackle stairs? At the gallop
Watching donkeys on the beach
Two at at time – it helps with my mounting technique
Donkey and pony rides. I can tell you the names of all the ones I rode!
I prefer the escalator Feeling damp
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What were your first words? ‘Whaaaa!’
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What have you always done on car journeys? Looked out for horses. And cows. And sheep
‘Gee-gee!’
Felt intensly jealous of riders I’ve seen in fields ‘I want a pony!’
Watched a DVD
The verdict! We’re guessing no-one who reads PONY falls into this category. Perhaps you’re reading a friend’s PONY Mag, or you’re a reader’s mum. You’re not too bothered about the verdict anyway!
Mostly
Okay so you’re a pony person all right, but you have other interests. Although you may not actually have been born to ride, you still make a pretty good job of it and ride regularly. You could go either way in future – increase your love of ponies or lose that interest when you’re older.
Mostly Mostly
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Oh you were so born to ride! If we sliced you open you’d have horses running right through you (don’t try it!). You’re a 100% pony mad, born-to-ride individual, and nothing will stop you being with ponies!