PONY magazine – June 2018

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June 2018 £3.65 Issue 839

ma IN gaz SI in DE e

Stunt horses

Ace the

jump-off Master these key techniques for riding jump-offs and you’ll soon be bringing home a red rosette

J

umping clear is superexciting, but to be in with a chance of winning you’ll need to be quick and clear in the jump-off, too. Despite what you might think, it’s not just about going at lightening speed, you need to be able to ride accurately and skilfully to claim the top spot.

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Practice makes perfect Practising at home will make you and your pony feel a lot more confident when you ride a jump-off at a competition.

There are three key skills you’ll need to master...

1. riding tight turns 2. changing your pony’s stride 3. jumping on an angle

Top tip

Which is

it?

There are three m ain type might c om s of jum p-o l single e across at a co mpetitio ff that you phase – n... this is w course, h includin g the tim ere you jump t if you ha he w ed ve a fen ce down jump-off sectio hole l two p n, even in the fi hase – t rst part his has you go c two sep lear in t a ra he first continu part of t te courses. If e straig he cours ht into t l jumpe, you he time off clas d jumps – all c course, o ff o section mpetito then if y rs ou jump called b a clear ro jump a set ack to ri und you de a sho course ’ll be rter, tim ed jump -off

If your pony’s naturally short-striding, you’ll be better riding tight lines to make up time in your jumpoff. If he has a big stride then he’ll be more suited to longer, faster lines.

Top tip

Keep it simple, work out your lines and stick to them. The more complicated and tricky you make your route, the more could go wrong.

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Keep it simple, work out your lines and stick to them

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e Ho nr r po Whe o increas est time. r you jumps, o f r t t e need e the fas e it hard when he the v k r rs achie st will ma dquarte ape ove le. h n i s a po f h d a s o o i to ’s go eh ock g a n a k e g ter, it k o to en on’t ma e likely t to go fas but w , y or so he and is m your pon e rhythm e m g c a n n i r s n fe the n ask es. Tu Whe t to keep ger strid n g i b rta take . impo m to out how.. i h k as d n to fi over

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Hit the

road Follow PONY’s top tips for keeping safe while riding on the road

Top tip

It’s a good idea to read the Highway Code before riding on the road.

S

ometimes hacking on the road can’t be avoided. It allows you access better hacking, plus walking on the tarmac is good for strengthening your pony’s legs and it can be fun, too. When you’re riding on the roads, you could meet all sorts of hazards, from cars and lorries to cyclists and walkers, so it’s important to be in the know so you can stay safe.

Wardrobe essentials

Making sure you can be seen by other traffic is super-important if you’re hacking on the roads, so you should always wear high-vis clothing – even on bright, sunny days – as it means that traffic will see you sooner. There’s loads of options available, but a tabard and head band are a good place to start, and your pony should be kitted out in some high-vis, too.

Did you know?

There’s a difference between reflective and fluorescent clothing. Fluorescent is just bright colours, whereas reflective clothing reflects the light. It’s best to wear high-vis clothing that has a combination of both.

Be road savvy Keep to the left-hand side of the road and move in the direction of the traffic, and make sure you keep both hands on the reins. Regularly check over your right shoulder for traffic coming up behind.

It’s easy to be distracted while chatting to your mates, but one of the most important things when riding on the road is that you’re aware of your surroundings.

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Did you kno w?

ans igh-vis me Wearing h y b n e e s you’ll been e least thre drivers at r. ie arl seconds e

Sending signals

It’s super-important to clearly indicate to other road users what you intend to do, so it’s vital that you know how to perform these signals and understand what they mean... ! Stop – your hand should be flat with your arm straight out in front of you. It can be used to ask all traffic to stop and wait.

! Slow down – with your palm facing down, put your arm out to the side and move it up and down. Use it to ask other road users to slow down.

! Turning right or left – put your arm straight out beside you in the direction you want to turn. Keep it level with your shoulder, your palm flat and your fingers together. ! Thank you – to thank other road users, smile, nod your head and say ‘thank you’.

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y n o p r u Make yo

f o o r p y l f them buzz o ff! ke a m nd a s e i fl m o fr y on Ho w to protect your p

Gel it

’s and there ve eautiful, b fa d r n u a o y h warm nd wit e ummer is th ay to spe k d in e th th in e seem to s ie y more tim fl n , o p ly e r fav rtunate leave you y ’t tl pony. Unfo n n o d ta s y n e g! Th y him co o n n a same thin it to ven b e! d like e types e e field an m o th s , in s e lu n P alo too. n do to ’re riding, gs you ca u in o y th n f e o h s w ad roof! Here ere are lo tally fly-p to im h e Luckily, th k a im and m protect h ... s a e id are some

Some ponies don’t particularly like sprays, especially around their face and ears or between their legs, so it can be a good idea to use a cream or gel instead.

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Rug up

ony ep your p y rugs ke fl really , s g re a ru t t rnou t in, bu e g ’t l. Often n a Unlike tu c p him coo eep e the flies e o k s to d re le e cov athab ns to k t and bre of sectio h ro ig e rp s. te tw a h lig ith w e the flie esigned w to confus g tail s e ip tr s they’re d ra lon r with zeb flaps and him dry o cks, belly e n e v a h o Some als tection. extra pro r fo s p a fl

Spray down Applying fly spray to your fave pony deters flies from landing on him and biting him. Some claim to last 24 hours, but don’t forget you’ll need to put more on if he’s been out in the rain, got sweaty or you’ve given him a groom. Some shampoos have a similar effect, so look out for these, too.

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Did you know?

Ponies can pr otect their pals by stan ding nose-totail and swis hing the flie s away from ea ch other with their ta ils.

Mask on

t comes e fluid tha th n o d e ortant to es of fly fe nd it’s imp a Some typ s eye e y e ’s cause an r pony e it could s out of you u the a p c e e e b k y awa ay to s, keep them masks are a good w . to see Plu Fly your pony g in infection. w llo a hile still rs, too. flies off w off his ea m e th p e most ke

Take cover Flies are less likely to bother your pony if he’s in his stable or has access to a shelter, so it might be worth thinking about bringing him in during the day if he’s particularly bothered by the flies.

Leave a bad taste

Adding supp lements to yo ur fave pony’s feed th at are though t to make his skin smell or taste unpleasant ca n deter flies, too. You need to star t before the flies are in full force, thou gh, so it has time to build up in hi s body. Try fe eding... l garlic l brewer’s ye ast l apple cide r vinegar

Turn over to check out some of our fave fly-proofing products...

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