PONY Magazine – September 2018

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Moving on up

Think you’re ready to take the leap to bigger showjumping courses? Follow PONY’s PuuY’s top top tips tips

Y

ou’ve been working hard in your lessons and tackling lots of showjumping classes this summer – maybe you’ve even picked up a few rosettes along the way. But how do you know when you’re really ready to move up to the next level?

Do you... l jump bigger fences in your lessons? l find your current courses small and, if you’re being honest, a little bit boring? l almost always have clear rounds at shows without having to try too hard?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then it’s probably time to consider moving up.

The next level There’s plenty of great reasons to aim for bigger courses and having a goal like this can make you work even harder, meaning your riding improves faster. But make sure you’re moving up for the right reasons – if you want to do it just because your friends are planning to, it’s important you’re really ready. The thought of bigger fences and more challenging courses should be exciting – if it makes you feel nervous or you’re not yet superconfident at your current level, you’ll have loads more fun if you move up at your own pace.

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PONY magazine

Pro planning

If you’ve been daydreaming about the next level, have a chat with your instructor. They’ll be able to help you figure out if you’re ready, pick a show for you to move up at, and plan your lessons to make sure you and your pony are perfectly prepped.

Don’t be afraid to be honest about your goals – your instructor is there to help and they want you to succeed!

Practice makes perfect As you move up the levels, the fence heights don’t just get bigger, the courses themselves become more technical, too. The rule of thumb is you should always be jumping about 10cm bigger at home than at competitions, but you should be practising new skills all the time, too.

You’ll encounter new questions such as doubles, trebles and related distances at the next level, so make sure you practise these skills at home.

top tip

Remember to consider your pony’s experience. Although you might be ready for bigger things, if he’s inexperienced or not very confident, he might need more time before he’s ready to move up.

DID YOU KNOW?

Unlike a double or treble, which is numbered as one fence, a related distance consists of two separately numbered fences with a set number of strides between them. They should be ridden like a combination, but if you have a stop or a run-out, you only need to re-approach the fence you had a problem at.

TURN OVER PONY magazine

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in

t u O d l i w e h t get o t y t i n u p or t p o t a e r g ling a o o s ’ h c g s n i k Hac extra e m o s in

W

e all love hacking because there’s nothing more relaxing than taking your fave pony for a long ride. But it can also be a fun way to top-up your pony’s schooling and help strengthen his muscles in ways that can’t be achieved on a flat surface of an arena.

Hit the road

Riding on the road can be great for getting your pony fit and the firm surface means that you won’t have to worry about uneven ground! Riding on the road has some great benefits for your pony, too, such as... l riding in straight lines, which is easier for him while he builds up muscle Make sure you don’t overwork l working on a firm surface, which will help your pony on hard surfaces strengthen and condition his legs – such as trotting for long periods – because it could put him at risk of injury.

Top tip

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Up and away

Hills are fantastic for building your pony’s fitness, balance and stamina. It’s also great practice for tackling a cross-country course.

But to make sure he’s getting the best out of the work, you’ve got to make sure he’s using himself correctly. Ponies are powered by their hindquarters, so he needs to be fully engaged when going uphill – it should feel like he’s pushing you forwards from behind rather than dragging himself up. Help him by... l making sure he’s moving forward l sitting in a balanced position l leaning forwards slightly to take your weight from his back

Out in the open

A large open space can make a great arena. You’ll be able to practise riding shapes, such as circles and serpentines, and some lateral work such as leg-yield, too.

Use natural markers such as logs, trees or fence

posts to ride transitions to help keep your pony listening to you and improve your accuracy for dressage tests. For example, you could trot at the first tree, ask for canter at the second, then come back to trot as you pass the third.

Spice things up by riding with a friend. Try riding side-by-side as a pair or mirror each other so you ride the same shapes on opposite reins. This will really improve your accuracy!

DID YOU KNOW?

Schooling on a hack is also good practice fo r competin g on a gra ss arena.

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