Q&A

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

My horse is generally very forward going and happy to jump. However, the second you introduce any type of filler she is a nervous wreck. How can I help her with this? With these kinds of issues, the best advice is to go back to basics. The first thing to do is revisit simple poles on the ground and then turn them into small jumps at the end of a line. Initially, we would advise starting in the trot, so you trot over the poles and the small fence. Once you have your horse listening to you, you can introduce fillers below the jump at the end of the line. To do this, put the filler on the outside of the jump and gradually pull it into the middle and then all the way across the jump. Once your horse is happy with this, you can swap the trotting poles for canter poles and keep the jump small. You can then begin again to move the filler in from the outside of the jump to the middle and gradually move it all the way across. It is also worth practicing this exercise in different environments, so that you can use these exercise in different places and with different fillers and poles. This ensures your horse really is okay with it.

Of course, it goes without saying that you will need to ride confidently yourself, and if you are nervous, it might be best to ask your coach to ride your mare down these lines the first few times. If you anticipate a problem, it is bound to occur, so set yourself up for success and ride down the line as if you were approaching any other fence that your mare would normally clear without an issue.

We’re thinking of rescuing a donkey. Can horses and donkeys live well together, or will I need to keep them separate? Horses and donkeys can live very happily together, but it is essential to research donkeys’ specific needs before making your final decision, as the needs of horses and donkeys do vary somewhat.

If you decide to get a donkey and home him with your horses, you need to ensure that you introduce them slowly, just as you would any new equine. We would advise turning them out in adjacent paddocks initially. When the time comes to add the donkey in with your horses, you will need to monitor herd dynamics very closely. Donkeys do not have the same flight instincts as horses and may not respond when a horse’s body language asks them to move away. This can increase the risk of conflict and injury in the group.

A BRAY WITH FRIENDS

It is also worth noting that a donkey’s bray can be very unnerving to horses. New donkeys tend not to bray when settling in, but when they do start to vocalise, horses can be a little upset!

For animal wellness

TOP TIP

We would recommend that you work on the walk while out hacking rather than in the arena.

The dressage judge described my horse’s free work as ‘lacking impulsion and stretch’. How can I work on this? My horse is slow and deliberate in the walk and prefers to look around than hang his head. Is this fixable, or is my dressage score for the free walk always going to be low? Walk is usually the most challenging gait to work on as it is all too easy for the horse to drop behind the leg and lose the engagement of the hindquarter. It is, therefore, often a sticky point in the dressage test. However, with the proper preparation – particularly a focus on the medium walk first – you can get your free walk looking more respectable for the dressage judges!

RELAXATION FOR THE WIN

Your horse needs to be relaxed to have a good walk. If your horse is not relaxed, work him in trot, or even canter, until he is ready to listen to you. Once he is relaxed and paying attention, make some walk-trot transitions, keeping the horse in front of the leg at all times. Remember that when you are making a transition from trot to walk, you need as much impulsion as you do to move from walk to trot!

GET HIM MOVING

To get your horse to march more in the walk it often helps to ride out with another horse that really walks out. If this cannot be done then you need to ask for energy with your lower leg whilst encouraging your horse to remain in an outline. Pole work can often help with this as well. Once the medium walk starts to march forward, you can then move to focusing on the free walk.

LONG REIN, NOT LOOSE REIN

The first thing to remember is that the movement is a ‘free walk on a long rein,’ not a loose rein, and therefore there must be a contact down the rein. This does make it easier to keep your horse’s concentration and maintain his outline.

When first doing this exercise, do not expect your horse to stretch too much and for too great a distance, as he will need to develop confidence and learn to maintain his concentration. Again, pole work can help – gradually increase the distance between the poles, making sure that you maintain the increased length of stride after you have walked over the poles. The poles will often encourage the horse to stretch the neck and look forwards and down.