Welcome to our first edition of 2023!
HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We hope this year is full of pony magic for each and every one of you!
Love,
Lizzie and the HQ Pony Team
We’d love to hear from you and receive your photos, drawings or ponyrelated thoughts. To get in touch send an email to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za and we’ll get back to you!
Alta van Niekerk is the owner and founder of Empowering Equine Training & Behaviour. She focuses on fixing undesirable behaviours in horses through the use of a holistic approach to health and training. We sat down with her to learn a bit more about how she approaches helping horses and their humans.
What is your background, and why did you decide to shift to training with positive reinforcement?
I always say my love for horses is genetic; I never knew a time when I was not around horses in some way during my childhood. I grew up in a family of amazing horsemen and women. My mom showed horses, while my grandfather showed and bred horses on our family farm in the Free State. My grandfather was and still is a very wise horseman whom I greatly respect, and our
mutual love for horses forms part of our very strong connection. Besides horses, I loved all animals. I constantly tried to tame our sheep by using their food to coax them closer so that I could pet them, and I taught our horses to come up to the stall door (because I was too small to see over it) by gently knocking, and then feeding them a carrot when they came to look for me. Looking back, I had already begun using positive reinforcement without even realising it!
I showed and rode equitation throughout my teenage years, and while I enjoyed it, there came a time I fell out of love with showing and horses. In hindsight, I believe I suffered from burnout due to the amount of showing I did, coupled with the loss of my mother to cancer. She was the best horse mom in the whole world and my biggest supporter. On top of that, she was an amazing rider. I made the decision to sell all of my show horses, and I swore off horses for life.
But, as the story goes, I couldn't stay away from horses. I dived back in with a new focus; I wanted to find out how horses' ‘work’; I wanted to understand their behaviour; I wanted to be able to solve complex behavioural problems; I wanted to really understand horses. The first step in my new journey was shadowing a natural horsemanship trainer, and the experience really opened my eyes. It showed me that there was another way to work with horses, where I didn't need to use the punishment and force-based training I had depended on during my showing career.
Even so, this new information didn't satiate my desire to understand the 'whys' behind horse behaviour. I wanted to learn more than just how to make my horses do XYZ, and understand the motivation behind why they were offering a specific behaviour. It was here that I was introduced to positive reinforcement and clicker training. The terms used in these schools of training made sense to me because they were a part of my degree which is rooted in science. Paired with my understanding of horse behaviour, I was hooked.
My traditional background still bugged me with intrusive thoughts such as "this isn't real horse training." Still, with nothing to lose, I jumped into positive reinforcement exercises with my childhood pony Blondie. She had retired from riding years before, so my new goal was to establish a solid relationship with her, something I could not achieve with the exercises I was historically taught.
The results were instant, and I immediately fell in love with the process. I dived into books, listened to podcasts, and got in touch with trainers all around the world. I found a positive reinforcement community on social media that enriched my knowledge of horses, horse training, equine ethology and welfare.
My first challenge came in the form of a horse who wouldn't load, regardless of what the owner tried. The horse's fear was so overpowering that four men had to pick him up and carry him into the trailer when he needed to go somewhere. When I offered my help to the owner, I remember her saying something along the lines of "well, nothing else is working." I worked with this horse for three days, and by the end of day three, he trotted right into the trailer. No kicking, rearing, or bolting; it was clear that there was no need for force, fear, or pain. The effectiveness of these simple techniques cemented what I love most about positive reinforcement training. Although I would take a different approach to loading a horse nowadays, I won't forget how safe, capable and confident I felt around that horse and how empowering it was to solve a problem without any force.
Positive reinforcement (R+) training is quite new to the horse world, but it is nothing new in other training circles. Positive reinforcement initially began in the 1940s but gained huge traction in recent years. The first positive reinforcement trainers were students of the great psychologist BF Skinner. Through positive reinforcement, marine mammals are trained to do high-energy stunts, tigers are trained to give voluntary blood draws without sedation, elephants are trained to have their feet inspected, and crocodiles are trained to have their teeth cleaned. Let's not forget that the simple act of training our dogs to sit generally involves a treat and praise. See? You're already using R+.
In easy terms, positive reinforcement is the addition of a desirable stimulus - such as a treat- to increase the chance that a desired behaviour will occur again. A marker signal is often used in the form of a mechanical clicker, with some trainers using verbal cues to communicate to the horse what specific behaviour led to him receiving the reinforcer, which is usually food. By clicking and feeding to reward certain behaviours, the behaviours are more likely to be repeated. We work with the instinctual and biological desire for food and horses' desires to gain food reinforcement.
I label myself as a R+ LIMA-based trainer; LIMA is an acronym for "Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive", as suggested by Dr Susan G. Friedman. A LIMA trainer is someone who uses the least intrusive and most minimally aversive methods to drive success in achieving a training goal or behaviour change without compromising the welfare of the horse.
This means I look at elements such as whether horses' 5 Freedoms are met. These are freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury and disease; freedom from fear and distress; and freedom to behave normally.
I look at subtle communication signals that horses use, such as calming signals and displacement behaviours. These are the ways our horses communicate to us that they are uncomfortable with something either being done to them or with something in their environment. Horse communication is quiet but loud if you know what to look for. I look at how we can make changes in horses' lives that will affect their behaviours. Again, this is based on the understanding of horses' physical health, biological, social, and nutritional needs, how they learn, and their base equine behaviours.
If you consider what I've mentioned, you'll see that many of the 'problem' behaviours we see in our horses come from fear, anxiety, and pain or discomfort. When confronted with these undesirable behaviours, my goal is always to address the root cause, not just the symptoms. I look at the whole horse encompassing their lifestyle, physical health, and mental wellbeing.
Do you address health and nutritional-based problems yourself, or do you work closely with other professionals?
I've educated myself on how to identify when there is a training problem or a health and pain-related problem with a horse. When someone reaches out to me for assistance, I like to get a background on the horse in question, such as when the last time they were checked for ulcers was, for example. I often work closely with other professionals and will refer my clients to them when there is a particular health-
related concern. I always say that we can't train away pain. But with that said, behavioural responses are often triggered by a horse's past experience with pain, so this is where training and behaviour modification come into play. Once we rule out pain and discomfort, we can start training our goal behaviour.
I firmly believe that any and all behaviour can be addressed using skilful positive reinforcement and LIMA principles. All behaviour serves a function to the horse, whether we enjoy the behaviour or not, much to our misery. The key is to find the function of the unwanted behaviour: is it to gain something the horse wants? Or is it to avoid something the horse does not like or finds very stressful, painful or fear-inducing; we work the same way.
If you have any questions on R+/ LIMA please contact me via WhatsApp on 079 095 0561 or email on empoweringequine@gmail.com. I'm now also available for online training and in-person consultations.
My entire learning journey has been a case of 'it took a village.' I have found an incredibly supportive community on social media, especially Instagram, and I am very active on my own Instagram page. I've connected with people all around the world, from England to Sweden, to Canada, and the United States. My mentor is Adele Shaw, CHBC, who owns and runs The Willing Equine in Austin, Texas. She has taken my knowledge and skill to the ultimate level, and if I had to name one person who has been my greatest inspiration from the start, it would be Adele. My husband has always been my biggest supporter and has always encouraged me to chase my dreams, so I would like to give him due credit as well.
I think anyone and everyone can benefit from incorporating positive reinforcement training into their daily interactions with their horse, whether they're just happy hackers or competitive riders. Scientifically, positive reinforcement training has been shown to improve the memory of horses, accelerate the learning of complex behaviours, and help horses overcome fears. The horse develops a willingness to participate in training and builds a strong positive connection with us. There are no downsides to incorporating positive reinforcement in your training.
When I start working with a horse who has never trained with food reinforcement before, I often start off with a barrier between the horse and me; this is called protected contact. This simply gives more clarity to the horse that reaching over and 'mugging' me is not the behaviour that will get him the food. For the horse to get the food, I'd like them to stand in a neutral position, with all four feet on the ground and their head in the middle of their chest.
This doesn't sound like an exciting behaviour, but this is the foundation for all behaviours I'll train.
From the stand-stay behaviour all the way to ridden work, this foundation sets you up for successful, positive reinforcement horse training. I'll start to click for this standstay behaviour (usually with a handheld clicker) and give the horse a forage-based hay pellet. I don't encourage using sugary horse treats or cookies, as these high-value treats can make training a bit more difficult. It may not seem like much, but a lot is happening in these short sessions (3-5 minutes). The horse is building the connection between the sound of the clicker and the arrival of food, and they make the connection that by standing with four feet on the ground and their heads in the middle of their chests, the click happens, and food arrives.
When we're training with positive reinforcement, we want our horses to stand quietly in this default position before we cue for the next behaviour. Adele Shaw explains it so well when she says: "Think about this default behaviour like a kid sitting in class with their hand raised, patiently waiting for their turn to be called on. They are eager to participate and actively offering the opportunity for the teacher to engage with them, but they are also confident the teacher will notice them in due time if they wait their turn patiently."
There is so much more to positive reinforcement, and I encourage you to get in touch with a positive reinforcement trainer if you are looking to start training. I share resources such as posts and videos, book recommendations, podcast recommendations and more on my Instagram @empoweringequine and Facebook Empowering Equine. I have a podcast called The Empowering Equine Podcast, where we talk a lot about getting started with positive reinforcement training, so I encourage you to join us.
I prioritise the horse-human relationship in my training, and I would like my clients to experience the positive and willing partnerships that are formed when training this way. My wish for my clients, both human and horse, is to feel empowered, which is why I called my business Empowering Equine Training & Behaviour.
My heart wants to help people with their horses in a kind and effective way.
New to Western Shoppe – Comodo Riding Socks!
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Available at Western Shoppe in all branches and online.
Breed name: German Riding Pony
Place of origin: Germany
Breed purpose: Competition
Size: Ideally 13.2hh - 14.2hh
Colour: Same as warmbloods
Ancestors: Anglo-Arabs, Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Welsh ponies
The breed originated in 1965 when various ponies, especially Welsh ponies, were crossed with Arabs, Anglo-Arabs, and Thoroughbreds.
aboutThe German Riding Pony is also known as a ‘small warmblood’. These ponies were bred with the intention that they could be handled by children but had the talent and movement to compete at a high level – essentially, they were ‘warmbloods for children’.
Although the German studs originally bred these ponies with performance in mind, they have kept many of their pony characteristics. They have willing characters and temperaments and are usually easy to keep and manage. Having said this, they often need quite an experienced child rider to compete successfully, as they ride more like a horse than a pony.
There are distinct bloodlines used to create these ponies, and all German Riding Ponies undergo a strict inspection process. These rigorous inspections help to maintain the breed standard.
appearance
German Riding Ponies generally appear more like tiny horses than ponies. The only difference is that they tend to keep a very ‘pony-like’ head.
Here we look at some of the most common mouthpieces for snaffle bits. See if you can remember them, and then test yourself using the quiz at the end of the magazine.
This is a jointed mouthpiece with a series of rolling pieces along the length of the bar.
It is designed to help a horse relax the jaw and accept the bit. It also encourages salivation. As such, this mouthpiece may help distract a tense or nervous horse. The severity of the jointed mouthpiece is not affected in any way by the rollers.
More severe than other bits, this mouthpiece has a single joint with a slight twist in the metal of the bars.
The twists create edges that serve as pressure points in the mouth. With this bit, pressure is increased on the tongue and the lips. This is generally considered to be a strong and fairly severe bit.
Other
As many of us know (all too well!) the increase in temperature of the summer months can be hard to manage, particularly if we want to ride. These high temperatures are not to be messed with and pose risks for both ourselves and our ponies. Higher temperatures increase the chance of illness and even injury in our ponies, and heat stroke is not uncommon for riders either!
Ponies overheat much quicker than humans – three to ten times faster, to be precise. Their size, muscle mass, and the rate at which their muscles work can cause their temperature to rise from normal (37-38 degrees) to upward of 40 degrees in less than twenty minutes!! In short, if you’re feeling the heat, your pony is feeling it more. Heavy work in the heat can cause colic, muscle spasms, kidney problems, heat stroke and dehydration, so you really do need to be careful! In this article we give you some top tips for keeping your pony cool and comfortable this summer to make sure that you both stay safe and healthy.
If your pony is showing irregular breathing or has a very high or irregular heart rate, it’s time to slow down and cool off. Pay attention to how he is breathing, and if it seems ragged or loses rhythm, you should stop your session for the day. You can check for dehydration by pinching the skin on your pony’s neck. If the skin stays in the ‘pinched’ position or slowly goes back to normal, your pony is dehydrated. You can also look at his gums above the teeth which should be healthy and looking pink. If they are sticky and dry, he is dehydrated.
NOTE: The signs of dehydration mentioned in this point are quite severe, and you must speak to an adult immediately if you notice them.
If may seem like a small thing, but thinner, lighter equipment and tack can make a big difference to how your pony feels in the heat. The less he has to wear and carry, the better. Consider fitted numnahs in the summer months, as opposed to square numnahs, and using a thinner numnah allow the skin to breathe a bit more beneath the saddle. Oh, and ditch the sheepskin boots!
There is nothing wrong with your pony drinking during lessons and schooling sessions. In fact, the more he drinks, the better. A 400kg pony can drink up to 30 litres of water on a normal day and this can go up to almost 40 litres on a hot day. This may sound like a lot but a pony can sweat up to 15 litres per hour in hot conditions, and the water and electrolytes that are lost in the sweat, need to be replaced.
The more a pony works, the hotter he will get. Drinking water helps to rehydrate and cool your pony, but applying a cold, wet sponge to your pony’s skin can also give them great relief.
As temperatures rise, it makes sense to choose early mornings and later afternoons for riding if you can. If you’re competitive, it may not be a good idea to do this all the time though, as you never know what time of day you’ll end up riding at a show, and your horse will struggle more with a midday round if he hasn’t been acclimatised to the heat.
Just as if you were going to a sport’s practice in the heat of the day, take rests between exercises to allow your pony’s heartrate and breathing rate to come down. Stand in the shade during these breaks, offer him water and sponge him down if you can.
Once you’ve finished riding, make sure you cool your pony down as quickly and effectively as possible. Remove his tack as soon as you can and let him drink water if he wants to. Be sure to hose his body all over with water. Ideally, you want to keep hosing until your pony’s skin temperature is back to normal. If there is a breeze, stand him in it to speed up the cooling process.
Ponies lose a lot of electrolytes when they sweat. It is a good idea to give table salt in the food all year round, but for ponies who work very hard, you should chat to your equine nutritionist to get their advice on whether you need to add extra electrolytes as well.
If you don’t have a water bucket in the arena, you can squeeze a wet sponge into your pony’s mouth to cool them down.
When you are in the sun, make sure you’re as covered up as possible! As uncomfortable as this can be, it’s better to be hot than to be sunburnt. Long sleeve, breathable fabrics or sun sleeves are a must, as are sun visors or wide-brimmed helmets. Make sure you have good sunscreen close by and reapply regularly. Arenas with silica sand have a wicked glare, which can be damaging for your eyes. Consider a pair of sunglasses designed for sport that block both UVA and UVB rays for maximum eye protection.
It’s just as important for you as it is for your horse to keep some water close by when you are schooling. Drink whenever you can and replace electrolytes with your own electrolyte solution after sweaty rides.
A wet towel on the back of your neck is a lifesaver on hot days, and you can place ice cubes inyour pockets or down your shirt. Cooling towels get ice cold when you put them in water and then shake them so invest in one of these if you can!
However, hot you’re feeling, your horse is feeling it more, so never be shy to take breaks when you need them. It’s beneficial for both of you.
Sometimes it’s better not to ride. The higher the temperature and the humidity, the more dangerous it can be. Just remember the rule of thumb –if you’re struggling with the heat, your pony is struggling more.
Insulin resistance is, unfortunately, an increasingly common problem in our equine population but is often not spotted by owners until it is too late. If, when you read this, you recognise any of the symptoms we describe as being present in your pony, please speak to an adult and ask them to get in touch with your vet. Insulin resistance can lead to laminitis if left untreated, and laminitis kills many ponies every year.
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body's tissues do not respond as they should to the hormone insulin. Insulin is essential for our ponies as it causes them to take up glucose from the blood to either be used for energy or stored to be used for energy later on. As insulin-resistant ponies don't respond normally to insulin, the glucose cannot be taken up from the bloodstream as it should be, so the level of sugar in the blood remains very high! Because the sugar levels stay high, more insulin is released to try and get the body to take the extra sugar out of the bloodstream. This means that your pony with insulin resistance has high blood sugar levels and high blood insulin levels, both of which cause big health problems.
We don't know exactly what causes insulin resistance. Some vets think it is a genetic condition, some think it is an allergy, and some think it is a condition that develops because of one of the following risk factors:
Obesity
This is thought to be the biggest risk factor.
Old age Ponies over 20 are more at risk.
Diet
Feeding a diet high in sugar and starch is believed to be a risk factor.
The symptoms of insulin resistance are not very specific, but if you notice even one or two of these in your pony, you should chat with your vet. These symptoms include:
Abnormal fat deposits, usually on the crest, rump and above the eye. Some ponies will also have a fatty sheath or udder. Excessive urination
Low energy levels Muscle wasting Loss of body condition
Your vet will probably want to do blood tests to diagnose the condition.
As with everything, prevention is the best cure, and even though some vets believe the condition cannot be prevented, minimising the risk factors will help all ponies!
Feeding a proper diet, ensuring your pony gets plenty of exercise and not allowing him to get fat can all reduce the risk of your pony developing insulin resistance.
If your pony is already insulin resistant, you want to change the diet to have less sugar and starch, increase his exercise levels and arrange regular farrier visits to ensure his feet stay healthy. Soaking his grass to reduce the sugar content and managing how much green grass he has access to will also be important.
The good news is that if you manage insulin resistance well, your pony should stay happy and healthy for many years to come.
Rein it in with the gossip!
We all love our ponies, but how much do we really know about them? Dive into our New Year HQ Pony Mag Quiz to see just how much knowledge you really have about these special animals!
Please note that there is only one correct answer per question.
1. A good horse trainer can force a pony to do what he or she wants even if the pony is really scared.
a. True b. False
2. The best way to teach a pony is to punish his bad behaviour.
a. True b. False
3. A good horse trainer will find a way to help a pony feel confident about things that worry him. a. True b. False
4. At what age will you know everything there is to know about ponies?
a. 18 b. 30 c. 65 d. You will never know it all
5. Horses can carry approximately 20% of their body weight.
a. True b. False
6. What side of the horse is it usual to mount from? a. Left b. Right
7. What metric do we use to measure horses? a. Metres b. Feet c. Hands
8. What is the correct order of letters in a dressage arena?
a. A, K, E, H, C, M, B, F b. A, H, E, C, K, M, B, F c. A, B, F, E, C, H, K, M
9. Counter canter is where a horse is leading with the outside leg a. True b. False
10. To measure your pony you go from the ground up to where?
a. The poll b. The withers c. The top of the ears
Answers: 1B, 2B, 3A, 4D, 5A, 6A, 7C, 8A, 9A, 10B
Answers: 1A, 2A, 3B, 4C, 5A, 6C, 7C, 8C, 9A, 10A
6. Can you ride a pregnant mare? a. Not at all b. Yes, you can ride her as normal c. Yes, if she was ridden regularly before becoming pregnant, but you shouldn’t ride her in the last few months of pregnancy 7. What heart rate should a healthy pony have? a. 60-70 beats per minute b. 20-30 beats per minute c. 35-45 beats per minute 8. What worms will a worm count not pick up? a. It picks up all types of worms b. Roundworm c. Tapeworm and encysted roundworm 9. On what colour pony are melanomas most commonly found? a. Grey b. Dun c. Chestnut 10. What causes ringworm? a. A fungal infection b. A worm c. Rubbing tack
1. Which one of these is not an Appaloosa coat pattern? a. Giraffe b. Leopard c. Snowflake
2. What’s the term for ponies that have a base coat colour with evenly distributed white hairs over their body? a. Fleabitten b. Roan c. Dappled 3. What are the markings around Exmoor ponies’ eyes and muzzle termed? a. Honey b. Meaty c. Mealy 4. Which breed of horse is nicknamed the Golden Horse due to their shiny coats? a. Welsh ponies b. Lipizzaners c. Akhal-Tekes
5. What breed of horse has one fewer rib than all other breeds? a. Arabians b. Shetlands c. Friesians 6. True white horses don’t exist a. True b. False 7. Friesian horses originate in the Netherlands a. True b. False 8. Mustangs are a wild horse breed a. True b. False 9. Pintos are an American horse breed with white and dark patches on their coats a. True b. False 10. The American Cream Draft is the only draft breed developed in the United States a. True b. False
3. When jumping what colour flag should be on your right?
Red b. White c. There are no flags 4. In cross-country what is the combination of a fence, a ditch and then another fence called?
Coffin
Sunken road
Hedge
When approaching a fence when jumping where should you be looking?
Down at your pony’s feet to count the strides
Down at where you want your pony to take off
Up and over the other side of the fence
Calling you over to the judge’s box 8. How should you leave the arena at the end of a dressage test? a. Pick up the trot again and trot straight out
Leave at walk on a long rein
Hop over the edge of the arena to let the next person get started quickly 9. You need to change rein across a long diagonal. Which of these should you choose? a. K to B
K to M
C to A 10. An arrowhead is a type of cross-country fence
1. In English tack which of the following is NOT a piece of the bridle:
a. Browband
b. Noseband
c. Reins
d. Cantle
e. Cheekpieces
f. Throatlatch
2. The most important thing when choosing tack for my pony is:
a. That the bridle and the saddle are the same colour b. That all the tack is very comfortable for my pony c. That the colours match my pony’s colour. d. That the tack is really expensive.
3. What’s a Weymouth bit?
a. It’s a very old-fashioned bit that isn’t used anymore b. It’s a type of pelham used for really strong horses c. It’s one of the two types of bit used with a double bridle
4. What would you use a crupper for?
a. It stops your pony eating while being ridden b. It stops the saddle from slipping forwards c. It’s a special kind of crop
5. What are roundings?
a. Leather straps that attach to pelham bits so you can ride with one set of reins b. It’s another name for the D-rings on your saddle
c. Caps that you can put on the toes of your riding boots to protect them
6. Where would you fit a sausage boot and what is it for?
a. It goes around the hock, and stops your horse from getting sores when he lies down in the stable b. It goes around your pony’s pastern and stops him damaging his elbow when he lies down c. It goes around the hoof when the hoof is damaged to protect it from infection
7. What is a lungeing cavesson?
a. It’s also called a long lunge whip b. It’s a special headcollar with rings on the noseband for you to attach a lunge line to c. It’s a special type of noseband used in dressage
8. How many fingers should fit between a noseband and your horse’s nose?
a. 0 fingers b. 2 fingers c. 4 fingers
9. A bosal is a type of bitless bridle a. True b. False
10. Bitless bridles are not allowed in dressage a. True b. False
1. What do you need to do regularly if you pony has rubber matting in his stable? a. Wash your pony b. Clean the floor below the mats c. Add more mats on top 2. All working horses must wear shoes a. True b. False
3. Ponies are very sociable animals and like their friends around them a. True b. False
4. If your pony starts pawing, lies down and kicks his stomach you should call your: a. Physiotherapist b. Dentist c. Vet 5. Ponies only need grooming once a week. a. True b. False 6. Flies like to lay their eggs in manure a. True b. False
Answers: 1B, 2B, 3A, 4C, 5B, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A
7. Ponies should have water available to them in both the stable and paddock a. True b. False
8. Why is it important to poo pick in your pony’s paddock?
a. Droppings left in the field can increase the risk of your pony getting worms, attract more flies and make the grass taste sour. b. Droppings left in the field smell bad and look unsightly.
c. It isn’t important to poo pick in the paddock, only the stable.
9. If there’s lots of flies around what should you do before putting your pony in the paddock?
a. Spray him with fly spray and put on his fly mask and fly sheet (if he has one)
b. Turn him out with lots of other ponies so there’s less chance he’ll be the one that gets bitten c. Don’t turn him out
10. Horses should have access to grazing or hay 24/7 a. True b. False
1. What is Valegro’s stable name?
a. Blueberry b. Strawberry c. Blackberry
2. What breed of horse is closely associated with the Spanish Riding School in Vienna?
a. Appaloosa b. Andalusian c. Lipizzaner
3. Who rode the famous horse, Milton?
a. Scott Brash b. Pieter Devos c. John Whitaker
4. Which of these animals is the horse’s closest relative?
a. Rhino b. Hippo c. Giraffe
5. The modern sport of dressage originated from the cavalry training of war horses
a. True b. False
6. Scott Brash won Team Gold in the 2012 Olympics on Hello Sanctos
a. True b. False
7. Which instructor realised that using a forward jumping seat helped the horse to jump higher and the rider to be more comfortable?
a. Colonel Samuel Spain b. Captain Frederico Caprilli c. Captain Jonathan Ford
8. Early show jumps were mainly made of a single pole, but this soon changed into the jumps we know today with fillers and wings. Why was this?
a. The horses couldn’t judge where to take off and there were lots of accidents.
b. The horses used to run under the jumps rather than go over them.
c. The horses often crashed into the fences as they struggled to see them.
9. In the 2022 FEI World Championships, Charlotte Fry won gold in both the Individual Grand Prix Special and Individual Grand Prix Freestyle on Everdale. a. True b. False
10. Ben Maher won gold for Great Britain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the individual showjumping final a. True b. False
Add up your scores to a total out of 70.
IF YOU SCORED MORE THAN 60
Your equestrian knowledge is super impressive – well done!
IF
This is still a very respectable score. Identify the areas where you lost the most marks, and swot up on these to boost your performance next time round.
IF YOU SCORED MORE THAN 40
This is still more than 50% but your horsey knowledge could do with a bit of a boost. Check out our magazine each month, listen in your lessons and enjoy some equestrian videos online and you’ll catch up in no time!
If you scored less than 40, we recommend you read EVERY issue of HQ Pony Mag cover-tocover to get yourself up to date and in the know! The more you know, the more fun you can have with your pony – honestly!
How did you do? Let us know on our Facebook or Instagram page!
Test your knowledge by naming the following mouthpieces. HINT: Check page 14 if you get stuck.
To see how you did, check back to page 14.
DID YOU KNOW?
When buying rain sheets for my pony, what is the difference between showerproof, waterproof and waterresistant?
Whether you are looking to protect your pony (or indeed yourself) from the wet weather, you need to know the difference between all of these terms. Here we give you a breakdown of each so you can make the best choice for your precious pony:
Showerproof materials can keep your pony dry in light rain. The outer fabric of the item will repel water and feel similar to waterproof material, but the
seams won’t be taped (i.e. sealed), and water will eventually get in.
Water-resistant materials keep your pony dry in light rain and usually won’t have taped seams – much like showerproof options. However, waterresistant clothing doesn’t necessarily look like traditional waterproof material. For example, a fleece for your pony can be treated to make it waterresistant.
Waterproof items have an outer layer that is fully protective against rain, and the seams are probably taped. This is the gold standard if you want to keep your pony completely dry.
My new pony holds his head so high in the air. What could be causing it? Is it something to worry about?
Ponies can hold their head high for a number of reasons:
• Conformation: A pony whose neck naturally arches upwards will have a higher head than a pony with a lower set neck. This is just the way the pony is built, and there is not a lot you can do to fix it!
• Training practices: A showjumper, for example, is schooled to keep his weight back on his hindquarters so he can more easily lift his front end over the jumps. This means that some ponies hold their head higher all the time because they have been trained this way for showjumping. You will need to
ask your instructor if your pony’s highhead carriage is a problem or not in this instance.
• Poor saddle fit: Poor saddle fit can cause a pony to lift his head and hollow his back to escape the pain caused by the saddle. You should chat with your saddle fitter if you are worried about this.
• Learned behaviour: Over time, rough hands or an overly hard bit can cause a pony to become protective over his mouth. The pony has learnt, in these instances, that he can either avoid the effect of the bit or the rider’s hands by lifting his head. Fixing this issue will need a lot of retraining, as these ponies can take a long time to trust their rider again.
In this instance, the first step should be to give your pony the softest and best-fitting bit. We would advise that you get a bit fitter out to help you choose a bit that is suitable for the anatomy of his mouth and doesn’t cause discomfort. Once you have made sure that your bit is suitable, you should work on flatwork exercises involving lots of bends, like figure-eights and serpentines. When riding the bends, press with your inside leg behind the girth, so you have the feeling that you are pushing your pony towards your outside rein. You should reward any softening by pushing your inside hand forward towards his mouth to give him the bit. This ‘give’ will encourage him to stretch forward even more towards the bit, lowering his head carriage further. If you remain patient and consistent in this work and do not over-face your new pony, you will ultimately help him to trust your hands, but be warned that this can take many weeks and months of consistent work!
Friesians have naturally high head carriage.
My pony rushes at fences but does clear them. Do I need to fix this if he is still jumping clear rounds?
It can be tempting to ignore issues like this, especially if your pony is still clearing the fences and performing well. However, we would encourage you to fix this issue for both your own safety and the safety of your pony. It is really important when working with our ponies that they are listening to us, and we are listening to them. If your pony ignores you and rushes at the fences, you are no longer in control, and when the fences get bigger or you tackle more difficult combinations, you are likely to get into trouble.
The first thing to consider when trying to fix the rushing issue is whether you might be able to fix something in your riding to help your pony slow down. Ask your instructor or get a friend to video you jumping, so you can have a look at your position as you approach the fence and make changes to your position and ride as needed. You might need to sit back a little or go into your jumping position a bit later. Alternatively, it could be that you are using
your leg more than you think you are on the approach. Whatever the issue, ask your instructor to help you to work on it!
If the issue isn’t with your position or ride into a fence, then you can start working with your pony to improve his balance and help him stop rushing. Balance is vital for good jumping, so try these exercises to help him with his rhythm and get him more balanced:
1. Approach in trot. Set up a cross and keep your pony in trot coming into the fence. This can help him to learn to remain steady while jumping.
2. Canter poles. Use four or five poles on the approach to the fence to help your pony maintain a consistent canter rhythm coming into the jump.
3. Ground poles. Use poles before and after the fence, and you should find your pony lowers his head and neck to look at what he is being asked to do rather than hollowing his back and rushing into the jump.
If, after trying these exercises, you are still struggling, you should chat with your instructor. They may have other suggestions for you, as they know you and your pony best!
