PONY Q&A

Q: What’s an ergot?

A: Some horses have a small callous on underneath their fetlock known as an ergot. These ergots might be on all four legs, two legs or none at all. They vary in size and are often bigger on horses with lots of feathers. It is thought that ergots are left from when the horse had multiple toes, although we don’t know why they don’t occur in all horses or always on all four legs.

DID YOU KNOW?

The word ergot comes from the French word for a rooster’s spur.

Q: I’ve just moved onto horses, and my new OTTB is incredibly strong and runs at every opportunity. How do I find the brakes?!

A: Racehorses are trained to run into contact. Therefore, one of the most significant parts of retraining them is teaching them how to soften over their backs, necks, and poll and come into a softer outline, where they work more with their hindquarter and lift their stomachs.

With a new Thoroughbred, you’ll need to use your legs to help teach your horse to bend through his ribcage, and you’ll want to do lots of direction changes and transitions in your training. Lots of direction changes are particularly helpful, as most OTTBs are initially stiff to turn, and direction changes will soften their bodies, remove the brace and make it easier to engage their hindquarters. Transitions are great for engaging the hindquarters. As an added bonus, both direction changes and transitions will help keep your new horse’s concentration on you.

Putting pressure through the reins when they are becoming tense, distracted or stressed is the worst thing you can do! The only way to keep them calm and listening is to ‘change the subject’ by getting them to focus on something else or something they find easier. Taking hold of the reins will literally create more speed and more tension!

Over time, as you progress in the re-schooling process, you will see improvements, and the contact will no longer be something to pull against. However, in these early days, rely on your weight and leg aids, and avoid the hands wherever possible! If your horse runs, simply ask for some changes in bend and direction, try and do transitions through your seat and focus on remaining calm. If you must use the reins, make sure you give and take, not maintain any kind of constant pressure.

Q: I’m worried that I’m not balanced in the saddle and that this is affecting my pony’s way of going, but how do I know if this is the case?

A: The best place to start when addressing any concerns about your riding is with a good coach, who can help you from the ground and spot things that you might not be able to feel from the saddle. A good coach will be able to see any problems and give you exercises to do either on or off the horse to improve the situation.

Another option is to ask a friend to video you from the ground so you can see whether you are sitting straight. Ideally, you should watch the video in slow motion so that you can see the differences in weight distribution that are hard to see at full speed. For instance, you may notice that you put more weight in one stirrup or that you lean slightly more to one side than the other. Finally, you can watch your pony move on the lunge. If he moves more symmetrically on the lunge than under the saddle, it could be that you, or the fit of your saddle or bit, are causing the issues you are experiencing.

Signs that imbalance may be an issue for you:

• Uneven wear in the stirrup leathers

• Differences in the lengths of your stirrups

• Uneven wear patterns on your gloves

• Uneven wear patterns on your jodhpurs

• Hair loss under the saddle or on one side of your horse’s body relative to the other

Q: What’s the difference between a close contact and a normal jumping or dressage saddle? Is one better than the other?

A: Close contact saddles are usually monoflap saddles, meaning that there’s just one layer of leather underneath your leg, rather than the usual two. These saddles, therefore, tend to have more streamlined panels than regular saddles which remove the bulk between the rider's legs and the horse’s sides. All of this means that the rider is much closer to the horse or pony, hence the name of the saddle.

Monoflap saddles were originally designed for professional riders with the ability to balance themselves and maintain coordination with their horse without the support of a deeper-seated saddle and larger knee rolls. So, this type of saddle may not suit a rider who relies on the added security a traditional saddle provides.

As an added point to note, the streamlined panels mean there’s less area in contact with the horse’s back and subsequently less area for the pressure to be distributed through. This means that while all saddles should be regularly checked for fit, a monoflap saddle is less forgiving and must always fit perfectly to ensure it’s still comfortable. This might require very regular saddle checks.

Choosing the right saddle for you and your pony is down to being aware of how you ride, your pony’s way of going and what you plan to do together. Chat to your saddle fitter to get some advice!

Q: How can I decide whether to put my pony through a big operation, like colic surgery?

A: This is a big decision that it is best to make in advance of your horse becoming unwell so that you know the decisions you are going to make ahead of the stressful situation. Making the decision in advance will also speed up the process, as any delay can reduce the chances of a successful recovery.

Colic surgery is a big undertaking and may not be the best option in every case. Many ponies go on from surgery to have successful competitive careers, but some never return to their previous level of fitness, and others have complications after surgery that can be life-threatening.

It is also worth bearing in mind that your pony will require a general anaesthetic, which in itself has a number of risks, such as cardiac arrest or tissue damage. Overweight or older horses can be at higher risk of problems following general anaesthetic, so making sure your pony is in otherwise good health beforehand is key to a positive outcome.

Older ponies without any health concerns do equally well as younger ponies following colic surgery so age is less of an issue. However, very overweight ponies have a higher risk of problems under anaesthetic and their wound is often difficult to heal after the operation. Similarly, ponies with conditions such as arthritis may struggle to get up after the anaesthesia. They will also become stiff during the post-operative box rest, which is usually at least four weeks in the case of colic surgery.

The temperament of your pony is also worth considering. Recovery from surgery is usually slow, and anxious ponies can find the process unbearable. In particular, some ponies will struggle to cope with the box rest, and their anxiety may cause another colic episode. Whilst most ponies will ultimately adapt, getting your pony prepared in advance to equip him to handle stressful situations will be a big advantage if ever he does require surgery.