HQ Pony Magazine Issue 9

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Hello hello!

And welcome to our ninth edition of HQ Pony Mag!

It really seems that the year has now started in full swing, and we hope you and your ponies are loving spending plenty of time together in this new year.

There’s lots of great content in this edition that we hope you enjoy, and if there’s anything in particular that you’d like us to write about in a future issue, just let us know by emailing lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za, and we’ll get one of our experts investigating.

In this edition, we are again running our ‘Find the Icon’ competition and this time you’re on the hunt for Valentine’s Day icons to celebrate the month of love!

To take part, count the number of icons (shown below) that you can find in the magazine, and then either fill out the form that will pop up on our Instagram account on the 20th of February OR send an email with your answer to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za. You need to tell us the number of EACH icon you can find.

The icons you need to search for are:

We’ll see you back in March for even more pony-related fun. Until then, we hope you have a wonderful month with plenty of pony time.

With much love, Lizzie and the HQ Pony Team xxx

We’d love to hear from you and receive your photos, drawings or pony-related thoughts. To get in touch send an email to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za and we’ll get back to you!

Getting ready for your first showjumping competition

So you’ve nailed your jumping course in your lessons, and your instructor tells you that you’re now ready for your first showjumping competition, but you’re nervous. You can jump, no problem, but you’re not sure how to manage the show scene. Stress not – we’re here to give you the tips you need to make your first competition go as smoothly as possible.

Choose your venue

The best location for your first competition is somewhere you’ve been before for lessons, schooling or even as a spectator. That way, you’ll know how to get there and where everything is, which will remove a lot of the nerves you might be feeling.

Plan your day

Working out your arrival time at the show is the first thing to sort out. You need to remember that the show schedule is mostly just a guide as to when a class is likely to start, but by looking at the entries, you can work out when you are likely to have to enter the ring. If you get stuck with this, chat to your instructor or get in touch with the show venue and they will help you. Working out your competition time lets you figure out when you should aim to be in the warm-up arena.

Once you’ve worked this out, factor in how long it will take you to load your pony and get to the venue and how long it will take you to tack up and get ready at the show and then calculate when you need to leave home. Our advice is to give yourself plenty of time to avoid being in a rush before your class.

Kit list

It’s well worth packing the night before your first show, as packing before you leave is super stressful! As well as the essentials like tack, hay and water, these are the extras you might need for your showjumping competition:

• Tendon and fetlock boots: These protect the critical structures in your pony’s legs.

• Plain numnah: Generally, plain numnahs are considered smartest for showjumping, and most people opt for white, navy or black.

• Show jacket: You need to be in a jacket for most shows.

• Gloves: You don’t have to wear gloves, but we’d really recommend it. These are also one of the main items we tend to forget when heading to shows, so we thought we should mention them here just in case!

Give yourself plenty of time to load your pony into the horsebox.

Matchy-matchy

Are you keen to showcase your favourite colour numnah in the showjumping class? Check with the venue or organiser about any dress code rules – sometimes they will be quite happy for you to dress to impress with some matchy-matchy colours.

On arrival

When you get to the show, it is a good idea to collect your number (if necessary), walk the course and then watch a few horses jump so that you can get an idea of how other people are tackling the course. You can choose to walk the course before you get your pony ready to ride or after you’ve warmed up with a helper holding him for you – it all depends on the timing of the class and your place in it.

Always walk the exact route you will take with your pony when walking the course. Don’t be too ambitious with tight turns at your first show, and instead, focus on getting your pony on a good line to each fence. In walking the course, it is also worth striding out the combinations and related distances, so you know how many strides to expect. Ask your instructor how to do this, and practice in advance so that you are ready for the big day.

Warm-up

The first thing to do is tell the steward – who should be standing near the warm-up arena or by the main arena gate – that you’ve arrived. They’ll let you know how many there are to go before you or will write your number down in the running order.

Then it’s time to warm up your pony with a good walk, trot and canter in the warm-up arena. Ride plenty of transitions and pop a couple of fences on each rein.

It can be busy in the warm-up arena, and there are a couple of rules to follow to keep it safe for everyone:

• Pass left to left: If another rider’s approaching you on the other rein, you should pass so that they’re on your left side and you’re on theirs.

• Walk on an inner track: Whether you are just starting to warm up or your pony needs a bit of time to catch his breath, do your walking just inside the track so that others working in trot or canter can use it without having to weave around you. Similarly, don’t halt on the track as this can cause a pile-up.

• Leave plenty of room: Following other ponies too closely can be dangerous as they may stop or slow down suddenly, so always keep a two- or three-horse distance between your pony and others. Look out for ponies with a red ribbon in their tail as this means that they might kick.

• Be flag-wise: If there are flags on either side of the jumps, this means you are supposed to jump them in a particular direction. Always keep a red flag on your right and a white on your left.

• Call out before jumping: Call out to let other riders know you’re going to jump a fence before you turn to approach it. On landing, ride a straight line back to the track.

In the ring

Time to enter the ring! Here are some key things to remember as you jump your competition round:

• Wait for the bell: A bell or buzzer will signal to you when it is time to approach fence one. Don’t start before you’ve heard it, or you’ll be eliminated!

• Focus on your rhythm and route: Don’t get too worried about the height of the jumps or if your pony knocks any. Instead, just focus on riding the best you can, following the route you planned in the course walk and making sure you keep a good rhythm.

• Take it easy: This is your first time at a show so take it easy! If you are worried about a fence, don’t hesitate to circle and plan your next move. It’s much better to leave the ring having had fun!

After the competition

Going into the jump a course can be nerve-wracking, but the best thing you can do is concentrate on your technique and enjoy the moment. Afterwards, focus on what went well, and anything that didn’t go to plan, is just something you can improve on next time!

Of course, don’t forget to cool down your horse, and make sure you give him a bit of time to drink and nibble on some grass before heading home.

Training Troubleshooting

Principle: ‘Separate. Isolate. Recombine.’

Text | Shelley Wolhuter

There is a famous old saying that goes, “Methods are many, principles are few”, and this is certainly the case when it comes to training ponies. This means that there are many different ways (methods) to get something done, but only a few ‘rules’ (principles) that underlie all of these methods. So whilst there are many successful trainers in the world, many of whom would disagree with each others’ methods, when you get back to the basics of a method, most of them use the same principles. In this series of articles, we will look at a range of training principles that can help you and your pony find success.

The training principle in focus in this article is called ‘Separate. Isolate. Recombine.’ It is a wonderful tool to have in your horse training toolbox and can be applied to any situation! Let’s begin with ‘Separate’…

Separate

When you run into a problem with your horse, the first step you should take is to separate the problem or exercise into smaller parts. To demonstrate this, I will use the example of a horse not standing at the mounting block. To ‘Separate’ the problem into its smaller parts, you could consider the following as ‘steps’:

1. Standing still once tacked up.

2. Approaching the mounting block.

3. Stopping next to the mounting block and waiting.

4. Mounting without walking off.

5 Waiting at the mounting block once mounted, until asked to walk on.

From here, we can move onto the ‘Isolate’ step.

Isolate

In this step, you pinpoint where the issue, breakdown, or confusion is in the process. To do this, go through the steps above and find out which one is proving tricky for you and your pony. Now that you know which part is going wrong and causing the problems, you have something to work on. For our example, let’s say your pony has a problem with Step 3 – Stopping next to the mounting block and waiting. This is something we can practice in isolation until the pony is good at it. If we are not successful, we then Separate Step 3 into even smaller steps: leading, stopping and waiting. After this part has been clarified and your horse can perform these elements easily, we move on to the last step: ‘Recombine.’

Recombine

‘Recombine’ means to put something back together. The last step is then to Recombine all the steps listed above to mount the pony perfectly. If another problem pops up, simply go through the process again until each part has been addressed and your pony is confident and capable of all aspects.

Take-home

The most powerful thing to remember is that this principle can be applied to any training situation and that solutions are only limited to your imagination! In other words, the more creative you get in ‘Separating’ the steps to find the problem or clarify what you are trying to say, the more options you will have to ‘Isolate’ and fix it.

PLAITS

How to do them

Practice your plaiting skills to get your pony looking his best for his next competition!

Mane plait

1. Comb your pony’s mane to make sure it’s tangle-free.

2. It’s a good idea to dampen the mane with a sponge or use a plaiting spray to help keep the hair together and avoid the wispy look!

3. Divide the mane into an odd number of evenly sized sections. It can be a good idea to use a mane comb to make sure they are all the same width. Secure each of these sections with a plaiting elastic.

4. Split the first section into three smaller ones, making sure they are even and then plait this section to the end.

5. Use a plaiting elastic to secure the bottom of the plait.

6. Once you’ve done the same to the rest of the sections, start folding each plait up into a neat ball.

7. Roll each ball as tightly as you can and secure it with another plaiting elastic.

NOTE:

You can plait the forelock just like the mane, or in a French plait as you do his tail. The French plait looks super fancy!

Tail plait

1. Starting at the top of your pony’s tail, dampen the hair and take three small sections – two from one side of the tail and one from the other.

2. Plait down the tail, pulling in extra sections as you go along – like a French plait. Try to keep it as tight as possible, and make sure all sections you bring in are the same size.

3. Once you get roughly three quarters of the way down his dock (tail bone), carry on plaiting without bringing any extra sections in.

4. Secure the plait with a plaiting elastic, then double it over by tucking the braid under itself and putting on another elastic.

Want to show us how super fancy your pony looks with his plaits? Send through a picture to info@hqmagazine.co.za and stand a chance of featuring in our next edition.

9. The Hackney

Text | Christie Wolhuter

The Hackney is a fascinating breed that originated in Norfolk, England. The breed recognises both the Hackney Pony and the Hackney Horse. Any animal under 14.2 hands high is considered a Hackney Pony, and anything above this height is a Hackney Horse.

Origins

The Hackney breed originated with the nowextinct breed called the Norfolk Trotter, which was selectively bred to have an extravagant, speedy trot. The Norfolk Trotters were fantastic war horses as their pacing and elevated gaits suited warfare. As a result, in 1542, King Henry VIII required his wealthy subjects to keep a specified number of Norfolk Trotter stallions for breeding use to ensure these talented horses were in plentiful supply.

Did you know?

The most influential Norfolk Trotter sire in history is the stallion Shales, also known as “Old Shales”. Shales had a Thoroughbred sire, Blaze, who was a son of the undefeated racehorse, Flying Childers. Remarkably, Flying Childers was a direct son of the Darley Arabian, one of the three foundation sires of the Thoroughbred.

The Norfolk Trotter is thought to have influenced all modern-day trotting horses, and the modern-day Hackney is said to have been developed by the crossing of Norfolk and Yorkshire Trotters in the early 1800s.

The Hackney, however, nearly died out due to the development of the railway, but their brilliant gaits saved them from extinction, as the breed began shining in the show ring. Hackneys are still highly successful and popular in harness, sought out for their glamour and presence as singles, pairs, and fours.

The modern Hackney

The most remarkable feature of the modern Hackney Horse and Pony is their fantastic, exaggerated movement. The gait of the Hackney, which is what makes it famous, is its spectacular and highly distinctive shoulder action with a very high knee action. The hocks also flex right up under the body with each stride.

On top of this, Hackneys are a versatile, intelligent and beloved breed that excels in many disciplines, including dressage. Both the Hackney Horse and Pony are very popular in the United States, with horses and ponies being used in a variety of classes.

How old are you? 13

How many ponies and horses do you have?

Flash, Chocolate, Bees, Althea, Penny and one baby, a Namibian warmblood.

And how old are they all?

Flash is the same age as me, and I turn 14 in April. Chocolate is one year younger than me, so he just turned 13. Bees is 19.

Penny, well Penelope, is 6. Althea is 19.

Waterford Flash

Waterford Chocolate

Lang Carl Wildebees

Can you give us some fun facts about your herd?

Chocolate loves food. He also LOVES being dirty. In their paddock, it’s my ponies and my brother’s two ponies, and there’s a lunging ring. Chocolate waits for the sprinklers and stands in them, and then when he’s really wet, he goes and rolls in the lunge ring. We have to wash him a lot for shows!

Then, Flash is very protective of Chocolate, and he loves cross country and going fast. Flash always knows where the cross country is, even at an away show. I have to show him the cross country before we can do anything else. He stares at it from his paddock. Flash and Chocolate are my favourites for cross-country. Me, Flash and Chocolate all trust each other a lot. We’re like the Goof Troop!

Oh, and Flash, Chocolate and Bees all call when the food comes. They sound like a choir. I get so happy when I hear it!

What do you do with them all?

Flash and Chocolate do eventing, and Chocolate does Elementary Dressage as well – he is the top-ranked Elementary Pony. Bees does Elementary-Medium Dressage, and he used to event, but he doesn’t anymore because he doesn’t like showjumping. He loves the crosscountry but HATES the showjumping. Penny and Althea also do eventing.

And which is your favourite discipline?

Eventing is my favourite, and cross-country is my favourite part of that. I like it – it’s just you and your horse in a partnership. Big trust is needed, and I love that.

I don’t like showjumping so much. Showjumping doesn’t click for me.

When did you start riding?

When I was little, I had a balance problem, so the doctor suggested I start riding. I was only one year old. My mom already rode, so I walked around with her on her horses. I screamed for two months, every day, and then one day I just stopped. I’ve loved it since then.

Who teaches you to ride?

I have lessons with my mom.

Which show do you love most?

I love the KZN shows. Oaksprings is my best. The eventing course is very nice, and the hack to the dressage and showjumping arena is also very nice.

What are your goals for next year?

My goal is to have the best eventing season ever!

Chocolate is going to my brother. My brother and I will both ride Flash. I’ll stay in 1 star.

I’ll also event a client’s horse for the next year called Bella. I took her to one show at Fourways, and she’s very fun, so I’ll event her next year! Bella, Penny and Althea will all be my eventing horses next year – I’ve always had geldings, but I have mares this year.

Oh, and Golden Jubilee is my Namibian warmblood baby that they are busy backing now. When he is backed, I’ll ride him as well.

What are you most proud of with your riding so far?

I did my first one star in Zimbabwe on Flash. I was 11 years old – so I was the youngest ever one star rider in Southern Africa. I loved going to Zim! I want to go again.

What do you want to do when you finish school?

I want to have my own yard and ride and have a rescue centre too. I’d also like to teach people to ride.

What made you want to run a rescue centre?

There was this dog that we found in the arena but she was skinny and her paws were full of blood. She now lives with us, and now she’s not skinny anymore. She’s really happy.

Who is your favourite event horse or pony of all time?

I can’t choose one of my horses and ponies because I’d need to pick them all or they’d be mad at me. They are all my favourite. They all have different personalities.

Who is your eventing role model?

Patrick [Brown] and John [Twomey] are my role models.

Notes on Adrienne’s ponies:

Flash - Waterford Flash, Palomino (quarter horse cross), 14 years old. Open Eventing and Novice Victor Ludorum 2021 at SA Champs. Junior 1 Star winner Gauteng Eventing Champs 2021.

Chocolate - Waterford Chocolate, Paint Pony (breed unknown), turned 13 on the 15th of January. Top-ranked medium pony in Gauteng and SA and Open Eventing. Open Pony Rider winner Gauteng Eventing Champs 2021.

Bees - Lang Carl Wildebees, Bay (Boerperd) 19 years old. Elementary Medium 2021 Victor Ludorum at SA Dressage Champs

Rotovettis in action

Our first exercise

HQ are delighted to have teamed up with Rotoflo to provide a series of exercises for riders of all levels. Rotoflo produces the Rotovettis used for this exercise. Stay tuned in later issues for more from the Rotoflo team.

5 Strides

5 Strides

5 Strides

To see this exercise ridden by Jonty Coetzee and his pony Bob Marley, Click Here

Exercise – Riding the grid

• Start with jump 1 and canter straight to jump 2 on five steady strides. Focus on keeping your pony balanced, calm and in a rhythmical canter.

• Then return to jump 1 and canter on a curve to jump 3 on five steady strides. Focus on riding the curve smoothly.

• From jump 3, you then turn right and ride back to jump 1. After jumping jump 1 you ride on five strides to jump 4, after which you turn left to complete the exercise.

Aim of the exercise

The exercise focuses on:

• Maintaining rhythm and balance between the fences.

• The discipline of riding the curves and lines accurately to help you to ride the correct distance between each fence.

• Maintaining straightness, rhythm and balance.

• Keeping your pony in front of you and between your hand and leg.

Thank you!

A special thank you to Jan Kleynhans, open showjumper and owner of Equiconnect, for providing the exercises this month. And to Jonty Coetzee for riding the exercises with your special pony Bob Marley to show us just how it should be done!

SMILES ALL ROUND

Teaching your pony to smile

YOU’LL NEED

• You’ll need something that smells unusual to your horse but that he won’t be tempted to eat e.g. a tube of toothpaste.

• Treats that your pony likes, that are small and not too high in calories. You don’t want to be giving your pony a full carrot every time he does the trick right, so make sure your treats are cut up into small pieces or buy small training treats from a tack shop.

• A pocket or bag that is easy to get the treats from so that you can give them quickly when your pony gets the trick right.

TO TEACH THE TRICK

1. Wave the toothpaste or other object under your pony’s nose and wait for a reaction. As you do this, open and close your hand and say ‘smile’; these will be your cues for getting him to smile in the future.

2. If he doesn’t react to the toothpaste, you can either try a different scented object or touch the toothpaste tube to his nose and tickle him on his upper lip.

3. When you see him curl his lip even a little bit, reward him with a treat and remove the toothpaste.

4. Repeat this process by showing him the toothpaste and using your cues to ask him to smile. If you reward each time he does this he will soon learn what it is you are asking him to do.

5. Over time you can ask him to hold the smile for a few seconds longer before you give him the reward. This can teach him to hold the pose.

6. When you are confident that your pony fully understands what you are asking, you can remove the toothpaste and just use your hand and say ‘smile’ to trigger him to smile. Reward each time, and you will have taught your first trick!

CHOOSE YOUR CUE

You do not need to use the opening and closing of your hand as the cue for ‘smiling’ and can choose whatever you want. You must just make sure your cue isn’t something that could become confused with another cue later on.

Read my mind

Solve common problems by working out what your pony is thinking

Sometimes our ponies can confuse us. We ask for one thing, and they do another. Or one day they are great at an exercise and then the next they can’t seem to remember doing it at all. The important thing to remember is that ponies are not naughty on purpose, and there is always a reason for our pony acting the way he is. Trying to understand the world from his point of view can help you to understand his behaviour, so that rather than becoming frustrated, you can work with him to solve any problems you are having.

Problem 1: Spookiness

The problem: The mere sight of a plastic bag, dustbin or new plant pot sends your pony flying sideways, upwards and backwards.

What is going through his head: “That scary thing could hurt me!”

What you can do: You can show your pony that the object he is scared of is nothing for him to worry about. Start by putting the scary object in the arena and bringing him closer to it. You should go slowly and take the time he needs to feel comfortable. Remember, he is not being naughty! He is scared and will need lots of reassurance from you.

Problem 2: Impossible to catch

The problem: When you go to bring your pony in for a ride, he runs away from you.

What is going through his head: “You want to ride me and take me away from my friends. I would rather stay here where it is safe and munch some grass!”

What you can do: Make sure that you bring your pony in to do fun things, like handgrazing, not just for work. Instead of schooling him every time you catch him, treat him with a relaxing grooming session or bring him in and give him a few carrots before turning him out again. Soon he will trust you more and be happier to come with you, as he will associate you with nice things as well as hard work!

Problem 3: Challenging to lead

The problem: Your pony pulls or pushes you around when you lead him. What is going through his head: “There’s grass over there that I’d like to eat.”

What you can do: Most of us spend more time on the ground with our pony than in the saddle, so it’s very important that he leads well. Practising groundwork is a great way to help with this, and doing this work in the arena to begin with can avoid some of the temptations caused by green grass! Start with simple walk-halt-walk transitions and then try leading him around some obstacles. For instance, you could weave in and out of some trees or put down some cones and do the same. You can also try to get him to back up, as this is a great exercise for building his core. If you are struggling to get your pony to listen to you on the ground, ask an adult to help you out or try leading him in his bridle, so you have a little more control.

Problem 4: He won’t load!

The problem: Your pony won’t go into the box. What is going through his head: “I am scared of dark, enclosed spaces, so I can’t go in.” What you can do: Regularly practice loading your pony into the horsebox, so that it becomes easier in future — trying to teach your horse to load when you have somewhere to be like a lesson or show is never going to go well, as you are under time-pressure and your pony will feel your stress, and be even more anxious. Instead, practice loading him and unloading him on a regular basis, even if you aren’t taking him anywhere. Another important tip is to always give your pony loads of time with loading. Ponies and horses are claustrophobic so asking them to get into a horsebox is a big thing, and we need to give them lots of time to figure out that it is safe. Another good idea is to put a hay net in the box or even feed your pony in the box so that he comes to associate the box with pleasant experiences. All of this should help make loading a lot easier for both of you!

Final thoughts

If you are worried about your pony’s behaviour, get some expert help. Speak to your instructor, yard manager or a qualified equine behaviourist to get some advice. Just remember – ponies are not naughty by nature, so be sympathetic and help them to understand what it is you are asking them to do.

W e a r e d e d i c a t e d t o s o c k s

Y o u w o n ' t w a n t t o w e a r a n y t h i n g e l s e .

O u r r i d e r s a g r e e .

w w w . c a l i c o e q u e s t r i a n . c o m

RAIN SCALD

What is rain scald?

Rain scald is a skin condition caused by bacteria called dermatophilus congolensis

These are the same bacteria that cause mud fever, but with rain scald, scabs appear anywhere along the pony’s back, neck and hindquarters, rather than on the legs. The scabs characteristically peel off with some hair attached, which leads people to describe them as paintbrush scabs.

Mud fever is caused by the same bacteria as rain scald.

What causes rain scald?

Rain scald typically occurs in wet and muddy weather (as the name suggests) but can also result from a pony sweating a lot, particularly under a fly sheet or a rug. The bacteria dermatophilus congolensis thrive in these damp conditions and cause this skin disease.

What should I do?

If you see any scabs and are worried it might be rain scald, ask your vet to look your pony over. It is important that you do this to get a proper diagnosis, as it can be easy to confuse rain scald with other infectious conditions like ringworm that need different treatment.

How is it treated?

Firstly, you will need to remove your pony from the wet conditions in so far as is possible, and you may be advised to clip away any excess hair in the affected area to speed up healing.

Your vet will then show you how to mix a suitable anti-bacterial solution with which you can cleanse the skin. You will need to keep up the cleansing regime until the area has completely healed. After cleaning, your vet may also recommend that you use an antibiotic cream. In severe cases, your pony may be given oral antibiotics.

It’s also essential to clean all of your pony’s brushes, numnahs and any rugs or sheets with diluted disinfectant to avoid the infection reoccurring.

Prevention

The best ways to prevent rain scald are:

1. to make sure your pony has plenty of chance to dry after getting wet;

2. to avoid over-rugging your pony;

3. to groom your pony thoroughly, particularly if he has been in a muddy or wet area.

Remember: Be careful about removing the scabs, as this is painful for your pony and sedation may be needed.

Likit Rainbow Carousel

You loved the RAINBOW Likit flavour and now it is offered in the limited edition Likit Rainbow Carousel Tin!

RAINBOW = Apple, Mint, Banana & Strawberry

What’s inside the colour Likit Rainbow Carousel?

• 500g of delicious Rainbow Likit Snaks

• A Limited Edition Rainbow 650g Likit

And more? Refill your Likit Carousel Tin with your pony’s favourite Likit Little Snaks to keep the fun going.

Available online and in-store at Western Shoppe. Learn more at www.westernshoppe.com

Q: We’re thinking of rescuing a donkey. Can ponies and donkeys live well together, or will I need to separate them?

A: Ponies and donkeys can live very happily together, but you need to make sure you know about donkeys’ specific needs before making your final decision, as the needs of ponies and donkeys are not quite the same!

Did you know?

It is always best to rehome two donkeys rather than one, as donkeys form powerful pair-bonds. When they can form these pair-bonds, their health and well-being improve.

If you decide to get a donkey and home him with your ponies, you need to ensure that you introduce them all slowly, just as you would any new equine. We would advise turning them out in adjacent paddocks, to begin with, rather than just putting them all in together. When the time comes to add the donkey in with your ponies, you will need to closely monitor the herd. Donkeys do not have the same flight instincts as ponies and may not respond when a pony’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 scary to horses and ponies. New donkeys tend not to bray when settling in, but horses and ponies can be a little upset when they do start to vocalise!

Q: My pony 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?

A:With these kinds of issues, the best advice is to go back to basics.

The first thing to do is practice simple poles on the ground and then turn them into small jumps at the end of a line. To begin with, we would advise starting in the trot, so you trot over the poles and the small fence.

Once you have your pony listening to you, you can gradually introduce fillers below the jump at the end of the line. To do this, get someone to help you to 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 pony 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 practising these exercises in different places and with different fillers and poles. This ensures your pony really is okay with the concept of fillers.

Of course, it goes without saying that you will need to ride confidently, and if you are nervous, it might be best to ask your coach to ride your pony down these lines the first few times. If you are worried and expecting a problem, something is bound to go wrong. Instead, set yourself up for success and ride down the line as if you were approaching any other fence that your pony would usually clear without an issue. Confidence is key!

Q: The dressage judge described my pony’s free walk as ‘lacking activity and stretch’. How can I work on this? My pony is slow in the walk and prefers to look around rather than hang his head. Is this fixable, or is my dressage score for the free walk always going to be low?

A:Walk is usually the most challenging gait to work on as it is all too easy for your pony 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 – mainly a focus on the medium walk first – you can get your free walk looking more respectable for the dressage judges!

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

Relaxation for the win: Your pony needs to be relaxed to have a good walk. If your pony 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 your pony 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 and energy as you do to move from walk to trot!

Get him moving: To get your pony to march more in the walk, it often helps to ride out with another pony that really walks out. If this cannot be done, you need to ask for energy with your lower leg whilst encouraging your pony 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 focus on the free walk.

Long rein, not loose rein: Remember that the movement is a ‘free walk on a long rein,’ not a loose rein, and therefore there must always be a contact down the rein. This does make it easier to keep your pony’s concentration and maintain his outline. When first working on the free walk, do not expect your pony 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 retain the increased stride length after you have walked over the poles. The poles will often encourage the pony to stretch the neck and look forwards and down.

This is your Maze!

CAN YOU SOLVE THE WORD SEARCH? CAN YOU SOLVE THE WORD SEARCH?

CAN YOU SPOT THE 10 DIFFERENCES? CAN YOU SPOT THE 10 DIFFERENCES?

CAN YOU NAME THE COLOURS? CAN YOU NAME THE COLOURS?

NEXT ISSUE OF HQ PONY MAGAZINE AVAILABLE ON 1 MARCH. SEE YOU THEN!