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February 2018 £3.65 Issue 834

guru Boost your skills

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INSIDE your mag...

LUCY AND THOMAS

GEORGIA AND UTAH

VICTORIA AND FLYNN

BETH AND PHILLIP

PONY team adventures This month...

T

eam PONY is delighted to welcome four new members to the squad – Lucy, Thomas, Beth and Phillip! Thomas and Phillip are super-cute and we’re very excited to hear about everything they get up to.

There’s so much for you to get your teeth into in this issue. On p10 we explain how to improve your pony’s walk – sounds simple, but it’s super-important! Utah has a really great walk, so he gave us some inspo (thanks Utah!). We also find out how to nail the perfect jumping stride on p6, so deffo take a look at that, too!

For those of you who want to be pony care gurus, we’ve put together a super-useful feature about caring for your field-kept pony through the winter on p24 – Utah knows all about this, too!

Finally, Victoria and I had lots of fun making pony snow globes – check out how on p42 – and finding out what our ponies’ fave snacks say about them on p30.

It was scarily true!

xx

Write to us at PONY mag, Marlborough House, Headley Road, Grayshott, Surrey GU26 6LG or email pony@djmurphy.co.uk

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PONY magazine is published lovingly every four weeks by D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd, Marlborough House, Headley Road, Grayshott, Surrey, GU26 6LG Printed by William Gibbon & Sons Ltd Distributed by Marketforce

PONY magazine, Charlie, Duggie and Soloman are all trademarks of D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd. They’re totally cool, too. Copyright D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd 2017.

Articles, photos and drawings are welcome but we cannot be liable for their safe return. Please enclose an SAE. Photos of readers and ponies submitted by social media, email or post are received on the understanding that they may be published in PONY magazine or on ponymag.com.

Every effort is made to ensure that the information and advice contained in these articles is correct and appropriate, but no responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action in reliance on or as a result of anything included in or omitted from such articles can be, or is accepted by, the authors, the publishers, their employees or any other persons connected with D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd. Save as expressly permitted by law no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written authority of D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd. We’re sorry, but it may not be possible to include free gifts on copies of PONY distributed outside the UK. PONY magazine supports social media safety – to have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube account, you must be at least 13 years old. Always get your parents’ permission, too.

All product prices stated are recommended retail price and may vary from retailer to retailer. PONY magazine makes every effort to ensure that all product prices are correct at the time of going to press. However we cannot guarantee that items or colourways will be in stock, or that prices will not change. If you have enquiries regarding products or sizing, please contact the relevant company for assistance.

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4 NOSY PONY

Horsey news, views and goss

Be a better rider

6 STRIDES FOR SUCCESS

How to jump on a perfect stride

54 FESS UPS

Totally cringe confessions!

10 IMPROVE YOUR WALK

Part 1 of our new paces series

56 PONYGRAM

Your #myponyloves pics

14 FITNESS FOUNDATIONS

Get your pony super-fit

58 SHOUT OUT

Your letters, ponies and pets

18 RUBY’S RIDING LESSON

Answer the quiz to help her out

68 IN THE FRAME

Is your drawing featured?

22 PERFECT YOUR XC POSITION

Everything you need to know

fFrREeEe PONY 2018 calendar Plan your horsey life!

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30

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6 TIPS TO TRY

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February 2018 £3.65 Issue 834

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74 MY SHARE PONY DISASTER

A reader’s real-life experience

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30 YOUR PONY’S FAVE SNACK...

...and what it says about him 36 AWESOME POSTERS

They’re all super-cute!

42 MAKE A PONY SNOW GLOBE It’s so wintery and fun 44 WIN IT!

Fab prizes up for grabs 47 PONY ONLINE

See what’s been happening 50 PONY PICKS

Cool stuff we’ve picked for you 52 BE MATCHY-MATCHY

How to get co-ordinated 62 SAFETY FIRST

When to update your gear 64 CHARITY DAYS OUT

Find somewhere near you

24 WINTER NECESSITIES

All about field-kept ponies

66 HELP!

Your questions answered

28 FEEDING GOLDEN OLDIES

Tips to keep yours in top nick

69 NEXT MONTH

A sneaky peek at March PONY

32 PONY ESSENTIALS

Turning out and bringing in

71 PONIES FOR SALE

Find your perfect pony here!

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PONY magazine

3

Nosy pony!

Ponies visit the supermarket!

Rolo and Smartie from the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) paid a visit to the local Co-op store in Bovey Travey, Devon to recreate an iconic photo taken in the town more than 100 years ago.

The DPHT is one of the Co-op’s chosen charities this year, and has raised more than £1,200 for the charity so far to help them with their aim of preserving the traditional Dartmoor pony in the area.

Horsey news, views and goss!

Ponies to the rescue

Photos: Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre, Phil Horswell, Nathan Clarke

Natural England is looking for members of the public to sponsor the native ponies who live and graze on the Lizard and Goss Moor National Nature Reserves in Cornwall.

Ponies have grazed in the area since ancient times, playing a big part in helping to maintain the stunning landscape that make up the heath and coastal habitats.

The free-roaming ponies there are known as the Gossies and include hardy native breeds such as Dartmoor, Exmoor and Shetland ponies.

Money raised through the sponsorship scheme will help to pay for vet care and supplementary feed over winter. Find out how you can help at bit.ly/cornish_ponies

The misadventures of Charlie!

Grab a drink before we start the fireworks, Sophia.

Start the countdown!

Didn’t you listen to mum, Charlie?! Don’t touch!

10.. 9. .

You’re not to touch the fireworks, Charlie!

4

PONY magazine

But it’s nearly midnight!

Charlie! What did I tell you?!

SPOTTED!

We’ve been keeping an eye on all the latest celeb gossip over on social media – what have your fave riders been up to?

Ride around Burghley Horse Trials The annual Burghley sponsored ride took place on the Sunday of Burghley Horse Trials and raised a record-breaking total of £22,800! The ride has been going on for 17 years, and this brings the overall total to more than £240,000!

The charities chosen this year were Claire Lomas for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, World Horse Welfare, the Animal Health Trust and The Horse Trust.

Top fund-raisers won some fab prizes to thank them for their efforts.

The ride takes place in the grounds of Burghley alongside the world-famous cross-country course. Next year’s ride will take place on Sunday 2 September and is open to all riders aged five and older.

Online entries open mid-March and you can register your interest to take part at burghleysponsoredride.co.uk

Is it a foal or a unicorn?!

Showjumper Jess Mendoza gets into the festive mood! @jessmendozashowjumper We all like to dress up

This brings the overall total to more than £240,000!

Hope’s happy ending

A pregnant pony was found starving on the side of the road in West Sussex in 2016. She was so malnourished that a member of the public who found her had to help her deliver her foal there and then. They were rushed to Liphook Equine Hospital, where the pair were given the best care possible.

The mare was named Hope and her foal Puddle.

After four weeks at the hospital, they were moved to the RSPCA Lockwood centre, where staff worked to gain Hope’s trust. She was rehomed in July 2017 and is now in a loving home with another mare, two donkeys, geese and cats!

Her foal, Puddle, is rather cheeky and loves people and attention. She’s currently looking for her forever home so she can start exploring outside of Lockwood!

Before...

...Hope after!

Pony Horoscopes Is your pony a Capricorn?

Find out what the month ahead holds for him.

Capricorn 22 December – 19 January Capricorn ponies are superintelligent, but can often be stubborn, too. Your Capricorn pony might be unwilling to try something new this month, so remember that patience and understanding go a long way!

Next month: Aquarius

German eventer Ingrid Klimke relaxes in style on a horseback safari. @ingridklimke Special moment watching elephants in the Okavango Delta, Botswana!

Top British showjumper Laura Renwick has an adorable welcome home from these pups. @laurarenwick So good to be home and see these little monkeys PONY magazine

5

d i e r s t S for

success

I

t takes practice when it comes to finding the perfect take-off spot for a fence. Some riders find it comes to them naturally, while others concentrate so much on trying to see a stride that it affects how they ride to a fence, which can create a sticky situation.

Whichever group you fall into, you’ll feel much more confident about jumping and be more ready to move up a level if you ace your striding into a fence every time. Luckily, practice really does make perfect and there are a few exercises you can use to help you along the way, too.

Can’t seem to meet the fence at the right spot?

Find out how to get the perfect stride every time!

Flatwork foundations It sounds dull, but flatwork is super-important when it comes to jumping well. If your pony’s balanced and rhythmical in his paces, you’ll be able to adjust his stride when you’re riding a course of fences, which will help you place him at the perfect take-off point for each fence.

While you’re warming up, ride transitions within and between paces. This will keep your pony focused on what you’re asking him to do and engaged through his body.

6

PONY magazine

Top tip ra ng exercises are fo

the followi The distances in uide to find to bit.ly/stride_g ad 14.2hh pony. He cises up at es to set the exer out what distanc pony’s size. depending on your

tip ild these Tope to bu

m Take your ti move on to a p nd only u s se ci er ex you and step when t. the second el confiden your pony fe

Exercise 1: Canter poles Getting a good approach and stride into a fence is all about having an active and rhythmical canter. Canter poles are a really useful way to help you achieve this, as they encourage your pony to take bouncy, evensized strides and stay balanced.

What you need: Four canter poles set 2.7m apart down the long side of the arena.

What to do: In canter, ride over the poles, aiming to stay straight through the middle.

Ride over them a couple of times, approaching from both reins.

2.7m

Think about: Keeping

2.7m

your leg on to maintain the impulsion, while keeping a soft contact to allow your pony forward. Look up and ahead, rather than down at the poles.

Top tip

Use the st ripes on th e poles to help you st ay in the m iddle.

2.7m

Turn over...

PONY magazine

7

Top tip

Always have an adult with you when you’re jumping. As well as checking everything’s okay, they’ll be able to adjust the distances and heights of the fences for you – result!

Exercise 2: Canter poles to cross-pole Once you’re riding over the canter poles without a problem, you can bring fences into the exercise.

What you need: With the canter poles set up as before, add a cross-pole 3m after the last pole on the ground.

What to do: Canter over the poles, then the cross-pole. Ride away in a confident, straight canter.

Think about: Now there’s a small fence, it’s even more important to stay straight and maintain your impulsion, but take care not to chase your pony through the exercise.

The poles act as guides to help him meet the fence at the perfect spot, so it’s your job to sit quietly and keep your hands soft, and encourage him through confidently.

2.7m 2.7m 2.7m 3m

Top tip

Keep the fences small the first few times you ride this exercise. It’s all about the approach and landing, and the quality of your canter, not the height of the fences.

Exercise 3: Step it up

8

PONY magazine

Take your exercise up a level by adding another fence into the mix to make a mini grid.

2.7m

What you need: Three canter poles, followed by a

2.7m

cross-pole, then a canter pole to another crosspole. Use the distances shown in the diagram.

3m

What to do: Ride through the exercise as before,

3m 3m

Think about: Wrapping your legs around your

maintaining a balanced canter throughout. pony’s sides to help him stay straight and active through the grid. Follow his movement with your hands to allow him to jump cleanly and remember to keep looking up, particularly between the fences, to make sure you don’t tip forwards.

Exercise 4: Doubles

Come back to these exercises whenever you want to brush up on your technique

Test your canter and striding by taking the canter poles away.

What you need: Two fences 9.2m apart to create a two-stride double.

What to do: Maintain the same active canter you had while riding through the grid and jump the double.

Think about: Avoid overthinking the fences now you don’t have the poles to guide you – as long as you approach in the same way, you find you’ll meet the fences at a good point for take-off.

Stay looking up and ahead, and ride confidently.

9.2m

Putting it into practice The exercises should start to feel really easy once you’ve ridden through them a few times, as you’ll learn to feel what the right canter is and where to meet each fence. Then you can put that feeling into practice when it comes to riding courses.

Remember, you can come back to these exercises at any time to brush up on your technique.

PONY magazine

9

r u o y e v Impro

k l a w

W

Top tip

Try not to nag a lazy pony with your legs – lots of kicks will encourage him to switch off and ignore your aids. Instead, think about squeezing your legs alternately – you want to apply pressure with your leg as his hindleg moves forward on the corresponding side.

alking is one of the first things you do when you learn to ride, so it’s easy to overlook it. A good walk gives you a foundation for the rest of your paces, so as well as boosting dressage scores, it’ll help with everything else you do, too.

Walk is a four-beat gait, with each leg moving individually. The order your pony’s legs move in is left hindleg, left foreleg, right hindleg, right foreleg. In a balanced walk, he should track up, which means his hind hooves should fall into the hoofprints made by his front hooves. A rushed or lazy walk will feel unbalanced, but there are plenty of things you can work on to help improve these problems.

ow?

Did yyouor uponky’snenergy, nr oletghsisand

is with you Impulsion he impulsion e c u lost out t d ro p it being e speed. P to h s , n to io s ls pu hand ny has im use your n your po cy ball. e n h u W o . b t a n fro bit like a l e fe ld shou

10

PONY magazine

It might seem simple, but walk is actually one of the most difficult paces to perfect!

A lazy walk

Much better!

Troubleshooting: lazy walk A lazy walk is one that doesn’t have enough impulsion. If your pony has a lazy walk, he won’t be tracking up and it can feel a bit like he’s dragging his feet along rather than striding out.

To improve your pony’s walk and encourage him to become more active, you should... l think about your position and aids Stretch your legs down and around his sides to support him and push him on, while keeping your reins soft to encourage him to stretch forwards l ride plenty of transitions These keep your pony focused and responsive to your aids, as well as helping him balance and push through his hindquarters. Ride walk–halt–walk as well as walk–trot–walk transitions

A rushed walk

Ride do wnwards...

Top tip

Troubleshooting: rushed walk

Relaxed and so ft

...and upwards transitions

A pony who rushes in walk feels tense and stiff, which makes it difficult to bend him and keep him supple. It’s common to want to use more rein contact when your pony rushes to try to slow him down, but this often has the opposite effect. Pulling on your reins makes him more tense, which encourages him to pull back and carry on rushing.

The aim with ponies who rush is to try to encourage them to relax.

Here are some things you can work on to achieve this...

Remember to ride equally on each rein when you’re schooling to make sure your pony doesn’t favour one rein over the other and become wonky in his walk.

l relax your body You might find you’ve stiffened up, too, without realising it. Give your shoulders a shake to release any tension and soften your arms and contact l ride circles This helps keep your pony focused and gives him somewhere to direct his energy.

A good exercise to practise is riding a 10m circle at every other letter along the arena.

As well as encouraging him to soften and bend, it’ll help him stay balanced and in a rhythm rather than rushing off

Next month: Find out how to improve your pony’s trot PONY magazine

11

One lucky reader will win a stable-themed playhouse bed!

You’ll never truly be away from the yard with this super-fun stable-themed bed from Anderson’s Themes and Dreams. It combines the fun of a playhouse bed with drawers galore for all your riding gear. The lucky winner will have their stable bed delivered to their door and fitted. Entries are limited to the UK and Ireland.

QUESTION Where in the bed can you store your riding gear?

Entries close 28 February 2018.

Turn to page 45 to fill in the entry form or go online at ponymag.com

1

winner!

andersonsthemesanddreams.co.uk 12

PONY magazine

good-doer laminitis hungry lazy

healthy winter

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*as part of a balanced diet, exercise & management regime

Make the most of winter to encourage natural weight loss*

with

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l restricting grazing l feeding coarse, stalky forage

l allowing access to poor grazing l soaking forage to leach out calories & nutrients

you are reducing your horse’s nutrient intake as well as cutting his calories.

Feed Lo-Cal balancer to provide vitamins, minerals and quality protein, without unwanted calories, and support health, well-being, muscle tone and hoof growth.

Use our NEW 20 page Equine Weight Loss work booklet full of practical tips & advice from Body Condition Scoring to how much forage to feed!

To order For Free Tel: 01371 850 247 (option 3) or at www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

tneesss ffoundations Want to get your pony in peak condition? Here’s how to get started...

W

hether you compete your pony or just have fun together, it’s really important that he’s fit enough for his job. Being fit will not only help him clinch some red rosettes, but it will go a long way to keeping him sound, too.

There’s so much you can do to improve your pony’s fitness and having variety is really important. The foundations, however, are often best put in place while you’re hacking because you’ll have lots of space to work with and things to keep you interested. Getting fit can be split up into four phases to help you achieve it safely for your pony.

When your pony gets fitter, his... l cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) becomes more efficient l muscles build up and are more effective l bones, tendons and ligaments get stronger l recovery after exercise becomes much quicker

14

PONY magazine

Top tip

Phase 1: Long and slow

If you don’t have Aim: Increase the distance much access to hacking, you can work The first thing you need to do is increase the on his fitness in a time and distance your pony can go for. If you’re field. starting to build his fitness from scratch, begin with a short walking hack (about 20 minutes), then make it a little bit longer each time you ride.

Keep extending your rides until you reach a time you’re happy with – 90 minutes is a good aim.

It should take you around four weeks (riding four times a week) to build up to this if you’re starting from nothing.

Phase 2: Short and speedy Aim: Increase the pace

Did you know?

The next thing you want to achieve is going a bit faster. This doesn’t mean you’re ready to take your pony galloping – it’s still important to take it steady. The best way to do this is make your rides shorter, but add in some short trots. Over the next few weeks, make your trots longer and more frequent, and add in some short canters too.

You can use hills to make your pony work harder.

They change the way he uses his body so he’ll be working different muscles.

Phase 3: Faster for longer Aim: Work harder for longer Now it’s time to start making your rides longer again, keeping the level of intensity (how hard your pony’s working) the same. It’s important to think carefully about when to step up your pony’s training – if you do it too soon, you risk injury, but too slow and he won’t make much improvement. Avoid making your rides longer and harder at the same time – first increase the time, then decrease it again when you start to make it harder work. Keep building until your pony is working harder for longer.

➤

Top tip

Don’t forget to warm up your pony and cool him down every time you ride.

PONY magazine

15

Phase 4: Mix it up and make it specific Aim: Get ready for your fave discipline Once your pony is comfortably working for an hour with lots of trot and canter, it’s time to tailor his work specifically to what you want to do. For example, if your pony mainly does... l dressage, you’ll need to up his schooling time to make sure he’s feeling strong and supple l showjumping, you’ll need to incorporate some polework and jumping to build up his jumping muscles l eventing, you’ll need to make sure he can cope with an XC course, so along with schooling and jumping, more fast hacking is a must

Top tip

If you can, spread out your pony’s fitness sessions. It’s much better to ride him every other day so that his body can recover, rather than three days in a row and not again for the rest of the week.

For the fitness fanatics

Another way to step up your pony’s work once you’ve got to phases three and four is trying out interval training. This is quite an advanced level of training that challenges your pony’s cardiovascular system by having a period of fast activity, followed by a recovery period. It allows him to almost recover before going again, making each time even harder.

How to: Begin with trotting for two minutes, followed by one minute of walking, and repeat this five times. If your pony finds this easy or is starting to get fitter over time, next time you can either... l repeat it more times l increase the time you trot for by 30 seconds l shorten your walking rest time by 15 seconds l try it in canter (this is quite a big step up, so you’ll need to shorten the time first) It’s important that you only change one thing at a time and, each time you do, think about how well your pony coped with it. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to step back down a level and reassess how he’s doing – ask your instructor for advice, too.

16

PONY magazine

Top tip

Ask a friend to help you with timing at first until you get the hang of it.

e v a h t s u m e h t horsey annual . .. h t i w d e k c a p

advice top pony care f o es g a p ● 24 -how f riding know ● 26 pages o make rsey things to o h t n a lli ri b ● out d to know ab ● all you nee p riders legendary to cts ony breed fa ● loads of p es ri o s and st ● fun quizze

ore! …and loads m

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8

Kate has asked Ruby to canter to the back of the ride – what are the correct aids for canter?

A) Sit up, loosen the reins and put both legs on slightly behind the girth B) Big squeeze and say ‘yeehah!’

C) Sit up, ask for inside bend, then put your outside leg behind and inside leg on the girth

9

Mallow didn’t canter the first time Ruby asked him, but rushed into a fast trot instead. What should Ruby do?

5

Ruby’s just realised that she’s forgotten to check her girth since she started warming up.

What should she do if it needs tightening?

A) Come off the track, dismount, tighten it and remount B) Turn into the middle and halt out of the way, staying on board while she tightens it C) Halt where she is, stay on board and tighten it straightaway

6

Kate asks everyone to get into a ride and Ruby is second. How much space should she leave between her and the pony in front?

A) One pony’s length – she should be able to see the pony in front’s hocks between Mallow’s ears B) Three large human strides C) Three seconds – she should count from when the pony in front passes a marker until she does

7

Ruby is now at the front of the ride and Kate has asked her to ride a change of rein across the long diagonal from H. Which of these would be correct?

A) H to M B) H to B C) H to F

A) Keep giving him the canter aids and he’ll eventually canter B) Bring him back to a steady but active trot, wait for the next corner, use a half-halt and ask for canter again C) Slow him down, then ask again after two trot strides

10

Kate suggests that everyone takes their stirrups away to practise sitting trot. What should Ruby do with her stirrups?

A) Cross them over Mallow’s withers, right first then left B) Leave them dangling by Mallow’s side C) Cross them over his withers, either way round

11

Another rider in the group asks Kate if they can do some jumping. She agrees on the condition they can remember the five phases of a jump. What would you tell Ruby the answer is?

A) Approach, jump, flight, land, exit B) Run up, big push, flying, come down, run off C) Approach, take-off, flight, landing, getaway

12

Ruby heads towards her first jump – what sort of canter should she have?

A) Fast and flat B) Bouncy and balanced C) Slow and steady

PONY magazine

➤ 19

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T C E F R E P

your country n o iti s s o p s ro c

ith a w e l d d a s in the e r u c e s ition d s n a o p e f y a r s t n y u Sta oss-co r c g n o r t s super-

W

hen you’re riding cross-country, it’s super-important to think about your jumping position. You’ll be riding over fences that could be up or downhill, lead into water or might not have perfect footing, so the most important thing is to be secure in the saddle, which will help your pony clear the fences well, too.

HANDS Top tip

Grab hold of your pony’s mane or neckstrap if you feel unbalanced over a fence to prevent you catching him in the mouth.

22

PONY magazine

u s forwards when yo Moving your hand t. ou ck ne his h tc stre jump allows him to e th soft contact on Aim to maintain a e. nc reins over the fe want to lose the n’t do u While yo by giving your pony contact completely re than better to give mo too much rein, it’s ces du re is t enough. Th he needs than no e th in him g catchin the chance of you lling wi s les him ke ma mouth, which could to jump.

HEAD

Keep your head up as you jump, with your eyes looking ahead to the next fence. This lets your pony know where you plan to go once you’ve landed and gives you both a more confident jump.

Your head is the heaviest part of your body, so if you look down at the fence, especially as you approach it, it’s harder to keep your balance.

SHOULDERS

s affect your Your shoulder k sition, so thin upper body po . ck ba them about pushing your weight op st s lp he is Th ds and keeps shifting forwar in the saddle. your balance

BODY

Top tip

Try not to fold too early as this shifts your weight forward and can leave you in a vulnerable position. Sit upright on the approach to the fence and only fold as your pony starts to jump.

When your po ny jumps, your body should fold forward an d lift out of th e saddle. This lets your pony stretch throug h his back and jump clea nly, and makes it easier for you to stay w ith his movem ent, too.

As your pony takes off, thin k about folding throug h your hips an d bringing them backwar ds, rather than just standing up in the stirr ups. This help s you stay balanced over the centre of the saddle instead of shift ing your weigh t forwards, which can mak e it more diffi cult for your pony to jump.

LEGS

Top tip

You can strengthen your lower leg by practising your jumping position when you’re riding on the flat!

when you’re as anchors s g le r u yo u secure in Think of ones keep yo g n a ro st – riding undation of d are the fo n ur a yo le d g d in sa the out keep ht on. Think ab ig ti m si o u p yo d o n o a g rward th fo re o ur m yo y tl if s that leg sligh – this mean g e in b p ’ll m u ju yo in show nding, or trips on la ur s yo se in fu a g re re ny po position to er g n ro st in a much ls u should... to your hee balance. Yo ght down in ei w r u yo ck sh l pu ping ba your leg slip und to help stop s firmly aro g le r your l wrap you g in ep ke , sides your pony’s girth leg near the

PONY magazine

23

: s e iti s s e c e n Winter Field-kept ponies Does your fave pony live out? Here’s how to keep him in tip-top condition this winter

of s all sorts inter bring omes c it n e s wh challenge fave after your to looking lives e h ecially if pony, esp n ze o fr lds to muddy fie ut o b a k in out. From th ’s a lot to to do taps, there up having d n e n e ft o ’ll u o . y o and rk, to s in the da your chore

W

24

PONY magazine

Top tip

If your pony has a large trough, floating a cl ean tennis ball in his water can h elp prevent it freezing.

It’s best no t to do this in a small bucket, tho ugh, as he m ight be reluctant to drink from it.

Checking in

It’s super-important to check your field-kept pony twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening.

In winter, the weather is much more temperamental and cold conditions mean his water trough could freeze over. Your daily checks should include... breaking any ice that’s formed over his water so he’s able to drink checking he has enough to eat making sure his rug is secure and in place. It’s best to take it off, give him a quick groom and put it back on once a day, too. This allows you to check him over and make sure his rug isn’t rubbing placing your hand under his rug to check he’s warm and dry. He should feel a cosy body temperature underneath – if he feels cold or sweaty, you’ll need to change his rug picking out his hooves to ensure no stones, sticks or ice have become trapped running your hands over him and looking him over to check for any signs of injuries or illness checking the fencing in his field to make sure it’s still safe and secure

Food for thought

Grass decreases in quality over the winter, which means your pony doesn’t get as many nutrients from it, so it’s important to make sure he’s receiving all the vitamins and minerals he needs.

If your pony’s having the amount of feed recommended on the feedbag, then he’ll be getting a balanced diet. But if he’s having less than this amount, you’ll need to top it up with a general-purpose supplement. If he doesn’t need hard feed, a balancer is a better alternative because it can easily be fed on its own. You could also provide a field lick.

If his field is low on grass or there are lots of ponies grazing on it, you might also need to supplement his fibre intake by providing him with hay or haylage in the field.

➤

Topto ptroipvide more

ber Remem hay than there piles of field to s in the ie n o p . are fighting prevent

PONY magazine

25

Top tip

Shelter from the meponnietssshould have shelter to protect ele ld-kept

If it’s snowy outside, rub grease onto the soles of your pony’s hooves. It’ll he lp prevent any snow packin g up inside them .

Fie elter is d weather. If your sh them from rain and ba ent fer idea to move it to dif portable, it’s a good ng tti ge it nt ularly to preve areas of the field reg d around it. too muddy inside an move it, you could to le ab un e If you’r your pony has put bedding inside so out of the mud. nd sta somewhere dry to

Considerate clipping

Clipping is common over the winter to stop ponies getting too sweaty during exercise and to allow them to dry more quickly. But if your pony lives out, you’ll need to think more carefully about what type of clip he should have and what rugs you’ll need to ensure he stays protected from the elements.

It’s best not to fully clip ponies who live out and, at the very least, to leave his legs and half his head unclipped as these areas aren’t covered by his rug. Plus, hair on his legs provides a barrier against mud and dirt, and could help prevent skin conditions such as mud fever.

At the same time, if your pony gets supersweaty while you’re riding, you might want to think about taking more of his hair off to keep him drier, which will help prevent him getting a chill when you turn him back out.

Banish that mud

Mud and winter might go hand-in-hand, but there are a few things you can do to try to keep it at bay and protect your pony through the wet, cold weather.

1. If possible, move around his water buckets and where you put out his hay. These are areas where he’ll stand often, so by moving them to different parts of the field, you’ll help stop certain areas getting muddy super-quickly.

2. Ask your yard owner about putting hardstanding or grass matting around gateways.

3. If your fields are particularly muddy, think about bringing your pony in somewhere dry, such as a stable or an arena, for a couple of hours to allow his legs to dry.

4. Rotate which fields you turn your pony out in to give them time to rest and dry out.

5. Consider using breathable turnout boots that are specially designed to keep mud away from your pony’s legs. But, remember to check them regularly to make sure the mud isn’t getting underneath and rubbing him.

e-ke l b ta next month: S 26

PONY magazine

p t p on i e s

OLYMPIA HORSE SHOW

Don’t miss our exclusive highlights of from Olympia this year! Watch the Puissance and Grand Prix on New Years Day from 8pm on H&C TV!

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9

s ip t g n i d e e f top fo

s e i d l o n e d gol r

e Give your veteran pony the VIP treatment and make sur he’s getting everything he needs

O

lder ponies are great – they’re superexperienced and brill to learn from. But as ponies get older, their bodies find it more difficult to absorb all the nutrients in their feed and they sometimes find it tricky to eat because of problems with their teeth, too. This means it’s especially important to give your veteran pony the TLC he deserves to help keep him strong and healthy.

1. Every pony’s different

Ponies start to feel their age at different times. While some e like 20-year-olds seem to act mor to t star ht mig ers youngsters, oth This s. teen r thei in ier earl n slow dow means that while some veteran iorponies would benefit from a sen sure e mak help to specific feed to they get everything they need still maintain condition, others will the for feed al be fine with their usu r you on eye an p time being. Kee such veteran pony for any changes, st adju as weight loss, so you can to. d his feed as you nee

2. Dampen his fe

ed Wetting your po ny’s feed a little before you give it to him will mak e it softer and ea sier for him to chew, which will help him digest it properly. Som feed, such as nu e ts, can be soaked to form a mash, which will make it easier for him to eat.

28

PONY magazine

3. Check his

te

eth Ever heard th e phrase ‘long in the tooth’? Th is originated from ponies beca use their teet h constantly gr ow and chan ge throughout th eir lives. It’s su perimportant to make sure yo ur older pony ha s his teeth ch ecked by a qualified equine dentis t or vet every six months to ke ep on top of any pr oblems, beca use any tooth pa in or soreness will affect how ea sily he can ea t.

Did you know?

A pony’s conside red be a vet eran if h to e’s more th an 15 ye ars old.

4. Think abo u

t his forage It’s a good id ea to soak hi s hay becaus dampening hi e, just like s feed, it mak es it easier fo to eat and di r him gest. It also helps lower th content, whi e dust ch can help keep his resp system heal iratory thy. If he’s st ill finding it diffi for a short-ch cult, look op forage or soaked feed to make sure alternative he’s getting all the fibre he stay healthy. needs to

top tip

If your e lderly po ny is a poor-do er, don’t soak his hay for longer t han 10 minutes , as this reduces its nutr ient con tent.

weight 5. Monitor hisran pony at

te Weigh your ve eek using a w a ce least on an you can keep weightape so d fin u ition. If yo eye on his cond ’s it , ly en dd ght su him losing wei speak to your to ea id a good ible underlying vet about poss is. They might reasons for th ng him a vetera suggest feedin , ed fe g in on nditi specific or co ething to his m so ng di ad or s l, to increase hi diet, such as oi be so al d . It coul calorie intake are becoming h et te s hi that ntal your vet or de poorer, so ask check. technician to

6. Test for PPID

t 7. Talk to yourthve e best person

is Your pony’s vet you t any concerns ou ab to to chat might suggest might have. They cluding feed, such as in changes to his lp keep he to er balanc a supplement or es. ag he as y th heal him happy and

9. Stick to a worming programme

Worms are parasites that absorb nutrients from your po ny, which means he won’t get everything he needs to stay happ y and healthy. Because of this, it’s really important to check yo ur pony’s worm count is low.

Worm egg counts an d saliva tests are the best wa y to do this.

They will tell you if yo ur pony needs worming and which wo rmer he needs. You’ll still need to worm for encysted redworm in the winter, though, as this does n’t show up on egg count or saliva tes ts.

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, previously known as Cushing’s disease) is thought to affect 20% of ponies over the age of 15. It’s a hormonal disease that often causes laminitis, so it’s important to be aware of it. Ponies with the disease need careful management and benefit from a high-fibre, low-sugar and low-starch diet.

It’s good practice to ask your vet to test your veteran pony for PPID to make sure.

from hungry 8. Protect him friends nger n often take lo

Older ponies ca out pony’s turned to eat. If your steal his to y tr ht ey mig make sure with others, th ished eating. To fin ’s he re fo food be ight be best to hole feed, it m w s hi g in tt ith him while ge he’s area or stay w te ra pa se a feed him in he eats.

PONY magazine

29

WhAT does your PONY’s

fave snack say about him?

Ponies love snacks – fact! But what does his fave treat reveal about him? moinnsctious and knows thet e e r f r a g Su fave pony is health c od shape – either tha Your g in go He e of stayin on his diet! importanc ’s allowed e d not h e t in a e rm tr te only he’s de so t, . fi or it’s the re e eet tr ats being sup ulge on sw d in dreams of d n a t n his die to cheat o

Sandw iches

He’s t he to sne naughtiest ak a s of the an m is cun ning, c dwich from all! Greed y enou lever a tumm your p gh nd alw y-fillin ic ays on nic, your p g trea ony ts. the lo okout for

30

PONY magazine

Licksurprise that your pony

It’s no ! He loves loves constant attention never he ans a lick because it me can he if – ng cki has to stop sna is! t tha t make it las

Swed e

Your f life – ave pon y up fo luxury tr clearly e eats njoy r a li s tt a with a cla le challe re the on the finer ssy, nge thing ly wa on-t a rend s long a y forwa s in rd s vegg ie sn it’s rewa . He’s ack r at th ded e en d.

s keep Suchgaatrraditliounaml cphoice,r-yoswurepetontoyolithke,syotour pon! y en pe Su su av ol. With a n sugar he other tha it old scho g in th y n a ept won’t acc

Carrot

No need for ex tra sugar here – your pony is cl early sweet en ough already! Carro ts are a classi c choice and th e perfect optio n for a pony who pref ers to stick to what he knows.

Apurpfalveepony has a cheekyksieedpe o to

Y es hough he lik e, he’ll do to him! Alt nc ra a e elic app e up his ang ple from th p a n a l a e st to r g fo anythin rtunately yard. Unfo le tree on the d with app tt ays spo e lw a ’s e h , him s! d his chop froth roun

PONY magazine

31

AL

P

n i n r u t d n a g n i h c Cat

S

Y N O g out

I T ESSEN

Being able to catch your pony and turn him out is something you can’t get by without. Here’s the best way to do it

Time to turn out

Kit yourself out

1

For super-safe catching and turning out, you should wear... l a hat – in case your pony accidentally knocks into you l sturdy boots – to prevent slipping and keep your toes safe l gloves – to protect your hands from rope burn

Lead your pony to the field.

Problem-b uster

“When I take my pony to the field, he pulls me all th e way” It sounds like you need to be a bit stricter with him.

Leading your pony in a bridle is a good way to have more control to be gin with, but he’ll probably benefit fro m some general leading and mann ers practice, too.

Spend some time leading him in the school first an d make sure he’s familiar with your voice commands.

When he’s improv ed, try leading him on the yard, th en move on to turning him out us ing the same techniques. In the meantime, ask an experienced ad ult to help you lead him to the fie ld.

32

PONY magazine

p Tyooup’re otpeininegenthite

w When stand bet you’re , o e s t ga ony our p ct side to y d n a re e cor . on th ld it open o h

2 Open the gate, keeping hold of it to make sure it doesn’t knock into your pony.

3

Walk your pony through the gate and turn him around to face it so you can close it.

Problem-buster

fore to charge off be “My pony tries llar off” I take his headco can’t wait a st ju es Some poni to join their pals moment longer e of the field or on the other sid g retch after bein get a good leg st e th r te en u hen yo in for a while. W to turn your pony et rg fo n’t do field, e fence before back towards th le. adcollar or brid taking off his he , go m hi t just le It’s tempting to means he has to m hi g in rn but tu n before he can ai turn around ag ich will stop him go anywhere, wh try . You could also pulling you over once at tre a r fo it wa training him to headcollar off. s hi n ke ta e u’v yo

Top tip

Open the gate wide enough to let you rp but not so ony through, w ponies mig ide that other ht be able to get out, too.

4 Take your pony’s headcollar off and, if he’s standing calmly, give him a pat. Keep an eye on him as you step away, just in case he does decide to take off at speed.

PONY magazine

➤ 33

Problem-bu

bringing him in

1

Enter your pony’s field with his headcollar and leadrope.

Top tip

Carry the headcolla r close to y our body and make sure it’s undon e and ready to p ut on befo re you get to your pony .

Top tip

2 Approach his shoulder calmly from the side – this is where he can see you best.

Never app roach you r pony in th e field fro m behind, as it cou startle him ld .

3 When you get to his shoulder, put the leadrope over his neck.

Problem-buster in the field make “The other ponies to get through it really difficult the gate” lem when you’re This can be a prob ll as bringing in. turning out as we do is rope in a The best thing to r u move the othe friend to help yo if t bu , te ga e th d ponies and guar n, ask the ponies you’re on your ow m the gate as to move away fro If you go through much as you can. ly and manage the gate correct e whole time, it to hold onto it th difficult to keep shouldn’t be too side. them on the right

34

ster

“I can’t get anywhere nea r my pony” Some ponies are particu larly difficult to catch, which is sooo annoying, but don’t give up. Make sure you’re doing everythin g right from the moment you ent er his field. It will take time to encourage your pony to allow you to catch him, but try to bring him in as often as you can and do differe nt things, or just spend some time together in the field – avoid only brin ging him in to ride. Take a treat out to the field with you, but don ’t allow him to have it until you’ve got his headcollar on. If it still doe sn’t improve, ask a qualified equine behaviourist or your instru ctor for some help.

PONY magazine

4 Standing to the side of his head, put on the headcollar.

5

Lead your pony to the gate and go through it the same way as before, holding onto the gate.

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1

2

You’ll need... e jam jar and lid e nail varnish remover e smaller lid e super-glue e model pony

e water e glycerin (or baby oil) e white glitter e paper e scissors e sequins (optional)

Peel the label off the jar and wash it out. Use nail varnish remover to get rid of any stubborn sticky bits.

Ask an adult to super-glue the small lid onto the inside of the jar lid and leave to dry – this will be the platform for your pony to stand on.

3

42

It’s the perfect thing to keep you busy on a wintery afterno on – and it’s super-cute, to o!

Ask an adult to super-glue the model pony’s hooves to the small lid.

PONY magazine

4

Fill the jar up with water (bottled water is clearest), leaving about 2cm of space at the top.

5

6 7 8

Add a few drops of glycerin to the water – this will make your snow fall more slowly.

Sprinkle 1–2tsps of white glitter into the water and stir it gently.

Put the lid on tightly, give it a shake and check whether you need to add any more water to fill it, glitter for more snow or glycerin to slow it falling.

Cut out some paper snow, stick it to the bottom of your snow globe and decorate with glitter or sequins.

Head over to bit.ly/pony_snowglobe to watch our super-cool snow globe being made!

Ta-dah!

PONY magazine

43

! it n i W 2

1

to be won!

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to be won!

One lucky winner will receive a prize bundle from Jack, Lilly and Friends. It includes three signed books – Rescue Paddy, Lilly and Six, and Barking Mad – complete with a matching mug for each.

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PONY magazine

There are two ways to enter...

Fill out the entry form or enter online at ponycompetitions.co.uk

Entries close 28 Februar y 2018

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PONY MAGAZINE ENTRY FORM FEBRUARY Win! Stable bed (page 12) Q: Where in the bed can you store your riding gear?

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PONY magazine

45

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Brrr, winter! It’s dark and cold, and you can’t spend as much time on the yard as you’d like. But don’t worry, the best thing to do is get stuck into a good horsey read and snuggle up with a hot chocolate.

Luckily, the PONY Shop has you covered, from fab fiction books for you to get lost in another world to non-fiction books for you to improve your knowledge. Plus, you can always have a re-read of all your old PONY mags, too!

Janu ary 2018

read?

£3.65 Issue 833

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December 2017 £3.65 Issue 832

Looking for a

Head over to the Win section of the PONY Hangout on ponymag.com to be in with a chance of winning loads of incred prizes! With special web comps and the chance to enter magazine competitions online, you could be in with a chance of getting your hands on some fab goodies.

47

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picks

Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free is full of essential nutrients to help keep your pony’s toes in tip-top condition. £13.05 dengie.com

Check out the pick of the products we’re lovin’ this month!

Show Proof glossifier spray adds shine to your pony’s coat, detangles and conditions all in one! £14.50 fandbinternational.co.uk

Give your ride an extra-fun twist with a Happy Headbangers Club hat cover – there are loads of animals to choose from! £25 happyheadbangersclub.com

Airo was given away by his breeder at six months old.

Find out what happens next in A pony called Airo. £2.99 amazon.co.uk

Keep your pony’s legs clean and bacteriafree with Activ Scrub antibacterial cleansing wash. £10 robinsonanimalhealthcare.com

50

PONY magazine

Save up to buy a present for your fave pony, or even a pony of your own, with this New Look money box. £8.99 newlook.com

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HOW TO

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fun stuff

Check out loads more on our website ponymag.com or find our channel on

PONY magazine

FESS

UP!

Shar e red-f your cri ng aced sham es and t he e wit h us!

r colitd day, so my friend, Ollie, and fo n Ru ng It was a freezi DWeowennt’ton aphaackninicmy! riding lesson, and dmyanpod nyI ,

y shocke canter. I was reall Vinnie, went into ing instructor ‘Help! Help!’. My rid started to scream but I was too , him op me how to st was trying to tell up beside Vinnie She had to come panicked to listen. of the ride d to spend the rest to help me and I ha rassing. ar mb drope. Mega-e next to her on a lea Abigail

of ‘It’ to get warm. Ollie I decided to play a game sprinting flat out down s was chasing me and I wa the yard owner appeared the yard, when suddenly p but it was too icy, so I in front of me. I tried to sto sn’t landed in a heap. She wa crashed into her and we nt the rest of the day very impressed and we spe doing chores.

Cece

Muddy madness

Exciting times

We’d just got back from collecting my new pony, Zebedee, and I was super-excited to show him to all my friends at the yard. I’d been telling everyone how amazing he was, so they were all waiti ng to see him as he came off the trailer. I think Zebe dee was a bit excited, too, because as I led him down the ramp he let out a massive squeal and farte d! I was mortified but all my friends thought it was hilarious and won’t stop talking about it.

Hannah

Got a totally embarrassing moment you’ll dare to share? Go on! Send it to the usual PONY address or email listed on the contents page.

54

PONY magazine

I was walking through the super-muddy, slippery field to check my pony’s water trough. Suddenly, I felt my welly slip off my foot and I lost my balance, falling face first into the thick, wet mud. I was covered!

Fortunately, no one saw me except for my pony, who snorted, trotted off and wouldn’t let me catch her.

Sophie

Feeling festive

For my Pony Club’s Christmas rally, there was a fancy dress competition. I spent age s preparing – I dressed up as Santa Claus and my pony, Lyd ia, was Rudolph. I was feeling confident that we were going to win but, when I got there I was the only one in full fancy dress and everyone else had just made a fun Christmas hat. We did win, but I was sooo embarra ssed to be the only one wearing a full costume.

Sarah

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AN EVENING WITH

PRESENT

Shout

Out!

Dynamic Dino This is my pony, Dino. We love doing Pony Club activities together and I really like doing dressage with him, too. I adore Dino and think it’s hilarious that he’s blowing a raspberry in this photo!

Katrina Metford

This is me and my amazing pony, Bentley. I’ve had him for seven years but have been riding for 10. Reading PONY mag has really helped me learn and know what to do with a pony of my own – and because of this Bentley is spoiled rotten!

Niamh O’Mahoney 58

PONY magazine

Dinky is the best pony in the world! She’s taught me how to jump and go really fast – we have so much fun together. I love her so much and she lets me cuddle and talk to her when I’m feeling sad. She’s my best friend in the whole wide world and I wouldn’t sell her for anything!

Sophie Hale

MY PONY CLUB

My name’s Zenna and I’m a member of the awesome Cury Hunt Pony Club. I love learning about how to look after ponies and going to

Cracking Keelie

Brilliant Bentley

A Dinky delight

This is my brilliant pony, Keelie. When we got her, I was afraid to even canter.

Now, we jump cross-country fences, canter up tracks and hop over puddles. We have a really strong bond and she neighs at me every morning.

Thank you Keelie, I love you so much!

Eleanor Burgess

Pony Club camp where I have lots of fun with my pony and friends!

Zenna Wedlake

Timmy is...

Choccy the champ!

Roland rocks!

This is me and my pony, Roland.

We’re both nine years old.

He can be quite cheeky but everyone loves him, especially me! I’d love my photo to appear in PONY mag because I’m a huge fan!

Melissa McGladery

I think my pony, Choccy, deserves a shout out in PONY because he’s taken me from jumping Crosscross-poles to 90cm courses! zing at ama he’s but , fave our is country , you’re ccy Cho s. everything. I love him load amazing!

Jumping Jack This is my cheeky pony, Jack Sparrow.

He loves his jumping – I started off trotting over tiny cross-poles and now I’m jumping 80cm. He can be lazy sometimes, but he’s the best pony in the world and sooooo fluffy.

Here’s a photo of me and my favourite pony, Max. He’s so sweet and loves jumping.

We competed in a small showjumping competition and came first! I’m really proud of him and he’s made me a much better rider!

I’m from Australia and would like to give a massive shout out to Leggy. I stepped in to ride him for his owner and we ended up qualifying for the Royal Adelaide Show! We had a really awesome time and a very successful day, bringing home second place in the hunter class!

Rosie Makant

Cassidy Martin

SUPER-CUTE PETS Custard o wned by Jody

pony of the

Lucy Evans

Hanna Lewis

Marvellous Max

ARIAT e Awesomm onth

Blue o wned by Abigail

This is my amazing pony, Timmy. We love doing showjumping and crosscountry together! He’s so kind and is super-speedy round jump-offs. In fact, he’ll jump anything! He’s really nice and will let anyone ride him. I think Timmy definitely deserves to be Ariat Awesome Pony of the Month because he’s the best pony I could ever wish for and has taught me so much. I love him to the moon and back a million times!

Poppy Ross

WIN

THESE BOOTS! The Ariat Stormstopper boots are super-comfy and perfect for a day on the yard. Available in brown or navy, in adult sizes 3–8.5. Worth £109.99

Cally owned by Robyn PONY magazine

59

Part two

The disappearance Charlotte’s told her friends, Daisy and Cait, that she’s lost on a hack. Will they be able to help her get home?

CHARLOTTE?

!

I’m starting to get worried now.

. r y, urgh No battee are Daisy r And whe d Cait?! an

Let’s try down here.

re the T hanks, Taff, you’ ! er ev best pony

HEY LOOK, THERE’S TAFF IN HIS FIELD!

60

PONY magazine

Charlotte! We’re glad you made it back, but you should have told us you were okay!

PHEW!

as

as

as

Jessie and Apache

Katie and Caramac

Paige and Rio

Charlotte and Taff

Daisy and Jazzy

Cait and Finn

MEANWHILE...

We’re definitely getting close now, I can hear the road.

Don’t, she can’t have gone far and Taff knows this area like the back of his hoof.

reat ride, I’ve had a g ink you’re h Taff, but I t to sho w me e v a h going to ay back. the w

MEANWHILE...

See you tomorrow, Taff, thanks again!

Sorry, I ran out of battery and even though we were lost it was the best ride.

Well, you can help us finish our chores now.

find I don’t think we’re going to bably pro her like this, we should call the yard.

have Taff will I’m sure r back safe, got he eck first. let’s ch

And tomorrow, we’re all riding together with fully-charged phones, yes?

AGREED!

The end PONY magazine

61

Y T E F A S

first

g when it’s n i w o n k y b e l d d sa Stay safe in the amp your wardrobe! time to rev

RIDING HAT When to replace it... l if you’ve fallen off and hit your head l if you drop your hat on the floor l every three to five years Why it needs replacing Riding hats work by absorbing the impact of a fall before it reaches your head. If your hat has already absorbed one impact, it won’t be able to absorb another one as efficiently.

Plus, with use, the Often you won’t realise if materials gradually you’ve knocked your head degrade over time due when you’ve fallen off. If to the heat and sweat you’re in any doubt, it’s produced by your body. best to replace your hat.

So, even if you haven’t had a fall, it’s still important to replace it.

Top tip

Even if you haven’t had a fall, it’s still important to replace your hat 62

PONY magazine

Top tip Remember not to store your riding hat in your car or dry it on a radiator, because it’ll get damaged by the heat.

body protector

It’s super-important that your body protector fits correctly

When to replace it... l if it’s been dented or damaged l if you can see coloured Velcro once your body protector has been fastened (this means you’ve outgrown it) l every three to five years

Why it needs replacing It’s super-important that your body protector fits correctly to make sure it protects all the parts of you it’s meant to. As you grow, you’ll need to keep an eye on how well it fits. If, once you’ve fastened it, you can see coloured Velcro (it’s normally Always get your hat and red), it means you’ve outgrown it and it’s time body protector fitted by a to buy a new one. professional. Poorly fitting Just like hats, the material that makes up safety equipment can do body protectors also gets worn over time, so more harm than good. even if it still fits, you should replace it every three to five years.

Top tip

other safety equipment It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your gloves and riding boots as well, to make sure they do their job of protecting you. Check the grip on your gloves is still in working order – you don’t want to struggle with slippy reins or leadropes!

When it comes to riding and yard boots, the most important thing is that they fit your feet!

The zips or laces also need to be in good working order and the boots should be strong enough to protect your feet – steel toe caps are best.

PONY magazine

63

Y T I R A CH OUT s y a d

êthe horse Horse trust Trust

Where? Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire When? Open all year from February–November, Thursday–Sunday and bank holidays, 2pm – 4pm horsetrust.org.uk

êWorld world horse Horse welfare Welfare

Where? Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire, Peel Corner in Lancashire, Snetterton in Norfolk and Kingsdon in Somerset When? Visit the website for details worldhorsewelfare.org

êHAPPA happa

Where? Burnley in Yorkshire When? Open daily 11am – 4pm happa.org.uk

Mare and foal Foal êthe mare sanctuary Sanctuary

Where? Totnes in Devon When? Open daily from 1 April – 1 November, 10am – 4pm mareandfoal.org

êhorseworld Horseworld rescue Rescue centre Centre Where? Whitchurch in Bristol When? Only open for special events, visit the website for details horseworld.org.uk

êbransby Bransby horses Horses

Where? Bransby in Lincolnshire When? Open all year round, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, from 10am – 4pm bransbyhorses.co.uk

64

PONY magazine

Why n differe ot tr y a da amazin nce and sup y out with a p g equi ne cha or t some rities?

êRedwings

Where? Nazeing in Essex, Aylsham and Caldecott in Norfolk, Oxhill in Warwickshire, and Forfar in Scotland When? Open all year round, every Friday–Monday, 10am – 4pm redwings.org.uk

êthe The donkey Donkey sanctuary Sanctuary

Where? Sidmouth in Devon, Templepatrick in Belfast, Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, Buxton in Derbyshire and other locations When? Devon sanctuary open daily, 9am until dusk. For other sanctuaries, visit the website for details thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

Northcote heavy Heavy horse Horse ênorthcote centre Centre

Where? Spilsby in Lincolnshire When? Open every Wednesday from April– October. For other opening times and special event days, visit the website for details northcotehorses.com

êonly Only foals Foals and horses Horses

Where? Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire When? Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday– Sunday, 1pm – 4pm onlyfoalsandhorses.org.uk

ê êê

ê ê êê ê

ê

ê

ê ê

ê

ê

PONY magazine

65

Photos: Matt Austin, Nigel Corby, World Horse Welfare

ê ê

ê

ê ê

Help!

WRITE TO:

HELP! PONY Mag, MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, HEADLEY ROAD, GRAYSHOTT, SURREY GU26 6LG

PONY Got a pony problem? Write to or email Team e pages and we’ll answer as many as we can on thes In or out?

I exercise my pony for up to an hour each day and she lives out 24/7.

My friend says she should be stabled if I’m riding her this much – is this true or can she stay out in the field?

Q

Many ponies are totally fine to live out 24/7, no matter how much work they’re doing. It’s more important that you make sure she has shelter and is getting enough of the essential vits and mins she needs.

Don’t forget, every pony’s different – while some will

Many ponies thrive livi ng out

A

Brushing up My pony has been clipped for the first time this year. What brush should I use to groom him now?

Q

Some ponies find a dandy brush too rough if they’ve been clipped, while others don’t mind, so it’s good to try out a few options and see what your pony likes best. Too much grooming with a body brush, which is softer, can remove some of the natural oils from his coat that help to keep him waterproof, so it’s best to avoid using this as your main tool on areas that aren’t covered by a rug.

Try using a plastic or rubber curry comb to get any dried mud off, then give the area a quick brush with a body brush to get rid of any finer dust.

We cannot reply personally to problems

A

66

PONY magazine

Wrong leg!

Did you know?

thrive living out, others may not be so hardy and will benefit from some time in the stable.

As long as what you’re doing works for your pony, that’s all that matters.

When I go into canter, my instructor Canter is a three-beat pace. often tells me I’m You should be able to quickly on the wrong leg. count ‘one, two, three’ with What’s she talking each stride as you hear about and how can I your pony’s hooves hit know for myself? the ground.

Q

Being ‘on the correct leg’ is a bit like being on the correct diagonal in trot. If your pony gets it right, it’ll help him stay balanced when he’s cantering on a bend.

If you glance down at your pony’s shoulders while you’re cantering, it should look as though the inside one is moving and stretching further forward than the outside leg.

A

‘I’m starving, honest!’

Q

Why’s my pony always so hungry?

Ponies have evolved to eat all day, every day – this is how their digestive system works best – which explains why your pony’s always eating. It’s okay for him to have short breaks, though, such as when you’re riding (although he might not agree!).

However, if he spends more than six hours without food, especially forage, it could cause him digestive problems.

Because of the type of grass some ponies are kept on, it’s quite common that they eat too much, so you should monitor his weight regularly.

A

Top tip

STEEDS Children‘s Winter Riding Coat Tina

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Two what?

I’m going to a showjumping competition soon and one of the classes is ‘twophase’. What does this mean?

Q

If a class is two-phase, it means the course is split into two sections. It’s a bit like going into the jump-off straightaway – the first section is jumped like a normal round and the second section is timed. You only progress to the second part of the course if you go clear in the first (if you don’t the bell will ring). Walk the course first to work out how many fences are in each section and where the timed area starts.

STEEDS Children‘s Winter Functional Jacket Ania

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Speed up in the

second section!

Progress to the second phase if you go clear

STEEDS Children‘s Long-Sleeved Shirt Heardy

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No pain, no gain

Q

What does riding without stirrups actually help with? Whenever we do it in my lessons it just hurts!

Riding without stirrups regularly does so many good things for your riding, including... l engaging your core muscles l improving your position and balance l making you think more about what you’re doing rather than just being a passenger It hurts because your muscles are getting tired. But the good news is, the more you do it, the better you’ll get and the less it’ll hurt, too!

STEEDS Children‘s Long-Sleeved Polo Shirt Elva

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YOUR FU TURE

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Next Month. !

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SAY GOODBYE TO

Mud

fever

flatwork Nurture your confidence

to grips with lungeing n Tendon

9 Simple Steps

YARD

POLITICS

BUYER’S GUIDES:

Avoid the drama

injuries explained n Jump-off success

JUMP-OFF

• Horse high-vis • Therapeutic rugs

SUCCESS

Tips from Tim Stockdale

Tendon injuries Treatment & prevention

with Tim Stockdale

Get to grips with

lungeing

All the kit demystified

Bucket list

50 horsey things to try in 2018!

horseandrideruk.com

n Say goodbye to mud fever n Get

ts Cool produc ing in our shopp pages

n Five exercises to boost your flatwork

Got a horsey problem?

Ask our experts!

exercises to boost your

IPN Consumer Magazine of the Year

Issue number 575 February 2018

Lots of great prizes to be won!

£4.20

Feb 2018

sagents, w e n d o o g ll a m o fr le b Availa or call 01428 601020 In this feature. . . ➤ Tackling

In the saddle

In this feature. . .

➤ How

to achieve an elastic contact

➤

Improve straightness Get the right bend ➤

OUT ON TH

cross-coEuntry

5 STEPS TO

With thanks to rebeccahowardequ Hampshire, tweseldown.co.uk.

with Set yourself up for success from dressage easy-to-follow exercises rider Alice Oppenheimer

Our models

1

Improve your contact

Venue: Tweseldown,

areas to work on head into the school. Key straightness are contact, bend, suppleness, will all help you to and transitions, which with your build a better ridden partnership exercises to get horse. Here are some great you started...

The more accepting your horse is of an elastic contact, the easier it is to communicate with him and the more of a pleasure he’ll be to ride.

•

with the whip if backing it up with a tap forward in necessary. When he’s moving and focus on a good rhythm, sit quietly and allowing him maintaining still, soft hands the temptation to to find the contact. Avoid fiddle with the reins. runs away, shorten If he pokes his nose and to be rounder eins and encourage him

Photos: Bob Atkins.

in t can be hard to stay motivated areas of winter but if you identify need a bit your horse’s flatwork that up with of polish, and then come it’ll give you ways to improve them, to saddle up and the inspiration you need

TOP TIP

Establish a soft contact by bending your elbows and keeping your thumbs on top of the reins. in front of your

ld to Kelly McCarthy-Maine.

anks to Dengie for their

help with this feature, dengie.com

Our expert

I

COURSE

Ride your line, set the speed, find your rhythm and balance with Olympic eventer, Rebecca Howard stay in

estrian.com

better flatwork

Alice Oppenheimer is an elite British dressage rider who breeds and trains horses at her family’s stud in Hampshire. She’s won 10 national and 24 regional dressage titles.

different types of fence

and suppleness

Our expert

C

ross-country riding is a game of reactions. Your priorities are to ride your line, judge your speed, and maintain rhythm and balance across country and over solid obstacles. You’ve spent countless hours developing tools within your horse’s training and walked the course carefully, but it’s your ability to react and respond to what’s happening underneath you that makes for a safe, confidence-boosting cross-country round.

Riding your line means sticking to the route you want your horse to travel on from one fence to the other. As you progress through the levels, this line becomes fine-tuned and, at the dizzying

heights of the world-class CCI**** events, blade-of-grass specific, but it’s too soon to begin practising never technical questions and learning to be time efficient, whatever your end goal.

Every time I ride, regardless of whether I’m hacking, schooling or jumping, I work on moving and shaping my horse’s body around my leg. The training you do at home develops the skills and tools that allow you to shape and manoeuvre your horse’s body on a planned track. It doesn’t matter whether that’s the centre line in your dressage test or downhill to a skinny on the crosscountry course – so don’t waste any opportunity when you’re in the saddle.

Our models UK-based Canadian eventer Rebecca Howard’s top 10 finish at the Rio 2016 Olympics made her the top female eventer at the Games. She’s ridden for Canada at Olympic, Pan-American and World Equestrian Games, and earned top 12 results at Badminton, Burghley, Danielle Searson is Kentucky and Luhmühlen.

Victoria Voller rides Moor a working pupil with She rides Dream Kanyu, Land Oscar, a sevenRebecca. She rides her own a six-year-old Irish Sport year-old New Forest x 10-year-ol

Lottie Faulkner runs her own yard, backing and bringi

Mind matters

➤

What to do in the start

In the saddle

box ➤ How to use a stop

I imagine the whole cross-country course as a line drawn on the ground from start to finish, and I know exactly where I want my horse’s feet to be each step of the way

watch

Knock-on effect the same is true man is an island and

How to have a

HAPPY YARD only place, but that can to be an enjoyable your part Your yard is supposed how you can play y gets along. Here’s happen if everybod

W

is big or hether your yard or private, small, commercial that relies on it’s a community in harmony. everybody working amount You spend a significant for the money part with plenty of needs to of time there – and home-away-from-home privilege – so your enjoy being. be somewhere you

It’s said that no they’re on a livery particularly when of horse owners, time there will you do during your yard. Everything it’s important somebody else, so have an impact on bringing of your actions. If to consider the effects his fieldmate a ride means leaving your horse in for whether this is something out alone, think about will be happy about – if the owner to have your the horse and his would you prefer situation was reversed, he doesn’t become unsettled? too, so horse brought in, using shared considerate about Do your best to be for the arena book the prime slot Don’t too. others facilities, for example, because to ride at every single evening, too. If it’s not possible Use the may want to use it, you share the space? another time, could your horse to advantage – getting one of situation to your distraction of having the despite you listen to for in the will be good practice his friends in there competitions. warm-up arena at

TOP TIP

become Try not to let people the group isolated or left out of feel – find ways to help them an included, or simply make effort to talk to them.

le Set an examp be if you went annoyed you’d the

row was in Imagine how and the wheelbar to muck out somebody else’s or half-full of to school wrong place or if you wanted left out by dirty bedding, was full of fences precious, and the arena time is person. Your the previous when you need during the week and home life, particularly around work waste your to fit your horse you want is to thing last y else. so the up after everybod best to make time tidying by doing your Set an example expect them you’d as others after all the life as easy for you. Try to look own. This to make it for they were your facilities as thoughany droppings out of the t includes clearing ridden, putting equipmen arena after you’ve leaving belongs, and back where it and tidy. e yard clean

hooting

Troubles have an effect on will Any sort of strife best to be kind, polite you all, so do your if you find everybody, even and courteous to do have an along with. If you them difficult to get and it isn’t possible e of the other liveries u,

Love it... Groom it...

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PONIES FOR SALE

H 14.2hh, 16-year-old New Forest X, gelding. Schools nicely. Has done mounted games, SJ, XC and DR. Good in traffic. Snaffle mouth. No vices. Sold with tack. £2,000.

07951 441171 (South east)

H 12.2hh, nine-year-old Welsh X, gelding. Real all-rounder.

208 JC points. Currently jumping 90cm with potential for more. Unshod. Would suit confident rider. £5,000.

07935 435214 (Scotland)

H 14hh, nine-year-old New Forest X, gelding. Sweet natured. Forward-going and scopey. Lovely paces. Good to do in all ways. Not a novice ride. £1,500.

07979 850791 (South west)

H 13.2hh, eight-year-old cob gelding. Good temperament.

Great to hack. Good in traffic.

Push button ride in the school.

Pops a small course. Has been cubbing. £2,600.

07979 245325 (South east)

H 12hh, 12-year-old Welsh Section A mare. Mothers’ dream lead-rein pony. Full competition history available.

No vices. Lovely manners. Very good all-rounder. £4,995.

07932 088793 (South east)

H 14hh, 10-year-old cob mare.

Ride and drive. Very forwardgoing. Snaffle mouth. Easy to do. Hacks alone or in company.

Ideal for competent rider to have fun on. £2,250.

07736 845903 (South east)

H 15.2hh, seven-year-old Appaloosa gelding. Perfect all–rounder. Very competitive against the clock. Ridden in a snaffle. Hacks alone or in a group. No novices. POA. 07710 524140 (N Ireland)

H 15.3hh, 12-year-old warmblood mare. Pleasure to own. 15 BD points. Ideal for BE, BS and RC activities. Has had minor injury but not affected. £4,900.

01909 472580 (East mids)

Charity pony

Charity pony

H FOR REHOMING: Bransby Darcy. 13.2hh, threeyear-old mare. Confident pony who loves to be fussed.

Looking for companion home until ready for backing.

01427 782862

H FOR REHOMING: Bransby Winston. 11.2hh, nineyear-old gelding. Seeking a home as a companion. Loves fuss. Good to do but can be cheeky. Enjoys routine.

01427 782862

Charity pony

Charity pony

FR E

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H FOR REHOMING: HAPPA Truffle. To make 11hh, Welsh-type filly. Looking for an experienced home as a companion. Good to do but wary of new people.

01282 455992

H FOR REHOMING: HAPPA Blueberry. To make 14hh, cob filly. Looking for an experienced home with horses of a similar age. Good for vet and farrier, but can be shy.

01282 455992

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My share pony disaster!

Lucy was super-excited to start sharing a cheeky pony called Sparky. But would things go to plan?

I

’ve been riding at my riding school, Woods End Stables, for about five years now. My parents aren’t horsey, so for the first year they hoped it was just be a phase, but they soon realised I was determined to stick at it!

I didn’t get to ride as often as I’d have liked – I had one lesson every two weeks that I had to earn by doing chores around the house. That is, until my fourteenth birthday. My parents announced that they were so impressed with my hard work that they’d decided I was ready for a share pony. It was the best birthday ever!

Meeting Sparky

It turned out that my parents had been chatting to my instructor, Lisa. She’d told them about a pony called Sparky. He was owned by a friend of hers who was moving him to Woods End and they were looking for a sharer to help exercise him.

I couldn’t contain my excitement as we headed to the yard the day after my birthday to meet Sparky. I rushed out of the car and over to his stable, which had a brand new nameplate attached to it.

A fluffy palomino head poked over the stable door, munching on some hay. His forelock was sticking up in all directions and he had a mischievous look in his eye.

“Meet Sparky,” Lisa said, smiling as she walked over. “He has a rather big character, but is super-friendly. He’s yours to ride twice a week, as long as you keep on top of the mucking out!”

But the second time I rode him, things started to go wrong. First of all, it took me about 40 minutes to catch him. I was chasing after him with the headcollar with no luck. When I eventually managed to catch him and bring him in, I tied him up tightly to make sure he didn’t escape, but while I was grooming him, he just wouldn’t stand still! It took me another half an hour to get him looking even half-clean.

The problems continued once I’d tacked him up – he wouldn’t stand still by the mounting block so I couldn’t even get on. Frustrated, I sat down on the mounting block with my head in my hands, close to tears. This wasn’t what I expected my share pony to be like! How could I tell my parents Sparky just wasn’t right?

Problem solving

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked, surprised, as she walked past to find me slumped on the mounting block. I tearfully explained the problem to her. “I think you need to have a chat with Sparky’s owner,” she said firmly. I gulped, would Sparky’s owner accuse me of doing a bad job?

I needn’t have worried in the end.

Sparky’s owner, Rebecca, was lovely.

She explained not to chase him when trying to catch him and to hide the headcollar behind my back. She told me how tying him up so short to groom only makes him grumpy and fidgety.

She even showed me how to encourage him to stand still at the mounting block and we had another amazing ride afterwards.

His forelock was sticking up in all directions and he had a mischievous look in his eye

A turn for the worse

My first ride with Sparky was brilliant – he was as good as gold. I had a flatwork lesson with Lisa and it couldn’t have gone any better. Sparky seemed like such a great pony and I was sure we were destined for great things. I couldn’t help but daydream about us winning our first dressage rosette and qualifying for the championships.

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PONY magazine

Putting the work in

It took a lot of time and effort for me and Sparky to get to know and trust each other properly. Rebecca gave me plenty of tips for handling him on the ground and I had regular riding lessons with Lisa, too.

He was totally different to the riding school ponies I was used to and I fell off him a lot in the first few months!

But I’m so glad I decided to stick with him, despite all the difficulties we went through. I’ve now been sharing him for more than six months and it really has been the best time of my life. I’ve even entered for our first dressage competition next month – I wonder if we’ll win our first rosette?! Wish us luck!

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN PROTECTIVE HEADWEAR MANUFACTURERS WREXHAM

EVERY DAY SAFETY #Safety365 isn’t just about wearing your helmet or body protector every day, every ride. It’s about being prepared so you can enjoy your ride from start to finish.

#Safety365

Charles Owen is committed to making every day safer for equestrians.

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