Issue 351

o.1 N EQUINE

HORSEBOX

MONTHLY

B e a b e t t e r r i d e r , g e t t h e b e s t f r o m yo u r h o r s e

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HOW TO ISSUE

Ride like a pro, boost his confidence, face your fears, train to win plus lots more BEN MAHER

ATYPICAL MYOPATHY

GET HIM MOVING key to

Unlock the ss in forwardne eps five easy st

£3.80

The latest vet advice to keep your horse safe

GEAR Riding CARE Team Fredericks Improve his jumping Look after his heart, put 10 exercise sheets to the test

style and master walk to canter transitions

help a cast horse plus clipping sensitive areas

9 770266 411209

Think like a horse and banish bad behaviour

5 5>

helps you with flying changes and rushing

ISSN 0266-4119

• HOW to issue • Think like a horse • ben maher • atypical myopathy • team fredericks test exercise sheets • forwardness

THE

January 2012

Your Horse 355 JANUARY 2012

WIN A

UK’S

last chance TO ENter

The yard

you r hor se

Blyth Tait

I couldn’t just ride for pleasure, I have to compete Words Katy Islip Photography Matthew Roberts

A

fter a career that spanned almost two decades in the international eventing spotlight and saw him win Burghley twice, scoop two world championship titles and bring home four Olympic medals including individual gold, no-one begrudged Blyth Tait a quieter life when he decided to retire after the 2004 Athens Olympics.

But after seven years back in his native New Zealand with a stint as a racehorse breeder, the lure of the forthcoming London Olympics proved too great to resist and Blyth

returned to the UK in March with new four star ride Santos and his eye on an Olympic team spot.

Despite a frustrating season and more than a few setbacks, Blyth has decided to stay on indefinitely in the UK to pursue both his Olympic hopes and a return to top-flight eventing.

We met Blyth the day before he flew back to New Zealand for a two-month break, arriving at his base at Eddie Stibbe’s impressive Lavender Hill Stud, in Gloucestershire, to find the Kiwi rider relaxed, reflective and looking forward to 2012.

Turn over for Blyth’s answers to your questions

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Your

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Win this horsebox worth £28,700!

Be inspired…

If the chance to win this fantastic horsebox has inspired you to box up, here’s how to make sure you’re fit and raring to go

tto Lhaans ce

Look the part

As temperatures drop you’ll relish the thought of boxing up far more if you’re protected from the elements. Musto’s stylish clothing range, using hi-tech fabrics (including Gore-Tex, Polartec and Windstopper) will ensure you look the part and stay warm. Check out the new Signature Collection at www.musto.com

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The inside story

Whether you’re boxing up for an event or for a hack, it’s vital your horse is fit for purpose. The correct diet will ensure he has all the nutrients he needs, while a high fibre diet will help prevent the fizziness that can be induced by high starch feeds. For feeding advice call Dodson & Horrell on 0845 345 2627

WORTH £28 ,700 !

Comfort first

The more comfortable you can make your horse’s travelling experience, the happier he’ll be to load. The Sonic Horsebox shown here carries two horses in luxury with its padded partitions and walls, extra height partition and even a CCTV camera so you can check your horse is happy.

Visit www.equi-trek.com for more details.

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Plan ahead

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All new Equi-Trek trailers or horseboxes come with a year’s free membership to Equine Rescue Services’ emergency breakdown cover. See www. equinerescue.co.uk

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Riding

How to

Improve his jumping technique Discover how to turn your horse’s stag leap into a well-executed jump with expert advice from Mia Korenika, Nicola Wilson and Paul Crago Photography Matthew Roberts

W

e’d all love our horses to jump in a picture perfect bascule – a faultless arc from poll to tail, but how can we improve our horse’s physical ability to jump if he’s not quite hitting the mark?

you r hor se

Get him to the fence!

MEET THE EXPERT

Mia Korenika

When it comes to improving a horse’s jump, British show jumper and trainer Mia Korenika believes in giving your horse the best chance to succeed every time.

“Generally my school of thought is to encourage your horse to get to the fence in the right balance and rhythm and to jump from the right place.

For most horses, the physical jump improves when their confidence improves – so if you can get him there right every time that will teach him to put his feet in the right place and really use his body – simple and logical,” says Mia. “An exercise I like to use a lot is a bounce line including poles on the ground – it’s like sit ups for horses working a wide range of their muscles across their core, hindquarters and front.”

Mia explains that this bounce involves a total of five parts with distances of 3–3 ½ yards between them.

“I alternate poles on the ground with poles raised to a height of approximately 80cm – I therefore end up with three poles on the ground and two raised. Once you’re confident down this bounce grid, you can add another two poles – one raised and one on the ground,” she says.

“Horses have to be really disciplined to work through this grid – they have to concentrate, stay in rhythm, remain balanced and they really have to use themselves.”

For more of a challenge, Mia recommends raising the ground poles at one end to increase the complexity of this exercise, alternating which side you raise along the grid. So in a seven-pole grid raise pole two on the left, pole four on the right and pole six on the left.

Work his shape

If you’re looking to work on your horse’s shape as he jumps, Mia recommends creating a broad base on your jumps using ground lines.

“As an example, set down your ground poles on either side of a simple, upright jump, positioning them level with the toes of your jump wings,” explains Mia. “Creating a broader base will encourage your horse to stretch over the fence, creating a nice shape - this technique works well with oxer fences too.”

Not used raised poles before? Start off small then increase the height

Which jumps do what?

Different jumps work your horse in different ways – here’s a little selection: True oxers, made up of two verticals parallel to each other, are great for building strength behind and will encourage your horse to really stretch up and over the front and back rails.

Ascending Oxers, like true oxers, are built with two verticals parallel to one another - however the back pole is set slightly higher than the front, which will encourage your horse to jump in the correct shape.

Swedish oxers, where the front and back poles slant in opposite directions, are especially useful. The centre point, created by the V shape where the poles cross over will help with straightness and the lift and tuck of the front legs.

Raised trotting poles make your horse work hard and concentrate – they can be quite physically demanding so you don’t need to work over raised poles for too long.

Cross-poles create a V shape (which becomes narrower as the height of the jump is increased) - this will encourage your horse to lift his front legs, keeping them neatly tucked up and in as he jumps.

Uprights require your horse to jump height not width.

To clear them, your horse must roll back onto his hindquarters in order to push himself up and over the fence – great for building strength and working on accuracy of take-off.

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Riding

Get him going

! d r a w r o f Achieving forwardness is key to your riding success, whatever your discipline. Here our team of experts explain how, why and when to master it with their five-step plan

Key

✓ Horse working forward correctly

✗ you r hor se

Horse not working through properly

How to

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!

N I W

ALL OF THESE PRIZES

WORTH £1,100

Fed up with the same presents from Santa every year (badly knitted jumper, liqueurs...)?

Fear not, you could win everything featured on this spread!

To win all of these featured gifts, just answer this question: Who won Burghley Horse Trials 2011?

A. Andrew Nicholson B. William Fox-Pitt C. Mary King

Enter online at www.yourhorse.co.uk & horsedeals.co.uk Reversible Polar Buff®

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Equetech Patriot Competition Shirt

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With everyone gearing up for the 2012 Olympics, why not cut a dash in the ring with this exquisite competition shirt. The cut is based on our top selling competition shirts. The Patriot shirt features Union Jack trim to the overcollar and sleeves and a deep back airflow vent for optimum movement in the saddle.

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The Perfect Present for Horse Owners: A unique bracelet made from the tail of your horse or horses*. Handmade by jewellery designer Rebecca Wenzerul, the bracelets are finished with sterling silver and can be customised with charms, names or special dates. There are various designs and gift vouchers are also available. Prices start at just

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It is easy, painless for the horse, and has no impact on the look of the tail.

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Equilibrium Massage Mit - Improve flexibility and mobility, from the all new Neddy Shack.

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Happy Horse™ The award winning Happy Horse™ range of hay steamers are recognised as the most versatile products on the market whilst retaining a realistic retail price. Effective on loose hay and hay nets, in addition to unstrung bales, it’s clear to see why the original range of hay steamers are the best option.

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FynaLite

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CLICK HERE TO ENTER TERMS AND CONDITIONS: One winner with the correct answer will be drawn at random on the 28th December 2011. The winner will need to let us know their correct clothing sizes in order that we can fulfil certain prizes. Once provided, please allow 28 days for delivery. Any out – of – stock items will be replaced with a product of a similar value. All entrants must be UK residents aged over 18. All entries must be made via www.yourhorse. co.uk or www.horsedeals.co.uk for full terms and conditions please visit these sites or www.greatcompetitions.co.uk the winners details will appear on www. greatcompetitions.co.uk

Riding

4 exercises to

improve your

20 minutes walk to canter transitions Four effective exercises to help you master this essential movement

Walk to canter transitions are an important element in many dressage tests and useful in so many ways so it’s important to get them just right. From helping with balance and suppleness to even achieving a better canter in show jumping, walk to canter transitions are a valuable movement to master.

Here, our expert trainer Anne Ratcliffe shares four key exercises to help you achieve hoof perfect walk to canter.

you r hor se

How to Meet the expert Anne Ratcliffe Anne Ratcliffe is a BHS II and BHS Stable Manager with a MSc in Equine Studies. She teaches horses and riders of all levels with a friendly and relaxed approach. If you’d like to contact Anne, e-mail her on: carolineratcliffe@ btinternet.com

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Life with a horse

can be manic, messy and testing at times, and we’d all like to be better, more confident riders with more time to enjoy our horses. So we’ve spoken to top riders and trainers for advice to help you improve your riding, boost your horse’s confidence, care for him like a pro and make sure you get the most from your kit, lessons and time.

How to

How to...

Horses don’t come with a manual, so we’ve pulled together a host of expert tips to help you tackle everything from riding like a star to coping when things go wrong Words: Katy Islip

2 D A P i N A N I W with Your Horse and Horse Deals www.yourhorse.co.uk • www.horsedeals.co.uk

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For your chance to win visit www.yourhorse.co.uk/ipad2 www.feedmark.com, www.nedz.co.uk, www.derbyhouse.co.uk, www.horseware.com, www.spillers-feeds.com For your chance to win and for full terms and conditions, visit www.yourhorse.co.uk or horsedeals.co.uk Closing date: 5pm 28th December 2011 ipad2 is a trademark of Apple, Inc., registered in US and other countries.

Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion HD & YH ipad advert.indd 1

14/11/2011 14:52

Care

Cross section of a horse’s heart

Aorta

Vena cava Pulmonary artery Pulmonary valve Aortic valve (obscured here by pulmonary artery)

Pulmonary veins RIght atrium (horse’s right)

Left atrium (horse’s left) Mitral valve

Chordae tendinae

Tricuspid valve

Left ventricle

Right ventricle

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Interventricular septum

VETADVICE

While the words ‘heart problem’ may strike fear into horse owners, vet Charlie Briggs is here to dispel the myths, look at the potential problems – and explain how this fascinating organ works

Meet the expertS Charlie Briggs

Charlie is an equine vet who works for the Hale Veterinary Group in Wiltshire. She’s also team vet for the GB Endurance Development Squad.

Dr Mark Patteson

Mark is a specialist in veterinary cardiology. He was one of the first cardiologists to be awarded the RCVS diploma in veterinary cardiology in 1991 and has a PhD in equine echocardiography. Mark runs Heart Vets, a dedicated cardiology service. Visit www.heartvets.co.uk

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Illustrations: Samantha J Elmhurst BA Hons, www.livingart.org.uk

The heart of the matter

Photo Bob Langrish

Care Your horse is at risk of getting cast if he lies down too close to the stable wall and then rolls

Stay calm and assess the situation, get help – and don’t put yourself in danger you r hor se

In a

How to

If your horse becomes cast you’ll need to act quickly to get him safely back on his feet. Here’s how to form a plan of action if he’s stuck fast – and help prevent the problem in the first place Words Helen Milbank

E

very horse who spends time stabled runs the risk of getting cast – when he lies down and can’t get up. He could have laid down or rolled too close to the stable wall, trapping himself, or collapsed due to injury or illness (colic is a likely culprit).

But whatever the cause you need to follow the three basic rules: l Stay calm and assess the situation l Get help and, most importantly, l Don’t put yourself or anyone else in danger.

Take action

If you’ve got an elderly horse with stiff, arthritic joints, the odds are he’ll become cast in his stable at some point – but it’s a problem that can affect any horse, of any age.

Even young, mobile legs can get trapped, and a horse who’s colicking, ill, injured or suffering an underlying health problem may well go down – and stay there.

Whatever the cause, you need to take action. He could start to suffer health problems as the muscles lose blood supply as a result of being stuck in one position, or injure himself in a bid to get up.

“The first piece of advice I’d give is don’t panic or go racing into the stable, putting yourself at risk,” says vet Charlie Briggs. “Instead,

give yourself a few minutes to assess the situation from outside the stable as it’s dangerous to go into a confined space with a panicked horse.

“Ask yourself whether your horse is visibly injured, appears colicky or looks in a lot of distress – and call your vet for advice if he is. If it looks simply as though he’s got stuck, and you feel it’s safe to enter the stable, then do so calmly, wearing a hard hat and sensible protective clothing and keeping the stable door open. Cast horses can often appear calm and then suddenly become frenzied, so be on your guard and always stay next to the horse’s spine.

“If you feel confident, it’s possible to stand behind your horse’s withers and pull his head and neck round to help free him up, but seek help if you’re not sure how to go about this.”

You can help your horse get up by rolling him away from the wall using the ‘lunge line’ method.

First ask a competent helper to place steady pressure on his head to keep him calm.

Next, with a helper, loosely loop two lunge lines on to the legs nearest the floor – one on each leg and above the fetlock so you don’t injure his joints.

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Care

Start as you mean to go on A newborn foal is a blank canvas, ready to be trained and moulded into a well-mannered horse - so what happens along the way to make a good horse go bad?

W

ith a bite here, a barge there and a buck or two in between, horses who are badly behaved are dangerous to be around, but surely they weren’t born that way?

Here Melanie Watson of Instinctive Horsemanship explains why and how horses might acquire bad behaviours and your role in helping them to develop for better or worse.

Bad behaviour can start in a myriad of ways, often as the result of missed signals and misinterpretations on the part of owners and handlers.

Horses, like people, are born with certain characteristics but, as with us, a horse’s basic character will be enhanced or slowly destroyed bit by bit according to how life and humans treat them.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Handle your foal to encourage good manners

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Meet the expert

Melanie Watson

Melanie runs Instinctive Horsemanship in East Yorkshire. She specialises in training problem horses, breaking young horses, retraining racehorses as well as teaching others. To find out more, visit www.instinctivehorsetraining.co.uk

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Real life

I wouldn’t

give up

on him When her horse developed life-threatening laminitis, euthanasia seemed the only option, but Lucy Rackham was determined to fight for his survival Words Andrea McHugh Photography Matthew Roberts

A

s 2011 draws to a close many of us will be looking forward to the fresh start that a new year promises. Lucy Rackham, from Cambridgeshire, is particularly keen to forget the past 12 months, as they brought her desperately close to losing her beloved horse, Thorn. But, as the saying goes, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ and Lucy was determined to fight to save Thorn from a life-threatening bout of laminitis.

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www.you r hor se .c o.u k

Gear

BigTest

Exercise sheets This month we’ve got a couple of really top testers – Olympic event riders

Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks

have put 11 exercise sheets to work – find out which ones Team Fredericks are recommending to you

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For more gear reviews go to www.yourhorse.co.uk

Not sure what si z e exe rcise sh ee t t o bu y?

M

easure from the w ither to the tail. Or ta ke 2f t off your usual size of rug (eg 6f t 3in rug, 4f t 3in exercise sheet)

A

lways useful to have to hand, an exercise sheet will help keep your horse warm and dry while you’re riding. There are different types available so to find out which ones to recommend we asked Team Fredericks (Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks and their team) to put 11 to the test. They’ve been using the sheets for approximately six months. As they were using each sheet, they assessed them under the following criteria: Fit – They assessed how well each sheet fitted, including the length and depth. They also took into account how well it fitted around or under the saddle and whether it was quick and easy to fit.

Performance – Team Fredericks evaluated how well each exercise sheet did its job and whether it lived up to the manufacturer’s claims. They also asked if each sheet stay securely in place during exercise?

Value for money – Finally, taking into account their comments on fit and performance, they decided whether each exercise sheet was good value for money and if they would recommend you buy it.

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Gear

BUYERS’GUIDE

Mud Fever

Don’t let the mud and wet spoil your horse’s winter – we guide you through the range of products available to help keep mud fever at bay

M

ud fever is a painful condition caused by a bacteria called Dermatophilus congolensis. It tends to affect the heel and pastern areas and horses with pink skin, white legs or a lot of feather appear to be more prone to mud fever. Spotting the signs early or taking preventative steps will help stop mud fever in its tracks and prevent it spreading.

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external treatment Mark Todd Equimins Mud Epi-Heel Ointment Slide Lotion From £9.95 for 250cc £4.40 for 500ml

This powerful yet soothing antibacterial and antifungal ointment acts as a barrier cream while allowing the skin to breathe.

Epi-Heel gently softens and removes scabs and protects the epidermis layer which acts as a barrier against infection.

It also soothes and calms pink areas and helps restore lost or matted hair.

Contact 01303 872277 or www.wefi.co.uk

This lotion combines two traditional ingredients to help skin during the winter – pig oil and flowers of sulphur. The pig oil acts as a very effective barrier, helping to protect your horse’s legs from mud and wet, while flowers of sulphur is a very effective antimicrobial agent.

Contact www.equimins.com or call 01548 531770

Barrier Animal Healthcare Heel to Hoof Soothing Cream £7.50 for 250ml

This can be used as a barrier against water, without sealing the skin, and to protect vulnerable areas from sharp grit, mud and dirt. It contains lanolin BP and concentrated herbal oils known to possess antibacterial, antifungal and soothing properties to help protect and soothe sore cracked areas. Scabs soften gently and fall away naturally. It helps restore the correct moisture balance.

Contact www.flyrepel.com

Funnell Heel Clean & Protective Wash £9.60 for 2 litres

Equimins Mud Block Lotion £10.70 for 500ml

Mud Block Lotion contains positively charged silver particles that kill around 99.9% of germs. The lotion is easy to apply and rub in, even for horses who have extensive feathering.

Mud Block Cream From £7.45 for 500g This cream contains a powerful bactericide to help protect against infection from bacteria found in mud.

It also contains aloe vera, zinc and castor oil to help the healing process.

It should be applied to the lower legs (and any other area required) before turnout, and washed off each night.

Winter Leg Scrub From £4.40 for 500ml (25 applications)

Winter Leg Scrub is a concentrated bactericidal and fungicidal wash, designed to be used to wash mud off your horse’s legs after turnout.

Contact www.equimins.com or call 01548 531770

This is a specially formulated iodine-based shampoo. Ideal for use when your horse is exposed to muddy conditions either when competing, exercising or just during turn out, where the skin is at risk from mud-borne infections.

This is a simple way to cleanse the skin and, used routinely, may help to prevent infections such as mud fever getting hold, especially in the vulnerable heel area.

Contact 01636 636135

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Gear

BigTest

Clippers

It’s the time of year to get the clippers out – we test six sets to find out which ones will tame the wildest winter coats

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Top t ip

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f our horses are in work at this time of year, it’s probably better for them – and us – to have some of their winter coat clipped. Not only will it help stop them sweating while they work but it makes grooming quicker and easier.

Clippers used to be heavy and noisy but they’ve changed a lot. We’ve tested a selection so we can recommend which ones do a good job.

Gear editor Allison Lowther used the clippers on her two horses. Jester is an ID x TB who has a thick winter coat and tends to be fully clipped several times in winter. Wish is a Hanoverian – she has a much finer coat and only has a chaser clip. YH editor Julie Brown used

Ther availab e’s a lot of cho le for cli ice pp unsure what ty ers – if you’re pe to bu for adv ice – y y, as waste y ou don’t wan k t to oour m someth o did everything the the clippers on her KWPN ing tha ney on t w o n’t do manufacturer claimed. gelding, Bo – he has a full the job for you They noted how long the clip and he’s quite nervous battery lasted, for the battery about it all. YH writer Larissa operated clippers.

Chapman used the clippers on Value for money Finally our testers her cob Wingco who grows a looked at the cost of each set of clippers particularly thick coat and needs – most came with additional items regular clipping – you can see the including extra blades and oil as a newly-clipped Wingco in Our Horses package – did they represent value for on page 11 . money, and would they recommend Our testers assessed each set of these clippers to you? clippers using the following criteria: Design They considered the design and shape of each set, including how easy they were to hold and use.

Performance Our testers looked at how well the clippers did the job and if they

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