a horsebox and N I WW elcome to our new and very exciting Learn and Win series. Here’s how it works. Over six issues, starting with this one, you’ll have the chance to improve your riding and learn some new horse care skills with our short but perfectly formed expert features. Nothing new there I hear you say – but that’s where you’re wrong. With each feature you’ll also
get the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes from Dodson & Horrell, Petplan, Tekna, Chestfields and Musto, finishing in December with the big one – the chance to win the Equi-Trek horsebox you see here. Someone is going to have a very happy Christmas! The horsebox will be out and about over the next six months so watch out for it on the road and at events. If you spot it, let us know. See right for how to enter.
Jumping dog-legs In the first of our Learn and Win series, expert show jumping trainer Carol Mailer shares her top tips for jumping a dog-leg
All about the Equi-trek Sonic horsebox
Worth £27,000
The Sonic is compact and easy to drive and carries two horses in total luxury. It has the added benefit of a tack/
A dog-leg is two fences set at a related distance, but they’re not on a straight line, so you have to make a turn to get to the second fence. They’re called dog-legs as the shape you make when riding through them is like a dog’s leg (simple!). Riders get themselves in a state about
riding dog-legs but there really isn’t any need as they’re not particularly tricky. > Don’t be worried about dog-legs. They’re not hard to ride, you just need to prepare yourself properly for it, so you get the best line through both fences > Make sure you walk the
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36 YOUR HORSE
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LEARN
WIN & a whole lot more horse with
your
Learn and win prizes all at the same time – what could be better! changing/sitting area, which is totally separate from the horses’ area, which has two saddle racks, two bridle racks and two coat hooks so you can carry all your equipment with ease. There’s also additional storage over the cab. Equi-Trek has generously added a package of incredible extras to our Sonic including:
> Alloy wheels > Mud flaps > Head divider > Corner seat with storage > CCTV camera so you can watch the horses in transit > Digital reversing camera > Padded partition > Padded walls > Extra height partition > Road Tax until May 2011
HOW TO ENTER
Go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win and follow the instructions. Special terms and conditions apply. Closing date is 1 December. Alternatively visit Your Horse Live on 13 and 14 November at Stoneleigh Park – the horsebox will be on show for you to have a look at and you can enter while you’re there
For more information on the Equi-Trek range of horseboxes, go to www.equi-trek.com or call 01484 852121
course thoroughly and plan the best line through the fences. Pick a route that doesn’t have you cutting in too sharp, or one that has you going wide, as both these options will get you to the fence on an angle rather than straight > Count the number of strides you’ll get on your ideal line, but remember, if you stray off this then you may get more or less strides
> The best way to ride a dog-leg is to think of it as two straight lines with a turn in the middle. This way you’ll be straight at each fence, which gives your horse the best chance of clearing them > Ride straight at your first fence but be ready to look for your second one as you land to give your horse some indication of where you’re going next. As you land, stay straight and only turn when
you can see the middle of the second fence > Don’t lean in on the turn as you’ll unbalance your horse. Keep your shoulders level > Use your inside leg to a supporting outside rein to help your horse turn – this will keep him balanced and will encourage his hocks under him – essential for a good jump. Support with the outside rein to keep the power coming through and
use your inside rein backed up with your outside leg to help > Once you’ve turned, aim straight for the middle of the second fence > If, when you land over the first fence, your horse is on the wrong leg, just leave him be but keep riding positively > Make sure you don’t drop the contact, otherwise your horse will jump flat, most likely causing a knock down
turn the page for the chance to win Tekna tack worth £165
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YOUR HORSE 37
Teach your
horse pilates We all know how important it is for us as riders to have strong core muscles, but what about our horses?
T
he pilates concept was invented nearly 100 years ago by a man called Joseph Pilates and his wife Clara. They developed the series of exercises to improve flexibility, core strength and body awareness while working with ballet dancers. Since then the regime has received worldwide acclaim and you will, no doubt, find there’s a pilates class advertised at your local gym. More recently, classes specifically aimed at horse riders have become popular so the next logical step was to develop a course for the horse himself. The exercises have been adapted by two experts in equine biomechanics on the back of a great deal of scientific research and are proving popular with equine physiotherapists across the country who have continued to develop the programme on offer to horses. It was Grand Prix dressage rider and equine vet Hillary Clayton who first applied pilates to horses, with the help of physiotherapist Narelle Stubbs. “In human sports medicine it’s been proven that strengthening core stabilising muscles can reduce injuries and enhance performance,” says YH expert Celia Cohen. “The same is true for horses and doing certain exercises will strenthen the body core and improve balance. Your ballerinas, gymnasts – all athletes in fact – know that you have to start with the basics in order to improve performance levels, yet we expect our horses to perform without any preparation,” she continues. “Most horses have never learnt to carry the weight of a rider
50 YOUR HORSE
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Equine pilates
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Our expert Celia Cohen Celia Cohen is an ACPAT chartered physiotherapist and equine pilates practitioner. Her 11-year-old ex-racer La Rochelais, Rocky to his friends, is one of her many rehabilitation projects. Rocky jump raced for five years but his career came to a dramatic end when his right fore flexor tendon failed on landing
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for a step-by-step guide to equine pilates
after a jump during a National Hunt race. “His tendon was on the floor, it was a real mess and the vets advised he be destroyed,� says Celia. But his owners were reluctant to give up on Rocky. With no guarantees he would ever come sound, Rocky began a period of box rest before his owners eventually gave him to Celia, knowing if anyone could rehabilitate him, it would be her. After months of work Celia is now hacking out and doing Novice dressage with Rocky.
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Take a seat
use it well & Words Imogen Johnson
Peter MaddisonGreenwell reveals the key to the perfect seat
W
For more on on informati ww. w Peter visit spana. e e d o ll a elcab co.uk
hile understanding the importance of your seat is vital, understanding how to use it in the first place can, for many, seem complicated. Here Peter Maddison-Greenwell, international dressage trainer and author of Living and Working with the Horse of Spain, discusses the fundamentals of the rider’s seat for every rider in every discipline.
It’s for everyone
First and foremost it’s important for people to understand that the basic principles of classical dressage apply to everyone – they apply across the board and they’ll never change. They’re not just for those who choose to ride in the classical way but for everyone who sits in a saddle. This is why the fundamentals of the rider’s seat are so important.
Effective use of the seat controls your horse’s speed, balance and direction – look out for each in the sections to come
30 Speed
Balance
Direction
Effective use of the seat
turn the page
for a step-by-step guide to sitting correctly
Our expert
astride
Words by Rebecca Gibson
122 YOUR HORSE
Anne-Marie Taylor is a former international event rider. At 21 she represented GB at the 1986 World Equestrian Games in Australia, where she came fifth on Justyn Thyme, who she’d brought on from Novice level. For the past 20 years she has run a successful event yard bringing on and training young horses. Since retiring from full-time competing, Anne-Marie has become a BHS Fellow horse trials specialist and an FEI candidate judge, and now focuses her energies on judging and running various workshops. If you’re interested in learning more about Anne-Marie’s See-A-Stride workshops, visit www.annemarietaylor.co.uk or call 01295 670248 www.yourhorse.co.uk
Stress-free Jumping
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e’ve all seen the brilliance of the Whitakers as they put their horses on the perfect stride, enabling them to clear ridiculously high fences with ease, but does your average rider really need to be placing their horse at each jump? According to former international event rider Anne-Marie the answer is a resounding ‘no’. “We have a tendency to overcomplicate things for ourselves and for our horses,” says Anne-Marie. “If you’re riding at the top level and pushing your horse to the very limits of his ability, then you do need to be able to pick a good stride if he’s going to have any chance of jumping cleanly, but for most riders choosing the horse’s stride is simply not necessary. “If you’ve ever seen a horse loose schooled over jumps you’ll have noticed that the horse never crashes through the
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fence. This is because horses have a strong sense of self-preservation – they want to jump cleanly – it’s only when they have a rider on their back interfering that it all starts to go wrong. The best thing an amateur rider can do is be a neutral influence and then over time an eye for seeing a good stride will come naturally.”
A hindrance or a help?
Before you begin jumping you need to make sure you’re balanced in the saddle
So what causes a rider to become a hindrance to their horse rather than a help? “A lot of the time problems are caused by the rider taking the horse’s attention off the fence,” explains Anne-Marie. “In my experience, most riders
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to learn the importance of the canter
YOUR HORSE 123
eet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch
Photo: Bob Langrish
Sweet itch is caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of Culicoides midges
ch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch special ● Sweet itch spe
Sweet itch special
Beat the itch ew wonder drug with the n
Pic: The Horse Trust
As trials of a new wonder drug reach their conclusion, we take a look at the products currently available to help sweet itch suffers
Many sweet itch sufferers rub themselves raw as the picture above shows. Inset is a picture of the typical response that occurs following an injection of midge proteins when skin is tested for sensitivity. Square 1 shows skin injected with salt solution, while square 2 shows a small swelling in the area of skin that’s been tested with midge extract. When the midge bites, its saliva triggers the release of chemicals such as histamine from susceptible cells which are found just under the skin. This inflames the skin, causing the severe itching and swelling
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I
t’s a miserable time of the year for sufferers of sweet itch. Many horses will be rubbing themselves raw in a desperate attempt to relieve the irritation caused by Trials of BioEos sweet itch capsules have an allergic reaction been successful to the bites of Culicoides midges. The mane, tail, legs and sheath or udder area are typically left scabby and sore by this distressing disease, which currently has no cure. There is, however, a note of cautious optimism from the experts at the National Sweet Itch Centre. A revolutionary new treatment, pioneered by Professor John Stanford and his team at BioEos and co-ordinated by the centre, is nearing the end of a lengthy trial. “It’s the first real breakthrough we’ve had in the treatment of sweet itch,” says Jennifer Greaves, who has been involved with the National Sweet Itch Centre and its helpline since its foundation 19 years ago. “The results look extremely promising.” The BioEos sweet itch capsules, now licensed by the Veterinary Medicines The Boett blanket Directorate (VMD) as provides effective a veterinary relief for sufferers pharmaceutical, have entered a final study year after seven years of trials involving around 1,000 affected horses, ponies and donkeys. Feedback from owners during the last three years of trials revealed that 90% of animals showed an improvement in their symptoms – with 70% experiencing an improvement of 50% or more.
Jennifer explains that the treatment is an immune system modulator in that it retrains the immune system’s excessive response to midge bites. “The proteins in midge saliva aren’t harmful to horses but 3-5% of the equine population reacts badly to them,” she says. “By re-educating the immune system to react appropriately to the bites, the end result is no sweet itch.” According to Professor Stanford, the theory behind the treatment is similar to that used successfully in human medicine for eczema and asthma. “The treatment is extremely safe with few reports of even minor side effects,” he says. Initially, the treatment was given via injection, which necessitated the services of a vet, but the last few years of the trials have focused on how the re-agent performs as an oral formulation. “Forty capsules are sufficient for a season,” adds Jennifer. “The normal dose of one a fortnight can be increased to one a week during especially ‘midgy’ times and reduced to one every three weeks at quieter times.” The BioEos capsules now await a marketing licence but are already available from the centre. A year’s treatment (40 capsules) costs £235. It’s hoped, however, that they can be bought in smaller quantities next year. For information call 01352 771718 or visit www.sweet-itch.co.uk
Boett blanket
It may not be new, but the Boett sweet itch blanket remains one of the most effective products in the management of the condition. Invented in Sweden 23 years ago to offer protection to horses and ponies suffering from insect bite allergy, the blanket is made from a purpose-
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buyers’ guide
The right pair of socks keep your feet feeling great all day – take a look at our guide to riding socks
Sock it to them!
Gersemi Sock Collection from £12 Available in knee or ankle length, these socks have a double layer around the sole and toe for air circulation. Unique ankle construction gives a snug fit with freedom of movement and ensures the socks stay in place. Colours Various Size One size
Tuffa Long Riding Socks £7.99
These British-manufactured cotton-mix socks are longer than a standard sock, finishing just below the knee. Colours Primrose (yellow, blue, green), moss (green, blue, brick), bracken (grey, blue, brick) and fruits of the forest (pink, cerise, grey) Size One size to fit 4 to 8
Horseware Ireland Tally Ho Argyle Socks £8
Knee-high socks made from cotton and Lycra with cushion soles and added sole support for an incredibly comfortable fit. The innovative non-elasticated top doesn’t slip or fall down. Colours Olive, brown or navy Sizes Medium and large
Horseware Ireland Newmarket Socks £17(pack of three) Three pairs of knee-high socks in one pack with padded soles to keep your feet comfortable. Colours Navy or brown Size One size to fit 36 to 41 foot
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