Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 416 i Your Horse

Hello This month I had the pleasure of working with Jason Webb – if you’re not already aware of him, he founded Australian Horse Training and works with horses and riders of all levels at his base in Kent. Jason is one of those trainers I love to watch. His methods are so simple, and his approach so calm and confident, that he makes everything look easy. I travelled to Kent with our photographer to work on a feature about helping headshy horses – and we came away with a six-part series! The topics he covered will help owners in the everyday management of their horses, and his advice was just too good not to share. If your horse isn’t headshy, please don’t be put off, because this feature is…

Californian Meredith Cherry has planned a solo sponsored ride – with a twist. To raise awareness of domestic violence, she’ll ride her horse Apollo across 48 states in America, covering a huge 14,000 miles. A survivor of domestic violence – which affects one in three women in the US – after fleeing from an abusive relationship, Meredith reflected on what she’d missed out on for all those years, and that was her love of horses and travel. “As soon as I escaped a few years ago, I started planning the ride with my aim to bring this issue into the spotlight,” says Meredith. Her ride, called The Centauride: Riding for Domestic Violence Awareness, will take approximately four years to complete with her Peruvian Paso-Mustang gelding, Apollo. “The only thing of…

Harzand, a three-year-old Irish Thoroughbred by Sea the Stars, has beaten the odds to win both the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby back to back with jockey Pat Smullen. Owned and bred by Aga Khan IV, Harzand was successfully trained by vet and former jockey Dermot Weld, who’s based at the Curragh in County Kildare. This is some achievement as Harzand now joins the likes of famous horses – including Shergar – who’ve clinched both titles.…

The RSPCA and fire service were recently called to a dramatic rescue of a pony who’d become stuck in a river in Huntingdon. The piebald pony was unable to climb out of the river unaided due to its steep 8ft high banks, so was submerged in water up to her belly. A local farmer managed to dig a channel for her to be led to safety. Deputy Chief Inspector Knight said: “This incident serves as a good reminder of the importance of regularly checking on your animals. If this pony hadn’t been spotted, she could have been stuck for days.” Following the rescue, the pony was examined by a vet and found to be unharmed.…

£500 to spend with Country & Stable The winner will receive a £500 voucher from Country & Stable to spend on themselves or their new horse. With a range of brands to choose from, including Ariat, Barbour, Cavallo, Champion, Eskadron, justtogs, Musto and Pikeur, our lucky winner and their horse will be kitted out in no time. Visit www.countryandstable.co.uk  to see the full range of gear on offer. A Wintec saddle Wintec Saddles is offering our winner a brand new saddle. Whether the winner’s discipline is dressage, jumping, general riding, Western or endurance, they’ll be able to select a saddle of their choice up to the value of £1,050. Visit www.wintec-saddles.com A HitAir vest HitAir will be kitting our winner out in a brand new HitAir…

Problem Your horse feels strong and heavy in your hands. Solution On a 20m circle ride upward and downward transitions. As you ride each one ask for a little more inside bend and then give, to help keep the contact lighter. Also, every so often give your inside rein forwards and pat your horse’s neck to check you’re not riding too much with your hand (you’re looking for your horse to stay in a consistent outline). Riding half-halts will also help. This rein aid is directly linked to your horse’s hind legs, encouraging him to step under more with his hind legs and pushing him forwards into your contact. Problem Your horse feels very light in your hand. Solution You need to ride forwards from your legs, encouraging your horse…

The condition A condition that affects the suspensory ligament that runs down the back of the cannon bone in both your horse’s front and hind legs, the mouthful that is Proximal Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (or PSLD) is inflammation of the upper portion of this ligament – namely the section closest to the knee or hock. The suspensory ligament in question starts just below your horse’s knee or hock, and attaches to the sesamoid bones at the back of his fetlock. Its important function is to support the fetlock and prevent over-extension of this joint. As we’ve already mentioned, PSLD occurs when the upper part of this ligament becomes inflamed, and although PSLD can occur in any leg, it usually causes slightly different signs in the front legs than in the…

Feeding to repel flies Q Is there anything I can feed my horse during the warmer months to keep flies away? Fiona Brown, Shropshire A Although it’s not been scientifically proven, it’s common practice to feed garlic to horses, especially in summer. The odour seeps from their sweat glands helping to repel flies, midges and ticks. It’s important not to feed too much though as it can cause a type of anaemia if fed at very high levels. Aim for less than 0.4g/kg bodyweight per day (or 200g for a 500kg horse). A healthy balanced diet all year round Q What should I be feeding my horse in summer, and how do I safely tweak his diet as winter approaches? Sarah Johns, Cumbria A Most horses will maintain condition in…

Choosing a horse Q Is there a particular breed that suits Western riding more than others? Sophie Charles, Dorset A The American Quarter Horse is best suited to Western riding for three specific reasons: • 1 Conformation – they have the best all round shape to allow them to move more freely and carry themselves correctly for the exercises done in Western. • 2 Athletic ability – this is impeccable in the Quarter Horse. • 3 Temperament – Quarter Horses are calm and relaxed and, for me, this is most important as it makes them more trainable. However, you can ride Western with any breed. We held a show recently where the entrants included a Fjord and a cob. The Fjord won the class as he was so well trained,…

The correct bit Q Which bits are dressage legal? Helen Murray, Hertford A The rules on the correct bits for dressage are constantly being reviewed so it’s advisable to always check in the current British Dressage rule book. This can be found at www.britishdressage.co.uk Encourage your horse to listen Q My horse is lazy off my leg and ignores my aids. How can I improve his way of going? Shona Cole, Worcester A If your horse isn’t feeling reactive enough to your leg, the first thing you need to gauge is what’s happening when your leg is off him. To do this, limit yourself to using your leg a maximum number of times – ideally once. If there’s no reaction, be quick to react and ask a second time. Think…

SO YOU’VE ALWAYS loved horses and worked hard to keep your own, or fought to find ways to get a regular equine ‘fix’. Then family commitments take over and before you know it you’re pushing 40 and wake up one morning wondering ‘what am I doing?’. Whether it’s the realisation you don’t want to keep doing THIS forever (whatever ‘this’ is) or the feeling you have more to achieve, it can be life-changing. The inevitable next question is ‘what am I going to do?’. This is your chance to listen to that voice deep inside – the one your parents told you to ignore! – that keeps insisting ‘I want to work with horses…’ My moment of realisation came after horse owning for 17 years, having two children and a…

Ease away those aches and pains Sore joints and muscles are often part and parcel of owning a horse, but Pernaton massage gel can help ease the discomfort and have you feeling like new. The gel includes Perna extract, which is sourced from the purest New Zealand green-lipped mussels. This extract is known for its ability to provide relief from sore and aching joints, and it’s also used in treating chronic arthritic pain. PRICE From £3.95 for 40ml CONTACT www.pernaton.co.uk A boot for all seasons Grub’s Rainline high performance field boots are the ideal footwear for year-round comfort. The moisture wicking lining keeps your feet dry, whatever the temperature, and the full stretch neoprene panel on the leg ensures a comfortable fit. PRICE £59.95 CONTACT www.grubswarehouse.com Enjoy a…

Associate editor Allison Lowther: Our Training Academy series is back, and up first to give her expert advice is dressage star Laura Tomlinson. Turn to page 30 Senior writer Becky Statham: I’m now one of leading vet Professor Derek Knottenbelt’s biggest fans too. Read our interview with him on page 62 Writer/online editor Katherine Peden: I had an amazing time on a riding holiday with a difference this month. Discover where I went on page 54…

Reinventing the traditional surcingle buckle as a super-safe quick-release device has earned Annabel Burton from Nottingham Trent University (pictured above) the coveted ‘Design Innovation in Plastic’ competition, sponsored by Covestro. Annabel’s surcingle clip design secures the rug as normal, but will release under stress. This means that if a horse gets his leg caught in the strap, the quick-release action will help prevent him being injured and the rug ripping. It’s hoped the new invention will soon be incorporated into rug designs.…

Leading animal health company Zoetis is urging horse owners to use faecal worm egg counts (FWECs) to wage war on potentially deadly parasites. As the worming experts at Zoetis explain, in any given herd, on average just 20% of horses will produce 80% of worm eggs, meaning some will need to be wormed more regularly than others. FWECs measure the number of worm eggs in a sample of dung – and may show you don’t need to worm your horse, saving you money and helping to prevent the build-up of resistance to wormers. Visit www.wormingyourhorse.info to find out more.…

THE DRESSAGE HORSE MANIFESTO by Yvonne Barteau • Read by Your Horse associate editor Allison Lowther A must-read for anyone who wants to improve their horse’s way of going on the flat, this starts with the importance of a correct position in the saddle, looking at any faults from the horse’s point of view. The book gives lots of practical exercises for you to try and there’s a handy section on solving common problems, too. COWS IN TREES by Julian Earl • Read by Your Horse reader Louise Pring A humorous look at the life of a vet, in each chapter, Julian Earl tells a particularly memorable story of one of the hundreds of animals he’s treated. Not all the stories are about horses, but…

MEET THE TRAINER LAURA TOMLINSON is an international and Olympic dressage rider who won team gold and individual bronze at the 2012 London Games. Find out more about her at www.lauratomlinson.co.uk Your Training Academy planner Part 1 Contact (This issue)  Olympic dressage rider Laura Tomlinson helps you achieve a perfect connection with your horse, so you can improve his way of going. Part 2 Polework (On sale 25 August)  Show jumper Jay Halim on how working your horse over poles on the ground can improve his rhythm and balance. Part 3 Lateral work (On sale 22 September)  Dressage rider and trainer Matt Hicks explains why using lateral work will lead to greater suppleness and engagement. Part 4 Gridwork (On sale 20 October)  Event rider Will Furlong is on hand to…

Laura has ridden in Albion tack for nearly 20 years, and rides Rosalie B in the Albion Platinum Revelation dressage saddle. “Albion products are top quality, and the service that goes with them is vital to making sure my horses are comfortable and able to compete and develop correctly,” says Laura. “I love that I can tailor-make each product for each horse’s specific requirements.” A custom fit every time The Platinum tree was specially chosen for Rosalie B due to her wide and low withers. This unique tree offers a superb level of fit, comfort and stability, ensuring greater freedom of movement for the shoulder, wither and back area, therefore maximising performance. Laura feels secure in the superbly comfortable French calf-wrapped close contact Revelation saddle, which has a lightly supportive…

MEET THE TRAINER ALISON SHORT is a British Dressage (BD) judge and iRide Training National Coach who’s worked with riders up to BD championship level. Find out more at www.alisonshort.co.uk MEET THE RIDER HARRIET MERCER has owned Roly, who’s 10, for six years. He’s a Trotter x Thoroughbred x warmblood who is currently competing at Medium level dressage. THE TERM ‘ENGAGEMENT’ is often misunderstood, and it is important to remember that it’s not just about what your horse’s hind legs are doing – you also need to have a contact on the reins. If you focus too much on your horse’s hind legs, but don’t have a suitable contact for him to connect up to, you’ll simply push him down onto his shoulders and he’ll lean on your hands. It…

1 BEING TIED UP While all racehorses in training are tied up to be groomed and tacked up, this is always done inside the stable – never in the yard or the passageway outside their stable. “As a result of this, ex-racehorses are all very used to being tied up and this is not generally an issue in itself,” says Grace. “However, we do warn people not to tie them up outside the stable. “For safety reasons, it’s a rule in our yard that horses are always tied up on rubber bungees. These have some give in them and stop a horse feeling restrained, as this is something ex-racehorses don’t like. “In racing yards they’re tied with a rope fastened to a piece of baler twine hanging from the ring,…

It was a change in Minty’s way of going that first alerted his owner, Yvette Daish, that something wasn’t quite right. Minty was seven at the time and competing at Novice level dressage, as well as doing a bit of jumping too. “He wasn’t lame, but in left lead canter he would change behind on corners and circles,” explains Yvette. “I just had a feeling something wasn’t quite right. At first I thought it might be the way I was riding him, but he did the same thing with my trainer, so I called my vet out to investigate further.” As there was no lameness it was proving difficult to get to the bottom of what was going on, so Yvette’s local vet referred Minty to Rossdales in Newmarket. Following…

TIP 1 By far the most important factor for energy in your horse is to have him physically fit, so make sure you have a progressive, specific fitness programme in place and if you’re unsure how to do this, seek expert advice. It’s important you develop your riding skills to direct this increased energy, so that it doesn’t turn into unwanted behaviour. TIP 2 The second most important factor is to check your horse isn’t carrying excess body fat, which can make them less energetic in their work and reduce efficiency of heat loss. Find out how to assess body fat levels, monitor your horse regularly and keep a record. In terms of condition scoring, you should always be able to feel their ribs. TIP 3 what you’re asking? If…

The benefits of going barefoot Q What are the advantages of taking my horse’s shoes off? Karen Wilson, Hereford A There are many advantages to going barefoot. These range from improving the health, shape and quality of your horse’s feet, to less obvious benefits, such as endurance riders noting improved heart rates and recovery times in their barefoot horses, as well as fewer concussion injuries. Having a horse that slips less on a wet road because he’s got more traction, or no longer pulls his shoes off in the mud can be a major selling point too. Many owners whose horses have struggled with poor hoof health for years often see their horse’s feet change beyond belief when they venture down the barefoot route. As an owner, you’ll probably also…

Ease stable stress Q How I can stop my horse from box walking? Elizabeth Carter, Cheshire A Box walking is a stereotypy that’s exacerbated in susceptible horses by excitement, frustration, pleasure, pain and not enough time spent eating. To reduce the amount your horse box walks try these: Introduce a calm, frustration-free lifestyle. Avoid strict routines and gradually build a little flexibility into your horse’s daily life, taking care to avoid sudden changes in field mates, work or feeding practices. Try to keep separation from his companions to a level he can tolerate, then gradually extend this. Feed lots of fibre and reduce the sugar and starch in his diet. Add oil if necessary for energy, and avoid feeds based on grains, such as oats, maize and barley. A supplement…

ANNETTE HAS TOLD me that Flash keeps his weight on over the summer and has plenty of energy for his role as a member of the riding club show jumping team. He’s on good grazing 24/7 and doesn’t need any extra condition, but for optimum health he could benefit from a balancer designed for both his type and his management regime. Balancers are perfect for those horses who maintain condition or carry too much weight on a forage-only diet, or who have less than the recommended amount of a compound feed. A balancer will correct any deficiencies in Flash’s base diet of forage, supplying the daily vitamins and minerals he needs, but without extra calories. New SPILLERS® Daily Balancer is refreshingly simple, containing the vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed…

Sarah Fitch (40) works as a book keeper for a local vet. Also a BHSAI, she’s always loved teaching, but since having two children found it hard to fit this in. Following a divorce, Sarah had to reassess her career, and lecturing at an equine college seemed ideal – but also impossible without a degree. So she signed up for a full-time BSc Equine Sports Science at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), and is now about to enter her final year. “NTU offered several courses and I chose the one that complemented my practical background,” says Sarah. “Initially my aim was just to get a degree, whatever the level, but my ambitions have grown and I want a good degree now! “I am the oldest in my class, but it doesn’t…

The range includes Lite + Lean Balancer, Original Multi Balancer, Pro Performance Balancer, Supple + Senior Balancer and Gro N’ Win Stud Balancer. Each product simply does what it says on the bag, while all the balancers are whole cereal free, with a low starch and sugar content. Every bag contains chelated minerals and 15mg of biotin per 500g serving to support your horse’s hoof. They also contain everything your horse needs to complement a forage-based diet, so that there’s no need to feed any additional supplements. The newest member of the range is Daily Balancer, which contains all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed in your horse’s diet on a daily basis, and it’s been specially designed to balance the nutrients typically low in hay, haylage or pasture.…

Entries are now open for the Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluation Series 2016. This year’s series, which has 12 evaluation days, will run from 15-31 August at various different venues across the UK. Futurity entries are open to British-bred young horses from foals to three-year-olds, who have the potential to perform in dressage, show jumping, endurance or eventing in the future. For more information visit www.britishbreeding.org…

The future success of the UK’s top riders has been given a boost as 11 top-class coaches have ‘graduated’ from the British Equestrian Federation’s Equestrian Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Programme. Yogi Breisner, World Class Eventing Performance Manager says: “Thanks to this programme Britain now has a group of coaches across the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines who are ready to deliver the highest level of coaching.” Following the three-year programme, the new coaches are Sarah Mills, Maria Eilberg, Dane Rawlins, Nick Gauntlett, Ros Morgan, Gary Parsonage, Christie Wright, Mark McCourt, Matt Lani, Erik Mackechnie and Angela Weiss.…

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials DATE 1-4 September WHERE Stamford, Lincolnshire COST Tickets range from £14.50 to £29 per person. Children aged 12 and under go free. Parking is £10 per day As well as all the top eventing action and shopping we know and love, this year the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is supporting the Brooke’s High Teas for GeeGees fundraising campaign. It’s calling on visitors to this year’s event to sell homemade treats from their car park picnics, all to raise funds for the Brooke. www.burghley-horse.co.uk Win season tickets! We’ve teamed up with The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials to give you the chance to win a pair of season tickets to this year’s event. To enter, visit www.yourhorse.co.uk/win  before 24 August, 2016. Equine…

Recently, I suffered a horrific injury. I was cantering around the arena when I got thrown off, hitting the wall. This caused me to break my neck and fingers. I’m aware that I’ve been extremely lucky to survive and walk away with minimal damage. Though it will be a long road to recovery as I have to wear a halo vest for the next 12 weeks. I’m grateful to my new Champion hat. I bought it in April ahead of bringing on my youngster and wanted a hat that met the new safety standards. I never realised it would end up saving my life! I just want other riders to understand the importance of having and using their own hat when riding, and not borrowing one. At least with a…

LAUREN BUTCHART, the lucky winner of our 2015 Win a Horse competition (pictured right), still remembers the day she received that call to say she’d won. “When I picked up the phone and heard Your Horse editor Imogen tell me I’d won a horse, I couldn’t believe it,” says Lauren. “I had to ask her to repeat it so I knew I wasn’t dreaming. It’s an amazing prize that’s allowed me to begin the search for my new equine soulmate.” You could be the winner of our 2016 Win a Horse competition, which launches next month. “This competition’s too good an opportunity to miss,” says Imogen. “Unless you pick up next month’s magazine (on sale 25 August) and enter, you’ll never know… You might be the next reader to receive…

MEET THE EXPERT NICK GAUNTLETT is an international event rider and British Eventing master coach based in south Gloucestershire. He regularly holds training clinics at his yard and around the country. To find out more follow Nick Gauntlett Eventing on Facebook. IF YOU’RE KEEN to improve your horse’s jumping but don’t have enough equipment to school effectively at home, this workout can be done with just a few essentials. After warming your horse up on the flat in walk, trot and canter you’re ready to move on to riding my exercises here. My 30-minute workout uses just three sets of wings and six poles. Each exercise works on a specific area, so whether you struggle to maintain your horse’s canter rhythm on the approach to a fence, on landing, or…

IF YOUR HORSE looks for any opportunity to show off in front of the camera, this is the competition for him. Blue Chip is offering one reader the chance to win a photoshoot with their horse at Blue Chip founder Clare Blaskey’s yard in Derbyshire*, taken by professional photographer Joanna Prestwich. While there, the winner will have the opportunity to meet the Blue Chip horses and receive Blue Chip branded clothing and gear. The winner will also get a Blue Chip feed balancer and supplement of their choice. Always at the forefront of equine nutrition, Blue Chip Feed carefully formulates each of its balancers to provide your horse or pony with all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients he needs to keep him in great condition. Each balancer includes high levels…

MEET THE EXPERT DR SIAN TOWNSON is an equine biomechanics expert. She’s been an invited speaker at academic conferences on six different continents, and an equine biomechanics consultant for several Hollywood films and in the forensics industry. WHETHER YOU’RE CHOOSING a new horse, or trying to make the most of the one you’ve got, being able to judge conformation is a handy skill. No horse is perfect, but there’s a lot you can do to lessen defects and maximise soundness to ensure he’s up to the job intended. For every conformational rule, however, there’ll always be a horse who beats the odds, but read on for a head to hoof guide to what to look for – and what to be wary of. The head and neck A wide throatlatch…

Weight loss advice Q My horse is overweight and I’m worried it’s affecting his health. What should I do? Patricia Corne, Devon A There are two things you need to do to control your horse’s weight: • 1 Reduce the energy in your horse’s diet. • 2 Increase the amount of exercise he does. The easiest way to reduce the energy in his diet is to substitute 50% of his hay or haylage with a low-calorie chaff. This means he’s still getting the same amount of feed to eat, but less in the way of calories. Another way is to reduce his turnout time, or turn him out with a grazing muzzle to restrict how much he can eat. You could also strip graze or track graze your horse’s field.…

Fitness advice Q I’d like to try a shorter endurance ride. How fit does my horse have to be for me to safely give it a go? Hannah Fagan, Berkshire A Most healthy, sound horses who are ridden regularly should be able to do 32–40km (20 to 25 miles) at 8-10kph (5-6mph), which is what’s required at Novice level. However, there are shorter pleasure rides that can be ridden at a slower speed. If you want to progress further you’ll have to spend more time building your horse’s fitness. There are a number of UKCC endurance coaches around the country who can help you plan and prepare for competitions or pleasure rides to help you and your horse succeed. Local groups of Endurance GB also run training sessions and workshops.…

How we score Judged on our testing criteria of fit/comfort,feel/grip and value for money, each product’s awarded a score out of five for each. The one that performed the best, and was most popular with our testers, is given our ‘Winners’ award. MOST OF YOU will wear gloves whenever you ride, so finding a pair that gives you a secure contact on the reins, as well as providing grip and comfort, is essential. Our testers, Your Horse editor Imogen Johnson and associate editor Allison Lowther, assessed each pair for fit and comfort. They also considered their grip and feel on the reins, as well as each pair’s price and whether they considered them value for money. Read on to find out how each pair of gloves fared. Woof Wear Connect…

Sprenger Bow Balance Stirrups £172 COMFORTABLE AND SECURE Using Sprenger’s System 4 technology, these stirrups stretch four ways to help reduce the impact on your knees and ankles. They’ve been designed to allow you to quickly find your stirrups – a simple touch of your foot on the stirrup and it folds onto your foot, while a wide tread made from two types of rubber provides a shock-absorbing grip. CONTACT www.zebraproducts.co.uk Stübben STEELtec Maxi Stirrups £164.50 SMART AND LIGHTWEIGHT Extremely lightweight, these stirrups are made from high quality aluminium alloy. Smart looking, they have a high arch for safety and a large, slightly inclined pyramid tread for a secure grip and comfortable heel position. CONTACT www.stuebben.com Flex-On Balance Stirrups £145 IMPROVED LEG POSITION Ultra-lightweight and strong, these modern…