Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2016 i Practical Horseman

I was lucky to attend Practical Horseman’s Win A Day clinic with Jim Wofford and Sharon White in Michigan a few months ago. It was fun to watch Jim and Sharon co-teach, building on each other’s knowledge while developing riders and horses (page 38). Recently, I was catching up with contest winner Liza Green and she mentioned that she’s been working on the lessons Jim and Sharon taught her. I, too, have kept their wisdom in the forefront of my mind during rides. At the clinic, I heard Sharon tell riders over and over to run through a mental checklist to improve their position for better communication with the horse: “The more you say it to yourself, the more it becomes like breathing.” Similarly, in our training article about strengthening…

As I’ve said many times, gymnastic jumping is the best tool available to improve your horse’s performance and your position. So this month, as you’re hurrying to get ready for the holidays, I thought it would be a good time to review one of my favorite gymnastic exercises. WHAT: A “bounce” gymnastic where your horse will land over one element and then jump another obstacle without taking a stride between them. GOALS To improve your horse’s agility, self-carriage and ability to jump multiple efforts without losing his rhythm, balance and regularity of stride. To allow you to practice and strengthen your two-point. BENEFITS Bounces are a good agility exercise. Your horse will learn to keep his shoulder in front of him as he jumps and will improve his technique. Bounces…

PRACTICAL HORSEMAN CHARLES OWEN Known throughout the world as the leader in equestrian helmet design, Charles Owen represents more than 100 years of innovation and style for a safer world. Correct and comfortable fit has been the company’s priority since its inception, from the very first patent granted in 1924 to improve ventilation and fit to the advanced microfit system used in the production of all helmets today. With an extensive collection of helmet styles and shapes, all independently certified to up to four top international equestrian safety standards, Charles Owen offers a wide range of protection in a potential accident. Every Charles Owen helmet is handcrafted in the United Kingdom using the highest quality materials, and the company is dedicated to remaining an industry leader in terms of new…

1Our first rider has an innate quality and elegance on a horse, but she has a few things to work on. First, her stirrup is too long. The angle behind her knee is about 170 degrees and she’s reaching for her iron. Because she doesn’t have the support of the iron, her angles can’t close as her horse jumps. Instead, she has to catch up with her upper body and ends up jumping ahead—her hip is in front of the saddle and her buttock is high out of it. With her body tipping forward, her knee acts like a pivot, allowing her lower leg to slip back too far. She needs to shorten her stirrup one or two holes. Then as she approaches a fence, she needs to close her…

Q To what do you attribute your success? MC Perseverance is at the top of the list. The key is to never give up and to keep heading in the direction you would like to see yourself going. You also have to be flexible and open-minded in this business. Sometimes there are different ways to do the same thing. In training horses and students, like everything in life, there are individual personalities. Often you have to tailor your approach to who you are dealing with. Some horses or people are timid. With timid riders you have to move more slowly and give them time to get comfortable over lower fences before they move to the next level. You don’t want to overface them as that is a real confidence zapper.…

QDuring a dressage test, how do I prevent my horse from jigging at the free walk? AThe most common reason why a horse jigs at the walk is the rider, not the horse. When you get tight in your seat and your arms, you create a tension that restricts your horse’s movement and negatively impacts his rhythm. The tension typically creates the jigging. HAVE A QUESTION? Email it to Practical. Horseman@EquiNetwork.com or mail to 656 Quince Orchard Rd., Suite 600, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. Go back to the basics. Ride without stirrups and let your legs hang down naturally, not forcing your heels in a downward position. Let your seat drop down deep in the saddle and relax your hips and legs so that you can follow the natural rhythm of…

Weak, shelly hooves—too damaged to hold a shoe—threaten to keep a high-level jumper out of the ring. What can be done? The owner can take the horse out of work and wait for the damaged hoof walls to grow out, hoping that in a few months the hooves will be stronger. But today, says Adam Whitehead of Advanced Equine Podiatry in Ocala, Florida, “Technology has made it possible to solve problems like this and keep horses going.” Adam outfitted this jumper with glue-on shoes in front and shock-absorbing pour-in pads on all four feet, and the horse didn’t have to miss a competition. In this article top farriers outline five developments that are changing the way horses—especially horses with hoof problems and chronic lameness—are shod. Besides Adam, formerly head farrier…

MARVEL at the sight of the Gateway Arch during the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, Nov. 30–Dec. 3, in St. Louis, MO. The agenda includes meetings on a variety of topics from education to governance and a gala to recognize the achievements of standouts in the sport; www.usdf.org. JOIN the estimated 200,000 spectators who’ll follow the action of the world’s top show jumpers during the Gucci Paris Masters, Dec. 1–4. The event in the French capital is the second in a prestigious three-show series, joining Los Angeles (held last fall) and Hong Kong (set for February 2017); www.gucciparismasters.com. HEAD TO sunny Florida for the USEA Annual Meeting, Dec. 7–11, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Highlights include a focus on adult amateur eventers, keynote speaker William Fox-Pitt and a show-jumping clinic with Richard…