Innehållsförteckning för Issue 503 från Your Horse

Lucy Warby (below) tackled her first fun ride with her 17-year-old cob mare Dolly last year, and they went alone. “I was very nervous at first because I didn't know how Dolly would react with all the other horses going past, but she was fine,” says Lucy, 23. “I didn't have anyone else to go with, but confidence wise I knew that I would be able to go at my own speed, and that suited me.” Worcestershire-based Lucy bought Dolly six years ago with the hope that she would help to boost her confidence, and the mare has done just that as the pair now regularly heads out alone. To prepare for her first solo fun ride, Lucy built up to riding the distances she wanted to cover with someone…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING IN ASSOCIATION WITH CONFIDENCE 1 EQUIPILATES MEET THE EXPERT EMMA STAMENKOVIC is an Equipilates coach, Franklin Method equestrian pelvic trainer, NLP coach and Level 3 Pilates instructor. She assists riders with improving their understanding, alignment, confidence and movement to better help their horses develop. MISSED A PREVIOUS PART? Buy Your Horse back issues at shop. kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR ANY RIDER WHO finds perfecting dressage moves challenging, achieving better unison with their horse tricky, or who lacks confidence in the saddle could well discover that Equipilates is able to transform their lives. Founded by Lindsay Wilcox-Reid, Equipilates was designed to address the rider's side of the ridden partnership, as she felt that it was being overlooked. A decade on, and this movement and alignment therapy has helped many riders through all…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING PART 4 CROSS-COUNTRY | MORE WHOA THAN GO MEET THE EXPERT Event rider ROS CANTER became World Champion in 2018 aboard Allstar B, with whom she was travelling reserve for the Tokyo Olympics. She has also recorded three top five placings at Badminton Horse Trials, most recently securing the runner-up spot aboard the talented Lordships Graffalo. She has also won two European team gold medals. She is mother to Ziggy, now three, is based at Canter Hallington in the Lincolnshire Wolds, and she credits her “supportive and forward thinking parents” for much of her success. YOUNG HORSES COME in all shapes, sizes and temperaments and Kate Penny's Kilbunny Rioja (Rio) is an imposing 16.3hh gelding. He has rhythmical, elegant paces and a tendency to be lazy. In fact, he…

YOUR HORSE'S CARE BONDING | PERSONALITY GROUPS BONDING | PERSONALITY GROUPS “HORSES ARE COMMUNICATING with us all the time — body language is their language and it is up to us as humans to read what they're telling us. Horses don't lie. They show the truth and through their posture and behaviour they are giving us subtle hints as to how they're feeling,” explains horse development specialist Hanna Walton. Horses’ brains are wired differently to humans. While human brains are for thinking and planning, horses are programmed to move in response to stimuli. Horses can be introvert or extrovert in character, and those who are extrovert are often easier to identify as everything is happening on the outside. By contrast, if they are introverted it doesn't mean that they aren't feeling…

YOUR HORSE'S CARE FIT NOT FAT | THE TRUTH ABOUT CALORIES Fit not Fat CONSUMING MORE CALORIES than you burn leads to weight gain, while consuming less than you burn, also known as being in negative energy balance or achieving a calorie deficit, leads to weight loss. But what are calories? They are simply a measurement of energy. Electrical energy is measured in kilowatts, while in human nutrition energy from food is measured in kilocalories or ‘calories’. In the UK, energy in horse feed is described in megajoules of digestible energy, often abbreviated to MJ DE. Nutritionists tend to use the term ‘calories’ when discussing equine diets because it is a term we all tend to associate with bodyweight. Myth buster: energy = calories Essentially, energy and calories are just two…

Did you have a horsey childhood? Yes, I was fortunate to have a pony who was my best friend. I was a typical pony mad girl who, if I wasn't with my pony, was in the field pretending to be my pony! We didn't have much money, but we had space to keep them at home through my dad's job. He was livestock manager at Blenheim Palace. My mum was a bit horsey, but not overly so, and we learnt together. I was a member of the Old Berkshire Hunt branch of the Pony Club and I remember my first camp aged seven. We forgot my pony's passport so mum had to make an hour round trip home to retrieve it while me and the pony waited in a stubble…

IN THE FRAME ■ Córdoba Ecuestre from the Royal School of Córdoba will be delighting audiences with its eye-catching displays at Devon's Westpoint Arena this autumn as it takes part in The Festival of the Iberian Horse, Having performed all over the globe, this will be the first time that the oldest classical school in the world has travelled to the UK from Spain. The Royal stables in Córdoba were established in 1570 by express mandate of King Felipe II. As a great lover of horses, the monarch wanted to create a new breed of horse in Córdoba — the Andalusian — and the Festival of the Iberian Horse will be the ultimate celebration of equines from Spain and Portugal. Members of Córdoba Ecuestre (left) will combine a show of…

INTERVIEW PIGGY MARCH CAN attest to the accuracy of the idiom ‘time is a great healer’. Not so very long ago a whole year passed by without the event rider entering a cross-country start box or flying over a fixed fence in competition; a season came and went without her name featuring on a horse trials leaderboard. She didn't appear on a longlist or a shortlist for that August's Rio Olympics, and, in fact, as members of the British team were saddling up in South America, Piggy (née French), a mother for a mere month, was still getting to grips with bath time, nappy changing and feeding new arrival Max. Basically, in 2016 Piggy jumped off what she terms “the hamster wheel” of competition and “spent months bumbling around”, and…

Engagement is a word we hear muttered for many different reasons: in reference to riding a horse, when one person shows their love for another with a shiny diamond, and also in the world of social media. If you are looking at growing a community online, it is definitely a word with which you need to become familiar. But what is engagement in a social media sense? It is an action taken on content that you share which may take the form of a like, a comment, a save, a share. Engagement shows that the content is of interest and this can give it something of an organic boost. Also, if people are engaging with a post — for example, they share it because it's so good — then their…

NEW SERIES Many horse owners learn to live with their horses’ quirks, but if these are putting them in danger, or making life particularly difficult, they need to be addressed. Rearing is arguably one of the most dangerous behaviours as it can put both horse and human at risk of injury. “There are a lot of people who cope with things until they reach a crisis point,” says equine behaviourist Debbie Marsden. “But you don't have to live with it. You can address it, and make time with your horse safer and more enjoyable.” Whether he's rearing on the odd occasion or every day, there are steps you can take to address this behaviour. Step 1: Eliminate physical problems with a health check There are many reasons why horses rear,…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING SCHOOLING SOLUTIONS | JUMPING SUCCESS SCHOOLING solutions Easy ways to take back control How to up your jumping confidence Expert tips to help you go clear TACKLING EVERY FENCE with gusto is the modus operandi of Maisie, the 10-year-old mare belonging to January Baxendale. However, as commendable as the grey's attitude is — after all, she regularly finishes in the ribbons — it does mean that January has to strike a balance between embracing her joie de vivre while not allowing her enthusiasm to lead to a silly mistake because she has lost that all-important rhythm. Enter top coach Mia Palles-Clark, who has worked with January over the past four years to instil in Maisie a sense that if she listens, learns and gets her jumping canter cracked,…

YOUR HORSE'S CARE KEEPING HIM COMFY | OSTEOPATHY MISSED A PREVIOUS PART? Buy Your Horse back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR A WHISKERY BAY head gently bobs up and down, ears at half-mast and eyelids drooping, as osteopath Michael Pye runs his hand over the patient's face, gently manipulating the space between his eyes in an almost imperceptible motion. You could be forgiven for thinking that it is just a cursory caress. But you would be wrong. With the lightest of touches, Michael, who treats horses through his equine practice, In Hand Equine Osteopathy, can send even the flightiest and most anxious individuals into a relaxed slumber. Here, he is practising a form of cranial osteopathy, feeling for the softening of the fascia — the thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds every…

WHAT'S NEW? | NEW PRODUCTS INSPIRED BY BIKERS The Malvern Country Boot from Toggi features contemporary biker-inspired buckles and a chunky sole — perfect for exploring both the countryside and the town. The boots are made from supple waxy leather and feature a snug real sheepskin lining that can be revealed thanks to a clever fold-down cuff. The backs of the boots have a braided zip pull and tassel. RRP £240 TOGGI.COM NEATLY STORED Keep your saddle pads and rugs neat and tidy with the Showmaster York Rug and Saddle Pad Bag. This useful bag offers enough space for one or more rugs (depending on their thickness) or several saddle pads. All in all, a simple solution to keep your kit clean and protected when not in use. RRP £8.99…

HACK 1000 MILES WHO DOESN'T LIKE exploring a new route, carefully planned and marked out, that often isn't accessible to the wider public on a daily basis? Fun rides are exactly this, and are a great way to spend time with your horse. The first fun ride I went on was with my gelding, Skippy, who was six years old at the time and had been under saddle for only six months. I had backed him late to give him some extra time to grow into himself as he teetered around 16.2hh, but he had already proved to be steady and reliable to hack — often nannying older horses — so I decided to take a leap and I booked us into a 10-mile fun ride with two friends and…

Advanced hair artist The freelance hair artist with 11 horses, who is also a mother to three children, is termed ‘Superwoman’ by her clients for good reason My job… I'm an advanced hair artist and I've been doing unisex hairdressing for just over 20 years. Over a 10-year period I ran two successful salons, which I loved, but the stress and pressure was significant so I decided to cut back and I put them on the market when I went freelance in 2017. After that I rented a chair in a salon two days a week and worked as a mobile hair artist. Excitingly, I will soon be opening a fabulous new salon of my own again, called The Hair Hive. I cover pretty much every aspect of someone's hair…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING FLATWORK | INCORPORATINGSTRETCHES MEET THE EXPERT ANTHONY CLARK is an event rider and coach based in Cambridgeshire who produces and competes horses for owners. He also trains riders of all levels and he has produced numerous horses from novice to advanced/four-star level. He was a member of the 2015 British three-star European eventing team that won a silver medal. Anthony is sponsored by Aloeride (aloeride.com). MEET THE HORSE SWELL TOUCHDUN (aka Pancake) is a nine-year-old Irish gelding who began eventing in 2020 and is now qualified at four-star level after a successful campaign at affiliated novice and intermediate events. Winner of the Novice British Dressage Combined Training Championships in 2021, Pancake is owned by Liz Mather. STRETCHING A HORSE should be an integral part of any rider's regular training…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING IN ASSOCIATION WITH BONDING | BUILDING UP TRUST Having a bond with a horse is like having a relationship with a human being. You are comfortable in each other's company and are keen to spend time with each other. Building up a bond takes time and patience, though. It won't happen overnight, can't be rushed and what works for one horse won't necessarily work for another. After all, horses aren't machines and every one has its own unique character. It is easier to build a bond with the blank canvas of a home-bred, but not everyone has the luxury of being able to breed their next riding horse or competitive superstar. I was lucky to have an incredible bond with Headley Britannia, but she had a bit of…

VET notes WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: The livers function How it can be damaged Actions to take if it is found to be diseased THE LIVER IS the largest organ in the horse's body, weighing approximately 5-7kg in an average 500kg horse. It is vital for life and health and a few of its important functions include: Digestion and metabolism ot nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Production of bile to help with the digestion of fats. Detoxification and elimination of waste products and harmful toxic substances. Synthesis of vitamins (eg, vitamin C), blood proteins and clotting factors. Storage of vitamins and minerals, including iron, copper and vitamins A, D, E, K and B12. Symptoms of liver disease The liver is incredible and it can continue to function normally…

YOUR HORSE'S GEAR BIGTEST | BRUSHING BOOTS A PAIR OF brushing boots can offer a useful layer of protection for your horse if he is prone to brushing and knocking his legs when on the move. Brushing boots are designed to be used in pairs — fore and hind — and while some people use them on all four legs, others may just use one pair, depending on the needs of their horse and the activity they are engaged in. Front boots tend to be shorter than hind boots, but generally both will be shaped to follow the contours of the horse's leg. All in all, brushing boots vary enormously in price and the level of protection they offer. Our testers have each tried out a set for the last three…

5 PAIRS OF TICKETS TO RICTON INTERNATIONAL HORSE TRIALS We have five pairs of general admission tickets for the Saturday or Sunday of Bicton International Horse Trials up for grabs. This prestigious event is held at Bicton Park in Devon (25-28 May 2023) and will feature some of the best horses and riders in the world vying for top honours. Combinations will tackle the dressage, showjumping and cross-country phases against the backdrop of the beautiful Bicton estate. There will be plenty to entertain the whole family with a large tradestand area and numerous catering outlets. Find out more at bicton-arena.co.uk Find out more at abbottsviewlivery.co.uk and facebook.com/abbottsviewlivery 6 COPIES OF HORSE TRACK SYSTEMS BOOK Six lucky readers will each win a copy of Amy Dell's thought-provoking Horse Track Systems — a book that…