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Spring 2024 issue IN THE SADDLE
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20 Eventing success Knowing when you’re ready to event with Piggy March’s tips
26 In due course Improve your showjumping ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
20 52 72
30
GUIDE
104
ways to the
perfect summer
coat
LATERAL WORK
EXPLAINED
40
How to create a
SUPPLE HORSE
ALL ABOUT
ULCERS
Ride with confidence!
Cover stories
60 Release the pressure Alison Buttery
17
Piggy March
EVENTING
and banish negative thoughts
MIND MATTERS
98
The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly
Photo by Jon Stroud
DJMurphy
ON THE COVER
rounds with Meg Elphick 30 Confidence counts Ferdi Eilberg shares his advice 36 6 secrets to tackling raised poles Reap the benefits with our exercises 40 Time to loosen up How to boost your horse’s flexibility 48 Winter wandering Our hacking hacks to beat the winter blues 52 Lateral work made easy Dan Greenwood shares his tips for riding a good leg-yield
Issue number 656 Spring 2024 n Get the most from winter hacks n How yard chores can boost your fitness – our PT’s tips n 7 ways to improve your jumping n Keeping horses in the land of the midnight sun
ON THE COVER
Issue 656 £4.75
22 February – 20 March 24
116 SHORT YARD
BOOTS
ON THE COVER
helps you manage expectations
66 No gym? No problem A strength and
Spring 2024 Piggy March shares her advice on knowing when you’re ready to go eventing, and build your horse’s confidence with Ferdi Eilberg. Plus, help prevent gastric ulcers and boost your performance with a yard workout!
cardio workout using a bale of hay
ASK A VET ON THE COVER
72 Stomach trouble Understand how to prevent and treat gastric ulcers
ASK THE EXPERTS
80 Management know-how 82 Mind matters 84 Ask a vet 86 Horsey shopping 88 In the saddle 90 In brief
132 This month we love... Coats, high-vis, feed and much more!
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8 Northern delights Matilde Brandt gives us a glimpse of her Norwegian paradise
14 Horseworld hub Keep up to date with
MANAGEMENT KNOW-HOW
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92 Parting of the ways We help smooth the
18 Horseworld science Discover the latest
process of selling your horse
research in the equine industry
100 Work appropriate How to adjust your
46 Perfect prizes Amazing goodies for you
horse’s diet as his workload increases
ON THE COVER
104 Coat care counts Give your horse’s post-winter coat a boost
110 The task in hand We share our most loved and loathed horsey tasks
HORSEY SHOPPING ON THE COVER
116 Tried & tested We put short yard boots to the test
128 Perfect fit A selection of grazing muzzles for every budget 4 HORSE&RIDER
and your horse are up for grabs
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98 Win! A fantastic rug bundle from Equithème
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134 Dream horsey homes A selection of gorgeous equestrian properties
137 Next month A sneak peek at the April issue
138 My life with horses A week in the life of equine physiotherapist Kate Haynes
116
TRIED AND TESTED
20 Get ready for your first event with Piggy March
66
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In this feature. . . ➤ Understanding when you’re ready to event
PART ONE: ARE YOU READY?
Eventing
success Photos: Jon Stroud. For more of Piggy’s training content, visit piggymarch.tv
Piggy March shares her advice for knowing when you’re ready for your first event
Our expert
Piggy March is an international event rider who has represented Team GB at World and European Championships, as well as winning Badminton in 2019 and Burghley in 2022 with Vanir Kamira.
20 HORSE&RIDER
T
o this day, I still vividly remember that exhilarating feeling of crossing the finish line of my first-ever event – and, in my job, I’m lucky enough to replicate that moment every season with my younger horses. But whether I’m producing a youngster or taking on an already established horse, deciding when we – as a partnership – are ready to go to our first event together is a decision that I never take lightly.
Eventing is a demanding sport, but when you feel full of confidence in every discipline and see consistent improvements in your results, it’s incredibly rewarding, no matter what your back story. The requirement for athletes – both horse and human – to be fit and skilled enough for the challenge is essential for safety, so knowing how to prepare for your first event not only ensures you have an enjoyable day out, but also helps set you up for future success.
➤
In the saddle
➤ Laying the foundations ➤ What to look for in your training sessions
HORSE&RIDER 21
In this feature. . . ➤ Release stiffness ➤ Promote overall
Time to
loosen up Improve your horse’s flexibility with Tom Blazey-Standing’s easy exercises
Photos: Jon Stroud. As told to Elizabeth McGregor
Our expert
Tom Blazey-Standing BHS APC is a coach and runs a livery yard on the south coast. He uses an integrative, reflective approach to support rider progression and confidence.
40 HORSE&RIDER
In the saddle
suppleness ➤ Achieve greater symmetry and freedom of movement
A
horse who can move correctly is more rideable both on the flat and over fences. This leads to a more enjoyable experience in the saddle wherever your passions lie. But stiffness can be a problem for horses of any age, no matter whether they lack impulsion or are forward-going. This issue, I’m going to help you tackle a lack of suppleness.
Multiple causes
If your horse is stiff, you might feel tightness or tension when asking him to lengthen, bend or stretch. Over time, this can cause other parts of his body to compensate, leading to physical problems. That’s why it’s crucial for your riding partnership – and your horse’s ongoing health – to address it. Stiffness arises for many reasons including wear and tear, injury, stress, uncomfortable tack and rider input, so seeking professional advice can be very worthwhile.
Holistic thinking
The best training plans take a holistic approach that encompasses the mind and body of both horse and rider. If either of you feels physically or emotionally constricted, it will cause issues and may show as stiffness. You and your horse will have one side that’s dominant and easier to use, and often this will be the same side for both of you. Awareness of this asymmetry is key to creating an integrative training plan.
DID YOU KNOW?
The aim of suppling is that your horse should be able to move each side of his body with equal freedom and range of movement.
➤
HORSE&RIDER 41
Photos: Adam Fanthorpe, Jon Stroud, Groomee, Kslynskahal/Shutterstock.com. With thanks to CVS Group member Epona Equine Vets eponaequinevets.co.uk cvs-equine.com
Our expert
Lucy Penrose BVMedSci BVM BVS MRCVS is a vet at Epona Equine Vets. She went straight into equine practice following graduation and has special interest in dentistry, internal medicine, nutrition and farriery.
Stomach trouble Vet Lucy Penrose discusses how you can treat and help prevent painful gastric ulcers in your horse
I
t’s widely acknowledged that gastric ulcers are no longer a condition found only in racehorses and competition horses, but something that can affect any equine. Luckily, understanding the causes, spotting the symptoms and following the correct treatment regimes can help you manage this painful condition should your horse have the misfortune to be affected.
72 HORSE&RIDER
Ask a vet
Horse’s stomach Squamous mucosa
Oesophagus
Margo plicatus
Glandular mucosa
A tale of two halves
DID YOU KNOW?
There are multiple treatment options available and the best-suited ones depend on the area of the ulcers.
The horse’s stomach is split into two separate areas. The squamous mucosa lies in the top half of the stomach and the glandular mucosa in the bottom half. The squamous area acts as a catch-all for the food being swallowed and has no protection from stomach acid. As a result, this is the area in which we often see what are known as splashback lesions, when gastric acid has splashed from the bottom of the stomach and burnt the mucosa. Squamous ulcers (commonly known as splashback lesions): These lesions are often found around the margo plicatus, which forms a distinct line between the two regions. In a horse without ulcers, it appears as a clean line as though drawn with a pen, but when damaged or burnt, it becomes irregular. Glandular ulcers: The glandular region of the lower stomach is where the gastric acid sits and the food is digested, and this area normally has a protective layer of mucus to prevent damage from the acid. As a result, ulcers are less common here, but when this layer fails, lesions may develop, which can be more difficult to resolve than squamous ulcers. Ulceration found in the glandular section of the stomach is called equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD). Appreciating the differences in the sections of the stomach is important for understanding not only the ulcers that form there but also how treatment works and how ongoing management helps prevent recurrence.
➤
Gastric ulcers are a condition that can affect any equine Squamous ulcers
Glandular ulcers
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