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CONTACT
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Issue number 618 May 2021 ■ Correct your contact ■ Tips for lazy horses ■ Laminitis ■ Polework for course riding ■ Fly-free yards ■ Spencer Wilton on collection ■ Nervous or naughty? ■ Start your season the right way
The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly
DJMurphy
In this feature. . .
➤ Cultivate
a consistent contact
Schooling
made simple
part two
As told to Megan Hurley. Photos: Lucy Merrell
Matt Hicks is back with a few handy exercises to improve your contact
Y
our contact is your most direct channel of communication with your horse, so it’s easy to see why so many riders obsess over getting it right. Is it too tight or too loose? Are you giving too much or being restrictive? The truth is, a correct contact doesn’t really start with your reins – in fact, it’s the product of a relaxed, supple and balanced horse. So, by working on this first and foremost, a consistent contact should follow on naturally. Riders who fixate on contact run the risk of missing out on the finer details that are so crucial in making it consistent in the first place. By considering your horse’s balance and strength, as well as your position, you’ll be better able to bring about the best conditions for that sought-after contact you so often see but can’t quite reproduce at home.
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In the saddle
➤ Learn
to give and retake the rein ➤ Produce self-carriage
Our expert
Matt Hicks is an international Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer. Although his original love was eventing, in which he competed up to three-star, he eventually decided that his passion lay in the dressage arena, where he’s enjoyed many years of success.
Keep in touch
Contact issues can almost always be remedied by adjusting or strengthening your position. Without good balance it’s easy to rely on your reins rather than a strong core for support, which will interfere with the consistent contact you hope to achieve. With that being said, if your horse lacks balance then your contact will suffer, too, because he’ll rely on your hand for support.
Our model
Penny Lea competes at Elementary level dressage and has owned Dubbel Colour, a seven-yearold gelding, for a year. They qualified for the Elementary Regional Finals in 2020 and hope to pick up where they left off this year.
To counteract your own weaknesses, you’ll need to dedicate a bit of time into developing your core strength. Similarly, if your horse lacks balance you’ll need to spend time in each pace developing his suppleness and strength through transitions and targeted exercises. Over time, you’ll notice that your horse is able to carry himself for longer and becomes lighter in your hand as a result.
Hand it over
Pick a point in the session where your horse is relaxed and try tucking a short whip under your thumbs, carrying it horizontally. This will help keep your hands level and prevent you from fiddling or interfering with the contact. If you create the impulsion, a still, soft hand will give your horse a consistent feel to work into. With the whip to focus on, you’ll be much more likely to relax and avoid feeling hyperfocused on your horse and where his head is. Often, the less you micromanage, the better your horse will go.
➤
HORSE&RIDER 31
In this feature. . .
➤ Learn
to see – and adjust – a stride
Cross-country anywhere Part one: the circle of life
Cross-country preparation doesn’t always require a course. Australian eventing duo Kevin and Emma McNab share how to make the most of what you’ve got
As told to Tilly Berendt. Photos: Lucy Merrell
Our experts
Kevin McNab is an Australian eventer based in Surrey. A regular member of Nations Cup teams and with an enviable selection of top-10 finishes at CCI5* level, he rides Cute Girl, a seven-year-old Holsteiner mare. She completed her first international season in 2020, culminating in a trip to the six-year-old World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers.
44 HORSE&RIDER
Emma McNab has an equally impressive tally of top placings and has represented Australia on a number of occasions, including at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. She rides Scuderia 1918 Vivian, an 11-year-old by Valentino. She contested her first Advanced in 2019 and joined Kevin’s string in 2020, winning their first run together.
B
alancing your need to get out and cross-country school with your desire to compete, while swerving lockdown restrictions and the usual seasonal difficulties is tough. So, unless you’re lucky enough to have those facilities at your yard, you probably haven’t jumped a solid fence in a while. The beauty of cross-country riding, though, is that it’s about far more than just tearing around a course at top speed and jumping whatever you find in your path. Instead, it’s about cultivating boldness, riding accurate lines and improving your communication with your horse so you can tackle technical questions without a hitch – and those skills can be developed in the school.
➤
In the saddle
➤
Get in the rhythm ➤ Manoeuvre your horse’s body effectively
HORSE&RIDER 45
mind
ALL IN THE
Knowing the signs of a nervous system disorder can mean the difference between a positive or poor prognosis. Let’s take a closer look
Photos: Bob Atkins. With thanks to Rossdales Equine Hospital for their help with this feature, rossdales.com
Our experts
Catriona Mackenzie BVMS MSc CertAVP(EM) DipECEIM MRCVS is a member of the medicine team at Rossdales Equine Hospital. She graduated from the University of Glasgow Veterinary School in 2006 and has worked in Newmarket, Kentucky and Australia. She’s a member of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM) and an RCVS recognised specialist.
Y
our horse’s nervous system is made up of his brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Responsible for a number of roles – from involuntary actions he doesn’t think about, such as sight, hearing and taste, to voluntary or conscious actions, such as movement and coordination – it’s fair to say the neurological system’s complex. A problem affecting any part of this system is commonly referred to as a neurological condition. However, beyond this shared umbrella, the nature of the system means many of these conditions share very little in common. So, we answer some of your questions and take a look at the most common examples.
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the main concerns with equine neurological conditions is that, due to their size, they can make the horse dangerous to be around. This is why it’s important to contact your vet if you suspect anything.
What are the causes? Mathew Harber BVSc MRCVS joined Rossdales Equine Hospital as a member of the stud team in 2018 and is currently undertaking an internship at the Rossdales Hospital and Diagnostic Centre. He has a particular interest in stud medicine and plans to undertake further studies in this area.
68 HORSE&RIDER
There are a vast number of conditions that affect the equine nervous system, but they tend to share some common causes. These include... • infections, either bacterial (such as tetanus), viral (such as equine herpes virus-1) or parasitic – though the latter is rare in the UK • metabolic issues, which cause chemical changes in the body that ultimately impact on neurological function
• trauma to the head or neck • neoplastic tumours, which may develop in the nervous system or originate in structures close to it and impact neurological function • congenital or developmental conditions, which often cause symptoms in young horses • degenerative conditions, such as joint disease or arthritis in the neck and back, which may cause compression of the spinal cord
➤
Ask a vet
Responsible for a number of roles, it’s fair to say the neurological system’s complex
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