February 2014 Issue Horse&Rider

world

Horse Going

Dutch

Photo: Marie de Ronde Oudemans/FEI

Dutch driver Bram Chardon takes victory with his Welsh ponies

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t was all about the Netherlands at the sixth edition of the FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies in Pau, France. The flying Dutch took the competition by storm, winning the team title for the first time in the 10-year history of the combined championships – they broke German rule which had stood fast throughout the first five years of the event.

The defending four-in-hand World Champion, 20-year-old Dutch driver

Bram Chardon, won all three competition phases, leaving his opponents far behind.

With his experienced team of grey Welsh ponies, he drove a fantastic dressage test, set fast times in the marathon obstacles and was the best driver in the cones. He drove to win and secured his second individual gold medal, much to the joy of the many orange-clad Dutch fans.

“I am very proud of my second gold medal – the marathon went really well for me and so did the cones. My ponies did a fantastic job.”

Team member Ewoud Boom, 36, also succeeded in taking home an individual gold medal. Said Boom: “I am so happy with this medal, it finally all came together! We trained extensively for the obstacle driving and it has all paid off.”

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PART One In this feature...

As told to Lucy Turner. Photos: Bob Atkins. Many thanks to Blyth’s sponsor, Equipe, for providing these lessons. For more information about Equipe saddles, visit zebraproducts.co.uk

Our trainer Blyth Tait is one of New Zealand’s greatest event riders, having won both world and Olympic titles, and excelled in the major three-day events. He held the world title for the majority of the 1990s and is also one of only four New Zealanders to have won four Olympic medals. Blyth retired from competition in 2004, but returned to competitive riding in 2011.

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Rhythm, control and balance between

a o t p u g n i Build

Our models Zoe Turner’s horse, Lilly, is nine years old and Zoe bought her from Ireland a year ago.

Lilly is an enthusiastic jumper, so Zoe’s main focus has been to work on her straightness and on refining her talents.

Lilly is quite a straightforward horse, but the pair has been having problems with ‘skinnies’.

Lisa Ridgeway owns Polly, a 16-yearold mare.

They have mainly done dressage and have just started doing Be80-90 events. The crosscountry phase has been going fairly well, but they are having problems with the showjumping and Lisa has lost her confidence a little.

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Horse&Rider training online

To see videos of the exercises used in this feature, with Blyth’s in-depth explanations, scan or click

➤ horseandrideruk.com ➤ tinyurl.com/blythtait1 ➤ See p113 for Aurasma instructions.

In the saddle

fences ➤ Getting the right canter ➤ ‘Owning’ three gears ➤ Canter exercises

Put simply, to negotiate a jump, your horse uses an exaggerated canter stride. So the single most important thing you can work on to improve your jumping is the canter. Eventing superstar Blyth Tait shows you how

T

here’s no magical spell when it comes to jumping – it’s all about having a training system supported by the fundamental principles.

To start with, work on rhythm, control and balance – all the things you’re going to need to ride between fences. Your job is to present your horse to the fence as well as you can and his job is to jump it. So you need to help him arrive at the right speed, then leave him to it – don’t worry about protecting him from the fence.

It’s all about the canter

Caption Caption Caption Caption

One of the most important things is the quality of the canter, as we do all our showjumping and cross-country in canter.

During the warm-up, ensure that your canter is as effective as you can make it. Work towards having a good-quality jumping canter – the key to this is impulsion, especially on the cross-country course. Remember that speed is completely different to impulsion – impulsion is contained power.

You also need to feel when you’re cantering that if someone asked you to halt, you could come quickly and gracefully to a stop.

Not, ‘Oh my God, I’d better slow down, gather up my reins and put this horse together’, then half a lap of the arena later, come to a halt. So the canter should be energetic enough that you could jump a jump, but have sufficient control of that power to stop at any given moment. That’s the key.

But by the same token, you should be able to extend the canter instantly. Instead of thinking, ‘Oh dear, I’d better wake this horse up and chase him into canter’, you should be able to release the handbrake and allow your

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The Dressage Convention

H&R’s Alison Bridge reports on an exciting new event that presents dressage training in a whole new light chard Carl, Sylvia and Ri tion ac e th g watchin

Guest star Charlotte Dujardin

Charlotte and Carl introduce Barolo Meeting the fans!

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In the saddle

C

arl Hester and Richard Davison’s first ever Dressage Convention, sponsored

by Classic Dressage and Horse&Rider, was a huge, star-studded, sell-out success! They promised to break down the barriers of dressage and they most surely did, with an event attended by everyone from children, teens and novices to high level riders of all disciplines and senior dressage judges.

We were delighted that Horse&Rider magazine was chosen as media sponsor for The Dressage Convention, and we all learned a lot, laughed a lot and even shed a few tears, especially when Valegro and Charlotte Dujardin made their guest appearances. Seeing such talent and charisma live, here in the UK and within touching distance, was truly special.

Carl and Richard wanted to focus on the positive aspects of dressage training, the

principles shared by all trainers, how they’re applicable to every horse and should underpin all training. To this end, as well as teaching their own pupils, they featured two classical trainers, Portuguese champion Miguel Ralão and “the legendary Sylvia Loch” as Carl described her.

A long-time contributor to Horse&Rider, ever since her first ‘Classical Seat’ series and book, Sylvia is also a gifted trainer and has schooled several horses to Grand Prix level, although she teaches pupils at all levels of dressage. Her principles are very similar to those Carl and Richard espouse – and they all have the welfare of the horse close to their hearts.

This month we focus on Sylvia’s lecturedemo on collection – watch out for more reports on The Dressage Convention in forthcoming issues of Horse&Rider, including next month, Carl teaching Charlotte and Valegro!

Our trainer Sylvia Loch has been training Classical Equitation since the mid 1970s. She has judged Iberian horses worldwide, is the only British instructor to be certified by the Portuguese National School of Equestrian Art and is Supporting National Dressage Trainer for the ABRS Jeffress Scholarship Trust. She founded the Lusitano Breed Society of GB and The Classical Riding Club, and her books include ‘The Classical Seat’, ‘The Royal Horse of Europe’ and her new title, ‘The Balanced Horse’. Sylvia and her Portuguese horses are based in the Scottish Borders where she teaches riders of all levels. sylvialoch.com

Our model Felicity Peto is an exhunting and event rider who has taken up dressage.

She rode Gracioso, a seven-year-old PRE Spanish horse. Carl and Richard were keen to show how Iberian breeds are trained, and Sylvia said: “Collection is fairly easy for Iberian horses; they collect more naturally than they extend. But they may not have done it in the correct way.”

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Main photo: Bob Atkins

Wellbeing Mares

Behavioural problems when ridden could be down to abdominal discomfort 106 HORSe &RIDeR

Management know-how

behaving badly Mares are notorious for being difficult, particularly those fiery redheads, but are they getting unfair press? Carolyn Henderson investigates

H

ow often have you heard someone say: ‘She’s just being mareish’? When geldings misbehave, they’re often described as hot or sharp. But when mares make their feelings known, it’s often a different story.

If a mare presents a challenge when she comes into season, there could be a physical cause that is making her uncomfortable or easily distracted.

This may be down to a hormonal issue, but it could be completely unrelated. Gastric ulcers, back issues, dental problems and low-grade lameness may all contribute to behavioural changes, so don’t automatically assume it’s a ‘girl problem’.

The season

Take care when grooming potentially sensitive areas

The natural breeding season runs from spring to autumn and a mare will usually be in season for about one week in three. Fillies start coming into season at any age from one year onwards and until the reproductive system settles down, the cycles may be erratic.

Mares will come into season until their late teens and beyond, although the older they become, the less likely they are to conceive – they don’t go through a menopause as such.

Seasons usually stop during the winter months. During this time, mares have lower levels of the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, and behavioural problems related to hormonal issues often stop. Some mares show few or even no behavioural changes when in season, while others make it obvious what’s happening. Signs range from discomfort around the abdominal area to lack of concentration, lethargy or general flightiness.

The potential for abdominal discomfort means that riders and handlers need to be tactful and sympathetic, especially when grooming the flank area and using leg aids.

Although this should apply whatever a horse’s gender.

FEATURE SPONSORED BY

Helpline % 01908 226626 See page 110 for Spillers’ feeding tip of the month

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Sure

strides!

Seventeen pairs of the best breeches on the market, tried and tested

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1 Horseware Denim breeches

These stylish and flattering low-waisted denim breeches are perfect for riding in and for everyday wear. They feature a full-seat in Daewoo stretch fabric for optimum fit and comfort.

RRP: Around £70 horseware.com Pros: “The fit is good and I love the styling. The denim is dark and the little gems around the waistband add glamour to my day. These breeches are very durable and the colour hasn’t faded with regular washing.”

Cons: “I would have liked them to be a little more stretchy for ease of movement.”

Buy if... you want a pair of durable, fashionable breeches.

Our testers This month, Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre kindly tested a range of breeches for performance and ease of care.

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Horsey shopping

Top tips ➤ Full-seat breeches tend to offer more grip than ones with knee patches only.

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➤ Breeches with a high waistband can offer more support to the wearer’s back than ones with a low waistband.

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2 Equi-Thème Pro 3 Ariat Olympia 4 Toggi Arctic Winter breeches Full Seat breeches breeches With a knitted-style outer fabric and micro-polar fleece inner fabric, these breeches will keep you cosy this winter. They are straight-cut with printed plaid scoop pockets.

RRP: £51.90 ekkia.co.uk

Pros: “These breeches are so warm. The lining is amazing and the fabric has plenty of give, so they are very comfortable for wearing all day in and out of the saddle. They wash well and are hard-wearing, so I think they are good value for money.”

Cons: “They can be a little too warm if it’s not a cold day.”

Buy if... you want breeches that will keep you cosy and warm.

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The Olympia breeches are made from four-way stretch nylon and cotton fabric, and feature Ariat’s patented V3 fit system and Calf Fit system. The Stretch Clarino full-seat offers superior traction in the saddle.

RRP: £125 % 0845 600 3209 ariat-europe.com

Pros: “I love the style of these breeches. They fit like a glove and are one of the most comfortable pairs of breeches I have owned.

The full-seat material is not restrictive to walk or ride in and it offers a good level of extra grip.”

Cons: “They are one of the more expensive pairs of breeches.”

Buy if... you want a high-tech pair of full-seat breeches.

These soft-shell winter breeches feature an innovative fabric that offers water-resistance and extra warmth, as well as being easy-care and quick-drying.

RRP: From £85 % 01132 707000 toggi.com Pros: “These breeches are very warm and showerproof as well. They are made from very durable material and I like the subtle styling. They washed well and I like the cut of them, as they sit comfortably on your hips.”

Cons: “They are a bit restrictive when riding.”

Buy if... you want waterresistant, low-rise breeches.

5 John Whitaker Full Seat breeches Featuring a Clarino full seat and stylish contrasting stitching, these breeches have a handy back pocket and ‘Whitaker’ embroidery on the pocket flap.

RRP: From £70 % 01706 340500, johnwhitaker.com Pros: “The John Whitaker breeches are really striking and have a flattering fit.

They’re comfortable for everyday riding and,

unlike some full-seated breeches, keep their shape so you still look good after you’ve ridden! They wash well and have held their colour. Overall, they are a fine pair of breeches and have worn-in really well.”

Cons: “The styling of these breeches wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste.”

Buy if... you want an eye-catching pair of full-seat breeches.

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Insurance Our expert Carolyn Henderson is an equestrian journalist who writes for national magazines and is the author of 36 books. She has competed up to Foxhunter level showjumping, enjoys dressage, hacking and working with young horses and has two cobs, including four-year-old Wulfstan Craicing Clover, alias Birdie, whom she backed this year.

in a

nutshell Make sure you get the cover you and your horse need with Carolyn Henderson’s essential guide

I

Main photo: Bob Atkins

nsurance is the only thing we buy that we don’t want to use. Do your research, get the right policy and look on it as the price of peace of mind.

Here’s how...

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Check what you’re buying

Read your policy document as soon as it arrives and if you find something you don’t understand, ask! When you take out insurance, you always have a set time in which you can cancel if you don’t like the terms – as long as you haven’t already made a claim.

What one insurer includes as standard, another

Horsey shopping

Jargon demystified

Do you understand the paperwork you get with your policy, or the jargon on the insurance company’s website? Here’s a general guide to commonly-used terms, but if something in your policy isn’t clear, ask your insurer to explain.

Disclosure This is the information you give your insurer. It can range from the amount you paid for your horse to asking your vet to supply a full clinical history.

Excess The amount of money you pay towards the cost of every claim. It may be a fixed sum or a percentage.

Exclusion Conditions or parts of the horse that the insurer will not cover for the duration of the policy. For instance, if your horse suffers from colic, the condition may be excluded when you renew your policy, or when you disclose previous incidents to a new insurer.

NB Some insurers will widen exclusion clauses.

If a lameness in one limb may put strain on or is also likely to occur in another, an insurer may exclude both. Usually, this means that both forelimbs or both hindlimbs are excluded.

Loss of use A form of insurance that covers you if your horse becomes permanently incapable of performing the job or jobs for which you are insured.

Mortality cover Paid out if your horse dies or has to be euthanased on veterinary advice because of incurable and excessive pain that cannot be managed. It’s a complicated issue – see p124 for more explanation.

Policy This is the contract between you and your insurer.

may charge extra for or need to approve.

Hearing your vet recommend an MRI scan isn’t the best time to discover that your insurer only pays half the cost and also must give written permission before it goes ahead.

Ask yourself...

➤ Have you insured your horse for every activity you’ll take part in? If not, and things go wrong, you may not be covered. Deciding to compete in a one-off hunter trial when you’re only insured for showjumping and dressage isn’t worth the risk – if your horse is injured, your insurers won’t pay out.

➤ Have you insured him for his actual market value? If you’re insuring a new horse, most insurers will accept that the market value is the sum you paid. Keep a check on whether his value goes up or down if you renew your policy, as he will be insured for the sum insured or market value, whichever is the less.

If you buy a young horse and he becomes more valuable, usually because he gains a competition record, think about whether you need to take this into account when you renew.

Likewise, a successful competition horse whose life becomes easier may decrease in value – especially if his easier life is due to injury.

Remember that you can only insure for actual value, not for potential. Your horse may have the potential to become a four-star event horse or a Grade A showjumper, but he won’t be worth any more than any other horse of similar age and experience until he actually gets there.

Some insurers will let you insure your horse for less than his market value to reduce the cost of premiums, though obviously you’ll only receive the sum insured if he dies or has to be put down.

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