PONY Magazine – August 2020

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Be an awesome

r e id r QUICK RIDING FIXES

Find your

dream pony

6

Wound

ways to impress your

101

instructor

Know what to do if your pony gets hurt How to

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August 2020 £4.99 Issue 867

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Nailed it Quick fixes to transform your position

R

iding takes lots of practice, and it’s easy to pick up a few bad habits along the way – even pro riders don’t have perfect positions all the time! Whether you tend to lift your heels too much, keep a tight grip on the reins, or look down at your fave pony’s neck rather than up and ahead, we’ve got some great solutions to help you shake your bad habits!

FAULT

Looking down

Your head’s the heaviest part of your body, so your pony can always sense where you’re looking! It’s easy to want to glance down at his head and neck, but it’s important to look up and ahead so he knows where to go next. Looking down can make you both feel unbalanced, too!

This exercise will encourage you to keep your eyes up and get used to feeling what your pony’s doing, without having to look down.

QUICK FIX 1. Start in walk, and take both reins into your outside hand.

2. Hold your inside arm out in front of you and keep your eyes on your hand.

3. Slowly move your arm out to the side as far as you can, following your hand with your eyes.

4. Move your arm back out in front of you, then relax it down by your side.

5. Do this two more times, then change the rein and try it with your other arm.

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Top Tip

When you’re riding, focus on different objects around the arena to encourage you to keep looking up.

FAULT

Hunching your shoulders

If you’re feeling a bit nervous or stressed, tension can build up in your shoulders, which can make them stiffen. If they’re hunched it’ll make the rest of your body become tense, too! The answer is to relax your shoulders with these four easy steps...

QUICK FIX 1. As in the first exercise, walk forward and take both reins in one hand. Now give your free arm a shake.

2. Swap your reins to the other hand, and shake out your other arm.

3. Take back your reins then, one at a time, roll your shoulders up towards your ears, then circle them back.

4. Repeat this for one lap of the arena, until you feel all the tension drain away!

FAULT

Top Tip

It’s a good idea to practise these exercises on the lunge first, so you can focus on your position while your instructor controls your pony.

Your heels ride up

Heels down is a common phrase that you might hear your instructor say. Even though it’s something you were probably taught in your first few lessons, it’s often easy to forget! Your heels tend to ride up when you’re riding a lazy pony because, if he ignores your legs, you’ll feel you have to use your heels to get him to respond! Here’s how you can teach your pony to be more responsive, while keeping those heels down!

QUICK FIX 1. Ask your pony for a transition from walk to trot by squeezing him lightly with your calves.

If he goes forward that’s great, but if he ignores you give him a stronger squeeze with your calves – don’t resort to nudging using your heels!

2. While you’re in trot, make sure you have your calves wrapped around his sides, while keeping your toes up. Keep your legs as still as you can and don’t be tempted to nag him!

3. If your pony tries to slow down without being asked, repeat your light squeeze with your calves. He’ll soon learn that it’s far better to respond to your first ask, so you won’t need to nag him!

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WOUND 101 OUR EXPERT

What to do if your pony suffers a wound

ers Rachel Schneidlliv ervet in

Gi is an Equine Vet atncashire.

Garwood, La

did you know?

If your pony treads on a nail, don’t pull it out – leave it there until the vet arrives.

This is because taking an X-ray of it in place is the only way to see whether important structures inside the hoof are damaged.

D

espite being beautiful, intelligent and athletic creatures, ponies can be pretty accident-prone and get themselves into all sorts of mischief! While it’s worrying to find your fave pony has been injured, it’s really important not to panic, and to get him the right help as soon as possible. Here are some tips to help you know what to do if he suffers a wound...

ACTION STATIONS

If you find your pony with a wound, the first thing to do is call an adult, such as your yard manager, who’ll help you assess the injury. Here are a few other important things to think about...

• don’t approach your pony unless you’re sure it’s safe to do so. Even the quietest, calmest pony can be really scared if he’s injured, which means he could hurt you by accident. It’s best to wait until an adult gets there • if your pony’s really lame, can’t move or is lying down, leave him where he is until the vet arrives • if the wound’s bleeding, but it’s a slow drip of blood, remember that it probably

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looks more dramatic than it is.

However, if blood’s squirting out or there’s enough to make a puddle, you should put pressure on the wound straightaway. Use something clean and absorbent like lint-free cotton wool to apply constant pressure, and secure it in place with a bandage. Put another layer on top if any blood seeps through.

• if there’s something sticking out of a wound, it can be best to leave it until an adult arrives. If they decide to remove it, photograph it in the wound first, and keep the object until the vet arrives.

It’ll help them work out what damage it has caused

SHOULD I CALL THE VET? It’s best to call your vet if your fave pony suffers any wound, even if it doesn’t look that bad. Sometimes, it’s the smaller ones that are the most serious. Tiny puncture wounds can be life-threatening, especially if they’re really deep and near one of your pony’s joints. Also, any wound can become a problem if it gets infected, so even grazes need careful cleaning, and you should keep a close eye on them.

As a general rule, wounds less than a couple of centimetres long, that are only skin deep and not on the legs or head, can usually be managed by bathing with salt water and applying antiseptic cream twice daily (ask your vet to recommend one). However, it’s superimportant to look out for any signs of...

• swelling • redness • discharge • pain If you see any of these, call your vet straightaway.

Top tip

did you know?

If a wound’s squirting blood, apply pressure until the vet arrives

Take photos of your pony’s wound every day.

It’ll be a fascinating record of the healing process, plus it’ll help you spot any problem signs quickly.

One teaspoon of salt mixed with 1 pint of water makes a weak antiseptic solution that can be used to clean minor wounds.

WOUND SAVVY BE If you’ve called out your vet,

you can help prepare for their visit by following these dos and don’ts...

DO get some clean, warm water ready.

DO find your pony’s passport so the vet can check if his vaccinations are up-to-date.

DON’T put any products on the wound, like a spray or powder while you’re waiting for the vet. It means the vet won’t be able to assess the damage properly.

DON’T give your pony any painkillers, unless the vet tells you to. It’s useful for them to see how much your pony’s hurting, so they can work out how serious it is.

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Best of

breed Find your perfect native pony

F

rom Shetlands to Connemaras, there are tons of awesome pony breeds that come from the UK and Ireland. They’re super-clever and hardy, making them fab riding ponies, but which one would be the perfect pony pal for you? Find out what makes each breed unique with our super-useful fact files on the top 10 native breeds!

SUPER-CUTE SHETLANDS

From: The Shetland Isles Height: 7hh–11hh Looks: Short with stocky legs, a fluffy coat and a long mane and tail, plus they’re super-adorable!

Known for: Being clever, tough and good with children.

Popular for: Often used as a child’s first pony. They also do well in showing, driving and, of course, Shetland pony racing!

Character: They have a reputation for being a bit stubborn!

FUN FACT

in every colour, Shetlands come sp except otted.

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FUN FACT

New Forest poni es have been arou nd since the Ice Ag e!

NIMBLE NEW FORESTS

From: The New Forest, Hampshire Height: 12hh–14.2hh Looks: Fine and athletic with powerful hindquarters. They’re usually bay, black chestnut, grey or roan.

Known for: Being speedy, sure-footed and friendly.

Popular for: New Forests make great Pony Club ponies, and can turn a hoof to dressage, showjumping, cross-country and mounted games.

Character: They’re super-smart, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on them!

Top Tip

Native ponies love food!

As they’re designed to live on sparse moors and mountains, their grazing should be restricted so they don’t eat too much and become overweight.

did you know?

Shire horses and Clydesdales are native to the UK as well, but they’re too big to be classed as children’s ponies!

DREAMY DARTMOORS

From: Dartmoor National Park, Devon Height: 11hh-12.2hh Looks: Small head and body with large, kind eyes. They also have a full mane and tail and rounded, muscular hindquarters.

Known for: Being gentle, reliable and super-calm.

Popular for: They make fab children’s ponies, and can also excel in dressage, showjumping and hacking.

Character: They’re adorable, so it’ll be hard to stay cross with them if they’re a bit cheeky!

FUN FACT

e Not all ponies you se are r oo rtm Da on g zin gra als the true breed, as loc y an ze gra to are allowed the on rse ho of type moorland.

GORGEOUS GYPSY COBS

From: Different regions of the UK and Ireland Height: 12hh-16hh Looks: Usually piebald, but can also be skewbald, tri-coloured or even a solid colour. They’re a well-built breed, with an impressive amount of hair!

Known for: Their kind nature, trainability and strength.

Popular for: Cobs make good all-rounders, but are especially talented at driving and showing.

Gypsy cobs go Character: by a few different They’re good names, including doers so you’ll Irish cob or Gypsy need to watch Vanner. their weight!

FUN FACT

FABULOUS FELLS

From: Cumbria and Northumberland Height: 13.2hh-14hh Looks: Commonly pure black or dark brown, with very small or no white markings. They also have fluffy feathers.

Known for: Fells are agile, strong and tough.

Popular for: Lots of Pony Club activities, but they also excel at hacking and cross-country.

You’ll also see them driving and showing, too.

Character: They’re often The Queen has full of energy! used Fells to pu ll her carriage.

FUN FACT

CLASSY CONNEMARAS

From: Connemara, Ireland Height: 13hh–15hh Looks: Well-proportioned and compact, with stocky legs and kind eyes.

Known for: Being athletic, versatile and sensible.

Popular for: Everything! Connies are especially good at dressage, showjumping, eventing and hacking.

Character: They’re super-playful and can get up to mischief, so you’ll need to make sure they have a fun, active home!

FUN FACT

The Connemara is the only pure breed of pony that comes from Ireland.

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