PONY Magazine – September 2021

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Check out Pony Nuts’ top tips for jumping a clear round this summer

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ough to have an ven if you’re lucky en u’ll definitely end arena at your yard, yo nics and some cli at up riding on grass to ride on grass w ho ng rni comps. So, lea to re’s my simple guide is super-important! He s plu – ar cle e urs of a co jumping each element leave u yo re su ke ma to er stringing them togeth e. tim ery ev up les po the

Ready to rock

One of the most important parts of jumping a clear round doesn’t even happen in the ring. Your warm-up gives you the chance to prepare your pony and make sure he’s listening carefully to your aids.

Use your warm-up to get used to the terrain and make sure you ride up and down any slopes available. Ride lots of transitions and circles to get your pony listening to your legs and his muscles thoroughly warmed up.

Remember – the most important pace is the canter, so focus on it in your warm-up. If you feel safe, stand up in your stirrups and canter large around the warm-up so your pony can use his back and start thinking more forwards. You can then use circles and half-halts to sit him on his hocks and create a powerful jumping canter.

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TOP TIP

Practise riding y our pony on home to grass at help buil d confide nce, stre his ngth and bala nce.

Focus on using all the space available in the ring to help you keep the punchy canter you created

On the turn

course and after each fence on the Making smooth turns before g the pin jum of job y’s pon r you make will help your round flow and ss, gra on nt s is even more importa fences clear much easier. Thi his p kee to y pon r tougher for you which can be slippy and a bit balance on. you ce available in the ring to help So, focus on using all the spa a get and up created in your warmkeep the punchy canter you make There’s no reason you can’t ce. fen h better approach to eac r you g din ben on us foc p-off, but tighter turns on grass in a jum r you ugh and keeping a contact thro pony around your inside leg he If . turn the shoulders up through outside rein to help keep his more likely to slip! he’s m, motorbikes around the

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e l t s i whi n in no time a e cl g n i l rk a sp ck ta s y’ Get your fave pon step guide y-b p e st ’s e sm E s hi T with

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fter riding, there’s not much better than hanging out with your yard mates having a chat – and if you can get an important job done at the same time? Bonus! Tack cleaning’s one of those chores – it’ll make sure you and your pony look super-smart as well as helping your tack last longer.

I want to get as much use out of my tack as possible, so keeping all my gear clean and polished is super-important – here’s my guide to getting your tack looking its best in no time!

TOP TIP

If you only use saddle soap on your tack, it’s a good idea to double up and apply a leather conditioner every so often to keep it soft and supple.

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KITgeLtISyoTur gear gleaming, you’ll To need...

ter f warm wa a bucket o s es or cloth two spong r p or leathe saddle soa r conditione

Heads up While a quick wipe over after you ride is a great start, it’s important to take your bridle apart and give it a really thorough clean really regularly. Here’s how...

Take your bridle apart, separating each piece and laying them all out.

Scrub the bit with water, paying close attention to the link in the mouthpiece and the cheekpieces, especially if they have loose rings.

Use warm water and wring out a sponge, then wipe over each part of the bridle to get rid of grease and dirt. Don’t get it too wet, though, because this can damage the leather. Look out for lumps of grease from your pony’s coat on the noseband and headpiece.

Use a dry sponge to polish each piece with saddle soap or leather conditioner.

Put the pieces back together – it can help to take a photo of your bridle before you take it apart to make sure you put it back together correctly.

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TOP TIP

Store your tack somewhere cool and dry to keep it in the best possible condition.

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TOP TIP

Be really thorough when cleaning your tack.

If you apply conditioner on top of dirt, it’ll be harder to remove next time.

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