FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

May is always one of my favourite months because we get to pay homage to a group of truly remarkable people - the horsey mums of the world. You know, those mums who get up at some stupid hour and drive their children and their beloved ponies to Woop Woop just for a lesson; the women who go without just so their offspring get to ride, have lessons and compete. As a mum, I’ve done all that and more. I know that we all do it willingly and without question, because we love it and because we know that horsey kids are good kids! How could they not be? This edition lands in your inbox while we are attending the fabulous Aquis Champions Tour, an event that has a mum – Michelle Lang-McMahon - at the helm. In honour of the event we’ve released our very first printed edition of HorseVibes, a tribute to Our Jumping Heroes. What a privilege it was to put this publication together! We hope you take the time to read the stories our editor Candy has gathered together during the past few years. It’s a great reminder that all of the riders we feature started their journeys as beginners, not as the Grand Prix riders they are today. They were all in the back rings learning their trade. If this magazine encourages just one of you to say, “I can do that” and set a big goal for yourself, then we are on track to accomplish our ambition to be a publication that inspires you to be the best horse person you can be. You might notice the absence of one of

From the Horse’s our popular regular columns this month. The Horse Listener is having a little holiday because our wonderful editor, Mouth Candy, went and got married. All of us at HorseVibes wish Candy and Greg all bones rather than on the pubic bone. the best for their future together. “If your horse is deemed lazy, check if you’re riding with the hand-break on. So without further ado, welcome to With Fiona ToddRotate your pelvis to adjust your weight.” the May edition of HorseVibes. Ute Raabe travelled to Germany to interview The fifth rung is attention to what the Our Hero Mary Hanna, and what an upper thigh and groin are doing. The inspiration she is. Jane Camens talked upper thigh shouldn’t be closed on the to some of the wonderful equine horse. Tanja recommends lifting each leg photographers who record and share up and then rotating them out to loosen the beautiful imagery of the people any grip and to increase the range of and horses that make our industry so motion. “Think of John Wayne,” she amazing. Charlie Brister looked (or tried says. “You can fit a horse in between his to look) into his crystal ball when he was thighs when he walks.” asked to judge the Young Horse event in Toowoomba. We have two beautiful Next is the importance of bent elbows mother/daughter stories to celebrate and closed fists. “Soft hands come from our May Mother’s Day – one from bent elbows, not open hands,” she Evangaline Read, and the journey she’s reminds riders. “If you squeeze your shared with her mother, journalist and thumb and index finger when holding publisher Shona Martyn and one from the reins you can’t have a clenched fist. Bryn Anderson, on her mother’s 30-year When we learn to ride without (good) instruction, we develop habits that are not that useful to overall riding. We love affair with a beautiful Arabian she won in a raffle. have to break it down into a new way of Plus of course, we have all our regular thinking.” columns, put together byour staff writer Dannii Cunnane, featuring Caspian She worries when people say things like horses, endurance training tips and our I just want to keep my horse round in young rider, Lindsey Ware. the trot, or I just want impulsion. ”These are not simple things,” she says. “First I As always, pour your favourite tipple, look at the horse’s posture and ask can it put up your feet and enjoy. physically stay in the posture. Then I look PS most importantly of all, Happy at whether the rider has the balance, Mother’s Day to my Mum, you are meaning enough inner core strength my inspiration.

bones rather than on the pubic bone. “If your horse is deemed lazy, check if FEATURE you’re riding with the hand-break on. Rotate your pelvis to adjust your weight.” and stability, enhancing or hindering the The fifth rung is attention to what the horse’s gait in transitions.” upper thigh and groin are doing. The upper thigh shouldn’t be closed on the horse. Tanja recommends lifting each leg She explains that In order to ride a good soft upward transition, the horse has to engage the abdominal muscles up and then rotating them out to loosen in order to lift its back. “Then the hind any grip and to increase the range of legs have to come underneath the motion. “Think of John Wayne,” she body to support the rider’s weight and says. “You can fit a horse in between his step forward in balance with the neck thighs when he walks.” soft and round, which we call going ‘on the bit’,” she explains. “The biggest Next is the importance of bent elbows part of my teaching is to break down and closed fists. “Soft hands come from such concepts as ‘on the bit’, ‘getting bent elbows, not open hands,” she impulsion’ and ‘improving rhythm’. I reminds riders. “If you squeeze your break this down to educate riders first, thumb and index finger when holding so the horse is able to achieve all that.” the reins you can’t have a clenched fist. Tanja teaches riders at all levels, helping When we learn to ride without (good) them to understand how they’ve been instruction, we develop habits that are blocking their horse. not that useful to overall riding. We have to break it down into a new way of “The body buys into the story and thinking.” controls breathing. Horses are sensitive to energy,” she says, going back to the She worries when people say things like breath. That long breath out. I just want to keep my horse round in Tanja conducts some of her mindset the trot, or I just want impulsion. ”These work by phone, which she can do with are not simple things,” she says. “First I people anywhere in the world. If you’d look at the horse’s posture and ask can it like to contact Tanja, book a clinic with physically stay in the posture. Then I look her, buy her book ‘It Takes Two to Tango’ at whether the rider has the balance, or her other on Mindset, or purchase her meaning enough inner core strength videos, check her website:

www.tanjamitton.com

and stability, enhancing or hindering the horse’s gait in transitions.” She explains that In order to ride a good soft upward transition, the horse has to engage the abdominal muscles in order to lift its back. “Then the hind legs have to come underneath the body to support the rider’s weight and step forward in balance with the neck soft and round, which we call going ‘on the bit’,” she explains. “The biggest part of my teaching is to break down such concepts as ‘on the bit’, ‘getting impulsion’ and ‘improving rhythm’. I break this down to educate riders first, so the horse is able to achieve all that.” Tanja teaches riders at all levels, helping them to understand how they’ve been blocking their horse. “The body buys into the story and controls breathing. Horses are sensitive to energy,” she says, going back to the breath. That long breath out. Tanja conducts some of her mindset work by phone, which she can do with people anywhere in the world. If you’d like to contact Tanja, book a clinic with her, buy her book ‘It Takes Two to Tango’ or her other on Mindset, or purchase her videos, check her website:

www.tanjamitton.com

‘ ‘ If your horse is deemed lazy, check if you’re riding with the hand-break on. ‘ ‘ If your horse is deemed lazy, check if you’re riding with the hand-break on.

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