B e a B e t t e r r i d e r , g e t t h e B e s t f ro m yo u r h o r s e

Yo

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rs

e 358 A

pril

2012

UK’S

No.1 EQUINE

MONTHLYMAGAZINE

“with time off he’s so cheeky” BeN mAheR oN his top hoRse tRipple x

Overreach boots on test, kit to keep you and your horse dry and the best travel boots

Groundwork, preventing ulcers and feeding cobs

GeARcARe 19pAGes

21pAGesRiDiNG38

pAGes

Jumping canter, riding tight turns and coping with spooky venues

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Apr

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12

£3.8

0Sharpen

those transitions with Oliver

Townend

tRAiNiNG cliNicsGet your

season off to a flying start

Improve your bond with mutualgrooming

scRAtch AwAy

hours in the life of an

equine vet nurse

uNsuNG heRoes

24

every second in the saddle

Try our insider tips and

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Contents

RidingGreat advice to help you become a better rider from the horse world’s top experts, plus all the latest gear, must-enter competitions and loads more

B e a B e t t e r r i d e r , g e t t h e B e s t f ro m yo u r ho r s e

Yo

ur

Ho

rs

e 358 A

pril

2012

UK’S

No.1 EQUINE

MONTHLYMAGAZINE

“with time off he’s

so cheeky” BeN

mAheR oN his top

hoRse tRipple x

Overreach boots on test, kit

to keep you and your horse

dry and the best travel bootsGroundwork,

preventing ulcers

and feeding cobs

GeARcARe 19

pAGes21pAGes

RiDiNG38pAGes

Jumping canter, riding

tight turns and coping

with spooky venues

• Be

n m

ah

er

ce

leB

rit

y in

te

rv

iew

• mu

tu

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ro

om

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• en

joy

you

r r

idin

g • t

ra

inin

g c

linic

s • tr

an

sitio

ns w

ith

oliv

er

to

wn

en

d

Apr

il 20

12

£3.8

0

Sharpen those

transitions with Oliver

Townend

tRAiNiNG cliNics

Get your season off to a flying start

Improve your bond with mutualgrooming

scRAtch AwAy

hours in the life of an

equine vet nurse

uNsuNG heRoes

24

every second in the saddle

Try our insider tips and

eNjoy

Shop online for you and your horse! Our sister magazine Horse Deals has launched its own online shop full of equine bargains – to find out more go to www.horsedeals-shop.co.uk

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24 On your marks for your best year yet

Top trainers Matt Lanni and Caroline Moore show how the 3Ps - preparation, practise and positivity – will help you enjoy every second in the saddle

34 Your Horse ClinicTrainer Mia Korenika helps one reader establish her

horse’s jumping canter

38 Riding Q&AsExpert help on jumping

fillers, getting fit, lengthening strides and more

44 Training success Alison Short reveals how to

get the most from your trainer and your lessons

50 Private Lesson International eventer

Oliver Townend helps one reader unlock her horse’s dressage potential

58 Going somewhere different?

Our expert tips will take the fear out of trying out something new with your horse

64 Four exercises to improve your turns

Follow British Showjumping coach Candice Williams’ simple steps to improve your accuracy and speed

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86 All tied up? Everything you need to know to beat Monday morning disease92 Brain trainingWe show you a different approach to training your horse

100 Care Q&As Advice on avoiding rain scald,

feeding cobs and more106 Keep ulcers awayPreventing, diagnosing and

treating ulcers112 Mutual groomingTop tips on how you can use

it to improve your bond

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6 Favourite rideShare one reader’s top ride in Windsor Great Park8 The yardYH team news, Amersham update and War Horse artist12 LettersYour views on the horse world20 Subscribe today!Great gift when you subscribe69 WIN A lesson with Beverley Brightman thanks to HorseHage110 WIN A dressage masterclass and LitoVet 129 Freebies We’ve got loads of equine goodies to give away162 In the hot seat… ...with Team GBR farrier Haydn Price

144112 14

14 Celeb interview with Ben Maher

Olympic hopeful Ben talks about his burning desire to succeed

70 Unlock your positive power

Banish self-doubt for ever!

78 An amazing journey Celebrate your horse’s life from foal to OAP

Subscribe this month and you’ll get this Charles Bentley Deluxe grooming set as well as making sure you never miss your fave mag. The gold and black Slip-Not Pro Deluxe set, worth £33, is practical and stylish too – you’ll be the envy of your yard!

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132 Big test: overreach bootsWe reveal which ones protect

your horse the best 140 First LookEvery rider’s dream – a bespoke saddle (with or without bling!)

114 Be inspired!Find out how top riders stay motivated through the good and bad times

118 Life as a vet nurseYH goes behind the scenes at Rossdales Equine Hospital

142 What’s newGreat new equine products

144 Buyers’ guide to travel bootsBoots designed to help your horse travel safely

150 Our kitGreat products our testers

can’t live without

152 Bargain to blowoutGear to keep you and your horse dry – whatever your budget

The yard

your horse

Ben Maher

I always believe I can do better

arriving at elsenham Stud, Ben Maher’s impressive base in

north essex, we’re greeted with a cheery wave before the show jumper disappears to wind up a phone call.

Ushered in by secretary Fiona, we’re given a run-down on the joys of returning from a trip away – mis-timed central heating (power cut) and no milk (Fiona admits she forgot to buy some), before the key to managing Ben’s fearsome travelling and competition itinerary is revealed – three synched iPads: one for Fiona, one for the yard and one that travels with Ben.

Before more trade secrets can be divulged Ben appears, bright-eyed and ridiculously bushy-tailed considering he stepped off a plane from Miami less than six hours earlier.

With under 24 hours before he flies to Zurich, ahead of another six-week stint in Florida, time at home is precious for the 29-year-old, but he’s happy to chat while Fiona ploughs through admin in the kitchen, occasionally breaking off to gently rib Ben or pose her own questions.

Ben’s enjoyed a fairly meteoric rise in the world of international show jumping,

going from his first european pony team gold to a place on the 2008 Beijing Olympic team in less than 10 years. at Beijing, he finished 20th in the individual competition, the second highest GB placing.

Following last year’s bronze european team medal, Ben’s got his sights firmly set on London 2012, and while he’s keen to stress life in the show jumping fast lane is harder work than the glamorous exterior implies, it’s clear he wouldn’t have it any other way.

So read on to find out more about this Olympic hopeful’s burning desire to succeed.

Words Katy Islip Photography Matthew Roberts

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Turn over for xxxx’s answers to

your questions

Turn over for Ben’s answers to

your questions

Ben with lovely grey Mr Bean, who’s resident at his Essex-based yard

HORSEYOuR

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“It’S Not All ABoUt ME” RolAND toNG oN why A GooD tEAM IS CRUCIAl to SUCCESS

4 exercises to solve water jump wobbles

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Riding

your horse

On your marks,get set, go!

Get ready for your best year yet with a dash of the three Ps… preparation, practice and positivity

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Riding

your horse

training successRegular training can be a brilliant investment of money

and time. The right trainer can transform the relationship you have with your horse, ironing out problems,

strengthening the bond between you and helping you realise your riding dreams. Our expert Alison Short is here

to reveal some of the secrets of training success and help make sure you get the most from your lessons

10

Words Andrea Oakes

MeeT The eXPeRT Alison Short

Alison Short has been a freelance teacher for more than 20 years. She trained with Olympic dressage rider Doris Ramseier, before returning to West Sussex to apply her expertise to her own horses and those of her clients – some of whom have gone on to achieve regional and national dressage success. Alison recently launched iRide, instructional audio downloads that bring top-level tuition within the reach of every rider. To find out more, visit www.alisonshort.co.uk

steps to

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Confidence Special

Riding

In true northern style, Oliver ignores the miserable weather and leads the way to his spacious arena, explaining he doesn’t have an indoor school because he believes in

training his horses in the same environment they compete in – outside

With international event rider Oliver Townend

privaTelesson

From his first taste of international competition as a teenager, Oliver Townend has never lacked the drive to succeed and is now

considered one of the UK’s best eventers.

Arriving at his base, the attractive

Gadlas Farm in Shropshire, we

find stable lads and

lasses braving persistent drizzle to keep everything shipshape, before we’re welcomed by Oliver himself.Your Horse reader

Amy Jones is hoping Oliver’s expert tips

will help her fulfil her eventing dreams with her mare Ella.

In true northern style, Oliver ignores the

miserable weather and leads the way to his spacious arena, explaining he doesn’t have an indoor school because he believes in training his horses in the same environment they compete in – outside.

Amy explains she and Ella began competing at BE100 last year and successfully moved up through Novice to Intermediate level, scoring a double clear

first time out. However, she feels their dressage is lacking the polish required at this level, and worries Irish-born Ella’s lack of breeding could be holding her back.

With a wealth of experience to draw on, Oliver’s perfectly placed to help Amy unlock Ella’s potential. As the lesson progresses, he helps Amy realise she shouldn’t talk her horse down, as given the right support, Ella’s more than capable of holding her own.

Name: Oliver TownendExperience: Began his

international career aged 13 as a member of the GB pony eventing team. Won a European Championship

gold medal at Pratoni in 2007. Won both

Badminton and Burghley in 2009, and finished that

season at the top of the British Eventing points table. Finished in third

place in the 2011 British Eventing Rider Rankings and is now aiming for the

London Olympics.

Fact file

yOur hOrse

Good dressage looks effortless, but perfecting a “push-button” response requires consistency

and patience in your schooling

For more riding advice go to www.yourhorse.co.uk

www.yOurhOrse.cO.uk

Meet the pupilTurn over to find out how Oliver helps Amy realise Ella’s dressage potential

Riding

If your horse turns into a nervy, hot-headed monster away from home, here’s how to take

the stress out of training and competing somewhere new with our experts’ advice to

help him relax and perform at his bestWords Helen Milbank Photography Matthew Roberts

your horse

It looks scaryin there!

Confidence Special

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Riding

your horse

4exercises toimprove your turns in show jumpingWhen accuracy and speed count, make sure you’re a winner with our easy ways to a better, faster round

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Riding over a fence or two in the comfort of your arena at home is very different to riding a full course at a competition. Show jumping requires balance and skill, whatever level you’re competing at, and when you’re against the clock you need to be able to keep your cool around even the tightest of turns. The ability to tackle a sharp bend, then gather your horse up quickly to clear a fence will give you the winning edge – but cracking your turns can be tricky. To help, we’ve enlisted the help of rider and trainer Candice Williams, and here she give us four simple but effective exercises to keep you on your hooves around those hairpins.

MeeT The expeRTCandice Williams

Candice Williams BHSI and BS Coach is head of sport at Oaklands College in Hertfordshire, where she’s helped create a programme that focuses on preparing and conditioning young riders to

form the Advanced Sports Programme for Equine Athletes. Contact her on 01727 737772 for details or email candice.williams@oaklands.ac.uk

A

B E

C

M H

KF

Pole Pole

Pole/fence

Pole/fence

FenceFence

Fence Fence

Fence

BefoRe You STaRTUsing a small selection

of jumps, set your

school up as Candice

suggests in this

diagram.

your horse

From his first faltering steps, your horse’s journey through foalhood to old age is a fascinating one. There’s something to celebrate at every stage – and ways you can strengthen your relationship with your horse, whether he’s three or 33

Words: Andrea Oakes

F rom bright-eyed and spindly-legged foal to wise old veteran, a horse’s life can span three decades or more. Those first tottering steps lead him on an amazing journey, through his early

education learning about being around humans into his adolescent years when he develops new skills, including how to carry a rider. In his prime, he gains the strength and confidence to become a trusted riding companion, a show ring star or an equine athlete. Then he’s the schoolmaster, teaching us – before it’s time for that well-earned retirement. So come with us for the journey of his lifetime – packed full of insights to help you guide your horse in the right direction, whatever his age.

journey...

Anamazing

A horse’s life

pic: Bob Langrish

There are challenges and

rewards at every stage of a horse’s

life, from foal to oAP

amazing

your horse

www.yourhorse.co.uk

without limitsUnlock the positive power of your mind with our expert tips and say goodbye to self-doubt and hello to confident riding

Imagine you had a friend who always pointed out the downside of every situation, who played

on your fears by constantly asking ‘what if?’ and belittled your abilities whenever you tried to achieve your dreams.

Chances are you wouldn’t stay friends for long – but most of us are guilty of doing the same thing to ourselves, allowing self-doubt to creep

in just when we need to be at the top of our game, whether at a competition or out hacking.

We’ve brought together experts who can show you how to harness the power of your mind for positive ends. Follow their advice and you’ll banish those negative thoughts, creating in their place a positive mental environment for achieving your goals – you’ll find the sky’s the limit!

Charlie Unwin

Clare Goldie

Barry Cridland

Charlie Unwin is a performance psychology coach who

works with athletes including top flight riders. He’s running a series of competitive rider workshops over Easter. for details visit www.performance legacy.com/equestrian

Clare Goldie is a master practitioner of neuro-linguistic

programming (NLP), hypnosis and Time Line Therapy. She also has more than 20 years’ experience as an equestrian trainer. Find out more at www.empathyrider.co.uk

Barry Cridland is a motivational coach and sports

hypnotherapist who helps athletes including show jumpers achieve their goals. For more information visit www.dreamtime-hypnosis.co.uk

Meet the eXPeRtS

RideConfidence

Special

CareCare

Tuber coxae(point of hip)

Internal abdominal

oblique

Medial gluteal muscle

Deep gluteal muscle

Head of femur

Semitendinosusmuscle

(hamstrings)

Semimembranosusmuscle (hamstrings)

Quadriceps

Patella

Help your horse avoid that Monday morning feeling…

VETADVICE

your horse

Illustrations: Samantha J Elm

hurst BA Hons, w

ww

.livingart.org.uk

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Charlie BriggsCharlie is an equine vet who works for the Hale Veterinary Group in Wiltshire. She’s also team vet for the GB Endurance Development Squad

Dr Richard PiercyMEET ThE ExpErTS If you’re tied up in

knots over ‘tying up’, vet Charlie Briggs offers advice on preventing it – and what to do if it does strike

Dr Richard Piercy, veterinary expert in neuromuscular disease at the Royal Veterinary College

your horse

CareCare

Words Lisa Ashton

Brain training for horsesDiscover a different way to teach your horse

the basics using equitation science

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Dr Andrew McLeanDr Andrew McLean has a PhD in equine cognition and learning and has been an accredited riding coach for over 25 years. He developed and manages the

Australian Equine Behaviour Centre (AEBC), the internationally recognised horse training and behaviour modification centre in Australia. Andrew has written a number of top-selling books. For more info visit www.aebc.com.au

Lisa AshtonLisa works closely with Andrew and has the International Certificate in Equitation Science from the AEBC. As the director of EquiSci, Lisa delivers clinics

throughout the UK and Europe. She’s also the International Society for Equitation Science education officer. For more information, visit www.equitationscience.co.uk

Meet the experts

CareCare

your horse

www.yourhorse.co.uk

what is eGus?EGUS is surprisingly common and can affect any horse, from racehorses to once-a-week hackers. Put simply, gastric ulcers form in the stomach – often as a result of a high-concentrate, low forage diet – resulting in pain and discomfort.

An unnatural diet is the main culprit. Horses evolved to be trickle feeders, designed to eat little and often with free access to grazing 24 hours a day,

interrupted only by bouts of sleep and the occasional flee from predators. In contrast, many of today’s horses are stabled, especially over the winter months, and given two or three cereal-based feeds a day, often with small amounts of forage or limited grazing time. This can result in long periods with little or no food intake – and therein lies the danger.

An important feature of the horse’s

stomach is that gastric acid is secreted continuously, whether or not he’s eating. A horse who’s constantly grazing as nature intended on hay, haylage or grass has a high average stomach pH, resulting in a nice, healthy environment. However, if a horse doesn’t eat for several hours, this continued secretion means the pH can fall rapidly to a dangerously acidic level and ulcers may begin to develop.

it’s a condition that affects racehorses, performance horses and even once-a-week hackers, but equine gastric ulcer syndrome

(eGus) often goes undiagnosed, its symptoms mistaken for bad behaviour. however, the condition is detected by a simple

endoscopic examination, and there’s lots you can do to help prevent it happening. here’s how, from the experts at Merial animal health

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Help your horse stay ulcer free

VETADVICE

Keep him eating

Horses are designed to trickle feed little and often, and offering ad-lib forage is vital for their gut health. Allowing your horse to stand in his stable for

long periods with nothing to eat puts him at risk of

gastric ulcers

Spitting image

Several litres of saliva are produced as your horse chews

to lubricate food as it travels down his oesophagus – and this saliva helps neutralise stomach

acid (a major reason why time without food can lead to

digestive problems)Keep your horse’s body working as it should by feeding ad-lib forage

MotivationPh

oto:

Fio

na S

cott

-Max

wel

l

your horse

Don’t stopTo ensure you stay on top of your game

in 2012 read how these celeb riders remain motivated through the highs and lows of their careers

believing

DiD you know?Jay came from a non-horsey background and started riding when he was seven

I’m hungry to be number one

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Phot

o: N

igel

God

dard

/KSD

igit

al P

hoto

grap

hy

Jay loves eventing, but also competes to a high level in

show jumping (see pic opposite) to keep his eye on the ball

International eventer and show jumper Jay Halim

Jay Halim has a successful career in both eventing and show jumping, working hard all

year round to ensure he’s always focused, but he admits it can be hard to maintain that when things go wrong.

“I really had to work hard to stay motivated last year. I had some great results and rode some really good horses, but some of those have now been sold or become injured.

“Being short of horses made 2011 really tough for me – I still feel like I’m waiting for horses to come along and complete my string and it just doesn’t seem to be happening at the moment.

“It’s horrible when your horse gets injured. Last year I qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) with Adagio III. It would have been

my first HOYS appearance so it was a big one for me.

“I took Adagio to Tattersalls International in May 2011 where he was brilliant. We were overnight leaders, but he didn’t trot up on the Sunday – and, just like that, our HOYS plans were over. Adagio had been so fantastic all year and it was just so upsetting.

“I’m ultra fussy about my horses’ management and always do my best to ensure they’re the best they can be. But over the years I’ve been forced to come to terms with the fact that some horses will break along the way, regardless of how well you look after them.

“Some days I can get down about things. I used to be a lot worse but now I really push myself to think positive and look ahead – some things

are just unavoidable so I focus on things that are within my reach and that I can work on.

“I’m always looking to improve myself and stay at the top of my game. As well as being an eventer I also compete to a high level in show jumping, especially in winter – it keeps me going and ensures that my eye stays on the ball.

“I had some international shows lined up this winter so that’s one of the ways I’ll kept my motivation up outside of the eventing season.

“I’m hungry to be number one and I love what I do, which drives me to stay positive and on track. For me, it’s also important to have a social life – life is too short to be stressed all the time!”

Confidence SpecialMotivation is the driving force needed to achieve our goals

– but it’s easy to lose and hard to maintain. To find out what drives them to keep going, even when they feel they’re at rock bottom, we spoke to eventers Jay Halim and Sarah Cohen, para dressage rider Anthony Dawson and endurance rider karen Jones

Behind the scenes at Rossdales

your horse

Access all areas Your Horse Deputy Editor Imogen Johnson

visited world-famous Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket to experience a day

in the life of an equine veterinary nurseWords Imogen Johnson Photography Matthew Roberts

Access all areas Your Horse Deputy Editor Imogen Johnson

visited world-famous Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket to experience a day

in the life of an equine veterinary nurseWords Imogen Johnson Photography Matthew Roberts

Access all areas Your Horse Deputy Editor Imogen Johnson

visited world-famous Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket to experience a day

in the life of an equine veterinary nurseWords Imogen Johnson Photography Matthew Roberts

Access all areas Your Horse Deputy Editor Imogen Johnson

visited world-famous Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket to experience a day

in the life of an equine veterinary nurseWords Imogen Johnson Photography Matthew Roberts

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Competition

To enter visit www.yourhorse.co.uk and answer this question

Terms and Conditions The winner will be given the opportunity to state with which AM trainer they would like to take their masterclass however, this will be subject to availability and in the event that the first choice of trainer is unavailable, training will be offered with another. The prize must be taken by 31 December 2012. The winner will be responsible for their own and their horse’s transport to AM Dressage, and

their own accommodation. AM Dressage will provide accommodation for the winner’s horse. Closing date 22 March 2012

a) GOPO b) DOPO c) POGO

Win a dressage masterClass

and litoVet

LitoVet is the only supplement in the UK to contain what?

Your Horse has teamed up with the makers of joint supplement LitoVet to give one lucky reader the chance to win a two-

day masterclass with AM Dressage trainers Adam Kemp, Matt Frost or Justine Sole. Our winner will also receive a LitoVet branded polo shirt and jacket as well as a four-month supply of LitoVet for their horse. Three runners up will each win a two-month supply of LitoVet, a branded polo shirt and the opportunity to attend the masterclass as a spectator.

The winner will have a private lesson on their own horse each day and the chance to watch other riders’ training sessions. AM Dressage, based in Gloucestershire, has become one of the UK’s leading training establishments. Taking a holistic approach, it concentrates on the horse as much as the rider, recommending a range of strategies for getting the best from each partnership. This includes supplementing the horses’ diets with LitoVet to help maintain soundness, suppleness and mobility.

LitoVet is a scientifically proven, award-winning joint supplement which helps your horse’s natural recovery processes. It’s the only supplement in the UK that contains GOPO – a unique key active component derived from specially cultivated rosehip and Rosa canina. It’s high in bio-available vitamin C, which is essential for the health of cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles.

For more information on LitoVet visit www.litovet.co.uk or call 01452 524012 and for further information on AM Dressage, visit www.amdressage.com

AM Dressage trainer

Matt Frost

Gear

your horse

For more gear reviews go to www.yourhorse.co.uk

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Overreach bootsOverreach boots are designed

to protect your horse's heels from nasty injuries. Find out which of these 12 pairs our testers would

recommend you use on your horse

BigTesT

1 your horse

OnSale22 MaRNEXT MONTH In YOur HOrsE

PLus...See how top show jumper Laura Renwick helps one

rider fine tune her jumping skills in our latest Private

Lesson, enjoy our in-depth guide to improving your

seat and weight aids, find out how and why to feed

ad-lib hay, and learn if worm counting is for you

DON’T MISSOur 64-page Spring Gear Guide featuring all the kit you and your horse need for the warmer months ahead

HavE fuN iN THE saddLE THis sPriNg

• Find out why pleasure rides are a must try event for all

horses and riders• Add some fun to your summer with an adult riding camp – find

out what’s on where this year• Learn how to get started in

dressage to music with advice from music maestro Tom Hunt• Uncover the secret to jumping

doubles and triples with ease• Discover the ins and outs of sharing horses with our

real life story• Learn all there is to know

about equine film stars