IT’S TEKNA LOGICAL !

WINWorth £27,000

in partnership with

36 YOUR HORSE www.yourhorse.co.uk

A dog-leg is two fences set at a related distance, but they’re not on a straight line, so you have to make a turn to get to the second fence. They’re called dog-legs as the shape you make when riding through them is like a dog’s leg (simple!). Riders get themselves in a state about

riding dog-legs but there really isn’t any need as they’re not particularly tricky.> Don’t be worried about dog-legs. They’re not hard to ride, you just need to prepare yourself properly for it, so you get the best line through both fences> Make sure you walk the

a horsebox and a whole lot moreWelcome to our

new and very exciting Learn and

Win series. Here’s how it works. Over six issues, starting with this one, you’ll have the chance to improve your riding and learn some new horse care skills with our short but perfectly formed expert features. Nothing new there I hear you say – but that’s where you’re wrong. With each feature you’ll also

get the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes from Dodson & Horrell, Petplan, Tekna, Chestfields and Musto, finishing in December with the big one – the chance to win the Equi-Trek horsebox you see here. Someone is going to have a very happy Christmas! The horsebox will be out and about over the next six months so watch out for it on the road and at events. If you spot it, let us know. See right for how to enter.

All AbouT The equI-TRek SoNIc hoRSeboxThe Sonic is compact and easy to drive and carries two horses in total luxury. It has the added benefit of a tack/

Jumping dog-legs

In the first of our Learn and Win series, expert show jumping trainer Carol Mailer shares her top tips for jumping a dog-leg

�IT’S TEKNA LOGICAL !

leARNWIN&

horseyourwith

turn thepage

for the chance to win Tekna tack

worth £165in partnership with in partnership with

www.yourhorse.co.uk YOUR HORSE 37

a horsebox and a whole lot moreLearn and win prizes all at the same time – what could be better!

hoW To eNTeR Go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win and follow the instructions. Special terms and conditions apply. Closing date is 1 December. Alternatively visit Your Horse Live on 13 and 14 November at Stoneleigh Park – the horsebox will be on show for you to have a look at and you can enter while you’re there

For more information on the Equi-Trek range of horseboxes, go to www.equi-trek.com or call 01484 852121

changing/sitting area, which is totally separate from the horses’ area, which has two saddle racks, two bridle racks and two coat hooks so you can carry all your equipment with ease. There’s also additional storage over the cab.

Equi-Trek has generously added a package of incredible extras to our Sonic including:

> Alloy wheels> Mud flaps> Head divider> Corner seat with storage > CCTV camera so you can watch the horses in transit> Digital reversing camera> Padded partition> Padded walls> Extra height partition> Road Tax until May 2011

course thoroughly and plan the best line through the fences. Pick a route that doesn’t have you cutting in too sharp, or one that has you going wide, as both these options will get you to the fence on an angle rather than straight > count the number of strides you’ll get on your ideal line, but remember, if you stray off this then you may get more or less strides

> The best way to ride a dog-leg is to think of it as two straight lines with a turn in the middle. This way you’ll be straight at each fence, which gives your horse the best chance of clearing them > Ride straight at your first fence but be ready to look for your second one as you land to give your horse some indication of where you’re going next. As you land, stay straight and only turn when

you can see the middle of the second fence > Don’t lean in on the turn as you’ll unbalance your horse. keep your shoulders level > use your inside leg to a supporting outside rein to help your horse turn – this will keep him balanced and will encourage his hocks under him – essential for a good jump. Support with the outside rein to keep the power coming through and

use your inside rein backed up with your outside leg to help > once you’ve turned, aim straight for the middle of the second fence> If, when you land over the first fence, your horse is on the wrong leg, just leave him be but keep riding positively > Make sure you don’t drop the contact, otherwise your horse will jump flat, most likely causing a knock down

50 YOUR HORSE www.yourhorse.co.uk

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The pilates concept was invented nearly 100 years ago by a man called Joseph Pilates and his wife Clara.

They developed the series of exercises to improve flexibility, core strength and body awareness while working with ballet dancers. Since then the regime has received worldwide acclaim and you will, no doubt, find there’s a pilates class advertised at your local gym.

More recently, classes specifically aimed at horse riders have become popular so the next logical step was to develop a course for the horse himself.

The exercises have been adapted by two experts in equine biomechanics on the back of a great deal of scientific research and are proving popular with equine physiotherapists across the country who have continued to develop the programme on offer to horses. It was Grand Prix dressage rider and equine vet Hillary Clayton who first applied pilates to horses, with the help of physiotherapist Narelle Stubbs.

“In human sports medicine it’s been proven that strengthening core stabilising muscles can reduce injuries and enhance performance,” says YH expert Celia Cohen. “The same is true for horses and doing certain exercises will strenthen the body core and improve balance. Your ballerinas, gymnasts – all athletes in fact – know that you have to start with the basics in order to improve performance levels, yet we expect our horses to perform without any preparation,” she continues. “Most horses have never learnt to carry the weight of a rider

We all know how important it is for us as riders to have strong core muscles, but what about our horses?

horse pilatesTeach your

www.yourhorse.co.uk YOUR HORSE 51

Equine pilates

Our expert Celia Cohen

Celia Cohen is an ACPAT chartered physiotherapist and equine pilates practitioner. Her 11-year-old ex-racer La Rochelais, Rocky

to his friends, is one of her many rehabilitation projects.

Rocky jump raced for five years but his career came to a dramatic end when his right fore flexor tendon failed on landing

after a jump during a National Hunt race. “His tendon was on the floor, it was a real mess and the vets advised he be destroyed,” says Celia. But his owners were reluctant to give up on Rocky.

With no guarantees he would ever come sound, Rocky began a period of box rest before his owners eventually gave him to Celia, knowing if anyone could rehabilitate him, it would be her. After months of work Celia is now hacking out and doing Novice dressage with Rocky.

turn thepage

for a step-by-step guide to equine pilates

30

& use it wellTake a seat

Peter Maddison-Greenwell reveals the key to the perfect seat

While understanding the importance of your seat is vital, understanding how

to use it in the first place can, for many, seem complicated. Here Peter Maddison-Greenwell, international dressage trainer and author of Living and Working with the Horse of Spain, discusses the fundamentals of the rider’s seat for every rider in every discipline.

It’s for everyoneFirst and foremost it’s important for people to understand that the basic principles of classical dressage apply to everyone – they apply across the board and they’ll never change. They’re not just for those who choose to ride in the classical way but for everyone who sits in a saddle. This is why the fundamentals of the rider’s seat are so important.

Words Imogen Johnson

Speed Balance Direction

Effective use of the seat controls your horse’s speed, balance and direction – look out for each in the sections to come

For more

information on

Peter visit www.

elcaballodeespana.

co.uk

use it well

turn thepage

for a step-by-step guide to sitting correctly

Effective use of the seat

122 YOUR HORSE www.yourhorse.co.uk

a stride Our expert

Anne-Marie Taylor is a former international event rider. At 21 she represented GB at the 1986 World Equestrian Games in Australia,

where she came fifth on Justyn Thyme, who she’d brought on from Novice level. For the past 20 years she has run a successful event yard bringing on and training young horses. Since retiring from full-time competing, Anne-Marie has become a BHS Fellow horse trials specialist and an FEI candidate judge, and now focuses her energies on judging and running various workshops.

www.yourhorse.co.uk

If you’re interested in learning more about Anne-Marie’s See-A-Stride workshops, visit www.annemarietaylor.co.uk or call 01295 670248

Words by Rebecca Gibson

turn thepage

to learn the importance of the canter

Stress-free Jumping

www.yourhorse.co.uk YOUR HORSE 123

W e’ve all seen the brilliance of the Whitakers as they put their horses on the perfect stride, enabling

them to clear ridiculously high fences with ease, but does your average rider really need to be placing their horse at each jump? According to former international event rider Anne-Marie the answer is a resounding ‘no’.

“We have a tendency to overcomplicate things for ourselves and for our horses,” says Anne-Marie. “If you’re riding at the top level and pushing your horse to the very limits of his ability, then you do need to be able to pick a good stride if he’s going to have any chance of jumping cleanly, but for most riders choosing the horse’s stride is simply not necessary.

“If you’ve ever seen a horse loose schooled over jumps you’ll have noticed that the horse never crashes through the

fence. This is because horses have a strong sense of self-preservation – they want to jump cleanly – it’s only when they have a rider on their back interfering that it all starts to go wrong. The best thing an amateur rider can do is be a neutral influence and then over time an eye for seeing a good stride will come naturally.”

A hindrance or a help?So what causes a rider to become a hindrance to their horse rather than a help?

“A lot of the time problems are caused by the rider taking the horse’s attention off the fence,” explains Anne-Marie. “In my experience, most riders

Before you begin jumping you need to make sure you’re balanced in the saddle

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Sweet itch is caused by an allergic reaction to the bites

of Culicoides midges

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Sweet itch special

Many sweet itch sufferers rub themselves raw as the picture above shows. Inset is a picture of the typical response that occurs following an injection of midge proteins when skin is tested for sensitivity. Square 1 shows skin injected with salt solution, while square 2 shows a small swelling in the area of skin that’s been tested with midge extract.

When the midge bites, its saliva triggers the release of chemicals such as histamine from susceptible cells which are found just under the skin. This inflames the skin, causing the severe itching and swelling

Beat the itchwith the new wonder drug

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www.yourhorse.co.uk YOUR HORSE 45

As trials of a new wonder drug reach their conclusion, we take a look at the products currently available to help sweet itch suffers

It’s a miserable time of the year for

sufferers of sweet itch. Many horses will be rubbing themselves raw in a desperate attempt to relieve the irritation caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of Culicoides midges. The mane, tail, legs and sheath or udder area are typically left scabby and sore by this distressing disease, which currently has no cure.

There is, however, a note of cautious optimism from the experts at the National Sweet Itch Centre. A revolutionary new treatment, pioneered by Professor John Stanford and his team at BioEos and co-ordinated by the centre, is nearing the end of a lengthy trial.

“It’s the first real breakthrough we’ve had in the treatment of sweet itch,” says Jennifer Greaves, who has been involved with the National Sweet Itch Centre and its helpline since its foundation 19 years ago. “The results look extremely promising.”

The BioEos sweet itch capsules, now licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) as a veterinary pharmaceutical, have entered a final study year after seven years of trials involving around 1,000 affected horses, ponies and donkeys. Feedback from owners during the last three years of trials revealed that 90% of animals showed an improvement in their symptoms – with 70% experiencing an improvement of 50% or more.

Jennifer explains that the treatment is an immune system modulator in that it retrains the immune system’s excessive response to midge bites.

“The proteins in midge saliva aren’t harmful to horses but 3-5% of the equine population reacts badly to them,” she says. “By re-educating the immune system to react appropriately to the bites, the end result is no sweet itch.”

According to Professor Stanford, the theory behind the treatment is similar to that used successfully in human medicine for eczema and asthma. “The treatment is extremely safe with few reports of even minor side effects,” he says.

Initially, the treatment was given via injection, which necessitated the services of a vet, but the last few years of the trials have focused on how the re-agent performs as an oral formulation. “Forty capsules are sufficient for a season,” adds Jennifer. “The normal dose of one a fortnight can be increased to one a week during especially ‘midgy’ times and reduced to one every three weeks at quieter times.”

The BioEos capsules now await a marketing licence but are already available from the centre. A year’s treatment (40 capsules) costs £235. It’s hoped, however, that they can be bought in smaller

quantities next year. For information call 01352 771718 or visit www.sweet-itch.co.uk

Boett blanketIt may not be new, but the Boett sweet itch blanket remains one of the most effective products in the management of the condition. Invented in Sweden 23 years ago to offer protection to horses and ponies suffering from insect bite allergy, the blanket is made from a purpose-

The Boett blanket provides effective relief for sufferers

Trials of BioEos sweet itch capsules have

been successful

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buyers’ guide

Gersemi Sock Collection from £12Available in knee or ankle length, these socks have a double layer around the sole and toe for air circulation. Unique ankle construction gives a snug fit with freedom of movement and ensures the socks stay in place. Colours Various Size One size

Horseware Ireland Newmarket Socks £17 (pack of three)Three pairs of knee-high socks in one pack with padded soles to keep your feet comfortable. Colours Navy or brown Size One size to fit 36 to 41 foot

Tuffa Long Riding Socks £7.99These British-manufactured cotton-mix socks are longer than a standard sock, finishing just below the knee. Colours Primrose (yellow, blue, green), moss (green, blue, brick), bracken (grey, blue, brick) and fruits of the forest (pink, cerise, grey) Size One size to fit 4 to 8

Horseware Ireland Tally Ho Argyle Socks £8Knee-high socks made from cotton and Lycra with cushion soles and added sole support for an incredibly comfortable fit. The innovative non-elasticated top doesn’t slip or fall down.Colours Olive, brown or navySizes Medium and large

Sock it to them!

The right pair of socks keep your

feet feeling great all day – take a

look at our guide to riding socks