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SUZANNE'S   'TRAINING  TIPS

 

                        

                     

Training Tip                                                                           Acorns
October

We all know that acorns eaten in abundance are lethal to our ponies. They are particularly dangerous when eaten in large quantities by hungry ponies that have little else to eat. The acorns then sit in the hind gut for longer, producing lethal toxins that seriously damage the liver. They are pretty indigestible and also cause blockages and therefore colic. Ponies do sometimes develop an addiction and can be seen standing on their hind legs to reach the acorns even before they have fallen.

Keep your oak trees fenced off, remembering that the fallen leaves are also toxic so make sure the fence closes off a large enough area. If you are unfortunate to be unable to really fence off huge areas of Oaks then you can help by giving supplementary hay or even a bran mash to keep the hind gut active, but move the pony as soon as you can.

Don’t take a risk with Acorns- it will be too late by the time you see that your pony has been affected!

 
HUNTER  TRIAL  FITNESS

We suddenly find ourselves with lots of hunter trials and sponsored rides to do, remember though that your pony must be adequately fit. Just because he has the adrenaline running and all the bounce and fizz that goes with the excitement of the day does not mean that he is as fit as he perhaps pretends. Do be sure to feel and listen for tiredness, particularly if the course is very hilly. Accidents and injury happen through simple mistakes made by tiredness, as do ‘out of character refusals’ at a fence.

Neither hunter trials or sponsored rides should be ridden at excessive speeds, hunter trials are ridden at a fair hunting pace- that is not a flat out gallop but a controlled balanced fast canter/ steady gallop.

Remember too that your pony needs time to look and adjust his stride for a fence, he can not do this flat out (neither has he walked the course!)

Finally remember to walk the course yourself at least twice so that you really know your route as the fences can appear awfully quickly when you are going at a faster pace.
September 2001.

 

Be seen by day

BE  SEEN
BY  DAY  &   NIGHT 

Be seen at night

It is nearly August and already the nights are beginning to draw in. The shadows lengthen, the evening falls. We are out for an enjoyable evening ride and all to early the visibility falls and we are caught out on a darkening road for that last 10 minutes ride home. The remains of the low setting sun shines in the motorists eye as he speeds towards you little aware that there is a dark horse with a background of a dark hedge in front of him.

High visibility accessories are now available and are most effective to be used during daytime. This does help the motorist see you a long way ahead. Not everybody expects or appreciates horses on the road but wear the right gear and you command a greater respect as you then give drivers greater distance to respond in. 

Now is the time to make sure you have the right gear before it's too late.

 Be Cool, Be Safe,  Be Seen!

Training Tip 24th. July 2001

 

BOTTLED-UP  PONIES!!

If you have a very forward going pony that enjoys life, or an inexperienced pony that gets over excited at ‘parties’ it is important not to continually restrain that natural exuberance but to ride it really well forward between hand and leg. The more you get him to work actively and the more challenge that you give him, the less chance he will have for leaps, bucks and ‘airs above the ground.

 

REIN-BACK & TURN ON THE FOREHAND

Rein-back and Turn on the Forehand.

Teaching a horse to rein-back can often cause stress and trauma all round. Typically a rider in asking for rein-back will often lean back themselves, ‘deepen’ the seat, pull on the reins and draw their leg back with the result that the horse sinks in his back, raises his head in the air and sets himself solid against the rider. In contrast the same rider/horse combination probably open and shut gates with the greatest of ease with a mixture of ‘rein-back’ and ‘turn on the forehand’ and little or no resistance!! The reason for the ease with which the rider gets the horse to step back when opening the gate is twofold: firstly in reaching for the gate the rider is leaning forward with her weight out of the saddle therefore not causing the hollowing, secondly the horse by repetition understands that stepping back is required in order for the gate to open.

When you introduce ‘rein-back’ therefore think of preventing the resistance by lightening your seat and ask for the movement soon after halting so that the horse doesn’t get ‘stuck’, and perhaps ask in the first instance facing into the fence so that there is only one way to go easily!! Be satisfied with just a couple of steps until your horse really understands what is being asked.

Turn on the forehand can also be taught when opening gates or it can become quite natural in such gymkhana games as the flag race. Quick-witted ponies soon learn to ‘nip around’ their forehand when their rider is grabbing the flag and turning back for home!!

Think how many other dressage movements you can introduce into your daily riding repertoire without realising!!

 

 

Training Tip      LATERAL   THINKING 

                              

Thankfully we are not having to ride on the roads quite as much as when the Countryside was closed, 
however we can use situations when hacking out to improve our pony’s schooling.

If your pony is difficult to keep in on the edge of the road especially passing spooks in the hedge think of bending him away from the spook while at the same time moving him sideways back into the kerb. Use the same theory that you would use when getting him to move over in the stable : bring his head towards you and his hindquarters automatically move away in the opposite direction. You will find that his hindquarters are far easier to keep into the kerb if his front end is inclined away from the kerb and before you know it you have achieved simple leg yielding or even shoulder in. The added advantage is that you can now help prevent him from spooking at ‘demons’in the hedge by being one step ahead of him, not allowing him to stick his quarters out into passing traffic and keeping him slightly bent away from the spook!  When you have a nice empty road or on the enclosure tracks you can practice getting him to move sideways across to the centre of the track and back to the edge - thinking of him moving forwards and sideways parallel to the edge.

Next week : using gates to improve turn on the forehand and rein-back.

 

 

Using  Studs 

Despite the long wet winter the ground has dried out like concrete meaning that if you are competing you may need to use studs in your pony’s shoes. Your pony can quickly lose confidence with his jumping if he slips on take off and that confidence can be very difficult to regain. Small pointed studs in the outside quarter of his hindshoes, and similar ones or even roadstuds in the front shoes will make a huge difference to performance.

Early morning dew combined with dense clover (there is a lot this year) can provide a very frightening ‘ice rink’ effect, as can hard baked ground with very little grass cover, especially after a short sharp shower! I personally think that hard dry ground is far more of a problem than wet muddy going.

If you are using studs you may also wish to use protective brushing boots and over-reach boots.

The studs that you use for competition will not be ones that are in permanently, just put them in for the class. It is not a good idea to leave them in when in the trailer or horsebox as they will damage the flooring, nor is it good to leave them in longer than needed as they can upset the balance of the foot if standing around on a hard surface.

Studs are perfectly acceptable in both dressage (on grass) and in the jumping section of WHP as well as being a necessity when schooling or having a lesson on grass at home. You will be surprised at how much better your pony moves in a dressage test when wearing studs!

When first using studs use the smallest possible- the big chunky ones are really for the ‘big boys’ jumping big fences or for Polo and not necessary for us ‘smaller fry’ but don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

 

SHOWING  NATIVES
Training Tip 

When preparing your native pony for shows, do be careful to follow the guidelines set out by the relevant Breed Society as regards trimming. On the whole Natives should be shown in their native state and any trimming, pulling or ‘tidying’ should be very subtle—a native should look ‘native’, not like a chunky show pony!! They should never be plaited for their native classes nor should they be ‘made-up’ with the likes of show sheen or ‘shimmery’ products on their muzzles. A little baby oil or vaseline is acceptable but nothing is worse for a judge than to run a hand over a pony covered in all manner of grooming enhancing products. Good thorough grooming (not masses of baths) along with correct feeding and exercise produce a pony that ‘blooms’. Try adding a little sunflower oil to a small feed for that extra shine rather than covering the coat in a superficial sticky shine!

 

 ITCHY   PONIES
Training Tip. 

  Now is the time to prevent any occurrence of Sweet itch or in fact Laminitis by paying attention to detail in managing your ponies. Use plenty of fly repellent, remove any tempting rubbing posts, keep a really close eye out for roughened skin, hot areas above the tail or along the crest etc. Strip graze to prevent too much weight gain – the grass is like eating bags of sugar or lots of chocolate bars at the moment.

Hot sun, damp evenings interspersed with heavy rain and then big drops in temp at night can all inter react to be a catalyst for both Sweet Itch and Laminitis. If your pony gets into just a small habit of rubbing mane and tail, it can, if you are unlucky, become a big habit and even become the real thing, so spend some time now on preventative measures.       Good luck.

 

Tying up young ponies.
Training Tip

Whenever I have young ponies in for their early education I try to ensure that they tie up nicely in the open and stand patiently while being tacked up etc. I have found over the years that they are far less likely to pull back and break the rope if I start by not tying them too short to begin with. Pulling back sharply is a natural reaction when the young pony first feels the pressure of being constricted by a short headcollar rope. I avoid this by giving them some leeway, tying them with enough space that they can initially move backwards and discover their boundaries but not so long that they can tie themselves in knots! It seems also that they find it more difficult to pull strongly from a longer length of rope! I also position myself that I can send them forward if they do start pulling back.

 Provided I am in close proximity I do not tie to a string loop that will break easily as I want them to learn that they must stay tied when asked. It can become too good a game to persistently run back and break flimsy string !! I make sure that whatever I tie up to is very strong and sturdy and not likely to give under pressure and that the headcollar fits correctly.

In this way I find that they soon learn to tie up sensibly without any panic. I also make a point of leaving them tied on their own while I do things other than give them attention all the time, always being sure that I am near enough to prevent a problem should it threaten to arise.

I do untie and hold if I have something particularly new, scary or exciting about to happen closeby!

Learning to accept their boundaries such as being tied is an important step towards having a well mannered pony not only from the ground but also when ridden.

 

  Picking up Hooves
Tip of the Week. 

I often see people struggling to pick up their pony’s hooves usually, because they haven’t got the pony standing balanced on all four legs to begin with!! This is particularly relevant for young ponies who perhaps are not so co-ordinated and a bit slower on the uptake! So before you ask for the first foot check he’s standing in a balanced manner and that he is concentrating on you, not something else going on elsewhere. Then as you run your hand down his leg push his weight away from you onto the opposite leg which will make it easier for him to pick up the foot that you are asking for. If he is being less helpful and keeping his foot planted firmly on the ground you can get a reflex action by squeezing the lateral cartilage (back of pasterns) or a gentle prod with your hoof pick in the heel/pastern area. With the hindfeet be careful not to expect him to hold his foot too high or at an uncomfortable angle -put yourself in his shoes !! As with any training  remember that practice makes perfect.

 

FROM  SMALL  BEGINNINGS
Training Tip 

Now that we are able to think about doing a little more as the ground dries up it is worth remembering the proverb ‘from small beginnings great things grow’ or perhaps here in the Forest: 'from little acorns great oaks grow’. Try not to ask more of your horse than his capability. Set goals that are easily attainable – these soon build up into big goals, whereas if you start with a big goal and fail, you then need more time returning to the beginning before you get back to the big goal. It is too easy to create resistances and arguments that could otherwise be avoided by breaking the new task down into ‘bite size’ bits that quickly build up into big chunks of achievement. Remember your horse enjoys success, he doesn’t enjoy being a problem!!

For some examples have a browse through my website.

 Don’t expect a young horse to stand perfectly for mounting in a wide open space facing the gate out of the yard; place him alongside a fence and have a helper. You can then practise him standing still  for mounting towards the end of your schooling session in a more open area.

When first riding out on the roads think and plan ahead so that you can be in a gateway when first meeting big heavy traffic even if that means you going back to a gateway that you’ve already passed. Obviously don’t panic him by ‘rushing’: you can usually hear tractors and lorries from quite a distance! The worse thing is to meet a big lorry where the horse feels that he has no room for safety.

When introducing the jumping of ditches and combinations involving ditches, don’t try the whole combination on your first attempt but jump each section individually before putting the whole thing together. For your first ditch make sure it has secure ‘take offs and landings’ and choose the tiniest and easiest part that you can find to jump following a schoolmaster.

 Horses (and their riders!) never forget a bad experience
 so try to make sure that all your early experiences are good ones !  

 

ROAD NAILS
Training Tip  

While we are all doing much more roadwork than normal I would recommend having roadnails put in next time your farrier visits. Roadnails are tungsten tipped nails and give amazing grip on our slippery roads. Speak to your farrier who will advise but usually one roadnail is fitted to the outside heel of each shoe in place of a normal nail. They really do make a huge difference to your horse’s way of going and you will no longer find yourselves ‘slipsliding’ or ‘tottering’ down such roads as Middle Road, Tiptoe.

 

BRITISH EQUESTRIAN FOUNDATION

Not so much a tip as a general thought!! Most of us possibly feel that little is done in this country to really promote the Equestrian industry at governmental level. With the current FMD crisis many,many people in the equine industry are also facing dire financial problems. It is encouraging therefore to find that we do have a 'body' fighting our cause in the British Equestrian Federation. I would recommend visiting their site at www.bef.org.uk where you will find copies of 'papers' that have been submitted to government on our industry's behalf. There is some interesting reading there and well worth a visit from our own 'small worlds' that we all live in!

Training Tip                  BOTHER WITH THE BILLETS

  I see lots of people struggling to undo reins and bridlework that use billets, particularly in a rush between classes at shows. Hopefully the photo shows the easiest way : push the leather up over the billet from the bit end with your thumb rather than try to push the strap back from the free end. It helps too if the leather is kept clean ,soft and supple with regular cleaning particularly where fastenings are and nourished with a good leather balsam!

Undoing Billets

 
 

Training Tip                   TRAILER MAINTENANCE

Now is an excellent time to check that your trailer is in good order for the coming season and to be sure that you are up to date with the most recent towing regulations.

Unless you are lucky enough to have over-wintered your trailer undercover or on hardstanding it is extremely likely that it will have suffered from the last few months of constant wet conditions.

Unfortunately it can be impossible to easily see rotting  floorboards, rusting chassis or seized up breaking systems so do arrange for a thorough inspection. A copy of a service record sheet can be downloaded from this site courtesy of Colin Moore at  New Forest Trailers.
Appointed Agents for Richardson Rice Trailers All makes of good quality second hand trailers bought & sold.
Servicing & Spares Available. Tel 01590 682104

As regards towing regulations, a copy of ‘Trailers and the law’ is available from the BHS but the most important thing is to be aware of the legal towing weight limit of your towing vehicle which should be in your car owners handbook. The law has changed regarding towing weights over the last few years and many cars that used to legally tow a trailer with two horses would no longer be legal to do so!

Look out for Horse and Hound’s transport feature on April 12th which will probably have more on the legalities of transporting horses.

Trailer Check Sheet supplied by New Forest Trailers
Appointed Agents for Richardson Rice Trailers All makes of good quality second hand trailers bought & sold.
Servicing & Spares Available. Tel 01590 682104
 

  FLU   VACCINATIONS

With all the concern about Foot and Mouth don’t forget that you still must ‘bother’ your vet if your Flu’ vaccinations are due as if this years booster is even a day late your vaccination card will no longer be valid. 
Last year was a leap year 
 That extra day in Feb will have affected your booster dates this year 
as they must remain within intervals of 365 days .

This is particularly important if you compete in Riding Club or Pony Club team competitions or take part in any event that uses a racecourse. If you show under NPS, PUK., BSPS, C.H.A.P.S or similar regulatory bodies check for their own specific rules on Flu Certificates.
 Incidentily some height changes have crept into this years NPS rule books for M&M Workers :
take a careful look before entering your Breed Qualifiers!!

To recap - the requirements for Flu’ vaccination under Jockey Club rules are as follows:

1st injection followed by 2nd injection between 21 and 92 days later; 
3rd injection 150 – 215 days followed by the annual booster within 365 days. 
It is equally important that the certificate or passport is filled out and over stamped by the vet at the time of vaccination. 
The name of the pony on the certificate should be his full name, not the shortened stable name.

If you are starting a tetanus vaccination from scratch, your first two primary jabs can be given with the flu vaccination provided they are only 4-6 weeks apart (check with your vet). 
Your vet will then advise you on how best to tie in your flu and tetanus
 without unnecessary visits for individual jabs. 
Tetanus is not usually given as an annual booster more usually biennually.
 

TIP OF THE WEEK                                ALTERNATIVE   IDEAS

Written during the FMD Crisis

While we are all curtailed in our riding activities we need to think about the things that we can do as opposed to the things that we cannot.
Now is the time that we can work with our ponies in hand on our own properties: use the time now to polish showing in hand techniques , practise leading in hand from both sides and standing up for the judge. Use the time now to instill good basic manners in such areas as standing still to be mounted and dismounted. If you are only able to ride in your own field you obviously don't want to churn up your grazing but you can do plenty in walk. Remember that walking exercise works the muscular structure very efficiently because it is a four beat movement provided that it is a good walk and not a sloppy amble. All the event horses spend three weeks on walking exercise as part of their fittening programme. A pony that walks properly in the show ring stands out a mile from those that do not!
If you are worried about the lack of exercise on your pony's physique how about learning to use a wisp!!
You can set up interesting exercises in the field - maybe a simple handy pony course. Even a single pole on the ground can have many uses or perhaps introduce hazards such as plastic sheeting or bin bags stuffed with paper. Work on these hazards in hand, using plenty of reward for good work before attempting them on board but off course be safe, take your time and educate as opposed to frighten your pony.
Remember above all that the majority of our ponies do not need hours of work if they live out, instead reduce their hard feed and think about quality of work and not quantity. Think about exercising their brains in a positive manner rather than ending up with a pony sick of going round and round in the schooling arena without real purpose
Very worthwhile too is to use your own time that you are not having lovely long rides on the forest to read some of the very good books that are out- Tanya Larrigan 'New Sensations' is one that springs to mind. Lots of ideas in here to improve your working partnership with your ponies and there are many more books and videos. We all benefit from broadening our own knowledge by reading and observing.