IN THE SADDLE
20 Total position guide Lewis Carrier’s tips for developing a good contact
26 Eventing success Piggy March explains what to look for when stepping up a level
32 Lateral work made easy Dan Greenwood helps you get to grips with half-pass
38 Line them up Jay Buxton’s gridwork exercise is adapatable to every level
44 6 secrets to learning a dressage test Our top tips for remembering a test
48 Time to shine Danielle Heath gives you tips to get your horse show-ready
MIND MATTERS
54 Flying solo Debbie Marsden’s advice on safe hacking alone
60 Expect the unexpected Alison Buttery helps you stay calm in stressful situations
ASK A VET
74 Wrap it up Our guide to fitting a hoof poultice
78 Back support Vet David Rutherford looks at sacroiliac disease
ASK THE EXPERTS
86 Management know-how
88 Mind matters
90 Ask a vet
92 Horsey shopping
94 In the saddle
96 In brief
MANAGEMENT KNOW-HOW
98 Fuelled for success How eating well on competition days can boost your results
104 Management 101: Young horses Build and refine your horse’s groundwork
110 The dynamics of digestion How you can help keep your horse’s gut healthy
116 Freedom rider We catch up with liberty trainer and stunt rider Ben Atkinson
120 A lending hand How can you help horsey charities?
124 Summer loving Support your horse’s wellbeing this summer
HORSEY SHOPPING
130 Fly control We put fly gels to the test
132 Facing up to flies Fly masks to help keep your horse’s face protected
June 2024 issue
Cover stories
Photo by Jon Stroud
June 2024
Improve your rein contact with Lewis Carrier and get to grips when hacking alone with Dr Debbie Marsden.
136 Beat the bugs We put fly rugs to the test!
140 This month we love... Coolers, riding leggings, feed and so much more
REGULARS
8 Picture perfect Alfie Bowen shares his equine inspiration
14 Horseworld science Discover the latest research in the equine industry
16 Horseworld hub Keep up to date with the latest horsey news
30 Win! An amazing bundle from Coldstream!
66 Subscribe to H&R Get every issue delivered straight to your door
68 Try something new: Trailblazers We look at new things to try with your horse
72 Perfect prizes Get your hands on some fab prizes
138 My life with horses A week in the life of dressage rider Karla Deir Martin
142 Horses for sale A selection of horses for sale from our website
143 Dream horsey homes Gorgeous equestrian properties
145 Next month A sneak peek at the July issue
4 HORSE&RIDER
TRIED AND TESTED
ON THE COVER 30 116 54 98 124 60 48 The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly SHAMPOO & SPONGE FREE! FLY RUGS & FLY GELS BEAT THE BUGS! ON TEST GUIDE Fly mask HORSEY summer HEALTH GUIDE EAT TO COMPETE: fuel your body to ride better HACKING FEEL CONFIDENT ALONE NEW SERIES: Danielle Heath’s SHOWING SECRETS We chat to BEN ATKINSON WIN COLDSTREAM BUNDLE WORTH £1,000 Why finding your inner calm is the ROUTE TO SUCCESS WORTH £12.75* *T&Cs apply Issue number 659 June 2024 How to poultice Why not try Trailblazers? We show you how n Meet Ben Atkinson Sacroiliac injuries explained n Piggy March’s guide stepping up level all you need to know ON THE COVER ON THE COVER ON THE COVER ON THE COVER ON THE COVER ON THE COVER ON THE COVER WIN AN INCREDIBLE BUNDLE FROM COLDSTREAM
HORSE&RIDER 5 38 Improve your horse’s gymnastic ability gridwork tips from Jay Buxton 54 104 DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TURN TO P66 Hickstead TICKET OFFER! P80
In this feature. . . ➤ Know when you’re ready to step up a level
PART FOUR: STEPPING UP
Eventing success
Take your competition career to the next level with Piggy’s advice
Our expert
Understanding the difference between being more competitive and stepping up a level is essential, not only for the safety of you and your horse but for your confidence and enjoyment levels, too.
However, just as with knowing when you’re ready for your first event, there are many aspects to think about if you’re preparing to take that leap and move to the next level. Here’s what to consider.
TOP TIP
When stepping up a level, take away the competitive element for your first few runs and focus on completing all three phases confidently – just as you did when you first started eventing.
26 HORSE&RIDER
Piggy March is an international event rider who has represented Team GB at World and European Championships, as well as winning Badminton in 2019 and Burghley in 2022 with Vanir Kamira.
Photos: Jon Stroud. For more of Piggy’s training content, visit piggymarch.tv
➤ How to nurture your confidence ➤ Maximise your potential
Where you’re at
The place to start when thinking about stepping up a level is where you’re at right now in terms of the results you’ve achieved at your current one. So, spend time reflecting on your journey so far. You should be confident in your abilities, so you’ll have completed all three phases successfully on the same day and achieved some good results on paper, regardless of placing.
It’s important to assess the situation objectively, so look at other people’s results, too. You might have had a good placing but not actually feel particularly confident or pleased with your performance because your success was more a result of other people’s downfalls on the day.
Overall, you should be having more successful outings than unsuccessful ones throughout the season and you will have built a solid partnership with your horse.
TOP TIP
Make sure you’re not just winging it – aim for consistency in your scores. If you’re unable to complete all three phases on the day, look to identify the issue and work on it before taking the next step.
TOP TIP
Try to be realistic with your expectations of your horse – is he capable of stepping up a level? It’s not worth pushing him above his potential simply to satisfy your competitive edge.
HORSE&RIDER 27 In the saddle
➤
In this feature. . . ➤ Perfect your turnout ➤ How to accentuate
Time to
shine
Want to get your horse looking show ring ready? Showing expert Danielle Heath reveals her top turnout secrets Our expert Danielle Heath has been in showing all her life and successfully competes at international level. In 2023, she took supreme riding horse champion at the Royal International with Times Square III.
Photos: Bob Atkins, Jon Stroud. As told to Kiera Boyle. With thanks to TopSpec for their help with this feature, topspec.com
your horse’s best features ➤ Wear the correct tack and clothing
Whether you own a cob, Thoroughbred, Shetland or Shire – or anything in between – there’s something for you in the world of showing. The purpose of this long-standing discipline is to celebrate presentation, attention to detail and adaptability – all favourable qualities, whether you’re an avid show-goer or not.
In this three-part series, we’ll focus on some of the key aspects that contribute to success in the show ring, starting with my head-to-toe guide on how to keep your horse looking well groomed, class appropriate and ready to claim that red rosette.
DID YOU KNOW?
The most suitable type of plait is dictated by the class you’re entering. Competitors tend to use smaller plaits for hacks than for hunters, for example.
Trimmed up
I’m a stickler for a neatly trimmed, smart-looking head as a way of refining a horse’s overall appearance, and this is of particular importance if your horse is a hairier type.
The best tool for tidying the head is a small precision trimmer. To trim your horse’s beard, simply glide the trimmers down the cheeks and jawline to the base of the muzzle, and repeat. I like to finish by wiping a drop of baby oil or aloe vera across the hair to accentuate the shine and definition.
➤ In the saddle
