61CHRISTMAS GIFTS dreamy horsey
Boost your
XC SKILLS
FEED BUNDLE!
Find the right
farrier HOW TO
wow the
dressage judge
AT HOME
Meet dressage star
Annabella Pidgley
BRUSHING
BOOTS
VET’S GUIDE TO
KISSING SPINES
DJMurphy
Issue number 653 January 2024 n Feel motivated and enjoy your horse this winter n Meg Elphick’s guide to arena cross-country n Buyer’s guide to stable toys n How to keep your veteran happy and healthy
The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly
WIN! DENGIE
Issue 653 £4.75
BE THE BEST RIDER YOU CAN BE
30 Nov – 27 Dec 2023
to January 2024 issue Louise Kittle, Editor-in-Chief
Louise was bitten by the horsey bug at age two, and has ridden and owned horses ever since, competing in eventing as well as enjoying training her horses – and herself: she’s a BHS Int SM.
Whatever your feelings about Christmas itself, the festive season signals the passing of the winter equinox and – finally – extra minutes of precious daylight returning. The consensus among the team at H&R Towers is that one of the main benefits of the numerous bank holidays is more time to ride, and we’ve rounded up 12 different ways to pass the 12 days of Christmas with your favourite equine – turn to p46 for some ideas to inspire you. We’re also gearing up for an exciting summer of sport, with the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon. While Greenwich was an impressive backdrop to London 2012, the Palace of Versailles
will host the equestrian disciplines this summer. And what a venue it promises to be. This issue, we delve into the logistics of creating a temporary equestrian venue to house – and test the skills – of the world’s best horses, surrounded by one of the most important historical sites in France. Turn to p8 to find out how the organisers are working to achieve just that.
DON’T MISS...
Our amazing subscription offer – a gorgeous, exclusive hoodie that will keep you looking smart and feeling cosy all winter long. Turn to p114.
Until next month!
Louise Kittle, Editor-in-Chief
THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Meg Elphick
Alison Buttery
Heidi Woodhead
Yazmin Pinchen
David Rutherford
Katie Williams
There’s no need to leave the yard to hone your XC skills this winter, as Meg explains with her easy-to-recreate arena cross-country exercises on p26.
Being in the saddle isn’t the only way to improve as a rider, as Alison explains on p54, with her simple ways to stay connected to your horse and boost your skills even when you can’t ride.
No matter the hours of training you put in, if your ringcraft lets you down, you’ll never achieve the scores you’re capable of. Heidi is here to help with her tips for dressage success on p18.
Jumping success isn’t all about the fences – the flatwork that takes you from one to the next is crucial, too – as Yazmin explains on p34.
A diagnosis of kissing spines can feel overwhelming but, as vet David explains on p68, management and treatment options are varied, and a good outcome is often achievable.
How much do you know about the forage you feed your horse? Possibly less than you should. Nutritionist Katie explains the different options, as well as research into their benefits on p106. HORSE&RIDER 3
WIN
DENGIE BUNDLE WORTH
January 2024 issue 61CHRISTMAS GIFTS WIN! dreamy horsey
18
Top marks Heidi Woodhead helps you
ON THE COVER
26 Cross-country at home Inspiration for
polish up your dressage performance
26
the off-season
30 6 secrets to improve your horse’s balance Try our simple exercises 34 Take the lead Create a smoother
42 68
MIND MATTERS
54 Pause for thought How to stay 62
ASK THE EXPERTS
76 Management know-how 78 Mind matters 80 Ask a vet 82 Horsey shopping 84 In the saddle 86 In brief
HORSEY SHOPPING
116 Buyer’s guide A selection of stable toys to keep your horse entertained
ON THE COVER
120 Tried & tested We put brushing boots through their paces
124 Christmas gifts The perfect presents to add to your wish list
4 HORSE&RIDER
120
BOOTS
VET’S GUIDE TO
KISSING SPINES
Issue 653 £4.75
30 Nov – 27 Dec 2023
BE THE BEST RIDER YOU CAN BE
ON THE COVER
8 Vive Versailles A visit to Paris ahead of
ON THE COVER
your horse
types and research on how to feed them
Annabella Pidgley
REGULARS
future in your will
your veteran mentally stimulated
BRUSHING
Meet dressage star
trainers, horseboxes and much more!
88 Making provisions Plan for your horse’s
106 Essential fibre for all Different forage
18
132 This month we love... Raincoats,
MANAGEMENT KNOW-HOW
100 Management 101: golden oldies Keep
HOW TO
wow the
January 2024 This month, try our experts’ fresh ideas with your horse to keep you on track this winter. Plus, secure your horse’s future with our will guide and discover what type of forage might be best for him.
68 What’s in a kiss? Kissing spines doesn’t
94 Feet first How to find the right farrier for
AT HOME
dressage judge
94
farrier
Photo by Jon Stroud
always stop your horse’s ridden career
ON THE COVER
Find the right
Cover stories
connected while out of the saddle Motivation matters Keep a positive mindset this winter
ASK A VET ON THE COVER
Boost your
XC SKILLS
60
DENGIE
FEED BUNDLE!
The UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly
DJMurphy
showjumping round with Yazmin Pinchen 46 Christmas crackers 12 ways to exercise your horse this festive season
Issue number 653 January 2024 n Feel motivated and enjoy your horse this winter n Meg Elphick’s guide to arena cross-country n Buyer’s guide to stable toys n How to keep your veteran happy and healthy
IN THE SADDLE ON THE COVER
£135
ON THE COVER
the 2024 Olympics 14 Horseworld hub Keep up to date with the latest horsey news 42 Meet Annabella Pidgley Get to know the young dressage star 60 Win! Eight lucky readers will win a Dengie grass bundle 66 Perfect prizes Amazing prizes up for grabs 114 Subscribe to H&R Get every issue delivered straight to your door 134 Dream horsey homes A selection of gorgeous equestrian properties 137 Next month A sneak peak at February’s issue 138 My life with horses A week in the life of equestrian YouTuber, Esme Higgs
120
TRIED AND TESTED
In this feature. . . ➤ Teach your horse to land on the correct leg
Taking the
lead
Photo credits: Jon Stroud. For more information about Yazmin and the training she offers, visit yazminpinchen.co.uk
Create a smoother showjumping round by teaching your horse to land on the correct lead
34 HORSE&RIDER
In the saddle
➤ Create a seamless round ➤ Build your jumping confidence
A
ll too often I see riders wasting so much time in their showjumping rounds because their horse is on the wrong canter lead or disunited. Both of these problems result in a lack of balance, which will affect the horse’s ability to jump a clear, effortless round. By training at home to teach your horse to land on the correct lead every time, you can make your rounds seamless and more successful. Have a go at my exercise, and you’ll soon notice a difference.
➤
Our expert
Yazmin PinchenMcCulloch has competed for Great Britian since she was 13-years-old. In her senior career, she’s been based with Michael Whitaker and the Philappaert family in Belgium, and has competed on the Global Champions Tour circuit.
HORSE&RIDER 35
Pause for thought Our expert
Photos: Jon Stroud. Alison runs The Everyday Equestrian, theeveryd
ayequestrian.co.uk
Alison Buttery is a certified mindset and confidence coach, a BHS APC senior coach and an experienced rider, who specialises in helping riders overcome their nerves. She’s also the founder of The Everyday Equestrian.
54 HORSE&RIDER
Mind matters
TOP TIP
Whether your break from riding is by design or due to unforeseen circumstances, see it as a chance to strengthen your mindset and prime yourself to be ready for when you’re back in the saddle again.
If you have to take a break from riding, Alison Buttery has ways to help you stay connected
W
hen your riding has to take a back seat, it can feel as if your life has been put on hold. Whether it’s due to an injury, recovery following an illness, adverse weather or lack of facilities, if you find yourself grounded, it can be frustrating when all you want to do is get back on your horse and ride. The good news is that there are various practical, manageable steps you can take to stay connected with your horse and your inner self. And, as an added bonus, they’ll also increase your confidence and resilience so that when the time comes, you can get back to riding at your best.
Imagine this
Using visualisation is like creating your very own Netflix film or documentary featuring you and your horse doing everything together that you love. As it’s your personal streaming channel, you can pick and choose what you watch in your mind’s eye, based on your goals, hopes and dreams. And whether something’s real or imagined, your mind won’t know the difference and will soak up whatever you give it, so why not take this opportunity to create the films and documentaries that you actually want to watch?
A new angle
When you adjust your thoughts positively, you’re performing a halfhalt in your head and rebalancing your mindset
Turning off thinking is impossible and neither can we stop negative thoughts, but we can flip them and make them more helpful. Reframing negative thoughts is essentially tweaking the narrative in your mind so it works with, instead of against, you. So, if you’re unable to ride, practise flipping an unhelpful approach to ‘I can use this time positively to plan/do/learn/change XYZ’ or ‘while I can’t ride at the moment, I can plan/learn/do/change XYZ’. Instead of dwelling on what you can’t do right now, focus on things that are under your control – you’ll soon notice other opportunities and possibilities. You may learn something new, you could become part of a new community, or you might explore different ways of building your connection and partnership with your horse. Think of it as being similar to rebalancing your horse when riding so you’re training a correct way of going. When you practise adjusting your thoughts positively, you’re effectively performing a half-halt in your head and rebalancing your mindset.
HORSE&RIDER 55
➤
What’s in a
kiss?
Photos: Bob Atkins, Jon Stroud, Rolf Dannenberg/shutterstock.com. Photos posed by models.
If treated correctly, kissing spines needn’t spell the end of a horse’s ridden career, as vet David Rutherford explains
Our expert
David J Rutherford BVM&S Cert ES(Orth) Dip ECVS AFHEA MRCVS is Clinical Associate Professor in equine orthopaedics and imaging at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
68 HORSE&RIDER
K
issing spines is a relatively common condition, but its severity varies between individuals and, while some horses clearly indicate they’re in considerable pain, others may show no symptoms at all. If your horse is diagnosed with kissing spines, it can be easy to assume his ridden career is over, but, fortunately, that needn’t be the case. Modern treatments are available and they’re effective, so much so that a horse can make a full recovery, working just as well as he did before.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kissing spines is more common in larger breeds, particularly Thoroughbreds, and is rare in ponies.
Ask a vet
A horse can make a full recovery, working just as well as before
A progressive condition
The condition occurs when the upward projecting parts of the vertebrae, the dorsal spinous processes (DSPs), become too close together and start to grate on each other, resulting in pain. The cause isn’t fully understood, but it is, at least in part, a genetic condition passed down within breeding lines. However, the amount and type of work a horse is asked to do over his lifetime may also be a factor. The most commonly affected region is the middle of a horse’s back under the saddle, but kissing spines can occur anywhere along the backbone.
The impingement of the bones can be at a single location but, more usually, several neighbouring vertebral spaces are affected. It’s a progressive condition, usually first seen in horses who are 7–14 years old, but it can be found in animals younger and older than this, too.
DID YOU KNOW?
Horses can be performing well while the disease is developing, and it’s only when a certain level of severity is reached that signs of a problem become apparent.
➤
HORSE&RIDER 69