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 www.yourhorse .co.uk

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CARERidingLook after his heart, help a cast horse plus clipping sensitive areas

Improve his jumping style and master walk to canter transitions

gEAR

gET HiM MOVing

Unlock the key to

forwardness in

five easy steps

lAsT CHAnCETO EnTER

THink likE AHORsE And bAnisH bAd bEHAViOuR

The latest vet advice to keep your horse safe

HOW TO

THE

issuERide like a pro, boost his confidence, face

your fears, train to winplus lots more

Team Fredericks put 10 exercise sheets to the test

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she

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Blyth tait

I couldn’t just ride for pleasure,

I have tocompete

Words Katy Islip Photography Matthew Roberts

a fter a career that spanned almost two decades in the

international eventing spotlight and saw him win Burghley twice, scoop two world championship titles and bring home four Olympic medals including individual gold, no-one begrudged Blyth Tait a quieter life when he decided to retire after the 2004 Athens Olympics.

But after seven years back in his native New Zealand with a stint as a racehorse breeder, the lure of the forthcoming London Olympics proved too great to resist and Blyth

returned to the UK in March with new four star ride Santos and his eye on an Olympic team spot.

Despite a frustrating season and more than a few setbacks, Blyth has decided to stay on indefinitely in the UK to pursue both his Olympic hopes and a return to top-flight eventing.

We met Blyth the day before he flew back to New Zealand for a two-month break, arriving at his base at Eddie Stibbe’s impressive Lavender Hill Stud, in Gloucestershire, to find the Kiwi rider relaxed, reflective and looking forward to 2012.

Turn over for Blyth’s answers to

your questions

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Terms and conditions Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. The minimum term is 13 issues. This offer is open until 29 December 2011 and is only available to the first 300 new UK subscriptions received across all offer codes starting with LW. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery of your gift. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. We reserve the right to send you an alternative gift of similar type/value. We also reserve the right to reclaim the gift/value of the gift if you cancel your subscription before the end of the agreed term as stated above. Calls from a BT landline will cost no more than 4p a minute. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Phone +44 1858 438820. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

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…And Fido comes too the inside storyWhether you’re boxing up for

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This Equi-Trek Sonic Horsebox is worth a cool £28,700 – and it could be yours if you enter our fantastic competition

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comfort firstThe more comfortable you

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Riding

your horse

Discover how to turn your horse’s stag leap into a well-executed jump with expert advice from Mia Korenika, Nicola Wilson and Paul Crago

W e’d all love our horses to jump in a picture perfect bascule – a faultless arc from

poll to tail, but how can we improve our horse’s physical ability to jump if he’s not quite hitting the mark?

Improvehis jumping

techniquePhotography Matthew Roberts

How to

www.yourhorse.co.uk

MEET THE EXPERTMia KorenikaWhen it comes to improving a horse’s jump, British show jumper and trainer Mia Korenika believes in giving your horse the best chance to succeed every time.

“Generally my school of thought is to encourage your horse to get to the fence in the right balance and rhythm and to jump from the right place. For most horses, the physical jump improves when their confidence improves – so if you can get him there right every time that will teach him to put his feet in the right place and really use his body – simple and logical,” says Mia.

“An exercise I like to use a lot is a bounce line including poles on the ground – it’s like sit ups for horses working a wide range of their muscles across their core, hindquarters and front.”

Mia explains that this bounce involves a total of five parts with distances of 3–3 ½ yards between them.

“I alternate poles on the ground with poles raised to a height of approximately 80cm – I therefore end up with three poles on the ground and two raised. Once you’re confident down this bounce grid, you can add another two poles – one raised and one on the ground,” she says.

“Horses have to be really disciplined to work through this grid – they have to concentrate, stay in rhythm, remain balanced and they really have to use themselves.”

For more of a challenge, Mia recommends raising the ground poles at one end to increase the complexity of this exercise, alternating which side you raise along the grid. So in a seven-pole grid raise pole two on the left, pole four on the right and pole six on the left.

Not used raised poles before? Start

off small then increase the height

GET HiM To THE fENCE!

Which jumps do what?Different jumps work your horse in different ways – here’s a little selection:True oxers, made up of two verticals parallel to each other, are great for building strength behind and will encourage your horse to really stretch up and over the front and back rails. Ascending oxers, like true oxers, are built with two verticals parallel to one another - however the back pole is set slightly higher than the front, which will encourage your horse to jump in the correct shape.swedish oxers, where the front and back poles slant in opposite directions, are especially useful. The centre point, created by the V shape where the poles cross over will help with straightness and the lift and tuck of the front legs.rAised TroTTing poles make your horse work hard and concentrate – they can be quite physically demanding so you don’t need to work over raised poles for too long.cross-poles create a V shape (which becomes narrower as the height of the jump is increased) - this will encourage your horse to lift his front legs, keeping them neatly tucked up and in as he jumps.uprighTs require your horse to jump height not width. To clear them, your horse must roll back onto his hindquarters in order to push himself up and over the fence – great for building strength and working on accuracy of take-off.

work his shape If you’re looking to work on your horse’s shape as he jumps, Mia recommends creating a broad base on your jumps using ground lines.

“As an example, set down your ground poles on either side of a simple, upright jump, positioning them level with the toes of your jump wings,” explains Mia.

“Creating a broader base will encourage your horse to stretch over the fence, creating a nice shape - this technique works well with oxer fences too.”

Riding

Achieving forwardness is key to your riding success, whatever

your discipline. Here our team of experts explain

how, why and when to master it with their

five-step plan

forward!Get him

going

your horse

Key

Horse working forward correctly

Horse not working through properly

✓

✗

How to

www.yourhorse.co.uk

WIN! ALL OF THESE PRIZES WORTH £1,100

Fed up with the same presents from Santa every year (badly knitted jumper, liqueurs...)?

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To win all of these featured gifts, just answer this question: Who won Burghley Horse Trials 2011?

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Reversible Polar Buff® is designed to offer the greatest protection of the polar products.

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The Perfect Presentfor Horse Owners: A unique bracelet made from the tail of your horse or horses*. Handmade by jewellery designer Rebecca Wenzerul, the bracelets are finished with sterling silver and can be customised with charms, names or special dates. There are various designs and gift vouchers are also available. Prices start at just

£32.50 * Hair is taken from the underside of the tail. It is easy, painless for the horse, and has no impact on the look of the tail.

Horsehair Bracelets!

The awardwinning HappyHorse™ range of hay steamers are recognised as the most versatile products on themarket whilst retaining arealistic retail price. Effective on loose hay and hay nets, in addition to unstrung bales, it’s clear to see why the original range of hay steamers are the best option.

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Equetech Patriot Competition ShirtRRP £28.50With everyone gearing up for the 2012 Olympics, why not cut a dash in the ring with this exquisite competition shirt. The cut is based on our top selling competition shirts. The Patriot shirt features Union Jack trim to the overcollar and sleeves and a deep back airflow vent for optimum movement in the saddle. An overcollar is provided. Available in white in sizes 10 12 14 16 18 20

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CLICK HERE TO ENTER

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:One winner with the correct answer will be drawn at random on the 28th December 2011. The winner will need to let us know their correct clothing sizes in order that we can fulfil certain prizes. Once provided, please allow 28 days for delivery. Any out – of – stock items will be replaced with a product of a similar value. All entrants must be UK residents aged over 18. All entries must be made via www.yourhorse.co.uk or www.horsedeals.co.uk for full terms and conditions please visit these sites or www.greatcompetitions.co.uk the winners details will appear on www.greatcompetitions.co.uk

The Skip and Scoop rake and collector is an innovative new tool that is designed to easily clean stables and field. Its unique design “flicks” debris into the collector. The specially angled tines and head are designed to move debris with the minimum of fuss and strain on the back.

Fyna-Lite products are available from all good equestrian outlets. For further information, please call Fyna-Lite on:

The high performance Stormwalker jacket has been designed to provide you with warmth where and when you need it, whatever the weather.

The novel unique heating system uses FABROC®, to provide heated kidney/abdomen panels plus heated pockets

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This affordable, cordless horse clipper is designed to meet the needs of today’s equine enthusiasts. Compact, well balanced and lightweight, it provides 2.5 hours of quiet, low vibration clipping. Perfect for use around young or nervous animals.

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Riding

your horse

20 minutes4exercises to

walk to canter transitions

improve your

Walk to canter transitions are an important element in many dressage tests and useful in so many ways so it’s important to get them just right. From helping with balance and suppleness to even achieving a better canter in show jumping, walk to canter transitions are a valuable movement to master. Here, our expert trainer Anne Ratcliffe shares four key exercises to help you achieve hoof perfect walk to canter.

Four effective exercises to help you master this essential movement

www.yourhorse.co.uk

20 minutesMeet tHe expeRtAnne Ratcliffe

Anne Ratcliffe is a BHS II and BHS Stable Manager with a MSc in Equine Studies. She teaches horses and riders of all levels with a friendly and relaxed approach. If you’d like to contact Anne, e-mail her on: carolineratcliffe@btinternet.com

How to

Life with a horse can be manic, messy and testing

at times, and we’d all like to be better, more confident riders

with more time to enjoy our horses. So we’ve

spoken to top riders and trainers for advice to

help you improve your riding, boost your

horse’s confidence, care for him like a pro and make sure you get the

most from your kit, lessons and time.

How to

How to...Horses don’t come with a manual, so we’ve pulled

together a host of expert tips to help you tackle everything from riding like a star to coping when

things go wrongWords: Katy Islip

WIN AN iPAD2with Your Horse and Horse Deals

For your chance to win visitwww.yourhorse.co.uk/ipad2

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For your chance to win and for full terms and conditions, visit www.yourhorse.co.uk or horsedeals.co.ukClosing date: 5pm 28th December 2011

ipad2 is a trademark of Apple, Inc., registered in US and other countries. Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion

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HD & YH ipad advert.indd 1 14/11/2011 14:52

your horse

CareCare

Interventricularseptum

Left ventricle

Pulmonary valve

Pulmonary artery

Aorta

Vena cava

Chordaetendinae

Pulmonary veins

Mitral valve

Left atrium(horse’s left)

RIght atrium(horse’s right)

Tricuspid valve

Right ventricle

Cross section of a horse’s heart

Aortic valve(obscured here by pulmonary artery)

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Illustrations: Samantha J Elm

hurst BA Hons, w

ww

.livingart.org.uk

The heart of the matter

VETADVICE

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 Mark PattesonMark is a specialist in veterinary cardiology. He was one of the first cardiologists to be awarded the RCVS diploma in veterinary cardiology in 1991 and has a PhD in equine echocardiography. Mark runs Heart Vets, a dedicated cardiology service. Visit www.heartvets.co.uk

MEET ThE ExpErTS

www.yourhorse.co.uk

While the words ‘heart problem’ may strike fear into horse owners, vet Charlie Briggs is here to dispel the myths, look at the potential problems – and explain

how this fascinating organ works

Care

your horse

Phot

o B

ob L

angr

ish

Stay calm and assess the situation, get help – and don’t

put yourself in danger

Your horse is at risk of getting cast if he lies down too close to the stable wall and then rolls

www.yourhorse.co.uk

In a

Words Helen Milbank

How to

If your horse becomes cast you’ll need to act quickly to get him safely back on his feet. here’s how to form a plan of action if he’s stuck fast – and help prevent the problem in the first place

E very horse who spends time stabled runs the risk of getting cast – when he

lies down and can’t get up. He could have laid down or rolled too close to the stable wall, trapping himself, or collapsed due to injury or illness (colic is a likely culprit). But whatever the cause you need to follow the three basic rules: l Stay calm and assess the situation l Get help and, most importantly,l Don’t put yourself or anyone else in danger.

Take acTIonIf you’ve got an elderly horse with stiff, arthritic joints, the odds are he’ll become cast in his stable at some point – but it’s a problem that can affect any horse, of any age. Even young, mobile legs can get trapped, and a horse who’s colicking, ill, injured or suffering an underlying health problem may well go down – and stay there.

Whatever the cause, you need to take action. He could start to suffer health problems as the muscles lose blood supply as a result of being stuck in one position, or injure himself in a bid to get up.

“The first piece of advice I’d give is don’t panic or go racing into the stable, putting yourself at risk,” says vet Charlie Briggs. “Instead,

give yourself a few minutes to assess the situation from outside the stable as it’s dangerous to go into a confined space with a panicked horse.

“Ask yourself whether your horse is visibly injured, appears colicky or looks in a lot of distress – and call your vet for advice if he is. If it looks simply as though he’s got stuck, and you feel it’s safe to enter the stable, then do so calmly, wearing a hard hat and sensible protective clothing and keeping the stable door open. Cast horses can often appear calm and then suddenly become frenzied, so be on your guard and always stay next to the horse’s spine.

“If you feel confident, it’s possible to stand behind your horse’s withers and pull his head and neck round to help free him up, but seek help if you’re not sure how to go about this.”

You can help your horse get up by rolling him away from the wall using the ‘lunge line’ method.

First ask a competent helper to place steady pressure on his head to keep him calm.

Next, with a helper, loosely loop two lunge lines on to the legs nearest the floor – one on each leg and above the fetlock so you don’t injure his joints.

your horse

CareCare

your horse

With a bite here, a barge there and a buck or two in between, horses

who are badly behaved are dangerous to be around, but surely they weren’t born that way?

Here Melanie Watson of Instinctive Horsemanship explains why and how horses might acquire bad behaviours and your role in helping them to develop for better or worse.

Bad behaviour can start in a myriad of ways, often as the result of missed signals and misinterpretations on the part of owners and handlers.

Horses, like people, are born with certain characteristics but, as with us, a horse’s basic character will be enhanced or slowly destroyed bit by bit according to how life and humans treat them.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Start as you mean to go on

A newborn foal is a blank canvas, ready to be trained and moulded into

a well-mannered horse - so what happens along the way to make a

good horse go bad?

Handle your foal to encourage good manners

www.yourhorse.co.ukwww.yourhorse.co.uk

Meet the expertMelanie Watson

Melanie runs Instinctive Horsemanship in East Yorkshire. She specialises in training problem horses, breaking young horses,

retraining racehorses as well as teaching others. To find out more, visit www.instinctivehorsetraining.co.uk

When her horse developed life-threatening laminitis, euthanasia seemed the only option, but Lucy Rackham was determined to fight for his survival

As 2011 draws to a close many of us will be looking forward to the

fresh start that a new year promises. Lucy Rackham, from Cambridgeshire, is particularly keen to forget the past 12 months, as they brought her desperately close to losing her beloved horse, Thorn. But, as the saying goes, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ and Lucy was determined to fight to save Thorn from a life-threatening bout of laminitis.

Real life

youR hoRse

Words Andrea McHugh Photography Matthew Roberts

I wouldn’tgive up on him

WWW.youRhoRse.co.uk

Gear

your horse

BigTesT

This month we’ve got a couple of really top testers – Olympic event riders Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks have put 11 exercise sheets to work – find out which ones Team Fredericks are recommending to you

Exercise sheets

Always useful to have to hand, an exercise sheet will help keep your horse warm and dry while you’re riding. There are

different types available so to find out which ones to recommend we asked Team Fredericks (Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks and their team) to put 11 to the test. They’ve been using the sheets for approximately six months. As they were using each sheet, they assessed them under the following criteria:

Fit – They assessed how well each sheet fitted, including the length and depth. They also took into account how well it fitted around or under the saddle and whether it was quick and easy to fit.

Performance – Team Fredericks evaluated how well each exercise sheet did its job and whether it lived up to the manufacturer’s claims. They also asked if each sheet stay securely in place during exercise?

Value for money – Finally, taking into account their comments on fit and performance, they decided whether each exercise sheet was good value for money and if they would recommend you buy it.

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

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Not surE what sizE ExErCisE shEEt to buy?Measure from the wither to the tail. Or take 2ft off your usual size of rug (eg 6ft 3in rug, 4ft 3in exercise sheet)

Gear

your horse

Mud fever is a painful condition caused by a bacteria called Dermatophilus congolensis. It tends to affect the heel

and pastern areas and horses with pink skin, white legs or a lot of feather appear to be more prone to mud fever. Spotting the signs early or taking preventative steps will help stop mud fever in its tracks and prevent it spreading.

Mud FeverDon’t let the mud and wet spoil your horse’s winter – we guide you

through the range of products available to help keep mud fever at bay

BUYERS’GUIDE

fInD oUt MoREIf you want to know more

about mud fever read our

feature which appeared in

the November 2011 issue

– to get a back issue call

0845 601 1356

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

www.yourhorse.co.uk

Equimins Mud Block Lotion £10.70 for 500mlMud Block Lotion contains positively charged silver particles that kill around 99.9% of germs. The lotion is easy to apply and rub in, even for horses who have extensive feathering.

Mud Block Cream From £7.45 for 500gThis cream contains a powerful bactericide to help protect against infection from bacteria found in mud.

It also contains aloe vera, zinc and castor oil to help the healing process.

It should be applied to the lower legs (and any other area required) before turnout, and washed off each night.

Winter Leg Scrub From £4.40 for 500ml (25 applications)Winter Leg Scrub is a concentrated bactericidal and fungicidal wash, designed to be used to wash mud off your horse’s legs after turnout.Contact www.equimins.com or call 01548 531770

This powerful yet soothing antibacterial and antifungal ointment acts as a barrier cream while allowing the skin to breathe.

Epi-Heel gently softens and removes scabs and protects the epidermis layer which acts as a barrier against infection.

It also soothes and calms pink areas and helps restore lost or matted hair.Contact 01303 872277 or www.wefi.co.uk

Mark Todd Epi-Heel Ointment £9.95 for 250cc

This can be used as a barrier against water, without sealing the skin, and to protect vulnerable areas from sharp grit, mud and dirt. It contains lanolin BP and concentrated herbal oils known to possess antibacterial, antifungal and soothing properties to help protect and soothe sore cracked areas. Scabs soften gently and fall away naturally. It helps restore the correct moisture balance. Contact www.flyrepel.com

Barrier Animal Healthcare Heel to Hoof Soothing Cream £7.50 for 250ml

This lotion combines two traditional ingredients to help skin during the winter – pig oil and flowers of sulphur. The pig oil acts as a very effective barrier, helping to protect your horse’s legs from mud and wet, while flowers of sulphur is a very effective antimicrobial agent.Contact www.equimins.com or call 01548 531770

Equimins Mud Slide Lotion From £4.40 for 500ml

This is a specially formulated iodine-based shampoo. Ideal for use when your horse is exposed to muddy conditions either when competing, exercising or just during turn out, where the skin is at risk from mud-borne infections.

This is a simple way to cleanse the skin and, used routinely, may help to prevent infections such as mud fever getting hold, especially in the vulnerable heel area. Contact 01636 636135

Funnell Heel Clean & Protective Wash £9.60 for 2 litres

external treatMent

Gear

your horse

BigTesT

It’s the time of year to get the clippers out – we test six sets to find out which ones will tame the wildest winter coats

Clippers

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

www.yourhorse.co.uk

if our horses are in work at this time of year, it’s probably better for them – and us – to have some of their

winter coat clipped. Not only will it help stop them sweating while they work but it makes grooming quicker and easier.

Clippers used to be heavy and noisy but they’ve changed a lot. We’ve tested a selection so we can recommend which ones do a good job.

Gear editor Allison Lowther used the clippers on her two horses. Jester is an ID x TB who has a thick winter coat and tends to be fully clipped several times in winter. Wish is a Hanoverian – she has a much finer coat and only has a chaser clip. YH editor Julie Brown used

the clippers on her KWPN gelding, Bo – he has a full clip and he’s quite nervous about it all. YH writer Larissa Chapman used the clippers on her cob Wingco who grows a particularly thick coat and needs regular clipping – you can see the newly-clipped Wingco in Our Horses on page 11 .

Our testers assessed each set of clippers using the following criteria:Design They considered the design and shape of each set, including how easy they were to hold and use. Performance Our testers looked at how well the clippers did the job and if they

did everything the manufacturer claimed.

They noted how long the battery lasted, for the battery

operated clippers. Value for money Finally our testers looked at the cost of each set of clippers – most came with additional items including extra blades and oil as a package – did they represent value for money, and would they recommend these clippers to you?

Top TipThere’s a lot of choice available for clippers – if you’re unsure what type to buy, ask

for advice – you don’t want to waste yoour money on something that won’t do the job for you

OnSale29 DeCNEXT MONTH In YOur HOrsE

PLus...● Are horses really happy? ● Ten new schooling exercises● All you need to know about his ears● Teaching him flying changes● How to succeed in indoor eventing

THE GET FIT IssuE

How to keep him safe as he gets fitter

The Your Horse team takes on a

fitness challengeHow mucking out

can ruin your position

How to train like a pro

CHALLENGE 2012

Challenge 2012 – full of expert advice, top celebrity interviews, Olympic news and more to inspire you to make next year your best ever ExclusivE

40 pAgE sEcTion