A Day with theHousehold CavalryMounted Regiment

December 2015

Carl Hesteron 25 yearsin Dressage

Equine Reiki:The What andWhy’s

Sponsorship 101: aguide to getting noticed

& attracting brands

Mary King talkschainsaws andsporting idols

ChristmasGift Guide

TIM LIPS:

TICKET

TO

RIO

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WELCOME…December is upon us again! This month we

focus on the versatility of the horse in Britain,

from talking to Dressage superstar Carl Hester,

discussing Christmas gifts with the Eventing

Legend Mary King to spending a day at the

barracks of the revered Household Cavalry

Mounted Regiment, it brings your attention to

the past and continued involvement of equines

in the British way of life. As a hobby, sport,

transport in days gone by and on the battle field,

horses have played an integral part of our way of

life for centauries and we should, I believe, be

forever

thankful!

Stay warm this

winter and have

a great

Christmas and

New Year.

Natasha

Dutch Olympic Eventer Tim Lipsis in hot pursuit of the 2016Olympic Games in Rio deJaneiro. Tim also won TeamBronze at the 2014 AlltechFEI World Equestrian GamesNormandy.

Tim Lips

Daisy is a 17 year old BritishDressage rider. Full of ambition,Daisy is certainly one to watch forthe future. Also a fully trainedinstructor, Daisy is always busy ashas a lot to tell us.

Daisy Jackson

Patricia is The Dressage Tipsterand founder of Crystal System.Patricia provides us with usablereliable tips to improve allaspects of your dressage work.Her advice can help your ridingimprove and adjust your mindset.

Patricia Pitt

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Feature Page Number

I N S I D E T H I S M O N T H S I S S U E

See Page 10 See Page 38 See Page 31

COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Rose Lewis/ Daydream Equine Photography

See Page 21

Anne Gage

Anne Gage is a Clinician, RidingCoach, Horse Trainer and CertifiedProfessional Coach based inCanada. Anne focuses on themental and physical aspects of bothyou and your horse so you candevelop trust and respect whilebuilding confidence in each other.

Household CavalryMounted Regiment

Carl Hester: 25 Yearsin Dressage

Sponsorship 101: TheEssentials

British EquestrianLegends: Mary King

Equine Reiki: Whatand Why

Christmas Gift Guide

AP McCoy takes onDressage

5

12

14

16

20

23

34

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Applause is an American MiniatureHorse and part of AlamandaTherapy Animals. At just 28” tall,Applause is their main star as wellas being, quite possibly, the onlytherapy ‘Unicorn’ in the world.

Applause

Chris runs EQPR EquestrianMarketing & PR - the worlds onlyfull service equestrian agency!Helping both riders and equestrianbusinesses stand out from the crowdthrough a complete range of services.Chris has a passion for all thingsdressage thanks to his partnerinternational dressage rider andtrainer Luke Baber-Davies.

Chris Baber-Davies

Tyne Sigley is our trusted reviewpanellist. Providing honest andimpartial reviews on the newest andhottest equestrian items. Also aqualified equine veterinary nurse,Tyne has a huge passion for ridingand animals in general.

T yne Sigley

A day with the LifeGuards of The

Household CavalryMounted Regiment

Pages5-9

See Page 35 See Page 18 See Page 14 See Page 30

WantIn the Stirrupsdirect to your

inbox eachmonth?

Mike O’Brien

Renowned Equine DentalTechnician Mike has experience andqualifications from around theworld. Based in Surrey he shares hisknowledge on the importance ofregular dental care in horses.

Photography team:

Marc Moggridge Rose Lewis Ben Clark

Then visit our homepage and sign up to our newsletter!It’s FREE! www.inthestirrups.com

Photo credit: Rose Lewis

A day with The Life Guards ofThe Household Cavalry

When we think of the HouseholdCavalry we often reflect on thevision of military men, mountedon black horses, impeccablygroomed, well-mannered andbehaved with spotless tack anduniform. But what goes intothese horses on a daily basis intheir stables, how much timeand effort is taken in their train-ing, upkeep and handling andwho are the men behind theshiny cuirasses and plumed hel-mets?

In the Stirrups visited their bar-racks in Hyde Park and spent theday with the Life Guards of theHousehold Cavalry to get aglimpse of their day to day routine.

Driving up to the gates on a busyroad in central London, it’s hard toimage 250 horses behind the wallsof what looks like some towerblock flats and offices. Once ad-mitted through the on gate securityyou are greeted with a concrete carpark but already there are familiarsights… horse boxes parked on theparade ground, pallets of food –with even their own Cavalry mixand men checking their horsesover before inspection at 9.30am.We were greeted by CaptainJames Harbord, second in com-mand of the Life Guards whokindly showed us around and ex-plained the enormous task of en-suring the regiment runs smoothlyeach day. First we headed to the

stables, passing men groomingand checking their horses beforetacking up. Each horse is meticu-lously checked and reviewed, in-cluding their tack beforeinspection on the parade ground –any imperfection can, and will, benoted and should their turn out bebelow the exceptional standard ex-pected of them, another rider willgo on duty as the Queens LifeGuards at Horse Guards Parade intheir place.On the day we visited, 50 horsesleft for turn out for the winter atMelton Mowbray, but that did notmean anyone had an easier day!The Regiment sources over 95%of its horses from Ireland, the Cav-alry Blacks are Irish Draught x

The Queen's Life Guard is normally provided by men of the Household CavalryMounted Regiment which consists of a Squadron of The Life Guards, who wear redtunics and white plumed helmets, and a Squadron of The Blues and Royals with bluetunics and red plumed helmets. Life Guards have stood guard at Horse Guards, theofficial entrance to St James and Buckingham Palace, since the Restoration of KingCharles II in 1660. The New Guard leaves Hyde Park Barracks at 10:28 weekdaysand 9:28 on Sundays to ride to Horse Guards Parade via Hyde Park Corner,Constitution Hill and The Mall on their way to the guard change ceremony. AlthoughChanging The Queen's Lifeguard is not as well known as Changing the Guard atBuckingham Palace smaller crowds and no railings between you and the men andhorses taking part make it ideal for those with younger children and those lookingfor some amazing pictures. The ceremony lasts about half an hour, and the mountedsentries change every hour, or half hour in very cold weather during the day until16:00 when a dismounting ceremony takes place.

THE CHANGING OF THEQUEEN’S LIFE GUARD

Long GuardA 'Long Guard' is mounted when the Queen is in residence, at BuckinghamPalace, the Long Guard is made up of an Officer, a Corporal Major,who carriesthe Standard, two Non-Commissioned Officers, a Trumpeter and ten Troopers.

Short GuardA 'Short Guard' is mounted when the Queen is not in residence at BuckinghamPalace the Short Guard is made up of two Non-Commissioned Officers and tenTroopers.Should The Queen leave London while the Guard is mounted or, having beenaway, return to Buckingham Palace, the Guard is 'made up' or "made down" tosuit

Thoroughbred, no less than 16 hands high, preferablyall black but some white markings on the head andlegs are permissible. The Royal Army VeterinaryCorps are responsible for purchasing the horses andmost are bought between 3 and 4 years of age, oncevetted at the Army’s Veteri-nary Corps depot in Leicester-shire, they are forwarded to theMounted Regiment in Londonand their training commences.Overseen by the Riding Mas-ter, they select horses of goodweight, pleasant attitude, cleanlimbed, no blemishes andstraight movers. Of course theyneed to be well built enough tocarry a duty man wearing hisfull uniform and saddle. Upon arrival they are backedand then ridden, with the rider progressively buildingup the tack and additional military furniture, withincreasing dress and accessories until they reachmaximum weight in full ceremonial uniform. Of

course they must also be taught not to react to thenoise of crowds and traffic and learn to accept thesound of the Regimental bands. Once completed, thehorse “passes out” and joins the regiment, allocated aname for the year it passes out in. For example 2015’s

letter is P, the most recenthorse to pass out being Pimli-co, who was named due to theloss of Fulham, another Caval-ry horse who died last year. Allhorses passed out in 2015 willbear a name beginning with P,with the exception of the DrumHorses. The letters progressthrough the alphabet each year,before starting once again fromA once Z has been used. The

average retirement age for the horses is around 17 to18 years old, although a few make it into their 20’s,often the older horses are used in the Mounted Bands.Of course you get the occasional horse who takes a

Photo credits: Rose Lewis

Photo credits: Rose Lewis

During the early years of The Life Guards and RoyalHorse Guards (The Blues), private gentlemen suppliedtheir own mounts, so uniformity must have been almostimpossible. It is hard to know when exactly the iconicblack horses became the norm but they were used bythe 2nd Troop of the Life Guards in 1692 but thereseems to be little to no evidence that they were used byother troops of the Life Guards. It appears that by 1681black horses were the standard, however they usedsmaller horses than the height required by the regimenttoday. The majority of horses recorded around this timewere of 15-15.2 hands, considerably smaller than thoseused now. As for the greys, it is known that Trumpeterswere mounted on grey horses at the time of the Napo-leonic period - which was also the case for many othercavalry regiments. Right up until to the Second WorldWar, Officers were required to buy their own chargersand an order by the Prince Regent in 1813 commanded

Officers of the Bluesto ride Black Charg-ers, oddly this doesnot extend to eitherRegiment of the LifeGuards althoughthey too rode blackcharges from around1830.

dislike to the sound of the band and makes it veryquickly known!As we stood on the parade ground on a crispautumn day, we were greeted with the sight of theShort Guard turning out for inspection before rid-ing to Horse Guards for duty. In their splendid redwinter cloaks, the week before Remembrance Day,it was hard not to feel the emotion and pride ofstanding in the company of such iconic examplesof horsemen. Each sat stock still in the saddle, theirswords raised whilst being inspected, beingmarked down or commended depending on theirturn out. Behind them all stood a member of theLife Guards dressed for duty but with no horse,should any member turned out be found to beunacceptable, it is his job to ride in his place. Eachhorse and rider combination is marked on turnout,tack and general appearance before being allowedto leave the barracks.Next we visited their kit room, where the value ofitems exceeds estimation and no photography isallowed. Down a quiet corridor, behind glass doorslies the kit room, air conditioned and with not aspeck of dust in sight. Here lives the uniform of theBlue and Royals and Life Guards of the HouseholdCavalry Mounted Regiment. Our editor Natashawas privileged to try on a number of the items andnoted how heavy the trumpeters gold thread coatswere. “I have even more respect for the riders,managing to wear a multiple times quilted jacketunder a Cuirass in the heat of summer. I wore thejacket for 5 minutes in an air conditioned room and feltthe heat rising, let alone put a nickel cuirass over thetop, which was uncomfortable when I wore it withoutthe jacket” said Natasha. Also on display were thepriceless silver drums of each Regiment, only leaving

the barracks under police escort to Windsor and theGold and Silver sticks of the Colonels of the HouseholdCavalry. The Colonels of each Regiment are appointedby Her Majesty The Queen. The main duties of GoldStick are to protect The Sovereign — usually by attend-

Photo credits: Rose Lewis

The farriers in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment

are examples of the skill needed for their trade. Many

entered the regiment with no intention of becoming

farriers and spend 7 years training to the standard

required. When we visited they were hard at work,

ensuring every mount that passes through is correctly

fitted and balance for it’s job. Each horse is checked by a

farrier at least once a week, noted and tracked by the

huge board of all horses, blue for the Royals and Red for

the Life Guards, listing the horses due to be brought in.

They are re-shod every 2-3 weeks to keep the horses

sound and comfortable. On the wall of the farriery is a

huge selection of shoes, each with its own purpose as the

head farrier explained to us. Working between their own

expertise and the recommendation of the Regiment Vet,

they can maintain the overall health of the hoof - which as

everyone knows, if you have no hoof, you have no horse!

Each farrier is also inspected and accredited by the

National Farrier Asssociation so upon leaving the

regiment, if they wish, they are fully qualified to trade as a

farrier in their own right. Each horse is hot shod from the

4 open forges at the back of their workshop and all

removed shoes are recyled.

THE FARRIERS OF THEHOUSEHOLD CAVALRY

ing Her Majesty on Ceremonial Occasions. The presentColonel of The Life Guards is Field Marshal The LordGuthrie of Craigiebank and the present Colonel of TheBlues And Royals is The Princess Royal.A visit to the saddlery was, of course, a must, hanginghigh up on a rung is the legendary Sefton’s saddle.Sefton rose to prominence after the IRA bombing inHyde Park in 1982 which killed 7 other horses and 4soldiers. On 20 July 1982 at 10.40am Sefton was enroute to the traditional Changing of the Guard, with 15other horses from his regiment. A car-mounted nailbomb planted by the IRA detonated on South CarriageDrive in Hyde Park, hitting the formation of horses andriders from the Blues and Royals. Sefton's injuries wereserious: they included a severed jugular vein, woundedleft eye, and 34 wounds over his body. His rider TrooperMichael Pedersen noted that Sefton responded so com-petently that when the bomb exploded there was nochance of his being thrown. After dismounting, Peder-

sen, who was still in full state kit and in severe shock,could do little to help Sefton. He recovered sufficientlyto return to active service and was subsequently awarded"Horse of the Year".Everything in the saddlery is handmade, with one of theapprentice saddlers explaining their boots can take over40 hours of labour, polishing and perfecting the shine on

Photo credit: Rose Lewis

their patent boots. The over kneeboots come as pliable standard leath-er, then are stripped, rubbed andburned for the wax to absorb. This isrepeated multiple times, in the troop-er’s evenings, to perfect the rigidtexture and high shine needed fortheir kit. The boots are traditionallyhigh over the knee and pointed toprotect the joint from days in battleon horseback where your legs wouldmake an easy target!Walking around the barracks it iseasy to forget where you are, easy toforget each person is an active serv-ing soldier and that they are alsodeployed to front line conflicts.Whilst in the mounted division their horses are theirlife, living on site it is a constant job – should a horseshow signs of illness they are the first called to helpand observe. Day to day in the stables each horsemust be monitored and its well being maintained, thisincludes stalls being clean from droppings, hoovespicked up to 8 times a day and constant observationsfor any horse getting cast or stuck in its stall. A horsewalker is outside for horses not fit to be ridden, butreal exercise is preferred in their indoor school on the

other side of the parade ground or in Hyde Park itself.These men take huge pride in their tack, their kit andtheir horses. It is not just work and it is not just ahorse, it is a way of life for them, many of whom hadnever touched a horse before joining the regiment. Aswe stood and watched them head for the Changing ofthe Guard at Whitehall, in their red cloaks and blackchargers, it is easy to understand why they are sorespected as a regiment and as horsemen the wholeworld over.

Photo credits: Rose Lewis

The 2015 eventing season is over. High time for anice summer holiday in Cape Verde and a goodtime to look reflect back to an informative pre-Olympic year and planning for the next challenges.

Older and wiser

Unfortunately the last show in Italy was withoutsuccess. The terrain was not really worthy of threestars, so there was a lot of grumbling and there was anegative atmosphere between everyone. Eventuallythere were so many things wrong that were out of ourcontrol, that I was like, 'forget it'. Sometimes all youcan do is laugh, even in the face of disappointment.Depreciation, forget it and move on. Years ago, Icould not sleep because of such bad experiences andcloses to events, but I notice that I'm older and wiser.This had in fact nothing to do with what it really is allabout: the Games in Rio next year. The rest of theseason, however, has given me great confidence for2016. Concrex Keyflow did awfully well done andConcrex Bayro has shown that he can handle the

level. Moreover, we have the Dutch squad, despite allthe bad luck, proved to be no one-hit wonder. Thefourth place in the European Championship has onlystrengthened us. We have to do it together and Ibelieve we can do it together! "The Dutch team is nota flash in the pan", watch this space!

Evaluating and planning

Fortunately I have a great team around me, includingowners and sponsors, which aim to mirror and make

“I am sittingon the beach

with anotepad”

Tim Lips: Ticket to Rio

them proud. They give me input for evaluation and help me tothink about possible pitfalls. My vacation gives me the peace ofmind to contemplate it all again. I'm at the beach with a notepad,technical notes and schedules. In the short term, I train with thejumping and dressage coaches Wim Ernes and Rob Ehrens pick-ing. From around the end of January there will be a few regulardressage and jumping lessons on the agenda. So I go with ConcrexBayro to start a few times Z2 dressage. I really like to do it,especially if the horse is good.

Different than usual

When I continue to look ahead to the coming year, I know it willbe different. And so it should be, it’s an Olympic year. We must ofcourse also run the company, so there will be some hard choicesthat must be made. For example, I'm going to free up more time formy fitness program and a project with a sports psychologist. Inshort, not only train the horses but to also train myself. I must beon top form, just like my horses because the goal is in sight.Everything revolves around Rio. But first some relaxation and timeto chill.

“Everythingrevolves

around Rio”

Who do you admire in British Sport?It would probably be Sir Steve Redgrave… I’m notfond of rowing but you have to respect him as asportsman. He has displayed such longevity in hissport, what a physically demanding sport it is too. He’ssaid enough is enough so many times and then he’shung on in there, come back and succeeded again. Ijust admire the physically demanding aspect of hissport.

How did it feel to represent the UK for the first time?Oh, well I was 23… we’re going back 25 years! It wasat the world games and I was just in awe. I hadn’t beenimmersed in the equestrian world very long, I startedin the October at Dr B’s and then June I was at theWorld Championship’s. I didn’t know what to expect,who anyone was, and it was lovely! I enjoyed it somuch because there was no pressure, which was a totalcontrast to 2012!

What were you thinking on the podium at the2012 Olympics in London?

Oh wow, I was emotional. Thinking how thingshave changed, how thankful I was. I was so proudof Charlotte for helping to catapult Dressage intothe public eye. I also sneakily thought, yessss, I’vedone it, I have done what I set out to achieve and itwas such a relief!

What, in your opinion, is your greatest achieve-ment to date?

Hmm I guess it’s not a defining moment but it hasto be sustaining a career in dressage for 25 years.Of course, London has to be remembered too, aGold in Dressage!

LEGENDS OFBRITISH

SPORT: CARLHESTER

BRITISH EQUESTRIAN LEGENDS: CARL HESTER

Our editor Natasha spoke to Carl Hester on his goals for 2016,

the secret to surviving 25 years at the top of his discipline and his

New Years Resolution.

Photo credit: Ben Clarke

Who are you most grateful to?

That’s a long list… I would have to say Jannie andChristopher Taylor, the Fortune Centre for pickingme off Sark when I was 15 and didn’t know what Iwanted to do with my life. And not forgetting Dr Bfor giving me the opportunity to get on the ladder inour sport.

If you could ride any horse, other than your own,which would it be and why?

I have never thought about it! I have been luckyenough to ride so many great horses. Plus it

wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t ride and train themmyself as that’s what I really enjoy! Nip/Tuck is mycurrent ride and I love working with my own horsesso I am happy with the ones I have!What advice would you give anyone looking upto you, perhaps aiming for a career in any eques-trian discipline?

For starters, it’s not a question of never, not aquestion of money and not even a question of talent,its a combination of so many things. Nowadays youhave to be able to communicate, if you don’t havethe money, you need to attract and connect withowners. Contacts are so important, so is the right

attitude. Developing your own training skilldoesn’t happen in a year, look at me, it takestime. When opportunities become available,be available because they may not comeagain. Train your own, buy what you canafford and perfect your skills from there for-ward.

What do you do to relax?

I love weekend breaks, I also love to relax atshows – not international ones of course butjust general shows where I can catch up withfriends, have dinner and chill out. I’m a bigfoodie and wine lover so my friends and Ialways try to arrange dinners on Sundaynights and things like that!

What is your idea of the perfect Christmasgift?

I’d love a new suit! I have an expensive tasteand last suit from my favourite brand wasback in 2012 and I’ve changed shape sincethen so I think I need a new one!

Do you have a New Year’s Resolution?

I always say, every year, that it will be the lastyear I ride on the team. I’ve always said thatlife begins at 50 and that’s basically what Iplan to do. I want to get to Rio and end it ona high, then I can take a step back, take sometime out and live a little!

BRITISH EQUESTRIAN LEGENDS: CARL HESTER

Photo credit: Ben Clarke

Firstly, I would love to take the opportunity tointroduce EQ.PR Equestrian Marketing & PRwhich is the worlds only full service equestrianagency. We work with some of the best riders,businesses and equestrian products all over theworld and over the upcoming issues we will beexplaining how you can always ensure your mar-keting & PR are tip-top!

I wanted to start by addressing equestrian sponsor-ship as this is also the area in which we see riders seekthe most assistance, so I have put together some basicquestions and answers which should help add clarityto the issue, we will go into much greater detail infuture issues but just a little taster to get started.

What is sponsorship? Sponsorship comes in twomain formats but is basically the rider promoting thebusiness or individual in return for reward. The firsttype is financial sponsorship which is the pinnacle ofall deals as companies or individuals will pay forcertain horses covering all their main expenses orfinancially contributing to the keep of the horse oryard. The second type is product sponsorship whichis a little more common and requires the riders toopenly endorse and promote certain products whichthey have usually received for free.

Could I get sponsorship? Absolutely, businessesand individuals love to sponsor riders from all levelsand more recently we have seen a huge increase inbusinesses seeking amateur and grassroots riders andnot just the professionals competing at the top. As

long as you have a good social presence, website orblog and an engaged following it is possible to ap-proach a company to discuss the opportunity of spon-sorship.

What do I have to do in return for sponsorship?Whether it is financial or product sponsorship thebusiness will probably want you to use all of yoursocial media channels to promote their products usingtext, photos and video. They would also probably likeyou to regularly recommend the products to friends,family and your social audience as well as being anice vocal ambassador to the public too. They will

SPONSORSHIP 101:The What, Where and How to getting on the sponsorship ladder

Chris Baber-Davis of EQ-PR

also probably want to supply you with cloth-ing, jackets, saddle pads, hats or rugs bearingtheir logos to also promote their brand whenyou are out and about or at shows.

Do your research! If you are about to ap-proach someone seeking sponsorship it isimportant to ensure that you are in the bestpossible position to do them justice. Onlyapproach businesses or brands that you use asthere is nothing worse then a retailer checkingtheir customer base to find you haven’tbrought anything in the past! Research to seeif they sponsor anyone else, see if they areactive on social media and take a look aroundthe website so that you are clued up! Beprepared to be asked what you want so itsimportant to have a wish list of products.

Do I need a website or blog? It is well worthsetting up a basic website or blog as mostsponsors will want to see their brand featuringon any website or blogs complete with a basicwrite up and some contact details. Websitesand blogs are not expensive with many free orlow cost options that you can manage your-self. Simply having one is another benefit youcan offer any potential sponsor. You can havea website set up professionally for as little as£149 which you can then manage yourself atno cost.

I am thinking of approaching a companywhat do I need to do? Plan, plan, plan! Icannot state enough how crucial a wellplanned approach is and how fundamental itis to be organised. Remember that companieswill on average get at least 20 sponsorshiprequests a week so it is important to stand outfrom the crowd. BE ORIGINAL in your ap-proach as 99% of sponsorship requests are

just standard emails which often go ignored.Think outside the box and just think if I wasthis business what would make we want toread on? Take the time to send a letter includ-ing photos of you using their products or sendthem a video. Get some professional help toput together a sponsorship pack as we oftenprepare packs for riders and it simple intro-duces you and explains what you can offerthem, because you have taken the time to dosomething different it will get you noticed.There are many websites too that show youwho runs the business (the director) so youcan send your enquiry directly to the decisionmaker for a more personal approach.

Should I follow up a sponsorship request?Plan to follow up all sponsorship requests aweek or so after receipt. Businesses are busyso I would plan to call and introduce yourselfwhich will act as a reminder and give you anindication as to how likely a sponsorship dealmight be.

Promise what you deliver! Keep up yourend of the bargain and deliver all you hadpromised; this will not only keep sponsorshappy but will also result in getting moreproducts or support from your sponsor. Hav-ing happy sponsors also help attract others asif a second sponsor can see that you are ac-tively promoting an existing sponsors theywill see what sort of exposure you can offerthem too!

Stay tuned next month for more marketing &PR tips and if you have a question you wouldlike us to answer just use #AskEQPR onFacebook or Twitter, visit www.eq-pr.co.ukor email us at hello@eq-pr.co.uk

SPONSORSHIP 101 with EQ-PR

LEGENDS OFBRITISHSPORT:

MARY KING

BRITISH EQUESTRIAN LEGENDS: MARY KING

Our editor Natasha caught up with the legend that is Mary King and talked about

everything from her defining career moments, competit ion in the King household and

what’s on her Christmas l ist this year!

How did it feel to represent the UK for the firsttime?Oh hugely proud! I was really in awe of the otherriders, they were my idols. It was 1991 at the Europe-ans in Punchestown, Ireland. I was there alongside thelikes of Ian Stark and Lucinda Green (or LucindaPrior-Palmer as she was known then!)

Is it a feeling you get used to?No, you simply don’t get used to it. I think it’s be-cause it’s so difficult to have a horse at that level whois sound, capable and talented enough to be there thateach time is a big deal. The 2012 Olympics was my6th Olympics and I just feel so lucky to have achievedthat! Of course the hard work that went into each onewas immense but very much worth it.

What is the best advice anyonehas ever given you and whowas it?The best advice I’ve received hasto be from my mother, she said‘Smile, whatever… whether youwin or lose’

What advice would you giveyour younger self if you could?Oh definitely ‘follow yourdreams’. Do what makes youhappy!

Mary King with Loxley - FEI Young Rider European Eventing Championships 2015 Credit: Ben Clarke

What do you feel is your greatest achievement todate and what do you feel is the best career mo-ment to date?I don’t know what to choose… probably competingat 6 Olympic Games but my best career moment hasto be my first win at Badminton in 1992. I wasrelatively unknown then and it really kick-startedeverything!

What do you enjoy most about eventing?I really enjoy the variety, the mix of three differentphases, It keeps it fresh and engaging. I also love theexcitement of the cross country and of course thepeople are lovely too!

What do you find the most challenging abouteventing?Ooh now that depends on the phase, on the horse. Itis also challenging to ride out the ups and downs andstay positive, which can be tough after a bad fallwhen you are injured or something!

Who do you admire in British sport?Oh my let me think… well Jessica Ennis-Hill, she isso diverse and to have returned to her sport afterhaving a child and still be fantastic in her field. AlsoI’d have to mention AP McCoy, just a tremendousjockey and sportsman! So I guess I admire at leasttwo people in British Sport!

What would your perfect Christmas present be?What is on your wish list?I like practical gifts, for example a few years ago I

asked for a chainsaw… Inow have one so don’tneed one of those! Per-haps a topper for myfields, that would benice.

Do you have a NewYear Resolution for2016?Now you’ve put me onthe spot! Hmm… to con-tinue to ride and to bebetter than my daughterEmily. She’s getting justa little better than menow so it’s time to becompetitive!

Find the latest news, competitions, past issues and all about ourregualr columnists over at

www.inthestirrups.com

BRITISH EQUESTRIAN LEGENDS: MARY KING

Mary watching Emily - Credit: Rose Lewis/Daydream Equine Photography

ALAMANDA THERAPY ANIMALS

AROUND WITH APPLAUSE

Applause is an American Miniature Horse and part of Alamanda Therapy Animals. At just28” tall, Applause is their main star as well as being, quite possibly, the only therapy‘Unicorn’ in the world. His work involves going into Care Homes, Hospices and SpecialNeeds schools. Alamandas Therapy horses are trained to go indoors, into lifts and are alsotrained to walk alongside a wheelchair. He has met many celebrities including Sir PatrickStuart, Phillip Scholfield, Amanda Holden and more. To find out more about Alamandacheck out their Facebook page and their website www.alamanda.co.uk

Hello, it’s Applause again.

I have been busy getting VERY muddy this lastmonth and I have grown such a long coat that Mumhas had to bath me, yuck! I am still not very busy asour stolen trailer has not yet been replaced but theTherapy team are busy trying to raise more funds toget one.

Talking of which, something bad also happened lastweek that made me feel very mad. When it went darksome nasty men broke into Mum's house (which isthe place I go into to try and raid the kitchen in thesummer when they leave the patio door open). I wasso mad that I ran up and down the field fence to tryand tell them off but since my endless escapesthrough the fence over the last few weeks, Mum andthe Team made it impossible for me to get through orI would have had a real go at them. All of that madeMum really sad so I have been working extra hardthis week to cheer her up by being a super good boy.Mum came out to chat to me to remind me all thegood things I have done recently to cheer other peo-ple up which, in turn made her smile. This is whatshe thought of:

I got to meet lots of children, some of whom werevery sick, one day I went to meet a little boy in ahospice who was dressed as a Knight in armour, hewas in a very big chair, but I knew it was my turn towalk very steadily and slowly next to him round thelarge hospice lounge. Lots of his friends and familythen took pictures and videos of us and I got to feelvery special as did the little boy apparently. Afterthat I got given my favourite treat of a large cup of tea

and slobbered it over the floor which actually madeeveryone laugh. I also went to another hospice tomeet children in the late summer, and I was dressed aunicorn and Prince and was dressed as a specialPegasus which some amazing real wings in gold andred. I was actually worried that he might have lookedbetter than me! It did rain very heavily that day so wehad to go home early but we still had fun.

Last summer I also got to meet a little girl who wasso sick that her Dad had to carry her downstairs forme to meet her. That was a very special day as I gotto play with her and her sister in their garden. Hersister joined in all the fun and had been given a dayoff of school just for my visit. One thing I willalways remember was that the really poorly little girltook a picture of her sister with me and Mum said thatwas a very special picture indeed as her sister wouldhave that memory of her. I didn't know what thatmeant but the family all had a wonderful day ofmemories.

There are lots more stories I can share with you, butright now, I have to go eat my hair and pony nuts, sountil next month, be good or apparently FatherChristmas won’t visit you!

Love and Sparkles!

Applause xxx

AROUND WITH APPLAUSE

www.inthestirrups.com

Why do Horses Respond so Well toReiki?

It’s an accepted fact that horseshave a sixth sense and how manytimes have you heard even nonehorsey friends say “they know ifyou’re nervous of them”. Perhapsthis is part of the reason why horsesrespond so well to the calming andhealing effects of reiki.

Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is atraditional form of natural healingenergy, originating from Japan andfounded by Mikao Usui. Reiki is nowbeing classed as a complementary therapy sincecoming to the West in the 1970’s and works wellalongside veterinary medicine. Given that all lifeforms are made of energy and we are surroundedby energy it makes perfect sense that we treat thisas well as physical symptoms.

Equine Reiki is non-invasive, uses no pressure ormanipulation and is safe for all horses. A sessionwill last between 30-60 minutes, dependant onhow much reiki the horse decides it requires.When they have had sufficient they usually moveaway from the practitioner. During the treatmentthe practitioner either works with their hands on orhovering just above the areas, depending on whatthe horse is more comfortable with. Reiki can bedeeply beneficial for mental and physical relaxa-tion, clearing past traumatic events; helps calmstressed or anxious horses and helps boost theimmune system to aid healing and pain relief. Withthis in mind reiki can be especially helpful forhorses settling into a new yard, changing owners,stable vices as well as past mistreatments, neglector bad experiences. For competition nerves thereis a great benefit to having a double session forhorse and rider and lastly when your beloved

horse is dying reiki can help bring peace andcomfort to both you and your horse.

Affects are felt differently from horse to horse andfrom session to session but during a treatment youwill see the calming effects on your horse in thesoftening of the eye, often completely closing, lotsof licking, chewing, yawning, stomach rumblingand dropping of the lower jaw. A one off sessioncan be wonderfully beneficial in helping your horsebut usually it is recommended to have between4-6 sessions to get to the root of an issue.

Reiki Practitioners, however, are not trained todiagnose problems they may have an inclinationas to where the problem lays though legally theyare not allowed to diagnose or prescribe treat-ments. Owners must always seek Veterinary ad-vice if they require a diagnosis as well as gainingtheir permission before commencing reiki ses-sions.

For further information please contact Sarah Hale– Equine Reiki Practitioner

www.equinereiki.co.ukLike us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/wantageequinereiki

Qualified Reiki Practicioner Sarah Hale breaks down the uses and benefits ofnatural therapy and what to expect during a treatment.

EQUINE REIKI EXPLAINED

CONFIDENT HORSEMANSHIPWITH ANNE GAGE

Simple exercises at the walk and trot can improve

your posture and position in the saddle. When you

find that sweet spot where you can balance in a

half-seat without gripping or tension, you feel

balanced, supple and secure. This not only improves

your confidence, but also allows your horse to

soften as she also feels more balanced.

Your horse mirrors you. If you want your horse to be

supple and without resistance, then you must ride with

suppleness and softness. But, if your base of support –

your seat and leg – are not in the right place, you will be

off balance, your leg will not be stable, and you will have

tension in your body. As a result, your brain automatically

and unconsciously triggers the alert and alarm

responses in your body which affects your confidence.

In my coaching and at clinics, I often meet people whose

major complaint about their horses is that they either

won’t go forward or they are too forward. If the problem

is not being caused by poorly fitting tack or a physical

issue with the horse then it's most often caused by the

rider’s imbalance and/or tension in the saddle.

Once the riders correct their position and find that magic

‘sweet spot’, they are pleasantly surprised at the change

in their horses. High headed, braced, short stepping

horses are able to relax their necks and backs resulting

in a more comfortable ride.

The riders find

they aren't

working as hard

and are able to

get better

response and

performance

from their horses

with less effort.

The reason is simple – when you are unbalanced you will

grip with your leg muscles, brace in your shoulders and

arms and have little movement in your joints. This

stiffness prevents your from moving with your horse and

makes it difficult – even uncomfortable – for your horse

to carry you and be relaxed.

Your joints – ankles, knees, hips, elbows and shoulders

– need to operate as shock absorbers. The absorb the

horse’s movement and allow you to move with it. It’s like

jumping on a trampoline or a diving board. The softer

your joints, the more bounce you get.

So what is the simple exercise that helps you find that

sweet spot in the saddle and improve your riding

position? It's called the half seat.

Being lunged by an

experienced person on a quiet

horse while you do this

exercise is very beneficial and

provides more safety. Try it

while your horse is standing

still first or at a quiet walk.

Lift just your seat bones off

your saddle and push them

backwards. As you do this, your hip angle will close and

your torso will move slightly closer to your horse’s neck.

Breathe and drop your shoulders away from your ears.

Watch you don’t stiffen your arms. Let your elbows be

soft and act as shock absorbers, too. As your horse

moves at the walk, focus on feeling a springy movement

with each step as your joints move with and absorb your

horse's motion. Once you feel balanced, try lifting your

hands off your horse’s neck (you can do one at a time

if  you like) and see if you can maintain this posture.

Remember to breathe and release tension from your

body.

Don’t try to lift yourself all the way out of your saddle.

There should be no daylight visible

between you and the saddle. Your

inner thighs close in the front a bit.

Your calf gently hugs your horse’s

barrel. Soften your ankles, knees

and hips as you sink down at the

same time you’re pushing your seat

bones up and back. You may need

to rest your knuckles on your

horse’s shoulders until you find your

balance. Keep your fingers closed and your wrists

straight to avoid injuring your hands or pulling on your

horse’s mouth if you lose your balance.

When you feel balanced in the half seat at the walk, try

the same exercise at the trot.

Anne

CONFIDENT HORSEMANSHIP WITH ANNE GAGE

Christmasgift guide!

Featuring a central front zip, over-strap

with popper for a smart and practical

detail and Good Year welted leather

sole, these boots are styled in a beauti-

ful quality Spanish leather for stunning

good looks and performance! RRP:

£280.00. Available in 4 colours and

unisex sizing. Sizes: UK 2.5 – 12

www.thespanishbootcompany.co.uk

CHRISTMAS: GIFTGUIDE

This Premium Pikeur Nova Naila Ladies Down Waistcoat isbrand new to retailer Dressage Deluxe for Autumn 2015.Featuring a generous stand up collar lined with a luxurioussoft fleece, this gilet in Dark Cooper features a flatteringvertical side quilting, which also ‘scoops’ in the waist anddraws the eye down. A satin band on the edge of collar,quilted lining and decorative zips in Copper complete thishigh fashion inspired garment.Available in Dark Copper & Dark NavySizes: 36 - 44RRP: £139.00www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk

SPORTS LUXE WITH PIKEUR

The Shadowmatt helmet, as with the whole Sam-shield range, is inspired by premium motorcyclehelmet technology and made from high perform-ance materials to offer the best protection andcomfort to the horse rider. The Shadowmatt iscustomizable, with three shell colours to choosefrom - Black, Navy Blue and an optional choice ofCrystal Fabric Swarovski® or shimmer leather forthe helmet top. With 28 options available fortrim colour and customizable extras such as flags,rhinestones or sponsor’s logo, the SamshieldShadowmatt helmet offers fantastic individualstyle combined with optimum safety.

For stockists contact 01704 823539 or visitwww.fearnsfarmpartnership.co.uk

SPARKLE WITH SAMSHIELD

Styled in a gorgeous soft Scottish tweed, this wrap has been cutto drape effortlessly over the shoulders and cascade down overthe body with its longer length, making it ideal for fuller busts andthose keen to compliment their curves. Lined with a vintageinspired pretty floral print, it also features a parade of six func-tional Timothy Foxx buttons which can be undone to create aslash or cowl neck and add a gorgeous design detail across theshoulder. Designed to be worn in three different ways, as shownon the photo with the buttons laid across the shoulder or with thebuttons at the back (which creates more of a cape shape) or wornwith the buttons at the front to transform it into a designer scarfaround the neck.

Versatile and on trend, this wrap injects new life and winterwarmth into your new seasonal wardrobe. RRP: £180.00

Colours: Chocolate, Belle, Foxglove and Duchess.www.timothyfoxx.co.uk

Winter all wrapped up

CHRISTMAS: GIFTGUIDE

Tuffa Showtime BootsShowtime Boots are available in black

and brown in sizes 4-9, in standard and

wide calf widths. Bespoke fitting availave

for an extra £60, standard RRP of

£199.99 For more information see

www.tuffaboots.com or call 01953

880914

Thermolite Socks are made using 59% Thermo-

lite yarn for superior warmth and comfort. They

have padded feet, arch supports, flat toe seams

and are ribbed up the length of the sock to

maintain position. As an additional benefit, they

even retain their thermal properties when wet.

Available in 4 colours in sizes 4-8 and 8-12. RRP

£9.50 per pair. www.hottogs.co.uk

These hand cast solid sterling silver ear-

rings have been plated in 18ct gold that is

hardwearing and won’t rub off, to provide

the perfect pair of earrings for any eques-

trian who loves gold. Also available in

sterling silver. RRP £60. For more infor-

mation, see www.hihosilver.co.uk

Hot toes with Hot TogsHiHo Gold Horseshoes

Have style and warmth this winterwith Ariat

Ariat Lowell ¼ Zip top is the perfect practicalpresent! This versatile top features a mock collarand thumbholes for added warmth less chills dur-ing the winter months. Ariat’s Moisture MovementTechnology draws moisture away from the skin tokeep skin dry and com-fortable. Available insizes XS – XXL in white,quiet shade, mulberystripe, black, multi, cof-fee bean, brick print,navy colourblock. RRP:£44.99

If you are looking forsomething super cosy,stylish and practicalthen look no furtherthan the Ariat MuseDown Coat. The three quarter length style offersgreat protection against the elements with its wa-ter and wind resistant outer, meanwhile the supersnug channel quilted down insulation is not onlyflattering but most importantly traps warmth in toprevent the cold fromtaking its toll. Fea-tures include a fash-ionable flannel trim,inner storm cuff, zip-pered hand pocketsand a 2-way zippermaking it comforta-ble and easy to wear,whether you are hit-ting the high street orembracing the coun-tryside.

The Muse Down Coat is available in the versatileLava Beach colour way, in sizes XS – XL and retailsat £219.99.

Ariat’s Acclaim Down Jacket takes a traditional ap-proach to apparel and incorporates it with modernfeatures. Using supercosy premium down in-sulation and flatteringchannel quilting, thisjacket is wind and wa-ter resistant and incor-porates the unique V3design to ensure totalfreedom of movementand flexibility – so nomatter what outdoorpursuit you are engag-ing in, you can staywarm and comfortable. Features include an innerstorm cuff, novelty print lining and a 2-way zipper.Available in sizes XS – XL, the jacket comes in a richGanache shade and retails at £159.99. For moreinformation about Ariat’s extensive range of appar-

For the rider who haseverything, choose theclassic designed Rolexlong riding boot fromThe DeNiro Boot Com-pany. Expertly hand-craft-ed in Italy with the greatestattention to detail, using thefinest leather, the DeNirorange of boots combinesstyle and flair with innova-tion and technology for opti-mum performance, comfortand durability.Available in UK sizes 3 –11

For stockists please visitwww.fearnsfarmpartnership.co.uk

The Equetech Sherrington LongQuilted Jacket is a beautiful techni-cal ‘Bio-Down’ insulated jacket,which offers exceptional warmthwithout compromising on style. Agorgeous exclusive 'Snaffle' design-er print lining and Equetech shieldbadge complete this jacket whichwill take you from yard or townwith ease, whatever the weather! XS- XXL RRP: £145.95 Colours:Navy/Tan, Black/Black www.equetech.com

This book makes a great Christmas present for any rider, whether they event or not. Perhaps you arelooking at buying a new event horse? Or wondering how best to prepare for the three phases? You maybe seeking tips for the ultimate in stable management, or just want to keep your horse happy, healthyand sound. You can find out how and more in this book, written by top event rider, Mary King.

Mary has been a linchpin of British Eventing for more than 20 years and she has become a firm favouritein the public eye. Her multi medal-winning career, six consecutive Olympics, plus four CCI****victories and the title of British Open Champion on four occasions is the result of a polished manage-ment and training system that has enabled Mary to eclipse her peers over and over again. For the firsttime, Mary opens her doors to exclusively reveal the training and management formulas she uses on adaily basis and how they apply to every aspiring rider — from the working rider enjoying the grassrootslevels through to those dreaming of representing their country. A well-run yard equals a happy team andthat leads to successful horses. In ‘Mary King — My Way’ discover what that recipe is and how Mary’sways can set every rider on the road to success. Mary will even include a brief personal message if youfill in the notes box on the order page. RRP: £25 (+ £4.95 UK p&p)

AVAILABLE TO ORDER ONLINE FROMWWW.ACANTHUSPRESS.LTD.UK/SHOP

CHRISTMAS: GIFTGUIDE

This Bentley Slip-Not deluxe grooming bagis ideal for storing and carrying groomingtools and accessories for your horse. It has along handle allowing you to carry it on yourshoulder, as well as a short handle. It hasmany outer pockets, for quick access toessential items. The bag has a drawstringinside and a flap over cover to ensure extrasecurity.

Treat the pampered pooch in your life thisChristmas with a luxurious Rolled LeatherDog Collar from Kate Negus Saddlery.The durable collar is made using bridle qual-ity English leather and comes complete withbrass lead loop and buckle…made to KateNegus Saddlery’s exacting standards.

Created for the discerning pooch in your life,the handmade garments are styled in a stun-ning Cherry and Marl Grey Harris tweed andare the perfect addition to your doggies win-ter wardrobe! The Pink Whiskers Bandannafeatures a safety Velcro fastening, whichalso allows you to adjust for the perfect fitand sizes range from 12'' neck to 18'' neck.The ideal look for park life.

RRP: £9.99 fromwww.buyirect4u.co.uk

RRP £37.50 fromwww.katenegus.com

RRP: £10.00 fromwww.pinkwhiskers.co.uk

Real EquestrianChic with ChildéricFrench saddlery brandChildéric Saddles arerenown for their beauti-ful bespoke saddles andaccessories and nowyou can appreciate theirexquisite craftsmanshipand quality leather in ahigh fashion handbag!

The ‘Childéric Spring40 Handbag’ takes de-signer detailing to a

whole new level with anoff the peg design withbespoke options. Styledin buttery soft grain orsmooth calfskin leather,with a whole collectionof handbags and lug-gage available, you canalso adapt with their be-spoke service to suityour taste, style and col-our.

Prices start from£567.00, with thebespoke servicestarting at £availa-ble in over 25 Col-our Ways

www.childericsaddles.co.uk

Mud and Leather Boots?Problem Solved!

If your leather boots need ‘winter proofing’, this clev-er little tube will spoil your boots with a beeswaxwaterproofing & conditioning treatment all at the sametime!Sno-Seal Leather Waterproofing from The SpanishBoot Company helps protect leather from rain, sun,slow and salt and once applied, it dries to a solid coatof wax, which gives a protective second skin to yourboots. Simply gently warm up your leather boots inyour oven (On a very low heat) baste them with Sno-Seal and let all that lovely waxy goodness soak in!

Sno-seal beeswax not only waterproofs your leather,but also lubricatesleather and protects theleather. As a naturalwax, it also doesn’tweaken, decay orbreakdown the leather,stitching or seams.RRP: £ 8.95www.thespanishbootc

ompany.co.uk

If you are battling to keep your horse’s legs dry, cleanand mud free both in the field and out hacking, thenaward winning Golly Galoshes could be the solutionto expensive and messy potions and lotions!Golly Galoshes are clever equine gaiters, which areboth breathable and waterproof and designed to beworn over your horse’s boots and bandages to helpprevent your horse’s protective legwear (and legs)getting soggy and muddy. After use, simply remove(revealing clean, dry boots!), rinse off mud and/orhang to dry, ready for use again and because they areincredibly lightweight, they have minimal dryingtime, so unlike your horse’s legs or boots won’t staysoaking wet for hours!

Available in a variety of colours from smart Navy andBlack for schooling and training through to fluores-cent and reflective versions for safety out hacking,Golly Galoshes can also be used over medical dress-ings both in the stable and during field convalescence.Prices start from £25.99 per pair Miniature Ponythrough to £34.99 for horse sizing.www.gollygaloshes.com

CHRISTMAS: GIFTGUIDE

No more gettingstuck in the mud!

Banish thewinter blues

with BombersBits

‘Bombers Bits’ offer a lifetime guarantee acrosstheir bit collection and work along the philosophythat a horse is an animal of flight, so it will neveryield to pressure or pain and will either move awayfrom it or run away. Their bit collection is handcrafted with this ethos in mind and with the focus onpromoting a positive response and acceptance fromthe horse. Their signature ‘Blue’ blaze of colouracross each bit is the result of the change in colourafter treating the sweet iron and ensures that theircollection is instantly recognisable.As the largest UK retailer for the ‘Dressage BitCollection’, Dressage Deluxe will be carrying theSouth African bit manufacturers and designer’s keydressage styles include the Bombers Loose RingElliptical Comfy Snaffle (Shown) £62.00.www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk

In addition to the super sparkly SR Diamante range(designed with Kate Negus’s sponsored rider SamRahmatalla), there are also three other diamantebrowbands: Full Curved Diamante, Dipped Diaman-te and Diamante. All are made using quality Englishleather and have a Kate Negus Union Jack bridlestud. The DippedDiamante has acurve in the centreand features a sin-gle row of diamantecrystals on thecurve, while theFull Curved haswhite crystals run-ning along the fulllength for extrashine. The brow-bands start at £60upwards. To see therange:www.katenegus.com

Sparkle and Style

EUROSTAR SPIRIT FULLSEAT SILICONE BREECHES

TRIED AND TESTED

The Euro-star Spirit breeches are made of the mostfabulous technical fabric from Schoeller, which is de-signed to be hard wearing yet breathable and stretchythus offering a high level of comfort. They are the latestbreeches to follow the trend for a full grip seat seatwhich offers stability in the saddle and also feature astretch panel below the waistband at the back for in-creased comfort and optimum fit, two rear zipped pock-ets, two front pockets with one small zipped pocket atthe front and stretch inserts at the ankle for a close fitwhen wearing your riding boots. Available in Navy,Black and Truffle. RRP £195.00

Abbie Goring, showjumper and freelancegroom put the breeches to the test and let usknow how she found them:

I loved the breeches, the cut of them was lovelyand I particularly loved the sticky bum. I felt Ihad really close contact with the saddle and itmade me feel safe and secure. The materialwas lovely and warm for long days in the sad-dle, which in my job is a god send.

The only down side of the breeches was thedepth of the pockets. They weren't deepenough to hold my mobile phone securely andit kept falling out, other than that I can't faultthem. They are absolutely lovely and I wouldrecommend them to anyone.

Currently onSALE over at

www.dressagedeluxe.co.ukfor just £135!

The way you approach your riding is fundamen-

tal to the realisation of your dreams. Not only it’s

realisation but also whether or not you enjoy the

process. Dressage is a thinking sport, riding is

about strategy.  What is

the most valuable aid

when riding? The an-

swer is not your legs

and it is not your con-

tact and it is not your

seat. It is your brain

and how quickly you

are able to process the huge amount of informa-

tion you need to ride and perform Dressage and

indeed work your body at the same time.  You

have to be quick and sharp.  In a dressage test

there are a succession of movements, one after

the other, all requiring different thought process-

es, aids, body movements in which the aim is to

do as little as possible.

In the Crystal System book I

talk about building a road

map to your ultimate goal

and how this is possibly the

most influential tool you have

for helping get focus and

crystallize your thinking. By

knowing precisely what you

want to achieve, you know where you have to

concentrate all those considerable efforts you

are putting in and quickly spot any distractions

that can, and so easily do, lead you astray.

THE DRESSAGE TIPSTER

Patricia Pitt is In the Stirrups dressage training advisor. Known as The Dressage Tipster andjoint owner of www.likecrystal.com with her partner Mark, Patricia provides direct and usableadvice to improve your ridiing each month…

Clarity is not something that will arrive in good

time if you wait long enough. Unfortunately it is

not something bestowed from above. As with

everything worth having it takes a little work.

Clarity is a decision. Many of us create the

opposite of clarity for ourselves. Either you feel

clear and focused right now, or you don’t. Clarity

is more than just a feeling, it’s an emotion, a

vibe, and it is a powerful state of being to expe-

rience. Don’t wait for clarity to come to you.

You’re responsible for creating your own clarity

from within. To be a ‘mindful rider’ you need to

be alert and focused, constantly evaluate and

re-evaluate the merits of what you do.  A non-

thinking rider is mindless, mechanical, sense-

less; (as I was!) proof can be found in the rider

that stubbornly sticks to one solution, even if it

does not appear to be working (as I did!). You

need to take steps to increase your awareness;

think about why the exercises and skills you

need are important; learn why you need to do

THE DRESSAGE TIPSTER:

what it is you are doing; take responsibility for

yourself; keep track of your goals; try to be open

to different and creative problem solving; be in

charge of your own riding destiny. Sometimes

you have to get moving first before clarity can be

achieved. You may enjoy more clarity about

where you are going, once you are underway.

So maybe take a tip or two of mine from my blog

at www.likecrystal.com into the arena, have a

go, see where it takes you, it may help you begin

to think about the bigger picture.

It takes time to develop confidence in your own

decision making and problem solving ability for

your dressage training, just as it takes time to

exercise the muscles of the body so it takes time

to exercise the brain. Don’t be too harsh on

yourself if you haven’t developed these skills yet,

it will come.  You will get quicker. The catch 22

comes when you begin to develop your ability to

think quicker, only to find that your horse is still

one step ahead. That happens as your training

progresses they will always keep pushing your

boundaries, enjoy the ride, it’s very rewarding.

The Crystal System book is a highly motivation-

al, at times humorous, method of self-analysis

that will add structure to your dressage training.

Written in an easy and understandable style, you

will have many ‘Eureka Moments!” as you dis-

cover that your humungous efforts have been

hindering you and there’s a simpler way to reach

your dressage dream.

Patricia – The Dressage Tipster

www.likecrystal.com

The Dressage Tipster

Find In the Stirrups on Facebook!

Click Here!

Cheltenham Countryside Day, in aid of Equestri-an Team GBR and the Countryside AllianceFoundation, saw British athletes out in force tofundraise for the dressage, eventing, showjump-ing and para-dressage squads as they prepare fornext year’s Games.

The first day of The Open (Friday 13 November)started off with a unique dressage demonstrationfrom World, Olympic and European championCharlotte Dujardin and 20-time Champion jockeyAP McCoy, who took to the Parade Ring in frontof a packed out crowd.

The dressage world number one talked to thegathered spectators throughout the demonstrationaboard Pro-Set, owned by Sharon Baldwin; “I’mso, so proud of AP,” Charlotte commented after-wards, “he did an incredible job, he’s spent hislife out of the saddle, it’s a completely differentway of riding. Two days ago he couldn’t turn andhe did so fantastically today, mastering somepiaffe and passage; we both really had fun.”

AP said after his ride on Barolo, owned by AnneCohn and Carl Hester, who won the Grand PrixFreestyle British Dressage National Champion-ship with Charlotte earlier this year; “It’s a differ-

ent way of riding to everything I was taught –everything you do as a jockey you wouldn’t do asa dressage rider. It was a good experience and I’mvery lucky to have someone like Charlotte toshow me what to do.”

Elsewhere Tina Cook, Izzy Taylor and 2015 Eu-ropean team silver medallist Kitty King, joinedthe Cotswold Hunt by kind permission of theirJoint Masters, as representatives from 23 regis-tered packs across Britain took part in the HoundParade out on the course after the second race ofthe day. Performance Director Dan Hughes com-mented on the day’s activity; “I’d like to take thisopportunity to thank everyone for their marvel-lous support today, for what’s been a fantasticday at Cheltenham, with the opening of their newgrandstand. We’re hugely grateful for all thesupport we receive as we prepare our teams tocompete at next year’s Games in Rio. WhilstNational Lottery and UK Sport funding is thebackbone behind what we do, the fundraisingtoday will go a long way to support the logisticalcosts of taking our Olympic and Paralympicteams to Brazil next year; thank you all for yoursupport.”

PAIN ANDBEHAVIOUR

Dental abnormalities can greatly affect horse’s behaviour, both on the ground and ridden.Some of you will have seen the recent article on Facebook about the horse that waseuthanized for extreme aggression. The autopsy showed a hyper-erupted tooth that wascausing pain due to the opposing tooth missing. Had the horse had routine dental checksthis problem and subsequently the horse’s death could have been avoided.

In this article I will be talking about how teethcan cause pain in the ridden horse and thebehavioural problems this can then lead to.

Alongside my love of dentistry I have dedicatedmy life to studying horse behaviour and I haverun natural horsemanship yards for the last 20years. Even my wife has a degree in EquinePsychology! Every horse that came into our yardfor training required a back, saddle and teethcheck, and it was through these regular checksthat my interest in equine dentistry arose.

Behavioural problems that can arise from poordental care fall into two categories, in hand andridden. Aggression, head shy and avoidancefrom the pressure on the head collar (which canlead to leading and loading issues) all affect thehorse when being handled on the ground.

Problems concerning the ridden or driven horseinclude avoidance from the bit, difficulty flexing,continuingly playing with the bit and headthrowing. These can lead more commonly torearing or napping behaviour’s, but in extremecases can also lead to bucking and bolting.

So how do these behavioural problems arise?Where teeth are concerned the answer is simple– pain or discomfort. The most common issuescausing this pain are sharp enamel points on theupper cheek teeth which cause ulcerations andlacerations on the inside of the cheek; and sharplingual points on the lower teeth can have thesame effect on the tongue. Reduction of thesesharp points will significantly improve howcomfortable they are.

When thinking about ridden horses the bit andthe noseband havesignificant effects on thehorse’s mouth and teeth.The bit is placed in a verysensitive place; it lies overthe tongue and just in frontof the first molars. When ahorse experiences pain inthe mouth this has a badeffect on concentrationduring work – imagineworking while you havetoothache. If a bit is toowide it can move about,moving the contact to thebars instead of the tongue.When a bit is too narrowRef: Juan Pimienta of Escuela Mexicana de Odontologia Equina

there will be continuous pressure on the cornersof the mouth which will cause pressure on theoutside edge of the molars. If a curb bit with aport is too big it can bang against the molars. Athicker bit is often seen as less severe, but if it istoo thick it will not lie comfortably in the mouthand the horse may have to keep its mouth open.

A wrongly fitted noseband can also have aneffect on the teeth. With a high noseband thecheeks are pressed against the outer edge of thetables of the upper molars. If a horse didn’t havepreventative dental care, enamel points arepressed into the cheeks, again causing thelacerations we have talked about before. Morepain can be caused by the rider tightening thenoseband – next time your horse is evading thebit try loosening it, if your horse then goes betteryou will know it needs a dental check!

Wolf teeth are usually small teeth of about 1-2cmlong that are situated just in front of the uppermolars. They appear between 8months and 1½years and in today’s horses are completely

redundant. Wolf teeth cause no problems inhorses that aren’t ridden, it is only when a bit isput in that there is a possibility of problems. Thestability of these small teeth can be put underpressure and sometimes even break off. Thetapping of the bit against the wolf teeth will beuncomfortable for the horse. Sometimes the wolf

Lacerations caused by sharp enamel points

teeth are sharp and the inside of the cheeks mayget hurt with pressure from the bit or noseband.Wolf teeth are often removed as a preventativemeasure to prevent such problems.

Lastly I would like to talk about how important itis that your dentist understands thesebehavioural problems and how much pain thehorse could be in. Are they an experiencedhorseman/woman? Do they handle the horse

sympathetically? Do they understandwhen to use pressure and release? Arethey able to put aside their ownproblems, keep their adrenaline downand stay relaxed? With experiencedhandling alongside a high level ofdentistry knowledge and capability youshould have a happy mouth, a happyhorse and a happy owner!!

Wolf Teeth

An innovative new concept has been launched whichaims to change lives through riding.Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), in part-nership with Hoof, the British Equestrian Federa-tion’s (BEF) participation initiative has launchedAccessibility Mark to help riding establishments de-liver a high quality experience for clients with disabil-ities.Following an initial pilot project, 22 centres fromaround the country have already gained the Accessi-bility Mark stamp of approval and now the scheme isbeing opened up so that many more centres can takepart.Accessibility Mark accreditation allows centres toaccess ongoing training and advice from RDA to helpencourage more people with disabilities to take partin riding activities.If you know or are involved with a riding centre, hereare a few great reasons for it to become involved withAccessibility Mark and gain accreditation:

Reasons for a Riding Centre to gain AccessibilityMark accreditation:

· Accessibility Mark provides a new avenue fordisabled people to access sport and activities intheir local area.

· Accessibility Mark offers the chance to welcomenew clients.

· The centre will benefit from a wealth of experiencefrom RDA qualified staff; this valuable knowledgehas been acquired over the 40 years that RDAhas been offering life-changing activities to peoplewith disabilities.

· RDA will provide access to training and support toenable staff to be confident they can provide anoutstanding service to both existing and new rid-ers.

· Gaining accreditation allows centres to meet thedemand for equestrian activities among disabledpeople in the local community.

For information on how to become an Accessibility Markcentre contact Jo Hayward at RDA atjhayward@rda.org.uk or call 01926 492915.

Riding with the Disabledaims to extend its reach

TRAINING, TRAINING AND MORE TRAINING

DAISY JACKSON DRESSAGE

I have spent this month really focusing on train-ing and getting in as many lessons with my train-ers as possible. Tango and I have spent 2weekends away training with Nicky Barretthoming in on consistency and cracking thechanges ready for PSG. Having 3 lessons consec-utively has been incredibly helpful for both Tan-go and I and the works is becoming moreconsolidated and getting easier. It is also goodexperience for Tango staying away from homeand in a relaxed atmosphere. In our sessionsalong with the tempi changes we are also prac-ticing working towards the piaffe and passage.I am now working to build up his strength evenmore in order for him to find it easier and morecomfortable to perform the more advancedmovements.Nicky also suggested that we try a bit with ahigher port for Tango. Tango has always shown upany resistance by opening his mouth and has neverfelt quite comfortable in a double bridle despite ex-perimenting with different bits. We have however,never tried a higher port as I has always assumedthey were a harsher bit and have always used a low

port on Tango, thinking it was the kindest bit for him.Nicky explained that as Tango has a small mouth butlarge tongue a low port would restrict his tongue, asa low port continuously pushes down on it prevent-ing him swallowing, leading to his mouth becomingdry. A horse with a dry mouth will often open it and

The Netherlands’ Hans PeterMinderhoud reigned supreme in theReem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage2015/2016 Western European Leaguequalifier at Stockholm in Sweden. The42-year-old rider who, with Glock’sJohnson, claimed team gold andindividual bronze at this summer’s FEIEuropean Championships in Aachen,steered another of his powerful string,the 14-year-old Glock’s Flirt, to victoryahead of host nation stars Patrik Kitteland Watermill Scandic. It was a greatday for the Dutch when AdelindeCornelissen lined up third with the JerichParzival who won back-to-back ReemAcra titles in 2011 and 2012. There wasa strong Swedish presence, with sevenof the 15 starters representing the hostnation. And last year’s Swedish winner,Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven, lined out with

Paridon Magi this time around to finishfifth just behind Denmark’s Agnete KirkThinggaard and Jojo Az. Talking abouthis win, Minderhoud admitted that hewas “very eager to do well. Last yearhere in Stockholm I won the Grand Prix,but I had to settle for second place inthe Freestyle,”. However he felt victorywas well within reach this time around.“I knew it was possible because we wonyesterday, however yesterday thescores were very close so I couldn’t besure, especially with Adelinde andParzival and Patrik with Scandic in suchgood form.” He said he had beenencouraged by the sight of the winner’sprize. “When I saw the orange car in thecorner of the arena I thought - hey, aDutch person should win that! - and thisis the first car I’ve ever won!” thedelighted Dutchman said.

DAISY JACKSON DRESSAGE

The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud reigned supreme in theReem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western EuropeanLeague qualifier at Stockholm in Sweden.

show resistance which was exactly what Tango cando in a test situation. Once I tired Tango in a highport giving his tongue space and the ability to swal-low is he has kept his mouth closed and has beenmuch happier. Nicky has lent us a bit and it provedvery difficult getting a similar one in the UK, soeventually we have had one made by Myler in theUS and are just waiting for it to be shipped over. I

am thrilled that this ongoing problem has now beensorted, thanks to Nicky and to Myler. It is defiantlyworth considering for anyone who has a horse witha similar mouth conformation and any contact is-sues.Blackberry is also going well. We have been havingsome great lessons with Gareth Hughes and arenow working towards Advanced Medium concen-trating on her changes. We also do plenty of hackingtogether as she can tend to get stuffy in the schoolbut at the same time has a really good attitude towork. I use riding out to ensure that she doesn’t getbored and to keep her attitude fresh and willing.Tänzer is also coming along well and getting strong-er and more consistent. He is such a big boy that wekeep sessions short and sweet as he can tend to runout of steam if we work for too long. We look forquality rather than quantity, aiming to build upstrength slowly and steadily.

Daisy

(FEI/Roland Thunholm)

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