Anyone who owns a traditional cob will probably agree with me when I say keeping a cobs hair in peak condition is almost a full time job. I have however, learnt some amazing tricks over the years that can help make the task a little easier. 

TOne bad movement doesn't make a test. - I've often seen people riding their tests and all is going swimmingly until something simple happens, say the horse spooks or they ride a bad transition and then for some reason the test seems to fall apart. For example with the rider tensing up and they either block the horses forward movement or rush them out of balance. They may start riding inaccurately or worst case scenario forget the test completely. 
​So what happened. Well quite often riders will have a bad movement and have a complete meltdown thinking they have totally ruined the entire test, when in actual fact all that has happened is they have got a bad mark in that one movement. Some tests have over 15 movements (that's 15 individual marks) and that's before collectives at the end. So if you have a bad movement, sure you will lose marks in that one box but so long as you can get yourself and your horse back together there is no reason why the rest of the marks should be affected. 

The judge isn't out to get you - Ok so you got a bad percentage in your last outing, first thing many people do is blame the judge.....STOP! For a start, by putting yourself in the arena you have agreed for that person to analyse your performance. And that judge, especially at affiliated shows will only score what they see in front of them. Sure there are some judges firmer on the marking than others, but these are the ones you learn from. If every judge was to go round telling every rider they were perfect, non of us would ever push to progress in this sport. 

​Acknowledge other competitors, they are not the enemy - I often encounter other riders staring across the warmup at each other like they are about to go head to head in a battle. Yet we often forget that everyone is at the competition for the same reasons. To simply do the best they can, and hopefully come home with a frilly at the end of it. So instead of ignoring your fellow competitors why not try saying hello or even a simple smile, give the rider coming out of the ring before you a 'well done' and the rider going in after you a 'good luck'. Not only will this help settle your nerves but you'll find you start talking to people and making friends.

​Don't throw away marks - I've seen many riders doing just this, heck i've even come out of tests knowing I have done it myself. Firstly its not a race to get from entry to exit as fast as possible so take your time to ride as accurately as you can and set your horse up for every transition if you rush you will only ride a messy test. Secondly, be prepared. Know what the difference is between riding a corner and riding a circle, Know how to ride an effective change of rein etc and you will always come away with a better mark.

​Perfect turnout, Matchy matchy....... It really doesn't matter - Have you ever noticed that your test sheets don't have a box for a turnout mark. That because dressage isn't like showing where every little thing has to be perfect. The judge really doesn't care if your horse is coming down the centre line wearing a brown bridle and a black saddle or wether you have a wonky plait. What they want to see is a horse and rider in working correctly and in unison with each other. As long as everything follows the rule book you will not be marked down or eliminated on the things you are wearing.

​Forget about others being better than you, compete against yourself - The competition world is no place for a sore looser. Sure winning is fabulous at the time but it isn't the be all and end all of everything. What we as riders should be aiming to do is improve ourselves and horses whilst enjoying the journey we are on. By simply entering the arena you have already achieved something that many may not. So the fact that someone else trotting around in the warmup arena is clearly better than you, forget about it! They are on their own journey and if you work hard enough on yours you will one day be the person in the arena that people are looking up to as being better than them.

SS.

Riding horses on the roads, or hacking as its referred to by equestrians, is an essential part of many horses exercise regime. Not only can it help build their physical strength but can also be a great asset to their mental wellbeing by getting them out of the arena and often tiny paddocks and allows them to take in new scenery. 
​Now as a Rider myself and having being involved in fatal road accident involving a horse approx. 15 years ago, I would love nothing more than to be able to come straight out of the yard and onto a bridleway or be able to ride from one field to another, without ever having to touch tarmac. If I could I would but the reality is that for the majority this simply isn't possible. Farmers don't want horses on their land and there are very few bridleways around nowadays.
​Here are my top tips for making Hacking out safer and more enjoyable for you and your horse:

​HI-VIS Clothing.
​​If there is one thing that is constantly repeated in videos and articles relating to riding and road safety is that they all stress the importance of wearing Hi-vis, so you and your horse will be visible to other road users. What they fail to mention though is what colours should be worn and when. 
​In summer when the sun is shining bright and the grass is being cut giving it a bright tone of yellow,  it can be very difficult to see a horse and rider if they are wearing yellow hi vis gear as they blend in to the background and likewise if a rider is wearing orange in the autumn. See where I'm heading with this?
Here are my ideas as to the most suitable colours to be wearing across the seasons
​SPRING - PINK, ORANGE
​SUMMER - PINK, ORANGE, BRIGHT RED
​AUTUMN - PINK, BRIGHT BLUE
​WINTER - PINK, YELLOW, ORANGE, BRIGHT RED
​Also be sure to refresh your florescent gear fairly often as it can fade over time and wont be as noticeable to other road users than it may have been before.
Hi-vis is not expensive. I bought two new, different coloured waistcoats for less than £10 on ebay, so there really is no excuse for not putting something on.

​​Mobile Phones and Emergency contacts.
​Obviously everyone carries a mobile when they are riding their horse right? Well you would be surprised just how many don't. In a recent local incident where a rider fell off her horse on a grass track and broke her leg, said rider was unable to raise the alarm as she had no phone with her, it was only when the horse was spotted galloping home by someone from the yard that anyone even knew she was out riding. It took over half an hour to locate the rider and luckily she was being aided by a dog walker who had come across her by chance.
Which brings me to my next question. How many of you have a lock/password on your phone?
​Lets take this scenario. You are out riding or even walking and have an accident which leaves you unconscious. If you are lucky enough that someone finds you and tries to use your phone to get an emergency contact it would be impossible if you have a lock on it. During the fiasco your horse has made a run for it and is found by a complete stranger, how would they be able to contact the essential people to help get your horse home safely?
​I cant stress enough the importance of having written emergency contact details and any major medical conditions attached in a visible place on both yourself and your horse, both when out on a hack and at competitions, it can save so much time and stress if the worst case scenario should unfold.

Be aware of your POSITION.
​Now I'm not talking about your riding position here, I'm talking about how you place yourself and your horse on the road and how this can come across to other road users.
​There are many videos circulating the web right now of drivers passing horses far to close, which is dangerous. Yet I find myself watching some of these clips and thinking to myself, had the rider positioned her horse better on the road the vehicle may have thought twice about passing at the moment in time.

• ​Pavements and grass verges are a BIG NO! Firstly riding your horse on a pavement is against the law and secondly if you ride on the verge and are positioned completely off the road, a car driver who is unaware that a horse can be easily spooked (yes there are genuine people out there who know nothing about horses) would think that your horse is under total control and proceed to drive at normal speeds without moving over. By positioning yourself like this you give your horse no escape route should he get scared. 
• Riding in the gutters edge is another very dangerous place to position your horse, not only are you giving drivers the illusion that there may be enough space to pass but this is normally where grates and man covers are placed which can be very slippery for a horse to stand on

The best place you can possibly situate you and you horse on the road is approximately 1/3 of the way in from the outer edge of the tarmac or around about where the passengers tyre of the car would sit on the road. This gives you and your horse enough room should your horse get a little antsy at something, it will also make drivers think twice before trying to squeeze past.
​
LETTING CARS PASS
​​Many moons ago I was advised by an old horseman that it was unwise to tell a vehicle it was safe to come around your horse by waving them past. When I curiously asked why (as I had always been taught to do this) he replied that should I be wrong in my judgement and the vehicle have an accident or my horse spook at that moment and hit said vehicle then I could be held accountable in the eyes of the law. So always allow the vehicle to make the decision as to when they will pass you.

​CHOOSE YOUR RIDES WISELY.
​Again it may sound pretty obvious to some but I see many riders out on main roads during times where you would expect the roads to be busy such as rush hours. (8-9.30 am and 4-6pm) Now if you ask me this is just placing yourself in a situation where there is a higher chance of an incident with vehicles. Always aim for times when the roads will be quieter to lessen the probability of something happening. 

​These are just a selection of tips I have learnt by experience over the years. At the end of the day not one single person on this earth is going to deliberately run into a Horse and rider on the roads and damage their vehicle. The majority of accidents happen through either lack of knowledge, lack of concentration.......or both. 
​What really matters is that you have done your absolute best to make sure you and your horse are safe and seen. I hope these tips help and if you have any more please do leave us a comment and share them with us.

​SS

​Dressage is the art of riding a set sequence of movements in a good rhythm and balance whilst make it look as effortless as possible. However there are some simple mistakes we as riders make which loose us marks in the arena. Here are seven of the common mistakes made in movements and how they can be solved. ​

​

1. The Centre Line
​Its the first and last element of every single dressage test at all levels. Its the very first mark you get, so why would you not aim to make it a good one? So many riders hear the bell ring and make a mad dash for the entrance of the arena, this often leads to an unbalanced turn and more often than not the horse over or undershooting the centre line. Then we come to the issue of the actual line itself, its only a straight line, how hard can it be right? At the lower levels a straight line can be very difficult to perform for some combinations. 
​Top Tips to improve your score:

• ​When the bell/whistle blows you have 45 seconds to enter the arena before you are eliminated so there is no immediate rush to get on the centre line. If you hurry you risk unbalancing your horse and getting a bad score. Instead keep a good rhythm and take your time to set your horse up properly before the turn.
• Many riders only start to really ride their horses when they get into the arena, they often get too close to the boards and make a poor turn to enter which can lead to a wobbly centre line. Make use of the whole arena to your best advantage, by really using as much space around the outside the of the boards as possible. This should give you enough time to have your horse on a straight line before you get through the white boards.  

2. Riding Corners
​A dressage arena is rectangular, therefore is has four corners. In every single test we as riders have to ride into these corners several times throughout the test, I often see many riders getting so deep into the corner that they have to ride a right angle turn to get back out of it without exiting the arena or even worse riders cutting the corner completely.
​Top tips for getting it right:

• ​Imagine a 10m circle in each corner and divide it into four, take away all the segments except those in the corners. this is the line you should be taking round each turn at every level.
• Use half halts to help set up yourself and your horse before you arrive at the corner, riding the corners are just as important as the movements themselves and can be the making or breaking of a test.

​
3. Circles
​All dressage tests contain circles and depending what level you are riding at, will depend on the size of the circle. At intro and Prelim 20m circles are expected, at novice 15m and from elementary onwards 10m circles in trot and canter. The biggest mistakes that riders make are the size and the shape. Often the circles are ridden either too small or too large and often resemble an egg shape or in some cases even a square. 
Tips to ride a good circle​

• ​Imagine a 20m circle in one half of the arena and split it into four quarters starting from either A or C. Focus on riding each quarter, rather than the whole circle. You'll find it much easier to keep the size and shape correct by riding it this way.​
• Think about the direction your horses head is pointing on the circle. If the head is turned to the outside it is much more difficult to control the rest of your horses body to be able to ride an accurate circle. By having inside bend (not to much though)  your horse will find it easier to keep his shoulders and hindquarters on the same track which will infinitely make for a better circle overall.​

​The main reason for anyone using haynets is to try and slow down the speed in which a horse/pony consumes its contents and this is often because of issues with excess weight, or more recently to help prevent the chance of gastric ulcers (created by acids on an empty stomach) Great problem solved! Or so you would think.

​Take a look at this picture and tell me what you see...... 

​Yes that's right those teeth are all worn at the front. This is my horse Huckleberry Pie, an 8 year old traditional cob and this is the damage that had been done by feeding through a small holed haynet for a couple of years (we have only ever used a small holed nets and he's never worn a muzzle or grazed short grass)
​Nowadays the mass majority of haynets are now made from strong nylon material to prevent a horse from chewing holes through them. However with spaces between the nylon becoming smaller and smaller, its almost impossible for a horse to take a  bit of his hay without grabbing or rubbing the net in the process. This could lead to the unnatural wear of the teeth in many Equines.

​So what's the solution? You can slow down your horses eating in a few simple ways:

• ​larger holed haynets
• Plastic drums with holes round the bottom
• webbing nets rather than string
• Hay bags

​
A relatively new product to the market designed to help tackle this very problem is the Haygrazer Play Bag. This round bag made from durable materials is designed to slow down the consumption of hay by movement rather than small holes. Several windows around the bag allows the horse to extract hay whilst the roundness of the bag is designed to rotate, taking a horse longer to empty the bag completely.
Even the 3 times Olymipic gold medallist, Valegro, has been spotted using one.​ And well, if its good enough for him it certainly good enough for every horse/pony out there.
to find out more visit the website www.haygrazer.co.uk 

​After reading this article I hope you can take a moment to check your horses teeth and consider taking a more friendly approach to slowing down your horses fibre consumption in the future.

​SS 

  
​ Music is a massive global industry. We hear it every day in all walks of life from concerts and the radio to movies and TV adverts. But have you ever thought about how we use music in the equestrian industry.......read on to find out. ​

​Music in the Yard
You go into any stables in the country in fact in the world, and nine times out of ten there will be a radio blasting out the latest top hits on a shelf somewhere on the yard. These tunes are often turned up loud enough that they can be heard from every angle whilst the groom(s) whiz around with various items of mucking out equipment and tack going about there day to day routines. Ask any of these busy workers and they will all tell you that were the music not playing, they probably wouldn't be working with as much enthusiasm or speed. 
​Horses can also benefit from music playing in the yard, song of a certain tone most predominantly classical has been proven to help calm equines of a nervous disposition. Lets be fair though how many yards have you been to that are playing Classic FM. Practically every time you will be listening to Radio 1 or a similar channel with a mixture of dance, pop and R&B. The horses never seem to mind though, in fact sometimes they even seem to enjoy certain songs playing.  

Dressage to Music.
For many of us watching dressage it can become pretty boring, I mean once you've seen one set test you've pretty much seen them all. Now add an element of freestyle and a music track to match the horses paces, and all of a sudden dressage becomes something even more magical and much easier viewing.
Take Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro's Grand Prix Freestyle test at the 2012 London Olympics for example, the combination of a beautiful partnership between horse and rider and the significance of the music which included God Save the Queen, The Great Escape and the chimes of Big Ben, brought most of the British public to tears (including myself might I add). It wasn't just us equestrians that were emotional about their performance though the whole country got on board and Charlotte became known in the media as 'the girl on the dancing horse.'
​
​Competitive Motivation.
Have you ever travelled to a competition riddled with nerves and wondered why you have even entered the show in the first place. Yep I think we've all been there at some point. All it can take is one song to come on the Radio or listening to a motivational playlist on your device and suddenly your an invincible superhero ready to take on the world  and all its x-country courses/showjumps. My current favourite is the soundtrack from the new movie The Greatest Showman it certainly is a must watch and a must listen.
Overall it is amazing what one song can do for a persons mindset and to a rider it can mean all the difference between a winning performance or a disastrous one. So next time your going to a competition have a think about what kind of music is coming out of the speakers?                                       

Looking for some motivation inspiration give these songs a listen. 
​*Kesha - Learn to let go.
​*Gloria Gaynor - I Am What I Am.
​*Katy Perry - Firework.
​*Heather Small - Proud.
​*Nickelback - What are you Waiting For?
​*Victoria Banks - When You can Fly. 

​​The Lap of Honour.
​As a rider or a spectator the lap of honour is often the highlight of the day/evening. What makes it so special?
Is it the rider with a smile like the Cheshire cat from a winning performance, the nice shiny trophy and frilly rosettes being awarded to successful competitors or the commentators announcements over the microphone. Answer is in fact non of the above, what really gets the crowds going is the horses expressively cantering round to a loud soundtrack such as Tina Tuners - Simply the Best whilst the audience clap and cheer in time to the beat. This is what the crowds remember, this is what the riders strive for. 
​Perhaps the most iconic lap of honour music is Holyrood from the Horse of the Year Show, which leaves past competitors and future dreamers wishing they were in the ring and the riders hoping the moment would never end.
​
Throughout this blogpost its easy to see just how much music is not just a part of our everyday lives but a big part of our equestrian lives as well. Is this a good thing.....well I certainly believe it is.

​SS

liIn this modern age of technology, it was always going to be inevitable that competitive equestrians would eventually find a way to use the internet to their advantage. It began with photo competitions where passionate horse owners could enter a picture of their beloved equine into an appropriate class (mountain and moorland for example) to be judged against other horses in the hope for a placing or even better a WIN! From there the photos have evolved into video competitions and there are now thousands of people around the world competing in different equestrian disciplines such as Showing, Horse Agility and my personal favourite Dressage.
​If you haven't got involved in this quickly developing community here are 10 reasons why you should.

1. Say goodbye to the early rises - Dressage competitions regularly have a start of 9am and of you have horses to feed, muck out and load before you even set of to the event it can often mean dragging yourself out of bed before daylight, often leaving you feeling like a zombie for the rest of the day. With the online version you can film the test at any time of the day.....first thing in the morning, late in the afternoon or in the middle of the night (so long as you have appropriate lighting) 
2. Compete from the comfort of your home - Unaffiliated shows are often more regularly available to riders but on taking the leap into the affiliated realm there can often be a 2 - 3 hour journey to the venue which sometimes has an effect on your horses performance in the arena. And then we raise the subject of loading! If you have an issue with this It can not only add length to the day but also often creates a element of stress to both horse and human. Online dressage often eliminates these issues completely, as long as you have available to use an arena or flat area of the field with a minimum size of 20x40m you can take part without really having to go anywhere.
3. International participation - Unless a rider is at the top of the sport and part of the National team, its very rare that they would ever get the opportunity to compete against people from other countries. We all know that the internet allows us to be in touch with people worldwide and online dressage is no different. Everyone can be involved no matter where they live. It has now become the norm to find yourself competing in the same class as riders from Germany, Denmark and as far away as Australia and the U.S.A. Each person is taking part for exactly the same reason, to do the best they can and surely this is a good thing, right?
4. Wear the clothes your comfortable in - Do you ever get fed up of putting on those sparkly white breeches and crisp fresh show jacket to end up covered in dirt, stains and horse snot the second you step out of the horsebox? Yes.....well then worry no more in the online world there are no competition outfits in fact you can pretty much wear anything you like so long as it is correct riding equipment (Hats, boots and gloves are a rule across all shows). So if you have an obsession with Matchy Matchy, now is your time to shine!
5. ​Take part in your own time - If you have a busy schedule or work odd hours, it can be very difficult to find a competition in your diary you are able to attend. This can mean going weeks or maybe months without being able to take your horse anywhere. This is often followed by a real lack of motivation for any rider. Imagine being able to do as many or as few tests as you like on any day of the month....well now you can. Online competitions often run from the first day to the last day of the month, and as long as your entry is paid and your video loaded by the last day you are in the game.
6. ​Save some cash - Not only can competing be time consuming it can also be very quick at emptying or pockets of what little change we have left in our pockets after paying for all of our horses other essentials. By the time you've paid the entry fees, fuel to get to the venue and all the posh competition clothes you need to wear your often left counting the pennies just to buy groceries until pay day. By eliminating the need for travelling or expensive show clothes  with online competitions, you are already making a big saving before the results have been announced.
7. No more hours of washing and plaiting - Preparations for a live dressage competition can often begin early the day before. If you are lucky enough to own a bay you can often get away with a thorough grooming to have them looking presentable, but own any horse with a grey tone and you could be spending hours washing so the judge doesn't look at you with disgust as your horse enters the arena with multiple poo stains. As discussed earlier for own turnout so long as your horse is reasonably clean your judge wont mind a stray bit of muck here or there.
8. Great Prizes - Many competitions rarely offer any more than a small frilly rosette as a prize to riders who have often spent a lot of time and money to take part in the event, with some going home disappointed having received nothing for a long hard day out. The majority of Online dressage competitions have managed to seal sponsorship for each class on offer from various equestrian businesses. Prizes can vary in value from a pair of jazzy riding socks to a personal hand drawn portrait of the winning horse.      
9. Make some new friends - When going to a show, especially at a new venue, its very easy to feel isolated especially if you are there on your own. Chances are that your far too busy seeing to your horse or trying not to forget your test that you often come home having never really spoken to anyone. A lot of Online companies also have a discussion groups or forums available for all its users which can lead to friendships developing across the globe.
10. Progression - When all is said and done, the only genuine reason we compete our horses is to improve. Improve as a rider, improve as a equestrian and improve as a person. Surely then in this case it shouldn't matter if you compete in a live or online competition, right? But for many it can be quite stressful to move up the levels whilst also having to deal with the issues discussed above and the added intimidation of other competitors watching from the side lines.   By choosing to take part in a higher level at an online competition you can eliminate these issues completely as you can choose to have you video completely private so that only you, the organiser and the judge can see it. This is a great way of assessing if you and your horse are ready for the next level or what you need to work on to get up there in the rosettes.

Having taken part in online Dressage for the last few months I can honestly say it has done wonders for my confidence and instead of feeling like I'm stuck at the lower dressage levels for the rest of my days (with local competitions only go to novice and British dressage having restrictions on coming back down the levels once you have moved up) I now have an urge to get on my horse and improve our abilities so we can try new classes/levels that id never dreamed were possible before. Who knows perhaps one day you'll see me in top hat and tails
​If you would like to find out more about Online Dressage why not check out the following websites.

• Haygrazer E-riders. www.e-riders.co.uk  Levels from intro - elementary with speciality classes every month. Amazing prizes on offer each month with points league for even bigger prizes. A really friendly group excellent for seasoned and new competitors to the discipline.
• Dressage Anywhere.  www.dressageanywhere.com  Levels from intro - Prix St George. Classes also for Riding for the Disabled riders and Pony Club tests. a variety of prizes are also on offer each month. 
• Equimind  www.equimind.co.uk   Levels from intro - medium they also hold sections for showing and western showmanship. with regular photo classes also on offer. 

​Go on give online competing a try.
​SS :)
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