Practical Horseman

It presents step by-step training programs and showing advice from recognized experts in hunters, jumpers, equitation, dressage, and eventing, along with money- and time-saving ideas on health care and stable management.

ALL ABOUT THAT BASE! • Improve your performance by strengthening your base of support.

Evaluate Your Base

Unmounted Exercise 1: Stair Stretch

Unmounted Exercise 2: Ball Squeeze

Sitting Trot with One Hand on the Pommel

Serpentine with Poles • Put a line of four or five ground poles down the center of your arena, placed end to end and spaced about 30 to 40 feet apart. Then ride a serpentine at the posting trot, making four or five wide, smooth loops, almost touching the rail each time you approach the sides of the arena.

Serpentine Notes

Drop Your Stirrups Over Trot Poles • Next, take the ground poles you used in the previous exercise and turn them parallel to one another to create trot poles on the centerline. Space them 4 to 5 feet apart, depending on your horse’s natural trot stride (farther apart if he has a big stride; closer together if he’s shorter-strided). Ask a ground person to stand by to adjust the poles however necessary so your horse can comfortably trot through them without having to lengthen or shorten his stride.

Jumping Without Stirrups • Safety always comes first in our barn so our riders jump without stirrups only if they’re experienced over fences and mounted on quiet, trustworthy horses. The key is to start very small and work your way up slowly. Begin with a single ground pole on either long side of the arena. First ride over the poles at the posting trot with your stirrups, then do it without.

SUMMER SORES • The incidence of these lesions is on the rise. Learn why this worm-related condition should be on your radar and how to prevent it.

An Old Problem Returns