Everything Horse magazine Everything Horse Magazine, December 2015 | Page 18

Canter Travers Half-Pass Travers and half-pass I always do travers (quarters in) as preparation for the half pass as the two are very related. I would start just in the walk and going down the long side I keep the bend slightly to the inside, keep the horse’s chest looking down the track where I am going and then bring the quarters in with my outside leg behind the girth. Once the horse understands the movement you can do it in both trot and canter, down the long side or around a circle. If you visualise a wall across the diagonal and ride travers along that line then you will actually find yourself doing a very nice half pass! Fast results with Nettex Arthri-Flex Nettex Arthri-Flex is an advanced joint care supplement that delivers long-lasting results. It is suitable for every horse or pony to maintain healthy joints, whatever discipline you ride or compete in. During winter months some horses and ponies can get quite stiff from being in the stable or can be affected by the cold weather or just show their age. Arthri-Flex contains the key components of cartilage and synovial fluid, providing the building blocks to help horses maintain their joints. Arthri-Flex contains high levels of bio-available molecules of Glucosamine Common problems when riding lateral work: • • • • Too much neck bend. Normally this comes from the rider trying to 'make' the movement with too much inside rein, or the horse not being responsive enough to the inside leg. Remember that you have two legs, two hands and two seat bones, and even when you are travelling sideways the horse should remain between these 6 things. Losing energy. Often the horse will try and lose energy because it is finding it hard work, or the rider will forget to keep the energy because they are thinking about so many other things! However keeping the energy is one of the most important things if you want to make the lateral work productive. Resistance in the contact. As with the energy you may well get resistance because the horse is finding it harder or because the rider is and then they go a little too tight! Make sure the horse understands what you want and keep the forwardness. Rider loses straightness. One of my golden rules of lateral work is to do with rider straightness - the rider's weight must be slightly to the inside, their shoulders should be parallel to the horse’s shoulders and their hips parallel to the horse’s hips. 18 Saddle Proves a Winner for Julia TEN years ago, Perthshire based Julia Craig bought a brand new Black Country Wexford saddle for her event horse. Now 10 years on and four horses later the saddle is still as good as new. Said Julia: “A saddler came out to fit a saddle for my horse and I ordered the Wexford after the consultation. The model has a wider seat than normal for a jumping saddle and when it arrived it was just so comfortable and fitted my horse perfectly. Image right: Poor example of a shoulder in Everything Horse UK • Issue 27• December 2015 and Chondroitin to ensure higher absorption into the bloodstream. It also contains high levels of Hyaluronic Acid and MSM, supplying all of the key components of cartilage and synovial fluid. Arthri-Flex provides the building blocks to help horses maintain their joints. Healthy joints help reduce the consequences of regular concussion and general wear and tear. Arthri-Flex also contains botanical extracts to help maximise mobility and flexibility. These include curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, as well as panex ginsing and bromelain. Used on a regular basis, Arthri-Flex will promote good joint health and help ease joints and assist in the maintenance of joints in later years. Nettex Arthri-Flex is part of the Nettex Joint Care range - a collection of fast working products that really do work. Used by leading riders Carl Hester and Francis Whittington – these products allow equine friends to perform to the best of their ab []H