Unlock Your Horse's Potential!

From the October 2013 issue of The Stable Magazine – www.thestablemagazine.com/october 2013

Get the best out of your horse: health, happiness and the competitive edge!

From pony clubbers to showjumpers, yearlings to seniors - unlock the secrets to equine health, nutrition, training and more, and get the best out of your horse. 

Getting the most out of your horse starts with you, the rider. What you want from your horse and what you want to achieve is all in your control - after all, you are on half of a pair!

WHICH KIND OF RIDER ARE YOU?

There are three kinds of riders; riders who want to succeed competitively at any cost, riders who want to succeed with their chosen horse and maximise it’s potential, and riders who are not competitive, but who would like their horse in top condition.

RIDERS WHO WANT TO SUCCEED AT ANY COST

These riders are extremely competitive and enjoy the thrill of competition and are willing to work hard to get what they want to achieve. They are also business like in their approach, and know that they need a horse that is capable of competing at their chosen level in their chosen field. These riders do love their horses and enjoy their sport, but are readily willing to move on to a more talented horse in order to further themselves.

RIDERS WHO WANT TO SUCCEED WITH THEIR HORSE

Riders who want to succeed with their chosen horse realise that their horse may not take them all the way to the top, but are comfortable with their chosen horse. These riders, although they enjoy competing, are happy with their horse, and would just like to maximise his potential and have him performing at his best.

RIDERS WHO ARE NOT COMPETITIVE

Riders who are not competitive simply want to get the most out of their horse and have him in peak condition, although they are not looking for success in the show ring or event circuit.

Once you have established which kind of rider you are, you can begin to assess your goals - that is, what you want from your horse and how you plan to achieve it. No matter whether you goal includes Olympic victory, or a healthy broodmare, all of the principles in this feature can be used in order to achieve success.

RIGHT HORSE – RIGHT SPORT

Depending on the kind of rider you are according to our guide on the left, you either need to choose your horse or choose your sport. Riders who want to succeed will have already chosen their sport and so must choose an appropriate mount to suit the area in which they wish to compete. Riders who want to succeed with their current horse need to choose a sport that both horse and rider enjoy - and in most horse/rider partnerships, this will become evident as horse and rider get to know one another - and their talents, strengths and weaknesses become apparent. Riders who are not competitive don’t have to choose a sport, but should have set goals as to what they wish to achieve.

SETTING GOALS

Goals are as individual as people - but they are necessary to set in order for you to achieve them! Setting long term and short term goals can help you to not only figure out what you want to achieve, but how you can achieve it. Setting goals can also help you think about possible setbacks or problems that you must overcome, or areas that you really need to work on before you can achieve your goals. Your long term goal might be to win first place or better your best dressage score. Your short term goal might be to master a flying change in order to achieve that perfect score. Or your goal might be as simple as not letting your horse lose tempo or rhythm when you ride past the arena gate! Your goals may not even relate to riding - and may concern time management, horse handling, ground work - or might even include being a better agistee, saving enough money for that new saddle - or even keeping your tack and equipment clean!

PUT IT ON PAPER

To keep track of your progress, you could start a diary. Include your goals - write down what you hope to achieve, and begin a daily diary. If you are wanting to improve your horse’s condition and get him fit, take daily readings of his respiration rate and heart rate at rest and after exercise. Recording the day’s activities can also be useful, and notes about things you think you’d like to work on and improve can help you remember to address any problems you are having.

DON’T LET THE TEAM DOWN

Riders are one half of a team - so if you’re a competitive rider, don’t just expect that once your horse is in peak condition that you’ll start seeing blue ribbons! Yes, you are able to set the team schedule - but have you thought about what your contribution to the team is? Other than caring for your horse, feeding, and training when you ride, should you be making more of a commitment?

If you’re serious about being the best in your chosen field, you’ll need to put in the extra hours and extra training that might be necessary for you to really get that competitive edge! For example, hours spent studying tapes of your last showjumping round can help you pick up problems to address in training. Keeping yourself fit goes a long way to riding your best, and sometimes, just the exercise from riding and running around after horses isn’t enough. Work on your strength and flexibility, analyse your riding, and attempt to correct problems with your seat, aids or attitude. Contribute to your team - your horse does!

Read the full article in The Stable Magazine and find out more about unlocking your horse's potential!

This article was originally published in the October 2013 issue of The Stable Magazine – Australia’s FREE Online Horse Magazine.

Read the full article and many more online at www.thestablemagazine.com