British Horse Society (BHS) county bridleway officer for Hertfordshire John Featherstone has passed away aged 88.

John had been the county bridleway officer since 1974; before that, he was BHS bridleway officer for the London Borough of Harrow.

He devoted many hours of his time to horse riders and horse-drawn carriage drivers.

In 2000, he received his BHS award of merit from the Princess Royal.

The citation said: “John Featherstone has been a valued access and bridleways officer for the British Horse Society for over 25 years. John’s bridleways work started in part of Greater London, but more recently he has been the BHS Hertfordshire access officer. He has tirelessly travelled miles across the county, gathering vital evidence on the use of bridleways and conducting extensive research into public records, which has taken hours, frequently days, and sometimes weeks of his time and effort.

“Both horse and rider have benefited from his enormous determination and selfless dedication. John’s performance at public inquiries has always given great credit to the society, which has benefited from his expertise.”

In 2024, he received his BHS 50-year long-service certificate at Newbury racecourse.

Not only was John instrumental in improving the rights-of-way network within Hertfordshire, but he also enhanced road safety by arranging the provision of signalled pegasus road crossing points on major roads, as well as horse warning signs.

He will be a great loss to the equine community in Hertfordshire and to the BHS Hertfordshire access and road safety team, who will greatly miss him for his valuable input and the advice and guidance he gave over many years.

He was one in a million and will be very hard to replace.

He leaves his wife Susanne, a great supporter of his BHS work.

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This is a really useful jumping exercise that Scott Brash shared with H&H, to help stop your horse rushing either on the approach or landing. It should also help your develop your eye for a confident, forward-going stride.

The aim is to achieve a level, rhythmic four strides both before and after the fence.

It also helps with straightness, because the horse focuses on the pole on landing.

Aims

• Develop canter rhythm and balance
• Hone rider’s ability to see stride
• Prevent rushing

The setup

A ground pole, then four canter strides (approximately 17.5m but this will depend on the individual horse) to a small upright. This is followed by another ground pole four strides after landing.

The upright can be raised during the exercise, and built into an oxer. If you make an oxer, roll the pole on the landing side out about 45cm to accommodate the extra width of the fence.

How to ride this exercise

• Before you start jumping, ride a couple of 20m circles incorporating either or both of the ground poles to get your eye in.
• Tackle the line of pole, fence, pole, counting the four forward strides into and away from the fence.
• Analyse how your horse coped with the line. Were the four strides each side comfortable? Did you need to push for the fence or lose balance afterwards?
• Raise the fence when you’re ready. The distance will feel shorter on landing due to the bigger fence, and you want your horse still to fit in the four strides, by backing off, not veering to the side to give himself room. This will help with his straightness and engagement.
• You can also build an oxer, but roll the second pole back to allow for the extra distance covered in the air.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Rushing

If your horse rushes on landing, sit tall, close your legs and the contact softly. The pole should do some of the work, and so your horse is likely to improve on repetition.

You want to feel your horse waiting consistently before and after the fence, sitting back on his hocks.

2. Not making the distance

You need plenty of revs. If your horse is struggling to make the distance to the fence on four strides, ask for a bigger canter and move into a more forward rhythm so you don’t have to chase.

If you get to the fence on an easy four strides, he’s more likely to land in balance, too.

3. Level up

Once you’re doing this exercise comfortably, and feel ready for more of a challenge, roll the second pole back 10cm so it’s a shorter distance on landing.

This will encourage your horse to sit back on his hocks and increase the engagement. Hopefully, this should give his stride more bounce.

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This “diamond” exercise is ideal for training young or green horses that wobble when they are meant to be on a straight line, and fall out or in when they are meant to be bending round your leg.

This flatwork exercise can be done in walk, trot and canter, getting progressively harder as you move up the paces.

Another way to increase the difficulty level is to make the diamond shape smaller, which requires quicker response to the aids to bend and straighten.

Aims

• Straightness
• Bending
• Clear aids with focus

The setup

Setup: four cones in a diamond shape with enough room to ride around them. This can be in a field or an arena.

Ideally the dimensions should start at approximately 20m x 30m, although more supple and experienced horses can do much smaller.

How to ride the diamond exercise

• First, do the exercise in walk on both reins. Imagine a diamond shape connecting each cone and ride around the diamond on the outside of the cones.
• In between cones, concentrate on your horse’s straightness – looking ahead and keeping your body in balance and straight – before giving the aids to bend around each cone and then riding in a straight line to the next.
  • Half-halt a couple of strides before each cone to make sure your horse is listening and engaged.
  • Look around the cone in the direction you want to go.
  • Your inside leg should be on the girth to encourage your horse to bend around it; the outside leg slightly behind the girth to control the outside hindquarter.
  • Squeeze the inside rein to ask for soft flexion, keeping the outside rein steady to prevent the shoulder falling out.
• Next, try the exercise on both reins in trot on the outside line.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Level up

To make this exercise more challenging, try riding a smaller diamond, inside the cones (green line on diagram above). The tighter turns inside the diamond will require more suppleness, and also more accuracy as you don’t have the physical focal point of a cone to bend around.

2. Crookedness

This exercise quickly exposes if your horse struggles with either straightness or bending. Most horses are stiffer on one rein than the other.

Establish clear aids in walk first.

3. Adjustability

The diamond shape means the cones at the top and bottom of the diagram require a tighter turn than the ones on the sides. This means you need to fine-tune your aids rather than letting your horse anticipate.

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This slow and simple groundwork exercise asks your horse to straddle a single pole, separating the right and left sides of his body.

Horses naturally move in diagonal patterns, so it is mentally and physically challenging to move in this wide stance. It is excellent for engaging the core, as well as providing mental stimulation as they work out where to place their feet without standing on the pole.

It looks straightforward but is surprisingly difficult for horses, so do give them time to suss out the challenge.

Aims

• Release tension from horse’s nervous system
• Coordination
• Proprioception

The setup

Setup: one pole on the ground. This can be in the arena, the field or just the yard.

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle.

How to do this exercise

1. Stand your horse at one end of the pole, with the pole lying out vertically in front of him.
2. Ask your horse to inch forward one step at a time so he is straddling the pole, near fore and hind feet on one side, off fore and hinds on the other side.
3. You may only get a couple of steps with the front feet to start with as they figure out the challenge. The position is slightly unnatural for them, even if they typically stand with their feet this distance apart, which engages their core stability and often triggers their nervous system to release.
4. They may stand on the pole while they are working it out – allow them time to place their feet. Give them time to stand with the pole in between their legs and relax.
5. It may take a few sessions, but you should gradually be able to move your horse all the way along the pole.
6. Guide your horse to take small, slow careful steps, never rushing.

Tips and troubleshooting

Level up

Once your horse has mastered moving forwards straddling the pole, you can ask for a step or two backwards and then forwards again. This really improves their coordination as they work out where to put their feet.

Always take it slowly, this exercise is all about awareness, activating the core as they feel and work out where to put each individual foot.

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Taking away your stirrups is good, but riding through targeted no-stirrups exercises is better. The goal in this flatwork exercise is to test and improve your seat and stability, and sitting deep and still in canter transitions is usually when a rider’s seat is most challenged.

Upward and downward transitions (where the gait and rhythm changes) have the biggest effect on your balance, and taking away your stirrups might reveal that balance is an area to improve.

In this exercise, you will work on a 20m circle performing trot-canter and canter-trot transitions, aiming always for quality, precision and suppleness from your horse and independence of seat and aids from you.

Aims

• Develop a deep, still seat and feel both your seat bones in the saddle
• Test your balance
• Focus on accuracy of aids and transition

The setup

No set-up required. You can do this exercise in a field or an arena.

How to ride this exercise

• Take away your stirrups after warming up
• In trot, ride a 20m circle
• Ride an upwards transition into canter
• Canter three-quarters of a circle, then trot and repeat
• After a break, ride the exercise on the other rein

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Stamp out grippy knees

If your seat isn’t as secure as it could be, your instincts will kick in to try and help you feel safe. One of these might be tightening through your knee and thigh in a bid to keep you glued to the saddle. Unfortunately, this doesn’t tally with your horse’s movement and will cause you to draw up your heel and perch on top rather than move with him.

Instead, lengthen your leg and focus on pushing your weight down, as you would into a stirrup.

2. Look up

Keeping your posture in check and your upper body tall is a sign of good balance. You are more likely to achieve this with your head up, shoulders back and looking ahead around the circle.

3. Neck straps are your friend

Many of the world’s most accomplished and decorated riders use a neck strap as a fail-safe. Neck straps (like this adjustable one on Amazon) can be especially useful when your balance is challenged with no-stirrups exercises, so never be put off reaching for one.

4. Accuracy

When an exercise is simple, it’s easy to discount its usefulness. However, when you accept nothing less than perfection, there’s suddenly a lot to work on – especially with 20m circles and transitions.

Your horse still needs to be set up correctly for a quality transition on the correct lead. Focus on a rhythmical working trot, slight bend around the inside leg, connection and correct canter aids – i.e., apply the inside leg on the girth, the outside leg just behind.

Focus, too, on riding a quality canter, an accurate circle and a well-planned downward transition.

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This valuable three-fence jumping exercise is deceptively simple, because you can create a huge variety of lines that test straightness, adjustability, balance and communication between horse and rider.

Each line or pattern asks a different question and challenges your partnership to react accordingly.

Aims

• Test and improve the canter quality
• Establish rhythm and balance
• Work on adjustability
• Practise flying changes

The setup

All you need is three fences, which you can set at whatever height is a appropriate.

Place them along the centre line, one at A, one at X and one at C, perpendicular to the ends of the arena. Whether you’re in a 20x40m or larger arena, this is a flexible set-up.

This is an exercise that H&H news editor Eleanor Jones loves to use even in a small arena, to practise a range of lines without needing to get on and off to change the fences.

At its simplest, this exercise works well with simple cavaletti, or you can use larger uprights with wings so that you can raise them or even build oxers for more variety.

The possibilities are endless. You can jump single fences, or connect them via S-shapes and figure of eights, approach off tight circles and large, or on angles.

How to ride this exercise

• In canter, start by simply jumping the single fences at each end of the arena and then link up the fences according to what you want to work on.
• You could try:
  • straight lines
  • curving lines
  • figure of eights with change of leg
  • small circles
  • large circles
  • angled approaches
• Curving lines help improve balance, suppleness and control of the shoulders.
• Straight approaches develop accuracy, straightness and the quality of the canter.
• Figure-of-eights are ideal for practising flying changes and maintaining rhythm through the change of bend.
• Alternating between direct, angled and curved approaches encourages your horse to stay rideable, adjustable and prevents him anticipating.
• Jumping many small fences in multiple directions and via different approaches helps build confidence.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Rhythm is everything

Don’t sacrifice rhythm for the sake of pulling off a particular line or pattern. If the canter loses balance or quality, simplify the pattern and re-establish the canter before continuing.

2. Too long or too deep

If you’re consistently arriving at the wrong take-off point, it probably goes back to your canter quality, which is key in this exercise.

A balanced, active canter will typically produce a better distance than last-second adjustments. Improve the canter quality overall, thinking “engagement, balance, rhythm” and resist the temptation to chase the stride.

3. Rushing

This exercise is great for horses who rush or anticipate because of the constant changes of direction. Don’t repeat sequences; instead mix up the patterns by repeating or skipping a fence, or holding counter canter. This will encourage your horse to wait for your instructions and improves rideability.

4. Level up

Include an oxer or two among your three fences, to add a spread element and give even greater variety to the challenge.

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Sometimes, the most straightforward training exercises are the most productive. This simple but challenging flatwork exercise practises counter-canter on a figure-of-eight, to help boost the quality, lift and balance of the canter.

I once had a lovely Irish three-quarter bred eventer who jumped superbly but was built on his forehand. I discovered that counter-canter really helped him lift his shoulders and go in self-carriage. We would do this exercise before every dressage test, and our marks improved dramatically.

This is an exercise for horses whose canter is well established. They should already be able to shorten and lengthen in the pace, perform loops in counter-canter, and canter 15m circles, all while maintaining rhythm, balance and impulsion.

If you are further back in your training, try the teardrop exercise for introducing counter-canter.

Aims

• Use counter-canter to improve the canter
• Develop balance, lift and self-carriage
• Improve suppleness

The setup

No setup required. You can do this exercise in an arena or in the field – anywhere you can fit in two 20m circles.

How to ride this exercise

• Warm up in walk, trot and canter on both reins. You may want to ride some loops in counter-canter to prepare the horse for the forthcoming exercise.
• Establish a balanced, active canter and go large. Collect the canter a little to ensure your horse is listening and engaged.
• Starting on the left lead, begin a figure-of-eight shape with a half 20m circle to the left. As you cross the diagonal, continue on the left lead in counter-canter as you embark on the second 20m loop to the right.
• Keep your weight centred and you upper body aligned with the new direction of travel.
  • Your left leg should stay on the girth for bend and impulsion; your right leg slightly behind to control the hindquarters and maintain the left canter lead.
  • Your horse’s poll should be gently flexed to the outside of the circle, keeping the bend over the leading leg.
• Complete the second loop of the figure-of-eight in counter-canter, returning to true canter as you cross the diagonal again, and complete the pattern.
• Repeat on the other rein.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Quality not quantity

If your horse goes disunited or changes leg while trying to complete the loop, it shows that their canter is unbalanced or lacking engagement. Start by attempting just a few good strides of counter-canter across the diagonal and into the corner as the quality and suppleness improves. Only ride as much counter-canter as your horse can maintain with good quality.

2. Back to basics

If a 20m half-circle is too challenging, practise shallow loops in counter-canter to develop the suppleness and understanding of the aids.

The key principle is that counter-canter should improve the canter not compromise it, so you may need to simplify the exercise until your horse developed the strength and balance to maintain a correct, rhythmic tempo.

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Course-designers love to build a related distance where horses and riders have to make decisions. A typical example is two fences that can be jumped on a forward five strides, or a collected six.

The key is canter adjustability. As a rider, you need to be able to choose what sort of canter you have on the approach to the fence, which gives you options.

It also enables you to react quickly. If your horse makes a big jump into the first, that will impact how many strides you take to the second, and the reverse.

This jumping exercise also helps you see a stride, as you judge your stride length on the approach to each fence.

And remember, it’s not about kicking or pulling the reins – or even going slowly or fast. Maintaining a quality canter will give your horse the best possible chance of clearing the fence well.

Aims

• Adjustability
• Impulsion
• Engagement
• Hone your eye for a stride

The setup

Build two fences on a straight line, at about 22.5m apart. This might vary a little according to the terrain and also whether you’re inside or outside, but the aim is for six balanced, collected strides to cover the distance.

The fences should be at a comfortable height to start with – you can even use poles on the ground or cavaletti. They can be raised as appropriate during the exercise.

How to ride this exercise

• Establish a good rhythm in a nice, balanced, collected canter and approach the line. Aim to fit six strides in between the two fences.
• For the six strides, think balance with impulsion, maintaining enough leg so the horse doesn’t lose oomph.
• Repeat until the six strides are reliable and comfortable.
• Then ride the same line with a more forward, open canter. You want your horse to lengthen his stride without losing balance, so don’t chase.
• Once both stride patterns are established, deliberately alternate. This helps you to decide on and produce the required canter, and also helps you both learn that you can negotiate the same space with different striding.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Long and flat on five

This means you’re increasing the speed rather than the stride length. Ride positively, thinking “elevation”, maintaining the impulsion while opening up the stride. Don’t throw your body forward but follow with your hands.

2. Losing impulsion on six

You’re making the canter too slow, rather than more compact. You still need plenty of activity and energy in the hindleg to jump the fence. Use your seat and core to contain your horse while encouraging impulsion, and keep your leg on.

3. Level up

Make the second fence an oxer. This allows you to see whether your horse can maintain the same adjustable canter when the jumping efforts become more demanding. On five strides, resist the temptation to open up the canter too much to make the spread, while on six strides, you’ll need to ensure the canter is super active and energetic to clear the oxer off a shorter stride.

If you make the first fence an oxer, this will affect the five- / six-stride distance as the spread eats into space between fences. You may need to push the second fence out a little if it is too tight, but it can be good practice for jumping off a deeper spot.

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German dressage legend Christoph Hess suggests this flatwork exercise to help your horse work towards collection, without losing impulsion.

First you ride a small, balanced circle, in trot, in a corner. Then you move straight into shoulder-in down the long side, which is useful for testing your horse’s balance, energy and suppleness.

Christoph says: “Collection without impulsion is worthless, and I’ve yet to see a horse at any level who has no issues with straightness.”

Aims

• Collection with impulsion
• Suppleness
• Straightness

The setup

No setup required. You can ride this in an arena or a field, but you’ll need markers to help you stay disciplined on straightness and circle sizes.

How to ride this exercise

• Approach the short side of the arena in an active trot. Before the second corner, half-halt and, instead of a normal corner, ride a very small circle (6–8m) keeping your horse in balance.
• You’ll need to bend your horse around your inside leg, controlling the shoulders with the outside rein. You want to keep the trot’s activity but ask for more engagement. This helps collect your horse.
• As you finish the little circle and return to the long side, straighten your horse’s body while keeping that energy you have created.
• Immediately ride in shoulder-in down the long side. This asks your horse to maintain the balance and engagement from the small circle while moving forward and sideways.
• This lateral work can help with straightness as the horse needs to align his shoulder and quarters rather than drifting or falling out.
• Straighten up and do the same exercise at the opposite end of the arena.
• Repeat several times on each rein.

Troubleshooting tips

1. Losing impulsion

Make the exercise a little easier. Don’t force it – a slightly larger (8-10m) but correct circle followed by a few strides of good shoulder-in is more productive than a messy circle and the lack of balance that follows.

2. Falling on to inside shoulder

Use your inside leg to support the bend, and the outside rein to control the shoulders, do not try to lift with the inside hand. Make the circle bigger so that your horse can stay in balance.

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Police are hunting the van driver whose speed caused a horse to spook and trample her fallen rider, causing serious injuries.

Hannah Green suffered a broken rib, lacerated liver and internal bleeding when her thoroughbred Winnie stood on her in Melksham, Wiltshire, on 31 July. Hannah told H&H the driver did not stop.

“It all happened so fast,” she said. “I didn’t even really see the van as he went past so fast, and Winnie just went straight up.”

Hannah said there is a lay-by area outside her yard on Lower Woodrow Road so riders can close the gate then use a mounting block to get on.

“I was just on and she’s a typical racehorse who wants to walk straight away but she only went two steps, stopped at the front of the drive, and this van came whizzing past,” she said.

“It might not have been on purpose because he didn’t see us because of the hedges but it just freaked her out. She reared up, ran backwards, hit the gate, which freaked her out even more.

“She shot out across the road, fell down the ditch, and when she came out, I came off. She ran over me, fell down the ditch on the same side as the yard, then ran down the road.”

Luckily, Winnie turned and came back to the yard drive rather than carrying on along the road. Hannah called her husband, and she was taken to hospital.

Taken to hospital

“My friend said to my husband: ‘I don’t know where Hannah or the horse is, so be careful going round the corners’,” she said. “A man on a pushbike got to me first, then a lady in a car, and another man held Winnie. I got taken by ambulance to Bath hospital; they scanned me and found I was internally bleeding so I was transferred to Southmead, and spent six days there.”

Hannah had to spend another five days on bed rest at home, except a very minor trip to the yard when a chiropractor came to check her.

“I was there as Winnie had kissing spines surgery last July and I wanted to make sure she was ok,” she said. “She was out in her hips and shoulders but she sorted her out and gave her the green light, and a friend’s ridden her for me. I’ve had to have friends looking after her.”

Hannah hopes to start riding again next month if she is recovered enough. She added that there are already horse warning signs on that stretch of road, as there are a few yards there.

60mph speed limit

“The speed limit is 60mph and it needs to be lower, and have more horse signs, as there are six yards on that bit of road,” she said. “I have spoken to the rural police team and they’ve given me some British Horse Society signs and I’ve got to speak to the yard owner about putting them up.

“It could have been so much worse; if the people in the car had been that much closer, they would have hit us.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said officers would like to hear from anyone who saw the incident or may have dashcam footage of the van. It is described as white with brown markings on the side.

“We’d also like to remind drivers of the importance of passing horses wide and slow, keeping at least two metres’ distance and reducing speed to a maximum of 10mph,” he said.

“If you can help, please email PC Hosken at 70915@wiltshire.police.uk quoting reference 54260097384.”

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Even when you don’t have time for a full ride, you can keep developing your horse’s way of doing with this simple groundwork exercise.

All you need is two poles and 10 minutes – and you will reap the long-term benefits as your horse develops his foot-eye coordination and activates his core.

Aims

• Fine tune horse’s motor control
• Activate postural muscles
• Improve rideability from the ground

The setup

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle.

Place two poles at a right angle to each other, with one end touching.

You can raise the outside end of either or both poles on to a block to create a slightly more demanding groundwork pole exercise.

How to do these exercises

Exercise 1

• Position your horse with his head in the corner, adjacent to and parallel to one of the poles
• Ask him to move his hindquarters round, stepping underneath his belly. He should keep his head in the corner and step round with the hindlegs to stand parallel to the other pole. It should take three to four steps.
• Keep the front feet in the corner; he should not pull backwards or step over the poles.

Exercise 2

• Position your horse in a square halt, with this front feet just behind one of the poles (you can stand just in front of the pole and slightly to the side).
• Ask your horse to take a step forward over the pole with both forelegs, then step back over the pole.
• Do this five or six times.
• You can also ask the horse to step just one front leg over, pause for a few seconds to stretch the shoulder, then step back, alternating front legs

Exercise 3

• Ask your horse to do a small circle, over both poles. Stand outside the setup and, as if you were lungeing, ask him to do a 5m circle around you, incorporating the poles.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Knocking poles down

The whole point of these groundwork pole exercises is to help the horse lift his core, and fine-tune his proprioception so he knows where he is putting his feet. His foot-eye coordination will develop through practice.

Make sure you are not restricting your horse’s head and neck with your lead rope, as he needs the release in front to drop his head and look at the poles.

These are simple exercises at a slow pace, so keep practising – little and often, rather than drilling him in one session.

If possible, use heavy wooden poles rather than lightweight ones which the horse will be less aware of hitting. Raise both ends of the pole on to blocks to encourage him to lift.

2. Ride it

This exercise can also be ridden in walk. As you have practised it from the ground, your horse should understand what you are asking from the saddle with your seat, hands and legs, which consolidates your aids.

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Back pain is a common problem among equestrians, but a spinal expert has shared three simple core exercises for horse riders that can help prevent these issues.

H&H spoke to consultant spinal neurosurgeon Anthony Ghosh about why the repetitive nature of riding puts equestrians at greater risk of disc disease.

“The repetitive axial loading – that means vertical impact forces that are repetitive where the spine is sort of upright and going up and down – does mean we see a much higher prevalence of disc disease [in equestrians],” he explains. “But this doesn't mean you have to be a back pain sufferer.”

Mr Ghosh recommends the “McGill big three” as useful core-strengthening exercises that may help prevent back pain.

The McGill big three core exercises for horse riders

The “McGill big three” refers to three exercises highlighted by Stuart McGill, a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada for 30 years, who is a leading figure in causes and rehabilitation of back pain. These are the bird dog, curl up and side-plank.

The below can be varied and tailored to your situation by a good physiotherapist. If you are suffering from back pain, seek appropriate medical advice before undertaking any of the below exercises.

1. Bird dog

The bird dog is good for activating the lower lumbar back muscles.

• Start on all fours
• Lift one arm up ahead of you, almost like a superman post
• Stretch the opposite leg out behind you
• Repeat on each side

2. Curl up

The curl up activates the abdominal muscles – it is not the same as a crunch.

• Lie on your back – bend one knee and keep the other leg stretched out.
• Place your hands under your back to support the natural arch of your spine.
• Lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the ground as one and hold.

3. Side plank

A side plank activates the oblique muscles.

• Lie on your side with your knees bent at 90 degrees, and prop yourself up on your elbow, positioned under your shoulder.
• Lift your hips off the mat until you have a straight line from your knees to the top of your head and hold.
• You can up the intensity by keeping your legs straight, instead of bending your knees.

Take care: With any new form of exercise, your body needs to build up gradually to avoid strain. Seek the advice of a chartered physiotherapist if you are unsure if you should do any exercises due to underlying health conditions. Particular caution applies if you have any cartilage injuries in your knees or joint replacements; avoid the cardiovascular exercises if you have any unstable cardiac health problems, acute disc bulges/prolapses or referred leg pain, pins and needles, numbness, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gynaecological conditions – or if you are pregnant or undergoing cancer treatment.

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The repetitive nature of riding means riders are predisposed to back pain but core strengthening exercises could help mitigate problems, a leading surgeon has said.

Consultant spinal neurosurgeon Anthony Ghosh spoke to H&H about the back-related issues he typically sees in riders, preventative measures equestrians can take and why looking at the body as a whole is important.

“Due to the nature of the sport, where we have what is known as repetitive axial loading – that means vertical impact forces that are repetitive where the spine is sort of upright and going up and down – we do see a much higher prevalence of disc disease,” said Mr Ghosh.

“But the important point for readers to take away is we also know from studies that if we scan people in general who have no back pain at all, we find worn discs in a lot of them. Just because there is a high prevalence of degenerative disc disease, that in itself doesn't mean you have to be a back pain sufferer.

“Your scan isn't the factor that's going to define you and what your life is going to be like. There's a saying in medicine: treat the patient, not the test results.”

He added: “Core gets a bit overplayed in the world of back pain and spine health; the reason you have back pain isn't because you have a weak core. But that said, strengthening the core can be a useful tool in reducing your back pain.”

He explained that these include the muscles that run up and down the spine, the paraspinal muscles, abdominal muscles that come around a person’s front and sides and also the glutes and hamstrings.

“If you build a brace of muscle around the lower back, 360 degrees, what you’re doing in effect is giving the spine a nice, natural brace,” said Mr Ghosh.

Mr Ghosh referred to the “McGill big three” as useful core-strengthening exercises that may help prevent back pain. These are the bird dog, curl up and side-plank.

“If you’re suffering from a bout of back pain, I would advise you to see a physiotherapist – there are variants of those exercises that any good physio will know and will be able to tailor them to your ability,” he said.

Mr Ghosh also recommended riders who have developing aches, weakness, pain or numbness in their limbs to get checked out by a medical professional.

Looking at riders overall, he said that although core exercises are important, people should not be “overly obsessed with the back alone”.

“As part of your day-to-day or weekly routine, there should be some resistance training throughout the whole body; just like any kind of workout, it's all part of a bigger system,” he said.

‘We’ve gone from getting six and a half and seven, to eight and nine’

Phillipa Hendry went to see an osteopath in February after injuring her back lifting soaked haynets.

Mrs Hendry, 61, who won the LeMieux BE100 grassroots championships at Badminton in May with Flyer Des Coupeaux, was told her muscles were going into spasm owing to the heavy lifting – but that she also had an old injury and her lower back was “locked solid”.

She worked out that her original injury must have been caused by a rotational fall in her 20s. It had not been causing her pain, but she had been consistently getting comments on her dressage sheets along the lines of, “lovely horse, lovely movement, just needed to be more supple over his back for higher marks”.

Mrs Hendry wondered if the two were connected.

She asked her osteopath for exercises, which she has committed to doing regularly, and said that the difference in the way “Fly” goes is “like chalk and cheese”, particularly in the free walk.

“We’ve gone from getting six and a half and seven, to eight and nine,” she said. “That’s not only on him, but the marks for my other horse have gone up massively as well.”

She added: “I'm just so gutted for my horses that I didn’t manage to identify this years ago. It’s only now I can feel the difference in the horses that I’m thinking that’s how it should have felt for all those years.”

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Joe Stockdale shared this simple two-fence jumping exercise with H&H. He often uses it as a warm-up because it helps builds connection between horse and rider, checking all the buttons are working and your horse is listening to your aids.

The two fences – while built on a related line – are jumped on an angle as single obstacles, which gives multiple options for different lines, angles and patterns.

The angled approach focus here is more demanding than the usual straight lines. This requires your horse to be more engaged and connected, listening to your instructions rather than jumping on autopilot and going through the motions with a lacklustre canter.

Aims

• Jump fences on an angle
• Dictate which lead to land on
• Increase responsiveness to aids

The setup

You need three sets of jump wings and poles for an upright and oxer. You can do this in an arena or field.

Set up a one-stride double, with an upright and square oxer, across the diagonal to give you maximum space around the fences. Both fences can be jumped from either direction.

This jumping exercise is suitable for all levels, so build the fences at the height at which you are comfortable. Joe demonstrated this with his 1.60m jumper Cacharel, over fences at about 90cm-1m, and says he “rarely jumps more than 1.10m at home”.

How to ride this exercise

• Warm up in walk, trot and canter on both reins. Make sure your horse is listening to the aids, with plenty of transitions.
• You may want to jump a warm-up fence before starting the exercise, such as a cross-pole – whatever you usually do at the start of a jumping session.
• For the exercise, both the upright and oxer should be approached on an angle and jumped as single fences, not as part of a double. You can play around with the lines.
• Always approach the fence you want to jump as the second part of the double. This is so that you are not asking your horse to run past a fence it has already locked on to, which would be more likely if isolating the first fence, with the second fence in their vision. This means you always have to come in on an angle.
• Try circles, turn-back and figure-of-eights, dictating which lead you land on, as shown in the diagram.
• At the end, jump straight through the double a couple of times to reset.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Back to basics

For young or green horses, you can set the double on two strides to make it less demanding. This makes the angle of approach less sharp, and gives horses more time to see where they are going.

2. Work on the weak spots

Each horse will naturally have a favoured lead on which to land. You can play around with approaching and landing on different leads. Avoid leaning, but look in the direction you want to go and open the inside rein slightly, which should influence your horse’s landing lead.

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Riding round in circles can seem pointless, unless you create an aim and focus. The goal in this flatwork exercise is connecting simple 20m canter circles and 10m walk circles, with canter to walk, and walk to canter transitions.

The emphasis on precise upward and downward transitions provides huge benefits in terms of accuracy, which helps your horse to be more responsive, lift the forehand and move better overall.

While the focus is on accurate transitions, you’ll also be working on rhythm, balance and bend, which should remain consistent as you change pace and continue on whichever size circle.

It also helps with engagement, suppleness and collection, because of the use of the hindleg when riding a circle and the horse bending his core around your inside leg.

Aims

• Improve walk to canter transitions
• Develop engagement, suppleness and collection
• Help lift your horse’s shoulder

The setup

No setup required. You can do this exercise in a field or an arena.

How to ride this exercise

• Canter at 20m circle at either C or A.
• At X, make a transition from canter to walk and, staying on the same rein, walk a 10m circle.
• When completing the circle, at X make a walk to canter transition and ride a 20m circle again.
• Repeat the sequence five times.
• Change the rein and repeat.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Level up

If you’ve nailed your walk to canter transitions and vice versa so that they take place on X, without drifting, losing balance or outline, the next step is to do one set of circles on the left rein, then change leg over X and repeat a set of circles on the other rein in a figure of eight. Switch leads either through a couple of steps of trot or a flying change.

2. Late transitions

Preparation is key. For the downward transition, prepare three to five strides before X, quietly rebalancing the canter, sitting up tall, and thinking “soften and walk” rather than pulling down into it.

For the walk to canter transition, make sure your walk is forward on the 10m circle but not hurried. Ask for a clear aid up into canter, rather than rushing through a few strides of trot.

3. Anticipation

Your horse anticipating is partly useful because it enables you to use lighter aids for a more accurate transition. However, if your horse is acting before you’ve given the aids, change the exercise slightly. Continue over X without making a transition or switch the moment from X to A or C so that he waits for your aid rather than assuming what comes next.

4. Back to basics

If the walk-canter-walk transitions are too advanced for your level at the moment, swap the canter for trot. You’ll still be working on your transitions, bend and accuracy.

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This hourglass polework exercise only requires four poles, but provides multiple options to improve your horse’s straightness, suppleness, transitions and adjustability.

Sometimes in a training session, you want to work on a variety of things to benefit your horse, rather than focusing on a specific issue – and this polework exercise does just that.

Aims

• Improve balance and straightness
• Develop suppleness and rideability
• Hone accuracy

The setup

Place two poles on the quarter lines between H and M, at a 45º angle as shown in the diagram. Do the same between K and F.

It doesn’t matter if they are not precisely placed – they represent focal points rather than exact markers.

How to ride the hourglass exercise

• There are many different lines you can ride in this hourglass exercise and you can do all the patterns in walk, trot, or canter, which all have different demands.
• First try the loops, incorporating the poles as you leave and return to the track. You can vary the depth of the loop as you fine-tune your aids. A bigger, sharper loop – as far as X – requires more bend and balance, while a gentle curve is easier for a horse to maintain its rhythm.
  • You can go from loop to loop on the same rein, or turn directly up the centre line after finishing a loop to change the rein, and repeat on the other side. This works on both bending and straightness and helps stop your horse anticipating.
• Elongated figure of eight: rather than a classic figure of eight made up of 20m circles, the poles dictate that you ride into the corners before making a straight line across the diagonal to change the rein. This works on accuracy into the corners, balance on the turns, straightness across the diagonal and maintaining rhythm through the change of rein.
  • Within this figure of eight, you can practise transitions on the diagonal line, for example, halt at X, trot-to-walk and so on.
  • If doing the exercise in canter, you can do simple lead changes through trot over X, or more advanced partnerships can execute flying changes.
  • You can also practise shortening and lengthening between the two poles across the diagonal, counting a different number of strides.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Back to basics

If your horse is losing balance on the turns, falling out through the shoulder or swinging the quarters, take it back a step. Don’t get hung up on completing the pattern.

You can break up the patterns so you do segments, such as one loop then go large. Or go through the lines in walk first, so that he understands the challenge at a slower pace.

2. Level up

Raise the poles or add cavaletti to add to the challenge.

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Riders and bridleways should be part of the picture when councils are planning new routes – and shared country roads should have a 20mph speed limit.

Those are two of the headline recommendations from the new national rural design guide, which provides technical guidance on planning and designing routes and facilities in rural areas.

It was created by Government quango Active Travel England, and the British Horse Society (BHS) was among those to help shape it. Although local authorities are not legally bound to follow it, it sets out advice and “best practice” examples of “to help them provide high-quality active travel routes tailored to the unique requirements of villages, small market towns and the countryside”.

The first chapter of the 253-page guide states that although it is “not a comprehensive manual for designing equestrian routes, it recommends that, wherever possible, routes should be made accessible for horse riders, particularly where there are pre-existing equestrian routes”. In all, horses are referred to 84 times, and there are 36 mentions of bridleways.

It sets out when people should be separated from traffic, for example by having their own designated path, and also gives recommended maximum speed limits depending on how busy a shared road is.

The guide states that where pedestrians and cyclists share carriageways with motor vehicles, the volume of traffic should be no more than 1,000 vehicles per day (vpd), or 100 vehicles per hour (vph). On these roads, it adds that “actual traffic speeds should be no more than around 20mph, although speed limits are set by local highway authorities and should be based on local circumstances”.

“Similarly, low traffic speeds and volumes are desirable to create safe and comfortable conditions for equestrians sharing space with motor vehicles,” states the guide.

“Where separate provision for people to walk and wheel has been provided and cyclists and equestrians are mixing with motor vehicles travelling at up to around 20mph, traffic volumes may be up to 2,500vpd or 250vph, but should desirably be less.”

It even considers how the width of off-road paths may need to be considered if they are shared by horse riders and people walking, wheeling and cycling, and that highway verges need to be wide enough to be safe for riders.

BHS director of access Mark Weston told H&H the charity is “really pleased” to see the new guidance.

“For many years, we've been calling for horse riders to be considered as part of active travel rather than being overlooked so this is a positive step in the right direction,” said Mr Weston.

“By giving local authorities clear guidance on how to include equestrians when planning new active travel routes in rural areas, we hope to see more routes that are safer, more connected and accessible for everyone who uses them.”

He added: "We also welcome the recognition of the role that 20mph speed limits can play in improving road safety. Anything that helps reduce the number of horses, riders and carriage drivers being killed or injured on our roads is a step forward, and we look forward to continuing to work with partners to make Britain's roads and off-road networks safer for all."

Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner raised concerns over the “huge impact” a “blanket 20mph limit on rural lanes” would have on rural communities.

“Given that every country lane will have someone walking or riding a bike (or horse) along it at some time or another the guidance is essentially recommending a 20mph limit on all country lanes,” he said.

“The guidance is run through with assumptions and ignorance and has a complete lack of any consideration of the interests of rural communities.”

• Read the Active Travel rural design guide in full (PDF)

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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This simple flatwork exercise is a favourite of H&H deputy art editor Sophie Cheeseman to do at the start of a session to encourage your horse to be supple, off the leg and to “get your own legs working too”.

This is a great suppling exercise to do at the start of a session to warm you and your horse up, and is great for practising riding accurate circles.

It entails consecutive 10m circles off the centre line, on alternate reins. This works on your horse’s suppleness, collection and connection with the rider.

Aims

• Suppleness
• Collection
• Connection

The setup

No setup required. You can do this exercise in an arena or a field, though it’s best to mark out an arena to help you stay disciplined on circle sizes.

The diagram below shows the exercise in a 20x60m school. If you are riding in a 20x40m, just do one circle fewer.

How to ride this exercise

• Establish an active walk working into a contact and go large on the left rein. Turn down the centre line and almost immediately ride a 10m circle to the right.
• On returning to the track, walk a few strides straight then ride a 10m circle to the left.
• Establish straightness again on the centre line, then circle on the right rein, and so on.
• Continue with these alternate circles until you reach the end of the arena. You should aim to fit five 10m circles in a 60m school – adjust according to the length you have available.
• You can repeat this exercise in trot.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Space out the circles

When you start doing this exercise, you may want to space out the circles so you’re not rushing your horse. Work on ensuring you have the correct bend on both reins.

Equally, it’s beneficial to practise a few strides of straightness in between the circles as well as the tight turns.

2. Build up slowly

Your horse needs to be established and balanced on single 10m circles before attempting this sequence, which requires significant suppleness and multiple changes of rein in quick succession.

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The butterfly jumping exercise was first developed by showjumper Luciana Diniz. It uses more fences that we usually set up for a daily training exercise, but it’s worth it as if offers some 60 different lines. You can leave it up for the week and revisit.

The focus is on riding through the turn and concentrating on landing on the correct lead. At the same time, you’ll be building your canter rhythm as you jump from fence to fence.

There are several different version of the butterfly jumping exercise. Here, we outline the simplest version.

And it’s not just for jumpers; it’s a handy pattern for those who enjoy polework exercises, too.

Aims

• Land on the correct lead
• Course visualisation
• Link fences in a good rhythm and quality canter

The setup

Set up five jumps in a butterfly shape. One obstacle forms the butterfly”s body in the middle, and four obstacles as its wings.

Build the fences at a height at which you are comfortable. It’s best to start small, as you will be jumping a lot of fences in a session. It’s less about the height, more about the quality of canter through the turns.

Although the butterfly is primarily used as a jumping exercise, you can do this with poles on the ground, cavaletti, or fences that you can adjust. You might also want to incorporate an oxer on either side to give a variation of uprights and spreads.

How to ride the exercise

• Start small – even with poles on the ground – and only once you are taking the lines you intend smoothly and confidently should you consider raising the fences.
• With some 60 different lines that you can take around this set-up, you can simply play around. The diagram shows one potential sequence.
• Decide before each line exactly where which route you will take, as you need to be accurate with your aids.
• Visualise your course before starting, so that you are ready over each fence to influence the correct lead on landing.
• Focus on riding through each turn in balance and landing on the correct lead.
• To land on the correct lead, look in the direction you want to travel, towards the next fence. Very slightly open your inside rein. Do not lean to try to influence the horse as this will throw him off balance.
• You’ll also practise switching from jumping off a turn to in a straight line over the “butterfly’s body” fence.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Landing on the wrong lead: rider influence

Do not lean to the inside as your horse may try to counterbalance. Look and turn your head as you leave the ground in the direction you want to travel.

Slightly open the inside rein but don’t overdo it, and keep a steady, supportive outside rein.

2. Landing on the wrong lead: help with poles

You can also add a pole on the landing side, on a diagonal at least 3m from the fence to close off the rein he favours (see example below).

For instance, if he always wants to land on the left rein, place the left side of the landing pole 3m from the fence so there is no chance of landing on it, at a slight angle as shown in the diagram below. This forms a natural barrier, encouraging him around the turn to the right and automatically landing on the right lead.

Or you can add a half cross-pole behind the fence, with the side raised of the horse’s favoured leg. Putting it behind the fence is safer as if your horse hits it, it will simply fall down.

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“Around the clock” is a relatively demanding polework exercise on a 20m circle, which can be ridden in both trot and canter. It helps you see how well you can control the outside shoulder, requiring the horse to negotiate four poles while bending around your inside leg.

Aims

• Maintain the bend and direction of travel while lifting the shoulder
• Work on your horse’s posture and outline
• Ride from inside leg to outside hand

The setup

Setup: Four poles set up on a 20m circle like a clock face. There should be four canter strides between the centre of each pole.

How to ride this exercise

1. Warm up in walk, trot and canter.
2. First, walk over the circle of four poles on each rein, keeping up a good active pace, and allowing the horse to lift his shoulder and lengthen his neck over each pole.
3. Next, in trot on both reins. Approach each pole in the middle, using stripes if you have them to guide you. Keep looking round to the next pole to maintain the bend. Focus on how you ride each quadrant rather than each individual pole.
4. Now, in canter on both reins, add in one pole at a time rather than going straight over all four poles at once. Start by riding two poles, then missing a pole, then two poles and so on. Take a break on a long rein.
5. Then, do three poles at a time, and miss a pole, for a few circles, and repeat on the other rein. Again, give your horse a short break between each set.
6. Finally, do all four poles.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Level up

Although this exercise is quite demanding in itself, you can ramp up the difficulty level. Try shortening the canter to five strides between poles, and doing two quadrants on five strides, and two on four. This requires your horse to lengthen and shorten the canter without tension, because the poles will disrupt it if your horse is not sufficiently adjustable.

2. Self-carriage

It’s tempting for your horse to drift out to make this exercise a bit easier. Give him a gentle pat with the inside hand over every other pole to check he can maintain his position and bend without relying on that inside hand.

3. Rider position

You can vary your position between sitting in the saddle and a light showjumping seat. One is likely to feel easier to you, so practise both until they both feel as natural as the other.

4. Take a break

This is a demanding exercise both mentally and physically, so make sure you give your horse plenty of breaks on a long rein between sets.

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Transitions – as Olympic dressage rider Becky Moody always emphasises – are the most important part of daily training, whatever pace you are working in. This flatwork exercise incorporates rein-back as well as transitions to increase the difficulty level.

It improves your horse’s balance, engaging the hindquarters to carry more weight while lifting the core. Rein-back is also useful for testing your horse’s response to the rider’s correct seat, leg and hand aids.

We may think that we can’t make much progress in walk, but this is a great exercise that really helps develop your horse’s way of going and your own riding skills. Furthermore, it can be done in an arena or out hacking, and is useful when the ground is hard or your horse is perhaps older or lacking fitness but still needs stimulating work.

Aims

• Improve responsiveness
• Develop balance and straightness
• Hone rider’s coordination

The setup

No setup required. You can do this exercise in a field or an arena.

How to ride this exercise

• Establish an active walk in a straight line, concentrating on your position as a rider – your posture, straightness, soft hands and weight in the heels.
• Count approximately eight steps of walk, then halt for five seconds, squeezing the rein and legs, while sitting tall so that the horse steps into the contact. How early you have to prepare will depend on your connection with your horse.
• Analyse your halt – is it square? Did you horse respond when you gave the aids?
• Ask your horse to go forward to walk for eight steps and halt again.
• Now, rein-back for four steps or as much as is comfortable for your stage in training – pressing with the inner thigh, keeping your abs tight and gently half-halting, softening as soon as he responds.
• Analyse your rein-back as you go. Does your horse move straight back with his legs in diagonal pairs? Does he remain soft and consistent in his outline or resist?
• Go straight back into walk and go large.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Level up

If you are working in an arena, you can start this exercise alongside the fence (or out hacking along a hedgerow). This will help keep your horse straight.

Next, try it on the centre line without any fence keeping him from swinging quarters out or in. Concentrate on maintaining a straight line both in the walk, through the halt and the rein-back.

When you can do this exercise easily, vary the number of steps in walk and rein-back. Be strict with yourself on achieving however many strides you decide so that you don’t drift.

2. Poor halt

Preparation is paramount. If your horse is late to halt, prepare earlier and give clearer aids.

If he halts crookedly, analyse your own position: are you sitting with your weight on both seatbones, with your hands level? Visualise keeping your horse’s shoulders and quarters aligned, rather than forcing the head straight with the reins.

Use the arena fence to help keep you straight.

3. Poor rein-back

If your horse is new to rein-back, try teaching him rein-back from the ground first. When ridden, start by asking for just one step and immediately release and praise him.

Again, this is easiest to attempt initially at the side of the arena, using the fence as a natural barrier. You could also set up some poles to ride between.

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Counter-canter is useful for developing balance, straightness, strength and obedience to the aids. While it also appears as a movement in dressage tests as you progress up the levels (from novice in pure dressage, and in eventing), it’s also very effective for improving the overall canter quality and self-carriage.

However, when you first introduce your horse to counter-canter, like any new move, it’s best to take baby steps.

This teardrop shaped is handy for teaching a few strides of counter-canter in an unpressurised, simple way, so your horse can gain strength and understand of the aids before progressing to more demanding flatwork exercises.

Aim

• To achieve a few strides of counter-canter while maintaining straightness and balance.

The setup

No setup required. You can do this exercise in an arena of field, but if using the latter it’s best to mark out an arena with boards or poles to help you stay disciplined regarding straight lines and circle sizes.

How to ride this exercise

• Warm up in walk, trot and canter on both reins, including doing circles of various sizes. This spiral circle exercise can improve engagement and balance on a smaller circle.
• Pick up an active canter, and go large on the left rein. At the short end of the arena, ride a 15m half circle.
• At the end of the half-circle, take a diagonal line back to the track, thereby changing the rein. Keep control of your horse’s shoulders, and maintain your leg aids for left canter, so that your horse doesn’t drift or anticipate a flying change.
• Maintain counter-canter for a few strides on a straight line, making a transition to trot before the corner. The canter should feel of the same quality and balance, not losing rhythm.
• Repeat on the other rein.
• Next, try the same exercise but with a 10m half-circle. This will require greater collection and rebalance for the smaller circle, and give room for more strides of counter-canter on returning to the track.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Circle size

If the circle is too tight, your horse may lose balance or fall out through the shoulder. You want to go into counter-canter in good balance and maintain those quality steps, so make the circle size relative to your horse’s suppleness. You can make it tighter as your horse develops.

2. Anticipating the change

Some horses are so used to changing leads automatically, they may swap as soon as you turn back towards the track. Work on establishing a quality, balanced canter, and maintain your aids for the leading leg.

For example, if starting on the left lead, the rider’s left leg is on the girth, right leg just behind, with poll flexion slightly to the left – which will be slightly to the outside in counter-canter.

3. Level up

If you horse is doing the teardrop easily and confidently, try maintaining counter-canter through the corner, and eventually into a figure-of-eight. However, if your horse breaks into trot, loses rhythm, changes or goes disunited, take it back a step. Re-establish a quality canter, and try again. The priority is canter quality not completing the pattern.

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Adult riding camps – have you ever thought about attending one?

Perhaps you went to Pony Club camp when you were younger or maybe you fancy a UK horse riding holiday with some added dressage training. Or is going to camp on your horsey bucket list?

Whether you’re thinking of some horsey time away to help smash training goals or simply a break with like-minded people, adult riding camps offer many possibilities.

Jump to...

• What are adult riding camps?
• Who are adult riding camps for?
• Do I need to have my own horse?
• What to expect
• Packing checklist

What are adult riding camps?

Adult riding camps are residential trips with your horse and last anywhere from a couple of days to a week or more.

They usually take place at an equestrian centre that has facilities beyond simply an arena and jumps on offer. These facilities might include a horse simulator, cross-country course or gallops. Alternatively, the centre might have great things on offer locally, like beach riding or a forest with extensive off-road hacking.

Depending on where the camp is and how much it costs, accommodation might be provided or there might be a field for camping. Meals are usually included in the price.

Who are adult riding camps for?

Simply put, they are for everyone. However, it’s definitely worth finding the right one for you with a bit of research.

For example, you can find camps geared towards:

• confidence and mindset
• general training
• discipline-specific training
• new skills, such as groundwork or liberty
• Western equestrian sports

Do I need to have my own horse?

In short, no! Adult riding camps based at riding schools frequently have horses available for those who don’t have one.

Depending on where you’d like to go and your experience level, there are options available for anyone from a beginner to someone ready to take on high-level dressage movements with a schoolmaster.

If you do have a horse, however, there is plenty of choice when it comes to adult riding camps.

What to expect at an adult riding camp

Jessica Jackson and her 19-year-old Irish sports pony, Bonnie, are riding camp veterans.

“I typically attend one or two a year all over the country,” she tells H&H. “For some I went with friends; others I braved alone.”

Jessica says camps are a great way to bond with your horse, meet like-minded people and challenge yourself.

“You become completely consumed by horses while gaining invaluable knowledge from experienced coaches in a supportive environment.”

In addition, camps offer Jessica a way to switch off.

“My favourite thing about them is the mental escape they gives me, with uninterrupted time to focus on myself, my riding and to strengthen my partnership with Bonnie.”

Jessica also tells us how riding camps have evolved over the years.

“They’re no longer just about time in the saddle, but improving from a more holistic standpoint. Nowadays, many camps often incorporate activities such as Pilates, mindfulness talks, wellbeing sessions, team-building games, sports massages and even mechanical horse sessions.”

Some camps also have talks and demos from equine professionals, such as nutritionists who might bring a weigh bridge to weigh your horse, for example.

Jessica’s advice for would-be adult riding camp attendees is to do your research before booking. “Start by looking at the venue’s location and facilities. Do they suit your requirements, goals and expectations?

“Check out the camp itinerary and ensure it is appropriate. Are you looking to improve a particular discipline? Enjoy a relaxing getaway? Or set a challenge in a new environment?”

Jessica also suggests looking into the coaches. “Their experience, teaching style and areas of expertise should align with what you want to achieve.”

Finally, Jessica suggests making sure the facilities are suitable for you and your horse.

“Do they provide turnout? Stabling options? Check out what accommodation and amenities are available for riders too. Some camps offer an all-inclusive package, while others will require you to bring your own bedding, for example, more like DIY.”

Preparing for your first camp

“At your first riding camp, expect to challenge yourself, learn a lot and have plenty of fun!” says Jessica. “From experience, they all offer a supportive, friendly and relaxed environment where riders and horses are encouraged to develop and progress at their own pace.”

Jessica adds that camps can be physically demanding with multiple sessions each day. “Make sure you and your horse are fit enough to make the most of the experience.”

Jessica also states the importance of going with an open mind. “Be willing to step out of your comfort zone, embrace the opportunity to learn, make new friends and try new things. Book the camp – you won’t regret it!”

Horse camp checklist

Wondering what you might need for a camp? Here is what you should consider:

For your horse

• passport
• tack – saddle, bridle, martingale or breastplate (if you need one) and his girth
• a saddle pad, plus spares so you always have a dry clean one
• protective boots, such as brushing boots or overreach boots
• hi-vis for hacking
• headcollar and leadrope
• any rugs currently in use
• a fly mask (if using)
• enough forage (unless supplied), feed and supplements for the duration
• bedding (if stabling and not supplied)
• water carrier (like this one, for the journey and to put in your wheelbarrow to save lugging buckets)
• feed and wash-down buckets
• haynets
• any licks or treats you use daily
• grooming kit
• first-aid kits, including relevant medication, creams and ointments
• everything on your normal travel kit checklist

For you

• riding hat
• riding boots
• body protector
• air jacket (if you have one)
• riding tights and/or breeches
• riding tops, with extras so you always have clean, dry one
• long riding socks
• lightweight waterproof jacket
• warm layers or a riding robe
• enough pairs of underwear
• toiletries
• a torch
• towels
• your phone charger
• a power bank
• personal first aid/medication

If you’re camping, you’ll also need:

• tent
• sleeping bag
• sleeping mat
• pillow
• camping light
• portable camping fan (if it is likely to be hot)
• plastic crockery and cutlery
• sit mat or picnic blanket
• camping table and chair
• camping stove, kettle and cooking implements (depending on your camp setup)

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Equestrians are calling for the Highway Code to be amended to make rider hand signals to drivers clear – as there is disagreement on what they mean.

Kelly Westgate’s Government petition asks for pictorial representation in the code of how riders ask drivers to slow down, as “the current advice could cause dangerous confusion”.

Ms Westgate told H&H the misunderstanding became clear after she shared a video on social media of her 10-year-old daughter Mia hacking out, explaining to drivers that if she raises and lowers her outstretched arm, it is a request to drivers to slow down.

“When we’re out, we get loads of people waving back or completely ignoring us,” she said.

“But when we posted the video on TikTok, there were lots of comments saying, ‘No, that means you’re slowing down.’ It generated debate and it made me look into it.”

Ms Westgate realised that although the Highway Code, which was updated in 2022 to feature more specific guidance on passing horses, states: “Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop.”

Rider signal picture confusion

But the code neither describes nor pictures the up-and-down motion riders use for this request, as backed by police forces and the British Horse Society (BHS) But it does picture arm signals used by motorcyclists, for whom the same action does mean “I am slowing down”.

“It’s a contradictory element in the Highway Code,” Ms Westgate said. “It seems a bit daft; the BHS videos, mounted police videos, all riders use that signal to ask to slow down but it gets ignored.

“The code mentions rider signals asking you to slow down but then shows the signal people give to say they are slowing down, so what signal are they looking for? What do we need to do to get them to slow down? I know the Highway Code isn’t up for review again so this is an ongoing battle.”

Sign the petition

BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox told H&H that Ms Westgate is “right to point this out” and that he supports her; he has raised the issue with the Government department for transport (DfT) previously.

“The Highway Code has the picture of the motorcyclist and a bit of wording that says ‘also for use by pedal cyclists and those in charge of horses’,” he said.

“There’s obviously a bit of confusion there, but what I think – and I’ve brought this up with the DfT several times but haven’t got anywhere and it’s still on my to-do list with them – is that if they just take out the words ‘and those in charge of horses’, that will clear up any confusion.”

But, Mr Hiscox added, he hopes that the rider’s real meaning, if they give the signal, is being communicated to new drivers.

“We give presentations to driving instructors and one of the questions I put to them is, ‘If you saw a horse rider giving this signal, what does that mean to you?’ and all the driving instructors have said, ‘That means they want us to slow down,’” he said.

Asked by H&H about this specific issue, a DfT spokesperson cited road safety measures taken by the Government, including the updating of the Highway Code in 2022 and the publication this year of the national road safety strategy – in which equestrians have been “largely overlooked” as reported by H&H (news, 15 January).

“The safety of all road users is a top priority for the Government and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads,” the spokesperson said.

“The Highway Code includes the hierarchy of road users, which identifies horse riders among the most vulnerable, with strengthened guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse riders.”

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Struggling to work out what to pack for Pony Club camp? You don’t want your child to be missing anything, but you don’t want to send them with everything but the kitchen sink, either. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to prepare and plug any gaps in your kit.

Your Pony Club may have a specific list tailored to their camp, but between the team at H&H, we’ve got many Pony Club camps under our belt – both as children and as parents – so we’re here with plenty of advice and ideas. Our top tip – make sure absolutely everything is named.

Pony Club camp packing list

Because the quintessential Pony Club camp packing list is rather long, we’re going to break it down into categories. We’ll start with the thing you definitely don’t want to leave at home – your pony!

Tack and horsewear

• saddle
• bridle
• neck strap
• martingale (if using)
• girth
• stirrups and leathers
• saddle cloths or numnahs in your branch or centre’s permitted colours – take more than one in case they get dirty or sweaty
• any legwear your pony uses, such as overreach boots, brushing boots or tendon boots
• stud kit (if used)
• headcollar and leadrope
• tail and stable bandages
• tack cleaning equipment, like saddle soap and a sponge
• all your travel kit, to get your pony there in the first place

Pony care

First and foremost, check with your branch or centre about whether they will provide bedding that is suitable for your pony. If not, make sure to pack your own.

Also, check what your pony’s living arrangements will be. Will he be living out, and do you need to bring some electric fencing? Will you have access to a stable? Find out in advance so you can prepare.

You’ll want your own of most things, but you might be able to team up with other campers when it comes to the big items, such as wheelbarrows.

• enough of your pony’s hay/haylage, feed and supplements to last the duration of camp
• feed bin (like this one)
• buckets for water and feed
• haynets
• wheelbarrow, large trug or garden bag (like this one) for mucking out
• mucking out tools
• grooming kit with all your brushes
• sweat scraper and sponge
• stud kit, if needed
• your best horse shampoo
• fly spray
• horse sun cream, if needed
• other grooming sprays if you use them, like mane and tail detangler or stain remover
• rugs, such as a cooler or fly rug and fly mask if needed

Rider kit

If you plan to stay overnight, pack accordingly for your accommodation. You may want a warm layer or two if you are camping!

• Pony Club sweatshirt
• Pony Club tie
• white shirts
• a few pairs of jodhpurs or riding tights (usually beige, black or navy, check your branch or centre’s rules)
• tweed or show jacket (if needed)
• plenty of riding socks and underwear
• riding boots, either long or short with jodhpur clips or chaps/gaiters
• hairnet and scrunchie (if needed)
• riding gloves
• whip
• up-to-standard and tagged riding hat
• up-to-standard body protector
• casual tops and bottoms for off-horse activities
• coveralls or waterproof trousers for mucking out
• stout boots or wellies for the yard
• trainers or comfy shoes for off the yard
• sun hat
• waterproof coat
• pyjamas

Other essentials

• toiletries
• sun lotion
• insect repellent
• prescription medication (if used)
• pillow and sleeping bag
• camp bed (like this one, if needed) or airbed
• towels
• plate, mug and cutlery for mealtimes (if needed)
• boot cleaning equipment
• notebook and pen
• Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship
• water bottle
• small personal first aid kit
• torch
• watch or alarm clock

Extras

• pack of cards
• book to read (check out the best horse books for kids)
• torch
• small amount of money for tuck
• hand sanitiser
• hair bobbles
• swimming kit, if required
• portable fan, for you or your pony if it’s hot
• portable power bank (like this one)

For unlimited access to the latest product news, buying guides and reviews, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also like:

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Young, weak or unbalanced horses sometimes pick up canter on the incorrect lead. Over time, this has potential to become a habit.

Thankfully, there’s a simple flatwork exercise that requires you to ride a few steps of leg-yield to help your horse pick up the correct canter lead.

Aims

• Correct your horse’s flexion
• Connect the horse into the outside rein
• Improve the canter transition

The setup

You need: a 20x40m or 20x60m arena

How to ride the exercise

• Once warmed up, turn onto the three-quarter line in trot.
• As you pass X, begin to leg-yield to the track. You can sit or rise, depending on what’s best for your horse. Aim to hit the track just after the corner marker.
• Ask for canter as you reach the track going into the corner.

Things to note

1. Avoid over-flexing

When ridden correctly, your horse should show slight flexion away from the direction of travel. Too much flexion often leads to the shoulders leading, and often means the horse drifts rather than crossing the legs.

However, ensure you maintain the flexion, and the connection into the outside rein, into the corner. Alongside balancing him, this is what helps set your horse up to lead with the inside leg in the canter.

2. Ensure your horse’s body is straight

While the shoulders should be slightly in advance of the quarters, they should not be dramatically so. Likewise, the hindquarters should not lead.

3. Maintain the rhythm

Look to maintain the same trot you had while riding large up the three-quarter line and throughout the leg-yield.

Some horses lose their engine in leg-yield, dropping behind the bit, while others might rush forward and away from your inside leg aid.

Ultimately, the contact and rhythm should be consistent. You may need to adjust your aids to help maintain them, or remain in a rising trot to help keep to a regular rhythm.

Want more ideas? Check out our full library of daily training inspiration

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Test and improve your horse’s adjustability with this eventer-favourite two-pole canter exercise

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Develop your horse’s engagement in canter with this quick transition exercise

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The fight to keep horses safe from dog attacks goes on – as the Government has confirmed that tougher legislation to deal with worrying animals does not cover ridden or driven horses.

H&H reported that the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act, which came into force this year, gave police more powers to deal with – and the option of more serious punishments – for livestock worrying, and that this includes horses.

But some in the industry had concerns that it did not go far enough. And Defra has now confirmed that although the law covers horses on roads and paths to be moved between fields, this “does not extend to ridden horses”, on or off the road.

Victoria Privett, co-founder of the Leash & Release campaign that aims to educate dog owners and protect other people and animals from dog attacks, told H&H she and co-founder Katie Smart contacted Defra last autumn.

“They’ve now come back to say the protection given by the act doesn’t automatically apply to ridden horses in public spaces,” she said.

“We’re very grateful to Defra for clarifying but my fear was that horses would fall through the gaps again, and we have. The most vulnerable time for horses and riders is when they’re riding in public.”

Ms Smart and Ms Privett said that, as it has to H&H, Defra has referred to the Dangerous Dogs Act as another law under which horses may be protected. But the relevant section of this law says it is an offence if an out-of-control dog “injures any person or assistance dog”, with no mention of horses or any other animal.

Leash & Release is now targeting an update of this law as the next step.

Dog attacks: ridden horses and other animals need protection

“We need a petition to amend this section to cover horses and all pets, including other dogs,” Ms Privett said. “People have contacted us as their dogs have been attacked, and they’re not covered either. There are lots of loopholes, and places where the police aren’t even clear.”

This petition, and a call to contact MPs, will not be started until the country’s governance is clear; the campaigners will wait until the next prime minister is in place with no chance of an imminent general election, as these mean all petitions are closed.

“Then we’ll do that, because we know the community will support us,” Ms Privett said. “Not just the equestrian community, the dog community, the pet owners, and hopefully we can get more of an aligned response.”

Solicitor Hannah Bradley, of Aria Grace Law, told H&H that although the act refers to horses, “it is clear they fall awkwardly in that they are often not farmed livestock in the traditional sense, and they are used more often for leisure purposes”.

“The frequency with which horses and their owners suffer from dog attacks, and the difficult emotional and financial circumstances caused by them, warrant serious consideration to creating a clearer route to prosecution, and by virtue a deterrent,” she said. “Whilst owners may still have a prospective civil claim to pursue any financial losses, it may be difficult and expensive, and there would be no guarantee of success, or recovery of any damages awarded.”

British Horse Society (BHS) safety team manager Des Payne told H&H anyone involved in a dog-related riding incident should contact a legal expert; the BHS has a free legal support helpline accessible to some members.

“We would always seek clarity when dealing with these awful situations, as our laws aren’t simple to navigate and there can be many different circumstances to consider,” he said. “Our understanding is that the Crown Prosecution Service will assess whether to proceed with prosecution under section 3 of the 1991 act or other relevant legislation on a case-by-case basis. As ever, we will continue to lobby Government to ensure the interests of horses, horse riders and carriage drivers are at the forefront of any legislative change.”

A Defra spokesperson confirmed Mr Payne’s understanding on the 1991 act, adding that the Government takes dog attacks very seriously.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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NuuMed’s most established lines are back in production in Britain – and back on the market – thanks to a deal that secured the brand’s future.

H&H reported in March that Racesafe had bought NuuMed and Thermatex, brands owned by manufacturer Vale Bros, which went into administration in 2023. At the time of the sale, Racesafe said the move “provides the stable manufacturing structure and technical know-how needed to support long-term growth”.

Today (2 July), a spokesperson for Racesafe confirmed NuuMed is back in production.

“Following Racesafe’s acquisition of the brand earlier this year, its core saddle pads and numnahs are once again being manufactured in Great Britain and returning to riders and retailers,” the spokesperson said.

“Production has been fully integrated into Racesafe’s Northamptonshire factory, supported by former NuuMed specialists to ensure a transfer of knowledge and high standards. The result is the range riders already know and rely on, made to the quality and fit the brand has always been known for, now back in tack rooms across the UK.”

This initial relaunch is of the most established products, and embroidery and customising is available for some items. More products will follow as capacity increases.

NuuMed return: core products first

Racesafe managing director James How said: “From the outset, our priority was to stabilise NuuMed and return its core products to the market as quickly and carefully as possible. We know how much riders value NuuMed, so restoring availability while maintaining the standards the brand is known for has been crucial.

“We hope to evolve the brand but this first stage is about making sure the products people trust are readily available again.”

Event rider and Racesafe and NuuMed brand ambassador Eliza Bell said she was delighted to see the products’ return.

“We’ve always loved the quality and thoughtful design, and it’s clear how comfortable the horses find the products. It’s great to see those same standards being maintained as the brand comes back, and I know many riders will be very pleased to have these products available again.”

The products are available to order now from the NuuMed website, and are due to be with some retailers by mid-July. Thermatex products are due to return to the market within a month.

“This marks the next stage for NuuMed under Racesafe’s ownership and the careful continuation of a trusted brand, now with the support to secure its long-term place in the market,” the spokesperson said.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Groundwork exercises can be highly effective for building your horse’s strength as they can develop core stability, balance and muscle tone without needing to compensate for the added weight and restriction of a rider.

All horses have a dominant side – like us being right- or left-handed – and with this exercise you can target developing the weaker side as well as building overall core strength. The use of raised and angled poles make horses lift their knees and bend the hocks, think where to place their feet, engage their core and and open their shoulders.

Aims

• Develop weaker side
• Engage core and get horse working through the back
• Improve proprioception

The setup

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

Setup: You can use as many poles as you have time to lay out, but six is a good number. Arrange them in a zig-zag as shown in the diagram, raising the points where the poles meet on to 15–20cm blocks on one side.

Because this is a walk exercise, don’t worry too much about the spacing – they can be quite close together or at right angles. It’s up to your horse to work out where to put his feet.

How to do the exercise

• Before you try the polework exercise, warm your horse up by leading him on both reins for about 10min. You should do transitions from walk to halt, to check he is paying attention to you. You can also ask him to rein-back from the ground or do some basic lateral work. Your horse should be walking actively forwards and straight, as you would expect under saddle.
• Approach the zig-zag directly in the centre. As you are working in-hand, you should keep yourself parallel to your horse’s head but outside the poles, rather than stepping over them as this may affect how you lead and balance your horse.
• Because the spacing between the poles varies, and they are higher on one side than the other, this will encourage your horse to think about where he puts his feet, constantly adjusting his balance and stride length. Stepping over uneven, raised obstacles asks your horse to lift their core, thereby building topline.
• You should do this exercise several times in each direction, bearing in mind one side is higher than the other. To work on your horse’s weaker side, do more lines where he has to lift that side higher. For example, if his weaker side is the left, have the raised side on the left.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Alternate raised poles

This exercise is equally effective if you alternate the raised sides, so your horse has to keep adapting as they go down the line.

2. Don’t overface

If your horse has never done this exercise before, he may find the visual challenge of a line of asymmetric poles offputting. You can build up from three poles rather than going straight into six.

Likewise, don’t underestimate the impact of this polework exercise, even though you’re not riding. It requires plenty of physical and mental effort.

3. No drifting 

Although you’re leading your horse and cannot use your legs and hands to keep him straight, the asymmetric layout should do the job for you as the angled poles channel the horses into a straight line. Give them plenty of freedom with the head and neck to assess the layout and use their back.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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The versatile in-hand pole setup that will give your horse plenty to think about – even in walk

Encourage your horse to lift and lengthen with the help of this zig-zag polework layout

Try this exercise to encourage your horse to engage his hindleg from the ground

Boost your horse’s balance, symmetry and core strength with this simple in-hand polework pattern

Teach your horse to rein-back from the ground to engage their core and release tension

Groundwork for horses: what it is and why it’s useful

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Extended canter is all about energy. Dressage judges want to see an increase in stride length and ground cover, not just more speed, with the horse staying straight and connected.

The same applies when jumping: you want lift, airtime and adjustability, maintaining your rhythm – not simply a faster canter that’s flat and hollow.

This very simple flatwork exercise works on boosting the quality of the steps in extended canter – not the quantity.

Aims

• Increase stride length and ground cover
• Develop an uphill, open frame
• Maintain the rhythm while increasing the reach
• Stay straight and connected, both into the extended canter and back out again

The setup

No setup required – simply the space to ride a 20m circle on the flat.

How to ride the exercise

Many riders try to practise their extended canter by firing off down the long side of the arena. However, it’s best taught over short, repeatable efforts where the horse can learn to make a distinction in stride length.

• Warm up in walk, trot and canter on both reins, including plenty of transitions to make sure your horse is listening and responding to your aids.
• Establish an active working canter and go large.
• Now go on to a 20m circle in working canter, and make a transition to five or six bigger strides, before collecting back to working canter. Use your inside leg to push the shoulder up without blocking. The circle should encourage your horse to step under with the hindleg, rather than running flat on the forehand.
• This short effort discourages the horses from becoming flat and running, because they’ll anticipate the re-collection. It also teaches riders to feel a few good steps as the quality is developing and not chase for more.
• Each horse will vary on how much you need to push and how much to hold. By practising, you’ll find your own horse’s sweet spot.
• Repeat a few times on each rein.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Running

Keep the increases short, before collecting back. While the horse is developing the extended canter, he may only be able to manage a few good strides, then unravel, losing balance and energy. It is better to make the transition back before that happens. Prioritise quality over quantity.

2. Flattening

To extend properly, your horse needs to lift. Think shoulder-fore going into the circle, so you encourage you horse to keep his inside shoulder up, without establishing a full shoulder-in. The frame needs to be open to be able to extend, not overly flexed.

3. Too much hand

Some riders hang on to the reins to try to control the canter, so you need to work on your hands being independent. Work on giving and retaking the rein on a circle. And when you come back to a more collected canter from the increased strides, don’t just pull! Use a half-halt and soften.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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Boost the length and power of your horse’s medium trot with this helpful exercise

Improve your horse’s lateral work from the ground with this single-pole exercise

Improve the quality of your horse’s paces using just three poles

How to ride extended canter for higher marks, balance and control – with advice from Laura Tomlinson

How to ride free walk for higher dressage marks – with advice from FEI judge Stephen Clarke and Carl Hester

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More than 14,000 transport professionals now have access to training it is hoped will not only keep horses and riders safer but also include them in future plans.

Rider and traffic and transport consultant Catherine Chapman has created the continuing professional development (CPD) module on equestrians as road users. She has developed the workshop with the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) and the British Horse Society director of safety Alan Hiscox. It is available to more than 14,000 members of the CIHT.

“I hope it will raise more awareness and understanding,” Ms Chapman told H&H. “What I would like it to do is encourage a more inclusive approach to active travel, because at the moment active travel is defined as walking and cycling. But horse riders, in terms of vulnerability, are equal to cyclists according to the Highway Code, so I want to raise awareness and encourage transport professionals to think a bit more outside the box.”

Ms Chapman, the managing director of ADL Traffic and Highways Engineering, carried out a literature review, published in the Journal of Transport and Health, last year, with Professor Charles Musselwhite of Aberystwyth University.

She said she undertook this review, of published literature on equestrians as road users, partly to highlight just how little research there is in this area.

“Once I got it published, I went to my industry body, the CIHR, and said ‘There is no training’,” she said. “I told them we need this CPD workshop, and I could use my study as the basis of a CPD workshop.

“I’m now trying to raise awareness, on a professional level, of the issues horse riders have being on the road, but also the lack of understanding that we as transport professionals have about horse riders as road users. The Government road safety strategy published this year includes horse riders, but it’s just lip service. And how are you going to implement that when you don’t understand horses and you don’t understand horse riders? There needed to be a training basis and it didn’t exist.”

The CPD could be undertaken by professionals including transport planning consultants, those who work at councils or highway authorities and road safety auditors. Benefits could be that, for example, someone planning a shared walkway and cycle route would consider accommodating horses as well.

“There’s such limited research, we almost get excluded from literature reviews, as it doesn’t show up in the searches,” Ms Chapman said. “So by creating a published article, that will hopefully show up in in literature review searches.

“I’ve made my research free access as well; my aspirations are trying to generate more research on horse riders as road users and encourage more inclusive thinking when it comes to active travel and highway design. And making horses and riders safer.”

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘Don’t let it drop’: why equestrians must keep speaking out on the dangers of riding on the roads

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This groundwork exercise is handy for keeping your horse engaged and stimulated in walk, because of the constant changes of direction combined with negotiating poles.

Aims

• Provide mental and physical stimulation
• Strengthen core and hindquarters
• Focus on changes of bend while negotiating poles

The setup

Setup: Three sets of two poles set up in like chevrons, with about 4m between the points of each set.

You will need: training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do this in-hand exercise

• Just because you’re working in hand doesn’t mean you don’t need to warm your horse up. Before you start the polework exercise, spend 5–10min in walk. Your horse should be walking actively, as you would expect if you were riding. Incorporate plenty of transitions to check your horse is focussed and working with you, not being distracted.
• First, approach the chevrons on a straight line (orange line above). The poles should draw the horse into the point.
• Approach the points in the opposite direction, aiming for the points. Without the poles guiding you both into the point, you need to be accurate so the horse doesn’t meander to the side.
• Now you can play around with the formation. Do circles and loops making a cross-section through the chevron, varying whether you cross near the point or where the poles widen out (green line). Taking the poles on an angle like this will increase the emphasis on footwork as the horse needs to work out how to lift and put down his feet.
• You can also approach the sides of the chevron at a right angle, then dogleg off to the opposite arm of the next chevron (blue line). This works on changing the bend while negotiating poles. All the time, you are asking you horse to assess, react, be supple and precise with his footwork.

Make sure you work equally on both reins.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Layout

If you only have four poles – or are short on time – just two chevrons will also provide a great workout.

2. Accuracy

Striped poles are really useful for keeping disciplined on accuracy. If you decide to cross from, say, white stripe to white stripe, can you stick to it?

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Lengthened or extended trot strides are often seen in a dressage test across the diagonal. The consequence is that many of us practise them by speeding across the longest straight in the arena, inadvertently encouraging our horses to become flat, hollow and rushed. The trot strides don’t so much lengthen as simply speed up.

Instead, we want to encourage our horse to push off the hindleg, with the strides getting longer but, crucially, not quicker. To do this successfully, the horse needs to be supple, which will produce longer steps with more airtime thanks to a looser back and more engaged hindleg.

This flatwork exercise works on suppleness alongside lengthening the steps to improve the latter.

Aims

• Longer, but not faster, trot strides
• Increased suppleness

The setup

No setup required. All you need is sufficient space – and an arena is ideal. If you are riding in the field, it’s helpful to lay out arena boards, poles or other markers so that you can be disciplined about where you make transitions.

How to ride the exercise

• Warm up in all paces, incorporating plenty of upward and downward transitions to ensure your horse is responding to your aids or cues.
• Establish an active working trot and go large, riding around the edge of the arena.
• As you come round the short side, turn up the quarter-line in the same trot, and leg-yield to the track.
• When you reach the track, ask for a few lengthened strides, thinking “bigger, but slower” to prevent rushing. The leg-yield should help loosen your horse’s back, while engaging the inside hindleg so that it can push off more for bigger, longer strides. This is particularly helpful if your horse has a choppy trot.
• Before you reach the end of the next short side, collect the trot again, keeping the energy but containing the stride length.
• Do this exercise the same number of times in both directions. Because it loads the inside hindleg more, you need to work both sides equally.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Tempo control

If you do this exercise in rising trot, you can use your rising to help control the horse’s tempo. This is useful if your horse tends to go faster, not bigger, when you ask for the extension.

2. Rushing

For horses that rush or hollow, you can practise lengthening on a circle. The curve of the circle will encourage you to ride from inside leg to outside rein to engage the hindleg. You can change between rising and sitting trot to help your horse by allowing the back to swing more in the longer strides.

3. Trouble re-collecting

For horses that struggle to come back into a balanced more collected trot after lengthening, ride a 10m circle at the end of the lengthened strides. This will encourage you to keep your horse in balance so that he is ready to do a small circle, rather than allowing him to rush down the side of the arena.

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This polework exercise can be done in-hand or ridden, but it’s best to teach it as a groundwork exercise first to give your horse the chance to learn the concept without the additional weight of a rider. The act of simply stepping over a line of poles can bring huge benefits to your horse in terms of both stimulation (mental and physical) and building strength, coordination and horse-rider harmony.

Aims

• Develop your horse’s core strength
• Improve foot-brain coordination
• Develop horse-rider relationship and understanding

The setup

Setup: Four poles laid end to end in a line. They can be on the ground or sightly raised on small blocks or bricks. You need to have space either side, so ideally down the middle of an arena or field.

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle.

How to do this in-hand exercise

• Begin by leading your horse in-hand around the arena or field for five minutes or so, checking he is walking purposefully without pulling you around. Do transitions to and from halt to ensure he is responding.
• Approach parallel to the line of poles so that they lie just to right of your horse. When you are level with the first pole and their right foreleg is about to leave the ground, ask the horse to step over the pole until all four legs are on the right side of the pole.
• Walk in a straight line away.
• Next, approach so that the poles lie to your horse’s left. When their left fore is leading, ask the horse to step to the left over the line of poles and walk away in a straight line.
• Once the horse understands the concept, you can link up several step-overs. Starting with the poles on the right, step over the line leading with the right fore, then take an odd number of steps parallel to the pole until the left fore is leading, and ask the horse to step to the left back over the line of poles. Again walk an odd number of steps and then move sideways right.
• Continue until you reach the end of the line.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Difficulty level

This exercise is more demanding the higher the poles are raised, and the more frequently you ask the horse to step over. Start with seven steps on each side, progressing to five or then three as your horse understands.

2. Stay parallel

It can be tempting to serpentine over the poles, but the aim is to step laterally, one foot after the other. Stay parallel and don’t meander!

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In this exercise to improve medium trot, we are using lateral work – specifically the half-pass – to improve the push in the more extended paces. Half-pass should only be attempted once your horse is established in both shoulder-in and haunches-in (travers), being able to bend around the inside leg, maintain a forward rhythm and move sideways in good balance.

The half-pass enhances a horse’s longitudinal and lateral suppleness, enabling the hindleg to step under more and therefore boosting the power and push, to encourage ground cover without your horse losing balance. It also frees up the shoulders, which gives your horse more reach in the medium trot.

Aim

• Improve impulsion and engagement

Setup

No setup required: This flatwork exercise is easiest to do in an arena. If you are riding it in a field, we suggest marking out an arena to help your accuracy.

How to ride the exercise

• Once warmed up, establish an active working trot and go large.
• As you come out of the corner, ask for half-pass across the diagonal.
• After six strides or so, straighten the horse and ask for some lengthened or medium trot strides.
• Proceed in medium trot across X. This should improve impulsion and engagement.
• After around six strides of medium trot, half-halt and position your horse in half-pass again.
• Half-pass back to the track.
• Repeat on both reins and from both ends of the arena.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Failing to prepare

Without preparing your horse properly either for the half-pass or the medium trot, he will lack engagement and balance. Try a couple of steps of shoulder-in before the half-pass to engage the hindleg and establish the bend.

When it comes to the medium trot, make sure he is straight before asking him to lengthen.

2. Too much, too soon

Half-pass is a lateral movement for established horses. If your horse is twisting his head or struggling with his balance and bend, go back to basics. He should be well established in shoulder-in before you start attempting some steps of half-pass.

3. Twisting head

This can occur when the inside rein is forcing the bend, with the outside leg pushing the horse, which blocks the inside leg from coming through.

Or, the rider is asking for more sideways movement than the horse is ready for.

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Teaching sidepass and other lateral work from the ground encourages your horse to “think” with his feet, as well as listening and reacting to what you are asking of them. It can take a while initially for the penny to drop for some horses learning this lateral sidepass pole exercise, but it’s great for creating engagement and learning how to move the hind and front end.

The pole provides a visual and tactile boundary, which is a tool in this exercise. All you are asking the horse to do is move sideways along a pole which separates the hind and front end. However, it is quite a demanding exercise mentally, requiring your horse to understand your cues to move laterally and not to step forwards over the pole with the hindlegs.

Before you attempt this groundwork exercise, your horse needs to understand how to move his front end and his back end from your cues on the ground. These are simple movements that you would do, for example, when you open and close a gate.

Aims

• Develop lateral coordination, suppleness and precise footwork
• Engage the core as the horse learns cross their legs over in balance
• Improve your horse’s overall manoeuvrability and responsiveness

The setup

You will need:

• A pole on the ground – ideally a heavy one that doesn’t roll easily when kicked or stepped on
• training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle
• Lunge line, long rope or reins
• Schooling whip (or you can spin the end of your line or reins as the cue)

Once your horse is comfortable standing over a pole, ask him to move sideways along the pole, keeping his hind and front legs on either side

How to do the sidepass pole exercise

• First lead your horse towards the pole, asking him to halt when just his front legs are over it, and the pole is dividing his front and hindlegs. It may take some adjustment and steps of rein-back for him to understand where you want him to position himself.
• Make sure that your horse is comfortable standing squarely with the pole dividing his front and hind end. This may take time initially, especially if he is used to walking over poles rather than stopping halfway.
• In the middle of the pole, stand facing your horse and slightly to his left side, and ask your horse to move to the right, away from you.
• Your left hand should steer the horse sideways to his right, containing any forward movement so that he does not walk over the pole with the hindlegs.
• To move the hind end laterally, either spin or shake the loose end of lead rope in your right hand, or point to the horse’s ribcage with your schooling whip to ask him to move right.
• The moment your horse makes a step or two sideways, release the pressure and praise. Over time he will understand to move laterally along the whole pole, crossing his legs over as he goes.
• To start with, just try going from the middle of the pole to the edge, and eventually you’ll be able to side pass along the whole pole.
• Repeat in the other direction.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Patience

Break this exercise down into small steps, so you do not overface your horse – it takes time. In one session, you may only get as far as standing quietly over the pole.

2. Confidence and competence

To start with, your horse may move the front end and hind end separately, but as they grow in confidence and understanding, they will step sideways with both fronts and hinds simultaneously.

3. When to step away

If your horse starts to get frustrated with the exercise, which can feel claustrophobic as he gets used to the pole in between his legs, break it up with some forward trotwork.

4. Ridden work

You can also do this exercise ridden, and having already taught your horse from the ground, it should be much easier to achieve.

5. Progress

You can develop this exercise by adding further poles, for instance into an L shape or a zigzag so the horse they have to negotiate corners, requiring a little turn on the forehand or haunches to move onto the next pole.

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We know straightness is a crucial element of how our horse goes, and one of the scales of training. Canter, being asymmetrical, is the hardest gait to achieve straightness, with many horses falling out at the shoulder and swinging the quarters in.

This flatwork exercise uses shallow loops to straighten the canter, improving engagement and encouraging your horse to accept the outside aids. Straightness still applies when the horse is bending. The horse is straight if their hindlegs are following their front legs travelling on the same two tracks in self-carriage.

Quarters-in is a common fault at lower levels. As the outside hindleg strikes off (and starts each canter stride sequence), it carries the most weight. Horses may try to compensate for this by swinging the quarters in so this weight-bearing leg doesn’t have to step under so far.

Aims

• Straighten the canter
• Teach your horse to accept the outside aids
• Achieve self-carriage

The setup

No setup required: This exercise is easiest to do in a school to help you be disciplined about the size of loop. If you do it in a field, we suggest you mark out an area to work in.

How to ride this exercise

• Once warmed up in walk, trot and canter on both reins, go large in a balanced working canter.
• At the first quarter marker on each side of the area, ride a 10m shallow loop. The bend of the horse’s head and neck should follow the direction of travel.
• Repeat, progressively decreasing the size of loops to 8m, 5m, 2m and 1m.
• Finally, ride the same exercise with barely noticeable loops of 20cm – with the aim that your horse is completely straight.
• Repeat on both reins.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Your horse goes disunited or hollows

Just come back to trot, try to relax, and then try again starting with shallower loops.

2. You lose the quality of canter

Some horses rush as they anticipate cantering across the diagonal. Perform a half-halt in the corner before starting the loop to keep him on the aids.

3. An unintentional flying change

Maintain the existing canter lead (the lead you started the loop on) with your true inside leg and the outside leg slightly behind the girth. While the horse’s body should bend around the loop, their nose should be slightly pointing toward the leading leg to prevent the horse from interpreting the turn as a cue for a flying change.

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This S-bend or maze exercise is designed to be done in walk. However, you can choose either to ride it or do it in hand – both have benefits. As your horse navigates their way through the maze of poles, it’s a mentally stimulating challenge to encourage suppleness, build core strength and balance, while teaching your horse to take care where he puts his feet.

I personally love this polework exercise and find it to be really beneficial. Plus, walk is a very effective pace for polework because there is no moment of suspension, which means your horse has to use muscular effort, thereby building core strength.

Aims

• Improve proprioception
• Boost balance and core strength
• Provide mental stimulation

The setup

Setup: six poles arranged in a maze or S shape

You will need: if working in-hand, a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle. Otherwise, your usual tack.

How to ride the maze exercise

• Whether you are riding or working in-hand, warm up the horse for 10 minutes or so, including transitions and circles. Check he is responsive to your aids, listening and ready to work.
• Let’s say you want to ride the exercise. Approach the entry to the maze (blue line) in a nice active walk.
• The corners will be tight. Open your inside hand to encourage your horse to bend through his body in the direction of travel. Control the shoulder from falling out with the outside rein. Apply pressure with the inside leg, to encourage him to step under and cross over with his hindlegs, like you would in turn on the forehand. The outside leg behind the girth should be in contact with their side to stop the quarters swinging out.
• To do this exercise in-hand, you will need to use your body positioning, line and stick to encourage your horse to bend and step under.
• You can also use this layout to walk and trot over the poles as shown in the diagram by the orange and yellow lines.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Start simple

Start with wide channels (around 1.5m) when introducing this layout. You can reduce them to about 1m when the horse is proficient at this exercise.

You can also start with a basic L or U shape rather than the full maze while the horse works out the challenge.

2. Rushing

Horses can feel trapped by the narrow boundaries and rush, or try to go over the poles rather than chicane around them. If this happens, widen the channels. You can also walk the horse around the layout first so they can inspect it.

3. Steering problems

Your horse may be confused by the layout and what you want him to do in the tight space, or lack lateral suppleness. Take it slowly, using clear aids whether you are doing the exercise ridden or in-hand.

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Supporters of trail-hunting and rural businesses whose trade would be affected by its loss are urged to reply to the Government’s consultation on the proposed ban before it closes on Thursday (18 June).

The Future for Hunting campaign, a joint initiative between the Countryside Alliance and the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) has put together a suggested response, completing which will also contact the respondent’s MP.

Alliance director of hunting Polly Portwin told H&H: “This is a critical moment for everyone who values hunting, hounds and the communities that support them. In years to come, when we look back on this moment, each of us should be able to say that we played our part.

“Before the consultation closes, ask yourself honestly: have I done everything I can to help protect hunting’s future?”

Have your say

Ms Portwin said it is crucial the Government understands the economic impact a ban would have on rural communities.

Nessie Chanter, joint-master of the Heythrop, explained: “Our hunt alone has 112 suppliers whose business will be adversely affected by the proposed ban.

“There are 293 farmers within our hunt country who will be affected by discounted fallen stock services, reduced hay and straw sales and free fence repair. There are 30 livery yards who would struggle to continue. That’s not to mention the vets, farriers, lorry mechanics, feed merchants, horse dentists and chiropractors who gain so much business from 150 individuals and 300 horses who hunt with the Heythrop.”

Supporting businesses

Mrs Chanter added that the Heythrop hunts three days a week and there is usually a meeting in a pub afterwards.

“These pubs won’t see the level of support in the winter that they’re used to, not to mention the sense of community built around trail-hunting. There is so much good that transpires from the trail-hunting community in our area, from litter-picking to raising money for charity; on average, £16,000 to £18,000 per annum.”

“It is clear that the rural community is being persecuted,” she added. “The Heythrop has 150 riding and 325 non-riding members, aged eight to over 80, from all walks of life, who have a reason to get out of their houses a few times a week and spend the day in the fresh air together.

“The social interaction, exercise and feeling of belonging in our community, reflected across all hunts in England and Wales, improves mental health and wellbeing and would be impossible to replicate.

“The layers of damage that a ban would cause have simply not been recognised by a Government with extraordinary priorities that seem intent on engaging in a battle, not just with trail-hunting, but with the countryside as a whole.”

Trail-hunting ban consultation: timeline unknown

It is unknown how quickly Defra will react to the consultation but Mrs Portwin said: “We’re confident that this is one of the largest, if not the largest, response Defra has had to any consultation. This is only the start of our campaign, which will very much be ongoing while we find out what the next steps are in terms of legislation.”

Sam Butler, vice-chairman of Future for Hunting, added: “Momentum and recognition of the importance of our campaign is gathering. I’m seeing further and wider support from third parties and the realisation that this is about a much bigger picture.

“This consultation is only part of the overall process of the campaign meeting its objectives and there is everything to play for – the threat facing farmers and every way of life in the countryside is very real.”

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This simple groundwork exercise might not look demanding, performed at a walk on a loose rein, but it works your horse’s back, strengthens the hindquarters and core, and improves their proprioception as the negotiate poles of different heights and angles.

Aims

• Provide mental and physical stimulation
• Strengthen core and hindquarters
• Focus on footwork

The setup

Setup: four poles set up in a cross shape, with the outer ends raised on blocks

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do this in-hand exercise

• Warm up your horse first in straight lines in walk by leading him around the arena or field for around 10min, checking that he is active and obedient to your aids. Do frequent transitions from walk to halt to ensure your communication and your horse’s responses are working well. You can also do some rein-back in-hand.
• This polework exercise has two patterns – one a circle and the other in straight lines.
• For the circle, stand toward the middle of the circle and ask the horse to circle around you, stepping over the poles. You can touch your horse behind the girth to encourage him to bend around you. (You will need to be in one quarter, and step over the poles as you turn). The bigger the circle, the higher your horse will need to lift his feet to clear the raised poles.
• Give your horse plenty of rein or rope so that he can lower his head and use his back. The uneven heights require him to look down, assess, and improve hoof-brain coordination.
• For the straight lines, simply lead your horse into the middle of the cross so that he has to take a big step over the X.
• You can add variants, such as small circles over each pole, or making serpentine shapes.
• Perform these exercises equally on both reins to promote symmetrical muscle development.

Tip

Circle sizes

Asking the horse to circle around the edge of the poles requires less bend, but for the horse to lift and engage his core more as he’s travelling over the raised ends. If you bring the circle in closer to you, it will require more bend and suppleness. Either size brings benefits.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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While a horse’s paces are largely down to natural talent, there’s plenty you can work on to improve their quality, scope and cadence. Paces will typically improve as your horse strengthens and you can use poles on the ground to help them develop.

This polework exercise uses just three poles, but by putting them on a fan, you can vary the line and therefore the adjustability of your horse. This works on the ability to collect, lift and lengthen, while staying in a rhythm to negotiation the poles.

Aims

• Improve your horse’s paces
• Encourage a forward, balanced rhythm
• Stop your horse falling in round the corner

The setup

Setup: place three poles in a fan anywhere in the arena, as long as you can ride a straight line towards the fan and away at a right angle. Ideally you will use matching poles so that you can visually ensure you stay on the same curved line.

To ride the exercise in trot, set the poles at around 1.25–1.50m apart (approx 4.5 to 5 toe-to-heel steps for most adults)at the centre point, making a wedge shape.

To ride the exercise in canter, set the poles at around 3–3.5m apart (approx three adult walk steps) at the centre point.

Ponies will need shorter distances (or to take a tighter inside line).

How to do this exercise

• Once warmed up, pick up an active trot and ride over the fan crossing the centre of the poles making a smooth curve around the corner.
• Keep the rhythm and ride over the inner line, again with a smooth (albeit tighter) curve. This is to shorten the stride and encourage your horse to use his hocks.
• Then try the outer line, encouraging your horse to take a longer step, while keeping the rhythm. He cannot simply go faster, as the poles will guide his stride length.
• The inner and outer lines enable you to practise lengthening and shortening the stride, using the poles as an aid to help the horse to stay engaged as he has to lift his shoulder and use his hocks.
• Once your horse is working well over the fan in trot on both reins, widen the distance between the fanned poles for canter.
• Repeat the exercise in canter, working on inner and outer lines and always maintaining a smooth curve.
• If your horse is confident with this exercise, you can then raise the middle pole into a small fence.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Falling in or escaping through the shoulder

Make sure you are following the line through the poles, looking forward around the bend and keeping the contact from inside leg to outside hand. Identically marked poles can help you stay on the same curved line throughout the fan.

2. Shorten and lengthen

This is a great exercise to help your horse’s medium or extended trot. Ride the fan on the inner line to encourage a correct collected trot, giving your horse more lift. Then take that energy and put it into a medium trot across the diagonal or down the long side.

3. Simplify the setup

If you have six poles, you can set up two fans – one at trot and the other at canter distance so that you don’t have to get off and reset the poles.

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Refine your centre lines using just two poles and two cones

Encourage your horse to lift and lengthen with the help of this zig-zag polework layout

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A correct halt is not achieved by simply closing the rein, it is the result of preparation, engagement and control in the preceding strides – and this polework exercise will help you get one step closer to riding a perfect square halt.

The halt is a key movement at every level of dressage. Whether it appears at the end of the final centre line, at X on the first centre line, or any other location during the test, it offers the judge a clear opportunity to assess balance, straightness and obedience. This exercise to improve your square halt will help develop all of these skills.

Aims

• Help the rider create an active balanced trot
• Help with accurate placement of the halt
• Create a square halt

The setup

You need: four poles

Setup: place two parallel poles either side of the centre line at X, spaced approximately one trot step apart (around four to five heel-to-toe steps), with two additional poles placed before and after them to frame the exercise.

How to ride this exercise to improve square halt

1. Before introducing halt transitions, it is essential to establish an active, balanced trot. Ride over the pair of trot poles on the E-B line. They will encourage the horse to step more actively underneath with the hind legs, promoting engagement and rhythm.

2. Start by practising trot–halt–trot transitions on the track. The long side provides a natural guide for straightness, which means you can focus on the quality of the transition without worrying about line. At this stage, the higher scales of training (impulsion, straightness and eventually collection) become increasingly important.

As you prepare for the halt, maintain an active trot with a closed leg and steady contact. Use your seat and core to ask for the transition, thinking of the horse stepping into the halt rather than stopping abruptly. A good halt should feel balanced and attentive, with the horse ready to move off again without resistance.

3. Ride the trot-halt-trot transitions on the centre line within the pole layout. As the horse steps over the pole into the halt, the hind legs naturally engage more deeply beneath the body, often resulting in a straighter, squarer halt. Moving off again over the following pole encourages an active, forward transition back into trot while maintaining alignment.

Pitfalls to avoid

1. Halt not straight

When preparing the halt ensure your hips stay square and level, a horse wanting to be crooked will often push one of the rider’s hips forward or upwards. For example, if your horse is halting with their haunches to the right, they will have pushed the riders right hip up or forwards.

2. Knocking pole on the way in

This often means your halt is not square. Make sure the trot is active without being quick. While the upper leg helps maintain the straightness of the trot, the lower leg encourages activity. Your horse should feel short and bouncy as opposed to slow and flat.

3. Overshooting the layout

This is often due to lack of preparation, or the preparation being too late. If you overshoot by a stride, next time try starting the preparation a stride earlier. Half-halts should be clear and quick, followed by a release. If you hold for too long the horse will likely lean on the rein and be slow in their reaction.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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Refine your centre lines using just two poles and two cones

How to ride the perfect centre line, with tips from Olympic medallist Laura Tomlinson

Encourage your horse to lift and lengthen with the help of this zig-zag polework layout

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The US company that has bought Tredstep Ireland said it is “very fortunate” to have secured the rights – and honoured that its founder will remain involved.

Equinavia, based in Connecticut, has worldwide exclusive rights to the equestrian clothing and footwear brand, which was founded by former top eventer Aidan Keogh in 1993. Aidan will “continue to play a key role in the brand’s future through a multi-year consulting agreement”, an Equinavia spokesperson said.

“We are very fortunate to secure the rights to Tredstep and even more honoured that its founder, Aidan Keogh, will continue working with us,” said Fred Erik Nilsen, president of Equinavia.

“We want to sincerely thank all the retail partners and agents who have supported and pushed the Tredstep brand forward over the years. You have done a fantastic job making Tredstep the eminent brand it is today, and we are truly grateful.”

Tredstep sold: next steps

Mr Nilsen added that the team is looking forward to working with these partners to grow the brand.

“We are proud to welcome Tredstep into the Equinavia family,” he said. “We believe it is an excellent strategic fit. We are already working closely with our factories to rebuild stock levels and better serve the strong demand that has historically been underserved. It may take us a minute to fully catch up, but we are fully committed to getting there.”

Equinavia also manufactures rider wear, footwear and helmets, as well as tack, rugs and yard equipment.

Aidan said: “I am pleased to partner with Equinavia to ensure Tredstep’s continued success.

“I believe this is the right next step for the brand and look forward to contributing my experience as we move forward together.”

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£119.99

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Communicating and challenging ourselves better are key for the future of horse sport – but we also need a collective dose of humility.

These were among the messages from the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey of public perception of the involvement of horses in sport, which the charity has been commissioning annually since 2022.

The 2026 World Horse Welfare survey found that more of the public see horses as pets (65%) or leisure animals (64.9%) rather than working animals (56.1%), livestock (54.3%) or sport animals (49.4%). Most (70.5%) believe horses’ welfare should “always take priority, regardless of the effect on performance” (70.3%), and that short-term pain or discomfort to improve performance is not very or not at all acceptable (77.3%).

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said it is clear that equine welfare has a key role in the future sustainability of the global equestrian sector, citing the major strides made in this area.

“But we also hear criticism,” he said.”For some, welfare standards in sport are already so high, they do not need to change, and any attempt at improvement is only to appease the antis. That by talking about welfare, sport is only damaging its own reputation.

“Others say welfare initiatives launched to maintain social licence are all talk and no action. But concerns about welfare will not go away, and you can only address an issue if you face up to it. World Horse Welfare has always been clear that improving equine welfare is pivotal, not primarily because that’s what the public expects but because that’s exactly what it means to put the horse first.

“There is growing evidence that we can do better, and if we know better, we must do better. Doing right by our horses, putting a horse’s wellbeing at the centre of everyone’s decision-making, has to be the fundamental goal for every sport. Yes, this is what the public expects and it will enable the sport to thrive. As David Yellen summed up so well at last year’s event, the best form of PR is to do the right thing.”

The 2026 World Horse Welfare survey trends

Mr Owers said the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey results do not show a positive trend. This year, it was shown that the percentage of those who support horse sport only if welfare improves is about the same as in 2022, at just under 40%. But there has been a slight increase in the number who do not support involvement of horses in sport in any circumstances, from 19.5% to 24.4%.

Mr Owers said this increase may be “within the margin of error”, and not too much of a red flag, but it is “certainly one to continue to watch”.

A panel of experts considered the results and what they may mean. One key issue is that the majority of the public have no regular contact with horses and may never even have seen one.

“A fundamental underlying threat to all equestrianism, sports and non-sports, is that most people in the UK have never had any contact with a horse at all,” said British Equine Veterinary Association CEO David Mountford. “That creates a real problem that we need to get across, and that’s more than just snazzy videos or a social media presence.”

Racing broadcaster and journalist Lydia Hislop pointed out that with the increasing urbanisation of society comes a lack of understanding, citing for example the lack of mainstream coverage of Ros Canter’s Badminton win so soon after she had her second child.

“I think that’s what’s lacking, being able to give people the understanding to be able to watch something like that and see why it was good,” she said. “I think that’s a key form of communication needed to reach people, for further understanding.

“All horse sports have to work out how we can reach out, broaden people’s understanding, explain to people why they should be interested in this. I think that’s the key; communication in an instant, efficient way that grabs people’s attention. We’re all working in an attention economy, and that’s what I think everybody’s communications focus needs to work on.”

2026 World Horse Welfare survey debate: communicating is key

She added that if we look back at our increased understanding, “the idea that we wouldn’t bring new technology, new understanding to make things better is just an absurd position to hold. It’s a way of gently challenging ourselves, so we inside the sport, can look inside it and challenge ourselves to do better, then we’re also better armed with that understanding to communicate outside the sports.”

Former top eventer David O’Connor, chief of sport at US Equestrian (USEF) and chair of the FEI eventing committee, spoke of measures brought in by USEF to improve welfare, such as extending its jurisdiction to cover incidents outside affiliated competition. He also covered the strides made in improving eventing safety internationally; using data and, for example, frangible technology to reduce horse falls.

Asked about recent issues in dressage, and whether other disciplines are behind eventing, he said: “I think eventing is more comfortable with it because they’ve been in it longer.

“They’ve been doing this for 25 years and the other sports are starting to realise this is an important part of the equation. Racing is doing it, dressage is doing it; in the showjumping world, use of the whip that has been adjusted. I think other sports are realising how important this conversation is and that it is not going away.

“So how do we remain proactive? Through education, rules, telling the stories, which is a huge thing. Multiple pieces of the puzzle have to be worked on together; there’s not one thing that will fix it, and using data and science, such as on how animals think, it gives you a way to be able to measure whether you’re actually making a difference.”

Exceptional performance

Minette Batters, chair of British racing’s Horse Welfare Board, also mentioned Ros’s win, describing it as “probably the most exceptional performance I have ever seen”, from horse and rider, and that the sport must learn from it.

“These stories – you want people who want to be Ros Canter, work for Ros Canter, to be stable staff, climb the ladder, be champion jockey,” she said. “That’s the wonderful thing about horses, you can come from anywhere in life and rise to the stars, and that’s the story people want to hear, but you’ve got to be pulling that.

“There’s a lot to be learned from what happened with Ros, because we tend to follow influencers, celebrities, people with huge Instagram accounts, and it’s not all about that, that’s wrong for every part of horse sport.”

Baroness Batters said the welfare board is planning “welfare champions” on every yard in racing, and that another key is for the horse world to open its doors, invite people in, “bring them in and take them with us”.

David O’Connor agreed, adding that warm-up areas, as well as yards, need to be open to all eyes.

“We have an expression in the United States: if you can’t train in the middle of Central Park and explain it and have people like it, probably you’re doing it wrong,” he said.

“And dressage is looking at it, looking at the change. You’ll see things come out this year about judging. In the end I think openness and being willing to be open, whether it’s yards, training, warm-ups, competition, that’s going to permeate all the way through the decision-making.”

Humility needed

Sharing his views on the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey, Mr Mountford said he thinks progress is being made; good work is being done, awareness and engagement are high and the momentum needs to be maintained.

“But it shouldn’t be seen that we’ll get to a point and we can stop,” he said. “What needs to continue to improve is consistency and transparency, and making sure what’s written into codes and aspirations of groups like the Horse Welfare Board actually is reality and are communicated as being real.

“I think also what’s true in horse sports, racing, is that we don’t have much humility. How you achieve it, I don’t know, but we need to bring a big box of humility to the table. We can all learn every week, from a colleague, from someone with decades of experience or from the latest research on how horses learn.

“Riders at the very top will be having weekly lessons and people throughout the industry should be, on riding, but also on what’s going on with science, how they can improve, how we can learn.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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It’s all too easy when out hacking to do long stretches in one pace. By mixing it up and incorporating transitions, this will ensure your horse is listening to your aids and engaged, and improve your flatwork while you’re at it.

If you’re hacking out in company, you can still do this flatwork exercise. Count strides together and make it fun!

Aims

• Improve your accuracy in making upward and downward transitions
• Be disciplined about making the transition at the intended moment, rather than drifting into the new pace
• Ensure your horse is listening to you in a distracting environment, and that your aids are clear

The setup

No setup required. You can do this in an arena, field or out hacking.

How to ride the exercise

• Decide on a sequence of transitions that you will stick to. For example, trot 20 strides, walk 10 strides, trot 20 strides, walk 10 strides. You can also include canter and halt.
• Be disciplined about when the transition happens, rather than drifting into walk or trotting two strides after you intended. Prepare early, using one or more half-halts, so that your horse is ready, then execute the transition at the designated point.
• If you’ve nailed the straightforward transitions, work on transitions within the gait, for example lengthened strides, free walk to medium walk, collected trot to working, or skipping a gait, like halt to trot or walk to canter and back again.

You may find your horse is more easily distracted out hacking than he would be schooling in the arena, so this is a great way to keep him listening.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Lack of response into trot

Your horse does not have enough impulsion. Transitions are an excellent remedy for helping the horse be sharper off the leg, so try doing more frequent transitions. Also use transitions within the gait to build responsiveness and engagement.

2. Falling into walk

This reveals a lack of engagement, and could also mean the rider is leaning forward or collapsing through their core into the downward transition. Wrap your leg around your horse’s belly, close your thighs, sit up tall and maintain a consistent contact to keep the quarters engaged as he steps forward into walk.

3. Horse hollows

Your horse may hollow its back and lift his head as you make a downward transition. This can occur when the rider blocks with the reins. Soften your hand slightly during the transition, without losing the contact completely, to allow the horse to lift its back and step under.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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When you don’t have the time or motivation to ride, but still want to give your horse a constructive session, incorporating polework exercises as part of your groundwork training is one solution.

This in-hand groundwork exercise is ideal for establishing good communication with your horse from the ground, engaging them physically and mentally, as well as building their core strength and proprioception (body awareness). With one groundwork setup, you can practise a variety of lines and work on different areas of the body.

Aims

• Encourage accuracy and precision on the straight lines
• Develop flexion, core strength and engagement over the poles and round tight corners
• Mental stimulation and increased proprioception

The setup

Setup: four poles arranged in a square shape with each one touching end to end

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do the exercise

• First lead your horse around a few laps of the arena on each rein, checking he is listening to you by making frequent transitions to halt. You can also ask him to rein-back or do some basic lateral work. Your horse should be walking actively forwards and straight, as you would expect under saddle.
• Approach one side of the square in the centre of the poles and walk directly through, keeping on the same straight line as if you were riding a centre line in a dressage test (see green line above). Repeat this on the opposite axis and on both reins. You can incorporate halts in the middle of the square.
• Next, try diagonal lines through the square (see orange line above), walking in and out over the corners. This requires a bigger step from the horse to clear the right angle. Always focus on staying straight – it’s easier for the horse to veer away from the point. Also incorporate transitions to halt in the middle.
• To introduce bend, set up a curved line which asks the horse to step over each pole on an angle (see black line on the left above). You can adjust the curve to make the bend easier or harder to improve your horse’s flexibility and work on both reins.
• Another pattern to try is loops in and out of the square, changing bend through the centre – it’s a small space, so your horse will have to be clever with his footwork
• Work up to walking a complete circle over one corner of the square (black line top right), which requires your horse to bend through their ribs and be aware of their foot placement to clear the poles. Adjust the size of the circle to suit your horse.
• Finally you can ask your horse to work on his suppleness by turning a small circle around the inside of the square (black line inside the poles). This will require him to engage the inside hindleg and develop his flexibility (see note below).

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Larger circles

If walking a tight circle around the inside of the square is too taxing, try initially circling around the outside, which gives your horse more space. However, he should be able to work up to manoeuvring around the inside with practice.

2. Progress

To increase the difficulty level, raise the poles (using risers like these) to place a greater demand on the core strength and hindleg engagement.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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The owner of a pony who was left catastrophically injured in the road by the driver who hit him with his rider stuck underneath hopes sharing their story may help save others.

Abby Carvosso’s daughter Sofia was uninjured when her pony Paddy landed on her on the road in Surrey last Thursday (5 June), but the 22-year-old Connemara had to be put down at the scene.

“Our gorgeous boy,” Abby told H&H. “We called him Perfect Paddy because he was just a dream, and he was even perfect then. He got up; he was so brave, he didn’t panic, he was still lovely. But the vet arrived, looked at me and just said: ‘no’. It was cut and dried, and we just had to put him down in the lane.”

Abby said Paddy, who had taught countless young riders all they know, and won “everything”; Cotswold Cup, Pony Club and national schools association championships, had just been loaned out to a 10-year-old, and Sofia, who rides professionally for Andrew Balding, was helping keep him fit by hacking out.

“I was at home, about 10 minutes away, and Sofia rang me while she was still on the ground and said ‘I think they’ve killed him’,” she said.

“It’s one of those country roads that’s narrow with high hedgerows and Sofia said she could hear a car coming so she stopped. It came round the corner, screeched its brakes, went into the hedge then smashed into Paddy and Sofia.

“She said she was crying out ‘Help’, and she heard the driver stop – and then drive off. Thank god she was ok. It was hideous enough with our darling pony but it’s not worth thinking about what could have happened.”

Abby said she does not really use social media but she posted appealing for information and has had hundreds of people contacting her and police. A man has since been “assisting police with enquiries”.

“My daughter’s so lovely; she said ‘Mum, it’s going to change his life’ but people have to be accountable for their actions,” Abby said.

“We’d had Paddy 10 years and he’d taught so many little jockeys to be good riders, and was still bossing it round the 90cms. He had so much still to give.”

Abby said her children’s driving instructor, who keeps a horse at the same yard, has always spread the word on passing horses safely with her clients.

“And partly, if anything comes from this, it needs to be awareness,” she said. “It’s life-changing for the driver and that’s the risk you take by driving like that. It could be a person walking a dog. If we can do anything to drive awareness; that’s all I’d want from this, because that’s all that can come from it now. And it could save another horse’s, another rider’s life.”

A Surrey Police spokesperson told H&H the man is assisting officers, but the force is still appealing for information.

“Were you in the area at around 8.30pm on Thursday, 5 June?” she said. “Do you have any information that might assist our investigation? Please get in touch quoting PR/ SYP-202606040795 via our website or social media. In an emergency, always call 999.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘Don’t let it drop’: why equestrians must keep speaking out on the dangers of riding on the roads

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When it comes to lengthening and shortening the canter, this simple exercise is a must-try

Speak to any event rider about how to improve canter adjustability and, more often than not, they’ll recommend this polework exercise – but it’s not just useful for competitors.

When you’re schooling at home, this simple two-pole setup takes the guesswork out of lengthening and shortening the canter stride. It will reveal much about your horse’s strength, as well as just how effective your aids are, all while you’re working on improving the canter.

For young horses, it offers a framework for learning to shorten – establish the aids and mechanics here to set him up for dressage movements, variations within the pace (such as extended canter and collected canter) and course riding.

Aims

• improve canter adjustability
• refine the rider’s aids
• engage the hindleg

The setup

You need: two poles placed on the three-quarter line – it doesn’t matter about the distance between them

How to ride the exercise

• Once warmed up, approach the poles in an active, rhythmic working canter. Aim for the middle and to maintain the rhythm without interfering too much. Your horse should look and adjust to meet the poles in the middle of the stride.
• Repeat, noting how many strides your horse fits comfortably and consistently down the line without interference.
• Now, still your seat over the first pole and make the shortening adjustments needed to fit an extra stride.
• Re-establish the working canter pace. Then ride forward over the first pole and open the canter to travel down the line in one stride fewer.
• Repeat, varying the number of strides you aim for each time.

Things to note

1. Don’t panic about half strides…

… or if your horse breaks into trot. This only means your horse is finding it tricky to engage the hind leg to shorten or maintain the power for a longer stride. Practice will improve his ability and interpretation of your aids.

2. The exercise doesn’t end with the second pole

Be mindful of your approach and getaway; you should still aim for a straight line and a quality corner. Furthermore, ensure the canter retains its quality, balance and control away from the second pole, and that your horse doesn’t lose momentum or get too onward bound.

3. Take breaks

Your horse may get tired, and some may become excited as they anticipate what’s to come. Take care to walk your horse if he’s blowing, or spend a couple of minutes working on something else if he lights up. It can help to give young or sharper horses a shorter approach to the poles. As ever, match the length and intensity of a schooling session to your horse’s age, fitness and ability level.

Want more ideas? Check out our full daily training inspiration library

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A showjumper who competed, and went clear, over a 1.20m track at the first British Bridleless Competition told H&H this “feels like the start of something very exciting”.

Serena Kullich and Silas VTS, who have qualified for the Talent Seekers final at Horse of the Year Show 2026, were among the +20 combinations at the event organised by Mia Rodley of The Heart of Horsemanship at Merrist Wood on 31 May.

H&H reported that the event had had a huge and positive response, and Serena said she was delighted to be part of it.

“It was so exciting to see so many people competing bridleless,” she said. “I know quite a few of them and we play about bridleless, but actually to see everyone in a competition was just so inspiring.”

Serena said she had been fascinated with riding bridleless since she had childhood dreams of riding along the beach without one, but there were not the online resources available that there are now.

Then a few years ago, she was riding Benji at home, the horse with whom she has contested the prestigious London International Horse Show under-25s final.

“I was playing around and realised I could steer him quite well with my legs and back off with the neck rope, and that I could ride him bridleless, which was really exciting,” she said.

“Then I started doing it with Silas. At that point I knew Mia a tiny bit, but I now know her really well; a lot of this is down to her, she’s inspired me to do a lot of the things I’ve done.”

Many riders have said that riding bridleless has improved their horses’ way of going; not the riding itself but the fact that to get to a point at which riding without a bridle works, by definition the horse-human relationship is harmonious and working together.

Bridleless showjumping: the benefits

“What’s been interesting with Silas is that he’s a slightly tense, introverted horse,” she said. “He’s one of those who it’s easy to kind of tell them what to do, even if they’re not completely happy about it. His thing is that he doesn’t like the edges of the arena.”

Mia said with a bridle on, these fences were not a problem but without, she realised he was not as happy taking these on.

“I’ve spent more time getting him truly relaxed and confident,” she said. “I think it’s not been kind of one specific thing, it’s the whole connection I’ve now got with him, to be able to do everything I can do, has transferred to the jumping. He has always been a willing horse but now he really tries, he has he so much more trust in me.”

Serena said she rides some of her younger horses with bridles, some without, but she applies all she has learned from working without, to their benefit.

“I use all the principles that I use with Silas bridleless, like my steering from my seat, teaching them to have rhythm and relaxation on a long rein,” she said. “Teaching a four-year-old all that, I find, makes such a difference, because then when you jump them when they’re a bit older, they’ve got that foundation and are confident and relaxed.

“So many older showjumpers I get are hard in the mouth; I now go about teaching them the contact slowly and carefully. The fundamental of jumping round a course is that you need them with you and listening and if they’re just running off on their own, it’s not easy!”

Adjusting the stride

Serena and Silas’s round was foot-perfect; she explained that she has put a lot of work in without the bridle, on adjusting the canter stride on the flat, so she knows the gears are there on a course when she needs them.

“He always feels completely with me,” she said. “But then I wouldn’t jump round a course bridleless if I didn’t feel he was completely with me. So I’ve always set him up perfectly for success, whereas in a bridle you can slightly skip things. So with all my jumpers I try my best to always have that feeling of the bridleless, even when I’m riding with a bridle.”

Serena said her main goal is to show people what can be possible.

“It feels like the start of something very exciting,” she said. “The fact Mia’s looking to hold more shows, the reach it’s got across social media is exciting, and so many people are keen to do more of it.

“It’s that feeling of freedom. As well now for me, I love the preciseness, the collection and the ability to adjust a stride jumping but as a kid, it was that feeling of freedom I loved.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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This spiral circle exercise can help you avoid getting stuck in a rut of riding aimless 20m circles. With a bit of focus, you can turn those circles into a really productive flatwork exercise.

Aim

• to improve your horse’s suppleness, engagement and focus.

The setup

Setup: No setup required. All you need is enough space to trot a 20m circle.

How to ride the spiral circles exercise

• Once warmed up, pick up an active trot on a 20m circle. Make sure your horse is bending correctly on the line of the circle, with your inside leg on the girth and outside leg just behind.
• Use the outside leg to spiral in to a 15m circle, then 12m then 10m.
• Your horse should not be falling in or out, but maintaining the bend through his body as the circle gets tighter.
• Leg-yield back out to a 20m circle, using your inside leg to outside rein.

You can repeat a few times, working on your horse’s suppleness and response to your aids, and they should soften. Adjust the size of the smaller circle, and how quickly you return to the larger circle, to be appropriate for the horse’s level of training.

Repeat the exercise in canter if you’re both ready for it. When you spiral in, your horse will need to collect the canter strides a little while maintaining their bend and impulsion.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Falling in

All horses will be stiffer on one rein and this spiralling exercise will help. Keep the inside leg on the girth, encouraging your horse to bend through his body, and your weight on the inside seat bone. Support the outside shoulder with the outside rein.

Check you are not pulling the horse’s head round and back with your inside hand, instead opening the inside hand to guide him. Turn your shoulders in the direction of the turn, don’t lean inwards.

2. Falling out

Use your outside leg behind the girth to prevent the quarters swinging out. The outside rein should guide and contain the shoulder.

The inside leg should encourage your horse to lift through his ribcage rather than sinking. Keep your weight on the inside seat bone.

3. Slowing down

This is a sign that your horse is finding this exercise is challenging. Stay in trot and repeat little and often in your schooling schedule as it will gradually improve their suppleness. You should find that he is much softer on a 20m circle after doing this exercise.

In canter, your horse will have to take shorter strides to make the tighter circle. Keep the rhythm and impulsion to enable him to maintain the canter quality throughout the spiral.

4. Flying changes

Sometimes in canter, when riders apply the inside leg to leg yield back out to the 20m circle, the horse does a flying change. Make sure your leg is on the girth and not behind.

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You may also enjoy reading:

Understanding leg yield and how to ride it to improve your horse’s suppleness

Collected canter: how to introduce it and common pitfalls to look out for

Sharpen your transitions using this simple exercise on a circle

How to ride accurate circles for higher marks – with advice from self-confessed ‘circles geek’ Becky Moody

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