Your Horse

Your Horse inspires its readers to enjoy every second in the saddle. Written by a team of passionate equestrian experts, Your Horse magazine helps you improve your riding, care for your horses and stay up to date on the latest gear. We also encourage you to try new and exciting adventures! Our three main areas of content are: Riding advice: From the best riders and trainers in the world Horse care advice: Expert tips and advice on all aspects of horse care Buying Advice: Helping you spend your money with confidence Your Horse magazine: share our passion for horses.

Welcome

This month’s highlights…

HORSE talk • Here’s what you need to know about this month

RESCUE UPDATE

JUST THE TWO OF US • The first ride on a new or young horse sounds daunting, but it need not be if you’ve put in the groundwork. Charlotte Cooper finds out how to take that first step, confidently

TIPS FOR GOING SOLO FOR THE FIRST TIME

PREPARING FOR SOLO HACKS

Our #Hack1000Miles challengers have been busy this month…

A SHARP SHOT • Peaceful miles, trusted partners and time well spent — our challengers’ winning hacking images say it all

SEND a selfie • Send in your pics!

A SENSIBLE CHOICE — or risky buy? • A senior horse may not be a blank canvas, but their years of knowledge and experience can be invaluable. Emily Bevan explores the benefits, the responsibilities, and how to buy an older equine wisely

LOWER PRICE TAG, BUT HARDER TO INSURE

‘I knew he could teach me so much’

‘Having an older horse is peace of mind’

PREPURCHASE VETTINGS

‘I can focus on my riding after 30 years off’

Why not join Spillers’ Super Seniors’ Club?

THAT ‘Aha!’ FEELING • Sometimes it’s the tiniest tweaks that make the biggest difference. From rein length to stirrup adjustments, the right details can unlock your confidence, improve your position and help you feel truly in sync with your horse, finds

WHAT YOU WEAR MATTERS

THE CHANGE I DIDN’T EXPECT

The smallest detail that made the biggest difference

Fix it… CAREFUL CANTER, clean round • Knockdowns aren’t just frustrating — they’re preventable. Five-star event rider Tom Rowland shares his tips for training a horse to think between fences, improve rhythm, and jump with care and confidence every time

Sprinters vs stayers: DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? • Flat and jump racehorses are built for different jobs — but how does that affect their retraining? Catherine Welton finds out why an ex-racer’s past can shape — but not limit — their future

Train the horse in front of you

PROTECTING AN EX-RACER’S STOMACH

‘Little balls of strength’

ON THE VETERAN circuit • Just because a horse’s most active years are behind them doesn’t mean that they can’t have fun. Coach and personal trainer Niki Otterburn puts a 23-year-old former eventer through his paces by using her trademark ‘circuit training’ exercises in an arena

THE RIDER’S ROLE

Takeaway notes

Thrive RATHER THAN SURVIVE • Friends, forage and freedom — the three Fs of equine welfare — are essential for a horse’s physical health, mental wellbeing and happiness. Even when turnout is limited, horses can thrive in the stable if their basic needs are met. Emily Bevan finds out how

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

8 ENRICHMENT IDEAS

When work ISN’T ENOUGH • Fit, working — and still too fat? The gap between energy in and energy out is smaller than many owners realise. Tracey Hammond explains how to manage weight in a ridden horse without creating nutrient shortfalls or health risks

DIGESTIVE HEALTH DURING WEIGHT LOSS

In regular work with a fat score of five

The air UP THERE • A horse’s lungs are built for athletic performance, yet...