H.A.Y Equestrian

Apologies!  I'm sorry, recently I have been neglecting this poor blog. I've been swamped with work, juggling 2 jobs just to pay the bills, trying to fit in riding my pony and going to the gym. However that's about to change. My job in polo has come to an end, last match of the season is in a week so I am no longer needed to exercise the horses. I have taken up more hours at the cinema although I fear it won't be enough! Seeing as I now have spare time again, I have decided to revive this blog!  Up To You So I have some things noted that I will write about, but the big question is: What Would You Like To See? Comment below and follow this space!

Check out parts #1 and #2  Confidence on the Cross Country Jumping cross country can be pretty daunting, the solid jumps and pace take a little to get used to, but there is no reason why you can't go out and have fun on the XC course. I only started XC with Gigi last year, we didn't have the opportunity to go out and give it a go before then , the closest we had been was jumping the occasional small log. So when we got the opportunity to go out to a cross country course we wanted to make the most of it.  The Venue Pick a nice venue, well kept, good quality jumps. This really helps to settle some nerves. Just knowing the ground and jumps are of good quality helps. A good quality venue will also have similar jumps of varying sizes, this is helpful for getting used to what the jump looks like, then going up a bit.  Company Take a friend, a confident friend will help, or one with more experience. Use them as a lead from the start, jump a few fen...

Micklem Vs. Stubben Gigi In Her Stubben Bridle Okay, it could be any bridle but in this case I will be comparing my new Micklem with my previous Stubben. Firstly I love my Stubben bridle, it fits Gigi perfectly, is a lovely shade of brown and is amazing quality all round. I love that I have a choice whether I want to use the flash or not and the fittings are all brass coloured. If a piece breaks I know I can easily find another to replace it. I have had this bridle for almost 3 years, it has matching plaited reins and the shade of brown matches my other tack amazingly. I recently got my Micklem bridle as I had heard about them and wanted to try one for myself. I got the multibridle as the fittings are all brass coloured, the competition bridle has stainless steel fittings. The multibridle also has a loop on the noseband, this means the bridle doubles up as a lunge cavesson. There is less bulk on Gigi's face when lunging. There are also a few other ways to use the multibri...

Don't Ignore Your Horse's Confidence You need to be positive when riding, especially if you are nervous about something. But step back for a minute and think about your horse. If you are worried he will sense it and this can make him worried. This will only make your situation harder as you will end up in a never ending loop; this happens when you are nervous, which makes your horse nervous, you will then pick up on your horse's nerves and the loop will repeat. Help your horse out and improve his confidence to help you with yours, the methods in today's post will not only help you with the battle of confidence but will help improve you and your horse's bond.  Reward Him When He Gets It Right Only ever use positive reinforcement, if you use negative reinforcement you may scare your horse further and make matters worse.  Rewarding your horse is a very important step for improving confidence. When I am lacking confidence in something I need Gigi to s...

Looking for ways to improve your confidence? Look no further... Are you lacking confidence in your riding, maybe you just need a boost? This series will cover my confidence tips and tricks. These methods are all ones I have either used in the past, use when I need a small boost and in day to day activities with Gigi.  Jump With Confidence When jumping I use a variety of confidence techniques; my favourite method is counting. I love to use this method as it enables me to easily see my stride, this means I know exactly when i'm taking off.  To use this method:  Set up a fence you feel comfortable jumping, place the fence near E/B just off the track. Pick up canter at A/C and turn down your line to the jump.  Ensure your horse is straight on approach. A straight  horse is a balanced horse. When you are approximately three strides away, count out loud "One, Two, Three" on "Three" the horse should take off.  You may need to practice...