HQ Magazine Issue 174A

It’s not a bakkie, it’s the new .

There’s a new Legend in the Hilux family. For 55 years the Hilux has been conquering SA’s toughest terrains and now, to celebrate the legacy of Hilux in this country, we bring you the special edition Hilux Legend 55.

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*Available on selected models.

Welcome to our latest edition of HQ Magazine!

Every rider who has ever hit the ground knows that the hardest part isn't getting back in the saddle; it's quieting the voice in your head that tells you not to. This issue, we lean into that truth with honesty and without judgment, exploring the psychology of fear after a fall and the practical, progressive steps that genuinely help riders find their way back.

Beyond the mental game, we walk the course with expert eyes, spend time with the remarkable Hannah Petrie Hay of The Horseback Vet Team, and get grounded - quite literally - with a deep dive into paddock management and sustainable pasture care. There's wisdom from Alejandra Gonzalez on responsibility, an interview with Amanda Anderson of saddlefit.us, answers in AskHQ, and much more.

As ever, this magazine exists because of your passion for horses, and we’re grateful to have you with us.

Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

CONTENTS

Building confidence after a fall

Psychological strategies and progressive exercises for riders returning after falls

Showjumping course walk strategies

How to walk a showjumping course effectively

Meet Hannah Petrie Hay

Member of The Horseback Vet Team and Core Conditioning proponent

Notes from Alejandra Gonzalez

Responsibility

Amanda Anderson

Xxx

Spurwing

Horse Feeds

Paddock management 101

Sustainable pasture management and toxic plant awareness

From idea to reality

From idea to reality

AskHQ

Your questions answered

BUILDING CONFIDENCE AFTER A FALL

Every rider falls eventually. This is not dramatic pessimism; it’s just statistics. Whether it is a simple loss of balance, a spectacular spook, a refusal you were not expecting, or something more serious, the moment you hit the ground, something shifts. What was once unconscious confidence can quickly become hypervigilant fear. What felt natural now feels dangerous.

The physical injuries heal on semi–predictable timelines – fractures knit and bruises fade – but the psychological injury follows no such neat progression. Some riders dust themselves off and carry on seemingly unscathed, while others find themselves crying in the car park before lessons, making excuses to avoid the stable, or lying awake replaying the fall on an endless loop. Crucially, the severity of the fall bears almost no relationship to the severity of the psychological aftermath. Riders walk away from horrific accidents and return easily. Others develop crippling anxiety after unremarkable tumbles that left them completely unhurt.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES AND PROGRESSIVE EXERCISES FOR RIDERS RETURNING AFTER FALLS

This article addresses the messy, non–linear reality of psychological recovery after falls – understanding why your brain responds the way it does, employing practical strategies that actually work (not just 'think positive thoughts'), implementing progressive physical exercises that rebuild both skill and confidence, recognising when you need professional help, and ultimately finding your way back to riding with renewed but more realistic confidence.

Whether your fall was yesterday or five years ago, whether you are managing mild nerves or full panic attacks, whether you are trying to return to competition or just want to hack out without terror – this is for you.

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING THE FEAR RESPONSE WHY FALLS CREATE FEAR

Fear after a fall is not weakness, overreaction, or being 'too sensitive.' It is your brain doing exactly what it evolved to do: keeping you alive. When you fell, your primitive brain registered a very simple equation: This activity = pain/danger. Therefore: avoid this activity.

This survival mechanism served humans brilliantly for millennia. Do not eat the red berries that made

you sick. Do not go near the cliff edge where your friend fell. Do not trust the ice that cracked last time. The problem is that your rational brain (the sophisticated bit that knows horses matter to you) and your primitive brain (the bit that just wants you not to die) are not having the same conversation. Your rational brain says 'Falls are possible but not inevitable, I have ridden safely thousands of times, I can manage risk.' Your primitive brain says 'DANGER DANGER DANGER' and floods you with adrenaline every time you approach a horse.

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE

When fear activates, your body launches into a full threat response:

• Your heart hammers. Not just 'beats faster' – hammers so hard you can feel it in your throat.

• Your breathing becomes rapid and shallow – short, panicky gasps that make you dizzy.

• Every muscle tenses. Your shoulders climb toward your ears, your thighs grip, your hands clench.

• Adrenaline floods your system. You feel shaky, sick, like you have had twelve coffees.

• Your fine motor control disappears. Suddenly, you cannot thread a stirrup leather or fasten a noseband.

• Your vision narrows to tunnel vision. You fixate on one thing –usually the thing you are afraid of.

Here is the cruel irony: this response, designed to save you from immediate danger, makes you a worse rider. Tense muscles create rigid, bouncing riding. Shallow breathing destroys your balance. Tunnel vision means you miss important cues. And – crucially – your horse feels every bit of it. As a prey animal, they pick up on your terror and interpret it as 'my human knows something dangerous is happening.' Now you have two frightened mammals instead of one, and the situation becomes genuinely more dangerous than it was before you got scared.

TYPES OF POST–FALL ANXIETY

Anxiety manifests differently for different riders, and identifying your pattern helps target solutions: Generalised anxiety: Nervousness around all horses and all riding situations. You feel anxious grooming, tacking up or even just driving to the yard. The anxiety is not situation–specific – it is horse–specific or riding–specific.

Specific trigger anxiety: Intense fear of whatever caused the fall. Fell cantering? Cantering now feels impossible. Fell jumping? Even ground poles create panic. Fell hacking? You are fine in the arena but cannot contemplate leaving it. The rest of your riding may be completely unaffected.

Anticipatory anxiety: Constant 'what if' thinking about future falls rather than fear of immediate danger. You spend the entire week before a lesson catastrophising. You are fine once you are actually riding, but the anticipation is torturous.

Physical symptoms without conscious fear: Your body goes into threat mode – racing heart, nausea, shaking, muscle tension – without your mind consciously registering

fear. You might not even realise you are anxious; you just feel physically dreadful.

Understanding which type you experience helps target interventions effectively.

THE CONFIDENCE EROSION CYCLE

Fear creates a vicious, self–reinforcing cycle that looks like this:

You fall  Fear develops  Your riding degrades (tension makes you bounce, hesitation makes you unbalanced, worry makes you grip)

 Poor riding creates negative experiences or increases fall risk

 Fear intensifies  The cycle continues, getting worse each time.

Breaking this cycle requires attacking it from multiple angles simultaneously. You cannot think your way out (your rational brain is not in control). You cannot force your way through (exposure without tools makes it worse). You need to address the fear directly, rebuild physical competence so you have genuine reasons for confidence, and create positive experiences that counteract the negative associations your brain has formed.

PART 2: IMMEDIATE POST–FALL CONSIDERATIONS

PHYSICAL HEALING COMES FIRST

Never, ever rush physical recovery because you are worried about psychological recovery. Attempting to ride before your body is ready creates multiple problems:

• Genuine risk of re–injury that could sideline you permanently.

• Compensatory movement patterns – favouring the injured side, protecting sore ribs, guarding a weak ankle – that create poor riding habits lasting long after the injury heals.

• Psychological association between riding and pain, which your brain

absolutely will remember.

• Legitimate physical vulnerability that justifies fear. If your wrist genuinely is not strong enough yet, being afraid to canter is not irrational anxiety – it is accurate risk assessment.

Follow medical advice precisely, even when it feels frustratingly slow. If your doctor says six weeks non–weight–bearing, take six weeks. If physio is prescribed, complete the full course. Your physical foundation must be solid before you start rebuilding psychological confidence, or you will just re–injure yourself and make everything worse.

THE ‘GET BACK ON’ DEBATE

The 'get straight back on' advice is oversimplified rubbish that causes as much harm as good. Here is when remounting immediately actually works:

• You are genuinely, completely uninjured. Not 'I think I am fine' –actually, definitely fine.

• The fall was obviously a fluke with a clear cause that has been fixed (saddle slipped because girth was loose, now it is tight).

• You genuinely feel capable and willing. Not 'I should' or 'people expect me to' – you actually want to.

• The horse is calm, sound, and safe. A distressed, lame, or difficult horse is not the right remount.

• You can do something simple and end on a positive note within five minutes. Walk a circle, halt, dismount. Job done.

Do NOT remount when:

• You are injured at all, even slightly. Even minor injuries can be serious

– concussion symptoms, internal bruising, and shock. Get checked first.

• You are shaken, crying, or clearly in shock. Forcing yourself through genuine trauma creates worse trauma.

• The horse is upset, lame, or behaving dangerously. That horse needs assessment, not riding.

• The cause of the fall has not been identified or addressed. Getting back on to immediately repeat whatever just went wrong is pointless.

• You would be doing it purely from pressure, shame, or 'should.' This creates traumatic forced exposure, not healing.

Remounting while terrified and white–knuckling your way through it does not prevent fear from developing – it creates it. There is no shame whatsoever in saying 'Not today, I need to process this' and addressing it properly when you are ready.

REVIEWING THE FALL

After the fall, it helps to take the time you need to understand what actually happened. Otherwise, you will find that your frightened brain creates its own distorted narrative. Review the fall factually, like you are describing it to your insurance company. What actually occurred, step by step, without drama or emotion. Write it down if that helps.

Identify contributing factors with brutal honesty. Was your tack poorly fitted? Was the horse unsuitable for your level? Were you tired or distracted? Was the ground dangerous? Was the instructor pushing too hard?

Separate what you could control from what you could not. You cannot control a Franklin exploding

from a hedge. You can control whether your stirrups are the right length.

Avoid catastrophising ('This proves I am a terrible rider') and avoid misplaced blame ('The horse hates me' / 'I should never have listened to my instructor').

Extract any learnable lessons without dwelling. Maybe: 'I should not jump when I am this tired' or 'This horse is genuinely too much for me right now.' Then move on.

This analysis serves two purposes: it provides genuine information to prevent similar falls, and it gives your rational brain accurate data to counter the fear–based catastrophising your primitive brain will try to feed you later.

PART 3: PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR REBUILDING CONFIDENCE

COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING

Fear operates on distorted logic. Cognitive restructuring means catching these distorted thoughts and replacing them with accurate ones. Not 'positive thinking' – accurate thinking.

Common distortions after falls, and what they actually sound like in your head:

• Catastrophising: 'If I canter, I will definitely fall, break my neck, and die.' Your brain jumps straight to the worst possible outcome as though it is certain.

• Overgeneralisation: 'I fell once, therefore I will always fall.' One data point becomes an absolute rule.

• All–or–nothing thinking: 'I cannot canter anymore' (rather than 'I need to rebuild canter confidence gradually').

• Emotional reasoning: 'I feel terrified; therefore it must be genuinely dangerous right now.' Confusing feeling with fact.

Challenge these thoughts with specific questions:

• Is this thought based on facts or feelings? (Feelings are real but not always accurate).

• What evidence supports this thought? What evidence contradicts it? (You have cantered safely how many times vs fallen how many times?)

• Am I confusing possibility with probability? (Possible I could fall vs probable I will fall).

• Would I say this to a friend? (Usually no – you would be kinder).

• What would be a more balanced, accurate thought?

Example reframe: 'If I canter, I will fall and break my neck' becomes 'Cantering carries some risk, as all riding does. I have cantered safely literally thousands of times and fallen twice. With proper preparation and gradual progression, I can rebuild my canter work with realistic rather than catastrophic risk.'

VISUALISATION

Your brain cannot reliably distinguish between vividly imagined experiences and real ones. This is why traumatic memories feel so real – and why strategic visualisation can rebuild confidence by creating successful 'experiences' before you physically attempt them. To practice visualisation:

• Find somewhere quiet. Sit comfortably. Set a timer for 10–15 minutes.

• Close your eyes. Take several deep breaths until you feel reasonably calm.

• Start with the absolute easiest scenario imaginable. Not riding – something easier. Maybe just standing in your horse's stable, grooming them. Make it vivid: smell the hay, hear them munching, feel the grooming brush in your hand, see the dust motes in the sunlight.

• Engage every sense you can. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel physically? What do you smell? The more

specific and sensory–rich, the better.

• Visualise everything going smoothly and calmly. Not Disney–movie perfect, but realistically well. Your horse shifts weight, you move with them. They swish their tail at a fly. Normal, calm, safe things.

• Include how your body feels: relaxed shoulders, steady breathing, calm heartbeat. This is crucial – visualise the feeling of calm, not just the scenario.

• Do this daily. When this scenario feels completely comfortable in your mind (might take days or weeks), add slightly more challenging scenarios progressively: leading your horse, standing next to them while someone else rides, sitting on them while stationary, walking on a lead rein.

This is not magic – it is giving your brain safe 'practice runs' that gradually desensitises the fear response.

BREATH WORK

Controlling your breathing is the single fastest way to interrupt a panic response. When you are in fight–or–flight, conscious breathing techniques provide immediate (though temporary) relief.

Box breathing (genuinely works if you actually do it):

• Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts

• Hold for 4 counts

• Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 4 counts

• Hold empty for 4 counts

• Repeat for 2–3 minutes minimum

This activates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest–and–digest mode), which physically cannot operate simultaneously with your sympathetic nervous system (fight–or–flight mode). You are forcing your body to switch modes.

GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Grounding techniques when you are in acute panic:

• 5–4–3–2–1: Name out loud 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste. Forces your brain to focus externally rather than internally on fear.

• Physical grounding: Press your feet firmly into your stirrups and notice the pressure. Feel the saddle beneath you. Notice the reins in your hands, the texture of the leather. Physical sensation anchors you in the present moment.

• Counting external things: Count fence posts as you pass them. Count your pony's steps. Count their ear flicks. Anything that occupies your mind with external observation rather than internal catastrophising.

These techniques work by interrupting the anxiety spiral before it becomes full panic by redirecting attention from internal fear to external reality. They do not fix the underlying fear, but they give you tools to manage acute moments.

SELF–TALK

The internal monologue you run matters more than most people realise. Negative self–talk ('I am useless,' 'I will never get past this,' 'I am pathetic') reinforces fear and helplessness. However, on the other hand, falsely positive self–talk ('I have no fear!' 'This is easy!') that your brain knows is untrue creates cognitive dissonance and makes things worse. Effective self–talk is realistic, specific, and compassionate:

• Realistic, not fake–positive: 'I am working on this' rather than 'I am completely confident.' Your brain believes the first one; it knows the second is a lie.

• Process–focused, not outcome–focused: 'I am taking steps forward' rather than 'I must be

riding confidently by next month.' You control the process; you do not entirely control outcomes or timelines.

• Compassionate, as though speaking to a frightened friend: 'This is hard, and I am doing it anyway' rather than 'I should not be this scared, I am being ridiculous.'

• Present–focused: 'Right now, in this moment, I am safe' rather than 'But what if something happens later...'

Develop three or four phrases you can genuinely believe and repeat when anxiety rises: 'I have skills to handle this,' 'This feeling is temporary, it will pass,' 'I am safe right now,' 'I am making progress even when it does not feel like it.'

GRADUAL EXPOSURE

Gradual exposure (systematic desensitisation) is one of the most evidence–based treatments for specific fears. It works on a simple principle: avoidance maintains fear, exposure reduces it. But – and this is crucial – exposure done badly makes fear worse. To practice this technique, create your personal fear hierarchy – a ladder of situations from 'mildly uncomfortable' to 'absolutely terrifying.' Everyone's ladder is different. Here is an example:

1. Looking at photos of you riding (minimal anxiety)

2. Visiting the yard without riding

3. Grooming a calm horse

4. Tacking up a horse

5. Sitting on a stationary horse with someone holding them

6. Walking three steps on a lead rein

7. Walking independently in an arena

8. Trotting on a lunge line

9. Trotting independently

10. Cantering (highest anxiety for this rider)

How to work through this hierarchy without making things worse:

• Start at a step that produces mild but genuinely manageable anxiety. Not 'no anxiety' (that is too easy) but not 'panic' (that is too hard). Aim for 3–4 out of 10 on an anxiety scale.

• Stay at that step until your anxiety reduces significantly while you are doing it – this is called

habituation. You might do step 3 (grooming) ten times before your anxiety during grooming drops from 4/10 to 1/10.

• This might take one session, or it might take twenty sessions. Everyone is different, and rushing helps nobody. Some steps you will fly through; others you will get stuck on for months. This is completely normal.

• Only move to the next step when the current step feels genuinely comfortable – meaning your anxiety is 1–2/10, not just 'I can tolerate this level of panic.'

• Expect setbacks. Some days, step 5 will suddenly feel terrifying again, even though yesterday it was fine. This does not mean you have lost all progress – it means you are having a difficult day. Go back a step or two or skip that day entirely.

• Never skip steps to 'get it over with.' Flooding yourself with the thing you fear most does not cure fear – it creates trauma. The gradual approach feels frustratingly slow but actually works.

The crucial mechanism: you must stay in the feared situation long enough for your anxiety to naturally decrease (habituation), but not so long or intensely that you traumatise yourself further. This is a narrow window, which is why gradual progression matters.

GROUNDWORK

Groundwork rebuilds your sense of control and connection without the vulnerability of being mounted. Start here, even if it feels like going backwards.

Week 1–2: Presence without pressure

• Go to the yard. Sit in your car if you need to. Walk to the stable block. Look at your horse over the stable door. Have a conversation with them. No agenda beyond being present.

• Grooming sessions with total focus. Not rushed, functional grooming – slow, meditative grooming. Notice the whorls in their coat. Feel the warmth of their body. Smell their smell. Reconnect with the physical reality of your horse as a living being, not as a fear trigger.

• Tack up slowly, checking everything three times. Put tack on. Take it off again. Repeat. Get comfortable with the process without the pressure of riding afterwards.

• Just be there. Muck out while they eat hay. Sit in their stable reading. Hand–graze. Rebuild the relationship that fear has damaged.

Week 2–4: Active groundwork

• Leading exercises with intention: halt, walk on, halt again. Back up three steps. Turn left. Turn right. Small tasks with clear goals that give you the feeling of control and partnership.

• Groundwork patterns: walk them in circles, serpentines, figure–eights. Change direction. Speed up slightly, slow down again. These exercises are genuinely useful for them and rebuild your confidence in influencing their movement.

• Desensitisation exercises if you both enjoy them: introduce objects, sounds, tarps, whatever. Watch your horse think through things and realise they can be calm even with new stimuli.

• Liberty work if you have the skills: watching your horse choose to stay with you, move with you, without any physical control, is incredibly healing for both confidence and relationship.

This groundwork is not busywork or cowardice – it is rebuilding your working relationship from the ground up, which is exactly where it should be rebuilt.

GETTING ON

Phase 1: Static mounting (often skipped, should not be)

• Mount with someone experienced holding your horse. Do not ask your horse to walk on. Just sit there.

• Sit for 30 seconds. Breathe. Notice what you feel. Dismount.

• Next session: Sit for two minutes. Next time: five minutes. Build duration until sitting on a stationary horse feels genuinely calm.

• Practice mounting and dismounting repeatedly – five times in one session. Make it utterly routine and boring.

This separates 'being on the horse' from 'the horse moving,' allowing your brain to habituate to height and position independently of movement. Most people skip this. Do not skip this.

Phase 2: Supported movement (lunge work or lead rein)

• Walk on a lead rope with an experienced handler. They control the horse; you focus entirely on yourself.

• Progress to lunge line work when lead rein walking feels completely comfortable.

• Walk on the lunge for several sessions before even considering trot. When walk feels boring, add trot.

• Multiple very short sessions (10–15 minutes) beat one long session (45 minutes). Your brain learns better in short, successful chunks.

• Having someone else control the horse means you can focus entirely on breathing, position, and not panicking. This is enormously valuable.

Phase 3: Independent riding in the safest possible environment

• Ride in an enclosed arena. Not a field, not 'out' – an arena with edges. Your brain needs boundaries.

• Ride the safest, most reliable horses you can access – not necessarily your own horse. School horses you know are steady and bombproof.

• Walk only until walking feels genuinely fine. This might be weeks. Let it be weeks.

• Add trot in tiny increments: three strides of trot, back to walk. Five strides. Ten strides. Do not try to trot continuously for months if you need months.

• Practice transitions obsessively: walk–trot–walk, over and over. Transitions give you the feeling of control and prove you can slow down whenever you want.

Phase 4: Complexity increase (do not rush this)

• Extend trot duration once short bursts feel comfortable.

• Add canter only when trot feels completely boring. Start with three strides on the lunge line.

• Introduce gentle complexity: ride through cones, over ground poles, change rein more frequently.

• Try different horses as your confidence stabilises – breadth of experience helps.

• Eventually return to your own horse if that is the goal, but only after confidence is solid on multiple other horses. Your horse is often the hardest because they carry the emotional weight of the fall.

• Introduce gentle hills, varied terrain (still in controlled areas).

THE VALUE OF INSTRUCTION

Professional instruction during confidence rebuilding is valuable for specific reasons:

• They provide an objective assessment of when you are genuinely ready to progress versus when you are pushing too hard or being too cautious.

• They select appropriate horses. You might think you need your own horse; they know you actually need the 20–year–old cob who has seen everything and cares about nothing.

• They create structured progression that you cannot see yourself. When you are in it, everything feels impossible. They can see the path from here to there.

• They provide immediate support when anxiety spikes. 'Breathe. You are fine. Look at me. Good. Now walk a circle.' External calm when your internal calm has vanished.

• They help rebuild technical skills that degraded while you were off. Fear makes you ride badly; bad riding reinforces fear. Breaking that cycle requires skill work.

Choose an instructor who explicitly has experience with nervous riders, ideally riders recovering from falls. If they say, 'just get back on' or 'you were fine before,' find someone else. You need someone who understands that confidence rebuilding is legitimate skill work, not indulgence.

PART 4: REBUILDING CONFIDENCE IN SPECIFIC SCENARIOS CANTER

Canter terrifies many riders post–fall because it feels faster, less controlled, and more precarious than trot. Even riders who loved cantering before suddenly cannot bear it.

Rebuilding canter confidence in actual, specific steps looks something like this:

• Master trot first.

• Watch other people canter. Observe that they are not dying, not falling off, not in constant peril. Your brain needs evidence that cantering can be safe.

• Canter on the lunge line first – someone else controls the speed, and you just sit.

• Start with three canter strides.

Literally three. Then back to trot. Build up over many sessions.

• When you canter independently, choose a steady schoolmaster who canters like an armchair. Not your own horse if they are even slightly fizzy.

• Large 20–metre circles only initially – balance is easier in big circles. No small circles, no corners, nothing tight.

• Canter for four strides, trot, breathe, canter for six strides, trot. Tiny increments. Duration comes last, not first.

• Use light–seat if it feels more secure. You do not have to sit to canter. Security matters more than correctness.

• Add straight lines when circles feel boring. Then smaller circles. Then transitions. Then different horses. Build complexity one element at a time over months.

JUMPING

If you fell over a jump, returning to jumping requires even more patience than canter work.

Honest question first: Do you actually want to jump, or do you feel you should? If jumping made you miserable before the fall, this is your permission slip to stop. Do something else. Many beautiful riding disciplines involve zero jumping.

If you genuinely want to jump again:

• Flatwork until it is rock–solid. Months of flatwork. Your position, your balance, your transitions – all need to be significantly better than they were when you fell.

• Practice light seat at all gaits on the flat until your legs are independently strong. If your legs cannot hold light seat for three minutes solid, you are not ready

for fences.

• Trot ground poles for weeks. Not one session – weeks. Make them interesting: different distances, raised ends, curves.

• Progress to raised cavaletti when ground poles bore you. Stay here for weeks too.

• When you finally jump, start at 30cm crosses. Not 'whatever feels comfortable' – 30cm. Stay at this height until it feels like trotting over ground poles.

• Increase height by 5cm at a time. 35cm, then 40cm, then 45cm. This will take months. Let it take months.

Never increase height and add difficulty simultaneously. If you go up in height, make the question simpler (single fence, straight approach). If you add difficulty (related distances, angles), drop the height.

OUTRIDES

Open spaces, unpredictable environments, and lack of control over surroundings create specific anxieties that arena riding does not.

Rebuilding hacking confidence when hacking is where you fell looks something like this:

• Start with 'hacks' that are actually arena–adjacent – walk around the outside of your arena property, barely leaving the gate. Make leaving the arena boring by doing it repeatedly when nothing scary happens.

• Always hack with experienced companions on calm horses initially. Solo hacking comes much later.

• Let others lead while you follow for months. Following feels safer; leading requires more decision–making.

• Keep early hacks short: 15–20 minutes maximum. You can always make them longer; you cannot undo a frightening experience.

• Walk only for many, many outings. Walk is controllable. Trot and canter on hacks require significantly more confidence.

• Choose flat, open, familiar routes initially. Save woodland trails, steep terrain, and new routes for much later.

• Gradually increase distance and difficulty over months. Ride the same route until it feels mundane before trying new routes.

• Always carry a phone, tell someone exactly where you are going and when you will return. This genuine safety measure also provides psychological security.

A PARTICULAR HORSE

If you fell from a particular horse, your brain may have created a strong negative association with that specific animal.

Honest assessment required: Was the fall because this horse is genuinely unsuitable – too much horse for your current level or incompatible temperaments? Or was it a one–off circumstance with a suitable horse?

If genuinely unsuitable: Choosing a different horse is wise horsemanship, not failure. Both horse and rider deserve appropriate matches. You are not 'giving up' –you are making a sensible decision. Perhaps later, with more skills, this horse would suit you. Right now, they do not. That is okay.

If the horse is suitable and the fall was circumstantial:

• Rebuild the relationship through groundwork first. Spend weeks grooming, leading, working them in–hand. Reconnect without the pressure of riding.

• Return to riding this horse only after your confidence is solid on other horses. If you are still nervous cantering on a schoolmaster, you are nowhere near ready to canter your own horse who carries emotional weight.

• Have your instructor present for the first many rides – not just the first ride, but the first ten rides.

• Start with walking only, even if you are cantering other horses confidently. This specific horse requires restarting from basics.

• Progress extremely slowly. This horse will take longer than any other horse. Accept this timeline.

PART 5: WHEN YOU NEED PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Self–help strategies work for many riders. But professional psychological support is sometimes necessary, and recognising when you need it is strength, not weakness.

Consider seeking professional help if:

• Fear is not improving despite consistent, genuine effort over several months. Not 'I tried for two weeks' – several months of systematic work.

• Anxiety about riding interferes with other areas of life: sleep, work, relationships. You cannot stop thinking about the fall.

• You experience panic attacks approaching riding situations –genuine panic attacks, not just nervousness. Hyperventilation,

feeling like you might die, overwhelming terror.

• You have intrusive thoughts or nightmares about falling that persist for months.

• You avoid all horse contact, not just riding. Cannot even look at photos, cannot visit the yard, cannot be around other people who ride.

• Depression develops alongside the anxiety. Loss of interest in everything, hopelessness, inability to feel joy.

• You feel genuinely hopeless about ever riding again and this hopelessness persists despite efforts.

These patterns suggest PTSD or an anxiety disorder requiring professional treatment, not just 'nerves.'

PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THIS SPACE

Sports psychologists: Specialise in performance anxiety and mental skills training. Many work specifically with equestrian athletes and understand riding–specific challenges like 'my horse can feel my fear.' They use techniques such as imagery, self–talk modification, and confidence–building.

Clinical psychologists or counsellors: Treat anxiety disorders, PTSD, and trauma using evidence–based approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Essential if your symptoms suggest genuine PTSD rather than normal post–fall nerves.

Equine–assisted psychotherapy: Combines groundwork with horses and psychological therapy. This is particularly effective for trauma processing because working with horses in a therapeutic setting allows you to process fear while actually being with horses, not just talking about horses in an office.

Hypnotherapy: Some riders find hypnotherapy helpful for specific fears. Ensure your practitioner is properly qualified and uses evidence–based approaches, not just 'positive thinking under hypnosis.'

Seeking help is not admitting defeat. Professional treatment often accelerates recovery that might otherwise take years or might not happen at all without intervention.

PART 6: SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS PRE–RIDE PREP

Set yourself up for success before you even get to the yard:

• Choose appropriate horses ruthlessly. 'Appropriate' means safe, reliable, suitable for your current confidence level. Not your own horse if they are difficult. Not the horse you love if they are too much. Safety first, feelings second.

• Ride when you feel alert and relatively calm. Not when you are exhausted after work, not when you are stressed about other life things. Tuesday at 2pm might work; Saturday at 6pm might not.

• Check all tack meticulously before mounting. Ill–fitting equipment

creates genuine safety concerns and gives your anxious brain legitimate reasons to worry.

• Wear whatever safety equipment makes you feel more confident (and, of course, a helmet!). Body protector, air vest – whatever works. People who judge your safety equipment can mind their own business.

• Have a plan before you mount. 'Walk for 20 minutes, practice transitions' is a plan. 'See how I feel' is not a plan. Anxiety hates ambiguity.

• Give yourself explicit permission to stop if needed. 'If I become too anxious, I will dismount, and that will be fine' is not defeat – it is having a safety plan.

RIDING

When anxiety rises while you are actually riding:

• Focus on exhaling. Anxious people hold their breath or breathe shallowly. Force yourself to exhale fully, counting to four. Deep breathing is impossible when you are holding your breath out of fear, so forcing the exhale fixes the problem.

• Sing or count out loud. Count your pony's strides: 'One–two–three–four, one–two–three–four.' Sing anything – nursery rhymes, pop songs, the alphabet. This regulates breathing automatically and occupies the catastrophising part of your brain.

• Physical reset: Drop your stirrups for ten strides and pick them back up. Roll your shoulders backward. Shake out your arms one at a time. Physical tension creates mental tension; breaking physical tension helps your mental state.

• Return to simpler tasks immediately. If trot feels scary, walk. If circles feel hard, go large. If canter feels impossible, trot. Always have somewhere simpler to go rather than forcing through panic.

• Talk to your horse out loud. It does not matter what you say. 'Good boy, you are fine, we are fine, good steady.' Many riders find this enormously calming. Verbal communication with your horse occupies your brain and regulates breathing.

• Dismount if you need to. There is absolutely no shame in dismounting. Better to end on a successful note at the walk than white–knuckle your way through something that traumatises you further. You can always try again tomorrow.

After every ride, take five minutes to process while it is fresh:

• What went well? Start with the positives always. 'I mounted' counts. 'I walked three circles' counts. Everything counts.

• What felt challenging? Identify it without judgment. 'Trotting felt scary' is observation, not failure.

• What was your peak anxiety level during the ride (1–10 scale)? Track this number over time.

• Did your anxiety decrease during the ride? If you started at 7/10 and finished at 4/10, habituation is working. If you stayed at 7/10 or increased, you pushed too hard.

• What would make the next ride more successful? Maybe: 'Use a different horse,' 'Work on sitting trot more,' 'Have my instructor closer,' 'Start with ten minutes on the lunge line.'

• Keep a written journal if you can. On terrible days when you feel like you have made zero progress, reading back and seeing 'Eight weeks ago I could not even groom, today I walked for ten minutes' provides concrete evidence of progress your anxious brain cannot deny.

PART 7: BUILDING LONG–TERM CONFIDENCE ACCEPTING THAT FALLS HAPPEN

Part of rebuilding confidence is accepting that riding carries inherent risk. You cannot reduce the probability of falling to zero. Demanding absolute certainty (which is impossible) keeps you anxious forever.

What you CAN do:

• Develop better skills that genuinely reduce fall probability. Improve your balance, position, and riding ability. Actual competence creates justified confidence.

• Choose horses and activities appropriate to your current ability. Stop riding horses that are too much for you. Choose activities within your skill range. This is sensible risk management, not cowardice.

• Use proper safety equipment to reduce injury severity if falls occur.

Paradoxically, accepting that falls might happen (while taking reasonable precautions) often reduces anxiety more than trying to guarantee they will not. When you stop demanding impossible certainty, you can engage with realistic risk management instead of catastrophising.

BROADENING YOUR EQUESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

Sometimes confidence rebuilds through horse involvement that is not riding:

• Groundwork, liberty training, lunging, long–reining.

• In–hand showing or breed showing.

• Equine photography – staying involved while documenting rather than participating.

• Learning equine massage, bodywork, or other hands–on skills.

• Studying equine behaviour, training theory, and biomechanics to deepen theoretical knowledge.

These activities maintain horse involvement and identity while removing riding pressure. Sometimes, the break from riding allows confidence to rebuild naturally. Sometimes you discover

you are perfectly happy with horses without riding them. Both outcomes are legitimate.

CELEBRATING PROGRESS

Recovery is emphatically not linear. Good days, terrible days, medium days, inexplicably awful days when you thought you were over it. This is normal. Celebrate every tiny win:

• Groomed your horse despite feeling anxious? Win.

• Sat on a horse even though you were frightened? Major win.

• Trotted for five strides when last week you could only walk? Enormous win.

• Went to the yard even when you desperately did not want to? Win.

Progress is measured in tiny increments, not dramatic breakthroughs. Acknowledge every single forward step, however small.

PART 8: YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Thousands of riders have walked this path. Recovery timelines vary wildly – weeks for some, years for others.

What they share:

• The frustration of being afraid when rationally you 'should not' be.

• The grief of losing confidence that once felt effortless.

• The small victories that felt absolutely enormous.

• The setback days that felt like total failure but were actually normal parts of the process.

• The eventual return of joy – not the unconscious joy they had before, but conscious, hard–won joy that means more.

Many riders report that while the journey is brutal, they become better riders afterward – more thoughtful, more skilled, more aware of what they have, less likely to take riding for granted.

FOR THOSE SUPPORTING PEOPLE AFTER A FALL

If you are supporting someone rebuilding confidence after a fall –instructor, friend, partner, parent – here is what actually helps versus what makes things worse:

WHAT HELPS

• Patience without timelines. 'Take as long as you need' helps. 'You should be over this by now' destroys.

• Validation that their fear is real and legitimate, not weak or silly. 'This is genuinely hard and you are doing it anyway' helps. 'It was barely a fall' destroys.

• Offering choices rather than instructions. 'Would you like to try trotting or stay at walk today?' gives control. 'Right, we are cantering now' removes control and creates panic.

• Noticing and celebrating genuinely small wins. 'You groomed for twenty minutes today, that is real progress' helps. Only noticing big achievements ('When you canter, I will celebrate') makes little progress feel worthless.

• Being available for support without hovering or creating dependence. Present and ready to help, but not anxiously watching every second waiting for disaster.

• Providing genuinely safe, appropriate horses. If you are an instructor, the safest horse in your string, not 'one of the safe ones.' If you are a friend, lending your steady cob, not your fizzy mare.

• Flexibility and willingness to change plans. 'The plan was to trot, but we can walk if you need to' reduces pressure. Rigid adherence to plans creates anxiety.

WHAT DOES NOT HELP

• Minimising or denying their experience. 'It was not that bad' or 'Hardly anyone saw' or 'You are fine' when they are clearly not fine.

• Shaming them into action. 'Just get back on' or 'Do not be pathetic' or 'Everyone falls, get over it.' Shame does not create courage.

• Comparing them to others. 'Other riders bounce back faster' or 'X rider fell worse and they are fine.' Comparison creates shame and hopelessness.

• Forcing them to do things they have clearly said they are not ready for. If they say 'I cannot canter today,' pushing them to canter is a violation, not support.

• Showing impatience through sighing, eye–rolling, checking your watch, or visible frustration with slow progress. They notice every sigh.

• Taking their fear personally. Asking 'do you not trust me?' when they are anxious is making their struggle about you. Their fear is not about trust in you – it is about traumatised nervous systems.

Your role is creating a safe space for gradual rebuilding, not fixing them or pushing them forward. Progress is their responsibility; safety and patience are yours.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Rebuilding confidence after a fall is a journey without a neat finish line. There is no moment when you suddenly have 'complete confidence' and never feel fear again. Rather, you develop the capacity to manage fear, strategies to work through anxiety, and resilience to continue despite setbacks.

Key truths about this journey:

• It takes significant time –measured in months or years, rarely in weeks. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or has never done this.

• Progress is not linear. You will have breakthrough weeks and crushing setback days. Both are normal.

• Small, gradual steps work better than forced breakthroughs. Patience beats bravery almost every time.

• You might not return to exactly who you were before – and this is okay. You might become a different rider. Perhaps more cautious, but also more skilled, more thoughtful.

• The journey changes you. Often it makes you deeper – more empathetic to struggling riders, more appreciative of good days, more aware of what you have.

• Seeking professional help is strength, not weakness or admission of failure.

• Your worth as a rider and as a person is not determined by your confidence level or how quickly you recover.

Many riders find that while they wish the fall had never happened, the recovery journey teaches lessons nothing else could: about resilience, about self–compassion, about the profound connection between mind and body in riding. These lessons enrich not just riding but life beyond horses.

Whether your goal is returning to competition, hacking peacefully, or simply enjoying horses from the ground, progress is possible. The strategies in this article – cognitive restructuring, gradual exposure, breathing techniques, progressive physical exercises, professional support when needed – are evidence–based approaches that have helped countless riders. They are not magic, but they work if you work them.

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER SUPPORT:

• Ride with Confidence by Jane Savoie – a book specifically addressing riding fear.

• Online support groups for nervous riders – Facebook groups, forums for connection with others.

• Apps: Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer – meditation and breathing exercises.

GUT HEALTH

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SHOWJUMPING COURSE WALK STRATEGIES

HOW TO WALK A SHOWJUMPING COURSE EFFECTIVELY

The rider who rushes through the course walk, barely glancing at fences, then wonders why distances feel awkward. The competitor who walks diligently but still gets lost mid–round, missing fence four entirely. The nervous showjumper who sees only terrifying heights rather than rideable lines. These scenarios play out at competitions daily, and many could be improved with better course–walking strategies.

My top tip is not to walk with my best friend… She talks the entire way round, and I forget where I’m going. She always remembers her course, but I don’t, which seems unfair. – Anonymous (for obvious reasons)

Course walking separates consistent, clear–round riders from those who struggle with distances, get confused mid–course, or make avoidable errors. Yet many of us treat course walking as perfunctory – a quick stroll identifying fence numbers before getting on their horse. This superficial approach misses the entire purpose: course walking is mental preparation, distance assessment, line planning, and problem–solving all condensed into ten to fifteen minutes of focused observation.

Professional showjumpers spend significant time walking courses, often multiple times, visualising rides, counting strides, identifying potential problems, and planning alternative routes. They understand that jumping is not reactive – you cannot see a distance from five strides away and suddenly create a perfect take–off point. Successful jumping requires planning: knowing where you want to be at specific points as you approach fences, understanding how distances ride for your particular horse, and having backup plans when things do not go exactly as expected.

This article looks at systematic course–walking strategies, transforming this critical preparation from cursory fence identification into tactical planning that dramatically improves your jumping performance.

NOTE: Here, we assume that you have plenty of time for walking the course. This is not always the case. After we run through the ‘ideal’ course walking strategy, we then look at the more realistic, time–constrained option.

Another thing that really helps, especially when you’re practising at home, is paying attention to where your horse actually lands after a fence. The ‘generic’ two paces for landing doesn’t apply to every horse or every fence. Some horses land and travel further; others land shorter and take a moment to organise. If you know how your horse tends to jump and land, it makes it much easier to walk distances accurately and make better plans and decisions before you even get on.

– Luke Compaan

FIRST WALK: BIG PICTURE ASSESSMENT

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS AND FLOW

Your first walk should capture the overall character of the course without getting bogged down in details. Walk the numbered route at a steady pace, noting major features: is this a flowing, forward course with long galloping distances, or a technical course with tight turns and difficult striding? Does it reward bold, free–flowing riding or careful, controlled accuracy?

I walk with my coach. His voice is then in my head the entire way round, and it keeps me on track.

Observe the course designer's intention. Flowing lines between fences suggest the designer wants forward, rhythmic riding. Sharp turns, angled approaches, and related distances requiring specific striding indicate technical demands. Understanding the designer's challenge helps you choose appropriate pace and tactics.

Note the terrain. Courses rarely sit on perfectly flat ground. Identify uphill approaches, downhill landings, sloping turns, and cambered ground. These topographical features affect how distances are ridden – downhill tends to lengthen the stride, uphill compresses it. Noting terrain early prevents surprises mid–round.

Assess footing quality throughout. Are certain areas deeper, harder, or more slippery? Footing variations affect pace and security. Deep footing compresses the stride and requires more impulsion. Hard ground encourages a longer stride but offers less purchase for tight turns. Assessing as you walk can help you to plan accordingly.

FENCE CONSTRUCTION AND QUESTIONS

During this first pass, note fence types and identify any that concern you. Is there a particularly spooky fence – maybe a water tray, Liverpool, or brightly painted obstacle? Which fence is the biggest? Are there any unusual constructions – skinnies, triple bars, Swedish oxers – requiring specific riding?

Look for optical illusions created by backgrounds. A fence sitting against dark trees can be hard for horses to judge. White poles against a bright sky create glare. Fences positioned where shadows fall can confuse depth perception. These optical challenges require confident, positive riding and sometimes approaching in specific ways to help your horse see clearly.

I love walking the course behind top riders, even at small shows. Or when I’m at big shows, I like walking behind Ronnie [Healy] so I can see the lines he walks. Top showjumpers are generally very intentional about what lines they ride.

– Amelia Campbell-Horne

Identify the most influential fence – often not the biggest, but the one where mistakes are most costly. This might be a fence before a tight turn where you cannot afford to land unbalanced, or a fence in a combination where poor jumping affects the next element. Recognising which fence demands your best riding helps prioritise mental preparation.

PLANNING PRELIMINARY LINES

On your first walk, establish preliminary lines between fences. Walk from fence to fence following the most logical track. For most courses, this means using the space efficiently without cutting corners so tight you unbalance your horse or opening tracks so wide you add unnecessary ground.

However, note where alternative tracks might be advantageous. Perhaps the direct line between fences crosses bad footing, but a

slightly wider arc offers better ground. Maybe a turn could be made inside or outside, depending on your horse's response to earlier fences. Identifying options during the first walk gives you flexibility later.

Stand behind each fence, visualising the approach from where you will come. Does the turn flow naturally, or does it require specific setup? Can you see the next fence on landing, or does it disappear behind a fence or arena feature? These observations inform how you ride each fence.

SECOND WALK: DETAILED DISTANCE ASSESSMENT

UNDERSTANDING YOUR STRIDE LENGTH

Accurate distance assessment requires knowing your horse's stride length. Most horses cover approximately 3.3 to 3.6 metres per canter stride when jumping. However, this varies significantly based on horse size, natural stride, level of collection, and pace.

Large horses with naturally big strides may cover 3.7 to 4.0 metres per stride at competition pace. Small horses or those with naturally shorter strides may only cover 3.0 to 3.3 metres. Your horse's individual stride length dramatically affects how distances ride for you.

I think another important tip is to know your horse. Does your horse have step or doesn’t he? Does he jump left or right? That tells you a lot about how you need to plan.

– Amelia Campbell-Horne

If you do not know your horse's stride length, measure it at home. Set two poles 12 metres apart (four average strides). Ride through in your competition canter. Did you get four comfortable strides, or did it feel compressed (suggesting your horse has a longer stride), or open (suggesting a shorter stride)? This knowledge is fundamental to course walking.

WALKING RELATED DISTANCES

Related distances – fences positioned one to seven strides apart – require careful measurement. The standard method involves pacing from the base of the first fence to the base of the second fence, subtracting distance for landing and take–off, then dividing the remaining distance by your horse's stride length.

Walk from the back rail of fence one to the front rail of fence two, counting your paces. Subtract two paces for landing after the first fence, subtract two paces for take–off to the second fence. Divide the remaining distance by four to give you an approximate number of strides.

Example: You walk 16 paces between two verticals. Subtract two for landing, two for take–off, leaving 12 paces. This suggests that for the average horse this would be a three stride distance.

For combinations (one or two non–jumping strides), the calculation is similar, but tolerances are tighter. A true one–stride combination typically measures 7–7.5 metres for average horses. Two strides typically measure 10–11 metres. Combinations set on the short or long side of these standards require adjustment –collecting for short distances, allowing forward movement for long ones.

MEASURING UNRELATED DISTANCES

Fences separated by eight or more strides are considered unrelated –you have time to adjust pace and balance between them. However, measuring these distances still helps. Knowing that the distance from fence three to fence four rides as eleven comfortable strides helps you plan pace: if you land from fence three and realise you are going very forward, you might get it in ten and need to balance. If you are a bit quiet, it might be twelve. This awareness prevents panic mid–round.

Personally, I watch people go before me to see how it rides.

– Megan Wright

For unrelated distances, walk from centre of one fence to centre of the next, counting paces. Divide total paces by your horse's stride length for an approximate stride count. This need not be exact – you just want to know roughly how it should ride.

ASSESSING COMBINATIONS AND LINES

Combinations demand special attention. Walk each element, noting whether distances favour careful collection or forward riding. A combination set on a related distance – say, fence A to B rides better in four strides than three, and B to C is set for one stride – requires planning: establish the pace and balance for that four before the first element, maintain it through, and the combination flows smoothly.

For bending lines (fences not on a perfectly straight line), walk multiple tracks, assessing the stride count for each. The inside track might be six strides, the outside seven. Knowing this gives you options: if you jump the first fence poorly, you can choose the longer track and have more time to recover.

Identify any lines where terrain affects striding. An uphill line that walks as four strides might ride as five because climbing compresses the stride. A downhill line measured for five might easily gallop down in four. Account for these terrain effects in your planning.

Another good tip, if you’re not too early in the running order, is to sit quietly and watch a few riders go before you. It gives you a chance to see how different horses are managing the distances and how the lines are actually riding. Sometimes what walked as one plan ends up riding slightly differently.

Watching a few rounds can give you extra confidence and a bit more certainty in the plan you’ve made.

– Luke Compaan

THIRD WALK: PROBLEM SOLVING IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

With distances measured, your third walk focuses on problem–solving. Where might things go wrong? Which fences are most likely to cause refusals? Where might you lose balance? Which turns are most likely to cause drifting or cutting?

Consider your horse's tendencies. Does your horse tend to bulge left? Then right–hand turns after fences need extra attention – you will need a strong right leg to prevent drifting. Does your horse back off spooky fences? Identify which fences look spooky and plan assertive riding.

For technical fences – skinnies, corners, Liverpools – visualise the approach in detail. Skinnies require absolute straightness and accuracy. How will you establish that straightness? Perhaps by choosing your line ten metres before the fence rather than waiting until the last moment. Liverpools often need seeing early and strong leg to prevent backing off.

Assess what happens if you make mistakes. If you jump fence seven long and strong, does that set you up poorly for the turn to fence eight? If so, you need exceptional control on landing from seven. If you chip in a short stride to fence four, does that ruin the line to fence five?

Understanding these consequences helps you prioritise which fences demand your focus.

PLANNING ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

For every potential problem, consider alternatives. If the direct track from fence six to seven involves a very tight turn that your horse might struggle with, what is the alternative? Perhaps a slightly wider track adds two strides but is more rideable for your particular horse.

Some courses offer genuine route choices – perhaps fence nine can be approached from left or right. Which suits your horse better? If your horse tends to be strong and difficult to

turn right, approaching fence nine from the left might allow easier setup despite being slightly longer.

In jump–offs, alternative routes become critical. Walk multiple options, noting stride counts and technical demands. The inside turn might be two strides shorter, but requires a very sharp turn immediately on landing. Can your horse do this? If not, the slightly longer outside track might actually be faster because you can maintain forward pace rather than having to collect sharply.

WEATHER AND FOOTING CONSIDERATIONS

If conditions change between your walk and competition – rain making the ground slippery, sun drying out the footing, wind picking up – adjust your plan. Wet ground typically makes horses more careful and slightly shorter–striding. You might need to ride more forward to maintain pace. Deep or heavy ground is tiring; plan to support your horse more in later portions of the course.

I only walk the course once, but I do it exactly as I will ride it.

Strong winds affect jumping significantly. Wind blowing into your face on approach makes horses back off fences; you need more leg. Wind from behind encourages horses to run; you need more control. Crosswinds cause drifting; adjust your line and use more supporting leg on the windward side.

MENTAL REHEARSAL AND VISUALISATION

CREATING YOUR PLAN

After walking and measuring, stand outside the arena and mentally rehearse your entire round. Close your eyes and visualise riding the course from start to finish. This is not casual daydreaming but detailed mental practice.

Start before fence one. Visualise your approach: picking up canter, establishing rhythm and pace, seeing your distance, and feeling your horse jump cleanly. See yourself landing in balance, looking for fence two, maintaining pace, turning smoothly. Continue through the entire course, fence by fence.

Make your visualisation detailed and realistic. Do not imagine only perfect jumps – also visualise yourself handling small imperfections. If you jump fence three slightly deep, visualise maintaining composure, rebalancing quickly, and riding fence four well regardless. This mental preparation for imperfection prevents panic when reality is not flawless.

Include emotional and physical feelings in visualisation. Imagine the excitement at the start, the satisfaction of a good jump, the focus required for the technical combination. Feel your legs supporting, your hands following, your eyes looking ahead. Engaging multiple senses makes mental rehearsal more effective.

Check where the start and finish flags are and also where the two-phase timer starts (where applicable). You can often save a few seconds by paying attention to this.

– Amelia Campbell-Horne

KEY FOCUS POINTS

Identify three to five key focus points throughout the course –specific moments requiring absolute concentration. These might be: establishment of pace before fence one, the turn to fence five where you must balance early, the related distance from seven to eight requiring specific striding, and the final fence where tired horses sometimes drift.

These focus points become mental checkpoints during your round. As you land from fence six, your mind triggers ‘next checkpoint: balance early for turn to seven.’ This systematic mental approach prevents the vague ‘just jump the jumps’ mindset that leads to reactive rather than proactive riding.

WALKING WITH LIMITED TIME

PRIORITISING WHEN RUSHED

Competitions often provide limited walking time, sometimes only one opportunity to walk. When time–pressed, prioritise systematically rather than trying to do everything and doing nothing well.

First priority: walk the actual route to ensure you know the order. Getting the course in your mind correctly matters more than a detailed distance assessment. Walk fence to fence following the path you will ride, cementing the sequence.

Second priority: measure critical distances – combinations, related distances, and any fence that concerns you. You can estimate unrelated distances, but combinations and tight related distances demand accurate measurement.

Third priority: identify problem areas and plan how you will ride them. If time allows only a cursory assessment, focus on fences or turns most likely to cause issues for your particular horse.

So, I think one important thing for me is paying attention to jump number one. The first fence is important because it sets the tone for the round. When you walk it, look at the distance from the in-gate, think about whether you’ll need a forward or more collected canter, and check what direction you land and where you’re going to the second fence. There is nothing worse than under- or over-riding the first fence and having the first rail down.

– Luke Compaan

USING WARM–UP EFFECTIVELY

When the course walking time is limited, use a warm–up to finalise your plan. As you jump practice fences, assess how your horse feels today. Are they forward and scopey, or tired and careful? This information affects how you will ride certain distances.

If your horse feels very forward in warm–up and you walked a related distance as a forward five or steady six strides, you now know you will likely get the forward five. If they feel quiet, you will need to ride positively to achieve the five.

During warm–up, mentally rehearse your course again. Between practice jumps, close your eyes briefly and visualise portions of the course, reinforcing your plan.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The difference between systematic, thorough course walking and perfunctory fence identification cannot be overstated. Riders who walk courses effectively enter the arena with clear plans, measured distances, identified challenges, and practised visualisations. They know where they will balance, where they can flow forward, which fences demand special attention, and what they will do if problems arise.

This preparation transforms jumping from reactive hoping to proactive planning. Instead of approaching each fence thinking ‘I hope this works out,’ you think ‘I planned to balance three strides out and see my distance here, so I am executing my plan.’ The psychological difference between these is enormous! Try this out for yourself, and let us know what you think!

MEET HANNAH PETRIE HAY

MEMBER OF THE HORSEBACK VET TEAM AND CORE CONDITIONING PROPONENT

Could the key to your horse's long–term soundness be hiding in plain sight, not in the vet's diagnostic kit, but in the way your horse moves, and the way you ride? It's a question that's gaining traction in equine circles, and one that veterinary surgeon Hannah Petrie Hay BVM&S, MRCVS is uniquely placed to explore.

Hannah qualified from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh in 2016 with distinction, but her path into equine practice took a turn she never quite anticipated. It was her own mare who set the wheels in motion – a horse that was, as Hannah puts it, "just not quite right" – and a chance call–out to Dr Rob Jackson of The Horseback Vet that opened her eyes to a whole new way of thinking about equine movement. Years later, she trained with Rob and joined his practice, bringing a rigorous scientific mind to a discipline that sits at the fascinating intersection of veterinary medicine, biomechanics and horsemanship.

Based in North East England, Hannah has since added another string to her bow through her work alongside Simon Cocozza and his Core Conditioning method – a collaboration that regular HQ readers will recognise from our previous feature. Together, these two approaches form a powerful toolkit: one that resets dysfunctional movement patterns, the other that builds the strength to sustain them.

With over twenty years in the saddle herself across dressage, showjumping, hunter trials and endurance riding, Hannah brings a rider's instinct to every assessment. (When she's not on horseback, you're as likely to find her jumping out of a plane or soaring on a paraglider, but that's perhaps a story for another issue.)

We sat down with Hannah to find out what owners are missing when it comes to back problems, why veterinary education still has some catching up to do, and what all of us – whatever our discipline – should be doing differently to keep our horses sound for the long haul.

BACKGROUND

HQ: What led you to pursue equine veterinary studies?

HPH: I studied at The University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. I actually pursued small animal work at university, though I have always enjoyed working with all types of animals. I always kept horses as a hobby until I began working with Rob Jackson and the Horseback Vet.

HQ: How did you come to work with Dr Rob Jackson? What drew you to his approach to movement assessment?

HPH: I first met Rob when I called

him out to my own mare who was ‘just not quite right’. As a scientist and veterinary professional, I always say if I hadn’t witnessed his work with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it! I was fascinated and intrigued but it wasn’t until five years later that I made the decision to reach out and contact Rob to ask about his work. I was incredibly fortunate that he offered me the opportunity to train with him and after my training period, I joined the Horseback Vet. I was drawn to the instant and lasting improvement that I commonly see with this method and find the positive impact I can have for horses highly rewarding.

HQ: And how did you come to work with Simon Cocozza and his Core Conditioning Method?

HPH: I stumbled across Simon Cocozza’s work quite by chance when I found an advert on Facebook for a clinic of his. Within days I’d booked a place on the clinic and purchased and devoured his book. I began putting the methods in the book into practice with my mare and saw rapid results in areas of weakness I’d been chipping away at for a decade. I have since attended three clinics and my mare has gone from strength to strength. I still use Simon’s techniques every time I ride.

HQ: You qualified in 2016 –were you taught about equine biomechanics in vet school, or is this something the profession is still catching up with?

HPH: At vet school, we were given a good basic grounding on locomotion; however, in my opinion, it is an area the profession is still catching up on. Many horses are ridden, and unfortunately, in my opinion, there is a disconnect between the impact this has on horses’ bodies and biomechanics and veterinary medicine. Good riding and training techniques have the potential to improve and maintain equine physical soundness. The other side of this coin is that bad technique can create pathology.

WORKING WITH THE HORSEBACK VET

HQ: Can you describe what a typical assessment with The Horseback Vet involves? How is it different from a traditional lameness evaluation?

HPH: The remit of the Horseback Vet excludes lameness work–ups, so if I deem a horse to be lame during our assessment, I will defer to a colleague whose expertise lies in this area. For this reason, the first question I ask myself when assessing a horse is ‘is this horse lame?’

Put simply, during an assessment with the Horseback Vet, I am looking to determine whether each part of the spine – the neck, the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine – is

working as nature intended so the horse can move freely. Areas of dysfunction will show up as aberrant movement patterns during the trot up, turns and circles that make up my assessment.

HQ: What are the most common issues you see in practice?

HPH: The most common region of the spine I find to be dysfunctional is the lumbar back. Over time, this can also cause discomfort in the hamstrings and even result in secondary thoracic dysfunction. Horses with lumbar spine dysfunction may find it difficult to engage their hindquarters, be resistant during transitions, and struggle to maintain canter, amongst other things.

HQ: What kind of treatments are you usually performing or suggesting for horses with back problems?

HPH: If I identify dysfunction in a horse’s spinal movement, then I can perform adjustments to restore the normal movement pattern. There are a number of different adjustments depending on the findings for each individual horse. I tailor the adjustments as required until I’m

happy that any spasm or tightness has resolved and that normal movement patterns are restored.

Once that ‘reset button’ has been hit, I then put together an aftercare plan. The horse will not yet be strong in their newfound posture and movement, and the correct aftercare exercises help build their strength so that the improvement is hopefully self–sustaining!

HQ: What are the most common signs of back problems in horses?

What should owners look out for?

HPH: I would recommend owners look for behavioural changes or areas of resistance in their horses, both ridden and on the ground. Reactivity to touch, grooming or tacking up can suggest discomfort, which should be investigated if persistent. Learn how to identify

tension – a bracing of the neck and back, hollowness, unhappy mouth – and work with your horse to eliminate it. When riding, resistance is your horse’s way of communicating that something is difficult or painful. Excluding lameness or medical problems, persistent resistance can be a good indicator of dysfunction in your horse’s movement patterns.

CORE–CONDITIONING

HQ: How does your work with Core Conditioning fit into this picture?

HPH: I was very excited to begin to draw parallels between the Horseback Vet methods and Simon’s work in Core Conditioning.

I see my work with the Horseback Vet as a reset button that I can use to ensure that patterns of

movement are as nature intended in a biomechanically correct way. This being the case, we are still left with the dilemma of ensuring that ridden work does not adversely affect the horse going forward. This is where Core Conditioning comes in – it allows us to condition the horse’s body to the demands of the weight of a rider so they can continue to honour their biomechanics while under saddle.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

HQ: As someone who rides multiple disciplines yourself, what has been your biggest learning from going into this speciality?

HPH: My biggest learning point from going into this speciality is that tension under the saddle must be taken seriously and eliminated. The common theme of any discipline is that we are asking something unnatural of the horse’s body; however the body is incredibly adaptable and can be conditioned to not only cope but thrive.

HQ: If you could redesign veterinary education to include one thing about biomechanics that's currently missing, what would it be?

HPH: If I could redesign veterinary education to include one thing about biomechanics that is currently missing, it would be to instil a better

understanding of the inescapable impact of ridden work on these animals. It is my opinion that ridden work, which works in opposition to a horse’s biomechanics, results in performance issues and lameness, and it is these animals that so often present to veterinary surgeons.

We need to answer this question: What if, in some equine patients, the primary problem does not lie in their pathological joints but in a straying away from their inherent movement patterns? Or, in a widespread failure to understand and adopt training methods that ensure their body is capable of sustainable movement under the weight of the rider?

I believe a number of common physical ailments could be prevented or reversed by equestrians gaining a better awareness of biomechanics.

It doesn’t have to be like this.

Think SMART

Responsibility always belongs to the one with the more complex nervous system.

This idea has been on my mind as I hear more conversations about horses needing to self-regulate or take responsibility for their emotional state.

These ideas usually come from good intentions.

WE WANT PARTNERSHIP, NOT CONTROL. SAFETY, NOT FORCE.

But horses are prey animals.

A horse’s nervous system is designed for survival — quick reactions, constant awareness, immediate response to change.

In nature, horses don’t regulate alone.

They regulate within the herd, guided by rhythm, proximity, and the presence of calm, experienced individuals.

So what we often call self-regulation is usually learned regulation — supported by familiarity, consistency, and relational safety.

THAT’S WHERE THE HUMAN MATTERS. REGULATION IN HORSES IS RELATIONAL.

Before we ask a horse to regulate, we have to look at our own breath, body, and presence.

Our body is the first signal the horse reads. Leadership doesn’t begin with technique. It begins with regulation. Not perfection. Awareness.

Instead of saying:

“THE HORSE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REGULATING HIMSELF,” A MORE ACCURATE FRAMING IS:

The human regulates first. The horse learns to regulate within that safety. IT EVOLVES.

But it always belongs to the one with the more complex nervous system.

With respect for the horse, and responsibility for ourselves, Ale Responsibility doesn’t disappear.

The Future of Riding this May at the International Biomechanics Symposium

International clinicians | Evidence-based training | Science-backed education

The International Biomechanics Symposium is a five-day international education event bringing together riders, coaches, veterinarians, bodyworkers, saddle fitters, and equine professionals.

Featuring internationally recognised clinicians in rider biomechanics, equine posture, saddle fit, and welfare-based training, the symposium offers demonstrations, clinics, talks, and opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.

Dates: 9-13 May 2026

Where to book: centrelinecollective.co.za

Venue: Kyalami Equestrian Park

AMANDA ANDERSON

AN INTERVIEW

HQ: How did you become involved in saddle fitting? What led you to this work?

Amanda: When I was in my early 20s, between undergrad and grad school, I was still a bit unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. I took a couple of massage and saddle fitting courses from Don Doran of Animal Dynamics in Ocala, then went overseas to study with a German sattlemeister, and I’ve completed 25+ courses in the US, UK, and Germany, including studying with 19 or 20 brands.

I knew I wanted to focus on medicine and health care; I studied, and completed, human massage therapy school in 2001, received my Masters degree in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture (functional medicine) in 2007, and moonlighted as a paramedic from 2009 to 2013, but horses have always been the direction of choice, and the puzzle of how to match the saddle to the horse to keep them healthy makes my brain happy.

facility, perform necropsies and also fit saddles. Can you tell us a bit about what your work involves day to day?

Amanda: EXTREMELY GLAMOROUS. It involves me waking up, making sure my makeup and outfit are perfect, then jumping in my perfectly clean car and going to brunch. After brunch, I’ll go to my first barn, where the horses are worth millions, everyone rides perfectly, and no horses are ever lame… UMMM, NO. I snorted my coffee writing that.

THE REALITY: My days start at sunrise; if I’m home, I hopefully get up with enough time to shower, then I feed the horses, get dressed, and maybe grab some coffee on the way out the door. Sometimes my shirt is on inside out. I do always manage

Then it’s off to regular barns seeing

are my favourite), but the majority of my clients are boarders, own 1 to 4 horses, and maybe they have a saddle for each horse, and maybe they don’t. They usually work full–time jobs and fit the horses in around their family life. These clients are the reason I started this deeper journey into anatomy, because they aren’t going to accept incompetence. They can’t afford for a saddle not to fit well, and will generally do whatever is necessary to keep their horse rideable. It depends on the location, weather, timing, etc. but I currently see between 3–6 horses a day, 4 days a week.

When we have a necropsy planned, I have a system. Two days before a necropsy, I’ll wash my hair and shave my forearms. This is very important – because you want your hair just greasy enough to prevent those flyaways from making your nose itch or getting stuck to a body part. I shave my forearms so the hair is growing back a bit prickly, which allows me to itch my nose or face with dirty gloves on, because YOUR NOSE WILL ALWAYS ITCH WHEN YOU CAN’T SCRATCH IT WITH YOUR HANDS.

The day before the necropsy, we set up the lab – fresh blades on

the scalpels, the table out if we are doing it with the horse laying flat, or the stand out if we are doing a standing one.

The day of the necropsy, I show up about an hour before we are scheduled to start. My job is largely grunt work; I am responsible for prepping the horse to go on the table. This includes draining the blood and removing the organs. Then, with the help of the team, we position the horse for research, depending on what is being studied. Then my role switches to researching the back under the saddle.

It’s a team effort; we certainly have a system down where we could do a necropsy with just 4 people, but all of those people jump between their roles whenever necessary.

The first necropsy shocked me; I went straight back to my anatomy books and had a meltdown because very few things agreed with what I saw on the table. I thought it was a one–off, but after more than 50 necropsies, I know now that most of the illustrations we use for teaching saddle fitters are wrong, and it has vast implications for the welfare of the horse.

Lastly, other days are either travel, study, or ‘content days’. I do quite a bit of international travel to either hold a clinic or study from a brand, school, or fitter.

I’m in the process of creating the “Anatomy Academy” for Stubben, an online resource for their saddle fitters, a fitting manual for Koehne Saddles (Düsseldorf), and the curriculum for the International Biomechanics Symposium. I do a lot of writing on planes or in the car when I have a driver, but most of the social media content that you see on IG is when I’m raging on the Stairmaster.

HQ: Regarding your social media presence, what led you to create your accounts? And did you expect them to be so popular?

Amanda:

a true “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade” story. Without being cheeky and saying names, there used to be a saddle school in my region that taught their students what they COULD do to saddles, not what they SHOULD do. As a result, I was seeing a ton of saddles unnecessarily wrecked, horses being fit wildly wrong, and consumers who were left confused and distrusting of saddle fitters. My frustration found an outlet on social media. I started to write about simple things like “what is tree width?”, “here are the 3 basic pommel shapes”, “what is the dot–to–dot measurement good for?”, and “what is the purpose of a tree point?”, because the consumers were being told vastly different things.

Nobody wants to be confused, especially when their horse’s

balance, and my ability to break saddle fit down into digestible pieces apparently resonated. For me, saddle fitting is 100% anatomy and fact based – if it doesn’t make sense anatomically, biomechanically, or scientifically, it isn’t right. Which is likely another reason why my social media is popular – many saddle fitters are opinion–based, which leads to consumers getting very different opinions on the fit of the same saddle on the same horse, sometimes within a few days of each other. This is unacceptable, and my goal was to give consumers actionable intelligence by providing a deep understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and what each part of the saddle is designed to do.

HQ: What does a day in your life look like (essentially – do you ever sleep between running your accounts, fitting saddles, working at the rehab facility, performing necropsies, running workshops…)?

Amanda: I prioritize good sleep, working out, and eating healthy. I believe that the person who is in a position to advise someone on health and wellbeing should likewise have healthy habits. And I realized that my mental health really suffers if I don’t take care of myself.

HQ: Your work is evidence–based and science–driven, rather than rooted in ‘tradition’. How did that approach develop for you?

Amanda: I prefer to say my work is

actually tradition–based, because traditionally, we used science and evidence to determine if a saddle fit. Nowadays, it seems like saddle fitting is all about sales, who has a niche product, who has the most matchy–matchy bling, and very little to do with what the horse actually needs to work comfortably.

Back in the old days, riding wasn’t just a luxury sport. People used their horses for transportation, work, war, and sport – there was much more at stake if the horse was not saddled well. And the local saddler’s reputation – and his ability to feed his family – depended on how well he made and fit saddles to the horses in his area.

My approach developed because I want to know WHY things work (or don’t), and many of my clients have been told different things by saddle fitters without any explanations. I wanted to be different.

HQ: What are the biggest misconceptions you encounter in saddle fitting today, both among riders and professionals? And in terms of the misconceptions and myths, which ones would you say are the most harmful?

Amanda: This list is very long, but I think the 3 worst are the following:

Number 1 – That most people, whether they be riders, bodyworkers, veterinarians, or saddle fitters, do not know the importance of wither clearance, or how to check for wither clearance. The fastest way to permanently damage the horse is to use a saddle that does not provide adequate clearance on both the top and the sides.

Number 2 – Saddles are being designed for the rider’s comfort, not the horse’s, even though their marketing teams tell you differently.

Number 3 – Being “certified to fit all brands” does not exist, and the schools promoting this – in my opinion – are causing major problems for consumers. Saddle schools often teach that their way is the only way, when many ways exist, and it is unethical for a fitter to evaluate/fit a saddle/brand that they aren’t trained on. Training only comes from the brand directly. And very little history is being taught! This is one reason consumers are receiving very different opinions on the same saddle.

HQ: What are the red flags that saddle fit is an issue in a horse?

Amanda: Number 1 – The saddle doesn’t fit the horse anatomically or the rider biomechanically, which prevents them from moving together in harmony. However, in order to determine this, you have to know correct anatomy and biomechanics of movement, which is not being taught in the majority of schools, whether they be independent or by a brand.

Number 2 – Conflict behaviours begin when the saddle is present. The horse is being brushed in the crossties quietly, then turns into a dragon when the saddle pad, saddle, or girth is brought out. You have

a saddle issue. It may not be that saddle – it could be any saddle – but there is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Similarly, if the horse can do perfect changes in the field, but is unable to under saddle, you have a saddle fit issue.

Number 3 – The rider buys a saddle in order to treat lameness or fix crookedness in the horse, or create balance and skill in themselves instead of working on that off the saddle. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked, “Is this saddle going to get me to Grand Prix?”, or told, “My horse won’t canter left, so I bought [insert saddle].”

HQ: How big an influence is the rider on the saddle fit and comfort of the horse in terms of ridden work with a particular saddle?

Amanda: Imagine a backpack you would use for hiking out several days. The backpack itself, with no supplies in it, is pretty innocuous for the hiker, even if the fit isn’t great. But adding the weight of the supplies, and how stable that weight is plus how it is distributed inside the pack is what makes/breaks the fit of the backpack for the hiker.

A saddle with no weight in it doesn’t affect the horse much at all, even one with no wither clearance or one that is bridging, but the minute we start adding rider weight – how

that weight is distributed, where it is positioned in relation to both the tree and the location on the horse’s back, if the load is centered or not and whether that load moves with or against the horse which affects how the horse develops (symmetric or asymmetric) which in turn affects how well this saddle (or any saddle) will continue to fit in the future… The amount of weight and how the load is un/balanced affects how the saddle is secured to the horse (billet position), which in turn affects how much movement the spine and shoulders will have, which in turn affects back health….

So the rider is at least 95% of the influence, in my experience.

HQ: What are the major problems in the saddle–fitting industry? And how do you believe we go about solving them?

Amanda:The quote, “If you want to manipulate someone, don’t let them think” comes to mind when you ask this question.

We have really gotten away from reality in the industry. I’m not sure if this has been done intentionally with the introduction of marketing and international sales, or organically because everyone is trying to reinvent the wheel so their product takes centre stage, but the fact is that with all the technology we have, we are more confused than ever before.

The anatomy being used in both brands and schools is largely incorrect, or even influenced by the tack sellers, which affects how well anyone can make or fit a saddle. Both saddle brands and schools are teaching that a new saddle or a wad of flocking inside the panel is going to fix all the horse or rider’s problems, which is patently false, but it means consumers are always looking for the next greatest piece of equipment or spending money trying to fit their current saddle in vain. And lastly, nobody knows the difference between healthy and unhealthy. If you don’t know what is wrong, how do you make it right? When professionals are saying radically different things, how is the consumer supposed to make sense of that?

HQ: How do you approach pushback to your work within the industry?

Amanda: I’m honestly surprised that I don’t get more pushback –maybe it’s just that I rarely see it. The only real pushback I’ve seen is another saddle fitter saying, “Don’t listen to her, she’s so controversial!”

I approach this by citing my sources, all of which are proven, scientific, and unrefutable anatomy and science. It’s hard to argue against a dissection picture, or physics, and I’ve found that the people who are pushing back don’t have an understanding of either. Nothing I teach, write, or discuss

is based on an opinion. I take all the emotions and feelings out of saddle fit.

And if someone considers the WWI veterinarians who wrote Animal Management 1933, Dr Joyce Harman – author of several books on saddle fit from a vet’s perspective, Sharon May Davis – doctor of equine anatomy, Elwyn Hartley Edwards – British officer, Cavalry soldier, BHS judge, saddler, and author of over 30 books on horsemanship, Dr Ivana Ruddock–Lange – author of of the best equine dissection manuals available, and over 10,000 pictures from 50 necropsies to be controversial… Well, I don’t know what to say.

HQ: Saddle fitting has become a major source of anxiety for many riders, with little standardisation and wildly differing advice across fitters in the industry. Do you have any advice for owners on how to navigate this?

Amanda: Now more than ever, consumers need to learn anatomy as it relates to saddle fit in order to know whether what they are being told is truth or BS.

HQ: For riders who start thinking more critically about biomechanics and saddle fit, what is a good first step?

Amanda: The International Biomechanics Symposium is a good start! As is reading the Saddles and Sore Backs chapter of Animal Management 1933. We also offer courses and clinics at Denali Equine in North Carolina, and I hold clinics worldwide upon request.

HORSE FEEDS

HQ: Can you tell us briefly how Spurwing was founded in 1993 and what the core inspiration behind the brand is?

Spurwing was founded in 1993 with a clear and practical vision: to produce reliable, high–quality horse feed that genuinely supports performance, health and longevity. The brand was born out of hands–on experience in farming and animal care, where it became clear

that horses perform best when their nutrition is simple, consistent and based on sound science rather than trends.

From the beginning, Spurwing’s inspiration has been rooted in doing the basics exceptionally well – using carefully selected raw materials, formulating feeds to suit real working conditions, and maintaining strict quality control. Over the years, that same philosophy has guided Spurwing’s growth, allowing the brand to earn the trust of horse owners who value dependable nutrition that delivers results, season after season.

At its core, Spurwing stands for practical nutrition, built on experience, and driven by respect for the horse we feed.

HQ: Can you introduce us to the team?

From our home base, Philip Benson, Managing Director, oversees the business alongside Kelsey Gardner, Operations Executive, who manages day–to–day operations and production. Financial management is handled by Julie Knatten, Finance Executive, while Maxine Cooper supports customers across KwaZulu–Natal as our KZN Territory Manager.

Our Johannesburg operations are led by Adèle McLeod, Sales Executive, who manages sales and customer relationships in the region. She is

supported by Desiré Raath, who oversees all Johannesburg–based administration and accounts, ensuring smooth regional operations.

In the Western Cape, our newly established Cape Town depot in Melkbosstrand is home to Hayley Collier, Western Cape Territory Manager, who leads sales and customer support in the region. She is supported by Ronel Retief, who manages administration and accounts for the Western Cape, providing dedicated local support to our customers.

HQ: What distinguishes Spurwing within the South African equine feed market? What key values or philosophies drive the brand? Spurwing’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that exceptional nutrition starts with care — real care for horses and the people who love them. While the Benson family’s equestrian legacy laid the foundation, it is the dedication of the entire Spurwing Horse Feeds team that drives the brand forward. Every team member, from our nutritional specialists and production staff to our sales representatives out visiting yards, shares a commitment to the health, performance, and long–term well–being of every horse we feed.

At the core of everything we do is an unwavering belief in quality over quantity. We do not chase

shortcuts, volume, or trends at the expense of the horse. Instead, every ingredient choice, formulation decision, and production process is guided by one non–negotiable principle: horse welfare comes first. From the feed room to the field, our purpose is to support horses in a way that is responsible, thoughtful, and rooted in genuine care.

When it comes to feeding recommendations, the starting point is always the horse in front of us. Horses differ widely in age, temperament, digestive sensitivity, and – most importantly – workload. We believe the most effective nutrition supports the way horses are naturally designed to eat, which is why we consistently recommend fibre–first feeding strategies that promote digestive health and steady, usable energy.

We offer a wide and varied range of products, which allows us to provide truly horse–specific feeding recommendations. No two horses are the same, and the ability to feed them accordingly is something we have worked hard to establish, and are proud to offer. Our range includes meal and pelleted options that span grain–free and grain–inclusive, molasses–free and low–

NSC formulations, enabling us to match feeds accurately to individual needs without compromise.

This flexibility allows us to support horses at all stages of life and across all levels of work, while maintaining a focus on long–term health, sound digestion, and sustainable performance rather than short–term results.

HQ: Can you tell us about your new product range?

When we set out to diversify our feed range, we were, as a team, adamant that we wanted to create products that genuinely reflected our dedication to quality. At the same time, we recognised a growing and increasingly important segment of the market with very specific and often misunderstood feeding requirements, and we were determined to serve it properly.

Our pelleted range is unique in that it is not only molasses–free and grain–free, but also excludes full–fat soya, while still delivering balanced energy, high–quality fibre, and a complete spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Achieving this balance was no simple task. The development process was rigorous and deliberate, and our pelleted range took nearly two years to fully establish, refine, and perfect.

Our Balancer is molasses–free and formulated at 25% protein, with a precise amino–acid profile designed to support muscle development, tissue repair, and hoof quality. While it does include full–fat soya, it remains low–NSC and highly concentrated, allowing for accurate, targeted supplementation where higher protein density is required.

Both our Prime Pellet and Complete Cube are completely molasses–, grain–, and soya–free, offering a genuinely low–NSC solution for horses with metabolic or digestive sensitivities. These pellets are further distinguished by the inclusion of roughages grown and harvested on our own farms, giving us full control over origin, quality, and storage conditions.

Our Lucerne Pellet, which continues to grow in popularity, is made from 100% premium lucerne – pure, consistent, and uncompromised. There is no direct equivalent on the market.

HQ: What kind of research or development goes into your formulations? How do you test and validate that one of your meals meets the intended performance, condition or health goal? All of our rations are expertly formulated and independently tested to ensure they are correctly balanced and nutritionally sound. This allows us to accurately match each ration to the specific needs of the horses we are assessing, track their progress, and make informed adjustments where necessary.

While the goal may be simplicity, achieving it requires a far more detailed and disciplined process than simply creating a new ration. Before the very first test mix ever reaches the machines, we define the exact purpose of the product; its intended outcome and the nutritional strategy required to achieve it.

Each ingredient is tested to establish its nutritional properties, enabling us to run formulation scenarios using accurate, reliable

data. Once a formulation is established, we conduct a series of test mixes, which are then sent for further analysis to verify nutritional integrity. Occasionally, we achieve the desired result on the first attempt, but more often it is an iterative process. At every stage, we consult with additional professionals to ensure each decision is sound and well–informed.

Once laboratory testing meets our standards, we move into on–farm trials using our own horses. As a team of horse owners, we would never release a product we would not confidently feed ourselves, making this a natural and essential step in the development process. These trials typically run for three to six months, allowing us to assess consistency, performance, and real–world results over time.

Only once we are fully satisfied with both the nutritional data and the practical feeding outcomes do we begin to consider launching a product to the market.

HQ: How do you approach ingredient sourcing, particularly in South Africa, where forage quality, fibre, and carbohydrate levels can vary?

Our long–standing relationships with trusted suppliers allow us to be uncompromisingly strict when it comes to the quality of the raw materials we source. In addition, by growing many of our own roughages on our farms, we retain full control over both quality and supply from the ground up.

We are fortunate to operate from an established and spacious facility, which enables us to maintain

sufficient stock levels at all times. This means we are never forced into last–minute purchasing or into accepting available raw materials at the expense of quality. Consistency begins long before formulation, and control at this stage is critical.

The quality of raw material ingredients translates directly into the quality of the final feed. For this reason, raw–material sourcing and storage are fundamental to our manufacturing process and play a vital role in preserving the nutritional integrity of every product we produce.

HQ: What are the main challenges you see for horse owners in South Africa, and how does Spurwing provide solutions?

In South Africa, horse owners face a fairly unique set of challenges when it comes to nutrition and grazing management. One of the biggest is how variable grazing can be. Sugar levels in grasses can change dramatically from day to day depending on sunlight, season, rainfall, and regrowth. For horses that are prone to laminitis or metabolic issues, these fluctuations can make management particularly challenging, especially when owners don’t always have clear, practical guidance on how to adjust grazing safely.

Hay and roughage present another challenge. Unlike some international

markets, hay analysis in South Africa isn’t always easily accessible or equine–specific. As a result, many owners are feeding hay without truly knowing its sugar, fibre, or energy content. Even hay that looks good can be higher in energy than expected, which can quietly contribute to weight gain, digestive upset, or metabolic strain over time.

On top of this, hay and roughage quality varies widely by region and season. Teff, eragrostis, kikuyu, and lucerne all behave very differently nutritionally, and during dry or drought conditions, grazing availability drops quickly. This forces owners to rely more heavily on stored hay and roughage of variable quality, adding another layer of uncertainty to everyday feeding decisions.

Finally, horses have very different nutritional requirements depending on workload, age, and health status. When diets aren’t properly aligned with these factors – for example, feeding too richly for the level of work being done –issues such as unwanted weight gain, excess energy, or metabolic stress can arise, even when owners feel they are doing the right thing.

At Spurwing Horse Feeds, our approach is to help owners navigate these challenges with feeding solutions designed specifically for South African conditions, supported by practical, experience–based nutritional guidance, not just a one–size–fits–all ration.

We’re fortunate to offer a wide variety of rations that allow us to

tailor solutions very precisely. Our range spans from molasses–free and low–NSC options to soya–free formulations, as well as rations built on mixed roughage sources and carefully processed, grain–inclusive diets. This breadth means we can meet the needs of a wide spectrum of horses, rather than forcing different horses into the same feeding model.

This breadth of rations gives us the ability to offer truly tailored feeding solutions for horses at every stage of life and level of work. Because we grow and control many of our own roughages, we can confidently include them in our rations, knowing they are a safe and nutritionally sound option – particularly for horses affected by inconsistent hay supply or grazing with erratic sugar levels.

We often speak about quality, but we are genuinely in the fortunate position of being extremely selective about the raw materials we use. Every raw material is nutritionally verified before inclusion, ensuring that we never compromise on what a horse is actually consuming. We also operate from a dedicated, horse–only feed mill, which allows us to maintain absolute product integrity, safety, and quality. Every ingredient is chosen deliberately, and every ration is formulated with clear intention.

In addition to our complete feeds, we offer targeted supplements designed to address specific nutritional gaps. Products such as Lucerne Conditioner Mix and Hay Presto help increase digestible fibre intake and support hindgut health when grazing or hay quality is suboptimal. Electrolyte supplementation also plays an

important role, particularly during periods of heat, work, or competition, where losses can quickly impact performance and overall well–being.

Beyond the feed itself, one of Spurwing Horse Feeds’ greatest strengths is the level of hands–on support we provide. Through yard visits, personalised feeding plans, and ongoing weight and condition monitoring, we help owners interpret their horses’ needs and make informed adjustments based on workload, season, and local grazing conditions.

Ultimately, our goal is to bridge the gap between nutritional theory and real–world feeding — giving horse owners the confidence to manage their horses effectively, even when grazing and hay quality are unpredictable.

HQ: What mistakes or misconceptions do you see regularly in feeding strategy, and what advice would you give riders to avoid them?

One of the most common misconceptions we see is the belief that protein equals condition or energy. Protein is essential, but it doesn’t work that way in the horse. Its primary role is muscle repair, tissue maintenance, and structural support — not providing fuel. Feeding excess protein won’t create more energy or better condition; it simply places unnecessary strain on the horse’s system.

Another big issue is a misunderstanding of energy itself. Energy is a crucial part of the diet, but it’s not a single ingredient, and it’s not inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Horses derive energy from fibre, fats, and carbohydrates, and the key is matching the type of energy to the horse’s workload, temperament, and metabolic

health. When this balance is off, horses can feel flat, sharp, or struggle to maintain condition, even when they’re technically being fed enough.

We also see owners trying to apply human food trends to horse diets – cutting entire food groups, overemphasising protein, or chasing the latest ‘superfood.’ Horses digest and metabolise nutrients very differently to humans, and what works in human nutrition doesn’t necessarily translate safely or effectively to equine feeding.

A lack of understanding around digestion and the role of roughage is another common pitfall. Horses are designed to consume fibre consistently throughout the day. When roughage intake is insufficient or inconsistent, it can affect gut health, behaviour, energy utilisation, and overall wellbeing — regardless of how ‘good’ the concentrate feed might be.

And finally, a surprisingly simple but critical mistake: not weighing feed. Scoop feeding almost always leads to over– or under–feeding. Two horses eating ‘the same amount’ can be consuming very different quantities nutritionally. Weighing feed is one of the easiest ways to improve feeding accuracy and avoid many downstream issues.

The best advice for riders is to step back from trends, focus on fundamentals, and feed with intention. Understand what each component of the diet is there to do, match it to the horse in front of you, and don’t be afraid to ask for guidance — small adjustments, made correctly, can make a significant difference.

HQ: How accessible are your feeds in terms of stockist network, distribution, and rider support across South Africa?

We’re genuinely fortunate to have a well–established network of approved stockists that spans South Africa, which makes our feeds accessible to riders across the country. Our home base and production premises in KwaZulu–Natal are open for direct collections, and we’ve also recently established a depot in the Western Cape to better support riders in that region.

Beyond physical availability, accessibility for us is also about support. We have a passionate and knowledgeable team of feed advisors who regularly conduct yard visits and condition assessments. This allows us to offer advice that’s specific

to the individual horse, rather than generic feeding recommendations — something we believe is essential when horses’ needs can vary so widely.

Our website provides a clear and comprehensive list of stockists, making it easy for owners to identify their nearest reseller. And importantly, we remain very approachable as a team. Whether it’s a question about a product, a supplement, or a feeding strategy, we encourage owners to reach out — we’re always happy to help guide them in the right direction.

At Spurwing Horse Feeds, accessibility isn’t just about where you can buy the feed — it’s about ensuring riders feel supported and informed every step of the way.

HQ: Does Spurwing provide any support tools for owners to help them choose and adapt feeds for their horses?

Yes, absolutely. Supporting owners in making the right feeding decisions is a core part of what we do. We’re always contactable via email, WhatsApp, and phone, and our team is readily available to answer questions — whether they relate to product selection, feeding adjustments, or supply.

Our feed advisors also offer on–site yard visits and tailored feeding programmes, allowing us to assess individual horses and provide recommendations based on workload, condition, and management. For owners who prefer a more hands–on, in–person

approach, this level of support can be invaluable.

At the same time, we recognise that not everyone wants to pick up the phone, and that’s perfectly fine. Our website is fully functional and provides comprehensive information on every ration in our range. It also includes a ration finder tool, which helps owners assess their horse’s needs and identify suitable feeding options independently.

Between personal consultation and easy–to–use digital tools, we aim to make expert nutritional guidance accessible in whatever way works best for the owner. At Spurwing Horse Feeds, the goal is always the same: to help riders feed with confidence and adapt their horse’s diet as needs change.

HQ: Looking ahead: what is coming next for Spurwing and how do you see equine nutrition evolving in South Africa?

We see these two questions as intrinsically linked.

As the equestrian landscape evolves, so do the demands placed on the horse. Changes in breeding, disciplines, management styles, and performance expectations all influence nutritional requirements. Our focus is not simply on responding to these shifts, but on anticipating them — using science,

experience, and observation to predict how the needs of horses will change and to design feeding solutions that support both performance and long–term health.

Education sits at the centre of this approach. We are committed to continually expanding our own knowledge while helping horse owners understand why feeding practices evolve. Informed decisions lead to better outcomes, and education will remain fundamental to how we advise clients, develop products, and build trust within the industry.

Looking ahead, we also see strong potential to broaden the reach of our feeding philosophy. Expanding into other African markets — and potentially beyond — offers an opportunity to make thoughtfully formulated, horse–first nutrition more widely accessible, while maintaining the standards and principles that define our brand.

Ultimately, our future is shaped by a deep respect for the horse and a commitment to staying ahead of the industry’s nutritional needs. By combining foresight, education, and responsible formulation, we aim to provide nutrition that allows horses not only to perform, but to remain healthy and resilient as the industry continues to progress.

PADDOCK MANAGEMENT

101 SUSTAINABLE PASTURE MANAGEMENT AND TOXIC PLANT AWARENESS

Paddock management is one of the most overlooked aspects of horse care in South Africa, yet it fundamentally impacts horse health, property sustainability, and long–term costs. The difference between well–managed and poorly managed grazing can mean the difference between horses thriving on minimal supplementary feed versus requiring year–round expensive hay, between healthy pasture and eroded wasteland, and in some cases between life and death when toxic plants colonise degraded paddocks.

This basic guide addresses the essentials: understanding our unique grazing environments, implementing practical rotational systems, and recognising the toxic plants that make South African paddock management particularly challenging.

UNDERSTANDING SOUTH AFRICAN GRAZING ENVIRONMENTS

South Africa's climate diversity creates regional management variations. Summer rainfall areas (Gauteng, Limpopo, KZN) see vigorous grass growth from October through March, requiring intensive rotation during this period and conservative management through dormant winters. Winter rainfall regions (Western Cape) invert this pattern, with growth concentrated from May to September.

Soil quality varies dramatically too – from clay–based Highveld soils that waterlog in summer and crack in winter, to sandy coastal soils draining quickly but offering low fertility, to variable Bushveld soils prone to erosion. Soil testing is incredibly helpful for land management. Most agricultural extension services offer testing for around R500 – R1000, providing pH levels and nutrient profiles that determine what amendments your land actually needs rather than guessing.

STOCKING RATES: THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING ELSE

One of the most common failures in South African horse keeping is overstocking. The question 'how many horses per hectare' has no single answer, but general guidelines provide starting points: well–managed irrigated pasture might support one to two horses per hectare; indigenous veld in good condition, one horse per 2–4 hectares; and poor or low–rainfall veld potentially one horse per 4–8 hectares or more.

Signs of overstocking a paddock are unmistakable: bare patches around gates and water points, visible erosion gullies, predominance of weeds and toxic plants taking over as horses remove palatable species, horses eating tree bark, constant requirement for supplementary hay even during growing season, and dusty, compacted soil with minimal grass cover. Once land reaches this state, recovery takes years and becomes increasingly expensive. Prevention through appropriate stocking is far more cost–effective than rehabilitation.

ROTATIONAL GRAZING:

WHY AND HOW

Continuous grazing – leaving horses on the same paddock indefinitely – destroys pasture productivity. Horses selectively graze their favoured species while avoiding others, creating areas grazed to bare ground beside rank overgrown patches. Without rest periods, grass cannot rebuild root reserves or photosynthesise adequately and ultimately dies.

Even small properties can implement rotation. A minimum two–paddock system allows one area to rest while the other is grazed, with a swap every two to four weeks. Three to four paddocks enable longer rest periods: graze each for one to two weeks, then rest for three to six weeks. Five or more paddocks allow optimal management: short grazing (three to seven days) followed by extended rest (six to twelve weeks), maximising productivity.

The key element to watch here is grass height management. It is generally considered best to turn horses onto paddocks when grass reaches 15–20cm tall and remove them when grazed to 5–8cm – never below 5cm. Leaving adequate stubble (i.e. above the critical 5cm mark) is critical for regrowth. Rest periods for rotation need to be at least three to four weeks during the growing season, considerably longer during slow–growth periods and removing horses too late (below 5cm) damages grass and delays recovery.

Rotation timing changes seasonally. During summer in summer–rainfall areas, rapid growth allows shorter rest periods (three to four weeks), but it is vital to monitor carefully to avoid overgrazing during this deceptively productive time. Winter requires dramatically increased rest periods (eight to twelve weeks or longer) or removing horses entirely from some paddocks. Spring demands particular attention – avoid grazing new growth too early or too heavily. In winter–rainfall areas, timing inverts.

PASTURE MAINTENANCE ESSENTIALS

South African soils are generally nutrient–poor, particularly in nitrogen and phosphorus. Without fertilisation, pasture quality declines over time. However, never fertilise without soil testing first, as over–fertilisation wastes money and can create lush, high–sugar grass dangerous for laminitis–prone horses.

Many soils in South Africa are acidic and benefit from lime application to raise pH and improve nutrient availability.

If soil testing suggests nitrogen is required apply it conservatively (it increases sugar content), and only add phosphorus and potassium based on soil test results.

Weed and bush encroachment indicates poor land management, and control requires an integrated approach: slash or mow before weeds seed, use selective herbicides where appropriate (removing horses according to product specifications), and, most importantly, maintain healthy, competitive grass through proper grazing management. Healthy grass outcompetes most weeds.

Harrowing in late winter can also help by breaking up manure piles, removing dead thatch, aerating the soil, and creating a seedbed for overseeding. Follow harrowing with overseeding using species suited to your climate and soil to help thicken pasture and introduce improved grass varieties where needed.

EROSION CONTROL

South Africa's high–intensity rainfall and topography create significant erosion risk. A single summer thunderstorm can remove tonnes of topsoil from overgrazed land. Prevention of top soil loss requires maintaining a minimum 70 percent ground cover through appropriate stocking and rotational grazing in paddocks.

To control impact, it is advised to harden high–traffic areas (gates, water points, feeding areas) with gravel or all–weather footing and rotate their locations periodically.

On slopes, it is best to work with contours rather than creating straight up–and–down pathways, and along waterways, one should maintain ungrazed or lightly grazed buffer strips that trap sediment.

Once erosion starts, small gullies require immediate intervention: install erosion control barriers (logs, rocks), fill with soil, compact, and establish grass quickly. Large gullies may need professional assessment and engineered solutions. Ultimately, prevention through proper management is far more cost–effective than rehabilitation.

TOXIC PLANTS: SOUTH AFRICA'S DEADLY CHALLENGE

Many common South African plants are highly toxic to horses with some causing immediate death, and others creating cumulative organ damage over weeks or months. It is sadly not safe to assume that horses instinctively avoid toxic plants –hungry horses, horses new to an area, or bored horses with limited grazing often eat them.

THE MOST DANGEROUS SPECIES

Senecio species (ragwort, groundsel): These are yellow daisy–like flowers, widespread throughout South Africa, particularly in overgrazed areas. Senecio species contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which cause irreversible cumulative liver damage. Horses eating small amounts over weeks to months develop fatal liver disease with no treatment. Aggressive elimination is essential and it is vital never to allow Senecio to seed. It is worth noting that even dried plants in hay remain toxic.

Moraea species (yellow tulp):

Moraea species have yellow iris–like flowers emerging from corms, and are widespread in grasslands. These plants contain highly toxic cardiac glycosides, which can result in sudden death or acute heart failure. They are at their most toxic in spring. It is important to dig out corms completely, as superficial removal allows regrowth. This process is labour–intensive but essential.

Melia azedarach (syringa): This is a common ornamental tree with purple flowers and yellow berries. All parts of the tree are toxic, particularly the berries and bark. It causes gastrointestinal and neurological signs and over time ingestion can be fatal. These trees should be removed from paddocks or fenced to prevent access.

Datura species (thornapple): Datura has large white or purple trumpet flowers, spiny seed pods and an unpleasant smell. Datura contains tropane alkaloids which cause colic, dilated pupils and neurological signs. Ingestion of datura can prove fatal. Hand pull or spot spray before seeds set as seeds can remain viable for years.

Cotyledon orbiculata (plakkie):

These are succulent with thick, grey–green leaves and orange flowers. They are common in rocky areas, particularly in the Western and Eastern Cape. They contain highly toxic cardiac glycosides that cause rapid death. They must be removed completely from paddocks as they are extremely dangerous.

Lantana camara: This is an invasive shrub with multi–coloured flowers, and is particularly problematic in warmer areas. It causes photosensitisation (severe sunburn in white areas), liver damage and gastrointestinal upset. It has been declared an invasive alien plant and it is a legal requirement to control it.

Crotalaria species (rattlepods):

These plants have yellow pea–like flowers and inflated rattling seed pods. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids they

contain cause cumulative irreversible liver damage similar to Senecio. Seeding must be prevented, and even dry plants in hay can cause issues.

Prunus species (stone fruit trees): Peach, plum, apricot, cherry trees are often found near old homesteads. The leaves of these trees, particularly wilted leaves, contain cyanogenic glycosides. Wilted leaves from pruning are extremely dangerous and must never be left accessible to horses. Trees should be removed from the paddocks or fenced securely.

Other critical species include cycads (all parts highly toxic, many protected, so must be fenced), oleander (extremely toxic ornamental plant), castor oil plant (seeds contain ricin), and various nightshade species.

TOXIC PLANT MANAGEMENT

Conduct systematic paddock walks monthly during the growing season, after rain, before turning horses onto rested paddocks, and following any disturbance and photograph any unknown plants for identification. It is best to prioritise the removal by risk posed: immediately remove acutely toxic species before allowing horses access; urgently remove cumulative toxins before they seed; and manage less immediately dangerous species on an ongoing basis.

Remove plants safely: wear gloves (some cause skin reactions), bag and dispose of properly (never

compost toxic species), burn or bury deeply where regulations allow, never leave piles accessible to horses, remove horses from herbicide–treated areas per product instructions, and monitor for regrowth.

It is also vital to ensure that everyone managing the horses knows which toxic plants are present, how to identify them, what to do if horses eat them, and emergency veterinary contacts. If toxic plans are a recurring issue, it is worth maintaining a property register with photographs, locations, and treatment history.

RECOGNISING PLANT POISONING

Clinical signs vary but include sudden colic, neurological signs (stumbling, circling, head pressing, blindness), excessive salivation or difficulty swallowing, muscle tremors or weakness, jaundice, photosensitisation, or sudden death. If poisoning is suspected, call your veterinarian immediately, remove all horses from the paddock, try to identify the plant consumed, note the amount available, do not administer

anything without veterinary instruction, and keep the horse calm. Many plant toxicities have no specific antidote – treatment is supportive, and speed of intervention often determines outcome.

Prevention is the only realistic strategy. Once cumulative liver damage from Senecio or Crotalaria occurs, it is irreversible, so investment in toxic plant removal is far more effective than veterinary treatment.

CREATING A MANAGEMENT PLAN

Effective management requires planning. Late winter suits soil testing, planning fertilisation, and assessing winter damage. Early spring is ideal for harrowing, overseeding, toxic plant surveys, and fertiliser application. During spring, begin rotational grazing as grass grows, remove toxic plants before seeding, and control weeds. Summer requires intensive rotation during peak growth, slashing rank growth, ongoing toxic plant monitoring, and erosion prevention focus. Autumn means preparing for winter, building

grass cover, final toxic plant removal, and planning winter feeding. Winter demands minimal grazing or removal from some paddocks, supplementary feeding, and preventing overgrazing damage.

From year to year, it is a good idea to maintain records tracking paddock rotation schedules, grass heights, rainfall, fertiliser applications, soil test results, toxic plant locations and control, problem areas, and photographs documenting changes over time. These records reveal patterns and can help you to identify what works over time.

SMALL PROPERTY ADAPTATIONS

Of course, small suburban properties (1–2 hectares) cannot provide all nutritional needs from grazing, but management principles still apply. In these cases, the goal shifts to providing exercise areas and limited grazing rather than primary nutrition.

It can be worth considering the sacrifice area concept: designate one area for year–round use (becomes bare but prevents spreading damage), surface with sand or gravel, and maintain a second grass area for limited turnout with rotation

between the two separately. The grass area can even be used for strip grazing, using temporary electric fencing, which allows short access periods (two to three hours) followed by extended rest.

Limited space requires more intensive management and can be hard on owners: daily manure removal prevents parasite buildup, aggressive toxic plant monitoring (small areas mean less dilution of risk), careful stocking (may mean fewer horses than desired), higher quality supplementary feed, and more frequent rotation are all essential.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Paddock management is a fundamental responsibility, not an optional extra. Poor management creates suffering – horses on degraded land develop health problems, increased feed costs spiral, and toxic plant colonisation creates genuine danger. Good management creates positive cycles: healthy grass supports healthy horses, proper grazing stimulates grass growth, and sustainable systems become easier to maintain over time.

To make it less daunting, start with small improvements: begin rotational grazing even with just two paddocks, get soil tested, learn to identify the five most dangerous toxic plants in your area, implement one erosion prevention measure, and keep basic records. Management improves as you learn your land, your climate patterns, and how grass responds. There is no perfect system, but every small improvement helps.

check out the sanesa discipline guide mag from HQ

No fillers

Increases calorie intake

Ensures consistently high quality roughage

TEXT: KIM DALE, FOUNDER OF UNBRIDLED MARKETING

FROM IDEA TO REALITY

When we talk about performance in riding, the conversation almost always centres around the horse: training programmes, nutrition, saddle fit, and veterinary care - all essential pieces of the puzzle.

But there is another half of the partnership that deserves just as much attention.

The rider.

This is exactly the space Fit2Ride has stepped into. Founded by Andrea von Holdt, Fit2Ride focuses on rider strength, mobility and body awareness. The idea is simple but powerful: your horse is not your gym.

Andrea recognised something that is becoming increasingly clear in modern equestrian sport. Riders, at any level, are athletes. And like any athlete, the way they train off the horse directly affects how they perform on it.

BRINGING A GLOBAL TREND INTO THE LOCAL INDUSTRY

Around the world, rider fitness has become a growing focus. Strength training, mobility work and sports science are a major part of the conversation in disciplines from dressage to eventing.

Fit2Ride has done a great job of bringing that global perspective into the South African riding community.

The training programmes focus on practical exercises that improve balance, core stability and coordination in the saddle. The goal

is not generic fitness. It is targeted training that helps riders become more effective partners for their horses.

For many local riders, this shift in thinking is eye opening. Riding may not always look physically demanding from the outside, but we all know what it takes to ride and how difficult it is to build those specific muscle groups by any other means.

By positioning riders as athletes, Fit2Ride has tapped into a need that many riders did not even realise they had.

FROM LOCAL TRAINING TO SCALABLE SUPPORT

Like many service-based equestrian businesses, Fit2Ride began with in-person coaching.

This model works extremely well for riders within reach of the trainer, but it naturally limits how many people you can help. Geography becomes the limiting factor.

One of the things we admire most about Fit2Ride is how the business has evolved to address this.

The recent introduction of online memberships allows riders from

anywhere to access structured rider fitness training videos and guidance.

From a business perspective, this is a very smart move. Service businesses that rely entirely on in-person sessions often struggle to grow beyond their immediate area. Online memberships create a way to scale the impact of the business without multiplying the hours in the day.

For riders, it means access to specialised rider fitness training regardless of where they are based. For the business, it opens the door to a much wider community.

WHY WE LOVE FIT2RIDE

We are always looking for businesses that are doing more than simply offering a product or service. Fit2Ride stands out because it combines a clear niche with smart decisions.

The first is positioning. Fit2Ride has carved out a very clear space within the equestrian industry by focusing specifically on rider

fitness. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, the brand speaks directly to riders who want to improve their performance and partnership with their horse.

The second is evolution. The move toward online memberships shows a willingness to adapt the business model in order to reach more riders and build something sustainable long term.

The third is collaboration. Fit2Ride openly collaborates with complementary brands within the equestrian community, including Farnham Online, Farnham Riding School and Insight Equine. Each of these businesses focuses on a different aspect of rider development,

from technical training to mindset and performance.

For riders, this creates a far more complete support system. For the businesses involved, it expands visibility and introduces each brand to a wider but highly relevant audience.

For anyone looking to start an equestrian business, this is a valuable lesson. You do not have to build your brand in isolation. Collaborating with businesses that complement what you offer can be one of the most effective ways to grow.

Fit2Ride shows what can happen when a clear idea, a defined niche and a willingness to evolve come together. It is a great example of how local equestrian businesses can take a global concept, adapt it to our market, and build something that genuinely supports riders and their horses.

For more information on Fit2Ride, visit their website: www.fit2ride.co.za

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

HEAT RELATED Q&A

The hotter months in Southern Africa (especially the heatwaves as recently experienced in Cape Town) bring specific challenges for horse owners. High temperatures, intense sun, changing fly populations, and the risk of conditions like African Horse Sickness mean our summer management differs significantly from recommendations you might read in international publications. This month, we answer your most common questions about keeping horses healthy, comfortable, and performing well during our hottest months.

How much water should my horse be drinking in summer, and how do I know if they're drinking enough?

Water requirements increase dramatically in hot weather. While a horse in cool conditions might drink 25-35 litres daily, summer consumption often reaches 40-60 litres, and horses in work can drink even more. That's up to twelve standard water buckets per day.

Monitoring intake is crucial. If you have individual turnout or stabling, count how many times you refill buckets. A horse that normally empties two 20-litre buckets daily but suddenly only finishes one is telling you something; they may be unwell, the water may be unpalatable, or there's another issue requiring investigation.

Signs of adequate hydration include bright, alert attitude, moist mucous membranes (gums should be slippery, not tacky), good skin elasticity

DID YOU KNOW?

Some horses prefer water at specific temperatures; if your horse is a light drinker, experiment with adding a few ice blocks or offering lukewarm water to see if they have a preference.

(pinched skin should snap back immediately), and normal urine production. Pale yellow urine indicates good hydration; dark, concentrated urine suggests your horse needs to drink more.

To encourage drinking: provide fresh, cool water multiple times daily. If you use water troughs in paddocks, scrub them weekly as algae and debris make the water unpalatable and can pose a health risk. Troughs should also be positioned in shade so water stays cooler throughout the day.

My horse sweats white foam after work in summer. Is this normal, or should I be worried?

White, foamy sweat is completely normal and actually indicates your horse's cooling system is working well. The foam forms when sweat proteins called latherins mix with movement and friction. You'll see it particularly where skin or tack rubs - between the back legs, under the saddle, at the girth, and where reins contact the neck.

What you should monitor is the quantity and persistence of sweating, not the foam itself.

A horse that sweats heavily during work and for 10-15 minutes afterwards, then stops, is responding normally to exercise and heat. However, a horse that continues to sweat profusely 30-45 minutes after work, particularly if they're standing still in the shade, may be experiencing heat stress and needs active cooling.

The characteristic white salt marks you see on dried sweat are also normal; they're visual evidence of the electrolytes lost through sweating. If your horse regularly shows heavy salt deposits after work, consider whether electrolyte supplementation might be beneficial, particularly if they're competing or in intense training.

What time should I ride to avoid the worst of the heat, and how do I balance this with African Horse Sickness risk from midges?

This is one of the most challenging aspects of summer management in our region. The coolest times for riding - early morning and evening - coincide exactly with peak Culicoides midge activity periods (from one hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise). These midges transmit African Horse Sickness, making dawn and dusk riding a genuine risk during AHS season.

Your approach depends on the current local AHS risk. It is worth consulting your vet about present conditions in your area and keeping an eye on Facebook groups that declare cases. Regardless, during high-risk periods (typically late summer and autumn, particularly

in warm, wet conditions), ride only during full daylight hours despite the heat. Yes, it's hotter, but the AHS risk outweighs discomfort. The best compromise is riding early in the daylight (between 7am and 9am) or late afternoon (4-5pm) when it's light but not peak temperature. Of course, if you do have to ride during hotter periods of the day, reduce ride intensity and duration; your horse can maintain fitness with shorter, focused sessions rather than long schooling in blazing heat.

During low-risk periods (winter or summer in low-prevalence areas), you have more flexibility to ride early morning or evening, but even then, avoid the absolute peak midge times if possible.

Remember: your horse must be current on AHS vaccination regardless of when you ride. Vaccination plus avoiding peak midge times provides the best protection.

My horse seems lazier in summer. How do I know if it's just the heat or an actual problem?

Distinguishing between normal heat-related lethargy and genuine health issues requires careful observation. Some energy reduction is normal as horses conserve energy in heat (just like humans), and asking for the same level of performance in 35-degree weather as in 20-degree weather is unrealistic.

Normal heat-affected behaviour: your horse is slightly less enthusiastic about work but still responsive to aids; they eat normally, drink well, and are alert in their environment; they're just conserving energy during the hottest parts of the day. Performance returns toward normal during cooler early morning rides.

Concerning signs suggesting a problem: reduced appetite; decreased water intake; standing apart from herd mates, looking depressed; not seeking shade on hot days; elevated resting respiratory rate; dull coat; weight loss; reluctance to move that's extreme or sudden; and performance decline that persists even in cool conditions.

If you are concerned, check basic parameters: temperature (normal is 37.5-38.5°C), heart rate (resting should be 28-44 beats per minute), respiratory rate (resting should be 10-24 breaths per minute), and gut sounds (should hear regular borborygmi on both sides). If you note any significant deviation from normal, ask your vet for an assessment. Don't assume ‘it's just the heat’ if your instinct says something's wrong.

Do I need to change my horse's feed in summer?

Feed adjustments for summer depend on your horse's work level and body condition. The fundamental principle: digesting fibre produces heat through fermentation, so many horses naturally eat less in hot weather. This is adaptive, reducing heat production from digestion when environmental heat is already high.

For horses in maintenance or light work: if they're maintaining condition despite eating slightly less, don't worry. Ensure high-quality forage is available, and they'll typically selfregulate appropriately, but if they're losing condition, you may need to adjust. In cases where condition is dropping, consider more

energy-dense feeds that provide adequate calories without requiring huge volumes of consumption. Feeds higher in fat and lower in fibre produce less heat during digestion.

For working horses: monitor closely. They need adequate energy for work, but may be eating less due to the heat. For these horses it is worth splitting feeds into smaller, more frequent meals; horses often accept multiple small feeds better than large ones in hot weather. Ensure concentrate feeds aren't too high in starch, which can increase heat production. Consider adding oil for calories without excessive bulk.

Regardless of work level: always provide salt in the food, ensure unlimited fresh water, and consider electrolyte supplementation for horses in work.

Is it safe to transport horses during the day in summer, or should I only travel early morning or evening?

Transport timing in summer requires balancing several factors: heat stress, AHS risk, and practical considerations. Ideally, travel during cooler daylight hours - early morning (after sunrise plus one hour) or late afternoon (finishing before sunset minus one hour), as this avoids both peak heat and peak midge activity.

If you must travel during hotter midday hours, ensure excellent ventilation in the trailer or horsebox. Travel with all vents and windows open (secured safely). Many vehicles have inadequate ventilation, creating dangerously hot conditions inside even when the outside temperature is manageable. Consider whether your trailer has

sufficient airflow; if you wouldn't be comfortable standing in it for an hour with doors closed, your horse won't be either.

For longer journeys: plan stops in shade every one to two hours. Offer water at each stop, though many horses won't drink while stressed from travel - don't force it, just offer. Check your horse's temperature and respiration. If either is significantly elevated, extend the rest period. Never leave horses in a parked trailer in suneven with ventilation, temperatures can become dangerous quickly.

Post-travel care: once arrived, get your horse out of the trailer immediately into shade. Offer water, remove travel gear, and allow time to settle before expecting them to work. A horse that's been travelling for hours in heat needs recovery time.

Should I be worried about my horse standing in the sun rather than using the shelter I've provided?

Horses occasionally make choices that seem illogical to us. Some horses will stand in sun even when shade is available, and there are several possible explanations. First, check whether the ‘shade’ is actually comfortable - a corrugated iron roof with no breeze underneath can be hotter than standing in the sun with air movement. Shelters need to be tall enough for good air circulation and positioned to catch any breeze.

Herd dynamics matter too. If a dominant horse claims the shelter, subordinate horses may choose sun over confrontation. Providing multiple shade areas ensures all horses have

access. Some horses also genuinely seem less bothered by sun than others - individual variation in heat tolerance is real.

However, if a horse that normally seeks shade suddenly stops using it, investigate. They may be avoiding something (aggressive herd mate, bees nesting in the shelter, uncomfortable footing). Or they may be feeling unwell - some colicky horses avoid confined spaces.

Most importantly, ensure shade is available, but don't stress if your horse doesn't use it constantly. Horses are quite good at thermoregulating when given options. What matters is that adequate shelter exists when they need it, not that they use it every moment of the day.

My mare's udder swells when it's hot. Should I be concerned?

Mild udder swelling in hot weather is relatively common and usually not concerning. Heat causes vasodilation, meaning blood vessels expand, and there can be slight fluid accumulation in dependent body parts, including the udder. This is similar to how people's ankles might swell on hot days.

Normal heat-related swelling: slight, symmetrical enlargement; soft to the touch; not hot or painful; improves with movement or overnight cooling; mare shows no signs of discomfort; no discharge or unusual appearance.

Concerning signs requiring veterinary attention: significant swelling; hot to the touch; painful on examination; any discharge; hard lumps or asymmetry; mare kicking at her belly or showing discomfort; swelling accompanied by fever, lethargy, or reduced appetite; swelling that persists despite cooler conditions.

These concerning signs could indicate mastitis (uncommon in non-lactating mares but possible), lymphatic issues, tick bites, or other problems requiring professional assessment. When in doubt, have your vet examine her. Udder health issues are easier to treat when caught early.

How often should I bathe my horse in summer?

The instinct to bathe horses frequently in hot weather is understandable, but can actually create problems. Each full bath with shampoo strips natural oils that protect skin and coat. Over-bathing leads to dry, flaky skin, dull coat, and increased susceptibility to rain scald and other skin conditions.

Recommended approach: full shampoo baths no more than weekly, even in summer. Between baths, rinse with plain water after work to remove sweat. Thorough daily grooming with a curry comb and body brush removes sweat salts and dirt without the skinstripping effects of repeated shampooing.

When you do bathe, use equine-specific shampoos (human products have a different pH and can irritate horse skin). Rinse thoroughly as soap residue causes skin irritation. Most critically, ensure your horse dries completely before stabling or rugging. In humid conditions, use fans or walk in the sun to speed drying. Damp skin under rugs or in closed stables creates perfect conditions for rain scald bacteria, exactly what you're trying to avoid.

For show preparation: by all means, bathe before competition. But for day-to-day management, plain water rinses plus good grooming maintain cleanliness without the downsides of excessive shampooing.

Is it okay to give my horse cold water to drink after work, or should it be room temperature?

Offering cold water to hot horses is perfectly safe and won't cause colic or laminitis, despite persistent myths to the contrary. Research doesn't support these concerns. What does matter is how much a horse drinks at once and their activity immediately after drinking.

Best practice after work: offer water within minutes of finishing exercise. Most horses will drink sensibly - taking a few mouthfuls, pausing, perhaps drinking more. This is ideal. What you want to avoid is a horse taking one enormous drink (several litres) and then being immediately asked for intense work.

This is when problems can occur, not from temperature, but from the volume and timing.

Practical approach: allow your horse to drink what they want after work while you're walking them out and cooling them down. By the time cooling is complete, they've had the opportunity to drink, the water has started absorbing, and you can remove tack and settle them without concerns. If your horse is the type to gulp huge amounts, you can offer smaller amounts every few minutes rather than unlimited access to one large bucket.

Water temperature preference varies individually. Some horses prefer cold water, others drink more readily if it's cool but not icy. Knowing your horse’s preference really helps!

My horse develops small scabby spots along his back in summer. What causes this and how do I treat it?

Multiple conditions can cause scabby spots on horses' backs during summer, and correct treatment depends on accurate diagnosis. The most common culprits:

Rain scald (dermatophilosis): Despite the name, this bacterial infection occurs frequently in hot, humid summer weather, not just during rain. Caused by Dermatophilus congolensis bacteria that thrive in moist conditions. Characteristic scabs with tufts of hair protruding (paintbrush lesions); removing scabs reveals moist, inflamed skin underneath.

Insect hypersensitivity: Allergic reaction to bites from midges, stable flies, or other insects, typically causes itchy, raised bumps that horse rubs, creating scabs. Bites are often distributed along the back, croup, and withers. Treatment requires controlling insects

and managing the allergic response: fly sheets, repellents, sometimes antihistamines or corticosteroids from your vet.

Saddle rub or pressure points: If scabs are only where your saddle sits, suspect tack fit issues. Even well-fitting saddles can cause problems if not kept scrupulously cleandried sweat builds up and creates friction. Check saddle fit, clean tack after every ride, and use clean saddle pads.

Ringworm: Fungal infection causing circular patches of hair loss with scaling. It is highly contagious so check whether other horses are affected. Treatment requires antifungal therapies and strict hygiene to prevent spread.

If you're unsure of the cause, ask your vet to examine the lesions. Correct treatment depends on accurate diagnosis - what works brilliantly for rain scald won't help ringworm, and vice versa so don't waste time and money trying random treatments; get a proper diagnosis first.

What's the best way to keep flies out of my horse's eyes?

Flies around the eyes are more than annoying; they can spread bacterial infections and cause significant irritation. A multi-layered approach works best:

Physical barriers: Fly masks with fine mesh over the eyes provide excellent protection while allowing full vision. Choose masks that fit well without rubbing. Check daily for any rubs or pressure points, particularly around the ears

and eyes. Remove and clean weekly. For horses that won't tolerate full masks, consider fringestyle masks that cover the face but not the eyes as these deter many flies while being less restrictive.

Repellents: Apply fly repellent around (not in) eyes using a sponge or your hand rather than spraying directly at the face. Products specifically formulated for facial use tend to be gentler and less likely to cause irritation if they accidentally get into the eyes. Reapply every few hours during peak fly activity.

Should I use electrolytes every day in summer or only after work?

This depends entirely on your horse's work level and sweat losses. Routine daily electrolyte supplementation for horses at maintenance or in light work is generally unnecessary and potentially counterproductive.

Horses that don't need daily supplementation: Those at maintenance or doing light work (gentle hacking, light schooling under an hour). These horses get adequate electrolytes from forage plus free-choice salt. Adding more doesn't help and just gets excreted.

Horses that benefit from strategic supplementation: Those in moderate to intense work, particularly if sweating noticeably. Supplement on work days, ideally giving electrolytes one to two hours before exercise and again after work. Continue for 24-48 hours after particularly intense work or competition.

Horses needing daily supplementation: Those in heavy work or competition, particularly during hot weather when sweat losses are consistently high. These horses may benefit from routine daily electrolytes throughout the summer.

Critical: Electrolytes must always be given with free access to fresh water. Never give electrolytes, in any form, without ensuring your horse can drink whenever they want. This is non-negotiable.

Have a heat-related horse management question we haven't answered? Send it to us at HQ Magazine on lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za, and we'll address it in a future issue. Remember, when in doubt about your horse's health or any management decision, consult your veterinarian; they know your horse, your local conditions, and can provide tailored advice for your specific situation.