Classic Eventing Nation

No Spinach, Thank You! It’s Steamed Hay All the Way for Event Horse, Popeye

By on Dec 17, 2020 3:00 pm -

Nicole Timm and Popeye. Photo courtesy of Nicole Timm.

Young eventer Nicole Timm is coming up on her third anniversary with Primitive Popeye, whose flashy good looks reflect his unique mix of Thoroughbred, Shire and American Paint Horse blood. From his one blue eye to his fetlock feathers, he’s a looker. And a jumper, fortunately. Nicole purchased him on a trainer friend’s recommendation shortly after he was imported from Europe with hopes of competing at the Preliminary and 2* level.

But soon after he arrived at the Timm family’s Winterhaven Stables near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Popeye began coughing and his breathing was occasionally labored. Nicole was surprised and disappointed. There had been no indication of respiratory problems in his native England, and his new home has the open space and fresh air usually ideal for ensuring respiratory health. The horses live outdoors 24/7 when the weather permits. When they’re in the barn, Dutch doors allow ventilation.

Nicole speculated the coughing and poor breathing might have been triggered by the change in environment. Indeed, that is a familiar phenomenon for horses who make the transatlantic trek.

Whatever the cause, Nicole wanted to help her horse. Suspecting a condition on the equine asthma spectrum, Popeye’s vet performed a dynamic scope of his upper airway and a bronchoalveolar lavage which confirmed that diagnosis. The coughing and poor breathing got so bad that Popeye was out of work for a three-month stretch last year. That’s tough for any horse on a competitive path and more so because his Shire size makes it a little hard to get him back into condition after a lay-off.

Soaking Didn’t Help

Soaking hay to reduce the dust in it had not helped, not to mention the process being messy and laborious. Meanwhile, the coughing and poor breathing progressed to what seemed a chronic condition.

Haygain hay steamers came highly recommended from their vet. The high-temperature hay steaming process eliminates up to 99% of the dust, mold, fungi and other allergens found even in hay of good nutritional quality. Nicole had not heard of Haygain, but it sounded worth a try. The family discussed it as an investment in their horse’s health and decided, “Let’s just do it,” recalls Nicole.

There’s been no buyer’s remorse. Popeye’s cough is greatly reduced and his breathing is much better, plus he’s back on track to be the eventing partner Nicole had hoped for. The improvements were gradual. The hay harvested the year they bought the steamer wasn’t great quality, says Nicole. She suspects that contributed to his symptoms getting progressively worse before they discovered steaming.

Horses’ lungs serve as a filter for the oxygen that passes through to the bloodstream that delivers it to every cell in the body. It can take a while for inflammation-causing irritants throughout the respiratory tract to be cleared. After three months of getting steamed hay, “We noticed a huge change,” says a relieved Nicole. This year it was COVID that prevented them from competing as planned, but Nicole notes she is “so happy just to be able to ride him again.”

The Timms purchased Haygain’s largest model, the HG2000, which steams a fully strung bale each cycle. So, boarders’ horses are benefiting from steamed hay, too. One 20-year-old horse came to Winterhaven in the summer with the challenge of maintaining his weight. Multiple studies have shown that most horses prefer the taste of Haygain Steamed Hay and he confirmed that. “It’s made a huge change for him, too,” Nicole reports. “Steamed hay seems to be easier for him to chew and he’;s gained a lot of weight.”

Nicole Timm and Popeye. Photo courtesy of Nicole Timm.

Healthiest Possible Hay

As of this past summer, Winterhaven Stables took another step toward providing highest quality horse care when they harvested their first crop of home-grown hay. “It has been phenomenal,” says Nicole. Even with the best hay from their own backyard, however, steaming remains critical. “Our hay quality this year is great, but hay is still hay: It has dust and particles in it. Even if you think you have the best hay in the world, I’d still say, ‘steam it.'”

Incorporating steaming into the daily barn routine took some time, the young rider acknowledges. With the help of a barn worker, she lifts the steamer out of its custom-built nook to clean it twice a week. This is especially important during Wisconsin’s winters when freezing temperatures are the norm. “We don’t have a heated barn, so it was a trial and error process to figure out how to prevent things from freezing.” The keys have been regularly draining excess water from the chest, through the model’s two drain holes, and emptying all water from the steam generators and connecting hoses between steams. “It does get quite cold up here, so we had to figure out a plan,” Nicole explains.

Now all Nicole and Popeye need is for the show season to resume so they can put the high hopes Popeye came with into action.

Vintage Vibes as Badminton Relocates Main Arena for 2021 Renewal

By on Dec 17, 2020 12:00 pm -

Come one, come all: early spectators flocked to watch the first phase in its old location on the north side of Badminton House in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.

Some considerable excitement from Badminton Horse Trials this morning – we’ll be looking ahead to a new (old) look event for 2021, as the dressage and showjumping phases are temporarily relocated to an arena in front of the house. The location, which has been used as the Duke of Beaufort’s driving range in recent years, was the site of the original arena from the event’s inception in 1949 until 1960, when the current, much-loved main arena with its cavernous stands was built.

But cavernous stands aren’t much use without enthusiastic crowds to fill them, and though the COVID-19 vaccination has hit the ground running, it’ll be a while yet before we see the kind of mass inoculation that’ll allow the world to return to normal. As such, the event is set to run behind closed doors in 2021, which required some creativity from Event Director Jane Tuckwell and her organising team to ensure that that almost indescribable Badminton magic would still be in situ.

“I am very grateful to the Duke of Beaufort for giving over his golf driving range to the event for this very special one off occasion,” she said in a statement released yesterday (December 16).

David Somerset, the Duke of Beaufort, and Countryman knock a rail to narrowly miss the win at Badminton 1959. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.

Henry Somerset, the 12th Duke of Beaufort, is no stranger to the enormous importance of this extraordinary event: after all, it’s in his blood. The event itself was born just three years before he was, and so his life as the heir apparent to the Beaufort legacy has been inextricably linked with it – but in many ways, it’s even closer to home than that. His father, the 11th Duke of Beaufort David Somerset, was the former president of the British Horse Society and himself a second-place finisher in the event in 1959 aboard Countryman III.

“It is very exciting after last year’s cancellation that the horse trials will be going ahead next May,” the Duke remarked. This renewal will see Badminton’s rebirth in its post-Mitsubishi era; now, without a traditional title sponsor, it will be supported by Mars Equestrian and Science Supplements.

The grassy lawn in front of Badminton House is usually well-used during the event for grazing and hacking – as demonstrated by Amy Akehurst, head girl to Tom Crisp and seen here aboard Coolys Luxury. Next year, though, this will be the heart of the action. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The cross-country course, again designed by Eric Winter, is set to follow a similar route to previous years, though the usual main arena start and finish points will simply be parkland locations without the installation of the stands.

Pippa Funnell, who won in 2002, 2003 and 2005, applauded the decision to relocate the first and final phases for 2021: “Badminton has a really special place in my heart and moving the main arena to the front of the house will make the event even more extraordinary if that is possible. I am thrilled the event is able to go in these most difficult of times and I cannot wait to get there in May.”

Dressage gets underway in front of the house in 1954. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.

Further announcements are expected in due course regarding the additional coverage planned for 2021’s event, ensuring that fans of the sport get an ‘access all areas’ feel from home. As usual, you’ll be able to rely on EN for full coverage of all the action and plenty of behind-the-scenes coverage, too.

An American Girl in Germany: Sadie Buchenau’s Leap of Faith

By on Dec 17, 2020 9:00 am -

We first met Sadie Buchenau, originally from California, in 2014 after she took up a working student position in Germany for Andreas Diboski. Since then, Sadie has become a budding professional herself, now basing in Germany with her partner, Esteban Benitez Valle. Sadie shares an update on what she’s been up to for the past six years in her newest guest blog for EN. 

Photo by Thomas Ix/Ix Photography.

I grew up in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains in California, in Topanga Canyon. When I was about seven years old I received a trail ride at a local ranch as a Christmas present. I spent about a year just going on trail rides and learning basic horsemanship skills until I wanted to learn to jump. From there we moved a few miles deeper into the canyon to Mill Creek Equestrian Center, which became my addiction for the next two decades. I spent every possible minute at the stable, until I began working in exchange for lessons.

At 18, I moved abroad to pursue my riding career. It definitely was a very big leap and a kick in the butt in terms of independence, however I was always a go-getter and pretty independent from a very young age. Toward the end of high school, I began to realize that the typical college route was not my path. Whereas some universities in the States have equestrian teams and offer an education in equine basics, there is nothing quite as extensive as the system in Germany.

When I graduated I decided to take a gap year and move to Germany and pursue a working student position. I had interviews with a few different riders from the German Olympic Team and was offered positions with all of them. This was my first major decision, who did I want to work for? After lots of deliberations and weighing the pros and cons, I chose to take a position with Andreas Dibowski.

The transition, to be honest, was not the most difficult part. It was saying goodbye to family and having that “last meal” with Mommy while knowing I would be left “alone” for the foreseeable future, with new people, new horses, etc. Here in Germany, you don’t really get much of an adjustment period. It’s learn fast, keep up, work hard, or go home, and I was not about to go home.

The language barrier was frustrating at times, but most major competition facilities in Europe are made up of very international team members and English is a basic form of communication. Minor misunderstandings and confusions are part of the game, but once you get in the flow of things, the language issues work themselves out.

After completing my year internship, I returned to the States to continue expanding my career. I went back home to my childhood stable and immediately got a job teaching and training horses. I worked in the lesson program and helped with basic management at the stable. I grew a nice client base and also did some freelance riding throughout the area. At some point I realized I would not be able to teach to the extent I wanted to without some type of certification or licensing, which is when I decided to return to Germany and take the official step to study in their apprenticeship program.

Photo by Zawody Barborowko.

Here in Germany there is a three year apprenticeship program with a few choices of majors, i.e. service, breeding, driving or, in my case, classical riding and training of horse and rider. Throughout those three years I learned German, attended German equine school, and trained with a few top event riders as well as a showjumping and breeding stable in Holstein.

After completing my degree – and about two weeks before my flight home – I met my boyfriend, Olympic qualified four-star rider Esteban Benitez Valle. At the time we met, he was operating his self-made business with almost 20 competition horses. Things between us just “clicked”, so I made the big decision to stay in Germany.

I am very lucky to have met someone with similar goals and ambitions, who trains his horses and rides in the way that I do. Together we are training, teaching, competing, selling, and integrating our riding style into the classic German styles. We currently have a full stable at Cádiz Sport Horses.

There are quite a few differences between the American way of riding and the German way, most of them major. However the biggest difference would have to be in the show jumping.

In the U.S. we are taught a lot in half-seat or two point position; here they would call it your light seat. We are taught in our jumping courses mostly to be up off the horses backs, seeing our distances with a forward eye, active canter, waiting for the distance, and softening to the fences.

In Germany we are typically taught to be sitting deep in the horses backs, with constant contact, driving the horse from front to back, powerful tempo, connection in the bridle before, over, and after the fences to be in constant support of the horse.

For me, this is the biggest difference; working the horses round between the fences and not releasing the pressure before the fences, as opposed to allowing the horse to stay open in the throat latch and softening before the fences. The ideas of what are being accomplished are similar, but in general it was an adjustment developing a completely different feeling.

In the end I have continued to lean more towards my American seat, while still holding onto the German influence. My partner and I strive for the same overall feeling when riding: soft contact, self carriage, activity and push from behind, while remaining supple and light, rather than a constant pull on the bit. I still tend to find my half-seat between fences, rather than sitting through the entire course.

This idea is also translated into our dressage and cross country mindset as well, as we want horses who are more elastic and using their natural suspension, rather than a forced suspension.

Throughout my apprenticeship this was extremely difficult for me, trying to learn and gain all possible knowledge, while still holding onto my feeling and finesse. There were many ups and downs, frustrations, confusing moments and longer periods of time, but in the end I am very thankful to have developed both feelings and the ability to find a balance between the two. At this point in time, it is very exciting working with someone with a similar riding style, as our clients are seeing the results, and people are recognizing that there is a way that works that is slightly different than what they’ve known before. We are hoping to be able to continue to share our techniques with as many people as are open to it.

Photo by Manuela Garcia.

Some of my proudest personal accomplishments this past season were in the competition ring. I had waited a long time trying to prove myself in Germany and unfortunately wasn’t given the opportunity to do so until this last season. The competition season for eventing has come to an end for the winter but I have a total of six wins and another five placings under the top 10 under my belt this season; four wins with one mare, two with another, and all six of these wins were with horses who had never evented before, so it was a successful and satisfying season as a trainer and rider.

My newest and probably most exciting project at the moment is my new horse. Before coming to Germany I sold my heart horse back in the states, and very tragically he passed away last year in a pasture accident. Purchasing my own horse was a big step for me, as I had waited a long time for the right one to come along, and the right moment in my life, with happiness and stability, to be able to do so with Cleo, a four-year-old Hannoverian mare who is already showing lots of promise for a successful future.

The whole experience has been a challenge. Not giving up when times got hard, wanting to throw in the towel and sticking with it, but also being strong enough to know when something isn’t right and making the decision to get myself out of a bad situation. I’ve done a bit of both and in the end it seems to have been worth it.

 

Thursday News & Notes

By on Dec 17, 2020 12:03 am -

We’ve all had those days. Or have we? Photo by Liz Schatz.

Yesterday winter came calling officially with a full day of ice, snow, sleet, and horrid cold. I did what I had to in the barn, tucked my ponies in safe and sound, and drove carefully at 25 mph back from my work barn. I can deal with cold, but when the precipitation comes, count me out. No thank you.

News From Around the Globe:

Olympic Committee Thomas Bach says he’s confident that the Tokyo Olympics will go in summer 2021. This will be the first global sports event since the beginning of the COVID-19  pandemic. To prevent coronavirus transmissions, the Japanese Olympic Committee plans to ask the participants to basically stay inside the athletes’ villages, except when training or competing. Spectators will be asked not to speak loudly at the venues and to adhere to other restrictions. [Tokyo 2021 Prepared to Go]

Outfitting horses in winter can be an exercise in perseverance and patience, but blanketed horses stay warmer and conserve more energy than their naked peers. Thermoregulation is an energy-expensive proposition for horses. As temperatures plummet, how does blanketing affect hay consumption and body condition changes? A group of researchers set out to determine the daily hay intake, body weight change, and body condition score changes in blanketed and non-blanketed horses living in western Wisconsin. So you know it’s expert on cold weather. [Winter Care of Horses: Blankets & Body Condition]

You’ve heard all about how Thoroughbreds are the ultimate versatile athlete that can excel in multiple disciplines, you’ve done your research and made your budget, and you can’t wait to start working with your very own. But how do you go about acquiring a retiring racehorse? Here’s a helpful guide. You know you want to put a Thoroughbred ex-racehorse in your barn… but how? Between aftercare organizations, reselling agents, horses already in training for a second career and horses coming directly off the track, there’s an overwhelming array of options, and it’s difficult to know which way to acquire a Thoroughbred is the best way: as with many such questions in the horse industry, that answer depends on a lot of factors. [How to Acquire an Off-Track Thoroughbred]

Feeling that holiday spirit? Got your Mariah Carey Christmas playlist going full time? Check out these beautifully decorated barns and farms to inspire you to get out this weekend and make your barn instagram worthy. [10 Decorated Barns to Get You in the Holiday Spirit]

Holiday Horse Song: Christmas Tune: Missing Shoes

 

Important video of the day:

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Golden Age of the USET

By on Dec 16, 2020 6:24 pm -

Take a midweek trip back to the 1980s in this hour-long documentary, which follows USET horses and riders in all three disciplines as they tackle the greatest challenge of all: the Olympics. There’s something about a slightly grainy video of a long-format competition that makes me feel a bit teary-eyed – and if you, too, like a good recreational weep to kickstart the second half of your week, you’ll be very into this.

Go (old school) Eventing!

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30 Eventing Legends Face Off in Equiratings Wonderful Willberry Holiday Sim

By on Dec 16, 2020 3:00 pm -

Mark Todd and Charisma, David O’Connor and Custom Made, Ginny Leng and Priceless, Mary King and Star Appeal … how might these legendary partnerships stack up against the world-beaters of today like Michael Jung with La Biosthetique Sam FBW or Ingrid Klimke with SAP Hale Bob OLD? A very special Equiratings Eventing Manager simulated competition is pitting 30 of the best horses of the last 40 years against one another — and all for a great cause. A Wonderful Willberry Holiday Sim is aimed at raising awareness and support for Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony, a charity dedicated to #kickingcancersbutt.

“After a really hard year, we also want to raise some cheer over two nights of lighthearted merriment,” the invite says. “Pick your team, pour the cocoa and tune in.”

If you haven’t played Eventing Manager before, here’s the drill: First, download the app. With a virtual budget of $10M per competition,  you’ll then “buy” a team of four riders and hope your team has success in all three phases for a chance to win. Models powered by SAP Predictive Analytics will create the likely results for the dressage, show jumping and cross country phases of the competition. Every competitor in the simulation has a chance of having a good or bad competition; they could have a dressage PR, only to throw it all away with a 20 penalty refusal in the cross country phase. It really is eventing as we know it, as the exciting sport of a million variables. Fans can play their own tactical game during each simulation, and a league table pits them up against all other EM App players around the world.

If you have played Eventing Manager, you’ll notice a few changes in the app. The big one: The more demand for a combination, the higher their price will go. This means prices now rise and fall before the event starts. Pick your team early to make sure you can afford your favourites or try the “buy low, sell high” strategy.

Featured leagues are loaded into the app with prizes on offer and the weekend coverage will be complete with your favourite commentators plus some very special guest appearances.

The market is open until Saturday, 19 December at noon (UK), 7 am (EST) when the simulated dressage phase begins on the EquiRatings Facebook page. After dressage, the market will re-open but selections will close for good once the simulated jumping phases begin on Sunday, 20 December at 7:30 pm (UK), 2:30 pm (EST).

Equiratings has also recorded a limited-release episode of the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast featuring Ingrid Klimke, Piggy March, Chris Bartle, Shane Rose and Kitty King. We’re not publicly releasing these powerhouse interviews but donating any amount to Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony Charity will grant you access to the special episode via your donation confirmation email.

To learn more, visit the event webpage!

EN’s Young Horse Academy with Martin Douzant, Part One: Conformation and Presentation

By on Dec 16, 2020 12:00 pm -

Looking ahead to the winter off-season, it’s a good time to put in some work on the details of our horses’ training. For some of us, this may mean starting off with an exciting young project. Perhaps you’re finally getting to put in some real work with your homebred, or maybe you’ve just gotten a new horse off the track for restarting. Whatever your circumstances, we’re excited to present a new video series this winter, EN’s Young Horse Academy with Martin Douzant of The Frame Sport Horses.

In this video series, we’ll cover topics ranging from conformation to restarting a horse off the track, giving you some new tools to put into practice this winter and beyond. If you’re planning to do some competition in the Future Event Horse or Young Event Horse events next year, these videos will be helpful.

Martin also offers clinics, which focus heavily on young horse development and elements such as free-jumping. To learn more or to book a clinic, click here.

To kick things off this week, we’re taking a look at basic conformation as well as in-hand presentation.

Conformation for Event Horses

Martin uses some examples of the horses in his program when talking about conformation. Generally speaking, he says, “one of the most important things is that, at the end of the day, the horses for eventing are going to have to run. So the type of the horse is very important. They have to be pretty light and not too heavy.”

Martin speaks about what he looks for in event prospects in terms of conformation. You’ll be able to see much more detail and comparison in the video, but here are a couple of takeaways:

  • Depth of girth is important for breathing capacity – this is something you’ll often see in Thoroughbreds off the track
  • The thickness of the throatlatch is also something Martin takes into account – this will account for suppleness in the bridle and also breathing capacity

Another key takeaway from Martin’s notes on conformation is the positioning of the horse for a conformation photo.

Sellers and photographers, take note: these two images depict the same horse, yet in the photo on the left, Martin describes, the head is lower, making the horse appear more round, compact, and hunter-type. The second picture, on the other hand, repositions the head to be higher, creating a more uphill visual that shifts the balance more to the hind legs. Which photo would catch your eye if you were shopping for an event prospect?

In-Hand Presentation

During an in-hand presentation for Future and Young Event Horse competitions, a judge will first look at the horse standing still, then will observe the horse at the walk. Here are some thoughts on presentation from Martin:

  • Teach your horse to yield small steps and large steps in-hand to be able to re-place their legs for a more correct stance
  • Martin prefers the horses to be square, or slightly open in the front legs and open to the judge’s side with the hind legs
  • Walking away from the judge, straightness is key
  • On the long side, the walk should be big and flowing – similar to a free walk under saddle – with the ears level with or below the wither
  • The head must stay straight at all times

Have a question for Martin? Please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll address it in an upcoming article. This series is presented in collaboration with Mythic Landing Enterprises. Happy young horse-ing!

#EventerProblems Vol. 245, Presented by Haygain: That’s A No From Me, Dawg

By on Dec 16, 2020 9:00 am -

Have you ever asked your horse to do something and they just objectively said “No ❤️.” This week’s #EventerProblems is dedicated to all those times our partners decided that we just didn’t know best.

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Wednesday News & Notes

By on Dec 16, 2020 12:01 am -

In today’s internet culture, “going viral” is synonymous with the idea of being “discovered” or getting your (hopefully more than) 15 minutes of fame. Saddle Up and Read founder Caitlin Gooch experienced this firsthand after a simple tweet fired off into the Twitterverse on December 5 took hold and quickly went viral.

Just a few of the results returned from a Google search for Saddle Up and Read.

Soon, media outlets and personalities all over the world picked up the story of Saddle Up and Read, which Caitlin founded in 2017 in Wendell, Nc. Caitlin even got some recognition from Oprah Winfrey, and she’s now using this momentum to help drive donations to grow the children’s literacy project she’s built from the ground up.

The biggest goal of Saddle Up and Read’s fundraising, Caitlin says, is to gain enough support to buy land to build a dedicated facility for introducing horses to kids in the SUAR program and beyond. You can learn more and make a donation here. Caitlin also just launched the first in her new series of Black Equestrian Coloring Books. Inside, readers will learn about 12 Black equestrian trailblazers. You can order a copy here.

Want to read more of the stories written about Caitlin and Saddle Up and Read? Here are a few links:

Meet the Black Cowgirl Who Inspires Children to Read

Meet the Woman Using Horses to Encourage Child Literacy

Wendell, NC Equestrian Uses Horses To Inspire Children’s Literacy

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Saddle Up and Read today. I’m pleased to tell you that Eventing Nation will be partnering with a nonprofit or diversity-focused access program each month in the new year to highlight their stories and share ways to help. Look for more information each Wednesday morning right here in News & Notes.

Wednesday Reading List:

World-famous dressage stallion Totilas has passed away due to colicat the age of 20. The stallion and his early partner, Edward Gal, made international headlines, breaking record after record and winning triple gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky. The stallion was later sold for a rumored 11.2 million euro and would compete with Matthias Rath, though he would sadly never return to his prime form. He was retired from competition in 2015.

The West coast is truly the best coast! Yes, I’m biased as a West coast-er, but the proof is in the pudding: nearly half of the spots on the just-released list of riders invited to the Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Assessment Sessions are taken by riders hailing from the Western states. Learn more about these “Ones to Watch” in this blog from The West Equestrian.

How do you keep a horse fit and healthy during the winter months? In a recent webinar with World Horse Welfare, Sir Mark Todd spoke at length about his horse management program and how simple tweaks can make a huge difference for the horses. Click here to view the webinar.

What does sportsmanship mean to you? Hear from multiple top event riders in this thought-provoking read from a recent issue of Eventing USA magazine.

Buying a horse sight unseen off of Facebook can be a risky move, but for Plaid Horse writer Lettie Teague, it paid off in spades. There are many things that can go wrong during the horse-buying process, but this feel-good story might just have you perusing ads again…you know, just for fun.

Wednesday Video Break: Remember the legacy of the great Totilas with their Freestyle performance at the 2010 World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Tuesday Videos from Horseware: Try These Stretching Exercises to Help Your Riding

By on Dec 15, 2020 4:30 pm -

Let’s be honest here for a moment: when is the last time you stretched? Don’t worry – it’s been a minute for me, too. It’s certainly not a habit I made when I spent every day in the saddle, and I think my body truly felt the effects of this over the year.

The reality is that riding is tough on our bodies! It’s important to take some time to properly care for our own bodies as well as those of our horses. Horseware seems to have the same idea, as they’ve just introduced a handful of exercise and stretching videos to their YouTube channel. With many countries still experiencing stay-at-home orders in some capacity, these exercises are friendly to staying at home and don’t require any equipment other than a chair and a wall.

In these videos, pilates instructor Caoimhe O’Dwyer walks us through some chair stretches as well as some full-body stretches that can be done anywhere, anytime, for just a few minutes. Try working these into your daily routine this week and see if it translates into your riding – we bet it will!

Looking for more exercise ideas from Horseware? Check back next week, and don’t forget to enter our giveaway of a copy of Yoga for Riders!