( Schooling Q&A )


Mountain Horse and Imogen Gloag team up to answer your schooling questions


International event rider Imogen Gloag, 24, is based in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.


In 2016, Imogen was the youngest competitor at that year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials riding Brendonhill Doublet and the pair are former Pony Club Champions and British Junior team members.


In 2018 made her first appearance at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials on the same horse completing with just one unlucky run out.


Imogen’s ultimate goal aim is to be selected on to British teams and to ride at the Olympic Games.


Imogen is sponsored by Mountain Horse which makes stylish, elegant and durable riding gear. Visit www.mountainhorse.se


My horse is quite spooky when I am out hacking. Once or twice, he’s refused to pass something. I’d like to be able to take him out along for long hacks without worrying about what might make him spook. Do you have any tips?


The good news is that with a methodical approach, it is possible to turn your horse from a nappy hacker to a happy hacker. It won’t happen overnight, but persistence will get you there.


I’d suggest first of all to have his back and teeth checked, so that you can eliminate pain as the reason for his behaviour.


Then confidence is the absolute key to cracking the problem. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed he will be, so try chatting or singing – it can really help relax you both.


Sit up tall, wrap your legs around him and be ready to give clear and assertive aids. Keep calm and if your horse plants, try shiſting his balance from side to side and if he steps to the side, capitalise on this and urge him forward with a nudge with the leg, followed by a stronger nudge until he responds. Make sure you reward him if he does so.


If he spins, use the same technique, but make sure you ask him to step sideways in the opposite direction to the one he’s trying to spin in.


If you’re struggling, you can jump off and lead him past. There’s also no shame in asking for help.


Avoid routes that require you to turn around to go home and always try and go on a circular route, with variety so that he doesn’t become bored.


If napping has become an ingrained habit, desensitising him at home can help. Lead your horse up to a similar object, and once he’s confident, introduce the same object while you ride him.


When you’re out on a hack and you see something that might cause your horse to nap, you could try lateral work as a way to get through it as this will give you more


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boot socks and a navy nylon headcollar for your horse. Answers to the following question by email to s.dodd@centralhorsenews.co.uk or post to Central Horse News, Unit 5 The Dairy, Bloxham Grove Farm, Banbury, Oxon, OX15 4LL by 30th March 2020.


Q: When did Imogen make her Badminton debut? 6 February/March 2020 For the latest news visit www.centralhorsenews.co.uk


control over the horse’s body and it will encourage him to focus on something else rather than what he’s spooking at.


How can I straighten my horse when I am schooling him. My instructor says to use shoulder-in, but how does this work?


Shoulder in is a great exercise to help straighten your horse, and its one that I use a lot in my day to day schooling.


This exercise requires your horse to come on to three tracks, encouraging your horse to sit more of his weight onto his hindquarters.


His shoulders need to be in, while his hindquarters stay straight on the track.


This exercise will also encourage your horse to liſt his forehand.


To ride a shoulder-in follow these steps.


1. Go large and establish a good trot on the leſt rein.


2. At one end of the school, ride a ten metre circle.


3.


As you complete the circle, maintain inside flexion and ride shoulder fore, by trying to ride the first stride of a 10 metre circle down the long side of the school


4. Keep the impulsion with your inside leg and keep the quarters straight with your outside leg. Use your out side rein to control the straightness and speed.


5. Halfway down, increase the angle so that now you are riding shoulder-in.


6. As you reach the end, bring your horse back onto two tracks and using your inside leg, supported by your outside rein, go large.


7. Repeat on the right rein.


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