This year’s H&H/Saracen eventing bursary winner Zoe Gould admits to struggling to keep her concentration in the showjumping arena. She has come to Laura Renwick's yard with her seven-year-old ex-racehorse Musical Legend (‘Legend’) to get Laura's advice on how to improve their weakest phase
First impressions
The 16.1hh gelding is now established at BE90 and Zoe is trying to move up to BE100, with a view to getting him up to novice next year. Laura is surprised to learn that Legend has come off the racetrack: “He looks very laid back and easy, like he’s at home.”
The warm-up
The pair warm up over a cross-pole with a placing pole on either side, turning around at each end and coming back over it in the opposite direction.
“Let the poles do the work,” says Laura. “You just need to sit and wait and concentrate on keeping Legend in the middle of the fence.
“The poles are there to help him land a bit shorter — you have to get him to bascule a bit more,” explains Laura, in an effort to work on Legend’s problem of flattening over the fences.
Keeping concentration
When Laura asks Zoe to link several fences together, seven-year-old Legend’s greenness appears, taking a flier over the oxer and putting in a stop on the second attempt.
“He just scared himself with the first funny jump,” says Laura. “Keep jumping it until it feels comfortable.
“I feel like he’s not really concentrating,” says Zoe, as Legend puts in some uncharacteristic stops on the course Laura has put together.
“It looks like you’re anticipating him taking off, leaning forward and taking your leg off,” suggests Laura. “It’s important that you feel what’s happening underneath you and react to it.”
Continued below…
Spencer Wilton’s tips to improve your ex-racehorse’s dressage marks
For the dressage element of the H&H/Saracen eventing bursary, dressage rider Spencer Wilton helps Zoe Gould and her seven-year-old ex-racehorse More…
Make the corners count
To improve Legend’s canter and balance around the corners coming into fences, Laura suggests putting a bollard six foot out of the corner as an obstacle to go around, to make the most out of that space. “That way the horse rides the corners himself,” says Laura.
Changing legs
“You want to try and get Legend to change legs for himself,” says Laura. “That will give you one less thing to think about when you’re in the ring. One way to help with this is by jumping a cross-pole on a figure of eight at home.”
Competition day
“Once you’ve walked the course (I usually do it twice) stick to your plan,” says Laura. “Of course you might end up having to improvise, but in my experience I’ve changed my plan just before and wished I hadn’t.”
“When it comes to warming up, try not to do masses of jumps in the collecting ring, unless there’s a particular problem you want to work on. And as soon as you go in the ring, just let him know what you want from him.”
Ironing out the problems
Reflecting on the session, Laura says: “It’s really nice to see an ex-racehorse finding a new career.
“What you need to work on at home is keeping the momentum so you have enough impulsion and he feels like he can take on the fence,” adds Laura.
“You have to try to not concentrate on making everything perfect.”
For more information or immediate advice on feeding your ex-racehorse, contact one of the Saracen Horse Feeds nutritional team on 01622 718 487 or visit www.saracenhorsefeeds.com and complete the online feed advice form