Want to get the competitive edge this summer? Then don’t miss the new issue of Horse & Hound’s Ask The Trainer.
On sale now in WHSmith, supermarkets and independent newsagents, the latest issue is packed with advice and unmissable top tips from more than 50 leading riders and trainers.
Readers visiting Badminton Horse Trials this week (5-8 May) will also be able to purchase H&H Ask The Trainer on the Horse & Hound stand.
Showjumping solutions: British Olympic team silver medallist Nicola Wilson shares the gymnastic exercise she swears by to teach her horses to be switched on and maintain a consistent rhythm. It is key to her success at the top-level, and could help you improve this season too.
Fearful of planks? Our advice from leading Irish showjumper Trevor Breen and trainer Graham Fletcher means you don’t have to be anymore. And if you sometimes struggle to get the approach right to a fence, Aussie Chris Burton, third and fourth at Burghley CCI4* in 2015, has an easy-to-do pole exercise that will transform the way you see a stride.
If you’re fed up with wasting precious marks in the dressage arena, Jennie Loriston-Clarke, Judy Harvey and Hayley Watson-Greaves have three ways to easily boost your score.
Of course it all stems from getting it right in the warm-up, and top riders reveal what they do to ensure their mounts are ready to perform in front of the judges.
Getting yourself and your horse physically and mentally prepared for entering the cross-country startbox can be daunting, particularly when it’s busy, but our expert tips from Yogi Breisner, Sharon Hunt and Caroline Moore means you can go to your next event with a foolproof warm-up plan to execute.
Never become a victim of a skinny fence again with help from Gemma Tattersall, who explains how she prepares her horses for these questions at home, and how you can too.
Riding a green or young horse this year? Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green shares her formula for producing a confident cross-country horse.
Planning to show an ex-racehorse in the ring this season? You don’t want to miss tried-and-tested advice from producers Katie Jerram and Lynn Russell, or top tips from judge David Froggatt.
And if your ex-racer — or any equine — has been purchased from a sales, or you’re thinking of going, get the low-down on how to rehabilitate these animals in H&H Ask The Trainer first.
Of course it’s not just the horse you should be focusing on, but yourself too.
Fine-tune your position with the help of our exclusive rider balance feature — you’ll be amazed how productive riding without stirrups and reins can be!
For those who want to feel fitter in the saddle but don’t have time to exercise at a gym, a sports therapist reveals some simple at-home exercises that will work wonders on your core strength and upper body posture — essential for earning extra dressage marks and trouble-free jumping rounds.
Stop napping in its tracks, prevent a horse fighting for its head in front of a fence and ways to make every cross-country schooling session a productive one — all this and more is in the latest issue of H&H Ask The Trainer.
You can also buy your copy online, by clicking here.
