Table of contents for Practical Horseman Extra Volume 29 in Practical Horseman

When you canter to your first fence on course, do you wonder if you have the correct canter? Amateurs and Juniors commonly struggle with this dilemma for good reason: When you have the right canter—your horse is traveling in the correct balance and frame at a suitable pace for the fence—he’ll be able to jump it to the best of his ability. If he’s on his forehand, inverted, too slow or too fast, he can’t jump his best. Having a good-quality canter also allows you to see your distances better, so it should be every rider’s top priority for multiple reasons. There’s more to it than just having a well-balanced canter, though. In the jumpers, different types of jumps and lines require different canters. For example, you might need to…

You have plans for your horse this year—a summer of shows or a new level of training, perhaps. But will he be able to do what you want? You expect him to be an athlete. While you’re reaching for your goal, you also need to keep your eye on his condition. This article will help you develop a system of observation, so you can monitor your horse’s physical state and recognize when it changes as a result of training and competing. The steps I’ll outline focus on areas where I commonly see problems in sporthorses—the neck and back, forelimbs and hind limbs, and the feet. Some of these steps should be followed each time you ride your horse. From time to time, you’ll do a more thorough evaluation, assessing your…