Equikamen Blog

Cavallettis or raised poles have many benefits. It’s a good way to improve mental and physical agility and will help your horse find his own balance. Trotting and cantering over poles raised just off the ground will activate the hind leg. It’s important to arrive at...

Equestrian fashion has changed a great deal. The ‘traditional’ colours tended to be dark and drab, with outerwear meaning a choice of a tweed or waxed fabric which was non-breathable and heavy. Clothing today is flattering and most importantly for riders, functional....

International show jumper Sarah Lewis shares some tips on how to get the best out of your show jumping horse in different situations. Q: When schooling on the flat is there an exercise you always do with jumping in mind?A: I always do a lot of transitions within the...

British show jumper Charly Edwards specialises in breaking in and producing young horses for the sport. Charly lives on her own yard in Hampshire, England. In Charly’s own words, here’s what a day in the life looks like for a professional rider. “My alarm goes off at...

Being a professional athlete is more than just a job. If you add horses to the mix, it becomes a lifestyle. To keep refreshed and energised everyone needs a break, or a time in the day not spent in the barn or the saddle. Colombian born Daniel Bluman is a Grand Prix...

Food is fuel and instrumental in riders achieving the best results. Eating right while competing is as important as warming up. Faye Sanders is a nutrition coach based in Paris. She said, “Put plain and simply, for a human to function, they must eat well. If you want...

It’s easy to get hung up on being able to see a stride. But what does that phrase mean? British Show jumping coach, Mia Palles-Clark, prefers to use different terminology. Riders can get fixated by ‘seeing a stride’ at the expense of what actually gets them to the...

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is the biggest challenge in the sport. Taking place on a global scale, to win the Grand Slam, a rider has to win three majors consecutively out of the possibility of four. It doesn’t have to be in the calendar year and it can be on...

International jumping events in mainland Europe have been allowed to resume following the recent EHV-1 outbreak. Sunday April 11th marked the end of an FEI imposed shutdown, after a neurological form of the equine herpes virus was first reported in Spain at the end of...

A rider’s posture is important while jumping as it affects the horse’s balance. If the rider leans forward, the weight falls on the front end of the horse. You need to be in balance to the jump otherwise if a horse spooks while you’re leaning forward, you’re less...

Building a partnership with your horse is based on mutual trust, but this trust must be earned by the rider. Horses prefer calm and confident leaders; it’s far better (and safer) for the rider to guide the horse, rather than the other way around. There’s little...

Do you want to be the rider your horse would choose? That’s what Lindsay Wilcox-Reid, founder of Equipilates uses as a goal for her clients. Rider fitness is important from both a performance and safety perspective. Lindsay said, “If we are fitter, it means we can not...

There so much choice in horse trucks these days. Horses can travel facing forwards, backwards, sideways, or herringbone style. Ramps can be on the rear, the side, or both. Different sizes suit different needs; professionals on the move for much of the season need a...

Short films, or vlogs, are becoming increasingly popular. Presented by your favourite rider, vlogs not only provide an insight into their daily lives, but often riders offer training tips and practical advice on tack and equipment. Watching an elite rider and how they...

The Sunshine Tour in Cadiz, Spain has world class show jumping competition facilities. It’s hugely popular, not just with show jumpers, but eventers too. They love joining in the Sunshine Tour, keen to improve their ability in this discipline; the beautiful location...

It’s traditional to set new year’s resolutions, a new year always feels like a fresh start. It’s a chance to introduce ideas and goals to help yourself and others. Sometimes these plans go awry after a few weeks, but it’s always nice to try and set a standard to reach...

When buying a horse, what should you really be focusing on, what is the best way to approach it? Emma Butchard and Andre Nagata run Leatherstocking Farm and Nagata Sport Horses. It’s one business based on two farms, in Panningen in The Netherlands and in Wellington,...

For the non-horsey person, removing a horse’s winter coat might be a strange thing to do. For a horse in work, it’s easier to clip out a thick coat and put a warm rug on. This is better than letting your horse get sweaty, itchy, and cold with the risk of catching a...

We love our equines, and we try and do our best by them. But if asked, who can remember the golden rules of feeding them in the best way? A horse’s gut is complex; stomach upsets can lead to colic which not only means costly vets bills, but more importantly distress...

Equestrian sport enables men and women to compete equally, in partnership with an animal with a heart and mind of its own. Riding or watching, show jumping is exhilarating. A horse at speed, turning on the spot, locking onto a fence and creating a bascule is...