Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 83

EQUESTRIAN

Training horses
with Robert Booth BHSI
Equine trainer
Rodgebrook Horses

Tel: [phone]
www.rodgebrookhorses.co.uk

Stallion grading

W

e have recently had the pleasure
of having our three year old
colt SHW CanCan accepted
and licenced with the Anglo European
Studbook. He was bought as a foal with
the intention of keeping him entire. To
become a graded stallion with the AES the
stallion must show a great deal of talent
for either dressage or showjumping at the
initial stallion grading, after which they
will have to prove themselves in the sport
during competitions.
At the grading the stallions are judged
on their conformation, ability, type and
temperament and must have at least
three generations of pedigree. Threeyear-olds are loose jumped to assess their
ability and the judges’ comments about
CanCan were “A very supple horse with
excellent use of his back, shoulders and
hind leg with a temperament, movement
and suitable quality to sire showjumpers,
dressage and eventers.”
He has been awarded licence status
which is the highest that can be given to
a three-year-old. His sire is Van Gogh who
is an international showjumper ridden

by Marco Kutscher and has recently been
long listed for the Olympic Games in Rio
this year. His dam is by the prolific sire
Heartbreaker and his great grand dam is
More Candy the dam of another Olympic
horse Bit More Candy ridden by Carl
Edwards for Great Britain in the 2000

Sydney Olympic Games. So all looks
good for a competition horse as well
as a breeding horse. As he is only three
we shall only use him on a few selected
mares this year using A.I and hopefully
next year we will see some quality foals
on the ground.

Useful tips on
training your horse:
Gymnastic jumping

A

fun and useful exercise is
gridwork, a series of poles
and small jumps in a line. It is
good for the horse as a suppling
exercise, improving technique
and co-ordination and for the
rider to concentrate on their
position, improving balance,
strength and feel.

The grid can be set up in many
different ways and degrees of
difficulty, but must always be
progressive. The rider should
take up the forward jumping
position and hold it to the end
staying in balance with the
horse and allow the horse to use
himself.
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