Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 476 i Your Horse

FANTASTIC FUNDRAISER Equine vet runs 73 marathons to raise vital funds for charity An equine vet from West Sussex has raised £50,000 for charity by running 73 marathons. Judy Scrine, clinical director at Mayes & Scrine Equine Vets, Horsham, has completed 58 official and 15 unofficial marathons in support of Breast Cancer Now. She has run 1,912.6 marathon miles plus 2,500 training miles annually over the past 10 years. Judy set herself the goal of running 20 marathons in 2020, which coincided with a charity challenge by VetPartners that saw staff from practices all over the country walking, running, cycling and riding to raise money for Pets As Therapy and Vetlife. Judy had completed four marathons when the UK first went into lockdown. She ran three virtual marathons before injuring…

IT WAS REALLY very hot and, as we reached the track on the other side of the river, we were all glad to find that we would be in the shade of the trees for most of the day. We could still enjoy the sunshine peeking through the trees and the crazy shadows it created, but without getting overheated or frazzled. The horses were feeling good; we were totally in tune with each other, and the travelling rhythm was well and truly established. I was completely relaxed and chilled, except for my smile muscles which were working in overdrive. This was exactly why I wanted to do this journey in the first place. I wanted to be out there, remote, in the hills with amazing scenery, travelling under our own…

MEET THE EXPERT KATE COWELL is an international dressage rider, based in Malvern, Worcestershire. Alongside competing, Kate also trains riders and produces horses up to grand prix level NOT GOING OUT to compete during the pandemic has meant I’ve spent more time at home training. Being able to fine-tune my horse’s way of going has been great, but finding ways to keep training sessions interesting for the horses has been a challenge. However, with a little inspiration and planning, you can tailor sessions to make them more challenging while working on your horse’s submission to the aids, balance and suppleness. When training my horses, I use the Equisense Motion, a piece of kit that monitors various parameters so I can track the horse’s training. It also gives over 300 exercises.…

To enter, visit yourhorse.co.uk/bucas476 FIRST PRIZE*: ■ Smartex Rain turnout rug ■ Irish stable rug (50g) ■ Therapy quarter sheet ■ Shamrock full neck cooler rug ■ Buzz off Zebra fly rug ■ Buzz off Zebra mask ■ Bucas 2000 travel boots ■ Tail bag ■ Saddle cloth ■ Saddle cover SECOND PRIZE*: ■ Competition cooler rug ■ Bucas 2000 travel boots ■ Tail bag ■ Saddle cloth ■ Saddle cover THIRD PRIZE*: ■ Freedom Twill sheet ■ Tail bag ■ Saddle cloth ■ Saddle cover YOUR HORSE WILL be the envy of all his pals if you’re one of the lucky winners of this competition. Bucas is well-known for producing a range of innovative rugs that will protect your horse all year round as well as having many practical…

MEET THE EXPERT LEONA BRAMALL MVB CertAVP(EM) MRCVS, an equine vet at Oakhill Veterinary Centre in Lancashire, holds an advanced veterinary practitioner certificate in equine medicine. Her primary areas of interest lie in foal medicine, dermatology and gastrointestinal disease. Visit oakhill-vets.com/equine. WHEN 12-YEAR-OLD Freddie was referred for veterinary assessment, his owner described him as not being ‘quite right’ for the past 48 hours. They reported that the grey gelding appeared quieter than usual, tending towards being a little depressed, alongside a reduced appetite and fewer droppings than normal. On examination, Freddie’s heart and breathing rates were mildly increased and his gut sounds were reduced. He had a fever of 39.5°C. Given Freddie’s history, a rectal examination was undertaken. This revealed no abnormal findings. As a result, anti-inflammatory drugs were administered,…

MEET THE EXPERT VICTORIA LINDSAY is a PhD student at the Royal Veterinary College. She is investigating the genomic architecture of equine exertional rhabdomyolysis, overseen by Dr Androniki Psifidi Professor Richard Piercy and Dr Emily Clark. Victoria graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2012 and studied for a masters at Robert Gordon University. TYING-UP IS A muscle disease of horses, known by vets as exertional rhabdomyolysis. It is also called azoturia, setfast or Monday-morning disease. Tying-up is often characterised by repeated ‘episodes’ of muscle damage and usually happens during or shortly after exercise. Affected horses become stiff and painful, often sweat profusely and might be totally unwilling to move. The worst cases become recumbent or might even die. Tying-up is described commonly in racing Thoroughbreds and has been best…

CONFESSIONS OF A #HACK1000MILES CHALLENGER… LOOKING AT EVERYBODY’S pictures of snow, floods, ice and freezing conditions over the UK winter is a far cry from the long hot summer days we are experiencing here in Western Australia. The snow does look lovely, but I think I’d rather the heat! Over Christmas, I take a couple of weeks holiday to coincide with the school summer holidays. I start slow work with Ramy in preparation for the endurance season, which begins in March. We have many lovely, calm evening hacks in the pine forest. Comet is already quite fit and is a regular participant in our family outings to the estuary for some water fun. With temperatures in the daytime reaching the mid- to high thirties, I am presented with a morning…

MEET THE TRAINER ROSS COOPER of Rosca Horsemanship is an international horse agility accredited trainer (IHAAT). He is based in Derbyshire but travels nationwide for lessons, workshops and clinics. Visit rosscooperofficial.co.uk. THE PAST 12 MONTHS have seen enormous changes for all of us. We have had to adapt to changes in routine, structure and socialisation, while maintaining that all important emotional and physical wellness in ways we never thought we would ever need to. With the cancellation of many equestrian events and local shows, it has left us to become that little more creative in how we spend time outdoors with our horses. Horse agility is a great solution (see box, p40). I use a ‘triple L’ framework to break down the phases involved: line, lead and loose. Just as…

MEET THE TRAINER NINA GILL is a BHS Stage Four senior coach who lives in Warwickshire and runs Fancy Footwork Equestrian. She holds regular pole work and gridwork clinics and challenges at locations around the UK. Nina is kindly supported by PolyJumps and Equi-blinguk. Find Fancy Footwork Poles and Grids on Facebook. ADDING POLES TO simple exercises like circles, serpentines and shallow loops instantly spices up a schooling session. It highlights poorly ridden lines, late turns, loss of rhythm and balance, and how well you give aids and your horse reacts to them — plus much more. All of these errors cost vital marks in the dressage arena and working on them begins at home. Inject new life into your training with the following pole work patterns from BHS Stage…

AS WITH HUMANS who are shy, some horses aren’t very confident around other horses and can panic in situations where they feel trapped or overwhelmed by the closeness of other horses. Why does this happen? “Working in close proximity to other horses can be difficult for many horses, whether that’s sharing an arena at home, or staying calm, confident and focused in a warm-up arena,” says behaviourist Hannah Weston of Connection Training. Hannah explains that this can be caused by a few things: 1 Young or green horses are often wary when first taken into spaces with other horses being worked or ridden. Naturally, horses display certain behaviours when meeting new horses as they get to know each other. In a working environment, we don’t allow for this, so green…

MEET THE EXPERT JESS ERRINGTON is very experienced when it comes to turning out manes and tails: she has been head girl and travelling groom to 2014 world eventing team silver medallist Harry Meade for 13 years. WHETHER YOU’RE HEADING to your first show of the season or simply giving your horse a spring tidy up, clean and neat manes and tails make all the difference to a horse’s appearance. Keeping on top of wet and muddy tails and greasy, rubbed-out manes is a challenge in the winter, so how can we get them back to their best heading into the spring? “If they are really wet and muddy and I’m short on time, I tend to wash manes as it’s easier to remove the wet mud than try and…

Email your question to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk. Simple solutions for horse owners Meet this month’s panel of experts Rehabilitating racehorses Charlotte Martin is a dressage/event rider based in North Yorkshire, and a registered retrainer of racehorses (Retraining of Racehorses recognised). Breeding Julia Hodkin is the founder of the Future Sport Horses stud. Her homebred, champion stallions have been used by H.M. The Queen, British Eventing team members and show producers. Teeth and dentistry James Sheppard is a qualified equine dental technician (EDT) with 17 years’ experience. He has treated equines in 18 different countries, including top-level performance horses. Problems on the ground Matt Owen is an equine behaviour consultant and founder of Horse Help UK. He helps horses and owners in the UK and abroad tackle equine behavioural issues. GOT A PROBLEM?…

Age gauge Q What do you look for when determining a horse’s age by their teeth? Sandra Watson, Teesside James says: Ageing a horse is relatively simple, but there are some exceptions, especially in horses that crib bite or windsuck. First, the natural shedding of the deciduous teeth of a young horse is generally very accurate, so up to the age of five you can be fairly precise. From the age of five to 10 there are certain characteristics to note. The upper corner incisors begin coming into wear, and a small ‘beak’ appears on that same incisor at age seven. Large cusps (raised areas) on the occlusal (chewing) surfaces of the incisors decrease in size as the horse gets older. The Galvaynes groove starts at the age of 10,…

WITH SPRING JUST around the corner, the prospect of warmer weather and more daylight hours means for many horse owners the chance to enjoy more time riding and with their horse. However, if you own a mare it may mean the start of whole new set of challenges. Many horse owners struggle with in-season mares as they can exhibit challenging behaviour. For some it is a subtle change for a few days but for others the change in behaviour is excessive, making them tricky to handle and generally be around — plus it can have a negative effect on training and riding too. A helping hand Nettex V.I.P. Miracle Mare is a non-magnesium supplement containing wheatgerm extract (WGE) that has been proven to help with challenging oestrusassociated behaviour in mares.…

How did you get involved in conservation? It was my dad’s initiative. He was a trailblazer back in the late ‘60s when agriculture was putting its foot on the accelerator for food production. Every county and region has or has had its own breeds, but agriculture wanted milk-producing athletes, beef animals that were really beefy and fast-growing lean pigs and lambs, so the old-fashioned breeds didn’t really suit that. The dual-purpose cattle were outclassed by more modern productive breeds. What role does your farm play? My dad started collecting rare breeds as a hobby, but also because he thought they were a valuable part of our living history, and, crucially, a genetic resource for the future. He ended up with a large collection and opened the Cotswold Farm Park to…

IF YOU’VE EVER visited the New Forest in Hampshire, you’ll have seen wild ponies roaming free. The earliest record of New Forest ponies dates back to 1016, when rights of common pasture were granted to people living in the forest, which was a royal hunting ground. Since then other breeds have been introduced, including Welsh, Thoroughbred, Arab and Highland, in an attempt to improve the New Forest blood. It may surprise you to learn that the Rare Breeds Survival Trust has listed the New Forest Pony on its 2020-2021 watchlist, with between 1,500 and 3,000 breeding females registered in the UK. They make brilliant riding ponies and are a popular choice for children, yet strong enough to carry an adult. The breed is a working type with sloping shoulders and…

YES I didn’t used to wear it but now I try to wear it every ride. I already have a sore back from a car crash and don’t need another injury.Eleanor Laws SOMETIMES Only for cross-country, or the odd time a few years ago when having jump lessons at a riding school where it was mandatory.Eva Brock YES I wear mine all the time when riding now. It’s comfy and I’m so used to it I would feel odd without it on. I’m older and after two falls on the road I feel safer wearing one.Sarah Pressler NO Unfortunately not. I competed and rode in the era before they were popular. They were rarely heard of then and when I was forced to wear one I hated it. I had…

MEET THE RIDER NICOLA READ is an area sales manager for Saracen Horse Feeds. She owns three Clydesdales and shows them in-hand, under saddle and in harness at county shows and steam fairs. She competes Gharsun in British Dressage at novice level. MEET THE HORSE DOWNHILL CASTLETON (‘Gharsun’) was bred in Ireland for a career in logging (forestry management). Nicola started riding him aged five and three weeks later he competed in his first unaffiliated dressage class, qualifying for the Chiltern and Thames summer dressage championships. He has qualified for the British Dressage draught horse championship for the past four years, scoring over 68% in the pure-bred novice final. He is being aimed at elementary this year. IT’S NOT OFTEN that you witness a Clydesdale in the dressage arena, but…

“Whatever equipment you have to hand, make it count” MEET THE TRAINER International eventer SIMON GRIEVE runs a busy yard in Leicestershire. He’s sponsored by Allen & Page, Toggi, Omega Equine, Saddles Up, N.E.W., Bed-Down, Champion, PolyPads, Ruggles rugs and Flex-On stirrups. For all his latest news, follow him on Facebook. MEET THE HORSE Simon demonstrates these exercises riding the gorgeous and hugely talented BONHUNT BERTIE. Already at four-star level at the tender age of nine, look out for this chap on the international circuit. WHEN IT COMES to training at home for all the twists, turns and surprises a showjumping course will throw at you, a little really does go a long way. With just a few poles, whatever you can nab in the way of jump wings and…

1 Vets have a duty of care, but fear losing clients BEVA president Lucy Grieve MRCVS says a lack of understanding about obesity — being able to recognise it, accept it and know what to do — is a problem. A good relationship between vets and their customers is essential, but it’s not straightforward. “A GP can tell someone they’re obese and won’t get an op until they’ve lost three stone, but vets won’t, as they don’t want to lose clients,” she says. Lucy adds that efforts to overcome the stigma of a horse being diagnosed as fat — with vets giving advice in a non-judgmental way and owners being open to listen — must improve. “Fat slowly poisons a horse’s body, and vets have a duty of care,” she…

3 THERMATEX TKCS COOLER RUGS The TKCS cooler from Thermatex is a popular spring/summer rug choice. This British-made lightweight knitted rug is designed to provide warmth when needed, yet at the same time encourages airflow — perfect for use after exercise, during travel or in the stable. Features include a double front closure, reinforced wither pad, belly strap and fillet loops. As with all Thermatex rugs, the TKCS is hand cut for a perfect fit and machine washable. It is available in 23 colours. Find out more at thermatex.co.uk 4 2KG TUBS OF TURMERITCH TurmerItch combines key ingredients including neem, red bush tea and chamomile, to help provide relief from itching and soothe the skin by promoting a healthy skin and coat. It also contains turmeric and micronised linseed to help…

YOUR GIRTH IS part of your horse’s everyday tack and plays an essential role in helping to hold your saddle securely in place. This seemingly simple piece of kit has been in the spotlight for several years now, and has undergone a transformation in its design. Manufacturers use different materials to help your horse be as comfortable as possible so he can perform at his best. If you’re on the lookout for a new girth and not sure which one will do the best job for your horse, our review of a selection of different girths will help you. Our team of testers has put a selection of different girths to the test assessing each of them for fit, performance/comfort and whether they offer good value for money. How we…

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