Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 508 i Your Horse

SURVEY Census designed to shed light on ex-racers' fate

British Racing has launched the first ever survey into the future of horses come out of British racing, and ners of ex-racers (below) and other oroughbreds are invited to take part. The project, run by British Racing’s Horse Welfare Board and Hartpury University, is part of the sport’s commitment to improve traceability of all horses bred for racing. The hope is that it will also encourage owners of former racehorses and horses bred for racing to update the ownership details in their horses’ passports. The industry loses touch with many horses when they go into private ownership. Across all British horse passports, compliance with the law is estimated to be around 20%. Helena Flynn, programme director for the Horse Welfare Board, said: “Improving the traceability of Thoroughbreds after they retire…

Hacking a heavy

CRACKING CLYDESDALES Owner: Helen Chester Horses: Chester, a 22-year-old, 15hh Shire x cob; Harrison, a seven-year-old, 18.2hh Clydesdale; Clementine, a five-year-old, 17hh Clydesdale “I grew up around heavy horses as my granddad worked the land with Shires before he moved onto machinery. I was always drawn to them, and I’d say that my granddad steered me that way, too. He always said that I should have a heavy horse. “My first heavy horse was a Clydesdale called Maverick, but I sadly lost him to colic when he was just two-and-a-half years old. He left a hole in my heart that I knew only a heavy horse could fill, but at the time I couldn’t afford to buy another one. “I found Chester,aShire cross, and then later on when I was…

STATS ON BRITAIN'S HEAVY HORSES

There are three native British heavy horse breeds… ■ Shire ■ Suffolk Punch ■ Clydesdale However, the British Ridden Heavy Horse Society also includes the Percheron, a French breed. ■ There are fewer than 500 Suffolk horses in the UK, and around 30 foals are born each year. ■ Suffolks come in seven shades of chesnut — not chestnut! ■ Modern Suffolks are descended from one horse — Crisp’s horse of Ufford — who was foaled in 1768. ■ The Shire is Britain’s largest draught horse breed, standing over 17.2hh in height, and a mature stallion can weigh almost 1 tonne. ■ Around 250 pure-bred Shire foals are born in the UK each year. ■ The Clydesdale is the smallest of the three breeds, standing at around 16.2hh, although some…

Lucy de la Pasture

How I make it work: By teamwork and hard work. Basically, Mike, my partner, is a fantastic support The editor of Crop Production Magazine manages to juggle seven horses with runninga business which makes plantbased, natural products for horses My job… I’m never happier than when I’m creating things, and I have been lucky enough to bring this into my working life, where I wear two different hats— one creates using words and the other formulates products for horses using plant magic. I work full time as an agricultural journalist and as editor of Crop Production Magazine (which comes from the same stable as Your Horse). As its name suggests, my day job involves talking to farmers, researchers and agronomists about growing crops, the soil, pests and diseases, agritech and…

The early years: how to back your young horse

AS THE SAYING goes, there are many roads that lead to Rome, and this is no more true than when introducing a young horse to ridden work. Ultimately, though, whichever method or combination of methods you use to backahorse, the end goal should always be the same: to get him to quietly and calmly allow a rider to sit on his back and respond to a range of commands, from moving forward, turning, stopping and backing up to changing gaits and speed. While older horses can still be taught to accept a saddle, bridle and a rider, it is better to start a horse young when no bad habits have been formed. The exact age a horse will be backed depends on his type and breed; for example, many Thoroughbred…

NEW SERIES Honing the basics

YOUR HORSE’S TRAINING FLATWORK l CIRCLES, SERPENTINES & TRANSITIONS VANESSA WATSON TURNS up at Alex Harrison’s Chew Magna base on a rainy week day with a few issues running through her mind. Her gelding, About Time III (Ted), doesn’t have the best conformation, and he can be wobbly on the centre line. Vanessa, who also trains with Elizabeth Allen, started coming to Alex for assistance with test riding last November. As she walks Ted into Alex’s outdoor arena, Britain’s youngest List 2 dressage judge instructs her to warm up. “I warm up a horse for between five to 15 minutes, depending on the horse’s age. The younger ones don’t need to stretch for too long, while I like the older ones to warm up for longer,” he notes. As Ted is…

9 min

CASE STUDY 1

'I called the emergency vet for Ernie and she was with me in 25 minutes' A CCTV camera in the stable alerted Emma Hillier, from Exeter in Devon, to her 27-year-old Eternal Light (Ernie)’s colic episode on 1 April. Ernie, a 15hh grey gelding who Emma had bought for hacking out of Arab racing aged 12, was being kept in for the night. “When I looked at the camera in the barn at about 7pm I saw that he was getting up and down, up and down. I’d never seen him do that before. “I hadn’t seen colic before, but I was concerned and when I went out to the barn I could tell that something wasn’t right. “I called the emergency vet and she was with me in 25…

2 min

CASE STUDY

'After treatment, the tendon healed and Spike returned to full work' Sarah Davenport’s pony, Spike, a 14.2hh grey Arab gelding, was 16 years old when he lightly injured the suspensory ligament in his left fore while Arab racing. “The therapist applied kinesiology tape to both front legs for four days when Spike was on box rest to support the ligament and it really helped. The tendon healed and he returned to full work,” says Sarah. “The most important art of ligament/ tendon taping is the support of the fetlock joint. In Spike’s case, the first application took place below the fetlock behind the joint with zero stretch and was then applied in an upward direction from either side, joining at the front of the fetlock joint,” explains Alison Gregg. “A…

Have you joined yet?

Spillers is inviting owners of overweight horses and ponies to join its Spillers Slimmers’ Club for support, advice and encouragement to help keep their horse or pony at a healthy weight. This motivating and friendly club provides practical support and camaraderie for owners of overweight horses and ponies to aid them on their weight loss journey. It provides information and advice, including weight loss tips, details of how to body condition score and how to use a weigh tape. OR SEARCH SPILLERS SLIMMERS ON FACEBOOK…

RETIREMENT LIVERY: NICKY VAN DIJK says…

Ask The Experts Time to put him out to pasture? Q I currently keep my veteran on full livery, but as I no longer ride him I’m thinking about moving him to a yard which offers retirement livery. What are the differences between the two? Siân Murphy, County Antrim Nicky says: The main difference between full livery and retirement livery is that a full livery yard will have horses coming and going to be ridden or taken out to competitions, so it could be that your retired horse is sometimes left on his own in a field or a stable for periods of time. Full livery yards are often busy environments, too, with lots going on, which can be stressful, especially if a horse isn’t used to being left on…

WHAT'S NEW?

HYDRATION IN A CAN We know that good hydration is vital for a horse’s health, and the new H2PRO Equine Focus complementary hydration drink helps to keep an equine in top shape whether he’s out competing, travelling, or working at home. The unique natural flavours and aromas can simply be added to water to create an irresistible drink. H2PRO Focus is non-heating and low sugar, as well as high in thiamine B1, a fast acting water-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses. All of this allows the horse to feel more in control of his performance almost immediately. RRP £4.95 H2PROEQUINE.CO.UK SUMMER STYLE You can’t beat a classic polo shirt — and the EQC Team Polo Shirt Sleeveless looks great with breeches or jeans.…

3 min

BUYER'S GUIDE Short back and sides

AS THE DAYS shorten and your horse starts to shed his summer coat, thoughts turn to dealing with him becoming like a furry teddy bear. For many, clipping isapractical way to keepahorse comfortable and cooler if he is working through the colder months. To ensure that you get that perfect short back and sides, though, it is worth investing in a set of quality clippers. Take good care of them and store them correctly and they will give years of trouble-free clipping. There are various factors to consider before a new set is purchased: ■ How often you will be clipping. ■ How many horses you are clipping. ■ Are you a beginner? ■ Will you need them on the go? ■ Will you always have access to mains power?…

4 min

YOUR HORSE MAGAZINE

Young horse expert Harriet Walker: Learn to read your horse’s body language when backing. If you get on when his ears are back, when he’s looking at you out of the side of his eye, or his breathing is heavy, it means that he’s unsure, page 32 Equipilates instructor Emma Stamenkovic: I’ve never come across a partnership where I’ve thought that 100% of the problem was caused by the horse or 100% by the rider. Usually the issue is communication between the two isn’t very good, page 34 Showjumper Pippa Allen: If your horse is finding bending around a corner difficult, start from walk/trot, use your inside leg to push the horse’s body to the outside, open your inside hand and keep the contact in the outside rein, page 38…

We bring you up to date with a recent case… RESCUE UPDATE

Almost invisible ina sea of mud, Noggin The Nog was initially missed when rescuers removedagroup of fly-grazed horses fromafield in North East England. Local charities had become concerned about a group of uncared for horses, and when they began to die at the site the RSPCA decided to seize the equines. The round up went well, but thanks to a last-minute decision to make a final sweep of the field by the RSPCA’s chief inspector, a grim discovery was made — what looked to be the remains of a dead youngster. However, Noggin The Nog was alive and was taken to Here4Horses,asmall charity based in Hunwick, County Durham. Noggin was in a sorry state and, in the early da of his recovery, took some convincing that humans could be trusted.…

The heavy mob

BRING ON THE HEAVYWEIGHTS Weighing in at around 1 tonne and reaching heights of 18hh and more, British heavy horse breeds used to be a common sight in town and country, pulling everything from ploughs and hay carts to milk floats and fire engines. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) estimates that there were 2.6m heavy horses working in agriculture and trade at the start of the 20th century, many of them Suffolk Punches, Clydesdales, or Shires and their crosses. But following twoworld wars, mechanisation and the rise of the tractor and van and they all but disappeared. In 2018, the RBST launched a Heavy Horse Appeal after just 240 Shire, 199 Clydesdale and 25 Suffolk pedigree foals were registered in 2017. They feared that native heavy horse breeds would…

CASE STUDY 2

'SHE ENGAGED ME FROM THE GET-GO' When Lone Le Roux met her “heart horse” Silverson’s Trinitia (Trini), the eight-year-old Percheron mare had been standing in a field for most of her life and was so untrained that Lone had to be led when she tried the mare as she had no concept of leg aids. “I had ridden a Thoroughbred ex-racer and couldn’t fathom why I was drawn to this enormous horse, but she engaged me from the get-go,” says Lone. At 16.3hh and weighing more than 900kg, Trini is no light weight, but Lone says that she is so clever and kind and the pair has developed a very deep bond. “Trini lost her dam at six weeks and so was practically hand reared, which is why she really…

SEND a selfie

Pin up princess This is me with Yvanea (below right). She was 22 when I lost her 18 months ago. She was a Friesian with attitude and my dream horse. I loved her and trusted her implicitly. We had eight fantastic years together until sadly megaesophagus made life too uncomfortable for her and I had to make the decision to have her put to sleep. It broke my heart. She will always be my pin up princess. I bought Hobson (below left) unseen 18 months ago as a yearling when I lost Yvanea. He lives with my 25-year-old New Forest pony and is cheeky, nosy, clever and he loves to follow me around. Helen Allen, Isle of Wight Oh Danny Boy! Crickadarn Danny Boy is a 13-year-oldWelsh section D who…

3 min

BETTER TOGETHER

YOUR HORSE’S TRAINING CONFIDENCE | EQUIPILATES FROM WHERE DOES knocked confidence originate? The rider? The horse? Probably from both. “I’ve never come across a partnership where I’ve thought that 100% of the problem was caused by the horse or 100% by the rider,” says Equipilates instructor Emma Stamenkovic. “Usually, the issue is that communication between the two isn’t very good.” Riding is a partnership, just like any other team sport, but unlike other disciplines the lines of communication in equestrianism are between two different species. It is therefore no wonder that we can sometimes struggle and our confidence can be knocked. A loss of confidence can also be traced back to a weakness: for the rider it could be a weak core or a reliance on the reins for balance; for…

Eyeing up the needle

YOUR HORSE’S TRAINING INASSOCIATION WITH BLITZING BAD BEHAVIOUR l NEEDLEPHOBIAS FROM VACCINATIONS AND sedation to administering medication and drawing blood, injections are a routine and necessary part of equine healthcare. For some horses, though, the process can be terrifying. Lucky owners will only ever have to call the vet for annual vaccinations, but this would be unusual and if a horse is needle shy it limits veterinary options when it comes to diagnosing and treating conditions, including nerve blocking to localise lameness, sedating for X-rays or wound cleaning, or being able to quickly dose a horse with the medication required for time-sensitive emergency conditions such as colic. “Needle shyness is a generic term that essentially means having an aversion to injections,” explains equine behaviourist Jenni Nellist. “It is probably due to…

CASE STUDY 2

'I trusted my gut that Banjo had colic and was proved right' When he suffered a colic attack in Ma Banjo, a 15-year-old Knabstrupper x cob, showed no signs, apart from wanting to lie down. He was even managing to graze, according to his owner, Steff Beamis. “My old Thoroughbred coliced a couple of years before and was very dramatic about it, pacing around, getting up and down, looking at her flank, but Banjo wasn’t like that at all. “This happened at the end of May and I was just pottering around outside when I noticed that Banjo kept lying down — about six times in two hours. He wasn’t looking at this belly or rolling. He was even trying to graze, but I just had that feeling. “The vet…

COURTING DISASTER

YOUR HORSE’S CARE WORMING | AVOIDING RESISTANCE THE APPROACH OF autumn signals the time that horse owners reach for a wormer to target encysted redworm and tapeworm, both of which can’t be detected on a worm egg count. However, is this still the right thing to do for our horses’ health and for the health of the environment based on the current advice on worming? This is intended to reduce reliance on anthelminticsu (wormers) without being detrimental to horse’s health, but at the same time being mindful of our impact on the environment. There has beena change in the worming advice owners have received over recent years. Traditionally worming used an interval programme whereby anthelmintics were given every 6-12 weeks regardless. We now understand that this isn’t the best approach, not…

Ask The Experts

Email your questions to yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk Simple solutions for horse owners Meet this month's panel of experts Changing disciplines Mark Cramb is a coach and producer who specialises in rider confidence. He has trained horses for many disciplines, and particularly enjoys retraining racehorses. Re etirementlivery Nicky van Dijk is the owner of Happy Horse Retirement Home, an awardwinning retirement yard that was the first of its kind in the UK. Visit happyhorse retirementhome.co.uk Ex-racehorses Fred and Rowena Cook run their own rehabilitation and training yard in Stamford with progressive training and re-training programmes. Visit equinetraining.co.uk Compe etition turnout Tabby Oliver is a freelance show groom and rider. She has worked for top producers including Craig Elenor Equestrian and Sharn Linney. GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We’ll know someone who can…

EX-RACEHORSES: FRED AND ROWENA say…

Ask The Experts First time buyer Q I’m thinking about purchasing an ex-racehorse, but I’ve never had one before. What should I know about settling him into his new life as a leisure horse? Jasmine Pritchard, Middlesex Fred and Rowena say: Make friends with patience — you will need plenty of it — and be prepared to be flexible. In the first weeks and months your horse is going to change, so what works one week might not work further down the line as he adjusts to his new life and leaves his racing routine behind. Try not to fuss around the horse too much in the early days; just let him find his feet, accept his new environment and adapt to the different management and routine in his own…

THE BIG TEST Hands up who loves gloves!

YOUR HORSE’S GEAR BIG TEST | RIDING GLOVES GLOVES SHOULD BE comfortable, breathable and provide a good feel on the reins. A good pair will fit like a second skin and should offer the wearer excellent grip while also protecting their hands from rubbing, knocks and friction caused by leatherwork, tack, or the horse’s neck. Over the last few months our panel of testers has put a selection to the test, assessing each pair for fit, grip, comfort and durability. Was there a hands down winner? Read on to discover which ones earned top marks. How we score: Each pair of gloves is marked out of five for fit/comfort, feel/grip on the reins and value for money. This gives an overall rating out of 15. MEET THE TESTERS Amanda Barker lives…

Cordless versus corded

If you don’t have electricity at your yard, you can opt to buy a set of re-chargeable battery clippers. Most clipper manufacturers now offer a cordless or battery-operated option in their range. Here the team at Lister Shearing offers advice on the pros and cons of using a corded or a cordless clipper… Cordless A battery operated or cordless clipper offers enhanced safety and flexibility. From a safety point of view, there is no cable to worry about, meaning that the user can just concentrate on clipping and isn’t constantly looking to see where the cable is. This is especially useful if you are clipping a horse who is new or nervous about being clipped, and who could easily stand on the cable, or get caught up in it. Cordless…

Ed Chamberlin

Did you ride as a child? Not really. My two sisters, Lucy and Vanessa, were both keen and would go for lessons. I got dragged along, taking a football or a cricket bat to entertain myself. I became very tall very quickly — I’m 6ft 2in — and so riding was never really an option, plus judging by recent interviews involving Stradivarius, I’m not a natural horseman either. My daughter, Polly, did ride, but she fell off and broke her arm. My son, Sam, has no interest and when I left football broadcasting, he said: “Daddy, what have you done?” How did your broadcasting career begin? By accident. After graduating from Exeter University with a degree in politics (a minor miracle becauseInever missed a race meeting at Wincanton), my aim…

4 min

HORSE talk

For all the latest news from the horse world, visit yourhorse.co.uk Equestrians warned to beware of unwittingly buying Connemaras with hoof wall separation disease Buyers of Connemara ponies are being warned to check equine passports after a Leicestershire woman unknowingly bought a pony with hoof wall separation disease (HWSD). HWSD is a genetic defect that specifically affects Connemaras and their crosses. The hoof wall breaks and cracks, often coming offin large chunks. In severe cases, the pony bears weight entirely on the sole of its foot which can lead to crippling lameness. Around 14% of all Connemaras are HWSD carriers. Since 2016 all equines registered by the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society (CPBS) and since 2017 by the British Connemara Pony Society (BCPS) are tested for the disease. The pony’s HWSD…

4 min

SCOTLAND TAKES FIRST STEPS TOWARDS LICENSING LIVERY YARDS

A public consultation has been launched in Scotland to garner views on the proposals to extend licensing to animal-related services, which includes livery yards. Should a licensing scheme receive the green light, every livery business would need to undergo an inspection. RDA CHAMPIONSHIPS PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL COMPETITION The Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Championships, held at Hartpury University in July, provided an exceptional three days of competition with in excess of 380 participants representing 85 RDA groups from across the UK. Events included dressage, vaulting, endurance, showing, show jumping and carriage driving, as well as the RDA’s Countryside Challenge and many more non-ridden competitions. The annual championships is the largest equestrian disability event in the world.…

CASE STUDY 1

'IF YOU HAVE ONE YOU WANT MORE' The Clydesdale’s willingness to please makes it the perfect riding horse, says Keely Gordon, who has two pure-bred horses and a cross. She says that they are an addictive breed. “People find it very difficult to have just one Clydesdale. If you have one, you really want more,” she laughs. Keely, who is based north of Aberdeen, fell in love with the breed when she worked for the Bogton Clydesdales Stud around seven years ago. She bought Bogton Ironman (aka Ronnie) as a two-year-old gelding when she left and recently also purchased his half-sister, the 10-year-old Fern, a mare she backed when at Bogton. Keely also has the 15-year-old half-Clydesdale Thunder, who she has evented at novice level. “Thunder isn’t that naturally talented,…

CASE STUDY 3

'ALFIE IS A GREAT HORSE TO RIDE' A “shrunken Suffolk” is how Adam Pilgrim describes his 15.2hh Suffolk Punch x Welsh mount, Alfie. Alfie is Adam’s first horse, bought from a riding school, and after trying horseball and a few other activities the pair has settled on endurance riding. “We spent the winter months of 2022/23 doing three months of pretraining, working on distance, speed and terrain, and we did our first eightmile pleasure ride in April,” says Adam. Competing in his home county of Nottinghamshire, as well as Derbyshire, it was important that Alfie could contend with the hills and difficult shaley tracks. Now the pair competes in 32km Endurance GB (EGB) competitions, usually finishing mid-field. “Heavy horses use their energy in a different way to lighter horses. The…

Time to switch on that lazy leg

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING IN ASSOCIATION WITH SCHOOLING SOLUTIONS | IMPROVING SYMMETRY WHETHER YOU WORK at grassroots or grand prix level in dressage, there is always something to hone. This statement rings true for Joanne Dagley-Cleworth and her Hanoverian gelding Uptimistic (‘Jack’), a duo heading along the path towards the World Class selection programme for Para dressage. Today they are being trained by dressage coach and judge KimRatcliffe with the hope of uncovering what a judge is looking for, and how they can work towards that in their own training at home. “It’s useful to get a judge’s point of view froma coach,” says Joanne, who had to learn to ride again following spinal surgery in 2018. As the pair warms up, Kimtakes a fewmoments to bring an awareness to Joanne of…

One or two conundrums

NEW SERIES LACEY CROWTHER AND her pony, My Mystic Mai, hack a short distance to Pippa Allen’s yard at Kabete Lodge Stud for their lesson today. They have been training with international showjumper Pippa for three years and, as Lacey’s mother, Rebecca, notes, the lessons have been “transformative. The pony was taxing at first, but she and Lacey have come on in leaps and bounds”. The jumping itself has never been a problem, and the pair has won numerous rosettes on the unaffiliated circuit, mainly at 80cm level, but the pony’s cornering/ bending is a different matter and has been a challenge. Pippa instructs the pair to warm up in her sand arena, first in walk and trot and then in canter “The ideal warm up varies, and depends on…

Gut feeling

YOUR HORSE’S CARE COLIC | SPOTTING IT & TREATING IT COLIC IS A catch-all term for abdominal pain in horses — a symptom rather than a diagnosis — so its causes range widely, but there are three main forms… ■ Gas colic, caused by a build up of gas in the intestine. ■ Spasmodic colic, which is characterised by painful contractions of the smooth muscle in the intestines, similar to indigestion in humans. ■ Impaction colic, which isablockage of the colon caused by food or growths. What is common in all three types of colic is the need to act quickly to save the horse. Speed is of the essence “No matter what the advances in veterinary medicine, there isn’t much we can do if treatment is delayed. It limits the…

5 min

Seal of approval

OCCASIONALLY, IT IS possible to spot humans and horses walking around with thick coloured tape stuck to their skin. This isn’t the latest fashion trend, but is kinesiology tape (also known as k-tape), a therapeutic aid that assists with pain relief, reducing inflammation and it provides support for muscle activity and joint mobility. Developed by Japan born chiropractor Dr Kenzo Kase in the 1970s, who worked with product engineers to perfect tape quality, kinesiology tape isaholistic treatment which got its name from the Greek word for movement — ‘kenesis’ — as it aids muscle movement. Dr Kase wanted a tape that didn’t restrict moverment the way most athletics tapes did at the time, but instead was designed to be elastic, just like skin, and allow a full range of motion.…

Why size matters

YOUR HORSE’S CARE FIT NOT FAT | THE DANGERS OF OBESITY Fit not Fat THE MEDIA IS brimming with messages about obesity in humans and animals, and equine obesity is now considered to be one of the most pressing global welfare issues. It is estimated that around 30-50% of the total equine population may carry excess weight — and in some groups obesity rates may be as high as 70%. So how does a horse get to this point? Quite simply, horses gain weight when they consume more energy (calories) than they burn, with the excess being laid down as fat. While this is a good thing if your horse is underweight, when fat accumulates to the point where it has a negative effect on health and welfare, this is the…

CHANGING DISCIPLINES:MARK CRAMB says…

Ask The Experts Trying a new solid approach Q I would like to try eventing with my horse, but I’ve not jumped solid fences before. Would it be best to havea professional rider sit on him first? He’s my first horse and we have done some showjumping up to 80cm in the past, but he can be a bit spooky to hack. Natalie Richardson, Wiltshire Mark says: I can understand why you might want to have a professional take your horse around a solid course for the first time, but if you’re a competent rider who is already comfortable jumping then you will get a lot of satisfaction in training him yourself. You can build up your confidence gradually without having to immediately start with solid fences in an open…

COMPETITION TURNOUT: TABBY OLIVER says…

Ask The Experts Plaiting a short mane Q I’m growing out my new horse’s mane as he was hogged by his previous owner.I want to take him out to some competitions, but it’s not long enough to plait. Help! Emily Wright, Fife Tabby says: Don’t worry, you can still compete your horse, even if his mane is short. For showjumping, you don’t need to plait at all; the mane just has to look tidy. If you are heading fora dressage competition, you are encouraged to plait, but at the lower levels you don’t have to. For certain showing classes it is a requirement, but there are a few things you can try… Equine extensions When a horse’s mane isn’t long or it doesn’t grow, you can use false hair in…