Innehållsförteckning för Issue 488 från Your Horse

Treacle and Candy originally arrived at Blue Cross in 2011 as part of a large welfare group. They were rehomed as a pair but after five years had to return to the charity when the borrower’s circumstances changed, and were subsequently rehomed separately. Five years later, Treacle returned to Blue Cross once again. Candy’s loaner, Joanna Robins, spotted the pony’s ad on the charity’s website. “It was amazing when I found Treacle on the rehoming page,” said Joanna, who has Candy as well as another Blue Cross Shetland, Bubbles. “I first met her when I went to collect Candy five years ago — at the time she was going out to a new home. “I instantly recognised Treacle on the page as she is so like Candy. It didn’t take…

AT THE END of last year (16 December), the government announced that the legislation surrounding towing trailers and caravans had changed following discussions in parliament. Drivers who passed their car driving test after 1 January 1997 are now allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM), meaning that those who previously needed to pass a trailer towing test to be able to tow their horses within the law now no longer need to do so. The decision has divided opinion among equestrians, with some welcoming the new freedom to travel their horses without the constraints of having to train and pay for a test, while others have flagged potential safety concerns surrounding the new rules. County Durham-based rider Nichola Gaines was among the riders who welcomed the…

MEET THE TRAINER CHARLIE UNWIN is a former modern pentathlon national champion, who competed at world championship level. Believing applied psychology to be a fundamental factor in his achievements, he gained an MSc in sport & exercise psychology and has since worked with clients including top riders, football and rugby players, Olympic athletes and the royal household. Charlie also applies the principles of human performance and psychology in business. Visit performancelegacy.com MISSED PART ONE? Buy Your Horse’s February 2022 issue at shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR Tension is one of the areas that riders need to be able to manage. In part one (Your Horse, February, issue 487), we discussed the need to have confidence in your state of being, and managing that energy and how you feel. If you can keep a ‘relaxed’…

MEET THE TRAINER ROSS COOPER of Rosca Horsemanship is a British Horseman, UKCC Coach, holistic therapist and equine behaviour consultant. He provides training and ridden coaching, specialising in bitless training, young horses, foundation groundwork and behavioural issues. He’s available for teaching in the UK and EU. Visit rosscooperofficial.co.uk or find Rosca Horsemanship on Facebook. YOUNGER HORSES ARE increasingly being treated for lameness and degenerative joint issues caused by being over-worked, over-ridden and over-jumped. These animals are often still in single digits of age — broken by nine, which is far too young for such problems. Isn’t it time that more people took our horses’ welfare and age-appropriate development for overall longevity a little more seriously? There has always been great debate among equestrians as to what is considered the best…

BACK TO SCHOOL! That’s the message this issue, as we head to the arena or training field with the bare minimum of equipment, and get set to hone our horses’ balance, rhythm and suppleness. These three simple concepts are the foundations of all training, especially when you leave the ground, and time spent developing them will arm you with a toolkit of skills that will make any technical lines or tricky distances a breeze when you hit the showjumping ring or cross-country course. Top competition horse producer and three-day eventer John Paul (JP) Sheffield is a master at getting the best out of every horse and rider combination. He explains how to become a more successful, confident partnership, and up your control and accuracy over fences. SCHOOLING solutions WHAT YOU’LL…

MEET THE EXPERT LUCY GRIEVE MA VetMB MRCVS is an ambulatory vet at Rossdales in Newmarket. She works with all types of horses, from happy hackers through to amateur sports horses and elite racehorses. Her main areas of interest are lameness, diagnostic imaging and poor performance, and she is passionate about maximising the welfare of the horse at all times. AHORSE’S BODY contains approximately 700 muscles which they rely on to control their movement, but they can also contain a large amount of fat tissue which can cause major health problems including laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). So, how do we know which one is which? The difference between muscle and fat is that muscle is a distinct organ that grows around the horse’s body, and each one has…

The easiest way to monitor changes in our horses’ and ponies’ weight and condition is to body condition score alongside regular weight tracking using a weigh tape or weighbridge. Often it can be tricky to see the difference between fat and muscle, so a hands-on body condition score makes it far more obvious, as muscle feels firm whereas fat feels softer and more spongy. Scoring and weighing your horse regularly — ideally every two to four weeks — and keeping a record helps monitor and assess whether any subtle changes are occurring. It can alert you earlier that your horse may need further nutritional support or veterinary attention. This isn’t only useful for horses who are overweight, it is also useful to track progress in those who need to gain…

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE like the smell of sweet, freshly-cut hay. Hay is simply grass, legumes, or other plants that have been cut, dried and baled to use as feed throughout the winter months when grass is scarce, and for stabled horses. There’s a variety of different types of hay, depending on the grasses it is made from… ■ Seed hay Seed hay is taken from pasture grown especially for hay making, from grass seed. It has a higher nutritional value than meadow hay, and it is lighter in colour. ■ Meadow hay Meadow hay is taken from permanent pasture and may contain a wider variety of grasses than seed hay as well as clover, herbs and wild flowers. Meadow hay is more easily digested than seed hay. ■ Alfalfa hay…

MEET THE EXPERT JUSTINE HARRISON is an IAABC and ABTC certified equine behaviour consultant, and founder of online equine course platform understandhorses.com. Find out more at equinebehaviourist.co.uk Better out than in? Q Are horses happier out in the wet and cold or inside in the dry? I think they’d prefer to be out as it’s more natural, but my friend disagrees. Sam Bartie, Suffolk Trudi says: Many horses can live comfortably outside in the wet and cold; it’s very much dependent on factors such as their age, health and whether they are acclimatised to colder temperatures. A combination of rain and wind has been shown in studies to increase usage of a field shelter, and horses are most comfortable when they have some choice over the conditions they live in.…

Clothing company founder Sophie Sacco is the founder of FoxyEquestrian. She has an eight-year-old son and owns three horses. About my job… I started FoxyEquestrian in 2013, shortly after having my son, Teddy. I didn’t have any plans to start a business: it evolved from making ear warmers in my dining room. FoxyEquestrian is a bespoke brand, and I can be found at shows making designs in front of people, and these can be taken away on the day. This is my point of difference from other brands and I love watching customers’ faces as they pick up their hat silk, cross-country set or hoodie that’s been designed especially for them. I do everything from sewing the label on a hat silk, to making the poms, replying to emails, composing…

“Riders are often put off by the word ‘gallops’ because they associate it with racehorses and having to go flat out, but the speed you go is entirely up to you, and there are lots of different ways to use them”Sue Hurford VARIETY IS THE spice of life, and finding different ways to train our horses and keep fitness work interesting isn’t always easy when riders only have access to the arena and roads. One option is to hire your local gallops — they are a great place to work any breed, height and age of horse or pony. “Riders are often put off by the word ‘gallops’ because they associate it with racehorses and having to go flat out, but the speed you go is entirely up to you,…

In a 1963 study, researchers Rosenthal and Fode divided multiple students into two groups. One group were given ‘maze bright’ rats and were told they had been specially bred to learn things. The other group were given ‘maze dull’ rats and told they hadn’t been specially bred, and so were not going to learn the maze very quickly at all. The researchers planted this belief in the students’ minds before they started working with the rats. What do you think happened? After a few days, they did a test and funnily enough the ‘maze bright’ rats were able to get through the maze significantly more quickly than the other rats. The students were told at the end that there was no difference in how the rats were bred. The only thing…

For those battling with livery yard rules and restrictions, the thought of having the freedom to manage their horse exactly how they wish on their own property is practically dreamy. But is the reality all it’s cracked up to be? We asked six horse owners who are lucky enough to keep their charges at home whether the reality is a dream or a nightmare… ‘I can do the horses in my PJs’ Shropshire-based Heidi Hunter-Cope has kept horses at home for around 20 years. “Having the horses on the doorstep makes life so easy in many ways,” says Heidi. “It was always my dream to be able to pop to do the horses in my PJs rather than having to make a journey to a yard. Also, so that I…

VET notes WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • Signs a horse is feeling cold • How they conserve heat • When they really do need to wear a rug MEET THE EXPERT GEORGIE HODSON BVM BVS MRCVS is a veterinary surgeon at Haven Vet Group in Hull. Georgie graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2019 and joined the practice as one of its mixed vets soon after. She loves the variety of mixed practice and has a particular interest in cats, camelids and donkeys. Outside of work she enjoys exploring the countryside with her dog Gruff, spending time with her rescue cat Wini, and running. HORSES ARE HOMEOTHERMIC (warm-blooded) animals, which means that their core body temperature is kept within narrow limits despite large variations in ambient temperature. They are also…

GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We’ll know someone who can help Welcome to our Ask The Experts section. Over the next nine pages we help to solve your horsey problems, with help from trusted professionals. This month’s panel answer your questions on equine behaviour, winter feeding, vet care and riding confidence. If you’ve got a question you’d like answered, get in touch today using the email address at the top of this page. Email your question to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk Simple solutions for horse owners…

WINTER IS TOUGH when you own horses, having to be out in all weathers making sure they are fed, watered and exercised. Having the right kit makes coping with the wind, rain and snow that little bit more bearable, and a good warm and waterproof jacket is a must. They need to be comfortable to wear for yard work and riding as well as able to cope in all weathers. Our testers have put six short waterproof jackets to the test. Over the past four months they have been using the jackets on a daily basis to find out which ones they rate as the best. The coats have been worn for yard work and hacking out and none of our testers are fair weather riders; they have been out…

THE PROSPECT OF buying a new saddle should be exciting, but with such a wide variety of different saddles available it can prove to be pretty daunting. Before you part with your money, it’s well worth doing your research and answering a few key questions to help narrow down your search — after all, buying a saddle isn’t cheap so it’s really important to get it right. Follow our simple five-step guide which will help you find the best saddle for you and your horse. Also, when you’re looking to buy a saddle it’s always worth setting your budget, and remember to factor in the cost of a visit from your saddle fitter too. 1 Call in the experts The first thing to do is book an appointment with a…

For all the latest news from the horse world, visit yourhorse.co.uk BRIDLE FIT Research highlights importance of bridle fit and style New research has uncovered discrepancies in pressures of different styles of noseband, and highlighted the impact of bridle fit on gait. Equine vet and researcher Dr Rachel Murray presented the findings of the study — ‘Importance of bridle fit for optimal equine welfare and performance’ — at the Saddle Research Trust Conference in December. Nineteen competition horses had pressure mats fitted under the headpiece, noseband, throatlash and cheekpieces of the bridle. Cavesson nosebands applied asymmetrical pressure, particularly between the leather and buckle, while crank nosebands applied symmetrical pressure with reduced peak pressure. The flash had the highest pressure in most places compared with other nosebands tested, whereas drop nosebands…

WHAT MAKES UP the perfect hack? If you ask my gelding Skippy it would probably be “a dry day, in-hand, on the way to my field” — so, just turning him out. But he gets this jaunt every day, and he does also love to leave the yard in pursuit of adventure. So I asked our #Hack1000Miles riders for their thoughts on the ingredients for a perfect hack, and the top few requirements were unanimous. Location, location, location For many, the basis of a good hack is where you’re going. Whether it’s a tried-and-true bridlepath you could ride backwards with your eyes closed, or venturing off into unexplored countryside, the route is key. As we don’t have any bridleways nearby, Skippy and I spend most of our time doing roadwork,…

YOU COULD SAY that there are two Ben Mahers. There is Ben the public persona, who spends much of his life soaring over gargantuan painted poles on super-talented equines. This Ben is there for all to see checking in or out in hotel foyers, or at airports or on planes, for he circumnavigates the globe frequently in his (often successful) quest to win his sport’s great prizes. This same Ben posts pictures on social media of podium presentations, videos of speedy clear rounds and mighty leaps over easily dislodged obstacles that his mounts rarely even touch. Then there is private Ben. The one who exists behind closed doors, away from the limelight. Like tonight, for he is home alone in Hertfordshire (new wife Sophie is currently at 35,000ft somewhere above…

IT’S VERY SAD when you see negative comments on social media. If you see negativity and unpleasant comments towards your friends or yourself, it’s awful, and these words can have a serious impact — including death by suicide. Elite athletes receive death threats and are on the receiving end of hate speech; we also hear of people’s shared vulnerability being exploited. It is truly horrific. This column isn’t going to solve all these issues, but it will give you more tools to limit these negative interactions, should you experience any. Firstly, it’s important to lead by example. If a person has said something that you disagree with, or your inner voice has something negative to say about the situation, do you really need to write it? No. Put your phone…

Why don’t hunting folk wear high-vis? I live in a village that is home to a lot of yards and horses, as well as a hunt kennels, and I have noticed that riders from the kennels never wear high-vis — despite the fact that they ride out in large groups, many riding and leading, and their clothes and horses tend to be dark in colour. The weather recently has been grim and visibility poor, and even just a tabard on each rider would make a huge difference. I recently came across a group of them out hacking on my way to work at 8am one January morning. Due to poor weather, I didn’t see them until I was nearly on top of them but thankfully wasn’t going fast. Frustrated, I…

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • How to ride deep into corners • What you can do to resolve falling-out • How to identify true bend WHEN YOU TRAIN corners correctly the payoff is great. Whether you struggle with bend, drifting or anything in between, Tania Grantham’s exercises will banish corner conundrums once and for all. In a dressage test, corners are free spaces that allow you to rebalance and reorganise. When a corner is ridden well, your horse should take his weight behind and show forward, balanced steps. He’ll maintain inside bend and an upright frame, and won’t display that motorbike action in which horses drift around a turn. MEET THE TRAINER TANIA GRANTHAM of Inspire Dressage is a grand prix rider, trainer and pole work specialist. Based in the south-east,…

To ensure your horse maintains their optimum temperature, it is important to monitor them as individuals and provide everything they need to adjust their temperature in changing weather, such as offering a field shelter and using appropriate rugs. Stabling is often used in cold weather to protect horses from adverse conditions or particularly low temperatures, and it is also useful in warm weather to protect them from the hottest parts of the day. It is important to make any changes to your horse’s routine gradually, to prevent stress and health problems such as colic.…

LAND ROVER LOVERS This belt is the perfect addition to a country outfit for anyone who loves Land Rover Defenders. The Glaze and Gordon 4x4 Needlepoint Belt is crafted from hand-stitched French cotton and full grain Italian leather, finished with a solid brass buckle. RRP £160 GLAZEANDGORDON.COM HANDY LAYER The Zera Tech Fleece from Mountain Horse is a warm, stylish and functional fleece top. It has a smooth outer surface that prevents dirt and horsehair from sticking to it, and the warm brushed interior will keep you warm. With a handy zipped pocket placed on the back for instant mobile access when you need it, this fleece top also has reflective details on the back, two front pockets, thumbholes at the sleeve ends and a full-length front zip. RRP £49…