Innehållsförteckning för Issue 494 från Your Horse

INDUSTRY Survey finds one in five don’t support horses in sport Equestrian sports are in need of public support in order to continue. An independent survey revealed that one in five respondents did not support the continued involvement of horses in sport under any circumstances, indicating that the public “do not always trust us to protect the key stakeholder — the horse”. The survey also found that more than half felt horse welfare should be prioritised more. “These results should sound an alarm call,” said Roly Owers, chief executive at World Horse Welfare. “[These opinions] do not just exist only among people who do not understand horses.” Of those surveyed who were involved with horses, 45% supported the continued involvement of horses in sport only if welfare is improved. Roly…

IT IS REALLY flattering when a brand approaches you and says that they want to work with you. In fact, when you think of how busy the world of social media is, to have had your account stand out to a brand is truly something to be proud of. And yet, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should say yes. We’re going to explore both sides of the coin here with questions you need to ask yourself… ■ Do you like the brand? If you’ve been following my columns for a while and you’ve seen anything about brand ambassadorships, I always state the importance of liking the brand. This would be a non-negotiable for me as, as flattering as it is to be asked (and it is!), you could compromise your…

TURMERIC HAS BEEN used as a traditional medicine in Eastern culture for centuries. Its properties, efficacy, bioavailability and safety across species has been extensively researched, and it is perfectly placed as a beneficial supplement for all horses. Turmeric contains more than 300 individual bioactives, which can broadly be categorised as Terpenoids, or essential oils; phenolics, including curcumin; and the curcumoids (colouring agents). In addition, there are functional fibres and bioactive peptides, all of which combine to give a product that is greater than the sum of its parts. One major drawback was poor bioactivity of the component curcumin (although the other actives are good), but improving the absorption and length of activity through supporting nutrition has solved this. From our knowledge of the components and interactions, the benefits of turmeric…

THE LENGTH OF your stirrups, as well as your foot position in the iron, affect the way you ride more than you think. Whether they are an inappropriate length for the type of riding you’re doing or uneven, they could be putting you in an uncomfortable or even vulnerable position, as biomechanics coach Hannah Irons explains. “From the rider’s point of view, it’s important to ensure you have the correct alignment of your stirrups,” says Hannah. “What I often see is riders with stirrups that are too long having to reach for them, and so they hollow their back. And vice versa, when the stirrups are too short, riders tend to round their backs. “Another factor is the angle of the hip,” Hannah continues. “I see a lot of riders…

MEET THE TRAINER VIKKI HAYTON is based at College Farm Equestrian Centre and runs Markham Dressage. She’s a BHS instructor and examiner, a UKCC Level 3 accredited dressage coach, a British Dressage (BD) judge and Northern Region BD Chairman. Visit collegefarm.com MEET THE RIDER & HORSE SAM GORMAN BHSI has owned PORRIDGE since he was a youngster, and the 14.1hh, nine-year-old gypsy cob now competes at advanced medium level. MISSED PART ONE? Buy Your Horse’s July 2022 issue at shop. kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR GOT A CLEVER horse who likes to second guess what you’re going to ask? Or maybe he’s a little on the lazy side and you’re struggling to sharpen up his transitions? Whatever your horse’s traits, dressage rider and trainer Vikki Hayton is on hand to help you liven things…

Email your questions to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk Simple solutions for horse owners 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 riding and horse care questions, with advice on feeding, competing, staying safe on the roads and boasting your confidence out hacking. If you’ve got a question you’d like answered, get in touch today. Meet this month’s panel of experts Riding confidence Sam Gorman is a BHSI Level 5 performance coach and dressage rider. Find her on Facebook or search ‘Porridge the long haired Lipizzaner’ for her blog. Road safety Nicky Fletcher is the managing director of Equisafety, well known…

Passport control Q I want to go to a local show this summer, but don’t understand what’s what with regards to vaccinations and passports. Help!Mandy Hill, Suffolk Jodie says: In general, your horse must have a valid equine influenza vaccination certificate, which is completed, signed and stamped by a vet. No vaccinations may be given in the seven days prior to a competition. Following an increase in equine infectious diseases, in 2021 British Eventing, British Dressage and some higher level Pony Club competitions have tightened their restrictions, requiring that each competing horse has a booster within six months (plus 21 days) of any competition. This is in line with FEI international competition requirements. It’s important to check the schedule of the show well in advance to ensure you have the…

For a chance to get your hands on these goodies*, enter at yourhorse.co.uk/win/494 6 X 1.5KG TUBS OF TURMERITCH TurmerItch is offering a 1.5kg tub to six lucky winners. 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 produce a high shine to your horse’s coat. The easy-touse pellets are highly palatable and the active ingredients in TurmerItch also support biting insect repulsion and help maintain reduced sensitivity. ❋Worth £44.99 each Find out more at goldenpastecampany.co.uk 1 PAIR OF FREE REINS PLUS SERVICE KIT One lucky winner will receive a pair of full-size Free Reins, plus a three-ring service kit and branded…

STOMACH ULCERS CAN cause ongoing pain and discomfort for horses, with resulting problems in their rideability. Prevention is always better than cure, so what can you do — and not do — to reduce the chance of ulcers developing or recurring in your horse? 1 AVOID HIGH STARCH DIETS To reduce the risk of your horse developing ulcers, opt for a feed that is high in fibre and low in starch and sugar, as this type of feed is more natural for the horse and easy to digest. In addition, a feed which is BETA accredited as suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers will offer you peace of mind that it meets your horse’s specific nutritional needs. Keeping a low starch and sugar level can be achieved by avoiding…

AROUND 65% OF a horse’s body is water and the average normal water intake for a horse is around 5% of their bodyweight each day — that’s 25 litres for a 500kg horse. These are big numbers, so you can see why ensuring they consume enough water, especially when the mercury rises, is essential for equine welfare this summer. Keys to staying hydrated ➤ The most basic golden rule is to provide unrestricted access to clean water. Clean buckets and troughs regularly and keep an eye that your horse drinks at least what is normal for him. ➤ Adequate water intake is crucial for good digestive health. Horses have a high fibre diet and so they need a lot of water in their digestive system to help the food move…

YOU WOULDN’T LEAVE the technical elements of a cross-country course to chance and it’s no different when it comes to the first crucial moments — preparing to exit the start box and approach fence one. The start box needs to be a stress-free situation for your horse. Out of the excitement and apprehension before you set off must come a pleasant experience to get you both in the right headspace and your round off to a positive start. PROBLEM: My horse is reluctant to leave the collecting ring FIX IT: It can be strange for horses to leave the others and walk down to the start box — they don’t immediately have a job to focus on so they default to hanging back. Some will act like this leaving the…

OUR HORSES ARE our pride and joy, bringing us years of pleasure, which is why we owe it to them to end their days when the time is right. That time might not be when they are very old or injured or ill — although in these scenarios it can often make the decision appear easier to reach. Sometimes it might mean putting a young horse to sleep following an injury that has left them unrideable because they wouldn’t be happy in retirement, or giving a teenage horse a peaceful ending rather than passing them on as a companion, even if it feels too soon. Yet all too often horses in their late teens and older are advertised on social media and horses for sale sites — and this is…

THERE ARE SOME things that you just couldn’t make up — and when it involves two long and expensive journeys with veterinary medicine it feels particularly cruel. That was the case for 16-year-old Olivia Green and her mother Louise, whose pony Draghi Crystal Lightning (‘Crystal’) was kicked and fractured her splint bone just five days after getting the all clear following recovery from a metal nail fragment that was embedded in her pedal bone. The 14.2hh 15-year-old Welsh section D mare has been with Olivia since February 2019, enjoying Pony Club rallies, eventing, hunter trials and showjumping. They were area showjumping champions in 2019, and they also love hacking. It all came to a crashing halt, however, on 5 June 2021 — a date firmly etched in the Greens’ minds…

STRAIGHT AND BALANCED The Equiseat Aid is an innovative yet simple riding aid which helps you achieve straightness in the saddle and harmony with your horse. It’s made from heavy stretch elastic which wraps around the lower thigh of your stronger, dominant leg and has two foam blocks, one on the middle of the hamstring and one on the inner thigh, each encased in a Velcrofastened pocket. The foam blocks open your thigh and you can no longer ‘grip up’, which is what tips you off balance. The Equiseat Aid is an excellent tool for riders who find that: ■ Their saddle consistently sits or slips to one side. ■ Their horse bends and moves more freely on one rein compared to the other. ■ They struggle with stability or…

HAVING YOUR HORSE’S tail in tip-top condition not only ensures he looks his best, but at this time of the year his tail is an extremely effective fly swat. Applying a detangler can really help to keep your horse’s tail healthy and tangle free. A healthy tail cuts down on grooming time and also means that less hair gets snapped, resulting in a fuller and healthier tail. We have put seven detanglers to the test on three different horse’s tails. Each detangler has been used as per the manufacturer’s instructions and on freshly washed, wet tails, as well as on dry tails. Our testers assessed how well each product worked on dry and wet tails, and how long-lasting the effects were. When reviewing the detanglers they also considered how easy…

■ After nearly two decades of trying, Shane Breen triumphed in the 60th Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead. The Irish showjumper has finished second and third in the title class on several occasions, and last month he finally delivered the winning round aboard Team 27’s Can Ya Makan. Shane also piloted Golden Hawk into equal second. The famous international arena includes the iconic Derby bank (pictured) — its sloping front is a whopping 10ft 6in high — and the highest obstacles on the 16-fence track are 1.60m tall, with some oxers an imposing 2m wide. “I never normally feel pressure, but I was actually getting a bit anxious because everyone kept saying ‘It’s your year!’ and I’d say, ‘It’s been my year for the last 15 years’,” said Shane, whose…

EVERY YEAR, A multitude of horses and runners descend on the tiny Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells to take on an epic challenge that pits runner against horse in a race across the country. After a two-year forced absence for the pandemic, in 2022 Whole Earth Man v Horse returned and, for only the third time in its 40-year history, a runner crossed the finish line first. Cumbrian firefighter Ricky Lightfoot out ran over 50 horses and 1,000 runners by two minutes and one second to claim victory after a gruelling 21 miles. The first horse home was Invictus ridden by Kim Alman and second — the third finisher overall — was #Hack1000Miles challenger Mike Mills with his Arab x Warmblood mare, Bali. “I am ecstatic with the result. I…

We want to hear from you A double winner Here is a photo of me wearing the fabulous competition clothing and boots from Cavallo that I won in January Your Horse (issue 486). It took a while for everything to arrive, but it was worth the wait. The clothing is amazing quality and the fit is great. I recently entered my first novice dressage class and we won by just over 71% – so my new outfit is now my lucky outfit as well! Thank you Your Horse and Cavallo for my lovely prize. Viv Spencer, by email A little ‘bit’ of help Thank you ever so much for the bitting guide you included in the last issue of Your Horse. It’s a topic I always find a minefield –…

FLIES. HOW CAN you best tackle these pesky critters? First things first — know your enemy! There are many different types of flies, each with their own habits and behaviours, and they each pose their own challenges when it comes to control measures. Read on for tips on how to keep your horse free from flies this summer. HORSE FLY Nemesis to many, the dreaded horsefly elicits painful bites and can cause serious distress to horses. They are persistent, aggressive, and hard to control. Have you ever wondered why your horse seems to get bitten by horseflies repeatedly? As their bites are so painful, when bitten, horses swish and kick, dislodging the horseflies mid-feed, causing them to repeatedly land and re-bite. Horseflies are attracted to smell — such as sweat,…

Riding on a variety of surfaces is the best way to keep horses sound — research shows that it reduces the risk of injury. However, you should avoid going from one extreme surface (such as very deep) to another (such as very hard), as this increases the injury risk. Always warm up well, whether you’re going for a hack, schooling or competing. On colder days, allocate more time to warming up — if you do, your horse’s limbs are more likely to stay healthy. Cooling down is important too. Even if your horse isn’t hot and sweaty, a good 10-15-minute walk to finish will help legs cool down and recover, and prevent stiffness or more serious problems occurring. According to research, roadwork results in forces on the hoof around 20…

1 Leave plenty of time The last thing you want to be doing is trying to rush your horse to load, especially if they can be tricky. Also give yourself time to remember to pack everything — no one wants to turn up at a competition missing a piece of tack! Allow more time than you need to get ready, leave and arrive on time. A mad dash is not good for you or your horse. 2 Carry a breakdown kit Include a warm coat and sturdy boots for you, plus riding hat and gloves for handling your horse. High-vis and your horse’s bridle are a good idea. Also carry a torch, first-aid kit (human and equine), warning triangle and jump leads. Ensure your breakdown and insurance cover is up-to-date…

AT SOME STAGE in their ridden life, every horse does something for the first time. It might be a dressage horse seeing a showjumping course; a pure showjumper tackling his first-ever solid fences; a hacking horse being ridden between the white boards — and everything in between. For a lot of horses, these new ‘firsts’ come early in their careers while they are still youngsters — but not always. Some of these experiences take place years later, perhaps as a result of time off or being broken in late, or going to a new rider and switching disciplines. Suddenly that brave pure showjumper performing solidly over 1.40m tracks until the age of 10 finds himself in unfamiliar territory and lacking experience compared to other horses half his age, as he’s…

MEET THE EXPERT DR LAURA WILSON BVM&SMRCVS graduated from Edinburgh University in 2013 and has worked in clinical practice as a vet She started her career in Newmarket and has also spent time working in New Zealand as part of the veterinary team servicing some of the country’s largest stud, racing and thoroughbred sales clients. Laura is particularly interested in preventative health and nutrition. CARING FOR OUR horses and ponies with the aim of reaching and maintaining a healthy body condition can be a challenge. The summer months can be particularly tricky to navigate for those that are naturally good doers, however weight loss during this period is possible with the right nutrition and management plan in place. Our horses’ current body condition and changes in their body weight are…

Be safe, be seen Q Should you wear high-vis gear in summer too? David Smith, Yorkshire Nicky says: Sun, as we know, can be blinding. When going from dark, tree-lined roads to bright sunshine the eye takes a second to adjust — and this can be the difference between a car driver seeing you or not. Horses are designed to blend in as they’re prey animals. As a result, dappled shade is extremely dangerous, blending them in to the background and making it very difficult for drivers to see you if you’re not wearing high-visibility clothing. When the weather’s hot go for lightweight, breathable gear which is fully adjustable at the sides. Ideally, look for high-vis kit with secure pockets for carrying your mobile phone or keys, and team it…

CAST YOUR EYE around any tack room and you’re sure to spot various sets of protective boots. Boots are designed to protect your horse’s legs and hooves. But before you rush out and buy boots, ask yourself this question — does my horse need them? Not all horses necessarily need to wear boots, and the answer will vary depending on what activities you do and his conformation. For some disciplines, such as jumping and going cross-country, or if your horse has conformation that means he may be more likely to knock himself, then boots are a good idea to potentially reduce the risk of injury. In any tack shop you’ll find a selection of different types of boots that are suitable for different activities. In this Buyer’s Guide we look…