Innehållsförteckning för Issue 501 från Your Horse

THE OFFICE FOR National Statistics recently reported that 92% of adults in Great Britain experienced an increase in the cost of living during November-December last year. The hikes evident in the supermarket, at the petrol pumps and among online retailers is impossible to ignore. These soaring costs have been the catalyst for a Your Horse investigation into how much keeping a hacking horse sets the owner back, and whether or not those costs can be reduced. The answer is that a few possibly can, up to a point, but what turned out to be the most surprising element of our research was the total yearly cost of owning a horse, whether they are kept at livery or at home. By the time you have factored in buying in forage, bedding,…

The most seriously injured of the three was a mare with a foal at foot. The latter escaped the fire and wasn't injured, but despite the best care from the charity, the mare has since died, not from her burns, but as a result of contracting tetanus through her wounds, a disease equines in this small West African country are rarely vaccinated against due to the cost. Out of the remaining two adult horses, Hakuna and Matata, the latter was the most severely injured, having lost skin across much of his body. Fortunately, however, there is already evidence that some of his hair is starting to grow back, although he still faces a long journey of healing ahead. Hakuna was more fortunate and escaped with mainly just burns along his…

WORK HORSE balance How I make it work: It's a real family affair, with my husband and two sons all involved in the business Lisa Walker set up her successful pony hire business in 2008 and today her diminutive equines take part in myriad activities, from pantomime appearances and therapeutic visits to hospices and care homes My job… I run Mini Pony Hire, which I started in 2008 to provide pony appearances at public events, private parties and community fund-raisers. Over the years I've developed the firm and trained our ponies to enable us to also provide educational, therapeutic and palliative care visits to schools, hospices and care homes. As our ponies’ popularity grew within our local community we were asked to participate in church nativity services, pantomimes and historical…

In partnership with Nine-page horse care special! Meet this month's panel of experts Worming Tim Mair is a specialist in equine internal medicine, and head of hospital services at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in Kent. Visit bellequine.co.uk Gut health Katie Loker is director of H Bradshaw's Equine Supplements, which pioneered Coligone to maintain digestive health. Visit hbradshaws.co.uk Tack care Steph Bradley is a Society of Master Saddlers qualified master saddle fitter and approved retailer. She is also a UKCC Level 3 coach. Visit freedom saddlery.co.uk Feeding Emily Wansbrough has a BSc (Hons) in equine science and is part of the award-winning nutrition helpline team at Allen & Page. Visit allenandpage.com GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We'll know someone who can help… Welcome to our Ask The Experts section. Over…

Wet, wet, wet Q I went out for a ride the other day and my tack got absolutely soaked through. It still isn't dry and I'm not sure how I should care for it. Can you help? Harley Denham, Hampshire Steph says: The most important thing is to allow it to dry out naturally. Firstly, remove any mud, sweat, or dirt and then give the leather time to dry away from direct heat. Don't be tempted to speed up the process by putting it near a radiator as this will cause the leather to dry out too quickly and become stiff and brittle. Once the leather is dry, apply a leather conditioner containing natural ingredients such as beeswax and lanolin. Be careful not to over condition — especially the girth…

EZI-GROOM GLYCERINE LEATHER SPRAY RRP £9.99 for 400ml SHIRESEQUESTRIAN.COM This easy to apply glycerine saddle soap spray helps to save time when cleaning leather. The rich liquid contains glycerine, which is known for its cleaning and nurturing properties. EZI-GROOM LEATHER SOFT SOAP TUB RRP £6.99 for 450g SHIRESEQUESTRAIN.COM A softer formula saddle soap that is kinder to your hands and tack, Leather Soft Soap can be used directly out of the tub for added convenience. HACK & HOUND LEATHER CONDITIONER RRP £5.95 HACKANDHOUND.CO.UK A chocolate orange scented, hand-made leather conditioner that uses a blend of natural oils, beeswax and cocoa butter, this conditioner repairs and restores leather by replacing the lost moisture. The oils smooth and soften and the beeswax adds waterproofing. Sweet orange essential oil combined with cocoa butter means that…

Jason Webb, horse behaviourist: I see two bad habits among riders: either they don't pay enough attention to their horse while hacking, or they pay too much attention, page 10 Event rider Coral Hardman: I try to fit in a polework session at least once a week, not least because it provides variety for my horses and can help to make shorter sessions more productive, page 34 Dressage rider, judge and coach Sara-Jane Lanning: I was part of the testing process for the Dressage TestPro app and it's a total godsend. I use the app in so many different ways, page 50 Sarah Nelson, Spiders’ nutritionist: Being able to recognise excess weight gain is key to preventing obesity, but assessing your own horse objectively is sometimes difficult as gradual changes…

Bright young thing My new mare Aero is only three-and-a-half, but she's the most amazing youngster. Melissa Bettles, Cambridgeshire Level headed This is Missy last summer after a schooling session. She decided that her head was too heavy for her to carry! She's been with me for two years since she was retired from racing and had been a broodmare. She's now 10 and is just the sweetest mare. Paige Kirkland-Bates, Nottinghamshire A touch of Magic Here I am giving Christmas Day cuddles to my 15-year-old Welsh section D mare Saint Magical Hazelnut Swirl, aka Hazel. I've owned her for five years and we do a bit of everything, including jumping Her favourite activity is hunting the clean boot (ie, a human runner) with the South Downs Bloodhounds. As soon…

Ros Canter says:“I'm not the bravest rider, and over the years I've had to develop a system that makes me feel safe to ride at the speed across country that I need to be competitive. When I got to my first Burghley with Allstar B, we got around clear and turned up the following year planning to be competitive, but I crossed the finishing flags with just as many time faults as the first year because I'd felt out of control. Allstar B was jumping ever bigger and I was having to prepare for each fence further and further out. “That winter I started training with Christopher Bartle.The next year we won the World Equestrian Games. “We created rules that I still follow to feel safe and I have learned…

Worming made easy Q Should horses be wormed during the winter and can you recommend an easy-to-follow regime for my DIY livery yard where all the horses live out? Sue Price, Bedfordshire Tim says: The best worming programme will vary from yard to yard depending on the age and number of horses, the type of grazing and any previous worm-related disease. However, provided all the horses at your yard are over 18 months old, you can follow this simple guide… nowormingortestingrequired unless the horses are on heavily grazed pasture all year, it is a very mild winter, or there are any signs of disease. If any of these apply, perform a faecal worm egg count to check. wormeggcounteverytwo to three months, and only worm horses with a high…

Running on empty? Q I was always told that horses shouldn't be given any hard feed just before they're ridden, but my friend says that this isn't the case any more and that a feed before going out is actually a good idea. I'm confused. Who is right? Rachel Duke, via email Emily says: Most of us were taught that a horse shouldn't be fed 30 minutes to an hour before exercise. While this is still true, this advice originates from a time when feeds were mainly cereal based, which can leave your horse feeling full as they are digested in the stomach. As our knowledge of feeds and the horse's digestive system has expanded there has been a general shift towards fibre-based feeds. These are digested in the hindgut…

NAF SHEER LUXE LEATHER BALSAM RRP £11.99 for 400g NAF-EQUINE.EU/UK An intensive conditioner that is designed to penetrate and nourish tack, keeping it luxuriously soft and supple. Comes with a free sponge for easy application. SHOWMASTER ALL-IN-ONE LEATHER CARE RRP £10.90 for 500ml KRAMER.CO.UK The non-greasy Showmaster All-in-One Leather Care removes dirt and dried sweat from tack and helps to prevent damage from moisture and mildew. Nourishing substances penetrate into the leather to make it supple and prevent cracks. BELVOIR STEP 1 TACK CLEANER RRP £9.95 for 500ml CARRDAYMARTIN.COM The Step 1 gently lifts ingrained grease, sweat and dirt to enable you to wipe it off easily. The pH neutral formula won't rot stitching or over-dry the leather. Belvoir Tack Cleaner Step 1 hygienically cleans your leatherwork, leaving a perfect surface on which…

NEW WEBSITE PROVIDES ONE-STOP SHOP FOR HOLIDAY SEEKERS WITH HORSES Two women who have been best friends since their school days are celebrating the success of their website Horsenriderbnb, a relatively new concept and company born out of the Covid pandemic. Jill Dolan and Zara Stassin have run Zara's Planet, a riding holding company, for over 15 years, but when coronavirus scuppered all international travel, the duo started to search for places to visit and ride themselves — but they couldn't locate an online one-stop shop for the likes of training breaks or places to take a horse on holiday. They subsequently launched Horsenriderbnb, a site that boasts a plethora of places for horse lovers and their equine friends to stay in the UK and Ireland. Accommodation ranges from a…

We can all be guilty of slipping into behaviours that feel like they will make life easier, such as riding one-handed, on a loose rein, spending time chatting to a friend, or even using a phone when we are in the saddle on a hack. “As with horses, I tend to see two bad habits among riders: either they don't pay enough attention to their horse, or they pay too much attention,” says Jason. “Riders who don't pay attention can miss signals from their horse that he's worried about something, so it can seem like a behaviour comes out of the blue. “The other problem is being too in tune with your horse, so looking at what he's doing, micromanaging him and worrying about what he might do next without…

We are keen to know what you think about Your Horse so that we can bring you an even better brand in the future, and to thank you for filling in our survey we will enter you into a prize draw for the chance to win one of 10 gorgeous red general purpose saddle cloths** 10 PRIZES TO BE WON* About you and Your Horse magazine 1. How often do you buy Your Horse magazine? I'm a subscriber I buy every issue 6+ issues per year 1-5 issues per year This is the first issue in the past year This is the first issue I've ever bought 2. How do you obtain your copy of Your Horse magazine? I subscribe to either the print or digital edition From a newsstand/…

“Indi is a capable rider who learned as the lesson progressed. She coped well at the beginning, but the turn to the oxer was tricky, and she turned in too soon and cut the corner, and this not only highlighted her inexperience, but turned the session into one that was about educating her to make better turns. “For Indi, it was also apparent that she needs a little more length of rein and to stay more upright in front of a fence and in the air so that if her horse stops she'll be more secure. At the beginning of the session Indi had short reins and consequently a big fold as she went over a jump, so by encouraging her to have longer reins and a less drastic fold,…

Name: Cambox V4 Pro Unlikeotherhelmetcams the Cambox V4 Pro can be integrated into a helmet or skull cap close to eye level. Ultra-thin and light, it can capture a jumping round or a hack virtually as the rider sees it. The winged design comes with a stereo microphone on either side and a 4K Ultra HD camera with 150-degree viewing angle. Footage is stored in the Micro SD card slot of the camera, while in-built wifi and Bluetooth enables the livestreaming of videos to a smartphone. The on/off button is designed to be used with gloves. 32920 FromMarchApril2023at Name: OS Maps app Notstrictlyequestrianbut the official mapping app from Ordinance Survey gives riders access to OS Explorer and Landranger maps of bridleways in any area, without the…

Spillers is inviting owners of overweight horses and ponies to join its Spillers Slimmers’ Club on Facebook for support, advice and encouragement to help keep their horse or pony at a healthy weight. The initiative is supported by Redwings Horse Sanctuary, which hopes that the initiative will help owners to recognise that an overweight horse can be as much of a welfare risk as an underweight one. Obesity is a major welfare issue for horses and ponies, not only because of the direct weightassociated effects, but also due to the increased risk it poses for certain clinical conditions, in particular laminitis. Other health and welfare implications include increased joint strain, respiratory stress, heat intolerance, an increase in chronic low-grade inflammation in senior horses and reduced fertility. Now, with more than…

Stay calm and carry on Q I've heard that a healthy gut can lead to a calmer, more relaxed horse — something I definitely want to achieve during these colder months when my horse is stabled more. Is this true? Kay Bosworth, Lancashire Katie says: In a word, yes! It is well known that there is a two-way communication system between a horse's gut and his brain, referred to as the gut-brain axis, which means that your horse's gut can have a significant impact on his overall mood and behaviour. Research has confirmed a link between the hindgut microbiome (or community of microorganisms) and an individual's health and wellbeing, and there is a growing body of scientific evidence that hindgut microbes can influence communication between the gut and the brain…

Feet as a treat Q Why does my dog love to eat my horse's hoof trimmings? Beth Johnson, Cardiff Emily says: It is common to see dogs scooping up hoof trimmings when the farrier is on the yard. Hooves are made up of cells that contain keratin, which is also found in hair, horns and antlers. Dogs seem to love the smell and taste of these unconventional treats, potentially because your horse has been standing in a variety of different smelling substances that are just too tempting to resist. As long as they are free of nails, fresh trimmings shouldn't pose too much of a problem to dogs, but it is worth noting that they do harden over time, which can make them indigestible. Normally these are regurgitated, but it…

YOUR HORSE'S GEAR ON TREND | BOOT BAGS LEMIEUX BOOT & HAT BAG RRP £34.95 COLOURS Marine, sienna, navy, black, fig LEMIEUXPRODUCTS.COM This stylish storage for your riding boots features a strong waterproof denier nylon outer and base, and a padded divider between each boot for further protection. There is a front compartment for your hat and other accessories, and a comfort grip handle for easy carrying. AUBRION LONG BOOT BAG RRP £26.99 COLOUR Charcoal SHIRESEQUESTRIAN.COM Keep your long boots in perfect condition in this eye-catching Aubrion padded boot bag. Features include an external accessories zip pocket, whip pocket, two handles and hardwearing feet. HY EQUESTRIAN HARRISON THE HARE BOOT BAG RRP £25.99 COLOUR Hare print HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM This fun hare print boot bag will ensure that your long riding boots stay…

FIRST PRIZE* TWO LUCKY READERS will each win a bundle of fabulous prizes from Zebra Products, the UK and Ireland's leading distributor of well-known equestrian brands such as Uvex, Mattes, Veredus and many more. A Uvex Perfexxion II helmet will keep you looking cool while staying safe. The IAS 3D size adjustment guarantees a perfect fit on every head — it even features a cut-out for a ponytail — while the outer shell has been extended down the back of the head for maximum safety. The helmet's slimmer shape ensures that it is super light, while the new Uvex pentagon ventilation offers optimal climate regulation to guarantee that comfort is married with safety. Other prizes in the package include a pair…

1 BUNDLE OF CLASSIC PONY BOOKS Win your own library of classic pony books. Jane Badger Books republishes classic 20th century pony stories which enable the reader to escape into a world of ponies, gymkhana and problems that are (nearly always) solved. With beloved authors like Ruby Ferguson, Caroline Akrill, Patricia Leitch and the Pullein-Thompsons, there are so many paperbacks to choose from. Will you go for the classic 1930s Jean stories from Joanna Cannan, or the latest Eventer story from Caroline Akrill? Or both? With your choice of paperbacks up to a value of £200, you really can indulge yourself. Find out more at janebadgerbooks.co.uk *Worth £200 5 AUDIOBOOKS AND 13 SIGNED PAPERBACKS Laugh out loud amusing and yet also deeply moving, The Yard is a comical tale of a new…