Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Mar-2023 i Horse & Hound

SIX-YEAR-OLD Ivy ThomasCook features in And Finally… this week (news, plO) jumping her father Ben's 17hh stallion over a 1.20m oxer. She's glued to horse sport every evening and follows the top riders - I hope she will achieve her showjumping ambitions. It got me wondering how many other potential riders out there have a natural ability, confidence or skill that might never be realised, because it isn't seen or nurtured. As Pammy Hutton says (opinion, pl4), if you want to treat someone to something, make it a ride. Moving on to creating young equine stars, this week's sport horse breeding special looks at how what we want from dressage horses has changed (feature, p38). It's fascinating to see sports and trends develop - hopefully not so quickly that by…

MINELLA TIMES The 2021 Grand National winner has been retired. The Henry De Bromheadtrained 10-year-old, owned by JP McManus, had a setback while preparing for this year's National. SANCEO The 17-year-old who led the US team to Olympic silver with Sabine SchutKery has been retired and returned to his owners, Alice Womble-Heitmann and Mike Heitmann. LOSTINTRANSLATION Richard O'Dwyer and Paul Taylor's dual Grade One winner, who came third in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has retired aged 11. He was trained by Colin Tizzard, and recently Colin's son Joe.…

▲ FOALING DOWN A breeder was in a webinar on “foaling the mare” as her sister was in labour. “I wondered if I should share tips,” the breeder confided. Gloves, tail bandage, good to go! ▲ BABYING DOWN A rider on her due date interpreted advice to “stay mobile” to mean “spring-clean stables and wheel the barrow atop the muck heap”. The stables do look fabulous though… ▲ ENTERPRISE Starship is working with the BHS to ensure its delivery robots and horses can “safely coexist”. The bots learn on every journey, including how to pass horses safely. More than can be said for many human drivers… ▼ FUNGUS Top marks to the rider who stood firm for months as her horse Gary's guttural pouch mycosis was treated. As the last…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 OPINION ONCE upon a time, I was 17, preoccupied with improving my riding style, knowledge and results, and impressing the great and good. Now at 71, I still worry about the same things. My shoulders are rounder but my awareness is better and I don't so much care what others think. Riding into old age, fighting those creaky joints, is hard. It can be terrifying too… will I sit that buck? Yet when people ask me why I'm still riding, my reply is that I love it. I love riding even more than I hate sofas, beds and doctors, especially the one who offered me a blue disabled badge. My head still remembers how to gallop, jump, show off and win; anyway, I've always been spurred on by…

As a child, I was obsessed with horses. I started volunteering at a local yard near Glasgow when I was 11; if I helped out all weekend, then I got a free lesson. I saw the blacksmith come to shoe the horses and was desperate to do it. It looked like my perfect job, working for myself and with horses. When I told the careers adviser at school what I wanted to do, they said it was “not a ladylike job”. After school, I did a year's pre-farriery course at Oatridge Agricultural College in Scotland. After I left Oatridge, I hand-wrote 325 letters looking for a job. I didn't get many responses, but Derek Gardner gave me a chance; I ended up moving to Penrith and worked for him for…

PRE-PURCHASE EXAMINATIONS (PPEs) or, as they are generally known, vettings, are a notoriously stressful time for everyone, but do they have to be? Could we understand their role better? We probably need to stop treating them as a test for the horse and start viewing them as a risk assessment - a report of the facts available at the time, with an opinion formed by the attending vet based on those facts. Then we can use vettings to their full advantage and avoid the pitfalls and upset that can occur. Some buyers view a vetting as a guarantee that the horse won't “go wrong”. Sellers may see them as a horse's certificate of viability for the market, which is why it is common for sellers to request a deposit, to…

MYERSCOUGH COLLEGE PARA WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS 24-26 February Myerscough College Para Winter Championships, Lancs HANDLING his dual role with aplomb, seven-year-old gelding OFS Dragons Fire scored a decisive win in the grade III gold individual championship with Erin Orford. Erin's trainer Sophie Wells, who owns the De Niro son with Jackie Walker and Valerie Woolford, competes him in able-bodied dressage and recently qualified him for the nationals. “Sophie had him in January and I had him in February,” laughed Erin, who was offered the ride last year when she was left without a horse after the sale of LJT Diamond Crusador. “I started taking him to demos over winter, including the nationals at Somerford and the London International Horse Show in December. He's sensitive and responsive, a little pocket rocket, but…

A CHANCE find last year is coming up trumps for Hayley Watson-Greaves, whose seven-year-old gelding Lamborghini (pictured) was a novice gold winner and elementary gold runner-up at Burrows Court, Gloucestershire. “My mum spotted him in an ad but he turned out to be too small for the client who was looking to buy,” she explained. “He had presence, moved well and seemed trainable, so I bought him. I always look for temperament first. “He was a bit scared of people at first so we've had to buiid his trust,” added Hayley, who describes him as the bounciest horse she has ever ridden. “He has massive potential.” ONE TO WATCH ON FORM VIOLET HAWKINS, 13, scored five section wins on top of four overall victories with three ponies at Addington, Bucks.…

SHOWJUMPING HIGHLIGHTS 18-19 February Bury Farm large pony premier, Bucks SOME newer combinations at this level made their mark in Sunday's JA classic, with Maisie Allsop and Attytory Rebel and Emily Fisher with Kryptonite Van Orchid sharing the spoils after jumping the only clears of the first round. “It was quite technical and spooky, so I was actually glad that the competition didn't make the second and third round!” Maisie said. It was only Maisie's third attempt at JA tracks, having come off 138cms early after Horse of the Year Show last year and taking on two new 148cm ponies. Rebel was bought from Denmark and has proved to be a “true gent”. “We don't know much about him, other than he's been to the Europeans a few times. My…

RACING HIGHLIGHTS 25 February jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Kempton Park Racecourse, Surrey IT might have been a long, stuttering winter for jockeystumed-trainers Sam Thomas and Christian Williams, but it proved a cracking return to form for the South Wales-based pair when Thomas landed Kempton's Coral Trophy with Our Power and Williams took the Vertem Eider Chase at Newcastle with Kitty's Light (see report, right). “He was quick where it mattered” SAM TWISTON-DAVIES ON WINNING MOUNT OUR POWER Thomas has only had 10 winners this season and admitted to being unsure as to how his horses might run because they have been under the weather on and off since November. However, he must be doing something right as between them, the horses have won £400,000 in prize money. Our Power set the ball rolling…

gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Cottesmore, Garthorpe, Leics ELLIE HOLDER enjoyed an easy victory in the conditions (level two) for novice riders aboard her own Champagne Noir, who is trained by her boss, Tom Ellis. “I bought him from Doncaster from Charlie Longsdon,” said Tom. “I was stood next to Charlie at the ring and he said, ‘No one is buying my horse' and so I asked if he would be suitable for a novice rider, and he said he'd be perfect for that job. I bought him without looking at him on Charlie's recommendation. “It's another nice win for Ellie, who has showcased her talents once more with a very competent ride.” Tom also trains I'm Spellbound, who won the maiden under Gina Andrews for the Signy and Marriage families. “His homework…

South & West Wilts, Larkhill, Wilts BRADLEY GIBBS scored a double on the day with the first of his wins coming in the maiden aboard the Callum Griffiths owned and trained Gouazec. This was Callum's first runner from his Welsh yard, having previously worked as assistant to Alistair Ralph. “It was great to get a winner for Callum,” said Bradley. “He jumped and travelled nicely.” “He jumped and travelled nieely” BRADLEY GIBBS ON GOUAZEC'S WIN FOR CALLUM GRIFFITHS Bradley's second win came with Purple Aid, who he trains, in the flat race for 4,5&6yo. “I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM” “HE shocked me a bit, to be honest,” said Bradley of the Champs Elysees five-year-old, owned by Ratkatcha Racing. “Josh Young, who rides him out every day for me, has done a lot…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ THE story of a horse who would not be caught for weeks - and later bolted into a fence who is now competing, shines a spotlight on both equine and human behaviour change. Hannah Bryant and her Welsh cob Gavin feature at the National Equine Forum today (2 March), with Horse Trust director of equine behaviour Gemma Pearson and social scientist Tamzin Furtado. The aim was to explore the science behind the way people and horses learn, what makes horses behave as they do, and tackling unwanted behaviour. Hannah told H&H she bought Gav as a five-year-old, six years ago, and put him in a temporary isolation paddock. “On the first night, he got through the fence, to…

MEET Ivy, the six-year-old not content with clearing a 1.20m oxer on a 17hh stallion; she wanted to go bigger. Ivy Thomas-Cook, who is only 1.15m tall herself, had been “itching” to jump father Ben's Crown's Ace Of Pearl. “His temperament is just unbelievable; I'm never worried when she rides him,” Ben said. “We've been letting her walk him round but walking isn't her idea of fun. There's a video of me putting the jump up and she's going, ‘Bigger, bigger!' She'd have jumped the top of the wings.” Ben added: “To take a little tot like that, who he could barely feel - I've got no words for how good Ace is.”…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald AS top competition horses continue to be delayed on lorries at Calais for postBrexit paperwork checks, the powers that be keep talking. The welfare implications are obvious. So what's being done? British Equestrian tells me there's “constant, ongoing dialogue” and that the port of Calais has been “helpful in resolving concerns”. Meanwhile, Defra speaks to their counterparts within the French government about the welfare challenges. “Our top competition horses deserve better” The federation hopes that a move from paper equine passports to pre-supplied digital paperwork will help. Work is also underway on a “low-risk horse” equine health certification, so that horses attaining a certain health threshold are subject to fewer checks. At British Showjumping, Iain Graham points out, “The system that's in place is what the Government agreed……

HORSE&HOUND IN THE SPOTLIGHT Need to know FALLATIJN Age: 13 Breeding: Vivaldi x Cabochon Studbook: KWPN Owner: Laura Tomlinson and her mother Ursula Rider: Laura Tomlinson Breeder: J G Damen (NED) Greatest achievements: grand prix second and grand prix special first Hagen CDI3* 2022; grand prix special first Keysoe CDI3* 2022, team reserve for World Dressage Championships 2022 RIDER LAURA TOMLINSON “FALLATIJN (Finn) is a real paradox. In some senses he's completely uncomplicated but I am still working on unlocking his full potential in the ring. He was pretty wild and wired as a young horse, and although I always believed in him, that part of his character still sits deep within him and can come through in a big atmosphere. “Because of my pregnancies, he has had long stints…

FUTURE HEPSILON (Woody) is a sixyear-old Anglo European Studbooklicensed stallion by Upsilon, bred and owned by Julia Hodkin of Future Sport Horses, based in East Yorkshire. Julia leased his dam, Sue Hicks' late Heraldik Girl-W, who is by Heraldik xx, a thoroughbred who features in the pedigree of numerous successful eventers. Heraldik Girl-W's progeny include Kirsty Chabert's four-star ride Opposition Heraldik Girl. “I had been following Upsilon - I like the Anglo-Arab influence in the Selle Français studbook. I like the more refined, blood-type horses. Upsilon has a great competition record and this fantastic top line through his sire Canturo, which gave me all the jumping genetics I wanted,” says Julia. As a five-year-old, Woody finished in the top 12 of the Nexgen, Burghley young event horse and British Eventing…

SONS are fickle creatures, only tolerating the mothers they once adored for their laundry services when they become teenagers. So, when my son Alex showed an interest in riding, I nurtured it with the coolest boy-centric riding adventures I could find. Thundering rides on Dartmoor, mounted archery, Badminton… he's done the lot, with the happy result that I now have my very own partner in grime. Alex does not have his own pony, but when he returned from a torrentially wet New Year's Eve cross-country schooling lesson soaked to his pants but completely buzzing, it struck me that he might be ready to go hunting. At halt-term the plan was hatched. Andrea O'Regan of ACES hunter hirelings has looked after me well in the past, and thought she might have…

HIGHLIGHTS 13-19 February HAVE YOU WON A BD CLASS? DO YOU OR YOUR HORSE HAVE A GREAT STORY? Email dressagehighlights@yahoo.com within 24 hours of your win for a chance to feature on these pages Myerscough College winter regionals, Lancs HAVING found the “missing link” with Desperado stallion James Bond II, Becky Moody scored a convincing 72.16% prix st ffeorces (PSG) gold win. “He's a really talented horse with a good brain, but I was struggling to find a way to get the engine going,” said Becky, who rides nine-year-old “Q” for Jo Cooper and Pat and David Webster. “There was never a question about the ability, but getting the sharpness. He's going to be really smart.” At inter 1, Qfinished a close second to stablemate Jack Diamond (Legs), another nine-year-old…

DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A CLASS? Email jennifer.donald@futurenet.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number Onley Grounds, Warks WORKMATES Catherine Housman and Daniel May landed both the Blue Chip qualifiers, with Catherine heading the FMBs Therapy Systems star qualifier with her own Contrichta, and Daniel the Joshua Jones UK winter discovery qualifier with Julian Mincher's Double M Sensation. Catherine and her mare delivered the fastest double clear by more than two seconds. “She loves a jump-off more than I do,” said Catherine, who has worked for Julian Mincher for eight years and came across “Dante” when she came in on sales livery. “I hated her and couldn't work out how to ride her, then one day something…

IT'S the end of the season and the wheels are falling off the pram. Three of the four horses here have problems. Mine is on box rest pending a scan to a tendon. On a national level, storm clouds are gathering over the future of hunting in an evermore menacing way, but we are still enjoying what we have for the time being. On Tuesday of half term, Alec and Mary were out on their ponies while Adam and I took to a quad bike with Jack. We had a visiting pack from the south of the county, their master and huntsman hunting a mixed pack of their hounds and ours in the wilds of the Scottish side. This meet has become a bit of an event - it's happened…

BRISTOL DE MAI Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's grey, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies to win the Betfair Chase three times, has retired aged 12. He also ran in three Gold Cups. GAZELLE Robin Parsky's mare, ridden by US showjumper Kent Farrington and who won over $4m (£3.32m), has retired aged 17. Her wins included the Aachen and Geneva grands prix. SIR MANGAN British pointing's 2020/21 champion horse, trained by Alan Hill for Nick Sutton, has retired. The 15-year-old's eighth and last pointing win was last May, under Ben Sutton.…

RAISING AWARENESS I WAS interested to read your “Hidden differences” feature (9 February) about neurodiversity in equestrian sport. I have been involved in developing the Pony Club's reasonable adjustment plan and equality policy. Together with parents, Pony Club members, volunteers and officials, we have developed a personal profile form for our members one for the under-lls and the other for the over-12s. These form the basis of the reasonable adjustment plan, which is done in consultation with the child or young person and their parents. Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. “We are seeing more children achieving great things” ABIGAIL BERNARD Some of these adjustments might be quite minor, such as allowing the child longer to process a question or letting them visit a…

WILL MORTON is on a high. Not only did the show horse producer mark the end of his 2022 season with a second in the lightweight show hunter of the year final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), riding Sarah-Ann Gunn's Kilcarna Brilliant, but he's set for another prosperous term in the ring thanks to an enviable string of show horses. The 26-year-old has earned a rapid rise to the top over the past decade by combining natural talent, an eagle eye for quality and outstanding showmanship. Will was first thrust into the spotlight in 2013 via the ever-growing SEIB Search For A Star series. Despite being just 16 years old at the time, Derbyshire-born Will and his mother Alison Morton's lightweight show cob Woodfield Choice (Cobba) won their…

“FINN is generally very straightforward on the ground. He is amenable, genuine and easy-going, and usually he is placid as anything, but sometimes he can get very excited and then his tail goes straight up in the air. “He is an absolute angel to take away to shows; he eats and drinks, he loads by himself and he'll happily travel for hours by himself. Out hacking he is good as gold too - he'd happily lollop around on the buckle, and he has become a bit of a nanny for the young horses. “He does like to let himself out of his stable, though, and although he is better now, there was a time a few years ago when we couldn't leave him alone with boots or bandages on as…

VISIT HORSE & HOUND'S VIRTUAL SHOPPING VILLAGE horseandhound.co.uk/directory/shopping SCULPTOR SLEEK RIDING TIGHTS BY TOGGI Designed to fit you like a glove, while also providing great comfort while riding or working on the yard. The tights feature a silicone knee for extra grip in the saddle, phone pocket placed on the side of the leg so as not to restrict movement, and a high waist for a secure fit. Available in pink or pistachio. Sizes: 24-34 £59.99 toggi.com IMPERIAL PLUS STABLES BY MONARCH EQUESTRIAN These stables feature a smart dual rail, which allows you to add handy accessories, such as rings. Choose from swinging or sliding doors and a full or anti-weave grille. Available in a variety of infills recycled brown, black, grey plastic or hardwood. Sizes: stables come in 10ft,…

“LIKE flying on a magic carpet” is how Danish Olympian Andreas I Helgstrand describes I riding the 17.2hh nineyear-old stallion Jovian, one of dozens of stallions on the roster at the prolific Helgstrand breeding facility. The leggy bay (by Apache x Tango) represents the epitome of modern dressage breeding: he's purposebuilt to do his job with spectacular fluidity and jaw-dropping expression. Dressage horses were not always thus. After the cessation of World War II, there was time and appetite for competitive equestrian sports. Most horses fell into one of two categories: the fiery hotblood (such as the racing thoroughbred) or the clunky coldblood, mostly used in agriculture. The modem warmblood came about through the mixing and finessing of these two - capitalising on the sturdiness and longevity of the coldblood…

HORSE&HOUND HUNTER OF A LIFETIME D ELTA defines “happy accident”. “He was a classic ‘buy one, get one free“', says Victoria Ruffy, former director of the Staff College Drag Hunt and VWH subscriber. “He came over unexpectedly with a group of sales liveries.” “I rode him first with no bother,” recalls Victoria. “Then he projected me down the arena. The yard girls sniggered, explaining that was why they didn't ride him.” Victoria developed “a soft spot” for the l6.1hh part-Irish Draught, part-thoroughbred - properly Carlton Brady, by Carlton Hill (a grandson of Clover Hill) out of Carlton Trixie - and asked if she could take him hunting. “He has to be fed while I get on at meet or he broncs!” “He was amazing!” His only trouble was “getting-on antics”. As…

HIGHLIGHTS 13-19 February Kingston Maurward College Area Festival, Dorset RUTH BISHOP headed the prelim bronze with Highland pony Holmedown Red Sox. Previously shown in-hand by his owner Graham Bunney, the 13-year-old began his dressage career in earnest a year ago. “We have no arena at home and do our schooling in the field and out hacking,” said Ruth. “He's not made for hot environments and his stubborn Highland side can occasionally come out, but he's the nicest boy on the block and he seems to enjoy the dressage. “We do our schooling in the field and out hacking” RUTH BISHOP “It was a massive surprise to win,” added Ruth, who is now aiming for elementary and medium. “I'm still floating on cloud nine.” Helen Beaton was pleased to have remembered her…

“I'M still struggling with sitting trot, as my pelvis is held together with metal and I have two new hips,” said Hilary Janion of her quest to move up the levels with Sir Wilhelm. “Willie is ready for advanced medium; I'm praying that I can take him there.” Winners of both the elementary freestyle and straight silver titles, the pair have been back in action since Hilary's latest surgery 18 months ago on a badly damaged hip. I“ never thought that I would ride competitively again because I was in such a mess,” she said. “Willie is such a sweetheart and he's been super. My only issue now is that I've also qualified my other horse for the elementary music at the nationals, and both use the same music.”…