Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Dec-2023 i Horse & Hound

BRITISH DRESSAGE (BD) said horse welfare is at its heart as it reviews policies and sets out “commitments to our equine partners”. BD has published its 2024 members’ handbook, which incorporates rule changes. There are “significant updates” to welfare policies, including the BD code of conduct for welfare and a “charter for the horse”, following a full review carried out in consultation with World Horse Welfare. The code covers welfare and care at home, care when riding, fitness to compete, equine carry capacity and fitness, care at competitions including travel, tack and equipment, abuse, veterinary, welfare reporting and penalties. Good management is encouraged based on the five domains of animal welfare (nutrition, environment, health, behavioural interactions and mental state) and the three Fs (freedom, forage and friends). The fitness to…

LAW changes on live transport of horses for slaughter have made progress, to welfare charities’ delight. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill, which would ban live exports for slaughter from the UK, was introduced to parliament on 4 December. Three days later, the European Commission (EC) announced proposals to limit the maximum total journey time of animals to nine hours. The proposal allows for exemptions if, within the EU, “no slaughterhouses adapted for the species can be reached within a short journey”. H&H asked if this would allow journeys such as from Poland to the slaughterhouses of southern Italy. An EC spokesman said: “If there is no slaughterhouse within a nine-hour drive, the competent authority can approve a long journey to the closest appropriate slaughterhouses, which according to the proposal…

IT'S all just been great fun. Being with my mates and jumping was all I wanted to do, and I got away with it. I've been very lucky. My mother used to pointto-point and when my brothers and I were growing up, she would beg, borrow or steal – that's probably the wrong word – ponies from local dealers. We didn't have hats or body protectors, we just did what we wanted. It was much more fun. I remember being led round “bottomhole jumping” by my brother and I fell off and started crying. My brother was crying because we hadn't won and my mother cried because it was so disgraceful! She said, “You'll have to learn to ride”. I'd have a pony six months, then it was moved on,…

SILVER-SCREEN MAGIC FILM and TV stars are told never to work with children or animals, yet often it is those animals – and especially those horses – that have helped propel those actors and actresses into being well-known stars. We are talking about those four-legged legends of the screen whom we know and love, even years after their burst of stardom. Remember My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty and Champion the Wonder Horse? Gone but definitely not forgotten… MY Friend Flicka was an enormous TV success in the 1950s, where it was shown in black and white for the benefit of home television sets at the time, although created in colour. Flicka was a mustang who mostly took a walk on the wild side, but befriended a girl named Kate in…

HUNTING IT is hard to imagine now that there was any rewarding children's fiction before Harry Potter or, for an older generation, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. But children's hunting fiction has been quietly popular and around for more than a century. It is a genre at which some teenage boys might smirk for its giddy innocence, being largely aimed at pony-mad girls. But within these books are useful instructions as to how young foxhunters should care for ponies, terriers and puppy walks, and learn to live a life in a vestige of rural normality. Talk to any adult brought up in the countryside and they will tell you they were weaned on Henry Williamson's Tarka the Otter and the film of The Belstone Fox. But there are many lesser-known…

SHOWJUMPING HIGHLIGHTS 1-3 December 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 Kelsall Hill, Cheshire ANGEL TOUGH'S 16-yearold former children-on-horses gold medallist Callumbus enjoyed a trip round the 1.25m winter championship qualifier, jumping the fastest double clear by more than 1.30sec. “I have had him since I was 13,” Angel said. “He's still loving his jumping, but we pick and choose the shows we take him to now.” Angel has been gradually building back up to competing after spending “10 months on the sofa” following a bad break to her ankle in March 2022. “When I was first injured, they told me it could be careerending,” she said. “I broke…

DRESSAGE HIGHLIGHTS 27 November-3 December Onley Grounds EC, Warks ANNA WILSON enjoyed convincing wins at advanced medium and prix st georges (PSG) with Mercurio II. From pure Veiga bloodlines, which are famed for bullfighting, the seven-year-old Lusitano gelding came over from Portugal as a stallion aged four. “He's a slightly odd mix of very fizzy and a bit slow, so it's taken me a while to unlock his potential,” said Anna, who trains with Paul Fielder and remotely with South Africanbased Natalie Hobday, and has test-riding help from Sue McMahon. “He's getting stronger and his way of going is more how I want it now. This was his first PSG and he made it seem easy.” Anna also rode Finest Hour to a 75.33% medium freestyle win and was a…

KYNTARA won his first race for two years at Lingfield three weeks ago, and followed up for trainer Mel Rowley and jockey Charlie Deutsch (pictured, in yellow) in Aintree's BoyleSports Acca Boost On Horse Racing Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. The Shropshire handler credited flatwork, gymnastic jumping, hacking and a change in routine for his return to form. “He came to us having lost his way a little bit, so it has been so important just to get a smile back on his face,” said Rowley. “We know he will go in the soft, but he's got to be happy doing it and seemed to love it out there. “We took him right back to basics; completely forgot he was a racehorse. We're massive believers in lots of education. Then you gradually…

IT took a single-word text to convince Henrietta Knight to apply for her racing trainer's licence again, 11 years after she retired. Now in her 77th year, she texted the Grand National-winning former jockey, retired trainer and close friend Brendan Powell, “Would you think I was mad to train again?” He replied, “No”. He's now her new assistant trainer and as she waits for her licence from the British Horseracing Authority, Henrietta says with some understatement, “Brendan knows me; when I get an idea, I go for it.” He replies, “Without doubt, you do.” We're in Henrietta's living room. Between Brendan (watching the racing on television), Dawn Graham (Henrietta's long-standing secretary with her terrier puppy in her hands) and Henrietta (sitting at the head of the table, which is strewn…

VET CLINIC IT wouldn't be Christmas without a nativity donkey. These stars of the show need their vaccinations just like anyone else, and it is our intrepid vets who must administer them. Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher recalls an encounter with a prickly individual named Holly. “I'd only been qualified for a few months, and Christmas was just around the corner, when I was sent out to give Holly, the local vicar's donkey – and star of numerous nativity performances – her annual flu vaccine. Holly was known to be extremely vet-phobic, but I was assured that the vicar's wife was excellent at managing her during stressful procedures. “My heart therefore sank when I arrived to find the vicar himself waiting, with a benign smile on his face. I dismally observed Holly snorting…

IT'S that time of year when our lush green pastures turn to muddy bogs and we spend more time mucking out and filling haynets than riding our horses, but all is not lost. With a little organisation and pre-planning, you can tackle these wintry issues to make for a wonderful winter with your horse. Mud-busting THERE'S no getting away from mud in the winter when it comes to keeping horses, but there are ways to reduce it both in the field and on your horse… ● “If you have enough space, section off areas and rotate your pasture to avoid over-grazing,” says Kent farmer and livery yard owner Michael Williams. “Laying sand, crushed rock or wood products will help eliminate mud and cut down on erosion.” ● “Paddocks need sufficient…

JACK WADDINGTON topped two Blue Chip qualifiers at Bold Heath, taking a joint win in the Bliss of London sapphire winter qualifier and also topping the Bliss of London coral with Halo Joy, who only began jumping affiliated in August. Jack, 14, was originally sent the six-year-old mare to school by Alan Fazakerley when she was a freshly broken four-year-old, but she was sold on. Jack has been riding the mare's sire, pony stallion Double Pleasure, for Steven Whitaker in recent seasons, including qualifying him for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), so when the family heard she was up for sale again in January, they decided to buy her. “The girl who originally bought her never ended up going to any shows with her, so she was pretty much…

Pencoed College, Glams “HIS stable name is Dreamy and he is,” said Katy Applin of EQP DaFinest, the four-yearold who arrived a week before she rode him at his first regular affiliated show to win both prelims with plus-70% scores. “He comes out with attitude” KATE APPLIN Bred by Equiperformance in Wiltshire and produced by Robbie McNeill, the Dreamboy son has settled quickly into his new home. “He comes out with attitude and says, ‘this is fun’,” said Katy, who is riding him for his new owner Jo Simmonds. “Robbie gave him a good start and took him to Wellington for a fouryearold class in the summer. We'll try to finish his points for regionals qualification, then let him tick over with hacking and some polework.” A second new partnership excelled…

CRACKSMAN three-year-old Liari (pictured nearside) made it two from two over hurdles since switching from French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget's to Paul Nicholls’ yard. His first success from the Ditcheat handler came at Wincanton under Lorcan Williams, while Harry Cobden took the reins at Aintree to run out a convincing winner of the Listed BoyleSports Daily Money Back 2nd Juvenile Hurdle. ONE TO WATCH “He'll just keep improving,” said the trainer. “He doesn't want to run again too quick; he's one for the future. I'll give him time and he'll tell us when he's ready. He'll have an entry in the Triumph [at the Festival], but I won't rush him.”…

AMATEUR jockey Lucy Turner, 30, made history as the first female jockey to win the BoyleSports Becher Handicap Chase over Aintree's Grand National fences when she triumphed on the Venetia Williams-trained Chambard (pictured). The 11-year-old gelding – owned by David and Carol Shaw – is a yard favourite who often races with his teeth out which looks like a big grin, and this was his debut over these unique obstacles. Turner, who has worked at Williams’ Herefordshire stables since she left school – and her father worked there before her – guided him round with the front runners. However, when the heavy underfoot conditions and driving rain started to take their toll – only five of the 12 starters crossed the line, separated by 137 lengths – this duo glided…

“HE gave us five of the happiest years of our lives,” says John Hales of his family's beloved One Man, one of the greatest and most popular chasers of all time. The charismatic grey wrote an enchanting chapter in racing's rich history. He amassed an outstanding haul of 20 wins and carved out an illustrious career as a staying chaser, taking in two staminabusting King George VI chases, a Hennessy and two Charlie Halls, only to reveal in the twilight of his career that the high-octane thrill of the Queen Mother Champion Chase was actually his true forte. He was the apple of his trainer, the late Gordon Richards’ eye and while greys always endear themselves to the public, One Man was magical. He took first-time racehorse owners the Hales…

BRITISH EVENTING (BE) has made its first profit in almost 10 years and has outlined plans to involve young people in helping shape the future of the sport. As discussed at the AGM (8 December), BE's multimillionpound IT project was written off in its 2022 accounts. BE is expected to make profit in 2023 and is taking a focus on the way the organisation is run. Other news included the launch of a separate charity, the BE Training Fund (BETF), to focus on training and coaching. BE chairman Mark Sartori said “massive progress” has been made this year, thanking the board, chief executive Rosie Williams and former CEO Helen West. “This is a governing body that was basically facing going broke,” he said. “We've come on to sort out the…

ANNE MARSHALL THE lifelong and committed horsewoman died on 3 September, aged 80. Anne was born in Stamford. Her father hunted with the Fitzwilliam (Milton), as did Anne from a very young age. It's amazing how people can find their true passion and pursue it wholeheartedly. This was the case for Anne, who had an unwavering love of horses. She was so dedicated, and one of her proudest achievements was giving riding lessons to Princess Anne. She turned her love into a living by buying and selling top-class showjumpers. Anne's passion for horses was infectious; her husband Lawrence became as passionate as she was. They formed the Lawrence David eventing team and spent happy years training young event riders, including her much-loved granddaughter, Chloe. The team kick-started the careers of…

THE confirmation of a new title sponsor for the Royal International and the Nations Cup of Great Britain has been welcomed as a “fabulous opportunity”. Equine insurer Agria and Hickstead have signed a deal extending their partnership from this year. H&H reported this summer that Hickstead, and Britain, had not been included in the FEI's relaunched Longines League of Nations. This deal means that for the 50th time, a British team will compete against others in the Nations Cup at the West Sussex venue, with a €200,000 prize fund. “We are enormously grateful to Agria,” said Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn. “Their contribution towards safeguarding the future of equestrian sport in this country cannot be underestimated. It is important for us to partner with sponsors who share our values, particularly in…

BROOK FARM Thornbury, Bristol For you: a four-/five-bed farmhouse-style home, plus three cottages. The charming main house has a warm and friendly interior, with flagstone and wood floors and timber doors. For the horses: a private livery yard, which could equally be run as a stud or competition yard. There are 28 stables in four rows, plus a former cattle building that could be used for further stabling or storage, and a floodlit all-weather arena. The land is divided into 30 paddocks with illuminated walkways. Hacking on bridleways leading to the Severn Estuary. Set in 28.91 acres. £2.5m Knight Frank, 020 7590 2451, knightfrank.com EAST KYO FARM COTTAGE Stanley, Co Durham For you: a 19th-century stone country house, originally a coaching inn, with four double bedrooms. Traditional features include exposed…

IF you received a pound for every time you heard the word Christmas recently, you'd probably have quite the savings pot built up. Yet the festive season isn't for everyone – and nor does everyone celebrate Christmas. December doesn't need to be all tinsel, trees and trifles – it can be the perfect time for a new adventure or focus, or quality time with your horse. We've rounded up a selection of ideas for those hoping to spend the end of the year a little differently… A time for giving JUST because you aren't a fan of Christmas doesn't mean you don't care! Give a gift that lasts by offering your equestrian expertise where it's needed most, especially at this time of year. 1 VOLUNTEER FOR AN EQUESTRIAN CHARITY Charities rely…

THE show hosts an excellent series of classes for under-25 riders and this year's Defender grand prix was won by reigning individual and team young rider European champion Seamus Hughes Kennedy, who was sealing a hugely successful year. From fourth draw in an 11-way jump-off, the 21-yearold Irish rising star rode his home-produced mare Cuffesgrange Cavadora (pictured), who was crowned the seven-yearold world champion with Seamus in 2019, to an unbeatable lead, clear in 37.33sec. ONES TO WATCH “My mare has lots of experience now and I got to see what to watch out for before I went in,” he said. “She's very quick across the ground, so I knew she'd be hard to beat.” Finishing second, just 0.68sec behind Seamus's exceptional perfomance, was British rider Robert Murphy and new…

Golden Cross EC, E Sussex CERYS WITHEY'S veteran Apart EA, 18, has certainly not slowed with age, winning the WB Equiline star championship by 4.6sec. “It started raining so heavily during my round that I couldn't see where I was going; with the wind direction, it was blowing straight into my face,” Cerys said. “He was pretty much jumping for me and I was just hanging on. “Normally he hates the rain,” she added. “I had to stay in the indoor warm-up as if he has to stand in the rain, he spins. I am lucky that when he is jumping he gets in the zone!” Cerys has owned Brian for the past six years and the 15.2hh Dutch warmblood was her first horse off ponies. “I was meant to…

ONE finisher – Pembroke, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by brother Harry, in the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Beginners’ Chase at Aintree. The six-year-old was also the sole finisher – and sole starter – when “winning” a walkover at Warwick last time out 11 THE AGE OF THE HUGHIE MORRISONTRAINED NOT SO SLEEPY, THE OLDEST WINNER OF THE REROUTED GRADE ONE BETFAIR FIGHTING FIFTH HURDLE, WITH SEAN BOWEN RIDING (IN BLUE CAP) TO REGAIN THE TITLE FROM 2021 8TH listed chase win for the queen of chasers, eight-year-old Zambella, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by Daryl Jacob at Aintree 1¼ LENGTHS ONE OF THE TIGHTEST FINISHES AT SANDOWN WHEN GORDON AND SU HALL'S TRUCKERS LODGE WON THE MARATHON 3M4½F BETFAIR EXCHANGE LONDON NATIONAL, DESPITE LOOSE HORSE FONTAINE…

AUDREY WALKER, who looked after One Man, came into the horse's life at the start of the 1995/96 season, but she remembers it “like yesterday”. “There was nothing untoward about him, he was an absolute star,” she says of “Man”, who was nicknamed Solo by his owners. “He used to go out in the field every day and he loved to roll, so he used to come in absolutely covered. He took a bit of prepping to go racing! “He loved his job and as soon as he got to the races, he grew about two hands. They always said he had big feet, but I have one of his shoes at home from when he won the Queen Mother Champion Chase [pictured] and they're not overly big at all.”…