Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 441 i Your Horse

Hello It’s well known that following a fall, you should replace your riding hat. But how many of us truly keep to these guidelines? I’ll admit that in the past I have perhaps been a little too blasé. The reality hit home, however, while out hacking. My ex-racehorse and I were merrily jumping banks and ditches in our local forestry when we had a difference of opinion on the landing side. He went one way and I went the other, slamming into a tree on my way down to the floor. Luckily I was fine, but my hat wasn’t. Afterwards, when I held it in both hands and applied light pressure, it would slightly compress — not good, I thought, and a new hat was duly purchased. The process a…

An exciting three-year study is about to get underway at Loughborough University. Led by Dr Carly Butler, it will explore what impact Equine Assistant Activities and Therapy (EAAT) can have on people living with and beyond cancer. Dr Butler will evaluate a project funded by Macmillan at the Spirit and Soul Equine Assisted Activity Centre in Derbyshire. The psychological wellbeing of 400 people with cancer will be studied before and after they undertake a series of EAAT sessions. Participants will spend time with the horses and learn basic horsemanship and grooming skills. Dr Butler hopes she will be able to identify positive changes in patients since the subject is close to her heart. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012,” she says. “As a child, I spent lots of…

Betfred boss, Fred Done, is planning to build a luxury horse hotel near the port of Holyhead on Anglesey following reports that horses are being transferred dangerously between England and Wales and Ireland. The plan has been fully supported by the RSPCA and follows concerns raised by Betfred’s Road King truck stop employee, Kerry Jones. “I was horrified to see horses being transferred between vehicles in laybys on the A55 and on small local lanes,” she explains. “I have my own horse and know how easily spooked they are. This is a real safety issue and even the lorry drivers say it’s a nightmare and they worry about the horses.” The luxury stabling will have space for 12 horses and 10 staff, including security, in attendance.…

#teamwork Full of smiles after finishing second in the medium tour final. All horses jumped great in Valkenswaard. @samuel_hutton1, Instagram Larking about This is my son, Christian, with one of our rescue horses, Squeaky. They really are a pair of goons! Dolly Davis, Facebook Wake up call Morning kisses with Roddy. @Shannoneventing, Instagram Just a bite, please mum? Therapy pony, Alfie, trying to steal some of my cake. Heather Morris, Facebook Wonder Women Lots of great stories in the latest issue of @YourHorse — and several familiar RDA faces in a fitting celebration of women in equestrian sport. Thanks as ever for your support. @RDAnational, Twitter EMAIL: getinvolved@yourhorse.co.uk WRITE TO: Your Horse, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA YOU’VE BEEN POSTING getinvolved@yourhorse.co.uk www.facebook.com/yourhorse www.twitter.com/yourhorse…

‘‘EVERYONE SAID I shouldn’t be riding anymore — and they’re probably right,” says William Fox-Pitt with a shrug of his shoulders. “But I still enjoy riding. I still want to be doing it and so, here I am.” The 49-year-old is alluding to the almost life-ending fall he suffered while competing in France less than three years ago. The one that left him in an induced coma for several weeks, unable to walk, see, taste and feel properly for months afterwards. The same crunching crash that caused such a serious brain trauma that many feared he may not recover. Yet less than a year later, William piloted Chilli Morning at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. It was an extraordinary feat. William’s name has been synonymous with winning…

Rachael Barker, 34, is a full-time equine and canine McTimoney Practitioner based in Sandiacre, Derbyshire. She has run her own company, Optimal Equine, for five years and has four horses. Rachael is a Petplan Equine ambassador and competes in dressage and side-saddle classes. My typical day… My day depends on how far I have to travel to treat a horse — 50 miles is the furthest I go. I work all over the East Midlands and see between two and eight horses a day. I have my regular clients who book in for their check-ups like clockwork, plus people who ring when they’ve got an issue and I’ll slot them in. As well as McTimoney, I offer massages and last year I qualified as a saddle fitter, so I offer…

Debbie O’Connell joined the army in 2014 and started training with the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, shortly afterwards. During a routine training session, one of the horses threw her off, breaking her collarbone and damaging nerves in her shoulder and spine. The accident left her in constant pain and limited use in her left arm. The King’s Troop organised for her to attend the HorseBack UK course, which she completed last year. “Just being there is so relaxing and the biggest thing for me is that I feel I can be myself. There is no expectation on me to be something or someone I’m not,” explains Debbie. “We are encouraged so much; it’s like a family. “HorseBack UK gives you a totally different mindset towards horses. You learn to…

JUDE THOMAS AND Buddy pulled off their first solo south east pleasure ride together, adding eight miles to their #hack1000miles tally. “I had all kinds of worries the night before and woke up at 5am with butterflies in my stomach,” says Jude. “When I arrived at the venue I was told about all the hazards along the way — a two-mile stretch of road, a charity bike race on most of the route and bulls and young cows in the fields. I was nearly ready to turn round and go home. “My little superstar didn’t put a foot wrong though and we even had a long canter alongside the river. I’m so proud.”…

MEET THE EXPERT FLORA YOUNG is an event rider based in Grantham, Lincolnshire. A talented rider, Flora has successfully moved her own horse, Bumpkin, up through the ranks, starting him in Pony Club competitions and now enjoying success at CCI2* and CIC2* level. A SINGLE TIME FAULT can mean the difference between taking home a shiny red rosette and dropping outside the top 10. Particularly as you progress, set new goals and want to be increasingly competitive, it will be just seconds that separate you and other riders on the final leaderboard. Of course there’s a physical limit to how fast your horse can go, but there are ways to shave seconds off your time in a safe way. “There’s little things that you can do as you’re going around…

MEET THE EXPERT DANI EVANS, 23, has contested five European championships, winning young rider team gold in 2011, junior individual silver in 2009 and young rider individual bronze in 2012. She’s worked with William and Pippa Funnell and is based near Bristol, where she trains youngsters up to the top level. MANY HORSES LOSE focus and gawk at something in or around the arena when you’re trying to school, but your horse’s nosiness doesn’t have to mean he’s forgotten that you’re in the saddle. What you don’t want is for him to react by spooking or planting his feet, and that’s why it’s so important that he maintains his focus on you and your commands throughout the session. To achieve this, he’ll need to recognise your aids, respond to them…

MEET THE EXPERT NIKKI MEGGISON is an independent equine nutritionist. She has a BSc (Hons) in equine science. equinenutritionist.info FAMED FOR ITS energising properties and condition-boosting benefits, oil is often favoured by owners of performance horses to give their steeds the energy they need without relying on starch. But, as independent equine nutritionist Nikki Meggison explains, it’s not just horses at the top of the sport that can benefit from having oil included in their diet. Why feed oil? “Oil is fed for a variety of reasons,” says Nikki. “Anything from giving your horse’s coat an extra shine and treating ailments of the skin through to boosting condition and helping with joint problems.” Another popular property of oil is that it can be an alternative energy source to starch. This…

The condition Sunburn isn’t always a case of your horse spending a little too long in blazing sunshine. Sunshine can also be a result of photosensitisation. Primary photosensitisation is caused by the ingestion of chemicals (photodynamic agents) from particular plants, such as St John’s Wort. These chemicals settle in the skin where they react to UV light and make the horse’s skin susceptible to burning. When this happens, the horse often burns more quickly and more severely than normal. Sunburn can also occur as a result of liver disease (secondary photosensitisation). In this case, toxins normally processed by the liver sensitise the skin to UV light, often resulting in severe and widespread sunburn. Telling the difference between these different types of sunburn will come down to a veterinary diagnosis. If…

“The first time I meet a horse, I like to establish a bond before doing anything else,” explains Patrick. “You can do this with your own horse, too. “Think about giving him personal space — I know it’s tempting to want to hug and kiss your horse, but give him space.” How to bond with your horse 1 Go into your horse’s stable, putting a halter or headcollar on him and loosely holding a leadrope or lunge line. 2 Keep the line loose and gently rub him on his forehead. 3 Take a step back. Your horse may take a step towards you. 4 Taking your time, repeat steps 2 and 3. 5 Move around the stable, keeping the line loose, letting your horse follow you. 6 Stroke him on…

Saddle-fitting a flat-backed cob Q My cob has a flat back with large shoulders. His current saddle is lifting at the back, sliding to the right, seems way too long and slips backwards. What could be causing these issues? Liz Smith, Bishop’s Stortford A Well, clearly the saddle you have is not the ideal one for your cob. Sliding to the right could either be caused by an asymmetry in your cob’s back, the tree being twisted, or the saddle not being flocked symmetrically. The other symptoms you describe suggest that your current saddle is too wide, which would be causing the lifting at the back and also the sliding backwards. There could also be too much curve in the tree from front to back, or even too much flocking…

Nutritional advice Q How regularly should I be consulting an equine nutritionist as regards my horse’s diet? Is every couple of months sufficient? Kelly Jones, Colchester A The right nutrition is essential for your horse’s health and overall wellbeing and knowing how to deliver this is an essential part of horse ownership. While getting advice from a qualified equine nutritionist is always helpful, if you believe you’re providing a balanced diet — including plenty of ad-lib forage — and your horse is looking and feeling well, then it’s probably not necessary to have a consultation as frequently as every couple of months. Having said that, a nutritionist can be invaluable at times when your horse needs more specific dietary management. A good nutritionist will look at the entire diet on…

Another way to help your cob to lose weight is to increase the calories he uses and the only way to achieve this is through increasing his exercise. Exercise has many physiological benefits and can help boost metabolism, which in turn helps burn more calories. Ensuring your cob works in an active walk and introducing regular bouts of trotting are good ways to burn fat, together with fittening work like interval training to really get him moving. Regularly monitor your cob with body conditioning scoring (BCS) and weigh him with a weigh tape. These will help you to check his condition and make adjustments to keep him on track. Ideally, he should be maintained at an overall score of five on a nine-point BCS scale. By following this advice, you…

Mark Todd diamante fly veil RRP £14.99 HINT OF BLING While the simple design keeps annoying winged insects away from your horse’s ears, this fly veil brings a touch of elegance to the competition arena with its crochet finish and diamante trim. COLOUR Black SIZE Full FOR STOCKISTS marktoddcollection.co.uk KM Elite fly veil RRP £29.99 GREAT VALUE Made from a polyester yarn, this classically cut fly mask has stretchy cotton ears. Providing a comfortable fit, it keeps distracting flies away from your horse’s ears. COLOURS Black/electric blue, black/grey, black/purple,blue/silver, white/black,navy/silver SIZES Pony, full BUY AT kmeliteproducts.co.uk Equithème bracelet fly mask RRP £25.90 SILVER CHAIN FOR A CLASSY FINISH If you like a subtle hint of sparkle, this smart, classic fly mask is the one for you. It’s enhanced…

Associate editor Allison Lowther: I came away inspired and almost motivated enough to start jumping again after watching one of our Goal Getter competition winners have a lesson with Harry Meade. It was great to see how Harry’s easy to follow methods really improved this partnership and he shares some useful exercises to do with your horse too. See page 38 Writer Stacey Carter: My horse Buffy struggles to focus during our schooling sessions, so I’ll definitely be trying eventing star Dani Evans’ 30-minute workout to help with her concentration. Hopefully she’ll be relaxed and thinking on her feet in no time. See page 58…

Talented showjumper and all-round funnyman Geoff Billington is making a return to Stoneleigh Park, but this time with a difference. Now you’ll get the chance to spend a whole evening with Geoff as he rides a brand new performance on Saturday 10 November. His show will be both thrilling and entertaining, but you’ll need an extra ticket for the evening, so do book early. World-renowned Florian Bacher will also be making an appearance. Florian mastered the art of riding at the Spanish Riding School and learnt the nuances of dressage with guru Arthur Kottas. He competes his own dressage horses at grand prix level and also trains riders, including Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester. Florian will give a demonstration on the Friday and a performance on Saturday. For more information…

Amazingly, not everyone loves horses as much as we do! But what happens when you fall in love with someone who doesn’t see eye to eye with your passion for equines? Can you really lead two separate lives, or do you give one up? If it’s the latter, which one? We asked Your Horse readers for their thoughts... “Definitely partner,” says Amy Louise Humfrey. “Horses are my world. Horse before husband!” However, Samantha Claire is more laid-back. She says: “I think it’s fine if they don’t like your horse, as long as they let you indulge your love for the sport.” For others, though, it’s just easier not to let the situation arise at all. “I wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone who couldn’t tolerate my horse,” admits Sara…

IMAGINE MONTANA AND you’ll likely envisage a rolling landscape with hills, valleys and, somewhere within that, a thriving population of Mustang. You’ll be surprised, then, to learn there is, in fact, only one herd in existence — the Pryor Mountain Mustang. These wild horses are proven by DNA analysis to be descended from the original Spanish horses. The Spaniards first brought the horses to Mexico and, as the horses moved north, Native Americans acquired the Pryors in the 1700s. Although this lonely herd has monopolised the Pryor Mountain area for nearly 200 years, it was at risk of dying out in the 1950s due to over-management. A group of local citizens masterminded a national movement to preserve the small herd and saved the day. In 1968, the Pryor Mountain Wild…

1 You’re outside “A lot of people in the military have a need to be outside and, if you get hurt badly, that ability goes,” explains Jock. “Horses give them that mobility back and a renewed sense of freedom. 2 You learn how to treat people less fortunate than yourself “Being an officer in the marines is not about bullying, it’s about helping people achieve a very high standard so they can become part of a team. You look after them first and that is the same with a horse. “Kindness, patience and consistency are exactly the same principles that we use in the marines as we do with our horses. 3 They teach consistency, belief and stillness… “Horses are so focused on movement that stillness is very powerful to…

MEET THE EXPERT RUSSELL GUIRE is Team GBR’s World Class Programme performance analyst. He also runs Centaur Biomechanics, which specialises in horse and rider performance analysis. For more information, visit www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk. “You’ll discover muscles you’ve not used in a while, so be prepared to ache a little to begin with” LIKE MOST RIDERS, does your heart sink at the prospect of riding without your stirrups? But there are so many reasons why you should give it a go. By improving your balance and position, you’ll become a more effective rider — and a rider who stands a better chance of staying in the saddle when the unexpected happens. “Riding without stirrups is the most underused exercise in rider training,” explains Russell, “yet it should be part of your daily riding…

> Make small gains “It’s all about making small gains on the cross-country course. Jumping at an angle on let-up fences can help shave seconds off.” > Keep your fences low “Don’t worry about the height when you’re practising at home — keep the fences small so you can focus on your technique. It also won’t matter as much if you make a mistake.” > Control the outside shoulder “Keep your horse’s body straight and make sure you can control his outside shoulder. This will help you ride tighter lines and reduce the chance of run-outs.”…

Does the sight of narrow fences fill you with dread? The first part of our new series with Simon Grieve will fill you with confidence MEET THE EXPERT SIMON GRIEVE is an event rider based in Leicestershire. He has evented up to four-star level, completing Burghley several times and finishing in the top 30 at Badminton this year. WALK AROUND ANY cross-country course nowadays and you’ll notice an abundance of fences that have become a lot thinner in recent times. ‘Skinnies’ (narrow jumps often not much wider than your horse) require skill and precision, and can be a bit of a rider frightener if you’re not used to jumping them. Before you think there’s no way to practise at home without your own cross-country course, fear not! We’ve called on…

Foreign bodies Foreign material can sometimes get lodged in the tongue. Thorns, twigs and the awns of some wild grasses, for example, cause sores and abscesses. Younger horses and foals in particular tend to be ‘mouthy’, nibbling and chewing on things they shouldn’t eat. Checking hay for foreign objects and clearing away debris at the stables, especially around the feeders, is paramount. Lolling tongue Lolling of the tongue is not uncommon in young horses in training but when it persists it’s a frequent cause of lower marks for dressage competitors. There are many possible causes of tongue lolling. Pain can lead to the behaviour — especially problems with the teeth, tongue, jaw, cheeks or temporomandibular joint — as can facial nerve paralysis, affecting the ability of the lip muscles to…

Trailer checks Alan Hiscox is the British Horse Society’s director of safety and leads the implementation of its charitable objectives on rider safety. Alan served 26 years in the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch and 14 as chief equitation officer at the Met’s training school. Managing PPID Alice Brown MRCVS is an equine vet at Tower Equine, and has a particular interest in lameness, equine sports medicine and standing surgery. In her spare time, Alice enjoys eventing her new horse, Puzzle, and drag hunting with her family. Saddle fitting Martin Wilkinson is a master saddler and Society of Master Saddlers qualified saddle fitter. He lectures to students at the Royal Veterinary College on back problems caused by ill-fitting saddles and is active in the Society of Master Saddlers. Visit martinwilkinson.com Feeding…

Testing horses for PPID Q What tests are available to confirm whether my horse has PPID? Jemma Bullen, Jersey A If your horse is showing clinical signs of PPID (Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, formerly known as equine Cushing’s disease), then your vet will probably want to conduct a resting adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) screening test. They will draw some blood to see if PPID is the culprit for your horse’s symptoms. Sometimes, however, the ACTH test isn’t accurate, so they’ll then conduct a thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test. This involves injecting your horse with 1mg of TRH, doing another ACTH screening 10 minutes later and monitoring the response. If the test is positive your vet will move on to treatment and advise you on how to manage your horse’s PPID. PPID…

Ideally, you should aim to consult an equine nutritionist on an ‘as and when’ basis. T his could be seasonal — f or example, going into winter when your horse’s diet may need closer management and then again going into summer — to ensure he stays in the best health throughout the year. Consulting a nutritionis t can also be important if y our horse has, or is pr one to, certain conditions that may need more detailed nutritional guidanc e as part of a management and pr evention plan. Changes in your horse’s body condition can be a good time t o seek advice, too. A good nutritionis t should be able t o help you create a suitable plan tha t helps your horse maintain optimum w eight…

READER EMILY RENARD has just taken possession of a five-year-old Lusitano from Portugal. Eduardo is a bit overweight and unused to any compound feed, so Emily is worried about how to provide him with a balanced diet. Lusitanos are often good doers. While it sounds like Eduardo certainly doesn’t need any extra calories, it’s vital to provide him with a balanced diet. Nutrition support in the form of a specialist balancer would be ideal and is a great way to introduce Eduardo to small quantities of compound feed. It will give him the vitamins and minerals he needs, but without the extra calories. Ideally, Emily should choose a feed balancer that’s high in amino acids to help maintain Eduardo’s muscle tone and topline. She should also check the label for…

WEARING AN AIR vest over the top of your body protector is commonplace on the eventing circuit these days. Many riders also choose to wear them for hacking and schooling too. If you’re new to the world of air vests, this buyer’s guide will help you understand what this piece of safety gear can do. Unlike riding hats and body protectors, currently there isn’t a common industry standard for the manufacture of air vests, although it’s hoped this is something that will be developed in the future. Under British Eventing rules, competitors who choose to wear an air vest should only do so in addition to a BETA Level 3 body protector. The main difference between an air vest and a body protector is the type of protection it provides:…

Thanks to NAF, one of our #hack1000miles sponsors, there are now some fantastic rewards for challengers to claim when you reach certain milestones in your hacking journey. Your Horse editor Aimi Clark is delighted to be able to offer rewards to those riders who have joined us on our quest to get the country hacking. “Hacking is so rewarding in its own right, but this gives a little something extra to help motivate people to get out on their horses in all weathers and clock all the miles they can,” says Aimi. “One thousand miles sounds a long way but it really is achievable — and now we can all celebrate key milestones thanks to our brilliant Hack 1000 Miles sponsor, NAF.” Only riders who have signed up to #hack1000miles…

HORSESHOE BOTTLE & WINE GLASS HOLDER Perfect for those summer drinks on the lawn, this horseshoe glass holder from Horseshoe Hearts & Gifts comes in two handy sizes — a large one (£68) with a ground spike to suit guests who are standing, and a small version (£49) for those that are seated. Order at tinyurl.com/y9s76umt. HORSES IN TRANSLATION by Sharon Wilsie Horse trainer and rehabilitation specialist Sharon Wilsie uses true-life stories to explain how, by using her language of ‘Horse Speak’, she has worked with riders and horses from various backgrounds to solve a range of problems. Buy for £19.95 from waterstones.com. PODCAST: INSIDE WORLD HORSE WELFARE Horse Hour meets the staff at leading charity World Horse Welfare. In this podcast, hear about the work the charity does —…

I was just 18 when I bought my first horse, Jilly, a lovely Irish Draft/Thoroughbred mare. She had the loveliest temperament and I was smitten. I’d seen and tried so many horses, but the first time I saw Jilly in a field in Beaconsfield I knew she was the one. I come from a non-horsey family, but we were lucky enough to have a small paddock at home and my parents built a stable and tack room for me. I gave Jilly three weeks to settle in and took time getting to know her. Then I carried on lungeing and doing lots of things on the ground with her. It wasn’t until three months later that I tacked her up for our first ride. I walked her up to the…

❋ Pryor Mountain Mustangs come in various colours, including dun, grullo (a mouse-brown with black points), red dun (a dun with no black points, but darkish red ones instead) and apricot dun (a paler variation of a normal dun), as well as bay and black. ❋ Only rarely do they come in the classic Mustang colours of palomino, chestnut and buckskin. ❋ Like their Spanish ancestors, they have a sloping croup, a low-set tail and big eyes with ears that turn slightly inwards. ❋ They have very low levels of inbreeding, which means they naturally have a high genetic diversity. ❋ The best place to spot them is in the range along Highway 37, through the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in the USA.…

5 Olympic Games 2 silver Olympic medals, at London 2012 and Athens 2004 1 Olympic bronze at Beijing 2008 4 times world number one 11 times British number one 7 European gold medals 14 CCI4* victories 59 three-day event wins 6 Burghley wins — the current record 2 Badminton titles — in 2004 (Tamarillo) and 2015 (Chilli Morning)…

“Humans need to take the leadership but not be a bully. Horses won’t learn when they are fearful and that is exactly the same as people” The courses at HorseBack UK are split into three one-week courses spread over six months. “The groups of people on the courses form little communities and they look after each other,” says Jock. “They come and stay for the week and it creates an environment where people come together to cook and eat. Once they have done the three weeks, there is the opportunity to contribute as a mentor or ambassador, but many of them go back to work or volunteer and become part of a community again. “Our aim is to transition people from being isolated to where they feel part of a…

“I HACK MY HORSES every day, come rain or shine,” states six-time British Olympic event rider Mary King. “Sometimes it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before a schooling session, other times we’ll go out for two hours or hack to the gallops.” Mary and her daughter Emily live in Devon. Regular hacking has been pivotal in producing event horses to the highest level. “Hacking is your horse’s opportunity to see the world,” adds Mary. “I’m fortunate enough to have big hills nearby to ride up and down, but it’s not just a workout, it’s an opportunity for horses to relax. “Hacking is just fantastic and I think Hack 1000 Miles is a brilliant idea.” Whatever your riding goals, the following advice will give your hacking a whole new dimension.…

MEET THE EXPERT HARRY MEADE is one of Britain’s leading event riders. He was part of the silver medal-winning team at the World Equestrian Games in 2014 and in 2018 Harry completed Badminton CCI4* for the tenth time, finishing 16th on Away Cruising. MEET THE RIDER CHARLOTTE WITCOMB is aiming her ex-racehorse, Another Sunshine, at next year’s Mitsubishi Motors Cup. She bought the seven-year-old mare straight off the track just 11 months ago. In April they finished sixth in a BE80(T) section at Moreton Horse Trials. THERE ARE MANY ingredients in pulling off a clear round, and there’s more to being effective over a fence than leaving the pole in its cups. Some riders fold too much over a fence, affecting the horse’s ability to use himself and jump; others…

“Once over the first jump, you quickly need to sit up tall so you’re ready for the next” MEET THE EXPERT YAZMIN PINCHEN is an international showjumper and a brand ambassador for Dodson & Horrell, the horse feed specialists. She has represented Britain worldwide and is aiming for the 2020 Olympics. Visit yazminpinchen.co.uk and dodsonandhorrell.com. JUMPING TWO FENCES in a row sounds straightforward enough but getting it right is a lot more technical than you might think. Once you’re over the first, you have to think about sitting up, riding forwards and keeping straight — all the while making sure your horse doesn’t veer out to one side. To help take the stress away from tackling doubles, Yazmin Pinchen, showjumping star and Dodson & Horrell ambassador, recommends breaking them down…

MEET THE EXPERT GIL RILEY MRCVS is a partner at Pool House Equine Clinic in Lichfield, Derbyshire. He has the Royal College Certificate in equine practice and is particularly interested in lameness and laminitis. “As well as being a key tool in the horse’s ability to eat, the tongue is extremely sensitive in detecting pain, heat, pressure and taste” A HORSE’S TONGUE IS made up of more than a dozen individual muscles. These muscles receive their nerve supply from a dedicated nerve, the hypoglossal, which arises directly from the brain. Some of the extrinsic muscles anchor the organ to the lower jawbones and the hyoid apparatus (voice box), while other intrinsic muscles begin and end entirely within the tongue. In fact, the tongue is one of the very few places…

Holding the tongue while performing a mouth examination is a common practice to help immobilise the horse’s head and at the same time keep the mouth open. However, if the handler only has a hold of the tongue and the horse tries to pull away, there is a great risk of the horse biting into the tongue and the pulling force may cause nerve damage. Holding the halter at the same time ensures that, as the horse pulls away, the handler goes with him. The availability of oral sedatives means using a gag is a far more satisfactory method of examining the mouth and much safer all round.…

MEET THE EXPERT PATRICK GRACEY, otherwise known as ‘The Horse Shrink’, is a recommended trainer for intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk . Follow him on Facebook at The Horse Shrink. AFTER WEEKS AND months of training for your competition, the big day is finally here. Your show kit is freshly ironed, tack is gleaming, the haynets and water are all on board, along with your grooming kit for any last-minute sprucing — and all that’s left to do is load your horse. But an hour of pushing, pulling, cursing and snorting later, you’re still at your yard, with a defiant horse at the bottom of the ramp, hooves planted firmly. Sound familiar? Why won’t he load? While it’s frustrating when your horse doesn’t load, you’re going to need a lot of patience and understanding…

Asking the right questions Q I’m looking to buy a second-hand trailer. What should I look for and what questions should I ask before I commit to buy? Gilly Knight, Reading A Our BHS members’ legal helpline takes many calls about unscrupulous sellers, so be cautious and take an experienced friend along with you if you’re not confident that you can assess the trailer’s mechanical condition yourself. It’s important to make sure the seller genuinely owns the trailer, so meet them at their home, not a public place like a motorway service station, and ask for proof of ownership. Watch out for signs of tampering with the manufacturer’s plate, which shows the trailer serial number. This number is also often stamped on the chassis of some trailers. Be suspicious of…

Your Horse editor Aimi Clark’s first pony, Prudence, was diagnosed with Cushing’s in her mid-twenties. “She had the classic curly coat, urinated more frequently and was very lethargic. I thought old age was finally catching up with her,” recalls Aimi. “The change in her once she started having Pergolide was remarkable — she was back to her energetic, cheeky self almost overnight! “My main challenge became convincing Pru to eat the tablet every day. I tried halving it, but it would be the only thing remaining in her bucket after feed time. Then I’d offer it from my hand mixed with a polo or a few nuts, but she’d eat every single nut and leave the tablet (see Tongue Talk, p74). Crushing it was my only option. “Her…

Take advantage of what equine feed manufacturers’ websites have to offer — there’s a wealth of free information out there. Sign up to receive feed company newsletters and follow nutritional blogs to help improve your knowledge. You can also request and read information sheets on specific nutritional topics — have a look what’s available on the Spillers website, for example, at www.spillers-feeds.com/nutritional-topics. Stick with Your Horse magazine too, for insightful, informative articles every month.…

Hit-Air vest RRP from £435 COLOUR Black SIZES XS – XXL BUY AT hitairuk.co.uk The Hit-Air vest is designed as a shock-buffering, stabilising system, giving protection to your neck, spine, collarbone, lower back, rib cage and vital organs. The inflation rate of the air vest is approximately 0.25 seconds and it inflates outwards (rather than inwards), so you’re not winded when it inflates. The neck protection is designed to decelerate the neck in the event of a fall, reducing the possibility of hyper-extension and whiplash. It also has rib cage airbags, and the lower back protection folds away neatly so it doesn’t catch on the back of your saddle. Gatehouse Air Jacket RRP £399 COLOUR Navy SIZES S – XL FOR STOCKISTS gatehouserange.co.uk The new Gatehouse Air Jacket…

Under 14.2hh Pony Club pony 11.2hh, 17yo, liver chestnut, mare Penny is a sweet and kind mare whom we have owned for about 15 months. She has taught our daughter to ride and given her lots of confidence. Our daughter has now moved on to a bigger pony. Penny is good to handle and doesn’t bite or kick. My daughter can happily groom her and load her onto the trailer. £1,400 Contact: 07968 437665, Cirencester Ad ref: DIY1114875 Well-bred Connemara 13hh, 1yo, grey, gelding Stunning Connemara yearling gelding with super temperament and lots of potential. Extremely well handled. Leads, loads, lifts feet, easy to catch and will lead away from other horses on his own. Gentle, willing character. Ties up and enjoys being groomed. He is fully registered and has…