Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 442 i Your Horse

Hello The highlight of my month has been exploring the Lake District. I’m still buzzing from my adventure several weeks on. I talk about hacking a lot on this page, so it’s no secret that I love getting out into the countryside. I regularly tell our #hack1000miles challengers that visiting new places is a brilliant way to boost your mileage tally and also have fun, learn and grow in confidence. So I’ve led by example and you can read all about it on page 30. I ticked off several personal milestones: riding in this truly magnificent area for the first-ever time; testing my skills (and nerve!) with serious climbs and enormous drops, and hacking on a cob. I’ve mostly ridden thoroughbreds and sports horses in the past, but I loved…

The news that extreme breeding of designer horses is on the increase made the Your Horse team’s collective blood boil. It seems there’s a market for cartoon-like breeds, but for the horses, there’s nothing funny about it. Bred for their prettiness with slim noses, dished profiles and bulging eyes, many are living with the pain of deformities and health issues, including breathing difficulties and teeth growing into their flesh. Arabs, miniatures and Welsh section ‘A’s are particularly popular. What do you think about this? Head over to our Facebook page and share your views.…

We recently had a very special delivery on our yard. After the unfortunate loss of our foal last summer, I promised my 21-year-old daughter Hannah that I would see if we could rehome a rescue foal. We visited Packers Ponies, which is run by a wonderful local vet along with the help of her friends and other professionals, and has been rescuing abandoned foals and rehoming them. We picked out eight-month-old Jim and, after a yard check, we took him home within three days of seeing him. Jim settled in well. He often dozes in the middle of the herd while my daughter’s Arab, Amera, and my Fell pony, Sage, keep watch. We’ve always tried to rehome a pony or two when we can. In the 1980s, my first pony…

❋ In 2007 and 2008 there was an outbreak of equine influenza in Australia that forced many campdrafts to be cancelled. Some shows allowed competitors to use motorcycles instead of horses so that they could continue. ❋ The campdraft with the biggest dollar is the Paradise Lagoons Campdraft, which offers AUS$230,000 (about £129,000) of prize money across four days. ❋ There are 14 foundation sires responsible for most of the bloodlines accepted into the Australian Stock Horse Society stud book. Bloodlines are very important to preserve the quality and temperament of the breed and most well-bred Australian Stock Horses can trace their lineage back to one of these foundation sires.…

“Although accuracy is important, it’s your horse’s way of going that’s of paramount importance,” explains Alex. “An accurately ridden circle can still get a poor mark if your horse is tense, hurried and hollowing.” Your 20m checklist 1 Your horse needs to have his spine on the 20m circle, bending through his entire frame, not just in the neck. 2 The muscles over his back should move freely and loosely, with his hocks coming under him, carrying sufficient weight and propelling him forwards with an obvious suspension between the strides and impulsion. 3 Contain the energy that’s coming from behind in an elastic contact, with your horse’s head staying vertical. 4 The hind feet should at least land in the foot marks of the front feet and on the same…

Try these tips from Alex: • Suppling exercises, such as shoulder-in and leg-yield, will help your horse to step through with his hocks, encouraging him to use the muscles over his back and through his frame. • Ride transitions, both upwards and downwards, to encourage him to step through with his hocks and use half-halts regularly to rebalance him and teach self-carriage. • Keep changing the bend and direction of your training to ensure the bend is natural and even on both reins, and on different-sized circles and loops. • Work within the gears seamlessly by using half-halts; lengthening and shortening the stride so your horse remains responsive and on the aids, while remaining elastic to the contact. • Vary the work to keep your horse alert, but still settled…

To start the lesson, Anna asks Amanda to spend a few minutes warming up Beauty in walk, trot and canter, just as if she was schooling her at home. Quite understandably, Beauty is a little tense in her new surroundings, which results in her looking stiff in her paces and she has a reluctance to bend. “There are a couple of areas I’d like to focus on during the lesson,” explains Anna. “Beauty isn’t quite forward enough, so her rhythm is lacking energy. It’s this energy that’s needed to achieve connection. Also, by improving the amount of flexion and bend you have, this will lead to a more consistent and even contact.” Anna has a number of simple exercises that will help you achieve a better contact and improve your…

The key to success in clearing planks is to keep calm and not overthink things. The more you anticipate the jump, the more your horse will think there’s something to worry about. “Using a placing pole can really help with jumping planks,” explains Yazmin. “Focus on riding to your pole instead of the jump. This will give you something to think about and you won’t be so hung up on the plank. “Get used to riding with the placing pole first and then, as you become more confident, you’ll soon be able to jump without it.” How to ride it SET IT UP: Build a plank fence on one side of your school or paddock. Put a placing pole about three yards (depending on your horse’s stride) in front of…

The condition Habronemiasis, commonly known as summer sores (or fly sores), is a dermatological condition caused by the Habronema muscae and Draschia spp worm. Common in the USA, it’s becoming increasingly prevalent in Britain as our weather gets warmer and muggier. House, stable and face flies are all associated with causing Habronemiasis. The cycle of Habronemiasis begins with the worm producing eggs in the horse’s stomach. The horse excretes the eggs and a fly picks up the larvae from the droppings, becoming a host. When the fly bites a moist part of your horse’s body, such as on the muzzle, or around the eyes or sheath (where flies usually congregate), the larvae are laid. The presence of the larvae on the skin…

“It’s the retinal cones that allow horses to see colour, and perception studies have shown that what they see is a washed-out version, including green, yellow, blue and grey,” explains Aoife. “It appears that they can’t see reds. Horses also have a large number of rods, which are the specific type of cells in the retina responsible for night vision. For this reason, horses see considerably better in the dark than people and even cats.” So, you don’t need to worry about your horse bumping into anything when you bring him in on a dark night.…

Volunteering Stephanie Toogood is a volunteer and series coordinator for British Eventing. Having evented herself over the years, she’s passionate about encouraging people to get involved and help keep the sport going. For more on volunteering, visit bit.ly/2ykeR2V. Riding confidence Sandie Robertson is a global equestrian performer, confidence coach, author and presenter. Find out more at sandierobertson.com. Buying and selling Rebecca Stojak is a solicitor who specialises in legal matters for horse ownership. For more information or advice visit shma.co.uk. Arena surfaces Nick Collins is a director of Martin Collins Enterprises, which began developing innovative, synthetic surfaces for equestrian arenas 40 years ago. Today the company is the industry leader and innovator in synthetic surfaces. Find out more at martincollins.com.…

Negotiating the price Q I’m looking at having a horse on loan with a view to buying him. He’s inexperienced and I want to do some unaffiliated eventing and hopefully later some BE events. I’m concerned that if he does well, the owner will want to increase the sale price. What can I do? Sammy Stuart, Cornwall A I would recommend having a written right to buy loan agreement in place, which sets out what you can and cannot do with the horse. If you don’t have a written right to buy loan agreement, your contract will be an oral contract. This is still legally binding, however it’s harder to confirm the exact terms and conditions as these will be evidenced by your messages and conversations (whether by email, Facebook,…

SARA BENNETT’S NEW mare has just arrived from Ireland. While Roisin is by no means thin, she looks a little poor, condition-wise, and Sara feels it’s important to start as she means to go on and provide the best possible diet for Roisin. Sara was told by the breeder that Roisin is a good doer who wintered out last year with no supplementary feeding. She may be looking a little poor because she’s had a long, tiring journey from Ireland, but Sara is absolutely right to want to feed her well from the outset, particularly given that the mare is only four and may not have benefited from a balanced diet in her previous home. Roisin has good grazing, which should give her the calories she needs, but because grass…

1986 The company begins as a specialist bloodstock insurance provider under the name Kershaw Bloodstock Insurance Services. 1991 Guy and Liz buy the company, expanding it to provide riding and competition horse insurance, and it becomes known as KBIS Ltd. The initial start-up team consists of Guy, Liz and one employee, Sarah Williams, who has ridden out for Guy at his National Hunt yard. 1993 Tracy Fryer joins the team, and stables at the family home are converted into offices. Both Sarah and Tracy still work for KBIS today! Late 1990s KBIS sponsors a regional novice series with British Eventing. Today, KBIS supports four sponsored riders and is associated with 10 sponsorship series/events across different disciplines. 2007 Services expand to offer Horsebox Insurance and Equine Liability Insurance for equestrian businesses…

PDS Patent Leather Overreach Boots RRP £60 COMFY AND SHOCK ABSORBING Want to stand out from the crowd? These eye-catching GFS Patent Leather Overreach Boots are sure to turn heads. With a removable lambswool top for extra comfort, they’re also great at absorbing impact to the hoof and pastern. Complete with double touch tape fastening so they stay on securely, these boots won’t slip during your ride. COLOUR Black, white SIZES Cob — X Full FOR STOCKISTS gfsriding.co.uk Veredus Safety Bell Boot RRP £57 FLEXIBLE BUT FITTED Safety is a priority with these boots from Veredus. Designed to protect the heel area while ensuring that your horse has freedom of movement, these shock-absorbing bell boots are a great buy if your horse has a habit of overreaching and catching…

Elico Mendip Combo Fly Rug RRP £39.95 COLOUR White SIZES 4ft — 7ft FOR STOCKISTS elico.co.uk Designed with summer in mind, this cool mesh fabric also keeps flies at bay. Features include a built-in neck cover, which is lined to avoid rubbing, a belly flap, shoulder gussets and a large tail flap. A loop fastening at the top of the neck fastens the neck piece to the headcollar to stop it slipping. Thermo Master Full Neck Fly Rug RRP £94.90 COLOUR Zebra print SIZES: 5ft 6in — 7ft BUY AT kramer.co.uk This small-mesh fly rug has a neck cover and large belly pad. The zebra print confuses approaching insects and keeps them away from your horse. The rug also offers UV protection to help prevent coat bleaching. Masta Zing Fly…

Deputy editor Allison Lowther: The humble 20m circle — I’ve ridden too many of these badly over the years! If you have too, Alex Gingell’s new Back To Basics series will help you nail them every time. He says he sees mistakes regularly! See page 38 Acting online editor/writer Julie Brown: I loved interviewing Caroline Streater for our retirement livery feature. Such a caring person who loves her oldies. She’s inspired me to have a different mindset about our horses’ golden years. See page 68 Writer Stacey Carter: I’m in awe of the Scottish landscape and I can’t think of a better way to see it than on board a horse. We’re challenging you to go common riding this month, a thrilling day out in the Borders. See page 6…

GLUSHU GLUE-ON SHOE These new glue-on shoes caused quite a bit of excitement in the YH office. Glushu is an advanced, aluminium shoe, over-moulded with a flexible cuff and affixed using strong ‘Shu-fit’ glue. These non-invasive horseshoes last six to 12 weeks and cost £35 a pair. glushu.com HORSESHOE ART We adore these personalised signs, forged from used horseshoes. Why used? Because legend says only used shoes are lucky — the luck is ‘struck’ into them with every footfall of the horse. Horseshoe Hearts can craft any message and signs can be hung, wall-mounted or freestanding. Prices depend on design. horseshoehearts.co.uk PODCAST: MAKING THE LLOYDS BANK ADVERT The latest Lloyds ad features 30 black horses galloping along the beach to be greeted by their perfect partner. Here creator Charlotte Wolfenden…

Grand old Duke I’m amazed how different Duke looks from the day I bought him. He looks so well now and I can’t believe he’s 23! @emma_hayes.endurance, Instagram Big thanks It’s overwhelming to find out I’ve scored over 70% for the first time with Womble. Just wanted to say huge thanks to everyone for the support! Matthew Dalley, Twitter Look away now This is how I watch Charlotte’s tests nowadays… @carlhestermbe, Instagram Thanks Bert! Thank you, Your Horse , for the opportunity to have a lesson with Bert Sheffield after winning your competition. I’ve learnt so much! Liz Pearson, Facebook Winner winner! Thank you so much for the opportunity to win this great prize. Can’t wait to use it. Love the magazine —…

#naptogetherstaytogether Me and Lady just chillin’ together. Danielle Rowles, Leicestershire Basking in the rays In the sunshine with 20-year-old HRH. My horse of a lifetime. Carrie Ashbolt, Gloucestershire Chomping away Me and Del Boy — he’s sucking on an apple. Liz Pearson, Lancashire Open wide My ex-racer Archie. Jayne Gilbert, Staffordshire Strike a pose Having a cuddle with Bella. Victoria Johnstone, Nottinghamshire Game of sleep Making the most of the sunshine with my horse Jon Snow. Kelly Linley, Lancashire Pucker up! Sky receiving good boy kisses after a hot day’s ride. Sarah Roberts, Nottinghamshire Smile! Me and Smudge after a ride. Livvy Black, West Yorkshire Nothing beats a brew We both like having a tea break together. Amy Humfrey, Pembrokeshire Zzzzzzzz Me and Captain after our lesson. He’s helping me…

Tracey Clarke and Diesel cool down with a paddle in the stream  Helen Chivers snaps a selfie after a fun hack to the pub  Elise McCall banks a few more miles with a friend in tow  Caroline Jenkins ticks walking the dog and riding the horse off her list at the same time  Sara Heard’s children clock a few miles with their mum on foot  Sarah Farrell enjoys some summer hacking on a borrowed horse  Daina Neilsen and Marni join the challenge in Queensland, Australia  Elaine Rannie passes some hot springs while riding in Iceland  A post-hack selfie for Carmen Eaton, who’s back in the saddle after time at the vet’s  Joanna Starkey’s new recruit pulls off his first hack to the woods — this is only the third time…

Dublin Edge Gel Full-Seat Breeches are perfect for riding this summer. The action panel provides great flexibility for maximum comfort while the PU silicon print design provides optimum grip and stability. Available in indigo, navy, white, sand and ladies sizes 8-18 (26in-36in). RRP £109.99. Dublin Glencoe Short-Sleeve Performance Top is great for everyday wear. It features Comfort Dry Technology fabric with mesh panels on the side and across the back. Available in aqua, violet, indigo and sizes XS-XXL. RRP £26.99. Dublin Airflow CDT Long-Sleeve Tech Top features Comfort Dry Technology fabric that provides moisture control for all-day comfort, no matter what the weather. Underarm mesh panels provide great ventilation for those wanting to cover up in the sun. Available in aqua, grey, iris, white and sizes XS-XXL. RRP £22.99 Dublin…

Coral stresses the importance of allowing your horse to have a good stretch after any vigorous exercise. Here’s her advice for cooling off properly… • Correctly warming down helps prevent stiffness, so your horse doesn’t feel sore or tight when he leaves his stable the following day. • Don’t just drop the reins and let the horse trot around. It’s really important to make sure your horse takes the rein forward and down, so that he stretches his body properly. • Make sure he stays in balance, stretching from the withers over the back and through the bridle.…

THE FIRST AREA to work on is improving Beauty’s lateral suppleness. At the moment, in particular on the right rein, she’s reluctant to flex at the poll to the inside (right). Instead, she’s looking to the left. This first exercise is simple, but it really helps you focus on achieving the correct flexion. Going large stops your horse falling in and the edge of the school gives you a visual aid and helps you ride straight. Try the following exercise in walk first before riding it in trot. Make sure you do it equally on both reins. Try this exercise 1 On the right rein, go large around the edge of the arena in walk. 2 Flex your horse to the inside (right), while keeping his body straight and on…

The main reason that water trays cause so many problems is because, according to your horse, they look a bit strange. The key to succeeding at this tricky jump is to take things slowly. “Start with putting a tray on the floor on its own,” says Yazmin. “If you don’t have a tray, use something like a tarpaulin. “Gradually build up the exercise so that you’re eventually jumping a fence with a water tray underneath it.” How to ride it SET IT UP: On one side of your school, place a water tray. If you don’t have one, place a tarpaulin between two poles. a) Go large around your school in trot. b) Look ahead for the water tray. c) Trot straight towards the tray, keeping your horse as straight…

Spotting sores Living up to their name, summer sores tend to materialise in the spring and summer when fly activity is at its peak. The lesions that you’ll see on your horse will be pus-like and greasy, and ooze a yellow/white fluid tinged with blood. While you might not see summer sores in the colder months, the lesions sometimes heal as the weather cools, only to reappear again in the spring, so it’s important to treat them as soon as you spot them. Solving the problem Treatment comes in two parts. The first is to ease the allergic reaction to the presence of the larvae. The second is treating the lesions. After the inflammatory response has been treated, your vet will try to reduce the size of the lesions. This…

Give it a go Q What are the benefits of volunteering at eventing competitions? Aimee Forest, Hitchin A Volunteering has many, many benefits. You get a chance to watch some of your idols take on the biggest fences and trickiest courses of their careers, plus it’s an opportunity to become part of a community dedicated to making the best experience they can for horse, rider and visitor. And, of course, it means you get free entry into some of the top events in the country, such as Burghley, Bramham and Belton. Even if you don’t own a horse, you can still be involved with British Eventing (BE) events. For the average one-day event run over one weekend, BE needs around 150 volunteers to help with fence judging, dressage writing, collecting…

Post-partum riding Q Since having my baby I have lost my nerve. I’ve heard of this happening to other riders but really didn’t think it would happen to me! Mary Gold, Sussex A Welcome to the equestrian motherhood club. I can remember feeling I had to do everything right up to the moment I had my daughter — and then feeling I had to do everything plus more the minute she came home from hospital. Feeling exhausted, trying to juggle household chores, doing the horses, running my own business, making sure the house was tidy… And trying to do all that in a body I didn’t feel was my own, let alone trying to squeeze it into a pair of jodhpurs! We know when we don’t feel strong physically, but…

CAMPDRAFTING — USING A horse to steer a cow around an arena — is a fast-paced sport that attracts crowds in their thousands in rural Queensland, Australia. Starting in a pen with up to 15 cattle, the rider’s first job is to select a cow and separate it from the mob using a ‘cutting out’ technique. Riders use the horse to control the cow’s movement, riding ‘rollbacks’ — where the horse pivots on his hindlegs — to mirror the cow and blocking it so that it doesn’t rejoin the mob. When the rider shouts for the gate to be opened, the cow is herded into a large arena. There, the cow is driven around one post before circling to another on the opposite side of the arena. They then ride…

Peter says that the core values of the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing (3-5 August) will never change. Its emphasis is on a fun, family day out watching horses. On the sport side, there are five British championships, while main arena attractions include The Devil’s Horsemen, mounted games, Shetland Pony Grand National and dog agility. “Hosting the Festival has always been about giving something back to the sport and it’s somewhere to bring all the family,” says Peter. “The TopSpec Challenge for the Corinthian Cup [for amateurs] goes back to why my parents started the event. We’re providing a venue for British championships but also for grassroots riders, who get to feel part of a big occasion.” • Find out more at festivalofbritisheventing.com.…

“I had no idea how Hilly would cope with the flight and I was very fortunate to be allowed to travel with him,” explains Alice. “I checked him regularly and he was completely fine, thanks in part to the other horse in his stall, who he already knew.” Alice flew Hilly in a breakable headcollar and nothing else. “It was so hot, I didn’t want to wrap him up in anything, although some grooms did use boots and fleeces. It’s a personal choice. Everyone was very friendly and the stalls were clean, with a nice thick bedding, which encouraged the horses to urinate and masked the smell of ammonia, which can be a problem.” The pilots on Alice’s flight were experienced in flying horses and the take-off and landing were…

Falling out This happens on the rein your horse is more supple on. He’ll overbend to the inside and push his shoulders out, drifting off the circle. To correct this you need to “shut the door” by closing your outside rein and, in order to correct the overbending, a gentle hug with your outside leg to encourage your horse to remain on the correct line of the circle. Your horse’s neck should always be in the centre of his shoulders. Falling in This happens on your horse’s stiffer side. He’ll drop his inside hindleg down and not step under his body. When he isn’t engaging his inside hindleg, the result is his inside shoulder is not supported, so he falls in. You need to use your inside leg to teach…

> Practise at home Build your own startbox at home using poles and familiarise your horse with calmly going in and out of a tight space. It’s a good idea to practise walk to canter transitions in your school, out hacking, everywhere, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to him in the startbox. > Keep moving Avoid standing still for too long, either inside or outside the startbox. Walking around helps keep your horse thinking forward — plus the sudden acceleration into canter will be less of a surprise. > Have a helper Having someone with you to walk next to your horse and guide him into the startbox can be really helpful, especially if your horse is prone to being reluctant. If it’s someone who’s already familiar with…

“ Treat planks as you would any other fence and you’ll soon feel confident” THEY’RE BRIGHT, IMPOSING and fall down with the lightest tap of a hoof. Showjumping penalties are easy to incur, with course-designers using turns, related distances and testing fences that can catch you and your horse out. Planks and water trays, for example, are notorious for being spooky, but with a bit of practice, you’ll soon soar over them with ease. “With planks, you just need to treat them as normal jumps,” reasons showjumper and Dodson & Horrell ambassador Yazmin Pinchen. “I think people overthink them and then they become a problem, because your horse senses that you’re worried. Treat them as you would any other fence and you’ll soon feel much more confident. “With water trays,…

Your Horse deputy editor Allison Lowther has been a fence steward at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials for two years and this year steps up to being a fence judge. Here are six reasons why she loves to volunteer: 1 It’s a great way to still be involved in the sport of eventing, which I love, but no longer compete in. 2 It’s a chance to watch some of the best event riders up close and see how they tackle certain fences. 3 I’m giving something back to the sport — these events can’t run without volunteers. 4 It’s a free day out in the fresh air at beautiful venues, watching riders having fun with their horses. 5 You’re usually well looked after — lunch, drinks and…

Is poo so bad? Q I have just bought my first horse and keep him at a livery yard. The owners are really picky about droppings being removed from the arena and insist you shouldn’t ride through them if your horse does them while you’re on board. Why is this? Surely it can’t be just because it makes the school look untidy? Frankie Falcon, Cambridge A The reason you need to remove the droppings from an arena is that while it looks unsightly, there is a much bigger problem with the droppings themselves contaminating the arena surface. They can do significant damage to the sand, wax and fibre mixture that creates a synthetic surface. If left lying on the surface, droppings get kicked about, trodden in and spread around, breaking…