Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 480 i Your Horse

IF I COULD urge every horse owner and rider to do one thing this month, it’s turn to our rider first aid special and read it in full (p24). Memorise it, pull it out and stick it on your tack room wall for other people to read too. We felt compelled to bring our readers this essential guide after reporting the news that a rider was left paralysed following a jumping fall when correct procedure wasn’t followed while waiting for an ambulance to arrive*. If she had been made to keep still, surgeons said she would have made a full recovery. This is tragic. A life changed in seconds by actions that could have been prevented. Of course, falling off is part and parcel of riding horses. Most of the…

’APPY HACKING The BHS has seen a 250% increase in the number of road incidents reported since launching its app, Horse i, in March. It’s free to download on a smartphone and enables you to report an incident within minutes. yourhorse.co.uk/hacking/bhs-horse-i-app WAR HEROES Falklands war veteran Anthony Babb has penned Amazing Animals of WWI, a positive insight into the relationships between soldiers and their animals — and horses figure large. £12 Buy at amazon.co.uk HAVE A GO AT ENDURANCE GB Endurance GB is offering riders the chance to have a go at a novice graded ride up to 40km in length without paying for full membership. Finishers receive a rosette and a grade according to finish time and the horse’s pulse rate at the final inspection. yourhorse.co.uk/hacking…

Big, ambitious goals can feel overwhelming. Long-term goals can feel so far away that they seem almost unachievable. However, if you’re focusing only on smaller, short-term goals, it can feel like you’re working so hard, but you forget what it’s all for. When this happens, it’s easy to lose motivation. To tackle this, I love using a technique called ‘chunking’: ■ Imagine yourself on a ladder, standing on the first rung. ■ As you look up to the top of the ladder, you can see your big, ambitious, long-term goals. ■ At the bottom, where you are now, is your current ‘mini’ goal. ■ Each of the rungs on the ladder represents the steps or smaller goals that you need to achieve to hit your bigger goal. ■ At some…

MEET THE TRAINER Eventer ANDREW HOY is a triple Olympic gold medallist, and his goal for 2021 is to make Tokyo his eighth Games. Here to help him demonstrate how to hack out safely is the lovely Hasenacher Balou Couleur, who’s currently eventing at two-star level. Andrew is sponsored by Fairfax Saddles, KEP Italia, Zandona and Spillers/Winergy. Find out more at hoyteam.com Hacking should be one of life’s pleasures — a way to unwind, bond with your horse and explore the countryside. But all too often real life gets in the way. Speeding cars, noisy motorbikes, fly-tipped rubbish, barking dogs, cows, even traditional horse-drawn wagons... We can expect to come across all these and more when we’re out and about, and some sights will fray the nerves of even the…

WE OFTEN ASSOCIATE laminitis with fat ponies who have gorged on spring grass, but the reality is it can affect any horse or pony regardless of their weight, at any time of the year. When Jayne Mackenzie’s Connemara gelding Flynn went lame in February 2020, she was convinced he had an abscess. The last thing she expected was for him to be suffering from a severe attack of laminitis. “He had no history of laminitis and wasn’t even being turned out on any grass,” says Jayne, who has owned 15-year-old Flynn for seven years. “I called out my farrier Russell Jones, who came out to check him. There was no sign of an abscess and the lameness improved. There was also no sign of laminitis at this point.” Jayne carried…

MEET THE EXPERT LEONA BRAMALL MVB CertAVP(EM) MRCVS is an equine vet at Oakhill Veterinary Centre in Preston. Leona holds an advanced veterinary practitioner certificate in equine medicine and her primary areas of interest lie in dermatology and gastrointestinal disease. Visit oakhill-vets.com. VET notes WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • What lethargy is • The symptoms • Why it happens • How it’s treated WE ALL KNOW that feeling where we’re tired, a bit under the weather and lacking energy. Our horses can feel the same. Lethargy means listlessness, quietness or a lack of vigour. Some owners are unable to put their finger on what is wrong and report their horse as ‘not being quite right’. There are many reasons why a horse could be lethargic, so trying to underpin the root…

Kitted out Q Having just had my farrier pop stud holes back in my horse’s shoes, I now need to buy a new stud kit and set of studs. What should a comprehensive stud kit contain? Cara Shafton, Lancs Tricia says… A basic stud kit can start from as little as £25 and will contain a spanner, a tool to clean out stud holes and normally four road studs (small, shallow studs that can be square or hexagonal, and which are used to give a horse extra grip on good ground), plus a selection of eight pointed and square studs. It is then easy to add to this. A comprehensive kit will include a range of studs for hard or wet ground. Useful extras In addition, I have a magnetic stud…

Geriatric mother? Q My mare is 18 and has never had a foal. It has always been something I’ve wanted to do and I am considering it, but I’m worried something may happen to her. Can a mare have her first foal at this age? Mary Sykes, Yorkshire Alistair says… Many mares in their late teens and twenties can and do breed successfully, but it can be more complicated and more expensive. A mare’s fertility begins to decline when she reaches her mid-teens, and she will need to be in good general health and body condition to reduce the risks of carrying a foal in older age. Poor vulval conformation, uterine infections, irregular cycles and post-breeding endometritis are all more common in older mares. All of these conditions can be managed,…

ACCURATE LUNGEING Make lungeing easier and more consistent with the EquiAmi Lunge Line. This soft and padded lunge line has markers to indicate when your horse is working on 10m, 15m and 20m circles. The markers are positioned to consider the position of your lower arm when you are lungeing so that your circle sizes are as accurate as possible. RRP £24.99 EQUIAMI.COM HATS OFF THE Elexxion Pro helmet from Uvex features a host of innovative and well thought out features including the IAS 3D size adjustment dial mechanism and easy monomatic fastener. This helmet also offers excellent ventilation and a changeable lining, and is suitable for those who wear glasses. Matt, gloss and chrome details give this helmet a glamorous look that is sure to turn heads. The Uvex…

HY ARMOURED PROTECT FULL MASK WITH EARS AND NOSE RRP £28.99 SIZES Small pony, pony, cob, full, X full HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM Made from lightweight mesh material with bamboo lining this mask offers protection to the face, ears, nose and eyes. This mask features darts that ensure good clearance off the eyes, a luxurious faux fur panel on the browband area and soft fleece edging. The double-sided touchtape fastenings hold the mask securely in place during turnout, and the mesh panels around the eyes and nose protect from UV rays. LEMIEUX BUG RELIEF LYCRA FLY MASK RRP £17.95 (full mask), £14.95 (half mask) SIZES XS-XXL LEMIEUXPRODUCTS.COM This pull-on design is made from a soft, four-way stretch material to minimise the chance of rubbing, while stopping flies getting under the mask. It’s anatomically…

Why did you get involved with Hopefield? I first visited Hopefield about 12 years ago and fell in love with the rescue work they do. The founders, Paula (who sadly died before I became involved) and Ernie Clark, put their life’s work into saving animals and keeping them safe on the land. But they were having problems keeping the sanctuary going due to lack of funding. The sanctuary gives so much to the animals and people that volunteer and visit. I didn’t want to see such a special place shut down and so I became involved in their campaigning. What role do you feel animals play in people’s lives? My animals are part of my family. Most of us have regular contact with dogs or cats and we love them…

Freelance gear editor Allison Lowther: Flies are a nuisance in the summer, so we’ve put together a Gear Guide to help. There’s fly sprays, fly rugs and fly masks — whether you use one or a combination of them all, your horse is sure to thank you for it. Page 97. Olympic dressage rider Richard Davison: I don’t like the term ‘outline’, because it makes a lot of riders think about topline, rather than looking at the complete profile of your horse. I explain more on page 44. Horse owner Helen Gale: Misguided advice on social media, obese horses competing and little control over turnout at livery yards are just a few reasons why it’s tough to manage our horses’ waistlines, as I explain on page 72. Olympic event rider Andrew…

“Covid closed my wedding business overnight” When coronavirus scuppered her wedding hire business, Hayley decided to give something back to the community and trained to be a carer Covid closed the doors overnight on my wedding business, Hales Hire. I went from working every weekend providing decorative embellishments to nuptials — from sweet carts to chair covers — to no work at all. Initially I spent time with my children: Kacey, nine; Holly, six; and Lenny, four; but as the weeks ticked away I worried about paying the bills. Over Christmas I worked in Tesco, stacking shelves at night while my husband, Mark, an engineer, worked days. Then I spotted an advert for Aphoenix Care, a lovely family company that does amazing things for its service users [patients], such as…

UPON FINDING OURSELVES in the lucky position of buying Thor from the lady who has kindly been letting Matt (Mr T) ride him, we jump at the opportunity. However, Matt has his work cut out. Thor isn’t a straightforward first horse. One of his most significant quirks is napping, mainly when hacking alone but occasionally in company if he thinks the other way will be more fun. Thor uses his strength through his shoulder to turn for home, and despite his less-than-streamlined build will hotfoot it back to the safety of his herd. While I’m unable to ride, I hand Shoop’s reins over to my mum, Pat. She recently retired her mare, Martha, and is enjoying — maybe a little too much! — keeping Shoop fit. I spend time working…

EMAIL US AT yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk Unfortunately, we are unable to receive any letters by post. We reserve the right to edit letters when necessary. A story of hope I wanted to share the story of my amazing Hackney foal. Buddy was born on 13 May, 2021 and was instantly a spritely, happy boy. His mother Dainty doted on him and spent a lot of her time grooming him and playing with him. A few days later and there was something noticeably wrong with Dainty. She was swishing her tail lots, circling and having muscle spasms. We called our vet who diagnosed a rare condition called hypocalcemia (low blood calcium) which causes neurological symptoms. Sadly, the treatment she was given wasn’t enough and she died, leaving poor Buddy without his mum. We…

To enter, visit yourhorse.co.uk/win/covalliero480 *FIRST PRIZE* ■ Samantha show jacket ■ Valentina short sleeve competition shirt ■ Quilted vest ■ Quilted jacket ■ White riding breeches ■ Equona riding tights ■ Brescia riding socks ■ Caparison Salvina saddlecloth ■ Exclusive halter and leadrope ■ RugBe fleece blanket classic SECOND PRIZE ■ Quilted jacket ■ Samantha show jacket ■ White riding breeches ■ Equona riding tights ■ Brescia riding socks ■ Exclusive halter and leadrope ■ RugBe fleece blanket classic THIRD PRIZE ■ Quilted jacket ■ Equona riding tights ■ Brescia riding socks ■ Exclusive halter and leadrope ■ RugBe fleece blanket classic IF YOU’RE ONE of the three lucky readers to win this month’s competition your riding wardrobe will get a makeover thanks to popular clothing brand Covalliero. The range…

MEET THE TRAINER RICHARD DAVISON is a four-time dressage Olympian and European medallist. He has been at the forefront of the international dressage world for many years and is in great demand as a trainer. Richard is an ambassador for feed brand Dodson & Horrell. Find out more at dodsonandhorrell.com ON THE BIT, in an outline, top line – these are all common phrases you hear being used by trainers and riders. However, the use of these terms can be misleading and puts the focus too much on what your horse’s head and neck are doing, when you should consider the whole of your horse. If you can change your way of thinking, it will enable you to train your horse more effectively and holistically. Think of the whole horse…

Equine vets have reported a sharp increase in the number of cases of laminitis they are seeing this year. It is the result of particularly heavy rain and sunny days — perfect conditions for grass growth — in the spring. This extremely painful condition can cause permanent damage to the hooves and even death. Crucially, it is important to note that every equine — not just ponies — can be affected by laminitis. Laminitis affects the sensitive lamellae located inside the horse’s hoof. These lamellae form a strong bond to hold the pedal bone in place within the hoof. However, laminitis causes the lamellae to stretch, weaken and become damaged, causing the pedal bone to move. In extreme cases the pedal bone can even penetrate through the sole of the…

Meet this month’s panel of experts Email your question to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk. GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We’ll know someone who can help Welcome to our Ask The Experts section. In the next nine pages, we solve your horsey dilemmas by taking them to those in the industry who know best. This month’s panel (left) answer your burning questions about managing headshaking, flatwork tips, caring for veterans and fitting studs. Simple solutions for horse owners In partnership with…

Super sensitive Q I have a mare who sometimes experiences hair loss on her face in spring and summer. Last year she needed antibiotics as she was so itchy. She also gets snotty at times and is a seasonal headshaker. Could all these things be connected? What medical management strategies would you suggest trying – would antihistamines work? Paula Martin, Herts Veronica says… I’m sorry to hear that, it certainly sounds difficult to manage. The first step is to see whether the headshaking and the hair loss and snotty nose are connected. There is a complex – and not yet understood – association between environment and trigeminal-mediated headshaking, but it isn’t a ‘normal’ allergy. Work out the timeline With the hair loss, work out whether the itch or the hair loss comes…

LeMieux has added the Monsieur range to its collection. This smart and practical selection of men’s clothing is great for wearing at the yard and comfortable for riding in too. Perfect for those chilly days, the LeMieux Monsieur jumper is made from a soft blend of cotton and cashmere for amazing comfort. This smart jumper is a classic cut and is available in navy and grey. Polo shirts are a wardrobe staple, and the classic fit of the LeMieux men’s polo shirt is sure to be a popular choice this season. Its lightweight and breathable fabric is sweat-wicking to keep you cool in the heat. You can choose from black, navy or grey – any of which will team up nicely with the rest of your riding kit. Made from…

DURING THE PAST month, Apache and I have taken a giant leap forward in our confidence journey. It starts with a stern talking to from myself (as you may recall from my previous diary) and the advice I glean from fellow challengers in the Hack 1,000 miles Facebook group. But not wanting to tempt fate too quickly, my sister joins me for a few hacks. Me on Apache; Aimi on a bike. Having someone to chat to helps me forget about being nervous and I begin to relax. I find myself slipping back into old (bad!) habits, as I stroll along with one hand on the reins. More importantly, I notice how when I relax, Apache does too. The thing about hacking with a cyclist is that they tend to…

It’s the best feeling when your horse does what you ask of him and there are lots of ways you can reward him for this correct behaviour. Some horses respond to certain rewards better than others, so we asked our Facebook followers whether they pat, scratch, or use a vocal reward to praise their horses. Here’s what they had to say. LOTS OF REWARDS A scratch and a pat on the shoulder or neck. Telling them they are good, followed by a treat when we get home. It works for me. Sophie Buffham A GOOD HEAD RUB All of mine like a head rub on the forehead when I see them after work, which is my way of saying ‘thank you’ for the joy they give me. Paula Biddle JUST…

MEET THE TRAINER WADE BARLEY is a UKCC Level 2 dressage coach, British Dressage Youth Coach and assessor, and BHS accredited Professional Coach. He has ridden to prix st georges level and competed at three national championships. Wade is based in Stamford and runs a training and livery yard. LATERAL WORK IS great for all horses and gives them a full-body workout. Whether you’re out competing or hacking, teaching your horse lateral movements will improve his suppleness, straightness and his overall way of going. In the June issue of Your Horse we covered leg-yielding and turn on the forehand. These two movements teach your horse to move sideways away from your leg. Once you’ve mastered these you can move on to shoulder-fore and shoulder-in. These are two similar movements with…

‘She was asymmetric in muscle development and bilaterally lame’ “I first examined Matilda in late October, at which time she presented mildly asymmetric in her muscle development over her hindquarters with the right being less developed, and she was bilaterally lame behind. “Scintigraphic examination of the back, pelvis and hindlimbs identified uptake in the sacroiliac joints (SIJ; right more than left), and ultrasound identified osteoarthritis of the SIJ and thickening of the ventral sacroiliac ligaments. The SIJs were medicated. “Matilda was given a poor prognosis for return to athletic function as primary SIJ injuries typically don’t respond well to management. Arthritic changes were also advanced, lowering the prognosis further. “Ground work was reintroduced with an emphasis on long-reining, ground poles, backing up and carrot stretches to encourage muscle development alongside…

MEET THE EXPERT Helen gale is a freelance marketing consultant who works in the equine veterinary industry. She graduated from Warwickshire College with a BA (Hons) Equine Studies with Business Management and has worked in the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industries in the UK and USA. She is based in Newmarket and owns three Irish-bred horses, one of whom she competes in British Eventing, British Dressage and riding club activities. HAVING OWNED HORSES for more than 40 years, I have experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to manage their weight, especially when they are kept on livery yards where you have limited control and choices. I currently keep my three horses at a small private yard where I am the only person there, so I manage them myself, but…

Drifting along Q I lose marks on tests through ‘drifting’ on the centre line and my mare ballooning out through the outside shoulder on circles. How can I work on this? Marcus Baxter, Dorset Richard says… To help with the drifting on the centre line issue, I would use some poles to give you a focal point and help you control the straightness. Place the poles either side of the centre line with space in between, ideally either side of D, X and G. The poles will help you to keep the straightness, and the gaps in between will make you more aware of what you need to do with your aids to keep the straightness between your legs when you don’t have poles on which to rely. Squares for…

Loosening up Q My old boy is beginning to get very loose, watery droppings. Why is this happening and what should I change about the way I manage and look after him to deal with this? Sarah Sherringham, Tyneside Alistair says... Dental disease is very common in older horses and poor dentition can mean that long fibre isn’t properly chewed. This can lead to excess water in the faeces, which is seen most commonly as a squirt of water at the end of defecation. Increasing the frequency of dental checks in your older horse is therefore a good place to start. Not normal If he has poor teeth, then the diet can be modified to help. Otherwise, I wouldn’t necessarily consider very loose, watery droppings to be a normal finding in…