Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 481 i Your Horse

WHEN YOU THINK back to the pony books you read as a child, what do you remember about them? I loved the Jinny and The Saddle Club series, and my long-lasting memories are the bonds each character had with their horse. Each told the story of how they developed this bond, worked through setbacks, and how much love the rider felt for their horse. It was something I dreamed of experiencing myself. Bonding is such a big part of horse ownership, and it’s a key theme in this issue with a particular focus on groundwork. Spending time and working with your horse out of the saddle is the basis of every good partnership. Whether that’s grooming, time spent around them while doing yard chores — or just sitting talking to…

RHINO GETS NEW FLY MASK A white rhino has found relief from severe eye allergies after being given specially-adapted fly masks from Horseware. Princess, who lives at Utah’s Hogle Zoo in the USA, wears the mask from breakfast until nightfall. “We’ve gone from seeing discharge, redness, itching and even bleeding around her eyes, to no symptoms at all now that she wears the mask,” said the zoo’s rhino manager Lauren LeCoque. Watch a video of Rhino in her mask at yourhorse.co.uk/news KEYWORKER WINS TRAILER A £1 raffle ticket won a Cheval Liberte trailer for Asda keyworker Susan Campbell. The trailer, plus a year’s insurance — worth £6,644 in all — was the top prize in Harry Hall’s raffle. It raised more than £9,000 for Harry Hall’s charity partners: The Horse…

APRIL’S TOP STORY ‘I hope it will inspire others to challenge themselves’ Last year, Tessa Lewis battled cancer, and the treatment left her with little time with her horse Peaches. She signed up to #HacklOOOMiles to help rebuild their partnership. “He is my pride and joy,” says Tessa. “He’s helped me more than anyone realises.” Tessa hopes the miles will help Peaches slim down. “He was fat last year so now I’m determined to keep him as fit as possible. I owe it to us both to complete the challenge. I hope it will inspire others to challenge themselves, no matter what life throws at you.” MAY’S TOP STORY ‘I won’t let MS get me down’ When Brenda Young started losing sensation in her feet and experienced lower body numbness,…

3 READERS WILL EACH WIN* AN EQUI-N-ICE STABLE PACK, WHICH INCLUDES: ■ Cooling horse rug ■ Icesocks ■ Cooling bandages ■ Coolant Recharge CHANCES ARE YOU’LL be riding your horse more and increasing the intensity of his workload during the summer. Whether it’s long evening hacks or days away competing, top-notch leg care is a must to help him stay sound and comfortable. Equi-N-ice’s unique horse cooling system is a range of cooling products that provide an effective and easy way to deal with knocks, sprains and bruises, and generally keeping your horse cool. All the products in the range are reuseable thanks to Coolant Recharge, which is applied to reinvigorate the cooling properties. About the range Equi-N-ice Icesocks are brilliant for post-work cooling down and provide instant cold treatment…

MEET THE EXPERT Over the past 35 years, CAROLINE INGRAHAM has studied how some species bring themselves back to health via being able to select various essential oils, herbs and mineral options. She founded Applied Zoopharmacognosy, a form of individualised medicine, and has lectured worldwide. She has studied essential oil science, pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Visit workshops.carolineingraham.com. HAS YOUR HORSE ever dragged you across the field to tuck ferociously into a certain plant or flower growing in the hedge or field? There may be a reason behind his eagerness to eat that specific plant — he may be suffering from an illness that the plant will help ease. “The ability to self-medicate is hard-wired into all living animals including newborns,” says equine Zoopharmacognasist Caroline Ingraham. “Since many horses are no longer…

Going for the snip Q I’ve bought a yearling cob who is already showing some rather strong and ‘bullish’ behaviour. He is going to be gelded, but as this is my first youngster, I’m unsure of the castration process and the aftercare he will need. What can I expect, and is gelding him likely to calm his behaviour at all? Jerry Chapman, Kent James says: An ‘entire’ male horse’s behaviour is testosterone-driven and it is this hormone which influences herding instincts, sexual aggression and the desire to be ‘top dog’ in a herd situation. While normal in a feral herd of horses, this behaviour is much less desirable in a domesticated situation - especially for the people handling these animals, and particularly when handlers are not experienced or confident with…

MASH UP Equerry Cool Mash is a quick-soaking mash for horses that need a low energy feed. This cerealgrain-free, low starch feed is designed for horses in light to medium work. Equerry Cool Mash contains highly digestible fibre sources including sugar beet and yeast to support a healthy digestive system, plus added vitamins and minerals like magnesium. RRP £12.50 for 20kg EQUERRYHORSEFEEDS.COM SUMMER WEAR The sleeveless technical base layer from Mochara Equestrian is designed for summer wear. This sleeveless base layer is breathable and provides a protective layer. Made from high quality, technical SPF 40+ fabric which has been treated with a unique finish to prevent UV rays penetrating it, reflecting the rays for sun protection and to reduce heat absorption. RRP £36 MOCHARA.CO.UK COMFORT AND STYLE Crafted from a new and…

Freelance gear editor Allison Lowther: I found it fascinating learning how Olympic dressage rider Richard Davison trains his horses. This feature has made me look at the way I ride and train my own horse on the flat. It’s a real eye opener and a must-read. Page 52 Freelance horse care editor Stephanie Bateman: We ask a lot of our horse’s backs, so ensuring they are in good health is vital. Find out what you can do to keep your horse’s back in tip-top shape on page 74. Equine Zoopharmacognasist Caroline Ingraham: The ability to self-medicate is hard-wired into all animals. Many horses are kept in pastures void of medicinal herbs, but there are ways we can allow them to select freely. Page 78 Olympic event rider Andrew Hoy: Spending time…

English tutor and PhD student Martina Diehl did the challenge with Gin, her part-Arab, and Peanut, her Shetland pony. Hacking in-hand has always been part of Martina’s relationship with her horses, but the miles may have saved Peanut’s life. “He had laminitis in 2017 and 2018. We made him a track system on the grass, changed his diet, and started to walk him out in-hand. He improved so much, and I started hopping on Gin for part of the way. It just snowballed from there,” she says. It hasn’t all been plain sailing; it has taken patience and practise for the trio to find their groove. “Peanut is cheeky and likes to choose his own routes and speeds. I had to let him go once when he panicked Gin. It…

Thanks for everything I would like to thank all the riding school ponies and horses I have ever ridden, from Justin who I fell off more times than I can remember to Mr Pastry on whom I won my first red rosette. Each and every one has taught me something and given me a passion that is still going strong over 45 years later. Cathy Burrows Our little star: I was going to give up horses for good after I lost my beloved mare, then this little man was offered to me. Jenson was an unbroken three-year-old. He’s now seven and he’s made me proud in jumping, dressage and lately showing with me and my seven children. We’ve had challenges with his health, but he saved me and I owe…

MEET THE TRAINER VANESSA BEE is the founder of the International Horse Agility Club and is based in Devon. She specialises in building relationships between horse and rider from the ground up. As a qualified teacher, Vanessa uses her education skills to develop a series of courses that teach people of all abilities and experience levels to achieve a positive relationship with their horses. Thehorseagilityclub.com IT IS SAID that if you ask 20 different horse people the same question, you get 20 different answers. So if you asked, “How can I ride out safely in open spaces and past spooky objects?” you might hear the following: “Keep your leg on”, “Keep your leg off”, “Be in charge of the horse”, “Let the horse go on a loose rein”, “Be the…

Zoe Kiff advises the following: 1 SAVE WATER Water is one of our most precious resources and every drop we use has to be treated and pumped to reach our taps. That uses up energy and contributes to our carbon emissions. Consider using automatic waterers so you’re not emptying buckets of water and then refilling. If this isn’t an option, instead of emptying out, cleaning and refilling water buckets every day, you could top up the water buckets with fresh water. 2 READ UP Next time you need something such as a new shampoo, read the reviews to find out if it really does what it claims to do. When you’ve bought it, use every single last drop, and if you can find a product that comes in recyclable, reusable…

Email your question to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk. Meet this month’s panel of experts 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 travelwear, geldings and rigs, kicking and biting and feeding youngsters. COMPILED BY RACHEL WILLIAMS In partnership with Simple solutions for horse owners…

Growing up strong Q I have a baby Connemara. How should I feed him when first weaned? I want to turn him away to grow and mature initially, but will he be OK with just some hay piles in the field over autumn/winter, or does he need more than this? Kayleigh Pilkington, Aberdeenshire Anna says: As we always advocate, feed forage first. Hay piles in the field when you turn him away will provide a suitable base diet for any young horse, giving them fibre, calories, protein, vitamins and minerals, while supporting healthy digestion. However, it is unlikely to provide everything that a young horse needs for an important stage of their growth and development, and so the forage ration would certainly need to be supported by a balanced diet…

On sale 19 Aug 2021 PLUS ■ Howto think in the warm up ■ The lowdown on interval training ■ Gear: competition shirts, jackets and long leather boots ALSO IN THIS ISSUE ❋ How to keep a veteran active for longer ❋ Essential summer care advice for a healthy horse ❋ Tips for introducing walk pirouettes ❋ How to cool a hot horse effectively ❋The latest hoof care advice ❋ What your horse’s eyes say about his health…

Karen Brown takes Clover for a walk Lucy Tribe and her pony like exploring the woods Olivia Taylor’s mum leads her two mares on an in-hand hack Beckii Cocking has fond hacking memories of Bertie, whom she recently lost after a freak accident in his field Sarah Blundell leads her youngster while her kids ride their ponies In-hand hacks help Caitlin Kretzschmar’s confidence Lucy Lessimore and Champ go out in hand Louise Warne’s pony enjoys long hacks out in-hand Claire Alldritt ready for her 200-mile trek across Scotland with Yogi and Swift Jane Hoare and Dan go out in hand during hot weather…

IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, autumn and winter is the best time of the year for getting out for some wonderful hacks. The weather is cooler, there’s no dust or flies and everywhere is lush and green. I completed my first 1,000 miles in April — it took us a year and one week! We reached the 1,000-mile mark with a fabulous three-day ride. Sometimes, you just need to have some time out with your horse. The Easter marathon ride, run by the WA Endurance Riders Association, provides a perfect opportunity. The marathon involves covering 120km over three days, riding 40km a day through vast forests. What could be better than three days in tranquil peace with just your horse? I pack the trailer with our camping gear and head to the…

Send in your pics! My hero This is me and my Icelandic horse, Fleygur, aka Little Viking Horse. Fleygur belonged to my late husband, and is a very special horse to me. So much so that I have written a children’s book based on his character, which I am publishing this October. Catherine Holland, Shropshire Working hard Me and Harvey after a great schooling session. We’ve been together 10 years and he’s my absolute dream come true. Katie Dymond-Brook, West Yorks Family time This is me, my horse Jethro — he is a Standardbred — and Maggie the dog. We live in a small town at the top of a mountain called Toolangi in Victoria, Australia. Debbie Bleumink, Australia Friends reunited I went away on school camp for two nights…

Heads and tails Q Are tail guards simply to stop horses rubbing their tails as they travel, or do they have a more significant purpose? And are poll guards a good idea, or more for a specific type of horse? Molly Sanders, East Anglia Clare says: The core purpose of a tail guard is to protect the horse’s tail while travelling. Tail guards act to prevent rubbing or damage of the tail hair while in transit. They can also help to maintain shaped, pulled or plaited tails ahead of competition. An unprotected tail that is exposed during transport can be rubbed or banged against trailer ends. This can cause damage to the tail hair, causing unsightly breakages and, in worst cases, breakages of the skin. If left to rub to…

Nip it in the bud Q Why does my Irish Draft gelding always want to bite people? He scowls and nips over his stable door, threatens to do the same if you are mucking out or tying up nets in his stable. He sometimes even goes to squash you against the wall and bite you if you are handling him or brushing him in his stable. Brenda Graham, Northamptonshire Catherine says: I’m sorry to hear your horse tries to bite you so often. That must be very hard for you and is probably causing him some distress as well. Normally a horse who is biting is trying to keep people out of his space because he is worried about what might happen. That might be because he has had bad…

SALISBURY FIVE POINT BREASTPLATE RRP £85.99 COLOURS Havana, black, Australian nut SIZES Pony, cob, full, x-full SHIRESEQUESTRIAN.COM A great looking breastplate with attractive stitching detail. It’s made from padded leather and genuine sheepskin pressure pads which can be removed for cleaning. This breastplate also has a detachable running martingale attachment and lots of adjustment for a good fit. MARK TODD 5-POINT BREASTPLATE RRP £134.98 COLOURS Havana, black SIZES Cob, full, x-full MARKTODDCOLLECTION.CO.UK Made from soft leather with stainless steel buckles and adjustable running martingale attachment. The sheepskin shoulder pads with elastic inserts ensure your horse is comfortable and help spread pressure over a large surface area. The top strap fastens with a trigger clip while the lower strap has a loop for the girth strap. KATE NEGUS SADDLERY LEATHER BREAST…

How did your appearance on Channel 5’s Escape to the Farm come about? I was asked to treat the presenter Kate Humble’s border terrier, Bella, on camera, as part of the dog’s ongoing treatment plan. When I first saw Bella, she presented with age-related mobility issues and hindlimb weakness. Bella was the ultimate star and was completely unfazed by the cameras. Once I was focused on her, I forgot the cameras were there and all went well. What was it like being on camera? Being in front of the camera was a totally novel experience and a bit daunting as I have never been filmed while giving treatment before, let alone for television, but it was all done in one take. Kate made the whole experience relaxed and easy throughout…