Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 483 i Your Horse

PARALYMPICS Brilliant Brits defend Paralympic team title plus iconic 14th gold for Sir Lee Sir Lee Pearson cemented his place as the most decorated equestrian Paralympian of all time when winning three golds in Tokyo, taking his gold medal haul to 14. Riding his homebred Breezer, Lee triumphed in the grade II individual and freestyle tests, as well as the team competition. “Number 14 — not that we’re counting!” said Lee, 47, who has competed in all six Paralympic Games since Sydney 2000. “I’m twice over the moon. I actually didn’t care if I medalled. The horse gave me his heart out there.” Having secured eight of the 33 medals on offer, Britain topped the para dressage table ahead of the Netherlands’ six medals and Belgium’s four. Too close to…

WE ALL HAVE mental health, whether it’s good, bad, or in between — and it’s usually been all three at some point. More of us are beginning to appreciate how important it is to look after our mental health as well as our physical health, but it can be difficult to know how. “Being around horses definitely helps you to develop resilience, which is very beneficial for mental health,” says sports psychologist Steffi Dampney. “You have the variable of the horse to consider, which is completely different from any other sport. If something goes wrong, you need to stay focused and remain calm for your horse, and this translates well into life.” We’ve all been there — a particularly scary leaf has blown across the road, or perhaps a wheelie…

JUMPING TREBLES IS an exercise I frequently do at home with both my younger and more experienced horses. Coursedesigners include trebles in their tracks and they can cause both horse and rider many problems, so it’s important to include them in your training before you tackle them in a competition. Riding trebles is excellent for overly eager horses who tend to rush into fences as they have to tackle the three-fence combination with care and rhythm. It’s also a good exercise for younger and/or less experienced horses, as it helps to build confidence and develop their balance and hindleg engagement. As with any new exercise on the flat or jumping, I take my time to warm up the horse on the flat in walk, trot and canter. I always incorporate…

MEET THE TRAINER ROSS COOPER of Rosca Horsemanship is a British Horseman, UKCC Coach, Holistic Therapist and Equine Behaviour Consultant based in Derbyshire. From foundation to advanced horsemanship, Rosca Horsemanship provides hands-on training to dynamic ridden coaching catering for all disciplines and abilities, specialising in bitless training, young horses, foundation groundwork and behavioural issues. Visit rosscooperofficial.co.uk JOHN WAYNE, CLINT Eastwood and Henry Fonda. How many of you can recall the thundering hooves and firing pistols that marked these three film-stars of the classic Western cowboy films? At some point in our childhood, many of us dreamed of being a cowgirl or cowboy; riding through the back-country, chasing down outlaws and donning your very own Stetson. For some of us, that may even have become reality. Though the movies provided some…

WOULDN’T WE JUST love to be able to have a conversation with our horses? Perhaps to ask them why they behaved in a certain way or simply to know what they are thinking. Sadly, we can’t openly chat to them (unless you have telepathic abilities — see box, p62), so how can we work out what they are trying to tell us? “One of the horse’s best ways of communicating with us is body language,” says Rosa Verwijs, an equine behaviourist and lecturer at Writtle University College. “However, it’s not always very obvious. For a start, some of the body language they use is very subtle and often missed by humans. Also, we know a lot about whether horses are showing signs of pain, stress, anxiety and anger, but what…

THE BULK OF your horse’s diet and the majority of his energy should come from forage. This is key for a happy hindgut and a healthy horse. At the same time, controlling forage intake is essential in maintaining a healthy bodyweight and a forage-based diet often does not provide all the vitamins and minerals that your horse requires. So, how can you keep his hindgut healthy while keeping his waistline in check too? To begin, you need to understand how the digestive system works. Horses have a unique digestive system. They are hind gut fermenters, meaning their digestive system is very different from ours, a dog’s or even a cow’s. Rabbits, elephants, and rhinoceros are some of the other animals that have this type of digestive system, but there are…

■ Overall look A well-made and fitting rug will cover your horse from the back of his ears to the top of his tail. The overall impression is that it follows the contours of his body and is a good depth too — you don’t want it to look like a mini skirt. ■ Front fastenings There should be no pressure on your horse’s chest once the fastenings are done up. Check you can slide your hand inside the rug easily. Also check that you can slide your hand down the side of your horse’s shoulder and around to his chest with no restriction. ■ Withers Make sure the rug sits two to four inches in front of your horse’s withers. This will be more comfortable for him and will…

WEATHERBEETA THERMOCELL COOLER STANDARD NECK RRP £89.99 COLOUR Navy/white SIZES 5ft 6in-7ft 3in WEATHERBEETA.CO.UK A versatile cooler that has an ultra-soft feel and stylish design with multi-layer fabric and excellent wicking properties to help keep your horse dry and comfortable. The rug is lightweight but warm, making it ideal for travelling or after exercise. It features a single adjustable front surcingle closure, low cross surcingles and tail cord. THERMATEX ORIGINAL COOLER RUG RRP FROM £150.70 COLOURS 23 colours available (binding also in 23 colours) SIZES 4ft-7ft 3in THERMATEX.CO.UK Ideal for use after exercise, during travel or as a stable rug. Each rug is individually hand cut for a perfect fit and there’s no joining seam, which allows the rug to mould to your horse’s body shape. This direct contact with…

MEET THE TRAINER ELAINE HENEY is the author of Listenology, an award-winning filmmaker, director of Grey Pony Films, and creator of the Listening to the Horse documentary. She has helped over 120,000 horse owners in 113 countries create inspiring relationships with their horses. Access her online groundwork, riding and training programmes at greyponyfilms.com. COLLECTION IS A term that is often used by riders, but a fair few would struggle to tell you what it looks or feels like. Training collection takes work as it’s not the natural way for your horse to go: he needs to develop the muscles needed to support himself. However, collection is crucial for keeping your horse healthy and active, and you should ask for it every time you ride. Achieving it begins with shoulder-in and…

SCHOOLING solutions WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • Easy ways to up your dressage marks • How to ride accurate circles and turns • Expert tips to help your confidence soar MEET THE TRAINER NIKKI HERBERT BHSI (Level 5 Performance Coach) was the National Director of Pony Club training for 16 years and is now a selector for Britain’s under-21 dressage teams and the Eventing European Cup CCI3*-S team. She’s an accredited British Eventing Coach, a List 2A British Dressage judge and sits on the BD Judges’ Committee. MEET THE RIDER & HORSE ANNA PRICE owns and rides six-year-old part-Thoroughbred Keep Happy (‘Pepsi’) and has her sights set on making the British junior eventing team next year. WONKY CIRCLES, CROOKED halts, wayward loops… all will lose you valuable marks in a test —…

SEEMINGLY HARMLESS, ACORNS can pack a punch when it comes to toxicity in horses, and preventing your horse from eating them is vital. Sadly, oak trees aren’t just a problem in the autumn when they are dropping their acorns, as Jodie Payler discovered earlier this year when her 19-year-old Welsh section A gelding Rocky suddenly became ill. “It was February time and I’d brought him in from the field one morning and put him in his stable while our other horse was ridden,” says Jodie. “After an hour, my daughter ran up to me saying he looked poorly and was lying down, so I went to check on him.” Jodie found Rocky showing colic-like symptoms: sweating, panting, lying down and breathing heavily. “He also had orange liquid dribbling out of…

DOG BITE INJURIES are fortunately a relatively infrequent presentation in our equine patients, but they do occasionally occur and can have devastating consequences. In some cases, owners may be unfortunate enough to witness the attack, but in others the attack is correctly assumed due to the presence of puncture wounds consistent with bite marks. Although any part of the horse’s body may be affected, especially if the victim becomes recumbent, bites are most commonly seen on the limbs and face. VET notes WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: ● What occurs when a dog bites a horse ● What to look out for ● How to treat a dog bite MEET THE EXPERT LEONA BRAMALL MVB CertAVP(EM) MRCVS is an equine vet at Gillivervet Ltd, Lancashire. Leona holds an advanced veterinary practitioner certificate…

Meet this month’s panel of experts Shoeing Dale Beecham Dip WCF is an experienced farrier, based in south Lincolnshire, who specialises in young and farrier-phobic horses. Dressage Lili Brooksby-Dalby is a Leicestershirebased trainer and British Dressage judge. Find out more at facebook.com/ brooksbydressage Legal advice Belinda Walkinshaw of juryoshea.com is one of only a handful of lawyers in the UK who specialise in equine law. Winter feeding Sarah Nelson is an equine nutrition advisor and product manager for SPILLERS, see spillers-feeds.com GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We’ll know someone who can help Welcome to our Ask The Experts section. Over the next nine pages we help to solve your horsey problems, with help from experts in equine law, flatwork, nutrition and farriery. This month’s panel answer your questions on…

What weight? The different rug weights are explained on page 110. STORMX ORIGINAL 100 COMBI TURNOUT RUG RRP £68.99 FILLING 100g COLOURS Blue SIZES 4ft 6in-7ft HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM A good choice for cooler days when a heavier weight rug is too warm. This rug features 600 denier waterproof outer fabric and an integral contoured neck with twin touch-tape fastenings, plus buckle chest straps for the perfect fit for each horse. Adjustable cross surcingles and adjustable leg straps ensure a secure fit, with a tail flap providing extra protection from the elements. BUCAS GREEN LINE 100g TURNOUT RRP £136 FILLING 100g COLOUR Green SIZES 5ft-7ft ZEBRAPRODUCTS.CO.UK All fabrics — outer, insulation, lining, straps and binding — used in this rug are made using recycled fibres. This turnout comes with all the great…

STORMX ORIGINAL 300 COMBI STABLE RUG RRP £69.99 FILLING 300g COLOUR Grey SIZES 4ft 6in-7ft HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM Beat the cold weather with this superb stable rug. It features a 300g fill and fixed neck cover to keep your horse toasty and warm, while still being breathable. Touch-tape fastenings on the neck and adjustable surcingles, fillet string and chest buckles keep the rug securely in place. WEATHERBEETA COMFITEC PP CHANNEL QUILT II DETACH- A-NECK MEDIUM RRP £104.99 FILLING 220g COLOUR Maroon/ grey/white SIZES 3ft-7ft 6in WEATHERBEETA.CO.UK This mediumweight stable rug has a tough 600 denier polypropylene channel quilted outer with 210T polyester lining and a warm 220g of polyfill. It features liner loops, making it compatible with the Weatherbeeta liner system to allow for versatility throughout the seasons. The memory foam wither-relief…

1 Choose the fabric of your rug wisely. For turnout rugs that are going to be subjected to some tough use, buy a rug that’s made from a high denier material. The higher the denier, the tougher and heavier the fabric. For example, 1,200 denier and above is very strong, while 600 denier won’t be as robust. It may cost more for a higher denier rug, but it should last longer. 2 Ripstop fabric and ballistic nylon are two other features to look out for. Both fabrics are more resistant to tears and, if they do get ripped, the rips don’t tend to spread. This means it should be a lot easier to repair the damage so your rug is still usable. 3 Buy the correct size rug for your…

CAPTURED ON CAMERA ■ They came, they saw and they conquered… Standing proud on the top step of the podium at the Tokyo Paralympics are (from left) Britain’s Sir Lee Pearson, Sophie Wells and Natasha Baker. The trio fought off strong competition to win para dressage team gold, defeating the Netherlands by a narrow 0.656%. It means Team GB are the Paralympic champions for the seventh time. The British golden run started way back in 1996 at the Atlanta Games — and this time our team went to Japan on three inexperienced horses who had never been to a championship before. Team leader Georgia Sharples said: “I think these guys are undefeated Paralympic champions but in a whole new context. You’ve heard about the inexperienced horsepower, but never underestimate these…

KERRI AMOS* WAS walking her usual route from the office to London Waterloo when she considered throwing herself in front of a red double decker bus. She didn’t, but the thought was there. The 25-year-old had travelled to the capital three months earlier to start the job in TV production that she’d always dreamed of, but she was dreadfully lonely, homesick — and the self-confessed “country bumpkin” missed her horses. “Looking back, I was depressed,” says Kerri. “I don’t think I would actually have done it, but it was the first suicidal thought I’d ever had and it was a red flag. Luckily, I had the presence of mind to tell myself not to be so silly, because I had seven horses at home on the farm depending on me.”…

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 where necessary. A real golden oldie Never underestimate the value of older horses. Our beloved Thoroughbred gelding Cedars Diamond turned 28 this year and he really is a diamond. Cedar has been in our lives for years; he was my best friend’s horse when I was at school. Fifteen years on he came to me, and has been enjoying hacking and dressage. After breaking my leg in 2014, and having had a series of complicated horses in the past, plus having children, I’d lost my confidence, but Cedar has rebuilt it. In 2018 he won veteran points champion with Redhorse Dressage at Willow Farm EC and in 2019 we…

ERTICAL FENCES, ESPECIALLY planks, are easy to have down whether they’re 60cm or 1.60m. From a tactical warm-up to smart use of groundlines, there’s so much you can do to nail jumping planks — and all vertical fences — once and for all. MEET THE TRAINER SAMANTHA STAPLES is a Lincolnshire-based international showjumper. She began her career aged six and has competed up to CSI2*. A UKCC level two coach, she trains riders of all levels and has produced horses through age classes. She’s currently preparing to start her homebred Arko III filly under saddle. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • How to clear planks every time • The ideal canter to approach in • The best take-off spot PROBLEM: I can’t find a good rhythm FIX IT: Verticals need to be…

5 ABSORBINE SILVER HONEY BUNDLES Absorbine is offering five lucky winners a bundle of Silver Honey products. Silver Honey is a combination of natural manuka honey and MicroSilver BG. It provides an effective barrier against harmful bacteria and supports new skin cells. Silver Honey soothes and protects using proven natural ingredients so you will soon see results on minor wounds or tough skin conditions. Each winner will receive Silver Honey spray gel tha gives continuous coverage to scrapes or wounds. Its touch-free application is ideal for large or hard to reach areas. Silver Honey Ointment provides long-lasting coverage and moisturisation. It effectively softens older, persistent scabs to aid in removal while providing a barrier against bacteria to allow wound healing. Silver Honey Neck tube is a yellow lightweight neck tube…

STORMX ORIGINAL 200 COMBI TURNOUT RUG – THELWELL COLLECTION RRP £82.99 FILLING 200g COLOUR Navy/red SIZES 3ft-7ft 3in HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM This fun yet versatile mediumweight turnout rug comes with an integrated neck cover. It features a funky Thelwell horse and rider character print and Thelwell logo features on the surcingle straps. It is made from 600 denier fabric with a ripstop and waterproof weave, and 200g fill to keep your horse warm in changeable weather. WEATHERBEETA GREEN-TEC 900D DETACH-A-NECK MEDIUM RRP £169.99 FILLING 220g COLOURS Black/bottle green SIZES 4ft-7ft 3in WEATHERBEETA.CO.UK This rug is made using recycled plastics for the outer and lining. Each rug saves more than 340 plastic bottles from going into the ocean or landfill and is made in a way that uses over 50% less energy. Its…

WITH THE COLDER months just around the corner, you may be thinking about using rugs again. With so many different rugs available on the market, it can be difficult deciding which ones need to be part of your horse’s wardrobe. The first thing to consider is that just like us they are all individuals, and what’s suitable for one isn’t necessarily suitable for another. You know your horse better than anyone so try not to be influenced by what others are doing and go with what is best for you and your horse. Understanding how your horse stays warm will also help you decide what rugs are needed. Temperature control “Your horse has his own in-built cooling and heating system called thermoregulation,” says anatomy expert Gillian Higgins. “This keeps his…

PROTECHMASTA THERAPY COOLER RUG RRP £169 COLOUR Black/red SIZES 4ft 6in-7ft 6in HARRYHALL.COM This rug uses far infrared radiation which is a natural process and is scientifically proven to assist blood circulation gently and safely. It helps to support healthy joints and soft tissue, maintain healthy blood flow, ease muscle tension, support recovery and aid in helping keep structures and functions sound. Protechmasta’s far infrared technology is a naturalistic ceramic-infused lining that emits a safe form of far infrared radiation. The Protechmasta Therapy Cooler Rug can help to assist circulation, ease muscle tension and help to maintain healthy joints. It’s the perfect rug to use before and after exercise, and can be used all year round. BUCAS THERAPY RUG RRP £187 COLOUR Navy/orange SIZES 5ft-7ft ZEBRAPRODUCTS.CO.UK The Recuptex material is…