Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 490 i Your Horse

I HAVE TALKED about my ex-racehorses many times on this page, so it will come as no surprise that I am especially excited to bring you this issue of Your Horse, which includes an 18-page ex-racehorse special (p21). Whether you already have one, are thinking about it or may in the future, there is something in the guide for everyone. Ex-racehorses are wonderful animals. When I look back at the ones my family and I have been fortunate to own over the years, they have all been hugely different characters, but with one uniting trait: an incredible work ethic. I’ve always found they love having a job to do. The key is just knowing how — and having the time, patience and confidence — to channel all that fizz and…

LEAVE A HORSEY NOTE Emily Cole has added a range of equine-themed sticky notes to her stationary collection. Each pack measures 75×75mm and has 100 sheets. Eight sticky designs are available: Cow Pony, First Love, Believe In Yourself, Unicorn, Yard Royalty, Lunge Line, Feeling Fresh, and He Started It (pictured). RRP £2.95 emily-cole.com WHAT’S IN A NAME? A name suggested by emergency medical technician Sarah Clucas has been chosen for Dodson & Horrell’s new treats. ‘Encouragemints’ are a low-calorie, low-starch and -sugar minty treat. The competition was launched at Bolesworth last year and Sarah’s horse Alfie appears on the packaging. RRP £7.50 dodsonandhorrell.com SOMETHING FOR YOUR POOCH If you have a canine friend, you’ll love the new Freedom Rug from Bucas. Its versatile wide neck fits a variety of shapes…

Timothy Poole, Amanda Hamley and Mike Mills receive a neck strap from #Hack1000Miles sponsor Equisafety for their winning images. Congratulations! NOVEMBER Riding to school Timothy Poole caught our eye when his mum Vikki shared a photo of him riding to school on his pony Rodney. “It was Timothy’s idea to ride to school,” explains Vikki. “We moved yards to five minutes down the road, which meant we could walk there, and Timothy pointed out that meant he could ride to school.” After hunting high and low for the perfect pony for eight-year-old Timothy, he quickly bonded with Rodney. “Timothy tried him in gale force wind, and they matched so well. We saw nearly 60 ponies trying to find the right one,” explains Vikki. “Timothy has autism, so he doesn’t get along with every pony,…

BY RHEA FREEMAN Social media expert, Facebook Lead Trainer and #SheMeansBusiness accredited trainer, and an award-winning PR adviser, Rhea works with equestrian brands, associations, federations and riders, and also guest lectures at two universities. She produces an award-winning weekly podcast called the Small & Supercharged Podcast that shares social media and PR tips along with stories from equestrian and country brands. Visit rheafreemanpr.co.uk or find @rheafreemanpr on Instagram. SO MANY PEOPLE want to grow the number of fans or followers they have on social media, and it’s easy to see why. For many, the number next to their name is a mark of success, and if that number is grown the right way, they have every right to feel proud. But if it’s grown the wrong way, the truth is…

Worth over £ 1,000 To enter, visit yourhorse.co.uk/win/equipe490 * FIRST PRIZE ■ Equipe grackle bridle and Equipe rubber reins ■ A pair of Equipe Staf14 safety stirrups ■ A pair of Equipe Emporio stirrup leathers ■ Equipe saddle cloth and fly veil ■ Equipe care kit ■ Equipe backpack ■ Equipe stirrup covers IF YOU’RE PLANNING to get out and compete this year, this amazing prize from Equipe is ideal for you. Your horse will look great in an Emporio grackle bridle. It’s beautifully crafted in Italian leather with a padded rolled browband and noseband that has a sheepskin nosepiece for added comfort. The Equipe rubber reins are the perfect match for your bridle, made from flexi rubber with no inner core, making them extremely soft to handle as well…

ARE YOU THE owner your horse would choose? A happy horse trusts you, and a confident rider trusts their horse. This is the basis of a strong relationship, something that takes time to establish and build, and is constantly being developed and worked on. Whether you have just started riding a new horse and need to get to know him, or you have been together many years and strive to have the best partnership possible, there are things you can do to grow your bond. All you need is time, the know-how and the will to do it. Ultimately, your horse will thank you. 1 DON’T MAKE IT ALL ABOUT RIDING Spend time with your horse on the ground too. Clean your tack near his stable so that you can…

Make every step count Q Should lateral work be part of everyone’s schooling regime? And which are the most effective exercises to work on? Danielle Dino, West Sussex Vikki says: In a word, yes! You’re missing out a big chunk of training if you don’t do lateral work. Not only does it help with strengthening and suppling, but it also helps with practical things like getting the horse on the correct canter lead. An easy way to start is by asking for a turn on the forehand. This is where you ask your horse to move away from your leg and turn his hind legs around his front legs to change direction. Start by doing quarter turns and then progress to half turns, before doing a full turn on the…

Toughen up! Q Any tips for helping my part-Thoroughbred become braver? She spooks at everything in the yard when I bring her in — even if a bucket is out of place — and her behaviour on the ground makes me feel nervous about riding her. She’s spooky out on hacks too, but better if someone else is there. She is turned out during the day and stabled at night. Maxine Hardy, Humberside Abigail says: Heightened anxiety can often be the result of underlying pain or discomfort. Horses are extremely stoic by nature, as they don’t want to show that they are vulnerable to predators, so it can be difficult to tell when they are in pain. Before proceeding with training I would recommend having your vet assess your horse…

HACK 1,000 MILES THE RELAUNCH ➤ What makes the perfect hacking partner? ➤ Cameras for your riding hat ➤ Tips for having a go at Endurance GB ➤ Tried & tested high vis for horse & rider Get your new 2022 tracker card! ALSO IN THIS ISSUE ❋ Tina Cook’s tips for confident jumping on grass ❋ How horses learn ❋ Gymnastic jumping exercises to use at home ❋ Vet: the lowdown on deep digital flexor tendon injuries ❋ Feeding: how to condition a fizzy, excitable horse WIN WEEKEND TICKETS TO HORSEFEST! *PLEASE NOTE THAT CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE…

Ex-racehorse specialist Clare Poole: Racehorses can be very rewarding to retrain. You’ll find my advice for introducing them to a whole new way of working and living in as positive and stress-free a way as possible on page 28. International dressage rider Kate Cowell: Your warm-up routine shouldn’t change just because you’re at a show. I explain how I train my grand prix horse, and how you can apply elements of his training to your horse, on page 44. Top British showjumper Laura Renwick: Producing a canter that’s athletic, elevated and injected with impulsion is what you need in order to pull off a clear round in the showjumping arena. I share how to achieve this on page 50. Land management expert Jenna Scott: If your fields are a quagmire after a…

Stephanie Lynch is a communications and research officer for David Rees MS, and Labour councillor for Aberavon and Baglan Moors. She owns Welsh section D Magic, and often mucks out in her PJs… My job… I have two roles and my ‘day job’ is as communications and research officer for Welsh politician David Rees MS. I started two years ago and I’m responsible for all of David’s communications, daily social media postings, campaigns and research. It’s a wonderful job and I love it. Additionally, I’m a councillor for Aberavon and Baglan Moors. I was elected last May. Councillors are on committees, and mine include street care and audit. One issue I’ve been working on is flytipping and littering. My promise during the by-election was to move towards fixing this and…

Keep your photos coming in to yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk My girl I have two bay Arab mares I bred myself, Beaudiccia (pictured) and Isis her sister, a redder bay who is handreared and characterful. Susan Govindansamy, Lancs Having a laugh Casper is 21 years young and we’ve been together since he was rescued at four months old. He’s never really got the hang of selfies! Jaime Willans, Lincs Nail a selfie! Me and Rocky, who I share with a friend. He has so much character. I said I would never have another horse after losing my precious Acorn, but I missed horse life. This is the only decent selfie I’ve ever taken. Jan Charlton, Merseyside Cheers! This is Yogi, my 20-year-old Highland pony × Thoroughbred. We both like a pub stop when…

MEET THE EXPERT ILSE KEMP specialises in equine massage, equine acupressure and Equine Hanna Somatics (EHS). After experiencing EHS with the online EHS Session 1 video, Ilse qualified as an Equine Hanna Somatics educator and now offers online sessions. A qualified teacher, she enjoys teaching and learning, her knowledge and skills expanding with continuous professional development courses, independent study and research. She is based in Gloucestershire. Visit lsequinetherapy.com EQUINE HANNA SOMATICS (EHS) is a recently pioneered modality for horses which improves the connection between the muscles and nervous system by reawakening the mind’s control of movement. It is a neuromuscular (mind-body) re-education method, and it teaches the horse to reset tight and chronically contracted muscles using the control centre of the body: the brain. When Eleanor Criswell Hanna, co-creator of…

Feeding advice Dr Tom Shurlock is an equine nutritionist at British Horse Feeds. For further information visit britishhorsefeeds.com Lateral work Vikki Hayton is based at College Farm EC. She is a BHS instructor and examiner and a British Dressage judge. See collegefarm.com Vet care Alistair Love is an RCVS recognised advanced practitioner in equine practice at Clevedale Vets Equine in North Yorkshire. See clevedalevetsequine.co.uk Equine behaviour Abigail Allen is a fully certified equine behaviour consultant and trainer at Mind In Motion Equestrian. She is based in Shropshire. See mindinmotionequestrian.co.uk…

A firm footing Q Any advice for getting a hoof poultice to stay in place? Angela Martin, East Yorkshire Alistair says: The biggest mistake I see is not bandaging above the heels. If the stretchy adhesive bandage, such as Vetrap, is just around the heels and not over the top of them then the poultice simply slips off. Instead, it should go to where the heels meet the pastern — however, you mustn’t bandage on to the pastern, as this may cause injury if it isn’t padded first. It’s also important in cobs or feathered horses to ensure that the feather doesn’t end up in the bandage. If it does, when you put the foot down after applying the poultice, the feather will pull out of the bandage, which will…

If you’re involved in an incident, you may be reliant on your insurance to help you front the costs. However, your policy may have strict conditions to adhere to in order to be able to make a claim, including wearing high-vis. SEIB “Generally, public liability insurance policies state that all reasonable precautions must be taken and wearing high-vis is advised, but there is no clause stating that a rider must wear high-vis to be covered,” says a spokesperson from SEIB Insurance Brokers. KBIS “This really depends on the nature of the policy and the specific conditions that are applied by that insurer,” explains a KBIS spokesperson. “In the event of a claim being brought against a rider for third-party property damage or bodily injury — a public liability claim —…

MEET THE TRAINER KATIE WILLIAMS MSc dist RNutr is the technical and product development manager for Dengie. She has been an equine nutritionist for over 20 years and provides technical support for key customers, including The Queen’s studs at Sandringham and Balmoral. Visit dengie.com THE PROCESS OF taking a racehorse out of training is often referred to as “letting down”, which really refers to the process of the horse’s body and mind transitioning from one of an athlete to that of a leisure or even breeding animal. In a literal sense, the horse will lose the very tight, lean greyhound-like physique and develop more of an expanded belly. There is no set timeframe for this; some horses take longer to let down than others and many factors contribute to the…

VET notes WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:• What shear mouth is• How it affects horses• How to manage it IN AUGUST 2020, I am presented with a severe case of shear mouth. The pony, Mari, has been rescued by charity Little Nest Rescue at the age of nine after discovering her destined for the meat man. It has been assumed that she’d suffered a broken jaw as a three-year-old and it was deemed unfixable, and so Mari was left until she could no longer manage. It is safe to say that on meeting her, it is clear that she can no longer manage, and although her jaw has apparently been X-rayed and diagnosed by a vet, there is no clear evidence that she does in fact have a broken jaw. What the…

With spring beginning to peep through the winter gloom, Dodson & Horrell are supporting you and your horse with 25% off Ultimate Balancer throughout March and April. Ultimate Balancer is a low-calorie, low starch and sugar feed, making it ideal for spring when grass begins to grow again and sugar content rises. It is a safe feed option for all horses and ponies that are good doers and need a balanced diet alongside their fibre. A fantastic source of vitamins and minerals with additional digestive, hoof, recovery, immune, and high-quality protein support; it incorporates the latest in nutritional advances. Ultimate Balancer is ideal for topping-up natural vitamin levels in forage and providing essential amino acids for overall health and muscle development — “We call it Ultimate for a reason!” Grab…

Chewing things over Q My elderly New Forest mare is kept on very bare grazing, and we strip graze her paddock, but she still suffered a bout of laminitis in early spring. Any tips for keeping her safe over summer, and which feeds will suit her? She’s 26 and starting to have trouble chewing. Christine Hardy, Northern Ireland Tom says: Even with very bare grazing there will be a spike in sugar intake at this time of year, as sugars generated by spring growth are stored in the crown of the plant. Providing a low-sugar fibre-based feed, such as beet pulp, alfalfa or soya hulls, alongside your mare’s grazing will help dilute this effect. Although summer grass has a lower sugar content, levels will spike again in late summer, so…

Caught in the act Q My 11-year-old Connemara has always been hard to catch, but it’s getting worse. I’ve tried everything, but now he just snatches the treat and runs off before I can put the headcollar on. Help! Holly Simmonds, Greater Manchester Abigail says: It’s not unusual for horses to be reluctant to be caught. Being a prey animal, the herd provides a sense of safety for horses, and leading them away from this situation, where they feel most secure, can result in a great deal of anxiety, particularly if their routine is unpredictable and they are being brought in from the field alone. Before beginning any retraining, there are several aspects of management to consider. If these are not addressed then the likelihood of the horse reverting to…