Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 506 i Your Horse

TAKING ON A former racehorse can be a daunting prospect, but sometimes it can beworth taking that leap, especially if you have asked all the right questions and given the horse in question a good ‘test drive’ before you part with your money. We find out fromevent rider Georgie Goss and dressage guru Andrew Gould-who have successfully purchased many horses over the years — how to ensure as seamless a process as possible when tempted by a new equine, whether that's a former track star or a happy hacking cob (pages 56 and 60). Over the years I have encountered and ridden (in the dayswhen I was much braver) some fantastically sane and safe former racehorses, who give you such a buzzwhen in top gear, but admittedly they had all…

1. Build a bond TREC builds the partnership between horse and rider. You have to trust your horse to behave while you focus on map reading, and your horse has to trust you to navigate safely in a new place. 2. Make friends “TREC is a really sociable sport, and everyone wants to help beginners get started “says Amy Ransley. “If you're a bit worried about starting out you can even compete in a pair for the POR phase up to Level 3.” 3. Learn new skills Don't know how to read a map or use a compass? You will after giving TREC a try. 4. Teach your horse new things Training for the PTV phase will teach your horse how to tackle various obstacles. If you are unsure or…

YOUR HORSE'S TRAINING CONFIDENCE | EQUIPILATES MISSED A PREVIOUS PART? Buy Your Horse back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR A LACK OF confidence can come in many forms: fear of a bad experience repeating itself, nerves going into an unknown situation, or self-doubt because you don't feel good enough for the task in hand. Whatever the root cause is, spending some time addressing the issues out of the saddle can work wonders for the moment it comes to mounting up. “When you are struggling with confidence, overthinking, or self-doubt often your body will become tense, your focus will be affected and your ability to react is reduced,” says Equipilates instructor Emma Stamenkovic. “Coming off the horse to improve strength and relaxation means that you can concentrate on what's going on in your body…

Ask The Experts Spoilt for choice Q I'mlooking topurchase my first horse and I want to have them vetted. What are the different types and what is involved? Alice Baker, Shropshire Jeremy says: There are two different types of vetting: two-stage and five-stage. A two-stage vetting is themost basic and it involves a general examination with a check of the heart, eyes and lungs, as well as a trot up and flexion tests to assess for lameness. A five-stage vetting is the same as the two-stage, but it goes further and includes an exercise test, whereby the horse is seen ridden under saddle and then rested before another check is undertaken. This time the vet will assess how the horse is after exercise, and whether they become stiff or lame…

Ask The Experts No horse? No problem Q I want to try horseball, but my horse is retired and only hacks now. Is there any way I can still give the sport a go? Samantha Spencer, Cambridgeshire Jamie says: Traditionally you had to have your own horse to play, and clubs formed around people with their own horses. However, in recent years it has become possible to hire horses. A few clubs, such as Melton Horseball where I play, are now training up a few horses for people to learn on and get started with for this purpose, so riders can give it a go to see if they enjoy the sport. We also hold tournaments at venues where horses can be hired, such as polo clubs where polo ponies…

4 CAVALOR FLYLESS DUOS Your Horse has teamed up with Zebra Products, distributor of Cavalor, to offer four readers the chance to each win two bottles of Cavalor FlyLess. Cavalor FlyLess is an insect repellent spray created to protect horse and rider against horse flies, flies, mosquitoes, ticks and other insects. The pleasant fragrance will ensure that the user can enjoy their summer ride without the fear of getting bitten, and it will also ensure that their horse will remain relaxed when he's out in the field or in the stable. The non-sticky, non-greasy formula is gentle on the skin and won't harm or stain clothing or gear. Cavalor FiyLess contains icaridin, a repellent molecule registered for both human and horse use. Icaridin forms a scented blanket on the skin,…

Thoroughbred expert Louise Robson: An ex-racehorse hasn't been built with all the buttons installed. He will usually come with ‘stop’ and ‘start’ buttons, but not ‘turn’. To begin with it can be a case of ‘point and shoot’, page 18 Trainer Kim Ratcliffe: It can feel backwards, but with a sharp, distracted horse you don't want to take your leg off. Instead, wrap your legs around him like you're giving him a hug. It helps to give him confidence that he's doing what you want him to do, page 38 Emma Stamenkovic, Equipilates coach: Coming off the horse to improve strength and relaxation means that you can concentrate on what's going on in your body without worrying what your horse is doing. Then later apply that learning in the saddle,…

When the team at Redwings Horse Sanctuary first met Tasha the mare was severely underweight. She had a body condition score of just 0.5 out of 5 (an ideal body condition score would be 3). She was also heavily pregnant. Thanks to a report from a concerned member of the public, Tasha was moved to a local vet hospital for urgent treatment, and when she was there it also became apparent that she was suffering from the infectious disease strangles. “Due to Redwings'expertise with treating and managing rescued horses with strangles, it was agreed that Redwings would offer her a home to help her recover and manage any possible implications for her unborn foal,” explains the charity's Jennie Roberts. Happily, Tasha gave birth to a healthy colt foal just a…

At the start of 2018, wondering whether she would still have a horse come December, Caitlin Kretzschmar-Bunce (below right) set out to have a year of adventures with Irish Sport Horse King, who had been diagnosed with cancer. Unsure of how long she had left with the 16.1 hh gelding, she said yes to every opportunity that arose, including TREC. “I've had him for 16 years. He's seen me through my GCSEs, A Levels, and a degree, two boyfriends, getting my job and promotions, and get married,” says Caitlin, 31. “He's had a few health issues along the way. In 2016 we found he had significant arthritis in his back end, and around the same time we discovered that he also had cancer.” Spurred on by these health revelations, Caitlin…

NOW THAT SUMMER has arrived so too have the dreaded flies and insects that bother our horses to greater or lesser degrees. The most common way to protect them from flying pests while out in the school or on hacks is with fly spray. However, some take exception to the noise and sensation of a spray, and with the application of insect repellent potentially required several times a day (not to mention other sprays that might be necessary, such as mane and tail detangler or wound spray) it can be frustrating for owners and stressful for their equines to have to battle each time a spray bottle appears. The good news, though, is that it is possible to retrain your horse so that he's no longer fearful of being sprayed…

THE THOUGHT OF equine grass sickness (EGS) is enough to instil fear into all horse owners — after all, only 20% of horses hit by this killer disease will survive. The rest will have to be humanely destroyed. Even those who live may need months of intensive nursing that can prove taxing and stressful for owners. Basically, EGS, whichwas first recognised in eastern Scotland in 1907, is highly complex and involves damage to the autonomic nervous systemwhich functions unconsciously and regulates internal body functions such as gut peristalsis, whichmoves the food along the gut during the digestive process. It is this gut function that is damaged in EGS, with awhole or partial gut paralysis resulting. Previous research using pathology has identified that the damage caused during EGS is due to…

‘He took a deep breath and lay down on the floor’ When Rebeccah Baylis’ Andalusian gelding, Romero (Rum), arrived in the UK from Spain as a three-year-old stallion he struggled to settle into his new life. “He was a flighty, unhappy and very high energy horse. He had a build up of trauma,” explains Rebeccah, who runs Little Green Stables in Somerset. “I don't know what his life was like in Spain, but he obviously hadn't hadmuch handling and we don't know if he had even seen grass before. I think the journey had been very stressful for him and he arrivedwith a fetlock wound and we don't knowhow he acquired it. He was castrated not long after arrival, too, which further added to his trauma.” Rebeccah worked with complementary…

Spillers is inviting owners of overweight horses and ponies to join its Spillers Slimmers'Club for support, advice and encouragement to help keep their horse or pony at a healthy weight. This motivating and friendly club provides practical support and camaraderie for owners of overweight horses and ponies to aid them on their weight loss journey. It provides information and advice, including weight loss tips, details of how to body condition score and how to use a weigh tape. OR SEARCH SPILLERS SLIMMERS ON FACEBOOK…

Ask The Experts Head waving shouldn't be a cause for concern Q My five-year-old waves her head around with her mouth open and shakes her lips when she's tied up outside her stable. Should I be worried? Clarissa Willis, Dartford Debbie says: In a healthy horse who hasn't just sniffed or licked anything unusual this behaviour sounds like submissive foal snapping and shouldn't cause any concern. Most horses grow out of it by two to two-and-a-half years old. But some with less social experience early in life may not so more time at pasture with other horses can help. You can prevent this behaviour creating other issues (like learning to pull away when tied up) by tying your mare with enough length to express it safely and away from anything…

Ask The Experts Age is just a number Q My cob cross is 17, but he played some horseball with his previous owner and I would like to give it a go with him as well. Is he too old? Nicole Thompson, Cornwall Jamie says: There is no standard horse when it comes to horseball. Players abide by international horseball rules and so horses can't be younger than five. There are height restrictions in place, however. Horses ridden in the under 16s section have to be a maximum of 14.2hh, while adults have to ride horses over 14.2hh. Any breed is welcome to play horseball. At the top levels there are a lot of Thoroughbreds and ex-racehorses (these are the standard now for senior players), but I have seen many…

For all the latest news from the horse world, visit yourhorse.co.uk RIDING CAMPAIGN Keep Britain Riding launched by the BHS to help safeguard the long-term future of equestrianism Following a nationwide survey by the British Horse Society (BHS), which revealed that in excess of 250 riding schools — or 15% — have closed their doors since 2018, the organisation has launched Keep Britain Riding. The new campaign is intended to help safeguard the long-term future of the equestrian industry as well as generate funds that the organisation intends to use to expand activities and increase diversity. “We need to address the decline in riding centres for a number of reasons,” said James Hick, BHS CEO. “Firstly, simply so more people from more backgrounds can experience the benefits of riding. Secondly,…

Perfect power pack This is me with my handsome boy, Tigger, who is a 14.3hh, 14-year-old Welsh section D. I've had him for two years and we do a bit of everything together. He's been so good at teaching me and he's also given me so much confidence. Sophie Gibbons, Hertfordshire To the rescue Here's my rescued Andalusian, Apollo. Five years ago he travelled for six days across Spain, England and Scotland before settling with me. Tamara Bentley, Aberdeen Miracle pony This gorgeous picture was taken by award-winning Emma Campbell Photography (ejcampbell. photography) and it shows me and my five-year-old pony, Luna, who went in for a routine sarcoid operation at Oakhill Veterinary Centre in Goosnargh and, while in recovery, suffered three cardiac arrests and was unresponsive. The vets, including…

MISSED A PREVIOUS PART? Buy Your Horse back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/YHR THERE ARE THREE qualities that I look for in a former racehorse for the show ring: the correct conformation, good movement and great manners. Without these attributes there is no point commencing a retraining programme for this discipline. No doubt the horse will be better suited to a different second career. I began riding racehorses when I was 14 and there is no doubt that you need experience to take one on. These horses who have sprinted around a flat racetrack, or soared over National Hunt jumps surrounded by a plethora of other equines are not for inexperienced or first-time riders. Thanks to the efforts of the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) and other charities the popularity of taking on…

CASE STUDY Gillian Wardle's 15.1hh cob Seymour Midnight (Cindy) developed grass sickness in the spring of 2021. Following a previous injury, Kirsten, Cindy's physio, was visiting to treat the mare and, compared to usual, she seemed a little worked up, plus she had sweated up all over. It was only when Gillian, brand manager for Horslyx and SmartLick, offered Cindy her chopped fibre tea that evening that she choked, and Gillian realised something was amiss. While on the phone to the vet, though, Cindy's choke cleared. However, the next day she was clearly not well and the vet was called in. By then Cindy was displaying uncharacteristic signs, such as stress and rearing. She was diagnosed and treated for colic. The following morning she took a turn for the worse,…

‘It is possible that Tara's windsucking was related to pain’ The ex-racehorse Tara, a renowned windsucker, was offered a selection of herbs and nutrients in buckets outside her stable while applied zoopharmacognosist Caroline Ingrahamobserved her selection. Tara orally consumed rose hip shells followed by chamomile flowers and comfrey, before returning to marigold flowers, which she had originally ignored, and then seaweed which she chose to inhale. Initially Tara wasn't interested in barley grass, but after selecting the rose hips she consumed it in large quantities using different parts of her tongue. “Tara was very particular about which part of her tongue she used when she was consuming the barley grass — either the tip or the top and sometimes the back,” noted Caroline. The next stage involved putting Tara back…

Email your questions to yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk In partnership with Simple solutions forhorse owners Meet this month's panel of experts Vettings Jeremy Allen is an associate partner at Newmarket Equine Hospital. He enjoys all aspects of equine practice, particularly dentistry and anaesthesia. He is also a keen polo player. Behaviour DebbieMarsden is an equine behaviour consultant. After 30 years of professional practice, she is the chair of the Society of Equine Behaviour Consultants. Visit debbiemarsden.co.uk Ex-racehorses Fred and Rowena Cook run their own rehabilitation and training yard in Stamfordwith specialised training and re-training programmes. Visit equinetraining.co.uk Horseball Jamie Gibson is chairman of the British Horseball Association. He has been playing the game since 2004 and has represented Great Britain at under-16 and senior level. GOT A PROBLEM? Need an answer? We'll knowsomeone…

Ask The Experts Turn away versus getting stuck straight in Q How long should I wait before I start to reschool my ex-racehorse? Her last race was about amonth ago. Some people have said to start straight away, but others have advised that she needs time turned away first. Siobhon Hughes, Kilkenny Fred and Rowena say: There are differing views on this. Some people insist that turning away is an absolute necessity, while others take the view that keeping a degree of the routine that the horse is used to actually aids the settling in process as the management changes won't be as dramatic while the horse is having to adjust to new people and new surroundings. There are numerous factors to consider, such as whether your horse has left…

GET AHEAD OF THE GAME WITH A POLO A polo shirt is a staple for any wardrobe and the Felix Bühler Men's Polo Shirt Boston ticks all the boxes. The Boston combines a sporty look with functional properties thanks to its quick-drying cotton mix material. RRP £26.90 KRAMER.CO.UK START PACKING Keep your tack spick and span and perfectly organised with the new Arena Saddles’ luggage range. The collection — a set of practical, matching bags made from durable materials — has everything the user needs to be organised for lessons and competitions. It includes a Tote Bag, Garment Bag and Saddle Pad Bag, plus a Helmet Bag and a Tall Boot Bag that clip together to make carrying easier. RRP £34.99 (Helmet Bag), £59.99 (Saddle Pad Bag), £59.99 (Tall Boot Bag), £95.99 (Saddle Bag) ARENASADDLES.CO.UK BY THE…

YOUR HORSE'S GEAR ONTREND | SUMMER RIDING GLOVES HY EQUESTRIAN OMBRE RIDING GLOVES RRP £15.99 COLOURS Navy/pastel, navy/ocean, navy/vibrant SIZES XS-XL HY-EQUESTRIAN.COM These pull-on gloves are perfect for adding a splash of colour to any riding outfit. They feature a fun ombre back and navy palm with Amara grip, reinforced rein fingers to ensure durability and touchscreen fingertips so that the wearer can use their phone. They are finished with a discreet grey Hy Equestrian logo. MARK TODD PROVENT GLOVES RRP £19.99 COLOURS Navy, black, brown SIZES 6-10.5 MARKTODDCOLLECTION.CO.UK Perfect for the warmer weather, these gloves will keep hands cool while also offering superior grip. They feature breathable mesh, a PU palm for extra grip, a reinforced rein finger and a hook and loop fastening on the back of the hand…

Buying a horsebox means some additional annual running costs that shouldn't be forgotten Annual testing A 7.5 tonne horsebox will need an annual road test. The DVSA carries out such tests every year to ensure that the horsebox meets minimum road safety and environmental standards. (The organisation also carries out spot checks on roads.) A 3.5 tonne horsebox also requires an annual test, which is similar to the MOT test on a car. Road tax The cost of this will vary depending on the vehicle. It is a question worth asking when you are buying. Insurance Just like a car, a horsebox must be insured. Prices vary and there are several companies that specialise in horsebox insurance. Breakdown cover This is well worth considering, and will mean that both you…