Irish dressage rider Judy Reynolds has set a new international grand prix freestyle record for her nation.
Paired with 13-year-old Jazz gelding Vancouver K (“JP”), Judy achieved a score of 77.425% at the Reem Acra five-star World Cup qualifier in Lyon, France on Friday (30 October).
This is the highest score ever recorded by an Irish competitor in an international grand prix freestyle.
“We were hoping for a top five finish and the way the scores were going we knew we had to do something special,” said Judy, who is based in Germany. “To break the record by that much was fantastic.”
The score earned Judy fifth place in the World Cup qualifier. The class was won by European Championships bronze-medallist Beatriz Salat-Ferrer of Spain with Delgado, who scored 82.875%.
“JP’s been a very, very challenging horse to train,” she told H&H in April. “When I tried him as a six-year-old he seemed like nothing special, but he was quite expressive and I liked him.”
With help from her trainer Johann Hinnemann, Judy managed to teach JP all the movements for grand prix.
“Everything took a long time; the changes took a year,” she said. “Sometimes he’d spin round, sometimes he’d run backwards — anything.
“The pirouettes were also a nightmare to teach and piaffe was a disaster. If he thought he couldn’t do something he’d panic and ‘go blind’ — God help anyone in the arena with us.
“People asked why I persevered, but once JP understands something, it’s in there forever.”
The pair will be contending the World Cup qualifier in Salzburg, Austria, next month (3-6 December).
The period around bonfire night (5 November) can be stressful for horse owners and horses alike, with fireworks seeming to be let off earlier and earlier every year. Even the calmest of horses can get frightened by the loud whizz and bangs, but there are steps owners can take to minimise the impact on their horses.
Follow the British Horse Society‘s advice — from playing music to having the right insurance — so that the celebrations are as stress-free as possible for you and your horse.
Dealing with horses and fireworks
1. Look at local press and shop notice boards and listen to the radio to find out where the displays will be in your area.
2. Wherever possible, tell neighbours and local firework display organisers that there are horses nearby, so they can ensure fireworks are set off in the opposite direction and well away from them.
3. Decide whether to stable your horse or leave it in the field. It is sensible to keep your horse in its familiar environment, in its normal routine, with any companions to make it feel secure. If it is usually stabled, keep it stabled. If it is normally out in the field, keep it there as long as it is safe, secure and not close to the firework display area.
4. If stabled, check thoroughly for anything that could cause potential injury such as protruding nails and string.
5. If your horse is to stay in the field, check that fencing is not broken and that there are no foreign objects lying around.
6. Ensure that you, or someone experienced, stays with your horse if you know that fireworks are being set off.
7. If it is absolutely necessary for you to leave your horse in the care of another person during a firework display, then be sure to leave clear instructions and contact details for both you and your vet should any problems arise.
8. If you know your animal will be stressed, talk to your vet about sedation or perhaps consider moving your horse for the night.
9. Playing music on a radio positioned outside the stable can often mask sudden noise, distract attention and be soothing.
10. Try to remain calm yourself and keep positive, as horses will sense unease in a person and this may make things worse if the horse is startled.
11. It may seem common sense but be aware of your own safety; a startled horse can be dangerous.
12. Whatever you do, don’t risk riding when you think fireworks might be set off.
13. Check if there will be a bonfire near your yard. If there is, make sure you have an emergency fire procedure in place. If you have any doubts, talk to your local fire safety officer.
14. Make sure that you have adequate third party liability insurance. If your horse is frightened and escapes, causing an accident, then you could be held liable for compensation.
A stallion, believed to have been stuck in fast-flowing water for more than 36 hours, has been rescued by firefighters.
Seven-year-old Frankie went missing from his field in West Yorkshire last week (Tuesday, 27 October).
His owner Claire Robinson and her partner Lee Gibbison launched a search for the missing horse and the party were out looking for Frankie until 2am on Wednesday, 28 October. They finally located him at around 11am in a moorland culvert at Withens End Lane, Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge.
“We searched ourselves for quite a long time,” said Claire. “I was really worried. I thought he was going to be dead or someone had pinched him.”
Upon discovering Frankie, Claire tried to lead the stallion to safety, but was unable to free him from the water.
She called the emergency services and crews from Cleckheaton’s technical rescue team arrived just before 1pm.
A vet from Hird and Partners sedated Frankie while firefighters set up a tripod to winch the stallion to safety.
“The culvert was about 10 foot deep and runs about three miles,” said station manager Mark Allen. “The horse had been in the field next to the culvert and could not get out. It was a very unusual situation.
“We set up a tripod in conjunction with the local vet who did a fantastic job. He sedated the horse and we got in and put a headcollar on.
“We lifted the horse through the tripod system and left him in the hands of the owner and vet.”
Claire said Frankie is now “fine” and walked back to the safety of his field.
“The fire crews and the vet did a fantastic job,” she said. “I was panicking at one point that he would not make it because he was in there so long. I think he was in there 36 hours plus.”
Mr Allen said that with the heavy downpour the following evening, Frankie could have been in grave danger had he not been found when he was.
“Overnight, if the culvert had swollen with water, it could have gone over the horse’s head,” he added.
The current national prix st georges champion Tantoni Sir Soccrates has been removed from his rider Alice Oppenheimer’s yard.
Alice, a grand prix rider, was visiting India with The Brooke ambassador Charlotte Dujardin on a week-long equine charity trip. When she returned on Saturday (31 October), “Soccs” was no longer there.
“We don’t know what’s going on,” Alice told H&H. “When I got back, he’d gone.
“I knew his owner Georgie [Pole-Carew] was ill, so we had told them that we would understand if they needed to sell him, and would help them do that.
“I don’t even know where he is, and I’m so gutted not to have been able to say goodbye. That’s the thing that really hurts.
“I’ll really miss him; I had an incredible bond with that horse,” she added.
The eight-year-old’s owners, Georgina and Peregrine Pole-Carew, said the timing was “an unfortunate coincidence” with “no malice” and added that they had believed that Alice was already back from India when the horse was collected from the Oppenheimers’ Hampshire yard.
“Georgina has been very unwell this year and that’s been our major concern,” Peregrine told H&H.
“We’ve been debating whether we’d continue with Soccs with the Oppenheimers. We saw out the season and Alice and her mother Sarah have done bloody well, for which we’re really grateful.”
The horse has returned to his owners’ Dorset base.
“Alice has done a good job over the three years she’s had him, but the relationship has come to an end. It’s been a stressful time with Georgie’s illness, and we’ve had to prioritise,” he added.
Alice and the talented Oldenburg gelding — a former licensed stallion — have enjoyed extensive wins at small tour this year, including four plus-70% wins from four starts at Vidauban CDI in March.
However, Alice is not bereft of horse-power as she still has the grand prix competitors Headmore Delegate and Headmore Boadicia, as well as the up-and-coming Headmore Wrubinstar, Headmore Wimoweh and Headmore Dirubinio.
At the recent Global Dressage Forum held at the Bartels Academy in Holland (26-27 October), seven horses were put forward as the best the sport has ever seen. Find out why Bonfire made the cut
Anky van Grunsven riding Bonfire H&H
Rider: Anky van Grunsven Breed: Oldenburg Breeding: Welt As x Praefectus xx Sex: gelding Career: 1983-2013
Great dressage horses: Bonfire
Bonfire made appearances at 15 major championships, including three Olympic Games (one at which he won individual gold – Sydney 2000) and six World Cup finals, five of which he took gold at.
Anky remembers that the horse would stand in his box like a hackney, with his front legs out in front of him and his hindlegs way out behind.
“He dug a hole in the front of his box and stood with his front legs in it,” she says. “We thought something was wrong at the beginning.”
His track-record proved otherwise and he ranks among the soundest grand prix horses ever recorded.
Conformationally, he had a very strong topline, back when not many horses did, as specialist breeding for dressage had not yet begun. He had strong and active hindlegs, with strong, short pasterns, which was also quite unusual. What he lacked in the conformation department, he made up for with the power of elasticity; that is what set him apart from his rivals. That and his willingness to always go forward and offer more.
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“He didn’t start out as a winner,” says Anky. “I came last as often as we won in the early days. With him I had the highest score and the lowest — one test we got 45% because he wouldn’t walk at all.”
Once his grand prix career took off, Anky was offered a blank cheque for the horse. He wasn’t for sale.
During his retirement there was a course at Anky’s yard and Bonfire’s x-rays were taken. The vets couldn’t believe how clean they were; as if from a much younger horse.
He died at age 30 at Anky’s yard after a happy retirement.
A 14.2hh New Forest pony made light of a two-star track at Fair Hill International horse trials last month (15-18 October).
American eventer Sinead Halpin rode Forrest Nymph (“Farrah”) in the CCI2* and flew round the challenging cross-country course.
The pair finished 16th — their highest placing to date in a two-star, having completed five events at this level.
The 11-year-old chestnut pony went clear across country with no time penalties. She added just four faults to her dressage score of 53.10 in the showjumping.
Farrah, who is owned by the Forrest Nymph Syndicate, was also awarded the best conditioned and the small and mighty award at the Maryland event.
“Best cross-country yet!” said Sinead at the time. “I would like to say it’s fun out there, but honestly we are both just working hard to get it done.”
Sinead proved her worth on the world stage in 2011 when she was placed third in her first four-star at the Kentucky Horse Trials riding Manoir de Carneville. The following year she was placed second at Burghley Horse Trials with the same horse.
Mini marvels
Little Tiger stood just 14.3hh and gained a huge following eventing at four-star level with Phoebe Buckley.
Frosty, as she was known at home, was put down in 2013 (29 May) due to joint issues in her off-fore.
Theodore O’Connor (“Teddy”) was another incredibly talented event pony.
The 14.1hh gelding competed up to four-star level with American event rider Karen O’Connor and won himself a huge fan club on both sides of the Atlantic.
He finished third at Rolex Kentucky in 2007 and sixth the following year. He also won team and individual gold medals at the Pan American games in 2008 and was on the short-list for the American team at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong.
Teddy was put down in 2008 aged 13 following an accident at home.
Forrest Nymph’s career highlights
16th Fair Hill International CCI2*, October 2015
Completed the Plantation Field CIC2*, September 2015
Completed the Richland Park CIC2*, August 2015
Completed the Fair Hill International CCI2*, October 2014
Completed the Plantation Field CIC2*, September 2014
5th Seneca Valley intermediate, September 2014
10th Virginia intermediate, May 2014
7th MCTA Summer Horse Trials intermediate, May 2014
What a step forward it would be if the new technology that was introduced at CHI Geneva could help the public to understand the technicalities of modern showjumping.
Systems like PlayfulVision’s are especially useful for indoor arenas, where the balance of horse and rider, distances and getting inside the time are all critical.
In football, it’s possible to collate the data for every player, looking at how far he’s run and how many times he’s touched the ball.
Wouldn’t it be great if that technology were easily available in showjumping — calculating average speed, top speed, the number of strides each rider puts between each fence and analysing inside and outside lines? If it could measure the length of a horse’s stride it could assess the difficulties of long and short distances relative to an individual horse, and how good the rider is.
It would be fascinating for me to see how Marcus Ehning or Scott Brash kept his horse balanced but put in two strides fewer than I did, had a smoother round or went inside the time. Not only would it be a fantastic thing for the spectators, but also a great training aid.
It would also be a boost for livestreaming if in one corner you could see all these details as a rider competes.
‘He oozed class in every way’
I was lucky enough to do some Nations Cups under the late team manager Ronnie Massarella, who died last week. He made representing the country even more special as he was such a great man, who oozed class in every way.
Always immaculately dressed and an unbelievable ambassador for Great Britain, he had the respect of every rider who rode for him. He was Italian, but very British in his stiff upper lip and you knew you couldn’t overstep the mark.
As a chef d’equipe, no one before or after him has had his aura. We are lucky that Di Lampard served under him and so we still have that link with his legacy.
From a producer’s point of view, it’s interesting that she has made the brave decision to put him under the hammer. Historically, sales haven’t worked well in England because good horses often don’t go in them. There is a stigma attached that it’s the horses we want to get rid of that are sold this way, not the quality ones.
This is a bit of a British thing — sales work well in Europe and a few top horses have changed hands this way. It’s good for breeders and the sport if quality horses are put forward at auction. Sales are very transparent — people know what commissions they are paying and to whom, and that’s a positive.
We’ve never been ones to use sales, but for this reason we’re putting in a couple of our top young stallions at Goresbridge, including a three-year-old full-brother to Billy Angelo who is now backed and riding.
In a pre-Olympic year it will be interesting to see what happens. Dougie Douglas has been an asset to the British team and I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes seven figures.
You don’t want to sound like a great big soppy git, but sometimes you miss your horse, even if you just have to go into town for the day. As for holidays, you’re at real risk of becoming one of those people who never leaves the country because you can’t bear to leave your horse behind.
Or perhaps you have to work abroad/in London or another major city, and it’s not practical to keep a horse at the moment — but man, you miss your old mare!
Here are 11 signs you’re suffering from ‘Horse Withdrawal Syndrome’…
1. The clip-clop of police horses on your local city high street makes you feel all homesick and nostalgic..
2. Someone at work offers you a Polo, and you almost break down in tears. (And not because you suspect they’re hinting at bad breath issues. Although that’s not great either.)
3. You see riders on Hyde Park and get really excited about the prospect of riding in central London, until you check out the prices of doing so online, and realise you’d have to re-mortgage your flat for a half-hour hack.
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4. You’re addicted to the skinny jeans, flat knee-high boot and blazer look — in fact, it’s your signature style. It’s the closest you can get to wearing riding gear to work.
5. You can’t eat Bran Flakes or muesli for breakfast, because it reminds you too painfully of competition mix.
6. Yes, that is actually a stock pin you’re wearing, not a funky brooch.
7. Your horse is your computer screen-saver.
8. The H&H website is always open behind the document you’re working on.
9. You see someone reading H&H on the Tube, and breach all normal London protocols (don’t make eye contact on public transport; don’t even THINK of speaking to anyone) in order to sit next to them and strike up a conversation about the last eventing season.
10. You get really excited when Topshop releases an equestrian-inspired collection of winter sweaters.
11. The smell of the latest designer fragrance really reminds you of freshly cut hay. You’re not sure whether you want to cry, or buy 10 bottles of the stuff.
Horses have been helping workers in non-equestrian industries to improve their management skills.
Equine trainer and H&H blogger Jason Webb worked with performance psychologist Charlie Unwin, senior consultant at Lane4, to host an equine assisted leadership day last month (20 October).
32 employees from international insurance company Jardine Lloyd Thompson met at Jason’s Kent-base and carried out in-hand work with horses.
“It was striking how their personalities and management styles are reflected in the way they handled the horses,” Jason told H&H.
“They mostly had no background with horses — no one was confident. But we saw a great improvement by the end of the session.”
The group was split into two and carried out simple assault courses with eight horses.
Jason explained that participants became more aware of their leadership styles by the way they handled the horses. Most began with very limited equestrian skills.
“Some were more or less running away from them to start with,” he said. “But they soon began to work with the horses and thinking about their body language.
“Others were quite forceful and relentless and the horses ended up becoming increasingly unwilling and harder to move. They began to realise that their teams could be more productive if they gave people time in order to reflect, consider and learn — just like they had to do to get the horses to do what they wanted them to.
“When you are under a lot of pressure you can forget to give people time to figure things out.
“It was quite an impactful day and we got really positive feedback.”
Horse & Hound caught up with World Equestrian Games eventing silver-medallist Harry Meade to get his top tips for improving your straightness when jumping
“Straightness is fundamental to jumping,” says Harry Meade. “We re looking to make the horse as efficient as possible. You want as much energy as possible to travel up through the hocks, through the back, and enable the horse to jump with a good technique, rather than to slip out sideways where you can lose a large amount of power.”
1. Ride in straight lines and with right-angled turns in training
“In training it’s really important to make sure the straightness is under control,” Harry says. “We use straight lines and right-angled turns as a way of encouraging discipline from the rider’s point of view and an awareness of where the horse is under you.”
2. Be precise
“It’s a really good tip to use poles with a small painted stripe in the middle of it and to focus on being precise and always jumping that point,” adds Harry. “It’s not good enough generally to just jump between the flags or between the wings — but instead you need to jump exactly a point on each fence.
“And then that becomes a habit and it becomes difficult to end up riding the wrong line because it’s so ingrained in you and the horses to jump the exact point.”
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3. Set up corridors using poles
“I like setting up corridors where you can make sure you’re riding a truly 90-degree bend. Before the turn and after the turn put a pole on the ground on the outside and maybe a bollard, cone or another pole on the inside through the apex of the turn so that you can’t cut across,” says Harry.
“This will make sure you canter down a corridor of poles on the ground, turn at 90-degrees and canter down the next corridor. It takes quite a lot of coordination to get the horses doing it seamlessly.”
Well, that’s a wrap as far as the eventing season is concerned. I know people say it all the time, but I cannot believe how fast this season has gone and even how quickly 2015 in general is going. Scary!
I would like to start off by wishing William Fox-Pitt well in his road to recovery after his nasty fall. It seems unbelievable to think that two of the best event riders in the world, Andrew Nicholson being the other, have suffered serious falls this season. I just hope more than anything that we get to see them back to their brilliant best in 2016. They are a joy to watch and learn from.
As far as 2015 has been for me, I cannot complain too much. I have competed nine different horses in 44 events with no eliminations, two wins and 20 top 10 placings.
However I have suffered from horse injuries with my top two horses. Kitkat (Another Breakfast) and Ruby (Rubabell Cruise), have been out for the majority of the season but they are back in full work now and we are looking ahead to the 2016 season with them. This has meant that I have concentrated mainly on young horses.
Archie (Arise Cavalier, pictured), a six-year-old owned by my father, has really flown the flag for me much of this season. He has had an incredible year, the highlight being clinching a third place finish in the CIC*YH6YO at Camphire on his fantastic dressage score of 38. He also had a top three finish in his first intermediate at Aston-le-Walls. Hopefully he has a seriously exciting future ahead of him.
Unbelievably for me I haven’t had an international three-day run this year. This is the first time since 2007 that I haven’t and thinking about it now it is a bit of an odd feeling, but I hope that 2016 will make up for it.
Effie (Augusta Firefly), a five-year-old owned by Nick Engert, has also been a star for me this season. She started her eventing career in July and from six runs picked up two wins (BE100 and BE100Plus) and two other top five places with no cross-country jumping faults. I am really excited about next season with her as she is a real trier and should make the step up to novice level easily.
As far as this winter is concerned for me it’s going to be pretty much the same as any other; lots of hunting with the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale and the Cattistock (which will give me my adrenalin fix) and working for my National Hunt trainer brother, Harry, riding out the racehorses. I love following the racing and he currently has 70 horses in training so it should be a busy winter. There will also be plenty of training, showjumping and dressage shows to keep me busy when the eventers come back in off their holidays.
I must say a huge thank you to my support team including my trainers Emma Fisher and Hannah Biggs and my sponsor Unicorn Saddlery, for all their help over the past couple of years. Philip Ireland comes out regularly to check my saddles and make sure all the horses are able to perform at their best, my vet Keith Jones at the Kingston Veterinary Group, my farrier Neil Watts, my horses’ physio Ginny Ince, our very hardworking head girl Bridget Fox, who is into her fourth year with us, her daughter Charley, who has also been a big part of the team coming to events and helping out, and our second girl Kelsey Powell, who keeps charge of the yard when we are away. Of course, last but not least, my very supportive and encouraging parents who I couldn’t do any of this without.
I will finish by announcing some very exciting news. I am thrilled to be able to welcome a new sponsor to the team, Hermione Gayton, who is a chartered veterinary physiotherapist (ACPAT cat A member). Hermione has worked as a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist in the NHS for a number of years. Having evented, worked in racing, and played polo, Hermione is also a very experienced horse person. She is going to be regularly treating both the horses and me. She is so passionate about what she does and is great with the horses. I’m sure she will be an invaluable asset to the team over the coming seasons and I’m really looking forward to working with her. Take a look at her facebook page.
Proposals to vary the terms of exempt hunting within the Hunting Act 2004 were not an “unexpected use of the powers” of the Defra Secretary of State, a report has found.
Suggested amendments to the act were due to be debated by MPs in July.
However, they were shelved after Scottish National Party MPs reversed their previous decision not to vote on legislation that does not affect Scotland.
The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI), made up of a cross section of MPs and Peers, revealed its report on 23 October and the findings have been welcomed by the Countryside Alliance.
Statutory Instruments are used to amend, update or enforce existing laws.
The JCSI has the responsibility to report on all statutory instruments that come before Parliament to ensure that amendments made this way are a correct use of ministerial powers.
The report confirms that the statutory instrument is a legitimate use of the Secretary of State’s powers to alter exemptions to the ban to allow pest control.
The changes would have included removing the “two dog” limit and allowing the flushing and shooting of foxes using packs of hounds — providing it was “appropriate” for the terrain and carried out as “efficiently” as possible. These proposed changes would have brought England and Wales into line with the law in Scotland.
Traditional hunting would still have remained illegal as the requirement to shoot foxes as soon as possible after they have been found would have remained.
“The report from the joint committee confirms that the Secretary of State’s proposals were reasonable and sensible amendments to a bad law,” said Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance.
“Whilst this report will be little consolation to farmers, especially in the uplands, who are struggling to control the fox population and protect their livestock from predation, it does vindicate the Government’s attempt to respond to their legitimate concerns.
“The need for proper wildlife management legislation based on principle and evidence, rather than ignorance and bigotry, is as strong now as it ever has been.”
Wrinky was sore in front so stopped jumping four years ago. He also had a collagen inefficiency that Katie had managed throughout his life.
He was on antibiotics for the last two years and had started lying down more frequently.
“I said enough was enough — he was uncomfortable and you have to realise the time has come,” Katie said.
Monty was owned and ridden by Ann McCarthy.
“He was a true gent and his best friend was Ann,” said Katie. “He had a very successful career and won at the Royal International as an amateur horse.”
Monty retired from the show ring when he was nine. He had OCD in his hocks and became very stiff towards the end of his life.
Katie has been inspired to start working hunter classes again in memory of Wrinky and Monty.
“I’ve just got two lovely young ones — Lighweight Gortglas Rinarinca (“Ringo”) and Ballycreen His Lordship (“Lordie”).
“I jumped for the first time since jumping Mr Wrinkles and they were just lovely.”
It seems such a simple idea — buy yourself a trailer so you can get out and about with your horse. What could possibly go wrong? Erm... quite a lot, actually. Here are 15 things you'll probably have experienced if you own a trailer...
1. That smug feeling you get because you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997, and can therefore tow a trailer without having to take an additional test. You feel sorry for wannabe trailer owners who passed their test on 2 January 1997, but really that extra day makes all the difference and the roads just wouldn’t be safe with just anyone driving trailers willy-nilly.
2. The “will-they, won’t-they” loading experience, where your horse’s willingness to get on said trailer largely depends on how good your driving was last time you went out. Everyone’s a critic these days, even equines.
3. The Mexican Stand Off when you encounter a car on a narrow country lane that refuses to reverse. The driver waves his fingers at you in the internationally understood hand signal of “you go back”. You’re tempted to respond with the internationally understood hand signal of ahem “get stuffed” — but you don’t. You’re too classy for that. Aren’t you?
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4. With reference to the above, the overwhelming hatred you develop towards any car driver who can’t or won’t reverse. IF YOU CAN’T OR WON’T REVERSE, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS DRIVING DOWN A SINGLE TRACK COUNTRY LANE, EVER. Annnnnnd breeeeeaaaathe……
5. The horror when you’re driving your trailer down a one-track country lane, and encounter another trailer coming the other way. Which of you reverses? How far even is the nearest passing space? Argh!
6. The smug feeling you get when you happily tow your trailer out of a waterlogged lorry park as you watch all the lorry drivers stuck in the mud waiting to get towed out by the friendly tractor driver.
7. The joy of doing a million-point turn trying to get out of your friend’s yard, which is extremely short on turning space, after dropping her and her horse off after a show. You’re tempted just to crash out through the hedge, cartoon-style.
8. The near-breakdown of your friendship as your mate yells “left hand down! I SAID LEFT HAND! NO, STOP!” as you execute said million-point turn, taking out a small bush and a bit of wall in the process.
9. The guilty feeling you get every time you go round a roundabout and can feel your horse wobbling and stomping about in the back, trying to keep his balance. Roundabouts were definitely invented by a horse-hater.
10. The sneaking suspicion that by the time you’ve hooked up your trailer, got your horse kitted out in rug and travel boots, sorted out kit/tack/snacks, loaded, and driven to your destination, it would probably have been quicker just to hack there. Still, it IS raining and at least you’re not wet….
11. …Unless you’ve just discovered your trailer roof leaks. This usually happens at riding club camp, while you’re sleeping in it.
12. The — totally irrational — fear that the back of the trailer will fall down on the motorway, and your horse will fall out the back. Or maybe through the floor. Even though you’ve only just had your trailer serviced and they’ve told you it’s safe as houses.
13. The fact that you mutter “cabin crew for take-off” to yourself every time you secure the trailer prior to any road trip. And still find this hilariously funny.
14. The self-loathing (OK, that’s a bit strong — “self-disliking a bit”) you feel when you realise you forgot to sweep your horse’s poo out after your last outing, and now it’s welded itself to the floor forever.
15. The jealousy you feel towards anyone with a lorry. They don’t know they’re born!
A female rider has won Australia’s famous Melbourne Cup for the first time.
Michelle Payne took the race aboard the Darren Weir-trained Prince Of Penzance, which was sent off as a 100-1 shot.
Michelle was only the fourth female to ride in the race in its 155-year history and told critics to “get stuffed because women can do anything and beat the world”.
The race was held at Flemington racecourse today (3 November) worth A$6.2m (£2.9m).
“My sister and I had a feeling I was going to win, and it turned out exactly how I thought it would,” Michelle told Australian press.
“It’s a very male-dominated sport and people think we [women] are not strong enough and all of the rest of it, but it’s not all about strength.
“There is so much more involved, getting the horse into a rhythm, getting the horse to try for you.
“It’s being patient and I’m so glad to win the Melbourne Cup and, hopefully, it will help female jockeys from now on to get more of a go. We don’t get enough of a go.”
‘Chestnut Mare, beware,’ the saying goes. Ginger girlies are famous — or infamous — for being a bit feisty. And opinionated. And grumpy. And did we mention opinionated? There are those who argue that this is nonsense, and that horses are just horses, whatever their colour.
Scientifically, they’re probably right. But do they actually own a chestnut mare? Those of us who do may have experienced some or all of the following…
1. ‘Good luck!’ said in a sort of heartfelt way when you mention to anyone that you’re the proud owner of a redhead.
2. The way you feel slightly exasperated but also slightly proud that chestnut mares have got this reputation for being difficult — because yours is the apple of your eye. Yeah, she is MAYBE a bit difficult, but you just have to know how to handle her…
3. …Which is a mixture of not letting her push you around, and letting her think stuff is her idea, so she’ll actually do it with enthusiasm. To get the best out of your chestnut mare, it helps if you have mind-reading skills, a Machiavellian ability to manipulate, and a grim determination to get your own way. ‘Cos that’s exactly what she has.
There's little doubt that your horse knows exactly when you are in a rush, and how to make life as More…
4. The thought has crossed your mind that your horse is actually cleverer than you are.
5. Secret pride that your girl is always Alpha Mare in any field she’s turned out in….
6. …Even though that does mean that when the mares all break through the fence in to the geldings’ field, or one of them comes in with a bite mark, she’ll be named as the ringleader and you’ll get the blame.
7. That annoyed sigh she does when you make her do anything she’s not in the mood for — which, on some days, is basically everything.
8. The angry squeal if a mare or gelding she deems inferior to her comes too close. Again, this covers the majority of equines.
9. The knowledge that she will always keep you safe. Not deliberately, mind you — she will always keep herself safe, as she’s nothing if not a canny lass, and if you’re on her back, that protection extends to you.
10. The inexplicable love affairs she has for certain horses, that means she will protect them against all things — birds, blades of grass, other horses, their owners. Even if they don’t want her to.
11. Then she decides she doesn’t actually like them and ignores them forever. Chestnut mares can be really fickle.
12. …But really loyal too. It often takes time, but if you’ve won over a ginger girlie, you know that your bond is the best. She’s got your back.
Members of the public have been urged not to feed wild ponies in Somerset, after several people have been injured by the treat-seeking animals.
The Quantock Pony Commoners Association says that feeding the ponies on the common is dangerous and could lead to serious harm.
They cited times where ponies have bitten visitors and even broken a person’s leg.
“Due to an increase of Quantock ponies being fed by visitors, the ponies are becoming more of a nuisance to other visitors to the Quantock Hill,” a spokesman for the Quantock Pony Commoners Association said.
He explained that the ponies’ behaviour has changed as a result of them being fed and they have started to congregate in car parks.
“[They are] naturally inquisitive animals, they form patterns and have quickly learnt to associate cars with food,” the spokesman said. “There have been recent cases of a pony breaking someone’s leg, biting and causing vehicle damage.
“Please do not add to the problem and for you own safety stay well clear of the ponies and
Around 50 ponies graze on the Quantock Hilltops, 30 on Quantock Common and 20 on Aisholt Common.
The ponies help manage vegetation by grazing the hilltops.
On 24 October, the family said that “Deini” had colicked severely overnight, leading to the decision to operate.
The following day, they added he was awake, had an appetite and was “doing well under the circumstances”.
They also thanked people for their support.
However, on 28 October Semmieke Rothenberger revealed that “Deini” had died.
In her tribute to him she wrote that he will “always remain in our hearts”.
“You were not just one pony, but a family member,” she said.
“I hope you now gallop in the sky and enjoy it. I know that you will always look down and support me in everything I do.
“You’re my little personal guardian angel who is always watching from above. I love you infinitely.”
The pony, by Dornick B, won his first medals at Freudenberg, Germany, in 2007, where he picked up team gold and individual bronze.
Deinhard B went on to win team and individual gold at the 2008 Pony Europeans as well as gold and silver medals at the 2009 championships.
Lena Charlotte Walterscheidt took over the ride in 2010 and went on to win silver and bronze medals with the palomino stallion at European level.
The following year he went to Semmieke, who has also enjoyed numerous successes and medals with him at European and international level.
These included triple gold at the 2014 Pony European Championships at Millstreet, Ireland.
Deinhard B has been in the top three at every international competition he has competed at over the past five years and this year he took titles in Nice, Hagen, Vidauban and at Addington.
Running a top yard and juggling small children sounds like a logistical nightmare — unless you are savvy enough to familarise your brood with a wheelbarrow, broom, paperwork and boot polish.
The next generation of eventers, jockeys, trainers and showjumpers are hard at work. And at the rate they’re going, we can guess who is going to be picking up the best kept tack, best kept stable and best turned out accolades at the Pony Club camps of the future. Watch this space…
It’s all go at eventer Sam Watson’s base in Ireland, as sons Toby and Archie get to work with making the place look tidy… until something else looks a lot more interesting.
… and she’s equally happy to lend a hand at home in West Littleton, Wiltshire with fence building too. When she’s dealing with bigger poles, we suggest she ropes in little brother Charlie as her assistant…
The globetrotting life of a showjumper means that finding time to try out saddles can be tricky. Which is when Trevor Breen’s daughter Mia comes into play.
Working horses in Malta are suffering from thirst and dehydration and an international charity is calling for action to be taken.
Malta’s carriage horses are a popular attraction in the country, taking tourists on rides in a traditional “karozzins” or carriages, for up to an hour.
A veterinary survey by World Animal Protection in September found that while the horses were in good overall condition, all of them were thirsty and did not have ready access to clean, fresh water.
The survey found just one dedicated, working tap for all of the horses in the area and this was on a specific route only used when carrying cruise ship passengers.
“I want to give my thirsty horse a drink of water but I can’t do that if there’s nowhere to get it from,” said karrozin owner Christian Caruana.
“We’ve been going round in circles on this for years and we’re grateful to World Animal Protection for trying to help us and our horses. They are our livelihoods and we care deeply about them and their welfare.”
When World Animal Protection first became aware of the problem in 2009 there were a greater number of water points.
They are urging the authorities to reconnect these water points that have been disconnected or decommissioned.
“It is clear that the horses need more water than they are able to get access to,” said Ruud Tombrock of World Animal Protection.
“They are thirsty and they are suffering for want of a drink. But the horse owners can only provide it to them if it’s there for them in the first place.
“We’ve been pleading with the authorities for years about this so that we can give our horses the water they so badly need.”
The charity is now asking the public to get behind the cause by signing a letter to Malta’s transport minister Joe Mizzi.
“We’ve made some practical, pragmatic and inexpensive suggestions on how to solve the problem and we look forward to a positive response from the authorities,” added Mr Tombrock.
