Everything Horse UK Magazine, August 2014

August 2014 • Issue 11 • Everything Horse UK Magazine 1

As seen on Facebook and Twitter EVERYTHING HORSE UK

Special ’Bumper’

News Issue

DRESS to IMPRESSImpress those judges in the dressage arena this summer

for keeping a horse in TIP TOP condition

TOP 10 TIPS

Build quality time with your favourite horse

TIME well SPENT

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR EQUESTRIAN BUSINESS WORK ON YOUR ‘TIME MANAGEMENT’

August 2014, Issue 10 FREE

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August 2014 • Issue 11 • Everything Horse UK Magazine 3 2 Everything Horse UK Magazine • Issue 11 • August 2014

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MONTHLY NEWS UPDATES AND INDUSTRY NEWS

Contents

SPECIAL FEATURES

HEALTH FEATURES

6. NEWS Royals Speak OUT at the 7th International Colloquium for Working Equids

8. British Dressage Update written by Daisy Jackson

11. North Wales Shire Horse Society Celebrate their 35th Anniversary on Sunday 24th August

12. News, news and more news! Welcome to our bumper news issue of the Everything Horse UK Magazine

20. Bored of Bites? David Loughlin from Sentomol, the company responsible for the H-Trap Horsefly Trap in the UK, gives us some handy hints when it comes to fly control

22. Dress to Impress, with Alison Nye-Warden, MD of premium online retailer Dressage Deluxe and the company’s very own personal shopper ... when it comes to this season’s hottest trends, she knows knows her bling from her patent!

23. Not quite finishing in the top line up in the show-ring? Don’t panic, there is still time for improvement! Show rider, producer and judge Loraine Homer is on hand to help out.

23. Social media for the equestrian business, August focus ‘Time Management’ excellent tips on how to use social media effectively for your equestrian business

24. Paddock Management; Reccommendations on summer paddock magament from EMM Equine Paddock Care

26. Training Boredom Busters from Hannah Biggs; what to do to keep your horse interested in schooling.

27. Training: Learn massage for horses and dogs online. Read about the latest online massage course, study from your home with online tutor groups

36. Nipping and Biting; Parelli focus on ‘nipping’ and ‘biting’ when tacking up

37. Top 5 tips for reducing transport insurance premiums

28. The Importance of the Correct Care for the Different Joints; focus TMJ Disorder, Headaches and Equine Myofascial Release Therapy

30. Top 10 tips for keeping your horse in tip top condition, part ii, tips 6 - 10

32. Time Well Spent...Building quality time with horses

34. Stress and Compeition, with a look at what actually happens in the horses nervous system Everything Horse UK

Magazine


Royals Speak OUT at the 7th International Colloquium for Working EquidsRoyals speak out as the voice for poor countries and their working animals at the 7th International Colloquium for Working Equids hosted by World Horse Welfare, at Royal Holloway, University of London, July 1-3 2014. This event is sponsored by: SPANA, The Brooke, The Donkey Sanctuary, World Animal Protection and host, World Horse Welfare.

HRH The Princess Royal and HRH Princess Haya attended this year’s colloquium on working horses to discuss the vital impact these animals have on humans in developing countries, and the need to improve the welfare of both.

Through presentations and discussions across two days in London, including a third practical day at a real life rescue and rehoming centre in Somerset, countless experts and representatives from 27 countries discussed how British charities and other organisations are improving the welfare of working equines overseas.

“The hope is that we identify how much more these equines could contribute to poor communities, who rely on these working animals every day to survive, if their welfare needs were better understood,” says chief executive of the hosting charity, Roly Owers.

As an expert on the challenges of international human development as well as equestrian sport, Princess Haya spoke on the role that national

sport has to play in the unlikely comparison between elite sport horses and ‘invisible’ working horses.

She says: “I have seen how elite sport horses are greatly valued, while the working horse is almost invisible, despite their value to the livelihoods of many poorer countries. “In most cases the people who depend on working equines do not have a voice and generally do not receive any assistance apart from that provided through development organisations. To these people, their horse, donkey, or mule may be the single most important thing in ensuring their livelihoods. It therefore seems natural that those working in human development and those in animal welfare should be working together to the same end.”

“For example, a man in Phnom Penh uses his pony for collecting building materials and the income from that to feed his family. This pony is as important to him as a competition horse is to a rider competing in the Olympics. However, in equestrian sport, we recognise that for a horse to compete well its health, fitness and well-being is of paramount importance. To ensure this, in many countries we have access to a whole industry of skilled farriers, saddlers and vets. Working horses, ponies, donkeys and mules also need this care – but their needs are often unmet because of a lack of awareness of what their horses need, and a lack of skilled people to provide these services.”

HRH The Princess Royal, joined the from-around-the-world experts in this dynamic event, housed in our very own country, for horses and their owners across many seas.

The British royal spoke on the need for strong communication and collaboration between equine

charities and the human development sector, in line with The Princess’ work with animal charities and human – The Princess is president of both World Horse Welfare and Save the Children.

She said: “Animal welfare is just as important as child welfare [in the context of human welfare in developing countries depending upon the welfare of their horse - the horse's welfare is paramount because it is the horse who carries the child to his place of education or fetches the water for the family in place of the child which enables the child to go to school. The horse carries the child to medical attention should he need it, carries the mother to hospital while in labour and carries the vital food supplies so that mother can carry baby on her back instead of leaving baby alone at home].

“There is a real scope for animal welfare organisations to work together with human development organisations if we can work out how to get across to the more sceptical audience the value of the working animal to communities in the long-term, which I’m sure you will thrash out during the course of this event. I very much look forward to seeing the results of all your hard work.”

This event provided an exceptional opportunity, where people had travelled for thousands of miles and come from 27 different countries with their research and findings, to discuss the barriers to fundamental changes in attitudes and practices towards working horses and the families they provide and care fo

With thanks to Equex Foundation – Shanghai Sports Development Foundation, who are kind sponsors of a drinks reception and gala dinner which celebrates the end of the colloquium, on July 2nd, where HRH Princess Haya is guest of honour.

“I have seen how elite sport horses are greatly valued, while the working horse is almost invisible, despite their value to the livelihoods of many poorer countries”

HRH Princess Haya

Equestrian News


There has been so much going on in British Dressage this month, from the Under 25’s European Championships, The Festival of Dressage at Hartpury, Hickstead Dressage Masters to the BD Elections.

European Championships Our Under 21’s have been busy competing in Arezzo, Italy this month. Once again our Juniors and Young Riders did us proud when flying our flag at the European Championships. The Junior team, consisting of: Charlotte Fry, Erin Williams, Jess Gale and Maisie Scruton came

5th overall, with the winners being Germany. The Young Rider team, were: Olivia Oakeley, Jessica Knapton, Gabrielle Lucas and Ryan Todd who came 6th as a team also behind winners Germany. Junior star Charlotte Fry and the beautiful Z Flemmenco were the top scoring Brits in every Junior class with a great score of 71% in the Team test and 73.950% in the Freestyle coming 10th in both. In Young Riders, an ecstatic Olivia Oakeley is once again the top scoring Brit with the gorgeous super star that is Donna Summer. She managed to post a personal best in the Individual test gaining a super 73.079%,

coming 5th. With all scores leaving Olivia in 7th place or above there is no wonder she is over the moon with the way she has ended her Young Rider career and without a doubt has left her mark and set the bar for other talented young riders that aspire to succeed in dressage.

Dressage Masters Championships, HIckstead Hickstead held their Dressage Masters Championships and Young Horse Qualifiers from 24-28th June. Sarah Williams had 2 wins and high placings with 3 different horses. She came top in the Advanced Medium Championship with Felia on 71.64%, won the 5 year olds with Diesel V on 79% and scored well in the 6 year olds coming 4th with 72%. I contacted Sarah to find out some more about her and her horses: “HIckstead was amazing it is somewhere I always look forwards to competing at. The organisers work so hard to put a fantastic event together.

I have trained all 3 horses from the start one of which is almost at Grand Prix. I am currently competing at Premier Leagues, national and international young horse classes, PSG and Inter 1. Both Amo and Diesel have qualified for the Young Horse Championships at Hickstead, the end of July and I am so excited to be up with the best, it’s what I have always worked so hard for. There is always so much going on at Hickstead so it was really good to let the babies see the venue. What with the storms everything was covered in puddles. Diesel, who is 5, was really spooked in the warm up and I ended up going in early as he was getting upset. In the ring I relied on my training and he didn’t let me down and went on to win.

I feel so lucky to have these amazing horses including Felia who is by Florestan, my advanced horse (she is the third horse I have trained to GP). Amo is by Rascalino out of Fantangiro and Diesel is by Donpimus out of Recciana. I own and run a successful training yard in the South East working with all kinds of riders and horses of all levels. I also do Equilartes classes for trouble shooting positional problems and have a free help line.”

You can find out more by visiting Sarah’s website at www.sarahwilliamsdressage.co.uk

Hartpury Festival of Dressage Hartpury Festival of Dressage included the Shearwater International Potential Dressage 4 Year old. Both this and the Badminton Young Dressage Horse of the Future Championship were taken by the beautiful and very talented Debonair owned by Bruce Mathews. I caught up with his rider Leah Beckett, who did a beautiful job presenting him: “Shamwari Debonair (De Niro) was bought by Bruce Matthews as a foal from Heather Stack at Larkshill Stud. He has since been produced by Lynne Crowden and Carsten Sandrock at Woodlander Stud where he is standing at stud and currently in the middle of a very busy stud season! So as much as I am thrilled with his recent achievements I am just as proud with his ability to cope and behave in such big and busy environments! I have ridden for Woodlander since November and am in charge of the production and training of all the young stallions there. It was quite a step up for me as I had never really worked with stallions before but they soon taught me all I needed to know! It has been a fascinating journey riding them through the winter and then into the covering season, we have mares everywhere! It is great for them to learn early on the difference between their two functions in life and I think that has made the difference in being able to take Debonair out in the middle of duties! He is an absolute charmer to ride. He has bottomless energy and is more than happy to give it all to you. And I call him the tiger - he is such a cool customer and scared of nothing! Hartpury was only his 4th show and Badminton his 5th!! He didn’t even look at the judges’

British Dressage News Update written by TopSpec Sponsored Rider Daisy Jackson

Junior Team Test (overall 209.649 5th)Place Rider Horse Percentage (%)10 Charlotte Fry Z Flemmenco 71.00014 Erin Williams Fleurie 70.08126 Maisie Scruton Hot Chocolate 68.56842 Jess Gale Umbro S 67.027

Junior Individual Test Place Rider Horse Percentage (%)14 Charlotte Fry Z Flemmenco 70.44736 Maisie Scruton Hot Chocolate 67.00048 Erin Williams Fleurie 65.23767 Jess Gale Umbro S 55.632

Junior Freestyle TestPlace Rider Horse Percentage (%)10 Charlotte Fry Z Flemmenco 73.950

Young Rider Team Test (overall 205.395 6th) Place Rider Horse Percentage (%)7 Olivia Oakeley Donna Summer 71.15827 Gabrielle Lucas Laurentius 67.42131 Jessica Knapton Di Spirito 66.81633 Ryan Todd Charlex Eskebjerg 66.395

Young Rider Individual TestPlace Rider Horse Percentage (%)5 Olivia Oakeley Donna Summer 73.07921 Gabrielle Lucas Laurentius 68.60523 Jessica Knapton Di Spirito 68.44726 Ryan Todd Charlex Eskebjerg 68.289

Young Rider Freestyle TestPlace Rider Horse Percentage (%)6 Olivia Oakeley Donna Summer 74.700

Image below; Sarah Williams and Amo

Image below; Leah Beckett on Debonnair. Photography by kind permission from Heather Stack

Results

Equestrian News

http://www.sarahwilliamsdressage.co.uk

http://www.sarahwilliamsdressage.co.uk


boxes or flowers or anything! And as for applause, he just lifted his legs higher! It is an absolute honour to ride him”

I also wanted to find out from Debonair’s breeder what it was like to not only breed a graded stallion but a potential superstar and Young Horse Champion. I spoke to Heather Stack his breeder and owner of Larkhill Stud: “I am thrilled that Larkshill Debonair was crowned the 2014 Badminton Young Dressage Champion! To breed a licensed stallion was always an ambition of mine and I achieved that and now to have bred a Young Horse Champion, I am over the moon, next on the list is a Grand Prix horse and an Olympic champion - well a girl has to dream! Previous winners of the Badminton Young Horse Championship have included Valegro, Uthopia and Woodlander Farouche so he is in exceedingly good company!

There were 47 in the class including many 5 year olds (Debonair is only 4) and he was the only one to receive 9’s. His final score was 86% and he was the clear winner. Huge credit goes to his super talented rider Leah Beckett who rode him beautifully as always. Top judge Peter Storr commented on how well she presented him, especially bearing in mind he is a young stallion and said he was a horse with real international potential. Debonair has been superbly produced by Lynne Crowden of Woodlander Stud since he was 2 years old and huge credit goes to her and the whole team at Woodlander for his continued success. Lastly congrats and thanks to his wonderful owner Bruce Matthews for making this all happen! His dam Elite & St.Pr St Show Hit we hope is in foal to Sezuan next year and her Hotline filly from this year is amazing – now all we have to

do is decide whether to keep her or sell her!”

ME: For me everything is about training at the moment. Although we are over the difficult patch I have realised it needs to be totally consolidated so that is what we are working on. My trainer tells me I must be patient and I know that she is right. Tango is getting better and better but we need total consistency so that I can trust him in a competition atmosphere. Nicola and I have been working a lot on the canter, the changes in particular as Tango tends to get excited and doesn’t like the idea of ‘waiting’ for the aids. All the work is a lot easier for him now as he is getting stronger in his body all the time and our aim for young riders in the next year or so is still very much reachable so I am very happy with the progress.

As for my 4 year old, Larkshill Tanzer, his progress and attitude to work has got me very excited for the future. Despite being 17.2hh at 4 years old, he is very obedient and waits for the aids very well. He is also a very level headed horse that loves to work so I can’t wait for what the future holds with him. He has three very good paces and his canter is huge! He is already showing natural ability to collect and sit. Although it would be easy to push on now because of his size we are going to be more hacking than training to make sure he continues to develop correctly.

‘I would just like to mention a new riding club set up in my area, Please find East Dorset Riding Club on Facebook to see what they have on and give them your support.

Further important news involving all British Dressage members is the election for the Directors in the two areas Training and Marketing. Current finance director Maggie Copus has been re-elected for a second season due to no nominations being made against her. Candidates for the other positions are as follows:

Position as Training Director Candidates:

• Claire Moir

• Andrea Hessay

• Paul Hayler

Position as Marketing Director Candidates:

• Julie Frizzell

• Christina Jones

• Carole Pendle

• Anne Somers

To cast your vote and read candidate profiles you can visit Mi-vote.com online. You can also request ballot paper to vote for your preferred candidate. The annual general meeting is on Thursday 18th September 2014 at Stoneleigh Park during the Le Mieux National Championships at the end of the day. So get voting!

North Wales Shire Horse Society Celebrate their 35th Anniversary on Sunday 24th August A truly Gentle giant is coming to Bodelwyddan to help the North Wales Shire Horse Society celebrate their 35th anniversary. 5 yrs old shire standing at 21 hands or 7 foot at the top of his shoulder Sovereign will tower over all on Sunday 24th August at Bodelwyddan Castle, 10am this year.

Eddie Harris Chairman ‘ we hope to make this Open Day our biggest and best to date in order to celebrate our 35 years of promoting the shire horse and all working breeds. It will be a day packed full of entertainment provided by our horses be them little or large. We are extremely lucky that we have the support of Norman Frost a wheelwright and coachbuilder from Llanfair TH, who each year brings vehicles from his vast collection, ‘the cae hen collection’ for our horse to drive. This year in the ring for the first time will be a hermaphrodite which Norman has lovingly restored, a very rare 3-in-1 vehicles which dates back to 1850’s which will be taken into the ring by 2 beautiful shires owned by members Lorraine and Graham Turner. Their horses will be pulling this piece of history in tandom, one horse in

front of the other which is the most dangerous way for horses to be worked. Our special guest this year will be a 5 yr old shire horse called ‘Sovereign’. Sovereign at 5 yrs old is still growing and is a big pussy cat standing at 21 hands, that’s 7 foot to the top of his shoulder. He is probably the world’s tallest horse, however, as he hasn’t yet finished growing his owners have decided to wait another year or two before getting him officially registered with the Guinness Book Of Records (due to cost). Sovereign will be weighed on the day by ‘Allied Weighing ‘ and a competition will he held ‘guess the horses weight’ in

order to raise funds for ‘Hope House Children’s Hospice’. Sovereign will also go in the comparison class alongside one of the smallest breeds of horse the ‘Falabela’.

Whilst we are a shire horse society we aim to promote all heavy horses and working breeds and are pleased to announce that this year ‘Jasmin’ a beautiful Suffolk punch will be travelling from Monmouthshire to be with us. These British heavy horses

plummeted as did all heavy breeds after the 1st & 2nd world wars and the Suffolk become rarer then the panda but thankfully now societies/ trusts are in place to save them.

In addition to our; parades of vintage vehicles, farming implements and trade turn outs, commercial logging, ridden heavies, shire horse dressage to music & carriage driving by our members & the BDS we have also introduced an additional class ‘Disabled driving’ provided by Mr& Mrs Scrivener.

Mark Roberts from Cefnmeiradog, St. Asaph, a long standing member and

supporter of the shire horse, owns the largest collection of horse brasses in the country. Mark will be attending again this year with his collection but now at 87 yrs young he has sadly told me that this maybe his last year showing his brasses.

A dog show was introduced last year, which is organised by Merlin Animal Rescue from St. Asaph. The fun family dog show was a great success, so much so the society this year is adding an additional ring solely for the dogs.

In addition this year a free land train will be available if you are unable to walk from the car park to the show grounds.

Lastly we would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Derek Williams, Abergele, who founded our society 35 yrs ago, were it not for him, his love of the breed and his passion to not let the shire become a thing of the past we would not be here today. www.nwshsopenday2014.weebly.com

Entrance FEEAdults £5.00 Children under 16yrs FREE

Equestrian News

Below; Arclid Wedding Company, Mike & Tony bull will be attending this year event. Image credit Tracy Muir

Directors Elections 2014


In Memoriam: Tommy Brennan (IRL), 1940-2014

Tommy Brennan, the legendary Irish Olympic event rider and championship course designer, has passed away after a short illness. He was 74. Tommy Brennan was born in Kilkenny on 29 January 1940 and grew up on the family farm at Dunnamaggin, where his love of horses started at an early age. He hunted with the local Co Kilkenny Foxhounds every Saturday, learning the art of jumping big fences that would be so important in his later dual career in Eventing and Jumping. After training in animal husbandry, he decided to further his equestrian and agricultural education by moving to Skiddoo Stud in Dublin. The young Tommy Brennan, or TB as he was known to so many, was given a key role in the operation and, not long afterwards, was running the stud and developing his famous partnership with a horse called Kilkenny. Brennan and Kilkenny were successful in both Eventing and Jumping, and went on to represent Ireland at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, finishing fourth in the Eventing, just outside the medals. The highlight of Brennan’s career came in 1966 when he and Kilkenny were on the gold medal team alongside Virginia Freeman-Jackson (Sam Weller), Major Eddie Boylan (Durlas Eile), and Penny Moreton (Loughlin) at the FEI World Eventing Championships at Burghley (GBR). Kilkenny was then sold to the USA where he was ridden to continued success by Jimmy Wofford, including team gold at the 1967 Pan-American Games and team silver at both the

1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. Tommy Brennan was also instrumental in the early career of another great Irish-bred Olympic hero, the grey Ambassador, who went on to claim individual gold at the 1972 Games in Munich with the great Italian Jumping rider Graziano Mancinelli. In 1968, Brennan became the first Irishman to be selected to compete in two disciplines at one Olympic Games, when he was named for both the Jumping and Eventing teams travelling to Mexico. Sadly, one month

before the Games, his Jumping horse Tubber Mac broke a leg in a fall at the water at the Dublin Horse Show. Unbelievably, water played a major role in the Cross Country at Mexico too, with torrential rain causing the river at the second last fence to burst its banks. Brennan and his horse March Hawk bravely jumped in but were swept downstream in the raging torrent. The horse could swim, but

Brennan couldn’t and he only survived by clinging onto the saddle until he was hauled out of the water by the then FEI President, HRH Prince Phillip. Brennan notched up 67 international Jumping wins, and also claimed nine Irish National Championships on nine different horses at the Royal Dublin Society, home of the Dublin Horse Show. But his talents were not just on horseback. He also used his creative and artistic talents to produce stunning Cross Country courses around the world, drawing particular praise for his design of the

European Championships course at Punchestown (IRL) in 1991 and 2003. He named the final fence on the 1991 course, “They will rise again”, a quote from the Book of Kells, the gloriously illuminated religious book widely regarded as Ireland's finest national treasure.He helped countless riders over the years, particularly at junior and young rider level, and was also an inspirational chef d’equipe. Between 1981 and 1985, the Irish junior Eventing team won a gold, two silver and a bronze with Brennan at the helm. On occasion he also took on chef d’équipe duties for the senior Jumping squad, notably at the FEI Nations Cup™ in Linz (AUT) in 2007 when Ireland scored a hat-trick of wins that included Drammen (NOR) and Poznan (POL).

In 1985 Tommy Brennan was awarded the FEI Gold Badge of Honour and in 1997 he was entered into the Irish Sports Council Hall of Fame for Services to Equestrian Sport.

“Tommy Brennan was a real character, a legendary producer of top horses and a very talented course designer,” FEI Eventing & Olympic Director Catrin Norinder said. “His designs for the European Championships in

Equestrian Industry News with Everything Horse UK

Image above; The legendary Irish Olympic event rider and championship course designer Tommy Brennan (pictured here with his horse of a lifetime, Kilkenny) has died at the age of 74.

Punchestown were brilliant. He always had a story to tell, and his many talents will be sadly missed.” He is survived by his sister Kathleen (O'Neill), brother Peter,

nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. A huge crowd attended his funeral mass on 22 July, prior to his burial at Callan in his home county of Kilkenny.

The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Tommy Brennan’s family and huge circle of friends both at home and abroad, to Horse Sport Ireland and the wider equestrian community.

Dengie Alfalfa NOT affected by morphine contaminationFollowing the news that some racehorses have tested positive for morphine as a possible result of feed contamination, feed manufacturer Dengie has

confirmed that none of these cases has been linked to any Dengie alfalfa-based products.

Dengie, a member of the BETA NOPS code of practice relating to naturally occurring prohibited substances, stresses that its Alfa-A Oil feed should not be confused with products bearing a similar name.

Approval under the NOPS scheme means that Dengie is recognised as taking reasonable and practical

steps to reduce the risk of contamination with NOPS and is independently audited for this every year.

Dengie is the UK’s leading manufacturer of fibre-based horse feeds and best known for products such as Alfa-A Oil and Alfa-A Original.

If you have any questions, contact the Dengie Feedline on 0845 345 5115.

Alltech Salutes UK Equine Hero The latest winner of Alltech’s global search for an equine hero is awarded to Katrina Seward from Chatteris in Cambridgeshire.

Katrina was nominated by Vicky Jef-fries, a long time friend of Katrina and her 26-year-old daughter Bianca

With the help of her mum, Bianca runs a training yard specialising in problem horses, breaking and school-ing youngsters and producing compe-tition horses, as well as competing in affiliated show jumping.

For many years Vicky has spent time with Katrina and their horses and credits her will helping her fulfil her own dream of owning a horse.

Vicky had this to say of her equine hero: “Katrina’s daughter Bianca loves to show jump and compete at shows. Katrina dedicates all of her time to helping Bianca with shows and show preparation and drives all over the

country to ensure that Bianca can take part in the best competitions.

“Not only does Katrina ensure that Bianca gets to the competition, but she also continually makes sacrifices, going without things herself so that Bianca and the horses can have every-thing they need while competing. “Apart from being a wonderful mother and an Equine Hero to her daughter, Katrina is also an Equine Hero to me as she is always helping me out. Ka-trina invests her time in making sure that I can attend some unaffiliated shows and at the shows she organises everything and is always on standby to lend a hand, her help is invaluable! “Katrina’s kindness knows no bounds; helping me to get my very first pony Prince, who I still have today.”

Vicky finishes by saying:” Katrina does so much for us that she deserves something for herself and this is why she is my Equine Hero!”

Alltech’s campaign to recognise equine heroes has captured the

imagination of people in the UK with Katrina being voted the second UK based equine hero in the past three months.

If you know an Equine Hero and want to recognise the hard work they do, you can nominate them by filling in the form on the Equine Hero website.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy takes place from August 23 – September 7.

For further information please visit www.EquineHero.com

Equestrian News

http://www.EquineHero.com


Izzy Hits Top FormPARA dressage rider, Izzy Palmer has been in superlative form this year with a host of wins and championships to her name.

Just 13-years-old, Izzy has formed a

fantastic partnership with Gregonne Coco Chanel, owned by Alison Duck.

Izzy has ridden the talented bay mare for two years, and now 17, Coco is her dream ride.

Competing in Grade lll Para classes, Izzy was born with Cerebral Palsy and is fanatical about riding, giving her both freedom and a ‘buzz’ when competing and training.

Said Mum Caroline: “Izzy and Coco have a fantastic partnership and they have been in brilliant form. We are having a great season and are really enjoying all the competing and training.”

Izzy is sponsored by Black Country Saddles and

rides in a Vinici Dressage Saddle which allows her to be close to the horse thanks to its single/mono flap design.

Their winning form started early in the year at the Winter Para Festival of Dressage at Vale View in Leicestershire, when heading the Grade III Para Championship and further wins followed at the Home International at the same venue when claiming the highest placed Junior Grade lll title before they headed the Grade lll Restricted Championship at Hickstead.

Izzy who trains with Angela Weiss, is mentored by Sophie Wells, also a member of the Black Country Saddles team.

Also competing in able bodied classes, Izzy is a member of the BEF Excel Talent Programme and has her sights firmly set on riding at top-level in her chosen sport.

For more information contact Black Country Saddles on 01543 578 243 or visit www.blackcountrysaddles.com

Image below; Izzy Palmer and Gregonne Coco Chanel

Shannon Captures TopSpec Supreme Pretty Polly ChampionshipFollowing a nail-biting final, Shannon Meer and Highmead Take A Chance captured the prestigious TopSpec Supreme Pretty Polly Ridden Championship at the North of England Summer Pony Show.

The day started in winning form after 15-year-old Shannon and her 14hh Show Hunter Pony, secured their ticket to HOYS in their class,

before going on to win the £1,000 championship.

Just five-years-old, this is the first open season for Highmead Take A Chance, a bay mare that has been with the Staffordshire-based family for two years.

Said Shannon: “We just had a fantastic day, it was brilliant, there were a lot in the championship and I was so surprised when we won, it is a great way to start the summer holidays.

“It was a fantastic class with a lot of good entries, which makes winning even better and I couldn’t have asked for more.

“I just have the one pony at home and we are having a quieter season, and have only been to about five shows,

but she has matured into a real superstar.”

The TopSpec Supreme Pretty Polly Ridden Championship is for home-produced ponies and Shannon does all the work with Highmead Take A Chance herself.

Image below; hannon Meer and Highmead Take A Chance

Young Rider News with Everything Horse UK New outdoor category for Innovation AwardsBETA International’s Innovation Awards, prestigious industry accolades designed to reward new products displaying flair, creativity, cutting-edge technology and inspirational invention, have become even bigger with the introduction of a new category – Technical Outdoor Clothing & Footwear.

The decision to move forward with this addition was taken following the trade fair’s growing number of exhibitors from the outdoor sector. “As more outdoor companies are

choosing to make their mark at the show – and reaping the rewards for doing so – we needed to develop the awards to reflect their presence,” said BETA International organiser Claire Thomas. “Diversification continues to be a driving force for both exhibitors and visitors, and we are extremely pleased to welcome trade members from a range of related industries.”

The Innovation Awards, sponsored by the show’s media partner, Equestrian Trade News, now consist of 10 categories: Country Fashion & Footwear, Feed & Supplements, General, Horsecare Equipment & [Horse] Clothing, Pet Products, Rider Clothing, Rider Footwear & Chaps, Saddlery & Tack, Safety & Security – and Technical Outdoor Clothing & Footwear.

Exhibiting companies’ products that have been introduced to the market no more than 12 months before the show can be entered for the awards, which are judged by a panel of carefully selected industry experts, all specialists in their own fields.

BETA International 2015 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 22 to 24 February. For further information about exhibiting or visiting, contact sales manager James, Palmer, telephone +44 (0)1937

Hannah Biggs and Don Caledonia book their place at the National Championships

International Dressage rider Hannah Biggs and her own Don Schufro gelding Don Caledonia, aka Archie, have qualified for September’s National Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.

Competing in the Advanced Medium Open at the Regional Championships at Sparsholt College

yesterday (24th July) the pair took 2nd place on the score of 72%.

Speaking after the test Hannah said, “Archie decided to practice his Grand Prix Special moves with one time flying changes down the centre line! Also had an unscripted toilet break, but the rest of the test felt incredible. It was another very hot day at Sparsholt, thanks to my sponsors Science Supplements; their electrolytes and EnerGex paste helped us get through the warm conditions.”

They scored plenty of top marks, including many 9’s. “He has such

tremendous quality! We also came 4th in the Medium Open yesterday with 70%, it’s been a fantastic regionals!” Hannah is hoping for a wild card for the Nationals in the Medium Open with Archie.

The partnership have had an incredible year after becoming Medium Open Freestyle to Music Champions at the Winter Championships, as well as reserve champions in the Medium Open class at the same event.

Hannah has also had recent success on her Grand Prix horse Weltzin; taking 2nd in the Grand Prix Kur

at Hartpury Festival of Dressage last week (12th July). Their next outing will be to Dressage at Hickstead which starts on Wednesday 30th July.

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HorseHage is Official Forage Supplier at HOYSHorseHage is once again kindly supplying forage to the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and is the show’s official supplier. The dust-free bagged forage will be available to all horses and ponies competing at HOYS 2014.

A Royal Warrant was awarded to HorseHage in 1983 after Her Majesty the Queen’s horse, Burmese, was fed HorseHage when suffering from a respiratory problem. He is one of tens of

thousands of horses and ponies, from Shetlands to Thoroughbreds, that have benefited from this dust-free, natural product.

HorseHage is a high quality bagged forage available in four varieties –High Fibre, Timothy, Ryegrass and Alfalfa, offering a choice suitable for all types of horses and ponies, including laminitics.

It has BETA FEMAS NOPS certification, is consistent and comes with a 100% quality guarantee. It contains no additives, preservatives, mould inhibitors or inoculants and is lower in sugar than most hays.

HorseHage is a great forage choice, both for at home and travelling to shows. It is packed into highly compressed bales for easy handling

and storage. There is no wastage and horses relish the taste. No soaking is necessary and it splits easily into wedges for netting up, making your life easier and enabling you to feed it with confidence.

For information on all the HorseHage products, plus useful advice on feeding your horse, pony or donkey, visit the HorseHage website at www.horsehage.co.uk

RETAILER SUPPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPSFollowing their recent sponsorship of the Hartpury Festival Of Dressage, retailer Dressage Deluxe continue to support the UK dressage scene with their on-going sponsorship of the Medium Restricted and Medium Open Championships at the LeMieux National Dressage Championships (18th -21st September 2014) for the third year running.

The former title sponsor of the Nationals Championships (Three years consecutively) is delighted to be involved once again with the Championship classes, as Alison Nye-Warden, MD of the premium online retailer explains: “Not only do we love to have a

presence at the Nationals with our shopping emporium because it gives us a chance to meet our customers face to face, but by sponsoring these highly contested classes, we hope to give something back to the sport, which has given us so much in return. ”Dressage Deluxe also sponsor top international dressage rider Damian Hallam and BD Judge and dressage trainer Jane Lavington. www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk Dressage Deluxe Free Phone: 0800 321 3001

Sponsorship News with Everything Horse UK

The British Horse Society team up with Champion for the 2015 National Riding Schools ChampionshipsThe British Horse Society is delighted to announce that Champion will be sponsoring the 2015 National Riding Schools Championship. Rachael Hollely, Approvals Field Delivery

Manager for the BHS says, “We are thrilled to be working with such a prestigious company where safety is at the forefront of their minds at all times, we hope that their support will help this fabulous Championship go from strength to strength.”

Champion are also excited by the new partnership, according to Sarah-Jane

Fedarb, Managing Director, Champion Manufacturing,

“We are delighted to sponsor the British Horse Society Riding Schools Championship. These riding schools

are where it all starts for many riders. BHS approved Riding Schools are often where people put their feet in stirrups for the first time, where they first experience the wonderful relationship that can be built with a horse and where a life-long passion can be ignited. Nothing is more important than safety when it comes to starting and progressing as a horse rider. Here at Champion we have been working tirelessly for over 30 years to produce British made products that allow riders to enjoy their horses while keeping them as safe as possible. We are looking forward to continuing such a tradition of innovation and our total dedication to rider safety for the next 30 years and beyond.”

Qualifiers started from 1 July nationwide and those lucky enough to qualify will head to Warwickshire College for the final on 8 April 2015.

TopSpec Support Show Jumper Daniel MoseleyINTERNATIONAL show jumper, Daniel Moseley has secured new sponsorship from TopSpec, well known for their range of feed balancers and other innovative horse feeds.

TopSpec continue to provide top level nutrition for horses that is created

without compromise with their team of sponsored riders, producers and trainers now featuring many of the country’s leading names.

Now based at South Hykeham, near Lincoln, Daniel was the youngest British male rider to take home the famous Queen Elizabeth’s II cup title, at the age of just 21. He also represented Great Britain in his first Senior Nations cup in Sopot, Poland at

the age of 20.

Daniel continues to rise up the showjumping ladder and has an exciting team of young horses to produce.

Said Daniel: “The team at TopSpec have many years’ experience

when it comes to nutrition for performance and I am delighted to have gained their support.

“In the sport of show jumping nutrition becomes a very important part of training and development and the advice is so invaluable. My horses look and feel great on the TopSpec products.”

Added Katy Mickle of TopSpec: “TopSpec are proud to support Daniel and his team of horses. He is hard working and has some very exciting talent for the future.

“Working with riders who understand the importance of nutrition and health care is very important to us and we are delighted to be a part of the team.”

For further information on the TopSpec range contact the Multiple Award-Winning Helpline on 01845 565030 or visit www.topspec.com

Do you have a

sponsorship story you would like to tell us about?

If so please email us on [email protected]

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GOLLY GALOSHES RENEW SPONSORSHIP DEALS FOR ‘TEAM GG’Golly Galoshes the original versatile equine gaiter for horses are proud to announce that they will be continuing to work with MBE, multi Gold Medallist Paralympic Dressage rider Natasha Baker and established eventer and ex-racehorse trainer Victoria Bax.

Both riders have renewed their

contracts for the third year running with the brand and as Jean Hammond, creator and owner of Golly Galoshes explains, it’s a real testament to the product:

“We are delighted to be continuing to work with both Victoria and Natasha and love the fact that both riders are as passionate about the product as we are. It’s further assurance that our GG’s are relevant to all riders, whether you are a happy hacker or top-level rider. When it comes to a tack room essential, Golly Galoshes save time, money and extend the life of your boots, bandages and washing machine!”

Golly Galoshes are waterproof and breathable gaiters, designed to keep

your horses’ bandages and boots clean, dry and the horse comfortable, whether out hacking or during schooling sessions.

www.gollygaloshes.com

Image below: Golly Galoshes, Proud to be British and proud to be supporting British talent.

Equine Careers returns as BETA Business Award sponsor The British Equestrian Trade Association is pleased to welcome back Equine Careers as returning sponsor of the Sales Representative of the Year award for the fourth time. This prestigious industry accolade is one of nine BETA Business Awards designed to recognise individuals and companies making a significant contribution to the equestrian industry.

The Equine Careers Sales Representative of the Year award is open to both employed and self-employed sales representatives and agents, and the winner is judged to be exceptional in his or her approach to customer service.

“Equine Careers is the only business in the industry dedicated to these types of role,” said owner Emma Dyer. “The award is a perfect opportunity for us to support BETA and the industry – and to recognise all the sales reps and agents who work extremely hard out on the road in a job that often doesn’t get enough recognition.”

BETA executive director Claire Williams added: “The BETA Business Awards are an extremely important event in the industry calendar and it is the support of companies such as Equine Careers that makes them possible.

“We would like to thank Emma for her continued involvement in the awards and BETA counts Equine Careers as an important member of its loyal group of sponsors.”

Winners of the BETA Business Awards are announced at the BETA Gala Dinner, held at the

National Motorcycle Museum, near Birmingham on Sunday 22 February 2015.

For further information about the Equine Careers Sales Representative of the Year award or the BETA Gala Dinner, contact Tina Hustler, telephone 01937 587062 or email [email protected].

TopSpec Helps Coedfedw Sandstorm Make History for HOYSMike King and his seven-year-old dun gelding, Coedfedw Sandstorm, is believed to have made history when qualifying for HOYS in both the ridden and driven sections.

Having made a 900-mile road trip from Porthcawl, Mike and his Welsh Section C pony collected a qualification under saddle at Lincolnshire County Show and then headed the private driving championship at the Royal Highland two days later, making it the first double in history for a Welsh pony.

Said Mike: It is the first time I have qualified for HOYS so doing the double is a dream come true as it is something I have wanted to do for a long time.

I have been told by David Blair from the Welsh Pony and Cob Society that it’s the first time that a Welsh pony has qualified for the ridden and driving classes at HOYS and we have made a bit of history for them and myself.

Part of my success I believe is changing my ponies to Topspec, I have been feeding the product for the last year and you can really tell the difference. Sandstorm looks and feels in great condition. He is fed on TopSpec Joint Balancer, TopSpec Performance

Cubes, TopChop Lite, and TopSpec Conditioning Flakes when required.

This season is only his second in harness, in an all-Welsh turnout that includes an 1890 round-back gig.”

Mike and Coedfewd Sandstorm are now looking forward to finishing the season in style with their double debut at HOYS.

Mike King and Coedfewd Sandstorm in action at the Royal Highland Show.

In Other News with Everything Horse UK

SEIB Racehorse To Riding Horse Qualifier at Landrover Burghley Horse Trials

The last of the 2014 series of qualifiers for the South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship again takes place in the Main Arena at The Landrover Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday 7th September, providing the final opportunity to qualify for the prestigious finals at the Horse Of The Year Show (HOYS). The Event recognises the huge popularity of this class with both competitors and spectators alike, and is delighted to be able to provide an opportunity to see how correctly re-schooled ex-racehorses can go on to be successful in the show ring.

“We are delighted that the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials are supporting this class again this year. The standard of ex-racehorse that we see coming

forward is phenomenal, and it is brilliant that these wonderful horses will get the opportunity to be shown to a wider audience. With time and patience, they can go on to careers in many other disciplines”, said Nicolina MacKenzie, Marketing Manager at South Essex Insurance Brokers.

SEIB are very enthusiastic about and committed to all the competitions they sponsor; the company has a strong ethos in putting something back into equestrian sport.

The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship was created by South Essex Insurance Brokers to support and encourage the re-education of thoroughbreds taken out of racing, re-schooling them and preparing them for a new career in the show ring. The series offers 6 qualifiers throughout the country, with winners earning a coveted ticket to the SEIB championship held at

Horse of the Year Show.

The classes are open to both amateur and professional producers and are judged as for Riding Horses, with the best of type, whether hack, riding horse or hunter, deemed the winner.

The Championship will be held at HOYS, Birmingham NEC, 8-12th October 2014.

More information on the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship is available from www.racehorse2ridinghorse.co.uk or find us on facebook www.facebook.com/SEIB.R2R.

Equestrian News

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If you’re enjoying the summer sunshine but are bored of the flies, this is a must read feature. David Loughlin from Sentomol, the company responsible for the H-Trap Horsefly Trap in the UK, gives us some handy hints when it comes to fly control, and how we can help ourselves and our horses this summer season.

Like many people who enjoy being outside, there’s every chance that you’ve been bitten by a horsefly this season…and the chances are that you’ve swatted a few too, whether these have been trying to bite you or your horse! Unlike many flies that are just a nuisance, horseflies are different as the female bites and then feeds on the blood of her victim. The ‘victim’, whether horse, human or other animal, can be totally unaware until a short time after when they experience the pain, itching, redness, heat and soreness. Nothing can totally prevent this – there is no magic spell you can cast that will banish horseflies, but you can help to significantly reduce their numbers. The first step to success is understanding how they ‘hunt’.

There are a number of ways to help reduce your fly burden this season… These include…

• Keeping your yard clean and tidy. A number of fly types breed around stables - manure and decaying plant material provide the perfect breeding ground for stable flies. Keep areas as clean as possible during the summer season, get muck heaps removed and make sure they’re situated away from the stables or removed regularly to help reduce problems.

• Use repellents. There are a number of different fly repellent products out there that could help to keep your horse more comfortable, by repelling irritating flies. There are some fly rugs that have repellent in the fabric, which combines fly repelling with the next point…

• Cover them up. For horses that are really irritated by flies, consider investing in a fly rug or fly mask to help keep them more comfortable. Also ensure that the horse has access to shade and shelter during the day, to give them some relief.

• Trap them! There are lots of different traps available to help reduce the number of flies - many are inexpensive. Fly papers are popular and can be an effective way of trapping flies, especially if they appeal to a fly’s landing behaviour. A 3D pattern, with images of other flies incorporated into the design and fluorescent colours can influence and increase landing behaviour. Bag traps baited with foodstuffs can also be very effective and low cost. Finally, a product that triggers a horsefly’s natural hunting instincts can really work. Tests have shown a reduction of up to 95% in areas continually protected by the H-Trap Horsefly Trap.

As mentioned, it’s the female horsefly that bites- she needs to feed on blood in order to lay her eggs. The female is looking for blood, and the best place to find this is large prey, such as horses and big animals. That said, they aren’t fussy, and will happily feed on a human too. They’re drawn to heat, motion and large dark objects, because these suggest a source of food. However, knowing that horseflies look for these attributes can be turned against them…through the use of a trap that shares these features

Horseflies are among a group of biting flies that are drawn to heat and movement. These include deer flies, mosquitoes and stable flies…none of which are particularly pleasant!

Other flies that you’re likely to see around the stables include the house fly, face fly, bluebottle, greenbottle and

garbage fly. These might not be in the same league as the horsefly when it comes to bites, but flies can pick up bacteria and viruses and promptly spread these wherever they go.

The H-Trap from Sentomol is made up of a large black ball that absorbs the sun’s heat and then emits this to attract

the horsefly. When the fly lands on the ball and tries to feed, it’s unsuccessful and goes to fly away. The large funnel over the ball guides the fly upwards, into a collection chamber, where it will die. The H-Trap has a RRP of £180 and will last for many years when cared for correctly.

To find out more about Sentomol, fly control and the H-Trap Horsefly Trap, see www.horseflytrap.co.uk or call 01600 713396.

Image: The H-Trap Horsefly Trap Bored of Bites?

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Looking to impress those judges in the dressage arena this summer? Alison Nye-Warden is MD of premium online retailer Dressage Deluxe and the company’s very own personal shopper and when it comes to this season’s hottest trends, she knows knows her bling from her patent!

The new style safety hat is still dominating and Samshield are a real ‘must have’ helmet brand. Samshield also have a clever ‘configurator’ option (which we offer through our website), which gives dressage riders the opportunity to design their own hat to add that individual touch to their helmet. Charles Owen does a gorgeous leather look helmet, which was originally designed for Charlotte Dujardin and proving popular. By combining safety with style, this new generation of helmet ticks all the boxes and more!

The theme of individuality also continues through competition outfits: From contemporary jacket designs in technical fabrics, through to subtle design details. Over the past year, we have seen a real shift in design and to service this growing market, we created our own 'Dressage Deluxe Competition Jacket Collection', which marries contemporary design with classic tailoring. Our jackets are made exclusively for us by Mears.

Patent leather is also still a huge story when it comes to riding boots and we stock patent Petrie Boots alongside Konigs boots. Some styles of the Petrie boots are narrower at the ankle, making them ideal for those who find dressage boots uncomfortable, where the leather creases. Something unique to Petrie is that offer a complete patent finish, from toe through to shaft, which really does add a glamorous finish to the riders’ attire.

Our gorgeous delicate pearl and crystal bun nets, crystal embellished belts, stunning semi-precious stone stock-pins and limited edition vintage stocks are also being snapped up by riders wanting to add something new for this season to their outfit or as part of a brand new competition wardrobe.

If you still need some help and advice, why don’t you drop me a line at: [email protected] a brief outline of what you are struggling to find, your body measurements and full length photograph of yourself dressed in fairly body hugging clothing and I will help you find the perfect jacket or breeches to suit your shape and build. It’s a free service and could save you a fortune!”

Dress to IMPRESS

www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk

Social media for the equestrian business:

Time management By Emily Huxtable of Equine Events

Time management is a key ingredient to keeping any busi-ness working to its best. In the equestrian world it is no different; routines to keep a yard or shop running like clock-work are what make the difference between soaring sales and falling at the first fence. However, much needed time can be taken up with unexpected outside factors such as weather, lost shoes, vets trips and the list goes on. So how can you be economic with the little time you have left?

Link your social media together – The top social media sites offer the chance to link between each other. Make sure that what you post on one site gets shared on another.

Why? Increase your social media presence and save time by allowing your individual Tweets and Instagram images to be shared on Facebook and vice versa. Letting one site speak for another makes your pages look busy and also means that fans don’t miss out on content even if they don’t hap-pen to follow you on all social sites.

Schedule posts – Have a busy fortnight of competitions or travelling ahead? When you do have a chance to sit down and use social media take advantage of Facebook’s sched-uling tool. Write posts and schedule images to be posted in days, weeks, even months time.

Why? Ensure your sponsors, owners & customers are kept happy with updates from your Facebook page. Immediate news and results can be shared on the spot as they happen but make sure that you have regular posts scheduled in advance so nobody is left in the dark.

Be creative – On Facebook, posts which become popular will be seen automatically by more people more often. If Face-book thinks your content is well-liked then the internal algo-rithm will share it with more people who will appreciate it. Sometimes popular posts from over a fortnight ago pop up, purely because they have sparked such interest. So it pays to be creative and innovative with what you post to make the contest last. Sometimes the simplest things work best; the funny video of your dog; your top horse sweeping the yard, your opinion on a way of training; these may all be crowd pleasers with your fans. Get posting and see the results!

Not quite finishing in the top line up in the show-ring? Not quite finishing in the top line up in the show-ring? Don’t panic, there is still time for improvement! Show rider, producer and judge Loraine Homer is top of her field, courtesy of Aloeride, the organic natural aloe vera equine feed supplement, Loraine gives readers some winning advice..

Make sure you have plenty of space to show off your horse. The judge will be looking for a good walk, so encourage your horse to stride out without kicking and looking busy.

In the trot try to keep an even rhythm and always be ready for the steward to ask you to change into canter. Ask for canter in a corner, if you are not sure your horse will strike off on the correct lead.

You will generally be asked for a change of rein so when you come across the diagonal regain the rhythm and ask for plenty of step.

When it comes to the gallop make sure you build round the corner so you have your full extension in front of the judge. Practice to ensure that your horse comes back to you with ease and remains balanced.

The conformation section is vital. When it comes to stripping the horse off and trotting up, nothing looks worse than the rider having to drag the horse along and someone flapping behind it to get it to trot.

Feed Aloeride: Not only does it gives our horses a fantastic deep natural shine to their coats but they feel great too!

Make sure that your horse is also used to and happy with different riders onboard.

www.aloeride.co.uk

Practice trotting up at home Image David Miller

Image below; Aloeride Feed

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There are a few tasks that need to be completed to ensure you get the most out of your grass.

1) Soil Sample: If you haven’t already taken soil samples from your paddocks, early summer is a good time to do so, this will give you enough time to remedy any nutrient or pH deficiencies the soil may have. Testing the pH of the soil is equally as important as testing the nutrients, if the soil pH is wrong then the soil will not make the most of any nutrients you apply so you could waste money the optimum pH is 6.5.

If the soil test results suggests a fertiliser application, be careful that you then do not end up with lush, nitrogen rich grass as this could lead to laminitis.

2) Topping: Topping encourages new leaf growth and stops the grass from growing stalky and going to seed. Topping also helps to produce a dense sward which will reduce the chances of weed growth. The optimum grass length for grazing is 5-7cm therefore we recommend that topping is carried out throughout the growing season

3) Weed Control: It is best to carryout spraying when the weeds are still growing, weed control is important when wishing to achieve maximum grass growth. Spraying will allow weeds such as Docks, Nettles, Buttercups an Thistles to be killed, healthy well maintained pastures might not need spraying each year and the ability to spot spray ensures that the problem area is treated rather than boom spraying the whole field unnecessarily. Remember that if you spray off poisonous weeds such as ragwort you should remove the dead plants as these are palatable to horses and will cause health problems. Most herbicides have a grazing withdrawal period of 7 – 14 days it is important that anyone applying herbicides to your paddocks is qualified to do so, reads the product label and gives you the correct grazing withdrawal information. It is therefore useful to plan ahead your grazing rotation.

4) Manure Management: The way you deal with your horse manure in the field will be different depending on the field size, location and the number of horses grazing the field. Whilst it can seem like a huge chore, removing horse manure from paddocks is important as it helps to remove areas of rank grass which leads to selective grazing and will reduce the risk of parasitic infestation if you have lots of horses grazing a small area then removing the manure is the best option, this can either be done using a wheel barrow and fork or you can get mechanical manure pickers to tow behind quad bikes or four wheel drives. If picking up the manure is not an option and you have larger fields and less horses grazing it is possible to harrow the manure piles and spread them out, it is best to do this job on a hot day as the UV light from the sun will kill the parasitic worms.

For all your paddockmaintenance needs

Topping

Rolling

Harrowing

Poo Picking

Spraying

Fertilising

Soil Sampling

Consultancy

www.facebook.com/EMMequinepaddockcare

@EMMEquinePC

Call Scott: 07837 478321Email: [email protected]

If your spring paddock management has gone to plan and the weather has been kind, the grass in your paddocks should be growing. It is important that you continue to manage your paddocks to ensure the grass continues to grow throughout the summer an extended grazing season will potentially save you money on feed, managing your paddocks can also cut down on costly vet bills.

Summer Paddock ManagementSpecial Features


From Hannah Biggs

Schooling is an absolute necessity if you want to improve your performance, regardless of which equestrian discipline you are involved in. But ask any horse to accept being schooled relentlessly in the same arena, day after day, following the same routine, and you will soon find yourself with a very bored horse (not to mention rider!).

Hannah has to train incredibly hard to deliver the exacting performances expected of an international dressage rider, so here are her top boredom busting tips: Look at breaking up your training sessions. I always aim to never ride in the school for more than two consecutive days. So while I might focus on specific movements in the arena, I will alternate this with hacks or even a ride on the gallops. This not only gives the horses a welcome change of scene, it helps them to relax whilst being exercised at the same time Keep ‘test fresh’. Obviously when I am in the school, I practice on the various elements of the test due to be presented at my next competition. However, I make a point of not continuously running through the whole test. I might for example, ask the horse to prepare for a particular transition / movement but not follow through with the actual request, perhaps adding in a change of flexion / a quick sideways move, a shoulder-in. What I am working towards is a horse that is supple and listening to my aids, rather than predicting what comes next. As a rider, you want to feel like you have the opportunity to adjust a movement at any point, either speeding up or slowing down, keeping the head up or asking for the head to work lower, changing flexion - all of these subtle requests need to be willingly accepted AND quickly actioned by the horse Most of us don’t have the luxury of having a trainer on the ground at all times, to give guidance and maintain your

motivation. I would recommend schooling with earbuds (in-ear headphones) and listening to music playing on a radio / iPod (try downloading the iRide app) to help with concentrating on the job in hand and also to provide a regular rhythm to ride to Don’t overlook the benefits of introducing trotting or canter poles to your routine to help improve strength, swing and coordination. In addition, a simple pole work exercise can do wonders for helping to develop bend, balance and impulsion Anyone will become bored if tasked with doing the same thing everyday with no particular ‘end’ goal. So while I have a clear long-term end goal (to represent Team GB at the next Olympics) I also regularly introduce frequent mini goals to provide a bench mark for evaluating improvement. For example, I might decide that for a particular horse, I really need to work on improving their half pass to the right, to improve the elasticity and suppleness. At the end of the month, I will revisit that particular movement and assess if there are any noticeable changes in performance. I also look to my trainer (Emile Faurie), my physio team and ultimately the judges for informed feedback to determine if I have successfully achieved what I set out to do.

TRAINING BOREDOM BUSTERS

Training: Learn Massage for Horses and Dogs OnlineA new and practical way to learn how to massage your horse or dog is being offered via a series of online courses, giving valuable instruction to owners who want to help their animals. Massage is an established and well recognised therapy for muscular discomfort and strain, but the application of massage has so many other benefits too, and animals can benefit as much as humans. The psychological effect of a massage can help reduce stress and tension and promote bonding between the animal and owner.

These exciting new courses have been developed by Nikki Routledge MSc McTimoney Animal Practitioner, who has worked for 12 years as an animal therapist teaching her clients how to massage their horses and dogs for maximum benefit. Drawing on her wealth of experience in animal therapy consultations and instruction in animal massage skills, Nikki has produced these online courses to enable all horse and dog owners to learn more about assessing their own animals and to apply basic effective massage.

“There are times when an animal needs a professional to assess their condition and apply the necessary therapeutic treatment, but there is a huge amount an owner can do as well. I have had cases where I am sure the benefits of a daily gentle massage by the owner of an animal have improved the animal’s health and well-being beyond that expected.” says Nikki.

Applicants start with a basic six week online massage course which teaches the essentials you need to know to begin with. This course is suitable for all horse and dog owners. Then for those who wish to learn more, there are further courses to develop your massage skills and knowledge particularly for competition animals, and those who do have long term injuries or conditions which cause them to compensate.

Nikki has also introduced a module focussing on developing the bond between animal and owner, using her BSc (Hons) in Psychology. Nikki explains, “It was whilst learning about the social interactions studied between humans that I became more aware of how much of what we do influences how our animals respond. That might sound rather obvious but when you can understand and apply the effects of attribution error for example, (that is the way we attribute reasons

for behaviours in ourselves and others), it becomes clear that forming a secure trusting bond with our animals is paramount in developing a good relationship which can withstand those errors. And touch is such a powerful bonding mechanism that massage really does make a massive difference.”

Competition horses and dogs progressing up the levels will build up areas of tension where their work makes demands on their physical abilities to their limit. Similarly tension will develop when older animals are compensating for arthritic changes or other conditions. Promotion of blood supply through massage to these key areas increases comfort, reduces muscle fatigue and allows a return to full range of movement.

There are also strong indications of a psychological effect between masseuse and patient as massage results in a reduction in stress hormone levels and promotion of the bonding hormones too. Touch has an incredibly strong influence on the nervous system, and there is no better way to release stress and tension than by calming the nervous system through massage.

The online courses are delivered through access to online classrooms where videos and tutorials are available to students and there is the opportunity to ask questions and post your own videos in order to help perfect the techniques. Courses are each six weeks long. Students enter an online classroom enabling you to ask questions and post back videos for assessment and feedback if you wish, as if you were in an actual classroom.

An introductory price of £40 is offered for the level 1 course, and Equine and Canine level 1 courses will commence in August. Students can enrol at any time. Visit www.horsesanddogs.co.uk to complete a course application form to enrol.

Image above: Equine massage helps relieve muscle tension and promote bonding – Yawning is an indication that this horse is relaxed

and enjoying his massage

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Question: ‘Can horses get headaches?’ It’s one the most common questions I get when I am out treating horses. It’s a common misconception that horses can’t suffer from headaches. They have a head so surely they can experience pain in the head. They might not have the same everyday problems to think about like you or me, but they certainly have a lot of other things to deal with.

All of the joints in the horses body needs looking after and proper care. Proper joint care can be achieved with correct feed, minerals, supplements, correct exercise, massage and stretching.

But more often than not one joint gets left out. The TMJ, the Temporalmandibular joint consists of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bone.

The joint is composed of the mandible and temporal bones and connected within a synovial joint capsule. The horse relies on the joint to eat, digest food, for grooming and the TMJ also affects the balance of the horse and the biomechanics of the horse’s body. It is vital for the horse’s health that the Temporomandibular joint works correctly.

The Temporomandibular Joint Unfortunately many horses suffer from a dysfunctional TMJ. There are several reasons for the temporomandibular joint to become dysfunctional such as;

• Dysfunctional from birth

• Lack of grazing

• Not getting correct dental work

• The use of incorrect tack

• Ill fitted tack

• The use of harsh tack suck as certain types of nosebands or harsh bits

• Eating from hayracks.

The signs of a dysfunctional TMJ can be very different from horse to horse and they differ in level of severity depending on how progressed the problem is.

Some horses can show low level of performance, difficulty in carrying out the correct gaits, uneven wear of teeth, possible head shaking, signs of head ache, cribbing,

behaviour problems, ear sensitivity, head tossing, difficulty in taking the bit, difficulty flexing the poll and pelvis.

TMJ Disorder One of the things to do, to check any form of TMJ disorder is to check the alignment of the teeth. The upper 6 incisors should be evenly lined up with the lower ones in the middle.

If the teeth are misaligned the horse is experiencing TMJ dysfunction of some degree. When the bones in the joint are misaligned the surrounding tissue is stressed and the horse will have to compensate in other ways to carry out the small task of chewing without pain or discomfort. If TMJ Disorder is left untreated the cartilage can be worn and damaged or in some severe cases worn away completely.

TMJ is not a problem that can be easily treated, it can take a long time to correct and it can’t be resolved with dental work alone, the soft tissue surrounding the joint has to be treated as well. Before treating anything it is important to rule out or check any other potential problems like hoof trimming, saddle fit, use of correct bit, feeding the correct feed and feeding it in the correct way (hayracks), correct exercise with turn out and dental work. Once these things have been looked at you can start looking at TMJ disorder. This can only be diagnosed by a vet or a recognised equine dentist.

One of the best things to do to avoid TMJ dysfunction is to allow the horse to graze naturally. When the horse grazes the mandible comes down and forward in the joint capsule, the atlantoaxial joint opens and the mandible moves up and down, side to side forward and back without any inhibition. It also allows the teeth of the maxilla and

mandible to occlude properly.

Together with proper dental work cranialsacral therapy can help ease up the tense soft tissue muscle structures around the temporomandipular joint.

Through the ‘Stress Point Cycle Pathway’ (diagram below)and ‘cause and effect’ the TMJ dysfunction will keep reoccurring unless the pathway has been broken or the cause has been treated and eliminated.

When the stress occurs in the poll it can spread through the Stress Point Cycle Pathway to most of the horse’s body. From the poll it can spread through the entire topline (cranialsacral system) to the major stress point located in the lumbar region with meeting point of the

EQUINE CRANIALSACRAL

Equine CranioSacral (ECS) work is a holistic healing practice which uses extremely light finger pressure to optimize

body movement. When applied correctly, this gentle and subtle

technique can be highly effective in addressing a number of

conditions in the horse. taken from

www.equinecraniosacral.comBelow: The ‘Stress Point Cycle Pathway’

The Importance of the Correct Care for the Different Jointswritten by Barbara Dreyer, Qualified and Registered Massage www.happyhorsetherapy.co.uk

Horse Health


‘Longissimus Dorsi’ and ‘Gluteal muscle’. By having stress in the TMJ, the horse will have to rely on the hindquarters to provide balance to his body. If the stress has moved to the hindquarters via the major Stress Point Cycle, the horse will have to call upon other major muscles to assist the movements and balance of the hindquarters. The stress will then move to the point of hip with in ‘Tensor Fascia Latae’.

The stress will also travel from the poll down to the shoulder to ‘Infraspinatus’ this will create the horse to become ‘one-sided’. The horse will show signs of ‘falling in’, collapsing on the rein often during canter. to prevent ‘falling in’ the horse will have to call upon other muscles to help sopport the stressed ‘Infraspinatus, such as ‘Brachiocephalicus’, ‘Thoracic Trapezius’, ‘Cervical Trapezius’, ‘Rhomboid’ and ‘Lattisimus Dorsi’.

As previously stated, when treating TMJ dysfunction it isn’t enough just to treat the dental work the soft tissue around the temporomandibular joint also needs treating, but to break the ‘cause and effect’ cycle the stressed and tense muscles in the rest of the horses body also needs treating. By combining Equine Massage Therapy with Cranialsacral Therapy and Myofascial Release Therapy you get an all round Therapy to apply to the horse.

Equine Myofascial Release Therapy

Equine Myofascial Release Therapy both compliments and embraces the treatment of the neuro-muscular system as well as the myofascial tissue network. Equine Massage Therapy and Myofascial Release therapy are two very different therapies, but they work harmoniously together to deliver immediate, progressive and emotional healing; delivering each horse his natural state of co-ordination, alignment, balance, strength, power and emotional peace.

Cranialsacral Therapy is a gentle, sensitive, non-intrusive and amazingly powerful form of deep tissue correction that utilises the skills of Equine Massage Therapy and Myofascial Release Therapy to release the effects it has created through the cranailsacral system. By recognising the neurological based workings of the cranial sacral system, the therapist is able to re-balance the horse’s own energy forces without the need of strength, force or any form of direct manipulation. The rebalancing of the cranial sacral system allows each horse to enter a state of physical and emotional release, relaxation and strengthening the horse’s mind and body to continue their healing process.

To conclude...Yes horses do suffer from headaches but we can help them release this pain by making sure their dental work is up to date, that they eat from the ground either by grazing or having their hay fed on the ground and not in a hay net or hay rack and that the tack we use aren’t restricting the joint movement.

Another way is to do cranial sacral therapy on the forehead

A good way to relieve headaches is gentle ear rotation, never rotate the ears beyond their natural rotation.

Horse Health

6. Problems?If you spot a problem with your horse no matter what it is, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at the time get it sorted as soon as possible, as it can soon escalate to become a much larger more permanent problem.

7. TuitionEveryday is a school day, no matter how good a rider you are, or how good your horse is, there is always more to learn or more improvements that can be made. A good coach is invaluable to your performance & progress, to be your eyes on the ground to helping to work through problems, some of which you may not even be aware exist as a lot more can be seen from the ground by a trained eye. They can help improve performance, introduce new things, motivate you, help you set & achieve realistic goals. If money is tight, lessons don't have to cost the earth. Try getting a teaching circle going on your yard, where once a month you all give & receive lesson and swap around each month so that you all get a lesson with a different person each time. It can be of massive benefit if you are open minded. Just because someone rides at a lower level than you does not mean they will not give give some really good constructive advice about your riding. When children teach you, they get you doing all of the things they hate doing such as no stirrups, standing up position etc. which we don't do enough of but really helps, and their honest 'say what they see' approach is brilliant feedback.

8. Bareback timeMost of us never ride bareback, it was something we did as kids and very rarely do it now. It is really good for your horse, as

even the best fitted saddle is going to restrict their body movement in some way, so they can work completely freely, but it is also good for you too. It helps to improve your posture, balance and core stability, it improves your feel for what exactly is going on underneath you, enables you to feel the smallest of changes in movement and pick up on any issues that may be developing a lot quicker. At least once every 3 weeks carry out your usual schooling, but bareback, walk, trot, schooling figures, canter if you feel confident enough. Use your bridle or a rope halter, use a neck strap if you wish.

9. Does everything fit?Horses change shape so much throughout the year and because it happens gradually over time owners sometimes don't notice that their saddle isn't quite fitting correctly, or their rug is now very tight across the chest, or the leather on their bridle is stretched so now the bit is too low in the mouth. Take the time to check everything and alter if required to ensure that everything is of perfect fit. It doesn't take long for an incorrectly fitted item on your horse to start causing performance problems.

10. Look after your selfTake care of your own physical well-being. If you have any musculoskeletal issues or postural

insufficiencies this will affect the way you ride & will affect the way your horse moves causing them musculoskeletal problems. See a human physical therapist if you have any long term or acute pain, before it affects your horse, keep you own fitness level up, use a specific rider fitness training programme such as www.fit2ride.org.uk.

Top 10 tips for keeping your horse in tip top condition Part 2 ( six to ten top tips), written by Michelle Woolrich

Keeping horses sound, progressing and in great physical and mental condition can be a very difficult task. Here are my top ten tips to help you toward this goal.

Ask yourself, does everything fit?


Many people know that investing time in a relationship reaps countless rewards, but what kind of activities build relationships between horses and their caretakers? What does research say about the horse-human relationship and how can science be used to maximise that bond?

Using Reinforcement to Enhance Relationships Positive reinforcement (i.e. using a reward to make a desired behaviour more likely to occur in future) is most commonly seen in practice as clicker training. Research has demonstrated that, during positive reinforcement-based training, horses can learn more quickly, experience less stress and can be more keen to commence the session. Additionally, horses have also been observed to approach a handler more readily during and after training but how does this affect the horse-human relationship in the long-term and does this effect extend outside of the initial training context?

In consideration of this, researchers Sankey and colleagues, from the University of Rennes, France, investigated how human-equine interactions influenced the horse’s long-term memory of humans. The team studied 23 yearlings in 2 groups, training them to accept a number of common

practices such as having boots on or being sprayed. They used food rewards for one group; the other group receiving no rewards during training. The researchers found that the food-rewarded youngsters demonstrated increased contact and interest in humans, not just shortly after training, but also several months later following a period of non-contact with humans. Interestingly, this positive attitude towards humans was also extended towards previously unknown persons.

Whilst food is commonly used as a reinforcer due to its ease of use, it isn’t the only type of reinforcement available.

Although the restriction of access to certain resources, such as water, during training and handling might give rise to

welfare and ethical concerns, it is interesting to note the range of reinforcers extends beyond food.

Demonstrating the effect of human-to-horse physical contact, Normando and colleagues, of Ghent University, Belgium, examined how grooming particular sites affected the horse’s heart rate. Researchers studied the effect of grooming at the base of the neck, withers, shoulder and hip. Whilst grooming each site was found to reduce the horse’s heart rate, grooming at the withers (a common site for allo-grooming) reduced it most significantly, suggesting that the horses found this to be the most stress-reducing or pleasure-inducing site of those studied.

Caretakers and riders can apply this further in handling and training by using a withers-scratch as a reward, in place of a pat on the neck.

As well as incentive, type of handling activity can also influence the horse-human relationship. A study carried out by Fureix and colleagues examined how particular handling activities influenced the horse’s emotional reactivity and the horse-human relationship overall. The team of researchers, from the Animal Cognition Research Centre in France, compared the use of Traditional-type and Natural Horsemanship-type handling activities. Traditional-type exercises included human-orientated tasks such as brushing, lifting feet and lunging whilst the Natural Horsemanship-type activities included equine-orientated tasks like desensitisation, yielding to body pressure and free-lunging. The research group found that whilst emotional reactivity was reduced with both handling types, horses in the NH group were quicker to spontaneously approach a motionless person. The team also highlighted that although the welfare of the NH handled horses was not necessarily higher than the TH group, the NH horses showed less tendency towards negative states, such as panic.

Horse-Human Relationship in Housing and Management Management and housing not only has an effect on equine stress but also in the horse’s relationship with humans. Valenchon and colleagues compared the effect of standard environment versus the effect of an enriched environment in 19 Welsh yearlings over 5 weeks. In the standard housing system, horses were in individual boxes with shavings beds, fed concentrated pellets and turned out in individual pens. In the enriched environment, yearlings had straw beds in individual stables but were turned out as a group at night. Horses were also offered social contact, given varied food throughout the day, housed in larger stables and provided with sensory stimulation. Researchers found that youngsters in the enrichement program were less fearful and closer to humans, displaying less defensive behaviour during handling.

Building Quality Time with Horses

Written by Louise Napthine MSc

Dr Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare at University of Sydney,

noted that: “Primary reinforcers are any resources that

animals have evolved to seek. If the animal’s motivation is correctly predicted, food, water,

physical contact, sex, liberty, sanctuary and companionship can all be used as primary

reinforcers.”

The horse-human relationship is ever-developing. It can be influenced by a number of factors including management, training and handling technique. Equine caretakers can use positive interactions to enhance the horse-human bond and allow the horse to develop lasting positive memories of humans.

Horse Health

Time Well Spent ....

www.endurance-coach.co.uk


When a horse is stressed what behaviours are you likely to see:Fear or pain – trembling, sweating, hiding, trying to make itself look smaller, trying to escape, frenzied, aggressive. Studies have shown relationships between stress and illness, between stress and aggression, and between stress and accidental injury.Frustration or displacement – if a horse is prevented from doing a behaviour it is used to doing it may substitute it for another behaviour such as cribbing or weaving.Adaptation – the horse learns to cope with the condition and accept the situation.Learned helplessness – the horse learns that the stress is unavoidable and ceases to make appropriate behavioural responses, showing decreased responsiveness and lack of interest.

Stress is a state of tension or strain produced by physical or psychological forces that disturb function, and initiate the fight or flight response. Anxiety is the form of stress that you and your horse will suffer from in the competition environment. This unpleasant emotional state is a short term learned response to previous experiences in the competition environment or in the horse life; the anxiety is attached to the circumstances associated with that event. In the future similar circumstances can trigger the stress response.Stressors are the sources of stress that trigger this

response. For horses these can be many things such as environment, noise, temperature, overcrowding, type of stabling, demands of the work they are being asked to perform, increases in workload, transportation, illness, pain, life events (weaning, backing, breaking, castration etc.). So many things in every day life can be stressful for our horses' consequently even simple changes of lifestyle can cause anxiety until it becomes everyday routine. The stress thresh-hold varies from animal to animal depending on their temperament, and experiences.

Stress and Competition

Stress is a state of tension or strain produced by physical or psychological

forces that disturb function, and initiate the fight or flight response. Anxiety

is the form of stress that you and your horse will suffer from in the competition

environment. This unpleasant emotional state is a short term learned response

to previous experiences in the competition environment or in the horse life; the

anxiety is attached to the circumstances associated with that event. In the

future similar circumstances can trigger the stress response.

Stressors are the sources of stress that trigger this response. For horses

these can be many things such as environment, noise, temperature,

overcrowding, type of stabling, demands of the work they are being asked to

perform, increases in workload, transportation, illness, pain, life events

(weaning, backing, breaking, castration etc.). So many things in every day life

can be stressful for our horses' consequently even simple changes of lifestyle

can cause anxiety until it becomes everyday routine. The stress thresh-hold

varies from animal to animal depending on their temperament, and

experiences.

What actually happens within the horses nervous systemStressor

Senses (eyes, ears, nose, skin, taste)

Impulse from senses

Nerve fibre

Brain

Noradrenalin (a neurotransmitter)

Lungs Heart Spleen Sweat glands Adrenal glands

Dilate, increased Heart rate Contracts releasing Helps Adrenalin Cortisol

inspiration of increases more red blood control theoxygen improving cells into circulation increase in Liver Increases blood

blood supply so more oxygen can body temp. sugar, suppressesto the muscles get to the muscles Releases immune system,

glucose & fatty aids in protein, acids to fat &carbohydrate

improve energy metabolism supply

When a horse is stressed what behaviours are you likely to see:

• Fear or pain – trembling, sweating, hiding, trying to make itself look

smaller, trying to escape, frenzied, aggressive. Studies have shown

relationships between stress and illness, between stress and aggression,

and between stress and accidental injury.

Stress and

CompetitionGeneral guidelines for minimising competition environment stress1. Travelling: allow rest breaks on long journeysreduce energy feeds and give easily digestible dust free feeds ensure good travelling conditions – ventilation, rugs, boots/bandages water, electrolytes, companion?2. Warm up & cool down: warm up and cool down properly use rest breaks between classes sensiblykeep the horse warm or cool depending on weather3. Routine: try to keep routine as close to the same as home as possible4. Feed: keep the same feed ration as at home pack enough hay and feed to last the duration 5. Work: don't work the horse to the point of exhaustionif shows signs of fatigue retire from the competition6. Dehydration: do not allow your horse to become dehydrated check for signs regularly7. Relaxation: allow the horse time to relax – graze in hand etc. relaxation exercises – your animal physical therapist can show you how8. Heat: on a hot day prevent heat stress by wetting neck chests and forelegs, before, during and after classes9. Recovery: cool down correctly check the horse thoroughly for injury, stiffness, strain, pain, illness – your physical therapist can show you how book an equine sports massage session for the following day to aid recovery as this will help to restore and strengthen the muscle, prevent stiffness, help remove excess lactic acid and relax the horse after a stressful day promote speedy recovery with electrolytes & nutritional feed stuffs that are easily digestible and palatable

Stressors within the competition environmentHeat Stress - when body temperature goes above 150f, the body can not efficiently cool itself. Typically caused by over exertion when weather conditions have over come the horses ability to dissipate heat and have interfered with fluid and electrolyte levelsTravel Stress - upsets balance of every day routine such as eating and sleeping. Stressors include confinement, movement, lack of previous experience, noise, gases, changes in temperature and humidity. Can cause colic, increased heart rate, suppressed immune system, elevated white blood cell count, weight loss and reactivation of pre-existing respiratory diseaseCompeting - anxiety as everything is strange: environment, horses, crowds, new brightly coloured jumps, collecting ringAnticipation - when the horse knows certain routines are only performed when going to a competitions. If something is changed within this the horse will not know what to expect causing anxiety and agitationDehydration, mild - electrolytes or body salts in the blood stream stimulate thirst Dehydration, progressively – excessive loss of electrolytes stimulus to trigger thirst is eliminated and by not drinking the dehydration worsensDehydration, severe - serious electrolyte imbalance requiring iv fluids and electrolyte therapyFatigue - the body's alarm system to alert you to the beginning of failure to prevent serious metabolic problemssigns: slow heart rate and respiratory rate recovery, dehydration, pale dry mucus membranes, prolonged capillary refill time, lack of appetite, thirst and interest, muscle tremors, twitching, thumps (diaphragm contacts at same time as heart beat).Illness & injury- heat pain and swelling may occur at the time of competition or not until late on behaviours change: off food, depressed, agitated, anxious, obvious pain or discomfort.

• Persistent heart rate elevation• Persistent respiratory rate

elevation – panting• Prolonged increase in

temperature• Slow recovery rate• Profuse sweating• Diarrhoea

• Dry, pale mucus membranes• Prolonged capillary refill time• Lack of intestinal sounds• Lack of skin elasticity - recoil

test• Abnormal behaviour• Shaking

SIGNS OF SEVERE STRESS – CALL THE VET!

written by Michelle Woolrich www.cheshireequinetherapy.co.uk

Horse Health


This month we get some great advice from the team at Parelli Natural Horsemanship on the steps to take if your horse or pony nips and bites when saddling up.Question: My horse tries to nip or bite me while I’m saddling, what can I do? Of course in any instance like this, the first thing to check is that your saddle fits properly and there are no physical issues. This article assumes that these things have already been checked.

All horses are naturally claustrophobic to a greater or lesser extent so it is easy for them to become worried or upset about something that constricts them like the saddle, the girth or even a rug.

To help this problem we would use the principle of ‘approach and retreat’ that is part of the Friendly Game, the first of the Parelli seven games.

Set yourself up in an area where you and your horse can move easily with a headcollar and rope to allow your horse to drift. This is to allow your horse to feel that he can move away when or if he wants. This exercise is not about simply getting the saddle on but changing the horse’s opinion of the saddling process.

The first step is to see what happens when you approach your horse holding the saddle. If they need to drift, allow it, wait until they have stopped. Start again, repeat over and over until you can walk up to your horse holding the saddle and he doesn’t move. Allow your horse to sniff the saddle and check it out thoroughly. When your horse can stand still when you

walk up to them you are ready to go to the next step.

Swing the saddle up towards your horse’s back but don’t put it on! This will be the last thing your horse expects. If your horse moves while you are swinging the saddle wait until he can stand still, repeat until you can swing the saddle towards your horses back and he can stand still.

Repeat this process with swinging the saddle and resting it on your horses back (keep a hand on your saddle while it’s rested on your horses back to stop it falling). Get to where you can rest the saddle on your horse’s back and take it off all without him moving.

Next it’s time for the girth, take hold of the girth and hold it round your horses middle, if your horse moves or goes to bite, put them off this idea by waving your hand or arm up and down. As soon as they stop and stand still release the girth. Play with this until you can start to do the girth up with no fuss.

When doing the girth up for the first time, do it up snug enough to hold the saddle in place but not too tight, move your horse e.g. walk a small circle, you will find that the girth has loosened as your horse moved so you can tighten it again – do this at least three times until it is tight enough for you to ride.

Doing the girth up all in one go would be similar to someone tightening your belt up after you’ve just eaten.

The Parelli programme teaches you many strategies to overcome lots of everyday problems with horses.

For more information visit www.parelli.com or contact Parelli UK on 0800 0234 813.

for reducing transport insurance premiums

Despite the fact that the UK is finally starting to climb slowly out of economic tough times, we’re all still trying to save money where we can. If you own horses, you know how expensive not only their upkeep can be, but just how much all those ‘extras’ mount up and drain your resources. So saving money on your horsebox insurance can be a welcome addition to your fiscal plan for this year. Here are five top tips to help you reduce your transport insurance premiums that won’t leave you financially exposed should the worst happen:

#1 – Shop around for the best dealYou’ve shopped around for the best car insurance, electricity deal and even a cheap mobile phone contract, so why not shop around for the best deal on your horsebox insurance? The consumer has plenty of ‘buying power’ these days, thanks to online search and comparison

sites, so don’t simply accept the first deal you’re offered. Horsebox insurance is perhaps a little more ‘niche’ than many other types of insurance, but you can still shop around for the best deal that suits you, your needs and your wallet.

#2 – Fit immobilisers and alarms to your horseboxIn the same way that added security measures will cut the cost of your house insurance, the same is true with your horsebox. Fit immobilisers and alarms to your box and you’ll cut the costs of your insurance premiums dramatically. The initial investment will be well worth the long-term savings, as well as protecting your box from opportunistic thieves.

#3 – Store your horsebox in a secure locationIdeally, the perfect place to keep your horsebox when not in use will be in a locked barn or building. But even a lockable gate or locked access to your yard should deter all but the most determined criminals, and will also cut the cost of your premiums. If you store your box on the roadside or in an unsecured location you may find that not only will your premiums shoot up, but you may even struggle to get the insurance company to cover you at all.

#4 – Share the costMore people are sharing the cost of owning a horse these days by buying a box with a friend. If you do decide to do this then you can also share the cost of the insurance

too, by having both of your names on the policy and splitting the cost of the premiums between you.

#5 – Time to renew? Negotiate!Finally, remember that earlier we said consumers have much more ‘buying power’ these days? Well, that’s true when you’re coming up to renew your existing policy too. If you haven’t had to claim on your horsebox insurance for the previous year, then don’t be afraid to negotiate a discount when the time comes to renew your policy. Remember, the insurer wants to keep your business, and you may be surprised to find out just how much of a discount you can get if you negotiate. Again, don’t accept the first offer you get – there could be a much cheaper deal out there if you take a look, or simply ask!

With special thanks to Marc Loud who is a partner at Park Insurance, specialist insurance brokers for over 30 years.

Top 5 TipsSpecial Features


Caldene Mortham BreechesThe Caldene Mortham Breeches are practical, elegant and, most importantly, fabulously comfortable. The knitted cotton blend offers plenty of stretch.

The Mortham breeches feature a silicon printed full seat which gives a practical grip whilst retaining the stretch for a comfortable fit.

Available in regular sizes 24” to 34” and long lengths sizes 24” to 32, the Belgrade come in beige, corn, navy, black, slate and white. Prices start at around £58.50.

For more information contact Caldene on 01274 711101 or visit www.caldene.co.uk

Get Set to Sparkle!

Are you keen to bring a bit of ‘bling’ to your equestrian attire but don’t have a huge budget to add the glitz and glamour? Then look no further than the Black Scatter Velvet collection from Carrots. The chic Black Velvet Hat Cover and matching Gloves with stunning diamante detailing offer luxurious, yet subtle ‘bling’, ideal for everyday wear or for the finer occasions such as the Dressage or Show Jumping ring. So why not get set to sparkle this season with Carrots?

The Black Scatter Velvet Hat Cover and Gloves are available separately and both are offered in Adults or Children’s sizes offering riders of all ages a bit of bling- without breaking the bank! Prices start at £15 for the Hat Cover, £15 for kids gloves and £16 for adults gloves. For more in formation visit www.carrotsequestrian.co.uk or call 01245 445362 to find your local stockist.

Heart Jeggings from Harry HallStay on trend this summer with the new Heart Jeggings Jnr. Perfect for pony mad kids, the jeggings are designed with pretty heart embroidery on the back pockets.

The pull on jeggings feature a knitted rib waistband, so they are easy to get on and very comfortable all day long. With contracting coloured stitching to add detail to the jeggings.

Available in Navy, in sizes 20”-28” regular and priced at around £28.49.

For further information contact Harry Hall on 01274 711101 or visit www.harryhall.co.uk

Travelling with Masta

Masta offer travel boots and tail guard, which will keep your horse protected, safe and comfortable whilst going on any journey.

The boots are made from tough outer fabric combined with soft fleece lining for durability and flexibility.

Featuring hook and loop fabric covered fastenings creating strength, therefore making sure they will not come loose.

Supplied with two front and two hind boots with matching tail guard.

Available in a variety of colours; black, red, navy blue and royal blue. Priced at around £46.99, offered in sizes pony, cob and full.

For further information please contact Masta on 01274 711101 or visit www.masta.co.uk.

www.heidishandpaintedhorseshoes.artlovers.co.uk .

Product Focus

Product Focus with Everything Horse UK

Heidi’s Handpainted Horseshoes.

Heidi’s Handpainted Horseshoes can be seen at www.heidishandpaintedhorseshoes.artlovers.co.uk, priced at £9.95 each, these wonderful horseshoes can be obtained from all good bookshops or directly from the publishers at www.oldpond.com

http://www.caldene.co.uk

http://www.caldene.co.uk

http://www.carrotsequestrian.co.uk

http://www.harryhall.co.uk

http://www.masta.co.uk


Saracen Introduce Aroma to Re-Leve®

Saracen Horse Feeds are delighted to announce the innovative addition of a blackcurrant aroma to popular cereal-free, low-starch performance feed RE-LEVE®.

Saracen Blackcurrant has been incorporated in to RE-LEVE® to help stimulate and maintain appetite and consumption through enhanced taste and smell.

RE-LEVE® was formulated to supply energy (calories) through “Super-fibre” ingredients and oil, reducing the reliance on cereals to support optimum performance and a manageable temperament. The ration provides the energy for work and to support optimum body condition for horses that are intolerant to high starch diets such as those who have suffered or suffer from gastric ulcers, tying up or have excitable temperaments.

It was identified that some horses were taking a while to become accustomed to switching from cereal based rations onto RE-LEVE®, so Saracen Horse Feeds identified a way to bridge this gap for customers looking for a cereal free ration.

Senior Nutritionist and Associate Director at Saracen Horse Feeds, Lizzie Drury MSc RNutr, conducted extensive palatability trials with horses ranging in work load, body condition, environment and previous palatability issues with RE-LEVE®.

The feed trials have shown that:

• Horses that were new to RE-LEVE® showed no hesitation in eating the feed and continued eating until the meal was finished even licking the bowl for sometime after the meal was finished.

• Horses who had a history of being fussy with concentrate feeds resulting in frequent changing of their rations and difficulty in maintaining their body condition, “tucked” into the flavoured RE-LEVE® and continued to eat and clean up from the start of the trial onwards.

• In all the horses, feed intake was also seen to be increased which resulted in optimum body condition and performance.

RE-LEVE® was designed for horses prone to muscle myopathies, but is suitable in a vast range of scenarios.

It is most suitable for:

• Performance horses intolerant to high starch/cereal based diets

• Horses of a nervous disposition, to support a more even and trainable temperament

• Horses that are prone to tying up

• Horses requiring a low starch diet due to ulcers

• Fussy horses and ponies

• Sick or convalescing horses where appetite is suppressed

• Horses and ponies that are on long standing medication

Saracen RE-LEVE® RRP approximately: £14.22 20kg bag

Reversible Cushion Pads from Cottage Craft The Reversible Cushion Pad from Cottage Craft is perfect for everyday use on the yard.

It is fully reversible so you get two different colours in one saddle pad. The soft padding provides comfort and protection for the horse when the saddle is on.

Available in Full, in the colours black/white, navy/navy and pink/blue. Priced at around £31.99.

For more information contact Cottage Craft on 01274 711101 or visit www.cottagecraft.co.uk

Wren polo from Tottie

The brand new summer 2014 range from Tottie has been designed with a fashionable edge and boasts contrasting colours for a classic yet stylish look.

The Wren short sleeved relaxed fit polo top is a summer must. Featuring a pretty appliqued union jack design on the sleeve, in a contrasting colour.

Made from 100% cotton, the Wren polo top is designed with a button placket on the front and ribbed collar for style and comfort.

The Wren polo top is available in colours including Lemon and Navy and is priced at around £43.49, with sizes ranging from XS to XL.

For further information please contact Tottie on 01274 711101 or visit www.tottie.co.uk.

GRUBS Iceline 8.5 Boots

Are you looking for a comfortable, warm and hardwearing boot that will add a bit of colour to your life? Look no further, the Iceline 8.5 boots from GRUBS are high quality neoprene boots that are the latest in technology and design.

The Iceline boots are ideal for keeping your feet warm and dry on cold and frosty days. Ideal for most working conditions or leisure activities these boots are great for mucking out down at the stables or walking across muddy fields with the dogs or the horses.

Available in colours Heather or Navy, the Iceline™ boots are also available in UK ladies sizes 4-8 and retail at around £79.90. Visit www.work-lite.com

Product Focus

http://www.cottagecraft.co.uk

http://www.tottie.co.uk

42 Everything Horse UK Magazine • Issue 11 • August 2014

Everything Horse UK Magazine

Everything Horse UK Magazine, August 2014

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Transcript of Everything Horse UK Magazine, August 2014