Absolute Horse - March 2019 by Absolute Horse Magazine

E M K ’M C - I E! PI UP RE

Absolute

MARCH 2019

Show ! e m i T

PLUS

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE Inside...

MARCH

2019 ISSUE 331

46 It’s all go for the Redwings Show! See page 17 for more details.

COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS & OFFERS 6 Ariat Saddle Snaps 9 East Anglian Game and Country Fair tickets 12 Botanica 28 Horslyx 59 Westcotts Dog Food REGULARS 4 News 23 NEW: Clarendon Equine 32 NEW: The Horse Feed Guru 38 Samantha Hardingham.. Talks Rider Fitness

Though every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, PCD Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for the opinions expressed in the magazine. The opinions and technical information in the articles are those of the authors.

41 49 60 61 62 64

Herbalist Daisy Price Rhea Asks... What happens when the social media wheels fall off? Reports Sophie Harris Photography Vets Directory/Classifieds Agroco-sponsored Showdates Diary

FEATURES 8 Show Time - featuring Katie Jerram-Hunnable and Jayne Ross 18 Nutrition 22 Laminitis

How to contact and connect with us...

34 38 42 43 46 48 50 52 52 56 58

INSIDE

WHAT’S

Worming Health & Welfare Equine Influenza Stables, Bedding and Paddocks Buyer’s Guide - Mother’s Day Local Profile - Addie Akers Local Profile - Alice Haynes Ride Like - Louisa Milne Home The Professionals - including Anand Patel and Tina Ure Saddlery & Tack Love Dogs

01473 731220

office@ahmagazine.com

www.issuu.com

facebook.com/Absolute-Horse

#abfabnagmag

www.absolutehorsemagazine.com

PCD Media ( East Anglia) Ltd, Home Barn, Grove Hill, Belstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3LS

NEWS E-HORSE EQUINE HEALTH CONFERENCE

RESCUED:

On Sunday 7th April, equestrians in the eastern region have the opportunity to attend an Equine Health Conference aimed at improving the knowledge of horse owners. Delivered by Equine CPD company, E-horse, the day offers a range of experienced national speakers covering a wide range of topics, plus selected equestrian exhibitors. The event is being held in the historic 700-year-old Great Barn, at Manor Farm, Cambridgeshire. Explains Kate Gregory, from E-horse: “We are very excited to be presenting this educational day for horse-owners in the eastern region. It is a great opportunity for local people to attend, learn and talk to experienced horse professionals. The event is deliberately planned for a Sunday so working horse owners and students can attend without having to take a day off.” Speakers include renowned Equine Behaviourist, Olivia Turner; Newmarket farrier and the Brooke’s Overseas Farriery Coordinator, Alex Ridgeway; Equine nutritionist, Donna Case; Neue Schule Director and Bitting professional, Heather Hyde; Parasite Specialist, Aisha Kirby; Stephanie Pittam, Human and Equine Osteopath and Alex Strobel, Equestrian Life Coach. Tickets are priced at £35 for the full day, including CPD certificate and can be purchased online at E-horse. www.e-horse.co.uk

PUDDLES THE PONY

RSPCA officers and firefighters launched a rescue mission to free a pony who was stuck neck-high in mud in a ditch recently. Essex Fire & Rescue Service and the RSPCA were called to a field off Marshfoot Road, Grays in Essex after a member of the public spotted the little grey pony stuck at the bottom of a deep ditch. RSPCA Inspector Caroline Richardson said: “It’s amazing that she was spotted as she was absolutely covered head to toe in mud and was neck-high in muddy water. “She was very lucky to have been spotted. We believe she may have been stuck in the ditch for days and, with the weather having turned so cold and wet, I don’t think she’d have survived much longer. Staff have named her Puddles.” Puddles, who is around 11hh, isn’t microchipped so the RSPCA is now trying to trace her owner in the hopes of reuniting her with her family. Anyone who recognises Puddles or believes her to belong to them should contact the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

£7,000 STOCK DONATION TO LOCAL HORSE RESCUE CENTRE

Charlotte Cooper and Louise Strutt, Equidor General Manager, with staff from the Essex Horse & Pony Protection Society

HIGH FLYERS SHOW CANCELLED A statement has been issued by the East of England Arena and Events Centre High Flyers team. It states: “It is with significant disappointment that we have taken the decision to postpone the High Flyers Show.”

A Basildon-based equestrian supplies centre has donated over £7,000 worth of equestrian goods to a local horse rescue centre in Essex. Equidor Leisure Limited, which has recently completed a buyout of East Coast Leisure, has presented Essex Horse & Pony Protection Society (EHPPS) with over 300 items of stock with a total value of more than £7,000, to support the charity in their work rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing equines. Equidor Leisure’s Charlotte Cooper organised the donation. She says, “EHPPS is our most local equine rescue centre, and they do fantastic work while relying solely upon public donations. Therefore, at Equidor Leisure, we are proud to support them in any way we can.” www.equidorleisure.com www.ehpps.org.uk

Competition Winners: Equisafety Gabrielle Deed, Essex; Karin Baria, Lincs. Equitheme Alexis Smith, Suffolk; Amy Crosby, Essex; Angela Acott, Norfolk; Hannah Harrison-Senter, Herts; Katie Tompkins, Suffolk. Molichaff Angela Bush, Essex; Dawn Cape, Suffolk; Hannika Coates-Melton, Norfolk; Kate Hardt, Staffs; Margaret Rose, Norfolk; Rachel Perry, Norfolk; Rebecca Smith, Suffolk; Susan Milward, Berks. TopSpec Charlotte Tegerdine-Murfitt, Cambs; Debra Honeywood, Norfolk; Jane Daniels, Norfolk; June Hunter, Suffolk; Nicola Kidd, Suffolk; Pam Wells, Essex.

HORSE CHARITIES UNITE IN HISTORIC MERGER

Redwings Horse Sanctuary has announced a major development in its operations following the completion of a merger with Welsh charity SWHP (Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies) and the establishment of a new centre in Monmouthshire. The merger became official on 1st February and will see the new centre taking the name Redwings SWHP. The SWHP charity, which was previously based at a site in St Maughans, Wales, has been carrying out vital welfare work for over forty years and housed more than sixty rescued horses and ponies with about 250 more out on loan. The merger with SWHP means that Redwings is now responsible for over 2,000 rescued horses across the UK, including 700 living out in Guardian homes.

B IG

DISCOUNT W- SAEETUKRD!AY 20TH APRIL

L SATURDAY 13TH APRI

95% of new stock will be discounted! Extra discounts on selective products on selective days!

Free pair of ARIAT boots of your choice to the value of £300 to be won...plus lots of great prizes! Free tea coffee and cake all week!

FOLLOW U S FACEBOO ON K FOR DISCOUN T UPDATES

Sandons Saddlery

BINTREE ROAD, FOULSHAM, DEREHAM, NORFOLK NR20 5RL TEL: 01362 683383 WWW.SANDONSSADDLERY.COM

STOP PRESS: TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets are now available online for East Anglia’s two most prestigious Horse Trials. Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International runs from 12th – 14th April, while Saracen Horse Feeds Houghton International takes place from 23rd 26th May. Both Horse Trials offer a fantastic day out for all the family, with trade stands and children's entertainment running alongside world class competition. Musketeer Event Management’s official charity for 2019 is Riding For The Disabled. RDA is planning a range of entertainment, details of which will be announced in due course. www.musketeer.co.uk

SADDLE SNAPS

SADDLE

SNAPS Our new competition where each month an Absolute Horse reader will win a pair of

ARIAT BURFORD BOOTS

- Monica Husillos - Christy Seaman

Digby says if you rest my leg, I rest my head!

“ I think I prefer the hat to the hay!“

- Paige Staff “What’s so funny guys?!”

worth over £130!

Sponsored by

- Hollie Davy

- Maria Randall

Entry is easy, simply email a candid photo of your horse to

“Give us a kiss!”

“If I keep pulling hard enough you might make it to 17hh!”

WINNER!

- Karen Ireland

“I won this mum not you!”

- Claire Osborne

snaps@ ahmagazine.com

Don't forget to include your contact details and a caption to your pic! Best pic/caption wins the boots.

Good luck!

- Lauren Blackborrow

“What you doing down there?!”

“Now all we have to do is give him a good hard peck and off we go!”

SHOW TIME

MANES & TAILS: Winning Hair Care Photography by Jon Stroud Media ane and tail care are incredibly important. Our horses’ manes are plaited for every show, which in my case is most weekends, and the tails need to be full, flowing and finish the overall appearance of the horse. “People are often surprised that we brush our horses’ manes and tails daily, however, if you are using the right tools, you are looking after the hair, not damaging it. “We use the Renwick & Sons’ Mane and Tail Brushes, even on the Thoroughbreds. The design of the teeth allow you to work through the mane and tail without pulling the hair and the brush side we wet and use it to lay the horses’ manes. The design of the tool allows you to have more of a defined control, so it doesn’t end up slipping out of your hand, taking hair with it!

“I like my horses to enjoy having their manes and tails looked after, and while a pulled mane and tail are part of the show horse’s look, I want to show you how you can create the same effect without pulling the hair with this scissoring technique. “Firstly, you’ll need something sturdy to stand on. A comb and a mane thinning blade or tool. Please bear in mind that while I am using scissors to demonstrate for the images, I would recommend using rounded edge ones. “Brush through your horse’s mane and stand back and look at the length. It’s easy to get carried away and take too much off, so decide what you want to remove. Take your comb and backcomb the hair up, so it looks like the image.

KATIE JERRAM-HUNNABLE IS A TOP SHOWING PROFESSIONAL WITH OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE PRODUCING AND COMPETING SHOW HORSES. COURTESY OF HER SPONSORS, RENWICK & SONS, KATIE TALKS US THROUGH MANE AND TAIL PREP FOR THE SHOWRING.

Then turning the scissors upwards scissor into the hair. Work along the bunch of hair, then comb down and backcomb up again to thin it further if need be. You can then comb the hair down and use the same technique up into the end of the hair to create a natural effect, instead of it looking like a thick

blunt line of hair, like a fringe! Be aware that rugs with necks can cause the hair to thin and can rub, so be aware of using these continuously. The rug suffocates the roots then when you do come to prepare the mane for the showing season, the hair is thinned at the roots and this can cause hair loss. “Practise does make perfect where this skill is concerned and remember not to thin out the

mane too much if you have shows planned, especially if you are using elastic bands to plait the hair, as they really can pull out a lot of hairs and make the remaining hair weaker with use.”

WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!

The East Anglian Game & Country Fair will take place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April at the prestigious Euston Estate, near Thetford, by kind permission of The Duke and Duchess of Grafton.

A Perfect Tail “I use my thinning comb to tidy up the hair at the top of the tail. I backcomb the hair and work the thinning tool through the hair. Comb down and then repeat until the top of the tail has less bulk. I then wet the tail with my Renwick & Sons Mane and Tail Brush and brush through before putting a tail bandage on to encourage the hair to lay flat. Once the tail is knot free, I would also then trim the bottom of it by cutting it horizontally across. It’s important to remember to hold the tail up to see how the horse carries it before chopping inches off! The correct length for a cob is to the point of the hock, and for a hunter, hack or riding horse, it is just below the hock when the horse is moving.” www.renwickandsons.co.uk

Headlining the event this year are The Silver Stars Army Parachute Display Team, don’t miss this spectacular sight at the drop zone in the Main Arena with the beautiful backdrop of Euston Hall. Returning by popular demand are equestrian sensations The UK Horseboarding Team UK, The British Scurry & Trials Driving Championships, Harvey’s Heavy Horses and The Suffolk Hunt. Other main arena events include Ye Olde Redtail Falconry Display, who bring the ancient art of Falconry to the modern age, with a comprehensive and thrilling display, that is guaranteed to thrill audiences of all ages. There are over 350 shopping stands with a

wide variety of products from fashion and footwear to gun makers and fishing products. Children’s activities, food hall, craft and gift marquees and much more. Feast Norfolk and Andy Newman will be hosting the 2019 Game Fair Country Kitchen with a great line-up of cookery workshops and demonstrations taking place over the weekend. Award winning chefs and suppliers from across Norfolk and Suffolk will be showcasing their signature dishes using seasonal, local produce. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner at one of the new street food pop-ups and stay on to enjoy the evening bar and live music. Membership tickets, gift packages, experience days and lunches are also available. www.ukgame fair.co.uk

To enter: Visit www.absolutehorse magazine.com and click on the Competitions page. Entries open 1st March 2019 and close 31st March 2019.

Ride like... SHOW TIME: TUTORIAL

JAYNE ROSS

Photo: Sean Hayden

WITH A TOP CLASS CAREER IN THE SHOWRING SPANNING DECADES, JAYNE ROSS HAS DOMINATED THE SHOWING WORLD FOR YEARS. IN THIS ARTICLE ABSORBINE-SPONSORED JAYNE SHARES SOME OF HER PROFESSIONAL TIPS FOR SUCCEEDING IN SHOWING.

f you’re starting to prepare for your first show of the season, there are a few top tips to make sure your day goes as smoothly as possible. Now is the time to start looking forward to the coming season so don’t enter into it without some forward thinking. My number one rule is to think of every eventuality and plan. Marking key dates in your diary, getting horses measured, checking everything is up to date and making an outline plan for the shows ahead is an essential task and one you’ll thank yourself for doing. Firstly, ensure your horse is ready for going to any planned competitions, both mentally and physically. You do not want to over face a horse lacking

SHOWING

experience with a large event, so knowing your horses individually is very important and choosing the right show to suit each horse is key. If you have a young horse, pick a quieter event with not too much excitement for their first outing. It is important to plan where to take novices, particularly when you have more than one to show in a class. The day before an event, bathe your horses and make sure whiskers, ears and tails are trimmed and manes are pulled and ready to plait in the morning. We use Showsheen 2in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner as it is effective yet gentle and stops the horse’s skin becoming scurfy. Always allow plenty of time in the morning for plaiting and

ESSENTIALS

they need to ride your horse. This means suitably sized stirrup irons for potentially larger feet and long enough leathers if the Judge is particularly tall or vice versa. You also need to do your research, is your horse required to wear a plain browband in the working hunter or a colourful one for the hack class? Practise makes perfect, so practicing quarter marks at home prior to the show means you can do them quickly and last-minute leg and tail cleaning without fuss once you arrive at as your horse will inevitably get the showground. Be sure they some stains overnight, whether are appropriate for your horse – out in the field or in his stable. A for example a delicate diamond good tip for quick and easy white pattern looks lovely on a fine legs and stain removal is horse, whereas bolder patterns ShowSheen’s Stain Remover & bring out a heavier horse’s best Whitener, it really lifts the dirt features. and removes any yellow stains, Judge how much work your so you don’t have to stress whilst horse needs the day before the preparing in the morning. show so that he is not too fresh. If you have bought any type of On the morning of the event, new clothing or equipment, use give yourself enough time to it at home prior to the lunge before loading onto the competition. A new tweed jacket lorry, if necessary. Warm up may look lovely in front of a arenas can get very busy and mirror, but both look and feel showgrounds often do not allow very different when you are lunging in warm up areas, so mounted, and you want to be bear this in mind, especially for sure your horse will not be young or inexperienced horses. spooked by anything different Plan your journey. Rushing isn’t about your/his wardrobe. beneficial to you or your Make sure the riding boots you horses, so work out your are wearing are broken in, as the travel time, how long you last thing you will want is blisters need to warm up, how far whilst trying to look elegant in your arena is to the lorry the showring. You must also and trailer parking and make a check list for yourself, how much time you spare hairnets and pins and yourself need to get ready. waterproof over-trousers to Always allow yourself avoid staining your breeches. plenty of time to help It is so important to make sure avoid making mistakes you have all the necessary tack and causing tension; for your class and be able to keeping a calm head is key accommodate the Judge should

for both of you. Finally, before you head into the ring, make sure everything is spotless and check those lastminute details. Most importantly, remember to keep your cool during the build-up, remain confident and make sure you and your horse have a happy and enjoyable experience of the show! www.absorbine.co.uk

TOP TIPS

Absorbine • If washing the day before a show, do not condition the main or tail as if you are plaiting, this will make the hair slippery and difficult to manipulate into perfect plaits. • Shift the yellow staining that can accumulate in grey tails during the winter with ShowSheen Stain Remover and Whitener. The Oxy-Eraser technology uses oxygen to lift the stain particles from the hair so the stain rinses away, perfect for when you need those white tails and grey coats to be sparkling white without spending hours scrubbing them.

Horse of the Year Show 2nd-6th October

Each October, the NEC in Birmingham undergoes a horsey transformation like no other in order to host the biggest week of the year for equestrian entertainment. Tickets are on sale now. www.hoys.co.uk/tickets/

South Suffolk Show

12th May

The 131st South Suffolk Show will be taking place at Ampton Racecourse on Sunday 12th May. The South Suffolk Show is a one-day agricultural show regarded by many as one of the leading shows of its type in the eastern region with cattle, sheep, pigs, horses and a wide array of attractions. “Come along to a lovely, traditional, rural day out as well as watch the horse and livestock classes,” explained Show Secretary Geoff Bailes. www.south suffolkshow.co.uk

SHOW TIME

Preparing for the

Competition Season

enjamin Franklin put it nicely…’if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail’. And while we know all too well that horses like to continually throw us curve balls, framing a plan and getting organised for the competition season ahead will pay dividends, not only for your horse’s performance, but also for your sanity! The Team at Botanica – the natural skin care experts – have put together their top tips to help you prepare for the competition season ahead.

Goals It’s always a good idea to write down what you would like to achieve with your horse for the coming year. Perhaps you want to make your HOYS debut? These things don’t tend to

just ‘happen’. You need to determine your goals and put a plan in place on how best to achieve them, including everything from training and fitness work to your qualifying competitions schedule.

Annual check up When beginning your season, it is very important to ensure that all memberships, registrations and vaccinations are renewed or up to date. It would be very frustrating if you’re unable to compete at your first few shows because you forgot to register or your horse’s vaccinations have lapsed! This time of year is also a good one to get your vet to give your horse a full vet check. Best to tackle them now rather than let them potentially develop into serious problems further

WIN! WIN! TWO READERS TO WIN BOTANICA

COMPETITION PREPARATION PACK!

down the line.

If it has wheels, it will let you down… Unfortunately, this seems to be all too true! Now is the time to make sure your lorry or your towing vehicle and trailer are serviced and certified road worthy.

Fit for purpose As riders, it’s as important for us to focus on our own fitness and suppleness as it is our horses’ and to make sure that you are fit enough to ride and compete in your chosen discipline.

Need a make-over? If your horse still resembles something more fitting of a character in Ice Age than a show ring beauty, now is the time to grab your brushes, coat spray, scissors and pulling comb and give your horse a make-over. Then once you’re on top of coat care and incorporate trimming as part of your normal routine, you’ll only need to do the finishing touches just before the show. Make good use of the coat and skin care products that are out there that will help you to get your horse looking his absolute best, whilst also saving you time during your competition preparation. www.botanica.ie

When preparing for competition, a helping hand that produces great results is what you need and that’s exactly what you get with the Botanica range of natural products. We’re offering 2 lucky winners the chance to win a competition preparation pack containing: Botanica Cleansing Wash - a natural herbal wash that is designed to clean, purify and soothe the skin on the most sensitive areas of your horse. An ideal pre-show wash for legs and heels, or other sensitive areas. Botanica Natural Herbal Cream - a unique combination of herbal ingredients carefully selected and blended to feed and encourage healthy skin, Botanica’s Herbal Cream is a competition prep essential! Botanica 5-in-1 Multi-Purpose Spray will reduce grooming time by up to 85% and help to keep your horse cleaner, for longer! Used by competitors at all levels, from grassroots to Olympians. A must-have for your grooming kit! Botanica’s Fly Spray is sweat resistant, nongreasy and is free from toxins, chemicals, lanolins, parabens and prohibited substances. www.botanica.ie To enter: Visit www.absolutehorse magazine.com and click on the Competitions page. Entries open 1st March 2019 and close 31st March 2019.

SEIB Search for a Star:

MOUNTAIN AND MOORLAND CHAMPIONSHIP 2019

learning lots from the experts on hand. Search for a Star is a great addition to the Your Horse Live line-up and we look forward to welcoming the competition back this year.” The SEIB Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championship is open to purebred Mountain and Moorland ponies ridden by amateur riders. At each qualifier, two large breed and two small breed ponies will qualify for the Championship. Competitors that competed in the SEIB Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Your Horse Live Championship in 2018 are welcome to take part in the series in 2019. Previous winners of the Championship will not be able to compete in the competition again, and horses and ponies that have been to HOYS will also not be permitted to compete in Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland classes. As with all SEIB Search for a Star classes, entrants are expected to have read and to abide by the full

The 2018 SEIB Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Champions Chantelle Chapman and Greenholme Falcon.

Photo: SMR Photos.

ollowing a hugely successful first year, the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championship is all set for 2019. The final will be held at top national equestrian event, Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on the 8th November. In 2018, the Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championship was the first ever competition held at Your Horse Live. Both SEIB and the organisers of Your Horse Live were delighted with how it all went and are looking forward to the 2019 finals. Emma Bedford, Equine Event Director at Your Horse Live said: “We are excited to welcome back the SEIB Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championships at Your Horse Live. The launch last year was a great success for both the competitors and visitors, who enjoyed watching and being inspired by the riders whilst

rules and conditions of entry. Both the qualifying classes and the SEIB Mountain and Moorland Championship will be judged 50% on conformation and 50% on performance. SEIB’s Marketing Manager, Nicolina MacKenzie said, “I would like to say a personal thank you to all the competitors that took part last year which was truly a leap of faith on their part as it was a totally new series with a totally new Championship venue. I am grateful that all the competitors were so helpful, flexible and undemanding and because of them we had a good year and managed to launch a fabulous new series. They were true trailblazers and we can now build on their legacy, thank you to every single one of them.”

Expert advice and support from the very experienced Judges is on hand for all competitors at the qualifiers and during the Championship build up there is the renowned Search for a Star training day for all qualified combinations. The Championships provide a learning opportunity for both spectators and competitors as the Judges will use microphones to give their thoughts and explain their decisions. The qualifiers will be held at: 14th April - Osbaldeston Riding Centre, Blackburn; 19th May Stretcholt Equestrian Centre, Somerset; 9th June - Bury Farm Equestrian Club, Buckinghamshire; 7th July - Greenlands Equestrian Centre, Cumbria; 11th August Arena UK, Grantham.

www.search4astar.org.uk

The Al Shira’aa Hickstead The Equerry Derby Meeting 20th-23rd June Bolesworth will be the official sponsor of the Small Hunter International Horse Alltech Championship, the Maxi Cob, Small and Large Riding Horse Show 12th-16th June classes, the Supreme Hack Championship and Working With a packed line-up of competition featuring many leading riders, the show provides a feast of equestrian sport at the very highest level. www.bolesworthinternational.com

Hunter classes. Sunday will see Alltech supporting the Show Hunter classes and the Supreme Hunter Championship, whilst also being the official sponsor of the CHAPS (UK) in-hand classes. A number of HOYS qualifying tickets will be up for grabs in the Alltech-sponsored classes.

Photo: Real Time Imaging.

SHOW TIME

2017 SEIB Search for a Star Working Pony Winners – purebred Traditional Gypsy Cob, Ebony and Lace ridden by Karen Oliver and Owned by Emma Grimes.

HOYS CHAMPIONSHIP:

Traditional Gypsy Cobs

EIB Insurance Brokers are delighted to announce a brand-new addition to the Search for a Star competition, a new class for traditional gypsy cobs that will also culminate in a Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) championship. At each of the five SEIB qualifiers, one solid and one piebald or skewbald animal will go through to HOYS, so a total of ten traditional gypsy cobs will have their time to shine at the UK’s premier show. SEIB’s Marketing Manager, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “This brand new competition will support the SEIB Search for a Star ethos of providing opportunities for grass root riders with their beloved horses and ponies. We need to say a big thank you to Horse of the Year Show for their continued support of the series and for giving true amateur riders a shot at the big time. Nearly twenty years ago HOYS allowed SEIB to take ex-racehorses there for the first time and look what a success that class has become!

We hope and believe that traditional gypsy cobs will prove to be as popular.” Event Director for Horse of the Year Show, Emma Williams, commented: “We are delighted to be opening up the opportunity for more horses and more riders to be eligible to compete at Horse of the Year Show, which is so widely recognised as the pinnacle of the showing year. Up until now we have not had a class available for solid coloured traditional cobs so this will provide them with the opportunity to compete amongst the highest calibre of competitors, along with their coloured counterparts.” The Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA) is wholeheartedly supporting the new SEIB Search for a Star competition. Founding TGCA Director, Andrea Betteridge said: “I am thrilled that the Traditional Gypsy Cob Breed will be showcased within the exceptional SEIB Search for a Star series with its finals at the most prestigious show of the

-30th SHOW DATES: Suffolk Show 29th

year.” This new SEIB Search for a Star competition for traditional gypsy cobs offers an incredible opportunity for the breed, whatever colour they happen to be they will have a chance to compete at Horse of the Year Show. Nicolina continued: “Traditional gypsy cobs come in such a glorious range of colours and to date the coloureds are the only sector that has been represented. This new series will give the whole breed including the solid coloured horses a pathway to display their beauty and talent.” The new SEIB Search for a Star competition for traditional gypsy cobs is open to pure-bred registered cobs only. Horses and ponies will have to have a Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA) passport or have theirs over stamped by the organisation, to prove that they meet the breed standard and are not part-breds. However, as always with SEIB Search for a Star no competitor has to be a member of any organisation. This new competition will follow the standard rules for SEIB Search for a Star, which are strictly enforced. The first qualifier of the season takes place at Osbaldeston Riding Centre on the 14th April. SEIB Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse 2019 HOYS Qualifier Dates are shown on previous page. www.search4astar.org.uk

May • Norfolk Show 26th-27th June

SHOW

howdatesUK is a new online equine events calendar website. Not only is it completely free for competitors to use, but until the 31st March 2019 organisers can list as many events as they wish, for free! ShowdatesUK has top class search facilities, as well as interactive map and email entries. Competitors that choose to make an account can save their favourite shows to their ‘stable’ and add riders and horses to make entering easier. Listing your event is very easy to do and instantly appears on the website. You can edit and add more detail as and when you wish. You are also able to see how many people have added your event to their ‘stable’, viewed the event or sent an email entry. “We have found that this is a vital component for Organisers and helps to plan the popularity of the event. You are also able to post a direct link on social media to encourage potential competitors to find your event,” explained Kate from ShowdatesUK. “Competitors can register their entries for the event as well. A basic entry form is created, and an email is sent to the organiser and the competitor. The organiser then contacts the competitor to make payment. Other sites charge for the entry service, we don’t want to. “Therefore, we have taken a step back from that part of entering.

THE NEW ONLINE EQUINE DATESUK: EVENTS CALENDAR WEBSITE It also gives the opportunity for the organiser and the competitor to build a rapport. So, no need to create a PayPal account if you don’t want to! This is something we may delve into in the future, but until we can find a simple way that doesn’t cost the competitor or the organiser, we will keep it to this basic method.” This website has been developed by people who organise and compete at shows. Therefore, both sides of requirements have been thought about. There is plenty of space to grow the website and the more that ShowdatesUK is used, the more

features will be added. Kate continued, “We already have some in the pipeline to work on. “We understand that this is a new site, hence the introductory offer for people to use the site,

Being completely mobile device friendly, ShowdatesUK can be used on the go, including your saved events, so no trying to remember where you are off to next, or if someone mentions to you about an event, a quick search and you can add it to look later. “Anything equine related takes hard work, time and money. With ShowdatesUK we aim to get the hang of how it works and save you a few moments encourage competitors to use it. planning your events with your After the introductory offer is pony pals. Especially with it finished it will be a flat rate of £9 being free for you to hunt for per event, with those listing your next moment in the spot events more frequently getting light!” each event at a reduced rate.” www.showdatesuk.co.uk

New Online Equine Events Calendar LIST YOUR EVENTS FREE UNTIL 31ST MARCH 2019

FREE FOR COMPETITORS TO USE AND FIND EVENTS

www.facebook.com/ showdatesuk

showdatesuk.co.uk LOTS OF HANDY SEARCH AND SAVE FACILITIES

www.instagram.com/ showdatesuk

SHOW TIME

ESSENTIAL KIT: ALL THE GEAR...

The Ladies Showing Cape is made from quality English waxed cotton, and is fleece lined with a zip to the front. Adult: RRP £82.50. Children: RRP: £58.50. www.equetech.com

The Nights Collection Fleece Rug boasts Welltex lining infused with minerals to benefit muscles and joints, suppleness and mobility. Quilt detail and gold embroidery make it ideal as a show or travel rug. www.backon track.com/UK

Studham Deluxe Tweed Riding Jacket. RRP: £159.95. www.equetech.com Cavallo Carla Grip Breeches. RRP: £166. www.zebra products.co.uk

Developed in conjunction with showing legend Marjorie Ramsay, the Ramsay Show Saddle is designed to sit close to the horse by the use of very flat panels for exceptional feel. Removable hook and loop fastening knee rolls available. RRP: £1,295. www.idealsaddle.com

SuperCalm is a highly concentrated calming herbal mix that reduces nervousness and excitability and improves focus to assist with training and performance. SuperCalm is also a powerful natural antioxidant. www.globalherbs.co.uk

It won’t be long before the sun will be out in full force. We will need to protect our susceptible equines while we are out competing, training, hacking or when they are turned out. Horses will exhibit very similar sunburn symptoms to people. FiltaClear was specifically developed for animals with sensitive skins, ideal for protecting all white or pink non-pigmented skin areas from sun or dew burn, without attracting attention or overcolouring the area. This translucent feature is ideal for use on animals while at shows, providing maximum sun protection without obvious appearance. www.aniwell-uk.com

Chestertons Polo in the Park 7th-9th June

Limited ‘Early Bird’ tickets have now been released with new prices in celebration of the event’s 10th birthday at Hurlingham Park, Fulham. www.polointheparklondon.com

Royal Bath & West Show 29th May - 1st June

Tickets are now on sale for the Royal Bath & West Show, and children can go free during the May half term, with a £5 discount on early adult bookings. The Show, which will be held near Shepton Mallet, Somerset, offers a thrilling day out for all the family. “As England’s only four-day Royal Show, there really is something for everyone, with top class showing and showjumping competitions, heavy horses, falconry and gundog displays, vintage machinery and a sports zone,” explains head of shows Alan Lyons. www.bathandwest.com

t’s all go for the Redwings Show! Redwings Horse Sanctuary’s annual show will return this year on Sunday 12th May at Topthorn Equestrian Centre, Suffolk. The schedule will offer something for everyone including Working Hunter, In-hand and Ridden classes, alongside a fun and friendly Novice ring and Just for Fun classes. There will also be ‘Best Rescue’ classes, both ridden and in-hand, open to any horse rehomed from a registered charity. Plus, it looks set to be prizes galore thanks to kind donations from companies including Jump 4 Joy and Equilibrium Products! www.redwings.org.uk

Redwings Show 12th May

CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show 8th-12th May

The annual Show takes place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle from 8th to 12th May, the only time of year Her Majesty The Queen opens the gardens to the public. The event, now in its 76th year, is a five-day celebration of horses and the very best of equestrian sport, including CSI5* Show Jumping, CDI4* Dressage, The Land Rover International Driving Grand Prix and CEI2* Endurance. There will be 120 Showing classes, with the event being a pinnacle of the national Showing calendar. Competitors will be attempting to follow in the footsteps of Her Majesty The Queen, who in 2017 won the Royal Windsor Supreme Ridden Showing Championship, taking the title with her homebred former racehorse, Barbers Shop. Showing entries open 7th March and close 29th March. www.rwhs.co.uk

FOR OPTIMUM NUTRITION

Insert Photo: Libby Law Photography

Coat Shine

By Dr. Courtney Miller BS BVetMed MRCVS, Veterinary and Technical Nutrition Manager at Dodson & Horrell.

oat quality is one of the most universally recognised indicators of overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, we all strive for healthy, shiny, coats that absolutely gleam as the wind hits them on a sunny day; few things are as pride-inducing for an owner. So how do we achieve that sparkle status? There are three key factorsoverall health, core nutrition, and supplementation. A dull coat can be an indicator that something isn’t quite right, either internally, or externally. Therefore, if you’re constantly battling poor coat quality and no amount of bathing, grooming, or shine spray seems to be impacting its condition, it may be time to speak to your vet and your nutritionist to discuss next steps. Allergies, arthropods (mites or lice), deficiencies, and illnesses can all influence coat health. If your horse is showing any other signs of ill-health, including

changes in behaviour and/or attitude, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional advice to ensure that you’re giving your horse the best chance to achieve optimum coat shine. Hair and skin are very closely related, and therefore the nutrients that help support one often also aid the other. There are six main nutrients including: water, amino acids in protein, carbohydrates, lipids or fats, inorganic elements or minerals, and vitamins. All impact hair and skin to varying degrees. For example, proteins provide structure to collagen and keratin in the hair and skin, providing a barrier against injury and insult. Minerals like Copper, Zinc, and Sulphur are also involved in keratin synthesis, structure, and function. Lipids or fats that must be provided by the diet are deemed essential fatty acids (EFA), of which linoleic acid (LA) is an example. Deficiencies of

balancer) for your horse’s body weight, their core nutrient requirements should be met. If you have dropped below the recommended feeding rate, consider topping up with a balancer, which is a much more concentrated (and usually low calorie!) way to satisfy your horse’s daily vitamin and mineral requirements. If your horse lives out and their diet consists almost entirely of forage-based grazing (grass, hay, or haylage), consider investing in a mineral block that provides inorganic elements that aren’t largely provided by grass (copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Sn)), or providing one small meal per day including a product that will provide vitamins and minerals in concentrated form. Balancers, powdered/pelleted vitamin and mineral products, and certain treats can all help contribute to EFAs often manifest through daily requirements. poor hair and skin quality, So what can you do nutritionally however, the recommended if you’re already providing a fully daily requirement for LA in balanced diet and still aren’t horses is quite low, at only 50g quite achieving optimum coat for a 500kg horse. Therefore, a shine? Supplementation with diet rich in good quality forage and/ or a concentrate feed label certain nutrients can further support your hard work. showing values greater than 12% oil should satisfy daily needs. Providing good quality protein sources, such as those including Finally, some vitamins, like the limiting amino acid lysine, Biotin, are involved in the synthesis of non-essential fatty choosing liquid oils or products with higher proportions of fat acids within the body. Noncounterbalanced with essential fatty acids are not required in the diet because they antioxidants like vitamin E, and utilising components that have can be made through these been shown through peer processes. reviewed research to support If your horse is eating your digestibility, like certain respective feed company’s recommended amount of a fully prebiotics, may all help us get that ultra-shine! balanced concentrate product www.dodsonandhorrell.com (muesli, pellet, cube, or

Product News... Mollichaff ShowShine A high oil chaff for ultimate show condition. High in fibre and flavoured with cherry to make it very palatable. Contains soya oil and added limestone. www.horsehage.co.uk

All-in-One is a caramel flavoured, granular supplement that contains a top specification, broad-spectrum supplement plus many specialised supplements, including a superb hoof supplement, generous levels of antioxidants and sophisticated digestive aids. www.topspec.com

Dodson & Horrell Build & Glow contains a blend of rice bran, linseed and soya. The non-heating formula promotes body condition, coat shine and top-line development. Ideal for show and performance horses, those who are poor doers or individuals going through a period of unwanted weight loss. www.dodsonandhorrell.com

Glow & Show is a dried herbal blend to provide shine and condition from the inside out. The supplement contains nettle and seaweed that provide nutrients and oils that encourage a healthy skin and coat. The whole fenugreek, marigold, golden rod, red clover heads and mint help promote natural shine and coat condition. www.dodsonandhorrell.com Linseed has been fed to horses for many years for its ability to promote a shiny, healthy coat and has numerous nutritional benefits, many of which are linked to the high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids contained within the seeds. Smart Linseed provides your horse with all of these great benefits, in an easy to digest micronised (cooked) form. www.castle horsefeeds.com

Mollichaff Condition Complete is a high fibre, high oil and low starch complete feed. Contains Yeasacc to help maintain a healthy digestive system. Suitable for encouraging weight gain in underweight equines or to help maintain condition in competition horses and ponies. www.horsehage.co.uk

O-Mega Shine is a vegetarian Omega oil supplement boasting 87% Omega oils. It contains Omega 3, 6 and 9. Achieve a show winning coat condition from the inside out with an average of just 15ml a day. www.animal-health.co.uk

Aloeride is a totally palatable natural, certified organic aloe-vera supplement that helps to promote healthy skin and encourage great coat shine. www.aloeride.com Foran Equine Kentucky Karron Oil High quality, emulsified flaxseed oil provides essential Omega 3 and 6 to support skin and coat health for lustrous shine. These essential fatty acids help support joint, respiratory, digestive and immune function. www.foranequine.com

NUTRITION

Horse Profile:

Cygnus

s he was immature last season, he didn’t do too many shows. After going out a couple of times in the lorry for experience, he did a couple of local shows, at Sands Farm, which he won although still green. He then went to Herts County and won the heavyweight class, getting his ticket for the Royal International, but I didn’t take him as he was not ready; he needed more work to improve his canter as he was heavy on the forehand. I took Ben to Bath and West, where he was second in the qualifying class, he then won the novice class, at Thame Show, and was Champion at Royal Berkshire where he won the novice class as well. He will be doing lots more this season! Ben was imported, from Ireland, as a wild and unbroken 4-yearold, in July 2017. He was extremely poor but had really good framework, correct conformation and very good paces. He has the best walk of all

the cobs in the yard and an athletic free trot so that gives him a good start but not it wasn’t plain sailing! He did not want to lunge, was very strong and would tow off! In fact he’s still awkward about lunging and likes to go his own way so I gave up with it and just drove him, which seemed a safer option! Backing Ben was not an issue as, although he can be an awkward cob, he does have a good temperament most of the time. He loves hacking and doesn’t mind any traffic but sometimes wants to go home before you do! He’s schooled four days a week, in various different bits, to keep his attention, and he enjoys hacking the other three days so he doesn’t get fed up. He doesn’t get a day off but his schooling is only for short periods of time so he learns without getting bored. This year he will compete in Maxi cob classes - last year, he

TOP TIPS

’s Lynn Russell

Stable name: Ben (we also have a Jerry!) Owner: Baileys Horse Feeds Age: 6-years-old Colour: Dark grey Sex: Gelding Height: 158cm Breed: Irish Draught cross Maxi cob Sire: Purple Lad (ID) Dam: Craughwell Gem

Above: Ben before. Main pic: Ben now

was a heavyweight but has matured and grown. I will also put a side saddle on him and he may do some novice working Show Horse classes, at the end of the season. Ben will campaign for Royal International and Horse of the Year Show. Three secrets: 1) Ben lives out and, when he decides not to come in from the field, he will squeal, swing his head round and gallop off and, whatever you have on him, you can’t stop him! 2) He loves being groomed, bathed, clipped and eating! 3) Ripping rugs, a specialty! Ben sleeps all the time, mostly standing up! www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

for Winning

Coat Shine Get the diet right! I know you’d expect me to say that but it really makes a big difference! Baileys will tell you, it takes more than some vegetable oil or linseed to put a shine on the coat and they really emphasise to me the importance of balancing the diet so the horse gets all the right nutrients for healthy skin and a shiny coat. Once that’s right, I add Baileys Outshine high oil supplement to make the extra difference I need, especially for the cobs who are clipped out all the time, as the hair is much softer and easier on the clippers! Keep them covered My horses all live out and, although they do come in for a few hours during the day, they wear appropriate rugs most of the time. I tend to put fly rugs on, during the summer months, to avoid the sun bleaching and drying out their coats, and they wear hoods during the winter, to help keep the mud off!

Keep them clean If you can’t bath your horse, “hot clothing” them, especially after clipping, will help lift out dust and scurf and Nettex do a some really good products you can add to the water to keep the coat soft and clean. I always remove stains regularly, from the grey ones, so that they don’t become a permanent feature.

NUTRITION

HAYGAIN EXAMINE WHAT LAMINITIS IS, WHAT CAUSES IT AND HOW TO SPOT IT IN YOUR HORSE OR PONY

LAMINITIS

aminitis is a crippling condition that affects horses and ponies around the world, attacking the integrity, strength and function of their hooves. It strikes fear into their owners and is taken extremely seriously by vets and farriers alike because if it is left untreated laminitis can become untreatable and necessitate the euthanasia of the horse.

What is laminitis? Laminitis occurs in a horse’s hoof and results from disruption of blood flow to the laminae, sensitive Velcro-like tissue which secures the coffin bone (also known as the pedal bone and the last bone at the very bottom of the horse’s leg) to the hoof wall. This weakened connection allows the coffin

bone to rotate and sink, and in the very worst cases penetrate the sole of the horse. At this most extreme point the horse’s health, comfort and ability to function are so severely compromised that euthanasia is the only humane option left to the owner and veterinarian. If laminitis is spotted and diagnosed quickly, ongoing treatment and management may be able to keep the condition at bay and enable the horse to live a healthy pain-free life.

What are the signs of laminitis? Assess the risk of your horse developing laminitis by examining their hooves carefully, as raised ridges can indicate a previous episode of laminitis. Another early warning sign of the potential for laminitis is

LATEST RESEARCH:

ENDOCRINOPATHIC LAMINITIS

aminitis, a complex, common and potentially devastating disease, remains one of the greatest veterinary challenges in the equestrian world. As knowledge of the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of endocrinopathic laminitis continues to grow, the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) is helping equine vets stay up to speed by giving them free access to a substantial collection of recent articles

obesity, as horses who are overweight or put weight on very easily are at greater risk of the condition than the wider horse population. If you’re not sure if your horse is overweight or not, run your fingers lightly but firmly from front to back across their barrel. You should be able to feel the ribs without having to press hard, but not see them. If you have to press very hard to feel the ribs, then the horse is overweight. What are the signs that your horse or pony has laminitis? At the very early stages a horse with the condition may be unwilling to walk forward, but this is such a subtle indicator and so easily influenced by other factors that it goes unnoticed. The front feet of the horse are affected most by laminitis because this is where a greater proportion of the animal’s body weight is borne. They may lie down more frequently to take the pressure off their feet, and the classic backward-leaning stance will be seen as they attempt to relieve the painful pressure on their front feet. If you take the digital pulse of a horse suffering from laminitis then you will feel it ‘bounding’, and the hoof will feel warmer than normal to the touch. Hoof testers are used to put pressure on the sole to test for sensitivity associated with laminitis. What causes laminitis? Laminitis is a symptom of other problems in the horse rather than a standalone

from around the world. Understanding and managing equine endocrinopathic laminitis is a special online collection of 27 papers and three accompanying editorials compiled by EVJ Associate Editor Nicola MenziesGow and an additional specialist in this field Melody de Laat. Melody de Laat summarises the collection’s papers on the links between insulin dysregulation, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), Pituitary Pars

LAMINITIS WHEN TO CALL THE VET

condition, so the causes are quite diverse, from nutritional or exercise management triggers to hormonal or genetic conditions. One of the most common and best-known triggers is sudden over-grazing, particularly on new grass growth. New grass has a high sugar content (which is higher again in the morning and late at night) so if a horse isn’t usually turned out much, or your grazing suddenly goes mad in the spring, ensure turnout is limited while the animal’s digestive system adjusts. Abrupt changes in any feed will increase the risk of laminitis, so for example if you need to change from hay to haylage, or mix to pelleted feed, then ensure it is gradual. As previously mentioned here, obesity puts equines at a higher risk of laminitis than those of a healthy weight, so ensure you monitor the condition of any horses in your care, particularly if their exercise regime changes for any reason. Sudden unexplained weight gain may be caused by metabolic disorders such as Thyroid Dysfunction (TD), Equine Metabolic

Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and laminitis. She explains: “We have defined that insulin is the key player in endocrinopathic laminitis. We know that horses and ponies with EMS and PPID are at an increased risk for developing endocrinopathic laminitis and we have come to understand that it’s insulin dysregulation in these animals that’s helping to drive the laminitis.” There is much discussion about the role of obesity in laminitis. A couple of

Syndrome, Equine Cushing’s Disease or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), all of which mean the horse concerned is at a greater risk of laminitis. There are a number of less common causes which are also worth knowing about, including ‘road founder’ which is when too much work on hard or uneven surfaces causes laminitis to occur. This is seen less frequently now that horses are used for pleasure more than work and therefore are not required to work all day on roads and tracks. Supporting limb laminitis is sometimes seen when a horse is recovering from a serious injury in one leg, and laminitis then occurs in a different leg which is bearing more weight than it normally is. Haygain design and manufacture a range of products that help horse owners manage the risk of laminitis. The Haygain Forager is designed to mimic the natural grazing patterns of a horse but with hay or haylage and which can slow down a greedy eater. www.haygain.co.uk

pathophysiology articles in the collection look at the fact that generalised obesity isn’t necessarily a factor of endocrinopathic laminitis. “I am really optimistic that within the next ten years we are going to be able to understand the pathophysiology of this condition really well,” said Melody. “And then we’ll be able to turn our attention to new treatment options for the disease, which will help horses to become pain free.”

By Victoria Hall MRCVS

aminitis can be devastating so spotting the signs and risk factors early can make sure of a speedier recovery and better long term prognosis. The classic signs to look out for are heat around the hoof wall or coronary band; bounding digital pulses which can be felt at the back of the pastern region or either side of the back of the fetlock and lameness which can affect one or all four limbs. The classic stance of leaning back on the heels of their forefeet also indicates pain in the toe region. Horses and ponies with Cushing’s disease (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID) are at an increased risk of laminitis. More information on laboratory testing as well as the clinical signs of Cushing’s including details for free lab test voucher can be found at www.careaboutcushings.co.uk. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is also one of the most common causes of laminitis. Ponies and native breeds are typically at an increased risk of EMS and insulin resistance. Abnormal fat deposition (e.g. ‘cresty’ neck) or horses/ponies that are overweight are at increased risk.

www.clarendonequine.co.uk

NUTRITION

NEW RESEARCH:

LAMINITIS IS AS COMMON AS COLIC ACROSS BRITAIN

study conducted by the Animal Health Trust in collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College and Rossdales Equine Hospital, and funded by World Horse Welfare, has identified that one in every 10 horses/ponies may develop at least one laminitis episode each year, making it just as common as colic. This newly published research has emphasised that laminitis needs to be considered an important year-round equine welfare concern in Great Britain. Despite the long-standing belief that laminitis is a spring-time disease, this study has identified that there is no ‘safe’ season, and laminitis remains a threat across England, Scotland and Wales regardless of the time of year. Owners must remain vigilant and not reduce preventive measures

when they misconceive the ‘high-risk’ period has passed. The study has also alerted horse and pony owners to the importance of recognising subtle signs of potentially lifethreatening episodes. Most laminitic animals were reported by their owners to display nonspecific and mild clinical signs, including difficulty in turning and a short/stilted gait (also referred to as ‘pottery’ gait) or lameness at walk - present in over 70% of laminitis episodes. However, less than a quarter of affected animals displayed the more classically recognised signs, such as the typical ‘rocked back on the heels’ laminitic stance and divergent hoof rings (rings that are wider at the heel than at the toe). A considerable proportion of horse/pony owners did not assess the presence of a bounding

digital pulse, a commonly reported clinical sign of laminitis by vets. This suggests that owners may benefit from additional help with correctly locating and assessing their animal’s digital pulse, which could contribute to earlier detection of laminitis episodes in the future. Of concern was the finding that only half of the 123 ownerreported laminitis episodes were confirmed by a veterinary diagnosis. Therefore, despite laminitis being considered a medical emergency by vets and expert researchers, many animals

VETS URGE: LOSE WEIGHT NOW ith some studies suggesting that more than half of certain horse populations in the UK are overweight or obese, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is urging owners to act now to prevent their horses suffering weight-related health and welfare risks. In today’s domesticated environment with greater access to forage, hard feed, stabling and rugs, horses and ponies can quickly pile on dangerous excess pounds. This significantly increases the risk of potentially fatal diseases such as laminitis as well as placing detrimental pressure on joints.

with laminitis are not receiving initial veterinary attention. Owners should therefore be encouraged to consult their vets if they suspect laminitis, or if they notice any of the subtle clinical signs associated with the disease, as by the time even subtle clinical signs arise, the damage within the foot has already begun. Early diagnosis and appropriate management is crucial in preventing long-term, often irreversible damage to structures within the laminitis-affected foot. www.aht.org.uk

Equine obesity is not a new problem, but it appears to be becoming more and more common and it’s not just ponies and native breeds that are susceptible. Studies have identified high levels of obesity in leisure horses and unaffiliated competition horses – especially those competing in showing and dressage. “Not only are many horses being unintentionally over-fed, overrugged, and under-exercised but, as perceptions of what constitutes a healthy weight have become distorted, overweight has become the norm,” said David Rendle from BEVA's Health and Medicines Committee.

MISSING LINK: HIGH INSULIN AND LAMINITIS eterinary researchers in Australia have identified a possible mechanistic link between high levels of insulin and equine laminitis. The study, which investigated the effects of insulin on equine hoof lamellar cells in the laboratory, was conducted by the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, in conjunction with the Waltham Equine Studies Group, which underpins the science behind the Spillers brand. High levels of the hormone insulin have been known for some time to cause acute endocrine laminitis – this is the most common form of the condition, seen when ponies and certain types of horses graze lush pasture or consume a starch- or sugar-rich diet, or when they develop PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, also known as Cushing’s syndrome). Many ponies and horses at risk

of the condition produce large spikes of insulin in their blood stream after consuming meals high in non-structural carbohydrates (in particular starch and simple sugars) which indicates that this could be the way in which they succumb to acute endocrine laminitis. The mechanism by which insulin, a metabolic hormone known best for its role clearing glucose from the blood stream, can cause effects in the foot leading to laminitis has been the subject of much debate in recent years. Hormones like insulin must interact with a specific receptor on the surface of cells in order to produce their effects. What has confused researchers in the past is that there appear to be no insulin receptors on the hoof lamellar cells (these cells give the lamellar tissues their strength and changes to their growth or structure weaken the bonds and cause laminitis). The researchers considered the close similarities between insulin and a growth factor hormone

Ocko, a 17-year-old severely overweight cob mare, developed laminitis in March 2018 and was close to being put to sleep due to the pain she was in. Joe Mackinder, Ocko’s vet diagnosed equine metabolic syndrome. He provided a low sugar diet plan to help Ocko lose weight safely and because the horse was in such a bad way he prescribed medication to hasten her weight loss and help her laminitis. Joe said: “By August, Ocko was back in normal work and had lost a lot of weight. She was sound, had a lot more energy and was performing better.” Ocko’s owner Andrea Hetherington said: “We never realised how overweight she was and when we were warned she was gaining

called insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1). There are receptors for IGF-1 on the lamellar cells, and the researchers speculated that high concentrations of insulin might be able to crossstimulate these cells by activating the IGF-1 receptors. To investigate this possibility PhD student Courtnay Baskerville, together with her supervisor Professor Simon Bailey, developed a method for culturing lamellar epithelial cells in the laboratory, and incubated them with increasing concentrations of insulin. They found that high concentrations of insulin stimulated the cells to proliferate. Furthermore, this effect could be prevented using an antibody that specifically blocks only the IGF-1 receptor.

Further downstream effects within the cells were also shown. The changes seemed to occur mainly at very high concentrations of insulin. Similar concentration levels can be seen in ponies and horses with insulin dysregulation linked to Equine Metabolic Syndrome, but are not commonly seen in normal horses that are considered to be at lower risk of laminitis. Further work is now ongoing to determine exactly how these cellular changes induced by sustained high insulin concentrations might cause laminitis. However, it seems that targeting the IGF-1 receptor may be an option for developing new drugs to prevent and treat laminitis.

Ocko before (left) and after weight loss

weight we made excuses. As a result we came within hours of losing her. We would never have forgiven ourselves.” www.beva.org.uk

NUTRITION

CASE STUDY: Pearl In 2013, Essex-based horse lover, Ellie Ingram, was contacted by a friend who told her she had heard about 25 Shetland ponies on their way to slaughter as they were deemed as ‘wastage’. The friend agreed to take two of the ponies and Ellie agreed to be responsible for their day-to-day care. They named the pair Pearl and Peaches.

RRP is around £12.50 - £13.50.

llie’s friend then moved away to Wales so they decided she would take Peaches with her as a companion for her horse and Ellie agreed to keep Pearl. Ellie had recently lost her 26-year-old son in tragic circumstances and spent a lot of time helping her friend with the horses as it was a real help to her whilst she was grieving, and so Pearl became her lifesaver, giving her a reason to go on. When they first arrived, Pearl wouldn’t even go into a stable. The little Shetland had obviously been neglected for some time and had a resistant worm load and many scabs on her skin as well as being overweight. Her hooves were cracked and splitting and she had lice. Ellie tried many different feeds which were suitable for horses and ponies prone to laminitis

but had to keep adding linseed meal and supplements for Pearl’s hoof condition. Shetland ponies love their feed, grass and forage and Pearl was no different. Ellie was soaking her hay every day to keep her satisfied and tricklefeeding. She also used a feeding muzzle when Pearl was turned out, to slow down her grass intake. Her main problem was sourcing a suitable feed that offered palatability, digestibility and longer satisfaction without high levels of sugar and starch but she didn’t want to reduce her energy levels. Ellie heard about Mollichaff HoofKind Complete – a complete fibre-based feed which is low in starch and sugar and does not contain any cereals. It provides a low level but high quality protein with restricted calories and is ideal for horses and ponies prone to laminitis. Because it’s high in fibre, it takes Pearl longer to chew and so she is more satisfied. Mollichaff HoofKind Complete is exactly that –

‘complete’. It contains a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement and when fed at the recommended levels, it provides all Pearl’s dietary requirements and so can be used as the sole concentrate feed alongside plenty of good quality forage. Said Ellie: “I have noticed that since Pearl has been on Mollichaff HoofKind Complete she is more satisfied with her feed and seems to enjoy the chewing of it, rather than bolting it down. I no longer need to add any supplements and so it saves time and I am confident that Pearl is getting everything she needs for her energy without the complication of too much sugar and starch, which helps with preventing her becoming overweight and prone to laminitis. “She is now a very different pony to the one we rescued. Her hooves, mane and tail are in tiptop condition and her temperament is so calm. She has no stereotypies, comes to call and can be handled, groomed and plaited up by a child in safety. She is currently ridden by my 8-year-old granddaughter and has been trained to harness as well as doing a little jumping, although as Pearl is now fifteen, this isn’t a regular activity. I hope she can go on to be a great first pony to another child as she’s now in great health and has excellent manners. “I would not hesitate to recommend Mollichaff HoofKind Complete as I believe it has made a real difference to Pearl and has been well-researched nutritionally to provide the perfect feed for ponies that are good doers and prone to laminitis.” www.horsehage.co.uk

Product News... Speedi-Beet is a highly nutritious micronized (cooked) beet pulp feed which provides an excellent source of digestible fibre and is suitable for overweight horses and ponies, and those prone to, being treated for, or recovering from laminitis. It is starch free and unmolassed, making it 95% sugar free. Feeding Speedi-Beet before turnout can help stabilise the ingestion of sugars present in spring grass. www.britishhorsefeeds.com

Lamigard TRT is a highly effective supplement for horses and ponies and can be used at high levels in the short term, and at a maintenance level for long term health. Lamigard TRT will ensure your horses feet stay healthy all year round and will complement a careful feeding regime. www.equine-america.co.uk

High Fibre HorseHage A dust-free forage made from a selected mix of grasses that are high in fibre and lower in protein and energy levels. Suitable for equines in light work, resting, convalescing or prone to laminitis. www.horsehage.co.uk

TopSpec AntiLam is a pelleted multisupplement designed to provide nutritional support for those prone to, being treated for, or recovering from laminitis. AntiLam combines several supplements with a high fibre, very lowcalorie carrier to make it palatable. Long term trials at Middle Park Laminitis Research Unit showed that horses and ponies on restricted/poor grazing do not gain any weight when fed AntiLam. www.topspec.com

NUTRITION

CASE STUDY: Twilight “This is Twilight before and after of being on MetaSlim for four months. We have finally got her down to a good weight and competing successfully in endurance with ease now. Big thanks to all the team at Simple System. Your feeds are truly amazing” - Daniella Gray

WIN! WIN! ONE READER TO WIN HORSLYX

WORTH £150!

PRIZE

Twilight before

Twilight after Available in 650g, 5kg and 15kg sizes.

MetaSlim is a carefully formulated balancer specifically designed to support good doers and those prone to, being treated for, or recovering from metabolic issues. A good inclusion of cinnamon aids insulin effectiveness helping to optimise blood sugar levels and support hormonal balance. MetaSlim contains a range of natural vitamins, minerals and trace elements to encourage effective metabolic function and fibre digestion. Like the entire Simple System range, MetaSlim is free from cereals, molasses, soya, preservatives and additives. It is GM free and Vegan Society approved. It

contains 100% plant-based ingredients. Simple System is accredited to the BETA NOPS scheme, meaning all products are produced with stringent quality management procedures and are legal for competition use. MetaSlim can be fed on its own, or with a suitable low-calorie chop such as Simple System Organic Lucie Stalks. It is very palatable. MetaSlim is suitable for: • Those prone to laminitis • Metabolic issues • Overweight equines • Fat pads and crests • Optimising blood sugar levels MetaSlim is fed at a rate of 100g per 100kg of ideal bodyweight. For example, a 12hh pony whose target weight is 250kg should be fed 250g of MetaSlim a day. This can be split between a morning and evening feed. 10kg and 20kg bags are available. MetaSlim is available to buy direct from Simple System and is available with free delivery. www.simplesystem.co.uk or call 01371 870 753 to order. Alternatively, search for your nearest stockist at www.simplesystem.co.uk

Prize includes four New 5kg Horslyx Pro Digest Balancer, a 5kg Horslyx Holder, two 650g Pro Digest Mini Horslyx plus a fuchsia pink saddlecloth for their horse and a fuchsia pink polo shirt for themselves! New Horslyx Pro Digest Balancer supports a healthy digestive system so your horse or pony can be in tip top health from the inside out! It contains a combination of ingredients to support your pony’s digestive system from the stomach to the hindgut plus licking enhances saliva production which also supports the digestive system. New Horslyx Pro Digest Balancer is suitable for any horse or pony but is especially aimed at those prone to digestive upsets. A spiced apple flavouring is included to tempt fussy feeders and the high specification Horslyx Balancer package includes the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and trace elements required to balance the deficiencies in forage and grazing. www.horslyx.com To enter: Visit www.absolutehorse magazine.com and click on the Competitions page. Entries open 1st March 2019 and close 31st March 2019.

NUTRITION

WHAT SHOULD I DO FOLLOWING A

Laminitis Attack?

aminitis is a very distressing condition. Although there are degrees of severity, and a combination of factors causing the condition, the physiology involves inflammation of the lamella (the tissue fixing the hoof to the coffin bone), which is exacerbated by factors downgrading the circulation that flushes away proinflammatory factors and toxins, keep the area starved of oxygen and energy and factors, such as insulin, having a direct impact on lamellar integrity. In effect, it is a matter of identifying what lifestyle factors may have led to the attack. It is more than likely that there has been veterinary involvement and, hopefully, a rapid cure. The prime direction of veterinary treatment is to reduce inflammation, and this is central to any subsequent

therapy/lifestyle changes. them to be flushed away by Inflammation is a perfectly improved circulation. However, normal response to a number of there are circumstances that can factors. When a tissue or region interfere with the sequence. of the body is compromised – Uppermost of these are factors and this can be anything from that prolong the inflammatory microbial invasion (disease) to activity and those that restrict mechanical damage (cuts, blood flow, inhibiting the bruises) to obesity to cancer – washing away of toxins after there is a release of repair; subsequent factors that inflammatory induce hypoxia markers, from (oxygen starvation) “...Reduction and the release of several sources, ring fencing the of sugar intake degrading factors (e.g. area. Specific MMP, Insulin) all add is another to build up of responses follow; e.g., in the case inflammation and factor in of infection offsetting subsequently, specific antibody necrosis. laminitis...” Husbandry of the production, for cuts and wounds horse, after an attack, collagen generation, and the must ensure there is no build-up repair is elicited. Following on of these factors that lead to the body releases antisubsequent problems. Despite inflammatory factors (often the complexity of the situation closely related to the proand a bewildering array of inflammatory ones) that open factors that interact, there are up channels to remove the bysteps that can be taken to help products of repair and allow avert future problems.

THE WORD LAMINITIS STRIKES FEAR IN TO HORSE AND PONY OWNERS, ESPECIALLY AROUND SPRING TIME WHEN THE LUSH GRASS IS COMING THROUGH. IN THIS ISSUE DR TOM SHURLOCK, BRITISH HORSE FEEDS’ CONSULTANT NUTRITIONIST, OFFERS HIS ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO FOLLOWING A LAMINITIS ATTACK. Maintaining circulation is paramount. As blood flow reduces the further away from the heart the blood goes, by the time it reaches the hooves there is a danger of pooling, which leads to apoxia, inflammation and toxin build-up. Peripheral circulation is greatly improved by exercise – simply keeping a horse walking is a major contributor; it also helps strengthen the repaired damage and will help reduce the risk of further attacks. However, overexertion can lead to mechanical damage but also muscular inflammation. Moderation is the key. Secondly, keeping the horse in condition is important. Although fat storage is a natural mechanism, high levels release pro-inflammatory factors. Reducing obesity will reduce the background inflammatory potential. At the same time there are known conditions that add to the inflammatory pool,

such as PSSM and ER. disorders. Reduction of sugar Additionally glucose metabolic intake is another factor in dysfunction (IR,EMS, Cushings) offsetting laminitis. can result in hyperglycemia and There is a more direct effect of high levels of insulin which overfeeding sugar, and waterexacerbate hypoxia and also soluble carbohydrates, like damage the lamellar of the fructans. Material, which is not hooves. In these absorbed, passes situations, dietary into the hindgut “...A lean intervention can and alters the moderately fermentative help. This highlights active horse is patterns, microbial what is possibly the populations, and less likely to be increases the release most obvious danger to laminitics lactic acid, laminitic...” ofopening – sugar. absorption Overfeeding sugar to larger, potentially will exacerbate all those factors; negative molecules, such as high levels of absorbed sugar microbial endotoxins. These are can affect hypoxia and physical inflammatory agents and so damage of the hoof, as well as facilitate laminitis. Additionally, exacerbating the above there is a problem to

overfeeding protein. Undigested protein can enter the hindgut and fuel more dysfunction leading to amines and nitrites that cause vasoconstriction. Reducing protein in the diet again reduces the risk of causative factors. So, to reduce the risk of laminitis, horses should have gentle exercise, be fed to stabilise known conditions and, importantly have a diet that is low in sugars, starches, fructans and protein. Ensure amounts given keep condition in the 3-4 region and do not overfeed. Consider high fibre feeds, such as beet products like SpeediBeet and Fibre-Beet instead of starchy feeds (and also as substitutes for high fructans

spring grass) and ensure high protein feeds are only fed in moderation. It may be worth also considering botanical products, such as TurmerAid, that are known to support the normal inflammatory processes, so it doesn’t get stuck. A lean moderately active horse is less likely to be laminitic. www.britishhorsefeeds.com

NUTRITION Located in Newmarket but working both nationally and internationally Donna is the highly experienced equine nutritionist who runs ‘The Horse Feed Guru’, an equine nutrition consultancy. Formerly a Commercial Nutritionist across three brands, now completely independent, she has worked with horses and riders competing at an Olympic level through to one horse owners wanting the very best. Clients can trust the independent advice they receive comes from extensive industry knowledge and experience but is also totally impartial of any feed brand. Her aim is to demystify feeding for the good of the horse and rider.

www.thehorsefeedguru.com Tel: 07901 337826

ith unpredictable, ever changing weather, the end of winter can be a tricky time to navigate… It can range from warmer sunny days, through to windswept, rainy conditions in the blink of eye, and snow can easily still be a possibility! So how should you feed your horse during this time? The first thing to remember, is what may seem like ‘bad weather’ to you, probably will not to your horse. Just because you are feeling the cold, does not mean your horse is. Where possible try and stick to your normal routine to minimise sudden changes to the digestive tract.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR:

WINTRY WEATHER WARNING?

The policies of your yard however may mean you find you have no choice to put your horse on box rest if for example the fields suddenly become flooded. For those who are only confined on box rest for a couple of days, focussing on forage and reducing hard feed as necessary is the main priority. This helps to keep your horse happy and content but also the digestive tract healthy. Continue to feed little and often. Providing hay or haylage often will help to maintain trickle feeding which in turn will help to reduce boredom, and reduce the risk of digestive issues such as gastric

By Donna Case BSc (Hons)

ulcers or colic. Extending eating time is also a great idea. Think of double netting hay nets or using small hole nets. You could also try placing haynets in different locations around the stable to encourage your horse to move about and encourage foraging behaviour. Ensure adequate water intake! Impaction colic can be a real risk. If the weather turns very cold watch out for water buckets freezing over, and particularly automatic waterers which may freeze leaving the horse with very little. If you have an automatic waterer and it is likely the pipes will freeze please add water buckets to your horses stable. For those of you with horses out at grass remember to go and smash that ice as early in the morning as possible! It is also worth offering warm water as may help water intake. Feeds such as soaked sugar beet, or simply soaking your hay can also help to support fluid intakes. A probiotic can be a really useful addition at this time of year. Stress or a change in diet can cause a disturbance to the friendly bacteria in your horse’s hind gut. A probiotic can help to promote a healthy digestive tract and aid digestion. Look for one with high levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

TopSpec Top Discounts...

hroughout March there is 25% off all TopSpec supplements and additives at participating retailers. TopSpec All-In-One is a multi-supplement containing optimum levels of all the commonly-needed supplements expertly balanced into one product. It is designed for all horses and ponies, whether competing, in light work or breeding. TopSpec Calmer is designed to be fed to horses and ponies with anxious behaviour; TopSpec Healthy Hoof is a palatable, caramel flavoured additive that will improve the quality of most horses’ hooves over a 9-12 month period; TopSpec 10:10 Joint Support is designed to help support joints subject to excess trauma and/or repeated wear and tear; TopSpec Digestive Aid is an ‘Additive’ that can be added to any horse feed to help maintain a healthy appetite and digestive system; TopSpec Electrolytes are designed to be used to compensate for electrolyte loss after heavy sweating. www.topspec.com

ROCKET CHOSEN AS THE FACE OF TOPSPEC 2019 After a nationwide search 19year-old Rocket owned by Hilary Bowerman and ridden by 12-year-old Holly Marsh has been chosen as The Face of TopSpec 2019. Their prizes include £500 worth of TopSpec feed, nutritional support and advice, a professional photo-shoot and framed print, and a top of the range Horseware rug.

Holly Marsh and Rocket competing at Blenheim International Horse Trials 2018

WORMING

THE

Modern Way

TO MANAGE PARASITE CONTROL By Claire Shand, SQP at Westgate Labs he modern way to manage parasite control for horses is with a targeted programme and the backup and advice of friendly experts.

Westgate Labs offer all this, available in a variety of ways to suit you. Clients can view a full history of results and purchase tests through the website. They can also access help and advice by phone, email or direct message, subscribe to an email newsletter and follow social media pages for seasonal advice from blogs and videos

to news updates. There is plenty of free independent veterinary approved guidance to support horse owners. New for 2019, Westgate Labs, are launching a new subscription service to make following a best practice parasite control programme even easier for busy horse owners! The All Seasons service is a tailor made testing programme designed to In addition to a regular schedule take the guess work out of managing this important aspect of worm counts and EquiSal tests for redworm, roundworm of horse’s health. and tapeworm, the subscription For one simple monthly also covers any incidental tests subscription payment, clients that might be required for receive a bespoke plan for each pinworm, lungworm or liver horse and all the fluke plus resistance tests to tests needed to check for drug resistance. target the Managing Director David Booth right commented: parasites at “The new service has been built the right time of year in response to requests from our customers who tell us how direct to worried they get about making their door.

the right choices for their horses and how, even with the best intentions, the gaps between testing can slip when juggling all those other pressures of work and family life. “Combine this with the ability to spread the cost into small monthly payments and we hope that the new All Seasons service will fill a real need. The goal is to bring the peace of mind that ensures our customers can get on with enjoying their horses.” Consultant vet to Westgate Labs, Carolyn Cummins MVB Phd MRCVS commented: “The intervals for testing are based on the worm life cycles we’re testing for, the relative risk of the individual horse and the parasite challenges they might meet in their environment. Unintentionally lengthening this time between testing or treating could easily allow a parasite burden to get out of hand and become a threat to horse health.” With subscriptions starting from £6.50 per calendar month for a total test control programme the All Seasons service is an affordable way to manage parasite control.

20th Anniversary: Westgate Labs!

019 marks a very special year for Westgate Labs as they celebrate their 20th anniversary of business helping to improve the way that horses are wormed in the UK. Laboratory founders, David and Gillian Booth, placed their first advert in Horse & Hound on 11th February 1999, and when forward thinking horse owners responded the concept of postal worm counts was born! Since then Westgate Labs has grown to help thousands of horse owners and yard managers to move to test based programmes, so helping them keep their animals healthy and combat the growing resistance problems of wormers. As well as providing tests direct to clients they also deliver services for many vets, SQPs and retailers. Founder and Managing Director of Westgate Labs, David Booth explains: “Throughout the 1990’s we were hearing a lot about wormer resistance problems in sheep but the standard practice for horses Gillian Booth testing in the old laboratory circa 1999

was still to worm them regularly. Coming from a science background the evidence based approach made so much more sense. After a bit of research we set about organising worm counts for the horses we kept at home for our then teenage daughters. The concept worked brilliantly but results took ages to come back and the interpretation was none existent. It piqued my entrepreneurial streak! “With thirty years of lab experience I had a head start; we set out to design a service that would make it as easy as possible for people to adopt testing as the cornerstone of parasite control. Drug resistance is a black cloud hanging over the wellbeing of our horses, yet it’s often little discussed or talked about. We often joke about ‘the poo business’ being the unglamorous side of horse keeping but it’s very rewarding to play a part in improving this important aspect of horse healthcare. We’re continuing to innovate and develop new initiatives with an even greater focus on delivering five star customer service.” From early days occupying the small still room at the west gate of the family farm in rural Northumberland, Westgate Labs has grown into a purpose built laboratory space in the converted piggery. It became a Ltd. company in 2003 and now employs 10 local people and a consultant vet.

Birthday celebrations in the lab: left to right Michelle Nolan, Gillian and David Booth, Kristy Hodgson, Sarah Ince, Claire Shand, Emily Dagg, Emma Davison, Lauren Robertson

Commentator, presenter and business professional Philip Ghazala commented: “It’s exciting for Westgate Labs to reach this milestone having grown from the pip of an idea to become leaders in their field. Worming can be a confusing subject and so it’s a life-line for horse owners to have such ready access to independent expert advice. It’s not just the efficiency and ease of the service but the quality of follow-up advice that

sets Westgate apart. They are at the forefront of worming best practice and contributing a great deal to improving the health of horses in the UK. We recommend Westgate Labs to our Verm-X clients.” Still a small family business with helping horses at its heart, Westgate plans to keep on innovating and sharing best practice on horse health for many years to come. www.westgatelabs.co.uk

WORMING

HOW

TAPEWORMS

AFFECT YOUR HORSE...

By Dr Corrine Austin, Austin Davis Biologics

ost horses in the UK have some level of worm infection, but how we manage their parasite challenge is critical to health and performance. Gone are the days of routinely administering dewormers and hoping for the best. That strategy has caused widespread resistance in worms - meaning that worms are able to survive the killing effects of dewormers and persist after treatment, which can lead to disease and in worst cases, death.

To reduce the risk of further resistance occurring, we need to ensure that dewormers are only used when they are genuinely needed. In this article we help you with strategies for managing tapeworm infections in horses.

The horse tapeworm The most common tapeworm species, Anoplocephala perfoliata, grows up to 8cm long and has four suckers on its head which attach to the horse’s caecum and to a small region of the intestines called the

ileocaecal junction. Large burdens within this narrow junction can cause significant health problems, including damage and inflammation, caecum perforation and rupture, intussusception (telescoping) of the intestine, as well as intestinal obstruction, all of which result in colic symptoms.

How to tell if your horse has a tapeworm infection Whilst other common worms, such as redworm and roundworm

Table 1. Seasonal planning for an evidence-based worm control plan

SEASON SPRING MID-SUMMER END-SUMMER AUTUMN/WINTER

TARGETED TREATMENTS EQUISAL TAPEWORM TEST

STRATEGIC TREATMENT

TREATMENT FOR LARGE AND WORM EGG COUNTS (REDWORM & ROUNDWORM) SMALL REDWORM LARVAE

#Lightbody, K. L. et al. (2016) Vet Clin Path, 45: 335–346. *Lightbody, K. L., et al. (2018) Equine Vet J, 50: 213-219.

...AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

infections, are detected using faecal egg counts (FEC), this method is not reliable for tapeworm infections because the eggs are released in specialised ‘packets’, resulting in poor dispersal through faeces. However, EquiSal Tapeworm - a saliva-based antibody test can be used to accurately diagnose infection (as recommended by experts in the UK-Vet deworming consensus guidelines). Saliva collection is easy to carry out using a specially designed swab which has an indicator that turns pink to tell you when you have collected enough saliva for testing. It is easy to integrate tapeworm testing into your worm control programme by simply testing at a time that you would normally

consider deworming, typically in spring and autumn/winter. Table 1 shows you how to plan a suitable worm control programme using diagnostic testing to target treatments as required. A test for diagnosing encysted larval stages of redworm is not currently available so a strategic dose of moxidectin is needed during the winter months.

What to do after receiving your horse’s EquiSal results The EquiSal Tapeworm test provides a low, borderline or moderate/high diagnosis and deworming is recommended for horses diagnosed as borderline or moderate/high. Diagnostic accuracy has been proven through full validation of the test which has been published in the peer reviewed journal, Veterinary Clinical Pathology#.

years that they have conducted EquiSal Tapeworm testing, only eight horses have needed tapeworm treatment, meaning just eight doses of praziquantel have been used on the yard instead of 160 doses if they had continued with routine treatment! The yard has a much lower risk of resistant tapeworm, so when a horse is confirmed as having an infection, Team Stockdale can be confident that dewormers will be effective.

Borderline or moderate/high diagnoses We recommend that horses with either borderline or moderate/high results are treated for tapeworm using dewormers containing either praziquantel or pyrantel (at double dose). A recent publication in Equine Veterinary Journal* demonstrated that this approach successfully controlled tapeworm infections in 237 Low diagnosis horses at Bransby Horses and There is no need to deworm reduced the use of tapeworm horses with a low diagnosis so dewormers by 86% compared to simply carry out your next six monthly routine deworming routine test after six months to strategies. Bransby’s vet monitor for new infections. This consultant, Jeremy Kempstrategy decreases the use of Symonds, says, “EquiSal has dewormers and therefore become integral to our targeted significantly reduces the risk of tapeworm control programme resistance building to the only and has contributed to the very two drugs licenced for treating significant decline in tapeworm tapeworm infections, infection that we have achieved praziquantel and double dose in recent years.” pyrantel. After horses receive their first Team Stockdale’s yard have been EquiSal Tapeworm test, we very successful in reducing the often find that horses have an number of dewormers used. infection despite having Prior to using EquiSal Tapeworm previously received regular testing, the horses were deworming doses. In these receiving the recommended cases, once or twice a year twice a year treatment for treatment has not been effective tapeworm. During the last four at maintaining a healthy balance

and horses end up with constant infection, broken briefly by the deworming dose, only to become reinfected at a later date. It is important to know what you are dealing with and whether to target doses more often to break the tapeworm life cycle and therefore reduce the horse’s risk of reinfection.

What else can you do to prevent tapeworm infections? It is important to carry out routine paddock management, such as regular muck clearance, where muck is completely removed from grazing and adjacent areas, as well as field rotation and resting where

possible. Routinely clearing muck from grazing areas will significantly reduce worm contamination on paddocks and help prevent reinfection after deworming. It is also important to restrict grazing while away from home, such as at show grounds. Lastly, ensure you know your horse’s accurate weight for correctly dosing with dewormers; under-dosing can result in persistent infection and continuous egg shedding as well as select for drug resistant worms! EquiSal saliva collection kits are available from veterinary practices and SQPs. www.equisal.com

HEALTH & WELFARE

IS YOUR HORSE FITTER

THAN YOU? f it is then you’ve got a problem! The good news is that it can be resolved quickly and easily! Have you ever found yourself putting on your best show jacket and jods to find that they’re a bit tight? Or getting off your horse, legs like jelly, huffing and puffing, feeling that the horse was fit enough but you weren’t? If that resonates with you then don’t despair there’s still time to crack on and get yourself fit for this competitive season. But how? Most riders are strapped for time but there’s a lot you can do without even leaving the yard. I love a Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon) workout which are conditioning exercises intended to increase the storage and delivery of energy. Where as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is for a short period (2-4 minutes) of time MetCon workouts are expecting you to work at a level very close to 100% intensity for a period of up to 20 minutes.

How do you build your own MetCon workout? Decide how long your workout will be. MetCons are meant to be intense, so choose a time period between 7-20 minutes. Pick two to four exercises. Include one total body exercise, one upper body, one lower body and one cardio or core exercise. For example, burpees, push ups, squats, sprints or sit ups. Choose a structure for your workout, for example an AMWRAP (As Many

Rounds As Possible) of your chosen exercises, within your workout time frame or an EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute). So for BY SAMANTHA example if HARDINGHAM you have four exercises, on the first minute you do 20 burpees and the remainder of that first minute would be rest; the second minute would be 20 push ups and rest for the remainder of that minute; minute three, 20 squats and rest; minute four, 20 sit ups and rest, until you’re back to minute one and repeat for up to 3-5 rounds. Set your timer and kick on! Remember to listen to your body and although a MetCon needs to be intense be sure to stay within your workout limits. Three to four MetCon workouts a week will get you fit and lean in no time, (you’d feel the difference in just two weeks) so you can feel confident in your jacket and jods on board this season. www.facebook.com/ ItsTheBodyMindCoach

he Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has awarded Rossdales partner Tim Barnett MRCVS recognised Specialist status in Veterinary Dentistry (Equine). Tim is already an RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Surgery, and is one of very few veterinary specialists in the UK to hold recognised specialist status in equine dentistry. He is also one of very few veterinary surgeons to hold two distinct veterinary specialisms. Tim, who is based at Rossdales Equine Hospital, near Newmarket, became a diplomate of the European Veterinary Dental College in 2018. He said: “Dental techniques and treatments have advanced enormously in the past twenty years and Rossdales has been very much at the forefront. Most procedures are carried out in the standing, sedated horse and oral endoscopy has been the mainstay of our investigations for more than fifteen years. Our world class diagnostic imaging service assists us greatly in determining head and dental pathology; with standing computed tomography (CT) being particularly useful in providing accurate diagnoses.” www.rossdales.com

ossdales Veterinary Surgeons, one of the largest independent equine veterinary practices in Europe, has been designated ‘Outstanding’ in five Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Practice Standards Scheme awards, at its hospital in Exning and Newmarket practice. The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) is a voluntary initiative to accredit veterinary practices throughout the UK. By setting standards and carrying out regular assessments, the Scheme aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care, whilst providing reassurance to clients. Rossdales, which has more than 50 veterinary surgeons and over 100 support staff working across four sites (Newmarket, Exning, Hertfordshire and Lambourn), has held RCVS accredited practice and accredited hospital status for many years. In addition to the PSS accreditations, practices can apply to be assessed for optional awards to demonstrate where they excel and the skills and services they offer. Lewis Smith, a partner and specialist surgeon at Rossdales Equine Hospital in Exning, near Newmarket, said: “For equine practice there are five awards available and our team has worked exceedingly hard to ensure that we met the stringent criteria on which we were assessed. We are one of only two practices in the UK to have achieved all five awards and we are incredibly proud to have been designated ‘Outstanding’ in all five, achieving scores of 100% in many categories.” Four of the awards apply to Rossdales Equine Hospital. These include: Team and professional responsibility, Client service, Inpatient service, Diagnostic service. The fifth award is for ‘ambulatory

ROSSDALES DESIGNATED

‘OUTSTANDING’ service’ at Rossdales Equine Practice. To achieve these awards, a PSS assessor visited the Newmarket and Exning sites, rigorously inspecting facilities, equipment and documentation. The assessor held extensive discussions with Rossdales’ team members about the practice’s services and clinical care, and carried out a comprehensive review of procedures and protocols for equine patients, clients and staff. Lewis Smith concluded: “Rossdales is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2019 and these awards demonstrate our commitment to maintaining our position as a world leader in equine veterinary care. Our greatest assets are our people and our first class facilities, combined with an evidence-based approach to equine surgery, clinical diagnostics and medicine. Our ethos is to offer the highest standard of personalised service to our clients and their horses at all times. We believe that these awards will help owners to make an informed choice to use Rossdales’ services based on their needs and preferences.”

EQUINE TEMPERATURE: RANGES MAY BE INACCURATE emperature ranges which are used as an important measure of equine wellness may be too high to represent healthy horses, a new study suggests. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University and the Royal Agricultural University investigated the use of body temperature in assessing equine health, and argue that current tradition-based guidelines may be inaccurate and require further investigation. Rectal temperature is a vital determining factor in the monitoring of horse health and

allows early detection of infections and assessment of disorders such as colic. While books and other sources have stated ‘normal ranges’ of temperatures for many years, there has been no recent published work looking to see if these suggested normal values are representative of healthy horses. As part of the study Emily Hall, Dr Anne Carter and Dr Carol Hall from Nottingham Trent University, in collaboration with Dr Anne Stevenson from the Royal Agricultural University, researched the normal body

temperature of horses on the NTU yard. The findings showed that the upper limit of the published ranges (38.5°C) is typically 0.5°C higher than the results from clinically normal horses in this study. The researchers found the normal temperature range for horses on this yard was 36.038.0°C. The research, which included over 600 measurements from 41 healthy adult horses, was led by the University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences and is published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.

Lead researcher, veterinary surgeon Emily Hall, said, "Due to factors such as antibiotic resistance, climate change, and ever-increasing movement of horses, it is increasingly important that early signs of ill-health or disease are picked up as early as possible.” The study found that the overall equine temperature reference ranges cited in textbooks may need reviewing and updating. The aim is to repeat this study on a number of other equine yards around the UK in order to review the overall normal range for all horses across the UK.

HEALTH & WELFARE

Five Minutes with...

Mercedes Hoblin

AKA THE SHEATH QUEEN

heath cleaning has always been one of those jobs as a horse owner we dread. After finding a bean in my own horse I decided to set up my own business in removing beans and cleaning horses myself. “After visiting many yards with horses and removing beans I was beginning to get a lot of success stories on how having a bean removed has helped horses in all aspects - from riding issues, suspected health issues and ground issues. “These beans are located in the urethra fossa, the tip of the horse’s penis. Some horses with beans have displayed colic-like symptoms; kicking their stomachs, not being able to urinate properly and even have behaviour problems. “I have removed beans that have been over three inches wide. “The bean removal process sounds more simple then it is. Some horses are ok with the idea of you touching the area whilst others hate it. Most of the time the horse gets used to the whole process and realises it’s nothing to be scared of. But I have become good in dodging kicks! “Most owners just give the area a little squirt with the hose pipe in the summer and don’t think much more of it, so cleaning the area throughly with my product and warm water removes all the

dirt that can attract flies and the bad odour. Then I check for a bean; most of the time I can put a slight bit of pressure and it will pop out, whilst others are so big they require me breaking them up before they can be removed. “Most owners are shocked at what I find. I recommend this being done once every six months, and if a horse lives out all year round once every twelve months. Stallions and horses that live out are a lot cleaner then geldings or horses that live in. “I believe sheath cleaning is just as important have having your horse’s back or teeth checked. From finding flies and maggots, to sarcoids up there it’s an area that should be checked on a regular basis. “This for me started as a small business and has now become my full time job. I love hearing success stories on how I have helped horses and their owners. It’s the reason I don’t mind doing the job most people hate.

MERCEDES IS BASED IN CHELMSFORD, ESSEX AND OFFERS A FULLY-INSURED EQUINE SHEATH CLEANING SERVICE

“Harry is my 24-year-old cob. For years he has been a grumpy horse and without sedation I have never been able to get near his sheath. “I had Mercedes out to see if having his sheath professionally cleaned would change Harry’s behaviour. I didn’t think Mercedes would get anywhere near as he is very handy with his back legs, but to my disbelief he stood like an angel for Mercedes! She removed a huge bean and Harry has been much happier since!” - Mandy Day “Some of the beans I have got out have caused so much attention they are now displayed in a local oddity museum in Battlesbridge.”

RENTAL

OFFER TheraPlate is a unique therapeutic platform which uses Wave Vortex Therapy. The Wave Vortex technology encourages an involuntary muscle contraction which when repeated supports circulation, condition and wellbeing. The TheraPlate doesn’t vibrate and is totally impact free, ideal for rehabilitation, recovery and sports performance, and is now available to rent as well as purchase. The new rental offer can span over a short or long term, with individuals setting the time agreement (minimum term 3 weeks). This offer was introduced for those who may only need the TheraPlate during recovery and rehabilitation programmes or preparing for an event. The highly technical plates cost less than a kettle to run, making it extremely economical. Made from aircraft aluminium, the TheraPlate is light enough to be mobile, waterproof and highly durable. The plate is beneficial for warm ups and cool downs before or after a performance. www.theraplateuk.com

ADVICE AND INFORMATION: FOR REPORTING NEGLECTED HORSES

edwings Horse Sanctuary has an online resource full of practical information for anyone with concerns about neglected or abandoned horses. Following figures released by the RSPCA that almost 1,000 equines were rescued in 2017 alone, Redwings has issued guidance for members of the public reporting a welfare concern, including details of the information required, what happens after a report is lodged and the laws that protect animal welfare. The RSPCA’s figures highlight that the UK remains in the grip of a horse crisis where there are simply too many horses and too few responsible owners to offer them a home, leading to shocking levels of neglect and abandonment. Nic de Brauwere, Redwings’ Head of Welfare said: “We advise that a horse costs at least £3,000 per year to care for, yet we’ve seen horses exchange hands for as little as £10. It’s no wonder that so many people become overwhelmed by the enormity of what they have taken on, especially if they do not have the required experience, resources or finances

OUT OF SIGHT,

NOT OUT OF MIND

to provide the lifelong care a horse needs, and therefore turn to the charities like Redwings for help or even abandon their horse. “While we encourage the public to be vigilant – after all without reporting suspected cases of neglect and abandonment we cannot be there to help those horses in need – we ask them to also be mindful of the challenges faced by the welfare charities. In particular it is important to understand the laws in which charities need to operate and to appreciate our efforts to educate struggling owners in how to care for their horses rather than simply removing from homes to sanctuaries that are already operating at maximum capacity.” The RSPCA’s inspectorate national equine coordinator Christine McNeil added: “Up and down England and Wales, horses are being found sick, or dumped liked rubbish, dying or dead. Distressingly, this is common and it’s a huge issue. We are constantly receiving calls to our cruelty line - on average 80 per day about horses alone - as well as messages every day on social media from very concerned and upset people asking for our help." www.redwings.org.uk/horse-crisis

ver 100 rescued horses and donkeys are offered a safe home at Redwings Horse Sanctuary every year, but did you know the charity must remain silent about the majority of those in its care? Redwings has launched its latest appeal, called Untold Stories, highlighting the hundreds of horses in its care whose tales it cannot tell due to ongoing investigations, security concerns or other sensitivities relating to their cases. In fact, in the last year alone, the stories of almost three out of every four rescued horses that came into the Sanctuary cannot currently be shared. The registered charity, which is entirely funded by donations, is asking the public to help support these hidden horses. Lynn Cutress, Redwings’ Chief Executive, said: “While all may seem calm on the surface, our rescue teams are working tirelessly to bring vulnerable horses to places of safety, but we can’t always talk about the rescues we’re involved in. It’s incredibly important to us that justice is served for our rescued horses, but this sometimes means we cannot lift the lid on their stories until court proceedings have been completed.” www.redwings.org.uk/donating

DAISY’S HERBAL ANSWERS “My horse has had to stand in quite a lot through winter and I have noticed he has started to get filled legs when in. My vet has checked him and said that it is just from standing in and his circulation not being as good now he is getting older. I wondered if there were any herbs I could use to give him a bit of support?” Hello, yes there are herbs that are beneficial to the Lymphatic and Circulatory systems that you can use to help with this. Daisy Pri c To support Herbalist e, the circulatory system you can use Hawthorn, Nettle or Buckwheat which help to improve blood flow. Nettle is also a great blood cleanser/tonic. Cleavers are known for their benefits to the lymphatic system and horses will often seek them out in the spring. When combined with Calendula (Marigold) they will give excellent support. You can also massage your horse’s legs to help improve the circulation. www.champerene bespokehorseherbal.com

HEALTH & WELFARE

HORSE OWNERS ADVISED TO BE VIGILANT FOLLOWING RECENT EQUINE INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS

he Animal Health Trust (AHT) is advising horse owners to be extra vigilant following recent outbreaks of equine influenza (EI) across parts of the UK and northern Europe in both vaccinated and unvaccinated horses. The AHT is encouraging horse owners to be aware of the clinical signs of EI which include harsh, dry coughing, nasal discharge, lethargy and an increase in temperature (>38.5°c). These clinical signs may be mild and not all horses will present with all of these. If a horse owner is concerned they should consult their vet as soon as possible who can take a swab and blood sample and send it for testing, free of laboratory charges, to the Animal Health Trust’s equine influenza surveillance scheme which is funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board. Equine flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the equine influenza virus. The virus

is spread from horse to horse via respiratory droplets by direct contact as well as coughing and via indirect contact where appropriate biosecurity is not being followed. The virus relies on this transmission to new horses to survive and one of the most notable features of flu is the very quick spread of clinical signs in groups of horses and its ability to spread large distances in the air. Therefore horse owners are encouraged to consider their existing biosecurity arrangements in their yard. This includes ensuring they practice good general hygiene and isolating any horses showing flu-like signs. The AHT is also recommending horse owners re-vaccinate their horse if their vaccination was carried out over six months ago, in order to maximise the chance of having protective immunity. Dr Richard Newton, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, at the Animal Health Trust, said “With frequent movement of horses and an ability to spread without direct contact, equine flu might appear at any time and in any location. With the increase in cases in both vaccinated and unvaccinated

The Horse & Rider First Aid Kit provides a great base from which to build your emergency supplies. RRP: £24.95. www.robinson healthcare.com

horses, we would urge all horse owners to be extremely vigilant and to follow recommended guidelines on how to detect and prevent the spread of this infectious disease. If horse owners are concerned they should contact their vet immediately for advice.” Advice on equine flu, including information on precautions horse owners can take can be found at www.equiflunet.org.uk

UNVACCINATED HORSES MAY NOT BE PROTECTED, WARNS INSURANCE EXPERT An equine insurance expert is warning horse owners they run the risk of being uninsured if their animals are not vaccinated against equine flu, as the disease forced horse racing to shut down across Britain recently. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) called off four horse racing meeting fixtures in February, after three vaccinated horses tested positive for equine flu. This was the latest in a series of outbreaks of the disease in 2019 – with others reported in Essex, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Suffolk. Richard Freeman, of equine insurance broker Lycetts, is warning horse owners that their animals may not be covered if they are not vaccinated and become infected. The equine insurance specialist, who is based at the Newmarket office, said: “Horse owners should contact their broker to check what the terms of their policy are and see what protection it offers. “Equine flu is generally not specifically excluded from equine insurance cover, but it is commonly a condition of a policy that the insured horse must be vaccinated against equine flu.” All British racehorses are vaccinated against equine flu but it is not compulsory for the wider horse population to be vaccinated against the disease.

STABLES, BEDDING & PADDOCKS oached land can be rescued, but timing is very important. If the ground is too wet using a tractor will make a real mess. If the ground has dried out too much then the hoof prints and ruts may not roll back flat, leaving you with an uneven rough field which can be unsafe.

2. Start renovation work in spring when the land should be drying out and the temperature warming up. 3. Harrow the field. This will tear out moss, break up and level heavy soil, to improve the soil structure and make a seedbed. Harrow as a matter of routine throughout the year.

WANT TO TRANSFORM YOUR DAMAGED FIELDS INTO IMMACULATE PADDOCKS? HERE WE OFFER ADVICE FROM GRASSLAND EXPERT JONATHAN COX OF SUREGROW.

Ten Top Tips

FOR KEEPING YOUR PADDOCKS IN

GOOD CONDITION

to establish and contain the right blend for your paddock. Suregrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grass seed range consists of Paddock Grass Seed Mix, Fast Grass, Meadow and 4. Fertilising is a vital component Laminitics Grass Mix. to achieving a well-balanced 7. Oversow poached or damaged paddock. It stimulates root areas as weeds may invade these development, resulting in a parts. Grass seed can be spread by denser sward and therefore hand, drill or fertiliser spreader. suppressing weed growth. After 8. If the preparation is right then in depth research and development Suregrow Fertiliser the maintenance and upkeep is relatively easy. Topping stops the has been designed to be slow grazing sward from getting leggy release and low in nitrogen and encourages horses to graze avoiding lush high protein grass an entire field, not just parts of it. which can be harmful. 5. Ensure your paddocks are not mineral deficient by using CSM. A granular blend of calcified seaweed, CSM is created from sustainable sources, sun dried sea salt and a natural source of Magnesium. This helps makes sure your grass is of the best quality and gives it an extra boost. 6. Choose your grass seed carefully a good paddock mixture should be hard wearing, quick

products including fertilisers, mineral and trace elements and grass seeds specifically selected for horse and pony paddocks, as well as the ultimate in arena and ground care management.

Suregrow products include Suregrow Fertiliser, CSM, Paddock Grass Seed Mix, Fast Grass, Meadow and Laminitics Grass Mix. www.suregrowuk.com

9. Pull out weeds when you see them and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave them to spread their seeds. Regularly remove horse droppings from your pasture. 10. Put in an extra gate. This will help prevent poaching and allow one gateway time to recover. Specialising in the care of grassland for horses and ponies, Suregrow has a range of

STABLES, BEDDING & PADDOCKS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PHILLIPS BROTHERS:

Celebrating 125 Years!

hillips Brothers was founded in 1894 by Harry Phillips, who was previously a fish carrier in Billingsgate Market. Having been asked to source some oak sawdust for the purpose of smoking fish and successfully doing so, the destiny of Phillips Brothers was set. Today they are key bedding suppliers of sawdust, straw and shavings to the poultry markets and a brand leader for equestrian bedding within East Anglia. Four succeeeding generations have strengthened the business, which is now run by Harry’s Great Grand-children Jane Knapp, Paul Phillips and Ian Phillips. Rhys Knapp, currently head of production, is Jane Knapp’s son and represents the fifth generation. “The firm relocated in 1994 from London to Maldon in Essex and again in 2013 to Ipswich in order to be closer to it’s customer base,” explains Jane Knapp.

“Online magazine Family Business United recognised our long-standing business by awarding us The East Anglia Family Business Award in 2015. Few family businesses make it past the third generation, but Phillips’ approach is a tireless commitment to embracing change, continuous improvement, self-development and leadership, responding to the needs of customers, market demands and those of the business itself. “Delight is taken in repeatedly investing in equipment and technology, growing and developing the team ensuring there are clear career paths and looking out for future leaders – not only family members – providing training in leadership and management skills and qualifications,” said Jane. As Phillips Brothers has evolved

over the years so too has the product range. Earlier generations were kept busy supplying meat/fish markets and butchers shops, of which there was one on pretty much every corner in those days. The rise of the supermarkets and EU regulations saw to a decline in the demand for sawdust in butchery so Steve and Alan Phillips, the third generation, diversified and entered the equestrian market installing their first baling plant in 1985. The following thirty-plus years has included two relocations, introduction of straw and clean recycled bedding, automation, as well as the exits and arrivals of

generations. “Today Phillips take pride in considering local horse owners’ requirements for quality, competitively priced horse bedding direct from the manufacturer; taking into account accessibility, as well as storage and cash flow demands, we have introduced a van delivery service delivering to most of East Anglia. This service is free of charge for orders over 25 bales. Three decades of experience coupled with BSI ISO9001 accreditation means that you can trust that your horse bedding is safe with as high quality of product and service as possible,” concludes Jane. www.phillipsbrothers.co.uk Tel: 01473 313063

Top left: Second generation of Phillips Brothers; top right: third generation; Far left: Family Business Awards in 2015; Center: Fourth and fifth generation of Phillips Brothers; Rhys Knapp is the fifth generation

Product News... Featuring a handy attachment, the Quick Pick is built to use alongside the Quick Pick Rake that combines a long and chunky handle with especially angled prongs, enabling droppings to be effortlessly flicked out of a number of surfaces including long grass, shavings and sand. Featuring sturdy foot plates that enable the Quick Pick to be anchored to the ground, you can easily use both hands while raking. The Quick Pick offers roughly twice the capacity of a standard scoop and the flip feature allows the first heap of manure to drop to the back of the bucket so the next pile can be easily collected with plenty of room. www.quickpickequine.co.uk

All new Honda ATV and Pioneer utility machines purchased after 1st November 2018 are fitted with state-of-the-art tracking equipment freeof-charge. Customers then have the option of adding on Datatool’s TQA-approved TrakKING Adventure package, which uses GPS chip set technology to offer theft protection, instant notifications and full journey history logging. The cost of this is £9.95 per month. www.honda.co.uk/atv Nedz have warned that there are bales of bedding circulating within the UK that are using their packaging but are not containing their product. “These bags have not been authorised by ourselves, nor has any company been given permission to use our packaging to sell their bedding in.”

MIN. DEL. JUST 25 BALES THROUGHOUT EAST ANGLIA

BUYER’S GUIDE Adorabella Handbag in Tan. RRP: £495. www.albion england.co.uk

One Horse Race Necklace. RRP: £145. www.james veale.com

Badminton Leather Belt. RRP: £59.99. www.mackenzieandgeorge.com

Luxury Candle in Bergamot & Amber. RRP: £27. www.albionengland.co.uk

s ’ r e h t o M dit! Day E

Leather Jewellery Box. RRP: £75. www.lifeofriley online.co.uk

Vitality Pearl Stud Earrings. RRP: £30. www.pegasusjewellery.net

AWOL sweatshirt. RRP: £65. www.annabel brocks.com

Electra Rose Quartz Bangle. RRP: £225. www.emily mortimer.co.uk

Test Valley Gin. RRP: £34.95. www.ladidaandover.com

Joanna Jacket. RRP: £375. www.butler stewart.co.uk

Silvia Kerr Silver Badminton Set. RRP: £357. www.sylviakerrjewellery.com

Pampeano Leather Polo Belt Estancia. RRP: £65. www.shopforshooting.co.uk Königs Grandgester leather dressage boot. RRP: £1154. www.zebra products.co.uk

Stanley Jumper. RRP: £90. www.mistamina.com

Tweedmill Tweed Throws. RRP: £95. www.ladida-andover.com

Silvia Kerr Silver Polo Set. RRP: £536. www.sylviakerrjewellery.com

Timothy Foxxy Socks. RRP: £36. www.timothy foxx.co.uk

Amorita Clutch in Mink and Tan. RRP: £264. www.albion england.co.uk Boudica Boots. RRP: £225. www.fairfaxand favor.com

Cherry Roller combines five free moving roller beads. RRP: £155. www.hihosilver.co.uk

Silk Scarf in Hexaddict Gold and White. RRP: £145. www.albionengland.co.uk

Cavallo Libby Knitted Hat RRP: £39. www.zebraproducts.co.uk Emma Bridgewater Shopping Bag. RRP: £4. www.ladidaandover.com

Winslow Purse. RRP: £135. www.hydeandhare.com Wool Pom Beanie. RRP: £30. www.aztecdiamond equestrian.com

Technical 3D Thermals. RRP: £20 www.aztecdiamond equestrian.com

Covalliero Headband. RRP: £7.50. www.covalliero.com

Mini Windsor Handbag in Navy. RRP: £265. www.fairfaxandfavor.com Ideal Windbreaker Jacket in Frayed Red. RRP: £65. www.ariat.com

LOCAL PROFILE: EQUESTRIAN MUMPRENEUR

A day in the life of...

s r e k A e i d d A

have been running Hertfordshire. I supply the business for around forty shops over twelve years and visit them and before that either weekly, worked for the fortnightly or previous agent for two monthly depending years. on their needs. I love “I live in Hadleigh, the social side of the Suffolk with my husband job, chatting to shop and 3-year-old daughter. staff and owners, I have been involved with many of whom I’ve horses since I was 10now known for over ly! years-old, and never grew fourteen years! I also The Akers fami out of being ‘pony mad’ enjoy chatting to much to my parents horror! I customers and advising Addie horsing have owned various lovely, and them on which around not so lovely horses over the products to try. past thirty years and have done and educate local “Having the Animal BE, BS and was heavily involved horse owners. Science degree really helps with “My typical day involves getting my equine knowledge as well as in my local riding club. I always the little one off to childcare, knew I wanted to work in the years of being a horse owner walking the dogs and checking horse industry and after and knowing my products inside my emails. I keep all my stock at out. completing an Animal Science degree was lucky enough after a a farm near Colchester, so some “I try to visit around ten stores mornings I need to go there to few years to work with Equine in a day. I carry most of the stock stock up the van or wait for America. on my van which gives me a pallets of stock to arrive. This is “I moved out to Portugal in unique selling point as the shop the part of my job I dislike the 2011 for a gap year but didn’t gets the stock the day I visit. most as pallet companies are actually return for six years! I “The rest of the week is spent infamously unreliable and I ended up being the agent for being a mum and handling all often spend time chasing the Equine America in Southern the admin side whereabouts of the pallets. It is of owning a Portugal, as well as buying my also hard work unloading 1horse of a lifetime, finding a business. This tonne pallets on my own, but it is always much husband and having a baby! Luckily my father ran the UK side saves me needing to go to the more time of the business while I was away. gym I suppose! consuming “I am usually on the road “Since my return at the end of than people 2017, I have been busy growing delivering to trade customers think and I’m three days a week. My area is the often in my the business and finding new whole of Essex and parts of ways to promote our products home office

ADDIE AKERS IS THE ESSEX AGENT FOR EQUINE AMERICA AND KM ELITE PRODUCTS. late at night replying to emails, chasing payments and ordering stock. “However, despite the stresses and complications of having a business, it allows me to be very flexible with my time and I enjoy that no two days are really ever the same. “I visit the Head Offices of Equine America and KM Elite in Sussex about four times a year, for meetings and product training, but the staff are always on hand to give me support at any time, which is good to know. “I don’t have my own horse at the moment as being a mum and wife takes up much of my spare time, but I ride friends’ horses at least once a week. I enjoy walking my two dogs and spending time with family. “It’s a hectic life, but I wouldn’t want it any other way!” www.equine-america.co.uk www.facebook.com/a.akersltd

RHEA ASKS...

I’M RHEA FREEMAN...I’M A PR, MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT AND COACH WITH A SPECIALISM IN EQUESTRIAN AND RURAL BUSINESS. I WORK WITH A NUMBER OF THE BEST BRANDS IN THE INDUSTRY AND MANY THAT YOU’LL SEE IN THESE PAGES...

Poppy Graves receiving her award from Chris Hewlett, MD of Haddon Training.

POPPY ZAFIA GRAVES: HADDON TRAINING APPRENTICE AWARD

he Haddon Training sponsored British Grooms Awards were established five years ago to provide an opportunity for grooms, who are so often the unsung heroes of the equestrian industry to be recognised and rewarded for their hard work and commitment to the equines in their care. There are five categories that form the British Grooms Awards, allowing for a wide spectrum of grooms to be nominated for these prestigious awards, from which the judging panel that consisted of Pammy Hutton, Zanie King and Chris Hewlett chose the winning recipients. Poppy Zafia Graves was presented with the Haddon Training Apprentice Award by Chris Hewlett, MD of Haddon Training at the recent British Breeders Awards Dinner, held at the Grange City Hotel, London. Poppy, who was nominated for

Photo: Craig Payne Photography.

the Apprentice Award by Natasha Moore, Stable Manager at Wimbledon Village Stables, cited how Poppy takes her role on the yard seriously, having a great attention to detail, always ensuring that any task is completed to a high standard. “Poppy excelled during 2018,” comments Natasha, “proving herself a valuable asset to the team, bringing a great energy to the yard, which was visible through her approach to her work and attitude and it has been a privilege to witness the realisation of her potential and have the vision to develop it further. By winning the Haddon Training Apprentice Award, Poppy has learnt that hard work pays off, the appreciation of how a good team can support you, together with happy clients that will motivate her to continue to work hard and develop her talents, knowledge and expertise that will enhance her future career.”

hat’s even worse than dropping the ball on your social media? Having to pick it back up again. How do you even do that? I’m here to help with five ways to get back on the social media train again! 1 - Breathe. Yes, consistency is really important, but you know what? No one died because you didn’t post a flatlay image. These things happen. Just acknowledge it and accept it. 2 - Just start. You might be wondering what to post, whether you need to explain your absence, how to even address the fact you went AWOL. If you want to, do, if you don’t, don’t… what’s key is that you just start! Maybe take advantage of an awareness/national day (like Mother’s Day, International Women’s Day, Frozen Food Day (yeah, it’s a thing!)) to give you the impetuous to get back on the case. 3 - Plan. If you can start to make a plan, do. As I mentioned above, awareness days can be really useful prompts to help you build your content, but also events, holidays, and the weekly ideas (like Tip Tuesday, for example) can be good ways to make it work for you. Another easy way is to look for social media challenges that encourage regular posting. 4 - Schedule. I use scheduling tools to help ensure I have content appearing on my platforms – even if I’m running around after horses, dogs or children at the time it posts. Don’t use this as an excuse not to engage though – make sure you look at who’s responded to you posts and answer any queries in a timely fashion. 5 -Make it work for you. We can all get so caught up with what time to post, how often to post and more that we become really overwhelmed and a bit paralysed about it all. Post when your people are online. Be consistent. Look at the responses you get to different times and kinds of posts and change accordingly.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA WHEELS FALL OFF? Visit www.rheafreemanpr.co.uk • Twitter (@rheafreeman) • Instagram (@rheafreemanpr) • Facebook (/RheaFreemanPR)

Photo: Adam Fanthorpe

LOCAL PROFILE: QUALIFIED RIDER

5 MINUTES nes y a H e c i l A WITH... Local Rider Qualifies for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup

eld on the eve of the world-famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, which attracts top horse and rider combinations from across the globe as well as visitors in excess of 150,000 over the five days of competition; the Mitsubishi Motors Cup offers amateur riders from all over the country the opportunity to qualify throughout the eventing season for these finals. Not only will riders contest to win the Mitsubishi Motors Cup trophy, presented in front of Badminton House, the pinnacle of any amateur event rider’s career, they will be vying for a chance to take home a new vehicle of their choice from the Mitsubishi Motors range for one year and a commemorative plaque. Ahead of this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Cup, taking place on Tuesday 30th April and Wednesday 1st May, we catch up with Alice Haynes, based in Newmarket, who has qualified for the BE100 competition with her grey 14.2hh gelding Slieve Rushen Frank, affectionately known as Murphy. “I had evented for a number of years and began by eventing ponies as a child. I then made the move into the racing world,

for Murphy, to finish in second place! “I am so excited to be heading to the Mitsubishi Motors Cup, especially as Murphy is only 6-years-old and I am sure one of the youngest horses to be competing. Our training is well under way. We are very lucky to be based in Newmarket with fantastic gallops, so no excuse for not being fit! We are also going up to Ian Woodhead for an Alice Haynes and Slieve Rushen Frank (above and right). intensive few days of dressage. “Since qualifying for the where I started my career as an competing against. Mitsubishi Motors Cup, a lot of apprentice jockey and now run “We headed out to our first my friends have said they will be my own pre-training yard. Due BE100 at Horseheath in May last my groom, so Murphy is going to this, I had a few years out of year, where he produced a lovely to be one very shiny pony! Also, the eventing scene until I double clear and finished in my partner, mum and family will bought Murphy as an unbroken sixth place. I was so proud of be there to watch me jump into 3-year-old. him as on our first attempt at Badminton Lake. It will be my “Murphy is a 14.2hh Connemara BE100, we had managed to last opportunity to compete in pony and I have backed and qualify for a Mitsubishi Motors the Cup, as I hope to move up to produced him myself. In 2017 I Cup Regional Final. Intermediate next year. I have took him to a few 4-year-old “I decided to tackle the Weston dreams of competing in the classes. He is a total crossPark Regional Final and wanted Badminton Horse Trials event in country animal and loves to take to just go out and have fun, so five years time. For now, I am the odd stride out now and we sailed through the day just very proud the be going then, which always keeps me on without looking at our scores. there with a mega pony, who my toes. Following his success in When we finished our cross qualified on our first go. It will 4-year-old classes, we did a few country round, I was so be such a privilege and fantastic 5-year-old competitions in 2018 surprised to hear we had experience.” but he just wasn’t flashy enough finished on our dressage score of www.mitsubishimotorscup. as the big horses we were 27.2, which was a personal best badminton-horse.co.uk

hen the team at Uvex heard about the brilliant efforts of the Ebony Horse Club, they knew they wanted to help with this fantastic London-based initiative. The Ebony Horse Club provides riding lessons and youth work support to young people from the age of eight to 18 and with more than 120 children and young people attending the centre every week, they are very busy. The club is based in Coldharbour Ward, Brixton, South London, one of the most disadvantaged inner city neighbourhoods in the country. Much of the work carried out includes offering children the opportunity to learn new skills, develop aspirations and take on new responsibilities. They feel part of something important, building confidence and improving wellbeing. The team at Uvex has donated a supply of Sportstyle gloves, guaranteed to be exceptionally durable and really comfortable.

his year RDA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the success of the Accessibility Mark scheme is testament to the charity’s work in breaking down barriers and making riding a sport for all. The theme for RDA’s 50th anniversary year is ‘challenging stereotypes’, which is exactly what Accessibility Mark centres strive to achieve on a daily basis. There is the perception that in order to be a successful centre for disabled participants there is a need for expensive specialist equipment and facilities. More often than not a few simple, inexpensive changes at the centre combined with relevant training will open the doors to a wider range of participants. One of the most common false impressions in terms of disabled

CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES

people learning to ride is that the horses and ponies must be old and steady, meaning that some riding school horses would be unsuitable for teaching disabled riders. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as genuine all-rounders make the best school-masters for disabled riders. Perhaps the most positive influence on challenging stereotypes is through the achievements of the riders that participate in lessons at Accessibility Mark centres.

SARACEN HORSE FEEDS: SUPPORTING YOUNG RIDERS

ritish Eventing is delighted to welcome Saracen Horse Feeds as the title sponsor for the British Eventing Young Rider Programme, National Championships and European Championship squad. The independent, family owned business has been manufacturing animal feeds for more than 170 years and has become synonymous with eventing, thanks to their wide range of products to fuel and maintain every level of event horse. Michael Bacon, Saracen Horse Feeds Sales and Marketing Director, said; “Saracen Horse Feeds are incredibly proud to be supporting the next generation of world class eventers. The British Eventing Young Rider Programme and Championship are a great way to support young riders with serious aspirations for the sport. It’s a great achievement for all the riders selected for the Programme who are ultimately aiming for tomorrow’s podium positions.”

Achievement can be measured in different ways, with tools such as the RDA Tracker measuring improvement in communication, physical changes, relationships, horsemanship, confidence and enjoyment. The RDA Endeavour Awards also celebrate any goal set by the participant and coach or the RDA proficiency awards which are progressive tests that allow participants to learn about horse and pony care and riding. www.rda.org.uk

Bubby Upton riding Eros DHI in the National Under 21 Championship at the Saracen Horse Feeds Houghton International in 2018

Whilst the European Championships represent the pinnacle of the sport for Young Riders, it is hoped that many combinations will aim for the Saracen Horse Feeds National Under 21 Championships at Houghton International Horse Trials. The Norfolk event has been proudly sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds since 2017 and, alongside the National Championships, hosts the UK leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup series, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L and CCI4*- L classes.

Photo: Adam Fanthorpe

EBONY HORSE CLUB

Ride like... TUTORIAL

LOUISA MILNE HOME

LOUISA MILNE HOME IS ONE OF SCOTLAND’S LEADING EVENT RIDERS AND IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WONDERFUL GREY – Being prepared KING EIDER. for the season ahead is about HAVING COMPETED AT SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST THREE DAY EVENTS more than just INCLUDING BADMINTON AND BURGHLEY, LOUISA HAS A WEALTH OF making sure your training EXPERIENCE. A HIGHLIGHT OF 2018 WAS QUALIFYING FOR THE FOXHUNTER programme is CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS AT THE HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW, PROVING HER on schedule. CREDENTIALS AT PURE SHOW JUMPING AND PRODUCING YOUNG HORSES. on my checklist. HERE LOUISA OFFERS SOME PRACTICAL TIPS My Top tips include: TO ENSURE YOU ARE READY FOR THE • Get your entries in SEASON AHEAD.

Events early on in the season can get booked up quickly as everyone is enthusiastic to get going again, so it is essential that you get your entries in early to secure a spot.

PREPPED & READY

MAKING SURE YOU ARE

eing prepared for the season ahead is about more than just making sure your horse’s training programme is on track. Overlooking administrative tasks can put an end to your season before it has even started,

B 52

particularly if you are considering stepping up a level and competing in affiliated competitions or internationally for the first time. To compete in British Eventing competitions you will need to register both you and your horse with the organisation. There are

Louisa likes to plan ahead and get her entries in early.

various options to choose from, including day passes if you are still unsure that you are ready for the challenge. All the information can be found on the British Eventing website. Checking registrations are all upto-date is one of the first things

• FEI registration For those looking at competing internationally you will need to apply for FEI registration for both you and your horse, in order for you to be issued with an FEI number that you will need to enter competitions. All horses applying for FEI registration for the first time must be microchipped and will need an FEI passport. • Vaccinations Are your flu vaccinations up to date? A booster must be given annually following the first two injections and for FEI competitions the booster must be given at intervals of six months. • Make a plan It is good to have a plan of which

By being organised you can have a stress-free build up to the competition. It can be difficult if you are placed on a waiting list and don’t get the green light to compete until last minute. Stepping up a level can be daunting, you are never really sure if it is the right thing to do until you give it a go. As you progress there will be pressure to learn new, more advanced dressage movements, such as medium trot, counter canter and rein back. Look at the dressage tests for the level that you intend to compete at well in advance to give yourself time to prepare, so you know that you and your horse are comfortable with the movements. Make sure that you are aware of any new rule changes, for example the use of show jumping boots on the hind legs now has restrictions in some classes, particularly young horse classes. On a practical note, it is important to check your transport is in good working order and ensure the heating is working efficiently as it can be quite cold sleeping in a lorry in the early months of the season! Finally make sure you arrange with your farrier to have stud holes in your horses’ shoes ahead of your first competition. With the unpredictable spring weather the ground conditions might not be at their best for those first few outings.

LOUISA

Recommends

Animalintex Hoof Treatment from Robinson Animal Healthcare Suitable for rapid treatment of foot conditions, Animalintex Hoof Treatment is the only VMD-licensed multilayered absorbent poultice available in the UK. It contains an antiseptic to clean and prevent reinfection and natural poulticing agent, Tragacanth, which, when it reacts with water, draws out any infection and creates a clean area for the wound to heal. Animalintex Hoof Treatment is distributed in packs containing convenient hoof-shaped dressings, ready for foot poulticing, so there is no need to cut to shape, making Animalintex Hoof Treatment economical and convenient. www.robinson animalhealthcare.com

HAVE AN EVEN MORE REWARDING RIDE:

TIPS FROM JASON WEBB iders can now get video training from leading horse trainer Jason Webb – the man behind YourHorsemanship.com – on the Huufe app. Huufe is an app that rewards you for riding. The partnership between Jason and YourHorsemanship.com will see Huufe members gain access to video tips and horse training snippets via the app, in which Jason will help you to understand and train your horse better, and overcome common problems you may face. www.yourhorsemanship.com www.huufe.com

ALEX BRAGG JOINS TEAM CONNOLLY’S RED MILLS

lobal equine nutrition company Connolly’s RED MILLS welcome one of Britain’s best event riders, Alex Bragg, to their team of riders. Alex said: “Eventing is a really demanding discipline for the horses, so it’s vital that they receive the correct nutrition to help them throughout training and competing. I’m looking forward to working with the RED MILLS nutrition team to find out more about how I can best support my horses.”

n 2018, equine feed balancer and supplement brand, Blue Chip, celebrated twenty years of support of the British Showjumping Pony Newcomers Championship. Following a successful year of alignment, British Showjumping has announced that Blue Chip will be continuing their sponsorship for a further three years.

Jessica Howard and Tinkas Gentleman Jim

Photo: 1st Class Images

events you would like to enter, so start to look at the calendar early, making a note of when the ballot date is. Try to get your entry in well in advance of the closing date.

THE PROFESSIONALS

ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS:

Anand l Pate

INTERNATIONAL DRESSAGE RIDER ANAND PATEL PREPARES TO MAKE HIS MARK ON THE INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT IN 2019. ssex based, International dressage rider Anand Patel only rode his first dressage test nine years ago at the age of 21. Having only started riding more than a weekly one-hour lesson at the age of 18, London born Anand has been on the fast track to success ever since. Riding at the British Dressage National Championships in his first competitive year and now with an enviable string of top-

class horses on his own yard, the dressage journey has been paved with Gold, or should we say orange! “I would spend hours watching YouTube videos of Anky Van Grunsven and Carl Hester when I was younger; time I should have spent revising for exams, but I couldn’t get enough of it!” says Anand. Little did he know at the time that in a few short years he’d be training with one of his dressage heroes.

Following the completion of a Masters Degree in Law at Bristol University Anand was offered the chance to work for Carl Hester. A defining moment for a young rider, but at the same time the opportunity to own and run a competition yard in Essex also presented. After much discussion Anand’s heart led him back east to Essex, with a commitment from the dressage maestro to still train him.

Anand welcomes clients to his home base in Ongar or travels to various locations in Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire on a regular basis for dressage clinics, often in partnership with dressage Judges Paul Cornish and Kim Warren.

“My long-term aim is still to compete at Grand Prix level and be regularly competing on the international circuit.” Anand’s first international appearance came at Bolesworth International in 2018 with the 9-year-old Celana T in the Prix St George. “Alongside the competing my dream is to also see Tower Hill Equestrian as one of the key locations in the South East to source top quality dressage horses and to obtain dressage training.” With training in mind Anand shares with us a couple of his go-to training exercises.

Varying the canter “One exercise I use a lot and get many of my clients doing is varying the canter as a way of activating the pace more. By establishing a good, and balanced, working canter on a 20-metre circle as a starting point we can then look at lengthening the stride and

adding more energy or collecting it. “By pushing the horse more forwards and into a bigger canter it activates the canter more and helps to have the horse more in-front of the leg. Similarly, we can then collect the horse up and shorten the canter, encouraging them to sit on their hocks more. “By varying the canter around the circle it will create a more responsive partnership with the horse being more in-front of the leg and forward thinking.”

Varying the ridden frame Suppleness is important in any horse’s basic training regardless of their discipline or level. However, it becomes more important for sport horses working at higher levels for both their performance and physical longevity. Developing greater levels of suppleness will enable the horse to perform smoother transitions and movements with a greater degree of balance. All of which will lead to an increase in dressage marks. “Varying the frame in which the horse is ridden will aid the longitudinal suppleness. By this I mean the length of the horse’s neck when ridden. Is it longer and lower or shorter and ‘more up’ in a collected frame. Both have a different effect on the horse’s back. “Allowing the horse to work in a longer and lower frame will encourage the horse to stretch the back and muscles. Changing the frame to a shorter neck and adding more compression will then encourage the horse to use their back more.”

ly Eventing Centre and Little Downham Horse Trial’s Tina Ure is a familiar name in the East of England. As a UKCC Level 3 eventing coach, British Eventing accredited trainer and Under-18 Eastern Region Coach there are many accolades to Tina’s name. With numerous years experience under her belt Tina has devised a vast portfolio of training exercises to help a range of horses and riders, across a wide range of levels. Holding a line to a fence and maintaining straightness are key skills required at any level of work or competition. Tina therefore shares a simple set up of two jumping efforts that can be used in an arena or be found on the Ely Eventing Centre cross-country schooling course. This simple set up of two fences works well in any size arena but is particularly useful to those working in a 20x40m arena with only limited availability of fences. Using two pairs of wings, two jumping poles, two ground lines and two narrow poles makes the exercise quick and easy to set up, whilst having multiple uses. “Use the centreline of the arena as a guide and position two of your jump wings on the centreline about one stride apart. You can then set up the two fences, one to the left of the

centreline and one to the right. The jumps should be a single rail and could be used with, or without, a ground line. To check the distance between the jumping efforts, walk the distance between the centre of the two fences. This should be a one stride distance, approximately eight yards. “The narrow poles, ideally only about three feet wide, can then be placed a further stride on from the jumping efforts, on the diagonal line. “As a warm up exercise both of the jumping efforts can be

jumped on their own on a straight line. These can then be used to practice turns to fences as well. As part of the warm up or as a separate exercise the

fences can also be used on a ten metre circle. “The main focus of the exercise is to canter over the first narrow pole, maintain the straightness over the two jumping efforts and then holding the line to the final narrow pole. Keep the jumping efforts small to ensure that the focus is on straightness. “It can be useful to pick a landmark or static object in the distance and look to ride your line to that. This is particularly helpful when moving the exercise onto the cross-country field when we lose the benefit of arena fencing. “For young horses even a diagonal pole on the ground can be quite a challenge, making this a very useful exercise for horses of all ages and abilities. Horses use their peripheral vision to help focus on a fence and to tell them where to take off. They will be used to focusing on a pair of wings straight ahead of them, so when we give them an exercise such as this, which will add an extra wing into their eye line it creates an additional challenge for the horse.” Exercises such as this can be particularly useful for practicing jumping corners.

ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

with Tina Ure 55

SADDLERY & TACK

SADDLES FOR

EVENTING

t goes without saying that Eventing is more expensive than other disciplines in relation to tack and equipment because, ideally, most riders would prefer to have specialist saddles and bridles for each phase.

Such an initial investment is often beyond the means of riders starting out at unaffiliated level or the lower stages of affiliated level with most having to compromise and make do with one saddle in the initial stages, then as riders progress, extend their range of saddles further.

‘cheap’ saddles that may involve poor quality materials and low standards of craftsmanship that could impact on welfare, safety, comfort and performance. If the budget doesn’t allow purchase of good quality new saddles, better by far to consider buying a good quality second-hand one.

When the budget is limited, what are the best options?

A rider whose budget extends to two specialist saddles will probably opt for a dressage saddle and one ‘other’. The ‘other’ will apply to jumping – and this is where some decisions need to be made because the saddle that will best assist the rider in the showjumping phase may not be absolutely identical to the one that would be most helpful across country.

The Society of Master Saddlers recommends riders never to compromise by buying inferior

Because they afford the rider manoeuvrability, close contact saddles are by far the most

WITH THE EVENTING SEASON NOW UNDERWAY COMPETITORS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PREPARING FOR THEIR FIRST EVENTS OF THE SEASON, MAKING SURE THEIR SADDLERY AND ACCESSORIES FIT CORRECTLY AND ARE IN GOOD ORDER. HERE THE SOCIETY OF MASTER SADDLERS PROVIDES ADVICE ON THE SADDLES REQUIRED FOR THIS EXCITING SPORT. popular with the showjumping fraternity! The cross country rider also needs ‘space’ in order to adapt their position if something goes slightly wrong. Because of the diversity of the fences, the rider also adapts his position far more across country than in the showjumping arena. Riding across country, most riders prefer a saddle that incorporates some form of knee roll that adds to their security – and it is also important to consider the shape of the saddle if the rider intends adding an overgirth. Riders starting to event at riding or pony club level will usually choose to use their existing saddle probably a GP of some type. ‘GP’, ‘Event’ and ‘Allpurpose’ are among the names manufacturers give to saddles designed to cope with more

than one discipline. In recent years, a lot of research and development, often working with elite riders, has gone into the design of such saddles. However, they all involve compromise because no one saddle can perfectly fulfil the needs of two different disciplines. The very diversity of today’s ranges of saddles indicates the importance of seeking advice from a Qualified Saddle Fitter. Saddle Checks Horses change considerably over time. A horse’s ‘shape’ is very dependent on the horse owner’s management. A horse can change shape for many reasons. Maybe he is enjoying a break from work turned out in a field with lots of grass. Possibly, the competition season is well under way, and he is leaner and more muscled than he was at the beginning of the season. Maybe he is a young horse and he is going through a period of rapid growth and development. Maybe his owner, school over for the summer, has vastly increased his exercise and schooling programme. Or perhaps he has lost condition over winter. It’s surprising how many owners notice a rug getting tighter but the fact that the saddle no longer fits well completely escapes them. This is why it is very important to get saddles checked regularly. Saddle fitting checks are an important part of horse care. Yes, they cost money. And yes, occasionally the saddle fitter

may need to return quite quickly because the horse has changed shape so rapidly. This isn’t an unnecessary expense it is vital to make sure your horse is comfortable. Use the services of a Society of Master Saddlers’ qualified saddle fitter to undertake fitting checks regularly. Always have a new saddle fitted and recognise that it is at least equally important to have a second-hand saddle fitted. SMS saddle fitters have a comprehensive knowledge of saddle brands and designs. They are aware of the rules and regulations applicable to tack and equipment used in all the equestrian disciplines and sports, and offer advice and professional services. www.mastersaddlers.co.uk

The Reflex Neon Whip from Fleck will come in handy when you are trying to locate where you placed your riding crop on the arena floor as the bright colours stand out perfectly. RRP: £15. www.zebraproducts.co.uk Fleece Stirrup Pockets. RRP: £20. www.foxyequestrian.com

Calling all manufacturers of handbags, belts or leather accessories looking to source high quality metal hardware such as buckles, locks and decorative items! Abbey England, the Cheshire-based company which is familyrun, has its own foundry which uses both new and traditional manufacturing methods to produce high quality products. It has the ability to facilitate high-specification products in bespoke designs and finishes, specialising in brass, nickel silver, aluminium bronze and pewter. Abbey England uses a traditional casting method which is ideal for customers looking for small scale lines of product. The range includes saddle dees which can be used for attaching straps and handles; swivel and trigger hooks – perfect for detachable straps; Sam Browne studs and screws which are great for securing down flaps and straps and also provide a decorative look; and a glorious array of roller buckles and ornaments to bring a touch of class to any bag or fashion accessory. www.abbeyengland.com

LOVE DOGS

AUDIOBOOKS DESIGNED TO...

De-stress Dogs

series of books specifically aimed at reducing stress in dogs has been inspired by research carried out at Hartpury University. A ground-breaking study by BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare graduate Clarissa Brayley and Dr Tamara Montrose found that audiobooks can have a calming effect on the behaviour of kennelled dogs. In response to the findings, audio entertainment, information and education company Audible has published a series of books that it says will help improve the behaviour of dogs when they are left alone at home. Well-known works in the series

include the classics Peter Pan by JM Barrie, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. On its website, the publisher confirms that Audible for Dogs was ‘inspired’ by the independent study at Hartpury. Clarissa and Tamara compared the effects of audiobooks, classical music, pop music, music designed for dogs and no sound at all on the behaviour of 31 dogs living in a rescue shelter. “Auditory stimulation such as music has been demonstrated to enhance animal welfare in a range of species,” said Tamara. “However, despite suggested benefits in humans the potential of audiobooks as

auditory enrichment for animals had not been investigated. “The study suggests that exposure to audiobooks can enhance the welfare of kennelled dogs due to their calming influence on dog behaviour.

“Use of audiobooks provides a simple yet practical tool that can be readily used in many kennel environments to enhance dog welfare and potentially increase the likelihood of successful rehoming of dogs.”

NEW BOOK: IMPACT OF HUMANS ON ANIMAL WORLD

Vicky Melfi has gained almost 30 years’ experience working professionally in animal welfare and conservation in the UK, Ireland and Australia

artpury University lecturer Vicky Melfi has brought out a thought-provoking new book about human-animal interactions, including the relationships between people and their pets and farmers and their livestock. Vicky, Principal Lecturer in Human-Animal Interaction at Hartpury, has published ‘Anthrozoology: Human-Animal Interactions in Domesticated and Wild Animals’ in collaboration with Geoff Hosey, Honorary Professor and former Principal Lecturer in Biology at the University of Bolton. Each chapter, written by an expert in each respective field, focuses on a different context in which human-animal interactions occur, balancing the costs and benefits to both people and animals of these interactions; including the benefits of companion animals such as dogs. “For instance, some dogs will absolutely love being stroked and cuddled by the residents in nursing and care homes, whereas others will find the attention all too much. We need to remember that animals are as individual as we are. “We must also decide whether the jobs we ask animals to perform for us are essential and, if we decide that they are, ensure that the animals doing those jobs have a really good life.”

Product News... VetSpec Coat & Skin is an innovative supplement for dogs from the makers of TopSpec Equine. It’s unique formula promotes fabulous coats, wonderful skin condition and aids the natural pigmentation process. It contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and MSM as well as being rich in biotin and is wheat glutenfree. RRP: £11.50 (200g)/£19.94 (500g). www.vetspec.com

The Bucas Freedom Dog Rug is a functional jacket made with waterproof, breathable rip-stop outer making it ideal for the typical British spring weather. RRP: £22. www.zebraproducts.com

Growlmama’s dog and human accessories range features a (Bombato padded style) Dog Collar, (Double Dring) Lead, (Clip-on) 'Tidy and Carry' (Posh poop bag) and Messenger Bag. www.growlmama.com

Vit-2000 is a powdered multivitamin supplement for dogs containing natural essential nutrients in the correct combinations. Some dog owners have found it helps to prevent dogs eating faeces. A great addition to a raw fed diet too. Available in 200gm, 500gm and 3kg tubs. www.animal-health.co.uk

REPORTS

Farlingaye High School is

Flying High!

Photographs courtesy of Laura V Photography.

arlingaye High School equestrian team has started the NSEA season in winning form. In November, Olivia Lubbock and her pony Rhiannon Emyr won the 70cm Eventers Challenge class at The Jays EC. Also winning the 90cm class was the team of Beth Fewings, Grace Hayward and Lucy Kidwell, with Grace and Beth placing individually fifth and sixth respectively. The team and Olivia will be heading to the Eventers Challenge Finals at Hickstead in May. The 17th November saw Olivia Lubbock representing the school at the Championship Plate Finals at Keysoe, jumping in the 70cm competition and finishing fifth out of a strong field of over eighty. December saw the Grassroots and Regional Points League competition at Topthorn EC. In the RPL classes Olivia Lubbock won the 70cm and the team

consisting of Daisy BarringtonPhillips, Lottie Alexander and Olivia Lubbock, won the 80cm class with individual placings for Olivia finishing first and Lottie fifth. Back at The Jays EC on 9th December, saw Eva Cranfield placing third in the 70cm class, and the 80cm team of Eva Cranfield, Daisy Barrington-Phillips, Lottie Alexander and Olivia Lubbock having a convincing win. The 90cm team of Beth Fewings, Grace Hayward, Lucy Kidwell and Olivia Lubbock came fifth. Back out in action at the County Challenge Show Jumping Qualifiers at The Jays EC at the end of January, the team again achieved great success. Olivia Lubbock, Beth Fewings, Lucy Kidwell and Grace Hayward all jumped well securing a win in the 90cm team class with Olivia

Fredrika Anderson

Beth Fewings

(Above) 90cm SJ County Champions Team (Left) Topthorn RPL 80cm SJ Team of Daisy BarringtonPhillips, Lottie Alexander and Olivia Lubbock

also claiming individual first and the County Champion Crown. They go forward as County Champions to represent Suffolk at the County Championship Finals held at Bury Farm in April. The team of Beth Fewings, Grace Hayward, Lucy Kidwell and Fredrika Anderson narrowly missed out in the 1m class, placing a credible second in their

first team outing competing at that height. At the end of January it was off to Forest Edge Arena for the NSEA Show Jumping Championship qualifiers. In the 70cm class, Eva Cranfield rode confidently and placed sixth securing a place at the Championship Plate Finals at Keysoe later this year. Also qualifying with a fourth place finish was the 80cm team of

The Farlingaye High School team would like to thank their sponsors Kings of Suffolk, Wight Embroidery and Ipswich Tyre Group for their continued support. Eva Cranfield

Gracie Wins:

Suregrow Elementary Freestyle Regional Final

Photo: Happy Hoof photography

Daisy Barrington-Phillips, Eva Cranfield, Lottie Alexander and Olivia Lubbock. Olivia also secured an individual second place with a super-fast round, which takes her to Championship Finals at Addington in November. Next up was the 90cm team of Olivia Lubbock, Daisy BarringtonPhillips, Lottie Alexander and Grace Hayward, and success again, over a complex and tricky course, finishing fourth and another place at Keysoe finals. Grace Hayward finished the day off with the 1m class and a super clear round, finishing just out of the placings. Olivia also secured an individual second place with a super-fast round, which takes her to Championship Finals at Addington in October. The team have represented the school with enthusiasm and comradery and their success reflects their determination and hard work.

oung dressage rider Gracie Catling has qualified for the prestigious British Dressage Winter Championships. Gracie and Henton For Fun took the Suregrow Fertiliser Winter Elementary Freestyle Regional Champion title on an impressive score of 72.12% at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre. Just 15-years-old Gracie has been riding from a young age, with her mother, Julia, a British Dressage Judge offering much support. Known at home as Billy, Henton For Fun is a former ride of eventing legend William Fox-Pitt, until leg problems meant he had to be retired from jumping. Previously owned by Tara Glen, Billy was kindly gifted to Gracie and has really taken to pure dressage. The bay gelding is a 12-yearold Hanoverian x New Zealand thoroughbred and has been with Gracie for eight months.

EXCEPTIONAL MOMENTS OF THE MONTH CAPTURED By Sophie Harris

inter for me involves a lot of admin and planning for the rest of the year. But my month has also included a day with the local hunt, a (rather cold, blustery) afternoon at Higham Point to Point and a number of photoshoots for long term clients including photographing last year’s foals. As I write this the sun is finally shining so fingers crossed spring is on it’s way! www.instagram.com/seh__photography/ www.sehphotography.co.uk www.facebook.com/SEHphotographyUK/

Claudia Moore Triumphs:

Charles Britton Equestrian Construction Winter JA Classics

he 2019 Charles Britton Equestrian Construction Winter JA Classic Qualifiers continued recently at SouthView Equestrian Centre in Winsford, Cheshire and was held during the 148cm Pony Premier Show. The hotly contested qualifier saw all riders focused on securing a top three qualifying place for the prestigious Charles Britton Equestrian Construction Winter JA Classic Championship, which will take place at SouthView Competition and Training Centre in Cheshire across the weekend of the 6th–7th April. Fourteen-year-old Claudia Moore from Brentwood, Essex took the one-two in Sunday’s qualifier with her European Team Gold and Individual Bronze medal partner Elando Van De Roshoeve, a 15year-old Belgian bred gelding, and 12-year-old Delflip respectively.

VETS IN THE SPOTLIGHT / CLASSIFIEDS

Wherry Veterinary Group Bungay, Suffolk

HAWKEDON VETS EQUINE PRACTICE Tel: 01284 789428 Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP29 4NP

Working with you for the health and wellbeing of your equine companions. Take advantage of our experienced equine team and our modern, purpose built premises.

01986 892771

www.hawkedonvets.co.uk

Ryder-Davies & Partners V ET E RINA RY SURGEONS Our experienced equine team offer a range of services throughout Suffolk, South Norfolk & North Essex Services include: • Full lameness investigations • Routine and remedial dentistry • Pre purchase examinations • Vaccinations, worming regimes • Equine reproductive stud work • BEVA accredited practice for chilled and frozen semen • Video endoscopy and gastroscopy Facilities include: Inpatient and outpatient stabling with 24 hour care • Digital X-ray, In-house laboratory, endoscope and digital ultrasound. We offer: Visits on a round-reduced visit fee Yard visit days - no visit fee • Spread the cost health plans Regular client information evenings and newsletters.

www.ryder-daviesvets.co.uk

24 Hour Emergency Support Tel: 01394 380083 62

A DEDICATED INDEPENDENT RCVS ACCREDITED EQUINE GENERAL PRACTICE BASED IN CHELMSFORD ESSEX

Our services include: • 24hr 365 days a year emergency support • Free zone visit scheme for routine work • Full in-patient facilities with CCTV and on-site vets • Fully equipped surgical theatre • Menage and hard trot up area for lameness examinations • Digital x-ray and ultrasound • Endoscopy (mobile and in the clinic) • Castration clinics • Export certification • Pre-purchase examinations

“We care about your horse” www.clarendonequine.co.uk Tel: 01245 346904

Suffolk Pet & Equine Crematorium

PEACE OF MIND AT A TIME OF GRIEF 01284 810981

WIX

www.suffolkpetcrematorium.com

EQUESTRIAN CENTRE

Full range of Horse & Pet, Feed & Bedding Open 7 days a week Indoor schools for hire

01255 870744

KAY HOWARD

QUALIFIED MASTER SADDLER & SADDLE FITTER • Range of quality new, secondhand and synthetic saddles and accessories • Impartial, independent, saddle fitting and advice • Mobile workshop. • Re-flocking, top-ups and remedial flocking • Full saddle repair service. Please phone Kay on (07775) 850400

Based in Norfolk, but covering a wide area. Registered member

Juddpurs Saddlery Specialists in saddle fitting by Society of Master Saddlers qualified saddle fitter. Most ranges of saddles in stock or we can order. 111 Bedingfield Crescent Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8ED

Tel: 01986 874800

SHOWDATE DIARY Your Showdate listings for...March/April 2019 FRIDAY 1ST MARCH DRESSAGE Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: British Dressage. Tel: 07879 881755 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Open Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01449 711962 SATURDAY 2ND MARCH ARENA EVENTING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Arena Eventing. Tel: 01449 711962 DRESSAGE Essex: Barleylands EC; Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 07545 010770 DRESSAGE Essex: Brook Farm TC; British Dressage. Tel: 01708 687550 EVENTER TRIAL Beds: The College EC; Eventer Trial. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWING Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: BSPS Area 16 Showing Show. Tel: 07879 881755 SUNDAY 3RD MARCH DRESSAGE Essex: Barleylands EC; Team Quest Dressage. Tel: 07545 010770 DRESSAGE Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 07879 881755 DRESSAGE Norfolk: Lime Kiln Farm EC; Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 07749 951898 SHOWING Essex: Brook Farm TC; BSPS Showing. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Showing Show. Tel: 01449 711962 SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; British Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Harolds Park Farm; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 07775 516945 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Wix EC; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 01255 870744 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Boyton

Hall EC; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 07557 091008 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: The Jays; NSEA Showjumping. Tel: 07759 603120 MONDAY 4TH MARCH DRESSAGE Essex: Brook Farm TC; Evening Dressage. Tel: 01708 687550 TUESDAY 5TH MARCH SHOWJUMPING Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 07879 881755 WEDNESDAY 6TH MARCH DRESSAGE Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; British Dressage. Tel: 01449 711962 SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Wix EC; Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01255 870744 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: The Jays; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 07759 603120 THURSDAY 7TH MARCH SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; Evening Clear Round Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 FRIDAY 8TH MARCH SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Novice Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01449 711962 SATURDAY 9TH MARCH DRESSAGE Bluegate Hall Dressage; British Dressage. Tel: 07527 482847 DRESSAGE Suffolk: Centaur Trust; Affiliated and Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 07881 802129 SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Barleylands

EC; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 07545 010770 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Junior British Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Norfolk: Lime Kiln Farm EC; Showjumping & Gymkhana. Tel: 07749 951898 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 01449 711962 SUNDAY 10TH MARCH ARENA EVENTING Suffolk: Boyton Hall EC; Arena Eventing. Tel: 07557 091008 ARENA EVENTING Suffolk: The Jays; Arena Eventing. Tel: 07759 603120 DRESSAGE Beds: The College EC; Affiliated and Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 01234 708400 DRESSAGE Beds: Twin Trees EC; Dressage. Tel: 01767 627414 DRESSAGE Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 01449 711962 DRIVING Essex: Wix EC; Indoor Driving. Tel: 01255 870744 JUMPCROSS Essex: Codham Park EC; JumpCross Training. Tel: 07769 907076 SHOWJUMPING Beds: The College EC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Cambs: Grey Fern Park EC; Unaffiliated Showjumping. Tel: 07930 356308 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Barleylands EC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 07545 010770 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Norfolk: Lime Kiln Farm EC; Showjumping for cash. Tel: 07749 951898 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Boyton Hall EC; Give it a go showjumping. Tel: 07557 091008 TUESDAY 12TH MARCH DRESSAGE Beds: The College EC;

www.agrocotrailers.co.uk

British Dressage. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 07879 881755 WEDNESDAY 13TH MARCH DRESSAGE Norfolk: Easton & Otley College; Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 01603 732316 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Brook Farm TC; Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01708 687550 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: The Jays; Senior British Showjumping. Tel: 07759 603120 THURSDAY 14TH MARCH DRESSAGE Essex: Barleylands EC; Unaffiliated Dressage. Tel: 07545 010770 DRESSAGE Essex: Wix EC; Dressage (intro - ad med). Tel: 01255 870744 DRESSAGE Suffolk: Boyton Hall EC; Affilited and Unaffiliated Dressage with qualifiers. Tel: 07557 091008 FRIDAY 15TH MARCH DRESSAGE Beds: The College EC; International Dressage. Tel: 01234 708400 SHOWJUMPING Suffolk: Topthorn Arena; Open Evening Showjumping. Tel: 01449 711962 SATURDAY 16TH MARCH COMBINED TRAINING Norfolk: Anvil Park Stud: Carleton RC Combined Training. Tel: 07879 881755 DRESSAGE Beds: The College EC; International Dressage. Tel: 01234 708400 DRESSAGE Essex: Brook Farm TC; British Dressage. Tel: 01708 687550 DRESSAGE Essex: Wix EC; British Dressage. Tel: 01255 870744 DRESSAGE Norfolk: Easton & Otley College; British Dressage. Tel: 01603 732316 SHOWJUMPING Beds: Twin Trees EC; Mini Showjumping. Tel: 01767 627414 SHOWJUMPING Essex: Barleylands EC; British Schools Showjumping. Tel: 07545 010770