Central Horse News Winter Special 2022

WINTER SPECIAL ISSUE 30

FROMTHE EDITOR

Welcome to our WinterSpecialissue. Itisback to dreary darkmorningsand evenings; examining thehorsesinthe field under torchlight!

The mild start to winter has seen

Themild start to winterhasseen areturnofrichgrass,andwithitof course,theheightenedriskoflaminitis. Theothergreatriskisthatofacorn poisoning.Itis certainly atime to be extravigilantofourequines’ wellbeing, andofwhatislurkinginourpaddocks.

We have beenbusyhereinthe Central HorseNews office. Ihad averyenjoyable eveningatTheHorseofThe YearShow. Therewas aspectaculardisplayto commemoratethe lifeofHerMajesty, QueenElizabethII.If youdidn’tsee itlive, it wouldbe worthviewingontheinternet.

Zoeand IvisitedtheOxfordshireyard ofRichard&CharlieHarper,andmet thelovelyChapelHouse(AkaBenny). NeverhaveI enjoyedaworkouting somuch.Thelove Richardhas forhis friend,Benny, simplyshone.Read RichardandBenny’sstoryonpage18.

Thereisplentytoreadinthisissue, andour2023 YearPlannerpartone (January-June)is apull-outfrom the centre pages;part two willbe intheDecember/Januaryissue. Ournextspecialissueisthe‘Show Special’whichwillbeoutin earlyMay. See youinDecember,thelastissueof the yearandfullofChristmascheer!

Published by:HD&RSolutions Ltd,Unit 5The Dairy,BloxhamGrove Farm,Banbury,Oxfordshire, OX154LL. Tel:01295404077 Website:www.centralhorsenews.co.uk

Copyright CentralHorseNews. Allrightsreserved. ISSNNo.2056-760X

Heather.

FIRSTRECRUITS ANNOUNCEDTOTHE HOWDEN WAYYOUNGHORSEACADEMY

British Eventingisdelighted to announcethefirst recruitsonto TheHowden WayYoungHorse Academy. The Academywilldelivera YoungHorse Pathwayprogrammegiving valuablesupport to thedevelopment and recognitionof younghorses competingwithinBritish Eventing. Recruitswereselectedviathe two YoungHorse ViewingandDevelopment Days which tookplaceinAugust andSeptember.Combinations were identifiedbasedonsomeofthe following factors:paces,balance, jumping abilityand technique,trainability/ rideability, suitabilityandperspective as afuturequalityeventhorse.

The following combinationshave been successfulinbeinginvitedontoThe Howden WayYoungHorse Academy: •CharlotteRowe fromDevon andthe6-year-oldgelding,

Harthill Samba* owned by Peter ApplefordandJohnBevan •Ella WoodheadfromStaffordshire andthe 7-year-oldgelding, Quarzaowned by therider

•Ellie Fredericksfrom Wiltshireandthe 7-year-oldmare, Pure Trendsetter owned by Lucinda FredericksandElizabethHills

•Emma CarmichaelfromNorthumberland andthe 7-year-oldgelding, Leo Santos owned by Elaine Carmichael

•Harriet WrightfromDerbyshire andthe6-year-oldgelding,RNH Ultimateowned by therider

•JackPinkneyfromHampshire andthe6-year-oldgelding, Carpo Vivendi owned bySara Brown

•LilyBradstockfromOxfordshire andthe 7-year-oldmare, Tout Chocolat* owned by SusanSolis

•LouiseBradleyfromBuckinghamshire andthe 7-year-oldgelding,Ardeo

ACEYOUREVENTINGSKILLS WITHBETHISWINTER!

Mandela owned by AlisonGarlick

•LucySugdenfromNorth Yorkshire andthe6-year-oldgelding, ZorroB*owned by therider

•Paolo TorloniafromGloucestershire andthe6-year-oldmare, Zulladel Terriccio owned by therider

*British-bredhorses Recruitswillhave accessto educational campswithleading expertiseinaddition to remote support.Thefirst Young Horse Academycampwill take placeon 28thand29thJanuary2023atSolihull RidingClubinthe West Midlands.

FormoreinformationonThe Howden WayYoungHorse Academy, visitwww.britisheventing.com/thehowden-way-young-horse-academy Formoreinformationand images,please contactAlison Coleman,alison.coleman@ britisheventing.com

British Eventing is excited to launch Anyone Can Event (ACE), an Arena style eventing competition designed to appeal to riders of all ages and experience that gets underway this autumn

The new series will run throughout the winter months and into spring, providing riders with the ideal opportunity to get out, develop their skills and enjoy competing during the shorter daylight hours A range of height classes will be offered from 70cm up to 1m and will be available to anyone aged 10 upwards, helping to encourage younger riders into the sport.

ACE competitions will be run at a range of venues across the UK and will be open to all Riders will not need to be members of BE to take part in the qualifiers (although they will need to join if they wish to benefit from any of the training BE offers). Qualifying legs will offer competitors the chance to pick up a coveted qualifying ticket for the Championship Finals offering a fabulous four day celebration of ACE competition, set to be held next spring at the stunning Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool

Classes will be split into two age ranges, senior and juniors (18 years and under). Riders will compete in their cross country kit, including cross country colours, and will take on a course of show jumps followed by a simulated cross country course of knock down fences Whilst the qualifiers will see all age groups compete together, the Championship Final will see Juniors (18 years and under at the time of the Championships) compete across the latter two days of the Final with Seniors competing across the initial two days

“We want to encourage more people to experience the thrill of eventing and to enjoy the challenge of taking on something new with their horse,” said BE Chief Executive, Helen West “The name ‘Anyone Can Event’ says it all this is an opportunity to welcome more riders into the Eventing family and to deliver an exciting programme of competitions to brighten up the winter for everyone. ”

Carly Sage, Aintree Equestrian Centre Manager, said, “We are delighted to be working with British Eventing and delivering the Championships on this exciting new series The ACE concept is one that we feel will be embraced

by many competitors wishing to step into eventing and we believe it will be the perfect stepping stone into the sport for many I can assure everyone who qualifies and comes to the Final at Aintree a memorable experience; not only one of great competition across the two days of their specific finals but also for the extra activities that we will be putting in place for everyone here ”

The ACE Championship Finals will take place across the 1 4 June with Seniors contesting their four national titles (70cm, 80cm, 90cm & 100cm) over the Thursday and Friday (1 2 June) and Juniors over the weekend of (3 4 June).

Qualifiers for the ACE series will be starting this Autumn and dates will start to be listed within the next few days on the Winter Series page on the British Eventing website, which can be found here

The ACE series will run alongside the Arena Eventing series which will culminate at Aston Le Walls For more information and images, please contact Alison Coleman, alison.coleman@ britisheventing.com

Forbestresults,after

Equiwrap

RobinsonAnimalHealthcarealsohas

2022NATIONAL SHIR EH ORSESHOW

TheNationalShireHorseShow washeldatNewarkShowground on12thand13thMarchand wewere honoured to have our outgoing President,Her RoyalHighness, The CountessofWessexinattendance.

Withthepandemic stoppingtheprevious twoshows (2020and2021)theShowCommittedecidedinitsearly preparationinApril2021 to givethe showachanceof goingahead to take itoutdoors,asopposed to indoors. The weather waskindandin2022visitornumbers increased.Gratefulthanksarerecorded to allShirehorse exhibitors/ownersforsupportingtheshowandthisalso extends to our valuedsponsors, stewards,tradersetc.

MrBryanBanham’sCotebrookArkle was awardedtheprestigiousKingGeorge VChampion ChallengeCupandMr LM Fountain’sWoodhouse Phenomenon takingChampion Female.

KEYRESULTS

• ChampionStallion: Mr BD Banham’sCotebrookArkle

• Champion Female: Mr LMFountain’s WoodhousePhenomenon

• ChampionGelding: MrsWToomerHarlow’sWaltonBomber

• ChampionRidden: MrsLWinship’s Westfield CalendarGirl(rider:MrsEGreen)

• TwoWheeled CartsChampion: J W&MMcIntyre’sBatman

• Champion Turnout: Mr JGoodwin’s Henry &Oscar (above)

• ChampionBest Shod: Mr D&Mrs BWalker’sDeightonChumley.

• Farrier: WayneBalfourDipWCF

Photo by Real Time Imaging

Photo by Real Time Imaging

HAVEYOUEVERWONDERED WHATH APPENSWHENA HORSEHAS AG ENERAL ANAESTHETIC?

by EmilyDouglas-Osborn BVScCert(AVP)MRCVS

Generalanaesthesiaistheprocess ofusingmedicinestofacilitate astate ofunconsciousnessto facilitateasurgicalprocedure. Inpractice,we usegeneralanaesthesia forroutineprocedures suchas castration,arthroscopy, tenoscopy, neurectomies, fasciotomies,sarcoid removals,andthedebridementofpedal boneinfections. Lessroutine reasons forgeneralanaesthesia wouldinclude colicsurgeryand caesareansections.

Thefirst attemptsweremadetoinduce generalanaesthesiainhorsesinthe mid-1800s,first withether.Bythe early 1900s,chloroform wasthedrugofchoice, administeredthrough face maskssuch asthoseshownbelow. Later,intravenous administrationbecamethe routeofchoice.

Overthenext century,anaesthesia techniquesand medicineshaveevolvedwiththe timestoincreaseefficacy, patient welfareand safety, andthesafetyofthe veterinary team.A recent studyanalysingmorethan6000horses from20 countriesdemonstratedthatthe riskofanaesthesia-relateddeathinnon-colic horseswasless than1%.Generalanaesthesia

isnowaroutinepartofequinepractice.

Whenhorsesare admitted forasurgical procedure, theyundergo afull examination by theanaesthetising veterinarysurgeon, and abloodsampleisrun.Thisis to ensure nounderlyinghealthissuesthatmight putthehorseatriskduringtheprocedure. Oncethisisdone,anintravenous catheter isplacedintothejugular vein,sothat medications canbeadministered easily withouttheneed forrepeatedinjections.

Beforeanaesthesia, ahorsewillbegiven pain relief,acepromazine(ACP)toreduce anxietyand improve thequalityofanaesthesia, sedation,andantibioticsifrequired. To provide additionalpain relief,somehorseswillhave regionalanalgesia too, withlocalnerveblocks to increasetheir comfort. Tapeisplacedon the feet to reducethechanceofself-injury in recovery,thesurgicalarea isclippedand cleaned,andthehorse’smouthisrinsed.

Onceintheatre, thepatientisinduced with acombinationof ketamineand diazepam.This takesplaceinthe corner oftheatre, sothehorse canleanonthe wallasthemedication takeseffect.The horsewillslowlylowertotheground.

Intravenousadministrationofchloral hydrate, from“Wright’s VeterinaryAnaesthesia”,1953.

Chloroforminhalersforhorses,from “Anaesthesiaandnarcosisofanimalsandbirds”,bySir FrederickHobday, 1915.

Afterthis,anendotrachealtubeisplaced, sothat oxygen andanaestheticgas can beadministered.Thehorseismovedonto theoperating tablevia amechanicalhoist, andtheanaesthetistappliesmonitoring equipment.ThisincludesanECG,apulse oximeter formeasuringblood oxygen levels, acapnograph forblood carbondioxide levels,and asmall catheter,usuallyintothe facialartery to measurebloodpressure. The horseismonitored constantlythroughout theprocedurebytheanaesthetist.

Whentheprocedureiscomplete, thehorse ismovedintothe recoveryboxandmonitored continuously.Oncethe effectofthedrugs wearsoff,thehorsewillsitup,andthen stand. Generalanaesthesiainthehorsedoescome withsomesmallrisk,anditisimportant to discussthisthoroughlywith your vetbefore theprocedure. Horsescaninjurethemselves

ABOUTTHE AUTHOR

in recovery,or acquiredamage to muscles ornerves.Sickhorsesare alwayshigher-risk candidates thanhealthyones.Medical colic is apossibilityafter ageneralanaesthesia, butisgenerally straightforwardtotreat.

If youhaveany questionsaboutgeneral anaesthesiainhorses,pleasedon’thesitate to contactoneofour vets on01295 670501.

EmilyDouglas-Osborn BVScCert(AVP)MRCVS

AftergraduatingfromtheUniversityofBristol,Emily completedher internshipat Avonvalebeforeworkingin afirst opinionequinepractice andthenat TremlowsHallStud farm.She returned to Avonvalein2017. Emilyhas aparticularinterestinpoorperformance, orthopaedics, reproduction workandallareasofgeneralpractice. Shehas completedher CertificateinAdvanced Veterinary Practice. Outsideof work,Emilyenjoys dressage, having competedinBDand BYRDsandhaswritten forjudgesofalllevels.

• Avonvale Veterinary Practice Ltd Ratley Lodge, Ratley, Banbury, OX156DT www.avonvaleequine.co.uk 01295670501

Placementofanintravenous catheterpre-surgery.

Clairemonitoring ageneralanaesthetic.

Ahorsebeingprepped forsurgery.

AvonvaleDirectorClaireperforming anarthroscopyprocedure.

FORAGEREPLACEMENT ANDMANAGEMENT

ByDr TomShurlock, ConsultantNutritionistatBritishHorse Feeds

Forageisdefinedas plantmaterialgrazed by herbivores,such ashorses,including preservedversionssuchas hays,haylageandsilage.

IntheUK,thismainly relates to grasses,or cereal fodder,butacrossthe worlditencompassesmanydifferent speciesandleys.

However,despitethewide range offorage typesthere areanumberof common factors,andthese relatetothe fibreprofile.

FORAGEFIBRE

Therearefourmain componentsoffibre inplants:lignin, cellulose,hemicellulose andsolublefibre.

Ligninis woodymaterialthatis inherentinthe structuralfibre;as ligninisimpervious to mostmicrobial fermentation,increasinglevelswill reducethe overalldigestibilityofthe forage.

Beyondthisthereisarelatively consistent ratiobetween cellulose andhemicellulosein forages.Thisis due to thebasic structureofplant cell

walls –designed to giverigid, yetelastic properties.

Inthemajorityofgrass,cereal,legume and variousother foragesthere isan approximately consistent ratiobetween celluloseandhemicellulose.These arethe structuralfibres,withpectins andothersolublefibres providingthe “filling”,soitisperhapsunsurprising thatthereisaconsistent relationship.

Thereare differences,themakeupof individual carbohydrate moleculesmay vary,andthesemayaffecttheprofile ofslowreleaseenergy,butinthemain the structuralintegrityofplant cell wallsandtheirrigidityisbasedonthis relationship.

Broadlyspeakingitis relationship that carriesthrough to bothSpeedi-Beet and Fibre-Beet,themaindifference beinginherentlevelsofthesolublefibre, pectin:

AlthoughtheBritishHorse Feeds productsare generallyslightlyhigherin hemicelluloses,andsubstantiallyhigher inpectins,theyare still arelativelygood fitandsoappropriatefor replacement.

Anothergood reason forforage replacementwithSpeedi-Beetor Fibre-Beetisthepresenceofincreased

pectins.Thesolublefibreisbelieved to actasaprebiotic,encouragingthe growthofthosemicrobesthatcan breakdownhemicellulose,improvingthe overalldigestibilityoffibreinthegut;in essencelowerlevelsofthese feedscan replacehigherlevelsof forage.

However,itisnotsolely amatterof replacement. UsingSpeed-Beetor FibreBeet canbefarmoreversatile.

REPLACINGFORAGE

The term forage replaceris,almost by definition, amisleading.As forage describessuch avariableproductthen it wouldbedifficult to replaceitwith another.Forage replacersare,infact, foragealternatives andassuchhavea numberof roles.Maybe we shouldbe usingthe term‘foragemanagement’.

We areincreasinglybecomingaware oftheneed to supplyfibreasthemain source ofenergyasithasbenefits,both physicalandphysiological,thatarenot automaticallyprovided by othersources, andthebest source offibreisstill forage. Italsoisthecheapest andsomakes sense to optimiseitsuse.Mediatingthisfibre uptakeisbecomingthe roleofthe forage replacersoralternatives.And thisisdone inoneofthree ways:

FORAGEDILUTION

Basically forhorseswhoareatthe maintenanceendofthescale.Theymay be resting,prone to fatorwhohave underlyingissuesthatrequirea lowenergy diet.Herethe replacersare usuallybuilt aroundchaffor straw. We aresupplying highlevelsof cellulosethatisbroken downonlyslowlyinthehindgutandhelps offsetthe faster fermentationofgrassor haythathas greaterlevelsofthemore fermentablehemicelluloseandsoluble fibres.Additionallytheyare traditionally

lowinproteinandsugars,bothofwhich canreachsurprisinglyhighlevelsingrass.

FORAGEEXTENSION

Possiblythisistrue forage replacement, althoughwhich typeand stateofforage thatisbeing replacedisdifficult to say. Hereweare supplying afibreproductthat is similarinprofile to areasonablequality hayorgrass andisused toevenoutthe variationsthatarepresentinthe forage, whetheritischangesinfibrecontentand profile,proteinorsugars.

Herethebasic forageissuitably matched to thehorseanditslifestyle,all we aredoingisensuring consistencyof productand,inextreme caseswhereour foragerunsout,providing ashort term alternativetothat forage.

FORAGEENHANCEMENT

Foragealoneisnotsufficient to provide allthenutrientsrequired forthemore activehorse.Peoplemayprefernot to rely toomuchontraditionalhardfeeds fora varietyofreasonsandsochoose forage enhancement.

Theseproducts arebaseduponsuper fibres,which reallymeansourceshighin solublefibres,pectinsandhemicelluloses, andlowincelluloseandlignifiedmaterial. Generallyspeakingtheseareusuallybeet pulp,soyahullsandoatfibres,though alfalfacanbeanothersource.Byproviding

highly fermentablefibresourcesthedaily energyintakeofanactivehorse canbe significantlyincreasedwithout resortingto starchyfeeds.

Althoughthereare threedistinctareas whereforageis“replaced”theyallhavea common factor. They provide extrafibre without extrastarchorsugarsandwithout highlevelsofprotein.Bearinginmindthat grass,dependingonthetimeof year,can have on adrybasisup to 25%proteinand 30%sugars,dilutingtheselevelswith goodqualityfibrecanoffsetpotential nutritionalproblemsof oversupply. Formoreinformationon SpeediBeetor Fibre-Beet contactBritish Horse Feedson01765 680300or visitwww.britishhorsefeeds.com.

Horsesevolvedtograze at groundlevelon analmostcontinuousbasis,andit’swell knownthatrestrictingthisnaturalbehaviourcanresultinvarioushealthand behaviouralissues.However,therealityisthatit’snot alwayspossibleto provide24/7accesstograzing.Eazigrazerhayfeederistheidealalternative, simulatingthenaturalgrazingbehaviourthatisessentialtoyourhorse’swellbeing.Sosimpleandeasytouse,theinvestmentwon’tonlyimprovelifefor yourhorse.Eazigrazerwillalsosaveyoutime,effortandmoney,givingyouthe freedomtoenjoymoretimewithyourhappyandhealthycompanion! www.eazigrazer.co.uk

RETRO HAYNETHAS AM ODERN ME SS AGE!

Ajutehaynet calledtheCroftonhasbeenlaunched by Elico Equestrian.

Thenatural,rustic-colourednetis robustenough forthemost enthusiasticequine eater, yetit’scompletelybiodegradableatthe endofitslife.

Justasjuteorcottonbagswinout overplastic carriersforshopping,now yourcustomerscanmakeanenvironmentallyfriendlychoiceabouthaynetstoo.

Jutehaynets were commonplace40years ago.Butthisnewproductisan improvementonthetraditionaldesign…Itssquarebottommakes ittidyinthe stableand easy to fill.

TheElicoCroftonJuteHaynetisaconventional40”longandhas astandard meshsize.

Juteiswidely considered to be asustainablecrop,grownwithminimaluse of fertilizersorpesticides.

Ondisposal,itdecomposeswithinone to two yearsleavingnothreattothe earth.

TheCroftonJuteHaynetismadewithnoplastic, nylonormetal attachments–justjute. Thedegradationofjuteisaccelerated by wet conditions;thereforethesehaynetsare best suited forlong-termindooruse. RRP£15.95

Availablefromallgoodequestrianandagricultural retailers. For moreinformation:www.elico.co.uk

THEKIPLINGCOTESDERBY

By ZoePhipps

TheKiplingcotes Derbyiswidely acceptedastheoldest horse race isEngland,withpeople sayingit startedin1519.Itis not your typicalpoint to pointasitis notrun over aracecourse;itisrun over grassverges, farmtracksandcrosses roads.Itisoften called‘theBrigadoon of racing’,asthelandis reverted to farmlandafterthe race is completed.It startsneartheoldKiplingcotes Railway Station,anditfinishesatLondesborough Wold Farm, by the woodenfinishing post.The race is typically fourmiles long.Thejockeysparktheirhorseboxes by thefinishingpost,hack to the start, andthen race back.It wascreatedinthe early partofthe16th centurybyhunting gentlemenfromthe parishwhodonated £355 foraplateand acashprize, free froman ActofParliament, to begiven to thewinneroftheKiplingcotes Plate. Althoughthe race wasopentoallhorses, athoroughbred consistently wonthe race. However,laterthisbecameanissue becauseanyhorseorrider competingin thederbywasprohibitedfromentering anyfutureracerunundertheJockey Club

rules.Luckily,the Jockey Club relented andin1985madetheKiplingcotes Derbyanexception to thisrule.The actual racecourseatKiplingcotes held itslastmeetingonthe19thofMarch 1789, butfivehundred yearsonthe Derbyisstillbeingrun each year.

Theoriginalrulesstate ‘A horse race to be observedandridd yearlyonthethirdThursday inMarch;open to horsesofallages, to convey horsemen’sweight, tenstones, exclusiveof saddle,toenter ye postbeforeeleveno’clockon themorningof ye race.The race to berunbefore two.’ThisinmodernEnglishtranslates to the

race mustberanonthethirdThursday inMarch,thejockey mustweigh ten stone excludingthesaddle,youmust enter by 11amandthe race mustberun before2pm.Thereisalso astrange ruleaboutthewinnings,thewinner ofthe racereceives £50butsecond placethe rest oftheentries,sooften endsupbetteroff.TheClerkispaid 25pannually to maintainthe course.

The race isopen to anyone,and you enterontheday. So,you cansee exracers runningagainstponies, working hunters,heavybreeds,andpeople

racingsidesaddle.There isalsonolimitonthe ageoftheriderorthehorse,theoldest jockey so farwasseventy-four.Former racehorses areusuallyenteredunder adifferentname. Thereisonlyonebookieandasthehorses areenteredontheday, hemustlookatthe horseswhentheyarriveandmakehisodds.

The race is extremelychallenging to both horseandrider,andhorseshavebeenknown to diesoonafter completingthe race.Suchasthe winningmareSunnyin1997collapsedanddied shortlyafterfinishingthe race,andin2002the runnerup‘Burt’diedmomentsafterfinishing.

Thereisarulethat states thatifthe race is not ranone year,thenitmayneverbe ranagain. Thereforein1947, duringan exceptionallyharsh winter,a local farmer walkedhishorsealongthe course,tokeepthetraditiongoing.Thenin2001, duringthe footandmouthcrisis, asinglehorse andrider ranthe race,andagainin2018when the course wasdamagedand waterlogged.Then in2020and2021due to the Covid-19pandemic two riderswentout to continuethe race.The race still went aheadin1666,thelastyeartherewasa majoroutbreakofBubonicPlagueinEnglandand in1918and1919,whenthe country was devastated by theSpanishflupandemic.

The500thanniversaryofthe race was heldin2019and waswon by Tracey Corrigan onherhorse Frog,whobeatherthirty-six competitorstowinthetrophyforthe fourth time.Atthe500th race wasthe Wittyfamily, from Edmonton,Alberta,whoaredescendants of PeterWitty, who,withhisbrothers,mayhave beenpresentatthefirst Kiplingcotes Derby morethanfive centuriesago.Slightlymore recentlytheirancestor, RichardWitty, bornin 1802, wonthe race twiceinthe1830sand1850s. Thefirst race issaid to have beenrunin1519, whenKingHenryVII wasonthethroneand thelistofrulesisdated1519.However,thefirst racerecorded wasin1555 by Thomas Carterof Helperthorpe,whenhewasgiving evidencein courtandclaimed to have witnessedthe race runatKiplingcotes AsheonShrovetide1555.

&Bennyat the FinishingPost

‘A COMBINEDAGEOFNINETY’

by RichardHarper

This storyisallaboutBenny (ChapelHouse)and my son Charlie,withoutwhomnone ofthis wouldhave happened.

AfterseeinganarticleintheTimes aboutthe500thanniversaryofarace in Yorkshire,calledtheKiplingscote Derbyin2019,anddeciding to takea pictureoftheladywhohad wonit,the ideaofrunningintheKiplingscoteDerby wasborn.Butafterhavinghadallour enthusiasmcrushed by Covid twiceand our effortsgettingBennyfit,it wasonly by accidenthe wasfitenough to turnup.

Firstly,anoutrageousdayattheBicesterHunt FarmersMeetinearly February2022where thehostMrDavid Taylor wasfar toogenerous, andBennyspentthedaypulling my armsout. Then 3weekslater my newneighbouring farmer Mark Parkerallowingus to gallop roundhis farm,enabledBennytotellmeofhis wellbeing!

Anotherproblembeing,Cheltenham races inconvenientlyhadthe festivalthesame week as the race in Yorkshireand afriend,MrChrisKing, hadbookedmein forlunchonthe Wednesday. So,a jaunt to YorkshireearlyThursdaymorning lookeddoubtful.However,after havinga conversationwithCharlieonMondayevening,

theplan wasset to leaveanddrivethe180miles to KiplingscoteearlyonThursdaymorning.

Bennyagreed!

Five ofusleft‘Home Farm’at3:30am, two people,two dogs(PippaandBasil,an essential partofthe family),andonehorse.Thedogs

sleptallthe way. Thepickupandtrailer were crammedfullofallthenecessaryequipment. Afterarrivingatoursaiddestination,which wasthe race finishingpoint,at 7:30am, Bennywasunloadedand wasallowedto enjoysomeofthe verge-sidegrass.

Charlie

Richard& Bennyafter race

Afteraboutanhour,Bennyhad beensuitably rested,and afew people started to arrive, and startedsettingup thehotdog standand the toilets!

By9:30amhorseboxesstartedarriving,and by 10:30am we hadall weighedout;about fivehundredpeoplehad comealong to watch andthehorsesand jockeyswereassembling ready forthehackdown to the start. At 11:15am wewerereadouttherulesofengagement, regardingno rapeorpillagingduringthe race,or hittinganotherperson’shorse!Theseruleshad been readout forthelastfive hundred years. At 11:30am wewere told to hackthe four and aquartermile to the start. Ifound afellow competitorwhokindly escortedBennyandI down to the startandview theunusual.Benny cartedmedown to the startobviouslynot realisingthathehad to gallopallthe wayback,he didnot commentontheundulationsor terrain. We arrivedatthe start, Iwouldhave quite happilygonehomebutheythe only wayback wasthe routewehadjustcomedown! We alllinedup; wellnot exactlyastherewere triersandnon-triers. We tookourplacein aboutthemiddleofthefieldofnineteen.

Theflag wasraised…

Theflagdropped,and we setoffat asteady pace,canteringonthegrass,onthe roadwhere we had to, and overacoupleofbridges. Afew bystandersstood wonderingwhat wasgoing on.Thefurther wewent thereappeared to be morespectators whomayhaveknownwhat wasgoingon.Bennywasinhiselementas

Iwastrying to pickoutpointsonour wayto the startjusttoseehowfar we mighthave gone.Crossing amainroad, we passed two or threehorses, wewere stillgoing well. Idecided atthispoint to givehim abreather,butafter afew yardshetoldmehe wasfine and we kickedon,passinganothergee.I wasalsoin my element -itwassuch athrill;somethingI had forgottenafterallthose years.About amile fromhome,therewasseveralhundred yardsof slushandmud,notBenny’sbestsurface,we gallopedon overanothermain road,theA614, andthefinishlineapproached.Onehorse was justinfrontofmewhichturnedout to bethe 3rdhorse,Bennycouldhave gone by him,butI wastoo easy onhim.Itdidnotmatter.Wehad completedand afew cheersfromthecrowd madeit evenmoreworthwhile,Charlie wasthere to greetuswhichputtheicingonthe cake.

Bennywouldhave gone roundagain,not sureIwould.He recoveredveryquicklyand wassoonenjoyingthe Yorkshiregrass.

Twohorsesdidnot completethe race afterparting ways,butboth horsesand jockeyswerefine.

Time forabeefburgerand coffee,and achatwithsomenewfriendsbeforethe journeyhome.Imet areporterwhoputus inthe Yorkpost,and Imethimagainat KingstonBlountpoint-to-pointsoonafter.

So,at3.45pm we loaded, aseemingly well restedBenny ontothe trailerandsetoffdownthe A1,anincrediblyhappytrio,ajob welldone!The journeyhome wasaseasyaswasthemorning trip,wearrivedhomeabout6:45pmallhappy.

Bennyhadbeen away fromhome16 hours,travelled350milesandhad8.5 milesofstrenuous exerciseand come back ahappybunny, somethingwhich hadbeenplanned for3years.Withthe riderandhorsehaving acombinedageof ninety, youcanguess howIfeltafter!

Coming fourth wasnothing toospecial,but the storyisaboutan extremelyspecialhorse andhowmuchhemeans to everybodyhere andthe wonderfulmemorieswehavemade.

Richard&Benny

KiplinscoteStartersList

TheHarper Team athome

TA CKROO MC H AT

CHN’sZoePhipps catchesupwith dressagerider,KatherineKirby

19yearold KatherineKirbycompetes up to mediumlevelcurrentlyin dressage.In2022she finishedher timeatHartpurycollege studying alevel 3extendeddiplomainequine managementwithbusiness,witha tripledistinction*,before movingon to begin workingwithhorsesfulltime.

Q1.Howdid youfirstget involvedwithhorses?

Mymum owned ahorsebeforeIwas born,so Ithinkit wasinevitablethat Iwas going to behorsey. Ihadlotsoflittlerides froman earlyage,andgot my first pony atan earlyage;I’ve neverlookedback.

O2. Tellusabout yourfirstpony? Myfirst ponywas acheekychestnut Welsh pony, calledHarvey.I don’tremembermuch aboutridingHarvey ashe camewhen Iwas around 2or 3years old!Thereare pictures ofa verysmall‘me’onthelead reinathome,aswell asoutshowing.I’mtoldhe wasquitenaughty

attheendofshowingclasses,particularly whenpeopleclapped!He stayedwithusuntil we sadlylosthim to colicinhis twenties.

Q3.How diddressagebecome yourdiscipline?

Iwasn’tavery confidentriderwhen Iwas younger,and my secondponyreally struggled withhisjumpingdue to aninjurysustainedasa youngster. Due to this, we neverreallyclickedwith orenjoyedthejumping,soin2014 we entered anunaffiliatedintrotest,which we actually won, andithas continuedfromthere. I’mamassive perfectionist,sonaturallyloveddressage.

Q4. Tellusabout yourhorses youhaveonthe yard now

We currentlyhave fiveonthe yard. Archieis13 yearsold,and we’veownedhim sincehewas 7monthsold.He wasbacked by my mum.Initially,wecompetedinlowlevel show jumping.However,after atendoninjury,we converted to beingdressagedivas, we attended12 RegionalandNationalChampionships together,

withnumerous top10placings.Anarthritis diagnosiscutour competitivetime together short,butheislovinghackingandtheoccasional schoolingsession to keephisbusybrainactive!

Misty MorningX,akaMilo,is 6years oldand hasalsobeen ownedfromtheageof 7months. Ibackedhim myself,andhe hascurrently competedup to novice. He’salovelyhorsebut although verygenuine,hasbeen verytricky. He’salwaysbeen veryanxious,but we’vebeen onanamazinglearningjourneytogetherand he’sreally starting to comeintohis ownnow. He’splayingwiththeelementary workathome andis reallystarting to enjoythetraining.

NewportsRebbel,aka Ruffles,is 7years old. Hehas competed to elementaryBD,andhas beenoutatmediumunaffiliated, Ifeelsoluckyto have him onthe yard;heisatruepocket rocket atonly14.2,andiscurrentlylearningthechanges whichheloves.Hehashadsomegreat resultsat theArea FestivalsandUnder25Championships, andI’mlooking forwardtothefuturewithhim.

Bryngwennol Firefox(Finn)andBryngwennol Faberge(Faberge)arehalf-brothers,aged5 and4.

Ibackedthem myselfandwill continue to produce them. Finnnowhashis ownlittlejockey,who loves him,andaftersometimeoffdue to injuryI’m looking forwardtocontinuing Faberge’seducation.

Q5.Whathasbeen your mostrecentsuccess?

We had agreatmonthinAugustatthe Area FestivalsandSheepgateU25National Championships. We hadthree top10placings atourArea FestivalbetweenMiloandRuffles, whichled to Rufflesgetting awildcardforthe Championships.As wellasthis,Ruffleswasin the top10everydayattheU25s,andfinished13th intheElementary Final. We also rodeourfirst mediuminAugust,scoring 63%+, even withlots ofmistakeswiththe workbeingsonewtous.

Q6.Whatis

Thisissuch ahardquestionas Ifind Iregularly

trynewequipmentandclothingwhich Ilove. At themoment,however,I thinkit wouldbe my Flex-on stirrups;they’ve madesuch adifference to my lowerleg,andthe extragripisbrilliant!

Q7.Whatis atypicaldayfor you?

I’mveryluckytohavelotsofhelp everyday from my mumwhois still veryhorsey. Thedaysvary massivelydependingwhat we have on,butusually thehorsesarefedataround7amandskipped out,theyare thenturnedoutinthefieldandthe stablesare muckedout, ready forthem to come inlateron. Icurrently workfrom8:30am-1:30pm, then comehomeandhave lunchbeforegettingthe horsesinfromthefield.Oncetheyare infromthe field, Iwork my waythroughthem.Theyalldoa varietyofthings each week,whetheritsschooling, pole work,hackingorgroundwork.Somedays, only two ofthemmaybeworkedandotherdays it mightbeallofthem.Whenthey’ve been worked, theyare fedand settled forthe evening.Forthe

of the evening, I spend time on my social

rest ofthe evening,Ispendtime on my social mediawhich Ilove to do.Wedo latecheckson thehorsesataround10pm,theyhavehay andare skippedout, ready to doitallagaininthemorning.

Q8. Forany of thereaders wanting to getintodressage,what wouldbe youradviceforgetting started?

Mybiggest pieceofadvicewoulddefinitely be to findaninstructorthat youreallyclick with,thatunderstandsthe waythat youlike towork.I’dalsosay, to take asmanyofthe opportunitiesthat come your wayaspossible; iftheydon’tworkout, Icanguarantee youwill learnsomethingthat youcanchangeor workon going forward.Mostofalltry to enjoyit.Horses aresounpredictableandthings canchangeso quickly,sohavefunandmakethosememories!

Q9.Doyouhave anyotherpets?

Ihavea Springador,calledBaileywhohasjust turnedone.Heabsolutelylovescoming to theyard and talking to allthehorses,buthates therain. We alsohaveacat calledPip,sheis verysassy andisn’tafraid totellthehorseswho’sboss!

Q10.How do yourelax away fromhorses? Idon’tthinkI’mverygoodatdoingthings away fromthehorses. Iseem to involvethemin everything Ido, but Ireallyenjoysocialmedia, timeatthebeachandlove areallygoodbook.

Q11.Whatdoesthe

rest of this year, andnext year,looklikefor you?

I’llbespendingthe rest ofthis yeargetting my finalscores forthe Winter PetplansonMilo (Ruffleshasalreadyqualified).I’d alsoliketodo somemoremediumswithRuffles.Next year, I’dliketodothe Summer Petplansatmedium onRuffles,andatnoviceorelementaryon Milo,dependinghowheprogresses.These, as wellastheUnder25sChampionshipson both,andtheassociatedchampionships. I’dalsolove to rideanadvancedmediumon Ruffles,and keepplugging away to hopefully canter downthe centre lineinthat tailcoat!

your “can’tlivewithout” pieceofequipmentorclothing?

THE EQUISAFETY REVERSIBLE INVERNO JACKET

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The fluorescent side of the jacket is made of a 100% waterproof material, with a DWR treatment, lightweight, highly breathable fabric with taped seams The polyester face fabric is durable and abrasion resistant, well equipped for long days outdoors, giving you the ultimate protection from all the elements

The Inverno Jacket comes with an exclusive pull down warning triangle, which fastens at the sides of the jacket, it is fully removeable when not required

A storm front chunky 2 way zip with puller, 4 large zipped pockets to fit a phone or keys, treats etc The jacket has easy grab hook and loop adjustable cuffs, and a large central back zip that can be opened when riding to prevent the jacket rising

It is machine washable at 30° with a non biological washing powder

The Equisafety Inverno Jacket is available in Pink, Yellow, Red Orange and sizes XS to XXL It is priced at £118 99p For further information visitwwwequisafe

Red-Orange and sizes XS to XXL. It is £118.99p Forfurtherinformationvisitwww.equisafety.com

LADIESLANACRE

Top of theRi-Dry range, thenew LadiesLanacre is asuperb variationofthe Classic With alongercutfront,theasymmetric hemlineof this coat allows for full waterproof coverage oftheupper legand fallsoverthe cantleof the saddle, without an excess of fabricflappingbehind theleg andsaddle. Largepockets alloweasyaccess,withwaterproofflapswhile an inside phonepocket andazipped securitypocketkeepsyour valuables dry Theadvanced2-plyouter fabric guaranteesmaximumwaterproof protection.TheRi-DryClassicisalsomachine washable,and with such an array of features it is sure to becomearider's wardrobe essential. Available in a smart, true Navy or alternatively in HiViz for thedarkwinter days, in sizes 8 16/18 RRP£250 https://ri-dryclothingcouk/collections

QUINN HYBRID JACKET

For the active equestrian, the Quinn Hybrid Jacket ticks every box It’s water and wind repellent, yet its stretchy sleeve and side panels allow maximum movement in the saddle Warm and lightweight, with a soft polyester padding, it’s also cut in a very flattering style, to give the most wonderful silhouette

It comes with Mountain Horse’s iconic styling, such as a protective high collar, thumbholes at the cuffs, and the MH logo

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FLASH PARKA

The Flash Parka is fully reflective giving high visibility on the darkest of days Lightweight, water and wind resistant, the soft fleece lining means it’s also warm and cosy.

It features Mountain Horse’s iconic styling including a 2 way zipper and adjustable leg straps for when you ’ re in the saddle, spacious zip closure pockets, a detachable hood and thumbholes at the cuffs

Iwaslucky enoughtohave theopportunity togotoBarbados,notfor aholidaybut aweekof coaching/training. Certainly anInternationaltraining firstforme, andhowwonderfulithasbeen.

Themorningsstartedabout6am,tobeat the heatand thenmoresessionsin theafternoon fromabout3pm.Theweatherhasbeenvery warmandhumid,butof course thathas comewithplentyofrainshowers;atleastit doesn’ttakelongtodryoff!UnlikeEngland!

Ihavemetsomegreatridersand their wonderfulhorses.Eachandeveryoneso passionateabout theirriding,across anumber of disciplines. Iwasabletogive theexercises totakeawayand continue to improve themas ridersand thehorses’wayofgoing.We dida numberofjumpingsessionsacrossalllevelsand aftergivingsome‘homework’totakeaway.

Itwasvery differentto theUK,butsome greataccesstowonderfulfacilities. Iwent to anumberof differentyardsandmet ahostofinspiringpeople.The engagement

THEADVENTURES OFGINNY…

A swap from my usual winter office view! Switching from the cold, wind, mud and rain to sun, sea, sand and rain!! (Albeit hot!)

Photo by: Mike Freeman

from eachriderwasbrilliant. Ireallydo enjoy givingback myknowledgeandexperience, thenseeing theprogress myclientsmake.

With the endof theeventseasonseeming distantnow,ithasbeena time that Ihavebeen abletofocuson myyounghorsesandhomebred, producing themforsaleand competition.

SpotOn Time,inparticularhasbeen

enjoyingheroutingsto CherwellCompetition Centre.Shereallyis adreamtodoanything withandcertainlywisebeforeher time! ChanuckZ, the4yoStallionhas enjoyedhison/ offholidaysover thesummerandisnowbackto workandsoontobeoutshowjumping thiswinter. Can’treallybelieve thisis thewinter special, wherehas theyeargone?

On alargercirclethiscanalso bedoneincanter,makingsurethe polesarestridedaccordingly. Giveit atry!

For more information on Ginny Howe Eventing, horses for sale & livery opportunities visit: wwwginnyhowe eventing co uk

Photoby:Alison Parker

TheEuropeanChampionships in Poland wasanamazing experience, andhugely educational forafutureonthe International stage.Sofiaand Totti regrouped, took adeepbreath,and descendeduponthe Le MieuxNational DressageChampionshipsatSomerford Parkonthe 17thSeptember.

Fortuitously,Sofia’snew uvex suxxeed blazehelmetfrom ZebraProducts hadbeen deliveredjustamerehourbeforeJoJo was due to depart forSomerford.Dressage riders(oratleastthisone)arenotbeholden to thesamelevelofsuperstitionsas Event Riders,andSofia wasthrilledwithher veryglamorousnewacquisition.Shehad absolutelynoqualmsabout wearing anew pieceofkitonsuchanimportantoccasion. JoJo’smainmission wastocontinuallypolish

TEAMGAMES ISONFIRE

By Maria Wynne

Sofia and Cadillac at Somerford

Photo by fatfoxphotography

thehelmetsothatthejudgescouldadmire their ownreflectionsinitassheand Totti dancedintothearena.Itistruly ahelmetthat reflects Sofia’scaption‘Safetythatshines’. Withthe experiencegarneredin Poland Sofiaand Totti(NextBlackMagic) decided to opt forthe ‘safeapproach’ for theirChampionship tests.Theteston Saturdaywas fortheNationalMedium GoldChampionship.Theburdenof immenseself-criticismandtheirnew knowledgedictatedthis tactic.

Sofiahadonlylearntthe test theday before, andthereforeitwas averyfresh rendition forthemboth.And rathercheekilyit becamealmostawarm-upclass. Asolid test sawSofiaand Tottitriumphantandpoised for theBritish Pony Championshipthenextday.

Sofia wasfirsttoperformandat8.00am eventuallyenteredatA. Eventually?The bellwhichindicates youhavetoenterthe arena wasnot somuch abellasa ‘crackle andgrrr’soundwhichslightlyblindsided Sofiabecauseshedidnot recogniseitas ‘a bell’.Itrang twice, and eventuallytheJudge had to leanoutandpromptSofia tostart her testorrisk atechnicalelimination.

In apanickedmomentSofiaand Totti reactedto thispieceofinformationand shotdownthelongsideasiftheywere underStarter’sOrdersinthe 2.45pmat Catterick.Sofianearlyknockedherself outunderneaththe overhangsofthe JudgesBoxesintheprocess.Thank‘Him Above’for‘SafetythatShines’.Despite theinnocuous startourduoachievedan overallmarkof 69.8%.Oneofthefew occasionswheretheyhavenotbrokenthe 70%barrier.However,it wasgoodenough.

Sofiaand Tottiemergedasthenew BritishDressageUnder21’sNational Pony Champions by amarginof2.5%.Thesafe

test approach (despitetheinitialexcitement) had resultedin Tottihavingsomeimmense reserves ofenergy to expendduringhis victorywhich resultedinTHREE very amusinglapsofhonour.Totti wasincredibly impressedwithhimselfandproceeded to completehislap(s!)inone-timechanges. Evertheshowman.Andthemorethe crowd cheered,themoreexuberanthischanges became.Hiskneeswereunderhisnostrils.

Duringthelap(s) ofhonourthe renowned Dressage TrainerJudyHarvey whohad previouslytrainedMum Katie,was standing next to JoJoandflungherarmsaround her.Wryly commenting“Herewegoagain!”. Theequestrian worldistrulyoneofcircles withincirclesfromonegeneration to the next,andperhapsthatiswhyitissuch away oflife. Thecontinuityofambition, hope,enjoyment,thrills,disappointments andhard-wonachievementsmakea wonderful recipe forasportinglife.

Therewasanensuingflurryof Radio Interviews andpressinterest,allofwhich wasanew experienceforSofia,but onethatshehandledwithmaturityand aplomb.I wouldliketosuggest thatthis willbecome afrequentoccurrence.

Dad(Robert)had takensome wonderful shotswithhisnewhigh-tech camera which wouldhave been includedhere, butunfortunatelytheymetwith awatery demise.TheUSB stickthatheldthem came to anunfortunateendin thebottom of aboatin Walesduring afamilytrip.

Inother TeamGamesnews,JoJohasnow become afullyfledgedHGVdriverattheage of** (wenever reveal aladiesage!)’.Andis fullylicensed to drivea32tonnelorry.She evenhas amugand acertificatetoprove it. Thisis wonderfulnews and to seeJoJoat thehelmofsuchanenormous vehicleinher

veryelegantandenigmatic stylewillbe ajoy to behold. Ithinkthat alarge numberofthe atypical‘burgermunching fat,hairy,M1red necktruckers’willbeputintheirplacewitha lofty‘toot’awave, andtheflickof asilkscarf.

Sofia’snextportof call wasmeant to be Le Manswith Cadillac,astheonlyBritish representative. Everyoneelse wasgoing to Keysoe.Asavenue Keysoedoesnot tend to ‘do’ Prizegivings,andSofiadoeshappen to preferthem.Asshequitereasonably pointedout“ImagineiftheGermans came to Keysoeandtherewasn’taprizegiving? Therewouldbeabsoluteoutrage.They wouldn’tdoTHATinLeMans!”.However, planshave to befluidandarealwayssubject to change.SoTeamGamesre-routed to Keysoe.Andonthisoccasionthe venue rose to theoccasionandlaidon arather swankypresentation ceremony.However circumstances dictatedthatSofia would notbeparticipating. Arareoccurrence.

Keysoedidnotquitegoaccording to plan.Whilstperformingtheir collective socksoff ,Sofiaand Cadillacsufferedwhat canonlybedescribedas‘SatNavFailure’ onthepartofthejockey andthis resulted inthelossofapproximately apotential101 marks.However,therehas to becreditin the fact thatallof TeamGameshadbitof achuckle,putitdown to experience, and settheirsightsonthe nextouting. Purely knowingthat Cadillac feltasthoughhe had wonwasenough.Hehaddanced hissocksoff,evenifhewasperforming aWaltzwhenthe Samba wasrequired.

To keep up with Team Games, please follow Sofia on Instagram https://www.instagram com/ sofiagames.dressage/?hl=en

THEMISSINGBITOF THEJIGSAWPUZZLE

by MariaWynne

Lindsay Middletonis aco-director of Zebra Productsandalso theUKSprenger Specialist. Formany ofusbittingisa totalmystery and havingLindsayon hand to talkthrough the myriadofchoices,andhelpus to understandhowandwhybitsworkis invaluable.I hadtheopportunitytoask Lindsaysomequestions,and to invite her to debunksome mysterioustheories regardingequestrian‘ironmongery’.

Backinthemists oftimewhen Iwasridingthe onlyquestionthat Ieverheard beingasked was “Howcan Istopmyhorsebeingso strong?Ican’t holdhim/her”.Theusualanswerwasjusttoshove ‘something stronger’intothepoorlongsuffering horse’smouthandseehowquickly youcould pullup.I canrememberthe‘traditional’ route well.Startwith asnaffle,move to akimblewick, then to apelham,andwhenallelsehad failedtry agag.Howbasic,howignorantandhowwrong.

Therewereofcourseslightpermutationsalong the way, includingthedreadedcheekpieces (for thosewith alackofsteering). Youcouldthrow in theodd FrenchLink,or aCherry Roller,butthat was‘getting fancy’.Allthose yearsagothescience andbiologyofbitting wasnotso wellunderstood.

Thescience, knowledgeandintricacy behindunderstandinghowwork,has come an extraordinarilylong waysincethosedays. Thankfully forour four-leggedfriends. Friends whointhepastenduredalmostbarbaricdevices that were usedwithlittleunderstandingofthe mechanics,materialsandbiologyinvolved.

LindsayhadpreviouslyriddenusingSprenger bitsandherpersonalassociationwiththe brandbegan.Ridingas aprivateindividual Lindsaychosethebrandinanunbiasedmanner, beforeZebraproducts evenbecametheUK Distributor.Lindsayhadalwaysfoundthat Sprengerbitsaffordedher abetterconnection downthe rein,andherhorse’sperformances, happiness and consistencyimprovedgenerally.

Q. WhatelementofSprengerbits isitthatmakes thedifference?

A.Thescience. Germanequestrianismis fabulous and comesfromsuch acorrectplace.Lookathow

manyofthe world’sleadingridersthroughoutthe disciplinesare German.AndSprenger works very closelywiththeseriders,plustheirengineeringis second to none.Lookattheir carsforexample: BMW,Audi,andMercedestomentionjustafew.

Q. Whatisthescience?

A.Thescienceisfact. Take oneelement–materials.Alloyisbasedon copper.Scientifically proventobewarmer,encouragingthehorse to salivate,to become ‘softer’,to encouragethe foamingmouth.However,copperjointswear easily,it is asoftmetal,sothealloygives copper strength.Sprengerusesaunique combination of copper,zincandmanganesewhichprevents muscle tensionand supportsstressreduction; thesoft‘mouthing’isanindicator.Inthepast stainlesssteel‘breakerbits’used to feature dangling‘keys’ to encourage youngsters to mouth,whichisthesameprinciple,justthe wrongmaterial. Researchhasmovedthebasic ideas forwardintothe realmsofscientificstudy.

Q. Howdoesthe relationshipbetween theridersandSprenger work?

A.RiderssuchasKlausBalkenhol,Jessica vonBredow-Werndl,IngridKlimke, Charlotte

Dujardinand CarlHestergotoSprengerwith problemstheyare havingandask forinput. Ridersofthis calibreare oftenjustasking for anuanceofanadjustment,butthatishow specialisedSprengerare. Theyworkwiththe best inorder to create thebest,having ahuge inputintothedevelopmentoftheproducts.

Q. Whatdoesyourpersonal role entail?

A. Ihavedecadesofpersonal experiencewhich Iamable to bring to clients,both retailersand privateindividuals. Ioffer producttraining for retail staff,answerqueries,andprovide comfort andhope! Alargepercentageofthe roleis listening,and Ihavetobeable to understand ‘the feel downthe rein’thattherideris describingsothat Icanisolatethe solution.

Q. Whichquestionsare commonlyasked?

A.WheredoIstartwith my first doublebridle?

Doesmyhorsehave asmallmouth?

Doesmyhorsehave alarge tongue?

Whatistherider’sskilllevel?

Doesyourhorselookhappy?

Q. Whatdo yourecommend if aclientisunsure?

A. Isuggest going to abitbankandhiringthe recommendedbit.Thisisaneconomicalsolution.

Q. Howmuchhaveyouseenmisguided ‘fashion’influencearider’schoice?

A.Therehavebeen‘fashions’inbitting,but thankfullythisappearstobeathingofthepast. Certaindisciplineshavebeenmoresusceptible to thisinfluence, especiallyifseeking a‘quick fix’.Nothing canreplacegoodtraining.

Iwouldlove to seetheUKadoptthesame approachasGermanyand Holland.Inthe disciplineofshowjumping,only asnafflebit can beusedinclassesuptoandincluding1m30cm classes.Thisencouragessolid, consistentbasic trainingasthelaunchpad to ahorse’scareer. Everyriderhastheoptionofeitherriding on apieceofcottonorridingon atowing rope. It’s the feel that youare after.The correctbit willhelp towardsthesolution.However,a bit

cannotmagicallyturn a25yearoldtrekking ponyintoashowjumper,andneitherwillit guaranteethat yourhorseis ‘onthebit’ andin the correctoutlineallthetime.Onlytraining can dothat. Agoodbit cannotnegatebadhands.

In conclusion“Trainingistheultimate solution.Thebitsfinessethe training.”

For more information please visit: www zebraproducts co uk/sprenger

BENNINGTON CA RRIAGES

OSBERTONINTERNATIONAL PROVES AB IGHITWITH CA RRIAGEDRIVERS

This year’sOsberton InternationalHorse Trials onceagainplayedhostto anationaldriving event whichprovedabighitwithboth competitorsandspectators.

The teamatorganiser’sBEDE Eventspulledoutallthe stops to bring top-levelsport to theOsberton Estate inNottinghamshirewith anew marathon courseandobstacles that drew widepraisethroughouttheday.

Sponsored by Bennington Carriages the competition washeldacross the magnificentbackdropoftheOsberton Estate with competitorsthoroughly enjoyingalltheactionalongsidethe country’sleading eventriders.

KarenBassett repeatedlastyear’s

success whenwinningtheHorse Fours andsaid:“Itis fantastic to beback atOsberton,it wouldmakeagreat venue fortheNationalChampionships and we all reallyenjoycompeting insuch abrilliantatmosphere.”

Karenwasintheleadafterthedressage, before shehad a‘disastrous’ cones withfivedown,only to pullitbackon themarathonmuch to herdelight.

“The team went reallywellinthe finalphaseand we pushedonas muchas we could. Imadea couple ofmistakesasIwas reallygoing forit butam verypleasedwiththe result.

“Theobstaclesare excellent,some areopenand fast,whileothersare tightand technicalso youreally have to think,”added Karen

“The venueisjustfantastic anditis wonderful competing alongsidethehorsetrialsandthe atmospherewaselectricattimes.”

TheHorse Fourswas very well representedwithsix teams starting outin abid to take the topawards.

Guildford-basedDickLane wasanother to relishtheopportunitytocompete alongsidetheleading eventridersinthe countrywhenwinningthe Advanced Horse Pairsforthesecond year running.

SaidDick:“Withoutdoubtthe marathon courseisup to international standardand awinistheicingonthe cake attheendoftheseason.”

Dickdrove twoofhisHungarian Lipitzzaners,Plutoand Zentafrom his fourinhand team takingthe

winner’srosetteaheadof Rowena Moyseand Fred Pendlebury. MeganWheeldonandher Welsh SectionC, Red,now15-years-old, triumphedintheOpenSingle Pony.

SaidMegan:“I wasthird afterthe dressage,then wonthe conesand the marathon.Osbertonis alovely venueand Icouldn’tbemorepleasedwiththewin.”

Inthe Pony Fours,LincolnshirebasedAngelaSmithheadedthesection withher WelshSection Aponies.

AddedAngela:“Wehavehad abrilliant time,lotsoffunand competitivespirit, andithasbeengreattowatchand followthe eventingatthesametime.”

SaidStuartBuntineoforganiser BEDE Events:“It wasbrillianthaving theBennington CarriagesDriving TrialsatOsbertonInternationalonce againandwithoutdoubtitadds anotherdimension to the event.

AddedSueMartofBennington

waswonderful to be backatOsbertonand to seesomany competitorswasjustgreat. We had theopportunitytotalk to alotofthe eventridersandpeoplenewtothesport andthetrade stand wasverybusy.

“The competitionprovided agreat end to theseasonand everyone wasinafantasticpartyspiritwhile also competinghardtowin.”

OnWednesday5thOctober

we travelledup to ArenaUKinGrantham, Lincolnshireinthe evening forthe PetplanSummer Area FestivalChampionships2022 thenextday. Thejourneytook usjustovertwo hours,and Iam luckythat my horsetravelsand settlessowellat stayaway shows.

We gotup earlyonThursdaymorning, about6:15am, to dothearena walk at 7:00am.Myclasswasdue to startat9:00am,andwith forty-one ridersinthe classitdidnotfinishuntil 4:00pm.Ourtimebetweenthewhite boards was2:08inthe afternoon.

When wewentintothe arenaandit wasblowing agaleand,insome way,I thinkithelped. Cavallina really switched onandshe feltamazing. Iwassoproud ofherwhen we finished.Shedidnot even

noticethewhiteboardsblowing overat thesideofthearenaafter we saluted!

Neverinmywildest dreams didIthinkI wouldbetheone to ridethewinning test.

We waitedabout 45 minutes formy scoretobeuploadingontoMyRiding Lifelive, andwhenitdid, Icouldnot believe it!71.22% straightintofirstplace, IcannotputintowordshowIfeltorhow proud Iwasof Cavallina. We thenhad to wait foranotherelevenridersafterme to competebeforewecould celebrate. Thefinalscores camethroughabout 4:20pm. We checkedthescores more thanonceaswecouldnotbelieve it!

We have hadsomeimpressive results at Petplan EquineChampionships overthepast6years: 2018 -5thPlaceinthe PrelimSilver 2020 -4thPlaceinthe ElementaryBronze

To winthis year,wastheicingon the cake.Ikeeppinching myself; ithasbeenoneof my biggest dreamsandachievementstowina championshipand abeautifulrug.

Ihavebeensoluckyto have this amazingmare. Myparentsboughther for medays beforemy21stBirthday, which was6years ago.She wasfreshlybacked, sowiththesupportof Paul Friday, who bredher,wehaveformed afantastic relationship.Wetrainon aweeklybasis with Paul,whoalwayspushesusformore moremore!Heisanincredibletrainer.

We arenow hoping to move on &upa levelfornext year.

HAVE AGO RIDING SIDESADDLE

Sixintrepidriders took part with avarietyofhorses, andwithspectatorsin attendancethere wasa greatatmosphere. SideSaddle AssociationInstructors, Vanessa HoodandLauraElliott,ledthe sessionsand were assistedby Janet Ward andSallyLane.

Thefirst partofthesessioninvolved fittingandbalancing asidesaddle to thehorseandgettingtheridersettled intopositionandlearningthebasic aids.This went very wellwithallthe riderssoonpickingitup.Thiswas followedbyaone-to-oneinstruction sessionwhichsawalltheriders confidently walkingandtrottingon both reins,andsome cantered too.

Alltheridersthoroughlyenjoyedthe afternoonand woulddoitagainandthe spectators hadgreatfun watching.

Theinstructors were greatand teaching everyoneon aone to one

basis reallyhelpedas everyonegot thehangofit.Itissomethingthat we highly recommendotherridingclub andponyclubstry; youlearn anew skillanditisgreatfun forallinvolved.

Horseshavebeenriddensidesaddle forhundredsof years,as formuch ofhistoryit wasconsideredtheonly wayfor alady to ride‘properly’on ahorse.The1930swereits height, whentheemphasis wasonelegance and style,aswellason technique, horsemanship,and courage.

In1974 theSide SaddleAssociation wasestablished,originallyasThe Ladies’Side SaddleAssociation. Itisdedicated to promotingand protectingtheskill,sport,andthe educationofridingsidesaddle.

TheLateQueenwillalwaysbe fondly remembered forherpoise andgracewhenshe rodeside saddle for‘Troopingthe Colour’ to celebrateherofficialbirthday.

TheSide SaddleAssociation activelyencouragesriderstotry sidesaddle forthemselves,andare happytogetinvolvedwithRiding Clubsand Pony Clubs to promotethe elegantartofsidesaddleriding.

TheSide SaddleAssociation covers thelengthandbreadthoftheUKand hasmanyregionalareas.Thanks to its clear systemsand standards forriding, instructing,andjudging,theAssociation seeks to maintainthehighest levels ofallaspects ofsidesaddleriding.

Membersridean extensiverange of typesandbreedsofhorsesand ponies,whoareoftenintheirsecond careers,andparticipateinabroad rangeofdisciplinesfromShowing to Arena Eventingand TeamChasing.

TheAssociationoffersmembersseveral distinctclassesincluding Equitation.

To find out more, visit: www sidesaddleassociation co uk

Atherstone &DistrictRidingClubhosteda Have aGoatSide Saddle afternoonattheirclubfieldon Saturday 24thSeptember.

BR CT OPS PEC DRES SAGETOMUSIC CHAMPIONSHIPS2022

TheBRCTopSpecDressage to MusicChampionships2022 tookplaceonFriday30September to Sunday2October atBury Farm Equestrian VillageinBuckinghamshire.

Weweredelighted to have TopSpec backasourtitle sponsor forthesixth year running fortheDressage to MusicChampionships. TopSpec kindlygiftedprizes to the1st– 3rd winners,which were greatly received.

Katy Mickle,TopSpecManaging Directorsaid:“Weweredelighted to supporttheBRCTopSpecDressage to MusicChampionshipsonceagain this year,therewassome fantastic competition overthe weekendwithmany outstanding results. Congratulations to allthewinnersontheirachievements.”

Thesechampionshipsincluded ten dressageclassesforbothseniorandjunior members,with over150pre-qualifiedriders fromacrosstheUK takingpartin arange ofclassesfromPrelim toAdvancedMedium level.The weekend startedwiththeMedium /AdvancedMediumPick ATestclasson Fridaymorning,which wasanopenclass forjuniorandseniorriders.Thejudgeswere treatedtosome really,fabulousfreestyle dressage tests, withhighlyimaginative andintricatemusicandfloorplans.

CHAMPIONSHIPRESULTS

Friday30September

TheBRCTopSpecPick ATestAdvanced MediumDressage to MusicChampionship andOverallIndividualPick ATestWinner wasMegan FieldridingBrightTime FSTfromWarwickshireHunt RC,Area 5,Midlandswith ascore of 70.17%.

TheBRCTopSpecPick ATestMedium Dressage to MusicChampionship went to juniorrider SandieGibbsriding GomezGoldfrom Saffron Walden RC, Area 8,Essex,with ascore of 70%.

TheBRCTopSpecElementaryDressage to MusicChampionship waswon by Tina Kazmiriding ColourMe Aftershock fromStoneleigh RC,Area5,Midlands, with ascore of 70.38%, Catherine ChalklyfromThree Valleys RC wasthe highest placedjuniorrider,finishingin secondplaceonBradwellDunDeal.

TheBRCTopSpecOpen Pairs Dressage to MusicChampionship was wonbyNorthernDressageGroup,Area 3, pair DawnGrundyriding Rough Lee

Saturday1October

TheBRCTopSpecSeniorNovicewith Points Dressage to MusicChampionship was wonbyNamoiShotboltridingBlackbourn BoudicafromWattsifield RC,Area14, Suffolkwith ascore of71.39%.

TheBRCTopSpecJunior PrelimDressage to MusicChampionship waswon by Mirabella CatalanoridingSir Fabergefrom SouthHumber RC,Area16, East Midlands with ascoreof70.83%.Mirabella was presentedwith afabulous voucher fora made-to-orderBridle by Lucy Atherton fromThe WorshipfulCompanyofSaddlers.

TheBRCTopSpecJuniorNoviceDressage to MusicChampionship waswon by MeganFieldridingBrownstownSeawatch representing WarwickshireHunt RC,Area 5,Midlandswiththescoreof74.17.Megan wasalsopresentedwith afabulous voucher foramade-to-orderBridle by Lucy Atherton fromThe WorshipfulCompanyofSaddlers.

TheBRCTopSpecNovicePairsDressage to MusicChampionship waswon by Alexis

Sunday2 October

TheBRCTopSpecSeniorNovice0 PointsDressage to MusicChampionship waswon by Olivia Priorriding Fiddlers GreenspikefromOldham RC,Area3, North West with ascore of71.11%.

TheBRCTopSpecSenior Prelim Dressage to MusicChampionship was wonbyLaurenLanikridingSewNSew from Keysoe RC,Area7,Bedfordshire Specialthank youmustalsogo to the wonderfulgroupofBRCvolunteers who helped to makethissuch aspecial event foralltheriderstakingpartthis year.

SoSchufroand CWalmsleyridingO FonPererin,scoringof71.20%.

SymesridingGlen CarterandGeorgina

Bryce ridingStartreck WonderfromBath RC,Area9,Bath,with ascore of73.21%.

Megan Field winning the Junior Novice Dressage to Music Class Photo courtesy of British Riding Clubs

AR OYAL FA IRYTALE COMESTRUE

ThelateHMQ ElizabethIInowHis MajestyThe King’s ex-racehorse, FirstReceiverfulfilled adreamof thelateQueenin takingtheSEIB Racehorse to RidingHorsechampionship atHorseofthe YearShow(HOYS)on the5thOctoberintheInternational ArenaattheBirminghamNEC.

HerMajesty hadlongwished foroneofher home-bredhorsestowinatHorseofthe Year Show and FirstReceiver, beautifullyproduced andridden by KatieJerram-Hunnable was theconvincingwinnerofthe2022running ofthisseriessetup by SEIBInsurance Brokerstohelpgivethoroughbreds asecond career after retiringfromthe racecourse.

KatieJerramsaid:“TheQueen’spassion was forherhorses-andhomebred’sinparticular. When Iwas first approached twentyyears ago, HerMajestywantedone to winatHOYS andnowwe have finallydoneit!” At justfiveyears-old, FirstReceiverwas footperfectin theInternationalArenaatHorseofthe Year Show. Ridejudge,MagnusNicholsonsaidofhis winner:“Hegave abeautifuland comfortable ride,for ayounghorsehe wasobedientand usedhis cornersandhad alovelymouth.”

Inqualifying fortheSEIB RacehorsetoRiding Horsechampionship,First Receiverand Katiegave HerMajestyherlastevershowingvictory.Thepair wonattheLand RoverBurghleyHorse Trialson Sunday4thSeptember2022 to qualify forthis prestigiousHOYS championship.Katie continued: “HerMajestyknewthatFirst Receiverhad wonat Burghley,herheadgroom Terry Pendrypassedon thenews straightaftertheclass. We were soupset,

alongwiththewhole worldinthedeathofHer Majesty.First Receiveronly cameoutoftraining eighteenmonthsago.Hewastrickytostartwith andhas takentime.BythetimeoftheHartpury Racehorse to RidingHorsequalifierinthesummer we felthe wasreadyandtheQueenalwayswanted herbest horses to go to HOYS.” Katieand First Receiver tookthirdplaceatthe Hartpuryqualifier beforewinning afew weekslateratBurghley.

Topshowproducer,MrRichardRamsayjudged conformationinthefinal,he commented:“It was fabulous to seeagroupofsuchqualityhorsesin thefinal.Ourwinner wasalovely younghorsewith alotofpotentialand exceptionallycleanlimbs -he hadmannersto burn.”Duringhis racingdays,First Receiver wasintrainingwithSirMichaelStoute, he ranseveraltimesontheflatand wononceand was placed.He earnedjustshy of£20,000duringhis racing career.Previously KatieandHMTheQueen’s formerCheltenhamGoldCuprunner,Barbers Shop,twicetookthe reservetitleintheSEIB Racehorse to RidingHorseHOYS championship.

Anotherfive-year-old tooktherunner-upspotin theSEIB RacehorsetoRidingHorsechampionship. TracyBaileyandherownhorse,DebtofHonour impressedthejudgestotakesecond. Tracy said:“Thisisjusthisfirst seasonshowing.The Racehorse to RidingHorsechampionshipissuch agreatseries. We’vealwayscommentedatthe SEIBshows the staffaresoaccommodatingandit isall verysmoothlyrun.”DebtofHonourhashad abusyfirstseasonshowing. Tracyadded:“Inthe long-term we willaimhimatopenclasses.Heis such agoodlearner.” DebtofHonour ranonthe flatandinonehurdle race inhis racingdays,he wastrained by NeilMulhollandandis by Kyllachy.

SarahGwilliamriding SarCassidy-Hill’sImperial Rubytookthirdplaceontheirsecondvisit to HOYS inthischampionship.Lastyeartheyfinishedin8th place. Sarhas ownedImperialRubysincehewas “weeksold”.ImperialRubyHewastrained by Mick Channonand wasplaced fourthonceatKempton. Saradded:“Henowdoeseverything,side-saddle, jumping,dressage.Helives inoroutandhas avery nicehomelife!”ImperialRubywas ex-racehorse championatHickstead earlierthisseason.

In fourthplacewasthe ex-PhilipKirby trained,RichMan PoorMan owned by Morean Hamiltonandridden by KirstineDouglas. Tori Thomasand Wonga Swinger tookfifthand formerHOYS runner-up,MumfordandClaire Oliver tooksixth forowner SarahHartland.

SEIBMarketingManagerNicolinaMackenzie said:“Wecouldnothave anticipatedthis result. We aresoproudthatthelateQueen’shorsehas wontodayandabsolutelydelighted forKatie.It reallyis adream cometrue.Ex-racehorses are reallybeginning to maketheirmarkontheshowing worldand eachand every year,the standard of conformationand re-trainingimproves.”

LeadingequineInsurancebrokers,SEIB InsuranceBrokers provide coverforhorses,horse boxes, yardsand muchmore. The company hasalongassociationwiththeshowing world andis renowned for‘puttingsomethingback’ by supportingequestrian eventsandactivities.

For full details, rules and entry forms visit www seib co uk/competitions .Find SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse on Facebook at www facebook com/SEIBR2R

For insurance queries visit www.seib. co.uk or call 01708 850000.

PH OTO BY WWW.PHO TO GRAPHYB YS HE LLE Y. PH OTO DECK.

DOGLOVERGIFTSET

Poochesandhumanswilllove unwrappingtheDog LoverGift setfromDevonHampers.Thislovelyset contains two bars ofMischievousMutt’s ShampooBar,made by the Dartmoor Soap Company, and ahealthyteethcleaningtreat. Yourfurryfriend’scoatwillbegleamingafter abathwith thisnaturalshampoobarthat’s madewithnaturaloils chosen fortheirsoothingpropertieswhich cancalm even theitchiest ofskins, resultingin veryhappyhounds. Alltheingredientsare sustainablysourcedandharvestedlocally andwith ahintoflavenderoil,they’llsmelllovely too. Thesetcomesgiftwrapped. Classicbox£15.95 www.devonhampers.com

THE‘PAWFECT’ PRESENTFOR YOURDOGTHIS CHRISTMAS

PickuptheperfectChristmastreatfor yourdogthis festiveseasonwiththe Golden Paste Christmas PetStocking. The stockingincludesspecialist turmericsupplementsinthe formof 100gGolden Pastefor Pets and atrial potof TurmerEase PetSupplement (12daysupply forasmalldog).

with s ven n calm e hounds. rvested locally y too

ThedeliciousBlitzen'sBites Treats and aChristmasdog toytokeep caninefriendsentertainedarealsoincluded.

Anonline voucherwhich youcanuse to getmoney off yournextGolden PasteCompanypurchase isanaddedtreatthisChristmastime.

Available online for £999while stocks last, visit wwwgoldenpastecompanycoukto treatyourpet to the benefits ofturmeric this Christmas *Pleasenotethisproductwillonlybe availableduringthe festiveperiodwhilststockslast. PleaseshareyourpetsenjoyingourChristmas stockingswithus! You cantagusoninstagram -@Thegoldenpastecompanyoralternatively email yourpictures acrosstoinfo@goldenpastecompany.com.

CHRISTMASWITHREDWINGS HORSESANCTUARY SEAHORSESBIG500

Horsesand theirridersleavethebeautifulbeachbehindinthis colourful500-piecejigsawbyHouseof Puzzles.Largerpieces make thissuitable forthosenewtojigsawpuzzlesaswellasolderchildren. Theperfectgift forhorselovers andjigsawenthusiasts. Completedsizeapproximately48cm x68cm.£14.00 www.redwings.org.uk

CHRISTMAS CARDS

FROMREDWINGS:

Send yourChristmasgreetingsthis yearwhilst helpingthehorsesanddonkeysofRedwings! Thegreetinginsideall cardsreads,'WithBest WishesforChristmasandtheNewYear'. Printedlocally to Redwings’HeadquartersinNorfolk,using vegetable-basedinkon FSCcardstock, eachpack contains 10 cardsandenvelopesand thesemeasure15x15cm.

This card isfully recyclable,including the cellophanewrapping!

BONNIE &PAGANINTHESNOW

Featuring two of Redwings’ residents, thisbeautiful Exmoorpony doubleactare no strangersto thesnow–living at Redwings Mountains inScotland, theysee more thanmost! £4.00

CHRISTMASGIFT

LIVING NATURE HORSE WITH BLANKET SOFT TOY

Abeautiful winterscene ofhorsesand their four-legged friendsenjoying thesnow. £4.00

TREEINTHEFIELD (REDWINGSEXCLUSIVE)

Anew bespoke and exclusive Christmas card forRedwingsin 2022,andsure to get youinthe festivespirit! £4.00 wwwredwingsorg uk

•ovalshapeenlargesthecontact surfaceonthe tongue fora soft influence •designed forhorsesthat occasionallypullagainstthe handbutaretoosensitivefor strongerbits •optimalutilisation of thelimitedspaceinthehorse’smouth

•enlargedcontact surfaceon

EQUETECHHORSE

SOUNDLESSEARNETHOOD

RRP:£26.95

PerformanceSoundless earnet /hoodbonnet, providingnoise cancellation to allowgreater concentrationand comfortduringtrainingand competitions.Thetriplelayerearpanelsmufflesound, avoidingdistractionfromtheelements.Other features include atimeless crochetbraidedheadpieceand Equetech raisedbraidingdownthe centre.Availablein two sizes.Cotton/ Acrylic +Trims.Machine washable. Medium -SmallHorse /SportsHorse Large -LargeHorse /Warmblood /Draught www equetechcom

EQUETECH

SANTA’SHELPER BREASTPLATE

Limited Edition -JingleAllThe WayBreastplate Asupernoveltyplushiconic Redand Whitebreastplatewith ‘JingleAllThe Way’ embroidery.Features Whitefauxfurtrim edging,soft touchlining to back,adjustable straps,clips to attach to front to saddle DRings.Onesizefits all!RRP:£19.95

Fabric >100% PolyesterColour >Red/White Care >Machine washable www.equetech.com

EQUETECH

SANTAHAT HORSE BONNET

RRP£11.50

Getthe Santa’slittlehelperlookwith thisplush redSantaHat foryour horse! Features contrasttrimand afauxfurpom-pom. Amusthave Christmasaccessory! Twosizes! Machine washable.100% Polyester. www equetechcom

SUSTAINABLEEQUESTRIAN FABRICCOASTERS

MAKETHEPERFECTSTOCKINGFILLER

Vintage-patch.co.ukhave launched anew lineofsustainablesoft fabric coastersfeaturingequestrianandotherhobbyprintsintime fortheChristmasgiftingseason.Madefrom100% cottonwitha recycledfleecebacking,the coasters arewashableandwillprotect yourfurniturefromhotdrinksandspills,whilstlookinggreatinboth modernandtraditionalsettings. Pricedat£10 forasetof 4fabric coasters includingfreeukpostage,theymaketheperfectsecretsanta or stockingfiller fortheequestrianorhorseloverinyourlife.

Ownerof Vintage-Patch.co.uk,BarbaraGaddsays,"Ifellinlove with theseclassicequestrianprint fabricsawhilebackandhave beenthinking ofusingthem forourusualirononpatchingproductsforclothing,but thedesigns,whicharereminiscentofold stylehorse racingpaintingsdo lendthemselves to homedecor too. AsI'mpassionateabout recycling, we havefound away to combinetheequestrian fabricwith asoft fleecebackingmadefrom reclaimedmaterialswhichmightotherwise endupinlandfill.The fabric coasters'nonrigid structuremakes them especially easy ondelicatefurniture, andif youdohavea spillthey areabsorbentand caneasilybepoppedinthe washingmachine."

Vintage-patchisanonlineupcyclingandvintageclothing retailerbasedinNorthOxfordshireandspecialisesiniron-on repairanddecorativepatchesfor fashionandutility. Itsowner and founder,BarbaraGaddis aformereditorofCHNmagazine.

The fabric coasters areavailableinnavyblue,creamorgold equestrianprint,plus arangeofotherthemesincludingdogs, cats,gardeningandmore. Price:£10includingfreep&pand if you'reshorton time,a giftwrappingserviceisavailableat extracost.Seethefull rangeatwww.vintage-patch.co.uk

EQUETECHHORSE

SOUNDLESSEARNETHOOD

RRP:£26.95

PerformanceSoundless earnet /hoodbonnet, providingnoise cancellation to allowgreater concentrationand comfortduringtrainingand competitions.Thetriplelayerearpanelsmufflesound, avoidingdistractionfromtheelements.Other features include atimeless crochetbraidedheadpieceand Equetech raisedbraidingdownthe centre.Availablein two sizes.Cotton/ Acrylic +Trims.Machine washable. Medium -SmallHorse /SportsHorse Large -LargeHorse /Warmblood /Draught www equetechcom

EQUETECH

SANTA’SHELPER BREASTPLATE

Limited Edition -JingleAllThe WayBreastplate Asupernoveltyplushiconic Redand Whitebreastplatewith ‘JingleAllThe Way’ embroidery.Features Whitefauxfurtrim edging,soft touchlining to back,adjustable straps,clips to attach to front to saddle DRings.Onesizefits all!RRP:£19.95

Fabric >100% PolyesterColour >Red/White Care >Machine washable www.equetech.com

EQUETECH

SANTAHAT HORSE BONNET

RRP£11.50

Getthe Santa’slittlehelperlookwith thisplush redSantaHat foryour horse! Features contrasttrimand afauxfurpom-pom. Amusthave Christmasaccessory! Twosizes! Machine washable.100% Polyester. www equetechcom

SUSTAINABLEEQUESTRIAN FABRICCOASTERS

MAKETHEPERFECTSTOCKINGFILLER

Vintage-patch.co.ukhave launched anew lineofsustainablesoft fabric coastersfeaturingequestrianandotherhobbyprintsintime fortheChristmasgiftingseason.Madefrom100% cottonwitha recycledfleecebacking,the coasters arewashableandwillprotect yourfurniturefromhotdrinksandspills,whilstlookinggreatinboth modernandtraditionalsettings. Pricedat£10 forasetof 4fabric coasters includingfreeukpostage,theymaketheperfectsecretsanta or stockingfiller fortheequestrianorhorseloverinyourlife.

Ownerof Vintage-Patch.co.uk,BarbaraGaddsays,"Ifellinlove with theseclassicequestrianprint fabricsawhilebackandhave beenthinking ofusingthem forourusualirononpatchingproductsforclothing,but thedesigns,whicharereminiscentofold stylehorse racingpaintingsdo lendthemselves to homedecor too. AsI'mpassionateabout recycling, we havefound away to combinetheequestrian fabricwith asoft fleecebackingmadefrom reclaimedmaterialswhichmightotherwise endupinlandfill.The fabric coasters'nonrigid structuremakes them especially easy ondelicatefurniture, andif youdohavea spillthey areabsorbentand caneasilybepoppedinthe washingmachine."

Vintage-patchisanonlineupcyclingandvintageclothing retailerbasedinNorthOxfordshireandspecialisesiniron-on repairanddecorativepatchesfor fashionandutility. Itsowner and founder,BarbaraGaddis aformereditorofCHNmagazine.

The fabric coasters areavailableinnavyblue,creamorgold equestrianprint,plus arangeofotherthemesincludingdogs, cats,gardeningandmore. Price:£10includingfreep&pand if you'reshorton time,a giftwrappingserviceisavailableat extracost.Seethefull rangeatwww.vintage-patch.co.uk