Horse Deals October Issue 2011

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HIGH PERFORMANCE/global champions tour

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HIGH PERFORMANCE/global champions tour

GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

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Horse Deals picks out some highlights from the Global Champions Tour, show jumping’s most lucrative international series: 1. American dream: Beezie Madden and new ride Cortes C win the GCT grand prix in Valkenswaard; 2. Ben Maher and his home-bred Triple X jump clear in a 1.50m class in Valkenswaard; 3. Ireland’s Billy Twomey wins the Valencia GCT grand prix on Je T’Aime Flamenco; 4. Champagne winners: a victory ceremony in Cannes; 5. Guy Williams rides Titus into sixth spot in the Valkenswaard grand prix; 6. The lap of honour for Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Lantinus after their Hamburg championship win; 7. Horses arrive at the Monaco leg of the series; 8. What it’s all about: the Global Champions Tour trophy; 9. Britain’s Lauley Squibb and Lara Joy, consistent winners on the invitational tour; 10. Spain’s Manuel Anon Suarez wins in Monte Carlo on the British-bred Fantasia; 11. Nick Skelton and Unique in action in Cannes; 12.

Follow my leader: Robert Smith and Graham Fletcher behind Ludger Beerbaum on a coursewalk in Valkenswaard; 13. Shane Breen and Carmena Z in the Hamburg GCT grand prix; 14.

Grooms and horses in Cannes; 15.

The spectacular arena in Valencia Pictures by Stefano Grasso/ GCT and Annie Lever/GCT

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october 2011 Horse Deals 23

HIGH PERFORMANCE/LAND ROVER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS

The best of

Burghley Horse Deals pays a visit to the great Lincolnshire event and Eleanore Kelly gets some reactions to this year’s competition

William Fox-Pitt celebrates making history after his sixth Burghley triumph

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veryone who was there or sat glued to the TV coverage would agree that this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials was an HBC Classic in more than one sense of the word.

Mark Phillips’s cross-country track took us back to the “glory days”, when this phase was what

26 OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals

it’s all about and riders and horses had to be brave and bold. Of course, riders at this level are always brave, but it has been thought in some circles that the more technical element in modern events had removed some of the boldness requirement.

William Fox-Pitt must wish he lived on the Burghley estate, as

his horses seem to rise to another level here. He gained a record sixth victory in the event on Catherine Pitt’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Parklane Hawk, who produced an amazing performance on his four-star debut.

The victory lifted William into first place on the word rankings,

overtaking Mary King, who remains at the top of the HBC Classics leaderboard with one event to go.

Mary gained some compensation when she and American first-timer Sinead Halpin rose to the top after the show jumping phase to win the pairs competition.

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HIGH PERFORMANCE/LAND ROVER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS

“It was a big track and needed a scopey, bold jumper. He felt good and any blips were my fault — but then he knows it’s his job to get me out of trouble!”

“It’s a beautiful setting but my horse isn’t used to doing dressage on grass. He prefers sand under his feet”

“He’s so much more trainable now. We’re like an old married couple in that we’ve given up arguing these days”

“I love Burghley because you get genuine horse enthusiasts here.

The vast majority of people come for the eventing rather than the shopping. I do all the shows and this is definitely my favourite”

Sam Griffiths, cross-country pathfinder

Caroline Powell on her long relationship with the 18-year-old Lenamore, who finished fourth and now has the most BE points of any horse in history

“This is undoubtedly one of my favourite sporting events” Clare Balding of the BBC

“It was awesome. I don’t want to do it again for a while though!”

American rider Sinead Halpin on her first time around Burghley

Mary King

“We loved it. I’d forgotten what it was like to gallop to jumps” Zara Phillips after her round on the exciting four-star first-timer High Kingdom over her dad’s course

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Lorna from the Mountain Horse tradestand team

“No pain, no gain, but it’s been a great Burghley and not just for me. Cross-country day was fantastic for the sport”

Andrew Nicholson’s response when asked how he was after a horse trod on his hand after a fall at Highclere three days previously. Not only did Andrew go on to compete a further four horses at Highclere that day but he also finished second and eighth at Burghley

“We went ‘retro’ in our design for Burghley’s 50th anniversary.

As the fences were big and solid, the riders respected them and there were less fallers and injuries as a result. We had 53 clears out of 78.”

Designer Mark Phillips, whose track was much praised by the riders

“I can’t fault him. He hasn’t done many events this year as he spent the spring mixing business with pleasure” Nick Gauntlett on his ride Chilli Morning, current BEF leading event stallion and the only stallion in the Burghley field

“The course was a true test of horsemanship. It was big and needed attacking. I had to throw style out the window and ride ugly!”

Pippa Funnell

october 2011 Horse Deals 27

Pictures by Kit Houghton/Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Eleanore Kelly and Horse Deals

“It’s a great course and I really enjoyed myself out there. It was particularly good for the younger generation, who’ve learned their trade over the more technical courses in the modern sport. If you think of the riders who have serious stickability, such as Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd, they learnt to ride forward and positively around big courses like this. This should be what cross-country riding is about, rather than all the hooking and pulling you often see these days”

This didn’t stop German rider Simone Deitermann from leading the dressage

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STUD NEWS/BEST OF BRITISH high performance/laura’s viewpoint

Newsdesk HORSE WORLD

Safety first

The BHS has teamed up with TyreSafe to educate horseowners on the importance of correct tyre maintenance and care. The partnership was launched to coincide with Equifest, where leaflets offering advice and information were distributed.

Issues affecting horsebox and trailer tyres include rubber degradation as a result of vehicles being left unused or in winter conditions.

• To learn more, visit www.tyresafe.org

Hendrik Wiegersma Horse dealer Hendrik Wiegersma, 61, is recovering from serious injuries after being trapped under a ride-on mower for almost 10 hours.

The father of international eventer Lucy Wiegersma was airlifted to Exeter hospital and transferred to Frenchay in Bristol, suffering from a broken hip, a punctured lung, kidney damage and chemical burns

Trainer banned

The British Horseracing Authority has given a four-year ban to trainer Howard Johnson, who raced one of his horses after it underwent de-nerving surgery. The Co Durham-based 57-year-old pleaded guilty to numerous charges relating to the neurectomy and was also found guilty of administering anabolic steroids to three horses in his charge.

No jumping

Those who want the thrill of riding across country and through water without jumping fences now have the chance through JumpCross Basics. The poles are removed from the course and riders taught to ride at the correct speed and style. There will be competitions at this level.

• For more information, visit www.jumpcross.com

Aintree event is a huge hit

Picture by Aintree Equestrian Centre

The first national showing competition took place at Aintree Racecourse and with more then £3,500 of prize-money on offer, some of Britain’s top producers arrived at the show.

The retrained racehorse classes received 90 entries and the £1,000 prize went to Treat Em Mean and Lizzie Richmond, who also picked up the supreme prize at Hickstead this year.

The £1,000 overall supreme was the riding horse Holtess D Day, partnered by Horse Deals showing columnist Robert Walker, who held off the challenge from the first ridden pony Basford Playboy, with Kinvara Garner.

The 21-year-old Macgeorge, a former Aintree winner and now a retrained racehorse

All systems go Preparations are well underway for Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire showground (22-23 October). The show is hosting the final qualifier for the ridden M&M final at Olympia and there are also classes for M&M lead-rein and first ridden, coloured horses and ponies and working hunter ponies. The Search for a Talented Show Jumper competition judged by Graham and Tina Fletcher will again take place.

• For more information, visit www.countrysidelive.co.uk

WHW event sets a record Around 1,300 visitors came to Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Snetterton, Norfolk, for World Horse Welfare’s annual summer extravaganza.

Assistant centre manager Justina Smith said: “The weather was on our side, which helped attract a record number of people. The event is a great way to show what we do and showcase all the horses ready to be rehomed.”

Are you the ultimate party planner?

Toothill defends Trailblazers’ popularity grows its title Toothill School, from Nottingham, defended the senior title at the Hurstpierpoint College Schools and Pony Club show jumping championships at Hickstead.

Toothill’s team included two of last year’s successful riders, sisters Rosie and Stephanie Gunn, plus Paige Shipstone. Individual senior champion Claire Redmond, a member of the Colaiste Bhride team, made the journey from Co Wicklow in Ireland to compete.

Akeley Wood School, from Buckingham, jumpedoff against Cranleigh School before clinching the junior title. The winning team was Ellie Davis, Georgia Wakelin and Philippa Stacey. Individual champion was Thea Gordon-Wingfield from Headington School, Oxford.

The Garth Hunt branch riders of Lillibet Toomey, Amy Halstead, Charlotte Baker and individual champion Kerry Grimster won the Pony Club championship.

Riders flocked to Stoneleigh for this year’s SPILLERS Trailblazers finals, where international dressage rider Charlie Hutton was among the spectators.

“I’m overwhelmed by the number of people here,” he said. The show included dressage and combined training from prelim to elementary level and the ever-popular show jumping classes, with champions from as far afield as the Isle of Man and West Sussex. The talents of exracehorses were also recognised.

Showing competitors arrived in force and there were some top-class animals on display. Julie Templeton eventually found her supreme champion in the young sport horse Freddie’s Prospect, who earlier took the in-hand title for handler Leander Walton.

After the show, Pfizer Animal Health confirmed that it will sponsor the Trailblazers show jumping next season.

Star visits Stubbing Court Training

Top names at BETA conference

Olympic eventer, trainer and course-designer Ian Stark was the latest big name to teach at Stubbing Court Training (SCT). During sessions in Derbyshire and Yorkshire, 54 apprentices and employers got the chance to benefit from Ian’s expertise.

The sessions included demonstrations with SCT apprentice of the year George Whitaker (below).

George, a double gold medallist at European pony show jumping level, won team bronze at this year’s young rider championships.

An exciting line-up of industry experts is set to appear at the 2011 BETA Conference at The Belfry, near Birmingham, on 17 October.

London 2012 Equestrian manager Tim Hadaway will talk about preparations for the Games, Julia Andrews, MD of Kate Negus Saddlery, will focus on visual merchandising, while Laura Coffey, an investigation executive at the Advertising Standards Authority, will explore subjects such as misleading advertising.

Robin and Louella Hanbury-Tenison will talk about their “Seven Long Rides Around the World”, and Charlie Brookes, commercial director for Bauer Media, owner of Horse Deals and Your Horse, aims to demystify digital advertising.

•For information or to book a place, phone 01937 587062 or e-mail tinar@beta-int.com

The British Equestrian Federation is helping to build a training and rehabilitation centre in south-east London as a legacy from the 2012 Olympics.

The centre, which will be administered by Hadlow College, will cost £1.6m to build, with £250,000 provided by the BEF. Greenwich Council has applied to build on council-owned land at Shooters Hill used as a horsebox park for the test event.

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A Nottinghamshire riding club has been attacked by vandals, who set fire to show jumping equipment.

Youths broke into Warren Riding Club, next to Annesley Woods, and torched a container holding the kit used to stage events. The club has been in operation for 45 years and will continue to run shows using borrowed jumps.

TV appearance

Trailer Vision’s Digi-Max system, as used on the Prince of Brunei’s polo pony transporter, has made it onto TV screens after being featured in the Channel 5 programme Eddie Stobart Trucks and Trailers.

The clip can be seen on the company’s Facebook page.

Prizes sought

Businesses are being asked to donate prizes for a charity ball to support the North West Air Ambulance and British Dressage North West on 12 November.

Anyone with items to offer for the auction or raffle should e-mail Brenda Pamplin at brenda. pamplin@yahoo.co.uk

H

ello everyone. What an interesting month it’s been, as I’ve had my first experience of being part of the British squad at a five-star Nations Cup show.

Rotterdam was a great learning curve.

It’s always nice to compete at these top league shows, as it gives you the opportunity to ride against some of the best horse and riders in the world. It’s good to just watch them and learn from them as well as tackling some enormous, technical courses. The courses in Rotterdam were built by the same guy who went on to design at the European Championships in Madrid, so all in all it was valuable experience. It was so nice to

The fences are no problem to Oz de Breve in the Rotterdam grand prix

A Just Giving fund has been set up to help the family of course-builder Brian Lear via the charity Aspire.

Brian suffered serious back injuries in a ramp accident at Hickstead and is currently in a spinal injuries unit.

•To donate, visit www.justgiving. com/BrianLear2011

Reason 1: Keep in touch with what’s happening in every part of the horse world

W

ell, what a manic few weeks I’ve had! The British Young Horse Championships at Addington are now a must in the calendar. This is a great show for the young ones and the prize-money’s good too. It increases sizeably if your horse stays clear throughout the show and the British Equestrian Federation also gives good bonuses for British-bred horses.

My home-bred Sussex Caretino — by Caretino Glory out of a Hamilton III mare and piloted by Louise Pavitt doing her AP McCoy impression — triumphed in the five-year-old championship. We also had a joint-winner in the four-year-olds with another mare, Luxury Number (Numero Uno-Lux), so Addington was all about girl power for me! My six-year-old Lupicor gelding did win the consolation class after failing to qualify for the final — we changed his bridle and while the ride was lovely, clear rounds were absent, so we changed back to his old bit and he duly won. It’s a funny old game!

Addington is fabulous in that all horses’ breeding is read out. This is critical for British breeding to move forwards and also informative for spectators. This year, Addington moved forward a day to avoid clashing with Pembroke Country, but I’m told next year goes back to ThursdaySunday. I’ve also heard a rumour that the show could move. Well, I do hope not!

The whole shebang works well as it is, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Another interesting part of the championships is the Brightwells auction. This is always enlightening and some of this year’s prices amazed me — high and low.

To be fair, I didn’t see the vet’s reports on the horses and of course these can be influential. I’d also like more British-bred entries, but the foal auction’s much stronger now and there were a couple that made me look twice!

So then we decamped to the Scope Festival for a week, yes a whole week! Don

Laura Renwick looks back at her first time on a team GBR top-level squad and keeps her fingers crossed for our riders in Madrid

Brian Lear

OCTOBER 2011 HORSE DEALS 11

BRITISH

viewpoint

manage with minimal amounts of clothes, but that doesn’t work for us girls. You might say I didn’t really have the most appropriate shoes to contend with the mud and one thing’s for sure, Hunter wellies are a necessity at these shows, no matter what time of year!

Despite the mud and rain, my horses all loved Rotterdam and I just missed out on being leading rider by one point! Beluga represent Team GBR as well! won two classes – she’s truly amazing!

Although I was only reserve rider, I was Rollercoaster also won a class and still treated as part of the team and didn’t finished fourth in the Championship of they do brilliantly in the Nations Cup to Rotterdam. finish second overall? Ben Maher and his This took place over a very big, technical home-bred nine-year-old Tripple X really course and there were only five clears out showed the others how it should be done. of around 60 starters. I was last to go in Ben was so unlucky in the jump-off, but I the jump-off and knew I had nothing to know he was delighted with his horse. lose, so I really had a go, but we made a The weather was the only let down in mistake late in the round.

Rotterdam. It rained from the Oz also performed really well. moment we arrived literally He still gets so daunted by the until we left and as we’d atmosphere in big arenas. Here, travelled there with Ben I he was terrified of the big screen was only able to take the that was positioned at one end. minimal amount of stuff That was our undoing in the with me. grand prix. He jumped all the Men seem to be able to fences with no problem and oz Got a then got a fright when he saw fRiGht himself on the big screen and when he ran away from it!

Oz is still a big baby in a lot of saw ways and he needs this sort of hiMseLf show to grow up. The on the BiG experience obviously did him scReen good as he hit form last week in Pinerolo in Italy, where he won the world ranking class on the Friday and then the grand prix two days later.

As many of you will be, I’m just about to settle down and watch the European Championships. It’s obviously a great shame that two of our key team members, Robert Smith and Michael Whitaker will both be missing out. I think that if their horses had been in Madrid we would have had a very good chance of team gold.

But Nick, John, Ben and Guy will be brilliant as well, I’m sure, and if their horses are still on the form they’ve been showing recently they have every chance.

I’ve gone through the ranks with Ben and Guy and they both have nerves of steel, so nothing will faze them! I wish them all luck for the coming weekend.

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Shirley Light and the Brendon Stud team have been on the road this month - with spectacular results

Is it AP McCoy? Louise Pavitt and Sussex Caretino take the British five-year-old title at Addington

VHP Z had an unlucky pole in the sevenand eight-year-old jump-off. As he sometimes runs a little on empty when he has to jump three days on the trot, I gave him some electrolyte whoopy do stuff, which definitely worked. As Lou pushed round a corner to an oxer, he was still full of energy and ended up too close!

In the five-year-old championship, the superstar that is Sussex Caretino went a bit green through the combination and backed off the grandstand at the end of the arena, so had a back rail. This gave Tom Hearne and Bintang, who were fourth at Addington, the chance to run off with the money.

Bintang is by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve out of a Heartbreaker mare: the same breeding as my lovely ex stallion Warrior. We would meet again on the battlefield a week later at Hickstead! Lupicos then finished the week in style by qualifying for the HOYS six-year-olds, again in his old bit!

I think the biggest talking point at Scope was about the stipendiary stewards, Frank and Mike, being forcibly retired. Beckie Smillie of Shaw Farm Stud was fantastic at rallying support for them, not that

ADDINGTON WAS ALL ABOUT GIRL POWER FOR ME

october 2011 horse Deals 21

www.horsedeals.co.uk

much rallying was needed! These two fellas know their job inside out and have a few more miles left in ’em yet.

On to Hickstead’s new national show, with another brilliant four days of jumping and everyone having the chance to qualify for the hallowed main arena.

My team excelled themselves and we won the four-, five- and six- and seven-year-old championships!

Lord Nederland (Nederland F-Hamilton III) was actually equal first in the four-year-olds as British Showjumping doesn’t think they should go against the clock: surely by August or September they can? Then Sussex Caretino was back to her best in the five-year-olds — with Tom Hearne second — and Don VHP Z won, with Lupicos fourth in a new bit altogether! This was a super show and no grand prix winner could have had a bigger smile than Tim Davies!

We’re having a week at home to round up some yearlings for worming and feet trimming before heading to the World Breeding Championship at Belgium’s Zangersheide Stud. I’m taking Sussex Caretino and Don VHP Z and there are lots of British-bred horses among this year’s contingent. Then it’s HOYS, with three horses, plenty of driving and five long days. At (I believe) nearly £70 a stable per night, I won’t be staying there, but hey ho it is HOYS! Be lucky xx

Picture by Horse Deals

10 OCTOBER 2011 HORSE DEALS

Olympic legacy

Riding club blaze

laura’s

Pictures by cHIo rotterdam

Your Horse Live, organised by our sister magazine Your Horse, will be rewarding the person who can get the most friends together for the event at Stoneleigh (12-13 November).

If your group is the largest, you’ll win a luxury hamper worth £250, which you can share in between doing celebrity spotting!

Remember to book all your tickets together. To book in advance and save money visit www.yourhorselive.co.uk or call 0844 581 0770 and quote EQ-TSM. The hotline closes on Thursday, 10 November 2011 at midday.

HORSE WORLD

Drive and ride

New research conducted by Kwik Fit has revealed that people taking part in equestrian activities do the most driving among sporting Britons. Riders cover an average of 27 miles per trip to see their horse, adding up to a huge total each year.

F BEST O

Laura and Beluga after their first win in Rotterdam

OCTOBER 2011 HORSE DEALS 111

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This year’s futurity series proved more popular than ever and also showed that British breeding is going the right way. Here are just a few of the many horses that were assessed as Elite: 1. Woodlander Stud’s Woodlander Wild Child, an embryo transfer dressage colt by Woodlander Wavavoom out of the World Champion mare Woodlander Farouche (Fuerst Heinrich), gained the highest ever futurity score at Solihull; 2. Sarah Abelwhite’s CHAPS-registered three-year-old sports pony dressage filly Abbeywood Chocolate Brownie (Copybush Chiron-Harroway Mr Harlequin) was top scorer at Plumpton; 3. The show jumping filly foal Condors Touch And Go (Condor-Ramexico), owned and bred

by Roy Haggerty and Mike Pugh, gained the highest score at Tall Trees; 4. At The College, Sarah Bullimore’s home-bred colt Corouet (Balou du Rouet-Lovis Corinth) had the highest mark of the series for a potential show jumper; 5. The highest score at South View was gained by Jonathan Parrott’s home-bred three-year-old show jumper Danny Kannan (KannanBurggraff); 6. Louella Stud’s two-year-old dressage colt Dark De Niro (De Niro-Royal Academy) was top scorer at Arena UK; 7. The eventing colt foal Early Morning (Chilli Morning-Be My Chief), home-bred by Nick Gauntlett, topped the scores at Solihull 2; 8. Witcham House Stud’s dressage colt foal Flammen d’Or (Flammengold-Riccio) had the top score at The College 1; 9. Top scorer at the SNEC was Ben Wentink’s eventing foal Glen Nevis Scais (Ben Nevis-Concetto); 10. Vienna Bayles’s home-bred eventing yearling Let’s Dance (RevolutionLady’s Tralee Raj), who was awarded one of three Elite Premiums at Richmond; 11. Top scorer at Catherston was Karen Frankham’s eventing filly foal Spring Galexis (Catherston Springsteen-Plaisir); 12. At the SNEC Elizabeth Agnew’s colt foal Tanganyika (Grafenstolz-It’s Without Doubt) gained an Elite Premium from the eventing section Pictures by British Breeding (courtesy of Kevin Sparrow, Craig Payne, Eclipse Photos and George Michie)

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october 2011 Horse Deals 109

Win this horsebox worth £28,700!

Fuel stop Whatever you do with your horse, the correct diet will ensure he’s up to the challenge. Here, the feed experts at Dodson & Horrell explain all you need to know Weight watchers

With obesity problems reaching alarming levels in UK horses, it pays to keep an eye on your horse’s weight and condition. “Weightape your horse regularly and check his condition score,” say the experts at D&H (find out more at www. dodsonandhorrell.com). “As a general rule, your horse should be fed 2-2.5% of his bodyweight each day to maintain his condition – so the average 500kg horse will need around 10kg per day.”

Fibre providers

Hay, grass and haylage are high in fibre, but other fibre-filled goodies include chaff (chopped hay and straw), alfalfa and sugar beet. If your horse is a fussy eater, research shows that offering two or more different types of fibre, such as a pile of hay and a bucket of chaff, can encourage him to eat more in the stable.

Extra support

A name you can trust Dodson & Horrell is a family-run business that has manufactured horse feeds for over 70 years. It produces a comprehensive range of feeds, herbs and supplements to suit horses of all breeds and disciplines. The high quality of the products is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why so many people choose to feed Dodson & Horrell. A significant amount of

12 october 2011 Horse Deals

time and resource is invested into suppliers and raw materials to maintain the highest quality possible. Dodson & Horrell uses its scientific research and manufacturing prowess to produce a comprehensive range of products for its most important customer – your horse. For free expert feeding advice, call the D&H helpline on 0845 345 2627.

From respiratory and hoof supplements to calmers and joint and muscle-boosting products, there is a huge range of supplements on the market.

Available in powder, granule, liquid, pellet and paste form, they’re there to support a balanced diet if your horse has a specific weakness, health problem or need for extra salts and minerals in the form of electrolytes. It’s important to be labelsavvy. Look at how much you need to feed per day and what percentage of the more expensive ingredients the supplement contains.

Tel: 01733 468000

h Wor,7t00! £28

A balanced diet

“To fulfil your horse’s energy needs he must have a balance of the essential nutrients,” say the experts at D&H. “This means carbohydrates in the form of cereal grains and fibre; protein to provide the essential ‘building blocks’ for muscle and tissue; fats and oils, as well as vitamins and minerals. Water is another essential (though technically not a nutrient). It aids the digestive process and makes up 65-75% of your horse’s body.”

Healthy digestion

“Horses are ‘trickle feeders’, designed to eat little and often, which is why limiting their ability to graze can have serious health implications,” says the D&H team. “It’s our job to replicate this natural eating pattern by allowing grass, hay and other high-fibre food sources to form the bulk of their diet.”

It could be yours!

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his Equi-Trek Sonic Horsebox is worth a cool £28,700 – and it could be yours if you enter our fantastic competition today! The Sonic is compact and easy to drive and carries two horses in total luxury. It has the added benefit of a tack/changing/sitting area, with two saddle racks, two bridle racks and two coat hooks so you can carry all your equipment with ease, totally separate from the horses’ area.

There’s also additional storage over the cab.

Equi-Trek has generously added a package of incredible extras to our Sonic, including: • Alloy wheels • Mud flaps • Head divider • Corner seat with storage • CCTV camera • Digital reversing camera • Padded partition • Padded walls • Extra height partition • Road tax until June 2012

How to enter

For your chance to win…

>> Go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win and follow the instructions. Special terms and conditions apply. Closing date is midday on 2 January 2012. Alternatively visit Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park – the horsebox will be on show for you to have a look at and you can enter while you’re there. Competition open to UK entrants only. >>For more information on the Equi-Trek range of horseboxes, go to www.equi-trek.com or call 01484 852121

Win even more!

As well as the fantastic Equi-Trek Sonic Horsebox, we’re giving you the chance to win prizes every month from our Win a Horsebox sponsors Dodson & Horrell, Petplan Equine, Musto, Dog It and Equisafety. This month, we’ve teamed up with Dodson & Horrell to offer one reader a year’s supply of feed for one horse, along with a consultation from a member of the D&H Nutritional Team. In addition, they’ll receive a D&H goody bag containing items for them and their horse. Five runners-up will receive a £25 feed voucher and a goody bag. For more information visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com or join them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dodsonandhorrell. To enter, and for full terms and conditions, go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win – closing date is 26 October, 2011. For more on Dodson & Horrell’s range of horse and dog food call 01832 737300 or visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com www.horsedeals.co.uk august 2011 Horse Deals 23

EUROPEAN BREEDS SPECIAL GUIDE

European

union

Are you thinking of buying a horse with European bloodlines? Use our guide to help you make up your mind

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hen many people think of European horse breeds, the word “warmblood” springs to mind. But a warmblood isn’t a breed. It’s a middleweight type of horse that came into being in Continental Europe. The horses were called warmbloods to distinguish them from the heavy draught breeds (cold bloods) and refined “hot blooded” types such as Thoroughbreds and Arabians.

Many European breeds operate what is 120 OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals

known as an “open” studbook policy to enable them to produce horses for sport.

This means high-class stallions can be entered into more than one studbook, making their blood available to a wider range of mares, but also making the warmblood breeds somewhat of a mixture.

Some breeds also used to be quite heavy, but the use of Thoroughbred stallions and other British breeds means the modern warmblood – wherever it was born – has become one of the best and most

popular animals for competition.

The Thoroughbred and Arabian are still used for competition in many European countries, as are Andalusian and Lusitano horses from Spain and Portugal, which were also used as refining influences by the first warmblood breeders.

There are literally hundreds of breeds originating from Europe, so we couldn’t list them all. With apologies to enthusiasts of those we haven’t room for, here is our guide to some of the more popular breeds.

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EUROPEAN BREEDS SPECIAL GUIDE

ANDALUSIAN

BAVARIAN WARMBLOOD

Origin: Spain, Iberian Peninsula Type: Elegant, strong horses with straight or slightly convex profiles, massive chests, strong hindquarters and no excess feathers.

Movement is active and energetic Colour: mainly grey, but can be found in many other colours Size: ideally 15.1hh15.3hh Temperament: docile, intelligent and co-operative History: Also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE, the breed’s ancestors have been on Did you kn ow? the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years.

The Andalusia n has It is descended from the Iberian warhorse appeared in ep ic s such and North African Barb, thus making it as Gladiator, Br aveheart possibly the world’s first warmblood. and The Lord of the Andalusian studs were in operation in Spain Rings trilogy in the 15th century and the breed has changed little since. It was used to create breeds such as the Lipizzaner and in the 16th century, Spanish horses used in classical dressage in Germany influenced the Hanoverian, Holsteiner and Oldenburger. Dutch and Danish breeds also contain Spanish blood

Origin: Bavaria, Germany Did you Type: Elegant, attractive horses, with good know? conformation, limbs and movement. They Difficult or are scopy jumpers with a good technique. nervous horses The goal is to produce a horse suitable for are not allowed sport and pleasure to breed Colour: all solid colours, mostly chestnut and bay Size: 15.2hh-16.2hh Temperament: willing and docile History: Bavaria is one of Germany’s oldest breeding regions, known for the famed Rottal riding horse at the time of the crusades.

By 1800, Holsteiner, Neopolitan and Andalusian blood had been added and after half-breds went into the mix, the Bavarian Warmblood became too light for farmwork. They were used as carriage horses until World War II and today’s breed has been refined through Thoroughbred and Trakehner blood and now most resembles the Hanoverian and Westphalian

BELGIAN WARMBLOOD (BWP)/BELGIAN SPORT HORSE (sBs)

Origin: Belgium (BWP: north; sBs: south) Type: breeders aim for a modern, correctly built horse with a rectangular frame, scope and good basic paces. The type of the Belgian horse varies in size and substance and it is often identified by a “pinwheel” brand of horses’ heads Colour: any Size: 15.1hh-17hh Temperament: docile. Suitable for amateur and international riders History: because the Belgian government was keen to protect the bloodlines of the Brabant draught horse, Belgian breeders were not allowed to Did you kn ow? produce lighter saddle horses until the 1950s.

Belgium is also the Foundation stock included Selle Francais and home of Zang er sh eide KWPN jumping horses, Hanoverians and Stud, which op erates Holsteiners, and the Belgian horse is now prized its own Z stud book for show jumping

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CZECH WARMBLOOD Origin: Czech Republic Type: a robust, powerful horse with elastic movement. It is popular for all horse sports, particularly eventing and show jumping, but can also be used for general riding and light farmwork Colour: mostly bay, chestnut and black Size: average 16hh Temperament: willing, trainable and friendly History: the breed’s records go back to the time of the Austro-Hungarian empire, with the blood of Spanish and Neopolitan horses introduced in the 19th century. German bloodlines were then added and extra refinement supplied through infusions of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Selle Francais

Did you kn ow?

Czech Warmbl oods probably have the thickest manes and tails of all Euro pean horse breeds

OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals 121

TRADE TALK/PADDY HUGHES

trade talk

42 OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals

Tel: 01733 468000

TRADE TALK/PADDY HUGHES

Horse Deals meets Paddy Hughes, whose expert eye has made Horse First a worldwide success

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www.horsedeals.co.uk

Back in the UK, Paddy set up a training and sales operation in Essex and 10 years ago, went home to Ireland, where he is now settled with his wife and young family. Here, he runs Carlingford Horses, where amateur and professional riders from all over Europe and America find future stars.

So why did he go into complementary feedstuffs?

“To be honest, I’d tried a lot of them over 30 years and was disappointed,” he says.

“We spent a long time doing research and trying the formulations on my own horses and when I was happy, I asked top riders to try them and give me their honest opinions.”

Paddy is just as careful to get feedback from grooms.

“The professional grooms told me what was needed,” he explains. “It’s the person

The person who watches the horses eating and sees them walk out of their box in the morning knows what they need - Paddy Hughes

who watches the horses eating and sees them walk out of their box in the morning who knows that.”

The science is there, along with a healthy helping of practical horse skills.

For instance, at one international trade fair Paddy was approached by a nutritionist, who told him he had included too much biotin in a hoof supplement, as horses could only digest a much smaller amount.

“I asked him how many feedrooms he’d been in,” recalls Paddy. “He was very polite and said he didn’t understand what I meant. But when I showed him the process between opening a tub and getting the product into the horse’s stomach and that it’s so easy for some to end up on the floor, he told me he’d never thought of that practical side of it and thanked me for pointing it out.

“If you think about it, the feed goes into a bucket, then the supplement goes in, then the bucket gets tipped in the manger and the horse maybe pushes it around and drops some of it. This man was a great scientist, but he’d never actually watched a horse being fed.“ Paddy wants products that do what they say on the tub. The names are deliberately simple, such as Hoof First, My Joints and Relax Me, but he says he won’t compromise on quality.

“There are products on sale at a third of what it costs me to buy the same ingredients,” he points out. “So how can they do any good?”

He’s proud that Horse First has just been awarded an internationally recognised quality management scheme and excited about new ideas coming through. Even so, there’s still nothing that can make him as enthusiastic as finding a horse that shows potential.

Maybe that’s the real secret of Horse First’s success. As Paddy says, his products are made by horse people for horse people – and horse sense and science make a pretty good combination.

• For more information, phone 028 3084 8844 or visit www.horsefirst.net

Pictures by www.horsefirst.net

even years ago, show jumping and event horse rider and producer Patrick “Paddy” Hughes turned his horseman’s eye on the world of supplementary equine nutrition.

And today, this Irishman who can spot potential top-class horses with instinctive skill not only continues to make horses, but also makes complementary feedstuffs designed to benefit everything from all-round health to specific issues.

Horse First is aimed at what Paddy calls the “thinking owner”. And while he now exports his range to 26 countries and numbers some of the biggest names in show jumping and eventing among his clients, his products have become just as popular with amateur owners.

“I’m not a chemist and I’m not a nutritionist,” he says. “So I found the best one I could and with his specialist knowledge and what I know about horses, I’m very happy with the result.”

Paddy’s equestrian background is studded with legendary names. He left school at what he describes as a “premature age” and started as an old-fashioned nagsman, training three-year-olds for competition with John Micklem, whose brother William is now one of world’s leading coaches.

Later, he won a scholarship to train with Iris Kellett – who also numbered stars such as Eddie Macken and Peter Charles among her pupils — and a year later, worked with producer and judge Michael Leonard.

He then struck out for himself, buying, competing and selling horses, before he was offered the job of travelling and competing Robert Smith’s young horses.

Wanting to learn still more, Paddy next went to America, where he worked with some of the biggest names in show jumping, including Olympic medallist Michael Matz, now a leading racehorse trainer, and current US show jumping team chef d’equipe George Morris.

OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals 43

s 28ge pa

re su nd en y a to lth ed ea ne , h d u fit un yo im r ro ce h a vi ps -ye ad ee ll rt t k o a pe die o g ex s t e se’ ng th r ri ll ho ra – a ur yo

PART ONE

FEED guide 2011 I ncluding * Must - read guide to for age * Why and when to feed supplements * Your feeding problems solved * How to prevent health and *

behaviour al problems F eeding dos and don ’ts

Dream day out competition

WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN

We asked thousands of you on Facebook, twitter and on our website to tell us what would be your dream equine day. We had an amazing response and have taken all your comments and used them to create a selection of

prizes based on what you said you’d like to do.

Whether your dream is lunch with Spencer Wilton or a day at Aintree races we’re giving you the chance to win this and more in our fantastic competition!

You could win

Yard visit and lunch with Spencer Wilton for you and a friend •Lesson and yard visit with show jumper Andrew Davies •Yard visit and horse makeover (using Supreme Products) •with Jerome Harforth Yard visit with Tina Cook and Nick Gifford •Two complimentary raceday tickets to one raceday at Aintree •during 2011/12 (this excludes Grand National race meeting) A family tickets to Your Horse Live •Tickets to see the Spanish Riding School of Vienna at •Wembley Plus a chance to win for your horse

• 8 x packs of Equilibra 500 + Omega 3 • 1 Snuggy Hood set worth £248, including A Snuggy Bug Body, Sweet Itch Head and Turn Out Hood

How to enter

Simply visit www.great competitions.co.uk/dreamcomp to enter.

You’ll need to register once and then you can enter to win as many of the prizes as you like. • Terms and conditions apply. For full details see www.greatcompetitions.co.uk/horsedeals

Turn over to see the details on all the prizes www.horsedeals.co.uk

october 2011 Horse Deals 15

AUTUMN/WINTER RIDER FASHION SPECIAL STAYING WARM

The importance of being layered Winter will be here before we know it. Carolyn Henderson finds some solutions to staying warm and dry while keeping stylish

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hen autumn arrives, most riders shrug on an extra sweater or wear a thicker jacket, but gearing up for winter riding and shows is more of a balancing act. To keep warm and dry, you need the right clothes, but when you have to stay on the move, you can’t let yourself be hampered by heavy, bulky fabrics.

The answer is to dress in layers, but there’s more to that than you might think.

“Layers are the trick to staying warm and comfortable, but too many will restrict you in the saddle,” says Angie Garton of Mountain Horse, a company whose Swedish heritage gives it a head start in coping with winter weather.

Angie recommends a three-step strategy.

Step one is a base layer of thermal underwear — but not ordinary cotton sets. They might work for less active wearers and may well be cheaper, but they aren’t the answer for riders.

Instead, go for thermal material that wicks moisture away from the body.

“A cotton base layer gets cold and wet quite quickly,” explains Angie.

The next layer is the one that provides the insulation. A lightweight polar fleece can be effective at keeping the top half of your body warm when you’re schooling, but if you’re doing slow work, you might need an extra layer over that, such as a not-too-tight fleece or a gilet. And to stay warm and within the rules at indoor shows, try wearing a thermal hunt 82 OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals

Tel: 01733 468000

AUTUMN/WINTER RIDER FASHION SPECIAL STAYING WARM

shirt, which will keep you smart and stylish too.

To keep your legs warm, Angie suggests wearing a pair of thermal riding tights under breeches or jods. And, finally, choose an outer layer that means you stay dry as well as keeping out the wind, making sure that the fabric is breathable as well as waterproof so that rain is kept out but any perspiration is wicked away.

There are lots of different jackets that fill these criteria, but to stay comfortable, you need to keep your legs dry, too. Either add waterproof chaps for home or look at the new generation of fabrics that has made its way into the equestrian world. At last year’s BETA international trade fair, Tally Ho won the rider clothing award for its

A thermal

shirt, such as this one by Caldene, will keep you warm and smart

www.horsedeals.co.uk

Aylesbury breeches, said to be warm, waterproof and breathable.

“The beauty of layering is that it’s flexible,” points out Angie. “And too many layers are better than too few — it’s better to be prepared and flexible than underdressed, cold and miserable.”

Warm extremities

To keep warm, you have to take extreme measures. If your hands, feet and head are warm and dry, you’ll stay comfortable.

The right gloves are essential and they must be waterproof without compromising the sensitivity of your hands. If you find that waterproof gloves aren’t quite warm enough when temperatures plummet, buy a size larger than you normally would and wear a very thin pair of thermal gloves underneath.

Although specialist outdoor shops sell warm, waterproof gloves that are great for yardwork, they don’t have reinforcement in the fingers and soon wear out because of abrasion from the reins.

Designs for riding might be more expensive, but will last much longer and work out cheaper in the long run.

Waterproof leather

In the wash

• When you’ve invested in high tech gear, look after it. Don’t exceed the recommended washing temperature, as this may compromise a fabric’s waterproofing qualities.

• Be careful what products you use. Don’t use biological washing powder or liquid — again, this can destroy waterproof coatings. Fabric conditioner can also cause problems, so if in doubt, don’t use it.

• Be equally cautious about drying garments.

Some can be tumble dried, but check labels to see if this needs to be done on a low heat setting.

• Lightweight down jackets are back in fashion, but can become shapeless if dried incorrectly.

If they can’t be tumble dried on a hot setting, let them dry naturally, then tumble dry on a cool setting with a couple of clean tennis balls or special plastic dryer balls to stop the down filling settling into clumps.

Allow enough ‘wiggle room’ in gloves and boots They aren’t something from Spiderman: Equetech’s Extreme Sports Gloves will help keep your hands warm

AUTUMN/WINTER HORSE CLOTHING SPECIAL TURNOUT RUGS

Snug as a bug Carolyn Henderson examines the latest thinking on turnout rugs and finds out how to kit out an unusual-sized horse or pony

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eeping horses comfortable through winter once meant buying enough outdoor rugs to stock a shop. Now, you can streamline your rug collection and – something that’s a real advantage for large yards – cut down on the amount of horse clothing that needs to be stored and cleaned.

Building a capsule wardrobe for your horse relies on a combination of the right outer fabrics and linings and, if necessary, using a layer system. Fabrics are now so efficient that as long the rug’s the right size and is shaped correctly, a seemingly lightweight design can give heavyweight performance.

The biggest problem even in the most northern parts of the UK isn’t coping with extreme cold, but with changeable weather.

Bucas claims to have solved the problem by developing rugs

that work over a wide range of temperatures.

“No one wants to have to change a rug two or three times a day because the temperature changes,” says Ulf Casselbrant, managing director of Bucas. “That’s why we label them with temperature gauges rather than going by the traditional weight system. It helps people realise that while they’re light, they can cope with a wide range of conditions.”

Layering is another weapon against the weather and has become as popular among rug designers and manufacturers as it is with those who make riding clothes.

Manufacturers’ approaches may vary, but the principle is that by combining fabrics, either by using detachable layers or breathable linings, you can keep a horse warm and dry without the risk of overheating.

Many owners like to use a cotton summer sheet under a turnout rug, as it can be washed easily and means there’s always a clean layer next to the horse’s coat and skin. The problem is that unless the rugs are cut to the same template, there’s a risk that one will slip and cause rubs or even pressure points.

By cutting an under-rug so it has the same proportions as the top layer and adding

Horseware’s Amigo range now includes an adjustable foal rug

96 OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals

Tel: 01733 468000

AUTUMN/WINTER HORSE CLOTHING SPECIAL TURNOUT RUGS

We now label rugs with temperature gauges – Bucas MD Ulf Casselbrant attachment points that keep it up off the withers and prevent it slipping back, designers ensure the horse stays comfortable.

Examples include Bucas’s Multi Power combination and Horseware’s rug liner.

The Multi Power combines a light turnout and a medium stable rug, both of which can be used alone or separately. Horseware’s answer is a breathable liner that attaches to turnouts in the Rambo and Rhino rugs.

While outer layers provide a rug’s waterproofing qualities, linings are just as important, especially if you face the problem of what to do with a horse who’s already wet but needs extra protection when temperatures drop. It’s a familiar one for owners who keep their horses on DIY livery and like them to live out 24/7 or are worried that they might catch a chill when turned out straight after work.

Both the Bucas Multi Power and the Coolex turnout rug can be put straight on to a wet horse. The Coolex, distributed by Westgate EFI, combines a tough waterproof, breathable outer shell with a thermal lining, so combines a turnout and cooler in one. To give extra protection, detachable neck covers are available for both designs.

Some rug linings are said to have extra benefits. When Tom McGuiness, founder of Horseware, developed the original Rambo rug he started getting feedback from customers that the polishing effect of the silky linings were producing lovely coats through a passive grooming effect.

FalPro rugs, now back in the shops thanks to distributor Tagg Equestrian, was founded in 1996 by Jean Hodgkiss. Jean discovered that hospital researchers were fighting the MRSA superbug in hospitals by using fabrics that incorporated silver. These helped prevent the spread of bacteria, so she used the same approach in the FalPro range and introduced silver interactive linings.

The Mark Todd combo will keep tour horse warm and comfortable in winter weather

This Bucas Multi Power stable rug is used as an under-blanket

Problem solvers

Well-cut, well-shaped rugs should fit most wearers. However, if you’re trying to kit out a horse or pony with a particularly broad chest or who doesn’t have symmetrical conformation, you need to find a way round it.

If your horse’s rug seems to slip back, check that it’s the right size.

Manufacturers say that the most common mistake is to buy one that’s too big, the misconception being that extra length will

www.horsedeals.co.uk

The Coolex turnout rug can be straight on to a wet horse

OCTOBER 2011 Horse Deals 97

Next month in

Your ultimate e gear gugied s 100 pa extra withls Horse Dea

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PART two

Updating your yard

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Feeding made easy

Exclusive extract: The Complete Show Jumper ●

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Amazing agents

the all luxury christmas What star names really want ●

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travelling tips

HOYS and Dressage nationals reports

Unmissable Expert opinion from Clayton Fredericks, Spencer Wilton, Laura Renwick, Robert Walker, Ed Lyall and Shirley Light

plus Another

chance to Win An Equi-treK horsebox