Horses from the North Win Awards Down South from Jennifer Cranford
Isabella Worthington and Basingwerk Dream Works
The Horse Trust is ramping up their Healthy Body Condition Awards with many Showing Shows signing up to be ‘Weight-Aware’. This recently included The RIHS at Hickstead on the last week of July.
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hese coveted awards recognise and reward horses and ponies in the best condition as well as providing support and advice. The British Equine Veterinary Association considers equine obesity to be one of the most serious risks to equines today. The Awards were given in over 20 Classes and over 400 horses were body conditioned scored by our qualified experts: Tamzin Furtado PhD, Alison Talbot MRCVS and Dee Pollard from the British Horse Society.
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We had winners from across the country; from Devon to Orkney at the top of Scotland, but not quite as Northerly as this were quite a few winners who travelled from the North of England. Class 180 The BSPS Heritage M&M Open Ridden Dartmoor, Exmoor, Shetlands. Springwater Angus, 8 year old owned by Julie Templeton and exhibited by Jennifer Cowan. Julie Templeton is on the Ponies UK Showing Council and is a keen advocate of the “Weight Aware” Programme. “Angus is relatively easy to keep fit and at a healthy weight because he’s a scopey Dartmoor pony. He’s ridden most days and in the winter is un-rugged and allowed to ‘reset’ his condition.” Not placed in this busy class of 29 entrants but they are “very happy to receive the award because health and welfare is the most important thing”. They’ve travelled from the Shropshire/Lancashire borders for the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead.
LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE
Class 180 Springwater Angus © Equinational
Class 187 Heritage M&M First Ridden From The Wirral, Carrwood Valentine, owned by Gabby and Barbara Sturton, ridden by Brogan Douglas-Jones won the Award. 16 years old, chestnut, lives at home with owners, Gabbie and Barbara Sturton, he is currently on loan to Brogan. “He does a bit www.lancmag.com