Endurance Magazine Winter 22

Social

What's been happening?

Owners make sacrifices so their horses don’t go without

With the increased cost-of-living, it’s not surprising that many owners of horses on livery yards are anxious. A recent survey suggests that three in five owners have seen a rise in livery costs, but most are desperate to avoid scrimping on their equine’s care.

SEIB Insurance Brokers commissioned a survey of livery yard owners and their clients, focusing on the impact of rising costs. More than 1,400 people across the UK took part and results showed that, while livery yard owners said they were feeling the squeeze, they were reluctant to raise their charges because they were aware that owners couldn’t afford to pay more. The owners responded by

we take a look

Six-monthly boosters are necessary, say experts

As equine influenza (EI) vaccine supply returns to normal following a significant shortage, and when the UK is seeing an increase in EI cases, epidemiology experts are advising that there’s sound scientific evidence why bi-annual vaccination schedules should be promptly re-implemented.

In an article in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ), experts discuss what’s been learnt from previous outbreaks and explain the evidence to

saying that despite working to a tight budget, they were more likely to make personal sacrifices to ensure their horses continued to have everything they needed.

SEIB social media executive, Georgina Dewar says these sacrifices included turning down their heating, reducing supermarket spending and cutting back on socialising. “Doing these things a few times over a short period is straightforward, but in the long-term, it could have a big impact on mental health,” she added. Many people are competing less, too.

However, many people are turning to less frequent physiotherapy appointments, leaving longer gaps between shoeing or trimming and some are cutting back on saddle-fitting professionals. Although fewer people said they’d delay their equine dentist appointments, one respondent commented: “We’re cutting back on physio appointments as my pony isn’t in a lot of work at the moment. In my opinion, these are less important than routine veterinary and dental appointments.”

Jim Eyre, Chief Executive of British Equestrian, said: "There's little doubt we’re all feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. For horse owners, this comes with added concerns around equine welfare as owners must make difficult decisions. We’d encourage owners to carefully consider the lasting impact of any decisions and to do your research ahead of making any changes.”

show why bi-annual boosters are beneficial. "The clear evidence from experimental, epidemiological and mathematical modelling studies shows why we must encourage clients to revert to a schedule of bi-annual boosters,” said the authors.

“Although the recent EI vaccine shortage has necessitated a temporary relaxation of competition vaccine schedules, we must now renew the message that six-monthly boosters are optimal and necessary,” Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ, concluded.

In a good place

The British Grooms Association (BGA) and the Equestrian Employers Association (EEA) have launched new strategic plans for 2023-2027, following a successful Good Employment Week.

The new plan is committed to moving the equestrian industry to a place where only good employment is delivered and acceptable. “Stable staff perform a critical role in the success of an equestrian yard and the welfare of the horse. We wish for all grooms to only ever work in professional, caring, viable businesses where the legalities are adhered to, and their wellbeing is paramount,” says Chairman of the BGA and EEA, Chris Hewlett.

The BGA and the EEA hope to bring about change to be EPIC by delivering upon their values:

E – Excellence

P – Professionalism

I – Integrity

C – Communication.

By the end of 2027 the BGA and EEA expects the equestrian industry to be a place of only Good Employment.

Endurance GB Board of Directors

PHIL NUNNERLEY

T: 07860 323968 / 01761 221561

CHRIS WRAY

T: 07856 500519 / 01600 860938

E: chriswray@endurancegb.co.uk

H&S

AMANDA WOOLCOMBE

T: 07771 362105

E: amandawoolcombe@endurancegb.co.uk

JOHN COLDICOTT

T: 07932 140069

E: johncoldicott@endurancegb.co.uk

International,

PHIL NUNNERLEY

T: 07860 323968 / 01761 221561

E: philnunnerley@endurancegb.co.uk

Sustainability Director and SERC nominee

ALISON SEGGIE

T: 07860 323968 / 01761 221561

E: philnunnerley@endurancegb.co.uk

Marketing, PR, Comms & Groups Director

HEATHER GILES

T: 07587 098079

E: heathergiles@endurancegb.co.uk

Operations, IT, Office & Volunteers Director

SHELLEY BATES

T: 07760 264619

E: shelleybates@endurancegb.co.uk

Directors of Endurance GB are volunteers, so please be patient and considerate with any queries. Most Directors work full time elsewhere and are not always available during working hours. No calls before 9am or after 9pm please.

Dear Members,

As I write this, with the exception of some seasonal pleasure rides, our 2022 ride season draws to a close. At our Awards Dinnder we had the opportunity to celebrate the many successes over the past year.

The dinner followed the Annual General Meeting (AGM) where there was an opportunity to reflect on the health of our sport, as well as considering members’ proposals for rule changes. There were a number of board proposals, all of which were initiated as part of the review of our rule book commissioned following discussions at last year’s AGM.

Four of my Board colleagues stood down at the AGM. I thank each of them for their support, but, in particular, I would like to place on record appreciation of the huge contribution made by Esther Young over the past six years on the board, as Operations and IT Director, Director for Equality and Diversity, and not least as my Vice Chair. We should not underestimate the time that she had committed to the role and I have valued her wise counsel as she has shared the responsibility for leading the organisation through the challenges, particularly of the pandemic.

It's disappointing that not a single nomination was received to replace those retiring from the board. Inevitably, the new board will reflect on what capacity it has to continue to lead the organisation. It is not only at board level where support is lacking. Group committees are struggling to attract new members; and as ride organisers and officials retire, we need to bring forward successors. We are a volunteer-based organisation and we have to recognise that if we are to survive, we all have a responsibility to give back to the sport from which we draw so much enjoyment. So can I use this opportunity to thank all those who, in a variety of capacities, have contributed in 2022 and please think how you can offer support in 2023.

We have an ever-growing Supporter base. We need to convert more of these into paying members, or at least into those prepared to volunteer to sustain the organisation. It is not enough just to pay your entry fee, turn up and enjoy a ride, and then go home. Volunteering is our lifeblood.

We are all facing the cost-of-living challenges. I hope though this will still allow you and your families to enjoy a Merry Christmas. And then as we move into a new year, use the opportunities to get your horses, and yourselves, fit and ready for another full year of rides.

Phil Nunnerley | Chair of Endurance GB

Welcome to the Winter 2022 issue of your magazine and as one endurance season ends, no doubt you’re thinking forward to your plans for next year, too – once Christmas is all done and dusted, of course!

It was my absolute pleasure to attend this year’s Awards Dinner and wonderful to meet so many of you there. Turn to page 7 to see all the action from this year’s event and, of course, huge congratulations must go to all our worthy winners.

This issue is packed full of features and reports for you to enjoy over the festive period and Cindy Russell’s new coaching feature, starting on page 20, will inspire you to get the right help and advice moving forward to next season. Or perhaps you’ve thought about becoming a coach yourself? Either way, Cindy offers an informative insight into what coaching is all about.

Vet Sarah Coombs discusses the current hot topic of 'social licence' on page 12. Fresh from her speech at the 2022 National Equine Forum, where equine welfare was the underlying theme of the day, Sarah says she’s proud to be an endurance vet and to be part of a sport where welfare for horses is paramount. I particularly enjoyed her quote: “Next time you turn your horse out in the field with his friends, remind him how lucky he is to be an endurance horse”. True words indeed.

Another hot topic in the horse world is the subject of barefoot horses and in this issue we talk to riders who compete their horses barefoot in endurance. The riders share their top tips and advice for making the transition from a shod horse to a barefoot one, but the message that really comes across is that there’s no ‘one method suits all’ and you must do the best thing for the horse. See page 16 to find out more.

Since the last issue was published, the whole nation has bid a sad farewell to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a woman who devoted her life to all things equestrian. Did you know The Queen took part in her first Trooping the Colour Ceremony in 1946 and continued to do so until 1987? An inspiration to us all, HM was last spotted riding one of her Fell ponies in June 2022 at the grand age of 96. Before her passing,

welcome A warm

Nicky Moffatt | Editor of Endurance Magazine

the hard-working Endurance GB marketing team at Endurance GB began compiling a Jubilee book, with the idea of presenting it to HM on completion. This wasn’t to be, but we thought you might like to see just some of the images that were destined for the book. Turn to page 14 to find out more. We will very shortly be sending out a survey so you can let us know what you think of Endurance GB Magazine. There will be an opportunity to win yourself some Endurance GB tokens or special goody bag for your efforts!

Happy riding until next time.

Nicky

Endurance GB Major Rides

Provisional dates for 2023

Hayward Oaks

April 1st & 2nd 2023

Pembrey

April 22nd & 23rd 2023

Windsor, (HPG) May 12th 2023

Golden Horseshoe Ride May 19th-21st 2023

Kings Forest Summer June 2nd-4th 2023

Lavenham A

June 24th & 25th 2023

Rushford 1 (HPG) July 8th & 9th 2023

Rushford 2 (HPG) August 5th & 6th 2023

Well Vale 17th-20th August 2023

Rushford 3 (HPG) August 26th & 27th 2023

Three Rivers

September 2nd & 3rd 2023

Lavenham B

September 16th & 17th 2023

Lions Tail

September 23rd & 24th 2023

Red Dragon

September 29th, 30th & 31st 2023

The 2023 Ride Schedule will open on December 12 2022

Worthy Winners

This year’s Endurance GB Annual Awards Ceremony was held on 26 November at the Delta Marriot Hotel in Warwick. It’s fair to say that everyone had a great time enjoying a delicious three-course supper, cheering on the sport’s deserving winners and dancing the night away into the early hours of Sunday morning. We look at who won what and speak to some of the trophy winners to find out what it meant to them to take home their prestigious awards.

National Champion – again!

This year’s National Champion, winning the Manar Trophy and Senior Championship, was Judy Holloway with her wonderful mare Nuraletta (Foalie). Judy was unable to attend the event, but we managed to catch up with her for a quick chat.

Courtesy of Gemma Louise Thomas Photography

Courtesy of David Saunders Photography

Supreme Champions Judy Holloway and Nuraletta at the Pembrey National Ride

1. How does it feel to win again?

You also won the title in 2016 with Aurontes, and Nuraletta was champion in 2019 and reserve champion in 2021.

To win again this year is totally amazing and l have the most willing partner in Nuraletta. A huge thank you must go to all the Endurance GB committee members, sponsors, ride organisers and the numerous helpers who enable us all to enjoy endurance rides, as without them it simply couldn’t happen. I would also like to thank my wonderful crew, husband VJ and crew dog Duke.

2. What are your plans for next year?

“Next year who knows. l don't tend to make plans because horses have a habit of spoiling them. I pick out my 'favourite rides' and build the season around them.”

3. Tell us more about Nuraletta.

“Nuraletta is now 12 years old. She was, very sadly, rejected by her mother when she was born, but she had an amazing will to live. She’s always on a mission to get somewhere and she never gives in, which is what makes her such a great endurance horse. As a rider I always have to be aware not to overface her because of her small stature and her will never to give up. She also has a very good low heart rate, which is another great attribute. Nuraletta’s on holiday at the moment having a well-earned rest before the season starts again.”

More trophies up for grabs

Taking home the Jeffmaur Trophy for Top Man and winner of the Veteran Trophy was:

Dominic Smith and his lovely horse George Bush. “George was thrilled to win the Veteran Trophy and win me the men’s trophy,” says Dominic. “We’d like to thank all the people who give us sloshes and particularly Sarah for crewing us at the Rushford Ride.”

It was three in a row for Saffron Bishop who was winner of the Nippa Trophy, Mellor Trophy and Young Rider Grand Prix Trophy on the night. Saffron tells us: “Winning the Young Rider Nationals has been the cherry on top of an already incredible year. I am so grateful and proud of my two horses, Timmy and Barry, as well as my fantastic crew – I honestly can’t thank you all enough! Fingers crossed for 2023.”

Novice Championship and winner of the Red Sands Award was a delighted Hayley Tipples, who commented: “I'm absolutely over the moon with what my horse and I achieved this

David Saunders Photography

David Saunders Photography Kerry Dawson

Dominic Smith

Hayley Tipples

Nikki Brown

year. We've had a wonderful season of riding including being in the Wales team. My husband and I had a fabulous evening at the awards and I’m looking forward to training now for next year.”

Everyone loves an ex-racehorse and how wonderful it is to see so many excelling in the endurance world, with Samantha Tomlinson’s Prince being one of the many stars this year. Taking home the Retraining of Racehorses Championship award at the dinner, Samantha says:

“I was absolutely thrilled and surprised as I was not expecting it at all. It made all the early mornings and training all worthwhile. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the help and support of my husband and what a magnificent horse I have in Prince. I am truly blessed.”

The Para Equestrian Saddlers Award went to Nikki Brown, who tells us: "After a season which has not quite gone to plan due to various reasons, I was very surprised to have got two second places in the Para-Equestrian League tables. Sapphire which was for a total of distances 46km to 64km incl and the Onyx which is a total distances 65km and above. I also won the Para-Equestrian Saddlers Award. I feel honoured to be able to do endurance, to have some amazing friends and family who support me all the time from no matter how far away and, of course, to have some great friends as well as partners in my horses. Bring on the 2023 adventures!"

Last but certainly not least, The Borthwick Backup Trophy (most competent crew in current season) went to Stephen Vaughan who normally crews his wife Georgina with two small children in tow. Stephen concludes: “I was quite shocked to win the Borthwick BackUp Trophy. I just get on and do what needs to be done. A huge thank you to the board for recognising the season we’ve had and the huge amount of effort that goes in.”

A full list of winners can be found on the Endurance GB website – www.endurancegb. co.uk

We are very grateful to the Worshipful Company of Saddlers for sponsoring and presenting the Para Equestrian, Young Rider and Junior awards and to Kerry Dawson for sponsoring prizes in kind.

David Saunders Photography

David Saunders Photography

David Saunders Photography

Samantha Tomlinson

Saffron Bishop

Stephen Vaughan

Stephen Vaughan

A huge thank you to our sponsors

Endurance GB looks to

David Saunders Photography

Endurance GB’s 22nd Annual General Meeting was held at the Delta Marriott Hotel, Warwick, on Saturday 26th November 2022. Chair, Phil Nunnerley welcomed members to the AGM and commented afterwards:

“We had a good turnout at the AGM, though there were a few technical problems which impacted members joining virtually. There was healthy discussion on a range of issues which will, as always, provide the Board with food for thought. Chris Wray (Finance) and I were reappointed to the Board but with four Directors standing down, the Board will need to review its priorities to match its reduced capacity.

The members of Endurance GB and the Board were sad to bid farewell to Esther Young who stood down from her role as Director of Operations & IT - Esther has been an indomitable Operations Director for the last six years. In recognition of her untiring contribution to the smooth-running of the organisation, Esther was awarded the Alex McGuinness Trophy at the Awards dinner. This award is for an individual who has given life-long commitment to Endurance GB. Esther commented:

“The last six years as a Director have been a whirlwind. I've had the pleasure of working with some amazing people over that timeboard colleagues, ride organisers, TSs, the Ops and IT committees and other Endurance GB volunteers, staff and contractors - without whom our organisation wouldn't function. Thank you for all the support and thank you for the completely unexpected award.”

This year there were seven member proposals which were voted on both online prior to the AGM and during the meeting itself.

Two member proposals were withdrawn during the meeting and four did not pass. The member proposal passed concerns on how points are allocated for Competitive Endurance Rides and the change is designed to encourage riders to enter some of the more technical CERs by reducing the speed bonus.

Finance proposals to retain membership and entry fees at the 2022 levels were passed despite some members in the room expressing concern that this might mean a larger than normal increase when it was eventually implemented. Finance Director, Chris Wray, argued that at a time of rising cost of living he felt that capping membership fees and ride entry costs was in Endurance GB’s best interest.

A number of Board proposals on topics ranging from mandatory rest periods, ride start times, ride distances, rider and horse substitutions, rider information notices at rides and speed caps for Performance Formula were all passed. These rule changes will be reflected in the 2023 Member Handbook which will accompany the Winter issue of the magazine, due to arrive with the membership (Royal Mail permitting!) by Christmas.

On a sadder note Chair, Phil Nunnerley announced a rather long list of people lost to Endurance GB 2022, including Jackie Taylor, Mike Jordan, Judy Baynes, Alan Brown, Sallie Dudley, Bernie Pridmore, Martin Bird, Juliette Mallinson, Jayme Plumb, Margaret Riley and very recently and suddenly, Wessex member, Carol Sobucinska.

Chair, Phil Nunnerley, and Finance Director, Chris Wray, were re-elected for a further term of three years. With no members putting themselves forward for Board nomination the existing reduced Board will look at how

to reorganise the existing portfolios in a way that best serves the membership. The Board is able to co-opt two members to the Board subsequent to an AGM and welcomes John Coldicott who takes over Welfare & Disciplinary from out-going Director Antonia Milner-Matthews. John comments:

“As a new director with responsibilities for welfare and discipline I have to say that I am older but less experienced than many others but happy to learn on the job.

I have been riding all my life and been fortunate to ride in many countries, including crossing South America starting with my feet in the Pacific ocean and ending in the Atlantic Ocean. I am now retired but was a veterinary surgeon for 46 years, owning my own mixed practice in Gloucestershire. After Pony Club, hunting and a large gap while working full-time, I started endurance in 2014 after meeting an endurance rider and future friend in the middle of a Namibian desert. I am a member of the Offa's Dyke group and my current horse is Oliver who is a Cob cross and I have taken him from Novice to Advanced. Interestingly we have both survived having the same type of cancer and its treatments! My favourite rides are Golden Horseshoe, Red Dragon and, for a bit more speed, Cirencester. As Director I hope not to have too many disciplinary issues to worry about and to be able to concentrate more on welfare. Social Licence is the new public catch-phrase and we need to be aware how the public perceives equestrian sports when influenced by small but vocal social media groups. This is certainly going to cover anything from the weight horses are asked to carry, to their care when performing over extreme distances. I hope to meet many of you over the 2023 season."

Esther Young receiving her award from Shelley Bates & Phil Nunnerley

The trust and goodwill of a horse must never be taken for granted

Vet's viewpoint: what

constitutes horse abuse?

Sarah Coombs discusses public opinion on equestrian sport and whether the welfare of the horse always comes first

That’s obvious, isn’t it? Images come to mind from charity posters of starving ponies fly-grazing by motorways who are seized by field officers, and the skeletal horses that toil in the brick kilns in relentless heat, but we may need to look closer to home. Horses have been used by man for millennia, but when does their use slide into abuse?

You might believe that competition horses are ‘looked after better than any animal in the world – better than many people’s children’ and after all, fortunes are spent on stabling and feeding not to mention saddles, rugs and a massive team of supporting humans.

But what about the horse? Science tells us that what the horse wants in life is friends, freedom, and forage, so where do his physical and psychological needs fit into the demanding world of the modern competition horse? Is the act of keeping horses in immaculate stables for 23 hours a day without the opportunity to exhibit normal behaviour with others and with restricted access to a natural diet still acceptable?

In an ever-critical world where opinions are

given equal weight irrespective of whether their proponents have any specialist knowledge, who is the arbiter of best practice and who judges what is and is not in the best interests of the horse? And where does that put us – owners, riders, officials, and vets – in a sport like endurance where the bad behaviour of so few has attracted adverse publicity from so many?

Under threat

I spoke recently at the annual World Horse Welfare conference entitled ‘When does use become horse abuse?’. As a World Horse Welfare trustee with 30 years’ experience as a vet in equine practice, as a charity consultant and as an FEI vet and Chair of the FEI Endurance committee, I have given much thought to the

whole concept of social licence – the acceptance by the general public that equestrian sport is okay. The only certainty is that the use of all horses in sport is coming under threat and dismissing all criticism as ill-informed nonsense, (even when that’s true) and carrying on regardless is not an option. It’s time to ask ourselves some tough questions and come up with some honest answers.

Let’s start with the horse. As a herd animal, horses are conditioned to be part of a team and fit in with what we ask them because that way lies safety and security. We enter into a relationship of mutual trust and when things are going well, the horse gives us his goodwill and loyalty. In endurance this bond is uniquely strong because of the long hours of shared

Vet's viewpoint

All horses want is friends, freedom and forage

The welfare of the horse is paramount

All images courtesy of Shutterstock

experience and the physical and mental support that both partners give each other when the going gets tough. The trust and goodwill of the horse must never be taken for granted and when it is abused to force performance or to continue beyond the point where the horse needs to stop because of pain or fatigue, that is indefensible.

Welfare is paramount

From a personal viewpoint, I am proud to be a vet in this discipline. I would challenge anyone to look at the way in which 99.9% of the endurance horses in the UK are managed and competed and compare them with horses in any other discipline. We have the strictest rules on fitness to compete and must meet the highest standards of husbandry and horsemanship to succeed in this sport at top level. I believe strongly that we can hold our heads up against the racing industry or any of the other equestrian disciplines.

The use of horses in international sport requires adherence to the FEI codes of conduct for the welfare of the horse and governing the behaviour of competitors. The welfare of the horse must be paramount – as in the

number one priority – and above every other consideration. But at the highest international level, competition pressures and commercial interests have, in some instances, led to the abuse of that unique gift of trust. Competitors are not always the best version of themselves at events and it then becomes the role of the vet, the officials and the sport regulators to be the advocate for the horse.

In my opinion, the basic ticket to be allowed to compete within the FEI is the adherence to the FEI codes of conduct which refer to all aspects of the horse’s management and the commitment to fair play. If individuals fail to meet those codes of conduct that ticket should be withdrawn. In racing the regulators are permitted to gain entry to premises to inspect how horses are being cared for and to carry out drug tests, so maybe there is scope for this with those repeat offenders who have been shown to put the demands of competition above the welfare of their horses?

At FEI committee level we continue to battle to keep these few individuals under control with ever more stringent rules of qualification, tougher heart rate and presentation parameters and the testing of limbs for the hyposensitivity which puts the horse in grave danger of

catastrophic fractures. These changes are critical to safeguard the welfare of horses but also to safeguard any future for our sport and that of equestrian sport in general in the context of fragile public acceptance.

Moving forward

As our parents used to tell us: ‘Life isn’t fair’ and so it is that our sport is judged against some of the excesses of a minority. The bad publicity generated has deterred would-be sponsors while the additional rules and the expense these incur have reduced the number of CEI rides staged by the smaller National Federations in the sport. We are undoubtedly between a rock and a hard place, but those new rules have made a difference to the abuses that endurance horses suffer and slowed down the commercial pressures on qualifying horses in as short a time as possible to sell. We’ve all been through a tough phase but for the sake of organisers in particular, and therefore all participants in this sport as we move towards the 2024 rewrite of the rules, we have to look at ways of maintaining the pressure against those who abuse horses whilst reducing the financial burden of staging international rides.

So, as you turn out your horse with his mates in the winter rain, remind him how lucky he is to be an endurance horse: remember to have those conversations with people from other disciplines challenging what may be the norm for managing and competing horses and asking whether we really consider the horse’s needs as the top priority in all that we do.

The message from the recent World Horse Welfare conference was to continually challenge the status quo, be prepared to approach things differently in the light of emerging evidence about what horses need and how they learn and, above all, to engage with people who think differently from us, because in the end they may have the last word as to whether horse sport can continue.

As Chair of the FEI Endurance Committee

Sarah rewrote the rules to better protect welfare of endurance horses and is a member of the FEI Hyposensitivity Control programme.

Sarah earned a degree in Animal Science from Nottingham University before graduating from the Royal Veterinary College and is a veterinary acupuncturist.

“As you turn out your horse with his mates in the winter rain, remind him how lucky he is to be an endurance horse”

Dr Sarah Coombs BScBVetMed MRCVS Sarah works as a charity consultant, recently finishing a second term as a Trustee of World Horse Welfare. She is in practice in Dorset, works internationally as an FEI Endurance vet, was a team vet for the British Endurance team and is a member of the FEI Limb Hyposensitivity testing team.

Horses love the freedom of being turned out

Next time you turn your horse out remind him how lucky he is to be an endurance horse

Platinum Jubilee Memories of a

On 6 February 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking an incredible 70 years of service to the people of the UK, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

To celebrate this unprecedented anniversary, events and initiatives took place throughout the year, including public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on HM’s service.

Endurance GB's Marketing team took this opportunity to collate a Jubilee book, with plans to present it to The Queen on its completion.

Following HM’s passing on 8 September 2022, the book sadly, was never presented, but we thought you’d like to see just some of the images that were going to be included, which are a wonderful portrayal of our sport.

You can view all the images by scanning the QR code on the right with the camera app on your phone!

With thanks to West End Photography, Marimages, CJ Barrett Photography, Kerry Dawson, David Saunders, Farlap Photography, LRG., Kevin Plunkett, True to You Photography, IndiePics

Can barefoot horses excel

The following success stories show that with the right approach, it is possible to compete barefoot at all levels of endurance. If you’ve been considering kicking off those shoes, give it a go. You can always return to shoeing if it doesn’t suit your horse. If you have a horse that’s already comfortable hacking barefoot and you’re thinking of upping the distances these stories prove it’s perfectly possible.

Over to the riders: Jill Thorburn

Jill Thorburn competes regularly, and she lives in north Wales where there’s no shortage of hill work with stony lanes and tracks for her three Arabs. Jill said: “Mario is the fourth horse I’ve owned who competes in endurance barefoot. In his first season he was mostly booted because it takes time to condition their feet. This season he has 'rock-crunching' feet and despite them being as flat as a pancake, they do the job. Just like every other part of a horse, they all come in different shapes and sizes. This season Mario has competed successfully in all his rides and when he reaches the grassy tracks of Lincolnshire or Cirencester, he thinks he’s gone to heaven and bowls along.”

Sharon Moore

at endurance?

Can barefoot horses excel at endurance? Anna Collins discusses what you need to consider to get it right and talks to some of the riders who are doing just that.

This article is not designed to preach the merits of unshod horses or compare barefoot with shoeing, as there are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Every owner must do what’s best for their horse, particularly if remedial shoeing is required. Until relatively recently, seeing a barefoot horse competing at an endurance event was quite unusual, but now it’s commonplace at all levels. But why is this and how do you approach barefoot long-distance riding?

Deciding to go barefoot is something you need to be content with before you start, and with open eyes about how your horse is coping. Converting from shod to bare feet will

take time, a year or even longer as new hoof grows and your horse becomes accustomed to feeling all types of ground, and here are some considerations you’ll need to make once you’ve had shoes taken off:

Do lots of walking on varied surfaces and be open to giving your horse a few days off if the last outing caused soreness or discomfort.

There is plenty of online advice about how best to do this ‘conditioning’ and a myriad of products and supplements to help. Try each piece of advice and product on its own merits.

Good regular trimming by someone qualified who knows your horse’s hoof conformation and balance is essential. The aim is to achieve a hard hoof, with plenty of frog for blood supply and shock absorption, a nice solid white line and an acceptance that boots are sometimes required. Regular checks for cracks or flaking of the hoof, bruising of the sole and heels and any disease is essential.

Sharon and her 12-year-old barefoot Sports horse mare, Spirit (Bazaars Esprit) have done a bit of everything. In 2019, she entered Man versus Horse (MVH), a tough 22-mile ride in the mid-Wales hills, where riders race against runners over challenging terrain. A set of hoof boots were called upon and the combination completed the event in just under four hours.

Sharon says: “It’s a matter of deciding what to do for each ride depending on the terrain and how Spirit’s hooves look. We’ve now completed two MvHs and over 500km in Endurance GB graded rides. I’m really proud of everything we have achieved. I love having a barefoot horse and there are no lost shoes to prevent me riding. Spirit lives out 24/7 for most of the year which really helps with keeping her hooves conditioned.

Ask advice from other like-minded riders and remember, not all boots will suit your horse or be suitable for endurance. I’m still using the first set of boots I bought in 2019 so they’ve been a worthwhile investment.”

Larissa Burnett

Moon is an Advanced level horse with a good competition record. They have competed both barefoot and with hoof boots, and once or twice with plastic shoes. They have successfully competed 80km rides in all three modes and have been selected for the Welsh National Team a couple of times, winning the Celtic Challenge one year. This season they achieved a respectable third in the 82km race ride at Cirencester, in a very strong and large class, for the Northwest Team -

Larissa Burnett and Moon

Jonathon Yearsley

completely barefoot.

Larissa said: "I’ve always been interested in the mechanics of horses’ feet. Years ago my farrier held a training day at our yard with dissections of horses’ lower legs, which I found fascinating. He showed us the difference between a horse who had been poorly shod for a long time, compared with the foot of a horse who had been ridden successfully barefoot. It had better developed mechanisms for shock absorption with its frog and digital cushion.

Using boots helped Moon condition and strengthen her feet while protecting them, so when we started competing two years later, we didn’t use boots. I’ve found having boots for some rides is the best way forward for us as I’m always certain there’s a stone out there that she’ll bruise her foot on.

I’d say don’t be afraid of trying something new and competing barefoot. The endurance community are very open-minded and don’t worry about not getting it perfect straight away. I’m still learning and adapting all the time. It’s got to suit you and the horse and we’re all individuals."

John Black

John Black rides his two Arab barefoot brothers, Jam (14) and Merlin (8). Jam has successfully completed numerous 80km rides, a 100km, and a 120km. He has a great soundness record and has won nearly all of his classes. Merlin has started race rides this year, including winning the 80km CER at Well Vale, and finishing a two-day 160km at the Home International barefoot - sadly vetted out on heart rate in the final vetting, but his feet were fine!

John’s advice is: “People are often surprised to see barefoot horses at the higher levels, especially at FEI, but we've been doing this for years and Jam's record speaks for itself. The only time we boot them is if we’re struggling with the amount of road work in the early part of the season when doing our fittening regime, as we have a lot of road work locally. We never compete these two booted, but all horses are different.

I don’t think there’s any one recipe for success with barefoot which would work for every horse, but the important things for us are:

• A great farrier – we’re lucky to have an advanced farrier locally who specialises in barefoot horses.

• A good high-fibre diet.

• Plenty of movement. Our horses live out 24/7 and we hack on lots of different surfaces including roads.

• Being really careful with their feet – we’re constantly checking their white lines after hacks to make sure no little stones get in.”

Lorna McCarthy

Having spent years competing at FEI level, Lorna McCarthy and Jacob (African Moon) went back to basics four years ago working carefully through the

levels. Jacob is booted for competitions but does some of his training at home barefoot which is essential for conditioning his hooves.

Having worked up to advanced level in 2021, Lorna and Jacob have been selected for the England team at the Home International for the last two years. This year they represented the team as one of the riders in the 80km CER and achieved Jacob’s best result to date finishing third overall and first of the HI combinations.

Lorna says: “The biggest challenge I’ve found is getting the right make, model and size of boot. What’s right for one horse may not work for another. I’ve found that the best boots for Jacob are different from front to back, due to slightly different hoof shapes, and he wears a combination of Easyboot Gloves and Renegade Vipers. Now we have the right boots, they’re really secure and I never worry about losing them whatever the going. The only downside is that the boots can lack traction on short grass so we’re often slower on going that others may canter on but make up time on rough going and tarmac that shod horses can struggle more on.”

Bella Fricker

Bella’s been competing in endurance for well over a decade and has enjoyed international success. She’s worked on two professional yards in the United Arab Emirates and France and competed in 10 countries.

In 2020, Covid presented the opportunity to take shoes off as there was no training or competing. Bella said: “This is the first year I’ve raced barefoot and I haven’t yet so much as tried a boot as I’m worried about boots slipping on wet ground.

This year Chip won the 80km CER at Kings Forest at 16kph – our first race barefoot. We

were selected for the England team at the Home Internationals. Spice, my younger horse, has completed his Novice season and next year will hopefully complete 80km rides.

The greatest thing I’ve noticed since taking their shoes off is less post-ride fluid pooling in their legs. I think barefoot is significantly less concussive compared to shoes. This, alongside the fact that my horses didn’t seem to change their way of going being barefoot, has led me to continue without shoes. There’s quite a lot of research now along these lines so I guess people are more willing to give it a go."

Dominic Smith

Dominic bought George as a five-year-old, barefoot with plenty of foot, and 13 years later, with 2,500km on his record card, he’s still barefoot. He’s earned a Grade 1 over 64km at Red Dragon, ridden at Talybont and over Bodmin Moor. This year he earned a second place over 80km in one day, and a three-day 100km.

Dominic’s experience: "I’ve learned to ride the ground at the pace the surface dictates, not just at a set speed. George knows what he’s doing, reading the ground like a book. A big part for me is minimising concussion. He grows good quality hoof horn which I don't doubt would hold a shoe, but he doesn’t need them. I take extra care over the white line where small stones are concerned."

Helen Newton

Helen’s El Borann (Rocky) is the third horse she’s competed barefoot (occasionally booted) and the second she’s taken to 1600km. Among Rocky's many achievements are successful two-day 80km rides at The Red Dragon and Golden Horseshoe. Helen says: “Diet, exercise and trimming by a well-qualified hoof care professional are the key. When I first started barefoot endurance nearly 20 years ago, I was told it couldn't be done, well we’ve proved it can!”

A

beautiful poem by Khalil Gibran

reminds us that going barefoot is natural: “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”

Jill Thorburn riding Mario at Cheshire Endurance GB Clocaenog

John Black

Jade Lingus Photography

Scottish Endurance Riding

Club news

compiled by Alison Wilson

Winner of the 80k ER, Iain Paterson and Tannasg Vantage

“It’s lovely having a horse at the end of their longest, fastest ride still setting the pace and moving on without question.”

- Iain Paterson

After 2020 and 2021 were affected to varying degrees by the pandemic, SERC’s 2022 season peaked in fine style with the combined annual championships and Home International. Based in Longnewton near St Boswells in the Borders, the event was, however, affected by the sad death of Her Majesty the Queen, as the first day of the Championships was cancelled as a mark of respect.

With organisers having consulted landowners and officials, the event went ahead as planned on Saturday and Sunday, but in a more subdued form and without the advertised ceilidh following the prizegiving. Heavy rain on the Friday caused a few anxious moments as vehicles arrived at the venue field en masse, but the ground held up.

Route organisers Denise Murrow and Nicky Allan had put together a varied, flowing and quite technical course with one remote vet gate, and riders appreciated the tiny number of gates (this is mixed-farming country so that was a minor miracle) and the apparently endless field margins. (These perhaps proved too much of a temptation for some as there were quite a few eliminations for high heart rates and lameness).

Riders who were familiar with the Harestanes and Longnewton rides from previous years recognised many a landmark, but some of the best bits were new and afforded lengthy canters and glorious views of the Teviot valley. The two 30km loops that formed the basis of all the longer distances shared a few kilometres of the route but were substantially different – Saturday’s route ventured east of the A68 into farmland and woodland, skirting the landmarks of Penniel Heugh and the Waterloo Monument that can be seen for miles around,

before recrossing the A68 and dipping into the village of Ancrum, then roughly following the wonderfully-named Ale Water back to the finish. Sunday’s route went south and then west, again following the Ale Water before curving north and east back to the venue.

The flagship class, the 2-day 160km, was won by SERC’s Chris Macmillan and her indefatigable Connemara gelding Coolagoree Glen Thunder, who also won the Best Condition award. There was only one other finisher: Endurance GB’s Georgina Vaughan and CD Bellatrix. The large 80k ER class was won by Iain Paterson and home-bred Tannasg Vantage.

Did you know?

Not all riders would have been aware of the turbulent history of the countryside they were riding through. Never mind that it was fought over for centuries by the Scots and the English, it was also home to the infamous Border Reivers, horsemen drawn from both nations, who rustled cattle but also became a byword for robbery, kidnap and violence, often morphing into family feuds that lasted for centuries. Thankfully modern-day equestrian rivalry is a much more civilised affair!

“It was a real pleasure to share the experience with and meet such a great bunch of people!”

- Katie Smith

“A hive of activity with riders of all calibres preparing and setting off to ride on the fantastic tracks befitting a championship and Home International. Such fabulous flowing, wellmarked routes.”

- Jacqui MacMillan

Scottish Champion 'Stinky' with crew Lucy and Dave Simpson

Coaching:

is it for you?

Cindy Russell has been involved in endurance since 1986, but she’s also competed in affiliated dressage, riding club activities and pony racing. Currently coaching across several disciplines, and in riding schools, Cindy’s qualifications are:

• MSc Sports Coaching

• PGDip Sports Coaching

• BEF Level 4 Coach

• UKCC Level 3 Coach (Endurance)

• BHSII (Senior Coach)

• Pony Club Approved Coach

• Coach Tutor

• Coach Assessor

• Internal Verifier.

to help you or wish to follow it as a career path.

When you think back across your life so far, who do you remember as someone that was a positive influence on you? Why do you remember them so well? What was the positive impact that they had?

Now think about a teacher that you had, or maybe some other person who really inspired you; encouraged you to believe you could achieve your dreams, your goals. What was it about them that made that possible?

Now, think about your horse and your riding, your schooling, your time with your horse, your training days, your competition days…what inspires you to keep doing this, even when the weather is against you; the result wasn’t what you hoped for; the plan didn’t come together…

For many riders, one of these positive influencers is their coach…and if your coach is not a positive influence, you might want to consider why that is and what that looks like.

Perhaps to learn from someone with more experience, whether that is in technical elements of horsemanship and riding, knowledge of specific aspects of a discipline, an understanding of the challenges the rider is working through, or perhaps knowledge of the horse that the rider is working with; the list goes on.

A coach can be a mirror for the rider. It’s very hard for the rider to see their riding performance objectively, and from an ‘outside’ perspective. A coach can be that objective observer, a ‘critical friend’ who observes and questions, in order to empower the rider to make changes and improve. Remember, what we ‘feel’ as a rider, may look very different to someone watching from the ground.

A coach can offer a structure to the rider’s training, of both themselves and their horse. Discussion with a coach about training, strategies, problems, challenges, successes, progression, fears, competitions, nutrition, for rider and horse, equipment and so many other elements, facilitates the rider to see these things

All photos courtesy of Kate Everall Photography

from another perspective. Laying out these thoughts and discussing them with an empathic coach can be beneficial, enabling plans to be made and developed.

Which leads on to accountability. Many riders make plans, change them, abandon them, randomly rearrange things. Having a coach to support these plans can make the rider more accountable. Plans are discussed, put in place, and the coach will monitor what the baseline is, what has been achieved, how many hours of training have been put in, which exercises have been worked on, which competitions have been entered, what were the results, and what are the new plans. Building a relationship in this way with a coach can keep the rider on track, even when things get tough – in fact, especially when things get tough.

Bringing us to motivation…

Many competition riders are highly selfmotivated, internally motivated to set goals, train towards them, tick off smaller targets in pursuit of the larger goal.

But what about those riders who set off with great intentions, work at their weekly goals for a while, but then life and other things get in the way…or things don’t go as well as they had hoped, so it all feels pointless. How do riders stay motivated through the tough times? Having a coach with whom they have built a rapport, who understands the good and the not so good times, will offer a source of encouragement and motivation, to keep heading towards the goals or outcomes previously set up.

It's always good to have a cheerleader!

Someone who understands why you do what you do; why you want to do this; how you want to do this, and is in a position to remind you of these things when your vision is clouded by events.

Coaching in Endurance GB – an overview

Around 2006, UK Coaching brought nonOlympic equestrian disciplines under the umbrella of the UK Coaching Certificates, endorsing the UKCC scheme as qualifications within its suite of sports-based qualifications.

At this time Endurance GB and British Reining collaborated to run the first Pilot Scheme for the UKCC Level 3 in each of these disciplines. The course was run over roughly 12 months, and brought together some very experienced coaches from both disciplines.

Following the success of this course, other courses were planned and completed, at Level 2 and Level 3. The workforce within each discipline was developed, bringing in assessors and internal verifiers, as well as coach educators, to enable the provision of courses going forward.

Over the years, with changes of board members, and changes in the coaching workforce within Endurance GB, the provision of coach training and workforce training has waxed and waned, but the structure remained, with endurance continuing to be represented on the Coaching Development Action Team (CDAT), which is facilitated by and reports to, British Equestrian (BEF).

The course UKCC qualifications were also endorsed by Equestrian Qualifications Ltd (EQL) until 2017, when their remit changed and they withdrew from the process. At this time CDAT put out a tender for another endorsing body. Following due process, the qualifications were taken over by 1st4Sport, a body that endorses qualifications across many other sports, including football, cricket, basketball and netball to name a very small sample.

At this point, the certificates were renamed according to the discipline that ran them, i.e. Pony Club Coaching Certificate, British Eventing Coaching Certificate etc, rather than generically UKCC. The certificates are now endorsed by 1st4Sport, part of UK Coaching, as well as being on the framework of qualifications

with CIMSPA the Chartered Institute for Management in Sport and Physical Activity. These are professional qualifications, a fact that is sometimes overlooked, and offer a route into the coaching profession which can be an alternative or a support to, the BHS teaching qualifications.

If you are considering taking a coaching course, you may wish to consider a generic coaching qualification, as offered by the Pony Club, ABRS (Association of British Riding Schools) or Horse Scotland. Consider where your interest and experience lies, and whether you would be best served by taking a discipline specific qualification, offered by most of the equestrian disciplines, from Level 2 upwards. As we enter 2023, there are plans for Endurance GB to offer a Level 2 Coaching course in the early part of the year, with further courses to follow.

Coaching

qualification

levels overview

Level

One

This general qualification provides you with an introduction to the principles of equestrian coaching and enables you to work in an assistant coach capacity under the supervision of a coach with a higher level of qualification. It’s open to those who meet the minimum entry requirements of the relevant member body.

Level Two

Enables you to work independently without supervision, and is available in general riding or in specific disciplines.

Level Three

This level can also be a general riding or a discipline specific qualification and requires a greater depth of technical knowledge combined with more developed coaching skills. Level Three coaches are senior coaches, able to plan and implement longer term coaching strategy and effectively evaluate their own coaching practice.

Level Four

The BEF worked in partnership with British Rowing and the University of Gloucestershire to develop the British Equestrian Level Four Coaching Certificate. It is a bespoke course developed to address the needs of both sports and is about developing coaching skills and knowledge of the coach. The Level Four is for highperforming coaches with considerable experience, and involves an advanced syllabus of professional academic education.

All for a

good cause

So, at the start of the 2022 season, I spoke to Neil saying that I’d like to donate £1 for every km we completed at Endurance GB events in aid of BHF. I must say I felt quite anxious for putting this on myself and Valley but on the other hand it was a fantastic opportunity to help out, in my own way, a great charity.

In 2013 I returned to the UK after living in northern Italy since 1981. With me I brought home my three ponies. Sam Valley was my first homebred and didn’t grow to the height that I’d wished for, but she has turned out to be a pocket rocket in endurance.

This little story all started during lockdown when my friend Neil Hardingham, who is a DJ in his spare time, held live music shows and games on social media. The group was called Disco Fever Family and his audience grew quickly in numbers. During this time, he lost his mother due to heart failure and opened a JustGiving fundraising account to help The British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Our first outing was a 40km at Spring King's

Forest in April where we put our first £40 in the pot. Our second outing was a 64km at Avon Valley in May and here we put another £64 in the pot. I was so chuffed with what we were achieving and by this time we had a few followers who also donated a few pennies and we became known by the Disco Fever Family as The Dream Team.

Heather Plasted and Sam Valley features

Heather Plasted and Sam Valley

Heather Plasted and her little 14hh homebred mare Sam Valley introduce themselves and tell us more about their endurance journey to date.

Little 'pocket rocket'

With a big heart

Where to go and what to do now were my thoughts. I really wanted to try a multiple day ride on Valley but seeing I had never done one on her before, I was having doubts about introducing a different training regime. But this is where Esther Groen stepped in and gave me advice for our next ride and the training that was needed.

We were entered for the 100km multiple three days at Summer King's Forest which was also holding FEI classes and lots of graded classes. This was the first time that Valley would face a three-day and 100km. Dominic Smith and his lovely gentleman George Bush (Mr. G) also entered the 100km three-day, so together every little detail had been thought out. We were going to make it a little holiday!

We humans, me, Tracey Sawyer and my super sister Sarah Howlett (who were going to help crew me and Dom) popped to King's Thursday afternoon (only being 40 minutes' drive from the yard) to pitch the tent for us, corral and prepare the stables. I was getting quite excited and just loved the fact that I was going to take part in one of my favourite rides with lots of support behind me and knowing I was riding to complete and be able to donate a few more pennies.

Friday morning came round quickly, and Valley must have picked up that there was something going on (as they do!) because when I went to get her in, she went snorting off, tail in the air doing a dressage trot and flat-out racehorse gallop around the five-acre field! Oh my goodness... I eventually caught her, loaded into the trailer and off we went. In a matter of no time we arrived at King's, vet check for documents, microchip etc being an FEI ride, documents handed in and bib picked up - it was happening. Dom and I presented to our pre ride vetting together and all good to go - 40HR 1s and As perfect.

We had such fun, chatting and taking in the lovely well-marked route, tracks that wiggle through the forest and grass verges. The weather was great and our crew were always happy to see us en route. We finished the first 30km, presented in two mins on HR 43 1s and As, so all good to go on Saturday (we just needed to present to vets before going out on course to be given the OK).

Saturday morning was quite relaxed, the FEI classes had an early start, and it was nice to be able to see them off. Valley had eaten and drunk well during the night but had got wound up when the FEI riders started getting their horses ready, so we took it in turns to hand graze and walk her before vetting.

Saturday was a 40km route and it was quite warm too. Both horses were still going nicely and drinking well out on course. Crewing for

us that day were my sister Sarah and my dear mother Janice, an 80 year old horsewoman (who has never missed a ride, even when I competed in Italy she would come over and support me). Again Dom and I enjoyed our trotting/cantering time together and our ponies were happy. Presentation time again under three mins HR 44 1s and As. I was feeling so chuffed.....just the last 30km to go on Sunday.

Sunday came round, it was a later start and the weather was going to be very warm. Vet check before the last 30km and we were both given the OK.

I had a very overwhelming surprise, Neil and a few other followers turned up for the start and followed us out on course. They’d said that they were going to have to go away before the finish but this was a porky! They were all there at the finishing line and to watch us go into our last vetting. HR 52 1s and As. We had done it.

I was in tears; words cannot describe my emotion when we were told we’d passed. My little pocket rocket Sam Valley had done me proud. Dom and Mr. G also passed the final vetting. As you can imagine there were hugs all around. I also got dumped into the big water trough by our good friend Andy Simpson. I was over the moon by all the support we’d had, and we hadn’t let our followers down.

Our next ride was an 80km GER at Rushford in July and once again Dom and I were going for a completion. The ponies were riding well together. We both flew through our first vetting at 30km, but unfortunately out on our second loop Valley was not listening to me as she should have, we got caught up with the race riders and she blew her top and wanted to go with them. We had a slip and trip and it showed up when we vetted out at 60km. Dom was good to go so I stayed at the venue and my sister went out to crew Dom on his last 20km. They smashed it and finished with flying colours.

This was the end to my competition season so I gave Valley a good rest and we went out and just did a few low key PR and hunt rides. The total that we managed to donate and raise for the British Heart Foundation was just shy of £600. I am totally delighted with everyone who followed us, and of course my little pony Sam Valley.

Heather Plasted and Sam Valley

“We had such fun, chatting and taking in the lovely well-marked route, tracks that wiggle through the forest and grass verges.”

David

Saunders Photography

Added Extras!

Would your endurance horse or pony benefit from additional nutritional support? Here’s what to look for when choosing the right supplement

Recent research has helped us achieve a better understanding of basal nutrient requirements of horses and ponies and when additional nutrients or ingredients may be beneficial, and how these supplemental compounds can support optimum performance in all equine athletes.

Increased training intensity, stepping up to greater ride distances and faster speeds, travelling longer distances, increasing age, musculo-skeletal conditions, post viral recovery, respiratory issues, poor quality hoof horn, over-excitability or unpredictable behaviour have all been shown to benefit from support from increased key nutrient levels. This support may take the form of increased energy density in feed to fuel harder work, increasing protein quality to support tissue repair, or targeted nutritional support – for example to provide key chondro-protective and anti-inflammatory compounds for joint and muscle health. Adding carefully chosen supplements allows the rider to tailor their horse’s diet to individual needs.

Supplements can be divided into two broad categories:

1. Broad spectrum supplements:

All horses and ponies should receive a forage-based diet –pasture, or preserved forage (hay or haylage and chaff-based feeds). For some starting their career, energy and protein levels from good quality

forage may meet training and performance needs. Others may need additional energy (and sometimes protein) provided from concentrate feeds. Most horses training and competing above pleasure ride level will need additional energy and protein sources from a suitable concentrate feed, over and above their forage allocation. However, while most manufactured concentrate feeds such as nuts or mixes are fortified with minerals and vitamins, if intakes are below manufacturer’s recommendations, levels of key micronutrients may not meet requirements. UK pastures (and therefore hay/haylage) are typically low in several important minerals, including selenium, copper and zinc.

Although pasture contains most important vitamins, preserving that forage as hay or haylage can result in significant losses of key nutrients, so horses receive inadequate levels in winter when they may have limited access to pasture.

If the horse maintains condition and can complete training and rides on a forage-

based diet with no or low intakes of concentrate feed, add a broad-spectrum mineral and vitamin supplement. Powders, liquids and pelleted forms of broadspectrum supplements are available, and the choice depends upon individual circumstances, but remember, liquids may have lower levels of key minerals, due to solubility.

Pre and probiotics

Some broad-spectrum supplements have added pre and probiotics, or they can be added separately to feed. These are designed to support the digestive system to help maintain a healthy hindgut microbiome, to optimize feed utilization and energy production, and maintain a healthy immune system. The stress of intense training, longer and faster rides, long distance travelling and stabling away from home can result in disruption to the balance of the gut microbiome, and the use of prebiotics and probiotics, before and during periods of stress, can minimize this disruption and improve performance.

2. Targeted supplements to meet a particular nutritional need

While there are many supplements to help particular needs, perhaps the most widely used for endurance horses are electrolyte replacement and rehydration, those supporting joint health and mobility, energy production (haematinics), respiratory issues, and those to support unpredictable or excitable behaviour or help manage heart rates at vet checks.

Electrolytes

In brief, the major electrolytes are sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Electrolytes are required for most bodily functions, including nerve function and muscle contractions, and play key roles in other areas, such as calcium in bone strength.

They regulate the horse’s fluid balance and help to maintain hydration. When water and electrolytes are depleted through sweating, and the horse becomes dehydrated, performance will decrease. Significant electrolyte losses can result in impaired muscle contraction, leading to muscle cramps, or worse, ‘thumps’ or synchronous diaphragmatic flutter, when the diaphragm doesn’t contract normally, but contracts in sync with the heart muscle. Equine sweat is more concentrated with electrolytes (especially sodium and chloride) than other body fluids and is known as hypertonic sweat.

Moderate exercise can result in losses of five litres of sweat per hour, and intense exercise in humid conditions, can cause losses of 15 litres plus per hour. Therefore, it’s vital that lost electrolytes and lost fluid are replaced when a horse sweats to help prevent reduced performance or clinical problems.

Endurance horses taking part in pleasure rides in temperate climates, fed a forage-based ration with a broad-spectrum micronutrient supplement may only require access to a salt lick and fresh clean water to replace losses, but beware of those who crunch through a salt lick in a few days. As rides get longer and sweat losses are greater, especially in hot conditions, additional electrolyte supplementation is required, and expert advice should be sought.

Endurance horses competing at higher levels, who work harder and sweat heavily, will need an electrolyte supplement. Proprietary concentrate feeds will typically provide between 5-10g salt per kg fed, and this should be factored into additional electrolyte supplementation. Again, seek expert advice and source a supplement containing appropriate

Take home tips

1. Discuss proposed changes to your feed regime with your nutritionist, trainer, performance therapist and vet.

1. Evaluate your feed regime carefully, and provide nutritional support tailored for your horse. Most reputable supplement companies will have a helpline or online messaging facility to design a suitable support programme for your horse.

1. Check the manufacturer has the necessary industry quality accreditations and certifications. Look for standards such as UFAS and BETA NOPS® (Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances) certification, and/or that batch testing at FEI approved laboratories is undertaken.

1. All reputable supplement companies will tell you how their ingredients are sourced.

1. Look for labels where ingredients are listed individually, as required by law, and not as ‘plant or botanical extracts’.

1. Supplements are not miracle cures but can help support performance in certain circumstances.

electrolytes in suitable quantities and ratios –one where the first listed ingredient is dextrose (sugar) is unlikely to provide enough salts!

Joint health and comfort

Hard working and older equines will experience joint wear and tear, which may affect their ability to move comfortably during rides or at the final vet check. Providing constituents to maintain joint health, such as building blocks for cartilage support, including glucosamine, glutamic acid, glycine, collagen, chondroitin, manganese and silicon and a key component in joint fluid – hyaluronic acid (HA) – will help horses maintain a longer working life in comfort.

Inflammation is a normal part of the healing process, and will occur due to exercise, to help repair the micro-damage to muscles and connective tissue arising from exercise.

However, excessive inflammation can result in on-going damage to joints and muscles, and many joint supplements contain ingredients such as MSM, turmeric, boswellia and yucca. The ingredients support the horse’s own natural anti-inflammatory mechanisms and are important to help maintain joint and muscle health and comfort. Boswellia – a member of the Frankincense family – contains a boswellic acid abbreviated to AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11keto-β-boswellic acid) to decrease release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Many endurance riders have noted the benefits of including a supplement with anti-inflammatory compounds alongside chondro-protective ingredients.

Energy production

Horses with limited access to pasture may struggle to obtain adequate levels of B vitamins – which play key roles in energy production, blood building and appetite stimulation. Healthy gut microbes should synthesize B vitamins, but in many horses competing at higher levels, this synthesis may be impaired, and requirements may be increased. A haematinic supplement will

provide supplemental levels of key B vitamins to ensure energy production isn’t compromised and red blood cell production is optimized to carry vital oxygen to muscles. Sometimes, after intense exercise, an illness or operation, horses struggle to regain their appetite, and a B vitamin supplement can encourage them to eat.

Respiratory supplements

Stabled horses are subjected to a constant respiratory challenge from fungal spores and dust which can affect respiratory function. By the time they actually cough there may be significant airway inflammation. Horses living out may struggle with one or more types of pollen, which can also affect breathing and performance. Respiratory supplements provide nutritional support to help keep airways open, as well as providing support for the immune system. Look out for ones containing eucalyptus, menthol, echinacea, garlic, nettle and astragalus among others.

Calmers

As horses and ponies are ‘fright and flight’ animals, they can react (or over-react!) to new or challenging situations. A lack of key nutrients can make this worse, and probably the best known is the mineral magnesium. A lack of magnesium can cause nerve and neuro-muscular excitability, resulting in a tense, anxious horse. Other important nutrients found in many calmers include calcium and thiamin or Vitamin B1. Certain compounds found in some plants are also thought to help promote healthy nerve function and aid focus and concentration, perhaps the best-known being chamomile. Take care to ensure they don’t contain plant extracts containing prohibited substances.

For more information visit: www.equine-america.co.uk or tel: 01403 255809.

North-east meets the American West

in Northumberland

Northumberland is a county of contrasts. Castles built for warfare overlooking the serene holy Island of Lindisfarne. The historic World Heritage site of Hadrian’s Wall alongside the city of Newcastle with its iconic bridges. From the extinct volcano in the Cheviot Hills down to the rocky coastline of the Farne Islands bursting with birdlife. Kielder Water and Forest Park, with England’s largest reservoir, a quiet haven for both wildlife and horse riders.

However, there is another contrast in Northumberland. Among the beautiful moorland of Hexhamshire at the home of the Endurance GB Hexham Ride, a touch of the American West has arrived.

Enter Darren Wilson Horsemanship

Western rider and trainer, Darren Wilson, specialises in assisting riders to develop the relationship with their horse. Darren helps riders to see things from the horse’s perspective, building trust and allowing riders to communicate with their horse in a fair and effective way.

After becoming involved with horses and wanting to expand his skills, Darren originally decided to train in Monty Roberts' Intelligent Horsemanship programme. After completing the Foundation and Intermediate stages and with a growing interest in Western riding, Darren decided to continue his training in America. Over in the States, he completed his Advanced Horsemanship training with American trainer Brent Graff. Darren now runs his own horsemanship clinics and works with clients’ horses on a one-to-one basis.

In his groundwork clinics, Darren provides a series of obstacles designed to challenge the horse. Horses are asked to navigate the obstacles with guidance from their handler. However, the session is not just about negotiating obstacles with your horse. The aim is to develop the horse’s understanding of what is being asked, build confidence and learn that the safest place to be is next to their human.

A gentle way

The inspiration for holding a Darren Wilson Horsemanship clinic for Endurance GB members originally arose when

Northumberland and Tyneside member Julie Rana called in Darren to help resolve loading issues. Impressed with his gentle methods, Julie suggested that other members could benefit. Janet Lennard, Chair of Northumberland and Tyneside Group, felt that many of the obstacles Darren used were akin to the type of obstacles that endurance riders meet, for example tall grass or wheat touching a horse’s legs or sides, ducking under hanging branches, riding through water, over bridges, and uneven ground.

Endurance GB Darren Wilson Horsemanship clinic in 2021

With the dual benefit of desensitisation to hazards while riding and developing connection with our horses, the clinic with Darren was arranged for August 2021.

The venue was Cooks House Farm, the home of the Hexham Ride. Standing on the edge of the wild and beautiful Hexhamshire Common, Cooks House Farm offers superb riding and has a proven track record as an excellent venue.

Horses of many different types and ages were in attendance, the youngest being 18 months and the oldest 22 years old. Julie Rana, the

Report by Northumberland and Tyneside Group

member who originally recommended Darren, was so impressed she attended the clinic and took part in the session.

The day was divided into four sessions, each two hours long with five horses in each group. All the horses and owners had an opportunity to work individually with Darren and then practise together. Horses and owners tackled the obstacles with Darren standing by to offer encouragement and advice.

The event was a huge success and Janet herself took part with her horse Digby, who is a TB x Fell Advanced endurance horse, famous within the group for the ‘Digby trot’ his 15 kilometres per hour trot.

Janet commented: “Although Digby is 22, he can sometimes become bargy. Not long into the session, I was fed up and sweating. Darren told me to take a step back and observe Digby's behaviour and not to take it personally. Darren then showed me some handling techniques that are effective and safe.”

Helping the horse to find the positive Darren always encourages the horse to find the positive answer in any situation and helps riders to understand what the horse is feeling. Training is taken incrementally, so that the horse can feel safe and secure and achieve a true union with its handler.

Darren says that having a good connection

with your horse is key, commenting: “Perfection is rarely obtainable but connection is readily available.”

Darren’s help and advice continued to help Janet and she is benefitting from an improved relationship with Digby. This was highlighted recently when Digby was anxious and hyperventilating after having surgery to remove a tooth. Janet described the situation saying: “I didn’t run around taking his heart rate or calling the vet, I just stood calmly with him cuddling him and he quickly recovered.”

Californian Vaquero traditions

Darren describes how helping riders to be more aware of the horse's perspective, developing connection and confidence on the ground also translates to a better bond under saddle. As an advocate of the Californian Vaquero traditional style of horsemanship, Darren invests as much time as is necessary to train a horse to respond to tiny signals from the rider. The Vaquero tradition has its roots in Spain.

On the Haciendas, the sparse landed estates of medieval Spain, huge herds of cattle ranged over vast areas so cattle owners developed the mounted Vaquero system to keep track of them. When South America was colonised by the Spanish, the Hacienda system and the Vaqueros were exported to the New World.

By the late 1700s the Vaqueros had brought their horsemanship traditions northwards to the Californian ranches where they continued the tradition first developed in Spain. Training was carried out outside over varied terrain with a long-term approach to produce confident and responsive horses.

Building on success

As the 2021 clinic was such a success, a second Endurance GB Darren Wilson Horsemanship event was planned for 2022, this time in conjunction with Corbridge and District Riding Club. The positive feedback received from last year’s participants and the strong links

Northumberland and Tyneside Endurance GB group has with the Riding Club prompted Janet Lennard to open the opportunity to Riding Club members.

Endurance GB Darren Wilson Horsemanship clinic in 2022.

The clinic again took place at Cooks House Farm, the wonderful venue of the Hexham Endurance GB ride, with a mixed group of Endurance GB and Riding Club members. There was a good turnout with horses of different ages and abilities and owners with different levels of experience.

Darren recognised several horses from the previous year’s event and was pleased to see how they had developed with their handlers. At this clinic, several owners also felt confident enough to tackle the obstacles riding their horses.

Darren’s groundwork course comprises of various elements, all designed to test and increase the horse’s trust in its handler. The obstacles include elements such as a water crossing, a wooden bridge to traverse, a curtain of streamers to walk underneath and long multi-coloured foam fingers to walk through.

Riding Club Chair Emma Shorman brought her horse Kilfinane Rebel, a seven-year-old Irish Sports Horse, along to this year's event. Emma and Kilfinane Rebel are a new partnership and Emma wanted to develop their connection.

Emma describes her first impressions saying: “It was eye opening, at first your horse is baffled and does not understand the aim of the game. My horse was not spooky as such, she just stood there with her eyes on stalks and her head in the air. After 10 minutes or so, she settled, took everything in and realised nothing was going to hurt her. With encouragement and lots of praise we then took on each of the obstacles. Darren gave advice on how to encourage my horse, showing a true understanding of what the horse was thinking.

At the end of the session my horse was calm with her head lowered and Darren felt she had done enough and we finished on a high note. I

“Darren invests as much time as is necessary to train a horse to respond to tiny signals from the ride

best shot

Liz Hinings discusses the dos and don’ts when it comes to uploading your horse’s flu vaccinations for approval before a ride. Her advice will help her to help you.

Firstly, let me tell you a little bit about myself and why I am writing this article. I am the Endurance GB volunteer who looks at the images you upload to the website when requesting flu certification approval. As you’ll know, anyone attending an Endurance GB mounted event must have this approval uploaded to their horse’s record before they may attend, preferably dealing with this when first registering and then updating annually (or sixmonthly if applicable) when boosters are given. When a certification request is made, I firstly check that the horse’s name on the passport matches the Endurance GB-registered name (and if not, I edit the latter e.g. Woodgreen Whirlwind on the passport is Endurance GB-registered as Woody so becomes Woody (Woodgreen Whirlwind). I check the vaccination dates for the past four years (or less if a new course has been started recently, when I must be able to see the first two primary jabs). I then edit the images down to a smaller size so as not to use too much disk space (but please

don’t do this yourselves or I might not be able to decipher the dates). Depending on what I see, I approve them, request more information or sadly, in some cases, I reject them at which point I send a personal email to the rider, in addition to an explanation on the certification.

Problem solving

In the instructions for uploading the images we ask that you should not photograph/scan the identity diagram as this does not usually show the horse’s name and passport number. You should please check the images carefully to ensure that they are all in focus, legible and

not too small. There is a useful link under My Horses>My 'Flu Vacc Certifications for you to email for help (clubhouse@endurancegb. co.uk) but please make sure you quote the horse and/or rider name and this will be responded to as soon as possible. However, sometimes I have problems!

Example one

I receive an email from a rider asking for help to upload documents for two horses (Jock and Imber) but neither of the passports has those names. Then I look at the vaccination dates pages – you’ll remember that I need to see four

All photos courtesy of Barbara Austin

years’ worth of dates or back to the start of the most recent course. There are two dates pages (no indication of which belongs to which horse). One page has dates from 2011 to 2015 and then one date in the current year and the other page has only a Primary 1 vaccination date - I think you’ll understand the difficulty!

Example two

So far as the images are concerned, I get all sorts of laughs here. Quite often they are upside down or side on, but that is easily remedied - although when I started doing this, I did find myself getting a crick in my neck from not editing them first! On one occasion I received the image of the first page of the member’s personal passport instead of the horse’s – that made my day!

Example three

Sometimes a vet doesn’t enter the dates in chronological order on the dedicated flu vaccination page, but I find them dotted around on different pages!

Example four

And sometimes, a tetanus booster or an EHV vaccination is given at a completely different date to the flu vaccination but is entered on the same page.

Help us to help you

It’s very frustrating to have to reject a certification which, if the member had uploaded the dates images at the time of having a booster given, I could have warned them that they needed to start a new course but, by the time I get to see it, the time lapse between the

most recent vaccination and the current date is too great for it to be put right quickly - this frequently happens when a member has just made a ride entry, and then they must be withdrawn!

It helps if ride organisers/entries secretaries regularly check the entries as they arrive and, if they find missing ones or ones that are expired or will expire before the event, they then send a quick text/email to the riders concerned with a link to the instructions on how to upload their documentation. They should enter a note to this effect in the admin comments section of the rider’s entry form.

We’ve found that riders seem to respond quicker to texts or phone calls rather than emails. When contacting them, it’s also advisable to remind those entrants with vaccinations expiring very close to the ride date, that there need to be seven clear days between booster and attendance at an Endurance GB event. This gives the entrant time to bring forward any boosters, if necessary.

Also, if a ride organiser/entries secretary has contacted a rider and the rider has advised that flu vaccinations have been booked, or that the rider is on holiday and will upload when home again, it’s helpful if a note is made in the admin comments on the rider’s entry form, so that riders are not being chased up more than is necessary.

So, please keep them coming and, if you can

please remember to upload the updated images at the same time as you have your boosters given, that would be an enormous help to ride organisers, entries secretaries and the flu admin team and maybe we won’t have to keep hassling you! Thank you all.

Some interesting photos below that I have received during the process of flu certification approval.

No dates

I can't see the dates

Passport needs to show horse's name and passport number

International 2022

This year’s Home International event took place concurrently with the Scottish Champs at Longnewton, writes Nancy Murdoch, Scottish team administrator

We welcomed teams from Scotland, England and Wales (unfortunately the Irish couldn’t join us) and we soon had a festive atmosphere with flags of all three nations and lots of bunting, but the sad death of Queen Elizabeth meant it was low key this year. The decision was made to cancel Friday’s classes and take down the flags.

We still managed to go ahead with classes on Saturday and Sunday and at the team vetting on Friday was lovely to see the horses and people dressed in their best. The English team stood out in new black rugs and red and white browbands and was voted best turned out team.

During the two days of riding, we had the usual nail-biting at vet gates and final vettings. Sadly Wales lost two horses, Scotland three and England four. All the horses were well looked after by the vets and all had good recovery from their ailments.

This was our first year under new HI rules where all nations presented 12 horses in a single team. This meant that, with 10 horses round and sound, Wales won the Home International, Scotland was second and England third.

As there’s no longer a separate Celtic Challenge team a different approach was used to determine the winner of that trophy. Based

on performance formula in the classes 60km, two-day 80 junior, 50km, 50km under 25, 40 novice and 40 junior, Wales was declared the winner of that also.

In addition to the team awards there were several trophies for individual achievements (see below). The winners of these were all delighted with their results and there was much jubilation at the prize giving. We’d usually have finished off the weekend with a party but not this year, out of respect to the national mourning.

We all still managed to enjoy the weekend and are looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2023 at the HI in Wales at the Red Dragon, a favourite ride with many Scots.

Home International

1st – Wales (10 horses home)

2nd Scotland (nine horses home)

3rd – England (eight horses home)

Celtic Challenge Trophy Wales

Best Turned out England

Competitors’ comments

Penny Hudson and Flossy, 50km class

Flossy (chestnut Irish Draught x Arab – now aged 19) and I arrived at Longnewton in reasonable weather conditions on the Thursday.

Individual Home International Results

Two-day 160km 1st - Chris MacMillan (Scotland) 2nd - Georgina Vaughan (Wales)

Two-day 120km 1st - Fiona Griffiths (Wales) 2nd - Robert Newall (Scotland)

80km 1st + trophy - Lorna McCarthy (England) 60km 1st - Hamish Stewart (Scotland)

40km novice 1st + trophy - Erin Calder (Scotland) 2nd Charlotte Scott (England)

40km junior 1st + trophy - Beth McCrickard (Scotland) 2nd – Kathryn Featherstone (England)

Two-day 80km 1st + trophy - Joelle Russell (Scotland) 2nd - Kirsty Wiscombe (Wales)

Two-day 80km Junior 1st + Trophy - Jamie Shores (England) 2nd - Alex Powell (Wales)

50km 1st - Jane Greatorex (England) 50km under 25 1st + trophy - Katie Smith (Scotland)

40km Junior winner Beth McCrickard riding Cruglwyd Ellis

All photos courtesy of Top Gear Photos

I managed to get my corral and stable set up before the torrential rain came in.

On Friday I got Floss out for a 3km in-hand leg stretch first thing and the Scottish team were to vet mid-afternoon, so all horses had to present plaited up and in team colours. All passed and we looked very smart. By this time, our crew had arrived, tea was in the team tent and then we had our ride briefing. I discovered I was in the team, and not the reserve (as I thought I would be) so I was very excited. Saturday dawned and there was a nervous energy and buzz. We tacked up and headed for the start. Once on-board, I started to relax and we set off enjoying the fields, tracks and quiet lanes. We met our crew at the three crew points – all was going well and we arrived at the vet gate with a good time. Flossy’s heart rate was 60 so off we went to the vet. She passed (58/50), so a short rest and then we were off on our second loop. As we’d ridden here last year, a lot of this loop looked familiar, which was good. The finish was in sight – and a steady walk to the vet gate before final vetting. The support of our crew, Alice (vet) and Anna (physio) was fantastic. When I picked out Flossy’s hooves though, I found a stone wedged in her shoe, so fingers crossed it didn’t cause a problem. We headed to the vetting. First HR 48 (brill), trotup done but the vet’s face didn’t look positive. She finished the rest of the vetting – all 1s and As and final HR 52. Then she asked me to trot up again. Unfortunately, Floss was slightly lame behind, so we didn’t pass.

About half an hour after turning her out, I got a call to come to the corrals quickly. Floss had suddenly behaved strangely, like she was about to roll, then reared back up. She was wobbly and staggering, with her eyes rolled back and muscle tremors. The vets were already with her when I got there, checking her vital statistics and getting pain relief and muscle relaxant into her. Those 15 minutes were awful, seeing Floss like that and being totally helpless. Thankfully she responded well to treatment and improved. The vets kept a close eye on her and I’m relieved to say she is fully recovered. Despite this scare, my experience of being on the Scottish team was fantastic.

Beth McCrickard and Cruglwyd Ellis, 40km junior class

Beth’s mum Ali says: Originally, both Beth and I were picked for the team, but when Beth’s horse Amir went lame I gave her the ride on Ellis.

On arrival, we set up our corral and stable and Scottish team vet Alice Strang Steel and physiotherapist Anna Armstrong and Chef d’Equipe Francis Bakker looked over each horse and watched them trot up. The horses then had a brisk walk in-hand to stretch their legs before they were settled into their corrals. We couldn’t

face putting up a tent in the pouring rain so plan B was comfy double hammocks, and Beth opted for an airbed on top of hay bales which were set up by torchlight in our trailer.

Beth’s HI class wasn’t scheduled till Sunday, so we did the stable work and spent a few hours watching the spectacle of the vet gate.

On Sunday Beth was riding with 40km novice rider Erin Calder. We saw them safely away then headed off to the first of four crew points. Erin and her horse River and Beth and Ellis made great ride partners. Beth and Erin made good time and completed the course at just over 11kph, so it was back to the vet gate area to be crewed before their final vetting. Both horses recovered quickly and passed the vet with gold heart rates.

Sunday evening we all headed to the prizegiving and meal. Beth and Erin were delighted to win their 40km junior and novice sections. We thoroughly enjoyed our first team experience of the Scottish Championships and Home International and would thoroughly recommend it to any member who is thinking about applying for the 2023 Scottish team.

Chris MacMillan, two-day 160km

As usual, the Home International build-up is exciting and nerve-wracking. Support begins as soon as the team is selected with the Chef d’Equipe and it’s always an honour to represent your country.

Thursday night turned into a solemn affair as news came through of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen but after a long deliberation we were given the go-ahead for our rides to proceed. There was a rush then to smarten up ourselves and the horses for vetting and to get everything together for crewing. Not a small task for us doing the two-day160km involving five vet gates and about 10 crew points, especially as we prepare a veritable smorgasbord of choices for horse and rider –

you never know what you’re going to fancy at different points.

Saturday dawned dry and Stinky (Coolagoree Glen Thunder) and I were both feeling the nerves. Ride plan: round and sound – bring home the miles for the team. At short notice our Chef Francis Bakker and the experienced Aratahnes Phoebe stepped up to replace our second 160km rider. Phoebe makes it clear that she thinks Stinky is a nasty oik, nevertheless they match well for pace and travel well together. Sadly Phoebe was spun at the first vet gate so we continued alone but soon caught up with Georgina Vaughan and Belinda Stewart. The course flowed beautifully and the horses were all going well.

At the end of day one Georgina and I opted to come in gently. This paid off as, with some top-class crewing, we presented to the vets in under two minutes which gave us a decent start for day two.

Day two started beautifully. We were all enjoying the company as we continued for the rest of the day going forward where the going was good and gently when it was more difficult. Georgina said early in the day that she wouldn’t race the finish, and even though I gave her the chance again at the end she declined. As usual Stinky had plenty in the tank (and I’m an undeniable show-off) so we finished with a flourish. I think he knows he’s finished after that so relaxes quickly. The vetting is never a given, but it was not a surprise to us that he vetted through fine. Well done Stinky! What a pony! This is his eighth time for Scotland, his sixth successful 100-miler but his first Scottish Champion for which he won the biggest cup I’ve ever seen.

Thanks to all the team members and supporters, chef, physio, vet et al. - it really makes it special to be part of the team and especially to see people moving through, as I did, from novice and going up the distances.

Penny Hudson & TNT Flossy

Meet the team behind Enduro Equine

Ride & Fitness Tracking

We find out more about David Frost, founder of Siametric Systems, the company that developed the game-changing Enduro Equine Heart Rate Monitor and the Enduro FIT Ride Tracker App.

You may be interested to know that David hasn’t always been involved in horses. His early career began at GEC Marconi as a research engineer working on advanced RADAR systems before joining the Cambridge Tech Startup (CSR) that brought Bluetooth wireless connectivity to the market at the start of 2000. At CSR he helped develop and deliver Bluetooth, GPS location and audio solutions to some of the world’s leading mobile and accessory companies including Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola and Nintendo.

Living and working in Newmarket, often referred to as the Headquarters of British horseracing and home to the largest number of training yards, David’s early interest in horses was born through his father and uncle, who were avid racegoers. His partner Fiona is a senior doctor at several of the racecourses in the east of England, responsible for looking after the jockeys, so horses are a big part of their life.

Getting started

Early weekday mornings David would spend hours watching the racehorses on the gallops, attracted by the majestic beauty and speed of these equine athletes. It was during one of those sessions that the idea of combining his expertise in hi-tech engineering and his passion for horses came about.

Initially the company embarked on a significant market research exercise and it soon

became clear that there was a strong desire from horse owners and trainers looking for reliable data insights to help monitor the horse’s health and fitness at an affordable price.

Once the demand for equine tech was established, the company continued with feasibility studies relating to equine activity tracking and stable monitoring. Further R&D resulted in equine experiments, advanced sensor evaluation and customer trials using

David, Anna Bridges, Diane Luke, Lauren Hirst

innovative hardware and software mock-ups.

Soon the R&D started to focus on equine fitness tracking with heart rate monitors, using heart rate recovery as a key fitness insight. Equine heart rate monitoring solutions were already available in the market but had failed to address the user concerns over comfort, cost and ability to measure heart during intense exercise. Alternative solutions were either too expensive, had poor battery life and could only measure heart rate at rest, during light exercise or caused girth rubbing after long distance rides.

At the end of 2018, the company began product development on an affordable smart fabric girth sleeve for equine heart rate monitoring, including trials with racehorse trainers, vets, and horse riders across a variety of equestrian disciplines. The final sleeve design selected needed to be comfortable, easy to use, robust and washable.

Work also started on the development of a software mobile app for ride tracking. The idea was that these products could be used standalone but when combined you would have an enhanced ride tracker and heart rate monitor, delivering true fitness insights.

Team work makes the dream work

Many of you will have met David during the season as he has fast become a fan of endurance and enjoys getting out and about, supporting as many events and riders as he can. David says: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support that we have received from the endurance community, many of whom have now become friends. Through honest feedback and valuable insights into the sport of endurance, we developed the truly game-changing piece of equipment that it is today.”

Laura Cutter joined David at the start of 2021 to help manage the Enduro Equine product launch. Laura has over 15 years in equestrian marketing working with leading equestrian brands and high-profile riders. As a horse owner and rider herself she was excited to join the team and work with David to bring his ground-breaking innovation to the equestrian market.

Made for endurance

The Enduro Equine Heart Rate Monitor and Enduro FIT Ride Tracker App was launched early 2021 to the equestrian market. It soon became clear that this new product was going to be a game-changer for Endurance riders looking for an easy-to-use solution to monitor their horse’s heart rate during training and competition.

As someone new to the sport of endurance, David relied on the very generous help and goodwill of several experienced endurance riders and endurance horse producers.

Quick to learn

Listening to invaluable feedback from these early adopters, David began to learn more about the sport of endurance and the tack used by riders. While the early Enduro GS girth sleeve prototype was the perfect solution for racehorses, a shorter wider sleeve was more appropriate for endurance.

The benefit of being the owner, founder and product developer is that you can adapt to the needs of your customer, so it wasn’t long before two new girth sleeve designs were added to the product range.

The support of Endurance GB and the wider

endurance family has been paramount to the product’s growth. User feedback includes:

“The Enduro Equine Fitness Tracker is proving useful in checking and improving the fitness of my two endurance horses - one is a novice and the other is advanced. It is useful to compare heart rates when they both do the same piece of work”

“The device is easy to use and look after, providing you with a permanent record of your horse’s activity.”

“I’ve found the Enduro Equine Fitness Tracker a brilliant training and competition tool that helps monitor horse fitness both in real-time and to look back at post-exercise.”

“It’s so quick and simple to use I love being able to just slide it on, saddle up and go without any hassle but with all the benefits the tracker has to offer.”

Join the Equine Tech Revolution

We are always on the lookout for people who want to become part of our team and join our journey, whether they are horse riders, owners, trainers, or just enthusiasts. We also welcome interest from those who want to invest in our company as we work towards growing our business. Follow Enduro Equine on Facebook and Instagram @enduroequine or check out their website www.enduroequine.com

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the support that we have received from the endurance community, many of whom have now become friends”

Endurance parades at Newmarket

Endurance was represented in the Retraining of Racehorses parade at the Juddmonte Cambridgeshire race day at Newmarket on 24 September. We reveal what happened on the day.

It was awesome to see endurance among six former racehorses showcasing life after racing. Dressage, polo, showing, eventing and show jumping horses all strutted their stuff in the parade ring in front of ITV Racing and Racing TV. The crowds were delighted to see endurance represented by Art Mauresque, ridden by Hayley Gilmore. Art Mauresque is a 12-year-old gelding by Policy Maker, formerly trained by Paul Nicholls, bred by Michel Parreau-Delhote.

The horse enjoyed a successful National Hunt career, winning nine races under Jockey Club rules and over £100,000 in winnings, before

being retired in December 2020, after which Hayley Gilmore took him on. Initially, Hayley and Art Mauresque did a bit of everything,

Twelve year old Art Mauresque

including show jumping and cross-country, but it soon became apparent that endurance is what he loved, so they started on their endurance adventure. This year ‘Art’ has consistently achieved Grade 1s and 2s.

He qualified for the National Novice Championships in Lincolnshire and for the team RoR Endurance Championships at The Red Dragon. Hayley says: “Art Mauresque has really taken to endurance, and he enjoys going to new places. Next year our plan is to increase our distance and move up to Open and maybe Advanced, I am very much looking forward to that with this special horse.”

Anna Collins provides national liaison between Endurance GB and RoR and had arranged to showcase endurance in the prestigious parade. She said: “The more people we can make aware that Thoroughbreds can excel at endurance, especially racing owners and trainers, the better. That way we have more opportunities to select good horses when they retire from their racing yards, and when potential owners are looking for new horses, they can easily find the racers that have trained for stamina and longer distances. I was so proud to see Hayley at Newmarket among all the other wonderful Thoroughbreds.”

Former racehorses become Red Dragons

Two teams of former racehorses qualified at Cirencester to enter the Red Dragon Clubs

Championships. Sponsored by the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Trust the teams had a great weekend at what is a really tough ride for a former racehorse, most of which haven’t tackled terrain like it before. The riders all trained hard in advance and made sure they got in some hill work and mileage. Chef D’Equipe Anna Collins said: “It was great to see so many RoR horses at the event and it shows that with the right owners, Thoroughbreds really can excel at this discipline.”

The results for the RoR Clubs Team Championship, are as follows:-

Team Middleham came third

Samantha Tomlinson Lilbourne Prince

Joanne Rowcroft Moonbootz

Amanda Hamley More Salutes

Alison Staveley-Smith Pedantic

Team Newmarket came fifth

Jess Brown Derricks Dotty

Daryl Brown Fleeting View

Hayley Gilmore Art Mauresque

Winners of the best turned out were: Hayley Gilmore, Alison Staveley-Smith, Jo Rowcroft and Amanda Hamley. They were pairs from the two different teams.

In the performance formula the winner of the 34km GER class was Sam Tomlinson who also won the RoR Bronze award with a finishing heart rate of 38. In the 34km Novice GER Amanda Hamley was placed sixth in the performance formula, and Tracey Sieminski on Abseil was awarded the RoR Silver award for her 44km on Sunday.

Amber Boiles was the only rider to complete the Dragon’s Claw. Riding her own Ignacio Zuloaga, she achieved two Grade 1s over the two days.

Next issues

We’ll be unveiling new initiatives for RoR in the 2023 season.

"Art Mauresque has really taken to endurance, and he enjoys going to new places. Next year our plan is to increase our distance and move up to Open and maybe Advanced"

Hayley and Art Mauresque parading at Newmarket

Amanda Boyles winner of the Dragons Claw on RoR Ignacio Zuloaga

Did you know?

If you’re competing under FEI rules, any feeds and supplements you add, including ‘tempts’, should be approved by the BETA NOPS assurance scheme.

Feeding fussy feeders

Just like us, horses know what they like and some can be fussy when it comes to feed. Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at Allen & Page, offers advice on boosting your horse’s appetite and tempting fussy feeders, so their nutritional needs continue to be met.

Maintaining your horse’s feed intake is vital for ensuring he receives a balanced diet and for providing energy to help maintain an ideal bodyweight and fuel an active workload. Any reduction in feed intake can lead to an unbalanced diet and nutritional deficiencies, as well as weight loss and poor energy levels, so it’s vital your horse finds his feed palatable and happily eats his recommended daily amount.

There are several reasons why a horse may be reluctant to eat his feed, and often it’s a process of elimination. Before looking at ways to encourage your horse to eat, it’s important to address any physical reasons for a loss of appetite or apparent fussiness. Underlying health issues such as dental problems, pain, illness, diseases like Cushing’s Disease and gastric discomfort, including colic and ulcers, can all affect a horse’s appetite and ability to eat. Veterinary advice and intervention should be

sought to address any suspected issues.

Medications and supplements can be unpalatable and can cause some horses to go off their feed. Conducting a simple taste test by offering a feed with the medication or supplement in, alongside the plain feed, will indicate if it’s the feed the horse dislikes or the added supplement or medication is putting him off.

The time of year can affect a horse’s appetite, in particular some horses show less interest in their bucket fed when there’s an abundance of fresh grass available.

Any increase in stress or change in routine, such as moving yards or changing to a different field or stable with new companions, can reduce a horse’s appetite. An increase in workload and fitness level can also cause a horse to lose interest in feed. Fit, hard-working horses can often have reduced appetites, especially when staying away from home in a busy competition environment, which can be particularly concerning and frustrating for owners.

Boosting appetite and tackling fussiness

There are several responsibilities you have as a horse owner to ensure your horse’s feed stays palatable. Here are some points to consider:

1. Feed should be stored correctly and used within its best before date to maintain freshness.

2. Keep unopened bags of feed in cool, dry conditions and use in date order.

3. Store feed away from any possible contaminants such as fuel, paint or wood preservative that can easily taint feed and make it unpalatable.

4. Opened bags of feed should be kept in lidded, vermin proofed bins.

5. Make sure you completely use up a bag of feed and do not tip new feed on top of old.

6. Cleanliness is also vital as stale feed is highly unpalatable, so ensure all feed buckets and utensils are cleaned after every use.

7. Keep meal sizes small. Not only can large bucket feeds upset a horse’s digestive system, but they can also over face some horses who are then deterred from eating. These are usually the types of horses who particularly need additional calories from their bucket feed and cannot afford to be skipping meals!

8. It may be beneficial to feed different sized meals. For instance, if your horse has little appetite in the morning and just wants to get out to the field, offer him a small breakfast and reserve the majority of his daily feed for an evening meal that can be eaten at his leisure in his stable overnight.

9. If possible split feeds into three or more meals a day, particularly if your horse requires a relatively large amount of bucket feed.

10. For horses that struggle to chew due to poor teeth or who are unwell or convalescing, a feed that’s not only tasty but easy to eat is essential.

11. For horses that are fussy with forage or have difficultly chewing long stem fibre, soaked feeds such as Allen&Page’s Fast Fibre can be used as a partial hay replacer and for topping up fibre intake.

12. Feed your horse in an environment where he is happy and relaxed. If he’s kept in a herd, it may be necessary to separate him from his field mates so he can eat in peace.

13. Keep your horse’s feed as simple as

Gemma Grodkiewicz & Merlin

possible. Most horses need no more than one concentrate feed with a chaff added in if this additional texture is something your horse enjoys. Feeding several different feeds in one meal is not usually necessary and can put horses off their whole meal if there is one feed in the bucket that they do not like.

Feeding soaked products

When feeding a soaked feed try using warm water instead of cold as this releases more aromas from the feed, making it more appealing to fussy horses. You could also try varying the amount of water used to soak the feed. As long as the minimum recommended amount of water is used you can add as much extra water as you like. Some horses prefer a very sloppy consistency, almost like soup that they can drink! This may make for a messy feeding time, but if it boosts a fussy feeder’s appetite the extra cleaning up is worth it.

If your horse requires medication to be added to their feed, make up a small meal with the medication in first and feed the rest of his feed afterwards. Soaked feeds are ideal for adding medication to as the increase in volume of feed once soaked means medication is more easily disguised.

Time for a change

When making any changes to your horse’s feed do so gradually by mixing in increasing amounts of the new feed and gradually phasing out the old feed over the course of at least a week. Not only will this give his digestive system time to adapt to the different feed, but it will also allow him to get used to the new tastes and flavours. This is particularly important when changing to a different type of feed or moving from a

molassed feed to one which is molasses free.

Just like us, horses will quickly get used to a sugary feed and may initially dislike anything that does not match this sweetness. A prolonged changeover period can prove to be highly successful, even with the fussiest of feeders.

The same goes for adding supplements. Start off with a small amount and gradually build up to the manufacturer’s recommended amount. Most feed and supplement companies offer palatability samples of their products that your horse can try before you commit to a large purchase.

Lots of horse feeds contain a blend of herbs that are added for palatability as well as their well-known health benefits. Horses can become increasingly fussy with age and for this reason feeds designed especially for veteran horses, including Allen & Page’s Veteran Vitality and Veteran Light, contain extra herbs to make them even tastier. Veteran feeds can be fed to any age of horse, so if you have a young horse that is proving fussy or difficult to feed, consult a feed company’s helpline and don’t be surprised if you are recommended a veteran feed to not only meet his nutritional and energy requirements, but also appeal to his taste.

Adding tasty succulents such as apples or carrots to your horse’s feed can be an easy way to engage his interest. To avoid your horse simply picking out the pieces of cut up fruit or vegetables, try grating them so they can be mixed in throughout the whole feed, making it difficult for the horse to selectively feed.

Still got a fuss-pot?

For truly fussy horses, adding other tempts may be necessary. A simple splash of unsweetened apple or blackcurrant juice can often be enough to tempt many horses to tuck into their feed. However, your horse may prefer certain flavours and while peppermint, carrot and apple may be the obvious choices, many prefer a variety of different herbs and flavours that might surprise you!

Your horse will need enough energy to fuel his workload

Fenugreek, for instance, is a strong-smelling herb that horses find highly palatable. It’s readily used in horse feeds as an appetite stimulant, but more can be added if it is a flavour that entices your horse. Banana is another flavour owners find their horse enjoys, but others include cherry (flavour, not fresh cherries as these are poisonous), rosemary, cumin and oregano. It may be necessary to experiment with flavours to find the one most appealing to your individual horse

Providing any physical reasons for a horse’s fussiness with feed are explored and treated, a little trial and error with feeds, flavours and feeding routine will help encourage even the fussiest of feeders to enjoy their feed and ensure they receive a balanced diet.

For more information

Visit www.allenandpage.co.uk or call the friendly nutrition helpline on 01362 822902.

Soaked feeds such as Fast Fibre may tempt fussy feeders

When making any changes to your horse's feed do so gradually

An update from the office

The season has drawn to a close, the AGM and Awards dinner have been and gone, so surely that means I can slow down a bit doesn’t it? If only! With membership renewals for the 2023 season, the uploading of the 2023 calendar to the website and the new season just around the corner, it is all go!

Now would be a good time, when you are renewing your membership, to check your details on the website. Check your contact details are all correct and up to date and also that your horse's records are also correct. You can now amend your own records ensuring spellings are all correct and capital letters used for postcodes and update these without having to contact the office. If you have sold a horse, or sadly lost one, please let the office know, and we can remove them from your record.

If you still have your green (Novice)

mastercard and haven’t requested your yellow (Open/Advanced) mastercard, you can now do this via the shop, under membership services. You no longer need to return them to the office. Remember, if you have a yellow mastercard, you do not need to get a new one until that mastercard is full. You can apply for this in the same way.

If you are wishing to upgrade yourself or your horse, you can also do this via the shop. Once you make a request, I will upgrade as necessary, and you will then be posted out an upgrade certificate and if upgrading a horse, a medal. Your certificate will also be uploaded to your account for future reference.

If you are planning to ride abroad next year, why not request your No Objection Certificate (NOC) early so you have them in good time. An NOC can take up to five working days for the BEF to process. You can apply for these under

the International heading on the website.

Just a gentle reminder for the upcoming season regarding any overseas or SERC rides. When you have completed these, please can you send your results to the office as quickly as you can so we can add them to you record. A photo or scan will suffice and they will be added straight away.

Finally, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, and I look forward to the new season and hopefully seeing some of you at various rides and events.

Remembering those lost along the way

A tribute to Mike Jordan

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Mike Jordan. Mike had been a member of Endurance GB's Cumbria Group for many years and his cheery face whilst crewing, sloshing and manning countless CPs at rides all over the country including SERC, will be remembered by everyone he helped. His years of involvement in the sport has led to several members growing up with Mike being a constant part of their own endurance journey.

Mike tried to crew everyone and always had plenty of sloshes, his beet pulp was always popular, with many horses heading straight over when they spotted him and shoving their nose in one of his buckets despite snubbing their own only minutes before.

Mike didn't ride but crewed for his wife Barbara and he was passionate about endurance. He loved the sport and gave so much yet expected nothing in return and nothing was too much trouble. He served on the Endurance GB Cumbria Group and SERC Dumfries committees and his loyal support was exemplary.

As a carpenter, his talents came in handy, from making saddle rack raffle prizes, the Cumbria group’s number bib holder and several trophies for the branch which will go on for many more years.

There are so many memories of this kind and selfless man who will be very sadly missed by all who were privileged to have known him. Our thoughts are with Barbara and the family at this time. In Mike’s memory the Cumbria Cup, which was donated by Mike and Barbara to the winner of the 64km at the Cumbria Challenge ride, has been renamed the Mike Jordan Memorial Cup. Thank you Mike.

A tribute to Jackie Taylor

This week we heard the tragic news of Jackie Taylor's death in France. Jackie was a well-known figure on the endurance scene in the UK during the early 1980s to the early 2000s, and her top horse was undoubtably the home-bred Trakehner X Anglo-Arab Sally. Jackie had many successes with Sally but the pinnacle was surely winning the two-day 200km ride in France - Les Deux Jours de Montcuq - three years running in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Jackie and her partner, farrier Pete Dyas-Harrold, moved to France some years back where sadly, Pete subsequently passed away.

Jackie's death was the result of a tragic accident whilst out hunting wild boar with her French partner, and the incident is currently under investigation by the authorities. Her sad passing was reported in the Daily Mail online as well as on the Facebook page for the Deux Jours de Montcuq endurance ride and here, loosely translated, is what the organisers reported:

“We are sad to inform you of the death of Jackie Taylor who won Les Deux Jours three years running with her mare Sally. We remember her as an exemplary and respectful rider and it was an honour to count her amongst our winners.”

Para endurance Championships 2022

The Para Endurance championships became a rather exciting goal for me.

Since recovering from a flare up of my neurological condition, I’ve been trying to build myself back up to the distances that I used to do. The Onyx level was the highestlevel class, but it felt like an achievable aim of a two-day 70km. I’d got to the point where I could do a 40km in a day and then go into work the next day so I figured I could do this. Famous last words I know, but it just felt too exciting not to try.

Sadly, in the run up to the ride we found out that my mum wasn’t going to be able to get the

time off work to be my escort. This is where Nikki Brown stepped in and kindly offered to escort me. She is a Para rider herself and has been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration throughout many seasons of endurance. Nikki is also my horse Rosa’s breeder, so she has imparted a lot of knowledge to me in the time since I’ve had Rosa. In the week leading up to the ride we had a minor disaster as her planned horse pulled both his back shoes (and some hoof) off. Not at all ideal. Luckily Nikki’s trusty Arab mare, Kassy, stepped in and this would be Nikki’s first ride back since having a hysterectomy last year.

Day one

Arriving on the Thursday was uneventful. We got corrals set up, the horses settled easily, and the venue plan was very easy to follow.

Everyone was so welcoming and kind, and the pre-order of pizza was a very welcome treat. We settled into our little camping set-ups in our vehicles in the hope of a good night’s sleep before all the fun began.

Friday morning we had a very leisurely time getting it all ready, and we were in the Team Spirit riding the 30km. The Team Spirit is comprised of four riders per team, with the first two riders setting off at 8am doing 40km. Once they have returned home and passed the vet, the 30km riders have 30 minutes to get ready and set off. The 40km riders returned about dinner time and we got tacked up and set off.

The route was everything we could’ve hoped for - minimal road work with many fields to canter through. We kept a pace of approximately 13kmph with ease, and Rosa and Kassy matched so well in speed and took turns

Caitlin Birkitt reflects back on this year’s Para Endurance Championships that took place on 26-28 August at Well Vale in Lincolnshire.

Caitlin Birkitt

Indiepics

Para Equestrian Foundation

Here at the Para Equestrian Foundation, we know that sometimes all it takes to change the world for someone is a little support. Since our founding in 2020, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to bring our team’s fresh ideas and passion to the range of equestrian sports and athletes we’re involved with, supporting them with leading equestrian experts, mentoring programmes and scholarships. We support all Para equestrian sport - driving, vaulting, endurance, show jumping, reining and dressage.

Founded by Di Green, Grade 1 International para dressage rider, the foundation aims to offer guidance, support, and education for all Para equestrian athletes.

Educational residential and day clinics held regionally offer a range of professional support from our world-class coaching team, veterinary advice, osteopathy for horse and rider, sports massage for horse and rider, farriery advice, bridle and saddle fitting and, of course, nutrition. There are also performance and mindset pathways that open up the possibilities for all levels whether you ride for therapy or competition.

Our clinics and training days are announced on our website and social media pages, so make sure you follow us @paraequestrianfoundation and join us at www.paraequestrianfoundation.org

in leading. This made life so much easier as they could encourage each other well. Being a Para rider there are more things to think about - rest times, fluid intake, sugar intake, energy levels, muscle usage, the list goes on. Nikki is very particular on fluid intake and rest breaks, which helped hugely because I could make sure I was looking after myself as well as Rosa. Muscle usage and energy levels are a difficult one to manage as they can vary, especially in the heat.

Both Nikki and I found that nearer the end of the ride trotting was just not an option, but luckily there were many fields where we could canter steadily and let our bodies have some recovery time. Getting back into the venue, my trusty crew of my dad, Andy, had all our kit waiting for us to cool the horses down and we were able to vet in 10mins to have heart rates of 48/46 for Rosa and 64/56 for Kassy. After the vetting the horses went straight back to their corrals for a well-earned rest before day two. We also went back to our trailers and had some food and rest.

The presentation for that evening was well attended and buzzing with excitement for the results of the Team Spirit. Our team were thrilled to have come third, with Rosa also winning best shod! We were so impressed with our horses. After the excitement we had a mini photoshoot booked with Indiepics Photography. This really helped us to remember the weekend in photographs with Ruth creating some special photos and memories.

Day two

Saturday soon rolled around and this time we had to be up early to get the horses ready and prepared to tackle the second day of the twoday 70km. I knew this one would be harder for us all but I also knew we could do it. My dad supported as crew, and we set off calmly making sure we kept a steady but purposeful pace. It helped that we’d ridden some of the route the day before so we knew where we could slow down and where we could increase our speed. This helped us to manage everything to help our bodies to behave themselves – or we could hope at least!

The route again rode perfectly, it was so smooth and well-marked and there wasn’t one point where we were worried we’d gone wrong. Coming over the hill to the finish was such a wonderful moment and the view made it so magical. Once getting through the finish we cooled the horses and gave them their 30 minutes to rest before vetting. At this point there was no way I could walk to the vetting, so I’d brought my trusty mobility scooter and drove up there. This is the section of the ride I normally can’t attend so to have that access felt amazing. Both horses passed vetting well with heart rates of 47 and we were overjoyed! It felt such an achievement to have come so far.

There was plenty of time to rest before

prize giving so the horses went straight to their corrals to rest with lots of cuddles and treats given. While the horses recovered so did we - it was time for a nap!

Magical memories

Prize giving was a magical time for us both, Rosa and Kassy taking first and second respectively and Rosa also taking the performance formula win for the class. To ride together, support each other, have a photoshoot, and then have dreamy results was the icing on the cake of the whole weekend. We often remind each other to bottle up the memories for the harder days and this was one of those weekends.

A huge thank you to Thay Stephenson and her team for running the ride, my dad for his expert crewing, mum for her support from home and, of course, Nikki for riding with me. Not forgetting the sponsors Emerald Green Feeds, H&M Haylage, Hidrate, Enduro Equine and Omega for the fabulous prizes.

A tribute to CS Corinthian

06/04/1998 – 04/08/2022 by Claire Quinney

When Cori came in to my life in January 2008, it was only supposed to be for a short time.

I had arranged to have him on loan while my Spanish mare Mariessa recovered from a ligament injury. By the end of the 2008 season we had successfully completed 13 rides, upgraded through Open to Advanced level and won the Wessex Gold Emblem (Highpoint Arab) and Mybon (Most points in Wessex rides) trophies. This boy was here to stay!

We went on to have 11 more years with Endurance GB together, he loved his job and was always cheerful, regardless of the type of ride or the conditions he was facing. Virtually every photo I have of him (and there are lots of them!) he has his ears pricked.

Cori faced a few challenges along the way, a suspensory ligament injury in 2009 forced him to have nearly a year off and he had kissing spine

surgery in 2017. On both occasions he proved vets wrong with their poor prognosis for a return to competition. He also liked to make training difficult by being the fussiest of eaters. Some days he’d eat hard feed, other days he wouldn’t. Sometimes he’d happily eat a sample of a new feed only to turn his nose up at it as soon as I bought a sack full! The one consistently acceptable thing in his feed bucket was carrots. Every training ride, every competition, every vet gate was fuelled by carrots.

The high points of his career are far too many to mention. Representing England at the Home International at Ludlow in 2009, winning the G Putnik trophy in 2018 and a fabulous gallop along the beach at Pembrey Ride in the week of his 21st birthday are amongst the most memorable.

Cori retired from competitive endurance riding in 2019 shortly after achieving his

4,000km distance award. His mind was still very willing, but his stride had shortened, and he was starting to feel the effects of his exertions.

He enjoyed the following summer happy hacking before hanging up his shoes for good in the autumn.

After two years of very happy retirement as a glamorous field ornament, it became clear that another winter would not be in his best interests. He slipped away peacefully with the sun on his back and his mouth full of carrots.

Cori has left a huge hole in my life, that will be very tough to fill, but he has also left me with 14 years' worth of amazingly happy memories.

Sleep peacefully now dude, you’ll never be forgotten.

Nicky Rhodes Photography

“Extra water to help keep them hydrated on long rides!”

It is essential that endurance horses are well hydrated and have plenty of energy to ride long distances.

Allen & Page feeds provide my horses with all the energy and power they need to perform without making them fizzy. The soaked feeds also provide extra water to help keep them hydrated on long rides! –Carol Chapman on Silver Prince Sadik (Prince)