Your Horse & Country Magazine by YHC Group Ltd

Winter Spring2017 2018

Spring fashion What’s hot-to-trot this season

Explore the full joys of spring

Stables and shelters We have your spring project covered

Saddle up for the season

Keeping up with the Kings …competition calls

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WELCOME & CONTENTS

The UK’s largest glossy equestrian and country lifestyle quarterly magazine! Holidays on home turf

You can’t beat Badminton

10 Welcome 20 48 Joys of spring

104 Inside story on stables

Issue 17 | SPRING 2018

The tip of a bulb here, the glimpse of an early bumblebee there – every year spring’s quiet arrival is like a secret waiting to be discovered, before it announces its presence in bursts of green and in a chorus of birdsong that can’t be missed. After a damp, cold winter, it’s great to see nature revitalised and, as Kathy Carter says on Page 48, it’s the ideal time to for us to refresh body and mind, too, while enjoying some of life’s simple pleasures outdoors – kite-flying, anyone? Competitive riders and spectators will also be champing at the bit to get out and enjoy top-level equestrian sport, with the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials just around the corner. We talk to the organisers about how the 27-year relationship with the sponsor has helped the event develop (Page 20). For Mary and Emily King competition is also calling as they put into practice everything they have learned over the winter rest period and get back in the saddle for another exciting season – catch up with them on Page 56. Speaking of saddles – are you sitting comfortably? With so many on the market, from good all-rounders to specialist models and even adjustable designs, it can be tough to know how to find the right fit for you and your horse. See our guide on Page 33. Of course, sudden showers and unexpected frosts are all part and parcel of spring and there will be times when you’re glad you and your horse have a roof over your heads! Perhaps you are planning a new stable or field shelter this year and are wondering how to get started. We look at exactly that on Page 104. So, rain or shine, there’s plenty to interest everyone in this edition of Your Horse & Country Magazine – enjoy!

Contents

10 Holidays at home

78 Rehoming & welfare

With so much beautiful scenery to explore, there’s no place like home for a getaway

93 Refresh your look

68 Vet’s advice Dr Judith E J Maxwell looks at how to get the best from your star performer

Editor

Advertising

Publishing Co-ordinator

Editorial

Assistant Publishing Co-ordinator

Production

Contributors

Daniel MIller Lucy Sperring Clare Aris

With special thanks to Mary King, Emily King, Dr Judith E J Maxwell BVSc, Amy Lathrope-Reid/Indy Equine Photography, Shutterstock Images, Mitsubishi Motors, J B Promtions and The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Team

We speak to three people who found their perfect equine partners at a rescue charity

The capsule wardrobe essentials that will see you through spring and beyond

Printed by Stephens & George

Hazel Lomas & Alice McHardy Kathy Carter Joni Mann & Gary Burt

01454 318 780

info@yourhorseandcountry.com

Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication YOUR HORSE & COUNTRY MAGAZINE shall not be made liable for any inaccuracies therein. The opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor/Publisher.

Office Two, 25 Falcon Gate, Dean Road, Yate, Bristol BS37 5NH

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 3

PROMOTION

Winning E

 Sarah Parkes in Welligogs Commodore Jacket at last year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials trot-up

 Welligogs Burghley Tailored Jacket  Welligogs Phoebe Shirt

 Welligogs Leather and Suede Mini Mayfair Boots

xcitement is building as one of the equestrian and country calendar’s biggest events approaches: Badminton. The elegant setting, the beautiful horses and the thrilling action on the world-famous course combine to make it a date we look forward to all year. For the Welligogs team, one of our undisputed highlights every year is the trot-up. As the immaculately turned-out horses are presented for inspection, it’s the perfect chance for spectators to see the equally well-groomed competitors up close. The formal occasion presents a different kind of challenge to the riders away from the course – and one they rise to in style with beautifully tailored jackets, eye-catching accessories and fabulous footwear. It’s more than just a chance to enjoy a “catwalk moment”, however, with each rider in with the chance of winning a prize for the best outfit of the day – and at Welligogs we were thrilled to see our collections enjoying huge success in the trot-up spotlight in 2017. Sarah Parkes was named Sloaney Season Best Dressed Lady at Badminton after she paired our beautifully styled Commodore military jacket with immaculate skinny white jeans for her debut at the event. The Junior British Eventing Team also chose Welligogs – namely our smart Phoebe shirt – at the FEI European Eventing Championships in Ireland while Clare Abbott’s trot-up appearance at Burghley, in our aptly named Burghley jacket, won her the HiHo Silver Best Dressed Lady title. This is great recognition of Welligogs’ perfect balance of style, comfort and practicality, which gave these riders the freedom to perform well and look their best when all eyes were on them. Performance is all-important and we demand a great deal from our collections, incorporating essential features such as waterproofing and durable, breathable materials in items that can take us from

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4 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

PROMOTION

style in the trot-up spotlight  Welligogs Odette Navy Waterproof Breathable Windproof Coat

 Welligogs Amber Deluxe Water Repellent Coat worn with Welligogs Mayfair Leather and Suede Waterproof Boots with detachable tassels

country walk to office effortlessly. Of course, Badminton is the perfect chance to invest in our own wardrobes with a fantastic array of exhibitors attending the event. The Welligogs team will be on hand to show off some of our fantastic Spring/Summer 2018 pieces, including a range of new jackets and fabulous new colours in our Louise and Odette waterproof coats. Our new Amber coat with waterproof cotton outer layer, a fishtail finish at the back, real suede detailing and 100% wool tweed highlights will stand up to those spring showers while turning heads with its feminine styling – and it’s a real celebration of homegrown craftsmanship as it is made entirely in Great Britain. The fishtail styling can again be seen in our new Claire field jacket, which is made of 100% wool tweed and features

 Welligogs Eleanor Black Long Waterproof Breathable Windproof Coat

 Welligogs Louise Water Repellent Windproof Cotton Coat suede detailing, a lovely burgundy velvet collar and luxuriously silky paisley lining. It’s also made entirely here in Great Britain. We have also introduced a new longlength Eleanor coat, which is completely waterproof and breathable. It covers the tops of your boots to ensure that you are kept dry and comes with luxurious micro-fleece lining for added comfort and warmth. And at Welligogs, we would never forget about footwear! Our Ranger boots continue to please with their adjustable calf width, widening up to 50cm, and solid thermo rubber soles for extra strength and performance. Meanwhile, look out for our mini Mayfair boot, a shorter style for everyday wear in town or country with its waterproof and breathable properties putting it a cut above the rest.

 Welligogs Claire Deluxe Wool Tweed Field Jacket

We can’t wait to see you all at Badminton – until then, here are some of our style picks for spring.  Welligogs Ranger Brown Waterproof Country Boots

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 5

Preventative Health Care:

Helping to keep your horse healthy, all year round Preventative health care has a host of benefits for you and your horse. As well as doing everything possible to reduce the risk of diseases such as influenza, tetanus and worm-related conditions, it also allows an opportunity for your vet to check your horse over for any other issues and address any concerns you may have. Regular dental assessment and treatment means your horse can perform at its best and avoid any discomfort when eating. All of this is aimed to keep your horse in tip-top condition so you can get out riding, competing or whatever you enjoy doing with your horse.

Vaccination

particularly sensitive to the toxin compared to other species and, unlike humans, require life-long, regular vaccination against the disease.

Routine dental examinations Regular dental examinations allow routine rasping of sharp points and edges in order to avoid discomfort when eating or being ridden. As horses’ teeth continually erupt dental rasping is usually performed annually. This should always be carried out by a Vet or qualified Equine Dental Technician as they will also examine the mouth for signs of other dental disease which may need further treatment or attention. For many horses sedation allows a more thorough examination and ensures the whole process is stressfree for both horse and owner!

Worming

Annual vaccination forms the basis of preventative health care in horses. We commonly vaccinate against both equine influenza and tetanus, and proof of regular vaccination is required if you wish to compete your horse or take part in Riding Club or Pony Club activities. Below is some information about why we vaccinate against these particular diseases.

Our approach to worm control has changed a lot in recent years. Instead of regular worming, we now advise pasture management alongside regular testing to assess your horse’s worm burden, with appropriate treatment if required. This is to avoid unnecessary treatment which can lead to the worms developing resistance to the drugs we have available to us. A low burden of worms is normal and can be considered healthy as it helps to stimulate a horse’s immune system. It is only when worm burdens become excessive that diseases can occur. Faecal worm egg counts (FWEC’s) allow us to assess your horse’s burden of redworms and roundworms and a new saliva test enables us to easily test for tapeworms. When reporting the results of these tests your vet can advise if treatment is necessary and create a worming plan for your horse or your yard. We are not currently able to test for the encysted lifecycle stages of small red worm, which can be potentially dangerous for your horse. For this reason we advise that all horses are wormed at least once a year in the autumn with a moxidectin-based product irrespective of their worm egg count result.

Influenza is a viral respiratory disease that can affect horses of all ages. It causes pyrexia (raised temperature) coughing and a runny nose. Affected horses often need several weeks off work and may develop very serious complications such as pleuropneumonia. The virus spreads through the air and, without vaccination can spread extremely rapidly through a yard. Vaccinating As part of the Horse Health your horse against influenza reduces both the chance Programme you will receive an of becoming infected, as well as reducing the risk of annual influenza and tetanus spread to other horses. If your horse did develop flu vaccination as well as a routine dental despite vaccination it is likely to be a much milder form examination and treatment (including allowing more rapid recovery. Tetanus is a very serious, usually fatal, disease caused by toxin producing bacteria (Clostridium tetani) which are present in soil and droppings. The bacteria can enter the body via something as simple as a wound or foot abscess. Therefore even horses that do not travel or mix with other horses can be susceptible to the disease. The bacterial toxin causes muscles to become rigid so that the horse becomes stiff and is reluctant or unable to move. As the jaw muscles become affected, the horse may become unable to eat (hence the old name ‘lockjaw’) and as paralysis spreads, breathing may also be affected. Horses are

sedation if required). In addition to this you will receive four faecal worm egg counts per year and a saliva test for tapeworm. You will also be entitled to an appropriate wormer in the autumn.

Article by Alex Wood BVetMed CertAVP(EM) MRCVS Alex is a veterinary surgeon at B&W Equine Vets.

6 | SPRING

2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

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*Sample savings based on the cost of purchasing these goods and services separately (based on average prices charged across a sample of CVS equine practices) would result in an average annual savings in excess of £150 benefits, costs and savings vary depending on the weight of your horse. Benefits received under the Horse Health Programme include: annual flu and tetanus vaccination, 20% off selected lifetime care medicines, 10% off all veterinary treatment, dental check with routine floating including sedation if required, four faecal worm egg counts, annual autumn tapeworm saliva test plus autumn wormer where required plus annual health check. **CVS reserves the right to change lifetime medicines

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 7

PROMOTION

A new way to slow feed? Now that’s food for thought

onstant access to food and a steady flow of nutrients means a happy horse – or does it? What if simply slowing your horse’s eating isn’t doing enough to replicate that natural grazing habit? The HayGrazer Play is a new kind of slow feeder – and, as a recent study has shown, so much more besides. Initial findings from research by two Hartpury College graduates suggest the Play reduces stress in horses when eating, while stimulating trickle feeding and increasing the time spent feeding. Amy Palk, an Equine Science graduate, and Jenna Jarvis, an Equine Management graduate, put the Play to the test alongside a small-holed hay net and hay placed on the ground, monitoring the amount eaten, the horses’ feeding motivation and their frustration levels. The study showed that, on average, 46% less hay was eaten within an hour when using the HayGrazer Play compared

to hay placed on the ground. The horses also showed increased frustration using a small-holed hay net in comparison to the HayGrazer. The researchers said: “Initial studies are showing the HayGrazer Play reduces frustration while significantly slowing the horses’ eating down when compared to a small-holed hay net. It is thought this is due to the time it takes for the horse to find the holes, while the action using their lips mimics grazing.” So how does it achieve these results? The HayGrazer Play is designed with larger holes at the top so that at first the hay can be eaten relatively easily. As it empties and the holes become smaller towards the bottom it gets harder to access the hay. Feeding from a HayGrazer Play also mimics natural grazing, when a horse searches for grass using its lips. The Play’s holes are placed in such a way that horses have to use their mouths in a similar manner to find the hay. If they snatch or

grab at it the Play will move, so they will soon learn to eat more delicately if they want a mouthful of hay! The Play also helps to improve physique and stable movement. Its shape means your horse will stretch in different ways to follow the holes, reducing repetitive movement. It is also safe to hang at a lower height, encouraging stretching. The Play’s extra strong material is kinder to your horse’s teeth than string netting as the horse eats between the webbing, and it helps reduce dust, too – even if your horse grabs the Play and shakes it, the material keeps the dust inside before it drops out of the mesh bottom. As well as benefiting your horse, the Play also makes life easier for us owners – it’s simple to fill, easy to hang without any knots and it’s ideal for soaking. n For more about the HayGrazer Play and the benefits for you and your horse, visit www.haygrazer.co.uk

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www.haygrazer.co.uk 8 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 |

HOLIDAYS ON

home turf Hills and dales, beautiful coastline, springtime scenery... there’s no place like home for a great getaway, writes Kathy Carter.

he UK and Ireland offer many wonderful opportunities for holidays – and what better way to see these nations’ beautiful terrain and topography than on horseback? Countryside enthusiasts are well-versed in the changing seasons and the changeable weather that comes with them, so saddling up for a riding holiday poses no problems for us; it is all about being prepared, and packing the right clothes for your journey. Sunglasses? Check. Waterproof coat? Check. Comfy gloves? Check. Riding helmet? Check. You’re good to go! Here, we highlight five of our favourite holidays showcasing British and Irish equestrian tourism at its best.

Beaches, heath and forestland in the heart of Dorset Studland Stables in Dorset offers a variety of horsey holidays in the beautiful coastal area around the village of Studland itself. It also welcomes horse owners who bring their own horses to the venue, on a B&B basis. Situated on a peninsula in south Purbeck, close to both Swanage and Corfe Castle, the area is famous for its long, sandy National Trust-managed beaches and beautiful Jurassic coastline. “Whether you are looking for a short break or a longer holiday, beautiful hacking can be found at Studland Stables,” says yard manager Jodie Bratchell. “With over two miles of uninterrupted beach riding, 3,000 acres of heath and forest and four miles of stunning coastal and ridge riding, we deliver amazing riding experiences. “Your holiday to Studland could

incorporate a fun ‘day ride’. One of our most popular day rides is to Corfe Castle. After leaving the stables, we ride for around two hours, through heathland and forest, to the castle. “We then ride through the village before arriving at the lovely Castle Inn, where we have food and drink in the beer garden, with the horses! “The ride back to Studland is along Nine Barrow Down and Ballard Down, where you will enjoy some of the most spectacular views in the area. The two-hour and day rides are for experienced riders only, however we have rides to suit all abilities, and we make sure we match riders with the most suitable horse for them. Some rides, such as the two-hour and day rides, have a guideline minimum age of 12 years old, while beginner rides are five years plus,” Jodie concludes. Prices vary and are available online at www.studlandstables.com

Trekking through Ireland’s highest mountain range If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, then the Killarney Trail Short Break in Ireland, offered by Equestrian Escapes, could be just the ticket! “This trail riding holiday in Ireland provides an unequalled opportunity to explore the highlands of Kerry with the majestic McGillicuddy Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range,” explains the tour operator’s MD, Sarah Caplan. “Guests will ride along country lanes,

10 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – HOLIDAYS

p The

beautiful Black

p Riding on Rossbeigh Beach and, inset, beach on the Studland Peninsula, and,

mountain tracks and along the sandy beaches of Waterville and Rossbeigh. The Iveragh Peninsula stretches south-west from the stables for nearly 40 miles, and is highlighted by the world-renowned Ring of Kerry; this charming scenic route takes in rugged coastal landscapes and rural seaside villages, and you will be staying in different, cosy accommodations along the trail. A sample itinerary includes rides via

HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK exploratory horse-riding holiday. Guests are invited to saddle up and explore the stunning, remote Black Mountains in Wales on strong, sturdy mounts. There are opportunities for faster riding at times, even jumping natural obstacles along the way, if the mood takes you! “Guides are extremely knowledgeable and can pick out the best routes to show off the dramatic scenery,” explains tour operator Wendy Hofstee. “Most of the Welsh cobs on the trail are homebred, and are all a delight to ride. Travelling in small groups, guests are treated to comfortable, en-suite farmhouse accommodation and fine food each evening. “The trails pass through ancient oak woods, up mountainsides, and across hilltops where you might find some wild Welsh mountain ponies grazing. The trails usually take in the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain and Offa’s Dyke but the smaller, lesser known paths are just as exciting, and lead you to some hidden gems of the Brecon Beacons,” Wendy concludes. This seven-day/six-night trail is priced at £1,659. Visit www.unicorntrails.com

Learning to ride in Ireland’s County Monaghan

Mountains await riders on the Brecon Beacons Trail in South Wales

Killarney National Park in Ireland’s Ring of Kelly; right, enjoying the inset, Dorset’s famous Corfe Castle mountains, lakes and castles, as well as glorious gallops along Rossbeigh beach,” she concludes. The trip is well-served by Irish airports Cork, Shannon and Kerry; all riders should be able to walk, trot and canter competently in an English saddle. Included in the trip is three nights’ bed and breakfast, eight to 10 hours’ guided riding, and two picnic lunches. Prices from

£595 per person. Evening meals and arrival/departure transfers are excluded. Visit www.equestrianescapes.com

Trekking through the Brecon Beacons mountain range in South Wales The Brecon Beacons Trail, offered by Unicorn Trails, is described as the ultimate

Travel operator Zara’s Planet offers a Learn to Ride in Five Days programme at Castle Leslie Estate, situated within easy reach of both Belfast and Dublin airports. “Whether you are completely new to riding or simply wish to improve your existing skills, then Castle Leslie Estate’s course has been tailored specifically with you in mind,” explains the tour operator’s managing partner, Jill Dolan. “This is a five-day programme, where you will be riding every day for three hours. Included in the course is a five-night stay with breakfast and a twocourse meal each evening. “Castle Leslie Estate offers an idyllic setting for outdoor activity and adventure! We can design an equestrian experience at the venue to suit your individual needs. A sample daily itinerary for the Learn to Ride package is a 30-minute lesson on Prince, the equestrian centre’s Virtual Horse, then a group lesson in the arena, followed by a two-hour hack around the beautiful grounds in the afternoon. “There’s a variety of well-trained equines at the venue, including Irish cobs, Irish hunters, Connemaras, native breeds and u

HOLIDAYS – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 11

HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

C CU CUMUM M

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Don't let your horse miss out on all the fun bring him with you to stay in our DIY horse B&B stable block Whether you are looking for a short break or longer holiday, beautiful hacking can be found at Studland Stables on the Dorset coast. With over 2 miles of uninterrupted beach riding, 3000 acres of heath and forest and 4 miles of stunning coastal and ridge riding, we believe we can deliver on our claim ‘an amazing riding experience’. EXCLUSIVE LIMITED FULL LIVERY SPACES AVAILABLE

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12 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

The case for a spring staycation Spring is a great time to undertake a riding holiday in the UK and Ireland – and here’s why: 1. The winter months can be chilly, but the milder months of March to June offer some glorious conditions for horse riding. With average temperatures of around 8°C to 10°C in the month of March for both the UK and Ireland, and a slightly chillier 6°C to 8°C in Scotland, you can leave your thermals behind, and layer your clothes cleverly. 2. You may be lucky enough to arrange your trip outside of “high season”, which can incur extra costs, thus saving you some pounds and pennies if you travel in spring.

p Riding at Castle Leslie Estate in Ireland’s County Monaghan; below, exploring with the Scottish Equestrian Hotel

children’s ponies. The equestrian centre also caters for advanced riders, and its brilliant cross country course boasts 300plus jumps,” Jill concludes. There’s a rider weight restriction of 16 stone at the estate. The cost (per person sharing) is from £1,325. Included is accommodation in the Lodge or Castle, breakfast, dinner and three hours’ riding per day. Flights and transfers are excluded. Visit www. zarasplanet.com

Training breaks and trail rides in bonnie Lanarkshire Britain’s largest horse-riding holiday centre, the Scottish Equestrian Hotel, offers tailored breaks for all abilities of horse rider, with up to four hours’ daily riding. Exciting trail rides are available, although the centre’s one-week holidays are eternally popular! The team specialises in lessons in dressage, jumping and cross-country riding and Maureen Taylor from the venue says the equestrian centre is renowned for its welcoming, inclusive approach. “We have a range of horses, and take great care to match guests to the right horse. Most guests come back year on year, so we know we are getting it right! From riders lacking in confidence and needing a bit of a boost, to more experienced riders looking to learn new skills, we have it all here,” Maureen explains. “Most people have such a great time that they return year after year, and the

sense of bonding is so great that they also meet some of the same friends in the course of their riding holiday on a yearly basis. Accommodation in the four-star Scottish Equi B&B is second to none. All of the bedrooms are very spacious. There is also a very plush bistro, where you can have a memorable evening with your companions and family, as well as your newly acquired friends,” she concludes. Sited on the old Lanark Racecource, just a 10-minute stroll from the market town of Lanark, the Scottish Equestrian Hotel is around an hour’s drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Cost for a one-week riding holiday is from £785 per person, all inclusive (arrival/departure transfers excluded). Visit www.scottishequestrianhotel. com n

3. The scenery in the UK and Ireland is beautiful in spring-time – plants are shooting up, and trees are regaining their leaves and density. Tour operators will make a real effort to showcase a locality’s most stunning points of interest, and you may be visiting at one of the prettiest times of the year. 4. Many tour operators and holiday providers will have launched new attractions, routes and excursions, so you will be first in the queue for the latest travel experiences! 5. With Brexit throwing the future of intra-European travel into confusion, and long-distance travel costs likely to increase, staying closer to home makes sense.

HOLIDAYS – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 13

EXPLORE THE EMERALD ISLE Ireland punches above its weight when it comes to horse riding holidays and you would be hard pushed to find friendlier people anywhere in the world! Whether you want to explore the lush scenery or take advantage of the excellent training opportunities on offer, Ireland allows you to make the most of your holiday time. The excellent value family-run Instruction in Ireland in the very centre of the country is a peaceful establishment offering everything you need to improve your riding skills. The enthusiastic and experienced instructors will help you make full use of the large indoor and outdoor schools, show-jumps and cross-country fences around the 380-acre farm. If you fancy taking a break from the lessons, there are plenty of trails to follow around the farm and country lanes. A trek through the Slieve Bloom Mountains is highly recommended, followed by a sumptuous dinner and a drink by the fireside.

If you fancy a bit of pampering while you are on holiday Castle Leslie is the place for you. Nestled in over a thousand acres of parkland in County Monaghan you can supplement your riding with spa treatments, kayaking or falconry here to name just a few of the activities on offer. The luxury 4* hotel is surrounded by rolling hills dotted with lakes and woodland complete with an impressive cross-country course as well as some more friendly jumps for those who just like to pop over the fences. The facilities here are first class, with not only indoor and outdoor arenas complete with show jumps and indoor cross-country jumps, but also a mile-long all-weather gallop, sand gallops, a horse simulator for rider analysis, and over 21 miles of bridleways. Whatever your interest or riding level, there is something here for you.

14 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

If trail riding is more your idea of the perfect holiday, Ireland has some of the best in the world. In ‘The Kingdom’ of renowned charm that is County Kerry in the south west, you can ride the highlights of Killarney National Park on the faster paced point to point Kerry Trail Ride, crossing mountain passes and exploring the highlands, descending to Irish bog lands and enjoying the thrill of galloping along miles of golden beaches. The locally bred horses take everything in their stride allowing you to relax and take in the sites around you. There are plenty of opportunities to try out the local pubs along the way to experience the famous Irish hospitality! If you’re short on time, you can also do a shortened version of this ride taking in all the best bits.

ON HORSEBACK Slightly further north you can cover 140 miles of the west of Ireland on The Clare Burren Trail at a steadier pace. Ride from County Galway, through the rural areas of County Clare, into the unique Burren region and on to the rough Atlantic coast overlooking the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. The Burren is one of the finest examples of a Glacio-Karst landscape in the world, with rich flora and fauna despite the rugged and bleak terrain. It also has a wonderfully vibrant culture, possibly captured best in the fascinating agricultural traditions that have evolved in the area over thousands of years. The physical evidence of this remarkable story of human interaction with a landscape still lingers in the Burren - a cultural resource of enormous significance.

Arguably the wildest and most romantic county would be Donegal. Heather moors, mountains, rich farmlands and rugged coastal cliffs, sandy beaches and towering cliffs that plunge dramatically into the foaming sea are expertly combined on the Donegal Beach and Mountain Ride. For a more relaxed feel the ride is based at a comfortable beachside hotel with each day taking you along a different trail in a land of contrasting landscapes; climb the impressive Muckish Mountain, traversing old tracks built during the famine and of course there will be fantastic gallops along beaches. To really make you feel at home, the horses are mostly Irish Hunters and native Connemara and mountain ponies, all safe and sturdy with abundant stamina and gentle natures. This is also an excellent place to visit with non-riders as there are many other things to see and do in the area including hiking, swimming, biking and golf.

Although these horse riding holidays are all brilliant in their own right, they also make excellent preparation rides for anyone thinking of going on longer or more adventurous treks elsewhere in the world. Along with rides offered in England, Wales and Scotland, Unicorn Trails has one of the best selections of horse riding holidays in the ‘home nations’ which are excellent for building riding fitness, confidence or simply having an enjoyable horsey break close to home! For more details on any of these rides, or to view the full collection offered by Unicorn Trails please visit www.unicorntrails.com or call

01767600606

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 15

HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

Dordogne Riding EQUESTRIAN HOLIDAYS IN SOUTH WEST FRANCE

Dordogne Riding has been offering wonderful horse riding holidays in this lovely part of France, near to Bergerac, in the Dordogne for over a decade. The 18th century manor house which is your home throughout your stay,with a heated pool, tennis court and extensive gardens offers a unique ‘house party’ atmosphere, intimate, cosy, welcoming and relaxed and the food and wines are delicious The riding is superb on horses you would be pleased to call your own,through stunning landscape and architecture - some of the best in France Unbeatably flexible - you can ride as and when you like. For non-riders there is so much to do. This place is also very easy to get to, fifteen minutes from Bergerac airport or train station. An all inclusive price with free transfers from/to Bergerac means that there are no hidden extras Come and spend time riding with us, contact Jane Hanslip on 07768 747610 or +33 (0)6 32 62 43 15 or visit www.dordogneriding.com

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16 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – HOLIDAYS

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Memorable horse riding holidays in Costa Rica with award winning Discovery Horseback Tours

Owned and operated by Canadian couple Shawna and Rod, Discovery is the culmination of their dreams of spending a life with animals in the jungles of Costa Rica. Whether you spend a few hours, or a whole week in their tropical paradise, they will share their love for their beautiful horses, and the wild animals that surround the Discovery ranch; in their company you can’t help but be filled with enthusiasm; it’s contagious! You will leave filled with the Pura Vida spirit.

“We vow never to put profits ahead of the welfare of our horses hearts, minds or bodies”

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Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 17

explore Rajasthan embrace Tradition

“The trip was a dream ~ so much more than we could have imagined” PALACE TO PALACE ~ You may have heard of the ‘Golden Triangle’ - well with Horse India you ride the bit in the middle! Travelling by Marwari horse your senses are awash with the colours, sights and sounds of India. Join us to stay in old country palaces, dining on the roof by candlelight and under the stars. DESERT DUNES ~ Chat around the camp fire with shepherds and camel herders, ride over the dunes, see chinkara gazelle and watch 50,000 Demoiselle Cranes come in to feed - a truly awesome sight! Ride with us to canter along sandy camel tracks, canals, sand dunes and lakes - your Marwari horses await! WHAT TO EXPECT ~ A riding holiday with Horse India will find you staying in old Palaces, bespoke haveli Hotels or re-creating the ‘days of the Raj’ by camping in their Maharajah ‘shikar’ tents - complete with decorated bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms and real beds - royal style ‘glamping’ in stunning locations! THE HORSES ~ Marwari horses have curly ‘lyre’ shaped ears that rotate 180 degrees and touch at the tip! They are desert horses, ‘slight’ in build, and stand 15hh - 16hh, spirited but safe, but more importantly, * you cannot ride this breed outside India.*

18 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

photographs copyright Horse India Ltd. by Caroline Moorey & Ignacio Alvar-Tomas

experience Marwari ride with

Horse India

Ride through magical rural Rajasthan ~ feel the spirit of the unique Marwari horse as you discover history, culture, forts and palaces by retracing old routes through the forests and lakes of the Aravalli Hills and by riding over the sand dunes of the Thar Desert. FAIRS & FESTIVALS ~ Experience the famous horse and camel fairs of Pushkar, Balotra and Nagaur, take the toy train through the unspoilt Aravalli hills. We have a fabulous range of holidays to suit all budgets, some are date specific but others can be taken at any time. Book now for a holiday of a lifetime! LEOPARDS & LAKES ~ Ride from the magnificent Kumbhalgarh Fort through the shady Ghanerao forest of the Aravalli hills to Jawai reservoir in search of wild and free roaming Leopards! Horse India offers an informative riding holiday experience, combining history, tradition and culture through our knowledge of the landscape, its people and, of course, its unique indigenous Marwari horses.

* WHO: solo travellers, couples, friends, clubs, groups, fundraisers, families, children and non-riding partners * WHAT: Some rides are date specific, we ride on average 25-30km/day or 4-6 hours riding/day * WHERE: Equidistant between the blue city of Jodhpur, the lake city of Udaipur, and within easy reach of the pink city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA * WHEN: The best climate is September to April * DETAILS: e: info@horseindia.com tel: 07726 930231 Caroline Moorey

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Horse India Ltd. Registered in England & Wales No. 10163578

“wonderful horses and such attention to detail”

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 19

MITSUBISHI MOTORS BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS

Working together to bring you the world’s greatest three-day event - and family day out

If any company is intrinsically linked with the event they sponsor, it is Mitsubishi Motors and Badminton Horse Trials. Photos - Adam Fanthorpe and Kit Houghton Photography

Hugh Thomas, Event Director

Mark Todd riding Leonidas II over the iconic Mitsubishi Motors fence in 2017

or anyone even vaguely interested in the British equestrian world, Mitsubishi Motors’ insignia of three red diamonds instantly signals the greatest horse trials in the world. Mitsubishi Motors first sponsored Badminton in 1992, taking over Whitbread’s lengthy sponsorship.

Whitbread are not continuing with their sponsorship?’ The Marketing Director said, ‘How interesting. Ask Hugh to come and see me!’ A week later, it was all agreed.”

Hugh Thomas, Badminton’s Director since 1989, explains how the car company came to be involved.

“The one consistent factor has been that they take decisions quickly and easily – one is never kept hanging around. They are straightforward, friendly and not bureaucratic.”

“Mitsubishi Motors had had a trade stand at Badminton for a few years. My then-Press Officer Jim Gilmore met their Marketing Director in the street one day and said to him, ‘Have you heard that

Hugh says that in the past 27 years, he has dealt with several managing directors of Mitsubishi Motors.

What does Hugh think has been the impact of Mitsubishi Motors’ sponsorship on eventing as a sport?

Mitsubishi Motors

Badminton Horse Trials Wednesday 2nd May - Sunday 6th May, 2018

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MITSUBISHI MOTORS BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS

“Right from the beginning, they brought to Badminton an appreciation of a world outside of equestrian sports, particularly in relation to media management, which has proved extremely valuable to us,” says Hugh. “From the first year they provided the most modern facilities to journalists and photographers – that was a real stepchange for equestrianism – and they have built on that ever since. “Mitsubishi’s experience with the Round Britain rally meant they understood how to provide up-to-the-minute, reliable information for the media with the means of communicating it to the outside world. “They have also always understood the nature of hospitality in eventing. At many big sporting events, the hospitality is maleorientated. Eventing is a family day out.” There is an obviously “good fit” between Mitsubishi’s cars and both those who attend horse trials and those who watch equestrian sport on television. “Our audience is overwhelmingly a rural one which drives 4WDs,” points out Hugh. He believes another reason for the enormous success of Mitsubishi Motors’ Badminton sponsorship is the fact that the company’s UK headquarters is just 20 miles away from Badminton in Cirencester. “Liaison over the years has been easy,” Hugh says. “We’ve been fortunate over the years to strike up excellent personal relationships with the company’s leadership and they have remarked on how all their staff at Cirencester feel a real pride in being so involved with one of the biggest local events. They volunteer to work and help out at Badminton in lots of capacities.”

One of the best-loved and most photographed fences on the Badminton cross-country course is the Mitsubishi Motors fence next to the lake and involves horses and riders jumping the backs of two Mitsubishi pick-ups. “Yes, it was my idea,” confirms Hugh, who designed the course himself between 1989 and 2013. “Previously the Whitbread drays were situated there, so it was an obvious move. Over the years the pick-ups have changed shape and size, and nowadays the competitors jump over a platform joining the two cars together, but it is essentially the same question it has always been. With one year’s exception they have always been part of the lake complex, which is one of the most famous crosscountry fences in the world and attracts a huge amount of attention.” Four or five other fences on the Badminton cross-country course are named after particular Mitsubishi brands, which have changed over the years – among the most significant in recent times have been the Shogun Hollow, which has hosted a variety of different questions, the Outlander Bank and the Mirage Pond. Additionally, the first and last fences – both in the main arena – are branded Mitsubishi Motors.

“

Badminton is the crème de la crème of our sport – winning it made me feel complete, somehow - Mary King

Mary King was the first winner of the beautiful silver Mitsubishi Trophy in 1992 aboard King William and, having won the great event again in 2000 with Star Appeal, is a highly appropriate ambassador for Mitsubishi Motors. “Badminton is the crème de la crème of our sport – winning it made me feel complete, somehow,” she says. Her daughter Emily, who made her Mitsubishi Motors Badminton debut in 2016, is also an ambassador for the company. “They are incredibly supportive, both of us as a family and of the sport, and really understand eventing and the horsey life,” she says. “Both Badminton and Mitsubishi have been a big thing in our lives for a long time.” “I have an ASX – it’s a smaller, nippier 4X4 which tows (1,400Kg braked) brilliantly and is super-versatile, while Mum has got a Shogun, which is sturdier and more substantial. It’s amazing in the mud and so useful for checking horses in outlying fields,” says Emily. They aren’t the only Mitsubishi Motors ambassadors to enthuse about the company’s link-up with Badminton. Both TV presenter Kate Humble and celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager have enjoyed visits to the event and have marvelled at what it has to offer spectators alongside the equestrian action.

Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, presenting the Mitsubishi Motors Trophy to 2017 winner Andrew Nicholson with the Duchess of Beaufort, Duchess of Cornwall and owner of Nereo, Deborah Sellar

One of the most exciting developments in the sport of eventing in the past decade has been the Mitsubishi Motors Cup. This championship for amateur riders at BE100 and BE90 level has been nothing short of revolutionary, demonstrating

Mitsubishi Motors

Badminton Horse Trials

MITSUBISHI MOTORS BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS

times – and, incredibly, has won for the past two years. “I’ve been so lucky,” she emphasizes. “The first time I went things didn’t go well and it made me realise what a demanding challenge the competition is. I was much more prepared in 2016 when I won for the first-time riding Kilcandra Rambo Ray. The mare I won on in 2017, Coddstown Pet, is a proper hunter-type – Shire cross thoroughbred – and she was green and babyish. But she really rose to the challenge and loved the atmosphere. “To have something to aim at and aspire to has really improved my riding and the way I plan my eventing season; to experience a bit of what the top riders experience is so incredible and has become very addictive.” Katie has qualified another mare for the 2018 Mitsubishi Motors Cup, but any ideas of a treble are firmly at the back of her mind. Alexandra Farrar-Fry riding Grey Finnsky, BE100 Mitsubishi Motors Cup winner in 2015

how valued – and valuable – the amateur competitor is to eventing.

Laura collected her Shogun SG5 from CCR Mitsubishi in Cheltenham.

The Mitsubishi Motors Cup made its debut in 2010 and has become a major part of the Badminton week. Competitors face hot competition to qualify, so when they do, they make a real celebration of their time at Badminton, camping and revelling in the very special atmosphere of the world’s most famous three-day event.

Katie, who works as a safety and compliance officer and is also mother to 19-month-old Harriet, says: “Winning the use of a car is definitely the best bit – at the level at which we compete, there is no way we would get a prize like this anywhere else in the sport and I am so grateful. My Outlander is just the most comfortable vehicle to drive, and I’ve never had a brand-new car in my life before!”

Last year’s winners – Laura Avery, who took the BE90 championship on Willoway Free Spirit, and Katie Hancock, who won the BE100 title with Coddstown Pet – each got the use of a Mitsubishi for a year; no other competition at a similar level in Britain offers such a great prize. Katie picked up her Outlander GX4 from Hawkins Mitsubishi in Penryn, near her in Cornwall, while Gloucestershire-based

Katie has competed in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup three

“It would be too much to hope to do it again – I’m just thoroughly looking forward to it and having fun. We use it as a holiday and stay at Badminton for the whole week.” Emily King is an ambassador for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup. “It’s a natural involvement for both me and Mum,” she says. “We help train the competitors in the build-up to Badminton – this year we are doing a masterclass – and we do course-walks with them at the event. We also attend the Mitsubishi Motors Cup welcome party and any of the riders can ask me or Mum for any advice while they are there.”

Mitsubishi Motors Ambassador Kate Humble and her dog Teg

Emily doesn’t have a Badminton ride herself this year, but hopes that her top horse, Dargun, might be ready for 2019.

“And Mum has got three homebreds that she is competing – two of them are by a Badminton winner [Chilli Morning] out of a Kentucky CCI4*winning mare in Kings Temptress, which is unique anywhere in the world. I know that she would love to get one of them to Badminton in the future,” says Emily. Eventing – and Badminton – is very lucky to have Mitsubishi, but it is an association that works perfectly for both sides. Long may it continue. Mitsubishi Motors Ambassador Rosemary Shrager

Wednesday 2nd May - Sunday 6th May, 2018

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MITSUBISHI MOTORS BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS

Roll of Honour Badminton Horse Trials winners since Mitsubishi’s sponsorship 1992 Mary King - King William 1993 Ginny Leng (Ginny Holgate) - Welton Houdini 1994 Mark Todd - Horton Point 1995 Bruce Davidson - Eagle Lion 1996 Mark Todd - Bertie Blunt 1997 David O’Connor - Custom Made 1998 Chris Bartle - Word Perfect II 1999 Ian Stark - Jaybee 2000 Mary King - Star Appeal 2001

Event cancelled due to UK foot and mouth epidemic

2002 Pippa Funnell - Supreme Rock 2003 Pippa Funnell - Supreme Rock 2004 William Fox-Pitt - Tamarillo 2005 Pippa Funnell - Primmore’s Pride 2006 Andrew Hoy - Moonfleet 2007 Lucinda Fredericks - Headley Britannia 2008 Nicolas Touzaint - Hildago de L’Ile 2009 Oliver Townend - Flint Curtis 2010 Paul Tapner - Inonothing

Mitsubishi Motors Cup facts and figures  Number of competitors who have competed in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup since the first competition: 1,183 competitors since it started  Number Mitsubishi Motors Cup horses stabled on event: On average 85% of entered competitors book a stable, some stay for the whole week and some just for one or two nights.  Number of horses entered to compete at the Mitsubishi Motors Cup: 2015 = Total 170 2016 = Total 191 2017 = Total 188  150 Mitsubishi Motors Cup hoodies were sold in 2017

Mitsubishi Motors Cup Dates for 2018: Tuesday 1 - Wednesday 2 May

2011 Mark Todd - NZB Land Vision

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

2012

Wednesday 2 – Sunday 6 May

Event cancelled due to excessive rainfall

2013 Jonathan Paget - Clifton Promise 2014 Sam Griffiths - Paulank Brockagh 2015 William Fox-Pitt - Chilli Morning

For further information on Mitsubishi Motors

2016 Michael Jung - La Biosthetique-Sam

visit: www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk

2017 Andrew Nicholson - Nereo

Instagram: @mitsubishimotorsuk

Mitsubishi Motors Cup BE90 title holders

Twitter: @MitsubishiUK Facebook: @MitsubishiUK

Facts and figures from Mitsubishi Motors  How many Mitsubishi Motors staff are involved in or at the event? A team of approximately 80-100 are involved with preparation, live on event and dismantle  How many fleet cars are on site for the event? Over 50 fleet vehicles on site  How many Mitsubishi cars are provided for fence judges? 30 fence judge vehicles for both the Mitsubishi Motors Cup and Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials cross country course  How many miles do the fleet cars cover at the event? The estimate is between 200 and 300 miles  How many Mitsubishi Motors banners and flags are there on event? Over 700 signs/banners For more information on Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials: visit: www.badminton-horse.co.uk Instagram: @bhorsetrials Twitter: @bhorsetrials Facebook: @BadmintonHorseTrials

For more information on Mitsubishi Motors Cup: visit: www.mitsubishimotorscup.

badminton-horse.co.uk Instagram: @mitsubishi_cup Twitter: @Mitsubishi_Cup Facebook: @MitsubishiMotorsCup

2010 Amy Dixon - Maid in Holland 2011 Alexandra Farrar-Fry - Diamond Trefoil 2012 Biddy Brasted-Watts - Market Fiesta 2013 Lucy Robinson - Red Dandy 2014 Zoe Symes - Serendipity IV 2015 Hollie Booth - Dramatic 2016 Sophie Walker - Rhapsody RFW 2017 Laura Avery - Willoway Free Spirit

Mitsubishi Motors Cup BE100 title holders 2010 Jack Day - Smoke & Mirrors 2011 Kelly Turner - Talented Boy 2012 Katie Hardisty - Croft Farm Percy 2013 Charlotte Parry-Ashcroft - Danesfort Boy 2014 Alice Lumley - Foxwood Brown Sugar 2015 Alexandra Farrar-Fry - Grey Finnsky 2016 Katie Hancock - Kilcandra Rambo Ray 2017 Katie Hancock - Coddstown Pet

Lance Bradley presenting the Mitsubishi Motors Cup to Laura Avery and Willoway Free Spirit, winner of the BE90 in 2017, with Mitsubishi Motors Ambassador Emily King

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Badminton Horse Trials Wednesday 2nd May - Sunday 6th May, 2018

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C L A I R E B U R R O W O F D E V O N H AY L A G E P R E S E N T S

We all now know that feeding horses’ sufficient amounts of forage in the form of hay or haylage is paramount to their overall health and wellbeing. The horse’s digestive tract has evolved the need for high amounts of fibre to pass through it on an almost constant basis but the debate still remains; should you feed hay or haylage? In this article we will fight it out and discover the real differences between the two types of forage, the benefits and drawbacks of each, what type should be fed in which circumstance and which one, if any should be crowned the overall winner!

What is the difference? The most significant difference between hay and haylage is simply the dry matter contained within it and whether or not it has been sealed in plastic once cut. Hay is traditionally made from a range of meadow type grasses and is cut in mid-summer once the seed heads have developed. Timothy hay is becoming more widely available now as the awareness of sugars in grasses grows; conversely Ryegrass hay is also available. When weather conditions allow the hay is then baled at a dry matter of at least 85%. Haylage on the other hand can be made from any type of grass including traditional mixed grasses but is often a single species of Ryegrass or Timothy and should also be cut once the seed heads are developed and then dried to an optimum dry matter of around 70% before being wrapped in air tight plastic. This creates an anaerobic environment in which naturally present bacteria in the absence of oxygen act to slightly ferment the grass resulting in a dust, mould and fungal spore free forage. Sometimes hay is wrapped when it is too dry preventing fermentation, this will simply be wrapped hay and not haylage.

When things go slightly wrong Our inclement weather in the UK can dictate the outcome of our attempts to preserve grass! Long stretches of settled dry weather seem to be increasingly few and far between nowadays which makes it very hard to make hay without it being rained on! Hay that is rained on or stays damp for many days after cutting will allow moulds and fungus to begin to develop. Hay is never 100% dry (due to atmospheric moisture)

and so any mould and fungal spores present at baling will continue to grow. To our naked eye these are undetectable but will still be present, potentially increasing the chances of irritation to the horses’ airways. Hay however that has been cut then dried quickly in fine weather may smell divine but could contain quite high levels of sugar. This is because once grass has been cut it will continue to respire which uses up some of the sugars present. Sugar levels will stop declining once the moisture level has dropped to a level which prevents the chemical reactions from taking place. Grass cut in hot sunny conditions and then dried very quickly will have surprisingly high levels of sugar. This is why it is important to know the nutritional values of hay particularly if you are feeding a sugar sensitive horse due to underlying metabolic issues. It is highly unlikely that the nutritional values will be available to you when buying in hay unless you have it tested yourself! Furthermore, when hay is made from high sugar grasses such as Ryegrass, the resulting sugar levels are likely to be higher than from hay made from traditional meadow type species. There are a lot more opportunities for things to go wrong when making haylage. Firstly some haylage producers cut the grass far too early in the season resulting in forage that is too rich for the average horse. At Devon Haylage we aim to cut in mid-June once the seed heads are fully developed and the crop is high in fibre. Haylage cut in May will be high in protein and energy and although it could be suitable for racehorses for example, it wouldn’t be suitable for the majority of horses who need a high fibre forage with adequate protein levels. Soil

devonhaylage.co.uk 01404 813100 28 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Is hay or haylage best for horses? This is not an easy question to answer as every horse and how they are managed is different. Even though I eat, breathe and sleep haylage for a living, I still believe that if hay has been well made it can be a great forage source for many horses. It is often slightly lower in nutritional values compared to haylage and so may be more appropriate to feed ad-lib to equines that hold their weight well. However, a very common comment I hear from customers is that they are unable to find a consistent source of quality hay. It is a sad fact that many of the old permanent pastures containing a wonderful mix of traditional grasses and herbs are being ploughed up and replaced by high yielding modern varieties of ryegrass. Our English weather also doesn’t help matters and for this reason it can be quite hard to find traditionally made hay that is consistent in quality throughout the year and between batches. Many people find the consistency of suitably made haylage a reason to switch. The switch from hay to haylage however will only work if the haylage has been made with horses in mind, is nutritionally matched to their requirements and is the same quality throughout

because they were sold forage more suitable for growing cattle then for horses. If haylage is your forage of choice then select it well; ask for samples along with the nutritional information to assess if it’s suitable for your horse’s needs.There is also more choice when it comes to selecting haylage as some producers offer a range. At Devon Haylage for example we produce four types, each with their own nutritional characters meaning we have a haylage to suit any type of horse.

Horses that have an intolerance to dust, mould and fungal spores will definitely benefit from haylage. Soaking hay can help to overcome these issues but this is tiresome to do (especially in the winter) and by doing so much of the energy and water soluble vitamins and minerals will be removed increasing the reliance on hard feed and balancers. Soaking hay is also a means to reduce its sugar content; however haylage is in fact already a low sugar option due to the action of the bacteria breaking down and utilising sugars as they replicate. The wonderful smell of haylage is evidence of this process as what you smell are the Volatile Fatty Acids – an end product of sugar breakdown.

Take home message

As touched on before, if haylage has not been made with knowledge of the nutritional needs of horses and is produced to be too wet or dry or too rich then it may not be the ideal forage. I have heard several stories of people being put off haylage for life after bad experiences simply

Forage is an integral aspect of any equines diet and so whether you choose to feed hay or haylage, sufficient attention must be placed on scrutinising its quality and consistency. Both types of forage, if made correctly, have a fundamental role to play in keeping our horses healthy. Haylage has more scope for being suitable for a range of horses for instance those who have metabolic problems or dust sensitivities. Hay is the traditional forage which if made well from a wide range of grasses can provide the typical horse with quality fibre. Providing the hay or haylage producer is knowledgeable about the nutritional needs of horses and has a passion to produce healthy consistent forage then the choice is a personal one – but ask a horse and they’d choose haylage! For a free postal sample of our haylage please email claire@devonhaylage.co.uk

The benefits and drawbacks summarised

B EN EFI T S

Efficient fermentation is the key to quality haylage production but sometimes this doesn’t go to plan. If haylage doesn’t smell as it should (haylage should have a pleasant sweet smell but the ‘nose’ will vary depending on the type of grass) then this could be an indication that certain undesirable products such as butyric acid (which gives of a putrid sour smell) may have formed as a result of incorrect fermentation. Haylage must remain completely sealed from the air before it is opened to be fed. Just a small hole in the packaging will allow air to enter and over time this will allow aerobic bacteria to take over and begin to degrade and breakdown the organic matter. The first sign of this is heat production and then moulds will be a visible indication that the haylage has spoiled and so should not be fed.

the year. Many haylage producers both small and large scale are unable to achieve this without absolute dedication to the production process right through from ‘seed to sale’. At Devon Haylage we are highly aware of this and so ensure we never buy in grass as we simply cannot ensure that it has been grown to our high standards because the ‘misuse’ of fertilisers and a disregard for soil health can have a significant impact on the quality of protein and the mineral ratios contained in the crop.

• Traditional forage particularly if made from a range of grasses • Lower cost • Lower nutritional value • If made well will be ideal for most horses

D RAW BA C KS

contamination, particularly if the haylage is far too wet can increase the risk of botulism. This is a very rare complication but one that cannot be overlooked and arises when soil is picked up at baling time and then combined with a wet haylage which facilitates the development of Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Reputable haylage producers should be aware of this issue and consequently manage their fields in such a way as to limit soil contamination and only bale once the desired dry matter has been reached. For added piece of mind, at Devon Haylage we test for the soil contamination and provide this an index on the nutritional report which can be viewed on the website for each of our haylage types every year.

• Contains dust, mould and fungal spores • Cannot be stored outside • Could be quite high in sugar • Hard to make consistently high quality hay • Range in quality between batches • More waste • No nutritional info available

• Higher nutritional value • Dust, mould and fungal spore free • Reduces reliance on hard feed • Good haylage will be nutritionally tested • No waste • Widely available • Can be stored outside • Horses love it! • Options to suit different nutritional needs • Once damaged haylage will spoil • Hard to make with consistent quality • Can vary in dry matter if not made correctly • Could be too rich if not made correctly • May be more expensive

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 29

Everything a rider could need At Gilbert’s, you’ll find top brands, great advice and the friendliest service

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You can light a HotBlocks fire with only a couple of firelighters and they are clean to handle and really convenient to stack and store. The consistent shape and size make Hotblocks easy to stack safely and efficiently. (A full pallet of HotBlocks can easily be stored against a wall at the back of a garage). Hotblocks can be used in a wide range of heaters, woodburners, stoves, log burners, chimineas and firepits.

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We’ve got sweet itch covered The Boett Blanket was designed in Sweden 25 years ago. Having been continuously developed it is still at the forefront of the market. Vets highly recommend it as one of the most effective treatments for sweet-itch and some insurance companies will pay for them as an alternative therapy. They are also recommended for the protection of horses with sarcoids and more widely used as a very effective fly rug. The blanket is used worldwide and is made from a unique light but strong breathable fabric which midges cannot bite through. The fabric has a “parasol effect” that keeps the horse cool in full sun so overheating does not occur. It has water and grease repellent properties. If you have any questions on the management and treatment of sweet itch, call our National Sweet Itch helpline on 01352 840333.

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Bio-Plus Capsules for Equine and for Dogs and Cats The Bio-Plus capsules belong to a family group of “immune modulators” that work by sending signals to the immune system to respond more efficiently. They contain natural bio protein derived from heat killed bacteria and beta-glucan, a proven natural support to the immune system. Bio-Plus capsules were trialled for eight years and are proven to be safe with no side effects. Owners who have used Bio-Plus capsules are reporting that the severity of conditions ease with the ongoing use of the capsules. The development and science behind this product and the work of Professor Stanford (BioEos) can be seen on this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh6lj4D4-f0  Visit www.itchyhorse.co.uk for more information or to buy.  Call the National Sweet Itch Centre on 01352 840333 or 01352 771718.

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Call 01352 840 333 / 01352 771 718 Email info@itchyhorse.co.uk Visit www.itchyhorse.co.uk 32 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

seat

SADDLE UP FOR THE SEASON

Take a

When it comes to saddles, never before has there been so much choice, from adjustable all-rounders to bespoke designs, says Kathy Carter Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 33

Free Sprenger Irons & Equipe Emporio Leathers when you buy any New Equipe Saddle during May & June

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Bespoke saddles are extremely popular, allowing the rider to choose elements such as thickness of leather, flap lengths and flap positions to suit their height and leg length

34 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – SADDLING UP

ur saddles are a massive part of our equestrian life, and they’re a big investment. But where do saddles originate from? The Romans are widely said to have used saddles consisting of a thick pad with bronze “horns” for stability. Lauren Gilmour’s book In the Saddle (Archetype Publications) states that Roman, Saxon and Norman invaders all used saddles. Meanwhile, a 5th-century BC tomb belonging to Scythians (Iranian-speaking tribes with Mongolian ponies) contained a saddle cloth decorated with gold. However, it wasn’t until hundreds of years later that “treed” saddles were developed, with a simple wooden frame. The conventional saddle featuring stirrups and trees is said to have been pioneered in Europe in the middle ages; according to the Walsall Leather Museum, craftsmen called loriners began producing items such as stirrups, bits, trees and buckles at this time. The English saddle as we know it is said to have been developed in the 18th century, and the wooden “sprung tree” was introduced in the 20th century. Fast-forward to 2018, and no matter what your requirement, budget, horse breed or riding discipline, there’s a saddle for everyone! While saddles are available for specific breeds, and are available in discipline-specific models such as polo, racing, side saddle and showing, saddles commonly come in general purpose (GP), jump and dressage styles:

GP saddles GPs are “all-rounder” saddles with a slightly rounded saddle flap and relatively

SADDLE UP FOR THE SEASON

Find your fit Albion Saddlemakers’ Paul Belton offers these tips: little in the way of large knee pads or blocks, allowing the rider to change their position from a longer leg for flatwork, to a shorter stirrup to jump, with little restriction. Many GP saddles have detachable knee blocks secured with Velcro/hook-and-loop, which can be adjusted even when mounted. The ridingclub style rider can easily enjoy pastimes like show jumping, hunting, hacking, TREC and dressage with just a GP.

Jump saddles Saddles for jumping feature a more flat and “open” seat (allowing the rider to safely take their jumping position and shorten their stirrups without the cantle getting in the way), as well as a more forward-cut flap shape. Knee and thigh blocks designed specifically for jumping aid the perfect position, and again are sometimes moveable.

Dressage saddles Saddles for flatwork tend to have a deeper seat, a higher pommel and larger knee

blocks or rolls to help maintain the proper leg position; the flaps of dressage saddles are elongated, to accommodate the longer leg position.

Modern creations In addition to the three main styles of saddle, there is a great variety within these sub-categories, e.g. different girth strap positions, varying seat depths, refined panel shapes, close contact styles, different sizes of knee blocks, and “VSD” (very slightly dressage) styles. Bespoke saddles are extremely popular, allowing the rider to choose, for example (in addition to different sized saddles), elements like thicknesses of leather, size of knee blocks, flap lengths and flap positions to suit their height and leg length, a choice of stirrup bar positions and, of course, embellishments to suit individual personality and style, as well as material choice. Girthing options are also receiving much more scrutiny now, both in terms of the girthing on the saddle (e.g. asymmetric girth straps), and the style of girth itself. u

1. In addition to your six to 12-month annual saddle fitting, arrange for the saddle fitter to return three months after the initial fitting, to check fit and function. 2. Ride in different saddles when you’re purchasing, and consider the engineering behind the brand’s tree, which should be rigid enough to disperse the weight of the rider over an acceptable area of the horse’s back, but flexible enough to absorb the rider’s “shock-load”. 3. A well-fitting saddle is key, as a horse can carry pressure on its back of no more than 1.44lbs per square inch – if you exceed this for durations of more than 20 minutes, you may compress the veins in the animal’s back, and slow down blood flow to the muscles, reducing oxygen flow. 4. Look at the horse’s body language, to assess its cooperation with your saddle – are the tail and ears relaxed, for example?

SADDLING UP – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 35

SADDLE UP FOR THE SEASON

Saddle care To keep your saddle in good condition:  Clean it after each ride, even if it’s a quick wipe-over with a conditioning cleaning product. There are some great time-saving tack cleaning sprays and balms, designed to effectively remove dirt and sweat, enriched with elements like glycerine and lanolin.  Schedule in some time to regularly condition your tack with a nourishing leather-care product; perhaps once a week. This gives you the chance to dismantle the bridle and remove the numnah, stirrup irons and leathers from the saddle to clean and check them separately. Look out for nourishing ingredients like beeswax and lanolin.  Ideally, keep the tack in a regulated temperature, so it doesn’t get too hot or cold. Store spare tack in containers – you could wrap the tack in towels, spare numnahs or even newspaper–and utilise bridle bags and saddle covers. Trays of dehumidifier crystals (or even salt) will be useful, as are small silica bags, kept close to tack.

Both adults’ and children’s saddles are available, too. The trees within the saddle are also made from different materials these days, from the traditional wood, to thermoplastic composite materials and carbon fibre, each offering different benefits and levels of flexibility. And, of course, saddles with adjustable gullets are incredibly popular, not only allowing us to potentially keep a favourite saddle if we change horses, but also to change the gullet fitting as the horse changes shape or matures. Meanwhile, options for flocking – the panel filling that ensures even weight distribution over the surface of the saddle – have increased, with air, wool, and even foam, gel, felt and polymer blends available, offering the rider a wide choice. Essentially, today’s modern materials and advanced production techniques are allowing an unprecedented level of choice to 21st-century horse owners. However, according to Albion Saddlemakers’ chairman Paul Belton, we should all beware being swayed away from the main cornerstone of saddle fit – seeking comfort, stability, and the freedom to

36 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – SADDLING UP

move with minimum restriction for both horse and rider.

A ﬁne ﬁt Today, modern manufacturers are making functional saddles that can incrementally improve equine performance. Conversely, an ill-fitting saddle can create high pressure points (potentially damaging minor blood vessels in both the skin and muscle), while restriction of the back muscles makes engagement more difficult. And naturally, the saddle needs to suit the discipline in question, as well as the rider’s build; but more importantly, it must fit the horse – not impinging movement, allowing clearance at the withers and spine/gullet area once the rider is seated in the saddle, and not shifting excessively from front to back, or side to side, when the horse moves. Poor equine performance, new training or behavioural problems, saddle slippage and uneven or pronounced sweat patterns could indicate a problem with saddle fit. (Although saddle slippage may, confusingly, be an early indicator of hind-limb lameness, and not necessarily a manifestation of an ill-fitting saddle.) 

WOW Saddles WOW Saddles, from British manufacturer First Thought Equine, pioneered the concept of modular saddles, with the seat, panels, flaps and overall design of the range being adjustable with, for example, various headplate widths and wither profiles, and multiple panel types. “Meanwhile, our unique carbon fibre tree has a ‘Y’-shaped frame for strength and longitudinal stiffness that allows lateral flexibility, allowing greater shoulder freedom,” explains WOW’s co-proprietor David Kempsell. “As we invested in our own, advanced pressure testing equipment, we’re focused on the reduction pressure points. We also advocate Flair air-bag flocking; the air creates a gaseous, flexible layer in the saddle, removing pressure points.”

Voltaire Design French brand Voltaire Design specialises in customisable sports saddles utilising advanced technology. Founded in 2010 by Brice Goguet, Voltaire Design melded fine, handmade craftsmanship with elements of “fashion and flair” in saddles designed for the forward-thinking rider. In addition to eight saddle models for jumping, dressage and crosscountry, Voltaire Design also offers bridles, girths, leathers and accessories. Brice says the saddles’ technology benefits every element of equine performance. “For example, feedback from customers is that their horses have enhanced relaxation and freedom of movement, as well as improved straightness.”

Albion Saddles According to Paul Belton, chairman of British brand Albion Saddlemakers, engineering advancement utilising both traditional saddlery techniques and technical development is key. “We do favour the wooden tree – our much revered Adjusta Tree, now five years old, was the first British precision-engineered, adjustable wooden saddle tree, and the SLK range features the Platinum interchangeable tree and switch panel system,” he says. “A popular range is the company’s Revelation Red Label, which includes dressage, XC and showjumping models with precision-fixed knee blocks, a close contact seat, and full customisation, such as piping and Swarovski detailing.”

43 | SUMMER 2017 Your Horse & Country Magazine

SADDLING UP – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 37

The Comfort Elite Range of Mono flap Saddles Designs based on over 20 years experience of fitting horses and ponies of all shapes, sizes and breeds. In collaboration with our customers from happy hackers to the International levels of competition, Specialist Coaches, Trainers and Body Workers to give you the ultimate in close contact comfort and connection with your horse. With models suitable for all conformational types from wide, flat backed Natives to high withered Sports Horses and specialist design options for riders of all levels and requirements. Available in tree sizes from 13” pony options to 19” seat. Providing the right saddle for every horse and rider combination.

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38 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – SADDLING UP

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The Complete Saddle Solution Sheepham Saddles is a fast growing family run business offering the complete saddle solution. Now one of the UK’s biggest distributors of secondhand saddles with several hundred in stock, covering everything from adjustable synthetics to the high end competition saddle.

Let us take the hassle out of selling your saddle: Outright Purchase

For customers who need a speedy sale, Sheepham Saddles are able to purchase your saddle directly from you, freeing up funds straight away.

Sale on Commission

If a quick sale isn’t crucial and you are happy to hold out for a better price then selling with us on our Commission basis of just 20% might be the right choice for you.

Part Exchange

If you require funds from an existing saddle before purchasing another then our Part Exchange option may suit you. We are happy to take certain saddles in part exchange against any of ours and are often able to offer more than an our Outright Purchase price. Please see the ’Sell your Saddle’ page of the website and submit an online form for your saddle. Getting your saddle to us is easy; either drop it into our shop or take advantage of our packaging guide online and send the saddle to us. We can even arrange for your saddle to be collected, fully insured, from your home or work address.

Visit us in Devon!

Take advantage of our newly installed surface and large bank of saddles by bringing your horse or pony to us. For those looking for more guidance, we host frequent clinics with various independent qualified saddle fitters. We are also keen sponsors at Bicton Arena attending many of their events with a selection of saddles available to trial on site. Please get in touch for clinic dates or to make an appointment to bring your horse to us.

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Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 |

PROMOTION

WINGS – the shape of the ®

We find out more about the science behind the revolutionary saddle pad Why choose a WING® Saddle Pad over a regular saddle pad? Whether we’re competing or enjoying riding for pleasure, our horses work hard for us and a saddle pad is an essential part of easing discomfort for our horses caused by our saddles. Disappointed by the performance of conventional pads, which failed to prevent her horse developing pain, Helen Ross, inventor of the HRP WING® Saddle Pad, took a new approach, creating a completely new shape of pad with the aim of greatly reducing pressure over the lumbar spine. The benefits were clear to see for anyone who used it but an independent scientific study by Hartpury College revealed the HRP WING® Saddle Pad had made a real breakthrough – removing pressure behind the saddle completely. Hartpury College’s Senior Equestrian Sports Science lecturer Victoria Lewis led a team in comparing the HRP WING® Saddle Pad’s performance to that of a conventional pad in a variety of gaits. Horses were monitored at walk, rising trot and canter, and at all gaits the mean pressure between the HRP WING® Saddle Pad and the horse behind the saddle, over the lumbar spinous processes, was significantly less than with

a conventional square pad. During trot and canter the HRP WING® Saddle Pad resulted in no pressure at all behind the saddle over the lumbar spinous processes. Shortly after the results of the study were revealed, the product won the BETA Innovation Awards 2016 Saddlery and Tack category, an achievement that delighted both Helen and the researchers. Victoria said: “Our study showed that there was significantly less pressure exerted on a horse’s back when standing, walking, trotting and cantering when using the winged design saddle pad compared to a conventional saddle pad. “In fact, the results showed that there was no pressure at all behind the saddle over the lumbar spine during trot and canter using the WING® Saddle Pad. It was fantastic to see the product win such a major award and the study we conducted recognised as important in providing more scientific evidence that this new design can reduce pressure on a horse’s back.”

Who is behind HRP WING® Saddle Pads? Entrepreneur Helen Ross developed the innovative HRP WING® design herself after her own horse developed

discomfort when being ridden. Combining the knowledge gained from a lifelong love for horses and a degree in equine science, Helen established the cause was the saddle pad and the pressure it created and so began her experiments in producing a completely new kind of pad. Two core ideas developed, one Helen called the dual wing design and a second which was a mono version. “The dual wing design functioned because of a cut in the saddle pad at a particular angle and gradient. If I made it too shallow, it didn’t eliminate enough pressure and so was nowhere near as effective. Equally, if I made the angle too big it didn’t work at all,” Helen said. “Trying to find the optimum angle and length of the wings took some time as I boiled the design down to fractions of a degree.” Once Helen had fine-tuned her design, she made some prototypes and asked friends to try them out. They proved to be a hit, word began to spread and so a completely new product for the equestrian market was born. Helen’s innovative design has since made a real impact on the industry, winning a plethora of awards and getting great results in scientific studies. Keen to bring more breakthrough products to other

Creators of the revolutionary

HRP WING® SADDLE PADS

UNIQUE LUXURY IRISH EQUESTRIAN BRAND, INVENTORS OF SCIENTIFICALLY

40 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

PROMOTION

future riders, Helen has a number of new ideas in the pipeline and the future is bright for HRP Equestrian.

Dual WINGS® or Mono WING®? HRP WING® Saddle Pads offer styles to suit all disciplines. The Mono WING® follows the contour of the saddle and sits right up into the gullet from pommel to cantle. It is not made with a half pad. If you want to use a half pad, use the Dual WING®.

Who uses HRP WING® Saddle Pads? HRP Equestrian is proud to work with some of the best talent in the equestrian world through its sponsored rider team. Team HRP has boasted both experienced equestrians with amazing achievements and some of the most exciting young riders in the sport today. Among the riders we have worked with are Olympic silver medallist Lucinda Fredericks, young rider Will Rawlin, Olympic bronze medallist Jock Paget, international event rider Adam Trew, British international showjumper Ashley Pulleyn and eventer Sophie Hulme. Away from the world of competition, the working horses of the City of London Police have also been seen wearing their HRP WING® Saddle Pads, while our

p Sponsored rider Sophie Hulme using an HRP WING® Saddle Pad products have also won the endorsement of quality saddle brand Childeric. We are also extremely proud to have been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Household Cavalry – the Queen’s personal bodyguards – for the third year running in honour of our support for this historic regiment. While the team at HRP Equestrian celebrate our sponsored riders and

affiliated connections, the beauty of our product means that the HRP WING® Saddle Pad can be used by riders at all levels, enjoying the benefits it brings to their own horses. n To find out more about how HRP WING® Saddle Pads can benefit your horse, contact HRP Equestrian at +44 (0) 207 859 4393.

www.HRPequestrian.com FOR ALL SALES CALL +44 (0) 207 859 4393

PROVEN PRESSURE RELIEF HRP WING SADDLEYour PADS, MADE IN THE UK Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 41

Everyone has their own reason for wanting a round pen

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Join up with a hard to catch horse Confidence builder when riding Help bonding with a dominant horse Training a youngster Loading issues Restricted grazing pen

We believe in customer service as a top priority and welcome customer enquiries, reviews and feedback on our products. Our response time is less than 24 hours 100% of the time. I am sure we have a pen to suit your needs and budget, a bespoke service and delivery is available too.

Let us help you fulfil the dream of having an enclosed safe area to work your horse with our affordable, quality round pens.

0844 264 6057 | www.round-pen.co.uk | info@round-pen.co.uk The Round Pen company is based in Shropshire UK providing a range of round pens, to suit all requirements.

CJ Arenas will construct or build either block stables or wooden stables to meet your requirement

If you are looking for a West Country based company to construct a quality riding arena or horse stabling, then look no further

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• Post and rail fencing in either straight or half rounded finish • Any size sand school can be constructed to meet your requirements • All riding surfaces are available, Refurbishments to existing sand schools • All site work undertaken and completed by CJ Arenas in the Devon and Cornwall area

Visit www.cjarenas.co.uk

or call 07813 574160 for more information or a no obligation quote 42 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Enhance your land by planting large trees, says green expert. A green spaces expert shares his tips for enhancing your land by planting large trees, adding instant colour, form and character. A quintessential part of the British landscape, trees have long been used to add definition around properties, explains Deric Newman, general manager of tree supply, plant and relocation specialist Glendale Civic Trees. One of the finest proponents of this was Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, and Deric believes Brown’s reasons for using trees to frame the landscape and create a natural looking finish are still applicable today. Placement In parkland ‘clumps’ of trees can be planted to screen an undesirable view, or direct the eye to a more favourable one. Trees are a great way to soften the boundaries of a property too, creating the illusion that the land extends beyond the horizon.

Large solitary specimens can be a feature in their own right, enhancing the landscape by breaking up expansive space, and providing a shady spot to stop whilst out riding, or sheltering livestock in paddocks. “Avenues are also popular as a visual statement,” Deric says. “They can be used anywhere to create a destination in the landscape. I’d recommend an ornamental finish using flowering Cherries, or Hornbeam for a more natural look. In some instances a less formal approach is more appropriate, like a meandering, tree-lined driveway offering tantalising glimpses of a view at intervals before culminating in a ‘big reveal’.” Considerations When undertaking planting projects in parkland the main areas of consideration are the topography of the land and species selection.

Visit civictrees.co.uk/tree-planting today or email info@civictrees.co.uk

Did you know? The use of trees as a feature in parkland was how Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown revolutionised British gardening in the 18th century.

The shape of the land guides the eye around the landscape and influences which planting finishes will look best. Deric adds: “To work out which species will thrive look at the surrounding landscape. Most trees do well in any soil, but some perform better than others and the tree types growing locally are a good indication. Sites that are particularly exposed will need extra thought however, particularly if the wind is coming from the sea and carrying salt. In these instances the way that the trees are planted and secured are crucial.” Civic Trees is an authority in planting large, semi-mature specimens (typically over fourmetres tall), sourced from specialist growers in the UK and Europe that produce trees for transplant at large sizes. For advice about using large trees in your next project contact the team: 0208 950 4491.

Supply | Plant | Relocate

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Know who’s who in the world of equine dentristy A

s there is currently no legislation to safeguard horse welfare in respect to dental care, horses can easily fall foul of poor workmanship, null and void insurance and, in worst case scenarios, irreversible dental damage. Sadly, many horse owners who use these practitioners are under false impressions that they are “qualified” EDTs (equine dental technicians). In the world of equine dentistry, qualified should mean BEVA/BVDA qualified; this is the only Category 2 qualification with veterinary endorsement in the UK (check out the BEVA website for full details on the Categories of Procedures – www.beva. org.uk). It is a rigorous set of exams which requires years of training and acquiring advanced case studies under the guidance of experienced professionals. The BAEDT (British Association

of Equine Dental Technicians) is an association which is proud of its members, both EDTs and vets, who have taken it upon themselves to obtain this qualification. Joining this prestigious association requires appropriate insurance, undergoing regular continued professional

development and adhering to a strict code of conduct. All too often our members see “qualified” EDTs being recommended on social media pages. Some of these names are the cowboys of this industry who continue to risk damage to our reputation and ultimately the welfare of the horse. My advice on how to keep your horse safe is to check that the practitioner you choose to use (whether it be an EDT or vet) is BEVA/BVDA qualified or WWAED Category 2 registered. Only EDTs with a Category 2 qualification will have the insurance to include public indemnity. To know that your horse is in safe hands, check out the BAEDT website for a full list of dedicated and trusted members – www.baedt.com Gemma English BAEDT Member

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 47

Full of the

joys

of spring

Spring cleaning isn’t just for the home – refresh body and mind this season too, says Kathy Carter

inger John Denver wrote beautifully about the season of spring, in his Season Suite masterpiece: “Open up your eyes and see the brand new day, the clear blue sky and brightly shining sun. Open up your ears and hear the breezes say, everything that's cold and grey is gone. Open up your hands and feel the rain come down, taste the wind and smell the flowers’ sweet perfume. Open up your mind and let the light come in, the earth has been reborn and life goes on. Do you care what's happening around you? Do

your senses know the changes when they come? Can you see yourself reflected in the seasons? Can you understand the need to carry on?” “The earth has been reborn and life goes on” is a delightful lyric that signifies the constant momentum of the seasons. For many of us, spring is a time for reflection and gratitude – it shows us, after the winter months, that there is a natural order and a gentle flow to life. Spring is the season when new growth begins, and changes happen all around us. It’s a lovely

48 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

time to connect with families, friends and the great outdoors.

A positive glow At this time of year, the days are longer and brighter, and they are also starting to get warmer – this helps lift our spirits, and potentially gives us an inner glow of positivity, if we’re willing to embrace it. The cycle of life is starting again; soon, new lambs will be born, the trees in our woodlands and arboretums will be in bud, and gorgeous, sweet-smelling blossoms

JOYS OF SPRING

will start to appear. Is it time for us to make some positive changes, de-clutter our lives (practically and emotionally) and let new growth develop within ourselves? Can the well-used phrase “spring clean” be applied not only to our homes and belongings, but also to our mental state? Perhaps now is a good time to be kinder to our bodies and our minds, ensure we get some well-earned “me time” and allow our minds to listen to what our bodies are telling us. Eat when we’re hungry, rest when we are tired, and get outdoors to enjoy this most lovely of seasons. “Open up your mind and let the light come in,” as John Denver sagely advises.

“

Perhaps now is a good time to be kinder to our bodies and our minds, ensure we get some wellearned ‘me time’

Enjoying nature Continuing with the theme of positivity, isn’t springtime a lovely period to appreciate nature? No one can resist a baby animal, surely? And spring is the perfect time to discreetly watch animals in the wild bring up their youngsters. From wobbly-legged foals to adorable woolly lambs, there is an abundance of animals to engage with now the seasons are changing. Currently, there is an increased amount of food available for our native wildlife, and the longer days also mean they have longer daylight hours in which to find food. The milder days and regular rainfall mean that grass is also in abundance, leaving new animal parents assured that their babies are getting a great start in life. Wild animals like foxes, rabbits, u Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 49

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JOYS OF SPRING

squirrels and voles are giving birth now, while farm animals like sheep and cows are also welcoming their calves and lambs into the world. Why not check out your local agricultural college or family farm to see if they have any lambing weekends or open days coming up? These events are ideal to help teach children about the circle of life, let them engage with wildlife and see some beautiful baby animals.

Spring inspiration Do you need some inspiration for ways to engage with the family and enjoy the great outdoors? Here are our favourite things to do this spring, when you’re out and about in the UK:

1. Fly a kite What could be nicer than finding a gloriously sunny hillock from which to launch your shiny new kite? Kite-flying is a lovely way to engage with younger family members, as well as show off your hand-eye coordination! The UK’s Kite Society (thekitesociety.org. uk) advises that while flying a kite is easy, there are a few simple tips that will keep you safe. They advise reading the kite’s instructions to check its suitability for wind strength; avoiding

kite-flying in wet or stormy weather, to avoid static electricity build-up; not flying the kite directly over people’s heads for obvious reasons (instead, choose a quiet area!); and avoiding proximity to roads, which could distract drivers. But above all, they advise having fun! Check out the Minchinhampton Kite Festival in Gloucestershire if you can, which runs from April 7-8.

2. Cycle with the family A brilliant pastime, cycling is a great activity for the whole family. You can even get little ones involved, with a bike-seat or tow-along buggy. The cycling aficionados over at bikeradar. com say that cycling has a range of benefits, some of which may surprise u

A sunny hill, a slight breeze and you’re all set for a fun day of kite-flying

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 51

JOYS OF SPRING

3. Attend a spring fair

ne Rix / Shutter to: Ja stoc k.c om

you. They include improved sleep, as exercising outside exposes you to daylight that helps get your circadian rhythms in synchronisation, and also rids your body of the stress hormone cortisol. Cycling can produce feel-good endorphins and may boost brain function, as small improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling can hone mental clarity, due to the boosted blood flow and oxygenation within the brain. So, get pedalling this spring time, and you may just discover a new, healthier you! Check out the many cycling events happening around the UK, like the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive, from April 14-15 in Hampshire, a cycle ride with 29- to 83-mile routes available. Visit ukcyclingevents.co.uk for details of events near you.

Pho

What could be more British than maypole and morris dancing, craft stalls and local farm produce? Britain has many lovely spring fairs, from small community events to large ticketed events. We love the sound of Wiltshire’s Downton Cuckoo Fair on May 5, a free event in the medieval vein that boasts rural craft demonstrations, a Punch and Judy show, street entertainers and a farmers’ market. Celebrating the arrival of the cuckoo at spring time, the fair culminates with the crowning of the Cuckoo Princess. With a family-friendly festival atmosphere, the fair welcomes over 20,000 visitors and is the ideal way to retrace our roots, and hark back to a time before screens, tablets and gaming were the mainstays of weekend activities! Find out more at cuckoofair.co.uk

Cherry blossom at Kew Gardens, above; a folk band performing at Downton Cuckoo Fair, left

4. Ride a horse on a beach Riding a horse on a beach is on many people’s bucket lists! But first things first, check availability, as usually from around April 1 to September 30, horses are not allowed on public beaches during peak hours, so during these months, you will need to go early morning or in the evening. Your local authority will have details. Whenever you go, you are guaranteed an experience you won’t forget – and hopefully for the right reasons! Imagine

the thrill of galloping along a sandy beach, the feeling of being closer to nature, the rush of salty air as it whips through your hair (under a helmet, of course), and the excitement passed on to you by your horse, whose hooves are thundering beneath you on the sand. Remember to check the times of the tides before you go!

52 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

The TV programme Countryfile has a nice resource on the UK’s beast beaches for horse riding at tiny.cc/beachriding

5. See the cherry blossoms Blossom is a sure sign that spring has arrived. It’s lovely to see the petals of plum and peach trees, as well as magnolia and

Photo: Del Boy / Shutterstock.com

blackthorn, and even the striking hawthorn hedge, with its fresh green leaves and creamy white flowers that bloom in late April. But surely the cherry on the cake, if you’ll pardon the pun, is the beautiful cherry blossom tree – both native and Japanese cherry varieties are found all around the UK, and usually begin flowering in April, so now’s the time to get out and about, and spot some. Cherry blossom is the most dense of the blossom flowers, and has a lovely, striking pink hue – its first blossoms can’t help but give us the feeling that winter is now over and milder weather is set to stay. Visit the National Trust’s website for some inspiration on where to see spring blossoms: nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/ourbest-spring-gardens

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6. Watch Springwatch on TV! OK, so it doesn’t count as being “out and about”, but if all that outdoor activity has tired you out, then a dose of TV’s Springwatch is just the treat you need. A great family show, Springwatch bases itself at beautiful gardens and estates across the UK, and offers families the chance to learn more about wildlife. A large number of webcams will be set up so that viewers can watch the animal habitats live online, and the TV show itself features regular updates on what animals have been spotted. The website also features information and advice on setting up bird and nest boxes, and creating habitats for bats, bees and hedgehogs – visit bbc.co.uk and search for “Springwatch”. n

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Calm & Condition Ideal for increasing and maintaining condition

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PROMOTION

Feeding for condition Keeping horses and ponies at ideal body weights can be a challenge during the winter months when a combination of cold weather and a decline in grazing quality can lead to significant weight loss. Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at Allen & Page Horse Feeds, advises on a suitable diet to keep your horse in good condition.

ibre is the most important component of every horse’s diet; not only is it vital for maintaining good gut health, but its digestion also creates body heat as it is fermented, which helps to keep the horse warm during the colder weather. While good grazing during the spring and summer months is usually enough to allow most horses and ponies to maintain good body condition, the need to feed conserved forages such as hay and haylage increases significantly during the winter months and should be provided on an ad-lib basis. When forage alone does not provide a horse with enough calories to maintain an ideal body weight, it is important to choose an appropriate bucket feed to supply additional calories. Calm & Condition has been specifically formulated to meet the increased nutritional needs of horses who struggle to maintain weight, including a high calorie level to promote weight gain and quality protein sources to aid muscle development and help maintain topline. Always remember that energy and calories are the same thing and it is not possible to feed a high-calorie feed to promote weight gain without giving your horse more energy. It is, however, the ingredients in the feed that are important when it comes to determining the type of energy that is provided. Traditionally, higher-energy feeds contained barley,

 Calm & Condition soaks with water to form a palatable mash that increases fluid intake but this high-starch ingredient provides fast-release energy that can lead to fizzy and excitable behaviour in some horses. Calm & Condition is free from barley and molasses and also doesn’t contain any whole cereal grains. Instead it provides slow-release energy from fibre and oil sources. With a low starch and sugar level, Calm & Condition is ideal for horses and ponies who need a higher calorie feed but who have a tendency to become excitable on traditional cereal-based conditioning feeds. Calm & Condition is fully balanced with vitamins and minerals and contains no artificial flavours or aromas. Instead we only use natural herbs for their well-known properties and for a natural flavour, which gives the feed a taste that is appealing to even the fussiest of horses. Calm & Condition contains a probiotic and a

Contact the award-winning Allen & Page Nutritional Helpline

prebiotic blend to help maintain a heathy digestive system and linseed provides a source of omega 3 fatty acids for all-round good health and coat condition. Calm & Condition soaks with water to form a soft, palatable mash that is easy to eat and has the added benefit of significantly increasing a horse’s water consumption, helping to keep the digestive system hydrated and able to function efficiently, something that is particularly important during winter when many horses can be reluctant to drink as much water as they need to. Calm & Condition can be soaked with warm water to make a tasty, warming mash that your horse is sure to enjoy in the colder months.  For more information on feeding for condition, visit www.allenandpage. co.uk or call the friendly nutrition helpline on 01362 822902.

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Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 55

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KEEPING UP WITH THE KINGS

The Kings spring back into action as competition calls It’s back to work and time to put winter training into practice as Mary and Emily King warm up for a new season of eventing – aiming to make a much-missed member of the team proud.

ll the horses had a lovely winter holiday. They were turned out in groups of three or four, with their shoes off, and gradually turned into scruffy, hairy, muddy monsters! I tried to keep their rugs off to allow their winter coats to grow and started to rug them when the wetter, colder weather came. Initially they just had half a scoop of Baileys balancer each day, but as the weather turned they also had Baileys conditioning cubes, and some High Fibre Marksway HorseHage. I weaned the foals at the end of November, and took the recipient mares back to the Beaufort Embryo Transfer Centre. Weaning can be stressful for both

the foal and mother, but I found it easier this time because of having more foals together. I led one mare out of the field at a time over a few days, and then they were turned out in a field far enough away to be out of earshot, so they couldn’t hear each other whinny. All foals should be registered by the year end. To enable this, the vet came to microchip them and fill out their descriptions, which I sent off with a DNA sample to SHB(GB) for their first passport. I have wormed them and they have had their first flu injection. The foals are coping well without their mothers, despite the mud! They live out

day and night in a big field with plenty of shelter. I have been giving them a daily feed of Baileys Stud Balancer and Stud Cubes, plus some High Fibre Marksway HorseHage. Their field, especially their feeding area, had become so muddy that I had to move them to a new, grassier field before Christmas, which they loved!

KEEPING UP WITH THE KINGS

We give our fields around our yard a couple of months’ rest, renting friendly farmers’ fields for all the horses. I topped and rolled ours with my Logic rotary topper and ballast roller before the ground became too wet. They now have fresh paddocks for turnout now they are back in work. During November I broke in Tilly, my homebred three-year-old. Tilly is a full sister to Kings Ginger (out of Kings Temptress by Chilli Morning), and they look so similar it’s uncanny! She was very easy to back and in fact loved all the attention and seemed to thoroughly enjoy me riding her. I have just got her to the stage of lunging happily with all her tack on, and allowing me to get on and ride around the yard. She is back out and I won’t progress more with her until the summer.

Nick Rule, our brilliant farrier, came on January 2, which signalled the start of work for us all. We are very fortunate to have Becca back with us for a second year, and then we have a new groom called Sophie Benger, who is settling into the routine very well. It was full steam ahead with 11 horses coming back in to work to prepare for the 2018 event season. January is mainly building up the roadwork each day, and then starting to introduce a bit of schooling, lunging and jumping at the end of January. We have their teeth done by Keith Evans, who is an excellent equine dentist who lives in the West Country. We also get Richard Stringer, our excellent vet, to get their flu/tetanus boosters done. Gradually we get them clipped and tidy and looking like real event horses again. Emily and I do these things quite differently! I am oldfashioned and like to do a hunter clip with their saddle patches and legs left on, whereas Emily likes hers to be clipped out completely, legs and all. She keeps her horses’ tails full, and trims her manes with scissors to give a straight, square look (influenced by working in Germany in a showjumping yard!). I pull my horses’ manes and tails... although part of me wonders why on earth do I pull out their hair? But, in fact, my three enjoy having their manes and tails pulled so I feel it’s OK! I did quite a bit of teaching in January – two days at Rectory Farm in Gloucestershire, two days in Aberdeen and Angus in Scotland, and a single day at Duchy College in Cornwall. Hard work, but the pay is good and I taught some lovely, friendly, keen riders.

58 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

KEEPING UP WITH THE KINGS

We have got another horsebox driver in the family as Emily’s brother Freddie passed his HGV in November following an amazing two months working in South Africa and Botswana in two separate horseriding safari camps (maybe we have another budding event rider in our family!). A week away with David before Christmas was such a treat. We went to Kenya spending a few lazy days on the beach, and then visited friends near Lake Naivasha… wonderful!

I had a great winter spending six weeks training in Germany with the showjumping phenomenon himself, Marcus Ehning. He’s helped Germany win numerous Olympic medals, was part of the winning German team at the World Equestrian Games in 2010 and has made it to the top of the FEI Longines World rankings several times. I was there for several weeks (living in the lorry where there was frequently ice on the inside of the windows!) and basically worked for him as a groom and a rider, in return for training. It really was fantastic because I learned so much about their routine and management as well as the riding side.

I took one horse out with me – Quinn (Quinlan Z), a six-year-old stallion who was purchased by my incredible long-standing owner Jane as a five-year-old last spring. Marcus is such a great horseman. In the entire time I was there, I never once saw him get cross with a horse. He is always quiet and patient and it’s interesting as he is a very slight build and yet rides a real variety of horses, from big, powerful stallions to small, real blood types. When you see him riding them, they all appear to work in an identical way… it’s not until you ride them yourself you realise how different they actually feel! This is an amazing skill to have – to be able to adapt your training to all types of horses and to enable the end result to be the same.

Here is our provisional programme for 2018:

MARCH: 3rd-4th Moreton 8th-11th Tweseldown 16th-18th Aldon 30th-31st Burnham Market

APRIL: 3rd-4th Portman 7th-8th Weston Park 11th-12th Sapey 13th-15th Belton 20th-22nd Bicton 28th-29th Withington

MAY: 9th-10th Aston Le Walls 12th-13th Chatsworth 18th-20th Rockingham 24th-27th Houghton Hall 28th Pontispool

JUNE: 31st-3rd TATTERSALLS CCI** 7th-10th BRAMHAM CCI***

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 59

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60 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

KEEPING UP WITH THE KINGS

Marcus’s training philosophy has a lot of emphasis on rhythm and he was encouraging me to keep the horse in a forward open rhythm between fences and through turns. The idea is that you take one less stride to every fence, enabling the horse to stay relaxed, keep power in its hind leg and jump easily. What I also found interesting was that as well as giving the horses a variety of distances to take off from (so that they’re thinking for themselves) the majority of the time he likes to give the horse a lot of space in front of the fence. Continuously putting them close to the fence as you expect some jumpers to do can slightly numb a horse’s will power and stop it from wanting to try for you. Giving a horse space allows the horse the time and room to make a shape and teach good technique. It was amazing what a difference it made when I started to ride with this in mind. He was also very strict on rider position and fitness - focusing strongly on a very good lower leg, soft hands and very good balance. I spent a winter with him two years ago - so that’s why it was even more beneficial to go again to just make sure I’ve really cemented in the knowledge he’s taught me!

We had such a shock towards the end of January when my dear mummy suddenly died. Despite not being at all “horsey” she was a big part of our team. She was a brilliant horsebox driver, and had just passed her medical which, at the age of 81, allowed her to drive the horses for another year! She was wonderful with our owners at events, looking after them, taking them course walking, making them coffee and offering them her famous flapjacks. She used to collect our numbers and loved watching us compete. She wasn’t at all afraid of dying as she had such strong faith. She so wanted to die quickly and not be a burden on anyone. So, although we are missing her like mad, thank you God for granting her wish.

There will be a huge hole in our team this year. Even though it was a huge shock for us all, it was just what Granny wanted - to die quickly and peacefully. Bless her, she was remarkable, truly one of a kind. My brother is going to have to do lots of filling in as co lorry driver and cake-maker - he certainly has pretty big shoes to fill! It will be a big change without dear Granny. But we shall carry on, and strive to make her as proud as possible.

I came home for Christmas at boyfriend Sam’s which was lovely, then travelled back down south in the lorry with Quinn and Brookleigh (who’d been hacking with Sam’s team while I was away). Before I left for Germany I spent a month up at Sam’s yard with Quinn, Brook and Amadeus (he has a very nice indoor school!). I was looking to sell Amme for his owner and luckily a lovely French young rider came to try him in November, who fell in love with him. So it worked very well as he sold before I left for Germany. She was a great rider and I think they’ll have a huge amount of fun together! The 2018 event season is nearly upon us and I’m so excited to put my winter training into practice. This year is looking good so far. I have some lovely horses to ride and some exciting young ones. There is Dargun, who did his first CCI 3* last year and will be aimed at some ERM classes and maybe a CCI4* in the autumn. He has so much ability but is still young so I plan to take it slowly. Brookleigh will hopefully be back mid-season to compete again - which will be extremely exciting! Also, I’d love to aim Quinn for the seven-year-old World Champs at the end of the year. Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 61

Less Stress with Mollichaff Calmer Complete Do you have a horse or pony that’s been in for the winter and is a little fizzy? Or perhaps your equine friend generally has a nervous or excitable temperament? Mollichaff Calmer Complete is a complete fibre-based feed formulated for nervous or fizzy horses. It contains a balanced blend of fibre pellets, oat straw, dried grass, herbs, soya oil, limestone and trace elements, and it can be used as the sole bucket feed when fed at the recommended levels as it contains a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement. It is suitable for all horses and ponies, including those prone to laminitis, as it is low in sugar and starch providing limited controlled energy from high quality, digestible fibre and oil-based ingredients. Here are some tips for feeding a sharp horse: • Be honest when assessing your horse’s workload - don’t feed high energy feeds unless you need to. • Turn out as much as possible. • Ensure there are no underlying issues causing the excitable behaviour, ie. pain or anxiety.

• Look for products with a high fibre but low sugar and starch level. • If your horse loses condition easily, don’t forget the value of oil in the diet. • Try to supply adlib fibre, even when your horse is stabled as this minimises the chance of stomach acidity. • Never underestimate the importance of your net. Supplying calories through forage means you can keep bucket feeds to a minimum. • You may never truly change the personality of a sharp horse but feeding correctly will help to keep the tendency towards exuberant behaviour to a minimum. For more information on feeding your horse or pony please call the HorseHage & Mollichaff Helpline on 01803 527274 or visit www.horsehage.co.uk

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PROMOTION

Get to the root of what your soil is missing

oil sampling to correct potential problems, or to find out what is happening in the soil is best carried out in the autumn or winter months. Once results are analysed, there is plenty of time to apply corrective fertiliser in the winter so that it is available in the soil for the grass to utilise when it starts to grow in the spring. This is particularly relevant if the soil requires calcium, as it takes time for the soil to react to this beneficial nutrient. You will already know just how well your paddocks have withstood the vagaries of our British summers. So, the considerations are to decide if the grass itself is too old and worn out, or even the wrong species, or is there something

happening in the soil that is contributing to the poor sward performance? My approach in any unproductive situation that I am called out to investigate is to assess compaction (density) within the soil and then take soil samples. Compaction testing requires specialised equipment, but if carried out appropriately gives an accurate guide as to the density of the soil. If the compaction of the soil is too high, then the roots can’t grow through the soil and nutrients cannot be exchanged. Alleviation of the problem typically requires a pass over the grass with a knife aerator to allow air back into the soil to stimulate root growth and the crucial microbial activity. Knife aeration is not appropriate for every environment as the efficacy is totally dependent on the soil type. Good old-fashioned chain harrowing might be more appropriate. Soil samples need to be taken utilising the Albrecht system to ascertain exactly what is happening in the soil and to quantify why the environment is unproductive. A sward improvement plan can then be generated from this information. Phosphate and calcium are ideal nutrients to apply in the autumn so that they have time to be absorbed into the soil colloid. Phosphate is required

to stimulate root development and most paddocks that I am called out to investigate are very short of phosphate – hence poor productivity. Calcium is a crucial constituent of all cell structures, as well as counteracting the adverse effects of a low (acidic) pH. Calcium is also one of the cations that are required to balance productivity and viability of the soil.

Albrecht soil analysis – how it works

Lordington Park Agronomy specialises in utilising the Albrecht system of soil investigation to find out what is happening in your soil so that we can increase fertility in a way that is evolutionary and sustainable for the future. Dr William Albrecht PhD (1888-1974) – an American agronomist who became chairman of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri – saw a direct link between soil quality, food quality and human health. He conducted lengthy research into the relationship between the Base Cation Saturation ratio (cations are positively charged elements – for example calcium, potash, magnesium) and the colloidal clay in the soil. Much of his research in the 1930s centered on investigating why certain pastures, and therefore the stock fed on it, thrived, while the stock fed on apparently similar pasture struggled and were prone

PROMOTION

to a higher incident of disease. This led to his comprehensive soil analysis methodology. The majority of current fertiliser practice is centered on supplying a short-term crop deficiency rather than the Albrecht principle of measuring and then correcting the imbalance in the soil to allow it to provide the essential nutrition for the crop. Then, as now, the organic matter content of the soil plays a significant part in creating a sustainable environment for food production. Most arable land will have had the life ploughed out of it over decades, and as a result the crops will have to rely heavily on artificial fertilisers. Fortunately, most grassland will contain an extraordinarily high level of organic

matter because the natural cycle of growth and decay has been allowed to prevail. The organic matter provides the engine for soil fertility, and therefore grass production. It is quite likely that the soil will be unable to provide the nutrition for the grass because of the natural imbalances that will occur in the soil over time. Measuring these imbalances in the soil utilising the Albrecht system and creating a sward improvement plan will rectify this situation to create a sustainable environment for the grass and the stock grazed on it will be able to thrive. The standard soil analysis will confirm what is there in the soil, but not what is available for plants to utilise. Just testing for phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and pH as per the standard test is better than nothing, but only just! Lordington Park Agronomy utilises the Albrecht model of soil interpretation in determining soil balance and to practice sound soil management. Do get in touch to find out more.  Contact Lordington Park Agronomy now on 07976 894842 for a FREE, no-obligation chat about your soil and grass. Jonathan Holmes

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www.lordingtonparkagronomy.co.uk Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 67

 Work with your farrier, vet and physio to make sure that your horse is at peak fitness

VET’S ADVICE with Dr Judith E J Maxwell MRCVS BVSc Bsc (hons)

Supporting your star performer A

t this time of year you need to look and learn from the professionals in your sport to decide how to get your horse’s competition performance off to the best start and then keep them at the top of their game for the rest of the season. Preparation for most sports starts after a period of time off to allow the horses to repair and let down. Walking work is the most essential part of preparation, as walking makes the horse use a huge amount of their slow twitch muscles and prepares the muscularskeletal tissue for work. If the horse doesn’t do enough walking before starting higher intensity exercise then they will be at a greater likelihood of injury. Once your horse is up to 45 minutes of walking then the trotting and more exciting work can begin. The increase in pace or speed should be performed in intervals (usually around five minutes) as the horse’s heart is the same as any other

animal and it responds and adapts much more quickly to exercise when intensity is increased and decreased, rather than just maintained at the same level of stress throughout the exercise period. Trotting should be performed, like the walking, predominantly on a firm and flat surface to begin with; this is why hacking can be the best form of activity you can do at the beginning of any exercise or rehabilitation programme as the horse will have to move freely and adapt to the hills and road conditions. Once your horse is up to 30-minute intervals of trotting, the canter work can be incorporated into the work programme. Many people only focus on slow canter work for a week or so before increasing the workload to include some small jumps. Interestingly, this is because cantering and small jumps take about the same amount of energetic effort and therefore you can proceed reasonably safely to jumping at this point.

68 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – EQUINE HEALTH

 Walking is the most essential part of warming up for the new season Poles and grid work are excellent at developing your horse’s natural athletic ability and improving their jumping overall. Even a raised pole on the ground can help with improving your horse’s engagement of their hindquarters and make them propel themselves along the ground better. Placing poles before and after a fence can improve the stride on which the horse comes into the fence and will help encourage the horse to make the best possible shape over a fence. Many professionals will include at least an hour of pole work at the initial stages of training and will increase the frequency, difficulty and duration as the horse gains more fitness and strength. Faster work is important for horses that are going to be doing more prolonged work – the thoroughbred racing industry is a great example. They improve the horse’s fitness by including short, fast pieces of work in the fittening programme to develop faster twitching muscles and again to improve the performance and recovery of the heart and lungs, during and after exercise. Hill work is very useful to add to this part of the workload as if the horse

VET’S ADVICE

is placed under maximal pressure with an increase in gradient and speed then you will see the dynamic ability of the horse increase more rapidly as well. There are many other ways to assist your horse’s journey to full fitness. Some people try walkers, swimming pools, treadmills and gallops. I think all of these have a place in fittening a horse, but with a good place to hack and a few poles it is amazing what you can achieve without all these extras, and the use of intervals will improve your horse’s fitness just as effectively. I have used human fitness apps that will beep every five minutes to encourage a change in pace and an increase or decrease in intensity of workload and I have found it is a cheap and cost-effective way to start improving my horse’s fitness. Once you start the horse back into a fittening program you will need to work closely with your farrier, vet and physio to make sure that your horse is at peak fitness. The horse will adapt and change

“

as they are fittening and it is important that you consider the full health of your horse. Nutritionally, as your horse starts to increase canter and gallop work, their demand for extra calories will increase; therefore look at what is available for you in whatever performance field you are aiming at and make sure that you seek the best nutritional advice from that company to make sure you are using their products correctly and your horse is getting the maximum from them. A lot of performance feeds now have increased electrolytes and prebiotics to help your horse get the best quality nutrients from the feed, and antioxidants to help the horse with recovery and adapting to the higher workload. It does pay to look at the labels and do some research to make sure your horse is getting the right quantity and quality of vitamins and minerals as well as all the necessary nutrients to fuel them to give their best performance.

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www.pro-equine.com 0333 123 1616 EQUINE HEALTH – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 69

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Call 01926 612937 visit www.springpaddocksequine.co.uk 70 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – EQUINE HEALTH

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From brood mares and fledglings to Olympians and Festival winners, our Cotswold-based equine clinic offers the best care across the region. 12-strong team of equine experts Serving Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire Dedicated care for all horses and donkeys

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72 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

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Leading, purpose built equine veterinary practice Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds

ourton Vale Equine Clinic (BVEC) are an independent equine practice, dedicated to offering practical, costeffective diagnostics and treatments for all equidae - from companion ponies to elite performance horses. The practice has 12 equine vets working from a purpose-built clinic mid-way between Bourton-on-the-Water and Stowon-the-Wold. They pride themselves on offering an excellent standard of care to all horses, from Olympic athletes, world champions and Cheltenham Festival winners to the smallest pony and donkey, covering Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. BVEC has a full surgical unit for orthopaedic and soft tissue operations along with a comprehensive range of medical equipment, which is constantly renewed and updated to keep the facility at the forefront of the veterinary profession. David Stack MVB, MSc, DipECVS, MRCVS is the new surgeon who qualified in 2017 as a European specialist in equine surgery. David’s main area of interest is orthopaedics and poor performance with his most recent research investigating ultrasound-guided sacroiliac and cervical facet injection techniques. The clinic has a specially designed surgical table with an innovative mat design to minimise muscle damage (myositis) during surgical procedures. Post-surgery, horses are transferred to recovery boxes set up for rope recovery to minimise problems as anaesthesia wears off. Equipment in use at BVEC includes digital radiography, both fixed and portable, ultrasound imaging, video endoscopy and a state of the art Scintigraphy camera. Nuclear Scintigraphy (bone scanning) is an established and

invaluable diagnostic tool used in lameness investigations when the problem is thought to originate in the back, pelvis or upper limbs. A radioactive isotope is injected into the horse, which when photographed with the gamma camera shows “hot spots” in areas of excessive bone turnover. The “hot spots” are often in areas of arthritis or fracture indicating the site of injury. BVEC also have a brand new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit. MRI has long been used in human medicine and is fast becoming the supreme tool for diagnostics within the equine veterinary field. The MRI is predominantly used to aid in distal limb lameness investigations when there are no obvious anomalies visible on radiograph or ultrasound images. BVEC also has a portal extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) unit. Equine shock wave is used for the treatment of musculoskeletal soft tissue pain and disorders in horses. Short and sedationfree equine shock wave therapy sessions provide successful relief of acute and

chronic pain, and the treatment also helps to restore mobility and promote faster healing by stimulating bone growth, tissue regeneration and the release of endorphins. The practice has an excellent reputation throughout the country for its reproductive services led by partners Charlie McCartan and Greg Staniek, in which they carry out embryo transfer, artificial insemination using both chilled and frozen semen, semen collection and semen freezing if required. The team also offers dental work (hand and power tools), pre-purchase examinations, lameness and poor performance investigations in race and sport horses. Bourton Vale Equine Clinic is available 24/7, and with its out-of-hours service you will always talk to a veterinary surgeon in the first instance.  For more information call 01451 820137.

01451 820137 | office@bvec.co.uk | bvec.co.uk facebook.com/bvequineclinic

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 73

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The company known by horse owners for it’s most popular brand NoBute also makes a huge range of products for your canine best friend. From Westcotts dogs food, to health and herbal supplements for joint care, behavioural, digestion and general wellbeing of your pet. As well as bespoke shampoos to enhance coat colour for every breed of dog. Take a look at their website to see the full range. They will, as always be at Crufts with not one but two stands, so if you are lucky enough to go to the UK’s largest dog show go and have a look and a chat with their team.

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deodoriser. I absolutely “Best love Odor Kill. The smell is lovely and it’s very economical.” SUE THOMPSON - 16th SEPT 2017

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Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 77

Photo: World Horse Welfare

Welcome

home Kathy Carter looks at why you should consider rehoming before buying a new horse in our welfare special

ccording to The Princess Royal, charity World Horse Welfare’s president and an equine “rehomer” herself, rehoming is simply defined as “finding a new home”. However, the term means so much more in practice, enabling welfare charities to help equines in need. Tony Tyler, deputy chief executive of World Horse Welfare, says that the rehoming of horses and ponies is more important than ever in 2018. “While figures from our field officers are showing a slight decrease in the numbers of vulnerable or ‘at risk’ horses in the UK, our four rescue and rehoming centres continue to be fully stocked, so rehoming is vital," he says. "The buying and selling market for horses in the UK is over-supplied, and there are many people trying to sell horses for very little money, with others even giving them away for free. It is easy to acquire a horse or pony with no knowledge, skills or experience and, as such, this leaves horses vulnerable to a number of welfare challenges, with welfare charities picking up the pieces," Tony adds. When asked why an individual

should take on a rehomed horse or pony over buying one, Tony says that rehoming is the ideal way for us to find the horse or pony of our dreams. "With a reputable rehoming charity, the buyer receives honest information and full details of the horse’s history, behaviour and capabilities," he tells us. "Plus, speaking on behalf of our organisation, the horse remains in World Horse Welfare's ownership, so you have the reassurance that if your circumstances change, he or she can always be returned to the charity and found a new loving home."

‘I really miss those trouble makers...’ Kate Herren worked at the World Horse Welfare visitor centre in Norfolk in the late 1990s, and says it was probably

78 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – WELFARE & REHOMING

inevitable that one day she would come home with a pony from the charity! "Charlie Brown was the first one to capture my heart when he arrived there as a scruffy six-month-old foal," she explains. "He was quite nervous, and I often stopped by his paddock for a chat as I showed visitors around. We'd recently lost our elderly family ponies, and my mum agreed that we ought to take on two ponies from the charity; so Charlie was matched with a slightly older Dartmoor pony called Gino, below. “Each measuring around 11hh, they had far from ideal conformation, and were only ever destined to be companions. They were great ‘lawn mowers’, and in latter years, kept my elderly thoroughbred horse out of trouble, when he retired with them. The 'terrible twosome' stayed with our family for almost 15 years (until my parents retired and sold their house and grazing), before returning to the charity. I really miss those trouble makers!" Kate concludes.

WELFARE & REHOMING

Too many horses and not enough homes

‘A wonderful, caring, versatile pony’

Rachel Angell, Redwings Horse Sanctuary’s operation and rehoming manager, tells us there are simply too many horses, and not enough homes for them to go to, in the UK. “Overbreeding is the main contributing factor here. Too many horses in the market also decreases their value, and at the height of the horse crisis in 2013, it wasn’t uncommon for horses to be sold for as little at £5,” she explains. “However, rehoming from a rescue charity is hugely rewarding, offering needy equines a second chance. But you’re not helping just one horse; by rehoming from Redwings, for example, you are freeing up space in the sanctuary to allow us to rescue more horses in need. “When rehoming from Redwings, our Guardians – those who take on a rescue horse from us – benefit from being supported by our team every step of the way. We retain ownership of the horse, so should they need to come back to us, they will always have a home at the sanctuary,” Rachel concludes.

Susi Marguerite had just moved to a new yard with her horse Seamus in 2012, but found she needed a companion to keep her feisty gelding company in the field after the other liveries had brought their horses in early. "I was matched with Bruno, a 10.2hh rogue of a Shetland, by the rescue and rehabilitation charity Horseworld. Seamus and Bruno got on immediately, and we even took Bruno out within a week to take part in the Bedford River Festival, for the charity Canine Partners. I rode Seamus and led Bruno through crowds of 300,000 cheering people; neither equine batted an eyelid! “Since then I have broken Bruno to drive, he's helping a little girl to ride side saddle, and he's even been hunting. Seamus is now retired, and Bruno is the farm pony, harrowing our fields, which I tow with my mobility scooter. “Last year he was fully signed over to me and I’m honoured to have a such a wonderful, caring, versatile pony in my life,” Susi concludes.

 Susi Marguerite with rehomed Shetland Bruno and her horse Seamus

Rosie Mogford is rehoming operations manager at the Blue Cross, and says there are certainly many benefits to taking on a rescue horse or pony from a reputable organisation. “Not only are they already vet-checked and behaviour assessed, but they are given any treatment needed; and when people rehome with us, Blue Cross will give as much information as we can about the history of the horse or pony, and try hard to ensure a good match,” she advises. “By taking on a rescue horse or pony, you know that you are making a real difference to horse welfare. You will have an experienced team of supportive horse welfare co-ordinators on hand, and our charity will take back a Blue Cross horse or pony if a borrower or owner’s circumstances change, and they can no longer keep them,” Rosie explains. She also agrees that over-breeding is a factor in the current equine welfare crisis. “Some horses are bred without a suitable market for them. There is a horse welfare crisis in the UK with many horses and ponies receiving poor care, many having very little contact with humans, that are

Photo: Blue Cross

Matching equine and carer

simply left to fly-graze without permission of the landowner,” she states. “Blue Cross works alongside regional councils, local police forces and other animal welfare organisations using the Control of Horses Act to react more swiftly to such cases.”

From scrawny two-year-old to beloved family pony Louise Reynolds wanted to move her ageing gelding Henry from a livery yard to her home in 2012. “I couldn’t put him in a field on his own, so the search began for a companion. Looking for a rescue horse

was an obvious choice; there are so many needing a second chance," she tells us. “I started looking on rescue charity websites for a youngster, and time and again I returned to a scrawny two-yearold at the Blue Cross in Burford. I had to go and see him. I loved Blue Cross Thunder before we even saw him, but I wasn’t allowed just to take him. I was thoroughly vetted, too,” remembers Louise, pictured below with Thunder. “I had to ride a different horse while there, and lunge another. I had an initial home visit to check our facilities, and the charity visited us every six months to a year, to check all was well with Thunder. Ownership has now been transferred to me, though he can return if my circumstances change,” says Louise, who with her family, including daughter Izzy, enjoys schooling and hacking with Thunder.

WELFARE & REHOMING – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 79

There is cat overpopulation in inner cities all across England and Wales and too many kittens are born to too few good homes. The future for feral or very timid cats can be bleak as most charities don’t have the resources to find farm homes and deliver and set up release pens, so SNIP specialise in finding homes outside the city for them.

■ Contact SNIP on 07830 387130 visit www.snipcats.org or follow SNIPcats on facebook ■ Carol’s Farm Club is in St Ives, Cambs www.farmclub. co.uk

Rehome with Confidence!

SNIP ferals are from various charities including RSPCA, Cats Protection and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. They are neutered, healthy and ready to start life again as working cats enjoying the countryside.

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Carol Bailey, manager of Farm Club, has taken in 11 ferals from SNIP over the last two years on her two-acre site in St Ives, Cambs. There are horses, dogs, goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits, ducklings and guinea pigs on the site, where families can experience farm life, learn skills and enjoy the animals. Farm Club has professional vermin control but Carol has noted Are you able to a significant decrease in rodents since locatinghome the cats provide a loving around the separate plots, planting areas and stables to a horse or pony? If around the farm in a well-managed release pattern. Carol so, please contact us. first heard of SNIP from a poster in her local feed merchant and had been thinking We with have a choice of about getting some cats to deal rodent control.

Fight Back with a Feral!

rehoming schemes

“When I called SNIP they made it easy to understand their and horses process, what to expect, how to feed, releaseand and introduce of different them onto a farm with lots of ponies other animals. You are bound sizes andinto abilities. to have questions about bringing ferals stables and farms but we received great advice and service from the Is there room in start. What really impressed when cats were a delivered Youthe can make your home was and that the cats were in excellent health and had been fully difference  your heart? vet-checked and had all their flea and worm treatments and jabs. The rehoming team brought lots of equipment – cages, food and beds etc. – they took all the worry out of setting them up and it’s easy from there, just feeding and changing litter for two weeks until release. The cats are real characters, some we see more of than others but they are 01626 355969 all playing their part on the farm and doing a great job!”

Feral cat charity SNIP urgently needs homes on stables and farms for healthy, neutered feral cats. They are rescued from London’s meanest streets and make perfect mousers for your stables!

Free service. Release pen and starter pack. We deliver up to four hours drive from London. CALL US TODAY ON

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office@mareandfoal.org SNIP cats are delivered with a full starter pack (large

release pen, comfy bed, food and litter tray) to give them the www.mareandfoal.org best possible start in their new home. A barn or stable that Registered Charity No. 1141831 is dry and comfortable where the cats can see and smell

SNIP registered charity no. 299258

44 | YOUR HORSE & COUNTRY

Making the moors a better place South West Equine Protection are a unique charity which rescues and rehabilitates wild moorland ponies from both Dartmoor and Bodmin moors, working with farmers to improve the welfare of their ponies. A key part of our work is to help manage the numbers of foals born onto the moors and in May we ran our ﬁrst gelding clinic with vets and farmers. This was a great success. If we can secure the funds we will run this as an annual clinic which will help manage pony numbers and also ensure ponies are given a health check, are micro-chipped and given a passport.

Homes

Can you oﬀer a temporary or forever home to a rescued pony?

Equipment/feed

Do you have equipment/feed you could donate to us?

Legacy

Could you support the ponies by leaving us a gift in your will

Corporate support Would your business help us by becoming a corporate sponsor, or making us one of your recognised charities for collections Fundraising

Could you arrange an event to help us raise funds?

Please check our Facebook page for updates: Contact us: Nicole Casey 01822 854823

South West Equine Events @SWEPCharity executivemanager@swep.org.uk www.swep.org.uk

80 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – WELFARE & REHOMING

Chosen for their courage, strength and loyalty, conscripted British horses carried cavalry, munitions, supplies and our wounded.

Every horse remembered Millions of horses, donkeys and mules died in WW1, not only from terrifying shellfire and gas attacks but from the punishing conditions. In the freezing mud of the Western Front to the crushing heat of Egypt, the extreme environments took many lives. It’s a shocking truth that today horses, donkeys and mules are still enduring the same conditions. From the searing heat of brick kilns, to treacherous mountain paths and waterless Ethiopian farmsteads, millions of horses, donkeys and mules are working beyond their limits to support their poverty-stricken owners and families. Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys is there to help.

The difference we make

Brooke began when our founder Dorothy Brooke sought out the abandoned British war horses that had been sold into a life of hard labour overseas after the conflict ended. Today Brooke works around the world, wherever the equine need is greatest.

The best way to honour the horse heroes of the past is to support the unsung heroes of today. If you have ever loved a horse, please remember the world’s most vulnerable horses today and help us ease their suffering.

In Senegal today, horses are used for pulling carts transporting people and goods.

Thanks to the generosity of British horse-lovers, last year we were able to reach more than 2 million of the world’s most hard working and vulnerable horses, donkeys and mules. We trained farriers in Senegal, mentored vets in Ethiopia, reduced injuries in inner-city horses in Nicaragua, reached new communities in Nepal and Afghanistan and established more equine welfare groups in Egypt, Guatemala and India. In Kenya we delivered emergency drought relief and in Pakistan we were able to move on from 59 communities where good animal welfare standards were embedded for good.

From Brooke’s first hospital in Egypt in 1934, one of the former War Horses sold in to a life of hard labour.

To find out more please visit thebrooke.org/everyhorse or find us on Facebook. THE LOST WAR HORSES OF CAIRO: The Passion of Dorothy Brooke by Grant Hayter-Menzies is published by Allen & Unwin, RRP £16.99 and available on Amazon.

WELFARE & REHOMING – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 81

How to find the right horse

Some people say that finding a new horse can be almost as stressful as buying a new house. There are so many questions and no sure answers: Is he the right one for me? Will he do everything they say he will? Is he sound and healthy and will he fit in with all the others on the yard? Vicki Alford, Blue Cross Burford Horse Rehoming Manager explains why it doesn’t have to be so hard…

● Lady Doris is looking

for a home as a companion

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Horses for courses “While there is no guarantee that every new horse/human partnership will be a match made in heaven,” says Vicki, “taking on a horse or pony from a charity can make the process much more enjoyable and less traumatic. “Our horses have all been vet checked and behaviour assessed and often we can supply a history. We have been matchmaking horses with new owners for many years and offer ongoing support and advice to help you build a perfect partnership. Add to this the sweet reward of providing a loving home for a horse in need and you will wonder why you ever considered anything other than a rescue!”

● Spencer is a sweet yearling who is looking for an experienced home with someone who would like a project

Superstar in the making

Could you Give a cob a job? “There is a popular myth that charities only deal with little ponies or old crocks, explains Vicki. “But this is far from the truth, as our hundreds of borrowers will testify. While we often have super children’s ponies, promising youngsters and reliable companions, more recently we have been inundated with cobs of all ages and sizes. Many have been rescued from lives of neglect and suffering and now deserve loving new owners.” “Cobs are assumed to be sedate, sensible and sometimes ploddy but a fit cob can equally be forward going, fast, fiery and fun,” enthuses Vicki. “They will take most disciplines in their stride and often a superstar is lurking under all that hair.”

● Dorothy came to Blue Cross pregnant. Her foal has now been weaned and she is looking for an experienced home with someone who would like a project

● Bertie flying over the BE80 course at Larkhill

Ways to help Blue Cross • Give a Blue Cross horse a home: If you are looking for a riding horse, non-ridden companion or a project pony get in touch to see what Blue Cross can offer. • Become a foster carer: If you have spare horse-friendly acres and a knowledge of horses consider giving a temporary home to some youngsters or mares and foals. • Raise funds to help support the charity’s vital work. • Become a volunteer.

The cost of caring The average length of stay at Blue Cross for a horse is 127 days and the average cost for rehabilitation, veterinary care, feeding and training is £10 per day. By taking on a rescue horse you will make the space for another horse urgently needing charity help. Blue Cross has horse rehoming centres in Oxfordshire and Staffordshire. Visit bluecross.org.uk to find out more.

● Bertie when he arrived at Blue Cross

Bertie is one of many Blue Cross cobs who has made a remarkable transformation from tragic neglect case to brilliant allrounder, showcasing just how talented cobs can be: Bertie was severely malnourished, riddled with lice and suffering from a highly contagious respiratory infection when he was admitted to Blue Cross. He was rehomed to Kerry Alexander as a yearling and has flourished to become a superb riding horse, jumping machine and darling of Kerry’s local riding club.

0300 111 8950 bluecross.org.uk Registered charity no: 224392 (England and Wales), SC040154 (Scotland)

WELFARE & REHOMING – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 83

Horses4Homes is an equine rehoming charity helping and supporting owners to find loving, forever homes for their horses via its robust rehoming/loaning/sharing service. Companions to Competition Horses Available.

Can you provide a stable home for one of our mousers? For more information call 0207 627 7886 or visit battersea.org.uk/WorkingCats Registered charity No. 206394

84 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – WELFARE & REHOMING

Diagnostic & Therapeutic Techniques of Equine Neck Conditions  Functional anatomy of the Cervical spine to include the poll.  Is it lame or is it ataxic?  Pathophysiology, Clinical Features & Diagnostic Options - Current diagnostic techniques available; radiography, ultrasonography, CT, myelogram, local anaesthesia  Therapeutics for the equine cervical spine.

Lecture date: Saturday, March 24 £12.50 per seat - Lecture by Rory O’Shea MRCVS

Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre Huntingrove Stud, Slinfold, West Sussex. RH13 0RB

Book with Mary by phone 07929 666408 or email moorcroftracehorse@gmail.com

RESCUE PONIES HAVE SO MUCH LOVE TO GIVE… …DO YOU HAVE ROOM IN YOUR HEART FOR A PONY LIKE BEN?

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TO VI EW RE SC UE D PO NI ES LO OK IN G FO R LO VI NG HO ME S PL EA SE VI SI T WW W.BR AN SBYH OR SE S.C O.U K Bransby Horses, Bransby, Lincoln, LN1 2PH | www.bransbyhorses.co.uk | 01427 788464 Bransby Horses is a Registered Charity No: 1075601 | Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England and Wales No: 3711676

WELFARE & REHOMING – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 |

PROMOTION

Home of Rest for Horses

Giving horses a second chance The Horse Trust is the world’s oldest horse charity based in the beautiful Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Our main objective is to provide peaceful retirement and respite care for the UK’s working horses that have served our nation in the police or military. We also care for urgent rescue cases that are referred to us through other organisations. Sadly some don’t make it; however, many of these rescued horses and ponies who are generally much younger than the retired residents, are able to undertake some active work such as riding or driving. That’s why we have our re-homing scheme, aimed at seeking long term, caring loan homes for these special horses so they can have a second chance at life. Here are two of our amazing ponies currently in training with a truly inspiring story. Domino (left) and Jenga (right) were found abandoned in a field in Hertfordshire in November 2012 when they were just a few months old. They arrived at The Horse Trust in a truly appalling condition. They were emaciated, suffering from worm infestations and a severe bacterial infection. We were genuinely worried that they wouldn’t make it. Domino and Jenga were both so close to

death that they had to be sent to the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) for emergency treatment. These frail little foals were so weak that for months they were both unable to stand unaided and had no life in them. Their journey back to health was extremely challenging, but we never gave up on them. After months of veterinary care they slowly started to show signs of improvement, they were getting stronger and their personalities started to shine through. Thanks to the hard

86 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – WELFARE & REHOMING

work and dedication from our team at The Horse Trust, and with the fantastic care at the RVC, Domino and Jenga made a full recovery. They are both now happy, healthy and loving ponies who are currently in training. Once Domino and Jenga are ready to find loving new homes of their own, their details will be available on our re-homing page via www.horsetrust. org.uk where you can fill out an online application form.

PROMOTION

Success Stories

Suppor ting our other work You can help support our residents who cannot be rehomed by sponsoring them today. It costs on average £4,500 per year to care for each of our 100 horses, ponies and donkeys. Our work is funded 100% by public donations and is only possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

STARLIGHT Starlight arrived at The Horse Trust in 2012 as a welfare case. We nursed her back to health and helped her regain her confidence. In 2016 she found a truly wonderful home and is now taking part in local shows and enjoying some one to one pampering.

CAESAR

Retired Thames Valley Police Horse Height: 18.2hh Service: 10 years Likes: Strawberries

FALSTAFF

Retired King’s Troop Horse Height: 17.3hh Service: 8 years Likes: Ears being scratched

FIDGET AND WIDGET

OBI Obi was a rescue case who came to The Horse Trust in 2011 when he was found tethered at the side of the road in a horrific state with mutilated genitals that required immediate surgery. Once recovered from his terrible ordeal, he was re-homed to one of the nurses that nurtured him back to health at the Royal Veterinary College. He has made an incredible transformation and is enjoying life to the full in his new home winning lots of rosettes! feed or seek out water supplies.

Helping The Horse Trust

Rescue Shetlands Height: 34 inches Arrival: August 2014 Likes: Getting up to no good!

GLADYS, LOLA AND NORA Rescue Donkeys Colour: Skewbald Arrival: January 2008 Likes: Ginger biscuits

Visit www.horsetrust.org.uk for the full list of residents available to sponsor

Be part of the world’s oldest horse charity by sponsoring one of our horses, ponies or donkeys. A small gift makes a big difference towards helping to care for some of Britain’s most deserving animals who have served our nation, or those that have been rescued and are in desperate need of special treatment. Starting from just £2 per month you will receive a personalised certificate and fact sheet that includes stunning photos of your chosen four legged friend, along with

updates on them throughout the year. Come and visit us when we are open to the public - Thursday to Sunday from 2-4pm (including Bank Holiday Mondays). Meet our residents, drop in to our Black Beauty Tea Room for tea and homemade cakes, or simply just relax and take in some of our beautiful views here in the heart of the Chilterns. With your help, we can give these animals the life and retirement that they truly deserve. For more information on how you can help, visit www.horsetrust.org.uk.

The Horse Trust Slad Lane, Speen, Buckinghamshire HP27 0PP www.horsetrust.org.uk info@horsetrust.org.uk 01494 488464

/The Horse Trust @horsetrust thehorsetrust

WELFARE & REHOMING – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 87

PROMOTION Horses can be turned out in an area fitted with EcoGrid to preserve your arena surface

Your horse is raring to go – but don’t run the risk Tips to avoid injury as your horse springs into action after the winter break

as your horse been stabled for winter and therefore had limited opportunity for exercise? It’s certainly a great idea to get your horse out into an arena and let it stretch its legs. You might be especially tempted to do so when the fields are as wet as they have been this winter, with a strong chance of mud fever when horses stand in poached, muddy field gateways. If you are going to use the arena for exercise, Beta-Ride® advises this is done in a controlled way and that your horse is not just turned out. When horses have had a limited opportunity to exercise over winter, letting your horse run freely when immediately out of their stable can be fraught with danger. When a horse is let out having been confined in its stable over winter, what does it do? Invariably it will run full speed to the other side of the arena with its tail in the air, buck, play, roll and paw (digging up the membrane), excited to be in a large

space, excited to see other horses. Your horse will invariably run as fast as it can to the fence, stop, spin, and run back at the same breakneck speed. For a horse, that’s real fun. This gives rise to the potential for a catastrophic injury – when a horse sticks its back leg in the ground and turns at full speed, it generates a lot of force on the leg.

Rotational injuries There’s a name for that force – it’s called “torque”. Torque is a twisting force that tends to cause rotation. Every time your horse plants its leg into the ground, and the hoof doesn’t turn (say, because of an excitable fast turn, or the surface is too deep etc) the torque from the turn can cause a rotational injury such as lameness, hip and back injuries, or even shatter the horse’s leg. Your horse’s weakest bones are the smallest bones in the pastern. In the worst case scenarios, the pastern gives, breaking into bits.

If you do use your arena for turnout, if only for short periods, before letting your horse loose after a period of confinement, take a lunge line and lunge for a few minutes to let your horse blow off steam. For those of you who use your arena throughout the winter on a daily basis for turnout, the potential problems above probably don’t apply. However, using your arena for turnout is both expensive and has all sorts of implications. A better alternative is, if at all possible, to create a small arena-sized fenced area utilizing a cost-effective gridbased solution such as EcoGrid. This not only preserves your arena, it saves horses standing in deep mud and certainly helps to prevent mud fever. An arena used as a turnout means a lot more expense and maintenance, which does not only involve levelling it but also includes: l Removing manure daily. Manure and urine can damage the arena surface and

Unrivaled Performance Beta-Ride® Pro Equestrian Surfaces

88 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine Pro equestrian surfaces

PROMOTION

the membrane, while droppings mixed in the arena can decrease grip on the surface. l Removing weeds from the area regularly. Weeds are more prevalent in arenas used for turnout because of the organic material that gets deposited. Weeds damage the integrity of the surface and, if allowed to grow, the arena could become increasingly difficult to repair. l Arenas used for turnout are more likely to cause the surface to migrate, creating an uneven surface. If you notice the horse is tripping on a particular area or corner, make sure you check the surface is level. If required, it may be advisable to use professional levelling to improve the surface.

Maintenance How often is your arena maintained? A very common answer is approximately once a week but this should depend on the number of horses using the arena. As the number of horses increases, the frequency of maintenance should also increase. There are surfaces on the market that can withstand greater use, however maintenance should not be overlooked! Regular levelling with custom-made equipment will: l Reduce compaction l Reduce variation and improve surface uniformity l Ensure the surface components remain evenly mixed (please note that this only applies when there is sufficient moisture in the surface) l Prevent drainage issues Surfaces with a medium to high moisture content give the most favourable results. Surfaces with a low moisture content are associated with higher energy loss and greater shock on impact, especially with surfaces that have a high bulk density, thereby increasing the risk of injury. Surfaces with this lower moisture content also have a negative effect on performance. The correct Cojarec Fibre (Cofibre®, Beta-Ride®, Beta-Ride® +) for your regional sand type helps maintain the correct moisture content.

p After a winter in the stable, your horse’s instinct will be to roll, run and jump

p Standing in a wet, muddy field raises the risk of mud fever

Beta-Ride® expands Beta-Ride® Pro Equestrian Services is delighted to announce the expansion of its business. Having moved successfully into refurbishing existing arenas, the company is now ready to make its next move into full construction. Our team has recently been strengthened by the arrival of Lizzie and Luke Jones, who are

arable farmers in Herefordshire. Lizzie is a competent horse woman while Luke is a farmer and an experienced construction worker. Beta-Ride® welcomes your enquiries for affordable arena and turnout area construction as well as refurbishment of existing arenas and, of course, supply of our OVAM-approved 100% synthetic fibres.

beta-ride.co.uk Call +44 (0) 1269 595064 or email info@beta-ride.co.uk

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 89

90 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

PROMOTION

Spotlight on getting your lighting right

ndoor arena illumination enables the safe movement of both horse and rider at every level of participation. The actions of both must be clearly seen by spectators, riders, officials and trainers. The lighting should provide even illumination over the total floor area, while shadows should be avoided, as these may cause horses to shy. On outdoor arenas, side-lighting systems are the most cost-effective solution. The position of the columns and angle of the lights are crucial to achieving the ideal uniformity across the arena. The eye level of a rider is typically between two metres and 2.5 metres above ground level and may significantly increase when jumps are taken. This should be considered when determining the right mounting height for lights. The normal height is from six metres up to 12 to 15 metres for full competition level. Glare to both horse and rider should be limited as much as possible. The main course direction for showjumping and dressage will be along or diagonally across the principal arena axis. In both indoor and outdoor arenas, the lighting must be adequate to enable the safe progress of both horse and rider over the jumps, and it is very important that a high degree of lighting uniformity is achieved with sufficient floodlighting positions to remove any shadowing around showjumping fences.

Most purpose-built arenas are rectangular in design, although the overall dimensions may vary considerably. The smallest arena size for dressage tests is 20 metres by 40 metres. Any arena in the region of 60 metres by 20 metres is more widely accepted. Kim Prestwood of Jumping Jack Flash said: “So many people think it is OK to use any type of lights and put them anywhere, but this is not the case. I have been installing equestrian lighting for 30 years so for advice and to discuss your requirements, please give me a call.” n Call Kim on 07768 837454 or visit www.jumpingjackflash.co.uk

All of our outdoor lights are asymmetric, which in simple terms offers: l Wide beam l Definitive distribution within stated area l Can effectively throw four times its mounting height in a horizontal position l Virtually no upward light spill l The possibility of glare is reduced to nearly nonexistent due to the design and positioning of the lamp

Sports Lighting Jumping Jack Flash

Specialists in the lighting of indoor and outdoor arenas 01803 844 833 | sportslighting@hotmail.co.uk Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 91

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92 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – FASHION

11/01/2018 16:36

FASHION

Refresh your look

Nature is shrugging off its winter shades – and so should we, writes Kathy Carter.

pring fashion is generally much anticipated within the fashion world. After a winter of furry boots, woollies and chapped hands, we are all ready to embrace a more colourful pallete, ditch some of the heavier layers, and (shock horror!) even “get our legs out”! The trick to spring dressing is to consider all weather eventualities – a lightweight coat, an umbrella and a thin scarf can all be packed quite easily into your day bag, or left in the car.

items never seem to go out of fashion!

On-trend dressing

Heavenly hues

The style bibles are predicting some rather lovely trends for 2018. To stay up to date, you could consider adding some art-inspired prints to your wardrobe, or even some cartoonstyle detailing on your casual wear. Flower power is also set to dominate in 2018, with pretty florals continuing to be wardrobe staples, while logos are big and bold, emblazoned across the front and back of jumpers, jackets and accessories. Bling is still de rigeur for nights out, with sparkly embellishments, while feather and tassle detailing are both still popular for that extra-special touch. Those lovely floaty, nude, sheer tulle pieces that work well layered over camisoles for ladies are set to become popular in offices throughout the UK, and their grown-up, muted colours flatter most skin tones. For covering up in the April showers, lightweight Parka coats and trench coats are yet again set to be wardrobe staples; these go-to

There's only one colour to ravishingly rock in 2018 if you're a dedicated follower of fashion. Harpers Bazaar magazine describes “Millennial Pink” as THE colour of spring 2018. The UK's Guardian newspaper helpfully translates this hue as "a sort of grapefruit shade of apricotty salmon”, while fashion website fashionista.com describes the shade, also known as “Tumblr pink”, as "ranging in intensity from the more punchy pink of ballerina tutus, to the muffled white-pink of cherry blossoms", explaining that men and women are both embracing this “post-prettiness” shade.

Very berry A peek at the seasonal equestrian collections confirms that muted berry tones are as popular as ever this spring, but it seems that we can't get away from our favourite colour – navy! The much-touted Millennial Pink tends to take on a more raspberry-inspired hue in

the equestrian and countryside clothing collections – probably because we know that our clothes tend to get very dirty, very quickly, and that posy-pinks will show up doggy footprints and horse hair all too easily.

Arty prints The art-inspired prints available on the high street have definitely infiltrated the equestrian and countryside stores, with lots of lovely horse-print shirts and skirts available. What may have been considered a bit twee a decade ago is now all the rage – a nod to our favourite pastime, while keeping up to date with fashion trends! Some items feature just the horse's head as a repeated emblem in a pattern, while others feature a large horse emblazoned across a shirt or dress, in more look-at-me, dramatic fashion!

Fantastic ﬂorals Florals are also to be seen in some of the look-books of the great British countryside brands, but often toned down, with leaf patterns in muted 

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 93

colourways. Tweeds are a perennial favourite within our industry, and you can catch them this spring in a variety of patterns, predominantly discreet and subtle, and notably in our favourite colour, navy, with some nice button and collar detailing

 Gilets to suit every style – Luna Tweed and Fleece Gilet, Timothy Foxx

Glorious gilets

Visit us at Rural Crafts, Badminton

www.katherinepartis.com 07784 501 425

If you want to purchase one piece of clothing that will work its hardest for you this spring, it is the gilet. Although the term seems to have joined our fashion vernacular in the late 1990s, it derives from the French word for cardigan, and has been around with different names for hundreds of years. European peasants of the 15th century are said to have favoured the down-at-heel gilet as a sleeveless jacket made from leather that allowed for ease of motion when labouring; however, in the 16th century the aristocracy took over, and created a smarter, warmer version worn as gentleman's day wear. By the 18th century, aristocratic ladies were wearing the item too, and by the 20th century, workers within the fields of hunting, shooting and fishing had discovered the gilet's benefits, as a cosy garment that facilitated movement. Country brands Barbour and Puffa were early pioneers of the waxed cotton waistcoat and the eiderdown bodywarmer respectively, and now every manufacturer within the outdoor clothing industry has a range of sleeveless gilets on offer. Gilets are the perfect piece of spring apparel, as they genuinely offer a smart, lightweight garment that allows mobility (especially when horse riding!) and keeps the wearer warm.  ,  New season, new bag? – Grays Alexandra Bag in Lilac

 Welligogs Roxy Suede and Leather Wax Gilet

THE ENVY CAPE

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94 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – FASHION

 Stay dry in those spring showers – Horse Umbrella, Grays

FASHION

Capsule dressing Ladies, if you want to get ready for spring, here are our top 15 items with which to build a smart and functional capsule wardrobe to take you from spring through to summer 1. A FLATTERING PAIR OF JEANS The holy grail of fashion! Once you have found your ideal pair, invest in several to take you through the seasons. A dark wash in a straight leg will see you through the fashion fads. 2. THE ‘CONSERVATIVE’ BLOUSE Think pussy-bows and floaty fabrics – a smart blouse will take you from work to evening meal effortlessly. These hark back to the 50s and a resurgence in the 80s, and look lovely tucked into a fitted skirt. 3. THE LEATHER BIKER JACKET Always a great asset to any wardrobe, a leather biker jacket goes with most things – brown leather hues work well, especially when teamed with brown leather boots with a chunky heel. 4. THE SMART, ANDROGYNOUS SHIRT This is essentially a smart work-weartype shirt derived from sharp men's tailoring. Wear it tucked into smart trousers or a pleated skirt; discreet pinstripes work well. That beautiful Millenial Pink is already proving popular on the work-wear clothing racks. 5. THE PLEATED SKIRT A flattering shape for most body shapes, the pleated skirt is generally long-line, so has the advantage of covering your modesty. Team with MaryJane shoes. 6.THE CASHMERE JUMPER An investment piece to make your work-wear or off-duty wardrobe super-stylish. Greys and pinks always work well, and they're great for chillier days. Good

quality cashmere will last a long while, and earn you compliments!

knee length will see you through most eventualities and dress codes!

7. WIDE-LEGGED TROUSERS Smart and graceful, you could team these with your conservative blouse – choose black or navy trousers, and you can't go wrong. Wear with flats or MaryJane shoes.

12. THE MAC OR TRENCH COAT Inspired by the raincoats worn by the soldiers of the First World War, the trench goes with just about anything – neutral colours are ideal. Team with a bold scarf or umbrella to add interest to a plain colour.

8. A SMART WORK TROUSER SUIT Easy and effortless, dress a trouser suit up with a simple top and statement jewellery, and your favourite shoes – heels always work well. 9. THE TEA DRESS Wear with leggings in spring, and in summer you can wear it without – pretty florals are all the rage, and the tea dress works well with a simple wrap or short-length cardigan.

13. THE PARKA COAT Loved by equestrian and countryside fans as well as fashionistas (and you can, of course, be both!), the Parka is perfect for spring – horsey versions generally have zips at the top and bottom ends, so they may be worn for riding. 14. THE GILET The aforementioned gilet can be glammed up with a scarf, or dressed down for the yard visit. Pastels and berry shades look nice for spring! Tweedy versions  Welligogs Eleanor Long work well as work-wear, or for meetings. Waterproof Coat

10. THE MARY-JANE SHOE Inspired by Manolo Blahnik’s 1994 Mary-Jane Campari shoes, which were pointy and spiky, this spring's MaryJanes, with the “bar” or strap across the foot, are still smart and sexy, but comfortably rounder-toed, with a square heel.

11. THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS What can we say – it never goes out of fashion. Dress it up or down with on-trend jewellery. An at-the-

15. THE COUNTRY BOOT Although these are generally designed for winter use, they're great to combat spring showers – team with your gilet and jeans. Mid-brown is a perennial favourite hue for the yard or country boot.  Orca Bay Stow Boot, available from Katherine Partis

 Ruffle Check Shirt in Pink and Blue – Timothy Foxx Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 95

Hurry, while stocks last - for your country needs in-store or online

Conditions Sale items subject to availability & selected brands excluded. See online for details, call or ask in-store. 96 | SPRING 2018*Terms Your&Horse & Apply. Country Magazine

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Cofibre®: Stabilising fibre, a blend of mixed length, chopped, Polypropylene fibres consisting of 100% new material. Beta-Ride®: pro-equestrian menage stabilising fibre, a blended mix of Polypropylene, Polyester and Nylon fibres consisting of 100% new material. Wide range of fibre sizes suitable for use with a wider variety of sands. (Silica, Leisure etc.)

Benefits:

• Greater Stability • Increased Surface Resilience • Energy Return for your Horse • Moisture Retention • Impact Cushioning reducing stress & Joint / Tendon injury.

Features:

• Provides a root structure to the sand similar to grass • Improves drainage whilst retaining moisture • Insulating properties helps to reduce freezing.

Advantages:

• Reduced Maintenance • Eliminates Riding Loose and Deep.

Natural Sand:

Sand Grains vary from Angular to Round. The rounder the grain the less tightly The grains fit together. The more round the sand grain the more it will move and give less traction. Sub-Angular Grains compact less than angular grains yet still allow good traction and drainage. When selecting natural sand, you need to request magnified pictures of the sand and select the most sub-angular available.

Angular

Sub-Angular

Round

Existing Sand Arenas:

Manufactured Sand:

Crushed quarry stone called Fines or Duff The particles are sharp and will compact tightly. if used alone, being softer they break down into dust sooner and should be avoided.

Surfaces consisting of other types of sand benefit from using Beta-Ride®, The Addition of fibres will enhance the riding surface, providing stable footing and giving energy return for the horses. Ordering Fibre Guidance no. of Bales Required: 40 x 20 metre - 9 Bales 60 x 20 metre - 12 Bales (Bales approx. 300 kgs.)

Recommended:

Composition / Information:

For the best results in new arenas we recommend Cofibre® with Sub-Angular Silica Sand (very fine angular grains for good compaction yet assisting drainage).

Chemical description - mixed plastics Chemical family - Polyolefin, Polyester No hazardous impurities or additives

Installation: We recommend that your sand riding surface be a minimum of 15 cm (6” depth) before installation of the fibre Mixing Ratio: The ratio of fibres to be mixed into the top 10 cm (4”) depth of your sand surface depend on the type of sand used in the riding surface and the riding discipline for which the surface will primarily be used, as a guide we recommend the following; Racing gallops: 2.5 kg to 4 kg per square metre surface area of sand. Showjumping and dressage: 4 kg to 5 kg per square metre surface area of sand. Installation of Fibre into your Sand Riding Surface: Cofibre® and Beta-Ride® are supplied in bales, these should be opened (remove wrapping and binding ties), and the fibres spread evenly over the levelled sand at the desired ratio (See above). Once evenly spread and properly mixed in with the sand, the riding surface should be re-levelled and rolled. The fibre should be rotated into the top 10cm (4”) of your sand surface using a rotavator or stone burrier. Once The fibre is properly mixed in with the sand, the riding surface should be re-levelled and rolled. The riding surface is then ready for use, performing at its optimum when the surface material is moist; during periods of dry weather, some watering will be required. Maintenance: The sand and fibre surface is best maintained by a maintenance harrow, (consisting of harrow tynes and compacting rollers), operated on the ball-hitch of a ATV/UTV or the 3 point link of a tractor.

Cofibre® & Beta-Ride® are supplied x-factory - delivery charges apply.

+44 (0) 1269 595064 www.beta-ride.co.uk Beta-Ride® Pro Equestrian Services ltd, Unit 1, Penpound Garage, Heol Y Felin Betws, Ammanford, SA18 2HL

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 |

The Zetor brand represents tradition, quality and reasonably priced products and services. The brand's philosophy is loyalty to its customers, listening to their requirements, innovation and extension of its assortment. Zetor has been a synonym for Performance, Endurance and Total cost of ownership for 70 years. These attributes have become the main pillars of the brand.

Performance The power of Zetor tractors can be fully used thanks to the structurally best combination of the engine performance and the tractor weight.

Endurance The maximum emphasis on simple, smart and purposeful design leads to the reliability and long life of Zetor tractors. Hand in hand with easy maintenance and quick service.

Total Cost of Ownership The operating costs for Zetor tractors can hardly be beaten. The tractors benefit from low fuel consumption and very reasonable spare parts prices.

More than 1.3 million satisfied customers all over the world Over 1.3 million Zetor tractors, which have been exported to more than 136 countries worldwide, have been manufactured since the beginning of the production of Zetor tractors in 1946.

Developed and manufactured in the heart of Europe The production base of Zetor tractors and engines is concentrated in the heart of Europe. The facilities of its own development and manufacturing centre in the Czech Republic contributes to the maximum quality of the products offered and allows the development of innovations in-house.

100 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Own manufacture of traditional compression ignition engines and gearboxes ZETOR supplies world markets with not only complete farm tractors, but also partial components use to build other machines.

ZETOR TRACTORS - Save your costs Five attributes bringing the customer a huge saving of time and, in particular, financial resources during the entire life of the tractor.

1: Simple Technologies – requiring inexpensive maintenance For customers it means easy maintenance and serviceability, without unnecessarily costs. 2: Low Consumption Thanks to structural and functional improvements, the average fuel consumption of Zetor tractors is lower by up to 20%

3: Reasonably Priced and Fast Delivered Spare Parts – only the original guarantees to work perfectly Zetor's original spare parts are up to 45% cheaper than its competitors.

4: Low Cost – service maintenance Quick, top-quality and, compared to competitors, up to 30% cheaper servicing 5: Zetor Tractors Keep – high residual value Figures suggest the average depreciation in tractor value for the first five years is 29% for Zetor, but 52% for competitors.

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 101

SPECIALIST PLANNING ADVICE Equestrian planning myths As equestrian businesses and private yards grow over time additional facilities and structures often crop up on the land. Whilst the sustainable growth of rural businesses is to be encouraged, due care and attention is also needed to ensure that the rules of planning are abided with. The result of unauthorised development is potentially an enforcement notice requiring the cessation of activities, and in some cases the removal of buildings and development. In this article, we look at some of the most common areas that are often forgotten, or are not thought to require planning permission, and how this can be avoided.

The difference between private and commercial There is a significant difference between yards that are for private domestic enjoyment and those which are used as a commercial enterprise. When a grant of planning permission is issued, the decision notice will list any conditions attached

which the applicant must comply with. For applications where permission has been granted for personal use a typical wording would be “The riding arena/ sand school/ stables hereby approved shall be used for private equestrian purposes only and not for any commercial riding, livery or other business use”. The problem arises when stables are let out on a commercial basis, either for full or DIY livery, even if it is one stable to a friend. Considerations such as traffic and access are taken into account when making a decision and could have an impact should an unauthorised commercial use take place. There are also issues to do with insurance in the case of rider or horse injury and private riding arenas may not be covered.

Conditions on arenas The commercial and private restriction will also apply to arenas. In residential areas, there can be restrictions on hours of use and teaching to avoid noise pollution. An arena for private use should not be let out on a commercial basis. In order to protect

the countryside and avoid an adverse impact on the landscape, conditions can be put in place restricting the use of flood lights and mirrors. It is worth noting that if these are installed without the benefit of planning permission there could be complaints from neighbours, particularly with the impact of light spills on dark skies, this is a significant consideration in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In order to lawfully construct these additions, a planning application would need to be submitted to the local authority requesting an amendment to the planning permission.

Cross country jumps Any new structures built on land on a permanent basis will require planning permission. The crucial element of this relates to whether the use is a change of use of land from agricultural to equestrian. Under Permitted Development, the rules allow for the temporary change of use of land for up to 28 days per

Helping to unlock the potential of your land, buildings and assets CIRENCESTER 01285 323200

102 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

CRANBROOK 01580 201888

year without applying for planning permission. Crucially, this does involve the setting up and taking down days and a record needs to be kept of this. Under this route, agricultural land can be used to host shows, gymkhanas and pony club rallies for a limited number of days per year. However, exceeding this would be classed as a change of use of land, in the Green Belt, particularly this can be problematic protecting the countryside from encroachment as maintaining is of paramount importance and equestrian development in these areas is generally not supported. National planning policy also seeks to protect the ‘best and most versatile agricultural land’ and a change of use to equestrian does not meet this aspiration. What many people do not realise is the permanent stationing of fixed cross-country fences, and obstacles such as ditches, banks and water features will require equestrian use to be granted for the land. If providing cross country schooling facilities

of a commercial nature it is vital that the correct planning permission is granted, and the intensification of traffic can seriously impact on rural lanes.

Mobile field shelters and grazing It is important to know the difference between the keeping of and the grazing of horses. Planning permission is not required for a change of use of land from agriculture to equestrian if the horse derives its sustenance from the grass, as this is deemed to be an agricultural use. However, if hard feed or hay is brought onto the land, the horse is rugged and the field provides exercise this is classed as the keeping of horses. Native ponies used to graze land and kept outside all year unrugged, mares breeding foals for meat, and horses used to work the land or woodland are seen to be an agricultural use. The majority of horses used for breeding, competition and pleasure do not come under this definition and the keeping of these horses will involve a change of

use of land. Field shelters are allowed in areas where permitted development rights have not been withdrawn. The frame should be on skids, and capable of being moved every 6 months. The shelter ceases to be moveable if a permanent floor is constructed and due care and consideration needs to me made to ensure that it does not become a permanent structure. The Rural Planning Practice offer specialist rural planning advise and have offices in Cirencester, Gloucestershire and Cranbrook, Kent. Please contact us by email (office@therpp.co.uk) or telephone (01285 323200 or

01580 201888)

We are at Badminton Horse Trials on Wednesday 3rd May – Sunday 8th May at The Lakeside Pavillions. Please call in for a drink and say hello if you would like to discuss anything planning related!

 Residential Development and Extensions  Listed Buildings  Equestrian  Permitted Development  Planning Appeals  Agri Business  Certificate of Lawfulness  Rural Buildings  Objections  Local Plan Submission

www.therpp.co.uk

office@therpp.co.uk

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 103

Going

undercover Kathy Carter looks at how to ensure your stable or shelter build goes to plan

t’s a dream for many horse owners, to keep their horses at home with them. And in the long run, there are savings to be made when comparing the cost of keeping your horses at home to paying livery. Full livery costs, for example, are commonly between £400 and £800 in the UK. Firstly, a quick note on planning (we will go into further detail later on in the article): in most cases, planning permission will be required for stables. The Gov.uk website, which details current planning legislation, states: “You’ll probably need planning permission if you want to build something new, make a major change to your building, or change the use of your building.” So it’s a good idea to leave

You may want a tack room or even a tea room in your new stable

104 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – BUILD IT

two to three months to obtain planning permission. (Do research local advice, as it may differ according to the local authority and appearance of the landscape.) The first consideration if you want new stables at home is whether any existing buildings can be converted. If an existing agricultural-type building is structurally sound, has good ventilation and suitable ceiling heights, you may be able to convert it to stables. If you're updating an existing building, you will probably be able to create made-to-measure internal stables with your chosen supplier. This means you can get creative with aspects like doors that open either way, sliding doors that save on space, and design features to suit the existing shape of the building.

BUILD IT

A word about muck Each horse produces around nine tonnes of dung annually; disposal is of prime importance! Muck spreading may be an option (providing large margins are left around watercourses, ditches, springs, wells or boreholes), however, most people have their muck removed. If money changes hands, the collector needs a waste carrier’s license.

If you’re going for a new-build, you will certainly have the liberty to create a layout that really works for you and the property. You will undoubtedly work with your chosen construction company on the design of your build, but here are ten areas to consider when you’re planning to build stables for horses and ponies: Consider the visual and environmental impact for the area and surrounding properties in your county (and thus, the local authority remit). Will your build affect your neighbours? Will the stables be screened by trees? How secure will the stables be – can you see the yard from your house? Have you got good vehicular access, both for the build, and for activities like feed deliveries and going to competitions in a lorry? What is the “lie of the land” – is your property undulating? Excavation and

2 3

You may have an old building you can convert or you may be planning a new-build stable, above

filling may be required for more hilly areas, to create a level surface. (Your builders will also consider flood risk.) Which direction should the stables face – e.g. stable doors and windows should ideally face away from prevailing winds, but for security purposes, you may not want the horses to be visible from the road and “on display”. Pay attention to ventilation; this is key in summer, especially as many people bring their horses in during the daytime, to avoid heat and flies. Remember that stable floors need to slope downwards towards the door, so excess urine runs away. What are the logistics for water, electricity and drainage – will you

5 6

7 8

need a separate metered water supply, for example? Do you have the capacity for rainwater harvesting, bore holes and solar power for generators? These could be an asset, in addition to your mains supplies of water and power.

What size of horses will you keep? It makes sense to go for larger stables if you can, e.g. 14ft by 14ft. (For foaling, 16ft by 16ft is advised). Doorways should be 4ft wide and at least 7ft tall.

In terms of layout, what else do you want apart from stables – a feed room, tack room, rug room or even tea room, perhaps? Remember to try to ensure the equine residents will be able to see each other. 

BUILD IT – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 105

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106 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BUILD IT

BUILD IT

Field shelters Mobile shelters are three-sided, openfronted timber constructions, usually with metal skids for relocation. They may offer the option to add metal or timber gates to the frame. Mobile field shelters generally do not need planning permission in order to be installed. If they are mobile, it means they’re designed to be moved, that no ground preparation was required prior to their installation, and that there are no physical attachments to the ground. However, some individuals erecting mobile shelters do still experience challenges from local authorities, so there seems to be some different interpretations of the law. It may therefore be best to check with your local authority, if you're unsure. To keep within the spirit of the guidelines, which can be ambiguous, you should move your mobile shelter around periodically – every two months is recommended, and fines have been

Planning permission? Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, local planning authorities (under the jurisdiction of the National Planning Policy Framework or NPPF), manage planning permissions, which are usually required if a landowner wants to build something new, make a major change to a building, like an extension, or change the use of the building. Currently, planning authorities are said to look more favourably on a planning application if an existing, redundant building can be re-used for something else; so if you’re still perusing suitable properties, look into this aspect if you can. Stables for equines are commonly classed as having “a recreational or commercial need”.

applied to people whose shelters were not moved frequently enough. In fact, this is good for the healthy upkeep of your field, especially if you feed hay in the shelter, or the horses defecate in there. If you want to erect a permanent field shelter, you will have some similar questions to those posed for a stable; notably the lie of the land, regarding the direction of the wind. Permanent shelters tend to have solid floors as their main differentiating factor, and should be sited as inconspicuously as possible – they should “respect the lie of the land”, and they tend to be roofed with a darkcoloured felt, again to “blend in”.

It usually takes eight to 13 weeks to process a planning application; you can apply online under the “applications” section of the Government’s planning website, which is a very useful guide, even containing planning fee calculators and details on your location and site plans – visit www.planningportal.co.uk. Private builds may not have to comply with building regulations, as these tend to apply to commercial properties. However some “material change of use” builds, extensions and “underpinning” works will need building regulations approval, and you can apply for this at www.planningportal. co.uk. There may be exceptions to the aforementioned rule of requiring planning permission, if you're putting up a stable within the curtilage (e.g. the enclosed area immediately around

PROMOTION The team at Jon William Stables takes pride in every build and are ready to offer their expertise from start to finish. Standard planning applications require a number of documents and, as part of our planning service, we will draw up a location plan, site plan, external elevations and a design and access statement following a site visit and consultation. We can never guarantee planning permission will be granted, of course, but we have a fantastic success rate. To find out more about how Jon William Stables can help you get your project off the ground, call us on 01380 850 965.

the property). This is provided that the horses are kept as pets “in association with that house”. The size, height and position of the stable, in relation to the position of the house/road/footpath, and the size of the curtilage, are factors. n

BUILD IT – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 107

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We are a family business designing, manufacturing and installing stables, pens and exercisers for competition horses, livery yards and private horse owners. We also supply and install a wide range of rubber matting products to both equestrian and commercial clients. As all our products are manufactured in house we are able to offer bespoke designs and sizes cost effectively.

Please contact us for a no obligation quote or advice.

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108 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – BUILD IT

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Our new Garden Snug is the ideal way for all outdoor lovers to enjoy their garden all year round, come rain or shine.

The garden Snug can cover your existing garden furniture, hot tub or BBQ, creating a covered waterproof space, with no need to pack everything away at the end of an enjoyable day/evening. We can create your designs and ideas that would enhance your own experiences in your garden, with seating- dining and sleeping. We have various sizes to accommodate any size garden, large or small, we can also create a simple potting shelter for the keen gardener who loves being outside.

WOODSCOTT HORSE SHELTERS t: 01297 639312 m: 07811264240 e: info@horseshelters.co.uk

www.horseshelters.co.uk BUILD IT – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 109

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www.chapelstone.co.uk 110 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – BUILD IT

Arena rakes and paddock & yard equipment

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PROMOTION

You’ll be proud to own a quality Jon William stable

on William Stables supply a huge range of equestrian and timber products, including American barns, wooden stables, mobile field shelters, mobile stables, static field shelters; plus unique bespoke American barns, stables, and utility and timber buildings. We understand that choosing the right stable for you and your horse takes time. We are confident that at Jon William Stables you have come to the right place. We are a family company that cares about the timber buildings we produce. Every single one is an advertisement for us, so we make sure we get it right. We have been manufacturing stables since 1983. Over the subsequent years our original designs have been continuously improved in consultation with vets, horse trainers, equestrian champions and many of our customers. This has resulted in our current portfolio of informed and thoughtfully designed buildings: the Intro, Ideal and Elite ranges. Whether you need one or two stables or a commercial complex, including tack

“

rooms, storage barns and offices, we are able to meet your requirements with quality products.

solution to your stabling, we are able to include bespoke additions as required.

Elite Range Stables Intro Range Stables Our Intro range provides a robust stable, manufactured using the same high quality materials used in the Ideal and Elite ranges. It is a range that provides a starting point for your stabling at an affordable price, while still providing peace of mind for years to come.

Ideal Range Stables The Ideal range includes many features that are considered as optional extras by other manufacturers. The range offers a high specification at exceptional value. While the Ideal range design provides a practical

I asked around and researched to find the best value and quality stables available and the name of Jon William Stables was clearly at the top.

“

Creating a premier stable yard is easily achieved with our Elite range. Manufactured to the highest of design specification providing extra style, creativity and practicality to satisfy the most discerning of customer. Our exceptionally strong steel-framed doors will withstand the test of time. Together with the 100mm x 50mm (4” x 2”) framework, 2.4m (8’) eaves height and the optional feature of a felt shingle roof. The Elite range is a substantial build, looks fantastic and will be the envy of your equestrian neighbours.  For more information and to download our brochure, visit www. jonwilliamstables.co.uk. Call us on 01380 850 965 or visit our main ofﬁce at Netherstreet, Bromham, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2DW

We are delighted with our new stables, as are our horses! The build quality is excellent and has been greatly admired by visitors.

Jon William Stables

quality equestrian buildings built by British craftsmen

www.jonwilliamstables.co.uk | 01380 850 965

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 111

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112 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – BUILD IT

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Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201A; |â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 113

Welcome to Winning Post Consultancy We are a specialised company with over 25 years’ experience in constructing All Weather Riding Arena’s and Gallops, working in some of the best yards in the business. Riding Arenas and Gallops From small private clients to professional Equestrian Centers both our indoor and outdoor riding arenas are given the same meticulous attention to detail. We offer a free site visit, anywhere within the UK to determine the exact requirements for your project. This includes a full site survey, with details of the design, planning, sighting, drainage, base construction, fencing, and the Riding Surface itself. Every stage of the project is fully explained to give you the Riding Arena you want. All this information is used to provide you with a competitive quotation, along with a 5 year guarantee. After acceptance, work commences using the latest machinery and laser levelling technology operated by our own fully trained team. Within a short period of time your arena or gallop will be completed. Sportrack Synthetic Riding Surfaces Our range of synthetic surfaces covers all aspects of the market and each equestrian discipline is catered for. Sportrack Eco-Ride Sportrack Eco-Ride, a premixed surface containing specially cut synthetic fibre blended with multi washed silica sand. This is our entry level surface and is ideal for the livery yards where a surface is needed for different abilities.

114 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Sportrack Pro-Mixed Sportrack Pro-Mixed is our premier dry mixed surface containing equestrian approved multi washed and blended silica sands accurately mixed with our specially manufactured synthetic fibres to produce a surface which is used in competition venues and professional yards Sportrack Waxed This surface is based on washed and blended silica sands, with a combination of synthetic fibres, blended with a hot wax coating. This is an ideal surface for indoor schools,lung pens and gallops. Sportrack Pro-Waxed Our top of the range surface where horses work on the surface. High graded, washed and blended silica sands, mixed with specially cut synthetic fibres, coated with a hot wax coating. Installations include, racing gallops, polo, showjumping and dressage establishments. Sportrack Stabilishing Fibres As well as premixed surfaces we can supply Sportrack Stabilishing Fibres to add to existing sand surfaces. These specially cut synthetic fibres will enhance any existing surface, adding stability. Delivered on pallets anywhere in the UK, this is a very cost- effective way of improving your riding school. Sportrack Complete Fibre This is nothing but synthetic stabilising fibres laid on top of a geotextile membrane and compacted to a finished depth of 150mm. This gives a very cost effective surface.

 Full Gallop and Riding Arena inspections and reports.  Complete construction of new Gallops, Canter Tracks and Riding Arenas.  Refurbishment of existing Gallops, Canter Tracks and Riding Arenas.  Supply of Sportrack Synthetic Riding Surfaces (Premixed and Waxed).  Supply of Sportrack Stabilizing Fibres, Equestrian Grade Silica Sand and Rubber Crumb. Should you need any advice on the construction or surface merits please talk to us. We are proud of what we build for your enjoyment. For more information please visit our website or check out our most recent work on Facebook or phone us.

Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 115

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116 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine – BUILD IT

PROMOTION

Supporting your horse from the hoof up!

oddson Equestrian Flooring provides a great, cost-effective way of helping with the upkeep of your horse. Our flooring provides warmth and comfort as well as saving you time and money on cleaning and bedding. Helping to insulate the stables against cold, hard concrete floors, our flooring will reduce fatigue (swelling) on your horse's legs. Adding a substitute flooring on top of the concrete stable floor also offers great cushioning on your horse’s joints, without the need for additional bedding. Having a qood quality stable flooring from Doddson will also help offer a slip-resistant surface for your horse, especially when they are getting up from an afternoon nap or a nice roll in their warm, fluffy bed! Founded 30 years ago, under the name Lightfoot Surfaces Limited, we developed LS4, a three-part mix that is trowelled onto a prepared surface, such as wood, steel, concrete or aluminium to name a few. The product has been improved over the years and is now called Granlatech LS4. It provides a seamless, slip-resistant surface which is completely impervious and very hard-wearing.

We have supplied and installed this flooring around the world for various horsebox manufacturers, including Rice Trailers, Richmond Trailers, Brown Bros Ireland, Boeckman coach builders in Germany – and even in Prince Phillip’s own horsebox. We have also installed Granlatech LS4 for Sheikh Mohamed in Dubai, the Al Thani family in Bahrain, the Sultan of Brunei, the Sultan of Oman and many more. Granlatech LS4 has been used extensively on horsewalkers, in stables, vets’ rooms, walkways and passageways.

We have also installed it in equine swimming pools. All of our products have been specifically designed for use under or around horses. Our rubber mats are 6ft x 4ft x 17mm thick and can be used in stables, passageways and walkways. The mats are strong and can be easily fitted. Our rubber pavers have been designed for use in parade rings, walkways, passageways and horsewalkers. We also have coloured pavers that will keep their colour in direct sunlight for those areas that always need to look their best. The wall padding that we supply and install is a very hard-wearing, high-density foam and reduces stable injuries caused by horses kicking the walls or doors. We have supplied and installed this product for HRH Queen Elizabeth II at her stables in Sandringham and many more establishments around the world. We also sell wood shavings in large flakes, which come in 20kg bags. We can deliver anywhere in the world, whether it is one bag, one pallet, one lorry load or a container full.

 For further information, please contact Doddson Equestrian Flooring & Bedding Ltd on on 07802 270568, email chris@doddsonequestrianﬂooring.co.uk or visit www.doddsonequestrianﬂooring.co.uk BUILD IT – Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 117

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY RETAIL

So Country

Your guide to the best horse and country products and services Advertise your business to over 120,000 readers nationwide.

Call us now: 01454 318 780

Country Homewares and Fabrics www.socountry.co.uk

RETAIL

specialise in high quality leather articles and huge range of Kids articles including Breeches, Competition Jackets, Riding Helmets & Belts.

E: info@equipride.co.uk T: +441900510569 W: www.equipride.co.uk

118 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

SERVICES

www.trotters-equine.co.uk

01763 273759

Quality Personalised Stable Door Plaques

Wide variety of colours and typefaces Online designer with a large choice of horse logos or just a decorative border

£10 From

Plaque size 390mm x 130mm 5mm thick, strong PVC

Portable. Lightweight. Powerful. 01142699119 www.petrolpostdriver.com

Stable Door Names Plates

www.trotters-equine.co.uk SERVICES

FASHION

The UK’s number one equine security organisation with over 30 years experience!

Equine passports

Security database

Mail order signage and more!

Puddle Jumpers waterproof clothing is all about keeping your child warm and dry.

Contact Farmkey today to ﬁnd out how we can help you!

Manufactured from Teflon-coated polyester, they are 100% waterproof with all seams taped, windproof and, best of all, breathable. so your youngster can play all day and remain dry inside.

www.farmkey.co.uk | 0870 870 7107 | info@farmkey.co.uk

01298 83812 www.puddlejumpers.co.uk Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 119

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

SERVICES

Rubber Crumb J.E.Graham Ltd 20mm The low maintenance 50 years of experience

Tractor and Accessories Sales across Suffolk and East Anglia

all weather surface

20MM RUBBER CRUMB is the most economic and

versatile surface available in the market. RUBBER CRUMB does not freeze easily and is an excellent all weather surface that will not rot or blow away. It is ideal for turnouts, horse arenas and gallops. RUBBER CRUMB is environmentally friendly, extremely cost effective and is virtually maintenance free. It provides exceptional cushioning qualities to help reduce the risk of potential injury or lameness.

ROLLS

Various sizes, water filled

Visit our website for more information:

FERTILISER SPREADERS 300 or 500lt capacity

CHAIN HARROWS 4ft-20ft mounted or trailed

01379 384444 07775 764540

www.jegraham.co.uk info@jegraham.co.uk J E Graham Limited Woodlands Farm Brundish Woodbridge Suffolk IP13 8BP

FEED AND BEDDING

Our specially developed Stablegold horse bedding • Produced from wheat straw • Completely natural product • High absorbency - absorbs up to 300 times its own weight in moisture • No need to water before use • Supplied in variety of bag sizes • Less dust - pelleting process filters dust Buy online at strawpelletsltd.co.uk and visit our dedicated horse bedding site at horsebedding.uk.com for more information

Delivery throughout the UK Small bags - Bulk bags - Pallets

Buy Straw Pellets Online Straw pellets are a fully natural product free from any artificial ingredients.

• HORSE BEDDING • CAT LITTER • SMALL PET BEDDING

Straw Pellets Ltd, Rookery Farm, Louth Road, South Somercotes, Louth, Lincs LN11 7BW.

120 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

WE ONLY DELIVER IN SCOTLAND

email: info@angusrubbercrumb.co.uk EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY RETAIL

FEED AND BEDDING

SMALL BALE MEADOW HAY Delivered nationally by the single pallet – great for smallholders, limited storage and perfect to travel with!

Your guide to the best horse and country products and services

We also sell small bale haylage and horse bedding by the single pallet.

Call for a sample t: 01837 849222 /849200 m: 07871 609345 Colehay, The Croft, South Zeal, Devon EX20 2NX

www.colehay.co.uk e: info@colehay.co.uk

Save 10% with code

Saddle Up

Log Cabin Style Bedding, Rugs & Décor, Shaker Peg Rails, Patchwork Quilts and Cushions, American Barn Stars, Candles and Room Sprays

Phone: 08456 528567 ★ www.oldeglory.co.uk E-mail: info@oldeglory.co.uk

CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

Country Style Supplies Ltd Sodbury Road, Wickwar (B4060) GL12 8NT

Over 50 years of Fencing experience Quality fencing supplied/ Supplied and erected by our professional team * Using all home grown timber

OFF

materials

WITH THIS ADVERT YHC Spring 2018

Tel: 01454 294414

Of fer 18 ends 31 July 20

Open: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm Sat 8am-2pm

www.countrystylesuppliesltd.co.uk | e: countrystylesupplies@gmail.com Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 121

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY SERVICES

TRANSPORT

CALL US TODAY 01453 511400

From roof to floor we do it all

From leaky roofs to rotten ramps we offer a repair/ refurbishment service to all parts of your horsebox plus servicing, repairs, pre mots

www.horsebox-repairs.co.uk

Actrees Farm, Unit 6, Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9PP

Come and see us at our new premises CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

NB Services A5 Horsebox Hire Flyer LR.pdf

SERVICES

05/08/2016

12:09

ALDERSHOT EQUESTRIAN LEADING SUPPLIERS OF EQUESTRIAN PENS, TREADMILLS, EXCERCISES AND MORE

Class 4, 5 & 7

YOUR ONE STOP HORSEBOX SHOP OFFERING SELF DRIVE HIRE

Our customers represent the complete spectrum of the equestrian world, from large professional yards with over sixty horses to individuals with two to three horses. As well as supplying equipment for all sizes of sports horses, we design and make pens, horse walkers and treadmills for ponies and miniature horses. For customers who have specific requirements, a difficult site or need to make use of an existing building, we will design a product that meets their needs.

HORSE WALKERS • EQUESTRIAN TREADMILLS LUNGE PENS • MESHED FIELD PENS • AMERICAN PENS

email horsetech@btconnect.com telephone 01256 851546

www.aldershotequestrian.co.uk

122 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

½ DAYS OR FULL DAYS HIRE SPECIAL WEEKEND RATES FULLY INSURED VEHICLE HIRE HORSEBOX SERVICING & REPAIRS MINISTRY INSPECTIONS 24 HOUR BREAKDOWN & RECOVERY - Courtesy horsebox available

All your horsebox needs under one roof PHONE: 01488 72118 | simon@nd-services.co.uk | www.nd-services.co.uk Unit F Aerial Business Park, Membury, Berkshire RG17 7RZ

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY SERVICES

FEED AND BEDDING

Stablecare South West Rug Washing, Re-Proofing and Repair Service Guaranteed weekly turnaround, including repairs Fair price, including collection and delivery All areas covered Telephone 0117 9611 515 Mobile 07778 369 334 Email stablecaresouthwest@gmail.com

www.horserugcare.co.uk

The original and still the best!

Call: 01285 323121

Or visit: www.aquamax.co.uk

EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

www.mayfield-engineering.co.uk  Manufacturing a range of Arena Levellers for all surfaces

 Specialising in robust designs ideal for large

establishments, professional arenas and gallops

 Models also available for Quads, compact tractors and garden tractors

 All come with Side Grader Blade for pulling in track  Easy to operate  Fully adjustable tines for depth



5ft wide towing models for fibre/sand—Prices starting at £810



6ft wide tractor mounted models for fibre/sand—Prices starting at £935



All prices exc. Delivery & VAT

Call 07703 110132 / 01225 891014 Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 123

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY HEALTHCARE

TRANSPORT

Ken Gamble International Horse Transport Ltd HAPPY TUMMY® Natural Charcoal We are a Cotswold-based company, established in 1987. Offering local, national and international services with twice weekly trips to Ireland along with regular trips to France and other destinations as required.

for equine gastric comfort. Fed daily it optimises digestive functions.

Shared and private loads are available. All travel documentation, ferry bookings, import/export licences can be arranged. All of our vehicles are DEFRA inspected, approved and fully licensed. Our four vehicles range from a two horse Theault, to four horse, seven horse and 11 horse capacity. All are modern and custom built with fanassisted cooling, temperature monitored and have CCTV fitted. Overnight stabling is available at home and abroad if required in transit. All our drivers and grooms are certificated, very experienced and are recruited locally from within the equine industry. We pride ourselves on our welfare standards and professionalism.

01451 844716

mobile: 07836 5875 301 email: ken.gamble@btconnect.com

www.kengamble.co.uk

SERVICES

124 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

• • • •

Natural

Fast-acting

Effective Economic

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

Carrying one of the largest and most varied stocks of agricultural equipment in the area, SJH Machinery Sales Ltd are based just outside of Kington.

MACHINERY SALES LTD

Our products range from log splitters up to Cambridge rolls and tedders and rakes, both new and second hand.

SJH HEAVY DUTY CHAIN HARROWS

New arenas • Refurbishments • Lunge rings All Weather Gallops • Choice of surfaces Equestrian Groundworks and Fencing Free no obligation site visit and consultation is available throughout the UK

SJH carry in stock chain harrows from 2m up to 6m working width. Manual or hydraulic fold. Frame manufactured using 80mm x 80mm x 8mm steel. Prices starting at £400 + VAT We are also the sole importers for VSTEEL loader, skid steer and telehandler buckets. These are high quality buckets, manufactured using S355MC, S235JR and hardox 500 steels. Fitted standard with euro 8 brackets, but other brackets are also available . Sizes from 1.2m/4ft upto 2.4m/8ft in stock. 6ft /1.8m @ £435.24 plus vat

Some of the other items in stock at SJH Machinery Sales Ltd

For a friendly efficent service Tel 01420 562441 Mob 07702 260788 Email info@tjarenas.co.uk

01544231114 | 07795221979

www.tjarenas.co.uk

The Mere, Chickward Kington HR5 3EU

www.sjhmachinery.co.uk

CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

SERVICES sustainable materials

affordable

eco friendly

Paynetts Farm, Cranbrook Road, Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 1DY bespoke design

Tel: 01580 212141 Mob: 07710 480259 Email: info@timberspecs.com

Mobile homes, holiday chalets, log homes. All built to your requirements, delivered and erected anywhere, we offer builds in round, square, cavity and random log up to 360mm thick. Houses supplied to meet building control regulations.

• • • • •

Sectional Timber Buildings Timber Built Garages Log Cabins Flood Proof Cabins Planning Help Available

• • • •

Suppliers and installers of all types of

equestrian fencing, post and rails, schools and arenas

Mobile Homes Club Houses Country Parks Garden, Studio & Office Buildings



Bespoke Design Service And Technical Data

The Natural Way To Build For more information on all the buildings please visit our website..

Web: www.timberspecs.co.uk Email: info@timberspecs.com Tel: 01580 212141 Mob: 07710 480259

125 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Richard Jones Fencing contractors For FREE advice and estimates Tel 0800 032 5595 Mob 07778 628 205 rjonesfencing@aol.com

www.richardjonesfencing.co.uk

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS

SERVICES

Equestrian Rubber Sale

Premier Horse Walkers

20mm Rubber chip

suitable for arenas and gallops 98% wire free

£18.00

per tonne +vat

WHY INVEST IN A PREMIER HORSE WALKER ? Direct drive system (No belts, chains or pulleys) Minimal maintenance No hydraulics, eliminating oil warm up time in winter Super silent Forward / reverse with auto turn at 10 minute intervals 6ft wide paddles as standard Electrified paddles as standard 4, 6 or 8 horse with a choice of surrounds 2 year warranty Premier Horse Walkers Premier Horse Walkers

www.premierhorsewalkers.co.uk 01405 704172

Made in

Britain

Call us now on 0800 4701371 www.niramaxrubberproducts.co.uk

SERVICES

Extending the lighter nights with hotblocks

Hotblocks Wood Briquettes come in packs of 12 or 24 and can be bought individually or in bulk. Priced from £4.99

Eco-friendly. Clean, Safe & Efficient. Easy to Store.

Order line 24hr 01454 538803/01377 229495 Penntree’s HotBlocks Wood Briquettes are a great alternative to traditional wood fuel. In most cases they perform better and offer real benefits. Our customers find they are ideal for use with woodburners, chimineas and firepits.

www.penntree.co.uk 126 | SPRING 2018 Your Horse & Country Magazine

LEADING EUROPE IN HORSEBOX INNOVATION

BLOOMFIELDS HORSEBOXES SOUTH Built by Professionals for Professionals

THE ONE

LEGACY S

LEGACY SL

LEGACY SLE

PROFESSIONAL

The elite name among amateurs and professionals alike, offering exceptional build quality and sensible prices. All models available on 3.5T, 4.0T, 4.25T, 4.5T, 5T or 6T brand new chassis.

EVENTER 4.5T

COMPACT EVENTER

EVENTER 5/6T

To beat the wait list call 07711 543114 | info@bloomfieldssouth.co.uk www.bloomfields.co Your Horse & Country Magazine SPRING 2018 | 127