Your Horse & Country Magazine by YHC Group Ltd

Winter 2021

Winter Walks

Taking advantage of the British countryside

Crufts

The Kennel Club tell us all we need to know

Planning Pitfalls

Where to begin when starting a build

YOUR HORSE & COUNTRY MAGAZINE £3.99 WHERE SOLD

0 701197 969384

WELCOME & CONTENTS

The UK’s largest glossy equestrian and country lifestyle seasonal magazine!

Woodland wonders

Your Country Property

Winter fashion

Welcome T

here probably aren’t many people who would name winter their favourite season – but here at YHC Magazine we think it’s got its own charms! While everyone else is huddled inside, why not take the chance to explore our beautiful woodlands as nature sleeps. The Woodland Trust owns more than 1,000 sites across the UK and we’ve highlighted a few favourites for you to visit on Page 6. Heading outside gives us the excuse to wrap up in all of our cosiest clothes and put our hard-working boots through their paces as we dodge ice and puddles. Kathy Carter has rounded up 10 clothing trends we’ll be seeing this winter (Page 46) – and our favourite horsey retailers have some gems to offer. Of course, sometimes there’s nothing nicer than to shut the doors and get cosy at home. In Your Country Property, Zoe Hewett explores the joys of “pottering about” by trying your hand at homemade ceramics at the kitchen table (Page 18). With horses, you can’t take cover for long though, and at Team YHC we’ve been out hacking whatever the weather – which has been decidedly damp! Safety has been firmly on our minds, from ensuring we’re visible as we exercise our horses to checking over the vehicles we use to transport our four-legged friends. Catch up with us on Page 70. Sometimes our horses have to share the spotlight – Crufts is back in March after a year off and top dogs around the world will be getting ready to compete. The Kennel Club tells us more about the event as well as the work being done to safeguard the future of some of our rarest canine breeds – see Page 56. There is plenty more for you to discover inside and we hope this edition brings all our readers a little winter sunshine!

Contents

18 Your Country Property

Man’s Best Friend

Start your search for your dream home with our stunning selection of properties.

56 Man’s Best Friend Top dogs and rare breeds will be in the spotlight as Crufts returns.

Publisher

Head of marketing

Editor

Editorial

Katie Miller

Daniel Miller

Publishing Co-ordinator Clare Aris

Assistant Publishing Co-ordinator

Alex Williams Kathy Carter

With special thanks to Zoe Hewett, The Woodland Trust, The Kennel Club and Shutterstock Images

86 Equine health Tips on helping your horse make the best possible start to the year ahead.

100 Build It Kathy Carter looks at how to keep your projects on track in challenging times.

Printed by Warners Midlands PLC

Production

Joni Mann & Gary Burt

Lorraine Miller

Contributors

Issue 31 | WINTER 2021

01454 318 780 info@yourhorseandcountry.com Brick House, 21 Horse Street, Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire, BS37 6DA

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.

Your horses are waiting! ~ Book now for 2022

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.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS ~ Take part in the colours and excitement of local gymkhanas, horse shows, processions and festivals, as well as visit the famous horse and camel fairs of Pushkar, Balotra or Nagaur. We have a fabulous range of holidays to suit all budgets, some are date specific but others can be taken at any time.

“Loved the horses, the fair, the countryside Book now for your holiday of a lifetime! and we saw two leopards! LEOPARDS & LAKES ~ Ride from the magnificent ~ so much in 2 weeks” Kumbhalgarh Fort through the shady Ghanerao forest 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! COVID ~ As soon as International travel resumes, we look forward to welcoming you on safari with us.

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 & of course, its unique indigenous Marwari horses.

A leg up in #lockdown ~ Read our story: GoFundMe: Support Horse India’s Marwari horses

ride rural Rajasthan with

horse india

“These beautiful regal horses carried us steady, strong and safe, & never missed a beat” 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 - erected every night in stunning locations complete with decorated bedrooms, attached bathrooms and real beds.

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, and more importantly,

* you cannot ride this breed outside India.*

Pushkar Fair

WHO: solo travellers, couples, friends, clubs & groups all welcome. You should be an intermediate level rider. WHAT: Some rides are date specific, others can be taken at any time of year. We ride on average 25-30km/day or 4-6 hours riding/day with a relaxing picnic lunch stop. WHERE: We are located 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 October to March DETAILS: www.horseindia.com e: info@horseindia.com tel: 07726 930231

www.horseindia.com

photographs copyright Maria Kooy Fotographie and Horse India Ltd

beauty NATURAL

Banish any winter blues with a bracing, breathtaking walk in one of the beautiful UK sites managed by the Woodland Trust

A red squirrel by John Bridges/WTML

ree charity the Woodland Trust owns more than 1,000 woods across the UK which are free to visit and open every day so come prepared for nature in its natural state. This means no toilets, cafés, bins or cleaning staff – just unmissable views, clean air, birdsong and woodland paths for you to wander along to your heart’s content. Dig out your wellies and woollies this winter and pay a visit to a wood. You can locate your nearest woodland escape easily – just enter your postcode at woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood or take a look at the trust’s pick of the best winter walks from around the UK. Your Horse and Country Magazine recommends these stunning locations, to blow out the Christmas cobwebs and kick start your new year with a breath of fresh air, whilst enjoying the beauty of these UK destinations.

See our map on the next page to help you plan your next trip!

SOUTH EAST

1. Hucking Estate – Kent Breathtaking views of the Kent Downs, ancient woodland to explore and swathes of open grassland where the kids can let off steam make Hucking a must-visit in the south east. Hucking Estate is full of archaeological features – even the pond is a former ironworking site. You might spot medieval wood banks or some of the chalk pits where the chalk was mined to fertilise fields. 2. Penn Wood – Buckinghamshire Historic Penn Wood lies in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty so it’s worth a visit any time of the year. Wolves and wild boar once roamed through the trees, but

WINTER WALKS

WHAT IS THE WOODLAND TRUST? The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife. The trust has three key aims:  protect ancient woodland, which is rare, unique and irreplaceable  restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life  establish native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. Access to its woods is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.

7. Swineshead & Spanoak Woods – Kimbolton, Bedfordshire Rich and diverse woodland that’s part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Green and great spotted woodpecker have both been recorded in the wood as has the crossbill, which was first recorded breeding in the wood in 1991.

Main image and below right: Tring Park by Nick Spurling/WT. Right: snowdrops at Hackfall by David Rodway/WT

these days you’re best off trying to spot red kites, buzzards and tawny owls. 3. Hainault Forest – London Herds of majestic red deer roam this ancient hunting forest, which once provided venison for the king’s table, and it’s just 15 miles from central London. With 158 species of bird recorded, it’s a bird-lover’s dream.

NORTHERN IRELAND 4. Carnmoney Hill With awe-inspiring views of Belfast and the coast, Carnmoney Hill is a must-visit. Steeped in history and folklore with a mix of ancient woodland, grassland and wetland, it is home to a wealth of wildlife and has a wide range of walks to suit all abilities. With easy access from the city and plenty of interest for history buffs, Carnmoney Hill is a great destination for a day out.

SCOTLAND

5. Crinan Wood, Argyll and Bute With sweeping vistas across Loch Crinan to Duntrune Castle and the Argyll coastline, there are few woods with a more breathtaking outlook than Crinan Wood. This ancient Atlantic oakwood is a wonderful example of Scotland’s rare and special rainforest and is brimming with wildlife, including the iconic red squirrel. It’s definitely one of our mustsee gems.

CENTRAL

6. Tring Park – Hertfordshire A 10-minute stroll from Tring’s famous Natural History Museum, there are lots of hidden treasures to find at Tring Park. Climb the hill for amazing views of Hertfordshire and the Chilterns.

8. Tyrrels Wood – Pulham Market, Norfolk Quiet and off the beaten track, Tyrrels Wood is a welcome spot for visitors and wildlife alike with a circular route winding past big veteran oak trees, hazel, ash, field maple, birch and rowan.

WALES

9. Wentwood Forest – South Wales Once part of the hunting grounds of Chepstow Castle, Wentwood offers walks with breathtaking views over the Severn Estuary. Its diversity of habitats means it is home to some wonderful wildlife. Make sure to visit the ancient Curley Oak while you’re there!

SOUTH WEST

10. Credenhill Park, Credenhill – Herefordshire Credenhill Park Wood is a local landmark on an imposing wooded hill, topped by one of the largest Iron Age hill forts in England and thought to have once been an Iron Age tribal 

WINTER WALKS - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Bring your horse on holiday to the Derbyshire Peak District • Luxurious self-catering log cabins and pods • Stabling and grazing for six horses • Access to Pennine Bridleway • Routes for all abilities • Log-fired hot tub and sauna

Love Horses?

Live the Scottish Equi Experience!

Horse riding holidays in beautiful surroundings at the UK’s largest Horse Riding Holiday Centre Scotland’s only 5* Equestrian Centre with its own 4* Bed and Breakfast accommodation… celebrating 30 years at Lanark and we’re still loving it! We are equally certain that you will enjoy your horse riding holiday.

Quote YHC when making your booking

www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk

Call: 01629 540262 Email: info@hoegrangeholidays.co.uk

★★★★★ 01555 661853 www.scottishequestrianhotel.com

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

Tel: 07929 666408 Email: moorcroftracehorse@gmail.com Website: www.moorcroftracehorse.org.uk

At the centre we rehabilitate horses after surgery and offer time off after injury. We can provide box-rest at any time or when the rider/owner feels the horse needs help to render him or her sounder, safer and more rideable. We have lots of experience of working with the rider to improve confidence and understanding so a sustainable improvement can be achieved that will last. We care deeply about the horse’s comfort and soundness and are knowlegeable when this goes wrong. We can take horses in for a few weeks and work with or without the rider, whichever is needed to ensure improvement. Longer-term arrangements can be discussed if required. Call Mary for a chat on 07929 666408 or visit the centre in West Sussex. We are a charity and we keep the cost affordable for all and are here to help if we can.

8 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER WALKS

Are you looking for the perfect gift to give someone this Christmas? A gift that changes lives for the better?

A Bransby Horses Gift Card With A Difference does just that.

Our Mission at Bransby Horses is to improve the lives of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules through rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming and education. We have over 800 equines in our care, making us one of the UK’s largest equine welfare charities. Each of the equines featured on our Gift Cards With A Difference came to the charity with a heartfelt story of their own. It is only through your continued and generous support that we can continue to help Clementine’s, Cluedo’s and Honour’s in their time of need.

Honour’s story. The day before VE Day in 2017, Honour, befittingly named by our team, arrived as part of a multi-agency rescue of a Shire horse herd. Honour, who was only two years old at the time, appeared to have been abandoned in a field, left with no food or shelter to keep warm. She was a frightened youngster. Honour has lameness in her hind leg, probably due to her poor start in life so sadly cannot be ridden. Due to the constant care and attention that she is given, this doesn’t stop Honour enjoying her days at Bransby Horses, being out in the field with her friends

and meeting visitors on our Visitor Centre yard.

Cluedo and the Gift of Warmth.

Sadly, many of the equines in our care are rescued from a life of mistreatment and neglect; a Gift of Wellbeing changes the lives of those equines, providing medicine and ongoing treatment, helping to change their lives for the better.

By giving a Bransby Horses Gift of Warmth Gift Card, you're providing a well-fitting rug that can make all the difference in cold, wet weather. This generous gift helps ensure the horses in our care stay warm.

Clementine and the Gift of Food. Additional nourishing feeds are essential for elderly horses and those with health problems. This gift helps these equines maintain their weight during the colder months.

By purchasing our gift cards, you are giving a Christmas gift that makes a real difference. Thank you for supporting the rescue and welfare work of Bransby Horses.

www.bransbyhorses.co.uk/gift-cards-with-a-difference/

Honour and the Gift of Wellbeing. Sadly, many of the equines in our care are rescued from a life of mistreatment and neglect. By replacing your Christmas Cards by buying a Bransby Horses Gift of Wellbeing, you're providing medicine and ongoing treatment, changing the lives of equines for the better.

capital. The walk to the top, where you can revel in views to Wales, is well worth it and when trees are bare you’re more likely to spot woodpeckers tapping the trees. 11. Avon Valley Woods, Devon A hidden treasure in the rolling hills of South Hams, the Avon Valley Woods cluster along the valley side. Winter is a great time to spot a whole range of finches, blue tits and long tailed and great tits that tend to flock in large groups at this time of year. While the riverside walk can be muddy, the extensive path network at the top of the site offers grassy tracks and views across Devon.

NORTH John Bridges/WTML

12. Hedley Hall, Sunniside in the North East A mix of ancient woodland cloaking the slopes of the narrow Ridley Gill, and newer broadleaf planting, Hedley Hall has plenty to keep walkers amused, including babbling streams, birds and woodland sculptures, all within a stone’s throw of the famous Beamish museum.

13. Nidd Gorge, North Yorkshire 4 Ancient broadleaf woodland covers the steep cliffs and slopes of Yorkshire’s Nidd Gorge, which is home to more than 80 species of bird and 30 different kinds of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Take a stroll through the crisp winter wonderland and keep your eye out for roe deer, tawny owls, herons and woodpeckers.

Oak Tree Animal Sanctuary 14 13

Bransby Horses

14. Hackfall – Grewelthorpe, North Yorkshire Set in a 350ft gorge along the River Ure on the edge of the village of Grewelthorpe this fragile ancient woodland habitat has been restored since the Woodland Trust took over. Stroll along footpaths and woodland walks and spot grottos and glades, temples and waterfalls as well as kingfisher, dipper and grey wagtail.

8 7

VISIT A CHARITY 1. Bransby Horses Thousands of people call in at Bransby Horses’ base near Lincoln every year to meet the hundreds of four-legged residents and stretch their own legs on the miles of pathways across 600 acres of countryside. A café offers seating indoors and outside where visitors can start the day with a hearty breakfast or enjoy filling lunches and lighter bites. There is

6 2

10 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER WALKS

WINTER WALKS

BIRDS YOU MIGHT SPOT

Winter is a magical time to explore a different side to the woods. Wrap up warmly and venture out to be enchanted by hanging icicles, frosty landscapes and spectacular sunsets. Woodland walks when the trees are bare and the undergrowth has died back give you a much better chance of spotting wildlife too. Winter may bring cold weather and darkness, but it’s still a great time to see wildlife. These three species of bird fly hundreds of miles to visit us for winter. Follow our handy ID tips and brighten your winter with a bit of bird spotting!

Penn Wood by Philip Formby/WTML

also a range of takeaway options to enjoy as you wander – or bring a picnic. Dogs on leads are welcome and children will be entertained with family activities to complete as they explore the site – and there’s a prize for finishing the challenge! And no visit would be complete without stepping into the gift shop and the donated goods and tack shop, which both raise money to help the charity continue to provide its vital services for equines in need. Bransby Horses is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and seven days a week during school holidays. To check for the latest on opening times and other details, visit bransbyhorses.co.uk or call 01427 788 464. 2. Oak Tree Animal Sanctuary If you’re in the area for a few days or live nearby, make a rewarding trip to this long-established animal charity near Carlisle, which was initially set up in 1909 to campaign for better working conditions

for pit ponies and working horses. It now provides shelter for equines, goats, cats and dogs, rehabilitating them and finding them their forever homes. Visitors can tuck into a toastie and a warming drink, and maybe something sweet, while taking in the view of the charity’s ponies, horses and donkeys enjoying life in the scenic setting of the Cumbrian Fells. Bag a bargain in the on-site Tack Shack, which offers a wide range of second-hand equestrian equipment with all proceeds benefiting the animals being cared for (visits to the Tack Shack must currently be booked). The site even has its own woodland, Blackburn Wood, with a network of pathways to explore and views across the Pennines, while for £5 an hour dogs can enjoy a range of activities off-lead in The Snuffle Run. For more information and booking details, visit www.oaktreeanimals. org.uk, call 01228 560082 or email info@ oaktreeanimals.org.uk  PROMOTION

HOE GRANGE HOLIDAYS Hoe Grange Holidays is set on the southern edge of the Derbyshire Peak District with direct access to off-road riding routes, including the Pennine Bridleway. There are routes for all abilities from short, traffic-free easy going, to longer routes over hills and open fields. Spacious stables and generous, well-

FIELDFARE Fieldfares are from the thrush family and about the same size. Look for a grey head and tail, brown wings and back with orange colouration around the throat and chest.

REDWING Distinctive red patches on the underside of the wing, and also similar in size to a thrush. They have a brown head with a pale stripe above and below the eye and brown back and wings with a pale mottled front.

drained paddocks make sure your horse is looked after, while you can relax in one of the luxurious log cabins or glamping pods with en-suite. There are hot tubs and a sauna to relieve the post-ride aches. Plenty of parking space for the largest of horseboxes. Bookings are now being taken for 2022.

WAXWING The waxwing is distinctive with its silky grey-pink plumage and crest, black bib under their beaks and a black eye mask which resembles big eyeliner flicks. Their wing and tail tips are also black with some yellow highlighting.

WINTER WALKS - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

THE GIFT THAT GIVES BACK FOR

GENERATIONS Special, unexpected and truly memorable... what greater gift is there than a tree? “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” Amelia Earhart

Visit civictrees.co.uk today or email info@civictrees.co.uk 12 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER WALKS

Supply | Plant | Relocate

Treat your loved one to a tree this festive season Christmas is, among many things, a time for giving and receiving. But once the festivities are over for another year, a lot of people head to the high street to return unwanted presents. While it’s said to be the thought that counts, we’d all like to believe our efforts will be treasured for years to come. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. So, for something special, unexpected and truly memorable, what greater gift is there than a tree? They make fantastic presents for many reasons, leaving a lasting impact long after the Christmas decorations have come down, and offer a number of benefits. For the landowner in your life, trees are highly effective in preventing flood damage and combating soil erosion, can provide habitats for wildlife and perfectly enhance landscapes.

Visit civictrees.co.uk today or email info@civictrees.co.uk

They’re also excellent sources of shelter for horses and livestock, and when leaves shed in Autumn they help to improve the soil fertility of the pasture, resulting in better nutrient uptake. In addition, trees maintain water clarity and absorb nitrates from manure. So you’re not only bestowing a thoughtful gift on a loved one, their horses will thank you for it too. It’s also widely known that trees act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and are proven to have numerous health benefits, including helping to alleviate stress.

You’ll also need to bear in mind the space available, and take into consideration the kind of tree your loved one would appreciate the most too; do they have a penchant for stunning, colourful blossoms, or would they prefer a functional, nonflowering species? At Civic Trees, our team of experts specialise in selecting, sourcing and planting semi-mature specimens, using bespoke systems and implementing aftercare programmes essential for optimum tree health. We’ve been doing it for over 50 years.

When it comes to choosing a tree, it’s best to enlist the help of an expert because you’ll need to consider several factors. For example, certain types of species should be avoided because they contain toxins which can be harmful to horses.

Supply | Plant | Relocate WINTER WALKS - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Together we can save the ones in need Please consider us when thinking about leaving a gift or legacy to charity.

We are 100% volunteer run so your donation WILL make a diﬀerence

PURPLE POPPY

to commemorate animals lost in conﬂicts around the world that ‘had no choice’ but to serve. 100% to Charity.

www.therrc.org.uk

Racehorse Rescue CentreReg. Charity No. 1150864

“a present for life” “Alibaba” ~ the first Marwari ~ orders taken ~ shipping worldwide ~ 14 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER WALKS

www.horseindia.com/bespoke photographs by Kyle Stevenson for Horse India Ltd

So far this year we have

helped over 2000 animals across the region!

Animals and their owners are at the heart of everything at Oak Tree Animals’ Charity. Founded 112 years ago, we have helped thousands of animals find safety and shelter. Our Charity’s history began in London on June 9th, 1909, when animal welfare pioneer Francis Cox launched The National Equine Defence League to improve the plight of the 72,000 pit ponies whose lives were spent hauling heavy coal carts in Britain’s coal mines. Today, based near Carlisle, our Charity continues to promote animal welfare and responsible pet ownership providing homing services for cats, dogs and horses and proactive community support, advice and education. We help owners identify solutions to issues that arise, helping prevent unnecessary pet and owner suffering to ensure pets and owners are able to stay together wherever possible and appropriate, to avoid unnecessary stress. None of this would have been possible without the amazing support of those who generously donate time, items and money to make a real difference... £5 could provide a salt lick for one of our horses looking for a new home. £10 could feed a horse, 2 dogs or 3 cats for a whole week. £25 could keep one of our community vehicles on the road for 24hrs to reach animals in need.

With your support we can help more animals in need! Donate by phone, post or online and quote 'Horse 2021' 01228 560082 - Oak Tree Farm, Wetheral Shields, Carlisle, CA4 8JA

www.oaktreeanimals.org.uk Registered Charity Nos. 1169511/SC048389

Talk to horses in a language they undertand

Shady understands the way horses communicate and what they need from a human, and he uses this knowledge to train horses and solve problems. Shady’s dream is to help humans have a better understanding of horses. For anyone to have a successful relationship, they need will, faith, knowledge, and understanding, patience and feeling. Shady believes that if someone has the first two qualities (will and faith) he can teach them the others. Over the years, Shady has gained experience with many different horses, most of which had some sort of problem that needed to be fixed. Shady learned that many horses become problem horses because of problem people. Humans do not always understand how their actions, body language, and behaviour can impact the horse and how it reacts to a situation. For this reason Shady works with both the horse and the owner: it is only by working in cooperation with each other that the problem can be resolved.

Shady can help you with:

• Leading • Rearing • Spooking • Napping • Bucking • No ‘slow’ • No ‘go’ • Bolting • Loading • Vet • Farrier • Tacking up • Clipping • Mounting • Headshaking …and more Shady can improve your:

• Dressage • Jumping • Hacking …and more

Case Study:

Arty

and his journey with Shady Horsemanship Arty is a now a 5-year old Knabstrupper gelding, beautifully spotted and standing at about 16.2 hh. Shadys first encounter with Arty was to help him with a deep dislike of picking up his back feet. It didn’t take long for Shady to resolve the problem whilst showing Lindsay, Arty’s owner, what she needed to do to keep Arty happy and obliging. With a young 2 year old Arty, Lindsay saw Shady was running an in-hand course at Shenley Stud and signed up although she wasn’t having any particular problems with him. Lindsay had done some horsemanship training some years before, but having seen Shady in action she had been impressed by how he always put the horse first. Lindsay had experienced some trainers who put the ‘show’ first, and sometimes pushed horses further and faster than they were ready to go, but Shady always broke things down into steps, and always took his time. They happily completed the course together and she went on to attend some in-hand shows with a very well-behaved horse. Soon Arty was 3½ years old, and it was time to think about backing him. Shady took about a month to get Arty working under saddle and then he went home for a bit of light ridden work with Lindsay, just walk and trot with some short hacks. He was turned away until the following summer in order to mature some more, then it was off to Shenley Stud again for seven weeks of training. Some of Lindsay’s friends were skeptical because Shady took four weeks before he sat on him again, but Lindsay was confident that Shady was taking just the time needed to get Arty secure in his new life as a ridden horse. Then it was time for Lindsay to go and ride the ‘finished’ Arty, and her reaction was to burst into tears! …tears of happiness!

Since then Arty has gone from strength to strength. He has started his dressage career, winning at intro and prelim. He is Lindsay’s lifetime horse, so she is aiming for steady progress; next on the agenda is popping a few low jumps. He is a willing, calm and responsive horse, and going forward she is hoping to do a bit of everything with him. Shady Horsemanship exercises are still very much on the agenda, both in-hand and ridden. Arty’s ability to stand like a rock at any mounting block is the particular envy of Lindsay’s friends. We hope that Lindsay and Arty’s story show that Shady Horsemanship training is not only for problem horses, and owners in crisis. You can use Shady’s techniques to achieve the best possible relationship with your horse. Shady has built a confident and trusting horse in Arty, and also a confident and trusting rider in Lindsay. We should perhaps give Lindsay the final words “Shady openly shares his tools and techniques, which equips owners to apply them to new learning points as well as reinforce old ones ..... I also do feel that he works carefully with the personality of each horse and doesn’t try to change them or suppress them.” So a happy story for both Lindsay and Arty.

Located at Cheadle, Staffordshire, and you can bring your horse or Shady can visit you. Email: info@shadyhorsemanship.com Tel: 07971 995445 www.shadyhorsemanship.com

about POTTERING

Take over the kitchen table and get crafting this winter to brighten up your home, writes interior designer Zoe Hewett

hether you have a single galley in a tiny cottage or an open-plan diner with an island, it is usually true to say that the kitchen is the heart of any home. What better place to gather not only for socialising and sustenance but also crafting? The humble kitchen table, which bears witness to and evidence of so much life, is practically perfect for becoming a temporary art studio with its proximity to both running water and a warm oven. There’s nowt so charming as unique seasonal decorations that have made been by hand, with love, from honest materials – so why not create a display from your creations in your kitchen? Air-drying clay is fuss-free and very accessible to all ages and abilities. Anything made from it will dry at a good speed near an

are three main techniques. The first is a pinch pot, great for creating those nibbles dishes or trinket pots. Roll a ball of clay then dunk your thumb down into the top to create a well and simply Aga. Available in white, pinch and pinch your soft grey and classic way around to form terracotta from all a bowl shape. Use good independent art a damp sponge and craft shops, it is to smooth the easy to manipulate by surface if you hand and with tools – have the patience even spoons, skewers, for perfection, or cutlery and bathroom embrace the rustic, sponges will do. artistic marks left by The possibilities are your fingers. Using air-drying endless so a few simple clay is child’s play! The second method is suggestions appropriate for winter a coil pot, which is made by are little dishes for serving moreish stacking layers of coils on top of each other. morsels, vase-like vessels for displaying Using two hands, roll out a number of long dried evergreen stems and nightlight holders sausages a little wider than the thickness for tea-light candles. of wall you want. Roll and cut a circle out To build three-dimensional objects there of a layer of clay to form the base, then

18 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

Shaping a pinch pot – you can go as ‘rustic’ as you like!

place your coils around the edge, gradually building up higher as you go. Score lines and a little damp brush or sponge may help stick each one to the last, as will dragging a little of each coil’s clay into the next. You can also choose whether to smooth out the sides or leave the coils visible. To turn a vase into a candle holder simply cut a few holes in the sides to let the light through and cast playful shadows. Rather like pumpkin carving, you can decide whether to poke small or large holes and simple circles over intricate shapes. To construct squarer shapes, the third method involves building with slabs of rolled out clay, adhering them to a base piece with dampened score lines and hand pressure. Thicker pieces of clay will be sturdier, handle better and join more than effectively than thinner ones. Using a rolling pin, flatten out a large piece of clay to approximately three quarters of a centimetre thick and try constructing with that. This way allows you to wrap a rectangle around itself to form a 

Imprinting the clay with a pretty pattern is simple

Look to nature for some beautiful imprint ideas

YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

tube shape, which is ideal for contemporary looking vases, or a cup if you can add a handle too. If all this appeals to your inner architect you could fabricate an entire village of snow-topped, pointy-roofed houses with candlelight emanating from the windows. Creating a patterned texture on the clay surface is a great option too, and sometimes it is easier to do before assembling the pieces. The surface can be given a layer of decorative texture by “drawing”, which could literally be done with a pencil, or pressing leaves, berries and acorns in to leave indentations. With a hot glue gun it is possible to temporarily fix a collection of pretty objects like this onto a rolling pin and experiment with rolling it over the clay surface to see if you like the effect. Readymade rolling pins for both baking and clay craft are available online with an array of intricate laser-cut patterns full of scrolls, forest animals, stars and snowflakes, if you would prefer something with a more professional, crisp-looking finish. Some air-drying clays are paintable, too, so you can really go the extra mile by adding some colour, but to really up the ante with “real” clay and glazing that requires firing in a super-hot kiln oven you could go as far as to make waterproof vessels for winter flowers or mugs for those all-important hot chocolates after a family walk in the cold. Signing up for a pottery class would give you the opportunity to throw clay on a wheel, free from the fear of splashing muddy mess all over the walls at home and allow you to enjoy the benefits of this famously mindful practice. If you can’t wait until then to get started and don’t have the patience for the inevitable weeks of mistakes before creating successful pieces, then why not get a head start at home with a bag of proper earthenware clay. Using those simple handbuilding techniques, and making your own “slip” from watering down clay into a slushy glue to fill your joins, you can make almost anything at home. Give a pottery class a spin, right; ceramic houses, below

Create a floral display to last all winter with dried blooms

20 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

COMPACT TRACTOR ATTACHMENTS wintonmachinery.co.uk

01420 520591 Reuse jars to make scented candles

Once dried out for around a week, it will be ready for a first (or “bisque” firing). Find your nearest ceramic workshop online and book a slot to have your work fired in the kiln. Then you can apply a glaze, clear or coloured, and after a second firing your items will be ready for use. If that has stirred your creative ambitions you could even make your own candles from your kitchen atelier and impress your dinner guests with them afterwards. Readymade candle moulds are available or repurposing leftover jars from last year’s preserves is ideal as you can pop a wick into them and fill up with molten soy wax heated in a pan to a minimum of 48°C. Add a few drops of pure essential oils for fragrance, and vegan, cruelty-free dyes for colour. Do look up tutorials online for more detail and take care around excitable children and pets with that liquefied hot wax. Once completely cooled, trim the wick and adorn your centrepiece – or anywhere else safe – with the candles and enjoy their warm comforting glow with your favourite people. To neglect the mantelpiece if you have one would be criminal and it is deceptively easy and cost-effective to create a magazineworthy design statement if you are prepared to go to a little trouble. If budget allows by all means support your local florist and consider trying a selection of dried flowers and grasses like honesty and pampas for a contemporary, neutral look. If time allows, get out into the landscape and forage for as many evergreens as you can legitimately acquire and carry. Staple or nail a bulbous, asymmetrical form of chicken wire above the mantelpiece and simply fill the holes with your fronds as abundantly as possible. Add a few ribbons here and there or any clay decorations you made and enjoy your display throughout the winter. 

A range of mowers and groundcare machinery ideal for estate owners. Visit our website to ﬁnd your nearest stockist.

YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Rawlings Farm, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire

The Farm is a historical gem, set in a discreet location in the midst of nearly 37 acres of lush Buckinghamshire countryside, only 3.6 miles from Beaconsfield. Situation: The current owners have undertaken considerable renovations in keeping with the style of the original building, most recently in the northern wing. The house is beautifully designed and many of the principal rooms span the width of the house, making the most of the attractive views of the gardens and beyond. The reception hall is centrally located and opens onto the magnificent dual aspect, baronial dining room with an open fire and oak-panelled walls. The breakfast room, kitchen with an oil-fired Aga, utility room and 48 ft cinema room are reached in the right-hand wing, with a staircase down to the climaticallycontrolled wine cellar. There are a total of ten bedrooms on the first floor, many of which have en suite bathrooms. The master bedroom is located in the west wing. It has excellent proportions and lovely views of the gardens from its triple aspects, a dressing room and a spacious bathroom.

Guide Price £7,950,000

This property is available to view on

Hamptons International is a premier estate and letting agent based in London UK with over 140 years experience. www.hamptons.co.uk

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Holme Farm & Oakridge Arena, Collingham, Newark, Nottinghamshire

A unique, versatile opportunity set in the Nottinghamshire countryside. The site has the possibility for use as a private residence set in its own ring-fenced land with extensive equestrian facilities. Situation: Having been built up by our clients since acquired in 2002, The Oakridge Arena at Holme Farm is a highly regarded and internationally renowned equestrian facility. The owners would consider a management hand over period on terms to be agreed if requested but ultimately their wish is to retire. The vendor is prepared to split the site by selling the arena, the associated facilities and approximately 47 acres of land in isolation, with a guide price of £2.7 million. The private house, B&B and paddock, comprising approximately five acres in total, would remain under the existing ownership.

Guide Price £4,795,000

Refurbished & extended eight bedroom detached house | Large extension at second fix stage, inc. swimming pool base Extension also includes gym area, lounge & snooker room | Planning for seven bedroom B&B, partially completed International size equestrian arena with 500 seating capacity | Bar & restaurant (50), courtyard seating area, farm shop Indoor Monarch stabling, additional American style barn stabling | Set in approximately 52 acres | Energy rating B/D

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Dorcas Farm, Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire

A period five bedroom former farmhouse with a detached one bedroom annexe, outbuildings including stables and workshops, a double carport and over 10 acres of grounds with panoramic countryside views. Situation: The outbuildings provide storage of almost 6,000 sq. ft. and includes several barns, nine stables and a tack room. There is also a tennis court (in need of restoration). The property is in a remote location and ideal for a business (subjec to approval) The house and annexe have a total of 4,629 sq. ft. of accommodation. The annexe has a sitting room, a kitchen/dining room and a bathroom on the ground floor with a bedroom on the first floor. The main house has a reception hall, three principal reception rooms, as well as a home office and a more informal family/boot room. There is also a kitchen, utility room and cloakroom on the ground floor. On the first floor the master bedroom has an en suite bathroom and is currently using a fifth bedroom as a dressing room. The guest bedroom has an en suite bathroom, two other bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom and there is also a four piece family bathroom.

Guide Price £2,200,000

Period detached former farmhouse | Five bedrooms four bathrooms | Four principal reception rooms and a family/boot room | Kitchen/breakfast room Utility room cloakroom and cellar | Self-contained one bedroom annexe | Nearly 5 800 sq. ft. of versatile outbuildings including stables barns and workshops Over 10 acres of gardens and grounds tennis court

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Manor Farm House, Kimblewick, Buckinghamshire,

Offering uninterrupted views towards the Chiltern Hills, a well presented family home in grounds of 3.6 acres with stables and paddocks. Situation: Built during the 1980s on the site of a former farm, this is a highly desirable and attractive family home on a generous plot with paddocks offering tranquility in the midst of stunning Chiltern scenery. As soon as one enters the house, one is struck by the generous proportions of the rooms and grandeur of this property. Built in an impressive country house style and well adapted to 21st century living, the house benefits from numerous large windows and sliding doors, taking advantage of natural daylight and offering magnificent views across the vale to the hills beyond. The main reception room rooms open off the partly woodpanelled hall and several are dual aspect. The 24’6” by 21’ kitchen/breakfast room occupies a dual aspect corner position and has large floor to ceiling windows and a door to the terrace at the rear of the house. Features include the high gloss fitted units, an island with a natural stone surface, stainless-steel counters and stone tiling on the floor. The drawing room and dining/family room are both equipped with wood-burning stoves.

Guide Price £1,800,000

This property is available to view on

Hamptons International is a premier estate and letting agent based in London UK with over 140 years experience. www.hamptons.co.uk

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

We treat your Home like Our Home

Midland Tank Services is a family run, local business with over 30 years experience, specializing in the supply and installation of new, replacement oil tanks and oil boilers across, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and surrounding areas. We can also supply a range of livestock drinkers and Agri products for rainwater harvesting, troughs and foot baths etc. We aim to offer a rapid response and assistance to emergency calls. We are OFTEC registered and approved, our engineers are fully trained and qualified to manage your project from start to completion.

At Naturally Of Earth, we strive for excellence. So if you’re looking to create a bathroom that has a look that is totally unique, then look no further.

If you are looking to replace your oil tank or boiler due to age or plans to extend your home you can be assured that we will handle your requirements in a professional, respectful manner and treat your home and garden as we would our own. For a free, no obligation site survey and quotation please call us on T: 01905 757583 or email: midlandtankservices@gmail.com

www.naturallyofearth.co.uk

e: sales@naturallyofearth.co.uk t: 07979606961

Established since the early 1980’s

We provide a comprehensive range of Tarmacadam and Asphalt laying services in Devon.

Newbridge Tar Paving provide a range of laying surfaces from the simple garden paths to roads, tracks and drives our team are skilled in machine-lay and hand-lay techniques and can handle any job.

Newbridge Stone Quarry, Dolton, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8RQ

Email: info@newbridgetarpaving.co.uk Oﬃce 01805 804 567 Mobile 07778 294 904

www.newbridgetarpaving.co.uk

Car parks • Roads and farm lanes • Forecourts • Driveways • Garden Paths • Hot tar and chipping road dressings • Tarmacadam hand or machine-laid

30 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

Bespoke kitchens & cabinetry handmade in the Cotswolds We are a family run company that’s been producing the highest in quality bespoke kitchen cabinetry for over 20 years. Combining our experience with high quality materials, handmade craftsmanship and bespoke designs means that a Parlour Farm kitchen will complement and enhance your home. Whether it’s a large or small kitchen, or if it’s for a period property or cutting edge modern design we can deliver the look and feel you desire.

Why not book an appointment to come in and discuss your kitchen with us

t: 01285 885 336 I e: info@parlourfarm.com I www.parlourfarm.com 12 Wilkinson Road, Love Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1YT Showroom open: Monday to Friday: 9am-5pm, Saturday: 9am-4pm, Sunday: Closed Proud to work with

Larkhill, Wantage, Oxfordshire

Larkhill Farm is a spacious and flexible property on the edge of the desirable market town of Wantage, set in extensive grounds and with panoramic views of the Oxfordshire countryside. Situation: The main house boasts four large double bedrooms, including a ground floor ensuite double bedroom with its own access, open plan kitchen / living areas set in beautiful gardens & grounds extending to 2.1 acres. What sets the property apart is the exceptionally spacious and versatile modern detached barn, outbuildings, double garage and 1-2 bedroom annexe, offering the flexibility for a multitude of lifestyles and uses.

Guide Price £1,750,000

Main house 3262sq ft | Exceptional master ensuite with vaulted ceilings | Three additional large double bedrooms | Open plan Kitchen/dining/family room Close to Wantage but with no immediate neighbours | Versatile barn and ancillary space totalling 2565 sq.ft | Flexibility for offices/studio/gym/car storage Detached double garage and 905 sq.ft annexe | Space for tennis court /swimming pool | Freehold

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Nine Ashes, West End, Stagsden, Bedfordshire

A detached four bedroom, four bath/shower room former farmhouse with equestrian facilities and landscaped gardens and paddocks of approximately 4.25 acres in a rural position. Situation: The property has been significantly enlarged and refurbished including window furniture by Jim Lawrence, refitted contemporary sanitaryware throughout, and a custom built kitchen by Neptune with an Aga. The reception hall has an exposed feature fireplace housing a log burning stove and a French limestone tiled floor incorporating underfloor heating which continues throughout the ground floor. The sitting room and snug both have Limestone fireplaces housing log burning stoves and glazed double doors to the side. The family area off the kitchen has a bespoke range of fitted storage cupboards. There is also a separate utility room and a shower room

Guide Price £1,650,000

Detached former farmhouse with equestrian facilities | Four double bedrooms; four bath/shower rooms | Reception hall and three reception rooms Open plan kitchen/dining/family room | LPG fired heating | Landscaped gardens and paddocks of 4.25 acres | Handmade double glazed windows Four stables haybarn tackroom feed store manège gym/store workshop and carport

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Arden House Farm, Marston, Staffordshire

A substantial and refurbished 1911 farmhouse, together with triple garage block, two stable blocks, menage and 9.29 acres. Situation: Marston is a pretty, rural village just to the north-east of the county town of Stafford and within close proximity to a number of village centres including Weston which is just a short drive away, with a plethora of local amenities including a village shop, two public houses, active village hall and luxury hotel with restaurant. There is good access from the property to all major road networks including the M6 motorway at junctions 13 and 14. Stafford inter-city mainline railway station allows a fast commute into London and other major cities.

Guide Price £1,595,000

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Tetbury Rocking Horses Traditional Wooden Rocking Horse Makers

Each horse is exquisitely carved and the saddle and bridle handmade from fine quality tanned English leather. Available in four sizes, a range of hand painted colours and stands to match your surroundings  For Sale  Special Commissions  Restoration and Repair

Hand carved, hand painted and handed to you

Showroom Open: Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm The Old Cinema Cropston Road Anstey Leicestershire LE7 7BP

0116 232 3175

www.broughtons.com

sales@broughtons.com

from £99 to £19,999

for years of enjoyment.

See our website and facebook page to discover more or call to arrange a visit to our workshop in Stroud

01453 873 853 or 07717 47 21 29 www.tetburyrockinghorses.co.uk QUOTE YHC10 FOR 10% OFF YOUR FIRST

ORDER New pianos, old pianos, tall pianos, short pianos, baby grands, concert grands, brown pianos, black pianos, purple pianos, decorated pianos

We not only sell pianos, we have a team of specialised technicians who are here to restore, tune and give advice on all aspects of the piano. We also have a piano moving team who deliver and safely move your piano whether you are changing home or just yourmusic room!

Whatever instrument you would like to learn we are here to help.

Why not call to book a FREE trial lesson on the instrument of your choice?

All Instruments Ltd. The "family music store"

X Call 01373 859044 Y or visit www.allinstruments.com a Nationwide suppliers of instruments & accessories

38 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YOUR COUNTRY PROPERTY

Old Park Lane, Farnham

A nicely presented 3 bedroom barn conversion offering pleasing and easy accommodation with a good degree of flexibility. Situation: The conversion has been completed well using good quality fittings and finishes including a good specification kitchen breakfast room and a very comfortable main reception room. The property has some lovely open views from most rooms and there is scope for further development if needed for additional accommodation subject to planning approval utilising the wooden barn on the rear elevation and the wooden stables as you enter the courtyard. A very rare opportunity to secure a charming home in a most convenient spot situated withe equestrian facilities only a few minutes’ drive from Farnham town centre but enjoying a stunning semi-rural location.

Guide Price £1,450,000

This property is available to view on

Hamptons International is a premier estate and letting agent based in London UK with over 140 years experience. www.hamptons.co.uk

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

The Pump House, West Hagbourne, Didcot, Oxfordshire

Sitting near Didcot with superb country views to absorb, The Pump House was designed by the current award winning Architect owners and offers light, flexible accommodation throughout. Situation: An exciting opportunity to purchase an individually designed home which sits on a superb plot of around 1.6 acres with the benefit of equestrian facilities, with the option of renting or purchasing an additional 2 acres. There are three bedrooms and an outstanding open plan entertaining room complete with exposed well/wine cellar. There is an annexe currently set up as an office which could be used as a fourth bedroom.

Offers Over £1,000,000 42 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

This property is available to view on

43 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse &Thinking Country Magazine of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

Springfield Cottage, Lower Street, Ninfield, East Sussex

A spacious family house set down a private no-through road within easy walking distance of the village stores/Post Office and primary school, with attractive gardens and paddocks with stabling - in all about 3.4 acres Situation: Springfield Cottage is a desirable family house set at the end of a no-through road within the Claverham School catchment area. The house is of brick construction beneath a pitch tiled roof, there are sealed unit double glazed windows and oil-fired central heating.

Guide Price £925,000 - £975,000

Situated in Ninfield village | Private lane location | Claverham School Catchment Area | Family house with 6 bedrooms | Stable block and paddocks About 3.4 acres

This property is available to view on

Thinking of selling your property? Call us on 01454 318 780

THE COOLEST LOOKS FOR COLD DAYS

 McDonnell Sweater Dress in Dusky Green from Dubarry of Ireland – a cosy knit in a single colour combines two trends

Fashion is emerging from a long hibernation – Kathy Carter rounds up the top trends for winter

ashion retailers are predicting a sartorial revival this winter, now we’re getting back to our previous socialising and spending habits. Here are ten ways in which you can bring your fashionista credentials bang up to date, ready for 2022.

COSY UP Equestrian enthusiasts have long known about the benefits of comfortable outfits, so it is no surprise that warm and comfy are buzz words for this season. Full-length maxi knits and layered looks are definitely popular. Think cosy turtlenecks and knitted vests, and what designers are calling mega knits –

46 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER FASHION

oversized items like long jumper tunics, and wide scarves. (This may not work so well at the yard with horse hair and stray pieces of hay – so perhaps keep it for work and home!)

MATCH-MAKING Single-colour work and evening wear outfits are reportedly the way to go this winter – it is the fashionista’s version of monosyllabic. Match a blazer and top with “matchy matchy” tights and shoes for a smart and fashionable look. (Who knew that your horse, with his matching saddle cloth, ear bonnet and bandages, would be influencing the high street a couple of years down the line?)

WINTER FASHION

SHOW YOUR TRUE COLOURS

ranny Smith green is reportedly one of the colours to be seen in this season, while brown is another hue that the clothes retailers are loving. Naturally, the countryside enthusiasts among us know all about dressing in “natural” and neutral hues! The colour experts at Pantone have highlighted Cascade, a pretty teal green that’s “connected to cleansing waters”; Coral Rose, a rusty, pinky orange with an “energising presence”; Super Sonic, a reliable navy hue that’s “electric in intensity”; and Coffee Quartz, a lovely rich brown that is “flavourful”, as being popular colours for 2022. Representing the aforementioned Granny Smith green is a colour the Pantone team has identified as Fragile Sprout (which sounds like the ideal name for a racehorse!); a sharp and acidic lime green shade that would look fantastic as a shirt or top, paired with darker blue or brown jeans, or trousers.

 The rich brown Women’s Newbury Gilet from Oxford Blue

CASCADE

COFFEE QUARTZ

FRAGILE SPROUT

CORAL ROSE

SUPER SONIC

 THERMO Technical Riding Tights in Royal Blue/Orange from Scorching North – warm and in this season’s colours!

FLAMBOYANT FLORALS Florals are definitely still popular on the high street, especially in outerwear like rain macs. While we’ve seen understated, dainty and ditsy prints becoming popular in the summer months, this winter they’re oversized and graphic! This flowery trend is definitely not just for summer-wear. The trick to make florals work for winter is to pair lighter coloured items like shirts with darker coloured knitwear and jeans, and to look for big, bold prints like poppies, which use red and black colourways. Team your outerwear florals with cosy, long boots.

TOP MARKS Another trendy look is the dark academia aesthetic, which is preppy with a gothic influence. Think tweed skirts or trousers, 

WINTER FASHION - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Zebra Products Mattes saddle cloth The Cavallo Bunny Ladies Quilted Long Coat Black is a beautifully, feather-light padded long coat perfect for the dreaded winter ahead! The beautiful Bunny long coat has a warm ﬁlling made of fake down so you get all the warmth and lightness of down ﬁll without the maintenance! The shimmering, iridescent upper material gives this long coat that touch of style whilst still being practical.

RRP

The E.A. Mattes Dressage Pad offers the ultimate in horse comfort and a classic look. It places premium quality genuine Mattes sheepskin wool fibers directly on your horse’s back. Particularly well suited to sensitive-skinned horses, the dense and fluffy wool fibers allow air to circulate to help keep your horse’s back cool, provide superior cushioning, mold to your horse and distribute pressure while eliminating friction.

RRP

£50.00

£169.00

EGO7 ORION EGO7 Orion, tall riding boots with a modern design and high-end style, lace-up jumping boots made from full grain leather with elastic laces detail and extrasoft leather front. All EGO7 models have a rear elastic band. This ensures maximum comfort, freedom of movement and a glove-like, made-tomeasure ﬁt-and look- to any calf, together with extreme wear resistance and easy care of the innovative E-tex material. The full-length panel protects effectively the inner calf and guarantees a perfect contact with the horse.

RRP

For the stormy season

The uvex crx 700 equestrian glove is an all-rounder for the stormy season: using a range of high-quality functional materials, these gloves combine all of the characteristics that any rider could want in autumn and winter. Thanks to Schoeller® soft shell, the new uvex riding gloves are your ideal companion in wind, wetness and the cold – both in the stable and in the saddle.

RRP

£41.99

£315.00

ABSOLUTE LINE Wider, stronger, safer: the new frontier of absolute protection. Veredus has developed a concept of total protection by extending the gel and carbon protective surface from the ﬂexor tendon to the fetlock. The new concept of the Absolute line also collects the legacy and characteristics of the VENTO line, maintaining a double ventilation and therefore ensuring an exceptional degree of breathability.

RRP £215.00

Zebra Products is the UK and Ireland’s leading distributor of premium equestrian brands catering for horse and rider.

Phone: +44 (0)1352 763350 E-Mail: info@zebraproducts.co.uk www.zebraproducts.co.uk 48 | WINTER 2022 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER WINTER FASHION FASHION - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 | 48

WINTER FASHION

CUTESY KAWAII u LeMieux Unicorn iPhone Case and Ariat Youth Flower Crown Long Sleeve T Shirt, below, both from Country and Stable of Olney

For the younger shoppers among us, kawaii style is definitely popular. Kawaii is a Japanese term and “aesthetic” that affirms childlike and pretty things – think “anthropomorphic” imagery like the Hello Kitty brand, in addition to candy or ice cream motifs, and cuteness in general. Kawaii visuals are seen in a range of colours, but are most commonly associated with pastels, commonly pink and white.

neutral cardigans and retro, bookish satchels. (If the outfit would not look out of place in a 19th-century boarding school, or a Harry Potter film, you have the right idea.) Items within this trend are usually repurposed and vintage, or have that look about them, and are in autumnal hues like browns and maroons. Team with chunky low heels and a tweed jacket – glasses really complete the “I’ve come straight from the library” look. (While the Kawaii aesthetic. above, is definitely feminine, the dark academia silhouette is more androgynous, and works for anyone that does not want to fit into any gender definition. It’s much more in line with the “English countryside” look!)

There are lots of sub-genres, and this look is pretty much as far removed from sensible countryside and equestrian fashion as you can get – although oversized hoodies with cute animal-based graphics will certainly see you through most eventualities when you look after animals, and spend time outdoors!

peruse the winter shop rails. The summer’s striped items, such as polo tops, will still work well for winter when paired with a warm zip-up top and gilet. For the riders among us, pull-on breeches are still very popular this season (thank goodness, as they’re so practical and comfortable – as well as flattering, with their wide waistbands that tend to “hold in” and flatter the abdominal area); and often double up as athleisure too, taking us from school run to gym to stable yard. Grey, plum and navy seem to be the de rigueur colours for breeches this season, and you can find some lovely cold-weather versions with thicker material, fleecy linings and water-resistant coatings.

q Simple, stylish Cavallo Caja Grip breeches from Zebra Products

PICK A PUFFER

PLAIN AND SIMPLE Despite florals being the go-to pattern for non-equestrian wear, simple and plain outfits are still in favour at your local countryside equestrian store. As we have seen, brown is a popular colour, and tones like redwood, a rich rusty colour, and camel hues are definitely giving us lots of choice, as we

p Master the academia trend with Oxford Blue’s Ladies London Tattersall Shirt, top, or Dubarry of Ireland’s Blossom Tweed Skirt

Puffer jackets, as the non-horsey clientele tend to spell this form of apparel, are “in” again this year (surely they never went out?). Duvet dressing in cosy, puffy coats is once again all the rage. This trend sees us dressing in thick jackets filled with cosy filling – many are a little Eightiesinspired, and this season’s length pleasingly covers the posterior. The horsey-set have known about the u

WINTER FASHION - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

WINTER FASHION

Add a bit of bling with some crystals and positive motifs this season

Puffa jacket for decades, of course, since the iconic brand pioneered this cosy type of outerwear well over 40 years ago, using eiderdown quilts. Dark red and pink tones are seemingly quite popular this season, if you’re going for a puffer coat, and the equestrian versions are noticeably less puffy than their high street counterparts.

A LITTLE EXTRA FROM ELICO Introducing an extra extra wide calf, leather waterproof country boot from Elico Equestrian. The Elico Roundhay country boot has discreet calf gusset and the top is finished with a drawstring detail. A dark brown boot available in sizes 5,6 7 and 8. RRP £105. For full details, see www.elico.co.uk

wonderfully warm and tactile against the skin, too.

IT’S CRYSTAL CLEAR

If you’re looking to update your jewellery wardrobe, motifs representing positivity and caring, as well as healing crystals, are this season’s pieces of choice. If you’re looking for a pendant for yourself, or to gift, clear quartz is considered to be a master healer. It’s said to amplify energy by absorbing, storing, ACCESSORISING p Dublin Ladies Gemma Puffer Jacket from Country releasing, and regulating it. When you’re and Stable of Olney Rose quartz is said to help accessorising this year, look out for a printed “carryall” – an oversized restore trust and harmony in many different kinds of relationships, thus improving close bag that will hold just about anything you connections, while jasper is the supreme may need throughout your busy day. nurturer, said to empower the spirit, protect Shearling (real wool) slides or sliders were us from negative energies, and promote popular as summer shoes (hardly suitable courage. Meanwhile, obsidian is said to help as yard wear, however), and fluffy accents form a shield against physical and emotional are now also popular on winter boots. Look negativity and promote strength, clarity, and out for faux materials to support animal compassion, to help us find a true sense of welfare concerns. Statement silk scarves are self. Look out for preloved items in charity definitely popular and offer endless styling and vintage shops! n possibilities, not least as hair ties; they’re

50 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - WINTER FASHION

CLASSIC ENGLISH COUNTRY CLOTHING

tel +44 (0)121 233 1372 info@oxford-blue.com

SAY GOODBYE TO COLD FEET! Any leg height and calf width. Gaiters ladies’ and men’s. any calf width

Never suffer again!

Equitector Climate Control Technology Prevents cold feet even at minus 20 C Other features: • Hoof Proof toe protection • Water proof leather • Stirrup foot balance system • Rot proof soles and uppers • Super comfortable • Long lasting quality

Empowering Riders

To feel conﬁdent, comfortable, healthy and stylish in their sporting underwear

Ultimate e Comfort for th Perfect Seat Customer Care:

+44 (0) 1386 853039

info@derriereequestrian.com www.derriereequestrian.com

Made in UK

Manufacturers of ﬁne riding boots For more information www.equitector.com 0208 090 4029

☎

52 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Gain condition this winter

“I will not feed him anything else now! ”

Suitable for equines prone to gastric ulcers as part of a balanced diet High in fibre containing Beta-Glucans Contains prebiotics and a probiotic

Late winter 2019 I distinctly remember feeling down about Smurf’s weight and condition. He was incredibly fussy, kicking well-known brands of feed around his stable, uninterested in eating.

• Fully balanced with vitamins & minerals

After copious amounts of research, I introduced him to Allen & Page’s Soothe & Gain, and I will not feed him anything else now! He loves it, he looks great, and when I take him out to competitions, I have people telling me how fabulous he looks… I couldn’t be happier, (and his new whinny at feed times tells me all I need to know!)

• Contains a probiotic and prebiotics

– Jessica Shopland and Smurf

• High energy, high calorie • Suitable for horses and ponies prone to gastric ulcers

Contact our award-winning helpline for nutritional advice 01362 822 902 | helpline@allenandpage.co.uk www.allenandpage.com

Nutritional needs of ulcer prone horses Joanna Palmer, Equine Nutritionist at Allen & Page Quality Horse Feeds

Gastric ulcers or Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) was once considered a problem that primarily affected racehorses and performance horses, but recent research now shows that up to 50% of leisure horses suffer from gastric ulcers, and retired and field-kept horses can suffer too. Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at Allen & Page Horse Feeds explains how best to feed and manage ulcer prone horses and ponies to promote digestive health and aid weight gain this winter.

Gastric ulcers are erosions of the stomach lining caused by exposure to gastric acid or due to lack of mucus protection. Horses with EGUS can suffer pain and discomfort that leads to changes in temperament as well as reduced performance, weight loss and general poor condition. Alongside appropriate veterinary treatment, it is vital to reduce stress by providing careful management and as natural a lifestyle as possible. A suitable feeding plan that meets the specific nutritional needs of ulcer prone horses will support a healthy digestive system and help avoid reoccurrence in the future. For horses with gastric issues research suggests providing a diet with as low starch and sugar level as possible is highly beneficial (preferably less than 2g of starch per kg body weight a day, but ideally less than 1g per kg body weight per meal). Keeping a low starch and sugar level can be helped by avoiding feeds which contain ingredients such as whole cereal grains and molasses. It is also important to ensure that every horse has constant access to grazing or forage because

this will keep the stomach full

and reduce exposure of the stomach lining to the ulcer causing acid. Horses have a greater tendency to lose weight in the winter when grazing quality declines but feeding ad lib forage in the field and when stabled can help to prevent unwanted weight loss. Feeding forage or chaff before exercise will form a mat of fibre which can help stop acid splashing onto the upper portion of the stomach that is more prone to ulceration. The process of chewing also promotes the production of saliva, which being alkaline is the horse’s natural defence against gastric acid.

Soothe & Gain is a high calorie, low starch, and low sugar, soaked feed suitable for horses and ponies prone to gastric ulcers. With a high calorie/energy level it is ideal for horses in harder work and those that need to put on or maintain weight and condition. The energy that Soothe & Gain supplies is from fibre and oil, providing an excellent source of slow release, stamina-giving energy. Being whole cereal grain free and molasses free it is low in starch and low in sugar, ideal for those that react negatively to high starch diets. The fibre sources in Soothe & Gain are also high in Beta-Glucans that form a gel like consistency, which helps to moderate the speed of feed through the stomach and intestines, meaning the stomach remains fuller for longer. Soothe & Gain contains stomach soothing ingredients, a probiotic, and a blend of prebiotics to help support healthy digestion. As well as being fully balanced with vitamins and minerals, this feed also contains a careful selection of herbs: mint, nettle, dandelion and fenugreek, for their well-known properties and ensures Soothe & Gain is highly palatable.

For more information on Soothe & Gain and feeding your ulcer prone horse, visit: www.allenandpage.com or call the award winning nutrition helpline on 01362 822 902

TOP OF THE PUPS

Agility Championship at Crufts 2020. Photo: Yulia Titovets/The Kennel Club

After a year off, Crufts is bounding back into the arena to put top dogs in the spotlight. As well as the famous competitions, the event is also a chance to ﬁnd out more about the rare breeds at risk of disappearing, explains The Kennel Club

rufts, the world’s best celebration of dogs, is back, celebrating dogs of all shapes, sizes and nationalities From traditional showing, which showcases the best of all 221 breeds, to exciting competitions like flyball and agility, anybody can take part with their dog. The four-day event returns to the NEC in Birmingham from March 10 to 13, 2022, and boasts a diverse programme of dog competitions in different categories and levels, including the finale of the prestigious Hero Dog Award, which recognises unsung canine heroes, and a celebration of crossbreeds with the Scruffts final. There will also be opportunities to meet and greet around 200 different breeds in the Discover Dogs area, shop for doggie merchandise at the many specialist trade stands and enjoy the full arena show with all its displays and competitions. Elsewhere, stands and areas offer an opportunity to learn more about other Kennel Club activities, including partnerships with veterinary and animal health organisations

that fuel research into treatments of various canine conditions and diseases. Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations will be showcasing their hard work and successes in rehoming breed rescue dogs at The Kennel Club stand, where visitors can find out about rescue dogs looking for their forever home and learn more about finding a responsible breeder.

HISTORY OF CRUFTS The show, as we know it, began in 1891 at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, although Crufts’ founder, Charles Cruft, first ran a show just for terriers as far back as 1886. The first Best in Show competition was in 1928, when Greyhound Primley Sceptre was crowned the first Best in Show champion. Since then, there have been 82 Best in Show winners, with 45 different breeds winning the title over the years. The show was not held between 1942 and 1947 due to the Second World War, but returned in 1948 to Olympia London, with 84 breeds entered (almost double the number

56 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - MAN’S BEST FRIEND

of breeds at the inaugural show in 1891) and over the years the show continued to grow, becoming an obedience championship show in 1955, with the introduction of agility in 1978. For the Crufts Centenary Show in 1991, the show was held for the first time at its now current home of the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and was officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest dog show.

PREVIOUS BEST IN SHOW WINNERS The Cocker Spaniel has won the most Best in Show titles, with seven wins, followed by the Irish Setter, Poodle and Welsh Terrier which have won on four occasions each. Mr HS “Bert” Lloyd was a dominant breeder and exhibitor during the 1940s and 1950s and won a record six Best in Show awards with Cocker Spaniels both before and after the Second World War. Three of his dogs won it twice. More recently, the winner of Best in Show 

MAN’S BEST FRIEND

VULNERABLE BREEDS

Here is a selection of some of the vulnerable breeds that visitors can meet at Crufts

BEARDED COLLIE

y Sponsor a Pupp

Just £5 a month

partnership g pa n ng hangin hang fe-chang li life-changi o life pup to om pu From

Traditionally used for herding cattle and sheep in the Borders and Highlands of Scotland, the Bearded Collie is a responsive, intelligent and hardworking breed. Photo: Rachel Oates/The Kennel Club

BULL TERRIER (MINIATURE) Photo: Rachel Oates/The Kennel Club

Miniature Bull Terriers are courageous and strong dogs, but they are also known for their funloving attitude. Whilst full of spirit and sometimes stubborn, they are also affectionate and love to stay by their owner’s side, whether that is outside on a walk or curling up indoors.

DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only breed to have its own tartan! An iconic Scottish dog, with particularly expressive eyes and a distinctive trim focused on the top of their heads, Dandie Dinmonts are intelligent and determined but are also sensitive and affectionate.

I’m sponsoring Storm I’

I’m sponsoring Logan I’

Choo Loga se n

Choose Storm

Sponsor Storm or Logan and be part of their journey to becoming amazing assistance dogs. Watch them develop their skills and learn about their training to become a future life-changer, able to support a physically disabled child or adult, or support an autistic child.

FOX TERRIER (SMOOTH) The friendly and fearless Smooth Fox Terrier is the oldest of the fox terrier breeds and brings with it a rich history. Fox Terriers were first seen at a dog show in 1862, and by the start of the 20th century the Fox Terrier was the most popular breed in England.

You’ll receive: • Fantastic free gift • Welcome pack • Regular updates • Option to give as a gift

WIN! Sign up today and you can win a year's sponsorship! Remember to mention Your Horse & Country Magazine when you sign up to qualify.

GORDON SETTER Gordon Setters take their name from the Duke of Gordon, who introduced the breed in the early 19th century in Scotland. They are recognisable by their black and tan shiny coat and enjoy long and active exercise, both on land and in water.

* Please note that from Nov 2021 we will change the puppies available to sponsor.

www.dogsforgood.org /donate/puppy Photo: Rachel Oates/The Kennel Club

or scan this QR code Dogs for Good – 01295 252 600. Registered Charity in England & Wales: 1092960 Registered in Scotland: SC039828.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

FUN FACTS

 Over 20,000 dogs competed at Crufts 2020.  Hundreds of crossbreeds take part in Crufts, through agility, flyball, obedience, heelwork to music, Scruffts and Friends for Life competitions.  Crufts covers more than 25 acres of the NEC in Birmingham. This includes five halls, and the Resorts World Arena.  The oldest dog to win Best in Show was a Flat Coated Retriever, aged nine years and seven months in 2011.  The youngest dog to win Best in

Show was a Bulldog, aged one year and three months, in 1952.  One parent and offspring pair have won Best in Show at Crufts – an Irish Setter sire and son in 1993 and 1999.  A small number of exhibitors have won Best in Show at Crufts twice, but only one kennel has bred two winners. Mike Gadsby and Jason Lynn bred a Standard Poodle which won in 2014 and an American Cocker Spaniel which won in 2017. Both were handled and co-owned by Jason.

Heelwork to music at Crufts 2020 and, inset, Best in Show 2020 winner Maisie the WireHaired Dachshund with owner Kim McCalmont. Photos: Yulia Titovets/The Kennel Club

at Crufts 2020 was Maisie (Ch Silvae Trademark), pictured, a Wire-Haired Dachshund, the first of her breed to be awarded the title.

MEET THE VULNERABLE BREEDS Among the 221 dog breeds in the UK, there are 32 so-called “vulnerable native breeds”, dogs that originate from Britain and Ireland, but are at risk of disappearing from our streets and parks due to their low numbers. In 2003, The Kennel Club created the Vulnerable Native Breeds List, in order to protect these dogs. The list monitors those breeds where there are fewer than 300 puppies born each year as well as “At Watch” breeds – those with between 300 and 450 puppies born and registered with The Kennel Club annually. These lists include breeds like the Old English Sheepdog (which was classed as vulnerable for the first time this year), the Cardigan Welsh Corgi (the less famous cousin to the Queen’s Corgi) and the Cairn Terrier, which many people will know

as Toto from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. We are so lucky to have such a varied and diverse range of breeds, and with 221 pedigree breeds, there really is a breed to suit everyone. Discover Dogs, taking place at Crufts, will have breed experts and owners on hand to tell you

NEW TURMERITCH™ FOR DOGS NEW from The Golden Paste Company, TurmerItch™ for Dogs is a carefully formulated supplement that soothes to reduce itching, improves skin and coat health, promotes hair re-growth and helps to repel insects. The succulent salmon triangles are easy to feed as dogs find them irresistible, and thanks to the enhanced bioavailability of all the key ingredients TurmerItch™ for Dogs is highly effective making it the ideal daily coat and skin supplement for your dog.

58 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - MAN’S BEST FRIEND

everything you need to know about these rare breeds. In addition, to raise further awareness of vulnerable British and Irish breeds, and to recognise those people who are dedicated to their survival and prosperity, The Kennel Club created the Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds competition in 2015, which culminates in a grand final at Crufts.  PROMOTION

The high quality ingredients in TurmerItch™ for Dogs include Turmeric, Red Bush Tea, Chamomile, Apple Cider Vinegar, Milk Thistle, Lemongrass, Thyme, Cooked Linseed, Sweet Potato and Salmon. Available from your local retailer or online at goldenpastecompany. co.uk, a tube of TurmerItch™ for Dogs retails at around £28.99.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND

MORE VULNERABLE BREEDS

IRISH WOLFHOUND 07784 501 425 | www.katherinepartis.com

Irish Wolfhounds are known for being exceptionally calm and friendly. They are the tallest of all the breeds and, combined with their temperament, are often nicknamed the “gentle giant”.

KERRY BLUE TERRIER This breed’s name is derived from both its place of origin as well as its glamorous coat and colour. However, it has always retained the feisty Terrier spirit whilst still being graceful and alert.

OTTERHOUND One of the most rare and vulnerable UK breeds, the Otterhound is an easygoing and good-natured dog. Their weather-resistant coat and webbed feet means they are just as comfortable in water as they are on land.

Swedish clothing and outwear, British footwear available online www.katherinepartis.com

RETRIEVER (CURLY COATED) Both the oldest and tallest of the Retriever breeds, this dog has a very distinctive coat of small, tight curls. Photo: Rachel Oates/The Kennel Club

A vulnerable native breed, and cousin to the more famous and Queen’s favourite the Pembroke Corgi, Cardigan Welsh Corgis are intelligent little dogs. Despite their short legs, Corgis are active, alert dogs originally bred to help farmers with livestock.

Photo: Rachel Oates/The Kennel Club

WELSH CORGI (CARDIGAN)

www.thecanineedge.co.uk MAN’S BEST FRIEND - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

ex P a op cha rt n tio g n e

Magnetic Fetlock Band

NEW Fetlock Boost An even s tr magnetionger force! c

Designed to help reduce swelling and general stiffness in the joints, to speed up healing and general wellbeing to the whole body. No need for Boots or Wraps  The unique design and hard wearing material are unlike similar products on the market,  Generates no heat, so can be worn 24/7 in or out and in all weathers,  Even when riding out or competing. The high powered magnetic field covers a large area and penetrates deep through the fetlock into both muscle and tissue and into the main artery which then carries the benefit throughout the whole body by stimulating and improving overall blood flow.

Check out the coin test on the website and see if your product has the same magnetic strength. Contact us now to find out more about relieving pain and soothing aching joints in your horse.

www.pulsemagnetics.co.uk Horse Magnetic Fetlock Band single - £35 pack of 2 - £65

Tel: 01277 896266 | Email: ray@pulsemagnetics.co.uk

PULSE MAGNETICS Made entirely in the UK by Pulsemagnetics (MAGNETiC)

60 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - MAN’S BEST FRIEND

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW I t’s

how they love to play. And if you let them... Oh, they’d play that way all day! That’s why you feed your dog Celtic Connection Holistic Pet Food.

Because Celtic Connection not only provides the natural meat-based nutrition and functional herbs your dog needs to stay strong and healthy, it also includes glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM to support their joints and keep them active and playful. So they can continue to dash around together, for many years to come.

Grain and Gluten-free · Hypoallergenic · 100% Human-Grade Quality (HGQ) Ingredients · Unique Patented ‘Single Source Protein Philosophy’ · Made with both Fresh and Dehydrated Meat · Includes therapeutic amounts of functional herbs · Added glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM for comfortable joints · Gently steamed recipes · Veterinarian Recommended · Ideal for dogs with skin or digestion issues · Formulated for all Life Stages · Proudly Made in the U.K. · Also available as tinned recipes

PET FOOD MADE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR PET W W W.C E LT I C C O N N E C T I O N P E T F O O D.C O.U K

Botanica succeeds where all others have failed, used by top trainers, studs and riders around the world... Manufacturers of natural herbal creams, washes and sprays. Used to treat all skin conditions. Botanica’s herbal blends work to promote healthy cell growth and complete recovery without scarring e.g. rain scald, mud rash, cracked heels, girth scald, cuts, grazes, sweet itch etc.

Natural herbal cream, washes and sprays for skin conditions, created using a unique blend of natural ingredients that promote effective and complete healing... naturally! LCH Laboratory Paris tested. Can be used before, during and after competition.

“

I have been using Botanica Herbal Cream and Cleansing Wash for several years with great success. I have treated wounds, cracked heels, rain scald and pruritus (sweet-itch) all with positive client feedback.... Botanica products speed up the healing process and can reduce convalescence by half. Caroline Berry MvB, MRCVS

“

”

We have been using Botanica products for the past two years on a variety of conditions including: cracked heels, cuts and sores, rain scald, sweet itch, mud rash... it has always worked very well and we’re pleased with the results.

”

Auburn Equine Clinic, Co Antrim Alfonso Martin BVSc GPCertEP MRCVS,

NATURES HEALING ENERGY

@Botanica_ie

Find & Like us on

Facebook

Botanica International Ltd

botanicainternational

F 9 L O .9 IA 4 EC £ SP LY ON

s& m er *T

nutraquin+ works fast and is trusted by thousands of vets across the UK and Ireland for pets with stiff joints.

R FE

ld. ho se ou rh pe ck pa n. ple atio am rm e s nfo on re i nly o ,o rm ply fo ap site ns eb itio e w nd Se co

Try nutraquin+ with our sample pack offer

Put a spring back in your pet’s step with the nutraquin+ 30 pack sample offer.

Fast acting (4-7 days) Soothes stiff joints Aids mobility & flexibility Supports joint structure Helps to maintain your pet’s quality of life by maintaining optimum joint health ✓ Supports the natural systems that control inflammation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Support British manufacturing

Order your sample pack online at www.nutraquin.co.uk

64 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - MAN’S BEST FRIEND

I N S P I R E D by N AT U R E C R E AT E D for P E T S Maisie, Springer Spaniel P OW E R E D BY E D E N SINCE 2020

Grain & Gluten Free Eden’s Semi-Moist is our most unique design of kibble yet. Its soft and squidgy texture make it perfect for fussy eaters or dogs who have teeth problems. Still containing a high meat content of 60%, with three different flavoursome recipes to choose from, we’re sure dinner times will be the best time of the day (2nd to walkies of course).

Added Superfoods

Super soft & gentle to eat

For more information visit:

www.edenpetfoods.com

MAN’S BEST FRIEND - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Eliminate stubborn pet smells that linger around your home ODOR-KILL

ODOR-KILL

is designed to ﬁght back and leave your home feeling fresh again.

Pet Odour Eliminator Spray and Air Freshener If you have a dog, cat or even a hamster, you’ll be familiar with the types of pet smells that can linger around your home and in your furniture. Fortunately, Odor-Kill comes either in a concentrated form you dilute yourself, or in a handy ready to use spray bottle so you can spritz your pets bed, kennels, catteries, stables and toys with ease.

Visit us at Crufts

10 -13 March 2022, The NEC Birmingham

We also stock a wide range of health and joint supplements for dogs providing natural, herbal treatments and a host of additional accessories that will help to keep your pets in top shape.

Hall 1 - Stand 68 and Hall 3 - stand 124 and find our more about Odor-Kill and its endless uses!

We’re committed to animal care, and each product in our range is carefully researched and considered; ensuring we provide the very best for you and your dogs.

Tel: 01787 476400

Gravenhorse Feeds

Equine Nutrition Specialist

Suppliers of many Main Brand & straight feeds for most domestic species & in particular the Horseheath Range of top quality Coarse Mixes, Balancers & Speciality Supplements: ● Suitable for most disciplines, breeds & ages ● Free advice from Cambridge University - trained nutritionist with over 30 years’ experience ● Solutions to problems such as control & condition, behaviour, lethargy, weak hooves, skin & coat, digestive system upsets, mobility, etc see horseheathequinenutrition.com ● Distributed nationwide & abroad. Boutime Wooster. Fell Pony Champion, chosen by HM the Queen to cover some of her mares Fed Horseheath Antilam, Bodybuilda & soya

www.animal-health.co.uk

TurmerGold™ TurmerDog™ Horseheath Joint & Support Products Healthy HORSES & DOGS for Support Joints & Mobility

Horseheath Nutrition has combined traditional herbs with for a range of products to help modern nutrients to produce maintain unimpaired mobility animals. Horses for &ageing Dogs

TurmerGold Turmeric-based Products Powder Bites & Cookies For Horses TurmerGold™:- turmeric+linseed, Complete & Ready To Use+ vegetable oil+black pepper+ MSM+glucosamine. Ingredients: MESSY MIXING! For Dogs: TurmerDog™ asNo above plus chondroitin chicken flavour; & salmon instead of vegetable oil. ● Turmeric Teresa Davis, Hereford Versions: Cookies TurmerDog™ Bites Kibble “Can fully recommend it, Original

● Cooked Linseed,

I’ve got my bouncy happy sprocker back.” ● Black Pepper Angela Nicholls, Boswellia+Rosehip+Ginger - based Products Shillington: ●For Glucosamine “George, our 10 year-old each version, turmeric, not the most palatable herb, Springer, is bouncing around is replaced with a blend of Boswellia, Rosehip & Ginger; like a 2-year-old” ●theMSM other ingredients are unchanged.

Horses: C & E ●For Vitamins

Samples available For Dogs: - order via website, BosDog™ email, phone, or FB

Bosfleks™ First orderoriginal use HC10 for 10% off ●Vegetable oil. Other products providing nutritional support for joints etc

For dogs: Salmon oil, gluten-free flour,

LinGold Mobility™ blend of cooked linseed meal, seaweed, Chondroitin, &rosehip Chicken flavour powder & brewers’ yeast.

Manufactured for contains & distributed by Glucosavite™ MSM, glucosamine & vitamin C - an Gravenhorse Feeds PO box 811 Flitwick Beds economical supplement for the younger horse. www.gravenhorse.co.uk 0344 8844 850/07807479495 All the ingredients in the products above are available separately..

66 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - MAN’S BEST FRIEND

Coming February 2022 Equi Zen Box and Equi Zen Applicator

owned my stud for 30 years and I can honestly say “I havethese have been the best three weeks of his life, as well as mine, it is a total wonder drug, and doesn’t even touch the horse - incredible!

”

www.goodbyeﬂys.com Telephone 07756 000 632

68 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Hello Spring… Goodbye Flys! 6 IN 1 Maintenance Grooming Product for all Seasons! Great new grooming products and absolute alternative to fly repellents! 100% Organic grooming products – nurture and protect whilst preserving and maintaining your horse’s skin and coat condition. All year round! Stand Out from the crowd! - Show Shine That Smells Divine – That Helps protect your horse from fly attacks. Water based product made with 100% Organically Grown Plant Extract oils. All ingredients are bought from Suppliers that are certified by Ecocert, one of the largest stringent certifying bodies. Helps protect your horse from fly attacks. The Shampoo can also aid calmness to itchy skin including gently removing and dry and flaky skin! All our products contain Essential oils from concentrated plant extracts, obtained through expression or steam distillation of flowers, bark, leaves, fruits and roots. (The easiest essential oil to see, is the pure essential oil that comes out of orange peel when you squeeze it.) All ingredients are compliant with FEI Competition Rules and the product has a 12 month shelf life. BHA Approval to use on race horses in training.

Goodbye Flys Human Organic Adventure Range

The great new horse products that are an absolute alternative to Fly Repellents! GoodBye Flys Products Combine Six Grooming Aids : It’s a show shine that smells divine and a conditioner for your horse’s coat. Natural products take time to develop, when used daily, results will develop over a seven day period and keep improving with time. It can be used on: Horses with sweet itch, Mud fever and Rain scald. GoodBye Flys Products Combines Six Grooming Aids : It’s a show shine that smells divine and conditioner for a horse’s coat. Natural products take time to develop, use daily results develop over a seven day period and keep improving with time. It can be used on sensitive skin horses. • It moisturises and soothes the Skin. • It helps with Hair Growth. • Midges, Feather Mites and Horse Flies don’t like it. • Daily use makes Clipping Eﬀortless.

See our fantastic range of

Good Dog Organics

Glitter Shimmer for manes, tails and quarter markers

Order your GoodBye Flys today! Call us on 01837 871329 / 07756 000632 or email us at info@goodbyeﬂys.com www.goodbyeﬂys.com Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

YARD TALK WITH TEAM YHC

SAFETY FIRST AS WE RIDE OUT WINTER Team YHC are decked out in their high-vis and checking the horseboxes are ready for the road as they keep the equines on the go this season

 Team YHC’s Duchess

70 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

houghts of fresh, crisp, snowy winter days, frozen yards with no mud and horses snuggled up in heavyweight winter rugs, nestling into fresh hay nets really have been far from reality this year! Instead, it’s been rain, mud, wind – oh, and more rain! Soggy sheep have spent most of their days taking cover in the hay barn, the dogs hesitant to take that brave leap outside to explore the puddles and waterlogged fields while the horses look rather more like drowned rats than elite sporting athletes! Hacking has been a crucial part of fitness this winter and with dark and dingy grey skies persistent, high-vis has been imperative, with some local riders lit up like Christmas trees, jackets and riding sheets illuminated with bright LED lights, leg wraps in blinding yellows and silver, riding hat bands in bright blue – it really is very difficult to miss us all! It really is a case of safety first riding out in the winter, with driver vision reduced tremendously in low light. And with fog and the darker shades of bare brown trees

YARD TALK

 Making sure we’re seen while out on the roads; right, the sheep have been hiding from the rain

‘

Soggy sheep have spent most of their days taking cover in the hay barn, the dogs hesitant to take that brave leap outside while the horses look rather more like drowned rats than elite sporting athletes!

and hedgerows your bay, grey or chestnut horses really do fade into to the backdrop and can easily go unseen! There really is no price you can put on road safety while riding your horse – if not for yourself I find thinking of my horses involved in a road traffic accident is quite enough for 

YARD TALK - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

me to make sure we have over and above what we need to be seen and remain safe! With safety on our minds this time of year, attention is always drawn to the horse taxi! Standing there with nowhere to go, tyres can deflate or even perish while stood on wet ground, pipes can freeze or sometimes burst, and batteries flatten. So, a couple of tips for keeping you on the road this winter are: u Firstly, check the condition of the tyres, ensuring the tread depth is of legal requirement, and look out for any damage, removing stones or objects that may be embedded in the tread. If you are unsure, pop to your local garage and they should be able to assist you. Please bear it in mind, even if your horse lorry or trailer may only get used a couple of times a year, meaning little wear to the tyres. It became a legal requirement that tyres over 10 years old are now prohibited for use on the front axle of HGVs, including horseboxes. u There are many different flooring materials

used in horseboxes, each with different benefits – be sure to lift any rubber matting to look out for any signs of rot, corrosion or

p Bryn and Flash

damage. Any signs of damage should be looked at by a professional before travelling with your horse. We were fortunate enough

72 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

to have a clean, dry and sturdy floor and ramp, lined with aluminium sheeting for extra strength, ready for travel! All we needed to do was give the hinges and springs fresh oil to prevent heavier-than-needed lifting, rust or damage. u Pop a trickle charger on your battery and this will keep a low, steady and safe charge trickling through the battery’s cells, hopefully meaning you are less likely to require changing often expensive batteries. u It’s always a good idea even if you are not using the horse box or trailer for transport to give it a run empty, allowing the brakes to wear off any dust or debris, and giving the engine a great opportunity to remain lubricated and lights the chance to get warm and reduce damp or moisture ingress! u While we all do like a bit of DIY and might call ourselves mechanics every now and again, it is extremely important to keep up with your regular and professional servicing as any concerns will be highlighted here. n

YARD TALK

Out on a frosty dawn ride; left, the horsebox has been thoroughly checked over and, below, the dogs keeping an eye on proceedings

Wiltshire Horsebox Hire POWERED BY BLOOMFIELDS HORSEBOXES

Our new fleet is the largest in the South West Daily, weekend, weekly or monthly hire

With 5x3.5t and 1x5t with full living

PROMOTION

Bloomfields Eventer 5T Horsebox

Prices from

£95

per day

TRISTAR – KEEPING RIDERS ON THE ROAD Tristar, one of the UK’s most respected horsebox manufacturers, based in rural West Wales, specialise in modern aluminium manufacturing and ensure each lorry is bespoke to the individual customer’s needs. They are also able to offer horsebox maintenance, including accident damage repair and annual testing and servicing. To see more, visit www. tristarhorseboxes.co.uk

From standard day boxes to professional transport boxes and stay away boxes with full living

To Book now, please call 07711 543114 www.wiltshirehorseboxhire.com YARD TALK - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

BAILLIE HAYLAGE LEADING THE FIELD SINCE 1996

▪ Professionally grown, top quality haylage ▪ BETA NOPS & FEMAS accredited supplier ▪ Supplier of private and competition yards ▪ Dust free with no chemicals or additives ▪ 5 varieties to suit all horses ▪ Analysed and fully traceable ▪ Every bale is guaranteed ▪ 3 bale sizes ▪ Nationwide delivery ▪ Find us on

sales@bailliehaylage.co.uk

01472 398696

www.bailliehaylage.co.uk

 Fence Panels  Trellis  Gates  Posts  Decking  Garden Buildings  Garden Structures  Timber  Hardware

Quality fencing supplied and installed Over 60 years experience

Country Style Supplies Ltd Tel: 01454 294414

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

www.countrystylesuppliesltd.co.uk | e: countrystylesupplies@gmail.com Sodbury Road, Wickwar (B4060) GL12 8NT

74 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

“THE ULTIMATE IN SAFETY, STYLE & VALUE FOR MONEY”

9FT HORSE STALL

LUXURIOUS LIVING

BESPOKE SEATS

STALLION OPTION

3.5T - 7.5T • AVAILABLE ON NEW & USED CHASSIES • BUILD WARRANTY • FINANCE AVAILABLE • HUGE RANGE OF OPTIONS • FULLY CUSTOMISED • DEFRA CERTIFIED • PART EXCHANGE WELCOME

CALL 01480 891054 TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS AND TO OBTAIN A QUOTE

or email info@owenshorseboxes.co.uk

The Original Interlocking Stable Mat

Safe, comfortable hygienic & durable Contact us for a quote T: 01536 513456 or visit the website

www.equimat.co.uk

■ New 4th generation of the award-winning pick-up ■ Tows 3.5 tonnes + carries 1 tonne ■ Selectable 4 x 4 with low range ■ 2.2L engine with 181 PS & 420Nm torque ■ New look with triple stacked LED fog lights & ladder grille

FROM ONLY

£23,495 ex VAT* C.S.G POLLITT LIMITED

WWW.POLLITTS.CO.UK

37 MARSH GREEN ROAD, MARSH BARTON, EXETER, EX2 8PN, 01392 496900 Fuel consumption figures in mpg: Combined 28.2-31.8. CO2 emissions in g/km 231-261. Model featured is a Musso Saracen priced at £31,070 including optional metallic paint priced at £575 and excluding VAT. *Musso EX including delivery charge, Road Fund Licence & first registration charge and excluding VAT. Prices are correct at the time of going to print but may be modified or changed at any time.

16101 SsangYong Q4 Print Ad Musso 170x268 AW.indd 1

76 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

22/09/2021 12:00

Do you know your payload before you drive to an event?

It is very easy to overload a 3500kg horsebox, and even a 7500kg one, as most people don’t take into account passengers, tack, water, hay, and these add to the payload considerably. For example, an empty 3500kg horsebox normally weighs about 2500kg, leaving 1000kg for the driver and passenger, horse, tack, etc. Many of these horseboxes are stalled for two horses, and that can be a big problem. If you are overloaded and have an accident, your insurance will be invalidated and you could be facing a number of offences, both overloading and licence ones. In recent years, the DVSA has found that more than 80% of LCV’s stopped on the roadside on suspicion of overloading, are in fact overweight.

Why Uprating You have a limited payload capacity and wish to carry an extra horse or equipment. You don’t want to buy a newer, bigger horsebox so you can save money by converting your current vehicle. You want to avoid a large fine by DVSA.

What to do if you are overloaded. The first thing is to weigh your horsebox FULLY LOADED with your horse(s), tack, water, food, and passengers so that you know where you stand. Remember to weigh each axle individually as you may find that whilst you may be under the Gross Vehicle Weight, you have actually overloaded the rear axle. This is very common in lightweight horseboxes. Fortunately SvTech can help, and is keen to promote its uprating service for lightweight horseboxes (3500kg), whereby the horsebox can gain an extra 200-300kg in payload. This provides vital payload capability when carrying an extra horse and/ or tack and offers peace of mind for the owner.

SvTech has carried out extensive work and testing on lightweight models and has covered uprates for most lightweight vehicles. It is worth noting that some uprates require modifications or changes to the vehicle’s braking, tyres and/or suspension, for which SvTech provides a simple purpose-built suspension assister kit. This will take between 1-2 hours for you to fit. Your horsebox will then go for a formal inspection to bring it into the ‘Goods’ category, and, depending on the vehicle’s age, may also require fitment of a speed limiter, for which there are one or two options. Most importantly, vehicles registered after May 2002 must be fitted with manufacturer’s ABS, if going above 3500kg.

We can start the ball rolling by asking customers to fill in an enquiry form and send it back with photos of the Horsebox plate, the weight ticket and Registration Document.

01772 621800

www.svtech.co.uk

Chandler House, Talbot Road, Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 2ZF, United Kingdom.

Have you tried SupaStuds yet?

Easier, faster and safer to use SPECIALIST HORSEBOX AND TRAILER BREAKDOWN COVER 01488 657650 www.horsebox-rescue.co.uk

Our unique, self-cleaning design makes SupaStuds the perfect choice, whatever level you’re competing at. New to studding?

SupaStuds’ friendly staff are happy to help with studs to suit all levels and disciplines - SupaStuds have the studs for you! Easier, faster and safer to use, these award-winning patented studs have a unique, self-cleaning design that enables them to be screwed into a standard stud hole without having to use a tap to clear the thread first - the only stud that cleans without re-tapping the stud hole.

Alex Jolly @ Allenshill

e: sales@supastuds.com

www.SupaStuds.com

Start your equine career with Kingston Maurward College Apply now for this September

• • • • •

Roadside Assistance / Repair Professional Horse Transport Vehicle Recovery Full UK Cover Optional European Assistance

Proprietors

78 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

01305 215000 | kmc.ac.uk/college/ Dorchester | Dorset | DT2 8PY

AT T E N T I O N TO D E TA I L I S S TA N DA R D.

S P E C I A L I S I N G I N 3 . 5 T 4 . 0 T 4 . 5 T 7. 5 T A L L H G V S

T E L 012 7 0 5 8 8 5 9 8 • C O O K E C O A C H B U I L D E R S . C O M •

Team Tristar (UK) Limited

MANUFACTURERS OF QUALITY HORSEBOXES We are one of the UK’s largest horsebox manufacturers, building quality horseboxes for over 35 years

Team Tristar (UK) Ltd specialises in manufacturing horseboxes particularly suited to carriage driving, from one horse to six plus carriages. We are a family-run business based in West Wales, that prides itself on its customer service, before and after sales. We also carry out refurbishments, accident repairs, servicing and annual testing. Our workforce of 35 skilled and semi-skilled men and women make us a business big enough to cope with your requirements and small enough to care. Phone, fax or visit our workshop - Tel: 01570

422 250 Email: sales@tristarhorseboxes.co.uk

Esgairgoch, Ffarmers, Llanwrda, Carms, SA19 8QL www.tristarhorseboxes.co.uk

Tailored boot liners for muddy paws UK designers and manufacturers of bespoke, made to measure bootliners, seat covers and car mats.

We specislise in creating hardwearing, stylish car accessories, all made to fit your make and model of vehicle perfectly.

Use code ‘YHC10’ to save 10% on your order

BOOTS LINERS  SEAT COVERS  CAR MATS

01623 645100 | www.premierproductsltd.co.uk | sales@ premierproductsltd.co.uk 80 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - YARD TALK

Continually evolving to make sure that horses are the priority and safety prevails #1 choice in promoting calm and confident travellers Passionately designed to meet the needs of both horse and rider

NORTHERN BRANCH

SOUTHERN BRANCH

Phone: 01904 373 013 Mobile: 07720 845 857 Email: sales@foxyhorseboxes.co.uk

Phone: 01453 830 953 Mobile: 07921 316 229 Email: enq@foxytwinhorseboxes.co.uk

Do you need your horsebox or trailer repaired? We offer a complete range of services on all horseboxes or trailers. • Full engine service and reconditioning • Welding and fabrication (inc. aluminium welding) • Ramp repairs and floor safety checks • Pre test inspections and MOT’s • Bodywork repairs & alterations and electrical repairs • Interior fitting and refurbishment • Complete horsebox build service Our dedicated team is always here to help, why not call us today

EQUINE VEHICLE SPECIALISTS

T: 01753 850916 | M: 07917 420301 | E: enquiries@jmbhorsepower.com

www.jmbhorsepower.com

Thinking of buying a new horsebox? Our Virtue range of 3.5 - 6.5 tonne and above horseboxes are all UK built using strong yet lightweight materials, designed by you for you All of our horseboxes are of a superior quality bespoke build that combine safety, comfort and style.

With a starting price of just £20,000 + VAT chassis supplied. We look forward to talking to you

Virtue Horseboxes by

T: 01753 850916 | M: 07917 420301 | E: enquiries@jmbhorsepower.com

www.virtuehorseboxes.com

Stylish Equestrian Clothing for Tots to Teens!

Need some help?

Call 07740 946349 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm)

www.jollytotsequestrian.co.uk

SMALL BALE MEADOW HAY

THE PERFECT GIFT F O R

H O R S E Y

G I R L S !

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

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

Put your name on it! 01274 852 139 | sales@horseswithattitude.co.uk

www.horseswithattitude.co.uk

FUN HORSEY CLOTHING AND GIFTS YARD TALK - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Claire Burrow

Forage

- the cornerstone of equine health; the centre of a healthcare program If there’s one thing your horse can’t live without apart from water, it’s forage. Gut health and integrity will become seriously compromised if not enough fibre is moving through it. The link between fibre and equine illness is now widely recognised and so many horse owners are becoming increasingly fastidious when it comes to sourcing and feeding appropriate forage because horses with optimal gut health are generally in optimal overall health!

devonhaylage.co.uk 01404 813100

Every bale of hay or haylage brand available on the market is slightly different in terms of quality and nutrition; so many variables are at play when growing and conserving grass so no two supplies can be quite the same. Because forage choice can have such a marked impact on the effectiveness of your health care program, what can we look out for, to make informed decisions when it comes to sourcing and feeding our horses’ forage?

Reliable, consistent quality You need to know, that the bale you buy in September will be of the same high consistent quality as a bale you buy in March, because suddenly changing your horse’s diet throughout the year isn’t ideal. In practice, this can only be achieved when grass is grown and managed by the same people and fields are harvested in the same weather window. At Devon Haylage, this is a fundamental part of our business plan and helps to ensure that our haylage products have the same consistent high quality throughout the year, allowing you to feed with confidence.

Annual and thorough nutritional analysis The nutritional breakdown of different hays and haylage types will vary considerably. You may require a very low sugar forage, one that contains high levels of protein or one that is low in energy but very high in fibre. Only an annual in-depth analysis can tell you this. Most hay is not tested by the producer and for some haylage types only an estimated range of values are provided. At Devon Haylage, we understand the importance of testing each crop every year so that our customers can select their most suitable haylage type and feed it in absolute confidence.

Choice of specifications A certain hay may be suitable for one horse, but another may refuse to eat it, or it may be nutritionally unsuitable. Satisfying different tastes via various sources can be tedious and problematic. Devon Haylage believe that life is better with variety and no two horses are the same, which is why we understand it’s important to offer a range of haylage types to cater for different nutritional requirements, picky eaters, or those with textural preferences! Our Native

Grass & Herb Mix for example is quite fine in texture and very soft whereas our High Fibre Ryegrass has never failed to tempt even the fussiest of eaters!

Convenient and dependable supply Owning and caring for a horse can be stressful enough at the best of times so you don’t need the extra hassle of your hay store being empty! Our increasingly extreme weather patterns can affect national forage quality, supply and demand so we work with a reliable national pallet distributer to enable our customers to source our haylage from wherever they are in the country all through the year. Many of our customers mitigate the issues that can arise from relying on a small-scale local producer and choose to source their forage from us for a convenient and trustworthy service. Customers often comment on how a pallet of our haylage in their yard helps them feel relaxed! A quality haylage product like Devon Haylage can offer so much more than just being a dust free alternative to hay. Give forage the scrutiny it deserves for being the cornerstone of any equine diet and assess its effectiveness in providing you and your horse with the points mentioned above.

To request a free sample or for advice on how we can help you and your horse this season please email claire@devonhaylage.co.uk

Start the year as you mean to go on

Completely cared for... ©Mars, 2021.

86 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - EQUINE HEALTH

EQUINE HEALTH

Getting your horse ready for the year ahead can be an exhausting experience as we can be limited by the daylight hours and frosts. Ideally at this time of year the best way to get your horse fit is to get out on the roads and start walking and trotting for about 30 minutes three to four times a week.

fter a couple of weeks of this combined with progressive increases in trot and adding in some hills, we would like to add in some interval work, where the idea is to push the heart rate up to over 100bpm and sustain this for two minutes before reducing back down to a walk and letting the horse recover. This is the best type of exercise to get your horse fit as it allows the muscle to adapt to exercise without stressing it too much. When you do this, it conditions the muscle faster and with the least amount of opportunity to cause damage to the muscle or injury to the tendons. With everything in life, preparation is key. There are a few things to bear in mind before embarking on your conditioning work. Fresh shoes can make a massive difference to your horse and making sure your horse has plenty of heel support and possibly road studs will be the first steps towards maintaining soundness throughout the season. Normally at this time of year there is a reasonable amount of evidence that you should exercise your horse for about a month and then have their backs and neck checked. This helps you work through the initial tightness and niggles and then when the physiotherapist, osteopath, or equine massage therapist does examine the back and neck, they should be able to identify anything more serious and not get distracted by the causal tightness. Also make a point of checking vaccinations and teeth are up to date as this can be overlooked early on only to cause more significant problems later with missed competitions or qualifiers if vaccinations and poor performance of the teeth are causing a problem. It is also important that when your horse has their vaccination that the veterinarian checks the whole animal over. If you have any concerns, you should raise these with the veterinarian at the time. 

WE SPECIALISE IN CLIPPER BLADE SHARPENING, SCISSOR/INSTRUMENT SHARPENING AND CLIPPER SERVICE & REPAIR

Blades and scissors are sharpened and back in the post in one working day!

Completely cared for...

Call 01407 832 800 Call 01407 832 800 Visit WWW.SHEAREASELTD.COM Visit WWW.SHEAREASELTD.COM FREEPOST RTGX-JEHG-XTTH SHEAR EASE LTD CAE UCHAF RHOSYBOL

©Mars, 2021.

FREEPOST RTGX-JEHG-XTTHAMLWCH SHEAR EASE LTD CAE UCHAF RHOSYBOL AMLWCH LL68 9TR ANGLESEY LL68 9TR

EQUINE HEALTH - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

 It is a great opportunity to discuss any niggles or get advice on a specific area. There are plenty of times where the horse’s heart or lungs have had a problem develop over the holiday which will require treatment before considering return to work or increasing fitness.

Right feed, right fit Changing the diet or adding in a supplement is also worth considering as there will be a greater requirement for nutrients that may not be available from the early spring grass and hay or haylage. Therefore, you should make sure the hard

feed and concentrates given are in line with what the horse will need. There is plenty of advice on this area from feed merchants and directly from the feed suppliers, but it is also another issue to discuss with your veterinarian when you see them. They will give a very unbiased opinion as to what your horse should be having based on weight, exercise (now and future plans) and any clinical problem that specific horse has i.e. tying up.

Time in the stable Throughout the year there may be times your horse will face increased stabling time. Reducing harmful particles in the air and maximising turnout is key. Haylage is the best forage to manage or prevent equine asthma, although for overweight horses, steamed or soaked hay is a healthier alternative from a nutritional point of view. All feed should be offered from the ground or in a hay net that hangs outside the stables, as this will minimises dust in the horse’s immediate breathing space. Be mindful of your choice of bedding, as some can be dustier than others.

The stable or barn should be well ventilated and must not share air space with forage storage. Free dust particles in the air can be reduced by mucking out and sweeping when the horses are turned out.

Right fit, right saddle Another area to consider when returning your horse to work is the fit of the saddle, as when a horse has a period of time off their back and shape will change, just like us if we were off on a holiday for four to eight weeks and found our jeans didn’t fit as well and generally everything was a little changed upon our return. On some occasions there will be no need to do anything other than buy a bigger girth and a new saddlecloth. On other occasions the saddle fitter will need to change the flocking or the tree size depending on how much fat has been put on! Either way it is important to get this addressed before the season starts as a rubbed whither or a pinched shoulder can set you back weeks and therefore make a big dent on your upcoming training and competitions.

Completely cared for... ©Mars, 2021.

88 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - EQUINE HEALTH

EQUINE HEALTH

No hoof, no horse

Vaccinate

The key to healthy hoof care, is a good farrier who can tailor the timing and shoeing to the individual horse. Sometimes you need to get your veterinarian involved as well, especially if your horse is suffering from conditions such as navicular disease or laminitis, when special shoes or x-rays are necessary. A horse that is reluctant to go forward, does not like hard or soft ground, bunny jumps in canter, is ‘pottery’ overall and keeps tripping could have an underlying orthopaedic condition which should be investigated by your veterinarian. A footy horse over the age of 12 could suffer from Cushing’s (PPID). This disease is very easily diagnosed by a blood sample.

Vaccinations reduce the risk of your horse contracting viral and serious or life-threatening diseases, such as Equine influenza. It is important horses receive the full vaccination course and that it is kept up to date with an annual or by biannual booster.It’s a good idea to check the horse’s passport for when the next booster is due, and book an appointment with your veterinarian, so that the vaccination does not lapse. If you are entering a show or event, be sure to check out the vaccination requirement which can vary between societies and competition bodies. Always discuss vaccinations with your veterinarian, as they will be able to advise on what is best for your equine.

Hair or no hair Clipping out the remainder of the winter coat needs to happen now, as most horses will have started to grow their summer coat by mid-February. If the horse must be clipped several times throughout the season, ideally the last clip should be no later than this.

It is important to clip the horse using clean, sharp blades, allocate plenty of time to do it and put safety first by wearing a hard hat and proper footwear. If the horse does not tolerate being clipped, sedation may be required. Clipping helps with thermoregulation and comfort during exercise and aids in cooling off after training. What type of clip pattern depends on the horse’s level of work, and to some extent personal preference, some owners prefer to leave the saddle patch as they usually need a bit more hair between the saddle and their backs. In summary, there are many reasons why your horse may be grumpy, have poor performance or be difficult to handle. Horses love to work and have a purpose, so more often than not, there is an underlying pain or discomfort related reason that the horse is trying to tell us about by expressing this behaviour. The importance of a good team of farrier, veterinarian, trainer and physio cannot be stressed enough.

Completely cared for... ©Mars, 2021.

EQUINE HEALTH - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

Consistent high quality & support anytime your horse needs it High grade nutrition with veterinary expertise.

Always with

BY EMAIL:

contact@globalherbs.co.uk BY PHONE:

+44 (0)1243 773363

www.globalherbs.co.uk

Nutritionally maintains a healthy stomach Effective acid buffer Live yeast supports the hind gut digestion Promotes calmer behaviour in horses Used by top riders and sold by vets 10% discount and free carriage using code YHC21

90 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - EQUINE HEALTH

The ultimate senior mash for condition & gut health

With digestive, joint & immune support

For senior horses requiring weight gain Low calorie balancer with joint support

To view our other senior friendly feeds, visit spillers-feeds.com

SPILLERS™ - YOUR PARTNERS IN CARE™. Mars, 2021.

Equi-Fit Elite Equine supplements designed to perfection During the winter months our horses and ponies require additional specific care, in order to maintain optimum nutritional health by providing a balanced diet. Horses gain their nutrition from three places, generally those being water, forage (grass, hay or haylage) and hard feed. Just as with humans, they need guaranteed amounts of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals within their diet. Forage and grass carry a high percentage of the nutrients needed in your horses daily diet, these are obviously greatly reduced in the winter months, particularly protein levels, which can plummet as the weather gets colder. Due to the decrease of nutritional content in the forage we provide to our equines, in winter time, it can be highly beneficial to supply a Vitamin and Mineral supplement to their diet.

Equivit-AS Gold

Complementary feed comprising of vitamins, biotin, macro & microelements plus amino acids which contain the addition of protein for horses.

Equivit-AS Basic

Excellent full spectrum supplement containing nutrients, vitamins, minerals & protein to assist good health, vitality & energy for your horse.

Equivit-AS Senior

Wow is all I can say.

Complementary feed with increased protein levels and a full spectrum of vitamins & minerals especially designed for older horses, in order to keep them in top condition all year round.

Bought my daughter a new horse end of May turned up really tucked up and really dull coat. A month later and on Becs recommendation of putting him on the Equivit-AS Gold the difference in him, his coat and overall condition, has to be seen to be believed. His coat is gleaming now and has such a shine. Will certainly be keeping him on this. Thank you Becs

EQUI-FIT ELITE ARE THE UK AND IRELAND’S SOLE DISTRIBUTORS OF THIS REVOLUTIONARY AND UNIQUE SUPPLEMENT BRAND 92 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Deep snow, joint-chilling winds and generally cold temperatures are all difficult for us to deal with. Research has proven that exposure to cold causes increased stiffness in both muscle and connective tissue, including tendons and ligaments. A recent human study also confirmed that dampness (relative humidity) is correlated with increased joint pain and this effect is worse when the weather is also cold, the same applies in horses, and especially ageing horses.

Equivit MSM C

Complementary feed with MSM and Vitamin C to maintain ligaments and tendons and all connective tissue.

ULCER ISSUES! Lynn Healy

from Meeks Park

Equivit Arthro

Complementary feed with anti-inflammatory properties and a specially selected spectrum of glucosamine and chondroitin sulphates, MSM and Vitamin C, designed to reduce joint pain, accelerate regeneration after exercise and strengthen cartilage and connective tissue.

Equivit Gastro U - Protect

EQUIVIT-AS is the manufacturer of this Evolutionary & unique, concentrated supplement brand. The Equivit - AS series of products is based upon 10 years of brand owners experience and scientific research in foreign centres. All Equivit AS products present a pro-health approach and their composition of natural raw materials, that being lacto-protein and natural amino acids, as well as lactic acid bacteria, dry whey, extruded plant grains, vegetable oils suppressed for winter and appropriate multi-sugar. Vitamin composition is a properly selected mineral and vitamin premix, rich in micro and macro elements. The Equivit AS supplement range is proving to be complete game changers and lifelines for many, therefore quickly gaining themselves an excellent reputation here in the UK. The reviews we have received, and continue to receive from our customers, are proof of the products quality and effectiveness.

www.equi-fit-elite.co.uk Email: info@equi-fit-elite.co.uk Call: 07979 463553 - Becs 93 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

★★★★★

WOW! WOW! WOW!

I was looking for a supplement for suspected ulcers for a little thoroubred, classic symptoms, tooth grinding, poor appetite, hard to gain weight. Saw this trial offer (sceptical that in 2 weeks what diff it could make) but blown away with results, horse actually looked a little ‘porky’! Eating mad and no tooth grinding and better still he can run whilst taking it. Couldn’t be happier with this product and thoroughly recommend Photo courtesy of HKF Photography

Tessa Gunn - Ireland

Supporting your horse from the inside out Formulated using a blend of high quality amino acids, vitamins, herbs and minerals. The Equine Edge range of supplements + cookies provide the horse’s body with essential nutrients. This means the normal biological functions of the horse will have the right fuel to work most efﬁciently. If you give the body the best input, you’ll get the best output! We always recommend seeking expert veterinary advice for any major health concerns, but taking a good look at what you fuel your horse with can be a great place to start! The Equine Edge have been formulating products for 21 years which are used for joint support, calming, gastro and digestion, respiration and bloodﬂow, cushings, uveitis, general health and muscle development.

www.theequineedge.co.uk | email: info@theequineedge.co.uk

It’s all in the legs TRIFLEX 100 JOINT FORMULA TRIFLEX 100 aids the general health, flexibility, and mobility in senior and competition horses and supports the flexibility, elasticity, and cushioning of connective tissue in young, competition, and older animals. Only pure active ingredients are packed into Triflex 100%. It is a scientifically balanced formula of the 3 best nutraceutical products for healthy joint support. PRO SPORTIVE STOCKISTS

Find us on Amazon and Ebay

Edgemere ltd: www.edgemere.co.uk Chelford Farm Supplies: www.chelfordfarmsupplies.co.uk Leighs Animal Feeds: www.leighsanimalfeeds.co.uk Supplement solutions: www.supplementsolutions.co.uk

www.prosportive.co.uk

94 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - EQUINE HEALTH

Simple, pure supplements. No fillers or sugars. 100% active ingredients. Products are laminitis friendly

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! If you are not satisfied you can return any product within 60 days from the date of purchase and you will get your money back. * Conditions apply Visit www.prosportive.co.uk/guarantee for full details.

PURE CHESHIRE SALT For all year round

The Ultimate in Hoof Protection and Conditioning

www.rockies.co.uk

Barrier protection & hoof balm for daily use

Prevents Bacteria Growth Reduces Foot Odour Strengthens & Conditions Adds Lasting Shine

The original Sweet-Itch rug Blanket & Hood

BE SAFE, BE SEEN

Favoured worldwide because it really works!

Reflective wear for pets

From £170

Designed to fit your animal comfortably and allow full movement. Machine washable, sturdy and made to last.

Including VAT

The Boett Blanket & Hood Now recognised by some insurance companies as a treatment also used as an effective fly rug by many owners. Recommended by vets.

BioPlus Equine Capsules A unique and effective natural approach to equine immune health and integrity. Trialled and proven to be safe 3, 6 and 12 month packs from £75.00 Now available for cats and dogs. From £30 for 3 months

Call 01352 840 333 / 01352 771 718 Email info@itchyhorse.co.uk Visit www.itchyhorse.co.uk 96 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - EQUINE HEALTH

97 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

Equestrian Fibre Surfaces Affordable, all weather, easy maintenance surface with ultimate impact absorption for all disciplines Get in touch today call 07966 393984 or 07967 991621

I have ridden on these gallops many times. I am very impressed with the condition of the surface, horses hold themselves well and move very freely. But it is a solid workout for the horses and there has been many a good horse trained on carpet fibre, the results are there in black and white and all top trainers now use this surface. DARYL JACOB, Grand National Winning Jockey

• Compact spring surface • Vet and Physio approved • Very cost effective for arenas and gallops • Easy to maintain • Drains well • Still flexy in adverse weather conditions BUY DIRECT - WE ARE THE MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS! Developed by top Race Horse Trainers and Event Riders

www.topridesurfaces.co.uk | e: sales@topridesurfaces.co.uk

Build it By Kathy Carter

Despite the many unknown elements concerning the current pandemic, consumers and contractors alike are determined to press on as much as possible to keep the beleaguered construction industry in business, and meet customer demand for building projects where possible.

100 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Pleasingly, many experts forecast that the construction industry will return to preCovid levels of activity; Forbes magazine recently reported a strong resurgence for builders, and a newfound optimism for the sector. However, there are some serious challenges that consumers need to be aware of. The main issue of concern for anyone looking to take on building work at their equestrian facility or country home is the frustrating building materials shortage. It can be traced back to a lack of lorry drivers, Covid-related challenges, increased building and home improvement activity in 2020, and also the Brexit-related complications that have challenged the industry.

BUILD IT

What’s the bad news for consumers? A national shortage of construction  materials does present difficulty for the end-user; not least a cost increase! The general cost of materials for repair and maintenance have risen by around a quarter, since the same period in 2020. Steel has seen a significant price increase - British Steel raised transaction prices for structural sections by £80 per tonne, in the summer. Ceramic products, glass and bricks are also likely to see continued cost increases due to the rising cost of gas and electricity and associated carbon, while cement production slowed a great deal in 2021. Even supplies of insulation materials, packaging, paints and sealants have been restricted, due to factory closures and the cost of shipping containers.

The cost of the construction  provision itself has increased - the

A lack of HGV drivers to move  materials between sites continues to

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's (BEIS) Monthly Statistics of Building Materials and Components report for October 2021 revealed that the cost of materials for 'all work' increased by 23.6% in September 2021, compared to September in 2020.

be an issue for construction firms, and take-up for the Government’s lorry driver visa scheme has been low. The current immigration system has also made it harder to tempt EU construction workers back, who left the UK during the earlier stages of the pandemic. This is still slowing delivery of materials. Imports in general have been  badly affected. The impact of Covid-19 has decreased UK imports of building materials by more than £2m, according to a study from Electrical Direct. There are still frustrating delays on  traditional building materials, specifically bricks, blocks, timber and roof tiles. Your contractor can advise you on lead times. 

BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

101

What’s the good news for consumers? Despite the fact that imports in  general were badly affected in 2021, the Timber Trade Federation eventually reported record-breaking imports of timber, following a shortage of the material for much of 2021. Demand for construction products  has actually fallen from the peaks seen during spring and summer 2021, so those individuals that book their contractors in good time for spring do stand a good chance of having their project booked in, and expectations met. 2021’s ‘supply chain crunch’ is  seemingly moving forward in a more streamlined way, as the UK construction industry reported strong activity at the end of 2021, according to the latest IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index. Roof tiles were in short supply in  2021, however manufacturing is now back at full capacity, with lead times reportedly easing from spring 2022.

What should you do? • Plan in advance to ensure you aren’t caught out too much by possible further shortages or price rises. Communicate your requirements early with suppliers, distributors and builders merchants as there’s a better chance your needs can be met. Be aware however that quoted prices are likely to change – your builders will be contracting flexibility into their agreements and tenders, so you need to budget for the possibility of increased spends. • Be more flexible if you can, concerning the colours and specifications of bricks, blocks, timber and roof tiles. The more broad your expectations, the better chance there is that your needs can be met.

• Stay in contact with your construction firm and ask for regular communication e.g. with weekly or monthly email updates. They are facing unprecedented difficulties, so bear with them where you can. • Consider working with a smaller provider that has visibility over what is happening in the supply chain at any point in time, and has dedicated team members who will work with you. With all the wider issues of supply and labour, a smaller team could end up being more attentive to possible delays or problems with your build. • Many suppliers do hold good stocks of materials, so it’s worth ringing around and discussing your specific project, to see if it suits the provider’s current offering and material stock. Be flexible and open to new ideas; many firms are being innovative and thinking outside the box due to the limitations and shortages, so there are perhaps new ideas to consider. (For example, there are some interesting, alternative building materials to look at, such as bamboo stable boards, which look super smart and are durable; modern grass paving; and woodcrete partitions, which are a combination of timber waste and concrete that can be nailed, screwed and sawn. These more niche products will likely have less consumer demand.) 

BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

103

Simply Arena Mirrors.co.uk Framed arena mirrors + complete DIY galvanised steel installation kits including full instructions. Safe, strong & highly durable

Unbeatable quality and value for money See our website for more details or call T: 01777 708010 M: 07492 733543 104 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

BUILD IT



What do you need to know about Government regulations? • Despite presumed delays due to Covid staffing issues, it still reportedly takes 8-13 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 to planning, even containing planning fee calculators and details on your location and site plans - visit www.planningportal. co.uk. (Permission is usually required if a land-owner wants to build something new, make a major change to a building, like an extension, or change the use of the building.) • 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 also apply for this at the Planning Portal. • 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 the property). This is provided that the horses are kept as pets ‘in association with that house’. • If you are building or upgrading accommodation in 2022, for example in a grooms’ flat or family annexe, be aware of new regulations relating to ‘Part L’, and the Government’s aims to deliver zero carbon ready homes by 2025. The new ‘Part L’ guidelines are set to apply from June 2022. They relate to Overheating Regulations for domestic and non-domestic buildings. With an ultimate aim to reduce CO2 emissions, if you are upgrading showers, you will need to fit a waste water heating recovery system, and if you’re upgrading heating systems, you will need a flow temperature of a maximum of 55° C. (Ask your building provider about other regulations and guidelines, which relate to efficient electrical heating systems, and home ventilation).

As with most developments, planning permission will be required if you are thinking of building a permanent equestrian facility, such as stables or an arena. Some agricultural structures are covered by what is called ‘permitted development rights’ which means planning permission is not required – equestrian facilities are unfortunately not given this status. With this in mind you may find the below tips useful when planning your build:

✓Discuss your plans with neighbours, ove 

rlooking properties or anyone that may be affe cted by your build prior to sub mitting your application to see if they have any objections.  Seek specialist advice such as planning consultants as they may be able to have the all-impo rtant conversations on your behalf.  Do lots of research and be realistic with your application as they may save you time and avoid problems further into the process.

✓ ✓

✓Research other developments in your area 

, see how other developers have complimente d and stayed authentic to the surrounding areas.

✓Whilst planning your budget, remember  architects, local councils and

third party fees such as planning permission fees.

✓The Planning process can sometimes be  take 6-8 weeks.

lengthy and typically

✓There are different types of constructions 

and researching what your build falls under will dete rmine whether you will need, permitted development, cha nge of use or operational development.

Some other popular things

to consider are the followin

✓Water management and drainage  ✓Usage (personal/commercial)  ✓  Visual impact ✓Landscape impact  ✓Residential amenities and the impact of your build.  ✓  Finally sit back and enjoy the process of

your build.

BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

105

Bespoke Quality Timber Framed Buildings Family run business and trading for over 15 years

Timberworld Products Limited Manufacturers of quality timber products

We are based on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border and supply to a 150 mile radius Bespoke stabling from standard to luxury, Mobile field shelters and stables, Tractor sheds, Hay barns, Garages, Workshops, Heavy duty sheds and storage buildings, Other buildings, Refurbishment including re-roofing service Telephone: Mobile: Email: &

01952 812201 07855 262863 kevin@county-equestrian.co.uk steph@county-equestrian.co.uk

www.county-equestrian.co.uk

• Stable Blocks • Mobile Stables • Field Shelters • Garages • Carports • Workshops • Sheds • Summer Houses

www.timberworldproducts.com 01568 708549

Do I need planning permission for my stables? Yes! It’s almost that simple, about the only exception might be a stable in your own garden. The next question you will be asking yourself is

“How do I get advice or planning permission for my stables?” At Jon William Stables we can arrange all aspects of work to gain planning for your project, and are happy to include all-weather riding arenas, walkers, groundwork, access etc, the list goes on. A planning practice may be able to help, check they are experts in equestrian planning so they can advise on all aspects of the design and build. You could do your own planning application, there is of course a huge amount of information available on websites aiming to advise you on this, and they all do it with varying levels of clarity. Among the best is the government’s own website www.planningportal.co.uk, here you will ﬁnd all the information required to submit your own planning application.

Here is a quick list of resources: GOVERNMENT PLANNING PORTAL

planningportal.co.uk FOR SUPPLY OF STABLES

jonwilliamstables.co.uk INDEPENDENT PLANNING ADVICE

Before

equestrianblueprint.co.uk

Or to arrange a chat about planning please call 01380 850 965, and ask for a call back from Nick

Jon William Stables

quality equestrian buildings built by British craftsmen

www.jonwilliamstables.co.uk | 01380 850 965 106 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

After

At Cheval Liberté, we offer an extensive range of Internal Stables in a variety of infills,

including 40mm tanalised Pine, luxurious Oak or Denya and coloured Recycled Plastic. We also supply bespoke Timber Stables, American Barns and Mobile Field Shelters.

To discuss your requirements, contact enquiries@cheval-liberte.co.uk

www.cheval-liberte.co.uk

01490 736323

BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

107

 Complete Projects  Indoor Arenas  Outdoor Arenas  Stables & Shelters  Gallops & Fencing  Horse Walkers  Concrete Bases & Groundworks

P  D lan  3 es ni  F 0 ign ng re yea & Ap e r Co s’ Lay plic ns Exp ou ati on ul er t ta ie M tio n an n ce ag em en t

Building excellence for you and your horse

www.teconstruction.co.uk • 01380 818216 info@teconstruction.co.uk

A TOTAL design and build solution for all your equestrian projects

CE marked structural steel fabricators specializing in buildings, stables and associated accessories

Arenas, Stables, Shelters, Buildings… T: 01254 580524 M: 07733 227216 E: enquiries@yellowhillequine.co.uk

www.yellowhillequine.co.uk

108 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Equestrian Building Services

Groundworks, Equestrian Building Services & Plant Hire in Devon Groundworks, concreting, ng, drainage, retaining walls, indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, stables, yards, plant hire grab lorry, dumper, mini digger in Newton Abbot, Devon

Whatever your building ding requirements we can help!

GROUNDWORKS • HORSE ARENA CONSTRUCTION & REPAIRS HORSE ARENA SURFACES • PLANT HIRE

Premium quality equestrian buildings, new stables, american barn, an arena for your horse livery yard or an equestrian centre …then we can help! Indoor Arenas, Outdoor Arenas, Horse Walkers, Stables, American Barns, Stable Yards, Stable Buildings, Horse Arenas, Surfaces, Gallops, Agricultural Buildings, Concrete Yards and Walls - whatever the design …then we can help!

Call us for a free quote 07590 479655 Email us with your requirements contact@bmdgw.co.uk

www.bmdgw.co.uk

We cover from Cornwall to Bristol and the London area

The Complete Construction Package Suppliers and erectors of high quality Farm & industrial Buildings including groundworks, erection and internal fitments. Whatever your needs RT Farm & Industrial Buildings, with over 30 year of experience and in-depth knowledge of the farming and industrial industry, can accommodate you. Whether it be livestock, storage, workshop areas or equestrian buildings From simple to complex, we deliver a high level of service and construction.

If you have a problem, we will have the solution. Telephone: 01548 550003 E-mail: rtfarmbuildings@gmail.com www.rtfarmbuildings.co.uk

Equestrian arena construction …and much more

West Country Arenas is an established family run business where service and quality still count

Whether it’s a brand new ménage, gallop or a refurbishment, West Country Arenas is on hand to ensure your project runs smoothly and exceeds your expectations. No project is too big or too small Contact us now to discuss your dream project

Where Service & Quality Still Count Phone: 01278

641797 Mobile: 07778 165662

Mark, Nr Highbridge, Somerset TA9 4QF

110 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Making your arena a reality...

Specialists in arena design, construction & refurbishment

We build, repair, maintain & design. We do it all! We provide all types of services, to meet any private or commercial need. Whether it’s a small project you never get around to, or creating your dream yard, we’re here to help. Tell us your vision, and we’ll bring it to life.

REFURBISHMENT

DESIGN

CONSTRUCTION

LASER LEVELLING

Call us on +447841 203 927 or contact us for your free estimate.

www.beacons-arenas.co.uk

sustainable materials

SPRINGRIDE SURFACES

affordable

eco friendly

Leading manufacturers of Equestrian Surfaces

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

SPECIAL OFFERS ON 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

• • • •

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

Carpet fibres. Shredtex Fibre Pro. Shredtex Pro complete surface. Rubber chip or Flat rubber surfaces available now ✔ Easy to lay & maintain ✔ Retain moisture in summer ✔ Won’t freeze ✔ Improve drainage ✔ Add spring ✔ Stable ✔ Delivered across the UK & Europe Springride products are manufactured from the highest quality rubber and fibre composites.

For offers call or email now and use code Shred 21

0845 6021524 | info@springride.com www.springride.com Your Horse & Country Variety_Layout 1 10/12/2019 12:22 Page 1

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

MADE IN BRITAIN

Britains Largest Compact Trailer Selection Plastic Bodied Trailers

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 07799264060

www.aldershotequestrian.co.uk 112 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Manege Units

Powered Muck Sweeper

Chain Harrows

Plastic Barrows

british Equestrian Essentials Heavy-duty equipment designed for use behind an ATV, UTV, compact tractor, ride-on lawnmower or a 4x4. Contact us today for a FREE brochure featuring over 200 British products, or visit our website to ﬁnd out more.

01473 328272 • sales@schsupplies.co.uk • www.schsupplies.co.uk

HS LTD

Suppliers of fine quality Topsoil Silica Sands Aggregates Building Sands Bulk Compost & Bark Tipper Hire Grab Hire

Call 01453 521453 33 Walk Mill Lane, Kingswood, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8RZ

www.soilshs.co.uk

As the UK’s leading freely distributed, seasonal publication Your Horse & Country Magazine really does have it covered. From unearthing treasured country homes and estates in our exclusive Your Country Property feature, to exploring the seasons as they change, bringing you a host of dreamy days out, fashion tips and shopping essentials! Also working hard with our in-house vet to keep on top of your equine health care, Team YHC explore real-life symptoms and scenarios in order to keep you in the know!

Winter 2022

For just £18.99 a year we can bring all of this and much more direct to your door. Simply complete and return the subscription slip below and receive a year of back editions FREE of charge!

Winter Walks

Taking advantage of the British countryside

Crufts

The Kennel Club tell us all we need to know

Planning Pitfalls

YOUR HORSE & COUNTRY MAGAZINE £3.99 WHERE SOLD

Where to begin when starting a build

0 701197 969384

Front Page_Issue 31_Winter22_v2.indd 1

27/01/2022 14:46

DON’T MISS OUT Annual subscription

Yes!

JUST

£18

.99

I wish to subscribe and agree to the cost of £18.99 for 4 issues

Title

First name

Surname

Address

City

Postcode

Telephone (inc STD)

 M/Card  AmEx +2.5%  Switch  No     Valid from  Expiry date  Issue No  Security code  Payment Method

Visa

Please complete this form online:

www.yourhorseandcountrymagazine.com/subscribe Your Horse & Country Magazine Subscriptions, Brick House, 21 Horse Street, Chipping Sodbury BS37 6DA

OFFICE USE ONLY Start issue no

End no

 CC debited

Date

Where it all began… B

ack before Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces was even a twinkle in husband-and-wife team, Keith and Lauras’, eye, they’d spent over 20 years in the waste and environmental industry. With having been accredited with accolades in both NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) and levels 4 & 5 in WAMITAB (Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board) they were acting as consultants and were working closely with on varying sustainability projects. In 2019 they were approached by a local company with whom had carpet fibre surplus with nowhere to go. It was here where Keith and Laura did their research and decided to take the plunge into selling the recycled carpet fibre for use as an all-weather riding surface within the equestrian market…and thus Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces was born.

It wasn’t all easy riding though... When the external company providing the carpet fibre started to drop their standards, Keith and Laura decided it was time to take the reins and ride in another direction, exploring other avenues

to maintain their high-quality arena surfacing. After being knocked back by a couple of major automotive companies, they approached an international car company who specialised in automotive interiors, who were happy to supply the entrepreneurs. The couple parted ways with the initial company, doing away with any household carpet, and focused their sights solely on the new recycled automotive arena surfaces that we all know and love today. Another hurdle came when the Environment Agency wanted to change its guidance on the use of ‘post-consumer shredded waste carpet’. Having already worked closely with the Environment Agency, Carpet Recycling UK (a nonprofit organisation that prevents carpet going to landfill), approached the couple and asked if they would join the board to help put into place the new governing legislation and conditions that both suppliers and customers have to abide by, under the RPS 248. (More information on the RPS 248 can be found on the gov.uk website at; www.gov.uk/government/

publications/using-shredded-wastecarpet-in-equestrian-surfacing-rps -248 ). Carpet Recycling UK audited

Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces and accredited them with a certificate of membership.

Trotting along nicely… Trying to stay aboard through the rodeo of the Covid-19 lockdowns, an expansion opportunity came when a major automotive company that had previously knocked the duo back, approached Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces asking if they’d like to work alongside them. Foley’s now produce their all-weather equestrian surfaces from 4 sites up and down the UK - with another due to open in 2022!

Call: 01642 989 441 www.foleysequestrian.co.uk enquiries@foleysequestrian.co.uk The Old School House, Snipe Street, REDCAR, Yorkshire TS10 5FN Find us on Facebook & Instagram

BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

115

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!

(subject to correct planning permission)

• 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

Sealed Deluxe Mats

Equine

Flooring Solutions Horse Walker Tiles

''I installed EASYFIX mats in my stable yard. They provide a very safe surface for my horses & they're great value for money.'' - Nick Skelton, Gold Medal Olympian

@EASYFIXEQUINE

07535 573731

www.easyfixequine.com

116 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Arena and Dressage Mirrors Precision engineered premium quality training mirrors

Manufactured in the UK, Equestrian Reflections world class training mirrors are designed as individual units or unique interlocking combinations. Strategically placed mirrors allow instant correction of inaccuracies. Correct positioning, orientation and calibration is essential. As no two installations are the same, Equestrian Reflections have perfected an innovate design with a completely bespoke system. Products offer clarity of vision, strength, durability and style. The service package includes a project manager, site survey and personalised calibration.

01490 460507 / 07999 577555 sales@equestrianreﬂections.co.uk www.equestrianreﬂections.co.uk BUILD IT - Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

117

Eque

P e r f o

estrian surfaces Equestrian surfaces r m a n c e S o l u t i o n s Equestrian P e r f o r m a n c e Ssurfaces o l u t i o n s Equestrian Ssurfaces o l u t i o n s

P e r f o r m a n c e

S o l u t i o n s

We are one of the leading suppliers of equestrian aggregates nationwide and suppliers of KL Fines. With over 20 years’ experience, we understand the importance of assisting our customers in making the correct decisions We offer a full range of materials for the construction of a perfect, all-weather horse arena, together with other aggregates for roads or building work.

info@devonshirestables.co.uk 01837 83756 www.devonshirestables.co.uk High quality equestrian timber builds. Designed and built to your needs.

Contact our sales team for further information on 01778 345609

www.bardomidlands.com

equestrian@bardomidlands.com

120 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine - BUILD IT

Equestrian and Agricultural Construction Bespoke stables and steel-framed agricultural buildings We offer the complete package.

Design, Demolition, groundworks, construction. End to end project management. Internal stalls, ﬁeld shelters, steel framed buildings and entire bespoke stable complexes. We supply fully CE marked steel portal frame buildings to cover your arena!

All aspects carried out!

We make people’s ideas come to life NO JOB IS TOO BIG

www.facebook.com/solsticeequestrianprojects/

Please contact us to discuss your requirements and to get a quote Tel: 01225 684522

www.solsticeequestrianprojects.com

Matthew Sawyer - 07854 304646 email: Matthew@solsticeequestrianprojects.com

POLARIS RANGER EV: THE UTV WITH AN ELECTRIC EDGE

Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to managing a farm and barn chores, and that’s exactly why a utility vehicle is a great option to give you a helping hand. Take a closer look at Polaris’ unmatched electric utility vehicle - the Polaris Ranger EV – that pairs the off-road capabilities of the world’s bestselling UTV, with the clean and gentle operation of an electric vehicle. When a heavy tractor isn’t required, but you still need to transport heavy tools, feed or equipment, pull trailers, or even just move around on challenging terrain with the option of taking a passenger, the Ranger EV is the perfect workhorse for the job at hand. Being completely electric, the Ranger EV gives you a clean ride with no exhaust fumes, as well as keeping disturbance to a minimum thanks to its whisper-quiet engine noise. It’s propelled by a single 48-volt, high-efficiency AC-induction motor and needs little maintenance due to its direct drive system with low-noise transmission. Charging from a standard domestic plug, the Ranger EV offers a usable and practical driving range in even the most demanding work environments.

It’s not just the electric advantages that make the Ranger EV so versatile. As standard, the EV features 12-inch turf tyres and VersaTrac Turf mode, which unlocks the rear-axle differential and allows it to distribute power to the two rear wheels as needed. This results in easier, tighter turns that minimise the impact and damage on the surface below, including the avoidance of tearing up grass. With its small 72-inch wheelbase and nimble handling, the Ranger EV can fit through tight gates and can be easily stored in a garage or barn. High speed mode, maximum range mode and low speed mode are all selected at the touch of button: High speed mode can be used for most trail-riding conditions providing maximum speed, whilst maximum range mode can be used to operate the vehicle over a greater distance or longer time periods by restricting the speed and torque. Low speed mode enables maximum torque for towing, hauling heavy loads or

manoeuvring over difficult obstacles. The Polaris Ranger EV has a useful cargo bed with a quick and easy tilt function operated with a one-click lever, making off-loading of heavy items like tools, horse feed or riding equipment, much easier. What’s more, the EV boasts an impressive 454kg payload capacity in addition to a 680kg towing capacity, making it the most capable battery electric side-by-side in its class. The Macpherson Strut front suspension and Dual A-Arm independent rear suspension offers 9-inches (22.9cm) of suspension travel, paired with 10-inches (25.4cm) of ground clearance for a smooth and comfortable ride on any terrain. If you’re riding on rough ground, the Ranger EV has on-demand allwheel drive, so all four wheels engage automatically when the vehicle needs more forward traction, reverting back to two-wheel drive when it doesn’t for ultimate range and power management.

When it comes to all-day use and comfort, the Ranger EV has this covered too. Designed with carefully thoughtout seating ergonomics including optimised seat height and foot clearance, the Ranger EV allows for easy entry and exit – perfect for quick jobs like opening and closing gates. The Ranger’s comfort can be tailored to suit with adjustable tilt steering too. Featuring updated split seating arrangement for two people, as well as useful in-cab storage and everyday practicalities including cup holders, a glovebox and a 12V power supply, and there’s never any need for range anxiety thanks to the clear and simple battery life gauge. Polaris is proud to offer an extensive range of accessories for endless customisation options to the Polaris vehicle lineup. From weather protection, style, performance, winches, tyres/tracks, ploughs, audio, storage and much more – there are plenty of solutions and upgrades to choose from. In addition to parts and accessories for permanent installation, Polaris Lock & Ride system accessories are available for most of models in the range – including the Ranger and Sportsman. The revolutionary system allows fitment and removal in a matter of minutes, meaning that accessories can easily be added or removed as and when they’re needed.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine

48-Volt, High Efficiency, AC-Induction

Drive System

On-Demand True AWD/2WD/ Versatrac Turf Mode

Wheelbase Ground Clearance Seating Capacity

182.9 cm 25.4 cm 2

Box Capacity

227 kg

Towing Capacity

680 kg

Starting from £13,449 ex VAT The current Ranger EV is available in Avalanche Grey, as well as the Ranger EV Hunter Special Edition with a Polaris Pursuit® Camo finish – starting from £12,999 (excluding VAT). As with all-new Polaris agriculture models, the Ranger EV also comes with additional security features as standard including an ATVTrac security tracking device also. For more information, please visit www.polarisbritain.com

ELECTRIC ADVANTAGE ADJUSTABLE TILT 2 UP 680 KG TOWING 48 VOLT ENGINE CAPACITY TYPE (AC) POWER SUPPLY 25.4 CM GROUND CLEARANCE

SEATING CAPACITY

STEERING

ALTERNATING CURRENT

0% FINANCE* AVAILABLE Including up to £1,000 ex VAT of genuine Polaris accessories. TWO YEAR

WARRANTY

* Excludes Youth. Subject to terms and conditions and credit approval.

0330 041 5141

www.polarisbritain.com

Refer a friend Introduce your family and friends to the lovely team at Rowe Equine.

If you recommend a friend/family member to Rowe Equine and they register with us, we will give you both a FREE call-out! Book a visit at a time and day to suit you, and with your preferred vet if applicable. There is no limit to the number of friends you can recommend, we will keep crediting you with free call-outs! *Terms and conditions apply

www.roweequine.com 01453 844337

So if you like what we do, please tell your friends and family! 124 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY FEED AND BEDDING

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

SERVICES

Alan Talbot Clippers Ltd

All types of clippers sharpened and serviced

• Clipper Blades (large or small) - £6 per set • Scissors - £4 • Machine Service - £25

Maximum £4 postage per order (blades only)

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news and information, from Team YHC, by following us on

*SPECIAL OFFER*

- 2 sets of blades sharpened free of charge with any machine service 10 Market Street, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6JY Tel: 01298 22638 Mobile: 07843 931870 www.alantalbotclippers.co.uk info@alantalbotclippers.co.uk

25 years’ experience in blade sharpening and clipper machine repairs

Your Horse & Country Magazine WINTER 2021 |

125

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY SERVICES

TRANSPORT

FAST EQUESTRIAN/FARM LOANS & REMORTGAGES 3 Mths T S A F UTS £10,0-025 Yrs £5,0 0O Y 0 A 0 P ,000

Immediate decision in principle

Ken Gamble

International Horse Transport Ltd 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.  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 fan-assisted cooling, temperature monitored and have CCTV fitted.

CCJs, Arrears, Flexible Incomes – no problem! Finance arranged against Farms, Farm buildings, existing Machinery & Equipment, Bare Land, Equestrian buildings, Shops, Cafés etc.

 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.

Call us to discuss – if it can be done – we can help!

0800 280 06 05 Brilliant Finance Ltd CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

tel: 01451 844716 mobile: 07836 5875 email: ken.gamble@btconnect.com

www.kengamble.co.uk

RETAIL

Moving forwards together

Passionate about horses welfare, body and mind

Let us help you fulfil the dream of having an enclosed safe area to work your horse with our affordable, quality round pens. Everyone has their own reason for wanting a round pen • 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. The Round Pen company is based in Shropshire UK providing a range of round pens, to suit all requirements.

MACWET GLOVES PROVIDE: Incredible touch and feel you won’t realise you’re wearing them! Unrivalled grip in dry, wet or humid conditions The perfect ﬁt - available in 14 sizes A choice of 6 colours, two styles and two cuff lengths Durability - machine washable and long-lasting

MacWets are touch sensitive to use with iPhones, iPads and camera. A great point as glove manufacturers are making gloves specially for this purpose - and we have it already!

0844 264 6057 | info@round-pen.co.uk www.round-pen.co.uk 126 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

To order call: 0845 603 9075 | Email: info@macwet.com

www.macwet.com

301

We’re here for all your countryside attire this autumn... Cotswold Country Ltd was established over 18 years ago and prides itself in selecting the best products from all the top country wear brands. Our large shop is spread over two floors and houses an extensive range of clothing, footwear, accessories and gifts for all lovers of the country. Whether you enjoy walking in the countryside, working outdoors or going racing, there is something for everyone instore or online. Our small but experienced team of staff are very knowledgeable and are always on hand to help to make your shopping experience enjoyable.

Stockists of...

T: 01285 657 527 E: sales@cotswoldcountry.co.uk W: www.cotswoldcountry.co.uk Or visit us today at: 80 Chesterton Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1YD

127 | WINTER 2021 Your Horse & Country Magazine

The future of horse keeping

The Activestable concept is a new way for horse owners to keep horses in a natural herd environment. Turn your idea into a flagship equestrian project - arrange a consultation with Jelka.

info@jelka.co.uk

jelka.co.uk/activestable

01304 273620

Jelka is your UK partner for HIT Active Stable. We help horse owners develop equine facilities with high-quality infrastructure and equipment.