equi-ads uk december 2009

July 2009

The UK’s No.1 Equine Health, Management and Training Magazine

FREE December 2009

In this issue

and more...

Stranglesthe importance of early detection and treatment

Common diseases of the eye

Spursuse and misuse

Rollkur/hyperflexiontime for a serious review

The five freedomsapplied to horses and ponies

Joni Bentley discusses the biomechanics of horses with German Veterinarian Gerd Heuschmann

10

Keep it simple

26

28

34

40

44

Dear Editor

On Monday (2 Nov) night my friend’s horse was stolen from a field in the Guildford area. The people who took her sawed through a wooden post and rail fence to get out and this happened between 3pm and 6pm in the afternoon.

The police were informed and so were the microchip company who circulated her details to all the ferry ports etc.As you can imagine the owner was completely distraught.

Late Tuesday (3 Nov) afternoon she received a phone call from the police to say her horse had been found in Hollyhead, Wales. She was tied to a railing at the ferry port and the ferry to Ireland had gone without her. So today (15th November) she is driving to Wales to pick her up.

Several things have come to light in this story:

• A week ago her horse had a small plait in its mane when she went to get her in from the field. She describes

it as very small, almost like a tangle. She disregarded it as kids messing about (her horses are out in a field with others). However, this is how people mark horses to be stolen later. ie One person marks them, another then comes later and knows which one to take.

• The ferry port at Hollyhead do not check horses passports or microchips. This horse was travelling without a passport.

• The police believe the reason this horse was left behind was because she was microchipped. Although the UK is lax about passport and microchip checking, it is apparently more common for horses to be scanned on entering Ireland. The people who take them will scan them and dump them if they find a microchip. This horse also has a large obvious scar so this may have been a contributing factor.

The police told her that horses being dumped at a ferry terminal is not uncommon and they usually turn out to be stolen. They have had horses left

in a lorry on the actual ferry!

This story has a happy ending for H and E, but it makes you wonder how many other stolen horses were on that ferry to Ireland.

The owner has asked me not to give any more details because of the police investigation that is on going, but has given her permission for me to relay this story, mainly to highlight:

• If you find your horse with a small plait in its mane or tail please do not ignore it. I thought it was common knowledge that people knew about this, but several people I’ve spoken to since were not aware of it.

• If your horse isn’t microchipped please consider doing it. The owner of this horse describes her as ‘nothing flashy, just a normal 14.2 bay mare’ so please don’t think it couldn’t happen to you.

Spare a happy thought today for H and E who should be having a (probably very emotional) reunion in Hollyhead.

December 2009 - Equi-Ads - 1

Classified - News

Contents

ENGLAND & WALES

Classified 1

News 1 - 2, 6, 8, 50 - 52, 54

Healthcare 2 - 3, 6 - 7

Holly Davis 2

Feeding 4 - 5

Insurance 6

Snooperstar 8

Field & Stable 49, 51

Tack & Turnout 53

Directory 54

Blue Cross 55

What’s On 56

Stolen from a field

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Riding with Joni 10 - 12 Feeding 13 - 27

Byproducts in feed 14

Feeding for condition 18

Feeding out of season 22

Healthcare 23 - 31

Worming 27 - 30

Eye diseases 28

Swollen legs 29

Classical riding 32

Insurance 33 - 35 Horses for sale 34

Riding holidays 35

Christmas gifts 36

Tack & turnout 36 - 42

Heather Moffett 40

Field & stable 43 - 48

Horse behaviour 44

Johnny Edgar 48

Healthcare - Holly Davis - News

2 - Equi-Ads - December 2009

Bonnie with Marvo

About a month ago Marvo started to develop strange spots on his back. He has never suffered from an allergy and I can’t think of anything that could have caused this. He other wise appears well in himself and is showing no other symptoms. Does he know what is causing this?

Marvo says his back has become itchy since the ‘saddle smell’. This would mean either ,there has been a change in saddle and he is reacting to

the leather dye, you are cleaning the saddle with something different or have changed your washing powder with regards to the numnah. Have a think about what has changed then try going back to what you were originally using. In the meantime you could try using a product such as Global herbs Sarc ex. This supplement is to help the immune system and also the skin. If the spots are itchy you could try using something like aloe vera gel on them maybe with a few drops of peppermint oil in to take away the itch. Though if in doubt seek advice before using.

Claire with Dizzy

Dizzy is my daughters pony. She recently went into hospital for colic surgery. Though now home and recovered we wanted to know if she feels okay and if we can help her in any way.

Dizzy is a very sweet and well behaved pony. And you don’t need me to tell you just how ill she actually was as she tells me you came extremely close to losing her on more than one occaision. She feels well in herself but slightly ‘sluggish’, though she feels under the circumstances that she has recovered well. In light of how much her body has been through and the amount of drugs used I think it would help her if you found something to aid her liver in getting rid of it all. Again, Global Herbs have products that may well help with this as well as good old milk thistle seeds which help to regenerate liver cells and cleanse the body. She says your daughter hasn’t gone back to riding her yet. I’m glad to hear this as from what she says she doesn’t appear ready for this. Although often after colic surgery we are told we can return to riding horses in six weeks!

After personally going through the heartache of having a mare going through colic surgery I can very much sympathise. Your mare was one of the lucky ones. Often it’s the personality of the horse and the will to fight and not give in that gets them through in these

kinds of cases just as much as medical science. And luckily for me my mare was as stubborn as her owner!

Derek with Jimmy

I got my Fresian gelding Jimmy from a dealer two weeks ago. Though a bit head shy he is exceptionally well mannered. I wondered what has happened to make him head shy. If he is happy here and how life was for him before.

Before the dealer Jimmy belonged to gypsies. His is head shy from having been ear twitched. His manners are due mostly to his good personality and there is a natural feeling of being a gentleman coming from him, but also perfected by a strict owner who ‘didn’t stand for messing’. He has had laminitis in the past so watch out for this in future.

He also comments on having been very ‘wormy’. In light of this a worm count would be a good idea. All in all he comes across pretty relaxed considering how short a time he has been with you. Also did you know he was used for trotting races? So if you haven’t trotted him ridden yet watch out as he’ll be pretty fast at it! Personality wise you have certainly made a good choice and hopefully with kindness and patience he’ll get over being head shy as he is not feeling any physical pain to now account for it, just remembering what happened before.

To contact Holly please call Aline on 01738 567700 or email [email protected]

Holly Davis

Tendon concerns take so long to return to normal. A bad situation can take 6 months to resolve with many horses never fully recovering.

TendonEaze from Global Herbs is designed to provide all the nutrition your horse needs to get back to work

as quickly as possible. The veterinary team at Global Herbs are constantly amazed at the results they hear of around the country. Quite often, after putting a foot in a rabbit hole at high speed the professionals may think the position is hopeless for the poor horse. However with the right approach and nutrition from TendonEaze we now see huge differences in countless cases.

The reason TendonEaze is so useful is the tropical herbs it contains which help cells divide and knit together. Along with basics such as MSM, soothing

and ciruclation agents the formula helps the body do the work it is designed to do in the recovery process.

As soon as you get a tendon problem, follow all the normal procedures including box rest and feed TendonEaze along with GlobalVite for advanced nutrition. GlobalVite is essential as the premier feed balancer in all such situations - and for general use.

Call Global Herbs on 01243 773363 for all the background information and individual advice for your horse. www.globalherbs.co.uk

We all like to save money on equine products and what better way to do this than with Equine Loyalty. Purchase a card for a friend or a loved one for Christmas this year and give them the ability to continue buying equestrian products and services and save money at the same time.

The Equine Loyalty card costs £20 and can be bought online and be with you well in time for Christmas. The card then allows your friend or

loved one to use all of the discounts provided by the Equine Loyalty card, saving them hundreds over the course of a year on things like clothing, insurance, books and services.

Put a smile on someone’s face this Christmas and buy them an Equine Loyalty card!

For further information please contact [email protected]

Tendons recover quickly and easily

Equine Loyalty - Christmas wish list product

October 2009 - Equi-Ads - 3

Insert Category

A number of incredible findings and life changing events came my way this year. I want to share a brief summary of them with you, and where to find more detailed information, then you can decide for yourself if your current feed regime is the right one for you and your horse.

For over 70 years, my family have kept horses and never once in that time had a problem with laminitis, or related metabolic problems – that is until now. Two mares developed acute laminitis, then a couple of others developed foot soreness and had to be restricted when already on very poor grazing. Harlequin, our 16.2hh Welsh Cob gelding who had never been overweight, began to drastically lose condition and developed laminitis in all 4 feet, with pedal bone rotation.

For months we tried the fibre-based conditioning feeds, bouncing from one ‘laminitis’ feed to another, desperately trying to find a way to put condition back on an emaciated horse without triggering the laminitis again. Harlequin looked like an RSPCA neglect case. My husband decided if Harlequin’s quality of life could not be restored,

then he should be euthanized. This was the kick up the backside I needed. As a research scientist with experience of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, metabolic diseases and 16 years knowledge of the latest research breakthroughs in the human field, I decided to take things into my own hands. The vets diagnosed Harlequin with ‘a metabolic syndrome’.

Tests concluded insulin resistant, non-Cushings, ongoing laminitis, no obvious muscular-skeletal problems. Box rest, bute, ACP sedative, soaked haynets and feeding 4 small meals daily were prescribed. The only drug left to try was Metformin – a best selling drug prescribed to lower blood sugar levels in diabetic humans. It was then that the penny dropped……

I knew that no prescription drug could cure Harlequin. I had to find a way to remove the cause of his problem, and then feed him to support optimum health, enabling his metabolism to correct itself.

The cause? That’s difficult to prove, but all fingers pointed to chemical exposure such as pesticide or

herbicide sprays. The feed? Well to cut a long story short, nothing suitable was available commercially. If you find that hard to believe, then take a look at our website to learn about some of the ingredients in processed horse feeds. Make sure you are sitting comfortably! In the end, I used my scientific knowledge and devised my own feed.

As Harlequin eats approximately 3 tonnes of hay/forage each year, I concluded that there’s little justification in buying yet more expensive fibre in his hard feed – especially when there is no scientific evidence that feeding more fibre ‘cures’ laminitis. When you

are poorly, you eat highly digestible, high quality, nutritious food to help your body recover. So that’s what we developed – a new feed based on these principles, free from as many artificial chemicals as possible. This was fed together with a herbal supplement, using my herbal medicine knowledge, and using herbs as ‘functional foods’. (The ‘penny dropped’ because I knew Metformin, like so many other pharmaceutical drugs, was developed from a chemical isolated from a plant).

Amazingly, Harlequin’s blood tests showed his insulin levels normalised, his laminitis resolved and he gained healthy weight. We soon had all of our horses on this new diet, and saw many improvements that we hadn’t thought possible. Friends asked for me to supply them, word of mouth spread the news, demand outstripped my ability to hand mix a few sacks for friends, and so began ‘Thunderbrook Equestrian’ and ‘Equine Pure Essentials’ feeds. And here’s another little secret – Harlequin didn’t have bute or sedative in his feed. They don’t ‘cure’ laminitis either. Want to know what he did eat? Read the full story at www.thunderbrook.co.uk

Feeding


Fast Food Horse? Dr Deborah Carley BSc Biochemistry (Hons), PhD Biological & Nutritional Sciences, of Thunderbrook Equestrian

Hay pulled from a haynet generally ends up inside your horse, but what about the stems that litter the stable floor and your horses bed? Usually after the net is empty, your horse eats the remainder off the floor, ingesting sand, grit and debris causing colic.

Yorkshire Equine Products have designed and manufactured The Haykeeper which prevents this problem with its compact yet spacious design that allows your horse to eat naturally, improving digestion and respiration and also ensuring that you do not have to remove a mix of hay and bedding from your stable every day, lowering waste levels.

Fixed to the wall either through masonry or wooden fittings, the Haykeeper is an easy to use dispenser that keeps the hay where it needs to be and ensures your horse consumes this equine staple in the right head and neck position.

When the stable is vacated the next day, it is easy to sweep the Haykeeper clean of any remaining food and refill with fresh.

The moulding has been done to ensure that a robust and smooth top lip will not endanger the horse in any fashion and also a scooped front will prevent any pressure on the gullet when eating and allows easier access to the base of the product.

Recommended to be put at a height with a gap of 100mm underneath the Haykeeper to allow for sweeping underneath, this system is not only more beneficial to your equine friend, but also saves you money in the long run.

The Haykeeper is available in Black, Blue, Red, Green, Pink and Yellow, however if you purchase the black, 100% of this has been recycled, giving you the peace of mind that you are doing what you can to keep your horse in tip top health, and helping the environment.

Retailing at £59.95 inclusive of vat and delivery, you can get your Haykeeper from www.yorkshireequineproducts.co.uk in your choice of colour and with your choice of fittings.

The Haykeeper

“I knew that no prescription drug could cure Harlequin. I had to find a way to remove the cause of his problem, and then feed him to support optimum health, enabling his metabolism to correct itself”


Feeding

The long established Suffolk based Horse Rescue Fund is dedicated to the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-homing of abused equines.

The majority of the horses and ponies are re-homed under an adoption scheme whilst others remain as permanent residents. Those found to be unsuitable for re-homing are subsequently cared for under a sponsorship scheme.

Ponies like Billy, who was not weaned properly, due to his Mum being sold and then his owner threatened to abandon him by the roadside – until he was signed over to the Horse Rescue Fund.

Billy’s full story and those of his friends available for sponsorship can be found on the web site www.horserescuefund.org.uk along with details of the sponsorship scheme. If you sponsor someone from the Horse Rescue

Fund you will receive a photograph, a signed certificate, a background story of the animal, twice yearly newsletters and updates on your horse, pony, donkey or even our cat, plus a free gift. You will also have the opportunity to visit Billy and all his friends (by appointment).

Your sponsorship donation, a minimum of £10 per year, will help towards covering the cost of keeping these horses and ponies in care, so would you like to be Billy’s best friend?

Details of the work of the Horse Rescue Fund and horses and ponies ready for re-homing can be found on the website or by telephoning direct on 01502 679191 or via e-mail to [email protected].

On Armistice Day 11th November 2009 at the Animals in War Memorial in Park Lane, London, a touching Remembrance Gathering was held to mark the huge contribution animals have made in all areas of conflict past and present. Attending the first event of its kind at the Memorial were representatives of many Animal Charities and members of the Armed Forces including three officers on horseback. Captain Mike Fry from the Household Cavalry Blues & Royals, Major Christopher M. Stewardson from the Governor General’s Horse Guards, (Canada) and Captain Laura Holmes from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. At 11am the two minute silence was observed, then poetry and moving readings were given by two of the mounted officers, followed by: Clarissa Baldwin OBE- CEO of the Dogs Trust, Wing Commander David Bills, from the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, Julie Toben a Trustee from Cats Protection. Philip Breeden from the American Embassy talked of the donkeys and mules currently serving in Afghanistan, Julie Taylor – Radcliffe on behalf of the Margaret Barker Wreath (dedicated to war animals) and Major Melissa Bowerman from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. The last speaker was Jilly Cooper OBE, Author of Animals in War and whose

vision created the original idea for the Memorial. Thanks were expressed to Brigadier Andrew Parker-Bowles – a Trustee of the Memorial - who, although sadly not able to be present, had given so much invaluable help to the organisers of the event. “Due to the overwhelming support for this to happen again plans are already in progress for next year,” said event organiser Emma Kurrels from Voices for Horses. “The main objective being to create a yearly gathering to respect and pay tribute to the millions of animals which served, suffered and died alongside soldiers worldwide and so we do not forget the animals currently working today.” “The Words on the Memorial read ‘They had no choice’ – nor can they speak for themselves,” said Emma. “They serve in silence and deserve our respect, gratitude and above all, remembrance.”

16hh Bright Bay Mare, 12 years old with right white hind sock. Last seen on the evening of May 14th 2009.

This mare needs specialist back treatment and must not be ridden. Heidi has a very distinctive blaze and it may have been obscured by dye or altered slightly. She may also have a different name and may be in foal.

Anyone with any information please contact Thorpe Wood Police Station, Peterborough or 07731 528282

Healthcare - Insurance - news


Mare Stolen Would you like to be Billy’s best friend?

Remembrance gathering at the animals in war memorial

News - Snooperstar


Mum can be downright cruel sometimes.

She announced that my face was too furry and brought out the trimmers to de-fuzz me. Too furry for what, I enquired. It is nearly winter after all and rather chilly, hence the need for me to grow my winter coat. Been happening to horses for thousands of years I told her. She ignored my protests and set to work, whipping off my beard and cosy face fur. As if this wasn’t bad enough, she did one side of my face and then stopped to recharge the trimmers, leaving me half finished. Mum and Nice New Yard Owner were in hysterics, saying I looked like something from the Phantom of the Opera.

I don’t find her in the least bit amusing. Mum explained that the trimming and preening was for my first dressage outing of the year. I was thrilled to discover that my dressage party was in a huge indoor school and better still, there were lots of mirrors on the wall so I could look at myself and admire my handsomeness. I was very excited to be out partying again, even if it was boring dressage. There’s no galloping in dressage which is a bit of a yawn. On a good note, Mum had changed my normal bit for a feeble snaffle. I took great delight in showing her how much of a mistake that was. The Small Sparkly One looked on in horror as I bounded round the warm-up snorting and leaping in the air. The One Who Decides Who’s Best asked if we were ready and Mum nodded unconvincingly as I squealed and showed off my best extended trot down the centre line.

I will let you into a little secret about Mum. She is pretty stupid. She forgets

dressage tests and show-jumping courses and pretty much has no sense of direction when we are out hacking. So over the years I have learned to read letters and numbers, memorise tracks and listen to the directions that our test reader calls out. The Small Sparkly One shouted instructions to me and I did as I was asked, trotting where I was supposed to, changing the rein and cantering twenty metre circles. I even made sure I did lots of bouncey, flicky-toed trotting in between. Simple stuff really. Finally I halted in front of the One Who Decides Who’s Best and nodded my head in salute. He seemed very impressed and asked Mum if I had any Lipizzaner breeding in me. Apparently his remarks on my test were ‘promising horse, will be nice when he matures’ which made Mum and the Small Sparkly One snigger. The cheek of it.

We horses are extremely good at having what I like to call ‘mystery-field-mishaps’ which generally result in unexplained cuts, bumps and bruises. Mum can spend hours trawling the field, looking for evidence of horse related catastrophes such as broken fencing or lion paw prints. Generally, she will find no confirmation of the cause of the accident and end up shaking her head, muttering about out-of-hours vets’ call-outs and the pros of keeping goldfish.

Maurice and I are good at keeping Mum busy with plenty of mystery-field-mishaps. And of course it is vitally important that any injuries do not become evident until after the vets surgery has closed.

Take last Friday for example. Mum

brought us all in from the field and put us in our stables. But she didn’t notice that I had cut my leg, despite the blood clearly pouring down my white fur. To make sure she got the hint, I turned to face the back of my stable and stood holding my injured leg up in the air. Mum squealed and dashed off to get hot water to wash my leg.

When she returned she was on the phone to the vet describing my horrific injuries as I looked on pathetically. I made sure I limped believably out into the yard to have my leg washed, to the point that Mum was almost convinced it was broken. When Vet Lady arrived, I was stood, head hanging, resting my injured leg with ‘sad lugs’ as Mum calls them. Vet Lady cleaned my leg, shaving away my fur to reveal a teeny tiny cut which she bandaged up. I perked up when Mum brought out my dinner and shoved Vet Lady out of the way to get back to my stable to eat it. Mum commented to Vet Lady that I seemed to have made a miraculous recovery and wondered if I was putting on the pathetic act. I got extra carrots that night despite that remark so she must have been feeling a wee bit sorry for me. I think it was the sad lugs that did it.

The down side to the mystery-field-mishaps is of course the medicine that I usually have to endure to make me better. I don’t particularly like taking medicine. And I hate injections too. Mum tries to be sneaky and hides the medicine in my dinner or breakfast. But I know it’s there and I refuse to eat it. I will never be poisoned. Not like Maurice. He eats anything, even medicine. He doesn’t seem to mind injections either. He is strange.

Mum was especially horrid with my medicine this time. She put the ghastly mixture in a tube thing and shoved it in my mouth. I tried to spit it out (mostly over Mum) but she held up my head until I had to swallow it. Yuck. She uses the same trick with the repulsive wormer stuff too. She says it is for my own good. I am not convinced.

Mum says that between us, Maurice and I barely have a sound leg. And that one is probably owned by the Vet Man. The One With Money keeps muttering about how he wishes Mum would take up a cheaper, less stressful hobby such as knitting or shark taming.

Now where would the fun be in that? Her life would be pretty boring without the daily investigation into our mystery-field-mishaps. We do like to keep her on her toes.

Now I just need to persuade Maurice to mysteriously pull the straps off his turnout rug whilst I mysteriously pull a shoe off.

That should keep her occupied for a while.

Translated from horsespeak by Gayle Culross

From the Horse’s Mouth – Ramblings of a Delinquent Twenty-Something ...

The Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre, at Halton near Lancaster, is dedicated to the welfare, rehabilitation and re-homing of racehorses.

Horses that come to the centre can have injuries and behavioural issues, but the hope is that they can be re-homed for the rest of their lives.

The TRC was founded by Carrie Humble MBE in 1991 after she spent time working with her friend’s father preparing his thoroughbred stock for sales. As a direct result of going to these bloodstock sales Carrie saw first hand the reality of what the horses face when their racing days are over - thoroughbreds that are either at the end of their career, or those that never made it, can end up in the wrong hands, neglected and abused.

By 1993 Carrie had been granted charitable status for the TRC and was awarded the MBE in the summer of 2003 for services to racehorse welfare. The TRC is based at Whinney Hill, a 230 acre site with an indoor and outdoor school, horse walking area and a veterinary treatment barn.

It’s important to keep the horses active as all horses taken into the TRC have to be re-homed as ridden horses. The type of work they do depends on any existing injuries or conditions. Most make good hacks and are able to compete in local dressage or riding club activities. The time taken to re-home each horse varies greatly as they are all so different and it very much depends on finding the right loaner for the horse. When a suitable home is found, the horses remain the property of the TRC for the rest of their lives

with regular visits made in their new home.

The centre’s most famous resident was Grand National winner Hallo Dandy. “Dan” came to the centre in fairly poor shape, but made a quick recovery and spent 12 happy years before his death in 2007 at the age of 33.

To date well over 200 horses have found a new home via the TRC. Raising funds is very difficult and a constant challenge – the centre costs nearly £1500 per day to run and relies mainly on the generosity of the horse-loving public to continue.

To gain an insight into the work of the TRC you can attend a Yard Visit. Participants will meet the horses and staff and have an opportunity to watch some of the horses being ridden and

trained. Yard visits are being held on; Sunday 20 December, Sunday 24 January, Saturday 27 February, Sunday 21 March and run from 11am - 1pm. Numbers are limited so tickets must be prebooked and paid for in advance.

There is also a two day Schooling Clinic planned for the 6th and 7th May 2010. This will give the opportunity to take your own ex-racehorse to the centre, where you can learn about flatwork and jumping, or get help with any problems you might have with your horse. Tickets include livery and lunch.

To book a ticket for a Yard Visit, Schooling Clinic or for further information please call 01524 812649. www.thoroughbredrehabilitationcentre.co.uk

The Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre


Feeding


Joni Bentley

Keep it simple!In this second article covering my interview with internationally-famous speaker and veterinarian Gerd Heuschmann, we talk about the biomechanics of horses – and why we see so many terrible injuries in today’s competitive dressage riding.

Joni: You travel all over the world teaching and lecturing. What are you seeing out there?

Gerd: I’m seeing people doing what I did during my professional riding training as a young man, before I went to veterinary school. I made all the mistakes – pulling in front, squeezing with the leg, the flying trot. I did it all, and I thought I was right! I don’t blame these young riders. They want to win. I do blame the judges and the organisations behind the judges. The judges give 10s for bad riding, so why shouldn’t riders do it?

The reason, of course, is that it injures their horses.

A hundred years ago, they said – be careful with the flying trot because you’ll harm your horse. And now it’s this flashy movement that everyone is thrilled by.

Joni: The flying trot is when you see excessive shoulder movement, with poor engagement behind?

Gerd: Yes. Moorlands Totilas, the horse who won the European championships, is a leg mover, and they decided to put another layer on it. Now they call it the flying trot, but it’s just a circus lesson. And our judges give them 10s. It’s unbelievable.

Joni: After the competition, there was a question about this horse’s soundness. Do you know what it was?

Gerd: I have an idea what it must be.

A horse is like a bridge, supported on four pillars. The bony structure of the bridge – the thoracic and lumbar spine – is very thin. It’s only the size of a woman’s wrist. A horse’s weight is about 250 kilos. When the rider mounts, another 60-plus kilograms lands on the back.

So we have 300 kilos pulling downwards. How can the horse carry this weight without destroying the bones in his back?

You might say, we don’t ride on bones, we ride on the horse, and the horse has strong muscles in the back and abdomen. So these muscles carry the rider.

But the back and abdomen muscles are made for locomotion, not weight-lifting. So if these muscles shouldn’t carry the weight, what does?

It has to do with the head and neck axis. To raise the back muscle, you need to create an opposing stretch from the forehand , through the horse’s back, to the hindquarters. (see diagram 1)

Joni: Yes, in the beginning, a young horse learns how to stop hollowing under the weight of the rider and stretch his head and neck out of his shoulders down to the ground. That starts the front wheel moving anticlockwise, and begins developing the fore-to-hind stretch through the back.

After a year’s training doing transitions and turning, the horse learns to take his weight back a little more. The hindquarters circle turns in anti clockwise direction, lifting the back through the opposing stretch. As his hindquarters develop, the hindquarters wheel comes into balance with the fore.

Gerd: This is very important, because as the hind wheel grows – as the hindquarters strengthen to balance the stretch – you get the forehand elevated as a gift. And then when you have the hindquarters, the horse starts to chew automatically, which releases the head, neck, and jaw.

The system has to work as a whole. You can’t fragment it.

So go back to the training basics: rhythm, suppleness, soft hands that offer the bit to the horse so he takes the contact. There’s no rule saying you have to pull hard on his mouth and stiffen your horse’s back so he can hit himself in the chin with his knee!

The more you pull, the more you lose the back, the more you lose the hind legs, and – do you see? – you turn the circles in the wrong way.

Joni: That is very clear when you compare these two photos from your book, Tug of War. Photo 2 shows the smooth, flowing motion of a classical trot. This horse is a “back mover” – he’s well balanced, collected, and even though he’s performing at a very high level, he looks natural and relaxed.

Gerd: In photo 3 you see a “leg mover”– just look at it! It’s ugly, tense, and contracted. The fore and hind wheels are both spinning anticlockwise. This breaks the muscles’ connection through the back and neck. When you train a horse this way, you don’t just destroy his legs – you destroy his mind and spirit.

Do you see how in these two examples (photos 3 & 4) of the flying trot, the wheels are both moving anticlockwise instead of in opposite directions?

Joni: Yes there’s no opposing stretch, so there’s no good functional connection between the head, neck, and back. This leads to all the injuries we’ve been talking about.

Gerd: We have to be very, very careful not to lose one of the most beautiful parts of our European culture: our tradition of training horses in classical dressage. We need to admit we really don’t ride classical dressage any more. We need to think about this and come back to our roots. We need to calm down and restart.

Joni: We have such a hard work ethic hammered into us. We believe we have to work hard, it’s complicated, and it’s difficult. But actually – this is so important! – It’s very simple. You just have to be quiet inside, and listen to the movement. Respect the horse, work with the horse – it’s clear and easy, but the world makes things so complicated and elitist. The irony is, it’s all an illusion.

Gerd: Yes, yes, it’s so simple. The experts like to make us think it’s difficult, but it’s not difficult at all. It’s easy to understand the biomechanics if you slow down and take the time to feel riding, not just do it.

What’s hard is to fight with the horse!

Joni: My workshops are very hands on, and that helps people to calm down and clear their mind. Then they begin to realise how simple it really is. I start by showing them how the horse’s body and the rider’s body are both naturally out of alignment, and how that causes most of their problems. It’s so easy to see when you know what to look for! This helps the rider slow down, and it moves them out of their heads and into their senses. When they stop thinking so much, and instead realise how they can feel the horse’s body and mind, they start to enjoy the peace riding can give us... and then they get very curious about how to start making changes – and really excited about how easy it is to do!

How do you help people see how simple it is? What do you tell them?

Gerd: It starts with understanding the physiology of a young horse.

You know how it feels the day after a hard workout. Your muscles are sore and you feel stiff, like a piece of wood.

To raise the back, the forehand and hindquarters must be balanced. The goal in training a young horse is to equalise the strength and balance of the forehand (anticlockwise wheel) and hindquarters (clockwise wheel), creating an opposing stretch through the horse’s back.

The muscle chain that makes the back work includes:The long back muscle (M. longissimus dorsi) •The top line muscular system•The under neck muscular system•The muscular system of the hindquarters•The abdominal muscular system•The short head and neck muscles• cont on p.12

diagram 1

December 2009 - Equi-Ads - 11September 2009 - Equi-Ads - 11

Paddock Management Update


How do you think your baby horse feels after a day of training?

A horse is a flight animal. It’s built to run, not to carry weight. When you start riding your horse, you start making big changes in his tendons, muscles, ligaments. Just like you after a workout, he hurts after a training session.

Then when you start fighting against the stiffness you caused the day before, you end up with a horse who’s losing his suppleness and the purity of his gaits. His contact clamps up and his back and neck become stiff.

In a young horse, each ride creates great stimulation and muscle pain. This means you need a break between training sessions. How long a break? It depends on what you do. You have to be sensitive and aware of what the horse is feeling.

He’s not standing in the stable and thinking, “Today I will be stiff on the right side!” When you feel resistance, there’s a reason for it. And if you fight stiffness, you make it worse. Never pull on the mouth of a young horse!

We’ve never had more beautiful horses than we have nowadays. And we’ve never had so many horse physiotherapists, veterinarians, osteopaths, chiropractors.

Joni: Everyone is working on the horse for problems the rider creates. Yet very few people ask if they are the reason for the problems in their horses. They just look for a solution to the problem, as if the horse was a machine.

Gerd: Yes when the horse won’t bend to the right? Call in the chiropractor. If that doesn’t work, ask the vet for injections in the back. If the horse isn’t jumping well and his back is down, they’re sure the horse has something wrong in the hind suspensory, so do some stem cell therapy.

We do have orthopedic problems and we do have to treat them, but we have to ask why we have these problems. As long as we stand there and repair and don’t ask why the problems are there, we will not come out of this.

90% of the problems are created by bad riding and bad training. As you say, we have to calm down and start to feel instead of thinking so much and working so hard.

Great news! Many of my readers have been asking for workshops in different locations – and now you have the opportunity to let me know where and when!

If you’re interested in hosting or attending a workshop in an area other than what’s listed here, drop me an email www.jonibentley.co.uk and let me know where, when, and if you know of a good venue where the workshop can be held.

Joni Bentley

The circles of movement again are both anticlockwise because there is no engagement behind. This “showy,” leg-throwing, toe-flicking trot causes terrible wear on the horse’s body. It’s a common cause of leg injuries, especially in young horses doing dressage. It has nothing to do with classical dressage, because it’s created without collection. As you can see in the picture, the hind legs are out and the croup is high.

cont from p.10

For more details on what each workshop includes, visit my website www.jonibentley.co.uk If you have questions, you can ring on: 07771811561

I look forward to seeing you and your horse at a workshop soon!

An example of exemplary trot mechanics, “flowing” through the horse’s back. Front circle moving anticlockwise back circle moving clockwise creating a balance opposing stretch through the horse. Notice that the lines of the front and hind legs are parallel.

A trot extension where the diagonal sequence of footfall is clearly disrupted. This is an example of a “leg mover” performing a “show” trot. Note the red lines indicating the height of the front and hind legs. They’re clearly not parallel. This is incorrect – and a terrible strain on the horse’s body.

Because the horse is being pulled in and down in front, the circles both rotate anticlockwise. There’s no chance of engagement behind. The horse’s back is tense, his croup is high, and the head and neck position is tight

photo 2

photo 3

photo 4

So far we are scheduling workshops at:

Devon East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton, EX9 7BY

Essex to be announced

Hertfordshire RDA, Gaadiston, Hemel Hempsted

Gloucestershire to be announced

Kent Willow Farm Hanslett’s Lane Ospringe, Faversham, ME13

Staffordshire Rodbaston Campus, Penkridge, Staffs, ST19 5PH

Sussex, Upper Styles Place Farm, Gay Street, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 2HH

Yorkshire to be announced

Cheshire Boldheath E.C. Heath House Farm, Warrington Road, Bold Heath, Widnes, Cheshire WA8 3XT

Dorset Fortune riding therapy centre, Avon Tyrrell Bransgrove, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 8EE

Lanarkshire Stanmore Equestrian Centre, Stanmore Stables, Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 7RR

Nottinghamshire Selston Equestrian Centre, Hill Bank Farm, Commonside, Selston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG16 6FJ


Feeding

The importance of byproducts in horse feedDr Derek Cuddeford, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh.

Byproducts are used in many different ways for feeding horses. They can be fed alone as an individual feed (eg sugar beet pulp), incorporated into a compound feed (eg oat husks) or added to a feed (eg oil). In many respects, byproducts are as important in horse diets as whole feeds such as barley or oats. There are many different sources of byproduct for feeding to horses but the main ones are discussed below.

Processing of cereals yields a range of products. Milling oats provides oat husks and oat feed which are valuable sources of fibre in compound feeds whereas the milling of wheat gives, apart from wheat

flour, wheatfeed (a good source of protein and fibre), wheat bran (fibre) and wheat germ which is rich in unsaturated oil and vitamin E. Of course, one of the main byproducts of growing cereals is straw which is mostly used for bedding but, can be fed either long on an ad libitum basis to fatties as a filler or, processed for inclusion in compound feeds or forage feeds (straw chaffs). A lot of maize is processed to produce corn starch and a byproduct of this process is maize gluten, an important source of protein that is used in horse compound feeds. Although rice is grown outwith the UK it is available here in different forms such as polished rice or brown rice for human consumption. The seed coat (bran) that is removed during rice processing is oil-rich and following some enthusiastic marketing in the US, certain groups within in the UK now believe that rice bran could be a valuable dietary ingredient in diets for growing Thoroughbred youngstock or endurance horses. It contains gamma oryzinol which has been credited with a steroid-like action and thus capable of stimulating muscle development. However there is no reliable evidence for this action and even if there were, the use of steroids was discredited by some Finnish research work with growing horses a long time ago. Thus, in my opinion rice bran offers nothing more than any other vegetable oil and presents a source of risk in the context of banned substance use in competition horses.

Sugar beet is grown throughout Europe for the production of sugar whereas the alternative, sugar cane, is grown in the warmer parts of the World for example, Australia, Fiji, southern parts of the US and in Caribbean countries. Processing of these very different raw materials yields molasses as an important byproduct which is frequently added to chaffs or into compound feeds. Bagasse, the fibrous byproduct of sugar cane, can be fed to ruminants or used as a fuel. In contrast, the pulp residue following hot water extraction of sugar from sugar beet is highly regarded as a feed for horses. Sometimes beet molasses is added back to the pulp to produce molassed beet pulp and in other cases the pulp remains in its unmolassed form. The latter is favoured by those who think their horses have a “sugar allergy” and must therefore be fed a sugar-free diet, which is impossible if fed grass! Because of EU policy changes, sugar beet pulp (SBP) may become less available and thus more expensive. Industries that rely on molasses as a microbial substrate (such as for yeast production) are already looking for alternatives to what was once a waste product! A downside of SBP is that it has to be dried (~95% dry matter) to make it cost-effective to transport it and then a further downside is that most horse owners insist on rehydrating it prior to feeding. So, it is dried to transport it and then soaked to feed it.........this has led to innovations in SBP processing to produce products such as Speedybeet and Quickbeet that soak (rehydrate) quickly (~5 minutes). But why bother? SBP shreds can be fed dry; products in the US contain up to 40% shreds. Problems are most likely to arise when cont on p.15


pelleted SBP is fed and horses eat it too quickly. Shreds mixed through a feed are quite safe.

Oilseeds are an important human feedstock in that they provide both protein and oil in their whole form. A lot of oil seeds (soya, sunflower, groundnut, rape, etc) are oil-extracted to provide vegetable oil and a residue that may be used in animal diets. One of the most valuable oil seed residues is soya bean meal which contains a lot of protein and the amino acid, lysine. Soya is used to produce soya “milk” and “veggie” burgers which emphasises the fact that this material is of high quality. It is an important component of diets fed to horses with high nutrient demand such as racehorses, lactating mares and growing foals. Vegetable oils are used to increase the energy density of horse diets; rape oil contains three times the digestible energy content of oats. Oils may be added during the manufacture of compound feeds, mixed with forages to make bagged chaffs or “top dressed” onto a feed as neat oil (not neatsfoot oil!!). Horses appear to have a high tolerance to added oil and I have fed over a litre of soya oil to a 600kg horse without ill effect (to me or the horse........) although most owners only top dress trivial amounts such as a “cup” of oil. It is important to remember that vegetable oils are unsaturated and therefore unstable being liable to oxidation and then becoming rancid. Regular use of vegetable oil in horse diets demands the use of antioxidants and, for the average horse owner, this means adding a little vitamin E.

Another group of byproducts to consider are those that arise through the fastidious application of conformity rules by supermarkets. They set very stringent standards so that a lot of vegetables/fruit get rejected if they are not straight (crooked carrots!), well-shaped (potatoes) or blemished (apples). “Substandard” carrots can be bought cheaply for horse feeding and may be fed in large quantities or, as a treat. Other succulents become available from time to time and of course, there is the issue of “out-of-date” produce which finds its way into all sorts of different outlets..........Large amounts of fruit are processed to produce fruit drinks and the residue then becomes available for feeding to animals. Apple juice production leaves a residue known as apple pomace which is palatable and contains masses of readily digestible fibre in the form of pectin so, if the price is right, it can be a valuable component in a horse diet.

As this is the season of goodwill to all men (not sure about the women as they have a lot of cooking to do!) it requires that we dispense hospitality to one and all. In the UK there is a heavy dependency on home-produced beer and spirits (mostly whisky)

which contain varying levels of alcohol that has been produced by yeasts feeding on cereal starch. The most popular cereals are barley for the brewing industry and barley (single malts), wheat and maize (blends) for the distilling industry. The most notorious byproduct of all is, of course, the thunderous hangover following a truly bibulous occasion. However, the yeast that produces the alcohol is prized and it is known as (not surprisingly!) Brewer’s Yeast and can be bought in Health Food Shops. Clearly, if it is good for you then you might think it must be good for your horse but in fact, this type of yeast is of little value as it is destroyed in the horses’ stomach although it does provide some B vitamins and some protein so it does have some value. What is particularly good for your horse is the cereal residue following the fermentation stage; brewer’s grains or distiller’s grains. These byproducts are good sources of both protein and digestible fibre. Distiller’s grains may contain a lot of copper if it is sourced from a traditional distillery where stainless steel has not replaced the original copper stills; the residue following distillation (distiller’s solubles) is normally added back to the grains. So, when enjoying some alcoholic refreshment this Christmas, you may like to think that your horse may benefit as well, in a rather indirect way, from your consumption this festive season! If you need justification for enjoying yourself this might help...

Feeding

cont from p.14

Merry Christmas &Happy New Year

to all our readers & advertisers

from everyone at

Equi-Ads


For promoting weight gain, top line and outstanding muscle tone, Baileys Top Line Conditioning Mix and Cubes are second to none. The care taken in micronising the cereals ensures the starch content is as digestible as possible helping to reduce any associated risks. Protein sources supply a range of essential amino acids for muscle and tissue integrity and both feeds are fully balanced with performance levels of vitamins and minerals to support metabolism and well-being.

Formulated to be calorie dense therefore enabling meal sizes to be kept manageable, the “Top Lines” are likely to promote a difference in condition in 2 to 3 weeks (when fed according to recommendations) so you won’t have to wait long to find out how

good your horse could look! Priced at around £10.30 for the cubes and £11.30 for the mix, these two leading conditioning feeds are included in Baileys Cashback Bonanza so carry 50p tokens to collect and send in for cash back.

For information and advice on feeding for head turning condition contact Baileys Horse Feeds on 01371 850247 or visit www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk.

Feeding

How good could your horse look?

Charlotte Pendlebury wins year of Blue Chip sponsorshipCharlotte Pendlebury and her six-year-pony Rhydyllech Red Saffron (Saffie to his friends) have won a year of sponsorship from Blue Chip after winning the lead rein show hunter class and the Blue Chip Supreme Champion award at the prestigious Blue Chip Summer Festival of Champions.

Charlotte and her twin sister Elinor are just five years old and had their first experiences of riding on Sparkie, a Shetland pony, but it was with Saffie that Charlotte qualified for the Blue Chip Summer Festival of Champions. Thrilled to be at the show, Charlotte’s dream day became reality when she and Saffie won the lead rein show hunter class, going on the take the Blue Chip Supreme Championship under the spotlights at the evening performance, the pony led by Emma Simm.

Charlotte and Elinor are actively supported by their parents John and Michelle, together with Emma and Hannah Barton and everyone was absolutely over the moon when Charlotte won a year of sponsorship from Blue Chip. Her prize includes Blue Chip feed for a year for Saffie, lovely Blue Chip jackets for Charlotte, Elinor and Michelle, plus a Blue Chip saddlecloth and Blue Chip fleece rug for Saffie.

Charlotte, from Haigh, near Wigan in Lancashire, qualified for the Blue Chip Summer Festival of Champions at her local Leigh Show, run by the local riding club, Leigh & District Horse and Pony Club. She is also in contention for the Club’s Points Championships and took Reserve Supreme of Country at the Blue Chip Winter Festival of Champions at the end of October, adding an especially fabulous end to a really successful season.

New Dodson & Horrell Haylage Online ‘Thank you’ for Blue

Chip customersNew Dodson & Horrell Haylage is the ideal choice for owners wanting to feed a top quality high fibre forage.

Like all haylage it is highly digestible, is dust free and mould spore free to support a healthy respiratory system and is packed in a way that seals in all the nutritional goodness. However, Dodson & Horrell Haylage has more to offer both horse and owner because it contains less water per bale than average haylage, meaning that there is more fibre per mouthful hence better value for your money.

Dodson & Horrell Haylage is suitable for all horses and ponies whatever their workload, particularly those requiring optimum lung capacity.

If you would like advice on feeding your horse contact the Dodson & Horrell Nutritional Helpline on 0845 2627 345 or visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com

If you enjoy the convenience and simplicity of buying online, why not visit Blue Chip’s informative website, which has a totally secure online ordering facility for the whole Blue Chip range and in a generous seasonal promotion. From now to the end of December, you can choose either a free Blue Chip Beanie Hat or a free Blue Chip Neckwarmer whenever you spend just £50.00 on any Blue Chip feed balancers or supplements online at www.bluechipfeed.com With loads of advice and information, www.bluechipfeed.com has even more to offer. You can also contact Blue Chip on 0114 266 6200.

Dodson & Horrell Build Up Mix & Build Up CubesBuild Up Mix and Build Up Cubes are great products to promote all round condition and topline. Both products encourage weight gain and support muscle development when combined with an appropriate exercise programme and good management.

Maintaining a healthy digestive system is also important as this helps the horse to utilise his food correctly, Build Up Mix and Cubes both contain a pre-biotic to support a stable environment in the hind gut. These balanced diets are also extremely palatable helping to enhance the appetite of fussy feeders.

Nutritional Helpline 0845 345 2627 www.dodsonandhorrell.com

Kristina Cook and Miners Frolic improve on BronzeAfter the World Equestrian Games, Kristina Cook was quoted as saying she “wanted to improve on bronze” and she did it in style at the European Eventing Championships in Fontainbleu, as Miner’s Frolic produced top form just when it mattered to secure not only a team gold medal, but also a coveted individual gold.

Blue Chip founder Clare Blaskey has a long association with Kristina’s family, the Giffords and sold her father Josh a horse called Southern Supreme to go jump racing. When she wrote to congratulate Kristina after her bronze medal success at the World Equestrian Games, it led to Miners Frolic becoming one of the leading international horses to trial Blue Chip’s innovative liquid joint supplement Joint RLF.Already fed on Blue Chip Pro, after it became difficult to maintain his weight following diagnosis with equine gastric ulcer syndrome, Miners Frolic has continued to benefit from Blue Chip’s hugely successful Joint RLF, a success equalled when he and Kristina were crowned European Champions.

She said after the European Championships, “I was looking to improve on bronze and I’m so thrilled that I have. Miners Frolic is stronger and in excellent condition. He travelled well and finished still full of enthusiasm. It is the perfect end to a tremendous season.”


Feeding


Feeding

Feeding for Muscular Conformation and Condition Nutritionist Dr Tom Shurlock and British Horse Feeds explain …

The art of breeding and bloodlines have been an integral part of the equine industry for centuries. A successful racehorse can earn his owner vast amounts of money when siring the next generation of winners and each specialist arm of the horse world will actively breed for perceived desirable traits in the expectation of producing an animal better suited to excel at the chosen role.

So it would be safe to assume that the best way of producing the correct “shape” for a particular horse is to breed the characteristics. But this raises the question of what is the correct muscular conformation, and what to hang it on?

Surprisingly performance traits, and therefore musculature have a relatively low hereditary; that is the chances of building muscle through breeding are slim. Other traits, such as height at withers, cannon-bone circumference and width of chest show high hereditary, as does such features as a long sloping shoulder. Obviously a long shoulder would provide a greater base for the long muscles, but the actual muscular conformation depends on other factors.

Recent research has shown that skeletal traits are strongly correlated with performance and although muscular conformation can be correlated with performance it is, in fact the skeletal framework that has the greater significance – that is “what you hang it on”.

This is because, within a species, the musculature is relatively constant. Each species will have a definable number of fibres in a bundle and bundles in a muscle. Therefore it is likely that a Shetland will have the same muscle fibre profile as a Shire.

Having said that, the effect of the skeleton comes into play. As discrete muscles are attached to the skeleton at determined points the difference between the points must affect muscle conformation. However the conformation achieved is not necessarily that required and no amount of breeding will actually increase fibre numbers to any significant degree.

Although it is unlikely that the number of muscle fibres in a bundle can be increased, the actual thickness of that bundle can, and this is done through exercise. Exercise involves the contraction and relaxation of muscles and involves the mechanism of the conversion of protein strands of actin and myosin into actinomyosin and back again. Basically strands of actin and myosin pull themselves alongside each other, shortening and thickening the whole muscle bundle as one strand slides over the other. This process is driven by ATP, a molecule generated through energy metabolism. In the normal course of events this system works continuously, but does not increase fibre thickness. When the system is overworked and there is a build up of metabolic toxins such as lactic acid then physical damage to the fibres occur. The fibre is repaired or new fibre is generated and this is thicker than the original. By exercising

beyond the capacity of the individual fibres, damaged fibres are replaced or “mended” and the muscle mass increases.

For replacement and correction of the damaged fibres, raw materials are needed. These come in the form of amino acids that join in sequence to produce the proteins actin and myosin. Supplying extra amino acids would seem to be the logical solution. However this is not as simple as it seems.The two major “recipients” of ingested amino acids are the skin and hair of the horse and its gut. Both organs are constantly regenerating themselves as there is a continuous loss of hair and skin and the gut is constantly worn done by abrasion from the passage of food. The amount of protein that goes to muscle deposition is relatively small. Nutrition is a results driven process. Nutrients replace what is lost to the system, either through normal metabolic processes such as energy metabolism, or to replace damaged or worn components, such as muscle damage.

So in order to build muscle mass, although small amounts of extra protein may be needed, key amino acids need to be provided.

In a normal diet there is probably an overage of protein fed. This is of no consequence as unused amino acids are broken down for energy. And if a horse is slightly deficient in one or more amino acids it will increase its intake to achieve the base line and metabolise the excess. However for good muscle development it will need fairly high levels of the amino acids lysine, leucine, glutamine, alanine, valine and phenylalanine. The profile of amino

acids in the muscle is different to that of other species and different again from other organs such as the skin and the gut wall.

Lysine tends to be limiting in plant sources and so to achieve good muscle condition nutritional supplementation may be required, either by using synthetic sources or alternative feedstuffs such as skimmed milk powder. Feeding the horses therefore requires supplying not only good quality protein, but also the right range of amino acids. In addition there is some requirement to produce energy to drive the muscle regeneration. Glucose is the nutrient most associated with muscle contraction, and is also associated with lactic build up and muscular damage, when exercise is extreme. A ration high in the required amino acids and glucose or starch would be a useful tool during the training period.

Once condition has been achieved through breeding (skeleton), and the selective use of exercise to rebuild the muscle fibres, then the dietary requirements may change. Too much glucose will lead to a build up of glycogen in the muscles and this will alter the condition of the muscle bundle. Once the target muscle conformation has been reached a ration rich in easily fermented fibre and a reasonable protein level will ensure maintenance of condition.

For more information please contact British Horse Feeds on 01765 680300 or visit www.britishhorsefeeds.com

Perfectly Balanced for only 29 pence per day! Maintaining condition and providing a balanced diet doesn’t need to cost the earth. In fact, adding the right supplement could actually reduce your feeding bills. Think Pink is a carefully formulated powdered supplement, ensuring your horse is at the very pinnacle of health whilst remaining incredibly cost effective to feed. The formula includes broad spectrum vitamins and minerals, a unique probiotic yeast proven to enhance digestibility and 5 % pure linseed oil for coat condition.

Fed everyday, Think Pink will help to maintain the natural micro-flora of the gut so your horse can utilise his feed more effectively for condition and bloom. This is particularly advantageous during the winter months when grazing is poor, as it promotes the utilisation

of fibre, and thus helps to maintain condition without the cost of feeding extra hard feed. Think Pink could be the only supplement your horse needs this winter, and costs only 29 pence per day for this concentrated feed balancer.

A 2kg container will last for up to 40 days. RRP only £11.50

To find your local stockist or to order direct, Tel 08700 606206 or visit: www.brinicombe-equine.co.uk

TopSpec CoolCondition CubesTopSpec CoolCondition Cubes combine the brilliant properties of being seriously cool and seriously conditioning. They are formulated without the use of any cereal-grains at all, so they are not just ‘oat-free’ or ‘barley-free’ but completely cereal-grain free. At the same time they have a good conditioning index of 12.5MJ/kg, equivalent to most cereal-containing conditioning compound feeds.

The formula is very low in starch and sugar and high in fibre.

The calories in TopSpec CoolCondition Cubes work equally well as a source of non-heating energy for maintenance, for performance or for gaining condition.

These calories are balanced for protein with high-oil soya and linseed, and with available sources of calcium, magnesium and salt added.

For further information contact the TopSpec Triple Award-Winning Helpline on 01845 565030 or visit www.topspec.com


Feeding


Feeding

Nutritional Support for Veterans this WinterMake sure your veteran horse or pony receives maximum nutritional support over the winter months with Veteran Care Mix from British Horse Feeds.

Formulated specifically for the mature digestive system, the Veteran Care Mix has a fibre profile ideal for the older horse. Inclusion of whole milk also provides ideal protein, highly available lactose and essential oils. Protein levels are formulated to provide optimum levels of essential amino acids, in particular lysine and methionine, to match the changing physiology of the ageing horse.

Support for bones is available thanks to the added Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which helps to maintain bone accretion. Yucca Saponins ‘mop up’ fermentative end products reducing their adsorption across the hindgut, many of which have been implicated in joint cartilage destruction.

The high specification of carefully selected, natural ingredients includes Speedi-Beet (that also works as a probiotic), plant extracts (to combat the negative effects in hindgut fermentation), 100% of key minerals in a natural form and enhanced vitamin and antioxidant levels to maintain optimum uptake, maintain the integrity of the gut wall and nutritionally assist natural defences.

Cereals in the feed are precision micronized to maximise small intestine digestion and starch levels have been partly replaced with highly available disaccharides. Highly available sugars and protein ensure ease of digestion and the mix can be fed wet as an aid for poor dentition.

RRP for a 20kg bag of Veteran Care™ Mix is around £9.90.

For more information please contact British Horse Feeds on +44 (0)1765 680300 or visit www.britishhorsefeeds.com

Winter ShineMany of us like to feed soya oil or boiled linseed to put a shine on our horses’ coats, so it’s good to know that Outshine from Baileys Horse Feeds combines the benefits of both these in a mess-free, easy to feed nugget. This high oil supplement also, crucially, contains key supporting antioxidants, which are required by the body the higher the oil content of the diet, and which help it utilise the oil more efficiently.

The balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids not only produces outstanding coat shine but can also be added to the existing ration to help promote weight gain or improved stamina. “I feed Baileys Outshine to my horses all year round and I’m convinced it helps keep their skin in great condition and the

hair soft and shiny which is particularly useful with those I keep clipped out,” says rider and show producer, Lynn Russell.

Baileys Outshine is available in a 20kg sack and 7.5kg bag, priced at around £35 and £15 respectively. This winter, the 20kg sack is included in Baileys’ Cashback Bonanza so there’s a £2 token to send in with tokens from other promotional bags for cash back!

For further information and no obligation advice, contact Baileys Horse Feeds on 01371 850247 (option 2) or visit www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk.

Fibre for stabled horsesWith winter about to set in, many of us have already reduced our horses’ turnout time and confined them to their stables. Although some horses seem quite happy in their stables it is important to consider that this change can have a number of effects on their digestive systems that aren’t always immediately obvious but can cause problems over time. Dengie’s Senior Nutritionist Katie Williams offers her advice on managing your stabled horse.

Horses can be stabled for a variety of reasons be it injury, illness, or to protect paddocks during the winter. Whatever the reason for stabling your horse, the basic principles of feeding to maintain health and condition are the same. As access to grass is restricted it is important to compensate for this by feeding hay, haylage or other high fibre feeds such as alfalfa. These are essential for maintaining normal gut function and also provide slow release energy which can make a significant contribution to a horse’s energy requirements. The better the quality of fibre, the more energy it is likely to provide and the less cereal based feed will be required which usually works out to be more cost effective and healthier for the horse.

The change to conserved forages usually means a reduction in moisture intake for the horse. Even haylage which may be 50% water contains 30% less than fresh pasture. As horses tend to drink less in the winter too, their water intake can be significantly reduced. To counteract this, adding a feed that has to be soaked prior to feeding, helps to take more water into the digestive system.

Finally, offering a selection of different types of fibre sources is a great way to increase total fibre intake and provide more stimulation for the horse when it is stabled.

For more info call 0845 345 5115 or visit www.dengie.com

New code introduced to reduce risk of Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances in feed

The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has introduced a new voluntary code of practice for feed manufacturers to reduce the risk of naturally occurring prohibited substances (NOPS) in equine feeds. The Code was implemented on 1 October 2009 with commitment from leading manufacturers including Baileys, Blue Chip, British Horse Feeds, Dodson & Horrell, Natural Animal Feeds, Red Mills, Saracen, Spillers, TopSpec and Dengie (subject to FEMAS approval).

The Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS), Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances (NOPS) Code was developed by BETA in conjunction with assurance scheme experts in response to an increased incidence of positive dope tests for the morphine, a high priority NOPS in racehorses.

The International FEI rules for competition and the British Horseracing Authority’s Rules of Racing state a no threshold policy for naturally occurring substances that could affect performance, with the exception of theobromine. The consequences of a positive dope test are disqualification and loss of prize money.

Feeds and supplements conforming to the new Code will carry labelling to reassure owners and trainers of the stringent quality management procedures that have been undertaken during every step of the sourcing, storage, transport and manufacturing processes for each product. Suppliers of raw materials will be regularly audited and staff will also undergo rigorous training to ensure strict adherence to the Code.

Professor Tim Morris, Director of Equine Science and Welfare for the BHA said: “By significantly reducing the risk of NOPS the new Code provides important protection for those competing or racing under rules. The fact that most of the UK’s major feed manufacturers have already agreed to comply with the Code confirms its viability as a workable verification system.”

For further information contact BETA on 01937 587062, www.beta-uk.org


Feeding

Feeding out of season Dr Cliff Lister, Chief Nutritionist, Horslyx

Now that the main competition season has come to an end it is time for those hard working horses and ponies to get a well deserved break from the ring – however this doesn’t mean that their feeding regime should be disregarded. In fact preparing now for the season ahead will set up a great foundation for overall health and condition.

It is a common misconception that retaining condition can only be done by buckets of hard feed and concentrates – more and more competition riders are now reaping the benefits of feeding a high forage diet to their horses – not only because it is an economical and easy solution but performance horses can thrive on a more natural feeding pattern.

The benefits of a high fibre diet

Cereal based diets commonly contain higher levels of starch which when broken down in the digestive system trigger a quick release of energy to the horse and in some animals this can cause them to be unmanageable, spooky and generally fractious. A forage based diet does not include these high levels of starch which therefore removes the fast rush of energy. Diets based on high forage intake are more easily digested and create slow release energy which still offers stamina and energy required to train hard, but reduces the chance of ‘explosions’ and fizzy behaviour.

Guide to forage

Whether a horse is stabled or living out they should have free access to good quality forage at all times and even grass-kept horses and ponies will need their diet supplementing with good quality hay or haylage when grass availability is poor.

Hay is dried to lower moisture content than haylage before baling. Good hay will be dried quickly, by spreading it out in the field and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate the moisture (just the same as drying clothes on a washing line). When dried to an ideal of around 14% moisture, it will be baled and brought into a barn for storage.

Haylage is dried for a shorter period before baling than hay and so contains more moisture, typically around 40% to 50%. Once baled, it is sealed into a plastic wrapping to exclude air and a fermentation process then ‘preserves’ it. On a dry matter (DM) basis, (see below) haylage usually has a higher nutrient value than hay and it is dust free, but in large bales it can be more difficult to handle.

It is a common misconception that you don’t need to feed as much haylage as you would hay, however in actual fact you may need to feed a larger freshweight of haylage to achieve the same total nutrient intake as the hay, due to the higher moisture content (lower dry matter content) of the haylage. If you think about feeding a particular weight of what’s commonly called ‘dry matter’, which you will see and hear expressed as a %DM, then hay has a higher DM content than haylage. So to feed the same quantity of DM the fresh-weight of haylage being fed will be physically more, simply because haylage contains more moisture (water). Put another way: feeding 10kg freshweight of hay containing 14% moisture (86% DM) you will be feeding 8.6kg of dry matter. Feeding 10kg of haylage containing 50% moisture (50% DM) you will be feeding 5Kg of dry matter – 40% less! To replace the hay and feed the same quantity of dry matter as haylage you would need to feed 17Kg freshweight of the haylage.

On a dry matter (DM) basis, haylage usually has higher energy content than hay. If fed weight for weight on DM basis replacing hay with haylage you will be feeding more calories, thus any concentrate portion of the diet can be reduced. For this reason it is suggested that ‘good doer’s’ and those prone to excess weight should be fed hay to have more control over their calorie intake. If hay is not available feed half haylage and half good quality, clean straw to reduce the energy content but still retain the ‘bulk’.

How much hay or haylage should I feed?

To provide enough forage to maintain condition for an average horse in light/medium work, you should be providing 2% of the horse’s body weight in DM. If the animal needs to lose a few pounds work on 1.5% and if they need to put weight on 2.5% (if you can get them to eat that much! Otherwise you would need to look at higher energy fibres like Alf Alfa or Sugar Beet).

Therefore for an average 500kg horse you should be providing 10kg of DM per day. If feeding hayalage at 50% DM this would be 20Kg fresh weight per day. If feeding hay at 86 % DM this would be 11.6Kg fresh weight per day.

Forage alone will not suffice...

Whilst a high fibre diet is a healthy way to manage your horse’s nutrition – it is also very important to consider the quality of forage in order to ensure his diet is providing all the necessary requirements for his health, fitness and wellbeing. Modern grassland is managed in a very different way to the ancestral grazing that horses and ponies evolved to eat. Much of Britain is covered by soils that are deficient in one or more essential minerals and trace elements. As a result, grazing alone, along with hay or haylage when stabled, is not going to provide what is commonly described as a balanced diet. This means that owners have to supplement a grazing, hay and haylage-based high forage diet with the required levels of vitamins, minerals and trace elements to ensure good health, because unless a horse is healthy, it cannot be properly fit.

There are simple and easy methods of ensuring these vitamin and mineral levels are correct, without adding unwanted calories to the diet, or unwanted starches which can cause a change in behaviour. Offering a good quality, broad spectrum powdered mineral/vitamin supplement is easy but often means feeding something extra in the manger as a “carrier” for the minerals. An alternative is through a well formulated free access lick – as this will provide negligible calories, complement the nutritional needs for your horse or pony on a high forage diet, yet require minimum effort as well as being cost effective. The availability of specialist supplements and high quality licks without chemical hardeners, binders or fillers mean you can add extra nutritional support for specific needs – including joint care, respiratory support or help with deterring flies. Not only do these licks provide the ideal method of balancing the diet but they give boredom relief for horses stabled for long periods of time.

Competing on a forage based diet Feeding a forage based diet can be equally beneficial during the competition season. For most horses and ponies, even those training and competing, a diet based on good quality forage is very nearly an ideal diet, and all owners need to do is ensure they also provide a source of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the right proportions to balance the forage, to ensure the nutritional and energy needs of the horse are fully met.

Horslyx

A lick such as Horslyx is designed to complement a natural forage diet with all the vitamins, minerals and trace elements essential for ongoing good health. Research has shown that Horslyx is always fully digested and absorbed before it reaches the hind gut, leaving the fibre digesting bacteria to do their job just as nature intended, ensuring the horse gets the most out of his diet.

For further information tel, (01697) 332 592 or visit www.horslyx.co.uk


Feeding - Health Care

‘Oily’ benefits…Providing over twice as much energy as an equivalent amount of cereals, in a controllable, slow release form makes oil the ideal energy choice for the competition horse. Gone is the post-meal “peak” of too much energy, with it’s inevitable accompanying “trough” a little later as the horse runs out of steam; to be replaced by a reliable stream of horsepower.

New formula Omega Oil is a balanced blend of superior natural oils rich in the essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to support health, vitality and performance.

Why choose a blend? Feeding a blend of oils is recommended to ensure the broadest blend of omega fatty acids are included. Each fatty acid has it’s own individual role to play in health and vitality - feeding a balanced blend ensures all those roles are fulfilled. New formula Omega Oil is a unique blend of soya, linseed and hemp oil to provide the ultimate blend of Omega 3, 6, 9 and 12 fatty acids in a convenient, economical form. Whether looking for a “glug” of oil for coat condition, or the ultimate high fat diet, Omega Oil is the obvious choice.

For a trouble free change to a high oil diet ensure you make the change gradually (8-10 weeks). Once adapted the system uses oil extremely efficiently, meaning more energy available for work and less waste energy produced (heat lost as sweat / respiration). Oil can be used at up to 10% of the diet, but be aware that when using at this level additional vitamin E is required (NAF Vitamin E, Selenium & Lysine).

RRP’s: Omega Oil: 2 litres - £9.95; 5 litres - £16.95; 25litres - £75.00

For more information about feeding oils please call Eloise on the NAF Freephone Advice line: 0800 373 106, email [email protected] or go to www.naf-uk.com

Happy TummyHumankind has used charcoal for thousands of years as an aid to digestion, and as an antidote to poisons.

There are a great many different kinds of charcoal available these days and we've taken the most biologically compatible of these and, using a specially developed process, turned it into 'Happy Tummy', a charcoal especially intended for use in animal welfare.

Added to a horse's feed 'Happy Tummy' is able to adsorb over 4,000 toxic substances, neutralising them and carrying them out of the animal's system. This takes much of the load off the horse's immune system and helps its liver, kidneys and digestion as a whole, to operate more effectively.

By adsorbing toxins from a horse's blood stream and digestive system 'Happy Tummy' helps the immune system to resist the build up of the toxic pre-conditions which can lead to infections and breakdowns in health such as Laminitis.

It's basically a superb filter which cleans out toxic waste leaving the bloodstream and digestive sytem in much better shape.

'Happy Tummy' is packed in 3 litre resealable plastic tubs.

It retails at £30.00 plus £4.50 carriage for (UK ).

It comes with its own measuring scoop and full instructions for use.

Available by mail order via our website www.finefettlefeed.com or from Fine Fettle Feeds, P O Box 115, Monmouth, NP25 9AP, UK. Telephone 01600 712496. Email: [email protected]

Respiratory HorslyxRespiratory Horslyx contains menthol, eucalyptus and aniseed to assist in keeping airways clear of mucus, helping horses to breathe more easily, reduce respiratory irritation and dramatically reduce stress.

The Horslyx high specification vitamin, mineral and trace element package, including generous levels of the powerful antioxidants selenium, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, together with chelated copper and zinc, helps to support and maintain a strong immune system, maximising the ability to fight any infectious challenges and aid healthy lung function.

Ideal for horses and ponies who suffer from dry coughs, dust or hay fever type allergies, as well as those needing support when competing and doing fast work. The palatable formula is unique to Horslyx and does not contain any artificial colours or preservatives.

When fed alongside good quality forage, Respiratory Horslyx offers the necessary nutrients to encourage a well balanced diet and a healthy, happy horse. In addition, all Horslyx products help reduce boredom in the stable by encouraging natural, trickle feeding. The weatherproof tubs can be used in the stable or the field and are available in 5kg, 15kg as well as 650g Mini Licks.SRP: £11.75 for 5kg; £22.50 for 15kg; £3.20 for 650g Mini Licks.

For further information tel, (01697) 332 592 or visit www.horslyx.co.uk



Explaining the Winter SpooksIt is not uncommon for perfectly well behaved horses to become a little difficult to handle over the winter months. Besides the obvious blusters, bangs and hiding pheasants, there is another more biological reason for this.

Magnesium is needed in the body to regulate muscle, nerve and adrenaline function, several things occur over the winter months that can mean that your horse is not getting enough. The stress of extra stabling and cold weather mean that magnesium requirements are higher during the winter. Feeding more hard feed reduces transit times through the gut so there is less time for magnesium to be absorbed and the extra levels of ions such as potassium and calcium will hinder absorption. Reduced grazing time and the lower levels of magnesium in grass growing in wet soil mean that less magnesium is being consumed each day. These factors combined often lead to misbehaviour, commonly spooking, tension and a generally less settled demeanour.

Nupafeed MAH Calmer contains only our exclusive MAH magnesium compound which has been pharmaceutically developed to provide unmatched levels of magnesium absorption. This superior level of absorption is crucial to achieving results. Readily available forms of magnesium such as magnesium oxide and magnesium sulphate provide a low rate of absorption which is inadequate to compensate for modern feeding and the stresses experienced by the domesticated horse.

For more information or to order: Tel: 01438 861 900Email: [email protected] www.nupafeed.co.uk


Health Care

Strangles ExplainedStrangles is the most commonly diagnosed infectious equine disease in the world, but the very word sends people into panic. Some almost see it as ‘dirty’ or ‘bad management’ and the effects it can have on commercial premises can be huge.

Loch Leven Equine Practice explains

While it is a concern, and can occasionally prove fatal, if detected early and dealt with correctly then horses usually go on to make a full recovery.

What is Strangles?

It is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus equi and can affect horses and ponies of all ages and breeds. Typically a horse with Strangles will first appear depressed and dull and have a lack of interest in food. Clinical signs may then progress to a fever and nasal discharge. The discharge is usually clear for a few days and then becomes thick and may show signs of pus. The lymph nodes around the head and neck swell, forming abscesses. The swelling of these lymph nodes may, in severe cases, restrict the airway, hence the name ‘Strangles’.

In some outbreaks, and in up to ten percent of cases, these abscesses spread to other parts of the body (a condition known as ‘bastard’ strangles) which is a real cause for concern. Strangles not only causes pain and distress to horses but in some outbreaks can kill up to ten per cent of animals infected. It can also be an economic disaster for affected yards which often have to shut down for months.

The Animal Health Trust website reports, “Scientists at the Animal Health Trust have discovered that S. equi has genetic characteristics typically found in Yersinia pestis – the causative agent of human plague, which also causes lymph node abscesses. Although S. equi does not present a risk to people, it could be said to represent the equine equivalent of human plague.”

Diagnosis

During the later stages of Strangles, diagnosis from clinical signs is relatively straight forward, but in the early stages of the disease the horse may present with flu like symptoms. Usually by the time the highly infectious disease has been detected it has already been allowed to spread. Many owners also require definite confirmation before making the decision to isolate their animals, or before a yard is closed.

Traditionally diagnosis has been made by taking swabs for culture from enlarged lymph nodes, nasal discharge, throat swabs or washes from the guttural

pouches. This can take up to four days to get the results back, by which time the disease has already been spread, but more importantly can lead to false negative results if the samples aren’t transported correctly to the lab (dead bacteria can’t grow!). The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is more accurate. It detects any S. equi DNA present in the sample, and so even the presence of dead or fragmented bacteria can be confirmed.

More recently a blood test has been developed at the Animal Health Trust, which can detect antibodies in the horse’s blood. This can indicate if a horse has been in contact with S. equi and generated a response to it. However it can take up to two weeks for this immune reaction to occur in the horse’s body – and so repeat samples 14 days apart is more accurate.

It has been reported that approximately 10% of horses infected with S. equi will develop a low grade persistent infection within the guttural pouches (known as ‘Carriers’). These horses can then shed the bacteria at various times of stress. In an outbreak it is essential to try and identify the source of infection and to treat these Carriers as well as the obvious infected cases. Detection of these carriers can be difficult, relying on a combination of blood tests and guttural pouch washes.

The Animal Health Trust is currently working towards developing a Point of Care test. Head of Bacteriology, Dr Andrew Waller explains, “The aim is to adapt our laboratory-based test that detects S. equi DNA so that it can be performed in a small machine within

30 minutes of the vet taking a swab using new electrochemically labelled DNA probes developed by our partner, Atlas Genetics. The test will enable vets to isolate infected horses much more quickly, which in turn will reduce the exposure that in contact horses receive, and therefore minimise both the spread of S. equi and the severity of any ensuing disease.”

Treatment

Strangles can be very difficult to treat. The use of antibiotics has been questioned since studies have shown that they are not always effective, but this depends on the stage the strangles is at and should be left to the discretion of your attending vet.

Treatment often revolves around supportive care, isolation and good hygienic stable management as advised by your vet. Most animals recover quickly from the disease, although some are very ill for several days. Your horse should be allowed to recover properly before returning to work.In severe cases abscesses occasionally form in lymph nodes and body organs distant from the head and neck in a severe condition known as ‘bastard strangles’. The infection may also trigger a disease known as purpura haemorrhagica, which causes bleeding into the organs, such as the lungs, which is often fatal.

Spreading the disease

Strangles is highly contagious and it can be spread by nose-to-nose contact between horses, and through shared equipment and water troughs. Although humans can not get Strangles they too can transmit the disease, hence strict management practices being vital. The ease with which the disease spreads through groups of animals is largely dependent on management practices. Transmission usually requires fairly close contact between infected and susceptible animals.

Mechanical transmission is common and it is important that tack, brushes and rugs etc are not shared between horses. Handlers should change their clothes and wash their hands thoroughly before moving between horses. Spread occurs frequently through shared water sources where the bacteria can live for up to a month. Regular disinfection of water troughs and isolation of infected horses is strongly recommended.

The incubation period of strangles is 7 to 14 days. However, because infected horses can shed the bacteria for long periods, the interval between new cases in an outbreak can be up to three weeks or more.

Vaccinations

Following the recall of the previous Strangles vaccination, the Animal Health Trust, under the lead of Dr Andrew Waller, is currently conducting new research to evaluate a new strangles vaccine for intramuscular administration. The Strangles vaccine is based on manipulating the DNA of the bacteria to ensure a response from the horse’s immune system and consequently will prevent infection if the animal comes into contact with the real bacteria. This is a complex and difficult task as it involves creating a live attenuated vaccine sufficiently close

Strangles chest lumps

Classic nasal discharge

Thicker nasal discharge

cont on p.27


Health Care - Worming

to the real bacteria to be effective, but sufficiently altered so that it will not revert back to the harmful strain.

“We have identified a combination of S. equi proteins that protected 87% of ponies from strangles. The next stage is to further optimise the content of the vaccine, route of administration, dosage and scheduling. We also need to determine the duration of protection with the aim of using an annual booster” explains Dr Andrew Waller, “The aim is for the vaccine to be available within three years.”

If you are worried then call your vet immediately. For more information on Strangles visit http://www.aht.org.uk/strangles.org/pdf/steps.pdf and download their useful information Strategy To Eradicate and Prevent Strangles (STEPS).

Removing a chondroid found in the guttural pouch of a persistently infected carrier

cont from p.26



Common Diseases of the EyeBen Sturgeon, BSc, BVMS, Cert EP, MRCVSI’ve never been a big flat racing fan. Aside from the money I’ve lost from “reliable sources” it is basically and obviously down to speed, you either win or lose and usually you know from the first minute if you’re in the money. Jumping, now that is a different matter, why else would the Grand National or Badminton have the largest TV and spectator audiences recorded? Now I’ve had a few arguments around the table with the flat racing types who say “no, you just sit on the horse, it does the rest” and I retort by blinding/boring them with science. We, i.e. humans have a clear field of vision in front of us. Horses, however, are prey animals and have an amazing peripheral vision with two blind spots—one directly in front of its nose extending around four feet in front of it, and the other behind the tail, about ten feet long. Now, here’s the clincher, when you consider the front blind spot, the abilities of jumping horses seem all the more incredible. Effectively, the horse loses sight of the obstacle when it is a few feet away and has then to rely totally on the rider to tell it when to jump. That usually shuts them up. Then I carry on, horses also are unable to focus their eyes the way humans can. Have you ever seen a horse raising and lowering its head as it looks at an object? It does that to adjust the focal length, moving until the object comes into focus on its retina. Also, since the horse’s field of vision doesn’t overlap—the right eye sees what’s happening on the right side of its body, and the same on the left—it’s amazing that the horse isn’t confused all the time by two images that don’t match up at all.

But, but, perhaps they do get confused? It’s not uncommon to be asked by owners why their horse spooks, is it a disease? The answer is it could be but also it could be normal. The horse’s eyes also act something like a human’s bifocals. If the horse lowers its head and looks up, gazing through the upper portion of the eye, it can focus on the horizon. However, if it needs to look at something closer, it will raise its head to regard the object through the lower portion of the eye, where it can focus more clearly. When you see a horse startled by a sudden movement just behind or beside it, its peripheral vision has sighted the movement but it has not yet had time to focus on it. Even when the horse is travelling a familiar path, such as to the stable or pasture, it can be startled by something as small as a paper blowing past. So you see even in normal environments normal responses can be misinterpreted as problematic, however throw in a “disease” or two and all of a sudden that amazing capacity is lost and the horse may never be the same again.

Hopefully you agree the horse’s eye is a pretty miraculous and additionally a very delicate organ. Veterinary problems are common and should always always always be considered genuine emergencies. Disease processes in the eye can progress rapidly, and quickly lead to destruction and permanent loss of vision. The cost of waiting can be great. Once the eye is severely damaged, restoration to a functional eye may be impossible and invariably damage remains.

First some anatomy: the eye is a fluid filled globe which sits in a protective bony socket. It can be thought of as an extension of the brain, being closely associated in location and nerve connection. The surface of the clear part of the eye is the cornea. Just inside that is the anterior chamber, filled with a thick clear fluid known

as aqueous humor. The colored part of the eye is the iris, a thin ring of two muscle layers which contract and relax to either open or close the pupil. The size of the pupil determines the amount of light allowed into the retina (image forming part) of the eye. The pupil contracts under bright light conditions and enlarges in low light. Just behind the pupil is the clear lens, which focuses an image on to the retina. The posterior chamber is the back chamber of the eye and is also filled with a clear jelly-like substance, the vitreous humor. The retina makes up the back wall of the posterior chamber and is made up of millions of light and color-sensing cells. The projection of an image onto the retinal surface stimulates the retina cells, which translate their stimulation into nerve impulses. This is communicated through the optic nerve to the brain, which produces an image. The eyelids have tear glands which yes produce tears, keeping the eye moist. A duct known as the nasolacrimal duct drains the tears to a small opening just inside the nostril. Blockage of this duct may cause a runny eye. The third eyelid is a pink membrane which moves over the eye from the inside corner toward the outside corner. Its function along with the upper and lower lids is to protect the eye from trauma. An unusual feature of the equine eye is a structure known as the corpora nigra. This knobby structure juts out from the top of the iris and is thought to shade the pupil from glare, just like the bill of a baseball cap.

Because of their speed and tendency to move their heads violently, horses are predisposed to eye injuries. Wounds often involve the eyelids and sometimes damage the eye itself. Wounds that are near the eye or involve the lids should be seen by a vet immediately. Careful surgical repair of eyelid wounds is critical. Failure to repair these injuries correctly can lead to an eyelid which does not function correctly, or actually further irritates and damages the eye.

Corneal ulcers and injury are very common. Corneal ulcers may be started by trauma, fly irritation or foreign bodies that get into the eye. This irritation causes a small break in the thin outer membrane of the cornea allowing bacteria and fungi to colonise and break down the cornea, expanding the ulcer, ultimately “melting” within a few hours. As a result it is vital to treat corneal ulcers quickly and aggressively. Many horses lose their sight as a result of owners failing to do this. However, corneal ulcers can be difficult to see with horses often just appearing to have a weepy eye. On closer examination, a grey discoloration of the cornea can sometimes be seen. Vets usually use a fluorescent dye (fluorescein) to stain the surface of the eye to make the ulcers more visible. This stain usually makes visible even tiny breaks in the surface of the cornea. This is very important because the approach to treatment is different depending on whether or not there is a break in the cornea.

Probably the most common eye disease in the horse is equine recurrent uveitis, or anterior uveitis. This disease causes many signs including ocular pain, excessive tears, redness of eye membranes, severe cataract formation and glaucoma. The cause of ERU is uncertain, although bacterial infections (leptospirosis), viral infections (herpes), and larval parasitic infections are implicated. The actual inflammatory uveitis is believed to be due to an immune reaction to the presence of an antigen. Treatment involves topical and systemic anti-inflammatory medication and is often required every 2 hours. Because many horses are difficult to treat this way, vets generally place a tube in the horse’s eye to make treatment possible. The prognosis of ERU is guarded as the frequency and severity of the attacks are variable. Common consequences of ERU are cataract formation, lens luxation, and ultimately blindness.

Cataracts are common in horses and cause variable degrees of blindness. They are defined as lens opacities and are the most frequent congenital ocular defect found in foals. Very small lens opacities are common in all ages and are generally not associated with blindness. As cataracts mature and become more opaque however, the degree of blindness increases. Some veterinary ophthalmologists recommend surgical removal of cataracts (phacoemulsification) in foals less than 6 months of age if the foal is healthy, has no uveitis or other ocular problems, and the foal will tolerate aggressive therapy. The results of cataract surgery in foals by experienced veterinary ophthalmologists are generally good, but the cataract surgical results in adult horses with cataracts caused by ERU are often poor. Cataracts developing with age in older horses are generally left alone.

Neoplasia of the lids are very common, wander round most average yards and you’ll likely find at least one. Therapies are varied and depend on many factors (size of lesion, character of horse, extent and depth of tumor etc) but blandly include cryotherapy, hyperthermia, carbon dioxide laser excision, intralesional chemotherapy, intralesional radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Often the best approach is to do absolutely nothing. cont on p.29



Eyelid melanomas are found in grey horses, with Arabians and Percherons also at increased risk. Melanomas may be •single or multiple. Sarcoids are solitary or multiple tumors of the eyelids and periocular regions. Retroviruses and papilloma viruses may be •involved. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common tumor of the eye and lids. The cause may be related to the ultraviolet rays, •periocular pigmentation, and a genetic susceptibility. Prevalence in horses increases with age. Belgians, Clydesdales and other draft horses have a high prevalence followed by Appaloosas, Arabians, Thoroughbreds and Quarterhorses. White, grey-white, and palomino hair colours predispose to SCC, with less in bay, brown and black hair coats.

The most common eye problem in foals is known as entropion. Here the eyelids are rolled inward, causing the eyelashes to contact the cornea causing severe irritation. It can be a primary problem, or secondary to dehydration or emaciation. There are simple treatments for this and any breeder should be on the lookout for it. It generally appears in a young foal as a runny, irritated eye. Foals can have other congenital problems of the eye (cataracts, micropthalmia).

Swollen Legs Richard Coomer DipECVS MRCVS

Swollen legs are extremely commonly encountered in practice. Sometimes the swelling is the primary problem, other times it is secondary to something else. As swelling is one of the most common side effects of inflammation it makes sense that there are numerous causes of swelling. Many people reading this article will be able to identify with the horse or pony which suddenly develops a swollen leg. This article focuses on what commonly causes a leg to swell and what should be done to treat it.

What is the swelling?

To understand this one needs to understand how legs work normally. The heart pumps blood at high pressure through arteries then smaller arterioles, eventually in to the tiny blood vessels all over the body called capillaries. These allow oxygen and nutrients to leak out and supply the tissue cells in that area. Water leaks out at the same time but what happens to that? Some of it is soaked up by the tissues, but a lot of it has to be returned to the blood somehow. It does this via the lymphatic drainage system. This tissue water, or lymph, is pumped up the legs and back to the circulation in the chest. Swelling is usually caused by a build up of fluid around and within muscle and connective tissue. The lymphatic system works well unless (a) too much lymph is produced, or (b) the flow of lymph up the leg is obstructed, stopping it escaping and forcing it to build up in situ. The end result in either scenario is oedema, and you can recognise it because if you press your finger in to it you leave a depression at the site.

There are several distinct causes of oedema. The most common is ‘passive oedema’ which occurs when lymph drainage is too slow, causing it to build up in the tissues. This occurs when horses are box rested: the lack of movement and slow heart rate reduces lymph being pumped back to the blood stream. End result: swollen lower legs, back legs usually more than front. Inflammation is usually involved in other causes of leg oedema, e.g. following a fly bite, local allergy or infection. It

can cause oedema in several ways. First, through increased blood flow to a specific area, increasing the amount of lymph produced there. Second, it makes the blood vessels leaky so even more lymph leaks out. Third, the inflammation can directly affect the lymphatic vessels themselves, reducing or even blocking them and causing a backup of lymph in the tissue.

Cellulitis

This refers to localised inflammation secondary to infection in the tissue, e.g. from a graze or penetrating wound. Oedema is not usually painful, but once infection is present it typically becomes much more painful. Lymph provides an ideal environment for invading bacteria to grow in. Infection is a problem because when a lot of lymph is present it obstructs lymph vessels and blood capillaries, impeding drainage and stopping the body’s defence systems from getting to the area. It becomes a

vicious cycle. Cellulitis causes two types of pain: lameness is most common. Secondly, although lameness may be mild, some individuals become exquisitely painful when even brushing fingers lightly across the skin. This type of cellulitis is commonly seen around the front of the hock, called peritarsal cellulitis. It has been proposed that the inflammation and swelling becomes trapped under the tight connective tissue above and below the hock, causing very high localised pressures. This is known as a compartment syndrome. Cellulitis is usually painful and horses resent the swelling being felt.

Cellulitis, wherever it is located, is treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Ideally the bacteria should be sampled and tested for resistance to the various antibiotics available. There is rarely time to wait for these results, so most vets choose a broad spectrum

Swollen legs like this need urgent veterinary attention. This horse had an infected bone fragment causing cellulitis. The fragment was removed and a course of antibiotics was supplied: the horse recovered completely.

cont from p.28

cont on p.30


Do you hate that job of cleaning out your water troughs when they go all green and slimy? Why not save time and keep them fresh and clean with a FRESHA-Tank disc?

Just pop one in your water trough and it will help destroy fungal, viral and bacterial micro-organisms and parasites (in the reproductive stage). This will help to keep the water fresher and the slime minimised (one disc per 200 litres capacity). It will also encourage your horse or pony to drink when in the field rather than him holding back until he is brought into the stable.

Made with real microbial silver, the discs are everlasting and so can be re-used time and time again and will never need replacing! They are totally environmentally friendly and will not leach metals into the water. They are even safe to use in fish tanks!

There are 3 discs – FRESHA-Tank for water troughs, fish tanks, fish ponds, fountains, water butts & garden water features up to 200 litres, FRESHA-Flora for vases and water features up to 150 litres and FRESHA-Flush for toilets (it also includes a magnet to help reduce limescale).

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antibiotic to start with, such as penicillin and gentamicin, or oxytetracycline. When there is no wound, sampling becomes more difficult and most vets would use response to treatment over a few days to assess whether or not the bacteria present are resistant to the antibiotic chosen. At the same time it is crucuially important to shift the swelling as quickly as possible to assist natural local defences. To this end, strong anti-inflammatories are always given, usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, like flunixin or phenylbutazone. The author also commonly uses a one-off injection of dexamathasone, a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug. Large amounts of walking exercise is particularly important, along with cold therapy. In the authors experience 5 minutes cold hosing is more effective than ice packs because of the massage effect of the water, but any treatment which physically cools the area is helpful. Swelling and pain typically improve quickly, although it can sometimes take a prolonged (3 to 4 week) course of antibiotics and anti-imflammatories before the condition has resolved. Where bacterial resistance is encountered, or treatment not instigated in a timely manner, infection can be catastrophic with large scale tissue necrosis. This can take many months and high cost to treat; occasionally it can prove fatal. The cause of the cellulitis may be obvious, e.g. a wound, but sometimes it is not. The horse illustrated in Figure 1 had a small wound on the tibia a month earlier, which had healed. X-rays showed a bone fragment next to the tibia, which had become infected. This is called a sequestrum and without removing the fragment, medical treatment would have failed.

Lymphangitis

Understanding the difference between cellulitis and lymphangitis is important, although it can sometimes be hard to decide which is present early on. Lymphangitis occurs when lymph drainage is obstructed through primary inflammation and blockage of the drainage channels themselves, rather than through generalised tissue inflammation external to the channels. This can be through allergy, called primary lymphangitis. Secondary infection of the lymphatic channels, secondary lymphangitis, is most commonly seen in cases of subsolar abscessation, or gravel,

where bacteria in the hoof wall gain entry to the lymphatics in the foot and spread up the leg. This causes oedematous swelling as high as the knee or hock. Idiopathic primary lymphangitis refers to sudden onset leg swelling usually characterised by very severe non-painful swelling, more commonly in the back legs, for which there is no obvious cause (Fig 1). This is treated by aggressive anti-inflammatory medication consisting of corticosteroids and NSAIDs. This is combined with cold therapy, walking and massage. Prophylactic antibiotics are often given because of the increased risk of secondary infection. Secondary lymphangitis also occurs in combination with cellulitis because the bacteria present in the tissues inflame the lymph channels themselves, leading to blockage. Checking carefully for a superficial wound or graze, or for gravel, is very important when examining these cases.

When horses have suffered from lymphangitis or cellulitis it appears that they are more susceptible to swelling in the future. In particular, legs which have spent any appreciable time swollen appear to do so again with very little encouragement.

Conclusion

All swollen legs need to be examined and treated urgently, regardless of whether or not the individual is lame. Not all oedema is infection, but local infection is a common cause; when it is painful to touch it usually pays to assume infection is present. Treatment requires identifying the underlying cause. This is because not removing a source of infection may make treatment ineffective, e.g. a gravel or a sequestrum. Medical therapy must be combined with aggressive physical therapy to reduce swelling. Rapid treatment usually means rapid recovery, but swelling can sometimes take longer to go. Horses with swellings treated with antibiotics which improve, then recur, need further veterinary investigation. Treated correctly most cases make a full recovery.

Keep Your Horse’s Water Trough Fresh with FRESHA-Tank!

cont from p.29


Health Care


Spurs, like practically every other piece of tack or equipment used with horses, can enhance the rider/horse partnership or can be used to cause pain. Similar comments can be made about spurs as for whips, which were discussed in my last article. Many ‘natural horsemanship’ exponents abhor the use of spurs as they do the whip, but then they may abhor many other aspects of good horsemanship, such as good shoeing, bitting and saddles with trees which are fitted correctly. All these things, when used and fitted correctly, can greatly enhance the comfort of the horse and promote a correct way of moving, which is definitely in the best long term interest of the horse.

However, spurs are often seen to be mis-used and cause a great deal of damage and pain. Although I would point out here that the damage caused by the spur is easily seen, whereas the damage caused by continual kicking of the riders’ legs and heels, is not. Damage by the latter often involves unseen bruising and damage to the nerve endings on the horse’s sides.

Here are some guidelines for the correct use of the spur:-

Spurs should only be worn by Experienced Riders

Spurs should definitely never be worn by any rider who does not possess an independent seat. By that I mean that they have been taught in the correct classical way, preferably on the lunge. The rider needs to practice sitting and rising trot, as well as canter work, without reins or stirrups, and be able to

display a balanced, deep seat without any unintentional movement of hands, arms or legs.

To facilitate this independent seat the rider also needs to have the physical ability to open the hips sufficiently, not only to enable him/her to sit deep enough, but to enable the inner thigh and inner calf muscles to lie next the saddle/horse. In this way the toe can

remain in a more or less forward facing position. This is obviously essential if any unintentional use of the spur is to be avoided.

This learning process, both physical and mental, requires years of practice. It may take some older or stiff riders longer because the full opening of the hips can only take place with frequent, but gentle practice – it cannot be forced, or serious injury could occur.

Children should not wear spurs

Spurs should never be worn by children; even experienced children. In my opinion even if a child does possess a good seat, they are not intellectually grown up enough to be in complete, calm, control when things go wrong. Likewise any adult considering the wearing of spurs must consider their ability to stay calm and collected in a crisis.

The correct place to use the spur

When correctly brought into use the spur should be used in the accepted ‘on the girth’ position, which is in fact just behind where the girth lies on the barrel of the horse. It is very important that the heel should not be brought up and/or back from this position. The only exception to this would be when requesting rein-back or

Classical Riding - Training

Spurs – use and misuseAnne Wilson, Classical Riding Trainer and Author

A fairly mild spur (although there are milder ones available) with a curved neck and loop sides. This is the right boot spur - note how the neck of the spur points downwards.

cont on p.34


Events - Insurance


extreme collection such as passage or piaffe – even then the heel should not be brought upwards. When the leg is in the correct on the girth position, the rider’s weight should fall naturally down into the heel, which should be directly underneath the hip.

Unfortunately we see many show jumpers wearing spurs. Some of these riders do not possess the ability to keep their legs down, with the heel underneath the hip as they should. (It is perfectly possible to jump classically as well as riding on the flat). Whilst in the air over a jump we often see the rider’s legs fly up behind them, and often the spur is inadvertently jabbed into the poor horse in the wrong place and at the wrong time! I think that these people should be banned from wearing spurs.

The good use of the spur

On the other hand, when the spur is used properly, it can create an almost invisible and very kind aid, which enables the rider to give a gentle nudge or brush to encourage the horse at the right time, with very little movement of the rider’s leg, and likewise helps them to keep an absolutely still and balanced seat. A gentle brush with the spur is so much kinder than a kick with the heel!So if you have a good classical teacher

and they suggest you wear spurs, you may take that as a compliment. But beware, in case you have a not so correct teacher, who wants you to wear spurs for a quick fix to ‘get the horse going’.

Types of spurs

There are a multitude of types of spurs on the market. Traditionally, one of the most gentle is perhaps the Prince of Wales pattern. These have a curved neck with a blunt end and what is known as loop sides. These are sides of uneven length, the longer side fitting on the outside of the rider’s boot. The neck of the spur points downwards. Therefore the rider must make a conscious movement to use the spur.

The longer the neck of the spur, the harsher the aid is likely to be, but used carefully and tactfully can be kind.

Straight necked spurs are easier to misuse, because they can come into contact with the horse with less movement from the rider’s leg.

Some people seem to be under the impression that blunt spurs with a flat end are kind. They can be if used very carefully, but remember that if there is a flat end, there must be a harsh edge. I prefer rounded ends.

There are some fairly modern spurs on the market now, called rollerball spurs. The idea is that the rollerball at the end of the neck of the spur allows movement along the side of the horse without jabbing the horse’s side. I have no personal experience of their use, but theoretically, this sounds good.

I totally disapprove of the use of rowelled spurs, such as seen in many western films. I can see no useful purpose to them, other than to inflict pain upon the horse.

In conclusion

If you are at all apprehensive about the wearing of spurs, then don’t wear them. They are not compulsory, nor essential to the training of your horse. But don’t rule them out for ever more. One day you may be ready for them, and your horse may benefit from their use.

Anne Wilson who is based in Bedfordshire can be contacted on Tel: 01234 772401 website: www.classicalridingannewilson.com or email [email protected]

Horse for Sale - Insurance

cont from p.32


Health Care

Where To Ride With Your Greenhorn PartnerAs an experienced rider you’ll be looking for a challenge, but you don’t have to do the “dude thing” just because your partner is a greenhorn.

At working ranches, riders can experience the cut and thrust of real working cowboy life, while their novice partners gain expert tuition from everyday wranglers.

At the Bucking S Working Ranch in Wyoming weekly cattle drives and scenic rides through the Seminoe State Park are complimented by gentle horses, special instruction for beginners and expert tuition from real working wranglers on roping, cutting and horsemanship. Anglers can also fish at “The Miracle Mile,” a world-class blue-ribbon "wild" trout fishery purported to be one of the best fishing holes in Wyoming, and the ranches proximity to several reservoirs makes it ideal for water sports. Trips to local rodeos and fairs are available in the summer and there are even options to go rock climbing, hiking and trap shooting. The Double Spear Ranch in Montana is steeped in Native American history as the ranch is situated on Crow Reservation land, and the owner shares his ancestry with Sitting Bull. Chief Plenty Coups, once the chief of all the Indian tribes in the days of the Wild West, is still a renowned figure in the area and there is a museum dedicated to his life close to

the ranch. The cowboy work changes with the seasons from cattle driving in the summer to round-ups in the autumn and there’s even a chance for novices to brush up on their western skills with roping and horsemanship lessons in the newly refurbished arena. Campfires and pack trips are all part of the programme, the overnight camp out at Castle Rock Gap being a major highlight. Indian legend says the “little people” reside here and the site is still used by Native Americans on their spiritual vision quests.

Finding your inner cowboy has never been easier at the Price Canyon – an Arizona based working ranch, which takes riders of all abilities. Forget the basic bunkhouse, as the luxury accommodations will suit the most “Prada-esque” of ranchers. When not lazing by the pool, would be wranglers can ride through grassy meadows or more challenging terrain, with two rides a day included in the package (except Sundays). Ample instruction is given before hitting the trail and private hourly lessons can be booked in advance from £34pp. Eight cattle drives are offered throughout the year, with alternative activities including hiking, canoeing, wildlife viewing and pond fishing.

For more information visit www.ranchrider.com


Christmas

Children’s Christmas Crackers from CarrotsFashionable and funky, the Bang On The Door Knee High Sock gift sets from Carrots are a Christmas must-have for all pony mad kids. Teamed with a cute T-shirt or one of the already popular matching Hat Covers – you can choose between bright multicoloured stripes with horse heads, cute and cuddly baby pink polka dots or vibrant red rainbow design. Prices start at just £5 for the socks on their own up to £18 for the gift sets.

For more information visit www.carrotsuk.com or call 01245 445 362.

GOLLY GALOSHES The gaiter for horses and poniesBe seen, stay clean... and comfortable for your horse and pony.This Gaiter, for anyone who has not seen – this high quality product is available in reflective yellow, reflective orange, fluorescent pink and a black. It has a full zip, a fleece lapel, plus hook and loop, in addition a wide reflective strip for added security when on the roads. The fabrics and materials used are of the best quality for the job; this gaiter is BRITISH made! Golly Galoshes Gaiters for horses is a genuine dual purpose product; they keep the boots and bandages clean, dry, mud and debris free therefore your horse/pony’s legs are dry and clean too and comfortable in its work. In addition if you choose a reflective fluorescent material, there is the added advantage of being highly visible when exercising your horse/pony on the roads. It has been proven that the driver’s peripheral vision will see the movement of the horse’s legs first – especially if they are wearing gaiters! In addition, the visibility aspect of these gaiters has been proven during trials for the product on the roads and trails in Scotland on both summer days and winter days; to see which colour best suits any particular weather conditions. In addition, your boots and bandages have a prolonged lifespan and you do not have to continually wash muddy boots or bandages. Competition people use the Black gaiters to protect the horse’s bandages and boots from the sticky fibre and wax arena surfaces and then simply take them off prior to competing.

THE original Gaiter for Horses and Ponies..www.gollygaloshes.com

The Smelly Rug Bagmore versitile than you could imagine

This waterproof lined, double zipped bag opens out flat and allows you to drop the dirty rug onto it and then zip it up without getting contaminated.

The sturdy handles slip easily over your shoulder making it very easy to carry, even with a heavy rug. This is a fabulous invention, which you have to guard closely as other members of the family will want to borrow it for their sports gear, football and rugby gear, and even the rose clippings. The SMUG can also be used as a boot liner when opened out, so the messy dogs and wellies can easily be contained. At only £15.99 for one, £28 for two or £39 for three they are great value for money, particularly with the free post & packing, which is currently available.

To order telephone 01738 662034 with your credit card details or send a cheque with the completed form in the advert on page 39. Please specify whether you would like pink or black and the bags will be sent out by return

The Ultimate in Horse UnderwearWhat better gift than a Bossy’s Bib for your best friend? Make rug rubs a thing of the past with this simple and effective anti-rub bib. Silky and lightweight, it will give your horse or pony maximum comfort and protection under all rugs. Sizes vary from Shetland all the way up to Shire so there is something to fit everyone! Available in five fabulous colours. Priced from £17 a Bossy’s Bib makes the perfect stocking filler or Christmas gift.

For further information please visit our website on www.bossysbibs.com or feel free to give us a call on 01442 824033.

All I want for Christmas is a QUADWe have all been there, haven’t we? Just weeks before Christmas and you still haven’t worked out what to get your loved ones. Their horse has everything, the latest in rugs and tack with bling, and they don’t need any more clothes, so why not get them something really useful that will make their lives easier. Whether it’s for the kids, or all you ‘grown up’ kids, a quad bike could be ideal especially as it will make those field management chores easier to cope with all year round!

Gordon Agri are official and authorised Suzuki agents and offer a full range of new quads from the LT-Z50 and LT-Z90 aimed at youngsters between 8-16 years old through to the adult range starting with the compact 250cc Ozark and the ultimate workhorse the new 750cc King quad.

Gordon Agri always have a large stock of new and used quads, tractors and associated accessories in stock. So for that extra inspiration see their advert or website: www.gordonagri.co.uk or telephone 01360 661001

Christmas


Christmas

Book Review Book Reviewby Annete Brooks by Susan McBaneRiding Revelations by Anne Wilson (Black Tent Publications) £19.99. Forward by Sylvia Loth ISBN-B: 978-1907212017

This really splendid book is directed at everyone who has ever wanted to know anything about Classical Dressage, right from the beginning. It also makes clear that classical dressage is not for the elite or for a particular breed of horse, the selection of horses photographed for the demonstrations is really varied, from the truly “Classical” breeds of Lipizzaner and Lusitano, through Thoroughbreds and cobs to the native breeds. I particularly like the photograph of a young girl riding a horse which is rather large for her, but the two of them look very happy and comfortable with each other.

It is presented in bite-size chunks, and written in a clear and straightforward way, making it easy to retain and an important manual for anyone with a young or young-at-heart equine friend. There is as much emphasis on the schooling (or re-schooling) of the rider as the horse, so that the ultimate aim of a harmonious partnership can be achieved.

It covers all aspects of riding, even often-forgotten topics such as “arena etiquette” – the subject of many a nightmare in the warm-up area at competitions!

And not just riding – tack, the fitting of it and the effects of not fitting it properly; mounting and dismounting, and simply sitting on the horse’s back - all of which is just as important as the actual forward movement but which often seems to be disregarded as merely a means to a more interesting/exciting end.

My favourite line in the introduction reads: “ Basic classical riding is fairly simple, although not easy. However , it is definitely a lot easier, and more comfortable for both horse and rider, than riding badly” – which really sums up the whole tone of the book. Anne is passionate about her subject - throughout the instruction, she repeatedly emphasises the fact that the welfare of the horse is paramount, because if the horse’s health and welfare is right, he will probably be happier in his attitude, and the chances of achieving the desired aim will be greatly increased!

Knowing Your Horse by Emma Lethbridge (Wiley-Blackwell), £19.99, paperback, illustrated. ISBN: 9781405191647.

Training animals is something man has done for many thousands of years, ever since they started to be domesticated. The horse was probably domesticated initially about six thousand years ago, and our training techniques, to be honest, have not changed much in all that time. It’s true! From clay tablets to (some) modern websites, we get the same methods and attitudes towards persuading or forcing horses to do what we want.

To be fair, there have always been, and still are, kind, thinking trainers as well as the cruel, stupid ones. Where horse training varies from training other species is that it is largely still mired in the illogical past whereas other species, at least when trained by professionals and educated, enquiring amateurs, have long enjoyed the benefits of scientifically-proven, modern training and learning theories and techniques.However, modern learning theory is finally starting to filter out to the non-scientific, professional trainers in the horse world, the best of whom are passing it on to their students. There is more than one book on applying learning theory

to horses but the one reviewed here is certainly one of the best.

Horses most definitely do not think like humans, or the human children like whom they are often treated. This error in training creates huge, upsetting and frightening results for horses, and anger and frustration in their trainers. No wonder there are so many ‘problem horses’ whose problem is really problem humans.

Although written by a highly-qualified scientist and professional horsewoman, it is easy to understand provided you read it with an open mind at a time when you can do it justice and benefit yourself and your horse by being able to concentrate fairly well. Its methods have been proven over and over again and you may be surprised to see in its pages how to teach ‘tricks’ and just have fun with your horse in a way he can understand. I recommend it highly.

Gift Ideas


Tack & Turnout

Mark Todd Bora Heavyweight Turnout RugThis smart turnout rug is generously cut with a deep tail flap and darts on the quarters for a cosy fit.

The surcingles pass through reinforced slots to keep the rug secure in windy weather, whilst allowing the rain to run straight off the sides. Designed for freedom of movement, the Bora also has darts on the neckline which shape the rug around

the chest to reduce rubbing. Features include a 600 denier ripstop Teflon coated outer shell; 300g insulation layer; a nylon lining that polishes the coat; quick release breast fastenings; removable leg straps and reflective trim on the tail flap. A matching neck cover is available with anti-rub lining and fleece poll protection. The Bora comes in attractive moss plaid fabric in sizes 5'6" to 7' and costs around £89.99 (neck cover £38.95)

Contact Westgate EFI on 01303 872277 for stockists and information www.wefi.co.uk

Rodney Powell ‘Eventers’ Competition Gloves - Giveaway"10 pairs up for grabs"

Renowned manufacturer of one of the worlds leading eventing body protectors, Rodney Powell have now firmly established themselves as providers of stylish and functional gloves.

Having now been widely tried and tested amongst the eventing ‘set’, all over Europe, there are three styles, one for each discipline. The ‘Dressage’ glove is made of super-soft, slim line, yet strong textured PU and comes in white, black and dark brown. RRP £18.00

The ‘Cross-country’ glove is available in the colour black and has a durable, super-stretchy aerated fabric back,

with a full goat-skin leather palm. The leather is treated with a special wax coating, to enhance grip. RRP £22.00

The ‘Show-jumper,’ available in black or dark brown soft, yet strong, goat-skin leather, has been modelled on a traditional golfing glove, offering supreme functionality combined with style and comfort. It has unique articulated finger moulding and re-enforced patches to help combat wear. RRP £23.00

Truly great Christmas stocking filler, not to be missed, these classic gloves offer excellent value for money.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous pairs of gloves just send your name and address, choice of glove, size and colour on a postcard to Glove Offer, Equi-Ads Ltd, Office 1, Tayview Estate, Friarton Road, Perth, PH2 8DG or email [email protected] (subject: Glove offer).

For further details please visit www.powellprotec.com


Tack & Turnout


Tack & Turnout

Rollkur/hyperflexion Heather Moffett

The topic of rollkur/hyperflexion has never been more in the news than currently. One of my Enlightened Equitation forum members posted a link to the video that has caused outrage and horror in the equestrian world, and I quickly sent the link to those in the horse world in a position to do something about it. The resulting backlash has taken the dressage world by surprise, and by storm, as those who truly care about the horse, have united to lobby the FEI with petitions, letters and emails, to the point that surely, something will at last be done to fully investigate this whole sorry business.

The video featured Swedish Grand Prix rider, Patrik Kittel on his stallion, Scandic, riding in hyperflexion during the warm up for the World Cup in Odense, Denmark. Scandic’s tongue in one part of the video clip, hanging lifeless, flaccid and blue, summed up the stallions general demeanour of resignation, rather than willing

co-operation. Kittel was perhaps unfortunate, in that he was the one to be caught up in this debacle, but the fact that a complaint was made to the steward, and was not upheld, beggars belief when a quote from an article on the Your Horse website states ‘The complaint was not upheld because Kittel was deemed not to be the only person riding in this manner’. So, that makes it ok, does it?!!

This abhorrent method, whereby the horse’s chin is so tightly against the chest, that the eyes are almost bulging out of their sockets, the whites showing, means that the horse is unable even to see where he is going, and therefore, under complete domination of the rider. It has been said that rollkur ‘allows small ladies to ride big, powerful horses’.

Much has been said about this topic before, German veterinary surgeon, Dr Gerd Heuschmann in particular, has long been campaigning against hyperflexion,

and has done a huge amount to raise public awareness, although in the dressage world, this appears to have fallen on largely cloth ears. True, so far there is no empirical proof that hyperflexion actually physically damages the horse, but I ask my audiences at lecture demos, to sit with chin tight against the chest for a count of 30 seconds, after often less than even 15 seconds, people are rubbing their necks in discomfort, and after 30 seconds are complaining of real pain.Yes, only 30 seconds, but top dressage riders are regularly seen to be riding their horses in such a position for perhaps 20 mins or more, and in an overall session length of up to 90 minutes just to warm up before a competition. Even if long term damage does not occur- and the veterinary jury still seems to be out on this verdict- then surely, inflicting the potential for considerable pain on any horse is simply unacceptable? Think about the less experienced rider who sees the success of competitors employing this

method, and then tries it out on his or her own unfortunate horse.

But what about the mental state of a horse, thus subjugated? Where is the ‘happy athlete’ that the dressage world, claims is its aim? Watch any number of video clips on Youtube of horses being ridden in hyperflexion. Most have that same, sad, resigned look. A few still look angry, tails windmilling, and tension, although claimed by rollkurs protractors to aid muscle release, apparent throughout the entire horse.

It prevents engagement of the hindquarters, and is the reason why there are so few horses able to perform a correct extended trot as laid down in the FEI rules, where the angle of the cannon bone of the hindlimb and the forearm should be at a similar angle, a rule which the judges appear to be flagrantly disregarding, by rewarding extensions that are half way to Spanish trot!

Unless the head is behind the vertical to some degree these days, the horse is deemed not to be ‘round’!! Yet the rules still state that ‘A horse is said to be “on the bit” when the neck is more or less raised and arched according to the stage of training and the extension or collection of the pace, accepting the bridle with a light and consistent soft submissive contact. The head should remain in a steady position, as a rule slightly in front of the vertical, with a supple poll as the highest point of the neck, and no resistance should be offered to the athlete. ‘ So why is a horse at, or just in front of the vertical, likely to be penalised as ‘hollow’ ?

I would ask all of you who truly love the horse, to join forces with us in this campaign. I started a group on Facebook ‘Blue Tongue cont on p.42


Tack & Turnout

Smart new look for disabled riderMy big love is to compete dressage with my horse Gromit, a Hanoverian bay.

Because of my disability I compete in the Para Dres-sage at medium level at Grade IV which is for riders with the severest of disabilities. Of course I want to look smart like all my fellow riders and I always longed for a pair of long boots and never could find a pair to fit. That is until I came across Equitector Riding Boots this summer. They made me a special pair and now I look extremely smart and just love my new boots.

Gromit and I are preparing for the 2010 Para dressage competitions and I cannot wait to show off my new Equitector boots.

Julia Nest

For boots that keep your feet warm in winter and cool in summer visit www.equitector.com

The SMART GPThe new generation GP saddle with RigidFree technology. In addition to our popular original patented treeless saddle designs, Solution Saddles have researched and developed the most technologically advanced saddle model available. Computer aided designs and revolutionary process of 3D scanned surface modelling give precision and symmetry.

Exclusive, patented features give improved saddle performance for the horse - and for the rider.

Tooled weight bearing panels provide even weight distribution and rider •support where it is needed most. Precision moulded, shock absorbing seat provides unparalleled rider comfort, •depth and feel. The improved seat and hip support gives effective leg contact, refined balance and overall classical posture. High density, floating fins are integrated to support and distribute the weight •and movement of the rider. W girth system allows the saddle to flex with the horse’s back and limb action, •giving complete freedom of movement. This accommodates even the most difficult conformation comfortably and improves saddle stability for all back shapes. Superior quality pre-oiled leather ensures the rider is instantly comfortable and •assists them to feel secure in the saddle.

Visit www.solution-saddles.co.uk to find out more or call 07738 711 099 to arrange your home consultation visit.


Tack & Turnout

World Cup Warmup Video’ which has generated over 2000 members in a few days, and there is a petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/antiHF/

I am also delighted that BHS chairman, Patrick Print has written an excellent letter to HRH Princess Haya, President of the FEI. It is so encouraging to see our own national equestrian body, taking such a stance, and truly speaking from its standpoint as a welfare organisation. Equally encouraging, the Facebook group has a number of eminent members from the dressage community worldwide, and the petition has been signed by even more.

Equisimulator workshops at Heather’s farm in South Devon are held monthly. For information please visit www.enlightenedequitation.com, or ring Debbie on 07877 202950.

BHS challenges hyperflexionPatrick Print, Chairman of the BHS has written the following letter to Princess Haya, President of the FEI -

Your Royal Highness, You cannot be unaware of the disquiet – not to say anger – which has arisen following the depiction on Epona TV of Patrik Kittel’s horse in apparent distress as it competed in Odense on 18th October. As you are doubtless aware, in terms both of membership and breadth of interest, The British Horse Society (BHS) is the largest single equestrian organisation in the UK. Our examinations system, and the training and education which underpin it, have earned for the Society international recognition.

No less important is our work to promote the highest standards of equine welfare, which suffuses every facet of our work. I am pleased to report that our commitment to equine welfare is shared by all our colleagues within the British Equestrian Federation, although on this occasion I am writing solely on behalf of the BHS. Let me acknowledge straight away that no representative of the BHS was present in Denmark to witness the horse’s apparent distress, nor do we have the benefit of a contemporaneous veterinary report. Moreover, we do not for one minute suggest that Patrik Kittel at any time sought to treat his horse other than with proper care and respect.

Nevertheless, in matters of equine welfare, the precautionary principle must always apply: if, despite the absence of conclusive proof, the wellbeing of a horse is called into question, there will exist a strong moral obligation on the FEI to respond immediately. In our view, the concerns so widely expressed are reasonable and therefore deserving of an urgent two-part investigation: first, an inquiry into the treatment of this particular horse on this particular occasion; and, second, a broader inquiry into the ethics and consequences of hyperflexion. In this second aspect The British Horse Society stands ready to assist the FEI in any way it can. Please note that we pass no comment on the aesthetics of seeing a competition horse contorted in a way it never appears to choose for itself when in its natural state.

Our concern is only to speak out when we believe that the welfare of horses demands it.

Yours sincerely, Patrick Print, FBHS Chairman

Ride-Away launches new online shopRide-Away, the leading equestrian goods specialist has launched their next generation website, incorporating an improved online shop, along with lots of new features and additions.

The new website (www.rideaway.co.uk) features a Wish List, gift vouchers which can be bought and redeemed online, the ability to design your own ‘Nag Rags’, as well as the ability to choose many customised products - browbands, hat silks, and Polypads to name just a few – and their renowned ‘Bargain Basement’ will remain for all their end of line products.

Ride-Away was established in 1980 by Stephen and Angela Clark and continues to be a family-run business who have justifiably earned a reputation for reliability and excellent customer service. The new website complements their mail order catalogue and flourishing 15,000 sq. ft. customer showroom at Sutton-on-the-Forest to the north of York city centre.

Ride-Away director, Angela Clark, says: “When we launched our first mail order catalogue back in the late eighties, we had no idea how the mail order side of the business would take off. Our original website was developed in 2000 but we felt it lacked the modern features our customers now expect. Our customers can now shop by brand and will be able to filter their searches by size, colour and price. Customers will also be able to leave reviews on individual products and read comments left by other shoppers.”

cont from p.40

The FEI condemns all training methods and practices that are contrary to horse welfare. The welfare of the horse has always been and will always be at the core of every aspect of the Federation’s work as the international governing body for equestrian sport.

During its meeting in Copenhagen (DEN) on 15 November, the FEI Bureau had extensive discussion on the issue of hyperflexion. The FEI Bureau insists that, with immediate effect, stewards in all disciplines use the disciplinary measures available to them, such as verbal warnings and yellow warning cards *, to prevent any infringement of FEI rules.

The FEI is now engaged with World Horse Welfare, a leading international equestrian organisation, in addition

to continued consultation with riders, trainers, officials and veterinarians to thoroughly research the issues. The further education of stewards will also continue to ensure that welfare issues at FEI events are dealt with promptly and professionally.

The FEI acknowledges and welcomes public opinion and will continue to ensure that the welfare of the horse, which has been central to this debate, will remain its absolute priority.

* If a rider receives two yellow warning cards within one year, he / she is automatically suspended for a period of two months immediately following the event at which the second yellow warning card was received.

FEI statement on horse welfare


Tack & Turnout


Bedding - Horse Behaviour

The five freedoms Susan McBaneTHE FIVE FREEDOMS are standards originally devised for the well-being of farm animals. They have been extended to cover the welfare of all captive animals, including domestic animals and pets. This 5-part series discusses how they can be applied with best effect to horses and ponies.

Number 1: FREEDOM FROM THIRST, HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION – by providing access to fresh water, and a diet to maintain your horse’s full health and vigour.

WATER is a horse’s most important nutrient. He can die in a very few days or even hours without ready access to drinkable water.

Horses can need up to about 50 litres or 13 gallons of water per 24 hours when working in hot and particularly humid weather, or even when just standing in a hot or humid environment whether it is a field, a showground or a badly ventilated stable or vehicle, when they can also get heatstroke.

They can also suffer from dehydration if water supplies freeze or otherwise fail. As they almost never try to break ice on a trough or bucket themselves, remember that doing this for them only twice a day will not ensure a sufficient supply. They also cannot get enough water from eating snow and if they are thirsty enough to try their management is seriously at fault.

Signs of dehydration can include small amounts of small, hard droppings, decreased and thickened urine, weight loss, weak pulse, acid and ‘thickened’ blood, colic symptoms, sunken eyes, a stressed appearance, dullness, weakness, inco-ordination, lack of

appetite, licking cold substances such as metal or glass and, of course, collapse.

The recognised tests for dehydration are a guide but not fully reliable. The skin pinch test involves pinching up a fold of skin on the neck and watching to see that it falls flat immediately. If not, the horse could be dehydrated. To perform the capillary refill time test, press your thumb just above a corner, front tooth to create a pale patch. The colour should return within 1½ seconds as the blood returns to the capillaries, otherwise there could be a problem.

Watering wisdom

Horses drink more, and more comfortably, if the water is a comfortable temperature and their source is low, ideally ground level, and certainly so that the horse’s poll is lower than his withers when drinking to prevent the gullet kinking in the throat area and impeding the flow and the ability to swallow properly. (The same goes for eating.) The top of the container (including auto-drinkers) should be no higher than the horse’s elbows, otherwise use a large tub or several buckets on the ground.

If your horse does not like his water he will not drink much, if any, of it. Water not only accumulates bits of bedding, saliva, food and stable dust but also ammonia in the air from rotting organic matter like urine, droppings and dirty, damp bedding. Topping up containers instead of refilling them with fresh water is obviously unhygienic and will not encourage a horse to drink freely.

Keep containers scrubbed out, well rinsed and refilled. You don’t need soap,

just a hard scrub with a stiff brush and clear water, preferably hot.

Containers which move or rattle can put off some horses as can those which smell of, say, plastic or rubber. Hard plastic usually seems to cause no problems but the soft type can.

When your horse does a dropping in his water container which is why you need more than one and in different corners (always the same ones so the horse can find them in the dark), disinfect it with baby disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and refill.

If your horse won’t drink away from home, take a large camping container of home water. Also, try getting him used to slightly flavoured water (such as with peppermint cont on p.46


Field & Stable


Field & Stable

essence) and take the flavouring agent with you. If your horse won’t drink after competing, remember that most horses will drink the water in which sugar beet has been soaked and it contains minerals and other nutrients, too. Also try putting some water into the side of his mouth to set him off.

Field troughs are often allowed to become filthy, slimy and contaminated with dead birds and other small animals. Check them at least daily, and empty and clean them out at the first sign of algae and other ‘undesirables’.

Natural water sources may be contaminated by chemicals, sewage or dead animals rotting upstream, and cause illness. Watch your horse’s behaviour closely as a matter of habit and get your water checked fairly regularly, maybe through your vet.

Keep a close eye on your horse’s drinking habits and if there are any problems at all ring your vet. Lack of water for whatever reason is a serious matter.

EATING is what horses were born to do, along with running. They are fibre-feeding trickle feeders and the best diet for them is the one they evolved to eat – fibre in the form of grass, leaves and roots with some fruits.

Trickle feeding means that they have, and need, small amounts of food passing through their digestive systems more or less constantly. There is always a little food left in the stomach and digestive tract unless a horse has been fasted, which he should never be except on veterinary advice.

As horses’ main natural food is grass which is fibrous and not normally highly concentrated, they need to eat it, in natural conditions, for roughly sixteen or eighteen hours a day with brief periods

of rest, depending on its quality. Hunger, therefore, is an abnormal state for a horse.

In domestic conditions, there is no excuse for a horse to experience hunger as we can give hay, haylage and short-chopped forage feeds plus succulents to replace grass, if necessary. Horses’ contentment and, therefore, behaviour deteriorate notably when they are hungry. They look tense and uncomfortable (of course), bang doors, pace boxes, weave, kick walls, paw the floor or bedding, start chewing wood and eating straw bedding, and can start crib-biting (often a sign of digestive discomfort or pain). Their general attitude becomes anxious and some may start mugging, nipping or biting people.

Because fibre is fundamental to a horse, ensure that yours has an ample supply of clean, good quality fibre of the right nutritional grade for his constitution and work. An ad lib supply is best. Being a good doer or laminitic is no excuse to keep him hungry. Use lower nutrient-content fibre but give him enough to keep him content, occupied and comfortable in his digestive system. At night, he should have enough fibre so that there is a little left in the morning.Those who are genuine gluttons may need rationing but with expert advice from a qualified nutritionist (such as the one at your feed company) you will be able to devise a diet to manage his physical problems whilst keeping him mentally settled.

Flight, fight and feeding

We know that the horse is a prey animal, ready to gallop off at a split second’s warning of danger, but how does this square with his need to eat more or less constantly? The advice is usually to withhold feed for at least an hour before fast work so how do feral horses manage?

The answer is that horses have a failsafe system in that the equine stomach is quite firmly attached inside the abdomen and not particularly ‘stretchy’, so is well able to withstand a bit of fast work even when two-thirds full (its natural condition). The difference in working domestic horses is that they often gallop and jump for far longer than feral ones but, even so,

the up-to-date advice is to not withhold feed for longer than an hour, or water for 30 minutes.

Gastric ulcers

One reason for this is to help prevent stomach ulcers which can certainly interfere with a horse’s ‘health and vigour’. Ulcers are caused by faulty feeding, (too many starchy concentrates, too little fibre and too much confinement) and a stressful lifestyle. It is thought now that all racehorses probably have ulcers and three-quarters of eventers, too, with other working horses faring only slightly better. However, broodmares at grass and foals can also suffer from them and it is hoped that ongoing research will help us to rectify this serious problem.Ulcers occur on the stomach lining. The horse’s stomach has two main regions – a lower, glandular, region which secretes acid digestive juice and an upper, non-glandular region. The lower region is protected by a layer of alkaline bicarbonate and mucus but the upper one has no glands and no protection.

The stomach produces acid constantly to cope with trickle feeding. When the horse has been without fibre for about an hour or more, his likelihood of getting ulcers increases because the vulnerable upper layer suffers from ‘acid splash-back’ when the horse moves and there is no food to mop it up.

Treatments include a less stressful lifestyle, antacid supplements and medicines which allow ulcers to heal by stopping acid production and covering them to protect the tissues. Antibiotics may be used if infection may be present.

Preventing ulcers involves keeping the horse content and not stressed, an ideal way to do this being plenty of turnout and suitable grass. Ample fibre will buffer the stomach and encourage the production of alkaline saliva plus helping to reduce splash-back by always keeping some food in the stomach. Limit starchy concentrate feeds to very small, frequent ones, if necessary, give preventive medicines and add oil to the diet to lubricate and protect the tissues.

Starch

Horses in nature do not come across lots of starchy feeds. Grains contain starch and these are mainly digested in the small intestine – the upper part of the digestive tract. If large amounts are fed, they will pass down the tract before full digestion and ferment lower down it, possibly causing colic and

considerable digestive discomfort. Some starch helps a hard-working performance horse but be as mean as possible with it and supply energy from high-energy fibres and oil in the diet. He’ll feel much better and you’ll notice better behaviour and attitude.

A balanced diet, supplements and balancers

Horses on mainly fibre diets, including those on poor grazing, may need a broad-spectrum (wide-ranging) vitamin and mineral supplement or a comprehensive balancer which includes other nutrients such as protein and is fed in much smaller amounts than normal concentrate feeds like cubes or mixes. Many professionals feel that this is a more natural and effective way of feeding and increases a horse’s digestive comfort and contentment.

Feed intolerances

Intolerances and sensitivities to feeds and medicines seem to be more common now, or perhaps more is known about them. They can take the form of skin bumps, dry, itchy skin maybe with a duller coat than usual, digestive problems and erratic behaviour probably at least partly due to discomfort.

The way to identify what your horse is intolerant of is, on the advice of a nutritionist and/or vet, to either remove various ingredients one at a time, or remove everything suspect. After a period of six weeks or more without the suspected substances, they are restored to the diet one by one and careful note taken of when symptoms recur. This process is important for the horse’s health and comfort.

Obesity and laminitis

These two curses of modern domestic horses need very careful feeding to maintain your horse or pony’s health, probably based on expert advice. Generally, if you feed so that you can feel the ribs quite easily but cannot actually see them you should not go far wrong but never hesitate to ask even the most ‘stupid’ question of a nutritionist or vet. Your horse’s life could depend on it – as well as your compliance with the first Freedom.

SUSAN McBANE is the author of 50 books on horse management and riding. She has an HNC in Equine Science and Management and the Classical Riding Club’s Gold Award. She can be contacted for lessons, clinics and management consultations in Lancashire and surrounding counties on 01254 705487 or [email protected]

cont from p.44


Field & Stable


Field & Stable - Johnny Edgar

And I’ll take the hard roadJohnny Edgar takes us on another entertaining episode of his endurance antics

Our long suffering friends have known it for weeks if not months…Our priorities as riders had changed. I had a new job, we had a new grandchild and somehow three horses was becoming just one too many and eventually after endless ‘will we, won’t we’ we made the decision to sell Peggy Sioux.

I know, I know, but as I tell my maths teacher wife, 2 into 3 doesn’t go and we were scrambling around trying to keep three fit by finding somebody to ride Peggy, or riding out in shifts after a full day at work. The whole thing was in danger of becoming more pain than pleasure. So we placed an advert selling the ‘ideal mother and daughter horse, prefers company and not 100% in traffic’ and awaited the avalanche of responses.

While we waited, we took Peggy and Fox out for a quiet evening hack …

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that people who ride horses also fall off them. Sadly, there is no arguing with that. One of my early riding teachers often said that there comes a moment for every rider when gravity takes over,

and he suggested I’d better get used to the notion that Newton will always be my co-pilot. It will come as no surprise that I actually don’t like falling off: as a 50-something bloke I tend to hit the ground like a truckload of rusty scaffolding and it is an experience I like to avoid. Unfortunately my horse had forgotten that last Monday evening when, for reasons yet undiagnosed, she took fright at an approaching car, spun round and headed for home at the gallop. I survived the 180 degree turn, I even survived the first 30 metres of gallop, but as she reached Mach1 and approached a T junction to a busier road, the ‘tipping point’ was reached and old Sir Isaac was gently but firmly telling me it was time to go ...

Fortunately I came off like a Super Bike rider, skidding and spinning along the road. Unfortunately I didn’t have the state of the art leathers or a well-placed tyre wall. Yes, quite. Ouch.

I lay still for a bit, doing the usual inventory, and to my utter surprise all was present and correct except for the skin on my left arm, hip and knee, a trashed helmet and at that point no use or feeling in my right hand.

Meanwhile my horse had returned with her saddle under her belly, her reins trailing and her eyes rolling in the back of her head. I attempted to sort through the wreckage one handed, trembling all over and gently seeping body fluids onto the tarmac.

Linda had been sitting quietly on Fox and now uttered the words I had been dreading. In a tone that would have done credit to a High Court judge she said ‘OK, now get back on…’ (I don’t know where they learn it, probably the Brownies or Pony Club, but there was no point arguing.)

She heaved me upwards like the proverbial sack of tatties and I sat there swaying, snivelling, whimpering and looking like the last man from Fort Apache with an arrow in my shoulder. Getting off was even worse….

First aid was administered by Linda in the kitchen. I was not looking forward to this. Linda is definitely less Florence Nightingale and more Hattie Jacques* … with a bedside manner that could charitably be called ‘brusque’. She started off using our first aid box, which originally was a pink My Little Pony lunch box my daughter had in primary one. It contained a few cotton buds, some almost used ointments past their sell-by and one small Mr Bump plaster. One look at my arm convinced even Linda that Mr Bump was out of his league.

Cursing like a cab driver she stormed off to the tack room and came back with the vet box we use for the horses, and soon was peeling off my polo shirt, jods, congealed blood and more skin … and slathering me with Animalintex, plasters and vet wrap. I yelped, pleaded and squirmed while she wielded the scissors and used compassionate phrases such as ‘Oh for Gawd’s sake, stop whimpering and pull yourself together’.

So how had it come to this? One minute we were selling the ideal ‘mother and daughter horse’ and the next I am bleeding all over the road and realising that ‘Houston, we have a problem’. I know it’s ‘buyer beware’ but there was no way we were going to lie about Peggy’s latest trick so now we had to work out how to make a crib-biting car phobic sound like the bargain of the century…

It didn’t look much better the next day … It took me ten minutes to get out of bed, I had ‘seeped ‘ all over the sheets and I had no function in my right hand, which meant Nurse Hattie had to refresh my vet wrap, button up my shirt, slap me around a bit, put my tie on and push me out the door to limp off to work , where I bumped around the office typing with one fnger and putting colleagues off their lunch after one glance at my arm.

It didn’t get any better when I arrived home. The weather was frightful with a full blown storm raging and Linda had all four horses wedged into our stable area. Yes, four, we were keeping a friend’s horse on box rest so we were ‘hot bunking’ the stables. When I arrived, if anything the rain got heavier and everywhere was trampled hay and horse dung. It smelled like a zoo and looked like an aggravated burglary by Fungus the Bogey Man. I took one look at Linda and decided there was nothing for it but to wade in and help. On reflection not one of my best ideas as all I seemed able to do was limp around the stables, not undoing hay nets while squealing like a debutante every time I was dunted, pushed or tramped on. I topped it off by not quite pushing the barrow and re-emptying the contents on the newly swept stable floor. That evening we re-advertised at a much reduced price.

It was around this low point that we got a phone call from a girl who was unphased about Peggy’s dubious road credentials and already owned a cribber. To say she was keen is a bit of an understatement as she kept phoning through the week worrying we might sell her to someone else or change our minds …

She arrived with friends and family that Sunday, all booted and chapped, and bought our Peggy on the spot.

The following weekend we drove Peggy to her new home near Montrose. I hugged her neck and watched her trot into a comfortable mix of horses and ponies who had a sort of ‘duty’ sniff and trot round before they all returned to the serious business of grazing. We drove the empty trailer for three hours back down the A8. That also was a hard road to take.

*For the under-40s – Hattie Jacques was a much-loved comedy actress who played a less-than-sympathetic Matron in many Carry On films of the 1960s and ‘70s.

JumpCross Training With Leading Event Riders

Get a headstart for the 2010 JumpCross season by taking the opportunity to receive two hours training from interna-tional event stars Jeanette Brakewell, Mark and Tanya Kyle, and Julia Crowson in the New Year.

This exciting training day will take place on February 28, 2010 at JumpCross Headquarters, Grange Farm, Wansford near Peterborough.

The course is set in a natural and rural part of the country, with streams and lake crossings included in the course combining the thrill of cross-country riding whilst demanding the skill and accuracy required of show jumping.

This eagerly anticipated training day will provide you with all the tools required to effectively and confidently tackle a JumpCross competition course, right down to a rules brief.

The training session will last for around two hours and are £30 for adults and £25 for juniors. All participants must hold either an annual or day JumpCross membership.

To book your place please contact JumpCross headquarters on 01780 782356 or visit www.jumpcross.com


Field & Stable

News


A Dorset business that makes, mends and cleans equestrian equipment has reached the regional finals of the Countryside Alliance (CA) Awards.

Mendit Rug and Tack Ltd, owned and run by husband and wife Pete and Hayley Legg, has been short-listed for the Daily Telegraph Best Traditional Business Award in the Wessex region.

Established in 2000 in the couple’s

garden shed. Within three years Mendit Rug and Tack had grown sufficiently to move into workshops in Piddlehinton. It now employs five staff, runs six industrial-sized washing machines and is a member of the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA).

Pete diversified from farming to become a qualified saddler and join Hayley in the business that produces bespoke horse rugs, dog coats,

bridlework, washes, repairs and reproofs horse clothing.

“We like to be adaptable and to help people,” said Hayley. “We will turn our hands to anything we can do well.”

Recent projects at Mendit Rug and Tack have included creating a cover for a hedge-trimming tractor bonnet, restoring military re-enactment items and making special bridles for horses.

The company is used by horse and dog owners across Dorset and beyond.

Should Mendit Rug and Tack win its regional heat, the business will join other national finalists for a reception and CA Awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on 3 February. More than 2,500 rural businesses were originally nominated for awards.

www.menditsaddlery.co.uk

Makers and menders of horse gear voted among best in Wessex

Equine World unites to raise £1 Million for Help for Heroes

Boo’s success story

Ascot Racecourse and The HPower Group are today delighted to launch “Horses For Heroes,” which will see 2010 horses ridden from Ascot Racecourse, round Windsor Great Park and back to the racecourse before racing begins on Saturday 10th July 2010.

The initiative sets out to bring together horses and riders from across the equine spectrum and aims to raise at least £1 million for the Help for Heroes charity, whose founder Bryn Parry said:

“Help for Heroes is all about people doing their bit for our wounded heroes. Horses have always supported our servicemen and women so it is wonderful that the equestrian and racing world is jumping into the saddle with such enthusiasm. Remember, it’s the first 2010 riders to sign up who will get the chance to be part of this piece of history. www.horses4heroes.co.uk”

Registrations for the ride are now being taken and must be made by Friday 18th December 2009. Each rider is required to commit to raising a minimum of £500 in sponsorship.

“Ascot is delighted to be playing its part in this wonderful initiative,” said Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot Racecourse.

“Our special thanks must go to the Crown Estate for embracing the concept and assisting with the route planning through Windsor Great Park. Equally, this wouldn’t be possible without the flexibility shown by the Royal Ascot Golf Club, whose activities will be affected for a short period.

I can’t wait to ride in the event myself – I’ll probably be amongst the first out so that I can get back to the racecourse in time to prepare for opening to the public. It’ll be a tremendous thrill to see so many people from the worlds of racing and equestrian sport, participants in hunts and pony club riders and many many more, filing up

the finishing straight at Ascot in aid of this most worthwhile cause.”

Toni Terry, aspiring dressage rider and wife of England and Chelsea Captain John Terry, and Lieutenant Guy Disney, amateur rider for Nicky Henderson, who lost a leg serving in Helmand Province, were at Ascot to formally launch Horses For Heroes.

Toni, who trains at Oldencraig Equestrian Centre and is currently preparing to perform at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, in a specially choreographed pas de deux with 16 times national champion, Vicki Thompson-Winfield, said:

“I am working hard to achieve the highest levels of dressage and I admire hugely the dedication of the riders that I aspire to emulate, but such dedication is nothing compared to what our brave soldiers demonstrate every day in the face of extreme danger. When I heard about the opportunity to be involved in promoting something that brought the diverse horse world together to do our bit for the armed forces, I jumped at the chance. Vicki and I are both planning to ride at the event next year.”Guy added:

“I can think of few professions that encapsulate the same values of professionalism and dedication more than being a soldier and race riding, and there is a long association between racing and the armed forces, including military races under rules in which I have been lucky enough to compete. Working with the racing and equestrian community to raise such an ambitious sum for Help For Heroes feels like a very natural partnership.”

Other celebrity support has been forthcoming from Actor Martin Clunes and Presenter Anthea Turner, who are both keen horse riders and are looking forward to taking part in the event. Visit www.horses4heroes.co.uk to view a special video message from Martin himself.

Boo, whose story shocked the equine world and the public at large in March when he was taken in by Redwings Horse Sanctuary after being left blind by heartless thugs, has settled in well at the charity’s headquarters. The brave Clydesdale’s story has inspired the charity’s Christmas appeal, Boo’s Blind Appeal, which will help Boo and other visually impaired horses at the charity.

Boo, already blind in one eye from cancer, was shot in his good eye by unknown attackers in a premeditated mindless act of violence whilst he was turned out at his home in Surrey. The pellet was so far embedded in the back of his eye it was likely that the shotgun’s barrel was held up against his eye. Boo’s owner was faced with a difficult decision and were even advised to put him to sleep, as at 16.1hh the heavy horse was potentially difficult and dangerous to care for. They had heard of Redwings’ expertise in this area and approached the Sanctuary for their help. After careful consideration, Redwings agreed to take him in as they could offer Boo all the specialist care and veterinary attention he might need. The charity is already home to 25 other visually impaired horses.

Boo has bonded with long-term resident Oliver, a 21 year old 15hh cob cross gelding. Oliver was chosen as Boo’s buddy due to his calm nature and easy going personality, and the pairing has worked well as they formed a special bond, with Oliver acting as Boo’s sighted buddy.

Good-natured Oliver has unobtrusive

bells in his mane so Boo can hear where he is, and the pair move around their paddock together grazing. Every day, Boo’s feed is put in the same place and wind chimes act as a compass for where the water trough is. Boo and Oliver are so close they even share each other’s dinner and groom each other! The pair’s paddock is next to the charity’s administration building so the staff can cast an eye over Boo regularly.

Every year Redwings launches a Christmas appeal. Entirely funded by public donation, the charity relies on the generosity of its supporters to carry out work such as Boo’s rehabilitation as well as the many rescues and welfare cases it helps with. Boo was chosen as the focus of the appeal as despite all the pain he has experienced, gentle giant Boo has kept his faith in mankind. Despite being blind he will approach anyone who visits him and give them a nuzzle, and he knows his carers through his sense of smell and his keen hearing. Not all horses that have been treated badly retain such an unwavering trust, and for many finding an ease with humans is a long and winding road. Boo’s positive attitude is inspirational.

“Blind horses require more care and attention and as they will never be suitable for working life or to be ridden Redwings is often their last chance,” explains Communications Manager Nicola Markwell. “Very few organisations have the facilities or ability to offer them a home so without us their future would be bleak. We assessed Boo very carefully before deciding that we could help but we felt he could live a full and dignified life partially thanks to his exceptionally placid nature. To see him now, happily grazing alongside Oliver with barely a care in the world, makes it all worthwhile. We are hoping that people will help us give Boo and other visually impaired horses a future by donating to Boo’s Blind Appeal.”

To donate, please visit www.redwings.co.uk or call 01508 481010.


Field & Stable - News

World Horse Welfare President, HRH The Princess Royal has spoken of her admiration for the scope and breadth of the charity’s work to help horses.

The Princess Royal was addressing an audience of over 150 supporters, politicians and industry experts at World Horse Welfare’s annual conference held at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday 12th November. The Princess Royal said it was a ‘great comfort’ that the charity had been able to achieve so much in such a difficult financial climate and that it was ‘testament to supporters’ and World Horse Welfare’s ability in being able to ‘prove that they can make a difference.’

The conference opened with a moving and inspiring film summarising the enormous amount that the charity has done so far in 2009. Chairman Christopher Hall followed and commented on how this reflected the overriding theme of the conference and their general belief that no-one does more to help horses all over the world, but that none of this would be possible without continued support.

Chief Executive Roly Owers then introduced the groundbreaking Stamp Out Suffering (SOS) research into horse welfare and introduced Dr Tim Parkin from Glasgow University who

has been a significant figure in this work. Tim explained the key findings, which included the shocking statistics in relation to horse obesity and the public perceptions of related welfare implications. Over 2,000 members of the public were questioned and over half of respondents either could not recognise an overweight horse or if they did, had no idea of the dire health or welfare implications to the animal. This compares to over three quarters of the people surveyed who believed a horse being underweight was a threat.

World Horse Welfare’s Field Officer for North-East Scotland, Doug Howie, gave a very emotive presentation about the shocking realities of his day to day work in the UK as he described a case he was involved in May this year. A number of semi-feral horses were found living in a boggy field in Aberdeenshire and the gruesome remains of around 15 more were found in a nearby barn. This case, which is currently ongoing, was just one example of over 1,500 that the charity’s Field Officers have been involved with this year.

A forum then took place with expert panellists; HRH The Princess Royal, equestrian sports commentator Mike Tucker, Richard Benyon MP (Shadow Defra Minister), Professor Sandy Trees (President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and broadcaster and writer Nick Luck and they proceeded to answer a range of welfare related questions from the importance of horses in the developing world, to tackling the problem of overweight horses in the UK.

World Horse Welfare’s campaigns department then gave an overview on the latest developments in the charity’s transportation campaign, describing the shocking observations made during this year’s field investigations, as well as discussing successes over the past 12 months. They were joined by leading researcher Dr David

HRH Princess Royal praises work of World Horse Welfare

Marlin who outlined the concerning findings from the recent scientific research project, which illustrated the detrimental impact of these journeys and conditions of the horses involved. The team explained that the campaign to end the long-distance transportation of horses to slaughter in Europe had entered a critical stage, with a Written Declaration needing urgent MEP signatures; they asked supporters to press their local MEPs to sign.

Finally it was the turn of the charity’s international training team who highlighted the real benefits that they provide to both horses and people. Romanian in-country co-ordinator and former farriery student Catalin Urasche, explained how World Horse Welfare had helped him to earn an income as a farrier and improve the lives of many horses. Catalin was followed by Antonia Ling, a final year student at the Royal Veterinary College. Antonia received a World Horse Welfare undergraduate bursary this

year, which enabled her to investigate the debilitating respiratory disease strangles in Lesotho.

World Horse Welfare Chief Executive Roly Owers comments: “The annual conference is our opportunity to showcase the enormous amount of work that World Horse Welfare does to help horses. I am very proud of our many achievements, but we can only do what we do with the support of the public, as we receive no government funding. In these difficult financial times we have to manage our funds with great care and we need support and help more than ever if we are to expand our work to help horses.”

If you would like to support the work of World Horse Welfare, please visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org

“The annual conference is our opportunity to showcase the enormous amount of work that World Horse Welfare does to help horses”

News


A groundbreaking new survey reveals we can’t recognise obesity in horses

1. May 2008, Aberdeenshire: An emaciated and lice ridden young horse is found desperately searching for food in a boggy field.

2. November 2008, Blackpool: An obese Shetland pony weighing 40 stone is found in a field in Cleveleys. He is a massive 10 stone overweight; the equivalent of carrying an adult around 24 hours a day.

If asked to describe a typical horse cruelty case, most people would immediately think about the thin horse described in case 1, but in reality fat and obese horses are now at epidemic level and the long term effects they suffer can be catastrophic.

We are a nation of animal lovers, but sometimes we can love our pets too much and with devastating consequences. Leading international horse charity World Horse Welfare has today revealed groundbreaking new

statistics which show that the British public can’t recognise when a horse is obese and are unaware of the grave health implications it poses.

In the first research of its kind, World Horse Welfare surveyed 2150 members of the general public to provide feedback on the biggest horse welfare problems in Britain today. Combined with the daily findings and workload of their 16 UK Field Officers, the charity has gained a unique insight into what the public perceive to be the main problems and what is actually happening in reality.

More than 50% of people either did not correctly recognise an overweight horse or (if they did) indicated that it posed no or a low welfare threat.

“This research is vitally important for horse welfare but the results are worrying,” says Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Chief Executive. “We are literally killing our horses with kindness and as a nation we need to

recognise the long term

dangers of allowing them to carry excess fat. Overfeeding a horse can lead to ongoing health issues which can cause excruciating pain, such as laminitis and heart and lung problems. Horses can also suffer from a diabetes-like condition called Equine Metabolic Syndrome which can be as equally destructive as it is with humans.

“When asked to investigate concerns involving thin horses, our Field Officers often arrive to find that the horse in question is actually the correct weight, but looks thin compared to its overweight field companions.”

In fact, like humans, around half of all companion animals are now obese in Western civilisation.

On October 13th this year, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a married couple from Blackpool were banned from keeping horses for five years and fined £500 each after they allowed a Shetland pony in their care to become grossly overweight. The pony was successfully rehabilitated by World

Horse Welfare but it will be at risk from weight gain and attacks of painful laminitis for the rest of its life.

Roly continues: “This prosecution is likely to be the ‘tip of the iceberg’ as many similar cases could reach the courts in the future. We hope that cases such as this will serve to highlight an escalating problem in our horse population, which if left unchecked will have dire consequences.

“Over the last two years, World Horse Welfare has been weighing and assessing horses up and down the country and educating their owners through our Right Weight project and we will continue to lead the way in finding solutions to combat the key causes of horse welfare problems.”

If you are concerned about your horse’s weight or are worried about a horse you have seen, please visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org for more information, tips and advice.

Unfortunately there are some things in life we cannot control, say when someone steals your riding kit. However, although we can do nothing about human nature, we can try and prevent it as much as possible, and one of those ways is the Tack Locker.

Yorkshire Equine Products launched their new Tack Locker system at the end of October, it has very good security measures for your peace of mind and ensures that your tack stays exactly where you left it.

The Tack Locker is designed to hold all your relevant kit including all your leatherwear, grooming equipment and hat as well as having small compartments included within the shape to ensure that whether it is

stored in the tack room or coming along to

a show, everything you need will be with you. Standing at 1.2 metres high, when empty it weighs only 28kg and when full is still very easy to pull along on its all terrain 10” pneumatic tyres, no

matter what surface it is on.

Manufactured from polyethylene, the Tack Locker is incredibly strong and can cope with a high level of stress and impact without causing any damage to it or to your goods inside. The innovative locking system ensures that the tack locker is a good deterrent to thieves as steel bars enable the door

to be fully closed and locked, and a unique design means that the lid and door become one piece making it extremely difficult to prise the lid open.

The locker also has the option of a Lock Secure unit on the handle, enabling you to attach the Tack Locker to a wall at the yard or to your trailer ensuring no one will be able to take your goods whilst unattended. It ‘locks on’ to whatever you wish it to and a simple turn of a key and the Tack Locker is once again mobile when you need it to be.

The Tack locker is available in 2 different colour schemes of green and purple, making it something that when seen, your friends will also want. There is a bespoke service available for those who wish to choose a different colour scheme as well as a personalisation plate available so there are no mix ups

while you are away competing.

Paul Scholey, MD of Yorkshire Equine Products said: “We manufactured the Tack Locker as we knew there was a need for this in the market. Theft of riding equipment is something that causes people a great deal of grief throughout the year and especially in the current economic climate, thefts are something that you need to protect yourself from. Riding gear is not cheap and the best way to prevent theft is to ensure that your things are well protected. Deterrent is the key.”

Retailing at £350.00, the Tack Locker is available from www.yorkshireequineproducts.co.uk from mid November 2009 and will be available from your local stockist or direct from the company.

www.yorkshireequineproducts.co.uk

You lead your horse to water, Horse Quencher will make it drink.

New product, Horse Quencher, is designed to encourage your horse to drink water. Although we all joke about the old adage ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink’, dehydration is no laughing matter.

Unsettled weather, illness, travelling, strange water, stress – all can cause horses to go ‘on the wagon.’ They simply stop drinking. It’s an even bigger problem for competition horses. Dehydration can cause loss of performance, fatigue, even tying up

and colic. Odds on, you’ve seen it with your own horse.

Horse Quencher is a blend of natural ingredients already found in a horse’s diet that looks like granola and causes most horses to dive in and drink when added to a bucket of water.

Horse Quencher proved an immediate winner and ‘must have’ for the US and Canadian 3-day event horses troubled by the heat and humidity of the 2008 Olympics. It is the Official Hydration Product of the American Endurance Ride Conference, the national governing body for endurance riding in

the United States.

Horse Quencher is a must whenever you travel with your horse, for pleasure rides, shows and events. For endurance horses, who generally must be fed electrolytes, Horse Quencher is a perfect companion product to increase total water intake. It also comes in handy to have around the yard any time you feel a horse is drinking less than he or she should or when they are ill or injured and on box rest.

Not an electrolyte, nor the horsey equivalent of a fizzy drink, Horse

Quencher is a new approach using palatable, all-natural ingredients with one goal in mind: to get a horse to drink water when you want him to.

Horse Quencher comes in two flavours: apple and mint. It’s available either as a 25-serving or 144-serving tub or a box of 10 single-serving convenience packs. Single trial packs – perfect for trying flavours – are available for £2.50. All may be purchased online at www.horsequencher.co.uk.

Just add Horse Quencher to a bucket of water -- and give your horse that healthy head start.

Does my horse’s bum look big in this?

Tack Locker

Do you have a drinking problem?

Directory - News


Crematorium

Horse & Pony Cremation

Genuine Individual Cremation.Leyland & Cheshire Pet Crematorium.Tel: 01772 622466

Horse Transport

South EastChiltern and Thames Horse Transport

Defra Approved. Fully Licenced. Fully Insured. London Immission Zone Compliant. Fitted with CCTV Monitors for horses safety. 24hr Emergency Call Out. For more information please call 07711 1700 01 or email: [email protected]

South CentralHoofmoveBrighton, Sussex. Tel: 0845 0620088. Mob: 07958 701651.www.hoofmove.co.uk

Property Abroad

Brittany & NormandyCardyke Overseas Properties

Properties suitable for horses at a fraction of UK prices.Tel: 01775 630 008

Retirement & Resting

Retirement & Resting Livery for Ponies - Donkeys - Goats

20 years experience, family homeReferences on web siteRelaxed & caring,Grass livery (stable if required)Nr. Bath/Bristol/Wells

Tel: Julia 01761 419190www.pony-donkey-goat-retirement.co.uk

Saddlery

South EastAndrew Reilly Saddlers

Spoods Farm, Tinkers Lane, Hadlow Down, East Sussex TN22 4ET. Tel: 01825 830484.

Worming

EastGrass still growing?

Warm wet soil means active worm larvae. Have you checked? Worm egg counts £5 each. [email protected]. 01728685638

Directory

To advertise within Equi-Ads please contact [email protected]

Keep horses safe this winter says The Blue Cross

With a recent spate of unfortunate accidents involving horses becoming stuck in ditches, The Blue Cross animal welfare charity is offering advice to horse owners on how to keep their horses safe this winter.

Kerstin Alford, equine welfare director at The Blue Cross said: “We are warning horse owners to be particularly vigilant this winter as the onset of wet and muddy conditions can create unexpected hazards. This year could be even worse than usual as many fields have inadequate grazing after the exceptionally dry summer so horses are more likely to forage in ditches and hedgerows for food. So it’s essential to check your horse regularly and ensure that fields are suitably fenced.”

Molly, a two-year-old native pony being cared for by The Blue Cross, was a victim of neglect and misfortune in her former life. Her owner had left her to run wild in a field with 40 other ponies and very little food, water or shelter over the winter, and was later prosecuted.

When Molly was rescued by the local council, they discovered a serious eye injury thought to have been caused by her falling in a ditch. Despite the best efforts of vets, her eye eventually had to be removed but thankfully Molly has made a good recovery at The Blue Cross and has adapted well to her disability. In time it is hoped that she should make a good riding horse and that she will find a loving home where she can enjoy her life to the full.

The Blue Cross has put together some practical management tips to help you and your horse cope with the colder, wetter weather. Top tips for winter safety include:

Check boundary fencing and hedging

thoroughly every week, especially near ditches and roads. As hedges lose their foliage in the winter they may need reinforcing.

If you are using electric fencing check your battery power daily and have a spare, recharged battery at the ready.

If you are moving your horse or pony to new grazing for the winter, do it first thing in the morning to enable them to become familiar with the new space while it’s light.

Remember that dry, empty ditches in the summer can turn into wet, boggy hazards in the winter. The same applies to recently dug ditches which could be steep and slippery. If in doubt, fence them off safely and securely.

A stream or ditch should not be the only water source for your horse, but if there is one in the field, remember they can become treacherous in winter weather. Make sure there is a safe entrance and exit, monitor regularly and ensure the fencing on the other side of the water is maintained.

Become familiar with roadside ditches when you are riding so that you can think ahead and stay safe.

Expose your horse to a variety of terrains to help him become more sure-footed. This could help him cope better in a potentially difficult situation.

Make sure your horse is checked properly at least twice a day, every day and in all weathers.

If you need help or advice from The Blue Cross this winter please visit www.bluecross.org.uk/horses or phone 0845 230 1672.

CentralREGULARS

Tues Eve, S/J Knebworth SJ,Manor Field, Park Lane. See www.knebworthsj.co.uk.2nd Saturday of each month Antrobus RC Open Dressage, Yew Tree Farm, Nr Northwich. Tel: 01606 891033.Every Day Dean Valley Farm Ride, Dean Valley Farm, Cheshire. Tel: 0161 4391945.Every Saturday, Heavy Horse Club, Milton Keynes Museum, 07889 339551

NorthREGULARS

Every Weds Evening, S/J Horses and Ponies, Barton EC, Preston. Tel: 01995 640033.Every Weds Dressage Unaff Rossendale & Hyndburn EC, Accrington. Tel: 01706 213635.Every Thursday Senior BSJA, Hollingworth Leisure Park, Milnrow, Tel: 01706 644484Every Friday SJ Unaff Rossendale & Hyndburn EC, Accrington. Tel: 01706 213635.Every Friday Evening SJ Unaff Indoor, Mill Lane Stables, Selby. Tel: 01757 702940.Every 3rd Sunday in May - Sept, Rossendale Valley RC Show, Rawtenstall, Lancs. Tel: 07976 056677.Every Month Dressage Camp, Mill Lane Stables, Selby. Tel: 01757 702940.Every Day Dean Valley Farm Ride, Dean Valley Farm, Cheshire. Tel: 0161 4391945.Every 2nd Monday, Virtual RC meets in Chester. See www.virtualridingclub.com

South CentralREGULARS

Monday evening class,Contessa EC. Tel: 01920 821792.Tuesday Evening Advanced Dressage class,Contessa EC. Tel: 01920 821792Tuesday 12-8pm, Clear Round SJ,Hoplands EC. Tel: 01794 388838Wednesday Evening Novice Dressage class,Contessa EC. Tel: 01920 821792Winchester RC, weekly dressage and S/J Clinics for all abilities on Tuesday eve & Thursday mornings, WoodhamsFarm Equestrian, Kings Worthy. See www.winchesterridingclub.co.uk.Thursday Evening Jumping class,Contessa EC. Tel: 01920 821792Friday Evening Kids Club,Contessa EC. Tel: 01920 821792Saturday - Heavy Horse Club, Milton Keynes Museum, Tel: 07889 339551

SJ Clear Round 10am-2pm,West Wilts EC, Trowbridge. Tel: 01225 783220Wylye Valley PC Evening Rally 6pm,West Wilts EC, Trowbridge. Tel: 01225 783220

South WestREGULARS

Monday – Dressage Clinic with Julia Buckle, Shannonleigh Stables.See www.shannonleighstables.com.Every Monday - Bournemouth Horse Ball Club Training,Stocks Farm EC. Tel: 01202 57028Every 2nd Wed, Dressage,St Leonards EC. Tel: 01566 775543.Wednesday - Jumping (Lwr/Higher), Badgworth Arena, Nr Axbridge, Tel: 01934 732543Wednesday – S/J Clinic with Sarah Scott, Shannonleigh Stables.See www.shannonleighstables.com

EastREGULARS

Monday Evening Class, Contessa RC, Colliers End, Tel: 01920 821792Tuesday Evening Dressage Class,Contessa RC, Colliers End, Tel: 01920 821792Thursday – Contessa Club Night,Contessa RC, Colliers End, Tel: 01920 821792Friday – Kids Club 5.30pm, Young Riders Club 6pm,Contessa RC, Colliers End, Tel: 01920 821792Saturday / Sunday – Kids Club,Contessa RC, Colliers End, Tel: 01920 821792

South EastREGULARS

Tuesday to Thursday, Vicki Thompson Dressage Clinic,Oldencraig EC, Lingfield, Tel: 01293 8224142nd Tuesdays + Last SaturdaysClear Round SJ, Ingleden Park EC, Tenterden, Tel: 01580 765160Wednesday, Clear Round SJ, Blue Barn EC, Tel: 01233 622933.Thursday evening SJ Unaff, Duckhurst Farm. Tel: 01580 891057.Thursday evening, Sam Ray SJ Clinic,Oldencraig EC, Lingfield, Tel: 07787 575475Every 2nd Thursday (starting 19th July), Beginners S/J Evenings,Newthorpe EC, Newthorpe. Tel: 07917 303000Tues-Sun, Group&Private lessons for adults&children, Badshot Lea EC, Kiln Cottage. Tel: 01252 312 838.

Wed 2nd DecClear round Jumping, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933Thur 3rd DecSJ Course to hire, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933Eve CR SJ, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206

Fri 4th DecEve Unaff Dressage, Urchinwood ManorCongresburyJoni Bentley Workshop, CornwallTel: 07771 811561Collete’s Fridays for Fiver- Unaff SJTel: 07949 096086

Sat 5th DecJoni Bentley Workshop, CornwallTel: 07771 811561SJ Trailblazers, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206Arena Event, Church Farm ECTel: 07768 314070

Sun 6th DecNewquay RC, Indoor SJ at Barguse.Tel:07810 735908Festive Fun Ride, Exe EC,Tel: 01395 265752Joni Bentley Workshop, CornwallTel: 07771 811561Christmas Festivities, Eland LodgeEC, Tel: 01283 575856Shepway Harness Club, ChristmasDr, Brabourne Lees. Tel:07817 470618Unaff Dressage, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206Novice Show, Lydford StablesTel: 01822 820225Improve your Dressage, Church Farm EC. Tel: 07768 314070

Mon 7th DecEve Dressage, Hall Place EC.Reading. Tel: 0118 9426938Fiona Foy Clinic, Wokingham ECTel: 07968 059434Joni Bentley Workshop, CornwallTel: 07771 811561

Wed 9th DecClear round Jumping, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933

Thur 10th DecSJ Course to hire, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933Eve CR SJ, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206

Fri 11th DecFiona Foy Clinic, Ipley Manor,Marchwood. Tel: 07968 059434Debbie Moore Dressage TrainingBridge House EC. Tel: 01483 278584

Sat 12th DecFiona Foy Clinic, Manor Farm,Teffont Magna. Tel: 07968 059434Collettes Dressage, Willow Farm, Faversham. Tel: 07949 096086

Combined Training, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933SJ , Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206Unaff Walk Trot, Lydford StablesTel: 01822 820225Unaff Dressage, Church Farm EC.Tel: 07768 314070

Sun 13th DecChristmas Show, Gwennap RC.Fiona Foy Clinic, Church Lane,Lea Marston. Tel: 07968 059434Winter Dressage, Waulkmill SCTel: 01358 761736LRC Winter Dressage, Hilders FarmTel: 07748 844350Fun Show, Blue Barn ECTel: 01233 622933Aff Dressage, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206In Hand Show, Lydford StablesTel: 01822 820225

Wed 16th DecEve Unaff, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206

Thur 17th DecEve CR SJ, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206

Fri 18th DecEve Unaff Fancy Dress, Urchinwood Manor Congresbury

Sat 19th DecMini & Jnr SJ, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206Clear Round SJ, Church Farm EC. Tel: 07768 314070

Sun 20th DecCollettes Christmas Show, Willow Farm, Faversham. Tel: 07949 096086Christmas Show, Hall Place EC.Reading. Tel: 0118 9426938Fun Jnr Show, Lydford StablesTel: 01822 820225Xmas under 10’s Fun Day, Church Farm EC. Tel: 07768 314070

Sat 26th DecClear Round SJ, Church Farm EC. Tel: 07768 314070

Sun 27th DecSJ Clinic with Andrew Millin, Church Farm EC. Tel: 07768 314070

Mon 28th DecSpecial Xmas Show, Waulkmill SCTel: 01358 761736

Wed 30th DecDressage Clinic, Abbey Dressage,Tel: 01684 293206Gymkhana, Lydford StablesTel: 01822 820225

Thur 31st DecCollettes New Year Eve Show, Willow Farm, Faversham. Tel: 07949 096086


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