27-Dec-2019

Horse & Hound

The UK's leading weekly equestrian magazine

Horse & Hound1 min readHorses
Rule Britannia
LAST Tuesday at Olympia we witnessed a British whitewash in the top three places of the dressage World Cup qualifier for Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Lottie Fry. There was some consternation when we learned that showjumping crowd favourites Jo
Horse & Hound1 min read
Tokyo Team Spot Changes Hands After Drugs Test
THE Canadian showjumping team have lost their 2020 Olympic place after a rider tested positive for a banned substance. Nicole Walker was provisionally suspended by the FEI on 11 November after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of coc
Horse & Hound2 min read
Ban For Rider Who Whipped His ‘Exhausted’ Horse
A RIDER who whipped his horse and kicked it so hard that daylight could be seen between his legs and the horse’s sides has been banned. The FEI Tribunal ruled against UAE endurance rider Mohamed Ali Al Marzouqi over his actions riding Romeo in a one-
Horse & Hound1 min read
Two UK legs for Event Rider Masters
THE Event Rider Masters (ERM) series will feature two UK legs in 2020, including a new venue. Burnham Market, Norfolk, will host the opening leg of the series (10-11 April), with Chatsworth, Derbyshire, to hold the second leg (16-17 May). The additio
Horse & Hound1 min read
In Brief
CANADA will have an eventing Nations Cup leg in 2020. Bromont (15-18 August) will host the only North American leg. Bromont Horse Trials organiser Sue Ockendon said the addition is “really important” for North America, which did not host the competit
Horse & Hound2 min readCrime & Violence
Equine Charities At Capacity Due To ‘Systematic Failure’
WELFARE charities remain full to capacity in a “systematic failure of ownership and enforcement” — but it is hoped possible new legislation could help. Charities face challenges with a rise in complex cases involving large numbers of horses, but they
Horse & Hound1 min read
New Roles To Prepare Britain For Tokyo
THE British Equestrian Federation (BEF) has appointed new World Class Programme jobs, aiming for “much-needed” stability ahead of Tokyo 2020. Eventing performance manager Richard Waygood will take on the role of performance director up to and includi
Horse & Hound4 min read
Caring For Our Racehorses From Start To Finish Is Key
NEW and improved ways to track the lives of horses in Britain after leaving racing are in the pipeline. The racing industry is developing a system to log what happens to each horse on leaving training, simplifying paperwork and creating a rule to ens
Horse & Hound2 min read
Welfare Law Fails To Offer Protection On Fireworks
HORSE owners are reminded that the Animal Welfare Act cannot be used to stop fireworks displays, or pursue compensation for injuries to horses caused by them. The Act says it is an offence to cause “any unnecessary suffering to a captive or domestic
Horse & Hound2 min read
Rider Weight Limit For Donkeys Is Welcomed
DONKEYS serving tourists in Spain are set to benefit from tighter rules on rider weight, while tourists have been reminded of their responsibilities. Equine “taxis” are popular transport in Andalusian village Mijas Pueblo, but in the past the animals
Horse & Hound2 min read
Letters
I WAS absolutely gutted that John and Michael Whitaker were not at Olympia this year, having missed out on qualification through the official rankings and failed to meet the invitation criteria as set by British Showjumping ( H&H online news, 13 Dece
Horse & Hound2 min read
Christmas Quiz Answers (19 December Issue)
a) iii; b) iii; c) i; d) iii a) Vanir Kamira; b) Al Boum Photo; c) Hearton Du Bois Halleux; d) MGH Grafton Street; e) Classic Briolinca; f) Twinshock Warrior; g) Explosion W; h) Clooney 51; i) Midnight; j) Bella Rose II; k) Vancouver K; l) Our Cashe
Horse & Hound3 min read
Classical Rider
I didn’t come to horses the most conventional way. When I was eight, my father stopped in mid-Scotland to give someone a lift, who then invited me to his riding school. When I arrived, he said: “Well, I don’t know what to teach you. You get on and we
Horse & Hound1 min read
Dreaming Of Life In The Lakes
Five bedrooms; four bathrooms; four stables; 6.5 acres For you: a substantial Lakeland residence located in a private setting with beautiful grounds and land. The home is a period property which boasts four reception rooms and a stylish kitchen/di
Horse & Hound3 min read
Unpackaging Finance Deals
’TIS the season to be jolly. And if it’s anything like my household, ’tis the season also to spend a fortune. One way to do that is by buying cars, but there are various ways to do the spending part. For most of us, what we want to spend on the horse
Horse & Hound4 min read
What Makes Him Unique?
THE new year will see a crop of thoroughbred foals coming into the world. Thoroughbreds have limited coat colours, compared with some other breeds, so it’s not unusual to see gangs of bay or brown foals in the springtime nursery paddocks. Although th
Horse & Hound4 min read
Amy and Vikki Smith
THE sister act of Amy and Vikki Smith was the talk of the NEC, Birmingham, in October. The outgoing, driven and talented siblings from Burnley, Lancashire, were a force to be reckoned with at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), landing two championshi
Horse & Hound2 min read
Laura Tomlinson
MY parents, Wilfried and Ursula Bechtolsheimer, have given me great guidance over the years. Their best piece of advice has probably been to stay self-critical, but to always maintain a sense of humour. My father also passed on probably the best piec
Horse & Hound6 min read
When Riding Is A Lifeline
“WHEN I’m in hospital, I’m poorly Adele, I’m a patient. But when I compete, I’m the same as everyone else — and that means everything. “I trot down that centre line and for four minutes, I’m not someone who’s dying, or someone to feel sorry for, I’m
Horse & Hound4 min readHorses
Bundles Of Joy
Isabella Bruce decided to breed because: “Dressage is my passion and it is my dream to have my own top-level dressage horse without the extortionate price tag.” Fabio Lo Coco (Franklin x FG Dusautoir x Deniro) was born in May. “One of my favourit
Horse & Hound5 min read
Back From The Brink
HANNA VICKERY admits she’s had “a few misses, but this was the worst”. A year ago, as her mare backed off before a fence, she gave her a squeeze. “With that, she was up and over on top of me,” says Hanna. “I just remember the crunch I heard.” Later i
Horse & Hound5 min read
Major Milestones
“MY personal first this year was riding my 15.2hh cob, Percy, from home in Devon to Land’s End, solo, which is a journey of around 120 miles in eight days. “Percy is my first horse. I bought him four years ago as a 40th birthday present for myself an
Horse & Hound5 min readHorses
Dujardin Reclaims Her Crown
CDI-W London International Horse Show, Olympia FOR the first time since Valegro’s record-breaking days, Charlotte Dujardin was crowned champion of the H&H-supported Olympia freestyle. It was a thrilling night of personal bests, sizzling scores and
Horse & Hound3 min readHorses
‘A Real Celebration Of Britain’s Best’
WHAT a show. It was a very British affair for a World Cup qualifier, but it was a real celebration of the best our nation has to offer with some special guests — notably Germany’s Frederic Wandres with the British-bred Duke Of Britain — giving everyo
Horse & Hound3 min read
Swiss Star Is On A Roll
London International Horse Show, Olympia MARTIN FUCHS has been on fire this year. The Swiss rider became individual European champion this summer, added the first leg of the Rolex Grand Slam at his home show in Geneva earlier this month and finished
Horse & Hound6 min read
Puissance First-timer Shares Spoils
IT’S been a landmark year for Irish rider Mikey Pender and Brit William Whitaker, and they kept themselves firmly in the spotlight when they divided the spoils in a thrilling Cayenne puissance. Mikey, riding Paul van den Bosch’s Hearton Du Bois Hall
Horse & Hound1 min read
Dollar’s Scopey Six-bar Win
LAURA RENWICK’S Top Dollar VI (pictured) may be opinionated, but he proved once more that his scope knows few bounds. The 10-year-old gelding was the only one of four horses remaining in the final round of the LeMieux six-bar to clear all the element
Horse & Hound1 min read
Results
Welcome stakes.— 1, Flipper Darco UK Z (H Smith) GBR; 2, Bintang II (L Renwick) GBR; 3, Dante RZ (M Jung) GER. Aztec Diamond Pony Club mini-major.— 1, Everest D (K Hovland) NOR & Lambay Off Broadway (L Ramaci); 2, Dante RZ (M Jung) & Uqurm D’Emery (C
Horse & Hound3 min read
A Dream Performance From Kenny
IRELAND’S Darragh Kenny gave a flash of the firepower in his armoury when his nine-year-old Classic Dream shot into the lead in Friday’s 1.55m jump-off class, the Longines Christmas cracker. It was the chestnut gelding’s second laudable five-star per
Horse & Hound2 min read
‘The Sport Is Better In Britain’
IF anyone thinks the showjumping scene in America is an improvement on the British version, they’ve got it completely wrong. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the sport is quite a bit better over here in the UK. British crowds in general are so much m
Horse & Hound2 min read
‘The Girls Knocked The Boys For Six’
THE Markel jockeys jumping challenge, in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, has pitted jump jockeys against Flat jockeys, champions against champions and, more recently, boys against girls. Last year’s battle of the sexes was reprised at Olympia 2019,
Horse & Hound2 min readHorses
Cahill Capitalises On Debut
Bury Farm, Bucks DRESSAGE and livery yard proprietor Alison Cahill and 10-year-old mare Estpoint scored a double novice win on their debut outing together. Alison took on “Eva” from owner Julia Penfold a year ago, but illness kept the mare off games
Horse & Hound1 min read
Results
9 Dec: prelim 15Q gold.— 1, Fiery Fergal (B Angel) 64.8. silv.— 1, Billy Sinatra (R Harrison) 67.6; 2, Madam Mimm (L Green) 64.8. brnz.— 1, Coednewydd Oliver (J Johnson) 65.2; 2, Uran Maisy Grey Mist (J Card) 59.4. prelim 19Q gold.— 1, Carnhill Coope
Horse & Hound2 min readHorses
Treble Triumph For Chapman
Richmond EC, Yorks MELISSA CHAPMAN had a good day at the office, winning six tests with three different horses. The day began with a double prelim win, on plus-70% scores, riding the four-year-old De Niro gelding Karakter W. “I collected him from DH
Horse & Hound1 min read
Results
11 Dec: prelim 18 (A Smith) gold.— 1, Karakter W (M Chapman) 72.5. silv.— 1, Foxhills Autumn Snow (S Good) 68.04. brnz.— 1, Celtic Storm (V Devine) 67.12; 2, Talisker Storm (M Chambers) 66.73; 3, Hugo (J Robinson) 65.58. prelim 2Q gold.— 1, Karakter
Horse & Hound6 min read
Great Drive And Cry
Società Milanese per la Caccia a Cavallo, Scaldasole, Italy IT was mid-afternoon and hounds were gathered round their huntsman on the maize stubble at the corner of two woods. Horses steamed in the cold winter drizzle and the field chatted happily a
Horse & Hound2 min readPolitics
‘A Great Opportunity For The Countryside’
THE weather has remained consistent across Belvoir domains. Consistently wet, that is. Statistically, a fall is more likely to result in drowning than a broken bone. We are now beginning to refer to “port and starboard” sides to coverts and “weigh an
Horse & Hound6 min read
Familiar Territory
Essex with Farmers and Union, Aythorpe Roding Hall, Essex AS a hunting correspondent, I have been lucky enough to hunt in virtually every part of the UK, from the Buccleuch in Scotland down to the Four Burrow in Cornwall, but there is one place tha
Horse & Hound4 min read
An Amazing Country
FOLLOWING a very dry autumn, it has undoubtedly been something of a change to have had quite such a wet prelude to Christmas. Such conditions have normally been the catalyst for a good scenting time, but it has also thrown up difficult days. Thus, it
Horse & Hound2 min read
Paddy
THE Irish’ occasional tendency to exaggerate was in evidence in the late 1990s, when Paddy (pictured above, left) and Bob arrived at the Old Berks kennels. “There was the usual talk of ‘hunted two seasons in Ireland’,” remembers huntsman Michael Scot
Horse & Hound3 min read
‘Hold Your Neckstrap And Get On With It’
JUST when it was all going so well… I’m not going to bore you with the minutiae of exactly what caused my lovely, bold, kind horse to stop, then obliterate the first fence of the day today, pitching me into the sodden ground and breaking her martinga
Horse & Hound3 min read
Douglas Hunt
EIGHTY-YEAR-OLD Douglas Hunt has just returned from one of his regular trips to hunt in the Lake District. “I have been going to the Fells for 44 years,” he says. “I used to hunt with Johnny Richardson when he hunted the Blencathra hounds and he gave
Horse & Hound2 min read
Riding Holidays
HORSL riding holidays vary, from those that cater for absolute beginners who only want riding to be a small part of their experience, to holidays for advanced riders, such as safaris or driving cattle on a ranch. And then there is the option of takin
Horse & Hound2 min read
Fleeing Festive Duties
WHEN I look at the meet card for the Christmas period, I feel a bit apprehensive — the normal two-days-a-week scenario ramps up to three. How can you possibly fit Christmas in when there’s so much hunting to do? People ask what we’re doing these holi

Horse & Hound

More Issues From Horse & Hound