Issue 489

Your Horse

Enjoy every second in the saddle

Your Horse2 min read
Welcome
ONE OF THE things guaranteed to trigger a pang of nerves when I’m riding is getting on my horse and feeling that he’s very tense. I mean that ‘could-explode-at-any-second’ sort of tension; back up, holding his breath, me perching on top unable to tou
Your Horse1 min read
A Word From The Team...
Freelance gear editor Allison Lowther: It was fascinating researching stirrups for our buyer’s guide. It really is worth taking time to consider which stirrups you use, for both comfort and safety. There’s a huge choice with a host of different featu
Your Horse1 min read
In The Frame
■ A herd of American Quarter Horses roam in Dryhead Country in Montana — cowboy territory! Dryhead Country is in Carbon County and Big Horn County in southern Montana, near the Wyoming border. The area was named after the piles of dry bison skulls th
Your Horse7 min read
Following the Code
HANNAH BRADLEY is a solicitor at The Equine Law Firm, specialising in equine transactions and disputes. Hannah enjoys her horses outside of working, including competing at Horse of the Year Show with her miniature horses. Visit theequinelawfirm.co.uk
Your Horse1 min read
This Month We Love...
Equestrian sport has been confirmed in the Initial Sports Programme for Los Angeles 2028. The disciplines won’t be decided until mid-2023. “We are delighted with this confirmation,” said FEI President Ingmar De Vos. Many equestrians will be familiar
Your Horse3 min read
HORSE talk
A new Guide to Horse Capacity has been designed by Equestrian Australia which states that the maximum weight a horse should carry should not exceed 20% of its own body weight. The guide, which reinforces “optimal health, safety and welfare of the ath
Your Horse1 min read
Rescue Update
A two-year-old colt rescued from a landfill site by Bransby Horses will be cared for by the charity for the rest of his life. The 12hh pony, who has been name Stig after the children’s book ‘Stig of the Dump’, had been abandoned on the busy 100-acre
Your Horse1 min read
Challenger Poll: How Do You Feel About The Highway Code Changes?
For some of our challengers, a difference has already been seen. “I’m shocked at the change of some local drivers,” says Charlie Madeley. “Every driver we met when the changes were posted on social media showed a huge improvement, either stopping ful
Your Horse3 min read
‘Leaving Alice For The First Time Is Tough’
ATHENE TURNER is a staff nurse working in the dermatology department of Tameside Hospital. She lives in Glossop, Derbyshire, with her husband Matt, their daughter Alice plus dog Sprocket and cats Tigger and Mindy. Her #Hack1000Miles partner is 11-yea
Your Horse6 min read
YOUR HORSE MAGAZINE meets Sarah Bullimore
NINE YEARS AGO Sarah Bullimore received a phone call informing her that she had been named as a reserve for the British eventing team heading for the Malmö Europeans. The euphoria that she was considered good enough to be given a senior Union Flag wa
Your Horse4 min readHorses
Ruth Chappell Founder of Dressage Anywhere
Ruth Chappell is the co-founder/co-owner of Dressage Anywhere, the online dressage competition and training website. She owns two veteran horses and is training for a half marathon. I run all of the day-to-day activities for Dressage Anywhere, so I’m
Your Horse7 min read
When The Going Gets Tough
WHILE RIDERS HAPPILY invest in lessons to develop their skills and train their horse, few devote any time or money to improving their mindset. This is often the case even when they are struggling with negative self-talk, have had their confidence kno
Your Horse2 min readPopular Culture & Media Studies
COMMENT ‘The Internet Doesn’t Forget’
BY RHEA FREEMAN Social media expert, Facebook Lead Trainer and #SheMeansBusiness accredited trainer, and an award-winning PR adviser, Rhea works with equestrian brands, associations, federations and riders, and also guest lectures at two universities
Your Horse2 min read
YOUR say
EMAIL US AT yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk Unfortunately, we are unable to receive any letters by post. We reserve the right to edit letters where necessary. On 21 January 2022, I had my mare Summer put to sleep. She was 33 and I’d owned her for 24 years. I knew
Your Horse2 min read
When To Hold Back
There are some instances when you might need to check what you’re saying, whether this is for safety, sanity, or because it’s something you could regret sharing when you’re not in that moment. Here are some tips: ■ Don’t share anything that compromis
Your Horse2 min read
SEND A Selfie
Keep your photos coming in to yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk Bertie loves his food and wouldn’t stop eating even for a photo. Bertie is 11 this year — we’ve been friends on and off since I got him five years ago. Debbie Saull, West Sussex Me and my mother-daught
Your Horse6 min read
BOILING Point
Oliver Townend MBE helped Great Britain to team gold at last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo — Britain’s first ever since 1972. He has multiple CCI5* titles to his name: two at Burghley (in 2009 and 2017); three at Kentucky (2018, 2019 and 2021) and on
Your Horse2 min read
Let’s Talk About... Changes To The Highway Code. Do You Feel Safer Riding On The Road?
Cars now crawl right behind us then pass so slowly. It’s very unnerving, but it’s all good that they have taken notice of the changes. Miki Waddington They ought to have gone a step further and made it law to wear hi-vis on the roads. Tracy Pringle W
Your Horse1 min read
Suspension From The Elbows
Cartoon is inconsistent in the contact, due to tension, but Oliver states that now is not the time to make any major changes in his riding. “He is messing around in the mouth a little bit; he’s on and off the contact,” he says, “but all I do is keep
Your Horse6 min read
Trust In The Trot
Badminton 2019 winner PIGGY MARCH (née French) was the individual silver medallist at last year’s European Eventing Championships, where she also helped Great Britain secure team gold. Piggy was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2018 Wor
Your Horse5 min readHorses
Connect & coordinate
SHAUN MANDY is a grand prix dressage rider and British Dressage (BD) Level 3 coach. He was based with renowned trainer and author Hasse Hoffmann for 18 months, and continues to develop his skills, training with international rider Carl Hester. Shaun
Your Horse1 min read
Where Are His Hindquarters?
Starting a leg-yield with the hindquarters leading is incorrect and a common mistake to make in this exercise. The horse may go sideways with ease in this position but then find it a bit harder the other way, struggling to keep straightness and maint
Your Horse1 min read
How High?
The key to this exercise is that you can adapt it to suit you and your horse. Lacking confidence or on a green or young horse? Then ride wider lines to each fence and don’t try to link together too many that are close together. Choose a height that i
Your Horse1 min read
Why No Ground Rail?
Piggy chooses to set this exercise up without ground lines on any of the fences. “I don’t really know why I don’t have them; it doesn’t feel as inviting and is a little upright — but cross-country fences these days are more upright so this is good pr
Your Horse5 min read
Learn To Be Precise
JOHN PAUL (JP) SHEFFIELD is an event rider, trainer and sports horse producer who is based in Leicestershire. Follow JP Sheffield Eventing on Facebook. GEORGE SIMON is riding JP’s five-year-old PS I Love You 2 (or Jerry to his friends), a 16hh Irish
Your Horse5 min read
Danger ZONE
Vet SUE TAYLOR BVMS MVM MRCVS runs mixed animal veterinary hospital Connaught House in Wolverhampton. She is also a racecourse vet at Wolverhampton, Uttoxeter, Haydock and Aintree, is an examiner for the Worshipful Company of Farriers, and trains poi
Your Horse3 min readHorses
Fix It... Hollowing In Transitions
Dressage maestro EMILE FAURIE has represented Great Britain at World Championship, European and Olympic level, most recently at the 2018 World Equestrian Games with Dono Di Maggio. Based in Oxfordshire, Emile coaches in classical dressage and founded
Your Horse6 min read
How Horses See
HANNAH JONES BVMS MRCVS grew up on a dairy farm in South Worcestershire and graduated from Glasgow Veterinary School in 2010, starting full time at Avenue Veterinary Centre, Malvern in September of that year. Hannah enjoys all aspects of mixed veteri
Your Horse5 min readDiet & Nutrition
Home To A Nice Straw... Dinner?
DONNA CASE BSc (Hons) is an experienced, fully insured independent equine nutritionist who runs her consultancy ‘The Horse Feed Guru’ out of Newmarket, working both nationally and internationally. She works with a variety of horses and ponies from co
Your Horse4 min read
All Together Now
ABIGAIL ALLEN is a fully certified equine behaviour consultant and trainer at Mind In Motion Equestrian. Based in Shropshire, she also covers Herefordshire, Powys and North Wales. Abigail graduated with a BSc (Hons) in equine behavioural science in 2
Your Horse1 min read
The Five Freedoms
When deciding on appropriate turnout for your horse, it’s important to assess his individual needs and how you can meet those through his turnout. Access to turnout that allows the Five Freedoms (see table below) to be met, thus increasing welfare, c
Your Horse1 min read
Is Your Horse Dominant — Or Protecting His Food Resources?
Dominance theory has been disproved by ethologists (animal behaviour scientists), as this behaviour is not observed among feral horses. What’s the main difference? Feral horses have access to more resources as they have the freedom to roam to find mo
Your Horse1 min read
Ask The Experts
Email your questions to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk Simple solutions for horse owners Cathy Lammie is a BHS-accredited Senior Coach and equine lecturer based on the border of Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. Glyn Trundle is a Master Farri
Your Horse5 min readDiet & Nutrition
Passing The Test
DR COURTNEY MILLER MRCVS is technical director at Dodson & Horrell, and a qualified vet. To check the forage ration of your horse’s diet, D&H’s friendly Nutritional Helpline team are on hand. Contact them on 01270 782223, LiveChat with them online at
Your Horse4 min read
RIDING ADVICE: Cathy Lammie says...
Q How can I help my horse balance when the going gets tough or hilly? Amanda O’Dell, Bedfordshire Cathy says: When ridden over uneven terrain most horses will balance themselves pretty well, but it’s easier for them if we stay in balance and maintain
Your Horse3 min read
FARRIERY: Glyn Trundle says...
Q Can you settle an argument? My friend says it’s best to wash a horse’s feet before the farrier comes, but I think it’s best to leave the hooves as they are, even if they’re muddy, so I don’t make them any wetter. Who’s right? Jane Porter, Norfolk G
Your Horse3 min read
BACK HEALTH: Stuart Pearson says...
Q What are kissing spines and what are the signs and treatment options? Abi Paige, London Stuart says: Kissing spines are a relatively common cause of back pain in horses, and the source of the problem is an issue with the vertebrae in the horse’s sp
Your Horse3 min read
SADDLE FITTING: Helen Reader says...
Q How can I find a saddle fitter and trust they’re going to do a good job of either fitting a new saddle or checking my current one? Vai Baxter, Humberside Helen says: The best way to find a good saddle fitter is often by word of mouth from your inst
Your Horse1 min read
SADDLE FITTING: Helen Reader says…
Q What does a trained saddle fitter look for in a well-fitting saddle? Angie Davison, via email Helen says: A saddle fitter will need to assess your saddle while you’re riding in it, but first they’ll want to look at it on your horse’s back. For this
Your Horse2 min read
Win
For a chance to get your hands on these goodies*, enter at yourhorse.co.uk/win/489 Two lucky readers will each receive a Cavalor Combi Box containing both LaminAid (1 litre) and Podosens (500ml). Cavalor LaminAid is recommended for horses and ponies
Your Horse2 min read
What’s New?
A truly versatile aid, the Stackaletti is the ultimate pole work kit. The six unique, interstacking cavaletti will help you take your pole work to the next level. They can be used as single pole raisers, stacked to create various heights of Stackalet
Your Horse4 min read
THE BIG TEST Saddlecloths
WHICH SADDLECLOTH YOU use under your saddle can help or hinder the fit of your saddle and affect your horse’s movement and comfort. With more and more clever materials and designs being incorporated into saddlecloths, knowing which one will fit and p
Your Horse2 min read
ON TREND Air vests
COLOUR Black SIZES XXS regular fit, XS regular or slim fit, S regular or slim fit, M regular or slim fit, L regular or slim fit, XL regular fit, XXL regular fit FREEJUMPSYSTEM.COM This air vest is the first and only airbag to be certified according t
Your Horse2 min read
BUYER’S GUIDE Stirrups
HOW MUCH THOUGHT do you give to the type of stirrups you ride in? You may think of them as merely something to rest your feet on and give you a bit more security in the saddle, but they are so much more than this. A good pair of stirrups is a key pie
Your Horse1 min read
Your Horse
Little Grey Media Ltd Email: yourhorse@littlegreymedia.co.ukEditor: Aimi ClarkFreelance Gear Editor: Allison LowtherFreelance Horse Care Editor: Stephanie BatemanFreelance Content Producer: Mel BealeFreelance Design: Geoff Johnson Commercial manager:
Your Horse1 min read
Ex-racehorse special
On sale 31 March 2022 ■ Schooling secrets ■ Jumping tips ■ Wise feeding ■ Care advice Things you can do to improve tour relationship with your horse ❋ Easy places to gain more marks in the dressage arena ❋ Get more power in your canter with Laura Ren
Your Horse3 min read
Buyer’s Guide
RRP £134.95 COLOURS Black, charcoal, titanium, aluminium, brown, bronze, blue, red, rose gold, orange SIZES 12cm ACAVALLO.COM This stirrup features a patented side opening with a unique HiFlex stress activated locking and release mechanism with big o
Your Horse3 min read
Jade Affleck
Tell me a bit about your horse I’ve owned Katie for 10 years, and we do everything from British Eventing to hunter trials. I used to do affiliated competitions with her, but now she’s 16 we stick to unaffiliated stuff. For the past six years I’ve com
Your Horse1 min read
Six Fast Facts About Corouet
1 As Lilly Corinne’s first born, Corouet had no siblings to put him in his place and so, being “cheeky and dominant”, he is generally turned out in the paddock alone. 2 If someone comes onto the yard, Corouet has a habit of turning his head sideways

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