Issue 494

Your Horse

Enjoy every second in the saddle

Your Horse2 min read
Welcome
THIS IS ALWAYS the last page I write when putting an issue to press, which means these words are my very last — because this is my final issue as editor after a run of nearly five years. Over the past year, the digital side of Your Horse has upscaled
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A Word From Our Contributors...
Vet Lucy Grieve MRCVS: We need to start talking about euthanasia and make it a routine part of a horse’s life and horse ownership. We have this privileged ability to call it a day for horses in a pain-free way, and we need to embrace that and not shy
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Captured On Camera
■ After nearly two decades of trying, Shane Breen triumphed in the 60th Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead. The Irish showjumper has finished second and third in the title class on several occasions, and last month he finally delivered the winning round
Your Horse4 min read
HORSE Talk
Equestrian sports are in need of public support in order to continue. An independent survey revealed that one in five respondents did not support the continued involvement of horses in sport under any circumstances, indicating that the public “do not
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This Month We Love...
Five-year-old Sunbeam, ridden by showing producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable, took top honours in the Supreme Coloured Horse Ridden Championship at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby. The horse is a homebred of The Queen’s, who was said to be “over the moon”
Your Horse5 min read
Man V Horse
EVERY YEAR, A multitude of horses and runners descend on the tiny Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells to take on an epic challenge that pits runner against horse in a race across the country. After a two-year forced absence for the pandemic, in 2022 Whole
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Sophie Mercer
Equestrian clothing brand founder Sophie Mercer started her company Eqcouture to combine a love of fashion with her riding hobby, at a time when her equestrian wardrobe needed refreshing. I’m the founder and designer behind the luxury equestrian spor
Your Horse2 min read
Send a Selfie
Send in your pics! This is Piper, aka Piggles/Mr Pigerson. He loves a good selfie and always takes a good 20 to 30 attempts to get a ‘normal’ one. Cathy Scothern, Warks To the greatest pony ever — little Connor has taught all three of my daughters to
Your Horse4 min readHorses
YOUR Say
We want to hear from you Here is a photo of me wearing the fabulous competition clothing and boots from Cavallo that I won in January Your Horse (issue 486). It took a while for everything to arrive, but it was worth the wait. The clothing is amazing
Your Horse3 min read
COMMENT When Opportunity Knocks
IT IS REALLY flattering when a brand approaches you and says that they want to work with you. In fact, when you think of how busy the world of social media is, to have had your account stand out to a brand is truly something to be proud of. And yet,
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Vouchers For The Open College Of Equine Studies
To enter, visit yourhorse.co.uk/win/toces494 Prizes worth £200 each! ■ 5 x £200 voucher for The Open College of Equine Studies YOUR HORSE HAS teamed up with The Open College of Equine Studies (TOCES) to give five lucky readers the chance to win a £20
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Know Your Buys
FLIES. HOW CAN you best tackle these pesky critters? First things first — know your enemy! There are many different types of flies, each with their own habits and behaviours, and they each pose their own challenges when it comes to control measures.
Your Horse4 min readChemistry
Golden Wonder
TURMERIC HAS BEEN used as a traditional medicine in Eastern culture for centuries. Its properties, efficacy, bioavailability and safety across species has been extensively researched, and it is perfectly placed as a beneficial supplement for all hors
Your Horse4 min readDiet & Nutrition
Happy Tummies
STOMACH ULCERS CAN cause ongoing pain and discomfort for horses, with resulting problems in their rideability. Prevention is always better than cure, so what can you do — and not do — to reduce the chance of ulcers developing or recurring in your hor
Your Horse3 min read
Looking After Legs
Riding on a variety of surfaces is the best way to keep horses sound — research shows that it reduces the risk of injury. However, you should avoid going from one extreme surface (such as very deep) to another (such as very hard), as this increases t
Your Horse3 min readDiet & Nutrition
Fine FEET
SUMMER CAN BE a challenging time for horse hoof health. Hot and dry conditions, coupled with occasional periods of rain, can make it difficult to maintain good hoof quality. Ideally, the horse’s hoof should maintain a consistent moisture content. The
Your Horse3 min read
Hitting The Road
The last thing you want to be doing is trying to rush your horse to load, especially if they can be tricky. Also give yourself time to remember to pack everything — no one wants to turn up at a competition missing a piece of tack! Allow more time tha
Your Horse3 min read
Drink Up
AROUND 65% OF a horse’s body is water and the average normal water intake for a horse is around 5% of their bodyweight each day — that’s 25 litres for a 500kg horse. These are big numbers, so you can see why ensuring they consume enough water, especi
Your Horse8 min read
It’s All In The Length
THE LENGTH OF your stirrups, as well as your foot position in the iron, affect the way you ride more than you think. Whether they are an inappropriate length for the type of riding you’re doing or uneven, they could be putting you in an uncomfortable
Your Horse3 min read
Fix It… The Start Box
YOU WOULDN’T LEAVE the technical elements of a cross-country course to chance and it’s no different when it comes to the first crucial moments — preparing to exit the start box and approach fence one. The start box needs to be a stress-free situation
Your Horse7 min read
Making a Switch
AT SOME STAGE in their ridden life, every horse does something for the first time. It might be a dressage horse seeing a showjumping course; a pure showjumper tackling his first-ever solid fences; a hacking horse being ridden between the white boards
Your Horse5 min read
Strive For The WOW Factor
VIKKI HAYTON is based at College Farm Equestrian Centre and runs Markham Dressage. She’s a BHS instructor and examiner, a UKCC Level 3 accredited dressage coach, a British Dressage (BD) judge and Northern Region BD Chairman. Visit collegefarm.com SAM
Your Horse8 min read
A Good Death
OUR HORSES ARE our pride and joy, bringing us years of pleasure, which is why we owe it to them to end their days when the time is right. That time might not be when they are very old or injured or ill — although in these scenarios it can often make
Your Horse4 min read
Where’s His Quality Of Life?
“YOU WOULD BE well within your rights to put this horse to sleep.” These are the brutally honest words from a referral vet about my beloved King Muro. Hard to hear, yes, but a lifeline follows: “but as he’s such a nice horse, you could see if he resp
Your Horse4 min read
Stifling A Problem
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • What the stifle joint is • How it works • What can go wrong CAMERON ROBERTS MRCVS graduated in 2016 from the Royal Veterinary College and quickly gravitated towards equine practice. He has a particular passion for orthopaedics an
Your Horse6 min read
‘It’s The Nightmare Of Any Owner’
THERE ARE SOME things that you just couldn’t make up — and when it involves two long and expensive journeys with veterinary medicine it feels particularly cruel. That was the case for 16-year-old Olivia Green and her mother Louise, whose pony Draghi
Your Horse6 min readDiet & Nutrition
When The Weight won’t Fall Off
DR LAURA WILSON BVM&SMRCVS graduated from Edinburgh University in 2013 and has worked in clinical practice as a vet She started her career in Newmarket and has also spent time working in New Zealand as part of the veterinary team servicing some of th
Your Horse1 min read
Ask The Experts
Email your questions to yh.ed@yourhorse.co.uk Simple solutions for horse owners Need an answer? We’ll know someone who can help... Welcome to our Ask The Experts section. Over the next nine pages we help to solve your horsey problems, with help from
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RIDING CONFIDENCE: Sam Gorman says…
Q My 21-year-old Welsh section D is in really great shape for his age, but what exercises can I do out hacking to help him stay supple and sound through his 20s? Susi Whenman, via email Sam says: I do lots of my schooling out hacking, both with my gy
Your Horse2 min read
ROAD SAFETY: Nicky Fletcher says…
Q Should you wear high-vis gear in summer too? David Smith, Yorkshire Nicky says: Sun, as we know, can be blinding. When going from dark, tree-lined roads to bright sunshine the eye takes a second to adjust — and this can be the difference between a
Your Horse3 min read
LEGAL: Jodie Seddon says…
Q I want to go to a local show this summer, but don’t understand what’s what with regards to vaccinations and passports. Help!Mandy Hill, Suffolk Jodie says: In general, your horse must have a valid equine influenza vaccination certificate, which is
Your Horse3 min readDiet & Nutrition
FEEDING: Jo Palmer says…
Q What feed supplements would you recommend for my laminitic pony? We’ve managed to keep laminitis at bay this year, but he always seems a bit pottery on his feet and doesn’t like stony surfaces. Corinne Bailey, via email Jo says: If your pony is pot
Your Horse1 min read
FEEDING: Jo Palmer says…
Q My friend says ponies with a cresty neck are more at risk of health problems than those who carry the weight just around their bellies. Is she right? Justine McCreedy, East Lothian Jo says: Yes, it is well documented that horses and ponies who have
Your Horse2 min read
Win
For a chance to get your hands on these goodies*, enter at yourhorse.co.uk/win/494 TurmerItch is offering a 1.5kg tub to six lucky winners. TurmerItch combines key ingredients including neem, red bush tea and chamomile to help provide relief from itc
Your Horse4 min read
What’s New?
The Equiseat Aid is an innovative yet simple riding aid which helps you achieve straightness in the saddle and harmony with your horse. It’s made from heavy stretch elastic which wraps around the lower thigh of your stronger, dominant leg and has two
Your Horse4 min read
Detanglers
HAVING YOUR HORSE’S tail in tip-top condition not only ensures he looks his best, but at this time of the year his tail is an extremely effective fly swat. Applying a detangler can really help to keep your horse’s tail healthy and tangle free. A heal
Your Horse5 min read
Protective Boots
CAST YOUR EYE around any tack room and you’re sure to spot various sets of protective boots. Boots are designed to protect your horse’s legs and hooves. But before you rush out and buy boots, ask yourself this question — does my horse need them? Not
Your Horse1 min read
Your Horse
Little Grey Media LtdEmail: yourhorse@littlegreymedia.co.uk Editor: Aimi Clark Freelance Gear Editor: Allison Lowther Freelance Horse Care Editor: Stephanie Bateman Freelance Content Producer: Mel Beale Freelance Design: Geoff Johnson Freelance Sub-e
Your Horse1 min read
What Do Stabled Horses Do At Night?
On sale 18 August 2022 WELLNESS SPECIAL ❋ How to train your horse so that he is confident in his ridden work ❋ Latest veterinary thinking on equine metabolic syndrome ❋ How to use track systems to preserve winter grazing ❋ Advice to help you nail rel
Your Horse3 min read
TAKE FIVE WITH Kate French
How did you come to compete in Modern Pentathlon? I got into the sport because of my riding background. My parents were both keen riders, and I grew up around horses. I did Pony Club tetrathlon when I was younger — running, swimming, shooting and rid

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