Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Jun-2016 i Horse & Hound

INJURIES mean time on the sidelines, so it’s no surprise to see professional riders come back faster than the average person, writes Amy Mathieson. However, in equestrianism, especially eventing, do athletes sometimes push themselves too far? Last month, Olympic eventer Andrew Nicholson withdrew from Badminton, stating he was not confident he could perform to his best ability. Having just returned to competition after a serious neck injury sustained in a fall last August, many will think this was sensible. Andrew said it was a “simple decision”. “I’ve been doing this long enough to know how I should be feeling, and coming up to Badminton I still felt I wasn’t able to be up to the speed I need to be competitive, and I didn’t want to pass negative vibes to…

LILLY CORINNE Eventer Sarah Bullimore has welcomed embryo transfer twins out of her 2015 European Championships ride Lilly Corinne. The pair, a chestnut colt and filly, are by Amiro Z. Lilly will be competing in the CIC3* at Bramham this month (9-11 June). FREDERIK THE GREAT The Friesian stallion has hit the headlines as possibly “the world’s most handsome horse”. The stallion, who stands at Pinnacle Friesians in the Ozark Mountains, America, has more than 15,500 fans on Facebook. SALVADOR V Johannes Ehning’s top horse is to be retired at the age of 17. The Calvados x Voltaire gelding had a successful career, which included being part of Germany’s Nations Cup-winning team in 2012. He will live at owner Judith Göckel’s family farm in New York. DAISY THE MULE Showjumping…

JOCKEYS are being encouraged to have free cardiac screenings to make them aware of any unknown heart issues. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) revealed in April that it had teamed up with Liverpool John Moores University for a study on the effect that rapid dehydration has on the heart (news, 28 April). Alongside this, the BHA is also assessing whether pre-participation cardiac screenings should be compulsory for professional jockeys. The organisation is hoping to run tests on 90 jockeys to help it decide. Dr Jerry Hill, the BHA’s chief medical adviser, explained that the organisation currently has about 450 professionally licensed jockeys, so 90 is around 20%. “That will give us factual information to see whether this should be mandatory,” hetold H&H. “If we do find an issue, they will…

PORTUGAL’S top dressage rider Gonçalo Carvalho (pictured) has failed to get two rivals demoted in the Olympic individual qualifying points league to allow him to ride at Rio instead, writes Pippa Cuckson. The FEI tribunal dismissed his appeals against the eligibility of Italy’s Valentina Truppa and Ukraine’s Inna Logutenkova. Mr Carvalho, 34, finished 16th in the grand prix special at London 2012 with Rubi, and has showed good form this winter with Batuta, with five top-10 finishes in World Cup freestyles including Olympia. But he did not gain enough Olympic qualifying points. Mr Carvalho argued that Ms Truppa should lose all the Rio points she accrued in 2015 on Quixote Eremo Del Castegno as by 15 January this year, the deadline for horse nationality changes, the horse had been sold…

A debate on whether the FEI should have an ethics committee could take place this year. The International Dressage Riders Club (IDRC) has asked for it to be added to the agenda for the 2016 Global Dressage Forum in Hagen, Germany, on 10-11 October. British grand prix dressage rider Wayne Channon, also secretary general of the IDRC, put forward the idea at the 2015 FEI sports forum (news, 28 May 2015). “The FEI decided it did not need a sport ethics committee as they have ethics guidelines and mechanisms to manage this kind of thing,” said Wayne. He added he is not criticising the FEI, but would like it to be “more proactive”. The FEI has an equestrian community integrity unit, and its rules allow for an “ad hoc” committee…

A NEW ARRIVAL Dutch dressage rider Imke Schellekens-Bartels gave birth to a boy on 24 May. The baby has been named Joep Schellekens. Joep is Imke and her husband Joep Schellekens’ first child. CARRIAGE DRIVERS A controversial ban on horse-drawn carriages in Montreal, Canada, has been reversed. The ban had been in place for less than 48 hours. The carriages are now once again permitted to operate in the historic quarter of the city. RIDERS IN WILTSHIRE Footpaths around the village of Sherston, Wilts, have been reopened after vets confirmed the area was free from strangles. Two horses that were recently carrying the disease were given the all-clear. SHOPPERS Blenheim Horse Trials (8-11 September) will now feature a new shopping pavilion. The area will encompass 40 trade stands, including a…

NEW technology is allowing horses’ gaits to be analysed in a more objective way than traditional methods. The Equigate system enables vets to detect and pinpoint lameness, and could also provide researchers with more information about equine movement. Wilmslow-based vet Simon Pollard has been using the technology since December 2015. “It gives you all the information you need to detect lameness,” he said. “You don’t rely on eyes, it’s much more precise.” Mr Pollard said the system, which uses wireless motion sensors, allows real-time assessment of movement, and that it is useful for ongoing evaluation as results can be compared over time. “I think it will become a very common go-to for performance problems,” he said. Mr Pollard demonstrated Equigate to H&H reporter Jo Prestwich using her horse Theo (pictured).…

ENDURANCE QUESTIONS Sir — In March the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) announced that, with the help of Simon Brooks-Ward and event management company HPower, it will be putting on four FEI endurance competitions at Euston Park in Suffolk this summer (news, 12 May). After months of waiting, it has finally been announced that the major sponsor of these rides will be Emirates, the Dubai-based airline (news, 26 May). Is the BEF aware that the FEI has at last come to its senses and removed the World Endurance Championship from Dubai (where it was due to take place in December 2016) because it “…is of the opinion that the UAE national federation is not currently in a position to guarantee that horse welfare would be fully protected…”? This decision follows years…

Wise words… Yogi Breisner said: “Don’t overthink it” once when I was walking a course with him. Sometimes you just have to use your instincts. Favourite film… Gladiator — I like watching olde-worlde stuff. Always trying to find time for… Reading. I read a lot of books although I have quite odd taste. I particularly like things like Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga and Lord of the Rings. Favourite event… Other than Badminton, I would have to say Belton (above). The cross-country is always strong, it’s a lovely setting and has great viewing for owners. Most fun in the saddle… A group of friends and I from the Warwickshire always go hunting on Christmas Eve — it’s a really good hooley. Horsey blunder… I had a proper miss in the…

EQUI-TREK CCI3* WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: one of only three CCI3*s in Britain and the long-established flagship class. 2015 WINNER: Flora Harris on Bayano (pictured below). FAVOURITES: double Bramham winner Pippa Funnell on Billy Beware, who missed out on Badminton after Pippa was injured, plus New Zealanders Andrew Nicholson (with both Teseo and Jet Set IV) and Tim Price, who rides Bango and Xavier Faer — he’s due a change of luck after a rotten spring. Oliver Townend has three rides (MHS King Joules, Samuel Thomas II and Sandiman II) and Nicola Wilson brings forward last year’s CIC3* winner Annie Clover as well as 2015 Boekelo victor Bulana — a CCI3* win here is on this local girl’s bucket list. H&H DARK HORSE TO WATCH: Dee Hankey on Chequers…

‘I’ve never had a horse with a brain like his. He loves to work, and is like a sponge’Pippa Funnell on CCI2* winner Billy Walk On ‘A huge relief”, is how Britain’s Nicola Wilson described her win in the CICO3* at the Norfolk international. She rode Gerry and Mary Kemp and Janine Shewan’s consistent 14-year-old gelding One Two Many, who has clocked up three CIC3* wins in the past 12 months. The striking horse by Chacoa was putting an uncharacteristic mistake at Badminton behind him, where he took a stride out and landed on the back rail of the PHEV Oxer, breaking the frangible pin in the process. “It’s been a bumpy few weeks,” said Nicola, having suffered falls at Belton and Chatsworth this spring. “I then had a nasty…

PICKING up a red rosette on a very smart seven-year-old was just the tonic Lucy Jackson needed after a Badminton she’d rather forget. “I signed up with the job centre on the Monday,” joked the British-born New Zealander, who fell heavily at the Vicarage Vee with Bosun II. “But I soon realised my career options were limited, so I took off to Exmoor [where her boyfriend Harry Wallace’s parents live] for a few days’ rehab, came home and carried on.” Lucy’s winning conveyance at Tweseldown was Gillian Greenlees’ Superstition II. They added just 4.8 time-penalties across country to their good dressage score of 30.2 in intermediate section P. “He’s a very exciting young horse,” she continued. “My sister [Sophie Miller] tipped me off about him when she was sent him…

A new bit LAUREN SHANNON, who was second in the OI, was trialling a new Myler combination bit and noseband on Claire Poole’s Quality Purdey as a prep run for Bramham. “We went to Saumur and I had complete brake failure in her normal Barry gag, which ended up in me retiring at fence 20 when we just ran past it,” explained Lauren. “Claire has been wonderfully supportive, and we’ve rerouted to Bramham. Thankfully the new bit worked, and when I finished I kicked myself as I could have gone a bit faster.”…

Rachel Fisher THE mother-of-two “finally cracked” the dressage phase with her own Sidney Rebel to earn a mark of 23.8 - and lead BE90 section C at Tweseldown (2) from start to finish. “Sid’s a big horse [16.3hh] and he’s not blessed with the best paces,” said Rachel. “I’ve struggled to encourage him to take more weight behind, but I’ve been working on it with my trainer, Lesley Hill, and we’re finally making progress.” The pair almost didn’t make it to Tweseldown as Rachel’s lorry has been stuck at her local garage for several weeks. “I have my neighbour Gill Howard-Smith to thank, as she kindly agreed to step in and take us,” she added.…

MARGARET SINKINSON had a dream return to competition with her Now Or Never gelding Urato, winning the inter I at Bold Heath EC, Cheshire (22 May), writes Jo Prestwich . Back in October, the horse panicked while coming in from the field, smashing a hole in his head and breaking his skull in three places. “He took half his face off and we thought if he lived he might well lose an eye,” said Margaret, who was quick to credit Hird and Partners near Halifax for saving Urato’s life. “I started walking him in December and built him up very slowly as no one was sure what nerve damage there might be or how it might affect him,” she continued. “Still having him is little short of a miracle and…

COMING back from Compiègne CDI in France [report, 26 May], it struck me that this is a show that has stepped up to the plate and answered riders’ needs. It has transformed from a fledgling show into a classy venue at the top end of the competition scale, with vastly improved surfaces (although sadly the last day was cancelled due to the weather). For a country that has not produced a medal since the days of Margit Otto-Crépin’s individual Olympic silver in 1988, and as a team since 1948 (gold), the government help and sponsorship for this show and the interest from a horse country like France is appreciated. So it brought me only sadness to hear that Hickstead, which since 2009 had delivered international competition on the home stage,…

HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) issued 876 identification documents (so-called white books) for foals in 2015. These foals were not included in a studbook as they were registered with no or partial pedigree. HSI’s director of breeding, Alison Corbally, said: “The level of foals being registered without recorded pedigree is a real source of concern. “Breeders should be aware of the sire and dam of their foal. Opting for a white book devalues their foal and results in a substantial loss in information to the studbook and to the breeding industry in general.” A total of 4,435 foals were registered in the Irish Horse Register in 2015. Irish sport horse (ISH) foals account for 3,893, Irish draught foals 509 and Irish sport ponies 33. The figure is down slightly on the…

Hares Razzmatazz THIS home-bred pony produced the only clear round in the 153cm WHP section and will make his debut appearance at HOYS in October. He and owner Chloe Burrough are in their third season of competing in WHP classes and also showjump to senior Discovery level. The nine-year-old chestnut gelding stands at 147.7cm so is eligible for junior classes, but Chloe has been contesting seniors since turning 18. Razzmatazz is home-bred out of the Burrough family’s Welsh section C stallion out of their own thoroughbred mare. “To be taking him to HOYS is quite surreal,” said Chloe, who is currently studying for A levels.…

‘As soon as you got on her the ears would go back and you knew she meant business’ HESTENEL is the only pony I’ve bought without trying. My brother Luke had been over to Leo Baxter’s in South Africa. The quality of horses has always been very good there but the problem, due to African horse sickness, has been getting them out. That year, Leo was due to send a batch of South African thoroughbreds over to England that he felt were good enough to play in the high goal. He was right — all but two of them would go on to form the backbone of the Zacara string and Luke and I would take the remaining two. At the time, it was the most money I had ever…

THERE is a strict process to be signed off as safe to race-ride after every fall, to varying degrees depending on whether the rider is injured. The BHA’s chief medical officer Dr Jerry Hill told H&H : “I will review the information and commission independent reports. This is to answer: is it healed? Does it work? Is the athlete safe to compete and fall off (both for them and other competitors)? If they have had implants, for example metalwork, has it been tested in a fall situation? “A jockey with a recent brain injury had visual and hearing tests, neuropsychology assessment, physio assessment, neurosurgical opinion, simulated riding test, fitness and post-concussion cognitive tests. “Then wearing my sports and exercise medicine hat, I reviewed all the information and personally assessed the…

JACQUELINE COWARD The jockey had her last point-to-point ride at the Haydon meeting on 22 May. The 30-year-old won the ladies’ open on Battle Range. It was her 153rd win in a 12-year career. Jacqueline will now concentrate on training. MARCO KUTSCHER The German showjumper was hospitalised overnight after his ride Van Gogh fell during the grand prix at CSIO Rome, on 29 May. According to the event’s Facebook page he has no internal injuries or fractures. CLAIRE LOMAS Former eventer Claire, who was paralysed in a cross-country fall in 2007, completed the Vitality London 10000 wearing a robotic suit. She walked the 10km route in a day and has raised more than £11,000 for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. KATIE PRICE The Cheshire Bloodhounds raised over £4,000 for Cancer…

THE appeals of two top FEI officials suspended for involvement with the Global Champions League (GCL) have both been dismissed. The FEI tribunal last week (24 May) ruled on the cases of judge Rogier van Iersel and course-designer Rob Jansen, who were barred for six months for officiating at the opening GCL legs in Miami and Mexico City (news, 28 April). The reports of the decisions, each made by a “one-member panel”, restated that although the Global Champions Tour (GCT) is sanctioned by the FEI, the GCL is not. They both add that: “Contrary to your allegations, the participation of FEI officials will not level the playing field between two events with such significant differences as the GCT and the GCL.” The two officials have previously issued a joint statement…

RIDERS have expressed their frustration over the high level of balloting at British Eventing (BE)eventsthisseason, writes Rachael Hook. Following the wet weather at the start of the year, several events had to be cancelled. Since conditions have improved, venues have seen a surge in entries and with this has come a high level of balloting. Each BE-registered horse has a ballot sticker for each month, plus two higher-priority super ballots per season. These stickers can be used when entering events to give members priority in a ballot. However, they do not provide guaranteed entry. “I was balloted out of Ascott-Under-Wychwood (6-7 June) having entered early with a June sticker, so entered West Wilts (11-12 June) with a super ballot sticker and got balloted out of that too,” said rider Madelaine…

LONELY PONIES World Horse Welfare is highlighting the plight of its eight loneliest ponies during this year’s Rehome a Horse Month, which runs until 31 May. They include Minty (pictured) who was found abandoned and emaciated but is now a strong, healthy two-year-old. DRUMCLOG HORSE TRIALS The event will not run on 25 June, due to the restructuring of the cross-country courses. Organisers of the Scottish event are looking to make changes to the track layout to help improve the event. A HORSE IN A WELL An unlucky equine fell 12 feet down a well on a ranch in Agua Dulce, California, on 21 May. He was rescued by firefighters using a crane. The horse was not injured in the fall. POO-PICKING Donkey owners in Wajir, Kenya, have been asked…

POLO Enjoy Chestertons Polo in the Park at Hurlingham Park in Fulham, London, on 3-5 June. As well as at least three matches a day, there is a food festival, shopping and children’s entertainment. www.polointheparklondon.com COUNTY SHOW The Royal Bath & West Show is held at the Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on 1-4 June. www.bathandwest.com RIDING CLUBS British Riding Clubs’ Festival of the Horse takes place at Washbrook Farm, Aston-le-Walls, on 4-5 June. www.britishridingclubs.co.uk FUN RIDE Enter Cholsey Grange Farm’s summer fun ride though the Chilterns on 5 June. The route passes filming locations for Midsomer Murders and The Vicar of Dibley. www.equoevents.com DRESSAGE British Dressage’s para Home International takes place at Vale View Equestrian Centre, Leics, on 3-5 June. www.britishdressage.co.uk EVENTING The national under-18 championships…

Having been in awe of the amazing talent on show at this year’s Badminton Horse Trials (report, 12 May) I feel there is an injustice concerning the prize money in relation to other sports. The champion and brilliant horseman Michael Jung collected £80,000 for his tremendous victory and an extra £240,000 for the Grand Slam. To the layman this seems a large amount of money, but it certainly isn’t when you compare it to other sports. For example, the winners of the Wimbledon singles finals receive a huge £1.8m and just the salary for an average football player in a Premier League side starts at around £40,000 a week. With all the years of dedication, early mornings, awful weather, financial sacrifices and hundreds of miles travelling to events, they should…

Inspirational riders… William Fox-Pitt (right) simply because he always looks so elegant on a horse and makes dressage seem effortless. And watching Andrew Nicholson ride across country — he’s just unbelievable and sets up his horses so well. I also really admire Oliver Townend for his sheer determination, work ethic and ability to get a tune out of such a variety of horses.…

SOME teams go to town with the decorations, creating a patriotic base camp where the horses are stabled. “It’s a bit tricky because I’m British but Trevor is Irish,” says Fran Callan. “We always take Irish flags and bunting to the big shows where we’re stabled with our nations. We have Irish mascots, too — Seamus and Finnegan, the leprechauns, who come everywhere with us in the travel trunk.” “At big shows it’s a real privilege to represent your country,” says British rider Phoebe Peters. “We put up GB flags and they’re also on the tack locker and embroidered on the stable curtains. It really adds to the atmosphere.” From the bright orange of the Netherlands to the distinctive red and gold of Spain, the 2012 Olympic stables were vibrant…

Patience WILL FURLONG said that his CCIYR2* winner and reigning young rider European champion Livingstone II (pictured) has returned from an injury, thought to have been sustained in the field, stronger than ever. “He sustained a stress fracture in his pelvis and we let him have plenty of time to recover. He’s now come back stronger than ever across his back, which has really helped us, especially in the dressage,” explained Will, who finished on his leading first-phase score of 34.5. “We had a bad run in the wet at Arville CIC3* last month so it was good to have a confidence-boosting outing this week,” said Will, who now heads to Strzegom CIC3* Nations Cup next month and has his sights set on young rider European gold in Italy in…

Tweseldown’s makeover gets the thumbs up THE site at Tweseldown has undergone something of a facelift in the past 12 months with considerable investment injected into the fences, the ground and the infrastructure. All this combined to produce a competition with a “big-time” atmosphere. “I’ve had a vision and it’s very exciting to see it coming together,” said organiser Rachael Faulkner, who took over the reins at the Hampshire facility last summer. “Having initially focused on building a schooling course, I’m now keen to develop the competition side of things and provide an outstanding venue for all levels.” The major new addition for this fixture was a water complex, built by Dominic Moore, on the site of the old racetrack parade ring. It provided a focal point for spectators and…

MILLIE MCBRIDE’S “project pony” Bounty is proving so successful at dressage that plans to sell him have been put on the back burner, reports Stephanie Bateman. Since Millie bought the 13.2hh five-year-old to produce and sell 18 months ago, he has already competed at British Dressage (BD) championships at prelim and novice, and was novice restricted winter regional champion at Addington Manor in February. More recently, he won both his silver novices at Addington Manor EC, Bucks (19 May). “He’s turned into a superstar and although he is technically for sale, I haven’t advertised him yet,” said Millie, who runs a livery yard in Hertfordshire alongside Holly Davey. “He’s qualified for the five-year-old young pony championships. I’d love him to go to a junior rider who can take him to…

‘He had to have his bowel and bladder emptied for him’ JONATHAN HANSEN and 15-year-old Pimm’s No 1 were pursuing their second careers at Hickstead, West Sussex (18 May), where they won a silver elementary. In January 2010, Jonathan, a student at St Andrews, took the Ahorn x Voltaire gelding - whom he showjumped as Urgent III - to Edinburgh vet school where he was treated for a dorsal colon impaction. Jonathan said: “After five days on just IV fluids, he hit the deck and didn’t get up for six weeks. By then ‘Frank’ was showing botulism signs, including muscle wastage and loss of muscle co-ordination. He even had to have his bowel and bladder emptied for him. Just when the vets were about to give up, he managed to…

THE dates and venues for the 2016 British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity evaluation series — which identifies talented young British-bred sport horses and ponies in dressage, eventing, showjumping and endurance — have been released. This year’s evaluations run in the second half of August and cover 11 venues over 12 days. Online entries open on 1 July. The Futurity is open to British-bred horses and ponies from foals to three-year-olds. Each undergoes a veterinary assessment before evaluation in-hand and loose in an indoor arena. Showjumping and eventing three-year-olds also loose-jump. “Breeders, buyers and riders of British-bred horses are increasingly finding that a Futurity premium is very useful in assessing these horses,” said the BEF’s head of equine development Jan Rogers. “We are also seeing a marked improvement in the standard…

WE won’t know the importance of the British teams victory in the Rome Nations Cup (report, p74) until after the Rio Olympics. But we do know that all the big-hitting nations had Rome as a counting competition for the super league and, having talked to those who were there, it was the biggest course and toughest test we’ve had so far. With this in mind, the British win will be a big boost for Di Lampard and the riders. Only one more CSIO5* Nations Cup (Rotterdam, 22-26 June) remains before the team needs to be selected. We’ve probably seen most of the combinations who will be in the reckoning. It was great to see Ben Maher come out with his new ride Tic Tac. From his performance in Rome, it…

A home-produced Welsh section A is the first overseas-bred mountain pony to land a Cuddy championship victory for an amateur husband and wife team. The bay stallion did enough to head the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Cuddy breeders’ supreme in-hand qualifier under judge Jenny Pitman. Jenny had 16 animals to choose from, but it was Nicky and Tony McGuire’s Ysselvliedts Highwood who impressed more than enough to take the title over the Dartmoor stallion Moortown Crusader. Highwood, an eight-year-old by Knodishall Geraint out of Ysselvliedts Hillary, made it into the Cuddy after winning the Welsh section A title the previous day. Led by Tony, who works as a gardener, Highwood was initially leased from breeder Harold Zoet in Holland two years ago. “We asked Harold if we could…

THE unnecessary hullabaloo regarding high-profile competitors having their entries returned by Royal Windsor proved one point: the general apathy shown towards closing dates by some modern-day exhibitors. Nobody was stricter on this issue than the late Ben Harwood — secretary of Royal Lancashire show — who would return entries without fail if they did not arrive by second post on the exact date. He told me that those particular exhibitors never missed a deadline again and often sent entries in early from then on. The problem was, as I lived only a few miles from the office, I was often recruited by telephone to help frantic colleagues. It was not a job I enjoyed at the best of times — let alone when filling in endless entry forms for rival…

Tinkers Hill Tommy THE five-year-old justified market support in taking the restricted event under John Mathias. The son of King’s Theatre is a half brother to Rules winners Spirit Calling and Catherine’s Run, and had been brought down and placed twice prior to winning last time out. The gelding, owned by Dewi Lewis and trained by daughter-in-law Bridget, drew clear two out here and ultimately looks like a horse capable of more. Dewi’s son Peter said: “He was a bit green when he hit the front at Llwyn Ddu [where he was second], but he’s advanced from there now. That will be his last run of the season.”…

EVENTER Laura was put into an induced coma after a fall at Tweseldown in July 2013, but was competing the next month. In hindsight, she admits it was too soon. “It’s our livelihood and what we love, so of course we want to ride again as fast as we can,” she told H&H . “I hate to admit it, but I definitely came back too quickly. I was lucky I got away with it and I was sensible with which horses I rode, but it’s not until you look back that you realise you weren’t as ready as you thought you were.”…

FRESH warnings have been issued surrounding equine grass sickness (EGS), following a spate of recent cases. EGS is an often-fatal condition, most prevalent between April and September, and 2016 has already been a bad year, the Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF) said. Vets in Perthshire and Yorkshire have seen a “significant cluster” of cases, with more across England, Scotland and Wales. The condition damages the nervous system, which controls involuntary functions, producing the main sign of gut paralysis. It is most frequently seen in horses aged between two and seven, and signs include patchy sweating, shivering, fluid from the nose and rapid weight loss. The condition is thought to be caused by a toxin produced by clostridia bacteria. “We urge owners to make any changes to horses’ diet and management…

Pippa Funnell said the Rio Olympics are ‘out of the question’ for her main hope, Sandman 7, who is on box rest following a fall. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ sandman-7-out Carl Hester has been made an honorary fellow of the British Horse Society, one of the highest honours in the equestrian world. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/carl-hester-fbhs Mike Etherington-Smith is to take over from fellow Brit Mark Phillips as Luhmühlen Horse Trials course-designer from 2017 (more on p54). • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ mike-es-luhmuhlen Riders have been urged to wear pink high-viz gear on the roads at this time of year to stay visible against rapeseed. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ think-pink A music festival will mark the 21st birthday of Ella Pallister (pictured) who was killed while showjumping. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ ellafest Riders are being encouraged to spread the word about the importance of safe off-road hacking during the BHS’…

A 12-year-old girl from the United States has died following a riding accident at a competition. Kalee Chandler was taking part in a barrel-racing event in Adrian, Missouri, on 21 May when her horse reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack. The pair were heading for the finish line when they collided with a gate, according to a witness. Kalee, from Butler, Missouri, was trapped under the horse until it could be moved. Paramedics performed CPR and Kalee was taken to hospital, where she remained in intensive care until she died on 23 May.…

A “milestone” for the welfare of working equines has been reached as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) approved global standards this week. A new chapter on the welfare of working horses, ponies, donkeys and mules was added to the OIE’s terrestrial code — which sets out standards for the improvement of animal health and welfare and veterinary public health worldwide — at its world conference in Paris on 22-27 May. It covers issues from managing living conditions to the treatment of diseases and injuries. A statement from the OIE said the standards are based on scientific criteria and include “measurable benchmarks” to assess the welfare of working equines. “This text highlights the important role of national veterinary authorities in ensuring advances in animal welfare, and will eventually be…

A pony tangled in her tether rope and injured by an old bicycle is just one example of Ireland’s horse crisis, which is “as bad as it’s ever been”, writes Eleanor Jones . The mare was found in Co. Mayo on 22 May. A “good Samaritan” who noticed her plight called North Mayo Horse Sanctuary, whose founder Gerry Ginty rescued the pony, with volunteer John Redmond. The pair cut the mare free and took her to their base, where she is recovering. But Mr Ginty, who is also a county councillor, said: “Ireland has a reputation as a producer of very fine bloodstock, but there’s the other aspect — the cruelty, abandonment and neglect. The crux is the laws governing sale and ownership.” Mr Ginty explained that despite relevant legislation,…

AN actor hoping to look like an ass has taken inspiration from the real thing. Chris Clarke is one of the amateur actors playing Bottom in a Royal Shakespeare Company touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (15 June–16 July). The show uses different amateurs in each city, alongside RSC players. To prepare, Mr Clarke visited the Donkey Sanctuary in Birmingham, and spoke to groom Andy Perry. “We had a great discussion about donkey traits and the signs that show their emotions,” said Mr Clarke. “They like nothing more than to be stroked around the jaw, which will produce a lovely wobbly lip movement showing enjoyment. There’s also the nudging when they want to get your attention.” The production marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.…

AT a working breakfast earlier in the year, the British Equestrian Federation’s Pippa Wade asked whether we’d had our jabs for Rio yet. Jabs? What jabs? I duly trotted off to the doctor for tetanus and hepatitis A injections. But there are no inoculations to protect athletes, spectators or journalists from Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to birth defects. Last week an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from more than 150 experts called for the Games to be postponed or moved. Their chief reason is “global health” — the risk of spreading the virus. The other is that athletes have “to choose between risking disease and participating in a competition that many have trained for their whole lives”. The WHO has rejected the idea…

New shoes • I always shoe at least four days before a show. Not only can a horse become sensitive to new shoes — the different degree of tightness — but it’s also better to let the nails settle in. • New shoes are also always the first ones to be pulled off. Training on hacks • I do a lot of lateral work in my training and when I’m hacking. It helps make horses more supple. • I squeeze and make them leg-yield across the lane or road to the right and left, so they’re not always just thinking to go straight ahead. Trimming tips • I never trim closer than two or three days before a show. Many horses can be very sensitive about their ears, for example,…

‘Wonderfully scopey, Chilli gives the feeling he could jump a really big fence’ CHILLI MORNING’S VITAL STATISTICS Height: 17hh Age: 16 Sire: Phantomic Dam: Koralle Damsire: Kolibri Stable name: Chilli Owners: Christopher and Lisa Stone Rider: William Fox-Pitt Success: 2015 Badminton winner, 2014 world individual bronze medallist, 2013 European individual bronze medallist, 2013 and 2012 CCI3* winner at Bramham Previous riders: Nick Gauntlett took Chilli to four-star level, finishing 42nd at Burghley in 2011. Mary King took on the ride at the beginning of the 2012 season before giving it up in April of that year I have to admit that I never really liked Chilli Morning in his early years. I thought he was a lumpy warmblood and I had little admiration for him. When I visited William’s Dorset…

ABSORBINE ULTRA SHIELD This insecticide contains the active ingredients permethrin and pyrethrin to provide a shield against insects. £24.85 (946ml) www.absorbine.co.uk CAMROSA OINTMENT A multi-purpose, water-repellent barrier to flies and midges that also soothes sore, itchy skin. £18 (100g) www.camrosa.co.uk FLY GARD A gentle and effective summer spray that contains citronella oils for long-lasting protection and added coat conditioners. £11.70 (500ml) www.carrdaymartin.co.uk HORSEFLY TRAP TAON-X This effective solution against horseflies reduces up to 95% of flies in the direct vicinity and is environmentally friendly and non-toxic. £129 www.kramer.co.uk VITAMUNCH BLOCKS This summer variety is formulated for summer months when horses are bothered by heat, pollen, flies and insects. £2.95 (1kg) www.equilibrium  products.com CITRONELLA This spray will leave your horse’s coat…

THE best practitioners may well have different preferences about which type of hound they prefer to hunt — in fact they will quite rightly advocate their hounds above all others like a football manager would support his own team or a parent his own children. Different countries may also be more suitable to different types of hound; the Warwickshire country seeming to suit the Old English cross as well as the Zetland suits the Fell cross. However they all agree on the following: • A breeding policy should be based upon working abilities. The best way to judge this with a stallion hound is to borrow him or at least watch him in the field. • A hound’s working characteristics of toughness, drive, voice and low-scenting ability far outweighs its…

THE rain that hit much of the UK in the lead-up to Houghton missed Norfolk, so the sandy going was very firm when we arrived. But the organising team did a great job on it and by Saturday it was more than acceptable though still fast. The going contributed to the number of clears inside the time across country in all classes, as well as the high percentage of fault-free showjumping rounds, attributable in part to the fact the horses were jumping off a good, consistent surface. Houghton director Alec Lochore demonstrated to riders a couple of the bits of kit used. One is a verti-drainer, which works in a different way to the traditional agri-vator in that it penetrates deeper and lifts the ground, without breaking up the surface.…

‘This is a dream’ TWO pint-sized equines bounced back to form after lengthy spells on the sidelines. Amy Thomson’s 14.2hh pony Super Snoop triumphed in the BE100open section at Mount Ballan. The 17-year-old gelding sustained a tendon injury in September 2014 and this was only his second run since. “I wasn’t sure he’d ever come right to event again, so this is an absolute dream,” said Amy, who had won a novice class at Monmouth with Snoopy just before he was injured. “He wasn’t significantly lame at the time, but scans showed there was something amiss,” she added. Following advice from her vet, Cardiff-based Alan Brown, Amy opted for stem cell therapy. “Alan was confident it would work and happily he was right,” she added. Emma Jowett’s Hit Air UK-sponsored…

Blood, sweat and tears At Houghton Hall, Cambs (18 May), Vicki Weymouth and her former “problem horse”, the six-year-old Quick Stars Diamond Girl (Nelly) collected a plus-70% prelim win. “I bought her at the end of last summer as a project. She was very insecure, so any time she was scared or got something wrong she automatically thought she would get told off, and would become defensive. It’s taken a lot of time and patience to build up her confidence and trust, and it has been blood, sweat and tears at times, but there was something about her that made me not want to give up,” said Vicki. “With the help of my trainer, Toby Hewlett, she has really turned a corner. Even at home, my mum and I have…

KERRY BRENNAN came for one class and topped a hotly contended Talent Seekers with Dynamic III. “He’s come on so much since the Spanish Sunshine Tour. He’s ready to go on at 1.40m or 1.45m,” said Kerry, who claimed him from her mother Liane Smith 12 months ago. Course-designer Phil Ashworth’s track reduced the 64 starters to 23 and Kerry secured the win from the penultimate draw. “We had a wobbly line to the last — he was turning a circle and I thought, ‘No, we’ve got another fence,’ but he jumped it,” said Kerry, who didn’t use her big lorry for one horse. “We’re in the trailer club, but he was happy enough.” The Warrant x Jokinal De Bornival gelding, owned by Liane Smith and Wilson Horne, will jump…

Mister Friendship OWNER Ruth Flack had been looking for a top small hunter for a long time, but it was proving hard to find one with both quality and substance. When Katie Jerram spotted Mister Friendship on the local county circuit, Ruth asked former owner Wendy King if she would consider selling him. “Ruth went down and was able to buy him on the spot,” said Katie, who won the small hunter division and took the HOYS ticket with the bay gelding, on his first time out with them. “He’s a real stamp of a small hunter and is a scaled-down model of a middleweight, which is so hard to find these days,” added Katie of the bay gelding, who is of unknown breeding.…

LAST Sunday at Hereford Point-to-Point Course (29 May) will live long in the memory of jockey Emma Yardley, reports Martin Pennington. The rider, who works for local trainer Tom Weston, registered her first winner on Kilmacallogue Bay, whom she also trains. “I used to ride when I was 17,” said Emma, after winning the PPORA club members’ race for novice riders. “Then I took it up again this season and I got Kilmacallogue Bay from Chris Dawson.” Temple Grandin added a sixth win to his career tally when seeing off his rivals under Alex Edwards to take the feature mixed open. Trainer Philip Rowley said: “He’ll have a summer at grass now; we’ll go hunter chasing next year, but we need to be realistic with him.” Tinkers Hill Tommy followed…