Innholdsfortegnelse for 01-Dec-16 i Horse & Hound

‘The big question is, will these changes be enough?’Bruce Haskell “THE main question to ask yourself is whether we want to stay at the Olympics, yes or no,” Eventing Riders Association president Bruce Haskell told H&H . “The traditional format, and the traditional number of riders, wasn’t acceptable, so it had to change.” At the FEI general assembly (19-22 November) national federations voted in changes to the Olympic format, as part of plans to see “more flags” at the Games. The controversial formula, three combinations and no drop score, proposed by the FEI in the spring (news, 14 April), was passed as all but 11 of the 107 federations represented voted for the plan. Britain was among those who supported the changes. Changes to each discipline were also agreed upon…

EQUESTRIANS have been urged to continue campaigning against fireworks, despite the government rejecting plans for further restrictions. In November, the government responded to a 147,000-strong petition calling for a ban on their sale. The petitions committee said it would not take the issue forward to debate, as a discussion had taken place on 6 June. “Legislation restricts the sale of fireworks and controls their use, and we have no plans to extend this further,” a statement said. The June discussion centred on Julie Doorne’s petition calling for the use of fireworks by the general public to be restricted to dates around Guy Fawkes’ night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year. MPs spent two hours debating the issue but declined to make any changes to the current law. “We…

THE Countryside Alliance has welcomed the publication of the Bonomy Review into the Protection of Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002. “We are pleased the inquiry recognised the importance of gun packs for fox control and rejected calls for more restrictions ,” said Scottish Countryside Alliance director Jamie Stewart. “We are pleased Lord Bonomy makes so clear the important role gun packs play in managing the fox population, and any restriction on their activity could ‘compromise effective pest control’.” A review was ordered last year, with Lord Bonomy asked to examine whether the law gave adequate protection to wild mammals, while allowing effective control of them if necessary. He concluded there were aspects of the legislation that “complicate unduly” detection, investigation and prosecution of offences. Mr Stewart said: “We look forward to…

BLINKERS have long been common in racing, but they are now being used as a training tool and safety device in showjumping, writes Amy Mathieson. Cian O’Connor was first spotted by H&H using blinkers on his new ride Callisto at Spruce Meadows in Canada (7-11 September). There was then no FEI regulation to state horses could not be jumped in blinkers, but a rule has since been introduced, limiting their use to outside the ring. An FEI spokesman told H&H: “It is stated in the stewards’ manual that blinkers are allowed in the practice/warm-up area for seniors, juniors, young riders and children.” Dutch warmblood Callisto, nine, is ridden in blinkers in the warm-up and in prizegivings, such as at the Global Champions Tour in Doha (3-5 November) where the pair…

IF you’re fed up with your boring bathroom why not transform the space with a horsey toilet tissue holder? The unusual fitting is created from a modified Pelham bit and curb chain and can be yours for £44. Nick Curtis Design creates the holders alongside other equestrian homeware. The imaginative range includes horseshoe coat hangers and stirrup letter racks. “I take both new and rescued items to produce something totally different.” said Mr Curtis. “For a number of years I have been designing, refining and creating hand-made objects for clients who appreciate my alternative perspective.” •  Visit: www.nickcurtisdesign.com…

OLYMPIC proposals, including those regarding team size, which many feared, came to fruition at the FEI Assembly (news, p4). Some riders now argue they were not consulted — of course key stakeholders should have been involved, but would consultation have stopped what governing bodies deem to be the best way to protect the future of the sport? It’s understandable why some will not welcome these changes. But is it not preferable to losing equestrianism from the Olympics? Why else would national bodies support this route? My concern is that, if the quality of competition suffers overall, will the best in the world no longer feel this is the prize to aim for, in the way some golfers snubbed Rio? Then, not only will we see just three riders from each…

THE news that four horses died in a recent outbreak of the equine herpes virus (EHV) has caused considerable alarm among horse owners. Although it is believed that the outbreak is contained in one yard in the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire area, the speed and severity of the infection is a sobering reminder of the potential of such diseases to wreak havoc in the equine community. We asked biosecurity expert Professor Josh Slater, of the Royal Veterinary College, for the lowdown on this highly contagious disease. Why is EHV so serious? EQUINE herpes virus is very common, according to Josh. “The virus is constantly present,” he explains. “A large majority of horses are exposed to the virus early in life and become lifelong carriers — the same as humans with cold…

‘There is a great bunch of children here who love their hunting’Emma Goffe THE spacious brick kennels, stables and staff accommodation on the edge of the steadily growing but still rural village of Kineton were purpose-built for the Warwickshire hunt in 1839. And on the first Tuesday morning of November after the Saturday opening meet, it looks like little had changed. The stable yard is a veritable hive of activity, with billows of pungent smoke hanging in the air down the main aisle of stables while two farriers go about their work. Stud groom Emma Goffe trots up one of her charges for Simon Richards, partner at Hook Norton veterinary practice and also one of the six joint-masters of the Warwickshire Hunt. Newly washed numnahs and boots are hanging on…

‘Hounds’ relentless enthusiasm steered us to dusk in what felt like the blink of an eye’ IN 1987 Guy Landau rode a horse for Stan Mellor called Lean Ar Aghaidh, going on to win the Whitbread Gold Cup and finish third in the Grand National. Lean Ar Aghaidh, in Gaelic, means moving forward or onward bound and, now in his second season hunting the Taunton Vale, Guy has brought something of that ethos with him: the Taunton Vale is certainly “forrard on”. Anybody who is a little hunting weary must come for a day here. Time flew; the company from the front to the back of the field was a delight, the hedges were glorious and hounds’ relentless enthusiasm steered us to dusk in what felt like the blink of…

Joint-masters: Tony Berry (2015), Mark Heuff (2015), Guy Landau (2015), Hedley Webb (2015), Matt Wilkes (2016) and Poey Vacher (2016) Huntsman: Guy Landau Kennel-huntsman: Dan Hammett Amateur whipper-in: Charlie Pearce Stud Groom: Harriet Morris Countrymen: Paul Martin and Peter Benn Hon secs: Jenny Parsons (Tel: 01823 680238), Nic Penny and Ed Clarkson Hounds: Two sisters, Morpeth Gracious 13 and Graphic 13, deserve a mention. “They have great constitutions,” said Guy. “And as soon as they find they are away and speaking.” They are by North Cotswold Grimsby 10 and out of Staffordshire Moorland Stunning 11. Another of note is Taunton Vale Bonnet 10 by Taunton Vale Gothic 07, out of Taunton Vale Balance 05. “She is always right,” said Guy. “She has a Fell line so has tremendous instinct.” One…

RACHAEL CLARK and Emma Gausden’s Daddy’s Hit won a medium and advanced medium with plus-70% at Quainton Stud, Bucks (16 November), writes Stephanie Bateman. Rachael, who trains with Jackie Beaven, has been riding the “consistent” 10-year-old by Danone for two years. “He just goes in and does his job,” said Rachael. “He did his first prix st georges (PSG) yesterday and we hope to do some Premier League shows with him next year.” Michelle Tamkin and Blue Diamond II topped both prelims, garnering a personal best of 81.6% in one of them. Michelle bought the 17.3hh six-year-old by Belissimo two years ago. “He was getting 8.5s for everything,” said Michelle, who trains with Stephen Moore and Carl Hester. “He hasn’t competed for six months and he was a bit nervous,…

LAST year, William Whitaker triumphed in the world ranking grand prix on his uncle Michael Whitaker’s Balibu. Uncle Michael was back this time and produced a virtuoso performance to retain the title for his family. Michael’s ride was Jayne Bean’s home-bred mare JB’s Hot Stuff, who skipped round Paul Connor’s first-round track to join 12 others in a jump-off that raised the temperature on a cold day. They jumped the first double clear from fourth draw and their round was a joy to watch. Michael found the shortest routes and despite losing a shoe after the tightest turn to the penultimate oxer, Hot Stuff’s time looked unbeatable. It was. Nigel Coupe threw everything into his round and followed Michael’s route on John O’Halloran’s feisty Jubilee III, but settled for second…

‘The more pressure you put her under the better she gets’Tristram Owers on Billy Cookie THE precocious NPS Thyme stepped up in style to take the Blue Chip Karma Performance qualifier for Martin Brake. “She hasn’t even jumped a Foxhunter yet, so it was a big ask,” said Martin’s wife Anne. “We’re pinching ourselves over how she’s been going. The track didn’t pull any punches and there were lots of more experienced horses in the class.” The six-year-old mare produced the quickest double clear over an up-to-height, 1.30m jump-off track from course-builder Adrian House, just edging ahead of Ryan Lockwood riding Michael Whitaker’s Charlotts Coco Chandial CH. The Brakes bought NPS Thyme — who was bred at the New Priory Stud and is by Necker Platiere — from Sophie Heaven…

IT was good to see a big squad of younger British riders competing at the Opglabbeek show in Belgium the weekend before last (17-20 November). The Sentower Park venue has fantastic, state-of the-art facilities. Well done to Jack Whitaker for winning the junior grand prix on Stakkato De Fee, and to my son Ollie for winning the children-on-horses grand prix. It was nice that he rode a home-bred, too. Little Business is by It’s The Business out of a former international mare, Fujiyama. These lads have a real desire to win — as do their peers Harry Charles, Robert Murphy and Jodie Hall-Macateer. They’re a great bunch of riders, not just for their competitiveness but also for their very likeable personalities out of the ring. They’re also all thoroughly grounded…

‘He stays, jumps and does what it says on the tin’Richard Johnson on Native River COLIN TIZZARD’S milk churn is running over at the moment and, for the third consecutive Saturday of this jump season, he made headlines when Native River’s stamina was matched by his determination to win the 60th Hennessy Gold Cup. A fortnight earlier it had been Thistlecrack and Fox Norton, a week before it was Cue Card and, on Saturday, Native River shared the ride home to Milborne Port in the horsebox with two other winners, Thistlecrack and Ultragold. But this time, in terms of headlines at any rate, Thistlecrack had to play second fiddle to his younger stable companion. At his open day in August, Tizzard predicted the six-year-old Native River — runner-up in last…

NATIVE RIVER’S weight-carrying performance in winning the Hennessy Gold Cup marked him as one of the season’s most progressive second-season staying chasers and lively Gold Cup third-string for the Colin Tizzard stable, behind Cue Card and Thistlecrack. In doing so, he became the second from his family to come close to Festival glory. His dam Native Mo is out of a half-sister to Minella Lad, who won 10 races over hurdles and fences but probably produced his best performance in defeat, when he ran third in the 1994 Stayers’ Hurdle as a novice. Minella Lad is out of Belle Of The West, who proved very useful over hurdles and fences in Ireland. Three of her four foals reached the track, and all were winners, the others being Man Of The…

THE running of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury is a significant event in the racing calendar. Yes, you guessed it, it means the point-to-point season is upon us. It was great to see the race won by Colin Tizzard and Richard Johnson, who both have strong connections with UK point-to-pointing. As a fresh-faced teenager back in 2002 I was just touched off in a reasonably valuable handicap chase for Colin on a horse called Millyhenry. That horse had started its career by unseating Joe Tizzard at Larkhill but subsequently won a hatful of point-to-points on the West Country circuit before spending a couple of seasons under Rules. The Tizzards are a shining example of how point-to-pointing can provide a platform and vital grassroots experience for progression to bigger things,…

SOME riders have voiced frustration over the way the decision was made, as well as the vote itself and the new format. “Horse Sport Ireland had a meeting with Irish showjumpers last week [news, 24 November] and didn’t even mention this. Under no circumstances did it have riders’ approval,” Cian O’Connor told H&H after Ireland voted in favour of the changes. “My issue is that the people in charge of high-performance sport are making decisions affecting our livelihoods, and that of young riders, without any discussion. How many federations has this happened in?” British showjumper Nick Skelton agreed, telling H&H that not only did he not agree with the change, as “there was nothing wrong with how it was”, and that more flags could have appeared by allowing more individual…

Hannah Bradley, solicitor with Baines Wilson LLP WHEN a buyer is dissatisfied with a horse after purchase, the law provides them with various routes to pursue a seller. The buyer may be able to rely on the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which provides that a horse sold in the course of a business to a consumer must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If the horse fails to meet any of those provisions, the buyer has rights, including the right to reject the horse within 30 days of receiving it. The buyer may also rely on representations made by the seller before the purchase, although it is more difficult to do so. This could be an oral statement made when the horse was being viewed or…

OLIVER TOWNEND The British eventer has topped British Eventing’s (BE) leading rider league for the third year running. Oliver accrued 2,380 BE points this year, 1,085 points ahead of his closest rival, New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson. SARAH HALL Ms Hall has been appointed as chief operating officer of British Showjumping (BS). She joined BS earlier this year as business facilities manager. “Sarah brings a great depth of skill sets,” said BS chief executive Iain Graham. NIKKI NEWCOMBE Ms Newcombe is the new chairman of the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA). She took on the role from Lynda Mortlock, who stood down at the BETA AGM (7 November). Ian Silman is the society’s new vice-chairman. LISA NOOREN The Dutch showjumper is out of action for the rest of the year after…

THE FEI said it was “honoured” to support the International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport at its fifth conference in Berlin. Secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez joined medical professionals from across the world on 27-28 October. Dr Mark Aubry, chief medical officer of the International Ice Hockey Federation, opened the meeting saying the fight against sporting concussion is “at the centre of the player safety debate across the sporting world”. Delegates were shown the latest research, including the definition of a concussion, and presentations about technologies and biomarkers that could help medical staff diagnose concussion near the field of play. Ms Ibáñez said: “It is essential there is an increased awareness of the safety issues we face in equestrian and other sports, and we owe a big debt of thanks…

A LITTLE FLUTTER Norwich man Alan Clarke won more than £57,000 from a £1.70 bet on four outsiders at Market Rasen and Wincanton. He made a cup of coffee to calm himself down when the last horse finished. THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT When the Coca-Cola truck’s tour skipped the north Devon town of Holsworthy, horse owner Lizzy Kirby created a “holidays are coming” float to bring festive cheer to the locals. It was pulled by Ms Kirby’s ponies Peanut and Nutmeg at the Holsworthy Carnival on 19 November. A FINE FILLY For the second year in a row, a filly out of the 2009 Oaks third High Heeled topped the trading at the Tattersalls Foal Sale. Last week the daughter of Dansili was sold to a Coolmore partnership for 600,000gns. A…

EQUINE charities are “deeply concerned” that donkeys are being stolen and abused for their hides. Brooke says the demand for Africa’s donkeys is causing the animals “terrible suffering”. There have been widespread reports from many African countries of donkeys being stolen, “horrifically mistreated” and “cruelly slaughtered” for their hides, to meet an increased demand from China. The hides are used in the production of traditional Chinese medicine. “Rushing to meet the overwhelming demand is over-exploiting Africa’s donkey population, and both people and donkeys are suffering,” said Petra Ingram, chief executive of Brooke. “Donkeys are being stolen and abused, and this needs to stop.” Brooke teams are working with governments and other stakeholders to tackle the issue. In April, the Senegalese government introduced a bylaw to regulate donkey slaughter and forbid…

LOANS CAN WORK Sir — I read your editorial comment (17 November) with interest. I admit that rider safety didn’t immediately spring to mind when loaning a horse — although I do have two children who come to ride my daughter’s outgrown pony, but I teach them and they are never left unsupervised so I am covered against any issues by my freelance instructor insurance. I thought I would share with you briefly my recent loan experience. Enter Claude, real name Escape Artist. He is 15.3hh, skewbald, a quirky monster but very talented. He is on loan to me and we have had him for a year. His owner, Emilia Edmonds, who has had him for 10 years since he was a four-year-old, didn’t want to sell him; he has…

Eating out… The Duncombe Arms (below), owned by former jockey Johnny Greenall and his wife Laura. The food and wine is super, and it has a lovely atmosphere. Most embarrassing moment… At my first point-to-point, my horse Lord Of The Night became overexcited in the parade ring just as my father was giving me a leg-up. He reared up, and I slid straight off his back. My most memorable win… Winning the Prince of Wales Hunter Chase at Ludlow on Lord Of The Night. Based on his form, he wasn’t expected to win, so it was a great surprise. Getting away… I love skiing with friends. I try to go every year. My secret weapon… My Wow saddle — it’s so comfortable. My first pony… A tiny pony called Sir…

• Be hygienic Keep separate tack and grooming items for each horse and disinfect stables and shared equipment periodically. • Monitor movement Hand and boot washing is a good idea for anyone moving between yards, including farriers, physiotherapists and dental technicians. • Take his temperature Take your horse’s temperature daily - it’s a useful indication of his general health. Anything above 38.5ºC should prompt an immediate call to your vet. • Isolate newcomers Organise a remote paddock corner or an unused stable where yard newcomers can be quarantined. Three weeks of isolation should be adequate to identify any horses incubating disease. • Show sense Travel to shows, clinics, studs and racecourses, where many horses mix, will always carry a risk of transmission of infectious diseases. Ensure that the event or venue has adequate health checks…

IT’S very important to me to let my horses feel that I trust them and that there is give and take between us both. I like them to be relaxed but active — so that they accept my hand and leg and react when I ask them to go forward and back, while staying on the bit. To achieve this, I walk at the beginning and start asking questions. When I feel they’re on the same page I slowly ask more. I don’t jump a lot at home. A favourite exercise is to put three or four poles on the ground in a straight line and ask for a different number of strides between them. You can play with this, without having to jump, as you can add and take…

6.30am: Emma does the feeds 7am: hunt grooms start work and muck out five or six horses each, while some hunters are put on the walker for 15 minutes. All horses receive hay and fresh water. 8.15am: hunters from the day before are trotted up to check for soundness and then put out in the field if the weather is dry. 8.30am: the grooms have a cup of tea and Emma takes children to school. 9.30am: there is an exercise list and they all ride out with first lot. 11am: the girls take out second lot while Emma clips. 12pm: the next day’s hunters are washed and all the horses skipped out and then fed lunch according to their needs. 1pm: the hunt grooms have lunch. 3pm: tack is prepared…

DANE RAWLINS’ Ehrenmann x Krack C home-bred Espoire (pictured), looking more mature than you would expect of an 18hh seven-year-old, produced a 67.89% first PSG at Oldencraig, Surrey (18 November). “When he turned six he suddenly started telling me he could do it all. It’s so nice when they offer it, but good horses are like that and they make you look good, too,” enthused Dane, who believes he has a potential team horse for Ireland. “I’m doing grand prix work because otherwise he would get bored, but he insists that you ride him as it says in the book,” continued British-born Dane, who switched nationality to ride for Ireland in 2011. “I have to sit still and allow him to balance his movement. When you come off the corner…

I really wish there were more shows in Britain like this one. People think all British showjumpers spend their lives going on foreign trips, but they aren’t actually holidays, as we don’t have time to be tourists. We arrive at a show, do our job and then go home again — and it costs us lots of money in travel expenses and entries. I’d love to be able to spend a bit more time with the family, but to do that and pay the bills we need more international shows at home. The best thing about this venue is that every time we come back it has improved again. The stables weren’t great to start with and this time they were first-rate. And they were under cover. There’s nothing nastier…

‘He’s part of the family — I’d love to bring him back here’Joe Hill on men’s open winner, Consigliere A closely fought finish in the open maiden saw All The Sevens (Dale Peters) triumph after Skipping On (Sam Davies-Thomas) made a mistake two out. The two protagonists battled up the run-in with All The Sevens drifting left-handed and taking Skipping On with him towards the running rail. The winning margin was adjudged to have been a neck and after a protracted stewards’ enquiry All The Sevens kept the race, though the winning rider was fined for careless riding. “There was enough gap for him to get there,” maintained Dale afterwards. Sam was philosophical — “that’s racing” — but exacted his revenge on Dale when steering Extreme Appeal (see box, above…

MHS GOING GLOBAL Irish showjumper Greg Broderick’s Rio ride has been sold for what is believed to be a record-breaking sum. He will join the string of Greek rider and heiress Athina Onassis. It is thought the price was about € 12m (£10.2m). JUMBO Andrew Nicholson’s former three-star ride has been named top British Eventing sire for the third year running. The stallion, who was put down last year aged 31, was helped by offspring including Izzy Taylor’s Badminton ride Allercombe Ellie. SUPER NOVA II The breeding of the 13-year-old was the subject of a clue in the Telegraph’s general knowledge crossword on Saturday. “With Olympic silver and a Telegraph crossword clue, I feel my year is complete,” joked rider Spencer Wilton. RED MARAUDER The winner of one of the…

Record-breaking four-star eventer Alice Dunsdon has warned against jumping alone after she had a nasty fall from a youngster. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ jumping-alone A 46-year-old man has been jailed for 14 months for covertly filming a woman in the showers at the BSPS winter championships. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ pervert-jailed The British Horse Society has backed Road Safety Week, as the latest figures show there have been 2,070 road accidents involving horses in the past five years. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ road-safety-week Fans will have the chance to meet showjumping superstar Nick Skelton (pictured) during a question and answer session at Olympia. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ nick-skelton-qa A riders’ guide on buying bras has been published, after research found 40% of ladies suffer breast pain while in the saddle. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ riding-bra-guide Kent-based horse charity Pukka Ponies has been the victim of a second suspected arson attack…

THE news that the Global Champions Tour (GCT) will return to London in 2017 is the latest in a series of recent boosts for top-end showjumping in Britain, writes Lucy Elder. It was revealed on 23 November that the London leg of the five-star GCT will be held at the Royal Chelsea Hospital on 3-6 August. This follows the news that the Royal Windsor Horse Show has been granted five-star status, and the new CSI3* London Spring International will take place at the ExCel-London Exhibition Centre next April. Bolesworth International CSI4* ran for a third year in 2016 and Liverpool International CSI4* runs for the second time this new year. Showjumper Geoff Billington told H&H that while the rise in high-profile internationals on British soil is good for the sport,…

THRIFTY CHEESE LOVERS A donkey cheese produced in Serbia is being sold for £880 per kilo. The farm, the world’s only producer of the cheese, has a herd of nearly 300 donkeys. A BLUSHING BRIDE A video of a bride on a runaway horse has gone viral on social media. The woman is seen riding in her wedding dress before the grey horse spooks and bolts. Thankfully he is brought under control and the bride stays in the saddle. A RUNAWAY PONY A coloured pony escaped from his field in Florida, United States. A Marion County sheriff’s deputy lassoed the escapee when he discovered him in the middle of the road, before taking him back to his owners. A TRAPPED HORSE A bay horse became stuck in his stable doorway…

RACING Go to the Tingle Creek Christmas Festival on 2-3 December at Sandown Park. The meeting features two Grade One races: the Henry VIII novices’ chase and the Tingle Creek chase. sandown.thejockeyclub.co.uk POINT-TO-POINT The Point-to-Point Owners’ and Riders’ Club holds its fixture on 4 December at Barbury racecourse, Wilts. www.pointtopoint.co.uk DRESSAGE Watch the British Dressage Small Tour Championships at Houghton Hall, Cambs, on 3-4 December. www.hheqc.co.uk FAIR Visit the Westcountry Equine Fair at Westpoint Arena, near Exeter, on 3-4 December, for shopping and masterclasses, as well as showjumping and showing competitions. www.westcountryequinefair.co.uk EXHIBITION Equestrian Art International and V V Rouleaux host an exhibition at The Chelsea Waterfront on 1-4 December. www.equestrianartuk.com LECTURE Rider psychology coach Helen Rennie will speak about building confidence at Unicorn Equestrian Centre, Glos, on 1 December.…

I was sad to hear the news of the teenager being awarded £3m after suffering life-changing injuries in a fall (news and editorial comment, 17 November). As a rider but, unfortunately, not a horse owner, I have been lucky not to have had a serious fall, and to have had the chance to exercise a number of horses for different owners, all of whom have trusted me to ride their horses in a sensible and safe way. Being a member of the Countryside Alliance includes rider insurance, so I am covered. I would recommend anyone who is riding horses to take out insurance and to assume responsibility for themselves. Each time you get on a horse you make a decision to ride an animal that is not always predictable. You…

What’s in the future? ONGOING research aims to deepen our understanding of immunity to the disease, which is complex compared to the flu virus. Josh urges awareness of its devastating effects. “Until there are reports of abortion or paralysis, equine herpes virus tends to drop off the radar,” he says. “It’s vital that owners are vigilant to its early signs and take appropriate steps to prevent its spread.” • NEXT WEEK: focus on the large intestine • FIND out more about EHV on the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) website, or via your smartphone or tablet with the new HBLB “EquiBioSafe” app.www.hblb.org.uk…

3.30am: autumn hunting mornings start as early as 3.30am to feed horses and get them ready for a 6am meet, usually five or six mornings per week through September and October. 9.30am: after the opening meet, first horses are plaited, cleaned, tacked up and ready to leave the yard with the hounds. 12.45pm: second horses are boxed up to leave. The girls need to be smartly dressed and ready to ride out with second horses. 2.45pm: horses are changed, the first horses are ridden back to the horsebox and arrive back at the stables by 2.45pm. They are washed off, their legs checked for thorns and cuts and then rugged up with warm water to drink. 5.30-6pm: second horses arrive back at the stables and the same process is repeated.…

CALKO BIATS (pictured), four-year-old gelding by Balko out of Quoline Biats (Concorde). “He moves nicely, gallops and jumps well — I think the thoroughbred blood from his father will be excellent for eventing,” says Philippe. “His mother is Oslo’s half-sister.” VENDREDI BIATS , seven-year-old gelding by Winningmood Van Den Arenberg out of Liane Normande (Camelia De Ruelles). “He was tricky to back — he could rear really high,” says Philippe of the grey who has racked up a string of top CIC2* placings this year under Kitty King. “William [Fox-Pitt] said he wasn’t the horse for him, but Kitty loved him after 10 minutes — he was naughty and childish, but she has given him the time he needed.” AMERICA BIATS, six-year-old mare by Cosinhus out of Qualiforbiats (Sable Rose).…

‘Lower your own nose and it will come behind the vertical too’ HOW important it is to get words right. Not only to find the correct ones, whichever they might be, but also to be understood by the masses. Among my pet hates are the words “pure dressage”, used by some to reference dressage done by British Dressage (BD) registered horses or FEI dressage riders and horses. All dressage should be pure! It should be the same at a dressage competition or a horse trials. Dressage is dressage. No one describes showjumping at horse trials as “impure showjumping”, though arguably at the end of a three-day event with a stiff horse, it can be! Then there is classical dressage, and whether competitive dressage is classical or not. Here the arguments…

ON 23 November 2015, the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) issued a press release saying that its judges for the 2016 Cuddy supreme in-hand final would not be released until show day. From then on, it became a hot topic in the showing community — triggering much speculation and conjuring up many conspiracy theories worthy of a political drama. The reason for the secrecy was apparently due to security measures, because a member of the Royal Family was judging — and that was just one tale doing the rounds! A representative on behalf of Grandstand Media explained: “The release of the judges’ names in this way added to the element of surprise and excitement.” Given the complexity of qualifying for this competition in comparison to other showing classes, it…

‘Cheltenham second time over fences is a challenge for any horse’ WE have been ticking over nicely over the past weeks and have picked up two top two-mile hurdles with North Hill Harvey and Ch’tibello but man of the moment Colin Tizzard is in flying form. He’s had a great time with Cue Card, winning his third Betfair Chase, and then to win the Hennessy with Native River is a serious achievement. Winning is what it’s all about. He’ll be thinking about taking the trainers’ championship, as we all do, but it won’t be his sole focus. He’s a live contender for sure, though. Thistlecrack put in a foot-perfect round in the Grade Two at Newbury at the weekend. Cheltenham second time over fences is a challenge for any horse;…

EXTREME APPEAL’s open maiden win at Cottenham was a poignant moment for trainer Kelly Morgan, who confessed the horse “hasn’t been easy to train”. The Johnny Weatherby-owned gelding (below), by Excellent Art, struggled with gastric ulcers last season and had three large sarcoids removed by laser from his girth area. “His jumping let him down last season and I feel the ulcers and sarcoids were the main reasons for that,” said Kelly. “He was near perfect today - I forget he’s still only a four-year-old.” Kelly revealed the horse would probably return to Cottenham on New Year’s Eve for the restricted.…

‘Hunting changed his whole attitude and cemented our relationship ’ BE FAIR was the first real love of my life. He was my Pony Club horse and we learnt together, achieving the seemingly impossible in 1973 when we won Badminton on only our second attempt. Forever afterwards that remained the most memorable victory of my life. Be Fair, a 16.1hh chestnut 7/8 thoroughbred, had been advertised in Horse & Hound as being by Fair And Square. As a colt, the Burghley winner had jumped into a paddock with the mare Happy Reunion. My mother and I travelled to Birmingham to try Be Fair and she told me that it was the smile on my face when he jumped a set of park railings that persuaded her to buy him. On…