Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Dec-2017 i Horse & Hound

AN EVENT rider who was stripped of her European medal after her horse failed a drug test is calling for a rethink on security in stabling at major competitions. German team rider Julia Krajewski’s horse Samourai Du Thot tested positive for firocoxib, a controlled substance that has an analgesic anti-inflammatory effect, at the 2017 FEI European Eventing Championships at Strzegom (17-20 August). Julia has maintained she cannot explain how the substance came to be in the horse’s system despite an extensive investigation. She therefore decided she had to accept the FEI’s administrative sanction and the Germans lost the European team silver. The 29-year-old said she ruled out accidental intoxication and narrowed the window where the substance was absorbed to between the dressage and cross-country phases. Julia claims the boundary fence…

LANCET Emma Hindle’s Olympic partner has died aged 24. Emma and the Hanoverian stallion were seventh individually at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and were on the silver medal-winning team at the 2009 European Championships at Windsor. SOLO SAXOPHONE Frankel’s offspring and first runner over jumps was victorious in the juvenile hurdle at Catterick on 19 December. The three-year-old won by four lengths under Harry Skelton. KBIS STARCHASER The British Nations Cup star, who competed in eventing and para dressage, has died aged 14. Star was ridden by Izzy Taylor and when he retired from eventing, by para rider Charlotte Cundall. I’VE BEEN DUN Sacha Hourigan’s former top ride has been put down aged 22. Sacha and “Sandy”, owned by Sacha’s parents Christine and Richard, won Punchestown CCI3* in 2006, came…

SEASONALITY Eagle-eyed Facebookers will have noticed the logo on the BD Facebook page was in the seasonal spirit — with Father Christmas hat and sprig of holly on rider and horse respectively. No such jollity from BE or BS though… TURNOUT The Olympia make-up row was always going to get people talking — including those from other disciplines. “Make-up?” one rider was heard to splutter. “I just make sure I’ve scraped most of the mud off for shows.” COUTURE A collective intake of eventing traditionalists’ breath could be heard as BE announced riders would no longer be confined to black, navy or tweed jackets. But fear not, only “any single conservative colour in muted tones” will be allowed. So no turquoise or fuchsia then……

“This year has seen the arrival of Flomiro Zed (Nancy), a chestnut filly out of my home-bred mare Direct Flo (Florence), who I produced up to British Eventing novice level, by Amiro Z. I had always said that Florence and I would have a baby in the same year, and we did. Florence had Nancy and I had Harriet Rose Hollins. Florence gave birth to Nancy at home and I spent two weeks sleeping in my lorry so I could keep watch over her. It all went very smoothly and we now have a fabulous filly to watch grow into a beautiful mare like her mummy.” Bonnie Fishburn “In the summer of 2016 after much deliberation, I decided to put my intermediate eventer Frieze Assumpta (Sassy) in foal to Up…

OLIVER TOWNEND, EVENTER MY goal is the same as always — to try to get the best performance from each horse in the yard at every level and to remain British number one, plus I would love to go to the World Championships. Ridire Dorcha ran at Boekelo and finished 11th. I felt his performance in Holland far outweighed his experience and I’d love to see him at a spring four-star. I’d also love to take Ballaghmor Class to Badminton. HARRIET NUTTALL, SHOWJUMPER MY main aim is to be on a division one Nations Cup team at five-star level with my nine-year-old Galway Bay Jed. This year, he jumped his first Nations Cup for Great Britain at the Royal Dublin CSIO5*and jumped his first five-star grand prix with only four…

THE McDonnell family from Portaferry, Northern Ireland, claimed no fewer than 12 trophies from the Irish Pony Society (IPS) Northern Area awards night. Ellie McDonnell, 13, and her 133cm show hunter pony (SHP) Goldengrove Sunrise had a great season, including winning at Royal Highland and taking the £1,000 Michaela Wood supreme pony title at North of England. The pair also won at Balmoral and Dublin and wound up with the top Irish-bred SHP competing overseas award — and highest-placed Irish-bred pony at the British Show Pony Society summer championships — as well as young handlers and ridden part-bred titles. The family’s 2017 haul also saw the four-year-old Goldengrove Maydream stand ridden supreme at the IPS summer show on her debut under saddle, helping towards her overall novice show pony points…

SOME types of colic are more common in certain types of horses, according to a study. The research, “Differences in gastrointestinal lesions in different horse types”, reviewed historic cases of colic between 2010 and 2015. Some 575 horses were categorised as miniature type (less than 11hh), pony (taller than 11hh but smaller than 14.hh), Arabian, light breed (largely thoroughbred or warmblood) or draft type. The researchers from the Royal Veterinary College found that when compared to light breed-type horses, ponies and miniatures had decreased odds of colon displacements. Ponies were found to have increased odds of strangulation of the small intestine by lipomas (tumours), while miniatures had decreased chances of suffering from strangulating small intestinal lesions. Draft types had increased odds of caecal conditions (those affecting the pouch at the…

The British Equestrian Federation has named commentator Rupert Bell its journalist of the year for 2017, for his contribution to equestrian sports coverage. British Horseracing Authority chief regulatory officer Jamie Stier, is leaving to return home to Australia. “I have greatly enjoyed the privilege of working in British racing,” he said. Jumping Owners Club chairman Christian Baillet is to step down from the international horse owners’ association. Dominique Mégret will take up the role from 1 January 2018. Irish racehorse trainer Jessica Harrington has said she was “very honoured” to be named sportswoman of the year 2017. She received the honour at the Irish Times awards on 15 December. Weatherbys Bank has appointed David Bellamy as its new chairman. David said he was “delighted” to be joining the company that…

PONY CLUB 2018 CONFERENCE INSPIRATIONAL fundraiser Claire Lomas is to be one of the keynote speakers at the 2018 Pony Club conference. Former eventer Claire, who was paralysed in a fall in 2007, will speak at the event, presented by journalist Aly Vance, at Egbaston Stadium, Birmingham, on 5 March. “It will be an opportunity for the Pony Club community to come together to strategically discuss and share ideas on the way forward,” said a Pony Club statement. •Visit: pcuk.org WARNINGS OVER FATAL PARASITE A VIDEO has been created to alert owners to the potential fatal effects of encysted small redworm. The animation explains the parasite’s life cycle, and the life-threatening damage it can do to horses. Redworm are ingested during grazing, then larvae survive the winter by burrowing into…

HOLIDAYS One was pleased to hear Fiona Bigwood is aiming for a British team place with a top new ride. And one was saddened to hear that Fiona missed out on a pre-Christmas family skiing trip in order to ride said new horse. Ah, the sacrifices we riders have to make… SILHOUETTES A certain company is selling an all-in-one white competition suit, developed using “biomechanical studies of the female form”, which apparently “conveys a sensation of absolute comfort and liberty of movement”. That’s as may be, but one’s not convinced one’s silhouette will be quite as elegant as promised, in a white one-piece. And it costs £800, by the way. EQUIPMENT The phrase “all the gear and no idea” is one of our favourites, and we heard an amusing twist…

MY family had it easy working out Christmas presents for me this year. Returning to competing after seven years away means all my kit is either out of the relevant safety standards or simply falling apart. The heel came clean away from one of my boots recently, resulting in husband and mother having to play tug of war to free me from the remaining part of the boot. My two show jackets — black and tweed — are among the few items which are still serviceable, so despite British Eventing’s rule change (news, p6), I won’t be rushing out to buy a new one. The updated rule permits jackets or waistcoats in “any single conservative colour in muted tones” or for riders to just wear shirts. I like to think…

HUNTING has always produced and encouraged eccentric personalities, but in this world of political correctness where grey blandness is the norm, it is a breath of fresh air to still occasionally catch a glimpse of bright colour. Robin Smith-Ryland is a hunting character with a distinct individuality: a relic from the past with a modern twist. His dark eyebrows and piercing stare can be spotted hunting four or five days a week across the length and breadth of Britain. Robin was brought up on the Sherbourne estate in Warwickshire, “exactly half way between Badminton and Belvoir”. “My life changed as a 13.2hh chestnut cob arrived when I was 11 years old. The dealer took it down the field, I jumped it over a fence and back again and that was…

 West Wilts EC | Tall Trees Arena, Cornwall ‘I still own five of her foals; they are a variety of sizes and types depending on the stallion’ SARAH WARD ON HER 21-YEAR-OLD WINNER WHO DUN IT, WHO HAS PRODUCED SIX FOALS Sarah Ward and her 15hh Who Dun It, whom she has owned since the now 21-year-old was a foal, have begun competing again after a seven-year break during which the mare produced six foals. “I still own five of the offspring and they are a variety of sizes and types, depending on the stallion,” said Newbury-based Sarah. “I’ve taught a lot of riders, including Izzy Taylor, and I have help from Lizzie Murray once in a while. I am hoping we might qualify for the veterans’ final at…

Merrist Wood, Surrey | Step Aside, West Sussex Eleanor was long-listed for the pony Europeans in 2017 with Fusilier. She has stepped up to horses with her future eventing partner, the eight-year-old 16.3hh Smooth Emperor (by Emperor Augustus) who was previously competed up to BE intermediate by Tim Price. Hertfordshire-based Eleanor explained: “Neither of us has done British Dressage (BD) before but I wanted ‘Gus’ to get over his shyness working with other horses in a busy warm-up, because that can affect test performance. “Gus has quite good paces but he can give you the impression that he’s doing more than he is so we’ve been practising getting him more forward. He stayed supple and listened to me the whole way through the test.” Dannie Morgan claimed the gold section,…

Solihull RC, West Mids | Vale View EC, Leics Tabitha, 13, landed a double prelim win at Vale View riding her New Forest pony Brendon. But six-year-old Brendon hasn’t been the easiest. “We got him as a five-year-old when Tabitha had just turned 12, and he used to stop and whip round out of nowhere,” explained Tabitha’s mother Laura, a List Four BD judge. “She was determined to keep him, though, and has done all the hard work herself. He is now a brilliant all-rounder.” Alongside dressage, the pair compete in eventing at BE80 level as well as Pony Club activities with the Burghley branch. “Their aim now is to move up to novice and qualify for the regionals,” added Laura, who is her daughter’s main trainer. “Tabitha is totally…

OF course, one year cannot go any faster than another, but it certainly feels that 2017 has flown by like no other. And so, having seemingly just weaned the 2017 crop, we are already looking forward to next year’s foals and starting to make plans for our mares. While we spend much time considering stallions, perhaps we should also spend the same amount of time considering whether to put our mares in foal at all. Overbreeding is still a root cause of problems for the equine charities; there are more horses than suitable homes in the UK, meaning prices are low, and yet still we breed (and import). World Horse Welfare accepts 300 unwanted horses a year that all started life somewhere. And they are not all of the hairy,…

YOU can look forward to three new feature series in Horse & Hound magazine next year, starting in our 4 January issue. “All in day’s work” gives us the opportunity to find out what life is like for people in the horse world with some of the more unusual jobs — from dressage music composers to the vets at four-star horse trials. The series will kick off with an interview with Chris Maude, a master valet in charge of kit for some of the world’s highest-profile jockeys, from Frankie Dettori to Richard Johnson. “This is a chance to find out what makes these people — who are at the heart of our sport — tick, the challenges of their chosen careers and the moments they’re unlikely to forget,” said H&H…

A BUCKET of apples would probably top our horses’ Christmas lists, but how many owners treat their equine companions on 25 December? According to a recent H&H online survey, quite a lot. In the Facebook poll, almost 70% of readers said they bought their horses Christmas presents and 55% admitted spending more than £20. The findings are similar to those of a recent survey carried out by The Insurance Emporium into Christmas spending on pets. They discovered more than 70% of UK pet owners plan to get presents for their animals this festive season. The company also found that 11% of owners are likely to spend £40 or more, including 8% who are planning to spend more than £60. Horses definitely know it’s Christmas, right?…

‘Harvey Smith said, “You never earn owt out of nowt you know nowt about”’ My secret weapon… I have two sets of spurs that I’ve been using for 30 years. I’ve bent them a certain way to suit me. My money saving secret… Ask John Whitaker — he doesn’t spend a penny! A lesson learnt… Always make up your own mind when you walk the course. I took someone’s advice once and it didn’t work out... An evening off… At my local, the King’s Head in Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, and I always head to Lucio’s restaurant on the Fulham Road when I’m in London. I know the owner and the food is always delicious. I love a ribeye steak, too. What I would tell my 15-year-old self… Don’t panic, it’ll…

‘If the horse is as stiff as a plank it hits the bridle like a car going into a wall’ AIM MANY riders struggle with establishing a good connection, with the horse working with its hindlegs under it, over its back and through to a soft, steady contact. The reason is that they neglect the second scale of training — suppleness. If the horse is stiff as a plank, it hits the bridle like a car going into a wall. The horse needs to be able to bend through its neck and body on command. If it can’t, it’s not supple enough. To achieve a truly supple horse, I use leg-yield — a lot. The horse has to learn to move forwards and sideways, flexing at the poll, with the…

“This picture taken by my mum Felicity Richards at Marazion Beach in Cornwall is priceless. I’ve had Morenzo for over a decade and he is without doubt my horse of a lifetime, taking me from Pony Club to British Eventing. This little horse has brought me so much fun. “Unfortunately, however, he has had to retire but the beach trips are his sanity, freedom and our fun. We may be inconveniently located for eventing and competing but you just can’t beat the fresh Cornish sea air!” Carolyn Richards “This is Clare King and Lil Rockerfeller, Grade Two-winning hurdler and second in the 2017 Cheltenham Festival Stayers’ Hurdle, out autumn hunting this year with the Vine and Craven at Upper Herdswick Farm in Wiltshire.” Clare Twemlow “Running a business that does…

IN November, Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation won the last four-star event of the year, in Adelaide, Australia. This, combined with being New Zealand’s best-placed combination at the Rio Olympics (sixth), and their fifth placing at Badminton in 2016, sends out a clear signal there is another Kiwi pair with a serious chance for future titles. The competition for a place on the New Zealand team is tough, and most Kiwis aspiring to championship glory base themselves in England to compete regularly against the world’s best. Clarke, 30, however, is taking a different path. He’s proving most of the preparation can be done down under. “As long as you can put a score on the board that would be competitive in England, then I don’t think it is any different…

Creedy Barton, Shobrooke, Devon GEORGE WHYTE-MELVILLE’S poem The Good Grey Mare is the source for the name given to a sports and agricultural journal founded in 1884: Horse & Hound. Two lines, ‘But I freely admit that the best of my fun/I owe it to horse and hound’ still form the strap line on each week’s issue. That sentiment is as relevant today as it was 133 years ago: for the majority, hunting is our leisure. But it’s hard graft to pay a subscription, buy the right kit, keep a horse fit and shod and maintain transport. With so much choice available, weekend sports vie for potential revenue. Arena eventing, showjumping and dressage competitions are advertised widely on the internet. Hunts must entertain now more than ever in order to…

KATE HEWSON, 12, proved how her partnership has grown with Laithehill Flute, as they won a bronze novice with 69.04%. Kate and the six-year-old Welsh section B “Flutey” were ridden junior Heritage champions at the British Show Pony Society Championships this year (pictured). Kate said: “‘Flutey’ has matured in the year I’ve been riding him and he’s started to do some impressive stuff. When we were practising, it was difficult to keep him on his bottom in the 10m half-circle to change the rein, but he did it well at the show.” Kate, who trains with Camilla James and Leanne Wall, will take Flutey to the Area Festival finals in April. She added: “I would like to ride for the southern region in next year’s Home International.”…

WRITING this before Christmas, knowing that when this column comes out in print most of us will be stuffed with turkey, trimmings and all the associated delight of the Christmas feast with round two — New Year — yet to come, I look back at 2017 as a transitional year. Valegro’s wonderful retirement ceremony last Christmas at Olympia brought us into a year of uncertainty. The international senior championship focus for 2017 was the Europeans in Gothenburg and while poor Gareth Hughes’ luck ran out before the competition started, Emile Faurie, Spencer Wilton and I did our best and could not be too disappointed with fourth place. Watching Sönke Rothenberger ride the amazing Cosmo to that spine-tingling music was one of the moments of the year. Once again our British…

BREEDER: Stoeterij Ariane, Belgium OWNERS: Lord and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham RIDER: Scott Brash HELLO FOREVER (right) is the leading horse in the 2017 British Showjumping Horse League rankings — he was second at the end of last year. Originally produced by Gert Horsmans in the Netherlands and then British rider Stuart Harvey, the 11-year-old was acquired for Scott Brash in 2015. Hello Forever, although bred in Belgium and a registered Oldenburg, is by the famous Hanoverian showjumper For Pleasure, one of the world’s most successful showjumpers and now a leading sire — he is third in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) 2017 sire ranking (second last year). By the leading foundation sport horse sire Furioso II — a son of the British…

THE British teams’ performance at the youth European championships was our only real international success story of 2017. And it’s no co-incidence that nearly all those high achieving squad members came from professional yards. It’s that attention to detail that makes all the difference. Indeed, it’s time BS started listening to the pros to learn what’s needed to nurture these young riders to become the top competitors of tomorrow. I’ll give you an example of how this isn’t happening… Peter Charles and I were at Cherwell Show for a last run before our respective offspring jumped at the youth Europeans. With classes only up to 1.30m, we asked if they could put on a 1.40m — Pete even offered to sponsor it. No problem, said Cherwell’s organisers, but you’ll need…

NEW SCOTTISH DATES AMATEUR showing enthusiasts in Scotland and the north-east now have a more local qualifier for the SEIB Insurance Brokers 2018 Search for a Star (SFAS) competition. For the first time, Alnwick Ford Equestrian Centre in Northumberland will host the July fixture in the series, which culminates in the final at HOYS in October. Osbaldeston, Lancs, was previously the only northern venue for HOYS hopefuls, so the date at Alnwick Ford means qualifiers are more evenly distributed around the country next year. Several changes to the rules are also in the pipeline and will be published soon. “Competitors must make sure they read the rules carefully,” emphasised SEIB marketing director Nicolina MacKenzie. “It is heartbreaking for all concerned to have to disqualify someone because of a technicality that…

AT the end of the year, it’s all change on our yard. All the ponies who competed at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) have their annual holiday, whether that be out in the fields or doing something completely different work-wise. Changing their routine and letting their minds and bodies relax allows them to wind down after all the craziness and become animals again. While they are chilling, they live solely off good-quality roughage. I am fastidious about the need to strip weight off during the winter. This mirrors how they would have lived in the wild and has proven health benefits, in particular helping to minimise the risk of insulin resistance and, in association, laminitis. Stripping weight off at this stage ensures that come the spring, you can put…