Innholdsfortegnelse for 02-Jul-2020 i Horse & Hound

I HAD the joy of interviewing Anna Ross for this issue’s Life Lessons (feature, p26). It is always fun to talk to Anna – she has so much energy and wonderful, self-deprecating humour, is sharp and looks at things from other people’s view, be they sponsors or journalists, and so gives all of us what we need. Anna was one of the riders who was welcoming when I reported at shows like Patchetts in my first role at Horse & Hound as magazine assistant. She taught me about what I was watching, while making it fun. She has worked extremely hard to be in the position she is now, too. All these attributes make her a role model for aspiring riders, which is something she discusses on this week’s H&H…

RESEARCH that found uneven stirrups can have a negative effect on equine movement emphasises the importance of teamwork in approaching rider asymmetry issues, its author believes. Russell MacKechnie-Guire led a team looking at the effects of induced rider asymmetry, as part of a study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Dr MacKechnie-Guire told H&H the team used riders who were assessed by a physio to ensure they had no asymmetry, and saddle fit was checked. Advanced technology was used to assess riders and horses, then one of each rider’s stirrups was shortened by 5cm (two holes) to induce asymmetry. After a period of acclimatisation, the measurements were taken again. It was found if the left stirrup was shortened, the rider’s hips moved right and upper body leaned left.…

CUNNING PLANS The British Horse Society Scotland secured Scottish Government permission for “covered” arena use before England. The team released guidance on the benefits of indoor schools, and pictures of them, but that use of “covered” rather than “indoor” must have swung it. Brilliant. PREGNANCY A rider who shared her mare’s scan pictures online was confused when people thought she was the pregnant one. “I’m no gynaecologist but I think I’d be concerned if my own ultrasound pictures looked like that,” a pal observed. WATER JUMPS Showjumper Joe Stockdale had to rethink his course plan when a pair of swans and their babies moved in to his water tray. Horses who have always said there is something living in water trays are feeling vindicated……

What’s the best book or last book you read? Jordan B Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos – I loved it. It was insightful and thought-provoking and Jordan Peterson makes a lot of sense. What are your favourite tunes for a road-trip? It varies – Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, Post Malone... My playlist is pretty random. What was your first pony? A Welsh section A called Louis. Which famous person would you invite to dinner? Donald Trump – I’m curious to meet this enigma in real life. If not a rider, you would be… Wealthy! I’d be doing something sports related. You never lose that competitive streak. Do you speak any other languages? I’ve tried to teach myself French. Ça ne va pas bien! Which is…

Need to know COCO BONGO Age: 11 Breeding: unknown Owner: Will Calder Riders: Chloe Lemieux and Jessica Calder Greatest achievements: HOYS 133cm working hunter pony (WHP) of the year, overall WHP champion and supreme pony; BSPS Desert Orchid WHP final champion; first 133cm WHP and nursery stakes Royal Highland show; second RIHS 133cm and nursery stakes (all 2019). OWNER WILL CALDER “WE bought ‘Bluebell’ from friends of ours in Inverness. They purchased her from Ireland a couple of years before and had just done some local showing with her. It was our current producers, Russell Skelton and James Munro, who said we should give her a go. ‘She’s been out of work and she doesn’t look much at the minute, but she can certainly jump,’ they said. “My daughter Jess…

FORMER British team event rider Chuffy Clarke has made the decision to become a full-time showjumper and she made the perfect start to her new career at her first show since lockdown by winning the 1.30m open at Felbridge, Surrey, on Dirk II (pictured). Formerly a four-star eventer, Dutch-bred Dirk began showjumping in 2018 and is now competing at 1.50m level. “He was much too careful for eventing and absolutely loves showjumping,” explained Chuffy. “I’d been thinking about changing disciplines for a while, but I couldn’t see how anything could equal the buzz from going across country. It was when Dirk and I started jumping big showjumping fences that I realised it’s equally exciting!” Surrey-based Chuffy is now adjusting her yard. “I sadly have to sell some eventers to buy…

THE news that indoor arenas may be used again has been welcomed with delight in England and Scotland. On 23 June, the British Horse Society (BHS) Scotland and Horsescotland announced that “covered” arenas could be used from 29 June, in guidance approved by the Scottish Government via Sportscotland. Three days later, British Equestrian (BEF) and the BHS announced that indoor facilities in England may also be used from 4 July. H&H reported last week on the perceived inconsistencies in Government guidance for England, as non-essential shops were allowed to re-open on 15 June, but indoor arenas were not (news, 25 June). In updated Government guidance on 23 June, indoor sports facilities were not included on the list of businesses that could reopen on 4 July, but thanks to a “breakthrough”…

BRITISH SHOWJUMPING (BS) is “committed to delivering finals and championship shows for members who had been focusing on them” before lockdown began. On 26 June, BS announced plans that would allow its national championships to run at Stoneleigh as planned, from 4 to 9 August, subject to Government guidelines. All BS national championships (BSNC) and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers due to run in July are cancelled, as other home nations are still unable to compete owing to their governments’ restrictions. Should multi-day shows be allowed in August, the aim is to run the BSNC including some reallocated finals. If possible, there will be direct qualifiers at the event for some titles. A BS spokesman said: “We ask members that they understand implementing the plan depends entirely on…

BROKER UP FOR NATIONAL AWARDS INSURANCE broker SEIB has been shortlisted in four categories at the national UK Broker Awards. The awards provide recognition for companies in the insurance industry and winners will be announced online on 11 September. SEIB has been shortlisted for its Covid-19 response, marketing and customer engagement, claims team, and customer service. Bipin Thaker, SEIB financial director, said: “Everyone at SEIB, without exception, works so hard to make sure they are on hand to help our customers. The service they have provided throughout [lockdown] has been brilliant.” GUIDELINES OUT ON WATER TREADMILLS BRITISH EQUESTRIAN (BEF) is supporting new guidelines on use of water treadmills. Following research by the equine hydrotherapy group, made up of academics, vets and therapy centre managers, guidance on using water treadmills has…

British Horseracing Authority director of equine health and welfare David  Sykes is stepping down before the end of the year. David, who joined in 2017, is returning to Australia. Eventer Lissa Green has anounced her engagement to Italian Giorgio Audino. The couple met on a flight four years ago when they were sitting next to each other. Irish showjumper Peter Moloney has joined Enda Carroll’s team at the Belgium-based Ashford Farm. A spokesman for the stable said the team is delighted to welcome Peter. Point-to-point jockey and the British Horseracing Authority’s head of diversity and inclusion Rose Grissell has announced her engagement to Jack Wells, an arable farmer. The new president of the Racehorse Owners’ Association Charlie Parker  has joined the British Horseracing Authority’s board, replacing Nicholas Cooper.…

IN THE NEWS HH REBOZO Rodrigo Pessoa’s London 2012 Olympic and 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG) ride has died aged 20. The stallion scored international wins across the world and finished fourth individually at WEG 2010. BOZ The police horse has been put down aged 30. He retired from Greater Manchester Police in 2009 after a career involving numerous football matches, the Commonwealth Games and The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. SHEFFIELD The 16hh Cleveland Bay has retired following a career at the Royal Mews, pulling carriages. He took part in all major ceremonies, including Trooping the Colour, Royal Ascot and The Queen’s 90th birthday pageant.…

SKIVING A husband thought he had the perfect excuse not to go to the yard on poo-picking duty as a parcel was due the next day and of course, he had to stay in to wait for it. Imagine the disappointment when it turned up 24 hours early, but after he’d done that day’s poo-picking stint. Oh, for less efficiency… WASPS Or rather, bad week for jockey James Doyle, who eased off slightly as he had a wasp IN HIS GOGGLES. One cannot begin to imagine the sheer horror of such an experience. Hats off to James for carrying on at all. Or should that actually be goggles off? NEWS One was intrigued by a news story posted online, which stated in the headline “horses eat two prams”. Apart from…

I FELT compelled to write after reading about Graham Fletcher’s “colic policy” (opinion, 11 June). I too call out the vet immediately if I suspect a colic, having lost a horse of my own in the past. It was the most distressing sight, with me having arrived too late to help and holding her head in my lap as she was finally laid to rest. Horrific is the word I’d use, even after 20 years... What is difficult for owners is recognising the signs, so I thank the British Horse Society for helping to create the REACT Now to Beat Colic campaign. And in case you’re wondering, R stands for restless or agitated; E, eating less or dropping reduced; A, abdominal pain; C, clinical changes; T, tired or lethargic. At…

WHEN the Showing Council (TSC) was set up as an umbrella organisation, it faced an uphill struggle. Trying to get a cohesive policy from so many organisations and societies without having any authority must be like trying to herd cats. However, looking at the way bodies such as British Eventing (BE) and British Dressage (BD) are reacting to the current situation makes me think now is the time for TSC to prove itself. “Common policies are essential for showing to stay healthy” I’ve always been unsure about what it actually does, and the information on its website and Facebook page seems vague. I appreciate that it was set up to achieve more recognition for showing, but is this its chance to become more than a talking shop? Its website says…

I AM currently short on horsepower. But Henry and Cressida Legge’s home-bred Party Trick II – aka Trix-abella – is a seven-year-old mare I have had the pleasure of producing for them since she was a four-year-old. Cress rang me up knowing how I much I love mares and asked if I’d take her on. Trix-a-bella is certainly a gutsy tomboy who loves her food, so she’s on a permanent diet. If she was human, she would sit in every night stuffing her face with a Big Mac! The brown splodge on the side of her face has always caused a few chuckles from fellow riders and judges. She has had good placings at BE100 as a five- and six-year-old and is now more than ready to get going up…

“Invest in good training – if you have skill, nobody can take that away” EVERY horse I ride teaches me how little I know. They were all sent to make me a better person. Some teach you patience, some teach you to control your nerves. I like having ones we’ve bred as they come as they are and we have to work with who they are – each is a puzzle. I was based with German Olympic champion Ulla Salzgeber for an intensive period of training, and she is an extraordinarily good trainer. It’s really worth investing in good training, because the best thing you can have is your skill – it is not a coincidence that certain riders have produced horse after horse to top level. Ulla taught me…

ANYONE who knows about teaching children to ride will tell you that the pony is the key. The right ones will nurse the most anxious rider into chest-beating confidence. The wrong one can quickly take them back to square one. No surprises then, that the best Pony Club ponies very rarely go on the market. Getting hold of them requires focus; staking them out at shows and hunter trials and acting quickly to secure that vital first refusal. The timing might be out, but sometimes you simply have to grab them when you can. This was the case for Tori Haworth when her mother, a former district commissioner (DC) of the Lord Leconfield Hunt branch of the Pony Club, discovered that 12hh Wolfie was coming up for sale. “I wasn’t…

E Feed the pony a carrot correctly. Show trot (rising is not necessary) on the leading rein. D Know the basic needs of a pony in summer and winter. Understand and show a correct position in the saddle at halt. D+ Know colours, markings and basic points of the pony. Give a simple definition of a pony working forwards. C Be able to do up a curb chain correctly. Understand the meaning of rhythm and tempo. C+ Describe a hunter (general purpose) shoe. Know the sequence of the pony’s legs at all paces. B Explain how to take the horse’s temperature, pulse and respiration rates, and know what these should be. Explain the distances between trotting poles, a placing pole to a fence and a one-stride double.…

The Investec Derby English King Bay colt by Camelot out of Platonic (Zafonic) Form: 71-1 Foaled: 11 April 2017 Breeder: Ecurie Des Monceaux Et Al Owner: Bjorn Nielsen Trainer: Ed Walker Jockey: Frankie Dettori BUSINESSMAN and racehorse owner/breeder Bjorn Nielsen has enjoyed a run of success with brilliant Stradivarius, who recently won a third Ascot Gold Cup. Nielsen jokes he has been trying to breed a Derby winner for years and instead created one of racing’s great stayers. However, English King – a horse bred in France and bought by Nielsen as a yearling for €210,000 – could provide him with Epsom glory. A winner at Newcastle last year (the second and third-placed won next time out), he then showed acceleration and power when winning last month’s Lingfield Derby trial.…

LAURA MANTEL was on form at Rectory Farm, winning two classes on Laura Renwick’s home-bred horses. After newcomers victory on six-year-old Maleficent II, a daughter of former international performer Parvati De Breve, she took the 1.30m honours with eight-year-old Maverick (pictured). This was Laura’s first show on Maverick. “He came home with me in March when we returned from Portugal and he’s already the yard favourite,” she said. Laura was impressed by her first show since lockdown. “We’re hopefully going to jump in France next week, so I needed to get the horses out. This show was so friendly and enjoyable, but the emphasis was on safety,” she said. “It poured with rain and the girl who ran the collecting ring got soaked, but she was still smiling at the…

1997: Desert King (jockey Christy Roche) 2001: Galileo (Mick Kinane) 2002: High Chaparral (Mick Kinane) 2006: Dylan Thomas (Kieren Fallon) 2007: Soldier Of Fortune (Seamie Heffernan) 2008: Frozen Fire (Seamie Heffernan) 2009: Fame And Glory (Johnny Murtagh) 2010: Cape Blanco (Johnny Murtagh) 2011: Treasure Beach (Colm O’Donoghue) 2012: Camelot (Joseph O’Brien) 2014: Australia (Joseph O’Brien) 2017: Capri (Seamie Heffernan) 2019: Sovereign (Paddy Beggy) 2020: Santiago (Seamie Heffernan)…

PUPPY shows and hound shows, together with all the associated pomp and circumstance, are a very British tradition, one would think. Or are they? In fact, most people who have a love for their hounds also want to show them off, and this applies worldwide. Captain Brian Fanshawe, a brilliant amateur huntsman and a much-respected judge of hounds, used to say that if he had his time again he would have hunted hounds in Australia. He eulogised about the rolling open grasslands near Melbourne that in many ways lend themselves to foxhunting as he knew it, without the pressures of overpopulation that we suffer with in the UK. Foxes are not native to Australia and were introduced in the 19th century especially for hunting. Likewise, the foxhound was an import…

SHOWING legend Robert Oliver, who celebrated his 80th birthday in May, holds a unique place in the record books. In a career spanning some 70 years, he has won and been champion in every category of horse class at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International (RIHS) – many times over – and his animals have stood supreme multiple times at both shows. Since posting their first HOYS wins in 1970, Oliver-produced horses have claimed more than 40 HOYS championships in total, including 12 cob, nine hunter, six hack, two riding horse, two ladies’ and five small hunter titles. Robert took the coveted hunter tricolour at Royal Windsor four years running with the middleweight Kings Warrior, who also topped the line at RIHS and HOYS three times, standing…

with whom I spent a lot of time when I was young; I used to ride for him sometimes,” says Robert. “Year after year, he would break in a youngster, show it to be champion, hunt it and then point-to-point or hunter chase it. He did this on several occasions, and one was a lovely brown middleweight called Basnet, who won many classes and was second with me at The Royal. Then he went chasing and was favourite for the Grand National one year.”…

“Our association lasted more than 15 years; my word, did we have some fun along the way and we never disagreed. “We used to party at people’s wagons after the day’s classes – it was all about nonsense and mickey-taking then; there was never any bad feeling between competitors. I remember once at Royal Cornwall, Robert got me so drunk I couldn’t walk – somehow he got me back to my lorry. To this day, I have no idea how.”…

“ROBERT always made his horses look so good, and I hoped I would be able to get mine going as well as he did,” says Allister (pictured), Robert’s friend and rival. “He invariably looked comfortable, as though he was just sitting there enjoying himself. “He once gave me a piece of advice which I’ve never forgotten. We were at HOYS when it was at Wembley, and he told me the preparation for this show was like no other. He said that when you work your horse in, and get to the point where you feel it’s going well and you’ve done enough, give it 10 to 20 minutes more work – 20 if it is a bit sharp; 10 if it’s more level-headed. I still do that.”…

IN THE NEWS LUIBANTA BH British showjumper Amanda Derbyshire and her European team bronze medal-winning ride made a victorious return to international competition, securing the opening class and the grand prix at the Tryon CSI2* (25–28 June). TOLEDO DE KERSER The world team gold medallist is entered for his first event since his CCI5* win at Pau 2019 with longterm rider, Tom McEwen. The 13-year-old gelding is set to make his 2020 debut at Barbury (11–12 July). KEW GARDENS The 2018 St Leger winner has retired to stud aged five and will stand under Coolmore’s National Hunt banner next season. The son of Galileo also triumphed in the Group One Grand Prix de Paris.…

A SHOWJUMPER who was banned for two years after her horse tested positive for a prohibited substance has won her appeal against the sanction, as it was proven a driver urinating in the horsebox caused the result. Swiss rider Nadja Peter Steiner was banned and fined by the FEI Tribunal in February, in relation to Saura De Fondcombe’s positive test for O-desmethyltramadol, a metabolite of painkiller tramadol, in Morocco in October 2017. Nadja originally believed the result was caused by the horse licking the hand of a member of show staff but the Tribunal found she had been unable to establish the source of the positive sample. On appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the arbitrator was told Nadja’s driver, who had taken tramadol for back pain,…

MORE education is needed to better understand how horse behaviour can reflect underlying pain, a study indicates. In the research, led by veterinary orthopaedic specialist Sue Dyson, 60 sports and riding school horses, considered sound by their owners, were assessed using a ridden horse pain ethogram (RHpE). This comprises a list of 24 behaviours more likely in lame than sound horses; the presence of eight or more is likely to reflect pain. The horses were also assessed for lameness during the test. Of the 60, 73% had low-grade lameness, 47% gait abnormalities in canter, and 47% ill-fitting saddles. Lame horses had higher RHpE scores than non-lame horses. The study was an extension of work that had shown specific facial expressions and other behaviours are a reliable indicator of musculoskeletal pain.…

COULD there be a better address for a dressage fan? A road in Newent, Gloucestershire, has been named after the area’s greatest equine star. Valegro’s co-owner Carl Hester told H&H he did not know about the road’s name until a friend sent him a picture. “It looks like a very nice close,” he said. “People in the area are saying they love it and would like to move there.” Plans are also being made for the unveiling of a statue of the double Olympic champion, to stand in the Newent town square. “It’s amazing he’s being recognised for everything he’s done,” said Carl.…

I’VE finally made it back to Britain, having been stuck in the USA for three months with flight after flight being cancelled. I have to say I’ve never felt safer travelling, with both Atlanta and Heathrow airports akin to ghost towns and social distancing extreme with a virtually empty aeroplane over the Atlantic. This has been the longest ever time to have been away from home, so my two-week self isolation does not seem too much of a hardship! In June, we had horse trials returning in America under strict Covid-19 rules. It seems to have been a successful process, if not normal in any way with masks, social distancing, no spectators and so on. It was thoroughly policed and I beg everyone in this country to follow the British…

AS the nation emerges from a global pandemic, a skeleton staff at British Showjumping (BS) has made Herculean efforts to ensure the sport was one of the first to return competitively. But in the midst of it all, an opinion piece in H&H penned by Nick Skelton put further spotlight on the sport’s governing body. The Olympic champion called for a major restructure of the sport, igniting some fierce debate among the membership, some of which we featured in H&H (“The big debate”, 28 May). So what was the reaction of BS’s chief executive of 10 years, Iain Graham – does he believe British showjumping needs a shake-up? “If we turn our minds back to 2014, we were getting blamed for shaking the sport up too much,” he replies, referring…

B+ Demonstrate an understanding of pace and balance for a variety of cross-country fences. AH Explain treatment of coughs, colds, flu and strangles, and discuss current thinking on causes, treatment and preventative measures of laminitis, tying up and atypical myopathy. A You are given two or three schooled horses – at least one in a double bridle – to ride in an indoor school. Assess each horse: before riding, direct transitions, turn on the forehand, leg yield, travers, shoulder-in, counter canter, simple change, rein back, walk pirouette and variations within the pace appropriate to the horse’s level of training.…

The Curragh, Co Kildare, Ireland SANTIAGO is rapidly becoming Aidan O’Brien’s star colt from his Classic generation. Eight days after winning the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, he led home a one-two-three-four for the stable in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday, 27 June, giving the trainer a record-extending 14th victory in the race. No less than 10 of the 15 runners – the largest field assembled for the race since The Minstrel won it in 1977 – were trained by members of the O’Brien family (Aidan, Joseph and Donnacha). But ultimately it was the same old story – the winner was trained by the incomparable Aidan O’Brien. Once or twice the race has not quite gone quite to script for the Ballydoyle team with Epsom Derby winner…