Innholdsfortegnelse for 17-Mar-2022 i Horse & Hound

REIGNING Olympic and European dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her stunning mare TSF Dalera BB oozed power and relaxation when they won over judges and audiences in Tokyo last summer. That combination is the holy grail for dressage riders, and something so very hard to achieve, as Laura Tomlinson discusses in her comment this week (opinion, p14). In this our dressage special, we have also dedicated a feature to asking top riders how they train to achieve the level of relaxation needed in a competition horse also expected to offer unlimited expression and movement (feature, p30), with some practical pointers for those hoping to impress at championships themselves this year, whatever the level. As for the World Championships, with Jessica revealing the wonderful news that she is pregnant with…

IMHOTEP The nine-year-old, owned by Carl Hester and Coral Ingham, made a winning grand prix debut with Charlotte Dujardin at Myerscough Premier League. The Everdale son scored 77.83%. Report, p54 INNUENDO III Sophie Christiansen’s “Louie” has died aged 15 following a bout of colic. They won at international level and were picked for the Tokyo Paralympics, withdrawing owing to a minor veterinary issue. ROCK MODEL Vittoria Panizzon’s Olympic eventer and European medallist will be remembered by a trophy at the Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby, provided by breeder Sarah Bullen. It will go to the CCI3*-S winner.…

LACK of information and openness about menopause is needlessly affecting some riders’ wellbeing and enjoyment of equestrian sport. H&H has spoken to numerous riders who found their enjoyment of life and riding had been seriously affected by symptoms, such as severe anxiety, mood swings, weight gain and physical pain – but they had no idea at the time these were linked to perimenopause or menopause. Some reached the verge of giving up horses, for many their lifelong passion and exercise, and others had stopped riding altogether. They were all keen to share their stories to help others avoid suffering in silence – and to show that help is there. “You don’t have to suffer in silence, or give up the thing you love”DIANE DANZEBRINK Menopause is most common between the…

Edited by Polly Bryan polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 WITH relaxation in dressage horses taking centre stage as part of this week’s H&H dressage special issue (feature, p30), I wanted to add my thoughts on the topic. As one of the key aspects in the scales of training, it should seem an obvious prerequisite for “good” dressage, yet it is actually harder to achieve than one might think. At the higher levels, our horses are expected to move, in the words of my father, “like the earth is on fire,” and yet have the calmness to execute a test with laser precision. It is all too easy to lose that illusive relaxation along the way of teaching horses the balance and explosiveness they need for plus-70% scores at grand prix. “The key is…

PROXIMAL SUSPENSORY DESMITIS (PSD) can affect horses of all ages and disciplines, but it is a particularly common problem in dressage horses. Dressage movements such as piaffe and canter pirouette result in increased extension of the hind fetlock joints and increase loading of the hind suspensory ligaments. Other factors are also in play, such as the horse’s conformation – horses with straight hocks often also hyperextend their hind fetlock joints, and there is an association with PSD. Fitness has an influence too – an unfit horse will develop muscular fatigue more quickly than a fit individual, and this may in turn lead to incoordination and predispose the animal to injury. Once a horse has reached skeletal maturity, training only increases wear and tear on tendons and ligaments, so it is…

“ONE of the biggest areas of development has been in diagnostic testing to help identify if a person is dyslexic,” says Helen Goodsall, knowledge and information manager at the British Dyslexia Association. “Once a person has been diagnosed, they can receive the correct help and support. Early intervention and multi-sensory teaching can hugely benefit dyslexics.” Sadly, however, dyslexia being detected and diagnosed is still a lottery due to a lack of funding – it can cost around £700 to be diagnosed. “Dyslexia is considered to be an educational issue, not a medical one, so is not covered under the NHS,” says Helen. “Dyslexia is also not covered in any great detail in teacher training, despite our campaigning. Those children that don’t get picked up or helped become more and more…

YOU can’t go hunting without hounds, and by sheer weight of reputation I would choose Sir Peter Farquhar’s Portman hounds of the 1950s. Just think of all those wonderful stallion hounds that shaped the packs of both Ronnie Wallace and the 10th Duke of Beaufort: Portman Lorimer 47, Playfair 51 and Wizard 55, to name but a few, and that’s without mentioning his bitches. What fun it would be to see them all in action. The best huntsman I have ever seen is Martin Thornton when he was hunting the Belvoir hounds. He was extremely effective and a very complete huntsman. I remember having a really good hunt with him, and eventually they ran out of the vale and into the woodlands at Belvoir Castle. We all thought that would…

Para Winter Championships, Myerscough College, Lancs RIDING at her first para championships, Vicky Earnshaw claimed the silver and bronze grade III titles with former eventer Aldo MW. Sarah Gowing’s rising 16-year-old KWPN gelding has proved a natural in his new career, according to Vicky, who said: “It has taken a little time to change his thought process, but he has an amazing temperament for para dressage and does better at a show than at home. “I’m new to it, but it’s a really good challenge,” said Vicky, who has had a lengthy career in ablebodied dressage and was graded for para dressage last year due to chronic rheumatoid arthritis. “So many people have helped me, including trainers Wade Barley, Sarah Carlisle and Paul Hayler. It’s such a team effort.” Grade…

A WINTER working Loxleys Optimism (pictured) at home paid dividends for Dannie Morgan, who scored a plus-70% PSG gold win with the 11-year-old gelding at Merrist Wood College Winter Regionals, Surrey. “Lox”, who was bred by his owner Claire Speer, is by Lord Loxley and out of Sheepcote World Of Optimism. “There are no weaknesses in his paces and he’s training some of the grand prix work at home,” said Dannie, who started competing him last summer. “He hasn’t been out since December, but he’s a cool customer. That was the best test he has done so far.” ONE TO WATCH…

Edited by Alex Robinson alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ Mid Wales Winter Show, Celaeron EC, Ceredigion YOUNG Welsh section B stallion Cadlanvalley Masterclass (Max) strode to the supreme of show title on his first ridden outing, offering a glimpse of what’s to come. The four-year-old, who is by former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) mountain and moorland (M&M) champion Cadlanvalley Buzby, and 17-year-old A-level student Libby Grota topped the National Pony Society (NPS) novice ridden championship on route to the show’s highest title. Max was sold as a foal to Steph and Janet Mansfield, who have always hoped he would contend the ridden circuit after many promising in-hand triumphs. “Steph and Janet had always wanted Libby to ride him eventually, so we picked him up last September from the Royal Welsh,” said…

THE majority of us are amateur riders on normal, everyday horses; all shapes and sizes of both, all abilities, doing our best in a less than perfect way. When it comes to the horses and ponies we see daily, it is often a case of “handsome is as handsome does”. Here, if the horse or pony has the heart to haul its human up a big hill with relative ease and down a precipice to the other side without burying them, that will do nicely thank you. Very few hunters are looking their best at this time of year with clips growing out and summer coats emerging. Some, like Jim, are ribby and waiting desperately for the spring grass to grow. Elite competition horses seem to inhabit a different universe…

Edited by Eleanor Jones Share your news story Call 01252 555021 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @jones_eleanor_ THE question of what more can be done to raise the profile of grooms, their value and their working conditions has come to the fore, as more examples of illegal employment surface, especially at competition yards. H&H reported on the debate at the National Equine Forum (NEF) on the skills shortage, and how major change is needed to ensure a sustainable workforce (news, 10 March). H&H has also repeatedly covered the plight of many staff in the sector, which is notorious for its widespread lack of adherence to employment law. Repeated surveys have shown many incidences of grooms being paid less than the minimum wage, employed without legal necessities such as contracts and paid holiday, or…

EQUESTRIAN AID FOR UKRAINE EQUESTRIAN organisations have come together to launch the British Equestrians for Ukraine appeal, to aid the equine crisis in the country. The appeal, set up by British Equestrian (BEF), World Horse Welfare, the British Equestrian Trade Association and the British Horse Society, with support of member bodies, will help facilitate a supply chain to meet immediate need. “This is a dire situation and alongside the immediate humanitarian crisis, we must do everything we can to prevent the unnecessary suffering of all equines and help those who care for them,” said BEF CEO Jim Eyre. • Visit worldhorsewelfare.org to donate BRITISH DRESSAGE MEMBERSHIP UP IT has been a record-breaking start to the year for British Dressage (BD). It has exceeded 18,000 members for the first time; the…

Jump jockey Brian Hughes reached his 1,500th career winner, with She’s A Rocca at Newcastle on 11 March for trainer Nicky Richards. Last month Brian surpassed 150 wins this season. Olympic and European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl is pregnant with her second child. Jessica, who won the World Cup leg on 12 March with TSF Dalera BB, is due in August. British Horseracing Authority chair Annamarie Phelps will step down when her term ends in May. Joe Saumarez Smith will become chair until his board term ends next September. Eventer Piggy March took four wins at Oasby in Lincolnshire (10-13 March), with Brookfield Inocent, Brookfield Kept In The Darco, Brookfield Future News, and Dassett Arthalent. Report, p50. Trainer Nick Alexander landed a 2,193/1 five-timer at Ayr on 12 March, with…

▲ TUCKING IN A Government press release that stated “Natural England prescribes ponies and pasties to improve wellbeing” wings its way to H&H Towers and no more needed to be read. Could this be the best thing the Government has ever done? And where do we sign up? ▲ SKILLS Spotted, on video, Carl Hedin pulling off a cheeky piaffe while riding bareback and bitless, sipping from a can of drink without spilling a drop. Meanwhile some of us are still trying to master our sitting trot. Without much success. ▲ LANGUAGE Overheard, a young rider referring to her neckstrap as the “ocean strap”. To her puzzled coach, in wide-eyed innocence, she explained, “That’s what Mummy calls it.” We doubt that’s exactly what Mummy’s saying, but it’ll do… ▼ MORE…

1) What was Esha Ness’s claim to fame? 2) Which horse of the Household Cavalry was nicknamed Sharky and why? 3) The popular doll My Little Pony started with a diff erent name – what was it? 4) Name the US racehorse whose manure was sent to the Campbell’s Soup Company for use in the manufacture of mushroom soup. 5) What did the Aga Khan gift to Princess Elizabeth on her marriage to Prince Philip in 1947? Answers from 10 March 1) Hugh Thomas 2) He won the inaugural Cheltenham Gold Cup 3) RS Surtees 4) A treacle and gin drink, once thought to soothe colds and sore throats 5) Roy Rogers’ Trigger, $266,500.…

Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald I’VE seen many changes in style and technique over my time in the sport. Today’s courses, for instance, bear very little resemblance to when I first started. One thing that hasn’t altered, however, is how to produce a horse to fulfil its maximum potential. And there remain two schools of thought on that – win as much as you can by going as fast as you can in jump-offs or give them a bit more time in the air, so they get the belief and confidence to go on to the next level. “Our system doesn’t just look old-fashioned, it looks positively archaic”GRAHAM ON COURSE-DESIGN I’m all for teaching horses to turn up to jumps – that’s essential in their production. But those that…

THE WHISPERS Whinney Hill, Carlton, N Yorks For you: a four-bedroom bungalow set in open countryside within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For the horses: a well-established equestrian centre with four stable blocks, including 27 looseboxes in total, as well as substantial outbuildings. There is both an indoor manège and floodlit all-weather outdoor arena, together with a five-horse walker. There are approximately 12 acres of good grazing land that is divided into paddocks – all are fenced or hedged, and with water. OIEO £1m Charltons, 01748 822525, charltonsestateagents.com SILVERTOP HOUSE Kiln Pit Hill, Newfield, Northumberland For you: a six-bed period stone-built house that’s been renovated to give light, airy accommodation. There is an orangery and about an acre of mature gardens. For the horses: a large steel barn contains three…

“I don’t think you can have too much relaxation in a dressage test,” says multiple Paralympic gold medallist Natasha Baker. “Relaxation and harmony – that’s what gets the marks. But what we’re aiming for is relaxed power, which can be hard to achieve.” Natasha refers to that tricky balance where the horse is calm but ready to respond and working with activity and purpose. While this happy state may be reachable at home, when the pressure’s off, relaxation can be elusive when movements increase in difficulty and the training is taken into the arena. “Certain horse-rider combinations cope differently with pressure,” says Natasha, who idolises the apparently effortless relaxation shown by reigning Olympic and European champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her mare TSF Dalera BB (pictured). “Even with the best…

IRISH horses feature here more than any other, but caveat emptor. “He’d been vetted in Ireland,” says Tiverton joint-master Annabel Brooks-Ward, “but the vet here found he was half-blind!” She took a chance on four-year-old, 16hh-ish Irish Sport Horse Patrick (“he was nameless and from Ireland, so…”) as a young eventer in 1996. “He was blind in his right eye, so sometimes would run to the left and stop every so often.” Annabel admits she worried about him being a keeper, but once he started hunting, his confidence grew and he never stopped again. After starting on the Marlborough Downs, “wonderful open hacking”, they moved to Sandhurst. “It’s rare to find a horse that will do everything and is a nice person”ANNABEL ON “AMAZING ALL-ROUNDER” PATRICK “We would pass regiments…

Edited by Pippa Roome pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Bede Events Oasby (1), Lincs PIGGY MARCH picked up the new eventing season where she left off with her 2021 European Championships individual silver medallist, Brookfield Inocent, who won open intermediate section M on his 27.5 dressage. In fact, Piggy won four of the seven sections she competed in at Oasby, with her lowest placing being fifth. “Brookfield Inocent felt fabulous and it was great to be back out,” said Piggy of the 13-year-old, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry. “He’s an aeroplane across country and he felt very grown up first time out this year, whereas in previous years he’s taken a few events to settle.” Piggy is aiming Brookfield Inocent at Badminton as “plan A”. “He had a good…

Edited by Polly Bryan polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 Myerscough Premier League, Lancashire CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN and Imhotep were easy winners of Sunday’s grand prix, with over 7% in hand over the previous evening’s grand prix freestyle winner, Kathleen Kröncke with Hampton Court 2. “It’s been a very, very good day,” said Charlotte, who couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice after scoring 77.83%. “I can’t wait for the future with this horse; he has no weaknesses and so much energy.” This was the first outing for the nine-year-old Everdale son since Horse of the Year Show last autumn at inter I level, and Charlotte had been keen to get a grand prix score recorded in order to take him abroad, with her eye on Hagen in April. “When you ride him, there is…

Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A CLASS? Email jennifer.donald@futurenet.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number 148cm Pony Premier, Arena UK, Lincolnshire RUBY BARRS was one of two riders to tally four Charles Britton Equestrian Construction winter JA classic victories, when she secured another win at the final 148cm pony premier of the winter season. The 14-year-old rider has already claimed three of these bigtrack classes with the mare Faith X, but this time headed Sunday’s class with newer ride Zucan V. The partnership produced one of only two second-round clears, electing to call it a tie with Tabitha Kyle and Atomic Du Bary. Ruby has been riding 17-year-old Zucan since the…

Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Sandown Racecourse, Surrey IN many ways, Sandown’s Imperial Cup meeting is the phoney war before this week’s Cheltenham Festival, but there were two wins that gave significant pointers to the way things might be expected to go this week. The first, ominously, was the 20/1 victory of the sole Irish runner, Suprise Package, in the Paddy Power-sponsored feature race and the second was the runaway win of Luccia in the mares’ bumper. The Imperial Cup is always a competitive race and usually offers a bonus for any horse winning it and going on to win at the Festival, but that has been dropped this year. It might not stop the gelding’s trainer Peter Fahey having a crack at the County Hurdle all the same.…

Edited by Gemma Redrup gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Dart Vale and Haldon Harriers, Buckfastleigh, Devon JOCKEY Josh Newman opened the Dart Vale meeting by scoring a brace of wins, taking the hunt members’ with Susan Darke’s 10-year-old Minimalistic, followed by the maiden riding Stellar Stream for trainer Neil McLean. “That was my fourth win on Minimalistic,” said Josh. “Today should have been a formality and the only way he’d have been beaten is if I messed up. The ground was hard work but he coped fine – we didn’t get out of a slow hack.” This was Josh’s fourth ride on the five-year-old Stellar Stream. “He’s a big, raw youngster with a lot of growing up mentality still to do, but he was good today,” added Josh. “We were up near the…

ONE idea aimed at helping improve the situation is Supergrooms, set up by Ellie Osborne – who thought she had found a gap in the market when she needed cover for her horses – with Jade Payne and Hannah Gibb, both of whom are grooms and riders. They are developing an app, with which grooms can register for £3.50 a month, and those looking for freelancers can search for the right person. Grooms will have to provide documents such as proof of public liability insurance and British Grooms Association membership, and they fill in what work they can do and where. Clients register, fill in the details of the job and suitable grooms will have a chance to quote. “We are passionate about grooms earning a fair wage for the…

I RECENTLY read an article written by someone selling a pony. They complained that parents brought their children to view the pony, spent a lot of time with it, but did not buy or get back to the seller. While I sympathise with the seller, this is a two-way street. Some sellers advertise their horses but don’t respond to telephone calls or emails. The ones that do say, “I have someone viewing, can you ring tomorrow?” Fine, if only they’d answer their phone. And after emphasising that you’re looking for a safe, 15.2hh allrounder – but are met with a 17hh, fi re-breathing monster – owners can be rude: “You should have read the advert.” Finally, what is meant by “this horse needs a competent rider”? That you can walk,…

“I CAN’T see why I need a website. I’ve survived without one for this long,” says Andrew Nicholson with just a whisper of truculence in his voice. This is not what his wife Wiggy wants to hear. She has spent many hours planning and creating the very first “Andrew Nicholson” website, andrewnicholsoneventing.com, which is now live. While the technical side has been handled by racing PR superwoman Liz Ampairee and the former champion jockey turned photographer Richard Dunwoody, Wiggy is the only person who could possibly decide on the content. Who else could balance the scales so that it reflects the person Andrew is; one of the greatest event riders – and horsemen – of any generation, and confident in that position, but contemptuous of self-promotion in any way with…

THE suspensory ligament is a strong band of tissue that supports a horse’s fetlock joints. It extends from the back of the upper cannon and knee (in forelimbs) or hock (in hindlimbs), to its attachments to the sesamoid bones at the level of the fetlock. In the lower cannon region, it divides into inside and outside branches, which attach to the sesamoid bones. The distal sesamoidean ligaments then extend as a functional continuation of the suspensory ligament, from the sesamoids to the pastern. The suspensory ligament can be injured anywhere along its length: the origin (proximal suspensory desmitis), the body of the ligament, or the branches (suspensory branch desmitis).…

IMAGINE entering a dressage arena and not being able to read the letters, or struggling to count the correct number of flying changes because you can’t add up. For people with dyslexia, this is what can hold them back from a successful competition career despite their passion, commitment and talent. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects reading and writing skills, but it can also impact a person’s memory and how they process visual and auditory information. It can also impact organisational skills, multitasking and communication. “Dyslexia can have a significant impact during education, in the workplace and in everyday life,” explains Helen Goodsall, knowledge and information manager at the British Dyslexia Association. “An individual’s experience of dyslexia can vary hugely from mild to severe and it is a…

“I DID some international competitions on the violin, so I’m quite used to performing,” said Molly Sharples, who claimed novice straight and freestyle silver sections with Sheepcote Jackson at Prestige Equestrian – her first-ever regionals. After 15 years studying classical music, Molly took up dressage two years ago when she started working at Sheepcote Equestrian. “It was the best thing I’ve ever done”MOLLY SHARPLES “It was the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “It’s horses all day, every day at Sheepcote and I’m learning so much. There are many parallels with dressage and classical music, especially with the discipline required. As a violinist and harpist, I would practise for eight hours a day.”…