Innholdsfortegnelse for 5-Jan-2023 i Horse & Hound

THE discovery of a gene linked to equine kissing spines - and their severity - could help prevent the condition, it is thought. Researchers in the US examined X-rays and genotypes of “stock-type” and warmblood horses. They found one variant, or allele, linked to an average increase in one kissing spines severity grade for each of the horse’s two copies of the allele. Christa Lafayette, CEO of Etalon Diagnostics in Menlo Park, California, told H&H the scientists in the company are also “horse people”. She added that when she asked vets what conditions they would like to combat, which may be inherited, “top of the list was kissing spines”. “If you can prevent kissing spines in the first place, that’s better” JENNY ADAMSON “So we decided to see if we…

HORSE&HOUND THE INTERVIEW IN a lovely stable at Holly Woodhead’s new base stands the familiar bright face of the horse who has been by her side through it all. DHI Lupison (Luke), at 19 years young, has been the defining horse of Holly’s career to date, and by her side for her entire adult life so far. His name is written with hers through the highs - and he’s a constant friend in his quiet companionship through the tough times. And there have been both of those. “He’s my world,” says Holly, 29. “I’ve had him since he was seven, and he’s been in every yard and all over the country with me.” Holly’s journey from her meteoric successes at a young age has been a roller coaster. She has…

THERE have been four confirmed cases of Taylorella equigenitalis in the UK since the beginning of 2020, with two cases in 2022 (up to 15 December) in Gloucestershire and Nottinghamshire. In 2022, in the rest of Europe there was one case in France and 27 outbreaks affecting 36 horses in Germany, most of which were in the Icelandic breed. All of the cases in the UK were in recently imported stallions. Three were detected as part of routine pre-breeding disease screening and one was discovered following investigative testing after it came to light that another linked stallion on a premises in the Netherlands had tested positive for CEM. In all cases, a veterinary surgeon registered with BEVA to manage CEM assisted in the treatment and resolution of cases. Cases are…

EVENTING Alex Holman ALEX HOLMAN hit the headlines when he and Carrick Diamond Bard led the dressage in the under-25 class at Bramham last summer, his first CCI4*-L, finishing fifth. “That was a really good confidence boost,” says the 25-year-old. Aside from a “pathetic fall” at Blenheim, the pair have converted confidence from Bramham into good results since. They were 10th at Burgham CCI4*-S and 11th at Lignières CCI4*-L and are qualified for a fivestar debut at Badminton. “It’s crazy thinking about such big things,” says Alex. “I train with Caroline Moore and she thinks we’d be ready and ‘Jerry’ would be well suited to Badminton, so one or two British five-stars are next year’s aim, plus some Nations Cups. I’ve always wanted a British flag since I got into…

LIKE humans, many horses have enjoyed a quiet time on the fitness front over the festive season. Perhaps you had a jam-packed autumn, you enjoyed some downtime from riding over the festivities, or the dark nights and unfavourable weather simply meant less opportunity to ride. But now that the buzz of Christmas is well and truly over, thoughts will soon be turning to preparation for the upcoming season - and bringing horses back into work. Of course every horse is an individual, and one of the biggest considerations should be how long a horse had off, and what exactly this entailed. A sport horse who had a fortnight’s holiday will hold fitness more than a heavier type who has had four weeks off - and a horse turned out 24…

RIDING IN FRANCE I WOULD say that riding holidays are not usually my thing. If you knew me well, you’d question if I’ve wiped the memories of flying up and down Welsh beaches every year in my teens or riding among the “Big Five” in South Africa on a gap year from my mind. These were truly wonderful trips, but I have to confess that in recent times, a “horsey holiday” hasn’t even made it to the shortlist because such a trip is something of a busman’s holiday for someone for whom horses are not only their hobby, but also their day job. However, when H&H asked if I would mind terribly going to France, more specifically Normandy, on a riding holiday, I hadn’t been anywhere further than friends’ houses…

Kelsall Hill, Cheshire GEORGIE HILTON’S Czech import Daily Fun headed the FMBs Therapy Systems star qualifier, meaning the 19-year-old will again head to the Blue Chip Championships, where he won the novice title back in 2008. The grey gelding has been a great campaigner for Georgie, who went on an impulse trip to Prague to buy him as a four-year-old. “My dad and I always wanted a grey by Parco and I was searching the internet and found him advertised by Tenerife Stables. I said, ‘Here you go, Dad, we can go to Tenerife!’ I fell in love, rang about him and it turned out he was actually in Prague. “We flew over and he came back home with us. He’s been the best horse, I’ll never have another like…

ONE TO WATCH THE most deserving winner of the Christmas-New Year period was The Two Amigos (pictured) in the Coral Welsh Grand National. He has been a standing dish in long-distance handicap chases - except for the Grand National where he would struggle to see over the fences - for his Exmoor owner-trainer Nicky Martin. The handicapper had finally shown him some mercy and with David Prichard’s 5lb claim, he thought he was loose, made all the running and ran on when challenged by The Big Breakaway after the last. “I'm over the moon,” said Prichard, whose sister Charlotte is a successful jockey in France. “I’m lucky to be associated with such a good horse. Today he got the right ground, it was far enough and he had a featherweight.…

THE makers and users of a bridle that was designed to enhance the comfort of ridden horses by avoiding restriction of nerves and myofascia in the horse’s face, are “astounded” it has been banned. The Quantum snaffle bridle was designed by Indy Dinky saddle creators Jill and Doug Hick and bitting expert Gill Batt. It was approved by the FEI, and so also British Dressage (BD), four years ago, but in the autumn Quantum was told the bridle would not be allowed in competition from this year. Ms Batt told H&H that when the bridle was approved, its creators sent the FEI all the research and explanations. “There’s been two rule changes since and no problem, and no communication until November, when we were told it would be banned,” she…

GROOMS have been sharing the huge positives of what they do “the best job in the world”. H&H has reported on the industry’s staffing crisis, and grooms have spoken about bad experiences and what needs to change to attract and keep the best employees. But other grooms have spoken about why they love what they do. Abbie Salter, head girl for international eventer Jodie Amos, told H&H she started a blog about the positives of grooming, which has proved very popular. “There’s a bad stigma attached to being a groom,” she said. “When I started, I didn’t get paid a lot and worked long hours. I think people still think it’s like that, but it’s a good job, it’s life-changing and I’d love more people to be positive about it.”…

DESPITE the gloomy weather and perhaps a fuzzy head courtesy of the festive season, the New Year is an opportunity to start afresh and set goals. While some good intentions might fall by the wayside by 2 January, making New Year resolutions - large or small - gives us all something to aim for. Having had such a successful 2022, British national dressage champion Gareth Hughes is aiming to build on his triumphs, but is also aware of the importance of balance. “Repeating the success we had in 2022 would be good but, having said that, my most important non-horsey resolution is to spend more time at home,” he says. His wife Rebecca no doubt shares one of her resolutions with millions of others: “I guess the sensible answer would…

HORSES are expensive, as is any professional sport under the equestrian umbrella. There are lots of ways to make money as a rider: coaching, liveries, schooling, competing and so on. But there’s also something available, free, to everyone, that can allow riders of all levels to attract lucrative sponsorships and support, and yet very few riders utilise this fully. And that’s social media. Many riders have social media accounts, but they can often be seen as an unnecessary, extra job. However, utilising these platforms can be huge for a rider’s personal brand and any business they run by attracting owners and their list of sponsors and supporters. With more and more brands moving towards influencers and away from professional riders due to their skill on social media, the quality and…

TURKISH DELIGHTS AS I lay in my sleeping bag, listening to a thunderstorm raging outside my bell tent and felt the fine rain falling on me inside, I did momentarily ponder my life choices. When the chance to go on a trail-riding holiday in Turkey, plus a weekend riding in Wales, came up earlier in the year courtesy of riding holiday agents Saddle Travel, I jumped at the chance. I had not been to Turkey before, but I envisaged riding along beaches in beautiful sunshine, cantering through the forests and swimming in the sea. The implications of the fact we were going to be camping for several nights in late November and had been warned to wear short riding boots with thick grippy rubber soles, rather than traditional smooth-soled riding…

HUNTING IT was 11.45am and the day hadn’t started quite as planned. Scent was poor and the trail-layer perhaps lacking inspiration. I’m not sure whether the huntsman’s advisory rollocking was directed at the second whipper-in or me, but we agreed that it was probably about time. “Come on, ’arry,” chimed the huntsman moments later. His whipper-in, Harry Griffin, took it in the manner it was delivered; for his and the collective benefit, not a curse. We had met at VWH joint-master Nick Phillips’ Kilkenny Farm, near Bibury, a focal point of the Saturday country. With all his family mounted, he gave a brilliant lead all day. Nick was entertaining the field respectfully, but as the day unfolded it was clear that the huntsman would have to conjure up something special…

THE pick of the winners from Newbury on a filthy wet and windy New Year’s Eve was the Paul Nicholls-trained Hermes Allen (pictured), who won the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle by 4¾ lengths from You Wear it well - but Harry Cobden was pulling up from the last. “He wouldn’t have blown a candle out,” said Harry, who described him as the best novice he has sat on. “Bring on March.” It completed a useful Christmas for the Nicholls-Cobden bandwagon after Bravemansgame won the trainer his 13th Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. He jumped past L’Homme Presse to the front at the second-last. “They went a hell of a gallop and he stayed on strongly,” said Nicholls. “He’s a maturing horse who we’ve trained for…

VIROFLAY won the 14-runner conditions (level two) under Olive Nicholls comfortably by 12 lengths. “The result was beyond my expectations and I nearly didn’t run him as he’s so inexperienced,” said Olive of the six-year-old, who is owned by her father Paul Nicholls and John Bolton, and trained by her mother Georgina Nicholls. “But he was an absolute pro and I’ve never ever had a feeling like that. “I knew when we turned in that we had it in the bag and he’s such an exciting horse for the future.” This was Viroflay’s second run over fences – he finished second on his first attempt in December under Olive, who says that he is “so cheeky at home”. “He runs off with me all the time and is a funny…

RIDERS are embracing fresh approaches to make involvement in competition horses more affordable. The reality of rising costs and a desire to push horse sport forward are the drivers. Syndicates are nothing new, but what is noticeable is the growth and diversification in this area, particularly for sport horses. Five-star event rider Imogen King (nee Murray) hopes to launch a package, inspired by racing clubs, called “Pumba’s Pals”. “We’re trying to do something a bit different to encourage people who couldn’t ordinarily be in ownership,” she told H&H. The horse, Shannondale Vintage (“Pumba”), is a three- and four-star contender who Imogen also team chases. The idea is to avoid any large buy-in cost and is instead a monthly subscription, of around £50. For that, people enjoy the fun of being…

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE GENERAL QUIZ Showing: 1 View Point 2 Lead-rein show pony 3 Tiger Attack 4 Ladies’ show hunter 5 Miniature horse. Eventing: 6 Lauren Nicholson 7 Sue Benson owns Falco 8 Jaguar Mail 9 Sixth 10 Ros Canter’s ride Lordships Graffalo has also been competed by Tom McEwen, during Ros’s maternity leave in 2019. Pony Club: 11 Georgina Beeby-Wynn on Affricks Eclipse 12 C test 13 False. It was founded in 1929. Dressage: 14 Pizza 15 Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour 16 24 17 Robbie Williams - Millennium 18 Switzerland’s Gilles Ngovan riding Zigzag. Paradressage: 19 Glamourdale 20 Roxanne Trunnell’s Fortunato H20 (6yo) 21 Bacardi 22 Latvia’s Rihards Snikus in grade I 23 Kristi Wysocki of the USA, at H. Showjumping: 24 Ben Maher and Faltic HB in fourth 25 Cayman’s Jolly…

DISEASE screening is important prior to breeding activity, as such activity increases the opportunities for infectious disease to be spread. Disease can be passed by sexual contact from stallion to mare and mare to stallion via natural breeding, but also from stallion to mare via semen. Infectious disease can also be spread via contact and the respiratory route (aerosol and nose to nose), when horses are brought into close proximity at a breeding centre or stud. The “core” breeding diseases are contagious equine metritis (CEM), equine viral arteritis (EVA) and equine infectious anaemia (EIA). Horses showing clinical signs of disease can be isolated and the disease dealt with, but a big concern is horses that are subclinically infected with a disease - that is those not showing clinical signs of…

BEFORE I enter the stable, I stand and look over the halfdoor. The horse is lying on his side. He is occasionally moving his upper forelimb in a “pawing” motion. There is straw in his mane and tail, and small pieces of straw are sticking to his coat. He clearly has been rolling. As we open the door, he stands up. His ears are slightly laid back, and his head is lowered. He starts to paw the ground. His nostrils are flared, and his breathing is shallow with almost sighing breaths. He is sweating around his ears and his elbows. This is clearly a horse in a lot of pain. I have known Pixel for many years. A 10-year-old liver chestnut Welsh cob, he has been very successful in the…

Gina Andrews, ladies' point-to-point champion WORST YEAR: 2020 “IN 2020 I had a bad fall at Cheltenham, fracturing my eye socket and cheekbone and lacerating my liver. I was riding Haafapiece and remember thinking, ‘I’m probably going to win this.’ I went into the last hurdle thinking I wasn’t on a good stride; the next thing I remember I was on my way to Gloucester Royal Hospital. “IN 2020 I had a bad fall at Cheltenham, fracturing my eye socket and cheekbone and lacerating my liver. I was riding Haafapiece and remember thinking, ‘I’m probably going to win this.’ I went into the last hurdle thinking I wasn’t on a good stride; the next thing I remember I was on my way to Gloucester Royal Hospital. “That was two weeks…

PRIOR to heading to Turkey, I spent a taster weekend trail riding from Freerein HQ in the Wye Valley on the Welsh borders. My partner for the weekend was a pretty 14.2hh Welshtype palomino named Polo. We were gifted with good weather, particularly on the first day, that allowed our small group to enjoy plenty of fast canters in between chilling out and enjoying the wonderful scenery. At one point, we came across a small herd of feral Welsh ponies, with foals at foot, who took little notice of us riding past. Much of the riding was off-road, and we stopped for picnic lunches - which we had carried in our saddlebags - in scenic spots along the way. On Saturday evening, we stayed in a local pub with rooms…

THE Leopardstown Christmas meeting was dominated by Willie Mullins (six out of the seven races on Tuesday, 13 in all) and Gordon Elliott, but the feelgood story was at Tramore when Henry de Bromhead’s 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo (pictured, below) returned to winning ways in the Saviils New Year’s Day Chase. Tramore and the de Bromhead family go back a long way. It is his local course and where the trainer had his very first winner on New Year’s Day in 2000. On Sunday, the third race was run in memory of his son Jack, who was killed pony racing in the autumn, and that coupled with the big race win made it an emotional start to 2023, with the trainer describing it as “one of the greatest…

POINT-TO-POINT HIGHLIGHTS 31 December-1 January Thurlow Hunt, Horseheath, Cambridgeshire TRAINER Tom Ellis had a day to remember when securing victory in six of the seven races on the card. “At this time of year, the horses have been in ages and everybody’s worked very hard up to this point,” said Tom. “It’s nice for our team to get a bit of success – it gives everybody a real boost and makes the long days and early mornings in the cold weather worth it.” The first of Tom’s winners on the day came with the nine-year-old Koyote under Gina Andrews in the Conditions (level three), who is owned by the Signy and Marriage families. “She toughed it out and jumped really well,” said Tom of the mare by Vinnie Roe, who…