Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Sep-2023 i Horse & Hound

THE British dressage team's performance at this year's Europeans is both incredible in itself and exciting for Paris 2024. Compared to eventing, the other discipline in which Britain has obvious potential to win medals, there are fewer variables. Sure, a horse can spook or be off colour, but it's safer to predict dressage medals than eventing ones… That heaps pressure on riders, but as each of the Brits, plus individual gold medallist Jessica von BredowWerndl, proved, that's one of the reasons these riders are the best in the world… they can handle it. We know that when Charlotte Dujardin enters the arena at a championship, she gets every possible ounce of performance from her horse. All being well, we won't be talking about Dalera vs Glamourdale in Paris, but Dalera…

PYLEDRIVER The La Pyle Partnership's Group One winner, trained by William Muir with Chris Grassick, who won over £2m, has retired aged six following the recurrence of an injury. CORKEERAN WILLOW Billy Moran's Irish Draught won this year's HOYS in-hand supreme semifinal championship, at the NPS Great British In-hand Show. This will be her second NEC appearance. CAPE GENTLEMAN The Shark Hanlon-trained Grand National runner, who sustained a careerending injury in the 2023 race, has arrived in the US to enjoy retirement with owner Pierre Manigault.…

CONSIDERING the horse, rider and environment as one could be the key to bridging the gap in equine wellbeing issues. In a paper published in Animals, researchers from the University of Kentucky investigated a “triple-E” research model, which takes in the wellbeing of the horse (equine), rider (equestrian), and the environment. It is based on the “one health” concept, an approach to balance and optimise health of people, animals and ecosystems, by recognising that they are closely linked and interdependent. “Sports that involve horses are complicated, and research focusing on the health and wellbeing of horse, rider and environment requires collaboration across disciplines,” said the researchers. “This model generates a path for researchers to incorporate all sectors into addressing problems.” The researchers said no research models capture all the interactions…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. STARTING YOUNG I AGREE with Katy Carter's opinion (11 May) about getting young riders ready for coming off the lead-rein. We had a pony produced by Katy in 2021. My son Alex had not done any top-level showing, and we had some wonderful ponies who enabled him to come off the lead-rein by age four. By six, he was galloping on the beach, jumping 80cm and doing some local showing classes. From seven, he did affiliated workers. “Abusing such people has no place in any sport” DAVID SINCLAIR HAVE YOUR SAY Do you feel strongly about an issue in the horse world? Write to H&H at hhletters@futurenet.com and please include your full name and address. In a little…

“WE originally brought Ryan over from Ireland in 2015 when I was 12. Previously, he'd been based with a family who had hunted and done Pony Club with him. “My mum, Shona Weir, and I had been on a trip to view some 14hh ponies and our first stop was at Gillian Creighton's yard. It was Mum who initially spotted Ryan's very beautiful head over the door. He wasn't worker fit and he was a bit scruffy due to the time of year, but his conformation was there, he was forward to ride and he loved jumping. We couldn't stop thinking about him the entire trip, so we went back and bought him. “He arrived home just before Christmas and while we thought he'd begin his career as a novice,…

OZONE (O3) was first identified in the mid-19th century and is a natural component of the atmosphere, responsible for forming the vital layer of the stratosphere that filters ultraviolet radiation. It was first used to disinfect operating theatres and as water treatment in the 1850s prior to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune stimulatory properties being discovered. Ozone therapy causes oxidative stress in and outside of cells, therefore resulting in an increase in activity and response of the body's natural antioxidant system. Ozone's antibacterial properties have also been used to complement wound treatment when applied directly to wounds that are poorly healed, or those that are heavily contaminated, granulated or both. There are reports that ozone can be administered by intravenous injection - a precise concentration of oxygen (O2) and ozone…

TO start with, a track is fenced around the perimeter of a paddock. By starting with temporary fencing you can play around with widths. The track should be at least as wide as the length of the biggest horse, and there should be no dead ends. Horses are fed ad-lib low-sugar and low-starch meadow hay in slow feeders such as small-holed nets to promote a little and often feeding rate. The hay in slow feeders is spread around the track to promote movement, with different points of interest and enrichment along the way such as sand pits, mounds, scratch posts and shelter. Water is positioned away from the forage to encourage increased movement between valuable resources. Different surfaces can be put down to ensure good footing for the horses, especially…

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Special Dressage IT was, in the end, a quite astonishing performance. Although Jessica von Bredow-Werndl's reigning European and Olympic champion TSF Dalera BB had already topped the grand prix team test, the proximity of Imhotep in second - having been sixth behind her when they met at the 2022 worlds - gave hope to others bidding for glory that the great mare might finally have peaked. Not a bit of it. At 16 years old, Dalera conjured the best special score of her life, 85.59%, to leave an outstanding field in her wake. And while the talk was all of Glamourdale and Imhotep's assault on her crown, Blue Hors Zepter came through as the final competitor for Nanna Skodborg Merrald for silver. It was the best straight test score of…

6 The age of the youngest horse, grade III rider Francesca Salvadé's Escari 3 Vivaldi offspring: Demantur RS2 NOP, FJ Veyron and Cleverboy GABRIELLA BLAKE was Britain's breakout star at this year's Europeans. On her debut for the team she took bronze in the grade I individual, which was won by Latvian world champion Rihards Snikus on King Of The Dance. Germany's Martina Benzinger (Nautika) squeaked 0.3% ahead of Gabriella for silver. Gabriella's 15.1hh part-bred Connemara Strong Beau, who leads racehorses up the gallops at home with Gabby's mum Estelle, produced a soft and settled performance. While he may not be as flashy as some grade I horses with his more pony-ish walk, he was loose, supple and foot-perfect to clock 74.58%. Just the long-rein walk scored slightly lower marks.…

FOR Dutch team champion Frank Hosmar, any colour of medal with his 18-year-old horse of a lifetime is just a cherry on a well-iced cake. In the winter of 2021/22, Alphaville developed such a terrible cough that it looked like he wouldn't survive, let alone return to championship form. “After Tokyo, he got very sick, and we did 100,000 tests, sent blood to America, but couldn't find what was wrong,” said Frank. “They thought it was a tumour in the throat, and two vets advised putting him down before he'd choke to death. But my feeling was, ‘No, I don't think he's ready to go.’ He couldn't swallow, but when he wanted to drink, he'd put his head up so the water could slide down and I thought, ‘If you…

GOING into this championship, I thought Britain would have a chance of getting bronze. But it was a big ask with new riders and Sophie's young horse, and they'd need to bring their best on the day. The Dutch went in as favourites and delivered gold, while Germany ramped it up with three high scorers. The fact that Britain needed three scores over 74% to get onto the podium shows the standard was even higher than anticipated. After the individual tests, it did look possible, but it was amazing for it all to come together. There is a different dynamic at para championships compared to able-bodied team competition, because we have five grades, so you don't necessarily have the highest scorers going last. Georgia Wilson and Gabriella Blake knew when…

BRITISH showjumper Matt Sampson knows very well what it's like to succeed at Spruce Meadows. At this tournament, he took the 1.45m Cardel Homes class with 13-year-old Fabrice DN following a speedy jump-off and the 1.40m Richardson Wealth Cup with Curraghgraigue Obos Flight. Last summer, he racked up an unforgettable 17-winning streak at the venue. “The summer series is incredibie, but the Masters is like another few notches above that. It's just the best show, it's got a buzz about it,” he said. “I think every rider that comes here wants to win something because it means so much.” WINNIG STREAK…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfaustenl23 THE greatest challenge that the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) and the hunting community faces since the ban on foxhunting in 2004 is to refute the accusation that trail-hunting and exempt hunting using hounds are not legal sporting activities. We have to show, and prove, that when chief superin tendent Matt Longman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on hunting, says hunts are using trail-hunting as a loophole to carry on hunting foxes and other animals, that he is mis taken and misled by those who seek to destroy our sport. But we must accept we have a big problem - one of our own making. When hounds are seen in full cry across the country, it is easy for some to assume they are hunting illegally when…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ FORMER Olympic champion Eric Lamaze maintains he has had cancer, and has few years left to live, after a judge questioned his claims. Justice Marvin Kurz published endorsements, on 14 August and 5 September, in a case involving Iron Horse Farm and Torrey Pines Stable, the home of Eric, and Eric. Iron Horse brought two breach-ofcontract actions, now joined to be tried together, regarding the sale of horses. Eric and Torrey Pines deny the allegations. On 14 August, the judge said he did not proceed with a request from Eric to adjourn, partly “because of questions regarding the true state of Mr Lamaze's health; the ostensible reason for the request”. Eric's notice of motion stated that he “had…

European eventing champion Ros Canter has taken the lead in the FEI world rankings, displacing Tim Price from his 11-month reign. Irish racing trainer Aidan O'Brien has reached a career total of 4,000 winners. He said the achievement was down to “pure teamwork”. Swiss showjumper Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei won the $3m Rolex grand prix at the Spruce Meadows Masters (6-10 September). Report, p78 English farrier Matthew Randles is the 2023 blacksmith world champion. The tournament was held at Spruce Meadows, Canada. Dressage rider Gemma Owen has joined equine charity World Horse Welfare as a patron. Gemma said she is “honoured” to take on the role.…

SHAPE-SHIFTING A report on Burghley contained the phrase: “A majestic thoroughbred sails elegantly over a terrifying jump as rider and horse replicate each other's body shape.” Is this where we've been going wrong? Is having four legs the way to go? TICKING IN Overheard at a show: “T'm OK. I just needed to cry for a bit and I'll feel better. Now I'm going to eat.” We've all been there. And recommend cheesy chips. MORE TUCKING IN Overheard in a tots’ lesson, from a giggling tiny rider: “I love trotting. Just as much as I love peanut butter sandwiches.” No higher praise, surely. SCAMMERS This week's award to he selling horses for £800, as they're moving to a home that doesn't allow pets. A perfect reason; line up to pay…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 WHAT a competition the Europeans have been: the highest standard I've ever witnessed. After Britain bagged the team gold medal, there were only four people feeling under pressure for the grand prix special and freestyle… the rest of us could just sit back and enjoy their rides. It's always more exciting when the outcome doesn't seem inevitable and although the favourite prevailed, there was a battle royale for the gold medals. The Brits were outstanding - I'm going to put it out there and say Lottie Fry was my freestyle winner. Seeing all the British blue T-shirts led me to reflect on how many people actually make up a British team. It's easy to think it's just four riders, but in reality the team is the front line…

I was brought up in Ledbury in Herefordshire and my father and his brothers, who ran a building business, were into point-to-point racing. I very rarely rode as a youngster. I worked out quite quickly that I was neither the right shape, nor had the talent or bravery to be a jockey. My father would write the same note for me to get off school for racing every time, saying I was on an educational visit. I recall the headmaster saying: “These educational visits - do you think you could let me know which horse will win next time?” I got into this career via my sister's Horse & Hound. We had ponies at home, so she was an avid Horse & Hound reader. There was a job advertised in…

BEECH HALL RYAN Stable name: Ryan Sex: gelding Breed: Connemara Age: 16 Height: 143cm Breeding: by Rathcoona Holiday Boy out of Cashel Misty Breeder: Ina Hanna Owner: Claire Collier Rider: Izzy Hartswood-Collier Best results: first 143cm and supreme working hunter pony (WHP) RIHS final 2016; Noble Bing supreme WHP BSPS summer championships 2017; second 143cm WHP HOYS final 2018; individual and team champion international working hunter competition, third 143cm WHP RIHS final 2019; first Desert Orchid Blue Riband 143cm WHP BSPS summer championships 2021; second 143cm BSPS Burghley Gold Cup sports pony final 2022; first 143cm and supreme WHP and supreme pony RIHS final, first 143cm and champion RIHS WHP qualifier BSPS winter championships, first HOYS 143cm WHP qualifier Lincolnshire, first HOYS 143cm WHP qualifier Staffordshire Festival, first 143cm and…

ROXANE KIRTON, who is head vet of the equine sector at the RSPCA and a veterinary behaviourist, wrote her master's degree thesis on the behavioural welfare impacts of tracks versus strip grazing in four groups of ponies at Redwings. The results are yet to be published, but she noted some interesting observations. “We had GPS trackers on them and the results did support that they move more on a track, however, we didn't see significant loss in body weight, although we maybe saw less weight gain on the track,” she explains. “I don't think it's very useful to say that track systems are a golden bullet. There are a lot of variables, and I also have some questions around the impact on their microbiome living in a completely grass- and…

GERMANY'S Frederic Wandres took the lead at the halfway stage of the 18-strong freestyle, despite forgetting his floorplan. He missed out his left trot half-pass from its planned place in his programme, tried to slot in a few steps late on in the routine, to avoid scoring zero, but was left ruing what might have been. Even with the error, they scored 84.57%, a personal best for his Bordeaux gelding Bluetooth OLD, and finished ninth. “I had a brain-stop, I knew the way but we are not machines,” said Frederic. “It was a big pilot error, but the horse felt very good - even on the third day in this heat, he is still shining. “I did the wrong half-pass, it was a very beautiful half-pass, but I rode it…

GERMANY'S grade III bronze medallist Melanie Wienand has a special history with her horse Lemony's Loverboy. Melanie was an auction rider and back in 2011 rode a stallion called Lemony's Nicket, who was sold for the sale's top price of €900,000. A few weeks later, one of her horses spooked and she fell heavily, ending up in a coma for four weeks. Over nine months, she rebuilt her life, began riding again, and decided she would love to have an offspring of Lemony's Nicket. In 2013, she went to see a Lemony's Nicket colt she'd spotted on social media - Loverboy. “Loverboy had broken his jaw after being kicked by his mother, which required surgery,” said Melanie, who believes the ensuing treatment made him particularly close to humans and this…

35 Frank Hosmar's championship medal count SOPHIE WELLS added another medal to Britain's tally with a fabulous bronze in the grade V freestyle. Sophie finished behind Belgium's Michèle George (Best Of 8), claiming her second gold of the week, with the Netherlands’ Frank Hosmar (Alphaville NOP) in silver. Sophie went first in the final block of four riders. Her exquisite young mare LJT Egebjerggards Samoa (Diana) has truly come of age at these championships, showing just how excited British fans should be about her prospects. Sophie finished equal third with Germany's Regine Mispelkamp (Highlander Delight's) in the grand prix B for the team, and Regine would prove their biggest rival again as they battled it out for bronze. Ultimately, a big spook from Highlander Delight's cost Regine, as she finished…

CORNBURY HOUSE 6-10 September pippa.roome@futurenet.com ©pipparoomeorkyle Cornbury House, Oxon A MARE nicknamed “Little Miss Perfect” took The Howden Way national seven-year-old championship for rider Tom Jackson. “My team call her that because I always come in and say she was perfect - she just tries her hardest and that's a big attribute in our sport. The horses don't have to be the most talented if they have the right brain,” said Tom of winner Midnight Endeavour. “We backed her as a four-year-old and every time she steps up she keeps delivering.” Hugh and Pam Jarvis's Irish Sport Horse - by Future Trend - was one of only two horses to finish on their dressage score in this CCI3*-S. “She's a little dinger across country - she absolutely loves it and…

WILL SCOTT steered Midnight Maybee (Bee) to BE100 victory at Sapey, finishing on their dressage score of 27. “I was super-pleased with her dressage, which is probably her weakest phase,” said Will of the eight-year-old. “To lead the section ahead of some top riders was fantastic.” Will, who runs a training and competition yard in Tamworth, picked up the ride on the British-bred mare three months ago and they have been placed every time out. “She's a super horse who has the heart of a lion. She's for sale, but I will be very sad to see her go and would love to get together a syndicate to keep her,” said Will. FIRST WIN…

HIGHLIGHTS 28 August-3 September alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ Bucks County, Weedon Park WELSH supremo Colin Tibbey qualified a second Welsh section B for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) supreme in-hand final. His victor was broodmare Thistledown Athene, who will now make her HOYS debut next month. She'll perform alongside Lynne Wilson's home-bred stallion Walseker Colorado, who Colin qualified for the second time in his career at Royal Lancashire. As a foal, Athene won the Royal Welsh and was champion at the Royal Welsh winter fair. She reigned once more at Builth Wells this year and she has been shown this season with her Thistledown Arctic Fox-sired foal at foot. “She's a lovely mare with a sweet temperament,” said Colin's wife Sarah. “Colin will show the stallion at HOYS, and our…

REINER KLIMKE regains the world dressage title on the brilliant Ahlerich, while the great Granat, world and Olympic gold medallist with Swiss rider Christine Stuckelberger, is retired aged 17 after finishing second. Ahlerich is described as: “a handsome Westphalian gelding [who] gave an easily appreciated exposition of the true essence of dressage. Horse and rider were one, and Ahlerich is the horse that most of us would most love to ride.” • Tessa Waugh will be back for the hunting season NEXT WEEK Frankie Dettori wins the St Leger in 1996…

BRITAIN enjoyed a fabulous week at the European Dressage Championships in Riesenbeck, securing our first championship team gold since the London Olympics - and three individual medals. Gareth Hughes (Classic Briolinca), Carl Hester (Fame), Charlotte Dujardin (Imhotep) and Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) put in a week of superb performances and personal bests to take the top step of the podium with Germany in silver and Denmark bronze. “It's so special to win the team gold, especially with the team we've got here,” Lottie said. “We've done so many championships together as a team, and now we get gold at the Europeans. “It's really exciting and a very special feeling,” she added. But further glory awaited; Charlotte and Imhotep won bronze in the grand prix special, behind Germany's Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on…

ROCKINGHAM WILL NOT RUN IN 2024 ROCKINGHAM INTERNATIONAL HORSE TRIALS will not run in 2024 because it is “no longer viable”. The May event, which ran classes from BE100 to CCI3*-S, was abandoned this year, owing to wet weather affecting the ground conditions. A statement from organisers last week (6 September) said that they are “deeply disappointed” to not be running in 2024, and thanked all those who have supported the event over the years. “We are extremely proud to have hosted some incredible sport in the Great Park over the last 10 years, but sadly it is no longer viable to run the event at this time,” added the statement. THREE MEDALS FOR BRITISH VETERANS THE British team bagged three medals at the veteran European Showjumping Championships in France…

COULD you take on one of Britain's wildest ponies? homes for the ponies is hard. “Many assume the ponies will arrive bucking, rearing and totally unmanageable,” he said. “But these clever ponies can adapt to their new lives in a few days [in experienced hands]. They go on to enjoy riding, driving and showing.” Some 50 colts will be looking for homes after this autumn's round-up of Carneddau Mountain Ponies, in Snowdonia, to prevent overgrazing. Gareth Wyn Jones of the Carneddau Mountain Pony Society said that finding New owners do not pay, other than for chipping.…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald OPINION THE European Championships in Milan, Italy, was a rough week we certainly didn't achieve the results I'd hoped for. But I'm now more determined than ever to prove myself. It was my first-ever championship and nothing can prepare you for being there under that kind of pressure. Obviously you want to perform at your best, but my horse, Oak Grove's Laith, didn't feel his normal self, and that was gutting. The first day he jumped really well, even though the ground was terrible. Then on day two, I started to feel he wasn't jumping as well and then he got worse. On the last day, he felt like he gave up. I don't know if it was too much for him or he was tired. We just…

OWNER CLAIRE COLLIER “I FIRST judged Ryan with Zara Weir back in 2016 and I really loved the idea of him for my daughter, Izzy, in a few years’ time. “After his successes with the Cowie family, we went to view him in June 2020 and he arrived home the following September. As soon as Izzy got on him, they just clicked. “During the 2022 season, we showed a mare alongside Ryan and he became quite needy towards her, as he can exhibit stallion-like behaviours. He was distracted by the girls and was consequently a little high maintenance at a show. This year, we've focused solely on Ryan and so far he's jumped a clear round on every single attempt. “He's the ultimate showman with a unique swagger, but he's…

EXTRACORPOREAL shockwave therapy (ESWT) has been one of the mainstay adjunctive therapies of musculoskeletal injuries for some time in horses, and is becoming increasingly popular as more practices provide the service and the machines become more readily available. Its ability to enhance the body's own reparative processes in a safe and non-invasive manner is seen as a huge advantage. Originally developed as a method of lithotripsy treatment to break up kidney and bladder stones - in human medicine, the shock waves were found to have the unexpected benefit of resulting in increased bone density of the pelvis. This increase in bone turnover was first used to speed up fracture healing and has subsequently been found to be beneficial as an adjunctive therapy for a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. “ESWT appears…

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SELINA BARROW and Alex Fillingham run 2by2 Track livery in Okehampton, Devon. “We relocated from Berkshire to Devon to start this business, with our two horses - a thoroughbred/warmblood who suffered from equine asthma and a thoroughbred/appaloosa who has Equine Metabolic Syndrome,” explains Selina. “When we moved, we had only just heard about track systems and how they may offer a better life for our appaloosa, whose lifestyle on traditional livery consisted of four hours alone in a bare paddock and 20 hours stabled. Despite this, she suffered an average of three bouts of laminitis a year with two serious bouts of rotation, even when we brought her weight down and soaked her hay. “The more we researched about track systems, the more we came to the conclusion that this…

IT'S hard to find enough words to describe the Europeans. There is huge pressure as a selector to get the team right, but this year it was one of the easiest selection meetings ever. We've been careful to write the selection policy so riders can campaign their horses as they wanted, and their scores did speak for themselves. That said, there are always questions and conversations in the back of your mind. We just do our best with the knowledge that we have to get the best riders there on the team. I knew we had a good chance of team gold. When it became possible for us to take Becky Moody and Jagerbomb with us to Riesenbeck as travelling reserves, it gave us extra confidence, too. And it was…

DENMARK'S Daniel Bachmann Andersen finished 11th in the special on 75.21% with the 12-year-old Vitalis son Vayron. The rangy bay, who stands 18.2hh, is in his first season at grand prix, and is still “very green”. “We've grown together and have had to find out about each other,” Daniel said. “He was educated by a top rider, Helen Langehanenberg, but with a completely different length of body and strength, so we had to do some things differently. “I felt like he won the special for me,” said Daniel. “It needs fine-tuning, but he really let me ride and steer today. I could push a bit and say let's do a bit more, whereas in the grand prix I just had to survive and get through without mistakes for the team…

Team medals 1 2 3 FEI European Para Dressage Championships, Riesenbeck, Germany WHAT a difference a year makes. At last summer's World Championships, Britain finished a tantalising fourth, 2% off the podium. Never in modern para dressage history had the British team returned home from a championships without medals round her collective neck. It was deflating, of course, but with disappointment came the liberation from the pressure of defending their long glory run. The Brits have rebuilt, refreshed and they came to Riesenbeck with low expectations and high spirits. The new-look para team featured just one pairing from 2022, Georgia Wilson and Sakura. While Sophie Wells has been a standing dish since 2009, she was compelled to switch to her reserve horse, the green-as-grass LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, after Don Cara…

THE Netherlands successfully defended the European team gold they won in Rotterdam four years ago, with a convincing victory over Germany and Britain in the grand prix B test. The crack Dutch team fielding grade IV riders Demi Haerkens and Sanne Voets alongside the multi-garlanded grade V pair Frank Hosmar and Alphaville NOP, and grade Ill's Lotte Krijnsen - coasted to victory, with nearly six points to spare over Germany. However, for much of the two-day competition, Germany appeared to hold the advantage. The grade IV riders competed last, which meant the Dutch couldn't post the required three results until the fifth and final class. After Frank headed the grade V, Demi and Sanne wrapped up the win by finishing first and second in the grade IV. Demi and her…

CHARLOTTE CUNDALL rounded out her first championships in style on FJ Veyron with a high-energy freestyle featuring a brave extended canter towards the judge into a pirouette. They finished fifth with 74.91%. As a teenager, Charlotte was on the cusp of fulfilling her dream of riding on junior British eventing teams. After breaking her back for the second time and being left with nerve damage, she was forced to rethink her plan. But the goal of riding for her country endured, and embroidered inside her new British red collar on her jacket are the words, “I had a dream”. “This red collar is so symbolic in British equestrianism and it was always my dream in eventing to get the red collar,” she said. “The turn of events meant I could…