Innholdsfortegnelse for 20-Jun-2024 i Horse & Hound

CAMERAS in warm-ups and yard inspections were among suggestions to boost public confidence in horse sport – as the sector is urged to be brave. Experts discussed acceptance of horses in sport, at a conference hosted by World Horse Welfare on 12 June, sharing the results of the charity's most recent survey of perception of the industry. H&H has reported on independent surveys commissioned by World Horse Welfare, in 2022 and 2023. This year's results showed that public opinion has not changed significantly: 20% still do not support involvement of horses in sport, 41% only support it if welfare improves and 56% said there should be more safety and welfare measures. But there were positives. “Always interact with horses in a way you'd be happy to be filmed” GEMMA PEARSON “Public…

MEET Max, the life-sized equine mannequin who has been put to work for the first time – in aid of future horses and ponies who need rescuing. The Mare and Foal Sanctuary “rehomed” Max, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, to train emergency teams in rescuing horses from dangerous situations. The sanctuary worked with the British Animal Rescue & Trauma Care Association to offer what it is hoped was the first in a series of collaborative training days. Sanctuary head of equine welfare Syra Bowden said: “The session was an opportunity for members of the sanctuary's welfare outreach and advice team and vets to learn basic rescue techniques. “We feel it was a big success, because it gave us the chance to practise potentially life-saving manoeuvres. “Max had a busy day,…

JUST as spring was threatening to break the frost-lock of winter, I was at Stephen Clarke's Cotton Equestrian Centre in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, to watch a training session. Stephen is a renowned five-star international judge who will be familiar to most in dressage circles, but the trainer he'd invited me to watch and talk to is perhaps less well known – a Swedish rider and trainer specialising in classical groundwork called Charlotte Wittbom. Charlotte has been helping Stephen and his clients with their horses using groundwork to improve their way of going. In turn, Stephen has been helping Charlotte translate her classical experience to competitive success in the arena. “I always knew I wanted to work with horses,” explains Charlotte, who speaks with a quiet self-assuredness. “But I always struggled…

THE use of technology for lameness investigation has increased dramatically in recent years, with inertial sensors on the horse, force plates on the ground and video recordings. One of the most challenging tasks for equine vets is looking at videos of horses taken by clients thinking of buying a horse, or by sellers wanting to market a horse. Equine vets are often asked: “Can you look at this video and tell me whether this horse is sound. I don't want to travel a hundred miles if you don't like the way it moves.” Vets in Pennsylvania have assessed which video angles are most helpful in detecting lameness. They took six completely sound horses and videoed them from nine different angles: trotting straight towards and away from the camera; trotting towards…

THE horse has to carry the saddle, but the saddle in turn must carry the rider, who therefore should not be an afterthought. David Kempsell, managing director of WOW Saddles, explains that for horse and rider to work harmoniously, the saddle has to fit both. “Every rider is different and the saddle needs to provide support, security and correct positioning for their physique and their discipline,” he says. And it isn't just how a saddle works with your body shape. David adds that a well-fitted saddle actively helps to correct rider asymmetry. “Almost every rider is asymmetric to a degree,” he says. “The saddle is a tool to make sure the rider's weight is distributed equally across the horse's back, helping to ensure the horse's musculature develops symmetrically.” He adds…

HIGHLIGHTS 8–9 June DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A SECTION? Email eventinghighlights@gmail.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number Hopetoun (1), W Lothian MORAG O'MARA laid some ghosts to rest when she triumphed in BE90 section B aboard her 12-year-old mare, Lorrah View (Luna). “Hopetoun is my nearest event, but historically things have always gone wrong there,” Morag revealed. “I've had silly stops, fallen off in the showjumping and been unshipped at the very last crosscountry fence. I was giving up hope of ever getting three phases right on the same day!” “She is very experienced” EVIE SMITH ON ETTRICK LILLY Morag, who is in her sixties and retired from working in a pharmacy, credits help from Sarah…

SHOWJUMPING BOLESWORTH PRESENTED BY AL SHIRA'AA CSIYH*/U25/AM/1* A THRILLING 22-horse jump-off for the Al Shira'aa CSI*YH seven-year-old final was another that fell to Irish conquest, when Sean Monaghan snatched victory in the final throes with the “unbelievable” Tiberio Della Caccia. “I'm hoping he gets to stay with me – he is a horse who could be very helpful for my career,” said 24-year-old Sean, who overthrew the lightning lead of Glain Watkin Jones and Heroine Pasquier in a tight contest. “He's got a different level of stride to any other horse I've ever ridden. He's so talented, you can gallop him up to the jump and he'll always clear it. It was a massive advantage the way the jump-off was built for me with long runs. “I took one less…

HIGHLIGHTS 6–9 June 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 South of England, South of England Showground, W Sussex NICOLE LOCKHEAD ANDERSON may have picked up the ride on Imagine H just three weeks ago but the pair have quickly proven themselves a force to be reckoned with, claiming impressive victories here in both the area trial and international stairway. Melanie Davies's 11-year-old gelding – who is more usually ridden by her daughter Molly – was dropped off with Nicole at Wales and West, where they hit the ground running with a talent seekers qualifier victory. Here, their precocious form continued when they produced the fastest first rounds in…

HIGHLIGHTS 3–9 June Royal Cornwall, Royal Cornwall Events Centre A RIDING horse attending only his second show lifted the prestigious Queen's Cup. Matt Ainsworth was at the helm of Jo and Lauren Baker's striking large contender Rio For Ever, an Oldenburg by Rock Forever I. Rio only joined Matt in March and his first outing was at Royal Bath and West, where he stood riding horse champion after heading the novices. “He's a phenomenal mover and he'll be a superstar,” enthused Matt, who last took the Queen's Cup many years ago aboard the late prolific cob Colebrook. “He still needs to mature so we won't overdo it this season, but I'm really excited about him.” Matt's partner, Charlotte Treleaven, had the pleasure of riding Sue Hookham's twotime Horse of the…

Bramham, W Yorks A THREE-YEAR-OLD gelding was came out on top in the event horse breeding and youngstock supreme after reigning in his class for the third year on the trot. Magnus Nicholson handled Virginia Clegg and David Kilduff's home-bred Joyful Time, a Timolin son out of three-day eventer Opposition Angel Two. The big-moving youngster joined Magnus and his wife Kate as a two-year-old and the plan is for him to contest the young horse circuit before moving into the eventing scene. “He's a beautiful, agile and bold horse,” said Magnus, who grew up riding in the Pony Club with Virginia. Magnus was presented with the Peter Richmond memorial trophy after his supreme win, a poignant moment for him: “I used to work for Peter, so to be awarded this…

Forest Edge Arena, Norfolk HELEN BELL headed the elementary 43 qualifier with Rathnageera Casino Royal, a versatile Swedish warmblood/thoroughbred gelding bought five years ago for her son Robbie to event. “When Robbie became too big for him, I thought I'd start some dressage,” said Helen, who successfully evented “JB” herself at BE90 last year. “His eventing dressage scores have always been really good, which made me decide to go down that route. “He hopefully has the scope and he can do the medium work at home,” added Helen, who has trained with Malcolm Holtshausen and more recently with Elly Darling. “He's a lovely-natured horse and quite calm, but he does love his jumping.” Former racehorse Cammy Bear made a confident start at his second show with physiotherapy student Felicity Coles,…

HUNTING SOUTH OF ENGLAND 7–8 June Edited by Catherine Austen catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 South of England, South of England Showground, W Sussex FOXHOUNDS UNDER a hawthorn bush in the Belvoir huntsman's garden lie the remains of the celebrated Brocklesby Rallywood 1843. Considered one of the founders of the foxhound, his painting by Stubbs portrays a strong, yet lighter-boned hound than some of his cumbersome early 20th-century descendants. Fast forward a century, and his 26-time great-grandson and namesake from the state-of-the-art Heythrop kennels would have made the old boy's breeder, the 1st Earl of Yarborough, proud as he bounded effortlessly across the ring to win the doghound championship at Ardingly. According to the modernday Rallywood's breeder, Charles Frampton, jointmaster and huntsman of the Heythrop, “He's a great dog with a super voice…

MIKE HANNIGAN THE British Show Pony Society (BSPS) steward, whose ring policy was “no smile, no entry”, died on 12 April, aged 67. Mike was born on 5 December 1956, in Flint, Michigan, USA. He was from a large family, with 10 siblings. Mike came to England, aged 15. As the years passed, stewarding became a significant part of Mike's life, and he particularly loved being with the children in the working hunter ring. He would calm them and fill them with confidence before their ride and would always be on hand to help out. He would also actively encourage smiling. This was something that Mike knew was important, not only to allay nerves before a ride, but to cultivate positivity and friendliness, something he knew was vital in life…

My father Patrick founded the Hunsley Beacon Beagles in the East Riding of Yorkshire. I grew up hunting and some of my best memories were getting home from school to spend time with the puppies in the kennels and my first pony, a little bay called Pickles. I studied at the Chelsea School of Art in London. Once when I returned home to Yorkshire, I was riding my father's horse when he tripped over an old pheasant pen. When I went back to clear it up, I realised the wire had stretched and that it would hold its form really well if you bend it in a certain way. From there I started working with chicken wire and this evolved, and I now work with bronze, steel and copper wire.…

THE Seoul Olympics in 1988 was probably the best Games I went to – partly because it was my first, but also it was a long way to go and an amazing country, a whole new experience. I'd started working for Nick Skelton two years before. Preparing for my first Olympics was daunting, but the federation sent us trunks with a list inside telling us what we could and couldn't take on the flight – things like wooden-backed body brushes aren't allowed. The British team of Nick, David Broome, Joe Turi, Malcolm Pyrah and Michael Whitaker stayed at Hickstead for the week before we flew, to get the team together and train in the arena. That was quite a week – we were worn out before we got to the…

SOMETIMES pain is obvious, but that is far from always the case. Behavioural indicators of pain in horses include: ● abnormal eating/drinking/urination/passing faeces ● abnormal postures/head movements ● decreased movement ● standing at the back of the stable ● stomping/pawing the floor ● nervousness/apprehension ● depression ● vocalisation ● rolling ● kicking the abdomen ● stretching On interaction, horses in pain are less likely to respond to a person or voice. In contrast, they may have an exaggerated response if physically stimulated or manipulated.…

West Wilts (1) MARKETING executive April Joynson scored a first BE90 win with her 11-yearold Connemara loan pony, Crosskeys Boy (Kipper). “I went really early in the section and kept thinking my score would be beaten, so was delighted to still be on top at the end,” said 24-year-old April. Kipper is owned by Abby Hone and April took on the ride last September. “My life is a juggling act with work and horses. I get up at 5.30 every morning to see to Kipper, so results like this make it all worthwhile,” she said. “My ultimate dream would be to go to Badminton grassroots.” Tilly Hutchings, who is a member of the Avon Vale branch of the Pony Club, struck gold in the under-18 ON at her first attempt…

SHOWJUMPING BOLESWORTH PRESENTED BY AL SHIRA'AA 12–15 June Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald CSI3* classes Bolesworth International Equestrian Summer Festival presented by Al Shira'aa, Cheshire SHANE BREEN rose to the challenge of a testing 1.55m Al Shira'aa grand prix with assurance, partnering the hot, home-bred grey Scarteen to the fastest of just three double clears. Course-designer Javier Trenor Paz created a real challenge for the 48 starters – while poles dropped everywhere on his first-round track, a combination across the centre became such a bogey that the crowd applauded every time a rider negotiated it clear. “When I walked the course, I thought it suited my guy but I had to be careful not to have a time-fault,” said Shane, one of only four clears in that first round.…

THE Auckland Equestrian five-year-old final remained in British hands, as home riders dominated the top six places. Nicole Lockhead Anderson claimed a win more than two seconds ahead of the on-form Glain Watkin Jones (Asca Star VM Z), riding Tom and Jessica Williams’ home-bred Cicero Z Van Paemel x Heartbreaker stallion, Ulero TW (pictured). “Jess jumped him a bit in Spain and then I got him for the last week of that tour, and he won the five-year-old final,” said a jubilant Nicole. ONE TO WATCH “We haven't done a lot with him until we brought him here – he's been clear every day and in the final he was brilliant. He's a real gent who takes everything in his stride.”…

I OWE IT TO… GEMMA STEVENS bagged two tickets for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) when she finished first and third in the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet grade C qualifier at South of England with Johan Some (pictured) and Klent Spot On, while Will Fletcher (Qian Van Heiste) also claimed a pass in second. Johan Some, known as Yoyo, made a switch from eventing to showjumping following an injury. “He's so careful, we thought, ‘Why not do some proper jumping with him?’ We brought him back really carefully and slowly, this is just his fourth show since he's been back. “We've been together since he was five, so we know each other inside out,” Gemma adds. “I trust him and he trusts me. I knew going into the jump-off…

SHOWING DERBYSHIRE FESTIVAL 8–9 June Edited by Alex Robinson alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ Derbyshire Festival, Somerford Park, Cheshire A NEW breeder's foundation broodmare took home this year's supreme in-hand title, booking her debut in the Price Family Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in-hand final. Brad Gleave's 12-year-old Brindlebrook Elegance (Ellie), who is by Brindlebrook Prime Suspect out of Foxholm Free Spirit, oozed star appeal and quality before supreme judge Stuart Mason, who selected Billy Moran's Irish Draught Corkeeran Willow as reserve. Here, handled by Ian Boylan, Ellie achieved riding pony breeding glory en route to supreme victory. Brad took the lead of her foal, Balgarve Amore, a strapping filly by Alonby Chardonnier, Ian's home-bred who has previously qualified for HOYS himself. Prior to joining Brad's Balgarve Stud, Ellie was a successful…

HORSE&HOUND LEGENDS OF THE SPORT HAZEL HILL is the point-to-point horse of his generation. His form figures are staggering, with 19 victories from 28 runs during his seven-year career on the track. He won 13 of his 20 point-to-points and six of his eight hunter chases, clocking up £53,251 in earnings in the process. “Ted's” biggest day in the sun came when winning the prestigious Cheltenham Foxhunter in 2019 under Alex Edwards for his trainer Phil Rowley and his owner Diana Williams. “We still talk about that win now,” says Mel Rowley, who trains under Rules alongside husband Phil. “I was in the stands with Phil before the race and it flagged up on the big screen that Ted had just become favourite. We looked at each other and said,…

THE nominated dressage and para dressage entries from which the teams will be selected for Paris this summer have been announced. Both lists feature a mix of medal-winning horses and riders, and up-and-coming stars, who will be battling it out for final selection. Only those included on these lists can be put forward for the final teams. For dressage, the entries are: ● Lewis Carrier with 16-year-old Diego V, owned by the rider and his parents Andrew and Helen Carrier ● Charlotte Dujardin with 10-year-old Alive And Kicking, owned by the rider, Carl Hester and Ulrike Bachinger ● Charlotte Dujardin with 10-year-old Imhotep, owned by Carl Hester and Coral Ingham ● Lottie Fry with 15-year-old Everdale, owned by the rider and Van Olst Horses ● Lottie Fry with 13-year-old Glamourdale,…

THERE were significant welfare concerns at Appleby Horse Fair this year (6–12 June), where two horses died. Charities said there was also “much to celebrate” in terms of equine wellbeing. The RSPCA, one of nine welfare organisations working on the Appleby Horse Project, put out an appeal for information after a 14hh skewbald trotter collapsed at Jubilee Bridge on 5 June. The RSPCA said he had been “worked to death” in an “inexcusable act of cruelty”. Three days later, a Shetland died showing “all the signs of exhaustion”. RSPCA chief inspector Rob Melloy said: “There are a lot of wonderful people and animals at the fair, who it's really enjoyable to meet and get to know. Unfortunately, there is also an element who think it's OK to drive horses to…

HORSE&HOUND VET CLINIC THERE is more to pain than you may realise. Pain can be defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, associated with actual or potential tissue damage. This importantly emphasises that pain is not just about a physical sensation, but also about how it makes us feel emotionally, and that it is a very personal experience. The same is true for our horses too. We all appreciate the emotional impact on a horse when they are in pain. PAIN PHYSIOLOGY WHEN understanding how to recognise, assess and treat pain, it is helpful to understand the physiology behind it (that is, the biological processes that occur to cause pain). Pain physiology is complex. To protect an animal from tissue damage, signals must be produced by the nervous system…

“THE CCI4*-S course was very much set as a pre-Paris run, it was like a mini Olympics in many ways,” said course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith. “It was always going to have many of the world's best horses here; put them round a four-star track and they should find it straightforward. “You don't adjust the standard because of the entry, so I wanted to give these riders the opportunity to have a good round with enough questions – so it wasn't a gimme – but enough that they could say, ‘That was great’, and that the horses are in a good place. For me the course did that, it found out some of the riders who are hopefully going to Paris, and should be going. “With the CCI5*, Luhmühlen is known for…

AGAINST THE ODDS CAROLINE SIMPSON'S win at Epworth (2) – an event that is run in aid of breast cancer research – could not have been more fitting. The BE90 winner – who describes herself as “a breast cancer survivor” – underwent a lumpectomy, mastectomy and chemotherapy 10 years ago and credits riding and horses for being the “greatest therapy”. “When I realised I'd won, I asked the organisers if I could do a little speech,” said Caroline. “I said that I was really poorly but I never gave up riding; it was that and competing that was the light at the end of my very dark tunnel. “I lost my hair, my strength and my dignity, but never lost my drive to spend time with my horse, which was…

JOE FERNYHOUGH'S eight-year-old home-bred Calcourt Countdown (pictured) has been another mare making a mark this season. She was only jumping newcomers last year, having started her career a little untidy and opinionated, but commenced a winning streak with four four-star victories in Spain in March and here won the Dallamires Stables 1.40m two-phase special. “She's had a lot of classes going fast, so I thought one quieter one would not be a bad idea,” said Joe. “Today, I was lucky to follow Will Fletcher and Persimmon [who won Thursday's 1.35m], who jumped a very fast round. His horse spends less time in the air than mine, but he went eight strides to the last – I thought if I landed over the previous fence and turned straight away, I'd get…

SERENA KULLICH headed the Natural Flake Wood Shavings’ CSI*YH six-year-old final with the 17.2hh Silas VTS (pictured), who she enjoys jumping bridleless at home. “I've been having a bit of fun with that,” said Serena, who has been producing the big chestnut, by the dressage stallion Guardian S, since a five-year-old. “I just practise jumping and turning with a neck strap,” she said. “It really helps them listen to your seat. Then when I want to wait down distances, he does listen to my seat and come back. “He used to be a bit spooky and it also helps with the connection to the rider. “They see you more as leadership,” added Serena, who also keeps the horse without shoes. The pair beat Sven Hadley (Maximum Numero Too HSH) to…

Bramham, W Yorks RACHEL PROUDLEY secured her biggest senior win to date when she partnered HK Horses’ classy grey Millfield Chrisis to an almost five-second victory in the £1,800 Wetherby Skip Hire 1.45m grand prix. Rachel, 18, began riding for Richard Howley and Morgan Kent in early spring and has only had a handful of previous outings on the nine-year-old Christian x Lux Z gelding. “He is a lovely, big, gentle giant of a horse,” she said. Eight combinations from 28 starters made it through a technical first round featuring “a lot of rollbacks”, as well as a right-angled turn from the second to third fence, which caused some problems. Drawn second in the jumpoff, Rachel established a strong early standard. Just two riders managed to top her time, but…

A TRADITIONAL in her first open season won her first HOYS pass on the first request. Liz Wright's home-bred Moortown Fancy That (Tatty, pictured) is ridden and produced by Sue-Helen Shuttleworth. The lightly shown five-year-old is a daughter of Clononeen Playboy and two-time RIHS and 2012 HOYS winner Moortown Frilly. After an unbeaten run in 2023, the plan had been for Tatty to return home to be put in foal, but her broodmare duties were placed on hold and she returned to Sue-Helen in March. She qualified for the RIHS on her first attempt at BSPS Area 1A. ONE TO WATCH “She's a sassy little thing but she likes her job,” said Sue-Helen. The pair won a strong native, cob and traditional pony class here. “We mainly entered her to…

HIGHLIGHTS 3–9 June South of England, South of England Showground, W Sussex LYNN RUSSELL swept the board as she secured three wins, two championships and the supreme ridden honours. Her leading man was her own cob champion, eight-yearold lightweight Canis Minor (Crisp). The pure-bred Irish Draught, who is by Windgap Blue, has featured at HOYS and RIHS finals during his career so far, but Lynn, who bought him from Ireland as a four-year-old, believes he's come into his own this year. “He's taken his time to mature; Draughts generally do take longer due to the quality,” said Lynn, who stood cob champion with him at Royal Bath and West last month. Lynn also fielded reserve cob champion with heavyweight Ixion, recently cob champion at Hertfordshire County. “He's another I bought…

“IT HINK that's the best we've ridden it,” said Shelly Harriss, after a plus-70% PSG freestyle win with Wallstreet IV at Burrows Court Farm, Gloucestershire, followed by aninter I freestyle victory. “I composed the floorplans myself and used a Billie Eilishsoundtrack, which works well for him. Once it comes on, he can't wait to get going.” ONE TO WATCH Shelly, who runs a horse transport business in west Wales, has partnered the 18hh Hanoverian gelding since he was a seven-year-old. “He's been such a super-consistent performer, especially in the freestyles,” she said of Walle, now 16. “He's a big, strong horse and finds all the collected work quiteeasy. We have a very technical floor plan for the inter I. Some moments need a little more polish, but it was a…

UPON leaving Cheltenham Racecourse after Ted's epic win in 2019, there was a funny postscript. “The cup for the Foxhunter is massive. The organisers said to Mrs Williams, ‘Most people don't take it home because they don't have anywhere big enough to put it’. Well, they clearly didn't know where Mrs Williams lived,” laughs Mel. “Because she's so modest, she very sweetly said, ‘I think we'll find somewhere’. But she then acknowledged just how big the cup was – it comes in a massive chest and she realised that in fact she couldn't get it home. “The organisers explained that because it's worth a fortune, the only way they could allow for it to go was via Securicor, which was going to cost a ridiculous amount of money. Mrs Williams…