Your Horse

SINCE WE STARTED our Fit Not Fat series earlier this year, I’ve been following the advice to help my mare, Wish, shed a few pounds. The biggest change has been adding some variety to her work. She’s now hacking out regularly, and polework sessions ar

Features editor Stephanie Anthony: Pack your bucket, spade and your equine friend and head to the beach. We list the best horse-friendly beaches in the UK for sea, sand and fun in the sun. Page 10 Freelance features writer Julie Brown: Writing a feat

Jenny was advertised for sale as a fully shod ride and drive pony – at only two years old. It was obvious from her photo that she was living in squalid conditions and suffering from neglect. When Roleystone Horse Sanctuary tracked her down Jenny was

An equestrian print and a comfortable fit – what more could you ask for? The mizgeorge mask is available in four sizes and a huge range of fabric designs, including this smart and colourful horseshoe pattern. RRP £14, etsy.com Presented in a stylish

■ Check that the beach you have in mind is open to equestrians. ■ Ensure there’s a car park close by that will accommodate the height of your horsebox/trailer. ■ Look at tide times before planning your trip (go to tidetimes.co.uk). ■ Double check whe

Parking: Small lorries and trailers can park on the beach. Access: Seven miles of space to gallop to your heart’s content. Parking: Camber Central car park, although note that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings the gates are locked at 8pm and do

“Mothecombe Beach near Plymouth is fantastic, although make sure you check the tides – when the tide is in there’s no beach!” Elaine Nicholl “Kenfig National Nature Reserve/Sker Beach near Porthcawl in South Wales is lovely and you can have a nice ca

MICHELLE GORHAM, 48, lives near Bunbury in south west Western Australia with her husband, Michael, and nine-year-old daughter, Mahlia. She keeps five horses, two of whom – Comet and Ramy – contest endurance competitions. I THINK HACKING WAS embedded

* At 13-15hh they are shorter than a typical draught horse, but are easily capable of pulling carts and caravans. * The breed is well known for its coloured coats, be that piebald, skewbald or blagdon, but the breed registry will accept horses no mat

■ 2004: forced to flee Darfur in Sudan ■ Walks for three days to Chad’s Djabal refugee camp ■ 2007: travels by lorry to Libya ■ 2011: travels by hospital cruise ship to France ■ 2012: travels to Britain under the body of an artic lorry

“I worked through lockdown, but most of the other liveries didn’t and would be there during the day drinking wine and watching others ride,” says Elle. “They started saying I was a bad rider, but jokily so that I didn’t really take any notice. Then o

I just wanted to write in to share what has happened and how amazingly lucky we are. I am so, so proud of my Black Forest Shire horse, Alun. He was diagnosed with spasmodic colic and possibly a displaced colon – I was told by the referral vet that it

Your Horse issue 467 received some great feedback on Facebook: So happy to see clicker training featured in your August issue. It’s a modern day training approach that features kindness, trust and science (learning theory) in training. Whether you wa

* Remember to keep things simple. The key things to focus on are rhythm, balance and the correct take-off point. * Adjusting your position so that it’s a little more forward will help both of you to stay in balance. Riding and standing in your stirru

Pippa is very keen to focus on rider fitness, as well as horse fitness. “I’d say that 95% of a horse’s problems stem from the rider on top,” she says. “It’s the rider’s job to always think about improving themselves. It’s about your own fitness, too.

Riley, an 18-year-old Welsh section D, was treated for lameness related to bursal enlargements. He showed severe lameness during exercise and, on examination by Alistair Love from Cleveland Vets, the tendon sheath of Riley’s right hindleg was found t

A scientific study into automatic drinkers suggests that intake is reduced if this is the only source of water the horse has access to. “The smaller bowls in particular caused problems,” says David. “They tended to be noisier and often the horse shie

There are situations where your horse may drink more than he needs. This is called polydipsia. He may simply be bored, or it could be an issue with his kidneys; in an older horse it may signal Cushing’s disease. “If your horse starts to drink more th

Here’s what you should do if you horse has a nosebleed: ■ Stay calm, keep your horse calm and preferably confine him to a stable.■ Try to monitor which nostril(s) the blood is coming from, how long it has been bleeding and the severity so that you ca

Bailey, an eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse, had been having nosebleeds for a couple of days. As far as his owner knew, the gelding hadn’t suffered a knock or trauma of any kind and otherwise he seemed well. There had been no changes to Bailey’s mana

Kipper, a 19-year-old Arab gelding, was examined by vets when he showed lameness in his off fore. At first an abscess was suspected, but the relevant treatment proved unsuccessful and the abscess returned. X-rays of the foot were then taken and showe

Q What is seedy toe and how should it be treated? Danni Barker, Wiltshire Glyn says… Seedy toe is white line disease in the toe area of the hoof. It is a fungal/ bacterial issue. It generally starts in the white line on the ground surface of the hoof

The owner: Janine Charlton The horse: Minuet, a five-year-old Belgian Warmblood The problem: Minuet is a good doer, but he needs extra vitamins Janine and Minuet have a busy summer of novice dressage planned. The five-year-old is a good doer and is k

The Yard Essentials Collection from Equine Products is an affordable range of everyday items, with everything from haynets to headcollars. You’ll find all your essentials here, including this Himalayan salt lick that provides a balanced intake of sod

To ensure equal pull across your girth, either pick one that has no elastic, or that has elastic in the middle or at both ends. You’ll get more stability without elastic, but some horses prefer that bit of give which comes from using elastic. In rece

COLOURS Black, ebony, tobacco SIZES 40cm – 150cm BUY AT stuebben.co.uk A modern-looking girth designed to follow the contours of your horse’s body to eliminate the problem of pinching. The elastic rings in the middle of the girth distribute pressure

1 When fastened your girth should sit approximately one hand’s width behind your horse’s elbow. 2 If you’re using a shaped girth, the narrowest point should be in line with your horse’s elbow so he can move his elbow forward and back without restrict

www.yourhorse.co.uk Your Horse magazine Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL Email: yh.ed@kelsey.co.uk Editor: Aimi Clark (maternity leave) Acting editor: Allison Lowther Features editor: Stephanie