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10 heart-warming stories from 2017 that are sure to make you smile


  • 1. Double-decker stables and a hidden horse walker: is this Britain’s most compact yard?

    Read +88,900 times

    Trooper of the Blues and Royals washing his horse in preparation for the Blues and Royals Inspection the following day at Household Cavalry Regiments Barracks of the Household Cavalry Regiments in Knightsbridge in London in the UK on the 24th April 2017

    Take a look behind-the-scenes at the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment’s Hyde Park Barracks, smack-bang in the centre of London

    2. Valegro turns his hoof to jumping… And this time it’s for real

    Read +43,700 times

    Carl Hester posted a picture of the star jumping with his gold medal-winning partner Charlotte Dujardin.

    3. ‘A true rags to riches tale’: neglected pony crowned Windsor champion

    Read +41,000 times

    A once-neglected pony found in a “miserable” state was transformed into a showing champion.

    4. I just cant believe it: Jonty Evans secures Olympic horse through crowd-funding

    Read +38,200 times

    Jonty Evans secured the ride on his Rio Olympic horse, Cooley Rorkes Drift (“Art”), after raising £500,000 through an extraordinarily successful crowd-funding campaign.

    5.‘He’s an absolute machine’: 13.3hh event pony steps up to one-star

    Read +33,000 times

    A 13.3hh companion pony-turned-eventer defied his size and successfully stepped up to one-star. Australian rider Jackie Wright bought Lakevale Toyman (Tommy) as a green six-year-old. She intended to keep him as a companion for her other horse, but soon discovered his aptitude for jumping.

    6. Shock result on final day of Badminton: record-breaker takes emotional victory

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    Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Nereo, winner of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton House in the Village of Badminton in South Gloucestershire in the UK on the 7th May 2017

    Andrew Nicholson first competed at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in 1984. He has since completed the event a record-breaking 37 times. But on 7 May he won the competition for the very first time aboard Nereo.

    7. 10 famous horses we’ve spotted hunting this season

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    From four-star eventers to top racehorses, here are a few of the equine celebs we’ve spotted on our hunting travels this season.

    8. ‘Two and a half years ago nobody wanted this horse’ — rescue horse Collin wins big money showjumping class

    Read +25,100 times

    Almost four years ago now, “Collin” was destined for slaughter — a tearaway seven-year-old who had been assigned to the scrapheap. But a chance phone call changed the gelding’s fate and in February Collin beat some of the best in the world to win a big-money showjumping class in Wellington, Florida, with Brazilian rider Luiz Francisco de Azevedo.

    9. ‘You horse riders are tough’: motorcyclist’s video goes viral

    Read +23,500 times

    A video of a thoughtful motorbike-rider considerately passing spooked horses went viral on social media. James Higgs was exploring off-road routes in north Devon on his trail bike on 11 March when he saw two horses walking towards him. James realised the horses were unsure of his bike so turned its engine off and asked the riders how best to help them pass safely. He even offered the horses a mint to try to reassure them.

    10. #ThisCobCan: 27 cobs that break the mould

    Read +22,800 times

    When people mention cobs, it might conjure up images of a “steady Eddie”-type, but this is not always the case as these 27 cobs ably demonstrate…

    For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

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