This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 15 October, features complete showjumping and showing reports from the Horse of the Year Show action.

In the news pages, we explore the mixed reaction to the news that there will be no 128cm jumping finals at the biggest shows in the calendar from 2029 and much more. In the Vet Clinic, we cover what to expect from the winter ahead and in the kit pages, we take a look at wonderful wellies.

In addition to tales from Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary, our hunting pages include a day trail hunting with the High Peak Harriers. We meet Katie Magee’s rising star Cushlas Indigo, and this week’s opinion columns come from H&H’s Pippa Roome and Simon Reynolds, who share their views on hot topics in eventing and showing.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Boekolo, Little Downham, Wellington and more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 15 October 2026

News

• 128cm final change: mixed reaction
• How different bras could affect how you ride
• ClipMyHorse.TV and FEI on promoting sport and attracting fans
• Horse sales: H&H considers the auction market

Horse of the Year Show

• A small hunter with an outstanding gallop makes history: Showing
• Jodie Hall McAteer’s electrifying jump-off win: Showjumping

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Eventing: H&H’s Pippa Roome
• Showing: Stuart Hollings

People and horses

• All in a day’s work: Veterinary professor
• In the spotlight: Cushlas Indigo
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Kit focus

• Working wellies: Tall boots designed for the demands of equestrian life

Vet Clinic

• Banishing winter woes: A challenging winter is expected, here’s how to prepare 

Reports

• Eventing: Little Downham, Boekelo and more 
• Dressage: Wellington CPEDI/CDI 

Hunting

• High flying harriers: A day’s trail-hunting with the High Peak Harriers

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

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There is an “urgent need” to change collective thinking and behaviour on weaning foals to benefit horses in the short and long term.

This is the recommendation of a new study, published in ScienceDirect, on the effects of different methods of weaning, and at different ages.

Lead author Joanne Dwyer, who conducted the research at the University of Nottingham, told H&H the findings are key to welfare in the short- and long-term.

“‘Weaning’ traditionally means moving from milk to solid food, and that’s not what we’re talking about with foals; they start munching on the mums’ food at a few weeks old,” she said. “We’re talking physical separation of intensely bonded horses, and if you do it too soon and too abruptly, you might create lifelong behavioural issues from the emotional and psychological impact separation can have.”

Ms Dwyer had conducted a scoping review of literature on weaning for her master’s degree. She realised the professionals she had spoken to, from equine charities, were highly experienced in management and welfare of horses at every life stage, and their input was important enough to study further. Participants viewed footage of the point of weaning, assessed this using behavioural indicators and shared their own experiences.

The paper states that weaning is considered one of the most stressful periods of a young horse’s life, but there is limited consensus on how best to do it.

Foal weaning research is available

“Participants voiced frustration that despite a good enough body of research to support progressive weaning methods, lots of horses are still being admitted to their organisations with what they identify as ‘weaning-related separation anxiety’ even into their adult years,” the paper states, adding that two participants from one organisation said they had moved to progressive weaning some years ago,

“Adult horses admitted into their care that they believe are suffering from the long-term effects of abrupt weaning display those same behaviours observed in the foals.”

Abrupt weaning means separating the mare and foal “in one go”, compared to starting with brief separation and gradually increasing the time the two are apart. Isolation of foals at weaning, rather with new equine companions, also has a negative welfare impact.

In a session on “the first year of life” during the British Equine Veterinary Association congress last month, Rebecca Mounsey of the Royal Veterinary College spoke about evidence on best weaning practice.

She pointed out that during critical growth and development phases, tissues are very sensitive to their environment, and their function can be affected in a positive or negative way that could have long-lasting impacts.

In horses, this window is the first six months of life, or before weaning if a horse is weaned before six months.

“We recognise that weaning causes abrupt cessation in the rate of average daily weight gain, so that’s probably when that period of rapid growth ceases,” she said.

Dr Mounsey said studies of naturalistic equine populations suggests that voluntary weaning usually starts between nine and 10 months old, and lasts for a few months, and neither mare nor foal tends to show a stress response.

She cited studies for which foals were weaned before, at or after six months old; those weaned later showed reduced stress, as well as enhanced growth and skeletal development. Another study showed foals weaned at nine or 10 months showed enhanced development in regions of the brain associated with social behaviour, physiological regulation and information processing, compared to those weaned at six months. She also cited studies finding progressive weaning is more beneficial than abrupt separation.

“There’s a number of studies where increased instance of stereotypical behaviours is associated with individual boxed weaning,” she added. “Separating foals and putting them in their own individual stalls seems to encourage some of these stereotypical behaviours.”

Dr Mounsey said that optimal weaning needs to be tailored to individual mares, foals and their situations, with which Ms Dwyer agrees.

“Your set-up will dictate what you can provide for the needs of mare and foal but between seven and 12 months is healthiest,” she said.

“The reality is that it’s healthier to leave them together longer than we’re traditionally used to. There has to be a cultural shift; I think strengthening the involvement with the welfare organisations will help, and if they share the results, such as a reduction in mastitis in mares.

“Then it will help to look at lifetime impacts for horses; are they more successful, and more emotionally stable? We need more breeders to experiment with these methods.”

The study concludes: “Participants were unanimous in agreeing the need to change away from abrupt and isolating methods of weaning, and this supports what is already known from the current literature.”

● What are your thoughts on the best way to wean? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 8 October, features the shortlists for all the categories in the 2026 Horse & Hound Awards in partnership with NAF and Agria. Voting is open now and closes on Friday 16 October – make sure you cast your vote before it’s too late.

This week’s interview is with with Defender Burghley 2026 winner Gemma Stevens. She gives us the breakdown on her first win of the autumn classic – the second five-star victory of her career after Bicton in 2021. Both of her five-star trophies are shared with Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Knight, who is on our cover with his siblings this week.

In the news pages, we shared the details on cheaper frangible devices in development, everything you need to know about planning for the hay situation in 2026 and much more. In the Vet Clinic, we cover the latest in antibiotic resistance, plus back pain research, and give you a glimpse of equestrian homes on the market with something for everyone.

In addition to tales from Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary, our hunting pages include the story of a late starter’s introduction to hunting. This week’s opinion columns come from Laura Tomlinson and Chris Smith, who share their views on hot topics in dressage and showjumping.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Osberton, BD Summer Area Festival, Scottish Horse of the Year, Riding Club combined championships and more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 1 October 2026

News

• Frangibles getting cheaper and more options in development
• Young rider who lost dream horse campaigns in his memory
• Horse sales: amateur and grassroots market
• Planning key in the 2026 hay situation

Vote in the H&H Awards in partnership with NAF and Agria

• Shortlists

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Dressage: Laura Tomlinson
• Showjumping: Chris Smith

People and horses

• H&H interview: Burghley 2026 winner Gemma Stevens
• All in a day’s work: The hay and feed supplier
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Property and kit

• Living in the now: Homes with comfort for all
• Reliable layers: Coats

Vet Clinic

• Combating resistance: Antibiotics latest, plus back pain research

Feature

• Get your stables winter-ready: Prepare now

Reports

• Eventing: Osberton, South of England and more
• Dressage: Summer Area Festival and Middle Tour Championships 
• Showjumping: Scottish Horse of the Year and more
• Riding Club: Combined Championships

Hunting

• Never too late: My first season
• From the field

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

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Plan ahead, buy by weight and don’t panic: these are the three headline tips for equestrians sourcing hay as Britain heads into winter.

The latest figures from the British Hay and Straw Merchants’ Association (BHSMA) show the average price per tonne for square big-bale hay is slightly lower compared to this week last year at £106 (£118 in 2025).

The average prices per tonne of small-bale seed hay and meadow hay, defined as “pick-up” size, vary quite considerably and tend to be higher than large square bales. This week in 2025 they were £121 and £106 respectively; the current average is £156 and £152. The BHSMA states that these numbers are collected as historical records and not designed to be used as a price guide.

Last winter was tough for many horse owners, reflected by the spring spike in hay prices this year, which hit an average of £160/tonne for big-bale hay. Experiences of yields and supply varied regionally last year, and following the dry 2026 summer, it is likely this will be the case again. High diesel prices owing to the US/Iran war will likely also have an effect.

British Horse Society (BHS) horse care and welfare director Gemma Stanford told H&H it is “completely understandable” horse owners are worried about hay supplies, “particularly when poor grazing has meant many horses are already relying more heavily on forage”.

“We came into 2026 following a very difficult growing season in 2025, which significantly reduced forage production and depleted much of the reserve stock that would normally provide a buffer,” she said.

“This year’s prolonged dry conditions have put further pressure on grass growth and, while this varies around the country, some producers are reporting yields below a normal year with limited second cuts.”

Ms Stanford advised owners “to plan ahead, but not panic-buy”, take stock of what they have, thinking realistically about what each horse is likely to need through winter, and speak to their usual suppliers early about availability to help save money on their hay bill.

“Now is a good time to look at how much forage is being wasted. Simple changes to the way hay is fed can help make supplies last longer, while still ensuring horses have access to the fibre they need,” she said.

“If hay does become difficult to source, there are other fibre sources that can form part of a horse’s diet. The important thing is not to make sudden substitutions. Speak to an equine nutritionist or your vet about what is appropriate for your individual horse, particularly if they are older, underweight, prone to laminitis or have dental or metabolic issues.”

She also encouraged owners to keep monitoring their horses, and added that fat-scoring regularly can help people spot changes early and adjust diet before weight gain or loss becomes a bigger problem.

“Above all, try to have a plan before you reach the end of your current supply. Knowing how much forage you have, reducing avoidable waste and understanding what alternatives are suitable for your horse will put you in a much stronger position if supplies tighten further over the winter,” she said.

Philip Judge of Philip Judge International, which supplies hay and bedding nationwide and across Europe, echoed the BHS’s advice.

He told H&H that the picture is regional, but that there are no back-up carry-over supplies and very little hay coming from France, owing to the severe European droughts. Imports from further afield will be possible if needed.

He encouraged owners to make contact with and stay loyal to their suppliers, to buy by weight rather than the “Russian roulette” approach of buying by number of bales and to be very cautious of scammers, particularly on social media.

“Production in the UK was more plentiful this year than the previous, but demand is also more plentiful,” he said. “Panic does no good to anybody; it’s a case of thinking about careful planning and alternatives.”

● What are your experiences in terms of the current hay situation? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

• To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

A young rider who lost her dream horse in a horrific road collision is taking on a charity Flat race in his memory, and to help prevent others facing a similar situation.

Tinks Walker still has flashbacks of the accident in May, when her 10-year-old event horse Killossery Kaptain (Benny) was fatally injured on the road. She is in training for the race at Newbury on 5 November, in which she will be riding to raise funds for and awareness of the British Horse Society’s (BHS) Dead Slow road safety campaign.

“My aim is for me to speak out so people don’t have to go through what I’ve been through,” she said.

Benny, owned by Tinks’ grandmother Margaret Silver and Fi Rutland, had been with Laura Collett, who had competed him with success to four-star level.

“He just didn’t really see the point of dressage!” Tinks said. “He just wanted to jump. Laura said she thought he’d be great for me, a perfect young rider’s horse. It all happened quite quickly, and he came home with us about a month later.”

Tinks and Benny did their first event together early this year, and jumped clear in the showjumping and across country.

“Then we went to Moreton and I missed a fence across country,” she said. “We’d done an ok dressage, and he’d jumped beautifully showjumping, then, sack the jockey, I missed a fence, so that wasn’t ideal! But I couldn’t fault the cross-country. I’ve always struggled being brave cross-country and to have a horse I knew had jumped unholy sized fences gave me so much confidence.

“He nannied me and I was enjoying it. I was thinking ‘We’ve got this’.”

Tinks and Benny jumped another double clear at Tweseldown “my favourite cross-country round ever”.

“It’s really nice to look back on; it was such a wonderful day,” Tinks said. “We were all very excited that our next event was going to be the novice at Oxtalls. I was exercising him on the Thursday, and sadly that’s when our accident happened.”

Benny was injured so badly in the collision, he had to be put down on the roadside.

Tinks was put in touch with BHS head of safety Alan Hiscox, who has been supporting the family. The Walkers are taking legal action in relation to the incident.

Tinks was then invited to take part in the race, and her uncle Ed Walker, of Kingsdown Stables, has been training her.

Tinks’ fundraising page is live now

“It gave me something to think about that wasn’t the accident,” she said. “It’s been a very tough journey, I still get horrendous flashbacks. If I close my eyes, I can still see it all happening.”

Tinks started training this summer, and thinks she is “slowly getting the hang of it!”

“I thought it was just cantering up gallops but absolutely not; I was humbled very quickly!” she said. “It’s been everything I’ve ever been told not to do; I’d always been told shoulders away from their shoulders, body tall, weight in your heels, now it’s ‘Can’t touch your knees, and if you think you’re low enough, you’re definitely not’. It’s been a complete adjustment but a really cool experience.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s nice to take on something completely different, something I never thought I’d be able to do.”

Tinks and her mother Netia paid tribute to their beloved Benny, the “nicest character horse we ever had”, who they felt took pride in showing his rider the ropes.

“He was everything I’ve ever wanted in my life,” Tinks said. “Sitting on him was like I had won the lottery. Every time I sat on him, all I could think was how lucky I was.

“This is all for Benny; so he carries on.”

●To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

A rider who was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer years after she went into remission has spoken up about the need to “find joy” every day – and how her horse has helped her do just that.

Sally Laverick has had the bones in her hip and arm replaced, and been told the condition she has is not curable. But she is living with it, managing it and looking forward to riding again soon.

Sally was nearly 48 in 2018, when she went for a routine mammogram and found out she had early-stage breast cancer.

“I had no symptoms; no lump or pain but by chance, my local GP had the mobile screening unit and I was invited,” she said. “It was picked up; the smallest little cancer cell but it had already travelled to another spot in my breast and there were traces in my lymph nodes.

“The NHS were, and are, amazing. Within a week, I was called for more scans, had a biopsy and the primary breast cancer was found.”

Sally said her oncology team was very positive about her prognosis, as it had been caught so early. She had a left-side mastectomy, and lymph node clearance, and underwent six cycles of chemotherapy.

“The mastectomy itself was super simple, as it’s just breast tissue they’re taking off, not organs; they’re not even going inside,” she said.

“It was all a bit surreal, it took a long time for it to sink in. I had big boobs; my lovely surgeon said ‘Don’t worry, we’ll rebuild it and reduce the other one, so you’ll have a perfect set of boobs. I’ve never been one to wear revealing clothes or anything but I said ‘Yes, a nice set of boobs would be good’, I was sold on the idea!”

The chemotherapy was tough, Sally said. Her surgery had removed all the cancer but her consultant wanted her to have the extra treatment as a “belt and braces” approach.

“I knew I would feel crap and it would be the worst I’d felt as until then, I hadn’t been ill,” she said. “And when you lose your hair, you’re bloated from steroids, and see yourself in the mirror, that’s when you feel like a cancer patient.

“That’s when you think ‘I do feel like death; whatever death feels like, this is it’. You do it because you have to. People say ‘You’re so strong’ but you’re just doing it because you want to live. I’d wake up, three or four sessions in, feeling the worst I could possibly feel. You don’t know how you’re going to do it, but you do. And this is where my amazing horse comes into it.”

Dexter, who was seven at the time, gave Sally the motivation she needed to get through her treatment.

“I am a positive person, I look for the joy, the hope in things,” she said. “I need hope to get through my day, especially now with my secondary diagnosis.

“But then, my chemo was in three-week cycles so I’d have the session and the side effects usually kicked in later that evening. There was a lot of nausea and feeling rubbish.

“Some people have side effects for a few days, some for the whole three weeks. Mine lasted about 10 days, then I’d think ‘Right, I’m back on my feet, I’m going to ride my horse’. That was my goal between every chemo cycle, and it kept me going.

“He was still young and a bit daft but as soon as I got on him, he knew, and he just carried me. I didn’t ride him, I just sat there, and he would be ‘Come on’, and we’d go for little mooches. He was – he is – an absolute superstar. The last couple of rides were tough as I was feeling my worst, but he looked after me.”

Sally then got the all-clear, went back to work and picked her old life back up.

“Everything was rosy, until last year, when I got hit with the secondary diagnosis,” she said. “Now, life is very different.”

Sally had pain in her back and shoulder, which did not seem too major. She saw a musculoskeletal practitioner, and it was put down to her age and activity level.

Secondary diagnosis

“I’m cross with myself for not asking for an X-ray, given my history, but I wasn’t thinking about cancer,” she said. “Then last March, I tripped in the paddock, and the noise from my arm was like a rip. I thought ‘Holy moly, this is not good’.”

Sally went to hospital, where doctors found a clean break to her humerus, and lesions in the bone. She explained that the secondary breast cancer diagnosis meant it is the same sort of cancer, a hormonal one, which has travelled and manifested in another part of the body, in her case the bones.

“It can be quite nasty, which is why it’s then deemed incurable,” she said. “They don’t say ‘terminal’ any more; they call it life-limiting, and I’ve got no intention of going anywhere yet. I’ve got too much to do.”

MRI and CT scans revealed another lesion on her left hip, which was “pretty much at the point of collapse”. She had surgery to replace the affected bones with titanium implants.

“I was lying in a bed the first day thinking ‘I’m going to die; secondary breast cancer isn’t good’,” she said. “But the oncology team were remarkably optimistic. I said why were they so optimistic in a life-threatening condition. And they said they can treat it, manage it.

“It’s not curable, and they said I was deemed as palliative, but they’d do everything they could to keep it at bay.”

Sally explained the aim now is to keep the cancer “stable”, to prevent it spreading, and that what the team would like to see is a status of “no evidence of active disease”.

“You can get to that, depending on you, your body, the cancer and the treatment,” she said. “That’s my ultimate goal but for the last 12 months, I’ve been stable, and I’m ok with that.

“I’m bionic!”

“I’ve got a new arm, new hip – I’m bionic! I walk three to four miles a day with my dog, I walk my friend’s dogs, look after my horse and friends’ horses – I’m strong.”

Sally has frequent physio, hydrotherapy and scans, and is always trying to get as physically strong as she can.

“I’m just out there doing my thing,” she said. “I’m not saying it’s not hard, it really is. I don’t take any of my surgeries or my disease or my outlook on life for granted. I’ve got to remain hopeful, and I’ve got to look for the joy, every day.

“Even if I’m feeling a bit rubbish one day, if I walk my dog around the paddocks, come home and have a nice cup of coffee, that makes me happy. I’m not about chasing career goals any more, or being the best at anything – although I do want to be the best at beating cancer!”

October is breast cancer awareness month, and Sally is supporting charity Make 2nds Count’s “My life, my way” campaign to raise awareness of living with secondary cancer.

“I do have rubbish days; I did last Monday, but I’d had a really busy few weeks,” she said. “It’s just important that if I do something, I rest the next day as I can’t keep going 24/7 like I used to, and I’m ok with that. When you’re on the corporate treadmill, you don’t stop and get time to relax, which is why Dexter has always been so important.

“When you’re with your horse, you’re not thinking about anything else but what he’s doing, trying to stay on! And having fun. That’s where I am now, despite the secondary diagnosis.

Back into the saddle

“I’ve got lots of lovely friends, a brilliant support network in my family. I’ve surrounded myself by good people. You can still feel rubbish, and there’s the mental health element that’s so important, you have to stay hopeful.”

Sally cited the NHS’s approval last month of a life-extending drug for secondary breast cancer as a huge positive, and an example of the fact new treatments are always being developed.

“My consultant said it’s no different to diabetes or heart disease; we treat it and we will extend your life,” he said. “It’s not curable so it’s about enjoying life now. If that means going out in all weathers, feeding and looking after my horse, that’s what I’ll do. And he’s a diamond.”

Sally’s goal now is to ride Dexter again; her consultant approved this as long as she wears a body protector and air jacket.

“I’m being good, I promise!” she said. “I just need to do a bit more as the range of movement in my arm isn’t great but the ultimate goal is to get back in the saddle and have fun again.

“There used to be times, when I was working and especially in winter, I could only ride at weekends. Now, having time during the day, as I’m medically retired – what a luxury! That’s a joy in itself. I’ve got an amazing group of very clever people around me, doing everything they can to keep me here as long as possible.”

● To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Vets are pondering the “complete mystery” as to how a smooth, rubber-coated 10cm metal hook managed to embed itself in the hindquarters of a former racehorse.

Mary Framptom-Price found what appeared to be a relatively minor wound on her 20-year-old thoroughbred Baz but Keesjan Cornelisse of VetPartners’ Penbode Equine Vets had a feeling from the photo Mary sent in that it might be deeper than it seemed.

On examination, Keesjan felt something hard under Baz’s skin and investigating further, found the chunk of metal. He gave Baz sedation and pain relief, then slightly enlarged the wound to remove the chunky hook.

“We are often sent images of wounds by horse owners, and a vet visit is usually recommended if the wound is large, bleeding profusely, very dirty, contains a foreign body or is near a joint or tendon sheath,” Kessjan said.

“Baz’s laceration didn’t seem that serious at first glance, but there were a few things worrying me about it, and I recommended it was best if I came out to look at it.

“Even though I had my suspicions, I couldn’t have imagined what was hiding inside the wound, and to say I was completely surprised to find the hook is an understatement. It goes to show how important it is that wounds are carefully checked, even seemingly minor ones.”

The hook was one of four attached to Baz’s field shelter and it is not known how it came to be embedded in his quarters. It is thought he may have been rubbing on it or was spooked or chased by one of his companions and backed on to it at some speed.

“What doesn’t make sense is that the hook is blunt-ended and coated with rubber, and it would have needed a lot of force to push it through the skin and deep into the muscle tissue,” Keesjan said. “Also, the position of the hook on the shelter wall was lower than the height of the wound entrance, so Baz would have had to push down onto it.

“I guess we’ll never know what happened, but I am very pleased that the wound has healed nicely, and five weeks after his accident Baz was able to be lightly ridden again, and is happy and sound.”

Mary, 78, has worked with author Jane Thomas to create Stories from a Cornish Stable, three books featuring Baz and his transition from racehorse to the hacking companion he is now.

Mary has now removed all the hooks from the shelter.

“The wound looked fairly minor and never in a million years could we have guessed that there was a hook inside Baz’s quarters,” she said. “The hooks have been here for years and I’ve never noticed Baz going near them before so what happened is a complete mystery.

“I’m so grateful to Keesjan for being so thorough and attentive and for recommending that the wound needed checking, or the hook could have remained there for a lot longer and caused all sorts of complications. He has been my vet for many years, and I know that I can trust him and he’ll always do the right thing for Baz and the ponies. Baz and I have a lot to thank him for.”

●To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 1 October features Nicola Wilson and her fan-favourite British team eventer Opposition Buzz. Don’t miss our nostalgic look-back over this stalwart of the sport’s storied career.

In the news pages, we shared plans to stop holding 128cm showjumping classes at major spectator shows such as Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Olympia in the future, discuss the equine welfare sector being at “breaking point”, what Martyn’s Law means for equestrian events and horse shows and more. We take a look at the latest products on the equestrian market, and in the Vet Clinic, we learn about the life of a heavy horse in Victorian Britain.

This week, we interview Welsh pony and cob breeder Adrian Bowen ahead of HOYS, and bring you tales from Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary. This week’s opinion columns come from Andrew Nicholson and Gill Thompson, who share their views on hot topics in eventing and showing. Plus, trail-hunting is back – see out reports from the Grove and Rufford.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Heritage Championships, Little Gatcombe, Dorset Showground and much more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

How fast can you complete the cover?

Order your magazine

• Find your nearest magazine stockist
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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 1 October 2026

News

• Plans to end 128cm jumping classes at major spectator shows
• Equine welfare sector ‘at breaking point’ 
• Change in demand for top competition horses
• What Martyn’s Law means for equestrian events and horse shows

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Eventing: Andrew Nicholson
• Showing: Gill Thompson

People and horses

• H&H interview: Welsh pony and cob breeder Adrian Bowen
• All in a day’s work: Horse of the Year Show stable manager
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Kit focus

• New in the ring

Vet Clinic

• Day-to-day life for heavy horses in Victorian times

Nostalgia

• Legends of the sport: Nicola Wilson’s stalwart British team trailblazer, Opposition Buzz

Reports

• Showing: Heritage Championships
• Eventing: Allerton Park, Little Gatcombe and more 
• Dressage: Masters du Cheval Ibérique GB National Championships
• Showjumping: Dorset Showground and Chard

Hunting

• New season: Grove and Rufford

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

Get your magazine

• Find your nearest magazine stockist
• Order a single issue for delivery
• Subscribe to the paper magazine
• Download FREE digital magazine

Equine welfare centres are “running out of space”, the sector is at “breaking point” and vulnerable horses “will soon be left with nowhere to go”.

Those are the headline messages from a new survey into the picture facing the UK’s equine welfare sector this year.

The National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC), a not-for-profit membership organisation, surveyed rescue centres, rehoming organisations and sanctuaries in the UK. It received 38 complete responses, the majority of which came from managers of rescue organisations that operate at least one site in England.

The survey found that 50% of respondents are at or over capacity and the rest are nearly full. Collectively, they have around 4,500 equines in their care. It highlighted the fact more horses are coming into rescue centres and fewer are being rehomed, so those running the centres have difficult decisions to make.

“This survey makes it painfully clear that equine welfare organisations are doing everything they can to protect the horses in their care, but the system is under unsustainable strain,” said NEWC chair Carolyn Madgwick.

“Rising costs, fewer rehoming opportunities and increasing calls for help means we are being asked to do more with less. Without coordinated action and greater support, more horses could be left without the safety net they urgently need.

“Financial pressures and climatic conditions have made horse ownership and care increasingly challenging, with prices of hay more than doubling in the past five years, and rises in veterinary and energy costs. Wet winters have impacted pastures and grazing, while drought in summer has required owners and rescue centres to use hay stocks meant for winter. This all adds up to challenging conditions for everyone involved in keeping horses.”

More than 90% of respondents are concerned about costs, 81% reported an increase in requests to hand over equines, and 67% a rise in welfare concern calls.

Malcolm Morley, director of UK at World Horse Welfare, said: “The findings point to serious consequences for horses and owners if current trends continue. Ongoing financial and operational pressures could further reduce capacity, while extreme weather patterns and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis for struggling owners may increase the number of horses becoming welfare cases.”

Redwings chief executive Lynn Cutress told H&H it has been “an extremely difficult year for people who care for horses”.

"We have over 1,000 horses in our daily care here at Redwings, and 600 more out in guardian homes who may need to return at any time,” she said. “So we must be very careful about ensuring that we can meet the needs of the horses, ponies, donkeys and mules we are already responsible for while doing everything we can to help those beyond our paddock fences.

"It is an incredibly challenging balance at the moment, and we'd urge anyone who can afford to donate to us here at Redwings to please consider doing so in order to help us continue this vital work for the love of the horses."

Bransby Horses deputy CEO Emma Carter told H&H the charity is seeing more horses coming into its care “than ever before” and that its admissions increased by about 30% in the last year.

She said the charity’s biggest concern is not simply the number of horses needing help but the growing complexity of the welfare challenges they are facing when they arrive.

“As horse lovers, we all want the best for our horses, but we're seeing more owners facing challenges than ever before. That's why prevention and early support work are so important, because while charities provide a vital safety net, there is no safety net behind the welfare sector itself,” she said.

• Read the 2026 NEWC report

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Imagine if you could take your horses’ poo and turn it into pumpkins – with pre-carved faces – eggs and cash (indirectly) and better grazing.

That’s what Laura Ashmore from East Sussex has been doing for years.

Her vet Reuben Whittaker and practice manager Sarah Whittaker from RW Equine were so amazed by this year’s pumpkin crop, which they spotted on a recent visit, they shared pictures of it. H&H spoke to Laura to find out more.

“They literally all grew on the muck heap, and that’s a small number as I didn’t get round to planting as many as usual!” she said. “Over the years, I’ve grown hundreds. And I carve the faces in them when they’re growing, as well.”

Laura said she has been using her muck heap to grow pumpkins and squash for about four years.

“Someone suggested it and I thought ‘That’s a good idea’, as they’re really heavy feeders, and that’s just pure food, isn’t it?” she said.

Laura said she uses fresh muck; she loads the heap until she can’t access it any more in the winter. She sows the seeds in February, in a greenhouse, then plants them out on the heap in May.

“Or you can put them in as seeds, in late May or June, just literally put seeds in the muck heap and they’ll go,” she said. “You have to water them and stop the slugs getting them, then let them do their thing. It’s amazing.”

Laura sells her pumpkins, and other produce, on a stall outside her property. And of course autumn is key pumpkin-selling time.

“They mature at the right time, which is convenient,” she said, going on to explain the Halloween carving.

“If you cut a pumpkin when it’s still growing, it will heal itself, it’s quite a fascinating thing,” she said. “So previous years, I’ve carved faces and ‘Happy Halloween’. This year, my daughter wanted a vampire cat, and there’s a Minecraft one for her best friend.”

Laura added that the pumpkins also produce “the most fabulous compost”, and she spreads the muck on her fields to benefit her grazing, in a great example of sustainability.

“Not only am I turning the poo into food, any food left goes to the chickens, so I turn it into eggs too,” she said. “It’s a nice little cycle.

“And it’s just fun. I’ve always loved pumpkins, I just think they’re so cool. These massive, great big leaves appear, then you start looking under them, and it’s so exciting to see all the little fruits start growing.

“Most of what I grow is edible but I also grow the funky-looking gourds, as people like them and they’re fun.”

Laura has grown the pumpkins – she says sweetcorn, peas and beans also thrive planted the same way – in heaps of pure poo, and mixed with bedding, and both are effective.

“It’s amazing what you can grow on a muck heap!” she said. “I’ve never done anything special with my muck heaps, and they’ve been in different places as we’ve moved around.

“People look at me when I plant the pumpkins out in May and say ‘Do you really think they’re going to need that much space?’ And I say ‘Oh yes’. Then they take over the world!”

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Grief for a horse can be taken less seriously than that for pets, it is feared, meaning many owners can feel “isolated and unsupported during their time of loss”.

The RSPCA’s “Not just a pet” campaign aims to raise awareness of grief for animals, and a recent survey conducted by the charity found that 70.5% of respodents feel a stigma exists; only 5.5% of respondents believe pet grief is taken as seriously as it should be.

“And there are concerns that many people misunderstand the role horses play in their owners’ lives, potentially further minimising society’s understanding of the impact losing these beloved companions can have,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.

Ashleigh Brown, the charity’s scientific and policy manager, equine welfare specialist and equestrian, pointed out that horses often fall into a grey area between livestock and pets.

“And as they live outside the home – those who don’t own horses might fail to appreciate the depth of the emotional bond shared between horses and their owners or carers,” she said.

“But they are often loved, cherished and viewed as a family member just as a live-in pet, like a dog or cat, would be.

“The connection many owners feel with their horses is equally strong, and typically developed over many years spent caring, riding, grooming, training and learning together, leading to close bonds.

“Losing an equine companion can be absolutely soul-destroying, and change your life overnight. Often, owners may also have been faced with difficult decisions over end-of-life care and euthanasia, grappling with what is the best option for their horse or pony’s welfare – even when this may be heartbreaking for them personally.

“Therefore, it’s so important we support our friends, family and colleagues going through this every bit as much as we would someone who has lost a cat, dog, or other beloved family pet.”

Grief for animals is real

Influencer Esme Higgs is backing the campaign. She has posted about the loss of her standardbred Mickey in 2024, saying he taught her about ponies’ “needs, their ways, how they think and how they see the world”.

“If you’ve ever loved an animal, you’ll know they were never just a pet,” she said. “They’re part of your family, part of your life, and when you lose them, the space they leave behind can feel enormous.

“Pet grief is real, and deserves to be seen, supported and heard about. And the challenges can be particularly profound for horse owners. Most importantly, nobody should have to go through it alone.”

The RSPCA has updated its online resources published to support people coping with loss of an animal, including support for children and those having to make end-of-life decisions.

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This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 24 September, is our Harry Meade guest edit and is packed with features written and hand-picked by Harry himself. In this issue, Harry visits the yard of race trainer Christian Williams and rides out with a string in coastal Wales. He also explores the history and evolution of cross-country design with eventing legends such as William Fox-Pitt and Lucinda Green, and much, much more. It’s definitely not one to be missed.

In the news pages, we discuss pre-purchase X rays, climate change and its impact on tropical equine diseases and more. We explore how investing in an equestrian property can help set you up for life, and in the Vet Clinic, we learn about what to feed for healthy feet.

This week, we introduce you to some stunning Georgian style homes on the market, and bring you tales from Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary. Plus, we bring you opinion columns from Anna Ross and Adam Cromarty who share their views on hot topics in dressage and showjumping.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Blenheim, Arena UK and the BSHA Championships. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 24 September 2026

News

• Pre-purchase X-rays: how much is too much?
• Climate change and its impact on tropical equine disease
• Some progress, but illegal employment still an issue
• Farewell to rider who died ‘doing what he loved’

Harry Meade guest edit

• Access all areas: Christian Williams Racing
• All in a day’s work: The Pony Club district commissioner
• The art of the question: The history and evolution of cross-country course-design
• The driving force: Husbands and wives who offer vital support to top riders and trainers 
• What Lily loves: Harry’s daughter Lily picks her favourite products 
• The best sport a child could do: Tetrathlon

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Dressage: Anna Ross
• Showjumping: Adam Cromarty

Kit and property

• Turnout rugs to protect your horse
• Georgian-style homes

Vet Clinic

• Nutrition for hooves – what does your horse need?

Features

• Set for life: Finding a forever home and what to consider 
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Reports

• Eventing: Blenheim
• Dressage: Deauville
• Showjumping: Arena UK and Lanaken
• Showing: BSHA Championships

Hunting

• Hunting Life: Plus Daniel Cherriman opinion
• Wire – and a warm welcome: New Zealand

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

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Where does a vet’s role start – and stop – when it comes to equine welfare, and what happens if a horse and a human’s best interests are not the same?

These were some of the questions discussed at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) 2026 congress in the “moral maze” debate. The discussion, featuring panellists and “witnesses”, was on the topic “Is everyday welfare our constant endeavour?” Two vets argued that it is; two said they believe at this moment, it is not.

Issues brought up included whether vets should treat just the symptoms rather than also the cause of an issue, and cases in which what is best for the horse may not be what is best for the owner.

Outgoing BEVA president Imogen Burrows, one of those who believes welfare is the constant endeavour, said she believes all equine vets “start this profession with welfare as a real primary key driver”, adding: “We choose to undertake veterinary care as a profession. We have to accept that this is undertaken with the intention of protecting animal welfare at its heart.”

Malcolm Morley, World Horse Welfare head of UK, agreed that he is sure from his 30 years in practice that all vets care.

“I’ve also been standing in the yard with an owner, trainer, rider, who all want an answer, and I’m thinking, what’s right for the horse, and trying to manage their expectations,” he said. “Everyone’s under pressure. The horse has a competition coming up, it cost a fortune, somebody’s living is probably at stake; pressure has come right into my consultation.

“In that situation putting welfare first can threaten your relationship with your clients, your cash flow, your reputation and status as a vet. This is normal in equine practice, we face these really challenging conflicts. Pretending they don’t exist is where we get into trouble.”

Owners on side

BEVA trustee Phil Cramp said he believes vets are very good at ensuring the horse has the best treatment, its welfare protected, and that the owner has to be on side.

“We learn to do that, we get better at it through our career and I think we’re getting better and better at combining those things, and at providing good welfare for our patients,” he said. “I think there’s evidence that supports that. Look at this session, and this whole congress has everyday welfare at the heart and every year it’s come further and further up the list.”

Equine behaviour expert Gemma Pearson pointed out that the five domains welfare model has four physical domains feeding into the fifth and most important, the horse’s mental state. She gave the example of a vet treating a laminitic by keeping it in a bare area with weighed-out hay; it will lose weight but it has also lost out in terms of environment and probably social interactions.

“That’s where I see a lot of horses presented to me as they’ve become aggressive,” she said. “Now the owner is now thinking of selling them because vets are just thinking about physical health, not always thinking about welfare, which is mental state.”

Thinking from the horse’s perspective

Vet Ben Sykes said he was never taught to think from the horse’s perspective, citing as an example, yards not set up with welfare as the key focus, which “become normalised”.

“Every time you dispense omeprazole, do you recommend maybe social housing to improve the eating behaviour for that horse, make that horse’s welfare improve, make it feel safer and eat more constantly, more naturally, every single time?” he asked.

“Hay is the centre of ulcer prevention; free choice hay is one of the simplest, most powerful tools to improve the welfare of a stabled horse. We can’t suddenly get racehorses turned out or social stabling put in, but as a profession, we could advocate strongly that every single horse that is stabled, every racehorse, as a minimum industry standard, we require free choice hay.

Mr Sykes said regulation, rather than education, should be key, adding: “Why aren’t we, as a profession, BEVA, standing up and saying we expect this to be a minimum industry standard? Without that, welfare is not our constant endeavour.”

Dr Pearson cited a case of equine and human welfare in conflict, in a colic surgery in which euthanasia was recommended. The owner opted for a second surgery as the horse was owned by his father who had Alzheimer’s, and time with his horses was “the only thing that calms him down”.

“Does the constant endeavour phrase have the add-on ‘but you’re allowed to compromise it when you feel you should’?” she asked.

The ethical questions

Ethics were introduced; examples given were injecting a horse’s joints to improve performance, taking blood from one horse to benefit another, and whether advanced reproductive techniques benefit the mare involved.

The question over each vet’s role was also asked; can and should the vet be the one to recommend changing stable design or management as well as everything else they do – and are they advocates for or enablers of good welfare.

“I’d got to a point where I was probably enabling things,” Ms Burrows said. “I was happy with what I was doing but not really how I was doing it. The changes I’ve made, I think, have been hugely beneficial for me and for my patients. This is a journey, and no journey is perfect or linear.

“It’s obvious we’re provocative, emotive, passionate, but when we use extreme terms, we’re going to let perfect be the enemy of good, and we have to acknowledge we will fail, and we have to accept that. I can try again, and that doesn’t mean it wasn’t my constant endeavour.”

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Classically trained horseman and engineer Paul Belton, who revolutionised saddle design in the UK and far beyond, died suddenly on 28 August, aged 82, less than 40 days after the loss of his beloved wife, Sherry.

A lifelong rider with an engineering background, Paul had a unique understanding of the requirements of both horse and rider, and of the profound impact a saddle can have on the ridden horse. He was the first saddle designer to put welfare, comfort and biomechanics of the horse at the heart of the design. Few people have had a greater influence on the vision and development of the modern saddle industry.

Paul designed his own saddle trees and firmly believed, quite rightly, that the foundation of a well fitted saddle was a well fitted tree.

He worked with equestrian masters in his pursuit of perfection, developing lifelong friendships with Klaus Balkenhol, Wilfried Bechtolsheimer and Ernst Bachinger, and many others. He had a deep passion for the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and visited throughout his life, constantly seeking knowledge and greater understanding in pursuit of the perfect unity between horse and rider.

Paul founded Albion Saddlemakers in 1985 and, with Sherry, built it into an internationally respected brand. Albion became the trusted technical partner to many Olympic dressage and event riders across Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and beyond.

Paul was president of the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) in 2000 and was instrumental in the development of the SMS saddle-fitting qualification.

Paul had a brilliant mind, a wonderfully dry sense of humour and above all, he was creative, kind, thoughtful and generous with his knowledge. He was a true gentleman and leaves a remarkable legacy that will influence the industry for many years.

Paul is survived by his beloved horse, Fabrento (Eric), and was dad to Richard, Sarah and Anna, and stepdad to Alex.

He will be sorely missed – for his inspiration, wisdom, kindness and, of course, his sense of humour and endless mickey-taking.

A celebration of the lives of Paul and Sherry will be held on 23 October at Walsall Town Hall as part of the SMS Expo.

For further details of the memorial, please email: sarah@nutrientneutral.com

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

British Horse Society (BHS) county bridleway officer for Hertfordshire John Featherstone has passed away aged 88.

John had been the county bridleway officer since 1974; before that, he was BHS bridleway officer for the London Borough of Harrow.

He devoted many hours of his time to horse riders and horse-drawn carriage drivers.

In 2000, he received his BHS award of merit from the Princess Royal.

The citation said: “John Featherstone has been a valued access and bridleways officer for the British Horse Society for over 25 years. John’s bridleways work started in part of Greater London, but more recently he has been the BHS Hertfordshire access officer. He has tirelessly travelled miles across the county, gathering vital evidence on the use of bridleways and conducting extensive research into public records, which has taken hours, frequently days, and sometimes weeks of his time and effort.

“Both horse and rider have benefited from his enormous determination and selfless dedication. John’s performance at public inquiries has always given great credit to the society, which has benefited from his expertise.”

In 2024, he received his BHS 50-year long-service certificate at Newbury racecourse.

Not only was John instrumental in improving the rights-of-way network within Hertfordshire, but he also enhanced road safety by arranging the provision of signalled pegasus road crossing points on major roads, as well as horse warning signs.

He will be a great loss to the equine community in Hertfordshire and to the BHS Hertfordshire access and road safety team, who will greatly miss him for his valuable input and the advice and guidance he gave over many years.

He was one in a million and will be very hard to replace.

He leaves his wife Susanne, a great supporter of his BHS work.

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 17 September, features an exclusive interview with British grand prix dressage rider Lottie Fry in the wake of her two World Championships gold medals. She shares the story of how she won – and how she and Glamourdale produced their best ever test at Aachen.

In the news pages, we uncover the major operation that targeted suspected horse-trafficking, spotlight an appeal as equine grass sickness cases rise and more. We go in-depth on The Princess Royal’s passion for rare breed Suffolk horses, and in the Vet Clinic, we learn about the wearable technology being used in racing.

This week, enjoy tales from Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary and we bring you opinion columns from Carl Hester and Rebecca Penny, who share their views on hot topics in dressage and showing.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including British Dressage National Championships, Cornbury, Hickstead, showing championships and much more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 17 September 2026

News

• Vets debate: is horse welfare their constant endeavour?
• Appeal as equine grass sickness cases on the increase
• Why pre-purchase checks of horseboxes and trailers are essential
• Major operation targets suspected horse-trafficking operation

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Dressage: Carl Hester
• Showing: Rebecca Penny

People and horses

• How I won... The inside story of Lottie Fry’s two World Championships golds
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Vet Clinic

• How wearable technology is being used in racing

Features

• Video cameras for all your equestrian needs
• ‘My passion for Suffolks’: The Princess Royal and this rare breed 

Reports

• Dressage: National Championships
• Eventing: Cornbury
• Showjumping :Hickstead, Spruce Meadows and Wolsingham
• Showing: The Showing Register Amateur Summer and Irish Draught Horse Society of Great Britain National Championships
• Racing: St Leger

Hunting

• ‘He changed the make and shape of the foxhound’: Alastair Jackson on Sir Peter Farquhar 

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

Get your magazine

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• Download FREE digital magazine

A rider who lost five stone to benefit her horse’s wellbeing has been crowned a Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) champion – and qualified for the London International Horse Show.

Danni Harris and Shadowfax won the racehorse to show horse title at the Jockey Club RoR National Championships at Aintree (18-23 August). They were also placed in dressage, and the in-hand championships.

“It was amazing,” Danni told H&H. “The week started on a high and I thought it would only go downhill! But it gradually got better and better, and ended on a high as well.

“And it’s nice knowing it’s all my own work. I’ve never had a lesson on him so knowing it’s all what I’ve done means quite a lot.”

Danni used to work for Mick Appleby, who trained “Gandalf” in his racing days, which is how the horse came to her, as a five-year-old, two years ago.

“I’d left Mick’s at the time and Mum rang me and said ‘Gandalf’s coming up for rehoming and going tomorrow, what do you think?’

“I’d always loved him, he’s got such a cheeky character and big personality, but I said ‘We don’t really need another horse, we’ve got two already’. She said ‘Well, it’s too late, I’m telling you to get his stable ready’. She asked me a question but it was really telling me he was coming home!”

Danni Harris returns to showing

Danni had been in showing as a child but had had a break. But when Gandalf arrived, and having seen the showing opportunities available with RoR, she thought that might be the way to go.

“I took it as it came, to see how we got on, so I started taking him to a couple of local show,” she said. “That was last year, just in hand, then in October, I broke my shoulder. So he got chucked out from October till March.”

After the injury, Danni changed from an active, outdoor job to a sitting-down role.

She had been to the 2025 RoR championships at which, as H&H reported, RoR rider-size limits were to be more actively enforced.

“It was voluntary then; you could go and have your weigh-in, and they’d said it would be compulsory for 2026 but I thought I’d be ok, never really thought any more of it,” she said. “But then I broke my shoulder, changed jobs to an office job and sat down all day, every day.

“I started snacking, and obviously put more and more weight on. After Christmas, I said to Mum ‘I’m going to have to do something or I’m not going to be able to compete him this year, for his welfare, and for the guidelines.”

Danni weighed 16st 7lb, nearly 108kg. At Aintree last year, Gandalf was 481kg, he is now 544kg, so with tack she would have been over the ideal 17% of the horse’s weight, and over the maximum 20%.

She said the will to compete, and benefit Gandalf’s welfare, was a great motivation to lose weight.

“I completely stopped snacking at work,” she said. “I used to be really bad. I never used to have breakfast but now I’m dead strict on portion control and I eat three times a day. I’ve completely stopped drinking fizzy drinks because I used to, in the evening, just go and get a can of pop, and then it would end up being four or five cans of pop a night.

“I just drink water now, I started doing a bit of cycling, playing a bit of badminton and riding more again when I was allowed to with my shoulder.”

Danni said she went from riding 10 to 12 horses, and mucking out multiple stables, to sitting down, not to mention the snacking.

“You have to change things,” she said. “It’s one thing losing weight but if you go back to how you were, it goes straight back on again. It was straight after Christmas I changed a lot, then I was allowed to start riding late March/early April, and when I did I was back up to four a day again, and I noticed the weight loss more again.”

Danni and Gandalf were back out competing again all summer until the championships, at which winning the racehorse to riding horse class earned them a ticket to the London International Horse Show.

“He did try his best to be cheeky all week!” she said. “But that’s him. He got nicknamed Mr Squealy because if you put a bit much leg on or he gets excited, he squeals. We did do the showjumping and every time he jumped a fence, he squealed and bucked when he landed, but that’s just him.

“He definitely hasn’t been the easiest; he’s got such a big personality but I just love him for it.”

Danni also volunteered to be weighed at the championships, with all her heaviest tack and gear to ensure she would always be well within the limits.

“I spoke to the Welfare Stewarding Group people too as they wanted to cover my story at the championships. Knowing they wanted to cover it too meant even more.”

Danni and Gandalf also came third in the SEIB racehorse to riding horse class at Defender Burghley. The rest of this year will include some dressage before they head to the London International in December.

“And then we’ll come back for next show season!” she said.

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Harnessing equine power has already proven useful in the fight against wildfires in the UK and Spain – and this may benefit horses, people and the environment.

An owner in Valencia realised that his dream of sport horses in a natural environment also has the benefit of reducing the risk of fires, and a project to boost the value of ponies on the Welsh hills has found similar.

Donna Oldbury-Thomas of Coventry University told H&H the Power Ponies project came about as the number of hill-bred Welsh section As has dwindled.

“We’ve always had the ponies but we’re down to about 300 wild-bred ponies left now,” she said. “They’re the ones with the genes and skills to survive in the wild, but you can buy a pen of Welsh mountain foals for £10. There’s no value people can subscribe to.”

Dr Oldbury-Thomas and Peter Morgan of Torcoed Stud came up with the idea of involving the ponies in “bashing bracken”. Bracken is a native but invasive species that increases fire and tick risk, and reduces biodiversity.

Through her research, Dr Oldbury-Thomas found out that bracken, when burned, produces highly toxic emissions.

“It’s nasty stuff and the only way to protect our landscapes, communities and firefighters is to put bracken breaks in, in the short term, and have far more committed conservation grazing in the long term,” she said. “You need a mixed grazing regime, and stock that knows what it’s doing. So that means cows, sheep, goats, horses, who are native and knowledgeable, and this comes back round to pony power.”

A “virtuous cycle”

The ponies do eat some young bracken but they also roll on and “nest” in it, crushing it, and will push through it to water, allowing other animals to reach it and helping create a “virtuous cycle of more accessible, eventually improved grazing and the bracken going back”.

Dr Oldbury-Thomas said it is not a quick process but if the ponies stay, the solution is permanent, rather than the fast but less effective – and far more toxic – method of poisoning the bracken.

The fire prevention was almost a secondary benefit, which has become the main one. There are 1.3m acres of bracken in England and Wales, and it prevents other plant species growing, emits greenhouse gases and is flammable. And if it does burn, not only is the fire itself a major risk, firefighters are also at risk of breathing in the toxic fumes.

In Spain, stud owner Rafael Peris wanted to have horses who live as naturally as possible, as many in his region spend more time inside than out in herds. He then realised that this not only benefited the horses’ welfare – as it meant more forage for them, for which he did not have to pay – but also that the horses’ grazing activity removed potential fuel for fires.

Virtual fencing

“During the big fires in Spain this summer, there were several cases where the fire did not go into areas where the animals were, as there was not the grass to propagate them,” he said. “It’s very interesting and some authorities are taking this example.”

Mr Peris uses “virtual fencing”; he can set boundaries electronically and the horses wear collars that pulse when they approach them. This means they are safe, well fed and removing potential fuel. The authorities agree; the Valencian government has increased funding to €500,000 (around £430,000) for grazing to help prevent fires in the region. And he believes the principles could also benefit the UK.

“Although wildfire conditions differ from those of Mediterranean Spain, the principle has a much wider application,” he said. “Extensive grazing with horses can be used as a complementary tool for wildfire prevention and a sustainable method of managing woodland edges, conservation areas, firebreaks and other vegetation-rich or difficult-to-access land.

“The principle is simple: rather than repeatedly removing all vegetation using brush cutters, tractors and other machinery, horses can perform part of this work naturally and continuously. The system combines land management, sustainability and animal welfare: the horses live year-round across large natural areas, move freely as a herd and simultaneously perform a practical environmental function.”

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A major operation against a criminal network suspected of trafficking horses across Europe took place this week, involving nearly 200 officers across four countries.

A statement from Europol, which supports European Union member states in preventing and tackling serious international and organised crime, said the network is suspected of using falsified documents and manipulated microchips to conceal the horses’ true identities. Investigations are ongoing.

The operation took place on 8 to 9 September across Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands, involving close to 200 officers and representatives of different authorities.

“At the centre of this investigation led by Belgium is a suspected large-scale trade in horses whose identities and histories were allegedly manipulated to allow them to be moved and resold across Europe. Some of the animals may ultimately have been diverted into the food chain without their true origin and history being known,” said the statement.

“This undermines the traceability systems designed to protect animal welfare and food safety and could result in horses not intended for human consumption being illegally sent for slaughter.”

It added: “Investigators suspect that forged horse passports and manipulated microchips were used to effectively give animals new identities. This allowed the suspects to obscure where the horses had come from, their previous history and whether they were eligible to enter the food chain.

“Investigators are now working to establish the final destination of the animals. Horses are suspected of having been fraudulently resold under falsified identities, while others may have been diverted into the food chain.”

According to Europol, a total of 24 searches were carried out: four in Belgium (East Flanders and Brabant), six in Ireland (counties of Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Kildare, Dublin, Donegal), seven in France (Gard, Saône-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe, Gironde, Haute-Saône), and seven in the Netherlands (Limburg, South Holland, North Brabant, Utrecht, Zeeland).

“The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities in the participating countries working to identify further individuals potentially involved in the criminal network,” added the statement.

In a statement, the Federal Judicial Police (PJF) of East Flanders in Belgium said more than 1,000 horses were checked for identity, origin and welfare and that “a considerable number of them were seized”.

“The investigation is ongoing to determine the whereabouts of the remaining horses,” added the PJF.

“Registers, invoices, and communication devices were also seized, as well as more than €100,000 in cash.”

The statement added that three suspects have been arrested in Belgium.

A spokesperson for Ireland’s Garda Síochána, which played a central role in the operation, said there have been eight searches in Ireland and evidence seized is “currently under analysis and investigations are ongoing”.

The spokesperson added that the investigation “centres on the alleged large-scale trade of horses whose identification details and histories were fraudulently altered, enabling their movement and resale throughout Europe”.

“The criminal network is suspected of forging horse passports and manipulating microchips to grant the animals new identities, obscuring their true background and eligibility for human consumption,” he added.

‘We hope investigators will also look further afield’

Jessica Stark, World Horse Welfare’s director of communications and public affairs, told H&H the charity is “very encouraged that coordinated action has been taken across several EU member states to confront the scourge of horse smuggling by a criminal network”.

“We believe this just scratches the surface of an extensive trade where horses are simply viewed as commodities and we hope investigators will also look further afield, including at the UK,” she added.

“Smuggling horses across borders, which can involve changing their identities to make them appear more valuable or even eligible for slaughter, is a welfare tragedy for every horse affected. Our cases of the Dover 26 and trafficked 20 over the past couple of years are a case in point, but they were lucky compared to the vast majority who are transported across borders undetected and where there is no protection for their welfare.

“Organised, coordinated smuggling networks deserve an organised, coordinated response from enforcers and this needs to be supported by full equine traceability through robust digital identification. We hope this encourages all countries in Europe to introduce a better system of equine ID as it cannot come soon enough.”

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The British Appaloosa Society (BApS) is introducing mandatory PSSM1 testing for its main studbook, a step that will “improve the long-term health and welfare of the breed”.

The decision to introduce the testing with immediate effect was made at the society’s AGM in May. All foals registered with the BApS main studbook must either test negative for PSSM1 – polysaccharide storage myopathy type one – or be proven negative by parentage.

“This landmark decision reflects the society’s long-term commitment to eradicating PSSM1 from the British appaloosa population,” a society spokesperson said.

PSSM1 is a genetic muscle disorder, caused by a gene mutation that causes a horse’s muscles to produce and store abnormal levels of glycogen, the form of sugar stored in muscle. Signs can be mild to severe and include “tying up”, undiagnosable lameness and muscle soreness. It is commonly associated with appaloosas, although it has been identified in more than 20 breeds and the society has been battling it for years.

PSSM1 testing for stallions first

Since 2010, only stallions who test negative for PSSM1 have been accepted for licensing.

“The introduction of mandatory testing for main studbook foals is the next logical step in this successful programme, ensuring future generations of British appaloosas are protected from this inherited condition,” said the society spokesperson.

Society registrar and chair Paula Moore noted that the mutation is dominant, so horses only need one copy of it to have the condition, unlike a recessive trait that needs a copy from each parent to be expressed.

“PSSM1 is a debilitating condition that can be inherited from either parent,” she told H&H.

“We sent letters to owners of aged stallions beyond 2011, asking them to do the right thing and test, and some did, some didn’t. We’ve asked mare owners to test breeding stock; a lot have complied and we’ve got a good relationship with breeders. But there are still people who choose to ignore it or pretend it doesn’t happen.

“We’re still getting animals testing positive for PSSM1. So we decided as it’s our 50th anniversary this year, it’s time we had a proper serious look at leading the way and future-proofing the breed.”

Ms Moore said she proposed the mandatory testing at the AGM and the vote was unanimous.

“It’s easy to do; test the foal when the vet comes to do the passport,” she said. “It has to be done by a vet as we need the integrity.”

“Such an awful disease”

Ms Moore added that as all BApS-licensed stallions are clear of PSSM1, the other option is for owners to test their mares. If both parents are clear, their foals will be too.

“I know some societies say they will lose bloodlines if they act too tightly on it, but I don’t think there’s a bloodline anywhere that would justify breeding PSSM-positive stock,” she said. “It’s such an awful disease and it’s time it stopped. I don’t care about any other society if they don’t want to do it. It’s time our society grasped the nettle and dealt with it.”

The BApS is offering 50% reductions on registration fees in this anniversary year, which Ms Moore said would help negate the cost of the testing.

British Veterinary Equine Association (BEVA) veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve told H&H BEVA welcomes the society’s decision.

“PSSM1 is an inherited muscle disorder that can cause a range of clinical signs, including exercise intolerance, muscle stiffness, pain and episodes of tying up, with the potential to have a significant impact on equine welfare,” she said. “From a veterinary perspective, identifying affected horses through genetic testing supports informed breeding decisions and can help reduce the risk of passing this condition to future generations. The society’s proactive approach is, therefore, a positive step towards improving the long-term health and welfare of the breed.”

The Appaloosa Horse Club UK

A spokesperson for the Appaloosa Horse Club UK (ApHC UK) told H&H the society has “taken a proactive approach to managing PSSM1 for over 15 years”.

She explained that mandatory testing for current and new licensed stallions was introduced in 2011 after a unanimous AGM vote.

Following a unanimous vote by members at our AGM in November 2010, mandatory PSSM1 testing for all licensed stallions was introduced from 1 January 2011. The requirement applied to both new and existing licensed stallions, with the aim of protecting the health and future of the Appaloosa breed.

This was followed by testing breeding mares and new registrations from January 2012, with results recorded in horses’ passports. Alongside testing, the ApHC UK focuses on educating and supporting owners of horses testing positive, including sharing information about appropriate veterinary advice, management, diet and exercise.

Our approach is to address PSSM1 at the breeding-stock level, because PSSM1 is inherited, knowing the status of both sire and dam enables breeders to make informed decisions before a foal is conceived. Where both parents are verified negative, their offspring are considered ‘negative by parentage’.

Looking back over the past fifteen years, our breeders have embraced this approach, prioritising PSSM1-negative breeding stock while successfully maintaining important Appaloosa bloodlines in the UK. Our objective has been not simply to identify positive foals after birth that would face an uncertain future, but wherever possible to prevent the mutation being passed to the next generation.

The ApHC UK welcomes initiatives by other breed societies to strengthen PSSM1 controls. Horse welfare should transcend organisational boundaries, and we would welcome greater collaboration between breed societies to share knowledge, experience and best practice around PSSM1 and other hereditary conditions.

Ultimately, we all share the same goal: Protecting the health of our horses and preserving the future of the breeds we represent

● What do you think about the society’s decision? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 10 September, is our Defender Burghley Horse Trials special, where we share every detail of the story of Gemma Stevens’ win on board long-term partner and five-star campaigner, Chilli Knight. Plus, we bring you complete analysis of each phase – it is the ultimate destination for your Burghley debrief.

In the news pages, we unpack the new welfare guidance issued by the government, examine a potential arthritis treatment and more. We present the best clippers on the market and explore the schooling options that don't ask children to choose between academic excellence and riding. In the Vet Clinic, we learn about the physical and behavioural impacts of castration in geldings and find out about equestrian sport’s late starters.

This week, our interviewees are Michael and Gemma Owen and Tessa Waugh’s hunting column, Goodnight, returns. Our opinion columns come from Mark Phillips and Graham Fletcher, who share their views on hot topics in eventing and showjumping.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Wellington, Hickstead, BSPS Summer Championships, BD Home Nations and more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 10 September 2026

News

• Horses of benefit to fire-fighting work
• New welfare guidance issued by government
• Rider suspended after whipping video
• Potential arthritis treatment

Burghley Horse Trials

• Crushed dreams to glory Gemma Stevens’ win
• Phase analysis in full

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Eventing: Mark Phillips
• Showjumping: Graham Fletcher 

People and horses

• H&H interview: Michael and Gemma Owen
• All in a day’s work: Racing trainer
• Goodnight: Tessa Waugh’s hunting diary

Vet Clinic

• The physical and behavioural impacts of castration 

Property and kit

• Outstanding value equestrian properties
• The best clippers out there

Reports

• Eventing: Wellington, Frickley Park and more 
• Showjumping: Hickstead and more 
• Showing: BSPS Summer Championships and Moreton-in-Marsh
• Dressage: Bury Farm, BD Home Nations and more

Hunting

• William Fox Grant

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

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• Order a single issue for delivery
• Subscribe to the paper magazine
• Download FREE digital magazine

An Olympic rider caught on video repeatedly hitting a horse has been suspended for 18 months by the FEI Tribunal.

Heath Ryan, 68, was found to have abused the horse – which he consistently denied – and fined CHF 3,000 (£2,700) as a result of the footage, which emerged last summer.

H&H reported at the time that Heath said he was sad about the “awful” video of the session – which he described as part of a “rescue mission”.

This was his case to the FEI Tribunal; he said he was helping a friend with a horse who had become dangerous, and that the footage covered about 60 seconds of a 45-minute “remedial training session undertaken to re-educate the horse out of a demonstrated pattern of dangerous conflict behaviour”.

Heath represented Australia at the 2008 Olympics in dressage and was eventing at four-star level in 2024. He said he had spent over 50 years training and rehabilitating horses, coaching riders from beginners to the Thai Asian Games eventing team, and the Australian Olympic gold medal-winning team.

“He highlighted the longevity of horses under his care, citing specific competition results at advanced ages, and stated that results of this calibre could not be achieved by abusing horses,” the Tribunal report states.

“The person who recorded the videos had left his training establishment prior to releasing them and, before doing so, had signed over two horses to his ownership because they were too difficult for her to ride. It was widely accepted that the motivation for the video release was vindictive, and that this had been made known to the FEI during investigative interviews which had not been disclosed to the Tribunal.”

Heath said the horse had been sent to three people to back, unsuccessfully. The horse was returned as dangerous, and seriously injured his owner. She approached Heath to train him, adding that if he could not help she would put the horse down.

Heath Ryan said he used equitation science principles

He said he used equitation science principles of negative reinforcement with progressive escalation of aids, that he used the whip carefully, “and he was careful not to cross into a fear state”, and that this horse was a “highly unusual case”.

Character witnesses for Heath included Olympic eventer Boyd Martin, who had known him 30 years, and said he does not abuse horses.

“He had never seen him lose his temper or use anger, force or fear,” the report states. “In his view, the horse in the video was a last-chance rescue of an animal facing destruction after it had attacked its rider, and the respondent succeeded where other trainers had failed.

“He stated that the video was edited and weaponised by someone with a grudge unrelated to horse welfare. The audio appeared exaggerated and likely manipulated.”

Olympic rider Vicki Roycroft agreed, as did vet Belinda Flynn. Former Equestrian Australia chair and Olympian Wayne Roycroft said he was “initially concerned by the video [but] the context was a horse that had seriously injured its owner and faced euthanasia”, and the horse had since been ridden without incident.

“The methodology was successful,” the report states of Heath’s submissions. “The horse responded during the session. It was subsequently re-educated, re-homed and is now ridden successfully. This demonstrated that the use of the whip had not been excessive.”

The FEI case

The FEI said there was no proof the horse had been dangerous.

“On the alleged abuse, the FEI relied on the expert report of Dr Rachel Murray,” the report states.

“Dr Murray concluded that the respondent whipped the horse excessively during the training session… identifying at least 41 whip strikes in approximately 31 seconds in the first video and nine in the second, applied with high force in a forehand technique to a sensitive area of the flank and lumbar region, without release or reward.

“Dr Murray further observed multiple behavioural signs of pain, distress and conflict in the horse, together with signs of left-hindlimb instability and possible lameness or an underlying veterinary issue and concluded that repeatedly whipping a horse that may be in pain is not an acceptable training method and amounts to abuse.

“The FEI submitted that Dr Murray’s report rebutted the respondent’s contention that the use of the whip was justified as the FEI-recognised equitation science methodology, noting that any ethically applied aversive stimulus must be no more than an irritant and that pain should be ruled out before conflict behaviour is addressed through training.”

Ryan Heath did not show anger

The panel found that Heath did not show anger or temper, nor did he escalate beyond hitting the horse on the quarters in response to the evasion and kicking out. The panel agreed that the second video showed that the whip use stopped when the horse went forward, after which the horse was seen trotting around the arena,

“Whatever the horse’s history and the respondent’s undoubted experience, the videos depict aggressive use of the whip to overcome the horse’s resistance,” the report states. “While the respondent may have genuinely believed that his training technique and use of the whip were necessary and appropriate given the context in which the horse came to him and its established resistances, the evidence provided shows that the use of the whip was excessive.”

The panel found abuse was committed, “even if his intentions for rehabilitation were good”, and that the footage brought the FEI and horse sport into disrepute.

In deciding the sanction, the panel considered Heath’s unblemished record over many years, the fact it was one horse on one occasion, “that it appeared to be a measured if misguided attempt to overcome the horse’s kicking resistance”, and the “substantial support expressed by members of the Australian equestrian community”.

It also cited the “gravity of the conduct”, and the fact Heath did not recognise “the harshness of the images depicted in the evidence”.

Heath’s suspension runs from its provisional start last June until this December. He was also ordered to pay the FEI’s 3,000 CHF legal costs.

The case of a man filmed repeatedly whipping a colt who was pulling a cart, shod, at a year old – and continuing to beat him after he “collapsed with exhaustion” – is one of many, the RSPCA has revealed.

The charity told H&H about the case of Mouse, who was rescued from Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, in 2023, as its figures have shown a 90% increase in reports of people whipping animals over the past five years.

“Video evidence captured a foal pulling a cart in Buckinghamshire who was whipped excessively by a man until he collapsed with exhaustion and then was whipped again when he lay helplessly on the ground,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.

“A shocked passer-by filmed the incident on July 11, 2023, which then showed the man removing the harness and cart but the young horse remained on the floor before finally getting up. The harness and a cart were attached again to the struggling horse and another video two minutes later shows the piebald struggling, with its legs buckling. Once again the foal is whipped excessively before collapsing on the road.”

The incident was reported to Thames Valley Police; officers attended and the yearling, Mouse, was seized and put in RSPCA care.

The charity investigated, and a vet who reviewed the footage said the first clip showed the horse pulling the cart along a road and stopping as he came into view, tossing his head and refusing to go forward.

“The horse appears clearly young and untrained and seems to be unaccustomed to the blinkers and bridle it is wearing, let alone to the cart it is pulling,” the vet said.

“When the horse stops, the owner whips the horse repeatedly, both over the dorsum and over his right side. The horse eventually kicks out as he tries to evade the beating, catches the right hindleg over the bar of the cart, staggers and goes down on to the road, taking the cart with him.

“The owner can be seen to then beat the horse again repeatedly before he untangles the horse from the cart, swaps carts with another gentleman and reattaches the horse to the new cart. Whilst the cart is being reattached the horse is seen to be constantly resting the left hind leg.”

The second clip, which was recorded two minutes after the horse left the scene of the first, showed him approaching a main road.

“He stops at the junction, his hind legs are noted to be swaying with weakness/fatigue,” the vet said.

“The owner beats the horse repeatedly to try to get him to cross the road and once this happens he gets back on the cart only to hit the horse again with the whip.

“At this point the horse tries again to evade the attack and lies down flat on his side on the road. He remains in lateral recumbency until the tack and cart are completely removed from him and then he stands.”

The vet also examined the horse following the incident, adding: “He was found to be very quiet and somewhat subdued. He was confirmed to be no more than a year old by his teeth, but the incisors were noted to be very discoloured.

“Areas of alopecia were noted in the right elbow region and either side of the tail. The elbow region patch was dry and scaly and thought to be where a harness had rubbed. The areas by the tail were presumably secondary to faecal staining. Both areas were red and tender to the touch.

“The colt had handmade shoes on all four feet that were audibly loose when he moved. Nail holes were visible where previous shoes had been nailed on. All hooves were overgrown. When walked, the colt appeared very weak and swayed from side to side.”

Extreme exhaustion

The colt was closely monitored; vets were concerned as he spent a long time lying down.

“No specific cause for this lethargy was found and it was presumed to be extreme exhaustion,” the vet said. “He improved steadily over time.

“When the foal lies down on the road in the camera footage it has to be considered an extremely submissive response for a horse. Horses are a fight-or-flight animal and would normally ‘jump up’ if they slipped or fell. For this animal to simply lie down and stay lying down despite cars passing him and the cart being untied from him is an act of extreme submission/fatigue or despair.”

At a court case brought by the RSPCA last year a man pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences and was given a five-year ban on keeping all animals and ordered to carry out 175 hours of unpaid work.

Mouse was able to recover in RSPCA care and was made available for rehoming.

The RSPCA said this week that 16,033 beating incidents were reported last year, almost double the 8,459 reports made in 2021.

“Every 15 minutes the charity receives a beating report – this represents a staggering 85% of all animal cruelty complaints made to the RSPCA, meaning it deals with more animals being beaten than any other issue,” a spokesperson said, adding that the charity is grateful to members of the public who report the cases.

Superintendent Jo Hirst said: “To help rescue animals from these situations we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears and report any concerns about animal abuse to us and we are grateful that so many people do and are more aware of the problem.

“We’re also finding that CCTV footage, doorbell cameras and smartphones are providing a view into society that we never had before, meaning that animal beatings are more likely to be caught on camera in supermarket car parks, on streets, in lifts, and even behind closed doors in the home.

“This could also account for the rise that we are seeing as they are more likely to be caught on camera, uploaded to social media or reported to us.”

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 3 September, features our exclusive Burghley Horse Trials form guide. Each year, our eventing experts assess the chances every horse and rider on the start list to create the ultimate companion to the Lincolnshire five-star. Make sure you pick up your copy to get the most out of the four days of eventing action (Thursday 3 – Sunday 6 September).

In the news pages, we investigate whether horse-rider harmony can truly be defined, explore the new findings on post-partum colic and more. We present the best new products on the market in New in the Ring and in the Vet Clinic, we learn how to identify wobbler syndrome with information on the prognosis for horses with the condition.

This week, we remember the life and career of legendary racehorse Big Buck’s after his recent death and our foal file is medal-winning showjumper Highland President. Our opinion columns come from eventing editor Pippa Roome and showing editor Bethan Simons, who share their views on the hot topics in their respective sports.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Pony Club Championships, Scone Palace, Scope Festival, CHAPS (UK) Championships and more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 3 September 2026

News

• Can horse-rider harmony be defined?
• Digital documents may smooth horse travel
• Society acts to stamp out genetic disorder
• New findings on post-partum colic

Burghley Horse Trials: form guide

• Burghley 2026 entries: Vital stats, fun facts and expert form assessment –
  all the info you need to follow the event

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Eventing: H&H’s Pippa Roome
• Showing: H&H’s Bethan Simons

People and horses

• Legends of the sport: Big Buck’s
• Foal files: Highland President

Vet Clinic

• Identifying wobbler syndrome and the prognosis for sufferers

Kit focus

• New in the ring: Boots for you, boots for your horse and more

Reports

• Eventing: Scone Palace
• Showjumping: Scope Festival, Bicton Arena, action abroad and more
• Showing: Scone Palace and CHAPS (UK) Championships
• Dressage: Sparsholt College and more
• Pony Club: Championships

Hunting

• Pride in our puppies: When a hound you’ve walked becomes a star

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

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• Download FREE digital magazine

Our horses have long warned us there could be crocodiles hiding in the puddles – and here’s the proof.

Meet Hunter, a stallion who was attacked by a crocodile as he went to drink from a river in Botswana, but who has made a full recovery thanks to volunteer vets, and the care of his owner.

In July, Wendy Furness and Michael Colgan from the UK joined charity the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) to deliver clinics in the remote Okavango Delta. This first organised veterinary outreach programme catered for animals from six isolated villages.

Wendy told H&H one of their equine patients was Hunter, who was grabbed by a crocodile as he went to drink.

“Crocs clamp down then drag and roll to drown their victims, so the horse was not only very lucky to escape but also to do so without a broken bone,” she said, adding that the crocodile did cause a significant hindleg wound.

“The owner had heard the vet team was in the area and met us at the side of the road; he was a lovely chap who clearly really cared for his horse. Hunter is a working animal used for cattle herding and transporting his owner as there is limited access to vehicle transport in the area. The cattle live alongside wildlife and it is not uncommon to see zebra with them too.”

Wendy cleaned and debrided the wound. Some areas had healed over with pockets of pus underneath so she opened these to allow drainage, prescribed antibiotics and pain relief and gave the owner cleaning materials and advice on how to use them while the wound was healing.

An update on the horse came last week; local MAWS volunteer Ansie, who had kept in touch with the owner, sent a photo to show he had made a full recovery.

Wendy emphasised how important the owner’s post-treatment care had been. “Especially as the Okavango Delta is such a challenging environment in which to manage this,” she said.

“It really shows how the owners value their animals, travelling a long way into the bush to ensure that they could get care when the opportunity presented and then diligently implementing any required ongoing care themselves in particularly tricky conditions. We were all delighted with the outcome – and for us as vets to see the difference our voluntary work makes to animals and their owners in these remote areas is fantastic.”

The vets treated more than 750 animals in their week of clinics including 82 horses and 94 donkeys; treatment varied from rabies jabs and parasite control to care of severe eye injuries.

The team also gave advice on equine care and welfare and took out as much tack as they could, so as many horse and donkey owners as possible could benefit. The work was supported by Animal Aid Abroad, Ark Impact and VetThing, which sponsored Wendy and Michael’s volunteer work and consumables.

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Reflecting on our own personality traits and tendencies could be a “valuable step toward more conscious, horse-centred decision-making”, a study suggests.

Research published in Taylor & Francis looked into the way owners’ attachment style and personality traits relate to their training choices and relationship with their horses, including frequency of riding, groundwork training and spending “quality time” with them, as well as their choices of equine headgear.

The study considered owners’ attachment style, how they relate to others emotionally, to their horses. People with high avoidant attachment tend to distance themselves emotionally and rely less on others; those with high anxious attachment tend to seek closeness and fear rejection.

“We were interested in whether these psychological tendencies, well studied in human relationships, would manifest in how people interact with their horses – and indeed they do,” said lead author Océane Liehrmann, of the University of Turku, Finland.

The study found that higher avoidant attachment was associated with less frequent interaction with horses, whether riding, groundwork or quality time. Higher anxious attachment was linked to more frequent quality time. Owners with traits such as conscientiousness and extraversion were likely to ride more, and being more open was associated with more frequent groundwork.

“The results showed a clear pattern: owners who spent more time with their horses, whether riding, training or simply being with them, tended to be more emotionally connected to their horses,” a spokesperson for the Turku university said. “In contrast, owners who kept more emotional distance to their horse also tended to interact with them less frequently, spending less time riding and engaging in hands-on activities.”

Bits or bitless – or no bridle?

The study found links with other personality traits; owners who rode more frequently tended to be slightly more organised, outgoing and emotionally stable. Those who practised groundwork more often tended to score higher in openness to new experiences, which “may reflect a greater curiosity and willingness to explore non-traditional, horse-centred training methods”.

Owners who used bitless bridles, or both bits and bitless, tended to score slightly lower in emotional distancing than those who just rode in bits, and those open to using both also tended to score higher in openness to new experiences.

“I think that was an interesting point,” Dr Liehrmann told H&H. “I integrated that because I know bitless or not is a very big thing in the equestrian world. People think they’re opposites, and it causes a lot of debate. So it was interesting to see if that had a link with human psychology and who tends to make which choices.

“But the biggest difference wasn’t people riding only bitless or with a bit, but people who do both are more open, suggesting a greater willingness to explore different approaches to riding.”

Dr Liehrmann said riders could consider how their personality traits might affect their perspective on their horses and that it could benefit equine welfare. An owner who realises they are more anxious, for example, may consider how this affects their interpretation of a horse’s behaviour.

“I think this is a really good step into really having a relationship with a horse,” she said. “It’s a horse and how they react to us, but then it comes a lot from us as well. I think we’ve been ignoring that part in the horse industry.”

Quality time

And the quality time aspect is key; Dr Liehrmann said interacting with horses only for training and riding gives one perspective; spending time with them with no pressure, in the field or just “hanging out”, gives another entirely.

“I think this is something that can shift if we work on it; maybe in future we could build tools to help people understand the way they’re attached to their horse and their personality profiles, and how it affects the relationship,” she said.

“Then if they think they need to fix something in their relationship with their horse, they can also work on themselves rather than just on the horse’s behaviour. People always dream of having an amazing relationship with their horses but that takes work, like any relationship.”

Horsemanship expert Lyla Cansfield, who had the final say on whether combinations were allowed to compete at the first British Bridleless Competition in May, told H&H she is seeing more openness in considering a different way of doing things than in the past.

“What’s really interesting about this study is that those using both bit and bitless headgear scored approximately 4% higher in openness,” she said. “In some of the discussions since the competition there have obviously been sceptics as well enthusiasts and what I find fascinating is for some there is the idea that it has to be an either/or thing; the assumption that just because you ride bitless and/or bridleless means that you disagree with having a bit.”

Ms Cansfield added that she has seen riders start going bridleless from a variety of routes.

“All these riders were open to the possibility, open to trying something different no matter what their background,” she said.

“Maybe the real lesson isn't about bits or bridles at all. It's about whether we're willing to stay curious, to accept that no single method holds all the answers and to choose what genuinely suits the horse and rider in front of us. If we can hold on to that openness, welfare stays exactly where it should be, at the centre of everything we do.”

● What do you think about these findings? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Is your horse your hero – and are you his?

Nominations are open for this year’s Horse & Hound Awards, in partnership with NAF and Agria, and this year includes a new category.

The NAF unsung partnership of the year title celebrates the unbreakable bond between a particular horse and rider who are not in the public eye – a wonderful partnership in which each one has helped the other in extraordinary ways.

We love to hear such stories at Horse & Hound, and share them with you; now is the chance to nominate a partnership so special, everyone should know about it.

NAF UK sponsorship and events manager Eloise Chugg said: “We’re delighted to support the Horse & Hound Awards alongside Agria and to put our name to the new unsung partnership category, celebrating the extraordinary bonds between horses and people at the heart of our community.

Nominate here

“Through everyday care, every challenge and every step forward, these partnerships remind us that sometimes, horses really are all you need.”

Nominations are open in all 13 Horse & Hound Awards categories until 10 September. We will announce the shortlists, in print and online, in October, and the winners will be crowned at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Warwickshire, on 25 November.

“We’re so delighted to bring the awards back in 2026 and, as always, we thank our partners NAF and Agria, as well as all the individual category award sponsors,” said H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins.

The Horse & Hound Awards Categories

● D&H Elite Sport Dressage Horse of the Year

● Event Horse of the Year

● Showjumping Horse of the Year

● Show Horse of the Year

● Agria Horse of a Lifetime

● NAF Unsung Partnership of the Year

● Professional Rider of the Year

● Amateur Rider of the Year

● Young Rider of the Year

● Absorbine Groom of the Year

● Baileys Horse Feeds Vet of the Year

● SPILLERS Horse Feeds Riding School of the Year

● Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement Award

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

A short time spent checking your lorry floor now could prevent catastrophic consequences for your horse.

This is the message after a much-loved thoroughbred was fatally injured when a horsebox floor failed this summer. H&H reported that Kevin’s owners wanted to share his story in the hope that it would prompt others to check.

H&H contacted the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA), a national trade body, which has guidance for best practice in this area.

The VBRA’s Gerry Braddock told H&H: “The VBRA would like to extend our sincere condolences to Emma and her family following the tragic loss of Kevin. We fully support Emma and Lilly’s decision to share their experience in the hope that other horse owners can learn from what happened and prevent another tragedy.

“Our VBRA commercial horsebox flooring best practice guide highlights that deterioration, rot and corrosion can remain hidden beneath rubber matting, floor coverings and, in some constructions, beneath the floor itself. Inspection therefore needs to go beyond what can be seen at first glance, including checking the underside of the floor and areas around wheel arches.”

Read the horsebox safety guidance

The guidance states that issues are often caused by “lack of experience when fitting floors, cutting corners to save money at the new build or conversion stage, or when refitting flooring, also from lack of inspection and maintenance”.

Mr Braddock said the VBRA “strongly encourages” frequent floor inspections, removing rubber matting to allow the floor to dry and checking seals, floor coverings and drain tubes, as well as feeling for any unusual softness or springiness in the floor.

“Where there is any doubt about the condition of a floor, particularly where damage, water ingress, corrosion, rot or deterioration is suspected, we recommend having it inspected by someone with the appropriate knowledge and experience,” he said. “A relatively short time spent checking the floor could prevent a catastrophic failure.

“As our guidance states, your priority is the safety and welfare of your horses. We hope that by sharing this guidance, other horsebox and trailer owners will take the opportunity to check their vehicles and ensure that any potential problems are identified and addressed before they become catastrophic.”

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A horse – and a fisherman – in danger of being stranded by a rapidly rising tide have been saved, in one of the Gravesend Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s most unusual rescues.

The volunteer crew of the Atlantic 85 lifeboat was returning from a training exercise on 19 July, when a call came in from the Coastguard River. A member of the public had called to report a horse and rider stuck on the Thames foreshore at Tilbury Fort.

Thames commander Stewart Challis, the duty commander on the day, told H&H the crew was already at sea, so able to respond very quickly.

“On arrival, it became clear the situation was somewhat different from the original report,” he said. “The horse was not being ridden and neither the horse nor the person alongside it was trapped in mud. The individual was a fisherman who had gone on to the foreshore in an attempt to prevent an escaped horse from getting into further difficulty.

“Although neither was stuck, both were at risk of being cut off by the rapidly rising tide.”

One of the crew went ashore to work with the Kent Fire and Rescue animal rescue team on a plan to rescue the horse and keep everyone safe.

Little experience of human contact

“It soon became apparent that the horse had little experience of human contact,” Mr Challis said.

“Before long, the horse’s owners arrived and attempted to fit a temporary harness to lead it to safety. But by this stage the tide had risen significantly, leaving no dry route back to land, and the horse was reluctant to approach anyone. It eventually entered a relatively shallow area of water, belly-deep in places, before making its way to another section of the foreshore.”

Everyone moved away from the area and a crew member went nearer the horse to try to encourage it to safety.

“Dressed in bright yellow rescue gear, he was hardly the most reassuring sight to an already nervous animal!” Mr Challis said. “The horse continued moving away from the crew member, gradually heading towards safety, until it encountered a narrow gap in railings spanning a storm drain. Unwilling to pass through the gap, it stopped and remained on the wrong side of the obstacle.

“At this point, the horse’s owners tried to approach the animal with a harness. The horse, however, had other ideas! Rather than allow itself to be caught, it entered the water and began swimming around the storm drain. It was a remarkable sight.

“Despite the strong incoming tide, the horse swam confidently with only its head visible above the water. I was surprised how well a horse could swim against the tide. The lifeboat crew positioned themselves at a safe distance, close enough to discourage the horse from venturing further into deeper, faster-moving water, but far enough away to avoid causing additional distress.”

After about 100m, the horse got to a grassy area out of immediate reach of the tide, but was still stuck the wrong side of the sea wall.

The lifeboat crew member, fire service team and the horse’s owners encouraged it deeper into Bill Meroy Creek, where it was finally caught.

“What followed was another surprising sight,” Mr Challis said. “The horse was successfully led up a metal staircase and over the sea wall to safety.

“With the horse finally on the correct side of the sea wall and all personnel safely clear of the foreshore, the crew recovered their colleague from the shore and returned to station.”

Mr Challis said it later emerged that the horse had first been spotted some distance away. Walkers had tried to stop it going towards the foreshore but it was spooked and moved further in the wrong direction until it had to be rescued.

“To my knowledge this was the first horse rescue by Gravesend RNLI,” he added. “One of my colleagues said ‘That’s the first time I have ever needed to use an Atlantic 85 lifeboat to corral a horse’! Gravesend lifeboat has, however, been tasked to a number of other animals including dogs and swans. We have also helped waterlogged pigeons and gulls too. Every life matters, especially if we prevent members of the public putting themselves at risk to try and rescue an animal.”

Mr Challis said rescuing animals always comes with the challenge that the animals do not understand help is at hand, and can be unpredictable.

Caution and respect

“For that reason, rescue teams treat animals with caution and respect, maintaining safe distances wherever possible to avoid causing further stress or harm,” he said.

“In this case, the horse ultimately played a significant role in its own rescue. Nevertheless, without the coordinated efforts of the RNLI, HM Coastguard, the fire and rescue service and the horse’s owners, it may not have found its way back to safety.

“Incidents involving animals also carry another important consideration. Time and again, people instinctively place themselves at risk in an attempt to save a beloved pet or animal. While we never want to see an animal in distress, we are equally concerned about the safety of those who may feel compelled to help. That is why the RNLI responds to reports of animals in danger, not only to assist the animal itself but also to prevent well-intentioned members of the public from putting themselves in harm’s way.

“On this occasion, thanks to teamwork, patience and a remarkably capable horse, the story ended with everyone safely back on dry land.”

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Steps are being taken to give the sport of jousting a “united voice”, run modern tournaments, raise the sport’s profile and engage new fans and participants.

International jouster Emma Pearn and her team-mate Mike Collin have set up Full Tilt, and are running their first tournament on 12–13 September. This includes a category for new jousters; equestrians who are not from a historical or re-enactment background.

Emma told H&H one of Full Tilt’s long-term aims is to set up a governing body, to share best practice and standardise rules and equipment.

“We’re not there yet but we’re trying to get the rest of the jousting community on board, raising awareness of what we’re looking to do,” she said. “Mike and I don’t have all the answers so we’re looking to make this a collective effort.”

The pair have set up a group for international jousters, trying to co-ordinate events to avoid date clashes and share best practice.

Another main aim is to make the sport accessible to more riders.

“Since jousting’s made its resurgence, people have come almost exclusively from the historical, re-enactment worlds,” she said. “But we’re trying to open avenues for strong riders and try to give them routes in.”

Emma added that the ambition is for jousting to be a recognised sport, with standards, rules and a welfare focus, as the other disciplines have.

“We want to make it safer, better, more accessible and to do more of it,” she said, adding that anyone new coming into equestrianism, as a participant or spectator, is good for the industry.

She and Mike are also looking into VAR (video assistant referee) technology to support judges and to share top performances. This will be trialled at next month’s tournament; this first one is not open to the public, as details are being ironed out, but attracting audiences for jousting as competition rather than historical display is a big aim.

“We’re trying to show it as more of a modern sport and move away from the history; we’ve taken inspiration from other sports,” she said. “It’s very early days but we’ll hopefully communicate jousting in a different way, make it feel a lot more modern and fresh. It’s getting away from ‘Good knight versus bad knight’ to something that’s a lot more serious, a lot more high octane and hopefully a lot more fun too.”

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Police are hunting the van driver whose speed caused a horse to spook and trample her fallen rider, causing serious injuries.

Hannah Green suffered a broken rib, lacerated liver and internal bleeding when her thoroughbred Winnie stood on her in Melksham, Wiltshire, on 31 July. Hannah told H&H the driver did not stop.

“It all happened so fast,” she said. “I didn’t even really see the van as he went past so fast, and Winnie just went straight up.”

Hannah said there is a lay-by area outside her yard on Lower Woodrow Road so riders can close the gate then use a mounting block to get on.

“I was just on and she’s a typical racehorse who wants to walk straight away but she only went two steps, stopped at the front of the drive, and this van came whizzing past,” she said.

“It might not have been on purpose because he didn’t see us because of the hedges but it just freaked her out. She reared up, ran backwards, hit the gate, which freaked her out even more.

“She shot out across the road, fell down the ditch, and when she came out, I came off. She ran over me, fell down the ditch on the same side as the yard, then ran down the road.”

Luckily, Winnie turned and came back to the yard drive rather than carrying on along the road. Hannah called her husband, and she was taken to hospital.

Taken to hospital

“My friend said to my husband: ‘I don’t know where Hannah or the horse is, so be careful going round the corners’,” she said. “A man on a pushbike got to me first, then a lady in a car, and another man held Winnie. I got taken by ambulance to Bath hospital; they scanned me and found I was internally bleeding so I was transferred to Southmead, and spent six days there.”

Hannah had to spend another five days on bed rest at home, except a very minor trip to the yard when a chiropractor came to check her.

“I was there as Winnie had kissing spines surgery last July and I wanted to make sure she was ok,” she said. “She was out in her hips and shoulders but she sorted her out and gave her the green light, and a friend’s ridden her for me. I’ve had to have friends looking after her.”

Hannah hopes to start riding again next month if she is recovered enough. She added that there are already horse warning signs on that stretch of road, as there are a few yards there.

60mph speed limit

“The speed limit is 60mph and it needs to be lower, and have more horse signs, as there are six yards on that bit of road,” she said. “I have spoken to the rural police team and they’ve given me some British Horse Society signs and I’ve got to speak to the yard owner about putting them up.

“It could have been so much worse; if the people in the car had been that much closer, they would have hit us.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said officers would like to hear from anyone who saw the incident or may have dashcam footage of the van. It is described as white with brown markings on the side.

“We’d also like to remind drivers of the importance of passing horses wide and slow, keeping at least two metres’ distance and reducing speed to a maximum of 10mph,” he said.

“If you can help, please email PC Hosken at 70915@wiltshire.police.uk quoting reference 54260097384.”

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A young pony left wounded in the road after the driver of the vehicle that hit him drove away is recovering well, and has been a “joy” to look after.

The cob colt sustained injuries to his face and hindquarters in July, and was taken to World Horse Welfare’s Hall Farm in Norfolk.

“The police and a vet had attended after the pony, now named Arthur, had been hit and got him moved out of the road, but it was clear that the pony was in urgent need of rescuing,” a spokesperson for the charity said. “

World Horse Welfare’s yard supervisor Lorraine Holmes said it appeared Arthur had had very little handling.

“But he has such a wonderful nature, I was able to get a headcollar on him,” she said. “He loaded really well, which was amazing given what he’d just been through.

“We kept Arthur occupied with some pony nuts and he let the vet check him over thoroughly and flush the wound on his hindquarters, which we were worried could get infected.

“It was amazing how he took it all in his stride – his gentle nature really shone through. He was very happy to see some other horses in the distance when we first took him out to the field once his wounds had been treated. As soon as I let him go, he started eating and just didn’t stop!”

The team has been treating Arthur’s wounds in line with the vet’s recommendations and they have been healing well, the spokesperson said. His groom Martha worked with him to get him used to a fly mask, which has helped protect and keep flies away from his injured face.

“Once again, Arthur was amazingly calm and was soon happy to have his fly mask on and off,” said Lorraine. “He’s a really lovely character and has been a joy to work with ever since we first brought him in – he’s come so far with his handling skills already.

“Now we’re waiting for some cooler weather so that he can be castrated as the next step in his rehabilitation journey. When he’s eventually ready to find a home of his own, whoever rehomes him is going to be getting a fabulous little pony.”

An abandonment notice was left at the place Arthur was found, but no owner came forward so he was taken into World Horse Welfare’s ownership and he will be available for rehoming in future.

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Horse owners are urged to mow before they harrow, as this summer’s high temperatures have provided a “rare window” for effective worm control.

Parasitologist Diane Gilby, founder of Intelligent Worming, which creates individual equine parasite control programmes, has put together evidence-based guidance for owners. She said the critical step is mowing before the harrow goes in.

“Everyone knows you should harrow in hot, dry weather. What almost nobody talks about is the height of the grass,” she said.

“If the sward is above 15–20cm, the canopy creates shade and traps moisture at ground level, which is exactly where the larvae concentrate. You end up spreading viable parasites under a grass canopy where UV cannot reach them. You have made the problem worse, not better.”

Research has found that grass must be cut to below 10cm to ensure faeces broken up by the harrow is exposed to sunlight and air.

Having considered the findings from peer-reviewed studies, Ms Gilby recommends a specific procedure. When at least five consecutive days of hot, dry and sunny weather is forecast, fields should be topped so the grass is below 10cm in height, and all horses removed before the harrow goes in.

Paddocks should then be rested for at least a week before horses return, although a longer break is more effective. Fields should not be harrowed if rain is forecast within three days, the temperature is under 25°C or in overcast, humid conditions. If the grass is over 15cm tall and cannot be mowed first, these fields should also not be harrowed.

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There’s still time to nominate for this year’s Horse & Hound Awards, in partnership with NAF and Agria – and perhaps the World Championships have influenced who you think should win.

Nominations are open for the 2026 awards, which celebrate the countless heroes – human and equine – in our industry.

Did Glamourdale’s double gold in Aachen, or Jagerbomb’s fabulous freestyle, make you think either should be D&H Elite Sport Dressage Horse of the Year, or team and individual medallists Lordships Graffalo and London 52 the Event Horse of the Year? LT Holst Freda’s double world bronze could mean she’s well in the running for showjumping horse of the year – and there’s the small matter of the professional rider of the year to crown too.

It’s not all about the worlds of course; it’s up to you. Memories of the Royal International Horse Show are still fresh; should King George winner Vermento be named showjumping horse of the year, or Boston Black Tie show horse of the year?

You can tell us who you think should be the worthy winners of these and all the other categories; the grooms were rightly celebrated in Aachen, will one of them be our Absorbine groom of the year?

“We’re always excited to receive your nominations – it’s great fun reading all your stories,” said H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins.

“The awards are so special because they celebrate the obvious stars of the year – winners and medallists – but also hidden heroes, from horses who make their owners’ lives better to people who make it possible for others to succeed or enjoy their horses.”

You can nominate in all 13 categories, by 10 September. The shortlists will be announced in October and the winners announced at a ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Warwickshire, on 25 November.

The Horse & Hound Awards Categories

● D&H Elite Sport Dressage Horse of the Year

● Event Horse of the Year

● Showjumping Horse of the Year

● Show Horse of the Year

● Agria Horse of a Lifetime

● NAF Unsung Partnership of the Year

● Professional Rider of the Year

● Amateur Rider of the Year

● Young Rider of the Year

● Absorbine Groom of the Year

● Baileys Horse Feeds Vet of the Year

● SPILLERS Horse Feeds Riding School of the Year

● Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement Award

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 27 August, features our FEI World Championships special report featuring analysis of the showjumping, para dressage and more. Enjoy our Burghley Horse Trials preview, with a look at the course with Tina Cook, what to wear and more.

In the news pages, we revisit Britain’s success at Aachen, find out how riders can protect their backs and much more. We present the best air jackets available on the market right now, and explore a vet’s view on how to sort fact from fiction in the Vet Clinic.

This week, our interviewee is young eventing star Cerys Macaulay, and Mark Phillips and Stuart Hollings share the views on the hot topics in eventing and showing. Our foal file this week is American Affair.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Bury Farm, Forgandenny and more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

• Find your nearest magazine stockist
• Order a single issue for delivery
• Subscribe to the paper magazine
• Download FREE digital magazine

What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 27 August 2026

News

• British success for all
• Horses and riders considered in new routes
• Owner’s plea to others after horse fatally injured
• How to protect your back as a rider

World Championship reports

• Showjumping Harry Charles climbs the ranks
• Team Brits win bronze
• Individual Guerdat’s triumph, plus leaderboard
• Para dressage Gold, glory and goodbyes
• Individual Brits’ medals
• Team US break record
• Freestyle Music gold

Burghley preview

• Tina Cook’s course walk Every fence rated
• What to wear Looking and feeling good on-site
• How to follow 

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Showjumping: William Funnell
• Showing: Stuart Hollings
• Foal Files: American Affair

People and horses

• H&H interview How young star Cerys Macaulay makes it work
• All in a day’s work: Hound sports apprentice
• Foal files: American Affair

Vet Clinic

• A vet’s guide to telling fact from fiction

Property and kit

• Historic homes: Find a home with heritage
• Products: Air jackets

Reports

• Dressage: Bury Farm 
• Eventing: Forgandenny 
• Showing: SHB(GB) National Hunter Supreme

Hunting

• Bertie Hill: Eventer and hunting man

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

Get your magazine

• Find your nearest magazine stockist
• Order a single issue for delivery
• Subscribe to the paper magazine
• Download FREE digital magazine

A pony found tethered, underweight and in need of help was found to have a more unusual issue – two “teeth” growing at the base of his ear.

World Horse Welfare took in two-year-old King last October after a welfare report was made about a tethered pony in Bradford.

Field officer Sarah Tucker, who found the Welsh pony, said: “I found out that the emergency services had been called out to King multiple times. He’d needed rescuing after sliding down an embankment into a ditch, as well as getting loose and running on to a main road. With his owner nowhere to be found, it was clear King needed to be taken to safety.”

King was taken to the charity’s Penny Farm, where the team found a lump at the bottom of one ear.

“When we started to investigate the lump, we found out it wasn’t an abscess,” said centre manager Adam Cummins. “Instead, it was a rare developmental defect called a dentigerous cyst, also known as an ‘ear tooth’.

“These are uncommon, but King’s case was on another level – he had two teeth in his, which is even more unusual.”

Kai Cahun of Oakhill Vets said it was clear the issue was causing problems; King had persistent discharge and was headshaking and showing other signs of irritation.

“When a short course of antimicrobials gave only limited improvement, I was suspicious that something more unusual was going on,” he said.

“Given the location and lack of response to treatment, a dentigerous cyst was high on the list.”

This was found to be the case and King underwent surgery.

“I administered a general anaesthetic so King could have his ‘ear teeth’ removed safely,” Mr Cahun said. “Our diplomat surgeon, Guy Hinnigan, worked for several hours to remove them, while navigating the many vital structures in the area and avoiding any damage to the nerves responsible for facial movement and ear function.

“In most cases, the abnormally developed tooth is relatively small compared to typical horse teeth. However, in King's case he had not one but two almost completely normal-sized teeth that had grown inside his skull. We have seen several cases of dentigerous cysts through the years, but none with two very large teeth involved. King’s case was certainly one of the most bizarre we’ve experienced!”

A charity spokesperson said that free of the teeth, King recovered well and has “blossomed” in the expert care of the Penny Farm team.

World Horse Welfare director of UK Malcolm Morley said: “If left untreated, dentigerous cysts can cause lifelong pain and result in challenging complications and abscesses. So, what appeared like an unassuming lump could have had some very nasty consequences for King had he not come into our care.”

King is now three and ready for rehoming.

“He’s been transformed into a happy, healthy young pony,” a World Horse Welfare spokesperson said. “Now aged three, King is ready for rehoming as a youngster with the potential to be brought into work when he’s old enough and has a bright future ahead of him.”

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The aim of new kissing spines research is to build understanding of the condition, and help guide owners and horses dealing with it.

A team from the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has already carried out research on the benefits of an exercise rehab programme for kissing spines, and now wants to follow horses from across the world through their rehab in real time.

The researchers are looking for owners of horses who have been diagnosed with kissing spines and/or thoracic facet joint arthritis within the last two months.

Tracy Bye, the main investigator and RAU senior lecturer in equine science, said: “The effects of kissing spines can range from mild, localised, inflammation through to changes to the bone itself. Understandably this can be painful for the horse and can affect both its ridden career and long-term quality of life.

“Last year we published a study looking at the outcomes for 260 horses in the UK that had been diagnosed with kissing spines and one of the most striking findings was that horses whose owners implemented an exercise rehabilitation programme with them were significantly more likely to have a successful outcome, regardless of what other treatments they used.

Kissing spines research could provide helpful information

“This has the potential to be really helpful information. If we can equip owners with the knowledge and support to rehabilitate their horses, we could greatly improve the outcomes and quality of life for horses diagnosed with this condition, for little to no additional cost to the owner.”

The team wants more information on rehab practices used and their success rates, as well as data from the owners.

The study is being led by RAU postgraduate student Becky Brassington, who said: “We are inviting owners from any country, whose horses have been diagnosed with kissing spines and/or thoracic facet joint arthritis within the last two months, to take part.

“By extending our research globally, we aim to gather a broad and wide-ranging data set which captures the experiences of horses and their owners around the world.”

Owners will be asked to complete an initial survey to give details of the diagnosis and treatment, then follow-up questionnaires after three and six months. The team also hopes to speak to each horse’s vet.

Ms Bye said: “We know that it can be stressful for owners when their horse has just been diagnosed with a condition like this, and taking part in research might be the furthest thing from their mind.

“But, in order to get the most accurate data, it’s really important that we gather information as soon as possible after the horse is diagnosed and the treatment plan developed, so that all of the details are fresh in the owner’s mind.

“The aim is that the data provided here will inform rehabilitation recommendations for horses diagnosed with back conditions in the future, which could help hundreds of horses have a better chance of recovery.”

Owners can register their interest online, or email Ms Brassington at rebecca.brassington@student.rau.ac.uk.

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Riders and bridleways should be part of the picture when councils are planning new routes – and shared country roads should have a 20mph speed limit.

Those are two of the headline recommendations from the new national rural design guide, which provides technical guidance on planning and designing routes and facilities in rural areas.

It was created by Government quango Active Travel England, and the British Horse Society (BHS) was among those to help shape it. Although local authorities are not legally bound to follow it, it sets out advice and “best practice” examples of “to help them provide high-quality active travel routes tailored to the unique requirements of villages, small market towns and the countryside”.

The first chapter of the 253-page guide states that although it is “not a comprehensive manual for designing equestrian routes, it recommends that, wherever possible, routes should be made accessible for horse riders, particularly where there are pre-existing equestrian routes”. In all, horses are referred to 84 times, and there are 36 mentions of bridleways.

It sets out when people should be separated from traffic, for example by having their own designated path, and also gives recommended maximum speed limits depending on how busy a shared road is.

The guide states that where pedestrians and cyclists share carriageways with motor vehicles, the volume of traffic should be no more than 1,000 vehicles per day (vpd), or 100 vehicles per hour (vph). On these roads, it adds that “actual traffic speeds should be no more than around 20mph, although speed limits are set by local highway authorities and should be based on local circumstances”.

“Similarly, low traffic speeds and volumes are desirable to create safe and comfortable conditions for equestrians sharing space with motor vehicles,” states the guide.

“Where separate provision for people to walk and wheel has been provided and cyclists and equestrians are mixing with motor vehicles travelling at up to around 20mph, traffic volumes may be up to 2,500vpd or 250vph, but should desirably be less.”

It even considers how the width of off-road paths may need to be considered if they are shared by horse riders and people walking, wheeling and cycling, and that highway verges need to be wide enough to be safe for riders.

BHS director of access Mark Weston told H&H the charity is “really pleased” to see the new guidance.

“For many years, we've been calling for horse riders to be considered as part of active travel rather than being overlooked so this is a positive step in the right direction,” said Mr Weston.

“By giving local authorities clear guidance on how to include equestrians when planning new active travel routes in rural areas, we hope to see more routes that are safer, more connected and accessible for everyone who uses them.”

He added: "We also welcome the recognition of the role that 20mph speed limits can play in improving road safety. Anything that helps reduce the number of horses, riders and carriage drivers being killed or injured on our roads is a step forward, and we look forward to continuing to work with partners to make Britain's roads and off-road networks safer for all."

Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner raised concerns over the “huge impact” a “blanket 20mph limit on rural lanes” would have on rural communities.

“Given that every country lane will have someone walking or riding a bike (or horse) along it at some time or another the guidance is essentially recommending a 20mph limit on all country lanes,” he said.

“The guidance is run through with assumptions and ignorance and has a complete lack of any consideration of the interests of rural communities.”

• Read the Active Travel rural design guide in full (PDF)

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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Meet the rider and trainer who combines competing with liberty work, and teaching chemistry – and who opened the World Championships in Aachen, the biggest stage in the world, without a bridle.

Lisa Röckener turned heads in the championships opening ceremony last week, as she jumped through the Welcome Home arch, pulled a golden flag from its ceiling and galloped around the ring – with the horse who helped change her life.

Lisa told H&H she has ridden since before she could walk; she grew up on a small farm surrounded by ponies, a donkey, dogs and chickens.

“It was an amazing childhood,” she said. “My father is a blacksmith so my whole life has been about horses.”

Lisa’s first competition was when she was two, her father leading. She went into eventing, representing her country, and was on an elite programme for up-and-coming riders.

“It was an amazing time,” she said. “But then I had a big accident with my horse, a week or two before the European Championships. We had a rotational fall, I broke my bones and my body wasn’t looking so good.

“I went to hospital, had a lot of operations, and after that my parents thought I would stop riding, I’d never get on a horse again. I was very lucky to survive – it was my second birthday – but although I tried and tried to ride cross-country again, I was scared.”

Lisa, who was 17 at the time of her fall, thought she would stop riding and concentrate on her studies. But then Valoo came along.

“He was three and a half years old, so he didn’t know anything,” she said. “It gave me a new project, a way to go back to riding. Every day I drove three to three and a half hours to study, then I rode the horse in the afternoon.

“Before him, I sometimes tried groundwork but trainers didn’t smile when I did it! I did a small show at our riding club at home, at Christmas, but I didn’t film it or tell anyone because I was a bit shy, I thought ‘I’m a rider, not a groundworker’. But I lost my fear of riding through the groundwork.”

Lisa Röckener: building relatinships

Having built the relationship with Valoo on the ground, she tried riding him with a neck rope.

“I felt the connection with the horse so much deeper than with a bridle,” she said. “I realised I could go left and right, do this and that without the bridle – it was amazing for me.”

Lisa rides both with and without a bridle, competing and giving displays, and as well as teaching chemistry – and PE – at school, she has built a reputation as a trainer.

“When I started with this, people would say ‘Oh it’s Lisa Röckener, she does fancy dress on the horse, she doesn’t do big competitions’,” she said. “Now, Ingrid Klimke and all the big riders ask me for training, and I train the Olympic riders in Germany. It’s so cool because they can help me with ‘normal’ riding, a flying change, jumping or cross-country, and I help them with the everyday work.”

Ingrid even rode Valoo at the Ball des Sports, a major German festival of all sports.

“She rang me, after a show I did, and said ‘Hi Lisa’, and I said ‘Oh, hey Ingrid Klimke’! As I only know her from TV, it was very special. We were there five days and at first I trained him over the jump, then she came and rode my horse. We’ve been friends since.”

The pair have put out educational videos as well as working and training together; Lisa said Ingrid’s horses have learned to lie down when asked.

“That’s a thing I do at the end of the training,” Lisa said. “People sometimes say they want to learn only that, and I said ‘Ok but for this you need a very strong connection with your horse, and the trust’, it’s not something for the beginning. But in every lesson, with every rider, there are moments of ‘Yes, I feel it, this works’. It’s like all riding, and you get another feeling and connection with the horse when you do the groundwork.”

Lisa said friends of hers sent video of her riding to the organisers of a “talent show” that led to her participating in the World Championships opening ceremony.

“It was amazing,” she said. “Before the show, I was so nervous; normally I’m not as I’ve been doing shows 10 years but in Aachen I was nervous. Because an hour before I got on the horse, they said ‘You’ll jump, then maybe 10 seconds later we’ll have fireworks’. I said ‘Ok, you know I’m on the horse without a bridle?’! But ‘Yes, ok, I can do this’.

“I did have one hand on the neck rope; normally I’d have both hands on the golden flag but my horse was fast!”

Lisa now has more shows planned, and hopes to go bigger, as she tries to spread the word of another way of riding.

“I have people who only do groundwork, Olympic riders, young people, old people, everyone in my lessons,” she said. “It’s amazing to see how much you can do with one lesson, for the feeling as the beginning, then the open mind for everything else. You don’t have to do 100 hours’ groundwork to feel something, you feel it in the first lesson. I often see open eyes of people, and I say ‘Yes, this is the feeling’.”

Lisa added that she heard and saw events at the first British Bridleless Competition in the UK this year, and thinks there is a change in the air.

“I feel it, after Aachen,” she said. “The internet is full of ‘To change the World Championships’. I say I’m not changing it – but maybe I’ve given a little kick towards the other side.”

To stay up to date with the latest news and reports for the rest of the Aachen World Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound, in shops from Thursday 20 August, features a 47-page analysis of the action at the FEI World Championships so far. Don’t miss our in-depth, expert report of the eventing championship, as well as the dressage grand prix, grand prix special and freestyle.

In the news pages, we revisit Britain’s triumph at Aachen, find out how the course is being prepared ready for Burghley Horse Trials and much more. We present the best brushing boots available on the market right now, and explore a vet’s view of biomechanics in the Vet Clinic.

This week, our interviewees this week are Ben Asselin and Kyle Koss, the brothers behind showjumping’s answer to Drive to Survive. We have an opinion triple this week; hear from Mark Phillips, Richard Davison and Peter Charles on eventing, dressage and showjumping. For hunting fans, we report from the Rydal hound show.

As ever, enjoy in-depth reports from the latest fixtures, including Hartpury, Hickstead, Dublin Horse Show and much, much more. There are many other articles for equestrians to enjoy inside – see a more detailed breakdown below.

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What’s in Horse & Hound magazine: on sale 20 August 2026

News

• Britain triumphant at Aachen
• Burghley on course
• How rider personality affects bond with horses
• Jousting's ambitions

World Championship reports

• Eventing summary
• Dressage: Early leaders, plus Bettina Hoy’s analysis
• Cross-country
• Showjumping
• Leaderboard
• Dressage summary
• Grand prix: The team medals are decided
• Special: Fry shines
• Freestyle: Double glory

Opinion

• Letters of the week
• Eventing: Mark Phillips
• Dressage: Richard Davison
• Showjumping: Peter Charles

People and horses

• H&H interview: The brothers behind Faultless
• All in a day's work: Event secretary and scorer
• Foal files: Ladies Man

Products

• Brushing boots

Vet Clinic

• A vet’s view on biomechanics

Reports

• Eventing: All the national and international action from Hartpury
• Showjumping: Hickstead, New Forest and Hampshire County, Ottawa international and more
• Showing: Dublin Horse Show, Welsh Pony and Cob Society and more
• Dressage: Hartpury College regionals and more

Hunting

• Rydal hound show: The Blencathra once again come out on top

Classified Ads

• Horses for sale, horseboxes, vehicles, stabling, jobs, insurance and more

Get your magazine

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NAF Unsung Partnership of the Year 2026

Celebrating the unbreakable bond between a particular horse and rider who are not in the public eye – a wonderful partnership in which each one has helped the other in extraordinary ways.

In a new category for 2026, we will be celebrating those incredible bonds between horse and rider away from the spotlight in the Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

Theo Charnleyand George met as a beginner rider and an unbacked three-year-old. Six years later, the 12hh rescue pony and his 14-year-old partner have amassed an unbelievable CV.

They won 26 dressage championships together, but Theo soon outgrew George.

“Walking away was never an option,” says father, Paul. “Instead, they started a carriage driving journey.”

They won their first FEI driving competition at Chepstow this year and have represented Great Britain in competitions in France.

This duo’s story goes far beyond the ribbons – they showcase the value, potential and versatility of rescued equines. In fact, the family has since taken on two more RSCPA ponies.

“George is my everything,” says Theo. "I'm proud of how we have changed people’s perception of rescue ponies – my mighty RSPCA pony became an FEI-winning pony.”

Through Lydia Mills’ love, patience and dedication, Jess transformed from a wary, timid pony into a gentle soul who loves to please.

“She was very anti-people and would literally kick with intent,” Lydia tells H&H. “I feel immensely privileged that she chose to let me in and trust me with her foal, Mayo.”

Their bond carried them through tragedy: while hacking in 2021, they were involved in a collision with a car. Speaking to H&H at the time, Lydia described lying in the road, watching Jess running away.

Since the crash, Jess and Lydia have become regular Man versus Horse competitors, having completed the Welsh race three times and England’s first Quantock Hills event in 2023.

“Once out on those hills, Jess took the lead,” says Lydia. “I felt completely safe, she was so sure-footed.”

Daisy Coleman and “Ozzy” both experienced an abrupt end to life as they knew it, but finding each other gave them purpose. An Army veteran, Daisy served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It shaped my identity,” she tells H&H.

Then, injury led to her medical discharge. Meanwhile, Ozzy’s narcolepsy ended his racing career.

“Neither of us fitted the mould anymore,” she continues. “I helped him discover his value wasn’t determined by his former career. He did the same for me.”

Ozzy inspired Daisy’s community farm project, Redberth Croft in Pembrokeshire, where he plays a key role – helping those experiencing isolation, disability and trauma feel connected.

“He stands quietly for people; he carries a nervous novice,” says Daisy. “He saved me, and in doing so helped create a place that supports many more.”

Gemma Potts’ journey with Optimal Spirit (Charlie) began in 2015 when she met him at the yard where she worked. She quickly fell in love with this “scruffy ex-racehorse” and together they competed up to medium level dressage and evented at BE100. They also enjoyed hunting and went to the Retraining of Racehorses championships twice.

But in 2021, Gemma broke her neck and spinal cord in an accident at a show, resulting in paralysis from the shoulder down. When she next saw Charlie, from a wheelchair eight months later, “he took it all in his stride”.

“He’s my lifeline, my world – he never fails to make me smile,” Gemma says. “He came into my life 11 years ago and we achieved more than I ever dreamed of. Following my injury, our riding career was over and he no longer had a job to do but he became my therapy, a role he excels in. He is not fazed by me being different, he does not see my disability. I feel he loves me just the same.”

Her mother Linda adds: “Charlie is Gemma’s reason to push herself to her limits in the hope that, one day, she will lift her hand herself and touch him.”

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

SPILLERS Horse Feeds Riding School of the Year 2026

The BHS/ABRS-accredited riding school that sets the standard – both in rider satisfaction and horse welfare – when it comes to starting children or adults on their riding journey.

In a new category for 2026, we are celebrating the very best riding schools from around the country in the Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

Credited for “moving with the times and making riding accessible for all”, family-run Barnwell Equestrian Centre’s Chloe Tinson has inspired her community by going above and beyond to “get bums in saddles”.

By monetising her social media channels, Chloe has been able to fund free riding lessons at Barnwell for children who would otherwise be unable to access the opportunity.

“We’ve been learning with no blueprint to follow,” she says. “We’ve held 43 sessions so far, have 40 more funded and are aiming to get to 100 by the end of the year.

“I would encourage others to see if they can do similar.”

One happy client said: “There are lots of good riding schools, but this one genuinely changes people’s lives.”

Lancing Equestrian was nominated by happy clients who believe the centre “changes lives for both horses and riders”.

They say: “Lancing Equestrian demonstrates what a modern riding school can achieve with horse welfare, rider development and community as the three pillars that are mutually beneficial to each other.”

With welfare at the heart of everything they do, the riding school takes on rescues and gives them second lives as teaching partners, which allows children to develop genuine horsemanship skills rooted in understanding an animal’s needs.

The horses support riders from their first lesson right through to competition in a range of disciplines, including showjumping, dressage and mounted games.

Some students have gone on to join competitive teams, and even represented Great Britain at the 2026 European Horseball Championships.

Catering for a wide range of riders – up to the age of 80 – Manston Riding Centre provides what clients call “good, old-fashioned fun” and this year they’ve started adult pony days with great success.

The centre works with Kent Horse Rescue to help give rescued horses an education. Some stay at the riding school if they’re suitable, while others find homes with customers and have even gone on as far as Pony Club championships in their second-chance lives.

The team are passionate about the horses’ welfare but are also praised for their “always encouraging customers to strive for more, whether that’s learning new skills or reaching personal goals in life.”

Mullacott Equestrian Centre has been praised for having a “phenomenal approach with riders with special educational needs, giving them time, patience, responsibility and a belief in themselves to discover what they are truly capable of”.

While the centre takes pupils of all levels, it is part of the British Horse Society Changing Lives Through Horses programme and they’ve found that those with special educational needs gravitate to Mullacott and coach Hannah Fennell in particular.

The staff believe that even if traditional education doesn’t suit you, there are still opportunities to thrive, shine and be part of a team that helps them grow into well-rounded adults. One happy client described their positive impact as “immeasurable”.

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award 2026

The Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award winner is selected by a panel to celebrate the life and work of the individual whose contribution to equestrian sport is unparalleled and worthy of sincerest praise.

Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award winners

Previous worthy winners of this award include:

2025: Jane Holderness-Roddam

2024: William Fox-Pitt

2023: The late Queen’s former stud manager Terry Pendry

2022: David Broome

2021: showing supremo Allister Hood

2020: Lucinda Green

2019: Bob Ellis

2018: Cptn Mark Phillips

2017: the late 11th Duke of Beaufort

2016: Nick Skelton

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Agria Horse of a Lifetime 2026

The horse who may not be a superstar in the eyes of the world, but who has changed lives – and deserves to be recognised for the magic he or she has produced for the good of those around him or her.

A horse doesn’t have to win medals to be considered a hero. We want to raise a glass to those fabulous horses who have changed the lives of those connected with them.

The shortlist

Emily Ham’s Welsh section D Beechwood Bracken, aka Alfie, is her best friend. Fourteen years ago Emily bought him from the Broomes, and they have since been national young driver champions – and para driving world bronze medallists twice.

“Now 25, he has the heart of a lion and the athleticism of horses half his age,” Emily says. “He thrives on going fast through obstacles, his favourite thing, but he’s so sweet on the ground with me. I’m on crutches all the time, or in a mobility scooter and quad, and he just leads from that.

“Alfie is my great companion. He is my heart horse and gives me such joy. For me he is simply the best and truly deserving of the title my horse of a lifetime.”

Samatha Murray thought she would never ride again after her gelding Smurf died – then Bodach came along.

“He’s 20, but nobody seems to have told him,” Samantha says. “He’s taken me back eventing, side-saddle, things I thought I’d never do again. He’s faced Lyme disease, asthma and immune-mediated keratitis but his enthusiasm for life has never disappeared.

“I don’t use the words ‘horse of a lifetime’ lightly. Bodach isn’t internationally famous and most people will never know his name but he changed my world. At 20, he is still giving me firsts and returning dreams I thought I had lost forever. I never thought I’d love a horse again but he’s opened the doors and showed me my passion again.”

The “faultless” 40-year-old pony whom “hundreds of children” adore

This 11.2hh New Forest/Shetland mare is 40 years old, and a star of Katie’s Horse Care Club. This “riding school” without riding teaches children to care for horses, and hundreds fall in love with Ginger. She is owned by Amy Kingston, and Katie Hall of the club put her forward.

“She’s faultless,” Katie says. “Even if I get kids who say they don’t like horses, the next minute they’re cuddling her. Hundreds of children love her, parents tell me their children have her picture in their bedrooms and can’t sleep till they’ve kissed her. We had a 40th birthday for her and more people came than I had at my wedding! She’s incredible.”

“I know I’m biased but he truly is the horse of a lifetime,” says Jessica Flack, who took her son Dylan Ward, then nine, to ride McFlurry three years ago.

They had such an instant connection and, thanks to social media, hundreds of people clubbed together to buy him for Dylan.

Dylan, who was diagnosed with inoperable bone cancer in 2022, underwent years of intense treatment that caused debilitating side effects. He finished treatment in 2024, and he and McFlurry went on to excel up to elementary level dressage.

McFlurry nearly died last November; he needed colic surgery, then long rehab but now he’s in his first season showing with Dylan and has qualified for the London International 148cm performance pony showing class.

“He literally is our pony of a lifetime,” Jessica says. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Previous Agria Horse of a Lifetime winners

This award is now in its fifth year at the Horse & Hound Awards, with the previous winners being:

• 2025: Hovis, the late H&H “diarist”, fundraiser and inspiration for books – with legions of fans
• 2024: Waltham Scorpio, Emma Barrow’s Welsh section D, who died in 2024, aged 31
• 2023: Cashel Bay JJ, a top working hunter pony
• 2022: Carltonlima Emma, The late Queen’s beloved hack

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Young Rider of the Year 2026

Celebrating up-and-coming talent in the horse world. Nominees must be under 25 years old on the day of the H&H Awards (25 November 2026).

There’s a buzz about the burgeoning talent both in and coming up from the youth ranks, but which of this year’s under-25s deserve to win in the Horse & Hound Awards?

The shortlist

Anya made history in 2025, piloting 128cm “Jim” to a win at all five major championships – Royal International, Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), London International, Pony of the Year Show (POYS) and the British Showjumping National Championships (BSNC). She also won the 138cm finals at the BSNC and POYS – and the 143cm working hunter pony final at HOYS.

This year, she’s shown no signs of slowing down, winning the 128cm grand prix for the third time at POYS aboard Kilcreene Snapdragon, the winter children-on-horses championship at the British Showjumping winter finals, and collecting a clutch of HOYS tickets.

Anya also scored back-to-back grand prix wins with Jewelino at the CSI* in Gassin, St Tropez – her first competitive foray to the Continent – and took a one-two in the pony grand prix with Esperando SK and Kash Van Orchid’s. Anya is a committed and determined young rider with high hopes for a top career in showjumping.

Isabelle rounded off her stellar under-21 career with team silver, aboard Mexican Law, in Segersjö, Sweden, her fifth youth European Championship in a row. She has won a total of seven medals, including team golds in 2024 and 2022.

Isabelle, daughter of British senior team stalwart Tina, has had another impressive season. Clocking the second fastest time of the day, she finished seventh in the highly competitive Kentucky CCI4*-S with Cymoon “F” Z, where she was selected as part of the Rising Lions programme, an initiative to develop promising under-25 event riders. The pair also finished second at CCI4*-L at Millstreet in July. Isabelle is being widely touted as a future champion, with a five-star debut surely imminent.

Proving her all-round horsemanship, Isabelle even managed to fit in a CSI victory in Monaco aboard Billy Everything, whom she competes in both international eventing and showjumping.

Ruby secured her first major international win this year as well as helping the British team to fourth place at the young rider European Championships.

She scored 70.3% in the young rider individual at Hartpury International riding Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Jazz Dance (Jillz). The same pair were selected for the young rider European Championships in Hungary.

Ruby also made her competitive grand prix debut with Fenella Quinn’s Farrell – Abi Lyle’s former European Championship ride – this year, winning the under-25 grand prix at Myerscough College High Profile.

Those nominating Ruby describe her as “a huge inspiration” who reminds them “to keep going, even when it’s tough”. She was also praised for her sympathetic riding at the Europeans, and one nomination stated: “Her results, horsemanship and attitude show she has all the qualities needed to become a future senior team rider.”

This rising star of the weighing room’s ascent in the sport has been nothing short of astonishing. Following a record-breaking 2025 in which he rode 222 winners, Billy “The Kid” could yet surpass his own personal best by the end of this calendar year. He has amassed more than 140 winners during the current Flat season, putting him on target for a first champion jockey’s crown.

He’s landed four Group Ones along the way, adding the St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes to his first British Classic success on Bow Echo, with further Group One success aboard Comanche Brave in the July Cup.

“At 20 years old, this is a dream come true,” says Billy.

Previous Young Rider of the Year award winners

Previous winners of this award include:

• 2025: Rachel Proudley, showjumper
• 2024: Olli Fletcher, showjumper
• 2023: Alice Casburn, eventer
• 2022: Joe Stockdale, showjumper
• 2021: Ruby Hughes, dressage rider and vaulter
• 2020: Tabitha Kyle, showjumper
• 2019: Finn Healy, eventer
• 2018: Lottie Fry, dressage rider
• 2017: Will Furlong, eventer

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Amateur Rider of the Year 2026

Acknowledging the rider who does not make their living from riding, training or competing horses, yet dedicates themselves to their passion.

Whether working on long-haul flights or solving crimes, few are more busy than our most successful amateur riders who juggle their jobs outside horses with their competitive goals – we recognise them in this year’s Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

Double 2026 Winter Dressage Championships title-holder Carmen strives for excellence in and out of the saddle.

A chartered accountant working long hours for an American investment bank, Carmen has a competition record many professionals would envy with her home-produced mount, Lets Make An Opera M.

“My laptop comes to all of my competitions in case I need to log on urgently,” she says. “My mum is a great help, so it is very much a team effort.”

Carmen and Opera have won 11 regional titles and been placed in the top 10 at numerous championships.

What makes Carmen’s achievements all the more staggering is that she’s based in north-east Scotland, where the weather is challenging and top trainers scarce – Hannah Moody coaches her remotely.

“Regional championships are a three-to-four-hour
drive – nationals mean 12 hours behind the wheel,” says her mother Elizabeth. “Carmen is an inspiration for every full-time worker who dares to dream.”

It takes talent, determination and discipline to hold down a nine-to-five job and qualify for two of the most prestigious shows in the British calendar. But Isabella Worthington did exactly that with Royal International and Horse of the Year Show tickets – and twice qualified for Badminton grassroots on top.

The Yorkshire-based Knight Frank chartered land agent manages a 90-minute commute each way, as well as competing three horses in eventing and showing, and can often be found training them in the early hours or late at night.

“I’m so grateful to my mum,” she says of her super-groom, who rides and keeps the yard running. “It’s a juggling act to do everything, and I have to be disciplined on weekends.”

She says the two disciplines complement each other:
“I love the challenge of eventing and the perfectionism of showing; I couldn’t pick a favourite!”

Feeling lost in life, Royal Marine Christopher came to riding through polo via equine therapy. He soon sought extra lessons with coach Jabeena Maslin, dedicating himself to improving.

As well as representing the Navy in polo, he was placed in dressage at the RAF Championships and became the Royal Navy novice reserve showjumping champion in August 2026.

“To go from a non-rider at 34 to representing the Royal Navy across polo, dressage and showjumping in such a short period is something I am enormously proud of,” he says.

He even spent six weeks away from work as a polo groom.

“I came away appreciating that horsemanship is about considerably more than riding.”

He says he owes much to his hireling, Niki.

“We learn the Commando qualities of courage, determination, unselfishness and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. Niki has taught me that I need to soften, be patient, reassess. She is a great teacher.”

As a mounted police officer in West Yorkshire, who sometimes leaves the house at 6am and doesn’t return until 10pm, Helen has had a remarkable season, made all the more spectacular by the story of her horse, Bombay Limited Edition – Rocky to his friends.

She bought the gelding from the field last year as a four-year-old and has since meticulously produced him.

“He was feral,” she tells H&H. “When we got him, he had to be sedated for everything. He’s come such a long way. I thought about sending him away for backing but no one would let me. I started him myself, and he took to being ridden like a duck to water.”

Among their achievements are two supreme championship placings at Equifest and securing a London International ticket in the small riding horse/hack class at Northumberland County Show.

“We only went for experience; I wasn’t expecting it at all!” she says.

Previous Amateur Rider of the Year award winners

Previous winners of this award include:

• 2025: Hollie Clark, Police investigator, prolific winning showjumper and a regular at elite shows
• 2024: Lucy Latta, the marketing professional who was Badminton five-star runner-up – on her five-star debut
• 2023: amateur event rider Amy Dixon, who won BE90 Badminton grassroots and Blair Scottish Championships
• 2022: amateur five-star event rider who works full-time in the medical devices industry Libby Seed
• 2021: accountant and an amateur four-star event rider Lauren Innes
• 2020: Inspirational para showjumper and disability campaigner Evie Toombes was crowned amateur rider of the decade (2011-2020)
• 2019: amateur event rider Adam Harvey
• 2018: amateur event rider Katie Preston
• 2017: amateur event rider Alice Goring
• 2016: amateur dressage rider Claire Abel

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Professional Rider of the Year 2026

Honouring the greatest rider of the year, who is a hero and an inspiration to others, and whose ability is a blessing for both their horses and our sport.

Which of the following riders from across the disciplines most deserves the crown?

The shortlist

After a turbulent year spent rebuilding his string of horses, the Hampshire showjumper made a whirlwind comeback in 2026 with new ride, LT Holst Freda. The mare was bought for his wife Eve, but it was love at first sight for Harry.

Within three months he and Freda had helped Great Britain win the Longines League of Nations team competition in Rotterdam – jumping-off to secure top honours – and claimed both team and individual bronze at the World Championships in Aachen, after a remarkable climb up the leaderboard from 59th after day two.

“Winning my first individual medal was always top of any list of goals I’ve made,” says Harry.

This brace of bronzes takes the Olympic champion’s tally of senior championship medals to four, all by the age of just 27.

Lottie, 30, made an incredible comeback in 2026 with the great stallion Glamourdale, completing a historic “double-double” by defending both of her individual titles at the World Dressage Championships, as well as helping the team to silver.

After the grand prix special, Lottie told H&H: “I knew it was the best test we’d ever done. There have been amazing tests before, but for the whole thing to come together like
that was incredible.”

The atmosphere in the freestyle was intense, but Glammy loves a crowd and Lottie said: “I’ve never been so relaxed. We were just chilling in there, enjoying it, going with the music, taking our time. When I got off, I said to everyone, ‘We couldn’t have done any more.’ That’s such a good feeling to have.”

The 46-year-old’s greatest achievement of 2026 was winning the World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas, with her home-bred partner of a lifetime, Jagerbomb, in April. After winning the grand prix in the opening round, they scored a personal best of 88.33% in the freestyle, riding to their crowd-pleasing Beatles-themed medley.

The pair went on to have a rollercoaster experience at the World Dressage Championships in Aachen in August, ultimately delivering an inspired performance to finish fifth in the freestyle, where the crowd were on their feet in appreciation.

After the freestyle, Becky said: "That is a serious ask for any horse to go into an environment like that. The crowd is phenomenal; you could feel it building through the test. You can feel the atmosphere building as you’re riding.”

Ros, 40, began 2026 by giving birth to Seneh, a sister to Ziggy. Three months later, she was not only competing at, but winning a historic third Badminton aboard Lordships Graffalo.

“Physically, I’m not up to where I was, but I was confident with ‘Walter’, because he makes my life quite easy – it wasn’t going to be a massive physical battle,” said Ros after their win in May, paying tribute to her team who did all Walter’s fitness work over the winter. “It’s more mental, and about time – the time isn’t there, I’m feeding a baby – so the question was how could I do it without having those moments to myself that I usually get.

“But I’m thoroughly enjoying having Seneh in our lives. Badminton is one week of the year and hopefully we have children to be part of our lives forever.”

Later in the summer, Ros franked this triumph, winning world team gold and individual silver in Aachen.

This year’s St Leger provided a pivotal moment in racing history when 24-year-old Saffie Osborne became the first female jockey to win a British Classic.

The former junior gold medal-winning eventer rode the relatively unfancied Joseph O’Brien-trained Highwayman to victory in the 250th running of the Doncaster showpiece, Britain’s oldest Classic race.

“This won’t change Joseph’s life, but it’s changed mine,” said a tearful Saffie as she was led into the winner’s enclosure. “Any jockey wants to win a Classic, whether you’re male or female.”

Saffie embarked on a racing career in 2020, landing her first Group success two years later. She rode in her first Classic in 2024 but 2026 has been a real breakthrough season, in which she also rode three winners at Ascot’s King George meeting in July.

The 42-year-old has had another consistently super year. In May, she rode former Horse of the Year Show champion Tremarl Timpani to go one better than in 2025 at Royal Windsor, and stand champion riding horse. The pair were later reserve champion for the second time on the bounce at the Royal International.

Not to be outdone, Tremarl Timber came of age and secured a clutch of good hunter championships, including at Lincolnshire and the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) championships. There have been multiple other championships, too, including with coloured contenders Ashleas Perfect Spirit and A Warrior, cob Foxtrot and novice riding horse Baker Street.

Not just a top-drawer competitor, Vicky is also a staunch supporter of grassroots and amateur showing, running frequent clinics and being one of the BSHA’s behind-the-scenes stewards, helping amateur competitors at London International.

Previous Professional Rider of the Year award winners

Previous winners of this award include:

• 2025: Ros Canter, winner of Badminton and Burghley in the same year
• 2024: Ros Canter, Olympic team gold medallist and Burghley winner
• 2023: Ros Canter, Badminton winner, European champion and world number two
• 2022: Laura Collett, Badminton winner, adding a second five-star title to her win at Pau in 2020, plus Tokyo Olympic eventing team gold
• 2021: Tom McEwen, winner of Tokyo Olympic eventing team gold and individual silver medallist
• 2020: Charlotte Dujardin, who was selected as professional rider of the decade (2011-2020)
• 2019: Piggy French, who won Badminton for the first time among a record 14 internationals, including Blenheim CCI4*-L, was second at Burghley on Vanir Kamira and took European team silver with Quarrycrest Echo
• 2018: Ros Canter, who became eventing individual world champion at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon
• 2017: Nicola Wilson, who took team gold and individual bronze at the European Eventing Championships
• 2016: Charlotte Dujardin, who added a second individual Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and helped the Brits to team silver

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Hit Air Event Horse of the Year 2026

The event horse who has thrilled the crowds with his or her skill and bravery across the disciplines.

Once again we will crown the best horses in their individual sports based on your votes as part of the annual Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

Chilli Knight was crowned one of the most impressive winners of a five-star in landing Burghley by 13.4 penalties, the largest winning margin at this level since Lordships Graffalo in 2023. “Alfie” had already won the one-off Bicton five-star in 2021, but he boosted that success at Burghley, to put himself in a select group of horses who have won two different five-stars.

“Chilli Knight’s heart is as big as he is, he’s an amazing little animal,” says Gemma Stevens. “He wants to do it, wants to please. He’s a tiger on the cross-country.”

Their triumph validates the importance of partnership. Gemma rode Alfie’s dam Kings Gem at Badminton, and has “known Chilli Knight since he was an embryo”.

“He was very unassuming as a young horse; you would never, ever have picked him out as a five-star winner ,” she says. “He’s a horse who never stops trying. When he gets to a big event, he grows a pair of wings – this whole new little man comes out.”

Zara Tindall and Class Affair are the 2026 British open champions, winning this amalgamated CCI4*-S/British open at Hartpury with a double clear and fastest time of the day. In heading the class, they took the scalps of several top-class five-star combinations in a field of 73.

Zara and “Socks” have been a partnership for 10 seasons, competing eight five-stars together, but this title represents the peak of their career so far.

“He’s super-talented and very capable, but he’s also one of the trickiest horses I’ve ever ridden,” says Zara, who is based at Gatcombe Park where the British open was held until two years ago. “He doesn’t always do the thing you want him to do. He’s a funny soul, but I love him.”

At his seventh championship, in Aachen this summer, London 52 sealed the full set of team gold medals, from the European and World Championships, and the Olympics. He also won individual bronze.

Now 17, Dan is heading towards the twilight of his career, and his rider Laura Collett knows she “will never, ever have a horse like him again”.

“I cherish him every day,” she says. “He’s the horse of a lifetime, even just to go to the places he’s taken me. To come away from Aachen with two more medals – I never dreamt 10 years ago when I bought him he would do half of what he’s achieved.”

The bay now has seven championship medals on top of his three five-star wins. And with the form he’s in, few would bet against him adding more in 2027.

“Walter” had already put his name in the history books in 2025, as the first horse to win Badminton and Burghley twice. This spring, he became the first horse to win Badminton three times. That Ros had given birth to her second daughter in January only emphasised the brilliance of this partnership.

“I feel incredibly grateful to Walter, a horse that allows me to come out at this level, not maybe feeling at my best, but believing I can do it because of him,” says Ros.

They backed up this five-star result by leading Britain
to team gold in Aachen, missing double gold by just
0.4 of a penalty.

“We know Walter is becoming one of the best of all time,” Ros says. “This result’s very special – relief and excitement all wrapped into one.”

What records will they break next season, with the horse still in his physical prime?

Previous Event Horse of the Year Award winners

The previous winners of the Event Horse of the Year Award are:

• 2025: Lordships Graffalo, Ros Canter's ride sealed his legendary status by taking both British five-star titles, becoming the first horse to win both Badminton and Burghley twice
• 2024: London 52, Laura Collett’s three-time five-star-winning ride who led Britain to Olympic team gold and snaffled his own individual bronze in Paris
• 2023: Lordships Graffalo, Ros Canter’s brilliant partner who won Badminton and the Europeans

Prior to 2023, the Horse of the Year Award ran across all equestrian disciplines, and the winners include:

• 2022: Vanir Kamira, the much-loved veteran mare, who added Burghley to her previous Badminton win
• 2021: the world’s best showjumper and Olympic champion Explosion W, ride of Ben Maher
• 2020: the legendary Valegro was crowned the horse of the decade (2011-2020) by H&H readers
• 2019: Piggy French’s ride Vanir Kamira may be “a pain in the arse 352 days a year”, but this true five-star horse “comes into her own at Badminton and Burghley”
• 2018: Arctic Soul, the former racehorse turned elite eventer, ridden by Gemma Tattersall
• 2017: Nip Tuck, Carl Hester’s outstanding equine partner
• 2016: Valegro, the elite dressage star and world record breaker, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Show Horse of the Year 2026

With film-star looks, superb ringcraft and manners to burn, the show horse who gives both an impeccable ride and wows the spectators.

For the third year in a row, we will crown the best horses in their individual sports based on your votes as part of the annual Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

“Flynn” – shown lightly but successfully in-hand as a youngster to stand supreme at Northern Ireland Festival, among other titles – has come into his own this term. He’s notched up championships across Ireland, including champion at Balmoral, Clonmel and Tattersalls, before taking supreme hunter at Dublin.

The latter was especially sweet for pilot Brian Murphy, as it was a decade since he’d last won that accolade. In the supreme, the horse’s sporty breeding came to the fore – his grandsire is the legendary Arko III and his mother, BBK Sumaya, lightly contested affiliated showjumping. At Dublin, despite being a big horse, Flynn really lowered to cover the ground and gave the ride judges exemplary gallops.

“It’s like riding a Ferrari, not a four-by-four,” quips Brian.

Already one to watch in hack ranks, “DJ” reached new heights this term. After a disappointing end to the 2025 season – he was called forward as the judges’ choice as hack champion at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), before later being disqualified due to a previously unnoticed marks error – DJ and Helen Baker bounced
back. The twice Hickstead Derby champion returned to land a third hack championship at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

He later gave a stunning display of manners and turn of speed – his great-grandmother was a point-to-pointer –
to land the Winston Churchill trophy for the supreme horse. Helen helps DJ, a sensitive soul, keep his cool by singing to him during the go-round phase at shows.

This term, “Honey” has proved to be a consistent contender once again in mountain and moorland (M&M) mini ranks. She booked two HOYS tickets – one for
the M&M lead-rein final and one for the M&M first riddens – with Zara Constable on board. Honey also delivered a magical RIHS for the family, winning both the open and Pretty Polly home-produced lead-rein finals, before going on to claim the home-produced M&M mini sash in the section showdown.

Last term, she delivered a similar result at Windsor, claiming the overall mini open and home-produced championships for the family.

“She’s the perfect Barbie pony,” says father Simon, who leads Zara in lead-rein ranks. “Both my daughters ride her and she’s incredible. Zara is about to come off the lead and her younger sister Izzy will take over next year.”

This year, “Haribo” has delivered a dream season for rider Lilly Ahern. In this, their first season together, they kicked off with an early HOYS ticket and a reserve championship in the part-bred ranks at Royal Windsor. By the RIHS, they had gelled and claimed Haribo’s second show pony championship here – he was champion in 2023 with breeder Tammy Heathcote’s daughter Chloe. This was Lilly’s first RIHS championship.

They went on to land another coveted first, the enormous floral sash that is awarded to the supreme of show at the British Show Pony Society Summer Championships. Best of all? Haribo is a real character who frequently makes the whole of Lilly’s mother Alex and aunt Kirsty Pickles’ production team laugh.

Previous Show Horse of the Year Award winners

The previous winners of the Show Horse of the Year Award are:

• 2025: Stoneleigh Showtime, supreme pony at Royal International Horse Show, three-time show pony champion at Royal Windsor and HOYS winner
• 2024: Mulberry Lane, the working hunter who was crowned supreme horse at both Royal International and Horse of the Year Show
• 2023: Forgeland Hyde Park, one of the most consistent hacks of the past decade

Prior to 2023, the Horse of the Year Award ran across all equestrian disciplines, and the winners include:

• 2022: Vanir Kamira, the much-loved veteran mare, who added Burghley to her previous Badminton win
• 2021: the world’s best showjumper and Olympic champion Explosion W, ride of Ben Maher
• 2020: the legendary Valegro was crowned the horse of the decade (2011-2020) by H&H readers
• 2019: Piggy French’s ride Vanir Kamira may be “a pain in the arse 352 days a year”, but this true five-star horse “comes into her own at Badminton and Burghley”
• 2018: Arctic Soul, the former racehorse turned elite eventer, ridden by Gemma Tattersall
• 2017: Nip Tuck, Carl Hester’s outstanding equine partner
• 2016: Valegro, the elite dressage star and world record breaker, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.

Showjumping Horse of the Year 2026

An elite showjumper’s sheer talent to clear the highest fences is sublime – which horse deserves top honours in 2026?

One again we will crown the best horses in their individual sports based on your votes as part of the annual Horse & Hound Awards.

The shortlist

Not since the mighty Foxhunter and Harry Llewellyn has a horse won the prestigious King George V Gold Cup three times. Nearly 75 years on from that legendary combination’s hat-trick, Robert Whitaker and the athletic Vermento achieved a record-equalling third success in the class at the Royal International in July, following on from their monumental victories in 2023 and 2025.

“He’s unbelievable,” says Robert of the family home-bred “Blackie”, who also landed a four-star grand prix in Italy earlier in the year. “He goes so well at Hickstead and this time he made history.

“He’s careful, competitive and versatile and he’s much more nimble than you’d expect. He’s just amazing.”

This 18hh gentle giant is a sensitive soul with a style of his own. “Banksy” bounced back from surgery for kissing spines in his youth to become a puissance hero for regular rider Elliott Smith. This year, having twice been second in the Hickstead Derby with “catch rider” William Whitaker, he finally lifted the Boomerang Trophy.

“Each fence is a unique challenge but nothing at Hickstead concerns me with Banksy," says William. "He can get hot and strong though, so it’s more about getting him relaxed and in a nice rhythm.

“Our family has so much history with the class so to win it once was a dream come true, to get it done a second time was special.”

A popular grey mare enjoying a breakthrough year, the charismatic Mango formed a crucial part of Great Britain’s brilliant bronze medal-winning team at the showjumping World Championships this summer.

Having burst onto the five-star scene at the start of the year with a maiden international grand prix victory in Doha, she and Scott Brash led the individual standings after round two on her championship debut in Aachen.

An uncharacteristic fall in the final put paid to Scott’s individual medal chances but both walked away unharmed and she clearly has a bright future ahead of her.

“She’s super-scopey, she’s careful and she has a good stride – she has all the attributes,” says Scott.

A real-life unicorn took the showjumping world by storm this year. Few in the northern hemisphere knew of the talented New Zealand-bred mare before she won hearts at the World Cup Final in Texas under Julie Davey.

She then took centre stage with new rider Harry Charles, helping Great Britain win the five-star Longines League of Nations in Rotterdam at just their third show together, going on to secure team and individual bronze medals at the showjumping World Championships in Aachen two months later.

“Freda changed everything for me,” says Harry. “She’s so reactive and then the power she can create off absolutely nothing is a freak of nature. She’s really an all-in-one.”

Previous Showjumping Horse of the Year Award winners

The previous winners of the Showjumping Horse of the Year Award are:

• 2025: Hello Folie, this spirited mare captured our hearts with her enthusiastic and faultless dual silver medal-winning performance at the Europeans
• 2024: the late Mr Blue Sky UK, one of the greatest and most popular puissance horses of all time, partnered by Guy Williams
• 2023: Flying Tinker II, Mark Edwards’ home-bred and one of the most consistent horses on the national circuit

Prior to 2023, the Horse of the Year Award ran across all equestrian disciplines, and the winners include:

• 2022: Vanir Kamira, the much-loved veteran mare, who added Burghley to her previous Badminton win
• 2021: the world’s best showjumper and Olympic champion Explosion W, ride of Ben Maher
• 2020: the legendary Valegro was crowned the horse of the decade (2011-2020) by H&H readers
• 2019: Piggy French’s ride Vanir Kamira may be “a pain in the arse 352 days a year”, but this true five-star horse “comes into her own at Badminton and Burghley”
• 2018: Arctic Soul, the former racehorse turned elite eventer, ridden by Gemma Tattersall
• 2017: Nip Tuck, Carl Hester’s outstanding equine partner
• 2016: Valegro, the elite dressage star and world record breaker, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin

About the Horse & Hound Awards 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.

As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.