It is hoped a new code of conduct will help provide “self-regulation” to the showing industry and set standards to aspire to.

The Showing Council has created the “code of conduct, standards and values” for producers, designed to help members recognise “the standards that should be considered” when engaging a producer/trainer for the production of a horse or pony or when training children.

The code sets out advice, expectations and minimum standard, such as ensuring insurance is in place, safeguarding procedures, requirements for operator licences when transporting, and terms and conditions that should be included in contracts.

The Showing Council’s chair, Liz Inman, told H&H that as the council is not a governing body, the code is voluntary, for member bodies to “use should they wish”, but it is there to offer best-practice advice.

“It covers a number of things for producers to be able to say, ‘I can tick all these boxes,’ but also for potential owners and existing clients of producers. It’s also a really useful document for up-and-coming producers, because it’s setting the standards of what they should be aspiring to,” she said.

“So far the feedback from member bodies has been universally positive, but once it’s been distributed more widely, we’ll be asking for further feedback, and based on that we might make changes or add to the code as it develops.”

Producer Julie Templeton, a Showing Council committee member who helped create the code, told H&H she hopes it will go towards “protecting and promoting the industry”, which currently is not regulated.

“Having been involved in showing for more than 40 years, I felt it’s time that the industry became a bit more professional. We’ve got more producers now than we’ve ever had before, and from the client’s point of view and people who are new to the industry, it must be a minefield,” she said. “If you want to send your children to school, that procedure is regulated – and I felt the same way about producing children’s ponies.

“I think people should really take on safeguarding as a matter of course, because you never know when you’re going to come across somebody who is vulnerable or in a difficult situation.

“There are a lot of elements to the code that I think are really important, including having insurance to protect the client and the producer, and also contracts. There’s still a lot of people producing that don’t have a contract with their clients, but what happens when a dispute arises? The code is an attempt to protect everybody.”

British Show Pony Society chair Paul Cook, who was also involved in developing the code, told H&H it is a “first step to getting some self-regulation and setting minimum standards” in the industry.

“We haven’t got a lot of information out there for new members of showing about the things they might need to consider when having a pony produced, or their child trained. It’s not dictating to them what they should do, it’s just saying they might want to ask these important questions,” he said.

“It’s also about encouraging young producers to think about the things they should have in place if they want to progress. The majority of our professional producers will have these things in any event, but it’s reminding people of those minimum standards.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Julie Templeton on collaborative discussion ahead of the next show season

The winter is a time for the main showing societies to review the season just gone by. It’s a period to make plans for the coming new year, amend rules and sometimes make new ones if things haven’t quite gone to plan during the season.

All these reviews and adjustments take time, thought and a lot of discussion. By going through The Showing Council, chaired by Jane Nixon MRCVS, each society is given the opportunity to discuss issues in and around the showing world. Sometimes the topics are sensitive, so using The Showing Council can help societies gain advice and support and take a collaborative approach when dealing with these issues.

Having been part of this review process for some time now, I can assure all showing members that no subject is off the table, regardless of how delicate or possibly contentious it may be.

Staying abreast

With 21 member bodies, there is a vast wealth of knowledge and experience within The Showing Council. This year alone, the council has had in-depth and robust discussions on equine obesity in the showing animal, the over-showing of ponies and the marks system – an old chestnut but highly relevant and important.

The Showing Council executive has been working hard to update several existing guidelines to ensure that showing is moving into the modern era as smoothly as possible, while staying abreast of other equestrian disciplines.

Updated welfare guidelines, a professional code of conduct outlining best practice for owners and producers alike, a biosecurity policy and an updated safeguarding policy will hopefully ensure that the showing societies are taking their professional responsibilities seriously in order to protect equines and human participants alike.

Natural is best

At home, any of our ponies that contested the 2022 season have been turned away since Horse of the Year Show. Because of the very mild weather, it has meant they can be turned out without rugs and lead a more natural life, even if only for a few months.

I’m a firm believer that horses and ponies need to retain a natural cycle by being let down in winter, losing their show condition then gradually being built back up again towards the summer. This allows the animals to come back fresh and without the lumps of fatty cellulite that sadly we sometimes see animals building up.

The horsemen of yesteryear used to say that you should never put new condition on top of old. Unfortunately, however, with shows now held all year round, it is sometimes the case that horses and ponies are kept stabled, rugged and on hard feed for 12 months of the year.

• What rule changes would you like to see implemented ahead of the 2023 show season? Let us know by writing to hhletters@futurenet.com including your full name, nearest town and county for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine
• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 17 November 2022

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

THE removal of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers from the Great Yorkshire Show (GYS) has sparked debate across the industry.

HOYS took some pony qualifiers from the GYS as the latter would not revoke its rider-age rule, by which ponies can only be ridden, anywhere on the showground by either the competitor, or another rider who is of the appropriate age for the class concerned.

H&H gathers views from across showing.

Julie Templeton: apply rules across the board

TOP show pony producer Julie Templeton believes riders’ size and weight should be key, rather than age, as she said in her recent H&H column.

She told H&H she believes those on all sides of the debate are on the same page, with horse and pony welfare “at the heart of all we do”.

She believes it was not fair for the GYS to lose its HOYS qualifiers, but thinks rules on rider size should apply across the board.

“My only concern with the GYS rule – and I think it’s appropriate the right-sized people ride the right-sized ponies – is that it should apply to all classes, not just target the plaited ponies,” she said.

“If you’re going to bring these things in, and with all the talk about social licence, we’ve got to protect our horses, their welfare and our industry. I wish it had been across the board.”

Julie pointed out that a 5ft 3in, lightweight adult cannot work in a 128cm show pony at the GYS, but a 5ft 10in lightweight adult could compete a Dartmoor pony.

“I don’t want to lose anyone their livelihood, and appreciate there’s a place for small adults working a pony in to give it confidence and set it up so the child has a positive experience,” she said. “Some of our children sadly only ride in the show ring, and it’s important they’re on ponies who understand and are straight, obedient, soft in the mouth and comfortable to ride.

“And we’ve got to be inclusive, for the children who may not have the facilities to ride at home; we want to encourage children from all backgrounds to enjoy riding.”

Julie also pointed out the exciting atmosphere at major county shows and that the classes concerned do not specify that they are looking for the safest ponies.

“There are lots of ponies for people to learn on at different levels,” she said. “One is the riding school pony, and if you want to change a show pony to a riding school one, that’s fine, let’s have a class for that. But at the moment, it’s for the best pony and the best pony might be a bit sharper and trickier.

“For it to be a positive experience, we want to help and support children until they’re confident to work the ponies in and haven’t left the industry because they’ve fallen off too many times.

“I completely understand the GYS rule, and they can put in place whatever rules they want, and it’s then a choice. You say to clients, ‘Let’s go there and have a lovely time,’ or ‘Actually, your pony might not fit in that environment.’ My overriding priority is the child’s safety and that they have a positive experience, so if we have a pony we think won’t cope, we’ll be honest with the client.

“They’re not robots and machines and we don’t want them to be – and one concern if you ban things is, what will then go on at home?”

Jill Perkins: wellbeing comes first

SHOWING would “find itself in hot water” if what went on in some lorry parks was lightlighted, a former British Show Pony Society (BSPS) judge believes.

Jill Perkins officiated at major shows in the UK and around the world.

“A child’s pony should be both beautiful and suitable,” she told H&H. “I would always look for a pony that was correct, a free-moving pony with perfect manners and really importantly, appears happy doing its job.

“As a judge, there was nothing worse than seeing a pony that had obviously been set up by an older rider. It does not present a pretty picture and it certainly doesn’t look natural when the child is just passenger rather than pilot, which is sadly too often the case.

“Now there is so much more information available, surely the physical and mental wellbeing of the ponies must come first. The relationship between pony and rider cannot be artificially created; a good judge should be able to recognise the true partnership.

“If your pony is set up by someone else and you are just plonked on board for the show ring, there is no real connection and frankly what is the point? You only have to consider the number of children who grew up riding show ponies and yet, possibly because of the pressured environment, they no longer ride as adults.”

Ms Perkins referenced the recent Showing Council webinar on social licence adding: “If a reporter or anyone chose to actually highlight what goes on in the lorry parks at most shows, I’m sorry to say showing would be find itself in hot water.

“We need to continue to do more to improve standards, and there are many other methods that can be used if we choose to open our minds and consider moving away from some of the outdated traditional ways – or maybe something as simple as more turnout, which was always good to settle an animal. Animal welfare should always be the top priority.”

Ms Perkins added that she believes the breeding of children’s showing ponies could be affecting the issue.

“Maybe we should be returning to breeding with a little more native blood?” she said. “Growing up, our ponies weren’t too hot for us to ride and if we came off a few times, then we were just put back on and tried harder. It taught us to ride and how to care and respect our ponies – often being told it’s an animal, not a machine! Or is it the way some are produced that means they need riding by bigger jockeys before they are considered safe for a child?

“Welfare needs to be considered right from the early days, including environment, handling and everything that forms the character of the animal.”

Paul Cook: properly prepared

BSPS chairman Paul Cook believes showing needs to be inclusive, and to ensure young jockeys have a positive experience, while horse welfare and rider safety are top priority.

Mr Cook told H&H that the BSPS “absolutely supports” the GYS on its size and weight rules, but does not agree with the rider-age rule.

“I think there are several parts to this,” he said. “We’re lucky in this country to have some beautiful, quality show ponies and show hunter ponies, and they need to be properly trained and the jockeys properly prepared.

“These classes cater for children from three years old – shows can be excitable places – and we’re talking about really quality, elite ponies. Some of the younger children need help working them in, and I think if the person riding the pony is suitably mounted, doing it correctly and supporting the child, that’s reasonable.”

Mr Cook said the BSPS has a clear welfare policy in its rule book, and there are stewards and judges to whom any welfare-related concerns can be reported at shows. He added that one consequence of the rider-age rule could be that it affected a child riding a 128cm pony in one class and a 138cm in the next who, with no one else to ride, would not be able to work the second pony in.

He said some producers might have horses in multiple classes and need someone else to warm up, so there is widespread precedent for working in under different riders. He pointed out that in (M&M) classes with no age limit, adults can ride ponies in the class and beforehand, but might not be able to work in the same ponies if they were entered in a first ridden class, for example.

“When we’ve got young children, we want to encourage them into the sport and make sure they have a positive experience,” he said, adding that although the ponies should be well-mannered in the ring, this is a big atmosphere, for which they should be properly prepared.

“We’ve got to think what’s right to give the child the right amount of confidence to enjoy their showing, on what are quality ponies. Saying a tiny tot has to do everything with their pony doesn’t seem to me the best way forward.

“We want children to go in the ring with the best chance of doing their best, with the ponies supporting them, and I’m not sure this rule allows that. There are plenty of rules to prevent people working ponies in when they’re unsuitably mounted, and I think it would be more helpful, if shows wanted to bring rules in like this, if there was consultation.

“I think there are better ways of educating people about doing the right thing than rules brought in with unforeseen consequences.

“I think we’re all on the same page – that horse welfare and rider safety are paramount and where children are concerned, we want them to really enjoy the sport.”

Amanda Stoddart-West: suitable for the job

THE welfare of horses and ponies in showing must be “greatly elevated” if the sport is to continue in the long term.

This is the view of Amanda Stoddart-West, entries and livestock coordinator of the GYS, which has been the first to introduce a number of welfare-related rules.

“Regardless of whether you feel the pony is a true child’s pony or not, seeing a pony forced to carry a rider that is far too heavy for that animal is not acceptable; we should be promoting the welfare of all animals, not accepting that a pony needs riding by a bigger person simply because it’s too hot for the job,” she told H&H. “Although the safety of children is obviously important, this should not under any circumstances be at the expense of the welfare of the pony; if a pony needs to be ridden by a larger, more experienced rider, maybe it’s just not suitable for that job.”

In response to the opinion that the classes are not titled “safest pony”, Mrs Stoddart-West countered that they do state “suitable for a child”.

“Or are children’s riding pony classes not really for children’s ponies and if not, why not?” she asked. “If this means potentially changing the dynamic, then wouldn’t this be a good thing? As well as the welfare aspect, at what point do we consider this from a fairness perspective, as surely a level playing field in all sport should be encouraged.”

Mrs Stoddart-West added that, as a child who grew up riding and looking after her own ponies, “I wonder how a child bonds, builds that trust or forms a relationship with a pony, if someone else does all the work?

“How does this encourage young riders to remain interested in showing? In hardly any other equestrian discipline do you see someone else riding the animal in before the class or competition.”

Mrs Stoddart-West also works in her spare time to improve welfare standards.

“Over the last few years, we have received photos, videos and reports from across the country from friends, exhibitors, judges, stewards and concerned bystanders,” she said.

“A few examples are photos of riders who are clearly far too big for their mounts, a video of a judge on a 12.2hh pony that is obviously struggling to carry him and ponies tied up really short overnight without hay or water, or being blindfolded until they enter the ring.

“The showing fraternity really needs to take things seriously, not only owing to social licence.

“In my opinion, the welfare of horses and ponies has to be greatly elevated within the showing sector, if we want to see riding and showing to continue in the long term.”

You might also be interested in:

‘It’s about equine welfare, not flattening ponies’: show speaks out on its rider-weight stance

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Show organisers need to move with the times, says Julie Templeton

IT’S that time in the show season when entries take up a considerable amount of everyone’s routine. It’s especially laborious for producers, who complete entries en masse.

Now, due to Covid, there is even more paperwork than normal. Online entry systems are definitely the way forward and I’m especially in favour of those that let you store your exhibits, riders and owners on a database, so you can enter a class in a matter of minutes.

However, there are some shows that seem reluctant to come over from the dark side. They not only require you to fill in the now statutory Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifying forms, but also an entry form repeating all the same information for their own show entry. I find this exceptionally time consuming and wholly unnecessary.

It’s also frustrating that shows have very early closing dates. Often, we adhere to this and get our entries in on time only to find out that the show has reopened due to lack of entries. They can still manage to process those late entries prior to the show so why not just have a later closing date to begin with?

PENALISING CUSTOMERS

I HAVE voiced my frustrations about ticket allocation at county shows before and this has once again reared its ugly head.

One show called after we had submitted our team entries to say that they were only issuing two tickets per pony to limit numbers on the showground due to Covid restrictions, but we were able to purchase up to four tickets per pony at £10 each. Clearly, it wasn’t about the pandemic, but more about squeezing a bit extra out of the competitor.

Given that most of these shows are being run behind closed doors with no county show entertainment, tradestands or food halls, it seems extortionate to take further money off competitors for coming to watch an entry they have paid handsomely for.

We were also told that the more ponies you enter, the fewer tickets you get, so a client entering one pony gets two tickets yet if you enter two ponies you only get three. Why penalise the customers who are supporting your show by bringing more than one exhibit? It makes no sense whatsoever.

LACKING CONSISTENCY

WE were recently at a show in the pouring rain and due to the cold, we requested that we could bring rugs for the ponies and jackets for the children into the ring. We were told no, as it didn’t meet Covid guidelines.

Why would you have the children and ponies sitting getting absolutely soaked and shivering with cold, rather than using your common sense that bringing rugs and jackets in was not a breach of any guidelines? Equally, in one ring, only four grooms were allowed in at a time to strip ponies for conformation, while in the adjacent ring there was a full class with all the grooms stripping at once.

I also saw a picture of a line-up of animals with the jockeys all wearing masks. Riding is a socially distanced sport, so I found it crazy to expect competitors to wear masks while riding, especially at an outdoor event. Shows need far more consistency in their on-the-ground operations to ensure that competitors understand what is expected of them.

However, I do see the challenges from the organisers’ perspective. We recently ran the inaugural UK Ponies and Horses show and tried to be as friendly and accommodating as possible, despite some demanding requests from competitors.

We have to bear in mind that without the jockeys, producers and owners, we won’t have shows to go to. Therefore, my advice to fellow show organisers is to try to think of things from a competitor’s point of view and consider the long-term picture for our industry when making snap decisions and using Covid as your excuse!

This exclusive column is also available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 10 June 2021

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

OPINION

When the “Beast from the East” hit the UK, show organisers were slammed on social media whether they went ahead or cancelled. They were damned if they did, and damned if they didn’t.

I understand why some organisers carried on. How do you reschedule the venue, judges and stewards when the showing calendar is so full?

Competitors must understand that in such circumstances, they cannot expect refunds on entries. The alternative is to hedge your bets and pay higher on-the-day fees.

Quality training

Chairman of The Showing Council David Ingle and my fellow H&H columnist Simon Reynolds recently underlined the need to exercise caution when choosing a trainer.

I agree; we wouldn’t send our children to a school where teachers weren’t professionally trained, so we need to think the same way about tuition on their ponies.

Whatever your sport, you won’t improve without good training. This is often overlooked in showing and people think they will get better just by practising, but if you don’t have the right direction, you might be practising the wrong things and reinforcing mistakes. Teach-ins are clearly popular. Mixed clinics are a great way to acclimatise your animal to an environment similar to the show ring.

However, there will be different levels of experience among riders and animals, and you may have participants who don’t know each other. You must have an experienced, competent person in control.

Before signing up for training, ask some key questions. Is the trainer qualified, either through recognised qualifications or a proven training CV? Are they insured to teach? Do they hold current first-aid and safeguarding certificates?

Ensuring these are in place gives your child the best possible chance to improve and keeps him or her as safe as possible.

Hands matter more

Finally, we’ve had controversy over bitting, with judges and producers giving their views on whether some designs are suitable for ponies (H&H, “When it’s a bit too much…”, 15 March). I believe that while it’s essential to find the right bit for any partnership, correct schooling and riding has more influence than what’s in the pony’s mouth.

Equally, I disagree with the notion that the Wilkie bit — singled out for particular criticism — sets a pony into an outline and doesn’t allow it to go freely. It would be more likely that tying them in with fixed side-reins would produce that result.

I sometimes use a Wilkie bit in the ring, but it is correct schooling at home that produces correct muscle development.

Ultimately, riding from the leg and having an independent seat with good hands achieves the best results.

There are no short cuts — which brings us back to training.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 5 April 2018

It would be so easy to mention rain and mud as the lasting memories from the Royal International (RIHS) 2017, but alas, no one can do anything about the weather. In true British spirit, everyone just had to get on with it. It was a testament to all the upgrades made at Hickstead recently that the rings and walkways lasted as long as they did. The security and ground staff should be applauded for being efficient and polite while managing difficult conditions on the stable field.

I mentioned in a column recently that I felt some old showing values had been lost in the ring and that children needed to be keener to impress. I was delighted to see that this year the judges pulled in most of the classes after the initial go- round. This kept children alert throughout the class, especially ones lower down the line if they felt that many before them hadn’t gone well.

It is also good to see how the children pulled in at the top of the line managed to keep their poise under pressure — a very good skill to possess if you are to have any longevity in the show ring.

Thinking is good

The other very positive move was the decision that there were no set shows in the pony classes. This meant children had to understand and play to their particular animal’s strengths.

I heard discussions outside the ring such as “mine has a great walk and I know I can pull off a good gallop”, and “I’m going to show off his big trot”.

It’s about time that children were thinking about their ponies and actually showing them, not just trundling around doing the same show as the one before.

This format really worked at Hickstead and it was brave of RIHS to do it, especially given such tight time constraints. It just shows that with efficient judges and stewards you can do away with set shows and still not run over time.

We welcomed the class changes that moved the mini show ponies to Wednesday, rather than having them clash with the show pony sections on Sunday. However, the actual timetabling of these classes does need looking at for next year because having two lead-rein classes back-to-back meant frantic outfit-changing for jockeys and leaders, leaving the collecting ring resembling a changing room at a Next sale.

The pony supreme came from this section, Seamoor Lady Derby. It must give the little ones such a confidence boost, which can only be a good thing.

But the other downside of the classes following on were that some of our smallest jockeys ended up being in the ring for almost four hours. As any leader knows, there is only so much “I spy” you can play to keep them entertained.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 3 August 2017

Opinion

Showing judges are often asked about their pet hates. Some — like the over-use of cosmetic products, too many plaits or the use of a particular bit — can be fixed quickly, but others come down to schooling and take time and expertise to put right.

A few years ago, one of my pet hates was a trend for ponies going far too fast, being pushed out of their rhythm in an attempt to make them look as though they were better movers. At the time I was dismayed, watching class after class of ponies scuttling around the ring and losing all cadence and elegance, especially in trot.

However, I’ve noticed a new trend this season, specifically in the intermediate classes, that is equally bad. Now we are seeing animals going far too slowly, especially in canter. They are simply not travelling over the ground or going forward. This weekend I witnessed one jockey in trot overtake another competitor who was in canter at the time.

Making these animals canter so slowly is unnatural and to achieve it, they lose straightness. The result is an animal going along on three or four tracks. This is definitely a trend that needs ironing out and I believe it should be penalised by judges. It isn’t a quick fix, but a schooling issue that will take time and expertise to correct.

Perfecting the go-round

I also noted that some intermediate competitors disregarded the judges’ request for an extension on the go-round and in their shows. I tell the children on our team to watch the horse classes to see how the professionals do it and then we practise, practise, practise to make sure this phase is executed as well as the others.

The same advice should perhaps be applied to intermediate riders. After all, they are only a step away from horse classes and should be raising their game and setting an example to children in the classes below them.

I have always been in favour of pulling in a class based on your preference on the go-round. Some judges go as far as giving a mark for the go-round. This is a great idea, as otherwise competitors may as well just come into the ring and line up before their individual shows.

From a production viewpoint, it is far easier to make the animals flat enough that the children find it easy to ride them and are able to give a safe show than to produce an animal with the X-factor — where it is schooled enough that the child can ride it and catch the judge’s eye on the go-round, but can also contain itself enough to give a good show.

If children believe that the go-round really does count, they will try harder and it will make them hungrier for the pull-in. This will have the knock-on effect of improving ringcraft and showmanship — those old-fashioned values that sadly seem to be lacking in many of today’s competitors.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 22 June 2017

Four prize-winning show ponies have been killed in 2 separate lightning strikes.

Coloured ponies Tidkin Spirit In The Sky and Tidkin Fairytale were found dead in a field near Redcar, Yorkshire, on Friday, 1 August.

In Shropshire Kati Choynowski’s Pebbly Pepperpot and Karen Gillott’s Penucha Lochlan died at Julie Templeton’s showing yard on Monday, 28 July.

The latter 2 horses were grazing in adjacent fields when lightning struck.

Eleven-year-old coloured first ridden Pebbly Pepperpot’s recent successes include a win at the Royal as well as qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show.

Ms Templeton said: “There was a huge thunderstorm around 9.30pm and although a third pony was absolutely fine, we found these two dead. The vet said they were killed instantly.

“Obviously, we are all devastated, but also extremely touched by the many messages we have received from people in the showing world.”

Gerald and Stephanie Towers, who have been breeding coloured ponies for nearly 20 years, awoke to thunder and lightning at 4am on Friday.

Two hours later, the couple were alerted to the deaths of 2 fillies by a neighbour, who was checking on her mare and foal.

Four-year-old Tidkin Spirit in the Sky was the 2004 CHAPS foal futurity champion and placed second in the coloured in-hand native/traditional class at the 2007 Great Yorkshire Show, while 2-year-old Tidkin Fairytale was beginning to win at local shows.

Mr Towers told H&H: “We are devastated. ‘Sky’ was showing tremendous promise, both in the showring and in other disciplines. They both had such potential and we were hoping to breed from them. They were fabulous ponies.”

None of the other 10 horses in the three hectares of grassland was harmed.

Mr Towers added: “One of them was on the other side of the fence, so she must have been thrown clean in the air. We think that they were either struck directly or that the wet ground carried the current into their legs.”

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