A pregnant rider who qualified her pregnant homebred mare for the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships joked “I don’t know if you’re allowed to have four of you in the arena at once!”

Full-time equine vet Sam Cutts and her own Piccola Diavola came second in the inter I freestyle and inter I, at Field House and Onley equestrian centres, on 16 and 19 August respectively.

Sam is 27 weeks’ pregnant and “Holly” 15, so neither will compete at the finals in October, but Sam told H&H the area festival was “something to aim for”, for both of them. Holly, the daughter of Piccola Star who Sam rode on the British junior eventing team and to four-star (now five-star) level, has evented to four-star level but was injured last year.

Sam said Holly would not have returned to high-level eventing, so “we’ve had a bit of fun doing dressage”, and last week’s events were to be her last before she retired to become a broodmare.

“I was in floods of tears by the final halt,” she said. “The judge probably wondered what was going on as it was neither that exceptional a test nor that bad, but she and I had done the best we could do, and that’s all you can do.

“She’s got me to four-star eventing and inter I dressage; she owes me nothing, and I look forward to riding her children.”

The cut-off date for competing pregnant mares, whether at Badminton or a preliminary dressage test, is four months, and Sam explained that at Holly’s stage, the foetus is very small; as horses are prey animals, they do not grow as much, as soon, in pregnancy as humans do. Exercise is also as good for pregnant mares as it is for humans, as long as the level or type of work is not changed or intensified.

“Each horse is individual and you have to take each day as it comes,” Sam added. “Holly and I know each other inside out and if she’d thought ‘I don’t want to do this’, I would have stopped. Her welfare is my absolute priority and to be able to do this was a bonus.”

Sam, who already has a two-year-old daughter, has also now stopped riding for the duration of her pregnancy.

“There are three extended trots in that test and by the end of the last one, I’d probably had enough!” she said. “I don’t know if you’re allowed to have four of you in the arena; it’s not internal assistance, but it’s internal something or other!”

Sam added that the mare, whose nickname is Princess Holly, is “opinionated” in the stable.

“She likes her own space and organises life according to her but as soon as you get on board, she couldn’t try harder,” she said.

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Crimson Gold, who switched from a career in racing two years ago, was top of the leaderboard in the elementary bronze championship at the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships at Arena UK (7–10 October) on 69.8% under Hayley Ford.

“It’s such a surprise. I didn’t expect it all, but I was so pleased with her test. People like us don’t win things like this,” said Hayley, who travelled all the way from Devon to Lincolnshire to compete.

“Crimson Gold was given to us by some friends a couple of years ago, point-to-point trainers Lisa and Leslie Jefford. They bred her and she hated racing. They caught us when we went to see them and asked if we wanted a horse. We thought a freebie sounds good and we’d see how she went with a view to selling her, but now she’s staying.”

Hayley credited much of her success to her trainer Anna Ross.

“Anna has been a massive turning point in my confidence, not just with riding but as a person,” explained Hayley. “My mare didn’t actually miss a beat today – she was really on song. She hates rein back with a passion and so it was brilliant she cooperated with that too. We were delighted with our test – she didn’t do anything wrong.”

Hayley highlighted that Crimson Gold isn’t the most straightforward of horses at home.

“There’s a lot that we have to do to keep her happy. We don’t hack her, we long-rein her instead, for example. I can’t get on her without plying her with treats and although she can be laid back and she does love life, she likes to get her work done in the morning – she’ll be sociable then – when you go to see her in the evening she’ll quite literally stick her hooves up at you – and her teeth!

“She’s just very much her own person and she saves her best for the competitions.”

• Read the full report from the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships at Arena UK in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 21 October

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A pony called Alan who started life next to a main road, was bought for £5 and “got into dressage by accident” is to compete in the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships.

Spartacus VI, as he is formally known, and owner Vicci Smith will be competing in the prelim silver final at Hartpury in April, two years after he came into her life.

Vicci told H&H a friend of hers bought Alan as a foal from people living next to the A19 but that by the age of four, in 2018, he had not grown big enough for her.

“I wasn’t looking for a horse but thought he sounded ace and I’d give him a chance,” she said. “We agreed I’d buy him for £1 but when I went to get him, I didn’t have a pound coin, only a £5 note and it felt a bit wrong to be doing change!

“I hadn’t seen him before and thought ‘have I made a bit of a mistake?’ as he was small and very narrow and just hair everywhere.”

Vicci backed Alan – named by her children as “he really didn’t look like a Spartacus when he arrived” – and he was “an absolute dream”.

“He does everything at his own pace but he’s so accepting,” she said, adding that while the pair of them have done a great deal of hacking and beach rides, as well as following hounds, she had never planned to compete him in dressage.

“It just happened by accident; I started doing a bit of unaffiliated, just to get him out really, but we got some good scores and I thought ‘This is all right!’

“I think because he doesn’t look like a typical dressage horse but still goes correctly, the judges warm to him.”

The pair moved on to British Dressage competition, qualifying for the Petplan Equine Area Festival at Northallerton in August.

“I went there not expecting anything because suddenly it was very serious and everyone looked very professional – and there was me on my little hairy cob,” she said. “But we came second and qualified for the Area Festival Final.”

Vicci described the event, in September, as “another step up” but she and Alan finished fourth, 0.32% behind the last qualifying place for the Hartpury championships.

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“That was fine; I’d said I’d be absolutely delighted to be in the top 15 so to come fourth was a dream,” Vicci said.

As she was new to dressage, Vicci had no idea of the wild card system – championship places are awarded to the highest-scoring non-qualified combinations – until she was tagged in a post on Facebook last week to say she had won one of the places.

Vicci added that she at first considered not going to Hartpury as she did not feel she could compare to other entrants, but then decided she owed it to her beloved Alan to have a go.

“He absolutely is my, and my family’s, best friend,” she said.

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There are several things you could possibly picture when asked to imagine ‘the perfect dressage horse’ — and they probably don’t include a 20-year-old pacer-bred gelding…

But one talented chap is defying the dressage norm. Humbug II, a charming piebald who is owned by Joan Price, was crowned prelim bronze champion at the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships held at Hartpury College (3 — 7 April) with a cracking score of 72.08%.

His rider was finance advisor Joe Davey, who was emotional after his win.

“He’s actually everything you wouldn’t want in a dressage horse,” says Joe, who has ridden Humbug for three years and has established a great partnership with him. “He didn’t even learn to canter until he was 18.”

There is little known about Humbug’s breeding, apart from the fact that he is out of a trotter mare. Prior to being owned by Joan he had a leisurely life.

“I felt like I was waterskiing during my test,” said Joe. “It must have looked better than it felt! What he might lack for in ability, he makes up for in heart. He hasn’t got a malicious bone in his body and he tries so hard.”

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While he might not necessarily be bred for a career in dressage, Humbug ensured Joe left his first nationals with a sash and coveted Petplan Equine rug.

Joe continues: “He’s got a great jump so I’ve been using this to help his canter, which he finds hard; he tries to ‘tranter’ and doesn’t understand why he has to use his back legs like that. He’s gradually got stronger and more confident, and we’re working on some novice stuff now.”

Don’t miss 11 April issue of Horse & Hound magazine for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships

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After qualifying for the winter championships, Suzanne Smith’s world came crashing down when her horse Alfie (In The Limelight I) contracted a deadly disease.

10-year-old Alfie is out out of Suzanne’s old 15.2hh mare and she will be competing him in the Petplan Bronze Preliminary Area Festival Championship at Hartpury (3 — 7 April).

“I wanted to breed something as good as I could for what I could afford,” says Suzanne. “I used the stallion T-Movie who was standing with Carl Hester. Alfie then took over from mare as my one in a million horse.

“Last year, we joined BD and started competing in some My Quest competitions. We tried some Petplan qualifiers with reasonable success. After some lessons and time spent on training, we won the My Quest championship in October last year and then the following day we won the second round of our regional finals to qualify for Hartpury, with a score of 75%. I was delighted.”

About two weeks after his victory, Suzanne noticed that Alfie had gone off his food and looked under the weather:

She continues: “He was grinding his teeth and also had a fever. I called the vet and the following day he was taken to the equine hospital for some tests. This was on the Friday; by Sunday, he could not walk in a straight line. Literally within two weeks of his win he was fighting for his life.

“It took the vets ages to diagnose what was wrong. He had all sorts of tests. Eventually, they found that he had contacted equine Parvovirus and had secondary bacterial hepatitis. He also had an impaired liver function as a result.

“As tests for equine Parvovirus only came out last May, he was one of the first horses to be diagnosed with it.

“He was then put on medication and steroids for two months.

“We’ve only been out twice since his recovery. On first outing he stepped up to novice for the first time and stood first and second, getting his Petplan novice bronze qualifying scores. He has a heart of gold and is such a mummy’s boy. He has been such a trooper.

“It has been a roller-coaster ride for us both, especially due to the uncertain diagnosis at the beginning.

“I can suffer with pre-competition nerves but just to get to nationals is amazing.”

Horse & Hound has three reporters on the ground at Hartpury; don’t miss the 11 April issue for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships, and keep up to date with action as it happens here on HorseandHound.co.uk

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After getting the all clear to ride her mare just 24 hours before she was due to ride her test, it’s no surprise that Keri Bates was full of emotion when she found out she was taking home the sash in the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle silver at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.

Her horse EKKO Christianslund Gevalia (Gevalia) — a 12-year-old Danish warmblood mare — was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in February.

“A couple of weeks after we’d won at regionals she started acting a bit our of character when I rode her,” explains Keri, who has owned Gevalia for two years.

“She started grinding her teeth and she just didn’t feel comfortable; she was not lame but as I know her so we’ll, I just knew that she wasn’t 100 per cent right so I called the vet.”

A veterinary examination revealed that Gevalia had developed a large splint:

“An xray then confirmed she had a hairline fracture,” continues Keri.“My vet basically told me that I wasn’t going to nationals. I was gutted. She was then on box rest for eight weeks. After five weeks of rest, he came to see her for a check up and a further xray revealed that the fracture had gone and had heeled over. I was told that I could ride her again the day before I was due to come to Hartpury and compete.

“I walked her out for 45 mins a day once her fracture had healed to keep her fitness up. I decided not to ride her at home before we were due to leave for the championships and just just hand grazed her. I rode her once before the test and just focused on walking and stretching. We had originally qualified for two finals but I withdrew from one as I wanted her to enjoy her first trip here.

“It was quite daunting and we were so unprepared — I was so scared that I was going to make a fool of myself in front of everyone watching.

Keri’s music was a dramatic piece from the film 300.

“As soon as she came down that centre line, she just lit up; I think it was one of the best tests she has ever done. She was foot perfect and we didn’t score lower than a seven the whole way through.

“To find out we’d won on 74% was just incredible — and so random! With only one day to get ready for it, I didn’t think we’d have a chance. I’ve cried a lot.”

Horse & Hound has three reporters on the ground at Hartpury; don’t miss the 11 April issue for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships, and keep up to date with action as it happens here on HorseandHound.co.uk

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Nursing student Bethan Comery is one of several riders making their winter championship debuts.

Bethan, 21, will be making the trip to compete her horse Murroe Beauty (Beau) in the Petplan Equine Prelim Under 21 Area Festival Championship (3 — 7 April).

“As this is my first BD championships I am very nervous, ” says Bethan, who is in her second year of a children’s nursing degree at Sheffield Hallam University. “But whatever the outcome this is a great opportunity for me and Beau to learn from and be around dressage royalty.”

Bethan and 13-year-old Beau won at the Manor Grange finals to gain their place at Hartpury.

“We initially picked Beau up for a two week trial after only seeing a few photos of her, ” continues Bethan. “It was never the plan to do dressage but she had an underlying talent for it. We also soon found that she would never event as she is too much of a princess pony and does not do cross country.

“We joined BD in February last year. Our journey to get to these championships has not been easy. As I’m studying and I’m currently on placement doing four 12.5 hour shifts a week at a children’s hospital, training and preparation has been difficult.

“I have to juggle my time between riding, assignments and shifts. I had to beg for this weekend off and luckily, the hospital changed my rota enabling me to leave Friday and be back by Saturday night ready for my next shift.

“My trainer, Laura Woodcock, has been amazing. She squeezed us in for a last minute lesson in-between my shifts. My mum has also been so supportive in keeping Beau in work whilst I am on placement. She has him so he is ready for me to just hop on and run through my tests.”

Horse & Hound has three reporters on the ground at Hartpury; don’t miss the 11 April issue for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival

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After starting with a rearing habit just two weeks after she got him home, Sara Malpass has proved that dedication, time and a bucket load of patience can pay off with even the quirkiest of horses.

This week, Sara and her eight-year-old gelding Keystone Dicaprio (Zeus) are competing in the Novice Silver and Novice Silver Freestyle finals at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships held at Hartpury (3 — 7 April).

“I bought him four years ago and within two weeks he started rearing bolt upright with me,” says Sara who runs her own yard and also does freelance teaching.

“Professional riders had told me that it was due to him being ‘well bred’ and that he had a spark about him, but something didn’t sit right with me so I called the vet out. He ended up having a bone scan which revealed he was in fact in serious pain.”

The gelding went into surgery and was required to have an extensive rest period which included three months box rest followed by six months out in the field.

Sara continues: “He then had to begin rehab work, only hacking out and only in straight lines; as you can imagine it wasn’t the easiest.

“After five months of light hacking he started rearing again and even put me in a ditch a few times. I spent a long time trying and failing to ride him. We even tried medicating him again and he would still stand on end. After finding nothing in further vet investigations, I decided that it was either time for me to put my brave pants on and get on with it, or retire him from being ridden.

“Initially, he wouldn’t even walk away from the mounting block. It took me about two weeks of working him every single day to finally make some headway. There were certainly a few scary moments involved.

“Through sheer determination we have managed to come out the other side. I have now been competing him for 14 months — he is a phenomenal horse with amazing paces so it has been worth it.

“We have good days and some bad days.We have established a very strong relationship now; when he’s nervous and acting up he just needs to know I’m there with him and he will settle to the job.”

Picture by India Brown

Horse & Hound has three reporters on the ground at Hartpury; don’t miss the 11 April issue for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships, and keep up to date with action as it happens here on HorseandHound.co.uk

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While lots of riders overcome challenges to compete at winter championships, one rider and her gelding appear to have endured more than the average combination to get here.

Kimberly Ainsworth and her home-bred 11-year-old Stockagate Son Shine (Foalie) are set to compete in the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships at Hartpury (3-7 April).

“I decided to breed a potential dressage horse from my mare as I couldn’t afford to buy a ready-made one,” says Kim, who runs a livery yard in Halifax, North Yorkshire. “Foalie just exceeded our expectations and I can’t really believe he has grown into the horse he has.”

After being broken in as a four-year-old, the 16.2hh Longdean Westminter son tore a tendon on his hind leg which put him out of action.

“We got him right after numerous vet trips and then after bringing him back into work for a short while, he did it again on the same leg,” continues Kim. “It was a massive blow.

“This time we got him sound and then got him fit by using a water treadmill. When he was six, he then had a freak accident on the road and went lame again. After countless vet trips, MRI scans and a small fortune in costs we found out he’d broken his navicular bone.”

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Kim continues: “We’ve now got him sound but really have to look after his feet; he is shod every five weeks and if he loses a shoe on his bad foot, he has to have it poulticed. We have an amazing farrier who has tried all sorts of different shoes. We also find that the fitter he is, the less likely he is to go lame again. We have now been competing in affiliated dressage for three years.

“So many people have asked why I keep bothering with him, and say that I should just give up. But I believe in him and he has given me lots of opportunities which I ordinarily wouldn’t have had.”

Horse & Hound has three reporters on the ground at Hartpury; don’t miss the 11 April issue for 12 pages of reports from the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Equine Area Festival Championships, and keep up to date with action as it happens here on HorseandHound.co.uk

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Qualification for the Petplan Equine Area Festivals is changing in 2017 to create extra capacity following increased demand from dressage riders.

For the last six years riders who went to an area festival immediately qualified for the championship.

In 2017 this has been changed to a two-tier structure to give more horse and rider combinations the opportunity to take part.

There will be 27 qualifying rounds around the country beginning on 11-14 May at Wellington in Hampshire and ending on 2-3 September in Jersey.

The successful combinations will go on to one of eight semi-finals, beginning on 22-24 September at Field House in Staffordshire and ending on 28-30 October at Pencoed in Glamorgan in Wales.

The top combinations at the semis go forward to the championships, which will be run alongside the Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire in April 2018.

“We’ve now got over 4,000 combinations coming through which meant we had to adapt the structure to cater for the volume,” said Paul Graham, British Dressage’s (BD) sports operations manager.

He said the new structure was an “indication of the buoyancy of the sport.”

Other new changes for 2017 include a new under 18 section added following feedback from BD members.

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The levels also now go up to intermediate II and the preliminary section has been split into two sections, bronze and silver.

“The new format is the result of a great deal of planning and member consultation to arrive at a series within reach for so many riders, said British Dressage CEO Jason Brautigam.

“The Area Festivals have been a huge success and we want as many riders as possible to experience the thrill of competing in championship-style conditions,” said Kate Hopkins, marketing manager of Petplan.

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A research project is aiming to improve the control of the most common equine tapeworm by finding out more about its intermediate host, the oribatid mite.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and Austin Davis Biologics will monitor three yards infected with tapeworms, each with 20 horses, over an 18-month period after receiving funding from Petplan Charitable Trust.

The project is titled: “Improved control of the equine tapeworm, anoplocephala, through new insights into the biology of the oribatid mite intermediate host”.

Routine sampling of pastures will enable the mite populations to be monitored. Horse saliva will also be tested to monitor tapeworm infection in the horses grazing the paddocks.

“Infected horses pass tapeworm eggs in their faeces that are ingested by oribatid mites, an essential part of the tapeworm’s life cycle, that are found on the pasture,” said the RVC’s Professor Mark Fox.

“Larval tapeworms develop inside the mites within eight to 20 weeks, after which they can infect grazing horses. Despite methods available for the detection of anoplocephala infections in horses, we still know little about the biology of the parasite’s larval stages in these mites or of seasonal patterns of transmission to horses at pasture.”

The study aims to determine the effect of seasonal changes on mite populations, investigate the impact that dung removal has on tapeworm control and examine the effect of deworming treatments.

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“The project seeks to develop more effective parasite control programmes which, together with paddock management recommendations, will ultimately result in a reduction in deworming treatments required,” said Dr Corrine Austin, who set up Austin Davis Biologics in 2009 with her father Professor Paul Davis.

Dr Austin said the company’s EquiSal Tapeworm testing will be used to “understand further the complex balance between the tapeworm, its hosts — the horse and oribatid mite, and its environment”.

The research gets underway in the next few months, with the findings being analysed at RVC’s Hawkshead campus near Hatfield.

H&H 24 March, 2016

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Spring is the traditional time for horse owners to be extra vigilant about laminitis, but new figures have reinforced the fact that the crippling disease occurs all year round.

The latest claims’ statistics from Petplan Equine show £370,000 was paid out for laminitis last year — with the highest number of claims received in August 2014.

Each claim averaged around £1,000 and Petplan added that laminitis is always in the top three of its most common claims.

“Laminitis is the most common and painful debilitating condition affecting horses and ponies in the UK,” said Petplan Equine’s veterinary expert Gil Riley.

“Monitor your animal’s diet and condition regularly.

“Use a weigh tape, take pictures for records on your mobile phone. Condition score on a fortnightly basis paying particular attention to the fat laid down around the crest of the neck.”

Signs of laminitis include lameness, heat and increased digital pulses in the affected feet. Managing horses’ exercise and diet regimes to maintain a healthy weight are the best preventative measures.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said: “Although spring is notorious for being a high risk season for laminitis, it is worth noting that these insurers received the most claims in August, so in short, be wary and watchful all year round.”

Malcolm Morley, vet at Stable Close Equine Practice added: “We see laminitis all year round and it’s so important to understand that green grass is not the only cause. So often there is an underlying medical disease that triggers the problem such as Cushings or metabolic syndrome.”

Ref: Horse & Hound; 16 April 2015

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Voting is now open for equine charities, employees or volunteers to be considered for a Petplan and Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) Animal Charity Award.

Insurance company Petplan and its equine sister brand Petplan Equine are conducting a nationwide search to find the UK’s top animal charities by calling upon animal lovers to recognise the tireless work of their favourite charity.

The number of equine neglect cases are increasing at an alarming rate placing intolerable pressure on equine welfare charities across the UK.

In 2012 equine welfare charities announced that Britain was on the verge of a “horse crisis”.

The escalation of the horse welfare issue can be seen in a staggering set of statistics. World Horse Welfare alone saw a 76% increase in the number of horses it rescued in 2013 compared to 2012 and so far this year Blue Cross has taken in 86 welfare cases, compared to just 15 two years earlier.

Charlotte Collyer from Petplan Equine said: “The aim of the Petplan and ADCH Animal Charity Awards is to highlight the tremendous work done by these organisations and by nominating one of them horse lovers can help to raise public awareness of the plight of thousands of horses and ponies across the UK.”

Jenna Martyn, rehoming centre manager at the Blue Cross in Burford, won last year’s Animal Charity Employee of the Year Award.

She said: “The awards are a fantastic way of highlighting to the public the work we do as a team to give these horses and ponies a brighter future — it was very humbling to receive an award for doing something I love.”

Voting is open now until 13 February 2015. To nominate a charity, team or individual to be recognised for their outstanding contribution to equine welfare click here.

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The search is on for the 2015 Petplan equine vet of the year and UK horse owners are invited to make their nominations.

Previous winners of this prestigious award include award Gil Riley of Pool House Veterinary Hospital, a regular contributor to H&H’s veterinary pages, and Keith Chandler, senior vice president of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).

A recent survey conducted by Petplan and Petplan Equine suggested that 73% of pet owners regard their vet as a fourth emergency service.

Charlotte Collyer, senior marketing executive at Petplan Equine, said: “At Petplan Equine we work very closely with the equine veterinary profession and know, first-hand, how important the dedication and advice of vets is to our customers.

“So if you are fortunate enough to have a vet who is willing to go that extra mile this is your chance to say thank you and show them how much you appreciate their support and commitment.”

Horse owner, Tracy Pettifer whose Highland Pony Sunny recently required emergency colic surgery said: “I will be nominating my vet for a Petplan Veterinary Award, not only for what she did to save Sunny, but also for giving me so much support throughout my previous pony’s illness. She even sent me a condolence card after the pony died. It meant so much knowing that she genuinely cares for all her patients. She truly is a fantastic and talented vet.”

Nominations can be made until 16 January 2015 by visiting: http://www.petplanequine.co.uk/vetawards/

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Amlin Plus is the new sponsor of Andrea Atzeni. The equine insurance company has signed a 1-year sponsorship deal with the Italian jockey.

“Andrea is a very talented young jockey whose career has really taken off over the last 12 months and we are delighted to be adding him to the high profile portfolio of jockeys we sponsor,” said David Ashby, managing director of Amlin Plus. “We wish him the very best of luck for the coming flat season and look forward to working with him.”

Moët & Chandon has become the title sponsor of the July Festival at Newmarket.

“We are thrilled to welcome Moët & Chandon as the new title sponsor for our wonderful July Festival,” said Amy Starkey, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses. “Their involvement will enhance the attraction of the highlight of the year on the July course at Newmarket Racecourses — and we are delighted with the close historical link between the maison and The Jockey Club. We are looking forward immensely to working with one of the top brands in the world to develop further our fantastic summer festival of horse racing.”

Pharmaceutical company Vétoquinol has a new 3-year partnership with William Fox-Pitt.

“The well-being of my horses is my first priority. With the constant need for better performance combined with the strict regulations of the international authorities, riders really need to find the top products, both in terms of quality ingredients and high manufacturing standards,” said William. “The EQUISTRO® range offers specific individualised and trusted solutions for sport and competitive horses which meets both of these requirements. I want my horses to be at the top of their game for the coming World Equestrian Games, the Olympics Games and all of the big competitions: working with EQUISTRO® to help to improve my training program is definitely a great step forward!”

Equine insurance company, Amlin Plus has put up a £7,000 prize money pool for the CIC2* class at Brightling Park Horse Trials.

“It is brilliant news that Amlin Plus has got involved in the sport to put up decent money for the CIC2* class,” said eventer Mark Todd. “It is hard to get sponsorship at the moment so great effort from Brightling Park to secure this support and I am sure riders will support the class.”

Celebrity make-up and hair stylist, Michael Ashton has secured sponsorship from Gatehouse, Rodney Powell and the Mark Todd Collection. The funding is to support his bid to qualify for British Eventing’s Grassroots Championships 2015.

“Michael spent his entire childhood on and around horses, rising up through the New Zealand Pony Club ranks and achieving great success on a string of horses,” said a spokesman from the company. “Aged 17, he finished third in the National Pony Club Eventing Championships before deciding to concentrate on his career in make-up and hair styling. Riding and horses remained a key interest and in 2012, Michael’s competitive spirit was re-ignited after spending time at Bedgebury Park in Kent. Now well established in his professional career, he decided it was time for another personal challenge and set his sights on BE’s Grassroots.”

Craig’s Motorcycles is sponsoring 17-year old carriage driver Tara Wilkinson.

“I am aiming to go to Poland this August to represent Team GB juniors,” said Tara. “I am the first carriage driver to be sponsored by a motor bike shop.”

Fenwick Equestrian is the first official sponsor of Team British Racing.

“Fenwick Equestrian is proud to be associated with Team British Racing and through the use of our high performance rugs, Fenwick will help maintain the wellbeing of its competitors around the world in all climates,” said Willhelmina McEwan from Fenwick Equestrian.

Event rider Bonnie Fishburn is being sponsored by Mirrors for Training.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have won the event rider sponsorship package from Mirrors for Training,” said Bonnie. “I had a school built in July 2013. Before that I had always trained my horses on grass, so to then go on and win some amazing mirrors was a dream come true! The majority of the time I ride alone at home and don’t have a great deal of help on the floor, so to be able to watch myself ride is so beneficial. I can look out for straightness, square halts, sitting up tall — the list just goes on.”

TopSpec is sponsoring this year’s Young Rider Dressage Championships at the Sheepgate under-25 Championships.

“TopSpec is proud to be supporting the Young Rider Championship. We have a growing loyal customer base with dressage clients and this is a great way to support young riders in the dressage world,” said Katy Mickle from TopSpec. “It is lovely to put some support back into the sport and we are looking forward to meeting existing and new clients at the championships.”

Leslie Sutcliffe has extended its sponsorship of dressage rider Daniel Watson.

“I am thrilled to receive the sponsorship of Farnam products, they will help keep my horses in top condition during the show season,” said Daniel.

Askham Bryan is sponsoring the British Eventing Young Rider Team and Programme. The agricultural college will support qualifying competitions and will also be the title sponsor of the 2014 National Under 21 Championships.

“I am delighted to welcome Askham Bryan to Houghton International as title sponsor of the 2014 U21 Championships,” said event organiser Alex Lochore. “For a college to sponsor the Young Riders Team and Programme is a perfect fit, and I hope that both the college and its students benefit from, and enjoy, the experience.”

Petplan Equine is the official sponsor of ring 2 at Hickstead this year.

“We know that horse owners are always seeking the latest information on how best to care for their horses and that the condition for which we receive the most claims, lameness, is of particular interest,” said Charlotte Collyer, senior marketing executive at Petplan Equine. “We are therefore extremely excited about being involved with Hickstead to share this knowledge with the venue’s large horse-owning audiences.”

The horse

Ellie, a 16.2hh Irish Sport Horse aged 20 (born 1993), was showjumping up to discovery level with her owner of 8 years, Erica, before her injury. Although she is now fully recovered and can still jump up to 1m, Ellie is now enjoying her senior years as a happy hacker.

The history

In June 2012, during a jumping lesson, Erica noticed that Ellie was not her usual self. A horse who was “usually very forward” was now quiet and “trippy” and although Ellie was not noticeably lame, Erica knew something was awry. She immediately called her insurer, Petplan, who assured Erica that she was covered and could go ahead and call her vet.

Ellie was examined by a local vet who diagnosed suspensory ligament damage to her left-fore. The vet’s immediate advice was to give Ellie bute alongside a few weeks off. This proved unsuccessful, Ellie was still not right, so Erica took her to the same vet for an x-ray.

This showed that although Ellie was only one-tenth lame, her suspensory ligament was torn. The vet was concerned about the likelihood of the mare being able to return to ridden work at all. Erica refused to put Ellie down and instead decided to give her 6 months off over the winter.

Treatment

Following this time-off, Ellie was still lame and, having spoken again with her insurers, Petplan (see below), Erica took her to see Neal Ashton, a soft tissue specialist at Oakham Veterinary Hospital. Neal watched Ellie on the lunge and then used an ultra-sound scan, which showed that there were in fact 2 separate injuries.

The first was tearing of the suspensory ligament close to where it meets the fetlock joint, and the other was a tear to the centre of the superficial digital flexor tendon where it meets the back of the knee joint. Both injuries were long standing and it was clear that they were not healing.

After discussing the options with Erica, Neal went ahead with surgery, putting Ellie under general anaesthetic. Firstly, he identified the suspensory ligament lesion and used keyhole surgery at the fetlock joint. The tear was “open” meaning that loose ligament fibres “float about within the joint fluid” and, therefore, cannot heal.

Neal used suction and cutting to remove the frayed elements and then injected PRP (platelet rich plasma), made in the Oakham Veterinary Hospital’s own laboratory, into the lesion. PRP is a product of the injured horse’s blood, with the growth factors in this blood highly concentrated in order to aid tissue regeneration.

Neal then began keyhole surgery on the second tear, a complicated process as the lesion was in the middle of the tendon rather than on the surface. The tear was also extremely close to the knee joint and the high check ligament. Neal sectioned the latter, releasing its attachment to the back of the knee and therefore relaxing the flexor tendon, giving the knee joint more elasticity. Neal then injected PRP into the lesion.

Neal made it clear that although every horse is different, leaving the injury to heal on its own does not always work, and PRP is a great way of giving the horse’s healing process a “kick up the backside”. The most important point in Neal’s diagnosis is to find out why the wound is not healing and to find an appropriate treatment for this, depending on what the horse’s future use is eg to jump, race, or hack.

After the operation, the Hospital advised Erica to send Ellie to a rehabilitation centre where there would be physio available and a spa. Erica decided against this option as Ellie was visibly distressed at being away from home and had lost weight from the ordeal.

Once Ellie was home, Erica followed Neal’s long and meticulous treatment plan of combining rest with controlled exercise. This began with 8 weeks of box rest. Ellie needed a little sedation at first as her entire leg was bandaged and very restricted movement was necessary.

Ellie was then allowed into a very small sectioned-off area of her field, which Erica moved on to fresh grass every few days. The vet made it clear that every element of Ellie’s treatment must be carried out extremely slowly in order to give her the best chance of recovery.

When Erica came to ride her for the first time, 14 weeks after the operation, she was instructed to go straight to road work, as Ellie’s legs needed resistance rather than soft ground. The roads would “load” and stimulate the ligaments, with Neal suggesting an initial 20-minute walk, building up to 1.5-hour walks, on roads every day for 8 weeks.

Hill work was also added to the routine, with Ellie finding it particularly difficult to go downhill due to the pressure this put on the suspensory ligament.

After eight weeks, Erica could develop this exercise to incorporate 2min of trotting, although still only on roads. After 12 weeks of road work, 26 weeks after the operation, Erica could finally take Ellie on to soft ground and, after a couple of weeks, they went for a gentle canter. A month after they started riding on soft ground, they could jump again.

The food

After Ellie’s operation, Erica knew it was essential to change her food as she was extremely thin, but was also on box rest and had limited means of exercise. Erica rang the Allen & Page advice line so that she could explain her situation and needs fully, rather than trawling through the endless options on suppliers’ websites.

Their expert suggested that Erica begin feeding Allen & Page’s Veteran Vitality, which Ellie immediately loved. It added condition without making her fizzy, and Erica was so pleased with it that she stuck with this feed long term.

The outcome

Erica slowly and steadily built up Ellie’s workload until they were jumping again; with Ellie now back to clearing 1m. The whole process, from injury through to full recovery, took Erica and Ellie just over 14 months.

Erica made the difficult decision to sell Ellie at the end of October 2013. Erica wanted to continue showjumping competitively, and felt that Ellie deserved to retire to a slower pace of life with someone suitable. Ellie now has the perfect lifestyle for her age, as a hack, with Erica only an hour’s drive away.

Because Ellie was 19 when her injury occurred, Erica said that “everyone seemed to write her off” and she felt that most people would have put Ellie down. However, Ellie is proof that horses can recover from this injury, but it does take a great deal of time and patience. Erica is incredibly pleased with Ellie’s full recovery and would encourage others not to give up on a horse with suspensory ligament or tendon damage.

The costs

When a vet advises that treatment is likely to be expensive, the owner is understandably anxious to know whether this will be covered.

Ellie was insured with Petplan and Erica contacted them at the first sign that something was amiss with her horse, and remained in touch with them throughout her treatment. Erica was worried about the costs as the injury developed. Petplan suggested that Erica fill out a ‘pro-forma’ before Ellie’s operation.

This is effectively a ‘dummy claim’ which outlines the approximate price of treatment and which Petplan can assess this as they would a formal claim, aiming to respond to the client within 72 hours with their decision.

If Petplan consents to cover the cost of the treatment, this will be guaranteed. An owner can only achieve this certainty of coverage through this official process rather than over the phone, as the insurer is given the time to assess the case fully.

Ellie’s operation cost £3,000, with Petplan paying £5,000 for all the treatment costs.

Contacts:

Vet – Neal Ashton at Oakham Veterinary Hospital – 01572 722647

Petplan – www.petplanequine.co.uk

* Have you survived a similar experience? Tell us about it below

Today (14 February) is meant to be all about your partner, but this might not be true for some horse owners.

It’s a question frequently asked in the equestrian world: “Who comes first, your horse or your partner?”

Equine insurance provider, Petplan Equine posed this question on its Facebook page and found 90% of respondents favour their horse. Many also put their dog or cat ahead of their other half.

“The horse doesn’t abandon me for the pub” and “Horse! Men are cheaper to replace” were just some of the comments posted.

One man even admitted he was beginning to wish he was called Dobbin.

“I’m sure that there are many people who have long suspected they are behind their other half’s horse in the pecking order and this exercise has certainly shown that to be true in many cases. On the plus side, it’s lovely to see how highly valued many of our horses are,” said Charlotte Collyer of Petplan Equine.

As horse lover Laura put it: “Who loves you more, your partner or your horse? Lock them both in a stable overnight, then see who’s happy to see you in the morning!”

To join the debate, visit www.facebook.com/PetplanEquineUK

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The word horsey is an adjective often used to describe those with an equestrian interest or obsession — but what does it really mean and how do you know when you are horsey?

Insurance company Petplan Equine posed this question to its Facebook fans with some interesting results.

The clinging smell of horse featured in many responses.

“When you go shopping straight from the stable yard and everyone gives you a wide berth,” was a comment many riders could relate to.

“People hesitate when I offer them a lift as they know they’ll end up covered in hay and straw from the car,” added another.

Others felt you should be described as “horsey” when you spend more time and money on your horse than yourself.

One Facebook fan said: “The stables are immaculate and the house is a tip.”

“When your horse gets new shoes more often than you do,” argued another.

“When you use the horse’s show shine on your own hair before going out on the town,” was another’s addition.

From the many responses there can be no doubt that owning horses leads to some eccentric behaviour.

Some of the more bonkers actions admitted to by owners included clicking at people to ask them to move out of the way, telling their children/partner/dog to walk on or back up or even patting the dashboard of the car after passing something a horse might find spooky.

Petplan Equine’s Isabella von Mesterhazy, summed up the results: “It’s clear to see from the responses to our Facebook question that horses define so many aspects of their owners’ lives from the language they use and the clothes they wear, to who makes it to the top of their Christmas card list.”

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Residents at Redwings Horse Sanctuary will benefit from nearly 15 tonnes of food following a successful Facebook campaign launched by insurance company Petplan Equine.

The company pledged to donate 1kg of feed for every person who clicked ‘donate’ on their Facebook page and 14,721 obliged.

“We were so thrilled to receive this generous donation, it couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Lynn Cutress at Redwings.

“After such a cold winter, the grass hasn’t grown as it normally would and so lots of our residents are still relying on feed.”

Representatives from Petplan Equine visited the charity’s new Aylsham centre in Norfolk to hand over the money for the feed last week (16 April).

“We’d like to thank all those Facebook followers who have taken the trouble to get involved in this initiative,” added Isabella von Mesterhazy at Petplan Equine.

“It is a priviledge to be able to help towards the cost of feeding so many of [the horses].”

For more information visit www.redwings.co.uk

Petplan Equine has teamed up with Redwings Horse Sanctuary to help feed some of the 1,200 horses in their care this winter.

The insurance company has set up a “donate” button on their Facebook profile, where users are encouraged to “like” the page — for each user that “clicks” and “donates”, the insurance provider is donating one scoop of feed to Redwings. So for every 20 clicks, a whole bag of feed will be donated.

Since the initiative was launched before Christmas, 300 bags of feed have been donated to the charity — which works out as around 10 days worth of feed.

Isabella von Mesterhàzy, of Petplan Equine, said: “We are immensely proud to be supporting such a worthwhile cause. Redwings is currently using 30 to 40 bags of feed a day so we urge horse lovers to get behind the campaign.”

Redwings is the UK’s largest horse sanctuary — it has nine sites around the country and is funded entirely by public donation.

To donate visit: www.facebook.com/PetplanEquineUK.

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Is your horse cocky or insecure? Or are you not sure what personality type he is?

You can find out online with a quick and fun survey created by Petplan Equine.

The insurance company has teamed up with horse trainer and behaviourist Michael Peace to help horse owners across the UK understand their horse’s particular traits so they can get the best out of the relationship.

Over the years Michael has learnt that just like people, horses have different temperaments and personalities.

He says this determines how they respond to certain situations.

The Petplan Equine horse personality test is a selection of multiple choice questions that can help you work out your horse’s character and how to train him accordingly.

It is available free on the company’s Facebook page.

Isabella von Mesterhazy of Perplan Equine said: “We know that much of the enjoyment of horse ownership is derived from a harmonious relationship between an owner and their horse.

“While the quiz is meant to be fun, the underlying message is serious — all horses are individuals and it’s important to understand them to enable a safe and effective relationship.”

Try the horse personality quiz

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Petplan has been crowned the UK’s best pet insurance provider at the Consumer Moneyfacts awards last month.

Voted for by more than 17,000 consumers, the awards recognise the best financial products available to consumers in the UK.

Director of Petplan Neil Brettell said they were ecstatic to win an award that is voted by consumers.

“The award is great recognition for the fantastic job that our team at Petplan does to keep pets healthy and owners happy.

“Our policies truly do what they say. They ensure that a pet or horse can get the best possible treatment throughout its life without the owner having to worry about the cost.

“It’s great to be recognised for the service that we’ve been providing to the nation’s pets for over 35 years and horses for over 20 years.”

A spokesman for Moneyfacts Group Plc said: “The awards are presented annually for product excellence and outstanding service, they cover products from across the range of financial services.

“Winning a Moneyfacts award is certainly something to shout about.”

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A survey has suggested that horse owners feel drivers are taking the joy out of riding.

The survey of more than 1,700 horse owners, conducted by Petplan Equine, in time for Road Safety Week (22-18 November), found that 90% of riders feel drivers do not take enough care when passing horses on the road.

More than 40% of riders said they dislike hacking on the road due to traffic and a fifth said they would like to hack more, but don’t have sufficient access to the countryside.

Petplan Equine marketing manager Alison Andrew said: “Riding is a wonderful hobby. It is good exercise, gets people out in the fresh air and many riders bond strongly with their horse, which adds to the pleasure of the sport.

“It is a great shame that riders are feeling vulnerable on our roads and we are calling on drivers to take extra care, particularly on some of the more minor country roads, to help ensure horse riders feel relaxed and stay safe.”

But nearly 40% of respondents also felt riders should also show more consideration to other road users.

Over half admitted to using their mobile phone whilst riding, with one fifth confessing to texting or tweeting while on horseback.

“Although it is always a good idea to carry a mobile phone with you when out hacking in case you run into difficulties, we strongly urge riders to stop, and ideally dismount, before making a call or texting,” Ms Alison added.

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The search is on for the 2010 Petplan Equine Vet of the Year and UK horse owners are invited to make their nominations.

Last year’s winner was H&H contributor Gil Riley, based at the Pool House Veterinary Hospital in Lichfield, Staffordshire, who received testimonials from more than 100 of his clients.

Could your vet win in 2010?

• Nominations can be made online until 3 October at www.petplanequine.co.uk/vetawards

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (12 August, ’10)

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Equine and pet insurer, Petplan, is supporting the inaugural Royal Festival of the Horse at Stoneleigh (9-11 July).

And the company will be giving visitors to their stand the chance to win a fabulous VIP weekend spa break for four people worth more than £1000.

Petplan will be giving pet owners at the show the opportunity to sign up to four weeks’ free cover and there will be a special offer at the stand for anyone that signs up to an equine policy.

The Royal Festival of the Horse is a new event that brings together the best of equestrian sport in a three day spectacular.

Petplan marketing manager, Alison Andrew said: “Petplan is delighted to be supporting the first Royal Festival of the Horse, which looks set to become one of the ‘must visit’ events of the equestrian calendar.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand and providing them with the necessary information about how they can keep their pets healthy.”

Discounted tickets are available for Petplan policyholders, to find out more information visit the rewards section in the Petplan website www.petplan.co.uk/offers.

For further information on the Royal Festival of the Horse or to book tickets go to www.royalfestivalofthehorse.co.uk or call 0844 5811400.

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Petplan Equine insurance company have pledged their support to the British equestrian team by sponsoring new supporters’ initiative Team GBR Ontrack.

Ontrack is a free supporters’ club that allows members to follow all equestrian disciplines together, from dressage to reining and horseball.

Members receive regular news updates, blogs, behind-the-scenes gossip, product discounts and priority information about the British teams and events.

Petplan have shown their commitment by giving a donation to Team GBR every time an Ontrack member takes out a new Petplan Equine insurance policy. Although unable to provide a specific figure, Petplan have said it is a “significant” amount.

“We are dedicated to supporting the equestrian world and are delighted to be able to offer our support to the British teams,” said Alison Andrew, marketing manager at Petplan.

“I hope that our involvement will help smooth the path to the podium and demonstrate Britain’s equestrian excellence in all disciplines.”

Ontrack has over 1,000 members since its launch in late 2009 and Anna Greenway of the British Equestrian Federation said:

“We hope that Ontrack will encourage more people into equestrianism and give them an insight into the world of some of our top riders across all the different sports.”

“We are delighted to have the support of Petplan and their involvement is integral to making this project a success.”

See http://www.equestrianteamgbr.com/ontrack.php

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Riders have a chance to learn how to ride cross-country from one of the world’s best eventers at the Lucinda Green’s Cross-Country the Safe Way clinics in 2010.

The clinics are designed to teach riders the skills to ride safely and effectively across the country and will be sponsored by insurance company Petplan Equine for a ninth year.

Lucinda Green is the only rider to have won Badminton six times on six different horses. She has also won an Olympic team silver medal and two individual European Championship gold medals.

Her clinics offer riders the benefit of her experience to help them understand the way horses think and react while tackling a course.

Lucinda said: “With more and more people coming into eventing, I am keen to help British Eventing (BE) in their desire to enable people to have the fun and feel the safe while riding cross country.

“Learning how your horse thinks and being ready, through your balance, for every unexpected eventuality, are two vital ingredients that are critical to the success of cross-country riding from the lowest to the highest level. It is that understanding that I endeavour to develop in my clinics.”

The clinics take place around the country over one or two days and can be tailored to suit riders of all standards.

To take part both horse and rider should be happy jumping a course of at least 2’6” – 2’9”. Each clinic involves a session working with poles and stands before heading out onto the cross-country course.

Alison Andrew, marketing manager of Petplan said: “Petplan Equine is committed to helping people ride their horses safely and responsibly.

“By teaming up with Lucinda we’re able to give riders the chance to learn from the best some of the important skills to make their riding as safe as possible and enjoyable at the same time.”

Clinic Dates

One day Clinics

17 February, Boomerang, Berks

19 February, Boomerang, Berks (British international pony team candidates only)

9 March, Stockland Lovell, Somerset

16 March, Crown Farm, Oxfordshire

31 March, Ely, Cambridgeshire

1 April, Norfolk

6 May, Ledbury, Herefordshire

13 July, Ely, Cambridgeshire

8 September, Ledbury, Herefordshire

Two day Clinics

22-23 February, Coombelands, Sussex

25-26 February, Downlands, Wiltshire

1-2 March, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

3-4 March, Arena UK / Newton, Nottinghamshire

For more information, log on to http://www.petplanequine.co.uk/events/lucindagreen.asp. Applications will open in January.

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

Petplan Equine is warning all riders to ensure that they are properly insured for their winter activities.

With the winter months playing host to a range of high-risk activities, like hunting, point-to-pointing and team chasing, UK insurance provider Petplan Equine is reminding riders to check that these activities are covered under their current insurance policy.

Petplan Equine offers seven different levels of cover that relate to the levels of activity riders undertake with their horses. Many other providers offer at least two.

These ensure that a leisure rider can pay for a lower level of cover than a seasoned eventer.

“But if activities change it is important that horse owners check with their insurance company that they have the right level of cover and that vet fees and personal accidents are included,” says Petplan Equine.

Once an insurance policy has been taken out it is possible to upgrade it if the level of activity changes.

Having the right level of cover is very important and will ensure you won’t take financial knocks if you or your horse is involved in an accident.

If you have questions about the level of your Petplan cover contact Petplan Equine on 0800 783 7777 or visit www.petplanequine.co.uk

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

Horse owners around the world have been offered the chance to share their equine photos, and attempt to break a world record at the same time.

Pet owners can upload their photos on Petplan Insurance’s National Petrait Gallery — www.petraitgallery.co.uk.

And as well as celebrating Britain as a nation of animal lovers, Petplan also wants to break a Guinness World Record by creating the largest pet photo exhibition in the world.

In order to break the current record Petplan needs to collect and print in excess of 138,355 photos.

The record is currently held by the people of tyneside for the photos from the Great North half marathon in 2006.

Alison Andrew, Petplan Equine’s marketing manager said: “We wanted to find a unique way to capture how strongly people feel about their animals.”

Users can upload photos and manage their own pet album, as well as viewing the entire gallery.

A range of personalised merchandise from mugs to T-shirts is also available and 10 per cent of all profits will be donated to the Petplan Charitable Trust.

NB: Use of professional photos

Please note that no professional photos should be submitted to the gallery without the approval of the copyright owner. The purchase of a professional photo at a show or similar does not automatically give the pruchaser the rights to “publish” the photo online or use it to create personal merchandise. If you are unsure whether you own the copyright of a professional photograph please contact the company you purchased the photo from.

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

Horse insurance provider Petplan Equine has produced a free, practical guide to horse care for new and would-be horse owners.

The Horse Hand Book is full of useful information on acquiring and caring for a horse and contains 24 discount vouchers. The booklet is supported by several leading equestrian organisations including the British Horse Society and The British Equine Veterinary Association.

The 55-page booklet contains a foreword by six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green and addresses issues such as commitment, suitability and horse seeking together with horse care hints and tips.

Jo Whittaker from Petplan Equine said: “With more than four million people riding annually in the UK there is a need for a central source of information to help encourage riders to take a responsible approach to horse ownership.”

The Horse Hand Book is available from www.petplanequine.co.uk

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