Latest from Horse & Hound in Wet-weather

‘Exceptionally wet ground conditions’ force cancellation of early British Eventing fixture

Pippa Roome — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:52:25 +0000

Epworth Horse Trials, one of the first two events of the British Eventing (BE) season, has been cancelled owing to “exceptionally wet ground conditions”.

Epworth (1) was due to run classes from GO BE80 to BE100plus on Saturday, 7 March. Poplar Park, the other fixture scheduled that weekend, is still due to run in Suffolk on both Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March, with sections from BE90 to open intermediate level.

The BE statement on Epworth Horse Trials’ cancellation described it as a “difficult decision” for the Lincolnshire event team.

“Despite delaying the planned entries opening by a week to see if the situation would improve, ongoing and significant rainfall has left the ground too soft and unsafe to prepare to the standard required to run a competition in March. The organiser has confirmed that even with all available time and effort, it’s simply not possible to undertake the groundwork needed,” said the statement.

“This decision wasn’t taken lightly and reflects very challenging weather conditions in the area. The unprecedented rainfall in November resulted in the final three months of 2025 being one of the wettest October to December periods on record for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, with rainfall totalling 182% long term average.

“Persistent unsettled weather and further rain have kept the ground exceptionally wet well into early 2026, making it unrealistic to safely prepare competition areas to the level needed for British Eventing fixtures.

“The organisers still have two further scheduled events this season, but with a busy calendar of other commitments, it isn’t possible to reschedule Epworth (1). We know this will be disappointing, but member and equine welfare remains our top priority.”

Entries are open for Poplar Park, as well as for Oasby (1) and Tweseldown (1) the following week.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Britain urges FEI to relax rules on replacement classes after washout spring

Lucy Elder — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 20:58:25 +0000

Britain has put forward a request to reduce red tape and make it easier for events to put on replacement classes, following this season’s rain-hit calendar.

Six months ago, event riders made a “personal appeal” to the FEI after the organisation backtracked on a replacement class for some of those lost to the wet spring (news, 25 May).

At the time, an FEI spokesman said there was “no lack of willingness” from the federation, “but the rules would not allow it”.

The impact of the wet spring had many layers – a number of events were forced to cancel, or cut certain classes, which was a blow to organisers and the sport. It also had longer-reaching effects on those seeking qualifying runs.

Under current rules, the FEI allows national governing bodies to run targeted national competitions (TCNs) to replace lost international classes, to help horses and riders seeking qualifying runs. But applications must be submitted to the FEI at least four weeks in advance – a long time in the context of the eventing season and a spanner in the works for events that would otherwise have been willing to put on replacement classes at short notice.British Equestrian (BEF) has now called on the FEI to relax these rules, as part of the latest draft rule proposals for 2024.

A statement from the BEF highlighted these “significant cancellations” owing to weather, adding that it has been “very difficult” for riders relying on these valuable minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) in order to progress.

“Our international calendar is quite complex and therefore due to the requirement for a four-week window, we are unable to use this option,” stated the BEF.

“[This is] due to the impact it will have on those FEI events already running in that period and the fact that riders will already be scheduled to go to the next event either with other horses or the same horse, but will potentially need to drop down a level due to the missed MER or reroute to another event and could ultimately not be able to reach their intended goal as a result of missed MERs.”

It added: “We are therefore looking for the ability to reschedule lost events with TCNs, assuming all other criteria are met, on a shorter timescale of application to enable us to replace lost MER opportunities at very short notice, which would allow athletes and horses to progress.”

The FEI eventing committee is looking to reduce the minimum application time from four weeks to 10 days, which will be voted on at the FEI general assembly (18–21 November).

In the draft showjumping rules, the suggestions by the International Jumping Riders Club of the need for a clear definition of cases leading to mid-round eliminations and having an experienced rider supporting the ground jury in making those decisions has been shelved by the FEI.Among the reasons given by the FEI showjumping committee was that “from a legal perspective, it is difficult to give the mandate to a person who is not an official”.

Wet weather cancellations: a rider’s view

THE wet spring had a major impact on event rider Sarah Hedges’ plans for 2023 with her top horse, Igna, whom she was preparing to step up to four-star at Chatsworth.

“I was already qualified, but qualified doesn’t mean ready,” said Sarah.

She told H&H that although the weather was not completely to blame for the runs she missed, some were down to other minor issues but the depleted calendar left “absolutely no wiggle room”.

Sarah opted to withdraw ahead of the jumping phases in the CCI3-S at Thoresby, and rerouted to a national intermediate section at Burnham Market, which was cancelled as she arrived. She debated entering Rockingham, but had second thoughts owing to its abandonment refund policy. Instead, she switched from her target of the CCI4-S at Chatsworth to the CCI2*-S at the Derbyshire event – but that class was then called off.

“I don’t think I got going until the end of May,” she said, adding that of course riders have to be flexible and realistic when looking at adjusting their plans. “I know there are rules in place, presumably for a reason, but I think under the extraordinary circumstances this spring that everyone found themselves in, [the FEI allowing willing events to put on such classes at short notice] would have really helped people.”

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

‘We are devastated’: frustration at FEI over cancellation of replacement eventing class

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

FEI responds to eventers’ ‘frustration’ after hopes dashed of replacement class

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

5 horsey headaches that ‘inbetweeny weather’ brings

Gemma Redrup — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:32:51 +0000

The changeable British weather can cause headaches for us horse owners. There’s always a time when it’s neither hot nor cold, or it can go from being one to the other in a matter of minutes. We like to use the technical term ‘inbetweeny weather’ — and here are just a few of the issues it causes horsey folk throughout the country...

1. Rugs

It might be chilly in the morning and at night, but by lunchtime, in between showers, it’s much warmer. You tend to your horse first thing but then have to go to work and this brings the nightmare of choosing which rug you should or shouldn’t put on your horse. Why hasn’t anyone invented convertible rugs for horses yet?

2. In or out?

The weather in the morning is gorgeous and you would feel guilty if you didn’t put your horse out into the field to enjoy it, but then it’s due to pour later. You don’t want your horse to stand in his stable all day, but at the same time know he will be walking up and down the fence if he’s stuck out in grotty weather.

3. Timing to perfection

You’re about to ride. You can see the angriest storm cloud approaching and calculate you have approximately 20 minutes before you end up getting drenched. Your trainer is always telling you schooling is about quality over quantity, so ready, steady, go!

4. Walking weatherman/woman

If any of your friends want to know what the weather is going to be like for the next 10 days, they know you’re the person to ask. You are a walking weatherman/woman and know exactly hour by hour what the weather Gods are going to throw at you and your horse.

5. What to wear?

Of course, your number one priority is your horse, but after they’re sorted, what on earth are you going to wear to ride in? You’re very chilly tacking them up, but as soon as you get into trot, you’ve broken a sweat and are wishing you’d put on a T-shirt underneath your jumper.

Thoresby hopeful flagship classes will run despite wet weather after more sections abandoned

Lucy Elder — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:10:20 +0000

Hopes remain high of salvaging Thoresby’s weekend classes including the flagship Grantham Cup as wet weather continues to cause headaches for horse sport.

The Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby Park (31 March to 2 April) is a significant fixture as it features the first CCI4*-S in the British calendar. It is prestigious in its own right, and also a vital qualification opportunity and stepping stone in the fixtures list for combinations targeting the spring five-stars.

Thoresby organisers BEDE Events have cancelled most national classes due to run on Friday (31 March), with the exception of the open novice under-18 (section D). The CCI2*-S class will go ahead.

Saturday’s intermediate and open intermediate (OI) under-21 section have also been cancelled. OI sections G and H will continue as planned, alongside the CCI3*S.

“It hasn’t been an easy decision as the ground on course at the moment is truly fantastic and the feedback from those on site is exceptional,” said event director Stuart Buntine.

“However, we feel that in making the decision early we can prevent a number of horse and rider combinations travelling, which will be to the benefit of horse welfare.”

Friday’s cancelled sections are novice sections A, B and C, plus intermediate section F. Saturday’s cancelled sections are intermediate sections J and L, and OI under-21 section I.

“Our focus is to give priority to those senior horses and riders who are desperate for their open intermediate, advanced and CCI4*-S runs as they make their preparations for both Kentucky and Badminton,” added Mr Buntine.

“We also see the need to prioritise the CCI2* and CCI3* for those requiring minimum eligibility requirements. We are truly sorry for those novice and intermediate competitors affected.”

The news follows a soggy start to the spring season. The cancellation of Oasby, plus lost days at Cirencester, mean that many combinations head to Thoresby as their opening run.

Northallerton (25 to 26 March) was also lost to the wet, and Goring Heath (1 to 2 April) is cancelled this weekend.

The point-to-point calendar has also taken a battering, including three of the nine fixtures scheduled for this weekend lost to the weather.

The Fernie team chase, which includes the national team chase championship, has been postponed from 2 April to 15 April.

New rules on extreme weather aim to benefit horses, riders and venues

Lucy Elder — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:58:48 +0000

British Dressage (BD) has released new protocols designed to give competitors and venues clearer guidance on what to do when weather warnings are issued.

The 2023 rules set out specific guidance for venues to follow when yellow, amber and red weather warnings are issued. These include when venues need to prepare a mitigation strategy, at what point the situation should be reviewed with BD, when competitions must be cancelled, and how much notice is ideally given to competitors.

Last year was the warmest on record for the UK, according to provisional Met Office figures, with an average temperature of over 10°C. Temperatures in excess of 40°C were also recorded for the first time. The UK had four named storms in 2022, three of which came within the space of a week in February.

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve told H&H the guidance “should provide everyone with a protocol to follow and more predictability with regards to how those situations will be handled”.

“This is also a change that is welcomed by BEVA in order to protect the welfare of our equine competitors,” she added.

BD sport operations manager Lou Jones told H&H members “still need to take personal responsibility”.

“Extreme weather conditions are becoming more frequent, both in winter and summer, so we wanted to produce more robust guidance for organisers and venues as to what actions need to be taken in the event of official weather warnings being issued by the Met Office,” she said.

“In 2022 we experienced the full range of weather warnings over the course of the year, so this gave us a good benchmark as to what advice was available to the public in each set of circumstances, whether due to ice and snow, heavy rain and flooding, strong winds and storms, or extreme heat.

“We want to be able to provide further clarity and manage member expectations when a warning is issued, as the speculation on social media can sometimes be alarmist and inaccurate.”

She added that as forecasts can change quickly, the sport needs to be able to conditions on a day-to-day basis.

“By having a more formal framework, based on the red, amber, and yellow warnings provided by the Met Office, this allows us sufficient time to consult with the venue, and either reschedule if necessary or put mitigations in place to ensure it is safe to go ahead,” she said.

“With timescales often tight, particularly during the latter stages of qualification in the build-up to championships, this will provide us with the flexibility required to maximise the opportunity for BD competitions to run safely.”

She added: “It is important to stress that members still need to take personal responsibility for their own choices, especially when considering travel conditions to and from a venue, and the length of time for their journey.

“Equine and rider welfare must always be paramount, but we share collective responsibility for this with our venues and members – and ultimately, they still need to make decisions based on their own individual set of circumstances.”

BD weather warning guidance: what are the new rule?

The 2023 BD rule is as follows:

Yellow: In the event that the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning, the competition may still go ahead as planned, but the venue will be required to prepare a mitigation strategy for the weather event and communicate this to those members affected.
Amber: If the Met Office issues an amber weather warning, the venue will review the situation with BD to determine whether the competition can continue to be run as scheduled. The venue will prepare a mitigation strategy for the weather event, agreed with the BD sport operations manager, and communicated in advance to those members affected. If these mitigations do not allow for the safe running of the competition for members or horses, the fixture must be cancelled.
Red: In the event that the Met Office issues a red weather warning, the competition must be cancelled, unless there are extenuating circumstances and agreed in advance with BD. Weather warnings apply to the location of the competition venue itself, and decisions will not be based on where members reside, or if they are required to travel through an affected area. It is the responsibility of the venue to communicate with those competitors affected.
A decision on cancellation or postponement of the fixture will be taken no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the competition (unless there are exceptional circumstances), to allow for any additional planning or rescheduling required, based on the most recent weather report.

9 things you learn when you’re at a show in the rain

Polly Bryan — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 11:24:48 +0000

With torrential rain spreading across many parts of the UK today (19 August), there’s definitely a few things you might realise when you’re battling rain and mud at a show during the great British summertime…

1. That expensive waterproof jacket you smugly assumed would make you the envy of all your damp friends? Not quite as waterproof as you’d hoped.

2. Even the bulkiest of horsey items could start floating away should the floodwaters rise high enough — yes, even plastic-wrapped shavings bales!

3. You spend most of your schooling sessions at home trying to encourage your horse out of giraffe pose and onto the bit, but now suddenly he’s curling his neck so hard to avoid the driving rain that you worry it might be mistaken for rollkur.

4. Never before has a van selling steaming hot chips and bacon butties looked so welcoming.

5. The moment you spot your car sinking into the mud is also the exact point at which you will find out for sure whether or not it actually has a tow ring.

6. Every rider who wears glasses will instantly wonder how spec-wipers are not yet a thing — and then immediately plan to make their fortune as an entrepreneur by filling this enormous gap in the market.

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

5 horsey headaches that ‘inbetweeny weather’ brings

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

7. That maybe you actually prefer the winter when wet weather is expected and planned for, and you’re never caught out without a pair of wellies, or deeply regretting your decision to camp.

8. There will always be one infuriating competitor who manages to stay spotless throughout even the worst conditions, while you’re wiping mud off your and your horse’s faces after a single lap of the warm-up.

9. Completing your dressage test or showjumping round becomes less about finesse and putting hours of training into practice, and more about basic survival. If you and your horse can battle through to the other side, you will emerge triumphant.

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 to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

H&H eventing editor’s blog: Tweseldown abandoned as the rain keeps falling…

Pippa Roome — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:28:28 +0000

Opinion

“I doubt they’ll get to the end of the day,” said the wise owner next to me as we stood with our backs to the rain, watching the start of the advanced intermediate (AI) showjumping at Tweseldown this morning (Thursday, 5 March).

I never really like to predict whether events will cancel, but I had just put forward the view that I doubted I’d get my BE90 run on Sunday, that I thought it was unlikely the event would run tomorrow, let alone through to its fourth and final day.

As it turned out, the owner was right.

There was standing water in the intermediate showjumping ring and after watching the AI horses jump — because standing in the rain is worth it to see the likes of Kitty King on Vendredi Biats, Nicky Hill and MGH Bingo Boy and Tom Crisp with Liberty And Glory and Coolys Luxury — I pottered over to the lower-level showjumping arena, where BE100 horses were also leaping out of mud.

Tweseldown’s intermediate showjumping arena ahead of the cancellation (Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Up at the dressage warm-up, my doubts about the next few days of competition only increased. There wasn’t a lot of grass left amid the sea of brown, after just one morning of damage. Ugh.

I crossed the road and walked out on to the cross-country course. The going near the start didn’t look too terrible, but knowing three fences had already come out of the intermediate track made me even more sure this competition was not going to run its course.

Changes to the AI and intermediate cross-country courses are flagged up before the cancellation (Image credit: Pippa Roome)

My parents were fence judging at fence five, so I sheltered in their car and watched the final BE100s, intending to walk the course once the AI started jumping. But it never happened. We had moved into position for my parents to judge their intermediate fence and the radio check had happened, but then the voice came over the tannoy announcing the event was abandoned.

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Seven special stallions and a thriving family business: inside the Irish stud standing OBOS Quality 004

Check out OBOS Quality 004, sire of last year’s Burghley winner MGH Grafton Street, and the other six stallions at

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Piggy March — the magic of using gridwork

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Cancellations are tough on competitors, whether it’s professionals trying to prep horses for Badminton and keep owners happy or amateurs like me (I lost my last three events of 2019 too, between cancellations from lack of entries and weather, so my horse hasn’t actually run since last June).

They are tougher still on organisers. When you’re at the event, it’s all too obvious how much work — and money — has already gone into prepping four courses, the arenas and more. All must now be taken down, largely unused but with what use there has been having already made a lot of mess. That muddy mess now has to be repaired so the venue can continue to offer schooling and competitions. My heart goes out to organisers Rachael Faulkner and Lucy Graham-Brown and their team.

But safety must always be the priority in these situations and we all understand that.

My last reporting gig before today was in Florida, where my husband remarked that it’s hard to believe that equestrianism is the same sport when you compare a high-end showjumping show in a tropical climate to a British one-day event in the rain. Today, looking bleakly across Tweseldown in the driving rain, the palm trees certainly seemed a distant memory.

Would you like to read Horse & Hound’s independent journalism without any adverts? Join Horse & Hound Plus today and you can read all articles on HorseandHound.co.uk completely ad-free.

Owners urged to ‘act early’ after flood warnings: emergency rescue teams on standby

Becky Murray — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 14:03:21 +0000

Owners have been urged to “act early” in response to more than 200 government flood alerts and warnings across the country.

The RSPCA said it has emergency water rescue teams on standby after the government issued five severe flood warnings for Doncaster and South Yorkshire, being affected by the River Don. England has 111 flood warnings and 113 flood alerts in place, while Natural Resources Wales issued five flood alerts.

RSPCA inspector and national water rescue coordinator Jason Finch said: “Due to the expected heavy rain over the next couple of days falling on already saturated ground we have put the water rescue team on standby until Monday (11 November).

“Our control centre will inform our water rescue coordinators in the regions of any flood-related incidents so they can monitor and respond where necessary.

“We’re on high alert in areas such as South and West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Derbyshire where significant surface water flooding has been described as ‘probable’. We’ve been advised that there are also flooding risks in parts of the north, north Midlands, Lincolnshire, East Anglia, and Wales.”

A spokesman for the RSPCA said the charity, which has a team of around 60 officers trained to work in fast and contaminated water, responded to eight reports of flooding on Thursday (8 November).

“The charity advises all owners to ensure their pets and livestock stay safe in harsh weather conditions, including periods of wet weather which can lead to flooding,” said the spokesman.

Mr Finch added that owners should have a plan to get animals out of danger if the “worst was to happen” and they find themselves caught in flooding.

“Floodwater can rise very quickly so if there is a warning in your area, act early and put your flood plan into action,” he said.

“Don’t put your own life or another’s life in danger to attempt an animal rescue and call us for help in an emergency.”

Article continued below…

(Image credit: RSPCA)

‘Quirky’ Suffolk and ‘long-legged’ Shire help protect homes from flooding

The project manager said the heavy horses were a perfect fit for the work at the sensitive woodland site

(Image credit: RSPCA)

Dramatic video shows horses being swum to safety in floods

The two colts became trapped after their field was submerged in water when the river Use burst its banks

(Image credit: RSPCA)

The RSPCA issued the following tips for owners:

● Plan your escape route and keep contact details of people who can help you move your animals in an emergency;

● Ensure you can be contacted in an emergency – attach contact details to gates so you can be contacted;

● Move horses to high ground and ensure you have sufficient emergency feed and water supplies;

Anyone with concerns about horses affected by flooding is urged to contact the RSPCA emergency 24-hour hotline on 0300 1234 999.

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

Freak weather causes delay to start of Luhmühlen cross-country

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 08:17:03 +0000

Overnight thunderstorms and heavy rain has forced the orgainsers of the Longines/Meßmer Luhmühlen Horse Trials to postpone the start of the cross-country today (15 June).

A statement released by the organisers shortly before 8am (BST) said: “Due to the weather conditions, the cross-country times are changing.”

This means that the Meßmer Trophy CCI4*-S will commence first at 11.15am (BST). The Longines CCI5* competition had been due to start at 9.15am (BST), but this has now been rescheduled to run after the four-star, and will now commence at 2pm (BST).

Rain stops play - Cross Country - LONGINES Luhmühlen Horse Trials - CCI5 L - Salzhausen, Lower Saxony, Germany - 15 June 2019 (Image credit: Jon Stroud Media)

Parts of the course are waterlogged and the fire service is helping to pump water off the course and out of the water complexes in an attempt to make the course safe to run. The weather forecast currently predicts that there is a chance of further rain and thunderstorms until 11am (BST). Pictured top is the overnight five-star leader Kazuma Tomoto (left) and fellow Japanese rider Kenki Sato as they inspect the course.

Riders have been sharing their experience of the weather across social media:

Andrew James, who is due to be the first rider out on the five-star course, shared this video of the lorry park area:

Bit wet here at Luhmuhlen. Xc postponed till this afternoon at the moment. The event are doing everything they can to get the show on the road. Fire engines are pumping out the waterPosted by Andrew James Eventing on Saturday, June 15, 2019

Irish rider Sam Watson made this assessment this morning:

Update from Luhmühlen @watsoneventing #luhmuehlen2019 pic.twitter.com/C7igdcvJecUpdate from Luhmühlen @watsoneventing #luhmuehlen2019 pic.twitter.com/C7igdcvJec— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019

Tim Price, who is in second place with Ascona M in the five-star class after the dressage had this to say this morning:

Update from Luhmühlen @timpricenzl #luhmuehlen2019 pic.twitter.com/OFbQflbTTsUpdate from Luhmühlen @timpricenzl #luhmuehlen2019 pic.twitter.com/OFbQflbTTs— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019

These were the conditions as the public started to arrive at the even earlier this morning:

Weather update from Luhmühlen ? pic.twitter.com/DrbW067389Weather update from Luhmühlen ? pic.twitter.com/DrbW067389— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019— German Eventing (@GermanEventing) June 15, 2019

British rider, Sarah Bullimore, who has two horses competing in the five-star competition, shared this video of her lorry area:

Well that was a proper storm Turniergesellschaft Luhmühlen anyone got a spare boat?? ☔️☔️☔️☔️☔️Posted by Bullimore Eventing on Friday, June 14, 2019

Australian five-star rider Warren Lamperd, tries to make the most out of a less-than-ideal situation:

Just warming up for 5* XC at Luhmuhlën this morning! ??Posted by Warren Lamperd on Friday, June 14, 2019

Young British rider and five-star first-timer Eliza Stoddart at her set-up in the horsebox park:

Hello from Luhmühlen….Posted by Eliza Stoddart Eventing on Friday, June 14, 2019

Don’t miss the full report from Luhmühlen in the 20 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine

9 ways to get your yard ready for winter before the clocks go back

Horse & Hound — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:05:19 +0000

Skidding across the yard on sheet ice might be a distant memory, but don’t be fooled — knee-deep mud and frozen troughs are only a matter of months away. Take a look at these nine ways to get your yard and fields in shape before the clocks go back (28 October) and the cold weather sets in.

1. Stay on your feet — stock up on salt and grit in advance as prices tend to soar during a cold snap. “People tend to order late,” explains Lucy Tate of agricultural wholesaler Armstrong Richardson. “I’d advise getting in there now. Make sure that you have the right winter equipment too, such as snow shovels for clearing the yard.”

2. Dealing with the pipes — you can protect pipes and taps to some extent by using lagging from DIY stores and old duvets as insulation, but it’s a good idea to have a back-up plan for serious cold periods. If you have a reliable indoor water supply then it might be worth investing in a special connector that allows hosepipes to run off internal taps.

3. Beat frozen troughs — insulated troughs and submersible water tank heaters can be bought at farm supply stores and are a good — if pricey — solution. A simpler and cheaper option is to keep a football floating on the surface of the water. This should prevent an ice sheet forming in all but the most bitter conditions.

4. Keep your exercise area frost-free — Nicholas Collins of equestrian surface solutions provider Martin Collins recommends keeping an eye on the weather forecast and letting it guide your arena maintenance plan. “If a surface is even slightly over-compacted then surplus water will not drain through the material as easily,” he explains. “This causes a backlog of moisture in the surface, which can then freeze.”

5. Get the most out of your maintenance machine — if you use a maintenance machine, Nicholas suggests setting the tines a quarter to a half-inch deeper than usual to help excess water disperse, ideally carrying out the process just as the frost is catching. The following morning, use a roller or rake to disrupt any ice crystals that may have formed on the surface.

6. Prevent flooding — badly draining fields can be prone to surface flooding. James Boggis of land drainage specialists White Horse Contractors suggests performing essential field maintenance before the bad weather kicks in. “All ditches should be cleared and any pipes or culverts [open drains under road] unblocked,” he advises. “Where drainage is particularly poor, a series of land drains laid laterally and running to a suitable outfall will make the affected area more usable.”

7. Prepare your grazing — James also has several tips on how to prepare your grazing for winter conditions. “The autumn is a great time to cultivate and seed grassy areas lacking vigour. Heavily trafficked areas may have become compacted over the summer, so suitable decompaction should be carried out to maintain an open soil structure. I would also advise moving feeders regularly to ensure that areas of the field are not poached during wet weather.”

8. Managing mud — extreme poaching can be managed to some extent by limiting turnout and taking a conservative approach to stocking levels during the winter months. Laying hardcore in gateways and other problem areas while the ground is still dry can help as well, while a more innovative option is to install honeycomb mats to protect the ground. “Honeycomb mats are more effective than hardcore, which tends to just disappear in muddy areas,” says John Mathews of field accessories company Fieldguard. “Now is the time to install them, when the grass is still growing. If you wait until the area is muddy then they will sink in and work less effectively.”

Continued below…

(Image credit: Lucy Merrell)

9 reasons riders love (and hate) autumn

(Image credit: Lucy Merrell)

Struggling with mud fever? Here’s what you need to know to tackle it…

9. Spot checks on stables — David Wilson, the director of Warwick Buildings, suggests carrying out a series of spot checks to make sure everything is in working order. “Pay particular attention to your roof, monitoring for any tears, as well as noting glass that needs repairing, doors that stick and blocked gutters,” he says. “If your horses have been out all summer and the stables out of use, it’s also important to look at whether the lights are still working as wires can corrode over time. Finally, remember that your stables will need treating with a proofing agent such as Stable Coat from Shedcare every two years. You should be looking to do this now before the horses come in for the winter — once the weather breaks, you’ve had it.”

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

Missing pony who survived floods found standing on a roof

Sarah Radford — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 06:01:15 +0000

A missing pony who had to be let loose as devastating flood waters approached Kurashiki, Japan, was found alive, standing on the roof of a house.

Leaf, a miniature mare who is used as a therapy animal at Life Town Mabi, a care home for the elderly, disappeared when the area was evacuated on 6 July.

Workers at the facility assumed the nine-year-old had drowned when torrential rain and burst rivers overwhelmed the district, causing extensive damage.

Life Town Mabi employee Mari Tanimoto had searched nearby hills for the mare once the waters receded on 9 July, hoping she had reached higher ground.

But on Monday (10 July) she was discovered much closer to home on the roof of a private house, a few kilometres from Life Town, by workers from Peace Winds Japan — a non-profit organisation carrying out disaster relief in the area.

As well as being hungry, thirsty and muddy, Leaf also suffered minor leg injuries when she fell from the 2m-high roof before rescuers were able to reach her.

Pictures by Peace Winds Japan (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Local residents said they were baffled how the mare had reached the roof, as flood waters had not risen that high.

“I thought that she was already dead, but luckily she seemed to have survived on the roof,” Masayuki Yoshida, a colleague of Mari’s, told Japanese publication Asahi Shimbun.

“Leaf is so loved that 40 or 50 people visit on weekends to feed her. She did well over those three days.”

Searches were undertaken for Leaf’s colt foal Earth, who remained missing, but he was later found dead in the grounds of Kurashiki adult disease centre.

Continues below…

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Owner’s devastation as wrong horse put down

‘It might sound dramatic but it’s like a member of the family has been murdered’

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Donkey found drowned in bog: four others rescued

One dead and four abandoned donkeys were pulled from a bog in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, last week

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Warnings after horse drowns in sea

A horse has drowned after a rider tried to take it swimming off the Marazion beach in Cornwall

Leaf is now being taken care of at another farm linked to Mabi, it has been reported.

Some 1.6million people have been evacuated and 200 killed since rains hit Japan last week causing flooding and landslides — the country’s worst weather disaster for 36 years.

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

A muddy disaster! What can I do to help my grass grow this spring? H&H asks an expert

Alex Robinson — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 10:49:49 +0000

It’s that time of year when horse owners are gearing up for the arrival of spring grass, but when does grass start growing in the UK? After a particularly wet, dark and miserable winter , it’s no surprise that our paddocks resemble vast pool of squelchy mud, rather than the luscious green pastures of our dreams.

What can horse owners actually do to optimise grass growth this spring? We talk to grassland specialist Sara Gregson from Talking Grass, who puts us on the right track.

How has the winter affected this year’s crop of spring grass?

“The spring this year is very late coming,” says Sara. “And it follows a very wet, late 2017 summer and autumn, so many paddocks are muddy and the soil is damaged and compacted so water can’t drain away.

“It has been raining more than usual this spring — for example, Gloucestershire normally expects 50mm in March, but had 125mm this year.

Grass starts growing when the soil temperatures reach between 5° to 6°C, and temperatures have stayed stubbornly low this spring. Wet soil is also colder than dry soil, which is why the grass is not growing yet.

“With a bit of sunshine, grass will start growing very quickly, so be prepared for a rush of growth when it comes.”

What do horse owners often overlook when it comes to growing grass?

Horse owners need to decide what the primary purpose of the field or paddock is, according to Sara. Is it to provide a food source or is it just a loafing area?

“If it is loafing/exercise area, the grass needs to comprise of amenity-style grasses that are dense and knit together into a carpet-like surface. Areas subject to excessive wear, such as fence lines where horses march up and down, will need higher grass seeding rates seed than the rest of the field,” she says.

“If the paddock is to provide the horse’s food, then the field must be sown with a purpose-built seeds mixture such as Oliver Seeds Paddock Mix or Horse Herb Grazing Mix. The latter has a wide variety of good plants for horses in it, including late perennial ryegrass, meadow fescue, cocksfoot, timothy, strong creeping red fescue, crested dogstail and creeping bent.”

Good to know: “Changing what is growing in a horse paddock depends on whether the paddock is owned or rented,” adds Rod Bonshor of Oliver Seeds. “If owned, the horse owner can get a local farmer or contractor to come in to plough and reseed the field and get exactly what they want. If someone else owns it, there would have to be some negotiation on what is sown and who pays to get it done.”

What can I do now to encourage growth?

“To get the best out of any field, it needs to be nurtured and managed,” says Sara. “If the field cannot be reseeded from scratch, paddock renovation is the answer. This will place new grass seeds into the muddy, bare patches and challenge weeds, such as docks and nettles coming in and taking over.”

Sara’s blue-print for over-seeding horse paddocks:

Check the nutrient status of the soil — grass, like all ‘crops’ needs feeding to perform to its best. Soil samples can be collected and sent off to a lab for analysis (cost around £15). This will tell whether the main nutrients of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) or potash (K) are lacking and also whether the soil is acid or alkaline. Grass prefers to grow in alkaline soil. If it is too acidic, having lime applied can really boost grass growth.
Break up soil — if the soil is very compacted and feels hard to walk over, it will need breaking up to allow water and air to permeate throughout the soil profile. Local farmers or contractors might have machinery like a sward slitter which can be dragged through the field to open up the upper layers.
Remove all weeds — by hand or by spraying if there are too many to dig out.

If you have machinery…

Remove all surface growth to leave 5cm of grass by mowing or getting some sheep in to graze it down.
Grass harrow the field in both directions to remove surface trash and moss.
Sow the seed by using a broadcasting machine (throwing it in all directions) or direct drilling (in rows). The aim is to get ‘soil to seed’ contact. Do not sow seeds deeper than 1cm.
Sow at a seed rate of 7-10kg/acre, but be prepared to increase to the full sowing rate of 14kg/acre if sward damage is extensive or the plant population is very thin.
Roll the field in both directions with a ring roller to ensure good seed to soil contact.
New plants will need a supply of phosphate and potash to develop new roots. Applying about 2x50kg bags/acre of a low N, high P and K fertiliser will really help to get things going.

If you don’t have machinery…

Use a lawn mower or graze with sheep to produce a short sward and remove all clippings.
Use a garden rake to remove the surface trash and loosen the soil surface.
Broadcast the seed by hand throwing the seed in several directions.
Sow at a seed rate of 3 to 5 grams/m².
Roll with a garden roller or simply tread the seed in to ensure good contact with the soil.
Fertilise as above.

In both scenarios and depending on the weather conditions, Sara says the grass should germinate within two weeks. “Keep horses off the newly reseeded pasture until the grass is strong enough to withstand them — possibly two to three months.”

How much will it cost approximately?

	Reseeding (using contractor)£/ha (£/acre)	Overseeding (using contractor)£/ha (£/acre)
Getting rid of old sward/sprayed off with herbicide	£35 (£14.28)
Spraying weeds		£30 (£12.24)
Plough & press	£70 (£28.57)
Soil tillage	£67 (£27.34)
Ring rolling x 2	£40 (£16.32)	Grass harrowing x2£46 (£18.77)
Drill grass seed and harrow	£31 (£12.65)	£31 (12.65)
Ring roll	£20 (£8.16)	£20 (£8.16)
Seed cost	38kg/ha Paddock Mix£140 (£57.14)	25kg/ha Paddock Mix£93 (£37.95)

Are there any potential horse health risks to using seeds on the grass?

“There are no health risks to horses of rejuvenating paddocks. It will make the grasses stronger, healthier and more nutritious,” says Sara.

What types of weeds grow when the grass is in such a condition (wet and poached)?

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Weeds are a frequent problem in overgrazed and neglected horse paddocks. While horses relish mixed swards to graze, weeds such as ragwort, thistles, docks, nettles, buttercups and dandelions are not to be encouraged,” Sara adds.

“Horses urinate and defecate in the same areas of a field, which often have tall, coarse grasses and weeds that have been stimulated by over-supply of nutrients and lack of grazing.

“Weeds easily colonise areas where there is bare and damaged soil. Where a wide range of weeds such as buttercups, dandelions and docks, are a problem, a new herbicide for use in horse paddocks, called Envy, from Dow AgroSciences can be used.

“This needs to be applied through a tractor-mounted or self-propelled boom sprayer. Horses need to be taken out of the field for seven days after treatment — which is a lot less time than for many herbicides.

“If paddock owners want to apply herbicide with a knapsack sprayer, GrazonPro is one of a limited number of products that can be applied using this method. It gives excellent control of docks, thistles, nettles and also brambles, gorse and broom.

“Envy and GrazonPro are classed as professional use pesticides. This means they can be bought by anyone, but can only be applied by people who have completed appropriate city and guilds/National Proficiency Test Council (NPTC) courses.

“Most paddock owners will contract out their spraying to local certified farmers or contractors. To help find one visit naac.co.uk.”

Managing toilet sites

“Horses urinate and defecate in the same areas of a field and will not graze there. This may be natural worm control, as these toilet areas contain 500 times the number of infective larvae compared to the rest of the paddock,” says Sara.

“Latrines must be managed to stop them spreading. Harrowing undertaken on a hot summy day will spread and breakdown the dung and dry out the worms, killing them. But it is essential to rest the paddock after harrowing and to follow a sound veterinary-led worming regime with your horses.”

What can horse owners be doing to ensure grass growth is better next spring ?

“Good grassland management is required throughout the year to prevent both under-grazing and over-grazing. This will allow the grass to get through the winter to perform well again next year,” says Sara.

“Using an electric fence to sub-divide the field into smaller sections and rotating the horses around gives each area the chance to rest and recover.

“Horses should be moved on to the next section when the height of the grass has been grazed down to 2.5cm and not come back until it has grown back to between 8 and 12cm.

“If the autumn comes wet again, stable the horses earlier than normal to prevent soil damage and poaching, which would reduce the amount of grass that will grow in spring 2019 and encourage colonization by weeds.”

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

Watch remarkable video of brave mare saving herd from severe flooding

Rachael Turner — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 17:51:54 +0000

Remarkable footage of a brave mare leading a herd to safety in serious flooding has gone viral on social media.

Torrential rain led to flash flooding in Auckland, New Zealand, last week.

The video, recorded on 7 March, shows the group of mares from Hololio Polo Club in Clevedon stranded in water up to their stomachs.

In the footage, the mares are tentatively walking through the water, led by a bay mare named “TD”.

TD bravely leads the group to safety through a gap in the fence, despite the fast-flow and barely visible gate opening due to the height of the water.

The video, shared by the polo club on Facebook, has been viewed more than 450,000 times and shared by more than 5,000 people.

Clever polo ponies.The wire fence was holding up here, invisible and dangerous under the water. Nick and a neighbour had earlier opened the gate with a rope tied around their waists for safety, but the horses were too nervous to go through the rushing water when they couldn't see the gap. Later, filmed here, the clever and brave lead mare led them through the narrow gate space (only metres from the very deep main river channel) and up to safety, even though she could not see the gate gap.For any licensing queries, please contact Ben at licensing@break.comPosted by Hololio Polo Club on Tuesday, March 7, 2017

“The wire fence was [still up], invisible and dangerous under the water,” said a spokesman for the polo club.

“Nick [Jones] and a neighbour had earlier opened the gate with a rope tied around their waists for safety, but the horses were too nervous to go through the rushing water when they couldn’t see the gap.

“Later, the clever and brave lead mare led them through the narrow gate space — metres from the very deep main river channel — and up to safety, even though she could not see the gate gap.”

The mares can be seen reaching higher ground, where they immediately start grazing.

Yard co-owner Josephine Elworthy told local press TD has “always been a star”.

She added that the field the mares became stranded in is not normally prone to flooding.

Hololio Farm is a working polo club, riding school, and polo school, as well as the home of the New Zealand womens’ polo open.

Flooding elsewhere in New Zealand

Meanwhile, Horse of the Year Show (7-12 March) in Hastings, New Zealand, was subjected to torrential rain and flooding.

Around 3,000 people were staying in tents and trucks at the Hawke’s Bay showground.

Dressage and showing continued but other competitions were cancelled, including showjumping classes.

The mounted games was moved to the equestrian centre at Flaxmere.

Debbie Hendry and her daughters Georgia and Mari, part of the Canterbury New Zealand Mounted Games Association, were among those camping.

Related articles:

Their site was surrounded by a sea of mud, but they remained upbeat.

“We’re pretty well set up, we didn’t get flooded out – games people are pretty hardy,” said Debbie.

“It’s obviously a dampener because we have to move to continue, but it’s our national champs and we need to complete it.”

Stranded horses led to safety in dramatic flood rescue

Rachael Turner — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 11:58:02 +0000

Seven horses have been saved from severe flooding thanks to a team of rescuers driving a tractor.

The horses were left stranded in their field near Hawick in the Scottish borders when the River Teviot burst its banks.

Firefighters were unable to rescue the horses so a group of locals took matters into their own hands on Saturday (5 December).

“Everyone was really upset when the firefighters left — they thought that was it,” farm worker George Crawford told H&H.

“The water was coming up under the horses’ stomaches and they had been stuck there for about 12 hours.”

George, his uncle James Manners and local huntsman Johnny Richardson drove a tractor through the fast-flowing water in an attempt to rescue the horses.

After almost becoming stuck several times, the tractor reached the group of horses. One of the horses was captured and a rope was placed around his neck and muzzle making a makeshift headcollar.

The horse was held by one of the rescuers standing on the back of the tractor. The tractor was then slowy driven out of the water with the horse following behind.

The remaining six horses followed and eventually the group reached dry ground.

The horses were checked over and were all found to be uninjured. They are now being kept inside a barn for safety.

The rescue took an hour and a half to complete.

H&H advises readers to take care and to not put themselves or others in danger in case of an emergency. If in doubt, contact emergency services and seek veterinary advice.

Exhausted donkey stranded in flood water for 12 hours towed to safety

Rachael Turner — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 13:53:51 +0000

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A donkey in Ireland has been towed to safety after being stranded for 12 hours due to severe flooding.

The eight-year-old escaped from his field in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, when the River Laune burst its banks on Sunday (6 December).

His owner tried contacting search and rescue but they were unable to help, so Suzanne Gibbons, owner of Animal Heaven Animal Rescue in Crag, Castleisland, offered her assistance.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

With the help of Mike Flemming of Killorglin Rowing Club and volunteer Declan Flemming, Suzanne headed out to the donkey in a small motorised boat at 12.45pm.

“As we travelled up the river we realised we were in serious danger,” Suzanne told H&H. “But we knew only had an hour before the floods got worse, so we wanted to give him a chance.

“When we got to the donkey we saw that if he stepped a couple of inches in either direction he would have drowned.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“We attached an orange life ring onto his body to help him stay afloat and towed him to the shore.

“He just lay there — he knew we were saving him.”

The donkey was towed for 30 minutes before he reached dry ground.

“His owner was crying and jumping up and down when he saw us coming back with him,” said Suzanne.

“The donkey was very shell-shocked and exhausted as had been trapped for around 12 hours.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“We named him Mike after his hero who had brought the boat out for him.”

Mike was taken to the rescue centre where he was seen by a vet and was put on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia.

“He has a small amount of fluid in one lung but our vet said he will recover — all he needs is loads of TLC,” added Suzanne.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Dramatic rescue of horse stranded on island caught on camera

Rachael Turner — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 14:51:54 +0000

A horse has been rescued following serious flooding in Cumbria.

Bay gelding Beau was trapped on an island in his field in Burneside, Kendal, on Sunday (15 November) after the river Kent burst its banks.

The RSPCA deployed two crews of officers, who have been trained in water rescues, to save Beau.

“Beau was on an island of dry land in a flooded field, he was surrounded by a fast flowing river on one side and a pool of knee-deep water on the other,” said chief inspector Mark Gent.

“He was quite timid. We tried to catch him with a head collar and a bucket of feed but he kept moving so we used a rope to form a barrier along the river.

“We then shepherded him through the water into another field with higher ground and reunited him with his friend Bomber.”

The team also checked the welfare on two more groups of horses on flooded fields in Kendal on Sunday.

Flood response team

The RSPCA is part of Defra’s national flood response team and has around 100 officers trained and equipped to deal with flood-stricken animals.

In addition to trained staff, the RSPCA has a fleet of 35 inflatable boats, sea boats and portable roll-away boats to help rescue animals, as well as deliver vital supplies such as food and water to stranded herds of horses and cattle.

Water response team members undergo a week-long swift water technician course at Plas y Brenin in north Wales with a refresher every year and a recertification every three years.

“Flooding can affect wildlife, farm livestock and pets alike so it’s crucial that we have RSPCA inspectors who are specifically trained to carry out these rescues,” Mr Gent added.

“Not only does it help animals but it can also potentially stop people putting themselves in danger.”

Showing competitors met with flash floods at BSPS Championships

Rachael Turner — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 06:25:15 +0000

Torrential downpours and flash flooding greeted competitors arriving at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Championships at Arena UK on Monday (24 August).

A storm brought heavy rain to the venue on the afternoon ahead of the five-day show.

Some of the stables lying on lower land were flooded and organisers worked quickly to pump out the five-inches of water.

“We had serious flooding on site just as everyone was coming in,” Arena UK’s Teresa Stratford told H&H.

“The ground was so dry so the water just sat on the surface.

“We removed the water ourselves as we have our own pumps.”

Ms Stratford explained that the stables dried out quickly after the pumps has removed the surface the water.

“We managed to clear out all of the flooded stables and they are looking good now,” she added.

“Everyone managed to get in — we put a swamp mat down to help the lorries.

“BSPS arranged for bales of straw which they gave out for free.

“There is very little mud to be seen now.”

Cancellations earlier this year

Earlier this year, bad weather wreaked havoc at equestrian events, with cancellations at British Eventing venues and a near-miss Bury Farm.

Stafford (1) and Gatcombe (1) both abandoned competition on 29 March and Goring Heath Horse Trials (3-4 April) was cancelled in advance after “unforeseen problems with the ground”.

Meanwhile, galeforce winds and torrential rain prevailed at Bury Farm on 29 March during the second day of the Ponies(UK) Winter Classic.

A temporary halt was called after the roof lifted off stables on the showground and metal railings surrounding the conformation judging ring were blown over.

Tradestand staff fought to stop their tents from taking off and several chose to leave the show early.

Course-builder Lisa Kelly and her team managed to complete the Royal International working hunter qualifier, then cleared all the fences from the ring and waited to see if the weather would improve.

A shortened course was built and the last P(UK) final was completed in time for the winner to take part in the supreme championship.

The dangers of floodwater for horses [H&H VIP]

Horse & Hound — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 07:55:46 +0000

When we see livestock — including horses — crowded on a tiny patch of high ground surrounded by floodwater, we naturally think of how to get food to them. What’s rarely recognised is that the water itself can be dangerous and jeopardise horses’ survival.

Vets from Louisiana State Vet School in the US recently reported on the potentially fatal effects of floodwater.

They used three horses caught up in Hurricane Isaac in 2012 to illustrate how serious complications can become. All three had received nasty injuries in the storm, including wounds to the limbs or feet. They had also been swept up in the floods and were rescued from filthy water after the hurricane had passed.

The horses received intensive care including epidural pain-relief catheters and continuous intranasal oxygen therapy. Their condition was constantly monitored and every appropriate medicine and treatment was administered.

Massive media attention turned them into celebrities. They were called the “hurricane horses”, which placed even greater pressure on the vet team to try to save them. Far more money and effort was spent than might have been the case with other patients.

Yet despite all this, none of the three horses survived. Their limb and hoof wounds proved intractable. All developed severe pneumonia or pleuritis, while two went down with laminitis. One developed a systemic fungal infection never before recorded in horses.

The reason for the overwhelming illness appeared to have been the contaminated water that had washed over them. They had breathed it in, swallowed it and it had soaked into every wound and graze.

It seems that after a flood, you may get horses out of dirty water — but getting the dirty water out of the horses may prove impossible.

Ref: H&H 23 April 2014

Dodson & Horrell donate feed to flood victims

Nicola Nelson — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:05:15 +0000

More than 10 tonnes of cattle and horse feed have been donated by feed merchants Dodson & Horrell to farmers in the West Country that have been affected by flooding.

Entrepreneur and Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden, who lives locally, accepted the feed on behalf of the community.

“It is hard to imagine what they have been going through since the floods hit here weeks ago,” she said.

“It’s bad enough to be flooded out of your home but the worry about the welfare of the livestock and other animals has been a real concern.”

The Somerset Levels have experienced the most extreme flooding for more than 2 decades and experts have said it could take 2 years for the farmland to recover.

“It has been a terrible time for farmers here on the Levels —and we don’t forget those affected in other parts of the country too — but the devastation that we have all had to face has been heart wrenching,” said James Winslade from Burrowbridge, whose farm has been under water for almost 8 weeks.

“The response from everyone both here in the West Country and further afield has been amazing and, at times, overwhelming. The donation from Dodson & Horrell is very generous and the cattle and horse feed donated will help all the affected farmers enormously in the difficult months ahead.”

Another British Eventing fixture cancels

Pippa Roome — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:00:54 +0000

Somerley Park has become the latest British Eventing (BE) casualty of the wet weather, cancelling its 25-26 March fixture.

Organiser Suzannah Cotterill said: “The water levels at Somerley Park have reached such a point that we cannot access the ground to finish event preparations, which unfortunately leaves us with no option other than to cancel.

“The hope is by cancelling now, members will be able to re-route and make alternative competition plans.”

Somerley’s mid-week fixture was due to run classes from BE100 to CIC2* level.

BE sport operations manager Chris Farr added: “It is such a pity to cancel Somerley. We are currently exploring the viability of rescheduling Somerley later in the calendar with the organisers.”

Moreton, Tweseldown (1) and Somerford Park (1) have all cancelled already this season, while Aston-le-Walls (1) and Stafford (1) have had to be re-scheduled.

Welfare charities team up to rescue horses from floods

Martha Terry — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 16:00:41 +0000

Horse charities are reporting “record numbers” of attempts to rescue horses from flooded fields this winter.

While 18 horses were rescued by the RSPCA in Christchurch, Dorset (6 February), welfare charities HorseWorld and World Horse Welfare combined forces to save another 4 at a separate location in the same area on the same day.

HorseWorld’s Jerry Watkins and World Horse Welfare’s Phil Jones attended the rescue, which was the 4th attempt to round up the horses (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The quartet of feral horses had swum on to neighbouring land to avoid rising floodwater — but unfortunately had no permission to graze there.

HorseWorld had already visited this site 3 times in an attempt to rescue the horses, but were unable to catch them. The charity had left hay and — along with the owner and World Horse Welfare — had monitored the situation.

On the 4th attempt, the 2 charities managed to round up the horses and secure them on dry land in a holding pen. After examination, they were transported to a World Horse Welfare rescue and rehoming centre, where they will remain safe and dry until it is safe for them to return home.

Setting up a pen to catch the horses (Image credit: creditUnknown)

HorseWorld’s director of national welfare Jerry Watkins said that this has been “one of our busiest winters assisting rescues”.

“We are working very closely with other equine charities to help a record number of horses during this period of extremely bad weather,” he said.

Horses euthanased after repeated flooding

Martha Terry — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 12:00:48 +0000

An Esher horse owner who has had her yard flooded twice this year has made the decision to euthanase her 4 horses, calling it the “saddest and most desperate day in all my life”.

Jenny Andersson — who has competed in affiliated eventing and owned horses for 15 years — was first forced her to evacuate the yard, Garsons Farm, in January. The farm is by a river, on a floodplain and had similar problems last winter. The damage caused to equipment is estimated at £20,000, and continued rain this year has meant the situation has hardly improved. She told local newspapers that she could no longer “keep pouring money into a black hole”.

She has now left the farm, and had the horses put to sleep earlier this month. 2 of the horses were 14, one 17 and the fourth 20. They were all “pretty much retired from work”.

Ms Andersson wrote in her blog of her “heart-breaking decision to bring the lives of my beloved horses to an end” for their safety and comfort in the face of repeated flooding.

She said that turnout was dangerous due to a fast-running high river flowing in the field, fencing washed away, and that the stables were filled with “filthy floodwater”.

Ms Andersson paid tribute to the many people who offered stabling and field space, but as this would have involved splitting the herd up, or turning them out 24/7, this was not an option as some were thin-skinned thoroughbreds.

She was nervous of selling them to unscrupulous buyers who might compete them on bute or sell them on.

“After weeks of sleepless nights, trying to weigh up a hundred different alternatives, the only decision was to allow them to go peacefully in the home where they lived for the last 15 years, together as a herd.”

Flooded land could be useless for months [H&H VIP]

Sophia Heath — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 09:00:47 +0000

More than £60million has been paid out in flood and storm claims by rural insurer NFU so far, with the amount expected to soar in the coming weeks. Some of these claims have involved equestrian properties where horses have been forced to move as the waters rise.

“Where we have customers who have horses kept at home, we are also paying for their horses to be taken to alternative accommodation until the flood water recedes,” said an NFU spokesman.

“This is the worst weather our agents down on the Somerset Levels have ever seen.”

However, the disruption for owners is likely to be more widespread and long lasting. Experts warn that damage to the ground will take months — if not years — to recover.

Grass quality

The biggest concern for many owners is how to restore their turnout. Even fields that have not been flooded have been turned into mud pits by the rain over the past month. Richard Robinson, an agronomist (expert in soil management) at Countrywide, told H&H that grass that has been completely submerged by water for more than 10 days is likely to have been killed due to a lack of oxygen.

“Realistically, if a field has been under water for a long time, you are going to need to start from the beginning,” said Mr Robinson.

“The other problem is that the water will have washed away vital nutrients. [The grass] might look green, but it will have no benefit.”

Experts recommend that people have a soil test to discover what nutrients are missing. They should consider different reseeding options depending of the severity of the damage (see guidelines below). However, nothing can be done until the ground dries out enough to make it worthwhile to treat.

“If your field is muddy, you need to be ready to reseed when there is moisture still there but it is warmer. If you put seed down now all it will do is die,” said Peter Hunter, who runs a seed company in Chester.

The danger left behind

Landowners also need to be concerned about dangerous debris that might have been dragged on to the land by floodwaters or blown by the high winds. “If land has been completely swamped, at the very least it needs a very good walking over and people should consider hiring a metal detector,” said Andrew Morrey from Countrywide.

“People should also be aware that nails from blown over structures might be on the land. Dangerous plants, such as yew, could have been blown significantly further than in other years.”

As well as the destruction caused by the storms, a further danger might lie ahead when rivers and ditch dredging gets under way. Water dropwort and bryony can both be brought up by dredging and are highly toxic to horses.

It’s not all doom and gloom

As thousands of owners and farmers are struggling to battle through the conditions, the equestrian community has joined forces to donate hay and haylage to help those in need.

Francesca Pollara from Sunhill stud, Glos, has been one of the main co-ordinators of the donations, which have come to be known as “hay aid”. Tesco agreed to help with the campaign and offered to transport donated hay and haylage down to Somerset.

More than 6 lorries of hay, haylage and straw have now been sent through Francesca’s organisation.

Last Friday (14 February), The Queen announced she would be supporting farmers affected by the flooding on the Somerset Levels by contributing feed and bedding from the royal farms at Windsor.

Hunts have also joined in and the Quorn, Fernie, Belvoir, Cottesmore, Taunton Vale Foxhounds and North Cotswold have all made donations.

Naomi Parker from NFU said: “The generosity of the local community has been incredible. These donations are an absolute lifeline for farmers.”

Guards Polo Club near Windsor also got involved with the “Blitz” spirit last week and offered free emergency stabling to any horses affected by the flooding. Nine horses have now been moved into the club’s spare stables at Flemish Farm.

Leading Hunt calls it a day

The Bicester with Whaddon Chase (BHWC) have ended their season with immediate effect because of the weather.

“It is a shame,” said H&H hunting editor and former BHWC joint-master Polly Portwin. “But hunts haven’t lost days earlier in the season due to harsh cold weather like they normally do. It’s been an exceptional year, no one could have predicted that there would be this much rain.”

Other hunts are also being forced to scale back on meets or concentrate on roads and tracks because of the sodden land.

Early season events throw in the towel

With less than a fortnight to go until the start of the season, the eventing community is braced for another shaky start, as last year.

Tweseldown announced on Monday (17 February) that its first event, due to run 6-9 March, had cancelled because of the weather. The organisers of the Hampshire event were criticised on social media last year after it ran despite very muddy warm-up areas and dressage and showjumping arenas.

This is the fourth event within the first 6 weeks of the season to be cancelled due to the weather.

“With the forecast for the coming weeks, it is anyone’s guess as to how ground situations will change,” said British Eventing’s (BE) Mike Etherington-Smith.

“For BE and our organisers it is a case-by-case situation. For example, Isleham [organisers] were lucky with their event preparation because theydid it in early January. Others haven’t been so lucky.”

Badminton is bullish

Badminton was cancelled because of heavy rain in 2012, but organisers are confident that the event is not in jeopardy.

“The course-building is going ahead as planned,” said Julian Seaman from Badminton.

“A lot of work has been done on the course since 2007, so the ground on the course is not a concern. When it is really boggy, the problems we tend to have are with public areas, such as the tradestands and parking. But at the moment that is not a concern.”

Riders delay their season

Some riders are already considering delaying their start to the season, as they do not believe the ground will be good enough.

“I have contacted all my owners, saying that I will not be wasting their money or risking their horses by entering them for events in March,” H&H eventing blogger Lauren Shannon said.

“But I am lucky because I am not chasing qualifications this year, so I have a bit more time.”

Event rider Coral Keen tweeted: “Perhaps it the season should start from April now.”

What to do when the rain stops

1. Assess your ground and how much damage has been done. Some seeding companies will be prepared to offer advice from photographs.

2. Take a soil sample and have it tested. DIY soil samples cost approximately £15 and only require a trowel, bucket and bag.

3. Seek expert advice on fertilizing and whether ground needs completely reseeding or over-seeding — spreading seed over established turf that has been prepared for restoration — and on fertilizers required.

4. Any reseeding or over-seeding will need to take place at the end of March or beginning of April, depending on the weather.

5. Over-seeding will require the paddock to be rested for 5 to 6 weeks.

6. Reseeding will require the paddock to be left to rest for 2 to 3 months.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (20 February, 2014)

Another event cancels due to wet weather

Pippa Roome — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 16:54:37 +0000

Tweseldown’s first British Eventing fixture of the year has become the latest casualty of the weather, with the 6-9 March event being cancelled.

Organiser Brynley Powell said: “After regularly monitoring of conditions at Tweseldown over the past few weeks and further to an inspection this morning, the previous spell of intense wet weather has led us to abandon the event due to take place on the 6-9 March.

“Current ground conditions and weather forecasts leave us insufficient time to repair the ground and prepare the event to the standard required.”

Half the 6 events planned for the first 2 weeks of the affiliated eventing season have now been lost, with Tweseldown added to the cancellation of Moreton and Somerford Park. Isleham, Oasby and Aston-le-Walls are currently still running, with Isleham giving a positive update on the ground conditions today.

Tweseldown is renowned for its sandy going and being able to run in all conditions, but last year opinion was divided over whether the event should have been cancelled after it continued on very wet ground.

The loss of this fixture will hit lots riders as it normally runs 4 full days of competition from BE90 to open intermediate level. Many Badminton-bound horses often have their first run of the year here and competitors will now be forced to re-think their plans.

BE has also announced that Stafford Horse Trials (21-23 March) is now looking to reschedule because of the poor weather and will not be opening its entries.

Horses die in flooded field sparking social media campaign

Martha Terry — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 15:40:14 +0000

A good Samaritan who tended an unknown dying horse has sparked a massive Facebook campaign to save a group of neglected horses on a Leicestershire floodplain.

The page “Help the horses of Fosse Park” has gathered more than 19,000 likes in the past 24 hours.

Farrier Mark Johnson had been concerned about the welfare of this group of horses in a large area of land near Fosse Retail Park, Leicester, for some time.

However, when he drove past on Saturday (15 February), he noticed a horse lying down in floodwater (above).

“That seemed strange, and when I went to investigate, I also saw the corpse of a foal,” Mark told H&H. He then called the RSPCA.

The carcass of a foal was left decomposing (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“The fire brigade was fantastic getting the horse on to dry land, but sadly the horse’s state was too severe and it was euthanased.”

Mark posted on Facebook the video and photos that his son Harry had recorded.

“The problem has been there for a while, but my one hope is that through these 2 dead horses we can get the rest moved and legislation changed so that horses cannot be treated like this. It’s a permanent flood plain, their hay is only fit for burning and the fencing is horrific.”

Since the photos were posted, Facebook administrators have been deluged with offers of stabling, hay and assistance to help.

One administrator, Sarah Anne Mickleburgh, is restarting Leicester Horsewatch. A follower has already pledged £140 to pay for the Horsewatch website.

“These horses have been on and off this land for years, but it’s only because Mark went to check the dead horse out that it’s raised awareness that we can do something,” Sarah Anne said.

But she advised other wannabe good Samaritans that the matter is “now in the right hands, through the correct channels”.

The RSPCA, Trading Standards and Melton Police are all involved.

“We don’t want people feeding the horses, or going down there to help because it will cease to be a welfare case,” she said. “People must stay off the land, or they may be guilty of trespass or theft.

The RSPCA has been blamed for insufficient care on social networking sites, but Sarah Anne and Mark defended the organisation’s current activity. The field is owned by Everard Brewery and let out to an undisclosed tenant. The RSPCA is in contact with the owners and monitoring the situation.

“The location is not ideal due to recent flooding, but the horses are kept on a huge area of land and have areas of dry land they can move to freely,” said an RSPCA spokesman. “The owner attends and provides extra hay. [We] cannot just remove horses if there are no legal offences broken.”

Tony Tyler, deputy chief executive of World Horse Welfare — which has attended the site — said there are “thousands” of Fosse Park situations across the country due to the atrocious weather and the horses are the owner’s responsibility.

“This case has been handled throughout by the RSPCA, which gave strong advice to the owner 2 weeks ago,” he said. “The other horses seemed in reasonable bodily condition, which makes it difficult to force owners to improve conditions.

“Charities must work within the law, and they cannot seize animals even from a flooded field if dryer areas are accessible to them.

The owner removed the decomposing carcass this morning (Monday 17 Feburary).

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-the-horses-of-Fosse-Park-Leicester/215018828693901

Keeping your horse healthy in the wet [H&H VIP]

Horse & Hound — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 09:00:20 +0000

Relentless rain can soon attack a horse’s natural defences, while boggy conditions underfoot can create a multitude of health

hazards. Roger Lee MRCVS offers advice on surviving the current deluge

Waterlogged fields, flood warnings and mud everywhere — parts of the UK have had the wettest January since records began and now, into February, still the rain keeps falling. But how does all this wet weather affect our horses’ health?

For many owners, the choice is between keeping horses stabled for 23hr a day or turning them out into paddocks that resemble ploughed fields. For horses turned out, particularly those wintering outside, problems tend to occur in the areas most exposed to the continuous wet — the coat and the feet.

Rain scald is the name given to the bacterial skin infection that can occur when the coat is wet for prolonged periods. The hairs become clumped together and eventually large, matted areas can lift off to reveal raw patches of skin.

This condition typically affects the back and quarters, with the affected area often mirroring the pattern of water running off the horse’s back and down its sides. The bacteria responsible, Dermatophilus congolensis, is one of a group of organisms also responsible for mud fever.

Horses wintering without rugs are most at risk, although rain scald can occur on the neck and face of rugged horses and even the body of those rugged up when still wet. The most important part of any treatment is to keep the horse stabled and dry. The scabs will eventually brush out or lift off, but antibiotics may be necessary in severe cases.

Fighting fungus

Horses’ hooves have evolved for hard, dry conditions, so it is no surprise that constantly wet feet are prone to problems. Foot abscesses are particularly common in wet weather, especially if a horse is unshod.

Small cracks in the hoof wall that developed in dry weather widen and become packed with mud. Such cracks gradually work their way deeper into the hoof until reaching the sensitive tissues — where an abscess forms.

The white line is the name given to the area where the horn of the hoof wall joins that of the sole. Like any join or seam, it is a weak spot.

White line disease is a bacterial or fungal infection that attacks the white line when it is further weakened by prolonged soaking. The hoof wall then separates from the horn underneath, creating a gap that is filled with white, crumbly material. When this happens at the front of the hoof wall, it is called seedy toe.

Mild cases of white line disease don’t cause lameness, but if the hoof wall separation extends higher it can reach sensitive areas.

The treatment is to cut away the affected hoof wall and treat the horn underneath with dilute iodine or a sugar and pevidine mix; something to dry it out and kill any bacteria. Affected horses need to be stabled on a dry surface during treatment.

Thrush can occur when the feet are kept continuously wet, either because of muddy fields or damp bedding. The condition is another infection, causing a black, unpleasant-smelling discharge in the clefts of the frog — particularly the central one. It is more common in horses with narrow heels and deep clefts, especially if the feet are not regularly picked out.

Like white line disease, thrush rarely causes lameness unless it is severe. Treatment involves bringing the horse in to stand on a dry surface, cutting away any diseased frog and keeping the feet clean. Dilute iodine can be painted on to the frog, or an antiseptic spray can also be used.

Slippery when wet

Wet ground or not, horses still like to gallop. They don’t always realise, however, that it may be harder to pull up on slippery ground. Injuries from skids and falls are common in the mud, and horses can slide into wire or even flip over a paddock fence.

When hacking off-road, and particularly when hunting, very soft ground brings its own injury risks. Jumps with boggy landings are dangerous because a horse may be unable to “unstick” his front legs in time, and his own momentum can bring him down.

Soft ground generally means lower speeds, with less concussion on joints, but very “holding” ground can lead to check ligament or suspensory damage as horses struggle to maintain their balance. Tiredness and muscle fatigue are major contributing factors to injury, and horses have to work much harder in soft going. It is important to slow your speed and to keep your hunting day shorter.

Although it might be fun to gallop through puddles and standing water, if you can’t see what is lurking under the surface you can’t avoid it either. Always proceed with great care.

Horses can successfully winter outside, even without rugs, but in persistently wet weather they lose weight easily. A wet coat loses its insulating properties and if it is also cold, a horse has to use much more energy keeping warm. To counter this, try to provide a field shelter with a dry floor, ensure adequate feeding and check the coat and feet regularly.

Liver fluke: the wet weather worm

The parasitic flatworm liver fluke affects mainly sheep and cattle, especially on wet or boggy pasture.

The liver fluke eggs hatch out in water and the larvae live first inside small water snails. They then hatch out again before crawling up grass stems, ready to be eaten by the grazing animals. Once swallowed, the fluke burrow through the gut wall and eat their way into the liver, causing serious damage and even death.

Mild and wet winters such as this one increase the number of snails and provide ideal conditions for liver fluke, which is especially common in Scotland and the west of England.

It is known that horses are more resistant than livestock to fluke, but it is hard to tell how many could still be carrying a low level of infection. This is chiefly because there is no reliable way of identifying liver fluke in horses — the flukes only rarely produce eggs and signs of infection are often vague. These signs include anaemia (a lower than normal level of red blood cells), dullness and possibly soft droppings. Liver enzymes, as measured by a blood test, are also likely to be higher than normal.

Infection is unlikely unless a horse is sharing pasture with livestock. If fluke infection is suspected, horses can be treated with the same “anti-fluke” drug as cattle and sheep, but always discuss with your vet first as these medications are not licensed for use in horses.

‘We didn’t know what was wrong’

Unexplained weight loss coupled with diarrhoea, lethargy and a lack of appetite were the worrying signs that all was not well with thoroughbred mare Poppy.

“A blood sample revealed an abnormal white blood cell count and a raised level of gamma-GT liver enzymes,” explained her owner, Kate Hewetson, who first noticed problems with Poppy back in October 2012.

“Poppy regained her appetite once she was put on a course of antibiotics and a low-protein diet, but her liver enzymes remained high.

“We were advised to see whether the liver, given time, would repair itself, but by February she was no better and was referred to hospital.”

Liver scans and biopsies shed no further light on the cause, but it was a chance meeting between Kate’s own vet and another that raised the possibility of liver fluke, especially as livestock grazed nearby. Testing returned a positive diagnosis.

“One of my other two horses also tested positive, although he showed no signs of illness,” said Kate. “All three were dosed with Fasinex [a farm animal liver fluke treatment].” A month later, Poppy’s blood tests showed an improvement.

“It took 10 months for Poppy’s liver to recover fully,” added Kate. “She later took part in The Showing Register masterclass at Horse of the Year Show — a fairy-tale end to a difficult year.”

Prestigious polo club offers emergency stabling to flood victims

Sophia Heath — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:00:46 +0000

Guards Polo Club is offering free emergency stabling for horses which have been affected by the flooding.

The club has spare stables at Flemish Farm which is less than 4 miles across Windsor Great Park from Smith’s Lawn.

“Our usual Flemish Farm residents are not due in for another few weeks and so we have some space for emergency stabling for those affected by the flooding,” said a spokesman from Guards Polo Club.

“3 horses took up residence yesterday from Blue Acre Horse Rescue and there are spaces for a few more”.

Anyone who is in need of stabling can contact Emma Leiva or Tara Smith on 01784 434212.

In other parts of the country efforts to co-ordinate the delivery of donations of hay and haylage to Somerset are continuing.

Hunts and equestrian communities are coming together to send lorries of forage down to the area which has been flooded for more than a month.

Somerset needs you! Horse world mobilises to help flood victims

Sophia Heath — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 15:15:34 +0000

The equestrian community across the country is coming together to help people in Somerset who are struggling to feed their animals after the destruction of pasture and hay stores by flooding.

Supermarket chain Tesco has stepped in to help and has agreed to transport the donations from the Gloucestershire area down to people in Somerset.

The Gloucestershire effort is being coordinated by Francesca Pollara from the Sunhill Stud, Meysey Hampton.

“At the moment I have got 3 lorry loads of haylage and straw,” Francesca told H&H.

“We need people to donate more. The livestock that has been moved is likely to need to be fed for another 2 months.

“We all have horses and if we were in the same situation I hope someone would do the same for us.”

Eventer Bruce Haskell is also trying to raise support.

“At the moment all I am trying to do is get more and more people involved,” Bruce told H&H.

“It started at the weekend and now hopefully it is starting to snowball.”

If you are in the nearby area and can help then please email Francesa (francesca@sunhillstud.co.uk).

As well as the effort in Oxfordshire, hunts have also been helping to co-ordinate efforts. The Quorn, Fernie, Belvoir, Cottesmore and North Cotswold have all made donations.

“Anyone connected to the countryside will be able to relate to the suffering and despair that these farmers are going through,” said Joss Hanbury joint master of the Quorn.

“They are desperately in need of fodder for their animals, which in many cases have had to be moved out of flooded fields or barns to other farmers.”

Geoff Brooks, owner of the Eurobale haylage business in the Quorn country, is organising the collection and transport costs for that area. (email eurobale9@aol.com).

Lauren Shannon’s eventing blog: wet weather, bruised legs and British stallions

Lauren Shannon — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 17:30:32 +0000

I think most people reading this will be considerably wetter than they were this time last week after all the horrendous weather we have had! I cannot complain, we live in Leicestershire, on the Nottinghamshire border, and I think most storms tend to dump most of their wet stuff around the coast on the way to us.

There have been some remarkable pictures and videos of the weather this last week, and we are definitely lucky to be not taking any ourselves! Having said that, our fields are definitely too wet to turn horses out in, and I have had to take the horses that are on holiday to a very kind owners’ to graze on some lush hill fields.

It has been a quieter week on the yard anyway, as I had a bit of a run in with a steel stanchion last week — not something I would recommend doing. I was riding a young horse back from the school and he spooked at a mechanic underneath a car as we walked past.

Ouch! (Image credit: creditUnknown)

It was fairly innocuous, except that my right knee and calf hit a steel on the side of a building as he spooked. It was one of those “nothing” things, but it managed to bruise quite spectacularly (pictured) right where my stirrup leathers would sit! Not ideal for riding, but as I was heading to the Hartpury BBSH Stallion Show last Saturday, it didn’t seem to matter much.

This is the first stallion show I have been to, and I have to say there was a lot to like while I was there. British breeding has come a long way in the past few years, and it is definitely looking up for the future. There were a few young stallions in the parade which impressed me, and it was great to see the older stallions like Carousel, Jaguar Mail, Arko III and Russell looking so well.

Personally, it was lovely for me to see Carousel in the flesh, as he is the sire of my retired 4-star mare Quixotic (pictured top), who I am breeding from now. I am still very new to the world of breeding, but I can’t help wanting to use him with another of my mares, as Delphi was such an amazing horse for me. It is very hard to keep sentimentality out the way in these things! Then again, sometimes I think that might be the way to go, as the results of breeding can be so arbitrary at times.

Anyway, the best thing I think I can do now is a lot of research to try and find the best stallions for my eventing mares. Delphi will possibly go into foal one more time after she foals this summer, and my other mare Gentel Lux will be put in foal this spring too.

Next week, the work begins on our new yard here at home, which is quite possibly the most exciting thing that has ever happened! I’m starting to think I should have allowed for a few foaling boxes…

Lauren

Horses stranded in Colorado floods [video]

Horse & Hound — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 12:30:55 +0000

Thousands of horses have been stranded in Colorado due to serious flooding.

The September floods have killed at least 8 people and severely damaged around 2,000 homes across 4,500 square miles.

The area is densely populated with horses, including many large studs and training facilities.

Hay and feed is being airlifted to stranded farm owners, and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is appealing to horse owners to donate to its Equine Disaster Relief Fund for ongoing recovery. The fund was initiated to ensure the safety of wellbeing of horses during disasters, in the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005.

USEF chief executive officer John Long said: “Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude will be arduous and ongoing, but not impossible. We need to remember that when the flooding stops, the recovery is only beginning. This fund is a dollar in and a dollar out. Any donation equates to timely and efficient help for horses and horse owners.”

Make a donation

Floods cause misery for horse owners

Amy Mathieson — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:12:32 +0000

Flooding and heavy rainfall have caused further misery for horse owners over the Christmas period, with sodden fields, manèges and, in some extreme cases, submerged stable blocks.

Statistics from the Met Office show that 2012 was the second wettest year according to national records for the UK, which date back to 1910. April and June were both the wettest on record.

The persistent wet weather resulted in total 2012 rainfall for the UK of 1,330.7mm — just 6.6mm short of the record set in 2000.

Dawn Webster from Cavendish Bridge Farm in Derbyshire was flooded twice in December, causing chaos and costing her thousands of pounds.

“The water just started coming up in the fields, but we had no flood warnings in place so assumed it would all be OK,” she said. “But suddenly the fields and manège were 3ft under water and it was rising fast.

“It then floodedthe stableyard, so I had 37 horses to move — and it’s not that easy to relocate, especially with show horses and a stallion.”

She added that her food and hay supplies were ruined.

“We had no electricity, all my leatherwork was ruined — everything was trashed. There was raw sewage everywhere so the place needed disinfecting. And then the horses had been back a week when it happened again,” she said.

“It’s cost me a fortune — I had to pay landowners for space, diesel to travel [the horses] and all the lost gear and my insurance doesn’t cover any of it.”

And World Horse Welfare told H&H it has seen a rise in calls during the bad weather.

“We received noticeably more calls in December, but we are trying to reassure people that there is rarely a risk to welfare, so long as there are drier patches in the field and fresh food and clean water are regularly provided,” said the charity’s Tony Tyler.

“Owners need to use common sense and move their horses to safer, drier ground or bring their horses into stables, just giving limited turnout if at all possible.

“But if this is not an option they can sometimes help reduce the problems by putting straw down and temporarily fencing off particularly wet areas.”

The charity is also struggling with the wet weather at its Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset.

Several fields are under water, or are so waterlogged they cannot be used.

“Springs are popping up, causing damage to tracks, and we had a landslide in our outdoorschool. All of this will need to be repaired,” said farm manager Claire Phillips.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (10 January 2013)

How to flood-proof your stable yard

Horse & Hound — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:48:04 +0000

If you think your stable yard is in danger of being flooded, your first step should be to work out a flood plan.

“It’s very important to do this so that people on the yard know exactly what to do and who to call,” said Ross Cockburn of CSI Flood Products.

“Include where to take the horses, emergency telephone numbers and where and how to turn off the electric, water and gas supplies.”

The British Horse Society’s Lee Hackett added: “Move all horses to an area away from standing water, even if that means turning them out in the field.

“Make sure your hay is up off the floor on pallets because hay is cannot be fed once it becomes damaged by flood water.”

Miles Greenwood of Equine Pasture Maintenance recommeds, if possible, creating a winter turnout area in advance.

“Horses damage wet ground and it can take a lot to bring it back,” he says.

“If you do turn out in flooded fields, harrow, aerate and re-seed your paddocks in spring when the ground is dry. Add lime, potassium and phosphorus back in to the soil to get it ready for summer.”

For stables, manufacturers Scotts of Thrapston advised investing in deep flow guttering to drain rainwater away quickly.

“Treat your timber with a microporous wood stain and seal your brick work to reduce water damage,” added a spokesman.

Useful anti-flood products

Sandbags are a cheap and effective way of stopping flood water, £55 for 100 hessian sacks
Hydrosacks are eco-friendly and lighter to use than sandbags, £12 for two.
Water extraction pumps remove standing water fast. Prices range from £55 up to £350.
Module flood barriers are reusable blocks that slot into each other and protect whole areas such as yards, as well as stables, buildings and gateways from water. Prices start from £125.

All available from www.flood-products.co.uk (0800 083 0953). Your local council may also provide sandbags in an emergency.

This article was first published in H&H magazine (10 January 2013)

Wet weather claims more point-to-point meetings

Horse & Hound — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:47:37 +0000

Another point-to-point has been lost due to the continued wet weather.

The South Devon Hunts Club meeting, due to be held on Sunday, 30 December at Ideford Arch, was cancelled and is unlikely to be rearranged.

But it’s not all bad news. The Silverton fixture on 13 January is holding an extra race, an intermediate, which is a qualifier for the Connolly’s Red Mills intermediate final at Cheltenham on 1 May.

And the South Midlands Area Club meeting, postponed from 2 December, will now run on 2 February. Coverage will resume in 10 January issue of H&H.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (4 January 2013)

RSPCA rescue teams called to horses cut off by floods

Charlotte White — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:40:37 +0000

RSPCA rescue teams have welcomed a dry spell in the weather after being called out to numerous horses and other animals stranded by flooding in past weeks.

On one of the worst days for flooding, 22 November, the charity received more than 80 calls relating to animals affected by flood waters.

In Leicestershire, four horses were rescued from a flooded field in Sileby Road, Barrow-upon-Soar and crews were also called to Granite Way, Mountsorrell.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Horses were also reported as being in danger in London Road, Wellingborough, Northants. All three call-outs took place on 23 November.

Then on Monday (26 November) crews were called out to two horses stuck in waist-high water in Durham.

And on Wednesday (28 November) four horses were trapped up to their necks in flood waters after the Trent burst its banks in south Derbyshire.

Gloucestershire was the location on 29 November, where a group of horses on land near Walham had become stranded and were unable to feed or drink.

Hay and water was ferried to the horses by boat and a vet also checked them over.

“The weather seems to have settled down now which is a relief,” said a spokesman for the RSPCA.

Charity makes urgent appeal after crucial building collapses in heavy rain

Horse & Hound — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:56:53 +0000

A small British charity which helps equines in the Gambia is appealing for emergency funds — after torrential rain caused one of its main buildings to collapse.

Heavy rain in the west African country caused the ‘Donkey Barn’ belonging to The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust to collapse last week.

“It is essential for the well-being of the donkeys,” said Anna Saillet from the trust.

“There are huge numbers of biting insects in The Gambia that carry many deadly diseases; without the protection of an insect-proof barn at night, the donkeys are much more susceptible to disease.

“Many of the donkeys housed in the barn are orphaned foals or in need of long-term specialist care,” she added.

A typical resident of the Donkey Barn is ‘Lucy’, shown in the photo (above), before the building collapsed.

“She was found so weak that she could barely even stand, so it was a long slow process to help her get to even this weight,” said Ms Paillet.

The charity needs to raise £3,500 to replace the Donkey Barn.

“As a small charity, we simply to not have big reserves for disasters like this,” said Ms Paillet.

The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust was founded in 2002 by Heather Armstrong and her sister, the late Stella Brewer Marsden, to improve the health, welfare and productivity of working equines in The Gambia.

For more information, visit www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk To donate online visit the JustGiving page (www.justgiving.com/DonkeyBarn) or text BARN99 followed by the amount you would like to donate (e.g. BARN99 £10) to 70070.

The postal address for the charity is Brewery Arms Cottage, Stane Street, Ockley, Surrey. RH5 5TH

Wet weather set to affect horse feed prices

Flora Watkins — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:12:58 +0000

Horse owners are being warned to brace themselves for higher feed prices this winter, following the worst harvest for 20 years.

With wheat yields down by as much as 14% in parts of the country, the cost of cereal crops has rocketed. Grain costs have also been driven up by droughts in the USA and Russia.

“It is definitely going to have an impact on riders’ feed bills,” said Emma Penny, editor of Farmers Guardian.

“It has been so wet that quality has been affected really badly. This year’s crops are very light in terms of bushel weight.”

The price of soya — much of which is grown in the American Midwest — has also risen dramatically because of drought. Manufacturers are currently paying about £400 per tonne. This time last year the price was £280 a tonne.

H&H spoke to several British feed manufacturers. All were gloomy about the effects of wholesale prices on their businesses and some warned that further price increases were likely.

Robert Clegg, commercial director of Spillers, said they had seen a 30% rise in wheat prices since the spring. The situation for proteins and soya was “also very tight”, due to global demand for the products.

“Undoubtedly we will experience higher feed prices during the winter, as the higher cereal and protein prices are passed on through the food chain,” he added.

Spillers is not planning to put prices up at the moment.

Paul Ainsworth, founder of Sussex-based Falcon Equine Feeds, said the wet summer had dramatically affected the quality of crops.

“We have been very careful and have bought the quality stuff — and that has an impact [financially],” he said.

Falcon had a small price increase at the start of October, of around 30p on a 20kg bag.

Mr Ainsworth told H&H he was doing his best to absorb costs rather than pass them on.

“We are trying to look after our customers, but this is only going to go one way — all raw materials have gone up and are looking like they will keep going up,” he said.

He is hoping that savvy buying decisions will help to keep the cost to the customer stable.

In early September when the shortages were becoming apparent, he opted for a strategy of buying at a fixed price for the next few months.

“It is always a bit of a gamble, but it’s looking like the right decision,” he said.

Allen & Page also put its prices up. On 1 September a 20kg bag rose by 20p.

“Prices hadn’t changed since February 2011, which is down to good buying decisions,” said marketing manager Clara Baillie-Lane.

“But we may have to have a further small increase, possibly this winter.”

But for smaller feed merchants, the strategy of “buying forward” is not an option.

Balanced Horse Feeds of Chessington, Surrey, sells most of its products locally. Prices went up on 1 September for the first time in 18 months — by around £1 for a 20kg bag.

“We absorbed the increases for as long as we could, until we were almost making a loss on bags of food,” said the company’s marketing manager Becka Foster.

“We are hoping not to have to put prices up again for six months, but we cannot anticipate our suppliers’ costs — and we don’t get a great deal of warning,” she added.

H&H also contacted Dengie and Dodson & Horrell, who did not wish to comment on the likelihood of price increases.

Dengie did, however, stress that the home-grown alfalfa used in its feeds was “hardy and resilient” and could be harvested several times a year — reducing the company’s reliance on imported raw materials.

But with the wet weather continuing into the autumn, concern is now turning to the planting of next year’s harvest.

In many places, the ground is so wet that farmers are having problems drilling wheat.

But Jane Buchan of Baileys warned that a good harvest in 2013 may not halt the spiraling cost of cereals.

“People think maybe next year we’ll have a bumper harvest and wheat prices will plummet,” she said.

“But when oil prices come down, the price of petrol doesn’t drop.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (25 October 2012)

Donkeys come to the aid of Pakistan flood victims

Horse & Hound — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:38:51 +0000

Donkeys are helping to get vital first aid, vaccination and medicines to people affected by monsoon rains in Pakistan, which have killed 400 people.

The floods have affected an estimated 4.5 million people and displaced whole communities.

But mobile teams operated by the Brooke in one of the worst-affected regions – Sindh province in southern Pakistan – is helping the relief effort.

Donkeys are being used to transport families, food and supplies.

The Brooke mobile team is also helping to provide first aid and supplies to some of the estimated 800 displaced horses and donkeys in the region.

A spokesman for the Brooke mobile team in Jacobabad district said: “Hundreds of thousands of animals are at risk in rain-affected areas as water-borne diseases have emerged.

“And animals could die of starvation because fodder has been washed away.”

The Brooke is an international animal welfare organisation dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in some of the world’s poorest communities.

For more information visit www.thebrooke.org

Rain and floods cause havoc for horse owners

Amy Mathieson — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:45:59 +0000

Equestrian fixtures were hit by the spell of heavy rain at the end of September as horse owners around the country battled with flooded yards, grazing and hacking.

Several racecourses were forced to cancel their fixtures due to flooded tracks and paddocks – including Ripon, Folkestone and Worcester.

Redcar abandoned its meeting on 29 September following 100mm of rain in the days before. South of England Horse Trials were rained off halfway.

The RSPCA placed its water rescue specialists on call around the clock.

Two donkeys – one fittingly called Noah – had to be rescued from their field in Cattal, North Yorks, after it flooded last week.

“The water was pretty deep,” said RSPCA chief inspector Mark Gent. “At one point, we were up to our necks in it. I’ve swum with dolphins, but it’s the first time, and hopefully the last, I’ll swim with donkeys!”

H&H reader Natalie Harrison, a freelance groom from Wrenbury, Cheshire, encountered severely flooded roads while out hacking.

“There were a lot of roads flooded, with many cars having problems breaking down and getting stuck,” she said. “Luckily, all the horses were OK with the water.”

And Peter Morris from Market Bosworth, Leics, found his yard underwater.

“The downpour was torrential for no more than 20min, but completely flooded our yard with two to three inches of water. It took a couple of hours for the water to clear,” he said.

“Thankfully, the stables are a couple of inches above ground level, so the water only just started to enter and partly wet the beds.”

Emma-Jane Williams told H&H she’d suffered “terrible flooding” in Taunton, Somerset, but has tried to use it to her advantage.

“We have been trying to turn this horrid situation with the weather into something positive – we’ve used the flooded fields as a giant water complex to teach my new five-year-old warmblood-cross to be bold in and through the water,” she said.

“Not many people can boast a five-acre personal water complex. And trotting down the flooded roads has been great to improve his fitness and stamina.”

And Charlotte Whittle from Ryther, Yorks, next to the river Ouse, has had problems with flooded roads and fields.

“I can’t remember there being this much water around in the 25 years I have lived here,” she said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (4 October 2012)

Noah the donkey rescued from severe floods in York

Charlotte White — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:00:50 +0000

Two donkeys – one fittingly called Noah – have been rescued from their field after becoming victims of flooding in North Yorkshire

Fifteen-year-old Davy and four-year-old Noah were rescued, cold but unhurt, from their field in Cattal near York yesterday, by an RSPCA rescue team.

RSPCA chief inspector Mark Gent said: “We had to wade out quite a way to get to the donkeys and though they were happy to be led in the more shallow water it became much trickier when the field dipped.

“The water was pretty deep. At one point we were up to our necks in it and the donkeys were literally swimming.

“I’ve done swimming with dolphins but it’s the first time, and hopefully the last, I’ll swim with donkeys!”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The team then went to Ripon to rescue 14 sheep from Little Studley Road. The sheep made a swim for it moments before the team waded out, and were all fine.

RSPCA chief inspector Rob Melloy, who is co-ordinating the North of England water rescue team’s response today, said: “Our water rescue specialists are on-call around the clock at the moment.”

No November fixtures for British Eventing

Flora Watkins — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:49:54 +0000

British Eventing (BE) will not extend its season into November, after taking soundings from event organisers.

BE explored the move following the unprecedented number of event cancellations this year. Almost 100 days have been lost to the weather so far.

But BE chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith said there was “little appetite” for November fixtures from organisers, due to the weather and shortage of daylight hours.

“It means there are real questions regarding financial viability,” he said. “But we continue to explore opportunities that could be attractive to BE members.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (6 September 2012)

Autumn hunting meets delayed by late harvest

Horse & Hound — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:13:03 +0000

Hunts up and down the country are being forced to stall the start of autumn hunting because of the unusually late harvest.

This summer’s washout – June was the wettest on record – decimated the outdoor show calendar and kept much of the countryside under wraps. It also stunted crop growth and has prevented farmers from accessing their waterlogged fields.

Secretary of the North Shropshire, Annabelle Dibble, told H&H: “My husband is a farmer and the situation is getting desperate. We are still waiting for a dry spell to start the harvesting.

“Traditionally, we should have started autumn hunting on the August bank holiday, but everywhere I look there are still fields of standing wheat.”

In the West Country, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale’s first autumn meet was delayed by a week, but secretary Vicky Mathews said that, until the nearby fields are cut, future dates will need to be planned week by week.

“There are still a lot of unharvested fields around us that we would normally hunt across, so we will need to liaise with farmers on a daily basis before we can do any route planning,” she said.

In Hertfordshire, the Puckeridge has managed to begin hunting on time – just.

“Things were looking very dubious a couple of weeks ago, but fortunately we’ve had 10 dry days around our area and most of the fields are now cleared,” said joint-master Diana Pyper.

H&H hunting columnist Nigel Peel, who is joint-master and huntsman of the North Cotswold, said hunts need to be patient.

“This is a difficult time for farmers and it would be a terrible mistake to start hunting before all the corn is cut,” he said. “We need to bide our time now – we can look forward to plenty of extra days once the weather settles down.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 September, 2012)

Quantity over quality for hay this season?

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:13:32 +0000

Horseowners are being warned that this could be the third tough year in a row for buying hay – though for different reasons than the past couple.

Prices have soared over the past two winters due to poor crops after very dry summers. This year, quantities look good and costs should remain stable, but the appalling weather has affected quality.

“The hay harvest was late with the rain this year,” said a spokesman from the Hay and Straw Merchants Association (HSMA). “There will be plenty of haylage, possibly even more than normal, and second-quality hay – but we’ll be lucky to get good amounts of top-class racehorse hay.

She added there are exceptions, but that best-quality hay is likely to “command a premium price“.

Brian Peacock from Yorkshire Haylage added: “After the most difficult wet June and July ever, trying to get first-cut [earliest harvest, usually in May/June and the most nutritionally valuable] haylage has been near impossible, and hay impossible. We’ve had bumper crops, but the quality is diminished.

“So it’s ‘buyers beware’ – there will be a lot of poor-quality first-cut product to watch out for, so it’s worth looking at a reliable supplier, or trying before you buy.”

Due to more horses having to stay in this summer, H&H readers are concerned about how much hay and haylage has been fed – and a possible price increase. But farmers are reassuring.

“Fortunately, we still have some of last year’s stock, as it was a mild winter, but we have had some panic buying,” said Mr Peacock. “So far, the price hasn’t risen, and if we can get some hay made in the next few weeks, that should keep the price intact.

“If we can get good second cuts, that should keep the price similar to last year, but onceagain we are totally reliant on the weather.”

According to the HSMA, last winter hay prices were highest in the eastern counties, at around £110 per tonne. The cheapest were found in Scotland, at £60 per tonne.

Ben Bonnett from Top Grass Haylage said he was “remaining positive“.

“Grass crop yields look good, but we have only managed to get under half of the crop baled so far.

“We have some quality made haylage, but the quality is dropping off as the grass crop gets older.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (30 August 2012)

Poor weather causes horses to moult early

Horse & Hound — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:55:55 +0000

This summer’s poor weather has again affected our horses, with equines growing winter coats a month early.

The wettest April to June on record caused some horses to start moulting as early as July. The trigger for losing the summer coat and growing a thicker one for winter is shortening hours of daylight and the dark skies and rain clouds seem to have tricked horses into moulting early.

Showing supremo Lynn Russell said her coloured horses started to lose their coats in the first week of July.

“I have never experienced them losing their coats this early before,” she said. “But they think we’re into winter. “I’m going to have to clip them four or five weeks before we go to Horse of the Year Show so their coats get a chance to grow a little before the show.”

And H&H readers have seen the same problem.

Laura Wheeler said: “I noticed Herbs was itching a lot and discovered he was moulting in July. It’s a shame as he is bay roan and a lovely pink colour in the summer, but when his winter coat comes through he’s just plain bay.”

“My horse never even got a proper summer coat,” said another H&H forum member.

But Suffolk-based horse behaviourist Richard Maxwell warned owners not to overrug their horses in a bid to try to inhibit coat production.

“You are much better off letting your horse deal with the weather naturally,” he said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & HOund (16 August 2012)

British Eventing considers extending season into November

Charlotte White — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:38:06 +0000

British Eventing (BE) is considering extending the season into November to make up for the high number of cancelled and abandoned fixtures.

More than 70 days have already been lost from the BE calendar and, although 16 extra days have been added, many riders are struggling to get a run.

BE chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith said: “Extending the season into November is under consideration and we are looking at the practicalities and possibilities.”

The idea has garnered widespread support from riders at all levels, but with some reservations.

Four-star rider Sharon Hunt said: “Extending the season into November is a really good idea, providing the weather is OK.

“I’ve got a lot of young horses at the moment and, although I’m not in a rush with them, they haven’t made as much progress this year as I would like.”

And Irish international Sacha Hourigan said she would like the season extended as a matter of course.

“I would actually like to see a longer season every year, with a better geographical spread of events,” she said.

“I think horses would stay sounder for longer, as it wouldn’t be necessary to run them as often to chase qualifications.”

But BE100 competitor Kirstie MacGillivray, who is based in Scotland, cautioned: “I applaud BE for taking positive action, but our season has to finish in mid-September because there is not enough daylight once October arrives.

“Extending the calendar into November will not help Scottish competitors.”

And novice competitor Sally Witts added: “It will help me as I’m so busy over the summer, but my teenage daughters won’t be able to compete in November because it will be too dark to ride after school.”

However, the regular eventing season is still only halfway through.

BE estimated there are 4,000 entries available around the country for events running in July at all levels, from BE80(T) to CIC***, plus three further months of competition.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (19 July 2012)

Are you looking to buy a new eventer? View our online database of horses for sale

Now the wet weather is devastating driving trials

Horse & Hound — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:48:27 +0000

The wet weather has devastated the British Horse Driving Trials Association (BHDTA) calendar this month with all of its July fixtures being cancelled.

Goodwood (21-22 July), Allerton Park (21-22 July) and St Fort (27-29 July) are all casualties.

And the Midlands Driving Trials Group (MDTG) event at Widmerpool (4-5 August) is being postponed until 1-2 September.

The Wiltshire British Driving Society (BDS) summer show, which was due to take place last weekend, has been moved to 19 August.

Horse owners warned about rise in ‘buttercup burns’

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:55:29 +0000

Owners are being warned to keep an eye on their horses if they are grazing in fields full of buttercups – the plant can irritate horses’ flesh and this has been a bumper year.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall says she is receiving more callouts, and earlier in the year, to possible “buttercup burn” than usual.

Buttercups contain ranunculin, which can be an irritant. It may cause mild soreness or blistering around the mouth and on the sensitive skin around the muzzle.

“The problem is worse in wet weather, when moisture on the nose may increase the irritant effect to cause a contact dermatitis,” said H&H veterinary adviser Karen Coumbe. â€¨

“The rash can take up to 72 hours to appear. If a horse has a serious dermatitis, check out other possible causes, such as sunburn or photosensitisation.”

Redwing’s vet Nic de Brauwere added: “The sap in the plants is an irritant and, if eaten, a large amount can also cause diarrhoea and colic. Buttercups are seen to be innocent, but they can have their own set of problems, so owners should be aware.

“More worrying are St John’s wort and ragwort – which cause liver problems and release photo-reactive chemicals in skin, causing it to be more sensitive.”

Camilla Bedford, from Derbyshire, noticed her 20-year-old Irish sport horse Walter’s nose had become sore about two weeks ago.

“He has a pink nose so is susceptible to sunburn anyway, but this year it’s been exacerbated by the buttercups and has gone scabby,” she said.

“I’m putting on an antiseptic cream and sun cream. There’s no way we can remove the buttercups from our pasture – there are too many.”

But Ms Coumbe advises owners not to be unduly worried.

“There is little scientific work on buttercup toxicity, probably as it is considered a low risk, but it is still frequently a cause for concern,” she said.

“If buttercups are to blame, the condition will rapidly clear if the horse is kept away from the plant for a couple of days.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (14 June 2012)

Badminton exhibitors “left reeling” by cancellation

Flora Watkins — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:39:07 +0000

Equestrian businesses – gearing up for one of their busiest weekends of the year – have been left counting the cost, following the cancellation of the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (3-7 May).

There are more than 200 trade stands at Badminton, and for many visitors, the shopping is almost as important as the eventing action.

Paul Baynham-Honri of Patey Hats told H&H he was “in shock” after receiving the news.

“It’s our first major show of the season and it accounts for a large percentage of our turnover,” he said.

“At Badminton, you get a concentration of sales over what is now five days, which gives you the input to fund the rest of the year.

Badminton final scores

“It’s like having the best shopping street in the country shut,” he added.

Mr Baynham-Honri sells between 50 and 60 of his bespoke riding hats at Badminton.

“A lot of people save up to go shopping at Badminton. They will come and see us to get measured for their hunt caps and toppers.

“Our stand is also a big dropping-off place for people getting their hunt caps refurbished for next season,” he added.

Theresa Morris, owner of Treehouse Sporting Colours, said the cancellation of Badminton was “very, very disappointing”.

“The lorry’s loaded, it’s like putting a pin in a balloon,” she told H&H.

“We do a lot of business at Badminton. People wait to come and see us for a fitting and to choose their cross-country colours.

“We have got a lot of stock in for the event, which is going to affect our cashflow.

“This is going to have a big effect on us,” she added.

Helen Salmon, owner of Just Chaps burst into tears when she heard the news.

“My house is now overflowing with chaps I’d made especially for Badminton, including the new GB range in support of Team GBR,” she said.

Ms Salmon was due to launch a new website at Badminton and was hoping to sell up to £10,000 of products.

“The cancellation is devastating for us as Badminton is one of our key events where we get to meet our customers face to face.

“The launch of our new website will go ahead this week, but the effects of the weather have certainly dampened our spirits,” said Ms Salmon.

And it is not just equestrian businesses that will be left out of pocket by the cancellation.

An economic impact assessment carried out several years ago found that Badminton was worth in the region of £50m to the local area.

Dave Kelly, who owns The Priory Inn in nearby Tetbury told H&H that Badminton weekend rivaled Christmas for being the busiest three-day period of the year.

“Customers have been cancelling in droves this morning (Monday, 30 April),” he said.

“We are trying to resell the rooms, but it’s unlikely at this stage.

“Our restaurant, which is a real haunt for the Badminton crowd, is not going to have its usual buzz this year,” he added.

H&H will be hosting a ‘virtual Badminton shopping’ event on Horseandhound.co.uk over the Badminton period (3-7 May). If your business had a trade stand at Badminton and would like to take part please call our classified team on 0800 316 5450

Drowning horses saved by quick-thinking dog walkers

Horse & Hound — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:24:08 +0000

Travellers’ horses, being kept illegally on land in Bushey near Watford, were rescued by dog walkers after they fell into a deep flood waters.

Passers-by, who found one horse already drowned and three others floundering in water from a burst underground pipe, used dog leads to keep the animals afloat, according to a local paper.

The walkers discovered the horses on land belonging to the Woodland Trust in Merry Hill Lane at about 8.40am yesterday (10 January).

The fire brigade, police and the RSPCA were called to the field and the surviving horses were rescued from the water.

Watch commander Dave Elliott, from Watford fire station, told the local paper that a walker had to hold up the head of one of the horses, which was close to slipping under the water, while firefighters made their way to the field.

He said: “They were in a very bad state. If the member of the public had not been there they would have drowned.”

It is believed that the horses had been treading water all night.

A spokesman for the Woodland Trust said horses had been removed from the land before and were illegally grazing the site.

A spokesman for the RSPCA told H&H: “Although this was a traumatic incident, the horses were all in a sound condition. The horses were placed into a different secure field, following the rescue.”

Appeal to help equine victims of Australian floods

Horse & Hound — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:21:38 +0000

Horse owners in Queensland, Australia, are assessing the damage done by recent floods that ripped through the area.

At least 22 towns and more than 200,000 people have been affected by the floodwater that covered an area as big as France and Germany. Damage is thought to be around AU$1bn (£745m).

Around 70 horses are reported as unaccounted for, according to Equestrian Queensland, but the number of dead is unknown.

“There have undoubtedly been some horse casualties,” said Michael Beattie of the Australian RSPCA. “But most heeded the warnings and moved their horses to high ground.”

Eighty standard-breds died when the Cold Mountain Stud in Moore was flooded on 11 January. And many horses rescued from the floods are injured.

Beth Parker of Quest, a Queensland horse rescue charity, said: “Many have lacerations from being caught in fencing. These are prone to infection because of the long periods in filthy water.”

She expects a number to die from secondary infections.

Two horse evacuation centres and a website to coordinate donations of feed, rugs and other equipment have been set up. Financial donations are also welcome. Visit: www.eqflood2011.com.au.

Warwickshire team chase postponed

Horse & Hound — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:46:26 +0000

The Warwickshire team chase, scheduled for Sunday, 14 March has been postponed due to the wet weather.

Organisers hope to run it in April. All entries received so far will be carried forward to a date yet to be confirmed, and entries will close near the time.

Details at www.teamchasing.co.uk

Latest from Horse & Hound in Wet-weather

‘Exceptionally wet ground conditions’ force cancellation of early British Eventing fixture

You may also be interested in:

Britain urges FEI to relax rules on replacement classes after washout spring

The impact of the wet spring had many layers – a number of events were forced to cancel, or cut certain classes, which was a blow to organisers and the sport. It also had longer-reaching effects on those seeking qualifying runs.

A statement from the BEF highlighted these “significant cancellations” owing to weather, adding that it has been “very difficult” for riders relying on these valuable minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) in order to progress.

“Our international calendar is quite complex and therefore due to the requirement for a four-week window, we are unable to use this option,” stated the BEF.

It added: “We are therefore looking for the ability to reschedule lost events with TCNs, assuming all other criteria are met, on a shorter timescale of application to enable us to replace lost MER opportunities at very short notice, which would allow athletes and horses to progress.”

The FEI eventing committee is looking to reduce the minimum application time from four weeks to 10 days, which will be voted on at the FEI general assembly (18–21 November).

H&H covered other proposed changes extensively in last week’s issue (news, 2 November), including nosebands, social media policy and demanding information relating to anti-doping allegations.

Wet weather cancellations: a rider’s view

THE wet spring had a major impact on event rider Sarah Hedges’ plans for 2023 with her top horse, Igna, whom she was preparing to step up to four-star at Chatsworth.

“I was already qualified, but qualified doesn’t mean ready,” said Sarah.

She told H&H that although the weather was not completely to blame for the runs she missed, some were down to other minor issues but the depleted calendar left “absolutely no wiggle room”.

You might also be interested in:

5 horsey headaches that ‘inbetweeny weather’ brings

1. Rugs

2. In or out?

3. Timing to perfection

4. Walking weatherman/woman

5. What to wear?

Of course, your number one priority is your horse, but after they’re sorted, what on earth are you going to wear to ride in? You’re very chilly tacking them up, but as soon as you get into trot, you’ve broken a sweat and are wishing you’d put on a T-shirt underneath your jumper.

You might also be interested in…

Thoresby hopeful flagship classes will run despite wet weather after more sections abandoned

Thoresby organisers BEDE Events have cancelled most national classes due to run on Friday (31 March), with the exception of the open novice under-18 (section D). The CCI2*-S class will go ahead.

Saturday’s intermediate and open intermediate (OI) under-21 section have also been cancelled. OI sections G and H will continue as planned, alongside the CCI3*S.

“It hasn’t been an easy decision as the ground on course at the moment is truly fantastic and the feedback from those on site is exceptional,” said event director Stuart Buntine.

“However, we feel that in making the decision early we can prevent a number of horse and rider combinations travelling, which will be to the benefit of horse welfare.”

Friday’s cancelled sections are novice sections A, B and C, plus intermediate section F. Saturday’s cancelled sections are intermediate sections J and L, and OI under-21 section I.

“Our focus is to give priority to those senior horses and riders who are desperate for their open intermediate, advanced and CCI4*-S runs as they make their preparations for both Kentucky and Badminton,” added Mr Buntine.

“We also see the need to prioritise the CCI2* and CCI3* for those requiring minimum eligibility requirements. We are truly sorry for those novice and intermediate competitors affected.”

The news follows a soggy start to the spring season. The cancellation of Oasby, plus lost days at Cirencester, mean that many combinations head to Thoresby as their opening run.

Northallerton (25 to 26 March) was also lost to the wet, and Goring Heath (1 to 2 April) is cancelled this weekend.

The point-to-point calendar has also taken a battering, including three of the nine fixtures scheduled for this weekend lost to the weather.

The Fernie team chase, which includes the national team chase championship, has been postponed from 2 April to 15 April.

You might also be interested in:

New rules on extreme weather aim to benefit horses, riders and venues

BD weather warning guidance: what are the new rule?

You might also be interested in:

9 things you learn when you’re at a show in the rain

You might also be interested in:

H&H eventing editor’s blog: Tweseldown abandoned as the rain keeps falling…

You might also be interested in:

Owners urged to ‘act early’ after flood warnings: emergency rescue teams on standby

Freak weather causes delay to start of Luhmühlen cross-country

9 ways to get your yard ready for winter before the clocks go back

Continued below…

Missing pony who survived floods found standing on a roof

A muddy disaster! What can I do to help my grass grow this spring? H&H asks an expert

How has the winter affected this year’s crop of spring grass?

What do horse owners often overlook when it comes to growing grass?

What can I do now to encourage growth?

If you have machinery…

If you don’t have machinery…

How much will it cost approximately?

Are there any potential horse health risks to using seeds on the grass?

What types of weeds grow when the grass is in such a condition (wet and poached)?

Managing toilet sites

What can horse owners be doing to ensure grass growth is better next spring ?

Watch remarkable video of brave mare saving herd from severe flooding

Flooding elsewhere in New Zealand

Stranded horses led to safety in dramatic flood rescue

Exhausted donkey stranded in flood water for 12 hours towed to safety

Dramatic rescue of horse stranded on island caught on camera

Flood response team

Showing competitors met with flash floods at BSPS Championships

Cancellations earlier this year

The dangers of floodwater for horses [H&H VIP]

Dodson & Horrell donate feed to flood victims

Another British Eventing fixture cancels

Welfare charities team up to rescue horses from floods

Horses euthanased after repeated flooding

Flooded land could be useless for months [H&H VIP]

Another event cancels due to wet weather

Horses die in flooded field sparking social media campaign

Keeping your horse healthy in the wet [H&H VIP]

Prestigious polo club offers emergency stabling to flood victims

Somerset needs you! Horse world mobilises to help flood victims

Lauren Shannon’s eventing blog: wet weather, bruised legs and British stallions

Horses stranded in Colorado floods [video]