More changes have been made to the Jumping World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, owing to “growing focus on horse welfare and the importance of ensuring our young horses are developed and competed in an age-appropriate way”.

H&H reported that the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) had announced changes to the final for five-year-olds at this year’s event; these will now be judged using an optimum time, after concerns were raised about “racing against the clock” in 2025. The federation has also introduced minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) to ensure horses are prepared for the championships.

Now the WBFSH has confirmed that five- and six-year-old horses will take on smaller tracks, in the qualifying rounds and finals of the championships. Courses for five-year-olds will be set at 1.20m, rather than 1.25m as previously, in the first two qualifiers, and 1.25m rather than 1.30m in both rounds of the final.

Six-year-olds will jump 1.30m in the first qualifier rather than 1.35m. The second qualifier stays at 1.35m but the final will also be at 1.35m, rather than 1.40m as previously.

Seven-year-old horses will jump 1.40m in both qualifiers and 1.45m in the final, as previously.

“These updates are the result of constructive discussions between the WBFSH, the FEI and stakeholders from across our sport,” WBFSH general manager Nadine Brandtner told H&H.

“As breeders, riders and organisations responsible for the future of sport horses, we recognise the growing focus on horse welfare and the importance of ensuring that our young horses are developed and competed in an age-appropriate way. The adjustments to the championship format and the introduction of MERs are intended to support the long-term development of young jumping horses, while maintaining the sporting quality and international relevance of the championships.

“We believe it is important that our sport continues to evolve, guided by both experience and responsibility towards the horses in our care.”

The full guidelines, including MERs, are available on the WBFSH website and the updated championship schedule will be published before entries open.

“These updates reflect the ongoing discussions between the WBFSH, FEI and stakeholders across the sport, initiated in response to increasing focus on age-appropriate demands, horse welfare, and greater clarity and consistency in the framework for young horse competitions,” the spokesperson said.

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

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‘Britain is the best place to produce young horses, not Europe’s factory shows’, says Harry Charles

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Mutual respect and good equine citizens: giving horses the best start in life

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Feed balancers for horses have risen in popularity over the years – and for good reason. The best feed balancers are more than a vitamin and mineral supplement, and when fed at the correct amount a balancer will provide your horse with all the nutrients he needs.

The best feed balancers allow you to get all the essential nutrients into your horse, in a low-volume and low-energy way, which is particularly helpful if you’re watching your horse’s waistline or you’re actively trying to help your horse lose weight.

Of course, nutritional requirements change with age and workload, so like other feed products not all feed balancers are created with the same goal in mind. Balancers can usually be divided into one of the following groups…

• light balancers – formulated to provide all the nutrients they are likely to be missing from the restricted diets of good-doers and horses in light work
• performance balancers – designed to support competition horses and those working hard
• senior balancers – formulated to support digestion, comfort and movement in older horses
• stud balancers – aimed at stallions, pregnant or lactating mares and youngstock with higher protein requirements

We’ve rounded up a selection of some of the best feed balancers for horses to help you find the right feed for your horse…

• light balancers
• performance balancers
• senior balancers
• stud balancers

NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available bag/tub. Some products require you to feed more in certain situations, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger bag/tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.

Light balancers: what’s on the market?

Performance balancers: what’s on the market?

Aimed at good-doers in work, this low-calorie balancer provides all the nutrients you’d find in a competition mix or cube, but without the associated calories, making it ideal for horses who are stressy or excitable but require nutrients for health and performance.

Low levels of starch and sugar also make it suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers. It can be fed as the sole concentrate, alongside any type of forage, or added to reduced quantities of other hard feeds, to ensure a fully balanced diet.

This balancer contains turmeric, black pepper, oils and glucosamine to promote healthy joint function and movement. It contains carefully formulated levels of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients alongside complete hoof, respiratory and digestive supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.

This balancer is a low-calorie source of vitamins and minerals with additional digestive, hoof, recovery, immune, and protein support. It is ideal for topping-up natural vitamin levels in forage and is described as suitable for all horses.

This concentrated formula is described as suitable for all – from the family pony to performance horse. It contains key ingredients to optimise gut function, combined with optimum nutritional supplement specification that balances a high-fibre, low-concentrate, or performance diet.

This highly nutritious, low-intake balancer comes in the form of a mix. This allows it to provide a higher level of fibre and oil, which support stamina, and the inclusion of micronised maize helps to provide a higher energy level when compared to traditional pellet balancers.

This balancer provides digestive and immunity support in addition to everyday vitamins and minerals. It is rich in amino acids to support muscle development and topline, high in antioxidants and contains pre- and probiotics.

Designed for good-doers in medium to hard work that do not need extra topline or muscle development, this balancer provides everything your horse needs in a small amount of non-heating low-calorie feed.

It contains a multi-supplement that is described as including the levels of micronutrients normally only found in high quality specialised supplements.

Senior balancers: what’s on the market?

Formulated for horses over the age of 14, this balancer contains the correct levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the diet, along with additional supplements to ease the ageing process. It includes digestive, hoof, coat, skin, respiratory and joint supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.

Providing comprehensive nutritional care for older horses, this balancer comes in the form of a cereal-free mash, which allows it to be ingested easily, even when dentition is poor.

It is low in sugar and starch and contains omega-3 to support joint mobility and muscle suppleness.

This balancer supports digestion, comfort and movement in older horses. It is high in antioxidants to support immune health and has probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive health. It also contains high levels of glucosamine, MSM and omega-3 to support joint health.

Designed for elderly horses that are prone to weight gain, this balancer combines the benefits of a low-calorie feed balancer and a joint supplement

in a cost-effective way.

It’s formulated without cereal grains and provides only low levels of sugar and starch, which helps to maintain healthy hindgut function and avoid loose droppings.

Stud balancers: what’s on the market?

NB: We have not calculated a cost per day for the stud balancers below as feeding rates vary greatly with stage of pregnancy for mares as well as age for youngstock.

This balancer provides optimum nutrition for all breeding stock. It can be introduced from 3 months of age and, being low calorie, it is ideal for good-doers, supporting even growth rates without encouraging weight gain.

Its quality protein and elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, including chelated minerals for improved bioavailability, support foetal development as well as helping ensure the mare is receiving the nutrients she needs to produce good quality milk.

Formulated for performance horses and growing young stock, this balancer supports consistent, steady growth rates for youngstock.

It contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, and includes nucleotides for quality cell replication, pre- and probiotics, plus essential omega-3 and -6 oils.

This nutrient-rich balancer, specifically formulated for broodmares, stallions, and youngstock, contains a long-lasting gastric acid buffer and prebiotics to support gastric and hindgut function.

It has been formulated to help promote bone strength and correct limb development by providing quality protein, vitamins A, D and K, plus essential micronutrients such as elements calcium and phosphorus.

This balancer is a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals, packed with additional support supplements for stallions, mares, foals and youngstock. It is low in starch and includes key amino acids, hoof support and vitamin E, which helps support fertility and milk quality.

It also contains MOS and FOS prebiotics and ActiSaf yeast – a probiotic which supports a healthy hindgut environment of fibre fermentation and nutrient uptake.

This scientifically formulated, pre-digested feed balancer supports and balances a pasture-based diet for equine stud animals. The highly palatable nuggets, which are large enough to be eaten off the floor, contain amino acids that support quality lean muscle and skeletal growth and development.

DHA, a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, is included to support semen motility, mare postpartum recovery, foal feeding behaviours and development.

This balancer, designed to support breeding and youngstock, is whole cereal free, low in starch and sugar, which makes it suitable for fast-growing foals and horses with more excitable temperaments. It can be fed alongside a forage only diet or alongside the existing ration to support nutrient intake.

All types of breeding stock will benefit from the elevated inclusion of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which supports immune function, colostrum quality and can help to support optimal muscle function.

Designed for youngsters who hold their condition well and to complement a forage-based diet, this balancer is a low-calorie nutrient-rich growth formula for safe and even development. It’s suitable for foals, youngstock and pregnant or lactating mares.

TopSpec Stud Lite Feed Balancer provides most of the benefits of TopSpec Stud Feed Balancer, including a multi-supplement combined with a feed, but on a low-calorie, low-protein base, making it ideal for youngstock and broodmares that are good-doers.

What is the best balancer for horses?

The best balancer for your horse depends on why you’re feeding it and your horse’s individual needs – different balancers serve different purposes.

Balancers often provide a wide range of nutrients, if your horse has a particular issue or demand on his lifestyle, a specific supplement – such as one of the best joint supplements for horses – may provide him a greater benefit. It’s also important to note that, in most cases, you need to feed an electrolyte in addition to the balancer if your horse requires one.

When choosing a balancer, check whether it suits your horse’s workload and dietary needs. Always introduce feeds gradually and follow recommended feeding rates. Most feed companies offer free nutritional advice, so if you’re unsure which is the best feed balancer or other product is right for your horse give them a call to discuss. You can also read through some advice they gave H&H on how to choose a feed balancer for your horse.

Can you feed a balancer on its own?

Balancers often come in a pellet form, making them suitable to be fed on their own – and this is one way balancers differ from supplements. Adding chaff to the bucket feed, however, is a great way of extending your horse’s eating time.

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Veteran supplements: what’s on the market?

What is a feed balancer? H&H explains…

How to choose the right feed balancer for your horse

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

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

Weaning, training and environment are among the most important things to get right to ensure horses have a good life – as is a positive mental attitude from the start.

These were among the messages at the second Better Beginnings for a Better Life conference organised by the British Horse Foundation (BHF) on 14 October.

Experts in equine training and research, and top riders, gathered to cover best practice for horses up to four years old, following on from the 2022 event, which covered to age two.

In her introduction, BHF chair Jane Nixon said: “The BHF is a conduit for collaborative facilitation of research and education to help people make informed decisions that result in the breeding of quality and, importantly, fit-for-purpose youngstock.”

Brad Hill, an assistant professor of equine clinical practice at Nottingham Vet School, spoke of the importance of positive mental attitude from the beginning.

“When Jane spoke to me about this, we had a chat about the young horse and she reminded me of the two most important things to get right; front foot conformation and weaning,” he said. “So I’m going to go back to the start, then take you on a journey.”

Prof Hill said weaning is one of the most stressful events in a horse’s life. But as there are many methods used, and lack of consensus on how stress and impact are measured, “we just don’t know the impact weaning has in terms of the rest of the horse’s life and career”.

He said there is the more traditional abrupt weaning, or more gradual approaches, and “we also see foals just chucked in together, a bit like Lord of the Flies, and expecting to learn from each other without any older friends in the group”.

Prof Hill and his team looked at a range of publications on the subject but found a lack of evidence. He recommended future work to determine the best method but said that in the second part of the study, welfare charity staff described horses rescued who showed weaning-related separation anxiety, even as adults.

“So I put to you, do you know how your horse was weaned?” he said. “Did you meet the dam and sire? Do you know anything about the early, crucial years in your horse’s life?

“There is research with key points about how we should do it. We should put them into a multi-age herd; they need to learn from others of different ages. We also know that if you get it wrong, you will increase the incidence of stereotypic behaviour, such as crib-biting and wind-sucking, eightfold.”

Prof Hill said research has shown that calves who were isolated after weaning are less resilient and able to problem-solve, which could also apply to horses, and which led him to consider equine learning theory.

“We all know that if you put your legs on a horse and the horse moves forward, you take the pressure of your leg away,” he said. “[At Burghley], we all watched Ros Canter achieve an incredible round across country that she made look effortless. Why? Because she was talking the language the horse understood. She was in harmony with her horse, she was using pressure and release or negative reinforcement.”

‘Positive punishment’

Prof Hill covered “positive punishment”, applying an adverse stimulus after unwanted behaviour, such as an electric fence, which is instant and teaches the horse to stay away from the fence.

“But use of a whip like this just simply doesn’t work,” he said. “You see riders have a stop at a fence, turn the horse away, give the horse a smack, and the horse doesn’t understand what for, because the timing is too slow. The horse is then more highly aroused, enters a state of confusion, and often then goes on to have more penalties.”

Top trainer and former British World Class eventing performance manager Yogi Breisner covered holistic equine training, which he said is a “huge subject”, about which everyone will have their own opinion.

“I find the more I know, the more I realise how little I know,” he said. “Every time I meet a new horse, I learn something.”

Yogi pointed out that horses did not ask to be ridden; we choose to ride them so it is our responsibility to ensure they have a good life. He said to him there are four basic aids that horses need throughout their lives to some degree: go forward, slow down, turn left and turn right.

“I’ve always wanted to make horses rideable and fit for purpose,” he said. “If you’re interested in hacking or trail-hunting, the horse doesn’t need to know piaffe and passage. But when you go to a grand prix show, if they can’t do flying changes, you’ll lose out. You need to realise what you need the horse to do then teach him those things so he’d rideable at the level you want.”

Yogi said for a horse to be fit for purpose, his mental wellbeing is as important as anything physical; it is part of holistic training to prepare a horse for what he will meet in life.

“There are four things for me that guide my training,” he said, adding that these are, most importantly, the horse, classical training, rules and trends, such as in judging and course-building.

“The most important ingredients we humans can bring is to study the horse and learn to read the signs,” he said. “When you start young horses, probably after weaning the most traumatic part of life is when they get a rider on their back. In the wild, anything that jumps on its back means danger. I don’t like the word ‘breaking’, it’s better to say ‘starting a horse’; the first step is for the horse to accept a human being on its back.”

Yogi covered the fact horses learn by repetition, sending signals from the brain to the muscles, and that using classical aids means horses can be ridden by others.

“But it’s not just about riding,” he said. “What makes a horse reluctant to do what we want? First if he doesn’t understand or second, he might not be physically incapable.”

The latter may be owing to pain or lack of training, Yogi said. He believes the more time he can spend with a horse, the more he can learn about and feel him; if he physically cannot do the job, this will come through.

Environment

Environment is also key to training, so the horse’s physical and mental wellbeing is optimised; such as his living arrangements and correctly fitted tack, as is getting the horse used to a variety of terrains and experiences.

“It’s our job to do varied training so the horse is fit for purpose and can go out and do his job,” he said, adding that it is up to the rider to realise when is the right time to progress or have a break in a young horse’s development.

“If you look at all the different aspects of a horse’s life, not just the right training, so he feels good about life, then he’s ready to perform well for you and you can enjoy hopefully a long and successful career with your horse, whether you want to go hacking or compete at the Olympics,” he said.

Leading sport horse clinician, researcher, rider and vet Rachel Murray spoke of the importance of developing strength and stability in young horses to prevent injury and build confidence, and how the exercises needed to build this have to be tailored by an expert to each individual.

Jan Birch, of the University of Liverpool, covered sustainable management of “the other 23 hours”, when young horses are not in active training.

She explained how important turnout is, for reasons such as increasing confidence, musculoskeletal development, socialising, respiratory health and nutrition, but that we cannot all turn out in herds on open plains.

She said track systems can be very beneficial for older or overweight horses, but “youngsters flying around” with all the fencing may not be practical, and the poached ground that can result may not be ideal for young horses either.

“We’ve got wetter winters coming,” she added. “We need to think about the best alternatives.”

She said individual stabling has issues with socialisation, movement and trickle feeding, which is not ideal for youngsters, and although group stabling addresses the first concern, it still does not give opportunity for enough movement, which is so important for physical development as well as mental wellbeing.

“Recent research looks at open barns, so group-housed stock with an open area and stations they can go to for food, toys, trickle feeds,” she said. “With a good surface so youngsters can still run around.”

In summing up, eventer Pippa Funnell, who had been on a panel discussing the topics, said: “We have to pull together, the whole equestrian world. I’m thankful to all the speakers as we do never stop learning. We have to get across the companionship. I look at the horses and well up as I’m that passionate about it and to have a best friend you have to be a best friend – that’s built on trust, mutual respect, empathy, compassion.

“That’s the key message I want to get across. It breaks my heart when horses are sold but I want people to feel the pure love of the animals I work with. That’s why I do it.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows such as London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Mutual respect and good equine citizens: giving horses the best start in life

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Better beginnings: why giving horses the best possible start in life is key

‘Spectacular movement isn’t always good movement’: Becky Moody on young horses and her key training mantras

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

“This country needs to grow a pair”, joked the organiser of a new open auction of youngsters aimed to boost British breeding.

Shirley Light of Brendon Stud in West Sussex is organising the BEST (British Elite Sporthorse Talent) auction this weekend (11-12 November). The 19 three-year-olds on offer include a few of her own, plus some bred by Shane Breen, Carron Nicol and Oakingham Stud, among others.

Shirley told H&H the idea “popped out of my head”.

“The aim is to promote British breeding,” she said. “It’s time this country grew a pair and put on a good sale like this!”

Shirley said all the horses will have been at her stud for a fortnight before the sale. All have been vetted, and 48 X-rays taken of each horse – “we’re doing everything,” she said – and potential bidders will have every chance to see them in action. The aim is for the viewing day, 11 November, to be a social event; as well as seeing the horses and watching them loose-jump, visitors can take advantage of the bar on site, and stay in their lorries if they like. Bidding concludes on 12 November.

Shirley said her aim is for the sale to grow to be held at least once a year. She has started with showjumpers as those are the ones she breeds but does not want it to be restricted by age, discipline or location.

“All the auctions abroad work like this, ones that are open to everyone, and it’s time we realised that sales like this can be good, and that you don’t have to go abroad to buy good horses,” she said. “We breed and produce good horses; we know how to give them the right start in life; the first three years are so important.”

Free tickets are still available for the viewing day.

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

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

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

The publication of guidance aimed to give young horses the best possible start in life is part of work to ensure optimal equine health and wellbeing – and help ensure the future of our sport.

This is the belief of the British Horse Foundation (BHF), which has released its Better Beginnings Practice Guide, “from inception to two years old”, which challenges readers: “Are you willing to turn the microscope on your own breeding practices?”

H&H reported last year that the BHF had held a conference, at which industry experts spoke and discussed best practice throughout the breeding process (news, 20 October 2022).

As well as the agreement that teamwork and improved education are key to providing the best start, which means producing adult horses more likely to be sound, healthy, happy and fit for purpose, the outcome of the conference was that the guide should be produced.

From information shared at the meeting and a follow-up webinar last December, these first guidance notes have been produced.

“Changing long-held practices and beliefs and even changing the way we look at what we do is difficult,” said BHF chair Jane Nixon. “But where we can make small changes that will improve the lives and wellbeing of our equine partners, it’s up to us to do everything we can.”

Dr Nixon told H&H that the guidance is the result of “a lot of hard work from a lot of people”.

“The original idea of the importance of the baby horse came from the Futurity [youngstock evaluations],” she said. “It was becoming increasingly obvious that problems in the older horse are related to poor production in the young horse. Now we have the opportunity to concentrate on this and bring it into the public domain.”

The online guidance features videos and links to external websites and research, starting with the decision to breed, from the choice of mares and stallions to weaning and beyond. As well as benefiting horses, the aim is to help maintain public acceptance of equestrian sport, by setting horses up from the start to have good lives.

“It’s about mutual respect and horses who are good citizens,” Dr Nixon said. “We have a duty of care to these animals.”

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

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

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

IMPROVED education and teamwork are key to providing young horses with a start that will set them up for happy, healthy and sound lives long into the future.

This was the key message from the first “Better Beginnings” event, organised by the British Horse Foundation (BHF), on 10 October.

The aim of the conference, at which a variety of experts spoke, was to focus on management of youngsters, from before conception to two years old, seen “through the lens” of horse sport’s social licence to operate.

“These are challenging times, with increasing threats to equestrianism, and our social licence to continue to work with, care for and nurture horses,” said BHF chair Jane Nixon.

“We need to earn that licence, and show clearly, unequivocally to all who have never known or interacted with horses, that the horse always comes first, and its health and welfare is always paramount. If we make good breeding decisions, and get the first two vital years right, we have that foundation.

“What we take forward from today should be a springboard for better education, on management of young horses, and should have a positive effect on their happiness and quality of life into the future.”

Dr Nixon, an equine vet with decades of experience, said an aim of the day was to inform sustainable breeding and production, resulting in horses who are fit for purpose, with the least chance of developing physical or mental issues, and “earlier than necessary loss of function”.

“Socrates said the secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new,” she said. “Today we won’t look back, unless it’s to plan for the future. We must produce a happy horse rather than chastise for an unhappy one.”

The focus was to be on motivating people to base their actions on the most up-to-date scientific evidence to help produce sustainable, rideable horses.

Four-time Olympian, and leading breeder and trainer, Jennie Loriston-Clarke spoke about the importance of sustainability in sport horses.

“Probably the most important part is that the horse can be trained for and sustain the level you consider it to be bred for,” she said. “Conformation and soundness are really the be-all and end-all of everything you do with the horse, plus temperament, of course.”

Mrs Loriston-Clarke spoke of the importance of varied work as horses start their training, on a variety of surfaces, up and down hills, with “a bit of jumping for any horse, as it loosens back muscles and gets them flexible”, and pole- and gridwork to build strength.

But before this point, she added, it is vital horses are bred carefully, “paying particular attention to straightness, conformation, then getting the food and the whole package right, so you can go on with a horse that’s good quality and will have a long life. Horses should not be retiring at 10”.

She added: “I could tell you of horses who have been ruined because they weren’t looked after properly as foals. You see an awful lot of ignorance, so it has to be education, in all we do.”

British Dressage international director and chief selector Judy Harvey said temperament and rideability are key for international horses, and that foals have to be raised as “good citizens”.

“They have to grow up as babies; socialising, playing in the field, learning pecking order and their place in society,” she said. “It’s very important they have a natural life.”

Ms Harvey noted the importance of handling foals so they can have the vital early farriery, and “give them the life they deserve”.

Edward Matson, of Twemlows Stud, spoke of the importance of the mare in breeding. Three key issues that need to be taken into account when deciding whether to breed from a mare are her conformation, temperament and any hereditary defects.

“Why are we breeding from that mare?” he asked. “People have high-performance mares they want to breed from, or there are the mares who have retired, so ‘let’s breed from her’, but why is that mare retiring, and should we be breeding from her?”

He stressed that people thinking of breeding one foal need to be aware of the resources needed to give that horse the best start.

“Have people got the time to do this?” he asked. “A theme of today is education, and how to get this across?”

Consultant anaesthetist Michelle Dawson stressed the importance of input from experts in foals’ development, and of listening to their feedback.

“You might have bred the best foal in the country, but how’s it doing at three, at six, and at nine?” she said, adding that this information may help inform future breeding decisions. “Maybe it got injured, and maybe all the foals from that mare break down before they’re 12. I think that ‘audit loop’ is missing in a lot of breeding.”

Two of the key players in foal development are nutrition and farriery.

Good farriery

Ben Benson, lead farrier at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, said he is “passionate” about spreading the message on the vital importance of good farriery, from the start.

“I’ve heard a lot about what we’re trying to achieve with breeding and training, and conformation, but often we need to take that back to the start,” he said. “It’s about looking at the building blocks, and I’m not sure that message is clear enough to our breeders.”

Mr Benson said it is vital the foal is assessed by a vet and a farrier in the first 24 hours, including walked on a hard surface.

“They see hundreds of foals, and will see details often breeders and owners overlook because it’s their foal and it’s perfect,” he said, adding that any issues need to be addressed immediately, to minimise the risk of long-term issues. Foals’ feet should be trimmed within the first weeks, and at short intervals until the horse is 18 months old, to give the best chance of long-term straightness and soundness.

“We have a short window to work on a horse before it’s too late,” he said. “By the time it’s two, it is too late. The best management is trimming, every two to four weeks, to make sure the feet are as close to perfect as possible, so every foal has the best chance.”

Mr Benson agreed on the importance of all professionals working together to give a foal the best outcome, adding: “Who’s the most important in managing a young horse? Everyone. The whole team.”

Sidney Ricketts of Rossdales, who specialises in equine stud medicine and equine clinical pathology, cited the importance of ventilation for young horses, to avoid respiratory problems.

“Keep them out as much as possible,” he said, adding that when horses are housed, they should have fresh air coming in from both sides, at the horses’ level, and high ceilings, and that the air should “smell of fresh forage and clean horses, not manure and ammonia”.

Researcher and equine biomechanics expert Russell MacKechnie-Guire spoke of natural asymmetry in foals, which is likely to become more evident at about three months old. He said handling foals from both sides can be helpful, and early assessment of conformation is “essential”.

“Early intervention will help reduce the effect asymmetry may have on development,” he said.

Jan Birch, whose doctoral studies and specialist research interests are in reproduction, lactation and growth, covered weaning practices, saying the stress of weaning can be the greatest in a horse’s life.

Naturally, she said, weaning will take place at nine to 10 months, but early, abrupt weaning can cause stress. This can be behavioural, physiological and nutritional, which can have long-term effects.

She said although every mare and foal is different, in general gradual weaning, and in groups rather than individually, is the least stressful method.

“If you can reduce the stress of weaning, you have potential to be able to reduce negative impacts on foal growth and development,” she added.

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

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

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

Some riders opt to purchase a young horse instead of something more established with a form book already in place. From reaping the rewards of doing the work yourself, to potentially being able to afford a more quality horse or pony on a lesser budget, there are a host of reasons why you might buy a youngster to bring on. But with triumph comes the challenge.

Here are a few realities you might experience if you choose to take this route…

1. The ugly duckling phase is real

All foals are super-cute but when some turn into yearlings, they lose that adorable ‘fluff’ and undoubtedly go through their awkward, gawky stage which leaves you wondering why you’ve parted with your hard-earned cash. Endless legs, a coffin-like head and bum-high quarters are all common features of a youngster going through a growth spurt. But, it’s important to have faith. Just as teenagers grow into their features, young horses develop at their own pace, some slower than others.

2. The big wide world is scary

Just like a child can be captivated by new sights and sounds, young horses can similarly be excited, overwhelmed and bamboozled by things they’ve never experienced before. Just be extra-vigilant if you’re on the end of the lead rope!

3. Time will fly by

When you buy a young horse it can feel like you’re going to be waiting a lifetime until you can pop a saddle on him. But be warned, one minute you’re admiring your weaned foal in the paddock, and in the blink of an eye he’s transformed into a leggy two-year-old. Turn your back again and poof, he’s a four-year-old looking like he needs a job. They grow up fast.

4. You’ll make a plan, and then deviate from it

When you buy your young horse you’ll probably spend hours mapping out his future in your head. But life has a funny way of changing direction. You might have intended him for the dressage arena, but when he jumps out of the field as a three-year-old, you realise the showjumping ring is where his talent lies. Perhaps you’ve already marked him out for a certain class, but he suddenly shoots up and measures out of height. The uncertainty is all part of the fun.

5. You’ll compare… a lot (but try not to)

His sire jumped round multiple grand prix tracks and his dam was a five-time Horse of the Year Show finalist under-saddle, but he struggles to put one gangly leg in front of the other at times…

6. The rewards will come thick and fast

There’s little more rewarding than painting on a blank canvas. Watching a young horse grow and develop, learn new things and ultimately become the horse you make them. Each milestone, however small, will be a series of wins you can celebrate and enjoy. Plus, you’ve got no one to blame, apart from yourself, for the mistakes.

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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

Britain’s novice showjumping classes are the best thing for producing young horses, and better than what’s on offer on the Continent, one of the country’s brightest rising stars believes.

The British Showjumping national classes are the subject of perennial debate, with some riders believing the age competitions held in mainland Europe are superior for youngsters.

But Harry Charles, cover star of this week’s edition of H&H (pictured), believes otherwise.

H&H made a recent visit to Heathcroft Farm, the Hampshire base of Harry, father Peter and sisters Scarlett and Sienna, to see and hear how champions are made.

“I always keep my young horses here,” Harry said. “It’s so boring for them [in Europe] because they just do the same thing, the same courses and the same model. There’s nothing better for young horses than jumping newcomers and Foxhunters.”

Harry said for example the inclusion of water trays and open water benefits young horses, who “come out as better eight-year-olds than one from Belgium who’s never seen a filler before”.

“In the Netherlands and Belgium, everything is streamed and everyone’s so scared of their horses having faults,” he added. “But horses need to knock jumps down and make mistakes to learn, like we do. If you’re that scared for a horse to make a mistake, it will come back to bite it in the backside later.

“Here is the best place to produce horses, not in those factory shows; hundreds of horses jumping the same jumps and the same courses. It doesn’t inspire me and I don’t see how it could inspire my horses.”

Harry also keeps to relatively plain fences at home, so the jumps at shows have something to inspire the horses.

“In Tokyo, a lot of the horses jumped better because the fences were like they were,” he said. “They inspired them more.”

Don’t miss this week’s H&H, out 10 February, for access to all areas of Heathcroft Farm.

• What do you think about young horse-classes? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger

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

Sport horse breeders and buyers are set to benefit from a brand new British auction showcasing finalists from this year’s Nexgen series for young event, dressage and showjumping horses.

The multi-discipline Nexgen series, which aims to emulate Germany’s prestigious Bundeschampionate young horse championships, has returned for a second year, with qualifiers throughout the summer, and finals for all three Olympic disciplines at Hickstead on 24-26 September. All finalists can be entered for a live-streamed auction at The Loundfield, Notts, on 6 October. Each horse will undergo a thorough vetting process prior to the auction by Nexgen’s veterinary panel.

“Nexgen provides UK breeders and young horse producers with a reliable platform to reach buyers across the globe,” said series founder and director Victoria Wright. “Our aim is to connect the highest calibre vendors and buyers, while ensuring that the stars of the future are produced in the right environment to achieve their full potential on the world stage.

“The Nexgen auction will give potential buyers reassurance and confidence that the young horses in which they are interested have been produced carefully and correctly and are the right type to mature into top-class sport horses.”

This year, the series has been extended to seven-year-old horses, as well as those aged four, five and six. The prize money has also been doubled from to its inaugural running in 2020, to produce a total pot of £52,000, with £15,500 per discipline, and prizes for breeders.

“The auction is a fabulous idea. Since Brexit, people are looking more inwards to the British market for horses, and we need to step up,” grand prix dressage rider and breeder Anna Ross told H&H. “The fact that the auction horses will go through a vetting procedure is ideal, as this is one way in which the British are not keeping up with mainland Europe.

“We will have to wait to see to what extent the auction is embraced, but for me as a breeder this is great news, and a really innovative project.”

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For eventers, the series features 12 qualifiers for four- and five-year-olds, while six- and seven-year-olds who meet the Nexgen criteria at affiliated level will get direct entry to the Hickstead finals. The 2020 winners were Virgina Turnbull on Cathmor Fusion (four-year-olds), JP Sheffield with Special K (five-year-olds) and Eliza Stodddart on Codebreaker (six-year-olds).

For dressage horses, there are 12 nationwide qualifiers with specially written tests for four-, five-, six- and seven-year-olds. Last year’s winners were Elly Darling on Lestingdale (four-year-olds, pictured), Jezz Palmer with King (five-year-olds) and Sadie Smith riding Jaguar I (six-year-olds).

In showjumping, horses must meet the following criteria: four-year-olds must have jumped two clear rounds at 1m at national affiliated competitions, five-year-olds at 1.10m, six-year-olds at 1.20m and seven-year-olds at 1.30m.

The 2020 jumping winners were Lottie Tutt with Billy Mufasa (four-year-olds), Jessica Hewitt on Diatender TW (five-year-olds) and Nicola Pavitt with Es Coco Kan (six-year-olds).

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.

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

Patience and preparation are key, but is there a tried-and-tested route to producing a horse to the top level? Sarah Radford asks the experts

THERE has never been a better time to be a producer of young horses. At the top end of the sport, a burgeoning calendar of five-star shows creates an insatiable demand for big-track jumpers. At the amateur level, horse sales are also booming, with lockdowns prompting unexpectedly time-rich enthusiasts to focus on their passions.

While this may be an attractive market, with big money to be made for the right horse, producing is a long and expensive game that can be riddled with disappointment.

“A lot depends on the end game of the producer – they need to evaluate how good the horse is and what their financial pressure is,” Olympic team gold medallist Peter Charles explains. “You have to learn to judge a horse’s ability to learn and its physical strength.”

Often, the guiding principle in horse production is not so much about knowing what to do, as knowing what not to do.

“The most important thing with a young horse is not to mess them up. You need to protect the horse at all times until it gets to seven or eight,” says Irishman Ger O’Neill (pictured below) of Castlefield Sports Horses, who has an established track record at producing to the top level.

“There are a lot of individual systems, and that’s fine, but once you do too much too early you ruin a horse and many get lost in the system because of it.”

In the UK and Ireland, many adhere to the traditional approach of backing horses as three-year-olds before turning them away. This is followed by further light education and potentially the introduction of competition at four.

West Sussex producer Alex Hempleman follows this approach. But while he may have his four-year-olds “popping a course at home,” he likes to give them lots of breaks and acknowledges that “the best place for a four-year-old is often in the field”.

“We all have the young horse championships in our mind and while they might be a nice thing to do, ultimately we are looking to produce a horse as best we can. There is no point giving a horse a bad experience,” he counsels.

Increasing knowledge of the impact of stress on the immature skeleton, particularly in bigger and slower-maturing modern warmbloods, has prompted some producers to delay backing until they are older. It can also reduce the risk of asking too much too soon from a capable horse.

It’s tempting to aim a good four-year-old at young horse championships, but this can be a contentious issue, with people concerned over the demands on young horses, particularly in the younger bracket.

Peter is among those who waits to start a horse until the spring of their four-year-old year.

“Mine do hardly anything until they’re five as that way you don’t overjump or overtrain them,” he says.

HOWEVER, the choices producers make are realistically often influenced by business model.

“William Funnell does a super job at the Billy Stud but he has to sell on a large basis, so it’s important for him to get his horses out in age classes,” Peter says.

“Buyers do compare results but that only tells one part of the story. I breed five to six horses a year and because I am producing a low number I can afford to take my time.”

Kim Barzilay, who has produced horses through the British system that have gone on to championship level, including Tinka’s Serenade, Lizziemary and Kimba Flamenco, gives her horses a brief start as three-year-olds but is cautious not to rush them into the ring.

“We don’t chase championships with four-year-olds, we let them enjoy life and know when to stop and give them a break,” she says. “I earn my living buying and selling, so producing our home-breds to Foxhunter is recreational for me really.”

Shirley Light, who runs the Brendon Stud at Pyecombe, usually contests the young horse championships but adopts a common sense approach.

“What a horse is ready to do depends on their temperament and conformation,” she says. “If they’re a little rubber ball or big old cruise liner that will make a massive difference, as does their attitude and intelligence.”

If you are campaigning a four-year-old, she says, it is best to pick your shows wisely and pace them.

“Some of the four-year-old classes get too big too early in the year and we don’t jump those any more,” she says. “I also don’t believe in starting them off too early, it’s a long year for them then while they’re still growing.”

Ger has been successful in young horse finals, winning at the world breeding championships for young horses at Lanaken, Belgium, four times – once with a five-year-old, twice with six-year-olds and once with a seven-year-old – but says he would only aim to be competitive there with a particular kind of horse.

These are usually smaller, quicker and more agile horses that are often faster-developing, have natural balance and are more likely to be ready to jump against the clock. Winners at Lanaken, however, are not necessarily the ones who will go on to a big-track career.

“Those horses would probably go on to jump 1.35m or 1.40m. If it’s a mare, it will look good on her CV and you might breed from her at that point. You can ask them more early on because they won’t need to jump the biggest grand prix at nine or 10,” Ger explains. “Those horses [who will go on to big tracks] you will be more happy with for jumping a double clear. Quite often it’s the horse who finishes fifth who is the one everyone is trying to buy.”

Ger adds that big-jumping horses often “come late” and are the ones you’d usually want to put back in the field once they’re established. It’s at this stage that experience can become critical in evaluating the calibre of horse you have.

“You can end up taking advantage of a horse if it’s very talented, as they find it easier, and I’ve done it in the past,” Peter warns, recalling that with his 2012 Olympic ride Vindicat, he was always playing the long game.

“He was with me from five years old and he was nine before I asked him to win a class. Winning is not something that impresses me, it’s the capability of winning later on that matters.”

AS the market for horses has become increasingly global, production systems have become more standardised. Ger notes, however, that Ireland and Britain “do have a name for producing their horses a bit quicker” than in some areas of Europe.

Emma Stoker established a great reputation for producing young horses while working for Townhead Stud, but is now based in Belgium riding for Axel Verlooy. She says she was surprised to find the approach to starting young horses there is slower and more relaxed than in the UK.

“They are allowed to be horses for longer,” she says.

Horses at Axel’s typically start being handled at four but do very little until the age of six.

“They might jump them a bit at four and if they have a mare that looks good, they’ll turn it away to have a foal first and then they’ll start it again at six – that would be unheard of in the UK, it would be too late to aim for Foxhunters,” says Emma.

“But you can give them a bit more of a consistent education rather than starting and stopping.

“We had a really nice five-year-old last year that I was desperate to take to a show but Axel said, ‘No, it doesn’t need to.’ This year we took it to two day shows and then to the Sunshine Tour and she did a better job there than most just because we waited. She was like a sponge.”

For Emma and others, the foundation “checklist” they like to see established at home to ensure a positive first experience in the ring is the ability for the horse to accept the hand and leg and to have a basic ability to shorten and lengthen.

“You need the engine, the clutch and the brake,” she says. “We spend more time on that than jumping – these simple things make everything else a lot easier.”

Turns are broadly viewed by producers as less worrying for horses than speed.

“I’ve never forgotten what Marion Hughes once told me: ‘Don’t ask a horse to go faster than it’s comfortable with because as soon as a horse is outside of its comfort zone, that’s when you start to do damage,’” says Ger.

Emma adds: “My idea of producing a horse to do a jump-off is so it doesn’t know it’s gone fast, it’s just smooth.

“I always try to make turns a little tighter rather than gallop.”

Continental tours have increasingly become viewed as the ideal environment for bringing on a young horse, offering the advantage of four to six weeks of intensive education, gradually building a horse’s confidence around appropriately built age tracks.

Ger feels they offer reliably good ground and course-building, but he says it is equally possible to produce a horse on a domestic circuit.

“The problem [in Ireland] is that sometimes county shows might not be built by someone who knows young horses and the fences might be old-fashioned and heavy and could frighten a horse,” he says. “On a tour you might be able to do eight or nine classes across four weeks and really bring the horse on.”

Emma agrees that the Continental approach to course-building is well judged, and is certainly beneficial to correct production.

“In four-, five- and six-year-old classes all the fences have groundlines, no distances are too short and they can really learn,” she says. “There are no traps.”

Others argue that the system within Britain – which combines traditional newcomers and Foxhunters, which are open to all ages of horse, with age class series – are more than adequate for the job.

“Britain has produced many grand prix horses,” says Shirley Light. “But an unfriendly track puts pressure on horses, far more pressure than a rider does.

“Short distances can pull their heads off the fence – you just want flowing, simple tracks for four-year-olds and nothing too technical for five-year-olds.

“One of the things I like in Europe is that their age class tracks are the same height in the first round and the jump-off; you know what you’re getting,” she adds. “I’d like to see it in this country in all our training shows.”

Whichever route people feel is right for their horses, there is certainly one element everyone needs to master before dealing with the responsibility of moulding a showjumper for its future.

“You need patience,” says Emma. “You have to have so much patience.”

You can also read this featutre in the 27 May issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

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If you’re looking for a project for the winter and beyond, take a look at our selection of youngstock for sale on the Horse & Hound website this week.

1. ‘Lovely temperament’

Height: 15hh

Age: two

Gender: filly

Selling points: “This registered part-bred Welsh pony (Welsh cob x Appaloosa) will make 15hh. She is out of an endurance/sports horse and is a good mover. She is good to handle and will make a nice all-round horse.”

View the advert

2. ‘Beautiful’

Height: to make 16.2hh

Age: two

Gender: filly

Selling points: “‘Echo’ is a pink papered Hanoverian filly by Elroon out of a Chicago mare. She has a lovely temperament and three fabulous paces. She is well handled and very mature for her age and has the potential to excel in all disciplines. She will make at least 16.2hh.”

View the advert

3. ‘Mini superstar of the future’

Height: 15.1hh

Age: three

Gender: mare

Selling points: “This lovely little horse, with her temperament, talent and breeding, has a very exciting future in either showjumping or eventing. She’s bold, scopey and incredibly careful. ‘Lou’ has superb bloodlines. Her sire OBOS Quality 004, by the renowned Quick Star, competed up to grand prix and Nations Cup level showjumping and has produced many international jumpers. Her dam sire, Maltstriker, was known for his technique, speed and competitive edge. This little mare is sure to go a long way and would make a great junior horse. She has an outstanding temperament — very laid back, kind, sweet and honest. She’s good to shoe, catch, load, travel, bath and to handle in every way; the perfect project for an ambitious young rider. I can not emphasise enough how easy she is, such a pleasure to have on the yard. Ready to be broken and get going over the winter ready for next season. She has good conformation and clean limbs.”

View the advert

4. ‘Fantastic prospect’

Height: 16.1hh

Age: four

Gender: gelding

Selling points: “This KWPN is by Johnson who is a son of Jazz, and is out of a dam by Gribaldi. ‘Handsome’ was imported from Holland at the end of June and he has been professionally backed and produced. He has only been under saddle for two months and not rushed. He has three impressive naturally uphill paces, is a forward-thinking ride and very quick to learn. Handsome has been to a dressage arena hire where these pictures were taken and he behaved impeccably and travelled quietly. On 31 October he was taken to a showjumping arena hire and he had a great time being bold into the jumps — he wasn’t fazed by anything in the arena. He is good and easy to do in all ways and is now looking for a competent, knowledgeable person to love him and continue his education. Handsome is still a little immature physically and green to ride and this is reflected in his price. He is a proper sports horse and in the right hands he will have a very bright future. Everything you face him with he tries his hardest to please and gets better and better. Not only would he make a lovely dressage horse but I also think he will be a great eventer. He is clean limbed and vice free.”

View the advert

5. ‘Stunning’

Height: to mature at approximately 16hh

Age: three

Gender: filly

Selling points: “This registered Irish sports horse filly is by Lancelot, a prolific sire of showjumping and eventing horses. Her dam, Lady Roccodell, who is by Sirrocco Della, qualified for the four-year-old jumping final at the Royal Dublin Show. This filly is full of presence, moves freely and straight and has the breeding to potentially make a top class showjumper or eventer.”

View the advert

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6. ‘Quality’

Height: 15.2hh

Age: three

Gender: filly

Selling points: “This filly is by Diarado (Diamant De Semilly) out of a Sir Shutterfly mare. ‘Secret Engagement’ is expected to make 16.hh approx. (15.2hh now). She achieved an elite score at Futurity 2013 for showjumping and was shown in-hand in 2014. Her grand dam (Moonlight Engagement) is currently eventing at two-star level and her great grand dam competed to advanced. She has been backed, is a good mover, well-handled with a good temperament and is ready to be brought on.”

View the advert

NB: Horse & Hound has not checked the accuracy of the claims made in these adverts and cannot be held liable if the information included above is inaccurate in any way

View more horses for sale on horseandhound.co.uk

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

The brand new British Breeders’ Network (BBN) is approaching the uber-successful businessman Richard Branson under his company Virgin’s “Pitch to Rich” scheme, which hands out money and advice to budding start-ups.

The BBN is seeking £150,000 of investment in the form of the Virgin Media start up business award.

However, there is only one day left to vote as votes close at 5pm on Tuesday 5 May.

“This was a last-minute thing,” Eva-Maria Broomer from the BBN told H&H. “Our application was only approved yesterday (Sunday 3 May), so we need as much help as possible to accrue votes.”

The award not only offers the chance of a vital cash injection, but also marketing and promotional advice, which is the cornerstone of the BBN’s future goals.

“Our objective is to not only support sport horse breeders but also marketing and advice on how to better promote their horses and achieve better prices for them in the face of Continental opposition,” added Eva-Maria.

“Avenues of funding are hard to come by, but the business advice and mentoring would be of real benefit to the BBN.

“We’re delighted with the support we’ve had on social media. A big push to help us get into the next stage would be fantasic. Virgin’s award would deliver some real, tangible benefits.

“The BBN is aiming to be a global brand, built from British roots and we don’t have very long to nail this — but with lots of help it is doable.”

Voting closes tomorrow at 5pm.

Place your vote

Youngstock and mare show

The BBN has another ace up its sleeve, with the advent of a youngstock and mare show at Hartpury college on 9 August.

This coincides with the British Young Breeders show on 8 August and the Futurity on 9 August.

The BBN will share the venue with the BEF on Futurity day, with the latter taking place in the top indoor arenas and the BBN using the international and outdoor arena to “focus on what the Futurity currently doesn’t provide, like mare assessment”.

The show aims to bring together breeders and potential clients by showcasing some of the successful Futurity entrants in the international arena with commentary from experts including Jennie Loriston-Clarke, Lynne Crowden and Katy Holder-Vale. Negotiations are ongoing with experts in other fields and will be confirmed nearer the time.

Vet Jane Nixon will talk on what exactly the Futurity vetting is looking for, as some breeders are “apprehensive of this part of the assessment and it needs clarifying”, added Eva-Maria.

Lynne Crowden, who is running the British Young Breeders day on 8 August and is looking for 50 three- to four-year-old mares for the panel to assess. Mares must not have a foal at foot and must have had some handling. Anyone wishing to put horses forward for free inclusion should email info@britishbreedersnetwork.org

If the formula of combining a BBN show with a Futurity fixture is a success, the idea may be rolled out regionally in the coming years.

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

The Alvescot Stud in Oxfordshire is reducing its stock of youngsters after the family’s son, Duncan Hobbs, suffered a serious head injury earlier this month (1 September).

Duncan, 37, was lungeing a three-year old in the stud’s indoor school before he was found unconscious.

“We couldn’t get an air ambulance because of the low cloud, but a doctor came from RAF Brize Norton and Duncan was taken to the John Radcliffe hospital,” said his father, Stephen.

After 10 days in intensive care, Duncan was moved to the hospital’s neuroscience ward, where he will remain until he recovers.

The last scans indicate he was kicked in the head.

“He’s never been kicked seriously before and is always very careful how he backs them. He’s coming back slowly but it will take a while,” said his father.

The Hobbs family set-up the Alvescot Stud in 1981 and have 120 horses at the Burford-based farm.

The stud’s main stallion Flashpoint was champion at the Warmblood Breeders-UK stallion grading in 2012 and has been used several times by dressage rider Dan Greenwood.

“The three- and four-year-olds sold very quickly and we’re now going to try and sell the two-year-olds and yearlings before the winter,” added Stephen.

For more details visit www.alvescotstud.co.uk

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

From foalhood to 4 years is when young horses develop the foundations for future health and soundness. Jane Nixon MRCVS explores the physical issues during these crucial early stages

Youngsters tend to be green and gangly, with their bodies developing in fits and starts. But early identification of any developmental abnormalities among these more usual growth spurts is important, as many such problems predispose sub-optimal performance in adulthood.

The aim for producers is to breed an adult horse who is as symmetrical as possible. Monitoring the foal’s limbs should begin at birth, as this is the time when problems may be identified and stand the biggest chance of correction.

Some elite sport horse producers ensure their foals undergo a physiotherapeutic examination at birth to reduce the effects of any laterality (one-sidedness) or torsion (twisting) that may have occurred during the birthing process.

Bumps and bones

Developmental limb deformities can show at varying ages and should be constantly monitored and corrected by way of foot balance, nutrition and controlled exercise. Signs of incorrect development include any dissimilarity between left and right limb angles, or other variations from the norm.

It is usual for the foetal bone cartilage growth plates to become progressively ossified. The limbs finish their lengthwise growth when all these plates have closed, usually by 3 years of age.

Bumps can occur due to inflammation of the growth plates, a condition called epiphysitis. The bumps tend to form just above the fetlocks or on the knees, appearing between the ages of 4 weeks and 18 months. They may self-correct over 4 to 6 weeks, but the main causes are excess weight and too much turnout on hard ground.

Careful management is required until the affected growth plates have closed.

While the neck and back are susceptible to similar problems, the signs are not so readily recognised. They may present as obscure lameness or loss of full control of movement (ataxia).

The interlocking skull bones may also show excessive bone formation, which can appear as bulges in facial and nasal areas. These are usually self-limiting and resolve themselves without treatment.

Conformation problems

As the youngster matures from foalhood and into the early stages of work, further problems can occur. These include:

➤ Bone outgrowing muscles, tendons and ligaments, with resultant twisting of the cartilage of the growth plates.

➤ Too great a weight gain, too early, with resultant excessive limb loading.

➤ Joint concussion caused by too much exercise on hard ground.

➤ An unprepared musculoskeletal system unable to cope with too demanding exercise.

Corrections are sometimes possible, provided the affected growth cartilage is still “open” and not fully developed. These are made by addressing possible causes and altering ground reaction torque forces by experienced farriery.

Attempts at such farriery techniques on closed growth plates are impossible, however, and may be counter-productive due to the resulting artificial pressures on other still “open” areas and on related joints.

The main cause of many problems is poor conformation. Culprits include foot asymmetry (fore or hind), toe-out conformation of the fore feet and straight or sickle hocks.

Attention to hindlimb development is of paramount importance. The hindlimbs are attached to the pelvis and spine at the hips and the sacroiliac joint, and consequently any weakness will affect the development of back, core and neck musculature.

Incorrect muscle development can result in reduction of balanced performance in the adult horse. Unmanaged limb abnormalities will lead to osteoarthritis and consequently faults in action and lameness, due to restricted stride pattern as athletic requirement increases.

Such deformities can result in subclinical lameness by 8 years old and overt lameness by 10 years, requiring ongoing management.

The producer must decide at an early stage whether the animal is destined for the athleticism required by the sport horse industry or will solely be aimed at the showring, where youngsters frequently carry too much weight and are less likely to enjoy a subsequent athletic career.

Feeding for healthy growth

Nutrition management plays an important role in young horse development. Diet is also linked with increasingly well-recognised hormonal influences.

By 12-15 months old, the typical yearling should have achieved 90% of his mature height, 95% of his bone length and 75% of his adult weight.

As the youngster matures, a balanced diet remains an essential part of helping him to develop into a strong, healthy adult.

All but extremely experienced producers are strongly recommended to take nutritional advice from feed manufacturers, who have trained nutritionists at hand.

Laboratory testing for EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) and laminitis is now the norm, particularly in broodmares for the avoidance of laminitis and the consequent reduction of predisposition in offspring and subsequent generations.

Similarly, it is known that hormonal influences in fast-developing 2-year-old colts may predispose them to orthopaedic problems, including laminitis and/or limb overload in the older horse.

Producing a young horse to the point of his first outing under saddle as a 4-year-old — and for a successful adulthood — is a skilled task. It is important to remember that any painful incident at this stage may have a lifelong effect.

Every aspect of the young horse’s development should be monitored constantly and every unexplained change investigated.

Above all, under saddle a balanced, empathetic approach should be established and maintained to maximise the youngster’s potential.

How training affects tissue development

Different skeletal tissues develop at different times. Tendons, ligaments and possibly cartilage are most responsive to “loading” in the first year of life, while bone is more responsive during the yearling and 2-year-old period.

Research has shown that 2-year-old racehorses in light work are likely to have a longer, sounder working life than those not raced until later. For dressage horses, a small amount of balanced work under saddle as a 3- and4-year-old will encourage the correct adaptation of bone for future work requirements.

Once the skeleton has matured, at around 5 years of age, training should be directed at muscular, respiratory and cardiovascular fitness.

Young horse checklist

Manage your young horse with the following steps:

➤ VACCINATION: leading vet Dr Derek Knottenbelt has identified that the equine herpes virus can cause inflammation of the trigeminal nerve associated with headshaking. As such, both the in-foal mare and her offspring should be vaccinated against the herpes virus.

➤ NUTRITION: seek expert advice on the correct dietary requirements for these early years.

➤ TEETH: check there are no erupting milk teeth, tushes (canine teeth), wolf teeth or molar caps before you introduce the bridle. Ensure, too, that the lower jaw excursion (movement) is equal to the left and right — which is usually 1.5 incisors’ width each way. This will prevent asymmetrical loading and pain of the temporomandibular (jaw) joints, with ensuing imbalance under saddle.

➤ TACK: it’s crucial that the first saddle ever placed on the young horse’s back should fit. Otherwise, there’s the risk of local muscle spasm and development of scar tissue, which may never resolve, causing lifelong alteration of limb flight path.

➤ TRAINING: avoid movements that compromise development. Extended trot, for example, will overexert the undeveloped abdominal core muscles, causing back muscle soreness from which the youngster may never recover. Always do all exercises from both sides/on both reins.

On our yard we have three big barns with 14x16ft Loddon boxes. They have rubber floors and close-circuit monitoring. We also have three large, deep-litter “loose-housings” for young stock, which range in size up to 40x40ft.

We use stocks from Monarch for all scanning and artificial insemination procedures, because we only use stallions based in Germany. The stocks are de-rigueur for the safety of our vets.

We are fortunate to have undercover parking for our Oakley horsebox, which takes four large horses and has air suspension to lower the angle of the ramp, which is useful for loading foals.

Our 35 acres of paddocks are fenced with Fieldguard electric — the safest fencing in our experience. In addition, we have a round pen and a sand and rubber outdoor school.

Straw and bedding

We live in a predominantly dairy farm area, and good wheat straw was scarce last year — so much so that we drove to Cambridgeshire and bought in our whole winter’s supply in September.

In boxes with rubber flooring, we use Bliss bedding, made from chopped rapeseed straw. It’s made locally in Ashbourne, and we prefer it to shavings.

Feed

We feed ad lib haylage, either in extra large “small hole” nets, or our home-made round feeders in the loose-houses. I make these with two sheets of Stokboard —

a recycled plastic sheet similar in its properties to plywood — bolted together. They are durable, safe and serve as a “roundabout” if any bullying takes place.

I’m a fan of Baileys Gro’N Win mare and foal balancer, and we make up our own mix using Alfafa nuts, soya and oats, which are grown locally and which we crush ourselves.

We feed Dengie pasture blocks to the horses in the loose-housings, and my 22-year-old Farvis boiler is still going strong, so we boil up barley and linseed mashes for the horses that are living out.

Foals get Prokolin, a probiotic with kaolin and pectin, if they scour when their dam comes in season.

Equipment

We believe bits are for riding, so young stock wear a bridle and bit, but are handled and shown in a Natural Horsemanship halter worn underneath the bridle. Too many mouths are ruined before an animal is even sat on, and this stops pressure on the bars of the mouth.

We like many aspects of natural horsemanship and use the halters and 12ft ropes from Parelli for handling. These ropes are virtually unbreakable and allow horses the freedom to follow you rather than be led. They are ideal lengthwise if you suddenly have to hang on to a naughty, leaping youngster.

Young stock that are loose-housed by age group are chaperoned by an older mare. She teaches manners and respect, but for safety’s sake she wears felt kicking boots as an “insurance” against kicks.

This “On the yard” feature was first published in Horse & Hound (23 June, ’05)

The most vital piece of equipment on our yard is a long-handled pink feather duster! I buy young horses in Ireland, where they’ve often been running in a 40-acre field and you can’t get near them, let alone handle them. So once they’re in the stables here, we let them sniff the feathers, and then move the duster over their bodies. Gradually they get used to the feel of being touched.

Feeding

When the horses arrive, they’re poor and they’re frightened — too frightened to put their head in a bucket because they’ve been used to drinking from a river.

We leave them to settle with a deep straw bed, a bit of haylage on the floor and a bucket of water at the side and, as long as they’ve plucked up courage to drink, we know they won’t be too dehydrated.

You can’t suddenly give lots of feed, so we start with a little bit of mix and chaff — they’re more likely to play around with mix than cubes. Once they’re eating, I go the old-fashioned route of bran, chaff and barley, plus limestone flour for calcium and Spillers Equivite vitamin and mineral supplement.

From the end of January to the beginning of May, we put the work in for the show season, though our horses aren’t fat or overdone. I like soya flakes from Charnwood Milling Company for their coats and haylage for when they’re on the lorry, because the water content helps prevent dehydration.

Tack

I like mouthing bits with keys to start off with, either straight-bar or jointed, depending on what the horse prefers. We usually then switch to straight-bar bits with vulcanised rubber mouthpieces, though I’ve shown one horse in a key bit because he liked it so much.

I spend ages deciding on the in-hand bridle for each horse, choosing the right browband and thickness of noseband to complement each head. On horses with no white markings, I like white rawhide browbands, which were always used many years ago, but I have one horse who is best suited to a brass browband.

When I’m teaching horses to trot up, I often use an elastic bungee rein, which is less likely than side-reins to cause a panic if they buck. If you need them to drop their head a little, it goes over the poll and fastens between the legs or to a low clip on the roller. If a horse carries his head a little low, I clip it to the top D-ring on the roller to get him to pick himself up a bit.

This issue of “On the yard” was first published in Horse & Hound (16 June, ’05)

Top trainer and international show jumper Di Lampard believes riders should think long and hard before taking a young horse to its first show.

“Young horses mature and learn at different rates,” says Di. “Just because a horse is five or six years old doesn’t mean that it is ready to compete. And I think it’s a waste of time and money to take any four-year-old to a show. In fact, although I understand that dealers need to get their horses seen, I would think twice about buying one which had competed too much as a four-year-old.”

Di’s ideal scenario is to concentrate on a young horse at home and if she feels it is ready, take it to a training show after the Christmas of its fourth year.

“I’m lucky because Arena UK is close to my home and there are training shows there. These aren’t competitions, but you pay an entry fee to have a certain amount of time in the ring,” she says.

“You can do the whole course or you might choose to jump the first few fences and then repeat them. If you are riding a green youngster, you are allowed to take it into the ring with another horse, which gives it confidence.”

Di is a great fan of such shows, which she believes are an ideal introduction to going out and about.

“A young horse learns to go in the lorry to a new place, works in the collecting ring with other horses and finally, it has a nice time in the ring, with no pressure.”

Unfortunately, not every centre runs this type of show, although they are becoming more popular.

If your ultimate aim is eventing, it’s also important to get cross-county practice.

“Many of the event venues run training days, where you can hire the course and introduce your horse to some ‘baby’ fences,” she says. “But beware of going cross-country schooling on your own. Accidents can happen, and you certainly need company — and someone experienced on the ground as well — when it comes to tackling cross-country fences.”

She also suggests dressage competitions as a good venue for a first outing.

“A preliminary test is no more difficult than schooling at home. If you feel that your horse isn’t ready to jump in the ring, you could take him to an unaffiliated dressage show to introduce him to the competition atmosphere,” she suggests.

Ask Di’s advice

As part of Horse & Hound’s exclusive training series with Di Lampard, HHO is offering users the chance to pick Di’s brains about any problems they are currently experiencing when jumping.

With her extensive experience as a competitor and trainer, Di has loads of useful advice and tips on hand to help make you and your horse a winning partnership.

Simply email your questions, plus any relevant information about you and your horse’s background, to: HHOCompetitions@ipcmedia.com before 1 November.

The best questions will be selected and answered by Di Lampard in 6 November issue of Horse & Hound.

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

Developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) is an umbrella term for a number of related disorders that can affect a horse in its first 18 months of life.

Within the term there are a number of conditions; epiphysitis, wobbler syndrome, osteochondrosis (OCD) and acquired flexural deformities are the most common. The central issue surrounds the maturation of cartilage in to bone during growth.

The condition’s main effects are most often seen when the horse begins work, with signs of stiffness, long-term unsoundness and poor performance.

The increased tendency of DOD in fast-growing breeds, especially warmbloods and Throughbreds, suggests that in selecting for performance, a genetic fallibility has also been acquired.

However, it is not all in the genes, as something has to trigger an incidence of DOD. Common causes include overfeeding, dietary imbalance, excess activity on hard surfaces or trauma. Extra work put on one leg by lameness on an opposite leg can also cause DOD.

Sometimes something as subtle as a change in grass growth or forage quality can be enough to bring on epiphysitis. This is best handled by reducing the amount of energy fed to slow the rate of growth, usually by withdrawing from gazing on to a hay diet. Cutting out hard feed altogether is not recommended because this also cuts out all the amino acid, vitamins and minerals that these products contribute.

In foals, the first sign of OCD might be more time spent lying down or an inability to keep up with pals in the paddock. Usually there is non-painful swelling.

OCD occurs when cartilage doesn’t mature into bone properly, and research in to its cause is ongoing. The chief culprit is a forced fast growth rate, and other areas of research include the effects of large, single meals providing intermittent, bulk supplies of starch and calcium, and also trace element supplementation.

Top tips

• Check foals joints regularly from three months upwards
• To minimise the risk of DOD feed a high-fibre, low-starch diet with correct calcium to phosphorus ratios and high trace element levels
• If DOD is diagnosed don’t cut out all feed. Change the forage to hay and maintain critical nutrient supply using a concentrate or supplement
• Don’t go wild with calcium — more is not necessarily better. Keep within the 2:1 ratio

This article was originally published in Horse & Hound (4 September).

For foals born this spring and summer, the next few weeks will most likely bring the biggest change in their lives so far as they are separated from their dams.

Weaning happens at a period of peak growth — a foal’s weight will increase by more than a fifth in the second six months of life and its height by about 10%. Most of this weight gain is in bone and muscle, and the foal requires the right ratios of energy, protein and minerals to achieve this development.

But the trauma of being separated from the mother can mean a knock-back in terms of feed consumed right at the time when nutrient supply is critical — typically, growth rates can drop by 60% in the first week post-weaning, and take a further two weeks to regain pre-weaning levels.

This drop can be mitigated to some degree if the foal has been used to eating some hard feed for at least a month prior to being separated. A foal can cope with small amounts of hard feed from as young as two to three weeks old.

In addition, the diet can change fundamentally from one based on milk and grass, together with a small amount of concentrate, to one of little grass, some hay and high levels of concentrate. This isn’t bad per se, as long as the nutrients previously supplied by grass and milk continue to come through hay and compound feed. It is managing this change smoothly that is important.

One reason for weaning early this season is the lack of grazing due to the summer drought conditions. Mares which were put back in-foal in May or June will soon be entering their second trimester of pregnancy, where a significant proportion of foetal development occurs — poor grazing and high demands from a nursing foal could affect the mare and developing foetus in this situation.

Feeding a weanling

• Most of the daily calories come from hard feed; make the forage as high quality as possible — stalky hay will make a pot-bellied foal
• Weaned foals eat a lot of hard feed pro rata: a Thoroughbred weanling will eat 2kg of hay and 4kg of a stud and/or young stock mix per day
• The stud and young stock mix should be high energy (12MJ/kg), have a protein content of 16%, with high concentrations of the principal amino acids, lysine and threonine
• Introduce the post-weaning stud/young stock diet at least one month before weaning
• Target calcium: phosphorus ratio: typically 1.8:1 and easily achievable if weaned on to a proprietary product, but a significant challenge in oat-fed weanlings. These will require supplementation

Q: We have a six-month-old filly who misbehaves when we lead her to her field with her dam. She bucks and rears and does her best to escape. I have a control halter, but I’m not sure whether she is too young for it. Do you have any suggestions?

David Burleigh-Smith, an equine gentling specialist, answers: This soundslike an early onset of the terrible twos! Try not to use a control halter, unless you have to, as a normal headcollar should be adequate for a horse of her age.

Does the mare ever appear to get fed up with the foal? If so, then it might bean idea to wean the filly, as this will allow you to work on a one-to-one basis.

• Begin in the stable and get her giving way to finger pressure on her sides and shoulders, moving her hips and shoulders according to your request. For example, use a finger on her chest to get her to go back and the words ‘to me’ as you encourage her to walk towards you.
• Still in the stable, encourage her to take one step at a time, and follow each step with ‘whoa’. Ideally, you want to reach a point where she will creep along at your side as you walk slowly.
• Next, get her to stand still. If she won’t, then bring her head towards you and, with a finger on her side, just behind the girth line, push her hipsaway while walking towards them. This will make her do a turn on the forehand, which is hard work. Soon she will ask to stop. Offer the chance, but if she moves, turn her again.
• Once you have control in the stable, lead her out to the yard. Repeat the exercises and keep your commands the same. If she rears, bump the rope (which should ideally be about five metres long) until she stops. By bumping the line, she has nothing to pull against and will not go over backwardsso easily.

In all instances, you should only use enough pressure to achieve your goal. And don’t forget to praise her every time she does the right thing.

Christine Smy, equine nutritionistreplies: You have done the correct thing by changing to a low-energy feed which, in conjunction with gelding your pony, has quietened his temperament. This will improve further if you can turn him out for extended periods of time.

I suggest you feed around 1-2kg of low-energy cubes daily, as these tend to contain higher levels of fibre and lower levels of starch than a mix, which is more likely to cause excitability. Add chaff (but not chaff that is highly molassed) to prevent him bolting his feed.

This diet will provide your yearling with all the nutrients he needs, and there is no need for you to purchase extras. New Forest ponies are very tough – their natural environment is swamped with bracken and the grass has been grazed into oblivion.

Make sure you are providing him with enough good-quality forage and beware of the spring grass. New Forest ponies are exceptionally good doers and it is not advisable for his young limbs to have to support excess bodyweight.

As the New Forest area is also a popular tourist spot, these ponies have contact with humans on a regular basis and tend to be greedy as a result.

Feeding the young horse is often considered an art, but, to produce a healthy, strongyoungster, science is also required.

There have been countless scientific papers published on this topic, however, the majority of research refers to the Thoroughbred, which matures much quicker than other breeds.

The resulting feeding programmes tend to be unsuitable to breeders of pleasure horses who prefer a more natural approach, allowing the horse to grow and mature at his own pace.

Do’s and don’ts

Do:

• Start how you mean to go on. A weanling brought up on a sweet-tasting mix may not want to change to cubes
• Feed little and often, making changes slowly
• Seek advice if you are unsure. The youngster’s gut is delicate
• Ask for an analysis of your forage to determine the quality
• Make sure the recommendations on the bag correspond to your breed of horse
• Take time to determine the quality of your grazing. Local farmers are often helpful. Alternatively, ADAS is able to analyse both soil and grass. (tel: 01902 693 290)
• Spend time twice a week to critically analyse your youngster

Don’t

• Be tempted to overfeed. Although bone deformities are often genetic, they are also linked to excess calories in the diet. Instead, aim for a gradual growth curve
• Add lots of supplements to the diet. You will be doing more harm than good. If adequate levels of a proprietary stud ration are fed, there is no need for additions
• Get hung up over protein. A 16% protein concentrate will suffice
• Attempt to mix your own feed. Feeding youngsters is a specialist area and should be left to the feed companies’ nutritionists
• Forget that a weight tape can be used once the horse is two years old
• Risk your horse’s health for a rosette. Is it really worth it?
• Overfeed while backing your youngster. A reduction in feed will be beneficial all round – provide a good supplement to cover any nutritional deficiencies

Read more about feeding foals:

• Q&A: Feeding a foal
• Bringing up foals
• Feeding your foal