1. How we can watch the European Dressage Championships
The British trio who fared so well in Tokyo – Lottie Fry, Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, are back this week and going for glory at the European Dressage Championships – joined once more by Gareth Hughes, who had the unenviable and mentally tough role of being travelling reserve in Japan but gets to play this time in Hagen, Germany, and we can’t wait to watch all four of these top riders in action.
2. All four British horses passing the trot-up for said championships
All four British horses have safely passed the first horse inspection at the European Dressage Championships in Hagen, Germany. There were agonising waits for others, with five horses held. And viewers witnessed some impressive airs above the ground, too…
3. Whether there’s foul play in recalling show horses for measuring
Robert Walker tackles this thorny issue in his comment this week. It is possible to anonymously request for an animal in your class to be remeasured, to check that it is eligible for its class, even if it has measured correctly before said class. Robert calls this the “sulky” time of year, and points to the fact most recalls take place just before the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) – the Olympics of showing. “We can’t rule out the possibility that someone could be doing it out of jealousy, bitterness or, even worse, to prevent an animal from competing at a certain show,” he says.
4. Research telling us more turnout reduces the risk of injury
Many of us wax lyrical about the importance of turnout for horses’ wellbeing, and that is backed up by recent research, which suggests longer periods of turnout may mean a reduced risk of equine soft-tissue injuries. The six-year research, into non-elite performance horses, found that those turned out for 12 or more hours a day had a 25% lower instance of soft-tissue injuries.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
One of the most talked about horses at the Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany, was Kjento, who scored 96% to blow away the competition in the six-year-old class. The gorgeous black stallion, owned by Van Olst Horses, is ridden by new British dressage mega star Lottie Fry, who is based with the Van Olsts in the Netherlands. Fact one: he is by the same stallion as Valegro.
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Sarah has worked at an equestrian journalist and editor since 2004 and has held the position of Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief since 2014. She has reported for Horse & Hound from major championships including Europeans and World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on horses and horse sport including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. She has owned and ridden horses since 1993, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university. While studying for a BSc at London School of Economics Sarah also worked for top British dressage rider Louise Spate.
