Eventer Chance Encounter, who with Robbie Kearns helped Ireland to European team silver last month, has died aged 16. The Irish gelding, whom Robbie owned with Belline Estate Equestrian, was treated in hospital for colic and sepsis but could not be saved. Belline Estate’s Richard Ames, who bought “Harry” as a three-year-old, said the team was devastated by his loss. Robbie told H&H Harry was “my best mate for the last three years”. “Even though I only met him a few years ago, it was like I knew him my whole life,” he said. “I can’t quite put into words how much he meant to me.”
“Major reforms” that have been proposed for small animal practice could have implications for the equine veterinary sector. The Government’s competition and markets authority (CMA) has published findings from its investigation into the UK’s vet services market. It found that animal owners are often not aware of the cost of common services, and have no effective way of comparing prices; it found that pet owners may pay double for medications than they could if they bought online.
British Dressage (BD) has released its first figures relating to its equine welfare action plan. A year after it committed to greater transparency around horse welfare in dressage, BD shared the stats at its 2025 AGM. There had been 427 eliminations recorded for the year to date, 84 welfare-related. Of these, 57 were owing to soundness issues, 15 to blood, and 12 recorded under unspecified reasons. There were 150 welfare reports submitted to BD head office during the same period. BD said 14 cautions or formal warnings were issued regarding future conduct. Eight cases were referred to the BD equine welfare advisory panel, four upheld. Five cases were referred to the disciplinary panel, of which two were upheld and three remain ongoing. Two people are currently pending further disciplinary review.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
