Germany’s Jana Wargers has promised “endless cuddles” for her championship ride Limbridge as he retires from competition, aged 16. The pair were on the German showjumping team at the World Championships and Nations Cup final in 2022, and at the 2023 Europeans. As well as finishing on the podium at several major five-star grands prix, they were part of the German Nations Cup team at Aachen three years in a row, and competed in the London leg of the Global Champions Tour and Royal Windsor Horse Show in Britain. “As we take the next step in our partnership, with you now enjoying your days in the field, I will make sure you have the retirement you deserve,” said Jana as she paid tribute to the Holsteiner gelding who has “a heart of pure gold”.
Former British Olympic showjumper Rowland Fernyhough raises concerns over modern pre-purchase vet examinations of horses for sale – and particularly the role that X-rays now play in the process. “The problem we now face is that, for anyone wishing to insure a horse, there are four parties who need satisfying by the pre-purchase vetting: the vendor, the purchaser, the vet and finally the insurance company – yet it’s the insurance companies who seem to set the criteria,” he says. “It has become the norm for up to 60 X-rays to be taken – and it can be the same X-rays whether it’s a £1m horse or one worth £10,000. Hours of X-rays aren’t just a problem for sellers, they are expensive for purchasers. We regularly see buyers who have spent £10,000 on three or four failed examinations.”
As the cost of living continues to challenge many of us, you may be considering ditching your horse’s insurance in order to save pounds. But before you cancel your cover – which risks costing you a lot more if you find yourself facing a big vets’ bill – there are ways to save money by adjusting your cover to lower your premium without leaving yourself completely unprotected should the unexpected happen.
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Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.
