North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service sprang into action on hearing reports of a horse stuck in flood water. Crews have been busy this week helping many cars in similar predicaments after recent heavy rain. But when firefighters arrived at the flooded field near Ripon, they discovered “neigh further assistance” was required. The equine in question was in fact a metal sculpture of a World War I soldier leading his horse. The sculpture was left where it was, with no fear of harm to life or limb. Just possibly the minor risk of rust.
British dressage rider Alice Oppenheimer has paid tribute to her “incredible special” home-bred grand prix winner Headmore Dirubinio. The 13-year-old gelding was put down on 27 December, after shattering his pastern while loose in the arena at home. “He will for ever be the horse who has most defined the way I ride and train,” Alice told H&H. “They say that good horses come and go but great horses define your career and that was Robin. He wasn’t a horse I won loads on, but for my career he is the greatest horse I’ll ever have. He taught me so much about myself, and about working with other horses.”
Staff and volunteers trying to save the lives of horses who were severely burned in a fire have made an urgent appeal for donations. A nursing mare has since died as an indirect result of the burns she suffered, but staff and volunteers at the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust (GHDT) are caring for her foal and other horses affected. “Care for these horses is round the clock and requires large quantities of medications, bandaging materials and hours and hours of staff time. For a small charity, this is a huge task but one that has been tackled head-on with the same determination this amazing charity team shows on a daily basis,” said a GHDT spokesman.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
