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Former racehorse deemed too quirky to rehome now happy at centre helping people, a horse whose extreme bucking led to wire being found in his forehead – and other things the horse world is talking about
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An 18-year-old former racehorse has found the ideal new career for him in a riding school. The gelding had previously been deemed “too quirky” to be rehomed or retrained.
National Hunt horse Harley finished racing more than seven years ago, and retired to a field. He is now said to be thriving at Jess’s Horse Haven, which offers lessons and therapy for children and adults with additional needs.
A rider in Texas, US, took her horse for a full veterinary investigation when the gelding suddenly started bucking violently under saddle. The gelding was found to have wire embedded in his forehead. The horse, Baby Guy (BG), had become almost unrideable, having previously shown no such behaviour in the time Abby Apple had owned him.
The vet investigated thoroughly, taking X-rays from ears to tail and all four legs.
“He said ‘I don’t know what to tell you, I can’t see anything obviously wrong with this horse’,” Abby told H&H. “I was about to put him in the trailer, and was petting his head, and he’s always been a little headshy. I’d put it down to him coming from cowboys, but I said ‘Just humour me and take one X-ray of his head’, because I had a gut feeling, and that’s when we found the wire. We said ‘What the hell is that?’”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Farewell to co-founder of Derby House
Polly Dickson, the co-founder of equestrian retailer Derby House, died on 18 April aged 81. Polly and her husband Brian set up the saddlery shop that became one of the most famous names in equestrian retailing, in Newburgh, Lancashire, in the 1970s.
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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.
