Fore!
Fresh horses and some snappy dressing were the themes of yesterday’s Blenheim Horse Trials first horse inspection. All 93 horses presented before the CCI4*-L ground jury were accepted. There were also awards given out for the best outfits, including a special prize for Gaspard Maksud’s golf-themed outfit, complete with a putting green beret trimmed with a flag and bouncing golf ball.
Lottie’s freestyle
“What a competition the European Dressage Championships have been,” says Anna Ross in her H&H column this week. “The highest standard I’ve ever witnessed. It’s always more exciting when the outcome doesn’t seem inevitable and although the favourite prevailed, there was a battle royale for the gold medals. The Brits were outstanding – I’m going to put it out there and say Lottie Fry was my freestyle winner.”
Farrier concerns
Welfare concerns continue in Scotland as registered farrier numbers decline – and Government funding for farrier apprenticeships remains off the cards. Since 2017 Scottish apprentice farriers have had to pay their own fees to attend college, and in 2021 the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) told H&H many potential apprentices could not afford the training, leading to worries that there would be a lack of new practitioners. Farriers and horse owners in Scotland have told H&H this is the case; there is now a shortage.
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One held at first Blenheim trot-up, as fresh horses and a golf-themed outfit caught the eye
Anna Ross: Lottie Fry was my Europeans freestyle winner
Concerns shortage of farriers in certain regions will hit horse welfare
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