As part of its changes brought in for 2023, British Dressage (BD) has amended its horse welfare-related rules on certain neurectomy procedures after feedback from vets. H&Hreported last year that BD had published a clarification of its existing rules, confirming to H&H at the time that “horses which have undergone neurectomy surgery at any time are not permitted to compete in BD competitions”. BD has now changed its rules, so horses who have had a surgical procedure impacting limb sensitivity could be eligible to return to competition, provided they meet strict criteria.
The West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service went to the rescue of a 27-year-old pony called Prince, who was stuck underground in a sinkhole.
Crews worked with a vet to get a headcollar on the pony, sedate him and put cotton wool into his ears, then used an excavator to dig him out. Technical rescue officer and station manager Damian Cameron said when they arrived Prince was quite calm. “He had been let out of the stable as usual, into the field, and then the stable hand noticed the horse couldn’t be seen,” he said.
Mud, mug, glorious – or not. In wet winters, muddy gateways can be the bane of horse owners’ lives, with the risk of pulling shoes and tweaking tendons, not to mention the horror of pulling your foot free while your boot stays put. H&H speaks to the experts to find out ways of solving the problem.
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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.
