Naomi Aguilar and her 14.1hh Knabstrupper/Appaloosa gelding Whitehawk Dancing Fire (Enzo) have been impressing since making their grand prix dressage debut and rubbing shoulders with some of Britain’s best at Premier League shows. They travelled from Jersey to compete at Chard Premier League in April, where they scored 66.33% in the grand prix freestyle with an upbeat routine set to tracks by Robbie Williams, Taylor Swift, and Panic! At The Disco. “I know I’m not going to win. But having my name up there next to Becky Moody’s and Lewis Carrier’s? That’s enough for me,” said Naomi.
Clwyd Special Riding Centre in north Wales, which offers riding, driving, hippotherapy and access to horses for people with additional needs and their families, was facing closure unless over £300,000 could be found to secure its future.
H&H reported that the centre was given a “vital lifeline” that allowed it to extend its fundraising deadline, but it was not out of the woods at that point. But it is now celebrating a secure future thanks to “a remarkable recent pledge from a local businessperson”.
“What felt impossible just a few weeks ago has become reality thanks to the kindness, belief and generosity of so many,” said trustee Victoria Everall, daughter of centre founder Anne Sopwith.
Many horse deaths in eventing are not the result of falls at fences, research has shown. A new study, published in Equine Veterinary Journal, aimed to gather data to understand the reasons for equine fatalities in eventing.
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Of the 110 equine fatalities included, 62.7% were not associated with a report of a horse fall across country. Musculoskeletal injuries were linked to 36.4% reports, and 27.3% did not include how the horse died. Sudden death was attributed to 36.4% of fatalities – 90% of these were during the cross-country phase.
The team found the study “demonstrates that equine fatalities in eventing occur in contexts other than horse falls, including as a result of musculoskeletal injuries and sudden death”.
Lead researcher Heather Cameron-Whytock of the University of Central Lancashire told H&H: “The fact a lot of the fatalities were not associated with [cross-country] fences shows we may be missing something, and that there are other important factors we should have been looking into.”
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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.
