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Horse Advice

So you fell in love with a lunatic?

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When to look for a professional who specialises in rehabilitation to help you and your horse back onto the straight and narrow.

So often the heart can rule the head when you are out there buying a horse.  Perhaps you went to the local auction or saw a bargain and couldn’t resist.  Or you didn’t think to ask why this fantastic looking horse was so cheap.  There should be redress to the seller but sometimes that just isn’t an option.

Or perhaps your horse has been involved in a traumatic incident or you both have and things are just not going to plan: well certainly not yours anyway.

Whatever the circumstances the horse you want to ride just does not want you to ride it.  You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.  What do you do?

Horses are flight creatures. They are entirely reactive; they are not proactive. They do not plot and plan and they are definitely not secret assassins waiting to ruin your day.  If your horse has developed mannerisms which are making him difficult or even dangerous you MUST do something about it before one of you gets hurt.

The first thing is to check with your vet that there are no physical problems with the horse.  Horses can be incredibly unpredictable if they re in pain.  If the behaviour problem is down to pain you need to rectify this and then start from scratch when the horse comes back into work.

You need to check that it is not something you are doing; probably entirely subconsciously, as a reaction to an event or imagined scenario.  If you are feeling fearful or even just anxious make sure you find yourself a trainer who can help you regain your confidence.

If the horse is physically sound and you are riding him with confidence but you are still having problems then you really need specialist help and Horse Scout has a number of professionals who specialise in rehabilitating horses and will help you and your horse get on track.

Don’t expect instant results, rehabilitation can take months, even years. When you commit to bringing in an abused horse, you have to do it with the knowledge that it’s a long-term project, with no shortcuts, no one-size-fits-all solutions—and no real idea of how long the horse will take to respond. Some horses might be fine in a few weeks simply because they’re problem is being addressed and that puts them mentally in a better place, while others may still be struggling after a few years of kind, consistent, correct work. There can be no guarantees.   Which ever professional you turn to will have a fair idea of whether or not they can help.

You may be tempted to pass on this horse without further assistance so: As a cautionary note; you may have seen the recent headlines about the “Former Gloucestershire police woman admits fraud when selling horses through her equestrian business” She has now been arrested I am sure she never intentionally set out to start selling unsafe horses, however she broke the law by advertising horses who where known to be difficult without drawing attention to the fact.  In fact the Telegraph say “Carrie Vinson admitted to a friend that a horse named Fly had ‘a screw loose’ but falsely advertised him as ‘well-mannered’. She was handed a 12 months suspended jail sentence.

and was also ordered to pay £10,000 in costs and £2,000 compensation, and was placed on a tagged curfew for two months.  She asked for six other cases of fraud to be taken into account.  So don’t be tempted to sell on your problem take it to a professional who specialises in rehabilitation.

Horse Scout has a specific category for trainers who specialise in rehabiltiaiton.  Below are just two of them

For instance Rebecca Sedgwick in Hampshire who is a Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist. ACPAT Cat A member – BHS qualified – has BHS Intermediate teaching cert. & is an Intermediate Stable Manager with extensive experience in equine field from children’s ponies to top level competition/ racehorses – She has sound practical knowledge of all aspects of a horses way of going having trained and competed horses in affiliated Showjumping/ BE Intermediate level eventing and Advanced level dressage.

The best bit, from the point of view of rehabilitation is her approach.  Her assessment of the problem with your horse will start with a physiotherapy assessment and can assist with treatment of horses following injury.  She can asses performance problems and implement routine maintenance  programs specifically targeting your horses problems and offers rehabilitation services and also training for the owner in techniques such as long reining/ polework, etc. Rachel also can offer a rider biomechanical assessment to ensure optimum comfort and performance of horse and rider as a team.

Michelle Woolrich – Nantwich, CheshireI is an animal physical therapist, rider, trainer, coach, instructor, consultant. Qualified and experienced with BSc (Hons) in equine science using McTimoney, bodywork, sports and remedial massage, stretching and mobilisation, kinaesthetic taping, t-touch, myofascial release . . . and many more.

She can provide an individually tailored rehabilitation/training program that you carry out under our guidance with regular checks on progress to modify the plan and goals, to give treatments, provide support etc.

Rehabilitation – following injury, illness or surgery animals need time to recover, recuperate and to be brought back into a training regime gradually to reduce the risk of relapse and give the animal the best possible chance of full recovery. 3Using a combination of our musculoskeletal treatments combined with natural horsemanship techniques, and a gradually increasing exercise plan the animal is built up to it’s optimum athletic level. We aim to reinstate normal function by reducing pain, restoring range of motion and restoring strength by improving circulation, reducing oedema, loosening and stretching tendons, and minimising scar tissue formation. By doing it in this careful and structured way we aim to decrease re-injury rates and increase longevity. Tailored programmes are designed to suit the horses individual circumstances working in close relationship with your vet, farrier, any other members of your team and with any other therapeutic modalities.

These are just two of 14 trainers who specialize in rehabilitation who have advertisements on Horse Scout.  Check out our Professionals page and filter suing “Rehabilitation” as find a trainer near you who can help.

Horses For Sale

Horse for sale

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Another fantastic horse for sale view here

17hh KWPN 2007 gelding with top breeding by Cantos x Burgraaff, competed up to 1.30’s internationally, Got all DC’s for Newcomers 2015 in limited outings, jumping fox, perfect for age classes. 316 points, Pops 1.45 with ease. Has big fluid movement, schooled up to medium, would excel in any discipline. Has been professionally produced and is proving very brave and bold, He is very trainable and has a temperament to die for. Would suit good amateur or professional. A truly talented horse which will take any rider to the top

Horse Advice

Hacking Hoedown – One to the right or two to the left?

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There is nothing more lovely than hacking out on your horse, for some it is ‘What they do’ and for others it’s a welcome break from the training schedule and a time when hair can be let down (metaphorically).

If you are new to riding and thinking of buying a horse it is a good idea to check that the horse is quiet when hacking out. Most all-rounders should, by rote, be exemplary hacks. Find out how good the horse is in traffic and whether it has particular dislikes i.e. does it turn and run when the smelly dustbin lorry is doing its rounds or if you live in an area where there are frequent bike races … or tanks are driven… is it likely to worry? Or do you ride a horse that has these problems already? If so making your horse safe to ride out has to be a priority and finding a trainer who can help with these issues if very important.

Safety out hacking

Some of us are lucky to live in the wilder areas of the UK and have almost unlimited hacking across some stunning, often deserted, heath and moorland in our National Parks but most horse’men hack their horses wherever they are, be it urban roads or countryside tracks,and the same precautions should be taken wherever you hack and whatever your ability.

Traffic is a horse’man’s nightmare. As a rider we have to hope that the motorist will first see us in good time and second react sensibly to the presence of a horse. It is a shame that this awareness is not part of driver training but s it stands preemptive strategies can help mitigate the dangers of traffic (and also bumptious horses) to the rider.

The basics: meaning The Minimum consideration before venturing out on top of a horse

  • Ride with someone else if possible
  • Tell someone where you plan to go and how long you are likely to be
  • Take your phone with you
  • Inspect you tack before setting out
  • Dress sensibly – Wear your PPE including High Viz
  • If you intend to be out for a “long ride” take some water with you
  • A map if you do not know the country you are riding

Here are some very sage words from the Ordenance Survey guys:

Consider your mount

Make sure you plan your ride according to yours and your horse’s fitness and ability.

If you have a recently-backed youngster, it’s probably not a wise idea to go out exploring on your own for hours. In this case it may be best to ride in company along a well-planned route. Likewise, if your horse is unfit, it’s not worth risking a trip or fall by taking him out on a canter-filled ride instead of an appropriate fittening round-the-block walk.

All the gear….

Ok, so hi-viz isn’t the most attractive riding attire – particularly when emblazoned with ‘Please pass wide and slow’ – but it really is essential if you’re going to be doing some roadwork. For added visibility, consider purchasing other reflective gear for your horse, such as leg bands or tailguards. Anything that helps you stand out is worthwhile and could help motorists spot you much earlier.

It goes without saying that you should be wearing a riding hat of PAS 015 standard. Some riders don’t think they need one when schooling in an arena on a safe horse, but the fact is, no animal is completely bombproof and accidents can happen. Getting hat hair is better than getting knocked unconscious or worse…

If you’re riding a young or spooky horse, it’s also worth considering wearing a body protector. This type of protection is mandatory for most cross country competitions – including British Eventing-affiliated events.

Aside from safety wear, make sure your tack is in good condition – yes, this does mean getting out the saddle soap once in a while! Watch out for any frayed stitching or cracked leatherwork. Keeping your tack soaped and oiled will help it last for years to come, so don’t underestimate the power of good cleaning.

Sparkly tack is all well and good, but it needs to fit well. Ensure your horse receives regular visits from the saddler – particularly if he’s a growing youngster or has gained/lost weight recently. Any changes in shape will affect your saddle’s fit and a poorly fitting saddle could cause pain – resulting in potentially dangerous bad behaviour. You should supplement visits from your saddler with back checks from an equine physiotherapist or sports massage professional to ensure that your horse is completely pain free and fit for purpose.

Plan your route

It’s easy to make a spur of the moment decision to go for a ride without really planning where you’re going, or telling anyone for that matter. Those of you that remember your Pony Club days will know that you should always carry a hoof pick, baler twine, some change for a payphone and remember to tell people where you’re going. Things have moved on a bit since – you’ll be carrying your mobile phone for a start – but the old adage of informing someone of your route and how long you’ll be out still stands.

For the explorers among you, it’s also wise to plan your route on a map beforehand and, better still, carry one with you on your ride – just in case you happen to get lost. If you don’t want to carry round a paper map, try OS MapFinder – although bear in mind that you might want to dismount before consulting either version!

Other useful apps include Horse Rider SOS which uses GPS to track your position and alerts a designated contact if you have an accident which renders you motionless. This is particularly useful if you enjoy hacking alone in more remote locations.

Be safe on the roads

We’re not all lucky enough to be able to ride straight from the yard out into the countryside – riding along a quiet lane or busy road is essential for some riders to access bridleways, so thank you OS Guys for your in put here.  Safe Hacking

North South East or West…or somewhere in the middle?  Here are links to just some of the livery yards with fantastic hacking on their doorstep.

Clumber Livery – Worksop, Nottinghamshire

Glanmire Farm Stables – Epsom Surrey

Alcott Farm  – Birmingham, Worcestershire

Firecrest Liveries – Sandwich, Kent

SYCAMORE STUD – Stoke St Michael, Somrset

Delny Riding Centre – Invergordon, Ross-shire

 

Eventing

Looking at Eventers?

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New String to your Bow for the season

Eventing in mind – Looking for something special?

Have a look at Rosco, Sallybog Tim or Derroe Champ

Horse Scout has got some great prospects for the coming season.  If you are looking for a new ride for the new season scroll through the lovely horses posted here.  If you are looking for something young and ready to go have a look at Rosco Aaron Millars’ latest good looking grey Irish Sports horse which has competed in the Stepping Stones League in Ireland (equivalent to BYEH). He was placed in the finals with fences at 1.10m. Rosco has three lovely paces and does a very smart test. Great attitude, eager to learn and quick on his feet. Exceptionally neat jumping technique, real scope. Very kind natured on the ground, lovely to handle. He is now ready to go on and realise his potential with someone who can really enjoy his considerable talent and great temperament and would make a super all rounder.  In fact a great Mother Daughter combination. Born in 2009 he is still young but he is now ready to affiliate he’s ready to affiliate.  He can be seen in Dorset.

Perhaps you would prefer something a little older? Then have a look at the lovely Sallybog Tim who would make a great schoolmaster with the experience he has got under his belt.  A nice looking BE Intermediate Novice with points. Working at BD medium and handy to hunt, hack and ready to compete. A great all rounder.  He can be seen in Hampshire.

Or are you looking for something smaller.  There is a cracking looking pony called Connemara Derroe Champ based over in Ireland who has done everything and who at 14.2hh is just waiting to be a perfect gentleman on the cross country course for a lucky small person.

 

Horses For Sale

Professional Profile – Lucinda Fredericks

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Eventing Olympian Lucinda Fredericks is an international trainer and travels extensively to give clinics and demonstrations as well as hosting training sessions at her own venue, Rosegarth, near Devizes view her Horse Scout Profile HERE!

How special would it be to buy the rider in your life a gift voucher for a private session with Lucinda Fredericks?

Her schedule for clinics for this year shows that she is in Hong Kong  at the end of a five day marathon of 5 days clinics and training out there.  As an official trainer of the Hong Kong Event Team, who took Bronze at the Eventing in the  17th Asian Games in 2014 (well done them!) On this trip she has been training the riders on horses which are retired from the Hong Kong Racing Circuit and she says how proud she was of the young racehorses retraining at her clinic (yesterday) in Teun Mun as they jump happily over 110m. And at this moment (according to her Facebook profile) she is putting a very handsome chestnut retiree through its paces over some XC jumps at Beas River Equestrian Centre.

Her experience and support of the Retraining of Reacehorses was also demonstrated at the The Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre  near Preston who have some fantastic pictures, taken by Trevor Holt and Ashley Stewart of a demonstration she hosted to a crowd of around 300 people in April – the event raised around £3,000 for the TRC.

With so many awards for Retraining of  Racehorses perhaps a group of individual training session with Lucinda on your own retired racehorse would help you along the way to one of the awards being offered by ROR Grassroots Eventing Series for 2015

There may be time to book places at the clinic at Charlotte Wadley Equestrian, Painswick, on the 7th February . (Individual spaces cost £60 + VAT (within a group of 4). Alternatively you can contact Lucinda’s team through Horse Scout to arrange for a session at her training centre.

She is holding clinics in February in  Holland  and Dorset, March in Berkshire and then she is back out to Hong Kong at the beginning of April

If you cant wait that long to see Lucinda then she will be talking about her Olympic experiences with Headley Britannia and Flying Finish, at the Equine Client Meeting in Frome at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 25th February being orgainised by Garston vets.

 

 

Horses For Sale

Gemma Moss Dressage

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Gemma Moss Dressage

  “Have High Standards and Exceed them” is Gemma’s Motto of the Day and her Clients seem to concur that she is certainly running a professional and effective livery and training yard

 “Gemma has done the most fantastic job starting our 2 youngsters. We can’t recommend her enough.” Said Isobel Langton and Jillian Poolers is very impressed with the work Gemma has done on her “sometime difficult” horse “turning him into a willing Happy Boy”

As a trained veterinary nurse your horse could not have a better carer  and her training record speaks for itself as a producer of quality show horses at county level incl RIHS.  And she was the Summer BD Regional Winner 2013 following this with a very creditable 13th at BD National Championships 2013 Last year she was ac BYRDS A squad Team member 2014  and has been selected to represent England Home International 2014 ~ A Squad Finalist BD Festival of dressage 2014.  Backing this up with BD Young Professionals semi finalist 2014 and being Selected BD High Performance Camps  for 2014/2015

 

Her yard offers fantastic facilities:  with Indoor and outdoor arenas and American Barn Stabling plus everything you could dream of to pamper and train your horses. Gemma offers Full Training Livery for Potential dressage prospects and re schooling/ Young horse training in all disciplines.  She is also a freelance instructor at all levels of riding from Lead rein upwards and has worked closely with Australian Horsemanship expert and may be able to offer help to horses thought previously dangerous or sharp

Horses For Sale

Dressage Horse For Sale

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Jonny Boy- Novice Dressage Horse for Sale 

From top class breeding, by Just Perfect (Jazz Time/Jazz) out of a Ducello (Davignon/Donnerhall) Elite mare, this stunning 16hh2 6-year old gelding is a compact, light footed, modern type dressage horse with three excellent paces, an exceptionally huge walk, a rhythmical trot with great shoulder freedom, a very balanced canter.Lots of gears and great trainability and the potential to go all the way.A genuine horse, no vices, he is good to turn out, shoe, load & travel, hacks on his own or in company, very good in traffic.Has been owned since a 4-year old, ridden by a small mother of three who sadly lacks time to give him justice.Has been fully vetted with clean x-rays, open to vetting

Horses For Sale

Learning To Walk Before You Run

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 While you are still learning about your horse and your own abilities and, indeed, even when you are very experienced indeed, Horse Scout has a wide range of Professional Trainers who can help you walk in harmony with your horse and take the first steps in a wonderful relationship which could last for years and take you to places you never dreamed of going.

 

Horses For Sale

Your Responsibilities To Your Horse

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Your Responsibilities To Your Horse

Fundamental to all horse ownership is the DEFRA directive that If you own or are responsible for a horse, you have a duty to look after its basic welfare by:

providing it with a suitable place to live
giving it a suitable diet
protecting it from pain, injury, suffering and disease
making sure it can behave normally and naturally

You can be fined up to £20,000 or sent to prison for up to 6 months if you are cruel to an animal or don’t care for it properly. You may also be banned from owning animals in future.

Horse Scout has some wonderful livery yards on this. Click here and find the best place for your horse to livery.

Horses For Sale

Horse for Sale

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Exceptionally bred horse for sale with Horse Scout. This beautiful little gelding is sired by the Hanoverian licensing Champion and record- priced auction horse, Hotline, who won advanced dressage classes by the age of 7. In 2008 Hotline became Danish National Champion and in 2009 he won a Qualifier with a score of 9.45. Of his first offspring (aged 3 in 2010) Halifax was in the top 5 at the Bundeschampionat and many of his stock were selected for Elite auctions where they fetched high prices. At only 9 years old, Hotline already has already produced 9 approved stallion sons as well as the Danish Champion mare.The dam, Champagne Supernova, is a young KWPN mare by Sandreo who won the KWPN Stallion Show in 2005. Sandreo is sired by the dressage World Champion Sandro Hit who is renowned for producing uphill, pretty horses with outstanding rideability.Sandro Hit’s dam, Loretta is an excellent stallion producer – she is also the dam of Diamond Hit (Reserve World Champion) and premium stallion Royal Hit. Sandreo’s dam sire is the “keur” stallion Flemmingh who produced the Grand-Prix horses, Krack C and Lingh. Sandreo’s great grand sire is the preferent stallion “Ahorn”.The grand-dam With Love is by the Westphalien stallion Freestyle (Florestan) who won his 100 day performance test at Prussendorf in 1999 with a ride ability score of 9.33. Freestyle’s dam, St Pr Paloma, has produced two graded sons and comes from a line of State Premium mares. Freestyle’s sire Florestan was Champion of his Performance test and another legendary producer of top class dressage horses including Bundeschampion Fidermark, World Young Dressage Horse Champion French Kiss and Florencio – twice World Champion Young Dressage Horse.Guess is expected to mature approx 15.2hh.