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The weight of a horse will vary drastically based on a number of important factors, including the breed (or type), age and height of the horse. Their huge range in size – from miniature horses, all the way up to shire horses – makes it difficult to give an accurate average weight, even for any one breed. For example, a 9hh pony should weigh around 200kg, whereas a 16hh Draught horse can weigh in excess of 850kg. The purpose of a horse will also naturally affect the desired weight....

Finding the right type of bedding for your horse is essential for keeping the stable clean and ensuring their comfort. However, it’s important to find something that also works for you, the owner, as it will be your time and money spent maintaining it! The main questions to consider when choosing bedding for your horse are: Is the bedding palatable to horses? Is the bedding easy to handle and pick manure from? How dusty is the bedding? How much does the bedding cost? Is the bedding ...

An Irish Sport Horse is traditionally – as the name suggests – a horse breed that’s bred in Ireland. A true Irish Sport Horse (or ISH as they are known for short) is the product of breeding a Thoroughbred with an Irish Draught or vice versa, resulting in a horse that typically has the ideal balance of the two. Highlighted qualities include the agility and speed of the Thoroughbred, with the versatility, power and soundness of the Irish Draught.

For a long time, the horse world has been more concerned by underweight horses than overweight – that picture of the obese horse just doesn’t tug on the heart strings the way the ‘poor, skinny soul’ does. Despite this, the facts remain that it is simply less dangerous for the horse to be underweight than overweight; it has many less far-reaching implications. However, an underweight horse still isn’t desirable in any way as it makes it difficult for them to carry th...

When it comes to horse insurance it’s not always about purchasing the highest level of cover, but having a level of cover you feel happy with and at a premium you feel comfortable paying. This is why insurance provider KBIS offer a range of unique and affordable insurance solutions alongside more comprehensive cover options. Here are some options that could provide the answer you’re looking for – helping to ease the financial pressure in what are still uncertain times.

Grey horses – does it really have to be that hard? In lots of wanted adverts you’ll see “no greys” and to be honest, I think that a lot of buyers could miss out on their perfect partner by excluding greys. Being a grey owner myself (and this applies to palominos, coloureds and appaloosas too), I honestly don’t think it’s nearly as bad as so many people make out.

While the option of loaning a horse – rather than buying – is often dismissed as a risky endeavour, with the right guidance, loaning or part loaning/sharing a horse can be a great opportunity for all three parties; the owner, the loanee and the horse itself. I started out my equestrian journey by loaning my little Welsh pony, Buster – who is actually still living with me after we made him a permanent part of the family many years ago – and I have been loaning two ex-ra...

In my last article, I wrote about the rider's seat. Now I would like to follow up with the rider’s aids; how we communicate and how we influence our horse. The rider can only give correct aids if they can sit in balance, are supple and able to adapt to the horse's movement. As riders, we influence the horse with our seat, legs and reins. These aids form the basis of our communication with the horse. In order to be able to purposefully use them, we need to know exactly how they affect th...

Horse rugs are an essential part of horse care and getting a rug that fits well is incredibly important for the comfort and protection of your horse. An ill-fitting rug will not only provide inadequate protection from the elements but can also cause a lot of discomfort; too small and the rug will dig in and restrict movement, too big and it will move and chafe - and rug slippage can become a major hazard in the field. So, whether you’re a new horse owner or you’re simply wanting t...

I have wanted to document our journey for a while now and what better way to do so than by sharing it with all of you. Hopefully, at the very least, it will be an interesting read for most of you – written in total layman’s terms – documenting the reality of treating and rehabbing a horse with Kissing Spine. At best, I hope it may help, encourage or inspire someone going through the same thing themselves while they’re trying to find their way in making the right decisions...

Do you ever feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day? Juggling work, family, social life, horses and everything else life throws at us in between can be overwhelming at times. We leave the house at the crack of dawn and don’t get home till after dark, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Now, I know most of us wouldn’t change that for the world; we are dedicated to the sport and love our horses too much for that. But, when we are constantly on the go and rushing throug...

I’ve finally read this cover to cover rather than dipping in and out, and boy I wish I hadn’t waited so long, although it was worth the wait! I feel I’ve got to know Denny’s ‘voice’ from his blogging on Tamarack Hill Farm, and I love his unflinching ability to say it as he sees it, which is generally pretty accurate! I would go so far as to say this is a ‘should read’ for any equestrian trying to get to any level. For starters, this is not a boo...

Dark nights are in full force and I can’t be the only one whose motivation to ride vanishes when it’s dark and miserable outside… I have a pint-sized Belgian Warmblood mare that I’m currently bringing into full work and building up. She is chestnut of all colours and likes to make this well known on occasion. A good way to keep things interesting during the winter months, when the shows slow down and it’s too wet to do much off-road hacking, is through pole w...

Have you ever wondered if your horse knows what you’re thinking? Sometimes, when you’ve not been committed into a jump and you’ve stopped, without applying any slow-down or stop aids, without taking your leg off? Or you were thinking about cantering and your horse starts to canter, before you apply any aids? How many times have you felt that your horse knows you’ve had a bad day? How did your horse know? How did you know? Even though horses have been domesticated fo...

Thalassotherapy is the therapeutic use of seawater – in the form of marine products like algae, seaweed and marine mud – to promote health and wellbeing. Repeated immersion in warm seawater, marine mud and protein-rich algae, helps restore the body's natural chemical balance. When immersed in warm seawater, the body absorbs the minerals it needs – trace elements of magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium and iodide – through the skin. Modern thalassotherapy was pioneered...

Christmas is almost here! But if like us, you like to leave your gift buying till the last minute, or simply haven’t found the right thing yet, there’s still time to grab one of these fantastic gifts for the equestrian (or horse) in your life! We’ve broken our present ideas down by budget and intended recipient so our guide is easier to shop. Simply click on one of the filters below to be taken to the relevant section, or browse the full guide at your leisure.

With winter well and truly here, having horses in the dark, cold and rain can be hard work and make you question your sanity on some days. If you’re lucky enough to get to see your horses during daylight hours it might not seem quite so bad, but if like me, you only see your horse in daylight at the weekends, it can be hard going. Sometimes in winter it’s just about survival from day to day and that’s fine, but if you want to try and make it through with some motivation and ...

Whilst it’s not something that I like to talk about often, I have struggled in the past with my mental health and know firsthand how much it can suck the fun out of normally enjoyable activities and leave you struggling to know where to go or how to feel better. The one thing that has consistently kept me grounded and smiling is my lovely gang of horses in the paddock that I know I can go and see if I’m ever feeling anxious or upset. I have no doubt in my mind that horses have helped...

Well, I’m sat writing this new Horsemart article in front of a heater while the weather is honestly biblical outside. I’ve got my ski fleece on already and I have officially retired from shaving my legs for the rest of 2020. Anyway, not to sound all Jon Snow but winter is coming. Yeah, I know... Game of Thrones is over and we should all get over it but I will never be ok with that final season. Bran on the Iron Throne? The little twerp that thinks he’s a bird? Get real. He&r...

A recent survey, conducted by the British Grooms Association (BGA), revealed that whilst there have been some positive improvements to the employment conditions of those working with horses, there is still work to be done in order to ensure that the industry is compliant. As the Equestrian Employers Association (EEA) launches its annual Good Employment Week, these results come as a reminder that we are not yet an industry of good employment and that change is not happening quickly enough. ...