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How crazy is the world at the moment? This COVID-19 is certainly making 2020 a year we’ll all remember. Quite aside from the health aspect of it, people are struggling to cope financially too, and that is going to be even harder to come back from. How has it affected me? Right now, I’m meant to be heading towards South Africa, to begin sessions in Cape Town next week. I debated long and hard about it, before deciding I would have to cancel. Now, I don’t think I would have ha...

This product was kindly provided to us by our sponsors, Farm & Stable Supplies, and we absolutely swear by it. The product is based on curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, and we have had varying success in using turmeric so we were excited to come across a liquid form to try out. It is mixed with hyaluronic acid and has a much better absorption rate than standard turmeric, according to the website. KuraSyn 360x can be particularly useful before or after periods of physical stress;...

Back in January we attended BETA International 2020 to check out what’s new in the equestrian market and hear about the latest technology developments from some of the biggest brands in the industry. We attended several talks, but one of the most thought provoking was a talk from Dr. David Marlin, a scientific and equine consultant with more than 25 years experience in physiology and biochemistry. On this particular occasion, he was talking about the safety of headcollars, which are of cou...

Since the inaugural date in 2004, the International Eventing Forum has grown into a ‘must attend’ pre-season fixture for both Eventing coaches and riders. However, they say that all good things must come to an end, and after 17 years of world class education, and one of the most successful IEF’s yet - the organising committee has decided to call it a day, with the 2020 Forum now being the last. Upon hearing the news, Ellie Hughes - Author, Journalist and Advanced Rider &ndas...

Hi everyone! I have been asked to get on board and do some writing for Horsemart and I guess I should start by introducing myself! So I’m Liv, I’m 28 and I run a small yard in footballer’s wives country, Cheshire. Sadly I’ve not managed to bag myself a United player as of yet and so I do have to make some effort to work, but lucky for me it doesn’t really feel like it! I mainly specialise in the production and sales of 14.2s. I absolutely love sourcing and ...

Absorbine® launched the latest product to join their range, UltraShield® Green, an all-natural body spray, at BETA International 2020 show in January. With a fresh, herbal aroma to comfort and soothe horses during the warm summer months, it comprises a mix of seven aromatic oils, including thyme, cedarwood, lemongrass and citronella. UltraShield® Green is an effective and non-irritating formula that offers a safe alternative to chemical-based sprays. The product is presented in an...

Jazz is a dressage bred warmblood who came to us to be restarted, having been backed the year before and been turned away afterwards. His owners thought he could do with our approach and the natural way we keep the horses, as well as our sympathetic approach and the way we back horses (always in straight lines, teaching them to hack and see the world while they’re developing). Jazz had been diagnosed with shivers, a neuromuscular condition, so the way we strive to keep our horses out as m...

Many, many years ago, I worked briefly in the racing industry. Very briefly, it wasn’t the place for me. But, a couple of valuable lessons came up. One of which, was overhearing a young apprentice jockey talking (excitedly) about how his position was “almost hitting the martini glass…” which was a little intriguing! And, it began part of my interest in position and the influence it has over a horse.

Before a competition and in between competitions it’s vital to practice at home, reflecting on what went well and then working on the bits that didn’t. In dressage, identifying the weaknesses is usually easier as you have the judges comments which can be helpful. When judging I see many combinations competing in the same class at the same show week after week, getting more or less the same score. This can be good if you are enjoying your horse, however sometimes it’s better to ...

Back in November I had the chance to attend Piggy French Training Camp. As this was my first ever camp I was extremely nervous, for many reasons. I was worried about forgetting something, what the other people attending the camp would be like, if I would hold the group back or if I would be a good enough rider. The worries and doubts were endless. But if I was going to do a camp, who better to do it with than the famous Piggy!

On my last trip to South Africa, a friend and I decided that something different was called for (her version of events may or may not match this…). A feed company local to her has an arena and various advertising for “Turn ‘n Burn, western mounted games”. Well, come on, how could we not try it out? They don’t normally loan horses or do lessons as such, it’s a venue where the team trains, but they were very obliging when Jess went to chat to them. &ldquo...

Valentine’s Day can be seen as a dreaded day for some or an overrated day for others. But for all those that are single pringles or would simply rather spend the day with their hoofed four-legged friend, here are some ideas for things you can do with your horse this Valentine’s Day to make it feel extra special!

Eventing season is looming which means it's time to polish up our techniques and combat any underlying issue that you faced last season. A common problem a lot of riders face is holding a straight line while riding cross country. The cross country phase not only becomes bigger as you go up the levels, but the technicality also becomes more difficult. So mastering the foundation is fundamental to ensure you’re bringing those rosettes home this season. So where do you start? If you strugg...

As an event rider, it's hard to know how best to prepare for the Eventing season. Rachael tells us how she prepares herself and her horse, Bailey, and runs through her training plan for each discipline, including top tips for increasing fitness levels and getting organised before the event. Fitness Training; There are many areas I look at when preparing for the Eventing season. The key thing for all eventers is ensuring that the horse is fit and ready for the event, and is fully trained and...

The end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 has been a bit of a whirlwind for us! Last year was pretty crazy too! We treated and trained more horses than we ever have before, 55 horses have graced us with their presence! This means that we have worked with over 150 horses and been lucky enough to back more horses than many people have the opportunity to even ride. As we were winding down our work to have a proper break over Christmas, we were also packing as much as possible into our days! ...

Every dressage test starts with the centre line. This is the first impression you will make on the judge, so make it count! Make It Straight; Look at the judge (don’t forget to smile – you’re supposed to be having fun!), ride through a nice corner at the end of the line, be prepared and don’t leave it too late. When it comes to halting, make sure it’s straight (square is secondary, it if isn’t straight then square won’t matter), salute and trot of...

We’ve all heard of making New Year resolutions. The arrival of a new year is the perfect time for you to review your previous twelve months and move forward. The same applies in business too! January is the perfect time of year to look over your yard administration and a good starting point to make any changes you’ve been considering over the previous months. An annual review is a great idea for any business, it can help you be organised and plan for the year ahead and can even save ...

We are midway through January and you may be thinking something along the lines of: ‘I’ve already set my goals for this year’. Most people are quite good at setting themselves resolutions at the beginning of the year, but the question we are asking is how effective is your goal-setting? As we said, goal setting is intuitive for most people, but it is important to set the right types of goals at the right time. At their best, goals can help provide direction, help us stay mot...

One cannot fail to be impressed by Piggy French as she talks kindly about the success of her peers in her introduction, which is of course meant to be about herself. Piggy has had some outstanding achievements this year, the highlight of course being her win at Badminton. Yet she attributes her success to maintaining a system, even when it wasn’t necessarily bringing her the results she wanted. For equestrians this is just what we want to hear – that hard graft pays off, even if it t...

Sitting trot is easier said than done, especially if you have a horse who tends to be rather bouncy or you haven’t done it in quite some time! But we’re here to help! So here are some top tips, but remember to stay safe at all times. 1. Start off by doing just a few steps of sitting trot at a time. This will stop you from feeling unbalanced and you can build up gradually. A good exercise to start with is to come onto a 20 metre circle and ride a few steps of sitting trot, then go...