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Are you raring to get out and start competing in 2021? Looking for a new jump saddle but not sure where to start? In this article we will discuss what makes a jump saddle a jump saddle, where to get a jump saddle from, and the top 10 jump saddles of 2021! What defines a jump saddle? Jump saddles are more forward cut than GP saddles. They have flatter seats and usually have good sized knee and thigh blocks to support the rider over the fence. Jump saddles can be monoflap or dual flap....

Today, I want to talk about how improving your leg stability in the saddle is a huge step towards learning to be a good load to carry, and how you can achieve that. By improving your stability in the saddle, you will not only be putting yourself in a position where you can be a much more elegant and effective rider, but it will also improve your confidence and safety in the saddle. Once you have built a stable and secure leg position, it will give you an added layer of confidence knowing that...

Used widely within riding disciplines, riders cite the use of joint supplements to address one of their main concerns; mobility and performance. While horse owners may need guidance on joint supplements, they should at least be aware of exactly what they are feeding – after all, knowing the ingredients in your horse’s joint supplement (and what they are designed to do) is the key to success!

With swathes of people getting back to riding and competing after a time off, it’s natural to have a mindset hiccup and wonder how it will all go. Anxiety can become a habit – it’s learnt. The good news is that anything learnt can be unlearnt too. Where does the anxiety come from? Anxiety can be thought of as a very natural response to impending danger. It’s a good mechanism to have. The stress of a situation, or the anxiety beforehand, was always a fabulous alarm sys...

Let’s be honest; the lockdowns have been difficult for everyone, both physically and mentally. It can be particularly difficult to keep your horse fit in these times, especially when the emotional toll of the pandemic can suck the energy out of you, and social distancing rules on livery yards can make it tough to find time and space to exercise your horse around other commitments. With the hope of restrictions loosening soon and a slow return to normality, equestrian events will soon be...

In the past, a diagnosis of Kissing Spine has made the hearts of horse owners sink, as the condition has a reputation for causing serious back pain and in severe cases can lead to a horse’s behaviour becoming dangerous – sometimes permanently. However, the good news is that Kissing Spine doesn’t always cause discomfort, and even in the event that it does, modern treatments in the form of pain management, surgery and physiotherapy can dramatically improve the condition and al...

The British Racing School has teamed up with Hartpury University to develop the first degree of its kind to help staff working within UK horseracing enhance their career opportunities within the industry. The two-year FdSc Horseracing Industry degree will deliver a broad programme of learning and offer a fascinating insight into the multi-million pound sport, covering everything from racehorse health and nutrition to race planning and performance analysis. The new degree programme, run prima...

Buying a horsebox can be difficult at the best of times, but buying a 3.5 tonne box is simply a minefield and these are the boxes that we find customers have the most trouble with. To give you an idea of the scale of the problem, only 1 in every 5 second-hand 3.5t boxes we inspect – regardless of whether it is a safety inspection for a current owner or a Pre purchase inspection for a potential buyer – actually pass the inspection.

Looking to purchase a horsebox? Not sure on your options regarding finance and whether it’s the right choice for you? Purchasing any vehicle is a big decision and buyers will often search far and wide to find something that meets their specification. When buying a horsebox, there’s a lot more to it than simply finding the right make or model in your chosen colour with low mileage. A horsebox will become a second home for the buyer and their horse whilst they’re on the road, so ...

Buying a horsebox can be a very testing time. There are so many factors to consider, and it can be hard to know where to start. So here are a few tips and hints on how to get your search moving. Firstly, it is important to know what you want from your new purchase. What are you going to use the box for? Is it something to pop out and about in now and again for a nice hack or a local clinic? Is it to stay away on weekends whilst competing? Is it something for the kids and pony club events? Day...

Here at KBIS British Equestrian Insurance, we are well known for providing comprehensive horsebox insurance as well as equine specific breakdown cover. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions about insuring a horsebox and what to consider when taking out a breakdown policy for a lorry or car and trailer…

I can still remember the day we got back on Dee (D-Day) like it was yesterday. My stomach was in turmoil with mixed emotions; excitement, fear, hope, worry. How would she react? Would all of the groundwork have paid off? We had worked so hard; laid the foundations, restarted her from the ground, taken our time, listened to her before moving to the next stage, ensured she had received the right medical and physical treatments. Would it have been enough? We had been working her on long lines...

The Saddle Bank is the UK’s fastest growing and most trusted online saddle shop. Having thousands of customers all over the world we are the experts in saddle selling and in this article we are going to share with you our secrets to getting your saddle sold. Why is your saddle not selling? If you have been trying to sell your saddle for a while unsuccessfully, there could be a number of reasons why.

There's a lot to think about when you're property hunting, especially when you're looking for an equestrian property with various specific features that are required to meet your needs. In order to make the process a little less overwhelming and give you a helping hand, we've summed up the top 10 points to consider...

The main purpose of any horse rug is to provide your horse with protection. There are many different types of horse rugs available, each designed to protect your horse in different ways, whether it be to keep them warm, dry or clean, or even a combination of all three. When you’re just starting out as a horse rider or owner, the varying types of horse rugs available can be pretty confusing, and it’s often difficult to know what kind of rug you should be using and when. In this ...

There are generally considered to be two main types of riding style – Western and English. Western riding includes the disciplines of roping, reining, trail riding and barrel racing. English riding generally refers to the more familiar UK disciplines of dressage, show jumping, eventing and endurance. Each riding style has a different saddle design, which is then modified further to meet the demands of the individual disciplines.

Running a livery yard can be deceiving. To many, those who have the ‘luxury’ of owning stables and grazing look like they are somewhat affluent, however, for most yard owners this could not be further from the truth! Running a livery yard is one of the least profitable sectors of the equine industry and the price of livery services has barely changed over the last 20 years. Whilst the cost of livery services is at the forefront of horse owners’ minds when choosing a new yard...

As equestrians, we continually seek ways to enhance our communication with our horses and refine our training methods. One tool that still sparks controversy in the equestrian community is draw reins. In this article, we'll explore their purpose and the ongoing debate surrounding their use in today's equestrian practices with opinions from top professionals. Are they an effective teaching tool or just a torture instrument?

Whether you should buy a horse unseen is a controversial topic that is often raised in equestrian discussion groups and is one that usually produces strong opinions either way. What with the current changes to the world and the restrictions in place due to COVID-19, it got me thinking about what can be done to increase the chances of such a purchase being successful. Before lockdown number 3, I was a phone call away from buying a horse without actually seeing it. I had found, on paper at leas...

Now, I will start by saying that I firmly believe that the rehab is categorically the most important part of the Kissing Spine journey and the pivotal point between successful or unsuccessful recovery. I did A LOT of research and reading into the rehab stages before Dee’s treatment and there are so many varying opinions, options and directions in what is right, wrong or otherwise. So much so that I actually felt totally overwhelmed, confused and anxious about what the right thing to do was...