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Be warned – Horsetail, Mares Tail or Scouring Rush

Just a quick question... As horse owners we're mostly all familiar with the battle against ragwort and how it has spread into every field, central reservation and grass verge in the country, but how many of us know anything about mares tail?

Horse or Mares Tail, (scientific name Equisetum Palustre), is toxic to horses and should in my opinion be equestrian enemy number one. It looks like it belongs in Jurassic Park and spreads like wildfire. From a few small patches last year my paddock is now covered in it and it looks as if it's spreading fast and here to stay.

I've been researching this plant and what I've discovered doesn't make for pleasant reading.. more at Mares Tail - Toxic To Horses

You Learn Something New Everyday.

The Dominate Eye in The Spooky HorseHere's something I never realised and never considered but makes perfect sense once you do think about it.

Why does your horse spook at the same thing twice ?

We all get frustrated when our horse spooks at the same corner everyday or the same flower pot he saw just two minutes earlier. But why.... well maybe the answer lies with,  “The theory of the dominant eye”.

You see, most of us (including horses) have a dominant eye. To find out which is your dominant eye, keep both eyes open and point at an object. Then close each eye, one after the other. You’ll find when you close one eye, your finger stays on the object, but when you close the other eye your finger appears to jump to one side.

For example, if you close your right eye and your finger stays on the object then your left eye is your dominant eye. The left eye being the open eye.

The dominant eye theory explains why horses tend to shy more when a perceived danger is on a particular side. Let’s say you’re circling to the right and your horse is left eye dominant. He seems pretty secure about his environment because his dominant eye is on the outside. He can see his surroundings and keep himself alert and safe from danger.

However, if your horse is right eye dominant, he’ll want to get his head around to the left so he can check out that environment with his right eye. The result is that he spooks more for objects that are to the left of his body. So ride along a road with a new piece of litter on the right and he spooks, then ride back along the same road and the litter is on the left and it's all new and he spooks again.

So...., make sure the first time he notices something new, you let him see it from both sides before riding on. 

Compete In Dressage Competitions – Online ?

Well now... if they don't own a horsebox or trailer is this every dressage riders dream. Or maybe your horse just doesn't like to travel to shows.

Don't worry, because you can now compete online by videoing your dressage test at home and sending it to Interdressage.

This is an online competition host that judges your dressage test using a video you submit. It costs you £10 to enter a class and promises up to 20% of the total entries to be shared between winning entries, up to 12th place.

COMPETE MONTHLY VIA
VIDEO FOR FABULOUS
ROSETTES AND PRIZE MONEY

You can watch the video entries online and make your own mind up about the standard of marking.

It really does sound like quite a good idea but as we all know, everything is relative and it does seem as if your marks will depend more on the quality of your video than the quality of your riding and turnout.

Oh nearly forgot.... here's the link Interdressage

Olympia Grand Prix Dressage Results

Olympia Dressage - Example ArenaWORLD number one Anky van Grunsven (NED) and IPS Salinero won the grand prix dressage at Olympia, London, on 17th December with 78.042%.  

Britain's Laura Bechtolsheimer was the best of the British, with second on Mistral Hojris. She scored a personal best of 75.33%. The highest score any British rider has achieved in international grand prix.

Third place went to Holland's Aat van Essen and Premier. The former carriage-driving champion turned to dressage six years ago and Premier is his first international grand prix horse.

Top placings and points :

1. IPS Salinero (Anky van Grunsven) NED 1873 points

2. Mistral Hojris (Laura Bechtolsheimer) GBR 1808 points

3. Premier (Aat van Essen) NED 1733 points

4. Max (Kyra Kyrklund) FIN 1704 points

5. Luxform's Nimbly (Alex van Silfhout) NED 1684 points

6. Afrikka (Anders Dahl) DEN 1667 points

7. Mr President (Stephanie Croxford) GBR 1661 points

8. Dolendo (Carl Hester) GBR 1640 points

9. Paganini (Jeroen Devroe) BEL 1631 points

10. Zancor (Anna-Katharina Lüttgen) GER 1611 points

14. Dream of Heidelberg II (Emile Faurie) GBR 1563 points

Proof – Global Warming is Real !!

Proof - global warming is real.

Overcoming Confidence Problems

Confidence Problems - Out of your shell Confidence problems or losing confidence is quite common after a fall or an accident and some of us recover quicker or better than others.

Read how Amanda coped, in her own words, after a bad road traffic accident and how;  despite injury, despite pain and despite friends insistence, she soldiered on and has rebuilt her equestrian life. 

Her story is an inspiration .... Click Here to Read It !