The Equestrian Blog

Toxic to Horses

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, but do you know what else is toxic to your horse?

If you don't you should do. Have a read of our Toxic to Horses section, some things may surprise you.

European Eventing Championships

The FEI European Eventing Championships start today at Fontainebleau (FRA) and run until the 27 September. The championships include a full line-up of 18 nations who have nominated riders.

British hopes rest with Oliver Townend, winner of Badminton and Burghley this year, record seven-time European medalist William Fox-Pitt and Tina Cook, who won team and individual bronze at the 2008 Olympics. They are joined by three European newbies Lucy Wiegersma, Nicola Wilson and Piggy French.

France has won team silver 7 times since 1993 and individual gold with local hero Nicholas Touzaint in 2007, they have yet to win team gold.

Germany is seen as the strong favourite but hasn't won team gold for 40 years, a fact they are looking to change.

The European Eventing Championships began in 1953 and the UK can boast 20 team and 17 individual gold medals won by celibrated riders like Lucinda Green, Ian Stark, Pippa Funnell and Zara Phillips. Supreme Rock ridden by Pippa Funnell is the only horse to have won back-to-back titles, in 1999 and 2001. Ginny Elliot (GBR) is the only rider to have won the European title 3 times, which she did it in succession in 1985, 1987 and 1989. Ginny is now the Irish team trainer. William Fox-Pitt has won the most European medals with 5 team golds and 2 individual silvers. This will be his 7th European Eventing Championship.

This years course designer is Pierre Michelet and France has hosted the FEI European Championships twice before, in Haras du Pin (1969) and Pau (2001)

Follow the action and get full details of the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championship 2009 at www.fontainebleau2009.com

Gate Theft Kills Horses at Timbertops Equestrian Centre

The callous theft of field gates at Timbertops Equestrian Centre has resulted in four horses being killed on the A1.

The four horses were killed after straying onto the A1 motorway after their field gates were stolen. The horses escaped from the field near Wentbridge, on the border of West and North Yorkshire, after the gates were stolen at the weekend.

Four of the horses were hit by vehicles on the nearby A1. Three died at the scene and a fourth was put to sleep by a local vet.

Anyone with information about the gate theft is urged to contact York CID. The gates were stolen between 3pm on Saturday and 12:15am on Sunday. The field belongs to
the Timbertops Equestrian Centre... full story

Carl Hester Makes It 50 National Titles

Carl Hester has succeeded in winning his 50th National Title.

Winning the grand prix at the national dressage championships on Donald McTaggart's Liebling ll and then the intermediaire I freestyle on Sasha Stewart's breeding stallion Uthopia means Carl has won a title every day since Thursday, starting with the prix st georges, then yesterday's intermediaire I, both on Uthopia.

In the grand prix Liebling ll scored 71.36%, beating last year's National champions Maria Eilberg and Two Sox into second place. Third place went to Steph Croxford and Mr President, who scored 67.40%.

Horse Trailer Towing – What you need to know.

With new EU and UK legislation concerning driving horseboxes coming in almost every week, including tachograph rules and pollution charges in London, more and more of us are turning to the more economical alternative of a horse trailer.

The only problem is that anyone under the age of 30 in 2009 may not have the necessary driving class or category on their licence to legally tow a horse trailer over 750kg. You need to take another driving test to be road legal and insured. So, just to make sure we all know what's needed have a look at T & C Training, who specialise in teaching horse owners how to tow their horse trailers.

T & C Training offer specialised and expertise training by a fully qualified female driving instructor with over 20yrs experience of transporting horses.

Horse Trailer Towing Training is provided in a 4x4 vehicle towing an Ifor Williams trailer, this sets T & C apart from many other training providers as most just tow with a small car and normal box trailer and many instructors have no experience in transporting horses. T & c training believe in using vehicles similar to yours in order to ensure you are best equipped to transport your horse once you have passed your B + E test.

They even make it possible to use your own vehicle and or trailer provided the vehicles meet the minimum test requirements. You can check the requirements at www.trailerandcartraining.co.uk.

T&C Training cover horse trailer towing in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire and even provide help for horse owners who are licensed to tow trailers but who may be nervous, rusty or just need help reversing. If you need help towing your trailer give them a call on Call or 07743 328450 or check out their website at www.trailerandcartraining.co.uk.

Get trained and make sure you don't end up on the six o'clock news.