Sponsored content in collaboration with The Insurance EmporiumTaking out a horse insurance policy is a part of horse ownership that you might want to consider. We tend to think that the worst wont happen, but as magnificent and intelligent as they are, horses are still animals large animals that can often be unpredictable. Theyre also not the cheapest animal to own; once youve factored in the initial cost of buying them youve then got livery costs, feed, forage and bedding to cover, plus worming treatments, dental check-ups, farrier costs and transport. You then have to consider the costs involved if they were to go missing, or become seriously ill, or even damage someone elses property.While you cant put a price on having the peace of mind of knowing you could be covered if the unexpected were to happen, insurance is often way down the list of priorities and its tempting to whizz through your policy wording after all, its not the most fascinating of reads!But its important to know what your policy covers, particularly as, depending on your policy type, there may be exclusions/conditions that wont be covered that youre not aware of. Here, the experts at The Insurance Emporium explain the most common mistakes people make when taking out horse insurance.1 Insuring for the wrong type of equestrian activityWhen taking out a policy, youll need to specify the type of equestrian activity youll be using your horse for, as this could have an impact on your cover, as well as your premium. For example, a horse used for hunting or polo could be at higher risk of injury, and if an injury occurs while taking part in an activity not included in your specified type of activity, you may not be covered.2 Non-disclosureWhen you take out an insurance policy you need to provide the right information so that the insurer can accurately assess any risks and decide on your level of cover and insurance premium. If you dont disclose certain information, such as a pre-existing condition, then your policy might not be valid. For example, if your policy includes vets fees cover, when you come to make a claim youll need to complete a claims form, provide a detailed vets report and a full medical history.If this highlights any previous illnesses, injuries or conditions that should have been declared, your claim could be rejected, or your policy could be cancelled. You also need to keep your insurer aware of any changes to any information youve given.3 Not providing a horse-safe environmentWhile it makes sense to ensure that your horse has somewhere safe to graze, did you know that the type of fencing you use could affect an insurance claim? There may be exclusions on claims for injuries your horse sustains in a field that has barbed wire fencing, or stock or plain wire fencing, as it could be viewed as a preventable risk. Its the responsibility of the owner to provide a safe paddock with appropriate fencing.Injury to a horse turned out in a field with unsuitable fencing could be deemed a preventable risk4 Overvaluing your horseIts important that you insure your horse for its current market value and check this annually. Going for a higher policy value doesnt mean youll get better cover, as claims will either be paid up to 100% of the sum insured or the horses market value, whichever is less. Think of it in the same way as a car depreciating in value whatever you paid for it new, it might not be worth that much a couple of years down the line, and you could end up paying a higher premium on your insurance. The same goes for if your horses value goes up, for example due to success in competitions. Your insurer needs to know so that you know you have the correct cover in place.5 Making a claim too soonNot all insurance policies offer immediate protection. Some providers have a 14-day exclusion period during which claims for illnesses/conditions that show clinical signs, or develop within those two weeks, wont be covered. During this period, only external injuries as a result of an accident are covered. This is to reduce fraudulent claims, or pre-existing conditions that could lead to a greater number of claims. Its a good idea to have insurance in place from the day you purchase your horse, so you know you have the cover you need from day one.Flexible policies to choose fromSorting out insurance isnt the most exciting of jobs when youre buying a horse, but its worth getting it right and this includes going through the small print. The Insurance Emporium has a range of flexible horse insurance policies, and each one comes with Death, Theft or Straying as a standard benefit. You then choose the optional benefits you want to add, for example, Vets Fees or Public Liability. They have a team of specialists on hand to talk you through everything you need to consider so give them a call on 03300 244 005. Or, if youd rather an online version, take a look at their website as they offer a digital solution from purchase to claim.Lifestyle Policy Limited is an appointed representative of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. The Insurance Emporium is a trading name of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited (registered in England and Wales no: 294940) which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority no:202748. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.We offer a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording, for information on policy exclusions and limitations.Images ShutterstockRelated contentThese are the 7 most common horse-related insurance claims *Ad feature*Expert guide to public liability insurance for horse riders *Ad feature*What does Death of Horse insurance actually cover? Experts explain *Ad feature*Top tips for choosing the most appropriate insurance policy for you and your horse *Ad feature*The post 5 common mistakes to avoid when taking out horse insurance *Ad feature* appeared first on Your Horse.

The Irish teams competing at the The 2026 FEI Jumping European Championship for Juniors, Young Riders, and Children in Hagen a.T.W., Germany, from July 1926 have been selected.Following a comprehensive selection process and a successful FEI Nations Cup Series to date, Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Youth Jumping Manager Denis Flannelly and the selection committee has chosen the squads and non-travelling reserves to compete in Germany in a few weeks time.Irish teams have enjoyed some historic championships at underage level of late and will be hopeful of more medals returning home from Hagen a.T.W., as some members of youth teams in previous years join new combinations at championship level.Young Riders (in alphabetical order)Timmy Brennan Diadema Della CacciaTabitha Kyle DesterlyTom Wachman Do it EasyBen Walshe Zenith VD Donkhoeve Z or Adastra Milo Coen Williams Dominante ZNon-travelling reservesEoin Brennan Augustus ZAidan OBrien Gisbourne VDLJuniors (in alphabetical order)Annie Boland Calisto BlancJack Kent Ollie Van De KlotputtenCian McMunn Oberon Vant LohofSenan Reape Creevagh SpecialBrid Ryan Cariati Delsendam Z & GCS JasmineNon-travelling reservesLauren Adams Caddie ZJames Derwin Amos LZChildren On Horses (in alphabetical order)Charlotte Foley Chillbrid ExcelLucia Keane EliaZahara Kirby Casola Seraphhine Van Het Weidse HofBen OConnor Fox Chapel or Katy Perry Terma WMEllie Sheane Monbeg HendricksNon-travelling reservesAlisha Kernan FantomBlathnaid Murphy Godiva QualityThe post Irish teams selected for 2026 Youth Jumping European Championships appeared first on .

Rosalind Canter, winner of the 2025 Defender Burghley Horse Trials, returned to Burghley to unveil her new plinth on Winners Avenue alongside five-time winner Ginny Elliot. They were joined by baby Seneh, with whom Ros was pregnant at the time of her victory last year.The lime avenue was the brainchild of former Event Director Bill Henson and commemorates the winning horse and rider of every single Burghley Horse Trials since its inception in 1961.A newer custom is to invite the reigning champion to come and view their plaque once it is erected on the Avenue. This year, Burghley also invited Lordships Graffalos owners, Michele and Archie Saul, to join Ros, along with Ginny Elliot. When I was growing up, I was in awe of all these names, said Ros, walking the avenue with Ginny, whom she had not met properly before. Growing up, I loved watching videos of you, she added, admitting that she almost knew by heart the commentary on some of her Thrills and Spills eventing videos from the 1990s.Walking past her own winners plaques from the 1980s, Ginny shared memories from the times when cross-country was preceded by the roads and tracks phases, and riders had to meet a minimum weight: I think I had to carry two stones of lead.Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo won the Defender Burghley Horse Trials in 2025. Credit: DBHT/Peter NixonGinny discussed the time Night Cap crammed a stride into a bounce of bullfinches on the way to his 1984 win, and the year victory hung in the balance on Master Craftsman as she completely forgot the showjumping course. He was really difficult showjumping; I was concentrating so hard on all the bits I had to do to help the situation and I went completely blank, she said. But a guardian angel tapped me on the shoulder and said, Turn right, you fool!'Her penultimate Burghley win came on Murphy Himself, a grey who was so strong she later passed the ride to Ian Stark.I literally had no control, recalled Ginny. I had to wrap the reins around my hand but he kept pulling and pulling. But had he not taken off wed never have got inside the time and won.Ive had so many hiccups; you never seem to have a hiccupyoure just a joy to watch.Ros insisted that theres a moment of panic during every competition she does but its whether people notice or not.Last years Burghley came with extra pressures because I was nearly five months pregnant there is always a story behind a win and thats what makes each one very special, she said. It is a constant juggling act but having the children and all those extra dimensions makes me a little bit more resilient.Ginny concluded that Ros was one of the best competitors shed seen for a very long time. The fact she thinks I might have had an influence is very nice for me, but she is extraordinary, and shell be there for a long time to come, she added.Lead image: Ginny chats to Ros, who is holding baby Seneh. Credit: DBHTRelated contentFrom newborn nights to Badminton heights: Ros Canter gives all the credit to Walter for their cross-country clearRos Canter enjoys 110k pay day on legend Lordships GraffaloRos Canter and Walter gallop into the history books with sensational third Badminton victoryRos Canters grid exercise to slow a keen or strong horse when youre jumpingThe post Ros Canter and Ginny Elliot recount iconic Burghley moments alongside baby Ros carried during 2025 win appeared first on Your Horse.

High-speed maneuvers and abrupt stops can take a tollheres how to help these athletes stay sound and competitiveRapid acceleration and deceleration put stress on cutting horses hindquarters, stifles, and front legs, leading to a higher incidence of suspensory injuries in this group. | Adobe stockWestern performance horses often execute high-speed maneuvers, sharp turns, and powerful stops. Whether competing in reining, cutting, roping, barrel racing, or reined-cow-horse events, these horses face significant physical demands that put strain on their joints, muscles, and tendons.Injuries in Western performance horses are a lot like occupational hazards people may experience in their job, says Dylan Costello, DVM, who is an associate veterinarian at Western Performance Equine, in Ione, California. Many soundness issues depend on discipline but typically include soft tissue injuries, bone injuries, joint disease, and contusions.In addition to the job-related risks, age can also play a role in Western performance horse soundness. Futurity and derby events incentivize trainers and owners to start training and competing at a young age.Its great to have horses go to futurities, but sometimes we are injecting those horses as 2-year-olds, says Beau Whitaker, DVM, CERP, who focuses on lameness and sports medicine at Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals in Salado, Texas. As an industry, we need to be mindful that it can take away on the back end if we want a horse to last into their late teens. The one thing the Warmblood sport horse industry has figured out better than Western is focusing on career longevity.Keeping a horse sound despite inherent occupational hazards and an early start to work takes a strong partnership between rider and veterinarian. Riders often notice changes before lameness becomes obvious. A horse might feel different in turns, resist certain maneuvers, or struggle to push from behind, explains Alexander Daniel, BVetMed, MS, Dipl. ACVS, equine surgeon at Daniel Equine, in Wellington, Florida.Small changes in willingness, head carriage, or stride rhythm can signal discomfort before traditional lameness exams detect an issue, he says. By merging what the rider feels with a thorough physical exam, flexion tests, and gait evaluation on different surfaces, we can often pinpoint mild, early-stage soundness issues before they escalate. Imaging is then used to confirm findings and determine the best course of action.Maintaining soundness is crucial for not only competitive success but also the horses long-term well-being. Heres a look at each disciplines most common lameness issues, how veterinarians diagnose and treat them, and tips for early detection and prevention.Injuries by DisciplineMany performance horse disciplines involve working at speed. However, the specific maneuvers in each discipline can predispose horses to certain injuries. Recognizing these demands helps guide effective treatment and maintenance strategies.A reining horse engages his hind end heavily for sliding stops and rollback maneuvers. This can cause stress on the lower hock joints, stifles, and the sacroiliac region. | Adobe stockReining horses Daniel mostly sees reining horses and says these mounts common soundness issues fall into three categories: synovial joint (those that are freely movable) pain and inflammation, sacroiliac (SI) dysfunction and pain, and palmar (the rear part of the) heel and navicular issues.Reiners engage their hind end heavily for sliding stops and rollback maneuvers, leading to repetitive impact and stress on the lower hock (distal tarsal) joints and stifles, he says. Also, the explosive engagement of the hindquarters during stops and turns causes chronic stress and muscle fatigue in the SI region.Cutting horses These athletes must make quick lateral movements and sudden stops while maintaining focus on cattle. Rapid acceleration and deceleration put stress on the hindquarters, stifles, and front legs, leading to a higher incidence of suspensory ligament injuries, particularly in the distal suspensory branches or the proximal (high) suspensory regionmost often in the hind limbs, though the forelimbs are frequently affected as well. Since reined-cow-horse events include cutting and reining, these athletes have the potential to develop injuries seen in both of those disciplines.The reined cow horse is three strenuous events combined into one, so with these horses we tend to see a lot of general body soreness, exhaustion, and back soreness, Costello says. They definitely also experience typical hock and suspensory injuries.Barrel horses Half of Whitakers caseload consists of barrel and rope horsesthe other half, English sport horses. In barrel racers he frequently sees osteoarthritis, or degeneration of articular cartilage that lines the ends of bones inside joints.I see a lot of hock arthritis, coffin joint, stifle, and fetlock issues in barrel horses because of the way they use their back end to run as fast as they can to turn as sharp as they can around a barrel, Whitaker says. Those are not natural forces on their joints, and the repetitive use on those horses can stress them.Costello says he frequently sees kissing spines in barrel horses. In his opinion, he adds, Quarter Horse racehorse breeding decisions dont include turning at speed because on a racetrack a Quarter Horse runs straight. Regarding rope horses, he notes that deep digital flexor tendon injuries of the right foreleg are most common.Veterinarians commonly diagnose osteoarthritis (OA) in the coffin joint, stifle, and fetlock in barrel racing horses. | Adobe stockA head horse makes the same left turn every day, Costello says. A lot of times they leave out going to the right, and then we see a lot of balance issues as well.Treatment and Maintaining Soundness in Western Performance HorsesTreating an issue and developing a maintenance plan begins with a physical exam, including palpation to find range-of-motion decreases or pain response when joints are flexed. Flexion tests help narrow down where to radiograph (X ray) and use nerve blocks, which together can help the veterinarian determine if an MRI is necessary. Diagnosis and budget determine the next steps.Most of the time were doing joint injections, Whitaker says. What we use depends on the clients finances because there can be a big range in price. It also depends on the severity of arthritis were treating, the number of joints, and the mechanics of the joints.Corticosteroids remain the most budget-friendly option but, given repeatedly and at high doses, they can cause more damage to the joint and potentially decrease its longevity, Whitaker explains. With corticosteroids there is the risk of inducing laminitis in metabolic horses, he adds.Hyaluronic acid in the IV injectable form is another cost-effective option that has been shown to be beneficial when loaded and then given monthly. Some clients choose to use HA this way; Whitakers preference is to give HA IV about 48 hours before competition due to the initial heightened effects over the first two to four days after administration.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be given to competition horses, with phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine most commonly used. Whitaker cautions that there could be more judicious use in the Western performance horse disciplines that are not subject to drug testing, where he says trainers often give NSAIDs before competition without discretion.Negative consequences include masking injuries and decreased muscle recovery, Whitaker says. That being said, many older competition horses especially benefit from daily oral firocoxib (an anti-inflammatory that avoids the side effects other NSAIDs can cause long term), though they should have regular bloodwork to make sure it is not negatively affecting them systemically.Veterinarians commonly use polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG), an injectable drug labeled for intramuscular use, in Western performance horses. It is Whitakers most recommended systemic joint therapy.Much of the benefit is in the loading dose phase of treatment, he says. Due to this I typically recommend that horses load PSGAG every six months. Some (veterinarians and horse owners) elect to give it monthly as well between the loading doses.Injectable polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAAGs) have increased in use and for good reasons, notes Whitaker. Veterinarians have two PAAG products that work in different ways and often serve different purposes. Nevertheless, Whitaker says in his experience many cases respond more favorably and for a significantly longer period of time to intra-articular use of PAAGs than other products, though PAAG typically costs more and can take longer to produce noticeable results. Daniel recommends clients use a 2.5% PAAG for long-term joint support by enhancing synovial membrane elasticity.Increasingly, orthobiologics ranging from stem cells and platelet-rich plasma to interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein and autologous conditioned protein/serum are replacing steroids for treatment and long-term maintenance.Using orthobiologics eliminates the risk of corticosteroids causing problems in horses with metabolic issues, which many performance horses have, Whitaker says. Plus, they prolong the usable life of those joints by slowing the inflammatory cycle and joint degradation, he adds.Daniel adds, For soft tissue injuries, I prioritize regenerative therapies, using bone-marrow-derived stem cells, which I inject both locally and intra-arterially whenever possible to enhance tissue repair.Special Feature: Managing Your Performance Horses JointsIn addition to injections, veterinarians commonly prescribe therapies such as therapeutic ultrasound, underwater treadmill protocols, and functional electrical stimulation (FES) to promote healing and long-term soundness. When Daniel sends a horse home, he also includes progressive loading protocols for soft tissue injuries.The protocols include carefully timed increases in intensity to prevent reinjury, he says.The key to success is individualized treatment, Daniel explains. No two horses are the same, and I work closely with owners to optimize their horses recovery.In regard to supplements, Whitaker says, The supplement industry is the wild west with limited regulation and little validation. Many of the products lack scientific backing and product research, he adds. I recommend to my clients to avoid the hot social media product and look at the supplements backed with research that are targeted at specific issues. If something sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.Recognizing Early Signs of Lameness in Western Performance HorsesDetecting the earliest signs of discomfort allows for early treatment and a better chance for recovery.There is strong evidence that early treatment of synovitis is critical, Daniel says. Waiting until it progresses to osteoarthritis significantly reduces the chances of a full recovery. Similarly, resolving back and SI pain early can prevent secondary compensatory stress on the limbs, reducing injury risk.Horses have the best outcomes for recovery and long-term soundness when their owners, riders, and trainers notice subtle clues and partner with their veterinarians.One of the most valuable tools in soundness management is understanding a horses individual movement patterns, behavior, and athletic tendencies, Daniel says. Each horse has strengths and weaknesses in the sport, and recognizing what they excel at versus where they struggle helps bridge the gap between clinical evaluation and rider feedback.To help riders and owners know what to look for, Daniel offers this checklist:Watch how a horse steps out of his stall The first few steps into the aisleway can reveal stiffness, hesitation, or uneven movementall signs of early discomfort.Look for changes in swellings, lumps, or bumps Know whats normal for your horse. Subtle changes in heat or puffiness around joints or tendons might indicate low-grade inflammation.Observe reactions to grooming and tacking up Flinching, ear-pinning, or shifting away when certain areas are brushedespecially the back or girth regioncan be an early indicator of pain.Check for back and SI sensitivity Gently running your hand over the back and gluteal region can help detect muscular sensitivity that might indicate SI pain. However, palpation takes experience, and improper technique can easily trigger a false reaction.In addition to closely observing their horses, Costello encourages clients to include routine soft tissue ultrasound scans to keep an eye on trouble spots and catch (and respond) to potential issues before they become big problems.Preventing Equine InjuriesElite athletes, human or equine, often become injured because of the demands of training and competition. Conditioning and strengthening help horses maintain soundness, and they reduce the risk of injury. Costello encourages clients to use tension-band systems and hill work (taking previous injury into consideration) to get horses moving up under themselves.We see a lot of fatigue-type injuries, where horses get tired and pushed beyond the limit. Thats when things fail, Costello says. If you could build a horses endurance, build their strength, and get them framed properly, they can use their bodies better and protect themselves. A lot of Western disciplines tend to let them get hollowed out and inverted. A little dressage training goes a long way.All three veterinarians agree that routine hoof care is a critical and often overlooked component of maintaining soundness in Western performance horses.Corrective shoeing is crucial, with an emphasis on improving breakover (the moment the heels lift off the ground) and reducing strain on the navicular region, Daniel says.Costello agrees. I think everyone, across all disciplines, could pay a little more attention to when their horses are shod. I get complaints all the time that my horse is sore in the front, and when I ask when their horse was shod, theyll say, Ten, 14 weeks ago. (In other words, the animals lameness has manifested over time due to improper foot care.) Horses need a good shoe with good breakover.Whitaker adds, You have to take a whole-horse approach to maintaining soundness in the horse, especially athletes. That includes how foot care, diet, and daily routine affect the horse.Take-Home MessageOnce a horse becomes more confident in his work, Whitaker recommends taking up different activities such as trail riding and rest periods during the off-season. People have gotten better about not just wearing their horses out constantly between every competition, he says. They need recovery time, especially as they get older. Keeping a well-trained horse in shape is important, but make sure youre not overdoing so the horse can last longer.

A horse walks about three kilometers an hour.If you spend enough time at that speed, you'll notice things other people miss.Filipe Masetti Leite spent eight years riding from Alaska to Argentina, covering 27,000 kilometers with eleven horses. Along the way, he crossed mountain ranges, deserts, jungles, and international borders. He also slept beside his horses, searched for water with them, waited out storms with them, and relied on them in places where instinct often mattered more than a map.This kind of partnership isn't measured in years, but miles.Most of us spend a few hours each week with our horses. We ride, untack, feed, and head home. Felipe lived alongside his. Every decision affected the entire herd, and every day offered another opportunity to understand how horses communicate.Horses Are Always Communicating"Horses speak," he says. "They just speak differently."Learning that language began with paying attention.Early in the journey, his horses refused to keep moving through a stretch of trail in Montana. Felipe encouraged them forward until a grizzly bear emerged from the brush. The horses had sensed danger well before he did. By the end of the expedition, he had learned to trust those instincts instead of questioning them.While it might not be a grizzly bear, every rider has experienced something similar.Your horse hesitates before a creek crossing. Their breathing changes. Their focus shifts toward something you haven't noticed yet. Horses gather information differently than we do, and they share it with us every day. The opportunity is giving ourselves enough time to listen.Modern life encourages speed. Horses invite us into another rhythm. They ask us to notice small changes, stay engaged with the present, and leave distractions behind for a while. Few places ask for your full attention the way a horse does.Courage Looks Smaller Than We ThinkFelipe's understanding of courage shifted during those years.Before leaving Canada, he assumed courageous people simply feared less. Thousands of kilometers later, he arrived at another conclusion."Courage is being scared half to death, but saddling up anyways."Every rider recognizes that feeling.It shows up before the first canter after a fall, before entering the show ring, before loading a reluctant horse into the trailer, or before trying something unfamiliar. Confidence grows through action. The feeling catches up later.Listen to the podcast episodeEvery Ride Begins With a Better QuestionOne of the most thought-provoking conversations in this episode centered on a question with no simple answer.Can we love horses while also objectifying them?Felipe and Noelle explored the question from several angles without trying to settle it. Every discipline asks remarkable things of horses. Every rider also has opportunities to pause, examine their intentions, and ask whose needs are being served. Curiosity creates room for better decisions, stronger partnerships, and greater respect for the horse standing beside us.That conversation also offered an encouraging reminder for anyone who has ever said, "I'm just a trail rider."Felipe rejects that way of thinking entirely. After spending years traveling on horseback, he sees value in every rider who enjoys time with their horse and treats them with care. Riding through forests, across fields, or down a favorite trail creates opportunities for connection that many people spend years searching for. The discipline matters far less than the relationship you create along the way.Leadership Starts With ListeningThat same curiosity shaped Felipe's understanding of leadership.When the expedition began, he believed leading meant making every decision. His horses had another lesson in mind.Some days one horse needed extra feed. Another needed more rest. Success depended on recognizing those individual needs instead of expecting every member of the herd to respond the same way. Years later, those experiences became the foundation of the leadership talks he now gives around the world. Empathy, humility, and observation carried far more influence than control ever could.Horse people understand this instinctively. Every horse brings a unique personality, history, and way of learning. The partnership improves when we spend less time trying to make every horse fit the same mold and more time understanding the horse standing in front of us.Bringing the Lessons HomeThe hardest chapter of Felipe's journey began after the ride ended.After spending years immersed in nature and living with a singular purpose, ordinary life felt unfamiliar. Felipe speaks openly about the anxiety and depression that followed the expedition, describing the experience as forgetting how to be human after spending so long as part of a herd.His path forward began with a simple realization.He needed horses in his life.Today, when work pulls him too far from that connection, he heads back to the barn. He parts a horse's mane, buries his face against its neck, and breathes. It reminds him where he feels most like himself.Most of us will never ride across two continents.Few of us need to.Felipe's story invites us to spend a little more time paying attention to the horses already in front of us. Every ride, every trail, every hour at the barn offers another opportunity to notice what they're saying, trust what they're showing us, and carry those lessons into the rest of our lives.Continue the JourneyFelipe Masetti's story extends far beyond this conversation.The Long Rider follows his 27,000-kilometer journey from Alaska to Argentina, capturing the landscapes, the people he met, and the horses who carried him across two continents. It's an unforgettable look at the partnership between horse and rider, and the lessons that emerged along the way.Then, continue the conversation by listening to Felipe Masetti's episode of The NOLLE FLOYD Podcast, where he shares the experiences, reflections, and life lessons that couldn't all fit into the documentary. Watch The Long Rider Documentary Listen to Felipe Masetti on The NOLLE FLOYD Podcast

Despite the focus on equine flu outbreaks, as the highly infectious disease continues to be reported around the UK, strangles cases are also rising significantly, horse care experts have warned.There have been 260 cases formally diagnosed within the first five months of the year , which has surpassed the total number diagnosed in the whole of 2023.Using data from the Surveillance of Equine Strangles (SES), veterinary pharmaceutical company Dechra has calculated that if strangles continues to be diagnosed in line with the current rates (an average of 52 diagnoses per month) then there will 600 cases formally diagnosed during 2026, a rise of nearly a quarter year on year.Both infectious diseases require good biosecurity and preventative measures and the collaborators behindStrangles Awareness Week have put in place procedures to help prevent and manage strangles outbreaks.These measures include boosting immunity with vaccination, engaging with trusted information, separating unfamiliar horses, and temperature checking routinely.The strangles vaccine, Strangvac, protects up to 94 percent of horses from the disease and new studieshave also highlighted the benefits of vaccination in the face of a strangles outbreak.While flu and strangles data are reported differently to reflect their distinct epidemiology with flu reported as outbreaks and strangles as laboratory diagnoses both surveillance systems offer invaluable insights intoUK equine health, said Dr Abigail McGlennon from the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) group.To help keep their horses healthy, EIDS recommends that the equestrian community practices the four ates: Vaccinate to build immunity, Isolate new or returning horses, Investigate clinical signs early, and Communicate confirmed cases to other yards and owners, as well as to EIDS via their vet, to help us track and control disease spread.Dr Mary Battersby, veterinary surgeon and equine veterinary advisor at Dechra, the company behind the Strangvac vaccine, noted that horses are more likely to be on the move this time of year.Equine flu and strangles are infectious diseases which spread rapidly and can bring the equine community to a standstill, she said.Good biosecurity and preventative measures are essential to help tackle both diseases, particularly in light of owners traditionally being out and about more with their horses over the summer.Image credit: DechraRelated contentScottish livery yard makes strangles vaccination a permanent policyStrangles: a survivors storyThis is how to check a horses vital signs *VIDEO*Biosecurity: this is how to lower the risk of equine fluThe post Spike in strangles and flu cases: Experts share essential ways to protect horses appeared first on Your Horse.