Another of our former horses in the winners enclosure at bolesworth international.Marshmallow sold to Paul and Hannah simms as a young horse joint first in the puissance ..#bshgraduate

Nice to see our former horse Nike van het singraven and Holly smith win the 150cm Grand Prix qualifier at bolesworth international.nike (andiamo semilly x Haarlem x Voltaire ) sold by us as a 3yo..#bshgraduate

The results of a weight management survey have shown that horse owners are better understanding the nutritional needs of horses thanks to several educational resources.Initiatives like the Spillers Slimmers Club have worked hard to educate owners around best management strategies for good doers and those equines at risk of laminitis. One of their key messages has been to ensure that overweight horses and ponies still receive a balanced diet when their calories are reduced.A weight management survey in 2025 found that 20% of owners fed no supplements or balancers to their horses. A Spillers Slimmers Club poll in June 2026 reported that that number had dropped to just 5%, indicating a positive shift in feeding habits.Excellent supportBalancers offer excellent support alongside careful weight management strategies, helping keep horses slimmer and healthier, and they are also cost-effective, so its great news to see more and more horse owners are embracing the benefits. said Vanessa Allen, nutritional content manager at Mars Horsecare, home of the SPILLERS brand.By helping owners understand the need to supplement their horses diets with vitamins and minerals, together with management and exercise, initiatives like our SPILLERS Slimmers Club are ensuring that UK horses and ponies can slim down safely without nutritional compromise.Why excess weight is an issueObesity is regarded by the UKs veterinary sector as one of the biggest welfare concerns facing equines in the UK today. Excess weight dramatically increases the risk of severe, potentially fatal conditions, most notably laminitis.Up to 70% of the UKs equine population is classified as overweight and in need of a weight management programme to help them lose weight.A good balancer provides optimum levels of vitamins, macro and micro minerals and amino acids to balance the base diet, with minimal calories and starch. This makes them ideal for horses and ponies that keep their weight on a forage-only diet or those needing less than the recommended amount of compound feed.To join theSpillers Slimmers Club click here.Image Spillers.Related contentPrevent dehydration: effective ways to get a horse to drink more waterComplete guide to soaked feeds, including Fast Fibre Horse FeedHow to identify and prevent colic in horsesChoke in horses explainedThe post Survey shows positive shift in horse owners feeding habits appeared first on Your Horse.

Residents at The Donkey Sanctuary have received a donation of road sweeper brushes from the local council thanks to a unique recycling initiative.East Devon District Councils StreetScene department donated several used street sweeper brushes to the Sidmouth sanctuary for the resident herd at the Donkey Assisted Activity (DAA) centre to use as back scratchers. The plastic bristled brushes attached to the StreetScene road sweepers are normally disposed of in the general waste after around a month of keeping the streets of East Devon litter-free. These ones, after being deep cleaned, now have a new lease of life at the sanctuary. This is a great example of reuse and recycling, supporting a local charity. Its wonderful to see how the donkeys are benefitting from these old sweeper brushes, which would otherwise have gone to waste, said Councillor Geoff Jung, East Devon District Councils Portfolio Holder for Environment Operations.MultipurposeThe brushes not only offer the donkeys the ability to scratch those hard-to-reach areas, but they also help the herd shed their thick coats as the temperatures increase. The brushes have been mounted at different heights to ensure they are accessible for the whole herd.We are incredibly grateful to StreetScene for donating the brushes for our donkeys, said Sid Miller, DAA Equine Assistant.It is not only lovely to see them already benefitting from this kind gesture, it is great to know we are recycling items that would have otherwise been destined for the waste a double win! Images The Donkey Sanctuary.Related contentHow to keep a horse hydrated when its hotHow to cool a horse down quickly in hot weather no sweat scraper required!Why every horse will benefit from eating a soaked feedFly rugs tried and tested to find which work best Best fly sprays for horses as tested by owners and ridersThe post Donkeys sweep up benefits of recycling initiative appeared first on Your Horse.

Olympic champions Ros Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen are among the list of riders who have been nominated to represent Great Britain at the eventing World Championships, which will take place in Aachen from Tuesday 11 Sunday 23 August.The trio has been named with the same horses who they partnered to Olympic glory in Paris two years ago. Ros has been nominated with her Badminton and Burghley winner Lordships Graffalo, Laura has been named with her European Championship-winning partner London 52 while Tom has been selected aboard both JL Dublin, with who he finished fourth individually at the 2024 Olympics, and Brookfield Quality, with whom he finished fifth in Kentucky this spring.Also on the list are Caroline Harris and D Day, who triumphed at Luhmuhlen last week, Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, who successfully defended their Bramham title earlier this month, and Gemma Stevens with both Cooley Park Muze and Flash Cooley.Tom McEwen and JL Dublin at the 2025 European Championships. The full list of nominations for the British Equestrian dressage team, in partnership with Agria, is:Sarah Bullimorewith Brett Bullimore, Christopher Gillespie, Susan Gillespie and Bruce SaintsCorimiro(chestnut, gelding, 10yrs, 17hh, Amiro Z x Lovis Corinth, breeder: Brett and Sarah Bullimore GBR)Rosalind Canterwith Archie and Michele SaulsLordships Graffalo(bay, gelding, 14yrs, 17hh, Birkhofs Grafenstolz TSF x Rock King, breeders: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace GBR)Laura Collettwith Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and her ownLondon 52(bay, gelding, 17yrs, 16.3hh, Landos x Quinar, breeder: Ocke Riewarts GER)David Doelwith Mary Fox, Gillian Jonas and his ownGalileo Nieuwmoed(dark bay, gelding, 15yrs, 17hh, Carambole x Harcos, breeders: J. W. and A. P. Jurrius NED)Caroline Harriswith Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richards and Heather RoylesD. Day(bay, gelding, 12yrs, 16.1hh, Billy Mexico x Dilum XX, breeder: Fiona Olivier GBR)Yasmin Inghamwith Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies FundsGypsie du Loir(dark bay, mare, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Herald 3 x Canaletto, breeder: Pierre Gouye FRA)Tom Jacksonwith Michael StenningsUnited 36(bay, gelding, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Ucello x Espiri, breeder: Heinrich Bohmke GER)Katie Mageewith Angela HislopsTreworra(bay, gelding, 12yrs, 17hh, Jaguar Mail x Tower of Magic, breeder: Preci Spark Ltd GBR)Tom McEwenwith John and Chloe Perry and Alison SwinburnsBrookfield Quality(bay, gelding, 17yrs, 16.2hh, OBOS Quality x Cavalier Royale, breeder: Sean Kelly IRL), and James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre JohnstonsJL Dublin(dark brown, gelding, 15yrs, 16.2hh, Diarado x Cantano, breeder: Volker Gttsche-Gtze GER)Harry Meadewith Charlotte and Peter OppermansCavalier Crystal(bay, mare, 16yrs, 16.3hh, Jack of Diamonds x Cavalier Royale, breeder: Thomas Horgan IRL)Selina Milneswith Angela Rucker and William RuckersCooley Snapchat(bay, gelding, 12yrs, 16.3hh, Kannan x VDL Arkansas, breeder: Alan Wheeler IRL)Gemma Stevenswith The Rex SyndicatesCooley Park Muze(bay, gelding, 10yrs, 16.1hh, Pollux de Muze Z x LArc de Triomphe, breeder: TJM Equestrian IRL) and Pru DawesFlash Cooley(grey, gelding, 14yrs, 16.1hh, CSF Mr Kroon x OBOS Quality, breeder: Jim ONeill IRL)Bubby Uptonwith Jane Dear, Susan de Zulueta, Susie Holland-Bosworth, The Duchess of Norfolk, Hilary Russell and her ownIts Cooley Time(grey, gelding, 11yrs, 16.1hh, Quality Time TN x Heartbreaker, breeder: Ishennisnag Stud IRL)Selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance. The selected squad of five combinations to travel to Aachen, plus non-travelling reserves, will be announced at a later date.Laura Collett and London 52 took individual gold at the 2025 European Championships.Images Tim Wilkinson/Your Horse.More from Your HorseTim Price returns to the top of the FEI World RankingsHow to improve poor toplineThe Scales of Training explained, including impulsionPiggy Marchs training exercise: jump out of trot to test rider balanceFive of the most common rider jumping positions solvedThe post Eventing shortlist for World Championships revealed appeared first on Your Horse.

On June 25, a 6-year-old pony-cross stallion at a private facility in Calvert County, Maryland, tested positive for strangles. The stallion developed clinical signs on June 19, including mild upper respiratory signs, mild fever, and a submandibular abscess. He is now quarantined. Twenty horses have been exposed.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

British Equestrian has revealed the eight horse and rider combinations who have been nominated to represent Great Britain at the FEI Dressage World Championship in Aachen this summer. Among the entries are three-time Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin riding the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding Brave Heart, the Olympic bronze medal-winning partnership of Carl Hester and Fame, and the 2026 World Cup Final champions Becky Moody and the homebred Jagerbomb.It is Charlottes first nomination for a GB championship team since she was banned from competition by the FEI for a year after she engaged in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare.Defending champions nominatedTwo-time World Champions Charlotte Fry and the 15-year-old stallion Glamourdale are also listed as are Fiona Bigwood (Donna Bella), Gareth Hughes (Mowgli-Olympia MC), Susan Page (Harmonys Giulilanta) and Sadie Smith (Swanmore Dantina)Selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance. The selected squad of four combinations to travel to Aachen for the event, which takes place from Tuesday 11 Sunday 23 August, plus non-travelling reserves, will be announced at a later date.The full list of nominations for the British Equestrian dressage team, in partnership with Agria, is:Fiona Bigwoodwith her ownDonna Bella(chestnut, mare, 10yrs, 16.3hh, Don Juan de Hus x I. P. S. Gribaldi, breeder: Fiona Bigwood GBR)Charlotte Dujardinwith Ellen McCarthy, Spencer McCarthy and Bridget McCarthysBrave Heart(bay, gelding, 12yrs, 16.1hh, Bordeaux 28 x Blue Hors Zack, breeders: Shirley and Titian Wilaras GER)Charlotte Frywith Van Olst Horses and her ownGlamourdale(black, stallion, 15yrs, 16.3hh, Lord Leatherdale x Negro, breeder: J. Rodenburg NED)Carl Hesterwith Fiona Bigwood, Mette Dahl and his ownFame(bay, stallion, 16yrs, 16.2hh, Bordeaux 28 x Rhodium, breeder: V. O. F. G. oM. Gerritsen NED)Gareth Hugheswith Georgina Wilkinson, Rebecca Hughes and his ownMowgli-Olympia MC(chestnut, gelding, 9yrs, 17hh, s. Rousseau, breeder: M. Van Summeren NED)Becky Moodywith Jo Cooper and her ownJagerbomb(bay, gelding, 12yrs, 17.1hh, Dante Weltino OLD x Jazz, breeder: Becky Moody GBR)Susan Papewith Harmony Sporthorses and her ownHarmonys Giulilanta(chestnut, mare, 15yrs, 16.2hh, Broere Jazz x Flemmingh, breeders: A. Vogelaar and J. Knol GER)Sadie Smithwith her ownSwanmore Dantina(dark bay, mare, 11yrs, 16hh, Dante Weltino OLD x Charatan W, breeder: Ben St John James GBR)Para nominated entries revealedFourteen-time Paralympic gold medallist Lee Pearson is one of the nominated entriesfor the FEI Para Dressage World Championship, which also take place in Aachen in August.Lee has been named with his 14-year-old gelding Breezer.Mari Durward-Akhurst, who won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, has been nominated with the 19-year-old mare Athene Lindebjerg, while Sophie Wells, a multiple Paralympic champion, is listed with both LJT Egebjerggards Samoa and MSJ Gold Standard.The full list of nominations is:Grade 1Mari Durward-Akhurstwith Diane Redfern, Nick Durward-Akhurst and Romilly HartsAthene Lindebjerg(black, mare 19yrs, 17hh, Gribaldi x Diamant, breeder: Ulla and Kristian Bech DEN)Grade 2Jemima Greenwith her own Fantabulous (chestnut, gelding, 8yrs, 16.1hh, Foundation 2 x Furst Romancier, breeder: Rainer and Angelika Alhers GER)Sir Lee Pearsonwith Jenson Guest, David Pearson, Linda Pearson and his ownBreezer(bay, gelding, 14yrs, 16.1hh, s. Barcardi, breeder: Sir Lee Pearson GBR)Grade 3Erin Orfordwith Carl Hester, Anne Barrott, Rowena Luard and The Lady Joseph TrustsLJT Nutbush(bay, gelding, 14yrs, 16.1hh, Negro x Sion, breeder: Mr A. Gregory GBR)Grade 4Nicola Naylorwith Rosalind Emery Kay and her ownHumberto L(bay, gelding, 14yrs, 16.2hh, Cachet L x Haarlem, breeder: J. Lamers NED) and her ownMoulin Rouge(chestnut, mare, 9yrs, 16.2hh, Ferdinand x Dorado, breeder: P. Buwalda NED)Grade 5Sophie Wellswith The Lady Joseph TrustsLJT Egebjerggards Samoa(black, mare, 10yrs, 16.1hh, Blue Hors St Schrufo x I. P. S. Gribaldi, breeder: Anders Green Hansen DEN) and Emma BlundellsMSJ Gold Standard(chestnut, mare, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Governer x Furstenball, breeder: Mount St John Equestrian LLP GBR).The squad of four and the non-travelling reserves will be announced in due course. Image of Charlotte Dujardin Dan Isitene/Getty Images.Related contentDid you know? Waistcoats are allowed to be worn under British Dressage and British Eventing rulesDo draw reins ever have a place when training horses? BHS coach weighs up the debateDouble bridles explainedFive tips from a dressage judge to help you feel more confident in the arenaLacking confidence? 10 signs of high-functioning anxiety in horse ridersThe post Charlotte Dujardin among nominated entries for Dressage World Championships appeared first on Your Horse.

When did you last trot to a fence? Canter is usually the preferred choice for finding the perfect take-off spot, but according to Burghley 2022 winner Piggy March, it is useful to regularly try jumping out of trot too and be prepared for it to feel untidy.This is a training exercise that Piggy regularly uses at home with her own horses. It tests rider balance and helps achieve an agile, rideable horse.Piggy demonstrated the training exercise at Your Horse Live. It requires five poles, five sets of jump wings and your imagination, because there are dozens of lines to ride as you work on honing you and your horses skills and youll benefit hugely from doing it in trot.Jumping out of trotThis is a brilliant exercise that I use at home. I do it with horses of all levels, says Piggy.Some days Ill be brave with how high the fences are that I trot at. I do it to push me; trying to keep in balance over that extra bit of height. Ive done this exercise for years and its one I keep doing in order to work on myself.Every time I do it on a new horse I feel all over the place because theyre not used to it. So dont panic if something goes wrong or its not quite feeling how its meant to just keep going, adds Piggy.With all disciplines being so technical these days, basic training all rolls into one, whether youre on the flat, jumping or riding across country. I want a nicely trained and happy horse who is rideable.This exercise works on the riders balance and the horses, as well as mobility and trainability all the things you need to have for a confident, rideable horse.Exercise 1: snaking in and outDiagram shows exercises 1 and 2Set up five uprights without ground lines down the middle of your training field or arena with each fence on a one-stride distance.After warming up, start trotting your horse between the obstacles, varying the direction that you ride in, changing the rein and alternating which fences you ride between.Turn one way and then the other, so that you start to feel like the horse is working with you and like youre getting bend around their ribcage, explains Piggy, who says that you shouldnt worry about your horse working in a perfect outline while doing this.You wont be looking like youre about to go into a dressage test, because youre doing lots of bending and youve got longer reins.This is just an exercise to get the horse really loosened up, on the aids and working with you, explains Piggy, but you can also make it what you want it to be. When your horse feels ready, you can get your reins together a bit more and vary the outline theyre working in.Exercise 2: transitions between fencesNext start asking for transitions between the fences. Start with trot-walk and walk-trot.Imagine there is a centre line up the middle of the fences and do a trot-walk transition every time you cross over the centre line, says Piggy.Think about your balance and preparation. Around the corner you should already be thinking about slightly bringing your upper body back and looking for your straight line.Even though its a downward transition, it still needs to be forward. Youre preparing it early and through body-seat language.If you can get your horse to respond to you rather than going to the bridle [that is, pulling on the reins] it will be a forward transition, which is what you want, continues Piggy.A bad transition stops the forward momentum. It happens when its left to the last minute rather than being prepared for and is an afterthought of walk.Introduce canter transitionsMove on to riding trot-canter and canter-trot transitions every time you cross the centre line.Depending on the level you and your horse are working at, you could do walk-canter and canter-walk transitions too. Advanced horses can do flying changes instead.Some horses anticipate. If Im on one like that I just quietly keep doing the exercise until he relaxes and stays on an aid for me, says Piggy.Make sure your horse is straight in their body and has enough room for the transition too. A few extra steps of the pace youve changed into is better than doing only two or three and rushing the transition, for example.Also dont let the horse get in front of you they must wait for the aid.Youre doing this because you want the horse to become sensitive to your body language [so that they start to slow down and wait when they feel your upper body sit up], explains Piggy.Exercise 3: trot to a fenceDiagram shows exercise 3Approach one of the fences in your line of five in trot and jump it at an angle.I dont particularly like jumping out of trot because its not as comfortable [as canter] and it can get ugly, confesses Piggy.Thats why I make myself do it; it works on the riders own balance and builds trust between you and your horse that they can stay on a line at this pace. Its slow but the horse is in front of your leg; youre trusting that your horse will stay on a line and youre learning to stay with it.Trotting to a fence can be ugly if they get in too close; its not an obvious stride like you get with canter. They can pick up [to jump] early and so you have to slip the reins and try not to fall off the back, or sometimes you get in front of them and then they dont go.Even on a horse who has done this before, it doesnt mean theyre going to do it very well the next time you try, continues Piggy.I dont mind if they knock it down; its about learning patience, having balance and staying in a rhythm.If your horse lands in canter, quietly ask them to trot again before approaching the next fence. Piggy says the aim is for you as the rider to stay in neutral, putting your horse on a line in the best rhythm and then trusting them to jump the fence.Next stepsMove on to jumping more than one fence but continuing to jump at an angle. Fence two to fence four for example.The fences can be as small as you like but try to stay in trot. It doesnt matter which way you do which fence vary the lines, advises Piggy.Exercise 4: try it in canterDiagram shows exercise 4When youre ready, repeat the previous exercise in canter and try three fences in a row, for example fences one to three and then five.If your horse can make a flying change each time you change direction, great. If not, give yourself time to make a change through trot.You can also indicate which leg you want to land with leading by pushing your weight down into that stirrup over the previous fence.With a horse who has a weak canter I sometimes jump the first fence and then circle, so that I get a bit of bend through their body, and then do the same before the last fence.It encourages them to try and find their balance. After a couple of times, they start picking up whats happening.The final stage is to jump down the grid in a straight line.You can go as big or small as you like with the fences, but dont put them all at the same height. Vary them, even if its only a little difference, so the horse has to look and gauge what height is where.Jump it in the other direction too and approach off both reins.Theres no rules for this exercise, make it up as you go, as long as youre in your comfort zone, adds Piggy.It really is such a good exercise to set up at home because theres so much you can do with it. You can work on yourself and your horse in so many ways.How high are Piggys fences?The key to this exercise is that you can adapt it to suit you and your horse. Lacking confidence or on a green or young horse? Then ride wider lines to each fence and dont try to link together too many that are close together.Choose a height that is best for you both: whether its poles on the floor or 23, its better to start small and build up the height and technicality as you become more confident.Start small even if the exercise isnt new to you too, and remember that horses learn through repetition, so making this exercise a regular part of your routine will benefit you both hugely.Trainings not about how high you can jump or how fast you can go, its knowing whats right for you, reasons Piggy. Even smaller ones out of trot can feel quite big.This is why doesnt Piggy use a ground polePiggy chooses to set this exercise up without ground lines on any of the fences.I dont really know why I dont have them; it doesnt feel as inviting and is a little upright but cross-country fences these days are more upright so this is good practice. And you know what? Horses generally jump very well without a ground rail being there.Yogi Breisner did this exercise with me probably 10 years ago and he didnt use ground rails; I found it interesting and I havent used them myself.However, if she were riding a particularly young or inexperienced horse, Piggy would consider adding in ground lines.If its a real baby and I want them to get used to the exercise then I probably will put a ground rail in to start because I want to keep them confident. Otherwise its really personal preference of ground rail or no ground rail.Find out more about Piggy March hereMain image & diagrams Your Horse Library/Sally Newcomb/Geoff Johnson Design. NB: Piggy March is not pictured riding.Related contentPiggy Marchs routine for a confident and clear showjumping roundOliver Townends training tactics for a horse who is very tense or freshJoe Stockdales tips for success when competing a horse indoorsPoor topline: what it is, plus how to build and develop the correct muscles in your horseThe post Jump out of trot to test rider balance and build trust with this exercise from Piggy March appeared first on Your Horse.