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First day of the FEI WBFSH jumping world breeding championship for young horse at The Zangersheide International and super star Dawn Lancer comes 2nd out of 195 with Angie Thompson .owned by Amanda Robson who has rider her up until recently .sold by us as a 4yo#bshgraduate

Miniature Horses, In-Hand Showing and Loving Horses Without the Saddle: Inside Tilly's Miniature Horse Tails (Ep.41)Published 17 September 2026 Just Horse Riders Podcast, Episode 41Quick answer: You do not have to ride to be part of the horse world. Miniature horses let children and adults show, train and bond with horses entirely from the ground and, according to 13-year-old handler Tilly Norris, showing miniatures in-hand can take you all the way to the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS). The catch? Minis are surprisingly hard to keep healthy, because their biggest risk is being loved a little too generously at the hay bag.Key TakeawaysMinis are not Shetlands. Miniature horses descend from American miniature breeding lines and, scaled up, have the proportions of a full-size riding horse not a pony.Weight is the number one welfare risk. Turned out on grass with no management, a mini will "balloon" and risk laminitis.Exercise looks different. Instead of riding, Vicky and Tilly keep their minis fit with daily walks and in-hand jumping their mare Sapphire has cleared 85cm.Care is otherwise identical to a full-size horse: farrier every 68 weeks (no shoes), back checks and physiotherapy.You can compete at the top without riding. Tilly shows in-hand at RIHS against adults, after a fall knocked her ridden confidence.Consistency is the real secret. No professional producer just daily work at home, every single day.Horses build people. Home education, a rescued Shetland and a charity book all grew out of one family's love of minis.Meet Tilly's Miniature Horse TailsIn Episode 41 of the Just Horse Riders Podcast, host Aaron Englander sits down with one of the most quietly inspiring duos in the equestrian world: Vicky Norris and her daughter Tilly. Vicky has shown and bred miniature horses for the best part of two decades. Tilly, just 13, has become a genuine young in-hand handler featured in Horse & Hound, followed by around 25,000 people, and, remarkably, one of the only children in the country showing miniatures at RIHS level against grown adults.Their account, Tilly's Miniature Horse Tails, has become a home for a refreshing idea: that leading a pony can mean every bit as much as riding one. It is a conversation about welfare, family, resilience and a foal small enough to sit on your knee. Watch now below, or read on for the highlights.Why You Don't Have to Ride to Love HorsesThe heart of this episode is a message many horse-mad families need to hear. According to Tilly Norris, you do not have to ride to be part of the horse world showing miniatures in-hand let her stay in the sport, and reach the biggest shows in the country, after a fall knocked her riding confidence.As Vicky puts it, insisting a child must ride to enjoy horses is a bit like insisting you must do agility to enjoy a dog. "Some people are scared of riding," she says, "but they just want to look after them they just want to play horses. And there is nothing wrong with that."Tilly's Story: From a Confidence Knock to the Show RingIn 2020, Tilly had what she calls "a huge confidence knock." A few falls including coming off the lead rein on a Dartmoor pony left her not wanting to ride at all. Rather than push her back into the saddle, the family found another way in. "I still wanted to be around horses," Tilly explains, "so this is when we found the miniatures, and that's when I got into showing them because you didn't have to ride them, but you could still be around them."The clever part is that miniature horses have their own in-hand classes at the very shows the family wanted to reach, including the Royal International. So a confidence setback became a door into a whole discipline and, as Aaron reflects in the episode, exactly the kind of setback that "builds you as a person" when it is handled with care rather than pressure.Miniature Horses vs Shetland Ponies: Clearing Up the ConfusionIf you take one fact from this episode, make it this one. According to Vicky Norris, miniature horses are not Shetland ponies. Miniatures descend from American miniature horse breeding lines, and the type dates back to the 1800s, when small horses were kept as pets for royal children. "If you scaled them up," Vicky explains, "there would be a big riding horse like a hack or a hunter." In other words, a mini has the proportions and mindset of a full-size horse, just in miniature.The other great myth? That they are babies. "Everybody always thinks they're babies," Tilly laughs but a nine-year-old stallion is a fully grown adult, no matter how cute he looks stood next to an ice-cream van on the beach.Keeping a Miniature Horse HealthyAaron opens the interview with the question most people never think to ask: miniature horses have a reputation for being among the trickiest horses to actually keep healthy so how on earth do you do it?The Laminitis Problem Nobody Warns You AboutThe honest answer is that minis are "easy keepers" to a fault. Left on a big field of grass, they pile on weight fast, and that brings a serious risk of laminitis. According to Tilly Norris, minis will "balloon" if you simply turn them out and hope for the best which is why management, not grass, is the name of the game.How Vicky and Tilly Keep the Weight OffTheir approach is refreshingly practical: small, fenced-off paddocks, a hay bag that lasts around 24 hours rather than unlimited grazing, and crucially real daily exercise. Because you cannot simply hop on and ride them, exercise means walking them like dogs down the country lanes, and jumping them in-hand. Tilly runs alongside them over fences; her mare Sapphire has jumped an eye-watering 85cm. As Vicky notes, keeping a clipped mini comfortable and out year-round also means sensible rug management you can browse turnout rugs if your own herd lives out through winter.For owners focused on condition and everyday wellbeing, it is worth speaking to your vet about diet first and, where appropriate, our range of everyday horse supplements can support a carefully managed routine. The golden rule from this episode stands, though: with minis, it is what you take away from the field that matters most.Showing Miniatures In-Hand at RIHSShowing in-hand is deceptively simple to watch and genuinely demanding to do well. There is no tack to fuss over, no warm-up in the saddle you bring the horse out on a headcollar, walk it round, and present it to the judge. "We just get them out of the trailer, have a walk round and into the ring," Vicky says. That lower-pressure format is a big part of what kept Tilly in the sport.Competing Against AdultsHere is where it gets seriously impressive. Because so few children show miniatures at this level, Tilly competes against adults and wins. She was champion at her first RIHS qualifier and has taken multiple classes since, beating experienced handlers whose horses had already qualified. According to Vicky Norris, they have done it all themselves, with no professional producer doing the work behind the scenes. Aaron pinpoints the reason in the episode: consistency. "You're there every day, you're doing it every day that's what gives you the success."Life With Nine Miniature HorsesThe Norris family shares their Lancashire farm and their lives with nine horses, a cattery, a grandma who still rides at 72, and a dad, Kyle, who insists he is "not really into horses" while quietly making sure they all look immaculate for the ring. The whole family competes, and yes, they bet money on who wins.William, the Escape-Artist StallionEvery yard has a character, and theirs is William: a tiny 80cm stallion with an enormous personality. He has bolted at shows, snapped his headcollar in the middle of the RIHS Supreme (on live TV, naturally), and once needed four people to catch him. The family's hard-won lesson, shared in the episode as genuine ringcraft advice, is to always keep a bridle on outside the ring and a spare headcollar waiting at the collecting ring because there is always one who ruins it for everyone.The Secret to That Famous White TailWilliam is also famous for a pure-white tail that other exhibitors envy. The trick, Vicky reveals, is counter-intuitive: don't brush it. "The more you brush it, the more you break the hair," she explains. Instead they wrap and plait it, keep it clean, and leave it completely alone until show day. It is exactly the kind of tiny, hard-earned detail you only get from people who genuinely live the sport.The Rescue Shetland That Went ViralPerhaps the most moving thread is the rescued Shetland the family took on in poor condition scarred, with teeth that had grown through his cheeks and badly neglected feet. Two and a half years on, he is the gentle pony who stands rock-still at children's meet-and-greets, has been to the beach, and even features in a clip that has racked up 2.4 million views. His transformation, Vicky says, comes down to one thing: "he just appreciates that he's got a good home."Home Education Around a Full Show SeasonTilly is home educated, and the setup is wonderfully joined-up: her tutor is also the family's riding instructor, so lessons flow straight from the desk to the arena. Travel to shows becomes geography; riding becomes PE. GCSEs are taken one subject at a time when Tilly is ready, rather than in one stressful block, at around 60 an exam.Vicky is quick to knock down the biggest misconception that home-educated children are not socialised. "I think she's the most socialised child ever," she says. Tilly's closest friends are scattered across the country, met through Instagram and gathered at shows where families camp together, share paddling pools, and turn a week of competing into a holiday. It is a community, not a curriculum gap.Handling Online Criticism When Your Child Is the StarPutting a child on social media invites opinions, and the Norrises have heard them. Vicky is candid about one critic who accused them of "treating your children like slaves." Her response is a masterclass in calm, managed parenting: every account is run by her, she stands beside Tilly at every meet-and-greet, they vet the (largely lovely) regulars who follow along, and nothing is done for money. "It's managed by me," she says simply. As Aaron notes, the antidote to most online criticism is education when a comment comes from genuine ignorance rather than malice, a friendly explanation usually does the trick.The Hobby Horsing Book and Supporting HAPPAA few years ago the family embraced hobby horsing less about the hobby horses themselves, Vicky admits, and more about kids competing to clear the highest jump (and, inevitably, betting on it). Tilly has since moved on from it, but the book they created lives on: Hobby Horsing Around, an activity book full of puzzles, wordsearches, crosswords and a hobby-horse jump-height colouring section. It sells on Amazon and internationally, and the part they are proudest of it supports the horse welfare charity HAPPA (the Horses and Ponies Protection Association), which stocks it in their shop. Welfare runs through everything this family does, right down to rescuing an injured barn owl on the roadside.Getting a Horse-Mad Child StartedFor parents whose child is desperate to get into horses but does not have their own pony, Tilly and Vicky's advice is grounded and affordable. Start with a good riding school or a charity pony day organisations like HAPPA, World Horse Welfare and their local Penny Farm run holiday sessions that provide hats and back protectors, so you are not buying expensive kit before you even know your child will love it.Once they are hooked, comfortable basics make all the difference a well-fitting pair of jodhpurs and sensible riding boots will keep a keen beginner far happier in the saddle (or on the ground). And if your budget is tight, a part-loan is a brilliant halfway house. The message throughout is that access does not have to mean ownership.Frequently Asked Questions About Miniature HorsesAre miniature horses the same as Shetland ponies?No. Miniature horses are a distinct type bred from American miniature horse lines, whereas Shetlands are a native pony breed. Scaled up, a miniature horse has the proportions of a full-size riding horse rather than a stocky pony.Can you ride a miniature horse?Generally, no adults and older children are far too heavy for them. Miniature horses are shown and enjoyed through in-hand showing, groundwork, tricks and sometimes driving in carts, which is exactly why they suit people who want horses without riding.Do miniature horses need the same care as full-size horses?Yes. According to Vicky Norris, minis need farrier visits every 68 weeks, back checks and physiotherapy just like any horse. The single biggest difference is diet: they gain weight extremely easily and must be managed carefully to avoid laminitis.Do miniature horses need shoes?Usually not. Miniature horses are typically kept barefoot, but their feet still need trimming by a farrier every six to eight weeks to stay healthy and correctly balanced.How tall is a fully grown miniature horse?Miniature horses are so small they are measured in centimetres rather than hands, and many stand well under 90cm. Newborn foals can be as tiny as 50cm small enough, as the Norrises put it, to sit on your knee.The Future for Tilly and the MinisWhat is next? More silverware, for a start the family's aim is to win at RIHS and the International again. Tilly, now with her confidence back, is keen to return to ridden showing too. And there is a modelling thread emerging, with a JD Sports photographer and a London magazine both in touch about featuring Tilly, all off the back of what she has built with her horses. As Aaron says in the episode, it looks like she has "an absolute massive career ahead."Watch and Listen to Episode 41This is one of those conversations that leaves you smiling warm, funny and full of genuinely useful horse-keeping wisdom. Watch now on YouTube, or listen now on Spotify. And if you have a horse-mad child of your own, you can shop now across the Just Horse Riders range to get them started the right way.About the authorAaron Englander is the Founder of Just Horse Riders and host of the Just Horse Riders Podcast, with 15+ years in the equestrian industry building one of the UK's largest online equestrian retailers. Learn more about Just Horse Riders.

Ten lucky readers will win* a 5-litre bottle of Microbz Horse Nutrition, worth 32.95 each! This multi-strain fermentation broth is made from living, beneficial bacteria. Designed for horses, ponies and foals, this active liquid gut supplement supports a balanced equine microbiome, digestive health and nutritional resilience to help make the most of their daily diet.Why microbes?A healthy, balanced hindgut is an important foundation for your horses wellbeing. Supporting the beneficial microbes already living in the gut can help maintain digestive health, nutritional resilience and everyday comfort. Support through dietary changes: Beneficial microbes can help support digestive stability as horses adapt to seasonal pasture changes and transitions to richer grass.Support natural defences: The gut plays an important role in the horses natural protective systems. Supporting a balanced microbiome can help promote overall wellbeing, healthy skin and a vibrant coat.Support digestive comfort: A well-balanced gut can help support normal digestion and droppings, particularly during times when horses may experience changes to their routine or environment.Make the most of every meal: A healthy digestive system helps your horse absorb and utilise nutrients from their daily feed, supporting efficient use of the goodness in their diet.15 beneficial microbesMicrobz contains a carefully selected community of 15 diverse live microbes, including strains of bifidobacterium, lactobacillus, saccharomyces and bacillus. Together, they are designed to support a robust and balanced equinegut microbiome. The formula is brewed to a 3.2 pH, helping the live, beneficial microbes pass through the horses harsh stomach environment so they can reach the hindgut where they are needed most.Active liquid supportUnlike a dried supplement, Microbz is a live, liquid formula, meaning its microbes are active and ready to support the digestive tract. The fermentation process also produces natural by-products that support everyday vitality, wellbeing and long-term condition.Microbz can also support the bodys natural ability to absorb and utilise essential nutrients from daily meals, helping your horse get the maximum nutritional value from their feed. And while organic molasses is used during the fermentation process, it is completely consumed by the microbes, leaving the finished product sugar-free.By adding beneficial microbes to the diet, Microbz supports the natural system your horse already has helping promote digestive health, nutritional resilience and everyday wellbeing all year round. How to enterENTER HERE*UK winners only. Entries close at 11.59pm on Monday 19 October 2026. Full terms and conditions are on the entry form. Find out more about Microbz Horse nutrition at microbz.co.uk The post Win a gut-health boost for your horse! appeared first on Your Horse.

NEW AT WIRRAL RIDING CENTRE BHS PONY STARS! Were very excited to announce the launch of BHS Pony Stars at Wirral Riding Centre! LAUNCHING SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER 2026 1:30pm 3:30pm 22 per 2-hour sessionDesigned especially for younger riders, Pony Stars is a fun and rewarding programme from The British Horse Society, helping children develop their riding skills, pony-care knowledge, confidence and independence. Four exciting levels Shetland Striders Dartmoor Dazzlers Welshie Wizzers Connemara ChampsPony Stars isn't just about riding! Children will learn how to groom, handle and care for ponies, understand pony welfare and safety, make friends, develop responsibility and teamwork, and build valuable life skills. Children can work towards badges, certificates and achievements, giving them plenty to celebrate as their confidence and skills grow. The WRC pathwayBeginner / Lead Rein BHS Pony Stars WRC Pony Club Senior Pony Club Competitions & Junior Instructor opportunities Learn Care Ride Achieve!

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), often called equine Cushings disease, is a progressive condition seen mainly in older horses and ponies. Changes can be gradual, so recognising possible signs and speaking to your vet promptly can make a real difference to long-term management.PPID affects the hormonal system. Age-related changes in the brain reduce the normal control of the pituitary gland, allowing part of the gland to become overactive and release increased amounts of ACTH and related hormones.It cannot be diagnosed from appearance alone. Several signs can also result from dental problems, pain, ageing or other conditions. This article provides general information, but your vet must assess, test and treat an individual horse.Common signs of PPID in horsesThe best-known sign is a long or curly coat that does not shed normally, but this is often associated with more advanced disease. Earlier changes may be less obvious.Signs to discuss with your vet include:delayed, patchy or incomplete coat shedding;a longer or curlier coat than expected;loss of topline muscle or a more rounded abdomen;reduced energy, altered behaviour or poorer performance;unusual sweating;drinking and urinating more than normal;weight loss or unusual fat deposits;recurrent infections, slow wound healing or repeated hoof abscesses; andlaminitis.Laminitis needs urgent veterinary attention. Warning signs can include heat in the feet, a stronger digital pulse, reluctance to move, shortened steps, shifting weight or adopting a rocked-back stance.How is PPID diagnosed?Your vet will consider the horses age, history and clinical signs before deciding which tests are appropriate. A blood test measuring resting ACTH is commonly used. A thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test may help in some cases, particularly when signs are mild or the initial result is unclear.ACTH concentrations change naturally through the year and can also be influenced by factors such as breed, stress and illness. Results therefore need veterinary interpretation using suitable seasonal and laboratory reference ranges. A result that does not match the clinical picture may lead to monitoring or repeat testing rather than an immediate conclusion.Current guidance also recommends assessing insulin regulation because PPID and insulin dysregulation can occur together. This matters when evaluating laminitis risk and planning the diet.Treatment and ongoing carePPID is a lifelong condition, but many affected horses can maintain a good quality of life with appropriate treatment and management. Pergolide is the main veterinary medicine used to treat PPID. It must be prescribed and monitored by a vet.Your vet may monitor both clinical signs and hormone results after treatment begins and at suitable intervals thereafter. Do not change the dose or replace prescribed treatment with a feed or supplement without veterinary advice.Everyday care remains important. Keep dentistry, farriery and parasite control up to date, monitor for infections and record changes in coat, appetite, drinking, energy and body condition.Feeding a horse with PPIDThere is no single PPID diet that suits every horse. Current Equine Endocrinology Group guidance says feed selection should be based on body condition and whether the horse also has insulin dysregulation.If the horse has insulin dysregulationA horse with both PPID and insulin dysregulation may need a ration lower in non-structural carbohydrate, together with carefully controlled pasture access. The forage is the largest part of most horses diets, so analysing it can be more informative than judging suitability by appearance alone. Your vet or equine nutritionist can advise whether soaking hay, changing forage or restricting grazing is appropriate.If the horse is lean or losing muscleSome horses with PPID lose weight and topline. These horses still need enough energy, good-quality protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Unnecessary restriction can make maintaining condition harder, so calorie intake should be adjusted without losing sight of insulin status and laminitis risk.Monitor rather than guessUse a weigh tape and body-condition scoring regularly, keeping the method consistent so changes are easier to spot. Dental problems are common in older horses and may reduce forage intake even when plenty is available. Seek advice if chewing becomes difficult, forage is being dropped or weight continues to fall. Always judge a feed as part of the complete ration rather than from one claim on the bag.Where might Pure Meadow Mash fit?Pure Feed Meadow Mash is a soaked, high-fibre complementary feed that can be used as a partial hay replacer. Its current manufacturer analysis gives 4% naturally occurring sugar, 6% starch and 23% fibre. It can be particularly useful for older horses that struggle to chew long-stem forage or where adding soaked fibre and water to the ration is helpful.Meadow Mash does not contain a complete added vitamin and mineral package, so the wider diet must supply the horses full requirements. Its nutritional figures may make it a useful option within some PPID feeding plans, but they do not make it automatically suitable for every affected horse. Consider insulin status, body condition, forage and everything else being fed.A soaked mash can help an older horse that finds long-stem forage difficult to chew.A practical PPID management checklistContact your vet when you notice possible signs rather than waiting for a classic curly coat.Ask whether insulin testing is also appropriate.Give prescribed medication consistently and arrange recommended monitoring.Record weight, body condition, topline, appetite, coat changes and drinking.Base feeding decisions on body condition, insulin status and forage analysis.Maintain regular dental, hoof and parasite care.Treat possible laminitis as urgent.With veterinary treatment, suitable nutrition and attentive day-to-day care, many horses with PPID continue to enjoy a good quality of life.Further guidanceBritish Horse Society: Cushings disease in horsesEquine Endocrinology Group: 2025 PPID recommendationsMichigan State University: owner guide to equine PPIDPure Feed: current Meadow Mash specification

Hot weather, hard exercise and travel can all increase sweat losses. Cooling and fresh drinking water come first; where electrolyte and recovery support is appropriate, Pure Feed ReFuel provides it in a quick-soaking mash.This is a targeted recovery feed, not a replacement for the horses normal forage and balanced ration.What horses lose in sweatSweat contains water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and chloride, as well as potassium and smaller amounts of other minerals. The amount lost varies with the temperature, humidity, workload, fitness and the individual horse.Provide fresh, plain water at all times. If electrolytes are offered in water, a separate source of plain water should also remain available. A horse showing weakness, confusion, very rapid breathing, collapse or failure to recover needs urgent veterinary attention.Our guides to horse care in a heatwave and electrolytes during competition season cover the wider management steps.What is in Pure ReFuel?The current Pure Feed specification lists: electrolytes including sodium, potassium, chloride and magnesium; lysine, methionine and threonine for amino-acid support; vitamins C and E plus selenium as antioxidant nutrients; fructo-oligosaccharides and live yeast for digestive support; 20% fibre, 4.5% starch and 4.7% naturally occurring sugar; and a quick-soaking, flavoured mash to encourage eating and add water to the serving.It is made without molasses, wholegrain cereals, alfalfa, soya or nutritionally improved straw.When might Pure ReFuel be useful? after a session that has produced meaningful sweat; after competition or strenuous training; during hot weather when the horse is working or sweating; after travel, especially where appetite and drinking are reduced; or as part of a planned recovery routine for a horse in regular work.Not every light ride requires a specialist recovery mash. Judge the need from work, heat, sweat and the rest of the ration. Horses with kidney, heart or other medical conditions should receive veterinary guidance before electrolyte supplementation.How to prepare Pure ReFuelThe manufacturers current direction is one 500g serving, soaked with two parts water to one part feed. Allow it to soften fully and follow the instructions on the current bag. Measure 500g of ReFuel. Add two parts clean water to one part feed. Allow the mash to soak as directed on the bag. Offer it alongside unrestricted fresh water. Dispose of uneaten wet feed promptly, particularly in warm weather.Cooling still comes firstAfter work in the heat, stop exercise, move the horse to a shaded and ventilated area, and cool promptly with plenty of water. ReFuel can help deliver water and selected nutrients after sweating, but it cannot correct unsafe exercise timing, inadequate cooling or restricted access to drinking water.How ReFuel fits with the base dietContinue to choose the main feed according to body condition and workload. A good doer in light work may remain on Pure Easy, a horse in regular work may suit Pure Working, and a horse needing more condition may require Pure Condition Mix. ReFuel is then used for specific hydration and recovery support rather than as the base feed.Introduce new feeds gradually where practical, keep forage at the centre of the diet and seek veterinary advice if the horse drinks poorly, has prolonged fatigue, dark urine, muscle stiffness or repeatedly struggles to recover.