View this post on InstagramA post shared by Shane Rose (@shane.rose.eventing) Au revoir, Australia Virgil is on his way to Paris! Australia and New Zealand are opposite France on the globe, so our team down under are already shipping out to begin their long journey to Versailles. Sending wishes for safe travels and a smooth flight for all ponies as the pre-Paris week begins!Speaking of Versailles, the FEI gifted us with a full guide to the iconic French venue yesterday, including its history, the plan and schedule for various pieces of the estate next weekend, and details on the stabling installed on grounds for the Games. With several photos featured on their Instagram about the newly-completed equestrian stadium, including one with the first picture Ive seen to really capture how massive the palace at Versailles is (see: photo that doesnt even fit both ends of the palace in the frame), this feels like the true beginning to the Olympics its aaaaall coming together!U.S. Weekend ActionGenesee Valley Hunt H.T. (Geneseo, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]One & Done Horse Trials (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Ride Times] [Scoring]Links to Start Your Sunday:If youre interested in overseeing about a thousand really gorgeous horses, Caroline Pamukcu is hiring a barn managerCountry loses Olympic place after elimination under dangerous riding ruleExciting, exciting, exciting: A closer look at our Aussie Olympic starsAnd while were down under, a word with a groom on the path to Paris for New ZealandSponsor Corner: Meet Ecovets newest sponsored rider, High Performance Dressage trainer & rider Katie Robicheaux. What I love about EcoVet is that it works!! If my horses have EcoVet on they will not be pestered by flies!! Allowing us both to focus on the job at hand, not swatting flies!! Katie View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ecovet Fly Spray (@ecovetforhorses) Morning Viewing: Get some five-star tips from 5* rider Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride on how to make the best first impression on your dressage judge, starting with your very first turn. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride (@blueclovereventing)

Sometimes attempts to help a horse lose weight stall and finding ways to maintain a healthy waistline fail, despite our best intentions and careful management of their diet and exercise routine.Caring for our horses and ponies with the aim of reaching and maintaining a healthy body condition can be a challenge. The summer months can be particularly tricky to navigate for those that are naturally good doers. However, weight loss during this period is possible with the right nutrition and management plan in place.What is a horses energy balance?Our horses current body condition and changes in their body weight are a direct result of their energy balance. Every day, horses consume energy from their diet and use energy for normal daily bodily functions and exercise.If more calories are being ingested than are used, this surplus energy will result in weight gain. Conversely, to achieve weight loss our horses need to be utilising more energy each day than they are eating.If weight loss isnt occurring despite our best efforts and current feeding and management plan, there are two different approaches we can take to move towards a negative energy balance and resulting weight loss:Increase the amount of energy our horse is using through exercise, by riding them more often and/or in a way that burns more calories; orReduce the amount of energy intheir daily diet.When might weight loss stall?Bear in mind that grass is only part of our horses overall diet. In the summer, it is likely to be the largest contributor in terms of energy and volume. However, it is always worth reviewing the diet plan as a whole if progress towards weight loss goals has stalled.We must also consider the amount and nutritional value of any hay or haylage which is being fed. The nutritional content of hay and haylage can vary greatly, and it is important to choose a forage source which is suitable for good doers.Forages that are low in protein, sugar and digestible energy, with a higher proportion of non-digestible fibre are ideal.Is hay lower in energy and sugar?Contrary to popular belief, hay will not always be lower in energy and sugar than haylage. The best way to understand exactly what your horse is eating, and if their current forage is suitable, is to have your forage analysed.This service can be hugely valuable in helping you to work towards your horses weight loss goals, with some companies offering not only numerical results but follow up advice and assistance in diet planning from their expert teams.Soaking hay for between three and six hours can help to reduce its water-soluble carbohydrate (sugar) content.Is a restricted diet balanced?It is important to note that in the UK a forage-only diet is very unlikely to be meeting all your horse or ponys essential daily vitamin and mineral requirements, even during the summer months when the nutritive content of the grass is higher.UK grass, hay and haylage tend to provide insufficient amounts of vital nutrients such as copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, iodine and B vitamins year-round. As such, it is important to provide a minimum of a vitamin and mineral supplement alongside a forage-based diet.A balancer specifically formulated for good doers can be a great low-calorie way to meet your horses daily vitamin and mineral requirements while also providing a range of support supplements tailored to their needs such as hoof, digestive and immune support.Nutritional value of foodWhen working towards weight loss goals, it is important to understand the nutritive value of any products you are feeding.Short chop fibre (chaff) products will often be fed alongside a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement. However, these too can vary greatly in their nutritional content and the type of horse or workload which they are suitable for.If you are unsure if any components of your horse or ponys current diet are potentially hindering their weight loss progress, contacting your feed company to discuss their feeding plan can be a hugely useful resource.Getting energy from foodWhen considering dietary energy intake, it is important to remember that for the majority of good doers their forage intake will contribute far more of the total dietary energy than the complementary products which are being fed. It is therefore key to manage both aspects of the diet to achieve weight loss success.All horses and ponies are individuals and should be treated as such. It is great to learn what may have worked or is currently working for others, however this may not be what also works for you and your horse.If you are unsure, feel stuck in a rut when it comes to your horses weight loss progress or overwhelmed by the amount of information, variety of products or different opinions out there, your feed companys helpline can be a great place to seek advice from nutrition experts.Why weight management is vitalWhile the spring and summer months may be challenging when it comes to weight loss, these are also the months during which the risk of laminitis is highest.Obesity is the most influential nutritional factor that increases the risk of laminitis, and also raises the risk of endocrine and metabolic disorders such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).It is therefore vital to manage body condition during this high-risk season, and to use the autumn and winter to our advantage in achieving optimum body condition in preparation for the spring and summer.Asking for helpDespite careful planning and management, sometimes we can find that our horse is still not losing weight, or progress has stalled. Ihave discussed some tweaks here which you may be able to make to your current routine and feeding regime to help you progress towards your horses weight loss goals.Whenever we face weight loss challenges, advice can be sought from your vet, your local feed merchant or your feed company. Your feed companys helpline is a fantastic resource for advice and information is tailored to your horses individual needs.Main image: copyright ShutterstockHave you heard about Your Horses#FitNotFatcampaign? Equine obesity is an enormous welfare problem and were on a mission to provide owners and riders with the knowledge, skills and information you need to keep your horse in tip-top health. It could be life saving! FindoutmoreRelated contentHow to ride a horse so that they burn more calories11 surprising facts about the grass your horse eatsThe lowdown on equine metabolic syndromeSoaking hay: how to do it correctlyHow to do interval training with a horse (and why you should)The post Simple checks to make if your horse is not losing weight appeared first on Your Horse.

Providing a balanced and nutritious diet is just as important for a hacking horse as any other equine, and as you clock up your #Hack1000Miles, youll want to make sure they are fuelled correctly to remain fit, healthy and happy. Baileys Horse Feeds explains how to fuel your charge correctly, ensuring you accurately assess their workload so you can calculate their feeding needs.Nutrient requirements increase with workload and even when youre just hacking, you want your horse to have the energy to enjoy your ride and the nutritional support to recover well ready for the next one. A first step in ensuring a horses diet is meeting his requirements is to explore how much exercise they are currently getting.In the UK, the National Research Council (NRC) has calculated horses minimum nutrient requirements, according to bodyweight and differing work intensities. It is these scientifically determined nutrient levels that feed manufacturers work to when formulating feeds, and so it makes sense to have a look at how the NRC defines light, moderate and hard work (see charts, below).Assessing work loadYour Horse Library/Geoff Johnson DesignA horse in light work is considered to do between one and three hours of work per week. That could be up to three one-hour hacks, four 45-minute hacks or five 35-minute hacks. These may be made up of approximately 40% walk, 50% trot and 10% canter.Over a week, that works out at up to 72 minutes walking, 90 minutes trotting and up to 18 minutes cantering. This equates to 24 minutes walking, 30 minutes trotting and six minutes cantering per hour.Your Horse Library/Geoff Johnson DesignA horse in moderate work does between three and five hours work per week, made up of approximately 30% walk, 55% trot, 10% canter and 5% low jumps or pole work. For those who dont jump, this can be divided between the trot and canter percentages.This could mean five one-hour hacks per week or six 50-minute hacks assuming horses have one day off perweek and would mean doing 18 minutes walking, 33 minutes trotting and nine minutes cantering per hour.Your Horse Library/Geoff Johnson DesignA horse in hard work is doing between four and five hours per week made up of around 20% walk, 50% trot, 15% canter, 15% galloping and jumping. This works out at around 12 minutes of walk, 36 minutes at trot and 12 minutes of cantering per hour.The NRC also classifies very hard/heavy work, which really only applies to racehorses and elite event and endurance horses.NB These workload definitions are only guidelines and your horse may not fall exactly into one levelIncreasing requirementsThe important point when assessing workload is to be as realistic and objective as you can and avoid over-estimating. If you spend more time in the saddle this summer and your horse works harder, youll probably need to adjust his diet accordingly.The largest proportion of their diet will be pasture and/or forage, and for many horses these alone can meet, or even exceed, their calorie requirements. Bear in mind that any calories not used to fuel work and maintain health and wellbeing will be laid down by the body as fat.Dietary protein supplies the amino acid building blocks for muscles and other tissues like tendon and bone, so isimportant for building and maintaining muscle and top line. These requirements will increase with workload.It must be provided at appropriate levels and be of good enough quality to supply certain essential amino acids. Feeds which are formulated for harder workloads include protein sources, like soya, with the necessary amino acid profile to meet the increased requirements for ongoing tissue repair, as well as building muscle and top line.Releasing energyVitamins and minerals are equally important and so often overlooked. Zinc and manganese, along with B vitamins, are involved in metabolism and the release of energy from the diet, while others, like selenium and vitamin E, have antioxidant properties and help mop up potentially damaging free radicals. Free radicals are produced during metabolism and their production increases with workload.Vitamins and minerals are also important components of strong hooves, healthy skin and other tissues, so anydeficiency can have many implications.Research is increasingly identifying that forage and pasture lack key essential nutrients, particularly protein andcertain minerals. This means supplementary feed is necessary, even for the resting horse.For those whose calorie requirements are met by grass and/or forage alone, a low-calorie balancer is ideal for providing whats lacking. Choose one thats formulated for your horses current workload and feed according to the manufacturers recommendations for bodyweight and workload.If youre planning to increase your horses workload by going for longer hacks or youre aiming for pleasure rides, you can either follow the guidelines on the bag and feed more of your existing balancer or switch to one which is designed to support heavier workloads.Extra caloriesSome horses do need more calories than forage and/or grass can provide. Mixes and cubes are formulated to provide these additional calories, along with other nutrients, to achieve a fully balanced diet when fed at recommended levels alongside forage.As you increase workload, you may need to change you mix or cube to one thats designed to meet the extra calorie and nutrient requirements. You must feed recommended levels to provide a fully balanced diet.If you feed less than the recommended amount, the diet will fall short on protein, vitamins and minerals. Topping the reduced amount up with a balancer is a great way to make sure the diet is balanced again.Likewise, you may prefer to stick with a lower-energy mix or cube designed for lighter workloads, even though your horse is working at a moderate or hard level. Again, even if calorie levels are sufficient other nutrients will not be, so top up with a balancer.Lead image by Your Horse Library/Charlie Gooders PhotographyFurther readingWhy hacking is so good for fitness plus how to track improvements#Hack1000Miles: 10 tips to help you go for longer, more regular hacksStrip grazing delivers a steadier supply of nutrients than free grazing, research findsThe post Feeding for hacking: How to provide the best nutrition for your horse appeared first on Your Horse.

Greater awareness and ongoing research mean fewer foals are being born with this genetic skin condition. Learn more in The Horse's Spring 2024 issue. The post HERDA: 20 Years Later appeared first on The Horse.

Wilmington, Ohio This weeks Wilmington Sunday Spotlight shines on Sarah Sturges eight-year-old American Warmblood gelding, Labyrinth (Warone x Zirocco Blue VDL). Born on her family farm in Sunbury, Ohio, Sturges has developed her talented homebred gelding from his first rides to his first debut in World Equestrian Center Wilmingtons Welcome Stake and Futures Prix. With a full training operation out of Goshen, Ohio,[...]Read MoreThe post Wilmington Sunday Spotlight: Labyrinth appeared first on World Equestrian Center.

Following the success of Hartpurys Horses Inside Out Evening Extravaganza, Gillian Higgins and her team will be heading to Moulton College Equestrian Centre on 21 September with another exciting event. The evening will provides attendees with insight into horse anatomy, to help improve understanding, management and performance.The event will start with a visual explanation of the horses anatomy and biomechanics connected to posture, movement and performance with the help of Gillians anatomical paintings on horses. This is further illustrated by in hand movements and Pilates exercises where the skeleton and muscles come to life through the painted elements on the horses body.Later, the anatomy in motion section will involve a horse on the lunge and the structures highlighted, and then how the rider impacts the horse during ridden work, including flatwork, pole work and gymnastic jumping.Our lecture demonstrations are all about giving equestrians the tools and information they need to understand the horse better and improve their comfort and performance too, said Gillian. Were excited to share a new perspective on horse training connected to anatomy, and urge riders, trainers, coaches and owners to come along to the demo so many people have those lightbulb moments from seeing the horse in action in a different way, and were really excited to help more people do this, for horse and human benefit.The Horses Inside Out Evening Extravaganza at Moulton College Equestrian Centre is on 21 September, with doors opening at 3.30pm before the evening begins at 5pm. Tickets cost 35 in advance and 50 on the door.For more information, visit horsesinsideout.comFurther readingWhat you need to know about bridle fit and horse head anatomy *VIDEO*How to check the fit of your saddle *VIDEO*Hollowing your back or slouching? Why your stirrup length matters when hacking a horse and how to get it rightThe post Horses Inside Out Extravaganza expands to new venue appeared first on Your Horse.

Your Horse has teamed up with the organisers of Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (19-22 September) to offer two lucky readers each one pair of Sunday tickets with access to the members enclosure, a pair of Sunday grandstand seats, lakeside parking and guided cross-country course-walk with a well-known rider.To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, click on the Enter Here button below.First Prize Two readers will receive*:A pair of Sunday tickets to Blenheim International Horse Trials with access to the members enclosureA pair of Sunday grandstand seatsLakeside parkingA guided cross-country course-walk with a well-known riderSunday tickets: Anyone who wins these tickets will be in for a treat, with members bar, caf and garden access all available and offering a fantastic view of the action. This is the perfect place to meet up with friends, catch up over drinks, tea and coffee or lunch, at the same time as soaking up the exciting atmosphere. Sunday plays host to the CCI4*-L showjumping, which commences at 2pm, with the contest being decided at around 3.30pm in this reverse order phase.Sunday grandstand seating: Each winner will also receive two Sunday grandstand seats from which they can watch the CCI4*-L showjumping action, and see the winner crowned in the main arena.Lakeside parking: Also included in the prize is a lakeside parking pass for each winner, which means that they can enjoy special parking by the cross-country course, enjoying great views of all the action.Guided feature fence course walk: This unique opportunity allows the winners to immerse themselves in the thrilling cross-country phase like never before. Gain insider insights into the challenging obstacles with a guided course-walk from a well-known rider. Learn about the different riding techniques and the tactical lines theyll be considering while getting up close and personal to the fences.Always hugely popular with spectators and riders alike, Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, is set in beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, is seen as the climax of the eventing season in the UK.This year the event follows on the heels of the Paris Olympics and will feature many of the sports top competitors possibly with some medal winners among them. All eyes will be on European Champion Ros Canter, the 2023 victor at Blenheim, to see if she can secure the top spot again. She will face tough competition from strong rivals though, all vying for the crown, in the form of the likes of Oliver Townend, Laura Collett and World Champion Yasmin Ingham.In addition to the thrilling sporting action, visitors can also enjoy an unparalleled shopping experience in the tradestand village. Numerous exhibitors will be selling a wide range or wares, including sustainable fashion, jewellery, technical clothing, artisanal crafts, beautiful homewares, skincare and, of course, equestrian gear. There will also be dedicated food and drink vendors showcasing a variety of tasty treats from around the world for everyone to enjoy.Don miss out on this incredible opportunity to be a part of the excitement of Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. But remember you have to be in it to win it!Enter hereClosing date 15 August 2024*UK onlyThe post Win Members tickets to Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials and a cross-country course walk appeared first on Your Horse.