Author: Suzanne Ashton

Equine Quality of Life research undertaken with support of welfare organisations How to assess an equine’s quality of life is a highly debated topic yet lacks scientific agreement on how it’s best carried out. A recently published report on an equine Quality of Life (QoL) project lays the foundation for effective measurement of this difficult to assess issue and should positively influence future horse welfare. During 2021, students from a number of institutions throughout the UK took part in an Advancing Equine Scientific Excellence (AESE) project; through the Quality of…

HorseFest THE Exciting New Outdoor Summer Festival for Horse Lovers launches at Kelsall Hill EC in July 2022! HorseFest, a NEW summer festival for horse lovers launching in 2022, has scooped residency at one of Cheshire’s elite equestrian Centres, Kelsall Hill. Running from 8-10th July, HorseFest, presented by John Oates Horseboxes, is a fantastic new weekend festival designed to celebrate all things horse! HorseFest will bring together a magical mix of equestrian experts, elite riders and horse owners, to learn, have fun and create special memories over a summer weekend.…

A look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest events on the horse racing calendar. Each year, racing fans enjoy four days of glorious horse racing. The event takes place at Cheltenham racecourse, considered the home of Jump racing. This year, the festival begins on 15th March and ends on 18th March. More than £4.5 million in prize money is up for grabs. The popularity of the Cheltenham festival There’s absolutely no denying the popularity of the festival, an event which has seen all…

Irish see off strong challenge from UAE for first-leg victory in Abu Dhabi Written by by Louise Parkes Hosts and Saudi Arabia qualify for Longines Final 2022 Team Ireland came out on top in the first clash of the 10-leg Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2022 series at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates today. But the hosts chased them every inch of the way to finish a close second ahead of Great Britain in third place. As Irish Chef d’Equipe, Michael Blake, said afterwards the competition turned into…

Everything you need to know about the Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is the grand event for jumping races in the United Kingdom (UK). It has a total of 28 races across four days. This is where the best horses, jockeys, and trainers go head to head to see who are the best athletes of the season. The event is set on Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park. It is scheduled from 15 March (Tuesday) to 18 March (Friday) with at least one featured race on each day. Ticket sales, hospitality,…

A11 ponies doing well after tragic road accident Two ponies rescued from the scene of an accident that resulted in the death of a third pony on the A11 in Suffolk last week are doing well in Redwings’ care. Mariah and Carey, as they’ve been named, came into the charity last Tuesday (11th January). Very sadly, another pony – thought to be Carey’s mum – was killed after getting onto the road and being hit by a vehicle. Mariah and Carey were secured in a neighbouring field by police who…

GoFundMe Appealer Gibson Banned from Keeping Animals Margarite Geraldine Gibson, a licensed donkey operator in Yorkshire has been banned from keeping animals for life after pleading guilty to four animal welfare offenses when she appeared before Scarborough Magistrates’ Court last week (Jan 12). Gibson, (d.o.b 16/10/1945), of Netherby Close, Sleights, Whitby, who ran Whitby Donkeys on the local beach, was found by The RSPCA and The Donkey Sanctuary with 25 animals in poor conditions. Gibson told Inspector Little she had struggled with veterinary care and farrier treatment due to Covid 19. This…

One of H&C’s most popular shows, “Daisy Dines With” welcomes Olympic showjumping superstar Ben Maher in the latest episode! The “Daisy Dines With” show, available on H&C+, offers a unique insight into the lives and times of equestrian legends. The latest episode, Ben Maher, is no exception. In a wide-ranging interview with presenter Daisy Bunn, Ben shares never-before-heard details of his victory with Explosion W in Tokyo and what it’s like to be drug-tested at your own wedding! In a break with the normal format of the show, Ben acknowledges…

Haygain announced as British Dressage Official Partner Haygain has announced its renewed alliance with British Dressage, elevating the brand to ‘official partner’ status. The renewal comes after the brand announced further partnerships with British Show Jumping and British Eventing, all aligned through the new corporate partnership with British Equestrian. Haygain’s mission of tending to the well-being of the horse strongly aligns with the values of British Dressage and its stewardship of the sport.  By participating in affiliated competition and training, over 17,000 British Dressage members are assured of fair play…

Abu Dhabi season-opener launches Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2022 series Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates will host the first leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2022 series next Sunday and, 113 years after it all began, this historic and evergreen tournament is all set for yet another super season. The appeal of the Nations Cup concept never grows old as horses and riders proudly fly their national flags in the battle for the most precious team title of them all. There will be 10 qualifiers…

Badminton Horse Trials Tickets NOW ON SALE! Badminton Horse Trials 2022 – the countdown is officially on! UPDATE ** Saturday’s tickets are sold out! With open arms, we welcome back Badminton Horse Trials for 2022, and the even better news is organisers have now announced the Badminton Box Office has officially opened! Tickets are now on sale! The promise of a thrilling return to top-class competition in Britain will no doubt add smiles-a-plenty, as we can officially start planning our spring fix of top-class equestrian competition. There will not only be the…

2022 Saudi Cup set to welcome record number of Group 1 winners Feature image: Mubasher Al Khalediah wins the 2021 Obaiya Arabian Classic ©The Saudi Cup The 2022 Saudi Cup meeting has attracted over 700 entries from 22 different countries, including a remarkable 71 international Group 1 winners, all vying to pick up some of the $35.1 million prize money across the two-day meeting on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 February. The 2022 Saudi Cup boasts five Group 3 races and the Group 2PA Obaiya Arabian Classic on Saudi Cup undercard,…

Rehoming record smashed: equine welfare charity celebrates a record-breaking year World Horse Welfare is celebrating a record total of 378 horses and ponies rehomed during 2021. This smashes the previous record of 357 rehomed by the charity in 2020 and continues a positive trend of more people offering horses and ponies a new home and a new life. Rehabilitation and rehoming are the eventual goals for all the equines that come into the care of the charity which has four Rescue and Rehoming Centres across Britain. Tony Tyler, Deputy Chief…

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary launches Exercise with Equines The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has launched a new equine assisted wellbeing programme for women and girls aged 16 and over at the charity’s Equestrian and Education Centre near Newton Abbot. The programme has been generously funded by Sport England as part of the This Girl Can campaign, which is aimed at encouraging physical activity amongst women and girls. Exercise with Equines will see up to 36 women and girls spend time outdoors learning the basics of horse care and actively…

Badminton Horse Trials TV, or Badminton TV as it is known, will provide visitors with the chance to watch the 5* Badminton Horse Trials in the comfort of their own homes. An accessible package will be available to cover all three disciplines, dressage, cross country and showjumping, as and when they happen, ensuring viewers don’t miss a hoofbeat, wherever they are in the world. As part of the package, subscribers will also be treated to a cross-country preview, videos, years gone by highlights and videos. The service is produced by…

BEDMAX announce BETA NOPS Accreditation BEDMAX become the first company accredited to the new Bedding Industry Manufacturing Standard, BETA NOPS Bedmax has become the first equine bedding company to become BETA NOPS accredited. The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has been planning the scheme since January 2020, which aims to minimise the risk of contamination by naturally occurring prohibited substances (NOPS) in equine bedding products. Carrying this badge certifies that all products from BEDMAX’s range, which includes Bedmax, Littlemax, and Stockmax shavings and its recently launched Strawmax straw pellet bedding,…