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TrackInside

About Spencer Spencer started as a working pupil for eventing luminaries Lucinda Green, Mark Todd and Ruth McMullen. After taking up dressage, he was based with Carl Hester and won the 2007 national dressage title on Dolendo. He now has a training base at Grove Farm, Gloucestershire, with his partner, event rider Jay Halim. For information on the team, visit www.spencerwilton.co.uk

Spencer Wilton avoids a last-minute crisis in the run up to the national championships and explains the training and preparation that goes into producing the dressage athlete

Our lead up to the Espayo National Dressage Championships last month didn’t quite go according to plan as we had a bit of a

last-minute scare with Doogie just a couple of days before we were due to leave with all three boys for Stoneleigh.

Zamboucca had qualified for the Advanced Medium, while Neville [Super Nova] and Doogie were entered for the Inter I and Prix St Georges classes so we’d been out to a couple of local venues for a final tune up.

We were washing off Doogie after his test and noticed some filling on the inside of his front fetlock – for a terrible moment I thought he might have tweaked a suspensory ligament. He wasn’t lame, but it was horribly swollen.

For the next 36 hours we spent the whole time hosing, icing, walking and applying cooling clay on his leg before thankfully the swelling went down and the vet came to scan him and confirmed all was OK. Our guess was that Doogie must have just knocked the base of his splint bone somehow. Looking after dressage horses can be time-consuming and you need to know how each of your horses are feeling every day

These days we pay a lot more attention to their general fitness and incorporate hacking and hill work when we can. We’re very lucky in that we have great facilities at home so we can trot and canter around the grassy tracks on the farm, which definitely helps to give them more strength and condition in their body.

However, I don’t necessarily agree with the people who say that working in the school every day isn’t good for dressage horses; it’s more to do with the way in which you ride them as it needs to be mentally stimulating rather than mindless repetition!

We usually combine some time in the school with hacking out either before or after our training session, depending on how they are feeling. For example, I usually ride Neville in the school first and then go hacking, whereas with Doogie you can get on even after not having ridden him for a week and he’s very safe to hack, so it’s really more about knowing your horse.

We also like to turn out as much as possible, although we don’t risk turning the boys out together in a field. Instead, they all

enjoy some individual time out in our round pen which sits in a field, so they can roll, graze and have a leg stretch without the risk of them coming to any harm!

We’re also really lucky to have a horsewalker which most of our horses go on every morning for about 10 to 15 minutes while the girls muck out. Not only does this give the horses a leg stretch, but it makes it easier for the girls to get the job done.

Unfortunately Neville doesn’t go on the walker as he’s a bit of an idiot and prefers to mess about , so we make up for it by walking him for longer in our warm up and cool down before and after training.

The horses also all enjoy their regular treatments with the physio, chiropractor and equine sports massage therapist who visit on a regular basis and make sure they’re feeling on good form.

They’re an important part of our team and can often feel something in the horses’ bodies which feels a bit tight before I’ve even felt it.

We also get a lot of use from our FMB Activo-Med electromagnetic and massage rug which vibrates and pulses in set cycles. The horses love having it on and even go to sleep while they’re being “treated”. It’s a great piece of kit and a good investment.

Waterskiing in France Looking after our high maintenance dressage athletes takes a lot of commitment, we probably look after them even better

than we look after ourselves, but I’ve probably had just as many treatments on my own back in recent weeks.

Last month Jay and I were lucky enough to be invited to spend a few days with Jen Goodman who owns Super Nova at her house which overlooks Lake Annecy in France.

I decided to try out waterskiing, which I hadn’t done since I was 10 years old. I rather surprised myself by managing to stand upright on the first attempt but after three sessions I was exhausted and the next day I was so stiff I could hardly move!

Since returning home, I’ve had several sessions with the chiropractor and regular massage sessions with a wonderful lady who also uses a cold laser pen which magically zaps away the pain, so it’s feeling a lot better now thankfully.

I think I might just crawl under the massage rug myself every day – it certainly looks tempting! See you next time...

www.horsedeals.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 horse deals

Neville (Super Nova) usually goes in the school before a hack

Looking after

dressage horses can be time-consuming and you need to know how each of your horses are feeLing every day

Here’s your chance to win a Supreme Products makeover, with advice from

showing expert Robert walker

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professionals – and meet some of the country’s top show horses? We’ve joined forces with Supreme Products to offer you the chance to win all this in our exclusive Horse Deals competition.

Leaders in show ring preparation, Supreme Products is offering one reader the chance to have their own horse or pony assessed and made-over by show ring champion Robert Walker.

It’s your chance to glean insider tips and learn how to use the Supreme Products Professional Collection – including

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TO WINSimply go to www.horsedeals.co.uk/win before the closing date – 31 October, 2012Please note: the winner is responsible for transporting their horse to Robert’s Cheshire-based yard.

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Then the transformation will begin as Robert will talk them through everything from trimming the mane and tail, right through to bathing and plaiting.

The winner will also receive a basket of products from the Supreme Products Professional Collection to make sure they’re turned out to perfection in the show ring.

OCTOBER 2012 HOrsE DEals Tel: 01733 468000

Advice to help you choose the right horse to see you through the season, whether you’re tackling enormous hedges

in the Shires or negotiating ditches in the depths of Norfolk Words: Carolyn Henderson Pictures: Georgia Chapman

i AlwAyS tell people their

firSt huNter Should be AN iriSh cob Lydia Harvey

buying advice

www.horsedeals.co.uk october 2012 horse deals

Buying your ideal hunterA sk ten riders for their definitions

of the perfect hunter and you’ll probably get ten different answers. But whether you’re aiming to

tackle enormous hedges in the Shires or negotiate ditches in the depths of Norfolk, experts will tell you that there’s always a common denominator. What you need, above all else, is a horse who will keep you safe.

That might mean a big blood horse with speed, stamina and courage or it might mean an agile cob with a built-in sense of self-preservation. Either way, look at the country as well as your ability, experience and budget.

For instance, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale covers parts of Dorset and Somerset. It’s a dairy farming area and as such, the country is mainly grassland fenced with large hedges and ditches.

“You need a horse that can really gallop and really jump,” said a spokesman for the hunt. “It also needs to be strong and robust,

as the going can get deep at times.”Enjoy a day out with the Easton Harriers in

Norfolk and you’ll need something quite different. Here, you’re likely to see a classic collection of hunting cobs – including ones which have been sourced by and bought from Lydia Harvey, a joint-master and currently the only female huntsman in the UK.

“I make everyone who buys a hunter from me actually come and hunt it first,” she says. “I don’t care if they follow in a car and watch it first, but half way through the day they must get on themselves.”

Most sellers won’t dream of letting someone hunt a horse before purchase, but Lydia has good reasons for doing so.

“I want to make sure they can hold it and I want to make sure that they aren’t trying to buy a horse with three gears when they actually want one with two,” she explains. “I also don’t want someone to get a horse home

and complain that it won’t hunt, when I know it will!”

The Easton Harriers is a pack renowned for its

friendliness and Lydia has built up such a reputation over the years that she is often asked to find horses for riders with disabilities

and for children. She also

specialises in matching riders with their first hunters – which has become a growing market.

“I always tell people that their first hunter should be an Irish cob,” she says. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s fluffy and hairy or clipped and hogged, but it must stop and

start, jump anything

and if you get it wrong, get you to the other side. “A good cob is careful where he puts his feet and if you lose your balance or even, heaven forbid, catch him in the mouth, he stays with the programme and doesn’t get offended like a horse with Thoroughbred blood probably will.

“This sort of horse is also tough, which is important. A lot of people are starting to hunt in their 40s and onwards; often it’s something they’ve always wanted to do and they find that suddenly they’re in a position to try.

“However they don’t always understand about correct management after hunting, so unless they keep their horse at a smart yard that does, they need something that’s robust and won’t get colic at the drop of a hat.”

Lydia has noticed an increase in the number of not-so-slim riders who want to take up hunting. Again, this is where a cob can be the perfect answer, though she says riders should do themselves and their horses a favour by improving their fitness.

“I have a lot of people who are 15 stone and upwards come to me to buy horses,” she says. “But whatever your weight, you’ve got to build your fitness or you’ll get back problems.

“People don’t walk as much as they used to and they don’t ride bikes. So get yourself fit and cycle to work!”

She also recommends that riders starting out in the hunting field, or those introducing a new horse to the job, start out with early morning meets at the beginning of the season. This is when first season hounds, called new entry, start their job and it’s all about education, for hounds, horses and riders.

Occasionally, Lydia gets a real or would-be thruster ask her to find a horse. What she does then is send them to her sister and

Riders introducing a new horse to the job should start out with early morning

meets at the beginning of the season, as this is when first season hounds start their ‘new’ job, too

An increasing number of people are interested in

riding heavier types, and they’re proving popular

in the showing world, as Jane Carley discovers

buying advice

Pic: Mark Manning

buying advice

www.horsedeals.co.uk october 2012 horse deals

T he gentle giants of the horse world, heavy horses are much-loved. But few horse owners can justify having a horse just to show in-hand, or have

the time and money to maintain and use the magnificent drays used in turnout classes. While horse logging and smallholding can provide more traditional roles for draught horses, an increasing number of people are interested in riding their heavies.

Suffolk Punch breeder and former Suffolk Horse Society President Lesley Miller, who

Heavy horse breeds are becoming increasingly popular under saddle

Heavyweightstars

rides her heavies ‘for fun’, comments: “The more jobs we find for these horses, the wider the market, which must be good for the breed.” And Clydesdale Horse Society secretary Marguerite Osborne agrees: “Ridden show classes for heavy horses are a good PR exercise for the breed and help develop a market that we have not had before.”

The Shire Horse Society’s Angela Whiteway adds: “Shires are generally of a docile disposition and adapt well to whatever form of work they are put to. However those that are

best for riding tend to have been trained for riding as youngsters, rather than as driving horses first.

“Shires are popular for riding in Europe and are increasing in popularity in the United Kingdom. Riding is a good way to have fun with your Shires without having lots of heavy, bulky equipment and the additional man power that is a pre-requisite for driving and land work.”

And it is easy to see the attraction – apart from their comforting bulk and old

Pic:

Sam

Moo

re

Looking for a heavy

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ShireS Are inCreASing

in populArity in the uK for ridingAngela Whiteway

Left: Vet Paul Thomason, who has evented to a high level, explains there are a range of

possible pre-purchase tests

buying advice

OCTOBER 2012 Horse deals Tel: 01733 468000

Pic:

Mat

thew

Rob

erts

Top competition horses can change hands for huge sums of money, but assessing whether the horse has any issues that could affect its future

performance can be tricky. Whether a youngster or a more established prospect, conformational weakness could limit the level that the horse can reach, while ongoing lameness could rule him out altogether.

The traditional five-stage vetting only provides a picture of the horse on a given day – as the British Equestrian Veterinary Association says: “The pre-purchase examination provides an assessment of the horse at the time of examination to help

investmentSafeguard

your

inform the potential purchaser’s decision whether or not to continue with their purchase. It is not a guarantee of a horse’s suitability for the intended purpose.”

However when purchasing a high value horse, other tests and assessments may be worth considering. Equine veterinary surgeon

Paul Thomason, who has evented to a high level and now teamchases and plays

polo, comments that there are a wide range of tests that might be appropriate, depending

on the value of the horse and whether the intention is to keep it or sell it on.

“Blood samples are routinely taken at the pre-purchase examination and stored for six months in case the purchaser wants to check for any drugs having been in the horse’s system at the time of purchase, but only a small percentage are ever tested,” he explains. “Haematology or biochemistry will tell you little about the horse’s general health that is not detectable on examination.

“However, they can be useful if you are intending to export the horse, especially markets such as the USA which require proof that the horse is not carrying certain diseases.”

Routine X-rays are also becoming standard practice, especially for horses valued at more than £10,000, where they are normally dictated by the consulting vet of the

purchaser’s chosen insurance company. “For a £10,000 horse the usual X-rays

requested are of the front feet and hocks,” Paul explains, “But again if the horse is to be exported, more wide ranging X-rays could be specified, including the fetlocks and stifles, plus the neural processes of the spine, to check for the likelihood of kissing spines.”

Inside storyUltrasound scans have been overlooked in the past, reckons Paul, but are now increasingly requested to look at tendons and suspensory ligaments.

“Hind limb suspensory injuries are an issue with dressage horses in particular, so it makes sense to scan the top of the hind suspensory when purchasing an expensive horse for this purpose,” he explains.

“Where the horse has a history of proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD) there can be complications even when it has healed, leading to ‘compartment syndrome’ which may be have been treated by the horse being de-nerved. This is not always obvious so an ultrasound scan can be a good safeguard.”

However, Paul suggests that for racehorses and show jumpers, old tendon and suspensory injuries can be fairly easy to detect just with careful examination, so the expense of scans may not be essential.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning is also becoming more common, especially to evaluate the front feet. “It has become more practical now that standing MRI units are available and is often requested for elite horses, such as those aimed

buying advice

www.Horsedeals.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 Horse deals

Safeguard Inspired by the Olympics

and looking to buy a future star? More

comprehensive research and

checks may be useful to ensure

your horse reaches its

potential, says Jane Carley

OCTOBER 2012 Horse Deals Tel: 01733 468000

WIN a HorseBoX

Win this horsebox!We’re bringing you the chance to win this incredible Equi-Trek horsebox, plus a safety themed prize package from Petplan Equine worth over £200!

WORTH£28,900

This Sonic Horsebox is worth a cool £28,900 – and it could be yours if you enter our

fantastic competition today! The Sonic is compact and easy to

drive and carries two horses in total luxury. It has the added benefit of a tack/changing/sitting area, with two saddle racks, two bridle racks and two coat hooks so you can carry all your equipment with ease, totally separate from the horses’ area.

There’s also additional storage over the cab. Equi-Trek has generously added a package of incredible extras including:

• Alloy wheels• Mud flaps• Head divider• Corner seat with storage• CCTV camera• Digital reversing camera• Padded partition• Padded walls• Extra height partition• Road tax until June 2013As well as the fantastic Equi-Trek Sonic Horsebox, we’re giving you the chance to win prizes every month from our Win a Horsebox sponsors Petplan Equine, Musto, Animalife and Kent & Masters.

HOW TO enTeRFor your chance to win…Go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win and follow the instructions. Special terms and conditions apply. Closing date is midday on 2 January, 2013. Alternatively visit Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park on 10-11 november – the horsebox will be on show for you to have a look at and you can enter while you’re there (turn to page 88 for more info about this fantastic event).• For more information on the Equi-Trek range

of horseboxes, go to www.equi-trek.com or call 01484 852121

• Competition open to UK entrants only, who must be 18 or over and own a horse

DrivE away in an EqUi-TrEK SoniC horSEbox

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WWW.HorseDeals.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 Horse Deals

when performance mattersPerformance Nutraceuticals

I nsurance provider Petplan Equine is known for its specialist knowledge and

fairness with claims. It offers straightforward cover with no hidden extras and its policies are flexible so you can select from a range of benefits to suit your needs. Plus, as long as your horse is insured before he’s 20, Petplan offers cover for illness up to 25 years of age.

Now Petplan Equine is offering two winners the chance to each

receive a complete HiViz set for horse and rider, plus a year’s membership with BEIDS, the British Equestrian Identification Service, an invaluable service for horse and rider – this allows you to register next of kin details and full medical records, so that in the event of a riding accident the emergency services know who to contact.

This fantastic prize will help to keep you and your horse safe riding out this winter.

win a SaFETyprizE paCKagE

This month we’ve teamed up with Petplan Equine to give two lucky readers a special

safety-themed prize package worth over £200

To enter, and for full terms and conditions, go to www.yourhorse.co.uk/win – closing date is 29 October,

2012. For more information about Petplan Equine visit www.petplanequine.co.uk

oUr prizE inClUDES• 1 year’s bEiDS membership and a bEiDS wrist band• a top of the range Equisafety hiviz jacket from their polite range • a hiviz wrap around exercise sheet• hiviz light weight harness, leg boots, martingale and tail guard and hat band

To take a sneaky video peek inside

our prize horsebox, go to www.

yourhorse.co.uk/winahorsebox

Clipping

october 2012 Horse Deals Tel: 01733 468000

even if you’re replacing a

pair of clippers that have given up the ghost after years of service, do your research…

Clipping

Clip like a pro’the right equipment will help you clip like a professional and achieve a great finish, as carolyn henderson discovers

A nyone can, with a bit of practise, clip a horse to a reasonable standard. But clipping like a professional

and achieving those perfect lines and an immaculate finish takes not only skill, but the right equipment.

Good clippers aren’t cheap, but they could be one of the best investments you’ll make. Vicky Goody, sales director of specialist sales and maintenance company Clippersharp, says that the biggest mistake many people make is that they look only at the purchase price.

“The most common scenario is when people buy on price and think they’ve got a good deal, but when they get them home, find the clippers aren’t up to the job,” she says.

“That can work out more expensive in the long run than making the right purchase in the first place.”

Vicky says that before you decide what to buy, you need to ask the following questions:• How many horses do you need to clip?

• How often will you need to clip them?

• Does your horse have a fine coat, or does he grow a thick, heavy one and/or have heavy leg hair?

• Will you be carrying out minimal clips, or taking off a lot of hair?

• Is the horse confident about being clipped, or are you dealing with an inexperienced animal who needs to get

used to the strange noise and vibration; or even an older, more sensitive animal who is worried by noise?

• Do you want clippers that run from mains electricity, or do you need ones which are battery powered?

Even if you’re replacing a pair of clippers that have given up the ghost after years of service, do your research. You might be surprised at the options available and the refinements in design – including clipping packs that give lots of options, and ergonomic models that are easy and comfortable to hold.

Clippers are a long-term purchase; if you look after them and have them professionally serviced, they’ll last for many years. This means it’s important to think carefully not only about which clippers you buy, but who you buy them from. Talk to a specialist retailer, whether you’re buying direct or online, and make sure not only that you buy the right product, but that maintenance back-up is available.

For instance, while there are many good trimming clippers designed to make it easier to clip fiddly, sensitive areas such as heads and ears, you can’t expect trimmers to cope with large areas.

“If you know the make you prefer, you can also contact the manufacturers,” suggests Vicky. “They will give you knowledgeable advice and put you in touch with a reputable retailer or specialist dealer, who will also be able to help with servicing, blade sharpening and accessories.”

www.HorseDeals.Co.uk october 2012 Horse Deals

how to

The hunt is on…Popular hunting country

OntheMarket

october 2012 Horse Deals Tel: 01733 468000

Paddock Farm in Woodford Halse, Daventry, is in Northamptonshire with six hunts in its region – oakley, Grafton, Fitzwilliam, Pytchley, Woodland Pytchley and the bicester and Whaddon chase.

currently run as a successful eventing yard, Paddock Farm has 18 acres with bridleway access in rolling countryside and is priced at £830,000 with rural and equestrian [www.ruralandequestrian.com, 01553 829400]. the three double bed, two bath detached bungalow would benefit from modernisation and has scope to further extend or possibly replace subject to planning. Internal and external stables, a tack room, feed store and wash room, indoor lungeing arena, claydon horse-walker, further storage, five large post-and-rail paddocks, a stallion paddock and a 35m x 24m manege complete the property.

Across the border and also with rural and equestrian at £850,000, craycraf Farm in terrick, near Wendover, buckinghamshire, is a refurbished bungalow in the chilterns. the 3.6-acre, three bed property only requires building regulations approval for roof-space conversion to two bedrooms, bathroom and study. outside is a heated swimming pool, gardens, five stables, barns, stores, manege and three paddocks. buckinghamshire is served by four hunts – bicester and Whaddon chase, oakley, Kimblewick and Grafton.

Autumn is fast approaching and the hunting community is gearing up for another season. Properties in good hunting country are sought after, but value for money can still be found

buckingham-shire is served

by four hunts, including the oakley and kimblewick

Gardners Farm, Gardners End, Ardeley, Hertfordshire£2,000,000

Fairholme Cottage, Colney Heath, nr St Albans

three hunts feature in Hertfordshire – cambridgeshire and enfield chace, Kimblewick and Puckeridge – the location of Fairholme cottage, colney Heath, nr St Albans, with rural and equestrian for offers exceeding £895,000.

the nine-acre, four bed, three bath property is well situated for easy London commuting situated close to the M25, junction 22, yet is surprisingly free from traffic noise. the equestrian facilities comprise of nine large block-built stables, hay barn, fenced paddocks, floodlit manege and four pigsties currently used for

storage/tack-rooms but ripe for demolition to provide further accommodation subject to planning permission.

Also in Hertfordshire is Gardners Farm, Gardners end, Ardeley, an impressive four bed, three bath property with three/four reception rooms, leisure complex with indoor swimming pool, gym and wet-room. A grade II listed barn has conversion prospects, and 12 internal and outdoor stables, barns,

floodlit charles britton manege and paddocks and pasture extending to 63 acres complete the property, which can be viewed with rural and equestrian with offers in the £2,000,000 region.

the current owner of Windrush, Somersham, Huntingdon, cambridgeshire, a four bed home with conservatory and swimming pool on ecr Properties [www.ecrproperties.com, 01449 711727/07767 327327] books with a guide of £465,000, is a

£895,000

Gardners Farm extends to 63 acres

Fairholme Cottage is close to the M25, yet still with a rural feel

Popular hunting country

www.horsedeals.co.uk october 2012 Horse Deals

Fitzwilliam Hunt regular. Well placed to the A14, facilities include timber block of four stables with tack-room and wash-down area, manege and paddocks in 1.85 acres and good hacking.

rural Scene [www.ruralscene.co.uk, 01264 850700] has several properties in hunting country. orchard House, crick, Northamptonshire, in Pytchley country, is a spacious, beautifully presented four bed house and one bed cottage, outbuildings, three stables,

tack-room, paddocks and planning permission for a 40m x 20m manege in 4.5 acres with a guide of £750,000.

Also with rural Scene priced at £750,000, Hareley Farm, Linley Green, Herfordshire – within easy access of Ledbury Hunt – is a five bed, grade II listed farmhouse and two bed holiday cottage in 20 acres. An extensive range of outbuildings include three purpose-built loose-boxes, barns, stores, mainly gently

sloping pasture land and a small wooded area. Another rural Scene property, Garden cottage,

baschurch, Shropshire, has a choice of North Shropshire or Wynnstay hunts. the grade II listed three bed cottage with grade II listed, one acre walled garden, 16 looseboxes, barn, workshop and brick building with conversion scope comes with either 16.5 acres at £495,000 or 6.6 acres (£420,000), depending on preference.

£750,000 Hareley Farm, Linley Green, Herefordshire

Craycraf Farm, Terrick, near Wendover, Buckinghamshire

£850,000

Hareley Farm is within easy access of Ledbury Hunt in Herefordshire

Garden Cottage, Baschurch, Shropshire£495,000

Garden Cottage has a choice of North Shropshire or Wynnstay hunts

Windrush has its own private pool and its current owner is a Fitzwilliam Hunt regular

Windrush, Somersham, Huntingdon,

Cambridgeshire £465,000Orchard House, Crick, Northamptonshire

£750,000

Paddock Farm, Woodford Halse, Daventry, Northamptonshire£830,000

Craycraf is a refurbished bungalow

in the Chilterns

Orchard House is in Pytchley country

Paddock Farm has six hunts in its region

BritishBest of

www.horsedeals.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 horse deals

One thing you can say about life at Brendon Stud is that it’s never boring. Sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometimes it’s

drama I could do without.Most people will know that Paris – Don

VHP Z, the stallion I hoped would fulfil my dream of taking a Brendon horse to the Olympics – has been sold to Belgium. We’re a family business and I had hoped to keep a half share and keep Paris in the UK, but it wasn’t to be.

We’ve got semen from Paris and, at the moment, I’m planning to keep it to use on my own mares. I’ve also got the satisfaction of having three embryos by Paris out of our talented mare Sussex Caretino – aka Klarins – showing up nicely on the scans of recipient mares.

They’ve already been dubbed the Klarins babies and you couldn’t have a better combination of talent and bloodlines. The only downer is that it takes so long to get them to top level, but we’ll get there.

Precious, a filly from this year’s crop by Paris, already looks like a winner. She’s naughty but very nice and is going to be a good ’un. At four months old she’s decided she doesn’t want to come in and, if you gave her the chance, would stay out on the top of the hill with her buddies quite happily.

Although Precious is happy to be Miss Independent, her mum won’t leave her. The mare, Peanuts, had to come in to be scanned, so we managed to get Precious in with her.

When we went to turn them out, the little whatsit took off and loose schooled herself round our grass show field, including over the dyke and the table fence: I reckon she’s a good Hickstead Derby prospect.

Going back to the Klarins foals, the

beauty of embryo transfer (ET) is, of course, that it enables the mare to carry on competing while the recipient mares do the hard labour. It’s a slightly more expensive way of doing it, but we’re very lucky to have Ed Lyall as our stud vet and all three mares took first time.

I always tell mare owners that if they’re going to go down the ET route, they’ve got to have a good, experienced vet. I’ve had people say to me, ‘Oh, my vet’s very experienced, this will be his 17th one’. My answer is that my vet would carry out the procedure on 17 mares before breakfast, all on one day…

The recipient mares for Klarins’ embryos are our own. To be honest, one of the reasons I decided to use them was because the market for potential top class Riding Club horses that will jump round a BS Discovery course is pretty sketchy at the moment.

You can’t breed superstars all the time and you have to find homes for the ones who aren’t going to make the international grade. Having said that, it’s all relative and these mares could all be superstars for the right owners.

One is particularly nice and I can’t believe I didn’t sell her. Maybe it’s because she’s a big mare and also chestnut – though I don’t have any time for the theory that chestnut mares are hot and difficult.We’ve bred and produced some real crackers, including one great Irish

chestnut mare called Once More, who won the Foxhunter final for us in 1984. She was ridden by a young man called William Funnell, who worked for us at the time. I like to think we brought him on a bit, too!

Sometimes people don’t think of us when looking for cheaper horses. Whatever the answers are, I couldn’t believe that I didn’t find any reasonable amateur riders looking for well-bred horses with a five-grand price tag.

If you’re out there, next time you’re looking give me a call.

Until next time, be lucky!

You can’t breed superstars all

the time… You have to find homes for the ones who won’t make the grade

Pic: Suzanne Jones

Shirley Light reflects on the sale of a star stallion – and explains the importance of working with an experienced stud vet when using ET

Pic: Suzanne Jones

Pic: KSD

igital Photography

Ed Lyall is Brendon Stud’s vet

Don VHP Z has been sold to Belgium

Life’s never dull for Shirley!

buying advice

www.horsedeals.co.uk OCTOBER 2012 horse deals

A weighty issueLooking for a 7.5 tonne lorry? Jane Carley asks the manufacturers how to get what you want from your box – while staying within the law

T he 7.5 tonne horsebox used to be the staple form of transport for every activity from hunting to showing, with the ability to hold ‘everything

but the kitchen sink’ for a stay away at an event. But many of these lorries were significantly overweight when loaded with three horses, the family, water and diesel, leading to safety concerns.

VOSA has (quite rightly) clamped down on overweight lorries, and it’s a common occurrence to be directed off the road and weighed. If you are overweight, the lorry can be impounded, which is at best inconvenient.

When purchasing a new lorry, the unladen

weight has become a key selling point, so how are manufacturers going about ensuring that you can get what you want from a lorry, while remaining within the law?

Bretherton Coachworks aims to build lorries as light as possible without compromising strength, and the company’s Adam Walton points out that they can still supply a 7.5 tonne box which carries three horses.

“We would rather pay more for the right materials to build structures that are lightweight but strong,” he comments. “We work closely with our suppliers to develop materials to suit horseboxes.”

Tilt cabs, for example, offer great advantages

in terms of improved serviceability and lower maintenance costs, but traditionally add unwanted weight to a 7.5 tonne box.

“We specify a composite steel which is thinner and thus lighter – but better quality – than the materials normally used,” Adam explains. “We actually use minimal steel now, except where it is essential, such as the cab, steps and ramp; we have developed and re-sculptured the outside of our boxes with more fibreglass mouldings.”

The company also uses aluminium rather than steel for the frame, and has sourced thicker, but lighter plywood board for wooden items.

…for 100s of horse

lorries and trailers for sale,

whether you’re looking for a

7.5-tonner or budget trailer

– visit www.horse

deals.co.uk

Go online now...