Announcements

Horse and Rider Road Crossing Sign

Should Horse Riders Take Road Tests?

There’s plenty you need to do before taking your horse out on the road, including making sure your tack is all fitting correctly, but it turns out the general public believe riders should have to do a lot more before they become road legal.

Drivers demand proficiency test for horse riders

According to a recent survey undertaken by a national car leasing company, 94% of drivers believe that horse riders should have to sit a proficiency test – much like a...

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horse in sunset

Mindfulness for Your Horse Riding Experience

How Can Mindfulness Enhance Your Horse Riding Experience?

Horses have long been known to be incredibly sensitive creatures, capable of recognising a great deal more than we can fully comprehend. A horse’s gentle nature seems to blend seamlessly with mindfulness and why mindful approaches are commonly used within the equestrian world. The cohesive relationship of mindfulness with horses continues to grow in popularity among horse riders, as more people are discovering the benefits for both the rider and the horse.

What is Mindfulness with...

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Beautiful Arabian horse silhouette against morning sun shining t

Microchipping Guernsey Horses ‘Could be Compulsory’

Horses in Guernsey could soon have to be microchipped so they can be easily found at all times, even if their riders don’t have their feet in their stirrups. David Chamberlain, States vet, is now working alongside the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to see if these proposals are viable, the BBC reports, in an attempt to help control the number of stray horses on the island The rules will also apply to cats living...

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wild horses

Horse Manure Used To Heat Homes?

Here’s something you might not have thought about when cleaning your horse’s stable rug – their manure could soon be used to heat homes in Finland, a move that could well reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. According to news source YLE, energy group Fortum is currently developing a biofuel featuring horse manure, with tests on the fuel appearing to be positive thus far. The country’s government is calling for horse manure to be increasingly used as an energy source, with the material soon...

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jockey

Olympian Announces Horse Racing Debut

Victoria Pendleton, the two-time cycling Olympic champion and Britain’s most successful female Olympian, is looking to prove she’s ready to swap a bike saddle for an Albion saddle as she’s announced her first outing as an amateur race jockey, BBC Sport has reported. Along with her trainer Yogi Breisner, she’s decided on a charity flat race at Newbury in around four weeks’ time to gain experience of her first race. Pendleton announced her ambition to ride at 2016’s...

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Two horse portrait

Strangles Closes Honley Horse Show

No doubt many a disappointed rider is putting their Fairfax dressage saddle back in the stable right now after Honley Show was cancelled because of an outbreak of strangles affecting horses all over the UK. According to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, the horse sections of the show have been called off, although the organisers are confident that the June 13th event will still be a huge hit regardless. Strangles is one of the most common respiratory infections in horses and it's...

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rider on horse

Carl Hester Wins Top Prize

Riders interested in a TDS saddle fitting might be excited to learn that Carl Hester has been presented with the British Horse Society Queen’s Award for Equestrianism. Carl Hester is one of Britain's most prevalent riders and has represented the country in four Olympic games. He was the leader of the Olympic dressage team who won Gold at the London 2012 Olympics and also has a number of individual prizes under his belt, Horse and Country reports. The award was presented to Hester...

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Old Palomino Stallion

Princess Anne: Improve Horse Welfare

Horse lovers who are trying out their new Ideal Saddle maybe pleased to hear that Princess Anne has spoken out against the “inhumane suffering” of horses. She has spoken out on the matter in the foreword she has written to a book by Christopher Hall called Horse Welfare: Use not Abuse. In her foreword, she outlines her opposition to the treatment of horses being sent to slaughter for meat. Having been previously outspoken on the issue of regulation of the horse meat industry,...

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horses on ranch

Spotlight on Off-Road Riding for Access Week

With Access Week running until the 31st May, now’s the perfect time to put on your horse’s Fairfax saddle and head out for a spot of off-road riding. The British Horse Society (BHS) wants lots of riders to get involved – and there are some key ways that you can help make a difference this Access Week. The first is all about celebrating off-road routes and sharing these with other riders. The BHS wants riders to get involved using the...

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