Horse Sense

Saddle Fitting problems being investigated by Animal Health Trust fill out the horse-saddle-rider survey

The Animal Health Trust  is a veterinary charity, based in Suffolk, which offers clinical referral services and diagnostic testing for horses, dogs and cats in East Anglia, across the UK and internationally. Through research programmes, they develop new diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccines to help thousands of animals. They are currently investigating why saddles slip, you can help by filling out the questionnaire.

"Spare five minutes to take part in a horse-saddle-rider survey? We are investigating the interactions between horses, saddles and riders, with a particular emphasis on trying to understand better why a saddle may persistently slip to one side in some horses. This is a problem seen in all sorts of horses and ponies and can contribute to back pain. We hope you can help the study by taking the time to complete and share this questionnaire. "

http://bit.ly/Ysd5PG

Find out more about the Animal Health Trust via their website www.aht.org.uk

Andrew Nicholson wins the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event on Quimbo

Andrew Nicholson won this years Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event on Quimbo putting him in line for the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing if he wins Badminton next weekend. Here's his dressage test, followed by the cross country and show jumping all on video:

 

 

 

Andrew's win at the Kentucky Rolex gives us two contenders for the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, William Fox-Pitt was in line for it last year when Badminton was called off due to heavy rainfall.

The Wild, The Free by Lord Byron

In 1979 Penguin Books / Puffin published a collection of poems chosen by children for children in aid of The International Year of The Child called I Like This Poem.

13 year old Catherine Ainley chose a poem by Lord Byron, The Wild, The Free because she liked horses and it made Catherine think that "the horses are proud to be free and wild."

A thousand horse and none to ride! -
With flowing tail, and flying mane,
Wide nostrils never stretched by pain,
Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein,
And feet that iron never shod,
And flanks unscarred by spur or rod,
A thousand horse, the wild, the free,
Like waves that follow o'er the sea,
Came thickly thundering on,...

                                                                 ~Lord Byron, XVII, Mazeppa, 1818

Image: Chipmunkmoutain via Wikimedia Commons

If you like poetry that mentions horses you might also like

The Horses by Edwin Muir

William Fox-Pitt on Chilli Morning dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

William Fox-Pitt goes into the lead on Chilli Morning after the dressage at the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, watch the test:

 

New online magazine Equestrian Culture out this summer

Equestrian Culture is a new free quarterly online magazine published by artist and blogger Danielle Armitage Demers of Cavalcade Equestrian Fashion &  Culture. It will include  in-depth articles and interviews discussing art, photography, decor, fashion, and small businesses influenced and inspired by the equestrian lifestyle along with DIY projects, how-to’s, book reviews and a look at current equestrian chic trends.

To receive notification of  when each issue is published visit Equestrian Culture's website equestrianculture.com, and sign up via the subscribe form in the sidebar.

Pony Poo Paper

Pony Poo Paper is the brain child of Sue Eberle who having spent years encouraging folk to find sustainable and environmentally friendly means of earning a living in the countryside came up with the idea of making paper from pony poo.

The ponies' dung is both sun dried and air dried before being added to recycled FSA approved paper pulp and turned into wrapping paper. You can actually watch the manufacturing process via a video on the Pony Poo Paper website where you can also purchase sheets of the wrapping paper.

Equine Postage Stamps

Horse loving philatelists, or artists who like to include postage stamps in their work, can find instant collections of equine postal stamps at  Tanja Bedenknecht's Etsy shop Stamps and More.

Pegasus Chariot Amazing Equine Fancy Dress Friday

This black Pegasus is a brilliant equine costume in its' own right but with the addition of a chariot and a "Goddess" it's a show stopper.

Image found via: Enjoy Yums Facebook

Other  Equine Fancy Dress Friday posts include:

Video of horse and rider costumes

Moulin Rouge costume for horse and rider

Native costumes

Three Wise Men Shetland Style

Dachshund dressed as a horse

Lord of the Rings Ringwraith

Sinterklass

Little Bo Peep has lost her Sheep

Pony dressed as Ballet Dancer

Horse as giraffe

Night mare costume for horse & children

Invisible horse

Horse dressed for diving / swimming horse costume

Hula Hula Horse

Ladies Day

Horses dressed as fish

Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf

Horses and Ponies dressed as Unicorns

A foal with wings

Horses as Zebras

Harry Potter Horse

Fancy Clip - Camel 

How to paint your horse's skeleton

Horse dressed as elephant

Horse dressed as dinasour

Horse dressed as a car, 

Spanish Lady

Dog dressed as horse

Sunflower Horse and Bumble Bee Handler

Pirate Ship

Skeleton

Easter Bunny

If Wishes Were Ponies - Franga Designs

Fancy Clips

BRC Quadrille Selection 2011

Miniature Horses in Fancy Dress

Pony dressed as lion

Pony styled as a poodle

Instructions for making an equine poodle costume here

Horsewoman necklace

Loving this vintage style handmade necklace with an equestrian print of beautiful horsewoman riding side saddle. The picture is printed on polymer clay and covered with transparent glaze making the surface look like a smooth glass lens.

It's available to purchase from Etsy shop SecretFind

Walk the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials 2013 Cross Country Course with designer Hugh Thomas