Fall in love with Asheville this weekend as we celebrate Valentine’s Day with special events all weekend long. From food, to music, to a mass wedding – Asheville offers something for love birds and single folk alike.

Looking for something a bit different than your standard Valentine’s Day experience, we have a list of the best place to celebrate romance in Asheville. Also check out our special packages and deals for winter romance.

Take advantage of the lowest admission prices of the year as the Winter at Biltmore event continues this week, and

Posted: 02/10/20 | February 10th, 2020

This year, I’m going to try to visit Central Asia in the fall. I’ve never been to the region and it’s long one that’s held great appeal to me. It seems raw, beautiful, and unspoiled. So, when someone reached out to write a guest post on a country there, I was excited. It was a chance to learn a little before I (hopefully) go. In this guest post, traveler and writer Paul McDougal breaks down what it’s like to travel Tajikistan on a budget.

Aptly and romantically known as “The Roof of the World,” Tajikistan is a hikers’ paradise. More than 93% of the country is defined as mountainous — and more than 50% of that sits at over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet)! It’s a striking country, full of glacial peaks and mountain lakes that are best for multiday hikes (but equally astounding on short jaunts too).

Traveling around Tajikistan requires a sense of adventure, as the nation is also dotted with poor-quality roads, rudimentary facilities, and a massive lack of infrastructure. But, after spending almost a month there, I learned that it’s easy and affordable to get around these problems with a smile and a shrug.

Many tourists spend more money than necessary when in Tajikistan. Most do so on an organized tour, which is why there’s a prevailing — and inaccurate — idea that it’s expensive to visit the country. A ten-day organized tour booked online can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500 USD, equivalent to a hefty $150-350 a day.

But if you travel independently, you can easily navigate this country for about $45 USD per day.

So, how do you see Tajikistan on a budget? Here’s how:

Transportation

Instead of booking a tour through an online agent, you have four much more affordable ways to get around to choose from:

1. Find a multiday driver when you arrive
Hostels and guesthouses can put you in contact with local drivers, with whom you can negotiate your own rate, itinerary, and trip length. Typically, travelers spend $50-100 per day per person for this. The better your negotiation skills (and the more stubborn you are), the greater the chance you’ll get a driver for closer to $50 a day.

Drivers can be found in Murghab, Khorog, Dushanbe, and other larger places. If you’re traveling the Pamir Highway (like pretty much everyone else in Tajikistan), you can also find drivers in Kyrgyzstan’s second-biggest city, Osh.

2. Hire a 4WD yourself
This typically costs around $100 per day for the vehicle, so if you’re traveling with a few people, this is a great choice. It gives you freedom and it’s good for your budget!

It’s very easy to organize this upon arrival. All hotels, hostels, and guesthouses in both Osh and Dushanbe can put you into contact with agencies that can arrange 4WD rentals. Don’t arrange this online, unless you want to spend more money.

3. Public transport
Long-distance public transport doesn’t really exist in Tajikistan. However, enterprising locals have filled this gap in a very affordable way. Every day, before they travel from one city or town to another to go about their daily business, they always ensure that every single spot in their vehicle is filled.

To find these travel opportunities, ask your guesthouse where “the bus station” is. They’ll direct you to a car-crammed area (usually near a market) where there will be drivers waiting to fill their cars. Using this method, it’s not unusual to end up squashed into the back of an ancient car with four other people on a five-hour trip. These trips typically only costs around $10. And it’s a great way to immerse yourself in local life.

The price of the trip depends upon its length. The most I paid was for any single trip was $35 USD for a 12-hour, 600-mile voyage from Khorog to Dushanbe. And that was in a 4WD.

A quick side note: If you’re traveling within a city or town, there are many small minibuses (marshrutkas) that can take you from one destination to another along prescribed routes for the measly price of around $0.20 USD. But along those routes, they’ll stop anywhere to take on new passengers and drop off others. And I mean anywhere: houses, outdoor markets, the middle of busy roads — it’s all fair game.

4. Hitchhiking
For the vast majority of my trips in Tajikistan, I hitchhiked. Local people hitchhike in Tajikistan every single day — it’s a valid, recognized method of transport here as not every has a car and, as mentioned above, public transportation is scarce.

When you hitchhike in Tajikistan, don’t stick out your thumb. Keep your stretched-out hand parallel to the ground and wave it up and down. Depending on where you’re hitchhiking, you will probably have to wait a while — on some barren stretches of road, you might wait thirty minutes to see one car. But, if that car has an empty spot, it will stop and take you without fail. (You might have to pay a little money.)

I experienced nothing but positivity and warmth doing this. People were happy to take me and introduced me to all sorts of Tajik food, drinks, and music. It’s not unusual for those who pick you up to offer you snacks, buy you a meal, or take you to their home. I always offered money in return for these treats, but it was never accepted.

Accommodation

1. Guesthouses
In any town or city, you’ll see houses with the word “guesthouse” written on them. Go inside one and strike a deal. It’s the easiest and most affordable accommodation, the perfect way to save money and have a better experience. You’ll be given great food and an even greater welcome.

Throughout Tajikistan, local people will let you stay in their home for around $10-15 a night. This usually will cover breakfast and dinner too. You can negotiate lunch for a little more if you like — or you can eat elsewhere. Most guesthouses offer much the same welcome and much the same food, so it doesn’t really matter which you choose.

Often, if you’re in a car with Tajiks (whether through hitchhiking or other means), they’ll take you a guesthouse they know of. And it’ll usually be a good one so don’t be too worried about scams.

And even if you can’t find an official guesthouse, you’ll find a friendly local who’ll let you stay at their home for a small price.

2. Hotels and hostels
These can be equally budget-friendly if you choose the right places. Some hotels are very expensive, but spots such as Pamir Hotel in Murghab offer affordable stays starting at around $15 USD a night. Some smaller towns such as Jelondy, a popular hot spring spot for locals, also offer hotel stays for around $10 USD. (Generally speaking, if a town is a popular vacation spot for Tajiks, there will be a cheap hotel.)

Hostels are a good cheap option in bigger towns and cities, and especially in Dushanbe. Green House Hostel in particular is a fantastic, affordable hub and is packed with travelers. It’s an excellent place to team up with others to save on transport costs.

3. Camping
Your third option for accommodation is camping. In some ways, Tajikistan is very camper friendly. I’m not sure what the actual laws are on wild camping, but I’d be very surprised if any exist. Although I didn’t do so myself, I met many people who camped in the wild, and none of them encountered any trouble. You should, of course, follow the normal rules of wild camping: don’t camp in the same place for more than one night, don’t camp on private land without permission, and don’t camp in cities. You should also research whether there are any dangers in the particular area you’re keen to camp. But otherwise, you will not draw any attention, since camping is very well tolerated here.

Moreover, guesthouses and hotels will often let you pitch your tent on their land for only $2 or $3 USD.

Note: the harsh weather conditions can often make camping an unpleasant experience. Because much of Tajikistan lies at such a high elevation, the temperatures can be unpleasant and even dangerous — and the ground in some conditions can be too tough to push tent pegs into. So you should be careful when planning where you want to camp.

Food

As I’ve mentioned, you’ll likely eat most of your meals in guesthouses. These will often consist of flat bread, salad, soup, and endlessly flowing cups of tea. Other popular edible offerings include plov (a pilaf-style rice dish with meat and vegetables) and manti (steamed lamb dumplings).

Outside of guesthouses, you’ll find a more varied and versatile selection of food, such as kebabs and fried noodles.

You can get your mouth around all of these morsels for low prices in local cafeterias. The food is tasty and filling, and it comes in big portions for less than $2 USD. If you eat at a more up-market restaurant, you’ll be paying closer to $5 USD.

Takeaway stands in bigger towns and cities sell kebabs and samsas (which are similar to Indian samosas) often for around $1 USD, while outdoor markets are an excellent place to buy fresh fruit and vegetables — along with special pickles, candies, and more — for very cheap prices.

A quick tip on food: bring hand sanitizer and toilet paper! Everyone gets sick in Tajikistan. I have the world’s strongest stomach, and even I got sick on three separate occasions. You should also wash your hands as much as possible and avoid putting them into your mouth after handling money. And don’t drink the tap water!

Hiking

If you hire a private guide from an agency, it can be expensive. Some people pay up to $100 USD a day for a hiking guide. But there’s no need to do this.

Instead, simply ask at your guesthouse for a local hiking guide. The people who live in these towns and villages know the areas extremely well. They know all the paths and passes and landscapes.

And for only a few dollars, these unofficial guides will take you to and through the mountains for as long as you like. Whether you want a day hike or a multiday expedition, there’ll be someone in the village who can take you there. I hiked for an entire day in Bulunkul for less than $10 USD and went on a two-day hike in Darshai for less than $25 USD per day.

There are very few marked routes in Tajikistan. Some are marked on maps.me, but there’s very little of the infrastructure that you’ll find in other countries. So while you can hike independently, it’s essential you take a good map, a good compass, and good equipment — and that you know what you’re doing! Make sure you carry a refillable water bottle along with water purification tables — this will save you money too.

Are there any other things to see in Tajikistan?
Pretty much everyone who travels to Tajikistan does so for the hiking and mountain scenery, so I wouldn’t recommend going all the way there if your interest isn’t piqued by peaks. That said, there are a small number of other things to do:

• Museums: Dushanbe has a few small museums. The three most notable are the National Museum, the Museum of Antiquities, and the Museum of Musical Instruments. These cost between $1 and $5 USD, so they’re a good idea if you’re looking for something to pass the time inexpensively. Other small towns and cities have small local-interest museums.
• Rudaki Park: Central Asian cities are awash with beautiful parks. And Rudaki Park is one of the best. It’s a great way to people-watch, and it’s beautifully lit after sunset. But best of all, it’s free!
• Outdoor Markets: There are food markets everywhere, which make for another great free activity.
• Walking tours: Some hostels offer walking tours, which can be a nice way to see the city. These are usually pay-what-you-like, so you don’t have to spend much money.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tajikistan

Where should I get my currency?
ATMs are notoriously unreliable in Tajikistan, so make sure you bring enough US dollars to cover your whole trip. Yes, some ATMs will work, but finding them can be a chore, and having cash gives you more peace of mind.

Outdoor markets/bazaars offer the best exchange rates, better than banks. Look for small shacks with rates written on a sign. Most tourist establishments (such as hotels and guesthouses) will also exchange money, so it’s always easy to get your hands on Tajik somoni — but go to the small market shacks to get more money for your money.

Should I barter in Tajikistan?
Tajikistan is a barterers’ economy. You can negotiate and barter over prices for a whole range of things:

• Food in a market
• Accommodations
• Campsite fees
• 4WD rentals
• Long-distance rides
• Hitchhiking
• Hiking guides
• Exchange rates

But there are things you can’t barter over:

• SIM cards
• Restaurant prices
• Short-distance public transport rides
• Your visa and flights (good luck trying)

What’s an overall daily budget in Tajikistan?
If you’re a budget traveler, you can get by on an average of $45 USD (or less) per day, depending on where you are, how you’re traveling, and what you like to do. Here are some figures for what you can expect to pay (on average) for things (in USD):

• Dorm bed in a hostel: $5-15
• Guesthouse with two meals and a bed: $10-15
• Double room in a cheap hotel: $15-20
• Public transport/hitchhiking per day: $10-15
• Restaurant meal: $5
• Snacks and fruit: $3
• A day of hiking: $10
• SIM card: $5

***

Tajikistan will give you a hundred reasons to fall in love. Whether it’s a full cup of tea in a stranger’s home, a steaming bowl of plov, or a gold-toothed smile, every day is full of beautiful experiences.

Most people come here for hiking amid the peaks and mountain lakes. And rightly so. But upon leaving, what they’ll remember most is the warmth, the hospitality, and the unending kindness. It’s often true that poorer countries offer the richest welcomes. And that’s exactly the case here.

You’ll leave Tajikistan feeling better than when you arrived. So don’t let the inaccurate rumors of costly travel deter you. Not only is Tajikistan possible on a budget, it’s better that way.

Paul McDougal is a professional writer from the United Kigdom. He loves hiking, laughing, and getting himself into strange situations. He currently lives in Vietnam. You can find his website and more of his stories here and follow his Instagram here for photography and scenes from the road.

The post How to Explore Tajikistan on a Budget appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Military riders and cyclists have taken part in a 100km ride to mark a century since the end of the First World War and raise funds for the Royal British Legion.

On 10 August 48 riders, cyclists and support crew from the UK, Isle of Man, Channel Islands Australia, New Zealand and Canada left from Kent to travel across the battlefields of France to conclude in Ypres, Belgium on a ride called The Last Hurrah.

The ride, organised by historian Andy Smerdon and Major Will McGill, sought to remember the men, women and equines who gave their lives in the Great War.

Army reservist and military rider Daniel Petho told H&H: “The last 100 days of the First World War was the last big Allied push to break the German lines which ultimately lead to the ending of four long years of severe bloodshed, on Armistice Day in November.

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“The reality of how life was then for cavalry troops is something you can only experience by recreating it, you just don’t get that immersive feel watching it on television, it was surreal.”

Andy Smerdon said: “In these last days of the war, it was very much back to the old cavalry days becoming a war of movement again.”

The ride began in the Amiens region of France, stopping at locations including the Somme memorial at Thiepval, the battlefield of Pozéres, the Tyne Cot War Cemetery and the battlefield of Polygon Wood along the way.

“The ride was advertised by mayors of the towns. Lots of people came to see us from the local towns and had a procession – it was really spectacular. Some of these towns were central points of the war and the commemoration is really engrained there,” said Daniel.

The regiments represented in the ride were:

The Royal Flying Corps; The Household Cavalry; The Royal Engineers; The 16^th Lancers; The Essex Yeomanry; The Duke of Lancasters Own Yeomanry; Northumberland Hussars and The Queens Royal Hussars; The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps; The Royal Artillery; The Canadian Cavalry Divisions; and Royal Service Corps

“Every rider present represented his own regiments or regiments of personal links,” said Daniel “One of the riders is currently a farrier who was supplied by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.”

The riders recreated the Battle of Moreiul Wood (30 March 1918) in full 1918 period kit.

“With the heavy kit required to be carried for long periods and then taken into battle is a testament to how fit and robust the horses were back in the early 1900s,” said Daniel.

The ride was also granted access to parade the horses through the Menin Gate at Belgium, where 55,000 names of missing soldiers to 1916 are recorded, the only cavalry unit to have done this since the end of the First World War.

The very notion that we have been given this special privilege to be the first and only to parade was very emotional to me as we marched through. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I’ll never forget,” said Daniel.

Gary Crosbie and Sarah Lentle of Casting Horses and Nikky Willis of Horses4History supplied horses.

“All the horses supplied were worth their weight in gold, they didn’t put a foot wrong. When we had the cavalry charge, it really felt like a charge – they are jousting horses and knew what was coming.  There were various breeds involved and even a mule,” said Daniel.

A Cleveland Bay was also represented in the ride owned by RAF Wing Commander Russ Gleeson, who laid a wreath on behalf of the RAF 100 and the Cleveland Bay Society.

Russ said: “By the early 1900s the breed was in decline but the matter made worse by the First World War where many Clevelands were lost on the battlefields of France and Belgium. The fact they adapted well to the role of artillery horses potentially sealed their own fate.”

“The experience was exhilarating. For me being military, it was having that special connection for those that have perished from my regiment – it really was something nice to commemorate them. We loved every minute of it,” said Daniel.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

With the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (29 August-2 September) in full-swing, riders have now had the opportunity to walk the infamous four-star cross-country course, designed by Captain Mark Phillips.

We caught up with some of the competitors to find out what they think about this year’s track…

Oliver Townend: “It’s seriously undulating and it is going to be stamina sapping. I know Burghley is big, but I’ve never walked around here and seen fences of such dimensions.

Andrew Nicholson: “I think right from the start, it’s very big and what has struck me is that I think it will be quite tiring on the horses. There’s quite a steep pull up Winners’ Avenue, which be around the seven minute marker of an 11 minute course. That will then make the Clarence Court combination at the Dairy Mound a bit harder. I think the Trout Hatchery is very difficult too — there will be a lot of different ways to jump there with plenty of options. I like the way the course is consistent — it feels like you’ll get into the groove of riding up to the jumps with the horses looking and letting you ride them up to them.”

Simon Grieve: “There are lots of places to do something silly and there are lots of places where horses can have a run out and they need to be so bold and brave. I think the Leaf Pit will cause a lot of problems — it comes up earlier in the course this year. The Trout Hatchery and The Maltings are difficult — the first set of rails at The Maltings is huge and it has a drop on it so you need to be in balance to jump the massive corner at part b. There’s plenty of places that could catch us out.”

Ludwig Svennerstal: “I think it’s a very serious course. There’s a lot of challenges all the way through. There are a lot of big fences and it’s really challenging.”

Continues below…

Nana Dalton: “You don’t come here without expecting a challenge. It’s one question after another, but I think they’re all fair. We’ve got to be on our A game the whole way round.”

You can read the full Burghley report in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine (Thursday 6 September).

What does it take to win the Mountain and Moorland (M&M) supreme title at the Olympia International Horse Show, not once, but twice? Lancashire-based Connemara specialist Sandra Burton and her family show team scored their second Olympia victory last December with Joe Burke’s stallion Banks Timber, a title she also won in 2013 on her own gelding Fly The Last Flute.

We caught up with this talented amateur who shared her tips for home-producing to the very top:

Read the full interview with Sandra in H&H magazine (7 March issue) — out now!

1. Juggling duties

Six days a week, Sandra runs a milk round with her sister Janet while her daughter, Emily, works full time as a veterinary nurse.

“We get up early to do the milk and then once that’s done, we’ll do the book work,” said Sandra. “Even though the job has it’s drawbacks, it does mean I have the rest of the day to do the horses, which is especially helpful during winter.”

2. Making it work

Sandra rides Banks Timber to land the M&M ridden championship at the RIHS in 2017.

When attending the Royal International (RIHS) in 2017, where Tim and Sandra won the M&M championship, the team had to put in some extra work to ensure they could be back on the showground for the supreme on the final day:  “We doubled up the milk before we went, drove down, did the showing and as we won we had to arrange going back for the supreme,” said Sandra. “So we left mum with the wagon, borrowed someone’s car to drive home and deliver the milk, before driving back down to do the supreme — It’s safe to say I was absolutely knackered.”

3. Find your passion

Even though she began with Fell ponies, Sandra’s real love and majority of success has come from her involvement with Connemaras. “I didn’t get my first Connemara until 1998. He was a gelding I’d seen in H&H called Lintavon Ciro I went to see him in Scotland and just feel in love with the breed. He wasn’t the easiest and could be full of himself in the ring. He qualified for HOYS several times and eventually won in 2004.”

Her love and knowledge of the breed has seen her compete on a string of successful ponies at top level for over 15 years.

4. Put in the time

Despite being an amateur show team, the Burton’s always ensure that once they are in the ring, they provide a performance good enough to compete against the pros.

“You have to put the time in at home,” urged Sandra. “We do our homework so that when we go in the ring, we do our best and on the right day, we can get the results.

“If you want to do well, you have to be dedicated, especially as the standard in showing classes is so high these days.”

5. Enjoy the job

“I think a lot of people can lose track of enjoying the job,” said Sandra. “When we go to shows we make sure we go to the ones we enjoy, and these might not necessarily be qualifiers. You can get caught up in the chase to qualify and lose the fun side of showing. We put so much money into it that you need to go out and enjoy your animals, or what’s the point?”

Sandra rides Coillte Cashel and Emily rides Aniar Cashel. Both will be making their debuts under saddle during 2019

6. Keep going

“Try not to get discouraged if you don’t get what you want straight away; I have been disappointed many times. You’re always going to be beaten somewhere along the line; you have to come away from each show and think about how you can improve. If you have this attitude, you won’t give up.

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

A rider was left shaking in terror when a van flew round a blind bend so close to her horse it brushed his exercise sheet, before skidding and swerving across the road.

Jemma Fisher, from Wokingham, was riding her 17.1hh thoroughbred gelding Sizzler along Easthampstead Road on 24 September when she heard a vehicle approaching from behind.

“I thought I could hear a car coming round the bend really fast but it turned out to be a transit van. I raised my arms to ask the driver to slow down but as he came round he brushed Sizzler’s exercise sheet with his bonnet,” Jemma told H&H.

“The driver then swerved, skidded on a puddle, then swerved back on to his side of the road. I’ve never screamed like it in my life, it was absolutely terrifying to look down and see a van actually touch my horse.”

Jemma said Sizzler, who is coming back into work after a tendon injury, did not spook as the van only made contact with the exercise sheet.

“I shouted at the driver and said ‘will you not slow down on a blind bend?’ and I got a load of abuse back. He said I shouldn’t be on the road or riding on a corner – then he sped off. At the time of the incident we were only allowed to hack on my vet’s advice because of Sizzler’s injury as the sand school was too deep for him,” she said.

“The driver didn’t hit my horse but he still touched us with his vehicle, it was awful. I carried on and held my breath until I got off the road and into the woods, I was shaking.”

Jemma said this is not the first incident she’s faced on the roads.

“I had an issue with a lorry a few weeks earlier where it didn’t stop on a narrow country lane and scraped my stirrup as it passed. I remember Sizzler shaking but he didn’t move, we have a really good bond and I trust him,” she said.

Article continued below…

Formal warning for driver who verbally abused rider in shocking tirade

‘People need to understand we’re not on the roads to deliberately inconvenience them’

Pony falls on to car bonnet in frightening hit-and-run

‘I can’t believe the driver knocked a child off her horse and left her there. You don’t leave the scene

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“If I could avoid going on roads I would but unfortunately for a lot of yards in the area it’s not possible. We need to use the road for about 20 minutes to get off-road. We constantly face cars speeding past us.”

Jemma reported the incident to the British Horse Society and plans to get a hat camera in the future.

“Cameras are such a safety precaution so my parents are going to get me one for Christmas. I’m worried something else could happen on the roads, it’s so easily done when drivers aren’t slowing down. A lot of the people from my yard have faced incidents too; we just want to enjoy our horses,” she said.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

If there’s one young stallion you should know about right now, it’s Springbank II VH.

This four-year-old Danish warmblood stallion, by the grand prix sire Skovens Rafael out of the De Niro mare De La Reinne VH, claimed an emphatic victory at the Breeders’ Trophy in Sweden earlier this month and it was none other than Charlotte Dujardin who awarded him the maximum marks.

For the third year in a row, Charlotte was the test rider for this final, and made no secret of how she felt about the spirited little chestnut stallion, who was presented by Spanish Olympian Severo Juardo López.

“It’s like getting in a Rolls Royce and just cruising,” she exclaimed as she put Springbank through his paces in front of an appreciative crowd. “He’s super hot and very sensitive off my leg. I touch, I breathe, and he goes. He’s everything I dream of — my ideal man. I’d even trade him for my fiancé!” she joked.

The compliments kept coming, with Charlotte declaring: “He’s the best four-year-old I’ve ever sat on.”

She rode him mostly in rising trot, explaining that she rarely did sitting trot with four-year-olds as it’s so important to keep the horse loose and swinging through the back. Springbank showed absolutely no sign of stiffness; in fact Charlotte couldn’t find a single weakness during her ride.

“If I could give him 100 out of 100 I would — 10 is not enough,” said Charlotte, who went on to award the young stallion full marks. “I can’t think what more I could want from him aged four: he has the ability to go and come back, he has power and balance and suppleness, he’s an absolute dream in the contact. There’s nothing I would change and I’m very jealous that I have to give him back.

“You always wonder what these stallions will feel like to ride, whether it feels as good as it looks and with him it does. Talk about putting a smile on your face — not even chocolate cake can make you feel this good!”

Continued below…

Springbank, who was bred at the Västra Hoby Stud in Sweden and is owned by the stud and Hennix Horses, stood head and shoulders above his competition with an overall score of 96.5% — making it the second year in a row he has triumphed in the Breeders’ Trophy. He went on to triumph in the four-year-old division of the Danish Young Horse Championships the following week.

Springbank currently stands at Helgstrand Dressage in Denmark and has limited semen available for a fee of €1200 + VAT.

Photo courtesy of swedehorse.swb.org

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

A rider who had essentially retired her horse owing to his “dangerous” behaviour, for which no one could find a cause, is back in the saddle after a bean was removed from his sheath.

Wendy Chriss’s thoroughbred gelding Scooby had been out of work for the best part of four years but despite the best efforts of a vet, saddler and physio, no cause for his issues could be found – until Tracey “the Bean Queen” Freeman paid a visit.

Wendy told H&H she first realised something was wrong when she tried to saddle Scooby in 2014, and he started “shaking uncontrollably”.

She had his saddle and back checked but nothing could be found.

“Every time I tried to get on, he’d shoot backwards,” Wendy said.

“It was quite scary, and I’d never been scared before. My husband told me I must be losing my bottle – then he saw it happen one day, and he said: ‘get off that horse now’.”

Wendy turned Scooby away for the winter but the next spring, he was the same. She had him scoped for ulcers to no avail, but also noticed he would continually rest his off hind leg, while weeing, and even if his left fore foot was picked up.

So the now 20-year-old gelding could not be ridden – until this year, a friend mentioned Tracey, of Sheath Cleaning UK.

“Because it costs £25, I thought I’d get all the horses done,” Wendy said. “Tracey was telling me about all the symptoms of having these beans and my daughter said: ‘That sounds like Scooby, Mum’.

“Then Tracey put her hand in and said: ‘We’ve got a big one’.

“We’ve now had him back in work two weeks and haven’t had a single problem; for £25, I can’t believe what she’s done. I’ve wasted four years and I’m gutted, but so relieved to be back on.”

Wendy wants other owners to be aware of the issue, as she said she had never heard of sheath beans in her years of owning horses.

“This story needs to get out,” she said. “How many horses are like this? I could have had him put down because he was dangerous, or he’d have been retired – but thanks to Tracey, I’ve got my horse back. I’m so pleased.”

Beans form from a build-up of smegma, which calcifies into hard lumps inside the sheath.

“They call them beans but they’re rock-hard; it must be like walking round with a big stone in your shoe, that you can’t get rid of,” she said. “I’ve had horses who had just stopped going forward, or had just gone off the job, and since I’ve taken the beans out, they’re back to their best.”

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Tracey said she also wants to raise awareness of the effects beans seem to have.

“Every time I pull one out – and I must have done thousands – I look at it and think ‘oh my God, how has this horse been functioning?’” she said.

“It’s so rewarding; I’ve had people ringing me in tears saying I’ve given them their horse back; Wendy’s horse is one of many.

“It’s trying to make people aware; horses like Wendy’s could have ended up being put down but it’s lovely to see her riding again.”

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Jonty Evans is back in the saddle of his Olympic ride Cooley Rorkes Drift (Art) – which he says is “where I’m meant to be”.

The Irish eventer told H&H he rode two other horses before he was reunited with his crowdfunded top ride this week.

“The other horses were known for being quiet and well-behaved – but I got slightly fed up with having to kick,” he said.

“I had been being a bit precious about Art but when I got fed up, I went for a hack on him, and it was amazing.

“It’s as if sitting in his saddle is where I’m meant to be.”

Jonty was in a coma for six weeks following a cross-country fall from Art in June, in which he sustained a serious head injury, and has since been undergoing intensive rehabilitation.

“I haven’t been in the school on Art yet; it’s about being a bit precious again as everything he’s ever done in the school has been good and I don’t want to make that any different at the moment,” he said.

“Art’s so good; even if he spooks, he warns you beforehand. The other day, he spooked at a gate on the floor but he let me know he was going to do it about 10 strides earlier, so I was ready for it and he was fine.”

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Jonty said he has been trotting while hacking, and although he has been “tempted” by an inviting grassy verge, has not yet cantered, or jumped, and does not have a fixed plan as to his progression with riding.

“I have never been very good at this but now I’m literally just going to take each day as it comes, one at a time,” he said.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

A teenager who has been volunteering with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) for two years says the organisation “saved him”.

James Wiseman spoke at a parliamentary reception on Wednesday (6 February) at which the RDA, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, presented a report on the benefits of volunteering.

In investigations funded by Sport England, the RDA looked into who its 18,000 “vital” volunteers are, and how they feel about giving up their time.

The report focused on the “dual benefit” of volunteering for the RDA – not only does it mean participants can benefit from riding and carriage driving, the volunteers themselves enjoy benefits to their mental and physical health.

James, a carriage driving coach who also volunteers with riding activities at the Park Lane Stables RDA in London, said that two years ago, he would not have been able to address guests in the House of Commons, including MPs and charity supporters.

“My home life was a struggle so I wasn’t outgoing and I struggled with depression,” he said. “The yard helped me better myself; they showed me what was right and wrong and that the way the boys in my area were going wasn’t right.”

James told H&H he had been riding at Park Lane Stables before he started volunteering with the RDA group, and that at first he just “helped out with the heavy lifting” as it “saved paying for a gym and you make new friends”.

But he moved on to more regular volunteering, eventually earning his certificate as a carriage driving coach.

“I hadn’t done well at school; I always tried but had never passed anything in my life, that was my first ever certificate,” he said. “Helping with the horses and the groups made me feel needed. My confidence went up, and my depression went down.

“It saved me really. Natalie [O’Rourke, the yard owner] takes people and fixes them; she changes them into proper people.”

Asked where he would be without the RDA, James said: “Probably selling drugs, like the other boys in my area, causing problems, harassing locals and selling things I shouldn’t have my hands on. I could even have been stabbed – people I know have been – and I didn’t want that. Why would I want to ruin my life any more?

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Princess Royal to launch RDA’s World’s Biggest Riding Lesson

Wednesday 30 September marks the 40th anniversary of the Riding for the Disabled Association

Volunteers help to police rural areas on horseback

A new policing initiative using riders has been introduced on Exmoor in an effort to reduce rural crime

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“So Natalie sorted me out, and now I know I can get success if I keep pushing; that’s what I want.

“It feels too good to go backwards. I want to stay with horses, and maybe go into the Army, the King’s Troop.

“But I’ll still volunteer with the RDA, they’re stuck with me for the next 50 years.”

For more on the RDA report and its implications, see next week’s H&H magazine, out 14 February.