The Environment Agency (EA) is cracking down on “toxic” plastic waste being used in equestrian arena surfaces.

The EA is warning riders of the dangers they could be putting themselves, their horses and the environment in by using inappropriate materials.

People found with the substance on their land could face an expensive bill for its removal and disposal and could even be liable for prosecution.

“Plastic granulate, sold as an alternative surface for equestrian centres, could place horses and riders at risk, present a pollution hazard and lead to owners falling foul of the law,” said a statement from the EA.

“Plastic granulate is a waste material derived from the recycling of cable sheathing and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

“It’s being marketed by some waste producers and brokers as a base material for horse maneges and track surfaces. However, there is no legal route available for its use for this purpose except in accordance with an environmental permit.”

This permit is only applicable for licensed waste disposal facilities and could not be applied to allow the use of this material in equestrian arenas.

The statement added the plastics present can contain persistent organic pollutants, phthalates and lead stearate.

“Weathering can cause leaching of these toxic substances into the wider environment, potentially causing contamination to land and groundwater,” said the statement.

“Some plastic granulate may even be cross-contaminated with non-plastic elements such as metal fragments and glass, making surfaces where it’s used potentially harmful for horses and riders.”

Certain waste materials, such as granulated rubber and wood chip, can be used in quantities up to 1,000 tonnes for horse menages under a U8 waste exemption registration. But no such exemption is available for granulated plastic to be used as equestrian arena surfaces.

British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) director Claire Williams told H&H the organisation “welcomes this crackdown on the use of potentially hazardous material”.

“Reliable companies – including BETA members — always check the provenance of their materials and would never use this in their products,” she said.

“Those seeking to produce cheap alternative surfacing must be made aware of the implications if they do not understand them, and those that are seeking to make a fast buck and have no consideration for the harm they might cause should be prevented from doing so.”

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The EA is urging anyone who is approached and offered this material, but who doesn’t have an appropriate environmental permit, to contact the agency on 03708 506 506 or enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. This is because producers and brokers of plastic granulate have a legal duty of care to ensure it is disposed of at a permitted facility.

“We’re determined to eliminate avoidable waste and crack down on plastics as part of the government’s 25-year environmental plan,” said EA officer Greg Deakin.

“We’re therefore urging those with equestrian facilities to carefully consider the use of this material.

“It might be offered free of charge or for a small delivery fee, but it is an offence under the environmental permitting regulations to use this waste without appropriate environmental controls.

“If you’re found to have plastic granulate waste deposited on your land without the appropriate environmental permit awarded by the Environment Agency, you could be fined and be liable for the cost of its disposal.”

Deposits of this waste can be reported, anonymously, on the EA’s 24-hour national incident hotline, on 0800 80 70 60.

Anyone wishing to use materials such as granulated rubber or wood chip as a surface can register an exemption for free www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-u8-using-waste-for-a-specified-purpose

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Three horses have been found wounded and “traumatised” after a break-in at a Riding for the Disabled Association centre.

Volunteer Joe Coulman made the discovery when he arrived at the Epsom centre on Wednesday morning (15 August).

Epsom RDA centre chairman Stella Milne told H&H the incident happened between 10pm on Tuesday (14 August) and 7.30am on Wednesday.

“We keep two of our ponies, Marigold and Buffy, in the indoor school at night because they are susceptible to laminitis. Joe arrived and found Buffy wasn’t in the school,” she said.

“In the school, water buckets and poles were everywhere. The first aid kit had been strewn all over the place and electric fence posts had been broken and left lying around.”

The 24-year-old ponies, Marigold and Buffy, were both found with injuries and the vet and police were called.

“Marigold had seven puncture wounds on her body and Buffy had two. It also appears that Marigold has wounds on her legs, which we think could have been caused by a dog and we are assuming the puncture wounds could have been made with the electric fence poles.

“Marigold’s wounds are deep but not life-threatening, but she has one at the top of her jaw adjacent to her eye, which we are worried about. There could be a fracture there and the vet is coming back again tomorrow to X-ray.

“The wound on Buffy’s neck has luckily missed the bone but the puncture wound on her near fore is quite deep and was still hot and puffy this morning so the vet will look at her again tomorrow.”

A 19-year-old gelding was found in a different field with a similar injury.

“We then found Samuel, who had a puncture wound on his shoulder,” Stella said. “Luckily it hadn’t gone down to the bone. There were wheelbarrows strewn around the field but the other two horses in that field were uninjured.

“Marigold had hand prints in blood on her body; it was just horrible. You just can’t fathom how people could do that, it’s shocking.

“These ponies aren’t young and they do a great job for us, Marigold has been a national RDA champion at Hartpury three times with several of our riders, she’s been absolutely brilliant. Buffy is a very steady pony – she is always eager to do her job and look after her rider.  It’s just so sad.”

“Marigold is finding it difficult to eat soaked hay with her painful jaw but apart from that she’s a feisty little lady and perking up more, on the other hand Buffy seems to be the most traumatised.”

Volunteers at the centre spent Wednesday evening on site.

“A group of volunteers did a rota last night and offered to stay in the coffee room so we had somebody there all evening,” Stella said. “Over the coming days we are looking to have a security firm on site with a dog and in the future we will be looking at CCTV and any other security measures that can be improved on,”

Stella said the veterinary bills and added security costs will have an “impact” on the centre.

“We’ve had tremendous support from people on social media and the local Epsom community — we want to thank everybody,” she added. “People are really rallying round, they have been coming into the yard with carrots and chocolates and making donations. There is outrage that people could do this to these innocent animals.”

A spokesman for Surrey Police said investigations are ongoing.

Four years ago, Germany’s Isabell Werth started her World Equestrian Games campaign on the mare she deems her best horse ever, Bella Rose. Aged just 10, the elegant Belissimo M mare posted a 81.53% grand prix to finish second to Valegro in Normandy 2014, but then disaster struck and the mare was withdrawn from the rest of the Games due to an injury.

Fast forward four years, and this entrancing chestnut, owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze, is finally back on the scene, despite many doubting whether she would ever be seen in an arena again. Isabell and Bella have swept the board during their competitive comeback this summer, and, with Isabell having made clear Bella was her personal choice ride for the 2018 WEG, they now prepare to start their Games campaign in Tryon, North Carolina, tomorrow.

“Choosing Bella Rose [as my preferred ride] was not a decision against my other horses, Emilio and [triple European gold medallist] Weihegold,” says Isabell. “It’s just that Bella Rose is my dream horse — she is just outstanding — and to bring her back to a championship has been my dream for the past four years.

“We have taken it slowly, and done things step by step during her recovery — she is full of temperament so its been hard to keep her calm during those years.

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Having sailed through the trot-up earlier this morning (picture, above), Bella Rose will not only help Germany attempt to defend their team gold, but is also one of the strongest contenders for the individual gold medals.

“She just has everything: charisma, power, elegance, lightness — she combines all the best things of all my other horses,” continues Isabell, who first saw the mare at her breeder’s as a three-year-old and admits to being smitten with her at first sight.

“The atmosphere here won’t be a problem for her, but I will have to calm her down and keep her concentrating,” the world number one says, also adding that Bella is going better now than when she was last on the world stage four years ago. “We’re all just getting older and more experienced.”

A small but mighty Welsh section C stallion renowned on the showing circuit for his incredible movement and presence has passed away age 21.

Tawelfan Red Robin, a liver Chestnut standing at a modest 12.3hh, was best known for his results with native specialist Fiona Cork, who credits the stallion for putting her on the map.

“I remember the day I met him,” Fiona said. “I was at the cob sales with my parents when I spotted an amazing Welsh D at the top of the bank. When got closer, I noticed the cob got smaller and smaller until I realised in fact it was a Welsh C stallion. And not a very big one at that.”

“My dad thought he was too small but we saw him move in hand and liked what we saw. His owner, Chris Machin, was clearly not overly keen on selling him and he had a high reserve on him. So we went to the ring but he went through unsold. And that was the end of that, or so I thought.”

Not one to let things go, Fiona went online, found Chris’s number and got in touch a few days after the sale.

Fiona continued: “Chris obviously didn’t want to sell him so I begged her to loan him to me, to which she hesitantly agreed. I didn’t want her to change her mind so agreed to collect him that afternoon.

“Like me, Katie learnt the hard way. She loved him just the same way as I did, so after a couple of years I decided that for Christmas I would sign him over to her. He owed me nothing. I owed him the best home and Katie loved him. There’ll never be another with a trot quite like Rodders.

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A small but mighty Welsh section C stallion renowned on the showing circuit for his incredible movement and presence has passed away age 21.

Tawelfan Red Robin, a liver Chestnut standing at a modest 12.3hh, was best known for his results with native specialist Fiona Cork, who credits the stallion for putting her on the map.

“I remember the day I met him,” Fiona said. “I was at the cob sales with my parents when I spotted an amazing Welsh D at the top of the bank. When got closer, I noticed the cob got smaller and smaller until I realised in fact it was a Welsh C stallion. And not a very big one at that.

“My dad thought he was too small but we saw him move in hand and liked what we saw. His owner, Chris Machin, was clearly not overly keen on selling him and he had a high reserve on him. So we went to the ring but he went through unsold. And that was the end of that, or so I thought.”

Not one to let things go, Fiona went online, found Chris’s number and got in touch a few days after the sale.

Fiona continued: “Chris obviously didn’t want to sell him so I begged her to loan him to me, to which she hesitantly agreed. I didn’t want her to change her mind so agreed to collect him that afternoon.

“I will never forget bounding into the farm kitchen and announcing how amazing it was that I’d managed to secure the incredible Welsh C on loan. My mum had never allowed us to keep stallions but again, by some miracle, I managed to get her and Dad to take me to fetch ‘Robbie’, as he was then known by Chris.

“Their huge lorry went trundling down this tiny lane to a shed at the very bottom where he was in with some cows. We loaded him up and there began our journey.”

After a name change to Rodders, the little stallion and Fiona took the native ridden scene by storm.

“From the second he stepped in the ring he just seemed to win, even when perhaps he wasn’t foot-perfect. I was a nobody so it certainly wasn’t due to any of my connections,” Fiona said.

During the initial stages of their partnership, the Welsh Cs and Ds competed together at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and the pair picked up their first ticket at Royal Cornwall show, making the line-up at the final.

“The following year we had our own class. He was really coming into his own. He was never easy and you would never know which Rodders you were going to get. Sometimes you’d put one foot in the ring and know you might as well come straight out, but generally he was on form and I learnt how to manage ‘the trot’.

Rodders went on to become a HOYS winner on two occasions, and Royal Welsh champion, and was the only pony to win the Royal Show Welsh C HOYS class, taking the title on three occasions (the show ran for a total of three years until it was cancelled.)

“After five years of showing him, I felt that I had done enough with him and it was time for him to have a new rider. After an overwhelming response to a Facebook advert, I ended up loaning him to Katie Goulding,” Fiona said.

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“I went to help them at their first show and told Katie: ‘Don’t be fooled by how he goes in the collecting ring, he’s a different animal in the ring.’

“Like me, Katie learnt the hard way. She loved him just the same way as I did, so after a couple of years I decided that for Christmas I would sign him over to her. He owed me nothing. I owed him the best home and Katie loved him. There’ll never be another with a trot quite like Rodders.”

In 2011, Katie Goulding began her journey with Rodders. She made a 10-hour round trip from her Derbyshire base to Scotland to view him at the yard of one of Fiona’s friends.

“When I got there I couldn’t believe how nice he was in the flesh,” said Katie. “Fiona’s friend sent her a video of me riding him. Driving home seemed to take a lifetime, as I knew I was waiting for Fiona’s seal of approval.

“We actually came last in our first show, as his quirkiness completely took me by surprise. Half an hour with Fiona, and we went on to win our next class.

“My best memories include qualifying for HOYS at Cheshire County show and riding at him Olympia — we got the biggest cheer of the day after our show.

“Rodders was a grump in the stable, and would always stand with his ears back — but he never bit anyone. He loved the show ring and couldn’t contain his excitement on an outing. If he heard the lorry start he would stand in his stable rearing.

“After two years together he was signed over to me and I decided to retire him in 2016. He went to stud for two years before coming back to me on the 22 June. I lost him on the 23 July.

“He owed me nothing and brought me so many happy memories. My friends would often ask me if they could have a sit on a HOYS winner just for the photo.”

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The prolific show horse I’m Blue Chip Too (Glen) has passed away aged 23.

Owned by Blue Chip Feed owner and founder Clare Blaskey, Glen was famous for landing the riding horse of the year title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as a four-year-old in his first season with Robert Walker; he was the youngest horse to ever win the accolade.

He returned to the NEC as a five-year-old to win the same championship and was also champion at the Royal International (RIHS) in the same year.

His journey began when Clare picked up a six-week-old copy of Horse & Hound in 1998.

Clare says: “I was looking through an old copy of the Horse & Hound and in the classified section at the back of the magazine was a small advert with a riding horse for sale. People had been to see him but no one had bought him as he was quite a character.

“I arranged to see him on my way to Olympia. I loved him the moment I set eyes on him and continued to adore him for the next 20 years. There will never be another like him.”

Clare started showing him as a five year old, and there after he was produced from home. She noted that the gelding had won at his first ever show in 1995 at five weeks of age, shown by his breeder Dot Collins, and his last at 20-years-old in 2015.

Glen was very successful as a ridden horse in HOYS, RIHS and Olympia qualifiers with 35 championships, 21 reserve championships and 58 first places during his career. In his later years, he also qualified for the Senior Showing grand final at Olympia.

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Glen was a four-time winner of the national best trained show horse competition and he was also succesful in the dressage ring. His last award was in 2017 when he was runner up in Showing World Horse Personality of the Year.

Glen gave many people their first experience of riding a top show horse and taught Clare’s granddaughter, aged nine, to ride side saddle.

An equine vet is warning horse owners that building banks against the sides of a stable will not necessarily prevent a horse from getting cast.

Dr Kieran O’Brien, a senior vet at Penbode Equine Vets in Tavistock, Devon said although it is traditional to bank the bedding, “the evidence suggests this will not usually have any beneficial effect other than providing some protection if a horse does become cast”.

“They are almost entirely decorative, and may be making things worse,” warned Dr O’Brien.

Other downsides to banking bedding are that fungi will grow in the undisturbed areas.

These can release spores into the stable air, which are breathed by the horse and might cause airway inflammation, pointed out Dr O’Brien.

The experienced vet and H&H contributor posted his bedding article on the practice’s Facebook page, and thousands of people viewed the post.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response,” said Dr O’Brien.

Some commenters suggested banks were created not to cushion the horse when it gets cast but to encourage the horse to lie in the centre of the stable.

“Video recordings of sleeping horses have shown when they are rising they often make a rolling motion when they stand up. This could explain why they are found cast against the side of the stable in the morning, often in spite of the presence of banks” said Dr O’Brien.

To prevent casting he said the best solution is to fix a wooden batten or rubber anti-cast strip about one metre from the floor around the stable walls.

The horse’s feet will be able to get a grip on the strip, and it can then push itself away from the wall.

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“People will still use banks for cushioning effects but it’s important if you do use them the bedding in the banks is kept fresh so fungi don’t proliferate there,” he said.

The size of the bank is also important.

“The bank won’t stop a horse getting cast unless it is very big and wide, and most are neither,” Dr O’Brien said.

Do you agree, or do you build banks for other reasons? Email hhletters@ti-media.com for a chance to see your views in H&H magazine and win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger (please include your name and address; letters may be edited).

The 15-year-old stallion Don VHP Z NOP, the ride of world number three Harrie Smolders, is one of the world’s leading showjumpers. The hugely imposing 17.1hh liver chestnut, who was produced through his early years in Great Britain, has helped the Dutchman win individual silver at the 2017 European Championships as well as some of the most prestigious grands prix in the world. What makes him so good? We find out from those who know him best.

1. “I’ve never ridden a horse who jumps 1.60m fences so easily and, because he’s so scopey, it doesn’t cost him a lot of energy,” says rider Harrie Smolders.

2. “He showed that big scopey jump right from the word go,” says former owner/producer Shirley Light of the Brendon Stud, whose father Cyril bought “Paris” from Belgium as a two-year-old after seeing him loose jumping.

3. “Travelling in the lorry he just goes to sleep and doesn’t move. But when you open the ramp, he’s ready to go and you can’t get him off the truck quick enough otherwise he tries to get off before you do,” says Don’s groom Alex Tyler-Morris, who has looked after the stallion for the past five years. “There’s never a dull moment with Don around.”

4. “Don’s very trainable at home and a pleasure to ride. He’s very cool headed, too — he’s never impressed by a fence or anything new,” says Harrie, who will be aiming Don VHP Z at this year’s European Championships in Rotterdam.

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5. “He would make you smile every day in the yard with his hilarious sense of humour and I think he’s still as cheeky as he ever was,” says Shirley Light. “Louise [Pavitt, who rode him until he was sold as an eight-year-old] always said if it took three of us to tack him up, she knew she was going to win.”

Don’t miss the full feature in this week’s showjumping special issue of Horse & Hound, out today (Thursday 21 February 2019).

A rider who has faced serious mental health issues has opened up about the incredible way horses have helped her reclaim her life to help encourage others going through hard times not to give up.

Melissa Pinfield-Wells was bullied through school and diagnosed with being on the autistic spectrum aged 13.

She started self-harming as a teenager, at the age of 18 was admitted to a psychiatric unit after trying to take her own life, since which time she has spent years in and out of psychiatric wards.

Melissa said her life is now “hugely different” and horses have given her the confidence to do go out and do things.

“I didn’t think I would ever be able to find any joy out of life because I just felt so guilty that I felt the way I did and couldn’t see how anything could ever change,” she said.

“Working with horses helped give me a purpose and find my place in the world.”

Melissa is hoping her story will inspire others who are going through tough times to keep going.

“I was training as a biomedical scientist, doing a degree I loved, but I couldn’t cope with being employed,”she told H&H.

“I kind of resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to work and I would be off sick on benefits for the rest of my life.”

Having ridden since she was a child, Melissa said the equestrian world was the first place she felt she “fitted in and made friends”.

“While I was off sick I spent a lot of time with the horses — I’m pretty good with horses, not so much with people, but I can understand and communicate with them,” she explained.

Melissa started offering her services in riding and teaching as a hobby and her business has now grown over the past four years to become an established full-livery yard. She also does freelance teaching and riding alongside competing her own horses in affiliated dressage and is training in animal physiotherapy.

“I didn’t want to be off sick, I didn’t cope very well when I was — having the yard and having the horses keeps me going and competing my own horses gives me something to aim for and having that aim keeps me focused,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter how crap I feel and how bad everything is, I can always get on a horse and ride — that is something I know I can do.

“The autism has helped me with the horses, if I wasn’t on the spectrum I don’t think I would have the understanding I do — I see horses in a different way and that helps me look at where a problem is starting from. I find horses quite simple compared to people.”

Melissa thanked her family, two GPs and the DPJ Foundation — a charity that helps support people in rural areas with mental health conditions — for helping her to achieve what some had said was not possible.

Since starting working with horses, Melissa has become financially independent, kept her job and has had her first long period of time (about three years) out of hospital.

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She also credits her main horse, “Bernard”, for giving her the drive to carry on, adding that his quirky nature means few people want to handle him, so she knows she has to get up and look after him.

“He is absolutely fantastic, although he is really naughty — he bites and kicks and a lot of people can’t understand why I keep him, but he gave me a bit of a push and has always cheered me up,” she said.

“He is so sensitive to my feelings, if I am having a bit of a tough time he really keeps me on my toes like he is trying to remind me I have to stay strong! Yet if I am really struggling he is the most kind and loving animal, it’s like he knows I just need him to make my life a bit easier and he does. He always knows what he needs to do to put a smile on my face.”

Melissa gave Bernard his show name —Folie A Deux — where two people share the same delusion —as a nod to her troubles and to everything the pair of them have overcome together.

“I want other people to see that just because someone wrote you off doesn’t mean it is true. I can’t be the only person who others have told them ‘you are not going to be able to do it’,” she said.

“Find something you are passionate about and use it to your advantage. I can work with horses despite my issues — it doesn’t matter how bad of a day I’m having, if I have a horse in front of me it becomes a good day.

“If my story helps even one person, that is good enough for me.”

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

Australian dressage rider Lyndal Oatley provides tips for nailing this advanced move

Based in Germany, Lyndal is one of Australia’s leading dressage riders. She was the highest-placed Australian competitor on the late Sandro Boy at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. She is married to fellow Olympian Patrik Kittel.

Training the stars

Sandro Boy was a gifted horse gymnastically. The half-pass became his strength with time, training and use of basic exercises. It became the movement people remember best about him.

Encouraging freedom and expression in a half-pass can transform it into a test highlight. Here are some exercises I use to improve the movement.

Tackling the issue

1. Riders often focus on the position of the shoulders and whether the hindlegs are trailing or leading, but suppleness through the ribcage is also instrumental in developing increased expression in a half-pass. An easy exercise to help this is to ride up the long side starting in shoulder-in, then switch to travers, back to shoulder-in, then back to travers. With each change in exercise, think about yielding your horse off the inside leg. It should feel as though you are shortening the distance between the horse’s hip and the shoulder around your inside leg.

2. Check how you are sitting in the saddle. Sometimes we inhibit expression by how we use our bodies. Make sure your body is turned slightly in the direction you are heading. Don’t use your hips to shunt your horse across. Instead, think about having your inside hip bone slightly lower than your outside one, and your outside hip slightly forward.

3. Flirt with power and collection. Simply encouraging the horse forward within the half-pass followed by a few steps of collection can make a world of difference. When your horse responds to your half-halt asking him to collect, reward him by allowing him to go forward again.

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Consider this…

• Start your half-pass with a few steps of shoulder-fore.
• Extra flexion doesn’t come from bending the horse more in the direction of the half-pass. Remember to keep a connection on the outside rein.
• Increased expression comes from the inside shoulder’s ability to move freely. Be careful not to block with the inside rein by fixing it at the withers or by taking your hand across the neck. Aim for a soft, constant rein contact and position your hand slightly in off the withers.
• Less is more. Don’t do half-pass after half-pass. Focus on these exercises instead.
• Make learning a positive experience. Your horse’s happiness and soundness are paramount.

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