A pony who was taken in by the RSPCA after he was abandoned as a yearling has competed at his first championship.

Storm was rescued from a field along with a number of other ponies in 2009 and it took him a year to recover physically from his difficult start in life.

But the nine-year-old coloured gelding has beaten the odds to enjoy a new life to compete at the Dressage at Hickstead South East Championships on 19 May.

“I spent 15 years supporting my daughter with her horses and when she went off to university I thought I should find myself a pony,” Jo told H&H.

“My friend was looking after him at the time and said ‘come and have a look’. He wasn’t what I was looking for, but I decided to take him on.”

Jo added that Storm was rising two at the time and rather an “ugly duckling”, who has the personality of a “17hh chestnut mare inside the body of a 14hh skewbald gelding”.

With the help of her daughter, trainers and Jason Webb clinics, she started to bring him on.

Jo and Storm joined the Rother Valley Riding Club’s “building rider confidence” group with the aim of enjoying some grassroots-level dressage.

“They have been fantastic with Storm, they hold clinics and everything is super low-key, with sympathetic instructors and everyone is very supportive,” said Jo.

The pair started at intro, topping the members’ league table at the club last year, then moving up to prelim and qualifying for the Hickstead finals.

“My initial response was ‘obviously I’m not going’,” said Jo.

“But my daughter said ‘don’t be silly — be proud, take Storm out and show him off.”

The pair have also enjoyed success at British Dressage’s My Quest classes, achieving plus-73% scores, which gave them the confidence to make the trip to Hickstead.

“I was just delighted with him, he stayed with me for the whole test and was super-reactive,” said Jo, who survived a couple of spooks to achieve a score of 62.2% with the pony.

“We have worked so hard to be able to get there and now we are going to be able to go forwards from it.”

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Jo also thanked her trainer Anna Levy for her help.

“It breaks my heart [to hear of horses being abandoned], people are always really surprised about his start in life, they think I paid money for him,” said Jo, adding that “endless patience” has been the key to Storm.

“I feel like I’m the lucky one [to have found him], it has always been a dream to ride at Hickstead and I never thought I would get there, let alone on a 14hh rescue pony.”

Jo, a teaching assistant, added it has been rather a role reversal from supporting her daughter for so many years.

“It is a positive change though,” said Jo. “I get to see what it was like from her point of view and she gets to see it from mine!”

Jo added that she would encourage those with the right experience and time to consider rehoming when looking for their next horse.

“It is not for the inexperienced, but if you have the knowledge, a big heart and a lot of time, give it a go,” she said.

Don’t miss your chance to take part in the inaugural Horse & Hound Festival of Dressage, an unaffiliated show for all held at Sheepgate Equestrian (20 – 22 July 2018) with sections from intro to medium as well as music classes.

This week’s edition of Horse & Hound (17 May) features a full report from Royal Windsor Horse Show, including all the showing, showjumping and dressage action. We go behind the scenes with the Household Cavalry as they prepare for the royal wedding, plus check out our interview with Irish eventer Padraig McCarthy.

Living in a country with a climate as inclement and grey as our own, it’s easy to forget that the sun can be harmful to animals, as well as humans, with horses who live out all through the summer being particularly vulnerable.

“The pigmentation in hair and skin protects against the penetration of ultraviolet light, so any non-pigmented horse or an animal with white-skinned areas is prone to sunburn damage,” says Dr Janet Littlewood MRCVS, a specialist in veterinary dermatology.

“Although the horses most at risk are those kept at permanent pasture in the summer months, it’s important not to forget that sunlight can also be damaging at other times of the year.”

The face and heels are most commonly affected because these often have non-pigmented patches and less hair coverage.

“It’s not a breed-related problem because nearly all breeds produce horses with white facial markings and legs,” explains Dr Littlewood, “but owners of animals with a thin coat should be particularly careful.”

What harm does sunburn cause?

In most horses the only harm caused by sunburn is occasional discomfort, redness and peeling. However, repeated damage can cause significant long-term problems, warns Dr Littlewood.

“It can result in thickening and scaling on the surface of the skin [keratosis], which can sometimes transform to skin cancer — squamous cell carcinoma,” she says.

“Ultraviolet light exposure also has adverse effects on skin immune mechanisms. Hence, horses with white legs tend to suffer more problems with infections, such as bacterial folliculitis and mud fever. These conditions tend to become worse and harder to manage with time.”

What can you do to prevent sunburn?

Ensuring fields have shady areas is essential, but even the most severe weather conditions won’t stop some horses grazing. There are equine sun barrier lotions available, but many owners prefer to use products made for people — high-factor water-resistant creams that are safe for children are a popular choice. But, unlike a child, it isn’t possible to bribe a horse into co-operating with ice-lollies and treats. Coloured “stick” sunblocks can be easier to apply and show up any “missed bits”.

Head and muzzle masks may provide some relief and rugs can help shield horses with more widespread sensitive areas.

What should you do if your horse is already sunburnt?

Dr Littlewood suggests that where prevention has come too late, horses should be brought inside until the problem has been resolved.

“If skin is blistered or oozing, veterinary attention should be sought. Generally, treatment is symptomatic: gentle topical bathing to remove crusts; emollient creams and antibiotics if there’s evidence of secondary infection,” she says.

All owners should monitor signs carefully, especially in an animal that has become inexplicably more sunburnt, to ensure that the horse isn’t suffering from photosensitisation. This is a condition where non- and lightly pigmented skin reacts abnormally to ultraviolet light.

“This occurs when there are reactive compounds — photosensitisers — in the horse’s circulation that cause tissue damage,” explains Dr Littlewood.

Photosensitisers can be found in some drugs, dyes and plants, including St John’s Wort and some clovers. Other plants, such as buttercups and cow parsley, contain light-reactive substances that can be absorbed directly into the muzzle during grazing.

“The prognosis for horses with primary photosensitisation is good,” says Dr Littlewood. “The underlying cause can be removed and the sores treated.

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“Photosensitisation can also occur when a horse has severe liver damage, most commonly caused by eating ragwort. When the liver isn’t functioning properly, it cannot process chlorophyll fully. This results in the presence of photosensitive phylloerythrin in the tissues. The prognosis for horses with this ‘secondary’ photosensitisation is poor, so any animal showing clinical signs of the condition should undergo thorough investigation of liver function by a vet,” she warns.

This article was first published in the 9 June 2005 issue of Horse & Hound magazine

I’ve done it — I’ve done my first grand prix!

Now that I’m writing to you all as a grand prix rider, I want to say a massive thank you to my home team who make everything happen. I’d be lost without the help and guidance and of super mum Diane and big sister Sam.

After the success of Keysoe, Apollo and I were gearing up for Addington premier league. It’s one of my favourite premier leagues — last year I won the prix st georges class here on over 72%. He’s been to Addington many, many times, so he’s not spooky in the arenas… or so I thought.

Friday was the inter 2 class and I was very lucky that my super owner Susan Armstrong could take me as unfortunately my mum had to go to a funeral. Poor Susan had to be my mother, driver, groom and trainer and she did a fantastic job.

Apollo warmed up well but when we went into the ring there was a new judge’s hut that had been erected at B. Apollo was totally not expecting it to be there so he had one ear concentrated on it the whole way round. Because of this, he was also hyper-aware of every flower pot around the arena! We had a few mistakes and a few rather speedy corners trying to get past said flower pots, but I was still pleased with it, our 66% score and 10th place in a huge class.

Apollo and I in our first grand prix

The next day was time for the big one — the grand prix. I completely dropped Apollo and I in at the deep end, doing our first one at a premier league. But it was fantastic and was so much fun. I hadn’t even been through the whole test at home before, so I was just thankful that I didn’t go wrong. I so nearly got my one-time flying-changes too — I got 15! Finally I think I might have cracked this whole counting thing. But the first change was together behind so a thumbs down from the judges. We’re getting closer though. On the final centre line, Apollo was like “phew this is hard work, I’m just gonna have a little walk now” just after our last piaffe, so marks were lost there too. Overall, everything can still be improved upon — obviously! We achieved 65% though and finished in 10th which meant Apollo claimed his first ever grand prix rosette. Now I can’t wait to go out and do more.

Credit: Sophie Lefevre

Back home, it was time for a photo shoot. Now I love doing photo shoots, I’ve done several in the past for equestrian photographers and some of you may have spotted me and Sam in the Dublin clothing catalogues. This time it was with Sophie Lefevre, who is just fantastic. She’s such a lovely person who just loves horses and the relationship between horse and rider, which is clear in the photos she captures. I love the photos as they show the special bond we have with our horses, something to treasure for a lifetime. I’ve got numerous photos of me riding at shows, but there is something really magical about having photographic memories of the way you kiss and cuddle your horse.

Sprout and Tommy Credit: Sophie Lefevre

Of course, the puppies had to get in on the shoot, as they are the real bosses of the yard! How beautiful do they look though?! The are so grown up now at seven months. They love to ‘help’ us muck out, by doing super useful things like jump in the wheelbarrows, dig up the banks, sit on the shavings fork and chase the broom. They also love to meet everyone who comes onto the yard in a very friendly manner, Sprout in fact was kind enough to hop in our vet, Rob Oulton’s car, sit in the passenger seat and wait for Rob to take him on an adventure! Generally, they are pure trouble and complete mischief makers, but also little angels who just want a cuddle after a long day. They will be coming with me to Somerford premier league next week so that will be exciting.

With my gorgeous puppies Credit: Sophie Lefevre

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On a rather sad note, I’m finally ready to talk about my lovely horse, Nova. He is a huge 18.3hh part dinosaur, who I had hoped to bring out at PSG level this year, but unfortunately he injured himself in the field over the winter, which has resulted in him needing time out. He is currently loving life at Froxfield Stud out in their retirement herd. While I miss him terribly every day that I can’t give him a cuddle and kiss, I know that he gets plenty from the girls there. Having horses is an emotional rollercoaster — I had so many dreams to fulfil with Nova and his owner Susan Armstrong. He is easily the most talented horse I have had the pleasure of riding — he made me smile every time I rode him. He is also the naughtiest horse I have ever met, and the list of things he has destroyed include a telegraph pole and my riding hat. I’m not sure what the future holds for him, but for now he can enjoy a summer of sun and fun out with his field buddies.

Thank you again for being with me through the ups and downs of this sport.

Joanna xx

At the Races presenter and former jockey Hayley Moore was knocked to the ground by a loose horse she stepped in to catch at Chepstow racecourse yesterday (22 May).

The incident occurred in the 3.15pm, a seven-furlong handicap Flat race, which had 12 runners including three-year-old Give Em A Clump.

The moment Hayley, sister of former champion Flat jockey Ryan Moore, jump jockeys Josh and Jamie and daughter of trainer Gary, stepped out in front of the horse to catch it, was captured on film.

Give Em A Clump was in the lead when he unseated his jockey. He then completed two laps of the track before Hayley decided to take matters into her own hands.

As he galloped towards the finishing line, Hayley walked on to the course and managed to grab his reins as he passed. She was pulled over and dragged a short distance, but hung on until the horse came to a halt.

“It looked like the horse did a funny little jump on the first furlong and then stumbled,” Hayley told H&H. “His jockey then came off and his blinkers slipped, slightly obscuring his vision — he was then essentially galloping in blind panic.

“I thought if I didn’t try to stop him, when was he going to stop? He could have exhausted or harmed himself and I was worried he would run into something. I just didn’t want him to run another lap scared,” Hayley explained.

“I could see as the horse approached me near the finish line that he was slowing a little, so I grabbed his reins and thankfully he came to a stop.”

Undeterred, the presenter proceeded to untack the horse and then continued with her work and was soon interviewing the winning jockey.

“I wasn’t hurt at all and I just carried on with my job,” she said.

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Hayley’s studio colleagues Bob Cooper and Jason Weaver gave viewers their own take on events.

“Goodness me, Hayley,” Bob said as he watched in disbelief. “That deserves some sort of award. If that’s what At the Races presenters have to do when we go live reporting, I tell you I’m not doing it!”

Give Em A Clump, a three-year-old trained by David Evans, was being ridden by Fran Berry, who has five wins under his belt so far this season, clocking up £123,749 in prize money. Fran walked away from his fall unaided.

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

This week’s edition (17 May) features a full report from Royal Windsor Horse Show, including all the showing, showjumping and dressage action. We go behind the scenes with the Household Cavalry as they prepare for the royal wedding, plus check out our interview with Irish eventer Padraig McCarthy.

Thai princess Sirivannavari Nariratana will be among the competitors at this year’s Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show, it has been announced.

The 31-year-old daughter of Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn will be competing in the small tour dressage classes at the show, which takes place at Bolesworth Castle, near Chester, from 13 to 17 June.

Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester are to bring their World Equestrian Games (WEG) hopefuls Mount St John Freestyle and Hawtins Delicato for the CDI3* classes, which run on the first two days of the show.

“Bolesworth is one of the most exciting equestrian events in the world,” Carl said.

“Nina and the team are bringing something innovative to our sport and it’s lovely to compete in the beautiful setting of Bolesworth Castle. Charlotte and I will both be riding the horses we’re aiming to ride at WEG and there will be plenty of friendly rivalry between us.”

British showjumpers due to contest the CSI4* showjumping classes include John Whitaker, Ben Maher, Laura Renwick and Amanda Derbyshire. Those representing Ireland include last year’s Bolesworth grand prix winner Anthony Condon, Shane Breen and Connor Swail.

“We are proud to have some of the world’s top riders with us again at Bolesworth,” said show president Nina Barbour. “We are always trying to stage the best in traditional show jumping alongside new innovations and it’s terrific that some of the biggest names in the sport like what we’re doing.

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“We also like to think that Bolesworth is a great day out. We have a great team and we’re all passionate about bringing our sport to the widest possible audience.”

Evening entertainment includes music, a polo demonstration and a celebrity fashion show, while children’s activities include an assault course and pony rides, as well as a dog show.

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

In this week’s edition, out on 24 May, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more.

The link between long journeys and chest infections has been recognised in horses for years.

Severe pleuropneumonia — sometimes called shipping fever or transit fever — can develop after travelling.

This condition often proves difficult to treat and in the worst cases can be fatal. Even if a horse recovers with intensive treatment, he may never again achieve previous levels of performance.

Because racehorses and sport horses tend to be transported over longer distances than pleasure horses and hunters, shipping fever occurs more often in elite athletes. Any horse or pony may succumb, however, when boxed on a long journey.

We have known for some time that one of the factors that increases the risk is tying a horse up tightly during transit so that he cannot lower his head to clear his airways. The stress of travelling is also thought to reduce resistance to infection, but what else contributes to the development of illness after arrival?

Identifying risks

Vets in Australia have published a major study looking at a whole range of factors that may affect a horse’s susceptibility to shipping fever. They kept 12 healthy adult thoroughbreds and standardbreds in individual stables, where their behaviour was recorded by video camera. Two days before the experimental journey, a tracheal wash was taken from the lower airway of each horse, at the entrance to his chest, using an endoscope.

The horses were examined on the day of the journey and blood samples were taken. They were then loaded into a commercial horsebox, in two batches of six, for an eight-hour trip.

The horses travelled in individual sideways-facing stalls, each tied with an elastic lead rope that allowed them to turn and lower their head to the level of their knees. The driver had a 25-minute rest break but the horses were not unloaded, nor were they fed or watered during the trip.

The air was sampled in the stables and transporter before the journey, and throughout the journey in the transporter when the horses were travelling. The air was tested for bacteria, gases, humidity, temperature and wind speed. The behaviour of the horses throughout the trip was recorded by individual cameras.

Once the horses were unloaded at the end of the journey, a further tracheal wash and blood samples were taken. Re-examination and blood sampling were repeated over the next five days.

Stress factors

Analysis of the data revealed some interesting findings. The increase in certain behaviours while the horses were travelling — especially during the first five hours and compared to their normal behaviour in the stable — was an indicator of stress. There was more sniffing, chewing and licking when the vehicle was moving and more yawning and pawing when it was stationary.

Movements to keep balance were pronounced and became more obvious in the last hour of the journey, when the horses were tired from travelling. There was much less lowering of the head during the journey than in the stables, even though the elastic lead ropes did not prevent this.

Six of the horses displayed increased respiratory noises when unloaded, but none developed a raised temperature during the next five days. Although heart rates and cortisol levels were increased by travelling, they returned to normal after 12 hours. This showed that lengthy journeys represent an acute, short-term stress to horses — even those accustomed to travelling.

Blood samples showed that white blood cells increased but components called globulins and fibrinogen decreased, an indicator of what is called an acute phase inflammatory response. In other words, the horses were reacting to an inflammatory challenge induced by the journey. The blood enzyme creatine kinase, which reveals muscle stress, was elevated for several days after.

When the tracheal washes were examined, it turned out that the six horses who displayed louder lung sounds after the journey had more mucus and bacteria in their lower airways before travelling — although the examining vets did not know this at the time. Crucially, the horses showing greater stress behaviour and less frequent lowering of the head during the journey had the most mucus and bacteria in their tracheal washes afterwards.

Traditionally, it has been thought that the source of the bacteria found in horses’ lungs after travelling was due to poor ventilation and a build-up of ammonia and other gases and dust in the air. This research indicates that bacteria found in the lungs of travelling horses originate in the mouth and throat, rather than the air.

While considered “normal” in the mouth and throat, these bacteria are contaminants and will cause inflammation and subsequent infection if they make their way to the lungs.

The comprehensive but complex results show that travelling can be stressful for all horses, and that those showing greater evidence of stress during the journey are more likely to be at risk of shipping fever. The study adds to a growing knowledge of the effects of long-distance travel — and highlights the need for meticulous care of horses both during and following transit.

Planning a long journey? Follow this six-point plan:

• Monitor your horse’s health prior to travelling. If his rectal temperature is raised or he shows other signs of being off-colour, don’t go.
• Optimise air quality by opening vehicle vents and windows during transit, but avoid causing a ferocious draught that dries out his eyes. Allow him room to stretch and lower his neck while travelling.
• Let him graze or feed from the floor before and after the journey — and during to promote airway clearance.
• Break the trip every two to four hours. Some horses will not eat, drink or pee while on board, but only unload them if it is safe to do so. Appreciate that a horse will require a rest after a long journey — do not expect him to perform immediately.
• Horses generate heat while travelling, especially those in the middle of a herringbone format, so avoid over-rugging and check humidity levels.
• Record his temperature for a further five days after the journey and seek vet advice if he shows signs of ill health.

Ref Horse & Hound; 17 May 2018

Whether you’ve just got a new horse or are moving to new stables, knowing how to settle a horse into a new yard is key to make the move as stress free as possible for both horse and owner.

“The key to introducing any horse to a new yard is to be organised,” says the British Horse Society’s head of welfare, Gemma Stanford. “If the horse is new to you, do a risk assessment of the horse before it arrives, including where the horse is coming from, when was it last wormed, is it up to date with vaccinations and does it have a passport?”

New horse checklist

1. Does the horse have a passport and is it up to date? Ensure that the current owner’s details are on the passport before purchasing the horse as it can be a nightmare chasing previous owners. Also check that the vaccinations are up to date.

2. If the horse is microchipped, get the details transferred into the new owner’s name.

3. Preparation is key so grooming kits and stables should be fully disinfected prior to the horse arriving. There should be kit that is used solely on the new horse (see more about isolation procedures below).

4. When the horse arrives, perform a health check, such as general outlook, skin and hoof condition, droppings, behaviour etc. There is a blood test for strangles that’s available, and it’s also worth taking the horse’s resting pulse, respirations and temperature to check against should the horse fall ill.

5. Perform a faecal egg count and worm accordingly. You can also do a saliva test for tapeworms. Some yards prefer to keep horses in for a period after worming to avoid paddock contamination.

6. Integrate the horse slowly after the isolation period, for example, move the horse onto a yard or in a stable close to horses that he’ll eventually be turned out with so that he can say hello across the yard. Turn him out with one horse initially, and then integrate him with others gradually. Always be on hand when turning out for the first time in case of an incident.

7. Register the horse with a vet, farrier and dentist as soon as possible. It’s very important that you keep these details easily accessible so that the relevant person can be contacted in the event of an emergency. It’s also advisable to note down a brief veterinary history of the horse, for example if he has had colic surgery in the past, or is prone to tying up or allergic to any medication. Also, what you’d like to happen to your horse in an emergency such as a case of colic if you are unavailable. Make clear your wishes.

8. Keep important paperwork such as passports in a safe place on the yard where the horse is kept, such as a locked safe.

9. Make a note of when the horse last had the dentist, farrier and vaccinations and when they are next due.

Isolating new arrivals

Hannah Westen, campaigns officer for research and education at World Horse Welfare, explains the importance of isolation when bringing a new horse on to a stable yard.

“The aim of isolation is to protect other horses from becoming infected if a horse is suspected of having a disease, or if its health status is unknown,” says Hannah.

“Horses can sometimes be infected with a disease without showing any obvious symptoms, particularly in the early stages, so isolation allows time for clinical signs to develop, and for the outcome of diagnostic tests to be known.

“As a general rule, new arrivals should be isolated for at least three weeks.
Ideally the horse should be able to see other animals but not come into direct contact with them. This includes separate air space, which means keeping them out of the range of droplets that may pass through the air when a horse snorts or coughs.

“Use separate equipment for each new horse including water and feed buckets, haynets, mucking out equipment and grooming brushes.

“In an ideal world one person would care for this horse as diseases can be spread on infected clothing and hands. If that isn’t possible, remove your overalls, wash your hands and clean and disinfect your boots before handling other horses.

“Be extra vigilant with horses from outside the UK because they may be carriers of diseases not currently found in this country. Such diseases may take longer to diagnose due to their unfamiliarity and may infect more horses due to a lack of immunity in the horse population.”

Help your horse to settle in

These useful tips from the Blue Cross are designed to help your horse settle into his new environment.

• Prepare the area that the horse will go into prior to arrival – so if you plan to stable him, bed down the stable, and get the hay/haylage net and water ready.
• If going out into the paddock, ensure the field is ready with secure fencing and water, and that any companions are in the correct place.
• Knowing the routine of the horse in their previous home will help you know where best to place the horse on arrival so that they can settle as soon as possible.
• Get headcollars, rugs and grooming kits ready. Make sure any equipment used previously on any other horses has been cleaned to reduce any spread of disease.

A little extra planning can go a long way with a new horse, so time spent getting organised before their arrival can pay off long-term with a healthy horse that is happy and settled in their new environment.

A rider is set to make history today as she becomes the first transgender jockey to race on a British course.

Victoria Smith, formerly known as Vince Smith, rode more than 250 winners during a career as a professional jockey between 1983 and 2000 and also enjoyed success as a trainer between 2003 and 2008.

Victoria, who announced her transition publicly earlier this year, is riding Roy Rocket in the Pertemps Network Jockey Club Challenge charity race.

The race, at Warwick racecourse today (Wednesday, 23 May) starts at 5.45pm and is in aid of Your Local Air Ambulance, which covers Derbyshire, Leicestershire Rutland, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

She rides eight-year-old grey Roy Rocket for trainer John Berry.

In a recent interview with Rishi Persad on Racing UK’s Luck On Sunday, Victoria spoke about her journey.

“[Every day for a year] I said to myself: ‘I don’t regret anything I have done in my life, but if I don’t do this and I go to my grave tomorrow, would I die regretting [not doing it]’ and every day I said ‘yes’,” she said, adding that her close friends and family have been very supportive.

She said telling the first person what she was going through was “like being released from prison”.

Journalist Emma Berry, wife of Roy Rocket’s trainer John, said the race today will be a “special reunion”.

“Vince Smith rode John’s first winner as an owner,” she wrote in her blog.

“[This was] Witchway North, trained in this stable by Hugh Collingridge to win a selling hurdle at Fontwell in February 1994 at 50/1, narrowly beating the Martin Pipe-trained 5/4 favourite Nanquidno, ridden by Vince’s good friend Richard Dunwoody).

“Remarkably Vince rode another 50/1 winner three years later: Supreme Illusion, owned and trained by John, in a claiming hurdle at Plumpton.

“Vince Smith is now Victoria Smith, and the old team will be reunited at Warwick.

“When it became clear that Victoria, having previously ridden approximately 250 winners as a man, was keen to get on the scoreboard as a woman, John was keen to help if possible.

“Happily, Roy Rocket’s owner Larry McCarthy is also very supportive of the project, and Roy should give Victoria a good ride on this special occasion.

“The pair of them have got to know each other well over the last few months with Victoria coming in to ride Roy out on a regular basis.”

Warwick racecourse’s general manager Andre Klein told H&H the racecourse is delighted to be supporting the air ambulance.

“The service they provide for those in the region is hugely valuable and I hope that we can raise a substantial amount of money to support them,” he said.

“We wish all the riders, including our clerk of the course, Jane Headley, and the first transgender jockey, Victoria Smith, the very best of luck.”

While the charity race does not come under British Horseracing Authority Rules, the organisation has wished her good luck ahead of her return.

“We would like to congratulate Victoria on her return to the saddle for this charity race, and we are delighted that she has received such support from those involved in the racing industry,” a BHA spokesman told H&H.

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

In this week’s edition, out on 24 May, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more.

Horses are amazing creatures, and however long you have been riding for, there are some facts and figures that still take us by surprise

25 incredible horse facts

1. Horses have around 205 bones in their skeleton.

2. They have bigger eyes than any other mammal that lives on land.

3. Horses can sleep both lying down and standing up thanks to a special locking system in their legs.

4. Male horses have 40 teeth.

5. Female horses have 36 teeth.

6. Horses can’t vomit due to them having a strong band of muscles around their esophagus. This band is so strong that a horse’s stomach would burst before it would vomit.

7. Horses produce approximately 10 gallons of saliva a day.

8. The tallest horse on record was a Shire named Sampson. He was 21.2hh (7 feet, 2 inches) tall

9. You can tell if a horse is cold by feeling the base of their ears

10. A horse’s brain weighs around 623g, half the weight of a human brain.

11. Horses don’t have collarbones.

12. Horses’ shoulders are held to the rest of their bodies via ligaments only.

13. When foals are born, their hooves are covered with soft tissue to stop them damaging their mother’s birth canal and uterus. Names for this tissue include fairy slippers, golden hooves, foal slipper, leaves, gills, and fingers.

14. The earliest member of the horse family was the Eohippus, dating back 55 million years.

15. Horses drink at least 55 gallons of water each day.

16. While humans have just three ear muscles, horses have 10.

17. A horse’s heart typically weighs between 4kg and 4.5kg and is about the size of a basketball.

18. Horses cannot breathe through their mouth, only through their nose.

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19. A horse’s teeth never stop growing.

20. Equinophobia is the fear of horses.

21. On average, most domesticated horses live until they are around 25-30-years-old.

22. There are around 350 breeds and types of horses around the world.

23. Most of the white horses that you see were actually a much darker colour at birth and gradually turn white. These ‘white’ horses may start out as bay, chestnut, or almost black. Of course, these horses aren’t actually called white, but grey…

24. The world’s smallest horse is the Falabella which ranges between 38-76 cm tall.

25. A horse’s range of vision is 350 degrees with two small blind spots, one directly in front and one directly behind them.

The equestrian community has pledged its support for clean sport by backing UK Anti-Doping’s (UKAD) week-long campaign.

UKAD’s Clean Sport Week runs from 21 to 27 May, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of clean sport and what it actually entails.

The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) is among the bodies supporting the campaign.

“It is vital that everyone participating within equestrian sport fully understands the importance of clean sport and the rules they must adhere to, at both national and international level,” said newly appointed chief executive Nick Fellows.

“[These rules apply to] both human and equine athletes — as well as ensuring the highest standards of horse welfare.”

Mr Fellows said the BEF will promote informative articles online throughout the week.

“[These will] highlight where people can find out more information about clean sport, and how riders, owners and teams, can check prohibited substance and controlled medication lists, ensuring the spotlight is placed on the importance of clean sport across both human and equine athletes,” he added.

The British Grooms Association (BGA) is urging grooms and riders to familiarise themselves with the rules and to take part in its online “Groom Clean” course — open to both members and non-members.

“With increased focus on keeping clean in equestrian sport we are urging all competitors to put their team through Groom Clean to help protect their careers,” said BGA chief executive Lucy Katan.

“The e-learning course will give you a good understanding of how to avoid an anti-doping rule violation, something every competition groom and rider should know.”

Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester’s groom Alan Davies said the course is “an invaluable tool”.

“Clean sport is a very serious topic so it is very important that grooms have access to this information,” said Alan.

“We have to be aware of so many regulations and also of how our horses can be affected in many different situations.”

Equestrian products and supplement manufacturer NAF has strict protocols in place to ensure its products comply with clean sport rules.

“Clean sport encompasses the equine anti-doping and controlled medication rules, which deal with the doping of horses and the use of inappropriate medication in competition,” explained a NAF spokesman.

“Anyone who is a member of an equestrian sporting discipline and is eligible [to take part] can be subjected to testing. This includes equestrian sports and [BEF] member bodies such as the British Riding Clubs.”

Recycling debate

Recent discussion on plastic packaging has sparked debate on whether refills could comply with the stringent processes that go into preventing accidental contamination.

But NAF has concerns about potential contamination and traceability problems that could theoretically arise.

“NAF are very conscious of environmental concerns and is working hard behind the scenes to ensure our packaging is as environmentally friendly as possible,” said the spokesman.

“We have trials ongoing currently with recyclable bags, but in the meantime we believe our pots and bottles, which are widely recyclable by all roadside collections, are the best option.

“We also endeavour to provide larger sizes for most of our products, as these reduce overall packaging and give the customer the option of upcycling them – they make great tack boxes for the lorry, or slosh buckets after work.

“Once opened we lose control of the contents, and it will always be possible for contamination to occur, and this is something that we couldn’t risk with our products.

“We do believe that the equine industry needs to rise to the plastic challenge, and we will continue to explore new innovative ways to offer the best quality products for owners and their horses, that won’t cost us all the earth.”

11 tips and facts about anti-doping…

• Testing of horses and riders can take place, at both national and international competitions
• The rider is regarded as the “responsible person”, for their horse or pony, with the exception of children aged under 18, although other members of the support team — such as the horse’s owner — may also be held liable
• Use different coloured feed bowls to avoid the wrong feeds being given to the wrong horse
• Use different mixing spoons when controlled medication is administered to avoid contamination
• Ensure tea and coffee-making facilities are not in the feed room
• Be aware when drinking soft drinks around your horse, or eating snacks such as biscuits or chocolate bars as caffeine is a common positive test result
• Buy feeds from trusted companies which have full traceability of raw ingredients — look out for Universal Feed Assurance Scheme accredited manufacturers and the British Equestrian Trade Association’s BETA NOPS logo
• Speak to your vet about withdrawal and detection times for controlled medications
• Familiarise yourself with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances for humans and make sure you discuss any potential issues or therapeutic use exemptions with your doctor and the BEF
• Record batch numbers and feeds
• Do not keep first aid and grooming kits in the feed room

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

In this week’s edition, out on 24 May, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more.