Ros Canter, who currently sits in second aboard Zenshera said: “It’s a proper four-star test, with questions from start to finish. The first water comes up very quickly, particularly as you approach the first element around a blind bend — horses then need to look ahead in order to take on the step out to angled brush. Horses and riders need to be on it the whole way round.”
New Zealand rider Tim Price said: “I think the track is less intense than it was here last year, but the questions still come thick and fast, with the first two waters coming up early on the course and this section is also particularly twisty. You need a nice rhythm here to make the time.”
Phillip Dutton, agreed saying: “You need your horse to be thinking forward and listening for this course.”
Ireland’s Joseph Murphy explained: “The more I walk it, the stronger it seems. The first water will be influential and the twists and turns cause trouble here. The horse really needs to be taking you and as riders we will have to work with the feeling they give us. The fact that this course is mostly flat, I think is tougher on the horses — there is nowhere to let them have a breather running downhill. I think the time will be difficult to get and I hope it rides better than it walks.”
First-time Pau competitor Will Furlong pointed out that there are “lots of angles and corners horses could run past.”
“There’s not one particular fence that I think will catch people out — it’s very cleverly built with questions spread throughout the course. The organisers have done a fantastic job on the ground, watering and aerovating it. I think the first water will prove influential given how early it comes up.”
Let’s take a look around what riders will be facing from 1.30pm this afternoon (12.30pm BST)…
Fence 1
Fence 2
Fence 3
Fence 4
Fence 5AB
Fence 6
Fence 7AB and 8
Fence 9
Fence 10
Fence 11
Fence 12
Fence 13
Fence 14
Fence 15
Fence 16AB
Fence 17
Fence 18
Fence 19
Fence 20
Fence 21
Fence 22
Fence 23
Fence 24AB and 25
Fence 26
Fence 27
Fence 28
Fence 29
Fence 30
Fence 31AB
Fence 32
Fence 33
Fence 34AB and 35
Fence 36
Fence 37AB
Fence 38
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news and reports from Pau via horseandhound.co.uk, and don’t miss the full report in next week’s magazine (1 November)
Once described by the actress, Joanna Lumley, as “the man with no fear”, Tristan Voorspuy (pictured throughout) spent his whole life living up to the legend.
Tristan was a consummate horseman who evented, raced, played polo and hunted all his life and established a successful riding safari operation in Africa. He also saved east Africa’s last surviving pack of hounds from folding and was responsible for introducing many young people to riding and hosted numerous Pony Club camps at his home at Deloraine in Kenya.
He completed early stints in Northern Ireland and Germany with the Blues and Royals regiment, but his true love lay in Africa, where his life was cut tragically short in 2017 on his beloved Sosian Ranch.
From his epic motorbike ride from Cairo to Cape Town, to extraordinary wildlife encounters and many death-defying light aircraft near misses, Life On The Edge documents how Tristan was determined to live life to the full. It is also the story of compassion, conservation and, ultimately, tragedy.
Tristan at the rear on safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana in June 2016
In the last two decades of his life, Voorspuy transformed the overgrazed and drought-blighted Sosian Ranch in Northern Kenya into a celebrated game reserve, acclaimed tourist destination and successful cattle ranch.
True to form, it was while defending this property that an unarmed Tristan, on horseback, was gunned down and killed, a murder that sent shockwaves around the world.
Adrian Dangar first met Tristan Voorspuy in Devon 30 years ago, and with his help later established Wild and Exotic, a travel company specialising in riding safaris and tailor-made journeys around the world. He published his first book, True To The Line, in 2017.
In this book extract, Adrian documents the time Tristan realised he needed an extra pair of hands to assist with guiding on his safari:
“With a young family, a full life at Deloraine, and back-to-back safaris during the busy dry-season months, Tristan realised during the course of 1994 that he was going to need the help of another guide to keep pace with the bludgeoning demands on his time, but no one sprang immediately to mind. He appreciated the help of gap-year students, but most only stayed for a few months before returning to the UK, just when they had learnt enough to be of real help. These young men and women were referred to as gappies, and over the years several were to arrive at Deloraine after their parents had been clients on an Offbeat safari. A few ended up staying much longer and became an integral part of the operation, but genuine gappies lacked the skill or gravitas to be given positions of real responsibility.
“A fully fledged riding safari guide requires a rare combination of skills that include detailed knowledge of the bush and wildlife, the ability to ride well, and the aptitude to communicate with guests and camp staff alike. Any guide working for Tristan would also need boundless energy, the hide of a rhinoceros, and the stamina to stay up around the campfire until the last client had turned in for the night.
“These thoughts were far from Tristan’s mind when he walked into the bar of the Manyatta Polo Club at Gilgil after chukkas one Sunday afternoon and bumped into twenty-seven-year-old Mark Laurence enjoying a cold beer. The two men struck up a conversation, during which Tristan learnt that Mark was a second-generation Kenyan who had enjoyed a successful career as a jockey that began as a sixteen-year-old apprentice. After being crowned champion jockey in Kenya, Mark had moved to England to ride for the leading National Hunt trainer Josh Gifford, before returning to Kenya and finding work as an overland safari guide for an Italian tour operator.
“Tristan grew increasingly interested as he listened to the former jockey’s potted life history, his fascination for the bush and the revelation that he spoke fluent Swahili. Several whiskies later, he looked Mark up and down one more time and told him, ‘F**k guiding in Land Rovers. You can ride, come and guide for me.’ A week later, Mark joined the Offbeat team and stayed for the next 12 years, during which he became known as ‘Sparky’, after turning up at a fancy-dress party kitted out as a lightbulb.
“Remembering his own baptism of fire, when starting to work for Tony Church, Tristan asked Mark to be his assistant on a couple of rides, before sending him off on his own. Guests were already seated for dinner during Mark’s first safari with Tristan, when a night watchman came into the Olare Lamun campsite to warn that lion were bothering the horses. Game viewing opportunities with Tristan always took precedence over everything else, so dinner was temporarily abandoned as guests jumped in to the Land Rover for the short journey to where the horses were tethered on a long rope. Tristan employed askari watchmen to protect his horses at night, but the sentries had abandoned their posts and were huddled in the back of the nearby lorry, jabbering excitedly and banging tins together to keep the predators at bay.
“Mark picked up several lion lurking with menacing intent in the beam of his spotlight, and as they retreated into the darkness, Tristan stepped out of the Land Rover wearing the colonial East African evening attire of a colourful cotton kikoy, laundered shirt and blue flip flops. Mark shone the light on the retreating lion as Tristan ran through the long grass towards them, cradling a glass of whisky and repeating at the top of his voice, ‘Leave my bloody horses alone,’ not relenting until he was convinced they had gone off to find easier prey.”
Jockey George Baker prior to his ride on Trending in the Download The Ladbrokes App Handicap
Taking My Time is a new book written by former jockey George Baker, and tells the story of his successes in the saddle and adapting to a life out of it following his horror fall while racing on the snow in St Moritz in 2017.
George’s biggest win came when he rode Harbour Law to victory in the Doncaster Classic, the St Leger. Despite his battles with the scales — being unusually tall for a Flat jockey — George’s career as a jockey was going from strength to strength, but when the terrible accident left him with serious head injuries, he was forced to restart his life again. He was the same person, but different.
New obstacles had to be overcome, with the trauma not only physical but also psychological. In this book, the story is told with George’s wit and wisdom for which he is admired, with recollections from his wife Nicola, and those closest to him, about the impact his accident had on them all.
In this extract from the book, George recounts the moment when his life changed forever:
“If someone offers you the chance of a weekend in St Moritz, you jump at it. The Swiss ski resort welcomes the international jet set during the winter, and for us jockeys there is the White Turf, a short series of race meetings on Sundays, held on the frozen lake at the end of the town. The racing is of only a moderate standard, although the prize money isn’t bad, but the main attraction for me was the thought of a good night out afterwards. A few other jockeys had told me that the hospitality and the parties were worth experiencing.
“Adam Kirdby was supposed to be going to St Moritz to ride for the trainer Jamie Osborne and the Melbourne 10 syndicate, who were sending a few horses across. However, his main trainer Clive Cox had a runner at Wolverhampton on the Saturday night which he would be required for, meaning there would not be enough time for him to get there. Jamie rang me while I was having a game of golf with David Probert to ask if I would stand in for Adam. David had heard it was brilliant fun too, so why not give it a try?
“The only person who’d been a bit dubious about the adventure was Joe Fanning, one of the most sensible, father-figure members of the weighing room. ‘You’re mad,’ he said, implying that the racing was something of an acquired taste and not perhaps the safest thing to do.
“Saturday’s racing didn’t go brilliantly. I rode another of Jamie’s horses, Battalion, in the Winter Derby at Lingfield, but he sat down in the stalls, missed the break and didn’t have the best of runs to finish sixth, before I rounded off the day just getting beaten in a handicap on Etaad. From there it was straight to Heathrow on a flight to Zurich and a two-and-a-half-hour taxi journey through the mountains.”
“It was only waking up the next morning that I appreciated the beauty of the place. The very swanky hotel I had been put up in had a view all the way to the track, and the stunning scenery of the snow-covered Alps beyond.
“From what I could tell from the Swiss racecards, it looked as if all of my four rides had a chance, and when I went down to have a walk on the track, it looked great. John Best, who also had runners there that day and had had a winner when they had staged an extra meeting the previous Friday, had been encouraged about how well it had been riding, too. Although you see snow on the surface of the track, you are, of course, racing on ice underneath and around quite tight bends, which is very different to grass or all-weather tracks. Along with conventional racing, there are some races for locals called ‘skijoring’, which is where skiers are pulled along by horses. Apparently they can take a fair bit of punishment from bits of ice being kicked back in front of them.
“I had ridden my first mount of the afternoon, Boomerang Bob, once before a month or so earlier in a little handicap at Lingfield. Although not exactly a superstar, he was a solid sort of horse, and seemed fine on the track when we cantered down to the six-furlong start. I noticed that Dougie Costello’s horse, who was going along in front of me, was stumbling all over the place, and made a mental note not to follow the horse in the race itself, as it looked like it couldn’t pick its feet up.
“My biggest concern down at the start was visibility. A lot of jockeys wear ski masks to prevent snow getting in their eyes, but I had brought a more simple face mask to wear with my usual goggles. I fiddled with it to make sure it was on properly and wouldn’t make everything steam up.
“Jamie hadn’t tied me down with instructions, so I took my time towards the rear of the field, and I can remember making progress down the back straight, which is where the lights go out.
“What I know from this point on is from other people. Two other horses in the race had come down in front of me, and at the time they thought I had gone over one of the horses on the floor and been brought down. It later turned out that poor Boomerang Bob had gone through the ice independently at a point where there was a weakness in the track. He broke a leg and had to be put down.
“It would not have been a pleasant sight for John Best, who had been the first on the scene and raced over to help. Apparently when he got to me I was conscious but wasn’t talking. John thought the best thing was to keep speaking to me, so at least it would be a voice I might recognise, one speaking English rather than French or German. I was staring at him and briefly tried to move, but I wasn’t responding to what he or the medics were saying. The lights were on, but there was no one at home. Then John had to go off to a meeting with the organisers to agree to abandon the event.
“By the time he came back, I’d been put into an induced coma and my eyes had a bit of tape across them to keep them shut. The chief paramedic told John it was standard practice for the type of injury I’d received, and tried to reassure him that they didn’t think I was going to die or anything. Nonetheless, John was very worried, as it was still very serious, and relayed what he found out to Guy [Jewell, George’ s agent], who was passing it on to [George’s wife] Nicola.
“I was taken by air ambulance to a hospital in Chur, about 50 miles north of St Moritz, where they did a brain scan. News came back across to John an hour or two later that the scan was OK at that stage, and they were going to bring me out of the coma.
“From here on, I think it’s better that Nicola takes over the story. As you’ll discover, when I woke up I certainly wasn’t myself, and for the first few days she was the only person to see me.”
Price: £20 hardback, or from £12.10 on Amazon. Published by: Racing Post Books, 2018
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine out every Thursday.
New Zealand dressage rider John Thompson has withdrawn his 17-year-old Anamour gelding JHT Antonello from the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon, North Carolina.
“AJ” flew to the USA from New Zealand in July, and received treatment in Kentucky after not feeling fully fit on arrival. Despite being given the all-clear, the horse has been in discomfort since his arrival at the Games, and has been withdrawn from competition as a result.
“I am absolutely devastated,” said the 28-year-old rider. “This would have to be the lowest point of my competition career. I feel AJ is not 100% after being transported into Tryon, and in the best interest of my mate, we’ve made the decision to withdraw.
“While this is not the end I wanted for our Games, I will take a lot of learning away with me and put that to good use in the future.”
New Zealand will now have just one dressage representative, Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten.
The British team for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) is in high spirits ahead of the championships, which get underway…
Two riders have been asked to re-present their horses tomorrow after this morning’s dressage trot-up.
Australia’s Alexis Hellyer was sent to the holding box with Bluefields Floreno (pictured above), and after trotting for a second time was asked to re-present the 13-year-old chestnut stallion tomorrow morning before the grand prix gets under way. The remaining Australian team horses were all accepted.
The ride of Portugal’s Vasco Mira Godinho, the 12-year-old grey stallion Bariloche, will also be re-presented tomorrow morning. The Rouxinol son was asked to trot twice today, before being sent to the holding box.
All four British horses — Emile Faurie’s Dono Di Maggio, Carl Hester’s Hawtins Delicato, Charlotte Dujardin’s Mount St John Freestyle (pictured above) and Spencer Wilton’s Super Nova II — sailed through the trot-up and were accepted without problems.
The Japanese team horse Egistar, the ride of Kiichi Harada, was asked to trot twice but was then accepted. Russia’s Inessa Merkulova had a nervous wait as the ground jury deliberated, but her 14-year-old gelding Mister X was accepted.
The first day of grand prix competition gets under way tomorrow (12 September) at 8.45am local time (1.45pm UK time), with the draw taking place this evening.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Gabby’s desperate appeal to find her “best friend in the world” was shared widely online and the next night, a 15-year-old girl found a “cold and wet” terrier on the side of the road near Lakeside, Essex.
As it was late, the teenager took the dog home, bathed and fed her, and let her sleep on her bed, taking her to a vet the next morning.
“The vet scanned her microchip and we got the call,” Gabby told H&H.
“I was hysterical. I don’t think I’d expected to hear that; I think it was the most amazing day of my life.”
Gabby said the fact the vet could trace Smarty’s owner so quickly underlines the importance of chipping, which is compulsory for dogs and will be for all horses in England from October 2020.
“I’d never really thought about it before; but everything of ours will be microchipped now!” she said.
“The girl who found her had been staying at her grandmother’s with no internet, and it was only when she got home that her parents realised, as they’d seen the posts.
Stolen miniature Shetland pony Megan is returned home after an RSPCA officer notices her freezemark
“This has been the most amazing thing in the world, it’s restored my face in humanity. People have been absolutely brilliant, all the dog lost and found groups and other people posting flyers and sharing them – I can’t thank people enough.”
Smarty looks none the worse for her adventures, Gabby said, adding that she has been given extra food and treats since her return, “exactly what she wants”.
“You accept that one day you’re going to lose them as they’re only lent to us,” she added. “But not that way. She’s been everything to me and not to know if she was suffering or anything; it’s a horrendous feeling and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
“I’m just so happy she’s home.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Gabby’s desperate appeal to find her “best friend in the world” was shared widely online and the next night, a 15-year-old girl found a “cold and wet” terrier on the side of the road near Lakeside, Essex.
As it was late, the teenager took the dog home, bathed and fed her, and let her sleep on her bed, taking her to a vet the next morning.
“The vet scanned her microchip and we got the call,” Gabby told H&H.
“I was hysterical. I don’t think I’d expected to hear that; I think it was the most amazing day of my life.”
Gabby said the fact the vet could trace Smarty’s owner so quickly underlines the importance of chipping, which is compulsory for dogs and will be for all horses in England from October 2020.
“I’d never really thought about it before; but everything of ours will be microchipped now!” she said.
“The girl who found her had been staying at her grandmother’s with no internet, and it was only when she got home that her parents realised, as they’d seen the posts.
Stolen miniature Shetland pony Megan is returned home after an RSPCA officer notices her freezemark
“This has been the most amazing thing in the world, it’s restored my face in humanity. People have been absolutely brilliant, all the dog lost and found groups and other people posting flyers and sharing them – I can’t thank people enough.”
Smarty looks none the worse for her adventures, Gabby said, adding that she has been given extra food and treats since her return, “exactly what she wants”.
“You accept that one day you’re going to lose them as they’re only lent to us,” she added. “But not that way. She’s been everything to me and not to know if she was suffering or anything; it’s a horrendous feeling and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
“I’m just so happy she’s home.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
303 Colne Heiress ridden by Kizzie Rose Lucas Leid Rein Pony
The owner of a mare who won multiple Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and county titles has paid tribute to her “perfect pony”, who has died aged 26.
Welsh lead rein specialist Colne Heiress was put to sleep last night (11 June), suffering from what the vet believed was a tumour.
“Nothing we did was going to help so very sadly, we had to make the decision,” said Geraldine Bland, who had owned the mare for 12 years.
“She was absolutely irreplaceable; there isn’t another like her. Not because of what she won but because of her as a pony.”
The 12hh mare was twice lead rein winner at HOYS and was also HOYS supreme champion, as well as winning “every county championship you could name”. She was officially retired at a ceremony at HOYS in 2006.
“She was described as ‘the perfect pony pram’ by [H&H showing columnist] Stuart Hollings and I think he meant she taught so many tiny jockeys, not only to ride but to be horse children. She was kind to them.
“She was just brilliant; you could let a two- or three-year-old child lead her back to the stable at Royal Windsor Horse Show, through the crowds and microphones and dogs and she’d just let them. There aren’t many show ponies who’d do that.”
Since the pony’s official retirement, she had bred a “fabulous foal”, competed at lower-level showing and was ridden by Mrs Bland’s younger children and a friend’s granddaughter.
Barbers Shop has had great success in the show ring, including being crowned supreme ridden champion at this year’s Royal…
“She retired at 14 as she’d done enough for the world, she’d won everything,” Mrs Bland said. “But even last year, she was out winning locally, and teaching the children to ride and groom.
“She was unique and irreplaceable; absolutely one in a million.
“I don’t think there will ever be one to match her; she was the perfect pony.”
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 pony special, out on 7 June, features Britain’s naughtiest ponies and how you can find the dream smaller equine. We also look at the pros and cons of equine treadmills, talk to showing producer Aimee Devane and have reports from the H&H Festival of Eventing, Tattersalls Horse Trials, racing at Epsom and much, much more.
Weight gain more than doubles the risk of equines’ developing laminitis– – as do some techniques aimed at reducing the risk.
The study, carried out by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital and funded by World Horse Welfare, found the condition developed “significantly” more often if horses gained weight, compared to when they lost or maintained it.
Owners recorded estimates of their horses’ or ponies’ weight at regular intervals over 29 months, more than half of them using a custom-built online tracking tool.(Link)
“Worryingly, weight gain was often occurring unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for weight maintenance or loss,” an AHT spokesman said.
“This emphasises the importance of consistent weight and body condition recording, so undesirable weight gain can be recognised before it has a negative impact on health.
“Owners need to review their animals’ current diet, exercise and health management routines as soon as undesirable weight gain is detected and take action.”
The study also identified groups at particularly high risk of developing laminitis.
Owners of native ponies, full- or part-bred, those with a history of laminitis and who suffer lameness or soreness after routine hoof care should be “particularly vigilant”.
Equine shod or trimmed at intervals of longer than eight weeks were also at high risk of future episodes, as were those who showed a “lengthy return to soundness” after their most recent episodes.
“Earlier recognition of laminitis, along with adequate and prompt veterinary attention, farriery support and diagnostic testing of underlying metabolic disorders should give animals the best chance of recovery and a potential to reduce the risk of future episodes,” the spokesman said.
Other factors associated with laminitis development include features of grass management. Equines who wore grazing muzzles for only part of the time they were at grass were more likely to develop the condition than those who had it on all the time or not at all. Similarly, those who were only turned out to graze for a brief period in the mornings were at more risk than those who went out all day, overnight or not at all.
It is thought these findings maybe owing to the fact the horses gorged on grass when they had limited access to it, but they need to be investigated more fully.
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“These findings suggest that some grazing management interventions were not optimal at preventing laminitis,” the spokesman said.
The study involved more than 1,000 horses and ponies.
Dr Dee Pollard of the AHT said: “This is one of the largest laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.
“We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements; remember the figures don’t lie!”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
The first ever pony race took place at White Turf earlier this month (February 2019) on the frozen lake at St Moritz.
The spectators, wrapped up against the wintry elements, were treated to a field of youngsters aboard their mini mounts battling it out on the snow, alongside the main Flat racing.
The ponies can be up to a height of 140cm, and one of the smallest in the field was in fact one the oldest ponies, aged 19. There are different categories depending on the size of the ponies.
One young rider gunning for glory is 10-year-old Gian von Ballmoos, who lives near Zurich, and has been visiting White Turf since he was a baby and has racing in his blood.
“My father and two uncles were amateur jockeys and my grandfather was a breeder,” said Gian, who is already a pony racing victor.
Racing on the snow takes some brave riding whatever age you are but these youngsters show boldness beyond their years, and are not fazed by the concept of racing on the frozen white stuff.
Wearing special face masks to protect them from the frozen kickback, the young riders look like proper mini jockeys — honing their skills in the saddle and donning racing silks and white breeches. The ponies too are tiny versions of their larger counterparts.
“It is cold riding on the snow, and the kickback is very hard,” explained Gian.
The young rider clearly loves his riding, and racing in particular, and he has some big ambitions too.
“My dream is to ride at Royal Ascot because I want to ride in front of The Queen,” he said with a smile.
Since it’s inception in 1907, the White Turf has grown in popularity and, alongside the Flat racing and pony racing, there is trotting races and skijoring, a race which sees horses pulling people on skis.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
A fun video titled “the cutest little lifesavers” has amassed more than 76,000 views online.
The film, created by Devon-based trainer Emma Massingale, shows Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie showing off their first aid skills.
Albert and Ernie can be seen coming to the rescue of Emma’s “collapsed” fiancé Jeremy, complete with blue-flashing lights and full first aid kits, ready to perform their lifesaving duties.
Emma told H&H: “I’ve done quite a few videos now with Albert and Ernie. They’re funny little ponies to work with. They are really clever but can be quite cheeky as well. Jeremy used to be a professional event rider and trainer, he now is in charge of the camera work… except when I need a body!”
NB: Please wait while the video loads below… if the video does not appear, click here to watch
Here is Albert and Ernies First Aid Training day….I did ask Ernie to floss before commencing CPR!! (Always best with the sound on!) NAF Mole Valley Farmers Mole Valley Farmers Equestrian Cavallo Hoof Boots Ariat Europe Champion Equestrian Wear
“The videos are a really fun way of inspiring people with ponies and showing how clever and intelligent they can be but also with a nice little message. The message for this video is first aid and safety and the importance of welfare for horse and rider but shown in a fun way.”
Ernie undertakes CPR on Jeremy, while Albert can be seen helping bandage Connemara Echo.
“I love training horses, that’s my thing,” said Emma “You teach them how to do something and they make it into their own and take hold of what you taught them and do it really well, it’s really cool.”
Emma says training is a “lifestyle” for the ponies.
“Once horses are able to learn things, it’s easier to teach them something else. Because Albert and Ernie have learnt lots of different skills they are able to interpret things really quickly and know how to learn,” she said.
“[Clipping] is the worst job on the planet and because I had loads of it to do, I thought ‘I’m…
“They’re taught with my voice so Ernie is doing the CPR from my voice cues — I’m telling him ‘hop-hop’ for getting on and off Jeremy’s chest and ‘kiss’ to perform the lifesaving kiss.”
Jeremy told H&H: “Ernie is a very clever little pony. They have done different videos now from sailing in boats to sitting in a hot tub and now CPR. I just hope Emma thinks of some more ideas where I can stay in charge of the camera.”
Albert and Ernie will be starring in future videos between now and Christmas.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
+ the snow 
= The best thing ever 
