Eventer Matthew Wright has been found guilty of two equine passport falsifications relating to vaccinations and fined CHF1,500 (£1,133) by an FEI tribunal.

The decision, published on 11 May, related to an incident at Osberton International Horse Trials on 28 Sept – 2 Oct 2016, where Matthew had two horses entered, The Artist Almost Famous and MHS Twenty Twenty.

Anomalies were spotted in the vaccination records of both of his entries by the event’s veterinary delegate Alison (Ali) Butler. She noticed that the passport of MHS Twenty Twenty used the stamp of veterinary practice Hall and Lawrence, which was no longer in existence in that name.

There was no vaccination batch number noted, and the name of the vet was crossed out.

The entry was also signed “Ali Butler” — the same name as the veterinary delegate — though she confirmed it was not her signature.

The Artist Almost Famous’ passport was described as in a “very poor state” and the vaccination also had no batch number or veterinary stamp.

While Matthew was later able to provide a letter and a printout of clinical records to confirm that MHS Twenty Twenty had been vaccinated, he was not able to provide records for The Artist Almost Famous.

According the report, Matthew “admitted at the time of the event to have written the details in the passports in a meeting with Alison Butler (veterinary delegate), Howard Newitt (assistant veterinary delegate) and Simon Bere (technical delegate)” but later changed his explanation.

In a submission to the FEI on 13 June 2017, Matthew — who withdrew his horses from the event — claimed that his groom Lukasz Orywal had been responsible for the falsification.

The FEI did not consider this to be a valid defence, however, as the rider is considered the person responsible (PR) for their horses at all times.

“The PR is responsible for the documentation of his horses and also for his support personnel and it is the PR’s responsibility to provide the correct documentation for the horses he competes,” the report explained.

“This case was a bit particular since firstly, Matthew admitted that he falsified the passports in a meeting with the FEI officials. After the notification of alleged falsification of the passports, he came back with explanations that the falsifications actually were made by his groom Lukasz Orywal.

“There are two different versions of how it came about. This makes it difficult to provide strong evidence to impose a sanction. Mainly since the groom is not registered with the FEI and it would therefore be difficult to impose a sanction on the groom.”

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The tribunal, which was presided over by one-man panel Dr Armand Leone, concluded that there were “still two falsifications of passports regardless of who did it,” and that the responsibility lay with the rider.

The minimum sanction that can be applied under FEI rules is a CHF1,000 fine. Having agreed that there were two falsifications, Matthew accepted a fine of CHF1,500.

Matthew declined to comment for this news story, but said he would comment in his blog on the H&H website in due course.

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.

Take a virtual walk around the 70cm cross-country course at the 2018 H&H Festival of Eventing.

The cross-country of this three-day unaffiliated event takes place on Sunday (27 May).

Fence 1 (green numbers)

Fence 2

Fence 3

Fence 4

Fence 5

Fence 6

Fence 7a

Fence 7b

Fence 8

Fence 9

Fence 10

Fence 11

Fence 12

Fence 13a

Fence 13b

Fence 14

Fence 15

Fence 16

Don’t miss the full report from the H&H Festival of Eventing — on sale Thursday, 7 June and follow online at www.horseandhound.co.uk.

Enjoy some of our favourite updates from equestrian social media channels during the past week. From some fabulous Royal wedding moments to a cat loving dressage horse, it all happened on social media this week.

Don’t miss the exciting competition on this weekly page. Our favourite tweet each week will win either an Apatchy mini tablet case or an Apatchy cosmetic bag, personalised with your own initials. For more information about the competition and to find out who this week’s winner is, go to the bottom of this page.

Equestrian social media posts of the week

How sweet

Interesting technique…

When Harry Meade photo bombed George and Amal Clooney

Flying

Synchronised salute

Real life My Little Pony

Interpretive dance

And congratulations to this week’s Social Media Post of the Week winner

While most people were fixated by Harry and Meghan during the Royal wedding, we were more interested in the horses

If you like this, why not follow @horseandhound on twitter today?

Tweet of the week competition

The winner of the Horse & Hound tweet of the week competition can also be found by searching Twitter for #HHTweetOfTheWeek. The winner will receive an Apatchy mini tablet case (pictured left) or an Apatchy cosmetic bag (pictured below right), personalised with their initials.

Apatchy are designers and makers of bespoke lifestyle gifts. Their ranges include wash, cosmetic, travel and sports bags, which can be instantly personalised or customised without the need for sewing, gluing or ironing. To find out more about Apatchy’s unique personalised products and their wonderful gift wrapping service, visit www.apatchy.co.uk

A riding instructor has urged dog-walkers to ensure they can control their pets after she broke her arm and two horses were bitten in a frightening attack.

Gemma Collison is now struggling to care for her nine-month-old baby and four-year-old son following the incident on 12 May, and has also been forced to cancel all her summer competition plans.

Both her homebred Lusitano Esperanzo and the riding school’s part-bred Lusitano Celeste were injured when a Staffordshire bull terrier broke loose on Kessingland Beach, Suffolk, where Gemma was hacking with two clients.

“We’d walked past a lady and a dog and the dog was on a lead, then 10 minutes later, as we were walking along the beach, we heard her screaming and it was obvious she had let go,” said Gemma, who is head girl at her family’s Pakefield Riding School.

“I run on the beach every day and I’ve ridden on it for years — we’ve had dogs chase us, but I’ve never had a dog attack in the manner that one did — it came straight up, teeth bared, and went in for the kill.”

Gemma said the dog initially grabbed her 16.3hh horse’s boot but she managed to smack it across the nose with her schooling whip and it let go.

It then came back and as Gemma leant down to strike it again, it sank its teeth into nine-year-old Esperanzo’s leg, which made him swerve, and Gemma fell.

“I landed on my elbow and I knew straight away I’d probably broken my arm,” she said. “Esperanzo was brilliant, he just kept circling round me even with the dog after him. I only wish one of the horses had kicked it.”

The dog also ran up to Celeste and grabbed her belly, “swinging off the floor” while attached to the horse.

Despite her injury, Gemma managed to grab the dog’s lead and shake it off.

“The lady came over and she said to me ‘Oh, I’m ever so sorry. It’s not my dog’. I said ‘I think I’ve broken my arm’ and she said ‘don’t say that’. She said ‘I can’t believe amount of blood on the dog’s mouth’. I said ‘look at my horses!’” Gemma recalled.

As Gemma checked the horses’ injuries the lady quickly walked off, but it is believed she later approached the police.

Gemma was able to hack part of the way home and then called her mother — the yard manager — for help. X-rays showed she had broken her radial head in two — while its hoped the bone will heal in six weeks, the position near the elbow could mean she will not be able to use her arm properly for six months.

“I might be able to do some winter dressage, but I won’t be able to do all the things I’ve planned — its perfect sunshine and I want to be out enjoying it,” she said. “The weekend before this, we did a ridden show and Esperanzo won his foreign breed class, was ridden champion and supreme champion.

“We planned to do the Suffolk and Norfolk [county shows] and the Lusitano breed show — it’s his first proper season as I’ve had two children in four years and now we’ll miss it.”

Esperanzo and 14-year-old Celeste both needed painkillers and antibiotics for their injuries, but are recovering well.

“Esperanzo is just turned away as he still has some swelling and Celeste is back hacking at the riding school — we’ve not had a dog chasing her yet so we don’t know how she’ll react, but we’re playing it safe and just having staff members ride her to see what she’s like and get her confidence back up.”

Gemma believes that had her horse not been wearing boots, his injuries could have been “a lot worse”.

“We have 30 horses at the riding school and at the weekends we take out rides on that beach from 9am to 4pm if the weather is good,” she said. “I’d say 90% of the people clip their dogs on leads when they see us and are very polite and we don’t have many incidents but this was horrendous.

“We were very lucky the horses behaved as well as they did. If Esperanzo had run for home with a dog chasing him there could easily have been a serious accident, he could’ve been hit by a car or anything. Fortunately I think he was worried about me and stayed with me as he’s quite a kind horse.”

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She urged dog walkers to make sure they are in control.

“That Staffie should’ve had a muzzle on and be led by someone who could handle it — the woman was in her 60s and had no chance. It was in an extender lead and its harness didn’t fit,” Gemma said.

“While most people put their dog on a lead, so many don’t and then they say ‘Oh, the dog has never seen a horse before.’ If you don’t know how the dog is going to behave, make sure you clip it on.”

A spokesman for Suffolk Police confirmed the force is continuing its inquiries into the incident.

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.

How nice would it be if all it took to transform from your hat-haired, post-yard self to a clean and polished member of non-horsey society was two flicks of your fairy godmother’s wand?

On reflection, Cinderella’s transformation was pretty easy. A few swift magic waves and there she was, ball-ready, plus no farrier required to replace her lost shoe.

Anyone who had horses will know that there are never enough hours in the day.

Trying to fit in jobs, families and a social life requires planning skills of the best PA, with extra time factored in for errant equines and becoming presentable enough for non-horsey society.

While Cinderella’s fairy godmother (sadly) is just a fairytale, a new equestrian store has come up with a way to help riders speed up their magical transformations.

Pointers Equine & Country founders Emma Grellis and Emily Purvis have set up The Muddy Nail Bar at their Forest Green store in Surrey, where riders can have their rugged hands sorted out while picking up essentials for the tack room.

No more apologising for your eau de horse, goodbye to surreptitiously pulling stray bits of hay out of your hair, all is welcome here.

“We decided to combine my nail technician skills within the shop as we know horsey people generally have pretty unloved hands so it’s nice to give them a bit of a pampering,” said Emma.

“It’s great as people can come straight from the yard and not have to think about ‘dehorseying’ beforehand.

“We all fork out for new shoes for our horses every month so why not treat ourselves?”

The pair took over the store in November and completely gutted the space, reopening on 1 December and also have an online shop and booking system.

Article continues below…

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Clients even sit on a specially designed saddle stool — created by Emily — while their hands are treated.

“Emily is really creative and took the idea and ran with it, my face must have been a picture when she started to butcher a stool and an old saddle we bought on eBay to make the saddle stool,” added Emma.

“It has been a massive success both in store and online with 10 bookings in the first week of being open.

“Gel nails have been the most popular treatment so far as they are perfect for making nails look nice and to make them stronger with no damage to the natural nail.

“I’m even brave enough to tackle feet so with this flip-flop weather you can be sure to have as nice hooves as your horse!”

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.

Opinion

Riding at home daily can never cut the mustard for competing. So, as a trainer needing a reminder about the pressure of competition riding, I’m on a comeback campaign. OK, it’s a mini comeback, but it fits my mantra: teaching better, riding better and learning something new each day.

How hard it is to grow up; and harder still to grow old. Heaving myself into a tail coat, it’s clear that some bits of me are thinner, but lots of me is fatter — and it’s all met around my middle.

“Why are you competing, Pammy?” I was asked on arrival at our local venue. I’d rushed to Hunters having left the roast on the go — family comes first.

I want to do this, I’d convinced myself… until I spied three top team members I was sure wouldn’t be there.

There was almost an accident in my squeezed middle department. I can’t tell you how frightened I was, but Charlotte Dujardin couldn’t have been more helpful.

I was doing this to remind myself how sick with nerves one feels while warming up, how hard it is to remember the test, how easy it is to get rattled because the photographer moved, how challenging those piaffe/passage transitions are and how mentally and physically fit riders must be.

The judge was Jane Kidd, someone I truly respect, so her remark, “Great to see the older generation making a good job of this ultimate test” is one to treasure, as were most of the marks.

I so enjoyed my outing. At least no one can accuse me of being a keyboard warrior or armchair critic! Bring on the next one.

Nearing a Premier League show, I very nearly changed the bit and the saddle. Oh, don’t be stupid; how nerves can make one question one’s judgement. At this rate, it’s the rider who may need changing.

Well, 65% wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for. More “teeth and tits” are required, according to my daughter, Pippa.

But doing five tests in one week gave me a massive wake-up call and a whole pile of constructive advice from list one and international judges.

I’ve always said I’ll retire when I can’t ride because, for me, “feel” is the most important word in the language of equitation.

‘I was delighted to be proved wrong’

It was a much-discussed Badminton. On the subject of horsemanship, I unashamedly picked out Tom McEwen for looking after his horses so well, in and out of the saddle, and Harry Meade for preferring to go cross-country with feel rather than a stopwatch.

Some questioned whether Badminton needs an all-weather arena. But hang on, these are event horses. So let’s roll the going in breaks, please, and keep old-fashioned horsemanship alive. Maybe fewer horses would break down if they spent more time on the surface on which they gallop?

My Badminton ended with pride in a pupil who completed, despite me having declared some time ago: “If you qualify for Badminton, I’ll eat my hat because this horse has no walk, trot or canter.”

Months of training later, I was delighted to be proved wrong. How wonderful that sheer hard work can still pay off.

Badminton also gave me the chance to highlight today’s litigious atmosphere that makes it nearly impossible to teach riding without stirrups.

There I was in the main arena, having a no-pedals lesson from David Trott. If I can do it, everyone can. And there’s no better way to work on a better seat.

Ref Horse & Hound; 24 May 2018

It is almost time for the Horse & Hound Festival of Eventing to kick off, and today we meet the final rider in this series that is taking part, and find out her story…

Find out all you need to know about the H&H Festival of Eventing >>

Frankie Fox with Rookie

Name: Frankie Fox

Horse’s name: Rookie

Class entered: 70cm

What’s the story?

“I am 11-years-old and I’ve had my 13hh pony, Rookie, for the past three-and-a-half years. He is 20 now and is an amazing all-rounder — he’s a pro at everything. I usually only manage to ride him Friday to Sunday as we live in London during the week and he is kept in Oxfordshire. I’m so excited about the H&H Festival of Eventing”

Why have you decided to enter the H&H Festival of Eventing?

“This will be my last big event on Rookie as he will then be for loan as I have outgrown him. I’ve never done a three-day event and I thought this competition would be a good grand finale for us.”

What are you most looking forward to about the H&H Festival of Eventing?

“We have done a lot of dressage and showjumping but only a handful of one-day events, so I’m really looking forward to getting the opportunity to go around the cross-country course.”

Do you have a secret weapon?

“I have a lucky pair of socks that I won at my first proper competition — they seem to bring us good luck, so I never compete without wearing them.”

Tell us a fun fact about your horse

“Rookie has a big personality and although he is very sweet, he can also be quite cheeky. He can undo zips on coats and we have to double knot his lead rope when we tie him up, otherwise the next thing you know, he has undone it!”

Don’t miss all of the news and reports from the H&H Festival of Eventing this weekend — keep up-to-speed on the action via the Horse & Hound website and don’t miss full reports in the 7 June issue of the magazine

Dear diary,

My name is Hovis and I am holy. Well my hoof is. I am Sir Hovis of the Holey Hoof; with a name sake to bread and a foot resembling Swiss cheese all I need is some pickle and I’m the quintessential British sandwich. Mind you, since mother is always in a pickle and to many viewed as a sandwich short of a picnic then maybe we’re already there?!

So, what has caused me to have a newly religious foot? Well Cool New Shoes Man came to visit at the beginning of the week and isn’t happy still with my foot — you must remember the abscess was so deep and the excavation so cavernous that potholers kept arriving to have a look. He’s convinced that the abscess itself is healing but my foot is still a bit yucky and he’s loathe to cover it up lest my foot sweat, rot and then fall off. Which would, to be fair, induce a day of national mourning of the like only seen when Wrong Direction went their separate ways…

So, in a fit of cunning brilliance (or drug induced madness) he’s put a breathing hole in my hoof: sort of the podiatry equivalent of a whale’s blow hole. Mum looked somewhat aghast while I, personally, do have concerns that mice may view this as the height of luxury accommodation and move in. He assures mother this was in fact a stroke of genius and that no he hasn’t been sniffing the Kevin Bacon again. And by that I do mean the hoof ointment and not the actual Kevin Bacon; although to be fair, with CNSM you can never be entirely sure…

The new foot hole means I can get back to work and crack on with operation get fit and ready for THE call. Which still hasn’t come. To be honest, while I keep up my show of nervous anticipation, I am now resigning myself to the fact that it’s not going to happen. Hope is fading faster than mother’s faculties and I am facing the harsh reality that I’m just too much power for any of them to cope with. With hindsight I should have trotted slowly and with the appearance of a yard brush rammed up my derriere rather than power housing down the long side with the wonderful Mary King doing an admirable job of trying to get me under control while my wafting feathers paid homage to the power of my stride. I should have cantered with the boring slow collectedness of Tortilla Chip himself rather than sticking my head between my legs and demonstrating that I can do both a handstand and a Mexican wave — at the same time… The following day I should have kept the demonstration of lateral work to the speed of Charlotte-thingie-in-a-garden and Viagra rather than showing that I can do lateral at the speed of Seabiscuit.

Continued below…

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I know now that I made a massive mistake in hinting at the pure power that sits under this unassuming athlete’s body. I’ve scared them, haven’t I? That’s what this is: fear. I sensed it in the other horses in the warm-up ring — Andrew Nicholson’s steed looked like it had swallowed not just the wormer but the syringe too when Mary and I were warming up — and now it’s infected the riders too. I get it, I really do but I thought the Brits were made of sterner stuff than this…

So, I’m off to avoid house hunting mice, my whip wielding mother and to cry (manfully of course) for the likely loss of an eventing career that would have put British Eventing on the map.

Laters,

Heartbroken Hovis

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.

We had a big sale over the weekend and several really nice pieces are here for you!  I will list more every couple of weeks!

click image to go to FB page

All shipping is included!  Proceeds benefit the May Bucket Fund Horses!!

AMAZING DAISY CHAIN!  ONLY $9!!

This one of a kind piece is a real encased daisy with Czech Glass crystal, frosted and bright yellow beads attached to bronze chain. The pendant is 2.5″ x 2″. The chain is 42″. IF you wish to shorten it, just tie a knot in the chain! Great alone or layered! So unique! The daisy can float to the chain only part if you’d like to wear it back to front.

To purchase FOR $98, click here!

TAHITIAN BEACH necklace/bracelet   ONLY $36!

GORGEOUS COLORS on this Czech glass graduated bead necklace/bracelet with handmade sterling flower at crystal closure. Wear as a pop of color alone or layered! 20″

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GORGEOUS PEARL and STERLING WOW PIECE! $56

These yummy creamy Czech glass pinched pearls combined with handmade sterling beads are scrumptious! Wear alone to flatter your neck or layered. A beautiful graduation present! 17″

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BEACH GLASS BRILLIANCE! Only $58

Gorgeous colors for you or your graduate! Weighty, bright and memorable! These varied and polished pieces of beach glass practically burst off of your neck! Sweet handmade sterling silver flower at crystal closure. 23″

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BRIGHT SKIES necklace! Only $28!

Sweet Czech glass beads in graduated sizes of blue sky with clouds! Handmade sterling heart at crystal closure! 17″ So cute!

To purchase, click here!

SO AWESOME EQUINE MEDAL FROM BELGIUM! Only $70!

This piece makes such a statement! The medal and chain are both impressive and weighty! I purchased the pendant in Belgium. The pendant is 2″ x 2″ plated silver. Chain is heavy duty. 24″ Wow!

To purchase FOR $70, click here!

TWO IN ONE – DOUBLE BLONDE CARAMEL! Only $48!

This is two necklaces strung together. Both Czech glass beads on cream, caramel and gold hues. Varied sizes, some frosted. Really pretty! 20″.

To purchase for $48, click here!

SWEET, PETITE DANDELION NECKLACE!  This is the classic style of our Polish artist.  She loves the freedom of blowing dandelion seeds!  Captured between glass and eco-friendly tin, this pendant is 1.5″ long and under and 1′ wide.  Lovely.  30″ chain.

To purchase sweet, petite dandelion necklace for $48, click here.

GORGEOUS CAPTURED ROSE necklace!  This is gorgeous and weighty.  Lovely!  A peachy and yellow/orange bud in glass with bronze frame.  Pendant is 2″ long and 1.5 across.  One of a kind for sure!!  Great alone or layered!  Chain is 30″

To purchase Gorgeous captured rose for $54, click here!

SILVERY OLIVEY ICE! Only $42!

I love the colors and unique shapes on this one! The big Czech glass beads are silver and olive and clear. So watery and refreshing! Varied Czech glass beads in frosted, silver and opaque. Really pretty layered with silver or pearl, too! 20″

To purchase, click here!

SPECIAL OFFER!

One of our very supportive readers, Doris, sent 60 handmade cards for us to use as a promotion for the MAY BUCKET FUND KANSAS 53 horses.

Doris McQuiddy took all of these lovely, scenic photographs, printed them all, cut them to size, added her special signatures, added photos to the back –  and sent them to me FOR THE BUCKET FUND HORSES!!!!

Thank you, Doris!

Click the below buttons and we will send to you a selection of these handmade cards (shipping included)!  We only have limited sets so come get ’em!

TO PURCHASE A SET OF THESE HANDMADE CARDS:

–Set of 4 cards for $20 per set  CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A SET OF 4 CARDS

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All the monies we will then donate to the May Drop in the Bucket Fund!  You will love these cards!  Such a bargain for all this love!

All the cards are beautiful and come with envelopes. I will select a nice set for you!

All beautiful photography by Dorothy McQuiddy. She created and printed these cards with love for the Bucket Fund horses.

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She looks much better!

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When my friend ‘A’ announced we were off to Shropshire for another weekend of trail riding, my heart missed a beat.

“Oh that’s great,” I said, feigning excitement, when in reality my old bones were creaking in advance protest at the thought of 12 hours in the saddle. Was this really a good idea? Surely we were too old for such capers.

But A is a forceful woman and I knew better than to protest so, like a dutiful friend, I agreed with a smile and rushed out to the local saddlers with just two hours to spare for a new pair of lightweight jods. After trying on some strange new-fangled riding tights which made me look like I was about to do a shotput event, I plumped for a looser pair — not as lightweight as I had hoped, but extremely comfortable all the same.

The temperature for the weekend was set to get hotter than Barcelona and the thought of sweltering in thick clothes, long boots and a hat didn’t appeal. So armed with sun cream, wine, painkillers and my new purchase, we set off with our latest recruit ‘C’ in the driving seat.

Now for anyone who hasn’t been, Shropshire is a beautiful county with superb riding through stunning countryside. There are quiet country lanes, miles of off-road tracks and a number of wide, sweeping paths cut around the edges of farmers’ fields for horses and riders to use. The pubs even offer tie-up areas and turn out fields for horses while riders nip inside for a quick drink or spot of lunch. Perfect. It really is riding country and our destination, Country Treks, was situated in the lovely village of Stottesdon, just a few miles from Bridgnorth. The only problem was that each time we had been before, we struggled to find it.

Like some enchanted Brigadoon, rising out of the Scottish mist once every 100 years, Stottesdon always seems to be three miles away. No matter which route we follow, my old road atlas, is quite unable to take me there. We have spent literally hours circling the same few miles until finally we stumble across it, exhausted and irritable, vowing to throw the old map away and invest in a sat nav.

But this trip was different. C was driving and she had an in-car navigation system that looked sophisticated enough to land planes at the airport. Rather than our usual inept efforts, with A and I bumbling around like a pair of short-sighted day trippers, we drove straight to the door without incident. The pub beckoned but the Knackered Riders Club lived up to its name and it wasn’t long before we scurried home, moaning that the music from the live band was too loud.

The next morning, after enough breakfast to sink a battleship, it was down to the yard and we were given our horses. Mine was a 16.3hh coloured mare called Puzzle who looked strong enough to carry me, with my scrambled eggs, toast and all. So with the help of the mounting block, I got on. Much taller than I was used to, she felt very comfortable indeed. C was given a pretty grey mare called Willow, while A snaffled her favourite, Lucky, a New Forest type that she had ridden before.

Led by our instructor Chloe, we set off through the village, heading for the Clee Hills. On our way to Brown Clee, we took in tracks and fields, with plenty of canters and before I knew it, my face was fixed in a permanent smile. There really is something about breathing in the clean country air and being on horseback that makes you feel so joyful that everything else pales into oblivion.

The hedges were cloaked in swathes of creamy hawthorn blossom with delicate fronds of cow parsley and clumps of pink campion wild flowers beneath. Cantering up a sloping field, a deer appeared at the top, watching us as we approached, then popped smartly over a fence to disappear into the woods just at the last moment. As we dropped back down to the lane, a brown hare sunbathed at the edge of the field while a hawk hovered overhead, effortlessly floating on the breeze. A herd of wild ponies trotted over to us, their eyes alert, their nostrils blowing as we rode past.

Continued below…

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The second day was equally spellbinding. My back was starting to stiffen up by now and my legs were aching but there was no way I was going to miss a single moment of our wonderful trip. Sadly as all good things must come to an end, so did our trip to Shropshire.

“We must come again next year,” I said, as we packed the car. “Don’t be silly, that’s far too long to wait — I’ve already been into the office and booked to come back this summer,” replied A. I smiled. There’s no point arguing with a woman on a mission.

Diane

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.