Nominate your Equine Hero

Posted on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 by Heather Dodd

Alltech’s global campaign to salute equine heroes is proving highly popular.

As the unsung hero behind many of the world’s top feeds and supplements for the past 30 years Alltech want to reward other unsung heroes for the hard work they do.

In the equestrian world equine heroes are all around us and you may not have even considered who your equine hero might be. Their contributions in helping us achieve our horsey dreams and ambitions could well go unnoticed.

Here we offer some ideas to inspire you to think about who your equine hero might be:

Parent – does your mum or dad work extra hours to help fund your horse or pony, do they sacrifice their own weekends to drive you to shows?

Partner/Husband or Wife – do you have a long suffering partner who is a horsey widow/widower who doesn’t begrudge coming second to your horse and understands that any spare money will inevitably be spent on the horse but doesn’t mind helping on the odd occasions when you can’t make it to the yard?

Instructor – is your instructor one in a million, have they helped you overcome your nerves or helped you solve a problem with a difficult horse?

Vet – has your vet helped your horse or pony survive against all the odds, have they been at the end of the phone to reassure you at any hour of the day?

Farrier – has your farrier kept your horse sound or visited your yard at short notice when your horse had lost a shoe the day before an important show?

Friend or Fellow Livery – most of us combine owning horses with working. Do you share the work load with a friend or another livery on your yard, without which those dark winter months would seem endless and a much needed holiday would be impossible?

Equine Nutritionist – has an equine nutritionist or someone at your local feed merchants given you some invaluable advice on feeding your horse? Perhaps they helped you with weight gain of a much loved oldie or helped devise a diet suitable for your laminitic pony.

Groom – if you are lucky enough to have a groom, perhaps yours is irreplaceable or has been your groom for many years and has shared with you both the ups and downs of competing?

Equine Dentist – is your horse particularly difficult but you have found a special equine dentist that has the skills to look after his teeth without the need for sedation or maybe they have completely transformed your horse and turned him into a dream to ride?

Charity Fundraiser/Sanctuary Owner – there are some truly special people out there who give up all their spare time and money to help unwanted and neglected horses. Do you know someone who deserves recognition for their selfless dedication to horses?

If you have an equine hero in your life Alltech want to hear from you because behind every aspiring champion there is always an unsung hero!

To nominate your own Equine Hero, visit www.EquineHero.com.

Alltech is title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France.  The Lifeforce range is the cornerstone of the Alltech Equine Advantage series, developed to benefit horses at every stage of life, from breeding stock to pleasure and performance animals. For further information please visit www.lifeforcehorse.co.uk or telephone 01780 764512

We’re all responsible for safer roads, say horse riders

Posted on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 by Heather Dodd

The British Horse Society says the unfortunate incident that led to the conviction of Jessica Mills for throwing her whip at a passing vehicle highlights the importance for all road users to be considerate to each other’s needs.

The Warwickshire-based equestrian charity believes that it is important for horse riders and motorists to better understand the concerns and requirements of each other, and for all road users to work together in order to improve safety. It has been inundated over the past few days with messages from members voicing concerns and sharing their own frightening experiences on the road.

Sheila Hardy, Senior Executive (Safety) at The British Horse Society, said: “This latest case highlights perfectly the importance for all road users to work together, using our roads in harmony to ensure safety for all. There is room for everyone on our roads, but it is vital that all users show a little courtesy and consideration to others.”

The charity urges drivers to remember that horses on the road can be unpredictable, despite the best efforts of even the most experienced rider. Drivers should always treat horses as a potential hazard and drive slowly, with caution, around them.

Key points for drivers to remember are:
• When passing horses, leave as much room as the road allows and do not accelerate either when passing the horse or immediately after, as this could cause the horse to panic.
• Exert even greater care on narrow country lanes by keeping your speed down, especially on bends.
• Be alert when encountering a horse rider and take heed of any signals the rider is making to slow down or stop, as they may be able to see something that you cannot and will feel how the horse may react.
• It is sometimes necessary for riders to be two abreast on the road. One may be a young or novice horse or rider and so it is safer for these animals to be on the inside with a more experienced horse and rider on the outside.

It is not just drivers who have responsibility for safety on the road. Riders are encouraged to stay alert and ensure they cause as little inconvenience to drivers as possible.

Sheila Hardy advises: “The British Horse Society educates horse riders on road safety and what they can do to protect themselves and their horses on the road.

“We would stress the importance of riders wearing hi-viz garments that meet the recommended safety standards EN1150 or EN471 – giving drivers precious additional seconds in order to see them – and to always be extra courteous to drivers who pass them with care.”

The Society also offers a website dedicated to the reporting of road accidents and other incidents involving horses, www.horseaccidents.org.uk, which provides further information on road safety.

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