Endurance GB May June 2019

Rider

Nutrition Food for thought

Veteran

Celebration

Care and competition

May/June 2019

Official members' publication for Endurance GB1 xxxxx

In this issue

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Regulars 4

Future Focus Endurance GB Chair Rebecca Kinnarney welcomes the Matrix team

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News New sponsorships for endurance riders and fond farewells

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Endurance GB News Sponsor for Championship series announcement and upcoming rides

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Volume 16 Issue No 3

SERC Scottish Festival of Endurance is coming home

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Training Coach Amanda Barton looks at goal setting, rider fitness and equine anatomy

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Rider Nutrition Torq fitness consultants discuss the importance of fuelling the rider

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Golden Horseshoe Legends Elizabeth Peplow talks to the winner of the Exmoor Stag

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Golden Oldies A celebration of some of our inspirational endurance veteran horses and their owners

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FEI Forum Exclusive interview with Chair Sarah Coombs on reshaping the sport

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Feeding the Veteran Nutrition advice form Telissa Blowers on feeding the veteran endurance horse

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Ride Reports The latest from the Windsor, Pembrey and Cheshire Frolic rides

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Veterinary & Welfare Dr Sarah Davidson BVMS MRCVS offers practical advice for veteran care & competition

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RDA Endurance Fun rides for all and how you can help your local group

Endurance GB

Features

Ride Previews A closer look at Endurance GB rides from around the UK

Karen & Basil We catch up with Karen and Basil the ‘Wander’ horse

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Office Administration Endurance GB Office, Abbey Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2RP T: 02476 697929 F: 02476 418429

Business Development Manager Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Catherine Baldock t: 01536 527 297 e: catherineb@matrixprint.com

Cover Photo

Publisher

Deadlines Copy Dates to Editor for future issues of Endurance: July/August by 8th July & September/October 9th September. If you wish to advertise in the July/ August 2019 issue, artwork deadline is 15th July. The views and opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the editor, Matrix Print Consultants Ltd or Endurance GB. Endurance magazine is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reproduced wholly or in part without the permission of Endurance GB and/or Matrix Print Consultants Ltd.

Photos courtesy of David Saunders Photography

Unit C, Northfield Point, Cunliffe Drive, Kettering, Northants, NN16 9QJ t: 01536 527297 f: 01536 527294 e: info@matrixprint.com Designer Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Sacha Robinson-Forster

ISSN 2516-2349

Fiona Griffiths & Oliver Twist winning the veteran awards across classes 1,2 & 3 at GHS 2019.

Follow us on Social Media Twitter @EnduranceGB Facebook @EnduranceGB Instagram @endurancegbinsta

contents

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Future focus REBECCA KINNARNEY CHAIR OF ENDURANCE GB Gosh, this year is zipping by! I can’t believe that we’ve already had a fabulous weekend at Golden Horseshoe. The weather was incredible, not a waterproof in sight! As ever a challenging course; my huge congratulations to everyone who competed, it’s no mean feat preparing a horse for that ride. Of course, particular congratulations to all who completed successfully.

GARY ELLIOTT MATRIX PRINT CONSULTANTS I founded Matrix Print Consultants in 2000 and have a wealth of knowledge in the design, print and publishing sector with over 40 years’ experience, partnering with Endurance GB in 2008 to produce Endurance GB magazine. Working alongside me, the team at Matrix is dedicated and strives to offer a tailored and personal service to Endurance GB. Catherine Baldock is the business development manager for Endurance GB magazine and is responsible for specialist editorial content.

Catherine has worked closely with Endurance GB and RDA since joining Matrix in 2017. She has

Championship season fast approaches, with both Senior and Young Rider National Championships, coming up at King’s Forest Summer. I’m looking forward to being there, cheering everyone on as they compete for the coveted titles and, for many, as they complete their aim of qualifying to ride at the European Championships at Euston Park. It’s going to be a great weekend with what looks like a couple of hundred horses at the ride. Then we move to our regional championships, Southern, Northern and Welsh, and the Inter-Regional Championships at Cirencester. Have you signed up for your team yet? It really is great fun and a brilliant way to try a bigger distance or greater challenge with the support of your team. We hope, also, to see a lot of these horses and riders at the Novice, Open and Advanced

Championships at Boyton Hall in September.

years of experience in the equestrian industry and her passion for improved equine welfare recently inspired her to study Equine Science BSc. Catherine is working with Endurance GB and its community, to bring you an exciting and interesting content range and share some of the amazing members' stories. Her hands on approach has her attending a number of rides and events, so please do say hello.

Celebrating our 11th anniversary we welcome you to your new look magazine. We have introduced a series of new features for you – including dedicated horse and rider health sections, with top tips and advice.

Matrix graphic artists will use all the skills they have to make the publication visually interesting with a view to engaging the readers to enjoy a beautiful magazine that is different and fresh.

Andy Etherton has worked alongside Endurance GB for the last 5 years. He has worked on advertising sales, magazine production, mailing and variety of printed products for the organisation's events and marketing activities.

Andy also manages other publications, ensuring all are mailed out on time and on budget.

Speaking of bigger distance brings me to some interesting statistics for Endurance GB this year, we are seeing an increase of 28% in riders starting rides of 64km and 80km. This is great news as folk are clearly giving the longer distances a go. Club and Supporter members show a three-fold increase on last year, reflected in the overall increase in ride entry, as we have lots more riders trying out our amazing sport and, as we all know, once you’ve tried endurance riding, it’s not an easy habit to break!

So, let’s all encourage our pals to ‘pop along to a ride’ with us and be bitten by the bug.

Have a great early summer and here’s to some fantastic riding.

Over the years I have worked alongside a number of Chairs and board members. I would like to thank each and every one of them for the tireless efforts delivered for Endurance GB and express special thanks to Cindy Russell both personally and professionally for her hard work and commitment on the publication: without her some previous editions may not have been possible.

So, we move forward with a new approach, I hope you enjoy this first issue and that we can continue to deliver an inclusive magazine that you look forward to receiving.

Thank you Gary Elliott and the Matrix team

Endurance GB Board of Directors Chair Rebecca Kinnarney T: 07801 868481 E: rebeccakinnarney@ endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES - at the AGM 2020 Vice Chair and Finance Director Sue Box T: 07867 512673 E: suebox@endurancegbco.uk RETIRES - at the AGM 2021 Company Secretary and Governance Director Ann Dark

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future focus

T: 01380 818223 E: anndark@endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at theAGM 2020 International Director John Robertson T: 07801 686959 E: johnrobertson@ endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at the AGM 2019 Operations Director Esther Young T: 07454 929919 E: estheryoung@endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at the AGM 2019

Training and Development Director Alex Tennant T: 07871 310221 E: alextennant@ endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES - at the AGM 2021 Groups and Volunteering Director Rosemary Henderson T: 07894 477049 E: rosemaryhenderson@ endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES - at the AGM 2021

Communications Director Kerry Dawson T: 07818 283144 E: kerrydawson@ endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES - at the AGM 2021 SERC Representation Constance Newbould T: 07973 726001 E: constancenewbould@ endurancegb.co.uk

Directors of Endurance GB are volunteers, so please be patient and considerate with any queries.

Most Directors also work full time elsewhere and so are not always available for calls during working hours. No calls before 9am or after 9pm please.

endurancegb.co.uk

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The latest

updates and news

Hilton Herbs announces new rider sponsorship

A farewell to Tootsie the mule

In March this year, we said farewell to Tootsie, our wonderful 56 year old mule. Due to Tootsie’s age, his liver had started to fail and did not respond to the treatment. Considering his old age, the difficult decision was made to put him to sleep.

Tootsie’s Tale Tootsie first came into our care in 1992 after his owner was no longer able to care for him.

Until just a few weeks before his death, he enjoyed excellent health. He was a fun-loving character who loved a good gallop around his paddock and was always first to the feeding trough. During his last years, Tootsie lived with our elderly donkeys - affectionately known among staff as the 'Super Granny' group - at Hannigan’s Farm in Liscarroll.

Hilton Herbs is pleased to announce that two riders are joining its ‘stable’ of Brand Ambassadors for 2019.

Sophie Spiteri, a Welsh event rider, has been sponsored by Hilton Herbs for two years now under the LegUpForTalent banner, and has proved to be a very proactive and enthusiastic fan of the company’s natural supplements for horses and dogs. Sophie works full-time as a Marketing Officer for Mencap but also works hard at re-homing racehorses off the track. Sophie is currently competing with exracehorses Silmi, Arc Lighter and her new mare, Archfield Day Dreamer.

Julie McKeown, who also lives in Wales, is a new Brand Ambassador for Hilton Herbs,

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news

is a chartered marketer and lectures at Aberystwyth University. She competes in endurance riding with her horse purebred Arab TM Valentino and having experienced considerable success at Novice level in 2018 she’s now looking to progress her horse’s career over the longer distances with the help of Hilton Herbs and the Plus range of products for competition horses.

We look forward to working together with both Sophie and Julie and to supporting them with their equestrian ambitions.

Natural Supplements for Animals

Our older donkeys receive a high level of care, with specialist diets and attention. They sport warm rugs and are kept extra cosy with infrared heat lamps and warm bedding during the winter.

As throughout his life at our sanctuary and last moments, Tootsie was surrounded by staff who had loved and cared for him. Tootsie will always be remembered as a small, independently minded mule who was much loved by all.

The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland is a registered charity (Charity Reg. No. 20032289). If you would like to make a donation to help us care for the donkeys that need us most, please call us on 00 353 22 48398 or visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.ie

endurancegb.co.uk

Zilco Europe Ltd Announce Two Endurance Brand Ambassadors Zilco are delighted to announce two endurance brand ambassadors for this season, Fiona Griffiths, who is based in Brecon, UK and Talitha Bakker, who is based in the Netherlands.

Fiona, has a wealth of experience on the endurance circuit, including riding her home bred horse to become the highest British horse on the FEI standings in 2018. Despite a busy day job of running a popular riding and trekking stables nestled in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Fiona still finds time to train her 5 horses and is preparing for this season’s national and international endurance events.

Fiona’s plan for her team this year include, the Windsor 1*, the Kings Forest 1* and 3*, the 2* and 3* at Euston Park and the Golden Horseshoe. Her top horses, Echo and Balishla, will be aiming to compete in Florac, France, with the ultimate goal of going forward to team selection if they qualify.

Our second ambassador, Talitha owns and runs an Arabian Stud which breeds horses for showing, as well as various disciplines under saddle. Talitha has had considerable success competing in international endurance competitions with her homebred youngstock, including several FEI endurance events across Argentina, Brazil and Europe. The Stud is home to 20 horses and Talitha will be bringing her top horses, AES Bisriya Hlayyil and ASE Falaree slowly back into competition this season, following time away from the circuit due to both mares having had foals last year. Both horses aim to compete at national events in Holland and Germany this season with the target of FEI races at the start of next season, striving

towards their goal of riding at the European Championships in 2021.

Zilco Endurance products have been a firm favorite with discerning riders for many decades.

At the core of Zilco production is attention to detail, high quality materials, meticulous craftsmanship and a thorough understanding of the demands of competitive and leisure riding, hacking and trekking.

to following their progress throughout the year.

For further information about the Zilco endurance range please contact: Zilco Europe Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1844 338 623 Unit 6/7 The Dairy, Bloxham Grove Farm, Banbury, Oxon, OX15 4LL

Zilco are looking forward to working with Fiona and Fiona Talitha this season and look forward

New Venue for AGM

Obituaries Sue Varnals was best known in Endurance circles as co-organiser of the Wiltshire Droves and Three Rivers Rides from Salisbury Racecourse for more than 20 years from the early 1980s. She rode her horse Smokey in EHPS, BHS LDRG and BERA events alongside Valerie Cooper on Witham Golden Colonel. A stalwart Supporter of Endurance, Sue was a well-known and respected crew for several riders at international level with whom she travelled abroad. She was often to be seen volunteering in various capacities at rides, was a very enthusiastic bird and wildlife watcher. She will be greatly missed by her friends in Endurance and at Mole Valley Farmers where she worked for many years.

The Village Hotel, Dolomite Lane, Coventry Business Park, Coventry CV4 9GZ Gala Dinner menu details will be released at a later date. Dinner tickets and Dinner/ Hotel packages will be available to buy via the Endurance GB website – members will be informed when these become available. Please contact Anna (egbdinner@gmail.com) or Darren (via the Endurance GB Office) for any enquiries.

news

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What's new at

Endurance GB

New sponsor for Championship series Endurance GB’s popular 2019 Championship series is to be expanded this year and sponsored

by Rider Fitness & Conditioning Specialists, RiderCise®. The series, which includes the Southern and Northern Championships is this year joined by a third event, a new Welsh Championship to be held at Pen Ddol Y Gader, Carmarthenshire (31st Aug-1st Sept).

This year’s RiderCise® Southern Championship takes place at Three Rivers on Saturday 15th June, while the RiderCise® Northern Championships are being held at the Cumbria Challenge Ride on Sunday 15th August.

All three RiderCise® Championships are open to Advanced and Open horses and take place over contrasting landscapes, each comprising an 80k CER or GER with the winner being decided on performance formula.

The Three Rivers route covers a section of Wiltshire downland with stone tracks and bridleways as well as roadwork through picturesque villages along the Wylye Valley, while the Cumbria Challenge crosses gently undulating limestone moorland with around 20% being on tarmac over mostly unfenced roads. The RiderCise® Welsh Championship will take riders over sections of forestry and then miles of open, grassland mountainside.

RiderCise® founder Clare Gangadeen said: “I am delighted that RiderCise has become the title sponsor of Endurance GB’s Southern, Northern and Welsh Championship series.

“The fundamental principle behind the ‘RiderCise® Programmes’ is that there is a vast

Upcoming Endurance GB rides JUNE Saturday 1st June - Foremark Reservoir Sunday 2nd June - Cwm Sirhowi Saturday 8th June - Wirral Sunday 9th June - Penpont Ride Friday 14th June – Sunday 16th June F.E.I. Euston - Park - 2

difference between being fit and fit to ride and for endurance riders who spend long hours in the saddle, understanding this difference is vital.

“My mission is to help riders help their horses through a training system that will improve the rider’s ability to control their body and become stronger and more stable in the saddle.

“The RiderCise® programmes are about helping a rider to be the best that they can be for their horse. Through this sponsorship and partnership with Endurance GB, I am keen to highlight the potential to improve rider fitness and to work with endurance riders at all levels to help develop their own fitness in a way that also assists their horse’s performance.”

Clare Gangadeen and RiderCise® for their support which is not only welcomed in terms of the sponsorship itself but in Clare’s genuine interest in applying her knowledge and expertise to help endurance riders build fitness in the saddle.

“The Southern and Northern Championships are traditionally very popular events and we feel sure that the addition of a third, Welsh Championship, will be well received by riders.”

Kerry Dawson said: “We would like to thank

Saturday 15th June – Sunday 16th June - Three Rivers

Sunday 7th July - Piddle Ride

Sunday 16th June - Dialstone

Sunday 7th July - Birling Gap

Saturday 22nd June – Sunday 23rd June - Boconnoc

Saturday 13th July – Sunday 14th July F.E.I. Euston Park - 3

Saturday 22nd June - Southdowns (Findon) Saturday 22nd June – Sunday 23rd June - Trawsgoed Saturday 29th June – Sunday 30th June Poplar Park - Sandlings Ride Saturday 29th June – Sunday 30th June Thoresby Hall Sunday 30th June - Tresham

Sunday 14th July - Aram Grange Friday 19th July – Sunday 21st July - Cirencester Park Sunday 21st July - Wellow Friday 26th July – Sunday 28th July Wentwood in Summer

JULY

Saturday 27th July – Sunday 28th July The War of the Roses

Saturday 6th July - Astley

NEW DATE - Sunday 4th August - Phoenix

Photos courtesy of David Saunders

European

Championships at Euston

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he Championship will be the highlight of the Festival that will include The HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UK Endurance Festival (CEIO, CEI1*, CEI2*, CEI3* and CEIYJ2*) as well as National Rides, The Pony Club Endurance Championships, Para-Endurance Rides and Pleasure Rides. The aim is to create an event that brings the sport of endurance together, from the grass roots to the very best in the world.

Speaking on behalf of HPower, Event Director, Nick Brooks-Ward said: “It’s a huge honour for us to be hosting the European Championship at Euston Park, which we think is such a fabulous venue for showcasing the discipline. Over the past four years we have worked tirelessly to promote Endurance at all levels, and hosting such a prestigious Championship, alongside National Rides and even Pony Club events, gives an unrivalled opportunity for the sharing of knowledge and growth of this team sport.”

He continued: “Euston Park is known for its world-class facilities and tracks and these will be even further enhanced for the Europeans.

We also hope to grow the number of spectators coming to watch the sport, possibly for the first time. All of this will serve to both celebrate Endurance this summer, but also we hope, to create a great legacy for the sport in the UK and Europe.”

Organisers are anticipating that over 500 competitors will take part in the Festival. Prior to the Europeans, Euston will host two other rides over the summer: The opening ride is on Saturday 15th June and there will be a CEI2* and CEI YJ 2* as well as an 80km GER, a 40km GER and a 40km Novice GER. The following day there’s a CEI 3*, CEI YJ1*and CEI 1*.

The second ride includes a CEI YJ 2* and CEI 2* as well as an 80km GER, a 40km GER and a 40km Novice GER on Saturday 13th July and then a CEI 3*, CEI YJ1*, CEI 1* on Sunday 14th July.

Championships

The season will culminate with a celebration of international and national endurance on the 15th – 18th August at the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UK Endurance Festival which will feature the FEI European Endurance Championship.

ride preview

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Together as a team

Regional rivalries

on show at Cirencester The Endurance GB Inter Regional team competition celebrates its 21st birthday this year with a return to Cirencester Park (19-21 July). The contest aims to bring together riders of all levels and build camaraderie but don’t be fooled – there is serious intent behind the smiles. Elizabeth Peplow gets the low down from two leading Chefs d’Equipe

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nyone outside endurance might be forgiven for thinking it is a sport for loners, willing to spend hours in the saddle, often completely alone for miles on end – overlooking the strength of teamwork between the rider, horse and crew so vital to success. Getting these ‘individual’ teams to work together, at international level for instance, is another matter altogether and it was this ‘challenge’ back in the 1990s that led Heart of England president Allan Brown to conceive the idea of an Inter Regional event based on the former British Endurance Riding Association (BERA) regions. Today the popular Endurance

GB competition is based around groups with some teaming up to pool talent and at least 11 expected to line up at Cirencester with novice to advanced combinations competing over distances of 30km to 80km. The Inter Regional Championship also provides an opportunity for Selectors and the GB team Chef d’Equipe to see up and coming talent that can be encouraged to progress to Home International and eventually international teams. Teams should ideally include juniors, young riders and Para Riders and Pony Club members are also encouraged.

Hot favourites

The ‘North West’ squad a combination of the Cheshire and Lancashire Groups, is probably the most successful in the history of the competition.

The region won the first competition held at Euston Park in 1998 and was set for a hat trick until the South East emerged winners last year.

The region has the benefit of Liz Finney, Chef d’Equipe of the British team as its manager. She

Gaynor Jones and Orlando, members of the winning North West team at Cirencester in 2017

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ride preview

Katie Bedwin and Elayla, contenders for the South East team

explains: “Over the last few years we have built up a good team base as we have a marquee where Lancs member Kath Wilson sets up the team catering. This really gels the team and makes everyone feel very welcome, so we get people interested in being part of the team year after year.

“We have in the past had team members meet up to work the horses together, but the team covers a wide area, so team training wasn't practical. I start off by asking for those interested in being considered for the team, via the Group websites, to contact me and if I have too many wanting to do the same class some may be down as reserves. They will be supported as any team member, but their results won't count towards the team result.”

So close was the result in 2015 at Cranwich that Inter Regional competition organisers Ellie Head and Janetta Haverson re-worked the results again to make sure they were correct with the hosts Iceni, Leics and Rutland emerging victors and the North West taking second slot.

Liz says one key benefit of the championships is to enable newcomers to the sport to work alongside advanced team members.

endurancegb.co.uk

Planning on a comeback – the victorious 2017 North West squad

Want to take part?

BERA Magazine’s report of the first IR contest describes the euphoria as North West and Yorkshire win by 10 points

She says: “On our team in 2015 we had a junior member on her part Icelandic pony Sandy who had only just started endurance. She won her class against about 30 others, a great result.”

There is an added incentive to take part this year as last year the computer crashed just as the organisers were about to announce the results and they were all lost. The North West had been in joint first after day one but when the scores were re-worked after the second day, the region found itself down in fourth place with the South East emerging the winners.

“Basically, the North West have a great team spirit and work well together, though I'm sure other teams have too and this year we really want to win again!”

Southern challengers

The other region to have won twice in the past five years is the South East, which took the top slot at Barbury Castle in 2014, where the Inter Regional competition was organised by Jo and Andrew Chisholm, and regained the title last year at Cirencester Park. With Rosemary Attfield, former Chef d’Equipe for the Young

Rider team at the helm, the team will be working hard to retain its title.

Rosemary explains: “The team is not finalised yet. I select at the beginning of July depending on horse results, looking at soundness and finish pulse. We were lucky last year, all horses finished sound with good pulses and we had lots of help from crewing from South East members.

“We have a meal picnic style at the Hornshill trailer the night before the ride which ensures an excellent team spirit.

“The main benefit of the Inter Regional is in old hands giving lots of confidence for the newbies.

I give every rider a speed chart to every check point and suggest the speed they should do having looked at their successes at prior rides in the season. I set up the crewing area the night before and stay there to help crew each horse and tell them when to present.

“We have been in the first three at the Inter Regionals for several years now and last year was just our time. We hope to have the same success this year.”

Heart of England Group’s Steve Bates is organiser of the Inter Regional at Cirencester and says he is keen to encourage more entries: “Two years ago I modified the scoring system to try and encourage more interest and ensure that the "wild cards" and all starters and finishers contributed to the scores. It does complicate the results but with the aid of a spreadsheet hopefully it will all work out ok this year (no nasty IT surprises or power failures).”

It is important that Chefs let the Ride Organiser and Inter Regional Organisers know of their intention to send a team ASAP and entries are submitted before the closing date of 8 July.

Inter Regional combinations (including wild cards) need to identify on their entry form that they are team members.

Chefs should e-mail complete team lists (including Wild Cards and Reserves) to Steve Bates.

For more information please contact Steve Bates Email: 10steven.bates@gmail.com Tel: 07702038266 (before 9pm).

ride preview

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25th Anniversary

Kings Forest

25th Spring ride

There is no roadwork to be seen, perfect for the barefoot horse

T

he first of the two 2019 Kings Forest events took place over the weekend of the 5th to 7th April.

Kings Forest Spring has a reputation for throwing any kind of weather element it can at competitors, from unseasonably hot temperatures to thick snow hampering ground conditions and marking! But this year, the ride was kind and promised nothing too extreme – cool and not too sunny, making for perfect riding conditions. Until, of course, the weather reminded us it was still firmly in charge, treating all Sunday competitors to torrential rain and biting winds. Nevertheless, it was still easy to declare Kings Forest Spring 2019 a roaring success thanks to the tireless, hard work of Dianne Luke, her family, loyal volunteers and numerous officials.

There is always plenty on offer for any level of rider at Kings, which covers tracks through the beautiful forest and some small sections of farmland. Perfect for the barefoot horse, there is no roadwork to be seen and the venue boasts one of the most picturesque settings on the calendar, made even better by the excellent facilities available. This year there was no shortage of classes and entrants with distances ranging from 16km through to 120km with some multiday options thrown in for good measure.

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ride report

The longest multiday ride had two entrants, Valerie Bradshaw (Magic Powers) and Gillian Mann (HS Parnasse) who were to cover 120km over three days. Both were successful achieving a Grade 1 and Grade 3 respectively. Also tackling the tough challenge of a three-day class was Karen Carr (Push the Button) and Claire Mellor (Star Hill Sapphire) who were both also successful in completing all three days covering a total of 96km.

Saturday saw the longer, single day distance classes along with three FEI Rides; the CEI2* 120km, the CEI1* 80km and the CEIYJ1* 80km.

It’s always tough garnering enough entrants in the longer distances when hosting an early season event, but the popularity of Kings Forest and the promise of good going no matter what the weather secured a strong contingent across the board. Twelve combinations crossed the start line for the CEI2* and were to cover five loops in the course of the day. With some very experienced combinations in the starting lineup, the final results were wide open. It was Anna Bridges (Crystal Wissam) and Lauren Mills (HS Jamal) who took an early lead over Loops 1 and 2, each a distance of 32km. However, an unfortunate hamstring issue saw the end of the ride for HS Jamal at Vet Gate Two and they therefore failed to qualify for the third loop. This left Anna, aboard the 16 year old bay gelding

endurancegb.co.uk

James Dickinson with Magdy who crossed the line with partner Katie Bedwin and Aberllwyd Ibn Phariz

"The 25th anniversary of Kings Forest an event not to be missed" ‘Sam’, on her own with 56km left to complete.

The pair continued to hold their position taking first place at a speed of 15.8kph finishing 11 minutes ahead of second placed Saffron Bishop (TY Shute Golden Savannah) who had travelled all the way from Cornwall for the event. The Cornish air must contain a certain something as Crystal Wissam was bred on Bodmin Moor and third placed rider Annie Joppe with CS Chiara also hails from the far South-Westerly county.

With ten out of the 12 combinations completing successfully the CEI2* was able to boast a 83% completion rate. 10th place went to James Dickinson with Magdy who crossed the line with partner Katie Bedwin (Aberllwyd Ibn Phariz). The points won by James and Magdy at this event temporarily secured their place at the top of the Endurance GB Senior Combinations standings.

The CEI1* also had a very successful completion rate at 80%. A wonderful variety of horses competed over the 80km with first place going to David Yeoman riding Trop Vite Azureen at a speed of 18.5kph. This combination has been competing together since 2015 with nearly all of their successful

finishes being podium positions. A special mention here too to Lesley-Ann Parker and her incredible horse Velvet Echo. At the grand old age of 20 this striking bay mare cruised in to 4th position. The CEIYJ1* was won by Madison Pomroy with Angels Twilight Spirit at 16.4kph, their first FEI event together.

Second place went to Emma Taylor riding Cool Dude, who at just 124cm (12’2hh) packs more attitude than most endurance horses you would find on the circuit!

The National 80km CER, also taking place on the Saturday, was won by Dutch National Esther Groen aboard Watt du Colombier whilst 2nd place went to Anna Kidd (Whippletree Kray Jellyaby). Just shy of 20 Grade Ones were achieved across the weekend in the range of Graded Classes. Support and praise were abundant at the event, excellent marking, a warm and friendly welcome, top class facilities on site and a brilliant track In fact, 2019 sees the 25th anniversary of Kings Forest Summer and with big plans afoot it will be an event not to miss! As we go to print, entries are closing and you can be sure there is something on offer to tickle your taste buds!

The venue boasts one of the most picturesque settings on the calendar

There will be over 40 classes taking place including the National Championships (run over 160km), multiday Graded and Competitive rides, team relays and of course, a wonderful barbeque open to all on the Saturday evening.

How could you possibly say no?! And if the above hasn’t tempted you, then just take a look at some of these testimonials from riders who have been competing at the very special Kings Forest over the years: What is it about Kings that inspires such loyalty?

Could it be the opportunity to get wind burnt, sun burnt, frozen and rained on? I think it’s got to be the people. People smile more at Kings and welcome each other, regardless of status – FEI high flyers, national riders, riders at their peak, some past it, smooth, sleek high stepping ponies, rather large footed, shaggy plodders and one much loved participant with its huge ears and bellowing mule bray! It’s the perfect advert for enjoying a sport at many levels!

Linda Crawford (volunteer) It is a great credit to the Luke Family for making Kings a cornerstone of British Endurance Competition with its wonderful tracks and unique atmosphere, where a friendly and cooperative relationship exists amongst Competitors.

Officials, Volunteers and the OC. Kevin Croke (Official) I have been privileged to have enjoyed 25 years of riding the wonderful Kings Forest which has been an utter pleasure! My first experience was back in 1993 with my little Arab Trampus Rasalm.

Whether competing in pleasure rides, competitive rides or stewarding, I am so happy to be able to share my fond memories of the wonderful forest and to be friends with those that run it who I have known for half my life!

Tracey Chilvers (rider) Anna Bridges

ride report

13

Tales & Trackers

Basil the ‘wander’ horse

returns to the track 14

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When Karen Greig’s Basil de Mulo went missing at King’s Forest last month, the search for the grey sparked a 33-hr hunt covering 100s of miles over 5000 acres of dense woodland. A month later and none the worse for his ordeal, the remarkable and now ‘famous’ Basil was back competing at Royal Windsor’s FEI CEI 80km

T

he picture is the very model of an endurance partnership - horse and rider are focussed, alert and on a mission. It’s not long after the start of the 32km at King’s Forest. The handsome grey horse Basil was feeling fit and his rider Karen Greig had every reason to be pleased to ride out that early spring Saturday in April.

The following Monday she was due in hospital for a pre-op ahead of surgery for breast cancer – after receiving the diagnosis in February, King’s Forest was the endurance party she had set her heart on. “It’s a wonderful family atmosphere at King’s Forest – not many people knew I had cancer at that stage but it’s the kind of supportive environment where you are surrounded by friends and can have anything from a bit of light banter to more meaningful conversation.”

Just 20min after the photographer caught them just over an hour into the ride, Karen and Basil’s partnership on that day came to an abrupt end and every rider’s worst nightmare began.

“I had lost concentration – I was thinking about my own health and what was ahead. At the same moment Basil stepped into a rabbit hole and tripped. Because I wasn’t concentrating, I tipped off, rolled underneath him and he stepped on me. Basil is a very sensitive horse – he always wants to know that I am okay. I look up and I think he was just terrified that he had trodden on me – that’s what scared him.”

Struggling to her feet, Basil just side-stepped out of reach and with a flash of his distinctive orange bridle, took flight and was gone.

Unhurt and in the sudden silence as he trotted

Karen and Basil have the perfect partnership both on and off the track.

Basil is tough but very much a ‘people horse’ says Karen

Elizabeth Peplow is Press Officer for Endurance GB and the former Assistant Editor for Horse & Hound. She has reported on endurance at home and abroad for more than 20 years.

off, Karen picked herself up began walking, thinking at first she would find him round the next corner and then get help. She was deep in the forest and without any mobile service but still had the presence of mind to put her phone to use to log the location of her fall.

“I took a photo of where I had fallen and put a pin on the map to show my location, but I walked for an hour before I could get a signal on my phone to call for help. I got to a crew point and was telling riders passing me that Basil was loose out there somewhere.

“Someone sent Mike [Karen’s husband and crew] to pick me up. By that time John

[Robertson] and Paul [Luke] had started the search for Basil and we joined in.

“We were out until 9.30pm and then back out at 5.30am just expecting to see him around every corner or to hear he had made his way back to the ride venue.”

In fact, contrary to the rumour mill which put sightings of a riderless grey at opposite ends of the forest and even close to the outskirts of Newmarket, no one it seems saw Basil at all – he had simply vanished.

Karen continues: “He is such a tough and intelligent horse being an endurance horse, he

Basil rules the roost at home in Oxfordshire where Karen keeps him alongside her other endurance horse Opalina

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The search party: John Robertson John Robertson, Technical Delegate co-ordinated the search with Ride Organiser Dianne Luke and her husband Paul.

John said: “I covered more than 140 miles in the forest over the two days and with myself and Paul, there were eight to 10 of us. The police were informed and we even had a drone go up. It was just so strange – riders do fall off, but usually the horse will follow other horses on course and come back to the venue.

The first thing I always ask a rider after a fall, as well as direction is what speed the horse was going. If the horse is galloping and panicked you are in trouble but Karen said Basil had just trotted off. As the day wore on and there was no sign, we thought at first that someone had caught him and put him in a stable, but then Karen’s name and contact details were on his saddle so we could not understand why no one had reported him to the police.

“By the end of Saturday evening, he seemed to have vanished and I did start to worry that he might have been stolen.”

John and the team resumed the search at first light on Sunday and hopes were raised when John was called to a village near Newmarket but it was a false alarm. Reluctantly he started to head for home early on Sunday evening.

Karen and Basil train along miles of tracks and open downland from Karen’s yard at the foot of the Ridgeway in South Oxfordshire making the most of steep climbs over the chalk escarpment

followed paths and tracks, he didn’t cross any ploughed fields and the ground was dry so we couldn’t find any hoof prints.

“I felt so terrible causing the organisers and Endurance GB the headache of being distracted from the ride to mount such a huge search but everyone was incredible and very kind reassuring me that of course I hadn’t meant to fall off. All the messages I received meant so much – all I could think was that he would be found dead in a ditch but everyone kept saying, ‘no, this is Basil, he will be found and we will be laughing about this in a few weeks’ – that really meant a lot.”

Having to leave the venue to head for home ahead of her pre-op on Monday morning was the hardest moment.

“I just felt awful abandoning him. Two hours later when we got home my phone started ringing and ringing and I said to Mike that I was too upset to take the call in case it was bad news – but incredibly, thanks to the wonderful search party and ride organisers supported by the huge social media campaign, he had been found.”

Basil had been spotted extremely well hidden some 2km outside the Forest boundary and about half a mile from the A11.

“After a night with Dianne Luke, he went to stay to rest with Richard [Allen] and Nikki [Freud]

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who bred him and cared for him for the first 10 years of his life, then we managed to pick him up before my operation for a double mastectomy on the Thursday. It was so lovely, he just put his head into his head collar – it was a lovely moment, he wanted to come home!”

“I see Basil as being an intrinsic part of my recovery. When I came round after the operation, apparently all I was asking was, ‘are the horses ok’. The hospital team thought it was funny, but Mike and our three children were a bit miffed.

“People have asked about training and competing with cancer – we have wonderful training where we are in South Oxfordshire and can get up to the Ridgeway and ride over Henrietta Knight's gallops and all I can say is that riding and having goals with my two horses, just makes me feel so much better…”

Trackers on test

Since this incident, many riders have been sharing information about trackers and Karen herself plans to start trialling a Tractive GPS dog tracker. Endurance GB is keen to hear of riders' experiences with trackers. If you have any updates to share, please contact Groups Director Rosemary Henderson who looks after Health and Safety for Endurance GB. Tel: 07894 477049 Email: rosemaryhenderson@endurancegb.co.uk

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Just over a month after going MIA at King’s Forest, the remarkable Basil completed the Royal Windsor Endurance CEI-1* 80km class, this time ridden by Richard Allen who had bred him.

Endurance GB communications team

The Ride Organiser: Dianne Luke “I was truly overwhelmed by the offers of help to look for Basil. After finding him we returned to the venue to find half a dozen 4x4 responders ready to go out on a search just as night was falling. There were so many offers of help with the same message – ‘just imagine if that was your horse’.

“An incident such as this really brings out the best in people. I think the situation that Karen was in made the whole incident even more heart wrenching. The gratitude of her husband towards us when leaving to get Karen home in time for her hospital appointment was beyond words.”

“Basil had a good long drink once we got him home. He was shivering when we loaded him but he was soon tucked up in bed rugged well fed, watered and coincidentally, reunited with a horse that he spent 7 years of his life with.”

Basil and his stable companion Opalina – Karen says the horses are part of her road to recovery

Kerry Dawson, Communications Director of Endurance GB co-ordinated the social media campaign working with Press Officer Liz Peplow who contacted the media once it was clear Basil was not going to re-appear, and the decision had been taken to go public.

Press statements were issued and posts were shared and monitored for sightings to be fed to the team on the ground.

The breakthrough came when someone spotted a post by a local man Ana Kissed, who had shared a photo saying he had found a horse.

Kerry said: “The response was incredible, Endurance GB members joined in what was starting to seem an impossible task. I don’t think he would have been found so quickly without Facebook - the Endurance GB post about him being missing was shared 2,100 times and seen by thousands and thousands of people. If he was out there, we were going to find him!”

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Fuelling your

ride to success TORQ Fitness has been around for 20 years & provides tailored natural & effective nutritional products for endurance sports athletes.

Sasha Hart from TORQ advises

Food for thought

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How good you feel crossing the finish line at the end of your Ride or training session will depend on three factors: • How much training you have done • Your general diet & how you fuelled the day before the ride (or training session) • Your fuelling & hydration during the ride (or training session)

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Before your ride

Don’t be put off by the words fuelling and hydration. It can be very simple! Your training and conditioning prior to the ride play a big part, but an informed approach to your general and ride day nutrition can improve your performance, so it is worth considering your nutritional strategy before the ride.

A good diet will fuel better performances during exercise sessions and hastens postexercise recovery. If you continually achieve improved performance results during your training, you will create a better stimulus for adaptation (how the body learns to adapt to cope with the work-load). Therefore, if you hasten recovery, you’ll be back up to speed and ready to exercise again more quickly. More frequent, better quality exercise sessions build greater fitness and then when it comes to competition day, you’ll be fitter, stronger and more likely to get the result you’re after.

Therefore, our general day to day diet can be divided into three categories. There’s substandard nutrition, standard nutrition and performance nutrition. If most people tried to look at their daily eating routine, they could go a

"As a rule of thumb, eat today what you need tomorrow" long way towards fuelling better performances, moving from sub-standard nutrition to standard nutrition, let alone performance nutrition.

So, what is standard nutrition? The assumption we’re making here is that of a balanced diet.

Nothing quirky, just good wholesome healthy food. Forget dietary fads, just include plenty of fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrate sources (wholemeal bread, pasta and rice) and a lean source of protein (which is available through meat, fish, pulses & other vegan protein sources). There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself with the stereotypical ‘bad stuff ’ every now and then, but make it a treat.

From a physically active person’s perspective, your diet should be rich in carbohydrate and

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Training Theory – 3 Levels of fatigue shows how you get a bigger peak in fitness through a higher quality workout, but the effect this has on recovery

to embrace the extra aspects of performance nutrition, it would be advisable to consume a healthy balance of protein to aid your recovery.

It is important to bear in mind that it is hard to fuel endurance exercise on a high protein only diet. If you’re worried about weight gain, the energy balance equation used for many years by sports scientists tells you everything you need to know: Energy in = Energy out: Energy Balance (your weight stays the same) If you abide by this principle and keep your diet high in carbohydrates, even if you’re aiming for weight loss, you’ll have a greater capacity to exercise, your fitness will improve and you’ll set up a positive cycle of adaptation.

Start of your Ride

You will have a limited amount of carbohydrate stored within your body and you need to do everything you can to maintain this. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to eat today for what you need for tomorrow. You need to ensure that you have a carbohydrate-rich meal the evening before your ride - this will be particularly applicable to riders who will be in the saddle for 4 or more hours. Eating a high carbohydrate meal such as pasta or rice the night before, will

ensure your fuel tanks of carbohydrate stores (known as glycogen) in your muscles and liver are topped up. You could also sip an energy drink (like water) to help ensure your hydration and carbohydrate stores are full to capacity. On ride day, if you know the weather is going to be hot, you can ensure your hydration is topped up through using a hypotonic drink (ideally with carbohydrates and plenty of electrolytes).

Carbohydrates come in 2 forms: starches (polysaccharides) and sugars (mono and disaccharides). Here are some examples so that you can plan your loading effectively: Polysaccharides: Pasta, rice, potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, bread, couscous. Mono/Disaccharides: Sugar, wine gums, fruit pastilles, sugary drinks (non-diet), honey, jam.

When it comes to carbohydrate loading, the vast majority of your calories should be from carbohydrate rich foods, keeping protein intake moderate and fat very low. You’ll need to make sure that you’re hydrated, because for every gram of carbohydrate you store, you will also retain 3 grams of water.

If your ride is longer than around 90 minutes, you’ll need to start fuelling immediately after setting off, and you should aim to consume a minimum of 40-60g of carbohydrate per hour.

The more carbohydrates you consume, the less you will draw upon your stores and the longer you will be able to last and enjoy the experience. However, taking on board more than 90g of carbohydrate an hour is NOT recommended, as your body will not be able to absorb it and you are likely to feel ill.

An excellent recommended pre-ride breakfast is beans on toast without butter. If you fancy it, add a poached egg to get some lean protein. Ticks all the boxes!

During your Ride

When riding, the fat, protein and fibre content of the food you eat will also influence your ability to absorb carbohydrates too, so be careful to fuel yourself wisely. High fat food will prevent you from effectively absorbing carbohydrate and will also encourage stomach cramps.

Once your Ride starts, you need to consume and drink a quantified amount of carbohydrate-rich food, as the higher your carbohydrate stores are when you get to the finish line or end of your training ride, the stronger you’re going to feel, and this will be down to how well you’ve fuelled and regulated your hydration during the ride.

For further information on TORQ, please visit www.torqfitness.co.uk

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Improving partnerships

Training Day:

Anatomy and Welfare Amanda Barton is a BHS qualified Coach and UKCC L2 Endurance and Pony Club Coach with a special interest in welfare and biomechanics. She has been competing in endurance since 2004 and her passion is to introduce people of all ages to this wonderful sport.

Goal setting 1. Identify the Issue, it may be a goal you want to achieve or a problem to overcome 2. Think about your Desired Outcome (check it's realistic) 3. Explore Options, the more the better, aim to come up with 20 options, really think about this as the last 5 are the ones that might be the really interesting options that you have never thought of before 4. Choose the most appropriate Actions for the next 2 or 3 weeks 5. Ask yourself what Support is needed

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e started off the day with Cathy Sirret of Complete Confidence who spoke about goal setting and a simple 5 step process which will set you up to achieve your goals. We went on to talk about mental resilience and saw how resilience is a function of your self-confidence, your purposefulness, your social support and your adaptability. Using some simple questions, it was interesting to see how we differ in these areas and the exercise highlighted strengths and possible reasons why we might not be so resilient in all situations. It’s well worth knowing about these before embarking on a challenging new project as these could be the things that sabotage us!

Next, we worked with Claire Pier, Movement Analyst. Claire has a background in elite level gymnastics coaching, Pilates and Feldenkrais.

This was another practical session and all the participants took part in exercises on the mats to help with balance in the saddle, breathing and some simple exercises and safe stretches to do before and after riding.

After lunch we had an afternoon of anatomy,

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discussion of equine body work and gymnastic polework exercises with Amanda Barton and Lorraine Dearnley. Using some friendly ponies, that did not mind being poked and prodded, we assessed them for key areas of soreness on the body, that might affect their performance and indicate that it might be necessary to talk to the vet or that the horses could benefit from a session with an equine bodyworker or other professional. We used fingertip pressure on the horse and softened the pressure when we got a pain response such as a flinch. This could be noted down, and then either kept to monitor or to be discussed with an equine professional.

Everyone had a go assessing several ponies, as they all responded differently. This gave everyone the confidence to test their own horses at home, and then decide where to go from there. It was important to note that it may be worthwhile having different types of equine bodywork, as they can all complement each other and lead to a more comfortable horse.

In a classroom session Amanda Barton talked about the ring of muscles that the horse uses for movement. Any discussion of anatomy involves simplification of a really complex

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We used fingertip pressure on the horse and softened the pressure when we got a pain response such as a flinch. This could be noted down, and then either kept to monitor or to be discussed with an equine professional. Everyone had a go assessing several ponies, as they all responded differently

system so we selected just a few muscles to talk about; the splenius muscles (responsible for lifting, bending and straightening the neck) and scalenus muscles (important for raising the base of the neck), the longissimus and multifidus muscles in the back, the illio-psoas muscles which are crucial to flexion of the hip and the rectus abdominus which forms the floor of the abdomen and is involved with flexing the lumbar spine and lumbosacral joint. After this discussion we linked the key movement muscles to polework and gymnastic exercises in the arena and considered how we can work specific muscle groups in cross training to complement our endurance training.

It’s really helpful to encourage the horse to work muscles that raise the base of the neck, lengthen the back muscles and engage the hind quarters and abdominal muscles so that we develop more strength and suppleness in order to prevent injury.

We also looked at exercises that abduct (move a leg away from the midline) and adduct (move a limb towards the midline). Opening gates is the easiest and most practical way that Endurance riders can do this sort of very beneficial lateral work. We put this discussion into practice with an exercise in groups to

"Opening gates is the easiest and most practical way that Endurance riders can apply lateral work" set up polework exercises in the arena and described their benefit.

In the final session of the afternoon we listened to a talk about stomach ulcers in horses, from an owner’s perspective. This included a brief explanation on managing the horse, how the digestive system works, symptoms of ulcers, how they are diagnosed and the treatments that the vets use. Then we heard about the owner’s experience of dealing with a horse with ulcers and an update a few years later. We learnt that it is important to try and find the root cause of ulcers, as often it can take a lot of hunting and perseverance.

“I loved this information packed day. And what I most loved was that the way we were taught was very interactive and constantly changing so you had my attention all day. I find it hard to name my favourite part and I got so much from each part be it the confidence speaker or the fascinating talk on ulcers. All the topics were thought provoking and current with an active discussion amongst all of us. Also, as a competitor I rarely get the chance to see people and have such a nice catch up.

Thank you Amanda and please can we have part 2 this year!”

Sally Toye - Participant

In the classroom, we looked at equine muscle groups.

Please see the July/August edition for a closer look at the equine muscular system

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Na me: CS Corinthian Owner: Clair Quinney Age: 21 years Breed: Arab Total KM: 3850 G. Ca reer Highlight: Winning the Putnik trophy in 2018 a 2008 on loan, having raced as ary nu Ja in ire Cla to me ca CS Corinthian w mu m, he , not only did Cori have a ne 08 20 of d en the By . old r 4 yea d Myebon Trophy and went an y ph tro m ble Em ld Go the had also won following year. on to represent England the orates as ca rrots) and Claire incorp ty ch mu as st mo (al s hill es lov Cori g qu ali ing total dista nce by ensurin ffness and this into their training, reduc e therapy rug to help reduc sti c eti gn ma a s use ire s Cla work. the nutritional tea m at Bailey s nk tha d an n itio nd co top shout out keep Cori in e final and most importa nt Th e. vic ad ir the for ds Fee Horse and, Allan. Not only for his sb hu s ’ ire Cla to go to s ha ri sing spine for tea m Co otional support after Cori’s kis em the o als t bu s ort eff ng crewi surgery back in 2017. at Celebrate Cori’s 21st birthday So what is the pla n for 2019? ith only 150km left... it’s just a case .W Pe mbrey and reach 4,000km ir! pa of when for this unstoppable

Your veteran horse stories

Golden

Name: Velvet Echo Owner: Lesley-Ann Parker Age: 20 years Breed: Arab Total KM: 5074 g Career Highlight: Representin ce Team GB in the World Enduran k in 2012.

Championships at Euston Par

buck. Af ter ficult mare with an unsit table dif her rat a s wa a, Tai as own Velvet Echo, also kn d a par tnership that would -Ann in 2007, the pair forme ley Les rn bbo stu ally equ an pleting their meeting headstrong duo started FEI, com the 08, 20 In eer. car nce ura last their entire end in Belgium in the 120km 2* Team GB in the Intermediate ing ent res rep d an 2* m 0k first 12 finishing in the top 10.

That’s 11 years of FEI e at FEI level every year since. pet com to m the d ble ena has in March.

Their consistency at Kings Forest in the 80km 4th a ng uri sec , 20 of age the y, so throughout the level and the 2019 season at d a season. She loves to keep bus sse mi er nev has d an lete ath g hacks, Taia is a natural n alternates training with lon -An ley Les . ing pet com er aft year she is ridden apart from ke District. gallops and holidays in the La interval training, Newmarket less the weather is turally, offers full turnout un na ses hor g pin kee in ch roa Lesley-Ann’s app organic hay, endurance training and her diet includes her ect refl to fed is a Tai l. linseed oil and diabolica s. As competitions approach, rot car d an t sal lic, gar oil, ha mix, sugar beet, alp r physio sessions that Lesley-Ann believes that regula d. fee her to ed add o als are es electrolyt r horse! career and her tip is…. enjoy you contributed to Taia’s fantastic

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veteran celebration

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Oldies

Name: Firebird Ow ner: Lesley Not t Age: 20 years Breed: Crabbet Arab Total km: 5503 Specialty: Little Dragon – Firebird always comes home with a ribb on after completing this spectacular ride Lesley was introduced to endura nce in the 90’s when she started crewing for her inspirational mum. Follow ing in her footsteps, Lesley instant ly fell in love with the sport and in 200 0 purchased Firebird as a yearlin g. Since then, the partnership has gone from strength to strength, includi ng 24 podium finishes, 8 top spots and in 2017 won the veteran premier award at Cirencester.

His outstandi ng achievements and 100% pass rate for all Golden Hor seshoe classes ear nt him the accolade of bei ng nicknamed Zoom.

2009 was a great year for Zoom, successfully completing the 160km at Dukeries with Lesley and then continuing the family’s passion for endurance, tea me d up with Lesley’s daughter, Emily, to win the Younger Riders at Cirence ster.

Lesley uses the surroundi ng lan dscape in the South West for trai ning, working through trot uphill and utilising lots of long walk sessions. This trai ning regime combined with nutritional suppor t from Baileys and Saracens Fee ds has enabled Firebird to successfully compete every year. We wish the m the best of luck this season...zoom on!

Name Autu : mn Reflecti on Owner: Sara h Ewart Age: 20 yea rs

Breed: A ra b Total km 2 : 695 Specialty Fa lling in love : with all ani mals

G rowing up

in the city, Sarah ha s always b endu rance een a keen running. A athle te and t 29, Sara in her teen h st arted ridin age years year old A g lessons a often took pa rab geldin nd a few ye g, introduci rt in a ng rs S la a ter becam rah to endu for sale wit e the owner rance. In 2 h very long of a 5 008, Sara legs. He ha h came acr d compe ted quirks, Sa oss an unu at N ovice le rah fell in su vel, with a al horse love and h n excellent er jou rney record and with Flecky despite his began.

Flecky wa s no t an ea sy horse, bu t with his a compe titive mazing stri streak, the de length a partnership nd attitud w a e, combined s a recipe fo the experien with Sara r success. ced Endura h’s Sarah con nce GB coa tinued less ches. Howev Sarah rea on s, ta er ki ng advanta 5 years ago lised somet ge of , whils t on th hing wasn’t quite right a e final loop of the musc of the Exmoo nd re tired. les fibers in V r S et tag, erinary inve Flecky’s ba stigations re ck had ca was uncer vealed tha used the dis tain but Sa t ca co mfort. Flec lcification rah sought ky’s future a second op with her eq as an endu inion, adop uine nutrit ra nc tin e g h a holis tic a orse ionist, they pproach to developed a incorporate his care. W die t using P d Equissage or ki A ng V O feeds and closely Pulse thera following a py as part achieve gr dvice from of Flecky’s eat things, th e d ph a ysio, ily routine. including th Since then e ve teran a accompany , the pair ha ward at Cir ing Sarah’s ve go en ne ce ster in 2018 on to novice horse and can b Ezzy at rid e found mor es. If you se e recently e them out at a ride, pl ease give th em a wave !

veteran celebration

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Horse nutrition

Feeding the Veteran

Endurance Horse

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Feeds which use fibre and oil sources such as sugarbeet pulp and linseed for slow-release, stamina type energy are more suited to those taking part in endurance

Carol Chapman and Silver Prince Sadik Photo courtesy of Event to Event

Telissa Blowers BSc (Hons) Equine Nutritionist at Allen & Page Quality Horse Feeds addresses the principles when feeding the veteran endurance horse.

A

‘veteran’ is usually seen as a horse or pony over the age of 15 and whilst some will start to show signs of ageing, others will be far from hanging up their bridle and settling into retirement. It is becoming increasingly common for horses to continue being ridden well into their 20’s and therefore it is ever more important to treat each horse as an individual and provide them with a specific feeding plan to suit their needs.

Endurance horses are trained and competed aerobically (with oxygen) at a continuous pace for long periods of time requiring a staminabased feeding regime to support their workload.

When feeding, it is important to remember that energy and calories are the same thing, measured as digestible energy, ‘DE (MJ/kg)’. Given an endurance horse’s workload and need for good condition so they can continue after each ‘vet gate’, it would be typical to be looking at feeding a feed with at least a 9-11 MJ/kg energy content which would be classed as a medium-high energy feed. Some horses, if they are poorer doers or in a harder level of work, will require an even higher energy feed which would be above 12 MJ/kg.

The way in which the energy is provided to the horse will also differ from feed to feed – competition or more traditional feeds will often contain ingredients such as molasses and cereal grains including barley and maize which are known for increasing the sugar and starch content. This, in turn, will provide quick release, ‘oomph’ energy which may be more suited to

horses working anaerobically (without oxygen) which involves short, sharp burst of energy.

Linseed along with grass will also act as good sources of quality protein which will be needed for the repair and renewal of cells within the muscle tissue. Horses can produce some amino acids (building blocks for protein) themselves but others known as essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine will need to be supplied within the diet. Due to this and given the age of a veteran horse, supplying a feed with a higher level (10-15%) of quality protein would be most beneficial, but, always remember that we are unable to feed for pure muscle gain – feeding must be partnered with correct, consistent work for maximum effect.

Digestible energy is the energy level of the feed after digestion and therefore the energy available to the horse for maintenance and exercise.

This is often stated on the back of the feed sack or on the manufacturer’s website Vitamins and minerals are a crucial part to a horse’s performance, growth, immune function and reproduction so it is important to ensure the endurance horse will receive a balanced diet. An older horse’s digestive system may not work as effectively as it used to and they may have a reduced ability to take in nutrients.

Therefore, selecting a balanced feed will ensure they receive everything they need including anti-oxidants.

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Linseed provides the horse with omega 3 oils, essential for keeping skin cells healthy and to help promote a shiny coat

Free radical with missing electron

Antioxidant donates electron

Antioxidants can protect against the cell damage that free radicals cause, known as oxidative stress

Antioxidants become particularly important during oxidation which is the process of turning fats, carbohydrates and proteins consumed from their diet into energy. During this process reactive oxygen species (ROS) or as they as also known; ‘free radicals’ are produced.

Whilst free radicals are needed for immune system function, large amounts of circulating free radicals can be harmful causing fatigue and damage to tissues (muscle, nerves and skin).

All of which can cause a lack in performance and recovery in the endurance horse. This is where important antioxidants such as vitamins C and E as well as minerals such as selenium are required as they all have protective qualities against this damage.

Vitamin C is water-soluble and found inside or outside of cells, confronting free radicals by quenching and stabilising them to prevent further damage occurring inside the horse.

Whilst the horse’s liver will produce enough vitamin C to maintain the horse in a healthy state, if the horse is stressed, travelling for long periods or intensely exercised, which the endurance horse will be, production of vitamin C cannot keep up with the demand. In this instance, supplementation or feeding a veteran horse feed which has elevated levels of this antioxidant may be appropriate.

u e – n e x t is

e

We take a closer look at hydration

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is s

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e

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Providing good levels of oil daily has been shown to increase the horse’s ability to use oil during endurance which decreases the rate in which the muscle glycogen stores are depleted.

Endurance horses suffering from muscle issues such as tying-up can also be helped by consuming feeds which are high in oil or even supplementing the horse’s diet with additional oil.

However, not all oil sources are as equally beneficial, linseed oil is a preferred option due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids (antiinflammatory) and low levels of omega-6 fatty acids (pro-inflammatory)

ssue – n

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t is s

For further information, please contact the award winning Allen & Page nutrition team on 01362 822 902 or email them at helpline@allenandpage.co.uk

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Naturally, harder working horses and especially those taking part in intense competition such as endurance where tens and hundreds of kilometres are covered, will sweat far more than normal. Water lost from sweating can lead to dehydration and therefore, it is important to allow free access to water to ensure this water is replaced. With endurance races taking part all across the UK (and the world!), it may mean horse and rider will be required to stay away before, during and after the event. However, getting your horse to drink away from home can be tricky. Horses can be very sensitive to the slightest of changes and even water from a different place can be one of these changes. Providing a soaked feed, at home and whilst staying away will not only mimic the horse’s natural diet but will ensure the horse is continuing to take in fluids, aiding hydration.

With profuse sweating also causing a loss of salts, an electrolyte supplement can be fed after exercise to replenish what has been lost

as horses are unable to produce electrolytes themselves. These supplements now come in a powder or liquid form which can easily be mixed into a soaked feed to ensure the horse will get what they need.

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Vitamin E, on the other hand, is fat-soluble and works with vitamin C to protect the horse’s vital tissues. Vitamin E will protect cell membranes as they are highly susceptible to damage due to being made up of lipid molecules. Oxidative stress during exercise can cause a decrease in

vitamin E thus leading to muscle issues which, for the endurance horse who is exercising for long periods of time will be detrimental. For this reason, it is recommended to provide a feed which has a good inclusion level of vitamin E and selenium or provide a supplement in the endurance horse’s diet to reduce the risk of this occurring. Selenium itself will not be a strong antioxidant but when used in conjunction with vitamin E, it becomes very strong, helping to prevent muscle issues and nervous disorders.

It is important however not to over feed selenium in the diet, so always check with the manufacturer of your feed and supplements.

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Rider fitness Horse health

Veteran Endurance Horse,

Competition and Care You can make preemptive management changes such as:

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• Increasing electrolyte content of feed. Older horses have been proven to sweat more and therefore lose electrolytes at a faster rate • Adopting a management regime that minimises exposure to dust and associated allergens to aid respiratory function e.g. wet feed, soak hay and turnout whilst mucking out the stable and allow a period of time for dust in the air to settle • Optimise your training regime, ask for professional guidance if you’re unsure • Salts and fibres used appropriately will encourage drinking, this will maintain good hydration and help to keep exhaustion at bay

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Dr Sarah Davidson BVMS MRCVS - After spending two years as an intern at Newmarket Equine Hospital, Sarah developed a keen interest in the racing industry and has since joined Sussex Equine Hospital.

n recent years it has become more common to see horses competing at endurance well into their late teens and twenties, due to advances in veterinary understanding, horse care and management.

There are many advantages to riding a veteran horse in an endurance competition as well as some common problem areas to be aware of, this article aims to provide a guide to caring for your veteran endurance horse and how to get the best out of them.

Why might you consider a veteran horse?

Whilst you are not after a horse that is sluggish or disinterested, a horse that has mellowed with age is more capable of getting on with the job in hand. Older horses that have been managed well will have greater life experience and exposure to a variety of situations, which will aid you when you are out competing. If you are lucky enough to have owned your horse for a long time, you will be able to pick up on subtle changes and tackle problems earlier, this is a huge help in keeping them fit and well for longer.

Care before a competition All equine athletes require a careful feeding regime, fitness program and general husbandry. When they are still competing into their later years it is important to note that calorie requirements may change, and

composition of feed may also need to be revised. Supplementation of feed should also be considered and it is worth speaking to your veterinarian as to which would work best for your horse. Supplements targeting hoof care given that some terrain covered can be uneven and rough may be beneficial and similarly a good quality joint supplement. As horses age it is a given that some of their joints may begin to suffer and long-distance riding across uneven terrain and up and down steep inclines can exacerbate the problem. As well as feed supplementation, joints can be medicated to maintain a healthy joint environment, however there are restrictions on certain drugs used in this practice and you should discuss carefully with your vet if you think joint medication may be necessary.

Older horses have been proven to have changes in metabolic and endocrine function e.g. Cushing’s disease or Equine Metabolic Syndrome, changes in muscle composition and also a decline in respiratory efficiency.

Knowing your horse well and addressing any minor changes that you

See page 24 for a closer look at feeding the veteran endurance horse

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We take a closer look at dentistry

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Finally, as your horse ages it will change shape and keeping up with this is key. A saddle that fitted like a glove a few years ago may now pinch as part of the natural ageing process involves loss of topline muscle. A whole new saddle may not be the answer as tack can take a while to wear in but certainly a visit from the saddler is advised.

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Massage or acupuncture will help to maintain muscle health, help your horse recover and may even flag up problem areas

How can you help?

Maintaining a certain level of fitness will improve your balance and in turn limit excess strain on your horse whilst you’re in the saddle and it goes without saying that a horse carrying less weight will not have to work as hard. Having regular riding lessons will improve your overall riding ability and may pinpoint problem areas that you cannot notice from the saddle.

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Other things that can make all the difference to your horse during a race are: • Dismounting and leading your horse for steep inclines or particularly difficult terrain, this will take stress off their joints and soft tissues • Allow your horse to move over their preferred ground, some will choose softer ground and others will prefer to walk on

Care after a competition Immediately after the race you should be concentrating on a thorough cool down, rehydration and replacing lost calories. Offer water both plain and with electrolytes, a choice of forage and small concentrate feeds regularly. Continue to provide feed and water with electrolytes for at least two days following strenuous exercise, restoring electrolyte balance will aid a quick recovery. Monitor your horse for signs of exhaustion and colic which are problems that any horse may face but an older horse may take longer to recover from an episode, a good place to start is carefully observing their demeanour, urination and defecation and seek advice if anything appears awry.

Continue to monitor your horse for a few days after you return home and consider treating him to a massage, some chiropractic or even acupuncture, these will all help to maintain muscle health, help your horse recover and may even flag up problem areas. Prevention is always better than cure but especially when caring for a veteran horse!

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Setting off at a steady pace which you are aiming to maintain throughout the race is far better for older horses as they are less tolerant of high intensity activity. In a similar vein, while it may be logical that regular breaks would be more important to a veteran competitor, this can break up their rhythm.

If at any point your horse begins to feel ‘not quite right’, stop and assess the situation. As horses age, their capacity to heal drops off and stopping before a serious injury may mean that you're out competing again in a month or two instead of facing a long rehabilitation period or even retirement.

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Care during a competition A thorough warm up before a race is key and 20 minutes of active walking should be sufficient for most. Wear and tear on horses as they age mean that tendons are more likely to fatigue and muscles are more prone to tying up, getting these structures used to moving gently before being put under pressure should help to keep injuries at bay.

more solid footing • Trotting on sure footing and walking through muddy, rocky terrain will again spare soft tissues

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see is a good place to start in maintaining your horse’s health into their later years.

Farriery is of utmost importance as is good dentistry, horses’ teeth erupt throughout their life up to a certain point. Past this point, the teeth will continue to be worn down but have no capacity to grow anymore

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"Prevention is always better than cure but especially when caring for a veteran horse!"

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J & K Photography. 07720 547489 julieayres@aol.com. We cover East Anglia and beyond including all equine events, dog shows and private shoots.

Something for everyone

Woodhurst Group RDA

charity pleasure ride A

The ride was a great success, enjoyed by all ages and breeds.

fter the very cold wet and windy day on Saturday, the committee and friends of Woodhurst RDA Group were delighted that Sunday 5 May dawned clear and dry!

enjoy the scenic route. The going was good thanks to the rain the day before and very well marked. Bacon rolls and homemade cakes were welcomed on the riders’ return and the Gold RDA 50th anniversary rosettes went down well.

Each week the group gives 8 children with physical and learning difficulties, aged 4-7 years, the opportunity to ride. The sessions offer great physiotherapy and the advances seen by the group can be enormous; helping with movement and balance, and many other aspects of learning such as numeracy, reading, communication, problem solving and independence.

Lee-Anne Bower said, "It was such a lovely ride and really well organised and everyone was very friendly. We are looking forward to the next one".

The ride is generally held every other year, on the private Abbotts Ripton Estate near Huntingdon by very kind permission of Lord and Lady De Ramsey. As usual this year there was a choice of a 6 or 12 mile route, as well as a 2-3 mile lead rein option.

Almost 100 riders, from tiny tots on lead rein to experienced endurance competitors, from surrounding counties joined local riders to

Group Coach and Treasurer, Julia Rutherford said “We’d like to thank Lord and Lady De Ramsey for so kindly allowing us to run this event, the Dolby family for their huge input, particularly course-marking in the hail the day before, and all the kind volunteers who gave up their time for us. The event is our biggest fundraiser and looks set to have boosted our funds by around £1,200. Thanks too to Cromwell Endurance group for the use of their very useful fluorescent bibs and to J & K photography for recording many happy memories.”

Woodhurst Group RDA is a registered Charity 1164390

“RDA Endurance has become increasingly popular over the recent years and it is probably the most inclusive activity RDA offers.

Participants not only have access to a variety of places to ride but also can learn about equine care and knowledge. It is not just participants who are benefitting, but the volunteers are getting fitter by walking with the horses outside, essentially finding it an uplifting experience”.

Lucy Stokes, RDA Endurance Co-ordinator

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fun ride

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Golden Horseshoe

Joining the

Golden Horseshoe ‘legends’ Elizabeth Peplow is Press Officer for Endurance GB and the former Assistant Editor for Horse & Hound.

She has reported on endurance at home and abroad for more than 20 years.

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he 2019 edition of the Golden Horseshoe Ride was challenging by any standards. With no finishers in the 160km class, Karen Jones led the way in the 120km two-day ‘Stag’ with a silver and the trophy for the highest placed rider for the third time. She reflects on success and why she keeps going back for more…

Endurance GB has a 100 Club, in which a special group of riders and horses have achieved 100 miles in one day. But should there be another club? The Golden Horseshoe Greats - another elite group who have passed what many consider the sport’s truest test.

Heading this elite group would of course be Jill Thomas’s Egyptian Khalifa, who crossed the line in the 100-mile class at Horseshoe 11 times, collecting five Golds, three silvers, a bronze and just two eliminations.

The great Golden Horseshoe combinations of the 80s and 90s inspired Karen Jones to take up endurance in 2000 when she embarked on her first ride at Brendon Hills and she is amazed to find her name is now on the trophy for the highest placed rider at Golden Horseshoe for the third time. That she has done it with three different horses makes the Collompton-based

rider something of an Exmoor aficionado until you understand that Treasured Moonbeam also came eighth from 168 starters at Euston Park last year completing at just under 22km/hr.

“I love the Horseshoe and this little horse is amazing. Not many horses will do both Exmoor and race riding,” she says, still on a high less than 24 hours after collecting her second Silver with the 13 year old grey mare, Treasured Moonbeam, and her sixth completion as a rider after successes with Dancing Ruzala, Macadamia and Mellow Jazz.

“I hadn’t done too much with her before the Horseshoe this year, I had just ticked her over training on slow distance work which is brilliant for getting them stronger and it was our first ride of the season.

“This ride was tougher than last time and I am glad I did the 75-mile class. The weather was glorious and the ground rode well, but some sections felt very steep. At one point I got off and I could hardly walk myself, but you work together and the experience creates such a bond. You are not race riding, you are looking at what is in front of you every step of the way and you must listen to your horse and not push them. You get through a difficult point and then

Karen Jones and Treasured Moonbeam secure silver in the Exmoor Stag.

they pick up and you go again and you can feel your horse come back smiling.

“I was inspired by the likes of Jill Thomas at Horseshoe, they always had a professionalism and calmness and rode with such a sense of purpose and I would say to anyone thinking of doing the ride, to go for it! The course is different each year and on a ride like Horseshoe, you find depths in your horse and yourself that you didn’t know were there and it cements your relationship forever. The vets at the ride are so helpful and give you so much advice – its brilliant. They are not out to get you but there to offer support even if you are not successful, analysing things and building for the future.”

Plans for the rest of the season include Cirencester, Euston Park and then Red Dragon.

“Once you have done Horseshoe together it sets you up for the season. Now I will do galloping work and she will be ready for the big rides with one or two shorter easier outings in between so that she doesn’t feel every time out she has to race or climb hills.”

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Scottish

Festival of Endurance

Championships

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his year the Scottish Festival of Endurance (incorporating the Scottish Championships) returns to the country’s equestrian heartland, the Borders, where there are more horses per head of population than anywhere else in the UK. For centuries the horse has been associated with Borders history – with the cattle reivers of the late Middle Ages (believe it or not, some of the organised raiding parties could involve up to 3,000 riders), with the to-and-fro territorial tussles between the Scots and the English, and with the traditional ride-outs that are an annual colourful feature of many Border towns.

Hunting is still a popular pastime, with halfa-dozen packs thriving even under the new

A weekend away in Scotland's 'horse country' is SERC's offer to you in July

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legislation, and several long-distance riding trails have been established in recent years. As far as endurance in Scotland goes, it is probably no coincidence that two of SERC’s biggest Branches encompass the Border area.

So by returning to the Peebles area of the Tweed Valley for the first time in almost 20 years, the Championships are ‘coming home’.

Our base for the weekend of 12-14 July is the showground of the Peebles Agricultural Society, by kind permission of Forestry and Land Scotland (previously the Forestry Commission Scotland). The large flat fields are right beside the A72, the main road linking the central Borders area with the conurbations south of Glasgow, with the pretty town of Peebles a couple of miles away offering all amenities – including a swimming pool, and two spas in local hotels (one across the road from the venue) should you feel in need of pampering.

For the first time in many years the Championship Committee has been able to put together a single-loop 80km route, with two remote vetgates, and a single-loop 60km

endurancegb.co.uk

There will be a hog roast supper on the Saturday evening together with an onsite catering van each day. The following facilities will be available at the venue (there is no onsite stabling): • Camping • Sleeping in lorry/trailer • Caravan parking • Toilets • Saturday night supper – book with your entry • The Official Prizegiving will be held on Sunday night – all welcome

"For the first time in almost 20 years, the Championships are coming home" with one remote vetgate, which cover a wide variety of terrain. From open hills, to farmland, forestry, river banks, and minor roads the route circles Peebles and offers spectacular views of the Tweed Valley from many points.

If you don’t fancy the flagship two-day 160km class (sponsored by Franco-C Saddlery), or the two-day 120, shorter distances are equally wellserved, with three different 30k loops and three different Pleasure loops in various combinations to offer a tempting challenge. There’s the 3-day Peebles 100k (30/40/30), the Triple Challenge (20/30/30), and the Peebles Days (three separate 30k classes).

99% of the route area can be found on OS sheet Explorer 337 Peebles and Innerleithen. If you locate the forests of Cardrona, Cademuir and Glentress, the villages of Kirkton Manor,

The routes include hills, farmland, forestry and riverbanks, offering spectacular views

Eddleston and Traquair and the magical area known simply as The Glen, you will have found the main points connected by the routes.

Entries open 31 May 2019. Full details can be found on the SERC website – scottishendurance.com – click on Festival of Endurance. Please note that in line with our current policy, all horses are required to have up to date flu vaccinations, and passports will be checked to ensure compliance.

If you would like to make a holiday out of your visit, have a look at the Ride Scottish Borders Facebook page or website ridescottishborders. com, which have suggestions for horse-friendly accommodation and riding routes.

Alison Wilson

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FEI Sports Forum

‘For me it’s

all about the welfare’ Last month’s FEI Sports Forum focussed on one sport for the first time – Endurance – with a presentation of the findings of the FEI Endurance Temporary Committee (ETC) on ‘reshaping’ the sport’ Former British team vet SARAH COOMBS MRCVS, Chair of the ETC, talks exclusively to Endurance Magazine about the process to bring change and the challenges facing our sport

Elizabeth Peplow is Press Officer for Endurance GB and the former Assistant Editor for Horse & Hound. She has reported on endurance at home and abroad for more than 20 years.

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he second day of the FEI Sports Forum 2019 at Lausanne on 16 April 2019, broke new ground for the FEI by focussing exclusively on proposed ways to reshape the discipline of Endurance. It was the first time in the history of the Sports Forum (SF) that an entire day was dedicated to a single topic. The Endurance Temporary Committee (ETC), led by Sarah Coombs presented over three sessions the work it has done since its

The first ever FEI Forum dedicated to one sport was well attended and streamed around the world. TOP – Welfare comes first - Sarah Coombs pictured vetting at Windsor with Jo Malcolm and Khartoum

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creation in October 2018, following the debacle of the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, with emphasis on the Committee’s philosophy for changing the approach of the athletes and officials to the sport.

Q: You are most well known in the UK as British team vet and for your role as a veterinary official at FEI and Endurance GB rides. How and when did you first get involved as Chair of the FEI’s Endurance Temporary Committee?

A: I was on a visit to China in October for World Horse Welfare (WHW) - I'm a Trustee for them - and had a phone call from the Secretary General of the FEI. The FEI Board had been having discussions following Tryon and I think my Endurance and equine welfare credentials meant that my name came up. I have been a veterinary consultant to SPANA, and more recently to WHW, since I first qualified as

endurancegb.co.uk

"Prevention is always better than cure but especially when caring for a veteran horse!" a vet, travelling to North Africa and the Middle East. I also chair the Vet Advisory Committee for WHW and as such I think someone thought I would have relevant experience.

Q: What was your remit?

A: To 'return endurance to its roots with a renewed emphasis on horsemanship and completion and a move away from a "win at all costs" mentality.'

We spent much of our first meeting trying to agree on what we thought this meant and chose to interpret it as taking Endurance forward as a competitive discipline within the FEI whilst maintaining horse welfare as our top priority in accordance with the FEI Vision and Code of Conduct.

Q: Whose idea was the forum and how important was it that there was input from riders and governing bodies at the Forum in Lausanne which was attended on Endurance GB’s behalf by Chair Rebecca Kinnarney and International Chair John Robertson?

A: The FEI had already decided on the SF when they got us involved. I was very keen to have input from the whole of the Endurance world, partly because I didn't agree to taking

on this role because I have all the answers and I recognise that many people have intelligent and well-reasoned points of view which need to be heard. More than that though is the understanding that people are the experts in their own problem. They need the opportunity to identify what they think needs fixing and to engage with it and suggest how to sort it. I soon learned that this worked less well with those of our friends that don't perceive there to be anything wrong with what they do, but even so I have done my very best to build bridges.

That was why we had the stakeholder meetings in February with representatives from all the regional groups in person or by phone for nine hours of meetings.

Q: What issues do you feel most strongly about currently being faced

by Endurance internationally?

A: i) Drugs; Huge welfare issues and the direct cause, in my opinion, of many of the catastrophic injuries, and, in this discipline above all with all its vet inspections, cheating on an almost industrial scale.

ii) Officials; vets and judges who cannot or do not implement existing rules consistently and fairly, often because they have (knowingly or not) a conflict of interest and are appointed by

Valerie Kanavy, a member of the Endurance Temporary Committee speaks in favour of change

Feedback from the audience who included Endurance GB’s Chair Rebecca Kinnarney, to the right of the speaker

the OC and not the FEI with minimal rotation so that the same faces turn up at all the championships around the world. iii) From a vet point of view, the lack of scientific knowledge of the trainers in some parts of the world which gives rise to horses being trained excessively and therefore very close to their overload point and consequently a massive attrition rate in training. I secretly don't care very much about the competition, for me it’s all about the ponies.

Q: Do you feel the proposals offered at the Forum go some way to providing a solution and which do you feel are the key elements?

A: Yes but we still require the FEI to start to show strong leadership in order to enforce existing rules so that officials - who represent the FEI at the competition - do their job; eliminate the horses that should be eliminated and take strong and appropriate action on cheating and drug abuse.

Q: Where there are gaps, where does the sport go from here?

A: Trying to impose bigger and bigger sanctions to achieve behavioural change is subject to the law of diminishing returns. What is needed is a change of ethos about the fundamental importance of the welfare of the horse - which as we know must not be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences. If the sport is to move forward, there must be an end to drug abuse and in particular, the use of pain killers and nerve blocks during training and competition.

The gaps are in the current status of some of those Officials and in the ability of the legal department to be able to impose strong sanctions.

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Endurance GB welcomes lead given by Sarah Coombs on rule changes, on the management and training of officials and on the qualification process for riders Speaking after the FEI Sports Forum presentation at FEI rides, with measures to reduce speeds and given by the Endurance Temporary Committee, consider completion rates. We applaud the focus on Endurance GB Chair Rebecca Kinnarney said: horse welfare.

“Change is clearly needed and the Endurance Temporary Committee has worked extremely hard “Endurance GB will be reviewing all the plans to produce a set of proposals to take our sport into outlined in detail, including the proposals for the future. It has been a difficult job and Endurance novice qualification through to FEI GB is delighted that it is Sarah Coombs at the helm.” level. We will be involving members in the consultation process, giving us the opportunity “There have been some interesting recommendations to provide feedback to the FEI before November.”

at all in sport. I believe that if we don't clean up fast then not only is the future of Endurance at risk but it threatens to be a toxic influence on the future of all horse sport.

The other message that came across loud and clear at the stakeholder meetings was that all the many rules put in place to limit the damaging actions of individuals in one part of the world may have consequences for smaller FEI Endurance nations who find the ever increasing cost and difficulty of putting on FEI rides just prohibitive.

Sarah Coombs believes very rapid expansion of the sport meant that rule making became reactive rather than proactive.

"It's like stamping out forest fires, instead of setting up a fire break when the forest is planted," she says.

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There are encouraging developments from the veterinary department with increased testing and new tests which are less susceptible to manipulation.

Q: Looking back over your involvement with the sport do you ever reflect and question ‘how did we get to this point?’

A: Yes. I think that the very rapid expansion of the sport has perhaps meant that rule making became reactive rather than proactive. We are rather like the bloke stamping out forest fires instead of setting up a fire break when the forest was planted. People the world over know how to follow rules and do so in other disciplines and sports such as flat racing. The unfortunate conclusion has to be considered that had rules been enforced consistently and firmly throughout this time of rapid development, we would not have got to the place we are at.

Q: How serious are the challenges facing Endurance internationally and how far has the forum come in safeguarding the sport for the future?

A: Humongous. I said at the forum that we have no automatic right to practise equestrian sport on an international stage. We will not only be judged by a court of our peers but by all those people out there watching live feeds on social media who don't think horses have any place

Q: How has your experience over the past two-plus decades of the sport, riders, officials etc in the UK shaped your view of Endurance and its potential as well the challenges it faces?

A: The unique bond between the horse and his human is the special thing for me in this sport, for the most part that is the fundamental basis of the sport in the UK and has never wavered.

These days I find it very therapeutic to vet

endurancegb.co.uk

Highly respected members of the Endurance Temporary Committee Tarek Taher and Professor Tim Parkin

small Endurance GB rides with new people setting out who love what they do and are keen to learn and do things better. As long as riders, crew, organisers and officials all keep the horse at the front and centre of the choices they make, which we do in the UK from my experience, there is always hope for the future.

Q: What input did you have from the UK in carrying out your research over the past few months and have you had feedback from the UK and what has that been?

A: Prof Tim Parkin and his colleague Dr Euan Bennet at the University of Glasgow Vet school carried out all the Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS) research of course. I have also had considerable feedback from individual riders, vets and officials from the UK. Our next twoday meeting is in May when we will be reviewing some of the feedback since the Sports Forum.

Q: The Endurance Temporary Committee is formed of some of the most well- respected names in the sport (double World Champion – 1994 and 1998 - Valerie Kanavy (USA), Tarek Taher (KSA), the international Endurance rider elected by his peers as a member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee last year; Pieter Wiersinga (NED), chef d’équipe of the Dutch Endurance team and former Head of the Mounted Police in the Netherlands; and Dr Tim Parkin (GBR), a member of the FEI Veterinary Committee. How well did you get on and work together?

A: Really well. I have ‘beasted’ them a lot of the time too through huge long full day meetings, keeping them on topic and driving them to make decisions and carry out actions from

meetings. Luckily we have been united from our first meeting by a shared passion for our sport and by a drive to make things better so we have all got on well (well they seem to have put up with me!). I think our obvious deep commitment has been a breath of fresh air in Lausanne and has been welcomed by the FEI Endurance department.

Q: This grouping has huge credibility and integrity. Is there any reason why the Endurance Temporary Committee should not become permanent?!

A: I don't have time!!! This has taken up massive amounts of time above and beyond what would have been expected from a temporary committee. We have just asked the FEI for clarification of what 'temporary' means, but at some point the 'proper' Endurance technical committee needs to be reinstated in order to run the whole of the rest of the sport.

(Note to self: get the terms of the contract up front next time!)

Have your say on proposed FEI endurance rule changes You can pass on initial feedback to the National Federation (BEF) via Endurance GB, you can contact the FEI on endurance@fei.org or you can fill in the Endurance GB survey which will come out when the proposed rule changes are sent to NFs for comment this summer.

Q: What are you most proud of about the work you have carried out with the Committee?

A: Getting all the stakeholders together in Lausanne in February and managing to get through the whole of the Endurance day in April successfully - which was pretty gruelling, the first time ever for a Sports Forum to be all about one discipline all day - without doing anything too embarrassing.

A: It is very important that we don't all get over-faced by the difficulties that might seem insurmountable. We will make things better as long as we keep remembering what is important and what is not. Look at the riders at the top of their game and their attention to detail and their meticulous care of their horses and use them as your role model. Until change is made and the playing field becomes more level you may need to take pride in doing what you do to the very best of your ability without necessarily arriving on the podium at a world championship.

Q: What do you say to young riders in particular about the future prospects of the sport and how important is it that riders and those involved in the sport contribute to feedback on the findings?

We need your feedback. The proposed rule changes go to the NFs for comment over the summer so make sure you have your say.

There's no point in sitting on the side lines whingeing if you don't take the opportunity to make a change - that’s what got me into this!!

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Photo courtesy of Amanda Jane Smith Photography

Windsor Park

Louise Rich

rides Royal Windsor Louise Rich has been riding in endurance since 2004. She has worked with B & W Equine Group Ltd for the past 10 years and is also a fully qualified equine sports massage therapist.

I was so excited to ride at Windsor and it didn’t disappoint...lovely track and great atmosphere. Sadhira was an absolute star!

Major Shelley Bates

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indsor always seems to come around so quickly once the season is underway. This year I had entered my other horse Oakleaze Farm Czamak who hasn’t been here for a few years due to other ride plans for him and Oakleaze Farm Cziko having been entered in the 80km 1*. I had entered the 80km FEI 1* in the aim to canter around for some more fitness towards Kings Forest in the summer.

This year we unfortunately had a fair amount of rain on the run up to Friday morning which made the ground very slippery and muddy. The organisers had dealt well with this by putting shavings down in the muddy areas for the vetting area and stables. I have always enjoyed riding Royal Windsor as it's not somewhere you get to ride daily, and the atmosphere is always buzzing.

We arrived at around lunch time and the vetting was due to start at 2.30pm. The vetting all went well on the Thursday

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afternoon and we managed to stay dry.

Czamak and I went for a little ride with Katie Bedwin but unfortunately it rained, and we ended up soaked. Friday morning arrived and so did the fog, the organisers decided to start both classes behind a car due to the fog which seemed to work well, before I knew it, we were under starters orders and filed off behind the car into the great park. This year Ascot racecourse had to be taken out due to the issues around equine flu so I did wonder how the first loop would ride with all the rain and a different course, but I needn’t have worried.

It was fab with plenty of cantering and areas of grass, we also rode the loop in the opposite direction to previous years which made it more interesting.

Before I knew it, we had arrived back to the venue for the first vetgate, Czamak presented well and our hold commenced. 40 minutes later loop 2 was under way and we were off cantering for another 30km. Once again, this loop rode well, the sand tracks still had water on them and the puddles were still in

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Windsor gives British riders a wonderful experience at a showcase venue

“Sam, the horse that keeps on giving!

We loved Royal Windsor and the track rode well despite the torrential rain the day before. It was technical, balance and care were the order of the day. Huge thanks to my top crew and of course, thanks to the Organisers, Officials and Volunteers who all contribute to a great event.”

Anna Bridges

existence, but the ground had started to dry out a little. By this time, we had settled into a small group of about 5 which was lovely as we had all sorts of company.

The second vetgate went well again and the 40 mintue hold time vanished so last loop it was. Our final canter around the great park.

Czamak absolutely flew this loop in around an hour, cantering down the long strip to the new start/finish signs made me think back to how much I love riding here. Each loop has a different feel to it and you don’t really notice you're crossing over the other loops and riding some of the same parts of the park.

The finial vetting went well once again and we passed in 11th place which I was really pleased with as the class had 41 starters and it’s the biggest international field Czamak has started in.

I would like to thank all the organisers who made this Royal Windsor Endurance possible as it really is a one off opportunity to ride in the Great Park.

“I love the event at Royal Windsor, it has such a great atmosphere and is brilliant to train our horses for a ‘championship atmosphere’. I took it steady at the back of the field, as with the heavy rain the going was slippery and deep in places and I was after a good completion as we hopefully have some big plans on the horizon.”

Katie Bedwin

ride report

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Did someone say beach?

Pembrey

Country Park T

his was Pembrey’s second year as a national and competitive ride. It was pleasing that entries had nearly doubled from last year, with our 2 day classes and new 1 day 80km and 64km classes, which were very well supported.

“This was a fantastic ride.

We camped overnight and regretted not riding both days.

Lovely laid-back atmosphere and friendly organisers and riders. The route was good, beautiful woodland tracks, sandy canters and the beach was superb. Thank you to the volunteers we had a brilliant time! Back again next year!”

Angela Percival

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The spacious venue saw nearly 40 campers stay over the weekend and brave the cold conditions! At least it stayed dry, even if the wind was a bit “fresh”. There are a few pubs nearby so competitors were able to make a real social weekend of it and catch up with endurance buddies.

Riders travelled from far and wide to join in the fun, word certainly seems to have got around about Wales’ flattest ride! It was nice to welcome a variety of riders from highly experienced to complete beginners and everyone in between.

It was lovely to be able to offer advice and help to those riders having a go at endurance for the first time and then hearing how they couldn’t wait to do more once they had completed their ride. Hopefully this will have created a few more endurance enthusiasts.

There were some route improvements from last year. The £3 surcharge which is levied by

"Hopefully this will have created a few more endurance enthusiasts." the Pembrey Conservation Trust goes toward works to improve tracks for riders in the forest.

I think those that attended in 2018 and again this year will agree that the improvements to the route were most beneficial. A new access track has been cut through the trees to provide direct access to the forest from the venue, removing the two way section along the road to the park.

The beach access point has also been improved so we were able to have the beach as a one way section. Co-organisers Hilary Kaye and Karin Hilton did a super job of working out and marking the route to provide lots of interesting “twisty” tracks between the pines and lots

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Image courtesy of Nicky Rhodes Photography

The ride incorporated lots of interesting twists, canter tracks and did we mention the beach?

We drove 200 miles ready to start the ride on Saturday. Our first visit to this ride and it has now become my favourite, forest tracks and 2km of beach in the middle of the route.

So much love and admiration for my pony, vetting in 5 mins and 20 mins, winning us the performance formula award for our class. I couldn't have asked for anything more from the weekend..... loved it!

Lisa Hayworth

“This was only our 3rd ever Endurance GB fun/pleasure ride.

First time here. Such a pleasant ride, all flat with bonus of a gallop on the beach. Thank you to everyone who make these rides possible. It’s greatly appreciated.”

Melanie Derrick

of lovely canter tracks to enjoy, as well as the beach (did we mention the beach?!)

The 2 day classes were judged using performance formula. The 2 day 80km was won

by Wendy Everson, 2nd Rosemary Henderson and 3rd Caroline Le Butt. The 2 day 64km was won by Lisa Hayworth, 2nd Calley Dancey and 3rd Alex Tennant. Well done everyone and thanks to Dash Equestrian, Bridgend for providing the gorgeous first prizes.

On behalf of myself, Hilary and Karin, I would like to say thank you to all those riders who chose to

come to our ride. We hope you enjoyed, we have certainly enjoyed hearing all the lovely feedback from you on social media. As ride organisers, it’s always nice to know that people enjoy the events you work so hard to create. Lastly, a massive thank you to our small, but dedicated band of volunteers who helped make the ride run smoothly, we couldn’t do it without you!

Plans are already underway for next year’s event and we hope to see you all back again at Pembrey in 2020.

"Beach & forest - just a lovely combination.

Such a brilliant ride and venue! Super marking! The support/water/sloshes out on course was fantastic!

The beach - Wow! Great atmosphere and brilliantly organised. Thank you to all those involved - we loved every minute!”

Samantha Howard

Laura Robinson

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Photos courtesy of IndiePics

Volunteers step up

Cheshire Forest Frolic Ride

T

he British weather is often unpredictable and Friday 11th May proved no exception. After the drama of “4 seasons route markings” by ride organiser Pat Guerin and Cheshire Member Anna Collins, we welcomed the cold, crisp sunshine that came with Saturday morning.

Jane Steward had a last-minute dash around the Old Pale Heights to re-enforce any washedout markings, while those of us at the venue frantically worked to get the secretaries' trailer set up with eager riders already queuing for their bibs. Soon enough, the horses and riders headed out onto the lush grass of Kelsall Hill Farm Ride, which hosted the venue for the ride.

About six weeks prior to the ride we were really struggling for volunteers, so I posted a plea on our Facebook page. We had an amazing response, including support from Lancashire member Liz Nabb and Anita Booth who is not an Endurance GB Member and had never helped at an event before, both did a sterling job on the day. We also had some rather unexpected volunteer offers nearer the time of the ride. Jill Thorburn and Kim Thurlow were both entered to do the ride, but unfortunately neither were able to participate.

Jill had taken a bad fall from her horse and Kim had an accident playing rugby, but between them they manned a gate and ticked riders on and off the venue all day!

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Long term supporters, Tim and Dale Jones join us again this year with their lovely horses Ohran O Feillion and Khezya.

In the very typical spirit of the sport, our volunteers had three arms and two legs in full working order between them

The pair can be seen sporting our very nice “Ride Official” Bibs. I would like to thank to all of our volunteers who made the ride possible, we hear this a lot, but it takes so many people to make a ride like this run smoothly.

Rowan 2nd Julie Abbott with TM Valentino.

Class 2. Wendi Bailey with Kennox Calsun. Class 3. Emma Martin with Lowmilbourne Earl. Class 4. Jane Wyatt with Magners Gold and Class 5.

Rachel Owen with Aurora XXIV.

There were also some special prize winners, the Eld Trophy for best shod horse was won by Killomen Trump ridden by Lesley Caswell. Our generous sponsors Baileys Horse Feeds also provided feed vouchers that were given out on a performance formula basis and the winners were: Class 1. 1st Emily Ferguson with Tannasg

I would also like to say a massive thank you to Pat Guerin and Pennie Drummond for organising the ride yet again and tackling new challenges like the Flu Vaccination check. It’s definitely a favourite on the calendar for a lot of people.

Cathrine Sandberg

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