Endurance Magazine Winter 2021

Winners Profiles 2021 Endurance GB winners are celebrated

Winter Feed Expert advice

Winter 2021

Official members' publication for Endurance GB

Fast and slow release energy for sparkle and stamina!

WITH ADDED LINSEED

A high energy feed – DE 12.8MJ/kg Balanced with vitamins and minerals Contains a probiotic and a blend of prebiotics for healthy digestion Includes linseed – a good source of Omega 3

Contact our award-winning helpline for more information and nutritional advice on 01362 822 902 or email helpline@ allenandpage.co.uk Gemma Grodkiewicz and Merlin -– Gemma Grodkiewicz and Magical Merlin

www.allenandpage.com

In this

Volume 18 – Issue 4

issue

Endurance GB Office Administration Endurance GB Office, Abbey Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2RP t: 02475 313353 f: 02476 418429 Publisher

Unit C, Northfield Point, Cunliffe Drive, Kettering, Northants, NN16 9QJ t: 01536 527297 e: info@matrixprint.com Designed by Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Production Editor Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Catherine Baldock t: 01536 527 297 e: catherineb@matrixprint.com Advertising Sales Manager Matrix Print Consultants Ltd Andy Etherton t: 01536 527 297 e: andy@matrixprint.com Deadlines Copy Dates to Editor for future issues of Endurance: Spring 22 copy deadline is 13 January 2022. 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.

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Endurance GB 6

Winners' Profiles 2021 Winners Celebrated

16

Annual General Meerting Round up of this year’s event

18

Home Internationals How did the Home Nations fare?

24

Red Dragon Ride Review

Cover Photo Supreme Champion Lesley Caswell Photo courtesy of David Saunders Photography

Follow us

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Derbyshire Group

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Obituaries

One group's huge effort to keep members interested and engaged

Celebrating the lives of three Endurance GB greats

Regulars 34

@endurancegbinsta

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Features 12

Winter Feeds

20

Balanced Diet

30

Expert opinion

Advice we can all take note of

First Aid Tips and Tricks

SERC Scottish endurance round up

@EnduranceGB EnduranceGB

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Masterson Method Tune into your horse

YouTube Success We take a look into the @BethEndurance YouTube channel

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Inner Thelwell Find your inner Thelwell

ISSN 2516-2349

contents

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easy peasy NAF make caring for your horse or pony fun and easy with the NEW Thelwell Care Range Let’s hope Fiona discovers the range soon!

© the Thelwell Estate 2021

Thelwell Citronella Spray Simply spray this on summer coats for a long lasting natural scent. Citronella Spray supports the skin throughout the summer months and the results are refreshing, deodorising and effective.

Thelwell Hoof Solution Care for your Thelwell’s hooves with this easy to apply hoof solution. This solution helps to support hoof integrity from the outside in and makes sure that your horse or pony is ready for all types of action.

Thelwell Lavender Wash This wash provides a gentle refreshing wash to lift sweat, grease and dust from the coat without needing to rinse.

Promote coat health and vitality whilst leaving your Thelwell soothed and relaxed.

Thelwell Muck Off Tackle tough grass and stable stains with Muck Off, a unique product which simply lifts the stain away from the coat.

Keep your Thelwell looking spotless.

Thelwell Perfectly Pink Shampoo For all dirty horses and ponies who want to clean up and stand out from the crowd, this shampoo cleans deeper and makes them shine brighter.

Thelwell Silky Mane & Tail D-Tangler Make grooming easy and untangle untidy knots with ease, helping to avoid damage and support condition and shine. This non sticky, non-greasy conditioning spray leaves the mane and tail easily brushed through.

Thelwell Ultra Violet Shampoo If you want your Thelwell to look cleaner and smarter, this shampoo is perfect for ensuring that you get dazzling results every time.

Thelwell Tack Clean Nourish your leather with this deep cleansing and conditioning formula which lifts dirt and grease fast whilst conditioning your tack.

The fantastic new Thelwell care range has been created and produced by leading care and supplement manufacturer NAF. This new range features eight specially selected NAF favourites that are ideal for caring for your very own Thelwells.

Contact NAF using our FREE Nutritional Call 0800 373 106 or email info@naf-uk.com

Advice Line

Available to buy on ponymag.com/shop and amazon.co.uk

naf-equine.eu/uk

Future

Endurance GB Board of Directors

focus

Chairman and Sponsorship Director PHIL NUNNERLEY T: 07860 323968 / 01761 221561 E: philnunnerley@endurancegb.co.uk

Phil Nunnerley | Chair of Endurance GB

Vice Chair, Operations and IT Director ESTHER YOUNG T: 07454 929919 E: estheryoung@endurancegb.co.uk Finance Director CHRIS WRAY T: 07856 500519 / 01600 860938 E: chriswray@endurancegb.co.uk H&S and Safeguarding Director AMANDA WOOLCOMBE T: 07771 362105 E: amandawoolcombe@endurancegb.co.uk Welfare & Disciplinary Director ANTONIA MILNER-MATTHEWS T: 07712 559256 E: antoniamilner-matthews@endurancegb.co.uk International, Young Riders, Para Riders, and Coaching Director ROSEMARY ATTFIELD T: 07810 580880 / 01403 822567 E: rosemaryattfield@endurancegb.co.uk Sustainability Director and SERC nominee ALISON SEGGIE T: 07875 408915 E: Alison.seggie@btinternet.com PR & Comms Director HEATHER GILES T: 01308 867754 E: heathergiles@endurancegb.co.uk Groups, Volunteering and Office Director SHELLEY BATES T: 07760 264619 E: shelleybates@endurancegb.co.uk Governance Director & Company Secretary LOUISE MCCANN T: 07785 246929 E: louisemccann@endurancegb.co.uk Directors of Endurance GB are volunteers, so please be patient and considerate with any queries. Most Directors work full time elsewhere and are not always available during working hours. No calls before 9am or after 9pm please.

Dear Members, The 2021 season draws to a close though there are still a few Yuletide rides in the calendar.

Saturday saw our first hybrid Annual General Meeting (AGM) with members present in person or joining virtually. The technology seemed to work well and there were plenty of contributions from both audiences. Yes, the meeting was of longer duration than usual but with 15 member proposals it was important for both the Board and the audience to listen to the case for change to some of our rules. There are a number of notable changes, details as to the implications of which we will share more widely ahead of the new season.

We all hope we might look forward to a 'normal' season in 2022.

We have a full and exciting ride programme, details of which we will again share shortly.

The AGM saw the retirement from the Board of Kerry Dawson, Rosemary Henderson and Claire Barry. We are grateful to each of them for the time they committed to their respective busy roles. In their place we welcome Shelley Bates, Heather Giles and Louise McCann.

Everyone enjoyed the Awards Dinner following the AGM. It was so good to celebrate the many successes in what was a difficult and challenging year. Congratulations to Lesley Caswell, our Supreme Champion for 2021.

Unchanged subscriptions for 2022 are renewable from 13th December. We hope you will continue your support.

It remains only for me to wish you luck in getting your horses fit for what we hope will be a cracking 2022; and to wish you all best wishes for a peaceful Christmas which I hope you can this year celebrate with all your family.'

Phil 5

Champions profiles

A look back at this year's

Award Winners

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champions

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

W

e look back at this year’s awards winners starting with Lesley Caswell the Endurance GB Supreme Champion 2021.

Supreme Champion: Lesley Caswell

Senior and Overall Supreme Champion for 2021, Lesley Caswell, 69, with Crystal Magic Star, first started competing in the sport back in the 1980s.

Elizabeth Peplow caught up with Lesley following the Annual Awards evening to find out more of her story: Why did you get involved in endurance?

I’ve always enjoyed traveling with horses and staying away, so competitions are all the excuse I need. I get excited about competitions midweek... I can't wait; even now after all the years I’ve been competing.

Looking back, what's your favourite ride?

Ludlow by far. I love the toughness and beautiful going.

What are your most memorable moments?

The kick I got out of bringing a National Champion from showing to National Champion in endurance. Buying a horse and realising its potential.

What are your remaining endurance ambitions?

I’d like to get back to riding bigger distances. Magic and I had a good season just getting to know each other but we’ve not had to push for that extra mile. Next year we’ll see what we’re made of.

How do you train your horses?

I box most days to Christmas Common or Ewelme, near Wallingford in the Chilterns. At weekends we travel to Berkshire Downs at Wantage or Lambourn. For extra training I do long slow cantering on the Kings Forest sand tracks, especially if the home ground is too hard.

How do you plan your endurance season?

I try to get started early in the season and that means a competition every three weeks. That gives us time for a three-day break at Kings Forest or similar. It keeps Magic keen if we go there cantering and I love those tracks. I like to keep my training varied. As Magic is such a good lad, I can confidently travel to different places on my own to train. Magic looks after me, he’s so reliable, and little bit competitive making it all great fun.

What is your endurance philosophy?

If you come home, horse sound and you had a good time, seen your friends, spent time with the horse/best friend and not argued with your crew... life’s dandy!

Supreme Champion: Lesley Caswell

What horses have you had over the years?

My first horse was a Connie called George, who I qualified for the Golden Horseshoe Ride back in the 1980’s, next I had two part bred Arabs, Scherezade, who I qualified and completed the Golden Horseshoe Ride and Royal Lord.

Royal Lord was the first horse I completed on my first race ride back in 1984. Then I purchased my first Pure Bred Arabian, Archimedes. The truly amazing Arabian who was crowned British National Gelding in 1980. It was a privilege to have completed on him. He was Pure Crabbet.

Crabbet’s Arabians may not be the fastest but Crabbet Arabians are true steady Endurance horses, and will last the test of time and give you many years of endurance. Tarka competed alongside Archie and I was part of the England Home International once on Tarka.

Then came along Rahchise, a pure bred Arab of high crabbet breeding who I competed on for nine

"Magic looks after me, he’s so reliable and little bit competitive, making it all great fun." years. Then in 2019 my wish came true, I bought Crystal Magic Star from Philip Hirst. We’ve never looked back, I am so lucky to have him, we look after each other and nothing will stop us. We are best pals. At home, Magic’s very talkative, if I’m working on the yard he is always chattering to me, at times a little naughty side comes out but its only fun.

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Veteran Championship – Silverling Flint Memorial Trophy: Kathy Carr’s Aberllwyd Femme Fatalle

Congratulations Kathy, tell us what makes Aberllwyd Femme Fatalle so special: “That's quite a question! Paris has a positive attitude to everything (except schooling which she thinks completely pointless) and she loves Endurance.

She’s good natured and a pleasure to handle.

When I bought her, I wouldn’t have believed where she’d take me - Golden Horseshoe, Red Dragon, FEI up to 3* level and still loving to compete and winning trophies at 18. One thing that makes her a special Endurance horse is she’s very tough and resourceful. What makes her really special is she's always smiling, from the first time I see her in the morning to waiting for her goodnight carrot. You can't beat that expression.”

Stable Name: Paris Age: 18 Height: 14.3hh Colour: Bay Gender: Mare Breeding/ sire/ dam: Arab, by Karmah, out of Gelma du Volday (by Dormane).

Does Paris have any funny habits?

When competing, if offered water by crew before she’s ready to drink, she’ll put her head in the bucket and toss it away, often soaking the poor crew in the process!

What is Paris's best feature?

She's very kind, both to people and other horses (generally).

How long you have had her and how did you come to buy her?

I've had her for nearly 13 years. I bought her in Wales as a six- year-old with the intention of taking up endurance after a break from the sport.

I nearly gave several times in the first couple of years as the spooks were so unnerving but I’m so glad I persevered.

Veteran Championship : Silverling Flint Memorial Trophy: Kathy Carr

What is your secret to competing a veteran so successfully?

It’s certainly helped to start with a horse who is generally very sound. As she’s got older, I don't work her as much. She retains her fitness well, so it doesn't take a huge amount to get her back up to 80k level and I'd rather not keep piling more miles on those legs.

Junior Champion: Lois Cooper

Lois, 12, comes from an endurance family; her grandmother, Denise Passant, was a member of the first ever British Endurance Team in 1986 winning team gold in Italy. Denise went on to become ELDRIC champion 1988. Lois’s mother, Christie, also competed.

"What makes her really special is she's always smiling"

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endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

"The pair’s highlight of 2021 was being part of the MidSouth team at the Inter Regionals at Cirencester and completing the twoday 80km ride" How did you first get involved in endurance?

A friend invited me to Quantocks in 1995 with my Pony Club horse, a Thoroughbred named Mint Mark. I was hooked. He was aged 20 and loved it; my one regret was not doing it sooner with him.

My endurance heroes were Jane James, Jill Thomas, Barbara Elwell and Gill Campbell. I dreamed one day I’d do the 160km rides they were doing.

Junior Champion: Lois Cooper

Christie takes up the story: “Lois had just turned eight when she rode her first 32k at Tilford on her 12hh pony Finny. She loved it and was planning her next ride on the way home. Lois then partnered Maddie (Heatherglen’s Madeleine) doing very well together in their first season finishing with the Novice Championship at Red Dragon.

“Lois’s best moment so far was riding for Ireland in the Home International at Red Dragon in 2019 where she came second in the two-day 78km class; Lois also came third at the Pony Club National Championships at Euston Park representing Bisley and Sandown Chase in the Junior Intermediate section.”

In 2020 Lois and Maddie completed their first 64km ride at Lions Tail but it became obvious Lois was getting too tall to carry on riding Maddie.

“We started looking for a new pony, ideally a pure or part-bred Arab, but couldn’t find anything suitable. By complete chance, Kit the Connemara came into our lives. He’s an amazing show jumper but tended to nap half-way through a round. To

try and get him to stop this we thought we’d take him to a ride, so Lois started the 2021 season on him. Little did we know that he would take to it like a duck to water.”

Lois soon found that as she increased the endurance riding miles, the less Kit was napping in the school. The pair’s highlight of 2021 was being part of the Mid-South team at the Inter Regionals at Cirencester and completing the two-day 80km ride.

“Lois loves the freedom that riding and endurance gives her, she rides for hours every day; Lois’s ambition is to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and ride for Great Britain.”

Para Champion: Kirsty Wiscombe

Kirsty Wiscombe and Yawl Hill Big Yin had a fantastic season winning both the Cairo Trophy for the best part-bred Arabian and the ParaEquestrian League sponsored by Torq Fitness.

Elizabeth Peplow caught up with Kirsty:

I’ve since ridden over 20,000 successful km in competition, highlights being 4 FEI 3* 160km rides on my homebred senior stallion PBA Yawl Hillbilly and 5 FEI 3* rides on my pure-bred Arabian, Eskar.

My best results were finishing 5th in the 160km at Le Lac de Madine in France on Yawl Hillbilly in 2015 and winning the 1 star at Well Vale in 2021 on his son Yawl Hill Big Yin. How do you train and stay fit?

I normally decide which big ride/FEI ride they are doing and work backwards from that planning their training, smaller preparation rides, farrier and equine physio around the date. Our favourite rides are Golden Horseshoe 160km for the challenging terrain and Kings Forest for the FEI rides.

The horses do a mixture of hacking round the lanes at home (I have no canter work near home), boxing out to Sarah Ollis’ yard to train, schooling, lessons, canter training on beach/gallops (both of which are a hour away) and have sessions on the horse walker.

In addition to riding my 6 competition horses, I also regularly go to the gym, working with a personal trainer once a week. I’m lucky to be crewed and supported by my hubby Richard and

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my friend Mechelle Page. Mechelle is awesome and often looks after me as well as the horses.

Sum up the 2021 season – the highs and lows for you: The high was winning the 100km FEI 2 star at Well Vale with my homebred junior stallion Yawl Hill Big Yin in the same week that he also did the 2-day NASTA grading where he graded and became a AHS performance tested premium stallion.

Which was your most challenging ride?

The 160km at Le Lac de Madine in 2013 where I finished the 160km in 15th. It poured with rain all day, most of the markers were washed away and the stables flooded. Billy kept going all day over some very tough terrain.

Remaining endurance ambitions?

I’ve learnt I have a lot of stamina and never give in no matter how much pain I’m in, so I aim to finish my 10th FEI 3 star 160km ride to then gain Elite status, to represent the UK at a championship and to compete at my bucket list rides abroad including the iconic rides of Tevis, Quilty and South Africa’s new Ride The Wild Coast 350km 5-day challenge.

How would you sell the sport to a friend to encourage them to start?

It’s a brilliant way to get your horse fit, ride over some beautiful areas and its inclusive. Everyone is made to feel welcome no matter what level or distance they are doing. My endurance philosophy is “To finish is to win”. I’ve ridden many rides abroad and often finished last but finishing and enjoying the scenery is more important than winning.

Ride Organiser: Gemma Schwendel

The June Adams Award went to Gemma Schwendel for not only resurrecting the White Rose ride but also receiving the best ride feedback of any Graded Endurance Ride:

"It’s a brilliant way to get your horse fit, ride over some beautiful areas and its inclusive."

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endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

"with many good comments making all the hard work worth it. I can’t wait to get going again next year"

“We planned for 2020 but… In March 2021 we were out for a walk in the Wolds and found a large farmyard with a vast area of hard standing.

I said to my husband “this would make a great ride venue” and looking at the map it was well connected to the local bridleways. One phone call to the farmer later and we had a venue.

Ride Organiser : Gemma Schwendel

“From then on, it was full speed ahead. The North and East Yorkshire committee gave me huge support, answering 1001 questions and checking I’d done everything. The routes themselves were relatively easy to design following much of the route from earlier years. The White Rose Ride was well and truly back!

“The week before the ride was extremely stressful, with vets, helpers and entries dropping like flies due to Covid-19. The weather forecast was hot and temperatures hit record highs as we marked the route. By 9pm we were done. Lying in the campervan watching hares dancing in the summer moonlight was magical.

“The day itself held some dramas. We were a vet and some helpers down. Catriona and Jackie Moon did sterling work running the vetting and finish area. Brian Floyd-Davis (TS) and Christine Smyth (starter and all-round superstar) remained calm whilst I did the proverbial headless chicken act. Everyone was fantastic, pitching in and doing whatever was needed.

“We moved to the Yorkshire Wolds from Devon in 2016. The chalk valley landscape, extensive bridleway network and sweeping views over the Vale of York quickly became a favourite haunt.

However, it was puzzling why there was no

Endurance GB ride in the area. So, I asked the question. The reply? “Funny you should say that.

The White Rose Ride used to run in the area. Do you want to bring it back to life?”. A moment’s pause, a deep breath and “sure, why not?”.

“Despite the uncomfortably high temperatures, horses and riders had a great time, with many “it’s so good to have the White Rose Ride back!” comments making all the hard work, stress and late nights completely worth it. I can’t wait to get going again next year.”

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Equine diet

Feeding the equine athlete

through the winter months

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nutrition

features | endurancegb.co.uk

Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at Allen & Page Horse Feeds looks at how best to feed these equine athletes to match their energy needs, whatever their workloads this winter.

T

he workload of endurance horses can vary significantly through the winter months. Some might enjoy some well-earned time off; others may turn their hooves to alternative disciplines and then of course there are many who start weeks of fitness training to get ahead for the new season.

Feeding for low energy requirements

Feed energy is not only important for fuelling exercise, but it is also responsible for a horse’s bodyweight and condition. Winter is typically a time when horses lose weight due to the colder temperatures and reduction in grazing quality. For good doers and those carrying a little too much condition from good grazing last summer it is an ideal time to encourage this natural weight loss, particularly if their workloads will be reducing too.

However, it is important that alongside grazing and supplementary forage, a balanced feed is used to ensure your horse receives all the nutrition they need. A low energy (8MJ/kg or less), balanced feed such as Fast Fibre will help to ensure that good doers at rest or in light work receive all the nutrition they need without too many additional calories.

"Winter is typically

a time when horses lose weight due to the colder temperatures and reduction in grazing quality"

embarking on a training programme will often benefit from a higher energy diet. Energy is supplied from three main dietary constituents: namely fibre, glucose (from starch) and oil. Fibre and oil are good sources of slow-release energy, whereas cereals including barley, oats, and maize, contain high starch levels which provide fast release energy. It is well recognised that too much fast release energy can have a negative effect on some horses’ behaviour, causing them to become over-reactive and excitable. A high starch and sugar diet can also cause digestive upset. Slowrelease energy is much less likely to have these effects and is ideal for fuelling the long-distance exercise of endurance horses. So, when looking to increase the energy content of your horse’s diet,

Feeding for high energy requirements

Horses that tend to lose weight easily in winter and those remaining in an active workload or

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choose a feed with an energy level of between 11MJ/kg and 13MJ/kg, like Calm & Condition, which is high in fibre and oil and lower in starch and sugar than cereal based feeds.

Suitable feeds

This winter, choose from a range of feeds such as those from Allen & Page, that offer a variety of different energy levels to allow you to meet your horse’s changing energy needs. Fast Fibre has a low digestible energy (DE) level of 8MJ/kg, which is ideal for horses at rest or in light work who may not need too much additional energy from a feed. When energy needs increase due to a higher workload or a tendency to lose weight, providing there are no veterinary issues that will affect feeding requirements (e.g. laminitis), you can simply change to a higher energy feed that is more nutrient dense. Soothe & Gain is a high energy feed that utilises fibre and oil as the main energy sources and is ideal for meeting the slow-release energy demands of poor doers and harder working horses. Balanced feeds like those from Allen & Page will provide your horse with all the essential vitamins and minerals and quality protein they need, as long you feed within the recommended amounts for your horse’s weight and workload. Always weigh feeds to be sure you are feeding recommended amounts accurately and

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nutrition

features | endurancegb.co.uk

"Horses are perfectly

adapted to consuming large amounts of fibre and alongside good quality forage, a high fibre feed is the ideal choice"

split daily feed amounts into as many smaller meals as possible to avoid overloading the digestive system.

‘soupy’ will come in handy during those hot weather days or to help with rehydration.

Feeding endurance horses through rest, training and competition involves carefully balancing their energy requirements to fuel their workload and maintain an ideal body condition, sustaining an even temperament and good behaviour, and supporting good digestive health. Feeding a high quality, balanced feed matching your horse’s energy needs this winter will help maximise health, performance and competition success in the future.

The benefits of high fibre and high oil diets

Horses are perfectly adapted to consuming large amounts of fibre and alongside good quality forage, a high fibre feed is the ideal choice. Some fibrous ingredients are termed ‘super fibres’, this means they provide much higher levels of energy than forage. Sugar beet pulp is one such ‘super fibre’ that is used in varying amounts in many of Allen & Page’s feeds as a source of slow-release energy.

Feeds that are high in oil are more energy dense than traditional cereal-based feeds and can help maximise a horse’s energy intake without overfeeding. In fact, oils contain nearly 2.5 times as much energy as the equal weight of carbohydrates, which means they are an invaluable component of diets for endurance horses in hard work. Horses digest oil well and when performing aerobically, endurance horses will use up their fat stores as the first energy source, meaning stores of glycogen in the muscles remain available for anaerobic metabolism should a sprint finish be required!

Using a soaked feed

Some horses may not drink as much water as they

Joanna Palmer is a nutritionist at Allen & Page Horse Feeds

need to stay well hydrated. Feeds that incorporate sugar beet pulp will require soaking before feeding which is highly beneficial in increasing a horse’s water intake, particularly during the winter months when there is a greater reliance on dry, conserved forage. Using warm water for soaking will release aromas in the feed making it highly appetising for even the fussiest of feeders.

Incorporating a soaked feed into your horse’s diet now will help boost hydration levels during training and will continue to be helpful if used throughout the training and competition season. Additionally, training a horse to eat soaked feeds made more

For more information on feeding your endurance horse visit www.allenandpage.co.uk or call the friendly nutrition helpline on 01362 822902

nutrition

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AGM Round-up

Annual General Meeting

cements bid to grow membership

E

ndurance GB’s Annual General Meeting held at Woodland Grange in Leamington Spa on Saturday 27 November 2021 saw some key changes to Endurance GB's rule book approved by the membership: •

•

•

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The minimum speed for all open/advanced Graded Endurance Rides was reduced from 10kph to 9kph, and ride organisers were also given the ability to apply to the Endurance GB Board to lower their minimum speed further on a ride-by-ride basis. This will make more challenging courses a more attractive prospect to riders. It will also allow riders to better prepare their horses for longer distances by following the old adage: increase distance before speed There will be a compulsory midway vetgate in all rides over 46km, improving horse welfare and making longer rides more attractive to riders attempting a longer distance for the first time Riders who retire at a midway vetgate following a successful vetting will be able to claim a completion and grading for the distance that they have ridden up to that point. This will encourage people to have a go at longer distances

AGM report

•

1st-3rd 'Performance Formula' placings will be offered for all Graded Endurance Rides alongside the existing grading awards, giving an additional competitive challenge for riders

•

Some of the championship rules and eligibility criteria were amended and clarified.

The minimum distance for the Young Rider National Championship was reduced from 120km to 80km, putting it within reach of a wider range of young riders

•

Some minor amendments have been made to the Para-Equestrian Endurance rules to simplify the administrative process for ParaEquestrian riders.

Operations Director Esther Young said: "These are exciting changes which will increase our appeal in the wider equestrian community and will make progression both to higher distances and to more challenging courses far more attractive whilst keeping horse welfare at our heart. We have a full season planned for 2022 with distances from 5km to 160km and we are very much looking forwards to welcoming all levels of riders to our events. Endurance riding really is a sport that has something for everyone."

New Board Directors appointed

Three new board Directors have been appointed.

Heather Giles succeeds Kerry Dawson as Director of PR and Communications. Heather has been an endurance rider for over 30 years and her introduction to the sport came in 1987 when she was living in France and where she competed nationally and internationally for 15 years. Since returning to the UK she has taken several horses from Novice to Advanced level for their owners and has ridden major rides such as Golden Horseshoe and Red Dragon. She has also crewed extensively both in the UK and abroad.

Heather said: “My many years in endurance gives me, I believe, the ability to understand and empathise with riders at both the top and the bottom of the pyramid. I’ve been a ride organiser and a volunteer both with Endurance GB and British Eventing and I’m very keen on nurturing and rewarding our volunteers who are indispensable to the sport. I would also like to help take endurance riding to a wider audience and raise its profile in the equestrian world.

“It’s clear that we need to grow the membership for our sport to survive and I’d like to think I can be a part of this journey. I’m articulate, proactive and opinionated but discreet at all times. I’m approachable and happy to talk to anyone about the sport that we’re all passionate about.”

Heather lives in Dorset with her husband, David, and retired greyhound Olive and in her spare time

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

she enjoys long-distance walking, reading, and cooking. Her new pony project is a British Sport Pony called Swift who she is hoping to introduce to pleasure rides in 2022.

Shelley Bates succeeds Rosemary Henderson as Director of Groups and Volunteers, as well as having responsibility for Endurance GB’s Office.

I’ve been a member of Endurance GB since 2012, having finally followed a girlhood dream to own an Arabian horse and have a go at endurance riding (after reading about it in Pony Magazine!).

My riding journey has had its ups and downs but I’ve enjoyed the constant learning curve and more importantly met some fantastic horses and people along the way. I threw myself in at the deep end pretty quickly, training as a Technical Steward and running (or assisting with) rides from PRs to FEI. I love nothing more than seeing happy people returning from a ride that I’ve had involvement in.

I’m taking over the Office, Groups and Volunteering role on the Board and I hope that my experience both in my full-time career as an Army Officer and in my role on the South East Group committee will stand me in good stead to carry on the excellent work of Rosemary Henderson and help me to support both elements moving forwards.

I am excited by the opportunities that the rule changes bring this year; the membership are clearly keen to pull together and help Endurance GB become an attractive proposition to current and future members. We need to carry on that momentum, continue sharing good ideas and

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Heather Giles Tel: 01308 867754 Email: heathergiles@endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at the AGM 2024

maintain open communications between the Board and the membership. I am truly honoured to be on the Board where I hope to represent a wide range of views and I will do my best to support and grow the sport we all love. See you on the trails!

Louise McCann joins the board as Governance Director and Company Secretary.

My name is Louise McCann, I am married with two young boys, and we live on a sheep and beef farm on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey. I have run my own Accountancy Practice for the past twenty years and have extensive business and director experience.

I’m passionate about raising the profile of Endurance GB particularly here in North Wales.

I would love to work with Sports Wales to encourage Grass Roots involvement and be able to setup rides locally as we have some beautiful

GOVERNANCE DIRECTOR & COMPANY SECRETARY

Louise McCann Tel: 07785 246929 Email: louisemccann@endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at the AGM 2024

and challenging landscape. I would like the sport to be more accessible for riders and supporters and to help encourage new members to join.

I joined Endurance GB last February 2020 and completed two 40km Novice rides before Covid-19. Sadly, due to the situation with the horses, I have been unable to compete since then, but am very much looking forward to the 2022 season and will be an active rider and supporter wherever possible. My goal is to ride for Wales and complete a 160km ride.

I look forward to working together with the Board and the Members in building on and improving the future of the sport.

Following the end of Claire Barry’s year long secondment to the Board as Sponsorship Director, Phil Nunnerley will now take on responsibility for Sponsorship alongside the role of Chair.

GROUPS, VOLUNTEERING AND OFFICE DIRECTOR Shelley Bates Tel: 07760 264619 Email: shelleybates@endurancegb.co.uk RETIRES – at the AGM 2024

AGM report

17

Home Internationals

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ales enjoyed Celtic Challenge success while England showcased future young talent and celebrated some superb individual performances. Ireland was unfortunately not able to send a team due to current issues linked to post-Brexit travel arrangements.

Scottish Chef d’Equipe, Francis Bakker, praised the event organisation and strength of the Scotland squad. She said: “It was a fantastic competition with great camaraderie between teams. From true novices to seasoned 160Km competitors, everyone worked really well together to achieve great results, a superb team effort. We were very pleased to return home with the Home International trophy after a close fought competition.”

Francis Bakker added: “Were delighted to win a number of other trophies and awards for individual successes over the various distances and classes. It’s a great result for Team Scotland and the Scottish Endurance Riding Club and we very much look forward to hosting the competition here in Scotland in 2022.”

Welsh Chef d’Equipe, Steve Smith, said: ““After the most difficult 18 months we are grateful to England Chef d’Equipe Charlotte Robinson and organisers Sarah Wilkinson and Claire Greenbank for putting on the Home International Championship. It was a great culmination to the 2021 endurance year. They even organised some great weather.

“The Welsh Team all performed exceedingly well bringing home the Celtic Challenge Trophy and a second place in the Home International.

“It was a really competitive event held in the best spirit - we are looking forward to renewing the challenge next year in Scotland.”

“We would like to thank Swansea Building Society who stepped in to support the Welsh Team and made it possible for us to compete.

The inside scoop on the

Home Internationals

18

home internationals

England’s Chef d’Equipe Charlotte Robinson said: “I was thrilled with my team's performance.

There was real team spirit in camp and all riders and crew got stuck in with helping each other from the moment they arrived.

“This was a very tough, old fashioned endurance ride which some experienced riders compared to the iconic Golden Horseshoe. Our team dealt with everything from heavy fog through to last minute route changes with a positive attitude and camaraderie.

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

“Due to a last-minute change, Lorna McCarthy bravely took on the 160km class and rode with great consistency in a class that was a big step up for her horse.

“Ella Pomroy was awarded the Margaret Montgomerie award for Team Spirit, as not only did she take on a ride that was very different from her usual flat Suffolk and Norfolk rides but when an unfortunate slip meant she was unable to continue, pulled together to support the team being a wonderful source of encouragement.

“John Black’s performance in winning the 80km CER with CA Jalmeer was masterful, despite an initial course error in the fog, and on a tough course bringing his barefoot horse home wonderfully to win his class by a comfortable six seconds.

“Rosemary Granger and Ella Weavers supported each other for 80km in a wide range of weather conditions and were the only 2 riders in their class to finish their first day at over 10kmph. Our youngest team member, Jamie Shores, rode his veteran mare with great maturity on the Sunday having crewed everyone the day before.

Charlotte added: “Organisers Sarah Wilkinson and Claire Greenbank stepped in a few months ago to say they would take on the challenge of organising the Home International and Celtic Challenge event. They knew they were taking on a challenge but I suspect they didn't realise just how much!

“Special thanks go to our Team Physio, Sarah Light, who not only gave Ditto a fantastic ride in the Saturday Novice 40km class but dived straight into helping our horses and riders in every class upon her return to the venue. Also, vet Marta Reis, who stepped in last minute when our Team Vet was unable to join us in person due to Covid.

“We cannot thank them enough for pulling this competition together. Not only did they treat us to stunning scenery but also managed to run different routes on both days, adding to the endurance experience. Watching our endurance family come together to support this ride has been a real pleasure, everyone agreed that whilst it was a tough course, it was lovely to have such a prominent competition over such a challenging route.”

“I’m grateful to all my team for being such a pleasure to work with in my first year as Home International England Chef and look forward to taking on the challenge again in Scotland.”

Photos courtesy of Sue Church Photography www.suechurchphotography.co.uk

Want to have a go next year?

The Home International is run on an annual basis and is hosted on rotation by each of the four countries. Next year’s competition will be hosted by Scotland. The aim of the competition is to encourage riders at all levels and develop team spirit by giving an experience of international team competition. To register interest in representing England or Wales, please contact Charlotte Robinson (email: englandenduranceteam@gmail.com ) or Steve Smith (email: chefendurancewales@outlook.com).

home internationals

19

Equine diet

What is a

balanced diet?

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nutrition

features | endurancegb.co.uk

Katie Williams M.Sc. (Dist) R Nutr, Technical & Product Development Manager at Dengie Crops Ltd

I

n simple terms, a balanced diet is one that contains the nutrients required by an individual according to their specific requirements for work, life stage or reproductive status. Where things get a little more complicated is establishing what those requirements are in the first place and then, working out the contribution each part of the diet is making! Let’s start with working out what the requirements are.

shows how there is an optimal level and then a range around optimal before a toxicity or deficiency situation is reached. As long as levels of each nutrient are in that range then the diet can be considered balanced as it is impossible to achieve optimal levels for every nutrient all at the same time, especially given how the nutritional value of pasture varies throughout the year.

The optimal range varies for each nutrient; selenium, for example, is the mineral with the narrowest above optimal range before causing a toxicity issue. Acute toxicity issues are rare in horses but the potential for a chronic issue exists. It is not unheard of for 3 or more feeds and supplements containing selenium to be fed at the same time which may be enough to cause a chronic toxicity.

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How much of a nutrient does a horse need?

In the UK, the National Research Council’s Nutrient Requirements of Horses tends to be the reference text used as a basis to determine a horse’s nutrient requirements. This text originates in North America and was last published in 2007, so when a nutritionist is formulating a feed or supplement, they will also review more recently published research that may indicate a higher or possibly lower level of a particular nutrient is advocated for a certain situation.

It is important to consider at this stage that there are ranges within which a nutrient level can be consumed without causing a problem such as a deficiency or toxicity. The graph

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0 DEFICIENT

SUB OPTIMAL

SUB OPTIMAL

SUB OPTIMAL

"You’ve probably read about the importance of feeding a balanced diet but what does it mean in practice?"

OPTIMAL

ABOVE OPTIMAL

ABOVE OPTIMAL

ABOVE OPTIMAL

TOXIC

Another interesting area that often causes confusion is that of fibre versus forage. Fibre is the nutrient that forages are generally abundant in relative to other feed materials.

However, you may be surprised to know that a fibre requirement for horses has not been established, instead advice is that forage should make up at least 1.5% of a horse’s bodyweight per day. It could therefore be argued that a balanced diet is also dependent on this minimum amount of forage being fed each day although it is important to note that a diet isn’t unbalanced if more than 1.5% of forage is fed!

How do we know what each feed ingredient is contributing?

When formulating a feed a nutritionist will have reference values for the levels of nutrients found in commonly used ingredients. Some ingredients are more consistent in their nutrient levels than others and because there is a legal requirement for a feed to be within a certain range of what is declared on the bag or tub, nutritionists will typically use more of the most consistent ingredients. Regularly testing

nutrition

21

feed materials as well as the finished feeds allows nutritionists to adjust formulations or declarations accordingly.

The complicating factor for both nutritionists and horse owners is the contribution that forage is making to the horse’s requirements.

The nutritionist has to take into account the contribution from forage when formulating a feed or supplement as it is the total intake of nutrients from the whole diet that determines whether the diet is balanced. As you can imagine, there are a number of variables for nutritionists to consider including how much is fed and how good a quality the forage is.

For the vast majority of horses this works fine as the very definition of average is that it represents the most individuals in a population.

However, a more nuanced approach may be required for extreme situations such as the very good doer on restricted forage rations to promote weight loss or the elite performance horse who may be competing in exceptionally hot and humid conditions. In these situations, seeking out feeds and supplements designed specifically for those types of horses is likely to mean that the nutritionist has taken into account additional factors and designed the formulation to reflect them.

The key point for the horse owner is that none of these products will do the job they are intended for if they aren’t used correctly.

It is really important that the horse’s weight is known and the amount outlined on the pack for the size of horse is used to ensure the diet is balanced. If you find that you are needing

to feed significantly more or less than the recommended amount then it probably means you’ve got the wrong feed for your horse and the diet is not likely to be balanced.

How do I know if the diet is balanced?

A diet can be balanced on paper but the proof is in the horse; if they look well, are the correct weight and are able to perform the level of work required, then it is a good indication the diet is balanced. If the horse isn’t right, then an adjustment may be required even if the diet appears to be balanced - remember that nutrition is the science, feeding is the art!

This is most likely in situations where a horse has a disease or underlying health issue and it is important that the whole diet is assessed.

Analysing the forage is usually helpful as it is

4 Top Tips for feeding a balanced diet: 1. Feeds and supplements are designed to be fed at a certain weight according to the horse’s bodyweight – if you need to feed more or less then you probably have the wrong feed 2. Minerals interact with one another and compete for absorption sites – take care if supplementing one mineral in isolation as it will impact on others 3. Forage makes up at least half of most horses’ rations and so often has a significant impact on whether the diet is balanced – analysis is particularly useful if a horse has a disease or underlying condition 4. There are many variables impacting the nutrients levels in forages – the rest of the diet may need to be adjusted to reflect the changes seen in forages throughout the year

22

nutrition

features | endurancegb.co.uk

likely to be making up at least half of the ration and so will be having a significant impact on the total ration. Most feed companies can arrange a forage analysis for you for which they may charge or your forage supplier may be able to provide you with some detailed analytical information. The nature of the problem will determine which analysis information is going to be most relevant and helpful and your vet or nutritionist can advise you on this.

The chart shows how a ration program can be used to illustrate the contribution each element of the diet is making.

In the case of a particular nutrient shortfall, a nutritionist may advise supplementing with an individual nutrient. Care should be taken in doing this as minerals, in particular, compete with one another for absorption sites in the gut and so increasing one may drastically reduce the uptake of another which can cause further issues. Animals are also usually efficient at regulating uptake of nutrients from the body – increasing consumption doesn’t necessarily mean more will be absorbed, especially if the body doesn’t think it needs it and so can be a waste of money.

In general, nutrients from plant material are absorbed more efficiently by the digestive tract than inorganic (mined sources). For example, alfalfa and sugar beet are both abundant in calcium which is more bio-available than that from limestone flour. A study by Swanhall et al (2019) also showed that calcium source had a significant effect on calcium digestibility with calcium from marine origins being better absorbed than that from limestone flour.

An added benefit was that the marine origin calcium was also less negatively affected by the use of ulcer medications containing omeprazole.

nutrition

23

Red Dragon

A look back at the

Red Dragon festival

R

ed Dragon 2021, setting off from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells offered firm going and in places, slippery grass tracks, which in humid conditions needed careful navigation; taking riders over the legendary feature climb over the 400-metre Aberedw Hill before heading out onto a spectacular grass covered plateau and mountain trails.

Janice Cockley-Adams from Cheltenham was one of six starters in the two-day 160km National Championship class but the three other combinations left in the ride at the start of day two were forced to withdraw leaving her and HS Echo the challenge of tackling the 80km route alone. Bred at Halsdon Stud, the 13-year-old, 15hh pure bred grey Arabian gelding did not disappoint.

Janice said: “This year’s National Championship was always going to be tough, but I didn't imagine day two would turn out as it did. It was emotional going out for 80km solo as this was unknown territory for Echo who had never done this distance alone after such a long ride the day before.

him the best condition; they thought he looked so good he deserved it.”

The 80km Advanced Championship went to Hertfordshire-based Gemma Grodkiewicz and her grey 14.3hh 12-year-old part-bred Arabian gelding Magical Merlin. Gemma said: “I was full of nerves as this was our first ever group start. I asked Merlin to stay at the back and take it steady and he was so good.”

“I got Merlin as a scruffy 18-month-old in quite poor condition but he was a really chilled out little horse so I couldn’t resist and bought him. Our first pleasure ride was in 2014 and our novice season in 2015 which went very well. We upgraded to open in 2016 but disaster struck when he injured himself striking into his tendon and managed to damage 80% of it. After two years off, by some miracle, he came right and our endurance riding

commenced again! We’d been easing him back in slowly until this year where we have done two 80km graded rides and this was our first 80km CER. “Becoming Advanced Champions was very unexpected. From Stevenage, our local training is in East Anglia so we work in flat country. We went round very slowly and it paid off. I was so pleased we got back safely and in time. Becoming advanced champions was just the icing on the cake.”

Dorset-based Georgie Davis and her registered 15.2hh 14-year-old Welsh Section D Plasbach Twm took the Novice Championship. Georgie said: “Thomas is my absolute horse of a life-time.

Our first season in endurance together and wow what a year! He's done seven graded rides including competing at Cirencester as part of the Wessex Inter Regional team in the 64km Open

“After vetgate two, I knew we were on the home straight and the Championship was within our grasp. We took it very steady as it became so important to me to succeed, not just for us but for the organisers, sponsors and everyone who had given up their time to run the event and for all those in endurance who have had it tough through Covid-19 and were out there willing us on through the power of social media. I love this sport and the people who do it and wanted to finish for all of us.”

Janice added: “The journey with Echo hasn’t always been plain sailing. It was so gratifying to see how well he looked at the end. The judges awarded

24

red dragon

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

class and he aced that and now this!

“I've never been so proud to work so in partnership with a horse. I’ve found a horse as passionate about endurance as myself.”

Barry Jones from Manchester earned victory as the Novice Championship novice rider and horse with Son of Zebedee.

Cornwall-based Victoria Ham, won the 80km Little Dragon with her 14-year-old 14.3hh grey Arab gelding Cwyrtai Sharif.

The Welsh Championships, sponsored by Hadley Hargreaves Ltd, moved to Red Dragon from Pembrey Sands. The 80km Championships went to Sarah Ollis and Yawl Hill Pollyanna while the 65km Open Championship was won by Breconbased Fiona Griffiths with Hope.

Ride organiser John Hudson said: “We would like to express our thanks to our sponsors British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company for their generosity and continued support and to Steve Hughson and his Royal Welsh Showground team, the officials, the numerous volunteers who worked so hard and local landowners who welcomed us.”

“After a difficult 18 months, this year’s Red Dragon Festival of Endurance was an opportunity for the endurance community to gather, compete and celebrate our sport at this wonderful venue.”

This year also hosted the Pony Club National Championships. The Pony Club National Endurance Championship winner was 13-yearold North Shropshire branch member Scarlett Chapple riding her seven-year-old pony Tansy.

Scarlett said: “Becoming National Endurance Champion feels amazing. I was hoping for a good result but this was better than I had ever imagined!

At the moment, I am the only rider in my Pony Club branch who competes in Endurance. I was hoping to do well so that I can promote the sport I love so much.”

Amanda Barton, one of the organisers of the 2021 Pony Club National Endurance Championships said: “The entries for Pony Club Endurance Championships were very heavily biased towards newcomers and grassroots riders this year.

We think that this was down to inevitable ride cancellations due to Covid and season uncertainly which led to many not getting horses as fit as usual in 2021.

“Alex Powell, rode the 36km course with a fantastic speed of 11.6km/hr and heart rate of 40 bpm achieving the highest performance points out of all the competitors. Scarlett Chapple, riding without an escort for the first time, rode the 54km and did a fantastic job with a speed of 11.6km/hr and heart rate of 50 bpm. This was a really significant achievement.

“It was great to see Fleur Alexander from Swansea come in from the 25km ride with a heart rate of 43bpm and win the Best Condition Trophy,

awarded by the vet’ decision among all the ponies that finished with a heart rate of 43 and below.”

Hattie I’Anson of sponsors British Horse Feeds said: “The Red Dragon event is certainly a highlight of the calendar in the sport of endurance and we are delighted to once again have been supporting this wonderful event with both of our companies British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company. Our carefully formulated products are ideal for the endurance horse or pony and we always get such fantastic feedback throughout and after the event.”

Endurance GB Vice Chair Esther Young said: “Without doubt this was a marathon event for organisers John and Jane Hudson and their team of volunteers. Red Dragon rewarded that by delivering a really wonderful competition and much needed boost to our sport. Thanks to all their hard work, the spirit of togetherness, which is the hallmark of this epic bucket list ride was as strong as ever and we are grateful to everyone involved from the sponsors British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company to the venue, all the helpers, ride officials, stewards, landowners, riders and their crews for being part of it.”

red dragon

25

An inside look

Shining a new light

on Endurance GB

W

e caught up with Derbyshire Group Committee members Julie Brown, Tracy Whitchurch and Sarah Wright to find out how they’ve not only survived, but thrived, increasing their paid membership numbers since 2019 despite the numerous challenges we’ve all faced.

They said: “Covid restrictions have certainly given us some challenges despite which we have been able to be creative in our approach. The big increase in our membership has somewhat amazed us too. This is why we think it has happened:”

How did you keep things going in your group in 2020?

We might not have been able to run our usual rides in 2020 but we kept interest in our group going via Facebook competitions, Zoom quizzes etc., plus we ran rides as soon as we could after each lockdown. We're sure this encouraged new members for 2021.

Did you find you gained riders from other riding organisations who were unable to run events?

We were lucky that we weren’t as affected by forestry restrictions or local authority lockdowns

26

spotlight

as some other Groups have been but some of the increase has definitely come due to other horse riding organisations being unable to get their usual rides onto the calendar due to Covid. We’re known for aiming to run at least one ride each month with distances ranging from 8km to 80km and with the county having miles of bridleways and byways, it allows us to put on a real variety of challenging, enjoyable and scenic rides throughout the year.

Clubhouse also gives visibility of Temporary Day Members allowing our ride secretary /treasurer to check how much they enjoyed the ride, discuss membership options and offering a TDM refund if they join which has given us an 80% plus hit rate.

Do you give priority entry to Derbyshire members entering your rides?

Yes, we strongly promote that you don’t need to be a member to enter our rides but members enjoy a discounted ride entry fee. We did this as we could see our membership rapidly growing, but most of our rides had limited spaces, so we wanted Derbyshire members to have first chance at entering. We saw this bring in several brand new Endurance GB members, plus a few existing Endurance GB members, who live on our borders, swapped groups (sorry about that!). Off the top of

my head, I think it was only about 3 or 4 Exclusivity is certainly a draw, our popular Okeover Park Ride goes mainly over private land only available to us for this one ride. It raises funds for the Air Ambulance and masses of riders come along to it, bringing members to us, especially as Derbyshire members now get priority on entering.

We also took the decision to have a £10 difference between member and non-members entry fees making membership more attractive. Then we advertised the benefits of Associate membership and that it pays for itself within 5 rides, which we advertised again at half year. This definitely had an impact on increasing our Associate membership.

You mentioned that Derbyshire Group of Endurance GB are known for aiming to run at least one ride a month, how is that achieved?

We are fortunate to have a band of enthusiastic and capable ride organisers and so put on lots of local group rides as well as 2 National rides.

We've tried to be innovative too, sending out surveys, splitting rides across Saturday and Sunday and putting on brand new rides, one which incorporated a mock vetting and one held at

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

teatime, running a very successful training day, which will be repeated, and giving entrants the opportunity to try camping and corralling.

Following Nottinghamshire Group's lead (another group which has increased their membership), we hope to add a mid-week ride to our 2022 calendar. Wherever possible we like to offer at least 2 route lengths, with a short one of about 10km or so, giving lower mileage routes for first timers, especially post covid where we saw a lot of concern on horse and rider fitness levels.

We also have a very supportive committee approach, which allows us to use our skills and resources wisely, and allows our ride organisers to focus on venue and route only, not all the other elements which could be too much for some.

We have also created strong links with our Bridleways Groups, and we've run rides using our links to Staffordshire Moorlands Bridleways Group and Dark Peak Bridleways and Hallam Riders.

Their members have been involved providing helpers and in return we've included a donation in the entry fee. This helps advertise Endurance GB to a wider riding audience and gains us new members.

Can you tell us about the exclusive Derbyshire Group member 'Challenges' you’ve introduced?

The Derbyshire 3 Challenge and Derbyshire Mini Challenge series, only open to Derbyshire members, is a big draw and proving exceedingly popular. It’s not a competition, but an achievement reward for the same horse and rider completing 3 of our classic “big terrain” rides. Anyone completing three of the longest routes plus 1 help is awarded a commemorative rosette and engraved glass; for the Mini you complete any 3 routes and 1 help and receive a commemorative rosette. Look out for an additional challenge series we've got in the pipeline!

Riders from around here love a rosette and each rosette is ride specific! We offer a wide range of awards, no matter if you are an associate or a competitive full member and if you've completed 50km during the season you are guaranteed to win a beautiful rosette with your horse's name on.

How do you recognise your army of helpers?

With the introduction of Endurance GB Clubhouse, we’ve managed to really improve how we liaise with our volunteers both before and after the rides. Tracy, as both Helper Coordinator and Treasurer, keeps track of the virtual £5 Local Group Ride Tokens we reward helpers with and applies them immediately to the next ride the helpers have entered. Not only does this help us retain members but also adds to us having cheery

helpers at our rides which all benefits the whole ride experience and encourages non-member riders to join us as members.

We also give a Top Helper Award for the person who has helped most times and every time you help your name gets added to a raffle for a prize that's drawn on the Awards Night.

So, you’d say it’s all about keeping people engaged?

We are very much an inclusive, exceedingly welcoming and friendly bunch. Julie sends regular news emails to all our Associate and Full members keeping them informed of what's going on within our group as well as keeping our group website up to date. We also send out rider information documents prior to rides which are written in a professional but friendly and welcoming way.

Because of their roles, Julie, Sarah, and Tracy are the three people who get most queries from members, so all answers are made in a timely, friendly and professional manner with our ride organisers/committee members also happy to chat

to potential new members at the rides.

Sarah maintains a very active Facebook page which is always up to date, relevant and kept in a friendly tone where we also share neighbouring Groups events and good ideas. Cheshire, Notts and Leics and Rutland give great exposure for us and vice versa.

We've also found that several new members have recruited more new members from their riding or yard buddies. We have some members that are very pro Endurance GB and post a lot of good things about our Group on Facebook which increases our audience reach.

We also promote a “community” feel and we’ve just re-launched our group branded clothing line with a new supplier. Face to face social evenings have also restarted.

Basically, I think we are giving our local riders what they want. We offer a variety of rides in terms of terrain, distances, competitive and noncompetitive. A feeling of being welcome, fitting in and belonging and achievable challenges for all riders and their horses and rosettes/awards at the end Photos courtesy of Ruth Saunby of Indiepics Photography and Andrew Ray www.marimages.co.uk

A quick thank you We wouldn't be able to do what we do without our fantastic network of volunteers. Not all our amazing ride organisers are committee members and we also have a super new social event organiser so we spread the load of making things happen.

spotlight

27

Beth Endurance

Shining a new light

on Endurance GB

28

beth endurance

endurance | endurancegb.co.uk

Beth Langley has represented Team GBR five times, riding on both Young Rider and Senior teams. In 2020 she started a YouTube channel to promote the sport and show others her journey.

W

e started our YouTube channel, Beth Endurance, in the very first lockdown of 2020 for a few reasons. I had wanted to start a weekly blog for quite a while; I got fed up of only seeing negative press coverage of Endurance and I wanted to put out positive content that showed what our sport truly was.

All other disciplines had great online content, education and role models to follow and we just didn't. Lockdown gave my partner Dan quite a bit of free time, so he was able to start filming me with the horses and had the skill to edit videos and so our YouTube was born; we thought why not just do it ourselves. I wanted to widen the audience for Endurance and inspire others to give it a go.

On the flip side of this my personal ambition is to compete for GBR again. When I looked at other disciplines the riders at the top weren't necessarily the ones with the good sponsors, it was the riders with good social media content. So, if I wanted to get to the top of my game and have the opportunity to gain sponsorship when I got there, I needed to improve my online presence and make Endurance and myself desirable for brands to support.

The channel is still pretty young but I'm really proud of what we've achieved so far, with over 6,000 views a month to watchers all over the World. We've teamed up with other YouTubers to spread the word about Endurance, creating

what I hope is fun, informative content and have had loads of lovely messages from people telling us we've inspired them to do their first Pleasure ride, volunteer at a ride or use Endurance for some cross training.

I hope that the videos we make and the information we put out is promoting Endurance GB in a positive light and that reflects well on the sport as a whole. Our content won't always please everyone, some people may have different opinions to us and by putting part of our life so publicly on the internet I knew we'd have to stick to our beliefs, be open to others but not be consumed by them. But on the whole our channel has been a really positive community on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

When you look at the most well known equestrian sports and their riders, generally they have an online following. This creates a connection between the elite and those who look up to them: following their story, sharing the ups and the downs makes them more human and relatable.

When I looked at Endurance we have so many amazing riders and horses, so many people to look up to but no way of following their story consistently. Online content is our opportunity to showcase the sport we love, to inspire others, create role models, start conversations, educate people and put the spotlight on Endurance. We have an amazing sport filled with wonderful horses and riders and we need to be showing the rest of the equestrian world what we're really about.

‘How to do it yourself’ The first thing I would do is chat to an expert. I read lots of articles, did a lot of research and sought lots of advice before starting to try and promote myself and the sport. I'm not perfect but I try my best, it's a lot of hours on top of working full time and having horses but to me it will be worth it. From my experience so far I would say be true to yourself, always be polite, but you don't always have to be positive, believe in yourself, you'll get things wrong, learn from them and move forward but most of all make it enjoyable!

There's no denying Endurance is a huge passion for me. I've had an amazing career on a once in a lifetime horse. I've struggled since retiring Tissy to get back up to FEI level but everytime I get knocked down, chasing the thrill of competition, my drive to get back on a GBR team keeps me going. You can't keep standing up, dusting off and starting again without that pure love for something.

I love how well we need to know our horses; how you can pull so much science into training; I love that you can be doing your first Pleasure ride over the same tracks as an FEI 3*. I love planning a race strategy and going out on a last loop my heart filled with pride for my horse. There are so many things to love and that is why I wanted to share it with as many people as possible.

For the channel we're hoping to showcase more events and other Endurance riders in 2022. Filming and reporting on some of our major rides, doing interviews with our elite riders, vets and ride organisers to show the more competitive side of the sport.

We'll still obviously be vlogging my personal journey and I hope you'll be able to follow me through the season gaining our Novice qualifications and, fingers crossed, aiming to represent Wales in the Home International.

I'd just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported our channel so far. Please always feel free to reach out to us if you have ideas, a story to tell or just want to say hello, we love hearing from you.

beth endurance

29

Winter healthcare

Facing the cold, the

hard truth

30

horse health

features | endurancegb.co.uk

"The winter months bring with them a whole new set of ailments and injury risks to both horses and their owners"

Robinson Animal Healthcare is a long established manufacturer of animal first aid woundcare and absorbents. This article was supplied and written by Lindsay Hall Product Manager for Robinson Animal Healthcare

I

n this issue Robinson Animal Healthcare offers some practical advice on the essential items to keep in your first aid kit as well as administering basic first aid to help alleviate winter worries

Winter First Aid

The winter months bring with them a whole new set of ailments and injury risks to both horses and their owners, as the temperature drops and we are faced with adverse weather conditions.

injury is discovered, the easier it is to treat. When it comes to first aid you don’t need to have a massive kit crammed with lotions and potions for every known ailment, but it is important that you do have a stock of the basics and they are replaced when they are used or go out of date.

Basic First Aid Essentials

In order for treatment to be effective it is vital that you have access to a well-stocked first aid kit whilst on the yard or away at competitions.

Wound Dressings – First aid kits should contain a good selection of wound dressings in various sizes.

Vetalintex® sterile hydrogel is great for cleansing wounds and providing a moist environment for healing. Skintact® low adherent dressing is ideal for minor wounds, as it absorbs exudates and protects the wound from trauma.

Regardless of the type of injury, the sooner the

Poultices - Animalintex® is a first aid kit staple,

it is medicinally licensed so can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments from infected wounds, abscesses and embedded thorns to bruises, strains and sprains.

Bandages – bandages can be used for support, to provide protection, to reduce swelling and to secure dressings in place. Equiwrap® cohesive bandages are easy to apply and tear and come in a wide range of colours.

Veterinary Gamgee® - another first aid kit must have, this absorbent cotton wool enclosed in a non-woven or gauze cover can be used to insulate, cushion and protect wounds from additional trauma.

Scissors - A decent pair of blunt ended scissors are essential for cutting bandages and dressings to the required size and for safely removing a bandage.

Thermometer - A slight change in temperature may indicate there is an underlying problem with

horse health

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your horse so make sure you have a good quality thermometer in your first aid kit.

It is essential that your first aid kit is stored in a suitable container that is rodent proof and kept in a prominent position on the yard. During winter, the kit may need to be stored in a heated room to prevent certain products from freezing.

Administering First Aid

Minor cuts and grazes can be treated effectively using the contents of your first aid kit.

Clean all wounds as soon as possible (even minor ones) with a saline solution or a level teaspoon of salt per pint of boiled, cooled water. If necessary, clip the coat and clean around the wound area.

Avoid spraying water directly onto the wound as this can force any contamination further inside.

Assess the wound and try to discover the cause of the injury, as there may be a foreign body hidden below the surface. Do not poke about in the wound as this will cause infection. Cover the affected area with a wound dressing.

Veterinary Gamgee® is then used as a padding layer to protect the wound from further trauma.

Finally, a bandage such as Equiwrap® secures the Veterinary Gamgee® in place, protects the

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horse health

wound and provides support; the bandage should not restrict circulation as this can cause serious damage and affect the healing process.

there is inflammation, hot poulticing can help to remove scabs.

An infected or contaminated wound should be poulticed with a licensed poultice such as Animalintex®, to help draw any debris and infection from the wound. Animalintex® should be changed every 12 hours.

The vet should always be called if a wound is spurting blood (arterial bleeding), requires stitching, has a foreign body embedded in it, or appears to be infected.

Winter Worries

Foot abscesses are more common in wet weather because horses' feet are softer; making it easier for foreign objects or dirt to penetrate the foot. The wet, muddy conditions of winter provide ample opportunity for abscesses, with dirt and gravel able to work their way easily under the shoe or into the foot of an unshod horse. Animalintex® Hoof Treatment is pre-cut to shape for the rapid treatment of foot conditions, such as abscesses.

Commonly seen during winter, mud fever is a bacterial skin infection that can affect your horse’s skin on the heel, fetlock and pastern. In more severe cases it can lead to inflammation and infection which can then spread up the legs.

When to Call the Vet

If the horse has a raised temperature, there is excessive swelling or the horse has not been vaccinated against tetanus, these wounds should be taken very seriously.

If your horse appears anxious, depressed, or dazed and the mucous membranes are pale, he may be suffering from shock, especially following blood loss. Keep your horse calm and quiet, and not too hot or cold until the vet arrives.

Safety First

Faced with an injured horse it is essential to assess the situation quickly and calmly. Try to ensure that neither you nor your horse is in any further danger and make the area as safe as possible.

The best form of treatment for mud fever is taking steps to prevent the condition in the first place. In severe cases of mud fever, particularly where

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33

SERC report

Scottish success in the

Yorkshire Moors

B

ack in October a large contingent (rumoured to be 42 strong) from north of the Border invaded the North York Moors and, in common with many raiding parties hundreds of years ago (not that they were all successful!), came away with several trophies. Undoubtedly the most sought after was the Home International trophy. Although the absence of an Irish team was much regretted, the remaining three nations fought hard, but Scotland’s success in bringing all six team members home ‘round and sound’ resulted in them lifting the silverware ahead of Wales with five members home, and England with four. The tables were turned in the Celtic Challenge, with Wales winning and Scotland coming a close second with the same number of riders home but a slightly lower overall mileage.

Below is a selection of comments from a range of those who took part in some capacity. They share an appreciation of the hard work put in by a very small team to make the event the success it undoubtedly was.

Craig and Arlene Parvin (Katy Parvin), Alison Wilson (Alex Moir), Martha Brett and Shonagh Robb (Marjorie Grant), Lucy Simpson, Dave Simpson and Sarah Perkins (Chris Macmillan), Gill Steven and Connie Anderson (Gill Brittle).

for my little Irish bog-trotter who picked his way quietly and confidently across the bogs. The sun was shining, we were enjoying ourselves, and wow, what views across the terrain. I was grinning like an idiot.

Chris Macmillan, Home International 2-day 160k, riding 15 year-old Connemara gelding Coolagoree Glen Thunder (Stinky):

Jessica Crighton, Celtic Challenge 40k Novice, riding 12 year-old Appaloosa gelding Chamfron Colorado:

After a very foggy start on the first day and a couple of navigational errors, things improved for Chris on day 2: ‘The route was beautifully and emphatically marked and it was a lovely route of softer forest tracks, a little bit of road then out onto proper heather moor. Unfortunately, Colin’s horse Izzy lost a shoe and was nodding, so Stinky and I had to go on alone. Thanks to the brilliant marking we picked our way along a walking track across some difficult moor – Yay,

The whole trip was just the most fantastic experience and so much fun! From watching and learning from the experienced riders doing the long distances, the fantastic and fun Chef Francis, Nancy who kept us all organised, the fab team vet and physio on hand to help us with anything, to getting lost in the forest looking for crew points. It was a challenging route, but the horses coped really well. Moorlands and ditches, pheasants and grouse flying around us and some steep ups and downs on the smooth tarmac.

Nancy Murdoch, Team administrator and chair of the selection committee:

What a fantastic few days we had at Cropton Forest for this year’s HI/CC. It was a new venue for us, and a new event for the ride organisers Claire Greenbank and Sarah Wilkinson. They pulled out all the stops to make the event an enjoyable experience for everyone. All members of the Scottish squad worked together and the camaraderie was first class.

In addition it should be noted that Scotland won Best Turned Out; Chris Macmillan won the 2day 160ER; Marjorie Grant was 3rd in the 80ER; Alex Moir won the 80k; the Margaret Montgomerie Award went to Nancy Murdoch; special prizes for crews of highest placed riders went to Jamie

34

serc

Chef d'Equipe Francis (left) with team administrator Nancy Murdoch

regulars | endurancegb.co.uk

(Left) Coco leaves the serious discussion to Joelle and mum Susan (Right) Looking forward to their ride - Jessica and Cody

(Above) Alex Moir and Alaska take a well-earned break (Left) Chris and Stinky cross the finish line

Joelle Russell, Home International 40k Novice, riding 8 year-old Standardbred cross gelding, Coquet:

We had a super ride, partnered with Jessica Crighton and her beautiful Cody, who were fantastic company. The horses rode well together, taking it in turns to lead and easy in each other’s company.

The route was interesting and varied – through forests, across moorland, tarmac roads and grassy tracks. But man, was the moor challenging!

We picked our way over it mostly in walk.

The awards night was special. Team Scotland did so well on many fronts – with special mention for our amazing junior riders Alex Playfair and Katy Parvin. An extra surprise was that Coquet and I were awarded best novice in the Home International from across the Teams, and Jessica and Cody were awarded best novice in the Celtic Challenge. We didn’t even know there were such awards! I was so pleased for my horse, so thoroughly proud of him.

Susan Irvine, crew for her daughter Joelle Russell:

What a rollercoaster of an experience this was for a total newbie! And no hiding that fact from the well-seasoned rest of the team. From one

The Scottish teams celebrate a successful weekend

blunder to another, it certainly was a steep learning curve which involved miles of walking.

Who, but an idiot or a raw recruit, would fetch the head collar from the back of the car parked two fields away and fail to bring the lead rope?

Cycling is my thing and I soon understood the similarity that crewing is like being a ‘domestique’ on the Tour de France: you cheerfully give up everything to your horse and rider along with your heart and soul.

Would I do it again? Yes, definitely. Will I ever be asked again? Who knows! The welcome from Team Scotland, the kindness and help from all the crews and riders were second to none. (And boy! can they party!) Thanks, it was a pleasure being there.

Alex Moir, Celtic Challenge 80k, riding 7 year-old Arab mare Alaska Font Noire:

I would like to thank everyone for being so welcoming and supportive – especially Alison, my crew, and Gill [Brittle] for being such a great ride buddy. I still can’t believe how much I’ve managed to achieve in such a short time! (Alex and his mare Alaska Font Noire are a very recent partnership, and Alex joined SERC only earlier this year, after several endurance rides in Australia.)

Alison Wilson, crew for Alex Moir:

I take my hat off to Alex for not only stepping up to the plate for the team at almost the last minute, but for coping so well with a horse he doesn’t really know yet, and a crew he’d barely met! But it was typical of the whole event – that people were happy to move out of their comfort zones and pull together, and everyone was hugely appreciative of the tremendous effort that Claire and Sarah in particular had put into getting this mammoth event off the ground at relatively short notice.

Alison Seggie, SERC Chair:

Congratulations to the whole Team, riders, crew, selectors, and the support team of the vet, physio, Chef d’Equipe, and Assistant Chef.

It was quite a challenging ride on a number of fronts, and I was really pleased to see us rise to the challenge and to help out when required.

From all accounts there was great camaraderie as always between the teams. I am looking forward to September 2022 when Scotland will host the Home International and Celtic Challenge at our Longnewton ride in the Scottish Borders.

serc

35

Masterson method

Jim Masterson and

the Masterson method

36

welfare

features | endurancegb.co.uk

J

im Masterson is an equine bodyworker who has developed his own method based on horses’ responses to therapy and how they release tension from their bodies.

His techniques are highly effective and by 2004 had propelled Jim to working with top level equine competitors on the US hunter-jumper circuit covering Grand Prix, Nations Cup and World Cup jumping events. In 2006, Jim accompanied the US Endurance Team to the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen. Jim continued working with the US team until 2014 attending World Equestrian Games and World Championships, including the 2012 World Championships at Euston Park.

US endurance team member Meg Sleeper commented ‘It is impossible to overestimate Jim’s ability to keep performance horses working at their peak level. Simply put, he is like having a secret weapon’.

The Masterson Method is a unique, interactive bodywork method in which you learn to recognise and use the horse’s responses to your touch to find and release accumulated tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance.

Jenny Lee is a trainee Masterson method practitioner and member of the South East Group of Endurance GB.

Applying levels of pressure and movement, that the horse is unable to brace against, allows you to enable the horse to communicate where the tension is, enables their nervous system to release it and enables the horse to tell you when it has been released.

By activating the parasympathetic part of the nervous system that regenerates and heals, and by allowing the sympathetic nervous system to let go of bracing against pain and discomfort, means that the horse can release tension that otherwise they would struggle to release on their own. The horse actively participates in the process and the level of interaction and connection is key.

"The horse actively participates in the process and the level of interaction and connection is key."

While this bodywork method was developed to assist equine athletes in the highly demanding top levels of endurance and show jumping the benefits can be shared with horses at all stages of endurance. Key benefits include: •

Improved performance, suppleness and mobility

•

Enhanced connection and communication with your horse

•

A happier and more cooperative horse as deep physical discomfort is relieved

welfare

37

Masterson Method at Endurance Rides

Jim’s first experience of an endurance event was the World Equestrian Games in Aachen. His role was to work alongside the US team vets and farriers to both prepare the competing horses in the two weeks prior to the event, and treat them at the vet holds between each loop.

His main aims were to loosen up and rebalance tight muscles, improve circulation and aid relaxation. As each loop passed the horses would come in more and more tense as muscles fatigued. The scapula (shoulder) releases were a good place to start as they relax the entire body, setting the stage to work on the rest of the horse.

Jim would then work on glutes, hamstring and groin releases to support the hind end. Many of the horses has a natural high head carriage and did not move efficiently, causing sore backs to be a big issue at the vet holds. This was

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welfare

features | endurancegb.co.uk

exacerbated for the horses with short backs as the rider’s weight was concentrated on a smaller area.

by softening when the horse indicates tension.

In addition to this physical softness, you also need an internal softness.

Jim is a great advocate of endurance horses doing some dressage over the winter months to improve their self-carriage, get them bending and add to their efficiency of movement.

The Masterson method encourages a quiet and focused mind. As well as the significant benefits to the horse, the owner learns to quieten down their mind and relax as they focus on observing the horse’s body language. Patience is key as you wait and follow the horse’s responses and in doing so you become ‘present’, more attuned to your horse and more able to let go of your own agenda.

A documentary film was released last year, (available at amazon.co.uk), based on Jim’s work with renowned horse trainer Mark Rashid. Jim and Mark host clinics for owners struggling with their horses behavioural issues, with Jim there to manage any physical causes.

What the documentary revealed was the extent to which the rider can be causing the problems.

Many riders are high energy, goal orientated individuals who operate routinely with an elevated level of anxiety.

The Masterson Method and Equine Assisted Therapy

Jim has recently worked with colleagues to create the Masterson Method Equine Specialists Course. This course has been developed to train people working within equine assisted therapy programmes in basic Masterson light touch principles and techniques.

The rider’s state of mind can impact their horse and the rider’s anxiety will be reflected back to them. Some horses will communicate it in a more dramatic way than others, but they will seek to tell us! As Jim explained ‘often the horse will be blamed but as riders we have to take responsibility for what is going on and be the ‘grown up’ in the relationship’.

These techniques are then taught to the clients as part of the therapy programme and offer an alternative way for clients to have connection and interaction with the horses. Whilst there is a clear benefit for the therapy horses there are also significant therapeutic benefits for the clients.

The concept of softness is a vital component of the Masterson Method. You need to be soft to keep ‘below the brace’ and you need to respond

The techniques teach clients how to listen to the horse and how to read their behaviour.

Students learn first-hand about the sensitivity

of horses and become more self-aware as their own tension is mirrored back at them. As the students focus on observing the horse’s responses they become attuned to the horse and become present, giving them a break from their worries and fears.

Lise Lunde is a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner and helped set up the Equine Specialist Course after using the Masterson Method when working with at-risk teenage girls.

She noted that ‘the level of connection the girls had with their horses was moving, and even brought me to tears. Knowing what the girls had been through in their lives and seeing them so focused on their horses was incredible.’

The Bladder Meridian Technique

The Masterson Method is a valuable tool to horses at all levels of endurance and has the added advantage of calming down the rider too!

For those looking to enhance their connection with their horse the best starting point is The Bladder Meridian Technique.

It is a simple yet powerful technique that just requires patience and a soft hand. The ‘about’ section of the website www.mastersonmethod.com will link you to a free and easy to follow video tutorial. Give it a try and allow yourself and your horse to reap the benefits of this invaluable technique.

welfare

39

The Thelwell way

Bringing out your

inner Thelwell

W

ith so many people being able to relate to Thelwell images with an experience they have had or similarly a horse or pony they know, Thelwell has this remarkable ability to capture the moments that we can look back on and laugh about, cross referencing our traits and our horse and pony’s traits into the wonderful drawings.

business for the good of the horse and their owners, while NAF’s is for the health and vitality of each.

NAF is made up of passionate horse owners who could each describe a “Thelwell moment”, this resulted in a new relationship forged with Thelwell to demonstrate the many uses of their range of products. There are so many similarities with NAF and Thelwell, a family

Norman Thelwell recognised the immense pleasure owners and riders gain from their equine, but that comes with the “highs and lows”. Thelwell was able to make light of even the most terrifying situation, from that humiliation in the show ring to the tack faux

40

product news

This article was written by Griselda Beaumont. For almost 10 years Griselda has worked for NAF where she undertakes the role of Brand Manager. This role has truly harnessed her passion for nutrition and as a result she is now a qualified Nutritionist “ANutr (Animal)”. pas, and this talent etched the many drawings into the minds of the equine market.

NAF are incredibly proud to have launched a “Thelwell range” of products for all Thelwells to enjoy. Throughout the conception stage, the products had to meet many different criteria, suitable for little hands and capable of fitting neatly into your tack box. The products also had to be visually “Thelwell” demonstrating the

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desired product results and in some cases the emotions you enter into when using them.

Our Thelwell Tack Clean illustrates that frustrating motion you undertake when cleaning tough grease and dirt. You grit your teeth and insist in your mind that the tack will be cleaned much quicker if you go faster yourself, the result is a very tired arm and sheer exhaustion! The good news is that Thelwell Tack Clean has been formulated to make life easy so you never have to experience this frustration and your tack cleaning can be undertaken effortlessly.

The unique formulation within Thelwell Muck Off produces results fast. The image depicts a

"Thelwell has this remarkable ability to capture the moments that we can look back on and laugh about" mirror-like result, this is what we sometimes perceive from stain removers and when rubbing furiously it can be uncomfortable for the horse.

Thelwell Muck Off is designed to simply wipe the stain away, leaving you to take charge of the ring and not have to worry about those tough stains.

A popular favourite has to be the Thelwell Silky, the image is fabulous and the style we would all go for! Of course Thelwell Silky helps to tame even the most unruly mane and tail with ease.

Thelwell Citronella Spray

Simply spray this on summer coats for a long lasting natural scent. Citronella Spray supports the skin throughout the summer months and the results are refreshing, deodorising and effective.

Thelwell Hoof Solution

Care for your Thelwell’s hooves with this easy to apply hoof solution. This solution helps to support hoof integrity from the outside in and makes sure that your horse or pony is ready for all types of action.

Thelwell Lavender Wash

This wash provides a gentle refreshing wash to lift sweat, grease and dust from the coat without needing to rinse. Promote coat health and vitality whilst leaving your Thelwell soothed and relaxed.

Thelwell Muck Off

Tackle tough grass and stable stains with Muck Off, a unique product which simply lifts the stain away from the coat, keeping your Thelwell looking spotless.

Thelwell Perfectly Pink Shampoo

For all dirty horses and ponies who want to clean up and stand out from the crowd, this shampoo cleans deeper and makes them shine brighter.

Thelwell Silky Mane & Tail D-Tangler

Make grooming easy and untangle untidy knots with ease, helping to avoid damage and support condition and shine. This non sticky, non-greasy conditioning spray leaves the mane and tail easily brushed through.

The Thelwell range is formulated for ease of use with essentials for your lorry, tack box and a memorable yet useful present for a loved one and our equine friends. It should be on all Christmas lists, while the feeling of nostalgia with the iconic brand is enjoyed by so many, it is also relatable for the new equine generations enjoying their ponies.

Thelwell Ultra Violet Shampoo

We have much to thank Norman Thelwell fo; memories, laughter and relationship building with our beloved equines - with over 1500 cartoons – it is time to discover your inner Thelwell.

Nourish your leather with this deep cleansing and conditioning formula which lifts dirt and grease fast whilst conditioning your tack.

If you want your Thelwell to look cleaner and smarter, this shampoo is perfect for ensuring that you get dazzling results every time.

Thelwell Tack Clean

product news

41

Obituaries

Remembering those lost

along the way

E

GB celebrated the lives of three inspirational stalwarts of our sport. the following are some heartwarming remembrances for the people we lost and some of the feats they achived in the world of endurance.

Anne Walton (Wessex Group)

Anne was one of the stalwarts of endurance.

She inspired newcomers to think that this horse sport was fun and that it was “for them”.

She proved that you could succeed without razzamatazz and, given organisation and selfreliance, it was indeed a lovely way to spend quality time with your horse.

Ever self-reliant Anne always arrived solo (even for multi-day rides), well organized and without fuss, with her well behaved dogs and her horse.

Being a small animal vet herself, with animal welfare paramount, unsurprisingly she already had plans in place to ensure she could comply with the ruling on dogs at endurance events.

Anne is especially fondly remembered by those who frequented multi-day rides, camping in her trailer, sharing food, chat and dog walks. Her long association with the end of season Red Dragon ride in Wales was phenomenal – this year it was ‘bare’ without her.

Anne’s horses all had an enormous trot, so she often started alone and politely overtook others. At the end of all rides she presented her horse to the vets with great care and diligence. She was not often vetted out but whatever the final result she always took the vet’s opinion with good grace. That said there was never overt competitiveness- or showing off. Anne didn’t need to ‘big herself up’.

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obituaries

Year on year she had quietly won Wessex Group season awards.

Tragically when Anne thought that she was at last on the road to recovery, after an injury earlier in the year, her life was cut short. She will be greatly missed.

Rachael Saunders (Leicestershire & Rutland Group)

Rachael's association with horses goes back a long way and throughout her life she devoted significant time and energy to many organisations. Having been involved with the Oakley Hunt Branch of the Pony Club she was approached on moving to Leicestershire to be Secretary of the newly formed South Trent Branch and later became their District Commissioner. She was a founder member of Leicestershire and Rutland Bridleways Association acting as their secretary for many years.

Rachael discovered endurance riding in the early 90's and soon became actively involved as a committee member taking on the role of minutes secretary as well as volunteering at rides when not competing herself. Rachael loved travelling and all the better if it involved riding.

She was teamed up with a forward going and somewhat opinionated black mare on the 4 day Trans Wales Trail and so began a legendary partnership. Midnight came to Leicestershire for her winter break and never returned apart from the odd "holiday" in the Black Mountains.

The pair were regulars on Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire rides and anyone who had the pleasure of being their riding buddy would soon discover that by mutual agreement these two didn't hang about!

Mary Geary (Leicestershire & Rutland Group)

Mary was a member of the Leicestershire & Rutland Endurance Group for many years.

Mary’s love and passion was her horses. She started competing in the late 1980’s & 1990’s.

In the early 1990’s she purchased Triple Time (Tye) as a youngster and started competing with him in 1995 with the Endurance Horse & Pony Society.

1995 – 2000 Mary and Triple Time were a successful partnership & competed in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire.

2002 – 2003 they competed on the Borders and also with SERC with impressive results.

Over the years they won the Furlong Endurance Winners Award 1995, Super Sovitax Carsington Water ride (2 day x 45 miles) 1999 & The Ossie Hare award for 1000 Grade 1s. Just a few awards under Endurance Horse & Pony Society Awards.

The Arab Horse Society Premium Endurance Awards 3rd place in 1999 and 10th place in 2002.

They also won many of the Leicestershire & Rutland Group Trophies over the years.

When Mary wasn’t riding, she would be busy crewing for friends or helping them at shows.

She was an active member of the Leicestershire & Rutland Endurance Group often helping at rides.

Mary will be greatly missed for her support and wealth of knowledge of horses.

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