The power of polework
Polework is a fun and different way to exercise both horse and rider. It involves setting out variations of poles on the ground to...
10 August 2022
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Mary King is one of the UK’s most accomplished and admired professional event riders. She has represented Great Britain at six Olympics from 1992 to 2012, winning team silver in 2004 and 2012 and team bronze in 2008. She has also won team gold at two World Equestrian Games and four team golds at the European Eventing Championships. Mary has a raft of individual medals including European Bronze in 1995 and European Silver in 2007. She is a four-time British Open Champion, won Badminton Horse Trials in 1992 and 2000, Burghley Horse Trials in 1996 and the Rolex Kentucky in 2011. Mary regularly competes on homebred horses, which always have the ‘King’ prefix. Mary’s daughter Emily is also a successful event rider.
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Polework is a fun and different way to exercise both horse and rider. It involves setting out variations of poles on the ground to...
10 August 2022
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Polework is a fun and different way to exercise both horse and rider. It involves setting out variations of poles on the ground to...
10 August 2022
Read More
Keeping your horses on light sandy soil can mean less mud in the winter and easier paddock maintenance come the spring but with it...
13 July 2022
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The fetlock is a hard-working, high motion hinge joint. It is the meeting point of the cannon bone, proximal sesamoid bones and th...
20 June 2022
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Transporting horses safely needs careful planning. Not only do you need a suitable trailer or horsebox but you also need the appro...
15 June 2022
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OK so it’s probably not on the top of your list of favourite horse-related jobs but don’t under-estimate the importanc...
18 April 2022
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The horse’s knee which is also referred to as the carpus, is equivalent to the human wrist. With nine bones forming three jo...
15 April 2022
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It can be distressing to see a severely lame horse and there are several reasons why your equine friend may not be placing weight ...
14 April 2022
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Your horse’s stifle is the equivalent of the human knee. It is a powerful joint enabling the limb to flex and extend to prop...
11 March 2022
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Quality of Life is an important consideration for any equine, whatever their age, health or circumstances.
20 December 2021
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Retraining a racehorse to become a leisure or competition horse can be very rewarding and enjoyable.
02 December 2021
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Retraining a racehorse to become a leisure or competition horse can be very rewarding and enjoyable.
02 December 2021
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Some of the most common reasons for box rest are musculoskeletal problems, laminitis or post-surgical recovery. The most important...
01 December 2021
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Buying a pony is a huge undertaking and getting it wrong can cause massive headaches. Over the years I have bought many ponies an...
01 December 2021
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Alongside the pleasures and rewards of horse ownership there are inevitably some hard times, and none more so than having to say g...
29 November 2021
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Abbie Burbidge explains why The Pony Club is so important to her life and her career with horses
23 November 2021
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The word biosecurity may sound complicated but in fact it is simply a set of management practices to help keep horses safe from di...
22 November 2021
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Horse emergencies needing speedy first aid come in many forms but finding your horse with a bleeding, gaping wound has to be up th...
03 November 2021
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In the 15th century the Spanish Conquistadors colonised the Americas taking with them a style of riding which evolved to suit the ...
08 October 2021
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Choke is the obstruction of oesophagus – usually by food. It can be frightening to witness but thankfully many cases of chok...
03 June 2021
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Buying a horse involves determination, dedication, and often a liberal helping of heartache.
06 May 2021
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Get to grips with some of the common terms used to explain worms and worm control with our HorseDialog jargon buster
25 September 2020
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Cold damp weather, gloomy grey skies, restricted daylight and too much mud can make a typical winter in the UK a bit of a turn off...
25 September 2020
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Some respiratory diseases can be caused by parasites. Parasites are organisms that live on or within a host. Worms are the most co...
18 September 2020
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Viral and bacterial respiratory diseases are highly contagious and can pass rapidly from horse to horse, especially in a yard envi...
18 September 2020
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With the hay making season upon us, now is a good time to brush up on your knowledge of forage. Understanding the different types ...
15 July 2020
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Grass is the most natural feed for horses and our equine friends usually love nothing more than mooching about in the field with t...
29 June 2020
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If you are planning to bring your horse back into work after time off during lockdown it pays to be prepared and to take things sl...
15 June 2020
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Whether animal or human, blood is essential. It’s an ingenious transport system, transferring oxygen from the lungs to all t...
23 April 2020
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Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is a rare but serious neurological disease caused by a type of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV), ...
14 February 2020
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Thick and lustrous, long and flowing, or fine and wispy and soft as silk, your horse’s tail is not just a spectacular fly sw...
14 February 2020
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Your horse’s kidneys do a phenomenal job, processing around 45 litres of blood twice each hour, to filter out waste and reta...
16 December 2019
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Now is the time to give your horse a short back and sides to remove that woolly winter coat and help keep him cool when he’s...
16 December 2019
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It’s wet, it’s persistently muddy, your horse is permanently filthy, and you have forgotten what it’s like to be...
16 December 2019
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Equine Atypical Myopathy is a potentially fatal muscle disease in horses and mostly occurs in the autumn and spring.
15 October 2019
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EHV vaccination helps reduce the severity and spread of the respiratory disease and frequency of abortion disease. Reducing the sp...
02 August 2019
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Listen to the second in our series of four essential-listening EHV awareness vlogs from Professor Josh Slater, European Veterinary...
02 August 2019
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In the final of our series of four essential-listening EHV awareness vlogs Professor Josh Slater, European Veterinary Specialist i...
02 August 2019
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Equine Herpes Virus, commonly referred to as EHV, is a potentially serious contagious disease threat that every horse owner should...
22 July 2019
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On average a horse’s brain is the size of a large orange but weighs significantly more at roughly 623g and it is around half...
19 July 2019
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Bots can be irritating for your horse and the onset of winter is usually the best time for you to get these pesky parasites under ...
04 June 2019
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Your horse’s feet have a very tough job. Not only do they have to bear the weight of the horse over a relatively small surfa...
04 June 2019
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We all love big-hearted horses – believing them to be kind, bold steadfast and willing to try their best with whatever the r...
04 June 2019
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Your horse’s liver is big and very clever: it is your horse’s largest internal organ, weighing around 5kg and is thoug...
04 June 2019
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Summer’s on its way, with the promise of warm weather, longer days, bright early mornings and balmy evening rides. We can tu...
16 May 2019
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The recent outbreak of equine flu in the UK this winter is a stark reminder of the importance of good equine biosecurity to minimi...
05 March 2019
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The bad news is that winter is fast approaching but the good news is that by following our six top tips you should be ready to tac...
20 November 2018
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Whether it's your first dressage test or you've been riding for a while these useful tips should help every rider. Hopefully, thes...
06 November 2018
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Our latest HorseDialog guest blogger Dr Aoife Byrne is an equine vet and an intrepid side saddle rider. Here she explains the hist...
06 November 2018
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Saddle up and learn about the history of the horse saddle. Several thousand years ago our ancestors worked out that a saddle of so...
06 November 2018
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Has your horse suddenly started behaving like a heavy metal music fan, shaking his head like a Deep Purple devotee whenever you ri...
13 July 2018
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The term ‘Equine Asthma’ encompasses the conditions IAD (inflammatory airway disease), RAO (recurrent airway obstructi...
13 July 2018
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The horse’s respiratory system is extremely efficient but also highly sensitive and susceptible to many diseases. Infectious...
13 July 2018
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The top 5 places to ride your horse in the UK this summer.
05 June 2018
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Why are some horses affected and not others if they are all living in the same environment? In this blog post, we take a look at t...
29 May 2018
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What should your horse's respiratory rate be? Your horse’s resting breathing rate should be around 8-12 breaths per minute
05 May 2018
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Our guest blogger Chris Pearce, who is a Recognised Veterinary Specialist in Equine Dentistry translates some common dental terms
01 May 2018
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Our guest blogger Chris Pearce, who is a Recognised Veterinary Specialist in Equine Dentistry translates some common dental terms
01 May 2018
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As prey animals horses have evolved to be on the constant look out for danger. Their eyes are large and laterally positioned, prov
01 May 2018
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We've come up with a list with six ways to prevent laminitis in horses. If your horse could write you a ‘to do’ list, ...
17 April 2018
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Our guest blogger Clare Barfoot, who is a registered nutritionist, member of the prestigious Laminitis Consortium and Research and
17 April 2018
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Viral and bacterial respiratory infection can easily be spread by direct ‘nose to nose’ contact with infected horses. ...
17 April 2018
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A healthy immune system is the most important weapon in your horse’s armoury against disease and infection and as a responsi...
17 April 2018
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Palpation of your horse's digital pulse in your horse’s lower leg can be useful to detect if there is inflammation in the feet,
06 April 2018
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Wondering how to assess the colour of your horse’s mucous membranes? Your horse’s mucous membranes (gums) should be mo...
16 March 2018
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Knowing your horse’s ideal weight and being able to check it regularly to spot any loss or gain can help you keep an eye on ...
16 March 2018
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What should your horse's temperature be? Your horse’s resting temperature should be between 99-101°F / 37.2-38.3°C...
07 March 2018
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What should your horse’s heart rate be? Your horse’s resting pulse should be 28-44 beats per minute. As with humans so...
07 March 2018
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How can I prevent mud fever? For the most part it’s all about keeping the legs clean and dry: Avoid muddy paddocks Try cr......
23 February 2018
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How do I treat mud fever? If you think your horse may have mud fever it’s always best to speak to your vet. Every case is di...
23 February 2018
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What is mud fever you ask? Mud fever is enough to make any horse owner hot under the collar. It’s a persistent skin problem,...
19 February 2018
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Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as arthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is one of the most common causes of lameness in ...
20 December 2017
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To make things easier for you and your horse we have 11 horse care hacks to help you through winter: Invest in a good set o...
20 December 2017
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Do you weigh a horse before worming? The answer is yes. A report from the British Riding Club has found that 44% of horse owners d...
18 October 2017
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What can you tell me about horse's teeth? The horse has a highly efficient grazing and grinding machine in the form of up to ...
08 September 2017
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Do all horses need an equine passport? All horses and ponies in the UK must have an equine passport, even if they never leave the...
31 August 2017
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When horses communicate, although they may not be able to speak, they are very capable communicators and if we take the time to ob...
31 August 2017
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Tapeworms are the biggest worms to affect horses in this country. While the most common type can grow up to 20cm long, there is a ...
19 July 2017
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How do I worm a horse? HorseDialog’s guest vlogger Ben Gaskell, a vet in North Yorkshire, shows us how to worm a horse prop...
13 July 2017
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Summer can be a lovely time for horse-riding, but high temperatures carry health risks for your horse. Hot weather can lead to deh...
06 July 2017
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Perhaps you have bred a horse or bought an unnamed youngster. Or maybe you just want to give your new horse a nickname? Whatever y...
06 July 2017
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It’s generally agreed that horses are good for your health and good for your soul, even if sometimes they are not so helpful...
05 June 2017
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Some horse owners choose to vaccinate their horses for other equine diseases as well as tetanus and equine influenza.
03 June 2017
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Flies are not only annoying they are also a health risk to our horses. While it’s bad news that they are inevitable during t...
02 June 2017
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It’s surprisingly common, but easy to miss. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) can cause your horse serious pain and can a...
09 May 2017
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Photo courtesy of Liz Knowler © Liz Knowler 2017 Keep it interesting and set exercises to improve you and your horse each ti...
05 May 2017
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Photo courtesy of Liz Knowler © Liz Knowler 2017 Doing fittening work on suitable grass tracks will replicate the conditio...
05 May 2017
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Do pregnant mares need special care? You will need to be extremely vigilant for signs of potential health problems throughout the...
01 May 2017
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Celebrating show jumping Show jumping has always had great spectator appeal. It reached a peak in the days of BBC Grandstand in...
01 May 2017
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Be black and white with your training so that your horse understands what you want as a rider. Always be methodica...
04 April 2017
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The ultimate sporting test Eventing, which is also known as Horse Trials, combines dressage, show jumping and cross country in ...
04 April 2017
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Your horse’s feet have a very tough job. Not only do they have to bear the weight of the horse over a relatively small surfa...
03 April 2017
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6 Common Horse Hoof Care Ailments Thrush This is a bacterial infection most often caused by a consistently damp environme...
03 April 2017
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While the grass may be struggling to flourish in many parts of the country because of the hot arid conditions the reverse is true ...
14 March 2017
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Preparing the Thoroughbred for yearling sales: what goes on behind the scenes?
14 March 2017
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Be Aware Of The Signs Of Equine Laminitis. If you believe equine laminitis only happens to fat little ‘Thelwell’ ponie...
14 March 2017
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While the grass may be struggling to flourish in many parts of the country because of the hot arid conditions the reverse is true ...
14 March 2017
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Horse tack is expensive, but caring for it properly means it will last you much longer, even if you’re spending long days in...
14 March 2017
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The Three Main Causes of Equine Laminitis. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). This is when laminitis occurs as a seco...
13 March 2017
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Vaccinations are essential to help protect your horse from diseases. The vaccinations you are probably most familiar with are teta...
24 February 2017
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Vaccinations are essential to help protect your horse from diseases such as equine influenza. The vaccinations you are probably mo...
15 February 2017
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Combating horse colic The horse’s digestive tract is very sensitive and it’s remarkably long, at more than 30 metres f...
13 February 2017
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Human or animal, we all enjoy a treat once in a while, and we enjoy treating others too. It’s natural to want to share a tas...
07 February 2017
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The longest living horse on record is thought to be Old Billy, a barge horse from Manchester who died in 1822 at the astonishing a...
07 February 2017
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What is dressage? Olympic gold medal winner Charlotte Dujardin’s exquisite partnership with the magnificent Valegro has capt...
20 January 2017
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