Coronavirus and the Horse

For many of us, it is a trying time and, with more and more countries implementing a lock-down, a complicated one. Equestrian centres are closed and, in many cases, even owners are being turned away from visiting their horses. A time to reflect on the welfare of the incarcerated horse… A great many owners consider […]

Stick-in-the-muds

Why oh why do people – well educated supposedly open-minded people – get so stuck in their ways? Ten to fifteen years ago, if you had built a bright airy riding arena with stalls, 3x3m opening onto a wide gangway, reactions would have been “Wow! Fantastic.” Today, we realize that this is no longer acceptable. […]

Give me a reason to shoe…

…and I’ll give you two reasons not to. There are so many arguments why a horse should be shod – but really they are all excuses. And there is no excuse for this continuing mediæval practice. In most western countries there are laws protecting animals against cruelty, unnatural and unnecessary practices – and yet none […]