Horse_amp_amp_Hound__06_February_2018

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TREASURE TROVE
Sir — Your recent letters page
(25 January) sparked some very
happy memories for me from
Horse of the Year Show when it
was based at Harringay Arena,
and the Royal International at
White City Arena. However, the
difference then was that as
school girls, we were allowed to
wander around the stables and
speak to the riders and heroes
of our day — just as we did outside
Foxhunter’s stable.
NEXT WEEK
WHY
EVERYONE
LOVES A DUN
Plus the tooth problem every
horse owner needs to know
about. Don’t miss it!
I remember caressing his noble
head and found a single forelock
hair in my hand. I kept it and still
have it today in a frame. Now in
my 85th year, needing to pass on
“stuff”, is there anyone interested
in acquiring this treasure for
their equine archive? A small
donation to my local Riding for
the Disabled Association would
secure and I am confident that any
DNA test would prove positive.
Angela Doughty, MBE
Walgrave, Northants
H&H replies: If you’d like to get
in touch with Angela, write to
her at hhletters@timeinc.com
and we’ll forward your email.
HORSEBOX HORRORS
Sir — Having loaded a pony into
our Ifor Williams 505 trailer, he
suddenly started rearing. He got
his front legs over the breast-bar,
then tried to get his hinds over
but couldn’t and was stuck fast.
So we had to unscrew the breastbar
retaining bolts (thankfully
we’d located the Allen key), but
one would not unscrew. So I
removed the rear partition, then
the centre post with the front
partition attached. This worked
and the pony walked out.
So the lessons learnt are to
always carry the correct Allen
key; check that the breast-bar
retaining bolts have not rusted in
place as ours had; and regularly
grease the bolts.
David Larmour
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumb
A spokesperson for Ifor
Williams Trailers replies:
“This incident highlights the
need to be aware of what can go
wrong when handling even the
most calm natured of horses.
Your reader’s experience
underlines the need to service
your horsebox regularly,
checking the obvious things
like brakes and floors, but also
the safety features that you
may need in an emergency.”
AIMING FOR THE BEST
Sir — In reading your recent story
about bullying (news, 1 February),
I so agree with Olympic dressage
rider and trainer Robert Dover.
There is a lot of bullying and
criticism in the equestrian world
and I am pleased that Robert is
standing up against it.
It can be tough trying to do the
best for your horse, and it’s easy
to have your confidence dented by
unwarranted criticism. Even those
of us who compete at a lower
level can come up against it. I
myself have been on the receiving
end, but have been lucky to be
supported by positive friends and
trainers — we need more of that.
Tricia Kilbank
Dorchester, Dorset
NOT ENOUGH TURNOUT
Sir — I am so saddened by the
number of horses stabled 24/7
with little exercise during the
week and no opportunity to let off
steam and be “a horse”.
It is well understood by vets,
and top riders and trainers that
horses need several hours out
of the stable each day to ensure
that their mental and physical
wellbeing needs are met.
Why on earth would anyone
think of keeping a horse where
there is no facility to turn out?
Caroline Robinson
Frolesworth, Leics
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