Potential Olympic horse swaps riders, on-line abuse and different issues the horse world is speaking about

A brand new rider

Chris Burton has taken the reins of Ben Hobday’s Shadow Man, as he goals for the Paris Olympics. The 14-year-old owned by Ben and Jane Chambers has been produced by Ben to five-star degree, and Chris was on the workforce that received eventing bronze in Rio 2016. Shadow Man will be part of Chris for six months with choice for the Video games the goal. Ben instructed H&H the swap was not initially on the radar, “however then we had a very good give it some thought, and thought what had been the sensible possibilities of me doing Paris this yr”. He added: “We had an additional give it some thought and we got here to the answer that Chris might borrow Shadow Man for six months and goal for the Olympics.”
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On-line abuse

In her H&H column this week, Olympic dressage rider Laura Tomlinson raises considerations that current on-line acrimony has “tarred all aggressive equestrians with the identical brush”. “The road between abuse and using a horse within the flawed body appears to have merged,” she says. “Can any rider say that they’ve by no means had a horse get tight within the neck and behind the vertical in sure conditions? But this appears to be the brand new normal for whether or not a rider is abusive or not.” Laura factors out that riders will be judged by, and “brutally” condemned on-line for, nonetheless pictures, “generally whereas clearly coping with a problem”. She mentioned: “If we don’t study to be extra respectful in direction of each other and extra understanding of one another’s issues, we’ll eradicate our sport.”
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Rescued pony

The general public has been urged to stick to the Countryside Code after a pony received caught in a cattle grid – as walkers had left a gate open. Hearth crews spent hours releasing Shetland Teifi on 5 March, utilizing street visitors collision and animal rescue gear. Proprietor Beth Watkins mentioned she was “extremely grateful” to the crews, and that Teifi had recovered nicely. The fireplace service mentioned: “Teifi was in a position to attain the cattle grid attributable to a gate being left open by walkers on a proper of means by the farm that he lives on. The Countryside Code urges all those that use the countryside, coast, parks and waterways to all the time depart gates and property as they’re discovered and to comply with directions on indicators.”
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H&H information editor

Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Enthusiastic about equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all features of the trade, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of selection is showjumping, during which she competes her personal horses, and she or he additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping reveals by to worldwide championships.