The British Hobby Horse of the Year Show 2024 took place at Arena UK last month. Youngsters from across the UK and beyond took part in the first ever British championships, contesting jumping classes from 10cm up to puissance on hobby horses. Organis

Elaine Norris and her horse Shamrock enjoy hacking and going on fun rides. They also regularly attend clinics hosted by their local riding club and they take part in the odd unaffiliated dressage competition. Emma Windsor owns two horses. Her great p

Q I have purchased a new horse and the seller mentioned transferring their horse insurance to me. I've never heard of this and wonder if it's a possibility? Rachel Coombes, West Midlands Steph says: A transfer of horse insurance is where, with the pr

Exercises like these don't have to form the full extent of a schooling session, but are nice 5 minute additions here and there to help teach a horse new skills to support him in his ridden career, train his brain and build a partnership based on team

Q I recently had my new horse vetted. He didn't exactly pass with flying colours, but the issues were minor, and so I went on to buy him. However, I have now discovered that my insurance provider has placed an exclusion on our policy linked to those

One of the reasons I love training this way is that it helps riders get out of the habit of micromanaging their horses. This is because using cues and rewards teaches a horse what he will be praised for, so he will always be looking to find that posi

It is great to ride a horse who is enthusiastic about the job in hand, but what do you do when you feel as though he's trying to take over? This is the issue one rider is struggling with. After Jackie rides the course Liz asks her how in control she

THE YARD BOOT — a staple and essential piece of gear that no horse owner can afford to be without. Subjected to serious work, day in, day out, in all weathers, yard boots need to be seriously robust while snug at the same time to enable the wearer to

How did you get involved with pony books and republishing them? I started reading pony books when I learned to ride at the age of seven. Being a horse mad girl I loved the 100% pony-ness of them. I kept my collection, even after getting married and h

Rio is a 16-year-old, 15.3hh Welsh section D who I bought when he was 11 to be my second horse so that I could retire my other section D. Rio and I do unaffiliated dressage, attend clinics and enjoy hacking in the woods. I recently celebrated my 65th

Another version of this exercise that will have the same effect as using two poles involves employing the letters in a school and changing the canter or the trot between each pair. “For example,” says Melissa, “you could go long between M and R and t

Q I'm about to take on my first horse on loan. A friend mentioned that I will be responsible for the insurance. Is she right? Donna Lee, Cumbria Steph says: Congratulations on loaning your first horse. Whether or not you're responsible for the insura

How I make it work: I don't currently have a horse, but my husband, Alan, assists with the great juggle, including child care The artist reveals how her love of horses has shaped her career and her life, and that ownership is at the top of her wishli

It is important to remember that rewards have to be enticing enough for the horse to feel their benefits. For example, if the rider scores highly in a test, a bowl of unseasoned porridge might not feel like an obvious marker of achievement, especiall