Meanwhile at the opposite end of the UK, ex-racehorses are on show at the International Horse Trials and Country Fair at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Scotland. Quite apart from the ones taking part in the horse trials themselves, retired racehorses reschooled for the showring will be strutting their stuff when the Ex-Racers Club holds its Scottish 'Champion of Champions' championship on Sunday 24th August.
The championship is supported by ROR, Bailey's Horse Feeds , Feedmark and Mountain Horse. All the entrants have had to qualify by coming first or second at one of the qualifying classes held at shows all round the country throughout the summer - so they really have reached an inspiringly high standard. The winner will receive a trophy from Rehabilitation of Racehorses, and there will be extra-luxurious rosettes up to sixth place. There are also special awards for the best veterans and best junior riders.
The ex-racers classes start at 9.00 am, in the Castle Arena. Day tickets are available at the gate, children under 12 years of age go in free, and there is free parking. It should be a wonderful day's outing, with a wide range of events and entertainments going on. And on a historical note, the Olympic Handover Flag will be raised, to celebrate the moment London becomes the official Host City of the Olympic Games.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Racehorse Rehoming Centre - Open Horse Show
The Racehorse Rehoming Centre is based in the village of Combe St Nicholas, near Chard, in south Somerset, some 12 miles from Taunton. Run by Clive and Tessa Westlake, ( helped nowadays by a loyal band of volunteers), it was set up some 16 years ago to take retiring racehorses direct from trainers and rehabilitate them for useful second careers. Starting small, as such projects usually need to, it’s now a registered charity with Stan and Elaine Mellor as patrons. It remains a relatively small operation, compared to some of the perhaps more famous TB rehabilitation centres like TRC, but it specialises in providing a quiet and homely environment, set in gorgeous countryside, where stressed-out new ex-racers can relax, chill out, and gain confidence in their new lifestyle.
The horses all get loads of individual attention, so that the centre quickly gets to know their characters, foibles, strengths and weaknesses. Then the re-training can concentrate on the areas best suited to each horse, with a good idea of its future career possibilities. As well as doing basic flatwork in the school, all the horses are regularly hacked out. Then, when they are ready, they are taken on outings – local shows, hunting, pleasure rides, etc – so they are as prepared as they can be to start their new lives in suitable loan/foster homes.
If you want to know more about the Racehorse Rehoming Centre, check out their website here : www.racehorserehoming.co.uk
The important thing right now is that the centre is having an OPEN HORSE SHOW next Saturday, 23rd August – and it is GOING AHEAD, whatever the weather !
Obviously there are to be classes for ex-racehorses, but there are open showing and jumping classes too: - showing starting 9.00am, jumping 10.00am, minimus jumping 12 noon, and clear round jumping all day.( Great for introducing ex-racers to coloured fences). There is also going to be a BBQ and photographer. It should be a great fun day out for all, whether ex-racers or not.
More to the point, Tessa tells me that, due to the awful weather, they have just lost their whole winter haylage crop. Now this would be rotten for anyone, but for a small charity like RRC ( that receives no funding from any welfare organisations, can pay no-one any wages, and relies on goodwill donations) it’s a disaster. SO …. They are hoping for a flood of entries on Saturday, to fund buying in their winter fodder. So come on, all you folks in Somerset and all around – get yourselves over to Combe St Nicholas this Saturday, swamp them with entries, deluge them with donations, barrage the barbie with demands for double burgers….. and help fill that haylage barn to the rafters !
The horses all get loads of individual attention, so that the centre quickly gets to know their characters, foibles, strengths and weaknesses. Then the re-training can concentrate on the areas best suited to each horse, with a good idea of its future career possibilities. As well as doing basic flatwork in the school, all the horses are regularly hacked out. Then, when they are ready, they are taken on outings – local shows, hunting, pleasure rides, etc – so they are as prepared as they can be to start their new lives in suitable loan/foster homes.
If you want to know more about the Racehorse Rehoming Centre, check out their website here : www.racehorserehoming.co.uk
The important thing right now is that the centre is having an OPEN HORSE SHOW next Saturday, 23rd August – and it is GOING AHEAD, whatever the weather !
Obviously there are to be classes for ex-racehorses, but there are open showing and jumping classes too: - showing starting 9.00am, jumping 10.00am, minimus jumping 12 noon, and clear round jumping all day.( Great for introducing ex-racers to coloured fences). There is also going to be a BBQ and photographer. It should be a great fun day out for all, whether ex-racers or not.
More to the point, Tessa tells me that, due to the awful weather, they have just lost their whole winter haylage crop. Now this would be rotten for anyone, but for a small charity like RRC ( that receives no funding from any welfare organisations, can pay no-one any wages, and relies on goodwill donations) it’s a disaster. SO …. They are hoping for a flood of entries on Saturday, to fund buying in their winter fodder. So come on, all you folks in Somerset and all around – get yourselves over to Combe St Nicholas this Saturday, swamp them with entries, deluge them with donations, barrage the barbie with demands for double burgers….. and help fill that haylage barn to the rafters !
Friday, August 15, 2008
Racehorse to Showhorse - Big H does rosettes !
Two years on, and a whole heap of therapy later, - (believe me, you don’t want to know ! At least, not now – it would spoil your day.) - Big H has finally made real progress and last weekend blossomed in the showring.
It wasn’t actually his showing debut. We took him to an indoor show just after he first arrived, which rather bemused him. Then 18 months ago, we took him and Miraed to a little local show, in a riding school field, to do some in-hand classes for experience. It was not a success, despite H winning the Handsome Horse class. The plan was that Miraed- by this time an old hand at showing - would settle H and give him confidence. Wrong. Big mistake. All that happened was the two of them bonded like hayseeds to velcro and then kicked up and unholy commotion whenever we tried to prize them more than two inches apart. They caused havoc in the ring, nearly trampled the judge, scattered spectators wherever we went and generally made us the least popular kids on the block. Ah, the joys of ex-racers !
Soon afterwards Big H started with his foot and back troubles ( full story later – promise) which led to him having virtually a whole year off to recover. So, it was only last weekend that Big H finally made it to another show – and this time it was just him and me ! I had no idea how he would behave, since he is a very sensitive horse and can get panicky when he’s on his own. There was only one way to find out.
We got off to an excellent start. He’s always good to catch, but this show morning he was actually laid down when I went to fetch him from the field, and made no attempt to get up till I had the headcollar on him and asked him to stir himself, if he wouldn’t mind. He then walked calmly round to the yard with me without a care in the world. No running-round-catch-me-if-you-can games from him – that’s Miraed’s speciality. When it came to loading into the horsebox, he walked up and in without a murmur. He whinnied a couple of times as we set off, but once I’d reassured him he tucked into his haynet and travelled quietly, even though on his own.
Despite H being so totally obliging, I messed up the timing and we arrived at the show late. The Thoroughbred In-Hand class was just going into the ring. ( I hate being late – so why is it I so often am ?) I splashed a dab of hoof-oil on H’s feet, crammed my hot-and-bothered personage into my showing kit, and tumbled H off the lorry. We almost entered the showring with his tail bandage still on and my tie over my ear. ( NOT the recommended way to proceed.)
Despite all this, Big H was a perfect gentleman, and strolled round like a complete pro. No prancing, barging or spooking, no stubbornness , no scowling and grizzling – just relaxed but interested, ears pricked and handsome, and doing everything he was asked without any fuss at all – even standing, which is not usually his strong point. In fact, the exact opposite of Miraed ! Despite us being late in, and H having some raggy plaits and no quartermarks, the judge gave us third. I was delighted, but to be honest, I was so thrilled with H’s behaviour, I wouldn’t have minded if we’d come 99th !
Then I just had time to spray H with some Showsheen and tidy his plaits ( and my wonky tie ) and we were back in the ring for the Handsome Horse class. And just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, H behaved beautifully once again, and seemed to be enjoying himself with this new type of experience. He even stood perfectly square when asked, and smiled nicely at the judge – who told him he was ‘gorgeous’ and gave him second place. (Discerning lady, that judge !)
So then we had to have the photo-shoot, with two big rosettes fluttering from H’s bridle. (This in itself would be a new experience for an ex-racehorse, so if you intend to be successful showing yours, get some practice in at home for pinning on all those rosettes you are going to win.) Now, Miraed has this reflex action whenever she spots a camera – ears back, swish tail, rest hind leg and adopt foul/bored-to-death expression. But not H. He posed like a star. Hence these nice photos I can post here.
I had no intentions of entering H in the ridden class this time. He’s just not quite ready for that yet, and I wanted this outing to be relaxed and stress-free for him. But, seeing as he was so very chilled out, I decided to saddle him up and potter round the showground a bit. He tensed as soon as the saddle went on, and jogged a bit at first. He quickly relaxed though, and we strolled around saying hello to the lunching judges, the secretary’s caravan, the litter bin, the practice jumps, the jumping blackboard and a tiny spotted pony the like of which he’d never seen before. He seemed to take an enjoyable interest in all of it and never spooked once.
Chuffed to bits, I ended on this good note and called it a day. Miraed can be a baggage to load; it can take several hours, sackfuls of feed, a natural horsemanship expert and a cast of thousands to help…..Big H just hopped in first time. And once again he travelled well. Despite a bit of noisy fuss when we stopped to refuel, he arrived home calm and cool.
So that’s my lovely Big H. What a star ! Despite his lack of experience at it, he gave me the easiest day’s showing I’ve had in a long while, and lots of fun – and rosettes as well. Who said ex-racehorses are difficult ? Ok, so it wasn’t Horse Of The Year Show – and never will be, with us. But whatever placings we do or don’t get in the future, Big H will always be Supreme Champion to me.
It wasn’t actually his showing debut. We took him to an indoor show just after he first arrived, which rather bemused him. Then 18 months ago, we took him and Miraed to a little local show, in a riding school field, to do some in-hand classes for experience. It was not a success, despite H winning the Handsome Horse class. The plan was that Miraed- by this time an old hand at showing - would settle H and give him confidence. Wrong. Big mistake. All that happened was the two of them bonded like hayseeds to velcro and then kicked up and unholy commotion whenever we tried to prize them more than two inches apart. They caused havoc in the ring, nearly trampled the judge, scattered spectators wherever we went and generally made us the least popular kids on the block. Ah, the joys of ex-racers !
Soon afterwards Big H started with his foot and back troubles ( full story later – promise) which led to him having virtually a whole year off to recover. So, it was only last weekend that Big H finally made it to another show – and this time it was just him and me ! I had no idea how he would behave, since he is a very sensitive horse and can get panicky when he’s on his own. There was only one way to find out.
We got off to an excellent start. He’s always good to catch, but this show morning he was actually laid down when I went to fetch him from the field, and made no attempt to get up till I had the headcollar on him and asked him to stir himself, if he wouldn’t mind. He then walked calmly round to the yard with me without a care in the world. No running-round-catch-me-if-you-can games from him – that’s Miraed’s speciality. When it came to loading into the horsebox, he walked up and in without a murmur. He whinnied a couple of times as we set off, but once I’d reassured him he tucked into his haynet and travelled quietly, even though on his own.
Despite H being so totally obliging, I messed up the timing and we arrived at the show late. The Thoroughbred In-Hand class was just going into the ring. ( I hate being late – so why is it I so often am ?) I splashed a dab of hoof-oil on H’s feet, crammed my hot-and-bothered personage into my showing kit, and tumbled H off the lorry. We almost entered the showring with his tail bandage still on and my tie over my ear. ( NOT the recommended way to proceed.)
Despite all this, Big H was a perfect gentleman, and strolled round like a complete pro. No prancing, barging or spooking, no stubbornness , no scowling and grizzling – just relaxed but interested, ears pricked and handsome, and doing everything he was asked without any fuss at all – even standing, which is not usually his strong point. In fact, the exact opposite of Miraed ! Despite us being late in, and H having some raggy plaits and no quartermarks, the judge gave us third. I was delighted, but to be honest, I was so thrilled with H’s behaviour, I wouldn’t have minded if we’d come 99th !
Then I just had time to spray H with some Showsheen and tidy his plaits ( and my wonky tie ) and we were back in the ring for the Handsome Horse class. And just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, H behaved beautifully once again, and seemed to be enjoying himself with this new type of experience. He even stood perfectly square when asked, and smiled nicely at the judge – who told him he was ‘gorgeous’ and gave him second place. (Discerning lady, that judge !)
So then we had to have the photo-shoot, with two big rosettes fluttering from H’s bridle. (This in itself would be a new experience for an ex-racehorse, so if you intend to be successful showing yours, get some practice in at home for pinning on all those rosettes you are going to win.) Now, Miraed has this reflex action whenever she spots a camera – ears back, swish tail, rest hind leg and adopt foul/bored-to-death expression. But not H. He posed like a star. Hence these nice photos I can post here.
I had no intentions of entering H in the ridden class this time. He’s just not quite ready for that yet, and I wanted this outing to be relaxed and stress-free for him. But, seeing as he was so very chilled out, I decided to saddle him up and potter round the showground a bit. He tensed as soon as the saddle went on, and jogged a bit at first. He quickly relaxed though, and we strolled around saying hello to the lunching judges, the secretary’s caravan, the litter bin, the practice jumps, the jumping blackboard and a tiny spotted pony the like of which he’d never seen before. He seemed to take an enjoyable interest in all of it and never spooked once.
Chuffed to bits, I ended on this good note and called it a day. Miraed can be a baggage to load; it can take several hours, sackfuls of feed, a natural horsemanship expert and a cast of thousands to help…..Big H just hopped in first time. And once again he travelled well. Despite a bit of noisy fuss when we stopped to refuel, he arrived home calm and cool.
So that’s my lovely Big H. What a star ! Despite his lack of experience at it, he gave me the easiest day’s showing I’ve had in a long while, and lots of fun – and rosettes as well. Who said ex-racehorses are difficult ? Ok, so it wasn’t Horse Of The Year Show – and never will be, with us. But whatever placings we do or don’t get in the future, Big H will always be Supreme Champion to me.
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