Recent content by claireannejames

My daughter has bought a recently imported three year old TB just out of training (he hasn't raced). She is getting conflicting advice about what to do with him next. I had always read that young horses should be backed at 3 then turned away until 4 before starting ridden work and schooling...

YES agreed with your last point. Hopefully Bloodhound hunting can be saved, as it's a completely different type of hound and obvious to all that they follow the clean boot. That's my hope anyway. Here's to hundreds more Bloodhound packs and an end to Trail Hunting. I do feel sorry for the...

I have always felt that the open claims of the MFHA that member hunts use 'animal scent' for trails 'to mimic the scent of the traditional quarry' was surely proof of intent, since hounds cannot tell the difference between a laid, animal scent trail, (even if there is one), and a live fox who...

...yes that's what I'm not sure I'm comfortable with, the fact it's just my opinion of prettiness... I think arab types are prettier than cobs, but how is that fair? Plus everyone's own horse is always the prettiest.... I never enter these classes as I don't really get the point of them... I...

Hi, advice needed. I am very, very amateur, I've only ever done the odd local showing class over the last 5 years (mainly in hand and ridden veterans) with my mare, but some friends are running a fun show at their yard and have asked me to judge 'prettiest mare' and 'handsomest gelding' and the...

I'm quite shocked by this reply. A group of lads very nearly hit my horse yesterday going fast down a narrow bridleway, if they had hit her she would have been fatally injured. Thank god she's so good and didn't throw me. There are so few bridleway and horse riders are constantly being told we...

The ponies out on Dartmoor are of mixed breed with alot of shetlands and cobs cross breeding. Farmers are still turning out shetlands to cross breed. The hill ponies are not properly managed because the Farmers are allowed under their commoners' rights to turn out any breed of pony they like...

.....also, I DON'T thank drivers who slow from 40 or 50mph to 30mph and think they are doing all they should because they've passed wide, nor do I thank those who slow to 15mph but squeeze past with oncoming traffic less than a couple of feet from my right stirrup. Which is MOST DRIVERS!!!!

Yes, this drives me nuts - that people get wound up about being thanked!!! Do you expect every cyclist to thank you when you pass them? Every car that stops at a T junction, do you wave at them as you pass? No - because it's the rules of the road. I drive and wouldn't expect riders to thank...

Hi, I have a muck heap of mainly poo picking, with some stable muck (straw bedding) approx 8ft x 4ft x 4ft at the back of 4 paddocks (access would be OK for small tractor or car and trailer but not for an HGV). Would make great manure. Does anyone have any contacts for a local farmer or...

Sounds like she more than likely has third party then which is very good news. Also then I need to check out whether our loan horse has third party included on her owner's vet policy. Everyone I know has vet insurance, so I guess everyone therefore probably has third party too and I don't know...

Also, my daughter was indeed getting a small sum of pocket money for looking after the horse for 3 days a week whilst the owner was working abroad for the summer. There was no instruction that this was to include exercising her, just permission given to do so if she wanted to. I'm not sure how...

great very helpful thanks. Could you just explain how it's clear cut liability in a non fault accident? no-one fell off through any fault, and the van driver was not speeding or driving without due care? So there is no liability on anyone? Does that mean that if the owner has third party...

Very helpful and reassuring - thanks!

OK yes agreed that makes sense.