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Hi there, I’m about to buy my youngsters first saddle after being back. I’m hoping he’ll be an all rounder with a bit more emphasis on dressage. I’m trying to figure out whether it’s best to get a GP for just a year or so, or go straight for a dressage saddle. He obviously won’t be doing any...

Hi there, I’m considering going to view a horse that might need a tie-back op in the future. Obviously it’s been priced to sell knowing the purchaser may need to pay for the op in the future, so I’m wondering how much I’d be looking at having to cough up for it. Has anyone here recently...

The heritage department are being difficult about the roofing I want in my planning application for stables. Apparently only clay pantiles will do. Crazy and irrational as it is, it's prohibitively expensive so I have to look for an alternative affordable roofing similar in appearance so I can...

I'm considering buying a racehorse at the Newmarket sales. My YO is experienced with racers and has re-schooled a couple of her own in the past, and says she'll help me through the process with my own. She knows a couple people on the race yards who have told her which horses to look out for...

Has anyone here had Infrared Thermography on their horse by someone other than a vet, and found anything really helpful? And if so, how has it benefited you and your horse? I'm just interested to hear your stories because I've seen someone advertising they can visit yards with their gadget. Are...

Ok so I know you can get insurance for borrowing a car for just a few days, but is it possible to insure a horse for just a few days? I've booked to go to horse camp but don't think my horse will be sound for it so someone on my yard has said I an borrow her horse for it. However she doesn't...

I've just bought a 7 acre field to keep my horses on. The land has been left for years (no grazing or maintenance apart from the occasional cut to stop the grass getting too long). So it's not been looked after in terms of irradicating weeds, and at the moment it's 2/3 thistles. I've never...

I'm wondering whether it's as good as it says it is. The Equisafe rails sound great (attractive, roughly same price as wooden post and rails but with no need for additional electric tape or any maintenance). BUT as it's plastic, my husband is worried it will look like dirty drain pipes after a...

I had my horses hocks fused earlier in the year, as he had developed osteoarthritis in them and injections were no longer working. The results have been fantastic; he's a now a new horse and I'll never have to worry about hock arthritis again. Yay! HOWEVER, my insurance company (Animal Friends)...

I've ordered the Paddock Paradise book and now eagerly awaiting it's arrival. In the meantime I've been pondering what are the disadvantages to using a track system? All I've read online so far raves it's a more natural and healthier way of keeping horses. But nothing in life is truly perfect...

I'm moving to Wetherden, Suffolk and will be completely new to the area so I'm looking for as much info on local equine things as possible to help with the transition from full livery to DIY in new home (gulp!) Info I need if anyone can help: Reasonably priced post and rail contractors...

I've read somewhere it's a good idea to get a soil and grass analysis done when converting a field from general agricultural use to equestrian use. Does anyone know why/the benefits of this, and how to go about arranging it? Is it a case of sending off samples yourself like you do for worm...

Hi there, For those of you who keep your horses in a field (with or without a mobile stable), but don't have a tap on mains water, how do you cope? What do you do to ensure the horses have fresh drinking water every day, and how do you clean them up for the farrier or bath them before a...

Anyone used Keratex hoof moisturiser and thought it was any good? Or able to recommend something else for dry cracking cracking hooves? One of my horses hooves have just had a bit of the outer wall chip off and on closer inspection they look a little dry so I'm wondering if I should put...

My 7 yr old has arthritic changes in his hocks so in addition to turmeric, I've been giving him Equine America Glucosamine 10,000 plus MSM. I haven't really noticed a difference in him so I'm wondering whether I should try Science Supplements Flexibility. The vet said that was the only...

My horse has recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both hocks. The right being worse than the left. He's had anti inflammatory steroid injections in his hocks and his first set of remedial shoes (with lateral support) were put on a week ago. He seems much happier in himself and moving...

I'm considering getting an arc equine kit for my horse who has osteoarthritis. There seems to be a lot of positive reviews/success stories but I can't find any research/scientific evidence into it working so I'm still skeptical as to whether it really makes such a huge difference to healing. Has...

Does anyone have any idea how much it costs to build a 20x40 ménage including planning applications, materials & labour? And is there a massive difference in cost between the different surfaces?

Hi there, As the title says, I'm looking for recommendations for equine physiotherapists or chiropractors based near, or able to travel to Newmarket. They must be fully qualified, registered with ACPAT and have a good few years of professional practice under their belt. Does anyone have any...

My horse has a very long flat canter stride, and can't seem to be able to adjust his stride going into jumps. He tends to hollow and stretch his neck out to tank along at an uncontrollable speed when I ask him to canter. Does anyone have any suggestions on schooling techniques I can use to...

I've started saving for a second hand trailer. Looking at the jar in the kitchen, it's going to take a looong time. But even so, I'm starting to 'window shop' on the internet to try to work out what I should get. I have a a 17.1h horse so it needs to be able to carry him. I have a friend who has...

My horse is quite strong and spooky but also very lazy. It's an awful combination because if he's given higher energy feed to combat his laziness he's likely to spook more, but cutting down on feed to prevent stressy fizz will give him less oomph when schooling. I've been doing some de-spooking...

I'm furious! I have my horse on full livery and use the same vets as the yard owner. My horse was due to have his annual vaccinations before the end of January but I was going on holiday so asked if the YO could arrange for it to be done. YO said she'd sort it out. I also text the vet to let...

I need to get my saddle checked but wondering whether they cost more than any other competent saddle fitter able to adjust flair. Does anyone have any idea how much I'd have to expect to pay for a Sue Carson saddle fitter to come out to me in Cambridge?

I'm looking for a 2nd hand jumping saddle that can be adjusted. I've spotted two rather scrumptious looking saddles and wanted opinions on which is better. Is one more adjustable than the other? Which is comfiest to sit in, better quality of leather and stitching? The tart in me is leaning...

In particular, should I get a vet out? A couple horses at my yard recently had strangles. One had what was first thought was just a really bad cold/cough because no abscesses came up, but later, after getting better it's basically been assumed it was strangles as another horse has been confirmed...

Can anyone recommend a cross country overreach boot for a 17.2h horse with big feet? I had some by Mark Todd but they were very chunky and the outer material was like Velcro picking up every bit of grit & loose grass going. They also retained a lot of water so weren't particularly well designed...

I'm considering doing my trailer test. I was just wondering if anyone here has attempted the test without paid training and if so, how the test went? I've towed a motorcycle trailer a fair bit so with risk of sounding incredibly cocky, I'm wondering just how hard can it really be? Seriously...

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone could recommend some decent clippers that won't cost me the earth? I'm hoping to find something for under £200. Am I dreaming? I have a big horse which I'm guessing I'll need to clip just once a year (for either a trace or hunter clip) so they don't need to be...

Hi there, I bought an Ideal GP saddle when I bought my horse in October. He was a proper fatty at the time so I got a 17.5inch in wide fitting as that was one of the couple makes/models saddle fitter Poppy Webber recommended to me. Now 10 months on my lad is much slimmer and being ridden more...