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I've been on HHO for donkeys years but rarely venture into the dog section as I don't have a dog. I'm here for my sister .. My sister (who has had several working dogs previously) now has a male springer spaniel puppy from a strong working line. He's about six months old and, as I see it, has...

We've been out on hound exercise with the drag hounds a couple of times this season and last but never been autum hunting. We both loved hound exercise and would like to do more. My horse is 20 years old and up for anything but not very fit. I know that the drag hounds follow a scent and...

I'm asking all you kind people on behalf of a friend (I'm not selling my horse!). When people come to try the horse you are selling, where do you stand legally if they fall off? A friend had someone who fell when the horse spooked but fortunately was completely unharmed. He is understandably...

Short of putting electric fencing (posts/tape/energiser variety) around the entire circumference of my paddock, has anyone managed to stop their horse from eating wood fencing please? Is there anything I can paint on it (I would need quite a lot!). Any ideas gratefully received.

I've come to the hard decision to find a sharer for my horse for reasons of time/exercise/financial contribution. The tricky bit is that despite being 18 yo, she is absolutely not a novice ride - never nasty but very sharp. She's a dream to school if you are seriously talented (I'm not but she...

What are your thoughts on feeding haylage to a previously (9 years ago) laminitic please? I've read recently that haylage is lower in sugar than hay, although higher in nutrients, because the sugar turns to lactic acid in the gut. In an old blog from Nic at Rockley Farm (hoof rehabilitation)...

Can anyone help with getting yellow puppy wee stains out of a fawn coloured carpet please? If I get to the wee quick enough and blot it up with lots of kitchen roll, Vanish seems to do the trick. However the sneaky ones that get done behind the sofa or under the dinning room table and don't...

Can anyone help with getting weight on an elderly Section A with poor teeth please? She has energy and appears healthy/bright but came out of the winter looking poor and has not gained any summer weight which is unusual for her. Night and morning she happily tucks into a huge bucket of fast...

I've bought a second hand kimblewick off ebay to try on my horse who is very strong out hacking as recommended on someone else's thread. Please could someone help me with the fitting of the curb chain as I 'm not sure how loose it should be.

The one I had a few years ago cost a fortune in batteries so I gave up on it and have been using a rechargeable torch. However I quite like the idea of them and I saw someone recently who had a really powerful one with a green light on the headband at the back which made me think I might try...

I'm having a nightmare time with my beautiful ragdoll's coat as despite grooming at least twice a week, he still gets matted bits. I've tried Pet Head Cat Knot Detangler and is hasn't made any difference. Can anyone recommend some small rechargable clippers please? Also, any other...

I have been battling to stop my year old cat from jumping up on the kitchen work surface ever since he was big enough to do it. He's finally started to realise that it is naughty behaviour as he now gets down when I gruffly tell him to whereas for a long time he just sat and looked at me - he's...

I think I can wear brown boots with green tweed for hound exercise (please correct me if I'm wrong). Should I have a brown hat cover to match boots or go for standard black?

I've been searching for affordable wood pellets for winter bedding. White Horse Energy and Liverpool WP seem to be reasonably priced but I just wonder if anyone has found any better deals? I'm wondering if the big builder's type sacks of wood pellets would be more economical but am not sure...

I am looking for some lightweight stirrups with a safety tread and any other safety feature I can get. I really like the look of the Royal Rider ones with the cheese grater treads but they are very expensive. I see that Shires do a much more affordable version and wonder if anyone would...

Following on from my other thread on lameness, I had a great response (thank you) and popular opinion seems to be that hock spavins are an issue, although I am leaving the final diagnosis of my particular horse to the vet/professionals who know her in person. To those of you who have experience...

I have a horse who is lame in the school (straight line and on circle) but completely sound when out hacking. The vet has x-rayed/scanned/cortisone injected previous injury (also seen by physio, farrier & saddle fitter) but can find nothing wrong. She has also had a few weeks off in case of...

I've tried a fluorescent yellow marker pen but it didn't show up enough. I'd be grateful for any ideas for marking a trace clip as I'm positively anal about straight lines :)

As I seem to be ageing much faster than my horse, I've decided to wear a BP more often. I also find that it gives me the confidence to challenge my rather testing horse even when just schooling. My current one is incredibly bulky and makes me feel like I've got a spinal board strapped to my...

I've been thinking about this a lot recently as several friends have sadly lost horses and I've lost a beloved pet. God created the Ark so he must have placed considerable importance on animals. Isn't He supposed to know every time a sparrow dies? Also, heaven surely wouldn't be paradise if...

The Duchess of Cambridge presented the medals and I wondered why she didn't shake hands with the Iranian who won the silver medal? She didn't extend her hand and neither did he, so it must have been pre-arranged not to shake hands. Does anyone know why this was?

Is anyone else unable to get the dressage on their computer because of a fault on the website? :(

I'm looking for ideas .... and I'm not adverse to something a bit cheesey now and then! :D

When trying to help your horse get over his fear of a seriously scary object like clippers or other noisy things, should you stand with the object while it is making a noise or leave it on the ground and stand with the horse? It doesn't work having the horse on the end of a lead rope as he...

My vet has recommended using a Pessoa to help with building muscle in the back following my horse's sacro-iliac steroid injections (along with trotting poles etc). I've never liked the look of the action of a Pessoa as it strikes me that the reason it makes horses round their backs is because...

I feed my friends native pony (good doer who lives out) every morning Monday - Friday all year round because she can't afford the petrol to get there twice a day and also can't get up in the morning. I've given her warning that I am on holiday in August and will not be up doing breakfast...

Do you manage to ride with still hands or are you a bit of a tweaker? I used to be a terrible inside rein tweaker but since changing instructor and riding with a whip across my hands, I'm astounded at how much easier it is to maintain the roundness and balance of my horse. It's amazing...

I trying to get hold of some of the Wintec cleaner (which surprisingly isn't stocked in local tack shops) to try and rejuvenate my Isabell Werth saddle. Has anyone managed to improve the look of the equesuede on their saddle with this product? If so, did you dare use a stiff nail brush as...

I've decided to sell my Ideal Jessica as although it fits my horse beautifully, it's an 18" which is too big for my bottom even with a non slip gel seat saver. I also find that without a secure seat, it's difficult to keep my leg in the correct position as the Jessica doesn't have much of a...

I'm thinking of getting a sharer for my horse and am wondering what others do as far as insurance is concerned. Do sharers normally have their own rider insurance/third party public liability? My horse is 16.1 and not a quiet ride so I would only consider someone over the age of 16, but...