Author: sophiehulmeeventing

So be prepared for some major cuteness! Over the last month Diarmid, Fenrys and Faelin have been up to some fun stuff! Fenrys and Faelin got microchipped and are in the process of being passported! They also got their feet trimmed and a bit of handling! Diarmid got his second set of X-rays done and was a good boy for that! He is getting big! I think its going to be an interesting time next spring when we start to break him in! The plan is for him to come in and out this spring for handling and breaking in. Last week we moved all the weanlings to a new barn just down the road from us. Its so lovely and airy and gets them off of the mud for a bit! It was quite the ordeal to get them there…! I have to say that Fenrys was a superstar at being caught and loaded but I can’t say the same for Faelin…

Little Faelin is just like her mother… You can not tell her to do anything… You have to strongly recommend something or make it seem like it is her idea… So little Faelin decided she was not going to be caught and no one was going to tell her what to do… She was the last one in the field bar one other weanling… we  didn’t get a head collar on her until we got her in the five box courtyard with the others. Then when we did get a head collar on her she was good as gold to load onto the lorry! She definitely is a mini Annabelle! I can’t wait to see how she and Fenrys grow and develop in the next couple of years! I will keep my blog and social media updated on all their adventures!

So it had been a busy couple of weeks! Literally been on full blast! So to start off the fingers have been holding up to riding alright! So last week we started off with jumping the four in the 1.10m at summerhouse. They all jumped super and we had a really successful day! I only had one pole on Fintan and Ainle and they were both completely my fault and just getting a little too close to a fence. But still thrilled with the rounds I did. Excitingly Annabelle places 2nd, Alex 3rd, Fintan 6th and Ainle 9th out of a big and tough class! Really rewarding to have the placings and helped give us all a confidence boost!

Then the next day I took Ainle and Fintan to Dauntsey. They both ran well and I feel like both of my partnerships improved with them a lot. They both had a decent test and fintan went double clear sj and ainle had a pole yet again I got a bit excited with my striding on… But it is helping me learn so much! I flew some of the really technical combinations with Ainle but having no right rein because of 2 broken fingers caught to me so sadly we didn’t complete, but that is part of the territory and I feel like I still learned loads and Ainle and I benefitted as a partnership. Fintan and I had a great xc and it was a great confidence building round for us both. It felt really good to be back out eventing I am not going to lie.

Then the next day it was up again to take Annabelle cross country schooling in prep for Aston Le Walls. So we went off to Boomerang and took her for a spin around some combinations and fences. She was keen but absolutely amazing. Had felt like she had been xc loads in the last few months even though she hadn’t been xc since Feb!

Then it was on to Aston intermediate. I am not going to lie she heard the xc whistles when we were in the dressage warm up and pretty much told me to take a hike with all those dressage movement requests… It wasn’t our best test but it wasn’t our worst. She was definitely a bit spicy during it but she did the majority of everything I asked without a tantrum… Then it was on to Show Jumping and she jumped out of her skin! We had one pole at a big upright that I just didn’t feel comfortable taking the long stride at but as a result we got a tad close and she tapped it and had it down. Although loads of poles were flying so I was pleased! We then headed on to cross country and she felt incredible! We had an amazing clear and with the some time. I am thrilled as it was our fastest time to date, and I didn’t feel like my foot was to the floor. So I am super excited to get her out and about and see what else we can do.

Not a bad week when you can’t flex your fingers and have them in splints! It was definitely a full packed week but it was so much fun!

After Aston I went to the doctor to get my fingers checked to see if I still had to wear the splints… AND I am thrilled to say the SPLINTS ARE OFF!

So excited to have them off and get cracking with the horses with a right hand again!

Until Next time!

Sophie and the crew

Well they say when the going gets tough the tough get going… Well the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind and I have been cracking on with the horses.

They have all been coming on leaps and bounds and I feel like I am getting fitter and stronger as well. I have been going to Spin class to help with my cardio while being low impact on my knees. As well as core and strength training so I can ride all of these fit horses!

I have also had a couple splat moments as we all do with horses. It just comes with the territory… But as a result of going splat the last time, the reins unfortunately wrapped around my index and middle finger of my right hand and broke them… Which of course is not ideal when riding to not be able to use two fingers… So typical me I forged ahead and went 2 out of 3 isn’t bad! So the day after I saw the specialist and was put in splints I was back on a horse. Even though doctors said I probably shouldn’t ride for about three weeks… I then not even a week later tried to take the boys to Chepstow (in hindsight probably not my brightest idea). I got through all of Alex’s BE100 rounds which went well and I had loads of fun with him! But by the end was quite sore in my right hand. So I got on and did dressage on Fintan and Ainle to see how it felt. After the last dressage test my hand was spent and I could barely use it so I made the call to withdraw them for safety’s sake and to not do anymore damage to my hand. It was still a fun day even though very HOT! I feel so lucky with my support team as all the girls on the yard, my parents, and my coach Nick have been so supportive. They have helped me keep the balance of riding but not pushing my body so hard that I will make it worse. It is times like these where you really appreciate the village that surrounds you, as I couldn’t do any of this without them and my Sponsors.

Our sport is incredibly difficult and taxing and it really takes a village to get where we want to go. Between the owners, parents, coach, vet, farrier, physio, nutritionist, sponsors, etc. for both the horse and rider it is a big village! No rider would be where they are today without their village and it is in the downs of our sport that you see who is there no matter what. The downs make the highs so worth it and it is why every rider works as hard as they do. I feel like I have to say a big thank you to my village as I am having to lean on them more than I would like to in order to take care of myself and be back out there as quickly as I can.

I will be riding and taking it easy for a week or so to gear up for our next competition. That way I can hopefully have more than just a little strength in my right hand! Onwards and upwards and in the meantime I am doing everything I can off the horse to prep for being on the horse (as I type this I am just using my last two fingers and thumb to type… surprisingly not as slow as I thought I would be!).

Thank you to my village again!!!! Onwards and upwards! Until next time!

Sophie

Annabelle, Fintan, Ainle, Feyre, Alex, Diarmid, Fenrys and Faelin

Hello!

So much has happened in the last few months! We welcomed a beautiful new arrival who I have named Faelin! She is out of Gorsehill Belle aka Annabelle my young riders horse and The After Party aka Solo. Nick Gauntletts young stallion out of Primitive Proposal who is absolutely stunning! I have to say little Faelin is beautiful and she definitely is an Annabelle baby! Everyone is already in love with her! I can’t wait to follow her progress and see how she grows and develops! Little Fenrys is still feisty as ever and is enjoying being out in the field with everyone! I will continue to keep this updated with how they all get on!

April and May also brought loads. My exams and submissions where in full swing as well as doing embryo transfers with the mares! I will update on that in another blog post! I also got to spend a lovely weekend at Badminton Horse Trials with my parents and Maisey! Since then I have been completely immersed in exams and submissions for the last couple weeks. But most of them are finished now so I can start doing more with the horses! I took the boys out this tuesday to Summerhouse to do some show jumping and it felt so amazing to be back out competing! The boys were so well behaved and it was a great first show out!

Diarmid came in for handling which was also super exciting! I am falling in love with him more and more each day. He is so sweet and has the cutest face! Lucy and Amanda are doing an amazing job with him and I am so excited to see how he develops. I think it is so important to do lots of little bits with the babies so then when you come to breaking them in it isn’t a big drastic change for them. Plus it is lovely to get to know them and their characters!

Another fun note is it was my Birthday this past week! I was lucky to have a nice relaxed afternoon with spa and afternoon tea. I had a lovely time and it helped me recharge for the event season prep!

So I am excited to start getting back out with the horses and start competing! Onwards to summer! We have lots of exciting things planned for this year and I am so excited to get cracking! I will continue to keep this updated with everything that is going on with the horses and I, as well as interesting blog posts on performance horses and event horses! Let me know if there is anything in particular you want me to blog about!

Until next time!

Hi all!

I hope everyone is well! I am almost done with my masters and how the time has flown by!  I have done some really interesting research for my masters into performance horse conditions, management, injury and rehabilitation. So I thought I would share some of the information that I have gained from all my research! Please feel free to ask about any specific topic you may be interested in and I would be happy to do a blog post on it! This week I am looking at Exercise Induced Pulmonary haemorrhage in the performance horse! Let me know what you think!

Introduction

The respiratory system is essential to the health and athletic performance of horses and sports horses. The sports horse and more specifically the event horse has huge physiological demands placed on them during training and competition. Horses respond to exercise and training in many different ways. As a result competition horses struggle with numerous physiological problems and disorders. They undergo rigorous training and competing throughout their career. Airway disorders are common among competition horses. Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH)  has been reported as a major issue in the athletic horse. It is the most common abnormality affecting the horse during exercise. EIPH refers to the bleeding from blood vessels within the lungs during exercise. The condition has been reported worldwide in many types of equine athletes. Sports horses such as racehorses, barrel racing horses, polo ponies, event horses and show jumpers have all show signs of EIPH during intense exercise. EIPH has been documented throughout history, and there are only a few treatments available, although there is no known cure for this airway disease at present.  EIPH is commonly thought to contribute to exercise intolerance, loss of stamina and performance. It is considered to be a major cause of reduced athletic performance as well as being detrimental to performance. Most studies have indicated that the prevalence of EIPH increases with a horses age. Further studies are needed into other disciplines in order to determine prevalence of EIPH in different disciplines other than racing. 

Pathogenesis of EIPH

EIPH is seen by most authorities as a disease or disorder. Although Mazan 2018 discussed that EIPH may be considered a problem of physiology rather mandated by the development of the horse as a superb athlete than a disease. It is still argued amongst professionals as to what label is best for EIPH. EIPH was originally diagnosed by visible epistaxis (blood at the nostrils) and was considered a serious problem but relatively rare until other methods of diagnosis were further developed. EIPH is evaluated mostly using tracheobronchoscopy or bronchoalveolar lavage or both. Diagnosis of EIPH can be difficult, and hard to pinpoint if EIPH is prevalent or not. Endoscopy involves the use of an endoscope that has a camera on one end to observe if bleeding occurs in the respiratory tract. Tracheal lavage involves detection of EIPH through the presence of hemosiderophages in the fluid aspirated. Determining when the haemorrhage occurred is quite difficult.  EIPH is graded on a 0-4 scale with 0 being no evidence anywhere in the respiratory tract of bleeding and 4 being severe bleeding. In severe cases the condition can manifest as epistaxis, the appearance of blood from the nostrils. EIPH pathology is characterised by occlusive remodelling of pulmonary veins. Birks et al 2010 found that approximately 75% of post endoscopic examinations had blood scores of 1,2,3, or 4 regardless of breed. Studies have shown that its prevalence is related to intensity of exercise rather than the duration of exercise or breed of the horse. This presents the idea that short intense exercise such as flat races and sprinters are more at risk than long distance races or endurance races. This supports the findings that racehorses who do a lot of fast work and sprint training have a high occurrence rate of EIPH. EIPH is alveolar capillary wall stress failure caused by exercise induced pulmonary hypertension. Stress failure of the pulmonary capillaries is the generally accepted cause of EIPH.

The amount of haemorrhage in most horses is minimal but the recurrent damage may ultimately render the horse susceptible to future bleeding. Mazan 2018 studied the lungs of a horse with chronic EIPH in a post mortem examination and found gross abnormalities in the form of gun-metal discoloration that were easily seen on the dorsal border of the lung. They also found that racehorses with severe EIPH tend to run faster in the first part of the race and racehorses with milder EIPH tend to take over during the later part of the race. They commented how this may help to improve racing strategies or may reflect the inevitably of this disease in the racehorse. Mazan 2018’s findings show that there is a visible impact on the lungs of horses with EIPH when observed post mortem and that by observing performance, specialists may be able to observe and predict what horses have EIPH from race performance. Both Crispe and Morley’s findings support the fact that racehorses with EIPH do encounter a loss of performance when competing. This can be taken into eventing, as epistaxis has been observed in the event horse at competitions. There has been little research done into EIPH in the event horse and as such there is a gap in knowledge.

Prevention/Treatment

Currently there is no known cure for EIPH. There are two common treatment methods, the use of the dieuretic furosemide and the use of nasal dialators or nasal strips. Furosemide is legal to administer in the United States to racehorses before racing but not currently in the UK. There have been conflicting results on the effectiveness of furosemide in reducing EIPH. Hinchcliff et al 2009 looked at EIPH in thoroughbred racehorses and found that prerace administration of furosemide decreased the incidence and severity of EIPH in thoroughbreds racing under typical conditions in South Africa. Nearly 75% of all thoroughbreds are given furosemide before races in the United States. In contrast Kynch et al 2017 found that was no difference between EIPH scores in horses having received furosemide and the control horses given saline. Birks et al 2010 also found from endoscopic examination, that after endoscopic examination 75% of horses had scores of 1,2,3 or 4 regardless of Furosemide administration. If furosemide helps with reduction of EIPH or not is still not known for sure.

Another prevention measure or treatment used for EIPH, are nasal dilators or strips. Nasal strips are similar to the anti-snoring strips used by people. Nasal strips work by implementing three plastic support bands that are adhered on the horse’s skin on the fleshy parts of the nasal passage. The supports utilise spring force to aid in opening the nostril during inspiration and lessen the building pressure during exercise. Nasal strips reduce nasal resistance airflow and studies have reported significant reduction in the severity of EIPH with the use of nasal strips during treadmill exercise. Nasal strips are increasingly used over the drug furosemide and have numerous studies supporting their use as they are a non-pharmaceutical treatment option for EIPH. Howard Erickson conducted at least eight studies looking into nasal strip use and effectiveness. He found that nasal strips did help to combat and limit EIPH in the racehorse. Studies have shown that nasal strips decrease the effort of breathing, and therefore leads to the reduction in pressure that then reduces the incidence of EIPH. Further research is needed into other treatment and prevention options, but also into prevalence of EIPH in the event horse. As horses that do short bursts of intense exercise are at risk of EIPH. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this information on EIPH! Please let me know your thoughts and if you have a certain topic you would like me to cover let me know!

Thank you!

Until next time!

Sophie

References

1. Silva, K., Otaka, J., Gonçalves, C., Silva, E., Alencar, N. and Lessa, D. (2017). Association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and inflammatory airway disease in polo ponies. Journal of Equine Science, 28(2), pp.55-59.
2. Marlin, D. and Nankervis, K. (2013). Equine Exercise Physiology. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
3. McGowan, C. (2008). Clinical Pathology in the Racing Horse: The Role of Clinical Pathology in Assessing Fitness and Performance in the Racehorse. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 24(2), pp.405-421.
4. Casey, R. (2007). Clinical Problems Associated with the Intensive management of Performance Horses. The Welfare of Horses, 1, pp.19-44.
5. Davidson, E. and Martin, B. (2003). Diagnosis of upper respiratory tract diseases in the performance horse. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 19(1), pp.51-62.
6. Hinchcliff, K., Couetil, L., Knight, P., Morley, P., Robinson, N., Sweeney, C. and van Erck, E. (2015). Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Horses: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Consensus Statement. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 29(3), pp.743-758.
7. Mazan, M. (2018). Lower Airway Disease in the Athletic Horse. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 34(2), pp.443-460.
8. Crispe, E., Lester, G., Secombe, C. and Perera, D. (2017). The association between exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage and race-day performance in Thoroughbred racehorses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 49(5), pp.584-589.
9. Doucet, M. and Viel, L. (2002). Alveolar Macrophage Graded Hemosiderin Score from Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Horses with Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage and Controls. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 16(3), pp.281-286.
10. Léguillette, R., Steinmann, M., Bond, S. and Stanton, B. (2016). Tracheobronchoscopic Assessment of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage and Airway Inflammation in Barrel Racing Horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 30(4), pp.1327-1332.
11. Gold, J., Knowles, D., Coffey, T. and Bayly, W. (2018). Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in barrel racing horses in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 32(2), pp.839-845.
12. Poole, D. and Erickson, H. (2016). Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage: where are we now?. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, Volume 7, pp.133-148.
13. Epp, T., McDonough, P., Padilla, D., Gentile, J., Edwards, K., Erickson, H. and Poole, D. (2006). Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage during submaximal exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal, 38(S36), pp.502-507.
14. Kindig, C., McDonough, P., Fenton, G., Poole, D. and Erickson, H. (2001). Efficacy of nasal strip and furosemide in mitigating EIPH in Thoroughbred horses. Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(3), pp.1396-1400.
15. Manohar, M., Hutchens, E. and Coney, E. (1994). Frusemide attenuates the exercise-induced rise in pulmonary capillary blood pressure in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 26(1), pp.51-54.
16. Knych, H., Wilson, W., Vale, A., Kass, P., Arthur, R. and Jones, J. (2017). Effectiveness of furosemide in attenuating exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in horses when administered at 4- and 24-h prior to high-speed training. Equine Veterinary Journal, 50(3), pp.350-355.
17. Derksen, F., Williams, K. and Stack, A. (2011). Exercised-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Horses: The Role of Pulmonary Veins. Compendium: Continuing Education for Veterinarians, pp.E1-E6.
18. Manohar, M. and Goetz, T. (1996). Pulmonary vascular pressures of exercising Thoroughbred horses with and without endoscopic evidence of EIPH. Journal of Applied Physiology, 81(4), pp.1589-1593.
19. Birks, E., Durando, M. and McBride, S. (2003). Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 19(1), pp.87-100.
20. Birks, E., Shuler, K., Soma, L., Martin, B., Marconato, L., Piero, F., Teleis, D., Schar, D., Hessinger, A. and Uboh, C. (2010). EIPH: postrace endoscopic evaluation of Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. Equine Veterinary Journal, 34(S34), pp.375-378.
21. Derksen, F., Williams, K., Pannirselvam, R., Feijter-Rupp, H., Steel, C. and Robinson, N. (2009). Regional distribution of collagen and haemosiderin in the lungs of horses with exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage. Equine Veterinary Journal, 41(6), pp.586-591.
22. Langsetmo, I., Fedde, M., Meyer, T. and Erickson, H. (2010). Relationship of pulmonary arterial pressure to pulmonary haemorrhage in exercising horses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 32(5), pp.379-384.
23. Mazan, M. (2018). Lower Airway Disease in the Athletic Horse. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 34(2), pp.443-460.
24. Walter, R. and Fagan, J. (2015). Preventing EIPH in Racehorses Using Nasal Strips Instead of Lasix. Undergraduate. Rutgers University.
25. Allen, K. and Franklin, S. (2010). Comparisons of overground endoscopy and treadmill endoscopy in UK Thoroughbred racehorses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 42(3), pp.186-191.
26. Velie, B., Raadsma, H., Wade, C., Knight, P. and Hamilton, N. (2014). Heritability of epistaxis in the Australian Thoroughbred racehorse population. The Veterinary Journal, 202(2), pp.274-278.
27. Sullivan, S. and Hinchcliff, K. (2015). Update on Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 31(1), pp.187-198.
28. Morley, P., Bromberek, J., Saulez, M., Hinchcliff, K. and Guthrie, A. (2014). Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage impairs racing performance in Thoroughbred racehorses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 47(3), pp.358-365.
29. Hinchcliff, K., Morley, P. and Guthrie, A. (2009). Efficacy of furosemide for prevention of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in Thoroughbred racehorses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 235(1), pp.76-82.
30. Poole, D. and Sexton, W. (2016). Howard H. Erickson: contributions to equine exercise physiology and veterinary medicine. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 12(1), pp.55-62.
31. Parente, E. (2018). Upper Airway Conditions Affecting the Equine Athlete. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 34(2), pp.427-441.
32. McGowan, C. (2008). Clinical Pathology in the Racing Horse: The Role of Clinical Pathology in Assessing Fitness and Performance in the Racehorse. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 24(2), pp.405-421.

So super exciting news this week! On April 10th this little one was born!

He is out of my mare Feyre aka Farytale Cooley and Nick and Amanda Gauntletts stallion The After Party. He is already a little character and we all love him to bits! Fenrys welcome to the world! I can tell you are going to leave your mark!

Hello!

It is that time of year where I am collecting data for my Masters Dissertation! I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to complete my survey. It shouldn’t take any longer than 10 minutes. If you could also share around it would be much appreciated! Feel free to let me know your thoughts!

Thanks!

Sophie

Survey

Wow! What an incredible couple of weeks it has been! So incredibly busy but so many amazing experiences as well! I am fully immersed into Uni work and dissertation. Working at Hartpury and Summerhouse equestrian as well as getting all of the horses geared up for the season!

I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to go to Holland for the KWPN stallion show. The show was absolutely incredible! I loved so many of the horses and I found out that I have expensive taste… So many of the horses were amazing and you could tell years of breeding and monitoring bloodlines brought them here. The arena those young horses go into is full of atmosphere. It is surrounded by bleachers and trade stands and has the screen suspended over the middle so you can watch them live but also see the slo motion captures after they have finished. Its no wonder that these horses are able to perform in arenas like this so young with their riders. They have literally seen it all during their grading!

The trade stands were of course amazing and had some amazing pancakes and stroopwaffles while I was there! It was such an incredible trip and we were very lucky that one of the inspectors came and sat with us so we could understand what they were looking for when they looked at the jump horses and the dressage horses. It was really interesting to see what concerned them in terms of confirmation and movement. As well as what they were looking for in the confirmation of the different horses as well as what type of movement was preferential. We were super lucky to be able to see the legendary Totilas and his offspring at the end of the Friday evening Gala. He was absolutely stunning and so were is sons. I couldn’t believe he is 19! He is absolutely stunning and is in incredible condition for his age! It was such a privilege to see such a legend in the flesh. I learned loads throughout the couple of days and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip! I would go again in a heartbeat!

I arrived home to SNOW! It was quite the shock and it was nice while it lasted but happy that it didn’t take long to clear! I was home for a short while then I was off to Saumur!

The journey to Saumur took 2 days as we drove from Hartpury to near the crossing and stayed the night. We took the eurotunnel to Callais and then it was a very long drive to Saumur. We arrived late monday evening and were treated to a lovely dinner with the coaches and manager of Le Cadre Noir de Saumur. Tuesday was amazing and full of new experiences! We started with riding for the french students on the flat. I had an old event horse who was quite the character and very sensitive. But over the week I got the hang of him and enjoyed what I learned in the process! The french students where so welcoming and had really interesting lesson exercises planned for us. Every student on the trip was assigned a french coaching student and two horses. We had two lessons a day one flat with the french students and one jump with either Eric or Eloise who teach the coaching students.

We then went on to have a tour of the school. Their facilities are absolutely stunning! We got to see where all of the military horses and school horses are trained. They have beautiful barns and an amazing conveyor belt system that is in the ground in front of the stables in the barns. You just have to lift the boards and muck out into the hatch and it takes it away. I want that system! It is so time efficient and it also gives you somewhere to sweep everything into! There is also a pipe system over the stables that delivers the grain into the feed bins at a particular time so no one has to run around with a bucket and scoop. It is such a great idea and system as they have over 300 horses on site so the system has to be efficient. They have loads of horse walkers and round pens to work horses in. As well as numerous outdoor arenas. There is a gallop track that they condition the horses on and a cross country course. They host a international horse trials every may.  They have everything they need to work and train performance horses.

We then had lunch… and let me just say the food there was amazing! Everything was homemade and fresh and it was all so delicious, I was in love! After having a beautiful lunch it was time for the jump lesson with Eric. My  horse was called Cappuchino Champeix, and he was a absolute hoot. He was such a character and had a lovely temperament. I loved working with him and I learned a lot over the four days. Eric gave some incredible lessons! Each lesson was geared toward a specific focus for the horses for the day and was adapted for each horse. I learned so much and I have exercises I am going to implement at home to help my own horses! I will blog about them and how they work in later posts!

Over the week we also were presented with  numerous amazing opportunities. We had a rider fitness session, vaulting lessons on a horse and on a simulator, and informational talks by research scientists at the top of the equine performance field. The week was filled to the brim with activities. The rider fitness was really interesting and helpful. We did a variety of exercises and I will definitely be using them to help prep for the event season! The vaulting was a whole new experience for me. It was so different to riding in a saddle and with a bridle, you don’t have any control and you are way farther back than you would be sat in a saddle. It requires so much strength and stamina, and I have earned so much respect for vaulters now! I knew it was tough but its a whole different level! It was such a cool experience and I really enjoyed learning it. But I think I will stick to my riding with saddles and bridles from now on!

The week was finished off by all of the english students riding for the coaching students exams. Afterwards I got to have my final jump lesson with Eric and Cappuchino. He was a star and we got to jump around a little course of fences which was great fun! I absolutely loved this trip. It will stay with me for the rest of my life and I learned so much for both my riding and myself. If you ever get a chance to go to Le Cadre Noir de Saumur I strongly urge you too! There isn’t a place like it!

Well thank you so much for reading! I will continue to keep this space up to date with the horses, Maisey and I’s adventures!

Onwards to 2019!

Until next time! 🙂

So 2019 is here! I can not believe we are already into 2019… It is so scary how time flies. I am so excited to forge ahead into 2019. The winter has been fairly relaxing with keeping the horses going and Maisey has been modeling her wardrobe of coats around the yard. For those of you who do not know who Maisey is. She is a 7 month old border collie welsh sheepdog cross that I got at the end of July. She helps out on the yard and loves to watch the horses. I am super lucky to have her by my side and apart of the Sophie Hulme Eventing team!

In mid january I went to BETA and met some amazing people!  I saw some incredible products that will be hitting the stores this year! It is going to be super exciting when they all launch, I know I have my eye on a few things! I love attending BETA and feel very fortunate to have been able to go the last 4 years. It always is an amazing place to network and meet new people in the industry.

This week has been mental! The horses are all doing well. We have definitely started to amp up the training. We went cross country schooling at Oxstalls on monday and had a blast. We were so lucky to be able to get out so soon as we normally do not have good enough ground until February. Oxstalls did an amazing job with their ground and were so nice to let us get out schooling on it earlier than normal.  We then went on to course hire Summerhouse Equestrians outdoor arena on wednesday and got to jump around some courses that had been apart of the British Show jumping show the day before. A great learning opportunity for the horses and myself as it is so different to go outside of home and jump around. You can only do so much prep and training at home before you need to start pushing the boundaries a bit more away from home as well. Thursday morning was busy with equine simulator and helping with PhD research being conducted at Hartpury. Thursday afternoon was packed with a photo shoot and interviews for Hartpury’s international department. Followed by an amazing lesson on Annabelle with academy director Lizzel Winter. Friday was also packed with ponies and I took Fintan for a gallop and hack around Badminton. We are so lucky to be able to drive 10-15 minutes down the road to the legendary Badminton Estate. It has amazing conditioning tracks and is absolutely stunning! I do have to say I have to pinch myself when we are out there sometimes. Saturday we went to Hartpury for some British Show Jumping and I am pleased to say the girls jumped double clears in their classes! The weather was not so nice outside so I was thankful that we were indoors! Today is catch up day with Uni work and prep for the KWPN trip that I am going on later this week!

Febuary is full of  training for the season, Uni lecture and a fun trip to France! I am off to Saumur for an exchange that Hartpury does with the Le Cadre Noir as well as much more! There are loads of exciting things happening this spring and I can’t wait to blog about them! I will keep this updated on all our adventures.

Until next time!

Sophie and the team!

Amazing Christmas Presents for an Equestrian

It is getting close to the big day and I have compiled a list of things that make great christmas presents! If you are wondering what to get your equestrian friend then these are bound to help you decide! Have a look at this list!

HRP Wing Saddle Pad

The HRP wing saddle pad is the only one of its kind. Helen Ross the founder of HRP Equestrian designed the saddle pad herself. Research was conducted at Hartpury University to compare the Wing saddle pad design versus the normal conventional square saddle pad. The research found that the HRP Wing saddle pad did not exert any pressure behind the saddle on the spinous processes but the square conventional saddle pad did. They are an amazing design and I swear by them, especially with my mares and my most sensitve horses. I will always recommend these saddle pads over and over again!

HRP Equestrian

APF Pro

APF Pro is an amazing supplement that both my horses and myself have used for years. It helps with immune support, gastric support, muscle building, and supports a healthy cellular metabolism. My horses are always on it and I never take them off it! It helps with travel and overall fatigue with horses and humans and I cannot recommend it enough!

APF Pro

Neue Schule Bit or Bit Trial

I am in love with my Neue Schule Bits. My horses go in the turtle top snaffle and the turtle tactio snaffle as well as their turtle tactio universal bit. They are incredible at helping you find out which bit is right for each individual horse as well as for the eventers each individual phase.

Neue Schule

C4 Custom Belt

These belts are a super fun gift that you can customise but that also gives back to a charity of your choice! They are waterproof and adjustable in size! I love my C4 belts and highly recommend!

C4 Belts

Leroy and Bongo Planner

I am a big planner and I love to write things down and have a hard copy of things as well as an online diary. This planner is perfect for planning your competition season prep as well as your competition season. It has goal sections, as well as sections to keep tract of your farrier, dentist, physio and vet visits. I find it super useful in planning my competition schedule and it is a great asset to have.

Leroy and Bongo

Custom Flair nasal strips

Flair Nasal strips help performance horses breathe easier during intense exercise. You can customise them so if you have a eventer friend that loves custom gifts and ones that they can use for their competition season these are it!

Flair Nasal Strips

Pure Feed Company Treats

The horses love these treats and they make a great stocking stuffer! They are easily digestible and all natural as well!

Pure Feed

Frilly Fillies Ear Bonnet

These bonnets are stunning! You can fully customize them to whatever color and size you want! My horses look stunning in them! They are easy to wash and maintain as well. If you have a friend who has been looking at bonnets then these are the ones to check out!

Frilly Fillies

Majyk Equipe  Boots

Majyk Equipe are an amazing company based in California. They have created a great line of dressage, show jump and cross country boots! I have a set of each I have to admit… If you haven’t watched their video of placing a wine bottle in one of there cross country boots and dropping a brick on it. Then go ahead and watch it as it proves just how amazing these cross country boots are. These boots are amazing and come in a great range of sizes and colors! These are a great surprise gift!

Majyk Equipe

Back On Track mesh sheet

If you haven’t tried any of the Back On Track products for human, horse or dog. I highly recommend them! I use their knee brace and fleece blanket loads. My horses absolutely love their mesh sheets. They help with circulation and to keep their muscles nice and warm. I swear by them!

Back on Track

Mountain Horse Sovereign Boots

I have never had a boot that I have been able to put on straight out of the box and ride straight away. I was able to ride my four horses off the bat in these boots and they didn’t give me ANY rubs! They are also one of the few boots to last me and not have the zipper bust in the first 6-12 months. These boots also fit so well. I have struggled for years to get a boot that fits my wide and short calves properly… These are the first that I haven’t had any fit issues! If you are looking to treat someone or aren’t sure about what you want to put on your christmas list. Take a look at these!

Mountain Horse

Rock Tape: Human and Equine

I use Rocktape all the time on myself and my horses. It is great at helping with inflammation and giving support. I use it to help support my ankle and knee when riding. The horses get it to help with their back and glutes. It is a great gift for any rider or athlete! I use this stuff so much and will always recommend it!

Rocktape

Ice Equestrian Browband or Bridle

Ice Equestrian is an amazing company with an incredible range of products. Their browbands are stunning and they have a beautiful range of bridles. I love all of my bridles and browbands from Ice and they make my horses look stunning! If you have any special equestrian friends looking to bling out their tack check out this amazing company!

Ice Equestrian

Cryochaps

These are really cool ice boots that have scientific research behind them! They wrap around the leg and I love that you can mould them and tighten them to the leg. They also stay cold for ages and do not take long to freeze! They are great to chuck in a cool box and take with you to a cross country schooling or show jumping competition.

Cryochaps

UHIP riding coat

I got one of these coats as an early christmas gift and I am absolutely in love! It is one of the best coats to ride in. It keeps me warm and dry the whole time. I don’t want to take it off when I am on the yard! I seriously urge you to check out these coats if you have a friend that has been struggling with the winter cold on the yard and while riding. I no longer will be!

UHIP

UK UHIP Distributor