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Welcome to THE SCOTTISH HORSE, JULY 2008
EVERY DAY we hear on the news that Britian is suffering a ‘credit crunch’. I suggested back in April that this year would be a crunch year for horse owners – everything is increasing in price and rising costs mean that horse shows and lessons on top are just an extra luxury. Across all disciplines I’ve seen entries being down this year as competitors are choosing their events carefully instead of going to a show every weekend.
The Scottish Farmer staff are out and about all over Scotland and despite the new ragwort guidelines it still seems to be growing at an alarming rate throughout Scotland. On my journey into Glasgow the motorways have a blooming yellow display as do many fields near my home where horses and cattle graze. The Scottish Government now has guidleines on preventing the spread of ragwort (page 8) as it is a poisonous plant.
With this summer’s unseasonal weather hay hasn’t yet been made but with fertiliser reaching record prices there may well be a hay shortage this winter. Not much good hay was made last year so there is little in reserve to fall back on.
Next month sees Thirlestane Castle and Blair Castle horse trials take place and there is a preview to both on pages 4 and 5.
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OLYMPIC TEAMS ANNOUNCED
THE BRITISH Olympic Association has selected the dressage and showjumping riders to be part of Team GB for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
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SCOTTISH-BASED FARRIERS DOMINATE
SCOTTISH-BASED farriers took four of the top six placings at the World Championship Blacksmith Competition, held in Canada as part of the renowned Calgary Stampede.
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COUNTDOWN TO THIRLESTANE
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SCOTLAND’S THREE-STAR THREE-DAY EVENT
THE WEEK, after Thirlestane, is the annual Blair Castle International Horse Trials and Country Fair, Perthshire
(August 21-24).
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FEEDING THE BOX RESTED HORSE
MID SUMMER is upon us, and while the majority of horses and ponies are enjoying the increased turnout time and freedom, there will also be a small, but significant, portion of the horse population enduring days, weeks, even months of total confinement in a 12 foot square stable.
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FOR EXHIBITORS THE HIGHLAND FUTURE LOOKS GOOD
LIKE MOST people in Britain, I suspect, I’m not a great believer in the Honours List, although, I was very pleased to see that Robert Noble had recently received the MBE for his services to equestrianism.
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V IS FOR VICTORY AND ALSO VOLUNTEERS
WHERE WOULD the BHS in Scotland be without it’s voluntary workforce? Our 12 regional committees ensure that equestrian access, safety, welfare and training is carried out in their patches and we had a superb example of this the other evening with BHS Strathclyde.
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AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS – SHOULD WE BE WORRIED?
AN OUTBREAK of African Horse Sickness would devastate equestrian industry throughout the UK and lead to the death of a substantial number of horses.
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SHOWING WITH STYLE THE SUPREME WAY
EVER WONDERED how the professionals present their horses immaculately, week in, week out, no matter what the conditions?
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