In this issue
Protecting our horses’ legs has long been considered a mark of good horsemanship. Boots and bandages are widely used to reduce the risk of knocks, interference injuries, and accidental strikes during exercise – and rightly so. Leg protection plays an important role in safeguarding the lower limb and reducing the risk of external trauma during work.
If you’re a horse owner, you already know how much your horse’s comfort and health depend on the seasons. Changes in daylight can affect everything from hair coat shedding to energy levels and appetite. For some horses, especially those dealing with PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, also known as Cushing’s disease) or seasonal Headshaking Syndrome, these seasonal shifts can make symptoms worse.
At just 22, Hannah Deegan is rapidly establishing herself as one of Australia’s most exciting young eventing talents. Her double victory at the 2025 Sydney International Three-Day Event, where she claimed the CCI3*L aboard HK Hawthorn and the CCN1* on Zipalon HK, has turned the spotlight firmly onto the hardworking rider whose passion for Thoroughbreds is matched by her dedication to the sport.
For most riders, the path to a Grand Prix horse is paved with years of careful scouting, strategic planning, and deliberate decisions. But for Australian dressage rider Emma Flavelle-Watts, her partnership with the gorgeous dark gelding Scarlatti Mio VSR (San Amour x World Diamond O) began almost by accident – one persistent phone call at a time.
Side saddle enthusiasts are excited that a leading international instructor will visit Australia for a clinic this year as the ancient art continues to attract followers, particularly with the establishment of a formal organisation in Queensland.
A favourite saying of his father was: “Progress is like a wheelbarrow – if you don’t push it, it stops”. David Cameron’s wheelbarrow has been onward and upward from the moment he began to move it.
Eight-year-old Elyse can’t remember a time when she didn’t love horses. Long before she ever swung a leg over a saddle, she was the little girl who begged her mum to pull the car over whenever they drove past Sun Valley Pony Club. Not for the scenery, not for the quiet roads – but for the pony riding. She would sit in the back seat eyes wide, watching riders go past, imagining one day it might be her.
Years ago, Harry Kewl was Lou Abey’s ticket back to show jumping. After some time away from the family helping others to gain confidence in the sport, the 24-year-old Thoroughbred is now back with the Abey family and showing 13-year-old Penny the ropes.
Best known for his role as the affable GP in the Doc Martin TV series, Martin Clunes loves horses and is head of the British Horse Society and a member of the British Carriage Driving Society. It was natural he would make documentaries about working horses.