10 Halloween Costume Ideas for Your Horse

With less than a week til Halloween, we would hope most of you would have your costumes all ready for any fancy dress show you might be attending. If you haven’t. what are you waiting for? To give you a helping hand, here are 10 costume ideas for you and your horse/pony (Thanks to www.thefw.com for the original list/photos)

This pony show was clearly BYOB. (Bring your own boom box.) But where are the trainer’s fingerless gloves and cardboard scraps for b-boy headspins? Because Black Beauty is ready to break it down.

The hip bone’s connected to the…tail bone, obviously. This costume would also be a fine choice for Night Stalker, Skeletor's “evil armored battle steed” from 'He-Man.'

If the trail rides don’t work out, this horse is considering a career with the Navy Seals. Until then, he’ll stick with his hoof floaties. Safety first!

Call it the 'My Little Pony on the Prairie' look. We just want to know who’s Half Pint, who’s Blind Mary and where Pa is with the feed pail.

Jinkies! This poor pony would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids. (Not pictured? His jockey, Velma.) Zoinks!

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed saddle. We already feel bad for this quarter-pounder quarter horse, but her rider’s costume takes things to a full combo meal of mortification.

'Yo ho, yo ho, a pony's life for me. Arrrrrrgh! Give me some carrot rum!' Cap’n Black Mane is clearly over the eye patch thing. Just toss him a sugar cube (it's trough-or-treat time) and leave him with a little dignity.

We want this horse swaying her hips on our dashboard and serving us a Pu-Pu platter. That is all.

A stallion with a smoking jacket and a bunny on each flank. Wonder how many mares he has waiting for him back at the paddock?

There’s something about this bewitching horse's mug(gle) that puts a spell on us. We’re betting he wins the Hogwarts Derby by a broomstick.

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Gaddesden RDA’s “best pony” retires to The Horse Trust

A much-loved pony that helped countless disabled children learn to ride at Gaddesden Place RDA Centre in Hemel Hempstead has retired to The Horse Trust’s sanctuary in Speen, Buckinghamshire.
The fabulous twenty-year-old Strathardle Clunie, has worked at Gaddesden Place RDA for the last five years giving rides to local children with physical and learning disabilities. Before she arrived at Gaddesden in April 2006, Clunie worked for a number of years at Aldershot RDA.

“Clunie is the best RDA pony we’ve come across,” said Sheila Finnie, the Group Organiser at Gaddesden Place RDA. “Clunie mothered the disabled riders and was very, very patient with them. She would happily stand still all day so a disabled child could safely mount her, even if they were kicking and screaming.”

Sheila said riding ponies like Clunie, a 14hh grey highland mare, has many benefits for children with disabilities.

“Riding enables disabled children to exercise, learn new skills and build relationships with the helpers and ponies. Ponies have a very calming influence on children with learning disabilities, and can help improve the strength and co-ordination of children with physical disabilities,” said Sheila.

Gaddesden Place RDA Centre, which is based at Briden’s Camp, Hemel Hempstead, offers riding lessons to around ninety disabled riders each week.  Sheila added that all the volunteers at Gaddesden RDA group are delighted that The Horse Trust has taken in Clunie, who needs to retire as she has become lame.

“We’re so thrilled that The Horse Trust has taken Clunie in. She’s so special and it’s lovely to know that she’ll be well looked after and will enjoy the retirement she deserves,” said Sheila. “We don’t have the grazing or space to keep retired ponies and its hard to find a good home for them, so I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders when The Horse Trust offered her a home.”

The Horse Trust offers sanctuary to horses, ponies and donkeys that have retired from working life, or have suffered and need special treatment. The charity, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, looks after around ninety equines at its sanctuary in Speen, Buckinghamshire.

“We’re delighted to offer a home to Clunie after her hard work for the Gaddesden Place RDA,” said Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive Officer of The Horse Trust. “It sounds like Clunie has given a lot of joy to children with disabilities and we hope she will have a happy and healthy retirement at the sanctuary.

The Horse Trust depends on the support of the public to offer retirement to working horses. It costs the charity an average of £10 per day to look after each horse at the sanctuary, which includes the costs of grooms, forage, farriery and veterinary care. To donate to The Horse Trust, please visitwww.horsetrust.org.uk, or contact the charity on             01494 488 464       or info@horsetrust.org.uk

Livery Vacancies at Wood Farm

There are currently livery vacancies at Wood Farm in Ongar, Essex – home of Aquus Equine Hydrotherapy Spa at Wood Farm Livery.

Remus Charity Christmas Cards launched

Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary in Essex have launched their 2011 Christmas range, which includes Christmas Card Designs, Christmas Puddings, 2012 Calendars, mugs and much more. 

Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary and animal centre provides care and rehabilitation for 200 horses, ponies, donkeys, cows, sheep and cats in the heart of the Essex countryside.

It costs in excess of £300,000 to run the Sanctuary every year, which is funded solely by donations, and with your help, they can give these animals the best possible care so they can eventually be re-homed or enjoy a home for life at the Sanctuary.

You can also help by buying exclusive branded gifts, and with every purchase you are helping to fund the vital work of the sanctuary. From delicious plum puddings to sponsoring one of the animals at the sanctuary there is a gift for everyone! Visit the Christmas shop by following this link:www.remussanctuary.org

Christmas Card Design

Plum Puddings in a range of sizes

Access the Remus Christmas shop, and see the full range by clicking here.

Tickets now on sale for the world’s best equestrian Christmas party

Have you booked your ticket to Olymipa, The London International Horse Show? Always an annual family favourite, the organisers have recently unveiled a new extreme driving competition for the 2011 show!

Celebrating nearly forty years of world class equestrian sport, Olympia, The London International Horse Show is introducing a brand new Extreme Driving competition to its coveted event format this year.

The new indoor carriage driving competition will see the world’s best four in-hand drivers battling it out for the title on the evening of Thursday 15^th December and the afternoon of Friday 16^th December.

Renowned for immense speed and precision, the driving competition will feature marathon-style obstacles and pairs of cones, which drivers navigate against the clock.

To mark the London Olympia debut, three of the world’s best will take part including Boyd Exell, Ijsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde. Flying the flag for Great Britain Pippa Bassett, will also take part with her team of Lipizzaners – an entry that is sure to get the support of the home crowd.

Simon Brooks Ward, Managing Director of H Power and Event Director said: “We are enormously excited by the introduction of driving to the Olympia programme for 2011. The event is magnificent to watch and is performed by the world’s best carriage drivers, which will have spectators literally on the edge of their seats.”

The show highlights

This year’s seven-day equestrian extravaganza kicks off with the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Qualifier on the evenings of the 13th December and 14th December. With British riders Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer winning recent top dressage competitions, this will provide a good indication of Britain’s ability to go for gold in 2012 – as well as being a fantastic opportunity to watch the best in the world compete.

Jumping classes start on Thursday 15th December and highlights include the Alltech Christmas Puissance (Friday 16 December’s evening), The Rolex FEI World Cup™ Qualifier presented by H&M (Sunday 18 December’s afternoon) and The Olympia Grand Prix on the evening of Monday 19 December.  Olympia favourites, The Kennel Club Dog Agility, The Shetland Pony Grand National and the Christmas Finale will feature in all jumping performances from Thursday 15^th to Monday 19^th December.

The line-up of displays includes the return of the magnificent Lorenzo, The Flying Frenchman and the Lusitano Quadrille from Portugal.  This is the first time that this high school display has been seen at Olympia.

The traditional Olympia Christmas Finale will be supported by The Hilton, London, Olympia and is complete with Father Christmas on a sleigh, carol singers and lots of fluffy white snow. Visitors can also stock up on Christmas gifts and equestrian goodies courtesy of the Shopping Village. The retail experience will be open from Wednesday 14^th at 1pm and then every day from 10am till close with 200 shops and stalls selling items ranging from food, gifts, homeware, clothing, art, jewellery and much more.

Tickets for Olympia, The London International Horse Show, are priced between £21 and £55 with various discounts available for groups, seniors and children. Tickets include entrance to the Shopping Village but these can also be purchased separately without a show ticket for only £10. For further information and a confirmed programme of events please visit www.olympiahorseshow.com. For tickets, call the box office on             0871 230 5580      .

Sign the petition to increase Public Bridleways

The government has set up a petition to increase Public Bridleways to equal Public Footpaths in England.

Right now, in England there are 91,000 miles worth of public footpath but only 20,000 miles worth of bridleway. To increase road safety, for in particular horse riders but also for cyclists and walkers, there has been an online petition set up. Currently there are around 1,050 signatures but to ensure this petition pays-off and that the government do something about our few bridleways  - the Essex Bridleways Association are urging everyone to follow this link, http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15341 and sign it too!

So far the news about the petition has been kept quiet but Endurance GB have recently published information about it in their UK newsletter. This has helped spread the word and now a local registered charity, Essex Bridleways Association, are also helping to get riders equal rights to walkers/ramblers.

By increasing the amount of public Bridleways not only will it reduce road accidents and fatalities, it will benefit all ages/sex by promoting healthy outdoor activity and safe use of the countryside throughout England, but it will only happen with your help!

Remember click this link http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15341 to sign the petition and pass on to all your equine friends.

Gosling Cup 2011 Showjumping Photos

Photos from the Showjumping stage of the 2011 Gosling Cup held by Essex & Suffolk Hunt Pony Club.