Work is under way on the 2020 Horse & Hound reader issue – and we want to hear from you.
The annual special edition, which rounds off the year on 31 December, is the chance for us to share your inspiring stories, whether of personal achievements or beating the odds.
There are five categories in which H&H is looking for submissions, deadline Sunday 29 November, the best of which will feature in our pages:
Your personal firsts
Have you had a breakthrough moment with your horse this year? Achieved something you never thought possible or a lifelong dream? Whether it’s taking up a discipline, qualifying for a championship or simply exceeding your own expectations, we’d love to hear how you’ve pushed your limits (up to 250 words).
Welcome to the world!
Nothing heralds spring better than the arrival of a newborn foal, with its gangly legs and fluffy forelock. Have you welcomed an equine baby to the world this year? Send us a photo of the newborn foal with a description of its pedigree, why you decided to breed, and memories of the early days (up to 150 words).
Beating the odds
Hurdles and challenges are all in a day’s work for most riders and horse owners. But some have especially poignant stories of their triumph over adversity. Have you beaten the odds this season despite ill health, loss of confidence, a fall or disability when the outlook seemed bleak? Tell us your story (up to 250 words) and include a photo to illustrate it — or before and after if that’s relevant.
Those were the days…
Following the huge interest in our “nostalgia” special issue during lockdown, here’s a further chance for you to tell your pre-1980 horsey stories. We’d love to hear about riding before health and safety came along, those halcyon days riding bareback down empty lanes – or was it not so glorious after all? Describe how things used to be (up to 250 words), and ideally email in a photo.
‘I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or pee myself!’ Rider beats the odds to event on horse who cheated death
‘She comes up to my knee’: meet Alan Davies’ adorable home-bred Shetland foal
Alan Davies, super-groom to Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, has ‘become a proud new Dad’
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Behind the lens
Pictures tell a thousand words — and horsey ones are the best of them all. Send us the most brilliant, special or funny photos you’ve taken this year, with a caption (up to 70 words) describing the moment you’ve captured, and the photographer’s name.
H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins said: “Horse & Hound’s reader issue is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate our readers and their horses by sharing the incredible stories that might otherwise go untold.
“It is always a popular issue in the shops and makes for feel-good reading during the festive season. Our involvement with horses is an emotional one and we can all relate to the many tales from heartache to utter joy in the horse world, which are plentiful in our reader issue each year.”
Email submissions to martha.terry@futurenet.com by midnight on Sunday 29 November.
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
