A unique mare
“I owe her so much” said Irish showjumper Daniel Coyle of the exceptional 14-year-old mare Legacy, who continued her winning streak this week with World Cup glory in Germany. Their fearless jump-off round drew gasps from the crowd at nearly every fence, and it was fully deserving of the top spot. The pair had most recently triumphed in the grand prix at London International where the World Cup qualifier had been snatched from their grasp by Scott Brash and Ben Maher. But in Germany, against a world-class field of 12 jump-off rivals, they produced a scorching round.
Read what Daniel had to say about Legacy
Desperate need to change
It is critical that horse and yard owners and vets work together to delay further resistance to wormers (anthelmintics), as research finds “vital clues” to aid the fight. Two surveys were organised by Project WORMS (Working to Overcome Resistance and Make for a Sustainable future). The aim was to investigate parasite control in UK horses, identify areas where management practices could be improved and look at whether vets can better target their advice. A spokesman for WORMS said: “The horse world could be left without effective anthelmintics in the near future, putting horses at an increased risk of parasite damage-related illnesses such as severe diarrhoea, weight loss and colic, which are currently preventable.”
Can the horse industry pay for itself?
The equestrian industry has to act to ensure it is viable – as 58% of employers fear they will not be able to pay staff the national minimum wage (NMW) in future. The Government has announced that the NMW will increase from £10.42, for those over 23, to £11.44 from April 1, and this will apply to all those aged over 21. Aiming to identify the impact this would have, the British Grooms Association (BGA) and Equestrian Employers Association (EEA) conducted a study. It found that 90% of employers are concerned about the increase, and the lowering of the age threshold, and that 21% may have to close their businesses as a result.
You might also be interested in:
‘Like no other horse I’ve ever ridden’: meet the remarkable mare on a five-star winning streak
‘You can’t pay bills with love’: the business of keeping horses must be made viable
‘Desperate need’ to reduce wormer use in horses after new research on deadly resistance
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