When two species meet
Ten-year-old Arab Magnum may be scared of rocks – and a tortoise (which, to be fair, could resemble a rock that moves) – but he was happy to walk up to and communicate with a wild black rhino while accompanying his owner Touran Bristow loose in the game reserve they live on, in South Africa. “We were at the end of the ride when we saw the rhino on the road ahead,” explained Touran. “I was filming the rhino from a safe distance on quite a zoom, then Magnum just walked out from behind me, passed me and carried on towards the rhino; so confident, like he knew exactly what he was doing. I’ve lived in Africa for 10 years and have never seen anything like it. For two animals to have that level of curiosity – and a horse to have that level of brazenness, essentially – is something I’d never seen before.”
Watch this incredible encounter
Why all stable yards need a fire plan
A coach whose stable yard went up in flames in minutes has spoken about the importance of having a fire safety plan – and for everyone on the yard to be aware of it. CCTV footage captured how quickly a fire spread at Tori Peter’s private yard in Lancashire when a hay store caught fire in September. Smoke could be seen at 5.59am, and by 6.11am, the flames had grown to “almost 30 feet”. The horses were safely evacuated and the fire brigade arrived within seven minutes of being contacted.
“What happened was horrendous, but the horses were fine and if we can get more people to be safe, that’s a positive,” said Tori, adding that since the incident, when she has asked others about fire plans she has been concerned by how many do not have them or hold fire drills.
Find out how you can be prepared for this emergency
Brilliance from Mount St John Freestyle
Paris Olympic dressage medallists Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle stood head and shoulders above the rest when scoring 91.14% in Gothenburg to record the highest mark of the World Cup season so far. The pair’s total – the highest mark horse and rider have ever achieved in their respective careers – included perfect 10s across the board for music and interpretation.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Mount St John Freestyle, pictured with judge Magnus Ringmark, show director Lotta Nibell and groom Sofia Manninen.
They finished more than 8% ahead of runners-up Maria von Essen and Invoice (82.5%) for Sweden; France’s Corentin Pottier and Gotilas Du Feuillard completed the podium on 81.47%. It was their second wide-margin win of the week, having won Friday’s grand prix by almost 10% on 83.37%.
Watch this pair’s freestyle performance
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You may also be interested in:
Owner of pony found dead with chain still attached banned from keeping horses
New study finds genes that may increase risk of broken bones in horses
From chronic pain and a bleak outlook to success – and ‘none of it would have been possible without horses’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
