Riders gather to pay respects to Her Majesty, and other things the horse world is talking about

1. Riders pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II

As crowds lined the streets to pay their respects to The Queen on her final journey, what could have been more fitting than an equestrian guard of honour? As Her Majesty’s coffin made its way from Balmoral to Edinburgh on Sunday (11 September), Emma Cheape’s family welcomed horses, riders and people on foot, to their fields bordering the M90, to pay tribute to one of the greatest equestrians of all. “It was a moment that won’t be forgotten very quickly,” Emma told H&H.

Find out how Princess Anne reacted to the sight

2. Equestrians put sport on hold for The Queen’s funeral

Equestrian sport and racing will be suspended on Monday, 19 September, the date of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, to give the horse world the opportunity to pay its respects to Her Majesty. The date has been announced as a bank holiday, and governing bodies for racing, showjumping and dressage have confirmed no sport will take place. No eventing is scheduled for 19 September.

Fixtures going ahead this week will include marks of respect

3. A change to flu vaccination rules for competition horses

As the shortage of equine flu vaccinations starts to bite, the FEI has approved a temporary change to its veterinary rules that will mean the normal six-month period between boosters is extended to 12 months. The change will be put in place “in combination with increased disease surveillance and a higher level of general biosecurity”. As a result, FEI vet rules concerning testing horses for equine herpes virus (EHV-1) will be expanded to include testing for equine flu.

Find out more about the rule changes

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Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.