We welcome one of the top showing producers to Horse Scout. Katie has a rider, trainer, and yard profile with us.
With in excess of 35 years experience riding and producing… Katie continues to produce horses for the Queen, and manages to maintain a role as a columnist for Horse and Hound for approaching 14 years now!
Umenno possesses a good trainable temperament, powerful flamboyant movement, a beautifully marked chestnut and white robe, and a pedigree of legendary ancestry with 50% thoroughbred. Bred with athleticism in mind Umenno is an expressive powerful mover with off the floor paces and has demonstrated good jumping ability in the showjumping arena.Umenno was also shown in hand throughout the UK, standing Open Non Native National Champion and young stock reserve. He has stood Champion at many National county shows including, the Scottish Chaps National, the Highland Show, Fife Show, and Great Yorkshire along with other wins in Sport Horse classes.As a four year old he jumped double clears in British Novice. Discovery and Newcomers. He qualified for the Royal Show potential showjumper, the Royal International Horse Show BSPA Ridden finals, Burghley young event horse, Arena UK 4 year old SJ championship, and the Scottish Sports Horse 4 year old showjumping sport horse series along with numerous overall Championships in ridden sport horse classes often standing vainquer to older competitors. Winner of the five year classes at Bicton and the six year old class in St Legier Switzerland with additional placings at RII with Rudi Wallerbosch.Umenno has since been sold to South Africa and has dominated the showing circuit with multiple wins and Championships.Frozen semen is still available for distribution within all EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.
Cautionary tale for anyone using a mobile field shelter on skids..
During the last week we have been experiencing some pretty strong winds. No doubt making for some interesting riding sessions!! Strong gusting wind and driving rain is never a favourite with me when everything has to be secured, belts and braces to stop tarps blowing off and escapee feedbags racing across the yard and spooking the horses but riding instructor Janine Lamy couldn’t believe it when she saw what had happened to her mare’s wooden stable. It had lifted clean up off its skids and blown into the next field, bashing into some trees and knocking down the perimeter fence.
“it was windy that night, but the stables have survived worse storms,” Janine explains. “it was more gusty and rainy, and generally foul. But the wind must have caught the stable at a certain angle and that was it.”
For husbandry reasons some horses are kept turned out year round but indeed even short-term turn out might benefit from shelter and this is often in the form of horse shelters on skids. Planning regulations mean that permanent stabling must be approved by the local planning office, but non permanent field shelters (i.e. those which can be relocated with a tow hitch and skids), fall outside the need for permission and provide a means of shelter from wind, rain, sun and flies for many owners and yards where horses are regularly at grass. Although the incidence of the drastic uber-mobility of Janine’s field shelter is rare it might be worth considering some form of anchorage that avoids planning infringements (it seems that non permanent anchoring is permissible – but please check with your local authority). One option would be to ensure that the entrance is sited away from the prevailing wind or the shelter is sited with the shelter of trees of another building to reduce the impact of the prevailing wind.
If turn out is important to you make sure you make a point of asking what the yards policy is when visiting the a proposed Livery or Training Establishment. If you are looking for livery and want your horse to be grass kept the safe siting and robustness of the field shelters provided would be a key consideration.
For yards offering livery services on Horse Scout click here
Gemma Moss Dressage
“Gemma has done the most fantastic job starting our 2 youngsters. We can’t recommend her enough.” Said Isobel Langton and Jillian Poolers is very impressed with the work Gemma has done on her “sometime difficult” horse “turning him into a willing Happy Boy”
As a trained veterinary nurse your horse could not have a better carer and her training record speaks for itself as a producer of quality show horses at county level incl RIHS. And she was the Summer BD Regional Winner 2013 following this with a very creditable 13th at BD National Championships 2013 Last year she was ac BYRDS A squad Team member 2014 and has been selected to represent England Home International 2014 ~ A Squad Finalist BD Festival of dressage 2014. Backing this up with BD Young Professionals semi finalist 2014 and being Selected BD High Performance Camps for 2014/2015
Her yard offers fantastic facilities: with Indoor and outdoor arenas and American Barn Stabling plus everything you could dream of to pamper and train your horses. Gemma offers Full Training Livery for Potential dressage prospects and re schooling/ Young horse training in all disciplines. She is also a freelance instructor at all levels of riding from Lead rein upwards and has worked closely with Australian Horsemanship expert and may be able to offer help to horses thought previously dangerous or sharp
One of the best show producers in the UK has now created a profile with us, Katie Jerram has a wealth of experience from racing to eventing, and finally showing, read more here
Jonny Boy- Novice Dressage Horse for Sale
From top class breeding, by Just Perfect (Jazz Time/Jazz) out of a Ducello (Davignon/Donnerhall) Elite mare, this stunning 16hh2 6-year old gelding is a compact, light footed, modern type dressage horse with three excellent paces, an exceptionally huge walk, a rhythmical trot with great shoulder freedom, a very balanced canter.Lots of gears and great trainability and the potential to go all the way.A genuine horse, no vices, he is good to turn out, shoe, load & travel, hacks on his own or in company, very good in traffic.Has been owned since a 4-year old, ridden by a small mother of three who sadly lacks time to give him justice.Has been fully vetted with clean x-rays, open to vetting
Are you looking for livery for your horse?
We all want to look after our horses and keep them happy and healthy.
If you are not happy in your present yard or your circumstances have changed or perhaps you are thinking of buying a horse and keeping it at livery. Livery yards are built in every size and shape and generally speaking you will get what you pay for. So its important to consider what it is that you want to pay for and balance this against what you can actually afford in order to enjoy your horse. Who, after all represents, for most of us, a sizeable percentage outgoing of any disposable income.
Here are some fundamental things to put on your tick list.
What do you need from your livery yard?
Take the time to think all these things through, each as important as the next.
Livery – is a term used to describe the rent of services and facilities to house and care for your horse. What kind of livery will very much depend on what you need in terms of care for your horse, and any time constraints you may have due to work or family commitments and of course your experience and financial situation.
If you are looking for a training livery then where the yard is not necessarily the key directive, you will have chosen your yard based on the professional rider and their area of speciality for instance you may be looking for an event rider in the south west, or a dressage rider who has competed at top level to bring on your newly imported warmblood.
However for other types of livery will need to fulfil specific criteria depending on your personal circumstances.
One important consideration is how far will you realistically be able to travel if, for instance you are working and have your horse on half livery. You will be responsible for a certain amount of time out of each day to devote to the care and the exercise of your lovely horse. If you can find the ideal yard which is on your way or way back between two points then you will save precious time to spend with him, and with a few organisational tweak’s like packing your riding gear or boots into your car so they are always on hand means you wont have to return home before visiting the yard.
If you work or have family ties then another consideration should be given to how much time, realistically, you will be able to give to your horse and still ensure his care is as good as it can be. Half livery is a convenient and generally realistically priced option if you want to be as involved as you can with your horse.
If you are confident that you have the experience and the time then DIY is a good choice, it is worth asking for recommendations, or talking with other clients and also checking out exactly what is offered with the service. i.e. does the owner allow for storage of hay and straw etc or are you expected to buy supplies through them. Is there enough and secure storage for your horse related equipment.
When viewing any potential premises and their options remember to ask the questions that will establish whether the yard in question is going to cover all your requirements. Spend some time watching the horses and the staff and ….quite importantly, the other clients who you may be spending time with if you are choosing half or DIY options.
Don’t just jump right in. Make sure the yard you pick is going to make your horse and just as important, you, happy.
You’ve made up your mind, you are going to buy a horse…
You know what your looking for; well roughly! You are trying not to think of the cold winter rainy evenings and are focusing on the sunny balmy summer rides. You have sat down and done your sums and you have a budget and a sum you can ring fence every month to keep him and a savings account to pay into for emergencies and all those things you never thought that you would ever need.
Importantly you have worked out what size, shape, sex, ability, colour, age, confirmation, temperament, your budget and where you are going to look……yes! You have to know these things before you set out….well not the colour obviously because if you are thinking straight that is right sown at the bottom of your list – NO? If it happens to be in your top three cross it out. I promise colour is the least important thing on your shopping list, that and its name; although how many white socks it has and if it has a blaze can be important considerations-more on that later.
Where do I start? Top Technical Tips
Tipping the Scales – What size?
Lets work out roughly what size horse you are looking for –
You know exactly how tall you are and how much you weigh (methinks!) Here’s an average horse weight chart
| Height (hh) | Weight Range (kg) |
| 9-9.3 – Shetland | 200- 240 |
| 10-10.3 | 240-280 |
| 12 – 12.3 | 200-300 |
| 13-13.3 | 230-370 |
| 14-14.3 | 290-390 |
| 15-15.1 | 360-550 |
| 15.2-153 | 400-510 |
| 16-16.1 | 470-550 |
| 16.2-16.3 | 490-650 |
| 17.2-17.3 | 640-900 |
| 17.2-17.3 – Shire | 850-950 |
…but…..and there is always a but! Some breeds have denser bones e.g. Arabs and Icelandic and New Forest Ponies which means they are able to carry heavier weights than others of a similar height and build.
Horses can be separated by build (height weight ratio) into light, middle and heavy weight and in the case of show horses “small” as well. This is not meant to be an indication of their present dieting regime but describes their build, and confusingly, this is relative to their breed types in most cases. So, for instance, a light weight hunter (usually a ¾ or 7/8th Thoroughbred) is a well built, elegant horse of around 16-16.2hh capable of carrying around 12st.7lbs (177lbs/80kgs) including all tack and a bone size of around 8 inches. A middleweight hunter may be around 16.2hh, so slightly taller and have a deeper girth and a heavier build with a bone size of around 9 inches.
New Forest Pony breed guide says that a new forest is capable of carrying a stone for every hand and Shetlands are capable of an even greater height weight ratio. However, if you are tall riding a small pony is not always very comfortable or elegant.
I think the point I am making is that TOP TIP One is buy a horse to make you happy and TOP TIP TWO is buy a horse that fits. More pointers In TOP TIP THREE.
Are you struggling with the way your horse is going?
Frustrated when you compete and time and again the same things happen. Is it your horse or is it you? Working alone and never seeming to make progress?: its like working in a vacuum. Let someone take the pressure off you. There is a saying that a problem shared is a problem halved and there is nothing truer in the horse world. Having someone on the ground to analyse your riding style and approach and the way the horse is going under you is invaluable. Finding the right trainer will revolutionise your approach and your enjoyment of your horse.
While you are still learning about your horse and your own abilities and, indeed, even when you are very experienced indeed, Horse Scout has a wide range of Professional Trainers who can help you walk in harmony with your horse and take the first steps in a wonderful relationship which could last for years and take you to places you never dreamed of going.
