trotontv.com - Live life through the ears of a horse. The place to find horse photos, horse vidoes, horse chat and more.

Stay Safe Online

Survey

Blog

CATCH UP WITH PHOEBE BUCKLEY.

A few weeks ago I caught up with Phoebe Buckley and Little Tiger relaxing after their successful trip to Luhmuhlen CCI**** and made a couple of videos with her. Apart from being an excellent horsewoman, she's fun and down to earth and, I think, a really good ambassador for her sport. Very often when I see a top rider being interviewed even I, a true horsey gal, can't help stifle a yawn! But that's certainly not the case with the inimitable Miss B. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Have a look at the video Q&A session and you'll see what I mean! We definitely need more characters like Phoebe in equestrianism if we don't want to keep getting bumped off the BBC or find that another big event has been cancelled!

Phoebe is happy to share her knowledge and after filming we kept chatting-not hard for either of us- and one of the things I asked her about is 'how she approaches a new horse.' Being a generous sort, I thought I might share what she had to say:

" Meeting a horse is like meeting a person. I ask 'What's my first gut feeling about them?' I'm a great believer in trusting your instincts, because I've found they're usually right. Even as I get them off the lorry I'm observing them. When I open a partition do they walk all over me? When I put them in a field do they say "I'm here!" or stand around looking really timid. I then spend a few days watching them as closely as I can without riding them to suss out who they are. I take note of all their little habits because the little habits make the bigger person. For instance if I see that they're a naturally shy person in their horsey surroundings i.e their field or stable it's very unlikely once the tack is on that they're going to transform into someone who's super confident. So I just observe them in what they do in their own time and then work around that when I come to ride them.

I also think riders should be honest with themselves. Often people get a new horse and it all starts off well but then suddenly he starts really misbehaving- in fact someone rang me up about this sort of thing, the other day. The trouble is, if you're unsure the horse will know you're unsure and latch onto that and things can go from bad to worse. Now might be the time to get in a pro-don't ruin your own and your horses confidence for the sake of being too proud.

However saying that, there are also some horses who are really misunderstood like my lovely little horse Gordon who bucks for England when you first put the tack on. He was started in Ireland where they couldn't stop him bucking, so they blindfolded him and he got loose and galloped onto a cattle grid, nearly ripping his foot off. They then put a bucking strap on him and he went through a barbed wire fence. So they shipped him off to England where he ended up being passed from hand to hand because no-one could stop him bucking.

Then he came to me, and I haven't stopped him bucking either, but I work around it. I've learnt that he's such a lovely person to do everything with, apart from putting the tack on, so I give him those 20 minutes that he needs to accept it. I'm never in a rush. And if I'm short of time then I just won't ride him. I take my time and I look after him. Horses are individuals and we should treat them that way. When I got him I just looked in his eye and I knew he was genuinely scared of his tack and I could have done the bucking strap, and the beating, and got the pro in to sort him out, but it wouldn't have made any difference. I just accept him for who he is."

MAN V HORSE RACE!

I'm one hundred per cent certain that if I raced against my horse I would lose. In fact even a fat little Shetland would probably show me a clean pair of hooves and make me eat dirt! So, what's with all these crazy guys who think they can run faster than our four legged friends?

Well, former Olympic silver medallist Jamie Baulch obviously thought he was in with a chance when he lined up against Thoroughbred Peopleton Brook at Kempton Park yesterday for a 100 metre sprint. The eight year old horse has in the past been recorded covering that distance in 12 seconds which is actually two seconds slower than Baulch's best time over the same distance when he was at the top of his game. However on the day Peopleton Brook thundered past his two legged challenger and won by a neck- half a second to be precise.

But you can't blame Jamie for thinking he could be in with a chance because in the past the legendary sprinter Jesse Owens who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics managed to beat a number of racehorses. He joked that his winning formula was to choose a highly strung horse that jumped at the starters gun and so gave him an advantage! And in fact Jamie was hoping to make a faster start but on the day he had to make do with digging small holes in the sand instead of firing away from his usual starting blocks. Ah well we'll let him off then. Nice try though and it was all for charity!!

But if you think that's pretty mad then what about the people who take part in the annual Man versus Horse Marathon in Wales (see pic). The race was started in 1980 to settle a pub debate about which was faster over a long distance. This year there were nearly three hundred runners up against forty four horses. Surprise, surprise, the horse won! But wait, apparently the margins by which horses beat their two legged rivals has been dropping from thirty minutes to a matter of seconds. And two men have actually won-the latest victor being Huw Lobb a team GB member, in 2004.

Well it all sounds like great fun but I I've got a letter here from my mum to say I have to be excused because I've got my periods!!

BBC axes Hickstead Derby from schedule.

At the moment I have to hunt for something decent to watch on the TV because of the Football World Cup and now we have Wimbledon starting it will be even worse. So I was really peeved (to put it politely!) to discover that the BBC are axing their coverage of one of my favourite events of the sporting calendar The Hickstead Derby (June 24-27). If I want to watch it on TV I will have to subscribe to Sky Sport instead!

The DFS Derby on the Sunday is one of the most exciting show jumping events of the year. It's the Grand National of Show Jumping- testing the skill, bravery and partnership of those who take part to the max. Not only is it incredibly long at 1,195 metres but incorporates the tricky devil's dyke-three jumps in quick succession with the middle one being over a water filled ditch and of course the frightening derby bank which has a 3'5" rail on top, then a 10'6" slope down the front and if you survive that a couple of strides to a high upright. In fact in the 49 years of the event there have only been 50 clear rounds!!

So, what's going wrong? Why is there less and less equestrian sport on the BBC? Are we lacking the personalities that we had in the past? Is the sport not doing enough to promote itself? We have had to endure the lacklustre performance of the England Football team-all of whom are paid a small fortune but don't seem to be able to rouse themselves to play with guts and passion-beamed live into our living rooms live and then re-hashed and mulled over for hours on end. While over in Germany at Luhmuhlen Sharon Hunt on long time partner Tankers Town have shown courage and commitment to win their first four star event and Oliver Townend and Ashdale Cruise Master having both only just recovered from a nasty fall which left Ollie with cracked ribs, breastbone and collarbone came in fifth. Also, Troton's favourite duo Phoebe Buckley and Little Tiger came in 24th-all credit to riders who have shown the best of what sport is about. These are our sporting heroes. These are the role models that Britain should be boasting about. But will we see or hear much about their achievements on mainstream TV- Sadly, I doubt it. But at least eventing seems to be faring a bit better in the publicity game than show jumping!

What do you think? Add your views here.

BITLESS NOT BRAINLESS!
Let's face it, most people would think you were completely mad if you said you were going to go team chasing without a bit. But that's exactly what Mark Smith's team do (pic-Bitless Not Brainless team member Jo Taylor on Oz) and they do it in pink headcollars to make a point!

But it's not that Mark Smith is anti bits, he just believes that we rely on them too much and have lost our other more effective skills for communicating with horses.

Mark first started to ride in nothing but a headcollar when he was a kid because his father insisted that he clean his tack every day. Vian Smith who died in 1969 was a novelist and many of his ideas were way ahead of their time. For instance one of his main characters is a jockey who refuses to race with a whip. Mark describes his father as a maverick which is obviously a quality he has inherited along with his beliefs that a horse will do everything you want without the use of a whip, three inch spurs or a severe bit. Instead he'll do it because he enjoys it.

Mark has enjoyed a long career as a horseman. He used to event to international level at the same time as Lucinda Green who he holds in high regard. "I tell all the kids I teach to go and read every book she has written or video about her. No one else has ever won Badminton six times on six different horses and within just ten years."

Now he spends a large proportion of his time re-training ex-racehorses and teaching people of all ages and riding levels to be better and more confident riders. He believes that lack of confidence is what holds a lot of female riders back. "Most women have the technical ability but lack the confidence. Whereas with men, it's usually the other way round!"

When I ask Mark what is the most common complaint he comes across he says, "my horse pulls. Riders come to me with their 'problem' horse and they tell me that their horse is too strong but at the same time I have the horse whispering in my other ear, 'my rider is too strong'!"

"When a jockey wants his horse to really gallop he grabs hold of it. Racehorses are taught to pull when you pull. But what do most riders do when their horse is getting fast? They shorten the reins, shorten the reins, shorten the reins. If you pull then they'll pull. It takes two to keep this going so one of you has to be brave enough to stop pulling and it has to be the rider who stops the argument because the horse sure as hell isn't going to. This is a sport where women compete equally against men which proves it has nothing to do with strength. A horse weighs 3/4 ton-who do you think is going to win?"

Mark teaches trust in his Confidence Clinics and he believes trust is a two way street.

"I usually find there is a breakdown in the communication between horse and rider because the rider is afraid. A lot of people teach technique but without the confidence it doesn't amount to much." And Mark instils confidence by example. "Say I have a kid who doesn't believe her pony will jump fillers. Well once she's watch it jump 20 times with granddad on board she gets back on in a different frame of mind. I give the horse confidence and then the rider confidence. The rider believes she can do it-there's no can't do or won't do it!"

In his Hold Your Horses clinics where the headcollars come into play Mark specifically works on communicating at speed-from the novice who is afraid of their horse going too fast to more experienced riders who want to develop a finer control of speed across country, "so they can go up and down the gears more easily and meet the time."

"It frustrates me that when eventers do the dressage phase their horse understands the flicker of their finger yet when it comes to the cross-country it's like watching a tug of war. Why? It's the same animal, the same mouth. Some people spend a fortune on being taught dressage and think there's no skill in cross-country but the principles are exactly the same. When people say they need a stronger bit I tell them they need to learn how to use what they've got instead. I show people that they have other tools in their toolbox and don't have to go down the road of a stronger bit."

It doesn't take long to realise how passionate Mark is about his subject. It's the passion of someone who knows something to be true, that he thinks is so simple he can't understand why other people don't get it too. "I had a mother bring her 10 year old child and pony to me because the Pony Club had told her that the pony needed a stronger bit. In one session without reins, on the lunge, I taught the kid how to ride so the pony didn't need a bit at all. The mother was amazed and wanted to know why they aren't teaching this at Pony Club."

Why indeed. And after you've spoken to Mark Smith you'll think it's not him who's mad to ride an ex-front running 'psycho' race horse cross-country in a headcollar but everyone else who isn't doing it. The fact that his team Bitless Not Brainless completed in the slowest time of the day definitely shows that there's more method than madness to what he does. And at a one day event in Whitney a couple of weeks ago he was the only one in the whole competition to ride cross-country in the exact optimum time, smack on....in a pink headcollar!

I definitely want to organise a clinic with this inspirational horseman. Now, where can I get a pink headcollar?!

IS THIS THE CLEVEREST HORSE IN THE WORLD?
Lukas an ex-racehorse who resides with his owner Karen Murdock in the USA has been called the cleverest horse in the world by Yahoo and Google. Well, this is about to be put to the test as he bids to get into The Guinness Book Of Records by attempting to identify the most numbers in one minute. Not that his legions of fans need much more proof of his talents!

I recently read Karen's book Playing with Lukas (my first ever e-book!) about her extraordinary journey with this rangy chestnut 'throwaway' thoroughbred found neglected and emaciated in a backyard having been passed from home to home. Karen's own story is interesting enough and her childhood experiences lead you to understand her empathy and commitment to this horse who was initially so dangerous that his fate could have easily been very different if he had not ended up in the hands of this remarkable woman.

Because of Lukas, Karen an already experienced horsewoman didn't 'quit wasting your time with him' as many people suggested but used the sensitivity, compassion and observational skills she had honed as a psychiatric nurse to develop her own unique brand of shaping, clicker training and positive re-enforcement.

Her work has proved that playing games and having fun instead of using whips and force can build confidence and focus, and improve performance, willingness and trust. Lukas not only performs at liberty, he does tricks and has the ability to spell, count and identify shapes and colours.

But it's not just his abilities, it's the story behind this special relationship between horse and human that has captured so many peoples hearts and the spirit of Lukas himself which seems to provoke such a strong emotional response in everyone he meets.

Some people may be dismissive of a horse performing 'tricks', however Karen and Lukas have provided a service to horses everywhere by proving to a wider audience that horses are more intelligent that they are given credit for and for highlighting the potential of ex-racehorses. In fact Lukas has been appointed 'spokeshorse' for TROTT- Training Racehorses Off The Track and is a poster boy for The Californian Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Together they prove that with patience, kindness, timing and consistency, all horses face a brighter future.

Well, if you have nearly four thousand friends on Facebook as Lukas has then you must be doing something right! We wish him all the best with his record breaking attempt and hope to feature more on Karen and Lukas in the future.

If you would like to ask Karen or Lukas some questions that could end up in the troton blog then click here :D

Police horse named after Harry Patch
I like good news stories and this is certainly one of them - Bristol, UK police wanted to name a new trained police horse and organised a school competition to come up with ideas - after over 450 suggestions they have decided to use the name Harry Patch - Harry Patch who died recently at the ripe old age of 111 was the longest surviving soldier of World War One who lived in the local area. Full story on Harry and what he was and did here

PC Green - Harry Patch's rider said "For me the name Harry Patch just stood out as representative of a whole generation of young men who fought and died for the freedom that we hold so dear."

Chief Constable Colin Port said: "This is an excellent choice. It will be a great honour to have one of our horses named after Harry Patch - a local man who is now remembered fondly worldwide. It will also be a significant way of remembering all the horses that gave their lives in the same conflict." For that story ( horses in the war ) have a quick peek at this ( tissues at the ready folks)

Well done St Cuthbert's in Wells - the school that suggested the name and well done to Bristol police and well done Harry - what a fitting way for your story to carry on!!! Please lets spread this story widely....it is so positive....

ROYAL WINDSOR 2010.

Today sees the start of the Royal Windsor Horse Show (12th-16th May) This year there are more classes than ever with over 3000 horses competing.

This is one of the biggest showing events of the year including prestigious classes for cobs, hunters, mountain and moorlands, veterans, show ponies, re-trained racehorses, miniatures, and coloured horses. Side-saddle fans should also check out one of the new classes the Ladies Side-saddle Equitation Jumping which is taking place on Friday.

If you love your jumping then this is definitely the show for you too. Unfortunately the Puissance had to be cancelled due to lack of entries but there are still plenty of other classes in which the big names will be competing- the highlight being the Grand Prix class on the Sunday. And if you want to spot up and coming stars then check out The Olympic Stars Spotters Competition For 6 Year Old Horses on Thursday. Oh yes, and you're not seeing things if you spot eventer Pippa Funnel in the show jumping ring-she's competing young showjumpers from her and husband Williams stud.

A big draw for hunting fans is the Inter Hunt Team Knockout on Thursday- also becoming known as Hunt Day. Over 20 hunts have entered from across England and it should be really exciting.

If driving is your thing then you've probably already booked your ticket as Windsor boasts the only international driving competition in the UK with phases in dressage, marathon, and obstacle driving.

On top of all that there are classes for disabled drivers and riders, BHS competition classes, displays and demos and on Saturday a group of celebrities and top riders will compete in the BHS Trec Pro-Am Challenge. Last years winner Kelly Marks will hopefully be competing but this time she won't be on her beloved Pie-so let's see how she gets on this time!

And if you've got a thing for men in uniform, or women for that matter, there are plenty of events to keep you happy with Services Team Jumping, Musical Drive of The Kings Troop and Household Cavalry Best Turned Out Troop-definitely like the sound of that one!

Of course if that's not enough entertainment for you then there's plenty of opportunity to shop 'til you drop!

P.S Don't take my word for what's on when-click the link at the top of the page to check out the schedule.

Intuitive Riding

I've always liked people who shake things up a bit, especially if they were part of the establishment in the first place. Which is why when I heard that Lucinda McAlpine was holding an Intuitive Riding Clinic near me I signed up, tacked up and took my mare along to one of the most inspiring lessons that I've ever had.

Lucinda was competing at International level in Dressage when she started to question the way that horses were managed and being ridden.

"I had been training in Germany for five years and had a really talented horse who I'd bought on to Grand Prix level but I just knew that he wasn't happy or comfortable doing the movements. He was the love of my life and I just got the feeling that if I kept doing what I was doing then he was going to break down. I thought that there must be a way to enhance the horse's natural ability without stressing him physically and mentally. A way for him to give me what I wanted and still enjoy it. So, I went back to looking at him as a horse, rather than a dressage horse. For the horse as a species the three essential requirements are constant movement, constant grazing and a social life, so by degrees I adjusted my management system to provide him with these things."

That was about fifteen years ago and as a result Lucinda returned to England and decided that from then on her horses would live as naturally as possible, living out in herds, unclipped and unshod. She also started to work them at liberty in the school, often in groups, so that they could find their balance and expression freely.

"I've found that once the horse is comfortable and relaxed that the work becomes enjoyable and the skies the limit. It's so easy as well. I get up, don't have to muck out, then I go and get my horses from the field and ride them!"

Lucinda has a completely holistic approach to the way she trains others as well and sees her role as that of a marriage guidance councillor. First she observes the horse and rider in action and asks a few questions. Having a fairly good idea of how they operate together she then gets the rider to dismount, strips the horse of it's tack and sets it free in the school.

"I'm saying to the horse, show me the real you. I'm not looking for faults, I don't want to be judgmental. Some horses who have been dominated do take time to become themselves and you just need to give them that time to get down a layer. I see it like someone who's been in a dead end job and just slotted in for an easy life but then like a fly on the wall documentary I'm saying, go on then, just be yourself. Sometimes at first they can be running away as they're not used to it, but I want to see them acting as they would naturally on that day, expressing all aspects of their personality and ability. Just being themselves so that I can get to know them. All the time I'm looking to see if they show me areas of tension. I note their expression, their eyes, their ears, the movement through the spine."

Lucinda will if necessary use her hands to try and ask the horse to recognize and release through the areas where he is holding himself. In the session before mine she drew the riders attention to stiffness in part of her horse's tail which she related to a corresponding stiffness in his neck. I asked her why she thinks that a lot of top dressage horses swish their tails so much.

"When the tail helicopters it tells me that there's tension and discomfort in the back. The tail is like a warning flag. Rigidity in the tail is rigidity in the back. The spine is crucial and if it's compromised, well, you end up with stress on the legs and then the horse breaks down. It happens all the time."

After Lucinda has watched your horse moving on its own she then puts on her own tack. With the help of a saddle fitter she decides on which one of her reactorpanel saddles is most suitable and uses a bridle without a noseband.

"I don't believe in clamping a horse's mouth shut with a tight noseband. And some of the horses I get on are so used to having their mouths strapped shut that even the feel of a loose cavesson will hold that memory for them."

When it came to my mare's turn she gently moved her feet around from the ground, taking note of her reactions before mounting up and then sympathetically asking her to relax, soften and balance herself. She took her through turns and asked her to yield. She showed her how much easier life could be. Lucinda wasn't riding for long but had my mare's attention for the whole time; ears locked on, listening. Then it was time for me to climb on board and my immediate reaction was "Whoa, she feels like she has grown from 15.2 to 17hh, but a relaxed 17hh!!" And it wasn't just me feeling it, friends watching could see it as well.

Unfortunately our hour and a half was over far too quickly and I hadn't broken out of a walk! But as Lucinda has taught me it is a very underused pace and ignore it at your peril.

"Once the balance is established at the walk there will be a whole new trot to contend with so we build up pace by pace. A horse that is unbalanced at walk has no chance of being balanced at the higher paces so why practice cantering for instance, out of balance, while just a while longer in walk can set your horse up for success in a new balance."

This wasn't like lessons I'd had before, full of endless circles, commands, struggle and tension. And we didn't end up in a pool of sweat at the end of it. This was a lesson with a difference,far more enlightening and yes, no sweat! In face Lucinda commented on how fit my unclipped mare was.

"When a horse has its full coat you can use it as an indicator of how much work it's done. When a horse begins to sweat I tend to leave the lesson there. I think we can overwork our horses horribly sometimes if we don't consider the sweat as an indicator of anxiety caused by overexertion both physically and emotionally."

I ask Lucinda what she wants riders to take away from their time with her.

"I want to widen their perspective. Get them to understand they have all the information, I'm just the trigger. I open up the dialogue between them and their horse. The horses we own often reflect back similarities in ourselves and horses come to us for a reason. I don't look for mistakes when I teach people, I look for solutions. We all get things wrong but the mistake is not to recognize it and just carry on. You know horses are so generous by nature that a horse that puts someone in hospital is just fighting for his survival because we have got it wrong, really wrong. With riding your connection with your horse is key. It can be liberating or it can be scary. But people often limit themselves with their own limitations. Instead stop and do something different. I did, and I've never been so happy with my horses."

I got so much out of my brief time with Lucinda that I wanted to learn more.....watch this space!

Cheltenham and the start of a new horsey year?
Cheltenham festival starts today and as usual it has already brought more than it's fair share of drama and we are only just past the first half of the first day. (e.g. no favourites have won a race yet) I was brought up in Cheltenham though for various reasons that don't bear logical scrutiny it was only when I left the town that I became interested in following National Hunt Racing!

I've written about various trips I've had to the festival before - such sweet memories! The build up - the buzz - the excitement .Managed to catch James Nesbitt being interviewed about his horse in the Arkle - Riverside Theatre - and how he found the whole experience totally absorbing - I know exactly what he means even though I've never had the fortune to have a runner there . Riverside Theatre didn't win but I hope James had a grand "craic " come what may.

However if Cheltenham is the climax of the National Hunt season it is also in many ways the proper beginning of the the year for many of us horse enthusiasts.

It's this time of year when the horses can be let out properly from the stables - when the ground dries up and the grass begins to grow - when tack needs to be cleaned and when we all begin to relish the chance of riding out in the lighter evenings. It's the season to appreciate the plants that have begun to grow - hear the skylarks rising from the ground in the morning -a time to brush aside the horrible cold and snow of this winter we've had - the time of year to get down to the serious business of horses!

20:20 Equestrian photo auction for Haiti
Life can never be what you want it to be and certainly the daily events unfolding in Haiti over the past fortnight have been nothing less than a catastrophe for all of humanity.

It is cheering then to both the soul and the spirit when you see the positive side of the human condition rallying to push through this challenge -albeit too slowly the world has worked out what it needs to do to help. Countless acts of selflessness are being undertaken by a great deal of people daily and new media is playing it's part.

In the UK as elsewhere a great deal of effort is being put into helping out and sometimes that help comes from seemingly unlikely quarters.....20 of the UK's best known equine photographers ( they read like a who's who of the profession!) coordinated and led by Jon Stroud ( who also is a valued member of Trot on !)have put together an impressive display of 20 equine images entitled 20: 20 which they will auction in aid of DEC on January 28th - that is is about a weeks time. The photographs to be auctioned can be viewed( provided you are logged onto facebook) here ..The posy of twenty roll of honour - with examples of their work - Tim Flach,( cool video of him here) Henry Dallal, Kit Houghton,Trevor Meeks James Horan, Ed Whittaker, Matthew Seed, Jon Stroud, Bob Langrish, Adam Fanthorpe, Charles Sainsbury-Plaice, Peter Nixon, Steve Parsons, Fiona Scott Maxwell, David Sinclair, Kevin Sparrow , David Millar, Tim Nicholls , Nico Morgan ( facebook page for him here) and Tim Spurgeon. Well done to all you guys you are doing great work and we wish you fantastic success with it all!

"Got the Blues" poster
Copyright 2009 Michelle Guillot -
Double click on the image to see full version and to be able to read the text

The Magnificent Seven
Seven magnificent tips that will take you to the heart of our horsey community. You may want to print out this posting so that you can refer to it for your first few visits. After that it should be a breeze! (Please note - You will need to be logged in for the following links to work )

Tip 1: FILL IN YOUR PROFILE- Other members will make friends with you if they can read something about you and your horse (Don?t worry having your own horse isn't essential but having a passion for them is!)

If you are having any problems with the site then use the ?Help? button in your ?My Seat? box on the right of your page .

When it comes to uploading photo's Size does matter and here you'll find step- by- step instructions for re-sizing . An alternative re-sizing tool is available online http://shrinkpictures.com This is particularly good for Windows Vista users.

Tip 2 GRAB AS MANY FRIENDS AS YOU CAN! Don?t be shy, go to our community page. Click on a members profile pic to read all about them and then click friend request. You can also find new members on the home page. And how about inviting some real life horsey mates to join? Simply click on the pink invite button at the top of every page http://www.trotontv.com/site/addfriend

Tip 3 JOIN SOME GROUPS THAT INTEREST YOU . There are lots of conversations going on in the groups and lots of friendly members willing to talk horse. You can get advice, give it, discuss the latest hot topics, let others know what's new or what's on or just share stories. Read what others have to say and then join in. Or start a new conversation. We also have groups run by experts such as Vet Talk and Horse Riding Confidence. On the right of your page is a list of our favourite groups. Click on the group name to check it out and then join up. You can also click on ?groups? at the top of your page to find even more to suit your interests!! And if you can't find the one that you want? Then start your own!

Tip 4 BE SURE TO FILL IN YOUR UPDATE This is a great way to let your friends know what you are up to.

Tip 5 WRITE LOTSA NOTES. If you want to send someone a public note then go to their profile page and write in their "Notes from friends" column. The quickest way to access your own notes is to click My Notes in the My Seat box on th e top right hand side of your page.

Tip 6 SEND A PRIVATE MESSAGE. If you want to speak to someone in private then click on 'send a private message' on the right hand side of your page. This box will also tell you if you have any private messages waiting to be read. My inbox in your My seat box on the top right of your page will also take you to your private messages.

Tip 7 USE THE DROP DOWN BOXES AND FIND OUT WHAT?S HAPPENING! This is at the top of your page next to your name. Scroll to friends updates and you will get a full list of updates which you may need to use if you have a lot of friends!! To find out what your friends have been up to on the site scroll to friends activity. Or to find out what?s been happening in your groups scroll down to group activities. Below that you will find editorial. This takes you to the trot on blog which is definitely worth a read plus some articles.

TIME NOW TO KICK ON - HAVE FUN!

The Trot on Team

Drop down to What's Hot!
How do you quickly find out what is going on Trot on? What are the most talked about topics? Where are the best photos to look at? Which videos are most likely to interest you? What are Trot on members saying right now? What is creating a buzz and what is not?

You can answer a lot of questions like these by using the new drop down menu on the My Seat Summary page ( which is the page you are automatically directed to when you first log in - Note: you will need to be logged in to follow these links ) You'll find it on the top purple bar to the right of your name - click on it and you'll see you have four pages you can reach immediately .

Friends updates - Lists your friends updates( 140 characters or less) for the last few months - a fab way to catch up on what has been happening if (shame on you ) you haven't visited for a few days.

Friends activities - Lists all of your friends postings to groups, notes, photos, videos, made/uploaded over the last 10 days - find out who has been saying what and why!

Group activities - Lists all of your groups that you belong to postings, notes, photos, video's uploaded over the last 10 days - who is stirring things up ? what is causing controversy?

Editorial activities - Lists all additional Editorial content such as Blog postings, features, videocasts uploaded over the last 10 days. What is on our radar?

A quick whizz through these pages when you log in is an excellent way to start off your visit to Trot on and quickly get you to the places you want to be! There is even a drop down to get you back to the summary page where you started.

Lucinda has the X- factor!
I love the work Lucinda McAlpine does with horses - she is quite magical- I remember being deeply impressed when I first saw her at the Holistic horse show last year. Well she has proved herself once again (as if she needs to do so...) when she and her Hannoverian gelding What A Boy won the X Factor,despite being twelve months out of the competitive arena.

Lucinda and 19 year old What A Boy (stable name Borange ?because he?s big and orange?) performed a routine inspired by music produced by Abigail Todd featuring well known film and T.V detective themes from the Pink Panther to Inspector Gadget. Lucinda who is also a Patron of the Conquest Centre for Disabled Riders, Taunton entered into the spirit of the X ? Factor, by sporting a false moustache and Clouseau raincoat. The 500 strong audience clapped and cheered as Lucinda and Borange performed breathtaking flying changes and canter pirouettes in time to the music. In her time out from competing, international dressage rider Lucinda has been training horses and riders, running clinics and demonstrating her pioneering natural horse management methods.

Borange, who is a shining example of a naturalised competition horse, competes straight from the field, is unshod, unclipped and never wears a rug (except the ones he wins one!)

The X Factor Dressage event was run in aid of Children in Need and the Matthew Billing Trust. Lucinda and Borange won the advanced class and were overall champions on the day with their crowd-pleasing routine. Audience members voted for their favourite out of a field of 10 riders and teams, and gave Lucinda and Borange a standing ovation.

Lucinda commented: ?After a year out from competition it was quite a nerve -wracking experience but as the evening wore on Borange and I started to really enjoy ourselves and had a lot of fun as he so loves performing to an enthusiastic audience. The event is very well organised and it was an honour to be able to do what we love doing at the same time as raising money for Children in Need and the Matthew Billing Trust. I also have to thank my fantastic team of helpers without whom none of it would have been possible?.

Well done Lucinda - you are a true Star - wish we had been there to cheer you on!

Photograph Copyright TynCelyn Photography

Phoebe's Way.
I first noticed Phoebe Buckley and Little Tiger about a year ago at Poplar Park. I can't remember where they came that day but the pair really stuck in my mind. I didn't know much about Phoebe then until she made headlines at Badminton earlier this year because she and Little Tiger aka Frostie did a better dressage test than Zara Phillips on Ardfield Magic Star. And why did the press love this so much? Because one is Royalty and the other is from a family of travellers. Unfortunately the next two phases didn't got quite so well with a run out and four time penalties on cross country day, and a cricket score in the show jumping. But, when I ask Phoebe about their experience she is quick to point out that Frostie did nothing wrong

"We just had a bit of bad luck and I had a few blonde moments but she was still fantastic. Horses aren't machines. Anyway, I believe that you learn more about yourself as a rider and a person in the bad times as well as the good." �This way of looking at life seems to sum up Phoebe's generous and tenacious spirit.

As a result when I approached Phoebe to help us launch trotontv's Pink My Ride fundraiser for Breast Cancer Care, she didn't hesitate, especially as an aunt of hers had died from breast cancer a few years ago.

"I know from first hand experience the heartache of losing someone close to you from breast cancer. I am delighted to help."

And when I finally met her on the day of the shoot she more than lived up to my expectations. Her fun, open and positive approach to the job in hand was the same as the one she focuses on her riding.�

As for Frostie, I couldn't get over how tiny she was. She looked nothing like a four-star event horse who had been three times round Badminton and twice round Burghley. It really is a testament to the courage and talent of both horse and rider that they jump such huge tracks.

Whilst Phoebe was having her photo taken I chatted to Frostie's owner Dr Polly Taylor who told me that the little mare hadn't always been easy and used to stop a lot in the show jumping phase. Later I asked Phoebe about this. She laughed "Frostie can be very naughty and has a real pony streak in her. She used to stop all the time not because there was anything wrong with her but just because she could! She was just pulling my leg and testing me but luckily I'm as bloody minded as she is and so through sheer persistence, as in we're going to keep trying all day if we have to, we finally came to an agreement!"

Once they had settled this argument Phoebe and Frostie were off and running. Personally, I couldn't help thinking that in different hands Frostie might never have realized her full potential. So, how does Phoebe get the best out of Frostie so she can rise to the demands of a four star event?

"I like to let her think she's doing what she wants to do when in fact she's doing what I want. I don't like to squash her because she's so small anyway. But instead I try to build her up, give her confidence. If horses don't think they are amazing, you can't make them be amazing. They have to believe they are a star."

I was so impressed with Phoebes attitude towards Frostie that I wanted to know more about her approach to riding in general.

"To me horses are people. You can't just push and pull, stop and start them. I treat each one as an individual," says Phoebe. For instance, like us some horses are claustrophobic whilst others don't like open spaces. I like to take my time, get to know them as people, find out what makes them tick and what they enjoy. One of the horses I ride is very difficult when you first get on him so I give him the time he needs to sort himself out and then he gives me everything in return. Horses are like us, they all need their 'me' time!"

Listening to her talk it's no wonder to me that Phoebe Buckley has done so well without the best horses in the world, and has maintained loyal owners. Still only 25 I'm sure she has an amazing future ahead of her. And I for one wish her all the best, she deserves it.

Pink My Ride!
Trot on TV is proud to be supporting Breast Cancer Care's Pink Fridays fundraising campaign by encouraging all its members, partners and associates to "Pink My Ride".

"Pink My Ride" is about getting the horse riding community to involve itself in the initiative by making your horse riding experience Fun and Pink for just one day so that you can declare to the world your support for this wonderful charity.

How to participate

1- First "Pink My Ride"

Ways in which to join in the fun and raise some money for "Pink My Ride"

- Pink themed Stable yard parties with pink grapefruit cocktails and pink cupcakes.
- Sponsored Pink Pony Trek/ride with horses/ponies and riders dressed in as much pink as possible
- Pink Friday sponsored Muck out/ Grooming parties
- Run a Pink "adults only" Gymkhana
- Plait your horses mane with pink ribbon.(no painting horses please!)
- Simply dress yourself and horse in your best horsey pink
- wear a pink ribbon
- Get some ideas from the sharing ideas threads on the Pink My Ride group forum
- Look at the videos on the Pink My Ride Group
- Follow updates on the challenge on Twitter
- Register your "Pink My Ride" event and send invitations to all your friends by logging onto Pink Friday's website

2- Record" Pink My Ride" by taking a photo - funny ,smart, unusual, show it pink

3- Upload your photo to Trot on TV Pink My Ride group

4- Donate what you raised or simply give a personal donation ( minimum �2) directly here

5- You should get a pink rosette appear next to your Trot on TV profile photo (please be patient with us on this one)

Many thanks for taking part!
The Trot on TV Team

Simulating Dressage ....the ultimate video game

Sometimes you come across a product you would just love to take home with you and this is just one such case! Hours of fun for all the family ( if they like horses!)

I know something about riding I know little about dressage but I'm sure had the time to spend a few hours on this machine I'd know one heck of a lot more than I currently do - this has to be the ultimate in a video game niceties.

Leg, seat , rein and bit sensors are all combined with an interactive video game that lets you view yourself from every which way: how the horse feels you, how the judges see you, how spectators view you in every which gait you may want to test - walk, trot, canter - flying changes : a piece of cake? well maybe one day

Suddenly the mystery of this fascinating discipline is revealed in some sorts of vivid ways. More details from Racewood simulators

Big tick - wish I could afford one :)

Why do women love horses?
Earlier on in the year we ran an online survey asking this question and the results were quite fascinating. When we published the first findings about a 100 people had completed the survey - we let the survey run and we now have over 400 completed responses and guess what the results have stayed remarkably similar indeed chillingly so (especially if you are a man)The survey is divided into two - your relationship with your horse and and about you

Relationship with your horse
-Men continue to lose out to horses although it is now only 85% ( down from over 90% last time) who if they had more spare time would prefer to spent it with their horse than their partner!
- A horse continues to be regarded most of all as a friend and least of all as a way to achieve.
- Patience( over 45% rated this factor highest) and freedom are the qualities most often learnt while a sense of humour is least likely to be learnt ( I can relate to that!)
- A horse intuitive understanding is the most endearing characteristic while their size is least.
- When riding out most people are likely to feel exhilarated, connected and fulfilled and least likely to feel vulnerable.
- Over 50% spend over 12 hours per week with their horse in terms of care, preparation and riding out.( wondered where the time went!)
- 30% ride out more than 5 times a week ( I'm jealous)
- When asked "what do you most want to achieve over the next year?" over 40% answered a more harmonious relationship
- Over 80% cited their emotional connection with their horse as being the most important or the main reason they have a horse.( would men answer the same way? - not sure)

You
- A broad age range took part from aged 13 to 50 skewed towards the older than national statistics which suggest that 50% of women who ride are under 25.
- over 45% believe that better quality relationships will lead to more happiness while more material wealth ranked plum last after better health and more achievement.
- In terms of ranking which relationships are the most important partners did slightly better than the spare time question would suggest. "Significant other" edged the highest score 31% compared to the horse at 30.6% though it was clearly a close call. Close family was third at 25.8% and Cats last of all just below "yourself"
- How would you most like to be described? A third answered caring/nurturing and smart/intelligent
- How would you least like to be described? Ambitious
- Fitness and self esteem is what most would like to improve about themselves.

It all makes for a fascinating read and insight into the relationship that women (and to be fair many men) have with their horses - thank you so much to everybody who took part!

The curious case for horse nappies
Okay so it is Friday afternoon and that may be influencing my mood however yesterday I picked up on a story concerning horse nappies - yes you heard it right - not Nappy horses - horses nappies.

This Google inspired "venture" begins in Killarney Ireland where on Tuesday the park is insisted that Horse-drawn carts use "nappies" to deal with the horse dung that results from 15 mile round trips into the national park. The photograph above shows what one of these devices looks like "in situ" so to speak. Jarveys who own the carts have rebelled and there are pictures emerging of ugly scenes outside the park gates - placards, words have been exchanged.

Further investigations reveal that over the last 5 years similar voices have been raised to horse carts owners in places as far flung as Vienna, Blackpool, Isle of Man and New York - Horse nappies it seems are a very controversial subject!

On the one hand are the pro nappy lobby - to them horse muck needs to be dealt with on the spot - kept in place.

On the other hand are the antis - to them horse muck is entirely different to other forms of excrement because it is bio-degradeable. There is a big difference between horse waste and dog waste. Dog waste is toxic and contains bacteria which are harmful to humans. Horse excrement contains no such transferable diseases. It is environmental friendly and can be used as a garden fertiliser with little or no preparation. Having horses wear nappies is both degrading to the animal and gets in the way of the horses natural movements - chaffing can result.

The world of horses never ceases to amuse or not as the case may be - personally speaking I think Nature handles these things far better than councils. Happy weekend horse world!

Worm Free

I have nearly come to the end of a years worming program for Murphy. I met a lady at the Holistic Horseshow last year who was selling yearly subscriptions to Intelligent Worming. The company specalise in individual worming programmes designed just for that particular horse or pony.

Murphy has an unknown background as he was bought from a dealer who had bought him from gypsies. Since I bought him he has been wormed regularly as recommended by my vet. However, I realised that once I have dealt with getting rid of all the different types of worms I should be able to worm count and then not worm chemically. Murphy's count was medium when we started it is now 0. I have just wormed him hopefully for the last time with a chemical wormer. I will keep regularly having a count done so that we know for definate that we have a 0 count.
Go back to trotontv.com

Horses helping Gazza

Paul Gascoigne has been taking part in new type of treatment using horses to combat his alcoholism and depression. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a new approach to dealing with the different problems which people encounter throughout their lives.

EAP is a relatively new approach to tackling peoples addictions, depression, eating disorders and relationship problems along with a number of other challenges they may face in their everyday life. EAP is designed to help people build up their personal skills such as communication, self belief and assertiveness working with a psychotherapist and horse trainer together to overcome their particular problems. The horses are a powerful support as another living being who, without words, can connect to human emotions and help that individual work though their particular issues.

Gazza was quoted as saying: 'The first time we went to wrok witht he horses we were taken into the field and were encouraged to interact with them. I was stood near this one particular horse and as I was thinking about it, it came over and started nudging me. It was incredible"

Gazza found it so successful that he now wants to train to become a counsellor!

This is just another example of what horses can teach us and provide us with support our hour of need.

Click here for original article

Go back to trotontv.com

Murphy having a bath
It is that time of year that I think about all the spring cleaning jobs; inside and outside. Murphy has a check list of all the things that need checking and doing and it was a particularly good day for a bath. He is prone to itching his heels so an antibacterial shampoo was used. One thing to check off his list of To Do's.

Shedding Winter Coats

Buster has a rather thick winter coat. As he is a Shetland he has an outer coat and and undercoat designed for the Scottish winters. At the moment Buster is caught and then groomed so that we can help shed his coat. He loves it.

Getting a new pony

I have recently just bought a tiny shetland pony for my son. It has been a very great pleasure for us already and we have not had him 5 minutes! We are getting to know him slowly. He has an issue with wanting to get to know us however. He turns away when we go towards him to catch him in the field. Not sure whether this is out of habit or whether he just needs to get to know us and trust us. I am working on his trust in the way he is most comfortable which is to bribe him with a small amount of food. I put the food in the bucket and stand in front of the bucket so he has to be caught first. I then halter him before allowing him to eat the food. This is the first step I am taking in gaining his trust. My plan is to shape his behaviour so that I can catch with no food. How long it will take I do not know. Watch this space.

Amersham - We now understand what happened - we still don't know why?
The news has just broken - many congratulations to the authorities who brought these people to justice. Thanks also to World horse welfare and RSPCA who invested a huge amounts of time and effort in sorting out the horses that could be saved once the horror was discovered.

"Five people have been found guilty of neglecting more than 100 horses, ponies and donkeys on a Buckinghamshire farm. RSPCA staff and vets removed 115 animals from Spindle Farm in Amersham last January.One dead horse was found on the back of a trailer with ropes around its tail, the court heard. The court heard many horses living at the farm were found surrounded by rotting corpses of other animals which had been left.RSPCA chief inspector Rob Skinner said he found 32 carcasses in different locations on the farm...........Full details of the torrid case here

So we know many more of the facts about this sad case and individuals have been brought to book however the unnerving thing as far as I understand it is we still don't know why these individuals behaved in the way they did? - how did they see fit to treat other living creatures in this way? What was their thinking that led them to think this was OK?

So what to do? Two positive thoughts - things to do to hopefully make the world a slightly better place in which to live.
1- Complete the Stamp Out Suffering survey run by World Horse Welfare
2- Watch this video ( hint have a box of tissues handy) " A horse's view on life"