MINDSET COACHING – BUILDING THE RIDER’S COMPETITIVE EDGE

Text: Lara Ellwood Horses have given us some of life’s most joyful moments—freedom, partnership, connection, and the friendships forged along the way. But for many riders, those highs can be tempered by the creeping nerves that come before a class, in the warm-up arena, or even while thinking about the next show. These overwhelming emotions can…

BylizzieJuly 21, 20250Comments

Horse Channel

SNIFFER DOGS TO ASSIST IN DETECTING PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES IN ENDURANCE HORSES

At the 2025 FEI Sports Forum, FEI veterinary director Göran Åkerström shared details of a new research project that could strengthen equestrian anti-doping measures — using sniffer dogs to detect microdoses of prohibited substances in horses. In collaboration with the Swedish University of Agriculture, the project focuses on detecting heart-rate lowering substances in horse saliva.…

BylizzieApril 28, 20250Comments

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ASKHQ: NOT DRINKING ENOUGH

Q: My horse never seems to drink enough water. I already soak his hay and add water to his feed but I’ve been advised to try a mash as well. Should this replace his usual concentrate feed? A: Horses are generally very good at regulating their own water balance and, while this can go awry when…

BylizzieMarch 15, 20250Comments

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ASKHQ: STRUGGLING WITH MY HORSE’S TRAINING

Q: I’m really struggling with my horse’s training. I’m too embarrassed to admit to anyone that I’m having trouble, but I can tell the other liveries at our yard judge me when my horse plays up. I don’t know what to do and feel like giving up. Do you have any suggestions? A: We’re sorry to…

BylizzieFebruary 21, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

PLAYTIME – WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAY WITH YOUR HORSE

Text: Skye Littlefield As humans, we make important distinctions for ourselves between work and play, taking the time to step away and recharge when we feel it’s necessary. Oftentimes our form of rest involves seeing our horses; whether we’re perfecting our trot or going for a hack. Working with horses provides us with a different form…

BylizzieFebruary 5, 20250Comments

Horse Channel

AMY HAY IN 2024 – A TRUE GLOBE-TROTTER

Text: Amelia Campbell-Horne Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography Almost every rider would argue that horsemanship is not just a hobby; it is a way of life. That is certainly true of Zimbabwean rider Amy Hay, who began riding as a ‘distraction’ and for whom it has become a passion. With this passion, and a good degree of perseverance,…

BylizzieJanuary 27, 20250Comments

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ASKHQ: DANDELIONS

Q: I’ve heard that dried dandelions are good for horses, but how about the fresh ones that grow in the field? Are they okay for a horse to eat? A: No part of a dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is toxic to horses. Even for us, eating raw or cooked, dandelion offers a good source of vitamins A, B, C,…

BylizzieJanuary 26, 20250Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training

THE FIVE PHASES OF THE JUMP

It’s no secret that it takes a lot of skill to successfully negotiate a fence. One thing that many riders find helpful in breaking down the task is understanding how the five phases of riding a jump each contribute to ‘getting to the other side’. These five phases include: the approach, takeoff, in the air,…

BylizzieAugust 21, 20240Comments

Horse Breed Horse Training

HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW 2024 – THE OTTBS

Text: Amelia Campbell-Horne It’s that time of year again when all our showing stars descend on Kyalami Park Club for the annual Horse of the Year Competition. For horse lovers, it’s an event not to be missed as a vast array of breeds and types congregate for all to see. With special displays, Championship Classes and a…

BylizzieFebruary 25, 20240Comments

HQ Pro

UNDERSTANDING THE N.O.P. SUFFIX

The NOP (Dutch Olympic Horse) suffix denotes that the horse has been taken into the group of horses in the Dutch Olympic Horse Foundation ('Stichting Nederlands Olympiade Paard' (N.O.P.).) The foundation, in partnership with the Dutch Equestrian Federation, provides financial support to the horse's owner to prevent horses from being sold out of the Dutch Team,…

BylizzieJanuary 25, 20240Comments

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