British Breeder Magazine May 2021
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BRITISH<br />
BREEDER<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
The Brexit effect on foal<br />
registrations –<br />
what does it mean?<br />
Futurity, Auction and<br />
Equine Bridge<br />
An introduction to DNA<br />
Vet insight:<br />
Ultrasound scanning<br />
<strong>Breeder</strong> Spotlight:<br />
Breen Equestrian<br />
Feature: PSSM2 –<br />
New studies into<br />
muscle disease<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 1
TRIED &<br />
TRUSTED<br />
FOR GENERATIONS<br />
PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS THAT COUNT<br />
Formulated to support correct growth and help achieve genetic potential<br />
Backed by unique hands-on practical knowledge and nutritional support<br />
MADE<br />
IN THE<br />
UK<br />
MADE IN<br />
OUR OWN<br />
UK MILL<br />
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS - Racing Specialist - Simon Venner 07977 441 571 Tel: 01371 850 247<br />
www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk<br />
2 | BRITISH BREEDER<br />
EXPERTS IN STUD NUTRITION. For problem solving advice<br />
Tel: +44 (0)1371 850247 (option 2) nutrition@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
<strong>May</strong> Issue - Index<br />
Welcome from the editor<br />
Cover<br />
RFW U-Got-The-Look (by U-Genius, out<br />
of Wioletta), bred by Ruth Warrington.<br />
Production<br />
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Legal Notice<br />
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time of going to print the information in this<br />
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holder, <strong>British</strong> Breeding of Great Britain, nor be<br />
otherwise circulated in any form or binding or cover<br />
other than that in which it is published.<br />
Welcome to the <strong>May</strong> issue.<br />
This issue would not be complete<br />
without paying tribute to Prince Philip,<br />
Duke of Edinburgh. He was, without<br />
doubt, a true horseman whose<br />
achievements have been widely<br />
reported, but he also understood the<br />
need for progress in equestrian sport<br />
and was influential as former president<br />
of the FEI. His love of equestrian sport<br />
lives on through the endeavours and<br />
achievements of younger generations of<br />
royals, and the horse world is the better<br />
for it.<br />
As we closed the magazine, we were<br />
shocked to learn of the passing of Tim<br />
Holderness-Roddam, a great supporter<br />
of eventing and sport horse breeding<br />
and a huge loss to the equestrian world.<br />
We offer our sympathies to Jane, his<br />
family and the team at West Kington<br />
Stud.<br />
As the country is relaxing from Covid<br />
restrictions, many of our number are<br />
engrossed in the important business of<br />
delivering this year’s crop of new born<br />
foals and planning the next generation<br />
of sport horses. Our recent webinars on<br />
Foaling the Mare, along with our<br />
successful Virtual Stallion Event are a<br />
great reference, especially for those less<br />
Contents<br />
4-6<br />
8-11<br />
12-14<br />
16-17<br />
18-29<br />
32<br />
34-35<br />
37-39<br />
43-45<br />
46-47<br />
48<br />
50-51<br />
53<br />
54<br />
56-57<br />
Discipline and Breeding News<br />
Obituries<br />
Brexit News & National Equine Forum<br />
Baileys <strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity & Equine Bridge<br />
Studbook News<br />
Feature - Inside Nasta<br />
Feature - Preparing For Foaling<br />
<strong>Breeder</strong> Spotlight - Breen Equestrian<br />
Feature - DNA: Testing in Breeding<br />
Feature - PSSM2: Muscle disease<br />
Product Feature - Stable Shield<br />
Nutrition Feature - Spillers Feeds<br />
Feature - Westgate Labs<br />
Product News<br />
Vet Feature - Ultrasound of the broodmare<br />
experienced breeders, and the<br />
webinars can all be watched again on<br />
our website.<br />
Having bred your beautiful youngster,<br />
your next step will be to think about<br />
entering this year’s Baileys Horse Feeds<br />
<strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity Evaluations.<br />
With both physical venues and virtual<br />
options available this year, it has never<br />
been easier to get your youngsters<br />
assessed by our panel of renowned<br />
international evaluators and veterinary<br />
and nutrition team. Full details of plans<br />
for the <strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity and<br />
Equine Bridge <strong>2021</strong> are in this issue.<br />
Dr Jonathan Pycock offers us more<br />
advice on preparing your mare for<br />
foaling in this issue, along with timely<br />
advice on scanning your mare from<br />
Rossdales. We also take a look behind<br />
the scenes at Breen Equestrian in<br />
our breeder profile. Dr Eva Broomer<br />
explains the complexities of the current<br />
situation regarding foal registrations<br />
with European Studbooks. We also get<br />
an introduction to DNA and explore the<br />
current situation with the muscle disease<br />
PSSM2.<br />
We wish you well this breeding season,<br />
and look forward to seeing you in<br />
person before too long.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 3
News<br />
Leadership appointments at <strong>British</strong> Equestrian<br />
<strong>British</strong> Equestrian has appointed Jim<br />
Eyre as new Chief Executive to lead the<br />
organisation, while Malcom Wharton<br />
has been formally appointed Chairman<br />
for a four year term.<br />
Jim Eyre joins equestrian sport from the<br />
elite world of rugby, where he spent<br />
over five years with Premiership team<br />
Harlequins FC, initially as Commercial<br />
Operations Director before promotion to<br />
Chief Operating Officer, a position he<br />
held for three years. Responsible for a<br />
large core staff and a key member of the<br />
Senior Management Team, Jim oversaw<br />
the operational delivery of all aspects of<br />
the club’s stadium with significant<br />
budgetary responsibility. He was<br />
instrumental in successfully delivering<br />
key projects including building the<br />
Community Department, developing The<br />
Harlequins Foundation, delivering an IT<br />
and digital strategy, building the club’s<br />
woman and girls programme to create a<br />
pathway from grassroots to elite<br />
international rugby, and diversification of<br />
the venue to drive revenue.<br />
Prior to joining Harlequins, Jim spent 25<br />
years in the military, in a variety of roles<br />
including Squadron Leader of the Blues<br />
and Royals Mounted Squadron and<br />
Commanding Officer of The Household<br />
Cavalry Regiment. His current role is with<br />
England Rugby as a Project Officer to<br />
spearhead the sport’s COVID recovery<br />
programme and help Premiership clubs<br />
to comply with guidance and legislation<br />
in order for the sport to continue.<br />
Having grown up in Lambourn Valley,<br />
equestrian pursuits featured heavily in<br />
Jim’s youth and he was an avid Pony<br />
Club member, taking part in a wide<br />
variety of disciplines. He went on to join<br />
the Army, where his horsemanship focus<br />
changed considerably and<br />
leadership skills flourished with<br />
responsibility for various sized teams,<br />
regularly in complex and high-pressure<br />
operational environments.<br />
“I am thrilled and honoured to have<br />
been appointed as Chief Executive of<br />
<strong>British</strong> Equestrian, and I look forward to<br />
working with the BEF team and all the<br />
member bodies to help grow<br />
equestrianism and horse welfare in the<br />
UK. It is clear that there are as many<br />
challenges as there are opportunities,<br />
and a key focus must be to help the<br />
sector recover from COVID-19, as well<br />
as to minimise the impact of Brexit.<br />
Looking forward to the summer, with the<br />
pandemic hopefully behind us and the<br />
delayed Tokyo Games underway, it<br />
should be a hugely exciting time for the<br />
sport and industry.” Jim will formally start<br />
his role on 6 April and Iain Graham,<br />
who has been acting as Interim Chief<br />
Executive since October 2019, will continue<br />
to provide overarching support for<br />
the World Class Programme. Iain<br />
Jim Eyre, new Chief Executive<br />
will work with Performance Director<br />
Richard Waygood and his team to best<br />
prepare our athletes to compete at the<br />
Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games<br />
alongside his role as CEO for <strong>British</strong><br />
Showjumping. Malcolm Wharton CBE<br />
has been confirmed formally in the<br />
position of Chairman of the <strong>British</strong><br />
Equestrian Board for a four-year term<br />
with full support from UK Sport.<br />
Malcolm, working closely with Iain, has<br />
provided strong leadership and direction<br />
for <strong>British</strong> Equestrian since he took over<br />
the role on an interim basis in October<br />
2019 and has managed the<br />
organisation through the COVID crisis,<br />
providing stability and playing an<br />
essential part of securing our funding for<br />
the Paris Olympic and Paralympic cycle.<br />
FEI enhances horse<br />
traceability in EHV-1<br />
Return to Competition<br />
measures<br />
The FEI has added new modules to the<br />
FEI HorseApp to monitor key mandatory<br />
requirements in the Return To<br />
Competition measures that allowed for a<br />
safe resumption of international sport in<br />
mainland Europe from 12 April.<br />
Key areas covered by the Return to<br />
Competition protocols, which were<br />
launched on 30 March, include<br />
advance PCR testing (for certain<br />
designated events only), temperature<br />
monitoring of horses as well as<br />
enhanced Examination on Arrival<br />
procedures. Stringent biosecurity<br />
measures and mitigation plans, in line<br />
with the FEI Veterinary Regulations, also<br />
form part of the Return To Competition<br />
measures.<br />
The measures include a number of<br />
temporary provisions that will remain in<br />
place until 30 <strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong>, providing a<br />
science-based safety margin to allow<br />
for monitoring of any further related<br />
outbreaks. This date can be extended if<br />
required.<br />
The FEI Veterinary Epidemiology<br />
Working Group had already agreed that<br />
there was no current evidence indicating<br />
that it would be unsafe to return to<br />
international competition in mainland<br />
Europe as planned from 12 April,<br />
provided the mandated enhanced<br />
preventive measures were implemented.<br />
However, the Group will continue to<br />
monitor the evolution of the outbreaks on<br />
a daily basis.<br />
“The recent EHV-1 outbreak has<br />
underscored the importance of early<br />
detection and prevention in disease<br />
transmission,” FEI Veterinary Director<br />
Göran Åkerströmsaid. “The FEI<br />
HorseApp is a crucial tool to facilitate<br />
the traceability of horses attending FEI<br />
Events, as well as for data gathering to<br />
allow for better risk assessment analysis<br />
and informed decision-making. It is a<br />
key element in ensuring a safe return to<br />
competition and in minimising the impact<br />
of a disease outbreak in the future.”<br />
The FEI HorseApp is being used for<br />
uploading negative PCR results for<br />
designated events. In addition, the FEI<br />
Veterinarian conducting the Examination<br />
on Arrival will scan the horse’s microchip<br />
with a reader connected via Bluetooth to<br />
the FEI HorseApp, and also record the<br />
horse’s temperature in the FEI HorseApp.<br />
Under the Return To Competition<br />
measures, it is also compulsory for all<br />
horses to be officially checked out at the<br />
Show Office using the FEI HorseApp.<br />
This ensures traceability should a disease<br />
outbreak occur.<br />
4 | BRITISH BREEDER
News<br />
<strong>British</strong> Equestrian<br />
EHV-1 update<br />
Following the successful implementation<br />
of protocols for horses returning to the<br />
UK who might potentially have been<br />
impacted by the EHV-1 outbreak in<br />
Europe, <strong>British</strong> Equestrian reported that<br />
the disease risk in the UK was nearing<br />
normal l evels in early April. However,<br />
the recommendation on the use of a<br />
revised health self-certification form for<br />
UK equine gatherings remains in place<br />
as an ongoing biosecurity measure to<br />
help manage the risk.<br />
<strong>British</strong> Equestrian’s Equine Infectious<br />
Diseases Action Group (EIDAG) has<br />
considered data on the prevalence of<br />
EHV-1 diagnosis in UK over the last<br />
three years and concluded that, while<br />
EHV-1 remains a persistent and<br />
ever-present threat, the mildly increased<br />
disease risk level announced on 18<br />
March is now dropping towards the<br />
baseline number of cases seen in any<br />
other year.<br />
The process of monitoring and<br />
laboratory testing, which was imposed<br />
on horses that had been in direct contact<br />
with EHV-1 outbreaks at competitions in<br />
the Iberian peninsula and subsequently<br />
across Europe, went extremely well.<br />
Horses returning from these areas were<br />
suspended from competition until they<br />
had completed the protocols that<br />
enabled them to compete in the UK.<br />
As part of the measures put in place to<br />
mitigate the risk of the current European<br />
FEI Eventing<br />
European<br />
Championships for<br />
<strong>2021</strong> & 2023<br />
allocated<br />
Avenches in Switzerland will host this<br />
year’s FEI Eventing European<br />
Championship, with the 2023 edition<br />
allocated to Haras du Pin (FRA).<br />
Host venues for these two important<br />
Championships and other key events<br />
were made by the FEI Board by video<br />
conference recently, with the full support<br />
of the FEI Eventing Committee and the<br />
European Equestrian Federation (EEF).<br />
“We are pleased to have the Swiss<br />
venue of Avenches hosting the <strong>2021</strong><br />
Championships,” FEI Secretary<br />
General Sabrina Ibáñez said.<br />
“Following last year’s postponement of<br />
the Tokyo Games, the FEI had originally<br />
EHV outbreak reaching our equine<br />
population, <strong>British</strong> Equestrian and its<br />
member bodies introduced an equine<br />
health self-certification form on 18<br />
March under the advisement of the<br />
EIDAG. The process was implemented<br />
at short notice and was mandated for<br />
all <strong>British</strong> Dressage, <strong>British</strong> Eventing and<br />
<strong>British</strong> Showjumping competitions up to<br />
12 April. Organisers, secretaries and<br />
competitors readily embraced the<br />
process and made it work so<br />
successfully.<br />
The EIDAG has recommended that the<br />
EHV-1 risk level is dropping to a low/<br />
normal level, but as an endemic disease<br />
the risk it poses to the UK equine<br />
population is continuous. While the<br />
mandate to use the self-certification<br />
forms has now ended, <strong>British</strong> Equestrian<br />
and the EIDAG are recommending to<br />
member bodies and their organisers<br />
that a revised version of the form be<br />
introduced as an ongoing biosecurity<br />
measure to protect our equines and<br />
mitigate the risk of spreading infectious<br />
conditions. Forms can be downloaded<br />
from the <strong>British</strong> Equestrian website.<br />
EIDAG chair Celia Marr commented;<br />
“Recent events have shown what can be<br />
achieved when we work collectively to<br />
implement effective biosecurity measures<br />
such as self-certification. We actively<br />
encourage all member bodies, event<br />
organisers and horse owners to<br />
continue to make use of a<br />
self-certification process to ensure that<br />
horses coming to gatherings are as<br />
healthy as possible, in order to reduce<br />
cancelled European Championships in<br />
all three Olympic and Paralympic<br />
disciplines so that the focus could remain<br />
on the Games in <strong>2021</strong>, but our<br />
community encouraged us to review that<br />
decision and we listened to those voices.<br />
“After carefully reviewing three strong<br />
bids, which also included Boekelo in<br />
the Netherlands and Montelibretti in<br />
Italy, the FEI Board voted to allocate this<br />
year’s FEI Eventing European<br />
Championship to Avenches.<br />
“We are happy to be able to give our<br />
community something to look forward to<br />
during these difficult days as we tackle<br />
the EHV-1 outbreak and work to put in<br />
place protocols to get our horses and<br />
athletes back to competing again.”<br />
The <strong>2021</strong> edition of the FEI Eventing<br />
European Championship will run from<br />
23-26 September.<br />
Haras du Pin (FRA) was named as host<br />
risk of disease spread. Infectious disease<br />
management is a collective responsibility<br />
which everyone shares.”<br />
The <strong>British</strong> Equestrian Veterinary<br />
Association has also urged horse<br />
owners, particularly returning<br />
competitors, to do all they can to<br />
prevent the spread of this fatal disease.<br />
EHV-1 is a highly contagious virus that<br />
spreads between horses that are in<br />
close contact with one another. It can<br />
spread on people or objects but is more<br />
likely to spread horse to horse within the<br />
stable environment, and particularly in<br />
enclosed buildings such as American<br />
barns with shared air spaces. It does not<br />
spread over long distances in the air and<br />
is unlikely to spread between different<br />
buildings or yards without movement of<br />
horses, people or objects.<br />
EHV-1, capable of causing neurological<br />
disease, was spreading at showjumping<br />
events in Valencia in March. The<br />
movement of horses away from these<br />
events resulted in the spread of virus to<br />
other premises in Europe and the Middle<br />
East.<br />
“The consequences of this outbreak have<br />
been devastating and understandably,<br />
there was anxiety that horses returning to<br />
the UK may be carrying the virus and<br />
infection may spread back in the UK,”<br />
said David Rendle, Chair of BEVA’s<br />
Health and Medicines Committee. “To<br />
prevent this from happening, it is<br />
essential that returning competitors<br />
comply with the quarantine plans that<br />
have been put in place by <strong>British</strong><br />
Showjumping”.<br />
for the FEI Eventing European<br />
Championship in 2023. The FEI Board<br />
had originally allocated the <strong>2021</strong><br />
Championship to the French venue and,<br />
when there were discussions last year<br />
about the possibility of rescheduling the<br />
event away from the Olympic Games<br />
period, the Haras du Pin organisers<br />
were unfortunately unable to find an<br />
alternative date in <strong>2021</strong>. However, they<br />
put forward a proposal to the FEI to host<br />
the Championships in 2023 and this<br />
was agreed by the FEI Board this week.<br />
Dates for the Championship in 2023 are<br />
yet be confirmed.<br />
The FEI Board also allocated the FEI<br />
Jumping Ponies Trophy Final <strong>2021</strong> to<br />
Mechelen (BEL). An experienced<br />
Organiser of the Longines FEI<br />
Jumping World Cup Western<br />
European League, the Belgian city will<br />
hold the Trophy Final from 26-30<br />
December. Kronenberg (NED) will host<br />
the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth<br />
Final <strong>2021</strong> from 23-26 September.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 5
News<br />
NEXGEN Series<br />
announced for<br />
<strong>2021</strong><br />
NEXGEN Champs return for <strong>2021</strong><br />
The <strong>2021</strong> NEXGEN Young Horse Series<br />
has announced an increased prize fund<br />
of over £52,000 for <strong>2021</strong>. In addition<br />
there are several new qualifying<br />
venues, all of which will be<br />
live-streamed on clipmyhorse.tv, and a<br />
showcase auction for horses who have<br />
qualified for the Young Horse Series<br />
final.<br />
The NEXGEN Series provides talented<br />
4 – 7 year old young horses of any<br />
breed the chance to compete against<br />
each other in their respective discipline,<br />
enabling them to grow and progress to<br />
the top levels of sport.<br />
Now with 18 qualifying venues being<br />
used around the UK, the series begins<br />
on 27th <strong>May</strong> at Houghton<br />
International Horse Trials and offers<br />
pathways for performance horses in<br />
dressage, eventing and<br />
showjumping, culminating in the final<br />
at the All England Jumping Course,<br />
Hickstead on 23rd-25th<br />
September <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Proceeding the Young Horse Finals,<br />
NEXGEN are offering selected horses<br />
the chance to showcase in their<br />
performance auction which will take<br />
place on October 6 <strong>2021</strong> at The<br />
Loungfield in Nottinghamshire. The<br />
NEXGEN auction will deliver a format<br />
never seen before, giving potential<br />
buyers the opportunity to see the horses<br />
live in the competition arena.<br />
Victoria Wright, Director of NEXGEN<br />
said, “NEXGEN are pioneers for the<br />
Sport Horse Breeding Industry,<br />
providing UK breeders and young<br />
horse producers with a reliable<br />
showcasing platform to reach buyers<br />
across the globe. Our aim is to<br />
successfully connect the highest calibre<br />
vendors and buyers together, whilst<br />
ensuring that the stars of the future are<br />
produced in the right environment to<br />
achieve their full potential on the world<br />
stage. Entries for the <strong>2021</strong> series are<br />
now open via Equipe as are auction<br />
applications.<br />
For more information and to enter go<br />
to www.nexgenhorses.com or for the<br />
auction go to www.nexgenauction.com<br />
Breeding the best<br />
Breen Equestrian<br />
opens state-ofthe-art<br />
stud<br />
Showjumping team Breen Equestrian has<br />
expanded their business by launching a<br />
luxurious new breeding facility close to<br />
their base at Hickstead in West Sussex.<br />
Pook Bourne Stud is a state-of-the-art<br />
breeding premises with space to<br />
accommodate up to 85 mares and<br />
young horses. Nine stallions will stand at<br />
the stud, including prolific showjumping<br />
winners Golden Hawk, Can Ya<br />
Makan and Clyde VA. The aim is to<br />
breed around a dozen foals each year<br />
under the Breen Equestrian prefix, while<br />
A summerlong series of elite sport is<br />
scheduled at Bolesworth for <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Synonymous with world-class<br />
showjumping and outstanding<br />
equestrian facilities, Nina Barbour and<br />
the team are bringing sport back to<br />
Bolesworth with an extensive calendar<br />
of dates including the Bolesworth<br />
International Horse Show, now<br />
confirmed to run on 7th-11th July.<br />
In addition to the new dates, Bolesworth<br />
are delighted to welcome title sponsors<br />
Dodson & Horrell. Sam Horrell,<br />
Managing Director of Dodson & Horrell<br />
commented, “We are very pleased to<br />
join Bolesworth International as their<br />
new title sponsor to celebrate<br />
showjumping and the dedication,<br />
passion and talent of all the<br />
competitors and their horses. Set against<br />
the iconic backdrop of Bolesworth<br />
Castle, the prestigious International<br />
Arena will host headline classes<br />
climaxing with the CSI*** Grand Prix<br />
the stud will also cater to clients who<br />
wish to send their mares to the stud with<br />
the aim of breeding their own potential<br />
superstars.<br />
Breen Equestrian is run by Irish<br />
international showjumper Shane Breen<br />
and his wife Chloe, who already have a<br />
superb reputation for breeding,<br />
producing and selling top class sport<br />
horses. Fellow showjumper Greg Le<br />
Gear, a qualified AI technician, is the<br />
Stud Manager at Pook Bourne Stud and<br />
is in charge of the day-to-day running of<br />
the breeding side of the business.<br />
Shane Breen commented: “I’m very<br />
proud and excited that Breen Equestrian<br />
can offer some of the world’s best<br />
stallions, as well as facilities that are<br />
second to none.”<br />
www.breenequestrian.com<br />
ELITE SPORT RETURNS TO BOLESWORTH<br />
on Sunday 11th July. The busy schedule,<br />
all set to run under FEI rules will<br />
include CSI3*, CSI1*, CSIAm, CSIP<br />
and CSIYH classes, with the aim to<br />
provide a platform for a huge range of<br />
competitors and horses to compete.<br />
The Bolesworth experience is highlighted<br />
for many by the renowned Elite Auction.<br />
On Friday, 9th July, a special collection<br />
of Elite Yearlings will be auctioned live.<br />
All lots will have close links to 1.60m<br />
performers on the dam side with a<br />
line-up that promise to include some of<br />
the most famous equine names in<br />
showjumping. There will also be three<br />
affiliated training shows, on the 7th &<br />
21st April, and the 5th <strong>May</strong>, and the<br />
brand new Bolesworth National Horse<br />
Show will take place from 20th – 23rd<br />
<strong>May</strong>, presenting three days of<br />
competition with classes up to 1.40m,<br />
also incorporating Young Horse classes.<br />
www.bolesworthinternational.com<br />
6 | BRITISH BREEDER
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BRITISH BREEDER| 7
News - Obituries<br />
TIM HOLDERNESS-RODDAM 1942-<strong>2021</strong><br />
It was with great sadness that we<br />
learned of the sudden death of Tim<br />
Holderness-Roddam on Thursday 15<br />
April <strong>2021</strong>, aged 78.<br />
Tim was married to Equestrian Olympic<br />
Gold Medallist and current <strong>British</strong><br />
Eventing President, Jane<br />
Holderness-Roddam. Together they<br />
owned and ran West Kington Farms and<br />
Stud in Wiltshire, standing numerous<br />
outstanding stallions and specialising in<br />
breeding top competition horses. Tim’s<br />
experience in agriculture and<br />
international trading complimented<br />
Jane’s equestrian activities and led to the<br />
development of West Kington Stud,<br />
Stallion Centre, Competition Yard and<br />
Farm.<br />
Tim was a passionate and<br />
knowledgeable advocate of eventing for<br />
many years. He gave his time freely to<br />
support, advise and promote the sport,<br />
including roles with <strong>British</strong> Eventing,<br />
<strong>British</strong> Equestrian, The Horse Trials<br />
Support Group and both Blenheim and<br />
Burghley Horse Trials. In 2010 Tim was<br />
presented with the <strong>British</strong> Equestrian<br />
Federation Medal of Honour in<br />
recognition of his outstanding<br />
achievement and contribution to the<br />
international equestrian world.<br />
Tim was educated at Radley College,<br />
followed by military service in the King’s<br />
Royal Hussars. His successful 30-year<br />
career at Tate & Lyle plc (UM Group)<br />
culminated in the role of MD of the<br />
United Molasses Group, where he was<br />
responsible for the worldwide trading,<br />
storage and distribution business.<br />
Since retiring from the City in 2000,<br />
Tim held a number of consultancy and<br />
non-executive roles, including senior<br />
consultant to Bristol Port Company,<br />
which handles much of the import/<br />
export trade for the west of England;<br />
and a consultant to and former director<br />
of Abercrombie & Kent, the luxury and<br />
tailor-made travel business. Tim was<br />
formerly a trustee of the pension fund of<br />
Countrywide Farmers plc and Deputy<br />
Chair of Friends of Conservation, an<br />
international charity operating mainly in<br />
Africa and the Indian sub-continent.<br />
Tim’s equestrian roles include Chair of<br />
the <strong>British</strong> Equestrian Federation Fund,<br />
which he was involved with for nearly<br />
20 years, Chair of Blenheim Palace<br />
International Horse Trials, former Chair<br />
of The Horse Trials Support Group<br />
(HTSG), Director and former Chair of the<br />
Finance Committee of <strong>British</strong> Eventing.<br />
More recently he has been involved as a<br />
Director of <strong>British</strong> Equestrian; a member<br />
of the <strong>British</strong> Eventing Finance and<br />
Commercial Committee; and a member<br />
of the Burghley Horse Trials Committee.<br />
Tim will be greatly missed in the<br />
breeding and eventing community,<br />
where he was a popular and much<br />
respected colleague and friend.<br />
Our thoughts and best wishes are with<br />
his family and friends.<br />
In Memory to Pat<br />
Campbell<br />
The <strong>British</strong> Horse Society former<br />
Chairman, Pat Campbell, has passed<br />
away. Pat was a true equestrian with an<br />
unparalleled dedication to horses, and<br />
her loss will be felt by all who knew her.<br />
She was a recipient of Her Majesty The<br />
Queen’s Award for Equestrianism and<br />
was also a past President of The<br />
National Pony Society and Ponies (UK)<br />
and past Chairman of The<br />
Dartmoor Pony Society as well as<br />
having a longstanding link with the<br />
Ashford Valley Branch of the Pony Club.<br />
Pat’s dedication to ponies and<br />
encouraging others to enjoy and respect<br />
them was renowned.<br />
Pat was also a gracious, lovely and<br />
generous, knowledgeable personal<br />
friend to many of us. As well as all the<br />
organisations already mentioned, she<br />
was also the chair of both the Central<br />
Prefix Register and the BHS Horse and<br />
Pony Breeds Committee (which was the<br />
body from which the 826 Equine<br />
Studbooks Association developed).<br />
On behalf of both those organizations I<br />
pass on our sincerest condolences and<br />
thoughts to her family and a sincere and<br />
grateful reflection on all the many good<br />
acts she performed for the whole<br />
equestrian world over the years.<br />
A lady of principle and a great loss to<br />
the equine world.<br />
By Celia Clarke<br />
8 | BRITISH BREEDER
News - Obituries<br />
Prince Philip, Duke<br />
of Edinburgh<br />
1921–<strong>2021</strong><br />
The passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of<br />
Edinburgh, peacefully at Windsor Castle<br />
on Friday 9th April, is a great loss for<br />
equestrian sport, but his legacy will live<br />
on for many decades to come.<br />
He was the longest serving FEI President<br />
(1964-1986) and was succeeded in this<br />
role by his daughter Princess Anne, the<br />
Princess Royal, for the following eight<br />
years.<br />
Prince Philip was a highly accomplished<br />
equestrian and some of his greatest<br />
sporting achievements came in the sport<br />
of Driving which he introduced as a new<br />
discipline in the FEI and helped to<br />
develop during his FEI Presidency. He<br />
became a hugely successful<br />
competitor himself, winning team gold at<br />
the 1980 World Driving Championship<br />
and bronze in 1978, 1982 and 1984.<br />
He also placed sixth individually in<br />
1982.<br />
Prince Philip strongly supported the FEI<br />
Jumping Nations Cup series, which<br />
is now one of the crown jewels in the<br />
Jumping calendar, and was hugely<br />
supportive of the launch of the FEI<br />
Jumping World Cup in the 1970s. He<br />
was also instrumental in the creation of<br />
the FEI World Equestrian Games,<br />
having lobbied for such a competition<br />
for many years before it was finally<br />
staged for the first time in Stockholm<br />
(SWE) in 1990.<br />
President of the Royal Windsor Horse<br />
Show since 1991, Prince Philip was<br />
integral to the development of the show.<br />
Regularly seen ringside, he never missed<br />
the Pony Club Games Final and was the<br />
creator of the Prince Philip Pony Club<br />
Games which culminate at Horse of the<br />
Year Show.<br />
Despite racing being the Queen’s great<br />
passion, her racing and bloodstock<br />
adviser John Warren recalled Prince<br />
Philip taking a fulsome interest in the<br />
horses and breeding.<br />
He said: “Prince Philip was a much<br />
greater support to the Queen in her<br />
racing endeavours than many people<br />
realize. His Royal Highness followed<br />
Her Majesty’s involvement as an owner<br />
and breeder very closely, and willingly<br />
accompanied the Queen to the Derby<br />
and Royal Ascot every year.<br />
“Whenever I visited Sandringham to<br />
look at horses with the Queen, Prince<br />
Philip always asked on our return how<br />
the yearlings and foals were<br />
developing.<br />
He was also a man of impeccable<br />
manners”.<br />
An all-round horseman, he played polo<br />
during his time in the Royal Navy in<br />
the 1940s and became one of Britain’s<br />
top-10 players. His passion for all things<br />
equestrian was shared by the Queen<br />
and passed on to their children,<br />
particularly Prince Charles who was also<br />
a keen polo player, and Princess Anne,<br />
who claimed individual gold at the FEI<br />
European Eventing Championships in<br />
1971, and individual and team silver four<br />
years later, before becoming the first<br />
<strong>British</strong> Royal to compete at an<br />
Olympic Games when she rode in<br />
Montreal 1976.<br />
Prince Philip’s grandchildren have also<br />
inherited a love of horse sport. Zara<br />
Tindall took the Eventing world title in<br />
2006 and was a member of the <strong>British</strong><br />
silver medal at the London 2012<br />
Olympic Games.<br />
Born in Corfu, Greece and educated in<br />
France, Germany and Great Britain, he<br />
was just 18 years old when he joined the<br />
Royal Navy in 1939. During World War<br />
ll he served with the Mediterranean and<br />
Pacific fleets, and by the time he left the<br />
service in 1952 he had reached the rank<br />
of Commander. At the age 26 years,<br />
he married the then Princess Elizabeth<br />
(Queen Elizabeth ll) in November 1947.<br />
He lived a life of relentless royal duty,<br />
immersing himself wholeheartedly in<br />
national life, carving out a unique public<br />
role and remaining the Queen’s ‘strength<br />
and stay’ for 73 years. Prince Philip was<br />
the longest serving consort in <strong>British</strong><br />
history and was only months away from<br />
his 100th birthday in June.<br />
FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “I first<br />
met Prince Philip in London at the FEI<br />
General Assembly in 2005, and again<br />
at the FEI Eventing European<br />
Championships in Blair Castle in 2015.<br />
He was a man of incredible energy and<br />
a great sense of humour and the FEI was<br />
honoured to have him as our longest<br />
serving President.<br />
“His dedication to equestrian sports<br />
cannot be underestimated and will never<br />
be forgotten, especially in the Driving<br />
community. He was born in the same<br />
year the FEI was founded and sadly he<br />
will not be with us to celebrate his own<br />
and the FEI’s centenary this year. We will<br />
celebrate his life and remember him as a<br />
great ambassador of our sport.”<br />
<strong>British</strong> Breeding extends its deepest<br />
sympathy to the <strong>British</strong> Royal Family and<br />
joins the entire equestrian community<br />
in mourning the loss of this remarkable<br />
man.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 9
News - Obituries<br />
Heartbreaker<br />
At 32 years old, Heartbreaker<br />
(Nimmerdor x Silvano) died, simply of<br />
old age on 10 April.<br />
He made his debut with Grant Wilson<br />
while he was riding in Belgium for Louis<br />
Lenaerts. Because it was thought that he<br />
would not be favored by the KWPN at<br />
the time, he was presented to and<br />
accepted by the BWP. He nevertheless<br />
moved to Holland and joined the Nijhof<br />
team stables, where he performed under<br />
the saddle of Peter Geerink at the highest<br />
level.<br />
After performing at the highest level,<br />
Heartbreaker proved to be an<br />
outstanding sire. He leaves behind<br />
impressive offspring, with many stallion<br />
sons who will continue to maintain his<br />
legend. Heartbreaker was crowned<br />
‘KWPN Horse of the Year’ in 2016.<br />
He was already declared ‘Preferent’ in<br />
2009 because of his successful offspring<br />
in the international scene.<br />
Heartbreaker himself was successful at<br />
Grand Prix level and is placed number 12<br />
on the 2016 WBFSH-ranking for jumping<br />
sires.<br />
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10 | BRITISH BREEDER<br />
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News - Obituries<br />
Sir Shutterfly<br />
Leading sire, Sir Shutterfly, has died<br />
aged 19. One of the most reliable and<br />
consistent sires of performance<br />
horses available in the UK, Sir Shutterfly<br />
featured strongly in both the eventing<br />
and show jumping sections of the <strong>British</strong><br />
Breeding Virtual Stallion event, and his<br />
loss will be felt throughout the breeding<br />
community.<br />
Sir Shutterfly, by Silvio I out of a Forrest<br />
XX mare, was a full brother to Meredith<br />
Michaels-Beerbaum’s legendary ride<br />
Shutterfly. He qualified for Germany’s<br />
Bundeschampionate for five-year-olds<br />
and went on to compete to 1.50m in<br />
showjumping, before moving to a career<br />
as a breeding stallion.<br />
Fairlight Stud owner Jo Sholls-Evan told<br />
<strong>British</strong> Breeding why the loss of “Fly” will<br />
be felt by the stud.<br />
“Fly was a HUGE character as well as<br />
being extremely beautiful to look at.<br />
He always had a great sense of fun<br />
about him and an immense love for life,<br />
especially if it involved being ridden and<br />
jumped. It was easy to forget he was a<br />
stallion because he was so<br />
straightforward to handle. He was<br />
always a very kind chap and loved any<br />
attention. Our young daughters were<br />
completely safe with him in the stable,<br />
even when they could only reach the top<br />
of his legs! He would stand still whilst<br />
they brushed him and then remain very<br />
quiet when they wanted to sit on his back<br />
after the novelty of grooming him had<br />
worn off.<br />
“My husband, Martin, would often take<br />
him for a hack round the lanes where<br />
we live because he was good fun to ride<br />
and extremely reliable. Apart from his<br />
awesome ability to produce very smart<br />
foals, we were delighted to see his older<br />
offspring doing really well in bigger<br />
classes and on the international circuit<br />
both in showjumping and eventing. We<br />
have recently sold some of the older<br />
youngsters we bred here to professional<br />
riders, which has been very encouraging<br />
for us as breeders.<br />
“One of Fly’s other characteristics was<br />
his endless energy, something which<br />
makes the yard very quiet now he has<br />
gone. We were devastated to lose him<br />
and it’s not been easy to have to rethink<br />
a whole year’s business planning in such<br />
a short space of time but we are now<br />
very much looking to the future with him<br />
living on through his offspring and the<br />
future is where we are focussing. The first<br />
of our mares will be inseminated with<br />
his frozen semen over the next couple<br />
of weeks and his first mare of the year is<br />
already in foal from one dose of frozen<br />
semen.<br />
“It was an absolute privilege to have<br />
owned and cared for him and a dream<br />
for us as breeders to have been able to<br />
add something so important to <strong>British</strong><br />
Breeding.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 11
News - Brexit<br />
The Effect<br />
of Brexit<br />
on <strong>British</strong><br />
breeding<br />
This spring, <strong>British</strong> breeders who used<br />
to register their foals with non-UK<br />
studbooks, such as the German<br />
Oldenburg Society and the German<br />
Hanoverians found out that as of 30<br />
June <strong>2021</strong>, they would no longer be<br />
able to register their foals in the UK.<br />
This has some harsh consequences for<br />
breeders who will have already paid<br />
hundreds of Euros in membership and<br />
mare contributions for the year and<br />
whose business model is based on<br />
selling to the European market, and to<br />
clients who wish to participate in the<br />
German “Bundeschampionat”, which<br />
only admits horses with German UELN’s.<br />
While this means that Continental<br />
studbooks lose out on an opportunity,<br />
the obverse is also true for UK studbooks<br />
who have previously been active in<br />
EU member states, such as the Anglo<br />
European Studbook, about half of<br />
whose now 3000 foals per annum have<br />
been registered in Europe. These foals<br />
will now have to be registered with an<br />
AES daughter society set up in the<br />
Netherlands. We thought it might be<br />
useful to give you an overview of the<br />
relevant EU legislation, which, in order to<br />
enable us to continue to trade with<br />
Europe, was adopted by the UK<br />
government.<br />
Registering Foals: “Extension of<br />
Breeding Territory”:<br />
Historically, many European studbooks<br />
had casual arrangements, by which they<br />
would register foals across various EU<br />
member states. This suited the<br />
development of breeding, which is<br />
becoming an increasingly globalised<br />
industry. For the studbooks, it was<br />
convenient to operate in this manner, for<br />
cost reasons, as well as in view of the<br />
WBFSH Studbook rankings. The larger<br />
the studbook, the larger the chance of<br />
doing well in those rankings, which<br />
effectively penalised those studbooks<br />
who instead opted to set up daughter<br />
societies and split their breeding<br />
population.<br />
2013 saw the infamous Lasagne meat<br />
scandal, and with it came a realisation<br />
by the authorities that they had a serious<br />
issue with food safety. It was not only an<br />
issue that horse meat was found in<br />
various processed meat products, but<br />
that some of those horses may well<br />
have been treated with medication that<br />
rendered them entirely unsuitable, and in<br />
fact dangerous, for human consumption.<br />
To tackle this problem, a new Animal<br />
Health Law was created, to tighten up<br />
the identification and trade in all<br />
animals, including horses. Part of the<br />
Animal Health Law requirements was the<br />
creation of National Equine Databases<br />
(in the UK, this is the Central Equine<br />
Database, the CED), in which all horses<br />
in the country were to be registered in<br />
order to provide traceability, promote<br />
biosecurity and guarantee food chain<br />
safety.<br />
The mechanism by which horses in the<br />
UK are recorded on the central database<br />
is through the UK studbooks. This is either<br />
done through their first registrations, or,<br />
in the case of imports or foals registered<br />
with foreign studbooks, through overstamping.<br />
This process has not<br />
always been working very well, as<br />
owners and breeders saw this as an<br />
unnecessary hassle, and above all an<br />
additional cost to try and avoid.<br />
In recognition of the importance of<br />
horses being registered on the right<br />
central equine database to ensure<br />
biosecurity and traceability, the EU<br />
tightened up the regulations of cross<br />
border registrations, requiring every<br />
studbook wishing to do so to notify their<br />
competent authority, and then to work<br />
with that authority in the relevant country<br />
to ensure the recording of the foals on<br />
their CED, a process called “extension of<br />
breeding territory”.<br />
While the EU made it very clear that this<br />
option is only open to studbooks from EU<br />
member states, thus excluding UK based<br />
studbooks from being able to register<br />
foals in Europe, Defra took the view that<br />
EU studbooks could apply for an<br />
“extension of breeding territory” into the<br />
UK. Some have done so, and have, it<br />
appears, been turned down.<br />
12 | BRITISH BREEDER
News - Brexit<br />
Receiving Semen from Europe: Third<br />
Country und Third Country Studbook<br />
Status<br />
While extensions of breeding territories<br />
to and from the UK are now curtailed,<br />
the trade in horses, semen, embryos and<br />
oocytes is governed by a separate part<br />
of the legislation, the zootechnics<br />
regulations, which were also adopted<br />
into UK law as part of the Brexit<br />
arrangements. To understand the impact<br />
of the zootechnics legislation, we must<br />
first consider the distinction drawn by<br />
the legislation between “registered” and<br />
“unregistered” animals.<br />
“Unregistered” is a slightly misleading<br />
term, as this does not refer to horses that<br />
do not have a passport, but to horses<br />
that are not covered by the zootechnics<br />
arrangements. “Unregistered” horses<br />
can still be imported into the UK and<br />
exported from the UK to Europe, but they<br />
are classified as non-breeding animals,<br />
which fall into a different tax category,<br />
leading to higher charges on imports<br />
and exports. They also have a lower<br />
health status, which means a lot of extra<br />
paperwork when travelling and<br />
competing these horses.<br />
“Germinal Products” (i.e. semen,<br />
oocytes, embryos) from “unregistered”<br />
horses can no longer be traded. In<br />
order to be classified as a “registered”<br />
horse (or a germinal product from a<br />
“registered” horse), the horse must be<br />
registered with a breed society that has<br />
been granted “Third Country Studbook”<br />
recognition. In order for that to happen,<br />
the country in which the studbook<br />
is located needs to have been given<br />
“Third Country” status. Following the<br />
Brexit vote, Defra and the UK studbooks<br />
were notified by the EU in November<br />
2017 that it was necessary for the UK<br />
and its breed societies to apply for this<br />
status and demonstrate that they were<br />
compliant with the EU animal health law<br />
regulations. Just in time before the 01<br />
January <strong>2021</strong> deadline, this status was<br />
granted to the UK studbooks,<br />
ensuring that we can continue to sell<br />
semen and embryos, as well as<br />
“registered” status horses into the EU.<br />
In return, and as part of their process of<br />
adopting the EU legislation, Defra wrote<br />
to the competent authorities of the EU<br />
member states in January <strong>2021</strong>, advising<br />
them that they now also have to apply<br />
for third country status, and that their<br />
breed societies need to apply for third<br />
country studbooks status, which has to<br />
be granted by 30 June <strong>2021</strong> in order<br />
for the trade in “registered” horses and<br />
their germinal products from the EU into<br />
Britain to continue.<br />
As the continuity of semen trade beyond<br />
30 June is vital to our breeders, we have<br />
contacted Defra to do whatever we<br />
can to support the process. The World<br />
Breeding Federation has contacted all<br />
its members across Europe to explain<br />
the process, and to offer support and<br />
advice.<br />
Defra assures us that they will deal with<br />
all applications as quickly and efficiently<br />
as possible, and everyone is hoping that<br />
this process will go smoothly.<br />
We must work<br />
together to overcome<br />
Brexit hurdles<br />
conclude speakers<br />
at NEF<br />
All parts of the equine industry must<br />
work together in efforts to remove the<br />
hurdles impeding the transport of horses<br />
and equestrian goods between Britain<br />
and the European Union, according to<br />
speakers at the 29th National Equine<br />
Forum on 4 March <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
The changed arrangements since the UK<br />
left the trading bloc on 1 January are<br />
causing delays and increased costs that<br />
threaten the domestic industry’s biggest<br />
overseas market. But if these<br />
problems continue, they may also<br />
produce unacceptable equine welfare<br />
issues and cause irreparable damage<br />
to the future of UK equestrian sport, the<br />
speakers suggested.<br />
Three speakers, representing different<br />
parts of the equine sector, described the<br />
effects of the post Brexit arrangements<br />
on their businesses. Claire Williams,<br />
executive director of the <strong>British</strong> Equestrian<br />
Trade Association, suggested that<br />
the Trade and Cooperation Agreement<br />
signed between the UK and EU at the<br />
end of December 2020 was “not the<br />
Christmas present that our people were<br />
wishing for”.<br />
Brexit: government, trade, transport,<br />
events and welfare<br />
The export trade in equine equipment,<br />
feed etc is worth around £500,000 a<br />
year with half of that revenue coming<br />
from the EU. But the new arrangements<br />
impose a massive increase in<br />
bureaucracy for exports to Europe and<br />
she feared that higher costs along with<br />
the unreliability of deliveries may force<br />
many customers to look elsewhere.<br />
Henry Bullen is a director of Peden<br />
Bloodstock which manages the<br />
transport of sporting horses to events<br />
across the globe. He said the UK’s<br />
departure has produced a huge increase<br />
in the paperwork needed to import and<br />
export horses and there is often<br />
confusion between different officials over<br />
these requirements. Delays of several<br />
hours while horses are held at the<br />
dockside have become commonplace<br />
– this situation is unsatisfactory now but<br />
could imperil the welfare of the animals<br />
later in the year when temperatures are<br />
higher, he warned.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 13
News<br />
Simon Brooks-Ward, chief executive of<br />
events organiser the HPower Group said<br />
international sporting events provided<br />
a shop window for the UK’s £8 billion<br />
equine industry. If the problems already<br />
described are not addressed, it is<br />
unlikely that European competitors will<br />
want to appear at UK events and<br />
talented <strong>British</strong> riders may decide to<br />
move their horses permanently abroad.<br />
He urged the UK equine industry to<br />
come together to campaign for more<br />
seamless export arrangements and to<br />
hire professional lobbyists to persuade<br />
UK and EU ministers to treat the equine<br />
sector as a political priority.<br />
Lord Gardiner of Kimble, parliamentary<br />
under secretary of state, Defra, insisted<br />
that Brexit has provided opportunities<br />
to improve welfare standards for all<br />
domestic livestock. One key government<br />
priority will be to end the trade in live<br />
animals for slaughter abroad. The 2020<br />
Agriculture Act, which he guided through<br />
the House of Lords, included provisions<br />
for safeguarding the future of Britain’s<br />
native breeds.<br />
Digital data collection<br />
This year’s NEF also looked at the<br />
increasing influence of digital data<br />
collection and storage on all owners<br />
of livestock. Britain has developed a<br />
world leading system for recording data<br />
on cattle, sheep and pigs, Simon Hall,<br />
programme director of the Livestock<br />
Information Programme told the meeting.<br />
Equine Register (provider of the Central<br />
Equine Database) has been assisting<br />
with delivery of the Livestock Information<br />
Programme. Equine Register’s chief<br />
executive Stewart Everett explained the<br />
benefits to horse owners of being able to<br />
keep their information up to date through<br />
the Digital Stable using its smartphone<br />
app.<br />
Continuing the work of the AHT<br />
Since the last NEF meeting the equine<br />
sector has lost one of its most valuable<br />
and trusted sources of information on<br />
animal disease with the closure of the<br />
Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. In his<br />
round up of the current activities of the<br />
<strong>British</strong> Horse Council, its chairman David<br />
Mountford said that his organisation was<br />
working with various other equine<br />
bodies in the UK and abroad to ensure<br />
that the vital services provided by the<br />
AHT would continue in some form. This<br />
was particularly urgent in view of the<br />
concerns about the rapid spread of<br />
equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in Europe.<br />
The event’s patron HRH The Princess<br />
Royal provided a summary of the day.<br />
In her concluding remarks, The Princess<br />
Royal noted the potential health and<br />
welfare issues that might have arisen in<br />
horses as a result of the efforts to contain<br />
the human disease: “What has been<br />
hugely encouraging from today was that<br />
there is so much going on … and people<br />
have understood what was needed<br />
and tried to make sure that as far as the<br />
animals are concerned, their lives have<br />
continued pretty well unaltered.”<br />
Special Covid-19 Sir Colin Spedding<br />
award<br />
The meeting closed with the<br />
announcement of the winner of the<br />
Special Covid-19 Sir Colin Spedding<br />
award to Claire Williams for her tireless<br />
efforts which helped equine merchants<br />
to stay open and continue providing a<br />
service during the pandemic.<br />
A number of additional special awards<br />
were made and <strong>British</strong> Breeding were<br />
proud to be Highly Commended for their<br />
outstanding effort during the Covid-19<br />
pandemic.<br />
ehorses seeks<br />
instructors/horse<br />
professionals<br />
Europe’s leading horses for sale platform<br />
is now launching in the UK at<br />
www.ehorses.co.uk. ehorses is a<br />
German-owned sales platform with a<br />
huge reach.<br />
According to their spokesperson ehorses<br />
had over 41 million views during 2020,<br />
with a horse sold every 20 minutes and<br />
over 250 new ads going on the site<br />
each day.<br />
ehorses.co.uk is looking for yard owners<br />
and other horse professionals who<br />
regularly advertise, buy or help clients<br />
to buy/ sell horses who would like free<br />
Premium Plus membership of the site<br />
(worth £470) for six months in return for<br />
answering a couple of questionnaires<br />
about their experience.<br />
To apply for a free premium<br />
seller account for six months visit<br />
www.bit.ly/2OaZFh4<br />
14 | BRITISH BREEDER
START<br />
PREGNANCY<br />
BIRTH<br />
START STRONG<br />
LACTATION<br />
NOW IS THE TIME TO SWITCH<br />
WEANING<br />
YOUNGSTER<br />
1 1 1 2 3<br />
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What’s more, feeding Cavalor is often less than half the<br />
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This is a balancer that meets all the mare’s<br />
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Competitors price comparisons correct as of 23 Nov 2020. For full details on these comparisons please visit the website.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 15<br />
Where the UK buys Cavalor
<strong>British</strong> Breeding - Futurity & Equine Bridge<br />
Exciting Plans for the<br />
Baileys <strong>British</strong> Breeding<br />
Futurity <strong>2021</strong><br />
For <strong>2021</strong>, the Baileys<br />
<strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity<br />
is set to return with a full<br />
range of activities and<br />
services, including virtual<br />
and physical evaluations<br />
and many extras to offer<br />
a state-of-the-art series to<br />
be proud of.<br />
Virtual Evaluations Will Continue<br />
Following their roaring success in 2020,<br />
we are delighted to be able to continue<br />
a virtual evaluations option as part of<br />
our range of activities. Initially conceived<br />
as a pragmatic solution to the Covid 19<br />
Challenge, studbooks all over the world<br />
have soon come to realise that virtual<br />
evaluations offer significant possibilities<br />
and advantages, making evaluations<br />
accessible for breeders in remote<br />
locations, and reducing the need to<br />
travel foals and youngstock.<br />
In fact, we also learned that video<br />
footage can be a very interesting and<br />
valuable tool for evaluations, as<br />
assessors can slow footage down, pause<br />
it, zoom in, and replay it. Using videos<br />
and zoom conferencing has enabled<br />
us to continue to offer one of the great<br />
benefits of the Futurity, which is to have<br />
<strong>British</strong> bred youngstock evaluated by a<br />
panel of senior and highly experienced<br />
and respected international evaluators.<br />
<strong>Breeder</strong>s found that the virtual futurity<br />
enabled them to choose the best moment<br />
for presentation, as foals and youngsters<br />
can change from one day to the next.<br />
Virtual Evaluations will again cost £55<br />
per entry, £5 of which will go into our<br />
special <strong>Breeder</strong>s’ Prize Fund, awarded<br />
to the top entries in each category at the<br />
end of the season. They will start from<br />
mid-July and will run until the middle of<br />
August.<br />
Virtual Evaluations in Loose Jumping<br />
For safety reasons, we were unable to<br />
offer virtual loose jumping evaluations of<br />
videos taken at home last year. In order<br />
to work around this problem, this year<br />
we will be working with several<br />
appropriate, well equipped indoor<br />
venues around the country where you<br />
can bring your youngster for a safe<br />
video session. We will publish their<br />
relevant contact details nearer to the<br />
time and would encourage you to get in<br />
touch.<br />
Physical Evaluations Are Planned to<br />
Return<br />
As we are seeing a loosening of<br />
lockdown restrictions, we are looking<br />
forward to a return of physical<br />
evaluations in our popular locations, as<br />
long as it is legal and safe to do so.<br />
Our plan is to offer physical evaluation<br />
days on the following dates and at the<br />
following venues:<br />
23rd August <strong>2021</strong> – Richmond<br />
Equestrian Centre, Richmond, Richmond<br />
DL10 7PL<br />
24th August <strong>2021</strong> – Home Farm,<br />
Hothorpe, Teddingworth, LE17 6QX<br />
25th August <strong>2021</strong> – Addington<br />
Equestrian, Buckinghamshire, MK18 2JR<br />
26th August <strong>2021</strong> – Glebe Farm,<br />
Whitestone, Exeter, EX4 2HP<br />
Physical evaluations cost £65 per entry,<br />
including a £5 contribution to our<br />
<strong>Breeder</strong>s’ Prize Fund. Entries will be<br />
restricted in numbers, so be sure to book<br />
early to avoid disappointment.<br />
Bookings will open on 1 July <strong>2021</strong><br />
via our website.<br />
Futurity Auction<br />
Following its excellent reception last<br />
year, we are again planning to organise<br />
an online auction for the very best<br />
Futurity entries. The auction will be<br />
hosted again on the Clip My Horse<br />
platform, and we are confident that we<br />
will be able to build on our success in<br />
2020, with a full plan of exciting<br />
promotional activities to bring our<br />
16 | BRITISH BREEDER
<strong>British</strong> Breeding - Futurity & Equine Bridge<br />
wonderful <strong>British</strong> bred Futurity foals<br />
and youngsters to the widest possible<br />
audience.<br />
Like last year, entries wanting to be<br />
considered for auction selection have to<br />
obtain an overall score of 8 or above<br />
either in the virtual or in the physical<br />
Futurity evaluation.<br />
Different from last year, all auction<br />
candidates must also attend a<br />
photography and videography sessions<br />
to produce high quality promotional<br />
materials. These will be offered at the<br />
physical Futurity evaluation venues and<br />
open to candidates who have attended<br />
and scored highly at either the virtual or<br />
physical Futurity.<br />
Equine Bridge<br />
<strong>British</strong> bred youngsters aged 3-5 are<br />
again invited to come forward for<br />
evaluation for the Equine Bridge.<br />
3-year-olds will be able to qualify loose,<br />
4-year-olds will be able to qualify loose<br />
or under saddle, and 5-year-olds will<br />
have to qualify under saddle.<br />
To qualify, they must achieve a score of<br />
8.0 or above.<br />
The evaluation will consist of a<br />
veterinary evaluation, to be carried out<br />
either virtually or at the physical<br />
evaluation venues, and an evaluation of<br />
gaits and conformation by the<br />
international panel. For loose evaluation,<br />
candidates are invited to submit videos<br />
or attend one of the physical evaluation<br />
venues. For ridden evaluation, we invite<br />
videos taken at affiliated competitions<br />
with <strong>British</strong> Dressage, <strong>British</strong><br />
Showjumping or <strong>British</strong> Eventing or the<br />
NexGen Series.<br />
Please ensure that the videos show<br />
competition footage in walk, trot, canter,<br />
as well as jump for eventers and<br />
showjumpers.<br />
All Bridge candidates who qualified<br />
loose must have experience of<br />
competing under saddle prior to coming<br />
to the bridge, and need to have<br />
completed a minimum of two<br />
competitions, either at affiliated<br />
competitions with <strong>British</strong> Dressage, <strong>British</strong><br />
Showjumping or <strong>British</strong> Eventing or the<br />
NexGen Series.<br />
The next Equine Bridge event is planned<br />
as a two-day performance test at Home<br />
Farm, on 25th – 26th October <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
The top scoring Bridge entries in each<br />
discipline will be awarded with a £1000<br />
bursary aimed at supporting the horse’s<br />
or pony’s training and production for the<br />
sport.<br />
Training and Other Opportunities<br />
As always, we extend a warm welcome<br />
to everybody wishing to participate<br />
in the Futurity to come and learn more<br />
about young horse evaluations and lend<br />
a hand. This year, we will be delighted<br />
again to offer all <strong>British</strong> studbooks the<br />
opportunity to carry out mare gradings<br />
at our venues.<br />
Young <strong>Breeder</strong>s are welcome to come<br />
and shadow our evaluators and become<br />
involved in helping with the presentations<br />
for our auction videos and photographs.<br />
Together, we can continue to make<br />
the Baileys <strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity the<br />
event we all love: a world class series,<br />
organised by breeders, for breeders and<br />
extending a warm welcome to everyone.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 17
Studbook - News<br />
Photo - HorsePower Creative<br />
The Anglo European Studbook<br />
Launch Select Studbook and<br />
Premium Programme<br />
As part of our continued investment in<br />
people and technologies, we are proud<br />
and delighted to launch our brand-new<br />
AES Select Studbook and Premium<br />
Programme aimed at providing an<br />
exceptional service and recognition to<br />
those breeders who go above and<br />
beyond in aiming to breed the very<br />
highest quality horses for the future.<br />
The purpose of the select programme is<br />
to lay a solid foundation for the future, as<br />
the studbook continues to grow, and to<br />
provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art<br />
programme of evaluation to support our<br />
breeders.<br />
Who is eligible?<br />
To participate in the Premium<br />
Programme, horses and foals must be<br />
entered in the AES Select Studbook.<br />
Mares and Stallions can enter the<br />
programme via grading, and foals can<br />
enter the programme via registration.<br />
This special section of the main studbook<br />
is reserved for horses who have<br />
full three generation pedigrees and are<br />
by a stallion who is fully licensed by a<br />
WBFSH member studbook. In addition,<br />
outcrosses are permitted, for example to<br />
full Thoroughbreds or Arabs. Please<br />
contact the AES team in those cases.<br />
DNA samples must be submitted for<br />
pedigree verification.<br />
To be registered into the AES Select<br />
Studbook, foals need to be out of AES<br />
graded mares, and submit DNA samples<br />
for full parentage verification.<br />
The programme is open foals born from<br />
<strong>2021</strong> and to older AES registered horses<br />
who can apply for an upgrade.<br />
How much does it cost?<br />
The cost of entry into the select studbook<br />
for foals in £70, which includes their<br />
passport and full DNA test. The cost of<br />
upgrading your already registered AES<br />
horse or youngster into the select<br />
studbook is £50.<br />
How can I grade my mare with<br />
the AES?<br />
To be eligible for grading for the<br />
purpose of her offspring to be entered<br />
into the AES Select Studbook, your<br />
mare needs to have main studbook, full<br />
pedigree papers with the AES or another<br />
WBFSH member studbook.<br />
18 | BRITISH BREEDER
Studbook - News<br />
Thoroughbred and Arab mares are also<br />
eligible to enter the programme for the<br />
purpose of adding blood into the<br />
programme. To enquire about<br />
outcrosses, please talk to our AES team<br />
who will be able to advise you.<br />
Your mare needs to be inspected on hard<br />
and soft ground by our evaluation team.<br />
On the hard, we assess conformation,<br />
soundness and correctness, and on the<br />
soft we assess walk, trot and canter, with<br />
jump optional, if it is safe to do so and<br />
does not conflict with the welfare of the<br />
mare.<br />
During ongoing Covid restrictions, we<br />
will continue to offer virtual evaluations<br />
for mares, and we are planning to offer<br />
physical options later on in the season.<br />
Virtual mare gradings cost £40 per<br />
mare, physical mare gradings start at<br />
£50 plus travel costs, which can be<br />
shared.<br />
What is the AES Select Premium<br />
Programme?<br />
The AES Select Premium Programme is<br />
reserved for horses entered into the AES<br />
Select Studbook. It offers special<br />
recognition and rewards for its very best<br />
and highest achieving foals and<br />
horses. Not only will this provide<br />
valuable feedback to breeders and<br />
owners, this will also help to build<br />
potential buyers’ confidence in our foals,<br />
knowing that they and their mothers have<br />
been through a thorough and<br />
comprehensive evaluation programme<br />
and achieved certain accolades.<br />
To participate in the premium<br />
programme, your foal or horse needs to<br />
be entered in the select studbook. Please<br />
ask your vet to take a DNA sample when<br />
they microchip your foal and complete<br />
the markings diagram.<br />
Your foal or youngster needs to be<br />
inspected on hard and soft ground by<br />
our evaluators, undergoing the same<br />
stages as a mare grading. Jump will only<br />
be assessed in horses aged 2 or older.<br />
The highest scoring candidates in the<br />
different categories will be awarded one<br />
or several of the following premiums:<br />
The AES Select Type Premium<br />
This Premium is awarded to foals and<br />
horses who particularly impress with<br />
exceptional conformation and<br />
movement and have gained an average<br />
mark of 8 or higher for this element of<br />
their inspection.<br />
The AES Select Health Premium<br />
This Premium is awarded to foals and<br />
horses whose soundness and<br />
conformation has been evaluated by<br />
a veterinarian, and who have gained<br />
a mark of 8 or higher for this element<br />
of their inspection. In addition, to gain<br />
this premium, a DNA sample must be<br />
submitted for a WFFS test, which will be<br />
recorded on the AES Database.<br />
There is an additional cost of applying<br />
for the Health Premium, which is £50,<br />
including the WFFS test.<br />
The AES Select Performance<br />
Premium<br />
This Premium is available to the older<br />
horses in the Select Studbook, and it<br />
will be awarded based on national and<br />
international performance records. If you<br />
would like to check if your horse is<br />
eligible, please submit their full<br />
performance record for review.<br />
The AES Select Legacy Premium<br />
This Premium recognises the<br />
achievements and contributions of horses<br />
in breeding exceptional offspring. It is<br />
awarded at the discretion of the<br />
evaluation panel for achievements of a<br />
horse’s offspring, including their<br />
studbook evaluations, gradings, shows<br />
and affiliated competitions.<br />
How can my horse participate<br />
in the Premium Programme?<br />
As with the mare gradings, we will offer<br />
a virtual option this year in response to<br />
the covid situation. We are planning<br />
physical inspection events, as soon as<br />
we are permitted to hold public events<br />
and travel across the UK.<br />
Virtual foal and youngstock gradings<br />
cost £40 per horse, physical foal and<br />
youngstock gradings start at £50 plus<br />
travel costs, which can be shared.<br />
The AES also fully recognises the <strong>British</strong><br />
Breeding Futurity results, and the results,<br />
including linear scores of the Futurity are<br />
fully compatible with the Select<br />
Studbook system, which means that<br />
Futurity foals and youngsters require<br />
no additional AES inspection, but their<br />
mothers must still be presented.<br />
To find out more, do not hesitate to get in<br />
touch and email:-<br />
eva@angloeuropeanstudbook.co.uk<br />
or lucy@angloeuropeanstudbook.co.uk<br />
We look forward to hearing from you!<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 19
Studbook - News<br />
What is <strong>British</strong><br />
Rhineland?<br />
<strong>British</strong> Rhineland Premium mare GF Sezuki<br />
(Sezuan x Sherlock Holmes x Consul)<br />
Photo - Kevin Sparrow<br />
The Rhineland Studbook is a second<br />
Studbook alongside the Hanoverian<br />
Studbook.<br />
The regulations of the Rhineland<br />
Studbook differ from the Hanoverian<br />
Studbook rules regarding the<br />
requirements for mares and stallions. The<br />
Rhineland Studbook is more liberal and<br />
accepts mares and stallions from most<br />
major Studbooks whereas the<br />
Hanoverian Studbook, as one of the<br />
world’s leading Studbooks, is more<br />
selective. Therefore, cases will occur<br />
where it will be possible to register foals<br />
with the Rhineland Studbook which are<br />
by stallions who are not approved for the<br />
Hanoverian breeding programme.<br />
These benefits are derived from the fact<br />
that the Rhineland Studbook offers more<br />
liberal breeding criteria in the inspection,<br />
approval and licensing of breeding stock<br />
than the Hanoverian Studbook does.<br />
In addition, the Rhineland Studbook<br />
accepts breeding stock from a wider<br />
breeding population, recognizing most<br />
WBFSH studbook/registry members,<br />
provided certain pedigree and<br />
performance requirements are met.<br />
Hanoverian breeders will benefit from<br />
having increased options in their stallion<br />
choices, with the ability to use the<br />
Rhineland Studbook to register foals<br />
resulting from breeding to stallions not<br />
licensed/approved for Hanoverian<br />
breeding. In addition, breeders with<br />
mares ineligible for approval by the<br />
Hanoverian Studbook, due to pedigree<br />
or inspection criteria, may now find those<br />
mares eligible to be approved under<br />
Rhineland Studbook criteria, with the<br />
resulting offspring eligible for registration<br />
with that studbook. Furthermore, since<br />
Rhineland-registered stock may meet the<br />
requirements for Hanoverian eligibility,<br />
breeders will have the additional option<br />
of registering future generations of such<br />
stock with the Hanoverian Studbook.<br />
The Studbook is named after the<br />
Rhineland region, which is the very<br />
southern part of Nordrhein-Westfalen. It<br />
is on the very western part of Germany<br />
in direct neighbourhood of the countries<br />
Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.<br />
The biggest cities in the region are<br />
Cologne, Duesseldorf and Aachen, site<br />
of the world famous Aachen horse show.<br />
Genetically the Rhenish riding horse has<br />
been closely related to Hanover from the<br />
beginning when the Studbook was<br />
started in the 1950’s mainly using<br />
Belissimo M<br />
Trakehner, Westphalian (who again are<br />
based on Hanoverian genes) and<br />
Hanoverian bloodlines.<br />
Famous stallions like Florestan and<br />
Belissimo M were/are Rhineland riding<br />
horses bred with a high percentage of<br />
Hanoverian blood.<br />
The Rhineland Studbook offers significant<br />
benefits for current Hanoverian and<br />
Rhineland breeders, as well as<br />
opportunities for non-Hanoverian,<br />
non-Rhineland and new breeders.<br />
For more information please contact<br />
the BHHS, www.hanoverian-gb.org.uk<br />
bhhsuk@gmail.com<br />
20 | BRITISH BREEDER
FUTURE IN MIND<br />
From the foals<br />
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to Team GBR<br />
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Working<br />
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BRITISH BREEDER| 21
Studbook - News<br />
The National Pony Society (NPS)<br />
celebrated the winners of the 2020<br />
Derby House <strong>British</strong> Riding Pony<br />
Performance Scheme at our AGM.<br />
These awards celebrate the diversity<br />
of the <strong>British</strong> Riding Pony. The scheme<br />
was designed by Sacha Shaw to<br />
identify and reward <strong>British</strong> Riding Ponies<br />
competing in different spheres. Points<br />
can be accumulated in your chosen<br />
sport, with additional points for affiliated<br />
competitions. This year’s winners were:<br />
Claire Elliott’s Song of the Stars (Diptford<br />
Star Attraction x Lyrical Air ) - Showing<br />
Song of the Stars was sent to Claire<br />
Elliott to be started under and, by<br />
chance, he and Claire were reunited<br />
when he was 15. The pair have enjoyed<br />
a very happy and successful last few<br />
years. Sensitive but very kind, Song<br />
of the Stars re-ignited Claire’s interest<br />
in showing with wins including Reserve<br />
Champion PBA at Devon County and<br />
Reserve Supreme at the AHS show at<br />
Bicton in 2019, SSADL Champion at<br />
Wiltshire and Champion at the VHS<br />
Championship Shows in 2019 and<br />
2020. The pair introduced themselves<br />
to dressage in the last season, qualifying<br />
for the BD Prelim and Novice finals.<br />
Ridden by Australian team member<br />
Kayla Moore at the NPS tri-nation team<br />
challenge in 2019 Claire describes Song<br />
of the Stars as “ a lovely person, enjoyed<br />
by the whole family” and a win in the<br />
Performance Scheme is a fitting swan<br />
song for him.<br />
Romanno Spotless (Stanley Grange<br />
Regal Heights x Chiddock Spot On) –<br />
Show jumping and Eventing<br />
Ness’s dam Chiddock Spot On enjoyed<br />
a stellar show hunter pony career<br />
culminating in winning the 2001 HOYS<br />
Supreme title. Deborah Walton-Smith<br />
followed her career and then followed<br />
her move to the Romanno Stud to<br />
breed. After purchasing a filly foal by<br />
Deanhills Royal Portrait in 2009 Debby<br />
decided that one Romanno pony was<br />
not enough, and asked Jennie Gilchrist<br />
if she could purchase Spoty’s next filly<br />
foal by Stanley Grange Regal Heights.<br />
Knowing that many of the Chiddock<br />
ponies had been top class workers,<br />
Debby hoped that with careful training<br />
Ness might become a useful event pony.<br />
Last year Ness qualified for the NPS<br />
Dressage Finals and also came 3rd in<br />
the 100cm at Ascott-Under-Wychwood<br />
Horse Trails – only her second outing at<br />
that height. The aim for <strong>2021</strong> is to<br />
compete more regularly at 100cm and<br />
if all goes well, aim for some Novice BE<br />
events towards the end of the season.<br />
Currently being brought on by rider<br />
Dibby Brown, Debby’s ultimate aim is<br />
to find a talented young rider to partner<br />
Ness on her journey towards becoming<br />
an FEI team pony.<br />
Talponciau Last Symphony (Borderland<br />
Cello x Talponciau Jyst Heavenly) -<br />
Dressage<br />
Jo Baker’s Talponciau Last Symphony<br />
beat last year’s winner, Rachel Bullock’s<br />
Stanley Grange Overture, into second<br />
place in the dressage section and was<br />
also the overall points winner this year.<br />
Due to the restricted competition season<br />
in 2020, points were awarded for<br />
accredited training for the first time, and<br />
Last Symphony attended sessions with<br />
Victoria Powell and Beth Hobbs and<br />
qualified for the BD Regionals Freestyle<br />
Novice and Freestyle Elementary. They<br />
have also pushed on to medium at<br />
unaffiliated level.<br />
The scheme offers another platform<br />
that can be used to showcase talents of<br />
the <strong>British</strong> Riding Pony and the NPS is<br />
keen to champion their versatility to a<br />
wider audience. This year’s Performance<br />
Scheme winners are all registered in<br />
the main Stud Book but since the early<br />
1990s the <strong>British</strong> Riding Pony Studbook<br />
has had a special registration option<br />
for ponies whose pedigree includes<br />
sport horse, sport pony or warmblood<br />
influence. These ponies may be<br />
registered in the <strong>British</strong> Riding Pony<br />
Sport Category as long as part of their<br />
ancestry is registered in the <strong>British</strong> Riding<br />
Pony Stud Book or Register or in the<br />
main section of one of the Mountain and<br />
Moorland stud books, the General Stud<br />
Book, or the Arab or Anglo Arab Stud<br />
Book. Ponies registered or over-stamped<br />
into the Sport Category are able to<br />
compete in both ridden and in hand<br />
<strong>British</strong> Riding Pony championships run<br />
by the NPS and many of these ponies<br />
also compete successfully in sport. BRP<br />
Sport Category ponies such as Pony<br />
European Eventing Gold medallist<br />
Catherston Nutsafe, CSI show jumper<br />
Catherston Bobby Bright, 2015 Cuddy<br />
Pony of the Year Kellythorpes Strikea-Pose<br />
and <strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity<br />
Champion Larkhaven Half-a-Crown are<br />
all examples of the quality and prowess<br />
of ponies in the NPS Sport Category<br />
studbook. The BRP Sport Category is an<br />
exciting option for breeders wanting to<br />
utilise performance blood into their pony<br />
breeding programme.<br />
NPS Premium Stallion Scheme <strong>2021</strong><br />
The NPS Stud Book is pleased to be<br />
launching a new premium scheme for<br />
stallions in the <strong>2021</strong> season. The scheme<br />
is free and accessible to any registered<br />
and licensed BRP stallion owner and<br />
is intended to recognise and reward<br />
stallions consistently siring correct<br />
progeny. To obtain a premium ranking,<br />
a stallion will need to have sired 3<br />
different animals who have won at a BRP<br />
premium show in one season. To obtain<br />
a Super Premium ranking, a stallion<br />
will need to have obtained a premium<br />
ranking for 3 years, not necessarily<br />
concurrently. A Young Stallion Premium,<br />
for stallions 8 years and under, siring 2<br />
different animals who have won at a BRP<br />
Premium Show in one season will also be<br />
awarded.<br />
22 | BRITISH BREEDER<br />
Main photo Romanno Spotless - Jasmine Punter Photography | Dressage photo Talponciau Last Symphony
Studbook - News<br />
Sport Horse Breeding<br />
of Great Britiain<br />
Whilst it seemed last winter would<br />
never end we have finally come<br />
through to spring and can now look<br />
forward to longer days though at the<br />
time of writing not seemingly warmer.<br />
Hopefully as restrictions are eased, we<br />
can all begin to prepare for getting<br />
out and about again with our horses.<br />
Throughout lockdown SHB(GB) office<br />
staff have been occupied with passport<br />
registrations and are now getting<br />
busier with horse registrations for the<br />
anticipated if belated showing season.<br />
Fingers crossed that we can all get<br />
through the summer without further<br />
cancellations.<br />
Mixology - Nick Gill Photography<br />
The Thoroughbred has long been the<br />
mainstay of The Society albeit demand<br />
faltered as specialised sport horse<br />
breeding became more widespread.<br />
The good news for those looking to<br />
add speed, refinement and quality to<br />
heavier and native type mares is that the<br />
Thoroughbred is back. Where it has been<br />
possible and working within guidelines,<br />
we have since the beginning of the year,<br />
graded five Thoroughbred stallions and<br />
recently added Mixology, Langaller<br />
Kings Manna and Oasis Boy to the<br />
studbook. The eight-year-old former<br />
winning racehorse Mixology standing<br />
at End House Stud near Clitheroe in<br />
Lancashire, is another by the successful<br />
sire Cape Cross (Green<br />
Desert-Ahonoora). He is out of<br />
Margarita by Marju, a full sister to the<br />
Group 1 winner Soviet Song. As a<br />
two-year-old Irish-bred Mixology joined<br />
Mark Johnson’s Yorkshire yard winning<br />
eight races and 18 places during his time<br />
there before relocating to Italy where in<br />
2019 he won the listed Coppa D’Oro di<br />
Milano. Contact Trudy Goulding at End<br />
House Stud www.endhousestud.co.uk<br />
As his name suggests four-year-old<br />
Langaller Kings Manna was bred by<br />
The Langaller Stud in Devon where he<br />
Langaller Kings Manna<br />
stands. He is by the successful National<br />
Hunt sire Arvico (Pistolet<br />
Bleu-Baillamont) out of Kingston Black<br />
by the well-known event sire Shaab.<br />
www.langallerfarm.co.uk<br />
The most recent to pass and the youngest<br />
of the trio is the three-year-old Oasis<br />
Boy who impressed judges with his style<br />
over a fence. By Brazen Beau (AUS)<br />
he is out of Midnight Fantasy by Oasis<br />
Dream and is now standing at Jane<br />
Townshend’d Classictop Stud in Sussex.<br />
www.classictopstud.com<br />
If you would like to grade a stallion with<br />
SHB(GB) then please contact Marian in<br />
the office.<br />
ALL GO FOR SUMMER EVENTS<br />
At the time of writing we are planning<br />
and preparing for our summer<br />
championship show which we hope<br />
will be able to go ahead on July (7<br />
& 8 July at Addington EC). There are<br />
plenty of classes for all, mares and<br />
youngstock in-hand as well as ridden<br />
and working hunter classes all offering<br />
great prizes and trophies to the winners<br />
and champions. Download schedules<br />
from the SHB(GB) website. We are also<br />
setting out dates and venues for mare<br />
grading and our popular conformation<br />
clinics. We were unable to run any<br />
last year so we look forward to being<br />
able to go forward with these this year.<br />
Conformation clinics present the ideal<br />
opportunity to brush up on conformation<br />
with listed judges in an informal<br />
environment. Ideal for those hoping to<br />
become judges. Please keep an eye on<br />
the website and the Face Book page<br />
for further dates and venues. If you are<br />
willing to host either a mare grading<br />
or organise a conformation clinic then<br />
please contact the office.<br />
DATES FOR THE DIARY<br />
8th <strong>May</strong> Bicton Arena: SHB(GB) South<br />
West is running an in-hand and ridden<br />
showing clinic, followed by a ridden and<br />
in-hand show. Jayne Ross will be taking<br />
the clinic starting at 10am. For more<br />
information keep an eye on the Face<br />
Book page, SHB(GB) South West, or<br />
email, southwestshbgb@gmail.com<br />
Sunday 30th & Monday 31st <strong>May</strong><br />
SHB(GB) Southern Regional Show,<br />
Brook Farm EC, Stapleford Abbotts,<br />
Romford, Essex RM4 1EJ<br />
Showing classes including RIHS<br />
Hunter qualifiers, SEIB Your Horse Live<br />
qualifiers, plus unaffiliated Novice,<br />
Amateur & Home Produced classes<br />
for Hacks, Cobs, Riding Horses, Show,<br />
Show Hunter & Intermediate Ponies.<br />
Part-bred Ara b and Coloured classes.<br />
Mare grading available on the Sunday<br />
www.katiejerram.co.uk<br />
shbsouthernregionalshow@hotmail.com<br />
SPORT HORSE BREEDING (GB)<br />
SOUTH WEST<br />
SHB(GB) Grading, Conformation<br />
Clinic and Open Stud visit<br />
Saturday <strong>May</strong> 15th Mare Grading<br />
and Conformation Clinic<br />
Sunday <strong>May</strong> 16th Open Day;<br />
Stallion Viewing, Mares, foals and<br />
cream teas. Open to all members<br />
and non-members.<br />
Times and charges on the website<br />
MARE GRADING<br />
Sunday <strong>May</strong> 30th, Brook Farm EC<br />
Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1EJ<br />
Please download the SHB(GB) Mare<br />
Grading Entry Form, available from the<br />
website www.sporthorsegb.co.uk, under<br />
“Downloads” and submit the completed<br />
form, together with the entry fee of £65<br />
to SHB(GB) office by 21st <strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
Saturday <strong>May</strong> 15th Langaller Farm,<br />
Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9JP<br />
Tuesday June 22nd West Kington Stud,<br />
nr Chippenham, Wilts SN14 7JE<br />
Saturday June 26th Millbry Hill Stud,<br />
Great Ayton, North Yorks, TS9 6QD<br />
For Mare Grading info & booking<br />
forms visit theSHB(GB) website. For<br />
any questions then please contact our<br />
stud book manager Marian Eydmann<br />
(marian@sporthorsegb.co.uk).<br />
T: 01732 866277<br />
E: info@sporthorsegb.co.uk<br />
W: www.sporthorsegb.co.uk<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 23
Studbook - News<br />
Ada Marson riding Tullibards Clover - Photo John Cole<br />
The Sports Pony Studbook Society<br />
Team Work<br />
Makes the<br />
Dream Work<br />
Yes, it’s a cliché – but from the smallest<br />
team of just the pony/horse and rider<br />
to the wider team of family, trainer,<br />
farrier, vet (hopefully not too often!)<br />
and more, all need to work together to<br />
bring sports pony breeders’ dreams to<br />
reality. The SPSS team prides itself on<br />
working to support all SPSS passported,<br />
graded or overstamped equines from<br />
issuing pedigree passports through to<br />
celebrating their success – and we are<br />
delighted that, even though at the time<br />
of writing the <strong>2021</strong> competition season<br />
has only just been able to start, we are<br />
already seeing SPSS ponies and their<br />
riders out competing and achieving.<br />
We’ve spotted 6 year old SPSS<br />
passported SOS Stevie Pink (by SOS<br />
Kantje’s Unicolor out of a part-bred<br />
Connemara) getting placed in <strong>British</strong><br />
Showjumping classes with Megan Trott<br />
who is giving him valuable experience<br />
and hopes to have some fun times with<br />
him this year with the short term goal<br />
of jumping him in a Newcomer second<br />
round or a JC Royal International<br />
Hickstead qualifier. Their plan is that<br />
Megan will produce Stevie in her time<br />
left in juniors for her sister Kaitlin to then<br />
take him on for a couple of years.<br />
Out eventing with good results at the top<br />
pony level, we’ve seen SPSS registered<br />
Irish-bred Tullibards Clover & Ada<br />
Marson win one of the first Pony Trials,<br />
SPSS passported Miss Winifred Wilde<br />
(by Up With The Lark) & Emily Worsdale<br />
place 8th in the same class and SPSS<br />
passported Just Paddington (by SPSS<br />
Elite Laban out of a Welsh Sec C<br />
mare) & Ada Marson finish on their<br />
dressage score. Also that weekend,<br />
SPSS passported Buzz Lightyear (by<br />
Romulus) & Maisy Spratt were 6th in the<br />
other Pony Trial. We’re very excited to<br />
see how the rest of the Pony Trials go for<br />
these (and other) combinations as they<br />
pursue their dreams of Pony Euros Team<br />
selection.<br />
Miss Winifred Wilde<br />
Image by Qorum Photos<br />
24 | BRITISH BREEDER
Studbook - News<br />
Buzz Lightyear (in the April snow!)<br />
Image Qorum Photos<br />
In the dressage arena, we’re delighted<br />
that SPSS passported & graded and past<br />
Pony Euros GB Team Pony LE Chiffre has<br />
a new rider, 14 year old Libby Hart, who<br />
has a popular Facebook page (Libby<br />
Hart Dressage) which we can all follow<br />
their progress on – and we can also get<br />
a parental view of the pony dressage<br />
scene through her father’s “Skint<br />
Dressage Daddy” page! LE Chiffre is<br />
by SPSS Elite graded Caesar 171, who<br />
celebrated his 32nd birthday recently<br />
and, with another two of his other<br />
<strong>British</strong>-bred progeny (SPSS graded Ella<br />
& SPSS registered George Clooney B.S.)<br />
having also been to the Pony Euros with<br />
previous riders, maybe Caesar’s owners<br />
(and LE Chiffre’s breeders), Bev and<br />
Samantha Brown, will see their dream of<br />
a team of Caesar’s progeny representing<br />
GB at the Pony Euros become reality….<br />
Meanwhile, we’re very much hoping that<br />
the proven, European Silver and Gold<br />
Medal winning, combination of SPSS<br />
passported Midnight (by Hilkens Black<br />
Delight out of Broomwich Cassandra)<br />
maintain that form and get selected for<br />
the delayed Tokyo Paralympics which<br />
are now scheduled for late August.<br />
<strong>2021</strong> Grading & Evaluation<br />
News<br />
Planning is now well underway for a<br />
blended approach to SPSS Gradings<br />
& Evaluation in <strong>2021</strong>. We have once<br />
again “teamed up” with the <strong>British</strong><br />
Breeding Futurity, so will be running full<br />
in-person stallion & mare gradings at<br />
ALL the Futurity events in late August<br />
SOS Stevie Pink - Photo Dan Trott<br />
(COVID restrictions & God willing!).<br />
In addition, we will once again offer<br />
online Mare eGradings over the summer<br />
and virtual Stallion eAssessment is an<br />
option throughout this year to allow<br />
stallion owners, pony breeders and<br />
SPSS members even greater flexibility.<br />
SPSS Youngstock Evaluations will be<br />
conducted, as for the previous two years,<br />
alongside the <strong>British</strong> Breeding Futurity<br />
evaluation series, again with the option<br />
of virtual or in person assessments.<br />
So now all we need are fair winds and<br />
following seas! Look out for date/<br />
venue announcements very soon on our<br />
Facebook page - Sports Pony Studbook<br />
Society (SPSS) and website.<br />
NEW Special Offer for <strong>2021</strong><br />
To encourage sports pony breeders to<br />
get FULLY DNA VERIFIED PASSPORTS<br />
for their foals, we are now able to offer<br />
these at the absolutely incredible price<br />
of JUST £95 including all DNA testing,<br />
provided that at least one parent is SPSS<br />
graded and the passport application<br />
arrives at the Studbook Office by 1st<br />
November in year of birth.<br />
Tel: 07703 566066<br />
Email: sportsponies@gmail.com<br />
www.sportpony.org.uk<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 25
Studbook - News<br />
The Trakehners <strong>Breeder</strong>s Fraternity are<br />
pleased to announce their annual mare<br />
and stallion grading will be held this<br />
year on Tuesday 24th August at Solihull<br />
Riding Centre in the West Midlands.<br />
We are working in partnership with The<br />
National Stallion Association (NASTA)<br />
who will be running their Performance<br />
Tests over the same days.<br />
Entries will open shortly but in the<br />
meantime we ask all owners who are<br />
interested in sending their mare or<br />
stallion forward for grading to contact<br />
the Show Organiser Sacha Shaw on<br />
show-organiser@trakehners.uk.com or<br />
message the Trakehners UK FaceBook<br />
page so we can start to plan for the<br />
expected numbers.<br />
As usual we will be inviting a judge<br />
from the Trakehner Verband to join our<br />
<strong>British</strong> judges in assessing the mares<br />
and stallions that come forward.<br />
Prominent riders in the UK continue<br />
to discover the quality the Trakehner<br />
horse can offer them as their partners<br />
in sport. International Grand Prix rider<br />
Sonnar Murray-Brown already has a<br />
tremendous partnership with his Latimer<br />
gelding Erlentanz TSF and has now<br />
added three new Trakehners to his<br />
string.<br />
The 4 year old Samba by Millennium<br />
, St.Pr.u.Pr.St. Herbstrot by All Inklusive<br />
and the licensed stallion Sinatra by<br />
Honoré du Soir have all arrived in<br />
Gloucestershire and we are very<br />
excited to follow their progress.<br />
Although the competition season has<br />
only just got underway within the last<br />
week, Godington Stud have already<br />
got some dressage wins under their<br />
belts with licensed stallion Godington<br />
Utah winning at Elementary and<br />
Godington Ultimo at Novice.<br />
www.trakehners.uk.com<br />
Sonnar Murray-Brown und Erlentanz<br />
Photo - www.jess-photography.co.uk<br />
26 | BRITISH BREEDER
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BRITISH BREEDER| 27
Studbook - News<br />
Endurance Riding – Lumahla Gold ridden by Mary<br />
Chowne – Photo Eric Jones<br />
Arabian Stallions at the famous Crabbet Arabian<br />
Stud in Sussex – Photo Crabbet Archives<br />
death adventures. They made a plan<br />
after a few weeks of arriving in Syria.<br />
Originally, they were going in search of<br />
descendants of the Darley Arabian but<br />
their plans changed and they decided to<br />
bring back Arabian horses to preserve<br />
the blood and start a stud at Crabbet<br />
Park, Worth, Sussex, England. In 1887<br />
this plan became reality as the first<br />
Arabians arrived at last.<br />
When the Blunt’s daughter, Lady<br />
Wentworth took over the stud, it<br />
flourished. Horses were sold all over the<br />
world, including the Americas, Russia,<br />
Australia and South Africa. The Blunts<br />
also had a stud in Cairo called Sheikh<br />
Obeyd. They were very fortunate to be<br />
able to purchase many horses from Ali<br />
Pasha Sherif which were highly sought<br />
after. The horses were bred to be ridden<br />
and conformation and endurance were<br />
important criteria. If the horses did not<br />
breed to standard, they were sold on.<br />
So, the Arabian horse is found<br />
world-wide with lines from Crabbet,<br />
Egypt, Russia, Spain and Poland. The<br />
Polish Government studs played a huge<br />
part in the Arabian breed and were<br />
renowned for fine moving and beautiful<br />
mares. The Russian State Studs also had<br />
a huge influence in performance horses.<br />
Egyptian Arabians trace back to the<br />
Egyptian Agricultural Stud. Interestingly<br />
the EAO purchased many of the horses<br />
from the Blunts Sheikh Obeyd stud.<br />
Bio-diversity in the Arabian Horse<br />
By Caroline Sussex<br />
The Arabian horse has a unique origin<br />
and history. Not only is it one of the<br />
founding breeds of the Thoroughbred<br />
but it has its own history steeped in the<br />
Middle East. It was the horse used in<br />
gazu raids between the tribes of the<br />
desert and the Arabian was renowned<br />
for its speed and agility together with<br />
endurance. The Arabian Horse is the<br />
horse of the Middle East and it is from<br />
there that the breed was purchased and<br />
is now world renowned. A few Arabians<br />
were imported to the UK in the 1700’s<br />
and 1800’s.<br />
However, it was a chance journey to the<br />
Middle East by Lady Anne and Wilfrid<br />
Scawen Blunt that the history of the<br />
Arabian really took shape.<br />
The Blunts were an intrepid and colourful<br />
couple. Wilfrid with his impetuous<br />
character and good looks got involved<br />
with politics and Lady Anne with her<br />
amazing mind, grand-daughter of Byron<br />
and gentle nature had many talents<br />
including being able to speak fluent<br />
Arabic. Their journeys into the desert in<br />
the 1800’s were fraught with life and<br />
The UK Arab Horse Society was<br />
formed in 1918 and the first President<br />
was Wilfrid Scawen Blunt. The Society<br />
started their own stud book to register<br />
the Arabian Horse as the GSB, who had<br />
been registering Arabians, closed this<br />
section of their stud book to any new<br />
horses. However, descendants of the<br />
original entries were maintained in the<br />
GSB until 1966. The Arab Horse Society<br />
promotes the cross breeding of Arabians<br />
into light horse breeding. Many famous<br />
horses and ponies carry Arabian blood<br />
to name just a few: Tamarillo, Rex the<br />
Robber and Pretty Polly (the feature<br />
article in the 28th March edition of<br />
Horse and Hound).<br />
In 1970, a group of Arabian enthusiasts<br />
from around the world, including some<br />
from the UK held a historic meeting in<br />
London. Here the World Arabian Horse<br />
28 | BRITISH BREEDER
Studbook - News<br />
Organisation (WAHO) was founded.<br />
Today, there are 82 countries affiliated<br />
to WAHO as registering Authority<br />
Members, either in their own right or in<br />
the care of a neighbouring studbook<br />
authority. WAHO is responsible for<br />
ensuring that standards acceptable<br />
to all Registering Authority Members<br />
are established and maintained in<br />
the matters of regulations, methods of<br />
registration and production of Stud<br />
Books. The basic objectives of WAHO<br />
are:<br />
• To preserve, improve and maintain<br />
the purity of the blood of horses of<br />
the Arabian breed and to promote<br />
public interest in the breeding of<br />
Arabian horses;<br />
• To promote and facilitate the<br />
acquisition and distribution of the<br />
knowledge in all Countries of the<br />
history, care and treatment of horses<br />
of the Arabian breed;<br />
• To advise and co-ordinate the<br />
policies and activities of Members<br />
of the Organization;<br />
• To co-operate with any person<br />
or body of persons domiciled<br />
throughout the world in an<br />
endeavour to promote uniformity<br />
in terminology, definitions and<br />
procedures relative to the breed of<br />
Arabian horses;<br />
• To act in a consultative capacity<br />
in discussion and negotiation with<br />
International, National and other<br />
authorities on matters concerning<br />
horses of the Arabian breed.<br />
At the historic 1970 meeting in London<br />
Major Ian Hedley said something which<br />
the Executive Committee of WAHO still<br />
believe in to this day. He said the world<br />
saw the Arabian horse in the beginning<br />
as a war horse, but he hoped that it<br />
would finally become an instrument of<br />
peace and understanding.<br />
All the members of WAHO Executive<br />
have to be thanked for the tremendous<br />
contribution they have made over the<br />
years, as they worked together to turn<br />
this hope into a reality, in the interest<br />
of the Arabian horse. With its strong<br />
commitment to protecting the integrity<br />
of the world’s Arabian studbooks, to<br />
education and to equine welfare issues<br />
especially those which affect our breed,<br />
WAHO’s achievements over the past<br />
forty years have laid a solid foundation<br />
on which to build for the future, as we<br />
face the many challenges facing horse<br />
breeders and owners everywhere,<br />
and the scientific and communication<br />
innovations that lie ahead.<br />
WAHO Conferences are held around<br />
the world bi-annually. Delegates and<br />
Observers join together to listen to<br />
exceptional talks and demonstrations.<br />
They are able to see Arabian horses<br />
in different countries and discuss and<br />
debate issues affecting all Registries.<br />
There is a Registrars meeting to kick<br />
off the Conferences whilst Observers<br />
may enjoy special guided tours of the<br />
cities and areas before and after the<br />
Conference Events.<br />
The Arabian Mare, a true friend. Aliha and Emma<br />
Maxwell – photo Sweet Photography<br />
Following the very interesting webinars<br />
from <strong>British</strong> Breeding, it seems that<br />
worldwide organisations are now being<br />
encouraged to help in the preservation<br />
of breeds and to increase the gene pools<br />
– for instance the Thoroughbreds and the<br />
Cleveland Bays.<br />
Perhaps Arabian breeders have<br />
already more knowledge of what<br />
can go wrong with science through<br />
worldwide experience. There are<br />
mandatory WAHO registration rules<br />
which are written into every country’s<br />
own registration rules together with some<br />
recommendations which each country<br />
can decide whether to adopt or not.<br />
Votes are taken on whether to accept<br />
these rules at the Conferences with each<br />
country having 2 votes.<br />
Prior to the use of AI, horses were sold<br />
and transported around the world. AI<br />
changed many things. First, popular<br />
stallions were able to breed more<br />
mares. Stallions of lower fertility were<br />
also able to breed by AI. The number of<br />
stallions available started to shrink and<br />
the use of popular in hand show horses<br />
focussed people’s attention around the<br />
world, using similar popular bloodlines<br />
in many countries. Before AI a distinct<br />
difference of Arabian horse was found in<br />
different countries depending on which<br />
bloodlines were imported. <strong>Breeder</strong>s<br />
set up groups of horses, for instance,<br />
Crabbet, Pure Egyptian, Polish and<br />
Spanish.<br />
Now most of these groups have bred<br />
together so limiting outcrosses. The<br />
result is a smaller, not larger gene pool.<br />
The late Rosemary Archer, author and<br />
breeder, constantly reminded people<br />
that upsetting the equilibrium would<br />
cause serious harm to the breed. Other<br />
people also believe that the Arabian is<br />
seen by many as a hot-blooded horse<br />
which is not the case. Most Arabians<br />
are the kindest, friendliest and smartest<br />
horse there is. Once you have ridden<br />
an Arabian, many are hooked for life.<br />
They are your best friend and there for<br />
you. As a family riding horse, they are<br />
perfect, neither too big nor too small<br />
and able to carry weight. So how do we<br />
use this knowledge today? In the light of<br />
the many interesting webinars that have<br />
been held during lockdown, perhaps we<br />
can learn a few things. The Arabian gene<br />
pool is shrinking fast despite bloodlines<br />
available in so many countries. In this<br />
country, particularly, there are not many<br />
people who are able to keep a stallion.<br />
As a result, many good and talented<br />
colts end up as geldings.<br />
One scenario needs to be looked at.<br />
Semen can be collected once a horse<br />
is 3 years old. If people are able to<br />
keep their colts entire until this age, then<br />
these colts can be collected and their<br />
semen frozen. This way more stallions<br />
can be available and the gene pool<br />
can be increased. I believe storing<br />
frozen semen, is cheaper than owning a<br />
stallion. The stallion can then be gelded<br />
and take up a competition career. It is<br />
more and more difficult getting help to<br />
stand stallions at stud, having visiting<br />
mares can be hard work especially with<br />
vet’s visits and other issues. The cost of<br />
sending a mare to an AI Centre is not so<br />
high in comparison.<br />
Sadly, it has been seen that accepting<br />
new forms of science can start off as a<br />
benefit to breeding but unfortunately<br />
can then be abused. It has been seen<br />
that AI and Embryo Transfer have two<br />
downsides. With AI a stallion can<br />
inseminate far more mares with one<br />
collection and with embryo transfer in<br />
some countries it is so normal that mares<br />
are flushed numerous times and even<br />
as maidens, and never have their own<br />
foal. One Arabian registry in Europe<br />
has 25% of its registered foals annually<br />
by embryo transfer. We do not yet know<br />
the full affect all this has on mares, but<br />
some people are concerned about the<br />
welfare of the donor mares. Science can<br />
help but how far do we go?<br />
With the new post Covid era beginning,<br />
I believe the Arabian and its derivative<br />
can give a rider the wonderful feeling of<br />
freedom and fun. Whatever equestrian<br />
sport you want to do, the Arabian can<br />
compete in or riders can just enjoy this<br />
beautiful country of ours riding a horse.<br />
However, we need to secure the future of<br />
this gracious breed or it may be lost and<br />
it will also be on the critical list.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 29
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30 | BRITISH BREEDER
Features - Nasta<br />
Inside NaStA<br />
by Victoria von Wachter<br />
The National Stallion Association<br />
(NaStA) was formed in 1981 to maintain<br />
and improve stallion approval standards<br />
when Ministry of Agriculture Stallion<br />
Licensing was abolished by repealing<br />
parts of the 1958 Horse Breeding Act.<br />
The Association sets a minimum standard<br />
of stallion vetting to which all its member<br />
societies adhere, and since 1991 has<br />
organised a Stallion Performance Test<br />
open to all breeds. Since that time over<br />
150 candidates - stallions, mares and<br />
breeding geldings - from 20 breeds<br />
have been forward for the Test<br />
The system operates through a process<br />
of qualification at home during the<br />
spring and summer with candidates only<br />
being allowed forward for the Final<br />
Days in August having completed three<br />
qualification certificates indicating a<br />
sufficient standard in dressage, show<br />
jumping and XC jumping. Qualification<br />
certificates are endorsed by BHSIs or<br />
any rider/competitor with senior level<br />
international experience.<br />
The Final Days run over two days to<br />
allow younger horses to conserve<br />
energy; they are not equivalent to a ODE<br />
– they are more demanding comprising<br />
eight phases consisting of assessment of:<br />
• Flat work<br />
• Judge’s ridden work<br />
• Free jumping<br />
• Show jumping<br />
• Paces<br />
• Cross Country<br />
• Gallop<br />
• Ending with veterinary inspections<br />
Full detail of the phases can be found on<br />
the NaStA website.<br />
The marking system is comprehensive<br />
and creates a final result designated<br />
Class 3 (70 – 99) Class 2 (100 – 119)<br />
Class 1 (120 – 139) and Class 1Elite<br />
(140+) from a total possible mark of<br />
200.<br />
The test is primarily intended for young<br />
stallions so handicaps are made for<br />
horses over 5 years old. Having said this<br />
the list is full of older stallions who have<br />
performed extremely well even with<br />
the score reductions. Further analyses<br />
of the scores produce indices for<br />
dressage, jumping and rideability. These<br />
are extremely useful for mare owners<br />
seeking stallions particularly talented in<br />
a particular area.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 31
Features - Nasta<br />
This year we move to a new venue at Solihull Riding Club<br />
which we hope will prove to be as long term as our previous<br />
excellent site, Milton Keynes. This year our assessors will be<br />
Martyne Galland (BD List 3), Pauline Ricketts (BS) and Tom<br />
Rowlands (CCI). Our VS as always will be Jane Nixon.<br />
On preparation it is very important to note that you cannot<br />
drag your stallion out of the field, find an obliging International<br />
to sign off your qualification certificates a couple of weeks<br />
before the Final Days and then turn up and expect to do well.<br />
Final Days are not a competition that can be entered again –<br />
candidates only get one ‘go’ at it.<br />
With Britain having left the EU our domestic Performance<br />
Test is of growing importance and we hope that numbers will<br />
continue to increase.<br />
We look forward to welcoming participants and spectators<br />
on 24 and 25 August at Solihull Riding Club. Keep an eye<br />
on our FB page for more specific detail of timings. Interested<br />
owners should visit the NaStA website to learn more about the<br />
test. Telephone assistance is also available from the NaStA<br />
Secretary or the Performance Test Director on<br />
telephone 01869 277562.<br />
<br />
The <strong>2021</strong> Performance Test Qualification window<br />
is now open. Final Days set for 24/25 August at<br />
Solihull Riding Club, Bentley Heath, Solihull B93 8QE.<br />
All breeds of horse and pony stallions and mares<br />
and – since 2016 – breeding geldings are eligible.<br />
Entries close 1 August.<br />
Stallion Owners – let your young stallion join the<br />
ranks of such stars as Catherston Decipher,<br />
Godington Hannibal and All That Jazz.<br />
If you want to promote your young stallion as a<br />
competition sire then the NASTA Performance Test<br />
is a must. Also useful for the older stallion who<br />
has not had a chance to compete.<br />
For full details call 01869 277562 or see<br />
<br />
32 | BRITISH BREEDER
Studbook - News<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 33
Features - Foaling the Mare<br />
Preparation<br />
for foaling<br />
By Dr Jonathan Pycock<br />
BVetMed PhD DESM MRCVS<br />
Following on from the popular<br />
webinars held recently in association<br />
with Twemlows Stud, Dr Jonathan<br />
Pycock shares his notes on preparing<br />
for foaling to provide breeders with<br />
some guidance and to hopefully<br />
ensure the foaling goes as smoothly as<br />
possible.<br />
Mares should be well cared for during<br />
pregnancy to ensure the birth of a<br />
normal, healthy foal. This includes:<br />
(1) Adequate but not excessive<br />
feeding<br />
(2) Proper parasite control.<br />
(3) Vaccinating the mare 1 month<br />
before foaling to ensure that<br />
her colostrum has the necessary<br />
antibodies. Vaccination of the<br />
pregnant mare has the dual purpose of<br />
protecting the dam and also the foal.<br />
(4) Moving the mare into the<br />
environment where she is going to<br />
foal 6 weeks before she is due, so<br />
that the mare can get used to her new<br />
environment and the handling<br />
procedures. It will also ensure that her<br />
colostrum will contain the protective<br />
antibodies against infections there.<br />
Ideally mares should foal in special<br />
housing called a foaling box. The<br />
foaling box should be at least 4 x<br />
4m for an average 500-kg mare<br />
and be well-ventilated but free from<br />
draughts. Bedding should be dust-free,<br />
preferably comprising plenty of highquality<br />
straw.<br />
Monitoring the mare for<br />
foaling<br />
A mare should be observed closely<br />
late in pregnancy. Physical changes<br />
indicating impending delivery include:<br />
(1) Development of the udder or<br />
mammary gland. There is an increase<br />
in the size of the mammary gland in<br />
the last month of pregnancy and this is<br />
particularly noticeable in the 2 weeks<br />
before birth. Once this increase is<br />
noted, the mare should be moved to a<br />
foaling box where she can be watched<br />
easily during the night.<br />
(2) Relaxation of the pelvic ligaments.<br />
(3) Lengthening of the vulva.<br />
(4) Just before foaling the udder<br />
typically becomes very swollen and<br />
there is a waxy secretion noticeable on<br />
the teat ends. This is known as ‘waxing’<br />
and is usually a sign that foaling will<br />
be within 1–4 days. Sometimes milk<br />
can run from the udder ahead of<br />
foaling and lose the colostrum.<br />
Such foals can be at risk from not<br />
getting enough colostrum and must be<br />
given extra care in the first few days<br />
after foaling.<br />
34 | BRITISH BREEDER
The best approach to managing a<br />
foaling mare is to watch her very closely<br />
but without disturbing her. Having an<br />
experienced attendant watching the<br />
mare and assisting if necessary is the<br />
best way of reducing the risk of problems<br />
at foaling. However, mares vary<br />
tremendously in the signs of impending<br />
foaling that they actually show, hence it<br />
is possible to waste much time waiting<br />
for a mare to foal. To avoid this, options<br />
include:<br />
(1) Measuring the electrolyte<br />
concentrations in prefoaling udder<br />
secretions using kits that are available<br />
commercially. These kits measure<br />
electrolyte levels in a sample of udder<br />
secretion. When the amount of calcium in<br />
the milk increases above a certain level,<br />
over 95% of mares will foal within 72h.<br />
(2) Foaling alarm systems, such as a<br />
small transmitter lightly stitched to the<br />
mare’s vulva. When she pushes the<br />
fetal membranes through the vulva<br />
at the beginning of foaling, a pin in<br />
the transmitter is pushed out. This then<br />
sets an alarm off, which activates the<br />
attendant’s pager. The disadvantage is<br />
that the alarm only alerts you once the<br />
mare starts to deliver, so you need to be<br />
nearby.<br />
(3) Foaling alarm systems that strap<br />
around the whole mare and sound an<br />
alarm if or when she sweats during<br />
delivery. The disadvantage of this is that<br />
if the mare does not sweat it does not go<br />
off. Closed-circuit TV is also commonly<br />
used. Because parturition is very rapid<br />
in mares, it is important to monitor them<br />
very closely.<br />
Nursing/management checks<br />
before foaling - It is important to<br />
check if the vulva has been stitched<br />
(Caslick’s operation). If she has been<br />
‘stitched’ it is important to ‘open’ the<br />
vulva before foaling. It is not enough<br />
just to remove the stitches that were put<br />
in when the mare was ‘Caslicked’, and<br />
in any case these should have been<br />
removed 2 weeks after the procedure.<br />
The stitched area must be cut open<br />
before the foal emerges. If this is not<br />
done, at best the tissue of that area will<br />
tear and bruise severely, making future<br />
repair difficult; at worst, the foal will<br />
suffocate. It is also an important hygiene<br />
measure to wash and dry the mare’s<br />
udder.<br />
Parturition<br />
Parturition is the term used to describe<br />
the expul-sion of the fetus (and its<br />
membranes) from the uterus through the<br />
maternal passages by natural forces.<br />
The most important initiating factor for<br />
parturition is the maturation of the fetal<br />
hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.<br />
The production of cortisol from the fetal<br />
adrenal gland may be the ultimate<br />
trigger of the process of parturition.<br />
This increase in cortisol indicates the<br />
foal’s ‘readiness for birth’. Oxytocin is<br />
the hormone produced by the dam and<br />
plays a key role in all stages of labour.<br />
In the mare oxytocin release can be<br />
blocked by external stimuli, which allows<br />
the mare, at least temporarily, to resist<br />
the fetal signals for birth, e.g. if she is<br />
disturbed. The act of parturition is a<br />
continuous process but it is customary<br />
to divide it into three stages, as in other<br />
species.<br />
First Stage - This lasts for 1–4h<br />
and begins with the onset of uterine<br />
contractions. The changes are not visible<br />
externally but they prepare the birth<br />
canal and fetus for expulsion. During this<br />
stage the muscles of the uterus begin to<br />
contract and push the fetus against the<br />
cervix. This helps the cervix to dilate. The<br />
foal begins to move of its own accord,<br />
rotating itself and extending the front legs<br />
and head. The increasing myometrial<br />
activity, together with spontaneous fetal<br />
movements, will result in rotation of the<br />
cranial part of the fetal body into a<br />
dorsosacral position. The front legs and<br />
head are extended. These processes<br />
usually result in discomfort in the mare<br />
and the following signs:<br />
• Becoming restless and exhibiting<br />
colic-like signs (looking at flanks, tail<br />
switching, frequently getting up and<br />
down).<br />
• Exhibiting patchy sweating (flanks,<br />
neck, behind elbows).<br />
• Yawning.<br />
• When the cervix is fully dilated<br />
the allantoic membrane ruptures<br />
and several litres of allantoic fluid<br />
escape from the genital tract. This<br />
is popularly called ‘the waters<br />
breaking’ and indicates the end of<br />
the first stage.<br />
As the mare approaches the end of the<br />
first stage of labour her tail should be<br />
bandaged and her vulval area cleaned<br />
and dried. Mares do not normally strain<br />
during the first stage of parturition.<br />
Second Stage - The onset of the<br />
second stage occurs abruptly and<br />
commences with the onset of forcible<br />
abdominal straining and/or the<br />
appearance of the amnion. These<br />
two features usually occur almost<br />
Features - Foaling the Mare<br />
simultaneously. During stage two, actual<br />
delivery of the foal takes place. The<br />
mare usually lies down and goes into<br />
lateral recumbency until the foal is born.<br />
The outer red membrane ruptures and<br />
the amnion (transparent bluish-white<br />
membrane) is quickly visible at the vulva<br />
and fluid and a fetal foot should be<br />
visible. Straining occurs regularly and<br />
both front feet should soon appear. As<br />
the amnion emerges at the vulva, one<br />
foreleg is in front of the other by some<br />
10cm. Shortly the nose should appear<br />
also. The greatest effort is associated<br />
with delivering the head, with the<br />
passage of the chest and hips usually<br />
occurring relatively easily. As the head<br />
and shoulders pass through the pelvis,<br />
the amnion should rupture. If necessary,<br />
the mare can be assisted by gentle<br />
pulling on the foal’s front legs.<br />
The foal has a relatively long umbilical<br />
cord, which is still intact after delivery.<br />
When possible, the cord should be<br />
left intact for a few minutes to help<br />
the circulation of the newborn foal.<br />
Care should be taken not to disturb<br />
the mare at this stage or she may rise<br />
and rupture the cord. The cord usually<br />
ruptures at a predetermined place<br />
due to movements of the mare and/<br />
or foal several minutes (up to 15min)<br />
after birth. Once the umbilical cord has<br />
ruptured, the stump should be checked<br />
for haemorrhage and disinfected with<br />
dilute chlorhexidine. This disinfection of<br />
the navel needs to be repeated several<br />
times during the first few days of life. If<br />
the mare is still lying down, the foal can<br />
be moved towards the mare’s head to try<br />
to reduce the chance of the foal being<br />
stood on when the mare attempts to get<br />
up. All disturbances should be kept to a<br />
minimum during this stage. The second<br />
stage of labour usually occurs at night;<br />
the average duration is about 15min and<br />
normally it should not exceed 1h.<br />
Third stage - This involves passage<br />
of the fetal membranes, often termed<br />
‘delivery of the afterbirth’, and<br />
usually occurs within 1h on average<br />
and should not take more than 2h.<br />
Continuing myometrial activity plays<br />
an important role during this process.<br />
There is controversy with respect to the<br />
time interval for placental expulsion.<br />
Recognition of the precise time at which<br />
the process has become pathological if<br />
the membranes have not been passed<br />
is difficult.The placenta initially should<br />
be tied up so that it hangs just above<br />
the hocks. This should avoid it being<br />
stepped on before it is passed. If the<br />
placenta is not passed within 3h, the vet<br />
should be contacted. The uterus contracts<br />
very quickly after foaling and this<br />
process carries on for several days until<br />
the uterus is almost as small as it was<br />
before the mare became pregnant. This<br />
process of becoming smaller is known as<br />
‘involution’.<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 35
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36 | BRITISH BREEDER<br />
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<strong>Breeder</strong> Spotlight - Breen Equestrian<br />
Shane Breen & Can Ya Makan<br />
Photo Nigel Goddard<br />
Breen Equestrian<br />
By Victoria Goff<br />
Talk about getting off to a good start.<br />
Back when showjumper Shane Breen<br />
was based in his native County<br />
Tipperary, he invested in some<br />
broodmares with his cousin John Griffin,<br />
and one of the first foals he bred was<br />
Cos I Can (Olympic Lux x Carel View<br />
Lass). “He ended up being a wonderful<br />
horse to me,” says Shane. “By eight he<br />
was jumping in five-star Grands Prix,<br />
and at 10 he jumped double clear at<br />
Hickstead to win the Nations Cup.”<br />
Shane’s passion for sport horse breeding<br />
has only increased in the two decades<br />
then, and he has recently expanded<br />
his business with the opening of Pook<br />
Bourne Stud, sited just across the A23<br />
from his Hickstead base. Originally just<br />
green fields, Shane and his wife Chloe<br />
have spent the winter having it<br />
transformed into a state-of-the-art<br />
breeding facility, including stabling for<br />
up to 85 horses, a 50x25m barn with<br />
eight large youngstock pens, and a<br />
purpose-built AI lab. Starting the place<br />
from a blank canvas has allowed them to<br />
design it specifically for the stud’s needs,<br />
and the finishing touches are being put<br />
in place just as the busiest period of the<br />
season gets underway.<br />
Shane married Chloe (nee Bunn) in<br />
2007, and together they have built Breen<br />
Equestrian into a huge showjumping<br />
operation. They have continued to<br />
develop the breeding side of the<br />
business both here in the UK and in<br />
Shane’s native Ireland, with some mares<br />
based with John Griffin and others kept<br />
with one of Shane’s friends and owners,<br />
Konstantin Pysarenko in the Ukraine. In<br />
total, they’re aiming for around 30 foals<br />
each year, with around half of those due<br />
to be born at Pook Bourne Stud.<br />
Originally the breeding side of the<br />
business was run at Hickstead<br />
alongside the competition yard, but with<br />
the sheer number of horses it made sense<br />
to separate the two. It has had benefits<br />
for the stallions, says Shane, who<br />
understand they have a job to do at<br />
each site. “Keeping it separate means<br />
the stallions can be based at Hickstead<br />
for work, but go over to Pook Bourne<br />
Stud for collection. They have different<br />
grooms for each job, so the person who<br />
handles them during their collection is<br />
not the person who looks after them<br />
at shows. They go in a two-horse truck<br />
to the stud, but go to shows in a large<br />
horsebox so they can identify when<br />
they’re travelling for business or<br />
pleasure! It makes it much easier for<br />
myself to ride them, and for the grooms<br />
to look after them.”<br />
Breen Equestrian has become renowned<br />
for turning out top class riders as well<br />
as horses, with many top showjumpers<br />
including David Simpson, Michael Duffy<br />
and Jack Ryan working for the team<br />
before setting up on their own. Another<br />
alumnus is Greg Le Gear, who worked<br />
for them as a rider before changing<br />
focus and taking on the role of Stud<br />
Manager. “Greg looks after the<br />
breeding side of the business, he was<br />
always very interested in breeding and<br />
AI, so it’s worked out really well,” says<br />
Shane. “He does an excellent job and<br />
has a good understanding of the<br />
stallions and how to market them. He<br />
rode some of our top stallions as<br />
youngsters, so he knows them inside<br />
out.”<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 37
<strong>Breeder</strong> Spotlight - Breen Equestrian<br />
Mares at Breen’s new Pook Bourne Stud<br />
Photo Ellie Birch/Boots and Hooves Photography<br />
Greg is a qualified AI technician and<br />
does the on-site collection, working<br />
alongside vet Ed Lyall from the Sussex<br />
Equine Hospital, which has a specialist<br />
reproductive team; while Stallion<br />
AI Services handle the storage and<br />
distribution of the frozen semen. Le<br />
Gear also helps Shane and Chloe with<br />
choosing which mare will go to which<br />
stallion. “It’s a fascinating process,<br />
seeing the resulting youngstock in the<br />
field, noticing their characteristics come<br />
out,” adds Shane.<br />
He hopes the rise of technology in<br />
breeding, plus easier access to the<br />
best stallions, is going to lead to further<br />
improvement in <strong>British</strong> breeding.<br />
“Currently there isn’t as much breeding<br />
here compared to Ireland, even though<br />
there’s lot of good mares in the UK.<br />
But I think this is changing – these<br />
days it’s easy to do embryo transfer,<br />
there are some great stallions on the<br />
market and frozen semen is available<br />
worldwide, which gives people a greater<br />
opportunity to use the best stallions.”<br />
Pook Bourne Stud currently stands 10<br />
sires, of whom the flagship stallion is<br />
the prolific Grand Prix winner Golden<br />
Hawk (Vigo D Arsouilles x Ta Belle Van<br />
Sombeke). The three-part brother to the<br />
aptly-named 2012 Olympic star London,<br />
38 | BRITISH BREEDER<br />
Shane Breen & Golden Hawk - Photo by Nigel Goddard
<strong>Breeder</strong> Spotlight - Breen Equestrian<br />
“He is an absolute<br />
pleasure to ride and<br />
look after, with a<br />
great temperament.<br />
He throws a lovely<br />
type with great<br />
attitude, great<br />
balance and lovely<br />
characters”<br />
Says Shane<br />
Z7 Can Ya Makan (Canturo x Aroma) is<br />
another stallion familiar to anyone who<br />
follows Shane’s career in the ring, with<br />
wins at five-star level and victories in<br />
both the Hamburg and Hickstead Derby<br />
Trials, showing his scope and versatility.<br />
The 11-year-old Clyde VA (Caretino II x<br />
Valentina VA) is a rising star in the ring,<br />
having already clocked up a win in the<br />
Olympia Masters. “We have started<br />
using him as a stallion more from this<br />
year so his offspring are few on the<br />
ground but are very nice,” Shane adds.<br />
The grey Colmar (Colestus x Piritta) is<br />
a grandson of Cornet Obolensky, and<br />
has a lot of his traits. “He has a beautiful<br />
technique, he’s scopey and very careful.<br />
His progeny have a lot of blood and<br />
tend to be great movers, so lots of<br />
eventers have taken a shine to Colmar.”<br />
The younger sires include Cuick Star<br />
Kervec, Z7 Regal Don, BE Reverent, Z7<br />
Dubai Castlefield and KWPN champion<br />
Lucky Luck, while stalwart Z7 Accorad<br />
3 is still going strong at the age of 20.<br />
Shane is fortunate to have a strong<br />
line-up of proven competition stallions,<br />
but he also spends a lot of time<br />
considering which mares to use.<br />
“Someone who was influential to me at<br />
the start was Don Hadden, who has bred<br />
a lot of top racehorses, show horses and<br />
showjumpers, as well as pedigree cattle.<br />
His philosophy was you need to look<br />
back through several generations of a<br />
family, on both sides. So now I not only<br />
consider the mare’s breeding, but also<br />
her mother’s and grand-dam’s. If I have<br />
a top competition mare, I might use her<br />
sister or half-sister – she could produce<br />
really good foals even if she hasn’t been<br />
particularly successful in the ring. We’ll<br />
take embryos from the top mares who<br />
are out competing at Grand Prix levels,<br />
and perhaps take an embryo from some<br />
of their three- to four-year-old daughters<br />
who are showing potential too. We’re<br />
lucky that we have some superb<br />
broodmares who have competed at<br />
Clyde VA - Photo Ahmedd Photography<br />
Shane Breen & Golden Hawk<br />
1.60m Grand Prix level, and aside from<br />
a few rising stars all of our broodmare<br />
herd have competed at 1.40m level and<br />
above.<br />
I would always put more emphasis on<br />
the mare, as I think they bring that little<br />
bit more to the table,”<br />
he adds.<br />
Like every breeder, Shane wants to<br />
produce future medal winners – and<br />
with his current crop of young horses, he<br />
might be on track to achieving that goal.<br />
www.breenequestrian.com<br />
“I have some young ones<br />
who, if they get produced the<br />
right way, have every chance<br />
of reaching the top,” he says.<br />
“But equally as a breeder I<br />
love it when people tell me<br />
they’re delighted with the<br />
foal their mare has produced,<br />
or when a young horse<br />
I’ve sold has a successful<br />
competition career and has<br />
made someone really happy.<br />
That excites me just as much.”<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 39
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Feature Article - DNA<br />
DNA-Testing in Breeding<br />
Unlocking the Potential<br />
In recent years, DNA profiling has<br />
become an increasingly integral part of<br />
equine breeding, as many studbooks<br />
now require testing for parentage<br />
verification as part of their registration<br />
process. However, parentage<br />
verification is only a very small part of<br />
what DNA testing has to offer, and a<br />
fresh look at opportunities is needed<br />
to unlock its considerable potential for<br />
supporting equine health and welfare,<br />
and for improving breeding decisions for<br />
the future.<br />
How does it work?<br />
Parentage Verification using STR Markers<br />
The genetic code of an individual equine<br />
is a unique combination of genetic<br />
information from the dam and the sire.<br />
There are certain parts of the equine<br />
genome that are highly variable, and<br />
that can therefore be used as “genetic<br />
markers”. The way they are put together<br />
is characteristic for the individual equine.<br />
For the purpose of parentage testing,<br />
information on this relatively low number<br />
of genetic markers is therefore enough to<br />
either confirm or reject a supposed dam<br />
and sire for a given horse. These are<br />
known as Microsatellite markers, also<br />
often referred to as STRs (short tandem<br />
repeats), and are a specific type of large<br />
genetic marker currently used for routine<br />
parentage testing. Because of high<br />
variation (many possible appearances<br />
or different alleles) and accordingly<br />
high information content of each single<br />
marker, approximately twenty STRs or<br />
even fewer are usually enough to check<br />
whether or not an indicated parentage<br />
of an individual can be confirmed.<br />
These types of tests are what most<br />
studbooks in the UK are using at the<br />
moment, usually with a profile of 17<br />
markers. However, while this type of<br />
STR allele data can reliably be used for<br />
parentage testing, that it all such a test<br />
can deliver.<br />
SNP Testing and Genomics<br />
It might be useful to think of an<br />
individual horse or pony’s genetic profile<br />
as a book, in which the STR’s are the<br />
chapter headings. If you want to drill<br />
down to read the words and sentences<br />
that make up these chapters, you need<br />
a more detailed kind of testing, using<br />
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).<br />
These are the smallest possible type<br />
of genetic markers, looking at single<br />
positions in the genome. This allows SNP<br />
allele data to be used for a much wider<br />
range of purposes, as tests can provide<br />
information on large numbers of SNPs -<br />
in the order of thousands to<br />
ten-thousands – which provides us with<br />
a much more detailed understanding of<br />
an equine’s genetic make-up. We can<br />
then start to analyse this data and<br />
compare it to the physical equines in<br />
front of us (what we call their “<br />
phenotype”) to identify patterns, spot<br />
potential problems, but also identify<br />
genes that are linked to attributes we<br />
actively desire in our horses and ponies.<br />
What is the Potential?<br />
Disease Control and Genetic<br />
Conditions<br />
Diagnostic testing for known genetic<br />
conditions has been part of equine<br />
breeding for a long time. It is<br />
particularly useful in detecting recessive<br />
genetic mutations, which can be carried<br />
without expressing themselves physically,<br />
unless one – unwittingly – crosses two<br />
BRITISH BREEDER| 43
Feature Article - DNA<br />
carriers, which brings a 25% chance of<br />
breeding an affected foal. These tests<br />
look for a specific single gene that is<br />
responsible for the problem. Recently,<br />
Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome<br />
(WFFS) has received much attention<br />
in the press. It is caused by a mutation<br />
in the gene responsible for collagen<br />
biosynthesis. WFFS causes lesions and<br />
malformations of the skin in neonatal<br />
foals, who are unable to survive. To find<br />
this mutation, testing needs to drill down<br />
to SNP level. It will not show up in the<br />
STR parentage tests currently performed<br />
as part of equine passporting.<br />
While diagnostic tests are reliable in<br />
testing for an individual disease, by<br />
telling us if a horse or pony is or is not a<br />
carrier of a particular mutation, it is quite<br />
cumbersome, and expensive, to have to<br />
run individual additional tests for each<br />
possibly relevant genetic mutation that<br />
could affect our breeding programmes.<br />
SNP profiles – depending on their<br />
design – can, on the other hand, show<br />
tens of thousands of pieces of<br />
information at once, thus providing<br />
parentage verification and all this<br />
additional information in one test.<br />
The potential of SNP profiles goes<br />
further. Not only can they be used for<br />
showing up known conditions, but they<br />
could also help us identify further<br />
correlations between genetics and<br />
known problems that can affect a breed<br />
in future by allowing us to identify<br />
patterns between the occurrence of the<br />
problem and commonalities and<br />
differences in SNP profiles of affected<br />
and not affected animals.<br />
Experienced breeders already know,<br />
for example, that laminitis and EMS<br />
seem to be running in particular families,<br />
with some ponies affected, when others<br />
develop no issues, with the same<br />
management. Studies are already<br />
underway to help us identify which<br />
genes may be responsible for a<br />
predisposition for this problem, but much<br />
more work, and much more SNP data,<br />
is needed. The potential for welfare<br />
improvement is obvious: if we know<br />
that a pony is genetically more likely to<br />
contract laminitis, we can prevent the<br />
problem occurring through management.<br />
One word of caution: While the potential<br />
of this is very exciting, we need to be<br />
very careful about how we use the<br />
information it provides. For a start, in<br />
diseases like laminitis, the genetic<br />
component is always going to be only<br />
one of a range of factors. There is a<br />
danger that owners and keepers would<br />
think themselves “safe” from laminitis if<br />
their pony tested free from the genetic<br />
component, and as a result take their eye<br />
off the ball. Secondly, we may<br />
experience unintended consequences,<br />
such as a narrowing of the gene pool, if<br />
certain, otherwise valuable lines, are less<br />
likely to be used due to an<br />
association with laminitis. Quite often,<br />
problems occur because we unwittingly<br />
selected for them over the centuries,<br />
because they were also associated with<br />
desirable attributes.<br />
What this tells us that while DNA testing<br />
and genomic selections can be powerful<br />
tools in battling disease and improving<br />
welfare, we need to use them<br />
responsibly and ensure breeders and<br />
owners are well informed about their<br />
potential, but also about their limitations.<br />
Selection for Desirable Attributes<br />
While the benefit of screening against<br />
potential diseases and conditions is<br />
obvious, we can also think about<br />
Genetic Analysis in terms of<br />
specifically selecting for positive<br />
attributes. This can be achieved by<br />
comparing our physical observations of<br />
equines (their “phenotypes”) with their<br />
SNP profiles, and again by looking for<br />
patterns and correlations.<br />
In horseracing this has famously already<br />
been achieved in the identification of the<br />
“speed gene” Myostatin. Admittedly,<br />
racing is a sport in which success can<br />
easily attributed to quite a narrow range<br />
of factors (speed, distance), whereas<br />
other equestrian sports have a more<br />
complex range of requirements.<br />
44 | BRITISH BREEDER
Feature Article - DNA<br />
Nevertheless, the potential for breeders<br />
looking for specific attributes from a<br />
mating is considerable by adding more<br />
predictability.<br />
In this country especially, we are still in<br />
the very early stages of unlocking the<br />
potential of genomic selection in<br />
breeding. To start with, breeding<br />
programmes driven by genomics need<br />
a large amount of data, not only in the<br />
form of detailed SNP profiles, but also<br />
in the form of reliable data on physical<br />
attributes that these profiles can be<br />
related to. In horseracing, this is<br />
relatively simple. Racehorses perform<br />
already at a very young age, the<br />
measurements of performance are very<br />
easy to standardise and therefore<br />
compare (speed over set distances), and<br />
it is a very large sport with thousands of<br />
animals, providing a large volume of<br />
data relatively quickly. In showing,<br />
driving, leisure or in the Olympic<br />
Disciplines, the story is a bit more<br />
complicated.<br />
The number of successful equines in<br />
some of these areas is far smaller than<br />
in racing. For reliable studies of genetic<br />
correlations, however, we need as much<br />
data as possible. Secondly, in some<br />
disciplines it can take a long time for<br />
equines to reach the top of their sport,<br />
slowing down potential studies quite<br />
significantly.<br />
Thirdly, performance data is perhaps not<br />
as reliable as it seems. Environmental<br />
factors no doubt play a hugely important<br />
role, and increasingly, so the older the<br />
horse or pony is. Sometimes<br />
performance is down to sheer luck, in<br />
terms of a horse or pony finding the<br />
right owner or rider at the right time.<br />
Performance data might not always<br />
be objective. While in horseracing and<br />
showjumping, the goal is very easily<br />
defined, in others, such as showing, or<br />
dressage, the human eye and subjective<br />
likes and dislikes may be more important<br />
and more difficult to quantify objectively.<br />
But, above all, our equestrian sports and<br />
activities are complex, and rely on the<br />
interplay of a wide range of attributes.<br />
Just as it is important to “drill down”<br />
in terms of SNP profiling, perhaps we<br />
equally need to look more specifically at<br />
individual, specific traits that as<br />
experienced breeders we know to be<br />
associated with the performance<br />
attributes we want.<br />
In the right hands, and<br />
with the right systems<br />
and infrastructure to<br />
support, however, the<br />
potential of SNP<br />
profiling is very<br />
exciting, and far<br />
exceeds the current,<br />
rather limited,<br />
approaches focusing<br />
merely on parentage<br />
verification.<br />
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BRITISH BREEDER| 45
Feature Article - PSSM2<br />
PSSM2 - Muscle<br />
disease may<br />
explain ‘difficult’<br />
behaviour<br />
Have you ever owned or ridden a<br />
warmblood horse that turned “difficult”<br />
or “sour”, perhaps so much so, that he<br />
or she became practically unrideable?<br />
Perhaps you even had a diagnosis that<br />
the horse had “tied up”, but apart from<br />
that, no x-rays, flexion tests, nerve blocks<br />
or other investigations revealed any<br />
obvious issues that would explain the<br />
behaviour?<br />
Chances are, your horse was not being<br />
“difficult”. He or she was in severe pain,<br />
caused by a condition now labelled<br />
PSSM2 (PolySaccharide Storage<br />
Myopathy). PSSM2 has caused some<br />
controversy in recent months, following<br />
heartbreaking social media posts by the<br />
rider Sofie Pedersen whose story about<br />
her mare TwinHors Don’a Ballerina (by<br />
Blue Hors Don Olymbrio) was<br />
promptly picked up by the Danish<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> Ridehesten.<br />
The condition typically shows up<br />
between the ages of 7-10, with horses<br />
showing no signs of any issues prior<br />
to that and often enjoying a successful<br />
start to their ridden career up to that<br />
point. There is no cure, although careful<br />
management can alleviate some of the<br />
symptoms to a degree.<br />
Recent reporting suggests that PSSM2<br />
is not only a genetic condition that can<br />
be identified by DNA test, but that it<br />
is a semi-dominant trait, which means<br />
that even if you cross a carrier with a<br />
non-carrier, the offspring will carry the<br />
gene and has a strong chance of being<br />
affected later on in life.<br />
The stakes are, of course, high: IF PSSM2<br />
is caused by a semi-dominant genetic<br />
trait identifiable by DNA test, then the<br />
obvious conclusion is that all breeding<br />
stock needs to be tested, and carriers<br />
need to be eliminated from our breeding<br />
programmes.<br />
However, it is not yet proven that the<br />
DNA test is really a reliable means of<br />
identifying the condition, and an article<br />
by a research group led by Dr<br />
Steaphanie Valberg of Michigan<br />
University published in BEVA’s Equine<br />
Veterinary Journal in September 2020<br />
concludes that the current DNA tests<br />
‘cannot [be] recommend[ed] […] for<br />
selection and breeding, prepurchase<br />
examination or diagnosis of a<br />
myopathy.’<br />
The Background and Diagnosis<br />
In the 1990s, Dr Valberg identified the<br />
muscle disease PSSM1 and the<br />
associated gene. Horses with PSSM1<br />
suffer from an abnormal amount of<br />
glycogen build up in the muscle tissue,<br />
leading to severe laminitis. PSSM1<br />
cannot be cured, but controlled by a low<br />
sugar diet, and can be passed on to the<br />
next generation via the discovered gene.<br />
During Dr Valberg’s study, there were<br />
also horses with similar symptoms<br />
and abnormal sugar accumulation in<br />
the muscles, which did not carry the<br />
abnormal PSSM1 gene. To designate<br />
and distinguish this group from horses<br />
with PSSM1, the umbrella term PSSM2<br />
was introduced. Symptoms attributed to<br />
PSSM2 are: poor muscle build or even<br />
muscle atrophy, drifting gait, difficulty<br />
with canter, unclear lameness,<br />
acidification, high muscle tension,<br />
laminitis and an overload of the liver.<br />
PSSM2 therefore appears to encompass<br />
multiple conditions and variants, all<br />
related to the breakdown of muscle<br />
tissue.<br />
Up to now, the most reliable diagnosis<br />
of the condition has been available via<br />
muscle biopsy, used to determine sugar<br />
accumulation in the muscle tissue.<br />
However, as multiple biological<br />
processes are involved in the diseases<br />
that fall under PSSM2, the outward<br />
manifestations of PSSM2 are the result<br />
of various diseases. Not all horses with<br />
PSSM-like symptoms show glycogen<br />
accumulation in their muscle biopsies.<br />
Those who do not are more likely to have<br />
a condition called Myofibrillar<br />
myopathy (MFM). Its symptoms are<br />
similar to PSSM2, but MFM is not related<br />
to sugar metabolism and does not lead<br />
to visible glycogen overload.<br />
A Genetic Condition?<br />
The potential advantages of diagnosis<br />
via DNA test would be not only that they<br />
are a lot cheaper and less invasive than<br />
muscle biopsies. They would also be<br />
able to pick up the condition much<br />
earlier, before it became symptomatic,<br />
and could inform pre-purchase<br />
veterinary exams, and even assist in<br />
eliminating the disease through<br />
screening of broodmares and stallions.<br />
The US based company EquiSeq<br />
developed hair tests for gene mutations<br />
in recent years that they say represent<br />
different variants of PSSM2. Tests are<br />
46 | BRITISH BREEDER
Feature Article - PSSM2<br />
available for the variants P2, P3, P4 and<br />
Px, which occur in riding horse breeds,<br />
and for P8 (Arabian thoroughbreds) and<br />
K1 (Icelanders). The German Generatio<br />
has the rights for these tests in Europe.<br />
However, questions still loom large<br />
about the reliability of these tests. Dr<br />
Valberg’s small scale study in Equine<br />
Veterinary Journal found no<br />
relationship between muscle biopsies<br />
showing glycogen accumulation and the<br />
various mutations found.<br />
The challenge remains that PSSM2 is<br />
a multifactorial disorder, with several<br />
genes involved and management also<br />
playing a role in the expression of the<br />
genes. To determine reliably which piece<br />
of DNA is responsible, further<br />
investigations are necessary.<br />
A Genetic Condition?<br />
The University of Minnesota has started<br />
a long-term study into muscle diseases<br />
in horses, aided by videos, photos and<br />
questionnaires about management and<br />
ration, as well as DNA tests. The plan<br />
is to examine 3,000 samples using the<br />
PSSM2 variants identified by EquiSeq,<br />
as well as looking for the known DNA<br />
markers for PSSM1 and the muscle<br />
diseases HYPP, MH, IMM and GBED.<br />
The research also aims to identify the<br />
best diet and exercise regime for<br />
affected horses.<br />
Entrants may also submit videos and hair<br />
of an unsuspected control horse, of the<br />
same breed, approximately the same<br />
age and kept at the same location. In this<br />
way, the researchers hope to be able to<br />
say more about the relationship between<br />
the genetic variants of PSSM2 and<br />
the symptoms. Kendall Blanchard who<br />
leads the research project recently told<br />
the Dutch publication De Paardenkrant:<br />
“When it is said on the wrong grounds<br />
that certain genes cause a disease and<br />
commercial tests are sold that have not<br />
been sufficiently validated, this can have<br />
major consequences. It can lead to<br />
misdiagnoses and prognoses, incorrect<br />
treatment and management of sick animals<br />
and poor breeding decisions. […]<br />
Adjusting management early can make<br />
a big difference in muscle myopathies. In<br />
any case, have your horse tested on the<br />
validated variants. Muscle diseases are<br />
extremely limiting and painful for most<br />
horses.”<br />
At the end of March, the International<br />
Association of Future Horse Breeding<br />
(IAFH) announced that several German<br />
studbooks are going to collaborate<br />
with the commercial Generatio GmbH<br />
to allow for a large-scale study. The<br />
studbooks are making their genome data<br />
available to test a large<br />
population of riding horses and<br />
determine how often the mutations occur<br />
in the general population.<br />
Generatio representative Melissa Cox<br />
told De Paardenkrant: “We work with<br />
horse owners and veterinarians to keep<br />
an eye on horses that have certain<br />
variants, but do not show any symptoms.<br />
The differences between individual<br />
horses are very large. Some become<br />
very ill, while others show little or no<br />
symptoms. We want to know how horses<br />
that perform at top sport level, but do<br />
carry one of the mutations, are<br />
managed. It seems that sometimes it<br />
goes well for a long time with a high<br />
protein diet and very regular training, but<br />
that these horses suddenly start showing<br />
symptoms after retirement or after an<br />
injury that changes nutrition and<br />
exercise. Vets tell us that correctly built<br />
horses appear to be less sensitive,<br />
probably because a good conformation<br />
requires less muscle. What you should<br />
keep in mind is that mild symptoms such<br />
as difficulties in muscle development or<br />
a lot of tension, are not always seen, or<br />
are dismissed as temperament issues.”<br />
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BRITISH BREEDER| 47
News - Product feature<br />
Spring<br />
Cleaning?<br />
confident that you are taking all possible steps to ensure you<br />
don’t introduce disease, or allow it to spread within your yard.<br />
Good biosecurity practices on your part also contribute to the<br />
protection of the equine population as a whole, helping to<br />
prevent outbreaks of disease such as EHV.<br />
Spring is well and truly here and if you haven’t started already,<br />
now is the time to drag out those rubber mats, dust off the<br />
jet-wash and fish out the paint brushes.<br />
It’s fairly standard practice to give the yard a decent clean and<br />
a fresh lick of paint once a year, but there are a couple of easy<br />
steps you can take to maximise those spring cleans:<br />
• Look at the ceiling. Perhaps you occasionally tackle<br />
the cobwebs, but mould (Aspergillus) tends to grow<br />
in damp areas and can often be found on the<br />
ceiling. Extend your jet-washing to the ceiling and<br />
your horses will thank you for it – Aspergillus can<br />
be directly linked to Equine Asthma and poor<br />
performance.<br />
• In between jet-washing and painting, disinfect the<br />
whole yard (walls, floors, mats, stable bars,<br />
drinkers, etc). Using a sprayer, this is a quick step<br />
and ensures you’ve eliminated any harmful<br />
micro-organisms from the environment before you<br />
paint.<br />
AD-breeding-stableshield-90x134-FINAL-V1.pdf 1 26/03/21 12:35<br />
• Use antibacterial paint. This is becoming more<br />
common practice, as it provides an active barrier<br />
against the growth or spread of micro-organisms,<br />
therefore helping to protect horses where they<br />
spend the most of their time.<br />
Let’s talk about biosecurity<br />
Whether you have a professional yard or a small<br />
home-breeding set-up, a thorough spring-clean is a great start,<br />
but sensible year-round biosecurity practices can help minimise<br />
the risk of diseases such as Ringworm, Strangles and Influenza,<br />
not to mention the ever-present threat of EHV.<br />
Home Environment: Biosecurity should start with regular<br />
disinfection, particularly before and after foaling or when<br />
moving horses to new stables. Some paints can withstand<br />
jet-washing and this is an effective preventative measure, as<br />
even where anti-bacterial paint has been used, dirt on walls<br />
can harbour pathogens.<br />
New Arrivals: Check all vaccinations are up to date, test for<br />
strangles and obtain a faecal egg count prior to arrival. Whilst<br />
not always possible, new horses should ideally be isolated for a<br />
minimum of two weeks.<br />
Travelling: Avoid shared troughs and grazing areas where<br />
possible and if you do need to share tack or equipment, ensure<br />
you disinfect thoroughly. You can also use a sprayer to disinfect<br />
the inside of your lorry upon your return and it’s good practice<br />
to disinfect any saddle pads, boots or rugs that have been<br />
off-site by adding disinfectant to your washes.<br />
Whilst these measures may seem overwhelming or extreme<br />
initially, they will soon become routine and you can be<br />
48 | BRITISH BREEDER
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BRITISH BREEDER| 49
Nutrition Feature - Spillers Feeds<br />
The aim for any breeder is<br />
to maintain healthy, fertile<br />
breeding stock that go on to<br />
produce sound and healthy<br />
off-spring. Although body<br />
condition is just one element<br />
of good health, it is one that<br />
requires close attention and<br />
importantly, one that you can<br />
directly influence.<br />
What is ‘ideal’ condition?<br />
The how and why of<br />
keeping mares, stallions<br />
and youngstock in tip top<br />
condition.<br />
What may be considered as an<br />
‘ideal’ bodyweight varies between<br />
individuals and is affected by multiple<br />
factors including breed, height,<br />
muscle development and in the case<br />
of broodmares, the stage of gestation.<br />
In fact, over 60% of feotal growth<br />
occurs during the third trimester,<br />
during which the mare’s bodyweight<br />
will increase by approximately<br />
10-15%. However the horse’s<br />
bodyweight alone, much like our<br />
own, is just a number and therefore<br />
body condition score (BCS: an<br />
assessment of external fat<br />
coverage) is equally, if not<br />
more important than weight.<br />
Mares and stallions should ideally<br />
be maintained at a BCS of 5-6/9.<br />
Why is body condition<br />
important?<br />
Excess weight gain presents a number<br />
of health risks for any adult horse<br />
including increased joint strain and<br />
respiratory stress, heat intolerance<br />
and an increased risk of laminitis<br />
and insulin dysregulation. Obesity<br />
can also lead to reduced fertility and<br />
exacerbate age related decreases in<br />
immunity referred to as<br />
‘inflamm-aging’. Foals born to<br />
obese mares may show an<br />
increase in low grade<br />
inflammation, reduced insulin<br />
sensitivity and be at an<br />
increased risk of<br />
developing osteochondrosis<br />
as yearlings. Excess mammary<br />
fat and a subsequent reduction in<br />
milk production may lead to reduced<br />
growth rates in foals and/ or<br />
increases in compensatory growth<br />
post weaning.<br />
50 | BRITISH BREEDER
Nutrition Feature - Spillers Feeds<br />
Whilst much attention is paid to obesity,<br />
it is important to remember that excess<br />
weight loss is not without health<br />
implications either. Body condition is the<br />
variable most likely to affect the mare’s<br />
fertility. Mares with a BCS of
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52 | BRITISH BREEDER
Feature Article - Westgate Labs<br />
Why Proactive Parasite Control<br />
for Foals Is Important<br />
Claire Shand, Reg Animal Medicines Advisor Westgate Labs.<br />
A horse’s immune health plays a big part in their ability to resist<br />
parasite infection - much of this is developed at an early age.<br />
Horses who haven’t had good worming support during their first<br />
year of life often go on to have more parasite problems than<br />
those that have proactive help. Foals should be wormed<br />
regularly from 8 weeks old, incorporating treatment with<br />
fenbendazole and pyrantel where necessary to cover the<br />
potential ascarid infection that youngsters are particularly prone<br />
to. Worm for encysted redworm in the winter and EquiSal<br />
tapeworm test once weaned. From a year old they can move<br />
to a targeted programme, carrying out worm egg counts every<br />
eight weeks initially. Without this we set a horse up for potential<br />
problems. Meet Dales Pony Fern who arrived as a weanling at<br />
11 months old with no known worming history. She<br />
clearly demonstrates a low level of immunity and as a yearling<br />
struggled to overcome a persistent redworm infection. Without<br />
regular testing and veterinary support her outcome may not<br />
have been so favourable.<br />
Fern; A Young Horse With a Challenging<br />
Redworm Problem<br />
Fern arrived with a medium redworm count of 1000 eggs per<br />
gram that were successfully treated with a 5 day fenbendazole<br />
(Panacur). It was only after this that the first of the real problems<br />
began! We’ve documented her test results and treatments over<br />
this time in the table right. Fern was turned out on to previously<br />
grazed pasture and almost immediately her worm egg counts<br />
began to rise again as her immune system was challenged by<br />
small redworm present here.<br />
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Test date Result Wormer Comments<br />
20/04/2018 1000 epg Fenbendazole<br />
5 day<br />
Arrived as a poor<br />
looking weanling<br />
having had no<br />
worming treatment.<br />
17/05/2018 50 epg Fern had a worm<br />
count when tested<br />
but this responded<br />
to the Panacur – she<br />
didn’t come with<br />
resistant worms<br />
21/05/2018 100 epg<br />
01/06/2018 200 epg Ivermectin<br />
11/07/2018 700 epg Moxidectin<br />
30/08/2018 1700 epg Panacur 5 day The worm egg<br />
count rose steeply<br />
over the next three<br />
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pyrantel as Mod/<br />
high<br />
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BRITISH BREEDER| 55
Feature Article - Rossdales<br />
Ultrasound of the<br />
broodmare: what is<br />
your vet looking for?<br />
By Camilla Scott BVetMed,<br />
CertAVP(ESM), DACT, MRCVS RCVS<br />
Recognised Specialist in Veterinary<br />
Reproduction (Equine), Rossdales<br />
Veterinary Surgeons<br />
The major indication for transrectal<br />
ultrasound examination of your<br />
broodmare is for monitoring follicular<br />
development during oestrus to<br />
determine the optimum time for breeding<br />
and subsequent pregnancy diagnosis.<br />
However, ultrasound also provides rapid<br />
and accurate diagnosis of many other<br />
conditions in the mare.<br />
Growth and development of<br />
ovarian follicles<br />
In conjunction with palpation, ultrasound<br />
examination of the ovaries to track<br />
follicular growth and development is<br />
vital to determine the best time to breed<br />
for maximal fertility. Follicles will<br />
typically increase in diameter by 3-5mm<br />
per day, reaching maximal diameter 1 to<br />
2 days prior to ovulation (release of the<br />
oocyte/egg for subsequent fertilisation).<br />
The size of an ovulatory follicle will vary<br />
depending on the mare’s breed and<br />
age, the time of year and the number of<br />
dominant follicles present, but ranges<br />
between 30-50mm. In the hours before<br />
ovulation, the dominant follicle changes<br />
from a regular spherical structure to an<br />
irregular shape and becomes softer with<br />
a thickened wall. More recently, the use<br />
of colour-doppler ultrasound can<br />
determine blood flow and perfusion<br />
changes in the maturing follicle, giving us<br />
further information to help predict<br />
ovulation. These ultrasound<br />
characteristics of the dominant follicle in<br />
the hours prior to ovulation are<br />
particularly critical when lining mares<br />
up for frozen semen breeding, to ensure<br />
insemination is performed within 6 hours<br />
of ovulation to maximize the chances of<br />
conception.<br />
A percentage of follicles will not ovulate<br />
appropriately but instead fill with blood.<br />
These follicles are termed hemorrhagic<br />
anovulatory follicles and are reported<br />
to occur in 5-20% of cycles in the early<br />
and late breeding season respectively.<br />
Ultrasound characteristics of these<br />
follicles initially include an excessive<br />
amount of free-floating bright white<br />
particles in the follicular fluid and then<br />
progresses as blood clots and fibrin<br />
strands develop, giving the anovulatory<br />
follicle a cobweb like appearance.<br />
Figure 1: Ultrasound examination of a<br />
mare lining up for breeding with a large<br />
dominant follicle.<br />
Figure 2: Ultrasonographic image of a<br />
dominant follicle with an irregular shape<br />
and thick wall prior to ovulation.<br />
Figure 3: Ultrasonographic image of a<br />
hemorrhagic anovulatory follicle filled<br />
with blood clots and fibrin strands.<br />
Is the degree of uterine<br />
oedema appropriate?<br />
Uterine edema is a normal response to<br />
hormone (oestradiol) secretion when<br />
a mare is in season and will gradually<br />
increase in line with development of the<br />
dominant follicle. Mares in oestrus will<br />
display a characteristic ‘sliced orange’<br />
or ‘spoke wheel’ appearance on<br />
cross-sectional ultrasound<br />
examination of the uterus. Scoring<br />
systems have been developed to monitor<br />
the degree of uterine edema, typically<br />
ranging from 0 (typical of mares not in<br />
season) to 3 (peak uterine edema seen<br />
during oestrus). Estradiol secretion and<br />
maximal uterine edema usually peak 1<br />
to 2 days prior to ovulation, with a<br />
subsequent decrease in estradiol<br />
reflected by a synchronous decrease in<br />
uterine edema on ultrasound<br />
examination, both of which help guide<br />
timings for administration of an ovulation<br />
induction agent and an appropriate time<br />
for breeding.<br />
Excessive or inappropriate uterine<br />
edema patterns may indicate an<br />
underlying inflammatory or infectious<br />
process. Mares with excessive uterine<br />
edema prior to breeding are at risk of<br />
subsequent intrauterine fluid<br />
accumulation and are likely to require<br />
further treatment such as uterine lavage<br />
and drugs to aid uterine clearance, such<br />
as oxytocin.<br />
Figure 4: Ultrasonographic image of<br />
a cross-section of the uterus depicting<br />
mild uterine edema (note characteristic<br />
appearance similar to a sliced orange<br />
segment), consistent with a mare in early<br />
estrus.<br />
Inadequate uterine drainage<br />
There are numerous potential causes for<br />
inappropriate intrauterine fluid<br />
accumulation in the mare. Risk factors<br />
include older multiparous mares with<br />
poor perineal conformation, older<br />
maiden mares with failure of cervical<br />
dilation, mares with an inadequate<br />
immune response and the use of frozen<br />
semen insemination. It is normal for all<br />
mares to have a degree of inflammation<br />
following breeding, but this transient<br />
endometritis should resolve within 24h in<br />
resistant mares, so any fluid beyond 36h<br />
is abnormal and needs attention.<br />
Ultrasound evaluation of uterine fluid<br />
accumulation in the problem mare is<br />
incredibly useful for both diagnosis and<br />
monitoring response to treatment.<br />
Figure 5: Ultrasonographic image of<br />
abnormal fluid accumulation within the<br />
uterus.<br />
56 | BRITISH BREEDER
Corpus Luteum<br />
Following collapse of the dominant<br />
follicle and release of the oocyte/egg, a<br />
corpus luteum (CL) forms. The CL secretes<br />
progesterone, the dominant hormone of<br />
dioestrus (14 day period when the mare<br />
is not in season). If the mare becomes<br />
pregnant, progesterone secretion from<br />
the primary and secondary CLs will<br />
prevent the mare coming back into<br />
season and maintain the pregnancy until<br />
placental takeover at around 100-120<br />
days of gestation. Ultrasound<br />
examination provides visual and<br />
objective evaluation of both the structural<br />
and functional aspects of development<br />
of the CL from maturation to regression.<br />
Evaluating and ageing the CL gives us<br />
essential information regarding the stage<br />
of the mare’s cycle, and more recently<br />
has been used for selection of recipient<br />
mares for embryo transfer both of fresh<br />
and ICSI produced embryos, when<br />
knowing the exact age of the CL/<br />
number of days post ovulation is<br />
essential for a successful transfer.<br />
Figure 6: Ultrasonographic image of an<br />
ovary depicting two corpus luteum (CLs)<br />
following double ovulation.<br />
Uterine cysts<br />
Whilst the majority of uterine cysts are<br />
insignificant findings in older mares,<br />
their presence in the uterus may signify<br />
underlying issues. In addition, large or<br />
numerous cysts or those located at the<br />
base of the uterine horns may physically<br />
inhibit embryo mobility and fixation,<br />
resulting in failure of maternal<br />
recognition of pregnancy and early<br />
embryonic loss. Noting the size, number<br />
and location of cysts on ultrasound<br />
examination will help determine their<br />
potential significance; furthermore,<br />
mapping of cysts will also prevent any<br />
confusion over subsequent pregnancy<br />
diagnosis.<br />
Figure 7: Ultrasonographic image of a<br />
uterine cyst - note the irregular outline<br />
and fluid-filled centre.<br />
Early pregnancy diagnosis<br />
Ultrasound examination is pivotal for<br />
pregnancy diagnosis in mares. The<br />
equine embryo enters the uterus on day<br />
5.5-6 post ovulation and can be<br />
detected via ultrasound examination<br />
from as early as 10 days post ovulation.<br />
Since, however, at this stage the<br />
embryonic vesicle measures only<br />
between 3-5mm, most first pregnancy<br />
scans are performed at 14 days post<br />
Feature Article - Rossdales<br />
ovulation, at which stage the embryonic<br />
vesicle typically measures between<br />
16-20 mm, making it much easier to<br />
identify. Due to the unique equine<br />
embryonic capsule, the pregnancy will<br />
be perfectly spherical at this stage and<br />
ultrasonically generated specular<br />
reflections (bright white spots on the<br />
upper and lower surface of the embryo;<br />
see image) help differentiate embryos<br />
from uterine cysts or fluid, which are<br />
rarely perfectly spherical. Since mares<br />
are not able to carry twin pregnancies<br />
successfully to term, the diagnosis of twin<br />
pregnancies and subsequent reduction<br />
to a singleton pregnancy is performed<br />
most successfully at this early pregnancy<br />
scan, between 14-16 days post<br />
ovulation. Further pregnancy<br />
examinations are performed at regular<br />
intervals to monitor growth and<br />
development of the embryo/foetus. By<br />
day 21 the embryo proper can be<br />
visualised and at 28 days an embryonic<br />
heartbeat will be detectable. From 40<br />
days onwards, the pregnancy enters the<br />
foetal stage of development (the term<br />
embryo is used until day 39), at a 42<br />
day scan the start of the umbilical cord<br />
formation and the beginning of foetal<br />
activity can be detected. For those of<br />
you wanting to determine the gender of<br />
your foal, this can be reliably performed<br />
by transrectal ultrasound examination<br />
between 58-70 days post ovulation.<br />
Ultrasound detection of the genital<br />
tubercle, the precursor to the penis in the<br />
male and clitoris in the female is either<br />
detected under the tail in the case of a<br />
filly foal or behind the umbilicus with a<br />
colt foal.<br />
www.rossdales.com<br />
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Contact our BEVA approved team of dedicated stud vets to discuss your requirements<br />
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ROSSDALES VETERINARY SURGEONS, Beaufort Cottage Stables, High Street, Newmarket, CB8 8JS<br />
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BRITISH BREEDER| 57
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58 | BRITISH BREEDER
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BRITISH BREEDER| 59
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