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Jenna Copley writes about her experiences with the British tentpegging team on a recent trip to Pakistan. 

"So many people ask me 'what exactly is tentpegging?' The stock answer is that it is an ancient cavalry skill that involves using swords, lances and guns on horseback. However, I would describe it as probably the most fun you can have on a horse - it gives you an addictive high when you start hitting the targets.

Think mounted games (without the need to be flexible enough to vault!), and an almost childlike sense of fun. The use of real weapons also means this sport is one where the men are interested, there are almost equal numbers of men and women competing and you occasionally get to see the dishy Household Cavalry bachelors competing (the army announcers often handily point out when they are on the Tatler’s most eligible list).

However, it would be fair to say in the UK, the sport was dominated by women in 2012, and the boys will have to work hard to keep up in 2013.

On the 6-13 February I went out to Pakistan as part of the team of British riders taking part in a four nation challenge with South Africa, Pakistan and India. But India did not make it and so instead was replaced by a 'United Nations' team and Pakistan ended up with two teams, so was actually a five-team competition.

Pakistan may sound like a daunting place to visit, but we were well looked after by HRH Prince Malik Ata Muhammad Khan, a legend in his own right and a generous patron of the tentpegging (in Urdu “Neza Bazi”) sport.

I have to say Pakistan was bliss after leaving the ankle deep mud and freezing conditions of home. It was green, and warm with very few flies and almost no mosquitoes.

The horses were impressive, and we wondered why they often hobbled the back legs when on lines. We soon gathered that only stallions are ridden and therefore they are hobbled to stop them swinging round and kicking their neighbour. The amount of stallions kept in close proximity would be a logistical nightmare for the UK, but the Pakistanis had this down to a fine art.

The competition itself was fast and furious. All teams suffered the handicap of horses frequently changing, very few were static throughout the competition. Unlike showjumping, there was no warm-up and you had to jump on a new horse and run them when it counted, which meant the scoring was at times slightly erratic for all teams.

But the British acquitted themselves well with Jacky Chandler in the United Nations team bringing home a bronze in the pairs sword and a bronze in team sword.

Michael Smith and Gerald Nott brought home a bronze in pair lance and silver in team Indian file sword. Indian file is where you gallop one after the other and must pick up your allocated peg, without running into the horse in front or dropping your weapon!

Finally Tina Ricketts-Smith and I brought home silver for the Pairs Individual Lance and silver in Team Indian file sword.

This is the first time we have scored well in pairs, which is a big achievement as you are effectively competing against ten other pairs.

The real test is coming in March when the GB squad head off to India to compete in the FEI World Cup, where at the moment seventeen nations have confirmed participation."

Jenna 

Related links: Other

Janet Glander from Kent wrote to us about her very special veteran, Monty. 

"Twenty two years ago I took my life in my hands when I took on a fantastic but nutty six-year-old part bred Arab called Montego Bay from a local riding school.

I’d learnt to ride as a child and continued until my late teens, but with work and married life I didn’t return to riding until my early thirties. I’d ridden Monty in the school and out on hacks, where he was known for his speed, and others used to book him purely for this purpose. He was always a lively ride but there was something about him that clicked with me.

I was very novicey at this stage but people at the yard said we seemed we seemed good together. Even the farrier said Monty was better behaved since I’d been riding him. He was so fantastic to deal with on the ground that I began to fall in love with him. I was then given the opportunity to buy him and, after giving it great thought and discussion with my other half, I went ahead with the purchase and never looked back.

Monty and I had some massive arguments as we were both as stubborn as each other and sometimes I used to cry with sheer frustration, but could never let him know as how I felt as he was so clever. His bucks were handstands and he could chuck in the occasional rear from time to time, but he always caught me so I never fell off.

Gradually, through work and hacking, we came to realise that generally we liked the same things - yeehaaing round the countryside and a bit of light schooling. All schooling had to be done so Monty would think it was his idea, as a favourite trick was to run backwards very quickly if he didn’t like something. Hacking was brilliant, he had no trouble with traffic, combine harvesters, motorway bridges, over or under, knew when to stop at white lines - but would spook at a flower. The colour preference for spooking would change from year to year.

He’s still a spooky boy but it’s all fun in his eyes. A wonderful lady called Lynne then took us on and both of us came on in leaps and bounds as Monster, as he had become known by then, was very talented, and we started competing at dressage fairly successfully. Trouble was, we were never consistent as with my nerves and his naughty ways especially playing up when he had an audience, but we enjoyed competing at local shows. Our most fun was doing sponsored rides. He was absolutely fantastic at these and we had such great times.

Monty is now 28 years old with Cushing’s but he is still being ridden gently for up to an hour a few times a week and still has a canter and a buck, although he has slowed down considerably.

This is to say a great big thank you to him for bringing so much love and happiness to my life that I would never have dreamed of. He is such a special boy, well know for his intelligence and cheeky ways but he has never done anything to hurt human, horse, dog or whatever out of spite. He is so gentle with everyone but if anyone rides him and think they know better than him he will let you know that he is cleverer one.

I write this tribute knowing that our time together is getting shorter and we haven’t done outstanding things but I hope I have given him as good a life as he has given me."

Janet 

Would you like to write a one-off blog for H&C? Is there a topic in the horseworld that you really want to rant about? Something you want to get off your chest? Is there some aspect of horse-ownership that really makes you laugh? We'd love to hear from viewers who want to write a one-off guest blog post about everything and anything. Send a max of 400 words to webeditor@horseandcountry.tv, and we'll choose the very best to use on our site.

Rebecca wrote to us about her retired racehorse Bressbee, who won the famous Grosser Preis in St Moritz.

It's been almost a decade since my chestnut Thoroughbred Bressbee (Buzz), who I am slave to daily, ran at St Moritz. That day he became the only British trained racehorse to win the Grosser Preis, a race held on the frozen lake that forms the surface of their ice track. This is my account of the day.

'Buzz' oozed presence and power as he burst onto the track. His conker-coloured coat glowed like a torch against the snow. Dean’s silks, a vibrant green, yellow and red against the pure white background, were shimmering and rippling around his tiny frame as the two figures fused into one along the track.

Buzz looked magnificent, his figure cut through the crisp air, his warm breath billowed like a dragon breathing fire: he looked alive and ready. Ready for his run.

The familiar feelings of strength and determination washed over Dean, stopping all his fears dead in their tracks. Heading for the stalls, he felt no hesitation in Buzz’s stride; the quarter crack an irrelevance, not worth noting.

As the horses gathered around the rear of the stalls, Dean could not help but notice Number 1, Zatoof. The crowd had cheered him all the way down the track after his spectacular win here last year. He obviously had a strong fan base. The black horse overshadowed the field, his sheer size making him seem better than the rest.

Drawn third, Zatoof would sit nearer to the inside rail. Buzz, had been drawn wide at eighth and was further to the left side of the stalls making it a longer run for him. It was crucial that Buzz made the break to avoid the snow being kicked up in his face from the horses in front or the race could be over before it had properly begun.

The stall handlers started loading the runners into the stalls and one by one they popped in. Then came Buzz’s turn, he slipped quietly in. Calmness had taken over both horse and rider.

Dean tuned into Buzz’s steady breathing as he blocked all other sounds from his head. Buzz shuffled in the stall. Oblivious to the horses packed in on either side of him, the gleaming chestnut, focused forwards by his blinkers, looked across the glaring white snow to the mountains beyond. Ding! The bell sounded and the white metal stall doors sprang open, releasing the eager horses from within.

Launching forwards with a huge leap, Buzz made no secret of his intentions. He broke cleanly away from the stalls and only Zatoof ran ahead as they took those first crucial strides along the track. Getting into his stride Buzz had almost forgotten he was galloping on snow and ice. For the horses tucked in behind them, there was a continuous cloud of snow and flying ice, a constant reminder of where they were.

You can read Bressbee's full story here 

Related links: Racing

Melanie Hook wrote to us about the need to train our horses to be safe and sensible on the road.

"I wish people would take more responsibility for training their horses for today’s roads. As harness horse trainers, we teach young horses to be safe, confident and happy in traffic. 

It seems many carriage drivers try to avoid traffic, rather than training their horses better. We even encounter other harness trainers who don’t believe in training horses for traffic. But we all know vehicles can be found in fields (combine harvesters, scrambler bikes and so on), and not everyone has the luxury of their own manege, fields, or access to off-road tracks. 

When we're out driving, motorists will sometimes beep their horns in greeting; sometimes out of ignorance. Part of our training for harness horses involves me driving past with the horn blaring. In our opinion, if horses have experienced it during training, they are prepared should it occur later on in their driven career. 

I’ve seen a driving horse bolt because a car driver was crawling along parallel to the horse’s quarters, brushing the hedge on the side of the road and making a noise. The driver assumed it was their speed that caused the horse to spook and so pulled out even wider, exacerbating the problem and causing the runaway. You can’t say to a motorist “You passed too wide and too slow!” when this is what we tell them to do.

There are organisations that offer road safety training, however these are mainly focused on the human rather than the horse itself. I agree that there are inconsiderate car drivers just as there are inconsiderate cyclists, carriage drivers, riders, shop assistants and bank managers. Regardless of how polite you are, there will always be someone who is rude for no reason even if they do know better. 

I’m not saying we should stop educating motorists that horses are unpredictable and to pass wide and slow. We don’t want to encourage drivers to act recklessly - not only for our sake, but for that of other road users. But we should look at improving our horse’s behaviour too.

The sad truth is that the less people drive on the roads, the less motorists accept us as “road users”. This means they are more likely to get frustrated when they do see us on the road. I believe we should all strive for the highest possible standards, not only in competing, but in driving out on the roads."

Melanie

Would you like to write a one-off blog for H&C? Is there a topic in the horseworld that you really want to rant about? Something you want to get off your chest? Is there some aspect of horse-ownership that really makes you laugh? We'd love to hear from viewers who want to write a one-off guest blog post about everything and anything. Send a max of 400 words to webeditor@horseandcountry.tv, and we'll choose the very best to use on our site.

Related links: Horse advice | Carriage Driving | Other

Beverley from Nottinghamshire reflects on the progress she has made with her ex-racehorse, Duke:

 "Duke was stabled at the same yard as my horse. His feet were terrible, no farrier would shoe him unless he'd been sedated, and he had not been ridden for about a year.

I had been learning about horse behaviour and making great progress with Sprite. I wondered - could Duke overcome his issues and could his life be turned around? Could I help him and learn from him at the same time?

I asked his owners if they would sell Duke, and in no time at all I was the new owner of a 16.1hh ex-racehorse I knew little about.

Some things were obvious. His teeth were terrible, his back a mess and his feet shocking. Once these were addressed, I could start helping him with the other issues he had.

These included bucking, rearing, biting, kicking, panicking, plus nervous and aggressive behavour. He wouldn't load, he hated sprays, and he couldn't be clipped or tacked up. He was terrified of the vet, farrier, dentist, and back man, and being around other horses blew his brain. 

He would suddenly explode, dragging me around. it was hard keeping my adrenaline down and staying focused. I had never experienced anything like this before. His behaviour was unpredictable and erratic.

I started to see small changes in him, but his confidence and emotions were very delicate.

The first time I got on him he panicked, tried to buck, rear and run off all at the same time. He was biting himself, trying to bite me.

That’s when I needed help. I didn’t have the knowledge or confidence to go further. So I rang Mickey Gavin, my instructor, and arranged for us to to go there for a week.It was the best thing I could have done.  

Duke's issues are nearly all behind him now, we are making huge progress. My goal is for us to compete at dressage, not for the rosettes, but because it will be a massive acheivement in itself.

No matter how hard its been we never gave up. This horse deserves the best. He has overcome so much, and he now trusts people. I am very proud to be his partner."

Is there a topic in the horseworld that you really want to rant about? Something you want to get off your chest? Is there some aspect of horse-ownership that really makes you laugh? We'd love to hear from viewers who want to write a one-off guest blog post about everything and anything. Send a max of 400 words to webeditor@horseandcountry.tv, and we'll choose the very best to use on our site. Views do not necessarily reflect those of H&C.

Related links: Horse advice | Natural Horsemanship

Jenni Preston wrote to us about finding a balance between managing a laminitic horse, and giving him enough energy to work.

"Let’s just say that my horse Bob knows me inside out and, quite frankly, is too clever for his own good. I blame the native in him, his sharp wit has given him a big personality and his pony-like looks enable him to get away with murder, despite being a 15hh, 16-year-old gelding.

As a Welsh x Connemara he’s built to survive the harshest of UK weathers and live on fresh air, but this year it has gone against us as we’ve had our first experience of laminitis. It was a mild case and he’s now pretty much back to his normal workload, but this is where the problems have begun.  

Quite frankly I don’t know when he’s having me on and when he’s feeling sore. He’s been barefoot for the past eight years and his soles have become a lot thinner since his lamintis attack in May.  To add to this, he was never the swiftest of steeds, he’d watch other horses heat up at jumps with pure disdain and the thought of bucking or leaping, well, was just too much effort. Now that he’s had the summer off, he’s lazier than ever.  

Bob’s brain seems to be forever thinking up of ways to evade hard work, but is it because he’s just damn lazy or is he in pain? We walk out on a hack as if going to our deaths, but incredibly can walk back home in lengthened stride or jog trot. When I ride him in the school, it’s me who gets off sweating and out of breath, while he stands there cool, calm and collected, like the horse version of James Bond.

The problem with laminitis is that you have to leech every last bit of sugar from the diet, it’s incredibly hard to feed for energy – his soaked hay is offering little spark and practically every feed is a prohibited substance. Can I really blame him for not wanting to move? If I was asked to go to the gym on a no sugar diet, I’d want to spend my time in the Jacuzzi, not on the treadmill.

So my ‘get Bob moving’ campaign has now reached new levels. In the last week I’ve changed his diet, clipped him, he’s had an Equine Touch bodywork session and his feet have been done. What’s the betting once I get him moving, I’ll be complaining I can’t stop…"

 Is there a topic in the horseworld that you really want to rant about? Something you want to get off your chest? Is there some aspect of horse-ownership that really makes you laugh? We'd love to hear from viewers who want to write a one-off guest blog post about everything and anything. Send a max of 400 words to webeditor@horseandcountry.tv, and we'll choose the very best to use on our site. Views do not necessarily reflect those of H&C.

Related links: Horse advice

William Fox-Pitt answers questions in his first diary for Rolex, in a series of three between now and Badminton 2013.

Q. “You’ve had a tremendous season with wins in Kentucky, Team Silver at London 2012 and now a victory in Blenheim too. How do you feel it’s gone?”

A. “It’s been a difficult season for eventing to date mainly due to the weather, so I feel personally very fortunate to have had a successful season so far. I’ve been taking some good horses to all of these events which is ultimately what we aim for and also why I’ve had the success I’ve had this season.”

Q. “And what’s been the highlight of the season for you so far?”

A. “London 2012 is undoubtedly the highlight, nothing can compare to it. It was a unique experience that Team GB and all of the Olympians will never forget. To get a silver medal there was a fantastic feeling, and it is certainly the most memorable Olympics that I have ever competed in.”

Q. “What was it like winning your 50th three-day event at Blenheim in September?”

A. “It was exciting and I was especially relieved to have won the 50th before I’m 50! You start the season with your hopes and ambitions of what you’d like to win, but three-day events are always the difficult ones as there are lots of differing factors in play and so many things can happen. I’ve now won 4 three-day events so far which makes it a very good season for me. After a not so good start at Burghley for Seacookie, to bounce back and go so well round Blenheim was a great feeling.”

Q.” Your owners must be thrilled too?”

A. “Catherine and David Witt have had a fantastic season as well. They own three of my four winning horses – Parklane Hawk, Bay My Hero and Seacookie, so it’s been a successful time for them.”

Q. “How are all of your horses as you come towards the end of the season?”

A. “You always touch wood when you get asked how your horses are faring. They have all done well and I hope to have an equally strong team of horses for next year, however I’ve now been in the sport long enough to know it’s unlikely to be exactly the same string of horses as the previous year; you never know how it’s going to work out.”

Q. “Were you satisfied with your Burghley Horse Trials performances after having to pull out Sea Cookie?”

A. “Going into the Burghley Horse Trials, Seacookie was slightly underprepared and hadn’t really had the necessary runs he might need but I thought his previous experience there would make up for it, but he was actually not on top of his game which is why I pulled him up. Parklane Hawk though was fantastic even though he hadn’t had the best preparation either, so I was delighted with him to perform so well and finish third.”

Q. “How are your younger horses doing, such as Bay My Hero?”

A. “Bay My Hero is on good form and he ran particularly well in the Blenheim eight and nine-year-olds event. I’ve always really enjoyed riding him but it’s a great feeling to know he’s coming along so well and stepping up to the mark.”

Q. “Do you have any other horses coming through who are like Bay My Hero?”

A.”I don’t currently have anyone else that is at the same stage as Bay My Hero. There is a horse called Chilli Morning who is new to me and is a very exciting prospect. I also have a very nice young eight-year-old horse called Freddie Mac who is aiming for his first two star event so coming along very well.”

Related links: Burghley | Eventing | Olympics 2012

H&C's camera girl Katie Gormley gets to go on some great filming assignments. She creates all our Top Marks series, and during filming of an upcoming episode she received a bit of a helping hand from a certain Monty Roberts...

Katie says: "I was filming Kelly Marks recently during her first ever jumping lesson on 18hh Harry. Pat Burgess (the jumping coach legend) was giving the pair a lesson as Kelly wants to get Harry jumping in case they come across any obstacles when out Bloodhounding. They started out with a grid and Harry was picking it up really fast.

Monty Roberts was also there, giving Kelly some encouragement and wisdom from the sidelines. I had filmed a few different angles when Monty came up to me and said 'I can see it being a really nice angle from down here, from under the jump,' so I tried it, and I think I got the best shot of the day. Monty carried on giving me more tips throughout the day, which was great. He's had so much TV experience, and it was lovely to have his ideas."

Top Marks: Harry Goes Hunting will air in December on Horse & Country 

Related links: Monty | Natural Horsemanship

Tessa Heathcote from Warwickshire wrote to us about her struggle to find the right new horse.

"Over the past few years I have been looking to buy a horse for myself for general use. I offer a brilliant farm home with all the comforts any horse would like. I am nervous but not novice, and like to go hacking, on pleasure rides, to the beach, plus do some riding club and dressage competitions. I had the ideal horse on loan but his owner wanted him back and who could blame her as horses like Woody are impossible to find.

I have recently upped my effort to find the right one and have been to try many. On each occasion I have very carefully explained my situation and the seller has been made aware of my previous horrors. In the past few months I have been bucked off by a 'total gentleman', whipped round with on the road by a so-called 'perfect hack', reared up with by a 'complete schoolmaster' - and have now given up. I even put a very truthful wanted advert out there and the result of that adventure was being dumped on the road and generally traumatised.

The right horse must be out there somewhere and in the meantime my 21-year-old boy is keeping my eye in and helping to restore my confidence. In this day and age you cannot trust sellers to sell a genuine horse to you, and you end up taking your life into your hands while just trying out a horse."

Is there a topic in the horseworld that you really want to rant about? Something you want to get off your chest? Is there some aspect of horse-ownership that really makes you laugh? We'd love to hear from viewers who want to write a one-off guest blog post about everything and anything. Send a max of 400 words to webeditor@horseandcountry.tv, and we'll choose the very best to use on our site. Views do not necessarily reflect those of H&C.