July 2024 Issue

How often have you considered your horse’s sleep routine? Admittedly, we hadn’t given it a lot of thought either. But this issue we’re yet again reminded that one of the best things about our job, and there are lots of them, is the opportunity to speak to experts in their field who share their amazing knowledge, expanding ours in the process. And so it was that speaking to Anna Haines made us think back over our horsey experiences thus far and reflect differently on many of them, realising that strange bumps and odd behaviour could, quite easily, have been linked to a lack of quality sleep. Much as we all feel better for the right amount of rest, so do our horses, and there’s plenty of ways we can facilitate that, as Anna explains.

Whether your passion is to compete in dressage, showing or showjumping, or you’re simply looking to fine-tune the foundations for a more enjoyable ride, our experts have all the tips and tricks you need to know. From ringcraft and etiquette advice to easy exercises that’ll help boost your scores, there’s something for everyone.

It’s not every day that you’re holding the reflector to get the lighting just right on a 5* winner’s portrait for the cover of a magazine. But last month, after spending the afternoon with Gemma Stevens, that’s exactly what Assistant Editor Sarah found herself doing. Chilli Knight knows he’s a star, and we think you’ll agree he makes a brilliant cover model. Meanwhile, it was fascinating to chat to Gemma about her career – from riding school to British Team pathfinder, and even the Hickstead Derby, it’s an amazing story that she shared with us. Possibly the most amazing part of the day, though, was meeting one of the three Chilli Morning clones, Quattro, who’s based with Gemma – we’ll certainly be watching him, and his ‘brothers’ as their careers progress.

All this and so much more in July Horse&Rider – on sale now!