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Monday, February 25, 2013

BHS campaign aims to prevent horse riders from suffering traffic accidents


Although according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) many horse riders do not particularly enjoy taking their animals on the roads, sometimes they have no choice. Coming into contact with vehicles can be dangerous, especially because loud noises or fast moving objects can panic steeds – potentially resulting in a traffic accident.
According to the British Horse Society (BHS), approximately 3,000 collisions involving horses and other road users occur annually. While individuals can take various precautions to prevent themselves from suffering injury during an accident – such as purchasing a suitable riding hat – the BHS has conducted an advertising campaign which might help keep people safe on the roads.
The scheme, which took place within Lanarkshire in Scotland, involved attaching posters to the backs of ten buses. Running over a four week period, the "Hit the brakes, not my horse" campaign hopefully affected motorists – persuading them to slow down and give riders plenty of space.
It has been reported that the scheme was well-received by the majority of equestrianism participants. Furthermore, if the number of traffic accidents involving horses decline in the area, other locations could adopt similar campaigns – hopefully keeping individuals safe on the roads.
Photo © Bill Ward's Brickpile via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Donkey's braying foils thieves


If you are a regular follower of this blog, you've probably noticed that I tend to write about matters related to horses. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering that we provide equestrian clothing – but today this article is going to be a bit different.
I thought for a change I would write about donkeys, or more specifically, a 10-year-old donkey named Xavi. This poor animal was recently stolen when a group of thieves attempted to rob a general store in Juan de Acosta – a town located in the north Caribbean.
Approximately 12 hours before the theft, the criminals stole Xavi so they would have something to carry the illegally-obtained items away on. At first, it appears the theft went quite well, the group had taken supplies such as oil, tuna cans, and rum, and were placing the goods onto the donkey.
However, unfortunately for the thieves, Xavi then started braying – which attracted the attention of local police officers. Choosing to run, the group abandoned Xavi as well as their ill-gotten gains and fled from the crime scene.
Following the botched robbery, all the stolen items were returned to the merchant and Xavi was reunited with his rightful owner.
As for the thieves, I'm sure they learnt a valuable lesson – crime never brays.
Photo © M Francis McCarthy via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

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Monday, February 11, 2013

Horse riding could help internet addicts

The internet is truly a wonderful thing isn't it? Just imagine, if this technology did not exist, you would be unable to view this blog. In fact, none of these articles would ever get written!

However, it has been suggested that many children in South Korea could be using the internet excessively, with an estimated 680,000 kids between the ages of 10 and 19 "addicted" to the net.

In order to help these individuals deal with their web obsession, some are receiving an unusual form of therapy – horse riding.

According to Sky News, one patient, who previously used computers for seven hours each day, managed to get over her addiction by turning her attention to horses. After thinking about how to improve her riding technique and caring for these animals, she apparently lost interest in the internet.

Although I am no medical expert, it appears individuals may be able to get over their web addictions by forming emotional attachments with the real world – in this case, equestrianism.

The Korean Riding Association is hoping to open up 30 more "therapy centres" by 2022 in order to help patients deal with their various obsessions. Personally, I wish the group all the best.

Now that you have finished reading this blog, perhaps you should take a break from computers. Why not don your equestrian clothing and go for a ride instead?

Photo © mandiberg via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

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Friday, February 8, 2013

Are increasing numbers of students turning to equestrianism?

During university, I think I was quite a restrained student. Although I visited the pub on regular occasions, my alcohol consumption was always quite sensible. Instead of spending copious amounts of time at the bar, I joined societies, clubs, and other organisations.

Consequently, I think I experienced university life to the full – without drinking to excess.

Enough of the nostalgia, what does this have to do with equestrianism?

I read an article on the Guardian website recently which suggested increasing numbers of students were abandoning binge drinking and instead taking part in other pursuits. A spokesman from Leeds University said, "We've noticed in our bars and clubs that students are drinking less when they are out."

He added, "Although night-time drinking may be less popular, we have seen a significant interest in membership to our clubs and societies, so students participating in a massive range of activities with their friends from skydiving to equestrianism and everything in between."

It appears, as other universities are allegedly reporting similar trends, that increasing numbers of students could be taking up horse riding instead of hitting the town. If so, this can only be a good thing.

Having said this, I hope these students can afford proper equestrian clothing, such as riding hats and boots. After all, I can remember struggling to pay both my heating and electricity bills...

Photo © Sterling College via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Harsh weather conditions disrupt events

Last year was undoubtedly a great year for equestrianism – especially considering the Olympics inspired many individuals to pull on a pair of riding boots and learn how to ride. Although 2012 was always going to be a hard act to follow, this year has so far been quite disappointing.

Allegedly, the weather has led to many cancellations across the UK. Either faced with floods or snow, some events, such as show jumping and dressage, have been called off.

Although many individuals may have been expecting disruption during the winter months, the British Horseracing Authority states that 21 fixtures have been called off so far. To put that into perspective, the same number were cancelled during the whole of 2011.

While 2013 may be turning into a bad year for horse racing, fans of equestrian clothing could be delighted with an introductory deal from Dogwood London. We currently have a temporary offer on Kingsland products – with 25% off the marked price.

These quality clothes should keep purchasers warm and comfortable whilst staying stylish. Why not check them out today? You could grab yourself a bargain.

Photo © Paolo Camera via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

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