Apprenticeship Open Morning at Lavant House Stables

Lavant House Stables in Chichester, West Sussex, is holding an Apprenticeship Open Morning tomorrow for teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 who are interested in having a career working with horses.

From 10am to 1pm, youngsters will be able to come to the stables, meet the horses, and the team who looks after them, as well as find out what a job working with horses entails.
The stables run a professional programme which enables those who enrol to work towards achieving NVQ levels 1 and 2 – which are equivalent to 5 GCSE's at grade C and above.
Some of the lessons will involve learning to ride the horses safely, and others will teach students stable management, providing them with valuable skills such as how to use and store horse equipment properly.

The Lavant House Stables even have horses and ponies for sale, so anyone who would like to own their very own equine might find their ideal animal.
However, if you do purchase a horse or pony, it is very important that you have a suitable stable to keep them in, a field for them to get the exercise and freedom they need to be happy, as well as the correct horse equipment with which to look after and ride them safely.
Dogwood London can help you find riding hats, saddles, boots, as well as other useful gear such as gloves, bridles, and horse rugs. Have a browse of the online store today!
Photo © will g via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

Moonwalking pony becomes YouTube hit

Any seasoned horse rider should be familiar with the rules of dressage. Defined by the Fédération Equestre Internationale as an activity where the "horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements", this competition is adored by many participants and spectators alike.
Although these events are usually best enjoyed live or on the television, I may have found a very entertaining variant recently while browsing videos on YouTube.

Three, a mobile phone company, has recently uploaded a clip onto the website which shows a Shetland pony pulling off some really snazzy moves. Dancing to Fleetwood Mac's 'Everywhere', the equine star only stops his moonwalk when someone drives past on a tractor.
As a rider wasn't involved in the pony's performance, I doubt we can really compare this video to dressage – but can you imagine this moonwalking equine in a competition? I bet the animal would do rather well!
Now that the video has gone viral – with more than a million hits since I started writing this blog – hopefully Three will give the pony a nice present, such as a new horse rug.
Closing the advert, the clip ends with the caption, "Silly stuff. It matters." – which is coincidentally what I try and write about when I do these articles...

Horses are ‘not just for Christmas'

Anyone who owns a horse knows they are more than just great pets. These animals make fantastic companions and looking after one is a fulfilling and rewarding process. Although keeping equines can often be costly and time consuming, the vast majority of owners are delighted with their animals.

With the festive season upon us, The British Horse Society (BHS) is reminding people that a horse ‘is not just for Christmas'. Reportedly, at least 1,600 equines are abandoned each year in the UK.

Although buyers may leave them for a variety of reasons, many horses could be being left to fend for themselves due to their often expensive livery costs.

In a statement published on its website, the BHS criticised an email circulated by equine retailers Horsemart. Reportedly, the company sent a message stating that "horses under £500 make great Christmas presents".

The BHS feels this was "irresponsible" and also suggested Horsemart may have been exploiting the animals for Christmas.

Horses, similar to all pets, require specialised care from knowledgeable and skilled owners. If someone is thinking about purchasing a new steed, the BHS recommends they seek advice from a reputable horse rescue centre.

These experienced organisations should be able to provide potential purchasers with lots of helpful information, such as how to attach a horse rug and necessary equestrian clothing.

Photo © breyeschow via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence

North Korean archaeologists discover "unicorn lair"

Apparently archaeologists in North Korea have "recently reconfirmed" the home of a unicorn.

I'm just going to let that sink in for a moment.

I came across this groundbreaking story after reading an article on the Guardian website. The organisation was reporting on a claim by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) which stated that the lair of King Tongmyong's unicorn had been discovered.

Reportedly, the ancient king founded the Koguryo Kingdom, which lasted until 668AD, and travelled about on one of these animals. Anyway, the archaeologists found the unicorn's home a short distance away from the North Korean capital Pyongyang.

The KCNA report states, "A rectangular rock carved with words 'Unicorn Lair' stands in front of the lair".

Although I may just be being overly sceptical, I don't think archaeologists have actually found proof relating to the existence of unicorns. However, if Kim Jong-un appears on international news riding one of these mythical animals, I will apologise for doubting the regime and may eat a horse rug as penance.

Photo © Rob Boudon via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence