Blog posts of '2017' 'December'

This month only, we are offering the following specially selected supplements with 50% extra free: ExtraFlex HA with Rosehips (2.7kg) This is our highest specification joint supplement which maintains supple joints. ExtraFlex provides Glucosamine HCl and Chondroitin Sulphate, which are joint health ...

Do you make New Year resolutions? Or does the very thought just make you feel guilty before you start? Let’s be realistic – most of us aren’t going to suddenly improve our dressage scores by 50% or find that we perform much better over 1.20m courses than we do over 80cm ones. If you do, please share...

Over the colder months, looking after your horse’s hooves is particularly important, as they have to deal with a lot of adverse conditions - standing for longer in stables, hard frozen ground, and wet, muddy fields. These can all be detrimental to hoof health, leading to shoe loss, cracks, and other...

I cannot believe that Christmas is almost upon us.  Is the Joppe household ready for the festivities and the guests and parties that go with it?  Not a chance!  I do, however, have an Advent calendar for the horses and some wonderful Herbalicious treats which I am afraid they have already started on...

Behavioural issues are certainly more prevalent over the winter. In general, horses are stabled more, and exercised less, and so can have more ‘pent-up’ energy. Cold weather and wind or rain can make horses more ‘on their toes’, especially if they are freshly clipped! People are also more likely to ...

At 6.30am on 25^th December, I’ll be preparing the first meal of the day. So will lots of others, but we won’t be following recipes from Delia, Nigella or Jamie – we’ll be making morning feeds. Welcome to Christmas Day for horse owners, where carrots are sliced so the recipients won’t choke on them r...

As the weather takes a turn for the worst and day light hours fade, the majority of horses have to spend much more time in their stable. For some horses, this is a welcome respite from the wet and chilly nights, but for some it can lead to problems. One such common issue is ‘fat legs’ - where a hors...

It’s said that a horse is worth whatever someone is prepared to pay. In the case of Marsha, the four-year-old Thoroughbred who last week became the highest price horse ever sold at auction in Europe, that was 6 million guineas. Say it slowly. That’s £6.3 million, nearly ten times more than the mare ...

Since my last blog work has recommenced with the horses.  Chiara and Wizard started work three weeks ago and Fantom about a week ago.  Dilmun, on the other hand, is destined to have a rather long holiday and won’t be brought back into work until February as it would be impossible for me to have four...

In the winter, adverse weather conditions often mean that horses have to live in more, often stabled for the majority or even all of the day. A major challenge for horses that are stabled is to keep their respiratory system healthy. Horses that spend a lot of time inside have greater exposure to dus...

There are times when we all need advice, and most people in the horse world are generous about giving it. Unfortunately, that sometimes causes more problems than it solves. The old carrots controversy is back in circulation, with some people worried that if they feed more than two carrots per feed, ...

Good evening, It really has been a while since you have heard from me, but we have been through some difficult times here at Castle Hill Stables and I wanted to wait a little while before putting hoof to paper. As I am sure you all know, racing and Castle Hill lost a monumental man in Patrick Has...