The January 2021 issue of Your Horse is on sale now and it’s packed with inspiring real-life stories, motivational riding ideas for you to try and the most up to date horse care advice. Plus the lowdown on new horsey gear and much more!

Where to buy it

What’s inside…

In our coronavirus special:

  • Real life stories of how horses have helped riders survive the pandemic
  • We ask vets and farriers how the pandemic has affected horse health
  • David Rendle MRCVS on why he hopes people’s understanding of infectious disease has improved due to Covid-19 — and what that means for equine flu

In Better Riding:

  • Virtual competing: why it’s a great way to add purpose to your riding and how to do it well
  • The physiological benefits to riding bitless plus bitless bridle guide
  • How to achieve impulsion, rather than speed, in a quick 30-minute session
  • Five great ways to make short sessions in the saddle, including interval training, hill work and hacking
  • 9 ways to keep jumping nerves at bay — exercises to try at home

In Horse Care:

  • Independent nutritionist Donna Case explains why seasonal weight loss is actually a good thing for a lot of horses
  • How the walk really works: biomechanics specialist Gillian Higgins breaks down this gait step by step, illustrating by her painted horses to show how the skeleton moves
  • New thinking in the veterinary world which is improving how vets handle horses, including how to calm a horse who is needle shy, scared of clippers or tricky to worm

In Winter Essentials:

  • Dodson & Horrell on feeding to support your horse’s immune system
  • The Linus boot range from Cavallo
  • The new magnetic leading system from GoLeyGo
  • Anpario discuss feeding natural oil-based supplements
  • How free access to a balancer helps counteract deficiencies in forage and grazing, by Horslyx
  • Saracen’s top tips for feeding to maintain condition on a poor doer during winter

In Ask The Experts, proudly sponsored by Spillers:

  • Arena eventing: remembering the course, improving your technique and making a smooth transition between the showjumps and cross-country fences
  • Equipilates: exercises for better hip mobility, alleviating joint pain and improving your pelvis function for a stronger position
  • Winter feeding: hay vs haylage, keeping topline and feeding carrots
  • Winter colic: choosing between euthanasia or surgery, what to do while waiting for the vet and simple management improvements to help avoid it

In Gear:

  • Long casual boots tested
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Buyer’s Guide to half-pads: including findings from a recent study into which support your horse’s back best

And not forgetting:

  • Thesis findings on how bedding and light levels affect horses’ sleep
  • Interview with Natalie McGoldrick MRCVS, the vet who has survived an arson attack and a harassment campaign that threatened to blight her life
  • TV presenter Jenni Falconer on her love for horses