Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

Sad news this week - we're paying tribute to Mary King's awesome trooper; Call Again Cavalier, who sadly was put to sleep last weekend after suffering from a suspected broken femur whilst competing in the Express Eventing competition.

H+P was lucky enough to meet the great Cavvy on several occasions, at competitions and at Mary's yard in Devon. He really was a special horse to her - Mary rode the 16-year-old bay gelding at Hong Kong this last summer in the Bejing Olympics on the GB team.

So here's H+P tribute to Call Again Cavalier:

Looking a cheeky chap, turned out enjoying his hols.

He might be on holiday but he was still a show off!

In action showjumping at Belton Horse Trials

Going cross country with Mary.

Hey!

I’m so happy to be back in the office now after slipping over and knocking myself out on the ice! Definitely not ‘Dancing on Ice’ style either!

Anyway, hopefully you and your fave ponies are all wrapped up as the colder weather comes in, fingers crossed for a white Crimbo.

Speaking of ice, did you know that Icelandic horses are perfectly capable of being ridden on ice, without slipping over? In fact they have performed on ice rinks in the UK! As the original horse of the Vikings, taken to Iceland over 1,000 years ago they have been pure bred ever since. Between 12hh and 14.2hh, the Icelandic horse has an extra gait – the TOLT, which is a four-beat running walk - some even have a two-beat lateral gait called the FLYING PACE, used for racing.

Never mind extra grippy shoes and salt for tackling the ice, I should just start riding everywhere on the sure-footed Icelandic horse from now on!