Happy new year to you all!

Sarah and Tippy here:

Sorry, that I haven't been in communicardo for sooo long! I was poorly just before Christmas. I got that stomach bug, which seems to have been hanging around causing havoc with people's insides, and I felt like I was going to explode!

Anyway, for a catch-up - massive congrats to H+P's very own William Whitaker. He retained his Olympia Puissance title! He shared the first prize with cousin Ellen after they both jumped clear into the fifth round of the high wall competition. All-in-all a brill way to end the year for William.

Well done William!

Also, I want to give a shout-out to jockey Hayley Turner (as she comes from near where I do!) who recently became the first female jockey to ride 100 winners in a season. She's really had to battle to prove her worth against the fellas and truly deserves to keep riding top racehorses.

Tippy had a particularly cheeky Christmas. It turns out she's learnt a trick from her old mate Gizmo! A couple of years ago I noticed the big chap, walking from hay pile to hay pile in the field and weeing on each in turn, so his field companion Ollie wouldn't want to eat the hay. Disgusting I know! Well, it turns out a certain Tippy has been doing the same - so poor old Poppy doesn't get any hay. Poor Poppy; who needs friends like Tippy?

Tippy isn't sharing her food with anyone!

Hi everyone

Hannah here:

Hope you all had a good Christmas!

“He’s behind you…!” Familiar words to Panto's newest star, Sparky the Welsh pony, who has been wowing audiences at the King's Theatre in Southsea.

However, Sparky has not just become a stage star, he is drawing crowds to The Phoenix pub, close to the theatre, where he has set up stable in a room at the back of the building, usually used for playing pool! Regulars at the pub have been helping Sparky keep up his strength for his Cinderella performances by feeding him loads of carrots. Apparently people have even been wandering into the pub and asking, “is it true you’re the pub with the horse?”

Pulling Cinders’s carriage off to the ball is only one of Sparky’s claims to fame and he seems firmly settled in the pool room at the pub, being no trouble at all for the landlords. With so many fans it may be hard for Sparky to leave behind his celebrity lifestyle and swap the spotlight for sunlight (well, if we ever see the sun again!)

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!

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.

Hi guys

Sarah and Tippy here:

Tomorrow (Sunday, November 30) sees the first ever indoor eventing comp - the concept Express Eventing will showcase dressage (freestyle to music), showjumping and cross country indoors. Big names have signed up to take part in the competition at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff so it should be a mega event with the likes of Tina Cook, Mary King, William Fox-Pitt, Mark Todd, Bettina Hoy, Nicolas Touzaint and more.

As part of a warm-up competition for the event; former Strictly Come Dancing star Jodie Kidd is going to be riding in a show-down showjumping comp against her mate Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. The ladies are experienced riders but not regular showjumping faces so it should make for an eventful competition. The question is, who will win?

Former 'Strictly' star Jodie models the Musto clothing the top eventers will wear in the Express Eventing comp. (Photo: Adam Fradgley)

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson took a practice lesson at Cardiff Riding School with eventers Mark Todd and Oliver Townend. While the guys will be competing in the main event, Tara will be jumping against Jodie Kidd. (Photo: Adam Fradgley)

Peeps, I have some very exciting news!!!! I have a new horse. He is called McVity and he’s a massive 17hh. He is very cute and I really like him already, although we have only had him a week or so.

I am just hacking him out and getting used to him at the moment. Better still, my mum likes riding him too so he is going to be ours to share. This is good because it means we can share the work a bit too - always helpful but especially so while the weather is so horrible and there is so much to do.

There’s a pic of him below although it’s not great – I took it this morning before I came to work and I think he thought I was a bit crazy!

I’ll keep you all informed of my progress with him.

Hey guys

If a cute puppy is top of your Christmas list then your luck could be in! Top band McFly, are supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust this Christmas by helping Andrex® launch a special Andrex® winter puppy – sorry peeps not the real thing like you see in the commercials but an uber cute stuffed toy (please see the piccy below confirming cuteness, and before you ask I’m talking about the toy, not Harry -although he is a fitty!).

Sooo cute! The pup's are mega cuddly.

The proceeds from this limited edition pooch will be going to the help support children and teenagers fighting cancer. The charity hopes to raise enough money over the coming months to build specialist units in hospitals to give patients the best chance of beating the disease. The find out more about the work Teenage Cancer Trust does visit their website www.teenagecancertrust.org

The pup will be on sale with special packs on Andrex® loo rolls and also online at www.andrexpuppy.co.uk

Hi everyone

The wonderful Will Young has just shot the video for his next single ‘Grace,’ out on Dec 1, and he’s gone all horse-tastic!

But there’s more… the horse in the video isn’t just any old nag, no, it’s one of Hollywood’s most famous equines in movie history, a.k.a. Vandal, - Mel Gibson’s noble charger from the five-times Oscar winning film, Braveheart!

Vandal also starred as Black Beauty in the most recent film. Will’s video was filmed at a South London equestrian centre and Will even wears jodhs and a showjumping jacket to tackle some challenging fences.

He told H+P exclusively, "I found the riding challenging but hugely enjoyable. I rode as a child and recently took it up again, I'm really enjoying it – I had some extra lessons before the shoot too. I'm still finding my way and I'm sure it's clearly visible in the video that I'm not a pro-rider just yet, but I had such an enjoyable time filming that it's totally renewed my enthusiasm in riding." Go Will!

Although apparently Vandal, the A-list neddy, got even more attention than Will on set. Never mind Will, the single is awesome and it’s out in time for Xmas so start making those lists.

Will and Vandal try a trot.

Will seems to be struggling with his jodhpurs!

The gorgeous Vandal got more attention than Will on set.

Will looks at home in his riding gear.

Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1agz_QGfv1U

Hey everyone

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me! I’ve been off doing photo shoots and interviews - meeting up with top Western Youth rider Ralph and his gorgeous horse Rap’s was def one of the highlights! Watching and learning all about the Western way was amazing, I managed to see one of the top reining experts in action, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse move so quickly in an indoor arena! You guys will have to wait until it comes out in the mag, but trust me you won’t want to miss it!

Brrr it’s been sooo cold lately, I seem to be living in my coat at the moment, unless someone tries to prise it off me…!

Finally I had to add this: do you remember my blog on Fat Boy, the drunken pony? Well it seems tipsy horses are becoming more common…! A drunk horse in Romania was arrested for being over the limit.

Police officers were alerted to the horse when the cart it was pulling looked out of control and hit a man sitting on a nearby bench. Police tested a sample of the horse's blood and were left scratching their heads when it came back positive for alcohol. Vets said it was the first time they had been asked to test a horse. According to local paper reports, police believe the horse was given alcohol to make it appear stronger and healthier to fetch a better price at a local fair, now I bet that’s something you don’t see everyday!

Byeee!

Hi peeps

Sarah and Tippy here:

I hope you are all enjoying your half term break and managing to get plenty of horsey stuff done. Tippy was paid a visit by the equine dental technician a couple of days ago. The good news is she has a very healthy set of nashers for her age. Dee, the dentist, says she's doing well to still have all her teeth - we've just got to start cleaning between her front incisors with an old toothbrush! As Tippy is getting a bit long in the tooth, there are little gaps between them where food gathers - yuk!

On another note - one of Tippy's old field mates won the 138cm Charles Owen Pony Racing Final at Aintree Racecourse last Saturday. Tippy used to live with Goldborough Moonlight Mist (Moonlight for short) when Moonlight first left her mum as a foal. I guess it's Tippy who first taught her to gallop! Tippy was pretty fast when she was younger. So, a big well done to Hector Worsley and Moonlight for winning the championship!