First impressions are fantastic, here is a range of beauty products that are tailored to the specific needs of the hardworking rider; they are also totally 100% natural and contain aromatherapy oils and fragrances, so no nasty chemicals.
Packaging is neutral, yet elegant and the quirky product names such as ‘lip balm for lippy riders’ are great fun.

Still Pony Mad Oats Aromatherapy Gift Set

Upon using the products, I found that they were luxurious, soothing and did exactly what they said on the tin!
I would especially recommend the ‘hand cream for outside hands’ which was intensely moisturising and absorbed really quickly without any greasiness, so was easy to use. It contains ‘Calendula’ which makes it especially good at healing even the roughest hands and repairing all those little scratches- it also smells absolutely divine!
I would give this product a four out of five, as it is a beautiful gift, but retailing at £32.45 means it is one best kept for a special occasion.
Visit www.ivriders.com to purchase, and see the whole range of fantastic products they have to offer.

Townend completed a memorable season by taking the HSBC FEI Classics series, succeeding his Great Britain colleague William Fox-Pitt as winner of the £92,000 jackpot.

Townend and his 14-year-old grey Carousel Quest could not add Les Etoiles de Pau to the Burghley and Badminton titles they landed earlier this year; but the Yorkshireman has now won more than £300,000 in major prize money during the past 12 months.

The 26-year-old will head to Kentucky next April chasing a £213,000 Rolex Grand Slam jackpot, which is awarded to any rider winning consecutive Badminton, Burghley and Lexington four-star events.

The feat is so demanding that only one rider – Britain’s Pippa Funnell – has previously achieved it.

Sunday’s show jumping test was maybe a round too far for Townend, who had 28 jumping and three time faults, dropping him down from clear overnight leader to eighth place.

Breisner was quick to acknowledge his outstanding run of result,.”Oliver is a very talented rider – he has that competitive streak about him,” he said.

“There is a great depth of horses and riders at the moment. We have the gold medal-winning European team from Fontainebleau this year, plus Mary King and Imperial Cavalier, and the young riders.”

Townend hopes that Carousel Quest has thrust himself into the selection plans of Breisner for next September’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Photo credit: Ian Lamprell

The final British line-up will not be confirmed until next July, but Townend has an outstanding chance of making America, either on Carousel Quest or his Badminton champion Flint Curtis.

“I always thought I could win, but maybe not so quickly,” said Townend, of his HSBC triumph.

Townend could afford to have one fence down and still win in Pau, but a significant number of faults dashed his hopes.

It could not though take away the sense of satisfaction at winning an overall HSBC series that features events at Lexington, Badminton, Luhmuhlen, Burghley and Pau.

“I’ve had a fantastic year. My horses have done me proud, and they will now have a winter’s break before returning next spring,” said Oli.

So following an expensive MRI scan to detect the problem, he has undergone Stem Cell treatment- which is his best chance of recovery. Previously knowing little about this innovative treatment, I have done some research in aid of all those who may experience this in the future.

Scientists (and vets) have been getting injured equine athletes back on their hooves with pioneering stem cell therapy since 2007; when researchers unravelled the potential of stem cells in the repair and treatment of damaged tendon tissue.

Some of the most devastating injuries and diseases of performance horses are now treatable thanks to high tech stem cell therapy. Stem cells, for the first time, offer the prospect of a return to a fully functional tendon.

Like human athletes, competitive horses are vulnerable to joint injuries, especially to the tendons. Performance horses are often pushed to their limits and this can lead to tendon or ligament injury. Injury to tendons is healed by extensive scar tissue, which limits the tendon’s normal role. The scar tissue impairs movement and is stronger than normal tendon, so does not stretch in the same way as normal tendon. In turn, this is likely lead to permanent lameness.

However, by using new techniques to reduce the scar tissue formation caused by injury, and even regenerate damaged tendons, which is notoriously difficult in horses, can lead to complete recovery. Stem cell treatment is unique as it uses tissues to grow more tendon-like cells.

So far so good! ‘Jack’ is back home, recovering well, with just a pinprick scar and a foot bandage to show for his ordeal. The stem cells were taken from his bone marrow in his sternum, and then injected into his lower heel (where the tear has taken place.)

I will keep you posted on his recovery!

Abbey

Hooked on Horses