Help & Advice

What to Wear for Horse Riding: A beginner's guide

Here is a beginner's guide to what to wear while horse riding including safety equipment, footwear and clothing to ensure you have a safe and pleasurable ride.

A Beginner's Guide to Horse Riding Safety Equipment

Here is a more in depth look at the safety equipment that you may need for horse riding including riding helmets and their standards as well as body protectors and back protectors.

A Guide to Horse Grooming

We have put together a guide to horse grooming from the brushes that are usually used to clipping and the types of clip that you can give your horse.

Horse Rugging Guide

We've pulled together a broad amount of information on horse rugging including why you may choose to rug your horse, the types of rug available and how to measure and fit a horse rug.

Dressage for Beginners

Just starting to think about dipping your toe into dressage or have you seen the 'dancing horses' on tv and want to know more in this guide we explain dressage from the basics of the sport to how you can go on to compete yourself.

Horse Supplement Guide

We've pulled together a general explanation of equine supplements, there uses and some of the key ingredients that you may need to look out for if you are looking to help support your horse whether they are in full competition, hack out or are retired.

Horse Bitting Guide

We understand that choosing the right bit for your horse can be a daunting task, so we've put together this guide to help you find a good starting point in changing your horse to their perfect bit. This guide includes information on cheek types, the various mouthpieces available, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Noseband Guide: Choosing the right noseband for your horse

The right design of noseband can make all of the difference to your time riding your horse, whether you are looking to gain extra control, increase comfort according to your horse's head anatomy, or subtly fine-tune your horse's way of going. Our guide covers the purpose of most common noseband designs and includes useful information on how they should be fitted.

Which Riding Boots are Right for Me?

From jodhpur boots to field boots and country boots, styles and technology within riding boots has developed dramatically within recent years, making the choice of which ones to invest in more challenging. Our Riding Boot Guide summarises the most popular designs on the market, from what is fashionable in each discipline, to how to measure.

What Do I Need to Care for My First Horse? - A Checklist of Essentials

Starting out with your first horse is a very exciting time, but knowing where to start in sourcing everything you will need to take care of them can be difficult. This guide covers all of the essentials you will need to ensure the well-being of your new horse, helping you to have fun, success and companionship with them for years to come.

Tack Cleaning Guide: How to Clean your Horse's Tack

Cleaning tack is no one's favourite job, but it is important to take good care of your equipment to ensure that it lasts, is safe, and looks presentable. Our guide to tack cleaning covers how to clean your leather and metalwork, with some top tips to make it much less of a chore!

Sweet Itch in Horses: Signs & Symptoms and How to Treat & Manage Them

Sweet itch is a condition where the horse suffers an allergic reaction to bites from midges, causing the horse to become very itchy. This guide identifies some of the main signs and symptoms of the condition, and advises on how best to prevent, treat and manage the condition.

Horse Girth Guide: Choosing the Right Girth for your Horse

Have you ever wondered how many marks in the white boards you may have lost or how many poles you have had down due to your choice of girth impeding your horse's performance? Lots of research has gone into how the right saddle can maximise the horse’s comfort, with many riders sparing no expense in bespoke fitting and custom-made designs, but it is often underestimated how much difference the right girth can make to the horse’s comfort and freedom of movement. With the rise in popularity of anatomical girths has come lots of innovative designs, and the rider is faced with so much more choice when selecting their girth than simply what size will be best.

The Best Stirrups for Horse Riding

Long gone are the days when everyone rode in traditional fillis irons – stirrup irons now come in all sorts of novel designs, intended to maximise safety, provide shock absorption, give extra stability, and enhance comfort. Different riders have different needs, depending on experience, history of injury, joint pain or weaknesses, and discipline. This guide looks at each part of the stirrup and the various innovations in design available, explaining why a particular feature may suit your riding needs.

Everything You Need to Know about Laminitis in Horses

Laminitis is an intensely painful condition where the laminae within the horse’s hooves are weakened, which can cause the pedal bone to move or even drop through the sole of the hoof. It affects 1 in 10 horses or ponies every year. Catching the signs early and treating it effectively gives the horse the best possible chance of recovery and a return back to ridden work. This guide covers the signs to look out for, what to do if you suspect laminitis, treatment and ongoing management advice.

Which Saddlepad is Best for my Horse & Their Saddle?

Saddle pads, also known as saddlecloths or numnahs, come in various shapes and sizes to suit all horses and their saddles. To the untrained eye, all of these pads may look very similar, but with a variety of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, linings and materials available, knowing which one is the best for your horse and you can be difficult. A saddle pad adds a layer between the horse’s back and the weight of the rider, with some materials wicking away sweat, providing shock absorption, or extra grip to help prevent the saddle from slipping, as well as keeping the underside of your saddle cleaner. Choosing the right style, size and type can be a minefield, so this guide unpacks the different types of saddlecloth available to help you start to build your horse's collection!

How to Protect Your Horse from Flies

We spend all winter looking forward to the summer, but with the warmer weather comes new challenges, and fly control is likely to end up a significant part of your summer routine – during your horse’s turnout, in their stable, and while they are being worked. Flies are irritating to your horse – their bites can cause reactions which present as lumps on the skin, and they can cause eye infections as well as sores on sensitive, thin-skinned areas. The good news is flies and the problems they cause can be kept at bay with good management, including using fly deterrents like fly spray or roll on ointment, a good fly rug (also sometimes called a fly sheet), a fly mask, a nose net or fringe for ridden work, fly boots and feeding anti-fly supplements. Read more about how to keep flies away from your horse here.

What's the Difference between Affiliated and Unaffiliated Competitions?

Maybe you’re thinking of stepping up from unaffiliated shows with your horse to affiliated and are wondering what the difference really is, or you’ve seen shows advertised as unaffiliated and are wondering what that means. Depending on the show, there can be very little or a huge difference! This guide explains the main differences to help you decide whether competing unaffiliated or affiliated is for you.

Fly Rug Guide: What's the Best Fly Rug for my Horse?

It’s finally time to dig out your summer wardrobe… for you and your horse! A fly rug is a summer essential – some horses can become very irritated by insects, and bites can cause reactions. If last year’s fly rug has seen better days, it may be time to invest in a new one, but with so much choice on the market it can be difficult to know which one is most suited to your horse’s needs. From waterproof fly rugs to sweet itch rugs, this guide looks at common features on various designs of fly rug to help you decide which will be the right one for you.

Fly Mask Guide: Which Fly Mask is Best for my Horse?

A fly mask protects the horse’s face and eyes from insects that can cause irritation and infection to these sensitive areas, so is an important addition to your horse’s turnout wardrobe in the summer months. From lycra fly masks to provide an extra secure fit, to those with nose coverings, ear coverings and UV filter technology, there are a multitude of different designs available. This guide covers the main common features you might want to look for in the fly mask you choose for your horse.

The Best Reins for Horse Riding: Choosing the Right Reins

Reins are an extension of the rider’s arm, allowing a clear line of communication from the rider’s hands to the horse’s mouth. If you want to ride your horse, they are an essential piece of equipment. Choosing the right material, design, thickness and length of reins can affect not only your comfort while in the saddle but also your horse's way of going, so making an informed decision on which ones are right for you is important. This guide breaks down different types of reins for horse riding that are most commonly seen currently, and the reasons why you might choose to ride in them.

Headshaking in Horses

‘Headshaking’ describes the horse tossing its head up and down, often combined with excessive snorting, tick-like movements of the head, attempting to bury the nose into the ground or an object, striking out at the face, and rubbing the face and specifically nostrils on the legs or on objects. The horse can exhibit these signs both during ridden work and at rest, in the field and stable, but may only headshake in certain environments or at specific times. In many cases, exercise exacerbates the headshaking. Does this sound like your horse? It may be that you own a headshaker.

Buying Your First Horse: Houghton Country's Top Tips

The time has finally come and you are ready to buy your first horse! This is a hugely exciting time for anyone who is horse-mad – you may have spent years waiting to be able to look for your first horse and are sure to have your matchy matchy colour scheme and activities for the months ahead planned. It is very important, however, not to rush into the purchase of your new horse – most buyers will view several horses before they find the right one, and it is rare the first one you go to try will be the most suitable one. Sometimes finding the right horse can take months. Remember that a horse is a huge commitment and once you have bought them, you may not be able to easily sell them on if you change your mind, so taking your time in finding the right horse for you is very important. Here are our top tips for making sure that you give yourself the best possible chance of making the most of the viewing and finding your perfect partner!

Poll Pressure Guide: What is poll pressure in bits for horses?

When the rider takes contact on the reins, a certain amount of force travels from the rider's hands, through the reins and onto the horse's bit and bridle. The way in which this pressure is ultimately dispersed depends on the bridle design and the type of bit the rider is using. As this guide explores, recent research has shed light on which parts of the horse's anatomy are affected by poll pressure - surprisingly, not just the poll! - and quantified how much poll pressure is exerted by common cheek types of bit.

The Guide to Protective Horse Boots

Horse’s legs are extremely vulnerable to injury. Common injuries include knocks and bumps from the horse’s other legs or from poles or solid objects that the horse is asked to jump, strains and tears to delicate soft tissue structures, and over reach injuries on the heels of the front legs. The consequences of these injuries can range from a small wound or mild lameness to a lengthy recovery, and in some unfortunate cases, the horse may never return to full work following an injury to the leg. To reduce the risk of these injuries, protective boots for horses can be worn during exercise, turnout and traveling. There are many different types of boots available, with different styles commonly chosen for different activities. This guide explains the purpose of different styles of boots, and when it may be worth giving your horse’s legs some extra protection.

How Waterproof is "Waterproof"? Houghton Country's Guide to Waterproof Ratings

As the saying goes, there is no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. We all know that venturing outside, whether it’s to walk the dog, care for or ride your horse, or run errands, in the depths or winter or on the wettest of autumn days can be testing to even the hardiest amongst us, but the right set of waterproofs can transform these days from a chore to another opportunity to spend time doing what you enjoy. Waterproof clothing comes with a rating that is quantified in millimeters and denotes how much moisture a garment can withstand before it starts to let water in. This guide outlines different waterproof ratings and what they mean, as well as breathability and technical features commonly found on waterproof garments, so you can choose the right waterproof jacket, coat or trousers to suit your needs.