HEAD AND COLOUR
“Mercury looks like he has a kind and gentle eye, with ears that are alert and sensitive,” says Lucy Blakey, who runs Ruskington Shire Stud with her father Nigel. “He has a Roman nose which is a typical trait of the Shire.
“As he is a roan, he would not be approved as a stallion – this colouring is not common for the breed,” adds Lucy, whose stud bred the late premium stallion Ruskington Hartley.
SHOULDERS TO QUARTERS
“Mercury has a nice short and muscular back, giving him strength” Lucy says. “Shires were designed and bred for pulling – for example carts for the breweries, towing barges along the canal, pulling wagons, as well as farming work.
“His shoulder slopes nicely so a collar would sit well, while his strong hindquarters would give him plenty of power to push into the collar,” Lucy explains. “I can see that Mercury is nice and deep in the body, implying his chest should be broad so that he has plenty of heart room.”
GENERAL IMPRESSION
“Overall, Mercury is ‘put together right’ and ‘well set’, as you may hear some judges say,” explains Lucy.
Denne historien er fra December 03, 2020-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra December 03, 2020-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Gemirande provides 24-carat magic
Venetia Williams sparkles again in the December Gold Cup and jockey brothers dead-heat
‘Happy hunting, everyone'
“The season for talks, dinners and parties has finally arrived for Tessa Waugh, whose distress about the snags of middle age fades away with some rousing festive spirits
'Monaco deserved this victory
Seemingly destined always to play the bridesmaid’s role, Harrie Smolders’ great partner Monaco finally tops an incidentpacked Rolex grand prix
'It had to end sometime'
The closure of beloved Hampshire saddlery Calcutt Sons is a loss to the hunting and wider equestrian worlds, as Octavia Pollock reports
'You couldn't want for more
The Ludlow's peaceful country makes for a day in \"hunting paradise\"
The greatest gift of all
Christmas is fast approaching and while we all like a bit of tinsel, the festive season is also a perfect time for giving to a horse charity. Niki Hinman finds out some of the options
Winter him well
A horse's winter routine can differ dramatically from his summer structure but what’s the knock-on effect? Ellie Hughes asks vets how to optimise routine management for the season
Neat feet
Excellent hoof care is a year-round concern but the winter months present their own problems. Richard Stephenson MRCVS explains the seasonal challenges afoot and how to stay one step ahead
In bygone days
Modern vets have much scientific knowledge behind them, but what about their forebears? Kieran O’Brien MRCVS opens up the world of Victorian vets in London
'When I joined the Pony Club it was just two boys and 48 girls'
Pepsi Kohler on being delightfully outnumbered by girls in the Pony Club, a leg-up from a royal and the H&H advert that changed his life
