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.
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
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
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
