Equine fun in the sun (long may it continue!)
Bringing you local equestrian news, reports, results and photos
Hello everyone,
April has started well. A wee bit of sunshine goes such a long way! It’s still a bit chilly, but one step at a time… Equestrian Centres, who have run indoors throughout the winter are taking the opportunity to move outside and those who usually run outside are delighted to see a dry spell! It is, of course, a pleasure to have indoor facilities at our disposal, but there’s nothing quite like riding in the fresh spring air…
It’s great to see competitors at all levels out jumping, with Working Hunter, as well as unregistered and registered show jumping attracting good numbers of talented participants. With the Northern Ireland Festival only a matter of weeks away and Balmoral Show not long after, many combinations are out to qualify for these challenges - best of luck to you all!
Before we go any further, have you made plans for this Saturday? If not, here’s a horsey outing to consider - Antrim Chase is running a Special Ride Out at Shane’s Castle Estate, Antrim, in aid of NI Hospice. So you could go and enjoy both the fabulous surroundings and your horse and, at the same time, help to raise funds for this worthy cause!
Antrim Chase to host charity ride at Shane's Castle
Antrim Chase looks forward to holding a Special Ride Out this Saturday, April 5 at Shane’s Castle Estate, Antrim, in aid of NI Hospice.
This Horse&Field newsletter brings you the latest equine news, as well as reports, results and pictures from local competitions and events over the past week or so, including the first week of the Working Hunter league and NIF Qualifiers at Hagans Croft; the latest endurance news from ILDRA’s recent rides; training with Causeway and Glens Riding Club; show jumping training show action from Connell Hill; the show jumping league finale at Ecclesville; the SJI Spring League at Connell Hill and details of how to be in with a chance to win two tickets to the legendary Badminton Horse Trials!
Something for everyone at Hagans Croft Working Hunter
Saturday, March 29 saw the start of Hagans Croft’s Working Hunter League and NIF Qualifiers. With additional classes added across the five-week league, from cross-poles to 1m classes for horses and ponies alike, whether you are wishing to qualify for the Northern Ireland Festival, wishing to gain more mileage before Balmoral or just wanting to give Work…
ILDRA's 2025 Endurance Season gets underway
ILDRA (Irish Long Distance Riding Association) had a delayed start to 2025 due to the widespread and devastating effects of Storm Eowyn across many of the venues regularly used by ILDRA for running pleasure rides (PRs), vetted pleasure rides (VPRs) and competitive trail rides (CTRs). With the delayed start, riders were keen to get back out again at ride…
Busy times for Causeway and Glens club
Causeway and Glens Riding Club hosted training this week with thanks to the funding received from the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council toward the “Causeway Festival of Learning”.
Randalstown rider 'reins' at Connell Hill
Saturday, March 29 saw Connell Hill competitors exit the indoor school and spring forward to take on some outdoor jumping at the Randalstown venue!
Super sibling successes at Ecclesville
The final of the second of Ecclesville’s Show jumping Leagues for 2025 was held on Friday, March 28 and it was again very competitive. The qualified competitors were definitely up for the challenge of Raymond Caldwell’s courses, as they twisted and turned to achieve the fastest times possible!
Kathryn takes the win at Connell Hill SJI Spring League show
Connell Hill held another round of their SJI Spring League on Thursday, March 27, with classes from 80cm up to 1.30m.
Test your nutrition knowledge and win Badminton Tickets
Spring is in the air and SPILLERSTM is celebrating the season of renewal by rewarding horse owners for their equine nutrition knowledge with the chance to win two tickets to the legendary Badminton Horse Trials (May 7-11, 2025). To enter, simply complete a short quiz focused on spring grass and weight management. Scores of 7/10 or higher will be entered…
Just click anywhere on this email to open the Horse&Field page or click on any individual story to read it in full and see the fantastic images that accompany each of them!
Feel free to like the stories and share the links and do follow Horse&Field on Instagram: horseandfield2023 and, please note, the podcasts are now available on Spotify, as well as on the Substack page!
Further details on the above and more are available by clicking on the stories or visiting Horse&Field and having a scroll through - there are now over 1,000 articles to choose from, with a search facility to find what you wish to read!
The Horse&Field calendar lists local equine activities and is updated on a daily basis. We are trying to make the calendar as comprehensive as possible and it currently lists shows and events right up until the spring, so if you know of any events that aren’t yet listed, please let us know by emailing: horseandfield@gmail.com!
Horse&Field Calendar
Calling all horse enthusiasts! As the seasons change, so does the equestrian calendar, filled with exciting events and competitions that bring the equestrian community together.
To new subscribers, welcome! You will receive this newsletter twice each week, as well as occasional emails in between - we want to keep you informed, but do not want to overload your inbox!
Please remember that Horse&Field will be updated on a regular basis and you can visit it at any time to find out what is happening. If you wish, you can download the Substack app; you can search online for: horseandfield.substack.com or, if you are subscribed, just click on the email.
If you have any articles or photos to contribute, queries or suggestions, or if there is someone you think deserves to be featured in Horse&Field, please do send an email to horseandfield@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!