Most of us love our horses and now, as we've long suspected, it seems they might really love us back and not just the feed bucket in our hand! Human friends may come and go, but a horse could be one of your most loyal, long-term buddies if you treat it right, suggests a new study....

Competitors were greeted with brilliant sunshine on the first day of the Saddleworld Dressage Festival, a welcome change from previous years! The weather was hot and so was the competition, with several very close contests in some classes and some impressive performances. Competition started early in the day with the International Animal Health 6yo Young Horse class which saw a win to the well performed buckskin stallion Linbil White Russian and Linda Williams, ahead of Flashazz and Lydia Jackson from Tasmania. ...

Fifteen Para-Equestrians from five different countries have secured a share of a €25,500 London 2012 training grant from Eurovestech plc, the pan-European development capital fund. Three riders from Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Poland and Russia will use the grants to fund their training, with London 2012 Paralympic qualification as their major goal. ...

Mary King (GBR), who recently claimed 150,000 USD after becoming this year’s HSBC FEI Classics™ champion, is celebrating yet again after clinching a 50,000 USD bonus as the HSBC Rankings leader at the end of the 2011 season. King, who celebrated her 50th birthday in June of this year, will be presented with her prize at the British Equestrian Writers’ Association annual awards lunch on 15 December at the London International Horse Show in Olympia (GBR)....

Applied Posture Riding is a program specifically designed for Horse Riders. Applied Posture Riding trains the rider. In a nutshell it is a program to train the horse rider for riding by training the horse riding muscles and posture. Every horse rider has a weakness or tightness that affects their riding, nearly every rider suffers back pain, as well, due to the loading on the back just caring for horses. Every horse rider has a job that affects their riding posture. Many know their posture is bad but don’t know how to fix it. ...

It's that time of year again when we are all seeking perfect gifts for loved ones and those who are little trickier to buy for, are usually the last ones left on our list! For a personalised Christmas gift with all the classic charm and elegance of the Outback, Alphabet Country Letter Art helps bring your imagination to life...

Ranvet’s Topline FX® is an exclusive complete protein, amino acid, mineral and vitamin supplement combined into a single pellet, whereby you add your own grain and chaff to control the growth rate and muscle development. Ranvet’s protein supplements provide high levels of essential amino acids, which promote muscle development, growth and the release of metabolic hormones such as insulin and growth hormone. High levels of certain amino acids also play a role in the immune response. ...

Cooma NSW is once again hosting the annual Snowy Mountains Showjumping Festival, which will run from 3 - 8 January 2012. A new addition for the event will be a hack show on the Thursday. The 2011 event was huge, so be sure to come along and join in the fun in 2012. Showjumping entries close 8.00pm 28 December 2011. ...

Kiwi para-dressage riders face one of their biggest tests yet as this weekend they attempt to qualify a New Zealand team for the 2012 Paralympics. Four riders will go head to head against a team from Australia at the 2011 3* Para-Dressage Competition, which is being held in conjunction with the Saddleworld Dressage Festival in Werribee, Australia. If successful, it would be the first time New Zealand has ever had a team at the Paralympic Games, which are being held straight after the 2012 Olympics. Oceania, which includes New Zealand, Australia and many other countries around the Pacific, has just one slot available. ...

New Zealand Equestrian legend, Mark Todd, has been nominated for New Zealand Sportsman of the Year. Following his win in the three day Badminton Horse Trial in April, where he beat several of the world's best eventers, Todd received this nomination. In addition to his many other achievements, Todd has won back to back gold medals and we think he deserves to win Sportsman of the Year! Todd has been nominated by Equestrian Sports New Zealand....