Elite Equine Care

29/04/2025

With the sun ☀️ coming out and temperatures on the rise make sure you follow The Ice Queens for all your heat ☀️and cooling 💦 top tips for your equines 🐴

28/04/2025

** 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞**

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱?

The function of the noseband is often mistaken as merely keeping the horse’s mouth closed and covering up training faults. There is no place in training or competition for a noseband that is adjusted to the point that it restricts mouth movement, visually compresses the soft tissues, causes discomfort or constricts the nostrils.

However, a “𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆” fitted noseband does have a function:

🐴When 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 fitted, the noseband can help stabilise the bridle, preventing excessive movement of the headpiece, bit and cheekpieces.

🐴Instability of the bridle can cause problems for the horse – including discomfort, risk of rubbing and damage to the mouth, or impacting against parts of the head and ears as the bridle moves.

🐴In training, it is desirable for the horse to be able to relax the jaw and “mouth the bit.” When a noseband is 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 fitted, this is comfortable for the horse, including if chewing. If the horse opens its mouth more widely then the horse creates low-level pressure against the noseband as the upper and lower jaws come in contact with the noseband. This contact encourages the horse to avoid opening the mouth so wide that the bit and bridle become displaced and destabilised, as when the mouth is settled, the pressure is immediately removed, encouraging mouthing and preventing unintentional evasion of the bit.

🐴The noseband can allow for the attachment of health-supporting accessories such as nose nets.

There are considerable differences between a noseband fitted to restrict mouth opening and a “𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆” fitted noseband, and it is essential to distinguish these differences in noseband discussions.

📚 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴:

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 : https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/bridles-how-to-choose-and-fit-them-correctly?srsltid=AfmBOorOGLfgrP_MimX8-AxVG_gIOLRm7mk8I4XoNuYvC-aw7RoAcyrK

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘆: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1j3gnKFGNo

26/04/2025

Back from my travels and adventures to Peru 🇵🇪

A snapshot of what this fantastic country has to offer. It truly was an adventure with mountains, desert and jungle. If you ever get the opportunity to visit, please do! I thoroughly recommend the country, the people and the food.

I am now resuming my work schedule and replying to my emails and messages 🐴🐴

I look forward to seeing you all out and about and hearing your news 🐴

23/04/2025

Don’t Forget Your Horse’s Vaccinations! 🐴📣

As the competition season gets into full swing, now’s the time to double-check your horse’s vaccination record! 💉 Keeping vaccinations up to date is vital—not just for your horse’s health, but also to ensure you’re not turned away at the gate.

Some show venues now require a booster within the last 6 months, so always check the venue’s rules before you compete.

✅ Keep your records handy
✅ Book boosters in good time
✅ Stay competition-ready

Let’s keep our horses happy, healthy, and welcome wherever we go! 🐎💪

Mark Sinnott, British Showjumping Team Vet. Photo credit ©Simon Finlay Photography.

22/04/2025

May clinic dates 😃

If you’d like to secure a slot, please message me
📲07980 006751

For all clinics dates at home Post code TA3 6HR
✨Individual slots £45
✨Shared slots £35 (you organise the pairing-always more fun with a friend)

Feel free to reach out if you’d like more information on other venues or if you’d like to arrange a clinic at your yard.

📧: [email protected].
💻 www.osborndressage.com

22/04/2025

All 3 of these bones are the same vertabrae…….

These are all C6 cervical vertabrae from the equine neck, the first is from a standardbred(bi-lateral), the second along is from a Swedish warmblood(uni-lateral) and the third is from an Appaloosa(normal). The first two are displaying ECVM, if you don’t know what this I have attached an article below from thirza Hendriks that is well balanced and concise. If that peaks your interest, which it should because this affects a sizeable number of our equines then there are full studies online.

https://www.thirzahendriks.com/post/the-un-balanced-horse

This is something all equestrians should know about. The C6 malformation is only a small part of what the problems can be. This can affect cervical vertabrae C6-7, ribs, sternum, muscles, nerves and soft tissue.

To support my work please head to my patreon page

https://www.patreon.com/insights/membership

22/04/2025

21/04/2025

Why doesn’t having an adjustable gullet saddle fix all your problems?

Unfortunately most adjustable gullet saddles have a gullet shaped like picture A so while they will go really wide there’s only a small contact point with your horse so they will be quite unstable. This is why you keep ending up changing gullets, put simply your trying to put a square plug in a round hole so it will be either too big or too small but will never be a perfect fit.
If your horse is shaped more like an orange 🍊 😂 then they need a saddle with a gullet shape that matches their back shape ( gullet B)you will then find even if your horses weight fluctuates a bit your saddle will still be an ok fit, if you put a round plug in a round hole it will either be a bit tight a perfect fit or a bit slack but in any of these cases will still look a better fit than a square plug in a round hole.

I know there will be people out there that love their changeable gullet saddle this is only my opinion, but a picture speaks a thousand words 😉

11/04/2025

I am currently on annual leave travelling in Peru 🇵🇪 and fulfilling one of my bucket list dreams of seeing Condors 🦅 in the Peruvian Mountains.

There was a herd of ponies living up on the edge of the canyon, who were resting in the early morning sun when we arrived, but soon rose the their feet and started to graze. They were wary of people, so kept their distance, but they looked well and completely unfazed of the dizzy heights they live at, which is approximately 14,000 feet.

Always happy to get a pony fix 🐴 even in the mountains of Peru 🇵🇪

06/04/2025

💦 Keep you water troughs clean 💦

04/04/2025

🛫 Out of office 🛬

I am on some much need annual leave adventuring with my other half to celebrate my 50th 🥳

I will be checking in on my emails periodically when signal permits, apologies for any slow replies.

Initial mission completed, Paddington has been located 🙌 🇵🇪

25/03/2025

NEW STOCKISTS WANTED!

**'Want to thank you all for your support; it's so nice to have such considerate, reliable and prompt suppliers and your products are top notch!'**

Thank you Pets and Ponies for sending this lovely message today. 🙏 Our aim is to work in partnership with our stockists to help you build your business too. We are a small, family business, and any issues, we are always at the end of the phone!

Let's make 2025 a year to remember! Give us a call. Exciting things to come!

(01792) 921955

20/03/2025

We, The Ice Queens are truly passionate and completely committed to improving equine welfare 🫶 and have worked tirelessly over the last few years at national and international levels focusing on heat mitigation and equine cooling.

We have had huge recognition from the elite grooms, teams and competitors alike who have seen how important our work is and how much difference it makes to equine welfare.

To get industry recognition with a nomination for equine event service from Equestrian Business Awards would be phenomenal for us and reiterate how important our work is for ALL equines worldwide 🐴

Please follow the link and nominate The Ice Queens for EQUINE SERVICE OF THE YEAR 2025 at: www.equestrianbusinessawards.co.uk/nominate

Thank you for helping us improve equine welfare 🫶🐴