Debbie Osborough Equestrian

Like Mother, like daughter ❤️

Perhaps useful to some of my clients?

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 - 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧

Are you aged 25 or younger?
Are you thinking of pursuing a career in sport, academic study or adventure training?

Would a £500 bursary help?

The Blair Mayne Bursary Award Scheme, operated by Ards and North Down Borough Council, awards £500 to applicants to help them realise their aspirations by helping fund a goal or a particular project.

To find out more and for an application form visit:
www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/grants

Forms can also be picked up at Council offices at Bangor Castle and Church Street Newtownards.

Closing date for applications is 9 January 2023 at 12.00noon.

How can you be expected to focus with this little face to look at 🙈!

Super day to have been involved in for such a great cause. Thank you fur having me Emma Hobson Equestrian, Dressage at Home and International 🐎

Superb article on this week’s Farmweek on our live show at Portmore EC. 🥰

Just love seeing photos and our rider’s names in print! It’s always so special getting a mention in a publication! Huge congratulations to everyone that attended and supported such a worthy cause! 👏





Craig Kileff
Portmore Equestrian Centre

REPOST from West Mercia Roads Policing

Day 4 of and today we’re focusing on giving other road users space when passing.

Pass horse riders at speeds under 10mph and allow at least 2 metres of space. Let’s keep each other safe.


Image: THINK Road Safety

Perfect time of the year to become an ambassador for Equicoat!! It can get as cold as it wants this year ❄️❄️ with this oversized coat designed to fit over extra layers, competition jackets, body protectors, etc. If anyone would like to plan for the colder weather and order one you can get 10% off by using my code DEBBIEOSBO10

It’s not all playing with ponies 🤣 Lots to learn this week at the Dressage Ireland Judge’s Gala with Katrina Wuest and then great to catch up with many at The Pony Club Conference…. No day is ever the same! 🐎🐎

Good advice 🤣🤣

Make sure your girth is done up this weekend 🤣🤣🤣🐴

Well worth the 4 am start! A very educational day. Thank you to everyone involved in making the day such a success.

Super morning at Gransha’s dressage today. Thank you for having us. Ever wondered what the scribe gets up to between classes 🙈🙈 Janna’s portrait of us with our bell 🤣🤣

Today’s view. Well done to all who are competing. Enjoy yourselves and, if it’s not your day, remember this ! ❤️

Happy ponies today (Lucky trying to play hide and seek 🤷‍♀️🤣)💙❤️

The movement of your horse’s hind legs can be broken down into the following three phases; thrust, reach, and carry.

Each phase is important and each one impacts the next, e.g. the more weight the horse takes during the carry phase, the more power he can produce in the thrust phase.

This knowledge is useful because it helps you in timing your aids and influencing the horse.

👉 EXAMPLE 1

During a leg-yield, the horse’s inside legs are required to step in front of and across his outside legs.

Therefore, if you apply your inside leg aid at the same precise moment as your horse lifts his inside hind leg (into the reach phase), then you can encourage the horse to step further under and across with that leg.

This will give you a greater degree of crossing during the leg-yield and a more sweeping stride.

👉 EXAMPLE 2

If you want to encourage your horse to take more weight behind, then apply your half-halt just as the horse’s inside hind leg is coming down to the ground (the carry phase).

At this moment, you can encourage your horse’s inside hind leg to take more weight.

👉 EXAMPLE 3

The horse’s canter stride starts with the horse’s outside hind leg. Therefore, to make a smooth transition from trot or walk into canter, apply your canter aids as your horse’s outside hind leg is in the reach phase.

This means that as that hind leg touches the ground (the carry phase), instead of it being another step of trot or walk, it will be the first step of canter.

This also encourages the horse to reach further under with that hind leg, producing a more uphill transition.

Give it a go!

⚠️High Temperatures Warning ⚠️
With the predicted hotter weather coming in this weekend here are some handy tips to help keep your horses cool 🧊

1. Offer extra water in stables or paddocks with added electrolytes to water or feed after exercise
2. If at a competition bring extra water and ice to your destination
3. Wash off horses and leave water to dry off naturally, no need to scrap off excess
4. Avoid exercising your horse during the peak heat of the day from 11am-4pm if possible
5. Take young animals in to shade or cooler areas to avoid heat stroke
6. Horses that graze full time should have a shaded area too avoid high UV rays
7. Apply SPF or fly mask to horses with pink skin on eyes, ears and nose as this area can be very sensitive

☀️☀️In event of heat stroke seek Veterinary Advice as soon as possible ☀️☀️

😎Keep Safe and Keep Cool 😎

‘Judges must place fat horses lower’ to help beat equine obesity - Horse & Hound Showing judges must place overweight horses down the line, it has been said, as joint efforts continue against the equine obesity epidemic. At the Showing Council summer conference on 28 June, the Horse Trust’s Jan Rogers and researcher Tamzin Furtado gave a presentation on their “Weigh to Win.....

What a super view for the weekend!!! It’s so good to see Dressage going from strength to strength in Ireland. Lovely weekend judging for Dressage Ireland at Castle Irvine (Necarne). Good to catch up with friends and see many combinations going from strength. Thank you for having me.

What an amazing night, with great company, at the Equine Awards NI at Titanic. Thank you so much to all my wonderful clients who nominated me as Coach of the Year. I was honoured to be a finalist and very touched by reading through all your comments ❤️. Thank you so much for taking the time to send your thoughts. You all make what I do so rewarding! Delighted to also be part of the Birr House team who took home the highly commended trophy in the Best Riding School section. Brilliant to see Caroline McVeigh recognised for what she has given to equestrianism for many years … Birr house truly is a haven for horses and people alike 👏🐎 Well done to all the nominees, finalists and winners. 🥂

The newest member of Team Osborough knows how to cheer someone up 🥰

It’s nearly time to ditch the jods, boots and horsehair for a dress 👗👠… it will be a great evening catching up with friends, but how will we recognise each other without the mud, etc.? 🤷‍♀️🤣

Thank you to Kirsty and Equine Awards NI for a super league . Well done to everyone . 🎉🎉