Robinsons Blog

As our new Cannock Superstore nears its much anticipated-opening date, I’ve decided to add some pictures.  If you’re getting ready to visit, we’re looking forward to seeing you!

The front of the Superstore, with impressive illuminated sign!

Store Manager Adrian Chapman and his team prepare for the big day

The Dog Section, looking down past Medical, Supplements, Grooming, Clipping and Stable Equipment

Jodhpurs, looking towards the till are and Entrance/Exit

‘Kimble’ the rug model looks out at Ridingwear and beyond towards Leisurewear

The horse and carriage in the Saddlery and Driving area look out towards the till area and Gift section

The till area and Entrance/Exit are home to magazines and a selection of tasty treats for horse and humans alike!

So, as you can see, we’re ready to welcome you to the store.  We really hope it’s what you’ve been expecting and much more besides.  If you have any comments, please let Adrian and his team know or post them on this blog.  As I said in my last blog, it’s a hugely exciting time for us - even if the the rest of the retail world seems to be worried about the future.  We hope you’re as excited as we are!

As winter is fast approaching, you may well be thinking whether or not to clip your horse. There are pros and cons to whichever decision you make, and only you will know whether your horse will benefit from clipping or not. Remember that clipping should never be done just to make your horse look prettier, it should only be done to improve your horse’s comfort and welfare through the cold, wet weather.

A horse living in the wild will grow a thick winter coat to provide himself with the protection he needs from all the cold and wet weather he is likely to encounter. The grease and mud that builds up in the long hair will create a natural barrier helping to keep his skin dry and keep heat in.

Domestic horses tend to lead a more sheltered life with warm rugs and snug stables to protect them from the elements. Therefore they tend to grow a less thick coat than their wild cousins but even this amount of hair can cause a problem for the horse owner. Most privately owned horses are used for some form of riding or exercise. This warms the horse more than is normal for him, and the thick coat means he’s more likely to sweat. Although this in itself isn’t a problem; it is the horse’s natural way of cooling itself down, the sweat can cause the horse to become chilled as he cools down in the cold weather. Therefore many owners choose to clip some or all of their horse’s coat to prevent them getting too hot during exercise. This does create a problem for the horse though as he now has no natural protection from the colder weather. Artificial coats or rugs are then needed to keep them warm when not exercising.

Other benefits from clipping your horse include it being easier to keep your horse clean; meaning you can prevent skin conditions like mud fever as you can keep the skin and hair clean, dry and mud free.

The extent to which you decide to clip depends on the amount of exercise the horse does, one that goes for leisurely hacks will often need a small bib or trace clip. Whereas a horse that hunts or is in hard work will be more likely to benefit from a full or hunter clip.

Types of Clip

A Bib Clip is suitable for horses used for occasional hacks or in light work. This removes the coat from the underside of the horse’s neck and the front of the chest. The clip can be extended to include some or all of the underbelly area. This can be especially useful in muddy conditions as removal of the mud is easier from the shorter coat. As this clip only removes a small amount of the horse’s coat, from an area that isn’t overly exposed to the weather it can be possible to leave the horse without a rug.

A Trace Clip is a popular clip for horses in light to medium work, who also live out for much of the winter. this clip was originally used for harness horses and followed the lines of the traces of the harness. The clip removes the coat from the underside of the neck and belly, and the upper part of the hind legs. A trace clip can be made higher or lower by adjusting the level to which you clip up to on the horse’s side. You must always rug up a horse with this clip as a considerable amount of coat has been removed.

A Blanket Clip is suitable for stabled horses in medium to hard work, most of the coat is removed apart from a small ‘blanket’ shaped area over the horse’s back and flanks. It is usual to keep the clip line level with the bottom of the horse’s saddle flaps. Some of the hair from the horse’s head can be removed, its usually best to remove up to the level of the cheek pieces of the bridle, alternatively the whole head can be clipped. It is advisable to include a neck cover or hood when rugging up a horse with a blanket clip.

A Hunter Clip is only suitable for horses in hard work, maybe competing or hunting regularly. The whole coat is removed apart from the saddle area and the legs. A horse with this level of clip will need several warm rugs and plenty of feed to help keep him warm in the winter months. Although he is still able to be turned out, it should only be for a few hours each day and with a warm outdoor rug including a hood or neck cover. When exercising, especially on slower hacks, it is recommended that you use an exercise sheet.

A Full Clip is intended for horses in hard, fast work, competition and racehorses or those who hunt several times a week. As so much coat has been removed the horse should only be turned out for brief periods of time on mild, dry days. Even with a heavyweight turnout rug a horse with this type of clip is likely to become cold quickly, as there is minimal hair covering his legs and any exposed part of his body. An exercise rug should be worn for all but the fastest work.

Types of Clipper

There are many clippers on the market but they all basically do the same job. Your main considerations when choosing which to buy are how many horses you will be clipping, how often and how thick or coarse your horse’s coat is.

Mains Clippers - These are perfect for large yards or owners with more than one horse, as they can often complete several clips before needing time to cool. The disadvantage with these though is they can become quite heavy after a prolonged period of time. They are often noisy compared to smaller clippers and their size can make them quite difficult to clip legs and smaller areas.

Battery Clippers - You may want to consider a battery operated set of clippers if your horse is nervous or hasn’t been clipped before. These tend to be slightly quieter than mains operated clippers and the absence of a lead makes it easier for you to move around and eliminates the risk of your horse standing on the electrical wire. Battery operated clippers do have a limited charge time though so may not be suitable for clips covering a large area or if you want to clip more than one horse.

Trimmers - These are perfect for doing smaller, fiddly areas or for tidying lines after completing a clip. They are quieter and smaller than clippers so can also be good for clipping the head and face area.

Clipping Your Horse

Clipping itself is not particularly difficult but time and care should be taken so you get a neat clip and do not stress or upset your horse. There are several precautions that you should take though as the process of clipping invariably involves electricity in some form. Always use a circuit breaker and make sure all wires are kept well away from your horse to help prevent accidents and injuries. Alternatively you can use battery operated clippers, these can be especially useful if a horse is nervous of clipping or it is the first time he has been clipped.

Here are a few checks to make before you begin to clip

1. Make sure that your blades are sharp and are adjusted correctly to ensure an even clip 
2. Thoroughly brush or ideally bath your horse to ensure the coat is clean and free of any mud which may clog the clippers
3. Have a clean rug ready to put on your horse once he’s clipped
4. Arrange for a helper to assist you, they may need to hold the horse still or support a leg whilst clipping round the elbow
5. Use chalk to mark the lines you need to clip to, for a Hunter Clip, place your horse’s regular numnah on his saddle area and draw round it to achieve an accurate shape to clip round.
6. Have a haynet handy in case your horse gets bored when you are clipping his body - don’t tie this up straight away though as your horse won’t keep his head still whilst clipping his neck and the hay will also get covered in hair.
7. Bandage the horse’s tail to keep it out of your way and so you don’t accidentally clip any tail hair.
8. If using mains operated clippers ALWAYS use a circuit breaker attached straight into the plug socket

How To Clip

I’d always advise wearing overalls whilst clipping, this will prevent you getting too much hair on you which can be extremely itchy and irritating to the skin. Always introduce the clippers to a horse slowly, even if he has been clipped several times before. With the clippers switched off allow the horse to look at and sniff the clippers, switch the clippers on and allow the horse time to become accustomed to the noise. Again, allow the horse to sniff and approach the clippers with his nose, preventing him from actually touching the moving blades.

Once your horse seems comfortable and relaxed about the noise you can move the clippers slowly towards his body. If he appears agitated at any point, stop and wait for him to relax again. With the clippers running, place the hand holding them against the horse’s shoulder, he will then feel the vibration from the clippers through your hand. If he appears to not mind this sensation you can then proceed to clipping.

Always clip in long lines, going against the hair growth, the horse’s skin needs to be taut to avoid dragging of the blades and potential cutting of the skin. Ask your assistant to move your horse’s head slightly away from you when clipping his neck as this will prevent any wrinkles in the skin, alternatively you can place your free hand further down the area you are currently clipping and slightly pull the skin downwards. This will also tauten the skin and aid you to clip more easily. Always slightly overlap each line you are clipping to avoid track lines from the clippers, try to keep the blades parallel to the skin with an even, light pressure against your horse’s body. Regularly brush excess hairs from the clipper blades and air vents during clipping, ensure you switch the clippers off whilst you do this. Switch the clippers off at regular intervals to allow them to cool slightly and also apply clipper oil to keep the blades lubricated.  When clipping along the mane area, ensure all the mane is on the opposite side of your horse’s neck and clip with the blade angled slightly away from the mane to avoid clipping any unwanted hair. When clipping around the horse’s front legs ask your helper to hold his leg up and slightly in front of him this will help to keep the skin tight and allow you to access the area with your clippers more easily. Take care though that your horse does not pull his leg down again as you may be in the way and could get kicked. Also ensure that any loose hair is swept up from the floor surrounding you and your horse as it can be very slippy. Tidy up any stray hairs with trimmers and check that any clipped lines are level and straight.

Once your clip is complete, groom your horse with a soft body brush to remove any stray hair and put on a suitable rug depending on the weather and level of clip. Sweep the area thoroughly and place the loose hair on your muckheap. Remove all hair from your clippers paying particular attention to any air vents and between the blades. Wash the blades in a suitable solution and check for any broken teeth or blunting of blades. Package the blades carefully if they need to be sharpened or oil them thoroughly and replace onto the clippers if sharpening isn’t required. Clipping will need to be repeated every 6 to 8 weeks throughout the winter months depending on the level of hair growth, try to do your last clip no later than a few weeks into January otherwise you can affect the new summer coat that is starting to grow.

As long as you take your time and don’t rush you should encounter no problems from your horse throughout the clipping process. Subsequent clips should be easier and less time consuming as the hair will be less thick and you can follow the lines created with your first clip. Remember to rug your horse well especially if he has a significant amount of hair removed and keep checking that he is not cold by feeling the base of his ears. If these appear cold regularly you may need to consider adding an extra rug or a less severe clip next time.

In truth, we’re all affected in different ways, some of us more so than others. The one conclusion that it’s almost impossible to draw is that you’re completely unaffected. Whatever shape our finances are in, we’re all customers of someone and if the companies you buy from are affected, sooner or later, you’ll be affected.

But here’s the thing that isn’t often reported. Being ‘affected’ does not always mean being adversely affected. Uncertainty may be troubling but change isn’t always bad. What do I mean by that? Well - and whisper it quietly - some effects of the credit crunch are actually good news for customers. Like the emergence of a buyer’s market in many retail sectors as companies become more motivated to sell because of their rising costs - and at the same time, customers become more price-sensitive.

The media focus is almost exclusively on the fact that mortgages and other credit is harder to get and more expensive - not generally a good thing - but the point that’s often missed is that more pressure that sellers are under (and many of us are under more pressure), the more keen they are to make a sale, and the more they are prepared to lower their prices. As customers, we can at least save back some of the extra money it’s now costing us to fill our tanks. In recent weeks, we’ve heard a few stories in the industry about some of our competitors getting into difficulties and some of the offers we’ve seen being made would seem to illustrate that. No retailer can make genuine ‘70% off’ reductions for very long and none would even consider it unless they felt they absolutely had to. As the biggest operator in our market, we’re thankful to see that our sales are continuing to grow, even in a difficult year like this. In fact, with the opening of our second Superstore at Cannock in October, it’s fair to say that we’re very confident about the future.

You may find more special offers around this year

All this means that we’re not forced into selling off stock cheaply, just to keep the wolf from the door, but if we do carry on regardless of what others do, we could begin to look quite expensive compared to those sacrificing profit for survival. Obviously, we’d rather not give you that impression, so we begin to find ourselves embroiled in a price war not of our making.

As the customer, the choice of where to buy is always yours and we never expect you simply to presume that our selection and our prices are the only option open to you. Of course you will look out for bargains wherever you can find them. We even have to accept that there will be some offers that we won’t be able to match. All I can do in those instances is to ask you to bear in mind why the offer is so good. It may not be too good to be true, but it’s almost certainly too good to last.

We’ll do our utmost to offer you the best bargains this year but I promise you that we’ll also be here to offer you more bargains next year. Not everyone in our market can promise you that.

When you first start out in riding everyone is told to wear boots with a small heel. Many riding schools have riding boots that you can borrow for your first few lessons. Your safety is absolutely paramount so investing in boots designed specifically for riding should be something you do as early as possible. Although wellies and walking boots may look like they are suitable for riding they are most definitely not. Both have very thick treads which can easily trap in the stirrup and in the event of a fall this can result in serious injury.

There are many types of riding boot on the market so you can be sure to find a pair to suit your pocket and help make your riding as comfortable as possible. Years ago the only riding boots available in a suitable price range for a young novice rider were long rubber riding boots. Although these are still popular with many riders they can be hot in summer, sometimes too long in the leg for smaller jockeys and can make keeping your heels in the correct position difficult. The advantages of these though are they are inexpensive, tough and waterproof so keep your feet dry in wet weather. This makes them a good all round boot for yard and riding wear.

The more modern alternative are short leather jodhpur boots teamed with half chaps or gaiters. These short jodhpur boots allow more flexion of the ankle but the chaps still support the lower leg and give protection from stirrup leathers. Although initial outlay for the two items may be slightly higher than a rubber riding boot, chaps can often be kept for several years as a young rider’s calf size will not increase as quickly as their foot.

The most expensive and in my opinion, best form of footwear for riding are long leather riding boots. These allow flexion of the ankle whilst still providing support to the whole foot and lower leg. They can last a lifetime if cared for correctly and are suitable for every riding activity you may wish to partake in. Although some leather boots are expensive there are many cheaper versions available which may fit a more modest budget, they are undoubtedly worth the money and can drastically improve your riding. This may sound impossible but wearing boots that actually allow your ankle to move freely will mean you can keep your heel down, which in turn keeps your lower leg more still. This will help to establish the rider in a more correct, thus secure position. Once a rider’s position is secure, control of the horse is much easier resulting in a more positive outcome for horse and rider.

Specially designed equestrian clothing will make your riding as safe and comfortable as possible. Take your safety seriously as accidents can and do happen, horse riding is a high risk sport. Limit your chances of injury by always wearing correctly fitted safety clothing and buy the best equipment you can afford. It can quite literally save your life.

As winter seems to be fast approaching, we are all starting to think about the colder, wet weather and what effect this will have on our horses and their lifestyle. Our fields are beginning to become softer, and mud patches are developing especially in areas that receive a lot of traffic, eg gateways and around water troughs. These areas not only look unsightly but can harbour a bacterium that thrives in wet, muddy conditions; Dermatophilus Congolensis. Although you may not be familiar with this term, many horse owners will have seen the effect of the infection it can cause; Mud Fever.

In drier weather conditions the horse’s skin (epidermis) acts a barrier, stopping the bacterium from entering the system. With persistent, wet weather this waterproof layer of the horse’s skin can become weakened, allowing the bacterium to penetrate the surface. Horses with a lot of feather can be particularly prone to this infection as the thick hair will remain damp for many hours providing the perfect conditions for the bacterium to thrive.

Catch it early

Mud fever is much easier to treat, if caught in the early stages. Closely monitor your horse’s legs for any inflammation or reddening of the skin. This damaged skin can then develop weepy sores which will turn to scabs. If your horse is showing any of these signs it is essential that you remove them from the source straight away, wait until the legs are completely dry then remove all the mud with a soft brush. Clip the hair from the affected area as much as possible to allow you to clean the leg thoroughly, this will also speed the drying time of your horse’s skin. Moisten the scabs using a diluted mix of antibaterial solution, then gently remove all traces of the scabs and dry the area thoroughly.

But better still, Prevent It!

The old adage of ‘Prevention is better than Cure’ is most definitely true for Mud Fever.

Try to keep your horse’s legs as clean and dry as possible when they are in the stable. Allow mud to dry completely on your horse’s leg and then brush off thoroughly, it may be advisable to remove any thick feathers by clipping the fetlock area, this allows better access to your horse’s skin and will help prevent the hair harbouring mud and damp. Using a barrier cream can help to strengthen the skin’s natural defence against bacteria. Apply to the whole area likely to come into contact with mud. Alternatively there are boots designed specifically to help prevent mud fever, covering from just below the knee or hock down to the vulnerable heel and coronary band. These need to fit your horse closely to prevent mud penetrating up the inside of the boot.  These boots are to prevent mud fever though and are not recommended for a horse already suffering from the condition.

Alternating paddocks to limit the traffic on the ground will help to prevent mud developing, fence off any areas which are particularly muddy, laying down hard core around gate and watering areas can help to prevent muddy patches. If the wet weather persists, it may be advisable to avoid turnout completely for a short while. This will allow the field time to recover and also mean your horse won’t be exposed to the conditions likely to trigger Mud Fever. You will need to find a way of providing your horse with an alternative form of exercise each day though. Stable toys are also an excellent way of alleviating boredom if your horse does have to be stabled for longer than usual. With careful management and prompt action, mud fever should just be an ailment for you to constantly watch out for.

I’d like to introduce you to a horse you may already have seen…

‘Kimble’ is one of our equine models.  In the style of Troy McClure from The Simpsons, You may have seen him modelling such products as our Grackle bridle or the Knot Plait Western bridle.  He got his name from Dr. Richard Kimble, the character played by Harrison Ford in the film The Fugitive, given his tendency to escape every so often!

He’s also about to become the inspiration for one of the new display horses at the Cannock Superstore. 

If you’ve visited our Ashton Superstore, you may have seen that we have our own herd of full-size plastic display horses together with even more full-size heads to display bridles and headcollars. 

Unfortunately, these equine mannequins are only available in an unrealistic shiny graphite colour so when we bought the horses and heads for the Ashton re-opening in 2003, we had them all spray-painted in a variety of ‘proper’ horse colours, complete with blazes, stars and socks.  They’ve proved to be quite popular with our store customers and we’ve even had enquiries from people willing to buy one.

 

Statham Street Fugitive (Kimble) eventing

With a new shop to fill with a new selection of plastic horses, we’re at that stage again and this time, we’re being a little more ambitious.  As you’ll have noticed, Kimble is a skewbald and we’ve decided to re-create him in plastic form. 

Next week, we’ll be taking plastic Kimble and his plastic friends down to their new home at Cannock - in a Requisite trailer of course!

Before we loaded him up, we took plastic Kimble to meet the real thing.  Of course, we also took a camera to record the occasion.  As you can see, real Kimble was a little wary, as you’d expect of any horse when faced with a newcomer. 

We wondered if the resemblance was probably lost on real Kimble - do horses have any idea what their own markings are?  It was much more interesting to see Nigel’s (his stablemate’s) reaction.  Of course, Nigel would know Kimble’s markings and his reaction was much more pronounced.  As you can see, the meeting was just as if three horses had met for the first time - and just how much we were able to recreate Kimble’s markings.  If you’re ever in the Cannock store, make sure you look for him.  He’s one of a kind - sort of…

Kimble meets Kimble

My previous blog regarding Laminitis proved popular with many readers. Having experienced laminitis first hand, some felt compelled to respond to the blog, and their stories and advice were both appreciated and helpful. These replies have led me to write again about an illness which I’m sure even more of us have dealt with at some time; Colic. 

This illness can vary vastly in its severity but is always a cause for great concern to the horse owner. In its most basic form colic is the veterinary term for the symptoms of abdominal pain in horses, this is most often caused by distention of the intestine.

The horse’s digestive system is very complex, it is designed to process small amounts of food frequently, when living in the wild this creates few digestive problems. The way we require our domesticated horses to live and work means they often need more than just grass to meet their dietary needs. Our busy schedules can also make it difficult to allow horses access to small amounts of food repeatedly, instead he is often fed a large amount of hay, often only once or twice a day.

Colic is a descriptive term for the symptoms a horse suffers when in pain from his abdominal tract. Depending on the severity of the colic, behaviour can vary greatly. Any colic though should always be treated as an emergency and veterinary advice should be sought immediately. Common symptoms include

1. Loss of appetite
2. Limited or no droppings being passed
3. Turning to look at belly area
4. Persistant rolling
5. Constantly lying down and getting back to their feet again
6. Kicking at stomach
7. Shivering
8. Sweating
9. Abnormal temperature, fast breathing and heart rate
10. Excessive urination

 If you suspect your horse has colic, try to make him as comfortable as possible whilst waiting for the vet to arrive, remove all food and try to put him somewhere that is safe if he decides to roll, so he won’t cause further injury to himself or you. Be careful to keep yourself safe as a horse in pain can become unpredictable.

Prevention is always better than cure, and this is certainly true of colic. Here are some tips for helping to prevent colic from occuring

1. Feed a well balanced diet containing plenty of fibre to promote good gut mobility.
2. Ensure any changes in diet are made gradually; enabling the horse’s gut to become accustomed to the new feed slowly.
3. Use only good quality feed which has been stored in a vermin proof container.
4. Ensure all feed is locked away to prevent horses gorging if they escape from their field or stable.
5. Adhere to an effective worming programme, this will reduce the risk of damage to the digestive system which would make a horse more susceptible to colic.
6. Introduce any changes in your horse’s workload gradually and ensure you thoroughly warm up and cool down your horse.
7. Regularly have your horse’s teeth checked by a qualified technician to ensure he can chew food effectively.
8. Maintain a routine to your horse’s lifestyle, keep his diet, exercise and turnout as regular as possible.
9. Keep all buckets, feed containers and your horse’s stable clean.

Colic can be a fatal condition so always consult your vet, giving as much detail as possible. They will then be able to determine whether the case is serious enough to need a visit. If you are at all worried though that it is not just a mild colic, request they come out anyway. The call out fee will be well worth it to put your mind at ease. It is also advisable to check the small print on your horse’s insurance policy to ensure colic surgery is covered, as this can be a very complicated, expensive procedure. With good equine management, colic is unllikely to occur but always seek veterinary assistance at the earliet signs to ensure your horse’s best recovery.

There are very few riders who do not yearn to have a horse of their own. It isn’t as simple as going out and handing over your hard earned money though. You need to consider whether you have the time, money and expertise to take on this huge commitment.

Do you have the time?

A horse needs to be checked at least twice a day and this will usually involve a car journey to the stables and back, so you will have to find time before and after school or work to fit this into your daily routine. You will also have to allow time for unexpected delays as horses have a knack of causing you extra work by knocking over water buckets or damaging rugs, fences or even themselves!

Horses are creatures of habit and like a set routine, changes to this can cause some horses great distress and anxiety. Your weekday lifestyle is likely to dictate the routine you set for your horse, so you will have to be prepared to stick to this on your days off too, even if that means you lose your weekend lie ins. It is worth remembering too, that any holidays you plan to take will also involve finding a capable and knowledgeable person to care for your horse whilst you are away.

Can you afford the expense?

When deciding what your budget will be to buy your horse, remember to take into account all the extra costs that are involved with buying your first horse. Although you will hopefully have the correct riding kit, you are unlikely to have everything you need to be a responsible horse owner. The most basic equipment you’d need to be able to care for your horse is as follows

1. Headcollar and Leadrope
2. First Aid Kit
3. Grooming Kit
4. Bridle and bit
5. Saddle, including girth, leathers and irons
6. Feed bucket
7. Water bucket
8. Haynet

Total cost £209.95

Bear in mind, this is the very minimum cost for basic equipment and you are highly likely to need more kit than is listed here. Most horse owners want to rug their horse up when the weather turns wet and cold. Its advisable to have at least two turnouts so you always have a dry rug to put on your horse, and at least one quilted rug for when your horse is stabled.

Owning a horse involves a huge financial commitment every month, in the Northwest of England you’re likely to pay the following:

1. DIY livery charges £25 per week
2. Worming £12 every 6-8 weeks
3. Shoes £50 per set of 4
4. Dentist £30
5. Booster Vaccinations £30
6. Feed £7 per bag
7. Bedding £6 per bale of shavings
8. and vet’s fees… unlimited costs

Do you know your limits and aspirations?

Finding the perfect horse is impossible, they just do not exist, finding the perfect horse for you is achievable but you must be realistic in your expectations and requirements. Its always advisable especially when buying your first horse to seek the advice and guidance of an experienced person. You must be sure of your riding ability and your competence in handling a horse from the ground (this is something first time horse owners often have very little experience of). Its likely that you will also need to broaden your knowledge of horse care and stable management. There are courses designed especially for horse owners, these will provide potential owners with the basic knowledge needed.

It may help if you write a list of all the qualities you would like in your horse, working from the most important at the top of your list, down to less important but desirable characteristics near the bottom. Be careful not to be too ambitious, thinking you can learn to ride a more advanced horse, this will undoubtedly result in an accident and possibly injury to yourself, your horse or both. Finding the right horse for you can be a long process, don’t be tempted to rush into buying the first horse you see. It is likely that you will have to view several horses before you find your ideal equine partner.

Can I buy a horse at my local tack shop?

This may sound like a silly question but the answer could be ‘Yes”. Although Robinsons don’t actually sell horses themselves, they do have a notice board which advertises horses and equestrian related services so this may be a good place to start your search. Also try checking the facebook group, Robinsons Online Riding Club, as members can also advertise their horse for sale there. There are many magazines and newspapers too which feature equestrian adverts.

Also try asking any horsey friends you may have, as they may know someone who is selling a horse that is suitable for you. Avoid sales and markets, as you have no idea of the horse’s history and even the most experienced horseperson can be caught out. Horse dealers and traders can offer trial facilities, but beware, as not all are reputable. Although they may offer to exchange an unsuitable horse, they will rarely refund you. Try to get several recommendations from satisfied customers before you visit any dealer.

Ask lots of questions

Once you have identified some horses that sound right for you, ring the seller for more details. Compile a list of questions to ask on the phone so you can determine some more details and be more confident that you aren’t going to have a wasted journey. Here are some basic questions but many more can be added depending on your specific requirements.

1. Ask why the horse is for sale - but beware that you may not always get a truthful answer.
2. Confirm the horse’s age, sex, height and cost - a mistake in the advert could make the horse unsuitable for you.
3. Has the horse had any serious or ongoing illnesses or injuries?
4. Does the owner have a passport and are all vaccinations recorded on it and up to date?
5. Does the horse have any vices, whilst stabled or ridden?
6. Are tack and rugs included in the price?
7. Will the horse hack out alone and in traffic?
8. What is the horse like to catch, load and clip?
9. Confirm that someone else is prepared to ride the horse before you.

Although you may feel like you are bombarding the seller with questions, the answers could help to prevent wasting your time and theirs with a visit to a horse that is unsuitable for your needs. If you still think the horse sounds right for you after you’ve asked all your questions, arrange a viewing and make sure your advisor is able to go along with you. Ask for detailed directions as stables are rarely on a map or easily located street.

Viewing a horse

When you arrive to see the horse, ask to see it being led in hand at walk and trot, observe whether the horse remains calm when asked to trot. Run your hands over its body, starting with the neck and going down each leg in turn. Observe how the horse reacts to your touch and whether he objects to having his feet picked up, enquire how any lumps or scars have occured. If you are happy with what you have seen so far, ask to see the horse tacked up and ridden. It is perfectly acceptable to ask to see the horse ridden in walk, trot and canter on both reins, jump a small fence and be ridden on a public road. If the seller is not willing to do this, ask why as these are all things you will want to do if you purchase the horse. Once you are happy that the horse is safe and is of the right standard for your riding, ask to ride the horse yourself. Again you should ride the horse in walk, trot and canter on both reins and try a small jump. Your first horse should be well schooled with good manners so check this for yourself by riding several circles and transitions.

Once you feel satisfied you’ve asked all the necessary questions, thank the owner for their time. If you feel that the horse is not right for you, tell them politely as they will appreciate your honesty. If you think the horse is suitable, don’t make a rush decision. Instead, tell the owner you will be in touch and discuss your feelings with your advisor.

Buying ‘THE ONE’

When you are happy that you have found the right horse for you, it is strongly recommended that you ask a vet to carry out a pre-purchase examination. This will check that your potential new horse has no ailments or health concerns. Be sure to tell the vet exactly what you will want to do with your horse, and enquire exactly what the vet does and does not check for so you are confident that the horse chosen will be fit for your chosen discipline.

Providing you are happy with the vet’s findings, you can now complete the purchase of your first horse. It’s advisable to request a receipt from the owner and possibly a contract of sale which includes

1. The sale date and price paid
2. Signature and name of the owner and yourself
3. A brief description of the horse bought along with any Freezemark or Microchip number the horse may have

Make sure that you receive the horse’s passport at the time of the sale and that you send it off straight away to amend the ownership details.

Allow yourselves time to adjust

Try to arrange for your horse to arrive at his new yard during a quiet period of the day, and allow him to get accustomed to his new stable without an audience of admirers looking over his door. Remember that it may take at least a few weeks for him to feel completely settled in his new surroundings, so spend the time getting to know his character and let him get to know you. Once you have both built up a relationship you can enjoy fun rides together, and maybe join a local riding club. Always try to keep up regular lessons with a qualified Instructor so you can improve your experience and neither you nor your horse develop bad habits. Enjoy your new horse and the adventures that come with it.

Walls were painted, flooring was down and shelving was up.  Instead of a cavernous building, it’s now starting to look like a real shop!  I took some pictures on my mobile phone.  They may not be the best quality, but hopefully, they’ll give you an idea of what to expect when we finally open the doors some time in October.  I’ve also deliberately cropped them to keep a few surprises back

There’s no stock in there yet, so aside from the curiosity value, it’s probably only of interest to enthusiasts of shop fittings - and not many people would admit to that!

Most of the shelving has arrived and has been built. Note the plastic that covers the whole of the new flooring

There's also a lot of 'slat wall' to put up - a favourite display system of shops everywhere.

 

More shelving and 'slat wall' in what will be the boots & bandages area

You can see the saddle racks in the background and our new terracotta colour scheme in the foreground.

As ever, keep checking this blog for further updates (or subscribe to an RSS feed) and you’ll find out first what’s new at our brand new Superstore!

It’s been a busy few weeks here at Robinsons and we’re now gearing ourselves up for a busy few months to come - right up to Christmas!

Last week, our Design team sent all our catalogue pages to the printers, just before the deadline - which means they’ll be arriving on a doormat near you from about the middle of August.  You’ll also find them inserted into the August 21st and 28th issues of Horse & Hound and also the September 11th issue of Your Horse.  If you haven’t seen what it looks like yet, here’s a picture of the front cover.    With the catalogue gone, this week usually marks the passing of the summer’s biggest project.  This year, as you may have heard, we have another project on our hands…

We’re very pleased to say that in autumn, we’ll be opening our second superstore – in Cannock, Staffordshire.  At 10,000 square feet, it’ll be one of the biggest equestrian stores in the country and it’s only 5 minutes’ drive from the motorway network.

Of course, this means that we have quite a lot to do to create a store worthy of the high expectation it will undoubtedly generate.  As I type, it is still an empty shell of a building with loads to do before we can even begin to decorate it, let alone fill it with stock.

Naturally, we can’t really say yet what the ‘opening date’ will be so we’ve done the next best thing which is to be a bit vague and say “opening autumn 2008”.  If you read an earlier blog of mine, The Perils of Success, you’ll also know that we learned some valuable lessons about the hype that can go with a store opening.  With this in mind, we decided that we won’t have a particularly grand opening.  We’ll just open as quickly as possible and then tell as many people as we can once we’ve opened.

All of this extra work in turn means that we have even more work to do to promote the new store.  We can’t be arrogant enough to presume that every rider in the country reads our catalogue or visits our website.  There will be a lot of people for us to tell all about it and we’ve got to find them.  Again, using our experience at the Ashton store in 2003, even years after we actually opened the shop, we found we were asked when we would be re-opening.  We certainly can’t take for granted that people will just find out about things like this and we’ll do all we can to raise awareness.

To that end, we’ve decided to attend three large shows in the Midlands.  I’m pleased to say that we’re now the title sponsors of the Robinsons 2008 Midland Championships, the ‘finals’ of the Midland Association of Riding Clubs, held at Rodbaston College, Staffordshire on 30th and 31st August. 

In October, we’ll make a welcome return to the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC, Birmingham (8th-12th).  While visitors to HOYS come from all over the country, its location inevitably means that Midland riders will be well represented.  The same will be true of Your Horse Live at the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh between 7th and 9th November, where you can also find our stand.

Based on the reaction this story has already generated within The Robinsons Online Riding Club, our Facebook group, perhaps I can guess your next question:  When will we be opening a store in your area?

As you can imagine, we’re going to be very busy with this new store this year but don’t rule it out at some stage.  I think the message that you may take from this is that we’re taking seriously the idea of retail expansion. Obviously, it’s far too early to say any more than that at this stage, but if you’re not from the North West or the West Midlands, I hope you’re encouraged that we’re at least thinking about it now.   As the sign says, Watch This Space!