Robinsons Blog

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!

You can request your copy online or by phone from Friday 1st August.

We all love riding and caring for our horses and thankfully mishaps are few and far between, but riding and being involved with horses, is a risk sport and accidents can and do happen. Its easy to be complacent, and think that a serious accident will never happen to you or your horse but what if it does? Are you prepared? Do you know how to treat a cut on your horse? Do you know what to do if someone falls off whilst on a hack?

PLAN!

Knowing what to do in an emergency and having a plan of action already set up can mean you are less likely to panic. There are many organisations around that run First Aid courses, and attending one of these will give you all the knowledge you need to cope in any emergency situation. The BHS run Equine Specific First Aid courses, which are designed to deal specifically with the sort of injuries you are likely to encounter when dealing with horses and riders.

Any first aid course you attend will always tell you the first priority is to assess and minimise any risks. When an accident involves horses you always need to be sure that more complications aren’t going to arise from a loose horse, so ensure that someone immediately gains control of it to prevent further accident or injury.

PREPARE!

A human first aid kit’s contents depend on how many people you need to cater for and where you are keeping it, but always make sure you keep supplies regularly checked and topped up. If you know where your first aid kit is, and how to contact the required emergency services you are far more likely to be of valuable assistance to those in need.

Having a first aid kit will mean you know where all your medical equipment is and you won’t have to run round looking for things in the event of an accident. You may decide to have separate kits for horses and humans or just one kit that has supplies for both (first aid equipment does tend to lend itself to man or beast!) A basic equine first aid kit should include the following

1. Vet’s telephone number
2. Cotton wool
3. Antiseptic solution eg Hibiscrub
4. Sterile non adherent dressings
5. Bandages
6. Scissors

It is advisable to also keep a clean bucket that is only used for cleaning wounds so you can avoid the risk of infection and contamination.

SEEK MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Whilst most falls and accidents around horses incur only minor injuries, it is important to remember that a horse is a very large, powerful animal and any kick or fall can be serious. If you feel at all unwell after an accident it is always advisable to gain professional, medical advice.

If a horse is injured, it is important that you know how to treat the injury.  Try to gain assistance so you have someone to hold the horse whilst you assess and treat the injury. Even the most placid horse can react violently when in pain which could result in injury to those around. Initially assess the wound and contact your vet for advice if you are at all unsure. Advice can often be given by them over the phone once initial information has been provided.

Veterinary assistance is essential if:

1. there is no one on scene with sufficient knowledge to assess the wound or injury
2. there is excessive bleeding
3. the wound is more than skin deep or more than a few cms long
4. the injury is close to joints
5. the wound is very dirty
6. the horse is not vaccinated against tetanus 

If you do not feel that veterinary attention is required, or whilst you are waiting for him to arrive you can clean the wound using clean water or a very dilute solution of Hibiscrub (approx 1:20), cover the wound with a clean non absorbent dressing, cover the wound with a firm bandage which isn’t so tight as to restrict circulation. When applying bandages ensure that this is done over padding and the pressure is even throughout, there must be no wrinkles in the bandage and all fastenings should be at the same tension as the bandage itself. Take care not to position the fastening over the injury itself.

AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST!

There are many ways to limit the risk to you and those around you whilst dealing with horses. Always stay responsive to potential dangers, don’t leave a horse unattended on the yard even when tied up, accidents happen in an instant.  Don’t leave any avoidable hazards on the yard, ie pichforks, wheelbarrows, empty bags. Remember to always wear a current standard hat whilst riding or handling horses and a body protector, if appropriate, as these can help reduce injury in the event of an accident. Most importantly, treat all horses, no matter how quiet or how well you know them, with respect, as they can ALWAYS take you by surprise. Even the smallest shetland pony is stronger than any man.