Goodbye to the special grey who led The Queen’s funeral, and other things the horse world is talking about
1. Farewell to a special grey
The Horse Trust and Thames Valley Police have said their last goodbyes to 18hh grey Shire horse Aurora, whose final duty was to lead The late Queen’s funeral cortege on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle in September 2022. The mare was retired after the funeral as she was having difficulties remaining sound while undertaking her duties. Although she was closely monitored by the charity’s vet during her retirement, Aurora then sustained a ruptured ligament. A spokesman explained: “Due to her other diagnoses and sheer size, this severely limited her prognosis and any treatment options available would have severely impacted her quality of life. Therefore, it was decided to let Aurora be at peace. While her time with us was shorter than some, she certainly made a massive impression on the team and our supporters.”
2. The dangers of misinformation
The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has raised concerns about false information circulating on social media – and the “very real threat” this can pose to the welfare of horses. Among particular areas of concern are the safety and suitability of feed ingredients, and topical applications such as fly repellents. A BETA spokesman said: “In conditions where medicines and treatments may not always be effective, owners understandably seek alternative solutions and may be tempted by exaggerated product claims. The irony is often that ingredients that are generally safe attract negative attention because information from studies is taken out of context.”
3. A special prize in memory of a talented young rider
Eventers competing at West Wilts have the chance to win a £1,000 prize this season in memory of talented young rider Archie Lowe. Archie died in a rotational fall in September 2020, aged 21, and the Archie Life Foundation was established to support young riders and horses, as well as the air ambulance service that tried to save his life. West Wilts Equestrian Centre is supporting the foundation by offering the prize to the owner/rider combination who amass the most points over all three of its British Eventing fixtures this year.
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