Spirit In Stirrups Limited

06/09/2026

Sunday afternoons with my boys 🤎🤍

05/09/2026

05/09/2026

13/08/2026

Due to a last minute cancellation I have a coaching/ training session slot available at 12noon tomorrow. If interested, please get in touch.

06/07/2026

𝗥𝘆𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 triggers more controversy than any other grass type.

At Simple System we choose not to use Ryegrass in our horse feeds, despite it being the most commonly used agricultural grass as it is easy to grow and very nutritious.

It has been the subject of much attention from plant breeders, who have over the years, developed varieties with more and more benefits for farmers - who would use ryegrass useful for fattening lambs and beef cattle, and for enhancing yield in grazing dairy cows. Ryegrass grows quickly and easily with more than a little help from fertilisers and once cut, it can be fertilised and it will grow again, and again.

Back in the middle of last century, Tetraploid Ryegrasses were developed, with double the genetic material of normal, diploid organisms. This enhances their vigour, demand for fertiliser and importantly, the production of sugar.

When first introduced, we were warned that such grasses were not suitable for horses, due to the risk of laminitis. That was fine until former dairy farms diversified into livery for horses. Dairy pasture does not suit horses! Even without a predisposition for laminitis, horses on these yards were more prone to health issues such as obesity, and even behavioural problems.

Ryegrass is rewarding to grow. Reseed with ryegrass and you will soon have a lush sward. Its bright, emerald green leaves with their distinctive mid-line crease certainly look good enough to eat! But do not be beguiled – this verdant growth is not for making a happy, healthy horse.

Increasingly, seed producers and agronomists are aware that Ryegrass and horses do not make for a happy partnership and now there is an excellent selection for grass seed mixes far more appropriate for the needs of our beloved equines. Lower sugar, higher fibre, deeper rooting, higher mineral native type grasses, with a careful selection of flowering plants, make for a much more suitable pasture for horses.

All Simple System feeds are ryegrass free. The species in our grass feeds are as follows:
🌱HayCare, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, Timothy Chop and MeadowBrix are made from nothing but Timothy grass.
🌱 Red Bag Grass Pellets are made from fescue.
🌱 Perform & Shine is made from Timothy and Cocksfoot. It also has a light coating of cold pressed linseed oil.

If you have an ingredient sensitive horse, or if you wish to discuss our forages, contact the Feed Line on 01728 604 008.

17/05/2026

Due to a couple of cancellations I have two time slots available for either a coaching or schooling session while I'm down in London (Middx/Herts/Bucks/West London areas) on Wednesday, 20th May.
- 11am (slot filled)
- 3pm
Please call or whatsapp Bea on 07951156918 if interested.

30/04/2026

Love my new coaster & mouse mat for my home office 😁
My hubby thought the coaster was spot on 😝

27/01/2026

Very useful summary on treatment of hoof abscesses…

Hoof Abscesses: Before vs After Rupture

There is ongoing discussion online about how hoof abscesses should be managed, particularly after they have already drained. I’d like to clarify this, because the treatment goals change once an abscess has ruptured.

Before an abscess ruptures

When an abscess is still sealed within the hoof capsule, the goals are: to
Relieve pressure
Encourage drainage
Reduce pain

After an abscess has ruptured

Once an abscess has blown (for example via the white line, sole, frog, or collateral groove), the situation is different:

Pressure has already been relieved
The primary source of pain is gone
The abscess is no longer “trapped”

At this stage, the goals become:

Keeping the drainage tract clean

Preventing environmental contamination

Allowing the tract to heal from the inside out

Avoiding prolonged maceration of the frog and sulci

This is where ongoing wet poulticing is often overused

There is a widespread belief that pus must be “drawn out” for many days after rupture. Many comments related to this after my last post about an abscess in a mare at my livery.

This idea applies to sealed abscesses, not ones that have blown and I did some research and found :

Once drainage has occurred-

There is no longer pressure driving pus deeper

Continued soaking does not remove more infection

Prolonged wet conditions can delay healing and soften healthy tissue

I shared that I packed the sulci with hoof clay.

Soft, non-occlusive materials (including clays or charcoal-based products) used lightly after rupture are not inherently “blocking” drainage. They can:

Absorb moisture

Bind debris

Reduce contamination of an open tract

This is very different from sealing an abscess closed.

In summary I learned-

• Before rupture → encourage drainage
• After rupture → protect, keep clean, allow healing

27/01/2026

This week, we're partnering with Agria to focus on all things related to testing and treating worms – and other parasites, too! 🪱

Having the right parasite testing and treatment programme in place is an important part of keeping our horses healthy and also helps to protect the national herd 🐴

However, it can sometimes be tricky to know what the right option is for your individual horse, from testing and treatment to managing the risks of transmission and resistance 🤔

Across this week, we'll be sharing a special series of podcast episodes, plus lots of other resources, to help you feel confident in making the best choice for your horse 🤝