Curious Equestrian

We often think of the Shire horse as a staple of the county show. Huge, gentle, and safe. We assume they are doing fine.
The data tells a different story.
In this episode, Anna Louise sits down with Tracy Wathen-Jones from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST). We move past the nostalgia of the heavy horse to face the biological reality: we are losing our native breeds.
We discuss:
The extinction numbers: Why the Exmoor pony and Eriskay are now critically rare.

The "frozen" insurance policy: Why we are relying on a gene bank of semen from the 1960s to save these breeds from total collapse.

The lost language: Why handling a Shire requires a different skill set to a warmblood—and why losing the "old boys" means losing the horsemanship skills to keep the breed alive.

Utility vs. Sport: Why "conservation grazing" might be the only job left for our native ponies.

This is not just a history lesson. It is a conversation about whether the horse has a future if it doesn't have a job.
Special thanks to the following photographers and societies for the images used in the video intro: Jennifer Feleris, John Green, Katrina Bell, Frances Ellis, Louise Blundell, Deborah White, El Dunlop, David Stewart, and the Eriskay Pony Breed Society.Learn more about our UK Native Horse Breeds on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust website: https://www.rbst.org.uk/pages/category/equine-watchlist

The Inquisitive Herd (Membership):The conversation continued after the mics cut off. Members can listen to the After-Hours Tapes, where Tracy shares the specific reality of funding these projects and the "messy" truth of breed societies.

Have you ever thought through exactly what would happen if you fell off your horse while hacking? We often plan our routes, but do we have a plan for when it all goes wrong?
In this vital episode of Curious Equestrian, we are joined by Mike Elkins, Lead Driving Education Manager at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. Mike is the driving force behind Project Pacer, a campaign dedicated to reducing road incidents involving horses and improving rider safety awareness.
Mike bridges the gap between the equestrian world and the emergency services, sharing eye-opening statistics and life-saving advice that every horse owner needs to hear.
In this episode, we discuss:
Project Pacer: Why reported incidents (over 3,000 a year) are just the tip of the iceberg.

The 999 Call: What actually happens when you dial emergency services and how to help them find you in remote locations (including the truth about mobile signal).

Immediate Action: Why deep breathing isn't just for calming down—it can physiologically slow down bleeding.

Sirens & Lights: How ambulance drivers are trained to approach horses on the road and why wearing high-vis makes you three times more visible to them.

First Aid Essentials: What you should carry in your saddlebag and why "just getting back on" isn't always the bravest choice.

Whether you hack on busy roads or remote bridleways, this conversation will leave you better equipped, better prepared, and potentially ready to save a life.
Links & Resources:
Learn more about Project Pacer via The British Horse Society

Check your phone for AML (Advanced Mobile Location) settings.

Disclaimer: This episode discusses medical trauma and road accidents. Please listen with care.

We like to think that when our horse whinnies at us over the stable door, it's love. But what if it's actually desperation?
In this interview, I’m talking to Lauren from Graveney Equine about why Track Systems (Paddock Paradise) are the future of horse care. We dig into the hard truth that haunts many owners: when you give a horse true autonomy on a track, they stop "needing" you in the same way. And for many of us, that triggers a massive identity crisis.
Lauren also shares how she started her first track system for just £300 (approx $380 USD) and how it healed hoof issues that traditional farriery couldn't touch. If you are struggling with mud, laminitis, or just feel like traditional boarding/livery is failing your horse, this conversation is the alternative you’ve been looking for.
In this video, we explore:
The "Affection" Myth: Distinguishing between connection and learned dependence.
Budget Barriers: How to build a functional track system on a shoestring budget
The Health Turnaround: Healing toe cracks, abscesses, and EMS through movement.
Winter Management: Handling mud and forage without spending a fortune on surfacing.

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Featured Guest: Lauren from Graveney Equine (Founder of the Horse Track System FB Group)
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.facebook.com/graveneyequinenaturaltrack/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/808480805889892?locale=en_GB
#HorseTrackSystem #PaddockParadise #NaturalHorseCare #EquineWelfare #BarefootHorses

The UK is facing its worst hay crisis in over a century. And for livery yard owners like Lauren Johnson, the reality became terrifying when her hay supplier called to say the field was on fire. This is Day Three of our three-day Hay Crisis Special.
Meet Lauren Johnson—Faversham, Kent. Livery Yard of the Year 2024. Lauren runs Graveney Equine Horse Track System, a specialist livery designed to mimic how horses naturally live and eat. Her 20 horses rely almost entirely on hay distributed around the track—there's no grass safety net. When her regular hay supplier called to say the field had caught fire due to extreme heat and drought, Lauren's yearly hay bill jumped by £3,000. A field that normally yielded 500 large bales produced just 80. She scrambled to secure supply from a backup contractor she'd only just started talking to—pure luck that saved her season.
📌 IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:
The Phone Call: "The field is on fire." Lauren describes the panic of being told her hay supply literally went up in flames due to machinery sparks in bone-dry grass during the hottest summer on record.
The £3,000 Increase: Lauren's hay bill jumped from £11,000-12,000 to over £15,000 for slightly less hay. She had no choice but to pass costs onto livery clients—who are already stretched thin by the cost of living crisis.
Practical Strategies for Horse Owners: Lauren shares her community's survival plan: slow feeder nets to reduce waste, mixing straw up to 50% (gradually), using chaff and hay replacers, storing hay properly with specialist tarps, switching to haylage (with gut health warnings), and utilizing standing hay on pasture for horses that can tolerate it.
The Gut Health Warning: Lauren explains why switching between hay and haylage can cause colic, laminitis, and hindgut acidosis—critical information many vets and feed merchants aren't sharing with desperate horse owners.
The Livery Yard Crisis: Livery yards are closing across the UK. Land is being sold for housing. Yards are overstocking to survive financially. Winter turnout is disappearing under mud. And licensing requirements may eliminate the "cheap field rental" loophole many horse owners rely on.
The Uncomfortable Future: Lauren predicts horse ownership is becoming elitist again—not by choice, but by economics. Fields that once rented for modest sums now command £500/month per acre. People are selling horses into a flooded market or making the heartbreaking decision to euthanize rather than risk unknown futures. And climate change means this isn't a one-off crisis—it's the new normal.
This episode is raw, practical, and deeply informed. Lauren manages both sides of the equation: she's a livery yard owner and an arable farmer. She understands the pressures on hay suppliers, the financial impossibility facing yard owners, and the heartbreak of horse owners who can no longer afford the animals they committed to for life.
RESOURCES: Graveney Equine on Facebook: Graveney EkwineHorse Track Systems Facebook Group (active community with hay crisis support)

#HayCrisis #HorseWelfare #ClimateChange #HayShortage #TrackSystem #LiveryYard #CuriousEquestrian #Equestrian #HorseOwnership #UKHayCrisis

The UK is facing its worst hay crisis in over a century. Spring 2025 brought the driest conditions in 50 years for the UK, and England's driest spring in more than 100 years. Hay yields have dropped by 50-75% in some regions. Prices have doubled or tripled. And for horse owners like Katarina Marcus, the reality is stark: hand-grazing three horses in the dark with a head torch just to keep them fed. This is Day Two of our three-day Hay Crisis Special. Yesterday, we heard from the British Horse Society about expert strategies to reduce waste and stretch your supply. Today, we're hearing the lived reality from someone on the ground.
Meet Katarina Marcus—Brighton, Sussex. Kat saw this crisis coming in July. She sectioned off winter grazing early, started hand-grazing her horses on the South Downs, and began rationing hard feed to compensate for hay she knew wouldn't arrive. Her hay prices have jumped from £5 to £7.50 per small bale—and she expects it to rise again. Her 5-foot round bales went from £35 to £50, soon to be £60. But the financial strain is only part of the story. Kat is also an author you can find her collection of novels here: https://www.katharinamarcus.com/
📌 IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR: The Daily Reality: Kat gets up an hour earlier than usual to hand-graze her horses before work. In winter, she'll be out in the pitch black with a head torch because she's stopped riding entirely to focus on keeping them fed. The Herd Dynamic Crisis: Kat lost one of her four horses to colic in January. She's been looking for a fourth all summer to ease the "terrible number three" dynamic—but her Shetland budget is now her hay budget. The two mares are fighting. The older one, a grass sickness survivor, is losing condition.
The Livery Yard Lifeline: Kat's yard has banded together to feed "little and often" throughout the day, with different owners coming at different times to give small portions. It's a beautiful example of community—but not everyone has that.
The Career Sacrifice: This isn't Kat's first hay crisis. The last one forced her to leave her career as a freelance horse trainer and instructor because clients couldn't afford lessons. .
The Uncomfortable Truth: Kat predicts we will run out of hay. Not just expensive hay—no hay. And unlike the last crisis, we can't import from France (Brexit, and Europe is facing the same shortage). She fears for urban horse owners with no access to grazing. She fears for stabled horses. And she fears we'll see a flood of cheap horses on the market as people are forced to sell. This episode is raw, honest, and deeply human. It's about the trade-offs we don't talk about—careers, Christmas plans, riding time, herd dynamics, and the fear of what happens when the supply runs out.
ABOUT CURIOUS EQUESTRIAN: We explore the questions horse owners are afraid to ask. From mental health to practical horse care, we bring you the experts. This episode is made possible by our Inquisitive Herd members.
Join for bonus Q&As, behind-the-scenes planning calls, and a community of thoughtful horse people: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CuriousEquestrian #HayCrisis #HorseWelfare #ClimateChange #HayShortage #HorseCare #CuriousEquestrian #Equestrian #DIYLivery #HorseOwnership