A Christmas shopping trip turns into a chance to catch up on pony gossip for Tessa Waugh , who is on the back foot as far as present buying is concerned but replete with tales of happy new homes

Horses rarely make it obvious when something hurts, but their body, behaviour and expression tell the story — if you know what to look for. Equine vet Lucinda Ticehurst explains how to spot discomfort early, when to call the vet, and how to support recovery safely and responsibly

The smell of mud and hot horses in a freezing downpour elevates the spirits, while the eventual toe-thawing in the shower is a cause for jubilation, finds an undaunted Tessa Waugh

Kim Bailey on the new-style hurdles and repercussions from the budget

We often associate degenerative joint diseases with horses in middle or old age, but youngsters – even foals – can present with conditions under the umbrella of developmental orthopaedic disease, discovers Bethany Stone

A trailer-coupling mishap and a wild goose chase searching for lost keys confirm Tessa Waugh’s concerns that she’s suffering from the brain fog that sometimes affects women of a certain age