Spike Milligan - Performance Horse Consultant

24/05/2024

Delighted to be supporting our local pony club show. So important to support the young generation starting on their equestrian journey. Maybe there are some potential future Badminton winners amongst them!

02/03/2024

RIP Mark Bradstock. It was an absolute pleasure to have been part of the team and work with him. He had a superb eye for a horse and was a true horseman in the truest sense of the word. Above all he was the most wonderful person with a wicked sense of humour. He will be hugely missed. Sending my thoughts to Sara, Alfie and Lily.

❤️ Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Mark Bradstock, who sadly passed away yesterday aged 66.

16/02/2024

Some weekend listening for everyone! A dive into the details of joints injections - the what, why and where of it all!

I was delighted that Chris Elliot from Palm Beach Equine Clinic joined me on the Eventing Podcast to discuss the subject. Loads of information for owners, riders and other professionals to digest and hopefully further people’s current understanding of what the current options available for treatment are.

As ever, feedback and questions happily received and maybe even some suggestions for further subjects for The Hold Box.

‎Show EquiRatings Eventing Podcast, Ep Hold Box: Joint Injections - 15 Feb 2024

14/01/2024

*** The Answer to Case of the Week ***

Some very impressive comments from people and there were at least a couple that not only noted the fracture to the pedal bone (P3) but also realised that the fracture extended to the articular surface of the coffin joint. Well done Kezia Allen and Jess Powell (sorry but couldn’t tag you for some reason!).

The fact the fracture extends to the joint means that without providing compression across the fracture plane there will be a defect in the joint and this will drive an aggressive arthritis in the joint and this will ultimately limit the horses soundness in the not too distant future even if the fracture “heals” well.

Therefore this horse went to the awesome team at Newmarket Equine Hospital where Matt Smith placed a screw that was millimetre perfect with the aid of their intra-operative CT Scanner. The images attached are of the fracture pre and post screw placement. This is state of the art technology that will have significantly aided Matt in getting the screw placement perfect!!

We can feel confident that we have given this lovely young horse the best chance of not only a full recovery but also of reducing the risk of long term soundness problems from an associated arthritis.

During the rehabilitation programme we will be using all the team members that care for the horse - the farrier for remedial shoes, the physio for managing secondary muscle soreness and compensatory postural issues and also the owners for giving that all important day to day TLC to keep the horse happy. Once the fracture has had some time to start healing we will then introduce controlled exercise and the rehabilitation programme will be closely monitored.

Please feel free to comment with any questions and comments on the case and I will be happy to reply!

I wonder what the next case will be!!?

12/01/2024

We are only 12 days into 2024 and already some interesting cases to get the brain working!!

These radiographs are of a young horse that had been very lame but had improved for rest and then went lame again when turned back into a small paddock. The images are of the LH foot. The horse presented lame at walk, very sore on the turn and reluctant to fully weight bear - however it had appeared sound only a couple of weeks previously after a period of box rest.

What’s your diagnosis?

There is an aspect to the problem that makes this a more serious condition and requires a more invasive “fix” - I wonder if anyone can see what it is?

I will post the “answers” on Sunday evening.

31/12/2023

2023 comes to the close and it’s now been 3 years since I took the plunge setting up my consultancy service. It’s been an epic year - a little out of control busy at times in the summer but it was another superb experience at the Youth European Eventing Championships in Montelibretti that emptied my petrol tanks this time! A full on Eventing season with Burghley my highlight and so close to seeing Reybridge Eventing win his first 5*. A brilliant result for my sponsored rider MG Dressage with team and individual medals at the European Junior Dressage Championships. Another highlight was speaking at the BEVA PPE CPD in November and also continuing to be part of the epic Eventing Podcast team. All these experiences were made more brilliant due to the people I worked alongside - vets, physios, grooms, farriers, coaches, and everyone else!
Finally I want to thank my wonderful family who continue support me in what is my job and passion. Hopefully I’m getting the elusive work/life balance right!!
Onwards to 2024 - hopefully it will stop raining soon and we can start to look forward to the elusive sun returning and competitions getting going again!

11/10/2023

Benchmarking with the Equinosis Lameness Locator can be such a useful tool in monitoring our competition horses. By doing this as part of a team approach of working with the horse’s farrier and physio we can monitor subtle fluctuations in a horse’s action and relate it back to any changes in training schedule or treatments by any of the support team.

I have found that the system has been a brilliant tool to help me in the proactive and preventative approach to managing sports horses.

21/09/2023

Exciting times ahead working with MG Dressage. Working with and supporting young riders has always been a great passion of mine but have always found it difficult to be able to sponsor only one young eventer given my BE roles. Therefore the opportunity to support such a talented and hard working young dressage rider was something I really wanted to be able to do.

18/09/2023

So, final post after an epic Youth European Eventing Championships in Montillebretti. Every year I think it’s going to be a bit “easier” than previously but nothing fails to surprise me or challenge me.

The show jumping was another rollercoaster and I really thought that the Junior Team were going to get that Gold medal but it wasn’t quite meant to be. Some great jumping rounds in the afternoon from the YRs but sadly a couple of rails cost Georgina Herrling an individual medal but a great performance over the week to finish 6th individually.

I finally sit at home thinking about how proud I am of every member of the team I worked for and alongside in the last 10 days. All 12 riders were a pleasure to be around and I know all will have learnt so much and that is ultimately what the Youth Programme is about. You can’t teach resilience and although some of the riders will have returned home today with regrets and frustrations I know they will have learnt so much. In sport, it’s easier to support people in good times rather than bad and I wish all of them the best for the future and hopefully more medals at every level.

To come home with a Team Silver medal for the Junior Team is a great achievement and one that they should be immensely proud of.

I can’t thank my team of supergrooms enough - what a team. They are still on route home, continuing to care for the horses that have already become firm friends. I saw in the tears shed on Sunday evening how much those 12 horses already meant to you guys.

Thank you to everyone that has supported the team and a huge thank you to British Eventing Official for the funding to get the teams to the Championships. Every member should be proud of how the 12 riders represented the membership - we will all continue to work hard to make the membership proud.

17/09/2023

Mixed day yesterday - brilliant morning for the Juniors and more challenging afternoon. Tough to think of the big picture when in the middle of disappointment but lots will be learnt through tough times. So proud of all the riders - the championship experience is not always about medals - but hey, let’s go get some!!

Can’t thank the grooms and the physios enough for all their hard work overnight. All the horses flew through the trot up looking fresh and ready to jump.

Fingers crossed for 10 clear rounds!! Let’s go Team GB!!

15/09/2023

Dressage done! Another brilliant day - superb riding, gleaming ponies, posh trotting.
Juniors in Team Silver.
Young Riders in Team Gold.
Exciting day ahead tomorrow. Check out this video of Ellie Fredericks doing some pole work this morning as part of preparing for their test - thought people would be interested to see how you can change things up in preparing for a test.
So proud of the whole support team out here - it’s hot and tiring work but they are all so positive and full of energy. Bring on xc day!!

15/09/2023

Summary of Day 1 - excuse the voice! Knackered and croaky!! Great day, great horse, great riders! Chuffed for all of them and looking forward to Day 2 of dressage tomorrow. I promise I will get some more videos from the venue tomorrow.

13/09/2023

You have to love an opening ceremony with parachutes!! Succesful day with all 12 floating through the trot up - huge shout out to the supergrooms who had them looking superb! Absolutely gleaming!! The competition starts tomorrow - the excitement really starts now. Keep following all our brilliant riders - let’s go GB!!
Please comment with anything people might want behind the scenes videos of - really want to bring the excitement and thrill of a Championship across for everyone.

11/09/2023

Well, we made it. Tough drive but the best conditions for the horses and all 12 in top condition on arrival. Arrival day is always hectic, hot and sweaty. Getting the stables unpacked and ready and then getting the 2 marquees built that form our base camp for the week. Very ready for a shower and my bed tonight. As ever, supported by top team of grooms and Emma Dainty the team physio. Thank you Parker’s International - superb work!!

10/09/2023

We had a great drive this morning and arrived at our stop in Nice just after lunchtime. All the horse are bright and on top form. Couldn’t be happier with them.

09/09/2023

We arrived at our great stables for first stopover. Horses travelled so well and have come off super perky. All drinking brilliantly and have been out for a handwalk or a lunge as necessary. Keeping a close eye on temperatures and hydration but all good this evening so happy team with happy horses.

09/09/2023

2:30am start at Parkers getting the BE Youth Teams loaded for Leg 1 of the journey to Montelibretti for the European Champs. All horses exercised prior to loading. I thought people might be interested in some videos along the way behind the scenes with the awesome support team so will post more videos on route.

03/09/2023

Home from Burghley, and wow, what a weekend of sport. Absolutely delighted for Reybridge Eventing for David and Galileo’s 2nd place finish. So close to the elusive 5* win. The only combination to finish on their dressage score! The whole team epitomises hard work and dedication. Honoured to be a small cog in the wheel!

This sport is an emotional rollercoaster which riders and all the supporters ride year in and year out so it’s essential to celebrate the good days - so I’m sat enjoying something fizzy to toast to David and Galileo.

06/05/2023

Tomorrow, 65 horses will go under this arch and head to the start box and will hopefully return around 12 minutes later. They will return to their delighted support team that have jumped every jump and galloped every stride with the combination they are with. Just getting to the start box is such a huge accomplishment that sometimes it can seem routine, particularly for the best riders in the world. It is never routine and every road to that start box is tough and cobbled and fraught with disappointment and some dark days. All of those horses starting tomorrow are at the pinnacle of the sport and they will show their courage and bravery tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my favourite day of the year. I love it. The emotions that I go through before during and after every round are what drive me to come back year in year out and also what inspires me every day in helping people on that road to whatever their own Badminton start box is.

Bring it on!

Best of luck to all the competitors and a little
bit even more for the horses that I have walked that challenging road to the start box with.

19/04/2023

Wishing huge luck and best wishes to Team Opposition and Reybridge Eventing as Betty and Galileo head off to Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Both are in top form and look a million dollars and I know will do their brilliant owners and supporters so proud out there. I will be following from British soil but sending all the luck in the world.

20/03/2023

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭

We are so excited to be joining up with the team at EquiRatings once again to bring you all even more tips and insights straight from the Feed Room.

Spike Milligan - Performance Horse Consultant will be joining up with Expert Nutritionist Louise Jones to answer some of your nutrition and feeding questions.

Have a question? Ask it in the comments.

23/02/2023

Vital info for anyone coming back from the affected shows. This is a superb service from Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons

𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐇𝐕-𝟏 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐊 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞

Following the announcements by the Fédération Equestre Internationale and British Showjumping (BS) confirming cases of EHV-1 in Lier, Belgium and Oliva Nova, Spain, Rossdales Laboratories are pleased to confirm that we are able to assist with the diagnostic testing of showjumpers returning to the UK from these shows.

All horses returning to the UK from the above shows from 00.01hrs on Saturday, 18th February will be required to isolate and will not be allowed to attend any National Competitions until the period of isolation is completed or they have undertaken laboratory tests which confirm negative results. For FEI competition, most horses will be required to isolate for 21 days with a PCR test at the end of this period. Within UK, it will be possible to reduce the period of isolation to around 14 days by undertaking additional Fast Track laboratory testing.

See full details on our website here http://bit.ly/41mVJun

BEVA - The British Equine Veterinary Association

17/02/2023

Friday afternoons are for doing paperwork! Glad Percy was keen to come and ”help”!!

09/02/2023

I saw this post from the brilliant Centaur Biomechanics - I totally agree with this and the recent data additions reinforce that. There was a previous belief that the rider influenced saddle slip but that’s been proven to not be the case.

This is the perfect time of year to keep a close eye on signs of saddle slip - asymmetric scrubbing of the horse’s hair is a clear and obvious sign. If you see this on your horse then get your vet to review your horse as they will likely find a low grade hindlimb lameness.

**THURSDAY RESEARCH MEME**

Todays MEME is relating to saddle slip and the importance of working as a team to ask the “why”, and then make a plan on how best to support the horse and rider. Often it is thought that the “rider” is the cause of saddle slip, whilst we must consider the rider, we need to establish the “primary” cause, and based on multiple studies, saddle slip is initiated by the horse and not the rider. Pursing a rider alone approach to resolving saddle slip is not advantageous, and can often allow subtle asymmetries to develop.

For more information www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/

31/12/2022

What an amazing 2022 and so looking forward to what 2023 will bring! With new treatment modalities and a new diagnostic tool in my armoury I really feel that I can have an even better affect for both prevention and cure….

Thank you to all my wonderful clients for your ongoing support this year. Also to everyone Eventing Podcast for awesome year of brilliant shows and so much fun - I will have to come up with some bright new ideas for the Hold Box in 2023.

Looking back on a brilliant 2022 in particular with huge pride at the medals won by the YR and JR Team GB Eventing teams at the European Championships at Hartpury. Double Team Gold was just out of this world. I equally take huge pride in seeing all my clients achieve their aims and I will continue to strive to turns the near misses into wins and the disappointments into celebrations.

I’m signing out on 2022 from Avoriaz where I am recharging the batteries with my wonderful and supportive wife.

Happy New Year!!

21/11/2022

This is a very important subject. As vets, it’s always important to have strong lines of communication of all the members of the support team, including the nutritionist. We talk about what both sides can do to make this relationship better.

Spike Milligan - Performance Horse Consultant is joined by Louise Jones, a nutritionist at Connolly's RED MILLS, as they discuss the hot topic of relationships between vets and nutritionists.

Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to Eventing Podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount.

Note this does not apply to the For-Recovery products or the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs.

10/10/2022

This story rings huge alarm bells for me and is so relevant to the equine industry too. All riders should be acutely aware of exactly what they are giving their horses and only from reputable sources that have signed up to the BETA NOPS Scheme. Ignorance is not an excuse - CJ Ujah bought a supplement through convenience and it cost him and his team mates gold medals and also a lengthy ban!!
If you have any questions or concerns then always consult your vet or go to the FEI clean sport website.
I have recently recorded a podcast with Connolly's RED MILLS on this subject and it will be released soon and will cover things in more detail.

Banned British sprinter CJ Ujah says a "convenient" £10 supplement bought from Amazon caused him to test positive for two prohibited substances at the Tokyo Olympics.

18/09/2022

Great weekend Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials 2022 - brilliant sport and enjoyed catching up with friends and supporting clients.

I have to make a special mention to Sasha Hargreaves Eventing and Des (Woodlands be Daring). In between trying to kill me in wash down boxes, Des has recovered from colic surgery and a heart condition and the usual hiccups and challenges that horses through at their teams in the run up to 4* events. Not the best result on paper but he is now a proper 4* horse and onwards to Bramham next year. So much credit to his home team and super groom who have nursed him back to health and then produced him to this level.

Superb weekend of sport and so delighted for Yasmin Ingham - the new World Champion. Seeing riders come through the youth system and go on to medals at the senior level is what makes me so happy!!

19/08/2022

It was brilliant to meet Sarah Clark Equestrian earlier this week and her lovely horse Balou Jeanz. They have travelled over to compete at The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials Official Page. We did a routine check up after the long journey from Australia to make sure Jeanz was in top top condition and ready to rock for the biggest 5* in the world! If you’re visiting Burghley then give her a big shout and lots of support!!