Welcome to the Year of Youth's equestrian blog for youth riders, horse lovers and horsey people. Join in the discussion on facebook, twitter, myspace, bebo and flikr.

While some of you may be feeling a bit down about the fact that Winter is certainly here (for most of us anyway!)

As we mentioned in the last blog, some horse owners actually get a bit of relief in winter if their horses suffer from sweet itch. Well, we got to thinking about the other reasons to be happy about winter in the horsey world….

Another condition that is predominantly a problem in the summer, when the grass is lush and green, is laminitis. This condition has the potential to cause damage to the lamellar tissues, which may be minimal or devastating. That is why it is so important to keep an eye a horse if it shows any acute symptoms at all. If you do spot acute symptoms (heat in the hoof, a pulse at the base of the leg, lameness, or a raised crest) make sure you remove the horse from grazing immediately and call the vet. Acute cases can be very treatable and preventable, which is why winter can be a blessing in disguise, as so many cases of laminitis are linked to excessive sugars caused by lush grazing. On the other hand, sever cases can leave the horse with severe permanent damage.

Be aware however, that there have been cases of frosted grass being a factor in the onset of laminitis, so sadly it’s not all good news about winter’s intrusion. Then again, there is always Christmas!

The FEI blogging team

Well for most of us winter is now fast approaching. Generally this is considered the more difficult time of year for many horse owners, with issues such weight loss, lack of suitable turnout and of course poor riding conditions to contend with. However, for many owners with horses that suffer with sweet itch, believe it or not, the grey skies and cold dark nights are actually quite a relief.

Sweet Itch is a distressing skin condition that affects thousands of horses across the world (globally it is often also known as Queensland Itch, Summer Itch, Summer Eczema and Seasonal Dermatitis). It is a seasonal (Summer) condition caused by a hypersensitivity to the bites of the Culicoides flies, more commonly known as “midges”/”biting midge” and “no-see-ums”, their saliva contain antigens, which sets off a reaction in the horse’s skin. (A horse with infected skin will not transmit it to another horse, it is generally considered to be genetic in cause).

The Biting Midge

Infected animals are very itchy and distressed, and rub themselves excessively. In more severe cases, this incessant rubbing can lead to hair loss and damage to the skin, including scabs and even open bleeding sores.

Sweet Itch is considered, along with laminitis, one of the major preventable welfare issues facing our equine population. Sadly, there is presently no “cure” for Sweet Itch, however, the FEI wishes to draw attention to the prevention and treatment of this condition, to promote the health and well-being of horses around the world. As the condition is caused by the biting midge, preventative measures can include stabling the horse at dawn and dusk when the midges are at their most active. The use of insecticides and fly repellents is encouraged also however, do check that the repellent in question is approved and does not contain any banned substances. Barrier techniques are also very effective, including the use of fly masks and rugs; by preventing the biting of the midge you also prevent severe reactions. Plus the future seems full of hope; there is currently a lot of research being conducted into the use of a vaccine and various other drug treatments.

If you have any other tried and tested success stories in the prevention of ‘Sweet Itch’, do get in touch with us!

The FEI blogging team

What a great picture!

Photograph by Nileeka Gunawardene exclusively for the FEI Year of Youth blog.

The FEI’s Year of Youth has been officially launched by FEI President Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Haya. Speaking at the launch event at the Alltech FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships HRH Princess Haya said “Equestrian sport is fortunate to have a generation of ambitious and hard working young people emerging onto the international stage”.

The Princess took time out of her busy schedule to meet youth riders who were helping out and competing at Windsor to launch the Year of Youth with a photoshoot. Having the president at the launch of the event was symbolic of the FEI’s commitment to communicate with youth riders.

FEI Youth Director Nici Kennedy added: “Our goal for the Year of Youth is to ensure we hear the opinions of the competitors, grooms, fans, volunteers and support teams of all those aged 12 and 21 involved in equestrian sport in order to help us best shape and drive the sport in the future”. “It is a tremendous opportunity and we are really looking forward to hearing from a great diversity of perspectives.”

The FEI Year of Youth runs from August 2009 right up until the Youth Olympic Games which take place in Singapore next year. We want to break down the barriers of distance by bringing young equestrians together via the website and social media products such as Twitter and Facebook so that your voices are heard.

We’ll be sharing your best tips and stories on this site and speaking to some of the superstars of the equestrian world in order to bring you the best advice on all things equine. If you’ve got a story that you’d like to see on these pages then drop us a line and let us know paulino@feiyearofyouth.org

FEI President HRH Princess Haya surrounded by young riders at the Alltech FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships. © Kit Houghton

We’d love to see your horsey pictures too, so be sure to tag them with “FEIYOY” and check out the official Year of Youth Flickr stream here

When was the last time you did something nice for your groom? Do you take the time to appreciate all their hard work? Well there’s good news! Grooms are to be finally recognized as an important part of the equestrian community.

The FEI Awards has a specific category for ‘Best Groom’ and it’s open to any groom who has shown dedication and passion in their work.

Now is the time to celebrate those often-overlooked members of the community and reward their hard work, so if you know someone who deserves to win the coveted title of ‘Best Groom’, visit the FEI Awards website and make sure that they’re nominated. Every vote counts!

With so many great equestrians out there its hard to pick who is the best!

 Whether you’re into Show Jumping, Dressage, Vaulting, Para- equestrian, Eventing or Endurance why don’t you show your appreciation to your favourite rider?

 The FEI awards features a category called ‘Best Athlete’, an award for the equestrian who has shown exceptional sportsmanship and determination and skill to take the sport to a whole new level!

 Any top equestrian from around the world can be a candidate, so if you have someone in mind, now is the time to put in your nominations!

Check out the official FEI Awards site and cast your votes!

Welcome to the official website of the FEI’s Year of Youth! We’ve got lots of exciting things coming up in the year ahead and this is the place to find all the latest news and updates.

We are really keen to get to know you and find out more about what makes you tick. Do you own your own horse? What got you into horse-riding in the first place? What is it about equestrianism that you love – and what do you think could be changed to make it easier for young riders? Let us know how you would get more people interested in equestrianism and encourage them to take part in the sport.

This is your chance to shape the future of equestrianism. We’re here to celebrate the best in youth equestrianism and we’re here to listen to what you want.

Come and join in the conversation on Twitter and share tips with other like-minded people in the Year of Youth Facebook group.

We’ll be adding your stories, photos, videos to this site throughout the year and we’d like to know what else you’d like to see on these pages too.

You can get in touch by emailing us at paulino@feiyearofyouth.org and if you’d like to find out more about what the FEI does then check out the main website here.