Introducing Kim Chapman

We are very pleased to introduce you to Kim Chapman as one of our six Horslyx Ambassadors…

“My name is Kim and I’ve owned my Welsh D x TB (Lizzy) for 10 years in June. I am really looking forward to representing Horslyx over the next year!”

“She’s a 16.2hh bay mare who was so accident prone in the first 4 years it was untrue! I’d only had her 48 hours when the first vet call out was needed – she’d stood on a piece of metal in the field, which resulted in poulticing and box rest for a month and very nearly a trip to Liverpool Veterinary Hospital! Then there was the slicing her jaw open, getting stuck in a bailer, various cuts and scraps, kick wounds, you name it and I think that horse has done it injury-wise! We managed a few years with nothing major, then February last year she had an abscess on her jaw line which resulted in 8 weeks box rest, her first day back out she came in hopping lame and had a foot abscess! Needless to say, if anyone else on the yard needs anything first aid related – it’s me they come to first!”

“I’d bought Lizzy as an unbroken 4 year old in the June of 2004, and like I said, day 2 of owning her was where all drama started! I’d like to say that meant she was easy to back but no, the first 5/6 years were filled with mostly lows when it came to riding her. If we managed a schooling session without some sort of tantrum – it was a miracle. She just seemed to have the worst work attitude ever and everything was a battle – yet to handle, she was a dream.”

“I decided to give her some time off, I couldn’t bear the thought of selling her, it only ever crossed my mind once, (she very nearly ditched my on a car bonnet, at which point I was beginning to think she was un-ride able and dangerous) but after sleeping on it, I knew that wasn’t an option! As a last resort, I’d have kept her as an expensive pet. She had pretty much a year off, but then I found a new instructor (Ann White) and we started again and we slowly started to build up a trust and the rest as they say is history! I’ve done more with that mare in the last 3 years than in the first 7 – but, it’s been worth it! It was around this time I started using Horslyx, I wanted to cut out all feed (she’s the accident prone TB but has the good doer from the Welsh breeding when it comes to her weight) in case anything was ‘fizzing’ her up, contributing towards the ‘attitude’ so didn’t particularly need hard feed, which is why Horslyx seemed the ideal answer, as she would still get all the vitamins and minerals, without having to have feed hard feed/supplements.”

“We started going out and about a couple of years ago, just doing some local in-hand shows, Lizzy being the true mare she is, of course had some loading issues! But again, we spent time practicing and started at a little local show, which was within walking home distance, should the worse happen! The first year we just played at it, it was mainly for the experience of getting her out and about, then last year, we took it more seriously, and ended up Overall champion for Best Conditioned over 14.2hh and Best Part Bred – qualifying for a championship! We didn’t get placed at the championship, but it was all experience and something new – people seem to think because she’s 13, she should have been there and done it all by now – yes she probably should, but as far as I’m concerned, she has a home for life with me, so what does it matter what age she is when she does things.”

“At the end of last year, we attempted a ridden class, with the aim being me not getting thrown off into the kicking boards – result, and we also gained a fourth! So now, we are aiming at dressage this year, having competed in our first event just last Friday. We entered the ring napping and rearing (luckily the bell hadn’t gone) however once she settled, we managed 58% which was 14th out of 22 – needless to say, I was very chuffed with that! The next competition is in just over two weeks so if we can overcome the issue of entering the ring and actually concentrate, who knows!”