'Bad Girl' Claire backs survey as equine cruelty cases grow

The charity is asking everybody with an interest in horses to take part, making it the biggest survey of its kind ever undertaken. We may have a reputation as animal lovers in this country but an increasing number of abuse cases are being reported.

Claire says: "World Horse Welfare wants to know what people think about the issues currently facing the equine community so it can target its efforts and resources where they are most needed. The survey will also get people thinking about equine welfare and that's got to be a good thing."

The charity investigates nearly 2,000 welfare cases annually and last year its officers carried out 10 per cent more visits than the year before.

"Despite the 2006 Animal Welfare Act which makes owners accountable for the welfare of their animals, we are still dealing with an unacceptably high number of equine cruelty cases," says Roly Owers, chief executive of WHW.

Claire has been a supporter of the charity for a long time. "It's very thorough and it's very organised, which means you can make waves. Princess Anne is the president and it's good having her as a figurehead."

A keen racing fan, Claire lives in Harrogate and usually has several racehorses in training. "Fremen, who is with David Nicholls, has done really well and has won eight races this year. I've also got two with Declan Carroll at Sledmere, Swiftly Done and Kings Craic."

Unfortunately she has been unable to see much of her horses recently as she is currently busy on tour in a comedy, The Naked Truth. It is all about five women who go to a pole dancing class. "We all had to learn to pole dance and we do have a good laugh with it," says Claire, who partnered Brendan Cole in the fourth series of 'Strictly Come Dancing'. The Naked Truth will be at St George's Hall in Bradford on November 15 and 16.

To complete the Great British Horse Survey go to www.horsesurvey.co.uk.

SADNESS at the end of last year has turned into a series of celebrations this year for 11-year-old Jessica Hewitt, from Pontefract. After she lost her top young pony, Laithehill Tarragon (Fred), just before Christmas, she took on the ride on 20-year-old Pendini (Dini).

The veteran pony had spent most of the previous year dumping her young riders but Jessica was determined to succeed where others had struggled and she and Dini have built a winning partnership.

The pair have won 2,000 in prize money since January. Their successes include winning two 128cm championships and Jessica was named leading rider at this year's Pony of the Year Show.They were placed fifth at Hickstead, won the 128 Scottish Masters Championships and won England team gold and the Scope 128 Primary and National Championships.

Since she was four years old and first started jumping at Doncaster's Moorhouse Equestrian Centre's Friday night shows, her dream was to go to the Horse of the Year Show. That dream came true last month when Jessica and Dini won the 128cm Championships and she was also runner-up with her second ride, Rapidash.

Then, last weekend, Jessica and Dini were selected for the GB team to compete at the Home Pony International where the team won silver.

Jessica also had a first, two seconds and a fifth in the 128cm classes with Dini and another pony, Bureside Buttons. In December, she and Dini will be heading to Olympia.

Another young showjumper who did well at HOYS was 16-year-old Chantelle Duggan from Castleford.

She won the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers' Championship riding her mother Margaret's Rumworth's Taylor's Twilight. They were also runners-up in the Sqibb Demolition Pony Foxhunter.

Chantelle is in her final year competing on ponies. She had another good win at the recent Scope and Blue Chip Championships where she won the Fox Master Championships and Sapphire Championships.

STEVE PULLAN, from Knaresborough, was awarded a Higher First Premium in the showjumping section for his Cleveland Bay filly, Jaguar Moon, at the British Equestrian Federation Futurity Evaluations at Richmond Equestrian Centre.

The award means the filly has the potential to compete at top level. Jaguar Moon was bred from Steve's Cleveland bay premium mare, Knaresborough Moonbeam and is by Jaguar Mail, a successful French showjumping stallion.

He also entered another yearling filly in the evaluations, Esteem Dollar, who came out with a top score in the eventing section.