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‘I love my horses to go out and have time to themselves – it’s natural and they’re happier’: showjumper Joe Stockdale on the importance of daily turnout

Plus his thoughts on stable manners and a herd mentality in this exclusive article for H&H subscribers

  • A showjumper’s life is a busy one on the circuit, but when it comes to his horses’ home routine, Joe Stockdale is a stickler for turnout and plenty of downtime outside their boxes.

    All Joe’s horses are turned out daily.

    “We’ve got paddocks and stallion pens, so we can turn 11 out at once,” says Joe. “The paddocks are designed so they can enjoy the grass, but not get too much speed up.

    Paddocks at Joe Stockdale's yard

    There are plenty of paddocks at Joe Stockdale’s yard so that all his horses can enjoy daily turnout. Credit: Peter Nixon

    “I love them going out – it’s natural, they really enjoy it, getting their heads down and having some time to themselves. They’re happier and easier for me to ride.”

    He gives the example of 11-year-old stallion Its Confidential – with whom he broke the six-bar record at Spruce Meadows this year – who can be a firecracker.

    Enjoy the full article following Joe Stockdale and his horses behind the scenes in this week’s magazine (on sale from Thursday 20 November).

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