Five year old mare Pandora has an unusual condition for a horse. She is allergic to all types of grass.

Her owner Emily Pearce first noticed the problem when she found a large lump on the mares flank. At first she thought it may be a fly bite but after treatment didn’t cure it she consulted her vet who diagnosed the problem after a series of allergy tests.

Pandora was destined to live her life inside but thankfully a specially designed blanket has given her freedom.

The mare is fed a special diet of sugar beet, chaff and oil along with about 12 anti-histamine tablets per day.

Strathclyde’s mounted police branch held a demonstration of their training techniques at Fountain Equestrian Centre on Sunday.

The demonstration showed riders how to keep horses calm in stressful situations such as in traffic or when faced with loud noises.

The audience were encouraged to make as much noise as possible including shouting and clapping. Plastic balls were thrown under one horses feet.

Everyday items such as umbrellas and plastic bags can be used to desensitise your horse.

Eleanor Mennie, of the Grampian branch of BHS, said: “It is a very impressive way of training and keeping the horses very calm and obedient and therefore safer.”

A horse trader from Penygraid has been fined over £2000 after selling a horse without a passport.

Twenty nine year oldAlexandar Hill pleaded guilty to the charges of failing to fill in a horse passport correctly and also to one of ‘misdescription’ after lying about how long he had owned a horse.

Hill was fined £230 for the offences and ordered to pay over £1300 compensation plus £400 court costs.

The prosecutor told Rhondda Magistrates Court that Hill had ‘misdescribed’ how long he had the horse in order to gain a sale.

Hill claimed that he was just an amateur dealer and was therefore ignorant or horse passport regulations.

Police in Wythall are searching the driver of a lorry who fled the scene after hitting a horse and rider with his vehicle.

Two horse riders were on Silver Street in Wythall when a lorry with a white cab and blue curtains approached them at speed.

One of the horse shied and span round. It hit the other horse which got pushed into the road. The lorry hit the second horse causing bruising to its shoulder and a cut lip which needed stitching. The rider was also injured and received bruising and swelling to her left leg.

The first horse and rider were uninjured.

Witness are being sought by the police. Anyone with any information should call Pc Dudley on 0300 333 3000 or call Crimestoppers on 0600 555111.

The RSPCA are recommending that horse owners plan for the future of their ageing equines by investing in ‘pony pensions’.

The charity has said that people should budget for the costs involved in caring for a horse past their working life. With horses living on average between 25 and 35 years that could be for a very long time.

There are also concerns over the increase in numbers of unwanted animals due to owners no longer being able to afford to keep them.

Last week the Horse Trust said that the demand to rehome equines had increased fivefold due to the recession.