The guidelines have caused great controversy among equine insurance customers as many jockeys felt the penalties didn't fit the crime and they even threatened strike action at one point.

These latest amendments will be in place in time for next month's Cheltenham Festival and will see the relaxation of restrictions on the amount of times a whip can be used in each race.

New chief executive of the BHA Paul Bittar said that while the body is still focused on ensuring that horse welfare is of paramount importance, it realised that a rule based on a fixed number of whip strokes was fundamentally flawed.

Chief executive of the Professional Jockeys' Association Paul Struthers added: "This change recognises that a 'grey' issue cannot be proportionately and fairly regulated by a 'black and white' rule, and that jockeys are skilled horsemen who care passionately about horses."

The equine insurance customer has cancelled a planned media day – due to take place tomorrow (February 22nd) – as he tries to get to the root of the flu-like symptoms some of his horses are showing.

Nicholls was alerted to the problem after just one of his 31 runners on Friday and Saturday last week managed to triumph – that being Zarkander with a narrow victory at Newbury.

Neither two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kauto Star nor World Hurdle champions Big Buck's are affected by the virus.

"Coughs come and go at yards and there is always the odd horse with one but, in the past few days, we have started noticing more," the trainer wrote in his column for Betfair.

Many of the 16 jockeys taking part have recently returned from Afghanistan and include a Red Arrows pilot and a Royal Marine Commando.

For many it will be the first time they have competed on such a demanding course and is sure to provide plenty of entertainment for all equine insurance customers in attendance at the meeting.

The Grand Military Gold Cup provides servicemen and women with the unique opportunity to ride at one of Britain's most prestigious National Hunt racecourses.

"You need a lot of courage, fitness and strength to control a powerful racehorse – all the qualities that you look for in a soldier on the battlefield in Afghanistan," jockey representative on the Gold Cup race committee Major Erica Bridges said.

The Grand Military Race Meeting has been held every year on the Friday before the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival since 1841 and has been specifically held at Sandown since 1881.

The app has been created by horsebox breakdown and recovery service PRP Rescue Services.

Horsebox owners download the free PRP Rescue App on their smartphones and then fill in registration details in order to use the service. If horse insurance customers do break down then the app will alert PRP and the company will aid you and your horse.

Jon Phillips of PRP told Horse and Hound the app was developed in response to public demand and through work with the police and the Highways Agency.

"We realise that the economic climate is tough and some things just might slip but a breakdown can prove to be unbelievably expensive in the wrong hands," he was reported as saying.

It was recently noted by the Horse Transport Network that as a result of the current economic climate people are being forced to hire horseboxes instead of owning one.

The footballer and his wife Coleen would have looked into taking out equine insurance after purchasing the two-year-old colt for £63,000 in December. The unraced colt is by Bahamian Bounty and out of Amazing Beauty.

He is currently being trained with Tom Dascombe, who is based at Manor House Stables in Cheshire – the yard that is owned by Rooney's United teammate Michael Owen.

Rooney is said to have wanted to name his horse Oceans Seven but it was unavailable as it is already registered with Weatherbys.

This is the second racehorse owned by the Rooneys, with the other being three-year-old Tomway – named after Wayne's father Thomas Wayne Rooney.

“You can bet that these names will go in every punter’s notebook. Rooney has a great strike rate so it's hard to imagine that his nags won't score as well," chief executive of Racing for Change Rod Street said.

Six-time world champion in farriery Grant Moon will be running the clinic on the 25th as well as judging the classes during a two-day competition that is due to take place after the session.

World Horse Welfare farrier Donald Nicol is encouraging all farriers to come along to the competition as it is a great day out and every equine insurance customer that turns out is bound to enjoy themselves.

"Members of the public are welcome to come along and watch as it's really interesting to see so many farriers at work at the same time, and in such a fantastic location," he added.

Despite celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, the World Horse Welfare will have to go some way to be the oldest such organisation in the world as the Horse Trust is into its 126th year.

Sheila Clark, who has been breeding the small Irish pony for five years, now wants to be able to give them greater exposure through the National Pony Society (NPS).

Originally bred to pull turf carts, harvest seaweed and carry milk churns, the breed was nearly lost when tractors took these jobs over in the 1960s.

After a concerted effort since 1990 there are now 300 registered ponies, with around 200 breeding mares and ten distinct stallion lines.

Mrs Clarke told Horse and Hound the new society would act as a "daughter" group of the Kerry Bog Pony Co-operative Society.

Chief executive officer of the NPS Peter Durrant added: "I think promoting the breed is exactly what the NPS is here for and am more than happy to put Mrs Clarke’s proposal forward to the council."

The animal nearly became extinct in the 1990s before genetic typing re-established the breed.

The nine-year-old Lexus Chase winner is trained by Jonjo O'Neill and has recently won both the Leopardstown Grade One and Welsh National and will be given a weight of 11st 10lb.

Last year's winner Ballabriggs, who shouldered 11st in triumphing last April, will be saddled with 11st 9lb for the marquee event and the extra nine pounds is unlikely to put off equine insurance customers from backing the animal.

Among the other horses to be saddled with high weights will be Weird Al, Midnight Chase, Quel Esprit, Neptune Collonges and Planet of Sound.

"It is tremendous to see 69 of the 82 entries and the 2012 renewal of Grand National promises to be a race full of quality, with more horses rated over 135 entered than ever before," said Aintree managing director Julian Thick.

Trainer of Ballabriggs Donald McCain recently mounted a spirited defence of the famous race, stating that the Grand National should be left alone despite heavy criticisms of the course in 2011.

The section of the Welfare of Animals Act 2011 that concerns companion animals comes into Northern Irish law on April 2nd.

David Wilson of the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said there will be just five officers to cover 26 councils and an area the size of Yorkshire.

"DARD [the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development] regards horses as companion animals and has washed its hands of them with this legislation, putting the responsibility on local councils," Mr Wilson was reported as saying.

Two years ago the UK's Equine Health and Welfare Review Group suggested that the province's horse welfare was at breaking point, while president of the British Equine Veterinary Association Ben Mayes said the situation needs to be policed correctly.

The World Horse Welfare has urged horse insurance subscribers to think twice before loaning or giving their horse away to a supposedly good home, as they could be sold on or slaughtered.

This issue has come to light after a supposed dealer named Brooke Lee bought a horse from Hazel Walker of Ackworth and then consequently sent the animal to a slaughterhouse.

"The lies she told led the owners to believe they were doing the right thing for their animals, that they would be loved and cared for forever. Instead they were simply sold on to unsuspecting customers,” trading standard manager at City of York Council Matt Boxall said.

Representatives from the World Horse Welfare recently stated the organisation was dismayed at the lack of legislation for horses named in the European Commission's Animal Welfare Strategy.