Sky stunt sees horse hooked up with 52-inch HDTV

To promote high def horse show

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23 July 2009 11:07 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

In what must be one of the most bizarre publicity stunts of recent times, Sky has helped hook up an ex-international show jumping horse with a 52-inch telly complete with Sky+HD.

Belle De Harlequin or Belly Bumps for short, "one of the most pampered horses in Britain", can also "thank" her owner Vicky Davies for the high tech stable set-up:

"I didn’t want Belly Bumps to miss out, so I decided to go after the next best thing, a luxurious stable a stone’s throw from the action, kitted out with her winning trophies, horse treats, a grooming station and a 52-inch TV with Sky+HD. People might think it’s extravagant but this old timer deserves a little pampering".

Shame on the vet that chimes in with: "Belly Bumps has been responding to the action on screen. The clarity of the images and sound provide a great stimulus, and her ears are constantly pricked forward showing she’s engaged with the television. She seems to recognise some of her fellow stable mates and viewing other horses will certainly stop her feeling lonely".

It's all in order to promote 4 days of live coverage of the Longines Royal International Horse Show in high definition on Sky Sports from Thursday 23 July.