Ebony Park Friesian Magazine - August 2013 Edition

AUGUST 2013

Tash’s Training Tip - How to Achieve the Unachievable ~ Kate’s Knowledge - Common Conformation Faults in the Horse News From Holland ~ Introducing our newest team member! ~ Danielle’s Tales - Downward Transitions!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine www.ebonyparkstud.com.au

Break Through To

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YOUR Riding Success Do you want to reconnect with your passion of horse riding and love of horses?

Riding horses is a unique experience that can make you feel on top of the world or insignificant, at any given moment.

Many people that work with us in our programs are at a cross roads in their riding, and discover that they hold the key to their riding success.

Imagine in 3 short months you are connecting with your horse at a completely new level, feeling that old passion and excitement you used to have for your riding and achieving the goals that you have always wanted.

In 2 days, you will: Rekindle that special bond between you and your horse Reignite that flame of passion for riding your horse Know an easy system for how to ride that gets results Feel motivated and excited about riding and competing Be free from fear, so you can just enjoy the special experience of being one with your horse ➡ Reconnect with your love of horseriding ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡

Now is your time to learn the secrets of riding success and breakthrough to the next level!

Act Now! Places are limited!

Click here to register and confirm your place, and for more details... we also have an EARLY BRID SPECIAL so don’t miss out!! :) I look forward to meeting you and sharing this breakthrough experience with you, so that you can connect with a group of people to reignite your passion of riding and horses and completely Ebony transform Park Friesian your riding Magazine August 2013 experience.

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IN THIS ISSUE • PAGE 4-7: NEWS FROM HOLLAND - COLIC AND NUTRITION • PAGE 8: NOTE FROM TASH AND 2012 DATES • PAGE 9-12: KIND KATE’S KNOWLEDGE COMMON CONFORMATIONAL FAULTS IN THE HORSE • PAGE 13: INTRODUCING - KATE RICHMOND • PAGE 14-15: TASH’S TRAINING TIP - HOW TO ACHIEVE THE UNACHIEVEABLE • PAGE 16-17: ABE’S PERSPECTIVE • PAGE18: YOUR GIFTS ARE WAITING FOR YOU! • PAGE 19: EBONY PARK ROCKSTAR OF THE MONTH • PAGE 20: HAVE YOU EVER WANTED A LESSON ON A FRIESIAN? • PAGE 21-23: PAYMENT PLANS!!

• PAGE 24: EBONY PARK TV • PAGE 25: PHOTO GALLERY • PAGE 26: BEST FRIEND PICTURE BOARD • PAGE 27: DELIGHTFUL DANIELLE’S TALES

From the Editor Hi Fabulous Friesian Fanatics!! :) Wow!! Have we had a big month last month, and another huge one on the way this month!

The breeding season is just about to kick off, with our first foal due at the end of this month - Deja Vu’s first foal!!

We managed to sneak in a week in Bali at the end of July, so we have come back all refreshed and ready to make some Friesian Dreams a reality!

In this month’s magazine we introduce out newest team member - Kate (yes, another one - only the most awesome people are called Kate!!). Danielle talks about downward transitions on Jorrit, we look at colic and nutrition in Friesians, as well as some common conformational faults in horses... and so much more!

Make sure you send through any suggestions for next months magazine to info@ebonyparkstud.com.au Have a fabulous month!! :) To Your Dreams B e c o m i n g Reality,

• PAGE 28: 5 MINUTES WITH EMILE FAURIE • PAGE 29-34: BREEDING SEASON 2013 • PAGE 35: CONTACT INFORMATION

Kate Langdon Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2013

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News From Holland - Colic and Nutrition

Gastrointestinal colic is most certainly not the main cause of death in wild free-roaming horses. Wild horses most often die as a consequence of bone fractures or infected wounds.

However, in the setting in which we keep horses nowadays, unfortunately colic is the leading cause of death.

This tells us a lot about how management can have its repercussion on the functioning of the equine GI tract.

Actually this is good news, because it also teaches us that we as horse owners can do a lot in order to prevent colic in our beloved horses.

One should imagine that in a mean horse population of about 100 horses, 10 horses will develop colic each year. It is roughly estimated that about 70% of these colic episodes will subside without or with minor veterinary intervention.

Another 20% suffer from colic due to large intestinal impaction or exaggerated sand intake. 5 to 10% of colic cases, however, need to be transferred to a clinical setting as soon as possible, because they need specialized and

intensive treatment or even a surgical intervention.

Different colic types We can distinguish three main types of colic: large intestinal, small intestinal and gastric colic. To make it even more complicated these three types can manifest themselves all at once in the same horse!

In general large colon colic has a pretty favourable prognosis, with the exception of the large colon torsion and strangulation, which obviously has a very guarded prognosis. Without trying to depict things too simplisticly we can say that when it comes to surgery, large colon colic has a quite favourable prognosis, ranging from 70 to 80%, if no other complicating factors manifest themselves.

Small intestinal colic is a completely different story. Here prognosis estimation only starts at 50% and shrinks even further depending on the length of small intestine that needs to be removed, or when a new connection needs to be surgically constructed between a healthy segment of small intestine and the appendix (caecum).

The fact that the success rate for small intestinal surgery is strikingly lower than that for large colon surgery, doesn’t find its origin in the complexity of applied surgical techniques, but in a notorious physiological

reaction encountered in small intestine that has been surgically manipulated. Indeed, all over the world, once a surgeon needs to manipulate small intestines of a horse, chances that the GI tract doesn’t regain its propulsive activity after surgery, become quite important. This status of pathological immobilization of the equine intestine is called “ileus”. Ileus in horses is accompanied with very important fluid shifts in the horses body and is fatal in 50% of cases.

Stomach of a Friesian mare, filled with pulp.

Too much sand in the stomach

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News From Holland - Colic and Nutrition Different surgical procedures When comparing the aforementioned different colic types, it can be concluded that only a minority of horses suffering from large colon colic eventually need to be operated on.

For small intestinal colic, unfortunately, this is not the case. The vast majority of horses suffering from small intestinal colic need to be referred to a clinical setting and will need a surgical intervention. If we consider the financial investment of such endeavours, the cost is in the thousands of dollars just for the surgery itself, and can be greater than this for the

aftercare, depending on how fast the GI tract regains its motility after surgery and how long fluid infusions and medication need to be administered postoperatively.

These are important amounts and especially in case of small intestinal surgery, a very risky investment if you see things business wise. Therefore the message is: prevention is a much better strategic approach than cure. And as mentioned previously, it is clear that the proper management measures can help a great deal in reaching this goal.

In this article we will try provide us with a lot strategic tips and tricks tackle these problems in

to of to a

sensible way. As always, it is essential to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms that govern the origin of equine colic, in order to be able to understand the effectiveness of strategic management measures and in order to be able to translate these tips and tricks to your own home situation.

Why are horses more prone to develop colic than other animal species?

It’s true that you seldom hear stories about people, cats or dogs that have been admitted to the hospital because of a strangulation of the intestine, in h o r s e s h o w e v e r, t h i s unfortunately is quite common.

Horses are indeed more prone to develop colic than other animal species because of several reasons. The gastrointestinal tract of the horse has evolved over the centuries into a system that is uniquely adapted to a high fibre and low sugar diet.

First of all horses establish their ruminal activity which is necessary for proper fibre digestion in their hind gut, in contrast with cows. This means that every small amount of gas that is produced during this fermentation needs to be evacuated via the anal route, passing through several meters of large intestine, which obviously rapidly will dilate

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News From Holland - Colic and Nutrition when gas evacuation doesn’t occur as it should.

Secondly horses have a very small stomach with an average storage capacity of 15L, which is pretty small for an animal that weighs upwards of 500kg on average.

A horse obviously isn’t a meal eater. Moreover a horse can’t vomit, which means that in case of gastric overload fatal gastric rupture is the only natural course of events.

weird way. However, this is no longer true if we keep in mind that the equine GI tract is designed by nature for horses that walk all day around on the prairie, busy eating grass all day long.

Obviously, this no longer corresponds with how we keep horses nowadays. And this shouldn’t pose any problem, at least if we respect a number of basic rules. Now we also understand why international epidemiological studies have shown that management in all its forms clearly has an influence on the prevalence of equine colic.

management measures to prevent colic in horses.

Colic has always been the ultimate nightmare for each horse owner. It tends to surprise you out of the blue and this gives us the wrong feeling that little can be done to prevent these often quite painful and unfortunately sometimes fatal episodes in our beloved horses. Let’s not forget: Colic is still the number one killer of horses.

And whether we like it or not, management is our responsibility.

A horse has about 15 meters of small intestine that is attached to the back of the horse by means of a curtain that is 1.5m long. This entails a lot of freedom of movement, hence the occurrence of small intestinal strangulations.

The colon, which can be viewed as a large sausage 6 to 8m long lies completely free in the abdomen of the horse and is nowhere attached to the abdominal wall. In case of impaction and gas accumulation, the colon can d i s p l a c e i n m a n y, m a n y directions. So it seems that nature has shaped horses in a

Spicy detail: the two main peak moments for colic horses to be admitted in a clinical setting are spring and autumn, two episodes during which significant changes occur in the management and diet of horses. What more evidence do we need?

With this knowledge on board we now can move on to formulate useful and effective

The past 20 years a wide array of epidemiological studies with respect to equine colic have been performed throughout the world, both at University clinics and private practices. And we have learned a lot throughout the years! One thing has become crystal clear: yes, we can do a lot to prevent colic in horses.

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News From Holland - Colic and Nutrition First of all it is important to realize that a Friesian horse is not a thoroughbred, which implies that Friesian specific nutritional demands need to be fulfilled and the main message for Friesian horses is: a lot of roughage, low carbohydrate profile and focus on fat.

The general advise is to provide a minimum of 1 kg dry matter roughage per 100 kg body weight. That is in between 7.5 to 9 kg roughage each day, provided in as many dinner sessions as practically feasible. In contrast to humans, equine gastric acid production continues throughout the day and so round the clock provision of roughage most closely mimics natural grazing behaviour of horses and will help to prevent GI related problems. Another option is to use slow feeders.

It is amazing how little attention is paid to roughage quality and quantity nowadays, especially if you know that roughage contains half of the horses diet.

If you ask a horse owner what his or her horse eats, than you will be informed in depth about which concentrate feeding is provided and which supplements.

However, most often, nothing is mentioned about the roughage type, quality, is it hay? When was it harvested?

How much does the horse eat? Is the horse turned out in the field each day? Because also that has an important influence on the horses diet.

These things are often overlooked by the horse owner.

Even more surprising is the fact that the same finding goes for sudden changes in the roughage supply.

Important to know as well is that horses are not champions when it comes to carbohydrate digestion.

This is because the pancreatic enzyme amylase is not produced in large quantities in horses. Horses tackle this problem by directing the focus of carbohydrate digestion towards the small intestinal wall, where the aligning enterocytes produce local enzymes and create local take up systems for carbohydrates.

With respect to concentrate feeding, several studies have shown that horses are more prone to develop colic when they are fed concentrate when compared to their herd mates that only receive roughage.

And it has also been shown that chances for developing colic increase with increasing amounts of concentrate being fed.

Most interestingly, several studies have shown that changes in the concentrate diet can provoke colic episodes, even up to 14 days after the change has occurred.

Researchers know now that horses can adapt the function of these enterocytes to a carbohydrate rich diet, at least to a certain extent, but it takes time and that’s the reason why sudden changes most often have awkward consequences.

It is thus incorrect to state that a horse can’t digest carbohydrates, but it is important to find a good, individually adapted balance between roughage and concentrate and to choose the correct concentrate type for your horse.

Source: KFPS Website, written by Marco de Bruijn and CathĂŠrine Delesalle

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DIARY DATES

Note from Tash Hi Super Friesian lovers!!! :) Happy August!!! :)

As you may have heard... Natasha is pregnant and we are just

starting our new young rider/ trainer this

month... so the

Thank you for all the lovely wishes about my pregnancy :) It is going well and we find out on Friday the sex so a lot of excitement happening here :) I am super excited to have the new Kate here. She is on a steep learning curve and doing really well!

All the horses are back in work and it's super fun and exciting to be back riding and working with them all! :)

boys are having a

I feel very blessed to have such an amazing team around me and we are all really excited to work together and create some magic for you!!!! :)

for a couple of

Have an amazing month and look forward to seeing you in September!!! :)

well deserved rest months (well a rest from

To Your Success,

competitions anyway!)

Natasha

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Common Conformation Faults in the Horse Humans have been conducting genetic selection of animals for many years, the horse being no exception. Horses have been selected for temperament, strength, as well as speed, endurance ability, and jumping prowess. They are also selected through judging the conformation of the various angles of bones and joints, and through these measurements, their suitability in various professions has been decided. Conformation can be defined as the horse’s form or physical appearance, which depends primarily on its bone structure as well as muscles and tissues (Arthurs, 2001; McIlwraith et al., 2003). There are many factors that can influence the conformation of the horse including nutrition, genetics and environment (Huntington et al., 2004).

When assessing a horse and its potential performance, we have to take into account the limiting aspects of its conformation. We can increase and develop musculature of the horse through work and training, but because the skeleton is fixed it is therefore often a limiting factor for the level performance and soundness that can be achieved (Bartle & Newsum, 2004).

The most important aspect of conformation is the position of the limbs including their straightness and alignment, and hence these skeletal structures receive the most attention (Baxter, 1999; Meadows, 1992). The main reason for this is that the weight of the horse is directly transmitted through its limbs (around 66% of the weight through the forelimbs and 33% through the hindlimbs).

Normally, the weight of the horse should be borne directly through

the middle of all main joints and limbs, but changes in conformation can cause abnormal stresses and strains, increasing the chances of injury and lameness (Baxter, 1999). Horses with legs that are not straight cannot travel straight (Thomas, 2005). This can lead to a loss of speed and efficiency when moving, ore more seriously, injuries and unsoundness due to the added strain on the legs (Thomas, 2005). The aim of this paper is to discuss three common conformational faults of the limbs in the horse, and the implications of these faults in terms of the soundness of the horse as well as their usefulness in the equestrian world.

Knee (Carpus) Ideal Knee/Foreleg Conformation The ideal foreleg conformation consists of clean straight legs with a strong bone structure and big flat knees (Thomas, 2005). From the cranial view, you should be able to draw a line down from the point of the shoulder (the scapulohumeral joint), while bisecting through the middle of each joint and ending through the middle of the hoof (Riegel & Hakola, 1999) (see Figure 1).

Knock knees (knee narrow) Description Knock knees is a conformational defect where the carpus is deviated medially when viewed from the front (Figure 2, 3), giving the forelegs an angled appearance (Kerrigan et al., 1997). This condition is also commonly called “in at the knees” or “carpal valgus” (Thomas, 2005) and can result from a growth plate abnormality in the carpal joint (Riegel & Hakola, 1999). One or

both knees can be affected, and this fault is often coupled with other faults such as the toe-out conformation, where the lower leg is turned out laterally (Thomas, 2005). As the carpus becomes more offset, the tension and compression increases distally and the pain from abnormal distribution of the weight also may increase (McIlwraith et al., 2003).

Anatomical Consequences and Recommendations for Equine Pursuits Knock-knees can cause a number of problems for the working horse.

Because the carpus is deviated medially (see Figure 4), abnormal strain on both the medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the carpus joint occurs (Huntington et al., 2004), as well as stress on the tendons running down and over the carpus joint (Kerrigan et al., 1997), and if severe the knee joint and supportive ligaments are easily injured (Thomas, 2005).

This can predispose the horse to damage such as stress fractures and arthritic change in the joint (Baxter, 1999), due to more concussion on the lateral surfaces of the carpal bones.

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Common Conformation Faults in the Horse Because the knees are set in towards each other, the knees may brush each other (called interference), especially when this is coupled with a toe-out stance, and cause injuries such as splints of the second (medial) metacarpal bone (McIlwraith et al., 2003).

Although this conformation is straying away from ideal, mild knock-knees are not considered a fault. In fact, there is some evidence (Anderson et al., 2004) that racehorses with slight carpal valgus (knock-knees) will hold up for longer without injury than those with the ‘ideal’ straight legs.

A possible explanation for this is that a horse whose cannon bones slant outward slightly from the knee has decreased stress on the inner knee joint, which is an area very vulnerable to chip fractures (a common problem in racehorses) (Thomas, 2005).

Pastern (or the hoof-pastern axis) Ideal Pastern Conformation

The consensus on correct pastern angle (in relation to the ground) is that for the foreleg (See Figure 5), a pastern angle of between 45-50º is normal (it varies depending on the horse’s leg and body conformation), and a slightly more sloped and upright hind pastern with an angle of between 50-59º for greater strength

(Kerrigan et al., 1997; Thomas, 2005). The Pasterns are the main shock absorbing system of the horse, and their angle helps to determine whether the gait of the horse will be smooth or jarring (Thomas, 2005). In the hind leg, the hock joint will flex whenever the leg bears weight, countering most of the concussive forces, hence the pastern is able to be more upright. However, in the foreleg, the knee joint is fully extended and the humeroulnar joint locked when weight is placed on the leg – hence the role of shock absorption falls to the pastern joint (Thomas, 2005). The angle of the pastern should match the angle of the foot for minimum stress on the joint in the distal limb (Figure 6), and the angle of the pastern allows the lower leg joints to absorb most of the shock of concussion from impact with the ground (Thomas, 2005). The angle of the pastern should also prevent the fetlock from striking the ground and hence becoming injured (Riegel & Hakola, 1999).

Long and Sloping Pasterns Description Long and s l o p i n g pasterns have an angle that is smaller than normal (see Figure 7), and hence closer to the ground than is appropriate (Kerrigan et al., 1997). Sloping pasterns tend to be longer than upright or even ‘normal’ pasterns, and if the pasterns are well formed and there is not too much of a reduction in angle (to the ground) they can be long and sloping

without being weak and causing too many problems (Thomas, 2005). They are often seen in horses that also have long sloping shoulders, in a more rangy type of horse (Huntington et al., 2004).

However, pasterns that slope too much, with a pastern angle that is less than 45º (Figure 8), tend to be weak and flexible, not providing enough support for the leg, making them prone to injuries and breakdown (Thomas, 2005).

If the hind pastern is too long and flexible, relative to the length of the limb, the weight of the horse can cause it to yield (and possible hit the ground) before the hock can take up the weight (Meadows, 1992; Thomas, 2005), placing a great amount of stress on the pastern and fetlock joints.

Anatomical Consequences and Recommendations for Equine Pursuits When the front pasterns are too long and weak, the fetlock joint may touch the ground when the horse is working, especially when galloping, potentially causing serious injury to the sesamoid bones and the fetlock joint (Thomas, 2005). Muscle fatigue leads to the dropping of the fetlock joint, which in correctly conformed horses is not so much of a problem, but in horses with long and sloping pasterns (Figure 9), this can also lead to the touching of the fetlock onto the ground (Thomas, 2005).

The longer pastern also causes greater stress and stretching at the back of the leg and the heel, increasing the wear and tear of the tendons (in some cases causes bowed tendons) on the palmer bearing surface of the bone joints (see Figure 7), as well as the tendons that glide over the

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Common Conformation Faults in the Horse navicular bone (Kerrigan et al., 1997). This can cause Navicular disease when the horse is also too long in the toe and is under too much strain from over work (Figure 10) (Thomas, 2005).

The suspensory ligament and flexor tendons is under excessive strain due to the sloping back of the pastern, and the sesamoid bones are prone to inflammation and fractures due to this extra stress (Huntington et al., 2004; Riegel & Hakola, 1999).

This can result in arthritis in the coffin and pastern joints, occasionally leading to ringbone (Figure 11). However, having a long sloping pastern, as long as it is not too severe is not all bad news. A horse with a more sloping pastern is more likely to have a longer toe, and a more sloping shoulder, and hence a longer stride (see Figure 12) – the horse lifts the foot higher and touched more gently down onto the ground (Thomas, 2005). This means that the horse will have a much smoother gait and a more comfortable ride. The horse expends less energy per stride as the motion of the legs is forward rather than an up-an-down motion

that is characteristic of the short and upright pasterns (Thomas, 2005). However, care needs to be taken to make sure the toe of the foot is not too long and the angle too sloped as this causes more strain on the leg (Thomas, 2005).

Hence a horse with longer, sloping pasterns will be suited for sports such as dressage, due to the smoother and more flowing strides, but not for racing, as longer pasterns reduces the horse’s potential for speed, especially sprinting as it takes longer than average to push off from the ground at each step (Thomas, 2005; Huntington et al., 2004).

Hock Joint Ideal Hock Conformation The hind leg of the horse performs two main functions – propulsion and shock absorption (Bartle & Newsum, 2004). The hock is probably the hardest worked joint in the body, and hence has to be strong and wellformed, because the strain of pushing the body forward is its main role, as well as absorbing the concussive forces of hitting the ground (Thomas, 2005). The hocks determine the speed and agility of the horse, and need to be well-formed or a number of problems can result (Thomas, 2005).

Laterally, the ideal conformation of the horse is best described by drawing a line from the point of the buttock (the tip of the tuber ischii) down through the point of the hock and running parallel

to the third metatarsal bone (Riegel & Hakola, 1999). Another line can be drawn from the point of the hip down through the front of the toe (see Figure 13).

Post-legged Description: Angle between the femur and the tibia in the stifle joint is usually between 100 and 140 (Thomas, 2005). When this angle is closer to 140º the horse will have a straight stifle and hence a straight hock (if one is straight then the other will be too) – the hock is nearly under the stifle when viewed from the side instead of being directly under the buttocks (Thomas, 2005). This conformational fault is called post-legged (Figure 14), but is also known as ‘straight behind’ or ‘stifled’ (Kerrigan et al., 1997).

This causes the leg to have an erect or post-like appearance (Riegel & Hakola, 1999). The hocks are too straight with too little bend (see Figure 15) which puts the entire hind leg too far forward rather than directly under the buttocks (Thomas, 2005). If the joint angle between the tibia and the cannon bone is more than 170º the hock is set forward almost under the stifle and the tibia is almost vertical, rather than having a normal 60º slope to the ground, resulting in the post-like legs (Thomas, 2005). The hock is placed in front of the vertical line dropped from the buttock (see Figure 13 & 14) instead of touching it, and is closer to the line dropped from the hip than it should be (Kerrigan et al., 1997).

Post-legged horses also usually have steeply sloping femurs and short upright pasterns (Kerrigan et al., 1997).

Anatomical Consequences and Recommendations for Equine Pursuits:

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Common Conformation Faults in the Horse Long and sloping pasterns cause excessive pressure on the tendons and ligaments on the front of the leg in particular, as these are shorter than normal and tend to have more difficulty in pulling the leg forward (Kerrigan et al., 1997). Because a horse with straight joints in the hind leg also tends to have short upright pasterns, this increases the concussive forces on the hind legs and puts strain on the joints of the leg (Thomas, 2005).

The straight hock is easily injured by hard work because of extra strain on the flexor tendon and its sheath and on the upper part of the suspensory ligament. This can lead to cracked and bruised hooves, and other concussive problems within the foot (Thomas, 2005).

The post leg horse with straight hocks may develop bone spavin (a bony enlargement of the hock due to arthritis caused by irritation of the cartilage) and bog spavin (see Figure 16) caused by strains on the front of the hock joint capsule (causing more synovial fluid to be produced) (Thomas, 2005). Post leg horses are also

more prone to breaking down of the hind pasterns later in life (Thomas, 2005; see Figure 17).

The main problem seen in horses with a post-legged conformation is upward fixation of the patella, or locking of the stifle. Horses usually rest on one hind leg by locking the stifle – where the patella is locked over the bulge at the end of the femur, allowing the horse to rest without any muscular involvement or energy expended. When the stifle joint is extended to an angle of 145º, the patella hooks into the femur; if a post leg horse already has a stifle angle of 140º, it does not take much of an extension to move the few degrees it needs to hook the patella (Thomas, 2005). Hence the patella can slip out of position and lock the leg in a backward extension (see Figure 18) at any pace which is a problem because the horse can no longer flex its leg (Thomas, 2005; Huntington et al., 2004). The patella may catch temporarily or may remain locked (which can be operated on with varying degrees of success) (Thomas, 2005). If the problem becomes chronic, this may cause inflammation and eventually degenerative arthritis in the stifle joint (Thomas, 2005).

However, if this fault is not too severe, straighter legs are known to produce horses that can run faster (Kerrigan et al., 1997). This is due to the fact that in total bone length, the post-leg horse has a shorter hindleg, and hence it takes less time for the leg to swing back and forth without having to straighten out all of the angles of the leg (due to the reduced angles in the leg) (Thomas, 2005). Therefore horses with straighter legs are best suited for sprinting speed

and direct thrust. However, these horses are generally not as good for dressage and other sports that work off the hind legs and require a smooth ride as they are not as easy to collect and work off the hocks (Thomas, 2005).

Conclusion There are many conformational faults that can have implications on the soundness and usefulness of the horse in many aspects of equitation. Even through the three that have been discussed above, it is clear that it depends on the severity of the fault as to whether the fault will have a negative impact on the performance of the horse. When different faults are combined together, they can either counteract each other, or build up to be something worse than they were when considered in isolation. The selection through conformation of a horse for a specific purpose is by no means scientific, and some of the best horses in their area have conformational defaults that s h o u l d h a v e a ff e c t e d t h e i r performing ability drastically.

Therefore the conformation of a horse is only a guide as to the potential ability of the horse – a horse must have other attributes such as willingness and temperament in order to excel in any part of equine performance.

To Yo u r D r e a m s B e c o m i n g Reality,

Kate Langdon Source: For a full list of sources, please contact Ebony Park

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Introducing... Kate Richmond

We would like to give a warm welcome to the newest member of the Ebony Park team... Kate (we like to call her Kate #2!!)

I grew up on the Mornington Peninsula on a small 22 acre farm. My passion for animal welfare was ignited from a young age while helping my family manage the small menagerie of animals we had.

At age 8 I was given my first horse, an ex-race horse named Monty that my sister and I were to share. As my riding and handling skills expanded so did my small fleet of horses. While I knew I had a fascination with horses, it wasn't until I focused on the high intensity of dressage that I realised my place and set my goal to be a Grand Prix rider.

I have always admired the Friesian and Spanish breeds not only for their beauty and presence, but also for how mouldable they are to good training. Learning to train and represent these breeds has always been a dream of mine and it is my dream to be among the best in the industry. One of my goals in life is to not only just ride at Grand Prix level, but do so at a high standard while riding the breeds that I am most passionate about. I can only dream to one day own my very own 17hh plus black Friesian or Andalusian stallion that allows me to someday produce more of these beautiful animals so others can enjoy them just as much as I do!

On top of years of personal experience, I have trained under Andrew McLean’s learning theory at the Australian

Equine Behaviour Centre as a Working Pupil. This has equipped me with a key understanding of utilising a scientific approach to meet training goals. I pride myself on my unrelenting passion for equine behaviour, to getting the best out of animals, and to studying the cause-and-effect relationships between a rider and their horse.

When I'm not riding I like getting fit by running and playing at the beach with my 2 dogs Ralphy and Coops, rain or shine! I’m lucky enough to live right across from the beach so I tend to spend a lot of my time there.

I enjoy trick training my dog Ralphy, he is such a smart dog so most of the credit should really go to him, but we are just beginning to master counting to 5! I have always been very competitive, so growing up I played a lot of sports and when I say a lot I mean every night of the week sometimes 2 times a night, but I focused primarily on basketball, netball and tennis.

I love to travel and learn the ways of cultures old and new last year I had an amazing experience backpacking around Europe for 4 months. I loved my visit to Austria as I went to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and got to see a few of the stallion shows - an experience that everyone should witness. I have a fascination with Egypt due to its dense history and plan to one day travel there. With all the cuisines I have tried during my travelling, nothing beats Mexican food for me…it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure alongside their delicious fish bowl drinks!

Another guilty pleasure of mine would have to be icy-poles, I could easily devour a box to myself.

I’m a bit of a movie buff, I love watching scary movies (which I always regret after watching them) but my all-time favourite movie would have to be Jurassic Park. I can’t even begin to recall how many times I have watched it, but it never gets old for me. I also love a good TV series, The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad would have to be 2 of my favourites.

I pretty much like all genres of music, however my absolute favourite would have to be Reggae, it always seems to put a smile on my face no matter what mood.

I look forward to being a part of the Ebony Park Team and hitting my Grand Prix goals with Natasha as my trainer and mentor. I am also really excited to share my learning’s with all the amazing clients that come for lessons at Ebony Park and helping them with their goals and growth in their riding.

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Tash’s Training Tip - How to Achieve the Unachievable "I believe in miracles...

Where you from...

You sexy thing..."

Ok - so yes, I am starting this article with a song, but I want to look at achieving the unachievable. I constantly love reminding myself that there is no reality, except for the one I create, so nothing is unachievable unless I decide to believe it to be so.

League All Stars played the soviets and lost 0-6.

The US team on the other hand, were untested college students. At an exhibition match shortly before the 1980 Olympics the Soviets played the US team and beat them 10-3.

No one believed the US team could beat the Soviets.

Nobody, except a man by

So this month, I wanted to explore that concept, and see if you can take some of these principles into your riding.

Has anyone seen the movie called 'Miracle' starring Kurt Russel?

It came out in 2004 and it tells the story of the miracle of the US Olympic Hockey Team beating the Soviet Union and going on to win Gold at the 1980 Olympics.

For the US to beat the Soviets was truly a miracle at that time. It was unachievable - the Soviets had won four consecutive gold medals from 1964-1976, and were going for their fifth consecutive gold medal in 1980. In 1979 The National Hockey

the name of Herb Brooks.

Herb believed they could beat the Soviets and Herb believed they could win the gold medal. And.... they did.

So how do you achieve the unachievable:

1. Be creative Herb realised that everyone was trying to beat the Soviets by playing a certain style of game ... and it wasn't working! So to beat them, he would have to create an entire new style of p la y in g . He in n o va te d , developed and installed a completely new strategy that was based on extreme conditioning, discipline and speed - his players struggled to learn and master this, but they did, and thanks to Herb's creativeness and thinking outside the box, they won.

So be creative in your riding - just because you have always done it 'this' way doesn't mean it should always be done t h a t w a y. N e w thinking equals new results. What new ways can you be creative in your riding?

2. It's not all about talent.

Herb did not pick the most talented players for his team, and there were many more talented players on the Soviet team. But Herb knew

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Tash’s Training Tip - How to Achieve the Unachievable that talent is only part of the puzzle. He was looking for players who would be part of a team, who would embrace his new methods, and stand up to the demands. This is good news! Riding is not about talent. It's about thinking. It's about working with your horse. It's about so many things, the least of these being talent. So don't worry if you don't have the 'ideal' body type, or find it challenging to master sitting trot - with the right thinking and training, that will all be overcome.

3. Know that adversity inspires!

Herb just missed out on playing in the gold medal hockey team of 1960. But he used that to drive his determination to win a gold as a coach in 1980. Fate had disappointed him once, but he was not going to let himself be disappointed again. He was going to do whatever it took to get the gold. In riding you will miss out, you will have disappointments, and you will have setbacks. WE ALL DO! Believe me! :) But the only thing that matters is how you use the disappointment - I use it in the same way as Herb - to motivate me to be even better than I can possibly be.

How do you manage disappointment? A better question is - how will you handle disappointment now, after reading this? :) 4. You have to have a MASSIVE goal!

A goal that inspires and even scares you a little bit! When I look at my goals I giggle - I giggle, because they are the most outrageous, insane, H U G E , c r a z y, b r a v e , sensational goals I have seen. .... Great! You can't get excited about a small,

insignificant goal. You set a goal to brush your teeth and you do, weeh yay, whatever.

But a big goal, a scary goal, a goal that is monumental... well that just gets you going!

You jump out of bed in the morning, and stay up late, you do crazy things, and have crazy thoughts, and at the end of the day... you have your goal.

So is your riding goal outrageous? Bill Gates says don't even bring me an idea unless 3 people have laughed at it. Then I know it will be worth looking at. My measure is as long as people still think I am crazy... then I am right on track! :) And finally 5. You need buddies!

Success is not the results of you alone. To achieve the unachievable you need a team of people coming together for your one goal.

Who is part of your team in your riding? Your vet, farrier, coach, horse - they all have to work with you towards the one goal.

To Your Success,

Natasha

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Abe’s Perspective Hey super riders! My name is Abe and I am Natasha’s superstar Friesian stallion and her one and only horse she likes to ride.

I told her I thought it was very unfair that she was the only one to share how to ride - as lets’ face it... I’m the one that really makes it all happen - so this is my chance to teach you how to really ride a horse... with advice straight from the horses mouth! *Taken from June 2013 Your Riding Success Monthly. If you would like to view Your Riding Success March Monthly click here

Hello there riders! How are you?!?! I am feeling fabulous... How is your riding going?

I am going great! Tash went away for a bit and I really enjoyed my break. Now she is back... and as much as I like doing nothing, it is fun to get back into training and work my body! ...don't tell Tash though but wow! I am in FULL Weight training!

Tash says it’s the baby but I heard the baby weighs 300g so I don't know where the extra 10kg has come from!!! :) I heard Tash did a Your Riding Success TV episode on having still hands so I thought I would add my views on the matter!

It’s funny - as Tash has improved her riding and her hand and arm connection, my head and neck connection has also improved. I had a chat to Tambo - Natasha's first dressage horse - and he told me how Tash had a very bad connection to begin with.

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Abe’s Perspective Tash was trying so hard to make it right that she would hold the connection too tight and too blocked, and then give it all away.

Having a steady, soft, light but consistent connection the mouth takes a lot of time to practice and master. Every year Tash gets better and better at riding without the hand and a lot more with the seat and legs.

you are doing and we don't want to be nagged incessantly, or pulled without it meaning something. Tash gave great advice when she said just feel it. You can feel what we are doing if you take the time. You will feel us wanting to stretch the contact down, or perhaps we are a bit stiff to one side and you can bend us that way... but feel when we then give and follow forward with your hand.

They say riding should be 70% seat, 25% legs, 5% hands. Tash is getting there now but it took her 15 years. Up until then it’s us horses that need to put up with you learning it.

Above all I like to think my job is to help my rider understand it. I was already a Grand Prix horse I just had to help Tash understand it and learn to communicate to me what she wanted.

The best advice I can give you is please remember it’s our mouth, we can feel what

I am understanding and patient and loving towards her learning as most of us horses are. If you do your best we will do our best and we all enjoy the journey together.

To Your Success,

Abe

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Your Gifts Are Waiting For You Now! Are you enjoying this months issue of the Ebony Park Magazine?

Did you know we also send out weekly blogs and we have even more Friesian resources for you?

Click on the picture below to go to our website and fill out your name and email to subscribe now and receive your FREE Friesian resource pack!

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Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month EP Diamante & Maxine Wileman

up to me, she was being extra gentle and careful around my tummy.

“For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of owning a Friesian and now, thanks to Ebony Park, I am the very proud owner EP Diamante (born October 2012).

My journey with Diamante began in December 2011 when I selected Elko and Dazzle to breed my dream baby. Dazzle and I were pregnant at the same time, so when I visited her the week before she was due, I sympathized with how big and uncomfortable she looked. Still I think she knew I was pregnant as well because when she cuddled

The night Dazzle went into labour I was so excited that I could hardly sleep! Kate kept me updated on her progress and by morning we were rewarded with a gorgeous filly with long legs. She was such a sweetie and at just 6hrs old, she was happy to dish out the cuddles for me.

Since then I have had the pleasure of watching Diamante grow and develop a cheeky personality. She has a thing for the boys, which was evident when I took my husband to meet her – I got dumped while my husband was lavished with all her attention.

She has inherited her dams sweet cuddly nature along with the typical Friesian curiosity and is going to be so much fun to train.

At the moment she will be staying at Ebony Park playing and growing with the other babies while I pay her off, but I can’t wait to bring her home. I’ve been inspired by the other EP horse owners to give Diamante many different experiences and adventures while she’s a baby and am looking forward to spending lots of time with her.”

- Maxine

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Have ever wanted lesson afindF#esian?

Well now is your chance…

Ebony Park is now offering lessons on our Medium Level purebred Friesian stallion, Ebony Park Jorrit. This is your chance to experience what riding a Friesian stallion is like, as well as learn some pretty cool dressage skills.

Jorrit is available for seat lessons – this is your opportunity to experience what the Friesian paces are like, and a great chance to learn how you can improve your seat to sit their gaits deeper and more effectively.

We also offer dressage lessons on Grand Prix schoolmaster and 1/2 Friesian gelding, The Carrock Tambo.

Lessons are conducted by new young horse rider and trainer, and will be available from September 1st 2013.

If you would like to book a lesson, click here to fill out the form on our website, or call Kate on 0422 227 364 for more information!

“I cannot wait to come back to Ebony Park and to continue my riding journey at home as well” “It has always been my dream to ride a Friesian stallion and having a foal by Jorrit I wanted to take the experience – I never thought I would have the chance!

I just want to say thankyou to the whole team at Ebony Park (but especially Loes and Jorrit!) for the amazing experience I had during my lesson at Ebony Park. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would get to sit on a Friesian stallion, let alone be able to trot and canter, and learn so much that I can translate to my own horses and riding in the Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2013 20 process.”

Kellie Mitchell, 2013

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ANTfreeTto WE WFeel UE!!

AM COME TR E R D N IA S IE FR

Victo#a of Ebony Park 2014 Foal

e to r e h Click out the k chec nt plan e paym on our page site! web Progeny:

Victoria has an amazing story – she was the first foal of Ebony Park Famke, one of our foundation mares, and the first purebred foal born here at Ebony Park. She was born 6 weeks early, and she was not expected to make it through her first 24 hours of life. However, as you can now see, she is a lovely 7yo mare, she is strong and healthy, and has the pride and carriage of her sire, Ebony Park Abe, coupled with the gentle nature of her dam, Ebony Park Famke. We are very proud to have her as part of our stud, as she is the only purebred progeny of Ebony Park Abe so far (we have more due this year!)

She has had one amazing foal so far to Ebony Park Jorrit - Onyx of Ebony Park (see pics below) and we are waiting impatiently for her second to arrive in September this year – this foal will be a full brother or sister to Onyx!

Her foal this year has been sold already… but next years foal is available on one of our in utero payment plans!

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W ME TRUE!!

O C M A E R D N IA S FRIE

Ebony Park Kir$en 2014 Foal

Ebony Park Kirsten was imported from Holland in foal to Brandus 345 in 2007. In addition to being a sweet mare with a gorgeous temperament and lovely movement, Kirsten has proven to be an asset to the breeding program at Ebony Park, producing two lovely colts and two fillies, all with stunning movement, and in foal again this year to the magnificent Ebony Park Jorrit.

Progeny:

r e to e h k Clic out the k chec nt plan e paym on our page site! web

Her foal for 2013 has already been sold, and we are certain it will be as lovely as her previous progeny (Her 2014 foal is available on our in utero payment plans).

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WE WFeel OME TRUE!!

C M A E R D N FRIESIA

Deja Vu of Ebony Park 2014 Foal

e to r e h Click out the k chec nt plan e paym on our page site! web Photos:

Deja Vu of Ebony Park is one of our purebred Friesian broodmares, born right here at Ebony Park at the end of 2009. She is by 17.1HH stallion Ebony Park Elko, out of one of Natasha’s competition broodmares, Ebony Park Gjanna, who is around 15.3HH‌ but somehow the height genes have passed this gorgeous mare by! She is our little pocket rocket, and is super easy to handle, taking everything in her stride just like her parents.

Deja Vu has her first foal due in August 2013 to Ebony Park Jorrit which has been sold (Her 2014 foal is available on one of our payment plans).

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Ebony Park TV Introducing our Newest Ebony Park Team Member - Kate!

Click on the video above to play the movie - you will be taken to the YouTube link so you must have an internet connection.

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EBONY PARK BALI TEAM HOLIDAY!

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EBONY PARK BALI TEAM HOLIDAY!

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BEST FRIEND PICTURE BOARD!

We want to celebrate with you, any photos of you and your horse - they don’t have to be dressage photos, and they don’t have to be Friesian photos - just a photo of you with your best friend! Just email your photo to info@ebonyparkstud.com.au and we will share it on this wall next month!

Above: Elizabeth and Saphira - their first time out all dressed up!

Above: Lavonne and her 2yo Friesian Jantje

Right: Wendy and Atarangi

Left: Shauna Willett - Clydesdale x Friesians on her grandfathers farm in Canada

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Delightful Danielle’s Tales Hey guys!

How are you all doing? Are you pro’s at transitions by now?

This month I wanted to show you the progress that Jorrit and I have made since the last time you saw us in transitions.

We are doing fairly well with the upward transitions, especially trot to canter, so now we are starting to work on downward transitions.

The main thing I have to think about when we are doing transitions is trying to prevent something that all Friesians do... throwing their head up rather than coming down into the bit.

Lots of Friesians will have the appearance of having their head down, but what they are really doing is sucking back and they are not nicely on the bit at all!

The other thing that I need to work on is to keep focussed the whole time, as Jorrit is clever and as soon as the focus is dropped, he also loses focus and tends to err towards the side of lazy - why should he do what he

is told and keep himself focussed when I’m not!?

With my downward transitions, I have to make sure I keep the energy going and keep him forward, while at the same time asking for the transition... it’s the same as an upward transition! You don’t want to lose the energy just because you are moving into a lower gait... it’s like changing gears in a car you want to keep the revs the same!! :) Have a fabulous month and remember, let me know if you have any riding questions that you want answered, or if there is anything that you would like to see us do in the magazine!!

Until next month,

Danielle

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5 Minutes with Emile Faurie Emile is one of the Britain’s top international dressage riders and trainers and has represented Great Britain at World, European and Olympic level. He is a list two British Dressage judge and the World Class coach for the Start and Potential squad.

He first started riding at the age of 15, and has never looked back. “I pestered my parents so much, they gave me riding lessons for my birthday.

My mother said that ever since I could talk, I always talked about horses and certainly riding horses is the only thing I have ever wanted to do with my life.”

Moving to England in 1980 from his birthplace in South Africa, Emile spent three years as a working pupil at Talland. He then went to Germany to work for the famous Performance Sales International, helping to back and prepare youngsters for auction. “It was phenomenal. I was riding lots of different horses, received brilliant training and gained knowledge of how to recognize a good young horse” Emile got his lucky break when he was given the ride on Virtu, with whom he went on to win the individual bronze and team silver medals at the 1993 European Championships, in addition to being British National Champions in 1993 & 1994.

In 2003, he won a bronze team medal in the European Championships with Rascher Hopes. Emile has now represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games, three World Equestrian Games and four European Championships.

Based at his fabulous training centre at Heath Farm in Oxfordshire, Emile teaches a large range of British Dressage talent from Young Riders to International Grand Prix Competitors.

His training with a number of Germany’s ‘Greats’ - including Klaus Balkenhol, Conrad Schumacher and the late Herbert Rehben - has given him an excellent eye for how to bring a horse and rider together in a more harmonious partnership, and his training regimes concentrate on developing these successful partnerships.

Having reached the pinnacle of his sport, Emile is now committed to helping others experience the joy and fulfillment of equine sport. As well as all his training and judging commitments, he has established the Emile Faurie Foundation, to provide disadvantaged children with the opportunity to ride.

The Foundation aims to enrich children’s lives, helping them develop vital life-skills as well as teaching them to ride. He regularly visits the Schools and Riding Establishments involved with the Foundation, giving demonstrations and providing encouragement and advice to the children themselves.

Who do you look at now for inspiration in your own riding?

“I look at everybody. I don’t think there is one person that I can say ‘that’s the one’, I’m a bit old for that now. Especially with my horse who is so sensitive, he keeps focusing on me: sit better, ride better. He makes me ride better.”

What can your students expect in your master classes in Australia?

“I’m a stickler for basics. I’m a stickler for making sure that basics are correct. What happens a lot, especially with younger riders, and in countries where they don’t have this constant exposure to world-class horses and what I call old school technical riding, they will try and take short cuts. I refuse to tolerate sensationalism; I want horses to go in a technically correct way.”

Photos – Roz Neave

Source: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2012/03/emile-faurie-the-quiet-man-of-british-dressage/ http://www.emile-faurie.co.uk/emile_and_horses/emile_and_horses/biography.html

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Ebony Park Jor#t

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Jorrit is an exceptional dressage stallion that made it through to the very prestigious 70 day performance test for approved stallions. In the performance test in Holland, Jorrit was within days of being approved as a stallion but a muscle strain hindered his movement and was unfortunately eliminated late in the test.

He was also awarded a breeding permit from the KFPS when they came out for the 2013 Keuring. This is only awarded to very select Friesian stallions who possess the desired characteristics of the breed. There are only a few Friesian stallions in Australia that hold a current KFPS permit, and Ebony Park is very proud to offer Ebony Park Jorrit to the discerning Friesian breeder. This permit is limited to only 20 mares so please book quickly and as Born 12/05/2003, 16.2hh, Jet Black early as possible to avoid disappointment! imported Friesian ster stallion By the Grand Prix Dutch Approved Dressage Friesian Jasper 366 Scored 82% for the IBOP (2009 Keuring) Foalbook ster stallion with a Current KFPS Breeding Permit for 2013-2014 Registration Number: 5280 0420 0305 315

for ere rit! h k r Clic of Jo o vide

Photo by Nadeen Davis

ClickEbony here to visit Jorrit’s our Park Friesian Magazine August 2013 page on 31 website

Ebony Park Elko

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Unfortunately, due to a paddock injury to his knee, Elko is no longer able to be ridden, and has been retired from the competition arena.

Ebony Park is extremely disappointed and upset by this incident, however we are very happy that he is still able to be bred, and has still retained his breeding permit (not something to be taken lightly, as the KFPS are very strict about awarding breeding permits!). When Elko was able to be ridden he was destined to be Natasha’s Olympic Grand Prix horse.

He had everything! Three amazing paces, the desire and trainable temperament, and was quick to learn and improve. In his short career he scored up to 72% in preliminary and gained 44 grading points qualifying him for the 2006 Australian Dressage Championships in Novice in only 2 months of competition.

Born 21/04/2001, 17.1hh, jet black imported Friesian ster stallion By the Champion Approved licensed Dutch Friesian Stallion Teunis 332 Foalbook ster stallion with a Current KFPS Breeding Permit for 2013-2014 Registration Number: 5280 0420 0120 011

Click here for video of Elko!

Click here to visit Elko’s page on our Ebony Park Friesian website Magazine August 2013 32

Ebony Park Abe

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Abe has had consistent results of over 62% at the Inter I level, and currently competing and winning at the Grand Prix level in 2012 with scores over 60%, improving with each competition! Early in his career Abe was the horse to beat in Novice bringing home 3 Novice Championships with scores up to 71%. He also took home an Advanced Championship in 2008 and competed and qualified for the prestigious Dressage with the stars in the PSG and Inter I Kur in March 2010.

Abe is now establishing himself in Grand Prix and he hasn’t disappointed. His piaffe/passage is amazing and we are now waiting for him to develop the strength to catch up. This horse is destined for a legendary Grand Prix career. Ebony Park Abe is an exceptional stallion to ride. He is powerful and responsive and carries you through any situation with pride and attitude.

Born 29/03/2000, 16.2hh, jet black imported Friesian ster stallion.

To ride him is pure joy! He is solid, strong and powerful! First Friesian stallion in Australasia to Abe takes you into a test almost like a war horse taking compete and win at Grand Prix level in you into battle. He is proud, noble and loves to show off dressage. and be the centre of attention.

Abe has been awarded the sports predicate from the KFPS. He is the first stallion in Australia to achieve the award due to his outstanding results in the dressage arena.

By the Champion Approved licensed Dutch Friesian Stallion Anne 340 Registration Number: 5280 0420 0010

Click here for video of Abe!

Click here to visit Abe’s Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2013 33 page on our website

Zeus of Ebony Park

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Zeus is Elko’s first son that we have bred, and we have eagerly been waiting the years until he was old enough to work. At 5 1/2 he is already competing in Elementary level dressage, with scores over 68% and a Medium start expected late 2013!

Zeus is a delight to work with, having an exceptional canter just like his father, and a swinging, easy trot. He is still taking time to mature with some growing to do, but in another year we are so excited to see where this boy is at! He has inherited the beautiful, willing Friesian temperament from both sire and dam.

This will be Zeus’s third season standing at stud, with his first lot of gorgeous babies born last year, and a wonderful opportunity for people to get access to Elko’s bloodlines!

Born 22/11/2007, 16hh, jet black ster Friesian BBook1 stallion.

By our imported Friesian stallion (who has a breeding permit) Elko van der Woalderhoeve Registration Number: AU0360 0420 0706 076

Click here to visit Zeus’ page on our Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2013 website

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Ebony Park Dante

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Dante is by Champion dutch stallion Norbert 444, who has won the prestigious Friesian Stallion Show in Holland for the last 2 years in a row – 2012 and 2013. We imported his gorgeous mother, Ebony Park Jantje from Holland, and within 2 months of his birth, Jantje was competed by Natasha, with three floating paces and one of the easiest horses to ride! Dante looks to be a superb mixture of sire and dam – he is solid, strong and powerful, at the same time being easy and willing to train.

Natasha says this stallion is the definition of ‘easy’ – you get on and do nothing, and the horse performs exactly how you want underneath you. To handle he is quiet and obliging. He has great bloodlines and breed potential, and we can’t wait to breed him for the first time this year for some gorgeous foals in 2014!

Dante was competed for the first time in February 2013 in Preliminary dressage – and what a superstar! It was his first time out ever, and he took it all in his stride, coming home with over 62%! We can’t wait to see what he does in the future on the dressage arena!

Born 21/04/2008, 16.2hh, Jet Black imported Friesian stallion (in utero)

By the Champion Approved licensed Dutch Dressage Friesian Stallion Norbert 444 Foalbook stallion Registration Number: 0360 0420 0905 604

r e fo ! r e kh nte Clic of Da o vide

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WE WOULD LOVE TO THANK OUR AMAZING SPONSORS

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Ebony Park does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omissions in this magazine, or from the use of information contained herein, and we make no warranties, express or applied with respect to any of the material contained herein.

CONTACT US

Address: 611 Belgrave-Hallam Road, Narre Warren East VIC 3804 Website: www.ebonyparkstud.com.au Email: info@ebonyparkstud.com.au Phone: 0422 227 364 or 03 9796 8690 Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2013

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