Ebony Park Friesian Magazine - April 2014

APRIL 2014

Ebony Park aster Eggcellent E Sale!

Tash’s Training Tip - Goal Review ~ Kate’s Knowledge - Strangles News From Holland - Hereditary Traits ~ Kate’s & Danielle’s Tips

www.ebonyparkstud.com.au

Feel free to share this publication with your friends, family, club... anyone who might find its content useful.

Your Riding Success - Riding Program Do you know Natasha has a riding program dedicated to helping you get from Preliminary Dressage to Elementary Dressage in an easy to use, proven, step-bystep system!?!? It is a 12 month program that covers what you need to do as a rider, and what you need to do to train your horse, to progress easily and effortlessly through the grades!

Ok hands up if you think you understand, and more importantly find you are actually doing dressage well, and it is easy? If that’s you – don’t read on. You are not right for this program.

I’m talking to you if you get frustrated by all the different ‘ways’ to do dressage. If you get confused by training different movements. If you want to progress in your riding but you get stuck.

The Your Riding Success Riding Program is an online program designed to give you a step by step, easy-to-use formula to get from basics to elementary. This program is one part of the Dream Team Program, but due to overwhelming demand, we have decided to make this program available online as a separate program to the Dream Team. Each section has a workbook to work through and fill out, as well as a video split into manageable chunks.

The Riding Program has been sold to members in over 6 countries including USA, Germany, Hong Kong, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Canada and even Namibia!!

So if you are 'stuck' in a riding level and looking for answers, perhaps the Your Riding Success Riding Program is right for you!

Click here for more information now! :)

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

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Feel free to share this publication with your friends, family, club... anyone who might find its content useful.

IN THIS ISSUE • PAGE 4-5: NEWS FROM HOLLAND • PAGE 6: NOTE FROM TASH AND 2014 DATES • PAGE 7-10: KIND KATE’S KNOWLEDGE - STRANGLES • PAGE 11: INTRODUCING THE EBONY PARK HIGH POINT AWARD! • PAGE 12: EBONY PARK FRIESIAN DREAM CATALOGUE 2014 • PAGE 13-14: TASH’S TRAINING TIP IS FEAR HOLDING YOU BACK? • PAGE 15: EBONY PARK EASTER SALE! • PAGE 16: EBONY PARK TV - DRESSAGE WITH THE STARS WITH NATASHA AND EBONY PARK ABE • PAGE 17: HAVE YOU EVER WANTED A LESSON ON A FRIESIAN? FRIESIAN LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES ARE NOW AVAILABLE! • PAGE 18: KATE’S KICKASS TIPS • PAGE 19: TRENDING ON FACEBOOK • PAGE 20-21: DELIGHTFUL DANIELLE’S TALES - SILVER • PAGE 22: PHOTO GALLERY - WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND EBONY PARK?

From the Editor Hi Fabulous Friesian Lovers!!

Wow!! Can’t believe it’s April already... and we all know what that means?!? EASTER!!! Chocolate!!

Over-Indulgence!!

But that also means we are well and truly into 2014, and with the breeding season over for the year, we can concentrate on other things here at Ebony Park... like competitions, updating the website, coming up with crazy ideas (that’s Tash’s job!)!!! :) April also means that we are saying goodbye to our groom and young horse rider... the totally fearless Danielle!!

Danielle is going up to the NT to try her hand at jillarooing and we wish her all the best have an awesome time!!

We would like to welcome the newest member of our team to Ebony Park - Fabienne. Fabienne is from Germany and will be with us for 3 months... so give her a warm welcome (see her photo above with her Friesian stallion)!!

We hope you had a fantastic month, and enjoy the mag!

To Your Dreams Becoming Reality,

• PAGE 23: BEST FRIEND PICTURE BOARD • PAGE 24-25: EBONY PARK ROCKSTAR OF THE MONTH - EP MILO!

Kate Langdon

• PAGE 26: 5 MINUTES WITH SABINE SCHUT-KERY • PAGE 27: CONTACT INFORMATION

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News From Holland - Hereditary Traits Hereditary characteristics are passed on by our parents and that explains why we look like them. This is all about genes, DNA and hereditary traits. But how exactly does it work? In this article we venture to shed some light on the underlying theory.

DNA is made up of chromosomes and these are the bearers of hereditary traits.

Chromosomes exist in pairs and each pair has one chromosome that originates from the mother and one from the father. On each chromosome there are portions of DNA that produce functional proteins.

These bits are called genes.

If the father has passed on a different type of gene than the mother, then the genes within one pair may differ.

No identical copies Why is it that children from one and the same family are

not identical copies of each other? One half of their genes stems from the mother and the other half from the father. But the passing on of genes is a completely random process.

With 32 pairs of chromosomes the number of possible combinations of chromosome halves that can be passed on to a child is immense.

And even more variations are possible because chromosomes can make cross-combinations and exchange genes between the two halves even before they split apart.

The total of hereditary properties consists of roughly three billion DNA portions. There are four different types which are defined as C, A, G and T. The present strategy is based on some sort of marker map on which large strings of DNA portions can be found that are situated across the genome.

It is known that these markers show variations and consequently there are also variations in the area surrounding the genomes.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

The chosen markers have been obtained from the first DNA map of equine genomes that has been compiled and this was used to define the DNA sequence for the whole genome.

The next step was to compare this DNA sequence with the DNA of other equine breeds to establish which DNA portions are the most effective at revealing the differences between equine genomes.

An SNP chip has been manufactured that makes it possible to carry out routine scans of these genome markers for individual horses.

In order to find out which DNA portions are involved in genetic predisposition for a specific characteristic it is key to single out those markers that show the most notable difference between horses who display great talent for a specific trait and those who do not.

Then this area will be researched in more detail and more markers will be examined. The next step will be to make a map of the genes found in his area and to establish what functions these genes have.

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News From Holland - Hereditary Traits Once the targeted variation has been identified a marker test can be developed that can define an animal´s genetic predisposition for that specific gene. To do this, all you need is a small sample of blood or hair.

For those traits that are defined by just one gene, this process yields a complete map of its genetic predisposition. However, for traits that are defined by multiple genes this process must be repeated for each of the related genes.

But by far the majority of traits are defined by a genetic predisposition that is based on multiple genes.

Hereditary defects are often caused by a small modification in the DNA sequence which results in the production of a different or non-functional protein.

Such a mutation is a fault on one or several of the gene’s DNA portions.

In most cases the hereditary defects are recessive, which means that the defect will only occur when the wrong variation appears in both halves of the gene.

In those cases where only one gene contains the wrong variation the gene’s other half will still be capable

of producing (sufficient) functional proteins and the hereditary defect will not occur. Carriers of recessive hereditary defects cannot be identified by their exterior.

How can DNA tests detect hereditary defects?

The first step is to establish whether the defect is caused by a single or by multiple genes and to define the type.

So, the SNP chip will be used to find out if there is one single area on the genome that determines if an individual horse will be affected or stay healthy.

Next, the investigation will be narrowed down to this area to pinpoint which genes may be responsible. After locating the responsible gene, further intensive research is needed to find out if it is possible to identify the mutations that are responsible.

Then the way is open to examine all animals of a certain population and an effective selection programme can be put in place. This leaves us with an efficient tool to differentiate between carriers of hereditary defects and healthy animals.

It is now possible to work out a fast lane selection programme that looks for a set of familiar markers which among them can pinpoint the functional mutation.

Experience has shown that this helps to reduce the occurrence of a hereditary defect in a population without detecting the relevant mutation and incidentally even without identifying the responsible gene.

Source: KFPS Website

The last phase of this research is indeed a fairly rigorous process but it will result in the identification of the responsible mutation.

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DIARY DATES We are still

finalising which

competitions we

will be competing at in April - so

make sure you stay tuned on

Note from Tash Hello lovely Friesian lovers!!!! :)

Yay!! Easter!! Best time of the year!

To celebrate my all time favourite time of the year, and because I have let the chocolate get to my head, we are having an Eggcelent Easter Sale on our in utero payment plans! Check out page 15 to read more... but basically I want to give you an Easter gift if you make your Friesian Dream come true this month!! :) It was a super busy month last month - which was great! Right back into the competition spirit... at the end of the month was Dressage with the Stars!!

Although Abe hasn’t been in full work for nearly a year now, and we are still working to get back to the level we were at last year, I was super pumped that we qualified for Dressage with the Stars. Unfortunately we were only 3 marks away from having a fairytale comeback and making the Grand Prix kur, but we were happy to get into the event and as determined as ever for the National Dressage Championships later in the year.

Facebook and the

I’m also really excited to be focussing on a couple of the young Friesians Zeus and Dante and preparing them to come out for a Medium start soon.

to keep track of

Massive thanks to all of the Ebony Park Team and to Tom for all of your help during Dressage with the Stars!

we are competing

Good luck to Danielle who has moved onto her next adventure, and a warm welcome to Fabienne who is from Germany and will be with us for the next 3 months!

Ebony Park blog when and where

- we would love to see you there to cheer us on!! :)

Congratulations to all of the great results coming through for the Ebony Park High Point Award - we love seeing all of your results... and especially the photos of you and your horses!! :) Keep it coming and have a great month!! :)

To Your Success,

Natasha

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Strangles Recently, I have had a few people asking me if there is any point in vaccinating their horses against strangles, and what exactly it was. So this month, I thought I would go through the reasons we should vaccinate, as well as what the actual disease is.

Strangles is the most important infectious respiratory disease for horses in Australia and New Zealand and is a major cause of economic loss to the horse industry in Australia and worldwide.

It is a highly contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract and lymph nodes of the head, caused by the bacteria Streptococcus equi. Horses of any age can be affected, with young horses between the ages of six months to five years being particularly susceptible.

Strangles is characterised by f e v e r, g o i n g o f f f e e d , depression, purulent nasal discharge, cough and abscesses of the lymph nodes in the head and neck.

Hence strangles could be said to be the equine equivalent to the human plague!

Strangles is an extremely contagious disease that is rapidly spread between horses in a number of ways including coughing, eating feeds or drinking water contaminated by infective nasal discharge from a sick horse, as well as via fomites such as contaminated grooming utensils, rugs, feed bins, or humans (clothing, hands, etc).

Within 3-8 days of infection, the horse becomes depressed and develops a fever (temperatures are between 39.5 - 40.5°C).

The throat becomes very inflamed so that swallowing food or water becomes painful or impossible to ingest.

Nasal shedding of the bacteria usually ceases 3-6 weeks after infection, although recent research has indicated that the bacteria can be carried for longer in the guttural pouches, which are large air-filled sacs that connect to each side of the nasal passages. The bacteria may survive in a paddock or stable for up to two months and in water for at least 4 weeks.

Horse properties are placed at risk by the introduction of an infected horse, as this horse may be showing clinical signs of the disease but is more likely to be in the incubation phase or a long term carrier of the infection these horses will intermittently shed the bacteria, without showing any clinical signs of infection.

Strangles is a notifiable disease so that exports and international horse movements can take place.

Scientists have discovered that S. equi has very similar characteristics to the bacteria that caused human plague, also causing lymph node abscesses.

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Strangles Up to 20% of infected horses develop complications associated with strangles including pneumonia, guttural pouches filling with pus or upper airway blockage as a result of swollen lymph nodes around the throat (this is where the name "strangles" came from).

CLINICAL SIGNS The incubation period after a horse has been infected is between three and twenty days, but most horses display clinical signs after around ten days of infection.

The signs vary depending on the horses' state of immunity at the time of infection, and whether the horse has obtained antibodies from previous exposure (either through vaccination or infection).

Early signs a horse has been infected with strangles include an increase in temperature, elevation of the total white blood cell count and changes in size and texture of lymph nodes in the horse's head and neck.

The horse often appears depressed, with a loss of appetite accompanied by a watery nasal discharge at first that becomes mucopurulent (a thick mucous) as the disease progresses.

Head carriage may be stiffer, swallowing and respiration difficult due to compression of the pharynx, and a soft cough is often heard. The submaxillary, mandibular and retropharyngeal (underneath and behind the lower jaw) lymph nodes become enlarged, and abscesses may form, which are commonly hot and painful, both from the stretching of the skin through swelling, as well as from bacterial toxins produced by the multiplying S. equi.

Horses are often seen their heads hung low extended to relieve the from swollen throat lymph nodes.

with and pain and

The body's defense mechanisms include increasing the blood supply to the area (causing swelling), bringing in the white blood cells (leukocytes), which kill and digest the invading bacteria, causing pus to form (hence causing abscesses in the lymph nodes).

These abscesses usually rupture 7-14 days after the appearance of clinical signs, discharging a thick, creamy pus (YUK!!).

The horse often recovers very quickly after the rupture of the abscesses, although clinical signs may persist for days or even months.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

Swollen Lymph nodes on a horse with strangles

Affected horses can remain infectious for at least four weeks after clinical signs have disappeared, but some horses can spread the disease for up to eight months after infection even though they are physically healthy - these horses are called persistent shedders or carriers. Carrier animals are important in the persistence of Streptococcus equi within and between horse populations, and in initiating new outbreaks.

Death can occur in 1-5% of cases (higher if there are other complications such as pneumonia and guttural pouch disease that are associated with the infection). In some cases, the infection can spread to vital organs of the body, making the infection difficult and sometimes impossible to diagnose and cure (it is usually fatal), hence the term used to describe this form "bastard strangles".

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Strangles DIAGNOSIS Accurate diagnosis of a strangles infection is based on the clinical signs the horse is displaying, as well as swabs from the nose these are sent to a laboratory for bacterial culture. Foreign bodies such as grass seeds are another cause of glandular swelling and abscesses in the throat region.

administered for at least a 10-14 day period which can be costly, especially when treating a large amount of horses - hence it is best to have effective vaccination and management practices in place to prevent outbreaks.

The drug of choice for antibiotic treatment is procaine penicillin, using appropriate dosage rates for a long enough period of time so as to prevent resistant strains of the bacteria which makes the disease difficult to resolve.

Nostrils can be cleaned, and swollen glands poulticed, but a tracheostomy may be needed if the horse is in

PREVENTION

Nasal discharge caused by Strangles

Lymph node enlargement under the jaw is also a characteristic of viral respiratory diseases such as equine herpesvirus in foals and young horses.

TREATMENT/CURE It is important to minimise the stress placed on infected horses. They should be rested and fed soft, moist, palatable feed to ensure the horse keeps weight on and consumes enough fluids.

Infected abscesses can be lanced and drained by a veterinarian and prescribed antibiotics that need to be

acute respiratory distress.

Physical therapy techniques accompanied with pain relief in the form of drugs (such as NSAIDs) such as hot packs or warm, moist heat twice daily will help to facilitate drainage of the abscesses, as well as to reduce swelling allowing the horse to be more comfortable breathing and swallowing.

This treatment can be continued even after the lymph nodes have ruptured and drained to help speed up the healing process.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

Prevention of strangles involves a combination of vaccination and isolation practices. Newly introduced horses should be kept in isolation for 2-3 weeks, and checked regularly to ensure they are not in the incubation phase of infection, before they are mixed with or come into contact with any other horses.

This management of isolation procedures needs to be combined with vaccination regularly and on arrival of new horses.

Stables and paddocks should be left empty for 4 weeks following the removal of an infected horse as the strangles bacterium can persist in the environment for several months unless the contaminated areas are cleaned with a disinfectant such as chlorhexidine.

Prevention of transmission via horse handlers is vital stables, grooming equipment, feeding utensils and tack should be cleaned and disinfected (povidone

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Strangles iodine or phenolic based products are recommended), and the sharing of tack/ grooming equipment between different groups of horses is not recommended.

This makes it very difficult for a vaccine to provide complete immunity and is hence current available vaccines are not 100% effective.

H E R D H E A LT H A N D IMMUNITY

However, vaccination can c o n tr o l th e d i s e a s e b y reducing the degree of clinical signs that horses display together with a reduction in the number of horses affected.

Isolation of infected or suspected cases of strangles is very important during an outbreak due to its highly contagious nature horses kept in isolation from other horses are not at risk.

Whether the bacterium causes isolated cases or an outbreak of infection in the whole group depends on the immunity of the herd.

Around 75% of horses develop immunity after natural infection, which can last for several years.

Vaccination of all horses ensures that there is maintenance of a high level of antibodies within a herd or group, preventing the onset of an outbreak of strangles generally if all horses are vaccinated, when one horse gets strangles the others will not, or clinical signs may not be as severe or prolonged.

Immunity against strangles is short lived and incomplete, with 25% of horses infected not developing immunity after infection.

VACCINATION There is no respiratory vaccine that offers complete protection from strangles, but the Equivac vaccines lessen the incidence and severity of the disease as well as the spread of infection within a group of horses.

The initial vaccination course is three doses given at two weekly intervals followed indefinitely by an annual booster.

Strangles vaccine can be given alone or combined with tetanus vaccine (called a bivalent vaccine).

procedures both as a regular practice and when an outbreak occurs ensures that strangles as a disease is very much kept at bay, and the wellbeing of the industry together with that of our horses is looked after.

If you have any questions about feeding your horse in the summer months, make sure you email me at info@ebonyparkstud.com.a u To Your Dreams Becoming Reality,

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

Swelling at the site of injection is common.

CONCLUSION Although strangles is a very contagious and detrimental disease to horses in any profession, combining effective vaccination programs to ensure herd immunity with management

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

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Attention All Ebony Park Family Members!!

Introducing the Ebony Park High Point Award!!

When you invest in an Ebony Park horse, it’s more than just a horse - you become part of the Ebony Park family!!

So for the first time this year, those of you that are part of the Ebony Park family - i.e. those of you who have an Ebony Park horse - will be able to enter your horse to be in the running for the Ebony Park High Point Award!!

This will be judged by Natasha at the end of 2014, based on results that you send in to us from the whole of 2014!

There will be three categories for the Ebony Park High Point Award: 1. Best Performing Crossbred Friesian for 2014 2. Best Performing Purebred Friesian for 2014 3. Best Dressage Performance for an Ebony Park bred horse for 2014 The winners will receive Ebony Park woollen rugs to fit their horses!

Check out EP Bastian and Sian!!

They recently went out and competed dressage at Merricks in March... this was the same competition they did a year ago (their first ever competition and even came home with a blue ribbon) but this time they competed 2 levels higher and won both tests with 83% and 87% - SUPERSTARS!!

We are so proud of you!!

Click here to check out one of their tests from the competition!!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

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Reserve Your Dream Foal‌ with the Ebony Park Friesian Dream Payment Plans taking on a whole new look!!

At Ebony Park, our mission is to help all Friesian lovers with a dream - to own a Friesian - and to make that dream a reality. Click on the catalogue below to check out the possibilities and to reserve your Dream Friesian now!!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

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Tash’s Training Tip - Goal Review Happy Easter everyone!!!! I’m not going to lie! Easter = favourite time of the year!!!!

So I trust you will have an amazing Easter at the end of the month, and will enjoy the time with your family, time to ride your horse perhaps... oh and the chocolate :) Coming into April is the start of the 2nd Quarter of the year! Very exciting! :) How was the first quarter for you? did you get the goals you wanted to get? What are your B H A D ( B i g , H a i r y, AuDacious), goals for this quarter?

This month I wanted to look at your goals and help you out if perhaps you didn’t quite achieve all you wanted to in the first three months of the year...

“Are we there yet?”

Do you remember as a child on a long car trip, and you were constantly asking that question. Are we there yet? there yet? what about now? nearly there? And at times it ‘felt’ like you would never arrive and never get out of that car!

Well goals can be the same thing. I know for me, I tend to underestimate the time frame it will take to get my goals!

One month goals are usually 3 month goals and 3 month goals are yearly goals... to use the car analogy I think I am driving a Ferrari around a

racetrack, where it is actually more like a 4WD through the jungle! :) Because that’s life, isn’t it? It’s not as easy as a race track, where it’s smooth, no bumps or potholes. It can be like the jungle, with a tree blocking your path, and side roads you take that get you off track, and off focus. :)

goal. If you go to bed with dread saying you hate your day and don’t want to do tomorrow, that is a sign you are not on the right path, and you will not get your goal. You want to be excited about the goal, and excited every day to do something towards it.

That’s ok, your job is to still keep driving, keep navigating around all the obstacles in your path, keep going, even at 5km/hr rather than the 200km/h you want to go at!

But you keep going, and keep going, and then eventually you aren’t asking are we there yet? Because you arrived! :)

So the car hit a pot hole, and now it has a flat and you have to change it - that’s ok, and while you’re waiting, look around you... Notice the scenery... Like I said the goal is not important, the journey is. I know when I get my gold medal it will be cool, but it won’t mean as much to me as all the moments I had leading up to that moment. A quote I love is “Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by how many moments take our breath away”. Every day have a ‘moment’ - a special memory to take with you.

Here are 7 keys you can look at, to help you stay motivated on your journey: 1. What is your passion level?

Do you wake up excited, and go to bed happy? I’m not going to say you will LOVE all the things you have to do to get your goal. Nor will you be excited all the time, but in general you are excited, happy and satisfied doing what you have to do to get the

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine April 2014

2. Enjoy the sights.

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Tash’s Training Tip - Goal Review 3. Realise how far you have come.

So you may have 1,000km left to go. But you have also already travelled 1,000km!!!!!

That’s huge!!! :) Everything you have done up until this point is worth getting you to where you need to go. Think back to a year ago, 2 years ago, 5 years ago, 10 years ago... and see how far you have come! Take the time to celebrate your achievements and pat yourself on the back you rockstar!!! :) 4. Patience Wayne Dyer says “Great things have no fear of time”.

This is where your belief in self needs to be rock solid!

Colonel Sanders wasn’t successful with selling chicken until he was 65, Abraham Lincoln lost eight elections, had two failed businesses ... and then went on to becoming elected president at 52. You don’t give up, you don’t stop... you just keep going, and know somehow, some day, you will get your goal.

something. For me its reading. If I’m over it and not feeling the momentum I read.

Firstly because its easy for me and I love it, so I will read a riding book or success book, and then it has the secondary effect of motivating me to take more action.

6. Be flexible and ready to change your plans.

For my 10 year, 20 year, 50 year goals, I have a rough plan to get them, but not the nitty gritty. How can you? You can’t possibly know what the world will be like in 50 years.

Imagine in 1970 writing out your 50 year goals, they would not have included half of the things we can do today with technology and advancements.

It never ends and nor should it! I aim to have many goals, and be on the journey towards achieving them when I die.

Because what else is living for unless you are working towards something?

So I hope this helps you with your journey! And enjoy the journey, enjoy when you get ‘there’ and then enjoy the next journey!

To Your Success,

Natasha

The old saying is there are many roads to rome, and we need to remember that. Just because one road doesn’t work, doesn’t mean the next 5 won’t.

We need to keep going, keep ducking and weaving and finding the way and they best way to get our goals.

5. Make some progress every day

7. Remember the goal is not the point.

Just a little bit, just a teeny tiny thing. Maybe you read 5 pages of a success book, maybe you read an article, maybe you spend 5 minutes on a project, maybe you do some visualisation. I don’t know what it is but do

It’s who you become to get the goal. Once you arrive, once you get there, you need a new ‘there’ to get to, and another goal, and another journey.

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Make Your Friesian Dream Come True This Easter!

Ebony Park aster Eggcellent E Sale!

Hi Fabulous Friesian Lovers!! :) Welcome to the Eggcellent Easter Ebony Park Sale!!

In the lead up to easter, Tash has eaten a little too much chocolate... and it’s gone to her head... which is a good thing for you as she has come up with one of her awesome ideas to give you even more value at Ebony Park!!

We have decided in the Easter spirit to give away a $1,000 Horseland vouchers for the first 5 people who invest in an Ebony Park in utero payment plan on one of our 2015 foals in the month of April (so the mare will be bred this year, and the foal born next year).

We understand that when you get your new horse... all you want to do is buy things for it! Trust me... we have to keep Tash and the girls on a tight rein when we go into Horseland!!

So make sure you check out the foals we have available - there are currently 17 mares available on our payment plans, and they are all unique and special in their own way - so we will make sure we find one that will produce your Dream Friesian!

Can’t wait to hear how we can make your Friesian Dream come true this Easter!

To Your Dreams Becoming Reality, The Ebony Park Team *Conditions apply.

Click here to see our Ebony Park Friesian Dream catalogue to design your Dream Friesian now!!

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Ebony Park TV This month we would like to share the KUR with Natasha and Abe from last year.

We are so proud of Natasha for qualifying for Dressage with the Stars - baby Danika is 14 weeks old now, and Abe hasn’t been in full work since this time last year!! They did so well another 3 marks and they would have made it into the 2014 DWTS KUR!! Bring on the Nationals later in the year!! :)

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

Have you ever wanted a lesson on a Friesian?

Well now is your chance‌

Ebony Park is now offering lessons on Grand Prix schoolmaster and 1/2 Friesian gelding, The Carrock Tambo.

This is your opportunity to experience what the Friesian paces are like, as well as ride an educated horse that has been there and done that - has all the buttons - but is also super quiet and safe for those of you with less confidence!

Lessons are conducted by new young horse rider and trainer, Kate Richmond, and are starting this month!

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!

Ebony Park Gift Vouchers!

Stuck for a gift idea?

Ebony Park has the answer... why not gift an Ebony Park Friesian Experience!?!

Have you or someone you know ever: Dreamed of sitting on a Friesian?

Wanted beautiful photos of you with your dream black horse?

Been curious to go behind the scenes of Ebony Park, meet all the horses and really see what we do every day with our Friesians?

The Ebony Park Friesian Experience will give you all this and more!

If this is the perfect present for you or someone you know, click here now to reserve your experience, and to find out more.

We will personalise the voucher and send it to you (via email or express post if needed).

Kate’s Kickass Tips!

This month I thought I would share with you some of my successes on EP Milo (aka Ebony Park Monte Carlo). Above right is a quick video of Natasha refining some of Milo’s training before a competition, and below is one of the dressage tests when we won Preliminary Champion at the Macedon Ranges Dressage Club competition at the start of March :) Can’t wait to get out there and keep competing him!! - Kate

Trending on Facebook

Click here to go to our Facebook page to check out more posts by Ebony Park Performance Friesians!

Left: Quote of the Week Below: Tash’s training tip

Tash's Training Tip! When you are riding the sitting trot - smile!! If you are tense in any part of your body, you resist the movement and stop going with the horse. You must be loose and supple to go with the horses back.

Smiling helps you loosen the face muscles, which has a carryon effect to the rest of the body...

Above: Caption this photos around the farm Left: dressage with the stars with Natasha and Abe

Delightful Danielle’s Tales Hey awesome people!!

This is going to be my last article for you guys, as much as I love the Ebony Park team and everything they have taught me!! I am moving onto new adventures and experiences so this month I decided to shine the light on another one of my superstar favourites SILVER!! The bombproof pony!!

Silver is a Brumby x QH 3 1/2yo and will be Danika’s superstar pony once she is old enough!!

So - of course I had to make him super awesome and super safe! Even though he has been the most willing and easiest pony to work with, there were still some basic things I needed to teach him such as ground manners!!! He did not understand much in the way of MY SPACE!!

So to start off with I started with some of the simple ground manners - such as when I am

leading him he can never go past me with his nose, and if I stop his nose may not pass me... if it does, then I back him up about 3 steps, then I walk forward again and stop.

If his nose still passes me I back him up 5 steps and r e p e a t everything again, making him back up even more each time his noses passes me... once he stops just next to me, then he gets lots of cuddles and scratches!!! This just helps establish that I am the leader and is essential for earning respect and manners from him.

Delightful Danielle’s Tales Another basic thing was introducing things like cracking and lashing the whip all around him even just flicking it over his back or rubbing and shaking a plastic bag around him. Now - yes he will walk away at first (some horses may run or freak out) so you can start swishing the lunge whip or rubbing the plastic bag on him slowly. I started off small and built my way up... start with a couple of swishes of the whip to see what his reaction is, then give him a rub WITH the whip if he stands still, if he walks or runs away just slowly follow him and maybe even gently swish it over his back showing it won't harm him, eventually you can increase the strength and amount of whizzing of whips and shaking of plastic bags as they grow more comfortable. Some horses are more sensitive and this will take longer, and some horses, like Silver, get desensatised to this really fast, and tend not to care what you are doing!

My last must is to not be an avoid-aholic meaning do not avoid anything that may upset your horse! From the get go I try and find what upsets my horse, and how can I fix this - the more you test these scary things

out, the easier it gets each time!! So always push your horse out of their comfort zone, and soon you will create a trusting relationship with your horse and they begin to give you so much more and that's where the fun begins - where you just start seeing what else you can do together and just start playing around like Silver and I do in this awesome video (see below)!!! I hope you all have an amazing journey with your horses ;p GoodLuck!!! ;p

Danielle

Click on the image above to watch a fun video of Danielle and Silver, and what they have been up to!! :)

Photo Gallery

Left and above Ebony Park Abe

Above: Phil and Jorrit Right: Danielle and Hercules Below and Below Right: Silver, Tash and Danika

BEST FRIEND PICTURE

Lara and Achillies of Ebony Park at a competition in March - they competed in the prelim and came 3rd overall - superstars!! :)

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!

Left: Sophia and her horse! :)

Below: Joanne and Paris of Ebony Park.

Paris was taken home in March after being weaned... she’s just turned 6 months old and was an absolute superstar!! :) Right: Cybelle “Hello all - this is Indi, my little Friesian, licorice legs. He is 17 months old and all legs. The sweetest nature and does everything you ask of him... can’t wait until he is old enough to ride!”

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month EP Milo This month we thought we would give the Ebony Park Rockstar of the month to one of our horses here at Ebony Park - EP Milo!! We feel that he has been a little neglected as an Ebony Park Rockstar, as even though we have kept him at the stud rather than selling him to a new family... he is still a rockstar and we bred him right here at Ebony Park!

Milo has been broken in for about a year, but it has only been since Kate has taken over his training that he has headed out into the competition arena!!

Here’s what Kate has to say about Milo: “He has a great attitude to training - he’s sensitive and forward, which is the thoroughbred coming out in him, while being quiet and sensible at the same time - the perfect mix!

He learns quickly and really tries hard for you.

Oh - and he loves to eat sunflowers and apples!! Haha!!”

They started out in February of this year competing at Preliminary level dressage - a first for the two of them, but have quickly progressed to Novice after winning preliminary champion last month at the Macedon Ranges competition!!

Above: Wasn’t he a cute baby!

Left: Milo when he was first broken in

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month EP Milo This tall, rangy bay gelding has inherited his fathers lovely floating movement (and size) his sire is Ebony Park Elko. We are really pleased with the progeny that Elko has been producing at Ebony Park, with two of our competition horses, this lovely boy Milo, as well as Zeus of Ebony Park (one of our purebred boys) being his sons.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Milo!!

If you think you might like your own Milo, while we don’t still have his mother (she was sold to a lovely new home in Qld a couple of years ago) - we do have a new 17hh thoroughbred mare (J-Lo) who is currently in foal to Elko - this will be her first foal and we can’t wait to see what she produces!! J-Lo’s 2015 foal is available on one of our in utero payment plans!

Make sure you email us at info@ebonyparkstud.com.au for more information!

Until next month - The Ebony Park Team Kate and Milo make a great team and are working their way up through the levels, learning together!! :)

5 Minutes with Sabine Schut-Kery Sabine Schut-Kery, born in 1968 in Krefeld, Germany began riding at the age of ten. Sabine spent three years studying with Jan Bemelmans and passed the "Bereiter" in 1989. She continues to train today on an annual basis with German trainers Jan Nivelle and Stephanie Meyer-Biss.

Sabine also travels to San Diego to train with Sue Blinks on a bi-monthly basis.

Sabine trained and performed 15 years at the training center of Gunther Frohlich, who founded the FPS (Friesian Horse Society) in Germany in 1979. He also was the first importer of Friesians to Germany, and the first to promote, with Sabine's help, the Friesian as a competitive dressage horse.

Natasha was lucky enough to go over to the USA and work in Sabine’s stable Proud Meadows Farm - in 2005, and learnt a lot from this amazing horse woman’s experience - especially in regards to Friesians!

According to Schut-Kery, her longstanding relationship with Friesians began more by chance than by design. As a young girl in Krefeld, Germany, she was a member of the local Pony Club, which was located at the same facility where Gunther Frohlich (founder of the Friesian Horse Society and the first breeder to import Friesians to Germany) based his training center. "Everyone who got too tall for the ponies, got to ride the Friesians," said Schut-Kery. "From there, it developed into a passion."

Sabine is the consummate professional. She has been instrumental in the development of equestrian exhibitions and a successful traveling horse theater in Germany, in which she performed. Her successes in competitions and exhibitions have exhilarated crowds wherever she was performing. She won the Dressage Cup for Baroque Horses at the prestigious Equitana Europe in 1993, 1995 and 1997. In 1995, she won with the unprecedented score of 10, being judged by Gyula Dallos, a Hungarian Olympic rider and trainer.

Again in 1997, she won with the score of 10 being judged by Christoph Hess, from the German Equestrian Center in Warendorf, Germany. Her accomplishments do not stop with her riding abilities, as she has been awarded the German Bronze and Silver Coachmen’s badges. She has trained and competed baroque horses since 1983. In addition to her work with baroque breeds, Sabine has been quite successful with a variety of other breeds as well. Not only does Sabine possess the ability to develop competition horses from training level through Grand Prix, but she is also quite skilled in alternative movements for exhibitions, such as Spanish walk, bowing, the lay down, the sit position and rearing on command.

Sabine uniquely earned the USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medals exclusively riding Friesians. Her greatest accomplishments have been in open dressage competition. Sabine competes three to four stallions at different levels per event. She was honored to have been the one to have trained and ridden Tinus to Second Level Horse of the Year in 1999, to Third Level Horse of the Year in 2000, and to Fourth Level and Prix St. George Horse of theYear awards in 2001. Also in 2000, Sabine trained and rode Jorrit (not our Jorrit!) to First Place in Prix St. George. These were the first Friesian stallions to successfully compete at Grand Prix levels.

Source: http://www.sabineschut-baroquehorses.com/sabine.asp

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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 April 2014

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