Ebony Park Friesian Magazine - December 2014 by Ebony Park

DECEMBER 2014 f our n two o o e l a S e HUGE ressag d d e r crossb ns! Friesia

Tash’s Training Tip - Why Don’t People Get The Results They Want? ~ Kate’s Knowledge - Laminitis News From Holland - Friesian Videos ~ Kate’s Tips

www.ebonyparkstud.com.au

Make 2015 Your Best Riding Year Yet!

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Get the Diary! Click here Take it to the next level!! Join the Success club for 2015 Click here

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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From the Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

Hi Fabulous Friesian Lovers!! “WE WISH YOU A MERRY

• PAGE 4-5: MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TASH AND 2014 COMPETITION DATES • PAGE 6-9: KIND KATE’S KNOWLEDGE - LAMINITIS • PAGE 10: NEWS FROM HOLLAND • PAGE 11: ANNOUNCING THE EBONY PARK HIGH POINT AWARD FOR 2014! • PAGE 12-13: TASH’S TRAINING TIP WHY DON’T PEOPLE GET THE RESULTS THEY WANT? • PAGE 14: EP ANIKA - CHRISTMAS SALE!! • PAGE 15: EP METEOR - CHRISTMAS SALE!! • PAGE 16-17: EQUESTRIAN LIFE BLOG DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE SETTING GOALS?

CHRISTMAS, WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS...” Bad singing aside... WOW!! Can’t believe we have gotten to the end of another year already! This year was EPIC! This month’s mag is a bumper issue... with all of the preparation going on for Equitana, we ran out of time to get out a magazine last month... but I can assure you - we are making up for it this month! We are having a FACEBOOK PARTY on Wednesday 17th December, so if you are on facebook, and you have any questions to ask us or you would just like the chance to win some great prizes, make sure you click here, become friends with Ebony Park, like the Ebony Park Performance Friesians Facebook page and stay tuned in a couple of weeks! We will be sending out an event invite to everyone this week via Facebook! I would like to give a very warm welcome to Michelle to the Ebony Park family - we can’t wait for you to take Zeus home! :)

• PAGE 18: $8,000 WORTH OF BONUSES WHEN YOU INVEST IN AN EBONY PARK FRIESIAN PAYMENT PLAN FOR CHRISTMAS!

We have had a couple of early foals born this week too - they are so cute!! There are a couple due just before and just after Christmas... can’t wait!

• PAGE 19: TRENDING ON FACEBOOK

Keep sending photos of you and your horse in so that we can feature you in our “best friend picture board” and if you have any questions that you would like answered, please email us at info@ebonyparkstud.com.au!!

• PAGE 20-21: MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM EBONY PARK - GIFT IDEAS!! ORDER FOR DELIVERY IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS! • PAGE 22-23: KATE’S KICKASS TIPS EQUITANA WRAP-UP • PAGE 24-25: EBONY PARK ROCKSTAR OF THE MONTH - EP ZEPHYRUS & BRITTANY

We hope you had a fantastic and safe Christmas and holiday season, and we look forward to sharing with you all that has been happening around Ebony Park in the new year!! To Your Dreams Becoming Reality,

• PAGE 26: 5 MINUTES WITH RAFAEL SOTO • PAGE 27-29: PHOTO GALLERY EQUITANA

Kate Langdon

• Page 30: CONTACT INFORMATION

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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DIARY DATES Merry Christmas from the Ebony Park Team!!

This month we are competing at the Victorian

Dressage

Championships on Friday 12th

December (Abe in Grand Prix, and

Milo in the Novice) and then the

horses will have a much deserved break over the

holiday period! We will be back next year

competing in January! :)

Note from Tash Hello Friesian Lovers!!!!! MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :) I wish you the most amazing December and all your dreams to come true in 2015! I love this time of year when we can sit back and reflect on the year just gone. We have had the most amazing year at Ebony Park. Dante started the year in Preliminary dressage and finished winning his first Medium start so very very happy with his progress as I have only been riding him this year. Abe is getting stronger in his Grand Prix work and I am really looking forward to showing a great test next week at the Victorian Dressage Championships. Milo and Kate have really grown and developed this year from doing their very first dressage test together (both of them were new to competing!) to winning at Novice level and ready for Elementary next year... they are right where they need to be and I love working with them every day. My new mare Gretchen that Nicole and I imported from Germany a couple of months ago is super exciting and also won her first 4yo dressage test only a few weeks after being released from quarantine! We are looking forward to next year and seeing how she grows and matures. Dante also started his first season breeding to mares this year and we have two foals due by him next year. One out of Venus and one out of Jlo. We can't wait to see what they look like! This year was a record year of foals born with 15 due! They are all sold to wonderful amazing owners and I am so blessed and grateful you have allowed us to help you follow your dreams and have your dream foal. We also sold many of our broken in horses especially Hercules, Krixus and Zeus who have all gone to the most AMAZING homes!!!! I literally can't think of better places for these special boys!!!!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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Note from Tash To the most important people of Ebony Park - our friends, our clients I want to THANK YOU!!!!!!! You make our job a a pleasure and provide our horses with amazing lives, so really THANK YOU!!!!!!! Last but certainly not least. My two most amazing friends and managers here at Ebony Park Kate Langdon - Office Extraordinaire, Computer Queen and my left and right hand!!!! Two books, Equitana, Workshops, Emails, Phone calls, you do it all with a smile and I could not have achieved half of what I achieved this year without your hard work and support - THANK YOU!! Kate Richmond - Horse Specialist, Wrangler, Dressage Rider Queen and Instructor Extraordinaire!!!! Again I could not do what I do without your hard work and commitment to the horses. Congratulations on all your amazing work you have done with your riding and bring on 2015 Elementary and Medium!!!! :) I trust you have an amazing December. If you are looking for horses perhaps Anika or Meteor will suit - I know their perfect owner is out there for them :) We also have a few in utero foals still available for the 2015 season so if owning a Friesian is your dream give us a call and see how easy it is to own your own Friesian and take advantage of $8000 worth of bonuses when you take action before Christmas! To your success and making your dream reality!!!

Natasha Althoff

Phil and Danika getting into the Christmas Spirit!!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Laminitis I know we are coming out of the spring months... but even at the start of summer, there is more sunlight and still plenty of rain, which means that our grass is growing at a rapid rate!! This is the time of year when horse owners, particularly those with ponies and the cold blooded breeds, start to put management practices in place to prevent their horses from foundering, or getting laminitis. But what is laminitis, and what exactly causes it in horses and ponies?

Laminitis is a debilitating disease causing a systemic inflammatory reaction, which then can then lead to lameness and structural changes in the hooves of horses. It can affect our equine friends of all ages and breeds, but tends to be more common in smaller ponies. In the normal horse, the coffin bone is attached to the inside of the hoof wall by a suspensory apparatus which is folded and interdigitated into laminae – it is much like lacing your fingers together – this acts to increase the surface area of this region, and physically hold it all together

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

(see figure “Interdigitation of the Lamina”) In the laminitic horse these structures have changed, and the ordered lamellar (lacedtogether) structure and anatomy becomes disorganised and separated. W i t h o u t t h e c o ff i n b o n e properly attached to the inside of the hoof, the weight of the horse coupled with the forces going through the leg during movement cause the bone to be driven into the hoof capsule, damaging the delicate network of vital veins and arteries providing nourishment to the allimportant hoof of the horse.

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Kind Kateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knowledge - Laminitis The signs of laminitis include a reluctance to move or stiffness in the gait, with the front feet held out in front of the horse, and the hind limbs brought underneath the body. A bounding pulse in the fetlock and hoof can be felt, coupled with an increase in hoof heat and lameness due to unrelenting pain in the hooves of the horse. Many systems have been used to grade the severity of laminitis in horses, but the most common is called the Obel system of grading. Horses with Grade I laminitis shift from one foot to the other, but can move relatively freely; Grade II laminitis are more lame especially when turning, and the gait is stiff, with the horse often lifting one foot off the ground to relieve the pain; Grade III laminitis the horse is reluctant to move and is in a lot more pain; and finally Grade IV laminitis, where the horse is immobile and often unable to stand. Much research has been conducted to determine the underlying factors causing

laminitis in horses, in the hope that it can be prevented or cured. There are many causative agents that have been found, including but not limited to: Carbohydrate overloading (this is when the horse is getting too m u c h s u g a r, e i t h e r i n excess hard feeding or really sweet spring grass) and hence hindgut acidosis (which causes the fermenting bacteria in the hindgut to die and hence release toxins); consumption of lush high fructan pastures and, more recently, insulin resistance, which may or may not be related to obesity in those horses affected. Insulin resistance occurs whenever normal concentrations of hormone produce a less than normal response in the tissues they are acting upon. A great deal of the current research has focussed on the uptake of glucose by the hoof lamellae, as there has been some evidence that the equine foot has a higher glucose demand than p r e v i o u s l y suspected, with the lamellae of the hoof separating if the

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

uptake of glucose is impaired in this region. So it is all well and good to know what the causes of laminitis are, but what can we do about preventing laminitis in our horses, especially if they are out in pasture during spring when the grass is lush and green? Overeating and obesity are the most common high risk situations which lead to laminitis. The secret to avoiding laminitis in this situation is not to turn the horse out whilst he is fatter than condition score 3. This means he should not have a fat depot along his crest or at the tail head, around the sheath or udder or over the loins. You should be able to feel his ribs easily by running your hand along his side yet you should not be able to see his ribs.

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Laminitis Laminitis is a disease that is avoidable when proper horse management is practised consistently. So what kinds of things can you do to prevent laminitis in your horse? • Avoid feeding excesses and keep the horse at a reasonable weight – this can easily be monitored by taking photos of your horse every week and comparing the changes in weight over time. • Watch for and avoid grass blooms on pastures. Pull the horse off the fields and onto a dry lot if necessary. Feed hay in the morning and turn the horse out after dew has evaporated from the grass. If this is not possible, use a grazing muzzle or restrict the area available for grazing by using temporary fencing. • If your hay is particularly good, you can soak it overnight in water, which leeches out the sugars, and after pouring the water away, feed it to you horse. • Keep grain in closed bins and the door to the feed room closed.Give the horse unlimited access to fresh, clean water, except immediately after

exercise, when the amount should be regulated.

•Imposing dietary restrictions to prevent overeating and obesity.

• Make changes to routines slowly and progressively, to avoid stress.

• Treating with mineral oil via a nasogastric tube to purge the horse’s digestive tract. This will limit the absorption of bacterial toxins, especially if the horse has overeaten.

• Make sure to keep your horses feet trimmed regularly. This not only makes sure your horse is standing on his feet correctly, and not putting pressure on areas that he shouldn’t, but it also means that the farrier can pick up on any changes in the feet of the horses diagonal limb, they often suffer from founder in the weight-bearing limb. This is particularly common in hind feet. Treatment The earlier treatment for laminitis is initiated, the b e t t e r. I f l a m i n i t i s i s suspected, or the horse has been exposed to a risk factor (e.g. carbohydrate overload, shock, black walnut shavings), treatment should begin immediately. Treatments for laminitis vary according to the severity of the condition but include: • Encouraging the horse to lie down to relieve pressure on the hoof/ hooves.

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

• Administering fluids if the horse is ill or dehydrated. • Administering drugs and/ or natural medicines, such as antibiotics to fight infection, anti-endotoxins to reduce bacterial toxicity, anticoagulants and vasodilators to improve blood flow to the feet. (Corticosteroids are contraindicated for laminitis as they can cause it to worsen.) • Administration of painkillers. Since moderate to intense pain often accompanies laminitis and founder, the veterinarian will likely prescribe painkillers and/ or anti-inflammatories for the horse. These may include NSAIDs. • Use of a magnetic hoof pad. This recently introduced treatment is believed to increase local circulation and help relieve pain. 8

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Laminitis • Stabling the horse on soft ground, such as sand or shavings. • Opening and draining of any abscesses that may develop. • Co-operation with the horse’s farrier. (Corrective shoeing is often very effective, particularly in preventing founder.) • Early treatment of the primary problem - this might be overeating, colic - there is usually an underlying problem that has caused the laminitis in the first place. (A delay of even a few hours can literally be the difference between continued healthy living and euthanasia.) You can prevent laminitis by avoiding high-risk situations. The following is a list of "causes" or circumstances, which we know commonly precede the onset of laminitis. • Obesity • Overeating on foods rich in carbohydrate or rapidly fermentable fibre i.e. cereals, coarse mixes, rapidly growing or fertilised grass • Any illness that involves a toxaemia. This may be a bacterial infection or

following the ingestion of plant or chemical toxins. • Cushing's Disease. This is a condition that is usually caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland. It results in the horse failing to shed its winter coat. The coat becomes long and matted and eventually curly. The horse drinks and eats increased amounts of food while sweating excessively and losing weight. • Weight-bearing laminitis. When the horse is severely lame on one leg and has to put all his weight on the opposite or diagonal limb, they often suffer from founder in the weight-bearing limb. This is particularly common in hind feet. • Concussive laminitis (road founder). When horses are subjected to fast or prolonged work on hard surfaces they may develop laminitis as a result of trauma to the laminae, particularly if their horn quality is poor. • Hormonal problems. Animals which are "good doers" may be hypothyroid or have an abnormal peripheral cortisol enzyme system. The latter condition, has been called obesity

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

related laminitis or peripheral Cushing's disease. Others develop laminitis when they are in season. • C o l d w e a t h e r. A f e w horses show laminitis during cold weather, fitting warm leg wraps during cold snaps prevents the problem in most cases. • Stress. Worming, vaccination, traveling or separation from a "friend" can trigger an attack of laminitis. • Drug induced laminitis. Although some wormers can precipitate laminitis, the most common group of drugs which cause laminitis are the corticosteroids. Even injecting short acting corticosteroids into joints can cause severe laminitis. If you have any questions about seedy toe, or if you would like to ask a question that I can answer in a future article, make sure you email me at info@ebonyparkstud.com.a u To Your Dreams Becoming Reality, Kate Langdon Source: Contact Ebony Park for a full list

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News From Holland - Videos of the Central Mare Inspection 2014 Below are 4 videos taken from the Central Mare Inspection in the Netherlands where Friesians that achieved first premium were invited to come and strut their stuff! Click on the appropriate video below to watch these beautiful horses!

Above: Compilation of the Central Keuring over 2 days.

Above: Compilation of the Championship (the winner was Janneke B)

Above: Compilation of the Foal Championship.

Above: Compilation of the dressage aptitude testing.

Source: KFPS Website

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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Ebony Park High Point Award 2014

Everyone is waiting with baited breath for Wednesday 17th December... Ebony Park will be having a “VIRTUAL” Christmas Party to celebrate 2014 and announce the 2014 Ebony Park High Point Award!!

We will be announcing the winner on Facebook, and to celebrate we will have: - Facebook question and answer about all things Friesian or just horses in general - Prize giveaways of Ebony Park Merchandise - Videos answering all of the most common questions asked. - And HEAPS more!

And the winner is...

If you would like to be part of the celebrations, make sure you do the following: - “Friend” us on Facebook (click here to go there now and make sure you add Ebony Park as a friend). - “Like” the Ebony Park Performance Friesians Facebook page (this is where all of the announcements will be made) - click here to go to the page. - Make sure you are on Facebook on Wednesday 17th December from 5pm AEDT! Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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Tash’s Training Tip - Why Don’t People Get The Results They Want?

The principles to success are not unknown. I believe everyone has an idea of what is required to be successful. I also believe people out there want to be successful - I think if you asked most people if they would like to be rich, successful and happy, the vast majority of people would answer with a ‘yes’. So why are many people poor, unsuccessful and miserable? There was a man who was being called the Whiz Kid on Wall Street who appeared on the cover of an American magazine years ago - he was one of the first to put a large c o r p o r a t i o n t o g e t h e r, causing some of the federal laws about business in the 1970’s because of the trends that he started.

By the age of 42, he was running one of the largest industrial groups in America - the corporation he had built himself.

After the reporter realised it was the truth and apologies were made, the reporter said “I have to ask - what made you change?”

The magazine doing the report decided to do a lot of research to make sure the article was as in-depth as possible.

What he said rings so true for so many people: “When I was sleeping under newspapers in the park 15 years ago, I knew that someday I would do what I’m doing now.

Some of the research took the reporters back to a small city the ‘Whiz Kid’ had left 15 years earlier, where an alcoholic of the same name had been sleeping on park benches at the time. When this information was passed along to the reporter who was conducting the interview with the ‘Whiz Kid’ president, the reporter rather scathingly relayed it to the ‘Whiz Kid’, saying “Believe it or not, a man with your exact name was sleeping on park benches and getting ousted by the police when you lived in your hometown. I guess the poor guy was a real wino.

I was just waiting until I was ready to start.” So many people are like that - they have good intentions but are lacking two of the most vital components of success: the motivation to start, and the plan or goals to keep them moving forward. How many of you are waiting to start? I believe most people stay being poor, unsuccessful or miserable is because they think one day in the future they won’t be ... but which day is that?!!??!

Isn’t that something?”

It is something I have done a lot of study around. Why do people sit on the fence?

The ‘Whiz Kid’ replied “That was me”.

Why do people struggle with making a decision?

The reporter didn’t know what to say “You’re kidding”

Why do people fear taking action?

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

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Tash’s Training Tip - Why Don’t People Get The Results They Want? I know why they do, but just because I know why they do doesn’t help them!

more than making the decision ... which is making the wrong decision!!!!!!

You know why? Because they have their story!

We think it is the end of the world if we make a wrong decision because ... if we make the wrong decision then we might be out of control, and not know what will happen next.

If someone wants to be healthy but they are not, and I ask why not today did you make a decision to be healthy, which includes a decision to go for a run and a decision to eat nutritious whole food? When I ask why not make the decision - I get the story ... I am waiting until after my birthday to start ... I am waiting until winter is over ... I am waiting until daylight savings starts ... and of course ... what do we know ... when the birthday has happened, or winter is over or Daylight savings has started ... for some weird reason the health decision still hasn’t been made! Why do we do that? Why do we wait and actually believe the BS story that we tell ourselves?!?!? It’s our way of protecting ourselves against what we fear way

We will have the unknown and human beings despise the unknown! The reason we don’t like it is in the old days uncertainty could lead to death. If we ate the unknown berry we could die. If we pat the unknown saber tooth tiger ... we could die!

said ... fear of what? The unknown? You need to be ok with unknown! Embrace it! Because that is where the magic is! So I trust you have made a decision just now.

But there is no risk of dying now! If you make a wrong decision you can make another one!!!! If you make a decision to get healthy and start running, and you hate it - that’s fine ... start playing tennis instead!

And that decision is an important one. It’s a decision to take action, a decision to start. Stop waiting for one day and choose THIS day as the day that changed it all!!!!

You will be ok!!!!!

Love to know how this article is helped! :)

The important thing is you have made the decision to be healthy and you are committed to that. When it comes to riding I see a lot of people unwilling to take action because of fear ... and as we have just

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

To Your Success,

Natasha

Christmas Sale! EP ANIKA E: $19,99 USUAL PRIC

PRICE: YOUR GIFT $9,997

Friesian x TB Mare Sire: Ebony Park Abe (Friesian) Dam: Alpine Star (TB) DOB: 18/12/2006 Colour: Brown Height: 15.2hh

50% !! F F O

EP Anika is a Friesian x Thoroughbred mare bred right here at Ebony Park. She is an honest, smart mare who is very willing to learn – her easy trainability inherited from her sire made her so easy to break in and train. She has inherited a lovely trot and spectacular canter, and we expect big things from her offspring in the dressage and eventing world!! We can’t wait to find a new forever home for Anika – she is very versatile, as she is a proven broodmare and has also been broken in. She is currently in foal to Ebony Park Jorrit, and is due in September 2015. Anika was broken in and ridden for a year when she was 4 – she is calm, unflappable and effortless to ride at home and in new situations. She is by Grand Prix Dressage Friesian Stallion Ebony Park Abe who is winning at Grand Prix level dressage, and has inherited her fathers boldness and confidence. She is out of a lovely thoroughbred mare who had the sweetest nature and passed this trait onto all of her offspring.

Click here now for video of Anika and more information!

She is very lovely and forward to ride and very trainable. Already starting leg yielding and shoulder-in, it was decided that before selling her we would breed her for a couple of years, and she has not disappointed! Her foals are just as friendly and gorgeous as she is. Her full brother Bastian is currently competing Novice level dressage, and is just as unflappable and lovely as Anika!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Christmas Sale! EP METEOR USUA

50% !! F F O

Friesian x TB Gelding Sire: Ebony Park Abe (Friesian) Dam: Top Rein (TB) DOB: 18/12/2006 Colour: Bay Height: 17.1hh

L PRIC

E: $33 ,0

0 YOUR GIFT P RICE: $16,49 7

EP Meteor is by our champion Grand Prix Friesian stallion Ebony Park Abe, who was awarded the Sports Predicate for outstanding results in the dressage arena, competing and winning at Grand Prix level in dressage, out of a lovely thoroughbred mare, Top Rein. Meteor has just turned 5 and has grown to over 17hh (at last check he had still grown taller!). Rather than taking after his finer thoroughbred mother, he is a solid boy, with lovely floating movement and that Friesian presence. He carries himself just like his sire - proudly, like a war horse going into battle! This truly is an incredible horse, and with bloodlines like his, we can’t wait to see what his future holds!

Click here now for video of Meteor and more information!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Natasha is now blogging for EQ Life! Do You Have Trouble Setting Goals? Hello riding superstars! :) Are you excited?! I hope so! :) It is coming up to the end of the year and that means it is my FAVOURITE time of the year! No, it’s not Christmas. No, it’s not a birthday. IT’S GOAL SETTING TIME! :) Every year I set goals for the 1st January - 30th N o v e m b e r. . . I h a v e December off! This means I have 11 months to get everything I want to get done to meet my yearly goals! So at around about this time

every year, I am crazy busy putting all the finishing touches on things, but also looking forward and ahead to next year. This year has been a super year. My daughter will turn one.

I have written and published two books. A lot of people have said, “Wow, you are lucky”. While I agree that I am lucky, the events of this year didn’t happen because of luck.

I have won three championships – two of them in Grand Prix.

They came about from a meticulous plan and dedicated, committed action.

I have earned a personal best score in the Grand Prix.

I was already excited about 2014 five years ago!

I had a holiday in Europe with my parents and parents-in-law. I had a wonderful team holiday in Fiji with my amazing team.

I knew 2014 was going to be a great year because it was already planned then! Europe with parents was planned. Championships were planned. The books were planned. What about you? How are you going with your goals?! Are those yearly goals achieved? I know a lot of people find it difficult to goal set. Sometimes it is hard if you don’t know where to start or

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Natasha is now blogging for EQ Life!

you aren’t sure how to put a plan in place. Or perhaps it is taking action and staying motivated towards your goals that is your biggest challenge. I understand the challenges you are facing when it comes to goal setting. I remember knowing it was important, but feeling lost and confused about the process. That’s why I want to help you!

My Goalsetting for Riding Success Mastery Program kicks off this weekend (6-7th December) with my workshop “Create 2015 to be Your Best Riding Year Yet” and this year I have decided to continue this with the Success Club 2015, so that you have support all year long, you stay connected with like minded people, and you make 2015 your BEST riding year yet!

too - they make great Christmas presents!! :) Looking forward to getting to know you all and helping you achieve your goals!

To Your Success,

Natasha

It is time you learn the secrets to success and getting the results you want in your riding! If it’s not the right time for you, or if you would prefer to start small... for the first time, I am also offering my goalsetting diaries separately for $29 each! Click here to read more about my goalsetting workshop and Success Club 2015, and make sure you check out the diaries

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Get Your Friesian Dream for Christmas!! 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!! Christmas Special!! Receive over $8,000 worth of bonuses for FREE when you say ‘yes’ to your Dream and invest in an Ebony Park “Design Your Dream Horse”.

You will receive: - Gold Breaking in package for Free valued at $7,497 - An invitation to EP “Breakthrough to Success” with Grand Prix Friesian rider and Trainer Natasha Althoff valued at $500 - Ebony Park Gift Pack valued at $250 This Christmas offer is only available until the 31st December, so make sure you contact us now!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Trending on Facebook

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

Tash's Training Tip: How many hours do you need to be a genius? People have done studies and there is a consensus 10,000 hours make you a genius. Cool hey! I always wanted to be a genius! By adding up roughly the hours I have done I came to 10,872. Hmmmm I think I want to be more genius than that! But I guess you could say I have mastered riding to an extent. My husband has done approximately 15,000 hours on the piano and he truly is a master. He can hear any song anywhere go to a piano and play it perfectly. You can give him any note or he can hear any song and tell you what key it is and its notes as he has perfect pitch. Now people look at him and say wow! I wish I could play like you, or people say to me I wish I could ride like you and I say â&#x20AC;Ś YOU CAN! Just do the hours! Think about it, if you do three hours a day for just over 9 years you would be an expert in whatever field you choose. Now how exciting is that! Left: Quote of the Week

Below: Caption this, foal photos and Equitana!

Left: Dante competed and won his first ever Medium dressage test!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park

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Ebony Park will be having a “VIRTUAL” Christmas Party on Facebook to celebrate 2014!! Make sure you come and join in on the party!!! There will be: - A Facebook question and answer session. Come online and ask your Friesian or general horse question, and one of the team will give you their answer! - Prize giveaway of Ebony Park Merchandise - Videos from the team answering your questions! - The Ebony Park High Point Award winner announced - And HEAPS more!

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Stuck for a Gift Idea? Ebony Park has the answer!! Why not give an Ebony Park Friesian gift! 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 get your gift voucher in time to put under the Christmas tree! We also have kids printed t-shirts, kids printed hoodies and adult “Keep Calm and Ride a Friesian” hoodies, as well as a range of posters! Won’t it be wonderful to feel that your Christmas shopping is done, and your gift will be the favourite present they receive?!?! Kid’s T-Shirts: $15 each Kid’s Hoodies: $20 each Adult Hoodies: $25 each Ebony Park Adult Polos: $25 each Posters: $2 each or 4 for $5

FREE poster with every purchase!

Available in sizes Small, Medium and Large

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014 us at info@ebonyparkstud.com.au 21 *Email

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Kate’s Kickass Tips! Hey guys, Where has the time gone!?!?

during Equitana, one on the Thursday and one on the Saturday.

We have been super busy here at Ebony Park, between the breeding season, foaling and competitions we have managed to squeeze in Equitana which ran over 4 days last month.

The first session was all about overcoming competition nerves and the various ways you can deal with them.

It was a hectic 4 days!! Ebony Park had a stand and so did Your Riding Success... and Natasha was the busiest of us all, running 2 education sessions

For this demo I was lucky enough to be a part of it riding Milo! We were there to show the crowd how to deal with a horse that can be quite hot and tense in overwhelming and new situations. We had to enter through 100’s of people in the Epsom pavilion with a lot of loud noises and scary objects... which is sure to make a young horse like Milo a bit tense and silly... but Milo was a total superstar, he was so calm and relaxed – to be honest I thought he would be a bit tense and silly for the first 15 minutes before calming down but he wasn’t!! It wasn’t exactly what we wanted to show for the session... but it was a great learning enviroment for him and such a testament to the Friesian breed! :) The second education session was all about overcoming nerves in your riding. Natasha decided to do this demo a little different by allowing me to ride superstar Abe (who I haven’t ridden before)!!!

Kateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kickass Tips! It was a fabulous experience riding such a high level horse... and also a little scary (which I guess was the point!)

Thanks again to Tom for helping getting all the horses ready and looking amazing, your help was so appreciated!

Being a part of a demo at Equitana was an amazing experience just on its own, let alone being able to ride a Grand Prix Friesian stallion during it!

If you have any questions about Equitana, our demos or any of the merchandise that was (and still is) available please send through your questions to info@ebonyparkstud.com

I was able to have a little play with Abe during the demo (especially while tash wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looking, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell her that hehe) and took full advantage of the 45 mins of the demo. As well as having Abe in this demo I handed over the reins on my man Milo to Tom who did an awesome job (having never ridden Milo before Equitana, but always loving this horse). I gave Tom a quick 15 min lesson on Milo the day prior, so he did an awesome job with the little practise time they had together and riding in such a big crowd. The experience of Equitana and demo riding was so amazing, and I cant wait for the next one.

OR If you want to know more about any of the programs that Natasha runs head over to www.youridingsuccess.com for more information. Until next month,

Kate Richmond

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month EP Zephyrus and Brittany

Over the past few years I’ve had quite a lot to do with Ebony Park. I’ve always loved and admired the Ebony Park Friesians for their temperament and presence, and I had always wanted one of my own.

During the 2013 breeding season, I saw a photo of Dazzle’s 3/4 Friesian colt by Abe, and once I knew that he was available to purchase, I emailed Kate in an instant. Kate is so efficient with her replies, that I had organised to see him by the time he was 3 days old. I drove down to Garfield to see him, and instantly fell in love with this gorgeous black gangly colt - I knew I had well and truly found my dream horse.

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month EP Zephyrus and Brittany Being a university student, I didn't have the funds to outright pay for Zephyr. So I chatted to Kate about my options, and the flexibility of paying him off on one of the payment plans offered at Ebony Park suited me perfectly. Over the next 3 years whilst I pay him off, I still get the enjoyment of watching my boy grow every time I visit him, in between the updates I get sent, and I love knowing that he receives the utmost of care by the Ebony Park team. Everyone is so down to earth and accommodating at Ebony Park. It’s not just about buying a horse from a stud, it’s very much about becoming part of the family and having a network of extremely supportive people to give you any help that you need.

I cannot wait to continue my journey with Zephyr as he grows into a lovely dressage mount. I have big hopes and dreams that I hope to fulfill with this boy, and can’t wait to climb through the levels of dressage with him!

There is nothing better than having watched my boy grow over the past 11 months.

Thank you to the Ebony Park team for breeding such a high quality young horse!

Every time I drive down for a visit I’m blown away with how much bigger he is.

Britt :)

I’ve loved learning the quirks of his personality and watching them change as he has grown, and for a colt his temperament is unflappable!

5 Minutes with Rafael Soto Natasha is having lessons with Rafael Soto in the first few days of December... so this month’s “5 minutes with...” just had to be about him so you can have an idea what he is all about! :) Rafael Soto was born in 1957 in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain), where horse tradition is very strong. Rafael is a dedicated horseman who has been training horses and riders all his life, following in his father’s footsteps and commencing his riding career at a tender age when his father bought and ran an equitation centre in Palma de Mallorca. It was there that he had his first important dressage success, becoming Balearic Regional Champion in 1982. In 1987, he obtained his Spanish Instructor’s Qualification, and returned to his native city to pursue his equestrian career. After winning his first National Championship in 1994, with ‘Flamenco‘, he was chosen to form part of the National Dressage Team, representing Spain in the 1995 European Championships. From that date on, he has continued on the Spanish Team, going from strength to strength with his two partners, first ‘Flamenco’ then ‘Invasor’, both purebred Andalusian stallions.

Source: www.eqtalk.com

His most important successes in Dressage competitions are: National Championship: 5 times gold medallist, four with ‘Invasor’, one with ‘Flamenco’. European Championship: Team Silver Medallist in Hickstead in 2003 with ‘Invasor’, plus two other 4th places. Top ten individual qualifications in the last three European Source: www.silverbookandalusians.com Championships in which he has participated, 1999, 2001 and 2003. World Championship: 1998 Team 6th Place 2002 Team Bronze Medal, Individual 6th Place Olympic Games: Atlanta 1996 Team 7th Place Sydney 2000 Team 5th Place, Individual 12th Athens 2004 Team SILVER MEDAL, Individual 8th Place Rafael is the Chief Instructor at the Royal Riding School in Jerez, and he travels around the world conducting clinics, where he especially likes working horses in hand and taking it back to basics. “The most indispensable principle of work in hand, is control of the balance of the horse and his relationship with the ground - this will permit you to develop collected airs, piaffe and passage, especially piaffe.”

Source: www.ociocabello.com

Rafael says: “My method for training both rider and horse can be summarized with two phrases. Firstly, "the theory is the knowledge, and the practise is the doing, but the knowledge must always precede the action." This phrase was coined by Colonel Podhajsky of the Vienna Riding School. The second phrase belongs to my father. "The most important thing is knowing when to stop." A sound basis for an exercise is more important than the exercise itself. Knowing and being able to explain the basis of balance for the horse and rider at all levels is my method.” Source: www.eqtalk.com; www.eurodressage.com; Chris Hector article.

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014

Photo Gallery - JA Photographics Equitana 2014 Tom rode Milo and Kate rode Abe while Tash presented for Your Riding Success on overcoming fear in your riding.

Photo Gallery - JA Photographics Equitana 2014

If you would like to learn more about JA Photographics, or book Jess in for a photoshoot with your horse, head over to her Facebook page by clicking here. She also has gift vouchers for Christmas! Tom rode Milo and Kate rode Abe while Tash presented for Your Riding Success on overcoming fear in your riding.

Photo Gallery - Equitana 2014

Left and right - the Ebony Park stand! Below: Abe in the Double Danâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clinic! (photos from Horsedeals.com)

WE WOULD LOVE TO THANK OUR AMAZING SPONSORS

Narre Warren

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Address: 15-25 Finlay Lane, Garfield, VIC 3814 Website: www.ebonyparkstud.com.au Email: info@ebonyparkstud.com.au Phone: 0422 227 364

Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December 2014