Ebony Park Friesian Magazine - February 2015 by Ebony Park

February 2015 The Ebony Park

Friesian

magazine

news from holland stallion inspection results

that winning feeling crucial for success

bones and tendons - the remarkable horse

Broodmare Special mares available in foal or with a FREE service fee!

ebonyparkstud.com

around ebony park - young horses in training & a new lesson horse!

Get the Secrets to Competition Success!

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Are your competition nerves and awkwardness in the warm-up arena preventing you from competing your horse? If these issues are not dealt with they will manifest and you’ll continue to make excuses for why you can’t make it to the next competition. In time you may give up horse riding altogether.

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The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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From the Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

Hi Fabulous Friesian Lovers!! Wow... the start of the year has just FLOWN by, hasn’t it!?!?

• PAGE 4: NEWS FROM HOLLAND • PAGE 5: NOTE FROM TASH • PAGE 6-10: KATE’S KNOWLEDGE BONES AND TENDONS • PAGE 11: EBONY PARK HIGH POINT AWARD 2015 (AND 2014 WINNERS)! • PAGE 12-13: TASH’S TRAINING TIP ARE YOU A WINNER? • PAGE 14: FLYING HORSE TOURS!! • PAGE 15-20: BROODMARE SPECIAL HORSES FOR SALE • PAGE 21: EBONY PARK TV • PAGE 22-23: EQUESTRIAN LIFE BLOG WELCOME TO 2015! • PAGE 24: BUY 1 GET 1 FREE DIARY! • PAGE 25: STUCK FOR A GIFT IDEA? EBONY PARK APPAREL • PAGE 26-27: KATE’S KICKASS TIPS TRAINING NEW HORSES • PAGE 28: TRENDING ON FACEBOOK • PAGE 29: 5 MINUTES WITH EMILE FAURIE • PAGE 30-31: EBONY PARK ROCKSTAR OF THE MONTH

We have had a gigantic month in January, with a couple of Your Riding Success workshops coming up this month - FearLESS Riding Success which will be run this weekend, and Competition Riding Success which is at the end of the month (see facing page for details on this one!) We had the last foal of the season born in January, and most of the mares are now back in foal - go to page 15 for more details on what we have available, including some of our broodmares who we are selling in foal - so you get two for the price of one! Also in this month’s magazine - I talk about Bones and Tendons and how important they are in the horse, Tash talks about having the right mindset to win a competition, and Kate R shows you a couple of horses that she has back in training!! :) We would also like to welcome to the Ebony Park Family, Kirsten - congratulations, we can’t wait to see you and Uma out there when she grows up; Brittany and Meteor - we expect big things from you!! and finally Michelle - Zeus couldn’t have gone to a better home!! Have a fabulous month - and make sure you keep on sending your horse photos through for the Best Friend Picture Board!! :)

To Yo u r D r e a m s Becoming Reality,

• Page 32: PHOTO GALLERY - BLOOPER REEL • PAGE 33: CONTACT INFORMATION

Kate Langdon

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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News From Holland - Stallion Inspection 2015 In January the 2015 KFPS Stallion Inspection came to a tantalisingly exciting climax in a jam-packed WTC Expo in Leeuwarden. Again, Norbert 444 (who is Dante’s sire) stood a very good chance and was well into the race for the overall title right up till the very end. He was already re-elected Champion of the older stallions with the reserve title g o i n g t o Ts j a l l e 4 5 4 . Champion in the category young stallions was the only recently approved Jehannes 484, followed by Hessel 480 as the Reserve Champion. So the Overall Championship was a battle between two sires and their sons, but this time the sons came out on top and bested their dads. The judges chose the stallion with the most impressive trot and with a magnificent presence to boot: the just 4year-old Jehannes 484 (Tsjalle 454). The 5 year old son of Norbert 444 - Hessel 480 became the Reserve Overall Champion. Everybody can look back on three fantastic and delightful days all through the Stallion Inspection. Last year both the inspection and wonderful show evening were labelled as fantastic, so this year Managing Director Ids

Hellinga understandably wondered: ‘How are we ever going to emulate such a success?’ Even though this was not a jubilee year the audience definitely knew how to find their way to the WTC Expo. The show evening on Friday night was completely sold out and the Saturday was every bit as good as the Friday. The inspection kicked off on Thursday with the Second Viewing of the 76 young stallions which had made it through the round of semenand X-ray testing. Two stallions had leave of absence for veterinary reasons, which left 74 to take their turn in the cage. The judges selected 38 stallions for the Third Viewing on Friday and from this group 29 received the green light for the Central Examination. ‘We have been able to select a fine collection of stallions. A group which combines breed expression with good conformation and correct legwork. Some stallions still need to convince more in walk or trot, but they will be given the opportunity to

do so during the instruction days that will take place as a preparation for the Central Examination’, said Bauke de Boer, Head of the Stallion Inspection Jury. The Friday show night presented a varied programme. Cheré Burger’s performance with her Anders 451 certainly made the hearts of all children beat faster. She treated the audience to a fabulous freestyle to music accompanied live by the greatest of Dutch piano players, Wibi Soerjadi. It was quite a spectacular sight to see the grand piano being lowered into the arena from the top of the WTC Expo. With Wibi seated at the grand piano he and Anders 451 were in complete harmony, treating the 5000strong audience to an act that took their breath away. Source: KFPS Website

Grand Prix Friesian Stallion Anders 451

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Note from Tash

DIARY DATES

Hello Friesian Lovers!!!!! Happy February! We are so excited here at Ebony Park... as you can see from the photo... excavation has started for our indoor arena!! It’s all happening finally!!

14th Feb JurAvon *Milo Elementary *Dante - Medium *Abe - Grand Prix

22nd Feb VDC - Werribee *Milo Elementary

This month is a big one! I have two workshops coming up, as well as a couple of competitions - every weekend is going to be very full!

*Dante - Medium

Welcome to Kirsten, Michelle and Brittany to the Ebony Park family... can’t wait to see you out there on your Friesians in the future!

*Abe - Grand Prix

Our massage therapist, Shauleen, has been doing some great work on the horses for a while now, and has just done a course in Kinesiotaping check out Dante, sporting his red kinesiotape!! The tape helps with muscle contraction and helps to the horse to be aware of the muscles (in his back in this case. We are excited to see if it makes a difference! Have a fabulous month and have fun with your riding! To your success!!!

Natasha Althoff

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge | Bones and Tendons Kate Langdon has always had a passion for horses. Through a roundabout route including a desire to study veterinary science, but ending up with a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) and a Bachelor of Equine Studies, as well as studying at CSU in Colorado in reproduction, AI and foaling, she has now been at Ebony Park Performance Friesians as a breeding and nutrition specialist and stud manager for 5 years.

There are few animals that are as remarkable as the horse. Within as little as 20 minutes after birth the foal is able to stand, and within hours capable of running at speeds that humans could never hope to achieve in a lifetime. This is achieved through advanced neuro-muscular development during gestation, coupled with advanced ossification of bones in the knees and hocks and thick cartilage.

musculoskeletal system, as many injuries occur within these structures, especially the bones and tendons of the lower limbs. The bony skeleton provides appropriate structural support for the equine body throughout life, enabling locomotion via a system of levers controlled and coordinated from the muscles through the tendons and ligaments. Both bones and tendons have many similarities in construction, as they are composed of a large extracellular matrix, and only a scattering of cells, whose function is to maintain the matrix and adapt and model it in response to a changing external environment (Figure 1).

Bones The main role of the equine skeleton is to provide structural support for the body. A horse galloping at high speeds places three times its body weight on the lower limbs - the strength of the bones in the legs must bear these loads during exercise, and this is derived from a mineralised cartilaginous matrix. The bone matrix of collagen and proteoglycans is secreted by specialised cells called osteoblasts (Figure 2) that lie at the surface of the existing matrix, depositing fresh layers of bone onto it, called osteiod. This fresh material is quickly converted to hard bone by the deposition of calcium phosphate crystals into it.

As domestic animals generally bred for a purpose however, horses are put under pressures that they were never designed to cope with. Hence it is important for us to understand the physiology of the horse, to allow us to maximise the production and performance capability, while at the same time minimising the possibility of developmental diseases and injury. An important physiological component to understand in the horse is the

Figure 1: The matrix of bone is made up of calcium salts that have been deposited on collagen fibres. Source: Seveyka, 2008

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge | Bones and Tendons

Figure 2: The remodelling of compact bone. Source: Alberts et al, 2002

Bone matrix is eroded by another type of cells called osteoclasts (Figure 2), which are large cells that cling to the surfaces of the bone matrix and eat it away via enzymes, either to allow other cells such as blood vessels to invade into these 'tunnels', or remodelling of the bone in response to an

increase or reduction in the stresses of exercise. At the same time as the 'tunnels' are filling up with bone or other cells, others are being bored out, creating a perpetual modelling system in this adaptive and malleable tissue.

Rebuilding of the bone takes longer than removal of bone, so if there is a high rate of bone turnover in a certain region, the bone will be full of holes until the osteoblasts can catch up to reform the bone - it is at this stage that the bone is particularly weak and vulnerable to injury Figure 3: The design of tendons and ligaments and breakage. allows it to resist tension pulling in one direction. Source: Seveyka, 2008

The bone itself is made up of two types of tissue: compact (dense) bone on the outside of the shaft, with an ordered structure that gives this part of the bone strength; and cancellous (spongy) bone on the inside containing red bone marrow. The long bones of the legs are much like a hollow cylinder in shape, which is better at supporting weight down its length, giving load-bearing ability essential in the horse's long legs. Tendons Tendons are the fibrous connective structures that transmit mechanical forces from muscles to bones in order to allow the horse to move or to support itself. To fulfill this function, tendons are rope-like and tough due to the aligned fibrils of collagen bundles (Figure 3). This alignment of collagen into microfibrils becomes less organised as the tendon degenerates, ages or is injured - making the tendon weaker, less efficient in transmitting the forces to the bone and prone to breakages. When the tendons are unloaded, the fibrils which make up the tendon have a wavy appearance known as the crimp, which plays a

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge | Bones and Tendons built up gradually, as at first the response of bone to the stresses of exercise is removal of bone, making it initially weaker so that it can be rebuilt into a denser and stronger frame. Tendons

Figure 4: Structure of tendon/ Source: Marlin & Nankervis, 2007

role in elasticity of the tendon - the greater the crimp angle, the more elastic the tendon is, with central tendon fibres having less crimp angle than peripheral ones (especially in older horses as the tendons seem to lose their elasticity with age). Te n d o n c o n s i s t s o f predominantly extracellular matrix (ECM) made up mainly of collagen units, but also water and proteoglycans and some tendon cells. The tendon matrix contributes significantly to the biomechanical properties of the tendon and has the ability to adapt in response to loading - however this ability to respond decreases with age and maturity

Immediate Effects of Exercise Bones During exercise, bones experience compressive forces, and their role is to absorb and repel these forces whilst maintaining a fairly rigid boy frame so that the horse is propelled in the right direction at the appropriate speed, without damage to organs or other vital parts of the body during locomotion. Adaptation to loading in bone can be initiated by short periods of exercise or loading of the bones. Bone needs a certain amount of loading in order to maintain its density.

During exercise, tendons experience stress and strain forces through the stretching of their elastic structures. Some tendons (such as the superficial digital flexor tendon) are more elastic than others (such as the common digital extensor which plays a more structural rather than energy storage and locomotion role). Tendons play a role in the storage of elastic potential energy during locomotion, and therefore they are expected to be stretched to their maximum - this is why tendon injuries are so common in performance and racing horses. During exercise, core tendon temperatures can reach up to 46°C - there is still some question as to whether this causes detrimental effects on the tendon structure, but it does not seem to adversely affect the tendon cells.

To begin with, care must be taken to ensure exercise is

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge | Bones and Tendons Effects of Repeated Exercise Bones Prolonging exercise or to introduce long periods of exercise too rapidly on a hard surface increases the concussive forces through the bones to such a point that microcracks can form and eventually fracture of the bone and bucked shins may result. Microcracking (Figure 4) is often seen following high intensity exercise and decreases the risk of fractures and macrocracks appearing within the bone structure as long as the loading is not too high and is applied over an extensive period of time. Bone tissue will adapt if the forces acting on it cause strain on the bones to exceed certain levels, however if the strain value is too low, then the bone will not respond to increase resistance to the forces, and hence density of the bone will stay the same or begin to decrease.

m i c r o d a m a g e accumulation. Although repair of tendons is generally complete, the process results in large regions of the tendon becoming non loadbearing due to the collagen fibres in the repaired section no longer being lined up p e r f e c t l y, h e n c e subjecting the remaining functional tendon to excessive overloading. Training does not seem to have an effect on the cross-sectional area of tendons (however they do increase in crosssectional area up to maturity) the way it does in bones, although the highest loading rates are the most damaging (the faster gaits such as the canter and gallop cause the most strain). Physiological Impact of Training on Bones

Tendons

Age

Even healthy tendons are susceptible to injury from repetitive overloading and fatigue from galloping (especially in racehorses) as tissue repair and adaptive processes are not able to keep up with

The immature skeleton is the most responsive to adaptation; however bone appears to maintain some ability to adapt after functionally after maturity.

Figure 5: Top - Scanning electron micrograph and Bottom photomicrograph, showing microcracking of the bones. Source: Hinchcliff et al, 2008

Speed In the horse the level of bone deformation increases as the speed the horse is travelling at increases.

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Kind Kate’s Knowledge | Bones and Tendons It has been shown that horses trained on a treadmill cantering five days a week for six months have a higher bone density than horses given only slow exercise in hand. Short bursts of high speed training in the months before racing in throughbreds reduces the risk of fractures in the race - bones seem to adapt and increase more rapidly with short periods of fast work. Furthermore, short distance breezing in racehorses is capable of reducing the incidence of bucked shins and metacarpal fracture in horses when compared to long distance gallops. There is also some support that bone strain and injury can be reduced with gait transition (eg. between the trot and the canter), and therefore in sports such as racing (galloping and trotters/pacers) the high strains at high speeds without gait changes may predispose to microdamage when introduced in the adult . Frequency Bones are shown to develop optimally with short bursts of high intensity exercise. However, there are many factors that contribute and affect this

notion, and overloading the bones in terms of exercise frequency can result in fractures and bowed tendons. Therefore the frequency of exercise as well as the duration and intensity are important. Exercise needs to be built up gradually, with lower frequency and duration to start off with to allow bone remodelling to catch up with the extra stresses and strains the horse is being put under. In some cases, especially in racehorses, the period of training is quite short and ongoing training may be limited to short periods of exercise. However, more recently there has been some suggestion that optimisation of primary bone development can be achieved through conditioning horses during post-natal growth and development. This suggests that patterns of training at different gaits during early growth introduced gradually can generate skeletal growth and strength with lower risk of damage. Conclusion

simple as it seems - there are many factors that contribute and interact with one another in terms of the physiology of different systems. Bones and tendons are especially important as these tend to be the areas that receive the most injury in the racing and performance industries. However, with a proper understanding of the factors involved, and implementation of appropriate training regimes, our equine friends are more likely to reach their full potential with minimal risk of injury. 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

Training of horses for a purpose such as racing, performance or even just pleasure riding is not as

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Ebony Park High Point Award 2015

A HUGE congratulations goes to Justine Murray and EP Elkido (aka Rocky) for Crossbred Friesian Champion of 2014, and to Lara Ryder and Achillies of Ebony Park for Purebred Friesian Champion of 2014 in the Ebony Park High Point award!! There were many more fantastic entries, so we can’t wait to see how you all do this year!

We have started getting entries in for the Ebony Park High point award 2015!!! If you have invested in an Ebony Park horse, and you are out there and competing, in whatever discipline - including showing - send us through your results to info@ebonyparkstud.com.au

2015 Entries have opened!

Last years purebred Friesian winner Achillies and his owner Lara Ryder sporting their winning rug!

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Tash’s Training Tip | Are you a Winner? Hello fabulous riders!!!! Can you believe it is February already!!??!? I for one am so excited! I’m getting into the swing of things with my goals, the competition season is in full swing, and I love the buzz and the energy that comes from progress!! :) How about you? What are you up to? I trust the riding is right where you want it, and you are also focused and prepared for the next couple of months ahead. Today I want to talk about… Winning!!!!! I love winning! I am quite obsessed with competition, I have been ever since I was little - learned off my father I believe - and because I love competition so much, and because I have to win at all costs, I have had to unlearn a

couple of un-resourceful strategies and beliefs, so I can progress and feel happy in my riding journey. Because the truth is - you can’t win all the time. I learn a lot more when I lose, and don’t worry… I am very practiced at losing... I do it often... but I don’t call it that! Same as I don’t call winning – ‘winning’, I call it all ‘feedback’ – feedback that I am on track, or feedback that I am off track – to achieving my goals. H o w e v e r, k n o w i n g t h a t winning feeling is crucial for success. We all know the athlete who suddenly loses their form, they miss shots, get down on themselves, and suddenly don’t perform up to the level that they had. What about you?

Where do you lose that winning feeling, and perhaps get caught in a downward spiral where you start to doubt, feel insecure, and start to lack the confidence in your own ability? If you are human with emotions, you will experience this, it is very easy to have a few knocks to the confidence, and suddenly start the fear and doubt strategy. We are constantly learning and modeling from our world. When the world starts to kick us in the butt, we react. But the key is to react the right way. Choose what we will make things mean and protect our confidence and self-belief at all costs. One strategy you can use, to get back on the success train as soon as possible, is to start noticing, focusing and

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

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Tash’s Training Tip | Are you a Winner? creating little victories everywhere you go. Yo u g o t u p – y a y ! Yo u brushed your teeth – yay, you competed yay! You learned something yay! You have to capitalize on short term victories, what you do is start with something that is a challenge you know you can succeed at, and go from there - success makes success! :) Another strategy that works just as well is reflection. Reflect back on your previous success. We have all had that amazing feeling, when we have felt unstoppable and incredibly successful. This could be a particular test that just flowed, the time at school you performed in the play, the time at work you just nailed a proposal. Whatever it is, in whatever area of your life, maybe you make the best lasagna; maybe you are an amazing volunteer at the hospital. There will be something for all of you to be able to look back on, and reflect upon, to recapture that feeling of success. In sport coaching we do it all the time. Football coaches often replay winning games of the past for their team, before a big game to help them get into that winning state, and feel that feeling of success!

This worked really well with a client of mine about a year ago. She came to me because she was tired of putting everyone else’s dreams before her own, and she was ready to commit to her riding and get to Grand Prix. We did some work around goal setting and planning how she was going to achieve her goal. She was SO excited and motivated to get out and just do it! Then I got a call a couple of w e e k s l a t e r. M e l i s s a explained she felt frozen, she hadn’t been riding or making moves on any of her action steps towards her goal, and she didn’t know what was wrong. After a couple of minutes we got to the bottom of it - which was that she had completely gone into overwhelm, as she didn’t trust or believe she could create the success she was after. She doubted her ability even though she was very successful in her work life. So I tasked Melissa to go to the newsagents and buy a beautiful journal. In the journal she was to write all her accomplishments and successes, as far back as she could remember, including all the school awards and primary school certificates. I could tell Melissa was thinking ... is this what I pay you for?!? But she agreed to do the task :)

The following week she rang me again SO excited! She was right on track, riding again and making things happen for her goals! She couldn’t believe that such a simple exercise could transform her in that way. I explained it’s the simple things that make all the difference! She now had a reference point, a reminder that when it all fell apart and things were hard, that she was a successful person and she could create successful results. So this might be the perfect exercise for you? :) It might perhaps give you the boost you need to remember that winning feeling, and get on the track back to success. I trust you enjoy your journey this month and I wish you all success!!! :)

Natasha Althoff p.s - Remember I am here to help, anything you need, any questions you want answered I am happy to help! If you want to take your competition riding to the next level, I am running my Competition Riding Success Mastery Workshop at the end of this month - click here to read more and join us now!

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Dressage In Spain with the Masters

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Join us for an unforgettable week in Spain and take your riding to the next level! Join a small group of like minded riders and travel to the beautiful Andalusia in Spain where you will be immersed in the world of Classical Dressage.

Friends of Ebony Park Special Package!! Only $6,950! Including: Accommodation, International and Internal flights, Tapas Walking Tour in Barcelona, Travel Insurance, 6 day Intensive Riding program, Private Lesson with Rafael Soto as well as viewing and his live commentary of his video of his freestyle performance at the Athens Olympics, All meals as specified in itinerary* Limited Numbers available!

Departure from Melbourne to Seville, date 10 APRIL, 2015 Your deposit must be received by February 20, 2015 and mention this advertisement to secure special savings!! *Terms and Conditions apply. Some riders may require additional Insurance cover for personal conditions. Please enquire for full itinerary and details. Airfares subject to availability at time of confirmation.

This is a seven night, seven day holiday for riders who have a great sassion for Dressage and are ready to work hard for a week to really get a ‘Push On’ with their riding as well as learning the procedures for training these magnificent Andalusian horses. Enjoy some of the advanced movements such as Passage, Piaffe and Spanish Walk which even very good riders don’t often get to experience.

Enjoy your very special private lesson with Olympic medalist Rafael Soto. You will also partake in semi-private lessons, ground work sessions and lunge sessions working on improving the classical seat. Most of the lessons take place in the morning leaving afternoons free for guests to enjoy some shopping or sightseeing in the nearby towns if they wish, or alternatively stay at our facilities just relaxing or watching the afternoon lessons and if they wish adding additional lessons. You can even visit the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art (Extra cost) and your guide will be happy to comment about the training methods, horses and riders most of which are internationally famous.

Please Phone – 0411 143 301 or email gabbi.choong@flightcentre.com.au

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Me nti on thi to sa r ec d Fur eiv ea the r$ 100 at off tim eo f dep osi t!

Other departure dates are Available in 2015 & 2016 – please enquire for further details ☺

Broodmare Special!! 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. Summer Broodmare Special!! We have too many horses!! With an indoor arena being built, space is at a premium... so we are giving you the opportunity to own an Ebony Park Friesian mare - there are 3 to choose from, all 2 for the price of 1 - the mares are in foal (or have a service fee for free if they are too young for breeding) - check them out on pages 18-19!! There are also a couple of purebred foals available on our in utero payment plans who will be born in 2015 - check out pages 16-17 for more information!

Cli ck on ima the ge (rig go ht) to our to cat in u alo ter gue o now !

Zeus of Ebony Park

Friesian Gelding Sire: Ebony Park Elko Dam: Ebony Park Famke DOB: 22/11/2007 Colour: Black Height: 16.1hh

EP METEOR

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

Uma of Ebony Park

Friesian x TB Gelding Sire: Ebony Park Elko Dam: Ebony Park Gjanna DOB: 30/11/2014 Colour: Black Height: Still Growing

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Broodmare special In utero Purebreds We have a limited number of purebred foals available on our in utero payment plans for 201 - Ebony Park Kirsten, Victoria of Ebony Park and Ivy of Ebony Park. Browse through the following pages and click on the starbursts for more information on each of these gorgeous mares, their previous progeny and more.

Ebony Park Kirsten

Click here to visit Kirsten’s page on our website

Main Studbook Mare (imp) Sire: Krist 358 Dam’s Sire: Remmelt 323 DOB: 14/03/2003 Colour: Black Height: 16.0hh Registration Number: 5280 0420 0300 878 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 three fillies, all with stunning movement, and in foal again this year to the magnificent Ebony Park Elko. Her foal currently at foot for 2014 has already been sold, and we are certain it will be as lovely as her previous progeny. Foal due to Ebony Park Elko on 30th November 2015 - this foal is currently available (click here for more information now!) The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Broodmare special Victoria of Ebony Park Click here to visit Victoria’s page on our website

BB2 Mare Sire: Ebony Park Abe Dam’s Sire: Lolke 371 DOB: 20/09/2006 Colour: Black Height: 16.0hh Registration Number: 0360 0420 0606 040 Victoria has an amazing story – she was the first foal of Ebony Park Famke, one of our foundation mares. 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. Foal due to Ebony Park Jorrit on 6th September 2015 – this foal is available on our in utero payment plans – click here for more information!!

Ivy of Ebony Park

BB1 Mare Sire: Ebony Park Elko Dam: Ebony Park Jolanda DOB: 26/08/2010 Colour: Black Height: 16hh Registration Number: 0360 0420 1005 002

Ivy of Ebony Park is one of our up and coming broodmares that we have bred right here at Ebony Park. She was the first foal of the season in 2010, and so was the spoiled one that received all of the attention until her brothers and sisters started arriving – and loved every minute of it! She has inherited her dam’s sweet nature and kind eye, and has her sires magnificent paces (and looks like she will get some of his height too) – she is a total sweetheart. We can’t wait to see the foals she produces for us in the years to come!! Ivy will be bred for the first time in 2013 – this foal has been SOLD (her 2015 foal is available on one of our payment plans - click here for more information now!) The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Click here to visit Ivy’s page 17 on our website

Broodmare Special EP ANIKA ue d l Foa rrit o J to pt! e S in

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

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!

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Broodmare Special Intrigue

Intrigue of Ebony Park is one of our up and coming broodmares that we have bred right here at Ebony Park. She is the very first purebred Jorrit foal that we have produced, and has her sires his pretty head and wonderful paces, together with her dam’s friendly and chilled out personality – with a bit of spunk. We have decided to find a new forever home for Intrigue - she will be in foal to Ebony Park Elko - so you get 2 purebred Friesians for the price of 1!!

BB1 Friesian Mare Sire: Ebony Park Jorrit (Jorrit fan stal Redia) Dam: Ebony Park Famke (Famke Meyke) Dam’s Sire: Lolke 371 DOB: 06/11/2010 Colour: Black Height: 15.2HH Registration Number: 0360 0420 1005 177

Intrigue was bred for the first time in 2013, and her 2014 foal is stunning!! She had a lovely filly, who has the movement of both sire and dam, and a personality to die for!

Click here now for video of Intrigue and more information!

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Broodmare Special Nala

s ome c a Nal free a h ! wit ding e e r b

BB1 Friesian Mare Sire: Ebony Park Jorrit Dam: Ebony Park Gjanna DOB: 09/12/2012 Colour: Black Height: 15.1hh

Nala of Ebony Park is one of 2 year old mares out of competition mare Ebony Park Gjanna, by the stunning Ebony Park Jorrit. She has inherited her gorgeous movement from both sire and dam, and with parents like hers, how could she not be gorgeous! We have decided to find a new forever home for Nala - she also comes with a free breeding to Ebony Park Elko - so you get 2 purebred Friesians for the price of 1!!

Click here to register your interest in Nala now!

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Ebony Park TV

We had a HUGE amount of fun at the end of last year creating the Ebony Park Manifesto click on the image above to watch the end results! The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Natasha is now blogging for EQ Life! Welcome to 2015! Hi Riding Superstar!!!! Welcome to 2015!!!! This is it!!! I am sure you are all excited about another year and have some wonderful riding goals you want to achieve this year. So how do you make 2015 your most amazing riding year yet? One thing that has come up for me is that some people tend to have fear in their riding. This fear holds them back form the riding that they really want to have.

When I think about fear, the following quote comes to mind: “There is nothing to fear but fear itself” – Franklin D. Roosevelt This is so true – because fear doesn’t keep you safe… I mean I guess it does when we see a poisonous snake and we are deciding whether or not to give it a pat!! Preservation of life is a good thing in this case! Fear is a really natural and important part of our biology and makeup and was designed to be in us to make sure we don’t go out and do stupid things!

saber tooth tigers, and yes there are a few things that we need to have fear around… but not to the extent that I see in some people, who have fear in every part of their lives, including their riding. I wanted to open up your thinking a bit today to talk about what is fear costing you? What are all the missed opportunities and the missed experiences that you haven’t had because of fear?

Back when we were living in caves, and saber tooth tigers were around – it made sense to fear the saber tooth tiger rather than wanting to go up and give it a cuddle… because it would eat us!

I used to want to be a singer years ago. I loved to sing, but had a fear around singing in front of people! So by living my fear and allowing the fear to hold me back, I didn’t become a singer… I never got to sing in front of people and realise a passion that I had… I missed that opportunity, and I will always regret that I let that fear get the better of me all those years ago.

In the modern day and age, there are not

What about you? Where are you in your riding?

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Natasha is now blogging for EQ Life! Do you have a fear perhaps around cantering? By not cantering you are not having to live your fear… that’s great… but you are also not going to be able to feel the excitement, exhilaration, fun, freedom and joy of cantering. You need to start to think – is it worth it? You have 2 choices – 1. You can avoid living your fear. Just don’t do what you are afraid to do. Or

doing something new and different. And yes it might be hard, and yes it will challenge you… but it will also allow you to grow. To have a different riding experience, to have a different riding result – guess what? You have to do something DIFFERENT! :) If you are ready to choose to face your fear and overcome it – Congratulations!!!

You can’t have it both ways.

To help with that I run a workshop once a year called FearLESS Riding Success Mastery which I will be running again next month on the 7-8th February.

You can’t have the riding experience you are afraid of without doing any work and without changing something.

If you would like to know more information about the workshop, click here now!

You have to be willing to push out of your comfort zone and change what you are currently doing… you have to be willing and committed to change,

Have a super year this year – and have fun with your fear!!

2. You can face you fear. And master your fear and find the joy in it again.

can choose to: Live with your fear and let it hold you back from all the wonderful things riding has to offer. Or You can make 2015 the year you confront your fear and claim the confident riding you deserve! To Your Confident Riding Success,

Natasha Althoff

Remember it is your choice! You

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Achieve your goals this year - purchase our 2 Diaries for the price of 1!!! Feel free to share this publication with your friends, family, club... anyone who might find its content useful.

Get both diaries for $40 including postage in Australia! Click here 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!! 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!

Kid’s T-Shirts: $19 each Kid’s Hoodies: $29 each Adult Hoodies: $29 each Ebony Park Adult Polos: $45 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 *click here to place 25 your order now!

Kate’s Kickass Tips! Hey guys, Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and are ready and getting pumped for the year ahead! This year is a very exciting one at Ebony Park, we have some great new young horses to break in and prepare for competition. This month we started Loes of Ebony Park, who is a 3 year old purebred Friesian mare out of Ebony Park Jantje and by Ebony Park Elko. She has her Dam’s beauty and friendly nature and her sires power and movement... and is getting there in height too! She is a very chilled out lady who takes everything in her stride! Along with Loes we have Felix, a half Friesian by Jorrit, and a three quarter Friesian, Zucker, who is also by Jorrit that we will be breaking in towards the end of the year when they turn 3. We also have another colt by Jorrit, Maximus, who is turning 3 at the end of the year, and we can’t wait to get started!

Loes and her early training.

Ebony Park Gjanna coming back into work after nearly 5 years off!

Next we brought a more advanced mare back into work after having her foal, purebred Friesian Ebony Park Gjanna. Gjanna was Natasha’s competition mare, was competed up to Elementary with great success, and was ready to compete Medium. Then she started having foals, and we had too many horses to work... so she was retired as a broodmare because it was difficult to keep competing her and then stop whenever she got too pregnant!

Kate’s Kickass Tips! After having quite a few years off, her fitness is not as it used to be so we are bringing her back in lightly :) Gjanna will be available for seat and dressage lessons at the start of March – to secure your spot early, and have a lesson on this gorgeous mare, make sure you send us through an email to info@ebonyparkstud.com.au And last but not least, we brought Helena of Ebony Park (who is a full

sister to Loes of Ebony Park, but a year older) back into work. She was broken in mid last year, had a few months of training, then we turned her out while she was pregnant. Since having her gorgeous colt Ulysses in December, we have very slowly and lightly started her with some lunging and then light riding so she can get used to being back in work. Helena is a great mare to train and ride, she is super switched on and after having so many months off she was such a good girl to ride again. Helena will continue her training in the coming months, and we will work towards a Preliminary start for competition, which is very exciting!! I will be sure to keep you up to date with all of the young horses we are breaking in and training! Enjoy your month, and I hope to see some of you out there and competing! Until next month,

Helena back in work after having her first foal!

Kate Richmond

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Tash's Training Tip: Sometimes people say to me wow what’s it like being a performance coach? Do you feel pressure to be perfect all the time and have success all the time? While I understand the thinking behind the question I need to laugh as I think I would die under all the pressure if that was the case! I am trained and I am constantly studying and learning new techniques, thinking and strategies for success and increased performance. But I am also very aware I am human and therefore will be subject to the one thing that makes us human ... do you know what that is? ... our emotions. Now I talk about it all the time - how to control your emotions, in riding they have no place. In business they have no place, but I’m not going to say that I am happy or positive or correct all the time. I definitely do puddle on the floor, I definitely do at times self doubt and self criticize, I definitely still do drama, and I occasionally do have complete breakdowns. I need you to know perfection or true happiness is only an illusion. There is no destination of perfection and happiness - only moments. Endless moments of now. One moment into the next and each moment you seek happiness and success and whether it is attained or not does not matter as it has already passed and you are onto the next moment...

Above: Quote of the week!

Left, right and above: What’s been happening around Merry Christmas from Ebony Park December Ebony 2014 Park including competitions!

5 Minutes with Emile Faurie This month’s focus is on Emile Faurie, 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 do you expect of your students? “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, they will try and take short cuts. I refuse to tolerate sensationalism; I want horses to go in a technically correct way.” The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015

Photos – Roz Neave

Source: http:// www.horsemagazine.com /thm/2012/03/emilefaurie-the-quiet-man-ofbritish-dressage/ http://www.emilefaurie.co.uk/ emile_and_horses/ emile_and_horses/ biography.html

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month Diallo of Ebony Park and Charlotte I will never forget the phone call with Natasha at 7am “Now why would I be calling you?” - I could not contain my excitement! Surprising everyone born ten days early on the 3rd of November 2013, early he may have been but a happy and healthy colt he was! We were down there within half an hour to have our first cuddles. Diallo, was absolutely perfect, not a bit of white to be seen with just the most adorable little face and hairy chin!

All I ever wanted was a sexy black horse! Well thanks to Ebony Park I now have him!! Unfortunately I lost my pride and joy “Rachael” almost two years ago just shy of her 6th birthday. I didn’t know what I was going to do without her or where to start to fill the hole she left in my life. I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be able to afford a Friesian from Ebony Park, but with the help of their in utero payment plans I was able to, and so the waiting game for my little black bundle of joy began!

At 24 hours old it became apparent that his name, meaning the brave one, would become very fitting! Diallo’s health unfortunately hit a speed bump - he had contracted an infection. Thankfully, due to the prompt attendance of the local vet and a few days of antibiotics he was back on his feet and healthy once again in no time. At 8 months old Diallo is growing into a stunning young man and is taking all his ground training in his stride. It is my hope that one day Diallo will be the beginning of my very own Friesian breeding stud. He is the most affectionate and loving little boy always first up to the gate for breakfast and always up for cuddles and kisses! I absolutely adore my little man who has managed to fill a large part of my heart.

Ebony Park Rockstar of the Month Diallo of Ebony Park and Charlotte

So ridiculously proud of my little boy today!! "Quickstep Diallo" got to use his show name for the first time and was an absolute superstar at his first show ever... Can't count the number of comments I had about how well behaved he was at only 12 months old... I can't wait to see what this boy can do in the future!!!

I couldn’t have done it without the help and support from the team at Ebony Park, thank you so much for making my Friesian dreams come true ☺ Charlotte Bishop

NB - Just an update on Diallo - he has been to a couple of in hand shows with Charlotte and has been an absolute superstar! He turned 1 in November 2014.

Another positive outing for my little man... So many compliments once again about his fabulous behavior!! Love my boy

Photo Gallery - Ebony Park Manifesto! Make sure you watch our manifesto video on page 25! Here are some highlights from the blooper reel...

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

The Ebony Park Friesian Magazine | February 2015