Clem Smith
And his love of OTT
Thoroughbreds
Nicole Tough
On a deeper understanding
Laminitis
What you need to know
Bit presure
Communicating with your horse
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OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Charlie Brister
An all round horseman and trainer, Charlie is currently eventing at 3* and developing a team of future international champion eventers. Riders of all ages and abilities participate in his coaching programs, and he's helped many of them achieve their goals. What do we want when we put pressure on the reins? Charlie dives deep into this important line of communication between you and your horse.
Dr Clarissa Brown-Douglas
Clem Smith
A well-known and respected horseman with over 30 years’ experience, Clem is one of Australia's leading show jumping riders with notable performances both at home and overseas. The winner of multiple prestigious titles, an EA accredited coach and Queensland Off The Track Acknowledged Retrainer, he talks about his love of OTTs and his partnership with Where's Cameron.
Christine Armishaw
Christine is a qualified EA Level 1 Coach and horse trainer who specialises in building confidence in women returning to riding and young riders getting started on their equestrian journey. Based at Otford Valley Equestrian, she runs clinics in NSW and NZ, and is a keen show jumper. Are you sitting comfortably? Christine looks at the mistakes you might be making without even knowing it.
Dr Jennifer Stewart B.V.Sc., B.Sc., Ph.D.
With over 40 years’ experience as a veterinarian in mixed and equine practice, Jennifer’s special interest is equine nutrition. She was Senior Veterinary Officer with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for 10 years, and for two years was Biosecurity Veterinarian with the ACT Government. Don't miss her fascinating article on managing diarrhoea in foals in this issue.
Clarissa has ridden all her life. Her career as an equine nutritionist has taken her around the world, working with horse owners, breeders and trainers to provide nutrition advice for their equine athletes. She is now a member of the Kentucky Equine Research team, and with spring in the air and the increased risk of laminitis, she has some expert suggestions to help prevent this serious welfare issue.
Dr Ciaran Masters BVetMed
Ciaran, an Equine Veterinarian who graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in England, is currently working for APIAM Animal Health at Queensland's Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital. His main interests are in sports medicine and surgery, and he is dedicated to ensuring and improving all aspects of horse health. This month he looks at the symptoms and treatment of stringhalt.
Nicole Tough
An EA Level 2 Dressage Specialist Coach and National A Level Judge, Nicole has over 30 years experience in training, competing, judging and coaching. She enjoys presenting seminars and masterclasses, has trained in Germany, Spain and The Netherlands, and has produced nine very successful FEI horses. This month, she highlights the importance of understanding your horse's instincts.
Michelle Terlato Michelle grew up with horses and has always loved them. When she’s not travelling the globe photographing the world’s top equestrian athletes, she’s home riding her own horses. It’s the behind the scenes and the unexpected shots that she likes the best, and in our Behind the Shot feature, she shares her favourites and explains what makes them so special.
BEHIND THE SHOT
Melinda Hart
One of Australia’s top equestrian photographers, MICHELLE TERLATO travels the world capturing equestrian athletes in action. Each month she shares one of her favourite shots
Rider: Melinda Hart
Horse: Richmond H
Event: Dressage with the Stars 2018
Location: Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, Werribee Victoria
Camera & Settings: Canon EOS 7D Mark II 70-200mm Lens ISO 160 f7.1 1/1000 sec
Challenges: I remember the day as being very hot and incredibly sunny,
so anyone familiar with Werribee’s outdoor dressage areas will know how bright and glary they can be, which was the case on this day. I did not realise how bad the shadows were until I looked at the shot later, but with the magic of editing I was able to improve it in post-production.
PSI Dressage & Jumping with The Stars is unique in that there is close access to the dressage arenas, and so as long as you respect the rider during their test, you can shoot from almost any angle. This angle took my eye as it included the dressage arena letter, which I think helps tell the story.
Why this shot is special: This photo was taken when I was still early in my career and, having focused mainly on show jumping, had not photographed a lot of dressage. However, this shot quickly became one of my favourites as to me, this image is all about that magnificent tail flick – and the lovely suspended trot, floppy ears and soft eyes complete the composition.
I liked this photo as soon as I saw it but felt it was a little lost in colour and the strong sunlight had cast a lot of shadows. Changing to black and white elevated it to another level. It really highlights the spray of the tail against the corrugated iron of the Werribee arena, and the letter in the lower right corner gives the impression of a glimpse in time.
I also admire the concentration on the faces of FEI Grand Prix dressage competitor and dressage judge, Melinda Hart and her beautiful Grand Prix Stallion Richmond H. This image went on to become a front cover for Equestrian Hub Magazine, which, from memory, was one of my first cover shots.
Michelle is available for event, commercial and private shoots. Visit Michelle Terlato Photography to view her impressive portfolio.
Celebrating our Olympians
The dressage was a feast for the eyes, and the jumping course challenged the very best.
Let’s talk dressage first and what a spectacular venue! Held in the stunning gardens of the Château de Versailles, the sport's elite put in some unforgettable performances.
Our congratulations to Jayden Brown, William Matthew and Simone Pearce, three talented young Australian riders who certainly did us proud. In the qualifying round, Jayden and Quincy B scored 68.991, Will and Mysterious
Star produced a score of 69.953, while Simone and the eye-catching stallion Destano (the pair first represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics) pulled out the stops with 70.171, giving the team a total score of 209.115 and a berth in the Dressage Team Grand Prix Special. While their final team score of 207.203 put them out of medal contention against the always highly competitive Europeans, their performance was certainly
something to celebrate (more photos on p.9).
Our show jumping team comprised Thaisa Erwin and Hialita B, Hilary Scott with Milky Way, and Edwina TopsAlexander aboard Fellow Castlefield. With a maximum fence height of 1.65m, oxer spreads of up to 1.90m, water spanning 4.0m, and a time allowance of 79 seconds, this course put the best to the test.
Hilary collected 16 penalties in 74.24, Thaisa also with 16 penalties finished in 76.88, and Edwina had 4 penalties in 78.74 seconds. Although this put the team out of contention, which would have been so disappointing for them, it was nonetheless a great effort around a very challenging course.
To all our equestrian Olympians, Congratulations on a job well done.
TOP: William Matthew and Mysterious Star. TOP RIGHT: Thaisa Erwin and Hialita B (Images by FEI/Benjamin Clark). BOTTOM LEFT: Edwina TopsAlexander and Fellow Castlefield. BOTTOM RIGHT: Hilary Scott and Milky Way (Images by Michelle Terlato Photography).
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ABOVE: Simone Pearce and Destano danced their way through the Grand Prix Dressage qualifier. BELOW: Jayden Brown and Quincy B scored 68.991, followed by 70.152 in the Dressage Team Grand Prix Special (Images by FEI/Benjamin Clark)
HANGING TOUGH
A deeper understanding
UHave you ever stopped to consider what instincts drive your horse’s behaviour? NICOLE TOUGH shares some fascinating insights on the topic.
nderstanding what drives our horses can help us train them. A horse’s behaviour is determined by automatic instincts and needs almost outside of their control. These include physiological, social and sexual needs, the instinct to seek safety, and the need for serenity.
Physiological
Horses have inherent needs for food, water, rest/sleep and exercise that must take precedence over our desire to train them for sport. If a horse tires during a training session, it is their physiological
need for rest that will dominate. Trainers know the best reward for a horse’s effort is giving them a little break. We also know that short breaks between intense training exercises allow the horse to partially recover, giving working muscles the chance to reduce their lactic acid load and replenish their supply of oxygen. Like human bodies, horses develop more suppleness and strength when pushed a little outside their comfort zone. The saying ‘no one gets better in their comfort zone’ applies to horses too. However, trainers must never compromise the horse’s
physiological needs for their own sporting goals.
These physiological needs are also the reason a horse learns best when the rider makes it physically easier to do what we want them to do; asking for canter on approaching a corner rather than out in the middle of the arena, for example. And if a horse is ridden when it has excessively sharp teeth or an illfitting saddle, pain will compromise their physiological needs and will result in an unwillingness to train.
Safety
A herbivorous mammal, the horse is a prey animal and as such has an inherent flight instinct that kicks in when they feel threatened. This automatic nervous response is triggered by the adrenal gland, which create the hormone adrenalin. If the horse feels unsafe, they don’t think, they run. Some of our domestic horses would definitely survive in the wild; while some would definitely not. In other words, some horses have a stronger flight instinct than others, which can make them spooky or suspicious.
It is possible to accidentally trigger the flight response if we work the horse in extreme wind or during a thunderstorm. Similarly, a horse that is confused or unfamiliar with their surroundings can feel insecure, so it is important to take the time to relax and settle them in before expecting anything of quality from them. This is why we should arrive ahead of time to a competition or a lesson to allow our horse to relax before tacking up.
Social
The horse is a herd animal with strong social instincts, and as such, horses like to be with other horses. In nature, a bond develops between every member within the group. Each horse has a hardwon place within the social hierarchy, with one horse as the leader. This is useful to know as it often explains a horse’s behaviour at a competition, when they call out to other horses, or try to return to their mates. As the saying goes –share a float, married for life! This social need can be seen at its worse in a horse with separation anxiety, and can be very hard to manage in a sporthorse.
It is important for a trainer to try and control this natural trait, which is achieved by establishing a social relationship with the horse. This new relationship, in which we are the leader, must be based on mutual respect. The trainer must teach the horse what is acceptable behaviour, and in return, the horse should be treated fairly and with equal respect.
Sexual
These needs can be managed and/or repressed. Obviously in a gelding they will be absent, and a well-trained stallion can be taught only to perform with certain stud conditions. Mares can be more difficult in peak oestrus, but there are natural and medical depressants to help if need be.
Serenity
It is this inherent need for peace that allows us to train horses. A well-trained horse responds to aids simply to be left in peace. The pressure/release method
ABOVE: A herd animal, horses like to be with other horses. In nature, a bond develops between every member in the group, with each horse having their place within the social hierarchy.
LEFT: The trainer must teach the horse what is acceptable behaviour, and in return the horse should be treated fairly and with equal respect (Image by Picture the Moment Photography).
we use to train domesticated horses is based on the fact that given an option, the horse will choose the path of least resistance. If we use clear and precise aids to apply a level of pressure, and then release that pressure following the correct response from the horse, we can train them to do what we want.
The onus is on us to have good control of the aids and good feel to reward at the right moment. Vital to this concept is the understanding that the horse learns not when we apply pressure, but at the moment it’s released, which is why the timing of the reward is crucial.
To have good timing, trainers need control over their body position, seat, legs and rein aids. The rider who is still developing feel can be a source of annoyance and/or confusion to the horse, and so are better suited to a horse whose flight instinct is not so strong!
The good trainer is always assessing how the horse is reacting, and the ability to read them is vital to training in a sympathetic wa y.
Interested in lessons or a clinic with Nicole? Visit Nicole Tough Dressage for further information
Clear lines of communication
The reins represent a line of communication between you and your horse, but what exactly are you communicating? CHARLIE BRISTER explains.
What response do we want from our horse when we put pressure on the reins?
Although there are many who will tell you not to pull the reins, we all do it – and when we do it, what is it that we want to happen? To avoid confusion, it’s worth mentioning here that this article relates
mainly to a young or green horse, rather than to one who is better educated and has a greater depth of understanding.
In response to pressure on both reins, a horse will quite often either throw their head up, or conversely put their head down, tuck their nose in a bit too much,
and keep going at the same speed. Or, they might slow down with their head out - but sometimes they'll slow down with a soft jaw and a soft connection. So obviously, we're looking for that last option. We want the horse to slow down and to also be soft and responsive. How do we achieve that?
Riders often put too much focus on getting softness and lowering of the poll from bit pressure. But in so doing, we confuse the horse. Does pressure on both reins mean we want them to lower their head, or does it mean we want them to slow down? By giving them mixed signals, we’re taking away the effectiveness of the reins as a stop aid. Quite often we hear about using the seat, but that is not nearly as effective as using the reins, particularly with young or green horses. The reins give us a very easy way to communicate to the horse that we want them to stop, or to slow down, or turn. Within that, we can both shorten and slow the stride, but that’s
something to focus on later in the horse’s training. In the beginning, what we want is a slowing of their legs when we apply equal pressure to both reins.
Some of you might be thinking yes, but we want the horse to come back and not slow down. And of course, you want the horse to stay active and keep their RPM up. But actually, to come from canter to trot they do need to slow down a little bit, and it’s important for us to make that distinction and to understand it.
If we focus on head lowering from the rein aid, we really can’t expect the horse to know whether we want them to lower their poll or slow their legs. So, certainly at the beginning of your horse’s education, there must be only one answer for one aid – and we have to make it very clear to the horse what each aid means. If we give one aid that has two possible answers, then there’s maybe a 50 per cent chance of the horse giving the right answer. The result? Confused horse, frustrated rider!
Eventually, once the horse is well schooled, we can ask for slowing down with the head lowered and with softness in the jaw. But in the beginning, you should concentrate only on slowing down the legs, and work on the rest later as they become more advanced.
So, to achieve this we need to focus on applying clear pressure and release of the aids. With simple pressure on both reins we ask the horse to slow down, and when they do, we release the pressure. Yes, the horse may put its head up a little bit, but at this stage of their training, what their legs are doing is much more important than what their head is doing.
If you ask for a downward transition and the horse puts their head up, there are many different things that could be the cause. They might be distracted, or sore in the back, or in the wrong bit, or simply have not understood what it is you’re asking of them. However, assuming that none of the above are a problem, and that it’s actually due
to a misunderstanding, or a lack of understanding as to what the bit pressure means, how should we proceed?
Let's say we want to go from canter to trot; we squeeze gently on the reins, and the horse puts their head up and doesn’t slow down. So now we need to increase the pressure on the reins slightly, and if we still don’t get the right answer, we might then need to ride on a circle to help the horse understand that they’re being asked to slow down.
But if the horse responds to the bit pressure and comes back to trot yet has their head in the air, with a young horse, or a green horse, or a horse struggling with slowing down, you must release the pressure to reward the horse for giving the right answer. The priority is to reward the horse for slowing down. You can work on their outline – their shoulders, the bend, and getting lower in the poll – later, but don't try to do it all in one movement.
ABOVE: We need to teach our young or green horses that pressure on the reins means they should slow down or stop. LEFT: The reins are a vital line of communication between you and your horse.
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ABOVE: Keeping a soft rein helps a young horse understand the meaning of the bit (Image by
This is really important. You see so many horses in dressage, show jumping and cross country who don't slow down very easily. And why is that? Because we're not focusing on it enough in our training. Instead, we concentrate too much on the frame and confuse the horse to the point where they don’t know that they should be slowing down in response to pressure from the bit. But by focusing on bit pressure as an aid to slowing down, you get a more relaxed horse who is much easier to get into that frame we’re all obsessed about.
So, imagine you're in a dressage test. You're doing a medium canter down the long side and then you have to collect the canter, but you don't want the horse to change their frame, you want them to stay in the same frame. Once you've taught the horse to be in the right frame, you don’t then want the bit pressure to mean they should lower their head, you want it to mean slow down, shorten, come back to me, or half halt.
Quite often riders will say they don’t want to use the rein for fear of slowing the hind leg down, but you actually have to slow or shorten the stride a little when you're
doing a downward transition. Then there are riders who keep pulling or holding on, instead of asking for the transition or the rebalance, and then releasing the pressure to allow the horse to keep travelling.
Once you’ve taught your horse that pressure on the bit means slow down, they’re less likely to rush; it’s easier for them to stay at a consistent tempo and to maintain self-carriage. All of which makes it so much easier for you to work on their straightness, to move them off the inside leg, get them to bend, be able to reposition the shoulders and hind legs –in other words, to create suppleness and softness throughout the whole body.
And once a rider has improved the stop response, they generally feel more confident in going faster on their horses. A lot of problems in riding are actually, because people don't ride their horses forward enough; they’re in an arena, they’re a bit nervous, their amygdala is busy sending warning signals to their brain, and the message is clear – what if they go faster and can’t stop? So, working on the stop response helps build confidence, and by making the aid
clearer to the horse, they’ll be happier and more relaxed.
It makes many situations a lot safer as well. For example, you're galloping on cross country, and you're approaching a big jump when you realise your distance is not correct. You’re going to be a bit too deep and you need to slow down a little. But when you apply pressure to the bit, instead of slowing their stride, your horse lowers their head. Now you're heading too fast towards a big, scary cross country fence and your horse has their head down. That’s obviously a very dangerous situation which has come about because your horse has learned that there are two possible answers to one aid – and in that moment they’ve chosen the wrong answer.
There can be two or more aids for one answer, but you should avoid having one aid for multiple answers.
Charlie Brister of Brister Equestrian is an all-round horseman with expertise in retraining problem horses and coaching riders in all disciplines. You can follow him on Instagram
Alexandra Stares Photography).
Are you sitting comfortably?
There are often things riders do wrong because they either don't know they're wrong, or weren't aware that they were doing them. CHRISTINE ARMISHAW lists some of the more common problems.
Your body’s position in the saddle is critical to becoming an effective rider, and it’s something that benefits from constant attention and improvement. Without being mindful of your seat, you might be making mistakes you’re not even aware of, until someone points them out to you:
1. Forcing your heels down. Typically, concentrating on forcing the heels down can result in the rider's leg being too far forward. Rather than pushing down on your heels, imagine yourself ‘standing’ over your horse, and then someone magically whisking the horse out from underneath you. If your weight was mainly in your heels, you’d finish up sitting on the ground! However, if your weight was a little bit in your heel, but you were thinking more about your weight going down into the ball of your foot in the stirrup, you’d still be standing when your horse suddenly vanished. So, shifting your weight onto the ball of your foot will help bring you into balance and prevent your legs from being too far forward.
2. Where are your toes? In a basic sitting position in the saddle, look down. Can you see your toes? You knee should block your toes from sight, so if you can see them, your legs are too far forward. To correct that, take your feet out of the stirrups, and from the hip, draw your leg back until it’s actually too far back. Then let it slowly slide forward until it's underneath you, which will bring you into that ‘standing over the horse’ position we should be aiming to achieve.
3. Knees on or off? If your knees are on, you need to get them off! And the reason for this is when you grip with your knee it creates a pivot point, which usually means that you lower leg will begin to swing back and forth. An unstable, weak lower leg might make you lean back, but because you've created this pivot point, it's more likely to make you tilt forward. You can correct the problem by thinking about pointing your toes out a little bit. That will bring your knee off, and it will also help you lower your heel without you forcing it down.
TOP TIPS
4. Looking ahead. Stop looking down at your horse – you haven’t lost them, they’re still there! Instead, you should be looking in the direction in which you’re planning to go. So, if you’re riding around an arena, a field, or wherever, have your eyes up and looking in the direction you’re travelling. However, if you're riding on a circle, you should be looking ahead at a point one quarter of the way around the circle from where you actually are. An easy way to visualise this is to imagine your circle is a clock face; you should always be looking a quarter of an hour ahead. So, if you are currently at the 12 o'clock position, you should be looking at three o'clock; if you're at three o'clock, you should be looking at six o’clock, and so on.
5. Rising to the trot. When you're trotting, you want to be rising off your feet, not your seat. What I mean by this is that rather than rising off the bounce the horse gives you at trot, you should be rising off the balls of your feet. This is the beginning of being able to control your horse’s pace; when you have control over your body, you have control over the rhythm and tempo of the trot. Many riders bounce up and down off their seat, but building on what we’ve said above, if you point your toes out a little, which brings your knee off the saddle, and push into the ball of your foot rather than your heel, you can start to slow your rise or speed it up by pushing off the balls of your feet.
6. Gripping with your thighs
Typically, riders tend to grip with their thighs to hold on while they’re cantering. But instead, think about relaxing through the thigh and wrapping your lower leg around the horse. While maintaining knees off, toes out, weight to the ball of your foot, have your calves touching the horse and physically relax the grip through your thigh. By doing this, you make it easier for the horse to move through their back because you're not restricting their movement – and your efforts will be rewarded with a better canter.
ABOVE: Gripping with your knees creates a pivot point and a weak, unstable lower leg with a tendency to swing back and forth. LEFT: Pointing your toes out a little brings your knee off the saddle, and by pushing into the ball of your foot rather than your heel, you can start to slow your rise or speed it up (Image by Melissa Goodson).
7. Rein contact. Having a strong and independent seat gives you the ability to refine all the aids you give to your horse, including contact through the reins. The very fact it's called rein contact indicates that you have to have some degree of contact, but many riders, in an effort to be kind, don't have enough contact, which inadvertently leaves their horse in the dark due to lack of communication. So, don’t ride with a slack rein. You always want to feel the weight of the bit in your hand, which means you need some degree of contact. It’s not pulling back on the reins though, it’s just a light contact which gives an open line of communication between you and your horse.
Think of it like this. Remember as a child talking to a friend using two tin cans or paper cups attached through a long piece of string? For you to be able to hear each other, the string had to have a degree of tautness. Not too tight or the string would pull out of the cups or tins, but not loose either because then
neither of you could hear anything. It’s the same as having a light contact through the reins. Essentially, you’re having a conversation with your horse in which you're saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’. ‘Yes’ is you basically asking nothing of the horse, and they carry on doing what they’re doing because it's what you originally asked them for; and ‘no’ is you putting some degree of contact on until your horse goes back to doing what they were supposed to be doing. When the horse is soft and they’re carrying themselves, you can have a relaxed hand. But if they start to show resistance, come above the bit, or try to run through the contact, imagine you're squeezing water out of a sponge, and then when they soften again, you can relax your grip.
Christine Armishaw Equestrian offers a variety of coaching and other equestrian services at her Otford Valley Equestrian Agistment & Training Centre
Stringhalt - symptoms, causes and treatment
Stringhalt is an involuntary flexion of one or both of a horse’s hind legs. Although it’s a rare disorder, it is nonetheless debilitating, as DR CIARAN MASTERS explains.
Stringhalt is a rare but peculiar and significant disorder that can affect the way your horse moves. Any horse can be affected by stringhalt and so an understanding of what it is and how it occurs is crucial to helping safeguard your horse’s wellbeing.
What is it?
Stringhalt, also known as equine reflex
hypertonia, is a neuromuscular disease that causes an excessive upward flexion of one or both of the hind limbs when moving forwards. Characterised by a jerky flick of the leg, the onset can be sudden, or its appearance may be more progressive. The condition varies in severity and can be chronic or intermittent depending on the cause.
There are two main forms of the disease: the classic variety, and Australian stringhalt (sometimes referred to as pasture-related stringhalt), a form of stringhalt that occurs mainly in Australia, hence its name.
What are the symptoms?
The most noticeable and characteristic symptom of stringhalt is the involuntary and exaggerated jerky flexion of the hind leg or legs. This can range from a subtle and spasmodic high step, to extremely jerky movements where the horse struggles to move without discomfort. A grading system has been devised to categorise the severity of the case (see Table 1).
Another common sign of stringhalt is an uneven gait that can almost look as if the horse is hopping. This can become more prevalent when the horse is asked to back up or turn sharply. Prolonged cases can also show signs of muscle wasting in the affected limb due to disuse and the altered gait.
Depending on the cause, and particularly with Australian stringhalt,
VET VIBES
horses may present with laryngeal paralysis and can be heard to be ‘roaring’. While this might initially seem to be a little bit strange, it occurs because similar to the hind legs (see below), the larynx is supplied by a long nerve and so can also be affected. The horse may also have an upwardly fixed patella (stifle lock) and drag their hooves, and in severe cases, may not even be able to stand without assistance.
What causes stringhalt?
Unfortunately, many cases of stringhalt, especially classic stringhalt, are idiopathic, meaning the cause isn’t really known. We do know that it is a neuromuscular condition causing damage to the long nerves that supply the horse’s hind legs – although why this damage actually occurs is another unknown.
In some instances, the disease appears to originate from an injury. However, Australian stringhalt does seem to have a more specific cause. It is thought that Hypochaeris radicata, more commonly known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, as well as certain other plants, including common dandelion and Mallow Weed, can cause a toxicity that sets off the condition. Due to this plantinduced toxicity, Australian stringhalt is often seasonal, usually occuring in summer or autumn.
What if my horse has stringhalt?
It may sound obvious, but should you suspect your horse is showing signs of stringhalt, the best next step is to call your vet. They can observe the horse and will maybe ask you to perform a set of manoeuvres with your horse that are designed to exaggerate any symptoms. A full clinical exam will also be carried out to check your horse’s neurological and general health status, and in some cases, an X-ray or ultrasound will be used to rule out injury. Your vet may also examine your paddock for signs of the offending plants.
Table 1: Grades and symptoms of stringhalt
GRADE DESCRIPTION
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Symptoms are only noticeable when the horse is backed, turned, or is stressed.
A slight jerkiness of the hind limb/s is noticeable when the horse moves off at a walk or trot.
Moderate hyperflexion is noticeable when the horse is walking or trotting, and is even more evident when the horse is asked to stop.
There is severe hyperflexion with the hindlimbs hitting the horse's abdomen when backing and turning. The horse is not able to trot
The hindlimb is held in a hyperflexed position for prolonged periods when attempting to initiate movement. Rather than a normal gait, movement can best be described as a hopping or leaping motion.
How do we treat stringhalt?
Unfortunately, stringhalt is a complex disease and so does not have a single definitive treatment. In Australian stringhalt, the obvious approach is to remove the horse from the pasture if toxic plants have been found growing there. Once away from the toxins, the recovery time varies but on average is usually six to twelve months, although a full recovery may take up to two years. Unfortunately however, some horses may never recover.
Depending on the case and severity, phenytoin (an anti-seizure medication), anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants can be administered under veterinary supervision. However, these offer only temporary relief. Physiotherapy and stretching can help improve muscle tone and coordination, which in turn can reduce the severity of the jerky movement, and vitamins B and E added to the feed have also been shown to have some therapeutic effect. In some idiopathic cases surgery may be required, although this is usually only resorted to in chronic cases where other treatments have been unsuccessful. What’s the prognosis?
Stringhalt’s prognosis varies widely
depending on several factors. With Australian stringhalt, once the horse is removed from the pasture the prognosis is usually good and most horses improve, even if they may take a considerable time to do so. Relapses can occur, but even severely afflicted animals can make a full recovery – and should a full recovery not be achieved, affected horses can still have a good quality of life.
Knowing what the culprit weeds look like will go a long way towards managing your horse’s pasture, and thus help prevent the onset of the disease. And remember, if you notice your horse has a little bit too much ‘spring’ in their step, be sure to call your vet - getting on top of stringhalt quickly will help to ensure the best outcome for your horse.
Dr Ciaran Masters BVetMed is an Equine Veterinarian currently working for APIAM Animal Health at Queensland's Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital
PREVIOUS PAGE: Knowing what the toxic weeds that have been identified as causing stringhalt look like will help you to protect your horse's wellbeing. Left: Hypochaeris radicata, more commonly known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion; Middle: Common dandelion; Right: Mallow Weed.
VET VIBES
FEATURE
Managing diarrhoea in foals
One of the most common diseases in foals, diarrhoea may require prompt and aggressive treatment, writes DR JENNIFER STEWART.
Diarrhoea - increased frequency of defecation with increased water content of the manure - is one of the commonest diseases in foals, with most experiencing at least one episode before they are six months old. Usually, diarrhoea is mild and veterinary treatment is not required, less commonly it can be severe and require prompt and aggressive treatment.
There are several times in the life of the foal when the risk of diarrhoea is increased. Understanding when and why they are more likely to become ill at certain ages gives us a greater chance of preventing and avoiding the trauma, costs and consequences of this potentially life-threatening condition.
Broadly, foal diarrhoea can be categorised as related to birth stress,
failure of passive transfer, foal heat, nutrition, infections, or worms. But these are not hard and fast rules and any cause/s can occur at any time, in any combination, and some are age-related (Table 1).
The most common non-infectious causes of diarrhoea in foals include foal heat and nutritional or dietary factors, while the most common infectious causes include rotavirus, salmonella and clostridium.
Birth stress: Asphyxia related gut injury (also called neonatal gastroenteropathy) can occur with severe oxygen deprivation at birth. Affected foals often show other signs of brain injury and the gut is affected. Monitoring the mare prior to birth will help identify the at-risk foal. If the mare has a fever, a vaginal discharge, or has previously had a foal with problems, her unborn foal is at greater risk.
Failure of passive transfer (FPT): At birth, the foal has no immunity to disease and the number one protection against diarrhoea and other illnesses in
the first three months of life is colostrum. Colostrum is the first secretion of the mare’s udder; it’s the thick, honeylike liquid that accumulates in the udder before the mare produces milk. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and other protective substances, which equip the foal with a ready-made defence system that both prevents bacteria from gaining a foothold in the gut, and destroys organisms that gain entry through the skin or lungs. FPT is when the foal does not receive adequate colostrum, greatly increasing the risk of diarrhoea and other serious conditions.
Three to twenty-four per cent of mares have reduced amounts or poor quality colostrum. Many mares 'run milk' prior to birth, or have thick, sticky fluid dried on their legs before foaling. Other mares may have intermittent streaming of liquid from the teats. It is important to assess the colostrum of these mares. Every effort should be made to ensure that foals receive adequate colostrum during the first six to eight hours of life. A blood test (IgG) at 18 hours of age can tell us if the foal has received adequate immunity and if not, your veterinarian can discuss options to correct this.
The foal can only absorb colostrum for 12 to 18 hours after birth. Between 18 and 30 hours of age, the gut cells change and even if colostrum is given it will not be taken up by the foal. Some breeders routinely monitor the foal's IgG levels at 18 hours of age and many insurance companies require documentation of adequate immunity before they will insure a foal.
Foal heat diarrhoea: Foal heat diarrhoea occurs in around 80% of foals between five and fifteen days old, it lasts three to four days, and is usually selflimiting. It is caused by natural changes in the microflora of the gut and occurs in hand-reared and nursing foals. The diarrhoea is typically mildly loose or slightly watery and foals aren’t sick. It is rarely of any serious consequence, but foals should be monitored to ensure they remain bright, active and continue to suckle. Any foal that scours for more than 48 hours, becomes weak, goes off
Table 1: Common causes of diarrhoea in foals
AGE CAUSES
Less than 2 weeks
2 to 8 weeks
Over 8 weeks
All ages
Clostridia
Rotavirus
Rattles
Cryptosporidia
Milk worms
Large strongyles
Overeating
Salmonella
Irritants
suck, lies around, becomes sleepy, has signs of colic, or reddening of the gums, must be treated urgently and monitored closely.
Nutrition/diet: Milk overload is often associated with foal diarrhoea and occurs more often in mares fed too heavily during pregnancy and the immediate post-foaling period. The strong, healthy foal tends to over drink and may get gastrointestinal overload which can lead to diarrhoea. Foals are also prone to eating soil, sand, bedding (especially rice or almond hulls) and other foreign material such as hair – all of which can be abrasive in the gut and can cause diarrhoea and/or colic.
Dietary intolerances are more likely in orphan foals on milk replacers –especially if the replacer is prepared either too concentrated or too diluted. Foals should be on mare’s milk exclusively until at least four weeks of age. If allowed access to their dam’s feed, especially if it contains grains, starch or sugars, diarrhoea can result due to the immaturity of the digestive system in terms of digestive juices and microflora.
Infections: At two to four months of age the immunity the foal received from the mare is beginning to wane, and their own immune system must take over. If the foal received insufficient and/or poor quality colostrum, or their own immunity is not fully developed, this age can be a period of risk for many diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia (including 'rattles'),
Sleepy foal
Foal heat
Rotavirus
Blood worms
Diet
Lactose intolerance
encephalitis and septicaemia.
Worms: Foals aren’t usually severely affected by parasites until weaning or older. However, threadworms/milkworms (Strongyloides westeri) or roundworms (Parascaris equorum) can produce mild diarrhoea in foals between one and two weeks old. Threadworms can be shed in the mare’s milk and roundworms in the manure. To prevent parasite infestation in the foal, ensure that a well-planned parasite program is in place and discuss your worming protocol with your veterinarian, especially in regards to local conditions and worm resistance – a growing and worrying problem.
How do we know if the foal is sick? It’s really important to know that signs of illness in foals are often vague and similar for many disease conditions. Increased sleepiness, reduced sucking, and slight changes in behaviour may be the only indication that all is not well.
Foals normally nurse several times an hour in the early days of their lives – a full udder or milk dripping can indicate the foal may not be nursing normally.
Another sign is dried milk on the foal’s face – an indication that although nuzzling and appearing to suckle, the foal is not swallowing well, a sure sign of impending illness. Foals usually urinate each time they rise and any reduction can indicate dehydration. Other signs of dehydration include lethargy and depression. If your foal is dehydrated, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.
Close observation of foal behaviour is key to early detection and any deviation from normal behaviour should be considered abnormal. Many diseases that lead to diarrhoea begin with nonspecific signs. Foals with colic, fevers, lethargy, anorexia, or gas distension of the abdomen should be considered at risk for developing diarrhoea. Recognising early clinical signs is important not only for treatment but also for infectious disease control.
Recognition of diarrhoea should be straightforward! Determining the cause is not always so easy, but it is important. The usual signs of infection (high body temperature) are often not present in sick foals. This can make recognition difficult and if the foal is thought to be healthy because their temperature is normal, disease processes can become very advanced before veterinary advice is sought, making treatment more difficult and expensive and reducing the chance of a successful outcome.
Foals with infectious forms of diarrhoea require urgent veterinary attention. They may need antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and possibly other medications to recover and support healing and gastrointestinal function.
How can we help?
Washing the legs and tail with mild soap, drying with a soft towel and applying petroleum jelly, barrier cream or calamine lotion on both hind legs once to three times a day helps prevent skin scalding and hair loss. Your vet may recommend gut protectants such as bismuth subsalicylate, kaolin/pectin products, or DTO (di-tri-octahedral smectite) after the foal is 24 hours oldyounger than this can prevent colostrum absorption. Smectite should be used only with veterinary advice.
There are some good reasons to believe manipulation of the gut flora with probiotics has a role in gut health in foals. However, given the dynamic development of the foal microbiota, any efforts to alter its composition should be evidence based. Because of a potential for bacterial or fungal infection, probiotics must be used with caution in foals and only with veterinary advice.
To date, clinical trials in foals show underwhelming evidence of efficacy and a demonstrated potential to aggravate rather than mitigate diarrhoea. Because probiotics have the potential for inadvertent administration of toxin-
producing or otherwise pathogenic bacterial strains, as well as strains bearing transferable antimicrobial resistance genes, it is advisable to approach probiotic therapy with caution for the time being, and the use of probiotics in newborn foals is not recommended based on currently available data. Likewise, unless under veterinary guidance, antibiotics are not recommended as a treatment for foal diarrhoea because they can interfere with the establishment of a healthy microbial population.
Reducing the risk of diarrhoea
• Ensure the foal receives goodquality colostrum in the first 18 hours of life.
• Check with your veterinarian regarding rotavirus in your area and vaccinate.
• Move mares to where they will foal at least six to eight weeks before foaling to give them time to build up antibodies to local pathogens.
• If the mare is to foal in a stall, clean the stall with phenolic disinfectants and bed it with good, clean straw.
• Foals with diarrhoea should be isolated from healthy mares and foals.
ABOVE: Foals normally nurse several times an hour in the early days of their lives.
• Practice good hygiene and wear protective clothing when handling infectious diseases - salmonella and clostridial organisms are also human pathogens. A history of diarrhoea in other foals on the premises is highly suggestive of an infectious and contagious pathogen.
• Disinfectants have different properties and antimicrobial spectrums – bleach (diluted 1:10) has a wide range of germicidal activity but is inactivated by organic matter and is not effective against rotavirus.
• Parasitic (worm) diarrhoeas can be reduced by avoiding overcrowding, segregating foals according to age, disposing of manure and correctly worming mares.
• Newborn foals should not be placed in paddocks used for older foals - paddocks should be rotated backwards, with clean paddocks reserved for newborn foals, after which they can be used by older foals.
Although the signs and nursing management are the same regardless of the cause of the diarrhoea, the treatment, antibiotics and preventative measures differ. Because of this it is vital that the cause of the diarrhoea is accurately diagnosed, and the correct treatment begun as rapidly as possible, rather than adopting a shot-gun approach. In addition, sick foals rarely have only one problem and the sicker they are the more likely they are to develop complications and a series of problems that require attention.
If one localising sign such as diarrhoea is present, it may obscure the fact that other organ systems are also abnormal. Most bacteria, including salmonella, enter through the gut, may or may not cause diarrhoea, and rapidly invade the body to affect the lungs, bones, kidneys, liver, brain and joints. Foals are fragile, and unnecessary – or wrong – treatment can cause tremendous damage.
And, for better or for worse, changes occur quickly in the young foal, so there is little time to spare in decision making. A short delay in beginning therapy can make the difference between success and failure, and veterinary attention should be sought sooner rather than later. Many high-risk foals look relatively good in the first few hours after birth – but this initial 12 to 24 hour period of grace can be followed by a sudden worsening of the condition.
Dr Jennifer Stewart BVSc BSc PhD is an equine veterinarian, CEO of Jenquine and a consultant nutritionist in Equine Clinical Nutrition.
All content provided in this article is for general use and information only and does not constitute advice or a veterinary opinion. It is not intended as specific medical advice or opinion and should not be relied on in place of consultation with your equine veterinarian.
ABOVE: Increased sleepiness, reduced sucking, and slight changes in behaviour may indicate all is not well.
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LIFE AFTER RACING
Where's Cameron?
Many an ex-racehorse enjoys more success off the track than they did on it. AMANDA MAC spoke to Clem Smith about a horse who's a perfect example.
It’s always a joy to watch Clem Smith ride - there’s a fluidity and precision that speaks of a wealth of experience, more than thirty years of it to be exact. Brought up on cattle stations, Clem was riding from around the time he could walk. “We came through Pony Club and did campdrafting, mucked around with rodeo for a while, and then we stumbled on an old stockhorse who could jump a bit and it just went from there,” he says.
Fast forward a handful of decades and Clem, who has a rock solid reputation for good sportsmanship and putting the welfare of his horses first, has more than made his mark as one of Australia’s top show jumpers. He has competed nationally and internationally, notching up numerous State, National, World Cup and Grand Prix titles, as well as being a member, and on occasion captain of Australian jumping teams travelling and competing overseas.
Over the years, Clem, a Queensland Off
The Track Acknowledged Retrainer, has developed a great appreciation for off the track Thoroughbreds, and I’m curious to know why: “Well, they're very trainable,” he explains, “and most of the time a lot easier than a Warmblood. They just seem to learn easily and they’ve had a lot of exposure to different things because of their racing careers, which really helps. Many Warmbloods have been born and bred on a property, and haven’t been off the property until they start to compete. Some do cope well with that, but Thoroughbreds have seen quite a bit and if they’ve got the right attitude, it certainly makes the process of training them a lot quicker.”
In Clem’s opinion, Thoroughbreds aren’t necessarily for everyone because some of them can be a little bit nervy. “You’ve just got to be quite calm and cool around them,” he says, and that pretty much sums up Clem’s approach – which would go a long way to explaining the success he’s had with a string of off the track horses including Clarke Kent, Maxi Rullah, Highland Spirit and Ghost Story, horses he has competed with at Grand Prix and
ABOVE: Clem and Wes jumped into 2nd place in the 1.20m QOTT Class at last month's Ekka.
LEFT: A delightful personality, Wes is all business when he's at work in the arena (Images by Michael Mcinally Photography).
World Cup level. “I’ve had 11 or 12 horses in the World Cup,” he adds, “and half of them were Thoroughbreds.”
His love of OTTs aside, there were a few years when Clem favoured purpose bred horses. But now he is once again building more Thoroughbreds into his team, one of whom is Where’s Cameron, fondly known as Wes.
Wes’s track career was far from exemplary. Sired by Viscount (AUS) out of Eliza Dane (AUS) and foaled in 2012, the bay gelding managed no wins and no placings out of six starts. “I think he was last every time,” Clem chuckles. “He made a lot of noise and went nowhere.”
In 2016, after his racing career had not surprisingly come to an end, Wes got a start in a new life with show jumper Victoria Hoy. He was then bought by Krissy Harris, who, after she was injured, sold him on to Clem last year. “I’d seen that he was pretty consistent in his results, so I bought him without even trying him,” he recalls. “And he was good straight up. Victoria and Krissy had obviously done a great job with him.”
Wes, who has the comical habit of flapping his lips together, is quite the character in the yard. “He's just a lovely horse to have around,” Clem tells me. “He’s bright-eyed and very easy to do anything with.”
Although Clem has ridden Wes in a couple of 1.30m events, the horse’s sweet spot is 1.20m, something Clem bears in mind. “I thought I’d keep him where he does best, although that might go up and down a bit. We haven't got him to compete him at Grand Prix - he's just a good, fun horse who fits in with what's got to be done.”
A fun horse and a successful one at that. What Wes failed to deliver on the track, he's made up for in the arena. By mid this year, he’d topped the Queensland OTT Thoroughbred Jumping leaderboard with a total of 1,409 points – way ahead of his nearest rival’s 910 points.
In Racing Victoria’s Off The Track Jumping Series held at Boneo Park in February, the pair won the 1.05-1.10m and came second in the 1.20-1.30m class. In March, they competed in the DJWTS
Victorian Government Emerald Series, winning Round 1 with a double clear over 1.10m, tying for first place in Round 2 over 1.15m, and winning the series Final with yet another double clear. At last month’s Royal Queensland Show, Clem steered Wes to a hard fought second place in the 1.20m class, while at Tamworth they picked up 2nd in both the Bronze Tour and the 1.20m Thoroughbred class.
And finally, some expert advice for anyone thinking of buying an OTT Thoroughbred. “I think first has to be their temperament. If I was going to try a horse that I didn't know anything about, my first thing would definitely be temperament, and making sure that there were no lumps, bumps or whatever," Clem explains. "Then, as far as riding the horse goes, we always tend to aim for horses with a good canter, and if they’ve got nice self-carriage, you can be pretty sure they’ll be able to jump to a certain extent.”
Based in South East Queensland, Clem is an Accredited Equestrian Australia Level 1 Coach. For more information visit Team Smith Equestrian
'Tis the season for laminitis
Spring is in the air, and with it the risk of laminitis. Equine nutritionist DR CLARISSA BROWN-DOUGLAS has some suggestions to help prevent this serious condition.
For most horse owners, the onset of spring is welcome, especially after such a wet winter! But for some, spring with its lovely green grass brings the risk of too much energy, crazy brains, and dreaded laminitis. While grass seems the most natural of feedstuffs for horses and ponies, it can stir up health concerns in susceptible individuals.
Despite its nutritional benefits, spring grass can be high in sugars. Levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) as high as 40% dry matter have been recorded in certain grasses, with cool season perennials, such as ryegrass, especially predisposed to accumulating sugars. Most horse owners are well aware of the increased risk of laminitis
when grass begins to grow in the spring, which provides abundant forage high in moisture and NSC but low in fibre.
Focus on laminitis
Laminitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the hoof and is a serious welfare issue in horses and ponies. Several modes of action linked to nutrition may cause laminitis depending on the individual horse and its susceptibility. One of the greatest risk factors is insulin dysregulation. Horses and ponies diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID or Cushings disease) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) are prone to insulin dysregulation and laminitis.
Nutritional countermeasures may, however, keep susceptible horses from developing laminitis, especially during the spring. Dietary management of susceptible horses focusses on restricting the intake of NSC, namely sugars, starches, and fructans, which
TOP: In situations where you can't remove your horse from pasture, it is advisable to use a grazing muzzle. LEFT: For some horses, spring grass brings the risk of too much energy, crazy brains, and dreaded laminitis (Images courtesy KER).
usually means limiting access to pasture and providing alternative sources of nutrition.
Consumption of high-sugar feeds including lush pasture causes a rise in blood glucose, which triggers a release of insulin from the pancreas to clear the glucose from the blood. If a horse or pony is insulin resistant, this mechanism malfunctions, so the pancreas releases more insulin, gradually increasing the levels in the bloodstream. This hyperinsulinemia triggers alterations in blood flow to the hoof, boosts the expression of lamellar pro-inflammatory cytokines that activate inflammation, and alters glucose metabolism within the hoof lamellae.
Another chain of events linked to hoof inflammation involves the hindgut. When a horse consumes excessive amounts of spring grass, some of the sugars and fructans can bypass digestion in the small intestine and end up in the hindgut. This produces a bloom
of lactate-producing gram-negative bacteria that rapidly ferments the sugar and fructans. The byproduct of this fermentation is increasing amounts of lactic acid, which drop the pH of the hindgut. As the pH decreases, other microbes die, releasing endotoxins, reactive amines and exotoxins into the bloodstream. These are thought to adversely affect circulation, increase inflammation, and destroy lamellar basement membranes in the hooves, causing laminitis.
Dietary management is an important factor in preventing laminitis and here are some general points of consideration for at-risk horses:
Fibre first
Diets should be based on appropriate forage, such as grass hay or legume hay (or hay substitute) with a low NSC content (less than 10-12% dry matter) fed at a rate of approximately 1.5-2% body weight. Mature hay typically has lower digestible energy and NSC
content when compared to less mature grass hay or prime cut lucerne and clover. NSC content also depends on environmental factors during growth and harvesting. Whenever possible, a forage analysis should be performed on hay intended for horses with PPID and EMS. Soaking hay for 30 to 60 minutes before feeding is thought to leach sugars and fructans, and may be prudent in the absence of a forage analysis.
Control access to pasture
In addition to glucose and fructose, which are sugars that are easily digested by horses, many grasses contain another form of sugar that can’t be broken down in the small intestine. Fructans are formed when several fructose molecules are bonded together, creating chains that are resistant to the digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine. When consumed by horses, fructans pass undigested into the hindgut and undergo rapid bacterial fermentation, upsetting the delicate
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pH balance as lactic acid production rises. This disruption in acidity, termed hind-gut acidosis is usually followed by an inflammatory response, which is a common trigger of colic and has been linked to laminitis in grazing horses.
Fructans are more of a threat at some times of the year than others. Grasses have more available fructans during periods of rapid growth (springtime and also rainy autumn days after hot summer weather), and at times when grass is stressed (overgrazing, drought, high salinity in soil). Fructan levels change with the time of day, generally being highest in late afternoon and evening, and lowest in the very early morning hours. The amount of fructan in grass also varies within the plant’s tissues. Sugar is produced by photosynthesis during daylight hours, while at night, the plant uses this energy to grow. However, cooler nights cause grass growth to slow, with the sugar not utilised as fast as it is produced. The grass accumulates sugars in the stem base in an attempt to fuel regrowth, resulting in plants that are both more easily digested and sweeter tasting to hungry horses (this is often termed ‘stressed pasture’). Cool nighttime temperatures and warm days, overgrazing, mowing, or several dry days followed by rainfall can all lead to stressed pasture and the accumulation of sugars in the grass, resulting in increased NSC intake as horses graze.
For horses prone to laminitis, it is important to restrict or avoid grazing when night temperatures are below 5°C, followed by sunny days. Sensitive horses should graze late at night or very early in the morning, with horses removed from pasture by mid-morning at the latest. In situations where the horse can’t be removed from the pasture, it is advisable to use a grazing muzzle. Horses that show sensitivity to fructans may benefit from the addition of a hind gut buffer in their diet. By stabilising the pH of the hindgut, there is a decrease in the risk
ABOVE: Sweet feeds that contain primarily cereal grains and molasses can boost the NSC content to 45 to 50%.
of hindgut acidosis, colic, laminitis and other associated disorders.
Don’t forget balanced nutrition
Hay (and pasture) can be notoriously low in essential trace minerals including zinc and copper, so regardless of the season, a balanced vitamin and mineral supplement, or feed balancer which contains a quality vitamin and mineral premix is a handy insurance policy to top up vitamins and minerals in horses on fibre-only diets.
Laminitic horses must avoid feedstuffs high in NSC, such as straight cereal grains (barley and oats, for example) or sweet feeds. Sweet feeds that contain primarily cereal grains and molasses can boost the NSC content to 45 to 50%.
For lean horses or horses in work, but still at risk of laminitis, calories can be safely provided by fat (vegetable oil, stabilised rice bran) and fermentable fibre (beet pulp, soy hulls).
Combating inflammation
In humans, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is a therapeutic strategy used for metabolic dysfunction
because it improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation. A study in horses indicates that DHA (DHA and EPA are two of the most important omega-3 fatty acids) alters circulating fatty acids, modulates metabolic parameters, and may reduce inflammation in horses with metabolic syndrome. To combat inflammation, supplement with a marine-derived source of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Because there are many causes of laminitis, the disease is not completely preventable, regardless of vigilance. We recommend working with your veterinarian to plan management strategies based on the individual horse or pony and its risk factors for laminitis. We also recommend having a qualified equine nutritionist design a safe and balanced diet to meet your horse’s individual needs
Visit Kentucky Equine Research and Equinews™ for information on all equine nutrition related topics.
WHAT WE'RE LOVING
All that glitters
It's so very hard to go past a beautiful piece of equestrian themed jewellery - so why even try?
This sparkling Kelly Herd Small Halter Necklace is an exquisite accessory that will delight any horse lover. Crafted in sterling silver, the halter is beautifully accented with cubic zirconia stones, each carefully placed on the cheek pieces and nose band to highlight the most intricate details, making this the perfect collector's piece and a thoughtful gift.
Express your passion for horses with these equestrian inspired Rearing Horse Stud Earrings . Australian made from solid sterling silver and intricately detailed with flowing mane and tail, the design is exclusive to Palamino Jewellery. Perfect for everyday or a special occasion, these studs are a must have.
Which will you choose? It will be difficult to make a decision between these two stunning EJ and CO stock pins. One features a beautifully crafted sterling silver bit embellished with five sparkling cubic zirconia, while the other catches the eye with an opulent pearl flanked by three cubic zirconia on each shoulder. Both pins are gold plated, and both are absolutely beautiful.
Your choice of gold stock pins from EJ and CO.
The Kelly Herd Blue & Clear Horseshoe Ring is a delicate sterling silver ring enhanced with blue and clear cubic zirconia stones set in a silver horseshoe. The perfect ring to wear to take a little luck into the ring with you! The ring is 8mm wide and equally stunning matching earrings and a necklace are also available.
The unusual and exquisite Kelly Herd Double Horseshoe Necklace is handcrafted from sterling silver. One horseshoe, polished to shining
perfection, is casually hooked across another horseshoe, this one brilliantly enhanced with multiple sparkling cubic zirconia stones. This playful interlocking of the two horseshoes gives the necklace a whimsical, artistic vibe, aesthetically pleasing to anyone who has a flair for fashion and elegance. To ensure a perfect fit, the necklace comes with an adjustable 16-18 inch chain.
Herd Double Horseshoe Necklace from The Equestrian
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Kelly Herd Small Halter Necklace from The Equestrian
Dreams really can come true
Tucked away at 6192 Illawarra Highway, Moss Vale NSW, this stunning Southern Highlands property is a rare find.
This is your opportunity to experience the perfect blend of rural serenity and urban convenience. Ideal for horse lovers, 'Hemingway' is a countryside haven set across 9.45 acres.
Located near the town of Moss Vale in the idyllic Southern Highlands of NSW, this outstanding property is the perfect setting for horse enthusiasts. Sprawling
landscapes, well-suited for equestrian pursuits, meet the convenience of local amenities - it really is possible to have the best of both worlds in this dream rural retreat.
There are three bedrooms, two with built-in robes for ample storage. The main bathroom features a freestanding bath – perfect for soaking away the cares of the day – and with its heated
flooring, the ensuite is designed for the ultimate in comfort. A beautiful verandah overlooks a private garden patio retreat, while the open plan living, kitchen, and dining area creates a spacious, welcoming ambiance ideal for the family or for entertaining. For that additional peace and quiet, there are also three separate living areas plus a study that would work either as a hub for your
PROPERTY
There are six concreted and fully renovated stables, as well as a hot
business, or for the kids to focus on their homework.
The equestrian facilities are equally impressive. There’s the 60x20m fullsize dressage arena with a flexi fibre sand surface, six concreted and fully renovated stables, and a hot water wash bay. The property currently boasts twelve paddocks, eight of which are equipped with shelters for maximum
versatility. With safety in mind, the paddocks have post and rail fencing as well as mesh and an electric standoff, plus the entrance to the property is secured with electric front gates.
The Southern Highlands are renowned for their quaint villages and country charm, and yet are within easy reach of Sydney either by car or train, and are only an hour away from Wollongong and the Illawarra
region’s beautiful beaches. You’ll have your pick of shops, restaurants, cafés, wineries and all those delightful antique stores, and for added convenience the property itself is less than 10 minutes to Moss Vale High School.
For further information visit Horse Properties, or contact Anna Stone on 0414 457 868, or Melissa Johnson on 0411 175 129.
The paddocks have post and rail fencing as well as mesh and an electric stand-off.
For that additional peace and quiet, there are three separate living areas plus a study.
water wash bay.
