EQUINE NEWS And Trade Services Directory - SUMMER 2019 Vol 11 Issue 3

Geldings Behaving Badly Health Before Training

Desert Hoof Prints

Suture Exostoses

AG SHOWS

COMING EVENTS

INTERSTATE MAP

SERVICE DIRECTORY

• Will pass on his awesome temperament to even the hottest of mares and breeds

• Highly heritable train-ability, leg conformation and feet quality

• Homozygous black so cannot throw a chestnut foal

• Cross of Star Black Minstril and Peppys Doc Bar

• 15.2 HH 2nd cross ASH Rego # 152985

• Progeny have won up to State and National Levels in Led, Working, Hacking, Camp Drafting, Jumping, Polo X, Pony Club.

• Great Testimonials have been given by top horse-people including Dan Steers and Ian Bruce.

About the Cover

‘Rain-Maker’ baby hooves –to this 10 years later

On the 8th day of November 2008, our beautiful and beloved Standardbred mare ‘Pearl’ presented us with this adorable little chap, we were blessed with the arrival of ‘Rain-Maker’ and these precious little hooves. He has inherited many special qualities including good looks from his sire ‘Bromac Aladar’ who is featured on the opposing page.

Born as the very 1st issue of Equine News was being created which featured his amazing mother on it’s Cover (2009 cover pic) and now 11 years later they both inspired us with horse energy for this Summer 2019 Issue.

We hope you enjoy the read and thanks to all who supported it to come together. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering from loss due to the recent fire conditions but hope that Christmas Joy can spread to warm hearts.

Goodbye 2019 Hello 2020

See you on the other side Kerrie & Jo

Kim Geurts with her horse

By The Nude Horse (Equine Epidemiologist)

Inner health is reflected in the coat. Your goal should be to achieve a new, richly coloured and glossy coat in Spring. Why? Glossiness of coat hair is important in reflecting solar radiation.

FL AX SEED OIL

Common reasons why coats become dull or brittle

• Unbalanced mineral uptake (minerals are co dependent on other minerals so need to be fed alongside their dependent mineral for optimal absorption)

• Deficiencies or excesses of certain vitamins, minerals, protein & amino acids

FL AX SEED OIL

FL AX SEED OIL

Flax Seed Oil provides the richest (almost 60%) natural source of Omega 3, an essential fatty acid (EFA) which is not generally present in equine foods.

Flax Seed Oil provides the richest (almost 60%) natural source of Omega 3, an essential fatty acid (EFA) which is not generally present in equine foods.

Flax Seed Oil provides the richest (almost 60%) natural source of Omega 3, an essential fatty acid (EFA) which is not generally present in equine foods.

Like all animals, horses cannot manufacture this essential fatty acid which is so important for their overall health.

• Copper and Zinc deficiencies (causes bleaching, as there are two pigments in the hair eumelanin & pheomelanin, dependent on sufficient copper and zinc intake)

• Incorrect dose rate of vitamin & mineral supplement

• Hormonal imbalances

• Endocrine disorders

Like all animals, horses cannot manufacture this essential fatty acid which is so important for their overall health.

Systemic disease or illness – other than dull coat, symptoms may not present until later (uterine or urine infection are 2 examples)

Like all animals, horses cannot manufacture this essential fatty acid which is so important for their overall health.

Worried about rancidity and toxicity? Use Flax for a safer option!

order online

Worm burden (several courses of strong worm medication may be required to shift)

Poor gut function

Imbalance of microbial species (feed potent pro-biotic formulation)

Gut Ulcers

High grain diet (try copra, lupins, beet-pulp with chaff)

Polyunsaturated oil in feeds

• Imbalance of Omega 6 to Omega 3 (should be 4:1 over the entire diet. Grass is 4:1)

order online

order online

www.flaxseedaustralia.co or call 1800 255 288.

www.flaxseedaustralia.co or call 1800 255 288.

www.flaxseedaustralia.co or call 1800 255 288.

Healthy shiny hair growth usually occurs when dietary needs are met adequately, supplying the necessary building blocks for the natural biological processes to occur according to genetic makeup.

Hair follicles are metabolically active tissues that require nutrients to support both structural and functional activities (Galbraith, 1998). Nutritional factors that influence hair growth are very complex and can be interrelated. Nutrition has a profound effect on both hair quality and quantity. Poor nutrition is often reflected by a dull, dry, brittle or thin hair coat. Colour disturbances including bleaching may also occur when dietary mineral needs are not met.

The most important requirement for hair keratin synthesis is the amino acid cysteine, as it is ultimately oxidized to form the stable disulphide bonds that give keratin its structure, strength, and stability. Horses, like non-ruminants are unable to absorb inorganic sulphur and must meet their sulphur requirements through organic forms such as methionine. (Lewis,1995). Methionine can be converted to cysteine in the liver. A feed supplement high in Methionine for added growth rates can be added.

Zinc is an essential element to many metalloenzymes and metabolic processes including keratogenesis. Zinc and copper impact heavily on melanin production. The purpose of the melanin pigments is to protect the hair from protein damage caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Sourcing bioavailable forms such as organic and chelated zinc clinically shows better absorption rates. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2008.694/

Copper. This element is essential in various enzyme systems including those involved in melanin synthesis, keratin synthesis, and disulphide bond linkage (Jarrett, 1977; Underwood, 1977). Copper deficiency results in fibre depigmentation and loss of hair tensile strength and elasticity leading to breakage. Copper is essential for the enzymes that produce eumelanin, and both copper and zinc are needed to manufacture pheomelanin.

Selenium performs several roles pertaining to cellular function and is a necessary constituent of the diet for healthy hair growth. Feeding too much can result in hair loss, not enough leads to a dull dry coat. Nutrients commonly associated with poor hair quality and hair loss have been summarized by Lewis (1995). They comprise dietary deficiencies of protein, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, and vitamins A and E, as well as dietary excesses of selenium, iodine and vitamin A. Other possible nutritional imbalances that can affect hair growth include B-vitamin and vitamin C deficiencies, copper and cobalt deficiencies and molybdenum toxicoses (Scott, 1988).

If supplementing the diet with a quality ratio balanced and organic chelated mineral supplement and still not achieving a glossy coat, ask your vet for a health check-up and blood work. In addition, testing your soil, grass and horse’s hair to see where your horse’s mineral uptake is at may assist finding underlying dietary failures. Bench marking via professional laboratory is advisable to be well informed to make the necessary improvements to your property and horse’s intakes. Check labels of feeds you regularly feed your horse, to make sure you are not doubling up in minerals content.

More is not better, balance is key. Switch to an industry proven equine feed supplement to fill the nutritional gaps and add to a base feed you can control.

Go to the www.thenudehorse.com.au to find articles to assist in knowing how much to feed and what kinds of feeds are safest.

Cause: Worm burden. Treated 5 days with Fenbendazole then supplemented with Flowers Gold vitamin and mineral supplement

Mineral Supplementation

Health Before Training

by Suzy Maloney B.Eq.Sc.

Lately I’ve been thinking about health and training. Recently I was working with some horses and noticed one had an enormous bean at the entrance to the urethra. This is caused by smegma build up forming hard lumps or ‘beans’ in the folds of skin around the urethra entrance. It’s normally fairly small and easy to remove during regular sheath cleaning, but this was something else. It was so big the skin had pulled tight over it and I just couldn’t remove it. The farrier commented on how he was touchy lifting his hind legs. I got a vet to remove the bean and we discovered there were 3 HUGE beans in there (see picture below). After removal he was fine to lift his hind legs. He must have been in so much discomfort when urinating that it got to the point where he didn’t want anyone handling his hinds. This could easily have been interpreted as poor behaviour. If I’d tried to retrain this horse to lift his hinds properly with the beans still there it wouldn’t have worked, and our relationship would have deteriorated.

Horses can suffer from many different illnesses and injuries. However because they don’t talk with words they can’t easily tell us. If a horse is feeling sick or in pain their behaviour may be different to what it normally is. A change in behaviour is a flag for possible health issues. Horses can exhibit sporadic changes in behaviour as pain ebbs and flows. Common expressions of pain seen in a horse are such things as ears back, biting, kicking, resistance, bucking etc. The horse is saying leave me alone I don’t want to work I feel awful and I’m in pain. I have a mare who is a total sweetheart but she has a sporadic tendon injury and if she’s in pain she’s a b***h. It’s like two different horses in one. She can go from being a smooch to being dangerous overnight and all due to pain.

Many years ago I worked for a horse trainer who had scoliosis in his back. On days when he was in pain I hated working for him as he was rude and mean toward me. On days when he was pain free we had a lovely day working together. I’d check in with him in the morning to see if he was in pain so I’d know if I should avoid him for the day.

If your horse is experiencing a physical health issue, no amount of training will fix your behaviour problems. If there is any possibility that problems with your horse may be due to physical problems this must be addressed first. If you do not fix the physical problems and go ahead with training, two things will happen. 1. It won’t work and 2. Your horse will lose their trust in you because they’re trying to tell you there’s a problem but you are not listening. The longer you continue to ignore what your horse is trying to tell you the more the horse will distance themself from you and the behaviours will worsen.

Get your horse checked by your vet or other equine health professionals. This is an investment in the physical and mental health of your horse. If it turns out there is no physical problem fantastic, you can go ahead and train knowing you have done the right thing and it is a training issue, not a health issue.

When you’re with your horse observe them closely. Check every mm of their body when you groom them. This is when many injuries, lumps, heat etc. are detected. Notice changes in eating, defecating, urinating, sleeping, movement, etc. It can be a good idea to take and record your horses resting temperature, heartrate and respiratory rate and keep them for reference.

Changes are your major flag, but to know when there’s a change you need to know what’s normal. Horses will try and tell you when something is wrong, so listen to them and you won’t go wrong.

Happy Horsing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

Suzy Maloney B. Eq. Sc. has a degree in Equine Science, has been instructing riding students for 15 years and runs her own business Happy Horses Bitless. Suzy discovered bitless bridles 10 years ago and has now made the promotion of their use her passion. She teaches students exclusively in bitless bridles, gives bitless clinics, writes articles, gives talks on bitless riding and sells bitless bridles through her web page.

Suzy believes we can communicate with horses using gentleness, intuition and an open mind. Her lessons are a combination of classical riding, natural horsemanship and the understanding of equine behaviour.

Suzy Maloney B.Eq.Sc.

HAPPY HORSES BITLESS

Phone: 0401 249 263

Email: happyhorsesbitless@gmail.com

www.happyhorsesbitless.com Happy Horses Bitless Bridles

Geldings who ‘claim’ mares; who behave badly when being separated from a mare; who ‘change’ when a mare is in season; who ‘guard’ or ‘herd’ mares; who mount mares; that show overly protective, stallion-like behaviour; who over-react to other geldings when mares are present; who are aggressive – even visciousness - towards other horses, and others who show hostility toward horses walking past their yard or stable can be found in nearly every establishment and group of horses.

by Dr Jennifer Stewart

may have been removed and one still in the belly or they may have been castrated after a previous life as a breeding stallion.

The testicle(s), which begin life near the kidneys, may have failed to make the journey down into the scrotal sac during the final 3 months before birth. They can become ‘stuck’ at any point and if still inside the belly, they’re classified as ‘abdominal’ (75% are left-sided) whereas if they get as far as the canal that leads into the scrotum, ‘inguinal’ cryptorchids (60% of which are the right testicle). Inguinal retention is by far the more common and the testicle may be temporarily or permanently retained.

Approximately 50% of geldings show some stallion-like behaviour – but there are also geldings who are not geldings! Cryptorchids (also known as a ‘rig’, ‘rib ridgling’, ‘proud-cut’ or ‘high-flanker’) are male horses that lack either visually or on palpation, one or both testicles. Cryptorchidism means “hidden testes” (crypt = hidden, orchid = testes) and is a developmental defect found in animals, humans and horses. Around 15% of two- to three-year-old colts are rigs, so it’s not uncommon.

There are several reasons why a mature horse with no detectable testicles behaves like a stallion: both testicles may be in the belly instead of the scrotum (called a retained or undescended testicle), one testicle

Temporary retention occurs mainly in ponies and is usually one-sided (in 75% of ponies it’s the right side) and in most cases the retained testicle eventually makes its way into the scrotum by 3 years of age. Permanent inguinal retention occurs in all types of horses, usually involves only one testicle but right and left sides are equally affected. Abdominal retention is when the testicle is still in the abdominal cavity. When retention is complete, both the testicle and the epididymus (the long, coiled tube that stores sperm and transports it from the testes) are retained in the abdomen. Being fairly mobile, they can become mixed up with coils of intestine. In incomplete abdominal retention, part of the epididymus is located in the inguinal canal but the testicle itself remains in the abdomen.

Cryptorchids occur in all breeds but are more common in Quarter Horses, Saddlebreds, Percherons, and ponies. Although undescended, the

Pic 1 – An internal view where we can see the opening of the inguinal canal. Image courtesy of Dr Hadley Willsallen Specialist Surgeon

Pic 2 – The undescended testicle located during cryptorchid castration procedure Image courtesy of Dr Hadley Willsallen Specialist Surgeon

retained testicle still produces male hormones leading to characteristic stallion behaviour. Horses with one descended testicle are usually fertile, while horses with both testicles undescended are generally sterile. Because it is heritable, gelding is recommended to help prevent continuation of the congenital defect and for safety/behavioural reasons. But in biology rarely are things straight-forward and just because a stallion is a cryptorchid doesn’t mean that his male offspring will necessarily be cryptorchids, nor does the absence of cryptorchidism in the sire guarantee that all of his male offspring will be free of the condition! However, retained testes should be removed, not only because this helps eliminate objectionable behaviour, but also because retained testes are more prone to spermatic cord torsion and have a higher incidence of developing tumours.

Diagnosis of a cryptorchid is often not straight-forward and is a job for your veterinarian. It often requires sedation. Most horses resent being groped and quickly retract their testicles upwards especially with fear, cold weather or cold hands. If both testicles are retained in the abdomen it can be difficult to tell whether the horse is a cryptorchid or a gelding, especially if the history is unknown. In these cases, your vet may undertake external and internal palpation, ultrasound examination and/or blood hormone tests. Lack of one or both testicles can sometimes only be identified at the time of castration. Palpation of the scrotum of a newborn foal can be confusing because at this age the epididymus can be larger than the testicle itself. If just the epididymus is positioned in the scrotum, it can easily be mistaken for a testicle. Once diagnosed, treatment options are considered.

As a rule-of-thumb, both testicles must be descended for a colt to be castrated. I’ve attended several cryptorchids where the descended testicle was removed but with the passage of time, no-one could remember which side it was! So if only one testicle is present you can either give the colt more time in the hope that the missing testicle will eventually descend, although this does not always occur (if the testicle has not descended by one year of age, then it becomes increasingly unlikely that it will ever ‘drop’); or castration of both testicles! Unilateral castration

causes the retained testicle to enlarge and if inside the abdomen, this makes its eventual removal more difficult. As for the best age at which to geld a rig, delaying castration until puberty is only going to make the horse harder to manage.

Castration of a cryptorchid is more complicated than normal because the testicles are usually small, often misshapen with an abnormal appearance and so anaesthesia is often longer. Also the surgery may be more invasive, extensive and complicated as there is no way of knowing exactly where the retained testicle is positioned until the horse is fully relaxed and lying on its back. A history of previous attempts at castration decreases the ability to accurately predict the location of the retained testicle.

Pic 3 – Clamping the cord during castration Image courtesy Dr Hadley Willsallen Specialist Surgeon

Sometimes it is necessary to determine whether a horse with no palpable testis, that displays a stallion-like behaviour, is a bilateral cryptorchid, a cryptorchid that has its descended testis removed, or a gelding with behaviour problems. In this situation, hormonal assays may be useful. Unfortunately, none of the hormonal tests are 100% accurate and, often, surgical exploration of the abdomen is necessary.

If an apparent gelding is showing rig-like behaviour, blood hormone tests can be performed to determine if hormone-producing testicular tissue is still present. Although hormone levels fall almost immediately after testicle removal (unless they are coming from the adrenal or pituitary gland – which can produce false positive blood tests), learned stallion behaviours often take a period of time and training to change and can persist indefinitely depending on the horse.

Aggressive behaviour that can’t be surgically removed can also be a problem! A false rig is an aggressive gelding that displays male dominancetype behaviour, despite having both testicles removed. The stallion-like behaviour displayed by false rigs is not driven by testosterone, and can only be addressed with correct management. Horses can become aggressive for a number of reasons, including survival, hormonal influences, frustration, fear and pain.

While aggression is a normal part of horse behaviour, by nature, horses are not an aggressive species, so identifying the cause of aggression is essential. Possible causes include fear, frustration, pain, dominance, protective, learned and redirected aggressions. Genetic factors, brain dysfunction and self-mutilation are more rare. If you are struggling with an aggressive horse talk to your veterinary surgeon, who can help identify and treat physical and medical issues that might be contributing to the aggression. Once these have been ruled out or treated, changing a horse’s attitude and behaviour requires patience, steady commitment and training. As always, seek the advice of your veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

Dr Jennifer Stewart

(BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, Dip BEP AAIM) is an equine veterinarian with over thirty five years of experience. She is also a consultant nutritionist and has formulated feeds, custom mixes and supplements for leading international horse feed manufacturers in Australia, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the UAE. Dr Stewart is passionate about equine nutrition and it’s role in the management, treatment and prevention of many equine diseases and she is committed to bringing ‘science to the feed bin’.

www.jenquine.com

Mid North Coast

Mid North Coast

This transabdominal ultrasound shows the intra-abdominal testicle. Photo courtesy Dr Hadley Willsallen Specialist Surgeon

THE GREAT BUTE DEBATE

A common enquiry at McDowells Herbal is if using Phenylbutazone or ‘Bute’ as it’s commonly known, is dangerous to health.

‘Bute’ is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat inflammation, pain and fever in animals. It was first used as a treatment for humans but was withdrawn from the market as it was found to cause severe adverse side effects, such as suppression of white blood cell production and aplastic anaemia. Most, but not all, Phenylbutazone toxicity deaths and injury come as a complete surprise and do not result from massive overdoses but just ignorance, careless dosing or individual sensitivity.

The Benefits of Inflammation and Pain

Inflammation and pain are both part of the natural healing process. Inflammation and swelling bring fluids to cushion a damaged area and aid in the healing process. Pain will stop further damage by continued use. When we are in pain we are meant to rest, not to continue with the activity which resulted in pain.

How Herbal Medicine Was Developed

The anti-inflammatory herbs were “discovered” not by scientists in a laboratory but from generations of use and observation, who then passed down the accumulated knowledge of the herbal medicine available in a particular environment. Knowledge was also passed down from animal herders watching their stock self-medicate, choosing the right treatment from wild-growing herbs at their disposal.

Primitive man and animals instinctively sought out those plant substances which provided relief from pain and assisted healing of these conditions. Instincts drove them to lick, bind or even to chew away at proud flesh around a wound. Those who have been around farm horses and other animals will know how often, even a severe open wound, will heal cleanly and with surprisingly little scarring.

Is Long-Term Administration of Bute Dangerous?

This brings us to the discussion as to whether Bute is dangerous to animal’s health…

The first issue with Bute is the complication of the masking of pain. If we are using Bute as pain relief there is a risk that the horse will be more active (or potentially too active!) therefore placing more pressure or strain on an existing injury. Pain is the warning that you’re pushing too hard and without that warning you could be potentially doing even more damage. It’s not unusual that owners/trainers ask the horse to continue work with an injury, to the detriment of its long term well-being. In turn this suggests that Professional Vets are those best equipped to make these decisions and control administration.

Other long-term side effects of prolonged phenylbutazone include:

• Gastrointestinal ulcers

• Blood dyscrasia (abnormal material in the blood)

• Kidney damage (primarily dose-dependant renal papillary necrosis)

• Oral lesions (if given by mouth)

• Internal haemorrhage

• It can also cause agranulocytosis (lowered white blood cell count) This obviously varies in individual cases, sensitivities and dose levels. There are also potential damaging of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause leakage of blood proteins into the intestines, with the result being edema of the legs and belly. This in turn leads to decreased appetite, excessive thirst, weight loss, weakness, and in advanced stages, kidney failure and death.

Phenylbutazone should not be used in pregnant or lactating mares as can be transferred via the umbilical cord and the milk.

Unfortunately despite manufacturers recommendations to the contrary, mostly individual owners administer their own ‘Bute’ whether prescribed or obtained outside of the prescription system. Most (but not all) Phenylbutazone toxicity deaths and injury come as a complete surprise and do not result from massive overdoses but just ignorance, careless dosing or individual sensitivity.

Modern Drugs and their Potential Side Effects

The anti-inflammatory properties of the bark of the White Willow has been understood for all of mankind’s recorded history. Other herbs commonly referred to in the herbal writings of the middle ages (like Culpepper writing in Britain in the 1650’s) were Burdock, Guaiacum, and Devil’s Claw, all of which were recommended for the relief of rheumatism, arthritis and sciatica. These continue to be utilised by herbalists for exactly the same complaints today!

The modern Aspirin was “discovered” simply by analysing the white willow bark and separating out one of the many medicinal ingredients. This ingredient was then synthesised, patented, and promoted as the active ingredient and modern pharmaceutical companies were born. Aspirin is now being rediscovered as a low dose preventative maintenance medicine said to be useful in preventing heart disease and improving circulation.

With the isolated active ingredient came the age of the side effect. For example, while white willow bark extract (even in quite high dose levels and prolonged use) has almost no effect on the gastro-intestinal tract, aspirin, on the other hand (in even moderate doses and for relatively short periods) can cause ulceration, and worse, in the stomach and the gut. Even in the low doses (100mg) currently being prescribed in preventative medicine there are emerging signs, particularly in many elderly people, that these tiny doses are still too strong and cause digestive system irritation and blood vessel fragility. The iron tablets prescribed by your Doctor often cause quite severe constipation while the high iron natural supplements prescribed by your Herbalist are all laxative in their action (consider liquorice, molasses, prunes, rosehips syrup or nettle soup, for example).

The fact that Aspirin use carries serious risks from side effects and that White Willow Bark does not, is simply because the package of complex chemical substances (dozens of them) which are included within the whole plant extract and excluded from the drug, mesh in a balanced and harmonious way with the complex chemistry of our bodily processes. The principal of the active ingredient is the problem. All ingredients in plant substances are active, and our bodies, which evolved on this earth with the plants, relate well to the ‘plant packages’ and mostly not very well with the separate ingredients.

Of course there are other drugs and herbs for that matter, which are outand-out poisons which have side effects that produce desirable medical results. Take for example Curare, Atropine and Digitalis (all derived from plants and used by the medical profession and not by Herbalists who consider them far too dangerous) and Methotrexate, a chemo-therapy agent sometimes used for arthritis treatment.

Routine usage of chemical medicines is almost always detrimental to long-term health prospects. This applies even to so-called ‘safe medications’ like Aspirin and it applies much more to stronger ones like Phenylbutazone. This drug while very widely used, can in some cases and even in small doses, cause ulceration of the digestive tract and severe scouring which can result in death.

Management of Pain and Inflammation

As a Herbalist I can prescribe combinations of antiinflammatory herbs which reduce inflammation and pain, have no side effects, do not swab test and do not mask pain to the extent that the horse will continue with any level of work which will cause long term damage to the injured area. In fact I can go further, and include ingredients which reduce shock, promote healing and clear the blood of toxic residues resulting from or involved in the pain process.

continued over...

The Herbal Bute Alternative

The Natural Art of Healing alleviate McDowells ®

Helpful Herbs

White Willow Bark, Devils Claw, Guaiacum, Burdock, Rosehips, Nettle, Equisetum and Elecampane are all herbs that are used as antiinflammatories and pain relief.

Do not attempt to mix these up yourself as there are some cautions with Devils Claw, Elecampane and Guaiacum for example but in the proper proportions you have a safe, healing, anti-inflammatory treatment which will support your horses healing, while making it more comfortable, and may even allow you to safely continue to work it in competition. This sort of approach should always be the first choice for preventative treatment, management and first aid. Bute should be reserved for emergencies where pain and inflammation must be reduced as a matter of urgency and the risks associated with its use can therefore be justified. As with the herbs, the decisions as to treatment programs and dose levels in emergencies, should be left to the professionals. With this approach the question of allowable levels of Bute in competition horses would not arise. Other more exotic and dangerous procedures like administering Chemotherapy agents, Pin Firing or injecting Gold, Steroids or Sharks Cartilage into Joints should never be inflicted upon animals. This sort of practice should be left to the Charlatans in human medicine (alternate and orthodox) where at least the patient is involved in the choice.

REFERENCES:

MacKay RJ, French TW, Nguyen HT, Mayhew IG. Effects of large doses of phenylbutazone administration in horse. Am J Vet Res 1983;44:774–780.

Lees P, Higgins AJ. Clinical pharmacology in therapeutic uses of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs in the horse. Equine Vet J 1985;17:83–96.

NHS: Drugs used in Rheumatic Diseases and Gout Archived 2013-04-29 at the Wayback Machine

Maekawa, Akihiko; Hiroshi Onodera; Hiroyuki Tanigawa; Kyoko Furuta; Jun Kanno; Chiaki Matsuoka; Toshiaki Ogiu; Yuzo Hayashi (1987-01-09). “Long-Term Studies on Carcinogenicity and Promoting Effect of Phenylbutazone in DONRYU Rats”. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 79 (3): 577–584. doi:10.1093/jnci/79.3.577. ISSN 0027-8874. Retrieved 2013-01-24.

The Complete Pain Management and Tissue Repair System

When cells are damaged through injury, the body’s biocurrent is disrupted in that area, preventing the production of ATP (Adenosine TriPhosphate), critical for all healthy cellular functions, including repair. ATP is the pump that drives this vital process

Kick starts tissue repair

ArcEquine introduces a biocurrent, triggering the body to start the repair at a time it is least able to do so. The horse feels absolutely no sensation.

ArcEquine has become an essential part of our daily routine.

All my horses are top Athletes and ArcEquine helps them to recover quicker from competition runs, training sessions, long distance travel as well as improving their overall wellbeing. My team and I wouldn’t be without it.

Andrew Hoy

2 Olympic Gold Medals, 1 Olympic Silver Medal, 4 World Championship Medals, 2 Burghley Titles

Sarcoids 4 weeks

Reduces inflammation

A quicker repair means a stronger repair, less chance of an injury re-occurring and less scarring through working fast with softer tissue.

Manages pain

ArcEquine manages pain by repairing tissue, this reduces inflammation, which is how the body perceives pain. A drug free, non-invasive and wearable way.

DDFT Tear 16 weeks

About the Author –

Catherine McDowell

Medicine of Mother Nature…

I was first introduced to the concept of Herbal Lore when I was very young. I think one of the earliest influences I can remember was from my grandparents, who were very traditional Bathurst farmers of the well known Cox family. My grandfather had the “people’s home library” which was a compendium of all kinds of home cures.

Herbal Medicine is, at its core, studying nature and the humanities. It’s about observing our diet, our environment and how we respond. Keeping a balance is difficult in the modern era as we are no longer interacting with our environment in the same way as we may have done even as little as a 100 years ago.

As a Dorothy Hall graduate working along side the well known Robert McDowell for many years and furthering my education with Dennis Stewart, I have developed my own unique application of herbal remedies.

Working primarily with animals (Horses and Dogs) has been the most rewarding.

Having seen herbs work so well in so many cases has proven to me time and again the under-utilised power of herbal medicine. It is heartening to see now Vets, and some Medical Doctors seeing the traditional application of herbs as useful.

My comprehensive service includes free animal consultations 24/7 via my web site, and face to face consultation at 61 Corporation Avenue, Bathurst NSW 2795.

CLINIC: (02) 6331 3937

INTERNATIONAL: +61 2 6331 3937

EMAIL: info@mcdowellsherbal.com

WEB: www.mcdowellsherbal.com

CONFLICT or CONFUSION

How Horses Learn

Pee Wee Horse Bit

The

world that does not contact the sensitive sides of the horse’s mouth

It’s 2003, raining and the Rugby World Cup Final is starting in a couple of hours’ time. It’s being shown on a big screen at my local Pub. I had double booked myself and was moving my horse to a different agistment centre that morning. Being passionate about Rugby, I had followed the series through to the final, England v Australia and was eagerly anticipating the match.

Now then. I had two hours to load my horse, take him to the new place and get him settled, then head back to the pub. Right? Wrong….

I arrived, hooked up the float and then caught, brushed and booted him. I think you will all be able to guess what happened next….. He wouldn’t load on the float. He’d loaded lots of times before, sometimes it took a little longer but he ALWAYS went in. An hour later, I’d been rained on, was freezing cold and getting upset. I couldn’t work out why he wouldn’t go in. The more I tried, the more he resisted. I gave us both a break and tried again.

Some of the other agistees turned up and offered their advice. I tried all of their suggestions: a rope around the bum; reversing him in; blindfolding him; poke him with the broom, you name it, I tried it. Some of the things that I was told to do, I was deeply uncomfortable with, but everyone seemed to be so much more knowledgeable than me. All of this despite having had horses all my life.

Does all this sound familiar? I will return to the story later.

Fast forward to an agistment centre in Perth. My 3yr old off the track TB had not moved forward into the wash box when I asked him and he had just reversed very quickly into the owner’s two children. He knocked one of them over and nearly stood on the other. It didn’t go down well as you can probably imagine. Thank heavens, the owner was the accountant for

Andrew McLean’s Elephant charity and knew all about his work. I was duly told in no uncertain terms to contact Andrew to gain help. That experience was life changing for me. I went to see Dr. Andrew McLean at a clinic with my rearing horse who was out of control. What I have ended up with is a horse who is well trained and is teaching beginner riders. Our bond is amazing…Wow.

I know you will all have had similar experiences to me. So many of my clients come to me with horses in conflict because they have been at the sharp end of differing opinions on what to do and what not to do. We may try things we are deeply uncomfortable with because the person giving the information seems so confident in what they are telling you. It might interest you to know that we will go against our own moral conscience to obey authority figures. If you are interested, look up the Milgram experiments. Milgram (1963)

So, what on earth is Equitation Science?

“The application of scientific methods to assess objectively the welfare of horses undergoing training. It promotes evidence-based understanding of horse-rider interactions. The goal is to apply valid, quantitative scientific methods to identify what training techniques are ineffective or painful and to improve the horse-rider relationship by explaining horse training from a Learning Theory perspective” (Dr. Andrew McLean.)

In a nutshell – it’s about our relationship with our horses, the understanding of how they learn and how we can train with the optimum welfare standards possible.

My own journey and my studies with Equitation Science shows me how important it is that we all understand the basics in Learning Theory: Negative Reinforcement (the removal of pressure to increase the likelihood of that behaviour re-occurring) or, Pressure/Release. This is how a horse learns. That’s a fact. This is not a method, a fad, a new theory, sending energy, being dominant, getting the horse’s respect. This is simply the way your horse learns. Here are some examples (good, bad and ugly) on how learning theory runs through all of our engagement with our horses.

The Good:

a) The young horse is taught to move forward with pressure on the lead rope. Once the horse takes a step forward, then we remove any forward pressure. The horse learns to walk forward with a basic attempt first, and then we gradually shape the response.

b) We ask for a halt with rein pressure on the bit. When the horse halts, we remove soften (remove) the pressure. With the addition of seat or weight aids, we can lighten the pressure rein aid further.

c) The horse doesn’t like his head touched. We keep our hand on his head until his head stays still. Then we remove our hand – thus teaching the horse that if he keeps his head still, then the hand goes away.

d) We squeeze the horse with our legs to ask him to move forward. Once he has taken two steps forward we release the leg pressure. Again, we gradually shape the response so that the horse learns from a basic attempt level all the way through to self-carriage (moving forward without being ‘nagged’ withby our legs).

The Bad:

e) You try to worm your horse and he throws your hand away with his head – result, the wormer goes away!

f) The horse trials pulling back from his tie up, breaks the string and runs off – result freedom!

g) The horse doesn’t understand the cue to go forward from light pressure and runs backwards off a float ramp – result, the horse doesn’t go in to the scary, small space!

h) The horse has learned that if he tries to kick you when you are trying to put a bandage on an injury. You go away…

The Ugly:

i) You get bucked off – this one is the ultimate in pressure/release (Negative Reinforcement) and you go away!

j) He rears and you stop whatever you were doing before he reared

k) You get chased by a very aggressive horse when you try to catch him – result, you don’t go near him and also move away.

l) The horse tries to rear and strike you with his front foot – that one, you can work out….

All of the above I have either experienced or witnessed. It’s all Learning Theory in action.

So, now I want you to think of the interactions you have with your horse. Take a couple of minutes to think of the things you have issues with. I promise you, Learning Theory will run right through it.

Horses are trial and error learners. Think of what has been trialled by him, and what has been either advertently or inadvertently rewarded by you.

Training with light pressures for optimum welfare:

How light are the pressures that you use? Out of a pressure scale of 1 to 10 we should all be aiming for, at the most a ‘3’. There are times when I might need to increase the pressure to motivate a horse I am retraining, but that pressure always reverts back as soon as possible to that magic ‘1 - 3’.

When you walk forward with your horse, how light is the lead rein pressure?

When you ask for a “go” response with your legs, how light is that pressure?

Asking for a halt – how light is that rein pressure?

Every horse I have worked with – regardless of how he has previously been trained can work off the lightest of pressures. You can see the tension start to release, the trainability comes back, and calmness ensues. And, yes, you can get rid of those spurs too. It’s all there and accessible by using Learning Theory correctly. Another tip - avoid using clashing signals. We have this pressing need to put the horse into a “frame”. We use constant rein pressure to force or hold the horse in a frame at the same time as using leg pressure for “forward” and “go”. Effectively you are saying “go” with your legs and “stop” with your hands at the same time. Horses cannot cope with this. It’s like sticking your foot on the accelerator pedal and brake at the same time. Clashing signals make for tension and conflict issues.

I’m nearly at the end of my word quota so here goes. A personal bugbear. Try to avoid labelling a horse. Think how you would feel if someone labelled your friend as “stupid”, “gumbie”, “lazy”, “belligerent” or “dirty”. This stuff drives me to distraction. The moment you begin to label something – then it becomes a win/lose paradigm. Guess who is the one that loses? Yes, you’ve guessed it, the horse. It leads to welfare issues. One of the horses I have seen recently was labelled the first three on the list. Long story cut short, he was in ‘Learned Helplessness’ and had stopped trialling anything because there was never any release of pressure for him. Google “Learned Helplessness”, it’s not good.

And the end of my story? “it was the start of my educational journey. The questioning started that day. What do I need to learn so that in future my beautiful horse loads in the float? The key few words in that sentence boils down to: I need to understand how horses learn……..”

And, I caught the last 20 minutes of the match.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

Jennifer Davy

Jen is the owner of Purely Positive Animal Training and works with people, horses and dogs. Her passion is enhancing the human/animal bond. Jen’s daily work is varied, from coaching riders, training horses and Equine Assisted Therapy to working with behavioural issues with horses and dogs. Jen enjoys the variety her work offers her and her philosophy is to enhance the lives of others through education and building understanding.

Her commitment to animals is shown by the ethical training methods she advocates. Jen believes that when working with conflict behaviours, we must address the causes with a solid basis in science combined with understanding and compassion

Equitation Science gave her a deeper understanding and changed the relationship she had with her horses and she has never looked back.

Jen works from her home at Kobble Creek, from UQ Vets in Dayboro and will also travel to see clients.

Jen has a Dip. Equitation Science International, a Cert IV with Delta as a Behavioural Trainer. With over thirty years’ experience in coaching, training and helping others, Jen is a passionate advocate of ESI and the role it plays in our everyday interactions with our horses.

PHONE: 0424 513 262

EMAIL: jendavy09@gmail.com

This is a not so uncommon scenario, and one that needs explanation. Well as best explanation as we can, given that the condition is still not fully understood, when it comes to all the possible causes of it.

What we are talking about and showing in the photos below is the condition called Suture Periostitis, or Suture Exostosis! These names refer to inflammation and disruption to the normally flat “suture line” border between the frontal and nasal bones of the skull. See pic 2

This is kind of analogous to an earthquake, where adjacent plates of earth push into earth other and buckle upwards. In the pic 2, you can see what the normal suture lines look like, so can relate to the earthquake analogy.

The cause of this condition is not fully understood, but likely involves trauma such as a head knock or fall, but also can be secondary to sinus flap surgery, where there is both trauma and some destabilisation of the bones of the skull. Pic 5 – large sized sinus flap surgery can be a risk factor for suture periostitis.

Normal suture lines on #1 skull

It can happen in any age of horse, but is seen more in adult horses.

Suture exostosis on #2 skull

So long as the inflamed suture lines don’t become infected, they are usually not very painful, and will resolve over the next 12-24 months – mostly returning to a normal flat appearance.

Real horse with suture exostosis in middle 1 2

We specialise in a quality range of horse float, truck, stall and stable floor and wall rubber.

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Pic 2. Pic of skulls and real horse.

Normal suture lines on skull

Real horse with suture exostosis

Suture exostosis on skull

About the Author

Pic 6. Big Head -

Arrows show facial bone swelling, loss of definition of facial crest, and mandibular swelling

Because the tear ducts (nasolacrimal ducts) run across this suture line border between bones, they can become compressed and blocked, and so the affected eye may start weeping tears for weeks to months while the condition heals.

As seen in Pic 4, X-rays are required to confirm the diagnosis, and differentiate it from other conditions that may be confused with it.

Some of these conditions include “Big Head” or Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (pic 6 and 7) , traumatic skull fractures, sinus infection, sinus tumours and tooth root infections.

As you can see in Pic 3, the main feature of this condition is that it occurs right between the eyes, and not down lower, as that is usually due to other causes such as trauma.

So long as there is no infection involved, the main treatment is the “tincture of time”.

If you have a new lump on your horse’s head, please phone your local equine veterinarian as soon as possible, as some problems need swift diagnosis and treatment in order to achieve the best outcome.

Dr Oliver Liyou has been an equine veterinarian for 26 years and runs a nonemergency equine clinic, EVDS, on 60 acres in South Grafton – servicing clients from Kempsey to the Qld Border. With the help of his team of 9 staff, they also conduct post graduate equine dentistry workshops for veterinarians, and have hosted over 600 veterinarians since the first workshop in 2002.

Equine Veterinary and Dental Services

160 Old Lilypool Rd South Grafton NSW 2460

Phone: (02) 6642 4700 • Mobile: 0428 515 650 • www.evds.net.au

Pic 7. Mandible thickening is characteristic of BigHead

Pic 5. Large flap sinus surgery like the pic on the left can predispose to suture periostitis in the following year

Recovery for immediate release

Researchers from the University of Newcastle have teamed up with a western Sydney horse feed and supplement company to produce a world-first exercise-recovery product for horses.

Researchers from the University of Newcastle have teamed up with a western Sydney supplement company to produce a world-first exercise-recovery product for horses.

Professor Hugh Dunstan, from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at the university’s Science and Information Technology, began researching how amino acids were lost in sweat 2014. Together with Horsepower Feeds & Supplements, he then developed a product to other elite performance horses recover more quickly from intense exercise.

Professor Hugh Dunstan, from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at the university’s Faculty of Science and Information Technology, began researching how amino acids were lost in sweat during exercise in 2014. Together with Horsepower Feeds & Supplements, he then developed a product to help racehorses and other elite performance horses recover more quickly from intense exercise.

“We found that a small group of six amino acids are lost in much than other amino acids. After exercise, digestion of protein is impaired time, but these amino acids are needed immediately in the recovery Prof Dunstan explained.

“We found that a small group of six amino acids are lost in much higher quantities than other amino acids. After exercise, digestion of protein is impaired for some time, but these amino acids are needed immediately in the recovery processes,” Prof Dunstan explained.

“To achieve this, the horse would undergo a process known as ‘catabolism’ down existing proteins in the body to provide the necessary components to replace damaged proteins and build muscle.”

Prof Dunstan said his team developed computer-based models of protein turnover metabolism to arrive at a precise recipe that mimicked what was lost during exercise and This allowed researchers to develop a supplement that provides horses with their requirements without overburdening the animal with excessive protein, which comes at a

“To achieve this, the horse would undergo a process known as ‘catabolism’ to break down existing proteins in the body to provide the necessary components required to replace damaged proteins and build muscle.”

“External replenishment of these key amino acids immediately after reduces the need for breakdown of muscle proteins and, in the long facilitates better maintenance of muscle condition.”

Prof Dunstan said his team developed computer-based models of protein turnover and amino acid metabolism to arrive at a precise recipe that mimicked what was lost during exercise and exertion.

Horsepower Feeds & Supplements, which has more than 30 years’ experience in equine with Prof Dunstan and his team for three years to bring the product to market.

This allowed researchers to develop a supplement that provides horses with their exact amino acid requirements without overburdening the animal with excessive protein, which comes at a metabolic cost.

Dr Mark Greathead MRCVS, the founder and owner of Horsepower, is excited about the “To use the science that Professor Dunstan has come up with to produce a world-first supplement that will genuinely aid in the recovery of how could we not be excited?

“External replenishment of these key amino acids immediately after exercise reduces the need for breakdown of muscle proteins and, in the long term, facilitates better maintenance of muscle condition.”

The result is a product built totally on science,” he said.

Horsepower Feeds & Supplements, which has more than 30 years’ experience in equine nutrition, has worked with Prof Dunstan and his team for three years to bring the product to market.

Horsepower Recovery BOOSTAA is now available in powder or For further information please contact:

Stephen Lamb National Marketing Manager HORSEPOWER FEEDS & SUPPLEMENTS stephen@horsepower.com.au 0402118558

Prof Hugh Dunstan Founding Director INNOVAATE hugh@innovaate.com.au

Dr Mark Greathead MRCVS, the founder and owner of Horsepower, is excited about the product.

0400 480 253

“To use the science that Professor Dunstan has come up with to produce a world-first supplement that will genuinely aid in the recovery of exercising horses, how could we not be excited?

The result is a product built totally on science,” he said.

Horsepower Recovery BOOSTAA is now available in powder or paste form.

For further information please contact:

Stephen Lamb

Prof Hugh Dunstan

National Marketing Manager Founding Director HORSEPOWER INNOVAATE

FEEDS & SUPPLEMENTS hugh@innovaate.com.au

stephen@horsepower.com.au 0400 480 253 0402118558

higher intensity training and racing exacerbates these losses

Replenishment of these key amino acids can support

✔ Effective maintenance of aerobic capacity

✔ Maintenance of muscle mass and condition

✔ Muscle recovery from exercise

✔ Soft tissue repair

✔ Protein synthesis

During and after exercise, digestive processes slow

✔ There will be a period of some hours before ingested proteins are digested

✔ There is a delay in supply of amino acids immediately post exercise

✔ This is the time when they are

BoostAA amino acids are in free form, they

✔ Do not require digestion

✔ Are rapidly absorbed

✔ Provide key amino acids when they are needed

Providing BoostAA straight after exercise will (within 30 minutes)

✔ Provide key resources for recovery

✔ Will reduce demand on the body to supply these amino acids

Reducing catabolism provides a better chance to

✔ Maintain muscle mass and integrity

✔ Minimise susceptibility to muscle soreness and injuries

Wilpena Chalet

Isisford

Emmet

Yaraka Barcaldine

Blackall

Innamincka

Hotel

Thargomindah

Tibooburra Milparinka

Fowlers Gap Wanaaring

Broken Hill

Cockburn

pa

Tailem Bend Bor

Springsure

Charleville

Augathella

Mitchell Morven

Wyandra

Cunnamu lla Eulo

Bollon

Hungerford

Barringun

Blackwater

Rolleston

Taroom

St. George Surat

Dirranbandi

Hebel

Bourke

Packsaddle

Renmark Pinnaroo

Mildura

Medindee

Wentworth

Wilcannia

Ivanhoe

Hillston

Byrock Nyngan

Cobar

Brewarrina

Glenmorgan

Moonie Miles Roma

Boggabilla Nindigully Mungindi

Lightning Ridge Collarenebri

Walgett

Goondiwindi

Burren Junction Moree

Narrabri Wee Waa White Cliffs

Coonamble Gunnedah

Gilgandra

Coonabarabran Werris Ck Quirindi

Murrurundi

Dubbo

Wellington Peak Hill Parkes

Gulgong Mudgee

Lake Cargelligo

Rankins Springs

Balranald Robinvale

Ouyen

Swan Hill Narrandera Leeton Cootamundra Junee Marsden Condobolin Cowra Young

Hay

Hopetoun Booroorban Moulamein

Nhill

Charlton

Dimboola

Horsham

Griffith

Deniliquin Jerilderie

Kerang

Forbes Molong

Orange

Bathurst

West Wyalong

Wagga Wagga

Tumut Lockhart Holbrook Corowa Tocumwal

Echuca

Shepparton

Albury Wodonga

Picton

Mittagong

Hunter Valley

Lithgow Katoomba W in dsor Yass Moss

Goulburn

Queanbeyan

Kiama

Nowra

Ulladulla

Casterton

Ararat

Hamilton

Mortlake

Portland Warrnambool

Maryborough

Colac Apollo Bay Castlemaine

Benalla Wangaratta Yea Healesville Warragul Wonthaggi Sale

Seymore Mansfield Bright Falls Creek Omeo

Khancoban Corryong Bombala

Kiandra Bredbo

Thredbo

Yarram Bairnsdale Lakes Entrance Orbost Cann River Toora Morwell Moe

Batemans

Moruya

Bega Tathra Merimbula Eden Mallacoota Cooma

Narooma

Dingo

Moura Theodore Taroom Biloela Monto Miriam Vale

Mundubberra Gayn dah Murgon Gympie

BUNYA MTNS NAT PK

Miles Dalby

Moonie

Toowoomba

Goondiwindi

Boggabilla

Inglewood Nambour Kingaroy Childers Hervey Bay

Nanango Kilcoy

MT KAPUTAR NAT PK

Inverell Narrabri

Moree Warialda Glen Innes Armidale

Gunnedah

Murrurundi

Muswellbrook Singleton

Valley Darling Downs Maryborough Bundaberg Gladstone

Orchid Beach Noosa Heads

Esk Ipswich Beenleigh Caboolture Caloundra Maroochydore

BRISBANE

Tin Can Bay Southport Surfers Paradise Coolangatta Warwick

Stanthorpe

HW

Brunswick Heads Evans Head Casino

Tenterfield Grafton Coffs Harbour Dorrigo Lismore Ballina Byron Bay

WASHPOOL NAT PK GIBRALTAR RANGE NAT PK

GUY FAWKES RIVER NAT PK

NEW ENG. NAT PK DORRIGO NAT PK

Maitland Walcha Wauchope PortMacquarie Kempsey Macks ville Nambucca Heads Taree Forster

PK

Raymond Terrace

A

A

A

A

S

www.australiancarriagedrivingsociety.org

Vic – Ph: Daryl Roe 0423 656 079

7-8 Christmas Obstathon, Rosemont Arena, Reedy Creek, NSW – Ph: Amanda 0417 228 814

7-8

14-15

D riven Dressage Qualifier, Geelong Cl (Venue TBA) – Ph: Gwenifer 0409 590 511

D riven Dressage Qualifier,Central Highlands Cl, 455 Millwood Rd, Huntly, Vic – Ph: Hilary 0419 104 583

National Cutting Horse Association – www.ncha.com.au – Ph: 02 6765 9356

15 Western Gippsland Quarter Horse Ass Inc, Jackpot Show, Garfield North, Vic – Ph: Linda Sutton 03 5998 8402

w ww.dressagensw.com.au – www.vic.equestrian.org.au – www.qld.equestrian.org.au

1 N orth Coast Equestrian Centre, T Shirt Hack Show, Nana Glen, NSW – Ph: Leanne 0417 446 845 ah

7-8 Randal Park Official EA Dressage Competition, Randal Park Eq/Ctr Warrigal, Vic – Ph: Alissa 0408 511 490

4-7

2 019 EGO SUNSENSE EA, Australasian Show Horse & Rider Championships, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic www.equestrian.org.au – Ph: 02 8762 7777

8 Sugarloaf Cobbitty Equestrian Cl, OC/CU/CR Pr-GP/FS, Sugarloaf Eq/Ctr NSW – Ph: 02 4655 5665

12-15

D ressage Festival, Boneo Park Eq/Ctr, BONEO, Vic – Ph: 03 5986 3006 – www.boneopark.com.au

5-8 Summer Showjumping Classic CSI-N, SIEC, Horsley Park, NSW – Ph: 0418 546 083

7-8

14-15

15

28-31

30-2 Dec

3-5

6-8

7-10

14-15

S ydney CS11*-W - www.jumpingnsw.equestrian.org.au – E: espjane@bigpond.com15

Cora Lynn/ Peninsula Showjumping Cl, Christmas Show - www.vic.equestrian.org.au

H RCAV, Cranbourne South Riding Cl, Official Showjumping Classic 2019 - Ph: Karen 0407 433 956

B ega Showjumping Cl, 4 Day Event, Bega, NSW – Ph: Kristy McPaul 0421 902 438

M el Fleming Horsemanship - Ph: Mel 0428 385 745 - www.melfleming.com.au

M el Fleming Horsemanship - Introductory Course, Connecting & Fundamental Feel in Groundskills, Wooragee, Vic - See all Mel’s contact details above.

M el Fleming Horsemanship - Intermediate Course, Groundskills & Riding, Wooragee, Vic - See all Mel’s contact details above.

M el Fleming Horsemanship - Intermediate Course, Groundwork & Riding, Bathurst, NSW - See all Mel’s contact details above.

Ken Faulkner Australian Horsemanship - Ph: Kathy 0427 732 394 - www.australiannaturalhorsemanship.com

Ken Faulkner Australian Horsemanship - 4 Day Savvy Weekend, Esk, Qld – Ph: Kathy as above

Ken Faulkner Australian Horsemanship - Introducing your Horse to Cattle, Day1 & Riding, Obsticles & Fun Challenges, Day 2, Esk, Qld - Ph: Kathy as above

w ww.australianpolo.com.au - Ph: Amanda Jansen 0459 272 277

V IC: Wednesday Nights, Chukkas, Eynesbury Polo Cl @ WPNEC – 4 th, 11th, 18th. 7-8 Ballan, 14-15 WPNEC, 19 Ballan, 21-22 Freshwater Creek.

w ww.polocrossevic.org.au - www.polocrosse.com.au – www.nswpolocrosse.com.au

30-1 Dec Casterton Polocrosse Spring tournament, Casterton, Vic – Ph: 0403 936 253

8 Pakenham Pony Open Jumping Classic 2019, Upper Pakenham, Vic – Ph: Karen Slade 0407 433 956

8 M entone Pony Cl, Open Horse Trials & Combined Training 2019, Patterson Lakes, Vic – Ph: as above

w ww.reiningaustralia.com.au – Ph: Lynda Gray 0412 479 340 - www.nswrha.com.au – www.vrha.com.au

7-8 S QRHA, Equestrian Centre, Gatton Qld – Ph: Chris Wales 0407 856 785 – www.sqrha.com.au

7 V RHA, Christmas Break up & Awards – www.vrha.com.au

30-1 Dec 2 019 NBS Open Breeds Show, Followed by 2019 NBS State Titles Show, Sh/Gr, Geelong, Vic Ph: Lyn Gates 03 9775 8090 – www.nbs.org.au

7-8 A SHS Vic,

New Equestrian Club at Rollands Plains

The Rollands Plains Community have been working to upgrade the old Rodeo grounds, we are very excited as we are near completion. The main arena has been fully upgraded with a new perimeter fence and the ground worked to produce an excellent surface. Half of the new all metal yards have been installed and our dressage arena is on the verge of having the final touches completed regarding the required surface. The new canteen and surrounding sitting area are well on the way to completion and trees have been planted to beautify the area.

Time to organise an equestrian club beginning in 2020

The club will be open to all age of riders, all skill levels, any breed of horse and any discipline (The more variety the better) We will be all inclusive for our community as well as open to riders across the Mid-North Coast. We are not instead of Pony Club in fact we would like to compliment Pony Club.

The club envisions being able to hold days where riders from many backgrounds can get together swapping information and skills. Added to these days we will have fun days, game and sporting days, trail rides and hold clinics bringing in experts from around the midnorth coast and beyond.

One of the new equestrian sports developing in Australia is Working Equitation. This discipline is rapidly spreading up and down the east coast, we would like to explore and introduce working equitation to the Port Macquarie Hastings locality. (If that is what the majority of members want) However, we are interested in introducing any new equine sport and will support our members interest at every opportunity.

As the club is at the beginning of its life, we need start-up funds so we can physically get started – the most expensive being the Public Liability insurance, we do need the first year’s premium paid to cover all riders. We do not want a few members paying large membership fees for the first year. Our aim being to keep membership fees low, we are very sensitive and acknowledge the fact riders could end up with multiple memberships adding up to quite an expensive yearly cost.

Currently we are running 2 fundraisers –

1) WIN A CHAIN SAW – Tickets $5.00 each.

2) MEGA CHOICE – Tickets $5.00 each.

1ST DRAWN / 1ST CHOICE OF PRIZES

• 4 -hour Handyman Home Job – VALUE $140.00

Donated by John Sanders, Jack’s Home Maintenance

• 2 x Horse Trims – VALUE $100.00

Donated by Mitch Rourke Farrier

• Fruit Salad Tree – VALUE $120.00

Donated by Kerry West, Fruit Salad Tree Company

• Hastings Co-Op Gift Voucher – VALUE $60.00

Red Bull/Holden limited addition Cap – VALUE $40.00

Bago Buff Honey pack

Donated by Hastings Co-Op

• Euro Hunter Suit Bag – VALUE $45.00

Donated by Jane Parkinson, Wauchope Saddlery

• 3 bags of Horse feed – VALUE $120.00

Donated by Wauchope Produce

• Feed Scoop and Gum Boots – VALUE $45.00

Donated by Wauchope Rural Centre

• Hand Crochet Baby Blanket

Donated by Carol Griffiths

Both Raffles Drawn November 30th at the Rollands Plains Community BBQ.

For information contact Carol Griffiths

Email: carolgriffiths31@gamil.com • Phone: 0447 309 799

Q LD: 1 Lazy Acres, 8 Biloela.

N ational Barrel Horse Association - Ph: Melissa Kattenberg 0417 071 833 - www.nbha.com.au

A BCRA – Ph: 02 6766 5863 - www.abcra.com.au

S outhern Campdrafting Association Ltd – Ph: Secretary 02 6386 6204 – www.campdraft.org.au

N SW: 18-19 Taralga.

V IC: 14-15 SCA Youth Camp Hawkesdale, 14-15 Improvement Clinic, Pete Comiskey & Steven Hart, Maldon – Ph: Bruce O’Dell 0428 756 731.

w ww.australiancarriagedrivingsociety.org h ttps://www.carriagedrivingnsw.org.au/ h ttps://www.australiancarriagedrivingsociety.org/find-a-club/qld-clubs/ h ttp://www.australiancarriagedrivingsocietyvic.org.au/

N ational Cutting Horse Ass – www.ncha.com.au – Ph: 02 6765 9356

19 West Gippsland QHA Inc, Jackpot Show, Garfield North, Vic – Ph: Linda Sutton 03 5998 8402

w ww.dressagensw.com.au – www.vic.equestrian.org.au – www.qld.equestrian.org.au

7 - 8 DV, High Performance Squad, Boneo Park Eq/Ctr, Boneo, Vic - Ph: Fiona Selby 0402 849 802

11-12 S HC Summer Show Extravaganza, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: Deena Peters 03 9013 0707

16-19 E V, Victorian Youth Championships, Boneo Park Eq/Ctr, Boneo, Vic - Ph: Fiona Selby 0402 849 802

18-19 Young Rider Development Clinic, Clarendon, NSW – Ph: Mandy Jones 0415 224 977

18-19 R andall Park Official EA January Competition, Warrigal, Vic – Ph: 0499 476 313

19 Young Dressage Assoc, OC/CR – Pr-GP/YH, Bendick Murrel, NSW – Ph: Megan Bryant 0429 326 313 – www.youngdressage.com

23-26 B oneo Classic, Boneo Park, Boneo, Vic – Ph: Fiona Selby 0402 849 802 – www.boneoclassic.com

w ww.aeraspace.com.au - www.nswera.asn.au – www.vic.aera.com.au - www.qldendurance.asn.au

Equestrian Australia – www.equestrian.org.au – Ph: 02 8762 7777

11-12

11-12

18-19

C aramut R Cl, Showjumping Festival, Tier Level 4, Vic – www.vic.equestrian.org.au – Ph: 03 9013 0707

P PSJC, Summer Show, Tier Level 3, Lang Lang, Vic – www.vic.equestrian.org.au– Ph: 03 9013 0707

Elms Summer Classic, Tier Level 2, Vic – www.vic.equestrian.org.au - Ph: 03 9013 0707

24 Toowoomba Jump Club, Australia Day Sh/jumping Classic, Sh/Gr, Toowoomba, Qld – Ph: 0407 132 281

23-26 B oneo Classic World Cup - Ph: Fiona Selby 0402 849 802 – www.boneoclassic

25-26

G eelong SJC, Summer Show, Vic - www.vic.equestrian.org.au - Ph: 03 9013 0707

31 World Wetland Day World Cup, Boneo - Ph: Fiona Selby 0402 849 802 – www.boneoclassic

2 -16 Tanja Kraus Horsemanship - Start your own Horse Under Saddle, Coffs Harbour – Ph: Tanja 0412 592 033 – www.horsemanshipforperformance.com

11-19

11-24

25-29

V

K

w ww.australianpolo.com.au - Ph: Amanda Jansen 0459 272 277

M el Fleming Horsemanship - 3 Follow on Courses over 9 Days, Mt Mee, Qld – Ph: Mel 0428 385 745 – www.melfleming.com.au

en Faulkner Australian Horsemanship - Young Horse Intake, Esk, Qld - Ph: Kathy 0427 732 394 - www.australiannaturalhorsemanship.com

K en Faulkner Australian Horsemanship - 4 Day Savvy Weekend, Esk, Qld - Ph: Kathy 0427 732 394 - www.australiannaturalhorsemanship.com

IC: Wednesday Nights, Chukkas, Open to all, Eynesbury Polo Cl @ WPNEC – 1st, 8, 15, 22, 29.

4-5 W PNEC, Yaloak Polo Cl, 10-12 Drummond, 11 Portsea, 18-19 WPNEC, Yarra Valley Polo Cl, 24-26 V PC CHAMPIONSHIPS AT WPNEC.

*All dates are subject to change

– Ph: Lynda Gray 0412 479 340 - www.nswrha.com.au – www.vrha.com.au

24-2 Feb V RHA, Slide into Summer, WPNEC, Werribee – Ph: Kristy Hobson 0423 673 372 www.vrha.com.au

18-19 2 020 National Clydesdale & Heavy Horse Festival, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: Val 0438 599 590 https://www.facebook.com

19-20 W PCS Gippsland & Peninsula Youngstock & Performance Show, Vic – Ph: Shellee 0456 010 719 www.wpcs.com.au

22-25 2 020 East Coast Arabian Championships, SIEC, Horsley Park, NSW – Ph: 0408 232 162 www.nswarabian.org.au

30-2 Feb W DQHA, “2020 Sun N Surf SHOWCASE”, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: Wes Roderick 0418 546 857 www.wdqha.com

Team Penning Australia Inc. – Ph: Kylie Mackillop 0457 460 559 – www.teampenningaustralia.com

A ustralian National Working Equitation Ltd - www.anweltd.com.au

C VWE, Sth Grafton, NSW – Ph: Chris Fowles 0421 358 373

26 V ic, SWWEC, Training Day, Port Fairy, Vic – E: Linda – swwec@yahoo.com.au

A lso see Natural Horsemanship section for Clinics

7 - 8 B uck Brannaman Horsemanship Clinic, AELEC, Tamworth, NSW – Ph: 02 6767 5200

13 F our Winds Reiki – Ph: Julie 0404 470 571 - www.reikiforhorses.com.au 6 Week Online Course - Horse Lover’s Guide to Equine Reiki (Equine Reiki Level 1)

12-14 O utback Equines, 3 Day H/manship Camp, Gatton/ Lockyer Indoor Eq/Centre, Qld – Ph: Hayley 0403 584 254

20-22 O utback Equines, 3 Day, Mixed Training Camp, (no archery components), Venue as above – Ph: 0403 584 254 www.outbackequines.com

For further information, or to obtain additional copies of the Guide, please call (02) 8272 2611, or visit www.provisual.com.au/equine.html

Pro-Visual Publishing in conjunction with the Horse Safety Australia and Pony Club Association NSW has proudly released their latest edition of the Augmented Reality (AR) Equine Industry Guide to Safety 2019/20, distributed free of charge Australia wide.

The wall-mountable printed Guide is to be displayed in a place where horse trainers and riders can view it on a daily basis. With injuries occurring more often than not, safety around horses and the correct knowledge on how to handle and behave around them is critical to ones safety and wellbeing.

The carefully selected topics address issues pertinent to the industry in regards to health and safety, which include:

• Planning and Design of Riding & Associated Areas.

• Co-ordinating Riding Program with Total Facility.

• Induction and Safe Work Procedures.

• Supervisor & Instructor Competencies.

COMING EVENTS FEB 2020

4-5

15

CUTTING

CARRIAGE DRIVING DRESSAGE & EQUESTRIAN EVENTING &

VAS LTD Saddle Horse Championships, Bendigo, Vic.

Q SEC Horse Home Show, QSEC, Caboolture, Qld - https://www.qsec.com.au/Events

22 N ADAC Dog Agility Trial, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: WPNEC 03 9741 7672

A ustralian Barrel Horse Association – Ph: 03 5343 5118 - www.abha.com.au

A BHA – NSW: 9 Cooma, 15-16 Murrurundi, 18-10 Adele Edwards two Day Barrel Racing Clinic, Sh/Gr, Cooma, NSW.

2 2-23 Coorangbong.

Q LD: 14 Charters Towers

National Barrel Horse Association - Ph: Melissa Kattenberg 0417 071 833 - www.nbha.com.au

A BCRA – Ph: 02 6766 5863 - www.abcra.com.au

NSW: 15-16 Bendemeer

S outhern Campdrafting Association Ltd – Ph: Secretary 02 6386 6204 – www.campdraft.org.au

www.australiancarriagedrivingsociety.org

1 – 2 D riven Dressage Qualifier, Emu Plains, Balnarring, Vic – E: Sally mpphcsecretary930@gmail.com

8 D riven Dressage Qualifier, Maffra, Vic –Tom t_d@live.com.au

8 – 9 L evel 4 CDE, Maffra, Vic – E: Tom t_d@live.com.au

16 D riven Dressage Qualifier, Catani, Vic (tbc) – E: Jenny darrencummins@gmail.com

National Cutting Horse Ass – www.ncha.com.au – Ph: 02 6765 9356

16 West Gippsland QHA Inc, Jackpot Show, Garfield North, Vic – Ph: Linda Sutton 0411 950 816

25-29

2 019 NCHA National Finals – Championship Show, Showgrounds, Toowoomba, Qld – Ph: NCHA 02 6765 9356

*All

w ww.dressagensw.com.au – www.vic.equestrian.org.au – www.qld.equestrian.org.au – www.showhorsecouncilaust.com.au

1 Carlton Performance Horses, Official EA Dressage Competition, Baw Baw Eq/Ctr, Larden, Vic – Ph: 03 9013 0707

1 A PDC, OC/CR Pr/YH, Salt Ash, NSW – Ph: Wendy Cotton 0419 873 321 – www.alaxanderparkdressageclub.org

1 B owral Dressage, OC/CU Pr/YH,Bowral, NSW – Ph: Karen Lever 0405 384 201 – w ww.bowraldressage.com.au

7 – 8 Bo neo February Monthly Dressage Comp, Boneo Park Eq/Ctr, Boneo, Vic – Ph: 03 5986 3006 www.boneopark.com.au

7 – 9 B arastoc Horse of the Year 2020, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: Dina Peters SHCV 03 9013 0707

8 A SPR Young Horse & Young Pony Barastoc, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: Dina Peters SHCV 03 9013 0707

8 – 9 DNSW, OC/YH Pr-GP/YH, Clarendon, NSW – Mary Houghton 0409 841 089 – www.dressagensw.com.au

9 Show Horse Queensland, Measuring Day, QSEC, Caboolture, Qld – Ph: Gail Iskra 0407 748 763

14-15 A Master Class with Ingrid Klimke, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: 0420 316 481 (10am - 4pm)

15 Q SEC Horse Home Show, QSEC, Caboolture, Qld - https://www.qsec.com.au/Events

15 J PDC Inc Summer Dressage Championships, JurVon Park Eq/Ctr, Kurunjang, Vic – Ph: 03 9013 0707

15-16

16

16

22-23

Borders, Albury, NSW – Ph: Nicole Morrison 0407 843 076

23 Warringah Dressage Assoc, OC/CU Pr-Ad, St Ives, NSW – Ph: Kay Barney 0419 276 661 – www.warringahdressage.org

23

25-27

27

V ictorian Dressage Club, Summer Competition, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: 03 9013 0707

D ressage by the SEA, FEI Regional Dressage Forum Australia, Willinga Park, Bawley Point, NSW- 0405 384 201

Do rothee Schneider Masterclass

8

8

w

Vic – 5th,12th,19th,26th.

V IC: 1-2 Yaloak, 4-5 VPA Mingela, 7-8 Yaloak, 9 Ballarat Polo Cup Invertational,15 St Kilda Twilight Polo, 15-16 Eynesbury, 21-23 Yarra Valley, 28-1st March Urquart Cup tournament, Hexam Club.

w ww.polocrossevic.org.au - www.polocrosse.com.au - www.nswpolocrosse.com.au

V IC - Ph: 0408 936 253 - QLD – Ph: 07 4632 304- 275 - NSW – Ph: 02 6574 1206

w ww.pcansw.org.au –– www.ponyclubvic.org –– www.ponyclubqld.com.au

P h: 02 4229 8977 Ph: 03 8685 8925 Ph: 07 3216 1255

8 M ounted Games Skills Clinic Teams Vic Squad Selection 2020, PC VIC Eq/ Ctre – Ph: Jodie Bissick 0419 389 342

w ww.reiningaustralia.com.au – Ph: Lynda Gray 0412 479 340 - www.nswrha.com.au – www.vrha.com.au

6 – 7 Q RHA, Trent Harvey Clinic, QSEC, Caboolture, Qld. – Ph: Lynda Gray 0412 479 340

8 – 9 Q RHA, Trent Harvey Clinic QRHA, Trent Harvey Clinic. - https://www.qrha.org.au/calendar

7 – 9

10

21-22

20-23

2 020 Victorian Management Council State Championships, WPNEC, Werribee, Vic – Ph: 02 6545 1122 www.ashs,com.au

2 020 AAA State Show, Hosted by Sydney Regional Appaloosa Club, K Ranch Mt Hunter, NSW - Ph:02 6765 7969 h ttps://appaloosa.org.au/ - https://www.facebook.com/groups/135319836507748/

2 020 Goulburn Murray Branch Show & Challenge, Eq/Ctre, Holbrook, NSW – Ph: Fiona Gordon 0410 231 140

A SHS, Goulburn Valley annual Show & Challenge, Eq/Ctr, Holbrook, NSW – Ph: Fiona Gordon 0410 231 140

Team Penning Australia Inc. – Ph: Kylie Mackillop 0457 460 559 – www.teampenningaustralia.com

A ustralian National Working Equitation Ltd - www.anweltd.com.au

C VWE, Sth Grafton, NSW – Ph: Chris Fowles 0421 358 373 – www.clarencevalleyworkingequitation.com

22-23 Nadine O’ Sullivan Clinic, (SWWEC), Glenormiston South, Vic – Ph: Andrew Simms 0408 082 707

A lso see Natural Horsemanship section for Clinics

7-9 Mark Langley, Equine Ability, 3 Day H/manship Clinic, Springfield, Vic – Ph: Jenny 0417 200 411

11-12 Mark Langley, Equine Ability, 2 Day, H/manship Clinic, Mayflower Ridge, Rockeby, S.E. Vic Ph: Jenny 0417 200 411 – www.equineability.com.au

15-18 Mark Langley, Equine Ability, 2/4 Day H/manship Clinic, Shepparton, Vic – Ph: Jenny – Ph: Jenny 0417 200 411

17- 20

22-23

22-23

Shoden & Equine Reiki: Foundation Training (Equine Reiki Level 1) Jindabyne Equestrian Resort, Jindabyne, NSW

F our Winds Reiki – Ph: Julie 0404 470 571 - www.reikiforhorses.com.au

O utback Equines, Clicker & Horse Archery, Mackay, Qld – Ph: Hayley Chambers- Holt 0403 584 254 www.outbackequines.com

Dan Steers from Double Dan Horsemanship,

SEMINAR ON DONKEY MATTERS Because... DONKEYS MATTER

Saturday 14th March 2020, a day of information, advice and assistance for donkey owners, prospective owners and enthusiasts. A rare educational and social opportunity not to be missed.

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS

DEC 2019 – MARCH 2020

www.agshowsnsw.org.au

www.queenslandshows.com.au

www.vicagashows.com.au

DEC 2019

VIC – Ph: 03 5441 5555

7 Dartmoor, 7 Kilmore, 14-15 Kingston.

All your donkey questions answered.

Speaker Dr. D. Gelderman BVSc, MVS, MT-NLP

Venue: Tocal College Campus, Paterson NSW

Meals, morning and afternoon tea, (dietary needs catered for). Accommodation available at the college if required. (Affordable and comfortable).

Sunday 15th March 2020

will provide a hands-on field day experience.

Venue: The Heartland near Morpeth NSW. Donkeys to practice techniques of training and handling will be allocated according to experience and expertise of attendees. Lunch and refreshments available.

Lodge your interest in attending by textM: 0497580598 or E: cbwellwell@gmail.com

Full programme and all information on a one day or two day package deal will be sent to you in January 2020. All welcome.

Hosted by Donkey Welfare With Heart Inc.

JAN 2020

NSW – Ph: 02 9879 6777

1-12 Bowral, 11 Pambula, 18-19 Albion Park, 19 Candelo, 24-25 Kiama, 25-26 Eurobodalla, 31-1st Feb Bundarra, 31 1st Feb Berry.

QLD – Ph: 07 3277 7747

31-2nd February Stanthorpe.

VIC – Ph: 03 5441 5555

4-5 2020 VAS LTD Saddle Horse Championships Bendigo, 18 Lang Lang.

FEB 2020

NSW – Ph: 02 9879 6777

1 Nimmitabel. 7-8 Tenterfield, 7-8 Nowra, 8 Henty, 8-9 Crookwell, 8-9 Cobargo, 8 Rydal, 8 Uralla, 8-9 Morisset-Lake Macquarie, 8 Oberon, 14-16 Bega, 14-15 Gundagai, 14-16 Glen Innes, 15-15 Kangaroo Valley, 14-15 Dunedoo, 14-16 Maitland, 21-22 Cessnock, 21-22 Guyra, 21-22 Rylstone-Kandos, 22-23 Ashford, 23 Gunning, 23 Sofala, 28-1st March CANBERRA ROYAL SHOW, 28-29 Gulgong, 28-1st March Inverell, 29 Binnaway.

QLD – Ph: 07 3277 7747

7-8 Allora, 14-16 Clifton, 21-22 Killarney, 22 Cooyar, 29-1st March Bell, 29-1st March Millmerran.

VIC – Ph: 03 5441 5555

1 Yarra Glen, 8 Tyrendarra, 8 Korumburra, 12-14 Sungold Field Days, 22 Foster, 22 Rochester, 22-23 Berwick, 29 Balmoral, 29 Hetesbury.

MARCH 2020

NSW – Ph: 02 9879 6777

1 Koorawatha, 8 Dalgety, 8 Tarago, 13-14 Gresford, 13-14 Coonabarabran, 13-15 Manilla, 13-14 Robertson, 13-14 Walcha 14 Blayney, 14-15 Blacktown City, 14 Cooma, 14 Wakool, 14 Wallamba (Nabiac), 14-15 Taralga, 15 Adelong, 15 Bemboka, 20-22 Lithgow, 20-22 Wingham, 20-22 Moss Vale, 20-21 Upper Hunter, 21-22 Castle Hill, 21 Baradine, 21 Bombala, 21 Cumnock, 21 Tumbarumba, 21-22 Yass, 22 Holbrook, 27-28 Camden, 27-28 Gloucester, 28 Batlow, 28-29 Mendooran.

QLD – Ph: 07 3277 7747

6-7 Pittsworth, 6-7 Proston, 7 Tara, 13-14 Inglewood, 13-14 Murgon, 14 Oakey, 14 Tamborine Mountain, 20-21 Goomeri, 20-22 Warwick, 21 Jandowae, 26-28 RASQ (Toowoomba ).

VIC – Ph: 03 5441 5555

3-5 Wimmera Machinery Field Days, 6-7 Denilquin, 7 Tallangatta, 7 Warragul, 8 Bellarine, 14 Wodonga, 21 Cohuna, 21 Pakenham, 21 Apollo Bay & Otway Dist., 22 Bunyip, 26-29 Farm World Larden Park, 28 Natimuk, 29 Mildura Horse Complex.

Peppermint

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Nutrition and Training

By Karen Enkelaar and Steve Sullings, Agspand Pty Ltd, November 2019

This year Agspand’s Feedchar™ was lucky enough to form a great partnership with horse trainer and educator Adam Sutton of Allround Horsemanship. In 2010 Adam was the winner of the prestigious The Way of the Horse challenge at Equitana Australia. Many people remember and admire Adam’s continuing appearances at Equitana and he is again presenting in New Zealand in 2019.

Adam has a proven record of training horses. Watching Adam and listening to feedback from his clients, he shows how to develop trust between person and horse. With trust, a genuine connection with animals is formed through a mutual language based on behavioural signals. For example, this might include patiently waiting for eye contact or a turn of the head from the horse in the trainer’s direction, no matter how brief, a signal from the horse that says, “I am acknowledging you and ready to engage”.

Adam runs Allround Horsemanship training clinics throughout Australia. Each clinic participant receives a 10-day sample of Agspand’s Feedchar, and his website includes some wonderful testimonials from clients who have used them.

Adam’s goal for horse training is “Trust and Performance”. And, with appropriate nutrition and supplementation to address behaviour problems related to diet, Agspand’s Feedchar has added “Nutrition and Training” to this message.

This is because if the horse’s nutrition is out and it is struggling with its energy levels – either too high or too low – it won’t be settled to focus on its training. Or, if the horse is unwell due to diet-related issues, then it is not a matter of the horse being unwilling to engage in training, but simply because it can’t engage.

Thus it is important to ensure the horse is settled in its digestion to commence training, in order to get the best outcome from the training.

As a digestive aid and toxin binder, Agspand’s Feedchar may assist with a horse’s lack of

Above: Adam Sutton, horse trainer and educator with his beloved mare Annie, who is saying thank you to Agspand’s Feedchar for her healthy, glossy coat.

(Photo

focus for diet-related reasons. We often hear from clients saying their animals become lame at certain times of the year, while others tell us that their normally well-behaved horse is “suddenly off the show”.

Consider that horses’ digestive as well as mental wellbeing can be affected by plantbased toxins that can arise within grasses, grains, hay and feeds. These toxins can occur naturally in pasture plants as a self-protection mechanism during their growth stages, or if the harvested feed becomes mouldy, or if the feed contains high levels of nitrogen or phosphorous residual from fertiliser application. This last point is important to consider given the limited, fast-growing seasons in Australia these recent years.

It is well known, for example, that mycotoxin effects can include agitation or spookiness, as well as digestive upset to the point of scouring. This could explain unusually nervous behaviour in animals, girth sensitivity, gassiness and poor body condition.

High nitrate levels in grasses and crops may cumulatively affect animals’ digestion and condition as well. When horses are coughing, windsucking or chewing fences or trees, for example, these may be signs that their digestive system is excessively acidic and what they are eating and how they are eating it may be affecting them.

When animals are struggling with digestion in these ways, it might be worthwhile giving Agspand’s Feedchar supplementation a try. Its

quality mineral-activated charcoal ingredients may help to stimulate electrical activity in the digestive system to balance gut pH. Within a normal pH range, the digestive system itself maintains feed efficiency and can neutralise plant toxins. Remember, if the horse is nutritionally satisfied and is calm, it may better focus on its training. © Agspand 2019.

Above: Adam Sutton – training based on Trust and Performance and ambassador for Agspand’s Feedchar, a digestive aid to support healthy nutrition and focused training.

Left and above: Adam Sutton in one of his Allround Horsemanship clinics at Berry, New South Wales, working with a participant’s horse, Bug. Bug’s owner Rochelle has written an amazing testimonial about how Adam’s assistance helped her confidence, and her impressions of Agspand’s Feedchar, on Adam’s website under sponsors.

credits leonie kable MCM moriesians)

The Wild Horse Model of Hoof Care and my Journey to Understand it Better

PART 1 - The Salt River Wild Horses IMAGES: D. Mykitiak Photography

When I was a kid my parents called my siblings and I to a room and explained that they wanted to know what we thought about moving to remote Cape York in Far North Queensland, Australia. I said I’d like to but (an avid Man From Snowy River fan) I was worried that my pony mare might run off with the brumbies.

Indulgently my Dad grinned and said ‘well, if that happens you’ll just have to catch them, won’t you?’ That night I drew a picture of me on my dad’s gelding, chasing brumbies into a stockyard. Since then I became fascinated with wild horses, consuming books like My Friend Flicka and the Silver Brumby series.

It wasn’t until relatively recently that this fascination has taken on a more academic tone. Studying the optimal wild horse’s hoof to become a hoof care practitioner and working for the last 5 years as the same in an area that is the antithesis of ‘wild horse country’ - humid coastal subtropical northern NSW, Australia - I have become - theoretically at least - aware of my interest in what, specifically, ‘makes’ a high mileage desert hoof and what we can do to emulate that both with trimming and adjusting the home environment where possible. As I am a ‘doing’ learner, I have also been drawn to see, in their wild spaces, these hooves and their amazing owners in motion.

So I boarded a flight from Brisbane, QLD to Los Angeles, CA, and from there, a bus to Phoenix AZ for the first stop on my journey to see the wild horses of arid America.

So jet lag and excitement for tomorrow has me wide awake at 2am, thinking about hoof trimming philosophy. When we talk of ‘wild horse model’ we think about tight, short, sculpted hooves that the desert grows and for which the most natural horse coevolved. But that isn’t the reality for many of the horses we trim. Sub-optimal environments, restricted movement, body issues and non-species appropriate diet, amongst other things, can result in less than healthy hooves and horses. As well in many cases, historical structural development and genetics may mean that many domestic horses are unable to wear a desert hoof.

So we walk a line between building a desert hoof on domestic equines in non-optimal environments, with the aim of slowly moving towards the

naturally imperfect but mostly functional foot that inspires the wild horse model.

My first visit to wild horses is the Salt River Wild Horses, in the Tonto National Forest, near Phoenix, Arizona. Met by a volunteer of the Wild Horses Management Group, we drive through the sagauro-dotted landscape and the cruel desert heat, to come upon a beautiful clear fastflowing river that cuts a green swathe through the desert, its banks adorned with straggly and low-growing mesquite trees. My first glimpse of them is an emotional one - sleek, shiny fat horses stand in the river, most of them putting almost their entire heads under water to graze the slippery eel grass, in a unique grazing practice known locally as ‘snorkelling’. The area around the river is sandy with sections of river pebbles of varying sizes; the grass golden with age and an unseasonally dry year.

One of the best ways to see the Salt River horses is to kayak, and as we push out into the current, the oppressive heat of the desert wafts away and we drift languidly down stream to where the horses are grazing.

The first band we see is a small one, a few mares and yearlings and a stallion. One young chestnut mare has a two week old foal, who already braves the water and stands, tucked up but secure, at her mother’s flank. Vultures hover high overhead and a great grey heron moves silently through the shallow waters. I manage to beach my kayak and sit and watch the dreamy scene. We paddle on.

We come upon a huge gathering of horses where the water gentles, and the kayaks beach themselves on soft mossy river stones. These are young, and there seems to be a little unrest. Suddenly the water surface is churned to white by two bay colts of similar size. I am excited as they rear and with a flash of perfect shiny hooves, mock fight in the stifle-deep water. It is brief - one colt backs down and, tail-tucked, canters through the river rocks to escape the altercation.

A flash of fawn in the squat trees on the riverbank catches my eye. I stare for a second. Is that...a bobcat? My assertion is confirmed by my excited guides. The bobcat saunters down to the river, casually chewing a piece of driftwood and taking a quick drink. He sees us frantically paddling upriver to get a closer look. Unhurried, he pads up through the sand and disappears into the mesquite trees.

The dying sun sets over the Camelback mountain, sending sky streams of hazy light over a darkening river, wide and deep now with thick eel grass out of reach of the horses. The magic of the afternoon dwindles somewhat as a member of our crew hears about an injury sustained by one of the Wild Horses who has been hit by a motorcycle. Reality returns and the group I am with launches into efficient action, putting

and contentment is interconnected and, we know that with horses, Ill health is often expressed in the foot.

I am extremely fortunate, the following day, to be invited to see the horses who are/have been injured and are now living in the Salt River Wild Horses Management Group’s sanctuary. They range from orphaned youngsters requiring dedicated round-the-clock care, to untouchable wild horses that were adults when mishap lead to their new situation.

I make two potentially contrasting observations at the sanctuary. Firstly, a young foal lies crouched on its artificial footing that I am able to see the solar surface of his hooves. Having trimmed many domestic horses of the same age I am shocked to see, at just a few months of age, the astounding caudal development that this foal has. It gives me reason to ponder what genetic propensity plays a part in the foundation of the desert hoof, in the natural selection of the same.

A roan gelding stands on his own in his pen. He has been here a year, and he is one of the ones who still seems to wish himself wild and free. He is unfortunately not able to be handled - and his hooves are a mess. Lack of movement and non-species appropriate diet has led, in a year, to capsule rotation and obvious compensatory movement. His once fit and lean body shows signs of his domestication. His good foot is in there, and the volunteers are actively working at making the changes required to help him adjust to a more healthful life in the sanctuary.

We go hiking in the warmth of the late afternoon to get a last look at the Salt River Horses, before I travel to Tucson the following day, for a few days with a hoof trimming mentor. I meander down to sit on a boulder at the river and become immersed in a scene that would inspire the Impressionists. There are horses on the other side of the river and up in the dunes.

Dragonflies and other bugs dance on the languid water attracting swirls of lunging fish with a soft ‘chop’ of air and water. The exhaustion of the last two days and the humidity of the riverbank overcomes me and I am lulled into a soft dreamy state.

Suddenly a foal lets out a panicked whinny up the river and its dam can be seen guarding it from a chestnut intruder from the riverbank. Chaos is

brief as a small band including a mare and foal navigate a faster flowing section of the river to join the small family. The adults move upriver of the tiny new member of their group, to cut the strength of the current and allow the foal to move more freely. Still she struggles until they reach a sandbar in the centre of the river and start to ‘snorkel’, feasting on the plentiful eel grass.

Like many of America’s wild horses, the future of the Salt River horses is all but secure. The folks who care for the horses work tirelessly and passionately to protect, document, educate and advocate for these animals to keep them content and safe on the river and by the highways. As we drive away from the salt river through the waning heat of the Sonoran Desert I reflect on places to which I may never return. I hope to, one day see the glorious salt river horses again. And if not, I hope that they remain here, so that others might.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

Dan

Smith

‘Dan Smith is a natural hoof care practitioner in the Northern Rivers area of NSW. He specialises in holistic horse management for healthy hoof growth with a focus on nature as healer, and a keep it simple philosophy. He believes that you should ride what you trim, and competes his quarter horse in camp drafts and challenges... with a lot of practice needed!’

Dan Smith Hoof Nerd

Natural Hoof Care Practitioner – Northern Rivers and Tenterfield

• Equine Hoof Trimming - Maintenance, Rehabilitation and Performance

• Equine Hoof Boot Sales

• Holistic Horse Care

• Hoof Care Education and Training

PHONE: 0447 002 065

EMAIL: dansmithhoofnerd@outlook.com

Facebook: Dan Smith Hoof Nerd

Shoden & Equine Reiki: FOUNDATION TRAINING

4 Day Course

20th-23rd March 2020

Clarence Valley North Coast of NSW

Course Times

The course runs over four consecutive days with classes starting at 9am and finishing approximately 4.30pm each day. Several breaks are provided throughout the day, with a one hour break for lunch.

Horses

Taught at a peaceful, private equine facility between Coffs Harbour and Grafton, on the beautiful North Coast of NSW, Shoden & Equine Reiki: Foundation Training offers a practical approach to understanding the system of Reiki, its benefits for you and your horse.

Here in this tranquil environment, you will learn the Japanese healing art of Reiki to improve your own and your horse’s health and well-being. You’ll learn how to use your Reiki practice to improve your relationship and deepen your spiritual connection with your horse.

During this four day intensive course you’ll also learn how to utilise Reiki as a healing support for a wide range of health conditions and behavioural issues in humans and horses as well as being able to reduce the effects of stress and stress related conditions, ease pain, calm fear, promote deep relaxation and so much more.

Class numbers are limited to six participants to ensure quality one on one interaction so early registration is advised.

Come join us, for an earthy, enlightening experience that will change your life forever.

On arrival you’ll be immediately captivated by the energy and curiosity of the herd as they welcome you to their place of abode. These very special horses will offer themselves both physically and spiritually for participants to work with during practical sessions. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, it is desirable that you have at least 12 months experience handling horses. There is no riding during this course, practical sessions involve groundwork only.

The course will take place at a private property located at Wells Crossing, half an hour north of Woolgoolga on the beautiful North Coast of NSW and 15 minutes from the small rural town of Glenreagh.

Accommodation

Glamping accommodation is available at the venue during the course - if you would like more details, please email Julie julie@fourwindsreiki.com.au

If you are looking for some quiet time to rejuvenate the soul in the company of likeminded horse lovers, this course is definitely for you.

Phone: 0404 470 571

www.FourWindsReiki.com.au

Remedial Massage for Horses

Teaching, Students and Horses

Ray has a fabulous career working with Horses and he loves passing on his knowledge.

He has a passion for teaching and story telling the experiences he has come across, which have been both varied and unusual! And, these are from treating a lot of horses with a sore back and being tight all over, to neck and leg issues which impede the horse’s balance and comfort levels.

Ray has travelled twice overseas in 2019, firstly to The Netherlands to train 29 students in a series of 2 day workshops.

Holland is only a small country , but equestrian is hugely popular. particularly Dressage.

England has an association with horses going back a long way as we all know.

Ray taught 20 students with 2 one day workshops. One in the south of England and the other in the north west..

As well Ray travelled all over the place working on horses with various anatomical issues that were just the same as anywhere. Although in Holland there were high levels of calcium in the soils, which is the complete opposite to that of Australia.

Both trips were a huge success with all students confidently applying their newly learned skills, methods and techniques to their own or clients horses. Students and owners saw the advantage of working with a hand saver and all wanted one.

Ray loved working in Europe and hopes to return next year.

That’s four countries now to have worked in and taught, including Argentina and Brazil.

Unique Hand Saver Massage Tool –Designed and handcrafted by Ray

Mobile: 0427 647 530

www.remedialhorsemassage.com

• Seed

• Fertiliser

• Chemical

“Buy

6 Branches - Servicing QLD & NSW

• Seed

• Fencing

• Irrigation

• Fertiliser

• Animal Health

• Chemical • Fencing • Irrigation • Animal Health

• Stockfeed

• Supplements

• Tanks/Troughs

GOLD sponsor Flinton Race Meeting March 26th 2016 www.nfw.com.au

• Stockfeed • Supplements

•

• Vet Wholesaling (S4 Drugs)

6 Branches - Servicing QLD & NSW

•Toowoomba 4614 4000 •Meandarra - 0400 255171

•Miles - 4627 1076 •Cecil Plains - 4668 0888

•Cottonvale - 4685 2136 •Gunnedah - 02 6742 2733

HEAD OFFICE

326 Anzac Ave

TOOWOOMBA

07 4614 4000 MILES

07 4685 4401

COTTONVALE

07 4680 6002

MEANDARRA

0400 255 171

CECIL PLAINS

07 4567 7001

GUNNEDAH

02 6741 4900

www.nfw.com.au

Available in three varieties, in addition to a custom option, our feed blocks are formulated to meet the dietary and nutrition requirements of your animals. Multiblock is a rich source of: Energy - Protein - Vitamins - Minerals - Electrolytes Available from a Produce Store near you!

P: 02 6779 2232 E: info@multiblock.com www.multiblock.com.au

HAPPY HORSES BITLESS BRIDLES

Suppliers of Dr Cooks cross-under bitless bridles Australia wide. Beta, nylon, range of colours, matching reins & accessories.

PHONE: 0401 249 263

EMAIL: happyhorsesbitless@gmail.com

WEB: www.happyhorsesbitless.com

Servicing the equine and canine industries of Australasia with the most extensive range of...

Servicing the equine and canine industries of Australasia with the most extensive range of...

North QLD I South East QLD I Melbourne Bendigo I Ballarat I Melton I Geelong - and all surrounding areas -