Equine Online June 2016 by Equine Online NZ

F R E E M O N T H LY E Q U E S T R I A N M A G A Z I N E

Equine Online www.equineonline.co.nz

JUNE 2016

your horses your stories

"My Fi rst 2-day event!"

HOW TO

HAVE A WORK/RIDE BALANCE

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! ots N I W e bo

ag I QU E s s d re RO M P RIAN F ST E U EQ

21 horse questions a n sw er ed

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EDITOR

Yvette Morrissey

CONTRIBUORS

Jacqui Van Buuren, Hayley Clarke, Freya Thompson, Claire Madden, Jess Land, Marie Gordon, Senara Caddy, Bev Morrissey, Grace Gray.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

FR O M T H E EDI TO R

Luke Kirkeby.

CONTRIBUTE!

We are always on the lookout for new contributors. If you are interested in becoming a part of New Zealand’s first free equestrian e-magazine, send us an email: editor@equineonline.co.nz

We would love to hear from you. Send us an email: editor@equineonline.co.nz

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Yvette with her horse Regi

Winter is upon us! Every year I have the greatest intentions of being the dedicated horse rider, slogging through the mud and rain to keep my horses in work, but the reality is very different when you have adult responsibilities such as a full time job and multiple other commitments! I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who is fighting daylight, frost, mud, rain, and even snow to sneak a 20 minute ride in. Luckily there are many other things you can do to improve your riding without having to set foot in a stirrup. I am a huge fan of visualisation. Did you know that according to the brain, an imagined experienced is as powerful as an actual experience? A study looking at brain patterns in weightlifters found that the patterns activated when a weightlifter lifted hundreds of pounds were similarly activated when they only imagined lifting. In some cases, research has revealed that mental practices are almost effective as true physical practice, and that doing both is more effective than either alone. So applying this to horse riding, if you can’t get out to the paddocks, you can still ride with your mind. For more tips on a work/ride balance, check out page 10. Also in this month’s issue we also have photo coverage of the cross-country at the Taupo Three-Day Event and we talk to a very special woman who has turned her home into a respite centre for special needs children. Enjoy the issue. Yvette Morrissey

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Editor

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20 | PHOTO SPREAD: TAUPO 3-DAY EVENT 24 | SERIES: RACEHORSE RECYCLING PART III 30 | COLUMNS

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NEWS

RIBBONS FOR RIO By Yvette Morrissey A horse show with a difference is being held to help raise money for a church mission trip to Rio de Janiero, Brazil, to improve the lives of children living in poverty. The recycled ribbon day, called Ribbons For Rio, will be held at the Whanganui Racecourse on July 9 and will feature in-hand and flat classes, with proceeds from entries going towards the trip. The pleasure classes will also be a qualifier for the societies national title. Kayla Churcher, member of the Equippers church, avid horse enthusiast and show groom, came up with the idea for the fundraiser. “What started as an idea for a simple ribbon day just grew and grew. We are wanting as many entries as possible because every dollar that is made from this show is going to help the children and families in Brazil.” She says she has received ribbons from across the country. “We are so grateful for all the

donations of ribbons we’ve received and our sponsors who have offered their support and donated prizes.” The team from Equippers church Wanganui are leaving for Rio on October 3. They will be volunteering in local favelas (slums), teaching English, helping to get community projects up and running, working with families and also establishing an Equippers church in the community. Pastor James Roy, from Equippers church, is part of the team heading to Rio in October. “It’s exciting how running a horse event in Whanganui can influence lives of the favelas in Rio de Janiero.” says Pastor James. Competitors and spectators will also be able to meet the group heading to Rio. “We really want to get the community behind what we’re doing, so come and meet the team and see what we’re about,” says Kayla. Those not riding at the show can help in many ways. Equippers Whanganui

are accepting donations of sporting equipment, musical instruments, craft materials, stationary and exercise books, and monetary donations to take with them on their trip. One of the team based in Rio recently stated “I feel blessed by the amount of support we’ve had. In Rio, it is easier for a child to gain access to a gun than a musical instrument.” There will be baking for sale on the day, along with a sausage sizzle. Want to help? Visit the Ribbons For Rio Facebook page.

RIBBONS FOR RIO to like the Click here Facebook io R RECYCLED RIBBON DAY r o F to Ribbons w a r d go into the d n a e g a p s Travel IN-HAND AND SHOWING CLASSES in ta n u o m win a Pala WHEN: JULY 9 $250! th r o w k c a P

WHERE: WHANGANUI RACECOURSE

HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR EQUIPPERS CHURCH AND THEIR MISSION TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO TO GIVE FAMILIES A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE To donate items or for more information contact the Ribbons For Rio team by emailing ribbonsforrio@gmail.com 6

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

NEWS

NZ HEADS TO PONY CLUB TETRATHLON By Bev Morrissey A team of New Zealand Pony Club riders will be making their way to Ireland to compete in the 2016 International Tetrathlon in July. They will join selected teams from countries including Australia, Canada, England, Wales, USA and Northern Ireland to take part in a four phase competition which includes riding, shooting, running and swimming. The trip is self-funded and the confirmed girls team is Stormy Harris (Te Kuiti and Districts), Stephanie Jasperse (Mosgiel), Claudia Hurley (Waitara), Caitlinn Perry (North Wa i r a r a p a ) , a n d L i s a M i l l i k e n (Wakatipu); the boys team consists of Jesse Mahony (Waitara). The coach of the team is Emma Milliken. The team arrives in Dublin on July 20 where they will stay with host families until July 23. A highlight during their stay is the opportunity to participate in the Royal Dublin Horse Show.Riders will be provided with horses for the Tetrathlon competition with the first competition on July 24 and 25. This will be over a cross country course, a maximum height of one metre. All teams will then move to near Tattersalls in Co Meath for the Irish Pony Club International Exchange competition run in conjunction with the National Tetrathlon Championship on July 30 to August 1. The tour officially ends on August 2. Two of the riders selected are from the Waitara Pony Club in Taranaki: Jesse Mahony, (16) from Inglewood High school and Claudia Hurley (16) from Nga Tawa Diocesan School in Marton. Both Jesse and Claudia are keen eventers and have just stepped up to the 1.05 metre classes. Jesse also does track work with racehorses each morning before school, which will enable him to adapt easily to

different mounts during the Tetrathlon competition. Waitara Pony Club President/District Commisioner and Jesse’s mother, Mandy Mahony, says the preparation has meant a lot of hard work and dedication for the riders who expressed interest for selection. “It’s awesome for our club to have two riders selected. It gives other riders something to aspire to and work toward in the future,” she says. She says Jesse is very motivated and works extremely hard to achieve his goals. He himself aspires to be like three star eventer, Fraser King. Fraser’s mother Yvonne King has been an amazing support, often phoning to enquire about Jesse’s progress. Due to the trip being self-funded, the Waitara Pony Club has held fundraising events to help Jesse and Claudia. They have also had generous support from the community by way of donated goods for raffles, spot prizes - including an autograph signed by Beauden Barrett.

What is a Tetrathlon? A Tetrathlon is a sporting contest in which each participant competes in four events, typically riding, shooting, swimming, and running. A Pony Club Tetrathlon is very much like a modern Pentathlon, which you may have seen in the Olympics. It provides Members with a challenging competition requiring practical horsemanship, general athletic ability and a steady hand for shooting. Tetrathlon originated as a competition for boys however there are now competitions for girls and for different ages groups.

Claudia and Jesse will be heading to Ireland for the International Tetrathlon in July. Photo credit: Lisa Taylor Photography. EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

NEWS

SHOWTYM DREAM COME TRUE By Hayley Clarke Twelve year-old Hayley Marsh was a Kaiapoi Burough student with one wish: to attend the Wilson sisters Showtym camp when they came to Christchurch on her Standardbred mare, Nikki. On her birthday it was announced that Hayley was going to the four-day camp. “I was really, really excited because it was a dream come true,” says Hayley. Hayley began riding when she was nine years old soon got her first pony. Hayley was left devastated when her pony had to be put down after only having her for one year. Looking to boost Hayley’s spirits, her mother, Melissa Little, came across a post on Facebook from Nicola Bowman, who was looking for a child to ride her standardbred. Nikki and Hayley were a great match and have come a long way in the short time they have been acquainted. Nicola says she loves seeing the connection between Hayley and Nikki. “More and more people are starting to respect standardbreds as the lovely, versatile horses they are, but there are still those people who will never change their view of them. I’d never hide the brand but I would bet if standardbred

Hayley and Nikki at the Wilson Sister’s Showtym Camp owners started covering their brands, most people would not have a clue what their breeding was.”

JILL ULLRICH SHOW

JUMPING

A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO

SUCCESS E: jillullrich@vodafone.net.nz

Jill Ullrich Show Jumping

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BREED PROFILE

THE CLYDESDALE By Grace Gray This month we take a look at a popular breed in New Zealand and across the world, the Clydesdale. Clydedale’s are well-known for being gentle giants- unlike other draft horses, they can grow over 18 hands high. These draft horses date all the way back to the eighteenth century where they originated in Scotland after the 6th Duke of Hamilton wanted to produce a farm horse that could haul large weights along the streets of Glasgow. To do this he imported six Flanders stallions and bred them with Galloway or pack mares. In 1715 John Peterson imported a black Flemish

stallion to improve the breed. Today Clydedales are still commonly bred for working on farms, although many of them are also bred for competition. They are commonly known for their excess feathers and fur which originally helped them to survive in the cold Scottish climate. They are most commonly dark brown, but black and roan Clydesdales are also quite common. Although these horses aren’t the most agile animals, they are super strong, friendly and make great work or sport horses..

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ADVICE

TOP 5forTIPS working riders With daylight savings in full swing and the arrival of winter, those of us who aren’t fortunate enough to survive on a part time wage (or get paid to ride for a living) may ask the question- is it possible to have a work/ride balance? Horse lovers, fear not! Here are five tips for working riders.

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Ask your employer for flexible hours, or if you can work from home once a week. Perhaps you could finish an hour early on a Friday, and work that extra hour on your horses’ rest day. Working from home occasionally means you’ll save time being stuck in traffic and have extra time to concentrate on your horse. Work out at work. Your own fitness is just as important as your horses- so why not work on yourself over the winter months? Use your lunch break to go for a walk around the block, take the stairs any chance you can get, or get your team motivated to do a 30 second plank every hour. If you turn your horses out over winter, why not pick up some extra hours at work, and put those earnings into a ‘show savings account’ for the next competition season. If riding isn’t a possibility with your workload and the winter months, work your brain instead. Read books, your favourite equestrian magazine (*cough* Equine Online), or try your hand at ‘mental riding’-visualisation. Write down what you want to achieve once you get back in the saddle, and make a plan.

Achieve a better work/ride balance with these top tips.

Find someone to hack your horse. If finding the time to ride is an issue, find someone who has some spare time and a passion for horses to help you exercise your horse. Not only is your horse gaining fitness, but you may be giving a fellow horse enthusiast the opportunity to ride if they don’t own a horse.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

HORSE OF THE MONTH

Equine Online’s

DID YOU KNOW: THE CLYDESDALE HORSE OF WHAT MAKES YOUR HORSE SPECIAL?

Tell us and be in to WIN a pair of XL dressage boots valued at $30 from Pique Equestrian NZ! Nominate a horse you think deserves to be Equine Online’s ‘Horse/Pony of the Month’ and tell us their story- it can be funny, inspirational, sad or plain strange! *Entries should be under 300 words and emailed to editor@equineonline.co.nz

THE MONTH Sponsored by

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EQUESTRIAN

Our June Horse Of the Month winner is Magic, who was nominated by his owner, Laura. Laura and Magic are now the lucky new owners of a browband from Pique Equestrian. “I want to nominate my horse Magic for Horse of the Month (although to me he’s the horse of a lifetime). He’s such a character he’s sometimes more of a black lab than a 16.2hh warmblood thoroughbred cross. He will eat absolutely anything you offer him and enjoys chasing me around for chips at shows. He’s such a special horse to me as he’s my returning to riding horse and although he’s not a beginners horse, he’s so safe and just an absolute blast! He’s made my dream of getting back into riding after a big scare a reality and I owe him so much! Apart from being so cheeky and so much fun (as well as being a very talented jumper) he’s also extremely vain and loves to be pampered and look his best! So I think a lovely new browband would make him very happy!” Pique Equestrian is located in Queenstown, Central Otago and are stockists of bridles, browbands and boots. *Entries are accepted from those living in New Zealand only. For full T’s and C’s email editor@equineonline.co.nz.

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Stockists of

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• Bridles Browbands • Bridles • Browbands EEQQUUI INNEE OONNLLI INNEE MMAAGGAAZZI INNEE JM UA NYE 22001166

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MY FIRST 2DE Jacqui Van Buuren, 44, took part in her very first eventing competition at the Northland Horse Trials on her horse, Three Cheers.

ave you ever been talked

into doing something and then spent weeks in the build up to that ‘something’ worrying so much that you lose sleep and break out into a sweat whenever it enters your mind? Well that was me when my experienced eventing neighbour, Kate Woods, talked me into competing in my first ever two day event. How could I have agreed to taking part in The Northland Horse Trials when I had never ridden a dressage test, completed a round of show jumps or taken

on a cross country course? There’s also the fact my horse had been out of action for five weeks and the horse trials were only two weeks away. I just nodded and agreed to give it a go even though my inner voice was saying “Are you insane?!” I promptly went home to try to get to the bottom of my nemesis which came in the form of L4 2009, in other words, the dreaded dressage test. My main concern was that I would forget my dressage test. I am a woman who needs to write down where I’ve parked my car when I go to town so I’m not still wandering around as the shops shut looking for my ride home! I rang friends, I googled and I read anything I could find on how to remember a dressage test. I settled for the tried and true method of drawing my test over and over and running through it on the ground as if I were riding my horse.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

ABOVE Jacqui completes a clear round in the show jumping phase. LEFT Practice makes perfect RIGHT On the crosscountry course.

YO U R S TO R I E S My five year-old thought the second method was hilarious and giggled as I repeated ‘trot, trot, trot, change the rein, canter, canter, canter” around and around the lounge. My father also helped me measure and mark a makeshift arena in the horse paddock so I could practice on my horse. Despite this preparation, I was still nervous about how the test would go- I had dressage-mares about not being able to find homes for the eight kittens as the fat black mother cat chased me out of her giant basket! The show jumping and cross country phases were less intimidating as I had plenty of practice and studied Andrew Nicholson’s ‘velcro bum’ riding style, but putting it all together was a worrying prospect. Despite these concerns, I continued on my path to the Horse Trials and was determined to have a go. By the time the weekend of the event was here I was so sleep deprived I was all but hallucinating! On a positive note I had been

too nervous to eat much for about two weeks and the weight loss was fantastic! I washed and plaited my little mare, painted the black bits black, the white bits white, and then before I knew it I was warming up for my first ever dressage test. Because I didn’t have a clue what was going on I thought I’d done brilliantly! I had remembered my test and my girl had done all I’d asked her to, even though my score was below average, I was delighted. After the dressage we were sitting twenthyeighth. The show jumping was next, and as it was the first time I’d ever done a proper round of show jumps and I’m pretty sure I was the only one who walked the course three times! My darling little horse kept us on track and we went double clear. This was starting to be fun! Cross country day dawned and after a brief stint on the PA (a job you always get given when people find out you work in radio!) it was my turn in the start box. I don’t remember the countdown at all but the first few strides of my confident mare

out of that box with her ears pricked in anticipation are burnt into my mind. The adrenalin pumped as we sped in the direction of our first fence, steadied, and flew over! What a feeling it was as we negotiated the course, never hesitating, to go clear. It was a great finish to an amazing weekend. We finished eleventh out of 40 combinations. I am now totally hooked on eventing and it is the discipline I will pursue not only because it’s challenging and rewarding, but also because everyone involved with the Northland Horse Trials were incredibly helpful and kind. My motto since returning to riding as an adult has been ‘You can’t always beat the fear, sometimes you just need to do it frightened.’ Just over a year ago I had nabbed one of the spare broodmares off the family stud farm and decided to hack around not realising that the horse riding gene had been lying dormant just waiting to be resurrected. At age 44 and twelve months into my riding revival I have found my passion for eventing.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

F E AT U R E

A HOME THAT HEALS

Kylie Taylor, Canterbury, is using the healing power of horses to help special needs and troubled children. She recently opened Sunnyvue Lodge respite care to give special needs children and their parents a well-deserved break.

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EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

F E AT U R E

IT WAS A clear, sunny evening in West Melton, Canterbury, when I first met Kylie Taylor. Driving past horses in the neighbouring paddocks and the beautifully crafted sign bearing the name ‘Sunnyvue Lodge’, I was greeted by Kylie and her eight year-old daughter, Winnie Taylor. Winnie is a special girl. She has a cheeky grin, and chatted away to me, the stranger, happily. Winnie has cerebral palsy, a special kind that even the doctors can’t put their finger on. “The doctors have done heaps of tests on her to try and figure out what is wrong,” says Kylie. “She’s a specialists dream.” Cerebral palsy is basically a blanket term used to describe a group of non-progressive disorders caused by damage to the areas of the brain that affect a person’s ability to control movement and posture. The difference with Winnie is her condition has worsened over time. “She had a CT scan a while ago which showed there was more damage to her brain than there should be,” says Kylie.

Initially Winnie could walk with the assistance of a walker, but now she is refined to a wheelchair. MAKING LEMONADE Having a child with cerebral palsy as well as working with special needs children inspired Kylie to transform her 10 acre lifestyle block into a respite centre. “I knew this would be a fantastic place for these children to visit.” The respite centre gives special needs children and their parents a well-deserved break. “We have parents that send their troubled kids out here because they need a break, and they spend a day out here and when they go home they’re completely different kids. They sleep a lot better because their brain is activated by all the different activities they can do here,” says Kylie. Horses have always been a big part of Kylie’s life, so it made sense to incorporate equine therapy into the programme. Kylie grew up with horses; her grandfather had gallopers and her father, ▶

BOTTOM LEFT Winnie Taylor and one of her miniature horses, Fran. RIGHT Sunnyvue lodge gives special needs children and parents a well-deserved break.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

F E AT U R E

Warren Stapleton, owned harness racehorses. She learned to ride by “just jumping on” her father’s standardbreds. “I was a bit of a cowboy really! Dad always said if you want to ride there are 20 horses in the paddock.” Kylie and her siblings attended pony club as children, and like many horse mad kids, ended up riding any horses they could find. “We ended up with a circus pony once. We would go out hacking, get halfway down the road and when he decided he wanted to go back home he would shake his bridle off!” She evented to one metre when she was young however recently she has focused on showing and dressage for a bit of fun. She says now she is happy to go out and potter. Kylie’s blended family of six have been living at Sunnyvue lodge for almost a year. They currently own 10 horses- six miniatures and four horses. They also have a variety of other animals, including chickens, goats, dogs, cats, pigs, and rabbits. Visitors to the respite lodge are able to socialise with all the animals and groom, feed and ride the horses. In the warmer months Kylie takes the children on picnics, treasure hunts, and they can also play outdoor sports such as soccor or rugby. There are endless activities, and the children simply love it there. “We’ve had a few kids that have come here and they don’t

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

want to leave, so the parents have to bribe them to get them in the car,” she laughs. CARING FOR THOSE THAT CARE It’s easy to think that it’s the children that need the care, but what about those caring for them? “That’s what the respite is about, it’s giving parents a break and they can relax knowing their kids are safe and having a good time. Parents are really excited when they find out we’re a family owned business,” says Kylie. Sending special needs kids to Sunnyvue also allows parents to spend time with their other children. “With special needs children often requiring constant care, this can often impact a parent’s ability to spend quality time with their other children.” Sunnyvue Lodge is also comparatively cheaper than other respite centres, which Kylie says suits many parents that find it difficult to pay for care. “Every parent deserves a break- you do have your moments. It’s not easy, but it is what it is. I wasn’t a strong person to start off with, but I’m determined. They say that we only get these kids because we’re strong, but it’s not true- Winnie’s taught me to be strong, because I have to be strong.” Not only are horses good therapy for respite kids, they are

F E AT U R E LEFT The old stable block has been transformed into a man cave RIGHT Kylie demonstrating some of the activities the kids can enjoy at Sunnyvue

also therapeutic for those that care for the respite kids on a daily basis. “I’m not going to put my grief of not having a perfect child on Winnie. We need to make her the best Winnie she can be. If I mope around, or let her do the same in my mind it’s not productive. That’s why I find horses so therapeutic. When things get tough I can go out and squish my head into a horse.” Kylie also has the support of her husband, Kevin. “I’m really lucky. Kevin is amazing- he takes care of all the kids which means I can pop away and have a break.” Kylie and Kevin have also transformed an old stable block into a man cave complete with saddle stools, brown leather chairs and a piano which provides a space for them to relax. AN AFFINITY WITH HORSES Before her condition worsened, Winnie used to ride. Now she goes in the cart. The cart was purpose built for Winnie and has a harness that she is strapped into, and while Kylie has full control, Winnie is allowed to steer at times. “She can drive-to a point- but she gets a bit speed crazy and wants to go fast!” says Kylie. “Fran gets sick of her, and will buck, and Winnie thinks it’s hilarious. She’s been kicked out of the show ring a few times!”

Kylie says that one of the reasons she decided to start a respite centre was because Winnie had such an affinity with animals. “They would just come up to her,” she says. “They have a sense. I don’t know how to explain it- I can just see it,” says Kylie. Perhaps the bond between horses and special needs children doesn’t need an explanation. Kylie then told me the story when she got two wild, unhandled miniature horses. “Winnie just went straight up to them, and buried her face in one of their manes. The horse just stood there. It was amazing.”

Sunnyvue Lodge is currently accepting donations of animal feed to assist in the running of the respite care. If you are interested in making a donation or sponsoring an animal, contact editor@equineonline.co.nz You can find out more about Sunnyvue Lodge by liking their Facebook page.

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21 HORSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED Think you know everything about horses? Think again. We compiled twenty one random, bizarre, and interesting horse questions and answered them for you.

Why do you mount a horse from the left side? When horses were used as war mounts, soldiers would carry their swords on the left side and so they could only mount from the left or they would sit on their sword.

What is the highest a horse and rider have jumped? The official record is 2.47 m (8 ft 1.25 in) by Huaso ex-Faithful, ridden by Capt. Alberto Larraguibel Morales (Chile) at Viña del Mar, Santiago, Chile on 5 February 1949.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

How far away can a sound be for a horse to hear it? Horses can hear faint sounds as far away as 4,000 meters. Horses’ ears can move 180 degrees using 10 different musclescompared to three muscles for the human ear.

How can you tell if a horse has enough water? You can tell if a horse is dehydrated by pinching their skin, if it takes time for the skin to return from the pinch, they need water. What age do horses live to? The oldest horse on record lived to the age of 62 and died in 1822. The average life span of a horse is 25-30 years of age.

How many people attend Badmintion? Badminton attracts the 2nd largest number of spectators for a sporting event in the world, second only to the Indianapolis 500. Who holds the record for the longest horse tail? The longest tail on a horse is 381 cm (12 ft 6 in) and was measured on the mare JJS Summer Breeze on 23 August 2007.

Who holds the highest score in Grand Prix dressage? Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro hold all the world records in the Grand Prix (87.460%), Grand Prix special (88.002%), and the Kur to music (94.300%).

How long does a hoof take to grow? It takes 9-12 months for a hoof to re-grow entirely.

How fast can a horse gallop? The fastest recorded sprinting speed of a horse was 88 kilometres per hour. Most gallop at around 44 kilometres per hour.

What equestrian events are no longer held at the Olympics? Former Olympic equestrian events that are no longer held include the horse high jump, horse long jump, vaulting and polo.

When did dressage originate? Classical dressage, which initially wasn’t a competition but an art form based on training for the battlefield, first came to prominence during the Renaissance.

Who holds the fastest speed for a racehorse? The highest race speed recorded was achieved by Winning Brew trained by Francis Vitale (United States) in 2008. She ran two furlongs in 20.57 seconds.

What is the Tevis Cup? The Western States Trail Ride, popularly called the Tevis Cup, is a 100 mile endurance ride held annually. To successfully complete the ride, riders must finish the 100 miles in less than 24 hours. Who is the world’s tallest horse? 11-year-old Belgian gelding Big Jake is the world’s tallest horse, standing at 210.2cm.

How many wild horses are there in New Zealand? A muster of the wild Kaimanawa horses in New Zealand was recently performed to get numbers down to 300.

Can horses carry twins? Some mares will carry twins for several months before aborting halfway through the pregnancy. If both fetuses survive until full term, there is a good chance that the mare will have a difficult delivery that can end in the death of one, two, or all three horses.

How do you say ‘horse’ in other languages? Horse in Spanish is ‘caballo’, in French it’s ‘cheval’, in German it’s ‘Pferd’, in Afrikaans ‘perd’ and in Dutch ‘paard’.

When were horse events first introduced at the Olympics? Equestrian events at the Olympics can be traced back to 682 BC, when a four-horse chariot race was run at the Hippodrome at Greece’s 25th Olympiad.

Why do Arabians carry their tails so high compared to other horses? Arabians have fewer ribs, lumbar bones, and tail vertebrae than other horses, which means the high tail carriage is a reault of these ‘missing’ bones.

When were other more conventional equestrian disciplines introduced at the Olympics? Dressage was introduced in 1912, but was more of an obedience test and riders had to jump their horses as well. Eventing made its Olympic debut in 1912, and show jumping in 1900.

EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

PHOTO SPREAD

taupo three day event Eventers from around the country gathered at the Taupo Three-Day Event was held at Taupo Equestrian Centre on May 13-15.. Photographer: Luke Kirkeby

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RACEHORSE RECYCLING

Part III. This month Claire takes Ouch to a dressage competition, Yvette continues to work on the basics with Bomba, Wills earns the nickname the Wilseybeastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Jess brings Arnie back into work.

TRAINING

CLAIRE AND OUCH This month Claire takes Ouch to the Anything Equestrian Dressage Day. Read on to see how they went!

RIDER: Claire Madden LOCATION: Kumeu, Auckland OCCUPATION: HR Assistant WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH OUCH? Teaching him to canter and to establish leg aids rather than slapping the reins on his neck to get him moving forward. HORSE: Major Ouch (Ouch) AGE: 8 HEIGHT: 15.3hh DAM: Ouch La Fe Fe SIRE: Art Major STARTS: 32 WINNINGS: $30,390 DISCIPLINE: Showing

Ouch has definitely bigger and stronger now. He is finding it easier to collect himself, keep a steady rhythm, but the biggest change in him is definitely his mental maturity. He has finally made the connection that under saddle he does not need to try and chase the horse in front of him (although I am sure he would still like to!). This month Ouch and I worked towards our first ridden competition since January. Half-halt is definitely my go-to tool with Ouch. When he starts to get heavy in my hands, it helps to redirect his weight back onto his hind end, lightening him in front and it also reminds him that he cannot expect me to carry him! As his fitness is improving I am definitely finding that I have to do this less and less. Ouch is a very smart horse and rather cunning so if he can find a way to weasel out of something or make his life easier he will try it first. This would be our second time attempting dressage; our first time was 18 months ago and was an absolute disaster. I put too much pressure on us and it all fell to pieces. We walked and trotted (and paced!)

Ouch and Claire competing at their first dressage event

around the ring like a camel but we did manage a square halt at the end. That day we only did 0A. Leading into the Anything Equestrian Dressage Day, I set a couple of simple goals for Ouch and I to achieve: 1) Make it into the arena, 2) Stay in the arena for the duration of the tests, 3) Complete test in a steady rhythm while accepting the bit. I was pleasantly surprised with how our two tests went, Ouch was calm and relaxed (a little too calm really as I had to resort to the Pony Club kick a few times) and we were reasonably accurate. We even managed to canter on both reins in the canter test (0C). Yes we broke from the canter a few times but I am just happy we managed to get the canter in the first place. We received very positive comments from both judges about Ouch’s manners and movement and our teamwork and there was no mention of my most hated phrase: “he did well for a standardbred” by the judges, competitors, spectators or the organiser, this time it was just “he did well” Yay! I was very excited to place second with 88 per cent in my first test, and fifth in my second test with 68 per cent. We are currently sitting second equal in the high points series for our division. Ouch is now fully clipped and ready to start his winter training and we have plenty of time to practise before day two on August 7.

Ouch received great scores for both his tests EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

TRAINING

YVETTE AND BOMBA In this update, Yvette continues to work on the basics, but also has some trouble finding time to ride due to daylight savings.

RIDER: Yvette Morrissey LOCATION: Christchurch OCCUPATION: Editor WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH BOMBA? Stiffness and not wanting to bend, especially on the right rein. HORSE: Keeparunnin (Bomba) AGE: 7 HEIGHT: 16.1HH DAM: Goldilocks SIRE: Keeper STARTS: 19 WINNINGS: $25, 825 DISCIPLINE: Dressage and showing

This last month has been really tricky. Trying to balance daylight savings, moving house, a full-time job, a social life, an exercise regime and horses just didn’t seem to happen! I did teach Bomba a new move, however; the Holy Grail of lateral workthe leg yeild. I started off by teaching this from the ground to make it super simple for Bomba and make him understand what “go sideways” means. I did this by using one tool- the whip. Bomba can be a bit special sometimes and likes to trot the third or fourth time I ask him, so I thought teaching him leg yield from the ground would be a good way to liven him up also! To teach leg yield from the ground, this is what I did. First of all, I made sure Bomba was wearing a bridle, so I would have a bit more control if he happened to move forward when I didn’t ask him to. Secondly, I faced his chest and held the whip horizontally to him. I then asked for a gentle halt-halt using the rein aid, and I flicked the whip gently on his hindquarters. The trick is to keep flicking the whip, gradually increasing the pressure until

Flick the whip gently on the horses side...

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the horse moves over. As soon as the horse moves sideways, release the pressure of he whip immediately- that is the reward, or basically saying to the horse “Great job!” The horse may move forward, as the first aid they are taught when pressure is applied at their sides is to move forward, but if this happens, correct the horse by halting him again and proceeding to flick the whip on his hindquarters. As soon as Bomba moved sideways, I made sure I made a big fuss of him and let him have a break. Within five minutes, he knew the aid for sideways. Now, to teach it to him when riding! This was trickier. Firstly, i turned up the three-quarter line, rode straight for a few strides, and then directed him straight back to the track. This basically says “this is where we are going to go!”. The next step is to slide your outside leg back, and ask for the leg yeild. As soon as he started moving over, I took the pressure on his side off, rode forward for one stride, and then applied the pressure to move over again. This ensures that the horse doesn’t fall in to the arena edge- that they maintain straightness throughout the leg yield. When Bomba didn’t respond to my leg sliding back, I gave him a flick with my dressage whip- a stronger aid but also an aid I knew he would respond to. It worked. Within ten mintues Bomba could move his body sideways from the three-quarter line to the wall.

...and release the pressure when he moves sideways!

TRAINING

JAX AND WILLS This month Jax finds her daughter and her baby exracehorse horse have a lot in common who has now earned the nickname ‘Willseybeast’

RIDER: Jax Van Buuren LOCATION: Whangarei OCCUPATION: Mother/ Radio Announcer WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH WILLS? Everything in this month’s column! HORSE: Buffalo Ben (Wills) AGE: 4 HEIGHT: 16.2hh DAM: Princess Dower SIRE: Buffalo Man STARTS: 1 WINNINGS: $0- but sold for $18,000 as a yearling DISCIPLINE: Pleasure and something

Being the mother of a young child it has just dawned on my how four yearold humans and four year-old horses are alike….let me count the ways! 1. Neither have any perception nor do they care about ‘personal space’. A four year old child will land full force on your soft innards at 100 miles an hour without a second thought! My four year-old gelding has not been taught any ground rules and will Scooby Doo into my arms at the first sign of trouble! 2. Dinner time is serious stuff. With a toddler it’s a case of ‘put the food down and get out of firing range’ before you end up with advocado/pasta/egg on yourself. While Wills is not so much a flinger of food, he is a very serious binge eater. His feed needs to be pre-mixed and dumped into his bin whilst he puts his ears flat and snakes at you! I have taught him to back away but he’s pretty intense when it comes to dinner time. 3. Being naked is good. That’s it in a nutshell really, my daughter hates clothes, Wills hates his cover……they

The “Willseybeast” undergoes a schooling session

are both a pain to catch and dress! 4. The attention span is really (oh what’s that over there?!) short! I’ve realized that any schooling has to be done within about 20 minutes or I will lose my audience. 5. The tantrums are pretty intense! My daughter will scream and throw herself on the ground while sometimes Wills makes me want to scream and tries to throw me on the ground! The other day we were doing some ground work and he just started bucking, luckily (according to my sister who was there) he is terrible at bucking. He is however pretty good at rearing and he threw in one of those for good measure. I stayed on but my confidence plummeted. According to others that have had ex-racehorses, this is not an isolated thing, many four yearolds have tantrums and make it known when they are not happy. Keeping this in mind, I have done just what I did with my daughter (no- I didn’t send him to the naughty step). I went back to the basics. More hacking, more poles, more hills and asking only simple questions of Wills to help to re-build my confidence and build up his. It’s not easy but in hindsight, neither was my other horse, and now she is my fun, easy horse now. I just have to remain mindful of how far we’ve come and keep plugging away…..baby steps, baby steps.

Wills is learning to jump EQUINE ONLINE MAGAZINE JUNE 2016

TRAINING

JESS AND ARNIE This month Arnie is back in work from injury and he has a few surprises for Jess on the cross-country course. Arnie is back in work and going with full spring! I’m super impressed with how

RIDER: Jess Land LOCATION: Christchurch OCCUPATION: Owner of Jess Land Equestrian WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH ARNIE? Rebuilding the right muscles and getting him to let go over his back. HORSE: Amadeus (Arnie) AGE: 5 HEIGHT: 16.1HH DAM: Diva in Red SIRE: Pentire STARTS: 14 WINNINGS: $15, 325 DISCIPLINE: Eventing and show-jumping

this guy is feeling and how he has stepped up over the last few weeks. I’ve been spending lots of time on the lunge with him to encourage him to work over his back. Because he was sore, he got into the habit of bracing against the bridle and becoming stiff across his body, so the lunging has helped him to realise he can let go again and use his body properly again. It has also made a huge difference with his contact- he is much easier to ride into a contact now. I’ve also been doing a lot of hacking on him so his transition back to ridden work has been enjoyable and easy for him. Arnie is super reliable on the road, great in traffic, and I can ride him on the buckle the whole way and half the time I don’t even sit facing the front (I don’t encourage this by the way)! I really enjoy the variation that hacking gives horses especially as I am lucky enough to have the choice of riding on the road, forest

Arnie is back in action!

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or beach all within fifteen minutesit makes a huge difference towards creating a relaxed and happy horse who wants to work. Myself and Arnie also had a cross country schooling session with Donna Smith this month and he absolutely blew me away! He was super happy to jump whatever was asked of him including going into the water and going down drops which he has always found quite intimidaing. We can also tick off palisades and skinnies- so big smiles all round here. He is very different to ride into a fence as he really likes you to be supporting him right up to the base with heaps of leg while staying very soft in front. He is a much longer framed horse to what I am use to so it’s been a big learning curve for both of us!

Jess and Arnie attend a clinic held by Donna Smith

QUOTE/UNQUOTE

Never let success get to your head never let failure get to your heart

C O LU M N : H E A LT H A N D F I T N E S S

TOP 5 YOGA MOVES This month columnist and personal trainer Freya Thompson tells us her top five yoga moves for horse riders. Follow FREYA on Facebook

“I’ve never fallen off”…said no horse rider, ever. I think it’s fair to say as riders we put our bodies through a lot; getting our feet trodden on, being pushed around by that bolshy horse, getting catapulted over jumps- the list goes on. Then there’s the necessity of having to get straight back on after any involuntary dismounts. What we need to understand is all of these bumps and bruises cause disruption to our body’s functionality. To be an effective rider we require balance, strength, and mobility. Taking into account the typical injuries I see with horse riders here are my favourite yoga moves to help you realign and rebalance. It’s a good idea to either video yourself or use a mirror to check your posture is correct. Aim to hold each asana (pose) for at least one minute and ensure you breathe deeply throughout. 1. Balasana (Childs pose) with thread needle variation

2. Utkatasana (Chair Pose) into Parivritta (standing reverse twist). Ensure tail bone is tucked under in chair pose. Take note of how each side feels to twist.

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3. Malasana (Garland Pose) with rotation. Ensure back straight. Press elbows into knees. When rotating ensure slight bend in elbow.

4. P a r s v a k o n a s a n a (Extended Side Angle Pose) – hand on inside of foot. *Regress to forearm resting on front thigh if required *If you can get hand to floor press shoulder into knee to open hip) 5. Supta Matsyendrasana (Two knee spinal twist) *Ensure the shoulder of extended arm i s p r e s s e d i n t o f l o o r. *Look to the opposite direction of the knees.

COLUMN: RETURNING TO RIDING

i bought a horse! After 30 years, adult rider and columnist Marie Gordon is back in the saddle. This month Marie reflects on her decision to get back into horse riding and the many things she learned along the way.

It was 2012 when I bought my first horse. Bess was a wonderfully solid 16.2 Clydesdale cross who had spent most of her life trekking. Perfect I thought! She would be quiet, forgiving, easy to look after, and once I got myself back to where I left off thirty years ago we would be good to go. That was great in theory, but in practice, not so much. My approach to find the perfect horse started out with a lot of research on what to look for, what to avoid, how to approach a seller, and how to assess a potential purchase under saddle. Remember, someone else was taking care of that stuff when I was nine. I knew it would be sensible to ask someone knowledgeable to help me make the right decision. But who? I found the prospect daunting- I was too shy to speak up or in this case take up offers or ask for help. So it was off to the less scary backup option- the internet. I trawled horse classifieds for quite a few months before being bold enough to enquire about Bess. She was in Northland and the owner was prepared to sell her sight unseen. After a couple of phone calls it seemed we were going to be a great fit. Me to her temperament and her to my capabilities. I can very clearly remember her arrival. The truck pulled up at the end of driveway and the ramp was dropped down. It was at that point I had my first panic. She looked massive, and the reality of pursuing the dream suddenly seemed quite overwhelming. The truck driver asked if I wanted to unload her. In my best mouse voice and with heart booming I suggested I would take her once she was off the truck. Bess settled in really quickly and aside from that initial five minute freak out about

her size when the truck ramp came down, it never bothered me again. So how did we get to the point of parting company? Effectively, it came down to my lack of knowledge in training correct behaviour and my not recognising that as being the problem. She was never nasty nor did anything outrageous, in fact the only time I came off her she was perfectly still but I had anticipated her moving off while I mounted on the side of the hill and she chose that moment not to. The look she gave me while I was lying on the ground in fits of laughter on the opposite side to where I had started was almost as funny as my having fallen off a stationary horse. After about six months together I decided we were not a good match. She had clearly spent a lot of time being sat on by tourists with little clue walking the same trails in a line meaning she was quite used to doing what she liked. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to correct basic errors like having her standing still to mount every time, and lifting her feet when asked. This meant I was not building confidence and therefore not riding her as often as I should or wanted to. I could see we were not going to work. The lesson for me there was though I was investing in her knowledge, I was not investing my own, so even if I had kept her she would not have been any better off, and nor would I. Thankfully I remained committed to my own equine education and along came Dandy and Georgie. The story for Bess has a great ending too. She is now living with a fantastic woman who loves her to bits and they have enjoyed the last four years hunting, hacking, and show jumping together.

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COLUMN: COACHES CORNER

riding starts on the ground Columnist and BHS riding instructor Senara Caddy discusses how groundwork can improve your relationship with your horse and offers seven tips you can practice at home. Follow senara on Facebook

I am a firm believer that to get the most out of your horse they need to trust and respect you as the handler and rider. With this in mind, it is not all about the riding: good training starts on the ground. Horses like consistency and routine. If you have a particularly nervous or flighty animal you will need to build his confidence not only in you, but also his surroundings. Once a horse trusts his handler/rider and is comfortable in his environment, he will be more accepting of variation and change. Even if the horse has good manners it pays to include this kind of work in your training programme as it builds the relationship between the two of you. Consistency is the key word here. Include carrot stretches at the end of your sessions and your horse will not only become more flexible but will enjoy his work too. Here are some groundwork exercises to help improve your horses’ response and schooling under saddle: 1) Lead your horse at the shoulder. Don’t drag him and certainly don’t allow him to drag you. Use a bridle if you need more control. Work on transitions from walk to halt and even rein back whilst you bring him in from the paddock or out of the stall. 2) When grooming, handling and putting rugs on your horse be confident. He must stand still. If he tries to bite or kick make sure you are not doing anything to aggravate or cause the problem, such as using a brush that is too hard. Use a halter and tie your horse up as this will help prevent such habits forming.

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3) When you ask your horse to move over or back up in the stall, stable or yard he must do so. Practice this with gentle pressure from your hand at just behind the girth area, on the hind quarters, shoulder and chest. Remember as soon as the horse responds in the correct way release the pressure and praise. 4) Do not allow your horse to push and rub on you. He needs to know to keep out of your personal space. Remember these behaviours are easily developed but harder to stop once it has become a habit. 5) Once the bridle is on do not allow your horse to rub his face on his legs. It can become a habit when you are mounted and can be extremely dangerous as they can easily stand on the reins or get their legs caught through them. 6) When mounting never allow your horse to move off until you are ready. This becomes a very annoying habit but is easily prevented by getting someone on the ground to hold your horse still while you mount.

7) When you are riding do not let your horse put his head down and graze. When you are in the saddle it is work time and the horse needs to focus. If you want to reward and relax, a walk on a loose rein walk is far better. .

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