Hound and Horse Lifestyle Magazine November 2019

HOUND&horse N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 9

L I F E S T Y L E

Issue 28

M A G A Z I N E

Free

WIN a R500 Stretta Café Voucher

Mongol Derby!

C R E AT I N G S O M E B E S T I E S W I T H M A N D Y B A R R E T T LO C A L A N D L E K K E R W I T H C H A R L I E L A K I N C A L L I N G 9 1 1 F O R Y O U R G A R D E N B Y L I N D S AY G R AY

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Editor: Claire Wager ads@houndandhorse.co.za Claire: 084 491 0467 Sales: Adele Howell-Pryce sales@houndandhorse.co.za Design & Art Direction: Aspyre Advertising simon@aspyre.co.za Cover Photo: Unsplash Printer: Blythe Palmer Marketing Contributors: Claire Wager, Adele Howell-Pryce, Mandy Barrett, Ginny Scooper, Lindsay Gray, Charlie Lakin, Unsplash Disclaimer: All editorial material is strictly copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Hound & Horse Lifestyle reserves the right to reject any advertising or editorial material which may not suit the publication without reason given. The opinions expressed in the advertisements and articles do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or Publisher. Hound & Horse reserves the right to refuse any advertisement.

Hound & Horse publishes all photographs and written material in good faith and accepts no liability due to misinformation or loss incurred in relation to information from this magazine.

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UND & HORSE APPLY. VISIT THE HO O. T’S & C’S F IN E R O M R FO

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Not that our shop is always quiet enough for that sort of indulgence! Even when customers are few and far between, there’s always work to be done. We stock the shop entirely on donations, and these arrive in varying states of disrepair and cleanliness, and it’s up to Lyris and me to figure out what to chuck out and what to clean up, what to take home and wash, and to see if we can maybe make up a few complete bridles from that tangled pile of mouldy nosebands and head pieces!

We always price things to go- and as a result we have faithful customers who come back again and again from far and wide, hoping to find a bargain on our shelves. You never know what horsey treasures you may find here- anything from clippers, complete with spare blades, to comfortably worn in yard boots and the cutest little show shirts or still serviceable numnahs... all these things and so much more pass through our little shop.

The SPCA shops are all volunteer run. Most of the Village Green shops open on 8-12 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with Sunday markets and Friday night markets happening monthly. There is a pool of wonderful people who man (and WOman) the shops, who happily stand in for each other when needed- but for our shop it’s a little trickier in that it really helps if we have people working here who know even just a little bit about horses and tack, in order to be of assistance to our customers. We currently have two lovely young women working on a Saturday as their school community service, but they, alas, will matriculate and leave us... like they do, sob... and we also desperately need people who can help during the week. It’s just not sustainable for Lyris and I on our own.

If among your readership there are any kind souls who could dedicate a morning once a week or so to working in the tack shop, Lyris and I -not to mention all the good folk at the Kloof and Highway SPCA and the animals- would be so very grateful! The job would not involve stock sorting, cleaning or pricing, but just being present in the shop, manning the till and chatting with customers. It’s really very easy and pleasant- and if you are a horsey teen, a great way to earn community service points.

Should anyone be able to help, please contact me on 0832370204 or Jo (who is in charge of all the Village Green shops) on +27 83 564 9102 Thanks again Ed- and do tell Ginny to pop in and Scoop the most FAB diamanté browband we have in store which positively has her name on it!

Jess

CAFE & GRILL

I

I am a great fan of your excellent publication, back copies of which grace the shelves of our little Tack Shack at the Kloof SPCA. While it’s tempting to charge something for them (all proceeds to the animals, of course!) the “Free” sticker on the cover puts paid to that, excuse the pun! However, many a quiet moment in the shop has been pleasantly whiled away reading through your informative articles, or looking with longing through the “Horses for Sale” page... Ooooh doesn’t he look nice...

Regards,

STRETTA 03 1 765 8 862

Dear Ed

HOUND & HORSE

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WWW. ST R E T TA.CO.Z A

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The Longest and Toughest

Horse Race on Earth!

-Featuring the smallest and toughest race horses on earth-and those who sit on them-

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Mongolia. It’s the most sparsely populated country in the world. In area, it’s just a wee bit bigger than South Africa- pretty much the size of South Africa and Lesotho added together. If one were to combine the populations of both those countries, the total would come close to sixty million, whereas the population of Mongolia is only three million. Half of that number live clustered in and around the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, which leaves an immense landscape of empty, untouched wilderness, comprising mountain ranges, desert, and vast grassland steppes. It is home to small tribes of nomadic herders, a couple reindeer up in the north round the Khovsgol Lake, what’s left of the endangered twohumped Bactrian camel down south, Gobi desert way, and the odd horse here and there…

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Make that somewhere in the region of three million horses! As many horses as there are people! The Mongolian horse is an ancient breed, unchanged since long before they carried Genghis Khan’s warriors rampaging across Europe, to conquer half the known world. They are small and tough, roaming in vast semi-feral herds, eating nothing but grass and drinking available water. It’s a harsh existence.

Mongolian temperatures range between -40C in winter to 30C in summer, so nature and Darwin ensure that the breed stays strong, and only the fittest survive.

There is a Mongolian saying that goes “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings…” The lives of the

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human steppe-dwellers are inextricably linked with their equine counterparts.

Every Mongolian regardless of age or gender will have a few favourite riding horses, but the majority are symbols of status and wealth, much as cattle are here. When the mares are brought in (for milking, of course, what else…) the children get to play with the foals, so that they (both foals and kids) become accustomed to interacting with each other at a young age and the process of backing is quick and easy when the time comes. It goes without saying that the Mongols ride with the incredible balance and the fearless ease that comes of a lifetime in the saddle.

As it is the world over, anywhere where horses, horsemen and wide-open

passes, dramatic valleys, woodland and wetland, sand dunes and steppe- the adventure of a lifetime for those tough enough to take on the challenge. To quote from the race blurb: “The Mongol Derby is adventure on a massive scale and demands a quiver of characteristics from the very top drawer encompassing sportsmanship, determination and the ability to laugh in the face of severe chafing.”

spaces co-exist, racing is a big part of life. Local race meetings are held often during the year, culminating in the National Nadaam Festival held at Khui Doloon Khudag, just outside Ulaanbaatar. The jockeys are children, both boys and girls. To ride in the National Nadaam, the jockey needs to be over seven years old, and, in a rare case of tradition adapting to modern convention, they are now required to wear protective clothing. The social cachet associated with owning or training a winning racehorse is huge: presidential awards, gifts and state titles are up for grabs for the participants, while the onlookers believe that touching the sweat of a champion horse, or breathing in the dust churned up by his hooves is a blessing, connecting them with the spirit of the horse and bringing good fortune.

Appropriately then, this then is the cultural and geographical setting for the Mongol Derby, known among endurance riders as the world’s toughest horse race. At around 1000km it certainly is the longest. The race is structured on the model used

by Genghis Khan to carry messages across an empire. (The efficacy of his “Pony Express” is borne out by the fact that Genghis took a mere 25 years to conquer more territory than the Romans did in 400 years…)

The Derby incorporates 25 horse stations, or urtuus, 40km apart, each hosted by a Mongolian family. They provide horses, accommodation and food, as well as crucial local knowledge and pep talks when necessary. There are vet checks at every station, and riders incur time penalties if their horses come in with elevated heart rates. In an emergency, there are medics and vets on call, but otherwise it’s you, your horse and 1000km of Mongolian wilderness: no marked course, no packed lunches, no B&B’s with hot showers… just mountain

One such intrepid adventurer is Wiesman Nel. An outdoorsman of note, Wiesman loves his distance sports. He is a marathon runner, a cyclist and an endurance rider, and the organiser of awesome multi-day horse riding adventures in the Transkei and Lesotho. Moelmanshoek, his Arab and Boerperd stud in the Eastern Free State provides all the horses for the Rockethorse Race, which takes place on the Wild Coast between Port Edward and the Kei mouth.

Wiesman’s interest was piqued when he came across an article in the Farmer’s Weekly. It was the year 2011, and Craig Egerbrink, a dairy farmer from Underberg had just won the Mongol Derby. Wiesman knew immediately that this was the ultimate challenge to aim for. Exactly how he was going to make it happen was less clear. But then, some time later, he met Barry Armitage and Joe Dawson, the adventure riders who brought us the reality TV show The Ride. They had done the Derby too: In fact, Barry was to go back in 2017, and tie for first place along with Australian Ed Fernon, but that was still in the future. Now, Barry and Joe were looking for a horse supplier for a ten day, 350km trail ride along the Wild Coast. Wiesman had just completed a trek across Lesotho with Craig Egerbrink, who by now was a firm friend. That trip, and his previous experience working with an adventure ride outfit in Australia’s

Snowy Mountains, gave Wiesman the confidence to take on this new challenge: committing himself and his beloved horses to what was to grow into (in his words) “the little brother to the Mongol Derby”- South Africa’s very own Rockethorse Race.

With all this on the go in addition to the daily running of the farm and the happy demands of a young family, Wiesman needed people he could rely on. Sampie Mokoakoe started working at Moolmanshoek as a tractor driver, but immediately showed a remarkable affinity for the horses. In his quiet, cheerful, unflappable way he soon became an indispensible part of Wiesman’s team. He is particularly good with young horses, and has clocked up considerable endurance riding kilometers on Moolmanshoek youngsters, even completing a couple of Fauresmith events. (This is a 3 day, 200km endurance race which attracts riders from all over the world.)

As a trail leader, Sampie is a delight.

Although his English is limited, his local knowledge is vast, and a ride with him is always a treat. Moolmanshoek attracts guests from all over the world, and from every walk of life… and everyone who is fortunate enough to visit this little piece of paradise, falls in love with the place and the people.

And everybody loves Sampie!

Which brings us to the magical part of the story: the part where a guest, someone who has ridden far and wide with Wiesman and Sampie over the years and has become more of a friend than a guest, is sitting chatting one night with Wiesman and Barry Armitage in the old sandstone lodge at Moolmanshoek. It’s eight weeks before the 2017 Mongolian Derby, and Barry is there to train. He’s going back, and this time he wants to win…

Over dinner the conversation turns

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to Barry’s imminent adventure- and then the Friend asks Wiesman why he doesn’t join Barry on the race.

Wiesman is taken aback, but it is clear that the Friend is serious. For all the times Wiesman has taken him on adventures that have challenged him and stretched his abilities, he wants to give back. He wants to sponsor Wiesman to ride the Mongol Derby!

The Friend (henceforth referred to as the Fairy Godfather, or FG) urged Wiesman to get online there and then and download the entry forms, but it turned out to be too late: the event was full, and entries were closed. After the initial let down, Wiesman realised this was probably a good thing. An undertaking of such epic proportions needs extensive preparation and training.

The next two years provided that in spades. From all the rides in Lesotho and the Transkei, Team Wiesman & Sampie was operating like a well-oiled machine. They had been trailing and guiding together over thousands of kilometers of African wilderness, and were both super fit. The FG saw this, and waved his magic wand to include both Sampie and Wiesman in a renewed attempt to get into the Derby in 2019. This time all the stars were in alignment and their application was successful.

The rest of the fairytale is history…

Those of us who know and love them followed their progress via daily Facebook updates, glowing with fierce pride as Sampie gained the respect of the entire race for stopping to help a support crew (!) who were stuck in a bog, to the detriment of his own race… as Wiesman made up his time penalties- and then some! We stressed to hear that Sampie’s GPS was on the blink and he was last seen heading for Russia, and rejoiced as Wiesman crossed the finish line in second place.

Yes! That’s our Wiesman! We punched the air when Sampie was given both the Sportsmanship Award and the Herder’s Award, and nodded sagely when we heard that the Mongolian herders were amazed and impressed by his “spiritual connection with his horse”… That’s our Sampie!

A few weeks after their triumphant return, I met up with Wiesman at Moolmanshoek, and I got to ask the question that had been bothering me since I started researching the Mongol Derby.

Wiesman? Can you really laugh in the face of severe chafing? At which he did laugh, and proceeded to tell me about a very very good cream he was introduced to by one of the race medics… So now? I asked. What’s next? And he started to tell me- ah, but that’s a story for another day!

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Creating a Couple of Besties

The Dog Guru Behaviorist and Trainer

by Mandy Barrett

to train (either species), I don’t encourage hitting, or letting them “sort it out” as this can cause not only emotional distress, but really serious injuries too – including human injuries. Animals should be introduced on their own terms, with as much time as it takes.

Start off by assessing the situation. Let’s look at the canine first. Herding and working breeds will have a higher urge to stalk, chase, and even nip at horses.

Other breeds may find that all too much hard work and prefer barking at strangers or eating horse droppings. Dogs that have never met horses may react with fear, and even try to attack this strange creature.

Some dogs will pack together to chase and annoy horses, and new dogs may even teach old dogs new tricks!

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Socialising horses and dogs should be easy, considering that they are both social types and love making new friends most of the time. There are stories of dogs falling for chickens and horses being best buds with parrots. Why is it then…..that sometimes this all goes so very wrong?

The social learning times of animals is usually at a peak when they are young, really young, often starting to taper off at around 4 months old, at which time the learning process becomes slightly more hard work – not impossible, just harder and more time consuming. Young pups and foals should be introduced to each other as young as possible, under controlled, calm circumstances. Once the animals age more, more effort may be required, and most definitely more management in the way of barriers, fencing and controlled access.

But what if you adopt an older dog (or horse) and the newbie has never met a horse (or dogs)? Your ideas of peaceful outrides and lazy afternoons may turn into yelly-kicky-fall-offy rides very quickly!

Not being one to encourage using pain

From an equine point of view – this novel, smaller, furry and barky creature could be fascinating or scary, depending on the horses nature and levels of social exposure. Horses used to other animals for instance, will be more accepting of dogs. And then you have the horses who (and I use the term WHO because it denotes that horses are people too), detest, chase and try to hurt dogs, most often due to prior negative experiences. In addition, the way these two species TALK to each other is different and they will need to learn how to communicate well before being able to be really good friends. Although they can get along really well, it is almost as though one speaks fluent English only, while the other can only communicate in Zulu. Dogs will want to sniff horses from behind as they do with other dogs, which will upset most horses resulting in them kicking out, and horses will want to sniff dogs on the nose, risking a nip, as dogs will see this as very rude until they understand that this is how horses say “Hi”.

Of course, you can’t force them to learn this new language, but in time, that nose sniff will be cool and the dog will respect that horses prefer to avoid butt cuddles with dogs.

The most important aspect is safety. Horses are large and can easily hurt a dog, even killing

them with a kick and dogs are capable of biting horses, as well as chasing them into fences or other objects. This is why management is essential. All dogs being introduced to horses must at least have SOME basic training skills, including a solid recall, and a great LEAVE command response. Having a reliable and calm dog, who knows horses well can help a lot with new introductions. Dogs need to be kept safely on a lead and out of paddocks until you are certain that they are calm.

Horses should be handled by a competent assistant until you are certain that they are comfortable with dogs. Dogs and horses should not be allowed free access to each other at any time really, but most definitely not until they are absolutely trustworthy with each other.

Spending time with an assistant to hold one of the animals, and doing pleasant things – walks, slow outrides and controlled arena access will all work towards getting the two to be firm friends.

Some things you can try – ask a friend to sit with your leashed dog while you ride, feeding him snacks for being calm. Spend time grooming both animals, again with an assistant to hold when needed and using treats to reward good behaviours in both.

Take your time to avoid any costly, or even fatal mistakes and use the mantra of “safety first” at all times. It is always useful to ensure that both animals are calm, trained and easy to handle tethered, as well as being aware of stress signals and potential anxiety and stopping within threshold.

If you are needing any assistance with training here – contact us for more information and teaching with markers.

Local& Lekker with Charlie Lakin

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Well here we are in November where has the year gone, well probably not so much the year but the last few months have shot by but can’t complain everything still running well, another couple of vegan dinners at Pablo Honey in Hillcrest, Sunday roast at Shongweni Market , my annual Trafalgar dinner at the Royal Natal Yacht Club and one of my favourite meals to cook, the Drummond Farm Watch dinner (which I hope everyone enjoyed, I know I did).

It’s not only that I really do love the Drummond community they are a pretty good crew especially since my legal access to good foraging has increased, but like the vegan dinners it’s a challenge. Not only being in a very unfamiliar kitchen but the majority of the ingredients are from the area and that is about the only kind of brief I have for the meal I cook. After that its up t me what I want to do, which I always relish the chance to do. So not much of my babbling this month straight into a few of my favourite recipes from this last month’s endeavours.

First up, my biggest surprise was how tasty macadamia cream cheese is. The original recipe called it a Feta but I 6 •

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might have gone wrong somewhere, but that doesn’t matter because what I created was tasty. Obviously doing the 7 course Vegan tasting menus, which are completely different every time, at some point I was going to delve into the world of nut cheese (little schoolboy snigger) and cereal yoghurts.

The idea popped into my head, as they often do, while I was out foraging on a friend’s farm when he informed me, they had 30 plus macadamia trees on the farm. But all completely overgrown with rubbish. Well I was in there like a ferret down a rabbit hole, gathering up like a hungry squirrel stockpiling for winter big fat macadamias with great excitement of the forth coming “cheese.” Note to add on them, they’re little bastards to crack open. I’m going to try this recipe with other nuts and even give sunflower seeds a go. If any one does try another nut, please share your photos with me on Facebook Charlie Lakin. I’m also going to try making a sorbet with it, to serve with a vegan spiced pumpkin cake.

Macadamia Nut Cream Cheese 3 cups macadamia nuts 3 cups water 2/3 cups lemon juice may require a bit more for seasoning 1/3 cup light olive oil 2 tsp salt First up blend the nuts and water together to a paste and place in a cheese cloth to drain the liquid off (this can be saved for future recipes requiring nut juice, oh the childish humour is so easy with this stuff). Now this is where I believe I went different to the recipe, as I only drained half of the milk off, leaving me with a wetter

2019 • HOUND & HORSE

nut paste. So if you are looking for firmer “cheese”, then return the nut paste to the food processer, add most of the lemon juice, salt and olive oil, taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt (you could also add herbs or a few chopped chillies at this time).

Line a colander with a piece of cheesecloth, blue kitchen roll works well too, then place the nut mix in the cloth, lightly press with a plate and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours to set. I find it tastes better when left for at least 2 days. Great on toast.

My next is something I was asked about a lot, after the Drummond Farmwatch dinner. Crispy Chicken Skin. Its actually very straight forward, main thing is stockpiling the chicken skin to crisp because once you start you are going to be making this all the time. You can season it with whatever you want. As nibbles I like to sprinkle some Cajun spice on and serve with smoked avocado dip (a dish from the vegan night that went down really well).

Tell ya what since I’m in a good mood I will give you that recipe as well.

Crispy Chicken Skin For the chicken skin, lay the chicken flat on a baking tray, split the skin on the inside of the leg to allow for a larger piece of skin, you can trim excess fat it you want, but still put it on the tray to add to the amount of tasty chicken fat you can get to save for later use. Season with a good sprinkle of Cajun spice and salt and place in a preheated oven 180c for 5 minutes, remove the tray, turn the pieces of skin and drain any excess fat into a jar to save for later. Repeat this several times until your skin is starting to turn golden and crisp, a little darker than golden isn’t the end of the world, it may have a slight bitter taste but is still very tasty, especially the bits with fat on. Yeah you guessed it, I don’t. Place on a couple of layers of kitchen paper to drain any excess fat and lightly season again. It will keep crisp for a good 8 hours…. even in Durban.

Hay Smoked Avocado Good hand-full horse hay 2 large, ripe, butter avocados, 3 hass 1/3 cup lime juice 1 tbsp light flavoured oil 1 tsp Tabasco (or homemade hot sauce to be honest) add to taste.

Place the hay in either a smoker, kettle braai, big green egg or even a heavy based pot or tray and makeshift rack.

Halve the avocados and remove the stone, place on a piece of foil ready to go. Set fire to the hay, get a good bit alight, then cover with the lid for 30 seconds to create a smoke chamber.

Quickly lift the lid and slide in the avos, leave for 2 mins. If you like a smokier flavour, repeat the process again for a deeper smoke taste. Once smoked remove the flesh and place all ingredients together and blend until smooth or smash with a fork like you would for Guac. Season with hot sauce, lime juice and salt. Serve ASAP with a big stack of chicken skins and a cold beer life’s a good one.

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's A S t e e M

, m u i m e r new p ble

a d r o f f a yet . d o o f g o d

Good nutrition is critical for all us “Hoomans” and the same goes for our fur-children. But what do we really spend on pet food and how much does it cost to feed our canine family?

day, it works out to R4.10 per feed of 140 grams of food. Whichever way you look at it, it’s conclusive: OLYMPIC® PROFESSIONAL offers SMART NUTRITIONTM at a very SMART PRICE, which leaves you extra Rands to spend on our popular range of biscuits and functional treats.

Picture it! It’s Friday night – you have had a long week and its supper time, yet the fridge is empty. The kids shout for fast food and you cave and set off down the road in pursuit of a well-deserved burger and fries. Rufus, your 20kg dog child, is also in the car panting with excitement.

You order “four family meals” at R199.96 and without hesitation you pay it.

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Back home, everyone is indulging in their scrummy cheat meal – except for Rufus of course! He has his nose stuck in a delicious bowl of OLYMPIC® PROFESSIONAL premium dog food. Luckily you know that for the same amount of R199.96, which you have just paid for four takeaway meals, you will be feeding Rufus 23 meals of top-quality SMART NUTRITION™.

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OLYMPIC® PROFESSIONAL’s Adult Dog Food is R10 less per kilogram than the leading competitor.

This means that an average 20kg dog can eat 280 grams per day at a cost of R8.20. If you feed your dog twice a

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Did you know that OLYMPIC® PROFESSIONAL’s factory is SANS 10330: 2007 (HACCP) certified? HACCP stands for ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points’ and is an international standard for the effective control of food safety.

All ingredients used in the OLYMPIC® PROFESSIONAL range are strictly and exclusively sourced from local and European producers, with full traceability of each ingredient back to its original source. Each load of our raw materials, plus each batch of our finished product, are both rigorously tested – not only to ensure that they are safe to consume – but also to ensure that our highquality standards are adhered to by every product in the range. Our food is subjected to stringent microbiological testing, as well as being tested for toxins and residues.

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911 for Gardens

by Lindsay Gray

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While much of South Africa is gripped in a drought, other parts – such as our glorious Kwazulu-Natal – are receiving soft rain, but it is hardly penetrating more than a centimeter of the soil. (I checked!)

We cannot garden in this weather, you might say. Oh, but we should!

It’s time to get your nurse’s uniform on (don’t get any ideas now!) and get into the garden to do whatever you can to save the small piece of earth with which you have been blessed. We are the custodians of this wonderful planet and we need to do all that we can to help save it.

Save the Soil In the past week (end of October, by the time you read this), we have been experiencing unusual high winds.

Wind + heat = disaster for the soil, as both of these elements strip the earth of what little moisture is contained in its upper layer.

Every gardener knows about seasonal mulching, especially after you have just planted out a new bed, of herbaceous plants or seasonal vegetables, but now is the time to add as much additional mulch as possible to any bare earth.

If you are already making your own compost, use it as quickly as it becomes available, even if it isn’t

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quite ready, as the plant matter will continue to decompose in the beds. We are all cutting our lawns currently and the lawn clippings can be used as an immediate mulch instead of going into the compost heap. Before heaping the material onto the soil, however, loosen the clippings by ‘fluffing’ them up, and layer the clippings to no more than 2 – 3 cm to cover bare soil.

If you have patches of bare earth in your garden because you are now yet quite sure what you would like to plant, you can take ordinary newspaper, but not the high gloss adverts, and layer individual sheets on the soil to overlap one another.

Weight them down with stones or whatever you have lying around, and immediately dampen the paper. The paper provides the most marvelous insulation and will decompose relatively quickly.

There is no shortage of horse feed merchants in our country and they all stock bales of hay and bags of straw that make a wonderful interim mulch for exposed soil. I say ‘interim’ as it has been my experience that repeated use of this material tends to result in a slippery layer of topsoil as the hay breaks down and binds with the earth. However, as a short-term solution to protect your soil, it will be fine. As the hay starts to break down, work it in lightly to the soil with your hands to prevent it settling in a crust.

2019 • HOUND & HORSE

Moisture Retainers There are several products on the market that help to retain moisture in the soil. Naturally, over a large area this might prove uneconomical, but if you are currently planting vegetables or refreshing your containers and hanging baskets, you can work one of these products into the soil and it will hold and release moisture to keep your plants hydrated.

The first is Wonder’s Stockosorb, a water-retaining polymer that increases the water holding capacity of the soil. Once it has been worked into the soil, activate the polymer with a good watering, after which you will be able to reduce watering by hand or irrigation by a significant amount.

For containers especially and hanging baskets you can work peat fibre into the soil which will also help retain moisture in the soil. This product can be bought in blocks from any local hardware store or garden centre. It needs to be reconstituted in water until it is light and separates easily and then worked into the potting medium in an approximate ratio of 1/3 peat to 2/3 potting medium ratio. You can use your discretion on this one.

Smother the Earth with Plants Groundcovers act as the perfect mulch, for although they do need occasional water, their foliage creates shade for the soil and, as individual leaves break off from the plants over time, they settle on the ground, creating a layer of organic matter that finds its way into the soil. My students are always in awe of how moist the ground is under groundcovers as opposed to the soil that is exposed to the elements on a daily basis.

Leave your Lawn Longer A lawn that is regularly scalped will never be a healthy lawn. If cut too short, the roots of the lawn suffer and diminish, and the whole plant

becomes unstable. In times of heat, your lawn needs thick coverage to protect its roots. Remove no more than one third of new growth at each cutting. Of course, mowing frequency differs with the various species of lawn. Kikuyu, Berea lawn and Cynodon (Kweek) should be mowed weekly to keep it in pristine condition, while Buffalo lawn is perfectly happy to be cut every two weeks. What you remove will differ as Cynodon is a fine grass and just the tips of the lawn need to be removed, while the other two are more robust so you should remove one third of the new growth.

By lifting the lawnmower up a notch, I can guarantee that you will see the results within a short space of time – a healthier, greener lawn that needs no watering and which can survive on the moisture contributed by earlymorning dew and the bit of rain we are receiving. In areas of extreme drought, lawns are currently a nonentity. There is nothing one can do but to just turn a blind eye. You cannot shock lawn into growing with fertilisers either.

Plan for Shade

indigenous trees, some of which cast a relatively deep shade while others cast a light shade. A lovely combination in any garden is a small tree with a gentle root system, underplanted with ferns, perennials and creeping groundcovers, all of which help to protect the earth and contribute to a cleaner atmosphere.

These are all just a few, inexpensive ways of caring for your garden this month. We will chat about other tips AND a Christmas idea, in our last edition for 2019.

In the meantime, why not consider enrolling in one of our in-house workshops or comprehensive distance-learning courses on the topic of good garden maintenance.

There is much to learn about making compost, understanding fertilisers, pruning, additional lawn care, natural pest control, creating habitats for wildlife and more!

The School of Garden Design offers a range of in-house and distance learning courses. Visit our website www.schoolofgardendesign.com or email: info@schoolofgardendesign.com for further details contact Lindsay Gray: 082 449 9237

We are fortunate in this country to have a wide selection of small

HOUND & HORSE

The School of Garden Design

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NOVEMBER

2019

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Ask Ginny Scooper Dear Ginny, I am about to go to my first Dressage training show and am worried about riding in the warm up arena in amongst all the other riders. Could you advise what the rules are for riding in the warm-ups?

Dressage Newby Dear Newby, Good on you for taking the plunge and tackling your first show and good on you for choosing dressage, instead of going out there and flinging your self over jumps when actually you should be learning to steer and stay on with balance.

Yes, there is a set of rules for the warm ups.

1. Look up! It's easy to be drawn into your horse, look down and be lost in your thoughts, but in the warm ups you need to be aware of what is going on around you.

2. Pass left shoulder to left shoulder, if you don't know your left from your right ( this can happen easily when you are focusing on creating a great trot or riding a perfect circle) sew a little stitch of red thread onto the right thumb of your gloves to remind yourself if you suddenly blank out.

3. Slower paces ride on the inside track.

DON'T walk on the outside track ever!

If you are trotting and someone else is cantering you give way to them and move off the track.

4. Keep control of your whip. Don't ride with it sticking out to the side or with it flapping up and down and don't ride so close to another rider that your whip touches their horse.

5. Treat all other horses as if they kick, keep at least one horse's length away. You don't know what their comfort zones are so better safe than sorry.

6. The arena is for work and not the place to have a last minute boot clean, read through of your test or chat with your friend over the fence.

Leave the arena to do this.

7. If another horse loses the plot in the warm-up or a rider falls off, stand still, don't carry on cantering. Wait until everything is back under control and calm.

(If you suspect your own horse might have an attack of the histrionics, it may be advisable to lunge him first, to take the edge off) Yours ever Ginny P.S: be polite, remember that everyone at a show is probably a bit stressed, especially in the warm ups.

Niceness tends to perpetuate itself.

Got a question for Ginny? Contact her on ginnyscooper@gmail.com

Buffelsbosch Equestrian LIVERY AVAILABLE at beautiful Buffelsbosch Equestrian, Lidgeton. Great for retired horses & competitive horses, we cater for all. Large paddocks, fantastic facilities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sand & grass, jumping & dressage arenas. Amazing outrides. Cross country & show jumping equipment. Big Stables. Instructor & manager on the property. Regular shows held here & attended. Cottages to rent.

Lessons. Horses for lease & sale. Contact: Daneen 083 268 6670

HORSES for Sale

16.1hh 6yr Old SAW Mare Beachaven on Track. Very attractive mare, currently jumping 1m. Very bold & enjoys her jumping. Based in Gauteng. Currently being produced by Daniella Machine. Contact: 083 955 9442 / 082 490 3131.

Kerwood Celebrity. Beautiful grey mare, 5yo by Casper (Belgian Warmblood) out of a Bono Mare. Celebrity placed 3rd in the 90cm Championship at Shongweni in October. She has a super temperament & is an uncomplicated ride.

Kerwood Brilliant. A modern sport horse, Brilliant is quick, responsive & brave. By Bono (Belgian Warmblood) out of a TB mare, she is a 9yo. Now settled in the Open classes. She is brave & honest, the epitome of a modern sport horse. Brilliant will suit a competent rider & will be competitive in the higher grades.

Please contact Troy for Kerwood horses on 072 527 3607 by whatsapp or SMS. Approx 15.3hh, 7yo Appaloosa X TB very pretty mare. Blanket Appi, who is very appealing to the eye! Suitable for confident rider. Can be a little anxious but very honest & willing. Won the 70cm at Karkloof, (placed 3rd at 70cm at Oaksprings, her first eventing show ever). Has done Sanesa jumping & Dressage. R70K (price will increase with further schooling) Contact: Sally 082 952 4012.

Jet Flame. 15.2hh TB Chestnut gelding.

Sire of Dam: Jet Master. DoB 22/08/2009.

A forward going boy who needs a compassionate & competent rider. A lovely temperament & very well mannered. He is not for a beginner or novice rider. Selected for KZN Sanesa & competed at Nationals in Equitation, Prelim Dressage, Prix Caprilli & SJ 70cm & did well all-round. Jumps 90cm

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at home. 2014 70cm Eventing Champ.

Moves well & has a good work ethic. Boxes & travels well. Good on outrides alone or in a group. Up to date with all vaccs, microchipped. A gentleman with the vet, farrier, dentist. Very sad sale of (Flamey Flamous) as owner is getting tall & moving onto a bigger horse. R20 000 including Wintec GP saddle.

Contact: Joy 083 264 3254 SA Warmblood by Axel, 15.2hh Bay Gelding, 6yo. Basic schooling in place & showing a talent for jumping. Brave & bold.

He is ready to start his competitive career.

Would suit a fun-loving junior/small adult for eventing, SJ & hacking out. Barefoot & can live out. Very reasonably priced at this stage as he is still green. Too small for owner. Contact Kristina 082 375 3175.

Bridesdale Firefly, 15hh rising 6yo dark bay Boereperd mare by Lang Karel Offesier.

Beautifully schooled, forward going. Lovely movement & a fantastic jump. Will be a great eventer. Unshod & lives out. R30 000 Contact: Claire 072 459 8263.

HORSES FOR LEASE

Monty2 15.3h Appaloosa, gelding, for half lease, ready to do a Novice Dressage Test (pictured in previous column). Jumping 70cm at home. Monty2 is a very gentle uncomplicated horse & great on hacks.

Monty2 is to stay at Jo-Jo's Riding Centre if leased. Contact: Jo-Jo 083 489 7834.

2019 • HOUND & HORSE

Dora. If you are a competitive rider then this is your horse! 150cm compact, Warmblood x Thb mare, for half lease.

Dora does a beautiful dressage test & is always in the placings. Jumping at training shows up to 70cm. She is very careful & hates to knock a pole! Dora is a great show hack, with good confirmation & has been placed in numerous showing classes. To be kept at Jo-Jo's Riding Centre.

Contact: Jo-Jo 083 489 7834.

TACK Ideal Valentino 16.5” medium wide, Black.

R16 000 Contact 076 431 4347.

Isabelle Werth 16.5” Wintec. In good condition. Contact: 062 379 2498

HORSEBOX Nutti Two Berth Rebuild. Requires one more axel to complete. Resprayed, good ramp, top door, new floor, new jockey wheel.

2 good tyres & 2 rims. Best to know what you are buying! All papers on hand, dereg but just a bit of admin to get it back on the road. It’s with a reliable trailer mechanic in Howick, R165000.

Contact: 079 597 4379.

PRIVATE LIVERY YARD in Drummond has one space available. Owner managed with competent & experienced grooms.

Grazing all day in large paddocks, spacious stables, 20 x 40m sand arena with mirrors.

Easy access to Shongweni.

Contact: Kristina 082 375 3175

To advertise your horse, contact: ads@houndandhorse.co.za

Amy Coxon-Gilliatt on Day of the Piper - Spurwing Horse Trials 2019

spurwingfeed@iafrica.com • www.spurwinghorsefeed.co.za Factory Manager - 033 330 8157 / 082 376 3058 • Fax 033 330 2049 Gauteng Representitive - 082 784 3206 • KZN Representitive 082 979 4594 SPURWING HORSE FEEDS CC • CK1998/054317/23 • MEMBERS: M BENSON & PC BENSON

Spurwing Horse Trials 2019 We had a fantastic Spurwing Horse Trials 2019! Friday was a cool breezy day for Dressage, which turned into a magnificent afternoon, perfect for the 70’s mounted course walk and Sponsors Course Walk, enjoyed by sponsors, competitors and spectators alike. Saturday was a scorcher with lots of

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challenges on track thanks to James Arathoon’s innovative course building. Sunday’s Show Jumping was cool and overcast with every penalty counting – Gus Oberholster’s course asked questions of the higher levels which led to a a nail biting finish with poles flying everywhere!

RESULTS

- CCN**S 1st - Danielle Machine & Just Evangelic 2nd - Savannah Wilmot & Giovanni 3rd - Sarah Aitchison & Jemada Jester.

- 1m Adult 1st - Hilton Ford & Iron Curtain 2nd - Kimberly Cunningham & Dageraad Unwa 3rd - Rebecca Erskine & Kankowski.

- 90’s Adult 1st - Coreen Barker & On Q for Gold 2nd - Michelle Steenekamp & Cordova Lutz 3rd - Nicolle Elson & Neck or Nothing.

It really was an outstanding show, made possible by the support of all our sponsors who gave so generously to further the sport of eventing.

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Photo Credit: Ingie Benson (Prize Giving)

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GIVE A DOG A HOME

Mutt of the Month

MAX is a very loyal 8 year old Labrador cross in need of a loving home. He is very good with children and other dogs. He likes to show off with his “sit” and “give paw” tricks and is so full of life. He is a gentle boy with not a bad bone in his

body. Max grew up with cats and loved them but will need to be reintroduced to them. To adopt his please email your completed application form to quichamorgado@gmail.com

EBONY, Hi there!! I am a precious little rascal of just 11 months old and in desperate need of a new family. I am an Africanis type X, medium in size, good with other dogs and chases cats. I love people & children & I will make a wonderful addition to your home.

ALLY is a beautiful 2 year old Collie cross in need of a new home. She is a happy go lucky girl with a very loving nature but she is still learning to fully trust a humans touch. Ally might take some time to get to know you but once she does she will be your best friend and most loyal companion. She is a super playful girl and obsessed with balls, she will happily chase after balls all day if given the chance. She is good with other dogs and cats too.

CLEO is a gorgeous 7 year old Swiss shepherd cross. Cleo is friendly and very playful and loves playing catch!! Cleo has grown up with children and is socialised with other dogs but does not know cats! She is loyal and very alert and loves being around people. Cleo’s owners are moving to the Cape and are so sad to have to let her go and are hoping she will find a special home where she will continue to be spoilt! She is spayed and her vaccinations are up to date.

This adorable little man is DOBY, he is a 7 year old Miniature Doberman in desperate need of a new family.

Doby loves sunbathing, is good with other dogs but prefers not to be disturbed by children. He does not know cats and sleeps inside.

SCOOTER is a happy 4 month old Staffie cross in need of a forever family. He is a playful chap who enjoys exploring in the garden and promises to love you forever. Scooter is great with children and well socialised with other dog This happy little boy is DIEGO, he is a 4 month old Africanis cross with a friendly and playful personality. Diego is good with other dogs, loves children and cats too. He is a very sweet boy with a beautiful temperament and he can’t wait to have a family of his own.

To offer forever homes to any of our wonderful dogs, please complete an application form at quichamorgado@gmail.com

RIA is a pretty 3 year old German Shepherd with a beautiful nature. She loves meeting new people and making friends but she especially loves children.

Ria does not know cats. She is a happy and extremely friendly girl who will make a wonderful addition to your home.

This beautiful girl is COLA, she is 6 years old and in need of a new family. Cola is great with children, other dogs and cats too. She is house trained and used to sleeping inside.

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