The past month has been a whopper of a month for the equestrian community in South Africa, thanks to one man – Thomas van Rijckevorsel. For those who don't know (surely nobody?!), Thomas won the Gold Medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Aachen, making every South African equestrian incredibly proud.
@Thomas – we hope the full extent of your achievement is starting to sink in now. The example of modesty, determination, hard work, and, most of all, passion that you have demonstrated is befitting of somebody many years your senior, and we couldn't be more inspired by not only what you have achieved but the way in which you achieved it.
Huge congratulations must also go to Thomas' family and, of course, his coach Dominey Alexander. This was a team effort, and we all know that in this sport, it literally 'takes a village' to get it all to come together as it did that day.
HQ's feature on Thomas and the Games is in our September print edition, and you'd be advised to get your hands on a copy as soon as they come out. It is going to be a cracker of an edition. We can't wait.
But, to get back to this issue, we have LOTS of exciting content filling the upcoming pages. There is no shortage of equestrian inspiration to keep our team busy, and we have a host of articles that we're sure you'll enjoy.
As always, thank you to our advertisers, without whom we couldn't keep producing these issues free of charge for the equestrian community.
It's been a great month; let's get August underway!
Happy horsing!
Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor
THIS ISSUE
COLLECTION COMING SOON
HYBRID SPORTHORSE AUCTION
THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT
Capital Stud’s goal is to breed horses with all the best attributes and qualities to meet the market’s ambitions to reach the top of the sport. Henning Pretorius’ has made a big investment; his ambitions are high and he knows the time it takes to see results. His comment “I prefer to see time faults in the 1.20m classes and then podium positions in the big classes” just hints at this patience. He has never forgotten what the great Gonda Betrix taught him,
You need patience to produce top horses.
- Gonda Betrix
The message is consistent and the results affirming. When we take a look at showjumping in South Africa the 1.50m class is the ultimate measure; it is where riders, coaches, teams and horses are tested, proven and rewarded. The quality and consistency of Capital Stud horses is plain to see; Henning’s vision and the traits he breeds and believes in cultivating have been confirmed time after time. From Capital Don Cumarco, the little grey foal in the headlights who grew together with Nicole Horwood to become legends in the sport in South Africa, to Capital Colnardo, who he spotted as an athletic young colt at the Holsteiner Stallion Selection, Henning has sought the qualities he knew were required to produce the current horses in 1.50m classes.
It takes five years to produce a Grand Prix horseDominey Alexander.
PRODUCTION IS KEY
Five years after the first Capital Stud Auction of 2017 the Capital horses are confirming their quality, ambition and attributes in the 1.50m classes. With six horses in the SA Championship 1.50m Class, and more than a dozen Capital horses consistently claiming tickets at this highest level, it’s fair to say that this achievement isn’t down to luck. The evidence is incontestable - the Capital Stud breeding programme has what it takes to get horses to the top, and then with quality riders, coaches and teams in the mix, all of the ingredients of success are in place.
PATIENCE IS KEY
Capital Stud have embraced this ‘slow and steady’ approach, with their horses really coming into their own in the bigger classes; as Nicole Horwood commented,
The bigger the jumps, the better the horses get. - Nicole Horwood
Patience is not always easy to come by, but for those with the ambition and dedication required to produce horses with top quality attributes such as intelligence, speed off the ground, blood, carefulness and scope there is no better bet than a sporthorse from Capital Stud.
2022 CAPITAL AUCTION
SAVE THE DATE: 18th and 19th November 2022
Capital Stud’s breeding just gets better. – Dirk Zagers
We are excited to see the young horses by a mix of sought after international stallions as well as our local top stallions. Following the same format as last year, Capital’s Hybrid Auction promises to be the highlight of the calendar. If nothing else, it is a valuable opportunity to see the horses under the spotlight; the Stud is proud to present a live auction giving buyers and spectators the most authentic presentation of their collection.
THE COLLECTION
The 2022 Collection introduces the first Capital Levubu progeny. The young Levubu offspring are showing lots of blood, scope and athleticism. They are sensitive horses and very, very careful. With Levubu’s qualities and his remarkable presence, the Stud is very excited about the talent and class these horses will bring to the ring.
Blood is like money: you can never have too much; you just need to be careful how you use it.
– Arnaud Evian of GFE Groupe France Élevage, France
The contribution of Rendement to this year’s auction superstars must also be recognised. This exceptional stallion, who jumped in the World Equestrian Games with Johan Lotter sadly passed away last year, but his first offspring from last year’s collection have already shown his qualities, rideablility, braveness and scope. His offspring fly his flag and share the top qualities that made him the most decorated stallion on South African soil. Rendement - your progeny make you proud.
The rest of the Collection features horses by stallions Diamant de Semilly, Hummer van het Bevrijdthof, Kentucky van’t Ruytershof and Grand Slam VDL, to name just a few.
With such irrefutable evidence of the potential of these youngsters, it is with enormous excitement that we offer sneak peek at a selection of the 2022 Capital Stud Hybrid Sporthorse Auction Collection.
Here we profile a selection of just six of the horses featuring in the upcoming November sporthorse auction:
CAPITAL
LAVIN IA
Capital Levubu x Capital Shiraz
Spicey and enthusiastic, and with such fine breeding, this talented mare by Capital Levubu has powerful blood running through her veins. Making her job look easy, there is a lot to love about this diminutive mare.
This flashy mare has a go-getter approach to life and work. With striking movement and an effortless jump, she is sure to make a great partner. - The Capital Team
CAPITAL
DENV ER
Diamant de Semilly x Mylord Carthago Z
With both his sire and grandsire in the top five stallions globally, Capital Denver is all his breeding destined him to be. He has blood, bravery and outrageous scope. This is a horse for the big time.
This horse jumps just like his father (Diamant de Semilly). His shoulder is up and he is very careful. As the fences go up you see him bounce off the ground. The scope here is endless. - Dirk Zagers
CAPITAL
REAG EN
Kentucky van’t Ruytershof x Heartbreaker
You’d be hard pressed to find better bloodlines than this: the combination of Kentucky van’t Ruytershof, proven in both performance and breeding, and Heartbreaker, one the greatest jumping sires of all time, packs more than a powerful punch. Capital Reagen means business.
This eye-catching gelding is the perfect combination of sensitive and careful. With time and patience, he has the potential to take a confident and ambitious rider up through the ranks! - The Capital Team
CAPITAL
GRAN D CRU Z
Capital Grand Cru Z is by Grand Slam, the all-time top scorer of the KWPN stallion test. Grand Slam received an astonishing 9.5 for technique and reflexes with an overall score of 90, and his abilities have clearly been passed onto his son.
Grand Slam VDL x Carrera
Capital Grand Cru Z always has his jumping boots on. He’s a valuable horse that needs to be produced with the appropriate care and skill, before being let loose to decimate the competition - The Capital Team
CAPITAL
RUTHERFORD
Everything suggests that this super horse will follow in his father’s footsteps; with those footsteps having graced the arenas of the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, this is no small accolade. With Rendement’s temperament, size and trademark jump, this döppelganger holds much promise.
Rendement x Belmondo
Capital Rutherford is a big, elegant, modern and kind gelding. He’s a phenomenal all-rounder with a great canter. - The Capital Team
CAPITAL
CABAR ET
Capital Cabaret is set to wow the showjumping elite with her theatrical style. A mix of Don Cumarco and Colnardo was always going to impress, but this youngster is already showing the promise to perform like both her sire and dam-sire. With a fivestar rating for jumping, Cabaret is one to watch.
Capital Colnardo x Capital Don Cumarco
FINAL THOUGHTS
This selection just hints at the blood, scope, athleticism and intelligence that runs through the veins of this collection. For showjumpers with big ambitions, and the dedication to take the time it takes to produce your winner, the search stops here.
THE 2022 CAPITAL STUD ADULT SOUTH AFRICAN SHOWJUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS
HELLO FUTURE
TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY
Stallion of the month
BENEFICENT VAN BALOU – YOUNG AND READY
This month's stallion of the month is the young but very promising Beneficent van Balou. This rising fouryear-old is owned and ridden by Michaela Holland.
BREEDING
Beneficent's father is the up-and-coming breeding stallion Balou Peggio. Balou Peggio was the reserve champion at the Oldenburg inspection. He wowed the crowd with his correct conformation, excellent foundation gaits and impressive free jump with a very good technique. It seems that all of these features have been passed on to his son. Further back in the pedigree, Balou Peggio's damsire (Arpeggio) was described as a 'living legend'.
Arpeggio has over 800 registered descendants. He had five finalists at the Bundeschampionate in 2017 and has over 36 premium mares. To be a sire of both competitors and broodmares is certainly something worth recognising. So, whilst Balou Peggio may not yet be a well-known name, this is certain to change if his formidable bloodlines are anything to go by.
Beneficent is currently the only offspring of Balou Peggio in South Africa. Beneficent's damsire Capital Ulior has the likes of Grand Veneur in his pedigree. Grand Veneur has produced over 320 winning showjumpers, who were ridden by professionals and amateurs, a testament to his rideability and temperament. He has
He is one to look out for.
Capital Ulior himself is well-known in South Africa. He was a modern stallion with unlimited jumping potential and hind technique worth writing home about. Unfortunately, due to injury, he did not have a competitive career. If Beneficent von Balou proves himself as a sire, he will be a true asset to South African breeding. As he has already started his breeding duties, we won't need to wait long to see just how well he performs. This stallion has two foals due this coming season.
ABOUT
Although only three years old, this young stallion has a very workable temperament, making his production a seamless and rewarding experience for his owner. It seems his name, which means "doing or producing good", was well chosen! Just as with many stallions, Beneficent has formed a tight bond with Michaela, even though they have only shared
He is one of the best horses I've had the privilege to work with.
each other's company for a short amount of time. As he is young, he has already taught Michaela quite a bit, but the two, with the help of Ronnie Healy of RH Equestrian, are learning and growing every day.
When talking to Michaela, the love she shares with her horse is evident. Her goal is to produce a happy, healthy, and confident competition horse. In the short term, Michaela hopes to compete in the Young Horse Performance Series. This new partnership will only continue to grow.
Mare of the month
OPTIMA MISSLANTA – BRED TO PERFORM
Misslanta is a recently turned 5-year-old KWPN mare owned by Amy Engelbrecht of Optima Sport Horses.
BREEDING
This young mare’s pedigree on her father’s side screams showjumping talent. Although Misslanta’s sire, Il Est Balou, is a relatively young stallion in terms of breeding and competition, he promises to be great. He received a glowing performance test report. The reviewers commented on him being honest and reliable, with a good temperament in both the stable and when working. They described him as willing to work, with good trainability, and they stated that he gave his rider a good feeling. When they commented on his jump, he was praised for having good push, possessing very good reflexes as well as being
extremely careful with scope to match. To top it all off Il Est Balou is sired by none other than Balou du Rouet. Balou du Rouet, like his son, also shone at his performance test, scoring a 9.2 for his jump. He qualified for the 2004 and 2005 Bundeschampionate. As this suggests, he was a fierce competitor in many top shows, but was also a great sire. He has over 40 licensed sons and 176 progeny competing successfully at advanced levels. His most well-known offspring is the individual bronze medallist at the Tryon World Equestrian Games, Albfuehren’s Bianca.
Il Est Balou’s grandfather, Baloubet du Rouet, was just as, if not more, impressive than Balou du Rouet. This record-setting stallion won three World Cup Finals in a row (1998, 1999 and 2000).
TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY
She’s fun and quirky – Reine Marshall
INTERESTING FACT
Baloubet
was awarded an Olympic Gold Medal after Waterford Crystal failed the drug test.
du Rouet
was described by StuDutch as having “top-sport genes”. Quasimodo Z is the son of foundation stallion Quidam de Revel. He is known for being a sire of broodmares.
Misslanta’s dam, Zinlanta, is just as impressive as you would imagine knowing her sire (Chin Chin). Anyone with any knowledge of breeding, or more specifically damlines, knows the prowess of Chin Chin. He is the father of top broodmare, Qerly Chin. Chin Chin’s damline 4539 is one of the pillars of performance in Holstein breeding. Chin Chin was a great competitor in addition to being a great sire. He competed in two Olympic Games, coming 5th in one. Zinlanta has a son by Diarado, who is currently competing at the 1.30m level.
ABOUT MISSLANTA
Misslanta came into Amy’s possession through an unusual coincidence. Amy had her eye on another horse on an online auction but placed a bid on Misslanta simply to check if the bidding system was working. Certain she would be outbid, she was shocked to realise she had purchased Misslanta, who was now on her way to sunny South Africa!
I fell head over heels as she waltzed in.
– Amy
CURRENT PERFORMANCE
This lovely mare’s reins have been handed to KZN rider Reine Marshall. Reine has nothing but great things to say about this future star, and it is clear this mare’s rider is very fond of her. She says, “Misslanta has an amazing jump and personality to match. She has a good work ethic, which is a testament to her breeding.” Reine, as well as the whole Optima team, have big goals for this youngster, ultimately aiming for her to compete in the 1.50m classes. It is very exciting to have a youngster of this calibre on South African soil, not only from a competition perspective but also to open the door to breeding with her exquisite bloodlines.
Gelding of the month
SARATOGA STAR WARS
Saratoga Star Wars is a rising 6-year-old gelding. He is being produced by his owner Kayleigh Oakes.
BREEDING
Star Wars is the son of the Saratoga Stud stallion, Senergy. Senergy is the son of the top dressage stallion, Sandro Hit and grandson of another top dressage stallion, Donnerhall. Senergy’s full brother Soliere qualified three years in a row for the Bundeschampionate.
What makes Senergy particularly interesting is that he has the same breeding combination (Sandro Hit x Donnerhall) as the fourth stallion on the WBFSH sire rankings for dressage, Sir Donnerhall. Sir Donnerhall
needs no introduction in the dressage world, having set unique records with his heredity.
Senergy’s sire, Sandro Hit, was bred to jump but, despite excellent technique, lacked scope. However, as soon as his potential as a dressage horse was recognised, rapidly dominated both the competition and breeding scene. Sandro Hit was the star at the 1991 Bundeschampionate and has sired more dressage sires than any other stallion. Sandro Hit’s offspring are well-known for having charisma, presence, an impressive canter and a striking appearance with dark colouring. Star Wars seems to have inherited all of these traits from his grandfather.
TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY
He takes everything in his stride.
Donnerhall, on the other side of Senergy’s pedigree, possessed a good, trainable mentality and passed this on to his offspring. Donnerhall was said to learn quickly and was very straightforward. This great personality and trainability contributed to his success at the stallion performance test in 1984, where he was the runner-up. Star Wars has clearly inherited this level-headedness. Further contributing to Star Wars’ super take-it-all-in-hisstride personality is his dam sire, Waldemar G. Not only did Waldemar G become known for his temperament, but his pedigree contains the ‘worldwide legend’ Somber, who scored a ten out of ten for character at his 100-day test. It really is no surprise then that one of this gelding’s best features is his personality and work ethic.
HISTORY
This gelding has been part of the Oakes family since he was just six weeks old. He was purchased from a Facebook ad as an impulse buy due to the family’s obsession with Star Wars and this gelding’s birthday being just one day
before Kayleigh’s dad’s. And yet, despite this being a sentimental purchase, Star Wars looks set to be Kayleigh’s ticket to the top.
CURRENT PERFORMANCE
Although this dark gelding is bred for dressage on paper, he is starting his competitive career in the showjumping ring and really excelling. He first began his training under the very knowledgeable professional rider Ian Van Schalkwyk. Ian testifies to Star Wars’ good attitude and temperament, saying these are Star Wars’ best features. Ian is Kayleigh’s coach and will continue in this journey with Star Wars from the ground. Since Kayleigh has taken over the reins, this combination has competed in three shows together.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It is always so lovely to see a young horse with both a sensible mind and talent, making the production process a fun and rewarding experience. We can’t wait to see where this partnership ends up!
He is too precious for words.
FUN FACT
Star Wars has a bit of an unusual nickname, Worsie. This is because at Kayleigh’s previous yard
Star Wars’ groom could not correctly pronounce Wars, so instead, he called him ‘Wors’, and the name stuck.
TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY
PHOTOGRAPHY: HILARY O'LEARY
Pony of the month
EQUIFOX LUCY LINDEN
Bred by Glenfox Stud, this strawberry-roan, 11-year-old
Warmblood x Welsh pony is owned and ridden by the young rider Francesca Logan. Despite their focus being on showjumping, this pair also compete very successfully in open-level equitation and showing. They are true allrounders.
PERSONALITY
Like many mares, Lucy likes things done her way! She is spirited and can be a little feisty at shows, but Francesca has learnt to navigate this mare’s temperament by forming a powerful bond through investing time in their partnership. The combination has grown in confidence over the past
year and a half, and the benefits of their close relationship are sure to be even greater in the future.
ACHIEVEMENTS
This very competitive duo has built quite a resume in just the past year and a half. The accolades started coming in after just three months together. At the 2020 South African Championships, they walked away with a third, and in 2021 their showing hats were shining as Lucy was Pony of the Year at Horse of the Year and the Overall Show Pony at Easter Festival. Then in the discipline Francesca loves most, they started in the 70/80cm classes and are now competing in the 1.10/1.15m. In fact, Francesca and
She is one of the most special ponies around!
I owe so much to Lucy.
She is a character and a half.
BREEDING
Lucy Linden is named after her father, Lindenberg. Lindenberg was the son of one of the most important sons of Landgraf, Landadel. Interestingly, Landadel was rejected by the Holstein Commission, as they failed to anticipate his success as a breeding stallion. Unfortunately for Holstein, Landadel went on to produce not only top showjumpers, as was evident with Lindenberg, but also top-level dressage horses. Lindenberg was ridden and owned by Gail Foxcroft, and they were a force to be reckoned with in the showjumping ring. Lindenburg either won or placed at every Derby he competed in. He was the SA Outdoor Grand Prix winner in both 2000 and 2001. Linderberg’s achievements were not just down to luck, with his full sister, Lady Weingard, having been part of the winning team at a European Championship under Marcus Beerbaum. If you needed convincing, just
looking at these two siblings shows you the power of genetics in performance!
Then, Lucy’s dam is none other than Waterside Magic Nile, a spunky strawberry roan pony owned by Gail Foxcroft. The ‘Nile’ line has been incredibly influential in successful South African pony breeding, and Magic was no exception to this rule, jumping CA with Michelle Ross, her previous owner.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Exceptionally-bred ponies like Lucy are a real gift to our sport. Having talented youngsters like Francesca pilot topquality pony’s around the arena inevitably sets our young riders up for success in the future. We feel confident that there are big things to come from Francesca and Lucy!
CALLAHO WARMBLOOD STUD
Announce their Summer Collection
Stop the press! We’ve had to delay the second segment of ‘The Callaho Way’, our extended look at the production process at Callaho Warmblood Stud, to make an exciting announcement. We have the list of new Callaho horses that will be coming to market the stud’s upcoming Summer Auction. Anticipation levels always run high in the lead up to this sale, and it’s our great pleasure to be able to present this preview.
The Summer Collection is the second group of Callaho horses on offer this year. These youngsters have spent a further six months in the hands of the expert Callaho production team. The team notes that this additional six months of development allows the horses to not only show off their raw talent, but to hone their unique athletic abilities, and demonstrate their characters and flair. More time with their handlers and riders is certainly beneficial, and gives a clearer and more reliable understanding of how each athlete will mature. With Callaho’s ultra-reliable rating system and write-ups, the soon-to-be-released catalogue is sure to give a super-accurate reflection of these horses and their potential.
Callaho Concali
Gender: Mare
OUT OF THIS DAM LINE:
1996 | Elvis VA (Espri gelding) DR 5* Grand Prix with Nadine Capellmann
2006 | Socrates (Stakkato gelding) DR Advanced with Andrea Harrison
2009 | Cortney Cox 2 (Carlo stallion) SJ 1.70m with Pius Schwizer | MECKL Licensed
2011 | Lord Cris (Lord Z gelding) SJ 1.50m with George Coutlis
With a total of 20 horses on offer, including seven mares, ten geldings and three broodmares in foal to the best of the best, there is a horse for every equestrian in this collection. The sheer diversity of stallions, moreover, has produced all shapes, sizes and manner of horses, but with one thing in common – Callaho quality.
Team HQ has been fortunate enough to preview the Summer Collection is some detail, and without giving too much away – there is a lot to look forward to. We have selected our five top picks for your perusal, but must caveat this by saying that choosing just five was a challenge (and sparked several heated debates!) We hope you enjoy our selection, as we anticipate the upcoming release of the videos and catalogue.
Congratulations Team Callaho, you have once again outdone yourselves.
Callaho Con Velocé
Con Coriano/Olala de Buissy/Veloce de Favi
Gender: Gelding
DOB: 10/10/2017
Height: 170cm | 16.3hh
OUT OF THIS DAM LINE:
2006 | Maelle de la Tour (Quercus du Maury mare)
SJ 1.60m with Jacques Bourven
2006 | Sherkahn de la Chatre (Flipper d’Elle stallion)
SJ 1.45m with Michele Ruscitto
2007 | Tarzan D’Ivraie AA (Kannan gelding)
SJ 1.60m with Arturo Vallejo
2014 | Exquise Un Prince (Diamant de Semilly mare)
SJ 1.45m with Jason Smith
Callaho Rainer K
Gender: Gelding
DOB: 22/03/2018
Height: 169cm | 16.3hh
OUT OF THIS DAM LINE:
2011 | Falvio (For Joy gelding) SJ 1.50m with Martyn Swanepoel
2011 | Lord Cassini (Lord Z gelding) SJ 1.50m with Jenna Barrow
2012 | Lucetto (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.40m with Paige Goetsch
2013 | Corleone (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.30m with Paige Goetsch
Cartier/Lissabon/Cassini I
Callaho Samurai
Sampras/Epsom Gesmaray
Aldatus Z
Gender: Gelding
DOB: 01/11/2017
Height: 172cm | 17hh
OUT OF THIS DAM LINE:
1990 | Innovation (Filius mare) SJ
1.60m with Steve Guerdat
1995 | Eurocommerce Miami (Landfriese I gelding) SJ 1.60m with Wout Jan vd Schans
2001 | Siney (Omni Star mare) SJ 1.60m with Hubert Kierznowski 2005 |Nissan Epsom Emma (Epsom Gesmeray mare) SJ 1.55m with Lorette Knowles-Taylor
Callaho Lars
Larison/Clinton/Quidam de Revel
Gender: Gelding
DOB: : 04/02/2018
Height: 175cm | 17.1hh
OUT OF THIS DAM LINE:
1992 | Piquette (Pilot mare) SJ 1.50m with Leopold van Asten
2009 | Lansink (Lissabon gelding) SJ
1.40m with Rainer Körber
2014 | Consigo (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.35m with Oscar Ncube
2016 | Larido (Larison gelding) SJ 1.10m with Ashlee Healy
SUMMER 2022 COLLECTION
MARES
CARMEN Chestnut Carnaval La Silla/Optimum v.d. Wellington/Bambix 06/11/2017
CON D'ELLE Bay Con Coriano/Flipper d'Elle/Argentinus 11/2/2018
CONCALI Bay Con Coriano/Calido/Stakkato
CORINTHIA Bay Corinth/Vulkano/Quidam's Rubin
DIVA DENE Bay Cascadello/Ryon D'Anzex AA/Impulsif AA
ESCLAVA Bay Esclavo/Benicio/De Niro/Weltmeyer
HAVANA Bay Herald III/Con Coriano/Calando I
GELDINGS
|15.3hh
|
|
|16.2hh
|
|
|16.3hh
Grey Casparon/Contendro I/Caletto I
CON VELOCÉ Chestnut Con Coriano/Olala de Buissy/Veloce de Favi
CONDELO Dark Bay Con Coriano/Acord II/Wanderer
Bay Herald/Argentinus/Landadel
Chestnut Sampras/Epsom Gesmeray/Aldatus Z
Grey Tolano/Con Coriano/Calando I
BROODMARES
|
|
|16.3hh
|17.0hh
|17.0hh
LEIKA Bay Lissabon/Fidertanz/Stedinger 21/10/2014 168cm |16.2hh Callaho’s Benicio
LATOYA Bay Lissabon/Fürst Romancier/Charon 09/10/2016 162cm | 16.0hh Callaho's Larison
SKYLAR Dark Bay Sampras/Carpaccio/Heraldik xx 9/12/2017 163cm | 16.1hh Callaho's Con Coriano
FINAL THOUGHTS
Callaho have again produced an unbeatable selection of horses for the South African market, demonstrating both their experience and the constant refinement of their process to meet the everchanging needs of the sport. The Callaho Warmblood Stud Summer Auction takes place between the 11th and the 15th of October – you don’t want to miss this. For more information visit the Callaho Warmblood Stud website on www.callaho.com/auction
NEXT ISSUE
In our next issue we will be featuring the hot-off-the-press videos of the upcoming collection in action. Check out our next edition on the 1st of September for more HQ insights!
SPOTTED
TRAINING YOUNG HORSES
10
OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES
There are ten principles that we believe are foundational in the initial training of your young horse. Here we look at each in turn:
1. Let your horse be your guide
Each horse develops at his own pace, physically and mentally, and this is the pace that should dictate the speed at which you train. Take your time to build the foundation and let your horse determine the timeline. This isn’t to say that you can’t challenge your youngster from time to time, but just that all risks should be calculated and that the focus needs to be on keeping your horse happy and confident in his training.
2. Keep sessions short
In the early phases, your rides should be relatively short – sometimes only 15 minutes in length and never more than half an hour. It takes time to build physical fitness, strength and cardiovascular fitness, as well as the ability to concentrate. Over-facing your youngster can lead to sourness and fear from an early stage. This is difficult to undo, so the priority is on keeping your sessions to a length that your horse can cope with so they end up feeling content and self-assured.
3. Find a good trainer
If you can, find a trainer with experience training young horses to act as a guide and coach on your journey. They have likely dealt with the challenges you may encounter, and you can benefit from their experience. It isn’t a good idea to do this process alone if this is your first attempt. Firstly, safety is an issue, and secondly, the ultimate outcome of the training is likely to be less than optimal. Don’t experiment when the rest of your horse’s career is on the line – get proper help!
4. Have endless patience
Endless patience is required with a young horse. Training horses is not easy. It will make you face your insecurities.
Some days will be great, and you will think you have it all figured out, and other days will be dreadful, and you will worry that you are absolutely incompetent. Sometimes you will need to take a step or two back before a leap forward, and you must stay patient through the process, not only with your horse but with yourself as well.
5. Always end on a high note
You always want to end your training session on a high note. Don’t end when your youngster is struggling or seems confused. If your session is going to become long, if you wait for your youngster to understand what you are asking, then simply go back to an exercise you know your horse has already mastered and perform this a couple of times before ending the session. You can always come back the next day to work on the trickier stuff; ending on a positive note is much more important. Confidence is vital for our youngsters, so let them feel like a king at the end of each ride!
6. Give lots of praise
We must remember to praise our youngsters for every tiny improvement they make. We need them to feel confident and to understand exactly what the right answer is to each question. Break exercises down into baby steps and praise them for each step in the process.
7.
Don’t punish
Punishment is a controversial topic even in adult horses, but in youngsters, punishment is an absolute no-no. Firm boundary setting is essential, but actively punishing a youngster often destroys their will to work and their ability to perform. You do not want to create fear in your horse for offering a ‘try’ or make them nervous of you. They don’t understand what we mean a lot of the time, particularly in these early days, so give them the benefit of the doubt and explain something again rather than getting cross. We also need to accept that the human world is scary for all horses, no matter how ridiculous that may seem to us, and no horse should ever be punished for expressing their fear. Punishing a horse for spooking or being nervous destroys their trust in you and either leads to a more explosive or completely shut down horse. Instead, reassure them when they express fear and show them they can trust you to get them out of danger.
REMEMBER
No horse has the ability to be naughty or ‘plan’ to upset you. They simply don’t have the structure for this in their brain. Your youngster is not ‘laughing at you’ when they spook at something they have seen already or ‘trying to evade work’. It’s easy to forget this, and we’ve all been guilty of anthropomorphising our horse’s behaviour, but the bottom line is that horses are simply not capable of having these kinds of thoughts.
8. Ride forward
The number one focus when starting a horse under saddle is to ride the young horse forward. A forward horse is, ultimately, a safe horse. Establishing forward early on is the best thing you can do for your training. If your horse is not properly forward, bending is difficult, straightness is unattainable, and thoroughness is impossible.
Make a point of riding a lot of transitions to test the forward response. Ride on straight lines and allow the horse to move freely. Young horses may struggle with the short sides of the arena or with the circle in the beginning as they find their balance, so straight lines are the best place to allow your horse to find his forward rhythm.
If you lack the confidence to ride your young horse forward, get a professional in to train your horse in this initial phase. You don’t want your fear to limit your training.
NOTE: Fear is absolutely normal and is a protective response! Do not ignore it. If you are afraid, get a good coach to assist you or find a professional to ride your youngster for you. This is not a failure, but a sensible decision for you and your young horse.
9. Introduce bending slowly
Once forward is established, you can start to introduce bending. If you feel safe and can ride your horse in a field or large arena, then your horse can learn to bend on large circles. Bending will be the first step toward creating suppleness, which will improve your horse’s connection. Start with large circles and shallow serpentines and go slowly. Don’t frighten the young horse by asking for too much bending. The loss of balance experienced on turns can create anxiety for the youngster (and even the more established horse) so take this part of the training slowly. We all have a tendency to ride endless circles – but this is not the best approach with a young horse.
10. Don’t be afraid to go backwards
Often in the process of training a young horse, you will reach a sticking point in your training. This plateau can feel pretty endless when you’re on it, and it’s easy to want to give up. Rather than forging ahead and endlessly drilling the same exercise in the hope that it will eventually ‘come
right’, take a step back in your training to see if one of the early foundational aspects of your training might be contributing to the issue. Generally, we reach these sticking points because something is unclear to our horse. It might be that the forward is not well enough established or that your horse simply isn’t strong enough to bend correctly. Taking a step back and repeating the work at the earlier level will often give you the breakthrough you are looking for at the higher level.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Training your own young horse can be incredibly rewarding, but it is not easy. Good luck, and enjoy the process! Just be kind to yourself and your horse, and have ENDLESS PATIENCE!
POLEWORK EXERCISE
THE TRIANGLE
This exercise is useful for practising general straightness, especially for those needing to enter down the centre line!
SET-UP
You will need nine poles laid out, as shown in the diagram. You should place the poles one canter stride apart.
RIDING THE EXERCISE
• You can ride this exercise in a walk, trot or canter.
• You can either ride straight through the triangle as shown or enter straight and curve left or right over the next set of poles. Vary the way you ride the exercise to get the maximum benefit from it.
• Whichever way you ride the exercise, it is important that you make sure to hit the centre of each pole and the tip of the triangle points.
• If your horse is more experienced, you can try and practice your flying changes over the tips of the triangles. The poles will naturally encourage an elevated step which can be used to ask for the change.
TOP 15 LUNGING MISTAKES
AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Lunging is an excellent way for horses to exercise and build muscle, but it’s also all too easy to do it wrong. Here we look at the top 15 lunging mistakes and how you can avoid them in your training with your horse.
MISTAKE #1: NOT WEARING A HELMET
You might not feel the need to wear a helmet when lunging some horses, but it is always a good idea, especially if you don’t know the horse well or they are flighty on the lunge. Many accidents and head injuries have occurred when people are on the ground with a horse.
MISTAKE #2: NOT WEARING GLOVES
Why wear gloves when lunging? Because rope burn HURTS and hurts for days.
MISTAKE #3: USING A HALTER
Lunge with a cavesson instead of a bridle or halter. Using a bridle risks pulling the bit and causing pain for your horse, and a halter is so moveable on the head that your aids are imprecise. Instead, a cavesson puts the lead rope on the nose rather than under the chin, and this change in pressure offers clearer communication through gentle hints with the lead rope.
MISTAKE #4: HAVING LOOSE REINS
If a cavesson is unavailable and you need to use your bridle, be sure to secure your reins properly. Twisting the reins under your horse’s neck and securing them with the throatlatch is the safest way to keep the reins out of the way. Loose reins are a real hazard.
MISTAKE #5: NOT USING A LUNGE WHIP
You need to use a lunge whip to ensure your horse stays out on the big circle. If the horse
invades your space when lunging, you can then just point the whip at the shoulder to encourage him to move out. The other reason a lunge whip is beneficial is that it avoids you having to chase your horse, which can make them anxious and reduce their trust in you. Subtle aids with a longer whip are far better than chasing a horse around with a shorter whip.
MISTAKE #6: NOT PRACTISING WITH THE LUNGE LINE
Your lunge line should be kept organised in equal loops and NEVER wrapped around your hand. Your lunge line must also NOT touch the ground, as you risk your horse’s or your own feet becoming tangled in the line. Handling a lunge line well requires practice, and it is often safer to practice by attaching the lunge line to the back of a chair and practising collecting and releasing loops, than by learning ‘on the job’ with a horse attached to the end of the line.
form a triangle from the horse’s head to your hips and back to the horse’s hindquarter and your hands should be soft, and your elbows should be in and near your hips. Moving further towards the horse’s head should serve to slow your horse as you are blocking their movement, and moving back towards their hindquarters should encourage them forwards as you are now in a ‘driving position’. Ending up in the wrong position can confuse your horse and make your lunging messy.
MISTAKE #8: STAYING ON ONE REIN FOR TOO LONG
You should change direction often in lungeing. You must never go longer than 5 minutes on one side.
MISTAKE #9: NOT USING TRANSITIONS
You should make as many transitions as possible on the lunge to get the horse’s hindquarter
FAILING TO USE CONSISTENT VOICE COMMANDS
If you are going to use voice commands, which we would highly recommend, you need to remain consistent in the commands you use and how you deliver them. For example, if you always ask for a canter by starting with a low tone and ending with a higher-pitched tone, then it is important that you do this every time.
MISTAKE #11: DOING TOO MUCH
Circles are unnatural for horses, and too much time spent on small circles can cause injury. Don’t overdo it with lunging. Keep sessions short (around 15 minutes maximum), and make sure you use a big circle (at least 20m).
MISTAKE #12: MOVING INTO THE BIG ARENA TOO QUICKLY
It is best to start your horse in the lunge ring
when learning to lunge. Moving too fast into a big open arena can over-face your horse and result in challenging behaviours like bolting on the end of the line. Once established, this is a difficult habit to fix, so you need to make sure you have the fundamentals of lunging waxed in a confined space before taking it out into the open.
MISTAKE #13: FAILING TO PROTECT YOUR HORSE’S LEGS
It is a good idea to use boots or bandages when lunging your horse. A few extra minutes spent getting your horse ready can save you costly vet bills from scrapes and overreaches.
MISTAKE #14: CRACKING THE WHIP
This sharp sound can make your horse and
other horses around him nervous. It is better to encourage your horse from behind with the lunge whip (perhaps even brushing his skin with it), which helps him to engage his hind end and lift his back for better balance. Cracking the whip will often make him tense and hollow.
MISTAKE #15: TREATING LUNGING AS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT
We need to remember that horses live in the moment and don’t have the capacity to ‘plot against us’ or ‘plan to be naughty’. The purpose of lunging is to build the horse’s fitness and balance while educating your eye to his movement and soundness. It is not to drill him or punish him for being ‘fresh’. If you treat lunging as a form of punishment, your horse will find it an aversive exercise and move with tension and anxiety.
TEXT: RYAN TEHINI
DEALING WITH SHOW DAY BUTTERFLIES
MAKING YOUR
PERFORMANCE
A SUCCESS
Any athlete who has found themselves fortunate enough to compete has experienced those pre-game nerves that seem to flutter around your stomach relentlessly. While these “butterflies” are often perceived as a reason for poor performance, this is commonly not the case and trying to get rid of the nerves could actually hurt your performance. According to recent research, the key to harnessing the butterflies to improve performance rather than hinder it, lies in how you choose to perceive these nerves.
PERCEPTION IS KEY
The physiological reactions for nerves and excitement are nearly identical; think about the last time you were excited – you likely experienced an increased heart rate and, although less noticeable, increased activation in your sweat glands and activation in your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Now, think about the last time you were nervous – much the same, right? So this begs the question, if our body reacts in the same manner to different situations, what makes us feel excitement in one scenario, and nerves in another? The answer to this lies in how we perceive the situation in which we find ourselves. As an experienced horse rider, you will likely perceive your riding lesson as a challenge or as an enjoyable experience because you have confidence in your ability. In contrast, someone who is far less experienced would experience the situation as a threat, as they worry about making mistakes and focus on the consequences of those mistakes. Similarly, you could shift your experience of show day nerves from being detrimental to being advantageous, simply by adjusting how you perceive the situation. This is slightly more difficult than it sounds because your brain is not easy to fool, but if you apply the strategic techniques that follow, it is very possible to change your perception of the experience.
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY
When you are confident in your ability as a rider, you will experience the butterflies as excitement to do the thing that you are good at and that you love. To build pre-ride confidence, it can, therefore, be a good idea to remind yourself of five things you did during the past week of training that you are happy with and proud of. Another technique is to visualise past rides where you did really well in order to remind yourself how capable you are of doing this (you can also watch old footage of good rides).
This serves three purposes: firstly, it reminds you of your ability in the equestrian sphere; secondly, it unconsciously makes you remember how lucky you are to participate in the sport that you love and to get out there and compete with your horse; and thirdly, it reminds you how much work you have put into training, which lets you feel confident in the work you have already done. This reframing should immediately change how you feel before the ride, and you should become more excited and less nervous.
AVOIDING NEGATIVE BUTTERFLIES
It is not merely enough to believe in yourself if you want to turn nerves into a productive component of your show day. You have to actively train yourself to avoid intrusive, negative thoughts about your ride, as the fear of making mistakes/performing poorly allows you to perceive the physiological changes in your body as a threat rather than a challenge. The best technique I can recommend for this is mindfulness, which was discussed fairly in-depth in an earlier edition of HQ. When you find yourself worrying incessantly prior to a ride about mistakes that you may make, it is important to quieten your mind. The ability to tune out the distraction from outside and the unwanted distractions from inside your mind prevents the somewhat disastrous spiralling that can lead to full-blown performance anxiety. The best techniques used for this include breathing exercises, the use of mental imagery, and having a set pregame routine – which allows you to take control over the time before you ride and typically reduces the nerves. While I recognise this is a somewhat difficult task to master in the equestrian world, where unpredictability on show day is not only likely but almost inevitable, it is important to nonetheless have a rough pre-show routine.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Butterflies are a natural and often quite enjoyable aspect of sporting competition. While your natural urge may be to try and get rid of them, a better option would be to change your perception of the situation and turn those nerves into
OUR EXPERT
Ryan Tehini (BA, BSocSci (Hons) Psych, MA Research Psychology (cum laude)(UP)). For Psychological Skills Training for sports’ competitions, please get in touch with me: ryantehini@gmail.com or 073 567 7387
excitement. The abovementioned techniques will assist you in ensuring that those butterflies help you perform at your best, by ensuring that the show day nerves are not spiralling into anxiety. Remember, if you put your body to work, it will always benefit you to put your mind to work as well.
UPLIFTING EQUESTRIANS
Paspects of horsemanship, using internationallyrecognised master trainers with high-level knowledge, deep experience and practical skills. The aim is to transfer a range of equine-related capabilities that may subsequently be applied, replicated and repeated by equestrians in Southern Africa.
WHY PROSERIES?
For most South Africans, regularly flying across to Europe to attend training seminars and master classes personally is only a dream. The idea to bring this dream to South Africa, rather than having South Africans travel to Europe, was conceived during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The idea grew in magnitude over months before ProSeries was born out of a few glasses of wine in Stellenbosch when
were developed in March 2022. Both Karin and Andrea are competitive dressage riders; Andrea owns Glenwood stables in Johannesburg, and Karin (MSc. Animal Science) is the owner of Rivendell Warmblood Stud.
ProSeries was thus born from the desire to learn more about training and competing dressage horses by observing classes/training sessions given by masters in the discipline - international riders, trainers and judges. Watching these master classes inspires and motivates riders to recognise their shortcomings, increase their understanding and control of their horse, and gain skills, competence, and confidence whilst improving their style and performance in the equestrian sport.
From here, the concept grew to embrace showjumping, general competition, equine breeding and equine nutrition.
THE SERIES
ProSeries now consist of five sections, each with its own presentation mode.
· ProDressage will present a minimum of four sets of master classes a year, with the aim of bringing various riders, trainers and judges for each event.
· ProJump will be presented in the same format as ProDressage, but in group lessons of no more than three in a group at one time.
· ProBreed will be presented annually in the form of a twoday workshop on equine reproduction. An internationally recognised expert will present the course in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. We expect much interest in this workshop, as many people in the country would like to learn more about the whys and the how-tos of equine breeding. The first day will be directed primarily towards private horse owners considering breeding their mare. The second day, although open to anyone interested, will be aimed mainly towards professionals within the equine reproduction industry, such as vets, stud owners, managers or consultants.
· ProFeed will be presented annually in the form of a oneday seminar by an internationally recognised expert in their field.
· ProCompete will be presented over a week in Johannesburg and Cape Town at the beginning of the competition year, in the form of a trade fair with stalls, demonstrations and seminars on all aspects of the competition horse and rider. It will feature registered equine practitioners, supplements, retail, farriery, tack, etc.
THE FUTURE
ProSeries hopes to create a stronger sense of community within the equestrian environment and to uplift all within it. ProSeries ultimately aims to be profitable enough to subsidise international competitions in South Africa. Hopefully, when export opens up at the end of 2022, South African riders will be able to qualify for international events on local soil, and ProSeries would like to be a driving and enabling force behind this kind of initiative, using the network and connections made with international experts through ProSeries.
NOTE
ProSeries is all-inclusive and not aimed at riders of a particular level or experience. Different presenters might request certain levels and experience of participating riders, but online booking is nondiscriminatory, and all are welcome to apply.
Transport your horses, in our world class Denton Horse Box!
Proudly manufactured in South Africa to international standard. Our boxes are made to order, and are built on brand new Mercedes Sprinter chassis, which allows our vehicles to come with warranty and a service plan. The boxes are two berth, with saddle racks, bridle hooks, storage space and seatings for your grooms. There is also the option to customize by adding numerous extras.
HIGHVELD HORSE CARE UNIT
The Highveld Horse Care Unit is a registered Non-Profit Organisation established in 1991 that specialises in the welfare of all equines.
• We assist about 6000 horses and donkeys per year.
• We stable, on average, 600 needy animals throughout the year.
• We carry out Outreach clinics in many provinces.
• We educate the owner of every horse or donkey we assist.
• We teach horse owners how to shoe their horses correctly and help with harness and cart repairs.
• We hold workshops for owners, teaching them how to better care for their working animals.
• We deworm over 3000 rural equines per year.
• We hold gelding, dental and farrier clinics in underprivileged areas.
• On average, we care for 20 - 35 horses at our base on any given day.
• We travel 150 000 to 200 000 kilometres to help horses and donkeys in need per year.
OUTREACH PROGRAMMES
HHCU is an equine welfare organisation different from most animal welfare societies. We do not depend solely on education as a means of improving animal welfare, nor do we solely act as a policing agency. We educate and assist owners where we can, but if an animal’s welfare is seriously compromised, we take legal action.
One of the areas HHCU has been working in over the past 15 years is Orange Farms. There are many working horses and donkeys in this area. We have Inspectors in our Outreach Team who work here on a rotational basis. They do a sterling job of assisting working equines and educating and training owners.
Most owners in the area have been through our various training workshops and are becoming self-sufficient. Their animals are in good condition, and they know how to make and repair harnesses and care for their animals to keep them healthy. They also know to phone us when there are problems and we make sure they always receive the help they need.
However, new horses and donkeys, often wild, emaciated, lame, old, or very young, are being brought into the area almost daily. The new owners have not had the benefit of any welfare education. They can be hard on their animals, and constant work is needed, as well as the funds to pay for this.
Our results speak for themselves in areas like Orange Farms. With the help of our loyal sponsors, we are making a difference in the lives of thousands of working horses and donkeys, but we DO need help to make a change in Orange Farms and all areas in which we provide our service. We have the goodwill, the knowledge, and we hold the dream close to our hearts. Please help us by showing your support.
REHOMING PROGRAMME
The Highveld Horse Care Unit runs a rehoming programme for suitable horses, ponies or donkeys that have been surrendered to the Unit. We also specifically give back to the Thoroughbred after its racing career is over. We give riders the opportunity to adopt a Thoroughbred, so the Thoroughbred can excel and have a ‘second career’.
The horses, ponies and donkeys which are donated are assessed on all levels, and the prospective adoptee is helped to find the best possible match for both themselves and the horse. HHCU will constantly monitor the progress of the equines.
After adoption, the horse remains a Highveld Horse Care Unit horse, providing the equines with a forever home should they need to return to the Unit.
Over 160 equines and donkeys have been rehomed in the last two years.
SUPPORT HHCU
Please follow our Highveld Horse Care Facebook Page and Instagram for daily updates on the Unit's work. All donations are welcome as we receive no government funding and rely totally on donations from the public and sponsors to keep the Unit in operation.
SMS “DONATE HHCU” to 48748
INSPIRED BY THE HORSE
Tommy B Equestrian is run by aunt and niece, Sarah and Megan. The pair have always shared a passion and love for horses.
The name Tommy B comes from Tom Benson who was their very special grandfather and great grandfather. Oupa, as he was known, was a very big influence in Sarah’s life growing up, had a love for horses and bought Sarah her first pony. Their family has carried on his love of the horse.
Thomas Percy was Sarah’s heart horse. The pair achieved many great things together after his racing career. At just 15.3hh he had the heart of a lion and no obstacle whether in the arena or in life was too big for him.
It is only fitting that Oupa and a very special horse are included in the name of their brand. The B stands Benson, Bon and Brooker.
Tommy B has a beautiful range of equestrian clothing, including base layers, a hoodie, a jacket, a T-shirt and a cap.
The pair hope to grow their beautiful range further in the future.
GET CONNECTED
Instagram: @tommyb.equestrian
Facebook: Tommy B equestrian
Email: tommybequestrian@gmail.com
@tommyb.equestrian
Tommy B equestrian
tommybequestrian@gmail.com
SPOTTED AT
BonBon Equestrian is a brand of sporty shirts defined by artfully designed prints that celebrate creative expression with our trend-setting equestrian customers.
The super-flattering fit and technical performance fabric are part of our unique signature.
The collection is proudly designed and manufactured in Cape Town and supports small local businesses.
Contact us to order yours via: emily@bonbonequestrian.co.za
BEDDING
There are considerable advantages to knowing more about the bedding your horse sleeps on. It is easy to stay stuck in the same old patterns when it comes to making bedding choices, but times have changed (and continue to change), and new options are readily available. By researching these and making the best choice for your situation, you can increase your horse’s comfort, improve the composting process, save time and money and see fewer health problems for both horses and humans. Here we take a look at some bedding options that can help improve comfort and sleep patterns in our horses.
KENAF
This is one of the newest alternative bedding products being used internationally. It is grown in the southeasterly parts of the USA but was described as long as 4000 years ago in Africa and India. Kenaf, which is related to cotton and okra, is a fast-growing fibrous plant with many uses, including making paper. When grown, the stem core is suitable as animal bedding. Kenaf is reported to be highly absorbent, dustless, non-allergenic and extremely biodegradable.
NTERNATI O NALTREND
RUBBER MATS
Using rubber mats not only adds comfort but also gives enough of a cushioning effect to better support a horse’s movements. This makes standing, getting up and laying down less stressful. Ideally, additional bedding should be used on top of rubber mats, as most horses like some bedding, at the very least, to urinate on. This does mean that the costs of other bedding does still have to be factored in. Having said this, using mats does keep bedding waste to a minimum and makes
cleaning stables much simpler as manure and soiled bedding are easier to remove.
SAND
Having a horse bedded on sand in hot, dry climates can work as urine and moisture drain well and are easy to clean up. Sand is particularly popular for outdoor shelters for this reason. However, sand is not a very safe choice as horses will inhale and ingest sand particles when eating off the ground, causing a high risk of sand colic and impaction.
PEAT MOSS
Many equestrians overseas are devoted to peat moss bedding due to its high absorbency and softness. Drawbacks of this very fine organic material include the dust this creates in drier and windier climates.
NALTREND
SHREDDED PAPER
Paper bedding is usually made from unused newspaper stock cut or torn into strips that won’t cut skin. This bedding has a couple of properties that make it a popular choice. Firstly, it is entirely dust and foreign-object free, which is great for horses with allergies or respiratory problems. Secondly, it composts readily. Unfortunately, however, it is not easily available, and it can be messy to handle.
STRAW
Wheat or oat straw can be used for bedding, but it takes a deep, thick bed of straw to maintain a clean, dry barrier. However, straw can be less dusty than wood bedding if it’s harvested and stored correctly. A bale of straw must be checked as closely as hay for signs of moisture and mould. While straw is less palatable than hay, horses will consume it, and eating too much straw can lead to problems such as impaction colic or mouth sores. Respiratory issues can also develop as ammonia accumulates in the barn due to the poorer absorbency of straw.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Here are a few things to bear in mind when choosing bedding for your horse:
1. Duration of time spent in the stable –Horses confined to a stall for more hours will require more bedding than those with more turnout time.
2. Storage – Where and how to store bedding material is a significant consideration for many yards. Yards with plenty of space, and covered areas, will be able to buy in bulk, whereas smaller yards will not.
3. Dust and mould – Horses with respiratory issues such as allergies or asthma will need absorbent bedding with low dust, mould and foreign object counts. It is also desirable to have bedding that will readily absorb ammonia as this is an airway irritant. It should be noted, however, that in reality, most horses will benefit from bedding of this sort and prioritising the sourcing of dust and mould-free bedding for all equids helps to reduce the risk of respiratory issues developing.
4. Waste management – The amount of carbon produced by bedding during decomposition should also be considered, particularly if it will be deposited on land close to horse’s paddocks. Too much carbon dumped on or near pastures will rob soils of nitrogen, turning pasture plants yellow.
5. Availability – Many of the options above will not be available locally, necessitating owners to make the best choice from the available selection on offer.
6. Weather – Different climates bring different requirements and priorities. Knowing what works best in your area and understanding the challenges of the changing seasons ahead of time will make for smoother transitions.
7. Cost – Many products are expensive but remember not to cost on a direct weight-toweight ratio. For instance, much less highly absorbent bedding would be used than less absorbent bedding, and this should be borne in mind. It is also worth remembering that buying in bulk can save money.
WOOD PELLETS
Absorbent, low dust forming pellets are gaining popularity. Made of kiln-dried wood (usually fir and pine), the fine material is compressed into a small hard pellet that expands back to sawdust once in contact with water. Pellets are usually sold in a bag, which makes transporting and storage easy. Some brands also add natural zeolite additives to help with odour control and reduce the ammonia in the stall and the air. Zeolite products are also an excellent addition to a compost pile as they slowly release nitrogen back into the soil.
WOOD SHAVINGS
The traditional and safer woods used for shavings are typically pine and fir. The finer the shavings, the more space they will fill, but finer also means dustier. To avoid horse and human respiratory problems with fine shavings, as well as the potential for fire, a good ventilation system and cleaning routine is needed.
NOTE
Be sure to check which wood you are using for shavings. Black walnut wood, for instance, can trigger laminitis in a very short time. Using 100% cedar wood in a stall isn’t recommended since the oil in the wood can cause allergic reactions in the skin and draw moisture out of the horse’s hoof. Chipped landscaping material from tree trimming services is also not recommended as some of this material contains dangerous woods such as black walnut, parts of oak trees etc.
Anatomy
The Urinary System
The urinary system includes the two kidneys, the two ureters (the tubes connecting the kidney to the bladder), the bladder and the urethra (the tube through which urine exits the body).
FUNCTIONS
The urinary system of the horse has several vital functions. It eliminates the waste products formed when nutrients are broken down to create energy. It also maintains the correct balance of water and electrolytes in the horse’s body. Another critical
URINARY SYSTEM IN THE FEMALE HORSE
behind the saddle, within the abdominal cavity beneath the last ribs. The left kidney sits slightly further back than the right kidney and is smaller and less fixed in position than the right. It is possible for your vet
through. Salt, potassium, sulphate, phosphate, glucose, proteins and any water needed by the body are reabsorbed back into the bloodstream to make up for any deficits in the body. The rest is passed out in the urine.
Rectum
Ureters Kidneys
Vagina
Urethra Bladder
URINARY SYSTEM IN THE MALE HORSE
Ultimately, the kidneys play a vital role in regulating much of the body’s internal environment, i.e. the process of homeostasis. They help to conserve water and regulate acidity and alkalinity (pH), fluid balance and osmotic pressure, and the composition and levels of many electrolytes within the body’s various fluid compartments. They also play a vital role in excreting unwanted waste materials from the body. Finally, the ability to endure exercise stress and benefit from it depends on healthy kidney function.
THE REST OF THE TRACT
The urine produced in the kidneys passes down the ureters to be stored in the bladder. Each ureter is 6-8mm wide and around 70cm long, and travels backwards and downwards from the kidneys.
The bladder can hold about 3-4 litres of urine. Urine is expelled from the bladder through the urethra when the
DID YOU KNOW?
The fat around the kidneys, called peri-renal fat, is shock-absorbing and insulating. It is the last fat to go during starvation.
horse urinates. The urethra is about 2 to 3cm long in the mare and between 75 and 90cm long in the male, as it has to pass through the penis. The urethra in the female only carries urine, but in the male, the urethra also transports semen.
URINE
The horse’s urine is thick and syrupy in consistency due to the mucus secreted by the kidneys. It is also often cloudy due to the presence of suspended calcium carbonate crystals. The colour of the urine varies.
Bladder
Urethra
My horses’ urine outputs are very different and I don’t know if I should be worried about this or not. For instance, the ammonia smell of my Thoroughbred’s urine is a lot stronger than that of my Warmblood, but the colour of my Warmblood’s urine is more orange than my Thoroughbred’s which is definitely more yellow. What causes this?
The kidneys produce urine, which contains waste products that need to be removed from the body. These waste products include urea
and ammonium ions, which are both breakdown products of protein. The more protein the horse has in his diet, the more urea and ammonium his body will produce and excrete in the urine. Urea is composed of two ammonia molecules and can be broken down to ammonia after being passed in the urine. This means that the more protein in the diet the more urea and ammonium they excrete and the stronger the smell of ammonia in the stable.
However, if your Thoroughbred and Warmblood are eating the same diet, then the cause of the difference
in the ammonia smell is not related to diet, but instead a difference in the normal bacterial flora present in the lower urinary tract. Some horses simply have more bacteria with an enzyme called urease that splits urea
I’m trying not to spend too much time in the arena with my youngster to avoid him becoming arena sour. Do you have any suggestions for schooling exercises I can do out on a hack? I want to get some schooling in and not just pootle along.
urocatechins in their urine. These compounds are oxidised by light after they are passed and turn orange in colour, thereby discolouring shavings. The colour change only occurs in urine passed by some horses and not others; the reason for this difference is not yet fully understood.
These differences that you have picked up are, therefore, unlikely to be anything to worry about, but if anything has changed recently in the urine output, colour or smell it is worth chatting to your vet.
Schooling on a hack is a great idea to avoid spending too much time working your horse in the same arena day after day. Teaching concepts like lateral work out in the open is also a good way to avoid your horse learning to ‘anticipate’ certain movements in certain areas of the arena. It’s much better for your horse to be listening to your aids, then simply ‘assuming’ you are asking for a leg yield, because you are on the quarter line.
Of course, it can be valuable from time to time to just let your horse plod along on a long rein while out hacking, and sometimes you or your horse need this time without any pressure to just enjoy the experience. But if, as you mention, you are looking to add more to your hacks, there are all sorts of schooling exercises you can do. Here we look at three of the exercises we particularly enjoy:
1. Leg yield is a great exercise to practice on an outride with a youngster as it makes sure he is listening to your aids, and in this setting, there is no pressure of having to do it at a certain point, or of running out of space. Make sure you practice it equally to both sides.
2. Shoulder-in is a hugely beneficial way of strengthening the inside hind leg and building a bit of collection. As an added bonus, it is also a great way to get a sharp horse past something scary on an outride! If you see a ‘spooky’ plastic bag approaching on the left, get your horse doing shoulder-in to the right and you might find he’s considerably less bothered by the ‘killer’ object.
3. Challenge yourself to do as many transitions as you can during your outride. Planning to do something like 30 upward and downward transitions over the course of the ride is a really good way to keep your horse on the aids, and make sure he is responsive.
Shopping fun
The GPA Sale
Shop 30% off all GPA Helmets in-store and online at Western Shoppe until 4 September! GPA will be releasing a new collection with a fresh look to the iconic helmets.
Shop your choice of:
• Jockup Three 2X
• Easy 2X
• Little Lady 2X
• First Lady 2X
• Speed Air 2X
• Speed Air 4S
• Speed Air Concept
www.westernshoppe.com.
All models have VG1 safety certification, are superbly ventilated and have sophisticated styling. The GPA brand is renowned for over 56 years of expertise in safety and to this day still provides innovative safety headwear to the equestrian market.
