HQ Magazine Issue 161B

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As we excitedly embark upon 2023, we felt it opportune to reflect on the past 12 months.

2022 has seen greater growth than we could ever have dared hope for here at HQ. It’s been a tremendous experience and we wanted to share just some of our many highlights:

• Our readership is higher than ever before and as 2022 closes we can report 175,425 complete reads of HQ Digital Magazine in 2022!

• We have launched HQ’s counterpart for canines – DQ Magazine – to great acclaim.

• The print is more special than ever since we combined it with HQ Pony Magazine, and copies fly off the shelves.

• We’ve embarked on exciting ventures with new partners and continued our most valuable relationships with our loyal, long-term advertisers.

We’ve been fortunate enough to experience these highs, because of the support we’ve received from our advertisers, writers, photographers, illustrators and most importantly, you, our incredible readers. We’re so hugely grateful to all of those who have made our journey to date possible.

Thank you to each and every one of you.

Now with 2023 just beginning, we can’t wait to share an even bigger and better HQ experience in the coming 12 months!

Get ready and enjoy this latest edition!

Lizzie and the HQ team xxx

Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

Designer | Mauray Wolff

Thank You

THE SCHOOL OF EQUINE MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

A CAREER AWAITS

The School of Equine Management Excellence is one of the most sought-after equine colleges of its kind in Africa. Based in the heart of KZN horse country, the school is situated on the grounds of the magnificent Summerhill Equestrian Estate in Mooi River, and is home to many of the top horses in South Africa and bloodlines in the world.

We hope your year with us will give you the opportunities, experiences and confidence you need to realise your potential and pursue your passion!

- School of Excellence

Graduating students of the School have excelled in the industry, proving themselves again and again as the best contenders for the top jobs. Students from the School of Equine Management Excellence are hot commodities in the horse industry, not only here in South Africa, but also in Australia, England, New Zealand, America and even as far afield as Japan. In recent years several of the School’s graduating students have gone on to top up their course at the English National Stud, Coolmore Stud and other famous international equestrian facilities.

THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

The School was founded in 2011 as the Al Maktoum School Of Management Excellence. Its aim was to contribute to the South African sport of racing as well as empower the people of Summerhill through education. It was the first institution of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Since this time, the School has grown from strength to strength with close connections to some of the best stud farms around the globe, like the English National Stud.

Our goal is to provide students with a year course in which we give them all the opportunities, exposure and experience to allow them to decide which part of the industry they want to progress in.

- Henning Pretorius

When Henning Pretorius took over Summerhill Equestrian in 2019, he relocated Capital Stud, the top Warmblood Stud in southern Africa to the property, making this School the first one on the continent to house both Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods. Furthermore, his continued investment into facilities and technology for the School has developed the unique facility into the dream learning environment for any passionate equestrian

The last few years have seen the School exceed the team’s highest expectations with graduates now working all around the world, and showcasing the benefits of a foundational education at the School. There simply is no other facility quite like it, anywhere.

Gui Perdrau graduated in April 2018 and spent a stint working with Becky Thomas in America. Gui is now working in Australia at Darley’s Kelvinside Farm, where he recently was part of their famous stallion parade, showing off the top-class stallion Exceed And Excel, one of Australia’s most successful sires of juvenile Stakes winners, amongst many other accolades. Here in Gui’s own words is a bit about his experience at Darley Kelvinside:

I wanted to give you some news about my Australian adventures. I arrived here around mid-August and I have been living a dream so far! I am lucky to be working in the Shuttle Stallion Barn and grateful to look after outstanding horses like Harry Angel, Ribchester, Territories, Astern and Exceed And Excel. I also got here on time to be part of the Stallion Day as well which was an amazing experience - we paraded horses in front of 700 people!

Summerhill Stud School of Excellence made all my dreams come true! I wouldn’t be where I am without them. I’ve traveled to England and New Zealand, following my passion for horses, and I have recently returned from a three year stint in Australia and just completed a season at Soetendal Estate as Foaling/Mare Manager. My journey is far from over. I’m excited to do more and more seasons all around the world!

- Ashlee Melissa Hammond, 2015 graduating student

WHY THE SCHOOL OF EQUINE MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE?

As the first institution of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the School fills a void in the industry. Despite equestrian sport attracting billions of dollars in investment each year, quality education in the field is hard to find.

While at the School, the students partake in long but rewarding days which include foaling duty, foal and mare care, stallion handing for both stallions standing at Stud and the competitive Warmblood stallions, backing of the young stock including sporthorses and Thoroughbreds for racing, basic equine veterinary care, and general stud farm work to maintain a smooth-running facility. The students undergo numerous theoretical and practical assessments to ensure competence, before moving onto the next stage of their training. At the end of the course, each student delivers a final presentation on topics relevant to the industry and course, such as genetics and multiple pregnancies.

Then, what sets the School apart from any other in the world is the fact that it hosts both a world class Warmblood breeding program, courtesy of Capital Stud, and the top Thoroughbred Stud of Summerhill Equestrian, with its rich history stretching back over the last century, on just one property.

The facilities at the School are state of the art and students are exposed to the world’s latest breeding and management practices through the teachings of leading international vets, academics, trainers, nutritionists, bloodstock specialists and some outstanding stud managers of their era, as well as insights from leading industry personalities. This solid grounding in theory is complemented with exceptional quality practical experience with some of the very best bloodlines in the world. No other single property boasts such an impressive offering.

What sets the school apart is that both Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds are incorporated into the one stud. The facilities here on the farm are absolutely incredible, and my investment into the world’s best bloodlines, along with the best staff to run the breeding operations, ensures a quality education. You can’t get this kind of opportunity anywhere else. We really offer the full spectrum of practical experience to the enrolled students.

- Henning Pretorius

MISSION, VISION AND AIMS

MISSION

To ensure a high-quality equine education through both practical and theoretical means to selected individuals who have shown the highest potential as future managers within the equine industry.

VISION

To provide a continuous supply of highly trained personnel to the equine industry for any managerial position.

AIM

To afford a rich, challenging, comprehensive equine education through excellent and innovative teaching methods.

GRANT STORE – THE SCHOOL’S PRINCIPAL

HQ caught up with Grant Store the School’s Principal to find out more about its unique offering:

“The real goal of the School is to turn our students into horsemen and women. We seek to give them an understanding of all aspects of horse care, stud management and the sales process. The real advantage we have here at Summerhill is the practical element. Our students receive the very best hands-on training, in addition to a comprehensive grounding in the theory. Once enrolled here you eat, breathe and sleep horses – you can’t walk out of the front door without seeing one!”

Grant explains, “The other goal of the School is to make sure the students get the full benefit of all of the practical experience on offer here, so that at the end of the day they can make informed decisions about their futures and where they want to go next. Some students prefer the stable management or stud management aspects, others love the breeding and some want to continue with their competitive riding careers with the option of starting a business in the future.”

I really enjoyed all aspects of the course as I was exposed to almost everything I can think of in the equine industry.

– Carmie Botha, 2022 graduating student

“The course is really tailor-made to each individual. Two students can arrive with us here with completely different levels of knowledge and through our holistic approach we ensure that both they, and us, are proud of their achievements upon graduation. Each student that has graduated this year has something exciting lined up for 2023.”

“I believe it is our clear vision and training philosophy along with our world-class facility and set-up that differentiates our School. Our comprehensive curriculum is taught by both international and local experts in the various branches of the industry, and we have the unique privilege of being exposed to both Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds from the top of the sport. This set up provides all the field and practical experience any equine enthusiast could ever need.”

I would highly recommend the course. You learn a lot and get practical experience you wouldn’t get anywhere else, all in one place. My favourite part of the course was foaling down the mares and working with the foals in the foaling unit.

- Roanne Kaudstaal, 2022 graduating student

CURRICULUM

The curriculum, designed by experts, is intended to propel graduates directly into management roles in the equestrian industry. The course educates on all aspects of the strategic, practical and financial demands of sophisticated equestrian businesses. In this way, the School of Equine Management Excellence equips its graduating students with the best skills to take on management roles within the top facilities in the equine breeding industry.

The year-long certificate course comprises of three modules namely; Horse Handling and Sales Preparation, Stud Management and Equine Reproduction.

HORSE HANDLING & SALES PREPARATION

This course starts with getting students up to speed on general horse knowledge, including stable management, physiology, equine behaviour, conformation, grooming and tack considerations.

It then moves on to understanding the Thoroughbred Sales process including the history of the sales, the yearling sales, the 2-year-old sales, and the Ready to Run sales.

The course then looks at the specific preparation required for sales, with a particular focus on tack, feeding/nutrition, exercise routines, and the correct ways to ‘show’ the horses.

The end of the course coincides with the National Yearling Sales, which, depending on the Summerhill draft of the year, the students may attend with their educators.

- Christen Hogan, 2022 graduating student

STUD MANAGEMENT

This second module covers all aspects of managing a stud farm including travel and trucking, yard management, dentition, farriery, nutrition, conformation, unsoundness, equine first aid, pharmacology, biosecurity, pasture management, and business management. During this course, students may attend certain sales/auctions with their educators.

An accredited Level 1 first aid course is also offered.

I loved working with the yearlings for sales prep.

EQUINE REPRODUCTION

The Equine Reproduction module coincides with the breeding season. This module covers both the breeding of Warmbloods (AI) and Thoroughbreds (live coverings). It also looks in detail at pre-foaling preparations, the foaling process, managing dystocias, mare and stallion anatomy, gestation, teasing, nutrition, assisted breeding techniques, and foal health management.

Graduation is held in December after all final assessments have been completed successfully.

It was an amazing year – I learnt so much from the team.

- Matt Ducroq, 2022 graduating student

In terms of the future of the School, Grant explains:

“With Henning’s support we will be expanding to offer the first four EQASA Modules, alongside the CEEPSA qualification. I believe it’s so important for anyone in this industry, even if their interest is primarily in riding, to have this knowledge and also to have the qualifications behind their name to support them. This course really gives people this accreditation and makes them top choices for the best jobs in the country and further afield.”

The School is registered as a training provider with CEEPSA (www.ceepsa.org).

ENROLL TODAY

The School of Equine Management Excellence one year course sets each and every individual up for a long and illustrious career in the equine industry. Graduates of the school continue to fly the flag high, even many years after graduation. We couldn’t be more proud of their achievements, and look forward to growing and developing more equestrian talent through the School in the coming years.

EQUINE MANAGEMENT – A CAREER AWAITS

For more information, please contact: School Of Excellence Training | +(27) 82 837 7920 | school@capitalstud.com

New Year’s

RESOLUTIONS

SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM THE TEAM

ANew Year's resolution is always a tricky thing: do you make one knowing that, in all likelihood, you'll break it, or will this year really be different? Here we list some of the resolution ideas that have been thrown around the office over the last few weeks to see if any of them resonate with you too. We’re determined that this year will see some changes for us, so we’d love you to join us in making 2023 your best year yet!

1. MORE EXERCISE AND HEALTHIER EATING HABITS (FOR US!)

We've put this one first to get it out of the way! After all, what would New Year be without plans to finally stick to that diet, or to push yourself to develop your core strength that little bit more?! While all of these things are important, it can be difficult to implement them in and amongst the realities of everyday life.

Our plan for the coming twelve months is to gradually increase our activity levels and make healthier eating choices. We're not going to make hard and fast rules, as we know that life gets in the way and that once the rule is broken, it is easy to give up entirely. By putting these more realistic principles in place, we hope to create a more sustainable change.

And, if we lack motivation, we're going to come back to the fact that if we expect our horses to be athletes, we have to be athletes too (or at least make some effort to take care of our health!). We don't want to be the thing holding our horses back in 2023!

2. TAKE MORE PHOTOS (AND SEND MORE OF THEM TO HQ!)

It's very important to live in the moment, not just to take pictures of it, but there is a balance. Maybe it's because we take photos of so many other people's horses for the magazine, but many of us on the few photographs of our horses, and are worried we are going to regret this one day. If you're already an avid selfie-snapper, this one is not for you, but if, like us, you tend to avoid cameras as the stable (hathair is not our best look), then take up this challenge with us. Oh, and we love to see and feature your photographs in the magazine and on our social pages, so if you are feeling friendly, reach out and share your photographs with us – info@hqmagazine.co.za

3. SPEND MORE TIME JUST 'BEING' WITH OUR HORSES

It's all too easy to start to treat your horse a bit like a motorbike with hair. In this country, we are fortunate enough to have grooms, so it is easy for us to turn up at 3:30pm and find our horse ready to go. Yet, if we're not careful, we end up just riding, bringing them back to the stables and handing them right back to their groom without spending any time getting to know them better.

Of course, the convenience of the 'ride and go' approach is hugely helpful sometimes, and most of us will be guilty of taking advantage of this at some point. However, we do need to make sure our horses sometimes feel that we are there to be with them rather than do something with them. We need to be more than the person who turns up, sits on their back and leaves again.

Kids and their ponies don't have such fantastic bonds purely by chance. Instead, their bonds develop because kids are willing to spend time with their ponies doing very little. As adults, we tend to see this as 'wasted time' that could be used for work or other chores. Kids will groom their pony, play hide and seek with their pony, visit their pony in the paddock and sit and read a book in their pony's stable. They are content to 'waste' that

This year we will endeavour to discover with our horses doing nothing much at all. This is vital for our bond with our horse, but it is also essential for us to occasionally be

5. TIDY YOUR CAR

Fitting in riding around work commitments and family life requires serious organisation. Without this organisation, life becomes pretty chaotic, and most of this chaos (at least in our case) seems to reside in our car. On any given day, our cars may contain our riding hats, jodhpurs, boots, t-shirts, underwear from three weeks ago when we showered at the stables, some fermenting carrots, and perhaps that odd piece of tack that we WILL almost certainly get round to cleaning some time never. We have decided that this has to change. No more will we live out of our cars – it makes us feel that our lives are a mess, and it is difficult to be productive when we feel so disorganised (and spend four hours looking for a bit in the back of the car). We have, therefore, promised ourselves that 2023 will be the year of the tidy car!

A confession

Our editor embarked on a serious tidying spree this year after discovering that her car had become host to a small family of newborn mice/rats in a bag of treats that had been under her car seat for some indiscriminate period of time. The horror of this discovery, along with the fact that many of the car's other contents had been chewed by tiny teeth, really prompted some SERIOUS cleaning!

TOP TIP!

Another excellent learning exercise can be to watch the warm-up at a show rather than the main arena. Try to pick up some tips to improve your warm-up by observing some horse and rider pairs!

6. TRY SOMETHING NEW

Here at HQ, we're fortunate enough to attend many different equestrian events across the country, and we know how much this benefits our knowledge and work with our own horses. In 2023, we will try and expand our horizons further by attending more events, especially those that we haven't been to before, and would like to encourage you to do the same. You don’t need to spend money to do this – simply go along as a spectator and see what you can pick up! Alternatively, you could volunteer at one of these events or offer to help with the running of a show in a discipline in which you compete. Seeing your sport from a different perspective can help you better understand how the industry works and introduce you to new people who may have new perspectives that you can learn from.

are definitely guilty of mounting our trusty steed, walking to the arena, spending 20 minutes trying to work

stables. This indecision is wasting to the stables, we have a rough idea of what we will be working on.  Of course, plans can change, so if your horse doesn't seem to be in the mood for the activity you have planned, or someone else is using that particular course of jumps, you can always modify your plan or head out for an outride. It will still be beneficial to have some idea pre-session of what you want to achieve to minimise horseback 'thinking time'.

8. BE A NERD

It's no secret that Team HQ are a bunch of nerds; we devour any horse-related content, particularly books and courses. We believe that it's best to learn from the experts and that the least expensive and time-consuming way to do this is by investing in their books, lectures or courses and studying these avidly. After all, where else can you find all their years of experience distilled down in one place? In 2023, we hope to do more of this than ever, with lots of exciting opportunities in the pipeline for our team and readers. But for now, our next book on the reading list is the new Peder Fredricson autobiography 'Six Feet Above'… We'll let you know how it goes!

TOP TIP!

Try and read a training book by a top rider and try at least one exercise from the book. We guarantee that once you've done this a couple of times, you'll be hooked!

9. BE GRATEFUL

We are so privileged to have these wonderful creatures in our lives, and it is all too easy to forget how lucky we are. For this reason, this year, we are going to make a conscious effort to spend less time moaning and more time enjoying the ride! Every time we get to ride and spend time with our horses is a gift and should be treated as such, so rather than complaining about the traffic on the way to the stables or the hectic day we've had at the office, we will simply embrace being with these animals who make everything else worthwhile.

CHAMPION COOL-DOWNS

A constructive cooling down period is vital to ensure your horse returns to his stable or paddock in an optimal mental and physical state. Here’s what to consider at the end of your ride:

COOL-DOWN

Like warming up, the length of time you spend cooling your

horse down will depend on several factors, such as his age, fitness level, breed, how taxing the session was and the weather conditions. However, on average, most of us should aim to spend around 10-15 minutes cooling our horse down after a work session.

Follow our guidelines here to ensure that your horse is cooled down properly:

1. Aim to finish your schooling session on a good note when your horse has tried particularly hard or has understood a new exercise or challenging movement.

2. In rising trot, begin to ride some large circles, serpentines and figures of eight, gradually encouraging your horse to stretch down into a longer and lower frame. Do this steadily to avoid your horse collapsing on the forehand or hollowing over his back.

DID YOU KNOW?

A fit horse will recover quicker from exercise than an unfit or overweight horse. Timing how long it takes for your horse’s breathing to return to normal each time you ride will allow you to get some indication of how his fitness levels are changing over time.

3. After about five minutes of stretched trot work, bring your horse forward to walk and repeat the exercise above in walk, allowing your horse to stretch down for around five minutes or until he’s no longer blowing or sweating. Keep the walk active and in a clear four-beat rhythm.

4. A nice way to finish your session is to dismount, loosen the girth by a couple of holes and lead your horse in-hand for a minute or two. You can do this around the arena or, even better, provide a change of scenery by walking him around the property.

5. If your horse is still hot and sweaty, wash him off and remove the excess water with a sweat scraper.

DOS AND DON’TS DO

• Know your horse’s resting pulse and respiration rates. This way, you will know when these levels have returned to normal, and he has fully recovered from the cardiac element of his exercise.

• Allow your horse to stretch gradually. Let your horse find his own way into a longer and lower outline as this gives his muscles time to adjust to the new position, without any sudden or forced movements.

DON’T

• Skip the cool-down period. If you don’t cool your horse down properly, you run the risk of post-exercise injury, sore muscles and even tying up. All of these can have serious consequences. If you don’t have much time for your riding session, simply shorten the schooling element to allow for some cool-down; skipping the cool-down part in favour of more schooling is NOT a good idea.

• Stand around chatting with your friends. Doing this might cause your horse to get stiff and cramp up. Focus on getting him cooled down and back in his stable or paddock before chatting with your mates.

NOTE

It is not uncommon to hear riders say that their horses ‘cannot stretch’. Yet, while many horses struggle to stretch and hold themselves without running on the forehand, all horses CAN stretch. Any horse who can eat grass, drink water and generally put their nose near the floor can stretch; it just takes training to help them to build the strength to do it well.

IN WINTER

While winter may feel a long way away, it is worth noting that your cool-down routine over this period may need to alter slightly. You will want to ensure your horse doesn’t get cold, so you might consider placing a cooler rug over his hindquarters while walking him. If you do decide to use a cooler rug, it is then important that you don’t remove it until your horse is fully dry, as taking it off when he is still hot and sweaty will increase the risk of chill.

AFTER SHOWS

It goes without saying that after every class at a show, your horse will require a cool down. At competitions, we really put our horses through their paces, and, as a result, their

DID YOU KNOW?

As soon as you stop exercising your horse, his oxygen levels will rise and his carbon dioxide levels will fall.

bodies need even more support than usual to cool down safely. Whilst it can be challenging to do a full cool-down at a show with prize-giving, busy warm-up arenas etc., you should still spend as much time as possible cooling down your horse in the warm-up arena before hand-walking him or performing some carrot stretches.

TEXT: RHIANNON CECIL RESEARCH: LISA SIEBRITS

THE

BITLESS BRIDLE

TREND

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Going bitless is becoming more and more of a trend as riders pull away from gadgets and focus more on natural horsemanship. Yet, the concept can be scary, especially for those of us who haven’t considered it as an option before or have horses that would need re-schooling to understand bitless cues. In this article, we’ll examine the different types of bitless bridles and their uses in case going bitless is one of your 2023 New Year’s resolutions.

THE SIDE PULL

A side pull is the most straightforward type of bitless bridle as it works with pure nose pressure, and is a great starting point to teach your horse to respond to bitless cues without any added leverage.

This bitless bridle works very similarly to the pressure your horse is used to from being led in a halter. There is no leverage, and the reins attach to the noseband on the sides of his face. The benefit of using a side pull bridle or noseband rather than simply buckling a set of reins to the sides of your halter is that it will fit more snugly and be more stable on your horse’s face than the halter.

Side pulls are generally made from leather, rope, or paracord and fit onto a standard English bridle’s cheekpieces. They are available for you to purchase from local tack manufacturers. A relief bridle can also be converted into a side pull by connecting the reins to the D rings on the noseband and removing the bit connector straps.

THE SCRAWBRIG

A scrawbrig fits and works very similarly to a side pull, but the chin strap slides through two rings on the side of the noseband. When you apply pressure to one or both reins, the chin strap tightens, creating both nose and chin pressure. This gives you an added set of brakes without putting unnecessary pressure on your horse’s mouth.

Just remember, every action results in an equal yet opposite reaction, so don’t hang on to the bridle simply because you don’t have a bit. Your horse will just lean on your hands, and you’ll feel even more out of control.

THE CROSS-UNDER

Cross-under bitless bridles have two straps that cross underneath your horse’s jaw, so when you apply pressure to the reins, that pressure is redistributed across your horse’s whole head. More specifically, when you apply pressure to the right rein, it exerts pressure on the left side of your horse’s head, guiding them away from the pressure and to the right. Cross-under bridles or nosebands are made out of leather or rope, and they are available in selected tack stores and from small businesses. It is possible to buy the whole cross-under bridle or a cross-under attachment which will attach to the poll piece of your existing snaffle bridle. This type of bridle can be quite confusing to horses, as the cues are not as clear cut as with many other bitless bridles, and the pressure release does not tend to be as quick as with alternative types of bitless bridles. However –every horse is an individual, and some may prefer this type of bridle over others.

THE BOSAL

Bosals don’t make much of an appearance on the English riding scene, as they’re almost exclusively a Western trend. They are made from a stiff braided rawhide noseband,

which may have additional wrapping over the horse’s nose; a rope rein (called the mecate) is tied to the chin of the bosal.

The bosal works predominantly off of nose pressure, but the turning cues are not as distinct as they are with other bitless options, as the rein is attached to one point, not two, so you do not have two separate reins that work independently. For this bridle to be effective, you really have to focus on giving the horse aids with your body, as pulling indiscriminately won’t achieve anything.

THE HACKAMORE

Hackamores are the most popular type of bitless bridle, especially in the competitive English riding community. Hackamores generally work using leverage, and a combination of nose, chin, and poll pressure – the ratio of which is specific to the type of hackamore used. A hackamore is often considered the strongest bitless option due to its mechanical leverage action.

Riders that use hackamores can also select different types of nose pieces and curb/chin pieces, which can significantly impact the hackamore’s pressure. A padded

A side pull

leather nose piece or a sheepskin nose piece will be much softer than a narrow chain or rope nose piece, and a leather or sheepskin-covered chin piece will be gentler than a standard curb chain. You can also buy sheepskin covers to position over the existing nose and chin piece to make it more comfortable for your horse.

Hackamore shanks come in various types, shapes, and sizes, each with varying actions and strengths. In general, the

longer the shank of the hackamore, the more leverage it has. Some hackamore options (such as the orbitless and flower hackamore) have various setup options that allow you to adjust the amount of leverage and poll/nose/chin pressure. These hackamores allow different placements of the reins and the cheek, nose and chin pieces to adjust the leverage from no leverage (which has a similar effect to a side pull) to moderate leverage. The most common hackamore is the

NOTE

It is important to remember that ‘bitless’ does not necessarily mean ‘softer’. Whilst a bitless bridle does not put pressure on the horse’s mouth it does still rely on pressure to give cues. Some bitless bridles are ‘harder’ in this application of pressure than others, and with the delicate facial structures of our horses we need to be very careful that we don’t use bitless bridles in a heavy handed way, simply because they are ‘not in the mouth’. Ultimately, any piece of tack is only as good/ kind as the person using it, so can be soft or hard depending on how good your hands are. Endeavour to ride with sympathetic hands whether you ride with a bit or without and you should find your horse enjoys his work and performs much better –force is never the answer!

standard short shank English hackamore which is available at most tack shops.

Other hackamore shank options include Bombers’ Rogan hackamore; Stubben’s hackamore, which is designed to avoid poll pressure; and the Acavallo hackamore shanks, which have different slots for the rein and cheek piece, allowing you to adjust the amount of leverage and poll/ nose/chin pressure. Every horse will have a different preference and go better in a different combination of shanks, nose pieces, and chin pieces, so it is ideal to try various combinations on your bitless journey.

HOW TO START TEACHING YOUR HORSE TO WORK BITLESS

It is imperative to start bitless schooling from the ground. Start in hand at the walk, giving your horse the cues for turning and stopping and rewarding them for any correct response, even if it is slight.

If your horse is used to working in a bit, this is a totally new concept to them, so you should approach it like you are starting a young horse for the first time. The horse does not immediately know what the different cues mean and what you are asking, so be patient. You can also

do this work using long lines if you are confident and comfortable with their use.

Once you are sure your horse is comfortable with and understands the cues from the ground, you can start introducing bitless work under saddle. It is best to start slowly and at the walk, allowing your horse to figure out what you expect from them. Start this work in a closed area, like a lunge ring, if that makes you feel more confident.

Consider riding with a bit and the bitless option, with double reins, and slowly use the bit reins less and less until you are sure you do not need them as a safety net anymore, and then totally remove the bit.

If your horse seems confused about what you are asking at any stage, take one step back and build up their confidence and understanding again. It will take time to refine the cues, the same way young horses take time to understand lighter turning and stopping cues when you are schooling them for the first time. It will also, as always, be very beneficial to ride effectively from your seat and leg aids to help the horse understand the rein cues.

DISCIPLINES IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT ALLOW BITLESS BRIDLES FOR COMPETITION

Bitless bridles are slowly becoming more accepted in the competitive equestrian world. You can currently compete in showjumping and equitation bitless and adults riding mares and geldings can compete bitless in certain showing classes (specified in the showing rules). Bitless bridles are also allowed in the showjumping and cross-country phases of eventing. However, in the cross-country phase of eventing, a hackamore cannot be used on its own and must be used in conjunction with a bit.

If going bitless is something you’d like to consider, we recommend consulting a professional who can help guide you through the schooling process and help you explore all the options until you find the perfect fit. There is a whole new freedom to be found in riding bitless — you no longer have to worry about damaging your horse’s mouth, and with time, you’re likely to find he is just as adjustable and responsive without the need for extra gadgets.

A hackamore with long shanks

A neatly plaited horse looks professional when he enters the ring, and in many disciplines plaiting is compulsory. But is it always necessary and what constitutes the perfect plait? Certain styles, for example the use of white tape for dressage, go in and out of fashion, but for showing classes in particular, very little has changed over the years.

ARE PLAITS A GOOD IDEA?

Some riders question whether horses are able to use their necks properly for dressage or jumping when plaited up, and you will often see eventers taking out their dressage plaits before heading into the country. Similarly, many showjumpers, even when competing on the world stage such as at the Olympics or World Equestrian Games, choose not to plait. For this reason, many dressage riders and showjumpers opt to use small plaits, with smaller amounts of hair involved in each one, so as to allow as much flexibility as possible to be maintained in the neck.

DISCIPLINE RULES

The different disciplines all have their own rules about plaiting.

DRESSAGE

The mane and forelock need to be plaited but the tail is optional. Plaits should be on the right-hand side of the neck, and there can be as many as you like. White elastics may be used but are considered a bit passé, so rather go for elastics the same colour as your horse’s mane.

EQUITATION

The mane and tail should be plaited but not the forelock. Elastics should match the colour of the mane.

SHOWJUMPING

It’s entirely up to you. If you do choose to plait, you can use any colour elastics and do as many plaits as you like.

EVENTING

You have to plait for dressage as per the rules for dressage, but there is no need to plait for the cross-country or jumping phases.

SHOWING

This is where perfect plaiting really counts. Showing classes require the well-turned-out horse or pony to be

smartly plaited. The only exception is for some breed classes, for example Section A Welsh Ponies, where their long manes should be on display, or Friesians, where a running plait is acceptable.

HOW MANY?

Traditionally, it is considered correct to have an uneven number of plaits on the right side of the neck, so that with the forelock it adds up to an even number.

The number of plaits may vary, but somewhere between nine and 13 is the norm depending on your horse’s conformation.

The size of the plaits will depend on the length and thickness of your horse’s mane. Too long and you end up with golf balls; pulled or cut too short and they’ll be small and wispy. A hair length of about 15cm is the easiest to work with.

Clever plaiting can visually correct weaknesses in conformation to some degree. More plaits can create the illusion of a longer neck, whereas fewer can make a long horse look more compact. Similarly, setting the plaits above the crest gives an underdeveloped neck the appearance of substance.

PERFECT PLAITING

Wash the mane and tail a couple of days before you need to plait so that the hair is not too slippery.

Sewn plaits are generally neater and stay in place longer than those secured with elastics, and are also more correct for showing classes.

It generally works best to secure the ends of the plaits with elastics before sewing. If you are in a hurry and decide to use elastics, remember they can break quite easily, so make sure you keep some spares in your jacket pocket for easy repairs.

Have everything you need handy:

• Mane comb

• Blunt tapestry needle

• Thread or elastics the same colour as the mane

• Scissors

• Something to stand on

an elastic band or hold it in one hand and loop your thread around it with the other.

4. Fold the plait in half and push the needle through from underneath. Fold the plait in half again to create a ball and stitch it a number of times to make sure it is secure. You can shape the plait and make it smaller if necessary by wrapping the thread around and pulling it tight – one of the advantages of stitch plaiting! If you’re using elastics, fold the plaits up and secure with the elastic band. It’s a good idea to use more than one to ensure they don’t come out.

5. Tie a knot in the thread and snip the end off.

Repeat steps one to five until you have completed all plaits. Then mist with hairspray if your horse will tolerate it. Make sure the plaits are even and level on your horse’s neck. They should all be the same size except near the wither where the mane is thinner.

THE FORELOCK

Plaiting the forelock can give your horse a headache so leave it for last. If you have to plait the night before, then leave the forelock for the morning if at all possible. A French plait in the forelock looks very smart but if your horse is fidgety and you’re pressed for time, an ordinary plait will do.

THE TAIL

Tails need to be French plaited.

1. Take a small piece of hair from each side at the top of the tail and cross them over. Take a third piece from one side so that you have three sections to work with.

2. Take an equal amount of hair from each side of the tail to cross over the centre as you plait, keeping it tight so that it stays even and centred.

3. Keep plaiting to about twothirds of the way down the dock and then continue without taking any more side hairs so that you have a single long plait.

4. Double the end of the plait under the French plait and secure it with either thread or elastic.

It’s a good idea to apply a tail bandage to keep the plait neat.

FOR A CHECKERBOARD EFFECT

1. Use a very small comb, or even cut the end of a standard comb and use that.

2. Create a line of blocks from the spine.

3. Create the ‘opposite’ line of blocks below it.

4. And so on until you have the look you desire…

FOR SHARKS’ TEETH

To create the sharks’ teeth, wet a finishing brush and shake off the excess water.

Start by swiping a stripe from above the stifle to the top of the tail. Your second swipe comes from the hip to the bottom of the hamstring. This makes a sideways V (your first tooth).

Now swipe just below your first upward swipe, following its line. Then swipe in the downwards motion, in the same way as you did your first downwards line (Step 2) to create the second tooth.

You can tidy up your lines with the brush afterwards to ensure that they all end neatly.

NOTE

A horse with a well-muscled behind can benefit from simple, yet bold, quarter marks to really show off his musculature. However, if your horse is slightly weaker behind you may want to avoid drawing attention to his quarters until you have built his hindquarter up with some correct schooling. You can, of course, try and be clever with your quarter marks to try and distract from the weak musculature but most judges will spot this.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Creating quarter marks that show off your horse’s hindquarters takes a lot of practice and a good shiny coat. Topquality brushes will help to develop a real glow to the coat and enhance all of the effects you can create.

Our top reads

10 BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

FROM TEAM HQ

1. Merely A Rider: The Autobiography of Anneli Drummond-Hay by Anneli Drummond-Hay

2. Six Feet Above: Jumping to the Top by Peder Fredricson

3. The Girl on the Dancing Horse by Charlotte Dujardin

4. Making it Happen: The Autobiography by Carl Hester and Bernadette Hewitt

5. Horse Brain, Human Brain: The Neuroscience of Horsemanship by Janet Jones PhD

6. Solving Equine Behaviour Problems: An Equitation Science Approach by Rose M. Scofield

7. Winning Habits: How elite equestrians master the mental game by Annette Paterakis

8. In Praise of Famous Horses by Sean Magee

9. The Horse Boy: A Memoir of Healing by Rupert Isaacson

10. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charley Mackesy (because we all want to grow up to be kind!!)

FLIES

MANAGING THEM IN YOUR YARD

With flies becoming increasingly resistant to chemical sprays, many yard owners are looking for alternative methods to keep flies under control in the stable yard. This is vital as flies cause both irritation for our horses, and spread disease. Here we give you a few yard management tips for keeping those pesky flies at bay.

DID YOU KNOW?

A FLY'S LIFECYCLE

A FLY'S LIFECYCLE

Flies thrive in stable yards, as horse manure is the perfect environment for them to feed and breed. A fly’s life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. It takes approximately two to four weeks for a fly to go from an egg to an adult, and thereafter they live between three and four weeks.

Flies thrive in stable yards, as horse manure is the perfect environment for them to feed and breed. A fly’s life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. It takes approximately two to four weeks for a fly to go from an egg to an adult, and thereafter they live between three and four weeks.

Adult flies like to lay their eggs on fresh manure and any other organic material. Eggs hatch within three days and the new larvae feed on the manure.

Adult flies like to lay their eggs on fresh manure and any other organic material. Eggs hatch within three days and the new larvae feed on the manure.

MANAGE YOUR MANURE

Horse manure is fly heaven, so it’s vital to remove manure from the stable as soon as possible in the day. Once the manure has been removed, it’s important that it is stored as far away as possible from the stables and paddocks until it can be disposed of properly. It is also advised that manure bags are not left open and rather tied up tightly to avoid flies getting in.

Manure in your arenas and paddocks should also be removed on a daily basis. If you want to use manure as a fertiliser, spread it out thinly so that it dries out quicker. The reason for this is that flies prefer to lay their eggs in the top few centimetres of moist manure. Flies struggle to develop from the egg stage in dry environments, so spreading it out thinly helps break the initial fly life cycle. It’s easier to prevent breeding than to control adult flies.

KEEP YOUR YARD TIDY

It’s not only the manure in your horse’s stable that might attract flies. Feed rooms and garbage disposal rooms can certainly attract flies as well. Make sure that all bins around the yard are closed and lined with plastic bags that can easily be removed and closed.

Feed rooms should be kept tidy and should be swept on a daily basis. Never leave feed bins open; they should be tightly sealed so that odours can’t get out and lure the flies to the feed room.

Flies taste with their feet! Gross!

room or big bin until the pickup truck arrives to remove them. Ideally, you want to store these bags as far away from your yard as possible, and ensure that the bin or room is tightly sealed.

YARD SOLUTIONS

There are plenty of things you can add at the yard that will help to reduce the number of flies.

Firstly, planting herbs that naturally repel flies can truly make a big difference. There are several herbs that you can plant for this purpose including basil, bay leaf, lavender, chives, rosemary, mint, wormwood, citronella grass and lemon balm. Planting these herbs in beds around the stable yard (out of the reach of your horses) can deter flies from coming too close.

Another alternative is to use effective microorganisms or other similar additives in the stables themselves. Effective microorganisms interrupt the lifecycle of the flies and prevent them from hatching into adult flies. And, as an added bonus, effective microorganisms are completely natural! Chemical alternatives do exist, but one needs to be very careful when using these around animals.

Next, you could choose to invest in fly-killing wasps. These are cheap, and extremely effective. To learn more about how they

TOP TIP

Rubbing vinegar and mint oil on rubbish bins and stable doors has also been shown to help reduce the number of flies.

work, check out our article on the eco-friendly yard (page 46). Then if you’re looking for something a little less labour intensive or difficult to manage, you could opt for the standard fly tape or fly traps. Fly tape must be replaced regularly, and you need to be careful with it around bats and birds. Fly traps are also great, but should be placed away from the stables to draw flies away from the horses.

Finalyl, if finances allow, you can also consider installing spray systems that automatically deliver sprays of either natural or chemical insecticides to the stable or stable area at regular intervals. These systems can be custom-designed and those who have them feel they are very effective.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

All in all there’s plenty you can do around the yard to get flies under control and help your horses have a more comfortable and hygienic summer.

TEXT: CHRISTINE PINNA

EC -FRIENDLY

STABLE YARD

ith the increase in awareness about the environment and the effects our day-to-day choices have on it, you may be wondering if there is a more eco-friendly way to run your stable yard. There are many benefits of making ecofriendly changes that are not only good for the environment but also very often beneficial to the animals and people that live and work in the general area. While some ecofriendly choices may be more expensive initially, they often have the benefit of being cost-saving in the long run, and some eco-friendly choices are cost-saving from the outset!

BUG, PARASITE AND PEST CONTROL

With the increase in dewormer resistance, it is imperative that one does worm counts before proceeding to give your horse a dewormer. This is not only a great way to avoid contributing to the current worm resistance challenges, but it can also reduce the number of chemicals your horse and, ultimately, the environment are exposed to. It is always best to do worm counts before and after deworming to ensure that what you are doing is working. Having said all of that, I have realised that the most powerful way to avoid an excess of worms in the horse population is to remove manure from the paddocks daily or even twice daily if you have a high number of horses in a small area. Rotating

your grazing is also very helpful, especially directly after deworming.

For flies and biting insects, choose a natural fly spray over chemical options. These days, chemical-free options are plentiful, and it is very much worth trying them out before resorting to chemical options. Fly predators - tiny, harmless wasps that consume the larvae or flies - are also very helpful in reducing your general fly population. And fly traps can be very effective, although I suggest placing them a bit further away from your stables or shelters and downwind, as they do attract flies. Some people have found a reduction in flies when they have introduced chickens to their yard. I’m a bit undecided on this one as I also find that chicken manure is particularly attractive to flies which can be a real bother. However, I’d still give it a try - worst case scenario, you get eggs, and chickens are absolutely marvellous at breaking down the manure heap, making it usable more quickly.

There are certain natural sprays and tick greases that can repel and kill ticks, although I find that in a mild to moderate tick area, I can get away with simply spending a few minutes de-ticking the horses daily. I have also had success sponging down the horses with a strong tea made with khakibos, garlic and wormwood

after de-ticking, resulting in the horses coming in for their afternoon feed carrying fewer ticks. If this is not practical in your situation, please choose an oxpecker-friendly dip; it’s ox-pecker friendliness should be clearly stated on the label. After arsenic-based tick dips almost decimated various oxpecker populations, their numbers have slowly been increasing thanks to dips no longer being arsenic-based. This is exciting, as more oxpeckers mean fewer ticks.

For rats and mice, your best option is definitely a rodentloving cat or a few cats. There are plenty of shelters that are over run with felines and a barn life can be a wonderful one for a cat. Owl boxes can also be placed on your property to attract owls; owls are one of the best rodent enemies. Failing that, humane rodent traps are a much kinder option than any kind of poison, both for the rats and mice and also for the owl population. If you choose this option, please ensure that you release the rodent near a water source to give it the best chance of survival.

FEEDING

Growing your own hay may not be practical due to space limitations and the cost of implements or labour if done

manually, but on some larger pieces of land or existing farms, this may be quite doable. The benefits of growing your own feed include cost-saving in the long run, as well as the possibility of avoiding using toxic weedkillers or certain fertilisers, which may, for instance, increase the iron content of your hay unnecessarily. Excess iron in a horse’s diet can cause many health issues, including a weakened immune system, poor hoof walls and coat quality, and performance issues.

If you have a fairly small property but not too many horses, you may still be able to grow some parts of your horse’s diet. A small area can supply a fair amount of lucerne, and it is easy to grow once established, provided you have sufficient water. While on a large scale, one would need to use tractors and balers, on a small scale for just a few horses, it may be possible to produce some or even all of the lucerne and hay your horse may consume. Conveniently, on a small scale, slashers or weedeaters can be used to harvest the lucerne before it is placed in a dry but well-ventilated area. This may involve some trial and error at first but can be highly rewarding in the long run.

One can use the same method for producing some of the

herbs that horses typically consume. These can either be offered to the horse fresh or dried and can be milled and placed in the horse’s feed. If you are unsure about the properties and amounts of herbs to feed, please consult with an experienced herbalist. Beneficial herbs for horses include comfrey, dandelion, echinacea, oregano, parsley, wormwood and many others. I find it easiest to use my dehydrator to dry herbs. One can also make a simple solar dehydrator using old fan covers, wire and a laundry bag. Unfortunately, if you are in a humid or cold area, this may not be suitable for your environment. If you are in an area of the world where organic feed is available, this may be an excellent choice, provided that it has a good mineral profile and isn’t overly high in sugar. Organic feed will generally be farmed sustainably and will be free of toxic chemicals found in pesticides.

SUPPLEMENTS

To reduce plastic usage as well as fuel consumption, consider buying supplements in bulk if this is affordable. Also, check if your supplement containers are recyclable and send them off to your nearest recycling plant if you cannot find alternative uses for them. It may also be worth suggesting to your favourite supplement company that they look into alternative and even compostable packaging, as many people haven’t thought of this yet.

GROOMING

Next time you are stocking up on your favourite shampoos, tack cleaning products, coat conditioners and blanket and numnah washes, consider choosing an eco-friendly product free of harmful chemicals that end up polluting groundwater and streams. There are some highly effective products on the market that I feel work even better than the chemical options and they are also free of artificial fragrances and harmful substances.

For grooming brushes and hoof picks, look for ones that have wooden backs or other alternatives to plastic, as well as natural bristles. While some of these products can be more expensive, I’ve found them to last a whole lot longer than the usual plastic options.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

It is fairly easy to determine the energy consumption rating of various appliances. A Triple A rating is the most ideal. If you need to purchase items such as fridges, geysers, kettles and washing machines, look out for the labels or ask a salesperson for assistance.  Solar systems can be quite a costly option but they do save you a lot of money in the long run and are one of the most obvious ways to go green. You may not even need as big of a system as you think, so it is always worth getting a quote.  LED lights, solar lights and small wind-powered systems can also help to reduce energy consumption.

SPICK AND SPAN

A TIDY TACK ROOM

With many of us busy setting New Year’s Resolutions and planning for 2023, tidying the tack room is a straightforward job that can make an enormous difference to your year of equestrian endeavours. Here we give you our top tips for making the process as effective (and painless) as possible!

1. DECLUTTER

A clutter-free tack room makes for a clutter-free mind, and yet many of us are guilty of ignoring just how busy and chaotic our equestrian spaces have become. Weeding out those pieces of equipment you’ve collected over the years but never use is the first step towards revitalising your space. Of course, there will be plenty that is worth keeping, so sort your items into ‘get rid’ and ‘keep’ piles, before organising the items you are keeping into crates and trunks.

2. CLEAN IT

As soon as you’ve done your declutter, it’s time for a deep clean. Dust the shelves, scrub any storage units or materials and give the floor a good sweep. Then, not only do you want a clean area, but you also want clean items, so get out the individual items and clean them as necessary. Make sure that any rugs that need washing are dealt with and that your old bridle is soaped and ready for storage.

TOP TIP

The trick is not to hold on to the ‘get rid’ pile for any longer than is necessary. Take your items to a secondhand shop, advertise them on Facebook Marketplace or donate anything you can to a local equine charity. Essentially, just get rid of it by whatever means necessary!

3. CREATE A SEASONAL ORGANISING SYSTEM

When putting your items away, take a moment to place everything into set places for the seasons. For example, as it is currently summer, you could put rugs at the bottom of the piles and pack fly sheets at the top. This is something you should try to do with every change of season so that the items you’ll need are close at hand while everything else is prepped and neatly stored, ready for use later on.

4. LABELLING

Packing things away and out of sight makes the place look tidier and keeps items covered and clean. Unfortunately, this also makes them difficult to find, but this can easily

be overcome by adding labels to all relevant shelves, boxes and trunks. You are likely to end up with a ‘miscellaneous’ box or two, but at least the vast majority of items will be organised.

5. GET MATCHY-MATCHY

If you’re starting to get into the swing of reorganising, you could go one step further and make your storage shelves as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional by organising them according to colour. Make a rainbow of numnahs or set a colour theme for your storage solutions! Buy buckets, halters and rugs that are the same colour, and you’ll be surprised at how neat and organised everything will look!

6. FINISHING TOUCHES

By this point, your tack room will be looking shipshape, but if you’ve caught the organising bug, you could go further still… For example, the tack or feed room could be the perfect place for a yard whiteboard for recording emergency numbers or perhaps medication or feed regimes. Alternatively, you could sort out supplements into Tupperware containers with appropriate scoops to make it easy for your stable manager to administer them. In essence, there are lots of final ‘geeky’ steps you can take to make your tack room a super organised and productive space – use your imagination, and see what you can do!

NOTE

If you’ve done with the tack room and feel compelled to organise further, we can recommend sorting out your car…We were astonished to find the items that have been ‘living’ in our car and have now returned them to labelled(!) boxes in the tack room. The boot space we’ve created is remarkable and it’s possible that in 2023 we could take passengers without having to apologise for the stable yard in the back seat…

KEEPING IT CLEAN

Now that your tack room looks smart and tidy, it’s time to give yourself a big pat on the back, but your work isn’t over. It’s important to remember to dust and sweep up regularly, as well as put each item back where it belongs after use, so everything doesn’t descend into chaos again.

If you keep this up, your equestrian life will become much more simple, efficient and ordered, and all those wasted hours hunting for that ‘essential item you put somewhere, some time ago’ will be a thing of the past.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

CONDUCTING A PHYSICAL EXAM

With one of our New Year’s Resolutions being to spend more time getting to know our horse’s better, we wanted to include an article on the physical examination. Running your hands over your horse and performing the simple steps outlined here can really make a difference to your horse’s health and set you on the right track in 2023.

BASIC SUPPLIES

It’s handy to keep a thermometer, stethoscope and watch in your first aid kit. Keep some K-Y Jelly in your box as well to lubricate the thermometer.

THE PHYSICAL CHECKS

1. Eyes should be bright and clear from any muck or mucus. A little discharge during the spring months is normal with the change of season, but if it persists, consult your vet.

2. Slight clear discharge from the nose is normal, but any yellow discharge indicates illness. The respiratory rate can be taken by feeling how many breaths a horse takes in a minute. Healthy horses take around 12 breaths per minute. Foals will take between 20 and 40 breaths per minute.

3. Gums should be healthy and pink. Dark red, bright red, blue or white gums indicate various forms of shock and you should seek immediate veterinary attention.

4. You can conduct a capillary refill test by pressing your finger on the gums and then releasing. It should take around two seconds for the area to turn from white back to pink.

5. The pulse rate can be taken from the lingual artery, located on the bottom side of the jaw where it crosses over the mandible bone, if you don’t have a stethoscope. If you do have a stethoscope, place it on the left side of the horse just behind the elbow, as this is where you will hear the heart best. The pulse can be taken for 15 seconds and then multiplied by four to calculate the heart rate in beats per minute. A normal heart rate is between 24 and 44 beats per minute (bpm). Foals will have a heart rate of 80 bpm.

6. Feel for any abnormal heat, swelling, lumps or bumps in the legs. Walk and trot the horse out on a hard, flat surface and ensure he is sound with free, open strides if you can. Short strides, nodding of the head, reluctance to move forward and favouring one side are all signs of lameness. Your vet should be called for a formal assessment if you have any concerns about soundness.

7. Listen for sounds of gurgling and growling, while you are grooming, which indicate a healthy gut. Sounds will become fainter, higher-pitched or non-existent if a horse is colicking.

8. Hoof wall temperature should be cool. A hot foot or leg indicates inflammation of the area and your vet should be called to assess for conditions such as an abscess or laminitis.

9. Temperature is measured through the rectum, using a digital thermometer. Apply some K-Y Jelly to the end of the thermometer for lubrication. Approach the horse from the side to avoid startling him. Insert the thermometer and wait for a reading. Normal temperature is 37.2 degrees to 38.5 degrees. A high temperature or low temperature is a cause for concern and should prompt a call to your vet.

10. Look for any visible marks that might indicate a saddle wound. Ensure there are no white hairs around the withers. Feel along both sides of the horse’s back for any inflammation or bumps. Feel for any stiffness or tension and see if he reacts when you put pressure on a certain area. If your horse shows any signs of pain in his back, call your vet, physiotherapist and/or saddle fitter.

11. Do the skin pinch test to assess hydration. Pinch the skin just above the shoulder and hold it for two seconds. The skin should snap straight back. If it’s slow to return, your horse is likely dehydrated. Horses need to drink approximately 8ℓ of water per 100kg, so the average 500kg horse will drink around 35 to 40ℓ of water per day.

12. When running your hand over your horse, check for any lumps, bumps, scrapes or injuries. You may also notice any skin issues or loss of hair during your grooming routine. If you find anything unusual, it is worth contacting your vet to discuss this. The earlier you can detect these issues, the better.

TEXT: HANNAH BOTHA, MSC EQUINE NUTRITION, EPOL NUTRITION ADVISOR

At this time of year, with the summer heat, it's common to start wondering about the necessity of an electrolyte supplement. Here, Hannah Botha from Epol educates us on the role of electrolytes and exactly when we should be considering using them.

WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES?

Electrolytes are minerals that, when in their solid form, bond readily to form salts, but when dissolved in water, break down into their component elements called ions.

Ions have a positive (calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium) or negative (chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate) charge. These charges allow the conduction of electricity. These electrical charges carry vital signals across cell membranes and along nerve and muscle cells enabling functions such as: · Muscle contraction ·

Blood volume control ·

Thirst regulation ·

Nutrient absorption · Organ function ·

Body fluid balance

So simply put, electrolytes maintain physiological balance in the horse's body, which is crucial for life. If the body becomes depleted of electrolytes, bodily functions can be severely disrupted with potentially life-threatening consequences.

Fortunately, hay, grazing and additional feed (with a bit of added sodium chloride) are normally enough to meet the daily needs of the average horse. However, once a horse starts to work harder or sweat more, feed alone may no longer be enough to maintain the required levels.

SWEATING

Sweat contains electrolytes, so when a horse sweats, he loses electrolytes. Yet, sweating is entirely necessary as a means of helping the horse to stay cool. Exercise requires energy and utilisation of energy produces heat; in fact, 70-80% of the energy consumed by a horse is lost as heat. 55-70% of the heat generated by exercise is lost through sweating and 25% by exhalation. If a horse could not remove heat through these mechanisms, overheating would occur in less than ten minutes. Sweating in average ambient temperatures allows for fast evaporation and thus cooling; however, in hot climates and especially humid environments, the ability to remove heat is reduced, resulting in a body temperature increase which can lead to heat stress. As you can see from this, horses with anhidrosis (the inability to sweat) are in real danger of heat stress.

Horses can lose between 4 and 15 litres of sweat an hour (depending on factors such as the environmental temperature, how hard the horse is working and how fit the horse is). A 500kg horse contains around 300 litres of water (both extracellular and intercellular), and so, as an example, a loss of 10 litres per hour during exercise would be a loss of around 3% of total body water per hour.

Although research is still lacking, it's thought that even a 1% loss of hydration can lead to a 4% fall in performance. However, for the well-adapted healthy equine athlete, 3% body mass loss does not seem to pose serious performance problems.

The reduction in performance seen with excessive sweating is not only due to the water loss but also the large quantity of electrolytes (especially sodium and chloride) lost when a horse sweats. Losing 10 litres of sweat is equivalent to losing 110g of electrolytes (Marlin, D).

THE THIRST RESPONSE

Of the five main electrolytes (calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium and chloride), sodium, chloride and potassium are the three most important, and sodium is often considered the principal one as it's the main regulator of thirst. Therefore, it is commonly suggested that sodium chloride is added daily to the equine diet. Sodium chloride is more commonly known as table salt.

The thirst response in horses is a physiological prompt to drink to prevent dehydration under normal circumstances and is dependent for the most part on electrolyte balance, i.e. when the sodium level in the blood is high, the thirst response is triggered.

In cases of light water loss (such as the loss of water in faeces, urine, exhalation or light sweating), water is released, but the level of electrolytes lost is minimal in comparison, leading to a higher concentration of sodium within the blood. This causes the body to seek out water to replace the loss of water, i.e. the horse becomes thirsty.

However, when the horse sweats heavily and/ or for long periods of time, water and sodium are both lost in a more similar proportion, and thus the sodium concentration in the blood does not become so high. This means the thirst response is not always triggered, explaining why some performance horses will not drink even though they are dehydrated.

TOP TIP

Research has found that horses prefer cold water when given a choice. However, they appear to drink larger amounts when the water is cool rather than cold so consider providing cool, not cold, water after exercise, especially to horses that tend not to drink well.

additional supplements to allow the body to hold onto the water it takes in. Therefore, forage and feed are important components of electrolyte balance.

The National Research Council indicates that a 500kg horse in no work (maintenance) requires 10g sodium, 40g chloride and 14g potassium per day.

If we have a look at the common feedstuffs used, it's clear that some supplemental electrolytes may be needed. For example, in forage, which should be the basis of every horse's diet, levels of potassium are generally good, with some hays containing around 1.752.5%, which would be enough to cover the horse's daily needs. However, sodium and chloride levels in forage can be low (0.05-0.5% and 0.5-0.75%, respectively). This means that even if a 500kg horse were to eat 2% of his body weight per day in forage, he would only get around 5g of sodium.

For example, a 500kg horse in medium-level work requires 17.8g of sodium and 53.3g of chloride 53.3g per day. Environmental temperatures and individual variances in digestion and digestibility of feedstuffs all affect the exact amount needed. Quality concentrate feeds will contain additional sodium and chloride, so first check levels in your daily feed and then add the extra to reach the desired levels, dependent on your horse's workload. Regular table salt is approximately 61% chloride and 39% sodium and so 30g (approx. two tablespoons) of table salt per day would be enough to provide 11.7g of sodium which would cover maintenance needs. Harder working horses would require more. While salt can be provided via a salt block, not all horses will utilise them enough to cover their needs. Salt block usage is also hard to monitor, so for performance horses especially, it's advisable to add a measured amount.

ELECTROLYTE SUPPLEMENTATION

The key to a good electrolyte supplementation program is to first provide a balanced diet with the correct amounts of forage and/or concentrates and enough salt to meet the horse's base sodium and chloride needs. Once this is in place, a product whose electrolyte composition mimics that of sweat can be selected should the horse need one (i.e. be working hard and/or sweating for prolonged periods).

Look for a supplement containing sodium: potassium: chloride in a ratio of 2:1:3.8. Some supplements will also contain magnesium, calcium and other trace elements, but these are generally considered of less importance. Be careful when selecting supplements, as some contain sugars to increase palatability.

When using an electrolyte supplement for a working horse, it's advisable to provide it at the same level each day; trying to guess what your horse is losing is pretty tricky and titrating your

electrolytes based on the level of work you do each day is not worthwhile. Instead, it is best to keep levels adequate and consistent. Also, avoid increasing electrolytes to 'load' before a competition. If your horse has been on regular supplementation, increasing suddenly will likely put the horse off his food/water at a time when he most needs it. It can also cause digestive disturbances such as loose droppings and/or increase the amount of electrolytes excreted because if the horse isn't using the additional extras, his body needs to get rid of them. Rather, one should wait until the workload and rate of sweating increases to provide the extra, such as during the competition itself.

The same applies for horses not on electrolytes; adding them before competition won't fix months of under supply and so rather, assess your horse's diet well in advance of major competitions to ensure that you are providing what is needed daily. A horse starting competition on depleted levels is more at risk of issues.

HEAT STRESS

It's important to remember that horses of all types and involved in all disciplines are at significant risk of heat stress as many contributing factors exist.

Although the eventer or endurance horse is being ridden for more extended periods of time, the breed types competing in jumping and dressage are often larger, heavier horses and, therefore, at greater risk of overheating, especially as a result of long periods of warm-up. It's also important to note that horses not sufficiently fit enough to handle the demands of competition should be monitored more carefully as they are at greater risk of heat injury.

No matter the horse or discipline, it's vital all owners, trainers and grooms understand the signs of a hot horse, such as, but not limited to;

· Excessive sweating – horse covered in sweat and/or sweat running from the body.

· Ataxia (unsteadiness resulting from a lack of muscle control), especially when stopping after exercise.

Blowing very hard (deep and laboured breathing).

Panting (fast and shallow breathing).

A high rectal temperature – above 40°C (104°F).

· Prominent blood vessels.

· Horse may show little reaction to people or the environment.

· Horse may appear distressed.

competitions, you can use a paste. Electrolytes can be given in water, but the volume the horse will readily consume will not allow a large electrolyte intake. This means that water is not suitable for replacing electrolytes, only helping to rehydrate the horse. It is worth noting that full replacement of electrolytes after competition can take several days.

By way of example, a horse running a 120km endurance race could lose 500g of electrolytes throughout the race. Replacing electrolytes at a rate of 100g per day (on top of their regular maintenance electrolytes) would mean that full replacement would take five days.

THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH

Be careful when providing electrolytes to horses that may be dehydrated. The idea is that electrolyte supplementation will stimulate thirst and encourage them to drink; however, there are horses who continue to refuse to drink despite supplementation

NOTE

Research has shown that larger amounts of administered electrolytes may result in the worsening of gastric ulcers. This should be kept in mind when deciding to use an electrolyte supplement; however, generally, the recommended daily dosages of electrolytes in supplements are much lower than those seen to cause ulcers in the study.

and may end up further dehydrated.

When in the intestine, electrolytes draw water from the blood into the gut. This removes water from the blood, causing the concentration of electrolytes (particularly sodium) to increase, and this, as we have said previously, switches on the thirst mechanism. If water is unavailable, the horse doesn't drink, or blood flow to the intestines is reduced due to exercise, giving concentrated electrolytes may worsen the dehydration by causing more water to leave the bloodstream and enter the GI tract, which is not the area of most need.

In line with this, research suggests that electrolytes should be given approximately four hours before exercise. This allows horses the opportunity to drink before they begin sweating.

Depending on the sport, it may also be necessary to give electrolytes and fluids during and after the competition to help them recover more quickly, but make sure that they drink, not just consume electrolytes.

CONCLUSION

As with anything, balance is key. For the average horse in little to no work, a well-balanced diet containing adequate forage and additional salt is all that's needed. However, once the horse starts working, especially in hot conditions, a balanced diet consisting of forage, concentrates, adequate salt and additional electrolyte supplements is required.

TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY

FERTILISATION

FACTS

PART 1

With the pitter-patter of tiny hooves all over South Africa at the moment, many of us suddenly develop a curiosity about the breeding process. It might be wanting to sound clued up on all the acronyms or the difference between chilled and frozen semen, or perhaps (more likely) it's just seeing all the adorable foal pictures littered across social media, but whatever the reason, we want to know more. The good news is that Team HQ, struck by the same insatiable curiosity, have done the research for you and, over the next few issues, will be telling you EVERYTHING you need to know to demystify the breeding process. To start, we will look at the various fertilisation methods employed to create our day-zero developing foal. In this particular article, we

focus specifically on live coverings and artificial insemination (AI), and next time, we will be back to consider the roles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), ovum pickup and embryo transfer.

LIVE COVERING TECHNIQUE

As the name suggests, live covering is when the mare and stallion physically mate together. There are two types of live covering: pasture breeding and hand or in-hand breeding. The difference between the two is simple. With pasture breeding, the mare and stallion are put together and breed as they choose. Although this is undoubtedly the most natural, it is also the most dangerous breeding method for both stallion and mare.

SIGNS A MARE IS IN HEAT (OESTRUS):

• She leans towards the stallion and shows interest in him

• She lifts her tail to expose her vulva

• She squats and squirts urine

FAST FACT

Some mares cycle all year round. However, the oestrous cycles that occur out of season, early in the season or towards the end of the season are less likely to result in pregnancy, so it is preferable to wait until the mare is cycling somewhere in the middle of the season before trying to inseminate.

Many stallions and some mares become aggressive when breeding, and a single kick from either partner can break legs and end life. An added disadvantage is that this natural method does not always have a high success rate, as, left unsupervised, the two equines can struggle to get all the right parts into the right places.

In-hand breeding, on the other hand, requires the stallion and mare to be held and will take place in a controlled environment. The breeder will see when his mare is in heat, and then a few days after her heat starts, he will begin the covering process. Covering will then happen every day or two until the mare is no longer in heat. This is a safer alternative to pasture breeding and allows for some human intervention where needed.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

The main advantage of either form of live covering is that the semen can live for up to four days when placed in the mare in this natural way. This means the covering does not have to be absolutely in time with the mare's ovulation. The main disadvantages of these methods are the level of risk for the stallion and mare, as mentioned above, the lack of confirmation of whether the stallion has indeed ejaculated and the unpredictable success rates.

However, for certain breeds of horses, like the Thoroughbred, live covering is compulsory. This is because the Thoroughbred Studbook feels that Artificial Insemination (AI) dilutes the gene pool by allowing inferior mares to access top-quality semen.

PRE-BREEDING CHECK

Before breeding with your mare, it is advised to have a pre-breeding check performed. This is to ensure that the mare is healthy and that no factors decrease the chance of falling pregnant or make a successful pregnancy unlikely. The main components of this prebreeding check include the following:

• An ultrasound scan of the uterus

• A vaginal examination to assess the conformation of the vulva and look for any cervical abnormalities.

• A uterine swab and smear to check for any infections.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI)

Artificial insemination, or AI, is a technique used to transfer appropriately processed semen from a selected stallion into the mare's uterus at the correct stage of the oestrus cycle, resulting in a single pregnancy.

TECHNIQUE

AI is performed using one of these three types of semen:

1. Fresh semen: This semen is used primarily at studs as it only lasts for short periods once collected from the stallion.

2. Chilled semen: Chilled semen is stored at 4 degrees Celsius in either a special container or polystyrene container with a chill/ice pack inside. Chilled semen must be used within 48 hours of collection.

3. Frozen semen: Frozen semen is frozen in nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius. You can keep frozen semen for as long as needed and thaw it when you are ready to use it.

The success of the AI program depends on several factors like the quality of the semen from the stallion, the fertility status of the mare and the program employed by the attending vet. Conception rates with fresh and chilled semen are similar to or slightly better than with live covering, with approximately 60% of all mares becoming pregnant on the first cycle. Until recently, conception rates with frozen semen were less favourable, but as experience has grown with the techniques, this situation is improving.

The key element of the program employed by the attending vet is the timing, as the success

COLLECTING SEMEN

For most facilities, collecting semen from a stallion using a phantom or mount mare is the preferred option, as it is an efficient and generally safe process that mimics the natural position assumed by the stallion in live breeding. Ground semen collection is an alternative option where there is no phantom, where the stallion is very small, where the stallion struggles with the phantom or where the stallion has mobility issues due to injury or other health problems. In ground semen collection, an artificial vagina and/or manual stimulation are used.

BREEDING TIP

If you intend breeding with your mare in the future, it could be beneficial to record when she cycles. This can help you predict when she will come into her next season.

of the insemination depends hugely on when the semen enters the uterus. Therefore, the semen should be placed when the mare is in season and close to ovulation. Most mares will have a 21–22 day cycle, with oestrus lasting 3-6 days.

Performing AI with fresh or chilled semen: Usually, a mare will be scanned just before she is expected to start her season, and during this scan, the attending vet will check the size of the developing follicles. This will help determine when to have the semen ready and when to give the ovulation-inducing agent. If it is impossible to predict when the mare will come into season, she is given medication to bring her into the season. Insemination should take place at the time of the ovulation of the largest follicle. The mare will be scanned the day after AI to ensure ovulation has taken place and that there is no fluid build-up in the uterus.

Performing AI with frozen semen AI: Using frozen semen does have a lower success rate than with fresh or chilled semen, but success rates are increasing all of the time. Using frozen semen is also more expensive for the breeder; this is because the process of freezing and storing the semen, and thawing it for use is more timeconsuming and labour-intensive, and a vet will need to be on hand to scan more regularly. With frozen semen, the mare will be scanned every six hours to plan the insemination for the exact moment that ovulation takes place. Again, the mare will be scanned the day after AI to check that there is no fluid build-up in the uterus.

The use of AI has many potential advantages over live covering:

• It allows the use of semen from stallions that would not normally be accessible, such as from competing sport horse stallions, international stallions and even deceased stallions.

• It avoids large amounts of travelling on the part of the mare or stallion.

• There is a much lower risk of injury to the mare and stallion.

• The semen is evaluated at every collection and before it is inseminated, thereby allowing any potential fertility problems to be identified.

• It allows breeders to breed with mares with young foals at foot or mares who do not tolerate a stallion covering them naturally.  However, it is definitely a more costly alternative to live coverings due to the high degree of veterinary input required and the elaborate freezing and thawing procedures. It is also not permitted for Thoroughbreds.

Next issue we’ll be discussing the roles of ICSI, ovum pick up and embryo transfer. Don’t miss it!

Straws of frozen semen.

NEW LIFE

FOAL DEVELOPMENT

With so much to look forward to as the New Year begins, and foals taking their first wobbly steps all over social media, we felt it was an excellent time to look at how these extraordinary creatures come into being.

FROM DAY ZERO

Any discussion about the development of a foal has to begin on day zero, the moment of fertilisation. Sperm is deposited into the uterus through a live covering by a stallion or artificial insemination, and the sperm travel to meet an egg, or ovum, in the fallopian tube of the mare. The joining of the egg and the sperm is referred to as fertilisation.

Once fertilisation has taken place, cell division starts to occur. This cell division occurs at a pretty set rate. The first division happens after 48 hours, resulting in four to six cells. The second occurs after 72 hours, resulting in eight to ten cells.

Between days four and five, the mass of cells present is termed a morula. The day after the morula has been formed, it starts to differentiate into a mass of one type of cell on the inside and a layer of one type of cell on the outside. At this point, it is referred to as a blastocyst.

Around this time, the blastocyst moves from the fallopian tube of the mare into the uterus, and from the following week, the number of cells in the blastocyst starts to increase rapidly. Due to the movement of the uterus, the blastocyst migrates around the uterine surface and makes contact with all areas. This process is crucial for the mare’s body to recognise her pregnancy and also ensures that she maintains the pregnancy and does not come into season.

PREGNANCY CHECK

The first pregnancy check by the vet usually takes place between days 14 and 16. At this point, the blastocyst is easily recognised on ultrasound scan and is about 2cm in size. Beginning on day 17, the embryo will undergo the process of fixation to the uterine wall, so scanning in advance of this is highly recommended to allow twin pregnancies to be detected and managed by the veterinarian; once the embryos are fixed, it is much more difficult to remove one of the embryos without causing damage or risking losing both embryos simultaneously.

LITTLE LIFE

Around day 17, the neural tube appears, which will become the foal’s brain, spinal cord and nervous system. Then, blood vessels form at the base of the spine, and these become the heart. A heartbeat can be detected on ultrasound somewhere between days 21 and 23. Around day 37, the umbilical cord is formed in the amnion. For most people, this marks the end of the embryonic stage, and the developing foal is now termed a foetus.

TWIN PREGNANCIES

Twin pregnancies are highly undesirable in horses. In two-thirds of cases, abortion will occur naturally, allowing only one of the two embryos to survive. However, in some cases, both embryos will develop into viable foetuses. If abortion occurs early in the process, the owner may not notice anything other than that the mare is no longer pregnant. However, if abortion occurs later, owners may be faced with two large stillborn foals. In rare instances, fullydeveloped twins will be born live, but few of these survive.

A 40-day-old foetus is easily recognisable as a miniature foal with a tiny head, legs, hooves and body. At this stage, the foetus measures around 5cm. All organs are present and developing into their final form. The main job of the developing foal at this point is to grow!

At around 150 days of gestation, the foal weighs approximately 2kg and is the size of a small cat. At this stage, the foal has developed eyelashes and hair around the muzzle (cute!). At around day 180, the foal’s weight just about quadruples to approximately 8kg and it is the size of a small dog. The mane and tail have begun to grow. By day 240 the foetus weighs around 16kg and by day 270 it weighs approximately 30kg and is completely covered in hair.

FINAL STAGES

As the foal approaches day 300 of gestation, the lungs undergo their final development in preparation for life outside the womb. At around day 315, you should start to prepare for foaling and monitor the mare closely. A gestation range of 320 to 365 days is considered normal, but it is best to be prepared! At delivery, if all goes according to plan, the foal should shift from lying on his back to being born with his head and forelegs first.

And just like that, we welcome a little foal into the world!

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

How do I cut my horse’s tail correctly?

To avoid cutting the tail too short, and to make sure that you cut at the correct angle, you need to put your arm under the dock of the tail to raise the tail to the position it is in when the animal is moving. Supporting the dock with your right arm, measure the tail to the chestnut. Use your left hand to mark the place and to hold the hairs at the correct angle. Then cut the tail straight across and then square off (or round off) any unlevel hairs to get a neat finish. The end should now lie parallel to the ground when your horse is moving.

Note: It is worthwhile, however, to check the grooming standard for your individual breed of horse. In some breeds the tail must be cut to a specific length or in a certain way.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

causing people to use the term 'out'.

The most common reason a pelvis appears asymmetrical is muscle atrophy, meaning less muscle on one side or in one area of the body. This kind of muscle asymmetry can be due to an underlying lameness, previous muscle damage or inappropriate training.

The pelvis is made up of three large bones, the ilium, the ischium and the pubis. These bones fuse to form the acetabulum – the socket in which the head of the femur sits to create the hip joint. The pelvis has three prominent bony landmarks – the tuber coxae laterally as the point of the hip on either side, plus the tuber sacrale (or the hunter's bump) – this is where the ilium from either side of the horse's pelvis meet. Here one point may appear lower or further in front of another.

Then the horse's seat bones (the tuber ischium) can also create the appearance of the pelvis being asymmetrical. These asymmetries can be something the horse is born with or a consequence of old damage to the ligamental system in the region. In addition, any old fractures within the pelvis can heal, leaving a visual imbalance in the external landmarks.

So, while your horse's pelvis can't be 'out' , it can have issues that cause asymmetry and need veterinary attention.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What signs might suggest a horse has kissing spines?

Kissing spines, otherwise known as overriding/ impinging dorsal spinous processes, are a common diagnosis in ridden horses. Kissing spines are usually suspected when horses show signs of back pain. These signs might include the following:

• A negative reaction to pressure being applied along the spine or in the adjacent muscles

• Signs of stiffness

• Tightness through his back muscles as a whole

• Hypersensitivity when being groomed

• Signs of discomfort, such as tail swishing, head tossing or pinned ears

• Not standing still when the saddle is placed on his back, during girthing or when you mount.

Under saddle, your horse may show the following signs:

• An unwillingness to go forward

• Disunited canter

• Problems in transitions

• Resisting the bit

• Refusing of jumps

• Bucking, kicking or rearing

• A lack of swing through the back

If you notice any of the above symptoms, your vet will likely want to do X-Rays to get a better picture of what's happening. Radiographic changes on their own don't necessarily mean your horse has pathological kissing spines – there need to be clear signs of back pain in addition to these changes. For this reason, vets have to be careful in deciding what needs treating – kissing spines often occur secondary to an underlying problem and sometimes tackling these underlying problems can reduce the issues with kissing spines. Underlying problems might include:

• Poor hoof balance (negative plantar angles with long toes and/or low heels)

• Weak core muscles

• Facet joint arthritis or even fractures

• Dental problems

• Sore hocks or stifles

• Poor saddle fit

DID YOU KNOW?

About 80% of horses will have radiographic changes to their backs, but most don't show any signs of pain.