HQ Magazine Issue 161C

We hope this first month of the year has been a gentle reintroduction to work and the competition scene and that you haven’t broken ALL of your new year’s resolutions just yet…

In this issue, we are delighted to introduce Lamée Equestrian, a stunning fashion brand based in Cape Town. They are our cover sponsors this month, and in the next few pages, you’ll get a taste of what exactly makes their offering so unique! Check out their website at www.lapparel.co.za to see more.

We have a host of great articles for you to get stuck into this month, including an introduction to Horse of the Year and Part 2 of our Fertilisation Facts series. We also have a fascinating article on Fragile Foal Syndrome, which is well worth a read! And for those of you who are feeling active, we’ve got a few yoga positions for you to try to improve your riding this year!

As a tester this month, we’re integrating the Q&A with the magazine to allow the questions to feature with articles on similar topics. We hope you enjoy this new format. Let us know what you think on social media or by sending an email to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za.

We could go on, but your time is definitely better spent checking out the content in the upcoming pages, so adieu and enjoy!

Lizzie and the HQ team xxx

Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

Horse

Hello, and welcome to our second digital edition of HQ in 2023!

IN THIS ISSUE

55 The Champagne Tour

22 January 2023

62 Hey! Horses eat hay

70 Dehydration in horses

With JD du Preez at JME Veterinary Clinic

74 Too high, or too low

The optimal haynet height

76 Aloe vera

Is it safe for horses?

80 Fertilisation facts

Part 2

86 Ask HQ

88 Fragile Foal Syndrome

Distressing but preventable

96 Products we love

GOODBYE SHUTTERFLY

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum's original post announcing the death of Shutterfly:

"It is with a very heavy heart that I am sad to announce that we lost Shutterfly this morning. He was a unique and irreplaceable part of our lives.

I was lucky enough to spot Shutterfly as an immature and gangly talent at age 6 during the show in Rastede. He came to my stable a few months later. I was fortunate enough to share the next 24 years of his life with him. We just recently celebrated his 30th birthday.

Shutterfly aka "Petey" started as a doubtful, unsure youngster and blossomed into one of the greatest horses to ever live. He won 3 World Cup Finals, 2 Top Ten Finals, the

Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, amongst many other prestigious titles. He brought me to the top of the World Ranking list, as the only women ever, where I was able to enjoy #1 for 24 months. Shutterfly won the Preis von Europa in Aachen against the best in the world at age 18, just before his retirement ceremony there in front of his adoring crowd. We will miss the kind and sweet-hearted Petey who stuck his nose in the baby carriage and softly nuzzled my daughter Brianne just days after she was born. I am sure that caress gave her the passionate love for horses she has today.

I will miss you my friend and I appreciate every moment I had with you. You were the greatest partner anyone could ever have. You will never be forgotten Petey. Rest in peace my love."

"ONE OF THE GREATEST HORSES TO EVER LIVE"

SHUTTERFLY'S TOP RESULTS

1st Place "Prize of Europe" CHIO Aachen 2011

1st Place Grand Prix Arezzo 2008

1st Place Nations Cup CHIO Aachen 2008

1st Place Grand Prix Cannes 2008

1st Place Grand Prix Stuttgart 2007

1st Place Grand Prix Munich 2007

1st Place Grand Prix Lyon 2007

1st Place Grand Prix Arezzo 2007

1st Place Nations Cup CHIO Aachen 2007

1st Place "Gothenburg Trophy" 2007

1st Place Top Ten Final Geneva 2006

1st Place Grand Prix Munich 2006

1st Place Grand Prix Stuttgart 2006

1st Place Grand Prix Geesteren 2006

1st Place Nations Cup Lucerne 2006

1st Place Nations Cup CHIO Aachen 2006

1st Place World Cup Gothenburg 2006

1st Place Grand Prix CHIO Aachen 2005

1st Place World Cup s'Hertogenbosch 2005

1st Place "Top Ten Final" Geneva 2004

1st Place Nations Cup Calgary 2004

1st Place Nations Cup CHIO Aachen 2004

1st Place Grand Prix Lucerne 2004

1st Place World Cup Amsterdam 2004

1st Place Grand Prix London 2003

1st Place World Cup Wellington 2003

1st Place World Cup Berlin 2002

1st Place "Euroclassics" Bremen 2002

1st Place Grand Prix Hickstead 2002

1st Place Grand Prix Palm Beach 2002

DID YOU KNOW?

CHAMPIONSHIPS:

European Championships Mannheim 2007: Team: Silver Individual: Gold

World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006: Team: Bronze Individual: Bronze

World Cup Finals: Won the Finals in 2005, 2008 and 2009

2nd place in 2004

Olympic Games: Individual: 4th place Hong-Kong/Beijing 2008

Due to his "crazy" hairdo when born, Shutterfly was originally named after the German cartoon character that resembled Edward Scissorhands, Struwwelpeter. MichaelsBeerbaum spotted Struwwelpeter as an unsure six-year-old and wanted to purchase him, but unfortunately, he was not for sale. Just six months later, he made his way to her barn when Jim and Nancy Clark purchased him. After his purchase, his name became Shutterfly to accommodate his English-speaking owners. This name would become one of the most famous in the world of showjumping. Goodbye,

Shutterfly – one of the greatest horses to ever live.

LAMÉE EQUESTRIAN

Fine Equestrian Apparel

Lamée Equestrian, the owners of our cover this month (and what a cover it is!), offer a whole new feel to South African equestrian fashion. To introduce Lamée to those unfamiliar with its exquisite ranges, we spoke to the team to learn more about this unique brand.

HQ: What led you to start Lamée Equestrian?

Lamée: The term 'lamée', meaning "spangled with silver and gold", inspired us to design and manufacture bespoke, high-quality equestrian goods and fashion garments, which add a new layer of individualism and 'whimsicalness' to the equestrian scene in South Africa.

HQ: Can you tell us about the inspiration and concept behind your brand?

Lamée: Lamée is a slow fashion brand that creates timeless pieces and takes into consideration the impact of materials, production and manufacturing methods in order to use resources more efficiently.

Lamée products are designed to form a capsule wardrobe, which compliments both the horse and rider, with the idea that the collection can be continuously built upon. For instance, several garments are produced over time to pair or mix and match with a single numnah. Cooler, classic colour pantones have been handpicked and crafted to be compatible with one another, the horse's colouring and various skin tones.

HQ: What inspires the designs?

Lamée: Inspiration is derived from many sources, including historical fashion prior to the 1900s, current runway trends and colours, South African flora, client feedback, as well as a continual desire to improve functionality and use the best available technical fabrics.

HQ: Can you talk us through your design process?

Lamée: The team believes strongly in refining a design over time. When developing new ranges, several prototypes are often produced to ascertain the correct fit for comfort, style and performance. One of our primary objectives is to design a garment which is one's first choice from their wardrobe selection to wear for the day. Our process is continuously evolving.

HQ: Can you tell us about your different ranges?

Lamée: Currently, Lamée has several lines, each focusing on a different fashion and style aspect. These include the Silhouette Range, the Performance Range, the men's Alta Shirt Range, as well as the new Lux Leggings and Bamboo Breeches.  For horses, Lamée stocks the AirMesh Leg Protection Range, as well as a variety of bespoke saddle pads in both dressage and general-purpose styles with matching ear-veils.

HQ: Can you tell us about the European arm of the brand?

Lamée: The team is excited to announce that Lamée is now also available in Europe. The Silhouette Range is proving to be a very popular choice amongst customers as it leans more on the eccentric side of locally available equestrian fashion and offers a unique aesthetic.

HORSE AND RIDER

HQ: Where will you go next with the brand?

Lamée: The future has boundless possibilities, and Lamée will continue to explore how an individual sense of style can be combined with quality and function for equestrians.

HQ: Can you share any upcoming collections or projects you are working on?

Lamée: An exciting collection will be launched in Autumn, which includes a selection of new colours available in our blouses and saddle pad collections, as well as the return to some timeless favourites, such as Wild Berry for Winter '23.

To find out more about Lamée Equestrian or place an order, visit their website at

www.lapparel.co.za

FORTUNER THE ALL-NEW

REIMAGINE THE LUXURY OF FREEDOM

With the freedom to adventure anywhere, out-of-this-world experiences are always within reach. Spacious, stylish and more capable than ever, the all-new Fortuner drives explorers to see more, do more and enjoy more.

Now sporting a sleeker, more refined face, newly designed 18” alloy wheels, elevated interior detail and more, the all-new Fortuner can go as far as your imagination can take you.

Subject to stock availability.

Model Shown: 2.8GD-6 4x4 VX 6AT

DID YOU KNOW?

A foal's legs are 80-90% fully grown at birth. These long legs help them during the first few months of life when they need to keep up with their herd or risk being left behind. This helps them to get away from predators and travel long distances for food and water.

THE POWER OF RATINGS

BLACK TYPE STALLIONS

Capital’s Todos de Regor x (Capital Melissa) Mylord Carthago

A month into the new year, the numbers for 2022 are in, and there are some clear winners. Looking at the Black Type percentage, which represents a percentage of the offspring of a particular sire over 8 years of age who have jumped 1.45m or higher during the past year, the comparisons are quite clear.

Capital Stud pays close attention to these Black Type percentages every year, as Henning Pretorius seeks out the best of the best genetics for his breeding programme. It’s astonishing to see how well his selection tallies with the Black Type percentages from 2022.

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

CHACCO-BLUE

Chacco-Blue achieves the highest Black Type percentage. From his 406 offspring that are older than eight, 338 compete at a minimum level of 1.45m. This gave Chacco-Blue a Black Type percentage of 83.3% in 2022. He is, of course, the sire of Ben Maher’s Explosion W, but his most successful product in the sport in 2022 was Andrew Bourns’ Sea Topblue. Santiago Lambre’s Chacco Blue II and Paul O’Shea’s Chacelloress also collected significant quantities of prize money in the past 12 months.

The Capital Stud collection sports multiple breeding stallions with Chacco-Blue’s lines. The most notable currently is Capital’s Todos de Regor (Chacco-Blue x Cento x Nabab de Reve) who is a direct Chacco-Blue, out of Centa De Muze, who is herself out of the legendary QerlyChin. His first crop of foals this year are the most incredible collection the Stud have had from a single stallion. They are exquisite, with perfect conformation and incredible light athletic movement; every single one is as breathtaking as the last.

Capital Toulouse (Diarado x Chacco-Blue x Berlin) is another new breeding stallion to the Capital staple, who is out of a Chacco-Blue mare. Toulouse’s foals are already carrying his stamp, and the quality of these offspring is plain to see. These foals are the stars of the future.

CORNET OBOLENSKY

Cornet Obolensky ranks second. From his 124 products over the age of 8, 94 compete at a level of 1.45m which offers the BWP stallion a Black Type percentage of 75.6%. Eugenio Garza Perez’ Contago was one of Cornet Obolensky’s best performers in 2022, but great achievements were also produced by Arqana de Riverland and Cornets Iberio.

Amongst the Capital collection the obvious stallion to mention is Capital Cornetblue Floreval Z (Cornet Obolenksy x Chacco-Blue x Berlin) a direct descendent of Cornet Obolensky with the dam-sire Chacco-Blue. With this bloodline combination featuring three of the top seven Black Type percentage stallions in the world, it’s no surprise that Cornetblue’s foals have wowed all those who have seen them. They all have the stamp of their father, including his presence in the arena! This is just his second crop of foals and the team are ecstatic about the quality they see on the ground.

BALOUBET DU ROUET

Baloubet du Rouet takes third place with a Black Type percentage of 74.6%. Out of 126 descendants over the age of eight, 94 competed in the sport at a minimum level of 1.45m.

Hans Dieter Dreher’s top horse Vestmalle des Cotis is a son of Baloubet, just like Roger-Yves Bost’s Ballerine du Vilpion.

Capital’s Jaures de Hus (Baloubet du Rouet x Wandor Van Mispelaere x Cento) is a spectacular young stallion standing at Summerhill Equestrian. The influence of Baloubet du Rouet in this stallion is clear to see, and he stamps his foals with the qualities of his sire. Out of one of the most successful dam-lines in the world (Cella, who is a daughter of Usha van’t Roosakker), this stallion is breeding for the big time.

Another stallion starting to breed this year, who is a direct Baloubet du Rouet is Capital’s Barnidin JT Z (Baloubet du Rouet x Heartbreaker x Carthago Z) . His first crop of foals will be on the ground in the 2023/2024 season.

THE FINAL FOUR

An additional four stallions scored a Black Type percentage of over 70%: Comme Il Faut (74.2%), Emerald (72.7%), Kashmir van Schuttershof (71.8%) and Berlin (70.2%).

As representatives of the final four with Black Type percentages over 70%, we have Capital’s Hermes Pommex Z (Halifax van Het Kluizebos (Heartbreaker) x Emerald van’t Ruytershof x Chin Chin) and Capital Toulouse (Diarado x Chacco-Blue x Berlin).

Capital’s Hermes Pommex Z x Guidam

HENNING’S EXPERTISE

Henning’s ability to select young stallions and see the potential inherent in their bloodlines is almost legendary. He looks for proven horses, but also has an eye for up and coming talent. For Capital Stud to have a crop of stallions at their disposal, many of whom are almost guaranteed to feature in the top Black Type percentages in the coming years, gives a huge boost to the future of South Afircan showjumping.

In terms of proven lines, it is prudent to mention the progeny of Capital Kronos (Darco x Cash x Lord). Being a slightly older stallion than the ones mentioned above, he has many offspring on the ground and his progeny are proving a force to be reckoned with. Jumping in the 1.50m classes with ease, Capital Kronos is himself impressive, yet his offspring look set to outstrip him across the board. With his latest crop of foals on the ground, the team are confident that a group of agile, modern and highly rideable sporthorses will be gracing the showjumping arenas in the near future.

Then to look at Henning’s ability to find talent and breeding potential earlier than many, we need only look to Capital Levubu. In Henning’s own words, “Capital Levubu is probably the best horse I have ever bred. I bred him using a very new stallion on the circuit at the time, Cachas, who sadly died young”.

Henning’s selection of Cachas, and his subsequent breeding with Levubu has created a very exciting stallion for the future, Capital Legacy (Capital Levubu x Untouchable x Cassini I). Capital Legacy had his first crop of foals this year and they have certainly inherited their grandfather’s presence and stamp. These are very exciting youngsters for Capital Stud.

VISION

You won’t find this quality or quantity of Black Type stallion offspring in many stables in the world. Henning’s vision, and his willingness to invest in world-class breeding, is creating the future of the showjumping sport in South Africa. Mentioned here is just a small selection of his thirty stallions, but each year this number grows as he pursues the latest proven trends, and also seeks out the lesser-known talents. With Henning’s eye for top quality stallions, Capital Stud are proud to say that the sky is NOT the limit for showjumping in South Africa. Capital Stud are committed to bringing you the best of the best.

Horse of the Year

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW SO THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO ENTER!

Showing is an equestrian discipline which aims to exhibit perfect examples of specific breed types of horses and ponies. Good horsemanship and sportsmanship are essential to this discipline, and the attention to detail and pride in presentation can’t help but develop a love and appreciation of horses for all who participate. It is, however, an incredibly diverse discipline because of all the breeds of horses represented and the different types of classes available. For newcomers to the discipline, this can make the thought of competing quite daunting, but it need not be!

With one of the biggest showing events on the calendar just around the corner, we researched just one of the myriad breeds that will be represented at this year’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) - the South African Warmblood.

SOUTH AFRICAN WARMBLOOD CLASSES

As with all other breed classes, the Warmblood classes are looking for the perfect model of what a South African (SA) Warmblood should be. The ideal model, according to the SA Warmblood Horse Society (SAWHS), would be a large, rectangular framed (stand over ground), uphill in build, correct and powerful horse with refinement, quality and presence. Although the SA Warmblood can vary considerably in size and type depending on the discipline they were bred for (primarily dressage, show jumping or eventing), they should all be rideable and level tempered, with good limbs, natural balance, and light and energetic paces.

So, who can enter a horse in the SA Warmblood classes at HOYS? To enter your horse in one of these classes,

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE

it will only need to be recorded with the SA Warmblood Horse Society. This is either done through birth notification (which is done before the horse is one year old), general recordings or when the horse is imported into South Africa.

EASY TO ENTER!

The great thing about the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is that you do not need to be registered with SA Showing Association (SASA) for All-Breed Classes, General Breed Classes, SASA Newcomer and SASA Riding Horse Classes. Should you wish to compete in SASA Novice or Open Classes, you can take out a temporary membership with SASA for a minimal fee. Additionally, Kyalami Equestrian Park reduce their temporary membership fee for the show! So, all that is left to do is choose what class to enter.

WHICH CLASS TO ENTER?

The first decision you need to make when deciding which class to enter is between the In-Hand and Ridden options, but you can, of course, enter both!

IN-HAND CLASSES

These classes provide a fantastic opportunity for an owner to expose their youngstock to the competition environment from a young age as well as show off what they are breeding! This year's In-Hand SA Warmblood Classes will be judged by an international judge from England, Nathan Arnold.

The classes begin at ‘Foals under one year of age’ (who can be weanlings or foals at foot, shown with their dams) and are gender agnostic. Then there is the One-to-Two Year Old Class for colts and fillies. The top two foals placed in these classes go through to the Champion Warmblood Foal Class.

After two years of age, the classes are split according to their gender. There are:

• Fillies 2-3 years

• Fillies and Mares 3-5 years

• Mares - includes broodmares with or without foals at foot and open to SAWHS-registered Thoroughbreds.

Winners of these classes progress to the Champion Warmblood Filly and Mare Class.

SOME HELPFUL TIPS

• Contrast your (handler) colours with your horse’s legs. e.g. If your horse has white legs, wear a dark colour as this will show off your horse’s front legs' conformation and movement better.

• Always watch your ‘attitude in the arena’ – try to keep a smile on your face regardless of what your horse might be doing!

• All stallions must have a yellow tag fitted on the bridle for the entire event.

• Jewellery is not to be worn in showing classes. However, small discrete stud earrings may be accepted.

• Excessive make-up is not advised!

The winner of this class progresses to the Supreme Champion Breed Horse Class.

• Colts 2-3 years

• Colts and stallions 3-4 years

• Stallions 4-5 years

• Stallions over 5 years

Winners of these classes progress to the Champion Warmblood Colt and Stallion Class (subject to the horses having their first acceptance, being licensed or inspected by the SAWHS).

This winner progresses to Supreme Champion Breed Horse Class.

The Fillies/Mares and Colts/Stallions winners will then be evaluated to determine who will be awarded the title of Grand Champion SA Warmblood.

• Geldings 2-3 years

• Geldings open - 3years and above 1st and 2nd place in each class progress to the Warmblood Gelding Championship

The winner of the Warmblood Gelding Championship then goes forward to the Supreme Champion Gelding Class.

There are two additional special In-Hand classes which are the grooms’ classes. These are:

1. The SAW Groom Handler of the Year. 1st and 2nd place from this class go to Supreme Champion Groom Handler.

2. SAW Groom In-Hand Utility, which is being held for the first time this year.

These classes are not judged like the other In-Hand classes as they are judged purely on the handling and manners of the horse and the presentation of the horse and handler. Conformation is not considered.

Because as many as 45 horses from the various breeds can qualify for the ‘Supremes’ in some instances, there is pre-judging of the Supremes on Sunday morning before the final classes begin.

RIDDEN CLASSES

This year, the SA Warmbloods ridden showing classes will be judged by Nicky Wright from the Eastern Cape. Nicky Wright is an international judge trained by Pat Pohl, who was a high-level judge and inspector and also stood one of the most well-known SAW foundation sires, Wachmann. The ridden classes one can enter are as follows:

1. Novice Warmblood Show Riding Horse, which is open to individuals without SASA points. The novice horses do not have a ride by the judge.

2. Open Warmblood Show Riding Horse, which includes a ride by the judge!

In each of these classes, all competitors enter the arena on the right rein, all at the same time and walk, trot and canter in both directions in a group to follow the judge’s instructions. The judge will then line up the horses,

and each horse and rider combination will perform an individual test. In the Open Section, the judge will ride a selection of the horses. The horses will then have their saddles removed so a conformational assessment can be made. Judges for this class will be looking for the horse that exemplifies a Warmblood-type in both movement and conformation; he/she additionally needs to be wellmannered and schooled. The winners of both classes progress to the Champion Warmblood Under Saddle Class and the winner thereof to the Supreme Show Riding Horse Class.

In the ‘Supreme Champion’ classes, do not be surprised to find yourself up against any other breed, including Percherons, Appaloosas and even Miniatures as these are judged on best to type!

The third option in the ridden classes is the Potential Warmblood Derby/Working Hunter Class, held in the Bob Charter arena and judged as an English Hunter Class. In this class, you are required to jump several Derby elements and have a good gallop. The horses in this class need to be obedient, with exceptional

conformation and good temperament. The winner of this class is automatically the Champion and progresses to the Supreme Working Hunter Class.

TOP TIP

If you want to do some early Derby practice you can enter the Warmblood Working Hunter class on Friday!

Another two Warmblood classes are the 5-year-old and 6-year-old Potential Warmblood Dressage Horse. These classes are ridden to SAWHS Special Dressage tests and have their own titles but no supreme progression.

There is an event called “Strictly Come Showing” that is open to all breeds! It is performed in a 60x20m dressage arena but without letters, and the participants make up their own test that represents their breed and type with music to match. South African rules are unique in that they allow for ‘special obstacles’. This is a must watch!

PHOTOGRAPHY: GRAHAM KEARNEY

WHAT TO WEAR?

The SA Warmblood Classes are perhaps more lenient than other breed classes when it comes to turn out of handler or rider and horse, which also helps to take the pressure off! These classes allow for Warmblood and traditional English showing looks, so there is no need to change if you enter another class!

This means that for In-Hand classes, the handler can wear black pants or chinos of conservative colour with a long sleeve button-up shirt and tie. A waistcoat can also be a nice touch! Gloves in black, browns or cream are imperative, and a hat completes the look! You may also present your horse in your Showing Riding attire. The Warmblood Classes additionally encourage participants to be in good running shoes!

For under saddle classes the rider must wear a three-point harness helmet with the correct safety standards; cream, fawn or beige breeches; a light pastel or cream-coloured collared shirts that can accommodate a conservativecoloured tie; and a navy, black or tweed jacket.

The look is finished off with conservative colour gloves and brown or black boots.

When it comes to the horse, if the aim is to win, mane and tail plaits will need to be sewn to an exceptional standard, and quarter markers will need to suit the class. The key to turnout for the Warmblood Classes is ensuring that both handler/rider and horse are extraordinarily neat and tidy!

There is also the ‘Fancy Dress’ which is open to all In-Hand, Ridden and Harness horses and ponies! People get CREATIVE for this class, so it’s lots of fun to watch.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Now we’ve broken down the classes for you for Warmbloods, you can start looking at the design of the classes for your particular breed. We hope this article has made everything a bit simpler, and that you feel ready to step into the ring and start showing!

KICK OFF THE COMPETITION SEASON

WITH POLEWORK EXERCISES

We all take advantage of the off-season to take stock and think about what we’d like to achieve in the new year. Most of us give our horses a well-deserved break, but it’s now time to shake off the cobwebs and get back into the swing of things.

It can be a challenge to decide what to work on first, but these simple polework exercises should cover all the bases. Think about keeping your horse focused, straight and working over his back to get the full benefit of these exercises.

LENGTHEN AND COLLECT IN TROT AND CANTER

You’ll want to set up on the two long sides of your arena for this one. On one side, set up two sets of poles as far apart as possible on a straight line, leaving room for your horse to stay straight for at least two strides before and after. Ensure you use a minimum of three trotting poles per set.  The first set of trotting poles should be spaced slightly shorter than 1.4m, as you’ll be asking your horse to collect here. The second set should be slightly further apart than 1.4m.

Create the same exercise with canter poles on the other long side. The ‘collected side’ should be just shorter than the average 6.4m, and the ‘lengthen side’ just slightly longer. You can adjust these poles to suit your horse’s stride and experience.

TEXT: RHIANNON CECIL

HOW TO RIDE IT:

1. Once you’ve warmed your horse up, start with the trotting poles, collecting first and then opening up and swinging your hip to make the distance over the longer poles. Focus on staying straight and interfering with your horse as little as possible. Let him figure out his own feet.

2. When you’re both comfortable, change things around and ride the longer poles first. The goal here is to get your horse calm and collected again before you reach the shorter poles. This should be a smooth and fluid transition from a longer trot to pushing from behind and shifting the energy over the top of his back.

3. With the trotting poles completed, you can move on to the canter poles. Complete the exercises in the same order.

4. Now it’s time to put everything together. Start with a nice collected trot and trot straight over the shorter poles.

5. Lengthen the trot and complete the longer poles.

6. Use the short side to transition to canter and canter the longer poles.

7. Collect the canter and finish the exercise with the shorter set of canter poles.

8. Now you can play around with the exercise. Change rein, and start with the canter poles first. Keep as much variation in your schooling as you can to keep your horse focused on you and waiting for the next aid.

This exercise will help your horse to stay calm, focused, straight and off the aids from your leg and seat. He’ll work hard to get all the transitions and pay attention to where he puts his feet. This is an excellent exercise for dressage and jumping horses.

THE BOUNCE BOX

This polework exercise is really fun and simple to build. It’s an excellent way to teach a young horse flying changes or practice them yourself without leaning or overcorrecting. 3.6m poles are perfect for this.

You’ll be building a simple square with your poles. Each pole should be between 3.3 and 3.6m apart, which is why 3.6m poles are so perfect. If your poles are a different length, adjust them, so the distance between all the poles in the square remains at around 3.6m. You’re ready to go.

HOW TO RIDE IT:

1. This exercise is ridden in the canter, although young horses and novice riders can attempt it in the trot first.

2. Choose any pole for your approach and canter in on the right rein. You’ll be changing rein over the first set of poles and encouraging the flying change, so start changing to your new bend as you approach the first pole.

3. Use your eyes, shoulders, legs and seat to ask for the change as you pop over the first pole.

4. If you flub the change, don’t panic or get frustrated. Calmly come back to trot and ask for the correct canter lead. Loop around and approach the next set of poles. Ask for the change over the first one.

5. Continue to ride the bounce box in a figure of eight, asking for the change each time.

THE BOUNCE LINE

You’ll need at least four poles for this. The poles should be raised to around 40 cm. You can also choose to elevate alternate sides for young horses and novice riders. Set them up at bounce distance (between 3.6 and 4m) on a straight line. The goal when riding this exercise is straightness and a nice bouncy canter from behind. The bounce line is an excellent way to get your horse fit for the upcoming season.

HOW TO RIDE IT:

1. Start with getting an energetic, bouncy canter, holding an elastic contact and encouraging your horse to work from behind.

2. Get straight and approach the bounces. Don’t change your rhythm or rush him at the first one. You want to keep that bounciness all the way to the last pole.

3. Pop up into a light seat over the first pole and stay there down your line. Keep your eyes up, hands still, and your weight in your feet. Make corrections with your leg if your horse starts to drift.

4. Repeat on the other rein.

5. You can add more poles to make the bounce line longer or raise the poles for more of a challenge. Just remember, bounce lines are hard work, so build up your horse’s fitness slowly.

and rider combination and your horse is fit enough, you can make the circle smaller.

The goal of this exercise is to improve your horse’s suppleness and flexibility, while engaging his hindquarter and focusing him on your leg.

HOW TO RIDE IT:

1. Start in an active trot around the outside of the circle. When your horse is focused and engaged, you can trot the poles on the biggest circle possible.

2. Start to spiral inwards, making the circle smaller and

harder with his inside hind leg, so keep your leg on.

4. When the circle is small enough, prepare to leg yield back out until you’re back at the starting position.

5. Repeat on the other rein.

POLEWORK EXERCISES

Polework exercises are fantastic for getting your horse fit, focused and supple. Build up the difficulty slowly and keep challenging yourself, and you’ll see the results in the ring. You’ll find you have a more athletic and responsive horse in no time, all with the help of some poles on the ground.

Equestrian yoga

PART 1 FOR CORE STRENGTH

Equestrians are naturally very passionate about our sport and always looking for ways to improve our strength and effectiveness in the saddle. Balance and core strength are two key factors to successful riding, and while we get plenty of time to practice these skills in the high-pressure environment of being on the horse, we must also look for supplementary training we can do on the ground.

HQ caught up with qualified yoga instructor Aiden Colling to go through some essential yoga poses that can benefit our riding. Together, we’ve created a series that you can practice in the comfort of your own home, whether you have yoga experience or not. Over the following issues, we’ll examine the most effective yoga poses to work on your balance and core strength.

TEXT: RHIANNON CECIL

Your greatness is revealed not by the lights that shine upon you, but by the light that shines within you.

– Ray A. Davis

WHY YOGA?

Yoga — through its physical postures, breathing practices, and focus on mindfulness — teaches us to ‘be in the moment.’ It improves our strength, flexibility, and mind/body awareness. This is especially important when we’re on horseback. It takes immense physical strength and mental focus to stay balanced and in the correct alignment on a moving horse. The ability to calm ourselves and focus on our thought patterns and what our body is doing is vital for successful riding.

To ride effectively, we need to be fit and strong yet supple and relaxed. If we are too stiff, we

won’t be able to move with the horse. If we can’t stabilise or are too loose, it will likely feel (and look) like we are flopping around like a sack of potatoes. Old injuries and postural difficulties will further impede our ability to perform.

Do you tend to arch your back or slump your shoulders? This will likely be more prevalent when riding. “Alignment is a lot to consider when there are so many other things you need to focus on during lessons and competing,” says Colling. “Once you improve your core strength, posture, flexibility, and mindfulness, you will definitely see an overall improvement in your riding.”

LET’S GET POSING

Are you ready to better your riding experience, strengthen your core and practice to benefit from the many other benefits of yoga? Here is the first of five equestrian poses you can do at home. You don’t need to be a yoga pro to reap the benefits. In fact, you can give this a try if you’ve never done yoga before. All you will need is an open mind, a willingness to improve and possibly a yoga mat.

WARM-UP

Like any form of exercise, jumping right in can cause injury. Instead, prepare for your workout by doing breathwork, known as Pranayama. It will warm the body up from the inside and focus the mind for the exercises ahead.

Your warm-up for session one includes the following:

• Holding a soft gaze, focus on your breath and breathe in deeply through the nose for a count of four. Allow your stomach to expand, followed by the ribs, and finally, your chest. Hold your breath for a count of four and exhale through your mouth for a count of four.

• Challenge yourself to get to ten breaths without losing focus. Don’t worry if the mind begins to wander; it’s totally normal. Just recognise it, reset your focus, and start again.

• Start adding spinal movements and linking them with your breath.

• Roll your head back so you’re looking at the ceiling by dropping your shoulders on the inhale. Roll your head forward again on the exhale.

• Stretch your sides by dropping your right hand to your knee on the inhale and bringing it back to the centre on the exhale. Switch sides.

• Add some spinal twists — rotate your upper body on the inhale so your shoulders are at a 45-degree angle to your hips. Return to the centre on the exhale; repeat on both sides.

GODDESS POSE

Goddess pose — known in Sanskrit as Utkata Konsana — is a pose that targets the ankles, legs, glutes, hips, chest and spine. Goddess Pose is also known as Horse Pose because you will end up with strong and sculpted legs like a horse! This is a fierce pose, meaning it invites warmth into the body and is great for strengthening your lower body. It’s excellent for calming the mind, to gain focus and concentration.

1. Remember to breathe!

2. Standing on your mat, stand nice and tall, with your feet together and your arms at your sides with your palms facing forwards. This is called Mountain Pose.

3. Spread your legs apart, with a soft bend in the knees, so that your feet are underneath your wrists at a 45-degree angle, pointing towards the corners or your mat.

4. Place your hands on your hips, breathe in and squat down.

5. When you squat down, you want your knees to align with your ankles, ideally making a 90-degree angle at the knee. You will know that your feet are too close together if your knees go over your ankles or too far apart if they don’t reach.

6. Make sure to press down on all four corners of your feet.

7. Your knees might tend to fall forward, so concentrate on pulling them towards the back of your mat.

8. Tuck your tailbone in and remain tall through the spine. You want to ensure that your spine is long and erect rather than curved inwards.

9. In the pose, your ribs are stacked over your hips, and your shoulders over your ribs; your chin is tucked in slightly, and the crown of the head is reaching towards the sky.

10. Now spread your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward.

11. Inhale in and bend the elbows to a 90-degree so that your fingers are facing the sky. Ensure that your shoulders and elbows are

in alignment. Exhale.

12. Breathe in deeply and hold the pose, staying connected from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head.

13. Take one more deep breath.

14. Release your knees coming back up.

15. Repeat three times to get the full benefit of this pose.

NEXT ISSUE

We hope you enjoy exploring these yoga poses over the next few issues and take what you experience with you into the saddle. These poses are meant to be challenging — they will test your physical and mental capacity, but the strength and focus you gain far outweigh the effort. Keep calm, and yoga on.

Groundwork

PART 1

FOLLOW A FEEL FORWARD

Over the past few months, we’ve received an increasing number of questions about getting started with groundwork. Whilst we advise that an instructor helps you initially, there are a few basics you can teach at home that ultimately form the foundation of all groundwork activities. Over the following few issues, we’ll be looking at these basic building blocks of your groundwork toolbox and helping you to build a solid foundation for your in-hand work.

YIELD FORWARDS WITH A DIRECT FEEL

In this exercise, you will teach your horse how to follow a feel on the halter and come towards you. This is very valuable as it can help him learn not to pull back and also help with loading into a horsebox.

HOW TO DO THE EXERCISE

• Stand in front of your horse with a space between you of approximately 1.8 metres.

• Lay the lead rope over your open hand.

• Make sure your horse is focused on you.

• Think of drawing your horse towards your belly button.

• Draw your open hand towards your body so that it just lifts the clip on the rope, and a contact is made. Ideally, you want your horse to yield to this little pressure and come towards you, but it will take time for your horse to become this sensitive to the aid.

• If he doesn’t move forwards (as you would anticipate in the teaching phase), start to run your hands down the

rope with both hands open back towards your body. This puts a bit more feel on the halter.

• If he still doesn’t come, close your hands on the rope and continue to run your hands down it while exerting a steady feel on the halter.

• If he still doesn’t move towards you, keep your hands still and exert a firm hold on the halter until your horse steps forwards. Do not jerk harshly on the halter!

• As soon as your horse steps forward, even with just one foot, release your feel on the halter.

POINTS TO NOTE

• You are NOT trying to pull your horse towards you. Offer a light feel and increase this in a stepwise fashion until it is firm enough for him to understand your question and step forward. The instant he steps forwards, open your hands. The release acts as his reward and shows him that he got the answer to your question right.

• If you try to pull your horse forwards, he is more likely to

plant his feet or go backwards.

• Imagine that you are like a fence post that your horse is attached to; it doesn’t pull when he doesn’t yield, but he finds instant release when he steps towards it.

• Reward the slightest try from the horse and gradually build up the number of steps you ask for.

• Over time you should be able to get a response with less and less pressure.

TROUBLESHOOTING

• If your horse leans on you and digs his toes in, do not pull harder but instead move from one side to the other in order to change his balance over his front legs and cause him to step. Release and repeat until he is no longer resisting and will come straight forwards.

• If your horse seems anxious about your request, soften your body language; smile and remove the direct eye contact to show him that there is no threat. If this still doesn’t help, take another step backwards to give him more space and encourage him to move forwards to follow you.

ULTIMATE GOALS

• Teach your horse to become so responsive that he will trot towards you from just a light application of pressure.

• Try to attract your horse towards you using just your body language so you don’t even have to put a feel on the rope.

NEXT TIME

In our next edition, we will look at asking your horse to yield forwards from an indirect feel.

If the horse seems anxious make sure you soften your body language and perhaps give him more space.

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What can I do when hacking to progress in my training?

Hacking is mentally and physically beneficial for your horse. However, if you hack ‘consciously’ and with training goals in mind, there is a lot you can do to increase these benefits further and advance towards your training goals. Try incorporating some of the following into your hack to inject some focus and targeted training into every ride:

1. Alter the terrain

As ever more of us have access to artificial arena surfaces to ride on, some horses never move on anything but the most even of terrain. Whilst an even surface is excellent for high-level training and competition, it doesn’t allow your horse to benefit from the strengthening that occurs when riding on different terrains, making your precious steed more susceptible to injury. Beyond strengthening structures in your horse’s hooves and legs, riding your horse over various terrains and surfaces makes him more surefooted, improves his proprioception (awareness of his body in space), and improves his neuromuscular and motor control.  Ultimately, there are many benefits to varying the surface on which you work, as evidenced by the fact that many top riders, such as Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, prioritise hacking on varying surfaces as a key part of their training regime.

2. Transitions within and between gaits

Using transitions is great for your horse’s brain and musculoskeletal system. Transitions give you a simple way to check that your horse is on the aids whilst also improving his balance. When out hacking, you do, for example, 20 steps of trot, 20 steps of walk, 20 steps of trot etc. or you can vary this more to do, for example, 20 steps of trot, 10 steps of walk, 20 steps of trot etc. Another great way to incorporate transitions is to perform them within the gait. This is great for conditioning the gluteals and biceps femoris muscles and developing expression and power.

3. Stretching muscles

You can do a lot of stretching and suppling work on an outride that will help your horse loosen up in the arena. For instance, one exercise for stretching the neck involves walking while asking your horse for lateral flexion to one side and then returning to the centre before asking for him to flex to the other side. To ensure you do this on both sides equally, you should count steps, for example, 10 steps with left lateral flexion, 10 steps straight and 10 steps with right lateral flexion. As you ask for the flexion, you want your horse to maintain rhythm, balance and impulsion. If he struggles, reduce the number of steps you ask for. Try this exercise in walk first, before attempting it in trot and canter. Lateral flexion of the neck is hugely beneficial for core stability, balance, coordination, straightness, muscular strength, forelimb movement, addressing restrictions in the neck muscles, and creating suppleness.

4. Lateral movements

Lateral movements necessitate your horse moving forwards and sideways; they help him become supple, flexible and more balanced. They also have therapeutic benefits and contribute to manoeuvrability, lateral strength, stability, coordination, and longitudinal and lateral flexibility.

Performing a simple leg yield while out on your hack has many benefits. Make it into a zig-zag movement as you ask your horse to leg yield to the right for six steps and then six steps back to the left. After mastering leg yield, ask for some steps of shoulder-in, another great exercise for improving suppleness, straightness and engagement. Just stick to walk for the lateral movements to begin with, as your horse will still benefit at the lower pace.

5. Hill work

Hill work is another excellent addition to your ride. Moving up and down hills on your hacks can improve muscle tone, strength, fitness, and proprioception.

Again, start with your hill work in walk and, over time, add bits of trot and canter to the uphill segments. We would advise against moving at higher gaits downhill.

CHAMPAGNE TOUR RESULTS

SHOWJUMPING POLES ON THE GROUND

Sabrina Pestana – Flight of Fancy

Ava Siegel – Fritz

Lika van der Merwe – Kriton

Maria Kaiser – Lantana Lady

Ami Dardagan – Pixie Dollar

Cameron Myers – Sovereign

Avah Graham – Sparkling Fairy

Erin Smart – Sky Jewel

Kiara Kok – Sunlands Savanna

Ino Kent – Sunlands Spice

40CM

Lucy Chaen Lee – Felix

Rasha Abdullah – Jumana

Avah Graham – Sparkling Fairy

Nikita Da Silva - Top of the Class

Emily du Toit – Treasure Island

Esri Els – KP Dreadnought Z

Heidi Coertse – Sunlands Choco

Ami Dardagean – Pixie Dollar

Mia Hermanson – Richie

Kallissa Silkas – Felix

Emma Buckley – Jason

Ava Siegel – Fritz

Sham Al-Yasiri – Rosie

50CM

Amy Mather – Bazooka

Demi Roets – CashFlow

Sienna Keel – Dabi

Olivia Robertson – Belloosa Totem

Mackenzie Hardres-Williams – Bundi

Lucy Chaen Lee – Felix

Giuliana Lawless – Chilli Bean

Isabella Westman – One World’s Vain Glory

Mia Hermanson – Richie

Elsabe De Lange – Valentino Rossi

Gabrielle Richardson – Miracle Whip

Olivia Robertson – Belloosa Totem

Kayli Silkas – Riadcor Buket

Taylor Michie – Sunlands Under the Stars

Sham Al-Yasiri – Rosie

Kayleigh de Jager Welman – Sovereign

Emma Buckley – Jason

Kallissa Silkas – Felix

Rasha Abdullah – Jumana

Kristen Oldewage – Top of the Castle

Nicole Fahr-Becker – One World’s Pegasi

Lize Coetzee – Top of the Mars

Adam Isabelle – Zesiro Nanook

Avah Graham – Sparkling Fairy

Heidi – Sunlands Chase

60CM

1st Giuliana Lawless – Chili Bean

2nd Madonna Diener – Infamous Fox

70CM

1st Zanri Brocker – Hoefstraal Storm

2nd Tyler Dell – Cossack Guard

80CM

1st Daniella de Vries – To the Moon & Back

2nd Zanri Brocker – Hoefstraal Storm

90CM

1st Daniella de Vries – To the Moon & Back

2nd Andrew Wright – Lorelock Quanita

100CM

1st Christine Grub – Rhett D

2nd Tymicka Grobler – Schwaike Litana

110CM

1st Tracy Davids – Credo Gloria

2nd – Bronwyn Pruett – Spark a Rhythm

115CM

1st Ethan Coetzee – Carisson AH

120CM

1st Tracy Davids – Credo Larissa

DRESSAGE

WALK AND TROT 2

1st Arabella Steymann – Calela Riksja

WALK AND TROT 3

1st Kayli Silkas – Riadcor Buket

PONY RIDER PRELIM 2

1st Arabella Steymann – Bobby Valentine

PONY RIDER PRELIM 3

1st Jessica Walker – Lucy Locket

PONY RIDER NOVICE 3

1st Kayla Jules – Waterside Carnaby Street

NOVICE 6

1st Ethan Coetzee – Carisson AH

ELEMENTARY 2

1st Mikayla Maher – Seeis Million

ELEMENTARY 3

1st Mikayla Maher – Seeis Million

DATES OF NEXT SHOWS

4-5 March

22-23 April

10-11 June

12-13 August

16-17 September

11-12 November

2-3 December

BIG THINGS ARE COMING! STAY TUNED...

TEXT: RHIANNON CECIL

HORSES EAT HAY!

We all know horses eat grass, right? Feeding horses is a complex process, and each horse must be approached as an individual to find the correct balance. The different types of grass are suitable for different horses, each with their own requirements in terms of work and temperament.

THE BASICS

Horses are hindgut fermenters - which refers to their digestive process. Simply put, horses have a single-chambered stomach and caecum (hindgut) that allows cellulose to be digested with the aid of symbiotic bacteria.

Unlike ruminants (cows and sheep), horses digest small portions of food throughout the day. They evolved to be on the move constantly, and their stomachs digest food very quickly. Therefore, they extract more nutrients out of smaller quantities of feed.

In most cases, grazing makes up 50% of the daily food intake, and hay makes up the rest. Depending on the work they do, horses may also be fed concentrates and vitamin supplements in addition to roughage.

WHAT IS HAY?

Hay in agriculture includes grass hay, legume hay, cereal hay and other foliage used as animal feed. The material is usually cut when it is still green and is either dried in the field or mechanically by blowing hot air onto the cut material. An excellent quality hay crop is cut at the correct time in the plant's growth cycle and handled so that the leaves remain intact. The harvest is then cured to prevent spoilage and discolouration. Adequately cured hay, if stored correctly, can last for months without spoilage. Up until the middle of the 19th century, hay was cut by hand using sickles and scythes. These ancient tools consisted of a curved metal blade with a wooden handle. Due to their simplicity and low cost, they are still used today in some areas. Harvesting with these tools is labourintensive and time-consuming.

Towards the end of the 19th century, early mechanical cutting devices were developed. They were often pulled by oxen or horses. Today massive harvesters and other large machines are used to cut, arrange, bale, load, stack, pelletise, and wafer the hay, making production faster and safer.

LEGUME HAY

Legume hay has a high energy, protein, and calcium content. These plants use bacteria in their root systems to fix nitrogen in the soil, which results in higher protein levels in the plant. Legumes are a high-quality and nutritious food source for horses. They are perfect for lactating mares, growing foals and horses in work. Lucerne and clover are common in horses' diets, depending on their individual requirements.

LUCERNE (ALFALFA)

Lucerne has excellent nutritional value, is highly palatable and is suitable for many animals. For horses, lucerne contributes to their daily nutritional requirements as it's high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.  During dry months when pasture grazing is limited, horse owners can supplement lucerne to increase horses' roughage and nutrient intake. However, lucerne should not exceed 50-60% of the total daily roughage consumption.

Lucerne should be combined with other roughage feeds, such as teff or eragrostis, to keep the digestive tract healthy. It can be a good choice for horses that suffer from gastric ulcers as it increases the pH level in the stomach, making it less acidic.

Note: If you have a horse that suffers from digestive issues, ensure you chat with your vet about which roughage is best suited to their diet. Again, each horse is an individual and will have his own veterinary needs.

Lucerne (alfalfa)

NOTE

Horses are sensitive to a sudden change in feed and the presence of moulds and toxins, so it is important to keep consistent with the type and quality of feed you give them.

CLOVER

Clover hay is another type of legume used as feed. It can be great for working horses. Clover is seldom found on its own and is often mixed in with other grasses when harvested and baled. It is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, fibre, and calcium.

Clover is not as popular as lucerne because of its high moisture content. It can be difficult to dry and bale, is more prone to moulding, and may cause horses to salivate excessively when fed in large amounts.

Clover

GRASSES ERAGROSTIS TEF (TEFF)

Eragrostis tef, also known as teff or love grass, is one of the earliest domesticated plants. This commonly fed grass originated from the Horn of Africa and is still one of the staple crops in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

If grown correctly, teff can have a high protein level, adequate fibre digestibility and higher energy value than other grasses used for roughage. The variable qualities available can influence the nutrient quality and palatability. Care must be taken when purchasing and storing it as it can spoil easily.

ERAGROSTIS CURVULA (ERAGROSTIS)

Eragrostis curvula, known as weeping love grass or simply eragrostis, has a lower protein, fibre digestibility and energy value compared to teff. However, the quality can be just as good if grown and harvested correctly. The factors that affect the quality of grasses are the stage of growth when harvested, fertilisation, and environmental factors.

Eragrostis tef (teff)

Eragrostis curvula (Eragrostis)

RHODES GRASS

Rhodes grass is an excellent alternative roughage if teff and eragrostis are in short supply. It's a moderate to highquality source of roughage for horses, and when cut at an early stage, has a high fibre digestibility value and is highly palatable. You can also use Rhodes grass to add variety to your horse's diet.

CEREAL HAY OAT HAY

When harvested at the right time, oat hay is a good alternative for horses when teff or lucerne is in short

supply and, therefore, expensive or during dry months when grazing is unpalatable and low in nutrients. Oat hay is a good quality feed, and horses love the taste. However, more is needed to keep your horse in good condition.

Oat hay is high in energy and roughage but low in protein and calcium. It also has high phosphate levels. You will need to supplement your horse's diet with a good quality concentrate or balancer, which is high in protein and calcium.

Rhodes grass

Oat hay

BARLEY HAY

Barley can be used as feed in three ways— as grain, grass, or hay. When feeding horses barley grain, it is essential not to feed them the whole dry grain. Rather cook, soak or crush it to avoid digestive problems.

Barley grass is the green, immature grass, and barley hay is harvested as the grain starts to develop. Barley hay has roughly the same nutritional value as other hays but does lack certain nutrients which should be supplemented.

Barley hay is considered the 'candy' of all hays due to its high sugar content, so feed with discretion. If barley hay has been harvested too late, it has lower nutritional value and the fully developed seed awn is sharp and can get stuck in the teeth or cause ulcers in the mouth.

WHAT SHOULD YOU FEED YOUR HORSE?

We've touched briefly on some of the available roughage you can feed your horse. New feeds, concentrates and mixes are coming onto the market all the time. Feeding horses correctly is a complex and challenging subject, often best left to professionals with extensive experience.

If you're concerned about your horse's weight or the quality of his feed, reach out to your vet or equine nutritionist for more information on how to supplement his diet correctly. Still, the more information we have about our beloved horses, the better, and a basic understanding of what your horse eats is always beneficial.

Barley hay

DEHYDRATION IN HORSES

WITH JD DU PREEZ AT JME VETERINARY CLINIC

Thank you to JD du Preez of JME Veterinary Clinic for this quick chat on dehydration in horses (especially appropriate in this heatwave in Gauteng!).

JME is a family-oriented vet clinic based in Sun Valley near

Inanda Country Base in Kyalami. They are a mixed animal practice that treats both horses and small animals. JD is a passionate equestrian who competes in showjumping and enjoys breeding top-class Warmbloods.

Q: How much water does a horse drink on average per day?

A: 30-50 litres per day, but it’s closer to 50 litres during the heatwave.

Q: How do you know when your horse is dehydrated?

A: The main signs to look out for are:

• Lethargy (tiredness, lacking energy)

• Pale, sticky and dry gums. When you lift the lip and look in the mouth, you want the gums to be a nice pink colour, and the gums should feel moist to the touch. An excellent way to remember this is that the gums should be PMG – Pink, Moist, and Glistening. If the gums are not PMG, you should call your vet.

• Tenting of the skin with the skin pinch test. The skin pinch test measures the skin’s elasticity or ability to spring back to normal. A dehydrated horse’s skin will return to normal much slower than a well-hydrated horse’s skin. It’s usually best to pinch the skin on the neck (not too hard!) to test for dehydration.

Q: How do you ensure your horse is drinking enough?

A:

• Always ensure that clean and fresh water is available.

• The best way is to keep track of their water intake by measuring the water levels in their buckets. Top tip: Always fill your buckets at the same time of day to the same level, so you spot straight away when something is awry. Beware of automatic waterers, as these make it difficult to assess water consumption.

• You can add salt to the food to encourage drinking.

• To make water more palatable, you can add molasses syrup, although some horses do not like it or should not have it due to other health conditions (like metabolic syndrome). Always make sure there is another bucket of clean, fresh water available at the same time.

CONTACT JME VETERINARY CLINIC

Vet-on-call 24 hours 066 202 8161

Website www.jme.vet.co.za

Address: 14 Riders Road, Midrand, South Africa

• In winter, make sure that the water isn’t too cold. Horses prefer warmer or room-temperature water.

• You can soak grain and hay to encourage water intake. For example, bran retains a lot of water when soaked.

• Feed treats that are high in water; melons and apples naturally have higher water content. Just keep in mind that fruit is high in sugar, so if your horse is on a lowcalorie diet, has metabolic syndrome, or is prone to laminitis, consult your vet before feeding sugary treats, even if they are high in water!

• Add an electrolyte supplement to food or give an electrolyte paste. Whilst this does work, it is best done under the guidance of your vet or equine nutritionist.

Q: How will your vet treat your horse for dehydration?

A: Your vet will assess your horse, and depending on the degree of dehydration, they will either opt for nasogastric intubation (tubing) with liquids, or an intravenous (IV) drip to introduce fluids more rapidly.

THE OPTIMAL HAYNET HEIGHT TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW

TEXT: HANNAH BOTHA, MSC EQUINE SCIENCE

Although many owners and equestrian professionals have suspected that feeding height and position may be important to their horses, researchers had yet to investigate hay net height and its effect on horses’ backs and necks. Thankfully a team in Italy set out to change that.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Over the years, slow feeders have gained popularity, as they effectively keep horses eating for longer periods of the day, improving digestive health. However, slow feeders pose their own issues, i.e. eating-related posture changes.

“Depending on how high you tie your haynet, your horse’s feeding-time neck positions likely won’t be the same as when he’s eating hay or grass off the ground. Those unnatural neck positions can have repercussions on the horse’s back position and jaw angles throughout the hours that horses are pulling hay from their slow feeders” said the Italian researchers.

“We know that when riding horses, there are different kinds of postures that can affect their health and welfare,” said Emanuela Valle, DVM, PhD, ECVCN, Head of the Clinical Nutrition Counselling Group in the University of Turin’s Department of Veterinary Science, in Italy. “But what about when we’re feeding them? Posture is related to how the spine is aligned, and it’s important to consider how our management affects it.”

During the research project Valle and her colleagues observed six Warmbloods, averaging 14 years old, as they ate hay from:

• The ground;

• A haynet set low at about knee level, creating a neck level about 15 degrees below the withers; and

• A haynet set high at about 15 degrees above the withers.

LOW HAYNET POSITIONING

The researchers found that the low haynet position resulted in back positions that were almost the same as the natural position horses adopt when they eat off the ground, with elongated longissimus dorsi muscles, which run along each side of the horse’s back and under where the saddle sits. However, the neck position and mandibular angles differed from those obtained from feeding from the ground.

NOTE: It should be noted that low haynets pose a risk to the horse as shoes and legs could get caught. Low haynets thus pose a sizeable management risk.

HIGH HAYNET POSITIONING

At the high haynet position, the horses’ back positions changed significantly, shortening the muscles.

The angle between the horse’s jawline and neckline when eating is perhaps equally important. It was noted that as the horse’s neck raised, that angle closed more and more, leading to acute and highly unnatural eating angles at the highest level.

IN CONCLUSION

“Both (off-the-ground) positions changed neck posture and the mandibular (lower jaw) angle, with extreme values reached when the neck was maintained above the withers,” said the research team.

Considering how much time horses spend eating from haynets, it’s thus important to be cognisant of the bodily positions the feeders impose. Ultimately, owners should consider multiple aspects of haynet positioning when it comes to their horses’ safety, and other methods of slow feeding should perhaps be considered (if slow feeding is necessary) that allow the horse to adopt the optimal body position.

REFERENCE

Write up taken from the study Citation: Raspa, F.; Roggero, A.;Palestrini, C.; Marten Canavesio, M.; Bergero, D.; Valle, E. Studying the Shape Variations of the Back, the Neck, and the Mandibular Angle of Horses Depending on Specific Feeding Postures Using Geometric Morphometrics. Animals 2021, 11,763.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ ani11030763 | https://www. mdpi.com/journal/animals

HORSE AND HEALTH

ALOE VERA

IS IT SAFE FOR HORSES?

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

Aloe vera is certainly not a new addition to the management of horses, and for many years it has been used topically for ailments such as inflamed or burnt skin. More recently, aloe vera has come into focus for treating common conditions such as gastric ulcers. But can it really help, and is it safe?

This article aims to delve a little deeper into aloe vera and hopefully answer some of these crucial questions.

IS ALOE VERA SAFE TO FEED?

Dietary or herbal supplements are often thought of as 'safe', but the complex nature of such supplements can make it difficult to evaluate their efficacy and safety. Herbal products often exhibit significant variability in quality due to issues such as authentication, mixing of ingredients and substitution during manufacturing. There are also many factors that can affect such ingredients during growth, harvest, and post-harvest processing.

Unfortunately, in horses, there is very little research on the correct dosage and long-term effects of aloe vera. In general, however, it seems aloe vera gel is as safe for internal use in horses as it is in humans.

However, aloe vera has one element that can prove troublesome for horses. Laxative anthraquinones within aloe have been shown to cause diarrhoea. It's hard to know if an aloe vera brand contains this as laxative anthraquinones aren't declared on the label. If a horse is being fed aloe vera according to body weight, then it's more

likely a problem with diarrhoea could be seen. However, the dosage is rarely in the proper ratio to body weight, so the quantity fed rarely causes loose droppings. But this begs the question – if the dosage is incorrect, will aloe vera have the desired effect?

ALOE VERA AND THE TREATMENT OF GASTRIC ULCERS

A research-led team from the University of Adelaide in South Australia studied the effect of aloe vera on protecting the stomach's sensitive lining.

"The inner leaf gel of the aloe vera plant has been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers in man and in animals in experimental models. Its anti-ulcer properties have been attributed to a variety of possible mechanisms, including anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory properties, cytoprotective and mucus-stimulatory effects, and its ability to regulate gastric acid production," explained the team.

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) includes ulcers affecting both the squamous and glandular portions of the stomach. EGUS negatively impacts performance, can be difficult to treat effectively, and often recurs once treatment has stopped.

To determine whether aloe vera was viable for horses with EGUS, 39 horses diagnosed with one or more gastric ulcers (grade ≥2 lesions of the squamous and/or glandular mucosa) were offered either aloe vera or omeprazole.

Key findings of the study included:

• Better healing rates were noted in the omeprazole group; and

• Of the patients diagnosed with squamous ulcers, 56% of horses offered aloe vera improved, whereas 85% of horses treated with omeprazole improved.

NOTE: The possibility that a higher dose would have resulted in higher improvement rates could not be ruled out, although the study dose was higher than that commonly given to horses and above that recommended by the manufacturer.

Even though aloe vera proved inferior to omeprazole in the treatment of gastric ulcers, more than half of all horses improved, which could indicate that aloe vera is

useful in maintaining gastric health and might reduce ulcer reoccurrence after treatment with omeprazole.

However, this situational usage has not been studied; therefore, using aloe vera for EGUS still warrants further study.

CONCLUSION

As with any herbal supplement, care should be taken as long-term effects, correct dosage rate, and impact on nutritional profiles within the body have generally not been studied in the horse.

Treating EGUS effectively requires scoping, veterinary treatment and ongoing alterations to management, diet and stress levels to ensure that the root cause is treated and not just the symptoms.

FERTILISATION FACTS

PART 2

TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY

Following on from our article in Issue 161b, where we discussed live covering and artificial insemination, we return to look at the roles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), ovum pick-up (OPU) and embryo transfer. Once you understand all of these options, you're pretty close to becoming a breeding pro!

IVEP

The combination of ICSI and OPU together is known as In Vitro Embryo Production, or IVEP for short. In order to understand IVEP, we need to understand each technique individually and see exactly how they work together.

ICSI

ICSI, or Introplasmic Sperm Injection, is a modern breeding technique where a single sperm cell is injected directly into the cytoplasm of a single mature egg/oocyte to fertilise it.

OPU

OPU is Ovum Pick Up, or Oocyte Aspiration.

THE PROCESS

The mare will be sedated to prepare for the pick-up process; the procedure usually lasts two hours. Before the aspiration, a vet or breeding technician assesses the ovaries to ensure the mare's suitability. A suitable candidate will have a minimum of fifteen follicles with a diameter of less than one cm.

Oocytes are too small (125 - 150mm) to be seen via ultrasound, but follicles can be viewed. One follicle contains one oocyte. An ultrasound probe with a needle guide is placed into the vagina. The ovary is then grasped via the rectum and held against the vaginal wall. The fluid of each follicle is aspirated and then flushed several times to increase the oocyte recovery success. Once this has been completed, the recovery fluid is

filtered. The filtered liquid is then searched for the presence of oocytes. OPU has a 75% success rate.

Oocytes are then safely transported and allowed to cultivate until maturity. Once maturity is reached, typically within 24 hours, ISCI will take place, and then the division to become embryos will begin just 24-30 hours post-injection. The development of an embryo takes between seven and nine days. Once an embryo has developed, breeding technicians will correctly freeze the embryo for when there is a suitable donor.

WHAT NEXT AFTER IVEP?

There are three types of transfer available:

1. Fresh transfer of embryos into the recipient mares

The embryo produced in the ICSI lab can be transferred into a synchronised recipient mare.

2. Auto-transfer back to donor mare

If the donor mare is young and healthy, she may be able to carry her ICSI-produced embryo. This transfer takes place primarily when the mare is healthy, fertile, and has no history of dystocia* or problem pregnancy.

3. Embryo vitrification and storage of embryo  Embryo vitrification is a means of cryopreserving (freezing) embryos to allow them to be kept indefinitely and utilised later. Once vitrified, the embryo is kept in nitrogen until use.

ADVANTAGES

ISCI is considered highly beneficial for both mares and stallions. With stallions, if there is little sperm available, ISCI is excellent, as you only have to utilise a minimal amount of frozen semen. Similarly, with mares with fertility issues, ICSI has proven very successful.

IVEP, as a combined procedure, is also convenient as it provides a variety of options for the transfer of the embryo and allows the mare to continue competing if this is desired.

DISADVANTAGES

The OPU procedure is relatively invasive, and both ICSI and OPU are expensive.

*Definition of dystocia = a difficult or obstructed labour.

The ICSI process

EMBRYO TRANSFER OR SURROGATE PREGNANCY

Both the donor and recipient mares will undergo a pre-breeding check.

The donor mare is then inseminated using artificial insemination. Once the embryo is formed, it is flushed out of the uterus and implanted into the recipient mare.

Before starting with the process, it is essential to have a recipient or surrogate ready. Many people suggest having a few mares available. When selecting surrogates, it is vital to remember the mare will need to look after the foal once it is born, so her behaviour will play a massive role in how the foal develops. Therefore, it is recommended that you find a mare or mares with pleasant temperaments who are easy to work with, between the ages of 4-12 years, and of a similar size to the donor. Many believe a smaller surrogate may create a smaller foal.

THE PROCESS

The process of embryo transfer can be broken down into six steps:

Step 1: Synchronisation

Both the recipient mare and donor mare will be synchronised using hormonal medication. To have the recipient 'ready', she will be synced to ovulate either three days after or at the same time as the donor. Synchronising is to ensure that both uteri are at the same stage. Regular scanning will take place to monitor both mares’ progress.

Step 2: Insemination

The insemination process will be the same as regular AI (see Issue 161b to learn more). It is vital to know the date of insemination for the subsequent steps.

Step 3: Flushing

A vet or breeding technician will flush the donor mare's uterus with a special medium six to eight days post-ovulation. This process is not painful for the mare. Then, the fluid will be drained with an embryo filter and the embryo will be isolated visually or microscopically.

Step 4: Washing

Once the embryo is isolated, it is 'washed' to ensure there is no residual contamination from the donor mare that could be passed onto the recipient mare.

Step 5: Transferring

Immediately after 'washing', the embryo is placed into an insemination pipette, and during that process, the recipient mare is checked via ultrasound to ensure she is 'ready'. The embryo will then be transferred. The success rate for the transfer is around 57%.

Step 6: Scanning

Seven to nine days post-transfer, the recipient will be scanned to confirm a pregnancy. If there is a viable pregnancy, the mare will be placed on Regumate (progesterone supplement) until day 28, when the heartbeat scan will take place. A final scan will take place at the 45-day mark. Many vets suggest the surrogate stay on Regumate until day 120.

The significant advantage of using this method is that top mares can still be competitive while increasing the gene pool. Unlike top-level stallions who can breed while still competing, mares are unable to compete while heavily in foal and while weaning their foal. In many cases, having a foal takes the mare out of the sport for almost two years. Another advantage is that embryo transfer allows mares with physical issues that prevent them from carrying a foal, to have a foal using a surrogate mare.

DISADVANTAGES

Although ET has helped the breeding game immensely, it is not accessible to everyone due to the high cost and the fact that multiple mares are commonly required. For these reasons, it is usually only stud farms that use this technique.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

There are many breeding options available out there, and with all the complexities, it is best left up to the experts to decide the best option in each case. In our next issue, we'll be looking at the pregnancy process, so check back to find out more.

REMEMBER

Horses are obligate nasal breathers, meaning they only breathe through their nose, so don’t be tempted to pack the nose to stop the bleeding, as they won’t be able to breathe through their mouth!

My old horse has started having nosebleeds. I can’t find a reason; they seem just to happen spontaneously. He’s happy and looks well, with just a small trickle of blood out of one nostril. What could be causing it?

Nosebleeds, or epistaxis, are fairly common in horses, and unless they are heavy and result in heavy blood loss, they are not something to panic about.

The nasal passages contain many blood vessels and can be prone to bleeding, but this should at most be a small trickle that stops within 15 minutes. This sort of bleed is likely to be caused by a bump or knock to your horse’s face or head.

UNDERLYING CAUSES

If the nosebleeds don’t resolve or if they re-occur, your horse’s nosebleeds might have an underlying cause that

should be investigated, and addressed. These underlying causes can include the following:

• Viral infections

• Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage

• A foreign body in the nasal passages

• Sinusitis

• Guttural pouch mycosis

Your best bet with the recurrent bleeds you describe is to call your vet so they can start to investigate and rule out some of these causes. Finding the specific reason can be challenging, and investigation is likely to involve X-Rays or endoscopes. Treatment can include management through medication or surgery, depending on the source of the problem.

Please note: In this instance, your horse’s nosebleeds sound under control, but if a nosebleed is heavy and involves a lot of blood loss, this is a life-threatening emergency, and you should call your vet immediately.

With breeding so many things can go wrong, so any risk that can be eliminated should be! Fragile Foal Syndrome (FFS) is one such risk that can be easily avoided. In this article,  HQ chats with Dr Mareli Smalberger, South Africa's local FFS expert, to help us understand how we can eliminate this risk in our breeding programmes.

HQ: Please tell us a little about yourself.

Dr Mareli:  I have done dressage pretty much my whole life, competing up to FEI Small Tour and have always wanted to be a vet. I really struggled to get into vet school, so I did a degree in Animal Science and then my Masters in Animal Nutrition. Halfway through

my Masters, I was accepted into vet school (Onderstepoort), so then I did the two degrees simultaneously for two years and graduated as a vet in 2020. I sold my horse while I did the two degrees simultaneously because there wasn't time to eat or sleep… But I have taken up riding again since graduating.

HQ: Wow, where there's a will, there's a way! So, on to Fragile Foal Syndrome (FFS), you did your research project on the topic?

Dr Mareli: Yes, my research project was titled 'The Significance of Fragile Foal Syndrome in South Africa'. I attended the SAEVA (South African Equine Veterinary Association) Congress in 2019 and asked a

question about FFS, and noone had any answers. I then realised it was one of our research project options, and since no recent research had been done, I pursued it. The idea was to develop a local genetic test and establish whether the condition was present or not in the country. There are Warmblood stallions who are offspring of confirmed carriers, and semen of confirmed carrier stallions is available to South African breeders, so there was potential for the condition to be present locally, but we were completely in the dark. My other reason for choosing this research topic was because of the heartbreak this genetic condition can cause and how easily such heartache can be avoided!

HQ: What is Fragile Foal Syndrome?  Dr Mareli: It is a genetic condition that affects connective tissue. Essentially the collagen linkage throughout the foal's entire body is abnormal, which means they don't have normal skin and joints. These foals have thin skin, severe bruising or lacerations, hyperextensible joints, and sometimes skeletal abnormalities. If they are born alive, it is impossible for them to survive, and they would need to be euthanised within a few hours of birth. These foals are often aborted late or stillborn. However, Fragile Foal Syndrome is a recessive genetic disorder, so with careful breeding, having affected foals can easily be avoided.

HQ: So, how did you go about your research?

Dr Mareli: In order to develop a genetic test, we had to verify the Warmblood horse genome and the location of the mutation with DNA samples from a known non-carrier and two known carriers. We also sequenced DNA from 18 Warmbloods who had confirmed carriers in their parentage to rule out any other mutations in that area of the gene. Once we knew the test worked, we tested a larger population of 110 Warmbloods that consisted of 82 Warmblood stallions with no suspicion of FFS in their pedigree and 28 horses with known or suspected carriers in their parentage. From this data, we drew our conclusions.

HQ: And Warmbloods were used because this is the breed in which most cases have been identified? How did you find the horses for the study?  Dr Mareli: I focused my research on Warmbloods because the condition was first discovered in Warmbloods, and it is the breed with the highest incidence of FFS worldwide. However, it has since been discovered in several other breeds. The horses were all from an anonymised database. All I knew was that the horses were Warmbloods in South Africa and whether they were mares, stallions or geldings; had dressage, jumping or dual-purpose bloodlines; if they were suspected to be carriers based on their parentage; and whether they were imported or bred locally.

HQ: So, what were the key findings?

Dr Mareli:  We found that 19% of the horses tested were carriers! Since the study tested a targeted population to verify the genetic test and establish the presence of FFS in South Africa, it was too small to draw conclusions from for the general Warmblood population. Our study was also skewed because 28 of the horses were suspected to be carriers based on their pedigree, and 53% of those were carriers. Of the horses with no suspicion of FFS in their pedigree, we found that 7% of those were carriers, one of which was locally bred, meaning the gene has already been carried to our local breeding population.

HQ: Were there any other significant findings?

Dr Mareli: Well, the trends in this South African study matched international trends as 24% of the horses with dressage breeding that we tested were carriers, while only 15% of those with jumping breeding were carriers and 22% for the dualpurpose pedigrees. In Europe, there is a similarly higher incidence in dressage breeding, especially in the Hanoverians. This is because there are really prolific breeding stallions that have won Hanoverian stallion of the year that were carriers. Hence, they obviously disseminated the gene into the breeding population quite extensively. Also, the FFS gene seems to be in close relation to

genes encoding for increased limb flexibility, so, especially in dressage this increased flexibility leads to more impressive paces and makes these genetics sought after.

HQ: Is there a way to find out if an international breeding stallion is a carrier?

Dr Mareli: Most stallion directorates will state whether a stallion is a carrier of FFS or not since there has been large-scale testing of stallions (mandatory and voluntary) overseas. If you are interested in a stallion for breeding, just check his status and make your decision based on that. It would be great if we could have similar transparency for our local stallions in future.

HQ: As I understand it, it is a recessive gene, so the only time a risk factor comes in is when you are breeding two carriers?

Dr Mareli: Yes, that is correct. So, if you breed a carrier to a non-carrier, you have no risk of having an affected foal. However, there is a 50% chance of breeding a carrier. If you breed two carriers to each other, then you have a 25% chance of having an affected foal, and these foals are unable to survive.

HQ: Do most of these affected foals go to full term?

Dr Mareli: Findings have shown that late abortions are characteristic of FFS foals, as well as stillbirths or weak foals born alive. There is also a high likelihood of dystocia (difficult births) as the foals have hyperextensible joints, and some have skeletal malformations as well. We do believe that instances of foals with FFS have been under-reported; we think a lot of these affected foals were born long ago, and where they were severely affected, they were just written off as malformed with no consideration of a potential genetic cause. Similarly, with late abortions (25% of which have no known cause), the foal might not look affected, and no further

tests are done. There is still a lot of research required as although the gene was discovered in 2011, the first commercial test was available in 2013, and the first affected foal was described in 2015 - public awareness only began to grow around 2018!

HQ: So, although we have not had any known cases of affected foals born in South Africa (and we hope never to), there are still occurrences of late-term abortions and non-viable foals, so your recommendation is to have the test done in these instances?

Dr Mareli: If the foal is being sent for a post-mortem, you can specifically request the test. It is an inexpensive test, and then at least you know. Also, if you have a mare that has aborted

in the past or given birth to a foal that you suspect might have been affected, you can have the mare tested for whether she carries the FFS gene.

HQ: I believe the test is R520, and you send a DNA sample?

Dr Mareli: Yes, R520, unless your horse is already on the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory DNA database, then it would be R320.00. For example, stallions (and mares) that have had DNA testing done for the SA Warmblood Horse Society would pay the reduced rate if the sample on the system is still viable. Either EDTA blood samples or hair root samples are acceptable.

HQ: Should you avoid breeding with a known carrier?

Dr Mareli: Not at all! Some of the best stallions in the world are carriers. It is important to remember that a horse that is a carrier of the FFS gene is physically normal and can make a

fantastic competition horse. The only time you do need to be careful is when breeding two carriers. In essence, all you need to do is test your mares and stallions, and you can avoid having an affected foal.

HQ: So, what's next with your research?

Dr Mareli: I would like to test a larger sample of the South African Warmblood population so we have more robust data that will be representative of the entire population. We might have a natural protective mechanism in our population due to our history of breeding with Thoroughbreds, who have a much lower incidence of FFS, but we can't establish this until we have enough information. I would also like to check the occurrence in other breeds in South Africa where carriers have been identified, such as the Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, Irish Sport Horses etc. The research possibilities are endless!

NOTE

If you do decide to get your horse tested, please be sure to CC: fragilefoalsa@gmail.com when you send your request to info@vglsa.co.za. The data will be kept completely anonymous, but if you are willing to provide a full pedigree, this will greatly assist in the depth of research that can be achieved!

And if you would like to learn more, you can check out Dr Mareli Smalberger's Webinar on the SAWHS Youtube channel –Fragile Foal Syndrome.

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