Welcome!
Welcome back to another edition of HQ Magazine.
This month we have LOTS of content for you, ranging from the continuation of our series on equine welfare, to an article on the benefits of flaxseed, to an opportunity to meet one of our up-and-coming young riders Ellah Coetzee.
We really hope you enjoy this issue, and look forward to seeing you back here mid-month for our Olympics Special Edition!
Until then, happy horsing!
Lizzie and the HQ team xxx
Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor
Equestrian
Olympic Schedule
A spotlight on stallions
Understanding their characteristics, behaviours and needs
Meet Ellah Coetzee
And her special string of horses!
The five phases Of the jump
What’s the flax?
Understanding flaxseed in the equine diet
Too hot to handle
Feeding the hot horse
Equine welfare
ISES 10 training principles
Your equestrian questions answered
Products We Love
Shopping fun
MONDAY
30 JULY
11:00 – Eventing Individual Jumping Qualifier
11:00 – Eventing Team Jumping Final 11:00 – Eventing Individual Jumping Final
TUESDAY
11:00 – Dressage Team Grand Prix Day 1 11:00 – Dressage Individual Grand Prix Day 1
31 JULY
WEDNESDAY
10:00 – Dressage Team Grand Prix Day 2 10:00 – Dressage Individual Grand Prix Day 2
1 AUGUST 11:00 – Jumping Team Qualifier THURSDAY
2 AUGUST 14:00 – Jumping Team Final FRIDAY
3 AUGUST 10:00 – Dressage Team Grand Prix Special SATURDAY
4 AUGUST 10:00 – Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle
SUNDAY
5 AUGUST 14:00 – Jumping Individual Qualifier
MONDAY
6 AUGUST 10:00 – Jumping Individual Final TUESDAY
The primary characteristic that defines a stallion is that he is an intact male horse, meaning he has not undergone castration. This allows the stallion to produce sperm and sire offspring. Because he still has his testicles, he produces higher testosterone levels than geldings, influencing his physical development, behaviour, and reproductive abilities.
Stallions are known for their distinct physical traits that set them apart from mares and geldings:
• Physical strength and build: Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a more muscular physique, broader chests and a thicker, ‘cresty’ neck.
• Distinctive behaviours: Stallions often exhibit more spirited and assertive behaviours, such as higher energy levels and increased alertness, which can be attributed to their natural instincts as leaders and protectors, as well as their higher levels of testosterone.
• Appearance: Their coats often appear more glossy, and their manes and tails can be thicker and more luxurious. This is because testosterone promotes the health of hair follicles and stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce sebum, a natural oil, that keeps the coat shiny.
Stallions are vital in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the horses we breed. Their genetic attributes must be carefully selected to produce offspring with desired traits such as speed, strength, endurance, and temperament. Reputable breeders meticulously choose stallions to improve breed standards and ensure healthy, highquality foals. Beyond breeding, however, there are very few reasons to keep a stallion intact, and owners should consider gelding any stallion that does not meaningfully contribute to breeding. This is based on the fact that many stallions live isolated and unnatural lives in domestic settings, so for their well-being, it is often kinder to geld them and allow them to live more naturally. Thankfully, research is showing more and more ways in which the quality of life for stallions can be improved in terms of their housing and paddock arrangements. However, even with these changes, geldings can still have more ‘natural’ existences, so all owners should consider their reasons for keeping a particular horse ‘intact’.
Stallions exhibit behaviours that set them apart from mares and geldings. Their behaviour, influenced by both nature and nurture, requires careful understanding and management. In most cases, their behaviours simply reflect their natural instincts as leaders and protectors within the herd. Here are some key behaviours commonly observed in stallions:
1. Territoriality: Stallions are naturally territorial. They often exhibit behaviours such as marking territory and challenging other horses in their space by displaying dominance in body language, e.g., arching their necks and snorting.
2. Vocalisations: Stallions are more vocal than mares and geldings. They use a variety of sounds, including whinnies, nickers, and snorts, to communicate with other horses and assert their presence.
4. Breeding behaviour: During the breeding season, stallions exhibit increased interest in mares. This includes behaviours such as flehmen response (curling the upper lip to detect pheromones), circling, and mounting attempts.
3. Aggression: Stallions can display aggressive behaviours, particularly towards other stallions. This aggression is part of their natural instinct to compete for mates and territory. It can manifest as biting, kicking, or charging.
5. Playfulness and energy: Stallions tend to have high energy levels and can be pretty playful. While often endearing, this playfulness can sometimes be misinterpreted as aggressive or unruly behaviour.
It is important to note that all stallions are individuals. While some may cope well with being housed near mares and even require this to increase their libido in the breeding season, others become incredibly stressed in the presence of female horses. Similarly, while some may enjoy interacting with each other, others will not; they may even show individual preferences in this regard, enjoying the company of some horses and not others. All of this shows that each individual needs to be handled as such, with his preferences considered and accounted for in all lifestyle decisions. Ultimately, as with everything in horses, there is no one-sizefits-all solution!
Understanding the factors that influence stallion behaviour can help in managing them effectively:
1. Genetics: As with all horses, a stallion's genetic makeup plays a significant role in his temperament and behaviour. Ideally, breeding programmes should select for desirable traits, including manageable temperaments.
2. Socialisation: The way a stallion is socialised from a young age impacts his behaviour. Stallions that are well-socialised with humans and other horses tend to be more manageable in the long term.
3. Environment: The environment in which a stallion is kept can influence his behaviour. Adequate space, proper housing, and environmental enrichment can help mitigate negative behaviours.
4. Training and handling: Consistent and positive training methods are crucial in shaping a stallion's behaviour. Experienced handlers can significantly influence a stallion's temperament and responsiveness.
Handling stallions requires expertise, patience, and a deep understanding of their unique behaviours. Here are some key points for managing and training stallions:
• Experienced handlers: As already mentioned, stallions should be managed by experienced equestrians who understand their behaviour and needs. Proper handling ensures safety for both the horse and the handler.
• Consistent training: Regular, consistent training helps channel their energy and assertiveness into positive behaviours. Training should focus on building trust, respect, and clear communication between the stallion and the handler.
• Adequate exercise: Providing ample physical and mental stimulation is crucial. Regular exercise helps manage their high energy levels and prevents boredom, which can lead to undesirable behaviours.
• Proper housing: Stallions often require separate housing to prevent aggressive interactions with other horses, particularly during breeding season. Their living environment should be secure and comfortable, allowing them to express natural behaviours without risking injury.
Effective management and training of stallions require expertise, patience, and a deep understanding of equine behaviour. Here are some strategies:
1. Using experienced handlers: Stallions should be managed by experienced equestrians who understand their behaviour and needs. Proper handling ensures safety for both the horse and the handler.
2. Providing consistent training: Regular, consistent training helps channel their energy and assertiveness into positive behaviours. Training should focus on building trust and clear communication between the stallion and the handler.
3. Ensuring regular exercise and stimulation: Regular physical exercise is crucial for managing a stallion's energy levels. Exercise routines should include both physical activity and mental stimulation.
4. Setting up controlled social interactions: While stallions may need to be housed separately to prevent aggression, controlled social interactions can be beneficial. Gradual, supervised introductions to other horses can help reduce territorial aggression.
5. Providing proper housing: A stallion’s living environment should be secure and comfortable, with opportunities for enrichment. It should allow them to express their natural behaviours without risking injury.
6. Exercising caution during breeding season: During the breeding season, stallions may exhibit heightened interest in mares. Handlers should be prepared to manage this behaviour through careful planning and controlled breeding practices.
7. Taking safety precautions: Horse and handler safety should always be prioritised. Use appropriate equipment, such as sturdy halters and lead ropes, and ensure the environment is safe for both the handler and the horse.
1. Aggression: If a stallion shows excessive aggression, consult a vet. Sometimes, underlying medical conditions can contribute to behavioural issues. If medical reasons are ruled out, contact an experienced and qualified equine behaviourist for assistance.
Despite our best efforts, some stallions may exhibit problem behaviours often due to the constraints placed on them by domesticated living. Recognising and addressing these behaviours early is critical:
2. Anxiety and stress: Stallions can be particularly highly strung due to their high levels of testosterone and their often unnatural living environments. Signs of anxiety and stress, such as pacing, excessive vocalisation, or reluctance to eat, should be addressed promptly. Providing a calm atmosphere and consistent routine can help alleviate stress. Still, it is advised that you consult with an experienced behaviourist as well as your vet to manage any heightened emotions.
3. Training challenges: If training challenges arise, it is advised that you seek guidance from a professional trainer experienced in working with stallions. Customised training plans can address specific issues effectively.
Understanding stallion behaviour is crucial for anyone involved in their care and management. By recognising the natural instincts and behaviours of stallions and implementing practical training and management strategies, handlers can ensure their well-being. Whether used solely in breeding programmes or in equestrian sport, stallions deserve thoughtful and knowledgeable care to thrive and fulfil their potential.
HQ SPOKE TO THESE THREE RIDERS ABOUT HOW THEY MANAGE THEIR
HQ : HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH STALLIONS?
I've been working with stallions for almost 15 years now.
HQ : HOW ARE YOUR STALLIONS HANDLED AND MANAGED?
I always try to handle a stallion as if he were a gelding or mare, at least to a certain extent, but each stallion is different. With some, you can be more relaxed, but you can never let your guard down.
HQ : WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO MANAGING STALLIONS?
My top tip would be to never let them claim your space. You must always make sure that they understand that they may not enter your space and should always back out of it when you feel they need to.
Confident body language is also very important. They learn and understand the most from your body language.
Finally, I believe in being kind and fair with the stallions. You can be firm when needed, but it must always be done kindly and fairly.
HQ : HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH STALLIONS?
I have worked with stallions for about 15 years, on and off, I guess.
HQ : HOW ARE YOUR STALLIONS HANDLED AND MANAGED?
Stallions have to respect you but not be afraid of you. There is a very fine line with them. Every individual stallion is different and the most difficult thing I would say with most of them is to keep them focused.
HQ : WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO MANAGING STALLIONS?
I would recommend that, if possible, people should freeze semen and geld them. Stallions, in general, are better in professional hands. They can be dangerous if mismanaged, lead a very lonely life and are often anxious and struggle because of testosterone.
You can buy some of the bestfrozen semen in the world now, so if your stallion is not coping and is unhappy, I recommend gelding.
I recently froze semen and gelded Compagnon because he was unhappy, anxious, distracted and becoming too bulky. In the end, I wanted what was best for him.
He is much happier, more rideable, more focused and not as bulky, so I believe I made the right decision for his happiness and believe I will have a better sporthorse. He has topquality frozen semen, so I have the best of both worlds.
HQ : HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH STALLIONS?
Ten years, but I also rode stallions for Riven Stud in Zimbabwe as a young adult and when I trained in Europe.
HQ : HOW ARE YOUR STALLIONS HANDLED AND MANAGED?
My management style with stallions is firm but fair. I really believe that you must be confident, firm and fair but never react out of fear or anger (with any horse!)
Max is a very good stallion, but we never take any risks. I’ve had him since he was three years old and thankfully had an exceptional stallion groom when he was younger who helped keep him in his place, and did a lot of in hand work with him. I still do quite a lot of in hand work with him and he knows that if I walk somewhere purposefully and click, it means he must walk with me and not get distracted by his surroundings. This is particularly useful for when you have
to walk down stable passages at away shows with mares!
I have found that stallions can go through a tricky stage at around six years old, when their testosterone fully kicks in and Max, at this time, would get a bit excited under saddle at shows, so we quickly discovered that if he was lunged for 10-15 minutes before I got on he would be much happier and more settled and we would have an effortless warmup. He gradually grew out of needing to lunge before competing, but if he looks a bit excitable we ALWAYS err on the side of caution and put him on the lunge and then I hop on in the lunge arena. We can tell immediately what he needs in this regard, and we’d rather be safe than sorry.
His routine is also important. He likes to come in from the paddock at a set time and nap in the stable, so we stick to that. Also, as we got him young, I made sure we socialised him a lot with my gelding (before his hormones kicked in). He was stabled, turned out, boxed and hand walked with Rico and allowed to touch and smell him. I believe it’s so important for stallions to be allowed to socialise with other horses for their wellbeing. Socialisation remains a crucial part of my management of Max.
First and foremost, I believe that you should ask yourself, if you are sure you want to be handling and riding a stallion. I have always said that Max can remain a stallion as long as he is happy, behaves well and does the job he was bought for – jumping! As soon as that changes, we will rethink our choices.
I should also note that I am very confident handling Max (and stallions in general). Confidence is KEY! I have found that stallions respond best to confident handlers so if you are nervous, rather let someone competent and confident handle the stallion; it is not worth putting yourself or the horse at risk, especially when there are so many options for keeping semen.
Finally, if you do have a stallion and you want to keep him entire, my very best tip is to enter your colt into showing in hand. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get them in the ring early and teach them to behave in public before they get any bigger and stronger. It also helps when it comes to taking them for trot-ups!
MEET
AND HER SPECIAL STRING OF HORSES!
Hi! My name is Ellah Coetzee.
I am a 14-year-old, Grade 8 pupil. I am privately schooled by Meagan Fulford (who also shares my love for horses and is my work rider). Being privately schooled enables me to attend to my academics whilst also having the flexibility required by the sport.
I have been riding since I was four years old, and I love every minute in the saddle.
I do showjumping and I would like to do equitation when my schedule allows for it.
My passion for horses became evident when I was between two and three years old. I had two imaginary horses, Oli and Lili and entertained my parents with everything horse owners
need to deal with on a daily basis, without any exposure to real ponies!
I was introduced to real ponies when I was four. I started attending pony camps at a riding school in Randjesfontein, called Capriole Stables. I bought my first pony, Drambuie, from Karin who ran the stables. I took part in my first training show when I was six and I competed for my school at SANESA from Grade 1. Karin is a gentle and patient trainer and learning with her taught me that riding is demanding work; it requires commitment to overcome disappointments, perseverance, and most of all love for the animal. My first ever award I received was the ‘Brave Heart’ Trophy.
As time went by, I also got my family into appreciating the sport and the animals. My dad rides recreationally and both my parents support me and are passionate about the horses and the sport. In 2020 we moved permanently to Beaulieu and this brought me closer to the equestrian fraternity and meant that we could stable the horses in our yard and have more time in the saddle.
Yolande de Wet was my instructor from 2021 to 2023. She was a great coach and introduced me to graded shows and got me through the lower levels.
My instructors now are Annette Rossouw and Rainer Körber. I love riding with Annette because she knows so much about horses. Her knowledge is crazy. She helps me a lot with technique and confidence and she is so fun to be around.
Ray is amazing; I really like the way he teaches. I learn so much every time I go there. I really look up to him as a rider and as a coach.
I have also established personal relationships with all the riders who inspire me to be the best possible athlete, equestrian and horse owner. These riders include Nicole Horwood, Lisa Williams, Meagan Fulford and, of course, Annette Rossouw and Rainer Körber.
My grooms, David, Melos and Alpino mean the world to me; they are always calm and professional and attend to the horses 24/7. They claim to love the horses more than I do, but that’s impossible!
My personal goal is to win the 1.5m SA Derby and to represent South Africa at a national level. I would also like to jump internationally in the big classes; hopefully with Capital Addison.
By the age of 14 I have learnt a lot of lessons associated with the sport:
1 | Be patient when trying out new horses.
2 | New horses should be vetted properly – always get a second opinion.
3 | You cannot always be on top of your game, due to circumstances that you can’t plan for.
4 | Sometimes horses will get injured, and it takes time for injuries to heal.
5 | It takes time to bond with a new horse.
The real turning point for my showjumping was when I got Howzat in 2018. Howzat is an Appaloosa gelding and he protected and looked after me. He was the perfect pony to instil confidence and develop my riding skills. Howzat is not the most athletic pony but he is renowned for his honesty, and also his sharp turns! Howzat is the perfect horse for eventing and won two SANESA national titles and was ranked by South African Showjumping (SASJ) as the number one pony for 70cm in 2022 as well as the number one pony for 80cm in 2023. I have also received Gauteng Colours twice with Howzat. Howzat means so much to me and he will always hold such a special place in my heart. For now, he is going to help two little kids develop their love of the sport. Thanks to Regenesis Vet for helping to keep Howzat on top form.
In 2021, at the age of twelve, I got my first horse, Lorelock Belcanto. We call him Bellie. Belcanto means ‘beautiful singing’, but he is more of a rockstar in the arena than a singer. I got Bellie as a 14-year-old schoolmaster and have a couple more years to enjoy his ‘gung ho’ attitude in the arena, as he is now turning 17. I love competing with Bellie but I always have to make sure that Howzat is next to the arena to keep a lid on Bellie’s excitement.
Our ranking with SASJ was third for the 80cm classes in 2022 and third for the one metre classes in 2023. Some major achievements on Bellie were winning the Championship Class at Gauteng Champs and Maple Ridge World Cup as well as placing second at Nationals in the Championship Class.
However, the biggest achievement on Belcanto was not only that I was ranked 36th in the world for the FEI Jumping World Challenge in 2023 but also that I had the fastest time worldwide for competition two of the series. This year I will remind my parents to enter me into the ‘Children’s’ World Jumping Competition though.
A couple of months ago, Bellie unfortunately tore his tendon but thanks to Dr Jeanne Botha and Lisa Williams he is 100% and back to doing what he loves so muchcompeting and being a real show off.
In the middle of 2023, I was ready to move up to the 1.1m classes and we bought Solar Flare. With the second tryouts I easily cleared 1.3m with her. She is amazing, and she jumps everything for me, even if I do not get my striding 100%. I love her so much; she means the world to me. My goal with her is to go to 1.30m.
Callaho Con Charisma is truly the sweetest horse I have ever met. We went through a bit of a confidence knock but we are taking it slow and building our bond back up again and I am certain we will be back to our winning ways in no time. Janine Coetzee has been helping me with her, which I really appreciate.
Owning a Capital horse has been a dream of mine ever since I got to know Nicole Horwood especially when I saw her competing with Capital Night Star in the Derby.
I like clear goals and the following is my plan with my Capital horses:
Capital Aurora made my dream of owning a top Capital horse come true. I still thank my mom and dad every
day for buying her for me. My goal is to jump the 1.3m with Aurora when I am sixteen. I really like the Alicante babies because of their movement and personalities. They are very quick learners with solid mindsets, like Aurora. She is a very well-behaved young horse, although all Alicante babies are bouncy in the canter, but Addison is not as bouncy as Aurora.
Janine Coetzee is in the process of producing Capital Calvert. He has one of the cutest personalities ever. He is an extremely sensitive and sharp horse but has a very bright future ahead of him. Calvert was awarded the title of the five-year-old with most potential
in a recent Young Horse Performance Series. Janine had this to say: “He feels like a floating pony with endless amounts of power and talent. When you sit on him you can really feel the power in his canter, and he makes you feel like you can jump anything and everything that is put in front of you.”
This one is a little firecracker and pocket rocket. Annette Rossouw is going to be producing her to be the next Capital My Lady. We all are extremely excited to see them take on the big grades in a few years.
I will be producing Capital Addison with the help of Annette Rossouw and Meagan Fulford. Addison has one of the kindest hearts ever and reminds me a lot of his half-sister, Aurora. I have not had him for long, but I love him more every day. My goal is to jump up to the 1.5m classes with him. Hopefully, Addison will be as well behaved as Aurora.
Annette says: “Capital Mon’ami feels super easy and takes you to the jumps which is what I like. She seems pretty straightforward, confident and uncomplicated. She feels like dynamite but once you can control that, she’ll be incredible to ride.”
Lastly, I want to say a huge thank you to HQ for the opportunity to be interviewed and tell you all about myself and my incredible string of horses.
It’s no secret that it takes a lot of skill to successfully negotiate a fence. One thing that many riders find helpful in breaking down the task is understanding how the five phases of riding a jump each contribute to ‘getting to the other side’. These five phases include: the approach, takeoff, in the air, landing and getaway. Here we look at each phase in turn:
The first phase is arguably the most important. It is the phase where you make sure that you are on a straight line to the fence and that you have the appropriate speed and energy required for the jump. As such, the approach is made up of two subphases:
In the early learning stages, course designers will set lines that are straightforward, normally giving riders enough time between jumps to recover the quality of the canter before encountering another fence. As the level of difficulty increases, the jumps come more quickly and the lines become more difficult to ride before you even present to a fence.
Choosing a line is really up to the rider; there are lines that are ‘possible’ to ride, lines that the horse will jump better from and lines that will save time. Every line should be chosen for a reason – ideally that it best suits horse and rider.
Once you have selected your line, you should maintain your light seat, and have your horse in balance and on the aids. Your horse’s head will lower slightly in this phase as this is how they see the jump and workout where they will need to take-off.
For most jumps, the gait is the canter. Regardless of the line selected, the canter must be of the very best quality possible to give the horse the best chance of jumping the jump. The gait should be smooth and the goal of the rider should be to interrupt the horse’s way of going as little as possible; this means that sharp corners and obvious rebalances should be avoided.
This is the phase where you horse will leave the ground by pushing off with their hind legs underneath them and tucking their front legs under their chest. This phase is often a source of much angst, but if the approach is good, then this part will be much easier.
In this phase you move into your jumping position, lifting out of the saddle slightly and bending at the hips, keeping your core strong with your hands on your horse’s neck so that you don’t pull on their mouth.
It will depend on your horse as to whether he chooses when to takeoff, or you give the instruction and he follows; some horses are just better at making the decision than others.
As the take-off happens, you can convey the direction on landing. This should not be done too aggressively as it can interrupt the jump but your horse does need to understand the message.
This is the phase where you and your horse are in the air over the jump. At this point, you need to avoid distracting the horse. You need to stay in balance in your jumping position and interfere as little as possible. To stay in balance requires a good position, and any movement you make should be in keeping with
what the horse has to do to get over the fence. The only exception to this, is that during this phase you can continue your communication about the direction of travel after the fence. This usually requires looking where you are headed next, offering the lead rein and putting pressure on the stirrup, to ‘step into’ the new direction.
This is perhaps the trickiest phase of all, as you need to regain your good gait, remain in balance, yet avoid interfering with your horse’s hind end as he clears the jump. The first stride after landing needs to be positive to ensure it’s not short or lacking in energy. Too much ‘drive’ throws the horse onto the forehand, but too little ‘drive’ affects the quality of the getaway.
During this phase you need to keep your core strong, to make sure that you don’t collapse on your horse’s neck.
In training, poles can be useful to assist with managing the landing phase. Place a pole between 12 and 14 feet from the base of the landing side of the jump. Be careful not to put it too close, as that may encourage the horse to jump it. Place a second pole another 12 feet away. This will improve the quality of the first two strides of the getaway.
Stride one after the fence should always be good because this provides a solid foundation for the rest of the getaway. Regaining a quality canter may take two or three strides to achieve, but the sooner you can reestablish it the better, as this becomes the approach to the next jump, where the phases of jumping start all over again.
As these five phases demonstrate, there is a huge amount for both horse and rider to think about and do at each and every fence. For this process to run smoothly, practice is necessary.
Flaxseed is quickly becoming a popular nutritional supplement for horses. But what exactly is flaxseed, and how does it benefit the horse? Here’s what you need to know about flaxseed.
Flaxseed is produced by the flax plant, commonly grown in cool, northern climates. Flaxseed is also known as ‘flax’ or ‘linseed.’
Flaxseed contains an average of 40% fat, but what differentiates flaxseeds from other high-fat foods is their fatty acid profile. Most of the fat in flaxseeds is in the form of two polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Your horse requires both of these fatty acids to be healthy, but his body cannot produce them. Therefore, these fatty acids must be added to the diet. Consequently, by definition, LA and ALA are referred to as essential fatty acids (EFAs).
LA belongs to the omega-6 family of fatty acids and comprises 16% of flaxseed's fatty acid
content. Inside the horse's cells, LA is converted to arachidonic acid, which promotes the formation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and eicosanoids.
ALA is one of several omega3 fatty acids and comprises 58% of flaxseed's fat content. It has the opposite effect of LA on inflammation: it reduces inflammation, leading to the formation of an anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
These two fatty acids are both essential for your horse’s health, but they need to be in the proper proportion to each other.
The ideal ratio of ALA to LA has yet to be formally established. It makes sense, however, to aim for the ratio that naturally exists in pasture grasses, as this is the ratio ‘wild’ horses would consume. Grasses' average EFA level during warm growing seasons is 10 mg of ALA and 2.5 mg of LA per gram of dry matter. Therefore, this 4:1 ratio of ALA: LA is what horses would realistically consume in a ‘wild’ setting. The requirement of these two fatty acids is also still being determined. However, unfortunately, hay no longer contains appreciable levels of EFAs, so supplementing these in the diet, unless your horse lives on excellent quality pasture year round, is likely necessary. To compound the issue, most commercial feeds have an inverted ratio with more LA than ALA, potentially damaging your horse's health through excessive inflammation.
Flaxseeds have many health advantages.
Flaxseeds, as with any source of fat, aid in the absorption of fatsoluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as other fat-soluble nutrients such as the increasingly popular turmeric (curcumin), Boswellia, and resveratrol.
Flaxseeds are also a great way to add protein to the diet, boosting the diet's overall protein quality. When you offer a variety of protein sources, your horse's body has a large,
varied amino acid pool from which to choose for building and repairing tissues. This ultimately makes the repair and recovery process after exercise more efficient.
Flaxseeds are low in sugar and starch (2.6%), making them safe for horses with insulin resistance, Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (Cushing's Disease), and Polysaccharide Storage Myopathies. They are high in fibre (47%) with a large amount of pectin and mucilage. These water-soluble fibres create a soothing gel inside the digestive tract.
However, flaxseeds' main advantage is their essential fatty acid content, as discussed above. 28.4 grams of flaxseeds contains 6 grams of ALA and 1.6 grams of LA (4:1 ratio). These essential fatty acids (in this ratio) benefit:
• immune function
• joints and ligaments
• allergies to seasonal pollens and sweet itch
• heart and blood vessel health
• respiratory health
• digestive function and gastrointestinal health
• hair and hoof strength
• energy levels
• nervousness and behavioural challenges
• horses prone to tying up
• horses with insulin resistance
Whole flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are tiny and are not adequately chewed, leaving an intact outer hull. As a result, two things can happen: the hindgut bacteria can digest the fibrous hull and ferment the seeds' contents. This would provide energy for your horse but nothing more since the EFAs cannot be absorbed from the caecum and large colon of the horse, or the whole seeds may escape digestion altogether and end up in the manure.
Ground flaxseeds. These produce the best bioavailable source of essential fatty acids but if you grind the flaxseeds yourself, limit the amount to two or three days' worth and store them in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Exposure to light, heat, and moisture will trigger an oxidative rancidity reaction, making them unpalatable and unsafe to feed. Oxidation of EFAs creates free radicals, molecules chemically missing an electron and seeking to obtain one by damaging tissues throughout the body.
Flaxseed oil. This is especially vulnerable to oxidation and starts to go rancid as soon as you let air into the bottle. Naturally occurring vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the essential fatty acids from oxygen but will quickly run out, leaving the fatty acids defenceless. Furthermore, the oil only provides fat, whereas the ground flaxseeds offer far more nutritive value.
If your horse is getting at least eight hours of fresh, healthy
pasture during the growing season, you do not typically need to add any ground flaxseeds unless he has health issues that would benefit from it.
With heavily hay-based diets, however, ground flaxseeds will be necessary. We advise speaking to your equine nutritionist about appropriate quantities for your horse.
Horses not accustomed to eating ground flaxseeds do best when they are introduced slowly, over two to three weeks, to allow the hindgut bacterial population time to adjust.
your horse’s nutrition programme as a source of calories and fibre, and it is an excellent source of fat, particularly omega-3. Use the ground, stabilised form to prevent rancidity and increase the nutrients’ digestibility.
You should also avoid soaking or boiling whole flaxseed as this could alter its nutrient profile.
How to feed a ‘hotter’ horse is a dilemma faced by horse owners in many different disciplines. How do you provide a horse with enough dietary energy to do the work he needs to do at the level he needs
to do it, while controlling the mental energy or reactivity? Here we examine this question, whilst cautioning from the outset that each horse is different and the best advice is always to speak to an equine nutritionist.
It’s no secret that the relationship between behaviour and nutrition is not an exact science. Horses can be very individual in their reactivity to different diets. What works well for one horse might not work well for another horse. There are so many different feeding programmes, even among the top riders, and many reasons why there isn’t a onesize-fits-all diet: riders might have specific preferences or biases about feeds; regional variations exist in forage quality and availability; riders could want a specific feel from their horses; or the horses themselves might just respond differently to certain diets. The list is pretty endless!
The diet component most often associated with horse behaviour is energy, or calories, which come primarily from dietary starches, sugars, fats, and fibres. Horses either immediately use calories supplied by the diet for energy in the form of circulating blood glucose, or store it for later use as glycogen in the liver and muscle or as fat in adipose tissue. When the diet provides excess calories and energy, most horses just gain weight while others become more reactive. The behaviour change noted is likely to be more pronounced when the dietary energy comes from starch and sugar rather than fats and fibres. Starches and sugars are classically felt to make a horse hotter, and fibres and fats are thought to provide the calories without the heating effect. That said, there are reactive horses and horses that are more laid-back regardless of the calorie sources, or even quantities. So, again, nutritional control of behaviour is an inexact science and takes some trial and error.
NOTE
The key to successfully feeding your horse is to remember that horses are anatomically designed to digest fibre (hay and/or grass). Therefore, a horse’s diet should maximise the amount of fibre. By maximising the amount of fibre in the diet, you can decrease the amount of simple carbohydrates (sugar) the horse needs to eat to maintain weight and condition. Horses require a minimum of 1.5% of their body weight in hay or pasture - for a 500 kg horse this equates to a minimum of 7.5 kg of forage.
However, transitioning from a grainbased, higher-soluble-carbohydrate feed to a fat and fibre-heavy, lowersoluble-carbohydrate feed formulated for performance horses is a good place to start if you are looking to reduce ‘hotness’. If a horse is an easier keeper, a low-calorie ration balancer is another option.
The best tool to help make sure you are not over- or underfeeding calories is to monitor body condition and aim to keep your horse at a 5 or 6 body condition score, adjusting the diet if needed to maintain a consistent and desired level of body fat stores.
It is also important to keep in mind there are many things besides diet that affect behaviour and mental attitude in horses. Discomfort, frustration, and fear can all contribute to what we describe as ‘hot’ tendencies in our equines.
Performance horses are especially at risk of gastric ulcers, and the discomfort these lesions cause can lead to over-reactivity. Similarly, kissing spines, navicular disease and arthritis can all cause horses to ‘act out’ due to pain.
For these reasons, it is important to have a veterinarian examine horses to determine if there are possibly medical issues or causes of pain or discomfort, especially when an individual horse demonstrates an unexpected change in behaviour, without a commensurate change in diet.
In the case of a horse experiencing gastric discomfort, for instance, he may benefit from both medical intervention and the implementation of nutritional strategies such as feeding small, frequent meals, including lucerne in the diet, and supplementing a product containing marine-derived calcium proven to
support gastric health. The actual food brand chosen, however, is likely to have minimal impact.
Similarly, managing the pain the cases of kissing spine, navicular or arthritis may remove any need for dietary changes in horses afflicted with these conditions.
The ‘natural’ diet for a horse is often very different to the performance diet we prove to a horse. The ‘natural’ diet allows the horse free-access to pasture. Given this opportunity, the horse will graze for approximately 16 –18 hours per day, assisting a slow, continuous intake of fibrous feed into the digestive system. Further, the ‘natural’ diet has the added advantage of the horses being able to roam around the paddock providing the horse with an ample amount of natural exercise. On the other hand, the ‘performance’ diet typically consists of two or three meals per day to horses that are confined to a stable for many hours at a time. These horses often finish their meals – that commonly consist of high-energy grain and limited amounts of hay or chaff - quickly and then stand for long periods of time waiting for the next meal, with little to no natural exercise.
This stark difference between a horse’s ‘natural’ existence and his ‘performance’ existence is heavily to blame in creating horses with behavioural issues; therefore, outside of just changing the type of food, it is better to consider a holistic change to a more ‘natural’ lifestyle for the horse. Yes, he may still need concentrate feed and African Horse Sickness deters most of us from opting for 24/7 turnout, but more turnout, combined with constant access to hay is going to result in bigger behaviour improvements than simply reducing the sugar content of his diet.
When feeding horses to affect their behaviour, there is no one-sizefits-all approach. Before changing your horse’s feed, both look at your horse’s lifestyle and consult your vet to be sure your horse does not
have physical reasons to be reactive under saddle or on the ground. If you are unsure about your horse’s diet, work with an equine nutritionist to determine how you can feed your horse to meet his needs without providing him excess energy.
Equine welfare has always been a concern in our industry, but recent years have seen it move from a peripheral to the foremost consideration in our sport. As awareness of equine welfare has grown, people are not only being called out for incidents of abuse but also for poor management of the horses in their care. Here at HQ, we're delighted with this change and look forward to seeing improvements in horse management, care and treatment in the coming years. We believe these changes are necessary and cannot come soon enough to protect the animals we love so much from mistreatment at the hands of those who don't know better or, worse still, know better and refuse to change.
Social media is abuzz with talk of the five domains of equine welfare, social license to operate, and the Ten Training Principles of the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), but how much do we actually understand these governing frameworks, and what can we all learn from them in terms of our own horses and riding?
Over the next few months, HQ will examine some of the evidence-based research on equine welfare to educate us all on how to optimise our horses' health and happiness. We can't wait to share this research with you and would love for you to share your welfare-related questions with us so we can all learn how to create the best lives possible for our equine companions. In this article, we review ISES’s Ten Training Principles.
The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) is a not-for-profit organisation that “chiefly aims to facilitate research into the training of horses to enhance horse welfare and improve the horse-rider relationship… ISES welcomes initiatives that aim to improve sporthorse welfare and applauds the continued efforts of researchers working to ensure that recommendations/ guidelines are supported by scientific evidence and adhere to the principles of learning theory.”
In line with their mission, ISES created 10 training principles that should be applied to all forms of horse training, regardless of discipline.
Human and horse welfare depend on training methods and management that demonstrate:
Disregarding safety greatly increases the danger of human-horse interactions.”
• Acknowledge that a horse’s size, power and potential flightiness presents a significant risk.
• Avoid provoking aggressive or defensive behaviours from the horse (like kicking or biting).
• Recognise and respect the horse’s dangerous zones (e.g. the hindquarters).
• Make safe use of all tools, equipment and the environment.
• Recognise the dangers of being inconsistent or confusing.
• Ensure that horse and human are appropriately matched.
• Avoid using methods or equipment that cause pain, distress or injury to the horse.
HQ’s summary of principle one This one is super simple to understand, but we all need reminders from time to time – be safe around horses!
Isolation, restricted locomotion and limited foraging compromise welfare.”
• Ensure welfare needs are met through providing 24/7 forage, equine company and the freedom to move around.
• Avoid any aversive management practices such as whisker-trimming or ear-twitching.
• Avoid assuming a role of dominance in human/horse interactions.
• Recognise signs of pain and manage accordingly.
• Respect the social nature of horses (e.g. the importance of touch with conspecifics and the effects of separation).
• Avoid movements that may be perceived as threatening (e.g. jerky, rushing movements or grabbing movements).
HQ’s summary of principle two Put the speciesspecific needs of your horse first, at all times.
Over- or underestimating the horse’s mental capabilities can have significant welfare consequences.”
• Avoid overestimating the horse’s mental abilities e.g. by thinking things like ‘he knows what he did wrong’.
• Avoid underestimating the horse’s mental abilities e.g. by thinking ‘he’s only a horse’.
• Avoid assuming that horses think as humans do.
• Avoid implying mental states when describing and interpreting horse behaviours.
• Acknowledge that horses see and hear differently to humans and allowing for this.
• Avoid long training sessions by keeping repetitions to a minimum and avoiding overloading.
HQ’s summary of principle three Understand that horses interpret the world differently (not better or worse) than us and our work with them must accommodate for this.
High arousal and lack of reinforcement may lead to stress and negative affective states.”
• Ensure trained responses and reinforcements are consistent.
• Avoid the use of pain/discomfort in training.
• Avoid triggering flight/fight/freeze reactions.
• Maintain minimum arousal for the task during training.
• Help the horse to relax with stroking and voice.
• Encourage the horse to adopt relaxed postures as part of training (e.g. head lowering on a free rein).
• Avoid high arousal when using tactile or food motivators.
• Don’t underestimate the horse’s capacity for suffering.
• Encourage positive emotional states in training.
HQ’s summary of principle four Consider your horse’s emotional state in all of your work with him.
DESENSISATION/CALMING
Desensitisation techniques that involve flooding may lead to stress and produce phobias.”
• Gradually approach objects that the horse is afraid of or, if possible, gradually bring such aversive objects closer to the horse (systematic desensitization).
• Gain control of the horse’s limb movements (e.g. step the horse back) while aversive objects are maintained at a safe distance and gradually brought closer (overshadowing)
• Associate aversive stimuli with pleasant outcomes by giving food treats when the horse perceives the scary object (counterconditioning).
• Ignore undesirable behaviours and reinforce desirable alternative responses (differential reinforcement).
• Avoid flooding techniques (forcing the horse to endure aversive stimuli).
HQ’s summary of principle five Help your horse to understand things that scare him. Do not frighten him through overexposure – this is both a welfare issue and counterproductive to training.
The incorrect use of operant conditioning can lead to serious behaviour problems that manifest as aggression, escape, apathy and compromise welfare.”
• Understand how operant conditioning works: i.e. performance of behaviours become more or less likely as a result of their consequences.
• Tactile pressures (e.g. from the bit, leg, spur or whip) must be removed at the onset of the correct response.
• Minimise delays in reinforcement because they are ineffective and unethical.
• Use combined reinforcement (amplify pressure-release rewards with tactile or food rewards where appropriate).
• Avoid active punishment.
HQ’s summary of principle six
Understand that operant conditioning is the process whereby behaviours become more or less likely as a result of their consequences, and apply this process sensitively with your equine companion. The operant conditioning ‘quadrants’ of interest in ethical horse training are negative reinforcement (i.e. the removal of an aversive stimulus AS SOON AS the horse performs the desired behaviour) and positive reinforcement (i.e. the addition of something pleasant when the horse performs a desired behaviour). No form of punishment (whether through applying an aversive stimulus or removing something a horse finds pleasurable) is acceptable.
The absence of benign (light) signals can lead to stress and compromised welfare.”
• Train the uptake of light signals by placing them before a pressurerelease sequence.
• Precede all desirable responses with light signals.
• Avoid unwanted stimuli overshadowing desired responses (e.g. the horse may associate an undesirable response with an unintended signal from the environment).
HQ’s summary of principle seven Build non-pressure related signals into your training, such as voice cues, to allow the horse to respond to your request without having to experience pressure.
Poor shaping leads to confusion.”
• Break down training tasks into the smallest achievable steps and progressively reinforce each step toward the desired behaviour.
• Plan training to make the correct response as obvious and easy as possible.
• Maintain a consistent environment to train a new task and give the horse the time to learn safely and calmly.
• Only change one contextual aspect at a time (e.g. trainer, place, signal).
HQ’s summary of principle eight Make training easy for the horse by breaking down each request into small steps and clearly rewarding the horse for each step he gets right.
Unclear, ambiguous or simultaneous signals lead to confusion.”
• Ensure signals are easy for the horse to discriminate from one another.
• Ensure each signal has only one meaning.
• Ensure signals for different responses are never applied concurrently.
HQ’s summary of principle nine Avoid confusion for your horse by using signals such as voice cues for one behaviour only and only applying one signal at a time.
Lack of self-carriage can promote hyper-reactive responses and compromise welfare.”
• Aim for self-carriage in all methods, and at all levels of training.
• Train the horse to maintain:
• Gait
• Tempo
• Stride length
• Direction
• Head and neck carriage
• Body posture
• Avoid forcing any posture
• Avoid nagging with legs, spurs or reins i.e. avoid trying to maintain responses with relentless signalling.
HQ’s summary of principle ten Do not use constant pressure or nagging aids, but rather improve your training to help your horse achieve selfcarriage.
What are the different types of stirrups?
There are MANY types of stirrup iron on the market, but to answer your question we’ll group these into the main types available as a starting point for making your decision:
Fillis stirrup irons
Fillis stirrup irons are a tradition choice for many types of riding. They are made of stainless steel and have a rubber foot pad to increase traction.
Peacock stirrups
Made of stainless steel with a rubber foot pad, peacock stirrups have elastic bands on the outside
NOTE As technology advances, there are several other options available for safety stirrups, such as those that use magnets to allow the outer branch of the stirrup to release under pressure.
of the stirrups. This band is designed to break or release under pressure from the rider’s foot in case of a fall. This makes this type of stirrup a good, safe choice for anyone, but especially beginner riders.
Flexible stirrups
Flexible stirrups have inset pieces in the stirrup branches that are generally coated in rubber. They allow for movement in the stirrup branches, making them slightly flexible. There are quite a few options in this stirrup category, but one of the universal benefits is the softening of the impact on the rider’s joints and ligaments.
These stirrups are made of a polymer, making them extremely lightweight. They commonly have larger foot plates, grips over the sole of the foot and in many cases are angled. Composite stirrups can be used in many types of riding and are a great choice for riders looking to limit the weight of their tack and achieve extra stability in the saddle. Aluminium is a
Many of the above stirrup choices come with offset or adjustable eye options. The eye is the portion of the stirrup through which the stirrup leather loops. Angling the eye of the stirrup allows the stirrup leather to lie flat against the horse’s side while the stirrup iron is at a slight angle (about 45 degrees). This is intended to make it easier for the rider to position their lower leg. This can relieve pressure in the rider’s joints and make the stirrup easier to find if lost.
popular material for these stirrups, as it weighs less than stainless steel, but still has a traditional look.
After deciding on the type of stirrup that best suits you, you need to determine the correct size for your foot. You should have about 1.25cm on either side of the boot, between the boot and the stirrup bars in most cases but confirm this with the stirrup manufacturer’s guidelines.
The primary purpose of stirrups is to improve our riding and feeling of security in the saddle, so choose the style that is right for you depending on your riding style and anatomy.
Please note: If you are planning on riding in a show check the rules and guidelines of your chosen discipline and organisation before making your choice.
How many times should my horse manure each day?
This is almost impossible for us to answer, as it varies from horse to horse. You need to get a sense over time of what is normal for your horse and use that as a gauge. To give you some idea of the range, an average sized horse can defaecate anywhere from four to thirteen times each day!
Once you know the average amount of manure produced by your horse each day, you should observe for any changes in this. If you are concerned that your horse is producing more or less than he usually does, or that anything about the manure is different to normal, contact your vet.
Wrap. Ride. Repeat.
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