HQ Pony Magazine Issue 30 by hqmagazine

EDITION 30 | NOVEMBER 2023

SAM

POPCORN

UNICORN

RAINY DAYS NEEDN’T STOP PLAY

www.westernshoppe.com

welcome Hello, After our Derby Special Edition last month, we’re back with a ‘regular’ HQ Pony issue for you all to enjoy! We’ve got a fascinating interview with Minki Venter, who competed in the AQHA Western Games in the USA earlier this year. She tells us all about her experience and gives us an explanation of precisely what was involved in each of her classes. Congratulations to her on her outstanding performance. We also have an article on mastering the gallop, a piece on ensuring your pony is as happy as possible, and a note on the usefulness of hay cubes and chaff with the approaching grass shortages. Finally, we have our usual puzzle feature to keep you occupied. We hope you enjoy this edition. We’ll see you back here next month for some seriously festive fun! Until then, happy horsing! Lizzie and the HQ Pony Team

GET IN TOUCH We’d love to hear from you and receive your photos, drawings or pony-related thoughts. To get in touch send an email to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za and we’ll get back to you!

CONTENTS

Khan The perfect pony

Creating a happy pony We all want our ponies to be happy, but what can we do to ensure they are?

Speed demon Perfecting the gallop

Groundwork Part 7 Yield the forequarters with a direct feel

AQHA Western Games With Minki Venter

Hay cubes and chaffs Why they are so helpful

Puzzle fun

Q&A

Products we love

Fast fact Lots of duns have a black line of hair that runs down their back from their mane to their tail. This marking is known as a dorsal stripe.

Horse of the month

Photography | Amy White Media

Khan The perfect pony

Horse of the month

I strive to be the person my animals think I am, and I think Khan thinks I'm pretty awesome. So yes, he's just my perfect pony!

Khan, owned by Annie Palmer, is a Thoroughbred bred by Coup De Grace out of a mare called Dark Journey, who is by Black Minnaloushe. In Annie’s words, "I had Blubby since he was four, and he passed away very suddenly at 11 years old. I'd only ever had horses who had been old and became sick, but Blubby's death was entirely unexpected. Blubby was going to come to Australia with us when we moved. So, when Blubby died, I was devastated. He really was my heart horse. A month after Blubby died, Laura Scruton called me. She loved Blubby, too and she said that she couldn't stand to see me so upset. I work with racehorses, and she came to work with me for a few days. She has a very, very good eye for Thoroughbreds as sporthorses. She takes everything into account - from conformation to temperament and everything in between. It was actually Laura who picked my Junior horse, with whom her daughter competed first. He was my top competitive horse and got me into the team. Anyway, we went to five different racehorse trainers, and she looked at various horses that were coming off the track. The last trainer we went to was Tony Rivalland, and I was treating a horse called Desolate Road, who is Khan's brother and was stabled opposite him. Laura was sitting on a bag of shavings outside Khan's stable, and he was loving her and giving her kisses. She told me she liked Khan, and the next thing I knew she told me we were fetching Khan on Sunday, so that is how I came to have him.

Horse of the month

Ultimately, I met Khan when I was very sad, but having a horse in Blubby’s old stable in that barn again gave me a reason to go down there again and continue with the routine I've had since I was eight years old. I go down and check Khan in the morning, and I do the night check. Having a horse again has kept me motivated. It makes me want to get back to see him and earn good money to care for him in the way he needs to be looked after. Mandy Prince actually put it best when she said I needed something to love again and something to care for. And when you've had horses your whole life, you can't just cut them out, especially when you've lost one so tragically. There's just this huge hole that's left in your life. Losing Blubby was probably the greatest heartache I've ever known, and Khan has brought me out of that place. Just how gentle, sweet and forgiving he is makes me want to be a better person every day.

Horse of the month

He's also brought new things into my life. He's opened my eyes to liberty now, which he is so good at and loves. We also event, and he's placed at all his shows and won two, and we're doing SA Champs in November in the 70cm class. There's a ten-year-old girl who has been riding him with me, who won her first eventing show on him. My long-term goal is for Khan to come to Australia with me, but in the meantime, he has this little girl and family that will love him. Everyone who meets him falls in love with him and his markings. I've never liked the flashy horses, and sure enough, I've ended up with the flashiest oke. A lot of people ask me about his marking, and I tell them that he was a unicorn sent from heaven by Blubby and that his horn fell off when he landed on earth. The hair grew back dark in the scar because the opposite of what happens for horses happens for unicorns."

He is one of the biggest blessings in my life. He is a safe place. He is a friend. He's my motivation. 9

Horse and rider

CREATING A HAPPY PONY WE ALL WANT OUR PONIES TO BE HAPPY, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENSURE THEY ARE?

The first step in creating a happy pony is recognising that ponies don't have the same wants and needs as we do; ponies evolved to roam in herds and look for food 24/7, and these are the things that make them feel happy and fulfilled. To help remember this, scientists created the 3Fs (Forage, Freedom and Friends) to remind us that our horses and ponies need access to grass around the clock, the ability to roam and move and time to spend with their herd mates.

Horse and rider

If you can meet all three Fs for your pony, you can almost guarantee you have a happy pony on your hands.

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Here we give you eight ideas of things you can do to give your favourite pony the best and happiest home imaginable:

1. GIVE HIM TIME WITH HIS PONY PALS Ponies are meant to exist in herds, so they prefer to spend time with others, particularly during turnout. If, for some reason, your pony has to be turned out in a separate paddock, always make sure that he has other horses and ponies nearby and can reach his friends over the fence.

2. NOTICE HIS FRIENDS Just like people, some ponies get on with each other better than others. So, regularly observe your pony in his herd to ensure all the group are getting on okay. Small squabbles are normal, but if you’re worried your pony is being bullied, speak to your yard manager and consider moving him into a different group.

Horse and rider

3. KEEP FRIENDS NEARBY Keeping your pony’s friends nearby when he’s in the stable is a great way to keep him and his buddies calm. Ponies and horses don’t feel safe when isolated, so try and make sure that even when your horse is in the stable, he can still see (and ideally touch!) one or two of his best mates.

4. KEEP MOVING In the wild, horses and ponies can move up to 40km a day in search of food. This amount of movement keeps them healthy and in shape. Of course, for our domesticated horses, 40km hikes aren’t possible on a day-to-day basis, but even giving your pony a slightly bigger paddock, allowing him to be out in the paddock for more of the day, and taking him for more walks (in hand or under saddle) will make a big difference.

Horse and rider

5. TURNOUT TIME Maximising turnout time is key to creating a happy pony. Ponies love to move and play, and putting them into the paddock, particularly if they are with other ponies and can move around a lot, is great for their mental health as well as keeping them active and supple.

Horse and rider

6. PLAYTIME If your pony is stabled for parts of the day, try and keep his need to look for food engaged with a stable toy. A hay ball, slow feeder or a pony-safe toy that hangs on the wall will give him something else to do when he’s not out in the paddock or spending time with you!

7. LET HIM BE A PONY Letting your pony be a pony is VERY important. Sure, it can be frustrating to watch your pony roll immediately after you’ve given him a nice bath, but remember that these kinds of natural behaviours are exactly what he would do in the wild; so, rather than getting upset or trying to prevent him getting muddy (again!) encourage him to be himself and have some fun.

8. EXPLORE Ponies and horses in the walk love to forage and find new and different types of grass. Of course, in our modern domesticated setting, this is difficult to recreate, but taking your pony on hand walks and letting him ‘browse’ for new and interesting grasses and leaves is a great way to stimulate his mind and allow him to try some new and different forage options.

horse and rider

Speed demon Perfecting the gallop Having the confidence to go galloping is one of the most amazing feelings. Here, we look at the gallop and how you can perfect the fastest pace with your favourite pony.

note

Gallopin for every g isn’t on if you don e, and confident ’t feel on your p to gallop ony, don’t do it!

The gallop The gallop is the fastest gait a pony or horse can move at. It is a four-beat pace, and ponies can gallop on either a right or left lead. The footfalls for the right lead are: Left hind Right hind Left front Right front

How to gallop Before you try to gallop, the first thing to do is to shorten your stirrups by a couple of holes and practice riding in a light seat in the walk, trot and canter. To do this: Lift yourself out of the saddle slightly. Push your hips towards the back of the saddle. Keep your knees and hips soft. Relax your lower leg and put your weight into your heels. Focus on keeping your shoulders and eyes up. Allow your hands forward, but keep a steady rein contact. It’s a good idea to get your light seat position perfected in the canter first. So, rehearse this posture in the arena until you feel comfortable to stay in the position. Then, when you feel you’ve mastered the posture, you can consider going for a gallop.

horse and rider

Top tip If you’re looking to go for a gallop on an outride or on a surface you are not super familiar with, check the ground carefully before you begin. Uneven terrain or terrain with holes is not suitable for galloping.

note

Use a ne ck for the fir strap times you st few give you gallop to som to hold o ething n to fo balance. r

To encourage your pony to gallop, go into light seat canter and squeeze with your legs to encourage your pony to pick up the pace! You will know if your pony is galloping as you will feel him flatten out underneath you and really go up a gear. To bring your pony back from gallop to canter and then trot, sit gently in the saddle and use your seat and voice to slow him down. You may also need to squeeze on the reins gently.

Note For your safety, you need to be able to bring your pony down a pace easily and quickly, so when you’re considering trying a gallop, practise lots of transitions beforehand to make sure your pony is ‘on the aids’ and listening to you.

GROUNDWORK

Part 7

Horse and rider

YIELD THE FOREQUARTERS WITH A DIRECT FEEL

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 to get started, there are a few basics that you can teach at home that ultimately form the foundation of all groundwork activities. Over the following few issues, we will look at these basic building blocks of your groundwork toolbox and help you to build a solid foundation for your in-hand work. In this issue, we look at the forehand yield.

Horse and rider

YIELD THE FOREQUARTERS WITH A DIRECT FEEL The aim of this exercise is to get to the point where the horse, bending in the direction of the turn, walks forwards around the inside hind foot (on the opposite side to you) – picking it up and putting it down in virtually the same spot. This manoeuvre is practised on the ground, stimulating the action of the rider’s aids so that the horse becomes familiar with the movement, learns to rebalance, and performs it with understanding when ridden.

Horse and rider

How do I do this? Stand beside your horse’s neck facing him. Place one hand on his cheek and the other hand on his shoulder near his elbow. Without asking him to move his feet, ask him to turn his nose away from you a little so he is looking in the direction you want his forehand to move. Focus through his neck and project your energy where you want him to go. Keep his neck bent away from you, and ask him to step over by applying light pressure on his shoulder. When he takes even a single step to the side, step with him, release the pressure immediately, and praise him. Start with just one step, and over time build up step by step to a complete turn.

Horse and rider

Benefits Points to note It is important to ensure your horse moves over in this exercise, not forwards or backwards. Ensure you do not lose the neck bend when the shoulders step across. You must step with your horse to keep his nose in the correct direction. Be sure to practice this equally from both sides.

Through practising this exercise, your horse will become lighter and more manoeuvrable by using his hindquarters better and counteracting his natural inclination to push forward or out through his shoulder.

Horse and rider

Top tips Begin with just one step at a time, releasing all pressure and rewarding even the slightest try your horse makes. Remember that your horse doesn’t know what you want but will learn very quickly if you release at the right moment and praise his efforts. It can help for this exercise to visualize your horse as a gate, with his hindquarters being the hinge and the forequarters being the latch that opens for you to walk through. This often helps to focus your energy and direct where you need to move. Where you direct your energy and focus will have a strong effect on the direction your horse moves in. Ensure you focus through the neck, not in front or behind the horse.

Horse and rider

Problem solving If your horse moves too much, stop and make sure you are clear about what you are asking for and break it down into individual steps. If he still moves his feet too much, you may need to keep turning with him until he stops, praise him for stopping, and ask just for neck flexion. Once he can offer neck flexion without moving his feet, you can ask him to move his feet for one step. Be patient and reward him for every slightest improvement. If your horse does not move at all, keep your hand positioned on the shoulder and wait for even a slight shift of weight. Release and reward when he shifts his weight, and then ask for a bigger weight shift the next time before releasing and rewarding. Keep going with this until he can offer a full step. If your horse goes backwards, he may be feeling a little defensive. Use the halter to reposition him at the starting point rather than allowing him to move his feet and just ask him to flex away from you as a first step. You can ask for movement once he is comfortable and soft in his body while giving you neck flexion. If he moves around, but the hindquarters do not stay still, you probably do not have him bending away from you correctly, meaning he is ‘holding’ through his outside ribs. When he is more comfortable with the exercise, his body will relax, and his hindquarters will remain more steady. If the shoulders stay still, but the hindquarters move, you have simply bent the neck around too far.

DID YOU KNOW? If your pony really struggles to turn in one direction more than the other, or always lands on a specific canter lead, it could be a sign that he is sore so it’s sensible to get him checked over by your vet and bodyworker. 27

Horse and rider

Interview | Amelia Campbell Horne

AQHA Western Games With Minki Venter Every two years, the American Quarter Horse (AQHA) Youth World Cup is held by a different country around the world. It is a leadership, education and competitionbased event that hosts teams from 16 nations, and the young people involved compete on borrowed horses.

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The most recent event was held at Bryan/College Station in Texas, USA, in June of this year. For the second time, a South African team participated in the event. This team was made up of: Coach: Nikki Riddle Manager: Tamryn Thorp Burlyn Breedt, 19, Gauteng Wynand Bezuidenhout, 16, Northern Cape Minki Venter, 13, Gauteng Dylan Busschau, 14, Mpumalanga Carli Roux, 18, Gauteng HQP caught up with the youngest member of the South African Team, Minki Venter, who is very passionate about getting people involved in Western riding and growing the sport in South Africa!

Horse and rider

HQP: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Minki: I am Minki Venter. I am 13 years old, and I ride Western Reining and Western Performance. I have two horses; both are America Quarter Horses. I live in Kyalami, and I go to Beaulieu College!

HQP: How did you get involved in Western Riding?

Minki: I started at a riding school next door to me, Pinecone Stables, on a pony called Flame. I had a fall when jumping him when I was seven years old, and I got scared of riding after that. My mom's Western coach suggested she get me to try Western, so I tried it on my pony and fell in love! We then bought an American Quarter Horse for me; his name is Jopie (Rossmeer Double Jopie), and he was trained in Western Performance. I started properly riding Western with him, and that was it for me! About two years later, I got my reiner, Pepsi (NJQ Pepsi Dot Lena), and I loved that discipline even more because of the sliding stops and the spins and the adrenaline that comes with it, which is so fun!

Horse and rider

HQP: You have just ridden for South Africa at the American Quarter Horse (AQHA) World Cup in Texas; how did that come together?

Minki: My trainer has been pushing for a while for me to apply to go to the AQHA World Cup, and it has been a dream of mine since I was in Grade 5. I applied, and I made the South African Team, which is a team of five riders.

HQP: Can you tell us about your trip to America and the Western Games experience?

Minki: We were there for about six weeks altogether. The first week was just shopping because you don't get proper Western tack in South Africa, so we shopped a lot… (we might have been three suitcases over our limit!) The second week, we went to the National Reining Horse Association Derby, which is one of the biggest Reining events of the year, where we met all the big names in Reining, including Casey Deary, who is ranked fourth in the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Leading Lifetime Riders. For the next two weeks, we went for some training and to some clinics. We were based at our team coach Nikki Riddle's barn and riding her horses. The standard of horses in America is much higher, so we needed to get used to riding them.

Horse and rider

Then, we went to the Texas A&M University showgrounds in College Station, Texas, for the next two weeks. That was amazing, as it has been another dream of mine to go there and most of the horses that were donated for the show were A&M horses. We would get the 5.30am bus from the hotel to the showgrounds to feed and clean the horses and their stalls, then lunge and ride them. Basically, we did it all ourselves and would get back to the hotel at about 8pm.

HQP: And how did the competition itself work?

Minki: So, there was one Reining run, two Trail runs and two in-hand classes called Showmanship. The Showmanship I might have messed up as I've never done it in my life! So, I think I placed somewhere in the 20s in both classes.

Horse and rider

So, with the Reining competition, we got the horses for 30 minutes, had a clinic with a top rider and then went and showed them. My reining horse for the show was called Colonel, and he was one of Texas A&M's biggest reining horses, so it was an incredible experience to ride him. He was very hot; I thought he was running away with me, to begin with, but in the end, it was really nice riding him. I came 10th in the reining and medalled for that, which was amazing as there were 17 countries represented and 130 kids riding! For the Western Performance Riding, we got the horses three to four days before the show. Each team would get one level five horse, one level four, one level three, one level two and two level one horses. It was then a draw for which horses you would get. I was sent to pick as I was the youngest in the team, so I had to go and draw our horses. We were lucky in that we drew team #12, which included one of my trainer's donated horses, a horse her daughter rode, and then another horse that they knew really well, so we'd picked the best team. Everyone on the team was assigned a horse, and I got Hector, and the night before the show, they pulled him! So, I was freaking out because I didn't have a horse, but at midnight we got a call saying that they had a substitute for me. I went straight away to ride him, as he had just arrived at the showgrounds. He was older, but a level 5 horse and so sweet, and did all his classes perfectly, so I was lucky to get him.

Horse and rider

In the Trail Riding, I placed 16th and then somewhere in the 20s in the other class. In the Trail Riding, there were a bunch of different obstacles and manoeuvres. I suppose if you were to describe it plainly, you would say it was going over poles, but you can have loping poles, jogging poles, walking poles, a spin in a box, serpentines, backing through an 'L' or 'U' shape and side passes over poles.

HQP: So, can you explain how each of the disciplines works in Western Riding? Minki: Reining is a faster-moving sport (and the most fun). Every Reining pattern has about 6-8 manoeuvres - the spins, the fast circles to slow circles, the flying changes, the sliding stops, the rollbacks, and the backup. It's probably the most popular discipline. There's also cutting, roping and barrels, which are also high-paced. Western Performance is extremely slow. The horse's head is on the ground; the jogging feels like walking, walking feels like you're going backwards, and the loping (canter) is just slow and relaxed. Within Western Performance, there are a bunch of different events, including Pleasure Riding, Showmanship, Horsemanship, Trail, Ranch Riding, Hunter under Saddle, Hunter Equitation... There's just so much, and it's so different to English riding.

Horse and rider

HQP: And, the Showmanship you took part in in America?

Minki: Showmanship is an in-hand class. It is very basic. It's basically doing a jog, walking back, and doing a hind spin. There is then a standing inspection, for which the horse must be square and stand still. It's done in a blingy halter with a chain, no bit. The horses must be polished and very clean and banded (i.e. braided but not with your typical English plaits).

HQP: How would you say Western Riding in America is compared to South Africa?

Minki: Reining and Western Performance are very small in South Africa. There is only a handful of youth riders, whereas in America, the classes were huge. In the warm-ups in SA, there's less than ten people, whereas there were five indoor arenas at the Western Games, and they were stuffed with people! Also, there are hardly ever spectators in SA, whereas in America, the grandstands were packed.

Horse and rider

HQP: So, there are specific Western shows, and you can also participate in Western at SANESA?

Minki: Yes, at SANESA, we have Western Mounted Games, which are barrels and speed events. They also have Reining and all the other classes we've talked about, but at a much lower level than America because we don't have horses bred to do it at a high level, or the facilities to do it. According to Reining rules, an arena should be 30m x 60m, but we don't have the facilities for it here, so I often do it in a square arena or a dressage arena. My horse is used to running a 30 x 60m arena at home, so when we ride in a different size, he gets really confused.

HQP: How can someone try out Western Riding in South Africa?

Minki: I'd recommend trying to have a lesson on someone's Western horse because trying to get an 'English' horse to do Western would be really hard, and you won't get the full experience. There are a bunch of different trainers, but I think mine is the best; she's called Tamryn Thorpe, and she's in Krugersdorp.

Horse and rider

HQP: And if people wanted to learn more about Western?

Minki: They can check out the South African Quarter Horse Association's Facebook page or on their website https://www.saqha.co.za. They can also find out more on the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) website at https://nrhasouthafrica. co.za/

HQP: Lastly, what are your plans for the future?

Minki: I want to give my passion a go first and become a horse trainer, but this is a lot of work, especially in America, and I'm nowhere near that level. I want to give it a go, though, and maybe apply for an internship. I also want to study. I'm going to apply to Texas A&M to study as an equine chiropractor as I've always found that so interesting, and it would be great to be able to make horses feel their best.

Horse and rider

Hay cubes and chaffs Why they are so helpful Ponies should have a diet based around forage. Forage includes hay, grazing, high-fibre cubes, chaffs, and even super fibres such as soya hulls and beet products. Without fibre, which is the main type of nutrition in any form of forage, your pony's digestive system cannot function as well as it should.

Horse and rider

Energy from forage Fibre meets your pony's need for bulk and is broken down in the hindgut via a process called fermentation. Fermentation is performed by the billions of microorganisms that live in the hindgut of your pony, and this fermentation converts plant-based carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids (VFA), which provide energy for your pony.

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Trickle feeders Ponies are trickle feeders that rely on continual forage intake, with fresh grass and high-quality hay being the best places to start to ensure a healthy pony.

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Chewing Another great benefit of forage, particularly to stabled ponies, is the length of time and the number of chews it takes to eat both long-stemmed (hay) and short-stemmed forages (chaffs, cubes). This not only helps to mirror natural grazing behaviours and satisfy their natural need to chew, but it can also help to reduce stereotypical behaviours, such as cribbing. Saliva, which is a natural gastric acid buffer, is only produced when our ponies chew, but gastric acid is produced all the time. So, the longer ponies are kept chewing, the more they can buffer the gastric acid their stomach produces. This is really important in ponies struggling with gastric ulcers.

Horse and rider

Why hay cubes? The quality of grazing in South Africa can vary wildly, and at certain times of the year, grazing within paddocks may be reduced and/or it may be hard to find good quality hay. Therefore, using a consistent, easy-to-digest forage alternative such as hay cubes or chaff to support the pony's amount and quality of forage may be worthwhile. Hay cubes are an ideal alternative for many ponies as they can be used in situations where large amounts of long-stemmed hay is not ideal. For example: • They can be used for ponies with respiratory issues as they limit their exposure to dust and spores. • They are ideal for ponies struggling with inflammatory disorders of the bowel, as long-stemmed hay can irritate the gut. • They are great for older ponies or those struggling with dental issues. These ponies benefit from hay cubes as they often struggle to chew and fully digest long-stemmed hay and chaffs. • They can be useful for hard-working ponies who sometimes lose their appetite during competition, leading to reduced forage intake. This reduced intake of forage may expose ponies to digestive upsets and lead to a loss of weight. Hay cubes can be ideal under these circumstances as they can provide additional fibre for better digestive health. • They are easy to store and transport, making them an excellent option for performance ponies.

Horse and rider

Chaffs are particularly useful for adding bulk and, thus chew time to a pony's diet. Chaffs can be particularly helpful in several circumstances, including: • For feeding ponies that rush to eat their concentrate feed, as it means more chews per bite, which ultimately slows them down. • They are also helpful for good-doers as the bulk from chaff provides something for the bucket, which satisfies the pony's chewing needs without adding large amounts of calories. • For the high-performance pony, chaff can be a useful way of adding a little extra fibre to each meal.

Final thoughts Forage is essential for a healthy pony and with the current grass shortages, it is definitely worth considering the benefits of using a good hay replacer cube or chaff to keep your pony's gut working as it should!

NOTE: Spaces and any punctuation marks have been removed

PUZZLE FUN

Can you spot all 10 differences?

Can boots make my pony's legs get too warm? Unfortunately, yes, wearing boots on your pony's legs during exercise can cause their legs to heat up, and if their tendons get too hot for too long, it can lead to injury. But don't worry, it doesn't mean you shouldn't use boots at all! Boots offer important protection. You just need to be selective in choosing the right ones. The amount of heat generated by boots depends

on their design. Boots with tiny holes or special ventilation are better because they let more heat escape, unlike the traditional ones. Also remember, that the less time your pony spends wearing boots, the safer it is for their legs. So, plan your rides carefully and remove the boots as soon as it's safe to do so. Your pony's legs will thank you for it!

Don’t forget Th

e tempe r pony's le ature of your g s can a affected by other lso be thin how fit y our pony gs like weather is, the , and ho w hard th working ey're . So your pon , when plannin g y's work outs, thin about th k ese facto rs.

Why water? Water workouts have lots of benefits for ponies: • Water is thicker than air, so it makes ponies work harder, building muscle strength, power, and control. • The pressure of the water reduces swelling, helps with the flow of fluids in their body, and eases pain. • The support provided by the water lessens the forces acting on the pony’s legs.

How do water treadmills help ponies? We're lucky to have water treadmills for ponies in South Africa. These treadmills are really helpful when they're used correctly by trained professionals and for ponies that are suitable (you should ask your vet if your pony is a good fit). Water treadmills offer a special kind of workout for our ponies, as on a water treadmill our pony exercises in water, which is easier on their legs than exercising on regular land. This kind of workout can help ponies in several ways: • Better balance: It improves their balance and core stability, helping them stay steady on their feet. • Stronger muscles: It helps build and tone their muscles, making them stronger and fitter. • Longer strides: It can make their steps longer.

• Back muscles: The water treadmill works your pony's back muscles, especially the ones under the saddle and along their spine. These muscles are essential for keeping their back strong. • Flexible pelvis: Exercise in the treadmill can make your pony’s pelvis more flexible, which is important for their muscles and overall agility. One of the main uses for water treadmills is helping ponies recover from injuries. Studies have shown that exercising in water can help ponies move their joints more easily and reduce swelling. Plus, you can adjust the water level to focus on specific areas, like joints, ligaments, and tendons. In some cases, warm water is used to improve blood flow to injured areas, while cold, salty water can reduce swelling and inflammation. The exact plan, including water temperature, will depend on your pony's specific injury. 47

PRODUCTS WE LOVE Uvex Glamstar Gloves

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The bonus? When your gloves get a little dirty during your riding adventures, no problem! Ask mum to toss them in the washing machine, they'll come out looking good as new. Find the Uvex Glamstar Gloves at Western Shoppe. Learn more at www.westernshoppe.com.

OUR NEXT EDITION OF HQ PONY MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE ON 5 DECEMBER. SEE YOU THEN!

HQ Pony Magazine Issue 30

Articles inside

PONY Q&A

HAY CUBES AND CHAFFS

GROUNDWORK PART 7

SPEED DEMON

CREATING A HAPPY PONY

KHAN

AQHA Western Games