HQ Pony Magazine Issue 19

WELCOME

We wish you, your families, and your ponies a happy and healthy festive season.

We have loved producing HQ Pony Magazine again this year. We are incredibly grateful for all of the support from our advertisers, without whom we couldn’t bring your this magazine!

We’ll see you back here on the 5th of January, 2023!

Give your ponies a a big neck scratch from us!

Happy holidays!

Lots of love, Lizzie and the HQ Pony Team xxx

GET IN TOUCH

We’d love to hear from you and receive your photos, drawings or pony-related thoughts.

Horse and rider Young Showjumper Profile

PHILIP BOTES

Interview | Rhiannon Cecil

Despite being focused on his Matric this year, Philip Botes has continued to make strides in the showjumping world and is now a staple in the open classes with his giant steed, Kojac Van De Kornelishoeve. Coached by recent Derby winner Dominey Alexander, Philip is a talented and dedicated young horseman we should definitely keep our eye out for on the podium. He was kind enough to catch up with HQ and give us some juicy details on his career to date and his goals for the future.

HQ: How did you get involved with horses and riding?

Philip: When I was six, my granny worked at the library across the road from Byerley Park Stables. While she was at her book club, my brother and I would go across just to be with the horses and give them a pat. I started riding there, and five years later, in 2015, I moved to Silvertree Stables, where I was coached by Michelle Dawson. One of her clients at the time, Alexander Nel, was selling his pony Smoke. Holy Smoke was fantastic and gave me was fantastic and gave me all the confidence in the world. Those were some of the best years of my life, and in 2016 we ended up making the Gauteng Junior 80cm team.

HQ: Who was your first horse, and what was your journey like together?

Philip: I moved on to horses in 2017 when we bought the gorgeous Callaho For Play from Cameron Dawson. I believe certain horses come into our lives for a reason, and she came in and taught me so much about riding. I never really thought about my seat or balance as a pony rider, but I learned to focus on those things with Play. We didn’t go on and win everything in the ring, but she is, and always will be, ‘my girl.’ The lessons she taught me far outweigh a firstplace rosette. She made me a better rider and helped me mature as a person.

Play is currently being ridden by Kirsty Jutzen and her daughter Kayelynn. I couldn’t be happier seeing Play in Kirsty’s care and the love they both have for her.

HQ: Who coaches you? What do you enjoy most about your lessons and your stableyard?

Philip: I stable at Cellehof stables and am coached there by Dominey Alexander. Dom’s reputation in the industry precedes him, but the main reason I chose Dominey as my coach is the way he treated me when I met him. He took me seriously as a human being and, more importantly, as a rider. He has given me confidence I never knew I had, and he believed in me so much right from the beginning. All I had to do was trust him; the rest is history. Dom has helped mould me into a person I’m genuinely proud of.

Dom’s lessons are never the same, and he has a keen sense of intuition about his riders. You never have to tell him you’re having an off day. He picks it up and adapts. He makes us laugh and tailors his coaching to each individual horse and rider. Each lesson is like a packet of wisdom; you always leave knowing more than you did when you arrived.

Karen, Dom’s wife, runs the stableyard like a well-oiled machine. You can’t find the experience she has in the feeding and care of horses in any textbook, yet she still listens to us as owners if we have opinions about our horses’ care. The grooms at Cellehof are incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and always eager to help. My two grooms, Knowledge and Professor, are the true heroes behind the scenes. The love they have for our horses is truly remarkable.

HQ: What difficulties have you had on your journey to where you are now? Did you ever think of quitting? What kept you going?

Philip: I have 100% thought of quitting. We often see the successes of other riders but not their failures, which can make us feel completely incompetent at times. Our sport is tough; we are dealing with living, breathing animals with their own personalities and quirks. When you get into a rough patch with them, there are bound to be collisions and moments when you feel so overwhelmed you just want to call it quits.

My love for horses and my stubborn streak kept me going. Horses are so intuitive, and the thought of abandoning them when things start getting hard is just not an option. When speaking to other riders, you realise you’re not alone in your riding struggles. Showjumping is a challenge, and not everyone can do well all the time, so don’t stop. You never know when things will start going your way.

HQ: Tell us a bit about your horses.

Philip: I’m currently riding two competition horses - Callaho Odin and Kojac Van De Kornelishoeve. They’re both insanely talented and yet have completely opposite personalities. Odin is exactly like a teddy bear. He loves hugs and even falls asleep in my arms. He is by a Consuelo sire and definitely fits the stereotype of Consuelo offspring. He’s spooky and incredibly quirky, but he has scope for days, is laser-focused, and is always eager to please when we’re in the ring.

Kojac is my big boy and my heart horse. I’ve never bonded with a horse as fast as with Kojac. He’s 17.3hh and loves to buck and play around in lessons, so I admit some people find him a little intimidating. I think it’s his way of showing his passion for what he does. It isn’t easy to put his personality into words because he truly is one of a kind. He is a brilliant teacher and will show you how proud he is of you with a flamboyant buck here and there. When Kojac is in the ring, he puffs out his chest and has the most magnetic presence. He is brave, kind, intelligent and affectionate- if he likes you. I owe him everything, and riding him is the best feeling in the world.

HQ: What are some of the best moments you’ve had in your career?

Philip: Definitely when Kojac and I made the shortlist for the 2022 Youth Equestrian Jumping Challenge in Aachen. It was the first time I had ever competed in the main class of the day, and it was at the Stokkiesdraai Cup, where the top 16 shortlisted riders competed for a spot in the top 8. It was a fantastic experience and, ultimately, the push I needed. Having to go up a level height-wise really pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Another brilliant moment in my career was receiving my honours blazer for being awarded honours in equestrian sport, but some of my best moments aren’t about accolades but about first times - like the first time I rode in the Bob Charter or going to my first inter-provincial in Shongweni.

HQ: Do you get show nerves? How do you stay focused in the Open classes?

Philip: Of course, I get show nerves. I mean, who doesn’t!? I use an amalgamation of techniques to stay calm. First, I always like to ensure I know the course like the back of my hand, so it becomes second nature when I enter the ring. When the bell rings to close the course, I go to a quiet place, sit and close my eyes, and go over the course as if I were riding it. I also like to get on early and walk around in the warmup arena, so I can give my boys a slow, relaxed and stress-free warmup. When I’m in the arena on standby, I make a point of not watching the rider before me. I stay focused on myself and my horse. I use a breathing technique where I inhale for four seconds, hold for four and then exhale for four. I repeat it four times. As soon as my bell rings, I put a smile on my face. I find it tricks my mind into calming down so I can enjoy the round.

HQ: Who are your idols in the sport?

Philip: Internationally, Scott Brash, Pénélope Leprevost, Jessica Springsteen, Georgina Bloomberg, Laura Kraut, Ben Maher and Edwina Tops-Alexander. They have all enjoyed great success, but more importantly I respect them because of their horsemanship and their adaptability when it comes to riding a wide variety of horses.

Locally, Dominey for his all-round embodiment of horsemanship; Lisa Williams for her meticulous care of her horses; and Kelly O’Connor for her position and style, as she always gives her horses every opportunity to put their best hoof forward.

HQ: Who has had the most impact on your journey to the open classes?

Philip: Definitely Dominey. When I arrived at Cellehof, he took me under his wing and became a real mentor to me. It’s hard to think of one instance that’s had a big impact on me; there are small pearls of wisdom in everything Dom says.

One glimpse into the impact he’s had on my journey does come to mind; I was really struggling with one of his exercises and noticed the next lesson waiting, which made me anxious. I was already frustrated, and everyone seemed to be managing it but me. Dom just said, “Hey, Philip, it’s ok. The other riders can wait because we all have those days where we can’t get it right no matter how hard we try. Today you’re struggling, but tomorrow it’s going to be someone else, so relax and come again.”

HQ: What does your training schedule look like in a week?

Philip: If I don’t have a show, my horses jump in lessons with Dom on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have dressage lessons on Wednesdays with Debi Van Wyk, and on Fridays, I do fieldwork and take them to the track. Saturdays are either flatwork or fieldwork, and on Sundays, I take them for a walk.

HQ: What advice do you have for other young riders who aspire to jump at your level?

Philip: Gosh, I would say that Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t rush it. Take your time and solidify your confidence; if you feel like everyone is watching and judging you, they’re not. As soon as the round is over, they’ve already forgotten about it. If horse riding were an easy sport, there would be ten times more people doing it.

Where you can spot Philip in 2023

Philip plans to be a lot more active on the competition circuit once Matric is out of the way. He plans to move to the 1.35m classes with Kojak and then up into the 1.40m classes, at least once, by the end of 2023. Philip plans to take Odin up to the 1.30m classes and work on solidifying his confidence at that height for a while.

Christmas tree polework exercise

For some festive fun, build this Christmas tree using 11 standard trotting poles.

You can then practice riding up the ‘pot’ of the Christmas tree and making as straight a line as possible to the top of the tree.

Or, you can ride from the point of the tree all the way down and out of the pot at the bottom, again riding as straight a line as you can.

In whichever direction you choose to ride the exercise, make sure you approach it on both reins.

You can choose to ride in either walk or trot for this exercise.

If your pony masters the exercise quickly and you want to make it more challenging, you can raise the poles at the bottom of the ‘triangles’ onto cavaletti blocks to encourage your pony to really engage his core. However, please note that this should only be done if your pony finds the exercise easy, and it must only be repeated a couple of times on each rein, as polework is hard work for horses and ponies, particularly with raised poles. Too much polework can make your pony sore, and we want him to enjoy this festive exercise as much as you do!

Christmas cracker exercise

Mastered the Christmas tree? Then why not try the Christmas cracker?

This exercise can be ridden in lots of different ways to accommodate all levels of horses.

It is ideal for practising straightness, changing bend and rhythm.

Follow the straight line to practice staying as straight as you can. Ride the circle to practice keeping your circles of an accurate size, and ride the serpentine to get your pony changing bend whilst simultaneously picking his feet up over poles! All in all, there’s lots you can try!

If you STILL don’t find this challenging enough, you can add lots of transitions to increase the difficulty, including halts and canter to walk/walk to canter!

SADDLEFITTING BASICS

Tree points allow freedom for the shoulder blade to move

There is a dip in the centre of the seat

The arch of the saddle has clearance

The panels and tree rest evenly on the muscles

The channel is clear of the spine

GOOD FIT

Pressure on the spine

The dip in the seat at the back, tips the rider backwards

Tree points dig into the muscles

TREE TOO WIDE TREE TOO NARROW

The saddle rides too high in front and is therfore unstable

UNBALANCED BACKWARD

The dip in the seat is too far forward, tipping the rider forwards

GOOD FIT UNBALANCED FORWARD

Too much padding raises the cantle too high

cracker joke

Fun, festive pony camp ideas

For most of us, there is nothing we look forward to more throughout the year than the Christmas Pony Camp. School is finally over, and we can relax at last and enjoy some quality time with our ponies.

Instructors put a lot of time and effort into keeping pony camp fun, but at the end of the day, all they want is for you to have the best time possible. Most instructors and yard owners will welcome suggestions from their pony camp crew. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas to spice up your last pony camp of the year, look no further - HQ Pony Mag has got you covered.

Mounted festive fun

By the time pony camp rolls around, most of us will have finished shows for the year, so it’s the perfect time to let loose and enjoy some mounted games. Here are some ideas you may or may not have tried before, just to get the ball rolling.

Text | Rhiannon Cecil

Red light, Green light

First, appoint someone to be the leader (you can take turns). The leader’s job is to shout instructions to the other players and be the judge. The rules are simple — when the leader shouts, “Green light,” you must move your ponies toward the finish line at whatever pace you’re comfortable. You can gallop, but be careful - when the leader shouts “Red light,” the last pony to stop has to go back to the start and try again.

A note: Riders who pull their ponies in the mouth will be disqualified.

Chase Me Charlie

This game is generally for more advanced riders as it requires jumping. Everyone jumps a small fence one after the other. Once everyone has had a chance, helpers raise the jump by one hole, and everyone goes again. You then keep repeating this process. If anyone knocks a pole or has a refusal, they’re out. The last rider left wins.

Gymkhana games

The best thing about gymkhana is you can really let your imagination run wild. You can include anything from barrel racing to apple bobbing, potato sack races and egg and spoon races. Divide yourselves up into teams (you can ask your instructor to help with this), and make sure you have a mixture of beginner riders and experienced riders on each team. The name of the game here is teamwork, so the experienced riders must help the newer additions, as you can only win when your whole team has finished each race.

Mounted Christmas fancy dress

This one is easy and so much fun. You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy dress either - you can make your own costume. Perhaps everyone should make their costumes as part of the pony camp? Dress up yourself and your pony, and let your instructor be the judge. If there are pony campers attending who don’t have ponies, split everyone up into teams and share the spoils if you win.

A note: Mounted fancy dress can be dangerous. If some ponies are bothered by the bells and whistles, don’t use these ponies for fancy dress.

Unmounted festive fun

Our ponies need to rest too, so we can’t ride them for the whole pony camp, but never fear, there are plenty of ways to keep busy while your ponies enjoy some well-deserved rest or paddock time.

Christmas photo shoots

Appoint an instructor to be the official photographer and get ready to dress up. You’ll need a pony for this one, but he doesn’t need to do much other than stand and look pretty! If possible, arrange to have a picture printed out so you can make a card for your parents this festive season.

Turn horseshoes into fancy decorations

Farriers often have spare horseshoes available. Ask your farrier if they can spare some, and get out some spray paint and glue and use your imagination. If you keep some nails in the shoe, you can ask an adult to help you bend them so you can slip a photo inside and voila - you have a gorgeous handmade photo frame to give as a gift.

Decorate some stables

There’s no reason why your ponies can’t be part of the festive fun. You can design and decorate some festive name plates for your pony’s stable or go all out and add some tinsel and ornaments. Just make sure you think about where you’re going to put your stable decorations. Your pony shouldn’t be able to reach or nibble on any of the decorations, just in case.

Make some horse hair bracelets

Before you start, ensure you have permission to take some tail hair from your pony, especially if the pony you have in mind doesn’t belong to you. If you’re allowed, take some scissors and snip a few strands of your pony’s mane or tail, making sure they’re long enough to plait and wear on your wrist. Secure the hair at one end and start plaiting until there’s no hair left. You can use glue, bracelet clips or even plaiting elastics to keep both ends in place. Now, you have a special piece of jewellery to remind you of your favourite pony wherever you go.

Test your knowledge

What is pony camp without a little bit of learning between all the fun? The truth is, you always want to leave pony camp knowing more than you did before. Learning about ponies and how to take care of them is part of horsemanship. Try out some of these activities and test how much you know.

Pony trivia games

You’ll need an adult to help you organise some questions and the answers. Split into teams, and be sure to pair older and younger riders to keep things fair. Enjoy answering the questions and see which team comes away with the most points at the end.

The blindfold game

All you need to play the blindfold game is, you guessed it, a blindfold. You might need some tack as well, so please ask permission before you take any. Take turns blindfolding each other and see who can:

• Take a bridle apart and put it back together

• Identify everything in a full grooming kit

• Use smell and taste to identify different pony food.

And finally, ‘Eat the Chocolate…’

If you haven’t played ‘Eat the Chocolate’ at pony camp before, no time is better than over the festive season. To play this game, you’ll need:

• A large chocolate bar

• A knife and fork

• Some riding gloves

• A funny hat

• Some strange clothes

• A dice

Everyone must sit in a circle with the chocolate, knife and fork and all the funny clothes in the middle. Take turns rolling the dice. If a player rolls a six, they have to put on all the clothes as quickly as they can and start eating the chocolate with the knife and fork. They’re not allowed to touch it with their hands. The lucky person who rolled the six is allowed to keep eating the chocolate until someone else rolls a six. The next person who does has to take all the clothes off the previous person, put them on and start munching away. The game continues until the chocolate is finished.

Remember to have fun this festive pony camp

Pony camp is more than a cool way to get out of the house over the holidays. It’s a chance to bond with your pony and make friends with people who love ponies just as much as you do. While it’s awesome to compete and find a winner, don’t forget why you’re all there in the first place - to love your ponies and have a good time.

Horses have 10 different muscles in their ears

Humans only have three muscles in their ears.

This allows them to rotate nearly 180 degrees and move independently of one another.

ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS

Riding is not the only way to have fun with your pony, and there are lots of benefits to spending time on the ground with your equine companion. Here we give you some ‘out-ofthe-saddle’ ideas to help you enjoy your time together this December.

1. Scratchy spot

Ponies are sociable creatures and love mutual grooming sessions. You, too, can be your pony’s mutual grooming partner, so find those spots where he loves to be scratched the most! Favourite spots tend to be on the withers, the top of the neck or around his tail. You’ll know when you’ve hit the right spot as he’ll start to give you some signs he’s enjoying it, like quivering his lip or softening his eye. Just beware – he may even try to return the favour, and ‘scratch’ you back, and his teeth can give you a pretty vigorous groom!

If your pony pulls this face while you scratch him, you can be pretty certain you’re on the right spot!

2. Explore together

Exploring new places with your pony in hand is an excellent opportunity to bond, help your pony get braver and allow him to take in new sights and sounds. If your pony is the nervous-type, take along a buddy horse or just go slow and explore new areas of the yard before going further afield.

Did you know?

Horsemanship trainer Steve Halfpenny runs a ‘100 miles a month challenge’, where he challenges you and your pony to walk 100 miles together on foot. He believes this challenge helps your pony to become more confident, focused, brave and calm. It’s worth checking out, particularly if you’d like some support getting going with your pony on the ground.

3. Pamper him

If it’s been a while since your pony had an at-home ‘spa day’, then embrace the warm weather and indulge him with some pamper time. Give him a bath followed by a thorough groom, and maybe even trim his mane and tail!

4. Make some treats

Get creative and make or bake some treats for your pony. For example, you could thread a piece of string through some root vegetables like carrots and turnips and hang them from the rafters in his stable, place apples in his water bucket, or hide bits of carrot in his haynet or around his paddock.

NOTE: Although it’s nice to be able to treat our pony, overfeeding them will lead to weight gain and the health dangers that go along with this. Never feed too many treats in one go, and always check with your instructor or stable manager if it is okay to give your pony treats!

5. Swimming time

If your pony is a water baby, find a nearby dam or river and take him for a paddle (provided it is safe to do so and you have an adult with you!) Alternatively, if you are lucky enough to live near the coast, take your pony to the sea where he can benefit from the many healing benefits of seawater and splash around to his heart’s content.

Did you know?

Salt water can reduce inflammation, speed up healing, draw out infection and improve blood flow!

6. Spook busting

The more your pony is exposed to, the less spooky he’s likely to be under saddle. A great activity for the holiday can therefore be exposing your pony to as many weird and wonderful objects as you can find –umbrellas, flags, inflatable balls and tarpaulins all fit the bill! Just make sure you don’t over-face your pony. You want to allow him time to accept new sights and sounds and reward him for his bravery – you don’t want to be ‘forcing’ him to be okay with these new objects, and you certainly don’t want him to shut down to cope with the sensory overload!

7. The power of observation

Watching your pony interact in the paddock or even in the stable can be such a valuable exercise in learning about your pony, his preferences and his personality. Notice how he interacts with his friends, how he plays, and what does and doesn’t bother him! Finding the time to do this throughout the year can be a challenge, so make the most of having the chance to sit back and just watch your pony be a pony!

World Cup football, here we come!

Christmas cracker joke

Why couldn’t the pony sing Christmas carols?

he was a little horse!

‘No oven’ pony birthday cake - especially for load shedding

Between school, load shedding, and actually riding, finding time for baking could be a challenge, but the holidays should give you much more opportunity. This pony cake from ‘Our First Horse’ ois the perfect option for some festive fun! You only need a fridge, and even if the power is off, it should still be cold enough to get the job done.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of quick oats (like Jungle Oats) 2 carrots ¼ cup of molasses or honey 1 sugar cube (if you like)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grate the carrots until they are shredded into fine pieces. 2. Mix in with the oats and molasses/honey. 3. Place the mixture into a small dessert dish to give the cake its shape, and stuff the sugar cube in the middle if you want to. 4. Flip the dessert dish over onto a plate until the cake releases, and then pop it into the fridge until hardened.

5. Put on your best party clothes and make sure you sing happy birthday to your pony.

A note on feeding special treats to your pony

Different foods affect your pony in different ways, and too much of anything could make him sick. Keep treats to a minimum, and remember that cakes are for special occasions only. Enjoy, and let us know how your pony feels about the recipes above!

Awesome pony treat recipes

Spoiling your pony with treats is fantastic, and you can get creative when you make treats at home, but be careful, as feeding your pony too many treats can make them very unwell.

HQ Pony Mag chatted to treat entrepreneur Eran Pot about her tried and tested recipe, and she was kind enough to share it with us. It took her a year of trying different variations, and finally, the perfect treats came to life. Horses absolutely adore them; the best part is that you can ice them too!

Important: Make sure you have a parent’s permission to use the oven and ingredients, and ask the yard owner, manager, your coach, or the owner of the pony you ride if it’s okay to feed them treats! Sadly, some ponies have conditions that mean they shouldn’t get treats, so it really is important that you check first to avoid making your favourite pony unwell!

Eran’s Delicious Treat Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Depending on what shapes and sizes you make, you can have any number of treats from this recipe, so go crazy and just have fun!

1 carrot or apple

½ a cup molasses or honey

¼ a cup of sugar

1½ cups of oats

1 cup of flour

1 tablespoon of sunflower oil

2 tablespoons of water

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE ICING

2 egg whites

Icing sugar to taste

Any food colouring you like

1. Turn on the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and wait for it to warm up.

2. Mix the flour, sugar, and oats until they are mixed really well.

3. Grate the carrot or apple and mix it in with the dry ingredients.

4. Add the water, oil, and molasses and mix well.

5. Roll out the dough with flour, so it doesn’t stick to any particular surface, and cut your treats in any shapes and sizes you like.

6. Put them on a greased baking tray and place them in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes, but keep an eye on them, as they may need to stay in for slightly longer.

7. When they’re done, take them out of the oven and let them cool down completely before you ice them.

FOR THE ICING

1. Beat the egg whites until they’re nice and frothy.

2. Add the icing sugar a little at a time until you get the thickness you want.

3. Add a few drops of the food colouring of your choice.

4. Put the icing onto the treats once they are cool.

5. Leave them to dry, and you’re ready to go!

Christmas cracker joke

What did the mare say to the foal when he stayed up late on Christmas Eve?

“Hay, it’s pasture bedtime!”

Horse and Pony Breeds

16.Danish Warmblood

Breed name: Danish Warmblood

Place of origin: Denmark

Breed purpose: Riding Size: 15.2 – 17hh

Coat colour: Any solid colour. White markings are common. Ancestors: Groningen, Gelderlander, Frederiksborg, Thoroughbred, Anglo-Normal horse, Trakehner

The Danish Warmblood was created in 1962 (just 60 years ago!) by crossing Danish horses with Thoroughbreds, Frederiksborgs, Hanoverians, Trakehner and AngloNorman breeds to produce a horse with strength, stamina and elegance. The new breed was Denmark’s first riding horse and quickly won many fans around the world.

DID you know?

The Danish Warmblood is the ‘youngest’ Warmblood breed.

About

The well-balanced structure of the Danish Warmblood makes it an exceptional competition horse. The breed has inherited a lot of its elegance from the Thoroughbred, and this is combined with a solid build, a well-shaped neck, prominent withers, a muscular back and strong legs. Danish Warmbloods generally have elegant, medium-sized heads with a straight nose line and thick tails with a high carriage.

The Danish Warmblood breed is well suited to dressage, showjumping and eventing. The breed was developed specifically as a sporthorse and is seen at competitive events worldwide. Despite its strength as a competition horse, the breed has also been used in farm work and as a carriage horse.

As the Danish Warmblood is still a relatively young breed, Danish breeders have had to work hard to promote the horse and have done so very successfully.

Did you know?

Dutch rider Albert Voorn won a silver medal for showjumping at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 on a Danish Warmblood stallions called Lando.

Did you know?

In 1999, the Danish Warmblood gelding Marzog was named Dressage Horse of the Century.

FEEDING YOUR PONY THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

Hannah Botha, MSc Equine Science, Epol Nutrition Advisor

The December holidays are finally here! For lots of us, that means a break from riding (sob!), but for others, it means more time in the saddle! Here we talk about how your pony’s diet might need to change to fit in with his holiday schedule.

Please remember that this article is to show you the principles, and if you want to make changes to your pony’s diet, you must speak to an equine nutritionist or your vet.

Important!

All changes to your pony’s diet must be made gradually to avoid causing health problems!

If your pony will be working harder

If you are going to be riding a lot more over the holidays, your pony will likely need extra food during this time. All ponies should receive at least 1.5% of their whole body weight per day in forage (hay, grazing, hay cubes etc.) This could be increased to 2% of their body weight should they be working harder. Alternatively, you could ask your stable manager about adding in some higher calorie forage such as lucerne or a high-fibre grass cube to add the extra calories without increasing the amount fed.

If your pony is on concentrate feed, it is possible he may need a little bit more when you are working him harder, but it is always safer to make changes to the forage instead, so do this first and see if that proves to be enough!

Note: If your pony is doing more work for a short while, then increasing forage is always the best thing to try first. However, if your pony is doing less work, DO NOT cut his forage, but instead, reduce concentrate and treats. All ponies and horses require forage, so you can add to it, but don’t ever reduce the amount unless instructed to do so by your equine nutritionist or vet!

Time off: One day - one week

For this length of time off, there is no need to reduce or change your pony’s feed, especially if his rest period will include a bit of lunging or some extra paddock time with his friends. However, if your pony gains weight very easily or gets ‘fizzy’ without work, you could reduce his feed slightly if your equine nutritionist thinks this will help him.

Time off: Two – four weeks

This is still quite a short time off, so dropping the amount of concentrate feed he gets is likely to be the best and safest option. Speak to your equine nutritionist about how much to decrease his meals by while you are away. Reducing concentrate feed when your pony is not working is the best way to keep his digestive system and body healthy!

PLEASE NOTE: Reducing feed does not mean cutting out meals, and some ponies can become quite upset if they start to miss out on their regular meal times. So, if he is normally fed three times per day, continue to do this, just with less food per meal.

Always get advice

Whilst it’s great to understand as much as possible about the food your pony eats and why you should always ask your vet or equine nutritionist for advice before making changes to your pony’s diet. They know your pony best and can guide you on how to reduce or increase his food safely!

cracker joke

One goes quick and the other goes quack

What is the difference between a horse and a duck?

PRODUCTS WE LOVE

HOLIDAY FUN

New to Western Shoppe – Starlight Unicorn and Christmas hats for you AND your pony!

Plush, fun and colourful, the bonnets are available in two sizes for your horse or pony. A matching hat is available for you so you can enjoy hours of matching holiday fun together.

So, are you Santa’s little helper OR are you powered by Unicorn sparkles?

Find out at Western Shoppe! Available at all branches and online at www.westernshoppe.com

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My farrier says my pony needs ‘hot shoeing’. What does this mean?

‘Hot shoeing’ is something farriers often recommend. After the foot has been trimmed and rasped and is ready for the new shoe, the farrier heats the shoe up in the forge and places it on the foot quickly to burn the path where the shoe will go. Provided the farrier doing this is experienced, and places the shoe in the correct place this won’t cause any damage or pain for your pony!

The aim of this hot shoeing is to make a smooth surface for the shoe to attach to on the hoof. It also helps to seal the hoof tubules which make up the wall of the hoof. This makes the wall less likely to dry out (in a dry environment) or get very wet and soft (in a wet environment). The intense heat also tends to kill any infection that may cause problems in the hoof.

Hot shoeing takes a bit more time than cold shoeing, but lots of farriers swear by it as the best way to get the best shoe fit for your pony!

My pony is 18, and I want her to live as long as possible. What can I do now to set her up for many more healthy years to come?

It’s great to hear that you are already planning how to make her life as comfortable and enjoyable as possible in her later years! The good news is that there is a lot you can do to help her, even at this early stage. Much of it is just basic routine horse care but with a slight twist to account for her older age.

1. Look after the teeth. Older ponies need a complete dental examination done at least once a year, but ideally every six months. Older ponies get lots more tooth issues, and they need to be able to chew well to digest their food and stay at a healthy weight.

2. Provide good nutrition. Make sure your pony has good quality forage and a balanced diet that meets her needs. Speak to an equine nutritionist to get a diet designed for your pony’s life stage, workload etc.

3. Keep her moving. Keep your pony doing whatever movement she can comfortably manage and enjoy. If she can’t be ridden, still get her to do whatever light exercise she can manage. Chat to your vet or instructor about the best exercise for your pony, but whatever you do, make sure you work with her regularly. Older ponies need small amounts of work frequently. They cannot just be ridden on weekends.

4. Keep her feet in good shape. Keep your farrier visits as regular as they are now to ensure that your pony’s feet remain balanced and healthy. This is even more important with age, not less!

5. Watch out for Cushing’s Disease: Look out for a winter coat that stays too long, weight loss and increased drinking and urination, as these can be signs of Cushing’s Disease. Screening annually for this condition can allow you to catch it early and get your horse onto treatment if necessary. Cushing’s can affect the healing process and result in weakened muscle tissue, so an early diagnosis can really be beneficial.

Ultimately, if you continue to care for your pony as best you can, she will hopefully live a long and healthy life. By preparing as you are, you give yourself and your mare the best chance of many happy years together!

Can you fins your way through the maze?

Can you find all the words from the list?

Dasher | Dancer | Prancer | Vixen | Comet | Cupid | Donner | Blitzen | Rudolph | Santa