HorseVibes July 2019

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I N F O R M AT I V E , I N S P I R AT I O N A L & A S P I R AT I O N A L

Inside:

BRISTER’S BRIEF CHARLIE BRISTER ON WATER DRAGONS

STEVE JEFFERYS THE AMMO SADDLE’S FAMOUS PAST

TACKBOX

MEL FLEMING ON WHY BIOMECHANICS CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

OUR HEROES:

LUCY & JIM GRILLS SMASHING POLOCROSSE GOALS

get ready...

to jump to

victory!

C O M I N G

2

S O O N

your new showjumping secret weapon.

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42 INFORMATIVE, INSPIRATIONAL & ASPIRATIONAL

HorseVibes Editor: Candida Baker candida@horsevibes.com.au

Cover photo: Lucy Grills smashing goals for Australia.

Photo: The Wife Creative

Deputy Editor Amanda McWhinnie editorial@horsevibes.com.au

Layout/Design: Ailebo Consulting design@ailebo.com

Advertising Enquiries: Lainie Towner advertising@horsevibes.com.au

Published by Equestrian Hub PO Box 13, Tintenbar NSW 2478 info@horsevibes.com.au www.equestrianhub.com.au

The Saddle Hub Sales Enquiries: info@equestrianhub.com.au

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FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

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BRISTER’S BRIEF

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OUR HEROES LUCY AND JIM GRILLS

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WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH SADDLE CLOTHS?

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HORSEVIBES SCHOLARSHIP

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THE HORSE LISTENER

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THE AMMO SADDLE

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MANAGING THE MUMS

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HORSE BREED: THE ALTER REAL

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ON MY TACKBOX WITH MEL FLEMING

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GIVING BACK WITH ANNA RIMAC

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SADDLE REVIEW

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AROUND THE TRAPS

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YOUNG RIDER OLIVER BARRETT

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TRAINING TIPS FROM DOM SCHRAMM

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STARS BY EPONA

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

From the Horse’s Mouth With Fiona Todd

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or HorseVibes the month of July is promising to be even more exciting than usual.

We are incredibly proud to be announcing our Scholarship Program.

From this month we will be inviting sponsors and coaches to come on board, as well as inviting riders to apply – so watch out for the launch of our application pack. We are all very excited to see this wonderful new initiative get off the ground, so that we can help give back to our equestrian community.

Also, HorseVibes now has its own Facebook page ‘like’ it, follow us, and keep up to date with everything going on in the increasingly busy land of HorseVibes. While you’re browsing why not visit our new website, and find out more about our Scholarship Program, and all our other great initiatives.

Thank you to everyone who sent us their images to use in Around The Traps.

We had such a great response we’re going to put out the request to our followers every month!

This month we have not one, but two heroes for ‘Our Hero’ story. Siblings Lucy and Jim Grills are part of the current Australian World Championship Polocrosse team. The pair, who also run

the iconic Australian Stock Horse stud Berragoon with their parents, are, as Candy discovers, truly dedicated to the Australian sport of Polocrosse, and the horses bred to be uniquely capable in this fast and exciting sport. Candy also saddled up last month to experience the thrills of Cowboy Dressage – and archery as well!

Dannii took this month’s Training Tips from the Australian eventer Dom Schramm, who is now based in the US. Schrammo says that cross country requires guts, discipline, accuracy - and just a little bit of craziness! He also reiterates the importance of flatwork, which seems to be a common thread from all our trainers. Eventing has a bit

SCHOLARSHIP

Delivering Dreams Scholarship - P26

of focus this month. In Brister’s Brief, Charlie Brister discusses water and avoiding the pitfalls of the Loch Ness Monster and the water dragons at which our horses can so easily spook, and our Young Rider, Oliver Barrett, had a win at the recent Melbourne Three Day Event.

This month we introduce a new column, ‘Giving Back’. I’m sure every club or equine business of any description has a volunteer without whom they could not survive. Our first volunteer is Anna Rimac, who has brought a wealth of business experience to the Ballina RDA centre. She talks to Jane Camens about the huge rewards of volunteering.

Jane also talks to saddle-designer and horseman Steve Jefferys (remember the lone rider at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney games?), who designed the amazingly versatile Ammo saddle.

There’s nothing more exciting than waiting for your broodmare to produce a healthy foal – and according to equine nutritionist Larissa Bilston, the last trimester is particularly important for making sure that foals get all the nutritional requirements they need.

We also have a feature on saddlecloths.

It’s all about fashion right? As the owner of The Saddle Hub, I can unequivocally say that, no, it isn’t. Have a read and see what the equitation scientists have to say.

Then of course, there’s Epona’s ‘horsoscopes’; the breed - the beautiful Alter Real; the Saddle Review and more.

So grab your preferred device, kick back, pour a glass of your favourite tipple and enjoy!

PS Did I mention that ALL subscribers go into the draw to win a hamper valued at $2000?

BRISTER’S BRIEF

The desired result: Charlie on a calm, happy, steady horse through the water on a cross country course.

to get an upward transition you need to train the ‘go’ button a little better. This will be your main way of helping the horse through the water. When a horse is more responsive and understanding of your aids it is going to be more confident in a new environment. To help understand this take your leg off for a couple strides while trotting or cantering and test their self carriage. If they slow down as soon as you take your leg aid off you need a better ‘go’ button. This will come in very handy later if your horse maintains its pace when you take the leg off briefly. Otherwise you are going to wear yourself out and at the same time make the horse duller to the leg.

BRISTER’S BRIEF

Plain sailing through water Even horses that love to swim can take exception to a sudden puddle. CHARLIE BRISTER looks at ways to help your horse cope with water dragons.

Using a dressage whip to support your leg in this situation is very helpful. That way you can keep your hands on both reins to maintain straightness and encourage them forward at the same time.

A

quaphobia. We’ve all experienced it in our horsey lives, and we aren’t talking showers during a three day event camp.

Always make sure the depth and footing of the water obstacle is appropriate.

If you need to check it on foot, do it.

Giving your horse a safe and positive experience is essential!!

We’re talking large ponds of water and Loch Ness monsters. The fact is that every eventer has to jump into water and most show jumpers have to leap over water; dressage riders avoid it, but just like trail riders they sometimes need to splash on through.

Seemingly innocuous puddles of water can cause you to believe horses see the Loch Ness monster. Water has been the undoing of many riders, needlessly so.

The fact is that most of the issues lie in a lack of preparation or too many gaps in basic training. So let’s start with some empathy.

Why should your horse voluntarily plunge straight into water? Evolution has taught them to be flight animals, so we need to overcome this natural instinct.

I can already hear some of you saying, ‘But what about horses that have dams in their paddock?’ Well, one of my horses always avoided being caught in the paddock by standing in the middle of a dam. But come to a small water jump, and Timmy Almighty used to transform

Having a more experienced, calm horse nearby is always helpful. Even more helpful would be having an experienced, calm coach (and an older horse) helping you.

into a mobile hen-house of terrified chickens.

So we all feel the frustration. It can be tough riding along on a wet track when the horse leaps ten feet into the air to avoid touching a puddle. But If we can calm everything down and smooth the ride, we can avoid some very muddy falls and maybe pick up a few more ribbons. Preparation and patience is what is needed and as with anything to do with horses it pays to go slowly in the beginning.

Before you even go cross country schooling here are some fundamentals you need to check: Is your horse responsive to a light leg aid? If you’re having to use a lot of spur

Keeping the horse calm is the priority.

Start at the walk. Allow them to reach down and sniff the water as they gradually walk through.

If they don’t go straight in don’t give them a big smack with the whip as punishment for not going in. This will only make them more tense. On approach keep encouraging them forwards while being very precise and releasing the leg/whip pressure as soon as they take a forward step.

Reward every forward step! So you make it into the water. What’s next?

Lots of scratches on the wither at this point or food treats if you are able to coordinate that.

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BRISTER’S BRIEF

A

B A: Test the water first!

Don’t ask your horse to enter into water when you don’t know how deep it is.

B: The horse is curious, but not afraid.

C: Let your horse check out this mysterious wet stuff, without making too much of it.

D: We can jump puddles…giving kids and their horses confidence.

E: Always look up, then your horse doesn’t feel any hesitation!

C

Ask them to walk around, allowing them

as possible. If the water is not too

to sniff the water. They may paw at it

deep finally try it in canter. The deeper

- which is fine until they decide to roll

the water the harder it is for them to

on you. Also, pawing may dig the base

maintain their pace so a steady canter is

up which you should be aware of at a

a good way to start. Keep going through

competition venue.

the water until they are calm while

Building to canter in water

maintaining their speed and straightness

After walking through the water a few

as much as possible.

times, trot out and come in at a working

Training the bank up

trot. The horses will still be a little wobbly

For the bank out of/into the water it’s

so do your best to keep them as straight

good to take a step back. Practice the

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F: In the end your horse will be happy to go through any water.

bank up and down separate to the water first. When this is under control then trot into the water and up the smallest bank. going up and out of water is easier and out of trot is easier to start. Don’t hesitate to grab some mane or a neck strap to stay off the horse’s mouth as they jump up.

At the event One big issue people have out at competitions is they gallop at the water way too fast. The horse has little chance

BRISTER’S BRIEF

D

E

F

to see and read the situation. It then

stopped because you gave it a bad ride

jumps hollow and lands flat, usually

or you haven’t trained it thoroughly

with the rider flopping on their back and

enough.

pulling on the mouth.

Take a deep breath and trot the horse

Take a few extra seconds to set up, ride

into the water from an easier entry

forward but not flat out. Your horse will

point. Time is of no importance anymore

thank you, probably by being smooth

so even an extra circle in the water can

enough for you to stay in the saddle,

be helpful. Remind them of the ‘go’

high and dry! It might happen that you

button and reapproach. Not galloping,

are on course and you stop at the water.

just closing the leg a little more the last

Stay calm if your horse stops. It’s either

couple strides.

Make sure your rein contact is light on approach. You might be a little tense and then pull back on the reins which is going to either tell him or stop or make him dull to the rein aid. Always do your best to finish on a good note and remember there is always tomorrow and there will always be another water jump! Get a good coach for advice and watch some videos of Stuart Tinney and Chris Burton for inspiration and to understand textbook position.

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OUR HEROES

Smashing Goals Polocrosse stars Lucy and Jim Grills are at the top of the polocrosse ladder at the moment, and enjoying every minute of the ride, writes CANDIDA BAKER.

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H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

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hey breed them tough in the country, for sure. I guess if you’ve spent all your highschool years doing a threehour round trip every day of the week to go to school, riding horses after school, plus doing homework, then training and travelling 25 horses all the way from Holbrook in southern NSW to Warwick in Queensland to compete in the Polocrosse World Championships is a mere bagatelle.

In rural Australia the name Grills is synonymous with two things – the beautiful Berragoon Stud, a 4,000 acre Australian Stock Horse breeding property, and polocrosse.

Jim & Lucy Grills both received a Most Valuable Player award at the Land Rover Durban High Goal Championship.

It’s the latter that I’m talking about with Jim, 24 (otherwise known as Jimmy), who was part of the Australian Team to take out the World Championship, (as was his sister Lucy, 26 and their cousin Abbott). Jim recently came back from an invitation tournament in South Africa where both he and Lucy were awarded MVP (Most Valuable Player) for their partin the prestigious Land Rover Durban High Goal Championship.

According to Jim, he was a “late” arrival on the horse scene. By that, he means he was six-years-old before he played in his first polocrosse match. “I remember being very small and people trying to J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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OUR HEROES make me ride,” he says, “but I was really more interested in playing with my toy trucks, but then mum and dad threw

A

A: Three-yearold Lucy, and 18-month-old Jim, in their grandfather’s garden, sitting on their first horse, Cookie.

me on a horse when I was six and stuck me in a polocrosse match, and I won a trophy at the end of the day – even though I don’t think I went near the ball the whole day – and I was hooked.”

B: Jim Grills (centre) and Lucy Grills (right) with their cousin Abbott (left).

I mention that six doesn’t seem exactly old to me, and he laughs. “I suppose not, but Lucy was obsessed with horses from the word go,” he says. “It wasn’t until I got the competitive element that I got interested.”

Lucy, who also works at Berragoon, alongside her parents Sara and Charlie Grills with the extended family of her partner Matt Davison, Jim’s partner Katie Wills, has a clear memory of her first time on a horse. “I remember I was in my grandparent’s garden,” she says, “I was about three-years-old and my grandfather was standing beside me while I sat on a horse. I just loved it

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OUR HEROES

B

straight away. I was instantly obsessed with horses, and it’s never gone away.”

Both Lucy and Jim are aware of the massive honour bestowed on them at the recent World Championship. “To win best female and best male player on a winning World Championship team is as good as it gets,” says Jim, “it was a huge honour.”

It’s always a thrill because the whole sport is treated much more like polo over there. It’s pretty flash...

Polocrosse is often considered an Australian game (and in the past

control of their horses by playing a kind

on how to set up the game – transferring

occasionally referred to as the ‘poor

of squash on horse-back, which was

it outside, and creating the game of

man’s polo’) but in fact it was based

even played indoors.

Polocrosse.

Realising the potential of the game to

The care the couple took in setting up

transfer to outside, and the advantage

the new game meant that it became

for Australians that the game only

almost instantly popular, first in Sydney,

required one or two horses per rider,

then in regional and rural Australia. In

magazine, and decided to visit the

rather than polo where each player

1958 South Africa became the second

National School of Equitation in the UK

requires six horses per game, the Hirsts

country in the world to take up the

to find out more about this new sport,

came back to Sydney with sticks, balls

sport, and in 1978 the game finally made

where two instructors had created an

and a rule book. They asked a well-

its way back to the UK, to its country

exercise to help young riders gain better

known polo player, Alf Pitty, for advice

of origin. Now, it’s played around the

on the UK game of Polo Crosse and was brought to Australia by two keen equestrians and breeders, Mr and Mrs Edward Hirst. In 1938 the Hirsts read an article on Polo Crosse in an English

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OUR HEROES world, and the sport continues to gather momentum.

C

For those who might not understand exactly what the game is, polocrosse

C: Lucy with her first homebred colt, Berragoon Expose.

E: Lucy flying at the Nationals.

is a team sport that is a combination of polo and lacrosse. Each rider uses a stick, which has a raquet head attached to it, with a loose net, in which the ball is carried. The ball is made of spongey rubber and the objective is to score goals by throwing the ball between the opposing team’s goal posts.

The Polocrosse World Cup is held every four years, with Australia the clear winners of the first tournaments in 2003 and 2007. In 2011 and 2015 South Africa nabbed the World Championship title, and earlier this year, in April, the Aussies won it back.

Jim and Lucy are pretty clear as to why the Australians lost their initial advantage to the super-competitive South Africans. “Every country has very slightly different rules,” Jim explains.

“In Polocrosse in Australia the original rule was that we couldn’t use overhand throwing, so to score a goal you had to effectively get your horse and your racquet on the correct side to be able to throw underarm, and therefore you could only use one side of the goalpost. In South Africa – and some other countries – you can throw over overhand, which allows you to score

E

from both sides of the post. We’re the only country that doesn’t play overhand, but it is creeping into the game, and we’re seeing a few juniors using it. We think it’s a really positive step forward because it means your horse doesn’t have to stop and turn nearly as often, so there is much less wear and tear on them. The throw is allowed under international rules, and this year’s World Championship was the first time we’ve really adopted it. It certainly worked for us, we won by our biggest margin ever – 34-21.”

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OUR HEROES

On the back of their World Championship win the siblings were delighted to be invited to participate in Durban, with Lucy as part of the women’s team, and Jim invited as a wildcard.

F

“We’ve been there five times now,” Lucy says, “and it’s always a thrill because the whole sport is treated much more like polo over there. It’s pretty flash – blacktie balls, and a faster style of Polocrosse with much more open-running on the field.”

Which brings us to ‘those’ horses. The wonderful Berragoon mares, every polocrosse competition mare named after the stud – mares like Berragoon Lipstick, a Thoroughbred Stockhorse cross, currently carving up the field as one of the most athletic mares out there. The horses have evocative names such as Berragoon Favours, Berragoon Percussion, Berragoon Waves, and the perhaps slightly less fortunate sounding Berragoon Off Key. “We have 200 mares at the stud,” Lucy explains, “we only play on mares, and for our breeding we embryo transfer our best competition mares to one of our recipient mares. We generally use Standardbreds, because they’re good mothers, and good milkers, and for the horses to come and have a comfortable life post-racing, living in a large herd, it’s a good life for them.”

Jim explains that the Stockhorse mixed with a little Thoroughbred is a good mix.

“It gives you stamina and strength mixed with a little heat and speed,” he says.

The stud was founded in 1974 by Lucy and Jim’s grandmother, Pam Mills, at Burrabogie Station, in the heart of the Riverina, east of Hay. A select group of primarily Thoroughbred mares were mated to a first cross Quarter Horse Stallion, ‘Retford Quarter Inch’ (by Mescal), and it was the

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We have 200 mares at the stud, we only play on mares progeny from these that were classified and entered into the studbook of the ASH Society, still a fledgling society at that time. Later, the family moved to Holbrook and the stud has been on that property ever since.

Sara Grills, Lucy and Jim’s mum, joined the business in 1979 when she finished school. “I’ve been involved in breeding for nearly 40 years,” she says. “My husband Charlie, sister Debbie and I took over the business in 1987 and

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we’ve been running it ever since. Polo and Polocrosse have always been a big part of both Charlie’s and my family. It probably dates back to the late 1800s when my great grandfather was a member of the very first polo team to play for New South Wales. We still have his silks today! Mum was always interested in polocrosse but my Dad wasn’t allowed near a horse because he was the heir to a large family property and it was seen as too risky. I started

OUR HEROES

F: Jim, left on Greendale Comet, (who played nationals with Sara 12 years before he returned to teach Jim and Lucy to play polocrosse) and Lucy riding Berragoon Swivel.

G

G: Six of the Grills family members in the money on six Berragoon horses.

playing polocrosse when I was a young adult, and Charlie started when he was nine. We’ve both played at national level for New South Wales. Charlie is still coaching and playing. Me - not so much these days!”

The selection of horses is a careful process. In the year leading to the World Cup, three Australian scouts start to attend matches in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to see which horses are performing well – looking for

toughness, speed, endurance, resilience and agility – all things, thanks to the careful breeding program that the Berragoon Stud horses have in spades.

Horses are then chosen for the men and womens’ teams to ensure all teams have a good spread of graded horses.

Loaning horses out for competition is part and parcel of the process says Sara.

“Of course we’re lucky to have some good polocrosse horses, which means we can loan out ‘A’ grade horses while

we keep a few of our valuable breeding mares back at the stud. It’s really important that the loaning of quality horses is reciprocal. It keeps everybody being able to perform at their best.” Of course, Sara is immensely proud of Lucy and Jim, and of their cousin Abbott, also part of the World Championship team.

“We are truly a family business,” she says.

The games themselves are divided into six six-minute chukkas, with the finals being eight six-minute chukkas. “At the

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OUR HEROES

World Cup, with two horses per player, there were sixteen horses in each pool – two horses per player, eight for four boys and eight for the girls,” Jim says. “We took 25 horses because I had two horses in each pool, all going into eight pools, so I matched my best mare – number 1 – with number 16, 2 with 15 and so on, so that whichever card I drew I would have a good combination. We draw our horses after breakfast on the first day, and I drew my second choice mare, so I was happy. Then the visiting countries have an hour and a half to practice, and off we go.”

Getting horses fit for something as fast and furious as polocrosse isn’t an issue at the stud, where they have an 800 metre training track. “We train the horses six days a week,” Jim says. “We start with the three-year-olds training them to take the racquet, from four, five and six, we get them used to chukkas. After six they’re

H

H: A beautiful Berragoon baby.

I: The family celebrates after the big win at the World Championship in Warwick.

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H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

OUR HEROES

ready for a competitive life. We do four laps of the 800-metre track, 400 metres at a trot, and 400 metres at a sprint, so

I

they’re fit and ready for competition day.”

It’s not just the horses that are fit. Jim also plays AFL and teaches part-time at the local gym, as well as working at the stud. The idea of both the horses and the riders being emotionally, physically and mentally fit, resonated with Lucy, who has recently started a business called ‘Girl Talk’, specialising in workshops for three ages – junior, intermediate and open.

“I’m going to run clinics based around physical, mental and emotional health, and using polocrosse as the base for it,”

one now. I’m hiring professionals to do

Inner – and outer – strength seems to be

she says. “We cover all sorts of subjects

the sessions, and obviously I’ll teach the

a family trait.

– things like bullying, social media,

polocrosse component. I really want to

confidence issues, over a workshop that

see more girls and women become more

You can contact Berragoon

lasts three days. I’m planning the first

aware of their inner strength.”

Australian Stockhorse Stud here.

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FEATURE

Saddle Cloths: What’s the Big Deal?

Far from being a mere fashion statement, there’s much more to the humble saddle cloth than meets the eye, as DANNII CUNNANE discovered.

A

saddle cloth is just a pad of material that’s placed under a horse’s saddle, right? Well, yes and no.

Originally, saddle cloths were used to protect the leather underside of a saddle from sweat and dirt, both of which have a detrimental effect on leather.

But there’s much more to them than that. For example, in an ideal world, a saddle should fit your horse perfectly, and responsible owners go to great lengths to ensure that that’s the case.

However, due to a range of factors a horse may change shape to the point where the saddle no longer fits snuggly.

And while a saddle cloth can never take the place of a properly fitted saddle, padded saddle cloths can be used to help in this instance. In fact, there are specially designed cloths that allow for additional padding, known as shims, to be inserted to provide individually tailored workarounds for minor fitting problems.

But isn’t it just about fashion?

Saddle cloths are now available in an apparently never-ending array of shapes, colours and materials. From the days of plain cotton pads used to protect the saddle, we have shifted to a

fashion-forward combination of colours and styles designed to suit all disciplines.

But saddle cloths aren’t just about keeping up with horse high couture!

Studies in the field of equine ergonomics - the applied science of equipment design that maximises performance by reducing horse fatigue and discomfort - have shown that saddle cloths can play a significant role in the comfort of the horse and how it moves.

Enter the equitation scientists The equitation scientists (yes, they exist!) who work in this area have investigated different saddle cloth materials, and how pressure and force impact and distribute along the horse’s spine. In order to obtain the necessary data, ultra-thin pressure mats embedded with sensors are placed under the saddle.

These sensors relay information in colour coded real-time video images that allow researchers to calculate the degree of pressure and where it’s located. The sensors are calibrated to differentiate between each gait, and also relay information relating to the friction and pressure points created by different types of materials.

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FEATURE During these studies, the horse’s heart rate is monitored to determine its comfort and stress levels. High heart rates can indicate discomfort, as can behaviours such as tail swishing, ear pinning, and even bucking. Researchers monitor this behaviour, which adds to the data they collect as they test the comfort of different types and thicknesses of material.

The studies have demonstrated that some saddle cloths actually help to distribute the pressure of the rider and saddle more evenly, while also reducing friction.

And pressure and friction aren’t the only considerations. In an effort to relieve the problem of hot spots along a horse’s spine, researchers have also looked at the way in which heat distribution varies between saddle cloths of different materials and thickness.

So, what’s the verdict?

It would be easy to assume that with all that science going on behind the scenes, the ‘perfect’ saddle cloth would now be ready and waiting for you.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

Although the studies have identified trends regarding the positive and negative effects of a variety of materials, research is still in the early stages.

However, some results are in: reindeer fur has topped the list as the best distributor of pressure between the saddle and spine, and sheepskin, with its ability to even out minor irregularities in pressure and to conform to the shape of the saddle, has also received a tick.

What about the design?

Although studies have been conducted on different saddle cloth designs, it’s definitely not a one-shape-fits-all scenario. It really does depend on the needs of each individual horse.

Anatomical saddle cloths that are shaped to pull up high over the withers are useful in preventing shoulder and wither pressure, particularly for horses with high ‘shark fin’ withers. But this

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type of cloth will not help if the saddle itself is putting pressure on those areas.

In fact, it will create even more of a problem.

Another saddle cloth option is a ‘cut out’.

As the name suggests, this saddle cloth is cut away so as to relieve potential pressure on the trapezius muscle.

Very simply put, this is the muscle that connects the forelimbs to the rest of the horse’s body, so unwanted pressure on the trapezius will obviously impact upon the freedom of the horse’s

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movement as well as its comfort.

While researchers have discovered that a cut out cloth allows for better distribution of heat and pressure than a full saddle cloth, the problem of pressure on the trapezius muscle should really be remedied with a better fitting saddle. While a cut out cloth might be a short term solution, the horse may well experience greater problems in the long term if the issue with the saddle is not addressed.

FEATURE Be aware of behaviour: Does your horse’s behaviour change while you’re tacking up? Pinned ears, nipping, and raising the legs could indicate that the horse is experiencing discomfort and that further investigation is needed.

Ensure your saddle cloths are clean While keeping saddle cloths fresh and clean can be a bit of a chore, it’s an important step to keeping your horse comfortable. Built up sweat and dirt can cause irritation and friction, so it’s obviously best to avoid riding with dirty saddle cloths.

You can keep your saddle cloths clean by popping them in the washing machine – but always check labels for the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions before you opt for a good old-fashioned wash and spin!

If immersion in water isn’t an option, you can clean the underside of the cloth with a stiff bristled brush. While you’re doing that, check for any hard spots. Wear and tear can result in the padding becoming compacted or worn down, which will reduce its shock absorbing properties, as well as creating potential pressure points.

And if you have a sheepskin pad, be sure that you use the recommended detergent. Some laundry detergents can destroy natural fibres.

So, you’re in the market for a saddle cloth How to know if there’s pressure While we’re waiting for that hi-tech, problem-solving saddle cloth to hit the shelves, here are some tips that will help you to identify whether your saddle is putting pressure on your horse’s back and causing them discomfort.

Look for the spots: After riding, look for dry spots in the saddle area of your horse’s coat. A dry spot indicates a place where the saddle has applied pressure.

saddle sits. If the horse flinches, moves

Saddle cloth manufacturers are incorporating more and more hi-tech features into their designs, and that’s obviously a good thing. However, make sure you do your research before you buy. Be aware of jargon and marketing hype that has little or no evidence to back up its claims! Ask questions and make sure that what you’re purchasing delivers what the marketing promises.

away, or tries to evade your touch, there

Types of saddle cloths

These pressure points can be painful and may turn into saddle sores if left without treatment. Another indicator of uneven pressure? Areas of the coat that are more compressed than others.

Check for tenderness: Gently run your fingers along your horse’s spine, especially around the area where the

may well be an issue with pressure and the fit of the saddle.

Whatever your riding style, choose a saddle cloth that suits your horse

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FEATURE

A Western saddle sporting the thicker western pad to help support the weight of the saddle, and protect the horse’s back.

and is appropriate for your saddle.

For example, a saddle cloth which has stitching or seams in areas where the saddle sits can cause unnecessary pressure. Similarly, avoid a cloth that will be pulled down by your saddle and cause discomfort and pressure on your horse’s back and withers.

But to be a little more specific, here are some saddle cloth tips relevant to specific riding styles: English: To simplify things, we’ve included dressage, show jumping and showing in this category. Inexpensive saddle cloths are probably best avoided

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for these disciplines. Cheaper cloths usually include man-made materials such as polyester and nylon, which do not have the ability to wick away moisture and can also cause excess heat.

They are also less likely to provide the same level of comfort offered by natural fibres such as sheepskin and cotton.

Natural fibres tend to reduce pressure points, release heat, and allow moisture to be wicked away - plus they help to keep the horse cooler during summer workouts, and warmer during winter.

Western/Stock: The materials available for western style and stock saddle cloths aren’t as varied as for English saddles. A

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

good option is a Navajo saddle blanket.

This is a thickly woven, usually natural fibre cloth that is relatively easy to clean, wicks away moisture and also releases heat. The downside is that they can bunch up or slip if the saddle doesn’t fit properly.

Woven pads are also an option.

However, these have been known to cause both friction and pressure spots.

If you’re considering purchasing a pad, ensure the thickness is appropriate for both your horse and saddle, and choose a material that isn’t synthetic. Pads made of compressed wool or a breathable foam are the best option, while synthetic

FEATURE

fleece, neoprene and polyester can cause excess heat and trap sweat.

Of course, when all is said and done, a properly fitted saddle that distributes pressure evenly across the horse’s back, coupled with a good saddle cloth that ‘fills in the gaps’ is the optimal solution.

No saddle cloth can truly correct the problems that arise from a poorly fitting saddle, so consider arranging for an accredited saddle fitter to check that your horse and your saddle are a good match. Your horse’s improved performance will be reward enough!

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SCHOLARSHIP

Delivering Dreams Scholarship HorseVibes is extremely proud to announce the launch of our quarterly Delivering Dreams Scholarship.

to their goals, but needs some help to get the support required to make it to the next level.

Every three months we will be asking for applications from riders, with one lucky person chosen to receive an intensive training package from a qualified coach of their choice, as well as products from some our favourite equestrian businesses to help support them in the pursuit of their dreams.

The HorseVibes publishing team will put together a quarterly package for our chosen rider, and we’ll follow their progress in the magazine, sharing the insights they gain on their journey.

The Delivering Dreams Scholarship will be awarded to a rider who is committed

Imagine if you could receive the best training your discipline can provide and overcome any barriers standing between you and your success!

TO FIND OUT MORE EMAIL FIONA - INFO@HORSE VIBES.COM.AU

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H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

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THE HORSE LISTENER

Back to Basics – Cowboy Style Octagons, gates, bridges and archery CANDIDA BAKER took time out to learn the fundamentals of Cowboy Dressage, and to fire a bow and arrow for the first time in her life.

S

o here I am, perched atop my friend’s schoolmaster mount, the lovely Junior, a 19-year-old Anglo/Arabian cross American Saddlebred, and I’m desperately trying to make sense of the commands issuing forth from our instructor, Damian Hall, on this two-day Cowboy Dressage course I suddenly decided I absolutely had to do.

You what? ‘J’ for Jelly?? I think to myself,

almost 60 years, decide that Cowboy

and what’s this eight business.

dressage is on the must-at-least try list?

I’m waiting for commands I know, like

Well, for several reasons.

“At J for Jelly, prepare for a change on the diagonal and go through eight…”

Why would someone like me, who has

competition, and the level of sheer fun

been happy riding English-style for

and enjoyment in the air was off the

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‘working trot rising’, or ‘ride a 20 metre circle between B and E’, but I decide discretion is the better part of valour, and I’ll just follow the horse and rider in front and Junior is fortunately perfectly happy to obey.

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The first, their names now lost in the mists of time, was at a very early Equitana in Melbourne when one evening we watched a Western rider and a dressage rider doing a contrast and compare demonstration. It was not a

A sunset in cowboy country.

Inset: Damian Hall.

Pictures: Candida Baker

chart, but for many of us, it was our first taste of what Western Dressage could look like, and what it looked like was relaxed – for the horse and rider.

For those who might be unsure of the terms, Cowboy Dressage and Western Dressage are different (although similar in some ways). Cowboy Dressage was created as a discipline by Eitan BethHalachmy, who was originally the co-founder of the Western Dressage Association of America.

Eitan and his wonderful Morgan stallions, Holiday Compadre and Santa Fe Renegade, won multiple World Champion Western Pleasure Horse, and his demonstrations at the closing and opening ceremonies of the World Equestrian Games in Aachen and Lexington gave this still relatively new discipline (and Morgan horses) hundreds of thousands of new disciples world-wide.

To try and make the difference simple: J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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THE HORSE LISTENER

A: Nancy Clarke on Junior, her schoolmaster mount, showing off their archery skills.

B: Junior in reflective mode.

(Probably thinking about teaching yet another rookie!)

C: The Challenge Court, with all its, well, challenges.

D: Ruth McGill on her beautiful fouryear-old Morgan Stallion, River.

Western Dressage tends more towards traditional dressage, Cowboy Dressage is geared more towards a Western-style horse.

The biggest differences between Cowboy Dressage and Western Dressage are seen in the tests. Western dressage has opted for an arena and tests that are very similar to traditional dressage competition. Cowboy dressage took the traditional dressage arena and turned it into a classroom for the Western horse, resulting in a unique court with patterns scaled to the movements and goals of Western horses.

And this is the whole new language I’m trying to learn. I’m so confused that it takes me a while to work out that in fact

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the letters on a Cowboy dressage court arena are similar – but different enough to pose an old brain a challenge - to a classical dressage arena. Yes, ok, 8 = X, and all the main letters are the same, but what’s this J, N, Q and Y, and even more confusingly the stars between B & R and E and S. Then there’s this wretched octagon bang slap in the middle of the arena, not to mention four short ground poles each five metres down from the top of the arena and five metres in, plus four – two each side – poles in the ground a metre apart. And the arena is 40 metres x 20 metres, not 60 metres x 20 metres.

I’m just beginning to get the most basic understanding of the court when

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

‘

‘

A

Shoot an arrow from the top of a moving horse?

Why not?

THE HORSE LISTENER

C

B

Damian gathers us all into the middle.

“What’s essential,” he says, “is to understand geometry. This is a very precise geometrical box, 40 metres by 20 metres, divided into 32 five metre smaller boxes. You will be more penalised for your horse not being in the correct position than you will for getting the movement slightly incorrect.”

Geometry. Well, I’m stuffed then, I think sadly. Minus 1% in my last maths exam at the age of 15 isn’t going to help me here. No wonder it seems like a maze to this right-brainer. I sigh, and I swear Junior does too. This isn’t going to be easy for either of us, I can almost feel him thinking, as he prepares himself to try and help out this complete rookie.

D

A little further into the day, when we’ve progressed to walking solo (at least I’ve progressed to walking, the others are all trotting), Damian calls to me, “That’s an error of course.”

I’m about to say, well, of course it’s an error. I don’t know what I’m doing, when I get a lightbulb moment – aha, that’s what he was talking about. It’s not an error, of course, it’s an error-ofcourse. I gather myself in, repeat the line I’m supposed to follow and get it approximately right.

Damian, who grew up on a cattle farm at Wailada in northern New South Wales, came to Cowboy Dressage via a few different disciplines. “As a kid I took to camp-drafting which wasn’t surprising

coming from the farm, but then I was introduced to Polocrosse and I toured Canada with the 2005 Polocrosse team,” he says. “It was while I was there that I realised there were certain gaps in my horsemanship, and when I got home I started to learn about natural horsemanship. I had a close affiliation with Ken Falkiner, and after a while I started to teach clinics. The transition from natural horsemanship to Cowboy Dressage resonated with me. It’s so good for brains and bodies - for the horses and the riders!”

Cowboy and Western dressage are both quickly increasing in popularity in Australia. According to Nancy Clarke, who comes from a classical dressage

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THE HORSE LISTENER

F

a go, I don’t have a moment’s hesitation.

Shoot an arrow from the top of a moving horse? Why not?

E

background and owns the property where the clinic is being held, part of the reason is the friendliness of the discipline.

“A lot of people think you have to have a Western saddle and special tack,” she says, “but you don’t. At the lower levels you can ride in your normal saddle and a snaffle bridle. I found the feedback very friendly as well. It seems to be a very supportive environment.”

Damian, who is based in Inverell, is a Level 1 Cowboy Dressage Clinician/ Educator. He’s also a horsemanship trainer, and a member of the CDWPA and competes in various disciplines himself. He was also selected to take part in the prestigious Way of the Horse competition at Equitana in 2016. His easy-going teaching is relaxing enough

36

for Junior and I to begin to find our ‘softfeel’ together.

“Soft feel is the philosophy underpinning Cowboy Dressage,” he tells me during a break. “What we want to create is an intimate conversation between the horse and rider, and we work to develop the connection in a relaxing, encouraging environment.”

Gradually, over the two days, I begin to gain a basic grasp of this remarkably friendly, inclusive discipline, and Junior and I begin to find our stride. So much so that when Nancy, who has also recently taken up archery, suggests that the following morning after the clinic, a small group of us left over, including Damian, and Ruth McGill who is training her beautiful young Morgan stallion, River, in Cowboy Dressage, should give it

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

Nancy, who has been doing it for a while, creates the run for us, keeping us safely inside a track, with the two targets outside. On steady Junior, she leads us first at a walk, then stops by the targets so we can load, aim, fire.

We then progress to a solo-walk, an attempt at a trot, and in Nancy’s case a beautiful canter.

Cowboy dressage and archery – it was a fantastic way to reconnect with the fun of horsemanship. I can thoroughly recommend getting out there and having a go, in fact I’ll be doing it again, first chance I get!

To contact Damian go to his Facebook page or website.

In 2015 Eitan Beth-Halachmy released a new book, Cowboy Dressage, Riding, Training and Competing with Kindness as the Goal and Guiding Principle. The book is available through Amazon.

Candida Baker runs a Facebook page, The Horse Listener. She is also the President of Equus Alliance.

THE HORSE LISTENER

H

E: Damian Hall showing a ‘soft feel’ with his beautiful bay horse, Potter.

F: Candy and Junior getting to know each other.

G

G: A reward for studying geometry – learning to shoot a bow and arrow off the ever-patient Junior.

H: Damian instructing Cathy Sugarman on her horse Jolly.

Come and say “Hi!” to Ash and her team.

SADDLEWORLD

155 Casino Street South Lismore NSW 2480

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FEATURE

A legend, a legacy, and Australia’s own Ammo saddle Who can ever forget the sight of the lone rider at the Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony galloping into the stadium to signal the start of the Games? Not us, for sure. JANE CAMENS talks to Steve Jefferys about the saddle he named for his horse.

Y

ou could hear a pin drop in that massive stadium.

The spotlight on the rider, the galloping horse that reared, before SteveJefferys cracked his whip and 120 horses (including Steve’s partner at the time Sandy Langsford), charged into the arena on their Australian Stock Horses.

to him further about it. He told me: “Working Equitation didn’t exist in Australia when the Ammo was created, but the saddle was designed to be extremely versatile, and so yes, it is ideal for Working Equitation – as it is for most disciplines because of the fact that it holds you in a great position.”

A few weekends ago, Saddleworld came to do a showing of saddles for several horses at the property where I keep my horse. I’d expected stock saddles, but instead, it was a slightly different looking saddle that came out of the truck. I got talking to the saddle-fitter, who told me that Steve Jefferys had designed this saddle, and that it was called the Ammo.

I casually asked how the saddle got its name, and yes, that’s right, readers, I quickly realised he was talking about that rider – the legendary figure who had named the saddle after the horse the world fell in love with that night.

After the demonstration I was assured the Ammo was ideal for Working Equitation, so I contacted Steve to talk

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A

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

So let’s rein back, so to speak. Steve was a renowned horse trainer long before he had the idea for the Ammo saddle. “I was riding 10 horses a day – everything from a two-year-old starting out to a Grand Prix dressage horse that needed some help. I was riding green horses, maybe some that needed re-schooling, and of course some that I was breaking in,” he says. “I wanted a saddle I could put on any horse that would put me in a balanced position for riding whilst giving me adequate support for all these different kinds of horses.”

A trip to the USA and time spent in an American cutting saddle changed the way he thought about Australian stock saddles and Western saddles with a horn. “I liked the fenders on Western saddles because they don’t pinch your leg like a conventional stirrup leather, and they keep the sweat off your leg unlike a dressage saddle for example,” he says. “So I took my cutting saddle to the saddle-maker Marsh Carney in Scone and told him I wanted a stock saddle that sat on a horse in the same way as the Western saddle, but I wanted the stock saddle knee pads, which would give me the support that the Western saddle doesn’t have.”

A: The Ammo saddle, so comfy even the dog can’t resist.

B: Steve Jefferys on Ammo the horse showing off his Sydney Olympic Games move.

B J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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FEATURE

Steve and Marsh worked on the design, and changed the angles of the pads so a rider could effectively rise to the trot. When Steve rode in the saddle he was amazed. “I’d had a bad back for years until I started to ride in this new design – it literally fixed my back due to supporting me in the correct posture!”

C

C: Steve and Drummer performing in ‘Carmen’ at the Sydney Opera House.

Steve suggests that the Ammo can work for most horses. “When it was made originally the tree was narrower than I wanted - it’s much better for a tree to be a bit too wide because you can pad them, but if they are too narrow they pinch. So we worked on that, and we had, to my mind, the perfect saddle. It can work for most of them them as long as you get the right padding underneath and allow the horse’s shoulder to move. ” Steve didn’t intend to make the saddle commercially but when Saddleworld suggested they wanted to make it and that they would like to bring out a synthetic version to make it more affordable for everyday riders, Steve was happy to work with them. That was back in 2000 and since then the saddle has become a constant top seller, particularly in endurance where it’s been a top-seller around the world. The key, according to Steve, is to get the balance 100% right. “We’ve had top dressage riders use the saddle when schooling their young horses because it allows you to ride correctly but also gives them more security than a dressage saddle,” he says.

Steve still uses his Ammo everyday, although the legendary horse it was named after passed away two years ago at the age of 18, after he developed a kidney problem. In a terrible twist of fate, he also lost Drummer, (the horse pictured on stage in Carmen) when he was only 16.

“Years of education go into creating a working relationship with these horses,” he says. “They go into buildings, they work on stage, they do charity events.

We think Drummer was bitten by something, his heart shut down, and it

was probably a snake. I didn’t want him to have an autopsy, I couldn’t bear the thought of it, so we will never know for sure. We still have Jamieson, the black stallion – he’s now 30, and he’s been a wonderful partner.”

Images of Jamieson are also deep in the Australian psyche – galloping along beside the Jeep in the Cherokee ad, for example, demonstrating at the Olympic Games, and at the Royal Easter Show, to

name but a few.

Since the loss of Ammo and Drummer, Steve has spent a considerable amount of time overseas working on large, worldwide events, still riding in his Ammo. “I ride with the original timber tree,” he says. “It was an idea created just for me, but I think that in the long run it has revolutionised stock saddles.”

A quiet revolution from a quiet achiever.

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FEATURE

Hello Mum! A healthy delivery, and a new life underway.

‘

‘

After foaling, your mare’s protein and energy requirements are higher than any other time in her life.

FEATURE

Managing the Mums Animal nutritionist LARISSA BILSTON, explains why the higher nutritional requirements of pregnant and lactating mares is so important.

A

s we move into spring, many brood mares move into their final months of gestation signalling higher nutritional requirements. Have you thought about what you’ll need to feed your mare from now until she foals? And what will she need to eat after the foal is born?

Provided your mare was in good condition, and being fed a well-balanced forage-based diet supplemented with high quality protein and a vitamin and mineral supplement to fill any gaps and correct mineral ratios, her dietary needs will not visibly alter much for the first six months of pregnancy. However, if she is lacking in energy or vitamins and minerals, her body will ‘mine’ its own resources to give these to the growing foetus.

Roughage is always the basis of a healthy ration The first rule of good horse nutrition is to feed plenty of roughage – pasture, hay or chaff. Unless your mare is overweight, it is safe to feed as much grass-based roughage as she will eat.

If your mare needs an energy source such as digestible fibres, grains or pellets to continue in light work or to maintain weight, then you should continue to feed that to her and

carefully monitor her body condition.

Your mare needs to be a healthy weight (not too heavy, not too light) to maintain a healthy pregnancy, but her body’s requirement for energy throughout pregnancy only increases slightly and gradually over her need when spelling or in light work (see Chart 1).

Add the appropriate amount and type of protein Pregnant, lactating and growing horses need high quality protein in their diets – especially lysine, a key amino acid they are unable to produce in their bodies. Lucerne and soybean meal are often an effective option for adding lysine to breeding horse rations and are commonly found in commercial feeds formulated for breeding horses.

Pure lysine can also be purchased from bodybuilding stores and added as a supplement in carefully calculated amounts. Chart 1 illustrates that during the last three months of pregnancy your mare will need almost 50% more lysine than she did before conceiving (a 600kg mare needs 46g of lysine/day at 11 months gestation).

Your pregnant mare’s need for some minerals is higher than when spelling and in some cases, is higher than when performing very heavy exercise. The

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FEATURE A lactating broodmare may consume as much as 50% of her daily intake as concentrate. It is also critical to provide a vitamin and mineral supplement to satisfy your mare’s daily requirements and to correctly balance the mineral ratios across her entire diet. Remember to check whether your supplement contains salt, and if not, add 10g of plain salt (sodium chloride) per kg of bodyweight to the daily ration.

A

A: In the second trimester the foal is fully formed, but few external signs are present at 150 days into the pregnancy. The second trimester for a mare begins on day 114 and goes until day 225.

B: A heavily pregnant mare. The third trimester begins day 226 and ends when the foal is born. The fetus does most of its actual growing during the last three months of pregnancy. This is why the average mare does not look pregnant until month eight or later of the pregnancy. main increases for mineral requirements relate to calcium and phosphorous, which are needed in increasing amounts as the pregnancy progresses (Chart 2); and for copper, iron and iodine in the last 3 months (Chart 3). As with mineral supplementation in all classes of horses, it is imperative that your pregnant or lactating mare obtains all the minerals she needs, in carefully balanced ratios from all food sources.

decline. However, the amount of food going into the mare and foal unit often stays almost constant until weaning to allow the mare to recover any body condition lost during early lactation and to feed the foal who now eats more grass, hay and hard feed and drinks less milk.

B

Feeding the lactating mare After foaling, your mare’s protein and energy requirements are higher than at any other time in her life. It is not unusual to have to feed more hard feed, in a more energy dense form, than she has ever needed before. Even given this she may still lose weight during the first months of lactation. Unwanted weight loss can be minimised by feeding three or more small hard feeds per day in addition to all the quality hay and pasture she can eat.

Your mare’s energy and protein requirements will begin to drop after the foal reaches three to four months of age because milk production starts to

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Do I need to feed a commercial breeding horse pellet?

A quality breeding specific commercial premixed feed can simplify feeding for some mares, but only if she eats the full daily recommended amount of the feed. If she needs more or less calories than the feed provides, you will need to adjust the protein and mineral levels to avoid an oversupply or deficiency.

For this reason, in many cases it can be simpler to provide a protein source and a quality vitamin and mineral supplement separately from the energy source. This allows you to easily change the diet in response to seasonal changes as well as your mare’s changing needs

FEATURE FEATURE through pregnancy to lactation and weaning.

If I mix my own concentrates, what sorts of feed should I use?

1/ Extra energy to top up calories from roughage if required from: • Super Fibres - energy sources that are high in digestible fibre make an excellent basis for adding calories to the diet of broodmares. These include beet pulp (e.g. Speedibeet, Mircrobeet), soy hulls (e.g. Maxisoy), other legume hulls such as lupin hulls or Hygain Fibressential which is a blend of ‘super fibres.’ Copra is also high in fibre but is also relatively high in fat.

• Legume grains – the most commonly available is lupins which can be fed in a processed form or if bought whole or cracked and soaked in water to soften prior to feeding.

• Cereal grains – oats contain starch in a form which is easily digested by horses when fed raw. Oats can be fed whole provided your mare’s teeth are in good condition, but other cereals such as barley and corn are poorly digested unless cooked (boiled, extruded, micronized or pelleted). Cereal by-products such as wheat, bran and millrun are lower in energy and nutrients than whole grains.

• Fats and oils – can be used judiciously to boost the energy density of lactation diets but must be introduced very gradually to avoid upset.

2/ Extra protein to top up amino acids – especially those high in lysine from: • Lucerne, clover or other legumes in the hay or pasture.

• Full fat soybean meal.

• Pure lysine as a supplement.

• Other common feeds such as lupins and copra are relatively high in crude protein, but their amino acid profiles are not as well matched to horse requirements.

Conclusion

3/ Vitamins and minerals • A quality vitamin and mineral supplement rich in macrominerals, trace minerals and vitamins. Look for one designed to balance mineral ratios across the whole diet.

• Salt.

• Consider a probiotic live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) shown to boost forage utilisation and milk production.

Roughage (pasture, hay or chaff ) forms the foundation of any well-balanced horse diet. Not all pregnant mares require an energy source (like grain, beet pulp, oil, pellets, formulated blends) especially in the first two thirds of gestation - it depends on how they hold their weight and the energy content of their roughage source, and that varies according to seasonal factors. Some may need an energy boost when pasture is not growing well, but won’t need any added energy during the spring pasture flush. Others may need a steadily increasing amount of hard feed over the pregnancy.

Your mare’s energy and protein requirements will reach an all-time high during the first half of lactation and she may need three or more meals a day to

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FEATURE FEATURE supply her milk production. As the foal starts eating more grass, hay and hard feed and drinks less milk, the mare’s feed requirements begin to reduce gradually.

Glimmer greets her newborn, Storm.

Photo Candida Baker

If you feed a bagged ‘complete feed’, you’ll need extra vitamins and minerals when you feed less than the recommended amount from the bag.

If you mix your own hard feeds and incorporate a comprehensive all in one vitamin and mineral supplement you can easily make changes to the energy and protein content of the diet as necessary.

Remember to provide clean water at all times and to make all dietary changes gradually, and introduce new ingredients over a two week period to allow gut microbial populations to adapt.

It can be a wise investment (for your pocket as well as your horse’s health) to seek the advice of a qualified equine nutritionist during these critical stages of the life of your mare and new foal.

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HORSE BREED

The Royal Alter Real Alter Reals are exceptionally rare, writes DANNII CUNNANE, and were orignally only bred at a single stud, founded by the Portugese Royal family.

A

lthough the Alter Real is a strain of the Lusitano, for many decades it was only bred at the Alter Real State Stud, located in Portugal. Its name comes from Alter do Chão, a small town in Portugal, where ‘real’ means ‘royal’ in Portuguese.

This breed is immensely strong, powerfully built and known for its high-stepping action. The Alter Real is ideal for riding, pulling carriages, and for classic dressage competitions.

A royal breed The Alter Real State Stud was founded in 1748 by the Portuguese Royal Family, also known as the Braganza family, with its purpose being to supply riding horses to the National Riding Academy for royal use. The strain was developed from 200 Lusitano and Andalusian mares imported from Spain in 1747, and the breed developed from there.

Because the royal family bred the horses, the ‘real’ was added into the breed name to signify that it was royal blood. The breed was pure until Napoleon invaded Spain in the early nineteenth century, when the Alter Real strain deteriorated due to the introduction of Arabian, Thoroughbred, Spanish-Norman and Hanoverian blood. However, in the late

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nineteenth and twentieth centuries the strain was re-established with the further introduction of Spanish blood into the breed.

A revolution kills off the breed In 1910, a revolution overthrew the Portuguese Monarchy which was replaced by the First Portuguese Republic. With no government interest in the horses, the Alter Real strain faced extinction. Most of the Alter Real horse records were burned, the stallions were gelded, and the stud dispersed and discontinued.

In the early 1940’s the Portuguese Ministry for Agriculture tried reviving the breed, however with no stallions post the revolution the task was impossible.

But by an extraordinary stroke of luck, one man - Dr. Ruy d’Andrade – a wellknown Portugese equestrian, had the foresight to rescue two stallions before they were gelded as well as several mares. His actions saved an entire breed and in 1942 he generously gave his entire herd to the Portuguese Ministry for Agriculture which allowed the Alter Real State Stud to reopen and a breeding program to re-commence. The stud continues to produce horses to this day.

Who was Dr. Ruy d’Andrade?

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

Main Pic: Alter Real horses are typically bay, with the characteristic large movement of the Iberian and Andalusian horses.

HORSE BREED

HORSE BREED

A

A: A rider in baroque costume showing the above air skills of the Alter Real.

B: The famous Portugese equestrian Dr Ruy d’Andrade – the champion of the Alter Real.

C: The Alter Real mares and foals heading off to pasture.

D: An Alter Real stallion showing off the attributes of the breed.

Dr. Ruy d’Andrade passed away in 1967 but is remembered as Portugal’s greatest equestrian authority and horse expert. He was an avid and talented horseman who had a passion for breeding Andalusian and Lusitano horses, also referred to as Iberian horses.

B

Not only was he renowned for his horses, Dr. Ruy d’Andrade was a famous Portuguese author, paleontologist, zoologist and hippologist.

The Alter Real State Stud never forgot the kindness and generosity of one man’s actions. In Alter do Chão, on the premises of the former Royal Stud, a plaque honouring Dr. Ruy d’Andrade’s actions is displayed which reads: Dr Ruy d’Andrade Agrarian, zoologist, author, historian, archaeologist, politician, artist, distinguished sportsman, defender of the national horse – a tribute from admirers and friends.

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HORSE BREED

C

Breed characteristics The Alter Real is a strong and powerfully built horse and stands between 15.1 and 16.1 hands high. It has an impressive high stepping action which is ideal for carriage driving and dressage work. Alter Reals are known for their intelligence, they are quick to learn and eager to please. Although they have a solid build, they are elegant and comfortable to ride.

D

The breeding goal is not much different from that of other Lusitano breeders, and includes a square frame, a strong back, rounded forms, good balance, proud action. Head profiles vary from straight to convex.

While Alter Real’s were all bay, in recent years there has been an outcross with Spanish and Lusitano stallions which has resulted in some being grey, bay or chestnut in colour.

Weaknesses of the Alter Real breed are

a tendency towards post-leggedness and weak pasterns. Like the majority of baroque breeds, the Alter Real can be gaited.

Portugal and every year selected horses

Further information

information, visit the Alter Real

To this day, the Alter Real is bred in

State Stud webpage.

are available to purchase. The State Stud is a tourist attraction and able to be viewed by appointment. For further

J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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ON MY TACKBOX

Why do biomechanics matter?

Connecting with Horses and Riding with Synchronicity creator MEL FLEMING explains the importance of good biomechanics and why it is important for ALL horses and essential to having an ‘easy’ relationship with your horse.

B

iomechanics is the study of the structure, function and motion of the mechanical aspects of biological systems. It’s more commonly thought of as the science of movement of a living body - including how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together to produce movement. We all know that elite athletes and sports people are continually studying biomechanics to improve their performance and prevent injury. Good biomechanics result in maximum performance (strength, power and endurance) with minimal effort and the least amount of strain and stress on the body.

and it will do the same for you too.

Healthy biomechanics means that the horse will be in a state of softness where the back is supple and all joints

Diagram illustrating the biomechanics of a horse and a human.

Biomechanics and horses If you were an elite competitor in any equestrian discipline you could easily understand why biomechanics would be important. But you may be asking why does it matter if I’m just a pleasure rider?

I’m here to tell you good biomechanics matter for every horse and will keep your horse happy, healthy and sound –

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act as good shock absorbers. Poor biomechanics cause horses to be rigid, stiff legged and jarring, which is very uncomfortable for both horse and rider.

Poor biomechanics is often referred to as a horse being unbalanced, ‘on their forehand’, ‘pulling themselves along with their front legs’ or moving in a ‘disengaged state’. Good biomechanics means a horse is balanced and engaged, that is, pushing with their hindquarters to get forward propulsion and carrying a bigger proportion of their weight and that of the rider and the saddle with their hindlegs.

A horse that is too heavily on the forehand is like driving a car without power steering or even worse a car with two flat front tyres - so he/she will be harder to steer and manoeuvre around. Being on the forehand is a big contributor to why horses are heavy on the reins. However, a light horse does not always equal correct biomechanics as horses can get their weight back in a healthy biomechanical way or an unhealthy biomechanical way and unfortunately the latter is what more often happens.

ON MY TACKBOX

Mel Fleming training a horse to be soft in the front.

Photo: Candida Baker

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ON MY TACKBOX

Health and general wellbeing Incorrect biomechanics affects the horse’s health and general wellbeing.

• For example the digestive, respiratory, nervous system and reproductive system can be affected.

When the muscles surrounding the internal organs or structures of the body are in a state of tension, it affects the positioning and the functioning of the internal organs.

• It damages structures – for example, feet, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles.

• It affects the energy flows throughout the horse’s body and their overall condition.

• Postural issues that cause stress, strain, damage and pain, will, over time, lead to mental and emotional stress which will also break down your relationship with your horse.

Your horse won’t understand why you continue to ask him or her to do things that feel so wrong, uncomfortable or painful and why you don’t understand or care how they are feeling!

A

A: The centres of both horse and rider. B: Identifying good biomechanics. Most people just look at the head and neck but we need to look at the rest of the body. A few key things are: The horizontal line (spirit level) - Is it level, uphill or downhill? The front leg in the maximum weight bearing stage - Is it vertical or sloping backwards ? The hind leg in its maximum weight bearing stage – how far forward in front of the stifle is it ?

B

The good news is that in the vast majority of cases all these things are repairable, even in older horses, as long as the damage done is not too extreme.

The sooner we can change things the easier it is to fix.

Healthy biomechanics make your horse happier Much of the resistance, brace, or so called “bad behaviour” that people experience with their horses, come from the fact that horses are not comfortable, even to the point of pain. When moving with healthy biomechanics things feel relatively effortless and easy. With incorrect biomechanics a simple thing can feel hard, tiring and strenuous which equals discomfort or even pain.

Understanding this can help people understand why their horse is not volunteering and putting their hand up to go for a ride.

Riding a happy, willing horse in a good state of balance is a very enjoyable experience. When a horse is in the ultimate state of balance, “ready and poised to go in any direction at any time” and they are calm and at the same time alive and full of energy, wanting to do what you want to do, that is an incredible feeling.

You can’t force a horse into healthy biomechanics It all starts with a calm state of mind and relaxed emotional state for both horse and rider. It takes time to develop new neural pathways and then build the correct muscles. It is not a short process – we are talking weeks, months

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ON MY TACKBOX the biomechanics are as they should be?

Your horse gives you the feedback Soft and smooth, rhythm and flow, effortless – these key words will tell you when you are on track.

C and years if you are thinking about elite levels of competition. But, if you are using the correct approach, you will start seeing small changes in your horses immediately.

Truly correct biomechanics comes from deep relaxation of both horse and rider – when the body is deeply relaxed but at the same time alive and full of energy.

I call it being ‘centred’, a term used in martial arts - often explained as the unification of the mind, body and spirit.

It is a state of mental and emotional stillness and calmness. From this place true power and athleticism can be found just as it is in martial arts.

Biomechanics for different breeds and disciplines The basic skeletal structure for all horses is the same whether we are looking at a mini, a draft horse or anything in between; therefore the same fundamental principles of biomechanics apply to all breeds and to all disciplines.

At a more advanced level of training in the different disciplines there will be some different frames or outlines, depending on the degree and type of

56

engagement needed. The most minimal levels would be for trail riding horses, maximum levels would be for highlevel dressage, showjumping or cutting horses. The horse’s frame or outline (height and length of neck for example) will differ depending on whether they need more upward push of the hindlegs - for piaffe, or passage, for example, or whether they need the more forward push of a racehorse. However, within these differences the basic principles still apply.

Biomechanics doesn’t need to be complicated Some teachers make the subject sound very complicated, using complicated anatomical names and terminology.

The power and the truth is in the simplicity and in doing simple things with great quality. Learning a conceptual understanding of biomechanics combined with a basic understanding of the skeleton will help you develop an eye for what is correct. The hard thing is that commonly what people see is not correct, and sometimes, even when people are using the right words and terminology, the end results are mostly still not correct. So how can you ‘feel’ if

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Softness means softness in everything – • Soft mind and emotions - this is not a weakness but the centred way of having a strong focus. This focus does not have the intensity, rigidity or the inflexibility of the hard focus.

It is the focus that elite martial artists have.

• The muscles look and feel soft • The joints look soft and the feet look and sound soft on landing • Soft eyes The rhythm needs to be regular and not stop/start, or speeding up and slowing down.

The most important factors for correct biomechanics •

• • • •

Mental and emotional state - this is the number one priority. If the horse is stressed (or in any negative emotional state) they are not “centred” and therefore will not be operating from their centre - which equates to not operating from their hind end.

Saddles blocking movement of the back Soundness and health Existing postural patterns – genetic or conditioned Riders position, balance and aids

You and your horse will both enjoy yourselves more Most people get into horses because they want to have fun, enjoy themselves and share a wonderful relationship with the powerful magnificent being that the horse is.

When we are trying to force the horse into something it is never going to be an enjoyable experience for us or them.

ON MY TACKBOX

C: Good biomechanics leads to athletic performance horses.

D: Good biomechanics makes pleasure riding pleasurable.

D

Most people never really experience how good riding or working with horses can really feel. In fact for many people, the experience is often unpleasant and a struggle - they may feel pain or discomfort when they ride, or horse and rider are resisting each other, or they feel fear, or that riding is hard work and exhausting through either trying to make a horse go or trying to hold a horse back. For most people it doesn’t feel like harmony and effortlessness and ease.

Riding or ground work/play shouldn’t feel like a struggle or battle between you and the horse, even in the process of teaching your horse. I’ve personally experienced the struggle. I know how bad it feels in comparison to the joy and

effortlessness and ease you experience with a happy horse and a willing partner who becomes your best friend in the process.

The relationship and the connection with your horse should improve immensely with training including things like the horse being easy to catch, bridle and saddle – not because there are consequences if the horse doesn’t comply, but because they want to participate. If this is not happening then something in your training or the training system you are following is not working. During training your horse should become more interactive, friendly, curious and affectionate with you, their body should look more and more magnificent and they should

become more proud of themselves, and by extension you will become proud of yourself as well!

You can learn more from the website and by attending courses. Mel also recommends the recently published book by Karen E. Morris, The Horse’s Voice: How Kind Can Horsemanship Become?

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GIVING BACK

Anna Rimac with a student in the roundyard at the RDA Ballina site in Teven.

Inset pic: Anna loves teaching the little ones to ride.

GIVING BACK

school. Like many before her, Shilo is finding that being around the horses is giving her confidence in other areas of her life.

The Gift of Love Anna Rimac has been volunteering for six years with Riding for the Disabled (RDA). She talks to JANE CAMENS about her love for the horses – and the people that visit them.

A

nna is an RDA coach and supervisor and having come up through the volunteer ranks she now works with the Ballina and District RDA facility located outside the township of Teven on a 40-hectare property, generously donated by local farmer Brian McNamara.

“That’s when I started volunteering with RDA,’ she says. She wanted to learn as much as she could, so she also volunteered at Tassiriki Ranch Beach Riding. “I called myself the ’crash test dummy’,” she says, laughing.

It was a Saturday morning when I visited her on site. A seven-year-old boy was being led quietly around the covered arena by an assistant coach, while another volunteer walked by his side to ensure he was safe.

She is clearly comfortable around the herd of 10 horses on the property, but when she began she knew very little about equine management, in fact in her own words: “I knew nothing about horses! What brought me to RDA initially was wanting to learn about keeping horses, wanting to support a community enterprise, and learning,” she says.

Mind you, Anna wasn’t entirely a newbie to the horse world, having inherited a fascination and passion for riding from her Croatian horseman father. Her dad was the age she is now – 55 - when he was involved in a car accident that left him disabled. It was then that Anna first

The story of how Anna came to be where she is today began in the Blue Mountains where she was living, working as a mortgage broker but also volunteering as director of a food co-op.

She didn’t entertain the idea of owning a horse until 2012 when she sold her business and, for the first time, she and her husband had enough money to consider buying property. But first, Anna and her daughter did a 10-week riding program at Centennial Glen Stables in the beautiful Kanimbla Valley and in June 2013 the family relocated to the Northern Rivers.

heard of RDA. “I suggested it to him, but he refused to go,” she says. “He was terribly depressed. One day I would like to write his story, and it was definitely what led me to my involvement with RDA.” A volunteer mother and daughter team, Kirby and Shilo, told me that they were there that morning because of Anna. “I’d heard of RDA, but hadn’t done anything about it until Anna posted on Facebook asking for volunteers,” Kirby says. She thought it could be good for Shilo, who was shy and having difficulties at

Her horse knowledge has come along in leaps and bounds since then. She has also spent considerable money attending horse clinics and buying tack – even though she still doesn’t own a horse. Nor do she and her husband yet live on their own property.

Nevertheless, they’ve found ways to enjoy the sort of life they want in this area. Through her involvement with RDA, she has opportunities to ride after lessons, and she has also initiated a program that enables the volunteers to ride. “I was concerned about the horses only being led around. Now we have riding for the volunteers on Sundays.

I can learn lots here and practice my skills, as well as doing things for the organisation,” she says.

Her current favourite mount is a Standardbred, Hudson, the big boy in the RDA’s herd.

But RDA volunteering isn’t just horsing around. Anna has become the branch’s grant application writer, last

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year bringing in $70,000 in successful grants to add new infrastructure to the facility. She walks me around the property pointing out new sheds and obstacle courses that were built thanks to these grants. She also instituted the branch’s volunteer induction program. It begins with opening gates, progresses to leading the horses, then on to ‘side walking’. All volunteers are police checked and coaches need to have first aid certificates.

“I feel one of the big issues of our society is a lack of connection,” Anna says. “It can lead people to bad situations. For me, the best part of volunteering at RDA is influencing girls like Shilo. I love seeing everyone develop skills. A lot of the disabled riders have been protected a lot - by necessity, of course, but we gradually help them become more selfsufficient. It’s very satisfying.

The riders are inspiring, the volunteers

Anna finessing technique with an older rider in the arena. have a wealth of experience and passion, and the horses provide a nonstop learning opportunity.”

and myself. I enjoy helping others, being outdoors, and sharing the joy RDA brings.”

Summing up what she does, Anna says: “I love learning - about horses, people,

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and help to place my leg in the correct position for dressage,” she adds.

SADDLE REVIEW

Shara is absolutely delighted with the comfort of the Kieffer saddle, and she’s not the only one! Her friend’s daughter took the saddle for a test ride and liked it so much that she now wants one of her own.

Dressage Saddle Shara Menzies recently purchased a Kieffer Sydney dressage saddle and both she and her lovely Thoroughbred are delighted with her purchase.

“I

saw the Kieffer online at the Equestrian Hub. I’ve always admired the brand and I know that they have a great reputation,” Shara explains.

Although it was Shara’s first time purchasing through the Equestrian Hub, she knew she had nothing to lose: “They offer a trial period so if for some reason

the saddle didn’t suit us, I could simply return it,” she says.

But that wasn’t necessary, she says. “I’m very pleased with the fit and comfort of the saddle for both horse and rider. The leather is soft and supple, and it has a very deep seat, which I like. I’m particularly impressed with the knee rolls, which offer support

The Equestrian Hub has earned a very definite tick of approval from Shara: “The purchasing is quick and easy, the price was amazing, and the condition of the saddle was excellent,” she says.

The Equestrian Hub has a large variety of second hand saddles, so why not visit www.equestrianhub. com.au and browse through their fantastic range. You never know what you might find.

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AROUND THE TRAPS

A

B

C The World Jousting Championship (1-2 June 2019, Lardner Park in Warragul, Victoria) A: L-R: Andrei Kamin, Per Estein Poris-Rohjell, and Marc Hamel chat in in full armour ahead of the championship (Image by Rachel Flynn) B: Championship winner Phillip Leitch of Australia in training (Image by Rachel Flynn) C: Norway’s Per Estein Poris-Rohjell breaks his lance on Clifford Marisma of Australia (Image by Rachel Flynn)

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AROUND THE TRAPS

D

D: Andrei Kamin of Russia in the opening ceremony (Image by Damon Rulach)

AROUND THE TRAPS

E

F

G

H

I

J

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AROUND THE TRAPS

K

E: Alana Richards with Revelwood Noble Knight, Bowral Dressage (Ian Vaughan Photography)

L

F: Rachel Jones riding SB Simply Subtle in the Champion Basic Level at the Caboolture Western Dressage Competition (Soul Imagery) G: Holley Beaton and Junior at the Bulla Adult Riding Club Winter Woolies Show (Hackett Photos) H: Jacquelyn Kerry riding Harley at the Whittlesea Pony Club Combined Training (Click Capture Photography) I: Talicia Beardsmore and PP Jeopardy riding to 1st place in Camden Dressage’s Elementary Test (Damien Beardsmore) J: Susan Draganoff with Tricolby Roulette at the Baroque & Heavy Horse Show in Burpengary (Trish Minchin) K: Alana Richards and A Touch of Class, Sydney Eventing Summer Classic (GeoSnapshot Photography) L: Abby Smith on Barjack Mr Bojangles at the SCHQ Youth Show (Danni Milligan) J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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AROUND THE TRAPS

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M: Hollie Shiels with Daiquiri Loredo Moon at the Sydney Royal Easter Show (Allira Fontana Photography) N: Karli Colman and Rosethorn Mister Lincoln, winner of the Open 3 Year Old Futurity at the QLD Allbreeds Youngstock Show (Flash Pony) O: Aimee Hobden and Willows Chatterbox competing in the Costume Class Pony not exceeding 14hh event at the Gunnedah Show (Diane Hobden) P: Ellen Roberts and RPS The Good Stuff at the PHAA National Show 2019 (Oz Shotz Photography) J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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AROUND THE TRAPS

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AROUND THE TRAPS

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Q: Emma Mason’s coat tails were flying on Aramati Fox during the dressage phase of the CCI4*L. R: Sheridan Wilson and Artane Murphy placed 8th in the CCI3*L S: Tim Boland and Menlo Park win the CCI3*L in front of a big crowd

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YOUNG RIDER

Oliver Barrett on Sandhills Special at a cross country course.

YOUNG RIDER

“To achieve results it’s very important that you ride regularly. I ride every day after school and put in a lot of time training both horses. You have to work for every placing you get,” explains Oliver.

It’s in the Blood You could say that eventing is in Oliver Barrett’s blood – and, coupled with hard work and determination, that’s something which is paying significant dividends, writes DANNII CUNNANE.

H

ailing from the NSW Hunter Valley, meet July’s Young Rider, 15-year-old Oliver Barrett. Son of international event riders Craig and Prue Barrett, Oliver has been riding since he was able to walk.

“Growing up with parents who are into eventing has rubbed off on me,” he admits with a smile.

Oliver, who is packing quite a punch on the eventing scene, competes on two beautiful horses and has shared considerable success with them both.

“My first horse, Sandhills Special is a 13-year-old grey mare bred by my parents. Special stands at 16.1 hand high and is a Thoroughbred cross warmblood.

Then there’s Ballyhoo, a 14-year-old off the track bay gelding Thoroughbred standing at 16hh,” he says.

the renowned Wallaby Hill Horse Trials to be held in the Southern Highlands of NSW at the end of the year.

“We are really excited to be going to Wallaby Hill. I’ll be riding two-star in the event, but my goal is to move up to three-star next year. In the longer term, I’d love to represent my country either at a world championship event or at the Olympic Games,” he says.

In order to realise his goals, Oliver will be training hard to reach his full potential – and with consistent effort, determination and a great support network, there’s no doubt that he will succeed.

Oliver also watches many of the major international events on television. He believes that there’s much to be learned from carefully studying other riders to better understand the way in which they handle the event.

But it’s not all about horses! When he’s not in the saddle, Oliver enjoys playing golf: “I try to play on the weekends. I have a couple of friends who also play so we go out to have a round or two together. I find it quite enjoyable.”

To his great credit, Oliver is more than aware that his success is the result of a team effort: “If it weren’t for Mum and Dad I definitely wouldn’t be where I am.

“They’re great coaches and I’m so lucky to have parents who are very experienced and can guide me through this sport. They spend a lot of time with me and I’m thankful to be able to draw upon their knowledge and have their help,” he says.

HorseVibes wishes Oliver all the best with his horses and looks forward to watching him reach and surpass his three-star goals.

“I recently took both horses to Melbourne’s Concours Complet International (CCI) to compete in the two-star Junior class. We had some success, with Sandhills Special coming first and Ballyhoo securing eighth place.”

Given that 25 riders competed in that class, this is not a result to be sneezed at! But Oliver is an unassuming young man, and is touchingly modest when he reveals that he has already qualified for J U LY 2 0 1 9 - H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E

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TRAINING TIPS

Eventing puts a smile on your dial Top eventer Dom Schramm, and owner of the hilarious blog Evention TV, talks DANNII CUNNANE through eventing 101, and explains the unique element of cross country.

D

om Schramm hails from the small outback town of Charleville, Australia where he developed an affinity with horses from an early age.

This ‘country’ influence is evident in his training approach and horsemanship today.

“Historically, Australia and New Zealand have produced more Olympic and World Champions in eventing than any other countries,” Don says, “with most riders getting their start at local pony club or at small starter events.”

Building on his country background, Dom first achieved international recognition as a member of the 2006 Australian Young Rider Eventing Squad, also developing as a rider under the

guidance of Christopher Burton, for whom he worked as a working student for two years. A brave and hungry competitor, Dom gradually gained the patience, experience and knowledge to start horses from the ground up, while his passion for eventing took him all over Australia, England, Germany and ultimately to the United States.

In late 2010, seeking a more internationally competitive atmosphere, Dom made the decision to relocate to the U.S. Since then, he’s built a reputation in American eventing circles for his riding ability, as well as his enthusiastic and fresh teaching style – he’s also piloted both Cold Harbor and Bolytair B to 3* level, and is currently producing a string of exciting young horses with an aim to represent Australia

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A: Event riders Dom and Jimmie Schramm.

B: Dom Schramm and Bolytair B.

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B

TRAINING TIPS

to compete. “People like Warmbloods because they give a bit of sparkle to the dressage element, but the beauty of eventing is that there is no specific ‘type’ you should have. Australian Stock horses, Draft crosses, Standardbreds, Arabian crosses, and even ponies have been successful at the highest levels.

Basically you need a horse that can gallop, jump and take you safely through each eventing phase – although of course it’s a matter of training and the relationship you have with your equine partner that will make you successful.”

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What equipment does eventing require?

on the international stage.

Dom’s introduction to eventing Says Dom, inevitably known in Australia as ‘Schrammo’: “Eventing can be held across one to three days and has three phases; dressage, cross country and show jumping. It’s basically a horse triathlon requiring guts, discipline, accuracy and a touch of craziness!”

He points out that eventing is also a sport with a fantastic, friendly and supportive community. “If you enjoy the camaraderie and fun of catching up with your friends as you travel around to different shows, eventing definitely offers that,” he says. “Mind you, there’s no doubt that cross country – which is what is unique to eventing - is the exhilarating part that will satisfy the thrill seeker in you and basically you either love it or you don’t. In my experience, if you don’t come back from a cross country course with a smile on your face, then eventing is not for you.”

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Getting started Eventing, with its three different phases, is a very demanding sport. “You need to make sure that you and your horse are up to the job,” he says. “To start off, why not participate in the local chicken run to see if it’s for you. Chicken runs give a taste of what eventing is about without ‘ruffling feathers’ – so no high fences to begin.”

(You can check out your local riding clubs or pony clubs to see if they have any chicken runs planned.)

What sort of horse do you need?

In Australia, eventing continues to be a sport mainly for Thoroughbreds as we have a huge racing industry and that’s where the vast majority of retired racehorses go. That said, we are also changing towards using purpose bred sport horses (Thoroughbred x Warmbloods or Irish Sport Horses).

Dom is quick to suggest that breed is not as important as the horse’s desire

H O R S E V I B E S M A G A Z I N E - J U LY 2 0 1 9

Dom is a believer in keeping it simple at the beginning. “A good all-purpose saddle can be used for the three phases and it doesn’t have to cost the earth,” he says. “You will also need a good set of protection boots for the horse for cross country which can also be used in jumping. For the rider, invest in a decent helmet and back protector and make sure they are up to current standard. Starting out, you don’t need the fancy gear - you can purchase better equipment as you go.”

Top tips and tricks to get started The name of the game is fun! If you are young and looking to dip your toe in the water, Pony Club would be one of the best ways to get started in eventing, but as Dom explains, it’s important to understand that cross country is not the same as show jumping at speed over solid jumps!

“My advice is to make sure you get some lessons with an instructor who has some experience with eventing to help you learn cross country basics to keep you and your mount safe,” he says.

“Most riders (and horses) find they have a ‘knack’ for one or two phases and have to work at one of the others. Make sure you have a riding routine that gives you time to improve and hone your skills across all three phases.”

C: Dom Schramm in the dressage phase of an event.

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D: Dom Schramm in the show jumping phase of an event.

And like every other trainer, in every other discipline always says, Dom insists: “Don’t skip the flat work as this will give you the foundation for jumping! I like to be training at least one full level higher than I compete at, to ensure that my horse has a confident time at the show. If that’s not quite the case yet for your horse, be patient and get more experience so that you set yourself up for success in competition.”

A sign that you’ve worked hard? “Wet saddle-cloths make good horses,” Dom laughs. “There’s just no substitute for hard work in both riding and in life. I think it’s easy to get focused on the struggles and comparing yourself to other people who have new trucks and expensive horses and nice shoes, but in the end if you can keep finishing on that dressage score and treat your horses and the people around you with respect, then I believe you can get to where you want to go.”

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STARS WITH EPONA

Aries The eclipse energy crosses your home sector and the career zone putting you in a perfect position to gain perspective on both. Expect a message, or sudden intel coming to light. With Mercury Rx, you don’t action new plans yet. Wait until August to commit to change. Us equine Aries aren’t nearly as troubled by career dilemmas, but we do need a strong, guiding hand. Fair but firm wins the day.

Taurus Your communication and travel sectors are lit up presenting a bit of a pickle.

On the one hand, you are ripe for change that could mean a work trip or holiday. On the other hand, travel and communication during Mercury Rx can be fraught. The best approach is to go

J

uly brings two special events: a total solar eclipse on July 3rd and a partial lunar eclipse on July 17th.

Think of these as amped up new and full moons that bring a storm of energy to shake things up. Add to that, Mercury turns retrograde on the 7th of July meaning the trickster is afoot. Approach this month with circumspection and awareness and extra patience for us four-legged creatures. We’ll pick up on every little shift of the wind!

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with opportunities as they arrive and allow extra time for possible delays. Us four-legged ones are chilled as long as we can see out. Don’t block our view.

Gemini I won’t kid around; this eclipse season might play havoc on your money and finances. The remedy is the cure. Basically, don’t put yourself in a compromising situation. Live within your means and if you can’t, change how you live. It’s a bad time to stretch the line of credit. Us equines, by contrast, are particularly care-free this month as long as you give us shelter from the storm. No wet feet, please!

STARS WITH EPONA

Cancer

Libra

Capricorn With the solar eclipse casting shadows

This eclipse season can be life changing

Careers light up like a comet in the sky

for Crabs, altering the way your present

this month, offering the chance for

yourself to the world, your MO, your

advancement and/or recalibration of

style and the core of your personal

goals and desires. Whatever happens,

relationships. The more authentic and

trust it. A seeming failure, for example,

honest you are, the stronger you come

can fast track to something you’d much

what makes you happy, and when you

through this blustery time. Us four-

rather be doing with your time. The

are happy, those around you are too. Us

legged Crabs rely heavily on stable-

sure thing is, you’ll not be left high and

equines work well in tandem this month

mates, especially if we have to travel

dry. Us equines have only one request,

so consider a training partner, or a friend

or spend more time away from the

make sure you keep paying our feed bill.

(for us) on trail rides. A minor setback is

stable. Please don’t forget that we need

Thanks!

easily fixed.

across your relationship sector, you want to be on high-alert to your own needs, first, and to others’ second. It sounds egotistic, but no. It’s a straight line to

someone too.

Leo Your dreams, fantasies and imagination are on fire right now, making it a powerhouse time for artists, musicians and creatives of all kinds. Be it your career, hobby, or just doodles to unwind, free the spirit within and let it speak.

Us equines need to feel the wind in our manes as well. Freedom for you is a state of mind, but for us, it’s literally wide open spaces, starry skies, and a fast gallop into the west. Can we, please?

Virgo

Aquarius

Scorpio

For the Water-bearers, this month needs

Eclipse or not, this month brings expansion on a large scale – publishing, travel, import/export, the internet, social media – you’ll find yourself intensely involved, playing to a larger crowd. As long as you believe in what you’re doing and not just giving lip service to the cause, you will prosper, inside and out.

For us equines, there can be a hidden

careful handling. If you push too hard don’t listen to your higher guidance or ignore early warning signs both mental or physical, you could have a health or work issue on your hands. But by tuning in, amping up self-care and being on top of things, you prevent worse damage.

With us equines, the same holds true.

ailment that causes concern. Best jump

Don’t push or something will push back.

on it straight away.

Hard.

Sagitarius

Pisces

The eclipse season throws light on all

For two-legged Centaurs, the eclipse

This is the month for great leaps in

your friendships, those you consider

season is about teamwork and

your creative productivity and the cool

your tribe, your birds of a feather. One

cooperation. This is where you pitch in,

thing is, you don’t have to ‘try’ to make

of two things can happen. You may find

joining forces with like-minded others

it happen. Quite the opposite, the

the bonds are truer and stronger than

to achieve something otherwise out of

more you relax, trust and let things go

ever, or you may suddenly realize that

reach. Don’t be put off by delays or a

with the flow, the more likely you will

you no longer really belong. Either way,

sudden detour. It may slow things down,

find yourself swept into the stream of

it opens the door to richer, more reliable

but not completely derail. Four-legged

success. Meanwhile, us seahorses need

connections. Us equines already know

Centaurs need extra help buckling down

a gentler touch. Be ready with extra

and live our genuine bonds, so if you

to work this month. Try long warm ups,

kindness, patience and a grooming. Soft

need guidance, just ask.

and sweet rewards.

brushes, please.

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INFORMATIVE, INSPIRATIONAL & ASPIRATIONAL

Published by: Equestrian Hub PO Box 13, Tintenbar NSW 2478, 0414 760067 info@equestrianhub.com.au www.equestrianhub.com.au