HubVibes December 2017 by Equestrian Hub Magazine

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM EQUESTRIAN HUB

Hub hero SUE SPENCE Horses Healing Humans

The Icelandic Horse

Polo Passion HOROSCOPES + plenty more!

2017

s a m t s i r Ch GIFT GUIDE

FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

CONFESSIONS OF A HORSE RIDING MUM

SUE SPENCE

YOUNG RIDER OF THE MONTH

A PASSION FOR POLO

CHARITY HIGHLIGHT

BREED SPOTLIGHT THE ICELANDIC HORSE

HUB SADDLE REVIEW

CANDIDLY SPEAKING

STARS BY EPONA

HUBVIBES GIFT GUIDE

PRODUCT REVIEW

NEWS & VIEWS FROM EQUESTRIAN HUB HubVibes Editorial: candida@equestrianhub.com.au Advertising Enquiries: promote@equestrianhub.com.au The Saddle Hub Sales Enquiries: Fiona Todd: 0414 760 067 Graphic Design: Joanna Reid: 0408 773 851 Published by Equestrian Hub PO Box 13 • Tintenbar NSW 2478 Phone: 0414 760 067 • Email: info@equestrianhub.com.au www.equestrianhub.com.au

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Can you believe it! It’s December. I cannot lie, I love Christmas, but I hate having to physically go to the shops. I guess that’s why I’ve developed online businesses! This month I’m excited about our gift guide - so many wonderful people in the equestrian world make so many inspirational products, and the majority of them can be ordered from the comfort of your sofa with champagne or a cup of tea in hand whatever your preference! It really is an awesome world in which we are involved.

Unusually for me, as we wrap up 2017, there are parts of me that are grateful to see it end, but I am not a ‘look life in the rear vision mirror’ kind of girl and I am really looking forward to an amazing 2018.

One of that goal was The Saddle Hub, Stage Two in 2018 will be the year of Equestrian Marketplace. I love the concept and the vision of this website and am excited about making it better and better for you going forward. Look out for the best of HubVibes in January, a collection of all our favourite stories and pictures from the first 18 editions of this fantastic little magazine

Have an awesome Christmas from myself and Donald Clause. What are our plans for 2018 I hear you ask? For some crazy reason, I set myself the rather daunting goal of developing mechanisms to make transactions in the equestrian world as safe as they can be. Stage

That is all for me. All the crew at HubVibes, Equestrian Hub, Equestrian Marketplace, Hub Help and I wish you and your families the most amazing Christmas. May you have fun with friends, family and fur babies. Set some great goals for 2018 and go your hardest. Fi x

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You will notice that our Equestrian Hubbers have all put in their wish lists, some with horsey ideas, some not, and you can also see the faces of the people you talk to when you contact us - be it for editorial, advertising, buying or selling saddles or any of the other things we do to give everyone a voice in

the noisy digital world.

Sue Spence and her HHH 'crew'. From left: Sunny, Yogi, Mindy and Larry.

Sue Spence

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From show jumping to Horses Healing Humans

If anybody had told Sue Spence that the gentle groundwork program she started as a result of her own anxiety, would end up as an Internationally Licensed Horsemanship and Lifeskills Course, she would not have believed it for a moment, writes Candida Baker.

“It really didn’t matter whether it was sleeting, snowing or blowing a gale,” she recalls, “I would get on my pushbike and cycle off to my horse in all weathers. It was the only thing that made me truly happy, and for many years I competed as a show jumper.”

It’s not difficult to imagine Sue Spence as a child – she’s talking to me about her childhood in the south island of New Zealand, growing up as the horse-obsessed child of non-horsey parents, and the lengths she would go to go riding.

“I’d moved from New Zealand to Australia,” she says, “to Queensland, and I was leading a pretty busy life. I have ADHD, and so for me it was nothing to teach six aerobic classes and then go home and go for a ride, but really I was running on adrenalin. I was the kind of

But then trouble reared its head in the form of an unexpected illness.

rider that they describe as having a ‘hot’ seat – I could make even a quiet horse jump for the moon!’

anxiety,” she says, still – I have to say with what you might call a fanatical show jumper’s slight tone of disbelief.

But although she felt as if she was coping, in fact 15 years ago her life was rocked to its foundations after she was diagnosed with early breast cancer, and it was recommended that she undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction.

But after learning the tools of the trade, and discovering what a massive difference it had made to her, Sue’s evangelism for a cause kicked in. Her training as a personal trainer and lifecoach became invaluable when she

“After 30 years of living life at blistering speed – running fitness centres and show jumping, I realised I had to do things differently,” she says. “I moved to a quiet place in the country, and I began to do my training in horse whispering, which meant I needed to use a calmer energy.” Not that it went so well in the beginning. “The first time I tried to get my horse to walk quietly beside me, I was so pent up with anxiety from the cancer and running my gyms, that I was just like ‘go…go…go!” she laughs. Suffering from acute anxiety after the breast cancer, she had to learn to become calm and still. “Nobody had ever taught me that,” she says, “and my ADHD combined with my natural tendency towards fitness just meant I had no idea how to drop into a still, quiet place.”

began to run groundwork workshops for women with issues around boundaries and self-esteem. Some women would break down doing her simple ground exercises, because they had never realised how their body language undermined their verbal language. The whole point being of course, that natural horsemanship, in whatever manner it is taught, is a physical language that allows the human to become a horse ‘leader’, in a non-threatening, strong way, where the verbal and physical language they use is congruent. But for anyone who has ever thought that you needed a ton of space, horses and equipment to create what has now become an international program with licenses provided to approved practitioners in three states of Australia, you can think again! Her business, Horses Helping Humans™, and her registered charity, the Horse Whispering Youth Program,

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Sue’s obvious sense of humour shines through as she tells the story of her immersion into the skills of natural horsemanship. “One of my most amazing mentors has been Ken Faulkner,” she says. “I did a clinic with Ken, and I remember I was having a little trouble getting my horse to do something I wanted him to do, and he said, ‘the problem is you have a lot going on inside.’ I was so annoyed. “What do you mean?” I shouted at him, “I’m perfectly relaxed!!” But of course, I was nowhere near relaxed and he spotted it immediately. It was a life-changing moment and it took a cowboy to bring me out of my

Sue with a few of her students after an HHH class.

started out with exactly the same horses she has all these years later – two Shetlands, Mindy who is 28 and Yogi, her 17-year-old son, Larry a 11-year-old rescue mini-pony who lost an eye and Sue’s beloved 28-year-old Quarter Horse, “People think that when they come to my place they’re going to see something grand, and they get here, and I still have my little motley mob on less than an acre,” she laughs. “But as the program progressed and we began to work with the Department of Youth Services in Queensland, we were able to apply for funding, so now I have a little grandstand, a shade sail over the roundyard and an outside toilet,” she says proudly. (At the time as building up a business, there was also the family to consider, and if you happen to be a Bacholerette follower you may have noticed Sue’s name used in a completely different context – as the mother of Gold

When only the best will do.

Coast entertainer Apollo Jackson, who was recently a hot contender on the show, and has inherited not just his mother’s energy levels, but also her love of horses.) For those who might assume that at some point along the way strategies, businessplans and trademarks would have been part of her thinking, she’s still in awe at how the growth of the program has pretty much taken care of itself. “I can’t even begin to tell you how much serendipity is a part of what I do,” she says. “It’s as if the universe wants HHH out there. Just for one example - when I ran a corporate workshop in Rockhampton one of the practitioners was a business man who told me I needed to go home and protect my IP. I didn’t even know what was! Then later on he asked me again if I’d done it and when I said no, he basically told me I had to do it. I was terrified

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Sue with Larry, one of her therapy ponies. because I didn’t understand it at all, but then I said to him, well, can I set the license up the same way they did with Les Mills Body Pump licenses, because I can do that – and so that’s what happened. Everyone is trained to a certain level, it’s easy to run and it’s all been based on the Les Mills model because I was a fitness instructor!” In Rockhampton more synchronicity took place when the local Heritage foundation stepped into support the program. “The people who wanted to start it had no space, and no horses,” she says cheerfully, “so that was going to make it a little difficult, but the Heritage park offered their heritage horses and use of the park and so we were able to set it up.”

The license fee includes all training manuals, the training of a facilitator, public relations, visits from Sue to various local businesses

Horses Helping Humans also has a connection with Griffith University whereby interns do up to 50 hours volunteering as part of their degrees. “For us to have volunteers who are studying psychology, criminology or business is priceless,” says Sue. All the students the program works with are referred by youth and family services, school chaplains or counsellors, mental health organisations, child protection, homeless youth and the Justice Department. It perhaps wasn’t surprising – or only surprising to Sue at any rate – that a publisher Continued on page 17

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In New Zealand it was a magistrate that decided the country needed the program for repeat offenders, and that is exactly what it is being used for. “In Victoria, on the Mornington Peninsular, the license has been brought by a very high-level Parelli instructor who has an indoor arena, an outdoor arena and a huge American-style barn,” she says, “so really you can see it’s just spreading its wings in whatever way it can.”

to promote the program and connection to youth service and other government agencies. “What we do is that the facility that is going to run it is fully operational with clients booked from day one,” she says, “people are 100% set up to run it by the time it opens with full backing from their community.” One of the reasons why the program is so popular with the Department of Youth Services is that they can measure its success. “The essential point of the program – no matter who else it is used for, is that it’s aimed at disadvantaged and at risk youth,” Sue explains. “After thousands of teenagers have gone through this program, they are able to track the success of it by the number of teenagers who have gone on to university, or improved their performance at school, or stayed in school when they were in danger of dropping out – that’s why we have such a good reputation, and why it was so important to make the licenses are done properly.”

A Passion for

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POLO

Dannii Cunnane explains Polo 101 to us – everything you need to know about one of the most exciting equestrian sports around.

drive the wooden ball between the goal posts using a long handled mallet that must only be used in the player’s right hand. The team that scores the most goals is the winner.

Polo is a super exciting game to play as well as watch. With the long mallets, tiny ball and high speeds this sport has all the ingredients for disaster, but somehow the players make it look easy! But before you go to watch we break down what you need to know so you’ll be spectator royalty.

Polo is played in brief periods called chukkas; each chukka lasts seven minutes, and play can be ferocious. By tradition, horses are replaced at each chukka, ensuring that they stay fresh and fit. The safety of the horse is paramount, and polo ‘ponies’ as they’re called are highly valued by their owners.

What is polo?

What’s the history?

Polo is played on horseback with four players on each team. The objective is for players to

Polo is at least 2000 years old and originated in the Middle East. It was in India that the British

tea-planters and the British army stationed there first saw and played the game in the 1850s, and took it back to England in 1869. From there it spread to Europe, including Russia, Poland, Austria and France.

The first game in Australia was played in 1874 at Moore Park in Sydney but it has since become a popular game right across the country.

There are four players on each team (so eight players on the field at any time) and they all have a position to play. Player number one and two are basically forwards while the number three and four are equivalent to five-eight and back in Rugby. The players should mark their opposite number; that is the number four should mark the number one, preventing them from scoring by hooking (player spoils anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shot by putting his mallet in the way of a striking player) and riding off. Unlike soccer, there is no offside rule. The rules are common

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Today, more than 77 countries play polo and it was an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1936. In its early years polo was mainly played by Royalty, and later by the cavalry, but today the sport has become more accessible and attracts a broader spectrum of society.

The players have a job to do

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sense based on a player having the ‘right of way’ in order to eliminate danger.

What’s the arena like? Beginner players usually play in a boarded arena to make it easier – and safer. However most competitive and professional games take place on a flat grass field. The field is usually 275 meters in length with a width of 180 meters.

What is a goal? Any time a ball crosses the line between the goalposts, it is considered a goal regardless of whether a horse or a mallet cause the ball to go through. In order to equalize turf and wind conditions, the teams change ends after every goal scored. The goal posts, which are collapsible on severe impact, are 7.3 metres apart and 3 metres high.

What’s so special about the Polo Ponies? The best polo ponies – although in fact in size they are usually horses – have thoroughbred blood in them whose main qualities are courage, speed, stamina and the ability to accelerate, stop and turn quickly, and whose temperament is amenable to the rigors of the game. In Australia Stock horses are popular for Polo, as are thoroughbred-crosses.

Training for polo is hard work. Horses start training at two to three years of age, and their training may take longer than a year. Riders are often very attached to their mounts since the two must cooperate well with each other on the field of play.

The most uniquely interactive part of polo for spectators is when they come onto the field to ‘stomp the divots’. This means that viewers are invited onto the field to help flatten the surface during the break after the third and sixth chukkas. The idea is to eliminate unwanted clumps of earth by treading them back into the ground. Polo is an exciting game to watch - it’s fast, furious and the goals can be thrilling. With some spills it’s not uncommon for a riderless horse to thunder towards the viewing areas or a stray ball to whiz past and narrowly avoid hitting an unsuspecting person in the crowd. While it’s customary for people to enjoy wine, beer or Pimms when enjoying the action, attention is needed with teams switching sides after a goal is scored. This can be confusing for the less seasoned spectator.

Want to know more? Polo is becoming a fast growing sport that all walks of life can enjoy. Whether you attend games as a rider or spectator, the thrill will hook you in and keep you returning for more. For more information on the sport, visit the Australian Polo Federation website.

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There is no height limit for the horses, although most are between 15 and 15.3 hands and they are referred to as polo ponies. To ensure that mallets don’t get tangled up in the polo ponies’ tails, they are braided and wrapped to ensure they are out of harm’s way.

It’s a real spectator sport

BREED SPOTLIGHT

THE ICELANDIC HORSE With Christmas just around the corner, HubVibes decided to showcase a breed from the Arctic circle, an area close to the home of our

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beloved Santa Claus. Or so we’re told…

With visions of dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, we came across the Icelandic horse and to be honest, we were stunned not only by its beauty but by its history. The Icelandic horse is considered to be one of the purest of all the equine breeds. These horses were brought to Iceland with the Vikings from Scandinavia and only the strongest and healthiest were picked to make the trip due to the small size of the boats and the fact that they were open to the elements.

time. Realising the need to keep out disease in their already hardy stock, in the year 900 Iceland passed a law that no new livestock, including horses, could be imported into the country. This also meant that any horses that were exported out the country could never return back to their homeland. This ancient law still stands today and is credited with making the Icelandic breed one of the purest in the world.

The most interesting fact about this horse is that the breeding has not been diluted over

Standing between 12.2 - 14.2 hands, this horse would be considered a pony in most countries, however the Icelandic language only has one word that refers to horses despite what height they are. While they may be small in size, they are extremely strong, are

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After thousands of years of breeding and living in Iceland where there were no predators for these horses they became a very calm breed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; apparently without the usual horse desire to flee from danger. It is almost as if the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;spookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been bred out of this horse which is renowned for its placid personality and willingness to work.

able to be ridden by adults and can pull large heavy loads with no issue. Icelandic horses mature late and are not usually started or ridden before they reach five years old. They have a long lifespan though, and can be used as broodmares or work horses well into their twenties. This horse is also known for its five gaits - it has the regular walk, trot and caner but also two natural gaits called the TĂślt and the flying pace.

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The TĂślt is a natural, fluid gait of the Icelandic Horse, during which at least one hoof always touches the ground. It is an extraordinarily smooth four-beat gait that allows the rider an almost bounce-free ride, even at 32 kilometres an hour. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s said that this pace is so smooth that a rider can drink a pint of beer while riding without spilling a drop! The footfall is the same pattern as the walk, but is much faster, almost as fast as a gallop.

The flying pace is a fast, high-speed gait is 48 kilometres an hour, during which both legs on one side of the horse simultaneously touch the ground. The gait is used for short distances, and can equal the speed of a full gallop so it is the primary gait used for racing. Being a two-beat gait, at one interval all four hooves of the Icelandic Horse are suspended off the ground during a flying pace. The Icelandic horse is a natural beauty. It has a defined head and intelligent bright eyes with a thick mane and tail and many coat colours.

As Iceland has a harsh climate and rugged lands, these horses have a metabolism that is adapted to minimal forage so these are the ultimate good doers! As the horses are used to living in the freezing climates of Iceland they grow an extremely thick and shaggy coat. This coat protects them both from the cold temperatures but in the summer their coats shed out and the horse has the same sleek appearance of most other breeds. Icelandic horses kept in their natural state never need to be blanketed even in the coldest climates but when moved to warmer climates, clipping is a must. Interestingly, all horses in Iceland are given an annual vacation in late fall of each year where they can be kept in herds left alone. The Icelanders feel that it is important that the horse grows up learning how to be an independent thinker, to take care of itself and to not be too dependent on humans. The Icelanders want their horses to be thinking partners. They also believe that horses allowed to run free at least part of the year grow stronger, become sure footed and are more self-confident. Want to know more about this breed? Visit the horses of Iceland website.

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Continued from page 7 - Sue Spence became interested in her story. “When they first rang me they left a voice message,” she says, “and I wasn’t even going to call them back, but a friend who’s involved in writing heard the message and said to me, ‘Sue, Pan Macmillan are one of the biggest publishers in Australia, call them back NOW!’” She did, and a contract followed - but for Sue whose ADHD does not allow her to sit still for long, writing the book was just too hard. “I can’t write a shopping list without getting bored,” she says. “I had no hope with the book.” Enter serendipity again. “I was at the hairdressers and I was talking about my problems with the book,” she says, “and this woman popped her out from a dryer a few chairs down, and said, ‘Sue Spence! Is that you?’” It turned out to be an old friend of mine who was now working as a transcriber – and she offered to come and transcribe my words for

me, so I could walk up and down as much as I liked while I dictated my words, and she would write them up. I think we did the book in record time!” The book gained Sue Australia-wide publicity that brought in new supporters, and even more ideas for how the program can expand into the future. In the meantime the first Horses Helping Humans conference is taking place soon on the Mornington Peninsular, and Sue is in huge demand as a public speaker right around Australia. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could make that right around the world within a few years - a bit of serendipity allowing! To find out more about Sue Spence and the work she does, go to: Horses Helping Humans. In 2014 Sue Spence received a Women In Business Awards for Community Dedication and in 2016 she was awarded a Business Award for Creating Change.

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C A N D I D LY S P E A K I N G Horses and anger – never a good mix! If there’s one pointless emotion when it comes to handling – or riding horses – it’s anger, writes Candida Baker. In days gone by when I spent a lot of time giving natural horsemanship lessons to the wonderful volunteer backpackers who helped us run our small horse establishment, I learned a lot about the psychology of people, versus the psychology of horses. One of the main things I noticed was how quickly humans move into frustration!

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A common example would be that whether it was a ground lesson or a riding lesson, a student would suddenly ‘get’ whatever we were working on, whether it be getting the horse to walk freely beside you, not pulling or not being dragged, being a willing partner rather than a reluctant one, or whether it was learning something as complicated as a flying change.

For a brief moment, the student would be elated, and then almost immediately, they would want to either do the exercise over and over again, OR immediately move onto the next more complicated thing. To teach them to relax into what they had achieved, to allow the horse to feel it had done something clever, and to let both of them settle into congruence with each other where you could see them appreciating one another, seemed to me to be so important. Horses don’t think like humans! Once they’ve realised you want them to walk beside them, leg-yield, or any of the other strange and wondrous things we ask them to do, they

accept it – there’s no part of them that goes, well we’ve done that, what can we learn next? It’s so important to give them time out between ‘learnings’, and important for us too to settle into the quiet space in our bodies where we realise we’ve achieved a goal before we immediately set ourselves another one.

So how does this relate to anger? I grew up with a very dominant, angry father who was an excellent rider, but also very

tough on the horses. It was his way or the highway, and if I had a dollar for every time I saw him lose his temper with a horse I’d quite honestly be wealthy! Even as a child, I somehow took on board how useless this was and when I took up my journey with natural horsemanship because of our particularly naughty (and always delightful) Arabian, I remember the feeling to this day of sheer delight and relief that I was being taught a way to work with horses, where we could work TOGETHER. For horses, anger in their human is terrifying. Strength and leadership, on the other hand, is not – it’s reassuring for them, and even, you might say, interesting to them because they become engaged in working with you. Horses, as we all know, are highly sensitive, and they quickly pick up on people’s emotions. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself on your horse journey is actually to learn how to breathe deeply (and believe it or not most of us need lessons in this!) so that when the frustration or anger rears its head

you have a way to release it, and to engage YOUR brain into working out a lateral solution to whatever problem you and your horse are facing, rather than simply trying to force it to do what you want it to do, which, even if it does work for a moment in the short-term will not achieve what you want – which is a longterm, lasting result based on trust and respect from both sides. HubVibes editor, Candida Baker is the President of Save a Horse Australia and also runs a Facebook page, The Horse Listeners.

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e d i u Gift G

Welcome to our HubVibes Christmas Gift Guide! The one time of the year when you don’t have to hide the horse bills because if you’re lucky Santa will bring you lots of lovely essential presents for you and your equine friends. We’ve rounded up our herd of two-legged Equestrian Hubbers to get their favourite Christmas ideas.

FIONA TODD

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“I’ve started a charity to help those who are involved in riding accidents, and their families,” she says. “It’s a way for me to give back to the community.”

Her Christmas gift tips Equestrian Hub propriinclude: “An Akubra, etor Fiona Todd is one because every horsebusy person but the thing girl should have one, a she is most passionate great pair of boots for about at the moment is the same reason and Hub Help. that fantastic game

HorsePLAY because a percentage of every sale goes to assist riders and their families across Australia. Plus it’s a load of fun.”

PENNY NEWBOLD Penny Newbold is a director of Equestrian Hub, and was the founding editor of HubVibes, and the ‘anonymous’ writer behind her hilarious Confessions column. She’s also working with Equestrian Hub helping

to get Hub Horses off the ground.

“I know what I would like as presents, and I know they would make great presents for other equestrian-minded people as well.” First on her wish list would be a pair of Tucci top boots, available from Trailrace (the softest Italian leather – what’s not to like?); a canvas print of herself competing from Ozshotz. “If

Ozshotz have been to an event you’re in, this is a great way to remember a day out,” she says. Last but not least, Penny would vote for a piece of horse jewellery, preferably containing horsehair from her four-legged friends, from a firm such as Equine Lox.

CANDIDA BAKER Our HubVibes editor didn’t hesitate when she was asked to pick her gift list.

“If I had to pick just ONE single most useful object ever in my equestrian life, it would have to be my three-tiered mounting block,” she says.

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“I bought it over 15 years ago and it’s still as good as new. It’s an absolute must-have investment.” More decorative is the SAHA 2018 calendar, she says. “The rescue horse calendar was shot by the talented Byron

Bay photographer Heidi Flumm, and all proceeds go to support Save a Horse Australia. A picture really does tell a thousand words. Last but by no means least, I think a piece of bespoke horse artwork is hard to go past, and our very own Mady Maciejewski is cooking up a storm with her commissioned pieces from only $60 on Bluebird Collective.”

AMBA MCGOLDRICK who also enjoys playing ‘groom’ to her daughter and her ponies. Amba knows exactly what she would choose for herself if Santa gave her the opportunity! “First, the fabulous Gidgee Eyes sunglasses that are made specifically for equestrians,” she says. “Also I would perMulti-tasking Amba looks sonally love one of those beautiful EJ and Co after the Equestrian stirrup pendants of the Market Place, is helping rider in a stirrup – any build up the Real Estate kind will do – and third, listings. Amba, who is based in the Central West Hitchley and Harrow make a really soft, of New South Wales, is loose-fitting polo shirt." an avid dressage fan,

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SHAE HERWIG a beautiful Andalusian.

“I would always recommend a piece of equine jewellery,” she says.

Our lovely Shae is responsible for all things ‘saddle’ within the Equestrian Hub. Shae has been involved with Equestrian Hub since its inception and is a highly valued member of the team. She’s also into Baroque breeds, and owns Jasper, a lovely young Friesian, and Diva,

“I had a horse that passed and I had a bracelet made from Entwine Equine, which was wonderful. Shae is also a fan of the Samson & Bronc travel tin candles. “You can take them to shows, and away with you, and it’s lovely to have a bit of luxury, plus they’re light and safe to travel – and easy to post, which is a bonus!”

samsonandbronc.com.au

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INSTAGRAM: @SAMSONANDBRONC

DANNII CUNNANE Have you ever noticed how often Dannii’s byline appears in HubVibes? She is single-handedly without a doubt the biggest contributor to the editorial, and in her spare moments she’s busy training or competing on her beautiful dressage horse, Dex.

means least Dannii has the smaller equestrienne in mind as well with the Thelwell Classic Belts. “They’ve got to make a girl feel good,” she says.

Says Dannii:

“For my money A Pot of Courage would be a great present." "Courage, a New Zealand product, is made with all natural oils, and at $27.95 it won’t break the bank. Then of course there’s MDC Ultimate Stirrups – although you could add a couple of noughts on the end! I would personally love a Mattes Dressage Pad – you can choose your own colours, and they are super-smart and comfy for the horse.” Last but by no

H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E

Merry Christmas!

MADELYN MACIEJEWSKI she would go for a pair of Horse Pillowcases (his & hers) from Zazzle, and on the practical side, an I'd Rather Be Riding stainless steel travel mug from Café Press. (And wouldn’t we all rather be riding?) Mady, like her sister Shae, has been involved in horses all her life, and now her children are definitely inheriting the horsey bug. At Equestrian Hub she is involved in all things administration, as well as helping promote all the businesses in the busy ‘hub’. “I also help out with odd jobs where anybody needs me,” she says. As well as being horsey, Mady has a flair for art (see our editor’s pick), and for her own Christmas choices

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CRYSTAL BALLARD Is there anybody more important to a magazine than its advertising representative? We can do all the beautiful stories we like, but as The Boss (aka Fiona) likes to remind us, it’s the ads that pay for what we do! On Crystal’s wish list are navy lacquer top boots – and many books. She usually goes to books. com for her book needs:

“I think books are a great present for horse folk,” she says.

bilitation, fitness, training and coaching will do me! Another thing I love are my Annette Willson Core support Jodhpurs from Applied Posture Riding. They’re a great present.”

Crystal loves spending time with her personally bred “I have a long wish list of books I’d like to add to my Memphis Park Australian Stock Horses and is also a collection – anything to do with horse anatomy, reha- coach and Equine therapist.

SARAH-ANIA HEYDEN Sarah-Ania is Fiona’s left-hand-woman when it comes to Hub Help – the Charity set up to provide support to riding accident victims and their families. Sara-Ania hails from the UK, and her Christmas wish is very modest.

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“I would just love to receive – or give the book Unmasked by Turia Pitt."

"What an inspirational and strong lady – she suffered burns to 65% of her body in the most horrific bushfire while she was running a marathon, and yet she has managed to survive, and become stronger than ever,” she says. At the heart of this moving book, available from Penguin, is also the love story of Turia and her husband Michael, who stood by her through everything. Sarah-Ania has one more thing to add to her list. “What I don’t want, is a frying pan.”

Merry Christmas!

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Buy a saddle from The Saddle Hub this December and receive a surprise gift.

The Riding Mum has a legged kids as well as number of the four leg form of horses, dogs, and the odd rodent th goes (although admitt by Penny Newbold

Can't keep a good horsewoman down. Even a coma, a lengthy stay in hospital, several months rehabilitation and her family’s orders weren’t going to keep Penny from riding. You can’t keep a horsewoman away from horses, that’s for sure. I like to think of myself as an honest person. Really. The only exception to that

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rule, as the hubby has now discovered, is if I’ve been told “no” to riding.

The fact that my family recently watched me lie in hospital and nearly die from a riding accident, means that they were less than thrilled to see me so keen to merrily jump back on a horse again (with my

neurologist’s reluctant consent of course). Given the circumstances, I could (sort of) understand their hesitation at the thought of me putting my life in the hands (or on the back of) a five year old, 17hh Irish Sport Horse, belonging to my childhood best friend - and partner in crime on this occasion.

I guess it does help to have no memory of my accident whatsoever. For whatever reason my brain didn’t consider the actual fall to be an important enough memory to retain. It actually feels a bit like it happened to someone else and that, at any moment, I’ll hear the “just kidding!” or “you’ve

a couple of two s a varying gged variety in the , cats, chickens hat comes and tedly, the

chickens only have two legs not four which is probably a good thing) who all live together on the Happy Family Farm with one VERY long suffering other half. Needless to say, life is many things, but dull it is not!

been punked!” from everyone around me.

think of it, or them, again! Perfect.

The bonus of this is that I don’t have any residual

So, back to riding, what plan did I hatch to get around the family’s concern? I figured it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, so I just didn’t let on what I was up to. And employing my long time best friend to conspire with me seemed like a great idea (to me anyway).

fear of riding, or of having another fall. That’s left for everyone else to deal with. It has occurred to me that very useful function if it was built into our brains. Don’t want to remember an event? Don’t like that person? Hit the delete button and you never have to

Of course in the past those were the days before Facebook, when we could

providing no one blabbed, we avoided trouble. Fast forward to 2017 and, in hindsight, no, it probably wasn’t such a great idea to load the pics on to FB. Oops, sprung! Honestly, it was such an incredible relief to find that I still remembered what to do in the saddle that it was worth the trouble I got into when I got home. And it will be next time too!

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this might in fact be a

Given that our friendship was forged some thirty years ago over concocting horsey conspiracies that inevitably involved us engaging in something that we probably shouldn’t have been doing, she seemed like the perfect, most logical choice. (It also helps that she owns a lovely mare, albeit 17hh, that I knew would take care of me.)

do whatever we liked and,

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DECEMBER

Like many of our Young Riders, Victorian-based 15-year-old Georgia Davey was riding before she could walk. At the moment Georgia own two horses. “I have a small riding pony show Galloway and his name is Charlie he stands at 14.1 and he is 11 years old. I also have a three-yearold OTT thoroughbred whose name is Marty and he stands at 15hh. I’ve owned Charlie for just over two years and I’ve only had Marty for about six months - he is going to be a project horse for me.” The two horses are very different, says Georgia,

"My love and passion for horses started the moment I sat on one." who has been so successful with her showing that all her riding attire is sponsored by Showgirl Equestrian. “Charlie is an open Galloway and has the most amazing floating trot. Whereas, Marty is a hunter and he has a big, bold trot. When Marty

gets fed, he likes to grab his feed buckets and flick them in the air! “ Georgia has big ambitions for Marty. “I’m aiming him to qualify for Grand Nationals and Nationals next year,” she says, “and I’m going to work hard to achieve that!” In the

meantime Georgia is in Year 9 and although she hasn’t figured out what she wants to do when she leaves school she knows it will be horse-related. “Horses are my main passion as that’s what I do every day,” she says. “But when it’s not horse related, I enjoy going for runs. It keeps my fitness up for the horses and I also enjoy it.”

If you are a young competition rider and would like to be considered for HubVibes Young Rider of the Month, email us for a questionnaire to complete: promote@equestrianhub.com.au.

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YOUNG RIDER OF THE MONTH

Georgia Davey

• • •

CHARITY HIGHLIGHT

• • •

Winged Horse Equine Welfare Incorporation THE WINGED HORSE EQUINE WELFARE INCORPORATION IS A NOT FOR PROFIT, REGISTERED CHARITY BASED IN PORTARLINGTON (ON THE BELLARINE PENINSULA) IN VICTORIA. THE ORGANISATION HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR THREE YEARS AND PRIDES ITSELF ON RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT ISSUES RELATED TO ANIMAL WELFARE AS WELL AS RESCUING AND REHABILITATING HORSES AT RISK.

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The charity has 80 acres it uses to house unwanted, neglected, abused and slaughter-bound horses. Volunteers take the time to rehabilitate, support and eventually find each horse their perfect forever home whenever possible as well as taking the time to educate the wider community about issues related to animal welfare.

to the care of a specific horse without taking them off the property. This is ideal for the horses in palliative care.

Carolyn Bischof, President of the Winged Horse Equine Welfare charity with two rescued horses.

Winged Horse Equine Welfare Incorporation currently has 35 horses in care as well as a mixed assortment of other rescue animals - including 20 alpacas, six sheep, lots of poultry, three geese, two guinea fowl, five goats and three pigs. (But so far not a partridge in a pear tree – although that might be on the list for Christmas!) The charity hosts regular open days as well as ‘meet and greet’ events where the general public can see behind the scenes and learn

how it operates, as well as getting up close and personal with the horses.

How can you help? The costs of rescuing these animals is high and vet, feed and miscellaneous bills all need to be paid. A one off or regular donation assists in covering these ongoing costs. There is also the option of sponsoring a horse, the cost of which ranges from $2 to $50 per week. Sponsoring is a way in which a supporter’s donation can be specified

Adoptions of certain horses is also an option, however certain criteria must be met before the horse or pony are released into their adoptive home. Volunteers are a huge part of the charity and help is always appreciated. Why not sign up to assist if you live within the area? Need more information? For more information about The Winged Horse Equine Welfare Incorporation, visit their webpage.

Calling all Champions! For less than the cost of a bale of hay per week you can help a fellow equestrian. Donate $10 per week at Hub Help and be among the first to be listed as a “Champion” on our site and in HubVibes ezine.

Click here to donate: hubhelp.com.au

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HUB SADDLE REVIEW

Marguerite Wyatt recently purchased a Bates Isabell for her daughter Sarah. “We initially purchased a saddle this year but it was fitted to horse not to Sarah,” explains Marguerite. “Unfortunately, the knee blocks were too small and the saddle just didn’t suit her long legs. Sarah rode in an Isabell and found it to be really comfortable. There was room for her legs and it fitted her a lot better than our original saddle so we decided to buy our own Isabell.”

Saddle r e v i e w : Marguerite Wyatt Marguerite went online and found The Saddle Hub. “They were advertising exactly what we wanted in great condition. We took advantage of the twoweek trial to ensure that Sarah was happy with the saddle as well as it fitting the horse. The service we received was great, everyone was so helpful. We are really happy with our purchase.”

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y b s r a St pona E December - A once a year Mars – Uranus standoff has everyone on hair-trigger this month, equines and owners alike. Add to that an airy new moon, restless Venus and overbearing Saturn, and I have to issue a storm warn-

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ing. Be advised. No matter how

well you think you’ve planned things out, the unexpected still happens. Your antidote is to relax, and go with the flow. Check your sign for more specific tips.

Aries

At the apex of this feisty energy, humans and horses both benefit from turning aggression into a competition. For the two-legged readers, games, sports, bets will put your head in a more focused space. Four-legged creatures can play chasies around the paddock, or if stabled, we can line up in the arena and wait for ‘on your marks, ready, go’!

Taurus

The tip for two-legged Bulls is to shop early and allow for delays. Whatever you have planned for the festive season, there will be hitches in the preparations. Procrastinating will only make things worse, so get doing. Equines will seem unreasonably lazy, but that’s just our defence against your stressed-out attitude. Extra reassurance wouldn’t go astray.

Gemini

Cancer

Only one word describes the Gemini horse and/or human this month – high strung. Every flutter, glance and distant clang has us shying like a yearling on her first day out. Humans can try calming affirmations, but basically the whole month’s a fiasco. Accept it. Minimize damage by slowing down, take deep breaths and shop early. January’s going to be better.

The big worry for two-legged Crabs this month is overspending. It’s virtually unavoidable. Consolation, you have most of 2018 to catch up. If that’s not an option, then conjure more self-control. Us equines have the opposite issue, over-consuming. Watch the clock if you turn us out into a fresh clover field. Lock feed room doors.

Leo

The two-legged Lions may find themselves enmeshed in deep and meaningful discussions about the past, family, genealogy, and aptitude. You uncover insightful truths, which is fantastic if you’re working on your Ph.D. For us horses, however, it will be as boring as it sounds. Please turn your penetrating mind towards something more useful, like procuring the best hay possible. Thank you.

Virgo

Sagittarius

Because this sign is in a constant state of over-the-top energy expression, you’ll barely notice the December crazies. That means human centaurs can focus on cool gifts for equine friends like a feed bucket full of grooming tools or brass buckle polish. For us horses, you can skip straight to the goodies like apples, carrots, bran mash, and hey, how about a thoroughly cleaned bit?

Capricorn

Okay, not pulling any punches here. This is a crap month. Your best way to deal with the emotional turmoil, expectations and tight schedule is to work hard. Focus on one thing at a time and get the job done. Make a list (humans). You know you love to. This goes for all Virgos of every species. January is pure relief.

Because your ruling planet Saturn is deeply entrenched in the machinations of the month, travel is going to be an issue. Humans can plan for delays, check tyres and tune up the rig. Us horses are the ones who will be stuck in the trailer, without food, water or a clue where we’re going. Some compassion will help, along with a bucket of water at the rest stop. We’re not as tough as we seem.

Libra

Aquarius

This month has its challenges for everyone, but human Librans will meet it gracefully, with poise and dignity…on the outside. On the inside, negative self-talk runs amok. If people could hear the things your gremlin voice was saying, they’d call an intervention. Horses, on the other hand, are not so repressed. We will gladly act out on any angst floating around in the ether. Be warned.

This is the season where humans go over the top. Usually composed, Scorpions will be spending plastic and regretting it later. Try to keep a lid on costs and consider reducing the size of the herd, not expanding it. Us equines may inflate our need to dominate stablemates. Watch for suddenly flattened ears.

Pisces

Human fish have a blast of awareness in store. We’re talking stimulating, electrifying bolts from the blue that amp thinking and communications. But before you float away on a cloud of your own profound insights, tune some of that savvy towards us horses. Imagine how much this will improve the symbiotic relationship between horse and rider?

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Scorpio

For human water-bearers who love to study, research, dive into ancient history, myth and meaning, this month is spectacular. The only proviso is you’ll have to retreat into your ivory tower. Expect fall out from others who have different expectations for your behaviour. For us Aqua equines, think long, meandering trail rides around lonely mountains in isolated terrain. Come on. You know you’ll love it.

Sir Donald

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Registered WPCS, APSB & SHC Born 2007, 11.3 1/4hh The ultimate, safe, all-rounder for a child wanting to do it all! Only available to the best of homes to help teach his next beginner rider. Price: $11,500 For more info click here.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

PONI DREAMS Nine-year-old Neve Thurston loves her horse watch from Poni Dreams. If you have a horse-obsessed girl in the house, this is a perfect present. It has an easy-snap wrist-band, comes in pink (naturally), and is made from a high-quality soft plastic. “I love the fact that I’ll be able to wear it to school,” she says. Poni Dreams sells a lot more than watches however. The site is full of amazing horse creations – with a great range of horse products and country lifestyle items. You can see their full range here: Poni Dreams

Clothing, Gifts & Accessories Everything horsey whether you're an owner, lover or admirer.

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We make top quality rugs to order in your choice of colours and accessories. We can also wash and repair your rugs.

The national office and keeper of the Studbook for all Riding Ponies registered in Australia.

Call: (02) 6332 5204

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Urban Horsewear The best quality horse supplies. Shop at our Hobart store or online. Top brands such as Horze, HKM and Premier Equine.

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BREED SOCIETIES

The Arabian Horse Society of Australia Ltd The national office and studbook keeper for all Australian registered Arabian and Arabian Derivative horses.

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Giddy Up Nets

A Hobart-based footwear business manufacturing high-quality boots including jockey, leather track riding, polocrosse, leather shaft race and leather dress.

Supply slow feeder hay nets, 4 different size hay nets and 2 size hanger tubs for all horses large and small.

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CLOTHING

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BREED SOCIETIES

Rhinestone EMPIRE We all need a little bling in our lives! rhinestoneempire.com.au

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Colour Me Up! An exciting and bright brand full of colourful goodies ranging from grooming to riding.

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ARENAS & FENCING

Bounce Back® Australian made fencing supplier distributing nationally from the factory door. SAFE, AFFORDABLE, DURABLE AND ATTRACTIVE.

fencing4horses.com.au GIFTS

Ribbon Mate ribbonmate.com DISPLAY YOUR RIBBONS AND SASHES

BLING

La Flor Equestrian Design Call: 0456 664 096 Custom-made floral garlands and browbands. GIFTS

Filly and Co Horse Gifts We have a wide range of horse gifts for horse fans of all ages.

Success comes one ribbon at a time. AGISTMENT

Clear Mountain Fairview An exceptional thoroughbred property in the heart of Queensland’s premier breeding district, known as the Darling Downs.

Phone: 07 4697 1198 www.clearmountainstud.com.au

VET, HEALTH AND THERAPEUTIC

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FEED

Mitavite Premium equine nutrition for horses in all disciplines and activities. Ph: 02 4340 9605

www.mitavite.com DENTISTS

Dr Chris Darmody Byron Bay Equine Dentistry Professional dentistry by an equine dental vet. We come to you with our mobile clinic. Servicing Northern Rivers and parts of the Mid North Coast

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Equine sports massage and Red Light Therapy.

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM EQUESTRIAN HUB Published by Equestrian Hub • PO Box 13 • Tintenbar NSW 2478 Phone: 0414 760067 • Email: info@equestrianhub.com.au www.equestrianhub.com.au