FREE
NEWS & VIEWS FROM EQUESTRIAN HUB
MARCH 2018
Hub Hero HEATH RYAN
(pictured on Utopian Cardinal)
Origins of the Morgan Horse
Penny's Place
Riders' Yoga HOROSCOPES Equine Careers
+ plenty more!
photo credit:
Stephen Mowbray
3
28
FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH
NSW STATE PONY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
4
30
HUB HERO - HEATH RYAN
PENNY'S PLACE
12
33
YOGA TO RIDE
YOUR CLUB IN PROFILE
16
34
PRODUCT REVIEW
TENT PEGGING 101
17
36
FEEDING OLDER HORSES
20
AT RIVERSIDE STABLES IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HORSE, THE HORSE - NO TROUBLE
BREED SPOTLIGHT MORGAN HORSE
39 HUB SADDLE REVIEW
24
40
YOUNG RIDER OF THE MONTH
STARS BY EPONA
26
44
CANDIDLY SPEAKING
CAREERS WITH HORSES
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: reidco.creative@gmail.com Published by Equestrian Hub PO Box 13 • Tintenbar NSW 2478 Phone: 0414 760 067 • Email: info@equestrianhub.com.au www.equestrianhub.com.au
Proud supporters of
Use
5%
e ceiv 8 e r 1 d 5 a n a rch 2 0 B U H ring M ode c e T du th
C DIS
OUN
Choose Your Favourite www.oceaneasy.net
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS OF
2
FOR ENQUIRIES: PHONE: 0474 634 766 EMAIL: info@oceaneasy.net
At Equestrian Hub we like to see ourselves as a community based organisation. We’ve worked very hard to develop a culture that gives back to all our stakeholders. You can see this in our goal of “Makin’ it Safe”; our saddle trials; the way we promote horses for sale; your Equestrian Marketplace and of course our own Charity, Hub Help. Our ultimate aim is to become a place for equestrians to just hang around - a virtual coffee shop if you will.
One of the things I love about our magazine is the reception we receive from our readers. To thank you all for continuing to support our magazine and for the letters
Every month we will be drawing a winner from our subscriber database, the March winner will be announced in the April edition. Many more benefits will be made available during 2018. Which brings me to the other side of HubVibes, the advertising. We see ourselves a little differently from most other magazines, we like to promote your product, rather than just take your money, run you advertisement and hope you get your results. The advantages of advertising with us are many, but for me one of the main advantages is the culture we’ve developed. We are happy to promote your product by various means, be it on our website, on our Facebook page, at any events we attend, as a product review, or a prize offered to subscribers that is promoted by us. The list is quite long and for every advertiser we do many of these things without you being aware of our efforts outside of HubVibes. But promote you is what we do.
If you have horses you’re wanting to sell, why not contact us and let us prepare marketing material for you, videos, brochures, You Tube links, landing pages - plus the bonus is we can do all the promotion! Our goal is to offer you excellent quality exposure and to increase the likelihood of finding the right buyer. Without further ado, please go forth and enjoy the rest of the March edition of HubVibes. Cheers! Fiona
P.S This month’s prize draw is a $100 voucher from National Equestrian Wholesalers’. Subscribe now to win!
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Each month – while you’re enjoying your coffee - we provide you with something to read, and for me it’s a celebratory bubble as the editor Candida and our wonderful designer Joanna bring each new edition to life, and I wait with excitement each month for the birth of HubVibes.
of encouragement, we have created a “HubVibes Subscribers Club”.
3
Heath Ryan Riders in any equestrian discipline know how hard it can be to reach the top, but in the case of Heath Ryan a stroke in 2009 taught him to dig even deeper than he’d ever imagined possible writes Candida Baker. “Lovely…” the voice at the other end of the phone is so loud I have to tone down the volume. “Ok, now sit back, just take it easy…”
Heath’s career. And what a career! Three times Australian Eventing Champion, three times Australian Dressage Champion, three times Assistant Coach to the Australian Olympic Eventing team (well, they do say good things come in threes!); eight horses trained to Grand Prix. Not to mention, of course, that horse – the insanely beautiful, insanely talented Regardez-Moi (literally translated as Look at Me), who won 40 Grand Prix competitions during his stellar career, and whose son, Utopian Cardinal won Australian Dressage Champion of the year in 2016. It’s an obvious statement to say that it’s passion that drives him – and his equally talented and successful wife Rozzie – and yet, one of his basic beliefs about life, is that passion must be tempered by a large amount of logic in order for success to occur.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Heath and Rozzie Ryan – guiding young riders towards a bright future.
4
This is my second attempt to nail Heath Ryan down for an interview. An hour earlier he was on his horse, jumping, now he’s teaching. An hour later, at 9.30pm, it’s third time lucky. And it says a lot about his high levels of enthusiasm for his sport that he’s still going flat-chat after a day that starts at around 5.00am every morning. Optimism, and the desire to win, or at least to achieve his personal best, is what has fuelled
“The way I see it, the whole world is an energy equation,” he says. “You work hard – that’s energy, and you have to do it with as much passion as you can. But here’s the flip side – it’s passion that stops all of us from being sensible! As a coach I’m always trying to encourage riders to be rational and logical so that they can achieve their full potential, and to be honest very few of them get there, because emotion gets in the road.” At their Heatherbrae property the Ryans run their massive and highly successful breeding program, as well as training and riding their own horses and coaching horses and riders
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Heath Ryan and Utopian Cardinal (son of Regardez Moi) strutting their stuff. Photo credit Stephen Mowbray.
5
in all the Olympic disciplines at the Newcastle Equestrian Centre. Over the decades Heath and Rozzie have mentored hundreds of young people through those emotional teenage years.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Regardez Moi had a certain je-ne-sais quoi!
6
“It’s tough,” Heath says speaking of the teenage propensity to go AWOL from their riding commitments for a while. “It’s like when parents know full well that their child has fallen for someone completely unsuitable, but you can’t do anything about it – you just have to stay quiet and hope it will pass.” The more he talks about success in the equestrian world, the more it seems, to me at least, to be an almost impossible equation. “We try really hard ourselves to be always calculating, thoughtful and progressive in our actions, and to teach this to our riders and
horses,” he says, “but then there’s no tricking your way through this – at the end of the day you have to be in love with your horse…you have to have that heart to heart connection.” I’m trying to take all this on board – use logic, be passionate, be calculating, love your horse. No wonder getting to the top isn’t for the faint-hearted! Nine years ago when Heath was 50, the Australian horse world almost lost one of their greats when he suffered a severe stroke. He can remember the day with absolute clarity even now, he says. “I was coming back from the World Cup Dressage finals in Las Vegas,” he tells me. “I landed on a Wednesday, and that weekend there was a one-day event at Camden. We had 15 horses there, with riders and people who work for me. We’d done the show jumping and dressage, and I’d promised one of the riders I’d walk the cross country course with her early in the morning. But when I woke up I couldn’t get out of bed – I had to force myself, and I felt peculiar. I thought to myself that I must be having what my Gran would have called a ‘turn’. Then suddenly the truck was going sideways and I went straight down.” Heath was remarkably lucky that he was spotted by his staff almost immediately and they had a doctor to him within five minutes. Within a very short space of time he was in hospital where it was discovered that he had a DVT from flying. It had travelled up his leg, and into his heart – which, unbeknownst to him – had a hole in it, and up into his brain. It was a life-changing experience. “I couldn’t walk, I lost the side of my face, I couldn’t go to the toilet without a nurse and a crane, and a belt around my midriff,” he says, “but I wasn’t going to give up. I refused to be dependent on other people to go to the toilet, so I would wait until the middle of the night, and
pull myself along using beds as a support, and literally drag myself to the loo.” Something most of us would describe as a nightmare, he casually refers to as: “amusing myself”, but the after-effects have been
Pony Club days: The four Ryan boys, from left - Matt, Jamie, Heath and Simon. ongoing – particularly for his vision and balance, but fortunately, as he says, “I didn’t lose my ability to think.” Nor, in due course, did he lose his ability to sit a horse.
If it seems as if coming back from a stroke, competing again, running the Newcastle Equestrian centre, and looking after – with Rozzie – their family of young riders seems like hard work, Heath refutes that notion entirely. “I’ve never done a days work in my life,” he says. “I just do what I want to do every single day.” Doing what he wants to do includes constantly planning for the future. Having spent so much time coaching young riders, he’s come to the conclusion that one thing Equestrian Australia doesn’t understand is the worth of high performance programs. “Tokyo is only two years away and the World Equestrian Games are only two months away and some disciplines still don’t even have their teams, I find that incredibly frustrating.” Part of his frustration is based on his pride in how well Australia does in equestrian disciplines – with very little government support. “We are the third biggest dressage nation in the world,” he says, “below Germany and Denmark, and above the UK and the US – we have 30 FEI horses which is extraordinary when you think about the size of our population.” While I’m writing this article a few people who have been to Heath’s clinics, or known him for sometime, tell me things. “He never seems to eat,” says a clinic participant, “he seems to keep going on air.” Someone else tells of his kindness showing them his horses at a Werribee auction when they weren’t even in the market for buying. “Aha,” said Heath, “but you might be one day!” A lot of his dedication and enthusiasm obviously comes from his family. He and his brother, fellow-equestrian Matt Ryan, were born in Sydney where their father Rod was a lecturer in veterinary science at the University of Sydney. Their mother, Sue, wasn’t from a
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
But despite his determination to ride again at the same level as before the stroke, there was no question he says that he lost his edge. “It was a huge disappointment. The stroke stole a good six years from me, and during that time I was really sub-standard. At the same time I absolutely refused to pass over Regardez Moi to Rozzie, I kept riding him even though our dressage scores dropped significantly. I think that is the saddest thing that it stole Regardez Moi’s best years. He was the most amazing horse ever – he’s 23 now, and he’s still King of the place. He’s had a very, very fortunate life – and so have I – but I do wonder what he might have reached if I hadn’t had the stroke, or if I had passed him on to someone else. I always had the feeling that he might possibly have had the chance to
be one of the best horses in the world.”
7
horsey background but had grown up in India where her father was from the British Army. After 12 years or so the family moved to the NSW Central Coast where Rod worked as a vet for Bruce Steggles, of Steggles Chicken. Growing up in the countryside meant that Heath and Matt could seriously begin to explore their horse obsession. “I was given a pony, Trigger, when I was 12,” Heath says. “He had a mouth of cast iron but I rode him anywhere I could and of course, he taught me a lot.”
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
A lesson learned over the decades of competing is, says Heath, one that is easy to understand intellectually but less easy to apply. “Accuracy. That's it in one word. You cannot unleash riders onto cross-country courses, or into show jumping rounds or into dressage tests that they have not nailed over and over again,” he says.
8
I ask him about bravery – is that not an essential ingredient – particularly for eventing, and his answer surprises me. “It’s a tricky thing to be brave,” he says. “To be honest a rider that does not feel fear is far more a danger to themselves than a rider that feels the fear, and is able to risk-assess, be scared and go ahead and still do it. I get scared – for sure I do. We’re all human, we all make mistakes and horses have self-preservation. What you want with your horse is such a strong relationship that when you make a mistake – he, or she, can help you out.” He also blows out of the water the whole idea of ‘getting back on’ after a fall. “If someone falls off I tell them don’t you dare get back on until we’re sure you’re ok, and until we know it’s not going to happen again,” he says. “When you think about it, it’s often a recipe
Hanging out with The King (Regardez Moi) at home and in full majestic flight... for disaster because something has gone wrong, the horse is in the wrong space, the rider is not good, and then you make the rider get back on again. Where’s the sense in that? There’s no harm in letting it go. If things go pear-shaped don’t be gung-ho is my advice.”
Perhaps because, sadly, Heath and Rozzie don’t have children of their own, their knowledge and passion has had the chance to
As for Heath’s next superstar, it is of course the beautiful Utopian Cardinal, son of the breathtaking Regardez Moi. “I think he’s a better horse than people know,” Heath says reflectively. “He’s had to cope with me handling the complications of the stroke and I wonder how much better he – we – could be without that.” Given that the combination won the 2016 World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle at Werribee for the second year in a row, the idea (to a lazy trail-riding outsider) that there’s room for improvement is somewhat startling, but then winning and high achievement has always been part of Heath’s make-up and he’s certainly not looking to give up that part of his personality any time soon. Thank goodness. photo credit:
Stephen Mowbray
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
As for massive leaps of progress, he’s not a fan of those either. “If your progress is logical, thoughtful and progressive, and if you make progress by just a millimetre, but that millimetre is absolutely accurate – in whichever discipline – then you OWN all that territory, however small,” he says, “and then you can add on another millimetre. That’s how you build for success. That’s how you create a horse that when you’re galloping cross country together you’re ‘on song’ together. He’s not just a piece of flesh – he’s thinking with you. He knows you might need a bit of covering or help. Great horses become like huntsmen watching for the fence, they stalk that fence, they watch for added challenges – they’re like warriors – try me, they say. Great polo ponies will protect the ball – they’ll charge at an oncoming horse to give their rider a clean shot at the ball.”
flow into a far larger family - their family of riders, some of whom have been with them for over ten years. “I’ve always thought that it’s parents, and the sacrifices they make that produces Gold Medals,” he says. “And that is, in our way, what we help do here at the Newcastle Equestrian Centre – parent these incredibly talented riders through to their highest potential.”
9
EUREKA SYNTHETIC 600 DENIER WINTER RUG
Waterproof, windproof & breathable; Double chest straps; Double x-over surcingles; Removable leg straps; 220gsm polyfill cotton lined body; Anti rub synthetic satin in shoulders, tail flap & combo neck.
RUG
RUG
RRP $99.00
RRP $74.95
EUREKA CANVAS WINTER RUG
Waterproof Ripstop 17.6 oz (500gsm) Canvas; 100% superior cotton canvas; Warm wool blend blanket lining; Rope reinforced neckline on rug
COMBO: RRP $114.95
COMBO: RRP $94.95
NECKRUG: RRP $49.95
X-CALIBUR 1200 DENIER DELUXE WINTER RUG
Waterproof, windproof & breathable; Double Quick clip chest straps; Double x-over surcingles; Removable leg straps; 300 gsm polyfill cotton lined body; Anti rub synthetic satin in shoulders, tail flap & combo neck; Wither protector on rug.
RUG
RRP $139.00
RRP $89.95
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
COMBO: RRP $160.00
10
COMBO
3,500+ EQUESTRIAN PRODUCTS IN STOCK NOW AND READY TO GO VIA YOUR FAVOURITE STORE
EUREKA MINIATURE 600 DENIER SYNTHETIC WINTER COMBO
Waterproof, windproof & breathable; Double chest straps; Double x-over surcingles; Removable leg straps; Anti rub synthetic satin in shoulders, protector on rug.
RUG: RRP $79.95
PLEASE SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN SHOP FRONT BUSINESSES!
6
N.E.W.
X-CALIBUR 600 DENIER WINTER PADDOCK COMBO
O COMB RRP 00 $139.
Waterproof, windproof & breathable; Double x-over surcingles; Removable leg straps; Quick clip chest straps;
National Equestrian W H O L E S A L E R S
COMBO RRP $49.95
EUREKA POLAR FLEECE COMBO bound; Wither protector on rug; Satin lined combo neck; Removable elastic leg straps; D rings on rugs for hood & neck rug connection.
RUG: RRP $39.95
RUG: RRP $119.95
NECKRUGS/HOODS: RRP $69.00
NECKRUGS/HOODS: RRP $29.95 MINIATURE RUGS: RRP $36.95
BOUNTY HUNTER 600 D WINTER SYNTHETIC RUG Lightweight, waterproof
O COMB RRP 95 $119.
cotton lined body; Satin lined Removable leg straps; Wither protector on rug.
SHOWCRAFT RIPSTOP CANVAS WINTER COMBO
Waterproof Ripstop 22.5 oz (640gsm) Canvas; 100% superior cotton canvas; Wool blend blanket lining; Rope reinforced neckline; BARTACK reinforced stitching; 3 way
COMBO: RRP $104.95
RUG RRP $64.95
& neckrug; Removable leg straps; Fleece wither protector on rug.
RUG: RRP $104.95
EUREKA MINIATURE CANVAS WINTER RUG
Waterproof Ripstop 17.6 oz Canvas; 100% superior cotton canvas; Wool blend blanket lining; Single surcingle; Taffeta lined chest & tail Wither protector.
NECKRUG: RRP $35.95
BUY ONLINE: www.natequest .com.au ORDERS $150+ freight free to your favourite store
FREE SHIPPING
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
NECKRUGS/HOODS: RRP $54.95
RUG RRP $84.95
11
Yoga to Ride
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
When Dannii Cunnane first started getting fit to be able to ride better, it was all pretty hardcore, but then she discovered yoga, and a whole new way to help her body stay supple.
12
As some of you may remember, I started my fitness journey back in June 2017 and added an article into HubVibes about becoming fit in order to ride better. When I started my fitness it was, and still continues to be, about being able to ride my horse better than I could when I started out. As a bonus since then I’ve lost 21 kilograms - I’m riding better than ever and my horse is performing at his best. It’s been a really enjoyable experience, but I did find that my gym sessions needed supplementing with something a little more gentle. No-one was more surprised than me when a colleague was telling me about yoga and I actually jumped at the chance to attend a session – without evening thinking about it!
’m not a very spiritual or ‘out there’ type person, and to be honest I would have once laughed head off at the idea of me ‘OMMMING’ and focusing on my breathing. I am a very busy person and I don’t have time for that nonsense…or do I? So, I attended my first session in early January and I actually enjoyed it! The class was Yin Yoga, which focuses on less moves but a longer time period of performing them – it was literally a real stretch for me (pardon the pun) but I’ve gone back every week since. Yoga as a whole has made me look at my own body. I’m naturally a very tense person and I can’t imagine my stiff and rigid muscles being much joy on my horses back. Tight muscles obviously lack suppleness and the ability to be ‘as one’ with our horse, no matter what the discipline. It’s hard to relax and have soft hands if our shoulders are tense and you can’t sit trot or use your legs correctly if your back is rigid and your thighs are tight. Yin Yoga has educated me a lot on how tight and sore my hip flexors are, which means that I may have been gripping my horse with my thighs when I’ve been riding rather than using my core. I also have sore shoulders which probably stems from having a desk job and naturally bad posture. It all adds up. It wasn’t until the first move - a Bound Angle Pose, had me sweating for four minutes - until the next move was undertaken. While I was struggling with the basics, it made me try harder and hold each frame without putting too much pressure on myself. I really wanted to push through to open up these tight areas so my
riding would benefit. I’ve also been attending a normal yoga class too, but it’s very fast paced - the Yin allows me to take my time and push a little further if my body allows in the longer time frame. There is another form of yoga, known as Aerial Yoga, performed from a special hammock and while it’s not quite trapeze school, there are a few upside down movements. Like all forms of yoga though, you only
Receive our FREE monthly HubVibes e-zine AND a chance to WIN
100
$
GIFT VOUCHER
Simply subscribe before the draw date to be eligible. Gift voucher courtesy of:
National Equestrian Wholesalers natequest.com.au Drawn 31/3/2018
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
perform what you’re comfortable with and the upside down part is only a small collection of movements. Saying that though, I was more comfortable with being upside down than I thought I would be, it was really great to be able to stretch out my shoulders and back a little more than Yin Yoga will allow.
13
So, what’s the verdict? At the time of writing, we’re already half-way through February and I can see that yoga is really assisting my dressage seat. My horse is training and competing at Elementary level and because I can open my hip flexors better, his shoulder-in has really improved. I no longer feel stuck through my shoulders and legs which is allowing me to move them independently and be clearer in my aids. The freedom has also had an effect on my horse’s gaits, allowing a better swing through the medium trot and collected canter which may be helped with my ability to open my hips more.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
While not everyone has the time or budget for yoga classes, there are options that you can do at home. Invest in a yoga mat (or towel) and a couple of blocks (or sturdy cushions)
14
to support your body or limbs when required. I’ve been using a few online Yin Yoga tutorials through YouTube and doing them at home after riding or an evening at the gym. The online tutorials allow you to Yoga at your own pace, only stretch as far as what’s comfortable and choose your own time and place to practice in. Hot tip: don’t be discouraged if you’re not flexible. With practice your muscles will loosen up and you will become more agile and flexible. Dannii’s top online Yoga picks: 1st place: Yin Yoga for a deep hip stretch 2nd place: Yin Yoga for upper back knots 3rd place: Yoga for dressage riders Angela Nuez, Yoga Equestrian Extraordinaire (something to aspire to Dannii?? Ed...)
W ! ! n E N ivalse you ca l r i r h Athem w
t e G
Clic
sa k the
dd
rm le fo
ore
tion a m r info
.
Prestige X D2K Zero 17" $5,250
FKieffer Sydney Size 1 $3,995
Peter Horobin Liberty 17.5" $2,100
Ambassador Dressage 16.5" $1,600
Hidalgo Barrocco Spanish Leather $2,200
Prestige S1 Jump 17" $5250
$6,300
County Competitor 16" $1,500
HUB
the
Saddle
Buy, Ride, Decide!
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
CWD 2GS 17.5"
15
PRODUCT REVIEW
ROSE-HIP VITAL Fiona Todd’s old broody Zar, has rediscovered the spring in her hoof since she’s been on Rose-Hip Vital.. ‘I have a wonderful large Oldenburg mare in my paddock who has now reached the stately age of 20. Zar was retired from her showjumping career because of a torn sesamoid ligament, she’s always had a stifle click and suffers from swelling in her joints from time to time. I’d read about Rose-Hip Vital and after I’d given it to her for a month I was really pleased with her improved movement and the absence of the stifle click. Her overall demeanour is improved and she is moving herself around freely and happily in her paddock - she’s even able to buck and
snort like a six year old. For an old broody, she looks awesome and seems pretty happy with her lot in life. Stupid me though, after falling off my horse two years ago and breaking my back and pelvis, I suffer from quite a bit of lower back pain. I wish I’d put myself on Rose-Hip Vital as quickly as I put my horse on it!’
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Would you like your horse to be more willing to move forward? Treat inflammation, protect cartilage and boost immunity
16
Rose-Hip Vital® Equine is a plant-based anti-inflammatory and immune system support for your horse’s joint health and general wellbeing. Made from rosehips manufactured with patented processes, Rose-Hip Vital® Equine is scientifically proven to reduce inflammation, protect cartilage, improve general health and improve performance.
F
E RE
ING
S
P HIP
$199.95 NOW $99.95
SHOP NOW
FEEDING THE OLDER HORSE It’s inevitable that as our equine friends age, they begin to lose a bit of condition, but, as Penny Newbold writes, there’s plenty you can do to help your horse stay well nourished, and as comfortable as possible. So your equine partner is getting on in years. Perhaps their coat is losing its shine, it’s harder to keep their ribs covered and they don’t seem to have the same ‘spring’ in their step.
Some common physical signs of aging that
• weight loss and decrease in body condition • muscle loss over the top line • sway backed appearance • decrease in coat and hoof quality • dental problems Some senior horses also develop diseases such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome or Cushing’s Disease. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is an endocrinopathy affecting horses and ponies and is of primary concern due to its link to obesity, insulin resistance, and subsequent laminitis. Cushing’s Disease is a dysfunction of the pituitary gland, and is also known as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID. It is most common in older horses (18 – 23 years). Since it’s sometimes
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
In the absence of a disaster, horses who have been correctly fed all their lives are far more likely to live to a ripe old age than those which have been starved or those which have struggled with obesity - and its frequent (and painful) partner, laminitis. This should come as no surprise because of course the same is true of humans!
suggests something needs to be changed in an older horse’s diet, are:
17
associated with Insulin Resistance, it can be sometimes be confused Equine Metabolic Syndrome – both are treatable but without treatment they can cause extreme discomfort for the horse, and in the end, become fatal. Other ailments to afflict old horses can include degenerative joint disease (arthritis) and kidney or liver dysfunction. As your horse ages, his system slows down a little. He begins to need more fuel to do the same tasks. His eyesight and hearing might become a little less acute, his legs move a little less swiftly. His gastrointestinal tract can become less efficient at extracting the nutrients he needs from his food. At the same time, his body's ability to thermoregulate (maintain an even body temperature) gradually decreases, so he might need extra dietary energy to help him stay warm in winter, and assist him in coping with heat and humidity in summer.
An older horse with poor teeth should be offered small meals ¬frequently if possible, or at two least two feeds morning and night (for those horse owners that work) and a single meal should not exceed 2.5kg.
Don’t despair just yet, it’s just there are a few things that need a little more attention now than in his earlier years.
It is important to make sure your older horse is getting enough forage sources. If his teeth aren’t great he will find it difficult to chew and breakdown grasses, wetting his hay and chaff will make the chewing and swallowing process much easier for him. Lupin and soybean hulls can also be used as a good forage source.
Benefits of Processed Feeds
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Pelleted feeds are made with grains that are ground and held together with a binding agent, and they can be a good choice for the older horse.
18
school of thought developing that the increase of laminitis in younger horses is due to excessive sugar in the diet of performance horses generally.)
They can be soaked in warm water, or a mix of water and molasses, to make it an easier option for the really “dentally challenged” animal. Some older horses thrive on extruded feeds, which are cooked under steam pressure to gelatinize the starches in the grains and make them more available for absorption in the gut. What is important for older horses is that the feed – as well as being easy to chew - should be low in sugar – and there are quite a few on the market these days. (In fact there is a
Hay and Chaff
Water intake is especially critical in senior horses in order to reduce constipation and impaction problems that are common in old horses.
And remember… The main point to remember when developing feeding programs for senior horses is that these animals should be treated on an individual basis. Their program needs to be designed individually to keep them feeling well as they reach, and continue to thrive through, their twilight years.
Bonita Bobbie Sox Wamblood filly with imported bloodlines Born: 29/12/17
Chestnut with four socks Double cross of Galoubet A, on her sire’s side and Quattro B on her dam’s side. Serious jumping power! For more info click here.
Competitive All-Rounder “Coritzo” Price: $15,000 For more info click here.
Super Quality TB Mare: HB Performance horses presents for sale: ‘Rosie” (Race Name: Lucky Lyndel) Price: $8,500
For more info click here.
Yearling Warmblood Gelding Colour: brown Mature height: 16.3hh By Kenlock Sylvestro from TL Camparina, he also carries the lines of Voltaire, Weltmeister, Samber, Valuta, Contango 11 & a double cross of Carprilli. Price: $5,500 For more info click here.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
HB Performance Horses presents for sale:
Quality Thoroughbred Mare
19
BREED SPOTLIGHT
MORGAN HORSE With their high-stepping action, expressive faces, strength and stamina, the Morgan
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
horse is an extremely popular breed in America, where it was developed.
20
Any horse enthusiast has influenced other that grew up on horse major American breeds, books with tales of inincluding the American credible equines would Quarter Horse, Tennesknow of Figure and see Walking Horse and Justin Morgan. Figure the Standardbred. was a stallion originally Morgan horses were given to Justin Morgan later exported from in America in the 1790’s America in the early to pay off a debt. While nineteenth century and Figure was only small influenced European (14.1hh) he was strong breeds such as the Figure became known as Justin and very successHackney. Morgan, or the Morgan horse. ful in racing, making The Morgan is such a Justin money through versatile breed that it winnings and stallion was used during the fees - which was welAmerican Civil War (on come as Justin was on both sides) and was so a small wage working well thought of that in as a singing and Eng1907, the US lish teacher. As a sire, Department of AgriculFigure passed on his ture established the US good nature, beautiful Morgan Horse Farm looks and athleticism in Vermont with the to his foals which were The modern Morgan horse. purpose of improvreferred to as Morgan horses – the only develing the Morgan breed. oped American breed to still survive today. There are thought to be more than 175,000 Morgan horses worldwide. The Morgan horse is directly traced back to Figure, but his exact parentage is not clear. It is thought that Figure was sired by Right: Front cover of the popular book a Thoroughbred, but he was not a full "Justin Morgan Had a Horse", later to thoroughbred and his dam is unknown. Figure become a Disney movie.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
21
dapple and cream dilutions such as palomino, buckskin, cremello and perlino have also been noted. In addition, three pinto colour patterns are also recognised which are sabino, frame overo and splashed white.
Disciplines The Morgan can do everything with ease, be it dressage, show jumping, western pleasure, cutting and endurance riding. They are also used as stock horses and for pleasure riding and driving. Their willing nature and easy handling makes them a pleasure to train and take to competitions.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Breed traits
22
The Morgan has strong legs, an expressive head with large eyes and a broad forehead. It has a high wither, short back, naturally arched neck and well-muscled croup. Morgans are strong and stand between 14.1 and 15.2 hands high with an animated and elastic trot and canter. Some Morgans are gaited, which means they have a speed in between trot and canter which can either be the rack, foxtrot or pace. The breed is also known for its stamina, intelligence and courage.
Colours of the breed The more common colours are bay, black and chestnut however, grey, roan, dun, silver
Official horse breed of Massachusetts. First true American horse breed.
The Morgan in Australia There are a number of Morgan horses in Australia with a wide range of studs in all states. The Morgan Horse Association of Australia organises and supports various classes and competitions throughout the year. For further information about this spectacular breed, visit the Morgan Horse Association of Australia’s website.
Book your ad before the 10th of each month and receive a 20% discount.* For bookings and enquiries contact:
promote@equestrianhub.com.au
20% DISCOUNT
*Limited offer
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
23
MARCH
H YOUNG RIDER OF THE MONTH
H
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
24
Emma Bishop This month’s Young Rider is Emma Bishop, a super talented eventing rider who has made a big impression on the wellknown names around her. Emma hails from Cassilis in New South Wales where her parents run a Merino sheep property. Upon completing her education photo credit: Stephen Mowbray in 2001 she became a working pupil at Heath and Rozzie Ryan’s property. on a total score of 50.7. “She made her time and They were competing jumped the best she’s ever “I worked at the Ryan’s against Australian Olymdone and of course I was property as soon as I pians on their best horses super happy with her finished school,” explains and managed to bring performance. Emma. home the win. “It was a huge relief to “I learned so much with “The whole of 2017 for me win after so many months Heath and Rozzie for the of dedication to one was spent preparing for eleven years I was with competition.” Wallaby Hill,” said Emma. them, but the most important lessons was to work “I was really focused on us With Emma’s vast expehard and keep persevering winning and the dedication rience she offers some great advice to young and even if you feel like giving up. really paid off. old riders alike. “I found that no matter “There was obviously what it was, by keeping months of preparation that “You don’t have to ride focused and pushing went into that competition amazingly well to have forward no matter what it and was the first three star success,” said Emma. is always pays off in the year for my horse. “Keep focused, have great end.” discipline and aim for your “We didn’t know if she’d long term goals. Even if In December 2017, Emma be a three star horse but you have a few bad rides blitzed the eventing world she handled it all really after competing at the well and I was so proud of you shouldn’t give up – just keep trying. Wallaby Hill three day how she jumped the day event on CP Issey Miyake after a big cross country “That’s the secret to to win the OTTO Sports 3* course. success.” 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.
MYTH
FACT
The only people who can really help are professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors etc.
There are many people who can help. Most important are the people “there”, including family and friends. Everyone can be part of creating a suicide safe community.
If you feel someone’s life is in danger, call emergency on 000 If someone you know needs urgent crisis counselling, there are several free 24/7 telephone services including Lifeline on 13 11 14 and the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. And remember… • Take all threats seriously • Ask the person to tell you what is wrong • Listen and offer support • Be positive and point out choices
• Remove anything that could be dangerous • Don’t leave the suicidal person alone • Don’t promise confidentiality • Get professional help*
Suicide Prevention Australia remembers those we have lost to suicide and acknowledges the suffering suicide brings when it touches our lives. We are brought together by experience and are unified by hope. *Guidance shared from www.communitiesmatter.com.au
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Visit www.suicidepreventionaust.org and click on Get help if you or someone you know could do with extra support.
25
C A N D I D LY S P E A K I N G Equine Facilitated Magic More and more research is showing that close proximity to horses can change our brain wave patterns in a positive way. Candida Baker recently plunged into the world of Equine Facilitated Learning and found it was a therapeutic learning process for everybody involved.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
I was only five years old when I first noticed that horses made me happy. My best friend, Sally, a couple of years older than me, had a perfect first pony, a grey Welsh Cob called Lucy, as safe, sound and sane as they come, and Sally was kind enough to let me spend hours with them both, grooming, or walking beside them, or even riding, or doubling together.
26
Looking back through the mists of time, there’s something that stands out about those early memories – and that’s the fact that the absolute best times we shared were not necessarily the riding ones. The times spent talking down by the river while Lucy munched contentedly beside us; the times when we would tuck Lucy up in her stable, out of the bad weather, and just hang in there with her, plaiting her mane or simply sometimes just leaning against her, inhaling her warm horsey smell. All three of us just about as content as it’s possible for children and pony to be. Fast forward almost sixty years and 12,000 miles away from the country of my birth, and here I am, with a group of like-minded women having just taken part in an Equine Facilitated Learning Level 1 course – in order to become practitioners of this groundwork based
The sheer joy of an EFL session. Let's paint a pony! course, in which there are three participants – the client, the horse and the facilitator. After many years of horse rescue and rehabilitation, natural horsemanship and the teaching of my own methods to children, friends, family and volunteer helpers, I’m not new to the world of equine therapeutic modalities, but I decided to do this course for a specific reason – I wanted to have a qualification
which will allow me to do something I’m passionate about – to set up horse groundwork sessions for our Save a Horse Australia rescue horses and for those who might benefit from time spent hanging out with horses, in which ‘magic’ is the key ingredient. It was an intense four days! The clinic was conducted by Elaine Hughes, the guardian of EFL in Australia. Originally from the UK, but now based in Victoria, Elaine has had many decades of horse experience, and has studied with many of the ‘natural’ trainers, but it was a meeting with Frank Levinson, the founder of EFL, that prompted her interest in the program. When she and her family of four and two-legged friends moved to Australia, Elaine partnered with Sally Francis to create AEFL. Elaine teaches the clinic with her two offsiders, Louise, otherwise known as Irish, and her partner Dave. What I witnessed as we moved through the four days into a deeper understanding of the horse and human bond, culminating in working with ‘real’ clients on the last day is that EFL seems to substantially deepen people’s understanding of their personal issues and feelings, and that some level of fundamental relaxation occurs. But the careful – almost invisible – guidance of the facilitator also allows children and adults to experience, as Elaine says: “a huge surge in self-esteem and confidence when they realise they can create boundaries and direct a pony or horse to move in a particular way.”
EFL Director Elaine Hughes showing Angelo how to move.
The next step in becoming an EFL practitioner for us all is ten hours of sessions with clients, so watch this space! For more information on EFL go to: http://www.efl.net.au/ AEFL is the Platinum Training Provider for IICT – International Institute for Complimentary Therapies.
HubVibes editor, Candida Baker is the President of Save a Horse Australia and also runs a Facebook page, The Horse Listeners.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Children who have stopped speaking; people with anxiety and depression; children and adults with physical or intellectual (or both) disabilities; people who are simply afraid of horses and want to learn not to be – all of these scenarios (and more) were presented to us over the four days, either in theory or practice with role play, or clients. It was an
incredibly fulfilling experience for all of us to take our already existing horsemanship skills and our rapid immersion into EFL and to witness the ways in which we could help both ourselves, the client and the horse develop what I can only describe as an elasticity of brain and body. We learnt quickly to allow the space for the session to evolve into whatever is most fulfilling for the client and the horse!
27
NSW State Pony Club Championships The first Pony Club NSW State Combined Championships for the year were held at the Hawkesbury Showground Clarendon over the Australia Day long weekend.
Despite the very warm conditions, four days of hotly contested Showriding and Dressage events ran from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th of January.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Champion and Reserve Champion place getters during the 2018 State Showriding Championships Presentation.
28
Olivia-Kait Gallegos Zone 5.
Sarah Olsen Zone 26.
Ella Fin in Zone 10.
Beatrix Warburton Zone 8.
Madeleine Gaden Zone 6.
Molly Best from Rylstone Pony Club in Zone 6.
points in each championship were awarded with an Age Champion sash, trophy and wool trophy rug thanks to Horseland. photo credit:
Rodneys Photography.com
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Well over 200 riders took part in the Combined Championship from all over the State, with all judges very impressed with the level of presentation, sportsmanship and performance. Riders with the highest
29
Down on Penny Newbold’s farm you’ll find her family and animals, and of course, horses…
Babies ‘Never work with children or animals’ said W.C. Fields – but what if, like our Penny, you happen to have children, and baby animals…
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Whether the equine or human variety, nothing else can tug at your heartstrings in quite the same way. Or cause quite as much angst, stress and just plain terror, either.
30
Like the day I watched my (very valuable) six-month-old warmblood weanling jump out of her paddock. Over a 1.2m fence. From a casual jog trot. Onto the road. Of course, naturally! She really couldn’t understand quite what all the fuss
was about, with her human mum racing around, sweating and panicking for no reason at all as far as she could see. Nevertheless, she was impressed with the supply of carrots and grain that served as bribery to get her back. She wasn’t so impressed however, with the 1.8m steel yard she was subsequently put into in order to keep her contained. Then there was the morning I discovered her hanging out with the neighbour’s calves having taken herself through (or over I’ll never know) two fences to do it - including the barbed wire boundary fence. It was a thirty-minute walk to bring her back to our property via roads which were at the height of morn-
ing, work/school hour traffic. Oh the joy! And then there was my other beloved daughter (human variety this time) who also enjoyed turning her mother’s hair a shade or two greyer, with her escapades. Too many occasions found me panicked, heart pounding with sweating palms as my blood started pumping terror-induced adrenalin through my veins when I realised I couldn’t see my little darling! My eyes would dart quickly from the road, to the dam, to the car trying to determine where to start looking, when it would suddenly occur to me - the horses! A fan from the very beginning, my daughter was forever
demanding that we “go pat the ‘orsies’” no matter the weather or time of day. With a fondness for the broodmares - particularly the foals - she was drawn like a moth to a flame to the foaling paddock. On this particu-
lar occasion, the paddock was home to my old, forever faithful mare, who was heavily pregnant and known to get very cranky with intruders. This thought didn’t bring much comfort when my eyes came to rest on the scene unfolding in front of me: the little arms wrapped tightly around a very large leg, a very large nose sniffing with interest at the little being so enthusiastically using the leg to keep her balance. Oh the fear!
To her total credit, the mare was a complete champion. To this day, I don’t know whether she understood the danger she presented to my little girl, or if some instinct told her not to move, but whatever it was, I was thankful for it! And so is my daughter when I recount the story to her. To this day she has a soft spot for old, heavily pregnant broodmares, and at least she comes up above their knees so she can rescue herself!
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Resisting the urge to run frantically into the paddock and grasp my little girl to safety, I walked slowly up to them gently saying things like: “Good girl, stay still, don’t move darling” (to the
horse that is since I already knew I had no chance of convincing my daughter to come to me!).
31
Want to raise money for your club? By selling Helping Hearts healthy horse treats you can raise much-needed money for your club AND for our equine accident charity, Hub Help. BUY for
$5.50 each
SELL for rp) 50 each (r
$9.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
purchas*e m u im in M for $55 10 packs
32
For enquiries or to place an order contact:
info@hubhelp.com.au *excluding freight
hubhelp.com.au
Your Club IN PROFILE
SYDNEY @ SIEC EVENTING
Sydney Eventing was formed in 2002, with competitive eventer and course designer Sue Gunn at the helm. Supported by her husband Jim, well-known equestrian volunteers Ken and Pat Weekes, Wendy Simpson, Jim and Babs McSweeney, Mike O’Callaghan, Katrina Dukats and FEI dressage judges Rachel Hunter and Vicky Brydon, the inaugural One Day Event was held in February 2002 using the wonderful facilities of the Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC), which was purpose-built for the 2000 Olympic Games. More than a decade after it began, Sydney Eventing continues to run several events each year. It is proudly run by a friendly committee and numerous volunteers with the committee headed by President Christine Bates, a recognised 3-4* eventer, and vice-presidents Fiona Hughes and Sandy Lucas adding to the depth of eventing experience. Sydney @ SIEC Eventing is passionate about and committed to running world class events that offer riders a level of competition suited to their individual skills: from junior riders, who are the future of our sport, to many of Australia’s elite eventers, while not forgetting those who event as a hobby.
For the 2000 Olympics, the cross country course was designed by English course designer Mike Etherington-Smith, who
returns on a regular basis to work alongside Australian course designers, including Ewan Kellett and Stuart Tinney, to design new tracks and plan the expansion and development of the cross-country course. SIEC is also the venue for the annual Sydney International Horse Trials and Sydney Eventing works closely with the Horse Trials committee to build and maintain the cross country fences and upgrade the cross country course. Each year, new fences are built and older fences modified to give competing riders a fresh challenge, while the Equestrian Centre staff work with the course designers to maintain and upgrade the course to ensure the grounds are in the best condition for every event.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
SIEC is one of the few Olympic Equestrian venues still in use internationally. In addition to its world-class facilities, it offers riders the prestige of competing at the very place where Australia won Eventing gold.
Olympian Stuart Tinney won the international CIC 2* class on ‘Celebration’ (pictured) as well as the CIC 1* class with Diabolo.
33
Tent Pegging 101 While it’s not clear where the equestrian sport of tent pegging originated, it has been documented as a sport as early the fourth century BC. It is practiced on horseback with the rider using either a lance or a sword and the modern sport originally evolved from Calvary training.
Nowadays the art of tent pegging has evolved so that the rider must use the sword or lance to pick up and carry away small objects including tent pegs that are placed on the ground by piercing and carrying them away. To this day light horse and mounted police participate in tent pegging displays to show off their horsemanship and riding skills. During 1982 the Olympic Council of Asia accepted tent pegging as an official sport and allowed it in the New Delhi Asian Games. Since then more countries have recognised the sport and it has its own international events in South Africa, Namibia, India, Pakistan, Israel, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA, Canada, and New Zealand. Scoring for tent pegging is as follows: • ‘Carry’ 6 points – Six points are scored when you carry your peg at least 20 meters • ‘Draw’ 4 points – Four points are scored when the peg is drawn out of the grown but not carried the 20 meters. • ‘Strike’ 2 points – Two points are scored when the peg is not drawn from the ground but there is a weapon strike to the peg.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Tent Pegging in Pakistan
34
Soldiers on horseback were trained to conduct pre-dawn raids on enemy camps and remove the tent pegs from the tents in which their enemies were sleeping, using the tips of their sharp swords as they galloped past. Soldiers on foot would then attack their enemy as they tried to escape their collapsing tents – hence the name tent pegging.
Off shoot sports of tent penning include:
Pair of Lances Two riders run two abreast past two pegs that are in the ground. Each rider is to draw their own peg from the ground with their lance. The pair then halt at the other end and walk across to the next track where a judge signals for them to repeat the exercise. Points are given for the pegs as well as for drill. This can
also be ridden as a team with four riders (also known as a team).
Pair of Swords This is the same as a pair of lances except that a sword is used instead. Two riders run two abreast past two pegs that are in the ground. Each rider is to draw their own peg from the ground with their sword. The pair then halt at the other end and walk across to the next track where a judge signals for them to repeat the exercise. Points are given for
Two gallows are placed 15 meters apart in a straight line with a peg 20 meters beyond the second gallow. A rider using a lance and at the gallop must bring the lance to a position above the arm and collect both rings and a peg in the ground. This sport can also take place with a sword where the rider cuts the ring string and collects the tent peg on the end of their weapon. Australia has a very active tent pegging community where tent pegging and its
A member of the Australian Tent Pegging team practising for the World Cup. offshoot games are competed at organised events as well as at agricultural shows and gymkhana / sporting games.
Rings and Peg
The Australian Tent pegging Association was formed in 1981 to facilitate and oversee all tent pegging activities in Australia.
A ring with a width of six centimetres is suspended from a gallow with suspender strap at a height of 2.2 meters from the ground.
For more information, visit their website.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
the pegs as well as for drill. This can also be ridden as a team with four riders (also known as a team).
35
At Riverside Stables it’s all about the horse, the horse – no trouble…
Inside the William Inglis Hotel dining room.
Hotel with its access to the auditorium and stage. The seamless merging of the past with state-of-the-art technology makes for a site that, it’s easy to see, is the start of a new era for this thoroughbred auction business – which is also including conferences, exhibitions and expos in its business plan as canny marketers take advantage of the beautiful surroundings. Right: (clockwise from top) aerial view of the complex and its 800 stables; the statue of a horse and its handler at the hotel entrance; getting a yearling ready for the first ever auction; all the fun of the screens as the countdown begins; a groom with her charge wait in the wings; the Big Barn with horse and handler; the contemporary ceiling gives the Big Barn a modern twist.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
It was a perfect Sydney summer’s night in early February when Inglis & Son held their first auction ever on their new Warwick Farm site.
36
When the family firm made the move after over 100 years at their iconic Newmarket site in Randwick – history came with them, in the re-purposed wood from the old stables; the homage to the Old Barn with its new, state-of-the art counterpart and in all the furnishings of the upmarket William Inglis
The walkway to the auditorium lit up at night.
photo credit:
Candida Baker
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
37
Promote your club and feel the Love!
Hub for Clubs is an exciting new way for equestrian clubs to proudly promote themselves and receive great membership benefits.
this s u h t i bw u l c r u o List y ar to receive ye F H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
F O % 5 0 our next
38
s d n a l r ow Ga
Sh
y
HUB for CLUBS Membership Fee: FREE
equestrianhub.com.au
A division of: Equestrian Hub Garlands by: La Flor Equestrian Designs
For enquiries contact: promote@equestrianhub.com.au
HUB SADDLE REVIEW
Saddle r e v i e w : Brendon Thurgate
Brendon Thurgate recently purchased the Thorowgood T8 dressage saddle through The Saddle Hub and is very happy with his purchase.“I bought the dressage saddle because it was really comfortable to ride in,” explains Brendon.
“I’ve got two horses, one of them is quite fine and the other is wide and solid. I’ve found the adjustability of the gullet easy and it’s great that I can continue to adjust the saddle as these horses grow,” he says. “The Thorowgood T8 is good quality and really comfortable to ride in when I’m out on the trails. It’s very reasonably priced and the big purchasing factor for me was that it could be used on multiple horses without too much hassle.” Are you looking for a quality saddle? Why not check out what The Saddle Hub has in stock.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
39
Aries
y b s r a St pona E
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
March - If you’re thinking
40
about buying new technology this month, don’t. Mercury, the planet of commerce, communication and mechanical whatnot is in the shadow phase, turning retrograde on the 22nd. Think of it as a no-fly zone when it comes to purchasing big items. As well, it’s nearly on the equinox, the start of the astrological year. Typically, it means new beginnings and renewal but this year you’re more likely to jump the gun, or come out the gate backwards. In any case, you want to handle things carefully. Just saying…
The equinox heralds the sun into your sign, usually a time of forging ahead, leading the way. This year, you need to hold your horses. Our urge is to turn a hand-gallop into a dead run, a sure way to end up in unfamiliar territory. Slow down. It will save time, money and swollen tendons.
Taurus
The biggest challenge this month, for both two and four-legged bovine, is paying attention. It’s so easy to be lulled into a dreamy, carefree mode where humans meander through their thoughts and us equines basically fall asleep. If you can adjust the training schedule with this in mind, awesome. If not, ease up on expectations. The rest of the year you can buckle down.
Gemini
The naturally mercurial Twins have a sluggish start to the new astrological year. Think of it as your ruler Mercury delivering a message: Stop. Look. Listen. This is no time to charge off half-baked. That includes important meetings, contracts and arenas. Take extra time to prepare. If you’re in a drill team, take the month off.
Cancer
With Mars and Saturn opposite your sign, everything this month turns into a ‘learning experience’. The good news is that you make it work for you. Instead of oversensitive reactions, you set strong boundaries and take responsibility for your and your herd’s wellbeing. To smooth flighty four-legged crabs, pamper with more thorough grooming.
Leo
Sagittarius
Virgo
Capricorn
The month’s chaotic players occupy your house of ‘others’. Think relationships, biz partners, artistic collaborators, stablemates and frenemies alike. Don’t expect even terrain but instead be ready for a rough ride. Just as in the saddle, you can help navigate the grade by sifting your weight forward and back. Making adjustments, metaphorical or real, leads to success all around.
Dust stirs on the home front for human and equine Sea-goats. Splinters could fly from a well-placed hoof to the wall. Tempers in the kitchen might reach boiling. This is where exercise is our best friend. With adrenaline spiked, the antidote is sweat. Lift weights, swim laps, play sport, cut loose with a gallop over the hills. Once anger burns to dross, the head clears and peace reigns.
Libra
Aquarius
This month has a lot going for two and four-legged lions, even with the retrogrades and low-mojo equinox. The key is to know when to accelerate and when to brake. The best way to achieve a balance is to take off the blinkers. You need to see behind as well as ahead, future as well as past. Pan the horizon, calculate possibilities and launch. The cards are stacked in your favour, step high.
Creativity and wide-eyed enthusiasm well up from your heart, a la eclipses in the selfexpression sector. Put your attention on what makes you feel special, artistic, open and sharing. Identify the ingredient that it takes to ‘make’ your day. There is always more where that came from. You just have to see it. Us four-legged Libras are alert, sensitive and ready to learn. Soak this up.
Hopefully you have a trusted veterinarian in the area, and/or savvy healthcare professional. If not, cultivate them; if so, be sure to add their number to your speed dial/phone favourites. It may only be a minor query or routine check, but anticipating issues before they escalate is the goal. Ounce of prevention; pound of cure.
Of all the signs, Water-bearers are most likely to get their wires crossed this month. Communication misfires, words muddle, signals snag. The only way to deal with it is with patience and humour. “Upsidaisy” isn’t a bad mantra if it allows you to laugh off the snafus. Read and reread. Listen and ask for confirmation. Play it safe.
Pisces
Even though many endeavours stumble out the gate this month, you will benefit by working hard towards greater financial security. The more you can stand on your own, monetarily and emotionally, the bigger the opportunities. Think of every goal in terms of independence. Four-legged Fish support their humans in ways you can’t imagine. Like magic unicorns!
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Scorpio
The most difficult thing for both two and four-legged Centaurs this month is following the rules. You don’t want to do it. No matter how conforming/obedient you’ve been in the past, the urge to go maverick overwhelms. Avert disaster by weaving in ways you can buck the system without taking down the entire framework. Little leniencies and goof-off time makes all the difference.
41
Wcom O N e.
E Ygam L B A
PL e LA s I A hor V A OM FR
$10 from every
sale of HorsePLAY donated to Hub Help!
List with us and reach the people who need you! H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Click Here to find out more.
42
6 for 3
nth listing Book a 6 mo r y and to in Hub Direc onths. 3m only pay for Ask us how! (valid 'till 30/6
/18)
equestrianhub.com.au
Sydney @ SIEC Eventing's Tim Boland recorded the fastest cross country time to come 2nd in the CIC 3* with GV Billy Elliott.
Buying or selling a horse? Avoid unpleasant disputes with you next equine transaction. Hub Horses is now providing professionally customised Buy/Sell Contracts. Go to the Hub Horses menu at H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
equestrianmarketplace.com.au
43
Bored with your day to day job, or are you finishing school and looking for your career? We have you covered! We’ve explored some popular careers in the industry and how you can undertake them. NATURAL THERAPIES Bowen
Equine Bowen Therapy (EBT) is a light, soft tissue technique that promotes healing and pain relief. There is no fancy apparatus needed as therapists use their fingers and thumbs on precise areas on the horse’s body by using a rolling action. It’s a gentle therapy as there is no manipulation or adjustment of hard tissue and horses usually relax into the movements. There are plenty of Bowen courses around Australia and will be easy to find in your ocal area.
CAREERS WITH HORSES wishes to participate in the dry needling (myofascial trigger point) technique. This study allows students to understand trigger points, meridians and the correct use of Filiform needles safely. The needles are inserted through the skin directly into the muscle trigger point. This produces a local twitch response that contracts the muscle and removes the knot or tight point. There are several colleges that offer courses and different levels for using the Filiform needles in a safe environment.
Emmett
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
Emmett is another gentle therapy and uses only the middle finger and thumbs in this technique. The moves are based on acupressure on certain areas of the horse’s body which will reset sore and blocked areas with gentle touch stimulation.
44
Pain relief, better posture and improved performance can be noted straight after a therapy sessions, although it may take up to two sleep cycles to come into full effect. Emmett is run through the Emmett4Animals instruction courses, which are run across most areas of Australia.
Dry Needling Certificate courses are open to anyone who
Massage There are many massage courses that you can undertake but they all focus on the relaxation and comfort of the horse. Like human massage, equine massage can focus on different areas that may be sore and uncomfortable or just make you feel good. You can use different tools for massage or just your hands, wrists and in some cases,
your elbows. There are many courses to choose from – from short introductory sessions to full certificates across Australia.
HORSE SCIENCE Horse Veterinarian
different colleges which focus on a mixture of course work and vocational training (apprenticeship). There currently is no nationally endorsed course and there are arguments over power tools versus manual floating, however it is personal choice to using either method.
Veterinary medicine is quite competitive to get into and the course duration is 5 years full-time depending on what university you attend. During study, students are required to work on a number of living and dead species , however during training you can specialise in specific animals and topics. Once graduated, you will need to continue your training by undertaking professional development programs to maintain knowledge and keep abreast of emerging information.
Vet Nurse There are several colleges and TAFE’s which offer Veterinary Nurse qualifications. You obtain the qualifications through a mixture of study and hands on vocational experience working with a mix of animals.
COACHING Riding Instructor There are several recognised qualifications to teach horse riding, either as a qualified coach, pony club instructor and everything in between.
If you wish to work with horses then it would be advisable to have placement at an equine veterinary surgery to gain exposure and experience with horses and once your course is completed, seek work in these areas.
There are multiple collages that offer instructor courses as well as online opportunities, however it is a mixture of theory, vocational experience and your own knowledge and experience that comes into play.
Farrier
STABLE WORK
A farrier has a physically demanding job, it’s not easy doing your job bent over with horses leaning on you, not to mention forging in the heat.
Stable Hand /Groom
Equine Dentist Equine dentistry is offered at a number of
You may be looking after horses as well as ensuring the riders and their clients are comfortable and attended to. Look in local equine related papers or social media groups for positions vacant.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
There are many colleges that offer certificates in farriery which is a mixture of course work and vocational training (apprenticeship). There are also opportunities to focus on a particular area, such as barefoot trimming.
While some stable hands or grooms study while undertaking this job, many come in as working students and learn as they go. This is a physically demanding position with long hours working rain, hail or shine.
45
46
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
ARENAS & FENCING
Bounce Back® Australian made fencing supplier distributing nationally from the factory door. SAFE, AFFORDABLE, DURABLE AND ATTRACTIVE.
fencing4horses.com.au GIFTS
BLING
La Flor Equestrian Design Call: 0456 664 096 Custom-made floral garlands and browbands. GIFTS
Ribbon Mate ribbonmate.com DISPLAY YOUR RIBBONS AND SASHES Success comes one ribbon at a time. VET, HEALTH AND THERAPEUTIC
Melissa Lont Equine Myofunctional Therapy Massage techniques for the whole horse.
Phone: 0418 142 927 www.melissalont.info
SADDLERY AND TACK
Filly and Co Horse Gifts We have a wide range of horse gifts for horse fans of all ages.
fillyandco.com.au SADDLE FITTERS
Performance Saddle Fits QLD Offering comprehensive saddle fitting, repairs and custom-made saddles. Ph: 0431 322 758
performancesaddlefits.com.au SADDLERY AND TACK
Woollybutt Equine Designs
Re-homing quality second hand saddles, with a two week suitability trial. We also purchase and trade.
Australian custom made 3 piece horse rug and accessories. Made to fit your horse.
equestrianhub.com.au
Ph: 0437 807 884
woollybuttdesigns.com
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
The Saddle Hub
47
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