HubVibes September 2016

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE SADDLE HUB

September 2016

Developing Your Equestrian Property Olivia Hamood Foal Handling Fitness Saddle Science Breeding Part II

G N I R P S

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T S A L AT

2 FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

4 TOP TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR EQUESTRIAN PROPERTY

6 ASSISTED BREEDING PART II

9 HUB HERO - OLIVIA HAMOOD

11 PRINCIPLES OF FOAL HANDLING

14 FEEDING THE PREGNANT MARE

17 THE SCIENCE OF SADDLES

22 5 STEPS TO BA BA BALANCE

25 YOUNG RIDER OF THE MONTH

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

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Olivia Hamood Story Page 9

Credit Oz Shotz Photography

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

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September, in my eyes, is officially the cutest month of all!

There have been so many lovely photos of furry babies. Our cover boy “Monty”, whilst he is not exactly a baby anymore, his antics couldn’t help but bring a smile and we are grateful to Louise Barton for sharing them with us. Louise wonders if Monty is perhaps related to Jim Carey, looking at his smile, I think it is a fair question.

Not only does spring bring foals, it also brings about the launch of our 2nd annual Spring into Summer promotion. See how you can enter our draw to win over $1000 worth of prizes. Details will be on our Facebook page in the next few days. To cap it off we are also giving away 50 one month free listings in the Hub Directory. To take advantage enter

INTRO DISCOUNT in the coupon code and let us help you grow your business. The Directory is available to all Equestrian Businesses, it is cost effective and has a large captive audience, don’t catch yourself saying “Not happy Jan”.

Happy Horseying Fiona

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Continuing on our breeding theme from August, if you are planning on doing some breeding this season and creating your own reason to smile, don’t miss Part 2 of Assisted Breeding by Dr Ben Purtie. In this article you can read all about chilled semen and how to increase your chances of having a successful pregnancy. Once you mare has had a positive scan you then have the long wait until your furbaby arrives, during this time you will need to consider how to feed the pregnant mare.

Once your foal is on the ground there are several schools of thought for how best to handle a foal. Regular columnist horsemanship coach, Bianca Gillanders, gives us her ideas. There is quite a bit of information in this article, you can read the full article on our Facebook page.

A column that I am particularly excited about is by Kathryn Sullivan-Butt, The Saddlefitter, one of Australia’s highest qualified fitters. This series is designed to help answer a question we often hear “what is the difference between these 2 saddles, except for the price?” This month she talks about the Science of Saddles.

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Top Tips for Developing Your Equestrian Property PART I Designing and building a horse property is a big project, one that will require significant time and financial investment. To get started, what are the planning steps you should take to start this journey?

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1. Make a wish list

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Start big and write down your ultimate wish list with exactly what you would like on your dream equestrian property.

Things to consider including in your wish list (limited only by your imagination):

ing sizes, 4 Paddocks includ tes access laneways, ga PVC, w ire, 4 Fencing: electric, il etc woo den post and ra 4 Paddock shelters 4 Irrigation

matic waterers to au s, pe pi , ps ta : 4 Water s in paddocks/stable g numbers/sizes of 4 Stabling includ in ntilation stalls, design for ve pile 4 Manure/compost 4 Electricity

layout, number g in ud cl in , ea ar 4 Tack elving etc of saddle racks, sh 4 Feed storage 4 Type up/cross tie y 4 Hot/co ld wash ba

ing 4 Slip resistant fo ot e and parking ag or st k uc tr t/ oa Fl 4 4 Arena 4 Round yard

2. Plan, plan, plan!

Draw a site plan of your property, including all of the existing improvements, then add to this plan space for everything on your wish list.

Ok, so that heated wash bay or undercover arena may not be financially feasible yet, but include it in the plans so that if/when it does become feasible it has a place to go.

That way an early decision won’t impact a decision that may be made further down the track. For example in two years’ time, you

agreement with them, but also to possibly compromise to keep the peace. If an extra space in the shed for the other half’s boat or designated paddock space for your son’s motorbike track will make your plans more appealing to them, then it might be an idea to consider a compromise.

4. Consult a professional This is one that really can come into play at any time throughout the process. Remember that what might take the average horse owner weeks to research and lay out will take an experienced property design consultant or planner just days, if not hours, to complete.

Many hours can be lost trying to figure out paddock layouts and paths of travel, only to have a trained professional sketch a solution in minutes.

Areas where professional help is essential: Council Regulations

don’t want to have to move a permanent fence line 20 metres to the right to fit in your new arena just because you didn’t include the arena in your property plan today.

Always plan your design to maximise convenience and minimise labour. Small details such as thoughtfully located water troughs, gates, taps and light switches can make a large impact over time.

3. Consult your family/ spouse/housemates

Arena The construction of an arena has caused many a horse property owner much anxiety!

The cost of the construction, depending on the location, the soil, the space, the slope etc of the arena, is one of the biggest expenses of a horse property. It is also the one where cutting costs really is a false economy.

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Unless you live solo, chances are you are sharing space with at least one other person, possibly several, who may have other priorities and uses for the property other than horses. This is the time to include them in the planning, not only to make sure they are aware of your plans and are (hopefully!) in

Do you know what zoning your property falls under? Do you know what building works require Council approval? How close to your fence lines you are permitted to build? If you are considering installing a toilet/bathroom/ kitchenette, will this mean you are required to upgrade your septic (if you are not on town water)? Contacting a town planner at this early stage (ie BEFORE you start work) can save the headache of dealing with breaches of Council regulations, possible fines and, in a worst case scenario spending thousands to either pull down the work and start again or fix what is already there.

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ssi s ted Areeding B PART 2

In the last issue of HubVibes magazine I discussed the merits of breeding your mare with Frozen semen. This included access to the genetics of premium stallions that are overseas

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or have in fact passed away.

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Regular contributor Dr Benjamin Purtle B.V.Sc, is a veterinary surgeon based on the Gold Coast. He specialises in equine reproduction, preventitive medicine and acupuncture.

The down side is that the Veterinary intervention required is significant, your mare may be required to “board” at a Veterinary facility or equine breeding centre and pregnancy is not a guarantee i.e. service fee is non refundable.

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) and 3. Oestrus (the time of fertility usually October until February). When in “season” and having performed serial mare “scans” on your mare your vet will ask you to order a shipment of chilled semen from the stallion you have pre-booked. To order the semen 3 days prior to requiring it is ideal for the stallion owner. The stallion is collected usually A less expensive alternative is chilled semen. the day before your vet has predicted the day This is usually supplied by stallions residing in for insemination. Once collected (usually by Australia rather than overseas. the Stallion owners Veterinary Practice) the semen is packed in a specialised esky with an 1. Getting your mare ready. ice brick and shipped imStep one in having your mediately by courier to your mare conceive through requested pick up address chilled semen is to contact after simple processing your local veterinarian to with an extender and docask if they are able to umentation certifying the provide this reproductive contents of the esky. Ideservice. If so, you can ally the semen is examined make it easy for your Vet prior to shipment and given by providing a safe mare A mare standing in a crush. a measurement of concencrush ideally under shelter tration of spermatozoa and and with access to a subjective assessment of electricity. Some vets are motility. These are meashappy to conduct reprourements of quality and ductive examinations in are helpful in determining your stable if you do not reasons for failure to fall have a mare crush. pregnant later on. The goal 2. Knowing where your Preparing chilled semen is to have the collected mare is at in her semen inseminated within for shipping. reproductive cycle.

24 hours of collection and once inseminated your mare will ideally ovuYour vet can establish this by conducting a late within 12-24 hours. If your mare has not reproductive examination of your mare with a ovulated within 24hrs of insemination her diagnostic ultrasound machine that will image chances of conceiving on that cycle start both ovaries and her uterus. These examinato decline. tions provide vital information regarding your An ultrasound test for pregnancy is mares reproductive health and the timing for conducted by your veterinarian 14-16 days insemination. Briefly, the reproductive cycle of after insemination. a mare is divided into 3 stages each year: 1.

Anestrus (the period of dormancy usually If pregnancy is not achieved the process is February through to July) 2. Transition or repeated. But hopefully she is! “spring oestrous” (a period of irregular Happy Breeding! oestrus activity (usually July until October

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E N T W I N E

I first started working with horsehair as I had a horse in surgery with a poor prognosis, and desperately wanted something to remember him by.

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All the horsehair businesses I found specialised in girly, fragile, fancy jewellery- which is totally not me at all! I wanted something that would last and be tough- that was focused more on the horsehair than the metal. In all the sleepless nights waiting for vet reports, I discovered the ancient indian craft of hitching but couldnt find anyone in Australia that made jewellery items with the method- so I set about teaching myself (great distraction!)

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E Q U I N E

Luckily the horse survived, but I was still facinated by hitching and continued to practice it, and discovered that it really helped with feel and dexterity when holding the reins while riding- bonus!

From there on I had a few friends ask me to make them things for them, and then friends of friends, and the business evolved from there!

Each item I make is totally different, and there are many options on styles in both mane and tail hair (and even dog hair!) Please check out my website or facebook for more info.

Shona Nelson - Jeweller www.entwineequine.com.au

HUB HERO

SEPTEMBER

Five minutes with SHOW JUMPER

Olivia Hamood

Q1. What is your most memorable moment in your jumping career?

My most memorable moment would have to be just recently winning the Gatton World Cup. I had two horses in the class, Nero GHP who turned 19yrs old the following day and Carado GHP on debut just 9yrs old both jumping 2 of only 6 clear in the first round.

Carado had a green rail in the jump off and Nero jumped a flawless double clear and fast. I knew when I went through the finish flags it was a good round and then to win the class just topped it off. It was my first World Cup win and my whole family was there to see it!

A day I won’t forget in a long time.

Q2. Which is your all-time favourite horse?

Photography

was 6yrs old and we just seem to have a really special bond. I’ve also got to mention Torchbearer & Bucks Bunny, two horses many people would know that were Grand Prix horses for mum and really kick started my junior years.

Q3. What’s the most unusual item in your tack box?

I don’t really have anything out of the ordinary in my tack box, but it always has a good supply of sugar cubes, my CWD saddles (that I cannot live without) and my lucky leather whip.

Q4. If you could train with anyone in the world, past or present, who would you choose?

A rider that I really admire and would love to have a lesson with is Marcus Ehning, he is such a stylish rider and his horses are all so well school.

Q5. Your best advice for an aspiring World Cup show jumping rider is…

Hard work, persistence and determination always pays off. Stay focused on your goals and keep working as hard as you can to achieve them.

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I’ve been fortunate to have some super horses but probably my current two Grand Prix horses Nero & Carado. Nero was my first young rider horse, we then jumped our first World Cup together when I was 18 and now he wins my first World Cup. Carado GHP is such a character and a horse I have broken in and produced myself. We spent a year travelling Europe together when he

Credit Oz Shotz

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Principles of Foal Handling

by Bianca Gillanders Foundation Horsemanship Coach/Clinician After eleven months and an abundance of feed, care and cost you finally have your healthy, beautiful foal safely on the ground.

But now the most important part of shaping this little horse’s life forever is in your hands.

Handling your foal in a way that sets him up with confidence and trust plus a good attitude takes skill and patience.

The saying ‘prevention is always better than cure’ certainly applies in this case and you owe it to your foal to do your homework first and make sure you have a solid plan for how you are going to handle and train your foal. Or you may choose to get someone else more experienced to guide you or handle the foal for you. It is a big responsibility and not one you want to gamble with.

Here are some options that people may choose and also some principles that I have personally found most effective in my experience with foals and horses in general.

Foal Imprinting: Some choose to imprint their foal at birth and for a number of days following. Imprinting a foal usually involves a series of desensitizing exercises that are applied to the foal in the first forty-eight hours of his life. With the assistance of a helper the

foals movements are restricted and he/she is desensitized with a variety of objects and stimuli ie plastic bag,clippers.

Foal Driven Handling: Some choose to leave their foal alone and ‘get it friendly’ so to speak on its own terms by letting it approach when it wants to and spend some time scratching it and petting it and once it is weaned they may then decide to start the official handling process at that point.

Foal Un-Handled: In some cases mares and foals may be out at pasture and even give birth and raise their foals away from people altogether. They may then be run in to yards when foals are old enough to be weaned or sometimes even older and in this case the foal/yearling has had no interaction with people at all so would be termed unhandled.

How you choose to approach your handling and raising of foals is personal and might even be a combination of the above options.

For me there are pros and cons with any of these options and that is why it pays to have a good solid plan before you start.

The benefits of handling your foal early is that if you take the time to teach your foal to understand things like being restrained,

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yielding to pressure and general good manners while he is young he is unlikely to develop bad behaviours as he grows.

As a part of quality care as he grows he will need to have his feet trimmed regularly and possible vet care at some point and of course all of this is far easier to manage with a confident and well handled foal.

Regardless of the option or even the methods you choose what is most important to the foal and to horses in general is the way in which we interact with them and the kind of energy we have as we will frighten them if we are too aggressive and they will tune us out if we are too passive.

By having composure and a calm steady manner without getting emotional we will create a secure learning space for the foal.

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At the same time we have to remember that we are dealing with a small horse and the foal will do all the things a grown horse does, like crowding into your space, nipping at you, kicking.

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When you are working with your foal keep the sessions short even just a few minutes, foals learn fast but they get tired very quickly and once they do you will no longer be able to communicate with them in a positive way.

I personally choose to teach the foal to be restrained from an early age usually around 1 week old and sometimes if I get the opportunity I will do some gentle restraining and yielding just after birth once the foal is up and walking, being around the foal at this time can be a good experience for it especially if the mare is happy with you being there as he accepts you as a safe part of his world.

To restrain the foal I cradle the foal gently but firmly with my arms around his chest or base of his neck and his hindquarter, keeping the foal close to its dam the whole time (as pictured)

If you are working close to the mare you need to be able to trust her and you need to know she will allow you to handle her baby without stress. It always helps to have an assistant who can steady the mare if you This means we have to create boundaries that are concerned. the foal learns to respect just as he respects The foal will feel safe near his dam and this the boundaries his dam and other members of will make his learning experience easy and his herd create. give him opportunities to suckle during your handling session if he needs and you can use We do this by balancing two things: that time to gently stroke him all over and get 1. Being friendly with them and gaining their him use to the feel of your touch. confidence. 2. Moving their feet and teaching them to yield to pressure.

The foal may struggle at first, this is normal just stay aware of how you are holding it, if When we get this balance right we will never you are squeezing too hard or you have too have to worry about fixing any bad or strong a grip you will overly worry the foal. dangerous behaviour later.

So a principle to keep in mind is to treat your foal the same way you treat your adult horses.

The only difference is their physical limitations and concentration span.

Also you don’t want to let the foal lean on you or be pushing against your arms he must stand on his own legs and your arms will act as barriers rather than squeezing him.

To read this article in full, please visit our Facebook page

What is the Hub Directory and why is it important WINNER OF THE DRA to your business?

W BR At The Saddle Hub we’re often asked if we can recommend or know of a particular equine service being provided in area across Australia.

ISBANE

CDI

Maddie Dall Harper Lan imore e Jewellery See H ub Directo for listing ry

The Hub Directory is an online equine services directory (a bit like Yellow Pages online but only for horse businesses!).

You can access it through The Saddle Hub website, where we already have our first few listings. More are now being added regularly and to get things really rolling, we are offering some great subscription deals.

Why it works - the proof!

The numbers speak for themselves of this fast growing and unique brand that is The Saddle Hub: • We average over 1,500 visitors to our website daily, in excess of 40,000 per month • Facebook: over 10,000 “likes” on The Saddle Hub page, plus the new Hub Directory and HubVibes pages are growing daily • Our posts reach beyond 500,000 people every month!

How to list your business

Once you’ve subscribed to Hub Directory, we’ll promote your service or business on our Facebook page.

We would love to hear from you and add your business to the Hub Directory!

HU UBV BVIIB BES ES M MAG AGA AZZIIN NE E H

A listing form is available from our Facebook page: facebook.com/HubDirectory/ Just download the form, complete and return to have your business listed in the Hub Directory.

Otherwise send us an email at: info@thesaddlehub.com.au and we will send you a form to complete.

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Feeding the Pregnant Mare

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Pregnant mares carry your hopes and dreams, be it for the next big champion or just a quiet riding companion. Regardless of what you are breeding, good care of the mare during her various stages of

pregnancy has long term impacts on both her and her foal’s long term health and athletic capacity. Here are some tips for keeping mares healthy and breeding sound, strong and athletic foals.

Tip #1: Don’t let mares get fat

increase, so you may find you need to feed additional feed to maintain their body condition score.

Mares in their early stages of pregnancy don’t need many, if any additional calories than they needed when they weren’t in foal. All mares are different, so to really know how much feed your pregnant mares need you should condition score regularly. Pregnant mares should ideally be maintained at a condition score of 6 and should not be allowed to exceed a score of 7 (on the Henneke 1-9 scale). Having mares too fat can cause many issues, not the least of which is a reduction in milk production when they foal.

As mares progress through their pregnancy their requirement for energy and protein does

Tip #2 - Don’t let mares get skinny A pregnant mare shouldn’t be allowed to drop below a condition score of 5. Mares that are any lighter will fall away quickly after foaling, reducing the body energy and protein reserves for milk production and also switching off the reproductive cycles, making it difficult or impossible to get her in foal again. Thin mares may also be more susceptible to disease.

If you are feeding pregnant mares, get in the habit of running your hands over them every time you feed them. Doing this means you will

quickly pick up if they are putting on or losing condition and will allow you to adjust their feed intake accordingly.

Because so much room is taken up in the mare’s abdomen late in the pregnancy you will likely need to feed high energy grains or fibre based feeds to allow them to increase their energy intake enough to hold their body condition. High fat feeds are also useful for late pregnant mares.

Tip #3 ¬ Make sure mineral and vitamin requirements are met Meeting the mineral and vitamin requirements of pregnant mares during early and late pregnancy is crucial to: • Promote the sound development of their foals.

• Prevent deficiencies like iodine that can affect the thriftiness and survival of newborn foals.

• Prevent problems in the mares like retained placenta and the associated laminitis.

• Maintain a strong immune system in the mare and foal.

• Maintain the long‐term health and soundness of the mare for future reproduction.

If the mare doesn’t receive the additional minerals she needs to support herself and her growing foetus she will draw them from her own body reserves. However if she is required

FeedXL.com allows you to quickly and easily determine your mare’s requirements for these critical minerals as well as vitamins and helps you make sure the diet you are feeding is meeting her requirements through all stages of pregnancy.

Tip #4 - Feed high quality protein During pregnancy a mare requires high quality protein to meet her own requirements and those of her growing foetus. If the pasture your mare is on is of low quality (for example sub‐tropical C4 Type pastures, or pasture that has matured, gone to seed or browned off), add some high quality alfalfa/lucerne hay to raise the quality of protein in the forage component of her diet.

If you are using supplementary feeds on low quality pasture, select feeds that use legumes and oilseeds with quality protein, including soybean, lupins, faba/field beans and canola meal. Low quality protein sources like cottonseed meal shouldn’t be used for pregnant mares.

Tip #5 - Make the most of pasture if you have it Pasture is an excellent source of energy and protein. Feeding a diet that relies largely on pasture has two main positive effects. The first is it will make for an economical diet, with Continued on page 18

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While pregnant mares can often be maintained on good quality pasture with little additional feed, without supplementation of minerals, a pasture‐only diet will almost certainly have quite dramatic deficiencies of copper and zinc and depending on the geographical location or stage of maturity and species of plants in your pasture, may also be very deficient in calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iodine and selenium.

to do this for many consecutive breeding seasons it will eventually have implications for both her and her future foals’ long‐term health, soundness and athletic ability. One study has shown that foals born to mares early in her breeding career have less structural problems than foals born later in that mare’s life, which may indicate that over consecutive pregnancies, mares can run out of reserves of minerals that directly impact the sound development of her foals.

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Boutique, Warmblood Stud

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THE SCIENCE OF SADDLES The author Kathryn Sullivan-Butt is “The Saddlefitter” a Society of Master Saddlers Qualified fitter, ASFA fitter and an EA accredited coach. With formal saddle and saddlefit training in Australia, UK, US and Europe she is fortunate to have had the opportunity to train under (and quite frankly ask endless questions of) some of the industry’s most respected leaders. She fits full time in South-East Queensland.

There are two scents on earth that affects an equestrian like no other.

The heady, earthy scent of a healthy horse combined with the subtle high notes of expensive leather.

Ask most riders and they recognise the smell of quality leather – indeed there is a reason that we loiter with deep breaths in front of the English leather bridles at our local saddlery. Inherently we know that the high quality vegetable tanned hides that take months to create are better than the chromed chemical smell of cheaper leathers. But leather aside there are many and variable factors that contribute to a quality saddle.

First we need to determine a reasonable expectation for the performance of our saddle. That is quite simply a device that will enable us to ride safely and at our best without causing the horse pain. A simple enough expectation but one that has had master saddlers (and more recently saddle fitters) look to all facets of saddle design and construction to optimise the safety and comfort for both horse and rider.

THE SCIENCE IN SADDLES Increasingly science and technology is a key feature of quality saddle manufacturing from the materials used and their breaking strain to the pressure analysis results on the horses back.

Watching a master saddler bounce up and down on a newly constructed saddle tree (to illustrate the flexibility in a key area) is an image that sticks in the mind. Knowing that the design cost to get this one tree to its final stage of testing and development has likely cost over $100,000 dollars US indicates the dedication of this manufacturer to improving saddle construction. Design and manufacture can quite simply cost millions and we –and our horses - reap the benefits.

Advances in design and materials such as heat malleable trees, cold press, new techniques to ensure saddle symmetry, air bags, state of the art memory foam

Continued on page 21

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This series, starting with the science in saddles, will look at the different factors that begin to explain why $200 can in some instances purchase an entire saddle with all the mounts or… purchase a pair of stirrup leathers alone.

SO WHY THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE?

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x i P l a Fo Send us your foal pic and we’ll publish it!

Send to: info@thesaddlehub.com.au with the “subject” marked as HubVibes Foals

Continued from page 15 - Feeding the Pregnant Mare pasture being one of your cheapest feeds available. Secondly, a high fibre diet will keep your mare’s gastrointestinal tract healthy, reducing the risk of problems like colic (something to be avoided in a pregnant mare).

To really know what is in your pasture and what your mare needs in addition for her diet to be balanced, you should have your pasture tested for energy, protein and minerals levels.

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Summary

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Because it is so often said that a pregnant mare needs little more than a horse at maintenance, it is sometimes mistakenly thought that mares and particularly early pregnant mares can be fed diets of forage only with little or no supplementation. However while a pasture or good quality hay diet may be sufficient to maintain your mare’s bodyweight, it

will almost certainly be lacking in critical nutrients including minerals that can determine if your foal is born structurally sound or not.

Keeping mares in the correct body condition, making sure you meet mineral and vitamins requirements from day 1 of the pregnancy, feeding high quality protein and using pasture when you can will help you to breed sound foals that are healthy and full of life when born. It will also mean your mares can remain healthy and able to produce strong foals with good structural soundness year in, year out.

Being pregnant may not appear to be hard work, but it will take a toll on your mare’s body if she is not properly cared for.

Article originally written by Dr. Nerida Richards and reproduced in part with the acknowledgement of Feed XL.com

Our Saddle Skills Clinic Presenter at The Saddle Skills clinic was Jane Clothier from The Balanced Horse. www.balancedhorse.com.au Photographs courtesy Pauline Kinsella

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EMERGENCY VISITS • MEDICAL AND LAMENESS CONSULTATIONS ACUPUNCTURE STUD BOOK • FOAL MICROCHIPING • EMBRYO TRANSFER • ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION • REPRODUCTIVE ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTICS • HENDRA VIRUS VACCINATIONS • PRE – PURCHASE EXAMINATIONS • X - RAY DIAGNOSTICS • POWERFLOAT EQUINE DENTISTRY • CASTRATION SURGERY •

• AUSTRALIAN

www.bfpvet.com.au

Contact: 0407 586 872 Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm (After hours consults available) Dr Benjamin Purtle B.V.Sc Cert IVAS

THIN LINE ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE SADDLE HUB’S TACK SHOP

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Standing at Diamond B Farm - Baluga diamondbfarm.com.au

Continued from page 17 - The Science of Saddles

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panels and adjustable gullets are just some of these innovations. Having the confidence in a saddle company that they will thoroughly test these innovations is vital, but scientific testing and analysis, is an expensive undertaking that again is reflected in the price and quality of the saddle.

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In the coming months we will examine other “Variables of Value” to why some saddles quite simply are more expensive to produce than others. These variables include but are not limited to: • Quality control and longevity – the leather process explained, fittings and flocking

• Craftsmanship, environmental and social factors contributing to saddle quality/ price • Follow up support – training and education that will ensure best fitting and service for your saddle plus the contribution of saddle manufacturers to your sport Finally with this month’s focus on technology the simple fact remains that quite simply some of the best aspects of a quality saddle are as true now as they were 100 years ago. It is the blend of science with master craftsmanship which is the true hallmark of quality… but more on that next month.

$4,500

$5,995

CWD SE05 17.5”

$4,500

CWD 2GS 17.5”

$4,500 CWD SE24 17”

CWD SE02 17.5”

$4,500

$4,500

CWD SE09 17”

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

in focus

CWD SE01 17”

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Regular contributor Leah Everingham B. Hum Mov Sci, M. Clin Ex Sci (Rehab), ESSAM, AEP, Exercise Physiologist from Optimum Health, sees and treats many horse related injuries. www.opt.net.au

It’s a Balancing Act Balance is the ability to stay upright and in control of our body movement.

Both athletes and non-athletes can use balance training to improve skills, enhance performance, rehabilitate and prevent injuries.

A clinically proven fact that balance training can improve static postural sway and dynamic balance (Zech et al, 2010) has particular relevance to horse riders when considering the many different movement variables between horse, rider and terrain.

Try out these exercises to help keep you upright in even the most unexpected of situations‌

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

Single Leg Balance Reach: Reach down with one arm outstretched towards the opposite toe and raise the non-standing leg until the body is parallel to the floor. Hold for 3 seconds, return to start position and repeat on the opposite side.

Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

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Seated Ball March: Place hands behind the head keeping shoulders back and down. Brace the core, tilting the pelvis slightly up and alternately raise each leg in a marching fashion and try not to move the ball. Remember to maintain a strong core and breathe fluently. Repeat 3 sets of 20 marches.

Side lunge to balance: Begin in a side lunge position ensuring that your shoulders are down and back and hips are square to the front. Shift weight onto the bent leg and stand upright, lifting the other knee to a 90 degree angle. Hold position for 3-5 seconds, place foot down on to ground and repeat on the other side.

Perform 3 sets of 5 repetitions on each side.

Ball circles: Place hands behind head with shoulders back and down. Place feet close together to create a small base of support. Using your core, make hip rotations as wide as you can without moving your feet or compromising your spinal posture. Try to keep core engaged and focus on you centre of gravity.

Perform 3 sets of 15 circles to each side. You can progress this exercise by using only one foot as base of support.

Single Leg Squat: Sit on a bench with one leg outstretched. Brace core and attempt to stand using only the other leg. Arms are stretched out for balance and neck is neutral.

Slowly lower yourself back down to the bench without falling or plonking down onto the seat. Perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions on each leg and try to build your reps as you improve.

Sponsoring Champions

Credit Oz Shotz Photography

The Saddle Hub sponsored AAOR Novice at Queensland State Dressage Titles.

Above from left: Emma Burgess from The Saddle Hub, Champion - Ebony Brayley on Remi Bellagio, Reserve Champion Kylee Chandler on Dicavalli Decadance.

Right: Shannan Goodwin riding Aristede AKA Astro was the Big Tour Champion and the Big Tour Tournament Champion.

Next month in

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Developing Your Equestrian Property - Part II

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

Extreme Cowboy Racing Biomechanics for Horse and Rider A Look at the Horses Hoof Saddles: Variables of Value Continued Hub Hero

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SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY SPECIALISTS STATE OF THE ART MOBILE OFFICE ON-SITE PRINTING

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

OZ SHOTZ CAN ATTEND YOUR EVENT

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www.ozshotz.com.au E-mail: earle@ozshotz.com.au Telephone: (07) 5497 0466 Mobile: 0411 810 647 PO BOX 193, MORAYFIELD QLD 4506

September

you’ve won a $50 gift voucher from

If you are a young competition rider and would like to be considered for HubVibes Young Rider of the Month email us your answers to the same questions we asked Mikayla, along with a great pic of you and your horse.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Name: Mikayla Hogg Age: 12 Discipline: Showjumping

2015 Interschool Nationals, Midland Zone State Qualifiers A, B & C grade overall winner

Horse/s: Aric GHP (Warmblood) Pure Attitude (OTT TB) Captain Jack Sparrow (OTT TB) PS Monet (Warmblood X Tb)

Future goals: I would like to be competitive in juniors by next year and hopefully place in a World Cup

Past achievements: 2015 Primary 90cm Victorian State Champion, 3rd 6th

Best advice: Time, effort, patience and persistence

Come and have a chat about how we can help you find a home for your pre-loved saddle, or check out the saddles we currently have available.

We can also answer all your questions about our HUB SERVICES DIRECTORY and HUBVIBES E-zine.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER TRADE STALLS

Equine Affair Southport ................................................. September Showcase of Showjumping, Richmond, Sydney .... 12 - 16 October Equitana Melbourne Showground ................... 17-20th November

See you there!

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

Where to Find Us

Young Rider of the Month

Congratulations Mikayla!

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE SADDLE HUB Published by The Saddle Hub • PO Box 13 • Tintenbar NSW 2478 Phone: 0414 760067 • Email: info@thesaddlehub.com.au www.thesaddlehub.com.au