Nhm 009 fullproof 1 by Natural Horse Management

MAY / JUN 2016

ISSUE 009 $8.50 (Inc GST)

What a Joy!! LOOK OUT competition world meet: Joy Robinson, bubbly, beautiful,barefoot and bit less!

Carlos Tabernaberri – Being bit less and still in control

Understanding Head Flicking – Causes and remedies

“RADARS”

- Your Club Feature, the guys and gals from Rangitikei Area Distance Riders

Jade, Ginny and Jacqi

Effective

– Part 3 of the Rescue Case Study and it is touch and go for poor Ginny

– Plants to grow on your farm

Ani-Inflammatory

MAY/JUNE 2016 ISSUE 009

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE?

Club Feature- the RADARS- Rangitikea Area Distance Riders

Carlos Tabernaberri on Understanding Equals Control

Desensitising with the dreaded tarp with Nadine Roth

Track System Feature – Jo Kirk and Kirsten Higgenson’s beautiful tree and shade laden system

Case Study- Part 3 – follow the two rescue horses and their owner with a true story on their ups and downs.

PLANT ANALGESICS – what you can plant as Anti-Inflammatories on your farm for your horses

The Glutard – For the horses human!

Issue No. 009 Natural Horse Management Magazine P.O. Box 903, Pukekohe 2340

Immunity- the equine immune system in depth by Tony Frith

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Head Flicking- causes and remedies

Minerals and Toxins by Jenny Paterson - Is your horse affected by Toxins or lack of minerals?

Hoof boots- are they a crutch or a tool? Thorsten Kaiser explains when to use them.

Breed Feature – The Warmblood

Meet our barefoot and bitless superstar Joy Robinson

Book Review- The First Vet by Linda Chamberlain

Salta Horses and Equine Assisted Learning

The TuffRock Comp

Services Directory

Subscribe and you could Win – Robin Sisley’s fantastic book ‘Eat The Wind’

COMPETITIONS & PRIZES IN THIS ISSUE... TRACK SYSTEM

Do you want to create a paddock paradise? Send us your story and you could win Jaime Jacksons book “Paddock Paradise”.

TUFFROCK

Competition – see page 37 for your chance to win $225 worth of TuffRock product!

SEND US YOUR ARTICLES Been to a clinic, event or on a great ride somewhere? Got something to say and share- then submit your article to us and it could be published in the next issue!

Subscription price:

One year

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See subscription form & payment options on page 39 Director & Editor

Kirsten Rose e-mail: kirsten.naturalhorse managementmag@orcon.net.nz

Advertising Manager

Corrine Galvan e-mail: corrine.naturalhorse management@orcon.net.nz

Contributors

Cathy Dee, Sarah Hamilton Carlos Tabernaberri, Nadine Roth, Jenny Paterson, Everdian van Eerten, Jacqi, Thorsten Kaiser, Aimee Merrick, Tony Frith

Layout & Design

Nadia Rogers Alpine Printers, Pukekohe

Printer

Alpine Printers, Pukekohe

Cover Photo

Joy Robinson and Land Cor at Puhinui Autumn Horse Trials

Disclaimer

METAL IN THE MOUTH

Submit your story on your journey or why you want to go bitless and you could win a copy of the book “Metal In The Mouth”.

SUBSCRIPTIONS PRIZE Robin Sisleys

book “Eat the Wind”. See page 39 for details

Whilst every effort has been made to accurately compile the information contained herein, NHM Magazine NZ or any of its contributors or advertisers accepts no liability for any errors and omissions or any inadvertent disclosure of any information not meant for publication. NHM Magazine NZ neither endorses or accepts responsibility for the reproduction of material supplied that is of substandard quality, such as photocopies, laser prints, preprinted photographs, low resolution digital images etc, and reserves the right to refuse the use of such material, products or services of advertisers in this publication. Opinions expressed shall not necessarily be that of NHM Magazine NZ. All information should be verified before being acted upon. Copyright© 2016 Contents of this magazine cannot be reproduced in any way, shape or form without written permission from the director and editor of this magazine.

From the editor

can’t help but talk about the weather, because it has been so beautiful out my way! So much farm work got done this summer and has continued into autumn with planting, planting and now having to water, water as the rain has not come - no I am definitely NOT complaining! It means all these extra horses (I swore I wouldn’t take on) for winter can continue having fun in the sun for a wee while longer. On the subject of planting, Everdian from Hiralabs has written a great article on a few plants we can grow – and now is the time for plantingfor our horses that may need natural anti-inflammatories. Joy Robinson, the inspirational young lady whom I know a lot of my students will love to read about as showing there is a way to compete without using the pain compliance methods so dominant in the showing world. She is truly leading the way for competitions with her natural approach. We are very excited to have bit less advocate Carlos Tabernaberri on board for articles and support. Don’t miss his clinics coming up over the next few months and in the future as he is all for the horse and its welfare. And the Kaimanawas - wow, I think most of the world sighed in relief with the news of the applications received for the re homing out weighing the number of horses being mustered, so well done and thank you to everyone involved in the procedures and support of this cause. Cooler weather in the evenings also means hairy horses and clotted brushes, but doesn’t have to mean covering. The days can still be quite warm and I am already seeing horses sweating and distressed under rugs which is unnecessary for an animal that has survived 60 million years without them! If they get too dirty- don’t be lazy, brush them, don’t cover them yet, please. That’s just my little plug for this issue... Keep striving to be the best you can be for your horse, you are all amazing for your continued open mindedness and drive to learn and explore new and exciting things!

Director & Editor 2

MAY / JUNE 2016

FEATURE: YOUR CLUB

Photo by Petapix Pam Ilston #32 riding Citazen Kane Caroline Timmins riding Charlie.

Photo by Petapix. Ian Cummings riding (Mac) and Kathy Cummings (mostly obscured) riding Grayson.

Photo by Petapix. Matilda Howard #109 riding Polly and Phyliss Leigh #108 riding William.

The Rangitikei Area Distance Riders

Article by Aimee Merrick

he Rangitikei Area Distance Riders (RADRs) was formed in 2015 to promote distance riding in the Rangitikei Area. The club has just concluded a hugely successful first season with 100 financial members signed up and what is believed to be NZ record breaking attendance at both its first and last rides for an event of its type. This year the club has focused on running Competitive Trail Rides (CTR) but eventually hopes to offer a full range of distance riding – endurance, treks, Le Trec and more! CTR is optimum time competition on horseback where riders follow a set course over farmland and receive time penalties for every minute they are off the optimum time. A large part of the score is also made up of the horse’s heart rates which are measured by Vets or heart rate takers. The lowest score wins so there is a big focus on a calm, happy horse. CTR is a test of skill, horsemanship and at higher levels, endurance (for both horse and rider). At Rangitikei Area Distance Riders events adults can ride alongside juniors in separate classes so it is a great chance for parents and children to enjoy a ride together. The rides are a cost effective day out, with the ride fees set at $15 for an intro 7km ride through to $30 for a non member to ride 20km. Gear requirements are simple, a helmet and boots with a heel of at least 12mm (not heavily cleated) or sneakers can be worn 4

MAY / JUNE 2016

with stirrup cages. Other than those two requirements anything goes in term of saddle (even bareback!), halter or bridle (bit less is fine) and the primary focus is what is comfortable for horse and rider. The only gear that is prohibited is whips, spurs and reins over 3 metres in total length as these can all be seen as aids to push on a tired horse. Split reins must also be fixed together and not over 1.5m each side. GPS or on board heart rate monitors are also disallowed. Horse welfare is paramount and horses must pass a vet check with basic heart rate check and trot out prior to starting and 30 mins after finishing. Horses must be at least 4 years old and providing they are sound many can continue into their 20’s. There has been a great variety of breeds taking part in the RADRs events this season – from the typical Arabs and Arab types through to full Clydesdales. Lots of off the track thoroughbreds and Standardbreds enjoy a new career in CTR too. All horses love CTR! On Sunday 10th April Rangitikei Area Distance Riders held a Competitive Trail Ride (CTR) as a fundraiser for Marton School. 111 riders from all over the Lower North Island (from Wellington through to Taranaki) took part and raised $2,439.20 for the school. The ride was held just in Bulls on properties belonging to Denis

Winners of the Palamountains 18km Short Intermediate, (Left to Right) Janice Mallalieu (2nd), Megan Perott (3rd), Liz Antunovic (4th), Amelia Henry (5th), Sandra Ray (6th). Missing - Suzanne Guy (1st).

Hocking and the Whaitiri Family and offered distances of 7km, 18km & 36km. The course featured unique sections of forestry and farmland and riders described it as scenic, inviting and achievable. The Supreme Winner of the day was junior rider, Adam Cornelius (12) of Palmerston North and his pony, Ahunui Fresca with the best score of the season (72). Adam only started distance riding this season at the first RADRs event in January 2016 so his achievement is significant and it is great to see a young rider starting out in the sport. Competition in all classes was closely fought and riders went home with a great assortment of sponsored prizes. The event was supported by a good number of generous sponsors, many of them local businesses. Sponsored goods including items for rider packs totalled close to $4,000 and special mention needs to go to principal sponsors, Palamountains, Ward’s Furniture (Marton), Marton New World and N F Schimanski. The Marton School Fundraiser event was the last event for the 2015/16 season and Rangitikei Area Distance Riders rides are set to start back up in spring 2016. For more information please search Rangitikei Area Distance Riders (RADRs) on Facebook or check out their website www. sporty.co.nz/radrs.

Supreme Winner of the day was junior rider, Adam Cornelius (12) of Palmerston North and his pony, Ahunui Fresca.

YOUR CLUB To get ‘Your Club’ in the Natural Horse Management Magazine please email: kirsten.naturalhorsemanagementmag@orcon.net.nz

MAY / JUNE 2016

Understanding equals control More and more people are becoming interested in going bitless. At the same time they are able to see it is much kinder for the horse, they often question whether it’s possible to control a bitless horse. That’s because transitioning from bitted to bitless can often uncover ‘holes’ in the training of both horse and rider.

t’s why I tell them ‘bits do not collect horses – proper training and understanding does’. The three main types of bitless ‘bridles’ – the hackamore. But a ‘crossover’ and ‘sidepull’ are also options. Whatever you might choose, remember the principles for using any bridle – bitted or bitless – are the same. Control is about learning to manage parts of your horse – the neck, shoulders, hindquarters and feet. There really isn’t much bend in a By Carlos Tabernaberri horse’s body, it’s actually lateral flexion through the neck that gives you 90% of control. If you try control a horse by putting pressure on the mouth – with a bit – you simply cause him to panic from pain. Get the horse to understand what you are asking in a calm way and his body will follow. If a rider causes the horse pain through a bit, it’s not surprising the horse may develop a fear of the rider. This fear, which interrupts clear, calm communication with the horse, is another reason problems develop. If the rider is also scared, that interruption is greater because of the likelihood that the rider will be riding with tight contact on the bit. This warmblood mare (right) came for training – she is naturally a very high-headed horse. On a bitted bridle, I can

Instead, I ask for a reinback so that she must use her hindquarters instead of leaning on my reins and hands. You can see her start to soften slightly.

MAY / JUNE 2016

Even on a loose rein, she wants to be high headed.

guarantee you she would be even more high-headed in an effort to avoid the bit. It’s at this point that you will hear people suggest using tools – like draw reins – to force the head down into a pretend frame. But that only causes the horse to break at the wrong point (instead of being poll high) and remain heavy on the forehand. This is the sort of horse who would end up being ridden in a martingale and an increasingly stronger bit in an effort by the rider to keep that head down or even lunged for hours with side reins. That’s not going to fix anything. It’s like putting a bandaid on

You can see that she has softened at the poll, yet remains poll high.

a gaping wound. In reality, her high head indicates a very weak back. I need to work with her at the trot to strengthen her back, but I need her to understand how to hold herself, in proper self-carriage, at the walk first. Yes, a martingale would keep her head down, but she wouldn’t learn – or understand – how to use her body properly. She would end up overdeveloping the muscles under her neck that she uses to lift her head and brace. Instead, she needs to relax her spine and engage her hindquarters by lifting her back, not hollowing. I would say that most horses I see don’t understand contact. You can ride a horse like this with excessive contact or use side reins or a martingale. But you will end up with a horse who has back problems – not a lovely topline. Did you know that less than 10% of horses in the world are sound? Can you see why so many problems start at the very beginning, during foundation training? So instead of focusing on the head, let’s look at the hindquarters – people spend a lot of time focusing on the head. A horse will bolt, buck, or rear using his hindquarters. But we focus on the head, not the hindquarters. With lateral flexion, you can ask the horse to yield his hindquarters, as you do in a one-rein or ‘one-leg’ stop. It is that lateral flexion that will eventually give the horse the ability to achieve vertical flexion, by stepping under, engaging the hindquarters and working long and low. To do that, I have to get the horse to accept the contact and drive her into my hands. We started out talking about control and how it doesn’t

come through force, like the force of a bit. It comes from proper training and understanding. That’s what creates the foundations on a horse that will last a lifetime. This mare has a lot of work to do at the walk – lots of turns and bending to build that lateral flexion and consistent carriage. It takes patience, but it’s worth it. If you have a high-headed horse and want to try riding bitless but are a bit worried about it, try using two sets of reins. Have one on the bit and the other on a bitless bridle or halter. It will give you a chance to develop a feel for how you – and your horse – react to going bitless. Don’t worry about collection – that will come. Perhaps in another article! Collection is something horses give us when they have developed the strength and balance to carry themselves with calmness and rhythm. There you have it – proper training and understanding will give you real control Until next time – safe riding and God Bless! Disclaimer: Natural Horse Management Magazine and Carlos Tabernaberri recommend that our readers always wear the correct safety equipment – including approved safety helmets – when heading out on the trail. Don’t forget to seek professional advice if you need assistance with your horse’s training and always put your safety first.

In the serIes of three pIctures below, you can see the process of gettIng that vertIcal flexIon.

When I ask her forward, you can see how she is leaning and pulling on the reins. I am just holding her – if I were to pull back, I would put her more on the forehand.

And she is able to maintain that self-carriage as we walk forward on a better carriage and soft rein.

Her head is high as she starts to move into the turn.

Moving into the turn, I support her with my inside leg and outside rein and her head begins to lower.

As she brings her body around, her head lowers even more and she steps across nicely.

Now, instead of trying to avoid the contact by keeping her head high, she avoids it by going behind.

I still need to ask her to take that contact, so I hold the contact and drive her forward with my legs. I need to maintain that calmness, so she doesn’t get flustered and throw her head up again.

What a difference from the beginning of our session – her head has come right down, she’s using her hindquarters better and is able to walk and stretch out long and low.

MAY / JUNE 2016

Desensitising A

with Tarp Tango

s we all know and most likely experienced a few times, horses are flight animals. That means if a horse is startled by something unfamiliar - it doesn’t matter if that is a sound, sight or even a touch - its natural flight instinct kicks in. This immediate reaction is actually very prudent and helped horses to survive over the centuries. Yet, nowadays the world is a fast changing place, where horses are confronted with a tremendous number of unnatural stimuli and an altered way of living. To me it is astounding how skillfully horses generally adapt to new and ever changing environments and how well they cope with a multitude of challenges. We can help our horse with getting more and more at ease with unfamiliar things through exposing them to different and unfamiliar things and helping them learn that they don’t get hurt. I like to use many different objects over time, to give the horse the possibility to experience and examine a big variety of things in a safe environment. Make sure though to give the horse time to assimilate its experiences with each and every new object, before introducing a new one, otherwise you might run the risk of stimuli overload. In this issue I will share with you how I used a blue plastic tarp to do observe me with the tarp without some desensitisation addressing them, I folded it very exercises with Lettie small and let them look at it and and Glennie. Lettie sniff it. Lettie was a bit more is a 7 year old baysuspicious than Glennie. I slowly coloured Stationbred started touching Glennie with mare. Glennie the tarp, so Lettie could Article and photos is a 19 year old watch a little longer. By Nadine Roth chestnut-coloured I used my left hand to from ‘Being with Horses’ Thoroughbred gently lay it on Glennie’s gelding. withers, reassuring him with 1. To start with, I simply played with the my touch, while rhythmically touching him tarp myself, making a bit of noise wrapping with the tarp and taking it away again with it around me like a jacket and taking it off my right hand. In the beginning only touch again. After I gave the horses the chance to the horse briefly and take the tarp away 8

MAY / JUNE 2016

before the horse moves. When the horse is completely happy, you can carefully extend the periods of time and leave the tarp longer and longer in contact with the horses’ body. Be mindful in what you do and don’t rush, otherwise you could inadvertently scare the horse and create a setback. If the horse is relaxed and doesn’t mind the touch of the tarp, proceed to touch its whole body with it from both sides, including head, belly, in between the legs and down his/her tail. 2. After I did that with Glennie it was

Lettie’s turn. Due to having watched her buddy, she was much less nervous than when I introduced the tarp. When Lettie and I had mastered the same exercises together, I went back to Glennie. I unfolded the tarp, so now it was twice as big and repeated the whole procedure with Glennie. When he was absolutely relaxed with it I did the same with Lettie. I kept repeating this process with both horses, step by step, If the horse is relaxed only unfolding the tarp another and doesn’t mind the time, when the current size was touch of the tarp, fully accepted, until the tarp was completely unfolded. It is proceed to touch very important to praise your horse lots with touch and voice its whole body with and just let them know how it from both sides, brave they are and that you including head, belly, acknowledge their cooperation. 3. When I was able to touch in between the legs both horses with the fully and down his/her tail. opened tarp, I put it on the ground and practiced walking over it and standing on it. Make sure when putting the tarp down, that you put some weight on it like stones or poles. You don’t want the tarp to be picked up by the wind and flap around your horse before it is ready. Again go slow and ask the horse step by step to walk onto it, giving him/her time to rest a little before doing the next step. In this way you will prevent them from rushing or running over it. Lettie and Glennie learned to walk on the tarp, stay on it and also walk backwards onto it. Through the exercises they gained so much confidence that today we can throw the tarp around them or fold them up like a hat or use it between the two. When you find your horse is comfortable being touched everywhere with the tarp, standing on it, walking over it, backing onto it and you have consolidated it over a little period of time, you can then also start playing with desensitizing them to the tarp flapping all around and behind them speeding your movements up more and more. Once they mastered this one, they will be very likely not to be scared in case you are on the road and have a trailer with a flapping tarp tied to it, pass you… Have fun!

Being with Horses

Training and Instruction in Natural Horsemanship Body work for the horse (stretching, flexing, bending), Body awareness and posture exercises for the rider Groundwork games and exercises Ridden games and exercises One on One Tuition (with your horse or my horse) One Day or Half Day Workshops For more info:

www.beingwithhorses.co.nz or phone 027 862 3254 MAY / JUNE 2016

FEATURE: TRACK SYSTEM

Track System

FEATURE: TRACK SYSTEM

Willow looks down the track corridor

o Kirk and Kirsten Higgenson’s track is set on the top of a hill in amongst a rabble of old man pine trees. The trees form great archways that shade and shelter the horses from the sun and rain. The track itself winds its way amongst tree roots and branches. Kirsten and Jo have added obstacles, both natural and man-made that cross the paths in various places giving the horses something to jump or climb over. Jo says these give the horses something to think about and also teach them to watch their footing. Jo and Kirsten chose this area of ‘waste’ after thinking about the potential. They set about together clearing branches and bramble and formed the track around the trees. Jo says it didn’t take as long to do it as you would think. A simple system of tape and standards prevent the horses from getting into the tangle of weeds and trees in the middle of the track and there is a cul-de-sac at one end where the horses have room to mill around and roll. and the bends, unlike in a large flat field Because it weaves its way around the where they can see each other all the old trees, it is not a perfectly oval time. track by any means and this Horses tend to stick to adds to the interest. In some their own rhythms of eating, parts the track is narrow snoozing, rolling and playing. – allowing one pony at a These horses also all toilet in time to pass through, in the same area – very handy others it widens out and for keeping the track clean! the ponies can race As a summer track, this three abreast. place is heaven – it is Article and photos There is a trough shady and cool and the By Cathy Dee at one end of the horses are clearly very track which means the happy. It even has a great horses move around from one end to the view of the valley below. other to get their drink – movement being The thing about the track system is that an essential part of the track system. it evolved originally in the dry US from Ideally Jo said she would love to have a Jaime Jackson’s paddock paradise. In a body of water that the horses would have dry climate, tracks like this are superb, but to walk in. what about in winter when it is wet? Jo and Kristen put hay out in small net This paddock includes a mix of hay bags and hide them in various places BrownTop, Cocksfoot, Yarrow, Prairie for the horses to find, increasing their grass, Plantain and Yorkshire Fog. It does stimulation. have a tiny bit of clover but hopefully by A track like this tends to foster winter this will have died out as the other independence in the horses as they can species crowd it out. lose sight of each other behind the trees The horses will be introduced to this

MAY / JUNE 2016

Royal and Willow are happy to share their net with each other but Noddy has his own hay net all to himself.

Royal leads the way over a small log jump.

Track visit in March

I Jo has this covered as in winter, the horses are turned out onto a large 15 acre hill paddock with a huge mix of grass species which, by time winter rolls around will be mature enough to safely graze the horses. The steep hill amphitheater descends onto a large flat plane. The size of this paddock means the horses can get into a full gallop and not worry about hitting a fence. The only source of water is at the top which means the horses will have to climb to get to it. It is also sheltered from the southerly.

Noddy – previously a laminitis sufferer is thriving on the track.

paddock gradually a few hours at a time and Noddy, who has been laminitic in the past will be monitored closely for any signs of laminitis (swollen sheath, cresty neck, sore feet) Having the track at hand makes this very easy as he can be pulled out of the grass at any stage and plopped back onto the track with hay. Jo says she thinks that horses can get the movement they need either from being in a very large paddock or on the

track. Horses confined in small paddocks do not get the movement they need for good hoof health. If the track does get too wet, a layer of crusher dust, river shingle or limestone will sort it. The horses are hard fed twice a day with meadow chaff (no clover or rye), copra, Premium MVA, and salt. They also have full time access to oat straw in their hay nets. With the price of hay skyrocketing this year, oat straw was a

went back to this track to visit in March so I could see how the track works in the big paddock. Jo has fenced off a track leading down the steep hillside onto the large field in which the grass has now browned off and matured into perfect grazing. They have access to this for a few hours a day before coming back up to the more enclosed grass free track. The single water source is also at the top of the hill which means they have to trek back and forth for a drink – great exercise! The ponies are living in a manmade paradise and it shows.

cheaper option and works just as well as it is all about fibre in the diet! As track systems go, this one is one of the most attractive and interesting set ups I have seen. MAY / JUNE 2016

A Solution to Head Flicking

Case Study - Lochie

Prevention Here are some tips I have encountered along the way; As with any problem, prevention is far better than cure and begins and ends with DIET. DAIRY PASTURE: I cannot stress this enough – dairy pasture is ruinous to the horse. Fertilised rye/clover will cause a multitude of problems first and foremost being head flicking! Horses need low nutrient density forage, which means nonfertilised and as mature as possible (or hay if you don’t have this available). FERTILISER: Do not fertilise your paddocks with commercial fertilisers – these can cause the grass to become unsuitable for grazing by horses. Grass will grow just fine with water and occasional applications of lime where appropriate. SALT – yes plain Ag Salt is vital and often people think the horses are getting enough from free choice or a lick – in most cases – they are not! The average sized hack in light work needs around 2 TABLESPOONS of salt per day (Split into two feeds). Mineral licks contain molasses which, like green pasture is high in potassium and sugar – exactly what you don’t want. A Himalayan salt lick is one of the few that horses will actually lick as it is smooth however they still can’t get enough from this, so although it is great to have one in the paddock, you need to also supplement by adding salt to the feeds. FEED: Feed PLAIN feeds such as Oaten chaff, copra, beet, pollard and IF your horse can tolerate them and is in hard work, whole oats or crushed/ boiled barley. To this add a high spec mineral mix – Premium NZ Horse Minerals is made in NZ for NZ conditions, also add XtraCal to address any magnesium/calcium deficiencies. Avoid processed feeds – just like us, refined food is not good for the horse! OILS: If you add oil to the feed make sure it is an antiinflammatory one such as coconut oil or flax seed. HAY: Make sure the hay you feed is meadow hay with as little rye (as possible) but no clover. Never feed Lucerne of any type (as in hay, chaff or haylage) to a head flicker. Lucerne is extremely high in potassium and virtually devoid of sodium, it also is high in photodynamic (fluorescing) pigments, which react to light (This can cause photosensitisation ie mud fever and sunburn).

ochie is a gorgeous Irish horse who had been head flicking badly for some time. Jenny offered to take him on as his owner (who cared very much for him) had nowhere to keep him off the grass. You can see Lochie in the picture above when he arrived in August, This is Lochie in March flicking badly as soon as he started 2016 with no trace of to work. He was also weak in his hind a head flick and, he is moving fluidly and calmly! quarters and a very slow eater. It has taken a good 7 Lochie was taken completely off months to fix but here is grass, put in a dry lot with ad lib hay the proof that this awful (fed as above) and monitored over the affliction can be fixed with the right diet. next few months. By September he was looking a lot more relaxed. He still had the occasional flick when he was worked and his muzzle was still quite twitchy but he was on the mend.

Mineral Imbalances Jenny Paterson has studied the complications caused by mineral imbalances for many years. She coined the term ‘Grass Affected’. Jenny believes and is proving that the majority of head flickers have become that way solely due to mineral imbalances and certainly her research and the results she has had in turning these horses around back this up. Vegetative grass is already very high in potassium compared to sodium – a horse in the wild would encounter this for very short periods in spring and autumn and while they have evolved to excrete the excess potassium, because we are forcing them to graze this all year round an enormous load is placed on the horse’s adrenal glands and kidneys. Eventually the horse is unable to cope and the horse becomes symptomatic. Hence it is vital to lower the potassium intake by avoiding legumes (Clover, Lucerne and Soy), kelp, processed feeds, short green growing grass.

We now realise that the majority of cases are caused by a disruption to the mineral balances required for normal nerve impulse transmission.

Article and photos By Cathy Dee

ears ago I became aware of ‘head flicking’ when I bought a horse (Phantom) off a dairy farm who had just started to head flick. At the time, knowing nothing about this I assumed it was because of the snaffle bit so I wasn’t worried about it. I brought him home and plonked him onto our grazing (lush rye and clover) without another thought and then watched my poor beautiful horse endure 3 years of hell. It started with the occasional flick before becoming a year round curse for which there was nothing it seemed, that I could do. I had several vets examine him and they all told me the same thing – there were a multitude of possible causes and I could end up spending thousands of dollars and still be no nearer to an answer. The horse dentist checked his teeth and mouth – no problems there. I had an equine chiropractor work on him to no avail. Someone mentioned that it was probably the grass so I moved him onto ‘horse friendly’ grass which turned out to be completely horse UNfriendly, as, although it was free of rye and clover, it had been fertilised regularly and Phantom’s head flick kept getting worse. I still had no idea how to help him. People offered me the most ridiculous advice, such as breaking an egg over his head every time he flicked?! Or hitting him over the head with a whip whenever he did it!! (Don’t worry this kind of advice was completely ignored) I knew he couldn’t help it and I was desperate for some way to help him. Finally he became unrideable with his head flicking so bad he was doing it in the paddock and so violently he would almost fall over. In short he was miserable. Having contacted a UK Vet who ‘specialised’ in head flickers, and being informed that once the horse was this bad the trigeminal nerve was irreparably damaged and that the kindest thing to do would be to put him to sleep; I sadly did. I still had two other horses, who, although not head flicking, had a range of problems I was struggling with – all it turned out, diet related. A week later I met Jenny Paterson from calmhealthyhorses. com and my horse keeping was turned on its head. What is Head Flicking? Head flicking is characterised by a sudden involuntary flicking of the head that usually worsens with exercise and in stressful situations. Some head flickers are also photophobic and cannot stand bright sunlight or glary cloudy days. It is extremely distressing for the horse and is NEVER due to the horse trying to ‘evade contact’. Head flicking often starts off as a ‘seasonal’ (Becoming obvious in Spring and Autumn) but develops into an all year round problem if the diet is not corrected.

MAY / JUNE 2016

Lochie Head Flicking.

Head flicking is the involuntary firing of the trigeminal nerve, a major nerve which originates behind the horses eyes with branches down to the mouth and up to the ears. Note that it is not permanent damage to the nerve therefore it is reversible. Obviously physical causes, such as teeth or head trauma (maybe from a serious pullback) should be ruled out first. We now realise that the majority of cases are caused by a disruption to the mineral balances required for normal nerve impulse transmission. In other words – it is a CHEMISTRY problem which, fortunately can be rectified. Just to clear up a few myths about head flicking, it is NOT caused by any of the following… • Horse evading work • Horse being naughty in any way shape or form • Their back ‘being out’ There are confusingly similar issues that can also be present for example Rhinitis which is the inflammation of the nasal membranes due to irritants such as pollen and fungal spores. This will cause them discomfort and there will be a lot of snorting, usually at the start of a ride.

Be Alert to the First Signs The first signs of Head Flicking are unmistakeable once you know what to look for. The horse may twitch his muzzle, he may flick his head slightly as if a bug has flown up his nose and become sensitive to insects flying about while you are out riding. A sudden stop from any pace to frantically itch his nose on his foreleg is very common. Don’t let these signs go unheeded – they will only get worse. What to do… Remove him from his current grazing and feed as recommended above. At this stage it shouldn’t take too long for you to see improvements. While he is off the grass use an organic weed/plant killer to spray out any clover. Help for the serious Head Flicker If your horse is already head flicking, the journey will take many months. The horse will need a Dry Lot. This can be made easily if you have a pine trees – nothing grows under them ;-) Otherwise you will need to either lay old carpet down in an area, or spray it out with a mix of vinegar, salt and eco- friendly dishwashing liquid – this kills the grass off fast and is non-toxic. Note that Jenny Craig Paddocks will not work – the slightest hint of any green at this stage will perpetuate the condition. Fixing Head Flicking is not a quick fix. There is no magic cure. Be aware that it could take months – not days of intensive care in a dry lot for the horse to rehabilitate.

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Toxins or Mineral Imbalances?

By Jenny Paterson B.Sc www.calmhealthyhorses.com

of potassium compared to sodium (from salt) for which it has virtually no requirement. Whilst all mammals including horses, have evolved mechanisms to excrete excess potassium and conserve sodium via the adrenal glands and the kidneys, when the intake of potassium is persistently high it is like trying to empty a swimming pool while the hose is running in flat out at the other end. The horses’ own selfWhether the issues you regulating systems can’t cope, become exhausted and don’t are experiencing with function as they should. Then your horse are due to outward signs of health and mineral imbalances behaviour problems appear and hey presto, you have or myco-toxicity, can created a ‘grass-affected’ sometimes be difficult horse! to determine as signs Hence the reasoning for avoiding potassium rich feeds can be confusingly (lucerne, soy, molasses, kelp similar. and many herbs) – you are only increasing the horse’s load. Adding plain salt to feeds is one of the simplest and most economical actions you can take to reduce the effects of a chronically high potassium diet. Mycotoxins are produced when fungi get stressed – this is a common occurrence in humid regions or conditions. They can also become a problem in grain silos or wherever feeds are stored, especially in the presence of any moisture. Mycotoxins are insidious because they are invisible and they do not show up in blood tests. When mycotoxins affect your horse the signs are likely to include loss of appetite, ill-thrift and serious reproductive problems. Over the years we have realised that mycotoxins from fungi are by far the lesser problem for our horses than mineral imbalances. Whether the issues you are experiencing with your horse are due to mineral imbalances or myco-toxicity, can sometimes be difficult to determine as signs can be confusingly similar.

en years ago, when we started the incredible journey of understanding how various aspects of pasture grass affect our horses, the subject of myco-toxins came up first. Soon everybody was introducing toxin-binders to their horses feed. Whilst there were some very good results many issues did not respond positively despite the feeding of mega doses! Since then we have learned that such a strategy is actually a waste of money because mycotoxins aren’t the only problem associated with pasture grass. It turns out that mineral balances trump everything for achieving calm, healthy horses. The real problem is the increased cost of Real Estate! It means we are forced to keep our horses on smaller and smaller acreages 14

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on which we don’t have time to allow the grass to mature sufficiently before grazing again. And if we do what a farmer would do, i.e. fertilise to produce more grass, we can make the pasture even more unsuitable. Horses thrive on vast acreages of unfertile land and therefore it is a big mistake to manage them in the same way as other livestock where weight gain and milk production are the prime objectives. Vegetative, or green, growing grass is always minerally imbalanced. In growth mode grass uptakes a very high proportion

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When it comes to identifying the cause of issues that are affecting your horse’s health and behaviour, it is easy to get stuck on toxins!

Take ‘staggers’ for instance which can be caused by either mineral imbalances or mycotoxicity. If your horse doesn’t respond to a toxin binder it is likely that mycotoxins aren’t the cause of the problem so you should address mineral imbalances – and vice versa. Autumn is a known time for fungi to produce mycotoxins. But beware after the autumn rains, there will be a flush of grass fraught with serious mineral imbalances that can wreak havoc on your horse’s metabolism. Those fresh green shoots coming out of the ground in autumn are very potent and not safe for any livestock. Laminitis, headflicking, separation anxiety, behavioural problems are just the tip of the ice-berg. It is imperative not to allow your horses any access to such pasture until it is more mature. Go to www.calmhealthyhorses.com and fill out the Health Check to get a good picture of any issues that arise and read “Dietary Principles for a Calm, Healthy Horse” to help you make the right decisions. Serious ‘Separation Anxiety’ can be avoided by addressing mineral imbalances. Horses in this state are a danger to themselves and anybody trying to handle them.

“Encouraging the improvement of the domestic equines life”

kirsten.naturalhorsemanagementmag@orcon.net.nz for your back issues today! MAY / JUNE 2016

Competing Barefoot Bitless Meet Joy R

obinson

Joy with Barney show jumping.

I met with keen eventer Joy (Bird) Robinson at Puhinui Autumn Horse Trials in March to see how a bitless and barefoot competitor got into competing and how she fares against her bitted and shoe counterparts… Here is the story of a bubbly, bright, advocate for all things good for equines! – Kirsten Rose By Joy Robinson

y name is Joy Robinson, I’m 18 years old, born and raised in the Bay of Islands New Zealand. When asked how long ago I started riding I’ve always answered, since I was in my mum’s tummy. I’ve been around horses all my life. My mum Tina used to compete and hunt her Andalusian mare all around the North Island. However, there was one major difference between our riding styles as we grew up... In 2001 my mother’s horse suffered an extreme case of “laminitis”. Her liver and organs were shutting down because she was overdosing on Bute and antibiotics. Mum said the vet had been called and the hole had been dug as it was unfair for her to

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still be in this world in so much pain. That all changed when mum met Kate Hewlett and Marshall Kent from Kate’s Riding Centre in Kerikeri. Marshall had convinced mum that he would take on her horse until it recovered. He told her that he would take her shoes off, take her cover off, and run her in his herd of 50 plus horses. Very doubtfully mum agreed. Within 6 weeks of miserable visits to her beloved horse, her Andalusian mare had completely turned around. Now able to walk, and move freely her beloved horse survived! The replication of horses in the wild in their natural state had revived the mare. Her hooves which are now barefoot are able

to work correctly (the hoof works as a suction and expands and contracts as it touches and leaves the ground. With shoes on this action wasn’t possible). This allowed the hooves to pump blood around the body ensuring her organs functioned properly. Living in a herd environment meant that the mare was continually bossed around and made to move, just as its done in the wild, more movement meant more blood flow. By the time I was introduced to horses my mum had veered away from conventional horsemanship to natural horsemanship and this is how I have been bought up. All my horses, right through from my first pony who lived up until 40 years old, to the competitive warmbloods I ride now are all barefoot and live in herd environments.

Strauss was ridden every day of the week bitless in a rope halter or string around his neck. He was comfortable with trekking out of the farm, beach rides and road rides in company or alone. I first got extremely competitive on a leased horse named ‘Still as a Statue’, who was caught from the 90 Mile beach in the upper North Island by Marshall Kent. He had been started by Marshall using a natural horsemanship approach. The horse and rider must learn to trust each other yet the rider must have the horses respect at all times. This respect is found through an ask and release system. Meaning the rider applies pressure to the horse and when the horse answers correctly a release is given as a reward. Statue was ridden only bitless, either in a rope halter or a side pull bitless bridle until all the basics were mastered. When his competitive career started he then had to legally be ridden in a bit for dressage and some other disciplines. Although I had learnt to ride in rope halters through weekly lessons and holiday camps at Kates Riding Centre, it was only when I started riding Statue that I knew I wanted to take natural horsemanship to the next level, and not only use it at home but in the competition world too. After riding ‘Statue’ for 2 years from the age of 12-14, placing 3rd in NZ under 21 combination at eventing champs in Taranaki and much more, my mum invested in a young newly broken hack for me to further my riding. Little did I know he was going to be the best yet? We bought Stonewash Strauss as a 4yr old from Kates Riding Centre where he was bred out of Kates Abalou stallion, Levi 501. He had been backed by Tim Featherstone who also uses a natural horsemanship approach. Strauss remained barefoot (trimmed by Tim) and bitless (other than dressage as it is not yet legal) and went on to win the pre-novice class at Puhinui International Horse Trials in Auckland. We also won Champion Park Hack -2 years in a row at both Waimate and Kaikohe A&P show, show jumping with placings up to 1.15m, level 3 dressage with placings, representing the Bay of Islands and Northland in eventing, show jumping and dressage plus uncountable wins at Woodhill Sands, Te Rapa, Barge Park and Taupo Horse Trials. Strauss was ridden every day of the week bitless in a rope

Joy and Land Cor Leo at Puhinui.

halter or string around his neck. He was comfortable with trekking out of the farm, beach rides and road rides in company or alone. After the sale of Strauss at the age of 17, I started work for a family in the Bay of Islands who to my luck have a herd of 13 horses. Being neighbours of Kates Riding Centre it was unavoidable that they too would ride their horses bitless and barefoot. All 13 of their horses live in one herd in 10 + acre paddocks. Initially when a horse is introduced into the herd environment it can get picked on and may receive bite or kick marks. These marks we heal using natural products such as active Manuka honey or coconut oil, rather than applying bandages and unnatural poultices which only heat up the leg and make for a longer recovery. The horses soon learn who to respect in the herd just like they do with his handler. It saddens me when my horsey friends tell me they can’t make it to the upcoming competition because their horse ran through the fence or tore a ligament stressing in the paddock, I have never had issues such as these as my horses are happy living in an open environment where they can run together to burn of energy and are in lots of Continued on page 18

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Continued from page 17

company so never try to escape. Through my job I was introduced to my current mount Belagio GNZ (Barney). Barney is a Holsteiner Thoroughbred with Sir Tristram bloodlines. Initially when I first inform someone of his breeding they think power, speed and a hot head. When Barney first arrived from his stud he had a tendency to rear and was always very over bent, with the new training approach used at Kate’s Riding Centre Barney quickly moved on from old habits as he was allowed to move forward with his head out in a vertical frame which meant he was no longer “stuck”. I have competed Barney up to 1*, barefoot and bitless, with no steering or slipping issues. He has a well-rounded training programme at home through the week to ensure he is ready for events. This includes fitness sessions over a 3000 acre farm in a string, dressage and minimal jump training (usually one jump a week because I already know the horse can jump), I would never push a horse too quickly just to get results down. Riding bitless I think creates a harmony not felt with a bit between horse and rider. The relationship is built on a lot of trust and respect. Not only that but it avoids unnecessary pain. It is completely unnatural for a horse to hold a piece of metal in its mouth, hence why your dentist removes teeth caps to allow a place for the bit to sit. The nut cracker action that a lot of bits use, forces the connecting point up into the roof of the horse’s mouth when pressure is applied through the reins. It is then decided to shut the horse’s mouth with a flash nose band because the horse looks ugly with its mouth open, when the animal is only trying to avoid the pain occurring from the bit by opening its mouth. When competing in dressage where we still have to use bits, I use a double jointed French link or Milar which does not use the nut cracker action.

I want to create a bond and friendship between myself and my horse, he isn’t a money maker, he is an athlete and my best bud. I want to prove that horses do not need excessive inhumane instruments to be competitive such as spurs, flash nose bands, large metal bits, martingales etc... I say Less is Best! And there we have Joy Robinson- aptly named – what a Joy of a young woman who placed THIRD OVERALL at the Puhinui Autumn Horse Trials- dressage, show jumping and cross-country, on her beloved Barney. Congratulations Joy and Barney! Joy and Belagio GNZ Barney.

Land Cor Leo in his Micklem converted bitless bridle.

Joy with Barney Kihikihi international horse trial.

Barney and Leo.

Riding bitless I think creates a harmony not felt with a bit between horse and rider. The relationship is built on a lot of trust and respect. Land Cor Leo jumping 95cm at Puhinui Autumn Horse Trials.

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“All animals bring some therapeutic benefit to us humans by just being who they are, there are some very effective programmes out there involving dogs, cats and even whales.”

Equine Assisted Learning so they can pick up on things that even we are not aware of Salta Horses .Their response can really help to give us insights to how Salta Horses is the name of an equine assisted we are in the world and how we interact with others learning operation run by Deirdre Ryan in whether it is at home, at work with our friends and Waimakariri, North Canterbury. family. People are consistently blown away by what They partner with their team of horses to they experience and what they learn”. provide people from all walks of life with therapy, I asked Deirdre if she selects specific horses and personal development or corporate team building if so what kind of horses are suitable? experiences. “Our little herd of five all have their own This is not riding for the disabled, in fact there is Article and photos strengths in this kind of work but they all share no horsemanship or skill mastery involved at all. By Cathy Dee a commonality of respecting and genuinely Adults, young people and elderly can all benefit and come to Salta Horses for all sorts of liking people. They come in all shapes and sizes and we love them all for who they are and their generosity and reasons. honesty. Our horses are our professional colleagues in this work Equine assisted learning is an alternative way for but in the weekends they still go out for rides with us and go to people to find out more about themselves in a confidential clinics just like other regular horses”. completely unique setting in the outdoors through “The really cool thing is that some of our horses are no interaction with a large sensitive living breathing being. longer able to be ridden for one reason or another but they This is a long way from the classroom or the counselling room and can really suit many people who prefer to “do” rather than sit now have a whole new career helping people” Deirdre said. Deirdre has managed people in organisations for many years and talk. and has loved horses ever since she can remember. She said that The Salta team is made up of an equine specialist, a bringing the two together has always felt like the right thing to do. trained mental health professional and most importantly, the horses. All of the work happens on the ground with the She trained in this work through EAGALA (Equine Assisted horse (or horses) free of any halters, bridles or saddles. Growth and Learning Association) which is a US based The clients are invited to interact with the horses in a very internationally recognised professional body for this relatively simple way such as grooming or just spending some time with new way of developing people to reach their potential. It was them. It is not so much the activity that is important as it is the a bit of a personal leap of faith which is proving both through process that unfolds for people. a growing body of research and her own experiences to be incredibly powerful and effective. Deirdre says, “As we know, horses are expert in body language 20

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What if the people are nervous around the horses? “Most people who come to us are quite apprehensive, and many have never even been up close to a horse before. Somehow the horses just make it OK for them so what actually happens is that people become calmer, less anxious and completely absorbed in the experience. There is no right or wrong in this process and people only do what they feel comfortable with. They can choose the horse (or horses) they may wish to work with depending on how they are feeling on any given day”. As the people often have no experience around horses, are there any guidelines on how to approach them and if not, how does this work with the horses?

“We take Health and safety very seriously in our work while at the same time not wanting to instil fear in people by bombarding them with ‘do this and don’t do that. The role of the equine specialist in particular is to make sure that any potential risks are managed without causing drama. We also are mindful of which combination of horses we use, making sure that they are in the right frame of mind to work on the day. Safety and welfare for both the horses and the humans is paramount in our work. As we sometimes have more than one horse in the pen with the clients, we are always mindful of dynamics and numbers in enclosed spaces. Usually in the round pen we have no more than two humans to two horses. Any more than that we will move to a larger space. Horses need to have space to move freely where they need to, in order to feel comfortable”. Deirdre continues, “All animals bring some therapeutic benefit to us humans by just being who they are, there are some very effective programmes out there involving dogs, cats and even whales. Dogs have a predator response to their environment while horses being prey animals are driven by a flight response. It’s not a case of one being better than the other, they are just different. We know that horses have clearly defined roles within their herd. They value leadership, have individual personalities, moods and responses both to their peers and to the environment around them. Being herd animals, they are strongly socially connected, and just like us, a sense of safety and belonging is essential for them to thrive. On the question of whether mares are better at this work than geldings, she says, “Nope, mares and geldings are just as awesome as each other with this beautiful work”. However unlike most humans, horses are not impressed by status or good intentions. They respond to us honestly and immediately, regardless of our job title, appearance, what we earn, or what kind of car we drive. They know when we are grounded, focused, and being real, and they know straight away when we are not, even if we don’t know it ourselves”. As horseman Buck Brannaman says, “the horse is a mirror to your soul”. MAY / JUNE 2016

CASE STUDY FEATURE – PART 3

Jade, Ginny & I Article and Photos By Jacqi SUMMARY FROM PART 1 & 2: When we last left Ginny and Jade we were passing our days between float training and feet training, and general handling training.

With her back legs I have been sliding my hand down from the top slowly down. Slowly going further down. She slowly accepted this and so we got to lift. No way! But as they were not in as bad a state as the front feet it was agreed that they would have to wait and working on lifting them was the way forward. Now it has to be said that her walking and movements are that of agony and because of this we continued pain medication daily in her feed. It crossed my mind that anyone driving down highway 16 could have reported me at anytime for cruelty watching her move about.

ade has been getting daily pampering sessions, her feet needed a minimal trim and this astounded me considering that nothing has been done with them for fifteen years. Her teeth are still nasty and everyday she spills more then she eats and has to go back to clear up the spillage. She has her eyes wiped daily to help with the weeping as the drops did nothing, but the continued daily wiping has helped. Her condition has improved with her daily feed and her favourite time has to be the “tick picking off’ time. She nearly collapses on the floor in ecstasy when I do this. Plus she will position her body to tell me where her tick issue is. One day she was insistent and there it was a tick right on her privates! I can tell you this made me cross my legs and wince! But with daily grooming and pampering, she has become the gentlest girl in the world to work with. Both horses were moved to a paddock where I could easily get the float to. Jade was nervous but wanted to please me so she would go on the float and eat her feed there daily, not fastened in yet, just in there. Progress has been great with Jade. The biggest deal was getting Ginny to pick her feet up. Now the vet left me some sedation to use. But the more I thought on this the more I considered it to not be the best way to go. Ginny plants her feet and then is a very heavy horse to work with and I like my back thank you.

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So I went for positive reinforcement. Foot up get a click and a treat, as soon as the foot goes down no treat. Carrots are my best friends. They are not gong to put her any weight on but as a treat she adores them and on the plus side I can administer her pain meds for her feet daily in a tiny amount of hard feed and a lot of carrots. Perfect! So over time and with patience her front feet became much easier to handle and she began lifting them for me to hold and look at. I began to be able to bring them forward for filing and to take them back for cleaning out and trimming. It was done in very small steps but we got there and eventually we had concavity in her front feet. This is huge for Ginny, as she has never had anything done with her feet. I felt she was showing great amounts of faith/trust in me and it was a relief for me because it is not a fight so much. But her back feet are a whole different story. Her ears go back and she rolls her eyes, her tail swishes and will kick out.

Then the words you don’t want to hear are said “If we can’t control the pain in the next twenty four hours you have to face losing her”. Ginny was so so pained by her feet she could not stand coming to me, She would hobble a few steps then look seriously pathetic. As it was a huge paddock simply going for a drink was an agonizingly long walk. So I began going to them with the feed. Spending time and then the pain meds having kicked in we all sauntered back to the gate where I would leave them. Then one day my worst nightmare came to be. I had often turned up and found them laid in the paddock in the most delightful scene. They always both lay there until I was right there next to them. They always got up and they always had their feed where I had found them, as Ginny could not make it to me. She was so sore. Jade was perfectly happy to eat wherever I was and general galloped to greet me. But one day Ginny was not getting up and her face said everything. She was in agony. Her eyes were so pained I could have cried. Even with the pain meds nothing was touching that pain. So I

got the vet out, luckily he was on the property for another routine job, the nurse told me to go find him. I went and found him and we went back to Ginny still laid in the paddock. We drove in the paddock right up to her and she stayed down. Jade was put on a lead rope and kept out the way by a very helpful young lady. The ex-owner’s family member, the vet and I then went to Ginny. She had a massive abscess in her foot. The vet gave her antiinflammatories, more pain relief and antibiotics. Then he had a poke about but he could not get to the abscess as it was way too far up the separation area of her hoof. I was sat at her head clicking and giving her carrots and stroking her and talking to her. She nearly leapt a mile high when the vet touched the painful part. Then the words you don’t want to hear are said “If we can’t control the pain in the next twenty four hours you have to face losing her”. Oh those words haunt me. He talked of “the permanent damage her feet have now” and that “she will be never ridden”. Talk about distraught. The best thing about that situation was the ex-owner seeing and hearing what the neglect had caused. Because I had endured taunts of how I was torturing her because of course she was walking fine according to them before I came along her feet were just a tad long! I was given another bucket load of pain meds and told to give them morning and night for a few days. At that point I was able to snatch a quiet word with the vet explaining the situation! He was amazed at the relationship and interaction that occurred between Ginny and I and said to keep it up. He packed up and everyone left me to worry. And worry I did. Find out what happens in the next issue ….. Part 4.

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Plant Analgesics By Everdien van Eerten of Hira Labs

One of life’s most distressing things is to see your beloved humans and animals in pain. While it is advisable and kinder to address acute conditions with strong veterinary drugs, there comes a time when a more natural approach may be preferable, due to the fact that long term use can and may adversely affect the body’s systems. HERBAL VERSUS ALLOPATHIC The original British Pharmacopoeia was primarily made up of plant constituents with many still forming the basis for modern painkillers. These have gone through refining and isolation processes, which mean they no longer, have the full complement of plant ingredients containing protective buffers which help ameliorate side effects. Now there are things you as the horse owner can do, not only to select a natural pain management plan but also include these species in your landscape or paddock plan. These plants, some of which can be easily grown, may be used as natural anti-inflammatories and pain killers as part of sustainable animal husbandry. Some may be included in a shelter belt while others serve as low physical dividers used to create ‘outdoor rooms’ with the remainder include in pasture mixes and/or pharmacy paddocks. The main benefits of herbal treatments are that they are not target-specific addressing complex biological systems, with little

to no risk of complications or side effects. More importantly they may safely be used for extended periods. Before discussing the down side of allopathic drugs, it must be said that they must be used to relieve an acute condition in the short term. The well being of your horse must take precedence over any personal preference for the slower acting herbal products. Always get the diagnosis and treatment from a vet during the acute stage. In saying that however, extended use of drugs do have negative side effects, in some cases causing the depletion of minerals, antagonism of vitamins, impaired absorption, utilisation and storage of nutrients. Corticosteroids, when used long term may cause the suppression of the immune system, weakening of muscle tissue, loss of muscle mass, connective tissue, along with a reduction of viscosity of synovial fluids and thinning of skin. Long term use of some veterinary pain killers in sensitive horses can cause not only irritation of the stomach and intestinal lining but also bone marrow abnormalities.

WHAT IS INFLAMMATION? The word inflammation comes from the Latin word inflammatio, to set on fire) is the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as, pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the negative stimuli as well as initiate the healing process. Inflammation is the response of the organism to the pathogen or physical trauma like a deep puncture wound, or torn ligaments. In the absence of inflammation, wounds and infections would never heal and progressive destruction of the tissue would occur so it is a necessary process. However, inflammation which runs unchecked can also lead chronic inflammatory conditions, such as hay fever, atherosclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. These lead to autoimmune conditions which can be notoriously difficult to treat. This is where the longer term use of plant anti-inflammatories come into their own thereby preventing further damage to surrounding tissue through inflammation. Inflammation can be classified as either acute or chronic. • Acute inflammation is the initial response of the body to harmful stimuli and is achieved by the increased movement of plasma and leukocytes from the blood into the injured tissues. A cascade of biochemical events occur involving the local vascular system, the immune system, and various cells within the injured tissue.

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HOW NATURE PROVIDES THE ANSWERS Sometimes you will see your horse or livestock chewing at bark and various trees and plants in an attempt to self medicate. One of the most common plants that seem to satisfy that need, is willow, followed closely by alders and birches. The tissue just inside the outer bark layer is the cambium and sapwood that contain pectins which help provide a protective layer in the stomach which allows for the safe absorption of salicylates, the active analgesic ingredient. Other species provide liver support during the acute stage when various toxins and inflammatory by-products that have built up in the body, need to be eliminated. A pasture with a range of grass and broadleaf species will help address several inflammatory pathways. A healthy organism will be able to deal with inflammation more efficiently than one that is compromised. In this owners should attempt to mix their own unprocessed feeds, re-sow their pasture with old heritage grass species and make an effort to source all feed from within our country.

Some Analgesic plants There are a range of plants that are used in herbal formulas, some as stand-alone extracts and others that are a blend of herbs working together to address various aspects of pain and affected systems ie circulation of blood and constriction of vessels, perception of pain, the biochemical effects of cortisol on pain and inflammation, referred pain, the sympathetic nervous system etc.

Devil’s Claw (Harpogophytum procumbens)

Of all the analgesic plants, Devil’s Claw would be the one that comes closest to the effectiveness of a pharmaceutical drug. It is often described as ‘Herbal Bute’. German studies have shown that this plant has strong anti-inflammatory properties compared to cortisone and phenylbutazone. It naturally occurs in Northern Africa and cannot be grown in New Zealand even in a controlled environment. What are its uses for horses? A few cautionary notes here; Devil’s Claw now is a banned herb for competition. Contact us for withholding times. It should not be given to pregnant animals as it stimulates uterine muscles. It should not be given in conjunction with veterinary medicines in particular Pentosan injections. • Long term use of Devil’s Claw may be used for managing degenerative conditions like arthritis. • Beta sisterols, Iridoid Glycosides (harpogoside, harpagide, procumbine) extracted from the root are the ingredients responsible for pain relieving properties in arthritis and myalgia. • May be used as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory treatment for injuries, abscesses, muscle strain and recovery from broken bones and accidents. • It may be used as part of the treatment of headshaking 24

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Chronic inflammation, refers to prolonged inflammation and leading to a progressive shift in the type of cells which are present at the site of inflammation, characterised by simultaneous destruction and healing of the tissue from the inflammatory process.

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syndrome in helping alleviate inflammation in the nasal passages where the trigeminal nerve has been affected either by Equine Herpes Virus or allergens. Again for acute conditions get veterinary advice. May be given prior to strenuous exercise to protect muscles and joints from micro- inflammation and discomfort from concussive damage through jumping on hard ground. Used in conjunction with valerian and echinacea, Devil’s Claw is an effective alternative treatment for painful stone bruises. Continued on page 26

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Some Analgesic plants continued Continued from page 25

St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

This herb has the undeserved reputation of being a noxious weed in Central Otago and measures have been taken to control it biologically due to concerns about its photo-toxicity to livestock with a lot of white markings. This has since been withdrawn. Some points on its use • St John’s Wort is a great adjunct for long term pain management as it acts on seratonin levels of the brain increasing tolerance to pain as well as altering the body’s perception of pain by acting on a brain transmitter called Substance P. • Research has shown St John’s wort may help improve recovery from injury simply by making the horse feel more comfortable and contented as well as addressing changes to brain chemistry mentioned above.

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•

While this herb is primarily recognised for its calming effect on the digestive system what is lesser known, is its anti-inflammatory, antihistamine and analgesic effects. This tends to work through different neuro and biochemical pathways to St John’s Wort and Devil’s Claw. Its action in the brain is via the CNS (Central Nervous

The amentoflavones are responsible for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity making it useful for the treatment of arthritis and degenerative conditions. Used in conjunction with Devil’s Claw seems to have an amplifying effect enabling half the dose of each herb to be given. Concentrated St John’s Wort oil has been found to be effective in treating deep and superficial wounds significantly reducing the incidence of proud flesh as well as acting directly on nerve endings. In humans it is effective in treating shingles by damping the painful nerve firing. In some cases it has been successfully used in the treatment of nasal lesions that cause headshaking. Tannins are a subgroup of phenols and have been used externally to heal wounds and burns.

System) as well as the histamine pathway. It is a gentle almost ‘sweet’ herb with the extract exhibiting that light honey fragrance. Some Information on its use on horses: • Its anti-inflammatory effect is due to bisabolol, chamazulene, apigenin, loteolin although the exact mechanism is not well understood. This is suitable for pain associated with digestive problems. • Its mild anti-histamine effects appear to be from the active ingredient chamazulene making it suitable for skin irritations. • Coumarin compounds in chamomile may have bloodthinning properties which helps in reducing inflammation and pain associated with infections. • When a horse is in pain it is essential to reduce its level of stress and chemical compounds in chamomile bind to GABA receptors, modulate monoamine neurotransmission. This will also affect the perception of pain through the CNS.

MAY / JUNE 2016

This tree has attractive orange stems and may be used as a medium sized shelter belt that can be periodically ‘grazed’ or its branches picked and chopped to add to feed. Its main active ingredient is salicylic acid, now a banned substance, which means you need to keep your horses well away from the branches at least two days before the competition. The bark is used in producing extracts as an effective analgesic. It is a bitter cooling herb which can be used internally for arthritis, colic, and inflammation and is also used to lower fevers. The whole herb extract is much gentler on the stomach than aspirin, and can be used long term without causing any harm to the body.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra)

•

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

White Willow Bark (Salix alba vitellinia)

This interesting plant produces an extensive nitrogen fixing root system of very sweet, dark roots. It is also used in the Mediterranean as a land stabiliser. We have planted this herb into our sandy terraces and it can also be included as part of the paddock plan for most properties. Liquorice stimulates the body’s production of cortisone which is the body’s natural response to pain and inflammation. It seems to prevent the breakdown of adrenal hormones such as cortisol (the body’s primary stress-fighting adrenal hormone), making these hormones more available to the body. It can be used for irritation, inflammation and spasm in the digestive tract.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

While this herb is most commonly known for its use in treating tumours and sarcoids, it also has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Isovaleric acid, and salicylic acid are responsible for mild anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects. It is a plant we often recommend to be given instead of devil’s Claw on the day of a competition given its prevalence in pasture it can be regarded as safe though the secondary active ingredients also share those of some banned substances. Make sure this herb is included in your pasture mix as it is one of the few that will remain green during droughts.

In summary these are but a few plants that can be added to your landscape or pharmacy paddock as part of your arsenal in treating mild pain or any other conditions you horse may experience from time to time. About the author: Everdien van Eerten is the part owner of Hira Laboratories with more than 18 years of experience relating to equine health, in particular herbal solutions. Everdien is available to help horse owners find natural and sustainable methods of looking after their horses. In most cases it is pointing the owner towards soil health, unprocessed feeds, pasture design and supplementing with minerals that may be lacking in the diet. For more specific problems, herbal remedies will be discussed. She may be contacted info@hiralabs.co.nz.

Hira Laboratories is a research based company manufacturing herbal products for horses, pets and people. Further information which is regularly updated can be found on their web page www.hiralabs.co.nz. Disclaimer The information in this article is not to be used in place of veterinary care and expertise. No responsibility can be accepted by the writer or publisher for the application of any of the information. MAY / JUNE 2016

The Diary of a Glutard

iving up sugar was hard enough…. Gluten is a known causer of the Leaky Gut syndrome, it also But, it seemed, I also had to creates inflammation and, worse, it actually is very similar in give up anything containing gluten. structure to the protein molecules that make up a number of You see it is not just horses who need a diet over haul! As the horses human, the body’s own tissues, in particular, the thyroid gland. getting their diet right for healthy hind gut function and overall digestion meant I already had an open mind ( although add something else – equally bad or worse, the Vogel’s Gluten Free 6 seed bread is maybe a shocked one!) to what my body delicious. such as sugars or emulsifiers. Once again system was telling me….. My home made Muesli had to go vigilance about labels is required! After a couple of years of being off – this was annoying as I love toasted Things you would never suspect come sugar I suddenly took a turn for oats. Fortunately Ceres Organics have with gluten, in particular my favourite the worse. Tests revealed gluten free things like Millet rice flakes, meal, Couscous. Luckily there is a a common autoimmune Buckwheat and Amaranth puffs and loads replacement that is not grated disease called Hashimotos of seeds and nuts for those of us who like cauliflower – although, to be (a condition in which to make our own muesli or, if you don’t, fair, that is an option. your immune system Quinoa- (you can add things they even do a gluten free fruit muesli, attacks your thyroid), so however be aware that this does contain like millet or buckwheat for I was to take a thyroid sugar in the form of rice syrup, which more texture). It took me replacement for the actually has glycemic index that is higher a while to get my head Article and photos rest of my life. than that of sugar! around quinoa, but now I By Cathy Dee I began to notice I am very careful to make sure, when love it. that after I ate a meal I eat out that everything is gluten free I don’t eat a lot of such as pizza, pasta or anything with bread, bread as it is carbohydrate which doesn’t (Don’t be afraid to quiz the wait staff I would get terrible pains in my stomach sternly) – I was once served a meal that sit well with my sugar free especially at night. clearly had gluten in it as I suffered for stance however when I do I decided to do my own research days afterwards. I was relieved to find and quickly discovered that if you have Meals have become very simple, any autoimmune disease, let alone lots of salads, fish, occasional meat Hashimotos, the first thing to give up is and eggs (free range only),and gluten based foods! vegetables, and best of all I have Gluten is a known causer of the Leaky no more gut pain and a feeling of Gut syndrome, it also creates inflammation bliss as finally I was able to get a full and, worse, it actually is very similar in night’s sleep. structure to the protein molecules that So thinking about the gluten make up a number of the body’s own problem and how it is becoming more tissues, in particular, the thyroid gland. and more of an issue for people, I believe -And would you believe horses can a similar thing is happening with horses – also suffer from Leaky Gut syndromenamely in the grass. but that can be another article!Because we are becoming more Gluten sensitivity has become so intensified in our grazing and paddocks common owing to the fact that modern are being fertilized – further screwing up gluten is not the same as what our the mineral balances in both grass and grandparents ate as it has been hybridised soils, and the plant species being grazed is into very different forms including one becoming a duo-culture of rye and clover, that dissolves in liquid so it turns up in (rather than the huge range of species products that never had it in before! a horse should be grazing) it really is no Luckily, there are plenty of gluten free wonder we are experiencing problems we options around now. Supermarkets now have which were never heard of ‘back in stock entire rows of shelves devoted to the day’. this however BEWARE. It is up to us to be very aware and It seems that manufacturers tend become educated, not only about our to get very one-eyed about stuff. own diets but also that of our amazing, They take out the bad thing and wonderful horses.

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Part 1

By Tony Frith B. Ag. B. V. Sc. Dip. Acu. MCIVT. (Retired Vet)

Equine Immunity Each animal with a competent immune system has a different situation depending upon what immune challenges the animal has met ever since it was protected by its mother’s colostrum up to the age of weaning. Colostrum is the first milk that any new mother, no matter what species of mammal makes right after the birth of offspring. It is thick and yellow in most cases because of the large amounts of gamma-globulins contained in it. When ingested by the new born animal the globulins which are small proteins, are absorbed into the blood stream across the intestinal barrier in a virtually unchanged state. They transfer the immune status of the mother to the new young animal where they form the basis of the individual’s immune system. The colostrum only lasts about 24 hours so it is critical to ensure that supply is efficiently used. Mares that leak milk before birthing can mean that the foal doesn’t get its immunity. In this case the colostrum should be collected manually and saved. As the milk continues to be secreted, it changes and the proteins are larger and not so readily passed across the intestine border, slowly the diet changes and milk is substituted by green pastures in the wild is modified when the foals are dropped during a growth flush of the feed plants. As summer progresses the feed tends to dry off and the gut learns to utilise the low energy stalky feeds by developing the bacterial fermentation tank called the caecum. Here the good bacteria live on low energy feed and produce carbohydrates mainly as volatile fatty acids and various long chain simple carbohydrates. Protein is extracted from the bodies of the bacteria which break down the cellulose in the dry low energy food. The horse is a feeder of low energy foods and its grazing habits reflect this as it moves over wide areas picking 30

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out the more digestible of a wide range of feeds. When fenced into paddocks where the diet can severely restricted and then the owner may supplement with various carbohydrates including grains and molasses and maize, such items tend to produce glycogen which is stored in the muscle and can produce lactic acid during exercise which may damage the muscle when exercised under anaerobic situations as sometimes occurs in racing conditions. The common use of high levels of energy in a low energy system may lead to stress due to imbalance in the bacterial flora and ultimately disease. Possible reasons for this management may lie with the strong bonds that humans hold for with particular horses. The need to “shower lots of love” on a favoured animal can create more havoc that intended, which can result in some surprising outcomes. Another reason that has been recognised by some of the more observant veterinarians in USA is the move of the food manufacturers towards genetically modified foods especially maize and soya bean derivatives. This may also be seen in New Zealand although no one to date has acknowledged it; there are indications that importation of genetically modified foods indirectly from USA. The evidence is not clear but the increased incidence of “strange” gut diseases such as Lawsonia (an emerging disease) just may be associated. It could be decades before the evidence is available; horse owners should be aware of the possibility.

This could be more important than first thought because some of the so called metabolic diseases involve the immune system which is extremely complicated in the horse which makes clarification difficult.

pipe and the inside of the small pipe forms the inside layer and includes mouth, oesophagus, stomach, intestine and bowel, and anus. Continued on page 32

Case History: A foal is born and for whatever reason, possibly a maternal weakness which was not defined, got an infected navel cord. Fourteen days later the infection had spread into the hind leg joints and the foal was close to death despite large amounts of antibiotics. Antibiotics control the infection, but NOT THE CAUSE. We gave the mother a liver and intestinal cleanser (Bonex and Amazing Formula). The foal we treated with a Bupleurum combination (a Chinese herbal formula) which HARMONISES the digestive processes. The foal was sucking within two days and one week later was running around in the paddock. In Chinese medicine the effects were attributed to the syndrome in which the liver is functionally disturbed causing agitation, stomach distress, and congestion of the areas affected by the liver meridian. Harmonisation by the formula disperses qi (energy) stagnation, improving stomach and spleen function. To explain this in simple language, sample indications for use are: hypersensitivity, digestive disturbance, aching of muscles, persistent low grade infection, stress anxiety and neurosis. But back to the immune system: The immune system is best described as a system of barriers which work together to protect the whole individual. These barriers are the skin and the lining of the intestine. …..The whole body is contained between these. Think about that!! I have heard it described as a small pipe inside a larger pipe and in complete connection with it. The outside of the big MAY / JUNE 2016

Part 1

Equine Immunity

Continued from page 31

There are three main factors which can influence the efficiency of the immune system. They are • Stress • Diet • Age A wide range of foreign chemicals and germs including parasites, bacteria, viruses and mycoplasma can invade, given the opportunity of an opening in the defence mechanism. If at any time the barriers are damaged by anything, including physical injury of the skin or inflammation or damage by parasites germs or other antigen (foreign substance) the immune system comes into play to protect the integrity of the “bit between the two pipes, that is to say, the individual animal. Each new antigen creates a different response depending on its nature and how it operates. Once inside the body the antigen stimulates the production of antibodies which are specific proteins which recognise and engage the antigen and hopefully remove it by forming a complex protein or by using cells in the blood which engulf the foreigner and break each individual down. All these cells work in conjunction with the antibodies produced by the plasma cells above by binding to the invasive particle (antigen) they allow the protein complexes to be phagocytosed and removed. Herbs which help boost the immune system can be used in conjunction with and following any condition where antibiotics have been used.

Antibody forming system +antigen = Complex protein what can be phagocytosed (eaten) by the cells of the cell mediated system

In diagrammatic terms: ANTIGEN is ingested (phagocytosis)

Neutrophil formed in bone marrow migrate to blood system, these cells act immediately but are unable to sustain activity (12 hours). They eat (phagocytose) the complex Antibody /antigen complex.

Cell mediated system

Eosinophil from bone marrow migrate to tissues and kill parasitic larvae.

There are many new conditions appearing , in form of viruses which are more virulent, or maybe it is because we the horse handlers have forgotten those precious gems of truth that were passed down orally by the old horse men in the 19th century before the car. Much of this wisdom has disappeared or is stored in a few old books which are out of print. This means that we must start again. The pharmacological industry has picked up where the Chinese sages left off with Vaccines but sadly there has been much carelessness in the ethical use of vaccines which may originate from ignorance or arrogance, in any case the concept of vaccination has been badly damaged by incorporation of Mercury 32

MAY / JUNE 2016

and other adjuvants also by over vaccination of animals as a way of supporting a veterinary business as opposed to a veterinary service offered on an ethical basis for the long term good of the animal. Maybe I am getting old but the concept of a veterinary service as opposed to a veterinary business seems to leave a lot to be desired. That is not to say that vaccination has no use, because some of the diseases …like tetanus are so severe and life threatening that one must overlook the down sides, and I have seen 5 cases in my career that were unvaccinated and of these three died. The same is true for many of the other major world epidemic and enzootic diseases in all species would find it hard presses to disregard the use of vaccination on principle. After all in the wild many new borne and young animals would die from predation and natural causes and that on its own, balances the problem of animals with weak immune systems. A figure quoted for the results of the Great Migration of Wildebeest in Africa indicates that up to 85 % of the current crop of calves less than one year old are sacrificed to the predators that follow the herds. In domesticated species (that have monetary value!!) the numbers that are lost to natural causes are usually low, so those with compromised immune systems are not culled naturally. Perhaps it is because there are more immune mediated challenges to the horse as a result of exposure to chemicals, or pasture sprays or new improved species of grass that we need to have this conversation at all or maybe we make better servants to

Basophyll few in number also from bone marrow initiate inflammation and fever which is a temperature rise to kill bacteria.

our animals than masters. Specific herbs combinations especially can be used, and this has been known for centuries in Traditional Chinese Herbology. Food products like “Pure n’ Green” from A Pathway to Health which is largely from natural sources of registered organic origin can be used to maintain the health of animals that may be compromised. “Pure N Green” is intended for young horses to help grow strong bone and also any animals that may be health compromised or simply old. Next Issues article will be on “Herbs that can affect the immune system with a focus of Traditional Chinese Medicine.”

Hoof Boots: Crutch or Tool? By Thorsten Kaiser, Institute for Barefoot Equine Management

On the Barefoot journey with our horse, many of us have asked the question: Are we still Barefoot if we use hoof boots? The answer is not a simple yes or no, however. This article will clarify the different aspects to consider.

hen we look around and see the hooves of successful barefoot horses, we see tough hooves that have nice concavity, tough frogs, no white-line issues, and strong hoof walls – they just look great. Those horses seem to be confident and sure-footed over any terrain without any hoof protection. However, in many cases those hooves have not always been so healthy. In order to get where they are now, they had to go through two phases: Transitioning and Conditioning. In the Transitioning phase the unhealthy hoof, stimulated through movement and a style of trimming that restores hoof function, will change to a healthy situation and grow stronger. The photos show the comparison of a hoof at the beginning and end of transition. At the start the hooves display flare in the hoof wall, underslung heels, bars that are long and pushed forward over the sole, distorted/curved coronet, thin soles, poor concavity, and contracted heels. All these symptoms are the result of incorrect lever forces acting on the hoof, causing distortion and reduced horn quality and quantity. Simply applying a hoof boot to this situation without addressing the underlying problems will not lead to long-term success. While correct trimming aims to remove those lever forces, the horse needs time to heal and grow a healthy hoof. In response, the horse moves carefully and sensitively over slightly rough or lumpy terrain. The horse, in order to control the impact and loading of the sensitive parts of the hoof, often chooses a toe-first landing over the desired heel-first landing of a sound horse. These incorrect impact forces have negative effects, directly, to the hoof suspension and, peripherally, to muscles that get used unnaturally which add to the horse’s discomfort. Properly fitted hoof boots create a firm but yielding environment with no lumps and bumps that can cause excess pressure to the transitioning hoof. The horse quickly gains confidence in putting the foot down and using it correctly. As a result, you get a happier horse that moves more correctly and therefore transitions to a healthier hoof a lot faster. You also get a happier horse owner who now will ride the horse more often, and the increased movement will also speed up the Transition to Barefoot. At the end of the Transitioning phase we have a horse that has developed healthy hooves and is sound on the terrain it lives on. In order to get the horse sound over gravel roads, rocky tracks, riverbeds, etc. it now has to go through the Conditioning phase.

This means gradual and consistent exposure to these types of grounds so the hooves have a chance to get tougher. Ultimately, the goal is to ride your horse over a variety of terrain without any hoof protection. However, depending on where you live and how

Illustration 1: Simply applying a boot to the situation on the left will not lead to longterm success. The goal must be to transition to a healthier hoof shape like on the right.

much time you have for riding, it may not be possible to truly condition the hooves properly for the rougher terrain. In this case the use of hoof boots will allow you to access more challenging terrain without compromising the important heel-first landing. Hoof boots, when used in conjunction with trimming that restores proper hoof function, can be a helpful tool to speed along the Transitioning phase and can be essential to keeping healthy hooves moving over rougher terrain when Conditioning is not possible. Proper boot fit is very important to your success. Feel free to contact us as we can point you in the right direction. • Thorsten Kaiser Institute for Barefoot Equine Management Ltd. www.ibem.co.nz MAY / JUNE 2016

Warmblood Horses So what defines a Warmblood Horse? variation in the breeding, the NZ Warmbloods differ from each In New Zealand, the term warmblood encompasses many other like chalk and cheese. Some are huge at 17.2hh+ but there middle weight breeds all originating in Europe. It is not a breed in are also smaller horses such as Ollie (Pictured) who stands itself but a mix. around 15.2hh. (this is apart from, of course, the Warmblood The original Warmblood horses were bred when warriors ponies). returned to Europe from the Middle East and Africa with hot The body angles between frame and limbs are more sloping blooded Arabian horses captured in battle. They bred these to than that of the thoroughbred. their heavy war horses to combine the quickness and They have a muscled neck which is set high and the agility of race horses with the larger build and milder back is rather short and strong. temperament of cold bloods. The shoulder, tends to be long along with the In actual fact many breeds are ‘Warmbloods’ – upper arms with relatively short cannon bones – this from Quarter Horses through to Standardbreds allows the front legs to reach far forward and move however the term Warmblood in NZ refers to freely and high. those breeds which are made up of Oldenburg, The hindquarters are connected by powerful Hanoverian, Selle Français, Dutch Warmblood long upper bones with “low set hocks” to a (KWPN), Holsteiner, Westfalian and/or the short cannon bone allowing the hind leg to Article and photos German Warmblood Pony. reach forward right under the centre of gravity By Cathy Dee Unlike most studbooks which only accept carrying the horse in suspension, lifting ideally horses from purebred parents, the Warmblood the front just about off the ground. register seeks to ‘improve and develop’ the breed by allowing It is this power from behind that creates the lightness and quality breeding stock from similar lines such as Thoroughbred to beauty of the typical Warmblood movement so sought after in cross over these horses. This combines staying power, refinement dressage. and athleticism to the modern NZ Warmblood. It is, to me, movement that sets these horses apart. In short the Warmblood is a true Sport Horse. Uses Mental Characteristics They are renowned for their jumping ability but with such Warmbloods should have a calm sensible nature – which makes spectacular movement, they also excel at high level dressage. them highly trainable. Some might say they can even be lazy with Riding the huge movement can be intimidating at first if you have big slow movement compared to the Thoroughbred. been used to riding flatter moving horses. Where a Thoroughbred is easy to motivate with pressure and release the Warmblood tend to be more stubborn however they can be easily motivated by food! Ollie – Ollie’s sire is Griffyndor, who A friend whose husband was by Gymnastik Star. trains horses in a ‘natural Ollie is currently being trained in horsemanship’ way, mentioned ‘Natural Horse’ methods and seems that he wasn’t keen on training to be enjoying himself immensely. Warmbloods because he found that ‘you would do some work on them one day and find they have completely forgotten it all by the next day! The more regimented schedule and training required for competition tends to work better for these horses’. They can be incredibly stubborn and opinionated but once you find the ‘magic button’ they are fantastic to work with.

Kinnordy Gym Bello Sally Cooper- Johnston of Silver Linings Equestrian in North Canterbury recently bred a spectacular colt from her thoroughbred mare. His sire is Kinnordy Gym Bello who is a Hanovarian. Sally said she chose a warmblood because the dam’s Tb lines are very athletic and she wanted to add some grace and depth to what would undoubtedly be his naturally athletic

Ollie

movement. She plans to bring him on in dressage but will have him jump schooled when he reaches 5 years old. If he show promise then he may well have an eventing future with the talented rider (and close friend) James Avery in the UK. Watching this little guy move is a real treat – he literally floats across the ground.

Siriana SW Foals: chestnut with blaze is Sinatra SW (aka Frankie by Sir Donnerhall/Don Frederico/Anamour), Brown foal, Designer Hit SW (aka Freddy by Don Frederic/Sandro Hit/De Niro). Both bred by us born in 2014.

(by Sir Donnerhall/Anamour) she was the 4 year old NZ Young Dressage Horse champion 2015. Bred by us in 2010 and now at stud and in foal.

Sterling Warmbloods Sterling Warmbloods, owned by Sheena Ross in Auckland are breeding some stunning examples of Warmbloods who are performing at very high levels in dressage. When I photographed her horses earlier in 2015, I was blown away by the beauty and elegance of these horses.

Physical Characteristics Physically with so much 34

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The First Vet: a story of love and corruption, by Linda Chamberlain Reviewed by Sarah Hamilton

fter hearing the history of Bracey Clark whilst training to become a hoof professional, Linda became inspired to write this novel. In 1793 Bracey gave up a promising career as a surgeon to train as a vet at the newly opened Veterinary College in London. His research on the use of metal horse shoes scientifically proved that shoes were deforming the natural hoof and he warned that over time the practice would lead to lameness and premature death. The establishment however denied his results and began to persecute him for speaking out against traditional farriery. Linda thought it was high time Bracey Clarks wisdom was brought back to modern readers, as his books had been buried in libraries largely unread for over 200 years. Bracey was one of the earliest animal rights activists (before we called them that) and he passionately and persistently tried to bring about a revolution in horse welfare. He fought against the use of horse shoes, bits, spurs, the heavy work loads and poor living conditions that horses suffered in those times. Those of us who keep our horses naturally will empathise with Bracey. You

might wince, cringe, and possibly become appalled, or cry along with him when horses are unnecessarily abused out of ignorance and closed mindedness. Even though this story takes place in the 18th century, many of the themes are very relevant today as metal shoeing is still considered the norm by many. While The First Vet is historically accurate and well researched, Linda has also created an engaging romance. If you like historical romantic escapist books you will probably love this sensitively written book as much as I did. It reminded me of Poldark. It is set in the same era of rigid societal mores and deals with similar themes, love lost and found, the class struggle, the education of women and of a rivalrous friction between two men, radical vs. conventional. It will make a fabulous BBC Television series, with thrilling intrigue and cliffhanger moments, beautiful horses to rescue and a feisty interesting female to save. Available on kindle via Amazon or as a paperback.

his is my horse Dan, he is a dressage horse who suffers from ulcers. He was turned out with an injury, was not eating his dinners and was dropping weight. He became depressed and lethargic and not his usual self! All his bloods came back clear so he was put on omaperazole which he started pick up on and begin to eat again, but improvement was very slow. On advice from the team at TuffRock, I put him on the TuffRock Conditioner Plus as well as the TuffRock GI Liquid, and he picked up incredibly. The pictures speak a thousand words in terms of his improvement. #1 Pic 1= 27th of August 2015- just started on TuffRock conditioner plus and the GI liquid. Pic 2= 16th of November – Only 10 weeks later! I truly believe that TuffRock was fundamental to his very quick #2 improvement in condition and behaviour, and he loved the products. I also used the TuffRock Non-Medicated Poultice across his back area to help draw out any toxins. It is a fundamental product in the barn now! He is now happy and back to his normal self. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend TuffRock! From Bailey Mcintosh

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DIRECTORY BAREFOOT HOOF PROFESSIONALS AUCKLAND/WAIKATO Penny Gifford P: 027 252 6090 or (09) 412 2308 E: healthybarefoothorse@gmail. com W: www.healthyhorse.net.nz Kirsten Rose P: 027 514 3370 E: allabouthorses@orcon.net.nz W: www.allabouthorses.co.nz Jonathan Baker P: 021 266 59 87 E: jonathan.baker@xtra.co.nz W: www.equicare.co.nz Online HOOF CARE Store: www.hoofstore.co.nz

BODY WORKERS / HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AUCKLAND Dr Fiona Mead BVSc CVA (IVAS) Veterinarian & Animal Acupuncturist P: 022 107 2053 E: vetacupuncture@azurfarm. co.nz W: www.vetacupuncture.co.nz Tony Frith -B.Ag.B.V.Sc.Dip. Acu.MCIVT Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Chiropractic Manipulation P: 021 206 8060 E: tonyfrith15@hotmail.com W: www.mypreciousanimals.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY / BOOKS NATIONWIDE Robin Sisley – Author of “Eat the Wind” The true story of wild horses and one unlikely horse woman W: www.robinsisley.nz

HORSE & OWNER SUPPORTIVE CAFES/SHOPS AUCKLAND Red Shed Palazzo Cafe 64 Jesmond Road, Karaka P: (09) 294 6687 E: eat@redshedpalazzo.co.nz W: www.redshedpalazzo.co.nz

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THE INSPIRATIONAL BOOK

‘Eat the Wind’

BY ROBIN SISLEY!!

THE INSPIRATIONAL BOOK

‘Eat the Wind’

BY ROBIN SISLEY!! Dreams have a funny way of coming true… albeit not in the way Robin Sisley had imagined. As a kid she just wanted a pony, she never got it, but as an adult she finds herself with more than forty wild ones…

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Read and loved by Kaimanawa Stallion Challenge Trainers (2014/15) Paddy Mair and Tommy Waara and International Horseman Carlos Tabernaberri!

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