Pony Magazine Australia November December 2015

PONY

MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA

Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies

Honey and Wound Healing

Relief for Drought Affected Queenslanders

PONY MAGAZINE

AUSTRALIA

Volume 2 Issue 5 November/December 2015

Pony Magazine Australia November/December 2015 Editor Brooke Purcell

PONY

MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA

Ba. Eq. Science bpurcellequine@hotmail.com

Advertising

australianponymagazine@gmail.com

Web

http://www.ponymagazineaustralia.com

Postal Address

61 River Road, Beaudesert, Queensland 4285

Stallion Profiles

Layout and Design Brooke Purcell

Pony Profiles

COVER PHOTO: This issue’s beautiful cover pony is the absolutely stunning Ablue Moon Rising, who is the only entire dilute son of the legend SK Shakla Khan*.

He is owned by Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies.

Photo: D. Kelly.

ABN: 87 845 173 370 Copyright and Disclaimer

All rights reserved.All material appearing in Pony Magazine Australia is subject to copyright laws and remains the property of Pony Magazine Australia, or the individual contributors. No material may be reproduced or reprinted in any manner, way or form without prior approval from the publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of Pony Magazine Australia, and while all effort is made to ensure that facts are correct and up to date, to the extent permitted by law, Pony Magazine Australia accepts no liability whatsoever in relation to any advice, representation, statement, opinion or other matter expressed in the magazine. Pony Magazine Australia does not accept responsibility for any errors in advertisements, articles, unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. We recommend seeking veterinary advice, or the appropriate health specialist, prior to giving your pony any treatment or change in diet.

Pony Magazine Australia~Volume 2~Issue 5

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 CONTENTS Editorial

Christmas Ponies

NEWS

Drought Relief for Queensland

FEATURE: Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies

STUD PROFILE: Arreton Arabians

Honey Healing Horses

Pony Magazine Australia~Volume 2~Issue 5

~ EDITORIAL~

EDITORIAL As we draw to the end of another year, from Pony Magazine Australia I would like to extend a big Merry Christmas to all of my loyal readers and wishing you all the best for the New Year. The holiday period is a busy one and I hope that you will all stay safe on the roads and while travelling.

It has been an exciting year for Pony Magazine Australia, with a change in design and some great articles published over the course of the year. We look forward to bigger and better things in 2016.

This issue we have some very exciting news from Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies, please see our feature for more. This was originally supposed to be our feature for the Arabian Pony and Derivative issue but due to unforseen circumstances was put back an issue. It is a great read about some truly special ponies which are flying the flag in Australia and set to do the same overseas.

We also have a very interesting article on healing horses with honey, written by one of our new contributors, Caitlin McIntyre, which is well worth a read. Please enjoy this issue and we look forward to the New Year and all that it brings.

Brooke Purcell

Owner/Editor

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

Merry Christmas from

PONY

MAGAZINE

AUSTRALIA Catering for the pony industry in Australia

http://www.ponymagazineaustralia.com http://issuu.com/ponymagazineaustralia

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ GIFT PONIES~

GIFT PONIES!!

Keely and Bamborough Revolver

Some of our readers have been lucky enough to receive ponies for Chritsmas!

Here are a few of them.

This is Keely Owen and her 15 month old Christmas gift Bamborought Revolver, known as Marty at home. In the future he will be a show and Pony Club mount for young Keely.

Claire and Cal

Chrsitmas Filly

Danni Starr was lucky enough to have Claire received Cal for Christmas when she was 16 years old after years of beg- this lovely filly born on Christmas day ging for a pony! For their first Christmas three years ago. together Claire’s dad insisted that they go visit Cal and they dressed him up in tinsel and a Santa hat. He has been her best friend ever-since and she still has him nine years later and the pair compete in low level dressage and eventing.

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ NEWS~

NEWS MEAT FROM DARTMOOR HILL PONIES ON THE MENU? Around 900 ponies reside on the Dartmoor Hills in the UK and are an important part of the Moor ecosystem as they maintain the habitat. However, numbers need to be kept at a certain level to be sustainable and for this reason a large number of foals are culled each year.

Some of the ponies are caught and rehomed for the purpose of becoming riding or driving mounts but the market for this is limited and fewer people are keeping ponies due to their lack of value. The ponies have a huge impact on the Moor, grazing the land evenly and trampling down bracken, brambles and thorn and keeping the Moor accessable. It is believed that the ponies have been on the Moor for over 2,000 years and have since developed into a number of distinct types depending on what part of the Moor they are from. About 60 years ago there was some 30,000 ponies that called the Moor home, but this has been reduced to about 900.

Charlotte Faulkner, founder of The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association is proposing that to produce a market for pony meat would make farmers more likely to rehome some of these ponies until they are ready for consumption (at three years of age). Charlotte proposes that this scheme, along with a contraception program for the older mares, would reduce the numbers of the ponies on the Moor and prevent having to cull large numbers of foals. At this stage the meat from the culled ponies is either sent to France, or to a local zoo. There has been a huge backlash to the idea but Charlotte maintains that it is for the preservation of the ponies on the Moor.

For the first time meat from Dartmoor Hill ponies is available to purchase in the UK, from a local butchers, restaurant and is even being made into sausages and being sold at local farmers’ markets. It is also available to purchase online.

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ DROUGHT RELIEF~

RELIEF ON ITS WAY FOR QUEENSLAND FARMERS Photos courtesy of Drought Angels

Mateship and giving a helping hand are values held true by traditional Australians. None are more in need of this than Queenslanders at the moment with over 86% of the state drought declared in what could be the worst drought in recorded history.

Four years of limited rain and no relief in site has brought much of our primary producers in this huge state to their knees. Stock are dying by the hundreds due to lack of food and water, children are showing symptoms of malnutrition usually only seen in third world countries and families are struggling to put food on the table. Over 86% of the state of Queensland is drought declared, this not only including outback areas such as Longreach and Winton, but also tropical, typically high-rainfall areas such as Townsville and Whitsunday.

Fortunately, help is at hand. Drought Angels is the brainchild of Chinchilla residents Nicki Blackwel and Tash Johnston and is part of the Chinchilla Family Support Centre Inc. Drought Angels helps get food packages, pre-paid visas and livestock food to where it is needed the most. They are also organising what will be the largest hay run ever conducted, with about 130 trucks and 7000 bales of hay set to travel to Western Queensland where they will provide relief for farmers. The convoy is set to leave Port Darlington on January 7th 2016.

This hay run is a joint effort with the community coming together to make this happen. Drought Angels have worked in conjunction with Burrumbuttock Hay Runners. Brendan Farrel and the team have done a fantastic job in organising such a great deal of donated hay, as well as drivers for the run. They have also at the Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ DROUGHT RELIEF~

time of writing raised $60,000 for fuel and driver expenses.

Another appeal for help in the drought, Dollar for Drought, which is the brainchild of Queensland cattle farmer Jack Nielson, has managed to attract an impressive $70,000 via a crowd fund page. This was the balance of the amount required to get these truckloads of hay up to Queensland. Jack recently released a campaign to try and recruit supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles to offer shoppers the option of adding just $1 onto their weekly shop, which would then go to the drought appeal. So far none of the supermarkets have come on board but Jack refuses to give up. His petition was posted on change.org and within the first three weeks had gained over 60,000 signatures and at the time of writing has almost 95,000 signatures.

Queensland is in a sorry state thanks to low rainfall and hot conditions Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ DROUGHT RELIEF~ There is little to no grass for stock, and water is extremely limited.

Drought Angels and the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners have organised the world’s largest hay run which includes some 130 trucks and around 7000 bales of hay

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ DROUGHT RELIEF~ HOW CAN YOU HELP? Check out these websites for more information on how you can help the drought appeal.

Drought Angels http://cfsc.org.au/drought-angels-making-adifference/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Drought-Angels-519529671494691/ Dollar for Drought https://www.facebook.com/dollarfordrought/ To sign the Dollar for drought petition: https://www.change.org/p/coles-and-wooliesaussie-farmers-are-breaking-please-help-ussurvive-the-drought Burrumbuttock Hay Runners https://www.facebook.com/BurrumbuttockHay-Runners-1397618033820716/

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ FEATURE~

Rising, the only entire dilute son of SK Shakla Khan*.

Photo: D. Kelly

~ FEATURE~

Established in 2006, it has taken Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies less than ten years to establish the formidable reputation it has today.

Beginning with one Arabian Pony mare and no resident stallion, Ablue Moon is now a high-profile and easily recognised name in Arabian circles. With a collection of ponies that are the envy of breeders all around the world, mother-daughter duo Dee and Nicola Kelly strive for the impossible ‘perfect’ horse, resulting in constant progress and improvement and a string of successes to their credit in both the show ring and breeding barn.

The cornerstone of the stud is, inarguably, the breathtaking homebred stallion Ablue Moon Rising. The only dilute entire sired by the superlative S K Shakla Khan (US/dec.), ‘Zing’ is a horse of unique type, pedigree and quality. From the tips of his tiny, shapely ears and teacup muzzle to the end of his thick, extravagantly-carried tail, he exudes beauty and presence. In addition to his captivating looks and overall correctness, Zing is blessed with mesmerising movement, a gentlemanly nature, and a shimmering gold coat with an ivory mane and tail. Though he has never been shown, due to a run of ill luck and injury that left him with permanent facial scarring, Zing is widely recognised as an exceptional individual, with his progeny establishing his reputation as an outstanding sire.

Zing’s first foal, born in 2010, was the statuesque Ablue Moon’s Bed of Roses.

Out of the classically beautiful Arabian mare La Vie En Rose (Tarong El Nefous x Azim Desert Rose), ‘Prim’ was precious from the moment of her birth. Though Rose has since conceived three foals by Zing, and subsequently been retired from the broodmare band, Prim remains her only dilute daughter. The apple of Dee’s eye, this elegant and exquisitely refined filly made her debut at the Arabian foal shows in 2011 where, in a large and strong class, she was awarded a Grand Championship amidst numerous other broadsashes. Since then, Prim has only attended four shows, at which she has accrued several Championships and, most recently, been awarded the title of Australian Top Ten in the Arabian Pony mare class at the 2015 Australian National Arabian Championships, behind her stablemate Peaches n Cream.

Still Dee’s baby, Prim has made it very clear that she prefers being a pet to being a show pony (she would rather stand about and be cuddled than throw her tail up and show), and now awaits her turn in the broodmare paddock, with a very special sire already selected for her first foal.

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ FEATURE~ Since then, Zing has sired thirteen other registered foals, with one of his sons (‘Harry’) prematurely stillborn, and another (Ablue Moon’s Magna Carta) lost to a freak paddock accident at five weeks of age. Foremost among them is the divine 2013 filly Ablue Moon’s Stairway to Heaven (x Glenview Silver Harmony), who made her show debut as a yearling at the 2015 Australian National Arabian Championships. In the largest open Arabian Derivative halter class of the show, she not only took out the title of Australian Champion Arabian Pony Filly 3yrs & under, but was awarded the highest score (three judge system) for any Arabian Derivative filly at the show and received special mention by one of the judges as a standout Derivative. Bred, trained, conditioned and prepared at home, and shown by her non-professional owner Harmony) Nicola, this was a truly memorable and emotional Photo: D. Kelly result! Another Zing daughter, the adorable Kingsley Hidden Treasure (bred, owned and shown by Tegan Honeyman of Kingsley Show Ponies) contested the same competitive class and was awarded a Top Ten placing.

Zing’s other progeny include the charismatic East Coast, State and MultiSupreme Champion colt Ablue Moon’s Altissimo (x Glenview Silver Harmony), who was campaigned by Ablue Moon on behalf of his owners at Wayfield Lodge before travelling to his new home in Queensland. Supreme and Multi-Champion gelding Ablue Moon’s Magna Opera (x Lavuka Cleopatra) is owned by Highgrove Farm, who also own the exotic yearling Zing daughter Ablue Moon’s Ninja Rogers (x Diamond T Sahran). Both ponies are already cherished members of the family. Another special pair are proudly owned by Lendene Stud – the Multi-Supreme Champion colt Ablue Moon’s James Blond (x Glenview Silver Harmony), the realisation of a

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ FEATURE~ dream for his owner, and his lovely paternal brother Ablue Moon’s Avant-Garde (x La Vie En Rose), also an A-class Champion. Multi-Champion filly Ablue Moon’s Starlet O’Hara (x La Vie En Rose) resides at Skyline Park Stud, and Supreme and Multi-Champion colt Ablue Moon’s TNT (x Peaches n Cream) at Elmslea Park.

Though Zing’s importance within the programme is undeniable, Dee and Nicola are firm advocates of the significance of superior broodmares. Their broodmare band has been a constant work in progress since their inception, and is now one of Australia’s largest collections of quality, dilute, high percentage Arabian Pony females. The statuesque Kim-Dande Stormgirl (Cherrington Sir Jason x Echo of Love) is the farm matriarch, complemented

by Reserve Australian Champion mare Peaches n Cream (Ibn Amir El Shaklan x Burren-dah Salt n Pepper) and the feminine Bittersweet Symphony (Hazelmere Xango x Ky-Lacy Gay). The remaining palomino females are all home bred, with aforementioned show stars Stairway to Heaven and Bed of

Harmony) Photo: D. Kelly

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

~ FEATURE~ Roses accompanied by the elegant Ablue Moon Shining (S K Shakla Khan x Kim-Dande Stormgirl) and the dynamic Ablue Moon’s Milk n Honey (S K Shakla Khan x Kim-Dande Stormgirl).

Though colour is always desirable, quality is the number one priority at Ablue Moon and with this in mind the broodmare band also comprises a trio of non-coloured mares. The enchanting grey La Vie En Rose has produced numerous Supreme and Champion winning progeny for the stud, and the bay Glenview Silver Harmony (Menai Silver Sand x Rhyl Mi Lady) is the farm’s most decorated producing mare, with progeny winning at the highest levels in Open and Breed rings in-hand and under saddle. The newest addition is the superbly bred chestnut Psyches Amira (Psyches Spirit (US) x Fairview Amirah Mardenah). Purchased for her absolutely spellbinding movement and a dream pedigree, her future foals are eagerly anticipated!

2015 has been one of the most exciting years of all with the recent sale of 2015 colt Ablue Moon’s Capt n America (Ablue Moon Rising x Peaches n Cream) to the USA, to the first person on his wait list. This was a ground-breaking sale, not just for Ablue Moon, but for 2015 has been one of the most high percentage Arabian Ponies across the board, as he became the first registered Arabian Pony recent sale of 2015 colt Ablue entire to be sold to America.

Dee and Nicola look forward to USA. watching this exceptional colt’s future unfold abroad.

In addition to Capt n America, the stud’s other two 2015 foals were also purchased by the first people on their respective wait lists, with the delightful Ablue Moon’s Redioactive (Ablue Moon Rising x Glenview Silver Harmony) headed to the perfect home at Highland Park Show Horses, and Ablue Moon’s Heir Force One (RHR Heir of Marwan (US) x Kim-Dande Stormgirl) sold to Rhiannon Sutherland, the adoring owner of the now deceased Dressage Champion Ablue Moon in El Dorado. With show careers in the works for all three of these precious youngsters, next season looks as though it will be an exciting one for Dee, Nicola and their “extended family”.

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

Photo: D. Kelly

~ FEATURE~ Dee and Nicola consider themselves extremely lucky to be wonderfully supported not just by their clients, but by their marvellous sponsors. Despina Mitrakas of Show Pony Graphics has been their long-term supporter for over half a decade, providing peerless web, graphic design and printing services, from business cards and banners to decals and websites. Ablue Moon are also proud to be associated with Taminga Equestrian Centre – Julie Middleton is an exceptional horsewoman who has given multiple Ablue Moon ponies a correct and positive start to their saddle careers with her considerate and experienced breaking-in services. Most recently, Dee and Nicola have welcomed Veronica Allman of Arabian Select (USA) to their list of valued sponsors. Having utilised Arabian Select’s e-blast services over the past several years, they have always been delighted with Veronica’s excellent service and the phenomenal response to their advertising.

Though the stud is only small, or perhaps because of it, Ablue Moon seems to have the right recipe. Each horse is prized for its individual strengths and personality quirks, and each client relationship is cherished and nurtured.

With desirable ponies, meticulous management practices, a wonderful ‘extended family’ already established, and names on the wait list for 2016 foals, this appears to be a winning formula, and Dee and Nicola are happily anticipating the coming years.

You can find out more about Ablue Moon Arabian Ponies here: http://www.abluemoonarabianponies.com/

Pony Magazine Australia Volume 2 Issue 5

By Caitlin McIntyre It seems all the rage these days to look to more “natural” solutions to our equine problems, whether it be natural horsemanship, alternative shoeing choices or more natural approaches to what we put on, and in, our animals.

Particularly, medical treatments seem to be a field where increasingly, people seem to be searching for alternative, holistic or homeopathic solutions to their horses’ health needs. Like alternative human medicine, many natural products are attributed with amazing healing properties, but occasionally these results turn out to be exaggerated or entirely fabricated. But are there natural alternatives that work as well as they are purported to?

One “wonder product” is honey. Honey, particularly Manuka honey, has been reported to speed the healing process, and decrease the likelihood of bacterial infections developing during the healing period. However, unlike some other natural treatments, honey has not only been rigorously investigated via scientific study, but is also one that has been widely accepted, and subsequently adopted, by the veterinary community.

The value of honey as a healing agent becomes particularly apparent when applied to wounds located on the legs of horses. Lower leg wounds are often complex, and require a prolonged period of healing. Chronic infection in particular is a problem in lower limb wounds that can lead to delayed healing, and excessive formation of fibrous tissue over the wound location can result in poor granulation tissue formation and contraction (scarring) of the wound as it heals.

Honey is suggested as an ideal product for treating these sorts of injuries, as it stimulates the inflammatory response of the animal and can increase the production of cytokines that control the regrowth of both tissue and blood vessels, resulting in more rapid granulation tissue and skin regrowth. Furthermore, honey is a fantastic anti-microbial agent that inhibits the growth of a number of nasties including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (or “Golden Staph”) both of which can cause inflammation and sepsis. This is one of the aspects of honey that makes it such an exciting product for the equine health industry, where antimicrobial resis-

tance and multi-resistant bacteria are increasingly seen.

If seeking to use honey topically to heal wounds, it is extremely important that you carefully choose the honey which you will apply. Non-medical grade honey can carry aerobic bacteria (for example, in very rare cases, Clostridium botulinum spores have been identified in commercial honey), usually introduced accidentally during manufacture. It is vital that the honey used to treat wounds is sterilized. Manuka honey is currently the only kind of honey available in medical grade dressings and wound treatment products. However, studies have shown that a range of types of honey have similar antimicrobial and healing properties, which may provide a more cost-effective, local alternative.

There are many types of honey-based product besides plain honey that can be applied to wounds. Manuka honey gels, such as PAW Manuka Wound Gel, make application far easier and are generally sterile, medical-grade and specifically manufactured for use on both small and large animals, including horses.

One horse owner who knows only too well the amazing healing properties honey can yield when applied liberally and regularly. Talitha Mitchell, of High Street Gypsy Cobs in northern New South Wales, gained firsthand experience treating leg wounds with honey. Her mare, Lucy Lockett of High Street, partially de-gloved a hind leg in a fencing accident involving electric fencing tape.

The tape cut to the bone, severing the extensor tendon in her leg, and resulted in a great hunk of flesh tearing away down her leg. It was a truly heartbreaking accident, one that would have defeated many horse owners. But with grim determination and a lot of TLC, Ms. Mitchell set to work nursing Lucy back to health.

Her method involved regular and diligent cleaning and re-application of honey to the affected area. After thoroughly cleaning the wound with Chlorhexidine, Ms. Mitchell would apply a Colloidal silver spray and then wrap the leg with raw Active JellyBush Honey 24+ and cling film during daily feeds. After approximately half an hour, the cling film would be removed, and the wound packed with wound pads smeared with honey before being wrapped in cotton wool and elastic bandages. This was repeated every few days, and later Ms. Mitchell utilised a number of herbs including Golden Seal, Arnica and Comfrey in Lucy’s healing process.

Ms. Mitchell noted that it took approximately six months for the wound to achieve good coverage using this process, and one year on, the wound was completely healed, and Lucy was once again sound. She still bears scars from

her ordeal, but avoided both permanent damage and subsequent infections from the use of honey as an amazing healer.

Honey is one of the few true natural “wonder products� available to horse owners today. It is essential that you seek veterinary assistance before applying honey to any considerable wound, such as the above, and do your research on what kinds of honey product are available in your area, and whether they are medical grade.

Below, clockwise left to right: Progress of the healing process in a wound treated with honey

Merry Christmas from

PONY

MAGAZINE

AUSTRALIA Catering for the pony industry in Australia

http://www.ponymagazineaustralia.com http://issuu.com/ponymagazineaustralia