Ebony Horse Club and Spring Feature March 2016

Localrider Magazine

PONY CLUB • RIDING CLUB • SHOWJUMPING • EVENTING www.localrider.co.uk

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March 2016

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COVERING KENT, SUSSEX, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE, BERKSHIRE & THE ISLE of WIGHT 01-cover_lrmarch16.indd 1

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FEATURE

Is it going to fit? Packing the car with all the generous donations.

From left to right: Shay, Jordi, Laura, Hasty Imp, Francis and Sue, with a small number of the bags collected by the Eridge Pony Club.

Ebony Horse Club spend a day with Francis Whittington Photo opportunity with Easy Target!

Shay mucking-out.

Laura hard at work, with a little help from Minnie.

Easy Target inspects the standard of work.

All the horses loved Shay.

Jordi has quiet time with one of the horses.

B

ased in Brixton, Ebony Horse Club use horses to raise the education, life skills, well-being and aspirations of young people growing up in some of the most disadvantaged communities in South London. The club teaches riding and horse care, take groups to outdoor events and on residential trips.

It was on one such trip last year, to Brightling Horse Trials, that Sussex-based event rider, Francis Whittington met some of the members of Ebony Horse Club.

Taking time to walk the course with them, Francis began to understand the ethos of Ebony Horse Club and some of the aspirations of the riders who benefit from all that it offers.

In true ‘Francis’ fashion a plan was hatched. The Eridge Pony Club were enlisted to collect old and unwanted tack and riding clothing and at the end of the Christmas holidays, Sue Collins from Ebony Horse Club, and three of the club’s riders, Shay, Jordi and Laura, all made the trip Francis’s yard in Rotherfield.

The photo doesn’t do justice to the huge mountain of goodies Eridge Pony Club collected, which included several useful saddles. Francis and his team had to pack the generous donations all round Shay, Jordi and Laura once they were in the car, to have any chance of squeezing it all in.

The morning was spent watching Francis ride and jump a variety of horses, including his four-star campaigner, Hasty Imp. There was also time for cuddles and pictures with Easy Target aka Smokey. After lunch Shay, Jordi and Laura showed their horsemanship skills helping prepare the evening stables.

Sue and the team at Ebony Horse Club were hugely appreciative of the great hoard collected by members of the Eridge Pony Club and said Shay, Jordi and Laura were all inspired by their day spent with Francis.

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feature

Spring into

action Words by Stephen Biddlecombe With the worst of the winter behind us and spring on the horizon, many equestrian Are you keeping on top enthusiasts are turning their of your horse’s lumps, attention to equine grooming, bumps or blemishes? and giving their equine partner a ‘spruce-up’ for spring. This important equestrian management task not only ensures your four-legged 5. partner is looking good, but also that their skin and coat remains in optimum condition, especially important after a wet and muddy winter.

T

he importance of equine grooming is often by-passed as a simple, obvious or even non-important concept, but this can mean that in some cases, this essential part of day-to-day equestrian management is neglected. Thorough grooming on a regular basis offers care and maintenance of the skin and coat and allows your equine partner to remain both clean and healthy, preventing the build-up of dirt and bacteria in the coat, and limiting the risk of the owner missing skin conditions. On a day-to-day basis, removing the sweat and dirt from the coat is crucial to avoid the risk of tack sores and rubs.

Grooming is a fantastic way to build your relationship with your horse, as the simple task offers a great bonding mechanism, allowing you to build a stronger relationship. Giving him this attention will be sure to go down a treat, as grooming is in fact a horse’s natural way in which to bond and communicate with other horses and ponies.

Regular grooming sessions also allow horse owners to learn their horse’s individual anatomy and keep on top of any lumps, bumps or blemishes. This can prove extremely beneficial for the horse and also often protect the horse owner’s bank balance if problems are spotted and dealt with immediately.

6.

7.

Quic Braid’s Mane and tail control spray adds grip to hair when plaiting.

The Smart Grooming Horse Shave has a guarded blade.

protein after-shampoo renewal formula from Quic rejuvenates and detangles just-cleansed hair with superb, rehydrating conditioner.

Do you like to keep your horse’s whiskers neat, perhaps for a showing class? You can get what are effectively disposable razors for horses - we like the Smart Grooming Horse Shave which has a guarded blade.

Does your horse have stray hairs that are a nuisance when plaiting?

Try Quic Braid’s ‘Mane and tail control spray’ which adds perfect grip to hair when wet and dries to soft, natural feel - it combs out or simply evaporates within days.

Alongside regular grooming with top quality products, remember it is essential to provide a balanced diet containing high levels of fibre and the required levels of carbohydrate, protein, fat and vitamins and minerals including Omega-3 fatty acid, to provide optimum skin and coat health.

For more information visit www.worldwidetack.com

World Wide Tack’s spring grooming top tips!

1.

ick the feet out daily and always brush your horse off to remove P dirt and debris prior to tacking up; use this opportunity to check for sores and skin issues.

2.

S pring time is an excellent time for a bath. When bathing, using ‘horse friendly’ products to protect a healthy skin pH is crucial.

Horse specific products ensure the design of the product is beneficial to our equines’ skin.

3.

Dark coats often fade or bleach in the bright spring sunlight; hair cuticles may become damaged, causing a rough feel and a frizzy, tangled mess. So, provide plenty of shade in the field, and if you are concerned for cosmetic reasons, e.g.

Dark coats, including chestnuts, may fade for showing, add a suitable or bleach in the bright spring sunlight. lightweight rug where appropriate. Sweat in the coat accelerates fading, so rinse a sweaty horse before allowing him to bask in the sunshine. Products such as Quic Screen Coat Sunscreen are revolutionary in avoiding this problem. Quic Screen boasts zero coat fade for eight or more days.

In tests, hair that wasn’t protected by Quic Screen that was exposed to UVB was dry, weakened, and faded.

4.

The bathing process can sometimes dry out the coat, so use an equine coat conditioner such as Quic Condition. The intense march 2016 Localrider 35

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