ON June 8, 2008 Sarah Nickels from Upper Lurg was nearly trampled to death by her horse Fernando.
Now she is back on the horse and has dedicated herself to educating other on how to be safer around horses.
The accident happened when she was changing the dressing on her then two and half year-old horse, Fernando, in the wash bay when he was suddenly spooked and trampled Sarah.
tereffects of the injuries she suffered, especially after her splenectomy.
“I was airlifted to hospital where I had three surgical teams who worked to saved my life.
“With Fernando at 15.2hh and weighing 600kgs it was terrifying.”
To this day, Sarah is still dealing with the af-
“I had three fractured ribs, a punctured lung, my spleen was lacerated and had to be removed, leaving me immuno-compromised, my left kidney was damaged and my eye socket fractured,” she said.
“I have been left immunocompromised so that means I have to be super careful about getting sick and COVID is a major risk for me,” she said.
“I have to avoid public transport, planes, office spaces, going to the doctors is scary, I have to be super careful.
“From a riding perspective, my core is damaged and the scar tissue on my spleen has created asymmetry in my body.”
Having ridden horses from age 10 and being a trained instructor since age 16, Sarah said giving up horses was out of the question and she went back to training others within months of the accident.
“It was one of those freak split second accidents and look I can reflect on it now and I know there were a lot of things I could have done to make that situation safer and probably in hindsight, I could have avoided that accident,” she said.
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THINK no further than considering artificial insemination for your herd.
Artificial insemination (AI) has become a cornerstone of modern cattle breeding, allowing farmers to improve their herd genetics without the challenges of traditional breeding methods.
Here at Wangaratta Vet Clinic, we are excited to announce that we are now offering artificial insemination services.
What are the benefits of AI?
One of the primary advantages of AI is access to superior genetics.
It is a great way of increasing the rate of genetic improvement in your herd.
AI also allows commercial producers to utilise sires that would not otherwise be available to them, enabling the use of sires most suited to their genetic improvement objectives.
There are also a variety of management benefits that result from switching to AI including:
• females more likely to calve every 12 months;
• earlier calves are heavier at weaning;
• calves are mostly of a uniform age; and
• tighter calving window meaning surveillance of heifers/cows at calving is reduce.
The success of AI largely depends on proper timing and technique, both of which our veterinarians specialise in.
We work closely with farmers to assess the reproductive health of their cattle and apply the most effective insemination practices.
If this is something you are interested in, please contact us at the clinic (03) 5721 4000 to arrange a time to discuss your goals with one of our vets.
A STERN SENTENCE
ELLEN Kelly was sentenced to three years gaol for her part in the attempted murder of Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick at the Kelly homestead in Greta. Fitzpatrick, who had gone to the Kelly house to arrest Dan Kelly on a charge of horse stealing, said he had been set upon Ellen Kelly, William Skillion and William Williamson, and that Ned Kelly had fired at him, wounding him in the wrist. Bill Skillion and William ‘Brickie’ Williamson each received six years for aiding and abetting the attempted murder of Fitzpatrick.
QUITE a lot has changed in the fishing world since my fishing report last week.
Since writing that report we have had a little bit of warm weather, and a few fish are now starting to fire up.
I fished the Ovens River downstream of Wangaratta on the weekend.
Now, in recent times I have been catching one or two fish each time I fished the Ovens.
I’ve also been catching a lot of crayfish on my fishing rod.
On Saturday I caught 13 finned fish in less than three hours.
In the mix were four carp which were dispatched, seven Murray cod and two Trout cod, all of which were released unharmed.
All of my fish were caught using worms as bait, and with 6lb line and a tiny hook, as I was targeting yellowbelly.
Sadly there were no yellowbelly in the mix which was a bit surprising.
Perhaps we still need a little bit more warmer weather before they start to bite?
Speaking of yellowbelly, I have not heard any
reports from Lake Nillahcootie yet this spring. I suspect that it will start fishing well any day now if it hasn’t already.
Despite the lack of reports, I think that Lake Nillahcootie will be worth fishing now and I’m hoping to get over there this week if the wind dies down. Last week I went yabbying a couple of times and caught a few yabbies.
They weren’t biting like crazy, but they were certainly on the bite and I managed to catch a nice feed out of one dam and plenty of small yabbies in another.
As the weather continues to warm up the yabbies should start biting a lot more.
In the meantime try yabbying in smaller, shallow dams which are likely to warm up a bit quicker than larger bodies of water.
THE beauty of reading is that it can cater for a multitude of moods.
If you’re after information or love learning from other people’s lives, you can delve into the wealth of non-fiction titles available.
Fiction, meanwhile, offers the chance to live vicariously through characters who find themselves in everything from romantic to adventurous situations, and to glean a little something you might carry into your own life.
Reading can also offer a form of complete escape from the everyday - and that’s where the fantasy genre steps up to the plate.
This week, thanks to Allen & Unwin, we have a giveaway pack of three books which each promise to take the reader to another world - though still casting a shimmering reflection of real life.
The first, Australian author Garth Nix’s ‘Sire Hereward and Mister Fitz’ is a collection of award-winning short stories by the master fantasy writer, gathered in one book for the first time.
Featuring the titular Agents of the Council of the Treaty for the Safety of the World - a witch knight and a puppet sorcerer - the collection also includes a neverbefore-published story, ‘The Field of Fallen Foes’.
For fantasy writers, there can be no higher praise these days than a cover quote from ‘Game of Thrones’ author George R. R. Martin, who says he “loved making the acquaintance of Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz. If you haven’t met them yet, you are in for a treat.”
A couple of more recent releases in the fantasy gen-
◆ CHARTING A TREACHEROUS VOYAGE: Amie Kaufman’s ‘The Heart of the World’, the second in ‘The Isles of the Gods’ duology.
re are both sequels, ‘The Heart of the World’ by Amie Kaufman, and ‘Fyrebirds’ by Kate J Armstrong; the two are Melbourne writers, and friends who co-host the ‘Pub Dates’ podcast following the countdown to publication of their books.
‘The Heart of the World’ is Kaufman’s heart-pounding conclusion to ‘The Isles of the Gods’ duology, about a captain’s daughter and a playboy prince who fall in love while undertaking a treacherous voyage.
In this second and final instalment, the follow-up to ‘The Isles of the Gods’, Selly and Leander’s fight to save their world takes them from the gilded ballroom of the royal palace to the hallowed halls of an ancient library.
lace to the T-K
Will the wrath of gods and the machinations of power-hungry rulers strain their loyalties, and can their love withstand the trials that await them?
In ‘Fyrebirds’, the spellbinding conclusion to international bestseller ‘Nightbirds’, Armstrong continues
the tale of the Nightbirds, who were once their city’s best-kept secret.
Now, everyone knows that there are girls who can gift their magic with a kiss, and everyone wants a piece of them.
Such girls are in more danger than ever, but the four main characters in the book can do feats of magic
that no-one has seen for centuries.
They’re like the Fyrebirds of old: powerful women who once moved mountains, parted seas and led armies, but they don’t yet want the world to know the full extent of their power.
Fate tugs them inexorably toward each other,
and back into the fight to protect magical girls, and amid moves to life the prohibition on magic, those who support it whisper rebellion.
As war looms and the Republic’s fate hangs from a knife’s edge, the Nightbirds have to decide if becoming Firebyrds is worth risking the lives and loves they might have had. * If you would like to win the giveaway book pack, including ‘Sire Hereward and Mister Fitz’ by Garth Nix ($32.99), ‘The Heart of the World’ by Amie Kaufman ($24.99) and ‘Fyrebirds’ by Kate J Armstrong ($24.99), email skerwin@nemedia.com. au to be in the running.
2.00
I
U.S. 2.55
3.30 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw. 4.00 Who Do You Think You Are? 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey. 8.35 Red Flag: Music’s Failed Revolution. 9.50 SBS World News Late. 10.20 The Point: Road Trip. 11.15 Babylon Berlin. 1.10 Don’t Leave Me. 3.05 Paddington Station 24/7. 3.55 Bamay. 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight. 6.00 Morning Programs. 1.00 Gaycation. 1.55 Motherboard. 2.20 Bamay. 2.40 Kickin’ Back. 3.15 WorldWatch. 5.15 Abandoned. 6.10 Craig Charles: UFO Conspiracies. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.30 Dark Side Of The ‘90s. 10.20 Have I Got News For You U.S. 11.15 Bloodlands. 12.20 F*ck, That’s Delicious. 12.50 (Re)Solved. 1.45 Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia. 2.35 NHK World English News. 5.00 Late Programs. 6.00 News. 9.00 News.
■ From page 1
“Horse people are fairly determined.”
Despite the incident, she also decided to keep and repair the relationship with the horse who trampled her, who is now 19 years old.
“He didn’t get out of bed that morning and think ‘I’m going to try and kill my human this morning’, horses don’t think that way,” she said.
“He just got a shock, I got in the way, he couldn’t escape, so I was the only choice he had.”
She now dedicates herself to educating both herself and others on how to be safer around horses through strategies including positive reinforcement and cooperative care.
The main idea behind cooperative care is allowing the animal the freedom of choice of treatment whenever possible and Sarah said this has had positive impacts on her horses.
“Working with cooperative care,
my horses have become much more willing to participate in any care activity that we have to do even in those times where they can’t have choice, they’re still prepared to participate,” she said.
“The more we train our horses for cooperative care the safer we’re going to be and the safer our equine vets are going to be.”
Her biggest piece of advice for the equine community is to focus and learn more about correctly interpreting a horse’s body language.
“The research on this shows even experienced horse people aren’t good at it,” Sarah said.
“The better we can be at observing and correctly interpreting equine body language, the safer that we can stay and the better care we can offer our horses,”
She also recommended riders being ‘present in the moment’ with their horses and wearing protective equipment, like a helmet
and body protector, when riding a horse.
“As opposed to daydreaming or even speaking to people, you need to be present and focused particularly when you’re doing something that puts you in a compromising position,” she said.
“I would say generally we owe it to our horses; we want them to be present and in the moment with us, so I think we must do them the same service by being present and focused with them.
“Accidents can happen that you just can’t predict so you want to take as many precautions as you can to keep yourself safe and to avoid being chastised by staff when you’re being airlifted to hospital for life threatening injuries.”
Sarah shares more tips and tricks in her podcast ‘An Equine Conversation’ and offers a variety of education opportunities through Abbey’s Run Equestrian.
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BUY/sell provisions, also known as buyout agreements, are clauses within shareholders’ agreements that outline what happens to a shareholder’s stake in the company if they become incapacitated, die, or wish to exit the business.
These provisions typically give the remaining shareholders or the company itself the right (or obligation) to purchase the departing shareholder’s stake.
The risks of not having buy/ sell provisions
1. Business continuity threats
Without buy/sell provisions, the sudden departure of a shareholder can throw a business into turmoil.
The deceased or incapacitated shareholder’s stake may pass to their heirs, who might not have the expertise or interest to contribute to the business.
This can lead to decisionmaking paralysis, conflicts between new and existing shareholders or loss of key business relationships tied to the departing shareholder.
2. Financial strain on the business
In the absence of a clear buyout mechanism, remaining shareholders might struggle to raise the capital needed to purchase the departing shareholder’s stake.
This can result in cash flow problems, difficulty in securing loans due to uncertain ownership structure or potential fire sale of company assets to fund the buyout.
3. Family financial insecurity
For the family of a deceased or incapacitated shareholder, the lack of buy/sell provisions can be financially devastating.
They may be left with an illiquid asset they can’t easily sell, face unexpected tax liabilities, or lose a significant source of
◆ KEEPING IT IN THE BUSINESS: Buy/sell provisions typically give the remaining shareholders or the company itself the right (or obligation) to purchase the departing shareholder’s stake.
income without a clear path to monetising their inherited shares
4. Valuation disputes Without predetermined valuation methods in the buy/sell provisions, determining the fair value of a departing shareholder’s stake can lead to protracted and costly legal battles.
The importance of buy/sell
insurance
1. Immediate liquidity Buy/sell insurance provides the remaining shareholders with immediate access to funds to purchase the departing shareholder’s stake.
2. Tax benefits
In Australia, there are potential tax advantages to having the company own and pay for the buy/sell insurance policies.
Certainty on tax issues should always be obtained from your accountant or tax planner.
3. Certainty and peace of mind
With buy/sell insurance in place shareholders know their families will be taken care of in their absence and that the remaining shareholders can focus on running the business rather than scrambling for funds.
Further, the company’s value is protected from the uncertainty that often follows a shareholder’s unexpected departure.
Potential risks to consider
While buy/sell provisions offer numerous benefits, it’s important to be aware of potential pitfalls:
1. Inadequate insurance coverage
If the insurance policy doesn’t keep pace with the company’s growing value, there may still be a funding gap when it’s time to execute the buy/sell agreement.
2. Trigger event definitions
It’s crucial to clearly outline what constitutes incapacity, retirement, or other events that activate the buyout clause.
3. Inflexible valuation methods
While predetermined valuation methods can prevent disputes, they might not always reflect the true value of the company at the time of the buyout.
4. Tax law changes
Regular reviews with a tax professional are essential to ensure the structure remains optimal.
Spring into shape: How weight loss and exercise can help to transform your health this spring
AS spring blossoms around us, it’s the perfect time to reset our bodies and minds.
With warmer weather and longer days, many of us feel an urge to get outside and embrace a more active lifestyle.
This is the season of renewal, making it an ideal time to focus on health goals, like weight loss and fitness.
One method that continues to gain traction for its effectiveness in shedding pounds and improving well-being is the ketogenic (keto) diet, particularly when paired with a springfriendly exercise routine.
Why keto works
At its core, the ketogenic diet is a low-carb approach that forces your body to switch its fuel source.
Instead of burning carbohydrates for energy, you shift into a state called mild ketosis, where fat becomes your primary fuel.
This metabolic switch can lead to faster and more sustained weight loss compared to traditional calorie-cutting diets.
But it’s not just about the kilograms; people on keto often report increased energy, reduced cravings, and improved mental clarity ideal perks as we shake off winter’s sluggishness.
What makes spring such a great time to start or continue
with keto is the availability of fresh, seasonal foods.
You can load up on nutrientdense vegetables like leafy greens, asparagus, and many other seasonal veggies.
These not only fit perfectly into the keto plan but are also packed with the vitamins and minerals that boost your immune system and keep you energized as you increase your activity levels.
Pairing keto with exercise
To maximize your weight loss results this spring, combining the keto diet with regular exercise is key.
And with the weather warming up, outdoor workouts become much more enjoyable.
Walking, hiking, cycling, or even bodyweight exercises in the park can be excellent ways to get moving outdoors.
A ketogenic diet also works well with moderate-intensity ex-
ercise, as fat is a more sustained energy source.
Unlike quick-burning carbs, the fat you consume and burn on keto supports longer, endurance-based activities.
Just remember, during the initial transition to keto, your body might need some time to adjust to the new fuel source, so be patient as you build your stamina. Fresh start for a fresh season Spring is a time of growth and new beginnings.
Embrace this season as an opportunity to refresh your health goals.
With the ketogenic diet and a renewed focus on exercise, you’ll find yourself not just losing weight, but gaining energy, confidence, and a better outlook on the months ahead.
Whether you’re starting fresh or refining your routine, there’s no better time than now to spring into shape.
It’s always advisable to consult with your health care provider about your level of ketosis and to monitor your progress depending on your specific requirements.
At the NE Naturopathic Group we run the highly successful UltraLite Weight Management Program - call us on 03 5798 3344 for more information.