Tamworth & District
MAY 2011
LOCAL HORSE Magazine “THE MAGAZINE ON THE SCENE” FREE MONTHLY
FREE Online Magazine www.tdlhorsemag.com.au
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CONGRATULATIONS TO Judy & Katrina Allan of Tamworth. Winners of our Mothers Day competition!
“Being a horse mum is a full time occupation, one that my mother seems to have mastered. When she isn’t tirelessly working in the office to singlehandedly fund my passion, she is forever driving me to lessons and competitions or acting as President of Tamworth Dressage Club to promote the sport we love so much. She simply is sublime!”
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!!!!
Spiritual Centre readings
Massage
gifts
Massage TherapisTs Helen Allan – Relaxation & Remedial Massage, Lymphatic Drainage & Bodywork. Carole Wright – Remedial Massage Janita Ying – Acupressure Massage
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EP27103
For all bookings & information Phone: 02 6762 7162 or email: info@mandycoles.com.au
Call in and see us at 105 Bridge St (cnr Bridge & Denison ) Tamworth. Full details on line at www.mandycoles.com.au
Super Mum Mum, you’re a So gentle, The many ways Always make
wonderful mother, yet so strong. you show you care me feel I belong.
You’re patient when I’m foolish; You give guidance when I ask; It seems you can do most anything; You’re the master of every task. You’re a dependable source of comfort; You’re my cushion when I fall. You help in times of trouble; You support me whenever I call. I love you more than you know; You have my total respect. If I had my choice of mothers, You’d be the one I’d select! © By Joanna Fuchs www. poemsource.com
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What’s on calendar Breeds Section May 2011
B r e e d s
S e c t i o n
2011 Australian Stock Horse Society National Championships 40th Anniversary World Championship Show AELEC ASHS Office (02) 6545 1122
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9th - 15th May
Australian Stock Horse approved sale 11th May Fountain of Youth National Yearling Sale & 2 year old ASH sale AELEC Ph: Landmark (02) 6765 5211 May/June2011 Magic Millions 2011 25th - 27th May National weanling sale National broodmare sale 29th - 31st May National yearling sale 5th - 7th June National racehorse sale 8th June www.magicmillions.com.au
National Appaloosa Championships AELEC 25th ~ 31st March 2011
The German Riding Pony BACKGROUND:
One of the most recent breeds introduced into Australia has been German Riding Ponies. The development of the phenotype that is today known as the German Riding Pony (GRP) began over forty years ago, when German pony breeding associations saw the need to develop a larger pony suitable for national and international competition for children. Specifically, the GRP was bred to be a competitive pony in the disciplines of dressage, show jumping and eventing. The goal was to have sufficient size and substance in these ‘small horses’ so that adults could train them. The ponies also had to have a good temperament that allowed children to be able to learn by riding and competing on these trained ponies. The training of these ponies is valued and it is not unusual for ponies to be ridden and competed by a new rider every few years. Once the child matures and goes onto a larger horse, the pony goes back on the market and is purchased for its next trainee young rider. In the early days breeder’s attempted to cross thoroughbred and Arabian stallions with Fjord and Haflinger ponies, but these breeding programs attempting to produce a sport pony in one generation was not as successful as had been hoped. Once imported British pony breeds (primarily Welsh ponies) were added to the mix, and then some lines of Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, thoroughbred and warmblood , the breed consolidated and has emerged as the ultimate Sports Pony. Today, the German Riding Pony has come to maintain the pony character, type and willing nature, along with the competitive athleticism of a small warmblood. The breed standard for size of the GRP is for a pony preferably between 138 cm and 148 cm (13.2-14.2hh). They are bred for horse-like movement that is correct, rhythmic, and elastic with a large stride, expressive gaits and clear impulsion from the hindquarters. In Germany there are state based breed registries and stallions go through performance testing. In Australia the breed is aligned with the Australian Sports Pony Registry.
LOCAL GERMAN RIDING PONY BREEDER:
Tamworth based Judy and Katrina Allan from Mansfield Park Ponies got interested in German Riding Ponies after a trip to Germany in 1986 and have been at the forefront of breeding foals using frozen semen and their oldest GRP cross foal is now 2 years old. Judy says ’For some unknown reason many people around Australia have experienced (and continue to experience) poor conception rates with the GRP frozen semen so with our determination and the skill of our vets from Tamworth Equine Vet Centre we seem to have been the most successful, now having 4 frozen semen foals. It should be easier now that there have been 5 GRP stallions imported into Australia and fresh semen is available. I can’t justify the ongoing high expense of using frozen semen but because we have used frozen semen we have been able to introduce several very influential stallions into our breeding program. We have a colt and a filly by FS Don’t Worry and a filly by FS Champion de Luxe and we eagerly await them to grow up so we can ride them and breed from.”
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Optimising the growth of your foal: The importance of Protein Dr Caroline Foote A deficiency of protein will have a marked effect on the growth of your foal. Not all protein meals are the same! This article provides a brief background on the meaning of high- and low-quality protein and outlines research which demonstrates the requirement to provide a high-quality protein supplement to growing foals for optimal growth and development. High- and low-quality protein By way of definition, proteins are substances made up of a combination of smaller units called amino acids. Although all of them are needed for synthesis of body protein, some can be produced in body tissues and do not need to be supplied in the feed or absorbed from the intestine. These are referred to as “nonessential” amino acids, while those that must be provided in the diet are “essential” amino acids. Proteins composed of a high proportion of these essential amino acids are referred to as high-quality proteins. Some examples include lysine, methionine and threonine. Those containing a high proportion of nonessential amino acids are low- or poor-quality proteins. Protein for growth To provide sufficient dietary protein for optimal growth and often for maximum mature size a good quality protein meal containing adequate levels of lysine may be necessary. Otherwise growth may be slowed. To provide the amount of lysine needed by the horse for growth, all of the additional protein above that provided by the grain and forage fed that is needed to meet these protein requirements should be provided by a good quality protein supplement. If feeds are offered which do not contain adequate lysine, growth rate and feed efficiency will be reduced. The influence of quality of protein on muscular and skeletal growth of foals has been investigated [1]. Weanling foals were either fed a high quality protein (based on milk powder), or a low quality protein (based on barley protein) supplement. The high-protein group gained weight faster from weaning to 12 months and were heavier at the age of 12 months. The growth of longissimus dorsi muscle and cannon bone circumference were also significantly greater in the high protein group. The authors concluded that weanling foals require a protein supplement rich in lysine for optimal growth. In another study, Quarter Horse weanlings were offered one of three diets containing varying protein and energy levels. Foals offered a low protein diet grew slower and were in poorer body condition compared to other groups. There was no difference in bone density or the occurrence of developmental orthopaedic disease between groups [2]. These studies support the importance of feeding high quality protein to growing foals for optimal foal growth and development. Optimising energy and protein intake will allow for a well grown foal, however mineral and vitamin intake is also critically important for skeletal health and future strength and performance. Balanced feeding is the key to good health and acts as insurance for your horse – minimising future problems and giving your horse every opportunity to perform to his or her full potential. Equine Consulting Services offers a nutritional service to horse breeders, trainers and owners. For more information, please go to www.equineconsultingservices.com.au or call (02) 9652 2653. References 1. Saastamoinen, M.T. and Koskinen, E., Influence of quality of dietary protein supplement and anabolic steroids on muscular and skeletal growth of foals. Animal Production, 1993: p. 135 - 144. 2. Topliff, P., et al., Growth of weanling quarter horses fed varying energy and protein levels. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 1988: p371 - 375.
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Campdraft/Team Penning
What’s on calendar Campdrafting/Team Penning
Australian Bushmans Campdraft & Rodeo Association www.abcra.com.au Australian Campdraft Association www.campdraft.com.au Team Penning Australia Inc www.teampenningaustralia.com Tamworth Team Penning www.tamworthteampenning.com May 2011 Campdraft NSW
WALGETT SHOW CAMPDRAFT 7th May Points CLAIRE BERGIN (04) 2966 2239 BIG RIVER CAMPDRAFT Points KAREN MC LENNAN (02) 6649 3265
13th - 15th May
MACLEAY CHALLENGE CAMPDRAFT Points BARRY LEE (02) 6566 9260
21st - 22nd May
BINGARA SHOW CAMPDRAFT - NEW DATE Points HELEN NICOLLE 02 6783 2265
21st - 22nd May
BARADINE CAMPDRAFT 28th - 29th May Points ROY TANNER 02 6843 6214 WAUCHOPE JUNIOR DRAFT 29th May Points KERRIE GRAHAM (02) 6585 6686
May/June 2011 Team Penning TPA 2 Day Event - Tamworth Venue TBA TPA Don Willis Indoor Arena - Tamworth Debby 0409 446 815
Tamworth Team Penning 8th May Lisa Wilson 02 6762 3428
RIGHT: Encouragement Winner Mason Wicks riding Jasmine
Juvenile Winner - Lane Smyth riding Doc’s Favour
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14th - 15th May 19th June
Maiden 2 Winner – Terry Wicks riding Amity
Open Winner – Christine Jones riding Alibi
RIGHT: Open 4 Open Winner Jack Gallagher riding Johnny
Junior Winner - James Vaughan riding Knight
“What a weekend” for Tamworth Horseman Hugh Miles, Hugh competed in the recent ABCRA Tamworth Draft taking out top honours in the Maiden on Dream Time, Sundays Novice on Congirl, and also placing second in Saturdays Novice, and picking up a place in the Open. Hugh said Tamworth hosted a great well organised event, with good cattle and a well prepared surface.
Ladies Winner – Katrina Gallagher riding Dupree
Novice 1 Winner – Phillip Elliott riding Delight
Hugh at only 21 years of age has had a successful career with an ever increasing list of achievements. Turning his hand at Campdrafting, Stock Horse events, Challenges and in recent years Cutting. Having been fortunate enough to travel to the USA on several occasions spending time with world class trainers like Darren Simpkins and Bob Avila. Hugh has had a busy year to date with a massive lead up to the Landmark sale. Hugh immaculately presented 18 horses for the event, with his top price $22,000. He now has his sights set on the Northern run including Paradise and Cloncurry Stockman’s Challenge later this year. Hugh has a big team of horses going on the run including Dream Time. Dream Time and Hugh are old hands at the Challenge coming 2nd a few years ago. Congirl by the famous Conman also amongst the talented team going north, owned by Terry and Christine Hall from Goondiwindi. With five entries in the Challenge alone Hugh will be a force to be reckoned with. Hugh’s future goals are on his imported colt Millionnic Chick. He plans to continue his competition focus, while enjoying the breeding and promotion of his talented colt.
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Tamworth Team Penning ...is Tamworth’s first and biggest Team Penning Association, we have been enjoying monthly club days in the Tamworth District for nearly 13 years. Our first club day was held in 1998 at the Moonbi Recreational grounds just on the outskirts of Tamworth. A small gathering with a total of 20 runs for the day. In 2010, Tamworth Team Penning Association grew significantly. With competitors travelling from across NSW to compete at monthly club days. Our days now consist of 150 runs and we have three divisions for competitors; the Junior section for riders 12 years of age and under, Youth section 13 years to 17 years of age and the open division for all riders 18 years and over. Team Penning is a unique equine event. Where participants range from beginner to experienced riders. Some ride and enjoy the social aspect of team penning while others are more competitive. Team Penning caters for all competitors. Tamworth Team Penning Association encourages participation. A FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. Team Penning is the only horse sport at which three generations of a family can ride side by side and enjoy being together. Tamworth Team Penning Association also conducts the NSW Team Penning Championships each year. Where riders from Team Penning Associations throughout NSW and QLD come to Tamworth; to test their skills in horsemanship, cattle sense and try their luck. With the aim of PENNING THREE HEAD IN THE FASTEST TIME! TTP has some great breaking news, their very own, and very proud team, Geoff Turton & 2 young sons Marty (11) & Sam (13) Turton have won the Team Yarding Challenge at the 2011 Sydney Royal Easter Show. This Team were runners up in 2010 NSW Team Penning Championship and they have now gone one better to win with a time of 39 seconds! TTP’ings April event was a great day and the club tried Team Sorting, with only 5 teams out of the 67 runs getting 10 head through the gate. The Team of Amy O’Neill, Brian Penrose & Mark Ranger taking home the blue ribbon with a time of 91 seconds. Mr Peter Draper attended the event to help us celebrate the completion and the new steel & rubber arena fence, thanks to a government grant. It was a fun day with 67 runs of Team Sorting & 67 Runs of Team Penning put through on the day. We had a wonderful day & still got home in time to watch the footy. Results for 10th April 2011 Open Place Run Time Team 1 104 35.35 Ron Grant, Rex Warden, Peter Purcell 2 146 43.75 Elise Robinson,Ricky & Kaisha Hopf 3 136 50.46 Ron Grant, Rex Warden & Karen Purcell 4 119 50.75 Peter Maher, John Tuckey & Simon Tolhurst 5 112 51.19 Trudy, Tori & Tony Wheeldon Youth 1 98 47.71 (3) Samual Hannan, Amber Thomas & Talina Purcel 2 109 149.19 (3) Georgia Rogan, Dean & Annah Sullivan 3 144 130.20 (2) Georgia Rogan, Dean & Annah Sullivan Junior 1 130 116.43 (3) Sophie, Jacinta & Leisl Cooper 2 129 155.46 (3) Georgia, Natasha & Olivia Achurch 3 100 110.32 (2) Sophie, Jacinta & Leisl Cooper
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Peter Draper & President Len Wall
“Thrills & Spills” by Jenni Sansom Great series of shots! Thanks Jenni!
Tamworth Arena Sorting December 2010
Cedar Party Minerals Pty Ltd Using Minerals to make Natural Health Products for Animals, Plants and Soils.
EnduroMin - Complete Horse Mineral Supplement EnduroGel - Mudfever/greasy heal, mange, flea/grass allergy soothing EnduroEze - Anti-inflammatory, pain relief, muscle/ligament damage EnduroCattle - Mineral supplement for Cattle EnduroPour - Selenium Pour On for Cattle ProArk Probiotics - Billions of beneficial bacteria for all Animals ProArk Dog and Cat - Complete mineral supplement for Dogs and Cats Aqualan Q - Complete plant fertiliser with trace elements Probiotics for Soil - increases microbe life, absorbs atmospheric CO2 Colloidal Silver - Animal health, calf scours, fish tanks, parasite burdens Silica Gel - coat, skin, fur, hooves, joints and bones At Cedar Party Minerals we believe in supplementing with what is missing/scarce/ unavailable from our soils to attain good health. If it is not in the soil then it is not in the food chain, and your animals miss out. Australian soils are mineral depleted. Many minerals are scarce or unavailable to higher life forms until processed by micro-organisms. Aqualan Q and Probiotics puts back these missing minerals and microbes. EnduroMin, EnduroCattle and ProArk supplement these minerals for your animals, ProArk Probiotics provides beneficial bacteria, improves gut flora, aides digestion.
Contact us today to discuss your animal’s, plant’s or soil needs. www.enduromin.com PO Box 326 Wingham NSW 2429
Cedar Party Minerals Pty Ltd Solving Problems Naturally (02) 6550 5655
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What’s on calendar Cutting Cutting
National Cutting Horse Association www.ncha.com.au
May/June 2011 Peel Valley Cutting Horse Club Barraba Championship Show Ph: Nadine McKenna (02) 6777 1116
Casino Cutting 21st - 22nd May Ph: Sam Wadsworth (02) 6664 7253 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity
Cutting
2nd - 12th June
Local NCHA affiliate clubs Peel Valley Cutting Club 02 67 771 116 0428 772 034
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14th - 15th May
Walcha Cutting Club 02 67 787 327 0437 301 069
Coaches & Trainers Tony Ernst - Cowboy Logic 02 6768 0151 tony@tonyernstcowboylogic.com.au www.tonyernstcowboylogic.com.au All Images on this page taken at Tony Ernst Cutting Development Day April ~ by MS Equipix . For more information on these days please contact Tony or visit his website
Q11 World Show Downunder ~ Cutting ~
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Flavivirus nervous disease Since February there have been an increased number of reports of NSW horses displaying unusual nervous signs. Similar cases have also been reported in Victoria and South Australia. Laboratory testing suggests that a majority of cases are due to infection with one or more Australian strains of mosquito-borne Flaviviruses that includes viruses like Murray Valley encephalitis virus and Kunjin virus. All testing to date has ruled out Japanese encephalitis virus. NSW cases are widely distributed, mostly west of the Great Divide from Mungindi in the north to the Murray River, and including a significant cluster in the Hawkesbury Valley west of Sydney and also the Upper Hunter Valley. The complete geographic distribution of cases is shown in figure 1. Early signs of infection may include depression or mild colic. These initial signs are followed by nervous signs include lack of coordination, high stepping in front, weakness in the hind quarters, muscle twitching and increased responsiveness to touch and sound. In some cases there has been facial paralysis or twitching, especially of the lips. Severely affected horses may fall repeatedly or develop convulsions. Good husbandry under veterinary supervision will assist in recovery. As of 12 April 2011 more than 164 horses in NSW have been reported to be showing signs of infection. Most cases to date have gradually recovered over a period of one to three weeks. Some horses are severely affected and around 16 of the affected horses are reported to have died or been euthanased for welfare reasons. Necropsies are taking place on infected dead horses to determine the cause of these infections. The complete geographic distribution of reported horse cases as 12 April 2011 is shown in figure 1.
This condition is not related to Hendra. All NSW cases have been tested for Hendra virus and all have returned negative results. Flaviviruses are one of a number of groups of arboviruses (viruses carried by insects) that occur naturally in Australia. The very wet season across much of Australia has resulted in high insect numbers and an increased risk of infection. It is likely that many horses may be infected but only a small proportion of infected horses will become ill. This means that a positive blood test must be carefully interpreted. Repeat testing will be needed to show that antibody levels are rising. Samples are being tested at the Virology Laboratory at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Camden. Horse owners should try to reduce the exposure of their animals to insect bites to minimise the risk of infection and ensure they are in good condition so that they have a strong immune system. Both registered chemical treatments and physical barriers such as fly veils and rugs will assist to minimise insect bites. The horse is usually a ‘dead-end’ host for mosquito-borne arbovirus infections and is not considered a likely source of new infection for people or other horses. Owners who notice horses displaying unusual signs should contact their private veterinarian.
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www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Artwork by MS Equipix
Advertise here for as little as $52.50 per month! info@tdlhorsemag.com.au
or 0409 987 152
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Dressage Dressage 18
Dressage NSW May 2011
Dressage NSW What’s on calendar ww.dressagensw.com.au Tamworth Dressage Club Dressage www.tamworthdc.equestrian.org.au
1st May Freestyle Workshop W SIEC Jan Geary 4579 9331 www.sydneycdi.com 1st May Orana Equestrian Club T Dubbo Sharon Kirby 0428 638 101 www.oranaec.equestrian.org.au 8th May Albury Wodonga Dressage Club O/A Albury Andrea Williams 0412 859 756 www.awec.net.au 15th Summerland Dressage Club O/A P-GP Bangalow Merle Speakman 6624 1454 www.summerlanddressageclub.org.au 14th - 15 th Hunter Valley Dressage Association O/A P-GP Rutherford Joyce Laidler 02 4930 7671 www.huntervalleydressage.com 15th Mudgee Dressage Club O/A P-FEI Mudgee Yasmin Crockett 0448 726 304 e: yasmincrockett@bigpond.com 21st - 22nd Central West DG CH P-FEI Bathurst Lesley Archer 6331 5049 www.centralwestdg.equestrian.org.au 22nd Sutherland Shire Horse Owners Assoc O/A Prep Inter 1 Como 4-May Joy Charlton 4653 1532 www.sutherlandshirehoa.equestrian.org.au/ 22nd Monaro Equestrian Assoc O/A P-ADV Jindabyne ER Belinda Mackintosh 0405 319 554 www.mea.net.au
22nd Shoalhaven Equestrian Club O/A P-GP Nowra Gayle Loose 4441 0623 www.shoalhavendressageclub.com.au 21st - 22nd Central Coast Dressage Association O/A, Ch Pr GP Somersby Claire Heenan 0401 329 026 www.ccdressage.org 21st Hawkesbury Riding Club Clarendon Michelle Christiansen 0409 312 527 www.hawkesburyridingclub.com.au 29th Warringah Dressage Club O/A Prep - Adv St Ives Melissa Gough 0412 532 246 www.warringahdressage.org 28th & 29th Alexander Park Dressage Club O/A Prep - GP Salt Ash Wendy Cotton 0419 873 321 www.apdc.net.au 28th & 29th Quirindi O/A/Ch Prel-FEI Quirindi Kathy Smith 6765 5939 www.quirindiec.equestrian.org.au 29th Wagga Dressage Club Wagga Ros Pullen 6922-5362 www.WaggaDC.equestrian.org.au 28th & 29th ASPR Pony Challenge O/A Prel - Adv SIEC Margie Kuiper 03 5482 2777 www.australiansportspony.org
Coaches & Trainers
KP Performance Horses Benji Dooley Dressage & jumping lessons Pony Club to Prix St Georges Can travel Ph: 0438 819 322
Are seat & legs necessary to get a horse on the bit? By Renai Burchell MISBS, Level 2 Official Coach, South Australia Some things are Rules With all the “grey areas” in riding...some things are easy! They’re listed in the FEI Rules now avail free on line The Rules, thank goodness, are very clear, and can never be broken! They say, for a preliminary horse (Level 1) that the horse must “have the poll the highest point of the horse”, “vertical (or actually slightly in front)”, “light contact”, “straight line from the rider’s elbow to bit”, “hands low”, and “relaxed”. And of course it’s relative to the level of the horse. So long as the poll is above the croup at the very beginning. Can you guess the right answer? The photograph on the right was recently taken of rider Kate McDonell, in South Australia. Look carefully at the photo. You’ll agree the poll is higher than the croup, straight line from elbow to bit, light contact, vertical...just like the rules above say...but look carefully, and then answer these questions: • • •
Did she use her leg to create the forward? Did she use her seat to lower the horse’s croup (engagement) or push the horse forward? Did she use a ‘combined action of the hand, seat and leg’ to get the horse on the bit?....And the answer...
Kate is permanently in a wheelchair! Seriously injured in an eventing accident, our Kate was “talent spotted” as an up and coming rider with Riding for the Disabled Rider, and we have taken her under our wing and encouraged her into the Para Equestrian system to start competing. (And she has the stillest position in sitting trot we’ve ever seen!). Kate has absolutely no use of her legs, and is paralyzed from the waist down. Doesn’t this throw up a LOT of questions about the whole concept of spurs/pushing/driving? If she can do it....then why can’t everyone? Well they can! There are many articles on www.colleenkelly.net about getting the lazy horse forward.....it’s actually dead easy once you know how to do it! It took Kate about 10 mins to throw away her whip...forever! And, so much for “more leg”, or “you can’t make it in dressage without strong legs”. OK, Kate’s just starting out, but some of these riders are Prix St. Georges and above!!! Can’t tell them “more leg” - they have no legs! But......lateral work? You definitely need legs for lateral work...that’s what they all say! Then, how can Para Equestrian Champion Susan Seipel do shoulder in and travers....again with no legs...how can riders with no leg at all ride at Prix St. Georges and above? Some of them are Grand Prix...and that’s not in RDA, that’s in REAL DRESSAGE. “One way” is not the “ONLY way”! These riders are proving that there is another way! That’s why there’s another rule in place that says “invisible aids”, and “horse should move forward from the slightest indication of the rider”.
And (in able-boded dressage of course) there is a RULE that the heel must be the lowest point of the rider. Not only is this for safety, it’s also to show the judge you’re not kicking. That’s when a judge will look at both the rider mark and the impulsion mark, as a horse that needs kicking is obviously less trained than one that will go forward nicely. Sometimes it just takes a very special rider to show us the difference! “The International Society of Rider Biomechanics is a research-based organisation to research, educate and disseminate information regarding the horse rider’s seat, posture and balance. Membership avail. All Welcome! http://www.isrbonline.org/ www.facebook.com/riderbiomechanics “
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Tamworth Dressage Club Official/Associate Competition
Robyne Smithe and KS Beauchamp winners of the Prix St George and Inter I
Sunday April the 17th saw riders from as far as Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Armidale, Scone, Gunnedah and Boggabri join with the locals to compete at the Tamworth Dressage Club’s Official competition held at the Club’s grounds at Moonbi. Despite some wet weather prior to the competition, which had both organisers and competitors in a frenzy of last minute preparation, by Sunday the weather had cleared to give way to what was to be a very successful competition. Any concerns about puddles were quickly replaced by the challenges of fresh horses, competition nerves, and the sometimes mammoth task of remembering multiple tests. Over 50 horses were entered in 115 tests, from preliminary to Inter 1, and five judges were kept occupied in three arenas between 9 and 4 am. A great day was had by all. Results can be found on the clubs website www.tamworthdc.equestrian.org.au The next official competition in the region is Quirindi and Districts Equitation Club Championships held at Werris Creek at the end of May. Tamworth Dressage Club championships date has been changed to 23rd-24th Rachel Cairns July. 3rd in Medium 4B and 2nd in Advanced 5B
Jill Wagner and Royal Hearthrob 3rd in Advanced 5B and 6th in Medium 4B
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Katrina Allan 1st in Medium 4B and 1st in Advanced 5B
Dressage & Jumping Lessons Pony Club to Prix St Georges Reasonable rates Can travel Quality horses for sale!
A proud rider for
Image & Design MS Equipix
Raising funds for NBCF
“Come & enjoy riding again” Benji Dooley 0438 819 322
FOR SALE - “ROCKY” 15 YRS, GELDING, 16hh
Specialising in Rider Biomechanics Private lessons Video assessments Lessons also availiable in: Dressage, Jumping & gymnastic exercises
$6,000 NEG. TO THE BEST OF HOMES ONLY It’s not often you find a gentleman like this stunning black/ brown thoroughbred. Been there done that, pony club, trail rides, dressage, jumping. Trained to Elementary level, though recently ridden mainly for pleasure. Is currently in work to bring his skills up to date, would suit teenager/ lady rider/ adult needing to build confidence, someone wanting to have a go at dressage, pony club etc. First person to see will buy! On property trial available.
Nervous riders, beginner riders, adult riders all ok School horse available. Horses taken for training & problem solving, basic education, dressage, jumping & event horses. Re-training of OTTB’s, starting young horses in a soft, calm manner. Floating lessons. Based on the Gold Coast, QLD Please call 0405 138 422 for enquiries
www.facebook.com/postureseatbalance
CONTACT KELLY ON 0405 138 422 www.postureseatbalance.com.au 21
Endurance
Photograph courtesy of Jo Arblaster/Animal Focus
What’s on calendar
Endurance
May 2011
NSW Endurance Riders Association www.nswera.asn.au Tamworth & District Endurance Club www.tamworthanddistrictenduranceclub.org.au
Zone One Championships 100km Elevator Ride 100 elev/40/20 Judy Shore 9652 1393
6th - 8th May
NSW/QLD Dual Affil. Terrific Tenterfield 100/80/40 Philippa Lillyman 02 6737 5438
7th - 8th May
Mudgee 15 May 80/40/20 Mette Sutton 6372 4960 0400 308 626 Wingello 80/40 28th - 29th May Rebecca Hayes 0412 600 173 June 2011
Endurance
NSW State Championships - St Albans 160/40/20 Neil Clarkson 0427 258 291
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11th - 12th June
Home town: MANILLA. NSW. Age: 14YRS OLD.
Bradley McCarthy
What age did you start riding/competing?
I HAVE SHOWN HORSES IN HALTER FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AND DECIDED I WOULD LIKE TO START RIDING ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE TOM QUILTY WAS HELD IN MANILLA.
What made you choose Endurance and why is it your favourite discipline?
I HAVE HELPED AT A COUPLE OF ENDURANCE RIDES IN MANILLA AND THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE RIDES, THE TIME YOU SPEND WITH YOUR HORSE, FRIENDS AND FAMILY IS THE REASON I CHOSE TO LOOK INTO HAVING A GO AT ENDURANCE RIDING.
What motivates you to go out and train everyday?
THE HORSE I OWN NOW HAS A GREAT TEMPERAMENT AND IS VERY SENSIBLE. I ENJOY RIDING HIM AND HE IS MY BEST FRIEND. WHEN OUT RIDING HE LOOKS AFTER ME AND I LOOK AFTER HIM. THE FEELINGS I EXPERIENCED WHEN HELPING AT THE TOM QUILTY WERE INDESCRIBABLE, AND MY DREAM IS TO HAVE A GO AT BEING A COMPETITOR AT A TOM QUILTY ONE DAY.
Who is your fav horse to date and why?
MY CURRENT HORSE “COBBER” HE IS A VERY LAID BACK AND EASY GOING HORSE AND IT IS ENJOYABLE TO WORK WITH HIM.
What does a typical day for you involve?
GET UP AT 7.30AM FEED/WATER COBBER BEFORE LEAVING FOR SCHOOL. GET HOME FROM SCHOOL 3.30PM TRAIN COBBER FOR ABOUT 1HR, SOME AFTERNOONS I ALSO GO RIDING WITH MY SISTER TAYLAH WHO IS 6YRS OLD AND HER PONY “LITTLE JOE”. AFTER OUR RIDES WE SPEND TIME GROOMING AND FEEDING OUR HORSES WITH MUM.
Who do you admire/role models?
MY MUM HAS HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES AND I TAKE A LOT OF ADVISE FROM HER. KYM AND KIM HAGON HAVE ALSO BEEN A GREAT INSPIRATION TO ME, THEY BOTH HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP ME WHEN EVER I HAVE NEEDED THEM. I HAVE PENCILLED FOR KYM AT THE TOM QUILTY WHICH WAS A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO THANK THEM BOTH FOR THEIR ADVISE AND TIME THEY HAVE SPENT WITH “COBBER” AND ME.
Biggest achievements to date:
THERE WOULD BE TWO ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE, THE FIRST WOULD BE COMPLETING MY VERY FIRST AND “COBBER’S” FIRST ENDURANCE RIDE AT THE AELEC THIS YEAR IN MARCH. THE SECOND IS BEING AWARD SUPREME JUNIOR HANDLER AT THE A.M.H.A. NATIONAL SHOW AT THE AELEC IN OCTOBER 2009.
Where would you like to be in 5 yrs?
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TEAM OF HORSES THAT I WOULD BE TRAINING SO I CAN WORK TOWARDS COMPETING IN THE TOM QUILTY.
Are there any aspects of Endurance riding you have found hard to master?
AS I HAVE ONLY JUST STARTED ENDURANCE RIDING IT IS A PLEASURE TO GO OUT TRAINING MY HORSE. AS TIME GOES ON AND I ADVANCE UP TO LONGER DISTANCES I AM SURE TRAINING HORSES FOR THESE RIDES WILL BECOME MORE INTENSE.
Any quick tips or tricks you can pass on to our readers?
WHEN YOUR ON AN ENDURANCE RIDE YOU MUST LEARN TO READ YOUR HORSE, AFTER ALL HE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
Photograph courtesy of Jo Arblaster/Animal Focus
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Tamworth Twilight Ride
Mention twilight and full moon, and you could be forgiven for thinking it was the latest instalment in the vampire series, but it was really the Tamworth Twilight Endurance Ride held at the Australian Equine & Livestock Events Centre on the full moon of the 19th of March! The ride was hosted by the Tamworth & District Endurance Club to showcase Endurance Riding as part of the Arabian Horse Society National Championship Show. The AHSA was the instigator of the event, and the TDEC managed to pull off the impossible by finding a suitable course in such a built up area. Thanks to the wonderful support of the neighbouring property owners, access was possible to suitable tracks to the south west of Tamworth. A huge field of 85 riders in the 80km Endurance Ride and 46 riders in the 40km Training Ride headed out at 2pm on Saturday afternoon to a large crowd of spectators. Warm, humid conditions meant hard going for both horse and rider, but water points every 6km meant that both were kept well hydrated. This unusual “twilight� format meant that riders could make the most of the cooler evening temperatures, with the last riders finishing at around midnight. 65 riders successfully completed the 80km event and all received a special edition buckle which was designed for the occasion by the Australian Arabian Horse Society. 91% success rate in the 40km training ride was an indication of how well the horses coped with the temperatures and distance covered. First place in each division were Colleen Krahnen from Queensland in the Junior Division, Con Bouzianis in the Heavyweight Division, Kym Buchanan in the Lightweight Division and Simone Krahnen also from Queensland in the Middleweight Division. First across the line was Kym Buchanan in a riding time of 4 hours and 53 minutes. Best Conditioned Horse was awarded to Kalkadoon Shalom ridden by Colleen Krahnen in the Junior Division, Anniversary Wish ridden by Kym Buchanan in the Lightweight Division, Kunama Safira ridden by Brodee Freeman in the Heavyweight Division and Kalkadoon Zorro ridden by Simone Krahnen in the Middleweight Division. The presentation was held in the main stadium at the AELEC. The massive indoor Arena provided a great backdrop to showcase the calibre of the Endurance Horses, and was also an exciting experience for the horses, many of which would never have been in an arena of this type. The clapping and cheering of the crowd showed that fatigue was not an issue with many of the horses! TDEC would like to thank the Smith and Smyth families for allowing access to their properties, and all the wonderful residents in the Heiligmans Lane area for putting out troughs for water for the horses, and some even providing refreshments for the riders. Woodleys Motors, Horseland Tamworth and Everything Equine were also great sponsors of this event. The next event that was on the Tamworth & District Endurance Clubs calendar was the inaugural Manilla Muster which is a 240km Marathon Event to be held over the Easter and Anzac Day extra-long weekend (coverage in next months mag). Full results and photos, as well as information about upcoming events can be seen on their website at www.tamworthanddistrictenduranceclub.org.au 24
Photography by Jo Arblaster
Photography by Jo Arblaster 25
Eventing
What’s on calendar Eventing Eventing NSW www.eventingnsw.com.au Quirindi Eventing Inc www.quirindieventing.com Tamworth International Eventing www.tie.equestrian.org.au
May 2011
Please go to www.eventingnsw.com.au for more information on the following events: Quirindi Enc to 2* 28th - 29th May 02 6747 4766
May/June 2011
Surrounding areas
Please go to www.eventingnsw.com.au for more information on the following events:
Eventing
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL WC Prelim to 3* 7th - 8th May Canberra Intro to 1* 14th - 15th May Camden EQUESTRIAD CIC Intro to 3* 21st - 22nd May Coffs Harbour (tbc) Enc to 1* 18th - 19th June Denman New to 1* 25th -26th June
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Coaches & Trainers Norm Hindmarsh Southern Cross Warmbloods PH: 02 6767 1404 M: 0429 862 854 scwarmbloods@yahoo.com www.southerncrosswarmbloods.com.au Sharmayne Spencer Heritage Hill PH: 02 6760 5554 M: 0414 577 273 - Sharmayne M: 0447 328 608 info@heritagehillequine.com.au www.heritagehillequine.com.au
with Kevin McNab
In this article i I thought we would go through some of the rules and formats of eventing in both one day events and 3 day events. Over the past 5 years, many changes have occurred in the in the eventing world, with the intention to make the sport easier to run, more profitable and safer for the competitors. Three day events are now offered in the classic format including an endurance phase, or a short-format with no steeplechase, roads and tracks (phases A, B & C). The 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece chose the short format due to lack of facilities, time and financing. This sparked a large debate in the eventing community whether to keep the steeplechase phase or just offer cross-country. Today, most events are run short-format except for a few of the lower level competitions, like the one they ran at Sydney in 2010.
The Dressage Phase
Each movement in the test is scored on a scale from 0 to 10, with a score of “10” being the highest possible mark and with the total maximum score for the test varying depending on the level of competition and the number of movements. Therefore, if one movement is poorly executed, it is still possible for the rider to get a good overall score if the remaining movements are very well executed. The marks are added together and any errors of course deducted. To convert this score to penalty points, the average marks of all judges are converted to a percentage of the maximum possible score, multiplied by a co-efficient decided by the governing body and then subtracted from 100. • • • • • • •
Once the bell rings the rider is allowed 45 seconds to enter the ring or is eliminated. If all four feet of the horse exit the arena during the test, this results in elimination. If the horse resists more than 20 seconds during the test, this results in elimination. Errors on course: 1st Error = minus 2 marks 2nd Error = minus 4 marks 3rd Error = elimination
The Cross Country (XC) Phase
The cross-country phase is a course of solid obstacles that have to jumped in the correct order and within a time limit. Penalties are awarded for stops, falls and extra time taken to finish the course. Crosscountry tests the accuracy, stamina and speed of both horse and rider. Due to major injuries at Red Hills and Rolex in 2008, the rules were changed drastically. The change stated that a fall anywhere during the cross-country phase resulted in elimination, even if the rider was galloping on course and not approaching a jump, or in the middle of a combination. • • • • • • • •
Refusal, run-out, or circle at an obstacle: 20 penalties Second refusal, run-out, circle at the same obstacle: 40 penalties Third refusal, run-out, circle on cross-country course: Elimination (E) Fall of rider: Elimination (E) Fall of horse (shoulder and hind touch the ground): Elimination (E) Exceeding Optimum Time: 0.4 penalties per second Coming in under Speed Fault Time: 1 penalties per second only at CIC and ODE’s Exceeding the Time Limit (twice the optimum time): Elimination (E)
Other faults • • • • • • • • •
Competing with improper saddlery: Elimination (E) Jumping without headgear or a properly fastened harness: Elimination (E) Error of course not rectified: Elimination (E) Omission of obstacle: Elimination (E) Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination (E) Jumping an obstacle in the wrong direction: Elimination (E) Retaking an obstacle already jumped: Elimination (E) Dangerous riding, at determination of the Ground Jury: Elimination (usually with a warning before elimination) (E) Failure to wear medical armband: Elimination (at discretion of Ground Jury) (E)
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Example of long and direct route. LEFT: The "direct route" when jumping cross-country
Combinations
The long route over an obstacle which you may think is too tough for your horse. If the rider has a refusal at the direct route, he may jump the other B element without additional penalty than what he incurred for the refusal.
A combination is always considered one obstacle, and the various elements within the combination are lettered “A”, “B”, “C” and so on. In Cross-country, the rider need only retake the element they refused rather than the whole complex. So a refusal at element B does not require them to jump A again. However, they have the option of retaking the previous elements if they wish. For example, in a bounce type obstacle it may be physically impossible to approach B without first clearing A. Yet for some in and outs, you can go to B and not have to re-jump A. Many cross-country obstacles have several possible routes to take e.g. at an obstacle there may be two A, two B, and two C elements, with one route usually being faster but requiring a more skillful ride or more physical effort from the horse. A rider may take any of the possible routes as long as they pass over each letter once. Additionally, after a refusal, they may jump a different obstacle in its place, as long as it is the same letter. For example, if a refusal occurs at B, the rider may jump an alternative obstacle that is marked B to help avoid a second refusal, but may not jump a second A element in place of the B element. A refusal at A is a first refusal, and would receive 20 penalties. Whether the rider retakes A or not, a subsequent refusal at B is a second refusal and so on. Three refusals at any one obstacle results in elimination, as does 4 refusals on the entire course in unofficial classes
Veterinary inspection, or “Trot Up”/”Horse Inspection” Gameplay at Melbourne
Before the beginning of a three-day event, and also before the last phase, horses are inspected by a vet to ensure that they are fit to compete further. It is usually a very formal affair, with well-groomed and braided horses, and nicely dressed riders. It is also a very nerve-racking time, as the “pass” or “fail” determines whether the horse may continue with the competition. A vet can request that a horse is sent to the holding box, when it will then be re-assessed before being allowed to continue. In lower levels of competition the horse’s movement may be analyzed as they finish the cross-country, where they will be asked to trot briefly after crossing the finishing line to satisfy the vet of their soundness.
The Show Jumping Phase
Show jumping tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including suppleness, obedience, fitness and athleticism. In this phase, 12-20 fences are set up in a ring. These fences are typically brightly colored and consist of elements that can be knocked down, unlike cross country obstacles. This phase is also timed, with penalties being given for every second over the required time. In addition to normal jumping skills, eventing show jumping tests the fitness and stamina of the horse and rider, generally being held after the cross-country phase in higher level and international events. • • • • • • • •
Knocking down an obstacle: 4 penalties First Disobedience (refusal, run-out, circle, moving backwards): 4 penalties Second Disobedience in the whole round: Elimination (New Rule for 2007) First Fall of rider: Elimination Fall of horse: Elimination Exceeding the time allowed: 1 penalty per second Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination Error of course not rectified: Elimination
An obstacle is defined as having been knocked down if any part of it is lowered. It is therefore possible to knock out a pole below the top pole and receive no penalties. The winner is the horse and rider with the fewest penalties totalled over all phases. Awards are usually presented while mounted, before the placed riders take a lap of honor around the arena.
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Artwork by MS Equipix
May
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What’s on calendar Horse Drawn Australian Carriage Driving Society www.acds.org.au Carriage Driving NSW www.carriagedriivingnsw.org.au
1st May Social Drive - Greg Malones property Tamworth Regional Horse drawn club Piallaway Liz O’Brien - 0427 766 726 14th - 15th May Pleasure Drive - Lockhart Murrumbidgee And Riverina Lockhart Showground, Treasure Street, Lockhart Di Murray
Local Clubs
Tamworth Regional Horse Drawn Club Elizabeth O’Brien myeyor@yahoo.com.au 0427 766 726 Liverpool Range Harness Club (Quirindi) Peter Honeyman the-honeymans@bigpond.com 02 6767 1555
Horse
D r aw n
May 2011
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Photos from Tamworth Regional Horse Drawn Club: See pg 32
by Peter McIntyre In the past two years there have been three cases of shaft failure, resulting in bad accidents in two cases. These caused much pain and suffering, either to the driver or groom or both.
• • • •
Pipe shafts must be made of one piece of pipe, definitely no ‘add ons’ with welding Do not shorten steel shafts by cutting and welding Pipe for shafts should be of a reasonable thickness preferably 3mm or larger Sulky shafts are most affected by fatigue after a few years of use, particularly where the shafts meet the sulky body.
It worries me a lot that people who have no contact with horse drawn vehicles are often being used to do this welding. Wooden shafts have been around for one hundred years plus. Not many are used in CDEs any more, but there are a lot in use in the show ring and in pleasure driving. Spotted gum has been in use for a long time and far surpasses plantation grown timber for vehicle use. However it still has its faults if not cared for. Well oiled (linseed oil) and painted shafts which moisture cannot enter, will last for many years. Stress by way of horses kicking, bucking etc and neglect by being left out of cover cause splits which weaken the wood. So, look at them! Flex the points towards each other. You should not hear any creaking of wood. If they make a noise, investigate and find the weak spot. If you are not sure, seek other opinions. Now that you have read about shafts, have a good look at yours, before you are the next accident. We all need to take the utmost care.
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April 2nd/3rd saw two of our club members travel the 1400 klm plus round trip to Marrar for the Joe Hawkins Memorial Cup CDE. Liz O’Brien travelled from Manilla and Amanda See along with her groom Glen Murray travelled from Merriwa. Liz did very well with first places in both the dressage and cones competition in her class but unfortunately was eliminated in the marathon. Liz also was the only competitor from the 31 there to get a double clear round for the overall cones result. Amanda’s results where not known at the time of printing but I am sure they would have been worthy of the hard work and preparation Amanda put into her horse. April 10th was the regular rally day for the club held at the Attunga Sport and Recreation grounds, with 16 members in attendance it made for a great day. The drivers where given a challenge driving course to complete including a shortened barrels course with a 50klm sign at the start, a simulated bridge with a number of animal cutouts (cows, emus, sheep etc) as well as flags attached to test the horses and drivers ability to cope with strange items. Then there was a marathon obstacle and bending course also with flags attached. A cones course complete with an obstacle set in amongst the trees. Everyone had a wonderful time although some of the horses weren’t sure about the rubber mat with the 50klm sign on it or the strange animals and flags they encountered but by the end of the day they all excepted everything put in front of them and learnt to trust their drivers. The main part the drivers had trouble with was the flat fire hose pinned to the ground which they had to drive along the length of with one wheel on it all the way. Not that easy to do. May 1st will be a social drive at Piallaway starting at 9am, please byo lunch. For further details please contact Liz O’Brien on 0427766726 for directions. It promises to be a great day looking forward to seeing you all there. June 5th is the date for our club mini gymkhana, non members are welcome to join in an have some fun. We have a one activity membership available so you can have a go before you pay the full membership. For further details on any of our club activities please contact the club secretary Liz O’Brien on 0427766726 or email myeyor@yahoo.com.au
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Cosequin Equine Powder
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WINNERS FOR APRIL!
Winner receives a $50 gift voucher from their local Produce!!
PHOTO COMP 1ST Place
2nd Place 2nd Place
3rd Place
CONGRATULATIONS!!! TO DIANE HEFFERNAN from Tamworth! Diane wins a $50 voucher from her local produce! What a fantastic shot!
Thank you for all your entries, keep them coming! Next edition “Cutest Photo” Tamworth & District Local Horse Magazine is running a photo competition each month. Entries close on the 12th of each month.... For our May Edition we will be taking entrants for “CUTEST PHOTO”. Please email all photos to info@tdlhorsemag.com.au with your name and contact details and who took the photos. The top 3 photos will be displayed in the June edition and the winner receives a $50 voucher from their local produce!! This is an armature photo competition (no professional photographers please) See website for Photo Competition Rules.
www.tdlhorsemag.com.au April Edition
"Cutest Photo" END OF YEAR GRAND FINAL The winner from each months competition will go into the end of year GRAND FINAL. There will be 2 Winners, 1 winner will be judged by the readers and the other winner will be judged by one of our AMAZING sponsors! Keep checking here for details..... GRAND FINAL WINNERS will be announced in our DEC/JAN edition along with the winning photos...... Great GRAND FINAL Prizes to be won........
34 34
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Image & Design MS Equipix
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Natural Horsemanship
What’s on calendar Natural Horsemanship
New England Natural Horsemanship Club http://web.me.com/newenglandhorseclub/newenglandhorseclub Horse Agility Australia www.horseagility.com.au Parelli www.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com
May/June 2011
New England Natural Horsemanship Club 22nd May Social Day, Rocky river Annette Ryan - Secretary annetteis@bigpond.com.au Steve Byrne 21st-22nd May Megalong Valley “Euroka” 2 Days Horsemanship Clinic For Information regarding camping, directions to venue and horse yards call Melissa Parker on 0408 902 289 Mel Fleming Wilton 4 days of workshops - May 7th-9th Introductory & Intermediate CONNECTING WITH HORSES & RIDING WITH SYNCHRONICITY Macksville 4 days of workshops - June 10th -13th Intermediate I & Intermediate II CONNECTING WITH HORSES & RIDING WITH SYNCHRONICITY
Coaches & Trainers
Mel Fleming - Moonbi www.melfleming.com.au mel@melfleming.com.au 0428 385 745 02 6760 5519 36
Steve Byrne - Dungowan www.stevebyrne.com.au 0427 190 271 (02) 67 694 326
How to develop a bond
Photo by Coco
In this issue Linda Parelli offers advice on how to develop a bond with your horse. I have just bought a new horse and want to make sure I develop a good bond and relationship with him – can Parelli techniques help? Mary James. This is a wonderful thought - your horse will really appreciate it! Horses don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, but befriending horses is often unsuccessful because we are two completely different species... horses are prey animals and people are predators. A human is not something a horse would go out of his way to be friends with and yet the relationship we’ve shared with them for thousands of years is quite extraordinary, if not always fun for the horse. When you are able to overcome the prey-predator barrier your horse’s confidence will soar, making him more responsive and safer to be around. Think of it this way... horses don’t bite or kick people they like and trust!
The Prey-Predator Barrier When horses get scared, they’re not afraid you’re going to hurt them, they’re afraid you are going to kill them. It doesn’t seem logical to us, but prey animals are ‘programmed’ that way. They’ve survived for millions of years by reacting faster than, out-thinking, outsmarting and out-running predators. So when it comes to the horse-human relationship, even if you are a vegetarian, you are still a predator species and your horse knows it. The reason we make such a big deal about this is because many people tend to get mad or frustrated when their horse misbehaves, but often they have no idea what is driving that behaviour. For many horses it is mortal fear that is making them bolt, rear, bite, kick, prance, head-shake, buck, not stand still, spook, shy, etc., and when the human gets annoyed it throws fuel on the fire. The horse is already scared, they have a predator on their back and now that predator is mad... or scared. Either way, the feeling that is transmitted to the horse scares the life out of him. One of the first things Parelli students learn is to not blame their horse for how he’s behaving and to take control of their own emotions. You have to get calm and objective. Then you need to know what to do to convince your horse that even though you look and smell like a predator, you would never act like one.
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How to create a bond with your horse Cont…….. Here are some ways you can prove this: Never punish your horse because prey animals do not understand punishment. They live in the moment and they react to their feelings about a situation and then behave as their instincts tell them to. Here’s what to do: say to yourself “How interesting!” and then think about what may be causing him to act this way. More on this in the next section. Never tie his head down with draw reins or martingales. There is a reason that head comes up and you need to find out what it is. Horses don’t resist for no good reason. Never strap his mouth shut. As above. Never yank on the reins or hold them so tight that he feels no way out. Horses are naturally very claustrophobic so they fight to get free. There is a natural way to collect horses on shorter reins and there are far better ways to control a horse than pulling back on the reins. Never trick him by hiding your halter behind your back or using treats to lure him into places he doesn’t want to go. Your relationship has to be based on trust. Patience, patience, patience. When your horse doesn’t do what you want right away, calmly and sensitively repeat it and repeat it and repeat it until your horse is calm... or change your strategy in case you weren’t being very clear. Pat Parelli says it best when he quips “You’re doing great... I’ve never seen it take longer than two days!” If you adopt the two day attitude you’ll slow down, be less intense and your horse will feel a lot better! Look first at yourself. A good teacher blames himself before he blames his student and knows that it’s devastating to the learning process for his student to feel fear. Not many people are naturally patient, but horses can teach you this. By breaking things down into simple steps and giving your horse time to think and pause for a moment after he does something right. This develops confidence like you can’t believe and some horses need a lot more waiting time than others before they can relax. You are your horse’s teacher and many horses come to school confused, worried, sometimes terrified. Learn the Parelli Seven Games. By studying horses Pat Parelli observed seven distinct games they play with each other to establish friendship and dominance. He adapted them so humans could use them to establish successful relationships with horses, starting on the ground and moving on from there. These Seven Games are so powerful they go straight to the psyche of the horse quickly breaking down the fear barrier... provided an attitude of love and understanding is used. If not, they’ll go through the motions but hold on to their primitive fear. When a horse doesn’t want to be with people or he’s always tense, you need to spend a lot of undemanding time with him, just hanging out with him like his horse buddies do. Horses that are acting out of self defence feel that everything is pressure... catching, leading, saddling, bridling, lunging, riding. In order to get him to let down and relax around you, you need to spend a lot of undemanding time with him and gradually start asking him to do things, in fact, your horse will probably start wanting to play with you. That’s when you’ll know he’s ready. And if you have a more confident horse who is already looking for action, start playing with him right away and think about ways you can keep it fun. Parelli Australia 1800 460 988, (02) 4630 9677 or visit www.parelli.com
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Equiterr® All Weather Arena Surface & Stable Flooring Solutions After proving its qualities in top European stables over many years, Equiterr’s® range of flooring, paddock and arena solutions are now available in Australia Equiterr’s honeycomb panels create a multi layered drainage system that allows excess water to drain from the surface, reduces erosion and eliminates compaction of the substructure; Equiterr panels are quickly and easily installed on top of a gravel base and are capable of withstanding loads of up to 100,000 lbs per sq.ft; Completely relocatable – the panels simply click into place, allowing them to be easily removed and re-laid should you move house or relocate your areas of use. The panels will not wear or compact and will drain as well after years of use as they do on the very first day. Once laid, the panels require limited expenditure on maintenance.
ALL WEATHER ARENA SURFACES - suitable for arenas, round yards, muddy yards, around gates and water troughs EquiTerr is a permanently elastic floor panel, specially developed to create a stable and non-skidding surface for riding and exercise areas of all types. EquiTerr can be ridden on in all weather, even during periods of sustained rain. The EquiTerr panels separate your arena substructure from the top layer, stabilizing your arena base and minimising the cost of sand/ rubber needed as a top layer for your arena.
PADDOCK STABILIZING SOLUTIONS - turn muddy areas into well drained, sturdy surfaces with EquiTerr’s heavy duty panels Equiterr’s paddock solutions are ideal for areas such as: Muddy day yards; Gate entrances; Areas under water troughs/ water tanks; Muddy lane ways and farm vehicle paths; Driveways; Drainage trenches etc. Panels are durable and will not wear through even with constant use, for example horses that paw or pace at gate ways etc.
STABLE FLOORING - a self-draining stable flooring solution that reduces your ongoing bedding costs The honeycomb panels create a multi layered drainage system that allows urine to drain from the surface, keeping your horse dry and clean in the stable and reduces your bedding costs; Easy installation – panels are laid on a bedding of course gravel and filled with limestone chips (for optimum drainage). To finish simply spread bedding over the surface; Unlike rubber matting, the panels become a permanent part of your stable structure and will not distort, lift up or move over time. Using less bedding you will save time cleaning stalls and create less waste to dispose of;
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Po l o / Po l o c r o s s e / H o r s eb a l l
What’s on calendar Polo/Polocrosse/Horseball
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NSW Polocrosse Association www.nswpolocrosse.com.au NSW Polo Association www.australianpolo.com.au Australian Horseball Association www.horseball.com.au
NSW POLO ~ May 2011 1 Scone Polo Club Peisley Trophy (cont...) 1 Town & Country Polo Club 12, 6, 2 & 0 Goal Tournament, Old Kurrajong Road, Richmond 1 Millamolong Annual Tournament , see www.millamolong.com for directions 6 NSWPA Coaching Clinic, all players, near Goulburn 7-8 Kurri Burri Polo Club 6, 2 & 0 Goal, Powells Lane, Richmond Lowlands 7-8 Goulburn Polo Club Annual Tournament 7-8 Muswellbrook Cup at Scone Polo Club 12-15 Windsor Annual 12, 6, 2 & 0 Goal Tournament 21-22 NSWPA COUNTESS OF DUDLEY CUP - 12 GOAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS, at Windsor Polo Club. Free entry for Life, Kyeemagh & Annual Members. cnr Triangle Lane & Old Kurrajong Rd, Richmond NSW POLOCROSSE ~ May 2011 1 May INVERELL, BUNGENDORE 7-8 ORANGE, MUSWELLBROOK, MILTON, WAGGA WAGGA 14-15 QUIRINDI, YASS, TUMBARUMBA 21-22 MERRIWA, WARIALDA, CANBERRA 28-29 CASSILIS, HALL, ALBURY @ HOLBROOK
POLOCROSSE SEASON UNDERWAY
THE polocrosse season has hit NSW and members state wide are signed up and ready to gallop onto the fields. There are almost 2000 members across NSW belong ing to 68 clubs.
Guyra Polocrosse Club’s carnival on April 9-10 was the first off the blocks for many in the New England and Hunter regions, and also attracted teams from Queensland. Inverell Polocrosse Club will host its carnival at the end of April and then in May a string of carnivals will be run by Hunter Valley clubs. Muswellbrook, Quirindi, Merriwa and Cassilis will host carnivals on consecutive weekends providing a great run for those players heading to the club championships on the June long weekend which this year will be hosted by Narrabri Polocrosse Club. Polocrosse is billed as a great family sport with whole families attending carnivals together, playing for the same club and at times two and sometimes three generations of the one family have been known to play in the same team. Already this season several zones have held junior coaching weekends for current players and Pony Club members. The aim has been to foster a greater skill level among the membership as well as create interest and hopefully in turn more members from other disciplines. There are several large competitions across NSW during the polocrosse season including the club champs then the zone championships and the nationals which are held every second year. However, this year there is an Australian team bound for the UK in July to compete in the third Polocrosse World Cup, the first to be held outside Australia. Polocrosse is a proudly Australian-made game and the world champion mantle has been won by the Australian team at both previous World Cups staged in Warwick, Qld. This time the Australian contingent of eight includes four NSW players including the Hunter Valley’s Lance Anderson, Sandra and Will Weston of Jugiong and Alison Mathie, whose parents, Gill and Helen Mathie live near Duri. Mr Mathie is also the president of Polocrosse Association of Australia. The team members have their work cut out as they will be presented with a pool of horses of varying ability. It will most certainly be a challenge for the Aussies to keep the pride of a nation intact. See www.polocrosse2011.com for more details on the World Cup.
Polocrosse stats:
A team consists of six players, divided into two sections of three. Each section plays alternate chukkas of six to eight minutes each. The players in each section are numbered – No 1 is attack, or goal scorer, No 2 is the centre, and No 3 the defence.
www.nswpolocrosse.com.au for
See more information.
Article & images by Lyric Anderson
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R i d i n g G r o u p s / Po n y C lub
Contacts Riding Groups/Pony
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Pony Club NSW www.pcansw.org.au
CURRABUBULA PONY CLUB Currabubula Rec Grounds Judith Ann Alston - (02) 6744 5714 justjude@bigpond.com BENDEMEER PONY CLUB Rodeo recreation grounds Faith Dixon - 02 6769 6530 www.bendemeerpc.pcansw.org.au GUNNEDAH PONY CLUB Gunnedah Show Grounds Donna Hall - (02) 6742 5633 gdhpcsec@yahoo.com KOOTINGAL PONY CLUB Moonbi Sports Grounds Joanne Roberts - 02 6760 3249 joroberts@activ8.net.au www.kootingal.pcansw.org.au ARMIDALE RIDING CLUB INC 02 6771 5322 sue.mills@rbsmorgans.com www.armidalerc.equestrian.org.au
Club
MANILLA PONY CLUB Manilla Show Grounds Colin Donlan - 02 6785 7365 NUNDLE PONY CLUB Taylors Lane Wally Whatmore – 0267691692 glenalmond@bigpond.com QUIRINDI PONY CLUB Quirindi Show Grounds Rachel Hope Coward - Secretary superiormobilehair@yahoo.com.au TAMWORTH PONY CLUB Cnr Bournes Lane & Meldorn Lane Jim Kolokotas - 02 6760 8172 kolokotas@optusnet.com.au QUIRINDI & DISTRICT EQUITATION CLUB INC (02) 6767 0284 qdeci@live.com.au www.quirindiec.equestrian.org.au
MANILLA EQUINE SPORTING ASSOCIATION INC Vanessa Gibson - 0428 782 973 Alison McCarthy - 0447 437 876
Surrounding areas BARADINE PONY CLUB Baradine Showground Megan Worrell - 02 6823 5172 megan.worrell@gmanil.com BARRABA PONY CLUB Barraba Showgrounds Sonia Simpson - 02 6783 1382 soniasimpson1@bigpond.com
BOGGABRI PONY CLUB Boggabri Show Ground Gunnedah Road Anne Keys (02) 6743 4732 denmarkstud@bigpond.com
For Sale ~ All rounders
Tack Room Tales - Memories of a riding instructor
There are two instruments here, the horse and the rider. But more about the rider later. When you look at the horse superficially it seems such an easy instrument to play. The front end bites, the back end kicks and the middle is jolly uncomfortable. They were the words of Winston Churchill. You can add to it perhaps that the horse is pretty straight forward in character. When I thought about this title my mind went over a number of musical instruments. Some are easier to play because there are holes where you can put your fingers on to make another note. Others, like the violin, have no set places where to put your fingers. It would be nice if horses were as easy to play as the recorder. Your leg in a certain place, a bit of pressure with the reins and the outcome is always the same. No, it is not as easy as that, the horse is not a dead instrument made by a capable technician to give us this wonderful sound. The problem with horses is that the horse is a living being that needs to be trained. This training process is where the trouble starts. We want to make the horse do certain things he would never do in the wild or even in the paddock after human training. Does a young horse know what it means to move sideways for a leg behind the girth? Of course not, even trained horses sometimes need a strong reminder. I believe that in the training process the most mistakes are made. To teach the horse new things we always need to take in consideration the natural make-up of the horse. I often call the horse a passive thinker, this is part of the make-up of a hunted species. Horses live very much in the “now”! Have you ever seen a horse that is put in a lush paddock only eat half of it so there is some left for tomorrow? Have you ever seen a trained show jumping horse jump the fence to get to the water? No, it will die of thirst. The hunted species will always first take off when in danger, we all know that. It is sometimes good to think how WE would react when we do something new. Imagine you have to address 100 people and you have never done that before. How would you feel? Like running away…? If you have the courage to do it anyway, how do you feel, your palms sweating and your voice shakes…? Maybe now you can understand how a horse feels when it asked to do things it does not understand. It wants to run away from it. I like to work within the natural instinct of the horse during the training program. During the “explanation stage” of a new exercise I always allow the horse to run away if he wants to. I ask for the movement and then ease off the legs, seat and reins to say to the horse, as it were, now it is your turn to do it. If you want to run away (because you are insecure) I will let you by releasing the reins. If the horse does not give an answer because he does not know what we mean we repeat the request often until there is a spark of understanding. Continued next page....
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Interestingly horses very rarely take advantage of the opportunity to run away, it is the restriction that we often apply during the “explanation stage” that horses react to by jamming up or trying to take off. So, in other words the horse needs to get lots of freedom during the “explanation/learning stage”. This freedom will give the horse willingness to try to find the answer to our niggling. Allowing horses the freedom to find the answer and the freedom to make a mistake will make the learning process so much faster. The horse does not need to protect himself from the consequences if he makes a mistake, as there aren’t any. After the explanation stage when the horse more or less understands the request, we continue on to the “training stage” where we improve the execution of the request. Also during this stage we often allow the horse to find the answer himself by releasing the reins when the horse looks like getting agitated or insecure. We keep on saying: “If you want to run away, you may”. Finally there is the “confirmation state”, which takes the longest. During the “confirmation stage” we try to get the same answer to our request every time. In this stage the exercise no longer has any secrets to the horse and he will not try to run away because he feels insecure about what we want. Now we can demand more of the horse without losing the inner peace the horse has with our request. We now have a powerful tool and that is the release of the reins whenever the horse looks like getting tense. This release of the reins will relax the horse instantly, after which we can take them up immediately and continue with the exercise. The horse will always be in self balance mentally and physically. This will be a win-win for all! About the Author - Bert Hartog Qualifications: Equestrian Australia Level II Dressage Coach FEI Dressage Rider Equestrian Australia Coach Educator & Assessor Australian Horse Riding Centres Level II Recreational Coach, Trainer & Assessor Cert. IV Workplace Trainer and Assessor Advanced Diploma in Business Management & Hospitality Together with his partner, Marion, Bert owns a riding centre which they have operated for 20 years teaching more than 250 students per week, on only 7.5 acres, was a teaching place “par excellence” for riders and trainee coaches. The profile of the riding centre was well known all over Australia. He is a well known clinician and author of the book “The Art of Training”. Bert also published numerous articles on dressage techniques in several Australian Horse Magazines, specialising in the Biomechanics of the Horse and the Seat of the Rider. Bert and Marion felt the only way the equestrian industry can be improved is by creating properly trained operators and staff, so they took it upon themselves to write a correspondence course for riding instructors. It was an enormous task and it became a large document with many drawings, photos and supported with several videos. It took some 5 years to write. They founded their Registered Training Organisation and the instructors course has been approved since 1998. His explanations are progressive and without jargon giving you the knowledge you need to give real content to your coaching sessions or your ride.
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Arlene Hailston NCAS, Level 1 CAD Equestrian Coach
Hi Kimberley You must be riding really well to be able to sit and rise to the trot while controlling your pony. Welsh Mountain ponies can be quite strong so before you canter, make sure you are in an enclosed area with safe fences, no wire. It is best to have someone with you when you first attempt to canter. Try asking for canter when you come to a corner and the pony’s body is turning in the direction of the inside leg. When going right around your enclosed area or arena, before the corner sit in the saddle (sitting trot) with your pony going nicely forward. Put your right leg on the girth and your left leg behind the girth. Your right rein asks for your pony’s head to turn slightly to the right (flexion) and your left rein help control the pony’s balance. Touch your pony with your heels just before the corner. Make sure you don’t swing your legs or lift your reins too high in the air when asking your pony to canter.
Hi Lily Good on you for being interested in hacking! There are traditions attached to hacking and the outfit is an important part of the presentation of horse and rider If you are attending a pony club event, you wear full pony club uniform. Outside competition requires you to wear jodhpurs, cream to banana in colour (not white) a shirt and tie together preferably with a hacking jacket and vest. Boots should be short brown jodhpur boots, helmet to be matching velvet with your jacket if possible and of the correct safety standard. Your hair should be neat and tidy in a hairnet or plait. Gloves can be worn to match your jacket or jodhpurs. Part of your pony club uniform could be used. If you do not have a jacket, vest or velvet helmet it is permitted to wear your pony club safety standard helmet and compete without a jacket, vest and gloves.
Hi Bella Jumping is fun and to start jumping you don’t need a jumping saddle. Your all purpose saddle has been designed for just that, all purposes and this includes jumping. Make sure your horse’s girth is firm and your stirrup leathers have been taken up about 2 holes from where you normally ride. Happy saddles :) 45
THE PONY FILES
Did you know? With their short legs and sturdy build, Shetlands are believed to be the strongest known horse by strength to weight ratio.
What is a ponies favourite sport? Stable tennis! A man walks up to a Shetland Pony and asks: “Do you have a sore throat?” The pony replies: “No, I’m just a little horse”. What do you give a pony with a cold? Cough stirrup! Where do horses stay in a hotel? The bridal suite! 46
A lot of the problems we have with our riding, can be fixed by improving our balance. If our horse tosses his head a lot, we are probably using the reins to steady ourselves. If he runs off, we are falling forward, if he wont turn a corner, we are tilting to one side. Here are a few easy peasy ways to help improve your balance! 1.Clean your teeth whilst standing on one foot! I know that sounds strange, but truly, it will work! Try it out every night for a week. Start on Monday, and see how much easier it is on Friday! You will then find your balance on your horse is much better. 2.Try and get a friend to help you, and spend some time on a lunge. This way you don’t have to worry about controlling the horse, you can concentrate on what you are doing yourself. Start at Halt, and only when you are completely confident and balanced, then go to walk. When you can do them at walk both ways, and NO WOBBLES then you can try at trot. Make sure you have a helmet on! • Hold your hands out like an aeroplane • Touch one finger to your nose, with your other hand out to your side palm facing up. Then swap! • With your arms out like an aeroplane, look around as far behind you as you can, then the same looking the other way. • Stand up straight in your stirrups. Make sure your legs are straight. It’s harder than you think! • When you get really brave, try the aeroplane, while standing up 3.Make sure your eyes are up. When you look down at the horses head, it will tilt you forward, and upset not only your balance, but also the horses balance. Have fun with these exercises, and remember to always ride safely, wear a helmet, and make sure an adult knows where you are!
“Kelly is an official teacher and board member for the International Society of Rider Biomechanics. She specialises in teaching riders from all walks of life how to improve their riding position for dressage and jumping, as well as training horses for herself and for her clients. She is currently seeking sponsorship, if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Kelly and/or Posture, Seat Balance. please contact kelly@postureseatbalance.com.au www.facebook.com/postureseatbalance “
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Horse
What’s on calendar Rodeo/Barrel Horse
Australian Barrel Horse Association www.abha.com.au Australian Bushmans Campdraft & Rodeo Association www.abcra.com.au
Rodeo
/
Barrel
NSW RODEO May 2011
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06-May WAUCHOPE SHOW BULL RIDE Reduced Events BEV PHILIPSON 02 6585 3023 06-May WARIALDA SHOW BULL RIDE - NEW DATE Reduced Events JEANIE MC MASTER 02 6729 5752 07-May SCONE RODEO Points JADE SMITH (02) 6545 3278 08-May BATHURST SHOW RODEO - NEW DATE Reduced Events BRETT KENWORTHY 02 6331 3175 14-May GRAFTON SHOW RODEO - NEW DATE Reduced Events SUE PATRICKS 02 6642 2240 14-May WEE WAA RODEO - NEW DATE Points TAMSYNE HARLEN 02 6795 4393 15-Mar COFFS HARBOUR SHOW BULL RIDE - NEW DATE No Points JOHN SCOTT 02 6561 5037 21-May BRANXTON RODEO Dollars Only LORRAINE MENSER (02) 6574 7274 28-May REAL DEAL RODEO - NEW DATE Dollars Only TAMI TRIBE 0412 618 946
Barrel Horse May 2011
Legends of Morn Classic -15 May Exhibition runs (limited entries) Classic (horses 6yrs & under)- 2 runs 4D - 2 runs (unrestricted) Mens & all junior age groups - 1 run Pole bend Moonbi Magic - Moonbi Susan WoRgan (02) 67671204 or 0427 010 688
Last weekend the Baker brothers travelled to Quirindi Rodeo, where it was business as usual. Travelling to rodeos each weekend is second nature to the Baker brothers and what these boys love. What I am sure Quirindi Rodeo Fans did not expect to witness was the new ABCRA Team Roping Record. The Time had previously been held by Stephen Mapp and Warren Norton, set back in 2009 at Dubbo Rodeo with a time of 5.03 seconds. Last weekend Cal and Adam Baker won the Team Roping in the record time of 4.62 seconds. Cal and Adam Baker started out with the ABCRA in the Campdraft arena. Adam said we have always roped but lived in Grafton and didn’t travel to rodeos. Cal made the ABCRA Junior National Finals in 2001 for the Junior Breakaway Roping. In 2005 Adam started Junior Breakaway Roping and qualified for the ABCRA Junior National Finals taking out the National Finals Average Champion that year. In 2006 Cal won the National Rookie Rope and Tie Champion. 2007 saw Adam start out in Rope and Tie claiming the National Rookie Title in 2008. Last year the Baker boys took home the 2010 Rookie Heading and Heeling Championship Title. Cal also winning the Nation- a l Rope and Tie title for the second year running. It appears that there is nothing that these two timed event specialist wont achieve. The year ahead will see Cal and his horse JR travel to the USA in May, Adam is also looking at travelling in July this year. They are setting out to qualify for the ABCRA National Finals again this year, enjoy rodeos and maybe even give their new record a shake up.
Adam Baker Heading & Cal Baker Healing in the Team Roping at the ABCRA National Finals Rodeo.
Local competitor Dee Heineman at the National Finals Rodeo on the Gold Coast
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Moonbi Magic ~ Juniors
Carly Wil
kes riding
am riding S n i l g u o cL Abbey M
Iceman
Sarah Ralston riding Ghose
Abbey McLo ug
rah Pinjar g n i d i lin r cLough M e i Jaim 50
hlin ri ding R ocket
What’s on calendar Showjumping
Ju m p i n g
Showjumping NSW www.nswsjc.com North & North West Showjumping Club www.nnwsjc.equestrian.org.au
NSW SHOWJUMPING May 2011
4 – 6 Bathurst Royal Show Terry Bishop – 02 6331 3175 admin@bathurstshow.com.au
21 & 22 St Ives Show
6 & 7 Wauchope Show
24 – 25 Gilgandra Show Beryl Barden – 02 6847 1147
7 & 8 Weekend of World Cups – SIEC espjane@bigpond.com.au Rose Read – 0418 216 364 rose@sydneyeventing.org 7 & 8 Walgett Show
22-23 Nyngan Show
27 – 29 Dubbo Show Sue Hood – 02 6882 4364 dubboshow@hwy.com.au 31 Coonamble Show
9 Woodenbong Show 10 & 11 McLean Show 10 & 11 Kempsey Show Maxine McKenzie – 02 6562 4178 kempseyshow@bigpond.com
Dressage & Jumping Lessons
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Pony Club to Prix St Georges Reasonable rates
14 Bourke Show Prue Ritchie – 0488 228 864
Can travel Quality horses for sale!
13 – 15 Hawkesbury Show Mary Aveyard – 02 4577 3591 hdaa@hawkesburyshow.com.au
A proud rider for
21 Wellington Show 20 & 21 Cobar Show Paul Cohen – 02 6836 1519 cobarshow@hotmail.com
Raising funds for NBCF
Image & Design MS Equipix
Show
13 & 14 Grafton Show
“Come & enjoy riding again” Benji Dooley 0438 819 322
Training the Education of the young horse By Don and Karen Sullivan Continued from last edition - Starting the young
Karen Sullivan & Satin
In our last article, we discussed the techniques we use for starting the young horse. In this article, we will continue his education by introducing combinations and turns. To introduce combinations we return to our basic setup - three poles on the ground (1.2m to 1.35m apart), a double space (2.7m) as a take off spot and then a fence. We then add another fence at a distance of 10.2m (two strides) from the first fence. It is necessary, when beginning, to make your distances somewhat shorter than normal as the young horse will generally be a little surprised by the second fence and tentative in his approach. Approach the exercise in rising trot, keeping the horse balanced with an even rein contact and support from your legs. In the take off zone apply a little more calf pressure but maintain exactly the same rein contact. After negotiating the first fence apply slightly firmer forward aids (but on no account drop the horse by putting a lot of slack in the reins), canter the two strides and negotiate the second fence. It is of utmost importance that you keep the horse straight - do not allow the horse to drift left or right; this can be a difficult problem to correct later. When the horse is performing this exercise confidently and calmly, decrease the distance between the fences to 7.2m (one stride).
As the horse progresses, add another fence, first at a distance of two strides, then one stride. Three, four and even five fence combinations can be built with this grid using varied striding and types of fences. By varying the distances between fences, we can use this grid throughout the horse’s career to teach him to deal with short distances, long distances and all variations of long and short. Every showjumping course our young horse will encounter in competition will have at least two changes of direction and straight and curved lines of various distances, so the sooner we introduce our horse to negotiating a course the better. This can be started easily by trotting and then cantering over poles on the ground arranged into simple courses. Most problems with control, straightness and rhythm will become apparent here and can be dealt with before progressing to actual fences. The first real course for a young horse could be four jumps of 80cm around the outside of the arena, using an oxer for the second fence and perhaps a one stride combination to finish. As you progress, a fence can be added on the diagonal. It’s easier if the fences are built so they can be jumped in either direction, then the course can be reversed. The distances between the two fences on each side should be very easy and a little shorter than normal to allow for the low fences and lower speed to begin with (for example: four strides – 17.5m). Next article we’ll discuss some problems which may arise during training.
About the Authors Don and Karen Sullivan own River Downs Equestrian Centre, They train and compete their home bred warm blood horses in show jumping and dressage. They also start and train outside horses for clients as well as coaching and conducting clinics.
www.riverdownsequestrian.com
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The Australian Amateur Showjumping Titles
The Tamworth Indoor Championships was held as part of the Tamworth Show at AELEC over the 1 – 3 April. The championships incorporated the Australian Amateur Titles, held for the first time ever in Tamworth. Riders travelled from all over NSW, Queensland and Western Australia to take part in New South Wales’ premier indoor showjumping competition. There were nearly 90 riders, including past Olympians Ron Easey and Rod Brown, all competing for a share of $6000 prize money and riding international course designer John Vallance’s technical and challenging courses. Quirindi rider and Olympian Ron Easey won the main class, the AON Insurance 1.30m Grand Prix on Saturday night, as well as having a raft of placings in other events. Sydney competitor Sharon Slater was the winner of the Forty Winks Future Stars event. The trip from Western Australia was worth it for young competitor Evie Buller, winning the Junior Championship on Saturday, while Nicholas Sheehan’s trip from the south coast paid off with a win in the Healthy Inspirations Young Rider class. Nicky Meredith also had a very long trip but worthwhile trip, travelling from Caboolture to take out the Peel River Produce Australian Amateur title.
Nicky Meredith on Xmas Holly, Winner of the Australian Amateur Title 2011
Anna Kibble on Philadelphia Story, Winner of the 1.10m on Sunday
The central coast sent up a large contingent of riders, many of whom placed in both the inside and outside rings. James Mooney won the Peter Hoffman Memorial, 1.25m class, an event which was set up to commemorate Tamworth’s Peter Hoffman and the many contributions he made to the sport of showjumping. Mitch Brown won the first Amateur qualifier as well as placing second in the overall final. Other riders did not have as far to travel, with local rider Anna Kibble taking out first place in the Greg Bartlett Constructions 1.10m on Sunday and Randall Mitchell from Armidale winning the Amateur qualifier on Saturday. As well as a full program indoors, there were two days of showjumping in the Hillvue arena at AELEC, with riders competing for prizes from Horseland Tamworth. Event organisers were very happy with the support for the event. Entries filled almost overnight and all classes had a waiting list of people keen to come and jump in Tamworth. The North and North West Showjumping Club’s vice President Phillip Hetherington said “This is our third year at AELEC and our best so far. Every year we get more entries and attract stronger competitors.” Contact: Annette Maunder: 0427 654 111 Phillip Hetherington: 0428 680 028
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Randal Mitchell on Gold County, Winner of the Australian Amateur 2nd Qualifier
Mikala Robertson on Mercutio
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Magic Millions insurance – only the best rates | Ph: +61 7 5504 1200 | www.insurance.magicmillions.com.au
Horse/Agricultural Show 56
What’s on calendar Show Horse/Agricultural www.agshowsnsw.org.au
For more information on any of the shows listed below, please visit the website above... NSW Agricultual Shows May 2011 WARIALDA P & A ASSN INC Where: WARIALDA When: 5 May 2011 - 7 May 2011
BOURKE P & A ASSN INC Where: BOURKE When: 14 May 2011
WAUCHOPE SHOW SOC LTD Where: WAUCHOPE When: 6 May 2011 - 7 May 2011
ORANGE SHOW SOC INC Where: ORANGE When: 14 May 2011 - 15 May 2011
BONALBO SHOW SOC INC Where: BONALBO When: 6 May 2011 - 7 May 2011
YEOVAL P A & H SOC INC Where: YEOVAL When: 17 May 2011
BATHURST AH & P ASSN INC Where: BATHURST When: 6 May 2011 - 8 May 2011
COBAR SHOW SOC INC Where: COBAR When: 20 May 2011 - 21 May 2011
WALGETT SHOW SOCIETY INC Where: WALGETT When: 7 May 2011 - 8 May 2011
BELLINGER RIVER AGRIC SOC LTD Where: BELLINGER RIVER When: 21 May 2011 - 22 May 2011
WOODENBONG SHOW SOC INC Where: WOODENBONG When: 8 May 2011
BINGARA SHOW SOC INC Where: BINGARA When: 21 May 2011 - 22 May 2011
MACLEAN SHOW SOC LTD Where: MACLEAN When: 10 May 2011 - 11 May 2011
WELLINGTON SHOW SOC INC Where: WELLINGTON When: 21 May 2011
KEMPSEY.CNT NTH COAST NAT AGRIC SOC Where: KEMPSEY When: 10 May 2011 - 11 May 2011
ST IVES. NORTHERN SUBURBS A & H SOC Where: ST IVES When: 21 May 2011 - 22 May 2011
GRAFTON. CLARENCE P & A SOCIETY LTD Where: GRAFTON When: 13 May 2011 - 14 May 2011
NYNGAN SHOW SOC INC Where: NYNGAN When: 22 May 2011 - 23 May 2011
HAWKESBURY DIST AGRIC ASSN Where: HAWKESBURY When: 13 May 2011 - 15 May 2011
GILGANDRA SHOW SOC INC Where: GILGANDRA When: 24 May 2011 - 25 May 2011
COFFS HARBOUR SHOW SOC INC Where: COFFS HARBOUR When: 13 May 2011 - 15 May 2011
DUBBO SHOW SOC INC Where: DUBBO When: 27 May 2011 - 29 May 2011
WEE WAA SHOW SOC INC Where: WEE WAA When: 13 May 2011 - 15 May 2011
NARRABRI SHOW SOC INC Where: NARRABRI When: 28 May 2011 - 29 May 2011
COONAMBLE SHOW SOC INC Where: COONAMBLE When: 31 May 2011 - 1 June 2011
.....CONTINUED.....Part two: BY LISA LE PROVOST EXERCISES TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR JUMP ROUND Pre-show preparation The key to success in working hunter competitions is the work you put in at home before the show. One of the biggest mistakes that competitors can make before going in working hunter competitions is to not have done adequate preparation before the show. Always remember that you must be comfortably jumping higher fences at home than you intend to jump at a competition and that jumps should not be practiced on their own but in combinations. Jumping one fence of 80cm continually at home will not mean that you are ready to jump an 85cm course as the combinations of fences, oxers and navigating the distances between them present a whole new host of challenged to both horse and rider. The following are some good exercises, which you can practise at home to help improve your performance in the jumping phase of a working hunter round: 1 Place a jump in the middle of the arena on a twenty-metre circle. Practise jumping this jump in a figure of eight. This will not only challenge you by requiring you to approach the jump from two different directions, but will also test the level of control that you have after the jump. Horse and rider combinations who do not have sufficient control are quickly shown up doing this exercise as they are not able to sit their horse back to in order to make the turn neatly within the required space to stay on the twenty metre circle. If you are doing this exercise and finding that you are constantly shooting off in a straight line after the jump or over shooting the turn into the jump off your circle, then chances are you need to go back to basics to regain the control and attention of your mount. A free flowing jumping round requires that a horse has his attention on you, rather than the jumps before him. 2 Another good exercise to establish control and to introduce the concept of distances between jumps is to set up a grid exercise. Setting jumps up in a grid will ensure that both you and your horse develop an eye for distances and will also give you more control if your horse if he has a tendency to bolt at fences. (Remember working hunter courses are not timed, so a smooth, controlled and flowing round will always be favoured over a rushed and quick course.) Start by placing two small jumps either one stride apart or in a bounce followed by a third fence around four to five strides away. Rather than rushing at one fence this exercise forces your horse (and you) to sit back and balance himself in readiness for the approach to the second and third fences. This will challenge the elasticity of your horse’s paces and teach him to be responsive and reactive to your aids. Once both you and your horse are comfortable and confident over the fences themselves, count the strides between your second and third fences and aim to put in an extra stride every other time you ride it - for example to make the distance 6 strides, rather than 5. Remember these activities do not have to be done over big fences and in most cases are more effective over lower fences as they then have the added benefit of building both your and your horse’s confidence in the process. Practising sharp cornered turns and speed and agility over jumps is not as necessary for working hunter events as they are, say, for showjumping. Generally working hunter courses are set in such a way as to encourage a free flowing round. Riders therefore who take the time to ensure that their approach to jumps in straight and balanced will score better for manners, style, pace, control etc while jumping and will in all likelihood have less knocks or refusals in their rounds. 57
DIY Jump Courses If you don’t have your own set of jumps, these can be easily built. Straw bales, 44 gallon drums, plastic barrels cut in half and logs encountered when out trail riding are good practise fences for hunter jumps as variation is key. Remember that in a true working hunter course the fences are rustic so if you have the resources available to you, try jumping into water or through brush fencing as at large competitions it is likely that this may be asked of you. Many pony clubs have these fences available, so it may be a good idea to enquire as to whether you can use their grounds to allow yourself access to these jumps to practise on. When building courses yourself, however, the number one rule is that jumps must always be constructed with safety in mind. For example: jumps such as gates must be constructed with it kept in mind, that if a horse was to leave a foot between the rails, it could easily be withdrawn. The use of wings of jumps is to be encouraged, especially in training as this reduces the tendency of your horse to learn habits such as running out. Be careful also to ensure that when jumping, all jump cups that are not being used have been removed from the jump wings as horses can easily be cut if they strike these while jumping. Jump poles that are too thick and heavy also may teach your horse that it is ok to knock jumps occasionally and so in the interest of teaching your horse to be both a bold and careful jumper, these should be avoided in training. It is always a good idea also to practise jumping filled jumps with dazzle boards which horses can’t see though. Do this at home and make sure your horse is completely confident with it before you take him to a show. Many riders have experienced the dissatisfaction of having a well performing horse at home, who spooks instantly at the site of new or unusual fillings in jumps - nothing is more disappointing. One way to combat this is to try varying jump fillings regularly in your training. When introducing horses to filled in jumps for the first time a safe option is to use a series of witches hats placed within the poles of the jump. The reason for this is that they don’t block the jump completely and are relatively safe if knocked by the gangly legs of a young horse. Once your horse has mastered these you can progress to part or full dazzle boards or brush fencing - remembering of course to ensure that anything that you use does not have any sharp edges and will fall over, not fracture, when knocked.
Conclusion
A successful working hunter combination will combine a smooth ride on the flat with a careful and bold jump round - adding a dash of ring craft, to reflect the traditions and the prestige of their origins. Working hunter classes, however, should not be restricted to show horses and show riders despite the fact that show horse events, to date, have most openly embraced the classes in Australia. Showjumpers, eventers and even all-rounders can gain many skills from these classes, which can be used as a spring board for both horse and rider into other disciplines, or to refine skills so that combinations can practise working hunter classes as a discipline in their own right. The Australian Hunter Horse Association was launched in early 2009 and was formed to raise the profile of hunter disciplines in Australia. For more information on the AHHA, or working hunter classes generally, visit their website at http:// www.hunterhorses.com.au/ or email: info@hunterhorses.com.au
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Melinda Waterhouse
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Western Performance/Reining 60
What’s on calendar Western Performance/Reining NSW Reining Horse Association www.reiningnsw.com Tamworth District Western Performance & Appaloosa Club www.freewebs.com/tamappy1 New England Quarter Horse Association www.freewebs.com/neqha
REINING May/June 2011
NSWRHA Affliate Qualifier 14th May Horseworld Stadium, Maralya www.reiningnsw.com NSWRHA Affliate Qualifier 19th June Horseworld Stadium, Maralya www.reiningnsw.com WESTERN PERFORMANCE May 2011 A-Class Western Show 7th May NEQHA Tamworth Indoor Arena TDWP&AC A-Class Western Show 8th May Tamworth Indoor Arena Hack & B- GradeWestern and All Breeds Show NEQHA Moonbi showground
29th May
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Pe r f o r m a n c e / R e i n i n g
Western Show Clothing What You Need to Know
Have you ever noticed that the western show clothing at a horse show seems like a mounted fashion show? There is so much variety in the styles and colors that exhibitors choose it can be difficult to decide what works best for you. Fashions for western classes seem to change every year and it can be difficult to keep up with the Jones', especially if they are on horseback. By keeping a few simple rules in mind for the classes you plan on showing in, and you choose colors and patterns that are flattering the whole process of picking the right outfit is much easier than it seems. Below we will be discussing a few of those simple class guidelines and recommendations you should consider when picking out your next piece of western show clothing.
What Outfit Do You Need For Showmanship & Halter? Both showmanship and halter classes require you to show your horse in-hand. This means the two of you will be up close and personal with the judge, well depending on how well mannered your horse tends to be. In showmanship, your horse is more of a prop and the judge focuses on you and your ability to execute a pattern. Since the judging is emphasized more on the visitor, it is a good idea to choose an outfit that may minimize actions occurring at your hands and legs. For this reason, darker shades are typically used. You will likely find lighter colors in the show ring, but keep in mind that these lighter colors tend to emphasize movement. You also want to make sure that you present yourself in a solid clean line, so your pants should match your top to avoid cutting your overall picture in half. Two different colors would also draw more attention to one half or the other which is not good in a showmanship pattern. In halter the judge focuses on the horse. It is 100% (for the most part) on conformation and your horse either has it or he doesn't. For this reason you will likely see more of a variety in exhibitor apparel. Some show in a showmanship outfit, while others will pair a halter jacket with a pair of black pants or even jeans.
What Outfit Do You Need For Horsemanship? Horsemanship is the mounted version of showmanship. Again the judge focuses on you as the rider and you may have to complete a pattern. Since the focus is on your equitation during the class, you once again may want to present clean lines. It is not a requirement, only a recommendation to improve your overall picture. You want to have the bottom half of your western show clothing blend or flow with the top half. A western pleasure blouse or jacket may cut you off at the waist causing more attention to be drawn to one half or the other. During a pattern you want to minimize your rider movements which may distract from the overall picture. If you are competing at a higher level show, smaller details like this can make a difference in placing. For example, if you tend to have difficulty keeping your legs still while riding, a pair of light color chaps might emphasize this aspect of your riding. I recommend going for a solid color base for both bottom and top. Preferably darker colors to minimize movements. You will see riders with lighter colored chaps, I have even seen white chaps. You need to be pretty solid in your riding to pull off white chaps in horsemanship.
What Outfit Do You Need For Pleasure?
We s t e r n
You can have a little more fun with your western show clothing in a western pleasure class. This is the class you will find the brightly colored blouses and jackets. Some riders may even blind you a little in just the right light. In a pleasure class the judging is focused on the horse and the horse's movement at the walk, jog, and lope. You still want your all your colors to coordinate from top to bottom, but they don't necessarily need to be the same color. You also want to make sure that the colors for your western show clothing continue to match and compliment your horse. Though this tends to be a very flashy class, there is such a thing as too much. You can overdue colors by adding it to your top, chaps, and show saddle blanket. You still need to keep in mind the overall picture.
What About Other Riding Classes? Other riding classes include trail and western riding. These classes are both judged differently from each other and compared to the pleasure and horsemanship classes. Western riding can be thought of as similar to a western pleasure class with a lot of lead changes. In a trail class the horse is judged based on completion of a pattern through a set of obstacles. In other western classes you are still considered in the overall presentation and completion of the patterns, however the horse is also judged too. In these classes your equitation and pleasure are both brought in to consideration, you can't have one without the other. Lynn Espinoza www.EzineArticles.com
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