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WOW!!www.localhorsemagazine.com.au is averaging over 100,000 viewers per month...85% Australia wide and 15% international!!!!!

Happy reading guys! Hope you enjoy this edition! :) Cheers, Mel

Front Cover:‘The Blues Man’

See pg8Cover Images: & Artwork

Mel SpittallCutting Image by Glenn Mandl

PG 41

PG 4

PG 19

PG 25PG 37

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Tent pegging is thought to have originated in India and is an equestrian sport practiced in many countries around the world.

Mounted soldiers would gallop through enemy camps, removing the tent pegs with their lances and swords. They would be followed by more mounted soldiers who took advantage of the surprise and havoc caused by collapsed tents and a confused enemy. The British Cavalry adopted the principles and adapted them as cavalry training drill. Military tournaments were popular before World War 1. The Australian Light Horse used Tentpegging as a training exercise before and during World War 1 and also held competitions.The army was still using horses and tentpegging for weapons practice at the beginning of World War II.The Australian State Mounted Police also adopted Tentpegging as a demonstration of their skill and horsemanship, participating in demonstrations and competitions at Royal Shows.In 1964 the first Australian Civilian Tentpegging team was formed in Deniliquin, NSW and they were invited to compete at the Melbourne Royal Show. Following this, several other civilian teams were formed and by the late 1960’s Tentpegging had grown across the four eastern states of Australia. This led to the establishment of State Tentpegging Associations and in 1981 the Australian Tentpegging Association was formed with a view to standardising the rules and judging methods throughout Australia.The sport received its first international recognition when the Olympic Council of Asia accepted Tentpegging as an official event in the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. With growth of the sport in countries such as South Africa, Namibia, India, Pakistan, Oman, Israel, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA, Canada, and New Zealand, International competitions are now being conducted by the Federation Equestre International, and

the International E q u e s t r i a n T e n t p e g g i n g Association, with teams competing from Australia.

Tentpegging is a horse sport which is fun, fast and spectacular and can be enjoyed by riders of all ages, male and female, senior and junior.It is a sport the whole family will enjoy.

Inground tent peggingTeams of 4 uniformed and similarly equipped riders use a sword or lance to strike, pick-up and carry a plastic coated cardboard peg over a designated distance.

A round consists of one run in single file followed immediately by a run in line abreast.A graded tentpegging competition consists of a minimum of six rounds of in-ground tentpegging.

Peg points are awarded to the individual riders:6 for carrying the peg the required distance, 4 for drawing the peg out of the ground, and 2 for striking the peg but not removing it from the ground.Points are also awarded for style and drill, to riders individually and to the team as a whole.The highest point score wins the competition. In the event of a tie, the judges may award a run off.If there is insufficient time for a run off, a count back on peg scores only will decide the event.

Rings and pegsTwo gallows with a “T” crossbar are set up 15 metres apart and in line. The peg is placed 20 metres beyond and in line with the rings. The rings are suspended 2.20 metres from the ground.The event comprises two runs, one in each direction. The event is not timed, but the pace required is a hand gallop.6 points are awarded for each

ring carried. The peg score is the same as in ground pegging. Points are also awarded for drill and style. The highest score wins the event.

Lemons and pegsTwo gallows with a “T” crossbar are set up 15 metres apart and in line. The peg is placed 20 metres beyond and in line with the lemons. The lemons are suspended 2.20 metres from the ground.6 points are awarded for each lemon sliced. The peg score is the same as in ground pegging. Points are also awarded for drill and style. The highest score wins the event.The event comprises two runs, one in each direction. The event is not timed, but the pace required is a hand gallop.The first lemon is cut with a forehand movement, right to left across the body and the second lemon cut with a backhand movement, left to right across the body.

Skill at arms6 points are awarded for each dowel cleanly cut, and for striking the target. 3 points only are awarded for striking the dummy but not the target.HEADS AND DUMMY: For the second leg, two “heads” are placed on stands 2 metres high, with a 10 cm “neck” of dowel separating the top of the post and the “head”. The stands are placed 15 metres apart with the second stand 1.5 metres offset from the first. The dummy is placed 20 metres from the second “head’ in line with the first “head”. A target 8 cm in diameter is placed on the dummy, 1.6 metres from the ground.BALLOONS AND JUMPS: This is the first leg. Two jumps with a maximum height of 70 cm are placed in a line 20 metres apart. Balloon holders 1.5 metres high are placed at the jumps, with a third. 50 cm high, 20 metres from the second jump and in line with the first balloon. The first balloon is placed at the right hand side of the jump and the second balloon placed at the second jump, 1.5 metres from to the left of the line of the first and third balloons.6 points are awarded for each balloon burst with the dummy pistol, and for each jump cleanly jumpedRINGS AND PEGS form the third leg of the skill at arms, with one run only being completed.Information courtesy of the Australian Tent Pegging Association www.tentpeggingaustralia.org IMAGES COURTESY Mel Spittall

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Out & About NSW Tentpegging Championships

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What’s on calendarBreeds Section

November 2011AG SHOWS NSW

For more information on any of the Ag Shows listed below, please visit www.agshowsnsw.org.au

MURWILLUMBAH. TWEED RIVER AGRIC SOC LTDWhere: MURWILLUMBAHWhen: 4 November 2011 - 5 November 2011

HOLBROOK SHOW SOC INCWhere: HOLBROOKWhen: 5 November 2011

FRENCH’S FOREST A & H SOC INCWhere: FRENCHS FORESTWhen: 5 November 2011 - 6 November 2011

MULLUMBIMBY AGRIC SOCIETY INCWhere: MULLUMBIMBYWhen: 11 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

DUNGOG A & H ASSN INCWhere: DUNGOGWhen: 11 November 2011 - 12 November 2011

MINTO SHOW SOC INCWhere: MINTOWhen: 12 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

QUEANBEYAN SHOW SOC INCWhere: QUEANBEYANWhen: 12 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

NEVILLE SHOW SOCIETY INCWhere: NEVILLEWhen: 12 November 2011

BULAHDELAH SHOW SOC INCWhere: BULAHDELAHWhen: 18 November 2011 - 19 November 2011

BANGALOW A & I SOC INCWhere: BANGALOWWhen: 18 November 2011 - 19 November 2011

DORRIGO & GUY FAWKES AGRIC ASSN INCWhere: DORRIGOWhen: 26 November 2011 - 27 November 2011

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In 1954, the arrival of the Quarter Horse in Australia set in motion a revolution in the Australian horse industry when the famous King Ranch of Texas USA imported a number of Quarter Horses to work on their rural holdings in Australia, with many people very quickly recognizing the wonderful attributes of the breed that were suitable for many Equine Disciplines.

Originally bred by America’s colonists for short match racing down narrow streets or unploughed fields. It is on ranches of the South-western USA where the Quarter Horse originally made a name for himself. With the ranchers looking for horses that could endure rugged terrain, harsh and unpredictable climates and long hours, it was the Quarter Horse with his inherent cow sense, gentle disposition, adaptability and alertness that made him the horse of choice.

The Quarter Horse found himself well and truly at home in the geographical and climatic extremes of Australia, bringing with him that very gentle disposition, adaptability and alertness which had won him favour and yet again he became the working man’s horse of choice.

Today, numbering more than 159,000 registered horses, the Australian Quarter Horse is one of Australia’s most popular and versatile horse breeds and has proven to be the perfect ally in dozens of different areas.

With the commitment of the Australian Quarter Horse Association behind them, you will soon discover why the Australian Quarter Horse is the right horse for you!

Allowed limited white markings, Australian Quarter Horses come in 15 different colours. The most common colour of the Quarter Horse is sorrel, or reddish-brown, sometimes confused with chestnut. Other colours you can see include bay, bay/brown, bay/roan, black, black/grey, brown, brown/black, buckskin, chestnut, liver chestnut, dun, red dun, grey, grulla, palomino, palomino/roan, red roan, blue roan, cremello, perlino and taffy.

Historically a compact breed, the Quarter Horse usually ranges in height from 14 to over 16 hands. In equine terms, a hand is equal to four inches. Regardless of your Quarter Horse’s colour or size, we’re sure you’re going to love the ride!

Whether Australian Quarter Horses are still being used in traditional grazing operations, sporting disciplines such as Western Pleasure, Cutting, Reining and Working Cowhorse, the Australian Quarter Horses continues to skyrocket in popularity. The Australian Quarter Horse can be found in more traditional areas like Pony Club, Hacking, Dressage, ShowJumping, Polo, Polo Crosse and through its natural cattle sense, Campdrafting. The AQHA strives to provide programs and services beneficial to all Members and ultimately the Australian Quarter Horse.

Imagine earning rewards for doing what you love.... riding your Australian Quarter Horse.

The AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program makes riding an Australian Quarter Horse even more rewarding. The program is tailored for recreational riders who are financial members of the AQHA, so enrol now and start to log the hours you spend in the saddle and ‘rein’ in the rewards. To learn more about the Australian Quarter Horse, visit www.aqha.com.au Photos courtesy of Nicole Wilson, ACE Photography and Ken Anderson Photography

The Quarter Horse

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Campdrafting/Team Penning/Cutting

November 2011 Campdraft NSW

November 2011 Team PenningFriday 11th & Saturday 12th November 2011 - Central West Team Penning - Canowindra - 2 Day Twilight Event, approx 4pm start and approx 10pm finish.November 2011 Date TBA for Valley Team Penning Scone - Team Penning Event25th, 26th & 27th November 2011 - Widgee & Dist Team Penning Inc - Arena Sorting & Team Penning Event.For more information on the above events, please visit www.teampenningaustralia.com

2011 CHRISTMAS PARTY- ARENA SORTING60 runs to be held on both Saturday and Sunday, 2 runs on Saturday and 2 runs on the Sunday!Nominations open on the 2nd November and to be reported to Debbie Jennar on 0407299971 or Alesha Jennar on 0400814772For more information on the above events, please visit www.tamworthteampenning.com

Cutting Development Day 6th Nov9am startBYO foodBookings essentialContact Tony Ernst for more details - 0401123268tdernst@harboursat.com.au

November 2011 Cutting

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Team Penning Australia Incwww.teampenningaustralia.com

Tamworth Team Penningwww.tamworthteampenning.com

National Cutting Horse Associationwww.ncha.com.au

For information on Campdrafting events in NSW, please visit www.abcra.com.au

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Australian Bush-mans Campdraft

& Rodeo Associa-tion

www.abcra.com.auAustralian Camp-draft Association

www.campdraf t .com.au

Victorian Team takes out the National Title

Team Penning Aust held nationals over 4 days at AELEC from the 22nd to 25th September, with the highest standard of team penning seen in the country.

TPA Affiliate Assoc teams travelled from Victoria, Queensland and throughout NSW to attend the event. Thursday seen a great day of Arena Sorting and then a jackpot round was held for a social end to the day. Round 1 and 2 of team penning was held on Friday and Saturday. Teams worked on their tactics and times, with great cattle supplied for both rounds. Times commenced slow but by the time teams got to their 4th or 5th run they had begun to get the feel of the arena and were reading the cattle a lot better, which in turn saw times get faster. By Saturday all the teams were more confident as it was the first time some of these riders had ridden at the AELEC Centre. Times on Saturday were all below 1 min 20 secs and with the majority below the minute. The top fastest 30 teams from Round 1 and Round 2 went into a clean slate final for Sunday. There were also 15 youth teams went through in their division.

The cattle for Sunday were of high quality, which then made for the best standard of team penning ever seen. Times were very fast but there was only one title being claimed. The Victorian team of Wayne Gibbs, Ian Campbell and Ian Edwards, representing Upper Murray Horseman’s Assoc were named the 2011 National Team Penning Champions with a time of 22.21secs. The boys just used excellent horse and cattle skills and they could not believe how

well they went, as they qualified in both rounds. Wayne Gibbs said that they will be back next year to defend their title.

TPA Inc was so pleased with the success of the championships and has announced that Central West Team Penning at Canowindra NSW will be holding the NSW Team Penning Championships in 2012.

Results Open Div – Team Penning1st – Wayne Gibbs, Ian Campbell, Ian Edwards – 22.21 secs2nd – Bill Collins, Jo Sproule, Terry Keogh 38.60 secs3rd – Doug Porter, Loreen Porter, Brodie Jones 34.37secs4th – Mal Gardner, Doug Porter, Brodie Jones 36.04 secs5th – Nigel Thurgood, Brock Hamilton, Bert Pinkstone 38.54 secs6th – Mal Gardner, Laura Gradner, Megan Richards 39.93 secs7th- Doug Porter, Loreen Porter, Brodie Jones 41.89 secs8th - Doug Porter, Loreen Porter, Brodie Jones 43.00 secs9th – Garry Maytom, Richard Burrell, Jess McCarthy 43.30 secs10th – Nigel Thurgood, Jodie Griffiths, Bert Pinkstone 43.40 secs

Youth Division – Team Penning1st – Polly Gardner, Matt Porter, Zeb Pearce 47.46 secs2nd – Jake Sutton, Jake Davison, Clancy Irvine 1min 15.21 secs3rd - Polly Gardner, Matt Porter, Zeb Pearce 1 min 21.80 secs4th - Jess McKenzie, Emily Buckley, Jake Sutton 1 min 22.81 secs5th – Grace Easey, Bella Zoppi, Brittany Keogh 1 min 24.24 secs

Open Division – Arena Sorting1st – Bert Pinkstone, Brock Hamilton, Nigel Thurgood 10 head, 1 min 49.01 secs2nd – Mal Gardner, Laura Gardner, Megan Richards 9 head, 2 mins3rd – Sharon McIver, Dave Kennedy, Jo Wood 9 head, 2 mins

Youth Division – Arena Sorting1st – Corey Hillman, Jess McKenzie, Emily Buckley 5 head, 2 mins2nd – Jake Sutton, Luke Buckley, Gabby Joice 3 head, 2 mins3rd – Emily Buckley, Luke Buckley, Gabby Joice 2 head, 2 mins

Northern Branch Australian Stock Horse Society

NewsPresident: Bruce Robson 02 6761 6004Sec: Tania Alderton ph 0429772746

NEXT MEETING 7TH DEC 2011, 7 PM AT WEST DIGGERS, KABLE AVE TAMWORTH POINTS SCORE FOR THIS YEAR HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 31ST MAY 2012, ONLY MEMBERS OF THE NORTHERN BRANCH ASHS ARE ELLIGIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTHERN BRANCH AWARDS. • TROPHIESFOR:• HIGHPOINTYOUTHHANDLER• HIGHPOINTHACKRIDDENBYAYOUTH• HIGHPOINTWORKINGHORSERIDDENBYAYOUTH• GARYKIDLEYMOSTSUCCESSFULLALLROUNDHORSERIDDENBYAYOUTH• TAMBEAUSTUDYOUTHCHALLENGEHORSE• OPHIRSTUDYOUTHCAMPDRAFTHORSE• IANSCOTTMEMORIALHIGHPOINTLEDHORSEOFTHEYEAR• HORSELANDTAMWORTHHIGHPOINTHACK• HIGHPOINTWORKINGHORSE

The Australian Stock Horse National Show will be held at AELEC between 5th and 10th March 2012, we will be seeking volunteers to assist, please contact ASHS director Malcolm Field ph 6796 4488 if you are able to assist.

Manilla Equine Sporting Ass Inc include affiliated ASHS classes at their shows, upcoming dates are 20th Nov, 11th Dec, 15th Jan 2012, contact President Alison McCarthy 0447 437876 for details.

Above middle: Filly born 6 October out of ” Korak Dusty Lady” by “Absail Gun.”

Above & Below left: Foals by Watagtan Regal Jackero. Jasmine & Jester. Below middle: Emporess, only one day old here. By ‘Boronia Cougar’.

From top to bottom right: Foal - Jats Bar Devine, by Jats Bar Adios Acres out of Jats Bay Gypsy. Horse rearing is Jats Bar Adios Acres.

Like father like daughter.

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Out & About

Dungowan was home to over two hundred competitors, and seven hundred Campdraft runs last weekend, making for some great scores and two full days of Campdraft action. 92 points

was the highest score for the weekend, with the honours going to Madlin Watchirs and Watchirs Star.

The Maiden A was won by Johnathon McDonald and Candy Man, with Luke Evans and Bardot placing second. The Maiden B was won by Jo Burges and Jackaroo, Gavin White from Dungowan and Falcon placed second.

The Novice classes were dominated by last year’s ABCRA Most Successful Rider Johnathon McDonald. Winning Novice A on G I Jane, also taking second place on Candy Man. Novice B top score was again Johnathon McDonald and Ellie, with Tamworth’s Justin Hourigan and Martini placing second.

The Open ran on Sunday and had some great runs with Troy Plamer and Impressive Destiny taking home number one position, proving why they currently lead the way in this years ABCRA standings. Second was split between Tamworth’s Hugh Miles on Conductor and Madlin Watchirs on Watchirs Star.

The Junior was won by Angus Cabel from Manilla riding Synphony, Sara Caslick and Bob placed second. Justin Gillis and Indiana won the Juvenille and Katie DeJong came in second on Sonnett.

Donna Hawkins won the Ladies riding Cooper, while Jemma Hopkins placed second on Jelly beans. Barry Moore rode Tact for a win in the Encouragement and Jo Cavanagh and Jo Spreadborough split second.

The Feature Jackpot cut out was won by Madlin Watchirs on Watchirs Star and second was split four ways between Matt Oakley, Gavin White, Julie Heinecke, and Bob Palmer.

Dungowan draft & Tamworth Teampenning Champs...

By Sharna Purnell

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Dressage NSWwww.dressagensw.com.au

Tamworth Dressage Club www.tamworthdc.equestrian.org.au

Dressage NSW November/December 2011

Young Horse Qualifier3 Dec 2011 Entries Close 14 Nov 2011Organised by Dressage New South WalesHawkesbury Showground, ClarendonContact Karen LeverMobile 0405 384 201Email dnsw.clarendonsec@equestrian.org.auwww.dressagensw.com.au

CODE: CH: Championship; O: Official; A: Associate; YH: Young Horse; P:Pony; F: Freestyle; S: Seminar; M:

Members day; T: Training day. Levels: Pr:Preliminary N: Novice etc...

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Lightness isn’t something that riders hope to eventually arrive at, but a practice to be employed at all stages, by all riders, regardless of their expertise. Lightness is first and foremost the absence of force or fear. It requires the minimal use of hands and legs, with contact that is not strong, but firm enough to facilitate communication.

The word ‘force’ needs to be defined -- for me, it is the repetitive or sustained use of strength or coercion. This is not the same as a reprimand to the horse, which would be a short sharp “oy” with hand or leg. A reprimand is only done once, not repeated or sustained, and is used to regain the horse’s attention when other methods have failed, or to immediately correct a bad/dangerous behaviour.

True lightness promises the instant response of the horse to the slightest request on the rider’s part. It is the proof that the horse is moving with the correct balance and impulsion, and is an expression of self carriage.

Left: Catherine Henriquet riding the Grand Prix test

There are three aspects to lightness:1. Lightness to and of the hand, which is the horse’s obedience to the slightest rein aid.

2. Lightness of the forehand — the quality that allows his shoulders to move freely and his hindquarters to lower. This is an integral part of collection, and is the reason true collection cannot be imposed on a horse. Many people can make a horse collect by pulling from the front and pushing from behind, but when we talk about true collection, it must incorporate self-carriage.

3. Lightness of the horse, which is his way of moving. His contact with the ground will not be heavy or jerky, but smooth and light. Implied in this is the idea that he uses only the energy required to do the movement and no more.

It might also be said that there is a fourth characteristic — lightness of approach, implying that the rider’s attitude is devoid of ego and dominance.

Absence of resistancePart of lightness is the absence of resistance in the jaw, with the near-vertical positioning of the head and an arched neck. Emptiness in the reins is not lightness — the horse will come behind the bit because the rider’s hands are not to be trusted. The weight in the reins can vary, as the horse needs different feels at various stages of its training, and some horses prefer a stronger contact than others.

Instant responsesBeyond the passive ‘absence of resistance’, lightness calls for the active, instant response to the aids. Additionally, the aids themselves must be light and brief. Much of equitation is involved with refinement of the aids, with the knowledge that to increase sensitivity one has to decrease the effort.

The timely release of the aids is almost more important than the aids themselves, because the horse’s response often coincides with the release. If there is no release, the horse will not yield.

BalanceLightness exists when the horse keeps the attitude and movement we want for the longest possible time, without being continually asked by the legs and/or hands. This kind of lightness can only be attained by a perfectly balanced horse.

Those who give movement priority over balance will focus more on contact and drive, rather than ‘the weight of the reins and the draft of the boot’. The light rider will not ask for an elongation of the frame, irrespective of the scope of the gait, as this affects balance and spoils lightness.

Initial TrainingIf the basic training is done on the ground, without a bridle, then lightness becomes integral — there are no hands or legs to create a resistance. The advantage of the rider being mounted is that he is then able to take up a semi-tension of the reins in order to perform collecting movements, and to utilise his legs to create bend and direction.

Lightness can’t be achieved unless the whole training of the horse is directed towards this principle. It’s not just an end result, it’s a complete philosophy. It centres on the relationship between the horse and rider, where the rider has learned to focus on the horse. Lightness cannot be achieved if force or fear is used — the horse’s trust and confidence in the rider must never be compromised by either of these abuses.

Beauty, elegance, and harmony can only be achieved by focusing on lightness, which requires respect for the horse and leads to shared enjoyment between rider and horse.

SOME THOUGHTS ON LIGHTNESS...

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Jenny Saunders has had and competed

with horses since she was seven. Her Royal show representation over the years both in Hack and Lady rider are numerous and now in the dressage arena , her horses are hitting the spotlight.Married to Bo Saunders, and running

the Somerton’ Winsum Stud”, Jenny is a full time employee who is only to happy to share her experience.

Helen Dunn is the girl with the pulse for everything

new. If its on the market then its in the Furneys store. Helen has competed all her life in the hack and dressage ring and currently holds the Champion ridden horse at the Tamworth Dressage Championships with her Arabian Riding pony Claremont Park Emporess.

Amanda Craig grew up on a farm and now married

with a child has her own funny farm of goats, horses,chooks and everything else in between. If its in the shop, you can bet that its been fed or tried at the Craig farmyard!

Kevin Hausfeld grew up on a dairy farm and started

with horses as a young boy. Thoroughbreds are his passion and you will find keg as he is effecionatly known at the Tamworth track any morning and most weekends. His best horse Datfun won 5 in a row and held the Tamworth track record for many years. Keg is man who delivers produce to your door, on time all the time.

Dan Overeem has been with Furneys for 3 years and is a storeman/warehouse

operator.Dan keeps the stock levels high and in order, and every customer loaded up with their purchases when driving through the drive through. Afl is his game, and with wife Sara and new daughter Abbey, they live on 5 acres and are the genuine hobby farmers of the district.

Michelle Macintyre is our faboulas Office Administrator, who has been

with the team for 12 months.Whilst living locally with her daughter Pamela, Michelle has found that every day is a school day at furneys, and has found the Furneys experience a wonderful challenge.

MEET THE TEAM AT FURNEYS RURAL TAMWORTH!Furneys stockfeeds is proudly Australian owned and operated and have supplied quality stockfeed products to Australian livestock for over 101 years.

Our stockfeed stores are located in Tamworth Brisbane Toowoomba Rutherford and our mill, in the popular farming district of Dubbo, which allows for wide access to the highest quality grain products in the country.

All our products are based on the natural goodness of Australian whole grains, including oats, barley, corn, sunflower, cottonseed, lupins and a range of other quality ingredients. All products are chosen with the optimal nutrition for horses, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs. Our range of bagged and bulk products include custom blend horse feeds and supplements, custom blend cattle feeds,custom blend poultry feeds and custom feedlot mixes.

Furneys has an extensive range of dry season blocks, custom green feed blocks, and mineral blocks. All are hard pressed, making them cost effective and long lasting.

For all creatures great and small, we are able to cater to the pallets of the nations animals. The Tamworth store is able to offer not only quality feed but an enormous amount of knowledge and experience.

So, no matter how small or how large your best friends are, we are the team to help you with knowledge, experience, expertise and good old fashioned customer service Monday to Friday 8 – 5. and Saturday 8.-12. You will find us at 7

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What’s on calendarEndurance

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NSW Endurance Riders Association www.nswera.asn.au

Tamworth & District Endurance Clubwww.tamworthanddistrictenduranceclub.org.au

November/December 2011

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Snowy Zone Championship, Coolamon 6th November120/80/40PrenominateLouise McCormack 6226 5626 NSW FEI Championship 19th - 20th November Tami Parnell 6734 2253026734 2257

Central West Zone 2 Championship, Windeyer 20th November80/100 elevator 40/20Mick O’Hare 63733932

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Photo courtesy Kieron Power Action Photos

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Over the October long weekend, endurance riders from around Australia converged on the South Australian town of Mt Pleasant for the running of the annual Tom Quilty Gold Cup – the national endurance riding championships. Despite being a pretty town in the magnificent Barossa Valley, many endurance riders consider it somewhat inappropriately named. The first time the ride was held there in 1998 they had over ten inches of rain over the 24hr duration of the competition. There was slightly less rain this year, but when combined with unseasonably cool temperatures and a howling southwesterly wind, the town was once again raising its hand for the title of Mt Unpleasant.Nonetheless, my driver/chef/drinking partner (and chief steward at the ride), Jeff and I headed off six days before the ride on the longest road trip my steed (and wife’s horse) Diamond R Boston had ever been on – 3500km round trip. Diamond R Boston (Boss) is a homebred rising 11 year old part-arab gelding who had several great achievements under his belt already this year, so we thought we’d try our luck and take him to the Quilty. Boss won the NSW State Championships 160km ride, and completed the 400km Shahzada marathon in 3rd place overall just 6 weeks prior to these national championships with my wife (Kym Hagon) in the saddle for both. So he was in excellent condition and still surprisingly mentally fresh after a moderately challenging season. Travelling such a huge distance with a horse is a management challenge in itself to deliver an equine athlete that has eaten and drunk well, had sufficient exercise, and not contracted any travelling sickness over the 3 days of planned travel, and 3 more days standing in camp awaiting the start. Fortunately for us, Boss travelled very well. With regular stops to allow him to stretch his legs and have a bit to eat and drink, he arrived in A1 condition. Our campsite was situated at the far end of the showground about 6-700m from the vetting area. We had 14 other NSW horses in our paddock – a small fraction of the 192 horses entered in the ride. The ridebase was an eclectic gathering of horsefloats, goosenecks, trucks and tents, all (not so) neatly wedged in together. We set up camp just in time before the rain set in. The next 3 days were spent trying to keep the horse from going stir-crazy. We had to exercise him each day to prevent him from tying up (exertional rhabdomyolysis) either before, or early into the ride. Unfortunately the exercise tracks that were available were getting very boggy and slippery with the weather which was making it fairly treacherous on course. It was quite difficult to avoid injury in the slippery conditions, and to prevent keep him from getting greasy heel in camp. Anyway, we made it to the pre-ride vetting in

good shape. The vets found him to be in good condition and we were given a start in the ride. Later that day (Friday afternoon), all riders and their strappers/crew attended the pre-ride talk where some of the intricacies of the course and a few snippets of vital information were conferred to us. Then we dispersed back to our camps and the ride-base went quiet. Everyone desperately tried to bury their nerves and grab a few key hours of sleep before the midnight start. After 3 hours broken sleep I re-emerged to saddle my horse amidst the wind, rain and other 191 horse/rider combinations. At this point you start to question your sanity, but time ticks on and it soon becomes time to get on and get going…I rapidly got a rather disturbing insight into riding a Quilty. If you aren’t passing a horse, you are being passed by one. That made things extremely difficult for me because Boss is innately competitive and gets stirred up if either of those things happen. At each vet check, it is a requirement that your horse’s heart rate is 60 beats per minute or slower within 30 minutes of entering the checkpoint, to show that they are recovering adequately from the stress of the competition. Boss struggled to attain this value because he was so stirred up, but he managed to relax just enough to meet the criteria at the first check. He then trotted out soundly and was ‘fit to continue’, so we had our compulsory 40 minute hold and then proceeded on the second leg (also 40km). We returned to base around 6.30am after 80km of riding and the sun was up to welcome us – quite a treat. I’d managed to find some personal space that leg and he was far more settled and the vetting seemed to be going well. He trotted up and back, and the tragedy struck us. He was deemed lame in the hind end. It was only a minor lameness, but a fair call. Back to camp we wandered…well, I wandered, Boss trotted next to me – he wanted more!It was an enormous disappointment, but I put it behind me – at least for the time being. I had a shower to warm up and then spent the rest of the day and night helping strap for friends who were still in the ride. Despite our failure it was a small recompense to be able to help and be involved with the other riders in achieving their goals. All up, 11 out of the 15 in our camp were successful. None were competitive on the day, but all those who completed the course were recipients of the famous Tom Quilty silver and gold buckle. The joy from accomplishing this feat was obvious on each and every rider – testament to the endurance riders credo that ‘to finish is to win’.For Boss and me, it’s back to the drawing board and we’re planning another crack at a Quilty somewhere down the track. It’s on the bucket list. I’ve learnt a thing or two and would change a thing or two about how we went about it this year. But we’ll definitely be back. The stringent vet supervision that our sport is founded on resulted in him being vetted out with only a very minor lameness that actually resolved by later the same day. With time and some love and attention he’ll mend and be fit for the next ride – just had to drive 1700km back home to await that challenge!For those that one day want to be involved in endurance horse riding, be it at the Quilty, or just riding in a ‘social ride’ (10-20km) at a local ride, or anywhere in between, please feel free to contact me and we can help you get involved. It’s a fantastic sport that the whole family can get into – our 6 year old son has already done his first social ride and he’s got the bug…

Kym Hagon6785 1955

An inside look at the

Photos courtesy Kieron Power Action Photos 19

What’s on calendarEventing

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Eventing NSWwww.eventingnsw.com.au

Quirindi Eventing Incwww.quirindieventing.com

Tamworth International Eventingwww.tie.equestrian.org.au

Please go to www.eventingnsw.com.au for more information on the following events:

5th - 6th November Hidden Valley N, I, P, PN26th - 27th November Berrima N, I, P, PN, *.

November/December 2011

Australian Inter-school Pre-Novice Eventing Champions!A big congratulations to Maddison Kidd and her horse ‘Cecil’ on their Australian Inter-school Pre-Novice Eventing win at the 2011 Equestrian Australia Interschool Championships held on the 4th October – 7th October at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre. Maddie is just 17yrs old from Calrrossy Anglican School.

Maddi has been riding since she was 6 years old and has come up through pony club. She is a member of the local Dressage Clubs and Jump Club as well as Tamworth International Eventing Club. Maddi has become very keen on Eventing and competed in her first Equestrian Australia (EA) One Day Event (ODE) at Scone at the age of 13. This is her second State selection. Maddi first qualified in 2009 but missed 2010 selection due to losing her horse. Qualifications are held at the State Inter School Competition at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre Horsley Park. Maddi gained selection for Eventing at Pre Novice level and one meter Show jumping.

Maddi would like to thank those who have helped her with Cecil. Kath Smith for her guidance, assistance and valuable input. Donna Woods

who helped Maddi and Cecil come together as a team in the early stages. This included helping with the warm up prior to competing, walking cross country courses with

her and the showjumping, when it can be a bit intimidating as a junior amidst all the professional riders. And Andrea her sister who coaches her at home with the dressage and provides positive support and guidance throughout

all her competitions. To her Mum who takes her all over the country side and her Dad who helps to keep it all happening.

There were 345 competitors from Australia wide. Sixty five NSW competitors made the trek to Werribee. The disciplines covered were Eventing, Show jumping, Dressage, Showman and Combined Training.

Maddison’s horse Balmoral Saharah Jaka Cecil is a TB and she has had him for two and half years. They have clicked together very well and are now a great team. He is a quirky horse but very lovable and honest.

“We started the journey on Sunday the 2nd of October leaving Tamworth at 8am. We spent the night at Ungarie at Maddison’s grandmother’s place, completing the last leg to Werribee on Monday arriving at 5pm. It was a long journey for everyone, let alone Cecil who travelled well and was no worse off for the 16 hour journey. The trot up was at 1pm on Tuesday afternoon. This is a requirement for all competitors horses were a vet checks the soundness of the horse. Cecil passed. Maddi then Show jumped on Wednesday and Thursday for minor placing’s.

The Pre- Novice One day Event started on Thursday afternoon with the dressage. Maddi and Cecil were in 5th place at the end of this stage. The Cross Country commenced on Friday morning and after a clear round and no time penalties Maddi and Cecil had moved into third place. The top 3 placing were now all within less than one point of each other. The Show jumping that afternoon would decide the final placing. Maddi and Cecil went clear and moved up to first place. Maddi and Cecil were the Australian Inter-school Champion Pre-Novice Eventers! NSW also won the One Day event Team Championship with Maddi being part of that team.

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In this edition I will cover the process that I go through when preparing a young horse for its first competition. Of course there are different ways

to do things but this is pretty well the way I go about it with the young horses that I have bred.Firstly a little background on this years newbie, ‘Frosty’ or his posh name ‘Branigans Sub Zero’. Frosty is an Irish Sport Horse gelding rising 4, and he was one of the first frozen embryo foals to be born in Australia. He is by Branigans Pride who is now sadly deceased and out of a TB mare by Puissance with Lunchtime on the dam’s side.I broke Frosty in as a 2 year old and he only ended up having a dozen rides before problems with his teeth capping prevented me riding him too much more. He has pretty well been in the paddock ever since, with a couple of short preps last year. While I usually get more serious with them as three year olds, I have found that the warmbloods and sport horses mature so much later and therefore they cope with the work better as 4 year olds, which in turn means they give you less grief in the training process, mainly because they are not getting as muscle sore.Of course we should start with the basics of making sure your horse is fit and healthy before you commence serious training and with young horses teeth are one of the most important things to keep checking regularly as their mouths are changing constantly as babies. Frosty has been wormed, shod and teeth done regularly and is ready to go.So I started working Frosty regularly around 12 weeks prior to his first outing. This isn’t set in concrete, that’s just the time frame that should work for Frosty as he is proving quite trainable. I ride him around 5 days a week and I have found that young horses respond quite well to two days work and then a day off, if you have had a good couple of days they definitely seem to absorb it on a day off and come back in with the work becoming more concrete.Now as I write this I can hear people disagreeing and yes all horses are different, but I guess I am working from the average of the horses that I have worked with in my lifetime. Different breeds can require another approach and certainly I have a 6 year old Warmblood that has just about broken every rule in the unwritten book, but he is definitely an exception.In my previous life as a Thoroughbred stud owner I broke in many young Thoroughbred horses and once you got over that first week of “will he buck today or not”, they definitely were better on the 2 days on, 1 day off routine.Back to Frosty and his routine, now with most young horses I would work a couple of days on the lunge into their 5 day week, but Frosty has a fairly exceptional temperament and even when he is a little over exuberant it isn’t usually too bad, therefore for the first couple of weeks I did a bit of flatwork but nothing too challenging, just walk, trot and canter and on the odd occasion that he got a little tight or humpy, which was usually in an upwards transition, I would take him for a bit of a burn until his back relaxed and then repeat the exercise. In my experience if a horse gets tight through the back and sucks behind your leg the answer is forward, go for a big canter or gallop if you can, you don’t need to make a big deal out of it just get off of their back and go go go.

The other thing I make a big point of is working on controlling their shoulders, Im sure most of you has ridden something that drifts out through the shoulder on one rein and falls in like a motorbike on the other. Another thing nearly all young horses will do is hang onto one rein. This can be down to balance, they all tend to have better balance one way.I will do a fair bit of work in walk, with Frosty as he likes to hang on the left rein and bulge the right shoulder when we are on the left rein and he will drop his right shoulder on the right rein. He is

by far the most balanced on the right rein and therefore happy to trot around on that rein in a lovely consistent frame but he will fall in on the inside shoulder if I let him. So in walk I will play around with leg yield and turn on the forehand I will also spend a fair bit of time in counter flexion whilst being on the left rein. This will encourage him to accept that outside rein and let go of the inside one that he loves to hang onto and then as soon as he wants to fall out through that right shoulder we will immediately go leg yield left, and on the right rein I do the same but I introduce a little shoulder in to counteract

that falling in of the inside shoulder and just lifting the inside hand up encourages him to use that shoulder better. Horses learn quickly from repetition and after a couple of weeks Frosty is improving and, hey, along with that he can now leg yield in walk, trot and canter also performs turns on the forehand and haunches without getting worried.From here I start with some small jumps. If you can vary their work to prevent boredom it will help enormously. Young horses that do the same thing in the same place every day are more likely to start being naughty than a horse that does flat work one day and then jumps another and maybe goes for a ride somewhere or just school in a different paddock, just try and mix it up a bit.Frosty seems very keen with the jumps and a bit of a let me at them attitude, so I want to encourage him to relax. I really like to be able to just trot my horses around and pop over jumps out of a nice relaxed trot. Once they can do this the canter part comes easily. As Frosty is a bit keen we do a lot of work over poles on the ground with changes of direction thrown in where ever possible. Jenelle Waters has a super exercise where you have five trot poles with a set of wings at the first, third and fifth and then at each of the 4 corner wings put another trot pole at right angles, and it gives you a heap of different ways to ride through and its quite tricky on a young one but really good for getting them to focus and relax.So Frosty and I will be doing this exercise until he is puffing and relaxed (puffing doesn’t take long as he is a little fat) then I will just trot around and pop over little jumps and if he starts to get keen, I will go back to the exercise.Young horses are fairly unpredictable and inconsistent and you are not going to have a good ride every time, but even if things don’t go great and he is not working as well as you know he can, back off a bit and ask for something simple so that it goes well. End the ride on a good note and don’t lose sleep over it, he will come out next time much better than if you had of had a huge fight about it.Ok, so Frosty’s work is becoming more consistent and Im fairly certain that I can control him in a new environment so Im looking for somewhere low key to take him. Because we are Eventers I don’t mind if it is jumping or dressage. Jump club would probably be better but it looks like Tamworth dressage at Moonbi is going to be the one. It’s ideal as it has walk trot tests, that suits me just fine for his first outing. I’m looking to achieve confidence from this outing so the least pressure is best. The other great thing about Moonbi is there are yards there so on the off chance that Frosty becomes a complete nightmare (which I think is unlikely but remember horses

can be unpredictable), I can put him in a yard knowing he will be safe.That’s about enough for this month, hopefully in the next edition I will be report-ing on how dressage went and maybe even some cross country schooling. Till then, byee hope to see you out and about!

Preparing a Young horse for its first competition

By Donna Woods

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What’s on calendarHorse Drawn

November/December 2011

5th - 6th November NSW CDE CHAMPIONSHIPS13th November Social club drive - Venue TBA - Tamworth Regional Horse Drawn 2oth November Australian Show Driving ChampionshipsTo be held at the Hawkesbury Showground hosted by the Hills Harness Club for further details please contact Jan Muspratt

on (02) 906 6085Janelle Marshall Driving Clinic Wednesday November 30, 2011 9:00 AM - Thursday December 1, 2011 4:00 PM Bookings essential further details available soon.

Monthly news fromWe welcomed two new members to our club at our October rally day at Attunga, they are Pam D’Hudson and Bec Burrows, we all had a fun time negotiating a long rein course and then opened the course up and drove it. After a great BBQ lunch cooked by Max Saunders we all set off for a lovely relaxed afternoon drive before packing up and heading home. With 12 horses and 19 people attending it was a fantastic day.

**********Queensland Combined Driving Championships was held at Morgan Park, Warwick Qld on the Oct long weekend. Amanda See with groom Glen Murray drove in the Level 1 competition and received 2nd in the Dressage and Marathon but unfortunately was eliminated in the cones.Liz O’Brien received 1st place and Margaret O’Brien received 2nd place over all in the Level 4 competition. Congratulations everyone you did your club proud.There were 19 competitors and everyone was friendly and had a great time. Morgan Park is an excellent facility. The weekend weather started out lovely and then mother nature throw everything she could at them from torrential rain, hurricane winds to hail stones and when you least expect it the sun came out again.

**********Several of our members went on the Liverpool Plains Charity Drive and had a wonderful time with great weather most of the time. The drive raised money for the Far West Childrens Charity, a very worthwhile cause and with a large number of people attending the money raised will be put to good use.

**********Our 2012 club calendar is being finalized and it is looking jam packed full of great driving activities with something for everyone, we are embarking on our inaugural CDE next year with lots of support from our members and the other ACDS clubs we are sure it will be a great success. For further details please contact the secretary Liz O’Brien on 0427766726 or myeyor@yahoo.com.au or check out our website and face book page.www.trhdc.webs.com

Australian Carriage Driving Societywww.acds.org.au

Carriage Driving NSWwww.carriagedrivingnsw.org.au

Tamworth Regional Horse Drawn Clubwww.trhdc.webs.com

QLD Combined Driving

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by Janet Muspratt Light Harness classes at shows usually consist of:‘Height’ classes eg Pony 14hh and under, Horse over 14 hands. These judge the horse only‘Turnout’ classes: see below‘Pleasure’ classes: judge the horse only ‘Driver’ classes: judge the driver only ……………………………………..Turnout classes take into account the horse, vehicle, harness and general appearance. In most show turnout classes the points system is as follows:Horse 50Vehicle 30Harness 10General Appearance 10TOTAL 100

The horse. As can be seen from the points above it is very important to have a good ‘engine’ – the horse. Firstly the horse should be sound, clean and neatly presented. It should work obediently and hopefully show flare and impulsion in the workout. The head should be held almost perpendicular to the ground and the reins should run in as straight a line as possible from the bit to the driver’s hands.

The vehicle should be clean, brass or chrome polished and no dust or mud attached. Paintwork should have a good sheen with no chips or cracks. Professionally done fine linework on sulkies, buggies and joggers is highly desirable. The vehicle needs to be sound, indicating it is safe to drive.Joggers need to have sturdy wheels and a fairly low centre of gravity. They should not be high and narrow. Joggers with springs are preferred.The vehicle should match the horse in size ie the shafts should be parallel with the ground or only slightly rising towards the front. Solid rubber tyres on show sulkies and buggies are better than steel tyres.The furniture (brass or chrome or nickel ) on the vehicle should match the harness. Polished leather covering on the ends of the shafts, with shaft tips, tug stops and breeching dees of brass, nickel or chrome as appropriate are better than vinyl covers and steel tips, breeching dees and tug stops.A wooden vehicle including wooden shafts and wheels would usually score ahead of a steel wheeled /shafted vehicle unless it was in bad repair/not clean/ had poor paintwork etcLamps matching the brass/ nickel etc should be in place if there are lamp holders. These should be polished and each contain a candle that has been previously lit (the wick is black). A box of matches – preferably of a variety of yesteryear – should lie inside one of the lamps.There should be at least one step, a mat on the floor and a whip holder. A head collar and lead, a wheel spanner that fits the wheels and a waterproof rug roll should be carried as spares. Viceroys (also called show vehicles) can be plainer than sulkies and buggies without too much line work. Wooden shafts are better than metal or pipe shafts. Paintwork should have a bright sheen to it. They should have carpet front and back and a whip holder.

Harness. Harness should be clean and shiny with brass/chrome/nickel etc gleaming and obviously just polished. It should fit the horse well – breastplate and breeching in the correct position, everything done up correctly, strap points in their keepers, breeching working properly so the vehicle does not push the tugs forward of the saddle when stopping. Winkers should not be too close in on the eyes.Patent leather / leather harness would normally score better than vinyl or webbing harness but can easily be beaten if it is cracked, stiff, uncared for, not clean and dull. ‘Rubber and gold’ harness is the best but must be in good condition.Tan reins or reins which are tan where they are held, are desirable, and so are rolled reins and traces.Tugs must be either open or rat tail with a sulky or jogger. They should not be tied down, but allowed some ‘floating’ by the bellyband. On a buggy Tilbury, French or rat tail tugs are correct. Tilbury or French tugs are used on viceroys. These allow the shafts to be tied down.

Viceroy harness does not require a breeching as a viceroy is light and is only meant to be used on flat showgrounds.

General AppearanceThe driver should always carry a whip in the right hand, ideally long enough to reach the horse’s shoulder. He/she should have a knee rug or driving apron (apron preferable in a viceroy) and wear gloves and a hat. A shared knee rug is correct if carrying a passenger beside the driver in a sulky or buggy. The rug or apron should be long enough to reach down to at least halfway between the knees and feet – longer is better than shorter. A long sleeved jacket / blouse and long skirt are best for a lady; suit or sports coat, tie and trousers best for a gentleman. The lady’s hat should be elegant and not too large. The gentleman’s hat should preferably be a fairly small brimmed one, or a bowler. A wide brimmed ‘cowboy’ hat is not so desirable. Hats should fit very securely so they don’t blow off. Shoes need to be practical for getting in and out and should match the outfit. Joggers are not appropriate. Colours should blend well with the vehicle and horse. Ideally, all seats in the vehicle will be occupied. Passengers dress as above for the lady or gentleman driver. Finally, it is important to sit up straight. If harness and vehicle ‘furniture’ does not match, this is where marks may be lost. If the vehicle is too big / too small for the horse or if it is poorly balanced, marks are lost in this section. A well balanced sulky or jogger will have the shafts floating in the tugs.

NB Pleasure turnout. It is important to carry feed for the horse, a bucket, accessories such as hoof pick, headcollar and lead, plus picnic food and accessories for the driver and passenger/s. Imagine you are going on a picnic drive. Clothing need not be quite as formal as for a show turnout but retain the hat, knee rug, gloves and whip.

Period Turnout: In this class the best turnouts have people in costumes which match the period when the vehicle style was popular. No modern materials should be used in costumes eg nylon, plastic, modern watches etc. and the vehicle and harness should also be of traditional materials – wooden vehicle, leather harness. Well organised turnouts usually have a theme – eg going to church, going to visit Aunt Agnes for morning tea, taking the children for a picnic; and have appropriate accessories. The points score is as follows:Horse 25Vehicle 25Harness 15Costume 25General Appearance 10 Total 100

Judges note for all turnout classes: If turnouts finish on the same score, the winner is the horse with the best score. If still the same, the turnout with the highest scoring vehicle is the winner, and so on.

Now, what if you don’t have the best gear/vehicle/horse as men-tioned above ?

Go in turnout classes with whatever you have. Make sure your turnout is as clean and polished as possible, and have your hat, knee rug or apron, gloves and whip. Very few turnouts in Ag and Breed Shows have everything right but they are in there having a go. Go in the Period Turnout even if you only ‘look’ historical. Let the judge make the decision about your turnout compared to the others in the class. You could be very pleasantly surprised about how well you do!

Little by little you will probably gather together the better gear for turnout classes, but keep competing on the way. The most common fault I find in turnouts is that the vehicle and the har-ness are not clean, especially the brass. Royal Shows are of course a different story – the turnout stand-ard is much higher.

Happy Show Driving !

(as I judge them!)

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www.qssunraysia.com.au

www.qssunraysia.com.au

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What’s on calendarHorsemanship

MEL FLEMING ~

Macksville, NSWNovember 26th-28thIntroductory coursePrivate lessons CONNECTING WITH HORSES & RIDING WITH SYNCHRONICITY

New England Natural Horsemanship Clubhttp://web.me.com/newenglandhorseclub/newenglandhorseclub

Horse Agility Australiawww.horseagility.com.au

Parelliwww.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com

Mel Flemingwww.melfleming.com.au

November/December 2011

AUSTRALIAN NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP CENTRE

Please see revised dates!19th - 25th Nov

Colt StartTamworth, NSW

Jennifer Hawkins 0267687708

26th - 29th Nov4 Day Savvy Weekend

Tamworth, NSWJennifer Hawkins 0427302598 Mob

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1.6 Phases/yeilding your horse - Part oneHave you ever seen a horse twitch his skin when a fly lands on him, but then not budge as a human pushed with all his strength to try and get him off his toe!

Horses are very sensitive creatures and programmed by Mother Nature to instinctively oppose anything that a predator asks them to do. Would you go into a cave if a Grizzly Bear asked you?

If horses find anything annoying or uncomfortable, they will move away from it, like the fly, but if they feel pressure and perceive something to be predatory and therefore dangerous, they will push even harder against it in an effort to escape by pushing through it. I’m sure you”ve all seen a horse push through a person or narrow spot, or pull back hard when they feel pressure at the poll! Try a little test yourself; see if you can use just your fingernails tickling your horse to move him away and then try pushing him as hard as you can with your hands flat on his sides. Which one is easier?

Horse’s love to be comfortable more than just about anything else and they dislike being uncomfortable and will try to avoid it.

Once we understand that horses move toward comfort, rather than away from pressure, we will have far more success with horses. Think of it like this, if you just go and push on your horse to ask him to move, are you acting like a partner or a predator? Are you being polite or being bossy? Even if you could get him to move, how will he feel about it? Will he do it willingly or grudgingly? What if you were to ask your horse politely, by applying just the pressure of the fly sitting on his hair? Then, if he didn’t move, you gradually increased the pressure until you pressed his skin, then his muscles, then his bones; stopping the pressure and giving comfort and release as soon as he yielded.

Horses are smart and they love to be comfortable. If you apply the pressure consistently with these phases;

1. hair2. skin 3. muscle 4. bone (be sure to always start with phase 1)

....and make sure you go back to phase one and start again after phase four, your horse will pretty quickly see the pattern and move off just the pressure of the hair and actively seek to find comfort Just imagine how light your horse will become if you can learn to offer comfort and release as often as possible. You don’t need to be a big burly bloke to have your horse yielding anywhere you want him to. Little girls and little old ladies can have their horses going softly and politely just by getting good with their phases.

1.7 Equine BehaviourHorses are herd animalsAs prey animals (animals that get eaten by other animals) horses will seek the safety of the herd for protection. Horses instinctively

know that on their own they are easy prey. As a mass of swirling bodies though, they can confuse a predator, making it hard for him to single out any one of them in particular as a possible target. As the old saying goes…..’safety in numbers’.

By the nature of being prey animals and always on the lookout for possible danger, horses tend to be very social and gregarious. Whilst the importance of some form of hierarchy is essential for survival, so to is the need for protection and unity. This means that horses will remonstrate with each other one moment then continue as if nothing has happened the next. Have you ever seen a dominant horse reprimand another, only to graze alongside or even groom the very same offender minutes later?

This need for togetherness gives the horse the unique ability to become assertive without any lingering antagonism. In other words, they do what they need to without holding any grudges.

As with any group, there needs to be some form of hierarchy. The pecking order is complete in a herd from the number one Alpha Horse right down to the bottom of the rung. All members of the herd instinctively understand the importance of this hierarchy and that what Alpha Horse says, goes. If the boss says ‘move it”, there is no time for discussion. Any hesitation may be the difference between life and death.

Usually Alpha horse is a mare - it’s the Stallion”s job to procreate and protect - and what Mother says is law. She has won her spot by being a just, fair and scrupulous leader. If she says move, everyone else moves; if she says stop, everyone stops, or else! She knows that the safety of the herd depends on her. If she doesn’t have their respect, they are all in danger so she will enforce her rule with whatever force is necessary, no more, no less. Horses instinctively seek a good leader. They will do as she says in a heart-beat because they know that anyone hanging around to ask ‘why’ after she has said ‘MOVE’ could very well end up being some predator’s lunch. They will constantly test out an inferior leader and either cause it to become a better leader or take over the top job themself. We can expect the same treatment in our journey to horsemanship!

Becoming Alpha HorseOnce we can grasp the concept of us becoming Alpha Horse in order to find success with horses, we are already half way to achieving Natural Horsemanship. Everything you will learn through these articles is based on the principle of us becoming great leaders for our horses. Not by demanding that they do as we wish, but by understanding them, creating a rapport with them and communicating with them justly and fairly as the Alpha Horse would do.

All of the skills that you will learn in these articles are about the language that horses use with each other. Concepts that they have learnt from birth and have been a part of their daily lives in the form of play, interaction, yielding and socializing since day one.

By Meredith Ransley

The Road To Horsemanship

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www.wildhorseaustralia.com

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www.hazellsfarm.com.au

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What’s on calendarPolo/Polocrosse/Horseball

NSW Polocrosse Association www.nswpolocrosse.com.au

NSW Polo Associationwww.australianpolo.com.au

Australian Horseball Association www.horseball.com.au

NSW HORSEBALL~ November/December 2011

November 10 to 13Sydney ShowgroundEquitana (Selected Teams) November 25 to 27New ZealandTBAPossible rep. teams TBC

For contact details for the above listed events please go to www.horseball.com.au

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Persia may seem an unlikely place for the game of polo, the oldest sport in the world, to have originated, but well documented records prove that this is so. The Persians were skilful, practiced horsemen of the oriental type, who never let their horse out of their hand. Their Eastern breed ponies, who always had their hind legs well underneath themselves, with the assistance of strong bitting, were able to stop and wheel on their haunches at a moments’ notice. Originally fixed goal posts of solid stone were erected on established grounds, which no doubt accounted for horrific impacts at full gallop, and many fatalities, as did the later-installed wooden ones. Common sense prevailed, and these were eventually replaced by papier mache, cardboard or plastic uprights. Some ancient art depicts Persian players utilising a human skull for a ball. It is not on record that Aussies were quite as ruthless, but it is quite possible that they honed up their hitting skills on cow pats, paddy melons and rabbits squatting under roly polys or similar noxious vegetation.

Cricket, golf, hockey and Irish hurling, all originated from polo. In actual fact when polo first originated in England, it was called hockey on horseback, and hurling on horseback in Ireland.

Without assistance from modern technology or mechanisation, it wasn’t long before polo spread to Constantinople, then east to Tibet, China, and Japan. The hill tribes in the north of India, participated in this horse sport in the sixteenth century, riding like ‘red shanks’ on very small ponies, and of course breaking every rule in the book as we see it today.

The game surfaced again two hundred years later, coming back into fashion in Bengal in 1863, where Indian Army Officers adopted it with great gusto.

Three years later the 10th Hussars returned to England from India, full of enthusiasm with the magic of polo. In 1871 the first recorded match on English soil took place between the 10th Hussars and the 9th Lancers. As it so happened, the colonials in Australia were not very far behind their English ancestors, who were rapidly taking up polo in preference to the traditional fox hunting.

The formation of the first polo club in the Southern Hemisphere was in 1874. The inaugural match which took place in Hyde Park, Sydney, in front of His Excellency, Sir Hercules Robinson, was embroiled in a very English flavour. Australia was on the ball though very early in the scene, as a polo book printed in 1905, by R and R Clarke, Ltd., Edinburgh, for Country Life Library of Sport, states an interesting item in the section on Australian polo, which incidentally only mentioned New South Wales and South Australia. “There is an invention used in Australia which we might find useful here. This is an instrument used by the umpires for picking up balls. It saves them from having to dismount in order to do this, and seems a very useful and practical idea.” No doubt since this tool became a reality, umpires all over the world, support the writer’s views, in fact where would they be without it? It would however be nice to know the inventor’s name, who quite possibly was some innovative ancient blacksmith, whose name should be recorded among those of our great inventors. The blacksmith tradesmen are still irreplaceable on the polo field today.

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ContactsRiding Groups/Pony Club

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CURRABUBULA PONY CLUBCurrabubula Rec GroundsJudith Ann Alston - (02) 6744 5714justjude@bigpond.com

BENDEMEER PONY CLUBRodeo recreation groundsFaith Dixon - 02 6769 6530www.bendemeerpc.pcansw.org.au

GUNNEDAH PONY CLUBGunnedah Show GroundsDonna Hall - (02) 6742 5633gdhpcsec@yahoo.com

KOOTINGAL PONY CLUB Moonbi Sports GroundsJoanne Roberts - 02 6760 3249joroberts@activ8.net.auwww.kootingal.pcansw.org.au

ARMIDALE RIDING CLUB INC02 6771 5322sue.mills@rbsmorgans.com www.armidalerc.equestrian.org.au

MANILLA PONY CLUB Manilla Show GroundsColin Donlan - 02 6785 7365

NUNDLE PONY CLUB Taylors LaneWally Whatmore – 0267691692glenalmond@bigpond.com

QUIRINDI PONY CLUB Quirindi Show GroundsRachel Hope Coward - Secretarysuperiormobilehair@yahoo.com.au

TAMWORTH PONY CLUB Cnr Bournes Lane & Meldorn LaneJim Kolokotas - 02 6760 8172kolokotas@optusnet.com.au

QUIRINDI & DISTRICT EQUITATION CLUB INC(02) 6767 0284qdeci@live.com.au www.quirindiec.equestrian.org.au

Pony Club NSWwww.pcansw.org.au

MANILLA EQUINE SPORTING ASSOC INCVanessa Gibson - 0428 782 973Alison McCarthy - 0447 437 876

ATT: If you would like your Pony/Riding Club or event listed for free here please send all information to:

info@tdlhorsemag.com.au

Ron Easey Jump Clinic that we held over the weekend.We had a wet and miserable start to the day and to everyones credit they stuck around and recieved a great day of instruction on the Saturday . PRYDES STOCKFEEDS rep, Matt Pryde came along (they are Ron Easey’s major supplier of horse feeds and nutritional products) and gave away some free samples of their horse range of product as well as giving away free advice ,shirts and caps to the riders

who attended . Sunday came along with another 7am start and it was time to put together what our riders had learned on Saturday . With a little more grid work and some individual tuition for those guys having some issues , Ron ended the session with a full round of jumps in a non comp round in which every rider came away with a new attitude towards jumping and more importantly with a lot of feedback on how their horse and rider combination could be improved . Ron and his assistant Alice worked great with the younger riders and even inspired a few to advance on to jumping higher jumps . Rons main teaching point is to look up and have a straight back and not to look at the ground or the jump as you go over ........ how do you teach or encourage 6 year olds to do this ? Tell them that there are lollies in the trees ! They soon start looking up and jumping the jumps ................and then asking who put the lollies in the trees and how do we get them down . All in all it was a very successful weekend and a big thanks goes out to Ron Easey and Alice for their time, Prydes Stockfeeds , as well as Johnno Easey , Murray Prowse and all those parents who helped build courses and pick up rails . Most of all to the riders who attended and made the effort to listen .

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Quirindi Pony Club held its 52nd Camp in the Sepember school holidays . It was another successful event, especially with the majority of the commitee being new to their positions .Going in at Saturday lunchtime and working through the week with our specialist instructors in various facets of horse riding , we finished off with our ribbon day on Friday .It was a long week ! But everybody came away with smiles and good memories and a willingness to return next year .With various activities to keep everyone occupied after the horses were stabled at night , the highlight would have to be skit night . The kids make up songs , plays and generally their loyal Troop Leaders are the brunt of the jokes . The Troop Leaders do get their own back though , usually in the form of extra Troop Drill and tasks !

Quirindi Pony Club is a strong Club with a wide variety of riding styles being catered for . Our camp consisted of some very well respected instructors and from the feedback they gave us , they were impressed with the way all the riders took in the knowledge that was being imparted to them .Whilst the majority of our riders at camp are local members , we do have a handful of dedicated visitors who come back time and again . This is testament to the Pony Club Association in general that allows this to happen and for the riders who may not be able to experience a country clubs actvities in their own local club ,it gives them a chance to broaden their horizons .Instructors were wide and varied , like the riders and their mounts

We had instructors who taught the following skills :Polo, Polo X, Team Penning , Team Sorting, Cross Country, Show-jumping, Mounted games, Flat work and dressage, Trick riding, Grooming and horse care, Ranvet feed consultants and Certificate instruction All this takes great co-ordination to flow smoothly through the week , and our Club Senior Instructor and Life Member , Ming Thompson with her straight shooting Junior Instructor, Tracey Parsons did a fabulous job in putting together the programme . The riding members who acted as Troop Leaders are also to be commended , as they are the frontline . These are the people who see the tears , the busters , the achievement and most importantly the smiles and self pride that comes from a rider accomplishing something that they have worked on all week finally come to fruition on ribbon day . This is what Pony Club is all about.....Achievment!The parents also deserve to be thanked as well , they are the ones who wash dishes , pick up poles , set courses up, pull courses down and generally do the work that is needed to keep the whole machine moving . A huge thankyou to those people . Finally a big thank you to the committee . This is a hard job in any situation but with the assistance of the past committee it was very rewarding. All in all a great week and we look forward to doing it again.........................next year!

Simon SmithVice PresidentQuirindi Pony Club

Images by Mel Spittall except for those in text 31

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I do One Day Eventing and show jumping but  sometimes do the odd blanch trophy day. I have two horses Inky and Jessie. They are both lovely horses with great potential. On Jessie I am competing intro EFA Eventing and C grade pony club Eventing. I competed at the state show jumping championships in B grade and went really well.

Latest achievements Include:Reserve champion B grader 13 to 15 years at the state show jumping championships 2011 (on Jessie)6th in the C grade at the Coonabarabran expo 2011 (on Jessie)2nd in the C grade at the Coonabarabran One Day Event 2011 (on

Jessie)6th at the Melbourne inter-school championships 2009 (on my pony redstar)

1st in the D grade at the Coonabarabran expo 2010 (on my cousin’s horse jock)1st in the hack at Coonabarabran expo (on my sisters horse Danny)

7th in the 50cm at Tamworth height comp (on Inky)6th in the 70cm at the Tamworth height comp (on Inky)2nd in the 1m at the Tamworth height comp (on Jessie)5th in the 1.5m at the Tamworth height comp (on Jessie)I have also won numerous point scores at the local inter-schools.

Riding horses isn’t all about competition it’s also about making new friends and having fun, so i attend the Nundle pony camps and some rally days.

I love both my horses and enjoy riding them when I can.

Serena Osborne

PHOTO COMPETITIONEnd of Year Grand Final

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR PHOTO COMPETION WINNERS!The winner will be judged by you, our readers

GRAND FINAL WINNER will be announced in our DEC/JAN edition along with the winning photo......Prizes up for grabs generously donated by our sponsors.....

HOW TO ENTER:You can email the name of your favourite photo to info@tdlhorsemag.com.au or alternatively you can

go to our facebook page ‘Tamworth & District Local Horse Magazine’ and there will be a photo album createdwith all the photo winners, click like on your favourite photo and the likes will be tallied up along

with the email entrants and the GRAND FINAL WINNER will be announced in our DEC/JAN edition

Prizes - Prizes - Prizes

2.2kg box of PowerStance

...proudly sponsored by

Hay bag & set of Braided Reins

donated by Wynmah Pony Stud

Funny Photo

Cutest PhotoBest Jumping

Best Sporting

Best Refusal Best Costume

Susan Sargent

Cherie HannanSigrid Penrose

Eliza Falkenmire

Jana Romer

Mykenzie Semple

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TOOLS: Rubber Curry: Usually shaped like an oval or circle, has soft rubber “teeth”.

Dandy Brush: Stiff bristled brush.

Body Brush: Soft bristled brush, usually made of horse hair.

Hoof Pick/Brush: The hoofpick/brush combo can be found a most tack stores.

Mane Comb: I recommend plastic, you will be less likely to break the hairs.

Towel: Polishing towel/rag, helps remove sweat marks and gives the coat a nice shine after brushing.

GROOMING: When grooming a horse, start at the top of his neck and work your way to his rear, then switch sides and repeat. Make sure your horse or pony is safely tied wearing a leather halter or by using ‘quick-release’ snaps on cross-ties.

1. Start with the Rubber Curry. The rubber curry should be used in a circular motion to loosen dirt that has settled under the horse’s hair. NOTE: be very careful and gentle around bony areas of your horse’s body (such as his back or shoulders). Don’t use a Rubber Curry on your horse’s legs unless you can be extremely gentle with it. Never use a Curry or any stiff brush on your horse’s face. It’s too easy for your horse to injure his eye on the rubber curry or stiff bristled brush, and eye injuries are usually serious, needing immediate veterinarian attention.

2. Next, use the Dandy Brush. The motion for this brush is like the same motion you would use when sweeping a floor. You ‘flick’ the brush away and up from the coat so that the dirt comes off of his coat. Unless your horse is already extremely clean, you should see a slight cloud of dust with each stroke. If you don’t, you need more “flicking” action with this brush. If you don’t use this “flicking” motion, the dirt will just get pushed back under the hair, potentially causing irritation to the horse.

3. Then, you use the Body Brush. The body brush is meant to smooth down the hair and to get rid of any traces of left-over dirt after you have thoroughly used the Dandy Brush. With the Body Brush, you do not use a ‘flicking’ motion, instead, you smooth it flat over the horse’s coat to flatten the hair. This brush often gives the horse a shiny, clean appearance (but only when the brushes are used in this order!)

4. Next, use the Mane Comb to gently comb the horse’s mane. Use the Dandy Brush to brush the horse’s tail. Many people use the comb to brush their horse’s tails, but I don’t use a comb since it breaks the hairs more easily. If you want the horse to grow a long, flowing tail, you should use the Dandy brush instead (or don’t brush the tail at all...in this case, you could use warm water to rinse the tail, then apply a tail conditioner or Show Sheen to keep the tail from tangling or getting knots).

5. Now, on to the feet! You should first have your instructor show you how to pick up a horse’s feet. Usually, this can be done by running your hand down your horse’s leg, then gently squeezing his fetlock (ankle). Be sure not to pick up the horse’s foot too high, or he might loose balance. When you use the hoof pick, always scrape away from you, just as you would if you were using a carrot peeler. You don’t want to accidently injure yourself or your horse if he suddenly moves or pulls his foot away. It is important to thoroughly clean out the hollow areas on both sides of the frog, and around the sole of the foot. For an illustration of these areas of the hoof, view our Parts of the Hoof & Foot article.

6. The last step is using the Towel. A plain towel or rag will do, just wipe it over the horse’s coat to bring out the shine.

TA DA! You’re all done! When you are finished riding, it is good to give the horse another grooming to remove any sweat marks or dirt that accumulated from the arena or trail. It is also a wonderful ‘after riding’ reward for horses who like to be groomed.

OTHER TIPS: Some people will lightly spray the towel with a hair conditioner such as “Show Sheen”, to help bring out the shine in the horse’s coat. NOTE: be very careful when using Show Sheen or any similar product! It is very slippery under a saddle, so do not use it on the horse’s back or girth area if you are planning on riding or your saddle could slip and you could fall off! (I’ve seen this happen a few times at shows).

Another brush called a “Mud Brush”, has very stiff bristles. This can be used on horses that have been out rolling in the mud. Be sure that all the mud has dried before trying to brush it off, or it will just be smeared over the horse’s coat and rubbed in under the hair!

A Shedding Blade can be used in the spring time to help loosen and get rid of the extra hair that the horse may shed off due to the season change. Be very, very careful with a Shedding Blade, since the edges are very sharp! To avoid injuries to the horse, I recommend the shedding blade NOT be used on the face or legs of a horse.

FOR KIDS!!.........BY: Cheryl Sutor

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Australian Barrel Horse Associationwww.abha.com.au

Australian Bushmans Campdraft & Rodeo Association www.abcra.com.au

Australasian Team Roping Associationwww.teamroper.com.au

NSW Rodeo November 2011

Barrel Horse November/Decemebr 2011

5-6 Nov Wyuna, Quandialla, Nsw6 Nov Kootingal, Nsw26 Nov Kootingal, Nsw

3 Dec Kootingal, NSWFor more information on the above Roping events please visit: www.teamroper.com.au

Team Roping November 2011

For more information on Rodeo events in NSW please visit: www.abcra.com.au

6 NovDivisional Barrel RaceMoonbi Magic Barrel Rac-ing IncMoonbi Western ArenaSusan Worgan 02 6767 1204 or 0427 010 688

6 NovDivisional Barrel RaceCentral West Barrel Horse Club IncSusan Coggan 0268872490Email: mscoggan@bigpond.com

11 NovMitavite Barrel RaceABHA Equitana Sydney5.15 PM startMichelle O’Neill 0413 609 880

13 NovDivisional Barrel RaceFundraiser for Vicki WaltersSouthern Barrel Racing ClubMichelle Makeham’s arena NangusMichelle Makeham 0427 036 764 or02 6944 7105

3 - 4 DecCloverleaf Cruisers 2011 FinalsMurrarundi ShowgroundsSEE PG 38 for more information!

10 DecFINALSMoonbi Magic Barrel Rac-ing IncMoonbi Western ArenaSusan Worgan 02 6767 1204 or0427 010 688 MMBRI

11 DecCWBHC FINALSCentral West Barrel Horse Club IncSusan Coggan 02 6887 2490 or0408 827 660Email: mscoggan@bigpond.com

What’s on calendarRodeo/Barrel Horse

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Do your hands and seat come naturally and spontaneously … or … do you analyze everything you do?

Try this test:Crumple up a piece of paper and set a trash can 15 feet away. Your objective is to toss the paper into the basket using two patterns of thought.

On your first toss, focus on the mechanics of throwing. Analyze how your hand must open to release the paper. Think about the angle of your elbow, the position of your hand, and the rotation of your shoulders as you throw. With all these thoughts spinning in your head, make your toss.

Now try throwing the paper by simply getting a picture in your mind of what you want to happen. Rehearse the feeling of a perfect toss. Imagine the paper dropping into the center of the basket. Now hold that image and make your toss. Trust your body to do the work as guided by your mind.

You will probably produce more baskets.

The same is true for any discipline or style of riding. The best riding is automatic, intuitive, and instinctive.

Of course, as we learn new riding skills, we have to break things down analytically to improve our mechanics. There’s no way around step-by-step thought in the learning process.

But that is just the beginning. Early on in your progression you can consciously accelerate your skill acquisition by riding more instinctively.

Riding by InstinctAs you practice techniques that develop more feel, you’ll begin to trust your decisions, or use your feet appropriately, or keep your hands low … all more automatically and “in-the-flow” instead of feeling like a disjointed robot!

Try these four tips and watch your true talent and skill come to life. And … as you make the transition from analytical to instinctive riding, you’ll have more fun.

1. Use mental videos to imagine what you want to do before you do it.

All great riders have developed the ability to get an image of a smooth ride before they do it … out on the trail, or a great jump, or an elegant reining spin, or nose-to-nose rhythm with a cow.

Images are incredibly powerful. They work to your advantage by automatically programming your mind and body for success.

One of your jobs is to have fun with these mental images. This is important!

So, let your imagination run wild. The videos should feel magical, like something you can step into. They can also feel like a relief to you because you are “letting go” of the analysis and rolling with the flow.

You can also try mentally becoming your favorite rider as an experiment to help you get the hang of it. Then, put your own spin on it.

Play with the image until it feels good. Keep playing it over and over and enjoy the experience! The more positive emotions, like energy, calmness, confidence, and fun you add to your mental videos, the better … and the more pleasant and powerful.

2. Work on rhythm and tempo to smooth out mechanics.

Instinctive riding is smooth and non-robotic.

Coach yourself to feel the rhythm. Before and during your ride, remind yourself, “Feel the rhythm. Feel the rhythm.”

Sometimes counting or repeating a tune or a phrase can re-establish flow, too.

3. Steady your breathing.

Become aware of your breathing and simply let the air flow in and out of your abdomen when possible.

Be easy about this. A focused breathing pattern can help you blend the mechanics with the intended rhythm of your entire ride or any part of it.

4. Use phrases with feeling words to coach yourself as you ride.

Brainstorm phrases that automatically trigger the right moves. Be sure and add these scripts to the mental videos you’ve been practicing (#1 above).

For example, if you say “Smooth, soft, low hands”, that is much better than, “Keep your hands down and stop being jerky”!

“Stay aggressive” could help you remain offensive in a situation without overdoing it.

“Scan out front” evokes more softness and a broader visual field than just, “Eyes up”.

Combine the necessary information of analytical thinking with a mindfulness for instinct, rhythm, and flow. Now you’ll have it going on and be in the groove more quickly and consistently!

About the Author:Barbra Schulte is a personal performance coach for all riders, a cutting horse trainer, author, speaker, and clinician. Visit her Blog and signup to receive her FREE monthly email newsletter, “News From Barbra”. You will also receive the high performance secrets of great riders, inspiration, cutting strategies, news, and much more. In addition, you will also receive via email Barbra’s special FREE report: “Five of the Most Important Skills of Riding”. Go now to http://BarbraSchulte.com

Learn How to Let Go, Trust Yourself, and Tap Into Your True Talent and Skill

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What’s on calendarShowjumping

Showjumping NSWwww.jumpingnsw.equestrian.org.au

North & North West Showjumping Clubwww.nnwsjc.equestrian.org.au

North & North West Showjumping Club hold practice days 3rd Sunday of every month - Tamworth Show Grounds

www.nnwsjc.equestrian.org.au

November/December 2011

Ben Netterfield Clinic 22nd - 24th NovEntries Close 20 Nov 2011Organised by NORTH & NORTHWEST SHOWJUMPING CLUBEvent Location NEGS ArmidalePlease contact Andrew Haddad, the organiser of the clinic, with any questionsContact Andrew HaddadMobile 0417 806 395

Jenelle Waters Clinic 26th - 27th NovEntries Close 4 Nov 2011Organised by NORTH & NORTHWEST SHOWJUMPING CLUBEvent Location Tamworth ShowgroundContact Dave AldenMobile 0434 499 658Email dave@flowcommodities.com

NSW Equitation Championships SIEC 27th NovSIEC

Summer Showjumping Classic CSI-W. Sydney 8th - 11th DecSIECContact Jane FrankumPhone 0246531063Email espjane@bigpond.com.auwww.equestriansportspromotions.com.au

Please see pg 42 for a full list of NSW Agricultural Show dates...

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Excercisies to Improve your horses Jumping technique

You have to assume that not all shortcomings in jumping technique can be remedied; the natural talent of many horses is limited, and in turn this limits the extent to which their jumping can be improved; then again, other horses are so naturally talented for jumping that many gymnastic exercises, especially those for jumping technique, are superfluous.Should you want to improve your horse’s jumping further, because you want to jump him in higher classes for instance, then you will have to improve your horse’s jumping technique as much as his natural ability will allow. Setting out a full training programme for the specialised show jumping horse is not the intention here, but I will mention a few well-tried practices for the improvement of jumping technique.

Exercises to Improve Foreleg Technique • Try to improve the agility and strength of the horse’s limbs, for

example by hill work, transitions, lateral work, trotting poles.• Aim to ride closer to the ground line; if necessary mark it with a trotting pole.You can achieve a similar effect with a bounce where the second element is higher.• In combinations containing an oxer, the latter can be built with a slightly higher front; also the distances in a combination should be gradually reduced.• If the horse tucks his front legs under unevenly, try jumping him more often out of tighter turns or at a sharper angle - though take care not to tempt him into running out.• The reasons for the horse not bending his forelegs enough, especially at the point of shoulder and in the elbow joint, are similar to those for not using his back.

Exercises to Improve Hind Leg Technique

The agility and flexibility of the hindquarters can be improved with hill work, trotting poles and such like, and also with exercises such as half pirouettes in walk, rein-back and lateral work.

• Try to jump with the horse in greater collection; bad hind leg technique usually results from an insufficient degree of collection and activity of the hindquarters.

• For this, suitable jumping exercises might include: bounces with a slightly higher first element, as well as bounces that contain small spreads.

Gymnastic jumping grids should contain several spreads with the front pole higher in one, and the back pole higher in the next, and so on alternately.

Remember: In jumping exercises which include a number of spread fences, extra care is required not to overtax the horse, because his confidence can easily be destroyed that way!

Exercises to Improve the Power of the Hindquarters

The ability of the horse to jump well depends on the development of a good engine in the hindquarters; therefore all exercises that strengthen and activate the hindquarters are beneficial, for example transitions, combining collection and lengthening exercises, halting and moving off on an uphill slope etc.

• The classic exercise to develop spring (muscle-power) is the bounce, and its beneficial effect can be increased by setting up a row of bounces.

• Spreads jumped off tight turns or from a closer distance are also

suitable.

• When you ride across country you can further improve spring by schooling over uphill combinations, for example steps or stairs.

Exercises to Improve Quickness of Reaction

Quickness of reaction is generally instilled by very varied, all-round work, part of which should include riding frequently in unfamiliar arenas and hacking out in different areas of the country.• In jump training, the materials for the jumps should be changed as much as possible.• It is also effective to keep changing the distances in a grid.• With horses that are slow to respond, grids should be ridden at a faster basic speed.• Responsiveness is also developed by jumping in unusual situations, and by jumping several different, small courses, with short breaks in between.Remember: Gymnastic jumping should be a vital part of every horse’s basic training, regardless of what that horse will become later; in pure dressage, jumping training constantly complements and balances the work on the flat, while in specialised show jumping training it will gradually be replaced by the training for a particular standard of show-jumping course.Gymnastic jumping must never become a strain on the horse; the great value of such exercises lies in the fact that a high degree of gymnastic ability can be achieved with low demands and small jumps.Remember: Variety is good both for you and your horse!In all the variety and specificity of jumping exercises, the limit should be where the construction is unfair to the horse and might cause him to make mistakes. Exercises that undermine a horse’s confidence achieve the very opposite of the beneficial results that properly conducted gymnastic jumping can bring.• You should also use gymnastic jumping for your own training, most of all to improve your seat and balance through exercises such as jumping without reins or stirrups, and to school your feeling for distances and rhythm.

Article thanks to Showjumping International.... 41

www.magictails.com.au

What’s on calendarShow Horse/Agricultural

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NSW Agricultual Shows November 2011

For more information on any of the shows listed below, please visit the website above...

MURWILLUMBAH. TWEED RIVER AGRIC SOC LTDWhere: MURWILLUMBAHWhen: 4 November 2011 - 5 November 2011

HOLBROOK SHOW SOC INCWhere: HOLBROOKWhen: 5 November 2011

FRENCH’S FOREST A & H SOC INCWhere: FRENCHS FORESTWhen: 5 November 2011 - 6 November 2011

MULLUMBIMBY AGRIC SOCIETY INCWhere: MULLUMBIMBYWhen: 11 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

DUNGOG A & H ASSN INCWhere: DUNGOGWhen: 11 November 2011 - 12 November 2011

MINTO SHOW SOC INCWhere: MINTOWhen: 12 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

QUEANBEYAN SHOW SOC INCWhere: QUEANBEYANWhen: 12 November 2011 - 13 November 2011

NEVILLE SHOW SOCIETY INCWhere: NEVILLEWhen: 12 November 2011

BULAHDELAH SHOW SOC INCWhere: BULAHDELAHWhen: 18 November 2011 - 19 November 2011

BANGALOW A & I SOC INCWhere: BANGALOWWhen: 18 November 2011 - 19 November 2011

DORRIGO & GUY FAWKES AGRIC ASSN INCWhere: DORRIGOWhen: 26 November 2011 - 27 November 2011

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p1If plaiting for competition or

sport, check to see if tail plaiting is both permitted and appropriate for your horse breed. For some events, like stadium jumping, hunting, and polo, tail plaiting is mandatory. On the other hand, for some breeds,

such as mountain and moorland pony breeds, the ponies should not have their tails plaited for competition.

The tail should be thick (if the hair is too thin, keep the tail neatly pulled instead unless the horse dislikes this being done). Hair at each side of the dock must be long enough.

2 Tie your horse up. This will ensure that the horse remains still while you plait his tail. Provide him with a haynet so

that he doesn't get bored.

3 Brush through his tail with a body brush and/or a tail brush. Hold the whole tail in one hand and gradually

push the brush through small sections of tail at a time.

Comb the top of the tail and sides with a mane comb.

4 Dip a water brush in water and brush the tail with it

to dampen it. Use a sponge, if preferred.

Alternately apply plaiting gel or egg whites with your fingers. Alternately apply plaiting gel or egg whites with your fingers. These will make the tail hairs easier to grip, and the plait will

be firm and shiny. Dip your fingers in the egg white and pull them through the top and sides of the tail.

5 Begin plaiting. Divide into three small bunches

of hair. Take a small section of hair from the left, middle,

and right sides at the top of the tail. Take the hair from as close to the top as possible. This part of the plaiting is very similar to French braiding.

Cross the left section over the middle section. Then take the right section over the section that is now in the middle

(originally the left section). Take some more hair from the left of the tail and add it to the section on the left (originally the middle section) and cross it over as before.

6 Continue using this method until three quarters the length of

the dock (tailbone). Keep each side of the plaiting as even as possible, maintaining even pressure. The plaiting should be sitting tight enough to hold without pulling on the hairs. Always keep the plait in the centre.

Give the dock (tailbone) a quick squeeze to feel where you are.

7 Stop taking new hair from the tail at the three quarters length. Finish by plaiting the rest of the hairs in your

hand conventionally, without taking in new hairs from the sides.

8 Secure a rubber band at the end of the plait. If preferred, use thread or yarn in place of the rubber band. If you

can match the tail colour, this is preferred for competition.

9 Fold the long end of the plait up. Tuck it under the French

plait.

It will now form a loop shape. S e c u r e with a rubber band or plaiting band. Alternately, you can sew the loop into a single plait, as shown in the next step.

10 Sew the loop together with thread to merge the two plaits as one. Knot the end of the thread before threading through.

Sew through the end of the plait first. Wind the cotton round twice. Fold the loop as above.

S t i t c h through the top of the loop. Stitch down the centre of both plaits. This will make it into one plait. Secure the end by looping the thread through one of the stitches. Cut the cotton with scissors.

TIPS: Always try to keep even pressure while you plait. Always keep the plait in the centre.

Use the same colour rubber band and thread as the colour of your horse’s hair.

To protect the plait while travelling, you can apply a tail bandage over it. When you remove it, make sure to unwrap it gently rather than pulling it off.

Expect to practice this a number of times before feeling comfortable doing it. It’s a good idea to have someone expert guide you the first few times.

Braiding The Tail

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Western Performance/Reining

NSW Reining Horse Associationwww.reiningnsw.com

Tamworth District Western Performance & Appaloosa Clubwww.freewebs.com/tamappy1

New England Quarter Horse Associationwww.freewebs.com/neqha

27th November NEQHA B show is now a beginner improver clinic with Sue Williams and Lesley Stewart starting at 10am. Cost is $50.00 with a light lunch provided. An xmas bbq at 3.30pm that afternoon. Meat is provided, members/guests are asked to bring their own drinks, chairs and a plate of nibblies, salad or a dessert.Moonbi ShowgroundNew England Quarter Horse Associationwww.freewebs.com/neqha

WESTERN PERFORMANCE November/December 2011

44

PART 2By Sue FarrellWESTERN?…

Sue has been training and showing Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas over the past 35 years with great success. She has won State and National titles in Halter, Western Pleasure, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle and Reining. She specialises in training Amateur and Youth competitors and in 1990 was chosen as the Team Trainer for the Youth World Cup which was held at Spruce Meadows, Calgary. Many of her Amateur and Youth customers have also gone on to win many State and National Titles over the years as have many of the horses she has trained.Sue was also actively involved in the Australian Quarter Horse Association as a Director for many years, holding the positions at various times of Vice-President and Convenor of Youth, National Judging, Show & Performance and International Director.Now retired from judging, Sue was an Accredited AQHA Judge for over 30 years together with holding

judging tickets with the National Reining Horse Association and Horse Show Association of Australia. Sue has judged Championships in every State in Australia,New Zealand and New Caledonia, as well as conducting clinics throughout these Countries. She was invited to travel to South Africa in 1998 to give instructional horsemanship seminars in KwaZulu Natal, Capetown, Johannesburg, East London and Richmond in both Western and English styles of riding. After a 12 year break from showing, Sue now lives with her husband in Tamworth New South Wales, where they enjoy breeding, training and showing Quarter Horses.

The events...Many of you may be curious as to what the names of the classes mean and how do you get to compete in that particular event. Hopefully, I will be able to clarify some of the standard western events you may see on any show program.

QUARTER HORSE HALTER CLASSES:These classes are closed to Quarter Horses only and the horse MUST be registered with the AQHA (Australian Quarter Horse Association). In order to obtain points with the AQHA, the owner and handler must be members of the relevant association.....The same goes for Paint and Appaloosa classes, all must be registered with their particular breed society. The classes are often divided into their relevant age groups which is self explanatory.

SHOWMANSHIP:Unless competing at a State or National Show, this class is open to ALL BREEDS, from pony to thoroughbreds and is a class designed to promote the safe handling of a horse on the ground. This is a class judged NOT on the animal, but on the HANDLER. The judge is looking for a handler who firstly looks the part, is well dressed and gives the impression of knowing what he/she is doing. The class is a PATTERN class, where you will be shown or told where to take your horse and show him/

her off to the best of your ability. Cones or markers are always used and one of the most important things I can tell you is to LEARN YOUR PATTERN!! This class can also divided into age groups (handler). These being Junior Youth (13 yrs & under), Senior Youth (14 yrs & over), Amateur (over 18 who don’t train horses professionally) and Select Amateur (adults 50 yrs and over).

EQUITATION: This class also can be divided into different age groups for the rider. It can be either Western or English and is judged on the rider – their position in the saddle, their presentation, their ability to ride a CORRECT PATTERN, and their ability to guide and control their horse. Once again, learning the pattern and riding a correct pattern is a vital part of this class.

NEXT MONTH WE WILL COVER WESTERN PLEASURE, TRAIL AND HUNTER UNDER SADDLE.Until then....happy trails.

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An enterolith is a mineralized mass that forms within the large intestine. The masses form by depositing layers of struvite crystals around a dense nidus such as hair, stone or metal. Animals that are fed diets high in magnesium and protein are most vulnerable, as may occur with a legume based feed intake. The pH of the intestinal contents is also thought to be an important factor for stone development.

Typically, affected horses have a history of intermittent, mild-moderate colic that may be episodic in nature. Each episode of colic may be separated by weeks or months. This occurs because the stone acts like a ball valve, causing periodic obstruction of the colon. The horse may also develop a reduced appetite or signs of depression over time. Much of the time, obstruction within the colon is not complete so normal faecal passage may occur.

Occasionally the stone may be detected by your vet on rectal examination, but usually the weight of the stone means that it is kept out of reach. Some large equine veterinary practices have an x-ray machine capable of imaging the horse’s abdomen, which may enable xray detection of the stone. In cases where there is no definitive diagnosis able to be made, an exploratory surgery is often performed based on a history of recurrent colic alone.

Surgical removal of the stone is the only treatment available – generally the stones are too large to pass with faeces. The prognosis for survival after removal is excellent, provided that the stone is detected prior to intestinal rupture occurring.

Prevention of stone formation may be assisted by reducing the percentage of legume based hay in the diet to less than 50%. The remainder of roughage in the diet may be made up of oaten, wheaten or grass hay. The daily feeding of vinegar (1 cup a day of apple cider vinegar) may also help prevent stone formation by lowering the pH of the intestinal contents. In addition, horses should have regular access to grazing or, if stabled, should have smaller, more frequent meals to encourage more consistent intestinal passage. Occasional doses of psyllium may also be beneficial.

Dr Tamara McElroy BSc BVMSTAMWORTH EQUINE VETERINARY CENTRE

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