** ALL PHOTOS ON THIS SITE ARE FREE TO USE.

Turn up the volume

One Week Average Hits:  January 2008 -  1,573,048

Ranked 4th in the World - Horse Training.

 

13th March, 2008

Yet another scorcher and our State now has the Australian record for the 11th straight day over 35 degrees and it is going to at least 15 according to the forecast. Bush Fires yesterday and today and tomorrow is 40 degrees in the shade.

Up early again and I bit the bullet on the young QH Boy. I rode him yesterday for 5 minutes and this morning I followed Mrs. HP straight out the gate and around one of our arenas here. 5 minutes of that and then I split off and went exploring the property for the rest. The thing is that this horse is another A.D.D. Child and with these, regardless that they wouldn't have a clue how to do anything, I get them straight out of the confines of the Round Pen as they are far safer being shell shocked than thinking you are looking after your best interests by staying in. We completed the ride knowing much more than when we started, like what the Hell leg might mean lol.

I handed my lovely Clydie Filly over to the Boss this morning, day 13 from scratch and here she is.

Like so many young horses with heavy bloodlines...they can move. Check this out.

Anyhow, that is about it for the day. By 9am it was about enough. By the way, remember the Adelaide Cup was shifted back 40 minutes to 4.30 the other day hahahaha. It was 35,6 degrees in the shade at 7pm today. Take your hands out of your pockets Boys :)

**************************

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Good Morning

After a bit of advice.

I rode a horse the weekend (9yo WB Gelding 17hh, sound,16K). Was very quiet and nice natured ( & I know he wasn't drugged)

The owner then took him to my coachs property to ride as a trial. I rode him in the walk and then asked for trott on the left rein and he took off with me- spun to the right and cantered to the other end of the arena. I had been on him for about 1 minute when this happened.

Now the owner had ridden him for about 20 minutes and he was a little hyper with her but fine. My problem is I have seen the potential of how calm he can be when he is at home but he was very strong, trying to dominate me and intimidate when he was out. He was also not behaved for my coach but they worked through it a bit more.

The other thing I noticed was that on the ground he did not respect anyone's space and when getting him back into the float he slipped his halter off and went off walking to see other horses. His owner stood in front of him and tried to stop him and he practically walked on her.

The owner called me last night and said it was probably because I am not used to a snaffle (which is misguided) and also that I am used to riding school masters (this is true but I have also ridden several other horses of different ages and experience but yes they were all quiet horses). I have had horses shy and buck with me but never spin and canter off. I was in shock so wasn't quick enough to stop him from turning and once he went he was determined to go. At one stage he put his head down as well but I didn't tense the rein so he didn't look to buck (that's how it felt but my coach said he didn't look like he would) Apparently he is fine out and she is happy for me to come with her and see her ride him in a dressage test.

I guess my question really is - do you think this horses ground manners has resulted in him feeling like he can bully and intimidate in the saddle as well.

& also he is a lovely moving and well put together horse. Is my expectation that he be that well behaved unrealistic? (or am I being too fussy??)

thanks

Barb

Hi Barb, as explanation to the readers', I will say that we saw you ride here when you tested our horse out for purchase. Of course we assessed you then and we are both of the firm opinion that you had better be very careful as you are not yet at the level that we could call you a 'warmblood Rider. It is ironic that the one you rode here was probably one of the few in the Country that would have suited you but that's water under the Bridge. We also knew and discussed as Husbands and Wife's do that evening, that you would be in real danger of injury as you went forward in your search for a Warmblood Horse, given your level of experience, the Crooks out there and the fact that you were looking inside that particular Breed for a Horse. I really only have two words for you about that Horse, 'walk away! but of course I can't shut up :) You have met a real suspect Horse there and you were a lucky Girl. Move on. Apart from the fact of what he did, the bad sign is the head down. Ever seen the bolting Ponies on little Kids at the Show???? That is what you face with that Horse. I agree with you, snaffle or not, shouldn't matter, should it? By the way, that Ginnie continues to surprise us completely. She is doing sequence changes now and has come into self carriage as well as much more naturally forward with it. She was sold shortly after you saw her but EI has seen Mrs. HP continue to ride and ride and ride :) Now tonight, the owner wants her here another 4 weeks as her arena has been delayed :) Poor Linda.  Keep safe.

******************************

Hello John,


Been awhile since I last wrote, well the big boy (rogue who come to see you) is enjoying life with my mare out in the paddock, his face tells it all with just the soft look and relief in the eyes, he has been out since September last year so he is getting a much need brake from it all.

So since he has been out with my mare my foal has been in who is now 15mths old and I tell you the rope halter is a thing of beauty I can walk her for k’s out in the bush no troubles at all with telling her who’s boss, and she most definitely walks behind me not over the top of me like you seen my big boy doing. As soon as she even sounds like jumping forward all I have to do is put my hands up and she stays away from jumping on me which is good. I have trained her to self load in the horse float, so I only have to put the back down and she is straight in no worries, her latest thing she did was, I was washing the inside of the float from one side of the divider and she Loves the hose, so she saw fit to walk up the other side of the inside of the float and let me wash her, I have never had a horse self load let alone let me wash them in the float, so I didn’t argue. I have had a saddle on her, and our recent accomplishment was going around a track (5km roughly) with my daughter on her Shetland, I was in the saddle on Freckles (that’s her name 15mth Arab x Quarter horse) and at a walk with light trotting just in the rope halter (with two leads as reins of course) we had done this twice, and she isn’t all peaches she had tried her hand at dumping me a couple of times but a quick growl following a light smack on the neck is enough to make her think twice for a while…..

I plan on purchasing you dvd on mouthing and wanted your opinion on when was the best time to start mouthing a horse, I personally unless you state otherwise was just going to wait until she is a 2yr old so she develops a bit better teeth wise and just continue with the halter work, I do figure that if I can control her in a halter and ride that this will help when it comes to the bit, especially since I would like my daughter to eventually be able to ride her as well. She is fantastic for me to lead my daughter on no worries around the stables, I have had a many people tell me to mouth her now or start putting a bit in her mouth but I am in no hurry and they are all surprised on how well I am doing with her and in a halter (think I am show them up a little hehehe)



Anyway enough of writing you a novel with wait for your response and with catch soon

Cheers

Angela

Hi Angela, good to see you are going ok. I feel a little embarrassed in answering you truthfully as you are on such a Natural High :) but in reality, you only get one shot at the best Mouth and riding in Halters actually takes away the chance of achieving exellence in the long run. That's not to say that you still won't end up with a pretty reasonable one but in my experience, never a 10. There are many reasons for that and you had better not start me cause we will be here all night but rope halters and the like show the young horse the glimpse of the road to resistance and of course, they are born to resist :) Mind you, you have done well. Had any flack about the age? I had better say that you are a wee slip of a thing :) I prefer them 3 Angela but as I said, take her slow and with your weight you may be ok. It's hard to wait, isn't it :)

***********************************

Hi John,
I had a little chuckle while reading about horses and their prefered water buckets!
I wanted to relate something, but felt too shy to speak until now, as I thought I was being imaginatively silly:-
Having worked in some of the richest hotel kitchens in London, I will forever live by the rule "If the quality is so poor you can't put it in your mouth, don't serve it up on someone's plate".
I have therefore, for the last 5 years, emptied out and scrubbed clean every water container in each of my 3 paddocks daily!
Then filled them up with fresh water.
Each paddock has a 50 litre container.
The mare and 2 foals will empty their container bar the last 1 inch every 24 hours.
The 5 youngsters drink 3/4 of their container and the 4 in the other paddock drink about 1/2 of theirs each day.
So I fill them accordingly to ensure the least amount of wastage when I clean them out the next day.
A few weeks ago hubby remembered to fill the troughs as he happens to be passing, but he wasn't aware about his wife's water-wasting ways, and instead of emptying, scrubbing clean and refilling, he simply turned on the taps!
Later in the day I found the troughs were still full.
The next day, the troughs were still full of water!!
Are they REALLY that fussy? Or is this a learned behaviour?
Have I taught my ponies to ONLY accept fresh water?
I remember the 'new arrivals' drinking water from the ditches and puddles a few months ago, how could that be any cleaner than 2 day old water from a bucket!!!???
So I got busy emptying the troughs, washing them thoroughly, turned on the taps and the poor beggas, from one paddock to the next were drinking straight from the taps they were so thirsty!!
Sarah.

Hell Sarah, sound like some of the Teenagers these days hahahaha. I tell you what, you couldn't do that here. You would be locked up. Luckily for you, New Zealand may be 30 years behind us but in the end Girl, you won't be doing that!!. Horses are suspicous buggers and they do not like change. I would think that is what is occuring but how are they? Do they think they are Royalty>??

******************************

Hi John

I have only recently discovered your excellent website and am busy working my way through the information. My husband is planning to build a float, so the float section has been of particular interest and a real eye opener. In our search for float plans we came across plans for a float where the horse travels facing backwards and then discovered that this type of float is actually being manufactured in NZ (only a few hours drive from us) see www.equibalance.co.nz

 , previously known as Kiwi Safety Trailers. We are wondering what your opinion is about this system as it sounds very sensible, obviously as long as all the float hazards you have mentioned are eliminated.

Thanks for providing all the excellent advice on your website. I will be purchasing some of your e books and probably DVDs as I have three horses including a six month old foal. I know that they and I will benefit from your experience.

Regards

Adrienne NZ

I don't know Adrienne. I have to admit never seeing one or testing Horses in such. There have been studies and test that say that horses prefer that way of travel but I only comment on what I have examined. I'll have a look through the site tomorrow. Regards

 

12th March, 2008

Stinking Hot again and up and at em at 6am, still dark. First mount up on my latest little fulla, Oscar. He looks a lot like his Daddy.

Meanwhile, Mrs. HP escorted Mrs Anne Easton around the District on her lovely and newly broken in Standardbred Gelding (by her) and he didn't bat an eyelid they tell me. Even cantered and didn't pace once. The smile says it all. "Love is in the air" :)

 

Meanwhile, I escorted the owner of the Clydie Filly around the District and she rode the last half. Once again, went off without a hitch, walk, trot and canter. She works for Kentucky Equine Research.

So all in all, a pretty successful morning until we had to float load a Horse that ran into the Float too fast and crushed Mrs. HP against the chest Bar, hurting her plenty. We don't think anything is broken but she sure is a sore Girl. Trouble with her is that she doesn't bruise or swell up much.

HORSES AND HEAT

Hi John

Just checking out your site as I haven’t been there for a while. You have touched on one of my pet subjects...bloody people putting themselves/career in front of the welfare of the horse... Kirkaldy Park Horse Trials have just stated on Aushorse that they ARE running their event this weekend despite the temperature going to be 36 degrees plus!! They state that they will start the cross country earlier 700 and finish around 130pm ( I’ve never seen horse trials finish on time)and they will think about..... In fact here is what they have said:

“To all competitors KPHT is intending to run on the weekend 15/16 March.

The cross country and showjumping will probably be starting at 7am not 9am and we should be finished by 1.30pm. There will be bags of ice available for aggressive cooling of the horses (and riders if necessary). A demonstration of aggressive cooling will be done on saturday probably during the lunch break and we advise everyone to attend. We will also look at extending the optimum time on the cross country courses, this will be decided on the Saturday. The going is reasonable, the ground does give beneath the horses feet. “
God I wish there was a governing body to make them to stop being A#@%holes. Anyone who runs this weekend should have to run the cross country course on foot before making their horses do it...that would sort them out then they need to travel home in the back of the float with the horses sweltering!!
I bet they wont refund the entry fees ($140 + ) to those people who choose to put their horses welfare first!!
This is madness and in makes me so angry!!!
I don’t feel any better now I’ve vented L

Pam

*****************

Hi John,
Just had a call from a concerned rider, telling me that Kirkcaldy Park Horse trials are GOING AHEAD on the weekend, despite the weather forcast of extreme heat, not to mention the great risk of bush fires. (Rider has pulled out of event). Where are the RSPCA standing on this event, I wonder. Have they thought of the problems associated with evacuating horses, riders and spectators in the event of a crisis? Are they still having it because some of our high profile riders need exposure before the big bang in China? Me thinks the organisers have been standing in the sun too long...
Keep cool.

Well to both Ladies, what can I say? You have said it well. So we start at 7am Yippee for the 7am people. What about the 11am people? or the Horses? I know what it is like as I am out there 5 days a week. At 9am it is too Hot for casual riding, let alone galloping like a fool around a Cross Country Course. In 39 degrees which is the forecast, and in the shade, it will be 43 minimum and don't anyone give me the "It is cooler in the Hills" Bull Shizzer it is. When it gets past 35, that is a fallacy. The bottom line is once again, the Peak Bodies do not have Planning and they do not have Rules in place. This is proof once again. A Circus. "Who's looking after the Horses?" You know the one's....the one's we love soooooo much??????

****************************

Double blow for British Olympic hopes


Britain's hopes for Olympic glory have suffered a double blow with the death of a dressage horse and the withdrawal of one of the country's top showjumpers.
German-based British dressage rider Fiona Bigwood has lost her top ride, Mr G de Lully.

Mr G de Lully had been turned out in a 20x20m sand arena with "every boot and bandage on", but somehow fractured his leg in seven places between the hoof and the fetlock.

"We tragically had to have 'G' put down despite all efforts to save his leg," said Bigwood. "What he had done we will never know. There was nothing we could do."

The 15-year-old 16.2hh Swedish-bred gelding by Gaugin de Lully is currently fifth in the British Dressage Grand Prix Rankings and had represented Britain at the 2005 and 2007 European Championships. Bigwood was preparing him for team qualification for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

"He was so special to me and we were so in tune with each other. His loss is like losing a member of my family," said Bigwood.

• Nick Skelton's top showjumper Arko will not be available for Olympic selection.

He has been withdrawn from selection by his owners, the Hales family, the British team management and Skelton.

Derek Ricketts, Show Jumping Performance Manager said: "Taking into account both Arko's stud duties and veterinary advice, we agreed that it wouldn't be fair to target him for the Olympic Games. Obviously this was not an easy decision, but one we felt would be in Arko's best interests."

He said that Skelton and Arko would still be available for Super League selection this year.

Will Connell, British Equestrian Federation Performance Director, said Arko had been a consistent servant to Great Britain over the years and hopefully for many more to come.

"This decision has been made with the best interests of the horse in mind to ensure his long term future as both a working stallion and international competition horse."

 

*********************

BAD NEWS FOR HEAVY RIDERS ON NARROW HORSES

Researchers in the US have bad news for overweight horse riders. A study has found that horses who have to carry between 25 and 30 per cent of their bodyweight have more physical problems related to exercise than those who carry 20 percent or less.
Horses carrying 30% body weight showed a significant increase in muscle soreness and muscle tightness scores. The changes were less marked when they carried 25% body weight.

Dr Debra Powell and colleagues at the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute, Wooster, conducted a study in which horses, carrying up to 30% of body weight, were monitored performing a standardised ridden exercise test in an indoor school arena. After five minutes active walk to warm up, the horses were ridden at a trot (3m/s) for 4.8km, followed by 1.6km at a canter (5m/s). This exercise schedule was chosen to simulate a 45-minute work period of work typical of an intermediate-level riding school horse.

The researchers measured heart rate, plasma lactate concentration and creatine kinase. Lactate is produced in the muscles during exercise. At low levels of work the body can metabolise it and so levels in the plasma remain low. As the work level increases the rate of lactate production exceeds the body's ability to remove it and so concentrations rise. Creatine kinase (CK), an enzyme present in the muscles, is released into the blood as a result of some types of muscle damage.

An animal massage therapist assessed muscle soreness and muscle tightness before and after exercise.

The findings seemed to support the view that horses can carry up to 20% of their body weight without difficulty. There was little difference between all the measures when horses carried either 15% or 20% of body weight. However, when the weight carried increased further, the scientists started to detect differences.

When horses carried 25% or 30% of their body weight their heart rate remained elevated for longer after exercise. The serum CK level was higher immediately after exercise, and 24 and 48 hours later, in horses carrying 30% body weight compared with those carrying 25% or less. There was no change in CK when horses carried 15 and 20%. Plasma lactate levels were higher immediately after exercise and 10 minutes after end of exercise, in horses that carried 30% of their body weight.

The study also investigated whether the horse's conformation affected its weight-carrying capacity. The scientists looked at the horse's height, circumference of the cannon midway between knee and fetlock, and width of the back (loin) behind the saddle - between the last rib and pelvis.

They found that horses with wider loins showed less muscle soreness and tightness when carrying 25% and 30% body weight.

This was a small study involving only 8 horses. The scientists suggest that further investigations into the value of loin width as an indication of weight carrying ability would be worthwhile.

We all knew that 35 years ago but good that they now realize.

************************

SADDLE PRESSURE STUDIES SHOWS PROBLEMS WITH MOUNTING

New research on the forces that the saddle exerts on a horse's back has revealed that the way a rider mounts can have a great effect.
The study, by Dr Hilary Clayton and colleagues at the Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center, at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, at East Lansing, looked at how the pressure under the saddle differed depending on whether the horse was mounted from the ground or from a raised mounting block.

Back problems are often blamed for poor performance and behavioural problems in horses. An ill-fitting or damaged saddle can cause pain.

Ten experienced riders, of different weights and heights, took part in the study. Each mounted the horse from the ground and from a mounting platform. The horse, a 14-year-old riding horse gelding, was clinically sound, had no back problems, and was ridden in a correctly fitting dressage saddle.

A pad placed under the saddle contained an array of pressure sensors. Each individual measurement was analysed to produce an overall picture of the pressure gradients.

The study showed that the horse's withers play an important part in stabilising the saddle as the rider mounts. There was a marked downward force in the left stirrup as the riders right leg swung upwards. The total force was significantly higher when the horse was mounted from the ground, than when a platform was used. If the area under the saddle was divided into quadrants (inner and outer, front and back) on each side, the peak pressure occurred at the right fore inner (by the withers) and left fore outer quadrants.

Unsurprisingly, the study also confirmed that heavier riders exerted greater pressures on the horse's back. From their results, the scientists calculated that a rider weighing 50kg mounting from the ground would exert a maximum total force of 547N. A 100kg rider would exert a maximum total force of 914N.

However, it is not so much the maximum total force that caused problems. The forces recorded during mounting were actually slightly lower than those recorded when the horse was ridden at a walk, and much lower than during cantering.

Similarly the inertial effect caused by the right leg swinging up was less than that measured during the trot and canter. These pressures were distributed evenly and were only likely to present a problem if the saddle did not fit properly.

More important is the fact that the forces experienced during mounting are asymmetrical - concentrating the pressures on localised areas at the right side of the withers.

The scientists suggest that heavier riders should be encouraged to use a mounting block rather than mount from the ground, regardless of how agile or tall they are. This should help limit the possible harmful effects of mounting from the ground.

Wide, flat withers make it more likely that the saddle will slip towards the side of mounting, warns Dr Clayton. This is especially so when the saddle tree is narrow and sits too high above the withers.

We have known that forever too and only two weeks ago it was highlighted with a Horse on this site. Perhaps they could look into Colic

***************************



LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi John

You seem to be baking down there!

Two questions for today. Firstly, had a bit of a stack on the weekend. My fault as I rode too long and my muscles got exhausted, so I stacked when horse shied from a walk. Very embarassing and to make it worse, my foot appears to have gotten stuck in the stirrup and I ended up with a twisted ankle. I am rather talented really :) Anyway, it is the first time ever that I have not been able to get back on a horse after a stack and I hobbled back to the saddling area with my boy and put him away. He was very apologetic the whole way back and apparently was rather subdued for the whole day. Seemed to cheer up when I brought his rug out in the afternoon. Since then, he has been a cheeky bugger at feed time - as in not following the rules. I've corrected as needed, but he did it two days in a row with yesterday's correction seeing him run out and fling his head around like a twit. So not only was he made to stand outside yesterday, he also had to do a little ground work before he was allowed in to eat. Today however, he was the picture of manners. I'm actually thinking that the naughties were because I was physically weaker - hobbling pretty badly, hunched over and what not, not the normal assertive body language I have. Today, I am pretty much back to normal and there was no hint of disobedience. Is it likely that is why he was pushing the rules?

Quite possibly but maybe for different, but associated reasons. Your overall vibes being "Poor Me" could transfer 'Cow Down Bow Down" to the Horse and in your Body Language. They are smart they are :)

Second question, he seems to be slipping over at canter. Not fun. Not being able to ride this week, he is being lunged so we can work on balance exercises at canter. In today's warm up, he went over once again. I am thinking it is because he is leaning in too much and the inside hind just slips through to the outside of the circle, so straight under the body and out the other side, and down he goes. He did actually improve with our balance exercise and didn't slip in that. Have you seen that happen before? Could it be veterinary? He is unshod, would shoes help? I can't see why they would, but doesn't hurt to ask. Ridden, he has slipped in the arena, but is it a pretty slippery surface, so we don't ride in there anymore (I've seen other horses go down in there as well). Doesn't happen if I keep him together and upright. Isn't a nice way to come off. I'll get the chiro to come and see him again on the weekend, she may also have some ideas for me.

thanks

K

I am not quite sure where this is happening? Lunging?? Round Pen? Bad Surface? I'll skip that one until you expand a little.

************************************

Hi Hp,
I have a 14hh overweight pony gelding, currently on 8 acres of long grass, (no hand feeding required) with 1 other pony. He's being moved to 3.5/4 acres with 3 other horses and shortish grass.
The reduced grazing will be good for him long term, however I know that sudden changes are bad, so how do you recommend going about this? do i start hardfeeding or just feed hay? how gradually would you do it? what, personally, would you have him on long term?
He's got an easy life and is only ridden about 2 times a week, cheers :)

I can't see a problem with the transfer because both locations are grass. You want him to trim down anyway and if you watch and observe that process properly, you can then decide what supplementary feeding he may require but don't let him 'get under your guard' as they can suddenly go to looking ok to looking very not ok if you know what I mean. There is a fine line there. Regards

*********************

Hi John,

Biggest LOL in ages when I read your story of horses putting fly
veils in a hole in the paddock!! Absolutely brilliant work!

Maybe this explains the disappearance of 3 dog coats off my Tenterfield Terrier somewhere on the property last winter, never to
be seen again!! He obviously hated tartan!!. He can shiver this
winter!!!

Jen

Hahaha Jen. I kid you not, that was a true story. I notice one of my Breakers has that multi colored fly veil hanging in the stable. Guess what, she I forgot to put it on 12 days in a row :)

***************************

The psychological turn around of these horses is obviously essential and the most challenging aspect so I will buy the Track to Dressage. These, along with the market harborough I've purchased will surely aid the process.
Two questions:

Re Market harborough - Is it safe to wear during initial jump training?? (After successfully habituating on the flat of course)

No, definately not!!!!

Re Rearing - Can't seem to download the Rearing podcast?? This is an issue I am confused about and can't seem to get a clear answer wherever I look..
How do I delete this behaviour as opposed to buck jumping? You say that the one rein stop is not to be used. Could you please advise what I can do if I encounter it so as not to reinforce the behaviour? Is it a matter of a downward transition followed immediately by an upward one??

Advice much appreciated..

Kind regards also,

Asher

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/rearing_horse_page.htm

The One Rein stop, if used as a Horse goes to rear, can cause them to fall over backwards and sideways on a twist motion that is highly likely to end with the Horse on the Rider. Downward transitions are also counter productive. Forward is everything.  The other thing is to get the Horse thinking down and that is all about vertical submission and lightness. Regards

 

11th March, 2008

Well, we broke the record of the longest spell over 35 degrees C and it is going to go at least 5 more days, increasing to 39 in the shade again. No rain for 43 days either. Pray! Day off today so didn't do much. Back on the job in the morning. Jump on that little Indiana Fulla and take the proud owner of the Clydie out for a ride with the cars :)

HORSE ACCESSORIES DESIGN VERSUS HORSE WELFARE

THE TRUE STORY OF A GENIUS HORSE

You would know by now that I don't suffer fools gladly where Horses are concerned. I have been finding instances to write about now for 5 years. I thought I would run out after 3 months but it is evident that I will never. Hell, I only have to walk out my back door to find instances where Horses are attempting to communicate their discomfort but we Humans never hear them.

Such is the case of a Saint of a Horse on this property. He is the consummate darling Boy, his owner loves him very much and does a great job in attempting to look after him to the best of her ability but for Horses, this is sometimes not good enough. Problem is that the majority of Humans can't read Horses, definitely don't listen to horses and go about their association letting such a lot go right through to the keeper.

Months ago now, his owner purchased him a fly veil. A very special fly veil. It came with fluffy bits around the top of the head and specifically, ear covers. You know, just like in the cartoons :) Now remember we live in the driest State in the driest Continent on Earth. Now of course the true culprit is those dam Saddlery Chains that must have non Horse people sitting in back rooms dreaming up how they can maximize the profit by color co-coordinating everything for the Teenage Girl and bugger the Horse. The number of stupid bloody Products that are coming out and being sold by the Saddleworld and Horseland boggles my mind. There is little or no care for the welfare of the Horse. As long as it matches the tight ass joddies of the perfectly color co-coordinated the Rider who is going to be spurred on to get into Mother's wallet big time....but I digress....

This great Horse, for Months now, has been removing his fly veil with the ears but because it has a hooking connection to velcro on the top of the neck rug part of the see through outfit. Every day he would remove his fly veil and it would be hanging down at the side of his head. This made him a happy Boy but wait there's more. The neck rug wasn't on recently so he removed the fly veil, picked it up and went and put it in the water trough. Who noticed that? Well Mrs. HP did of course and she had long before known that the Horse was telling us that he hated the bloody thing...but wait there's more.....

The Horses here get put out in a run around paddock for many hours in a day and he set about training his Mates to remove his veil and he would remove their one's. 4 of them went missing for a while until one day one of the owners found them all carefully put in a hole in the paddock.

Do horses talk? You be the Judge. Can people who design Horse Products think about the wants and needs of Horses? Not a chance and what about the owner? Well she is in the vast majority unfortunately. It is not taught, it has never been mentioned in any learning course on the Planet and so why would she. Not her fault. That is why this website will strive to educate and make people think until the day I can't lift a finger!!!

This is similar but with ears on. I saw this one in Saddleworld this week. To match all. Go stick your head in that little darling with the diagonal stripes to confuse the hell out of you and possibly have you run thorugh 10 fences. The black is the most prefered colour and the best view. Horses here vote the BLACK ONLY

- no other colour of the rainbow!!!!!!!!!!!!

**************

STATE DRESSAGE CHAMPS

Hi there,

Again… I am annoyed to read yet another ‘media’ stuff up concerning the SA State Dressage championships!!!
After reading a prominent horse magazine falsely stated that the champs had been cancelled, I now see your site claiming that the champs were pushed back because of EI.
Not so!!
For the first time, the State Champs have been taken on by the willing, enthusiastic and very dynamic Mid South East Dressage Club in Naracoorte. The date for the Champs was set from long before EI, and even though EI proved many challenges, the organisers pushed forth and set the program, and entries are flowing in for what will be a very exciting event.
So – just to set the record straight, as I feel it is unfair to take any of the buzz away from this fabulous club who, with much smaller membership than the clubs who normally host the event, will be sure to do a stellar job.
I thank you for perhaps mentioning a correction.
Cheers,
Carly Boon

MSEDC.

Hi Carly,

The piece was nothing to do with your Club, in fact I didn't even know that is where they are to be held. My point was about holding the event in March year after year and not shifting it backwards.

I wil correct this tonight and have the greatest admiration for your Club as does my wife, not that this is anything to do with her. It is in fact a breath of fresh air which is why we support it.

I was born in Naracoorte so you can see where my heart would lie.

See you there. :)

hi john, thanks for your reply. I do realise the point behind your piece, and agree completely. However, the event has, in fact, been pushed back, to anzac weekend. Although, in support of your point, this had little to do with hot weather, and more to do with ---------------------- event. Again, thanks for the reply, lets hope this weather eases, and those of us who can't ride at 6am might be able to get in the saddle! Cheers, carly

Thanks Carly, no offence meant. My apologies if anyone down there felt put out. Regards

************************

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi John,

Our horses are all fed via troughs from or natural spring and never
had any problems with this. Until today....have you heard of this
before??.

I have been putting one of our horses into a paddock with grass to graze during the day (which is the only one without a trough) so I have been filling his bucket with lovely tank water.

I did this daily for about 2 weeks, then back to usual paddock at night. Then yesterday morning I put him back into another paddock fed by spring trough and left him there.

Today was 37 deg and by the end of the day, this lovely quiet horse
was running the fences. This horse never does this. So I put him
back into a more familiar paddock. Still running the fences.

Decided to try a bucket of "Tank water" and well.................found out I had a very dehydrated horse who I have worked out had not had a drink for 2 days.

Why would a desperately thirsty horse not drink the water that he and all the other horses drink normally just because he tasted the good
stuff?? Wouldn't he take the spring water before death???

Have you seen this before?

Regards, Jen

I don't think I have told this story before but I will. Years ago, I was showing my QH Stallion who was not a purebred. Well, you have never seen so many noses out of joint as he was basically unbeatable with 34 wins and 29 Championships our of 39 shows. One night he was poisoned. His water tub. The pigeons fell from the sky on their way back to their roosts and the Kangaroos were dead not far from the trough. My Horse was on a drip for 7 days but came good. From that day on, he would never drink out of that trough and I ended up having to put two buckets of water at a time in the paddock but he would only drink from the one the most distance from the trough. Horses have a far higher sense of smell than us and you just never know what your Horse could smell on the bucket, the vicinity of the bucket or whatever else. You would only need a Fox to have urinated where you put the bucket. They are suspicious buggers and so they should be :) I would be now experimenting with the Horse to get to the bottom of it. Let your imagination run riot. Good story.

**************************

Hi John,

just a quick question on behalf of someone that agists with me. Her horse, an 8yo Tb she recently bought off a riding school, licks the creo posts when tied up. Noone has ever noticed him do it when out in the paddock, and he doesn't windsuck or crib, but when he is tied to the creo rail he licks it as though it were a salt lick.... Any thoughts as to why? Or how to stop this? Otherwise he could be tied up elsewhere, but just curious as to why he would continually do this....

Thanks,
Lisa

On a similar theme Lisa? Well it is real bad for him Lisa but those Posts may also be Sun Bleached with little Creo odor or taste left???? Surely he wouldn't do that to a fresh one? Anyhow, lacking in minerals of some description I would think. A blood test wouldn't go astray on him. Similar to the Race Horses have to check all of the Blood Cells, Haemo and so on. Let me know

**********************

 

10th March, 2008

Well, we broke the 70 year old record today for heat and the rest of the week is the same.

Hi John,

Saw on the news tonight that it was 40 degrees down your way again. Don't know what is going on. Queensland hardly had a summer. We got our one and only hot day (40.2 degrees) about 2 weeks ago, and it hasn't gotten over 28 degrees since. Down to 14 at night. I've only had the aircon on about 4 nights this summer.

Sounds strange, but maybe you southerners should come up here for a holiday and enjoy some cool weather.

Regards,
Chris

Very Droll Chris. Do they sell stilts up to 6 metres hahahaha? No, it is a worry indeed. Have a read of this.

HORSE SPORTS AND HEAT

I continue to be surprised at the attitude of those in charge of our Horse Sports Organizations and how their heads appear to be buried in the sand when it comes to the Welfare of our good friends, 'the horse'.

Today is a Holiday in our State, for the Adelaide Cup to be run (horse race) of about 2800 metres I think from memory. It is 40 degrees C here today and yet the race meeting is being run. Cunningly and ruthlessly, the committee of the South Australian Jockey Club who show they only care about the almighty Dollar and not Horses, put the race back 40 minutes hahahaha. Wow, 4.30pm when it is still 40 degrees. Nice PR move and how smooth? The fact is that this has to be cruelty to Animals and once again, why is that Horse Industry Bodies in this Country have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the next millennium and the new world of technologies??? If they had half a brain they would already have installed lights, Hell they have known about Global Warming for years now and this meeting and all meetings should be 'TWILIGHT'!!!!

Then we have the Dressage Committees. For years now, concerned Riders' have been asking for the State Dressage Championships to be put back a month or two but the Powers of the Day have continually argued against this. It so happens that those Championships would have been this weekend if it were not for EI. Repeat after me Ladies, "We were wrong again" Read my lips, the Summer in South Australia is too hot for Horse Sports and they should be all cancelled or TWILIGHT MEETINGS???? Are lights being installed anywhere by the EFA? Why now, where is your planning? Get with it!!! Where is Dressage Central? Where are the facilities???? What you been doing for 20 years????? I don't know.....

Why is that the Horse Industry is always behind the times?

So I have mentioned several times how our Government lie with our Temperatures. They take it in the shade of a Tree and that is not the real World. The true Temperature out in the Sun is over 50 degrees according to some people who have tested with a Thermometer and every car thermometer I have seen have the Temperatures at 4-5 degrees consistently higher than the Government Broadcasts on the TV.

I was told today of another Agistment Property that has run our of water. The clients have to bring their own water from home. What do you think of that? Does that worry the Bosses of the Industry and could that make them start to think about protecting the Industry from Global warming>?????

but to finish the rant, to the S.A.J.C. who have made the News Headlines so they have successfully sucked in the Media and most of the suckers who watch TV, you Cons!

************************

and so to the Fish Cans on Wheels made of Steel in our conditions.

This float came into our place the other day, an Olympic and it was nice to think that I have influenced some people. Not the Company of course because most have to be dragged kicking and screaming by the Clients but she did well. She has 17 hand Warmblood Horses.

So we may as well go over it:

Good idea in principal but can become a weapon Complete open spaces can cause rearing to escape.

Ready to hook the Halter of a Horse  Not a removable chest bar

One of the most dangerous gut cutting designs available.

Great rubberGreat light protector One of the most old fashioned and dangerous back ramp latches known.

Highly dangerous handle Great height. 2300mm.

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi i recently was having alot of trouble with my daughter trying to get her to see that by not beating her horse at it’s stubborn i do not want to do this game she was wreaking a great little pony so i showed her your podcast ( i think it is the one about when and when not to discipline the young horse) she has since opened her eyes and is ready to start again and stick with it.

Her pony was a great little pony for me and also for her for the first little while however as all horses do at some time decided to try her out and pulled a fake i’ll scare you attitude which of course worked on my daughter an scared her we have now taken many steps backwards but she is now ready to move forward after hearing your inspirational podcast.

I would like to take this time to thank you greatly as your words have helped my daughter out beyond belief.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Regards

***************************
 

Hi John & Linda,

Firstly would like to say thankyou for your website. Over the past three years I have gained so much valuable information that has helped me with my horse Maske a 4yr old 15hh Anglo Arab Mare.

Just a bit of history:

Purchased her at 18months old, broke her in to saddle at 2yrs put her out for a spell and brought her back as a 3 yr old. She is a well mannered girl on the ground but has been extremly flighty. (the halter type arab!) It had been 10 yrs since I'd been around horses prior to buying her, so I was a bit nervous with her spookyness so unfortunatly we constantly kept feeding off eachother. YOUR ARTICLES HAVE HELPED ME OVERCOME THIS!!!

I had been riding her out on trail rides for 4 months and then fell pregnant. I had to give riding away the past 10 months but have had a friend - knowlegeable horseman riding her. This has been a god send as he rides her through her spookyness and has helped teach her manners with riding with other horses (she used to kick out etc..). I am now back in the saddle and have adopted many of your principles riding her through her spooks. It is wonderful, we are now having fun, I am no longer nervous of her spooking and am so much better prepared for the unexpected than I have ever been. (The past 10 months have been great for re-programming my nervous brain)

My problem is; After about 20 - 30 mins of riding she will start excessivly chewing the bit, tilt her nose to the side and hold her neck to the left, she is leading with her shoulder. She also tries to touch the area between her chest and upper leg. This is done at all paces - extremly dangerous as she is likely to trip and go over. She doesn't do this constantly for the entire ride but will do it in sections for about 15 mins at a time.

I've tried to no avail

- straightning her up with the reins (riding on a loose rein & also tried more contact etc..)
- Tried to distract her by doing sidepasses etc...
- Have had her teeth filed
- Changed bits from an FM to a French Snaffle
- Lowered the bit
- Raised the bit
- Put a nose band on
- checked her tongue wasn't over the bit
- checked saddle and girth for pinching
- Used 4 different saddles just in case

My fellow horse friends don't know, one has suggested it might be a behavoural problem - nervous behavour typical of a young horse???

She also bucks or pigroots while cantering- maybe the two are correlated???

I am going to get a physio to check her over incase she is in pain - although she doesn't appear to be.

Do you have any suggestions - it is extremly frustrating and I am hesitating at riding her faster than a trot in fear she will roll

Kind regards,

Nicole Cameron

I would suggest two things. Ride only say 20 minutes and see what happens and and if the horse doesn't do it. That will aid in your investigation. Rather than a physio, I would be off to the Vet and get a complete check over. You should also video the horse doing this, the head tilting  and the kicking up at canter. That is a sure sign of problems and this is a great indicator for the Vet. Have the Vet view it (something that they should do more of) Regards

*********************************

Hi there!!

I'm a 23yr old female from the UK!! I work in horse racing, and have done for 7yrs.

I am completely understand your points of view on so many things!! I never went to Pony Club myself. And I much prefer rope halters. I do not claim to be the most competent rider in the world, and it's not always easy to spend time getting a race horse going nicely when you may have a different one everyday, but I try my hardest. I ride a 3yr old filly currently who always walks, trots and canters on the lightest of contacts. She will stand still whenever asked, ridden or held. The first time she was hosed down she didn't move a muscle. When leading her in the yard, or at the races she walks quietly and calmly by my side with a loop in the rein. It is yard practice to use chiffney bits though.

This year we had a chap called Gary Witherford, who follows your techniques, start our yearlings for us, and they are much better for it. However, the staff that ride them insist on pulling on their mouths and eventually ruining them. It's truly heartbreaking!!

I do have a couple of questions. Although I never did the Pony Club thing, I've always been taught to tie horses to binder twine or string. How would you suggest doing it with the rope halter?

Also, if I had a horse that won't lead forwards, you would use a roping horse to get it going, but what could I do without a roping horse at my disposal??

Hope you can help. Love the work you do, more people should take note!!

Regards

Lisa Dakin

Hi Lisa,

Read this one:  http://www.horseproblems.com.au/horse_problems_on_to_twine_or_no.htm

Horses that tie up properly (given the facilities of course) are the best horses and this has a tremendous advantageous affect for many reasons, too numerous to list here. There is nothing much you can do about track Riders, just shut your eyes and cry which is why I sacked the Racing Industry years ago. I too couldn't stand seeing it. You can lighten these horses up by adopting the policy in general leading to NEVER allow them to hang on the end of the rope and be dragged along or nearly dragged along. You should take up the contact to 100kg and march forward. Instantly they will hang harder on you, as they all do but you simply wait until they give a try and give a loop back into the rope. You will have to be consistent and from that day on, never allow them to sit at the end of a rope with even 500 grams of pressure on it (which is what they do and my latest Breaker is doing) Twine Horses and Webbing Halter Horses ALL DO THAT and this is an immediate sign to me that they may be suspect to tie up. The other thing that will lighten them up is to tie them up and let them have some hang backs. ONLY WITH PROPER FACILITIES AND A NECK STRAP AND BOOTED UP AND WITH KNOWLEDGE. That lightens them up quick as your weakness is negated and they LOSE ;)

Regards

*********************************

Hi John
I see down your way it was another hot, stinking weekend! Up here on the Sunshine Coast (QLD) rain, rain and more rain.

Could you please recommend anyone up here that is following your ideas for breaking in a young horse, I have your DVD's but not nearly experienced enough to risk ruining my young arab by doing it wrong from the start.

I have contacted a few different styles of breakers from stockman to natural horseman, but none have yet left me feeling happy with the end result I see in the horse that there handing back to owners.

Of course the other option is for you and Mrs HP head up here for a holiday for a few weeks .

Worst senerio will be sending her down to you, a long way travelling
for her, what is the costing for you to start her please.

Many thanks
Robyn

I have two or three of these ones today Robyn and I have to say this.:

All those who have my Mouthing DVD should just go and do it. You cannot stuff up and you will still end with a Mouth as good as any Breaker. As you start off, even with a skittish horse, the system and it's use will go a long way towards removing such 'flight response' from the Horse and the more mistakes you make in that part the better because all the while the Horse is getting quieter and quieter and less afraid of things. By the time you are good at it, you have desensitized the Horse real well. The only problem you would have is equipment which is why I send this email out now with the DVD.

HORSEPROBLEMS MOUTHING SYSTEM

The problem that clients may experience, depending upon their equipment, is that the run of the mill Breaking in Rollers will not cope. Go to my saddlery page for the reasons:

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/saddlery_sales.htm

The Ropes should be of the shiny and slippery yachting braid of that you buy in the Marine Supplier Shop for the Boaties. Depends on the size of your round pen but mine is 5.5 metres of 12mm and joined on with knot to 3.5 metres of 8mm with a clip on the end of it. That 8mm is the part that----------------------------. The thinner of the two makes it very easy --------------and also the yachting braid rope ensures ease of release if you have to if a horse panics and the rope won't jam up.

The Roller comes with latigo on each side and does up with the Western cynch rigging that is the pulley system.





I have now had Girths made for this equipment as people are having trouble finding them small enough at the Shops.



All of this equipment is made to last and of the highest quality. The Roller should be around $350 but I attempt to assist my clients in this area. It will last forever.

My Roller is made to fit horses from 19 hands high to 12 hands and under but if you are struggling for adjustment of girth on those ones, remove the girth and and attach one ring off the end of an old Bit, via the latigo on the offside, just as if tying off the girth. Then run the latigo through the ring from the near side and using the same adjustment, girth up the little one. Using the latigo as the girth and the ring as the pulley point.


I do recommend that more people have a go at it. The DVD is for 'Dummies" :)
 

*****************************

Hi there John and Linda,
Did ya miss me. I just checked the forecast it will be over 34 for the next 2 weeks mainly 38 39 deg. ohhhhhhhh not fair. I can't ride in this weather it is still to hot at night and at 6 in the morning. my saddle has cob webs.
I just want to ride my new horse dam it!
He is doing really well. I am so happy with him. No problems to report. I guess you were starting to think I had riden off into the sunset never to return? Well no I have been bussy at home making handbags and other crafty things for the easter sea side markets. I went to the beach tonight and even the water was warm. not so refreshing. How do you manage with the heat. what time of the day are you doing any riding? maybe it is cooler in Adelaide. We would usually get an evening sea breeze but nothing at all. the air is just still and thick. I hope that there will be some sort of change soon. I hope that My Bear will be ok after a few weeks off of riding. His temprement tells me it will be fine. I just can't wait. Well check ya soon guys and happy Adelaide cup day
Cheers from Cindy

We start at daylite Cindy and finish at 11am. Then evenings. It hasn't been cooler, believe me. Regards

*****************************

Hiya HP,

Just wanted to say thanks again for that sand colic recipe. My old mare I got given late last year was looking a bit off & I gave her the recipe in with her feed last night then this morning all was well again. A load of sand & fine dirt in with her manure & a much happier looking old girl.

Cheers
Eloise

Good Eloise. Well done. I just had a phone call from a girl who picked up a Pony today and it was manuring pure sand in the Float. How bad is that? Cheers

*****************************

HI there

Was there a mention of you doing another mouthing DVD or I may be mistaken?? I have the mouthing DVD just wondered????? Dont know what would be differnt but you never know until you ask do you LOL Cheers Amber

Hi Amber, it is 're-mouthing the Horse' and is a major production of 4 hours twenty minutes on fixing all of those Horses that have diminished Mouths and including every Race Horse on the Planet. I used a 14 year old race horse that had raced 10 years. This one handles the ridden stuff as well and outlines every thing that ruins mouths both under saddle and on the ground as well. Regards

*******************************

Hi Mr HP,
I have been writing to you about the effects your training has on trail riding horses and i thought you would be interested to hear about something that happened to me a week back. This place i have mentioned before is my favourite place in the world and the horses are always wonderful, well looked after and above all loved.

However, one of the last times i went, they put me on a horse i hadn't ridden before. He happened to be the offspring of a very lovely boy so i expected a lot behaviour/temperament wise. When i got on he made a noise, now I'm short and he was 16hh so i have to give a good hop to get up there, but when the girl came round to do a safety check on the girth he moaned and she hadn't even touched him. I have been around horses for 10 years and i have only heard that noise a few times, he also seemed to look at me a lot while we were sat waiting.

Now on the trail i always ride with a loose rein, but any slight movement by me sent his head up in the air like i had yanked him. He trotted and jig jogged and when i asked him to stop the head was in the air again. I had no feeling in the reins, he wasn't pulling on me but rather trying to get away from the bit, when he trotted his guts made a weird sound. I felt totally out of control and because of my accident he was making me nervous and i hardly ever get nervous any more. I felt like he could bolt at any minute. The guide i was riding with told me he was just being a "prat" and she said quote; "gather him up, put pressure on his mouth and ride him through it, I'm riding a young one here today so I'm putting pressure on her just in case, see"

Well i just wanted to scream at her NO and to tell her she was a 'Prat' for riding like that. I couldn't believe it, so i said no and turned him around and took him back. He obviously needed remouthing or to have his teeth checked. I then got one of my regulars and we had a blast, he was relaxed, forward moving and just a pleasure to ride, he was so comfortable that i even got a long, slow western lope out of him.

Sorry again for the long story but i just wanted to tell you that your training (for riders as well as horses) gave me the knowledge to listen and understand a horse who was telling me something wasn't right and the confidence to stand up for the way i ride.

Thanks again Alexis.

Haha Alexis. How cute :) "Every picture tells a story" You have to feel for the poor School Horses who do a tremendous duty to our Society. The penalty for being nice ey?

***********************

Dear John, went for a slightly after dawn ride this morning to beat the heat. You would have been very proud of me and George, indeed all the horses this morning behaved very well. We did the kind of ride that 12 months ago I would not have been able to complete and probably would have abandoned horse (or more likely the George would have forcibly ejected me) part way through. We went up hill and down dale all at a walk. I used the French snaffle on George and apart from a little chewing at the very start - more testing it out I think - we have done an entire ride without the grinding of teeth and the constant chewing, okay so I am a little slow at picking these things up but I get there, eventually. We had a very good time and went bush more than a couple of times when we lost the trail, George STEPPED over things and at one stage was about 3 or 4 horse lengths behind and was not jig jogging to catch up and the couple of times he tried it was gentle pressure on the reins and a reminder to walk and - that was it - walking! But more importantly, at least to me, was that when going under low branches and stuff George was staying at the walk even thought I was leaning over and to the side to avoid getting squashed, a definite disadvantage in have a tall horse and when going in and around in tight places he was listening to me and not barging through. Only funny thing was when it was his turn to be in front up this nice stretch of trail he slowed right down to a crawl (previously we would have been trying to take it at a fast trot), and I could not 'encourage' him to stride out. Oh well! Trevor was very happy to see him home again but Smoochie is not to sure as George gets to have 'real' feed after working so hard for me...very funny to see a horse trying to glare at another horse and trying to look appealingly at me at the same time - funny how they manage that isn't it. I will have having a lunging lesson tomorrow.
Regards Lauren and George - Hero Explorer, Smoochie Floyd and Trevor

No doubt about you Lauren, looks like that George is right under control now. "Miles on the Clock' really help on those Trail Horses, don't they? Poor Smoochie...you cruel person you :)

**************************


Hi HP,
Can't wait for that tour of yours to start! Will be great to finally meet you guys and see what magic you can work with us and our horses. Just noticed Mrs HP and I have the same birthday!

Anyway, just took my stockhorse out to his first dressage comp. First outing in over a year and first time in an indoor arena. Funnily enough he wasn't bothered about any of it. Settled in well, no silly business. I could tell he was a little tense in the indoor and his work wasn't his best but I was happy with him anyway. Such a lovely breed to work with. Next comp two weeks away, will see how we improve then....

Wow, same day? They are always tense for a few outings and again as I said to Lauren, 'Miles on the Clock'. Hell, look at what effect it has had on me :) It's just the wrinkles :) Well done. This Clydie Cross Filly I am finishing off now (who you will see on PodCast this week) is a dreamboat as well and she has stock horse in her. Remember that young King of last year? The Stock Horse who had more Arab than Stock? He is Bombproof. I see her cantering around bareback in a rope Halter. Anyhow, good luck next time!!!

************************

Kirra

Thanks Mr HP.

No witness my end, only my husband whom I told the agreement to. He saw her come and go. Wrote it down each time the party came out.

The other party had mother and sister out first visit for a gander. Before the family members arrived the sole party had already discussed cash on working horse. Not a professional at all. Next day when sole party came out (they came out by themself with no other family member) and said they wanted service and LFG to which we both agreed, work and show stallion for service and LFG.
From then on wards I was under the understanding that they would get a service fee with LFG once they accrued the amount equal to service fee.

Does that mean I have no leg to stand on?

Thanks
A USA

Family members are not accepted as credible and are too biased of course. The Judges are not silly :) So you don't have much to go on. I am unsure as to really what happened there with this party and how it worked but equally, they being the ones that would have to take the action, they are in a weak position. Just ignore it and make them take you to Court if you like where they have to prove all. You could then negotiate prior to the Case and fix it in whatever ways you deem acceptable. Regards

*************************

G'day John,
My TB mare has a issue with her hind leg,Im not sure its a stifle problem or if it is its mild.
Ive been having dressage lessons for a while and can tell this mare loves to canter,loves to work,
But,a few weeks ago I changed instructors as she was threatening to tie my hands together!!
anyhow my new instructor is very "Dressagie" she asked me to do lots of tight circles at trot and canter, so I gave it a go,horse ws not happy about it and at one stage her hind leg kinda "slid out", the next day i took her for a (quiet trailride)
she felt croked,didnt want to walk down a steep hill and kicked up twice when i tried to slow a hill canter mabye she was trying to kick the horse behind me who was being a wally?
How much work could she handle if she does have a stifle problem? i suppose galloping up hills is a no no? she does really seem to enjoy it but.I do enjoy the dressage lessons but am not sure its doing the horse much good?
thanks again Nat

This is a classic case of the CORRECT work bringing out the weakness which is probably caused by incorrect work as it was with the chestnut and the buckskin in that Pod Cast. Lunging in soft sand with equipment on to round the horse up and a good ridden regime of gradual build up of walk and trot with an insistence on CORRECT should correct the problem but you may have to ride through the objection. However, one always has to x-ray first to eliminate bone chips etc. Otherwise it is all a waste and grossly unfair on the Horse. You have to be riding 'Inside Leg to OUtside Rein and with the correct bend/flexion/suppleness of proper dressage. Regards

*************************

Thanks John. I have a couple of questions re the market harborough.
I shall post them on the website in case other's would like to know the answers also...
Of course you hear this every day, and so you should, however I will tell you also that you are an inspiration. As is Lynda. You are making a difference.
Every day that I work with the horses ( OTTB/STB rehabilitation centre - yes, I'm one of the loony's) your voice is present.
You are encouraging me to train with strength, persistance and empathy.
For your forthright, honest and exceptional advice (that works, for a change)
I am incredibly grateful.
Andrew McLean of the Aust Equine Behaviour Centre (where I train regularly)has a quote I enjoy:
"When we strip the horse of the misty veil of our dreams, it emerges, even more remarkable than ever"
A little on the flowery side, I know, but poignant nonetheless!

Best regards,

Asher Keddie

LOL Asher, Oh if only I had time to sit down and dream up some of those :) They impress the pants off the multitudes you know :) Thanks heaps. Most kind of you. Regards to Andrew.

************************




 

9th March, 2008

Here is my next little Lad and his first saddle. Day 3.

I think he thought he was going to be worked again so...... Smart Boy in this Weather. He is a little bit Girthy but that is the thin skinned Chestnut for you. They are more prone than others. I just ignore them. They get over it :) Of course being more careful with them during saddling. On average, every Breaker I ride has to be girthed up around 5 times during the saddling and after a little bit of the ride.

My girlfriend let the ride out around the District this morning and today was 'looking for trouble' day. We had a young Lass who is going to compete in her first One Day Event soon so I I went looking for the most scary and rough Country we could find for the whole ride. They both took it all in their strides and didn't say 'No' once. Yesterday was day 10 for her and she now goes around the arena like a pretty good Prelim Dressage Horse and wouldn't look out of place at a Comp. It couldn't be picked that she is a Breaker :) Such a good Girl. She nipped my leg again this morning, you know the one, just at the very end of the front teeth in a loving way :) Still hurt though....sooky me.

The first of our Tanks started arriving today. Wonderful, 2pm and 40 degrees. There were two shipments and more to come. Bit of work for me on the old guttering and site site side of things :( Bugga the bloody Politicians of the World who think too much about War and not enough about our Planet. At least we are doing something about it. I mentioned to you that we have this feral neighbor who thinks he is still living in London and wants 4 acres of Lawn around his House. Day and night irrigating and the sprinklers are going hammer and tongs in 40 degree Heat waves with stinking Hot Northerly Winds. Go figure There should be a Law against it. Our water table has dropped 7 Metres in 4 years and we don't have Mains Water here. Life was not meant to be easy as Gough said.

*************************************

FOOD REWARDS WITH POSITIVE RESPONSES


Young horses learn faster and have more positive interactions with humans when they receive food as a reward during training, according to a new study presented at the 34th Annual Equine Research Day held in Paris, France, on Feb. 28.

Yearlings that received grain pellets as compensation for appropriate reactions to vocal commands were up to 40% faster to acquire new skills than a control group of yearlings that received no rewards. The training primarily involved respecting the words "stop" and "stay" and remaining immobile while the trainer performed certain grooming tasks and veterinary procedures on the horse.

"What we're hoping to do is develop techniques which will allow us to obtain the animal's confidence in us, without using constraints," said Carol Sankey, MSc, a PhD candidate in ethology (the study of animal behavior) at the University of Rennes in western France, and co-author on the study. At the previous Research Day event, Sankey's team presented findings that force can result in a negative relationship between horses and humans.
COURTESY DR. CAROL SANKEY
A yearling in the study receives a food reward.
Sankey and her team devised a series of objectives that the yearlings in both the reward and the no-reward groups were expected to attain in a consecutive order. After learning to stop and stay by voice command only, each animal learned to wait patiently with the leadline draped over its neck while the trainer brushed it, picked its hooves, attached a surcingle, applied tendon boots, inserted a thermometer in its rectum, and finally applied a "vapor spray" (simulating applying fly spray or coat polish) over its coat. All eight colts and 15 fillies involved in the study received training individually for five minutes per day, five days per week, until the entire set of objectives was obtained. The amount of time to achieve each task and the totality of the tasks was recorded for both groups.

On average, the reward group finished their training in 3.7 hours whereas the control group needed 5.2 hours to acquire the same tasks. "There wasn't even any overlap," Sankey explained. "The slowest horse in the reward group still learned faster than the fastest horse in the control group."

Additionally, by the end of the training period, horses in the reward group were more likely to voluntarily approach the trainer and to remain at a closer distance to her than the control horses were. Sankey noted that the horses in the reward group displayed more behaviors considered positive by the researchers, including significantly more sniffing, exploration, and licking of the trainer. Horses in the control group were significantly more likely to bite, kick, or fall over during hoof cleaning.

I love it when the intellectuals come with their million dollar studies to tell us the obvious and things that every Horsemen on the Planet worth their salt could have told them with one phone call. Well at least they know it now :)

*********************************

LEGAL LIABILITY ON TRIAL IN BRITAIN


The legal responsibilities of being a racehorse owner in Britain have come to the fore in the wake of a multi-million dollar legal claim against the owners and trainer of a horse that severely injured an assistant trainer in a pre-race paddock incident at Wolverhampton Racecourse, England, in April 2005.
The case is due to reach court later this year. The potential repercussions have prompted the Racehorse Owners' Association (ROA) to include, as of Jan. 1, 2008, third party liability insurance as a new benefit in its annual membership fee of £195 ($315 USD) a year.
Chris Kinane, then assistant trainer to Ian Williams, was kicked in the head by a horse called Saameq almost three years ago. Saameq was trained by Ian Semple.
Since the incident, Kinane has undergone more than 17 operations and will require extensive care for the rest of his life.
Kinane's family has launched the lawsuit against Semple, majority shareholder David Irvine, and fellow owner RB Racing Ltd, citing negligence on the part of the connections.
Irvine, 42, from Kilmarnock, Scotland, the owner of a small sub-contracting business, was not covered by insurance at the time of the incident. He faces financial ruin and has re-mortgaged his home to help meet legal fees, although he has encountered difficulty securing a lawyer.
"I have to find a solicitor in England to take it on as a 'no-win, no-fee' case," he explained. "But as soon as I mention legal aid I hit a brick wall. I haven't got any money, so surely I should be able to get legal aid. The situation is dire, to be honest."
The pressure of the court action has prompted Scottish trainer Semple, who has insurance of up to $2-million, to relinquish his British training license, although he currently has runners participating under his name at the Dubai International Racing Carnival.
ROA chief executive Michael Harris said: "The tragic accident of Chris Kinane has left many racehorse owners concerned about the risk of a claim, and potentially a multi-million pound claim, being brought against them by a third party for which they have no insurance protection or inadequate protection.
"The insurance applies to racehorses that are in full training, horses being prepared to go into training, and horses which are out of training on a temporary basis.
"There is a requirement for racehorse trainers to have public liability insurance, but there is no mandatory requirement for that cover to extend to owners who may also be exposed to a claim when their horse is resting away from the training yard or is being kept at home," Harris said.
The new insurance benefit in the ROA membership provides an indemnity up to a maximum of £10 million ($19.8 million) per individual claim.

*****************************

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hello Mr ‘O’ Leary

Ever since twiddling about on “you tube” and discovering your “pod casts” I am smitten and intrigued. I have just ordered 2 DVD’s – “Mouthing the horse” and “Riding and training the green horse”. I am currently recovering from a bone graft taken from my hip put into my mouth, due to a riding accident I had 15 years ago. When describing me as a rider back then, people would say, “Fiona doesn’t fall off, the horse would have to fall over” and unfortunately that is what happened and I lost my front teeth not to mention a couple of other broken bones. Anyway, I have previously e-mailed you and being from Scotland and new to your web page I never managed to track down my e-mail or your response. I am BHS trained, I am beginning to understand your thoughts on the BHS so I tread carefully, however, I worked in the USA for a year and learnt a huge amount, mainly to stop looking upon horses as a job, which it was at that time but to really try to connect and understand them more. Back then, if a horse did not listen to you, you made it, no argument, it conformed and that was that! I had a coloured mare for 10 years and was very successful with her, eventing and all riding club activities. She died of grass sickness 6 years ago. I bought another horse, unfortunately I bought someone else’s problems, he bucked me off after 2 weeks and as I mentioned earlier, I don’t come off easy! During my first year with him my daughter, then 3yrs old became very ill and was in hospital for most of that year, (she is now great but lives with a long- term- arthritis). So I never had the chance to bond with him and keep him ticking over so the bucking, although extremely infrequent (once every 8 months) became something I mentally could not take out of my mind! I definitely “lost my bottle” ( nerve) after loosing my front teeth. So tried to sell him, but then realized I could not sleep at night knowing he could do this to someone else. Years ago I was the one people would turn to to get on the “problem horses” so I could not put my problem onto someone else. In the meantime I bought a 2yr old coloured mare from Ireland and she is 3 now and about 16.2hh and I reckon she will make 17hh!! I have purchased a “Parelli” rope halter and rope, a carrot stick, had a roller on her, even laid over her back, she will do some of the 7 games, but with my recent op and the crap weather I have not been able to get cracking yet, but I will. Sorry for going on. I am desperate for a new and improved method, I have backed lots of horses over the years but not for some years, due to being a carer for my daughter, and I need to know is it necessary for me to try to construct a round pen? What size do you make it? How do you deal with or prevent outside influences from distracting the young horse (i.e other horses screaming for each other)? I am lucky enough to keep the horses at home I have 6 acres, no designated sand school or riding area but a good flat field. Should I be the first to get on her ( I am 40 now god forbid but more agile than most teenagers I know), not knowing your methods beyond spending hours of my recovery reading your stuff and watching your pod casts and soon to be watching the DVD’s I have ordered. Will this be enough for me to take the breaking-in process and “just go for it”, I have never gotten on an unbroken horse without someone holding on!!! I worked for “Captain Varley” he was inspirational, and when we started horses off, he threw me up and he promised to hold on, he always did and to be fair the ground work done was so regimental horses never tended to buck on their first 5 or so rides, usually once they new what was coming, but by then you were both in control. I am hungry to be good at this, I have lost my nerve and worry this will adversely effect my ability to do this, I don’t want to be seen as a “chicken” and put someone else on board first, I don’t know anyone I trust to hold on to the horse except myself and I can’t be in 2 places at once!!! Hence your method of no one holding on appeals but it also sends shivers down my spine incase the horse freaks out!!!! Don’t suppose you fancy a month in Scotland to do some clinics and get me on this horse at the same time? Nah I thought not. Let me know your thoughts please, reassure me I am able to do this, I am not asking much am I???? J I’ll bet you never realized your equine knowledge would also have to stretch to counseling a 40 yr old wifey on the other side of the world!!! I think your approach is pretty cool, thanks for listening, I look forward to your response, don’t hold back!!

Kind regards

Fiona

Bad Luck Fiona. I know the feeling well :) Firstly, I strongly disagree with the proposal that a handler can stop a Horse from 'bucking' from the ground. I have any money you like to put up against the theory. This is another BHS view that I and most other Horsemen that I know find dribble. For instance, have a look at this and tell me how the good Captain could do better then the roughest, toughest, meanest and strongest of hombres' on the Planet. They can't hold them Fiona :)

 

I rest my case :)

However, I know for a fact because I do it almost every day of my life including today in fact, that if mouthed properly and if the rein handling techniques are up to scratch, that you can stop them bucking. In your case however, bearing in mind your history and your mind fragility, this is what I recommend for you.

Go ahead the mouth your Horse with my system. Do the 5 star j