Hey John

I know I keep bugging you about re-doing the perth clinic. But just wondering if there is any more developments on you guys coming back to perth again.

We have recently had an updated biosecurty form, so we no longer have to sign our lives away to say all our tack, brushes and floats have been stripped to pieces and sterilised. We only have to state that the horse has been in good health and eating well in the last 3 days.... this is a good sign hey ...yay!!!!!! :-D

Anyway, I only keep checking cause the only decent people we get here to learn from, travel here from other parts of australia.... typical.

Look forward to hearing from you.... and please keep me on your list for when you do come.

I guess then we had better start planning that again then K as we did promise. I'll talk to Kelly.

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Hi there John

When floating should you use a rope halter/lead to tie up or a webbing/leather halter?

I have used your technique to float a young horse a while ago now and I must say it worked! Only a few minutes to get the pony on the float. This time I have to float two however and I am concerned that the second horse will not want to enter the narrower space next to the first horse.

Regards
Ingrid

I always use a rope Halter to load Horses Ingrid and would never be caught with anything else, however, one should not tie up solid with one unless to a couple of strands of twine or a piece of Telecom rope that will break should they go down but they always should be tied up imho and I have seen and heard of several Horses turn around that weren't tied and jump out the back during travel. You could have an old webbing Halter and a Pony Club lead in the float and that will break if trouble starts. Regards

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Hi HP,
My fabulous coach some months ago taught me to lunge my forehandy and heavily leaning horse (with a mouth score of minus 10!!) to lunge in her home-made reins. My horse almost instantly came off the forehand, engaged, and was a new horse.

For many months I have been scouring the saddleries for something the same to use, and do you think I can find anything!?? Basically its 2 long reins or ropes (without elastic, solid), they clip onto the saddle d’s (or, lunge roller), the reins go through the bit and continuously back to the side of the girth.

Would you say that this is the same as your running reins? I am having a little trouble seeing in the pictures on your site. Hoping it is as I’d really like to find something that works in this way that seems to suit my horse so well. ‘

Hoping you can help,

Carly

Yes Carly, that is what it would be. There are photos down further on this page from last night on this subject. Mine have a handy adjustment so one always knows where they are and can get flexion etc without knots being tied and so on. Regards

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Hi John,
I am wondering if you train horses to be ridden? I have a nine year old gelding I would like to be able to ride. As far as I know he was trained as a saddle horse when he was about 2, then due to a change in the owners circumstances he was turned out and not been ridden since. I purchased him as a companion to a colt I sold a few months ago. I would like to do this training myself but am a novice horse person and don't feel I have the neccessary confidence or skill.
If this is something you do, what would it cost? I can be contacted by return email or Phone/Fax:
Thankyou.
Debbie

Yes I do Deb. You can ring me on 82515250. Cheers

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HI John

I have been reading your pages this week and want to commend the young lady for having the courage to come and speak to you. Many wouldn't these days. I suppose that is why I have agisted in the places I have. They are always full care and there is a clause in the contract to say the horse will be fed enough to keep it in good condition - in the eyes of the agistment owner. Unfortunately the place before now, even though food was included in agistment (5 biscuits of prime lucerene plus hard feed twice a day and grazing in grassy paddock daily) I think they short changed me and horse lost weight. Not enough to be thin LOL but enough for me to notice him gain weight quickly one we moved. I am very conscious of my animals' weight. Vets praise me on the condition of my dog. He is breed where people think FAT = Muscle. I was lucky our vet owned a number of the breed (recommending them widely) and gave me a very good visible guideline for acceptable weight for my dog. He is a major spunk rat really!! LOL I honestly think too fat is as cruel as too thin.

The short feeding of Horses where full Board is concerned is rampant in this Country. So is the inability of people to know how much to feed a HOrse. Just another reason why there should be a Certificate Course for Ownership. On this property for instance, with wall to wall pretty experienced people, we regularly have to top up hay nets that have been pre-made for Horses and have long ago given up on even telling the owner. It simply amazes me how many people cannot judge the weight of Hay to feed a Horse and if they were paid to do it, they could not make 7 Hay nets anywhere near the same weight. No way in the World. I topped two up today. Then you get the opposite. Same people, I removed Hay from their Hay net one day last week :) Never mind, all runs smooth :)

I wrote last week about my stack (bad by my standards) and my subsequent nervousness, hoping to help one of your readers regain confidence. The good news is we went to a little encouragement derby on the weekend. I am sure my horse was picking up on my major nerves! Dressage test was interesting - he was scared of the judging tent LOL I had some really lovely comments though, including rider handled temperement of horse well. He is scoring 7's for paces when he is tense and horrible, so if we can eventually manage a test where we are both calm I think we will do really well. Our cross country was interesting to say the least. It is the first time we have done a course in over 18 mths! Only tiny jumps (75 cms) but there was a bit of yippee humping after a few LOL Amazingly that really doesn't upset me. We had a few nice moments when I allowed him to travel (we were both happy then) and the rest was ok. I've seen pics and they were quite good position wise for me, so that will really help me for our next outing.

Hope all is well for you and Linda

K

Great K. You must watch those little 'Humps' however as they can get under your guard and suddenly increase when you are not expecting it. 7s for your paces K? That is one hellova score for a tense Horse so you sure must be sitting on a good one :) Glad everything is back on track.

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Hi John,

I’d like to thank you for sharing your mouthing techniques with all. Just finished viewing your “mouthing DVD” …. And am just on my way out to put some PNH and mouthing work into my daughters new pony.

Our mare is lazy, and has no ground manners, wants to walk all over you and thinks she is a bulldozer. Emily isn’t keen to handle her, as she is a 10 y/o string-bean. I’d prefer not to have her anywhere near “Scarlet” until she is shows some manners. I did buy her from someone I knew interstate, sight-unseen …. Its going to take a bit longer to get best out of her, I have the time and the patience to see it through.

I live in Cairns, FN QLD and have become members of the local Equestrian Association, that is basically run by members ie: mums & dads and grannies, who have kids who want to ride. There doesn’t seem to be much instruction, guidance for the kids … Perhaps that will come from joining PC?
We have only joined Pony Club this year. But haven’t attended a meet yet due to wet weather.

I loved you ranting and raving page …. Most thought provoking … I’ll keep your concerns in mind, to see if our PC is proactive in any of these areas.

Have you thought of doing a “Horsemanship” tour? … around Australia …. Or perhaps when you next have a QLD holiday …. LOL …. Horse people never stray far from home do they? Anyway if you would like to share your experience with some confused keen kids, wanting to become better horsepeople, keep us in mind.


Thanks again, it’s a real buzz in learning how to communicate better with our horse…

Regards, Belinda

Thanks Belinda. In fact we are going to venture out of the State later in the year and will be coming to Quld. We love the place along with the other 10,000 per week who up stumps and move there :) Do you know that Kangaroo Island has missed out on the normal good opening rains and only have a green pick? We are shagged Belinda.

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Hi HP,

Thanks for the Design Improvements for Horse Floats, it has certainly made the list of improvements longer. Some really great ideas.

Also I just wanted to let everyone know that T.R.E.W. (Triple R Equine Welfare) has updated their website with all the latest news & information. I had the chance to go to the T.R.E.W. Open Day held over the 28th of March & spend a few days at Carinya Park.
There is lots of really good information for horse owners & I urge people to have a look, they do a wonderful job and have helped horses including the Bridgewater Horses, of which I actually had the pleasure of meeting Cherish who looked absolutely fantastic.

While I was at Carinya park I met Angel, a old little pony with very limited handling, well now she is now living with my lot & by using a lot of what I have learnt from you she is improving every day. If I had not learnt a lot of your methods & got confidence in my own ability, there would be no way I would have been able to take this old girl in.


Cheers
Eloise

Thanks Eloise. Do they have a website? I'm sure people would be interested. Let me know, ok?

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Hi John, just reading your article about locking stifles. I have a lovely 4 and a half year old Anglo mare that has sticky stifles. Right one is worse than left. I was told they wouldn't cause pain by vet but horse is the crankiest horse I have ever ridden especially on right rein. Doesn't want to go fwd, leaps in the air, bounds and has just started to rear even when she's on loose rein. Horse is worked regularly and correctly, she's in good nick, and appears to be fairly well muscled, and is actually a sweet, kind, friendly mare but as soon as I ask her to go fwd she lays her ears back and starts bounding etc. When I do a one rein stop, if I put my inside leg on to ask her to move her quarters she will try and bite me on the leg (again worse on right rein). Horse is almost incapable of cantering on right rein, threatens to rear, starts bounding and gets unbalanced, disunited and upset. I can actually hear the stifle clicking when I work her. I trim her feet myself and keep her toes short, but often when I go to pick foot up she can't as its locked. Let me add that I don't stand for any crap and she doesn't get away with anything, whatever she throws at me . Vets have told me to try and work horse through it but I fear that if the stifles are what's making her cranky the longer it goes on the more this behaviour will become habit. What do you think? I will quite willing have the surgery done if its going to stop all this crap. Many thanks Karen

The plain and simple fact is Karen that your Horse is pleading for help and shouldn't even be ridden until she is fixed. It has long perplexed me when Vets say that stifle patella fixation doesn't hurt Horses. Why then do they get so emotionally strung out with it then?? Does that not count? It is true that you can build the support muscles up with CORRECT WORK not incorrect work. but in your case, forget it. Your Horse need intervention imho. X-Rays are essential however, before deciding upon a course of action. Regards

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6th May, 2008

I got a knock on the door last night and fronted up by the young Lady that I mentioned yesterday regarding care of Horses. She apologized and I thought that was most admirable of her. Not many go that way as I said. To the young out there, it is none of my business how you run your lives, no skin off my nose, it is just that when I am charged with a responsibility for Horses, I will insist upon the way that I was brought up which is perhaps not the accepted norm of these days. I do thank her however and compliment her.

I have had a horensdous run lately, with my older model Bobcat. It has been letting me down at crucial times and of late, just when I needed it most to complete my building project and clean up, fill in water trenches and so on, it has broken down with major problems, 3 times, with the latest being a blown hydraulic Hose which in itself is a 2 day job.

I spat the dummy and yes it is a Pink one. I went shopping today and I just may bury the ther one tomorrow :)

 This is my new Toy, well not this one, a new one but I liked the Horse :) I will have that damm site cleaned up in half a day now, yaya.

It has been our days off but when oyu have to shop, you just have to shop

HORSEMANSHIP

This is the front cover of the latest Coaching Magazine and it is relevant to my regular comments over the years about the basic lack of education in matters of Horsemanship and of late, risk management. This is a lovely photo of a wonderful little Horse and Rider, both highly schooled of course but I just want to discuss the message being put across here. No doubt the Editor is of the view that they are putting across a message of Professionalism and safety as the Child is on the lead rein but what has to be remembered is that people out there in La la Land take as Gospel, images or statements made by Professionals and in this case, the EFA Coaching Accreditation Organization. So lets examine it from a Horsemanship perspective.....

• Firstly, it is my opinion that unless a Kid can ride well enough, it shouldn't be jumping in the first place.

• Thinking that one has control because the Horse in on a Lead is 'wishful thinking' as most Horses can do a runner from the best and most stong of Adults.

• Note the shortness of the rope which gives no leeway for control in case things come unstuck.

• If the Horse did scoot, the Handler would spin the horse vigorously around to the left and the Kid would exit on the right side of the Horse, thus giving the back legs to Kid on way out.

• BUT CHECK OUT THE LOOP IN THE ROPE. Now normally I would be heartily congratulating anyone who can lead like that but we are jumping here. Horse Jumps, throws front leg, over loopy rope, rips head up in panic because it was not hobble trained, pee's off with Kid or gets Kid dropped on head.

• Horse jumps too big through incorrect striding, puts in the 'Mother of all Jumps" and lands on Head or legs of Handler who falls over, gets trampled, kicked on the way out and Kid last seen in Geelong. :)

• Of course most Parents or Kids Horses are not trained to jumping magnificantly as this one. They are plainly 'feral' and so you can multiply my comments and add in about 20 other scenarios.

• Is the rope clipped to the nose band?????? Now that's control!!

and the list goes on and on and on.

So once again, my point is that the two Organizations charged with the Education of the young in this Country, teach Zero Horsemanship and yet HORSEMANSHIP is the most important subject in the Horse Industry!!! I won't even bore you with the Legal implications should Child get killed.

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ANKY 2ND IN DUTCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mrs. HP's Cousin has been asked to work full time by Dutch Dressage Rider and her Coach, after she beat Anky to second in the Dutch Championships. A Dutch Businessman has approached her to sponsor her and has agreed to purchase a big property, construct 30 stables and all the facilities, buy new vehicles and Holiday Home and any Horse in the World she wants. Having just finished her Law Degree, Cynthia is now not knowing what to do lol.

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DUCCIO FIRST FOAL GOES OUT

Nice to hear that the first ever Duccio Foal went out for his first comp in NZ on the weekend and and won both tests with 70 plus percent. He is the young Horse in my first ever video on this web site, where I am attempting to put him over a log :) Gainsborough Donner Benelli.....and on that subject, I notice this young one on Aushorse and think it is a ridiculous price.

Picture here:  http://www.myaushorse.com/classified/images/P4240290 (1).jpg (as a weanling. now 2 year old)

When the Media is full of Mans inhumanity against man.....

THIS STORY revives hope.... for MAN...

What a great story................

Subject: Fantastic Pony


I first heard that a pony had survived amputation surgery at Louisiana State University's (LSU) equine hospital

Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

"This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists. "Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble." The other important factor, according to Moore, is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana. The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

"The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life," Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. "And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.' And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.

"It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life," Moore said, "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others."

"She's not back to normal," Barca concluded. "She's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself."

This week, Molly the Pony, a children's book about the pony who has already inspired thousands of people around New Orleans, has been published.

It's not a book about amputation or prosthetics, it's a book about people and ponies. But the photos you see here are from the book.

Maybe Molly won't make the vet textbooks, but she might reach more people from the pages of this book for children. If you know a child, a library, a hospital, or maybe a therapeutic riding program that can use a lift, here's a book that can do that. And you can explain how the leg and hoof work!

You will LOVE this book--and Molly!


Sarah
 

What can one say? Terriffic :) Thanks Sarah.


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Patrol horse 'knows his turf'
A police patrol horse found his own way back through Manhattan's streets to his stable after throwing his rider off, police have said.
The officer was treated for minor injuries after traffic noise spooked Aldo.
New York police spokesman Paul Browne said the eight-year-old horse "knows his turf". Aldo suffered a few small cuts while his rider had some injuries to his neck and shoulder.

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Touzaint makes Badminton Horse Trials history



Nicolas Touzaint, who regained the European Championship from Zara Phillips last year, yesterday became the first Frenchman to win the Mitsubishi Badminton International Horse Trials.

Lucinda Green: Big names toppled by rough ride
Touzaint and his Pau winner Hildago de l'Ile were ninth after the dressage but went into the lead in Saturday's incident-packed cross-country, and then just held off Lucy Wiegersma and Shaabrak in yesterday's show jumping, both of them having one fence down.


Gallic bred: Nicolas Touzaint rides Hildago De L'ile to victory
Touzaint, 28 next week, was bred for the job, as his father, Jean-Yves, and uncle Thierry, the French team trainer, rode at the Olympics for France, and he followed suit when helping his country to win the team gold in Athens.

That, and his European titles in 2003 and 2007, were on Galan de Sauvagere. Scarcely able to speak after this victory, Touzaint said of Hildago de l'Ile: "Many people did not love this horse at first, but now he's a great champion."

Wiegersma, the only rider to have won British championships at junior, young rider and senior levels, had been team manager Yogi Breisner's tip to win this Badminton on Shaabrak, and so nearly succeeded. Third in the dressage phase, they climbed a place across country with a brilliant start and fast finish after twice taking long routes.

A clear show-jumping round would have brought victory, though she showed commendable courage and concentration after lowering the second fence. Third place went to William Fox-Pitt's Ballincoola.


Fox-Pitt might have won on Tamarillo but became unbalanced at the first of the three 'houses' in the Lancer Village, and ran out at the second four fences from home in the cross-country, which left them 18th. Fifth place for Sharon Hunt and Tankers Town boosted their Olympic selection hopes.

 

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LETTER OF THE DAY

John,

I own both your running reins system and also those known as “sliding side reins” pictured on your site here:

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/Photo's/equipment/sliding%20side%20reins_small.jpg

to which you ad the caption “These achieve nothing but anti training.” I need some clarity here: other than the method of attaching to the bit – sliding clip in the case of the sliding side reins vs. through the bit for the running reins – they appear to act the same way. What are the drawbacks of the sliding side reins that led you to refer to them as anti-training equipment?

Tim
USA

Hi Tim

The Horse is basically in a fixed position with these reins due to the set up and design. It cannot flex left or right, it cannot come 'above the bit' and inherrit the training message, it cannot search and chase the bit down and it cannot go "Long and Low' It is stuck in a Box which is causing resistence and cannot work the highly important longitudinal muscles neccessariy to build the equine athlete, to warm up properly, to give the back. Here is a Clinicien at Equitana in Holland, with Running Reins. You would see the difference.

Adjustment Number 2

Adjustment Number 1. (5 minutes after first intro to Trotter.) * Note the stride.

Horses that are locked in Boxes cannot learn to 'come through', retain the integrity of the pace and certainly, build beneficial muscle mass where it counts. Unlike the stiff lower neck muscle on the Grey Horse :)

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LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi John,
No need to print this in your daily forum, but I just wanted to say thanks for the great advice on your site.
What I like is that you have some really unusual topics that you don't get on other forums, like the importance of rules during feeding time. At first glance, some of the topics appear rather mundane, but anyone who applies them soon comes to realise they are a foundation for a responsible and deeper relationship with your horse and essential for its well-being.
Other sites I've visited and the PC system seem to teach about getting immediate results under saddle by force, but I find my best results are coming from what I do before I even mount up. I now spend about two thirds of my time training my horse on the ground, before I even get in the saddle. Probably due to this approach, he's even started to follow me away from his herd and out of the paddock at liberty. Last Saturday I only had to use my rope halter (another simple but invaluable piece of advice) for safety sake when we got near the mounting yards.

Thanks ~ John F

Everything goes on this page John so forgive me. I haven't got time to write twice a day :) Thanks very much for your compliment and I am very glad to have been able to help you. Thanks once again.

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Hi John and Linda,  just touching base and I want to let you know that I am so so excited and cant wait for Tuesday 27^th may to drop “Teddy” off to you to break him in.  Im just so looking forward to having a well educated and calm horse to ride of my own!!  Thought I would let you know that Jessica took “Maestro” to Marrabel One Day Event on the weekend and you both would have been so proud of her.  It was Maestro’s first ever One Day Event – especially cross country and Jessica has not done a One Day Event in 5 years!   They were 3^rd after Dressage – then she had show jumping – she didn’t rush and so of course got time faults (she didn’t care – she said she didn’t want to scare him or put him off jumping) I was so proud of her and him – she occurred time faults and was placed 11^th  after show jumping – then came the cross country and well he loved it.  Not one refusal – not one hesitation!  He had his ears pricked up forward and loved it.  Again she took her time and at the end of the day they were placed 9^th out of 15.  Their only penalties were for time – but as she said she didn’t care – they had a great time.  So now I cant wait for it to be my time..!!!  LOL..!

So I will see you both around 6.30pm on Tuesday 27^th May.  It is Tuesday isn’t it ?

Seeya then.

Hi John and Linda, just touching base and I want to let you know that I am so so excited and cant wait for Tuesday 27th may to drop “Teddy” off to you to break him in. Im just so looking forward to having a well educated and calm horse to ride of my own!! Thought I would let you know that Jessica took “Maestro” to Marrabel One Day Event on the weekend and you both would have been so proud of her. It was Maestro’s first ever One Day Event – especially cross country and Jessica has not done a One Day Event in 5 years! They were 3rd after Dressage – then she had show jumping – she didn’t rush and so of course got time faults (she didn’t care – she said she didn’t want to scare him or put him off jumping) I was so proud of her and him – she occurred time faults and was placed 11th after show jumping – then came the cross country and well he loved it. Not one refusal – not one hesitation! He had his ears pricked up forward and loved it. Again she took her time and at the end of the day they were placed 9th out of 15. Their only penalties were for time – but as she said she didn’t care – they had a great time. So now I cant wait for it to be my time..!!! LOL..!
So I will see you both around 6.30pm on Tuesday 27th May. It is Tuesday isn’t it ?
Seeya then.

Fiona

Well done to both of them and good girl for not having a rush of blood :)

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Hi,

Just came across your site, I am so glad to see there are other ppl out there who feel as I do about the Standard bred. I bought my standy from a trainer for $60, and what a bargain he has turned out to be. The guy said he did not want him any more because he was too lazy to race and therefore too slow. When I got him Andy was extremely thin, had stomach ulcers, his back feet were almost completely worn away and they were using those plastic shields on the bottom of his feet, and his back was out quite severely. He also had a stifle injury which made him go over on his hoof all the time. It took me 2 years before he even looked like being well and putting on weight. I retrained him with voice command on a lunge before I started to ride him so he would have some idea of what was being asked of him. From the moment I put the saddle on him he never looked back. He is the best behaved horse I have ever met, does everything asked of him, listens really well and learns so fast it is almost scary. He even poos in one place in the paddock so I don't have to trudge the whole paddock when picking it up.

My daughter had now taken over riding him and has been working on getting him to collect etc.

I am extremely frustrated and not a little angry at the prejudice against Standard breds I have witnessed at the shows. I thought judging was supposed to take into account the performance of the horse and ability of the rider. Take for instance the most recent show. My daughter first took Andy into the Standard bred events, I am very pleased to say there were 17 standy's there on the day, my daughter and Andy came away with the reserve champion ribbon at the end of the events even getting a first over a lady who breeds and shows standy's all over Australia. She then took Andy over to the other events with the thoroughbreds etc and the judge wouldn't even look at them. Even making some derogatory comments ie "someone get me a cart"! and some others.
Granted many of the horses in those events were ahead of Andy, but some who received ribbons over my daughter and horse were nowhere near as good. I was sooo frustrated and angry. I also had to put up with listening to some of the side line comments of spectators watching the standy events with very obviously no knowledge of the standard bred ability.

I can't wait for the day when the majority of people recognize the value and ability of this amazing, intelligent breed.

Kristina

Don't worry Krsitina, there is a ground swell happening :) Mrs. HP's DVD has raised the level of attention of the possibilities of them, all over the World in fact. Don't listen to the prejeduce of people. That is par for the course and a weakness in the Race Kristina. You and I know that they are Saints amongst Horses :) One of Mrs. HP's pupils has the fine art of now making the brand disappear all together and people are asking her if he is a Warmblood and the Dressage Judges don't know hahahaha. That's the way to beat them :) Best of Luck

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Hello Mr. and Mrs. HP,

I just received and watched Mrs. HP's "Balance At Canter" and "Inside Leg to Outside Rein" and want to thank you for providing a novice rider such as myself the opportunity to help us with our own horse problems and teaching us how to fix them. I appreciate that you use horses with "real" issues in the DVD's and work through the problem in a way that is easy to understand and follow and the end results are truly magical! Mrs. Hp sure has a gift and I am thankful that she (and Mr. HP) are willing to share that with us.

I HIGHLY reccommend these DVD's to everyone from beginner to advanced. So many of us have been taught incorrectly and have caused bridle lameness in our horses.

Thanks again!
Is Mrs. HP's ear okay after she got stung by the bee?? She sure showed dedication to teaching by continuing to ride and film knowing she is allergic to bee stings!

Love you guys!!
Jude

Thanks Jude. Most kind. Yes, Mrs. HP took a risk that day but she knew she was about to achieve the task and didn't want to stop riding as it was in her grasp :) She did blow up though.

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I think that our pony club must be an acception. I don't want to talk to loud cos I wouldn't want it to change. The youg lady who is our vice president is coaching me out of the pc she is teaching me to bring in the head of the horse and as soon as he gives to let him on a loose as possible rein to reward him so eventually he will do it on his own. She learned from a Local horseman but is also a qualified instructor. She has taken other young girls under her wing and does all her instruting with love for the horses and safety of the rider in mind. She believes in saving the horses mouth from being destroyed by bad hands and there is not a snobby bone in her body. We have guest instructors at pony club and that is also good I believe cos the other persons involved may have a lack of experience. don't quote me on that. I would hate to get in the bad books befor I join.
I was so glad to hear her words of encouragement when she said I was doing really well and that I had been firm and not let my horse get away with any evasions or bad behaviour. I have to say his leg is easily twisted I would say arm but he doen'st have one. On the subject of the starving horse or should I say neglected I think I told you That mac was a victim of this at a place just round the corner from you. The thing about that was that the feed is included in the fees and handed out by the owner of the ajistment place (i think you know who). So when she said that she never took any notice of him cause he was a STB it seem to me that she was responsible for the starvation of the horse as well as the other one the girl had there. The girl should have moved them both before it got to that point. Let me tell you that woman has things to say about you . I think you may have stired her pot a few times maybe a legal situation over a horse? I told her That I was sorting after your help with Mac. She advised me to stay away but I never listened to the woman who starved poor mac as I think she must be hungry for nothing but image and Money. She also advised that the girl who I bought Mac from shoud not take her horse to you. Well I believe that the words were I wouldn't if I were you.
The young lady who owned mac should have had thoes two horses out of there the moment that she could see weight loss for no good reason. They are both to blame for mac and his condition. How ironic that both of her horses were the only starved ones there. and both are stb almost intentional I would say. An I know that she was responsible for supplying and feeding as I had an indepth conversation about the hay she gets and who feeds at what time. She said she put them out each morning and delivered the hay to 17 horses. what a bitch. I could never ignor that situation. Can You make a written agreement that if the horse has to be tended to out side of what you provide that the will be fined and that if the fine is not payed that you cease so you can sell it to cover the cost. Do you think that this would keep people in check and motivated?
Any way I better go to bed now cheers mate from Helen

The mind boggles Helen. There are only three near me and the one I know who feeds Hay I break in for and fix her Problem Horses. Never mind, let the penny drop wherever. I wondered where you had got that Horse from and remember putting his photo on my site and asking you about feeding. Small World. Anyhow, he is fine now. Cheers

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Hi John,

Had a terrible week last week. The new pony Georgie came down with colic on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I had some of your ingredients for the sand colic remedy, but not all of it, and she went down so quickly, I didn't want to leave her to go and buy the final ingredient. So I rang the vet. He turned up straight away and said he had seen 5 horses in the area over the last 24 hours down with sand colic. Cut a long story short, he used the typical parrafin oil drench along with an injection for pain. This was 3.00pm. I asked the vet if he knew about the O'Leary "colic rememdy". He kind of brushed me off about it. By 9.00pm she was rolling violently. The pain killers had warn off, so I spent hours outside with her keeping her on her feet. I called the vet again and he sent the nurse out to give another injection. I stayed out with her most of the night. Next morning she wasn't much better, but had stopped rolling. The vet came again and checked her over, and another pain relief injection. He showed me how to administer the needle and left me one to give her that night. She had settled alot and was just laying down most of the time, but not rolling. Thursday night, I stayed out with her again (bloody freezing at night here now)....she was still off her food, but obviously exhausted, she still stayed quiet. Friday morning.....still no poo. I called the vet again, he came out at lunch and drenched her again. This time with Linseed oil and Epson salts. He had also obviously been thinking about your remedy, because he asked me what was in it and how I knew about it. " Ah ha!!!! I thought. Maybe he knows more than he's letting on." So I told him who you were and he told me that there is a girl here in Geraldton who uses your remedy once a month. So after another pain relief injection and the 2nd drench, Georgie started pooing Friday night. It was runny and not much poo, mainly oil. Finally on Saturday morning she had done 6 rather large poos. She also started eating properly again. I had been giving her chamomile....making it up as a tea and syringing it over her tongue...for the past few days hoping to settle her tummy abit. I got the courage to ask the vet what he thought of the idea of your remedy and he said to me "it wont hurt her". So this weekend I am going to give both the ponies your sand colic remedy. I am leaving it for the week because I figure Georgie has had so many drugs and oils in her stomach, I don't want to upset it anymore at this stage. I will let you know how it goes. As for the poo she is doing now....It is still huge and lots of it, very heavy to pick up, but I did put some in a bucket and only got a miniscule bit of sand in the bucket mixed with water. I expected to see alot more. Wish me luck.

Regards to Linda.

From a very tired Lisa.

Poor you Lisa. Remember, it is a preventative not for a cure. Do the Horse twice in two weeks. If it works, go see the Vet with the sample :) Hope so. Let me know. Fingers crossed for you and the Pony. They all should be done on arrival as they are vacuem cleaners.

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HI John,

Just wondering...would the RSPCA be useless in the case you are talking about...or would she be given a warning/fine for not treating her horses properly? It is an expensive business having horses and providing them with good care. Don't collect anymore is my advice to the woman!! There should be a law about horse ownership and I agree that a course needs to be completed before people are let loose to do as they please. One of those horses in question broke loose yesterday and nearly caused one of your teenage success stories to go back to square one with fear!!! Poor horse was probably looking for some tucker...must be agony watching the other horses eat...when their dinner bowl is bare. No one got a thank you either when people rushed to closed gates etc!
Regards and keep up the good work.
Owners of well fed and clothed horses (I wouldn't mind 3 winter coats too!!)xxx

Mmmmm. I would ask you all to now give her the benefit of the doubt as she has done the right thing. That was brave of her. You know, she won't mind me saying, two years ago, I attempted to give her some Fatherly advice on numbers of Horses versus income versus ability to service adequately and that she should cut numbers and concentrate on perhaps one. The Horse Industry is full of people who have more horses than they can afford, feral Breeders of crap Horses that never get fed properly, not wormed, pod bellies on young stock and around and around it goes. I often wonder what makes the Human do that. I think they perhaps need and EFA Councilling Department set up :) So now peace upon all.

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Hi John
I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with you that some kind of course should be taken before you can own a horse, or most other animals for that matter. I struggle at times to keep my horses in the manner to which they have become accustomed, however I have found myself throwing the occassional biscuit of lucerne hay to a poor neglected horse in the opposite paddock to where mine are. We are lucky to have pick in our paddocks but this horse has been put in a yard with barely anything because the girl who visits once a week, if that, couldn't be bothered walking out through a bigger paddock to see him when she shows up. It's sad. We are also fighting parks at the moment to keep open riding tracks we have enjoyed for years all because they want horses out now. Frustrating !! Anyway I have a question for you :

My mare is green broke and going well most of the time in the bush. At times she has a little kick up of back legs but so far nothing major till the other day. It was in a lesson situation and we were doing circles in a back paddock, she is not asked to do this much at all she is mostly trail ridden. It was near the end of the lesson and she had been going well until we cantered and she bucked. This actually progressed to a head down, back arched humping along bucking. It was an act of God I stayed on, so I am wanting to nip this behaviour in the bud. What do I do in this situation John in the circle or the bush if she tries it on. It seems to be when some pressure is put on her. Its naughty because she has been thouroughly checked out vet wise. Thanks for help. Priceless as always and much appreciated. You are great support to us riders out here. You and the lovely wife. Cheers Michelle.

That is always liable to happen and therer are a couple of possible reasons. Not cantered enough by the Breaker and the girth grabs a bit, not cantered enough by the Breaker so the Horse feels exhaustion and so they want to go "WHOOPY CHOOK' or with your circles, lesson too long and unfair for Green Horse (max 15 minutes) or muscle tone not adequate to support the exercises and the stifle locks up, that is the trigger and then girth grabs. So, immediate one rein stop of course to control such matter and then re-start but proper muscle up exercises to prepare for work, just like our Pro athletes. Regards

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Hey you! I hope you can help me on this one as our vet doesn't seem to be interested. Today is the fourth day Red has had diahorria, it is a liquid at first but then is slightly sloppier than a cow pad. I have gone to the vets and they just said to give him Calf Scourer to bind him up. I put the saddle on him today as he is really hard to tell if he has lost weight. He defiantly has ,I would say about just over an inch around his girth. He is eating...slowly, drinking well, but is 'tired' looking. I am giving him your Colic remedy today. If you think I should go back to the vets , have you got any suggestions of what to get her to look for? His worming is up-to-date.

cheers
chelle
 

Check for Ulcers, treat for sand as that is normally the symptom and continue the investigation. Blood test of Vet comes back, worm count on manure regardless and so on. Don't ride the Horse however. Let us know how you go?

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5th May, 2008

CRUELTY TO HORSES AND A TOUCH OF SADNESS

Many owners of agistment Centres just take the money and don't care about the welfare of Horses that reside upon their property. Even though they walk past them all day long because they often live there. I just do not know how they can earn their living and walk by while horses are starved or generally not looked after adequately.

I can't do it and nor can my wife. It depresses us on our own property. It ruins our quality of life. It is fine for the Owner of such Horses, they are wrapped up in Bed or at work and it is us who has to deal with the depression of it all, day by day.

I was told of two such cases, blatant cases and I call these CRUELTY THROUGH IGNORANCE. This type of cruelty is rampant across Australia and just like the Agistment Centre Owners around the Country who walk by and turn their head the other way, those that run our Industry do likewise. They know full well that there would probably be 10,000 horses at least across Australia today, starving hungry, sweating under hot rugs, freezing because of no rugs, being fed bad food, feet not done, no worming, teeth and the list goes on forever.

There was a Girl with a Horse at one such Centre in Golden Grove. The Horse had a normal yard, sand and it had a fair bit of Paddy Mellon growing in it (obviously had been vacant for a while) Others became increasingly concerned as the Horse was calling out a lot. When the Owner was eventually pestered to investigate, the Owner replied, "I didn't think I had to feed him, there is all this green stuff in the yard"

Then at another place near us, a  Family purchased a Horse and started feeding it Lettuce leaves, the heads off carrots, not the carrots and general Kitchen scraps. To their credit, the Owner took them in hand and educated them how to feed a Horse.

To my absolute surprise and sadness, one of mine, a most experienced young Lady who I have always had a lot of time for, has been starving her Horses on my property. Go figure that? One feed peer 24 hour period!!! and yesterday, no breakfast, arriving at 3pm (slept in) 22 degrees, canvas rugs on and my wife and I having to work here, accepting the pain of it.

What on God's Earth makes people do this? How can one stoop so low to lose the love of their own Horses? Why is it that the Industry is packed with people who can ill afford to feed one horse let alone more but they have 4, 5, 6 and up to 20 in some cases? Is that a sickness?

Yes I know we have to live, we want the income for the agistment and we have to make the decision as to whether we suffer financially or do we stand by and watch sick, starving or neglected Horses? Well there is never a doubt on this property and the Lass has been given her last warning or her sweet ass and her poor Horses will be gone.

From the Human psychological perspective, what makes this happen? How can it be? You want a Horse you must love them? right? You love them so much you want two, three, four, even though you can't afford them. In many of the cases, I see these young Ladies carrying on as Nobel Love Prize Winners on the major Horse Forums around the Country, being 'Oh so loving and caring' and experts on every subject known to 'God and Man' and yet I personally know many of them who a straight negligent in Horse Ownership and even a Drug Grower funding Warmblood Breeding but they come across sooooo well. It is a funny World that we live in.

So it is high time Horse Ownership was licensed and those wanting to purchase one have to do a mandatory TAFE Course which would have to be comprehensive and a certificate issued or a fail given. That Certificate should have to be produced with purchase or registration of a Horse and every Horse in this Country needs to be Registered as well.

So when the young Lass reads this, will she do the customary runner and blame me? All my fault, I starved them, not her????   Generally I will be the big bad villain or will she have a reality check and come to her senses? We shall see.

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CONSUMER WATCH

G'Day John,
Here is a picture of a Navaho girth purchased from Goodwoods.You should be able to see from the image that there is a serious design flaw in that the buckle twists sideways allowing the girth pionts to slide off.
Im sure most readers will understand my horror when after only 5 minutes of riding the girth fell off !!!
The lack of quality in the manufacture of the girth illustrates their lack of safety concerns clearly indicating that profit outweighs safety.
Lucky to be alive
Nat....:(
 

Yes, highly dangerous, substandard crap girth. How much money was that Nat? Here is a top end Wintec off my saddle. The Horse bucked 3 times the day before too.

Take it back and demand your money. That is your legal right.

As you know, I hate rip off and that is what your girth is. I have sent the Wintec to my Manufacturer for copy and upgrading. From now on, every time anyone buys crap, send  the photos to me and I will make them right. Hit them in the pocket and they will start to get the message. Consumers need to flex their muscle more. Both you and I could have been killed. They would have been dead in the water on 'Negligence' in the Courts. That would have gotten their attention!!!

HORSELAW

Have another case here where InterState people have purchase in this State and Horse hasn't arrived as stated. Be careful Folks. Get them checked out by someone in the State as a Tasmanian Lady did last week. She had us look into a potential purchase of a Pony in Tumby Bay. Turned out the Owner was completely truthful and the Pony a lovely Horse. A nice change indeed. Unfortunately the Horse didn't sell as they decided the Daughter was growing too fast. So there is a nice Riding Pony at Tumby Bay.

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hey you! John, Red isn't well at the moment he has been resting for the past 3days. So I got on Bazel who has only done trailrides and endurance with me. I have been training for the Towns Hack show this month on Red, so I thought I would do Inside leg to outside rein on Baz...forgetting he was in the top 10 Qld dressage class in his younger days. O.M.G I now know what to feel for, it was the most efordless...relaxing riding I have ever done. By the end I worked out why I keep loosing my stirrups in the trot.....I was riding motor bike style and I guess so is Red...but Bazel doesn't, what an upper. lol


cheers
chelle

Well done Chelle, the value of the School Master ey? It's good when you get 'light bulb moments', isn't it? Hope Red is ok.!
 

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Hey John,
I dont mean to use your site as an advertisement place, but I was hopping if you could put this up for me. I have started to make Sequin pictures, will attach a picture of the first one. I'm planning on making them and selling them for $100(postage at buyers expense) (there about 60cmx60cm so big pictures). So I'm looking to see if anyone is interested in them. Of course I can make other designs if people want. Anyway I'll try not to make this too much of an advertisement, but if anyone is interested could you e-mail me at Jesskahh_@hotmail.com

Just a crazy idea I seem to have started, and if no one is interested then I cant really afford to make more, I'm sure you know how tight money gets sometimes.
Anyway I hope your getting along fine, I'm all good and my daughters growing up fast (9 months now). She loves the rare chance we get to ride my old pony (his feet got done and they look fabulous now).

Look after yourself
Sincerly,
Jesskah

No worries Jess. Glad to see you are still kickin :) Best of Luck with it.

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Hi there John and Linda,
I have had my first riding lesson ever at 30. It was fantastic. There were a few worries at the start. Mac the silly boy kept charging at the fence while I was riding Bear. I think he wanted to race us. I was gonna put up with it as Bear kept on ploddin but when we had our backs turned mac did the charge again and Bear got unsettled. I waited til he stood still then got off and went and put some food out as a destraction for Mac. Treating a bad habit but I needed to have the lesson with a quiet horse not an excited spooked one. I had lessons on pressure and realief and leg yielding. That was fantastic. Bear was getting his lesson at the same time as was. In about 10 mins he was bending correctly at the walk. I wasn't ready to trott on the circle. I felt so unco but the result was great. My instrctor is taking me to pony club to see how bear and I go for the first time. She even promised to lead me if I needed it for the day. Such a great person. I am having 2 lessons per month with her now and it feels much better to have a good and able instuctor by my side.
We have been getting lots of rain here I hope you have had some to fill your tanks too. We have grass shoots all over the place and we had oats sewed in our small paddock. Horses are peaved that they are locked in the yards but they need the food to grow so they can eat it.
Gotta love ya and leave ya as I have a mountain of house work to catch up on.
Cheers from Cindy

That's great Cindy and well done to your PC Instructor. Now you are off and running. Nothing wrong with learning late. I had my first lesson with a PC 5 years ago :) Now look, I am actually typing on it

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G'Day John,
I would like your advice on a 12yo stock horse geldng,that was sold to my mate as a beginers horse.
He is basically a quiet,well behaved horse,who seems to have no dirt in him...UNTILL....you try to canter him.
The first few attempts ,he threw his head in the air opened his mouth and bolted into the thistles ???
A few days later he spooked spun and bolted (and lost his beginner rider) OUCH
Today i (armed with ORS tried to canter him,..well he totally lost the plot, bucked spun and bucked some more, all with his head up mind you.
He will canter in the round yard but seems very un-co.
I'm not sure it was excitement as he is 12yoand didnt get hot afterwards, im starting