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Ranked 4th in the World - Horse Training.

28th February, 2008

Lovely day today and I rode my little sweetie this morning. The Clydie x. Had her first little trotty and didn't go to "duck the block' as we say in the Bush :) which is always a good sign. Tomorrow morning, "out the gate' another thing we say in the Bush :) Haven't been for a ride with my wife for a while and I always enjoy that. She had a mega day with lessons, riding other peoples horses, doing photo opportunities on others, and riding her own three. Poor girl, only just walked in 7.45pm but at least I had a nice dinner ready for her.

I went shopping til I dropped today. I hate the traffic and the rush down the west end of this City. The Truck Traffic is horrendous. Shopping for building materials for stables, front fence, kick boards and 17 bloody great big tanks. At least I have done my bit for the ozone layer but put a dent in the wallet I can tell you. By the way, if any SA person is about to buy Rain Water Tanks, better tell me and I will get you Agents price.

TRUE AFFECTION

Remember this Horse? I used to call him 'Mr. Buck'. Remember me saying how he would be a Champ one day, just like his entire Family have been? Well he was for sale in last Months Horse Deals and the owners didn't get one call. Not a sexy advert. Anyhow, Mrs. HP has been riding him for 3 days now, getting him ready for a first looker. She is now considering buying him back as he is the most over the back and soft horse that she has ever thrown a leg over. As if he has the best set of shock absorbers on the Planet. He has grown heaps and is a spunk. The best bit?.... the most darling, smoochie, best mate a person could ever have horse that you could find in Australia. Just goes to show you. The type of horse that gives his all and is genuinely dedicated and true to you. If a buyer came along and treated him like ....just a tool for their own importance, they would break his heart.......and on that subject......

I spend a lot of time thinking about Horses....I spend a lot of time in the Round Pen with them. Unfortunately, I don't think it is possible to get 'the one thing' until you are almost ready to fall off your Horse but guess what I have proved of late? You can basically break a Horse in using affection and true feelings for the Horse.....if you let them know it. They simply give themselves to you and the often arduous task of breaking horses in just becomes non event with the end result being given to you in return for your respect and affection of the horse. There is affection and there is affection. There is the carrot, new Horse Rug, sugar lump affection and there is the affection that comes from the Heart and is conveyed through your eyes, your body language and your actions. Horses can always pick the difference. That's because they don't often meet the real thing. Gawd, I am starting to sound like a 'nutter'

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RACING WANTING VACCINATION MANDATORY

The Australian Racing Industry is currently lobbying the government to make Vaccination against EI permanent and mandatory. This move puts the entire Australian Horse Industry at great risk.
A document presented to Federal and State Government ministers today by the Australian Horse Industry Council contains in depth information about the EI vaccine and the implications of continuing the program of vaccination on a permanent basis in Australia.
By continuing vaccination against EI in Australia we will never regain our previous EI Free status. Other than the “status rating” why is this a problem?
As we all know by now, Vaccination does not entirely prevent the spread of EI; Vaccination masks the symptoms of EI so it is far harder to tell if a horse has it.
Currently it is difficult to keep vaccines up to date. As we know from other experiences with human flu, viruses are capable of mutating and becoming stronger. The EI virus is no exception.
After administration of a vaccine a horse can become infected with Equine Influenza virus and still excrete the virus, though it might not show any signs of infection.
This is why vaccination against EI must be administered about every 3-6 months. If the vaccine strain is not closely related to the infecting virus, then vaccine will be of no use in preventing infection or clinical disease.
Vaccinated horses might not excrete as much virus or for as long as unvaccinated horses. The important thing is that they will not be showing clinical signs, so we may be totally unaware that they have the virus, but they will be infectious to other horses and are therefore a risk.
If the Racing Industry vaccinates their horses on a permanent basis they are putting the entire Australian Horse Industry at risk.
To prevent an infectious agent (eg, EI) from continuing to circulate within a given horse population, more than 80% of the total horse population needs to be immune (vaccinated) all the time.
This means that all horses need to be on regular regimes of vaccination to ensure that the immunity in the total horse population is sufficiently high all the time to prevent excretion of Equine Influenza virus. This regular an widespread regime has further implications in terms of record keeping, ongoing testing and surveillance, cost to horse owners etc.
It is highly likely that regular vaccination promotes endemicity. Partially immune horses are able to transmit the virus without showing signs, while repeated vaccination encourages the virus to mutate and produce new and stronger strains.
All the evidence is that Equine Influenza has been eradicated from Australia. There is no good reason to continue to vaccinate against a virus that is no longer present.
Experience for more than 50 years indicates that vaccination programs against Equine Influenza are ineffective in eliminating infections, and in fact encourage silent spread of the virus which results in it becoming endemic.
We should bear in mind that EI was introduced into Australia through animals that had been vaccinated
You can contact the federal minister, and shadow minister, for agriculture (polite emails please) to register your opposition to the Racing Industry’s request for Permanent EI Vaccination.

Minister For Agriculture, Mr Tony Burke - Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au
and;
Shadow Minister For Agriculture; Mr Nigel Scullion - senator.scullion@aph.gov.au

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VICTORIAN RSPCA

The RSPCA is investigating allegations of animal cruelty on a property at Narrawong in Victoria.
Complaints were lodged when four out of thirteen horses were destroyed after they were found lying down and unable to stand.
DPI Victoria is looking into whether the horses had a disease but the department has ruled out horse flu.
"A horse was euthanised by a private practitioner on 19 February, and taken to DPI's diagnostic facility at Attwood for post mortem," DPI senior veterinary officer Mike Jeffers told the Herald Sun.
Further investigations will depend on the outcome of the autopsy.
Neighbours had initially raised concerns about the horses’ welfare because they believed the animals were not being fed.
Neighbour Liz Novotny told the Herald Sun there was no grass in the paddock, and the horses were “very skinny”.
"I'm pretty upset about it and worried about what's going to happen to the horses," she told the Herald Sun.
An RSPCA officer said that they had previously “worked with” the owner in the past.
The RSPCA and DPI are continuing their investigations.

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HORSE DEALS SOLD

Fairfax Media Limited has acquired Horse Deals Magazine, Australia’s leading equine trading magazine, from the Harris Family of Adelaide, South Australia for approximately $21.5 million.

The purchase price represents a multiple of 8.8 times 2007 EBIT ($2.44 Million).
This high-quality, gloss magazine, published monthly, covers most types of horses for sale, horse equipment, apparel and property, and caters to a diverse market, from pleasure riders to Olympic disciplines.
Brian McCarthy, CEO, Australia, for Fairfax Media, said “Horse Deals is the number one magazine dedicated to equine related activities. It is a very successful business, with a clear strategy for future growth, and it will fit perfectly with our stable of publications throughout regional and rural Australia

NOW FOR PROPER AND APPROPRIATE PENALTIES

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department has arrested three people from connection to the inhumane treatment of 28 horses.
Authorities say 70-year-old Hazel Trexler, 44-year-old Terry Trexler and 40-year-old James Trexler were arrested at approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday after the Sheriff’s Department and the HSPCA investigated severe and barbaric treatment of 28 horses that were supposed to be in the Trexlers' custody.
Each of the Trexlers faces numerous charges: Hazel Trexler--28 counts of ill treatment of animals,
Terry Trexler--23 counts of ill treatment of animals,
James Trexler--5 counts of ill treatment of animals along with 1 count of kidnapping. This last charge stems from an incident where the Sheriff's Department says he held a HSPCA investigator against her will and refused to let her leave a farm during an evaluation of the horses February 13.
Investigators found that the horses had injuries ranging from malnutrition to inflictions that caused their halters to grow into their faces. Sheriff Leon Lott says the Trexlers have proven time and time again that they have no business owning animals.
Terry and Hazel face similar chares in Jefferson County Georgia. Officer Jimmy Kitchens with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says they face over 61 counts of animal cruelty there, and Terry faces one count for allowing animals to roam at large.
For these Georgia charges alone they could each face up to 30 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.
Authorities say that because these charges are all misdemeanors they have not been able to extradite the duo back to Georgia.
Lott states that the HSPCA and investigators will continue to work with the Solicitors Office in South Carolina and with authorities in Georgia to make sure the trio get the punishment they deserve and are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
James is the assistant commissioner for agriculture; however, he was suspended from this position pending the investigation today.
All three are now at the Richland County Jail where they await a bond hearing.
The horses currently are in the care of veterinarians.

The Animal Welfare Laws are pathetic in this Country. Try those in America! Here in South Australia, the Labor Govt are about to debate new and strengthened Laws. About time. The Liberals are trying to amend the Bill to give at least 48 hours notice to the Offender. Well we all know where their interests are, don't we. The bloody $$$$$, not Animals, the one's that make them their livelihoods. Sick!!!
 

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LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi John,
How do you know when you've got the right ponies in the right paddock for mates?

Attatched photo taken at 10.30pm :-
Picasso - the Dun stallion
Rose - the miniature Bay mare
Ruffian - the Palomino mare
Storm - the Dark Grey gelding
Pavlova - the White gelding.

In the next paddock the photo came out way too dark but there are 4 ponies lying down on their sides like they are standing on top of each other's backs! LOL!!

Cheers,
Sarah.
 

Poor little 'Buggas" :) Don't you blokes ever give them a minutes piece? No wonder they sleep well. By the way, why don't you feed them

Hey you! Glad to see you are getting some cool weather. This is the weirdest summer I have ever seen. Last year we got a 'decent' electricity bill due to having the air-cons on most of the time, this year we have been pulling out the jumpers! Bazels been wearing a winter rug at night...scary.
Anyway, when the rain has gone (ha!) I am going to send you a CD, of Red and myself cantering. I have found a fellow that comes out to our town giving lessons once he has a booked-out day. Here is a question about the seating position I hope you can help me to stop Reds suffering, what is the correct MOVEMENT for our seat whilst in a canter? I never had a problem with Bazel as he his such a rocking chair, you just sat there , a bit like been on a see-saw, you were rocked from your pelvic bone to your seat bone. But Red...OMG, I just can't do it.

cheers
chelle

Polishing the seat from the back to the front with a looseness, not stiffness of the hips and pelvis. The problem is and what you are probably experiencing is that a lot of QH's are notoriously uncomfortable and especially at canter. I love them but compared to other Breeds they are a chore indeed and certainly not a Horse that I would want to ride much because of back problems. (bulging disc) They jar you too much and that is probably what is making it difficult for you Chelle. Read this.....

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Hi John

A different perspective for Chelle (with her problem of a "light" contact and not being able to follow in the canter). Speaking from experience LOL, you need to have a constant contact. I was guilty of thinking I was riding with a light contact, when what I actually had was an inconsistent contact. My instructor has fixed that :) and horse is now stretching forward into contact nicely. Obviously walk and canter are a bit harder than trot as you need to follow the movement of the horse while maintaining a consistent contact. Chelle would probably find that she has a more consistent contact if she doesn't try to ride "light". That was my problem. My poor instructor - it took a little bit to get through to me, but now I've got it horse is much happier as he isn't having to put up with the inconsistency.

K

Thanks K.

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I just read your response to someone about horse floats saying you wouldn't use a slant load horse float as it is presently designed. I just wanted to inform you of a study I read several years ago that measured cortisol levels (stress hormone) in individual horses riding in straight load, forward slant load and reverse slant load trailers. I can't site the reference, but it was a well done study. Anyway, the lowest cortisol levels were in the group of horses during reverse slant load trailering. If you leave a horse loose in a big box while trailering, almost all(if not all) will configure themselves to be riding in a reverse slant position. I'm not sure if you were opposed to slant load trailering due to position of the horse or the manufacture of the float. The results of the study I read was that horses were less stressed riding reverse slant followed by forward slant and most stressed riding straight load. Unfortunately, in the U.S. trailer manufactures and horse owners don't pay much attention to studies. There is only 1 manufacturer in the US that I know of that is configuring a reverse slant trailer (and I have one). Elly

Elly  USA

Yes Elly, I read that one and it was a very good idea for them to let the Horses speak for once. Mostly, float design is about Human wants and needs, not the Horses. Take the back breeching doors for instance. They are there in case a spec of dust gets on the Horse and they have to lift a hand to brush the Horse when they get to the Show. Problem is, horses hate them. "Lock em up" :) Your angle loads are facing the left I believe. You drive on the right hand side of the road and so your horses are facing up hill with the camber of your road. We drive on the left and true to everything here, we copy exactly everything the Yanks do hahaha. If they started eating fly sandwiches, we would too. :) So our horses are facing down hill. Go figure? Interesting subject. Thanks Elly.

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I agree agree agree

I must say that over the years I have spent time with some of the best horsemen in Australia you know where it got me
no where I approached pony clubs western people advertised and only found that the knockers came out in full force
No I don't own a big f 250 truck with the great big goose neck behind nor do I wear expensive shirts and jeans k mart for me
my horses are well behaved well educated in all aspects of their lives
Over the years I have been saying teach our children to handle a horse on the ground if they can do it on the ground they will be able to do it better in the saddle its called basics leading, I see time and time again horses that stand on kids feet over crowd them drag them along under fed, over fed, feet been hacked at by inexperienced parents
Teeth not done gear all looking flash nice new floats and trucks the best rugs the best saddles the best cloths the best thoughorbreds money can buy the educated horses money can buy and absolutely NO idea of how to handle the horse in a safe and correct manner
back to where I started from I only wanted to teach kids the basics feeding correct handling on the ground placement when leading how to put a horse out correctly removing the halter in a paddock the correct place to be when picking up hooves how to clean them safely and you know what the parents don't want to know about that stuff one parent asked me how will this help in shows you aren't teaching her to ride
they just don't get it another lady saw three horses that I educated her in Bendigo the local riding group was going to lead the parade down the main street 25 horses and kids lined up and the Chinese dragon came outa know where horses went every which way all but my three they looked and stood still until the kids got off and took the horses over and let them see there was no danger they led the parade most of the horses in that parade we educated by a fellow well know as a dressage rider charges $2500 to train horses over a six week period has the big flash car and float wears the expensive cloths and is still getting plenty of work and yes the horses are still shying and all I hear is but my horse was trained by such and such and I paid x amount.
well grow abrain people there are many good horse trainers out their that don't have big names and flash stuff charge half the price and know that your horse will have to cope outside of the show ring where there are real things that could and do scare the poor show horse and these people give horses CONFIDENCE in side and outside the ring
there are people that can show you child the best and safest way to handle their horses on the ground and don't cost the world I charge a measly $25.00 per lesson normally an hour but like horses some children learn slower so as long as it takes for the child to understand each lesson try getting that outa your show riding instructors.
as I said in the beginning horse people are the worst for safety and every novice know it all try to get this into your heads
Brushing the wrong brushes can cause your horse to become uncomfortable.
standing behind your horse whilst brushing his/her tail is inviting horses to kick
playing with your horses mouth is inviting him to bite
standing directly infront of your horse when leading is an accident waiting to happen
these are things I see every day I could write a book of 101 things not to do and 101 that can be easily taught to correctly handle a horse on the ground.
WHO am I to talk well I have bred, and shown quarter horses competed in three day event been a bull rider I currently race standardbreds and yes I am aplaulled at the way that some of our top stable hands handle horses

so yes I agree with what you are saying

regards
Geoff

Regards Geoff. Hope that feels a little better :) You need a website like this. You could let it all hang out then Pony Clubs should have blokes like you as Volunteer Coaches after the proper vetting. Regards

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Hello John
My name is Anne.
Can you please tell me how you determine what is Pastern leukocyclastic vasculitis and what is greasy heel?
I have an old gelding in my care who has either one of these conditions very severely on both back pasterns and pretty well all over both feet. They are not white. He is so bad it is impossible and inhumane to treat him without heavy sedation. Nothing has worked and as stated by the vet on your site most scrubbing, treatments etc caused massive swelling up the entire leg past the hocks with him becoming quite ill and extremely uncomfortable. It is simply not an option anymore.
I am at my wits end to know what to do. I have not been told that this could be terminal – I find that hard to believe. Have tried almost all the products suggested with the exception of thuja and filtabac which I will start using tomorrow. Nobody including vets mentioned photosensitivity!
I would appreciate any advice.

Thank you

Anne

This is probably the most difficult disease confronting Horses Anne. Have you read this? http://www.horseproblems.com.au/horse_problems_australia_tips_an.htm

I am led to believe that the only way to truly know is via biopsy and lab testing. I haven't got time to read that page myself so forgive me if I repeat myself but we use all sorts of things. Potties Green Ointment, nappysan, sulphur powder mixed in Vaseline, chlorine wash, and taking the Horse down for a swim in the Sea...(.not at the same time though.) Hope you get some closure to the problem. It is more prevelent with the older horses and those with white socks. Sun plays a big part in it .

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Dear John, no, I have never lunged a horse in my life. I am not sure that I would know how - yeah it looks easy but I don't think it is, is it? I just played around with the Smooch and hopped on. I was talking to a friend about it and I may be using a bit that is too big and I definitely know that the saddle was not suitable. I am going to try the western on him and see how that goes. Anyway I shall keep you informed, somehow I think this horse is going to be a great success for me.
Lauren, Smooch, Trev and Georgie Boy

Remember Lauren, most Western Saddles do not fit most Horses and most in my experience, even on Quarter Horses, do not fit appropriately. In fact, most English Saddles don't fit horses properly. I am very impressed with the fit of the new half Breed Saddles however. Regards
 

27th February, 2008

Lovely Day, 25 degrees and quite an enjoyable morning had by all.

  First we had Mrs. Anne Easton of the One Tree Hill Pony Club mounting her unridden Standardbred Gelding for the first time and being given a hint or two by Mrs. HP on the sidelines. :) Needless to say the Horse took it in his stride, even though he was worried, and ended the session trotting around the Round Pen with Anne. Big smiles all around.

Following on, I climbed aboard this lovely Girl for the first time in her sweet life. 3 year old Clydesdale/stock horse cross. Well she too just shrugged and walked off and obviously not knowing what to do, riding both horses was like jumping on two old School Masters :) No doubt about them. Breeding is a very important thing if you want nice Horses. Thinking back afterwards, due to our two days off, I had forgotten that she had only had two days breaking in (mouthing) and you can judge the lateral mouth for yourself :)

HORSE FLOATS

Hi John & Linda,

Just finished reading the story about the injured horse that Steph had e-mailed you. Quite an interesting 'take' on what actually caused the injuries to the horse ???

From 'MY' perspective as a horse owner & a horse float manufacturer .... what I HAVE come to realise is that ANYTHING pointier than a 'bale of hay' .... IS a potential injury waiting to happen with just about ANY horse !!! Tying horses inside or outside of floats or to rails or fences or trees or whatever .... CAN cause injuries. THIS as a 'horse owner' I just have to accept due to the 'nature of the beast' ???

It is always easy to blame the float design or the horse on the day for it's behaviour .... but the reality is that you could probably transport another hundred horses in that EXACT same float ... & NOT have any problems or injuries ???

That is true Steve but of course it depends on the horse, it's previous history and the competence of the present and past owners.

WHY did this happen to this particular horse in this particular float ??? ... well you have been around horses long enough to know that sometimes 'sh*t just happens' .... and horses WILL injure themselves no matter how well WE prepare their surroundings to be as 'horse friendly' as possible ???

Yes I fully agree we need to eliminate as many 'potential' hazards as possible but it is just NOT possible to make ANYTHING completely 'horse proof' because of the nature of the beast I believe.

I agree with that but my point last night was about going to the next level in Horse Float design, a level that takes into account and thinks about the psychology of Horses and their natural wants and needs. That is an area where no Float Manufacturer has yet to even think about, except JR with the anti scramble but designed by a Horseman. That invention takes into account the wants and needs of horses.

How many people's horses get injured in floats due to BAD handling & NO preparation for actually floating the horse ??? I would suggest a whole lot MORE horses get injured loading on & off floats due to lack of knowledge & preparation on the part of the handler, than probably EVER due to bad float design ??? How often do you see people 'float training' a particular horse 5 minutes before they actually have to be somewhere ... or at an event trying to bribe it back onto the float to take it home ???

Probably conservatively 60% of the Horse Industry fall into that category. That is not their fault however, it is the Peake Bodies who don't do their job. The most dangerous thing that one can do with a Horse, floating, is done by basically 100% of the Horse Industry, WITHOUT ANY INSTRUCTION !!!!! Go figure that???? The first and only attempt made in this Country was this website. How bad is that????

Float design is ONE part of the equation that involves horses getting injured ... I do NOT believe it is the primary source of all 'floating injuries' !!!

Tying horses in floats is another issue that people have differing 'ideas' about ... and I get to see LOTS of people's 'ideas' !!! For me & MY horses whether I am using straight load or angle load ... I DO NOT tie my horse in at all. This allows them to stretch up or down or itch an ankle or whatever ??? The rubber bungy tie's shown in the photo's of this 'offending' angle load float are pretty typical of what people WANT in their floats .... I personally DON'T use them especially in angle loads due to the size we build the bays ... our horses actually HAVE enough room to move 'in the bay' .... AND believe it or NOT .... CAN actually relax their back muscles by putting their heads down .... IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO !!!

As you know, I have inspected your Floats and you were ahead of the field and about to progress further before becoming ill. Never mind, you will live to fight another day and become the cheeky bugga who coined that wonderful phrase, "Chubbly, Cuddly, Cackling Galloping Housewives" which I will be forever thankful for hahahah

Too many people 'TELL' their horses exactly how to do this or that on or off a float ... instead of listening to what the horse TELLS the recalcitrant 'owners' about their floating experiences ??? So many times I have people bring floats in for repairs and you see scramble marks up the walls or the centre divider partition .... and I ask what is the problem .... they USUALLY blame the 'stoopid' horse ??? Never look to see that the float has conveyor belt rubber for flooring which when wet with poo or pee becomes a bloody ice rink for the poor buggers to try & stand on ??? Nah ... it's easier to just turn up the radio & just forget about the horse bashing & crashing in the back of the float !!!

Dead right but gets back to the lack of education. I thought we all loved our Horses :(

Keep pushing the message John & TRY to educate people about these floating 'issues' .... because you ARE making a difference with people's awareness of these 'issues' .... but PLEASE don't fall into the trap of blaming ONLY float design for injuries sustained by horses .... as it IS only one part of the 'REAL' problem !!!

Regards

Steve Frost
Owner / Manager
Mustang Floats (WA)

You needn't worry about that Steve. Keep on punchin

 

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LETTERS OF THE DAY

Hi John, I have just purchased a standarbred, who has trialled but not raced. He is 3 and seems to have a lovely willing temprement. I thought about sending him to a trainer but when I spoke to her and asked how she went about starting under saddle and did she teach and use the one rein stop, she said she didn't do any of that western stuff. So you can guess where he is not going. I am wondering if the Retraining the Standardbred DVD would be helpful to me. I really know nothing about dressage, just a bush and endurance rider. Is the DVD easy to understand and put into practice for a non dressage queen? Cheers Jacki

Probably not Jacki as it was produced for those wanting to compete, do flatwork, riding English and for the training of Canter. All based on the arena and on circles. If you are trail riding, just jump on and away you go. It was opportune that you wrote tonight as you will have seen Anne on the same horse as your one. Remember, they are all mouthed, they have all had every piece of saddlery hanging off them known to God and Man and if you follow the Golden Rules of the Lateral Mouth from the first steps, I can't see why you can't achieve what you want yourself. I say that having handled hundreds of them and I am still to meet one that tried to buck, bolt or rear. Just go and test the mouth with my test, especially the lateral mouth, see if the horse will stand flexed like the Clydie for that is the test of a good lateral mouth, they stand still and don't spin and jump on. You get moving by pats on the bum, increasing in intensity until they move and after three steps, one rein stop. Repeat, repeat. When you are ready for trot, a week later for you, 10 minutes later for me, 3 strides and one rein stop. Repeat, repeat and increase strides before stops until all are happy. Work on normal stops later. The front brakes are irrelevant to you. Regards

Hi John & Linda,

Quick update on my progress with my OTTB that I couldn't get to 'buck, bite, bolt, kick or rear' ....

Due to my illness I haven't been doin much of anything including 'riding' .... so it had been a few months between rides on Kozzy !!! Just before Christmas I felt up to a nice relaxing ride ... so I dragged the big fella outa the paddock, brushed him down, saddled up, gave him a quick lunge in hand for a few laps to settle the saddle in .... and departed !!!

Horse was a bit tense I felt & was trying to call out to his paddock mate ... which was rewarded with a slap on the butt with my split reins .... we toddled off down the road & I could just feel his breathing was elevated & he was quite keen to do a 180 & head back home ??? But we just kept 'relaxed' & pushed forward ....

Not far from home is an open parkland with a big dam and a nice area for a bit of a run ... so we headed out around the dam & had a nice trot down hill till we came near the end of the park where there is quite a steep descent. The big fella wanted to run so I let him go forward down this decent ..... til I felt a 'boomp' under my bum, then another 'boomp' ... then another BIGGER 'boomp' .... I must be completely retarded because my first thoughts were "That's strange, I have NEVER felt a horse gallop like this before" ..... that was about half a nano second before I felt REAL BIG 'boomp' under my saddle ... then I looked down only to see I was about a foot above the saddle, the horse had his head between his front legs .... and I was UNCEREMONIOUSLY departing over his right shoulder .... and there was NOTHING I could do other than go "Oh sh*t, THIS is gonna hurt" !!!

I remember grabbing a big handful of rein & mane on the way thru ... which DID help slow my descent .... but it burnt the crap outa my fingers as the reins were pulled thru them as I landed flat on my back !!! Well it knocked the wind outa me ... and the horse kept on bucking as I lay there trying to get my breath back ??? I rolled over onto my hands & knees & just waited for my breathing to come again ..... yes it seemed like forever !!!

I was a bit stunned .... I couldn't believe how quickly it all happened or how easily this horse got me off !!! Took a few minutes to 'compose' myself before going & collecting my steed !!! I'm not sure if he did this out of malice or was just feeling good .... but he was NOT going to get the opportunity again !!! We had a little 'talk' by way of some in hand 'ground work' before I jumped back on. All was good & we went for a two hour ride into town & back .... and he was PERFECT !!!

What I learnt from this was .... DON'T take anything for granted ... ESPECIALLY with OTTB'S that get retired like this fella cos he kept bucking off all the jockeys ... *lol* ...

My next ride after that, was last Sunday. I know ... a while between drinks but I just hadn't felt up to it before then.

He hadn't been touched since the pre-Christmas 'adventure' .... so I was goin to make darn sure he didn't 'drill me' again !!!

He really is a beautiful horse & I like his personality & spunk ... but as an 8yr old OTTB with 'attitude' .... he has obviously got away with this type of behaviour before ... so my mission Jim, should I accept it ... was to make the bad behaviour 'hard' & the good behaviour 'easy' ???

So I got him saddled up in his paddock & did some ground work in hand with a 12' training rope & rope halter. We don't have flash facilities like you guys, so we have to make do with what we got !!! I asked him to go out & lead off to the right .... and I got a big eye look & horse run backwards ??? .... no probs ... we'll just slow down, bring our energy down & lower our 'che' so to speak ??? We got the desired result almost immediately with Mr Koz .... but as soon as we got the 'che' levels up ..... horse just wanted to evade to the point of chucking in a few humpies with MY saddle on !!!

Well I was NOT going to listen to that .... and we had a little 'talk' via me communicating MY displeasure at his attitude by giving him a few bangs on the head collar .... this translated in to a horse running VERY fast backwards trying hard as he could to evade me. Funny but I can run faster forward than HE can run backwards ??? After a bit of a 'Mexican stand off' .... horse decided to listen & when I asked him in & gave him a nice rub on the forehead he actually breathed a big 'sigh' of relief !!!

Don't know who was more stuffed ... him or me ... we were BOTH huffing & puffing like an old train .... me because of my condition, him because someone had just called his bluff !!!

I then asked him to move off to the right again ... to which he calmly complied with !!! We did another 5 minutes of differing in hand stuff before going out for a nice 3 hour ride in the bush. No more 'attitude' at all from horse ... I 'think' we have got our 'understanding' back ... but I WON'T take that for granted AGAIN !!!

My health is improving I think .... have started a course of treatment with a drug called 'Infliximab' which has only recently been approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease & has now been registered with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme .... for my body weight it is @ $4200 PER infusion. Have had two treatments so far & another this coming Friday .... so hopefully I will see an improvement and maybe GET MY LIFE BACK !!!

Regards

Steve (former galloping husband, now relegated to the 'occasional' canter)

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Dear John, no, I have never lunged a horse in my life. I am not sure that I would know how - yeah it looks easy but I don't think it is, is it? I just played around with the Smooch and hopped on. I was talking to a friend about it and I may be using a bit that is too big and I definitely know that the saddle was not suitable. I am going to try the western on him and see how that goes. Anyway I shall keep you informed, somehow I think this horse is going to be a great success for me.
Lauren, Smooch, Trev and Georgie Boy

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Hi John,
Not sure if I have sent you this before, but this is picture of what happens when you have a brat mini and you mix HP's sand cleaner in her feed.
Regards,
Chris

I think she want's more Chris :)

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Hey you! John I have always ridden in a very loose rein, now I am trying to have very slight contact. I have perfected the trot , Red is very light and responsive....but.... in the canter he raises his head and then comes down hard making his mouth slam into my reins. He grunts and continues to canter. I feel awful! I move my hands slightly with the rhythm but I loose contact constantly. Basically am I causing the problem first due to loosing contact due to his swing, should I not be moving my hands with his rhythm....Im at a loss. I have watched Linda over and over in one of your DVDs to see what she does, but when I try it goes out the window.LOL Hope you understand my dilemma.

cheers
chelle

That simply comes down to the 'independent seat' chelle. Fitness, miles on the clock and probably lessons. In short,your Body must not influence your hands which should be maintaining the same contact no matter what the Horse does or does not do. In other words, your hands are virtually floating in mid air, moving in unison and motivated by the backward and forward rythm of the face of the horse. If one can't achieve this at canter, they shouldn't be trying it, leaving it until the ridden ability has arrived at walk and trot. This is why I wrote the article "Help, I can't let the reins go"  Chelle. Regards

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G'Day John,
Firstly I heard a rumor you were comming to Canberra for a clinic, I have informed hubby that im going. His only responce was When and How much,haha
Secondly, well I made a big no,no :( a few weeks ago, I saddled my TB mare and accidently had a twist in the girth,(actually it was the thick leather point on offside of my swinging fender) Well she let me know by pulling back and snapping the lead rope, fair enough too.
Since then I have been very carefull,but affraid the damage has been done, She now is hard to saddle,She moves around from side to side and refuses to stand still.I had a friend hold her but she walked circle's to avoid the saddle.
Thankyou,
Nat

Horses should be tied up for saddling imho Nat. People holding horses for many reasons, clipping, worming, saddling etc simply allow the horse to manipulate the handler, soon learn that they can succeed with evasion and increase their intensity of effort based upon success and learnt tactics. If you tie a horse like this. and you are standing on the near side, the horse moves away and ends near the bar, you simply wouldn't allow the horse to then invade your space which you have stolen off the horse and it can go no further. No pulling and tugging on ropes, just 'porcupine game' if it tries. Tying horses up achieves much. If I get a bad one, I simply hobble train it and then saddle whilst hobbled briefly. Regards

 

26th February, 2008

Day Off

HORSE FLOAT DESIGN

Hi John

Just saw that Claire had emailed you regarding Bailey. I thought you might me interested to see the pictures we took after unloading him. The strangest thing about this story is he had never previous had issues floating, travelled well from a suburb south of Perth to where he was stopping over overnight and only reacted to the float the following day. He was apparently difficult to load (perhaps trying to tell the handler something??) before being transported to another property where another horse was loaded with him. Not next to him - but one bay apart. The transporter then said that this is when Bailey went "mad" and trashed his float. As far as im aware they transported the other horse to where it was going before unloading it and continuing the journey to Geraldton with Bailey.

On arrival the handler was quite sure the horse was mental - said he had worked with horses all his life and had never seen anything like it. He was also somewhat disagreeable about the condition of his float as ot was only 7 weeks old. Bailey was however not a handful after unloading him and allowed us to view and check him all over phsically for injuries. Surprisingly after the horse had been checked by a vet and given the all clear to travel we attempted to load him onto Claires straight load and found that although his was visibly shaken and distressed he would follow us up onto the float and only became noticably uneasy when he was 3/4s on. After lots of reassuring we called it a day and over the next two weeks gained his trust by quietly puting him on and off evey couple of days. And the end of week one we managed to even quietly load him next to my mare. However as we were not sure how he would react (knowing that the other horse had set him off last time.... apparently) we thought it best not to rush it and float him alone. As Claire has said he floated brilliantly on bitumen and the windey gravel road with wierd camber and other than alot of stress poop he came off in one piece and relatively calmly. He was the perfect stable horse during the 2 weeks stint at my place and was extemely placid - even when dressing his wounds and for the farrier who removed the one shoe that was still on. It was hard to paint the picture of him as the "mad" horse who put a hole in the roof of a 7 week old float.

Anyhoo - just thought with the extra info and pics you may be able to shed some light on the psychology of horse behaviour such as this. He appears to be very well halter trained and will yeild to the slightest pressure on the rope. I was with Claire when she tried the horse prior to her purchasing him. She had a cast on her broken arm at the time (which i must say didnt prevent her from trying 2 horses that day!!) so i was lucky enough to get the opportunity to ride him. He was so light in the mouth i felt as though i could have ridden him with two pieces of string and just by sitting in the saddle and going against his movement he would stop! Im sure the next time you hear from us it will be rave of how well they are going!

Thanks again for your help when you were both here in WA. I felt privileged to have been able to attend your clinic and hope that you are able to make it back here one day.

Cheers Steph
 

Most kind Steph. There is no surprise at all when a horse 'loses it' and whatever happens after that is really not relevant. Why the horse was triggered to do it is.

The key with Horse Float design is to make them as horse friendly as possible and clearly still, this is not being done adequately.

Now lets put ourselves in the position of the Horse and try to appreciate from their perspective. When I look at this float, it looks like maximum security at the Perth Prison. It seeks to cage the horse, restrict from moving, take away it's sight and worse, cramp the Hell out of it's neck for 5 hours. The injuries of course are not surprising as the float has custom made weapons all over the place, ready to take skin off.

You would have heard that horses need to lower their necks, extend their noses out, so that they don't inherit repertory problems and more when floating. I can also tell you that a horse can only be relaxed when it has it's neck lowered. I doubt if this is possible in angled floats. If you had to walk around or stand for hours with your head in an abnormal position, would you hurt? Would it ache? Does any Float Manufacturer ever think about those things? It goes further, when the Horse arrives at Dressage with the Stars and it is resistant, has anyone ever stopped to wonder about the horse being cramped in the float?? Never in the History of the Horse World I would submit.

Further, you then put a little window in front of them with bars across it and then drive at 80k an hour so the whole view is a blur. Would that assist a horse to relax? When it can't utilize it's natural needs of observation? Then you put a hole in the roof and then the horse goes off. Is it any wonder why it would go up? Lets just say that it was legal to take the bars out of that window in front and let the horse hand it's neck out. Would it have gone berserk then? I doubt it.

So regardless of the lovely paint and designs we as Humans may think are lovely, I reckon the Horse would think that this and most other floats of this style are a Nightmare, a dungeon, a jail cell and given that horses are claustrophobics and panicaholics, you end up with events like what befell your poor horse.

Last year, a perfect floating Horse was locked in a straight load with Breeching doors done up. The Float suddenly hit a corrugated road and where did the Horse go? Yep, over the chest bar and out the front window...well half out. The only place it could go. The place that invites it.

I would also submit that the tie up rope doesn't hang low enough to allow the horse to drop it's head if it wanted to. You can bet that no float takes into account that different horses are longer than others and many have length of rein that far exceeds average horses. How would a Duccio Horse go?

So what injured your Horse? Float design did. Why did it do it? Possibly Float design, possibly that it was already so worried and then another Horse was put in but a bay away and it wanted to get to the mate for comfort. I don't know but I can tell you. You couldn't give me an angled float as presently designed.

So no matter how you look at this event, the one clear thing is that Float Manufactures have not performed as a result of the pressure from this site. Yes, many have incorporated lots of small things that I have recommended, door handles, roof heights have gone up for the first time in History but they all have missed the Holy Grail and I am not giving up the secret until I find one that wants to truly work for the Horse.

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

TOURNAMENT OF BLOOD

The crowd roars its approval as the chestnut stallion sinks his teeth into the throat of his opponent.
The terrified victim rears up on his hind legs and veers away in a desperate bid to escape, but it is no use.
Blood is pouring into his eyes and he can no longer see. His right ear is torn and bloody.
Fight club: Goaded into a frenzy by a mare who is 'in season' and chained nearby for up to six hours, stallions battle for 'sport' in the Philippines
The bigger horse moves in for the coup de grace, repeatedly kicking the weaker animal in the head with his front hooves.
His opponent soon collapses and lies panting on the ground, an all too typical end to one of the most horrific spectator 'sports' ever devised - horse-fighting tournaments.
But that hasn't stopped them becoming hugely popular in the Philippines, where these appalling pictures were taken.
The images are deeply disturbing, but the Mail believes they must be seen.
"These tournaments are truly barbaric," says Andrew Plumbly of the welfare group Network for Animals, which has been campaigning to bring an end to the savage contests.
These scenes in the town of Don Carlos involved 54 horses, many of which had gruesome injuries
"Our vets have seen horses being kicked in the head so hard that their eyes have popped out of their sockets. Other horses have had their ears ripped off. It's straight out of the Middle Ages."
Horse-fighting occurs almost exclusively in Mindanao in the southern Philippines, and in parts of China.
The horrific tournament captured in our photographs happened in the town of Don Carlos and involved 54 horses, many of which had gruesome injuries.
Thousands of people turned out to watch the bloodbath, including hundreds of children. Many of the adults were drunk and spent their time gambling and jeering at the battling animals.
Though horses do not normally fight one another, these stallions had been whipped into a fighting frenzy by the presence of a young mare who was "in season" and had been staked to the ground in the middle of the muddy arena.
Overwhelmed by desire, the stallions attacked each other in a bid to defeat their sexual rivals.
Wounded horses are often killed for their meat and the choicest cuts barbecued and sold to the crowd
Many were soon covered in gashes and bites. Others limped around the arena with a glazed look in their eyes as they pathetically tried to escape.
The tournament was equally traumatic for the mare used as "bait" for the stallions.
Not only was she repeatedly hit by stray blows from the duelling horses, but the poor creature was also obliged to mate with the victorious stallions from each "bout", meaning that she was mounted as many as 30 times during one tournament which can last up to six hours.
"Horses often die in the ring from exhaustion or their injuries," says Mr Plumbly, who has witnessed one such tournament.
Veterinary care is too expensive for most owners to bother with, so wounded horses are often killed for their meat and the choicest cuts barbecued and sold to the crowd.
A similar fate awaits those horses deemed too old or too weak to fight. These are "sacrificed" by pitting them against much stronger stallions.
Some break their legs as they desperately try to escape. But the bloodier the injuries, the louder the crowd cheers.
Although horse-fighting is illegal in the Philippines, corruption and lack of enforcement ensure that the tournaments continue - and with apparent official sanction.
Matches are featured on TV, and local businesses sponsor horses and tournaments. Local authorities offer prize money.
The tournaments are promoted as a "cultural tradition", but in fact they are largely organised and controlled by crime syndicates, who rake in huge profits from gambling.
Thousands of pounds are bet on each fight - a small fortune in a desperately poor country such as the Philippines.
The tournaments are promoted as a 'cultural tradition', but in fact they are largely organised and controlled by crime syndicates
Network for Animals wants to build clinics to treat injured horses and to educate local people about caring for animals. It is also encouraging tourists to avoid the southern Philippines.
"If people want to help stop these tournaments they should write to the embassy in London and tell them that they will not visit these islands," says Mr Plumbly.
"The threat of a loss of tourism money will help bring this despicable blood sport to an end."
• For more information on NFA campaigns and how you can help, visit www.networkforanimals.org.

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FREE WEB SEMINAR ON EI

Dear Friends: Register for a Free hour long Webinar on Equine Influenza and learn how to protect your horse from this disease.

Register now to join TheHorse.com

and the University of Kentucky  Equine Research Center's Tom Chambers, PhD, and Roberta Dwyer, DVM on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. EDT, for a live one-hour Webinar. This event is sponsored by Intervet and will cover the latest information on equine influenza.
In "Understanding Equine Influenza" you will learn:

How horses are infected with the influenza virus;
What diagnostic tools veterinarians use to detect influenza;
What protocols are used to treat horses with the disease; and
What you can do to protect your horse from this disease.

**************
 

LETTERS OF THE DAY

Dear Mr. HP and horse community,

Had my first dressage outing on the weekend. My horse, who has been at great trail riding, having lessons with me and just being a great beginners horse just didn't cope with the whole dressage deal. She starting whinnying as soon as she arrived and never really stopped for the four hours I was there. By the end of the day people were asking me if she was an off the track thoroughbred! I tried to remain calm in my answer to them - which was 'no' :) By the time I rode my practise test I was trying to hide tears of frustration. She jig jogged non stop. I was really surprised in how a horse can completely change their disposition and behaviour in a different situation and having different requirements of them. I understand why warm-blooded horses are better suited to dressage. Anyway, back to the drawing board. My old stock horse is now for sale as a pleasure mount to which she is more suited than dressage.

Can I also have a whinge about Pony Club people? At my local PC, I am slowly getting the impression that the Head Instructor (she says that title a lot) thinks that she is curing cancer or bringing about world peace down there in that rat poo infested club house at PC Headquarters. Thank you Mr. HP and to the other intelligent and gracious horse people in my life that have given support and advice without arrogance.

Caroline.

The change of usage and environment can have such a big effect upon a Horse, can't it Caroline? What a shame? Human Nature these days that many of the upper echelon of Pony Club and EFA end up being Hitler's on Wheels. There is a common thread among them. The less success they had at ridden performance when they were younger, the more arrogant and sometimes nasty they get. There is a direct link between the two. I often notice that the real achievers' in the Horse Industry are often the nicest to their Peers. They have nothing to prove and I am positive that the Human needs that re-assurance sometimes. Never mind, people aren't stupid!

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

Dear John, well I bit the bullet and fortunately not the dust and rode my new horse for the first time today. I have put it off because of the weather, it has been either too hot or too wet. So today my husband was home so I saddled up and away. First I would like to say, that Floyd appears to have been taught to tie up properly as he did not even once attempt to try pulling. Second, he just stood there while I loaded up all the stuff on him, pad and saddle and mucked about adjusting everything, by now George would have been dancing around with the fidgets but Floyd was nearly asleep. I put the bridle on him (actually I woke him up to do that), and it was nice not to have to reach for the sky to do so, even thought George doesn't exactly fight it I still have to do the bridle thing in the air - I know he should have his head down, and we have worked on that, but even putting a fly veil on require that I do it standing on tippy toes...George doesn't fight it but you do need long arms. Next was tightening everything up and Floyd just stood there with glazed eyes. Now to mount. I hope you lunged him a lap or two Lauren. We never know new horses and one's that have just been asleep can suddenly spark up or get girthy.  Floyd is not flexible. Being a smaller horse means he feels faster. He halts and stops dead and goes back to sleep. A gentle flex of the calf muscles and off we go again. Just five minutes for the first time and I will need to have a saddle fitted for him. I used George's (being the only saddle I have) it is a medium gullet stock saddle. I had it done up as firmly as I could and I don't think Floyd was holding out on me either, but the saddle slipped a bit and I wasn't happy and neither was Floyd. Who by the way is in great danger of being called Smoochie. LOL  Anyway time to take everything off and it was all I could do to keep Smoochie awake while I took everything off. He spat the bit out very neatly and calmly not a problem at all. A nice rub all over and then back to the paddock with George and Trev. So now I have told you all here is my question. I have your mouthing DVD, can I just follow that to re-mouth Floyd? He needs to flex way more and I have to be 100% certain that I have brakes before we venture out. And yesterday while they were flitting about the paddock after a hoof trim, I am pretty sure (99%) that Floyd was 'using' a four-beat canter, at least I counted four beats compared to George's three and I know Floyd seems usually to be 'normal' and use three beat canter....is this good or bad? Should I encourage it? Or not? Anyway, thanks John because of you horses are fun.
Lauren, (and in herd order) Smoochie/Floyd, Trevor and George

:) I hope that signature stays that long :) Yes, just go ahead and follow the 'Main game" and the 'Long rein" work. He does sound lovely. I love 'Trevor' as a name haha. For pleasure riding, it doesn't matter how they canter really. You aren't out for ribbons. As long as you all have fun.

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Hi Mr HP,
Thanks for answering my email so quick, you must be a night owl like me, i work a lot of night shifts so your website keeps me sane and awake at night. My grandparents are pommy so i might have got the saying from them (it makes me sound old but I'm only 23!), i generally use it as a term of endearment for big, dopey or softy animals, usually dogs, horses and the odd cow.
Before i knew what horse i was getting i was rubbing and messing around with Sterling while he was tied to the fence, he was nearly asleep he was so relaxed! so when they lead him over he was like "hey i know you, your nice" so he was being all smoochy and cute with me.

Thanks Again

Alexis.

This 'smoochie' word is getting a bit frequent around here Alexis. Don't you end up like that Lauren up above :) I like Pommy Ladies :)

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"$5,000,000 purchase wins

A horse that was sold for $5 million Saturday in a private sale went on to take the top prize Sunday at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.
DA Valentino was named the Supreme Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, the first time in the show's 53-year history that the title was agreed upon unanimously by six judges.
The horse, managed by Midwest Training Centre and trained by David Boggs, is also the reigning U.S. national and Canadian champion.
He was sold to Michele Pfeifer and David Halsch, former Scottdale residents who are returning to the area after time in Colorado, by previous owners Dan and Maureen Grossman, parents of Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman.
Pfeifer said she felt she got her money's worth for her purchase.
"He blows the doors off any E ticket I've ever had," she said, referring to the ticket needed to get into Walt Disney world.
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show began Feb. 15 and attendance is estimated at about 250,000."

Funny how David Boggs just happens to be involved with this horse; he is infamous as the man involved with cosmetic surgery on several Arabian horses including altering the throatlatch of a stallion and tattooing the eye etc.

"In a nutshell, charges were brought to IAHA's Ethical Practices Review Board that Mr. ---- had had cosmetic surgical procedures performed on several horses under his care. After hearings before the EPRB, a decision was issued in the fall of 1999 which found that those charges had been proven as to some horses but not as to others. He was suspended from any participation in IAHA (now AHA) shows for five years, with a probation period after that. Litigation was begun immediately by Mr. ------, he tried to get an injunction allowing him to show at the 1999 Nationals (that was denied); the lawsuit proceeded in federal court in Colorado-- IAHA and the other remaining defendants won the suit at the trial court level; IAHA's insurance carrier settled the matter (and other related litigation) rather than go through further appeals, (as is their prerogative) but the suspension stood; that expired in Sept 2004; he remains on probation."

Sil

Very interesting Sil. I guess people can google that if they want to know who :)  Thaks
 

25TH February, 2008

INTEGRITY and the 'CODE OF ETHICS"

Dear John and Linda,

We would like to thank all the people invoved in helping our family with -------over the last 9 months. It has been a miserable time for all, especially ----. Such a kind horse. Big thankyous to Gainsborough Equestrian Center, Kathy Warren for helping look after over the last4 months whilst Lizzie has been so ill, the Gregory Family for helping to transport her to her new home, and to Tabby Crompton, who has kindly offer to give her a home for life. There are many others who have helped, and we thank you. We look forward to seeing her foals!
Annie, Stan, Lizzie and -------.xx

This has been a tragedy for your Family, not only because of the loss of $12,000 by being sold an unsound horse by one of the States top Coaches and Competitors. It is getting more dangerous to purchase a horse from a Dressage Queen or an EFA Official than a Horse Dealer in the back yard of Salisbury. Wouldn't you think that bankrupt organization would instill some morals into their Members? Not so I am afraid. My sincere sympathies go out to you. Hope you enjoyed your time in the Horse Industry and too bad your Daughter couldn't live out her dreams. You are sadly not alone. Don't you just love the Olympic Ideals! Just a pity you 'got burnt'

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

I was offered a free Horse tonight. I won't rush him down to the Doggers and make a lazy $300 in the morning, or flog him off for $800 this week end. He is available to any good home. Good job I am not a member of the EFA then :(

Day Off.

Give away Standardbred Gelding. Walk, trot and canter.16hh. phone Alex. 82557474 or work 83891009

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FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Australia -- Adam watched as his mother and father were gunned down.
Rosie was just 4 weeks old when her mother died after being caught in a trap. She almost didn't make it.
Pixie lost her newborn, who suffered a broken leg, and even after she became pregnant again was still deeply depressed.
If horses could talk, these are a few of the stories they might share now that they live at this small sanctuary on Australia's east coast, home to some of the most bruised and battered wild creatures from the land down under.
Here, the horses roam free, far from the trauma that still awaits many of their kind. That's because Jan Carter, a harpist turned horse rescuer, has devoted her family farm and life savings to helping them.
"This nation is built on the back of horses," says Carter, 67, a petite grandmother with short red hair and deeply tanned skin who drives a pickup smelling of the hay and earth that covers the soles of her boots. "They should be preserved and protected."
Australia is home to an estimated 300,000 wild horses, the largest such population in the world. This abundance is believed to have put so much strain on the habitat that the Australian government has resorted to mass culling campaigns to protect the country's national parks.
Images of hunters chasing herds of galloping horses from helicopters and shooting them with semiautomatic rifles have sent shock waves across Australia, where horses are symbols of the country's pioneer spirit. The killing first came to public attention in 2000, when 600 horses were killed in the Guy Fawkes River National Park in New South Wales, about an hour-and-a-half drive northwest of Bellingen.
Public outcry forced the government to halt the helicopter shooting in this part of the country, but it could not stop aerial and ground assaults, often carried out in secret, in other parts of the vast Australian outback. More than 10,000 horses are expected to be shot in Queensland in the next three years, according to an investigation by a newspaper in the state.
Animal rights activists are looking for a gentler solution to horse overpopulation, but that pits them against an unlikely foe - environmentalists who want to stop the Australian version of the mustang from further trampling pristine land.
"Horses are exotic animals that don't belong in Australia," says Keith Muir, director of Colong Foundation for Wilderness in Sydney, a nonprofit environmental group that supports the culling of wild horses. "If kangaroos got loose in America, they would be like the horses here. You'll be shooting them like mad to try and control them."
Also known as brumbies, possibly after an early English settler, the animals are descended from horses that were shipped from England to Australia in the late 1700s. Those sturdy beasts survived the harsh journey and extreme frontier conditions and, in the process, advocates say, built up superior genes that could prove invaluable if the brumbies were bred with domesticated horses.
The plight of the wild horses is a reflection of the changing Australian outback as much as a result of a recent record drought.
Small-time farmers and ranchers who once made up the bulk of the Australian economy are being pushed out of existence by giant agribusinesses. When the mom-and-pop outfits put their properties on the market, the lots are usually too small to interest bidders other than the national parks.
Critics say the government keeps buying land populated by large numbers of horses, but it doesn't have the money to support long-term management.
Horse advocates want a federal policy that bans shooting everywhere and manages overpopulation through infertility drugs and adoption programs. Some have proposed using the horses as tourist attractions, much like the Dartmoor ponies of southwest England.
"But to get the Australian government to that stage is very difficult," Carter says. "They do not address the problem. What they do is wait for the population to build up, shoot them from the air or ground, wait a few years and do it again."
In New South Wales, where the aerial shooting has been replaced by a trapping program, the animals are turned over to people such as Carter to prepare for adoption.
In the past two years, Save the Brumbies, her nonprofit group staffed by four full-time volunteers, has taken in more than 250 horses. But that's a tiny portion of the number of animals rounded up with nowhere to go but the abattoir.
"About 98 percent of the captured horses are sent to the slaughterhouse. It's dreadful," says Carter, whose sanctuary can take in only about 50 animals at a time because of a lack of funding and space.
Before a wild horse is ready for adoption, it must go through a two-month program, during which it is wormed, gelded, and handled to help familiarize it with humans.
The process costs about $700 per horse, and everything is paid for by donations and adoption fees, which range from $300 to $900, depending on the quality of the animal.
Carter's strong affinity for the horses is rooted partly in her own struggles to survive back-to-back family tragedies.
She lost her husband 24 years ago, when he died, at 44, from a blood clot in his brain. She tried to move on by selling the family home in Sydney and buying a farm, where she planned to live with her older son, Scott, a telephone repairman and pianist who shared his mother's passion for music and her love of nature. But just as they were starting the venture, Scott, 28, died in a head-on collision.
"We were going to run it as a bed-and-breakfast," Carter says. "I had moved here one week. Scott had to work and finish his contract. He was supposed to come up the following week. But he never made it."
With her younger son busy with his life as an executive in the city, Carter was alone in her new rural retreat with no idea how to run it. But that turned out to be just what she needed.
"I couldn't just sit back and feel sorry for myself," she says. "I had to get up and learn how to manage cattle, how to do weed control, learn about pasture and soil and all that sort of thing."
Then came the brumbies, who helped her conquer her grief and find new purpose.
This past year, she and two other volunteers jointly purchased 1,400 acres of bush land to set up a second sanctuary. Carter's share of the $400,000 came out of her retirement money, and she wrote a will that makes sure the land will be used in perpetuity as a sanctuary.
"This is Jock," she says, pointing to a chestnut horse grazing peacefully on picture-perfect green pastures. "He was so thin when he came in, it was scary. He was also very, very wild and spooky. They said he was too poor to be handled. Now look at him."
Carter says she can remember every one of the more than 250 horses she's rescued. She named most of them herself.
"We like army names for the boys, like Sergeant and Major," she says. "For girls, we like Wattle and Willow. At the moment we are on a music theme, like Aria and Symphony."
She hates it when her beloved horses are described as feral pests causing environmental degradation.
"Cattle are also not indigenous to Australia, feral pigs are not indigenous to Australia. They also cause incredible damage to the environment, as do wild cats and dogs," Carter says. "But environmentalists pick on horses because they are big and easily seen. ... Cattle - they can't shoot them because they are owned by someone. Horses are not."
Environmentalists such as Muir, however, see what Carter is doing as a well-meaning effort that doesn't reduce the horse population fast enough to protect the environment. Although aerial shooting is not ideal, he says, it is effective.
"Humane treatment of animals is important," Muir says. "But when you are dealing with the last remaining wild land, and animals that don't belong here, you have to make a choice between the lesser of two evils. Sometimes that means controlling the feral animals by methods that work."
But Carter says shooting doesn't always kill the animals right away and they are left to suffer. Or they leave behind babies that starve without their mothers.
Like the traumatized Adam, a buckskin she rescued from the 2000 aerial cull.
"Somehow he missed the bullet," Carter says. Then she shows off some of his tricks.
"Adam, how do you do?" she says, putting her hand out to shake his outstretched hoof.
"Adam, give me a kiss," she says. Without hesitation, he reaches down to nose her on the cheek.

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DNA TESTING FOR HORSES

DNA testing is becoming more and more commonplace. There is even a paternity test for people that can be done in the privacy of your home, mailed to a laboratory and the results obtained in a few days. That always makes me wonder, why do they say in certain well-publicized court cases, "The results of the DNA testing will be available in a few weeks?"

You may have heard about the availability of testing that your veterinarian can do on your mixed breed dog to find out just what breeds his ancestors are. These tests are simple (on the owner's part) to do, and results can be obtained in a short time. More information on this is available at wisdompanel.com.

Genetic testing also has been performed on other species. Coat color in horses is a great example. If you have a mare and a stallion and want to know what color their offspring will be, you can venture a good guess with a little help on the Internet. There are more than 50 listed colors in horses, including colors of which Martha Stewart hasn't even dreamed. They include not only black and bay but Silver Perlino, Tobiano, Grullo Roan and Sabino. If you are a horse owner, go to the Animal Genetics Web site and locate the equine coat calculator.

If your mare is black and you breed her to a black stallion, you have a 93.75 percent chance of getting a black foal and a 6.25 percent chance of getting a chestnut foal. (If you don't know what a chestnut foal looks like, then you probably shouldn't be breeding horses.) If you breed a black horse to a palomino, you have an equal chance of getting a black, a palomino, a chestnut, a bay, a buckskin or a smoky black. And there are hundreds of other combinations.

Coat color testing in dogs may be available soon. Although it may be unlikely that the testing laboratory can let you know what the coat colors of the offspring will be, they can at least narrow the possibilities.

Perhaps more important is the fact that many animals capable of carrying genes for various diseases can be detected. The likelihood of you or your pets developing cancer or heart disease or other problems may be able to be calculated in the future.

We have come a long way in learning about genetics, but we still have a long way to go. Of course, there are significant moral and ethical issues. But as long as we stick with Tobiano or Sabino, we're going to have fun with genetics while we investigate the more serious side of the research issues as well.

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$5,000,000 purchase wins

A horse that was sold for $5 million Saturday in a private sale went on to take the top prize Sunday at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.
DA Valentino was named the Supreme Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, the first time in the show's 53-year history that the title was agreed upon unanimously by six judges.
The horse, managed by Midwest Training Centre and trained by David Boggs, is also the reigning U.S. national and Canadian champion.
He was sold to Michele Pfeifer and David Halsch, former Scottdale residents who are returning to the area after time in Colorado, by previous owners Dan and Maureen Grossman, parents of Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman.
Pfeifer said she felt she got her money's worth for her purchase.
"He blows the doors off any E ticket I've ever had," she said, referring to the ticket needed to get into Walt Disney world.
The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show began Feb. 15 and attendance is estimated at about 250,000.

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PUNTER TURNS ONE INTO TWO MILLION

 A PUNTER has become Britain's first betting shop millionaire after staking 50 pence (just over $1) on a bet with odds of more than two million to one.
The customer landed an eight-horse accumulator at the weekend to win £1 million ($2.14 million), which is bookmaker William Hill's limit on horse racing.
The regular in the Thirsk betting shop in North Yorkshire places similar bets almost daily.
A William Hill spokesman said the punter's first winner was Isn't That Lucky in the 2.55pm at Sandown and his last was A Dream Come True at Wolverhampton in the 9.20pm.



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LETTERS OF THE DAY

This is Bear with Me his beginner rider. This is where he was living in Whyalla. This was a windy and dusty day. so the pic is a little hazy. In the sun he is a real red.
He has even given my 6 and three year old children a pony ride.
Gotta love the STB

Listen to this one.... I wonder if it works with all horses or just my 2. I read that wistling can make your horse relax and pee. So I though why not test this theory. I went out to the boys who were resting. I said hello and they ignored me. I started to wistle. I had just been watching Racing stripes so the first song that came to my head was the American National Anthom. I wistles it maybe 3 times and Bear layed down I did it one ore time and so did Mac. They lay like dead dogs. Mac started to dream.. Like a dod does. ears tritching lips twitching and his eyes rolling. So cool. I layed next to him for about 15 mins and was starting to dose when I felt a bull ant on me. I got up and the boys stayed down for another 15 mins. I thought that it might be coinsidental so in the afternoor did it again and this time I got through the song one time and mac went down and then bear. It was amazing. I will do it till they see it their cue to lie down any time. It is sooo good to se them so relaxed and happy and safe.
I rode bear again today. I was waiting to have him nervous as I let him out in the big yard today. He bucked and farted a few times. Mac just looked like he happy to be grazing. 1 hour later caught Bear and led him into the small yard. Bear was great no sillyness and not even from Mac who was locked out in the big yard. He just watched. My 6 yo daughter then had a pony ride on him and no worries. I couldn't work out why Bear was backing up off to one side. It was cos one side of the bit was done up 2 notches tighter. Once this was fixed there was no sideways action. I can get back up, forward and halt (just) has a hard mouth..) but no side pass. When I do single rain stop he gets fidgety like he wants to break out into a trott. Tried some leg yielding in a circle at walk today. It felt right but I am not sure. I need some lessons.
Well catch ya later. I like the names you thought of they were funny.
Love frome Cindy
 

What are you? The 'whistling Horse Whisperer? You need video footage of that!! Some feat indeed :) Make sure you do him for sand!! Things are dry up there where he came from ey?

Hello,
I have a reg clydesdale colt that I am going to breed from and ride aswell, do you have any information or know where I could find out about breaking in a stallion, anything different that has to be done etc.

Thankyou for your time.
Jolene.

There are no different techniques Jolene. One must just work with what you have. They can be pushy and a little or a lot wayward and pre-occupied with anything but you but they are treated the same as any horse. Depending on the Trainer or the temperament and difficulty of the Horse as to what you end up with but of course you may always have the increased difficulty in riding a Stallion as they can make you earn your stripes and mostly need real experienced Riders. Hope it goes well.

Hi Mr and Mrs HP

I'm Emma, I wrote to you a couple of times from Victoria and enjoyed your ebooks in the past. Hope you are both doing well.
I have a story for you about EI and the Fed. Government, so if you're sick of hearing about it stop reading. Otherwise, get this. I moved to Canberra for study in the last week and I have just returned from a chat with a lobbist. He was sitting next to a vet on a plane just after the EI movement ban was lifted on race horses. The lobbiest asked the vet what he thought of this lift for only the racing community.
The Vet turned out to be employed by the Federal government and had just been told to start research into why lifting the movement ban on the racing industry was sound policy. AFTER the policy was implemented. The vet told this lobbist the whole thing was a joke.
Intelligent minds and broad sighted men we have in power don't we.

Love your work and forever thankful,

Emma

Lol Emma. We live in a crazy World where self interest rules. Heading towards the Jungle me thinks. Mad Max was never wrong. We need to buy water tanks because a nut case down the road thinks he lives in London still and is sucking our bore dry. The Govt gives incentives for Tanks......not for us though....only for homes :( So feeling green, I rang the Solar hot line to see if we could change over. Subsidies abound.....not for us....we are a business :( Go figure? Regards

Hi Mr HP,
Just wanted to say thanks for answering my letter and I'm sure everyone including myself is gratefull for the time & patience you have in answering our problems.
I haven't sponged my sometimes lumpy horse down with the betadine wash yet but i will try that very soon & see what shows up. It was good to hear from another one of your readers as her horse's symtoms sound exactly like what mine had, as he also has very thin skin and often has fly bites etc on him - I didn't think they could affect a horse so bad.
Could you also tell me what is the best thing to be putting in his water after a ride as I have noticed when he urinates whilst out on a ride he has to "think about it" 3-4 times before he actually goes (at first I though he was foxing and looking for a rest for a minute as he will always stop in the same place when I ride locally) and when he does go it is not a large quantity and also quite dark yellow in color. I have checked his back & kidney area and he never pulls up sore after a ride but I am concerned about the color & amount. When out on a ride or away from home he will always drink, (not fussy) even if it is out of a puddle, so I am fairly confident he is drinking enough (without measuring the water trough levels).
Anyway thankyou again for your time and hope you had a nice break away.
Cheers from Kay & sometimes lumpy.

You should consult your Vet of course. I would be withdrawing his water and replacing the receptacle with some way of measuring his intake. He could be drinking too much or too little but as always, these things are the process of investigation and elimination. Trying to read the horse. The fact that he drinks from puddles would make me worry a little as it could be an indication that something is amiss with your water at home. Have you had a test done on it by your water board? There is a free service here in SA. Perhaps increased chlorine if mains, increased salt if bore and so on. Go through that process. If you want to clean him out, throw a small handful of potassium citrate into his water.

Is there anywhere on your site that addresses the problems of a runaway horse. When I fall off my horse takes off. She always returns to her stable but its always a bloody long walk for me. I am going on a horse trek in Sept over 130k distance and I would like to have trained her to remain in the vicinity if I should fall off. I dont fancy walking that distance home.
Thanks
Naomi

Lol Naomi :) You didn't say whether you are in company when this happens or not. It would be unusual for your horse to do a runner if you were riding with other people at the time, which is surely going to be the case on your trek????? I doubt the horse would do that when out of their own known Territory??? however, you never know. I find that my hobble trained horses stop in situations like that, due to their training. Especially if a Rider gets caught up at all, in stirrups or reins. I have seen it many times and have seen Riders' lives saved by it. Apart from that, I am afraid you have me. Sorry but best of luck. The trick is to not fall off!!! I would be examining and taking remedial action over this. Fix the Horse or your own Riding, change saddle, get a stocky and so on. Wear chaps to give more grip, top boots and so on.


CAUGHT In The Act!!!!

Naughty Cat-dog!

He sneaks in at night through open windows, jumps up onto the chest freezer and Chows down on Puppy food!

One of the kids dropped my camera the other day so the flash doesn't work anymore, so sorry about quality :)

Just thought you'd enjoy the laugh!
 

Lol

Dear Mr HP,

I just wanted to let you know how much your advice has helped me and I'm not even a horse owner (yet!). I am one of the many that still cant afford the time and money it would cost to own one and i still haven't found the right horse to lease. I believe in devoting as much time and money as a horse needs to be happy. So I hit the trails at a wonderful place that i have found where the horses are well looked after and well rested. I have also had the experience of volunteering at some places which were not run so well and i had accidents both in the saddle and on the ground due to horses ill health and lack of education. One accident shook me up so bad i was afraid to trot! but basic dressage and flatwork lessons set me right.

So I'm back riding cranky and bored school horses, i'm an assertive rider because i know these horses know better, especially if they are just being smart and are trying all the evasions beginners have let them get away with.

I find that rein control becomes most important when you are coming home and that's when most accidents happen. So my horse for the day 'Sterling' a big 16hh grey boof head (who was pretty smart and very well behaved) starts to break into trot and jig jog to get home quicker, I tug on the reins and straight away the head is in the air and he's fighting me, so i hang on till he bobs and then reward and relief, i had to do it 3 times before he got the hint. The other lady I was riding with was falling back so i halted Sterling to wait, well he didn't want to do that because his dinner was waiting for him at home so i turned him in a circle till the 1/10th of a second he looked like stopping, I stopped. Again it was three times before he got it, but he did!

Sorry about the long winded story but i wanted to show that your advice works in all kinds of situations and that even the most stubborn trail riding horse will go better and calmer if you ride with confidence, soft hands and the reward and relief system. My ride was stress free for both me and Sterling who came back soft and relaxed not sweating and heaving.

Thanks again and keep up all the great pod casts

Alexis.

Most kind for letting me know Alexis. I am proud of you :) Ol 'boof head' ey? Now there is a saying from years gone by hahaha. Know where it came from? Could it have been the Boxing Troup? like 'Cauliflower ears'?  Anyhow, give ol Boof head a pat for me when you see him next. Regards

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hey
ive messeged you before (about getting my horse onto the right lead) and thankyou so much for the help. shes almost doing flying lead chages now (sometimes she does it perfectly but it depends what mood shes in) anyways. sorry for wasting your time (yet again) and i know this sounds really stupid but i really badly want to do something with horses when im older.ive only got one horse. had her for about 8 months and only ride on weekends and holidays. ive had about 12 lessons, hav so far only maneged to train a horse to bow and change leads and until a few years ago id never even ridden a horse properly. i really want to do something like horse training or breeding but i dont think there would be much chance of that. i guess you cant really do anything to help and in fact i hav no idea y im sending this message. but i figured that since i dont know you i probably wouldent feel quite so stupid. anyways. im still gonna feel stupid. (by the way i hav at one point trained a calf to be ridden lol) anyways seya
-claire

Keep your Dreams Claire and pursue them. You could be a natural who will end at the top one day. Book into one of the many good Horse accreditation courses that are available and start on your way. Have Riding lessons when you can afford them and do work experience at top Horse properties. They are always looking for slaves :) Regards

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Hopefully those links will work for you to copy and paste into your browser.
In response to your email yes he is not in great shape, he had a couple months of light work before I got him.

However, I have talked to a lot of people who have watched me ride him and they don't think the difficulty I am having with him is a physical one because he does work so nicely once I get his attention.

Do you have any advice about just how to deal with a horse with a difficult personality? He has definitely bonded to me but he is fairly unfriendly with other people and definitely other horses. He is kept in a pasture with other horses and seems to do fine, but in the arena he will look and posture himself at other horses aggressively if they are working with us in the arena or even walking by outside the arena.

I am a competent enough rider that I can keep him from really going after any other horses, but I still lose his attention for a few seconds repeatedly.

He also starts out very backed off my leg, and does seem to kick up a little to avoid engaging his hind end especially during the canter, but some days he does not do that at all, and every ride we get a lot of good work in where he is engaged, moving freely off my leg, stepping under himself, and feels like he really wants to work.

I feel like I get to the "good stuff" only after a 20 minute fight for dominance. I am getting quicker with my punishments and my rewards, but I would love to avoid the fight altogether.

Are there any methods or strategies that have worked with you to get a young horse with a "strong" personality to give you their attention and some degree of submission?

Thanks for helping and for reading my insanely long email!!

I have checked out al of your photos and the video and really can't see anything but a nice attitude. The kick up was a definite stifle lock up however. The other couple of comments are these. Keep your head up and your chest out :) You are getting the Jumping riding position :) Your horse is 'on the forehand' and hanging out the back end far too much. Get him engaged and under will help you both. He should be warmed up and down via the German Training Scale' as he lacks top line muscle strength and build up as well. Nice moving horse with lots of potential and you ride quite nicely. Regards

hi i am looking at a 10 yr old horse that has been off the track 12 mths. he stands beautiful for all on the ground handling, he stands beautiful for mount and dismount,when being ridden he jus gets faster n faster, they told me he is a very strong horse hope you are a strong rider. he doesnt bolt out of control but he is pulling on the bit constantly and if you relax the rein he gets faster he will however stop when asked but if you dropped the reins he will speed up into a beautiful gallop. you have to use alot of resistance and talking to him and he will stop n when asked to stand he stands perfectly still you can drop the reins he pretty much falls asleep until you ask him to walk on and the cycle begins again. i havnt delt with this before and he seems such an unflappable nice natured horse i would like to know if this can be corrected , thankyou i would appreciate your advice. leisa

That is typical of those horses Leisa. He is only doing what he has been brainwashed and sometimes 'whipped' to do. I am about to release a 4 hour twenty minutes dvd aimed at such horses so my comments can hardly fit here but basically he needs:

• re-mouthing

•  REVERSING YOUR HORSE

• THE CAUSE & FIX OF THE 'JIG JOGGING' HORS