More happy horses enjoying their 'Hay Pillow' - Tracey's boys in QLD tuck in.
To read more about these great devices for slow feeding hay, click here.

Tasmanian Events Calendar

TASMANIAN PINTO SOCIETY NEW AND USED HORSE GEAR SALE.
COME RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE - 13TH JUNE 9.30 –2.30 (this weekend!)
Come along and have a fun time getting rid of or buying some horsey gear
INDOOR VENUE: WESTBURY SHOWGROUNDS INDUSTRY HALL
Entry Adults gold coin donation Children free - Goes into draw for Lucky Door Prize
SAUSAGE SIZZLE GOLD COIN DONATION - HOT DRINKS will be available
TABLES $15 EACH - If YOU HAVE NON HORSEY GEAR THAT’S WELCOME TOO
Contact Diane Johnston for more details and to book space 63831639 or email rm.dm.johnston@optusnet.com.au
Natural Horse World will have a stall there so come along to see all the web shop items in real life!

Equus Equestrian Centre, Sandford: Ladies Trail Rides
Make 2009 once a fortnight for some YOU time with YOUR horse!
23rd June Mel C - Tangara Trail. Enquries Ph 03 62399 757

EQUUS will be hosting a HUGE Second hand Horse Gear Sale at 2165 South Arm road, Sandford on Saturday 27th June 2009 from10.00am – 3.00pm
Have a BIG clean out of all your unwanted horse gear - Sell Yours - Buy Others
Book Your Stall Today to Secure Your Spot - $10 / Table Bring Your Own Table – Ph. Melissa on 62399757
There has been a lot of interest in this event so come along and have some fun grabbing a bargain or two!

Short courses in equine studies are being held in Tasmania later this year.
These will be accredited courses conducted through South west Tafe in Vic.
The courses will be held over 6 days in Deloraine, Tasmania in early September.
Enquiries to Kerri Haslem - Equine Short course Co ordinator. SW Tafe. Ph. (03) 55578200 oe email Glenormiston@swtafe.vic.edu.au

Comfort Zone Days are on again and have been scheduled for the second Sunday of each month. These get togethers are for natural horse people who would like to have a day out with like minded people and the option of getting some help from me individually. This year we are focusing on the TREC competition as a goal. Led and ridden horses, young and old are welcome. Riders of all ages are welcome but children 16 or under must be accompanied by a parent.
The next date with horses is on June the 14th at Harveydale, Westbury.
If you’re keen, please or phone me on 0419 372279.

 

Klaus F. Hempfling is coming to Australia. We are establishing where the most interest for his work is in order to organise the venue for the first Klaus F. Hempfling Borderlines and Clinics ever to be held here in Australia. If you are interested in his work, receiving newsletters & updates and / or consider attending a borderline or a clinic, please register now (it is free and there is no obligation to you). Visit here to register and make your vote count!

Classifieds

House/Horsey-Sitter wanted: Northern Tasmania
Caveside: Beautiful - Quiet warm house to chill-out in!
20 mins Deloraine, 1 hour Devonport or Launceston, Mole Creek 10 mins.
I have 2 spoilt cats, 2 horses that require attendance one hour every morning & evening. Various dates: From 30th June - 8th July & 14th July-23rd July.
20th November- 2 weeks, December 28th- 8thJanuary. Contact Dominique: caveside@yahoo.com

FOR SALE: Percheron Cross mare and gelding. Beautiful solid types, quiet and educated in all respects. Educated naturally by Parelli level 3 student. The mare, Daemon is a bay 12 yo and is solid Level 2 and been there done that. She has bred one foal - great mum. The gelding, Saardi (pictured) is 8yo and recently spent a week with Mel Fleming. Very easy going and keen to continue his education under saddle or as a harness horse. Both are priced very reasonably to a good natural home. For more details Phone Sharelle on 019 309 323. Horses are in NSW.

MonJes Lodge are now stocking varieties of Cressy chaff and equine feeds including Speedi Beet. Contact Ruth at MonJes Lodge, 141 Vinegar Hill Road, Sheffield. Tas. PH 64912210 for a price list.

FOR SALE: Wintec Stock Saddle with Cair, Black, Interchangeable gullet, Large size (16”), Very Good Condition. $950 ono. Ph: 0419 370 232

FOR SALE: Original L1 Parelli Partnership Pack (as new) - $50
Parelli Horsemans Reins & leathers (minimal use) - $50
Parelli Horsemans Reins & leathers (new) - $80
Pair of Old Mac G2's, size 2 for sale. They are brand new. Price is $250 ono. Rec. Retail is $349.95.Contact - Carol Ferguson, 62396070 or 0419568295

WANTED Sensible gelding, 145.2-16hh, for confident adult rider. I would prefer not thoroughbred or standardbred. Must float and go out on his own happily. Guaranteed loving natural home, references available. Ph: Julia on 6250 3159c or 0419 412246.

FOR SALE: Paluka Tinsel - 11.2hh, flaxen chestnut Shetland mare 9y.o.
Tinsel would ideally suit a confident begginer or young rider to either have fun on or Compete at any level. She has done pony club, hunts, Showing(H.O.T.Y Champion) trail riding (almost bombproof on roads; cars, trucks, loud noises, farm animals) great on beach rides, loves jumping easily clearing over 60cm and will even swim into dams or the ocean. She is fantastic to do anything with either on the ground or under saddle. She loads herself onto the float, great to have her feet trimmed (never foundered or been shod) gallops up to the gate when called and easy to catch even when in a paddock with 10 horses. Can even be ridden bareback and in a halter and leadrope. Genuine enguiries only. Good,Horsey noligable home only.For sale due to I have outgrown her and have 2 young horses coming on. $1,200 Ph: 626635007 a/h. Please ask to speak to Eliza.

FOR SALE: Syd Hill stocksaddle - As new (used 6x only) elderly owner now in nursing home. Price $500 o.n.o (new over $700). Contact Toni on 63834556 or info@beautypointcottages.com.au.

FOR SALE: Wintec 2000 17½ inch GP - as new, only ridden in twice, $475 ono. Wintec Isabell Cair 18 inch dressage $950 ono. Ph 0418 538 221.

WANTED: QH approx 15hh all ages considered.
Must be sound and quiet and good to c/s/f for relaxed pleasure riding and natural horsemanship clinics. Not fussed about blemishes.
Lady rider wants to return to riding after a few years break. Excellent, knowledgeable home located on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria assured. Please phone 0434 678 561

Winter Special…Individual Arena Hire
EQUUS is offering arena hire at $20/week/horse/person
‘unlimited use’ Dont let the Winter Blues stop you Riding!
Book and Pay Online Individual Hire Agreement to be signed before using facilities. *Limited Time – Winter months only (June July August)
Short Term Agistment also Available for Facility Hire
Visit EQUUS website for Calendar/News 2165 south arm road sandford tasmania 7020. ph: 62399757
www.equusequestriancentre.com

May 2009

News from Cynthia
April was a very busy month for me teaching at the Polytechnic Equine Hoofcare course. The two week intensive block attracted 13 new hoof care students, 6 of those from interstate. They were a great group – all keen to learn and made our 2 weeks a lot of fun. Read more about it in the Barefoot news below.
Agfest – this was the first year I’ve been to Agfest without stress and with time to look at things from the consumer’s perspective (I didn’t get a site this year due to the horse expo section not going ahead).
One day certainly wasn’t enough to see it all in detail but I did get to the important horse related sites.
Two of these were to find out about grasses available for horses – Tazwild seeds stocks seed for may native grasses and is also starting to sell Saltbush which is what many brumbies live on. I’ve ordered 100 plants to establish a hedge along my driveway so they become a food source when they get to the height of the electric fence. Apparently they thrive when grazed down a little continuously.
I had also read that Teff (an ancient grain) was now being grown in Tasmania opposite the Agfest site so I tracked down the grower from Tas Global seeds to find out about Teff hay. This is used a lot in South Africa as a lower sugar hay. Unfortunately, it won’t be available for trial until early 2010 so I have my name down for the first harvest to see how it tests.
This could be a good source of low NSC hay for overweight/laminitic horses in the future but read what Katy Watts has to say on growing conditions and NSC content in Teff hay here.

Other highlights at this huge event that attracts 70,000 people over 3 days were the Friesian and Gypsy cob (pictured) stallions of Rosedale stud along with the miniature mules from the Torrieburn stud.

The Roberts tent had an interesting project where a thoroughbred mare will be auctioned to assist Beyond Blue - an organisation that helps people with depression.
I also found a new pelleted horse feed made with a very low NSC content called Hygain Zero. Read more about this below in the Product News.

Following Agfest on Mothers Day, I attended the Chris Pollitt and Brian Hampson seminar on the latest concepts of laminitis, and their studies of the wild horse. It was well attended by vets, farriers, barefoot professionals and horse owners from all over the state. Read more about it below in Barefoot Bits and Pieces.

In the news this week jumps racing has brought deaths from horse racing to the forefront. It doesn’t just happen in jumps racing – many horses die from flat racing too and not always at the races – some at trials and during training. If you would like to have your say about whether jumps racing should be banned go to this poll being run by the Herald Sun and this one from Animals Australia.

Barefoot Bits & Pieces –
Tas. Polytechnic Cert. 3 Equine Hoofcare course.
Previously known as the TAFE Equine Hoofcare course, the new Tasmanian Polytechnic has now taken over it's management.
Thirteen new students have recently completed the two week block that starts them off on their hoofcare journey, taking the total from four courses run so far to 60 students.
Many do the course to trim their own horses and currently, 20 have become Australian Certified Equine Hoofcare Practitioners.
This year, Leigh Martin from Performance Hoof Care joined the teaching team and his wife, Tammy presented the body work and saddle fit subjects.
With 3 of the students from QLD and one from WA, the Tassie weather gave them a good taste of winter temperatures and even some snow!

Photo Above: Trimming practice on the mares at a local thoroughbred stud is invaluable.

Left : Dissections are fascinating.

Photo: Removing shoes and trimming cadaver hooves are the best way to learn.

L-R: Jayne, Morgan and Christi.

Head instructor, Jeremy Ford demonstrates how to trim and pad a laminitic horse.

News from Joe Camp - the Soul of the Horse.com -
Pete and Ivy Ramey are currently spending one week every month at Auburn University's Vet School trimming hooves for Doctor Deborah Taylor, DVM, MS, DACVIM who is recording and studying the results of natural hoof care on chronic laminitis cases. The study has consistently shown rotation reversal, increased sole thickness, and profound improvement in levels of soundness. The goal of the study is to publish the data as a scientific paper which would be the first time a successful method of reversing chronic laminitis has ever been published as a scientific paper.

Please, please, please, go to this link and spend a few minutes. And pass the link around. This could be huge for horses everywhere because it's the first vet school in the U.S. to not only embrace this so-called "new-fangled" way of making horses healthier, but to prove the value. And prove the genetic ability of every horse to heal himself and grow a sound hoof that has no need for a metal shoe.

Barefoot Endurance Winners: Omani Mr Sqiggle owned and ridden by Carol Layton in NSW has won the Lightweight division and Best Conditioned horse at his past couple of rides, barefoot and booted.
He has done 2080 barefoot/booted endurance kilometres (80km+rides) using Easyboot Bares and now Easyboot Gloves and Carol is experimenting with Easyboot Glue ons without the glue but with various types of bandage instead. Carol will keep me informed of how this works and I’ll report the results in a future news bulletin. Omani Mr Sqiggle enjoys being ridden in a Light Rider Performer Bitless Bridle.

Carol is now offering a service of optimising diets for horses following the guidance of Dr Eleanor Kellon VMD. She has been having success with helping horses, especially those with dietary laminitis though the low sugar and starch mineral balanced diets. The website is www.balancedequine.com.au/
"Optimal nutrition is important for good health and performance in horses, Balanced Equine offers independent nutritional advice and mineral balanced diets."

The new Glove Boots are now available from easycaredownunder.com.au

Bare Facts Booklet: Local Tasmanian Hoof trimmers Jen Clingly and Marg Richardson have authored a Barefoot hoofcare booklet that Cavallo (manufacturers of the Simple Boot) have available for free on their website. It has lots of handy hoof care and horse keeping hints – ideal for all those new to barefoot hoofcare.

SEMINAR REPORT: Brian, Chris and the wild horses share their secrets
Photo: Brian, Adam and Chris track a GPS collared brumby.
(photos by Marg Richardson)

Horse enthusiasts in Melbourne and Tasmania had the chance to be among the first in the world to hear the ground breaking research on wild horses from a man considered to be an international leader in laminitis research.

Professor Chris Pollitt from the University of Queensland together with PhD scholar Brian Hampson came to lecture on the latest concepts of laminitis and to show unique video footage of brumbies and the scientific data collected on their hooves, diets and lifestyle.
There are approx. 1 million wild horses in Australia – almost half the number of domestic horses, and without droughts and culling they double their numbers every four years.
This means Australia has the largest population in the world of wild horses living in a broad range of habitat.
It gives Brian the ability to study wild horses and the hooves (of culled horses) from different areas to see how they differ, along with a first ever study done of swapping horses from wet, sandy country to dry stony country and vice versa.
This will reveal not only what happens to the hooves as they adapt to the changed environment, but how many miles horses travel over a longer period (3-6 months).

Photo: Brumby hoof from Alice Springs area.
It was amazing to see Brian assisted by Adam Richardson, capture the horses by darting them to attach the GPS collars then, hobbling, blindfolding and desensitising them before training them to the halter, to lead and finally load on a float, all within 3 hours.
The horses were then transported 3,000km to a different part of the country where they were released into another band to be then tracked and captured 3-6 months later.
They appeared to accept this all very calmly and ate and drank well, arriving at their destination looking none the worse for their travels.
It will be interesting to see the results of this particular study.

Photo: Brumby hoof from inland Queensland.
From the hooves collected so far, they match the terrain and climate unique to each area. From the coastal gulf country where there is soft wet substrate and lush feed to sandy dunes with poor feed, the hooves look like many untrimmed domestic horses – flared, with hoof pathologies and quite long.
In the dry Gulf country and rocky desert the hooves look more like the classic ‘wild horse hoof’ – strong, short and with a bevelled edge and no hoof pathologies.

Brian has been collecting mileage data by the use of GPS collars and has found the average daily distance travelled is 13.6km with a range of 6.2km to 29.5km. There were some 50km days and on overage horses only went to water every 2-4 days with up to a 12 hour walk. The distance they travelled very much depended on the feed and water available along with their social rank.
Colts and stallions had the highest mileage due to more movement needed to find and keep their mares or staying on the fringes of wild horse society as bachelors.

Photo: Brumby Hoof from North Qld.
Comparative studies were also done on domestic horses living in areas the size of a small yard (similar to what racehorses are kept in), 2, 10 and 40 acre paddocks.
The range of travel per day was from 200m (in the yard) to 7.2km in the 40 acre paddock.
A study of paddock design also yielded some interesting results with the open pasture resulting in a little more movement than the track around the perimeter. A maze and a spiral resulted in slightly less movement. This study was done with grazing available using just 2 horses so is a baseline for further study to cover the variables such as feed/water only available in some areas, larger herds, time of year, terrain, age of horses and social status etc. Anyone want to further these studies? Contact Brian below.

A further study Brian and Chris have undertaken is the measurement of all the hoof details which has helped establish that there is variation in hoof type according to location.
They have also dispelled some misconceptions about the ideal hoof;
~ Squared toes may not be healthy (indicates very high mileage).
~ The hairline of the natural horse isn’t 30 degrees – its closer to 22 degrees.
~ P3 isn’t ground parallel - average is 5 degrees.
~ The weight bearing roles of the central sole and flog need investigation.

And this is exactly what Brian and Chris are also doing with a study on the loading of a hoof. So far the results reveal that load bearing spreads to the central sole and frog only in deep substrate and that the frog acts more as a mechanism aiding hoof expansion than for support or as a pump.
Bear in mind the hoof loading study was only able to use a stationary leg/hoof rather than the moving situation and angles in real life.

A hoof pathology study is also underway as feral horses are not exempt from pathologies such as flares, splits, seedy toe, thrush and laminitis (mainly those living in lush wet country).
It seems nutritional factors go with high levels of hoof pathology and low levels of movement – something common to domestic horses.

So with all these studies Brian hopes to find that the ideal natural hoof exists. It may be the best foot for feral horses but may not be for our domestic horses and on that note, he says we should be cautious in using the wild horse model to guide our trimming practices.

For more information or to support the research go to www.wildhorseresearch.com

Bitless Bridle News: More happy horses and riders who have discovered the Light Rider Bitless bridle give their feedback:
“I just wanted to let you know that Pete (my horse) and I are loving the bitless bridle. It was a really smooth transition from bit to bitless and I don't think we'll ever look back.” Jacqui, Tasmania.

“Just to let you know how I am getting on with your rope light rider bitless bridle. It is great and I am very pleased with it. I was already riding my icelandic horse in a bitless cross under type bridle, which was fine for riding out on tracks and she seemed to like it, however when it came to tight turns or trying to get rein and feet coordination, she was bracing against the pull on the rein. I was not able to get a feel - it was a case of hold until she gave then release.
The same when turning back to shut a gate (we have lots ) - a complete brace. However with yours it is a lot clearer for her so I just lift the rein and she moves over. Also I thought it is very good for riding out with one rein - just clip lead rope on and leave two reins on if you want. Wonderful. Thanks.” Rikki from U. K.

Photo: Tasmanian endurance rider Tanya Jago reports her horse is happy in the Light Rider Performer Bridle.

“I purchased the English bitless bridle from you at the Equus Inspiration. I am using it on my 7yo arab who has only recently been backed and handled. He has taken to it like a dream, he is so responsive, he was running through the bit and now he is so happy and I have full control with your fantastic bridlle. Will take some photos soon and send to you of him in his wonderful bridle.” Jodi, Tasmania.

PRODUCT NEWS
Hygain Zero is the latest product release from Hygain and is the first low carb – low GI equine feed aimed at horses and ponies prone to obesity, insulin resistance, laminitis, cushings disease, Equine metabolic syndrome, tying up and PSSM.
It’s a pelleted feed high in soluble fibre, with low non structural carbohydrates(less than 5.5%), sugars and starches (less than 1.5%).
It has no cereal grains, is biotin enriched with bio available chromium, Bio Mos and Natural Vitamin E with selenium.
Bio available chromium has been shown to reduce the build up of lactic acid at the end of strenuous exercise, and to increase the ability to store glucose.
Bio-mos is a unique form of extract from the outer cell wall of a special strain of yeast. This helps maintain a healthy immune system and supports natural defences essential for optimum performance.
The vegetable protein meals include a grape by product and legumes include soy hulls.
The addition of Hygain’s vitamin and chelated mineral mix makes this an ideal way to feed most adult pleasure and performance horses without risking the conditions mentioned above.
It’s available in Tasmania from all Roberts and Rural Solutions (& Loones) stores from this week.

The Coolheat Blanket featured on The ABC’s New Inventors program recently with inventor, Dave McDonald (also inventor of the Old Mac Hoof Boots) showing us all the benefits of these amazing new horse rugs. If you’d like more info or want to buy one now, go to the Natural Horse World web shop (the pre winter special price of $225 lasts this month only and includes postage) or ask your saddlery store to order one from their supplier - Saddlery Trading Company (RRP - $249).
Photo: the Coolheat showing the soft rubber insulators that keep the blanket raised off the horse to allow them to thermoregulate their temperature to stay warm in the cold and cool in warm weather.

Supplements overcome behavioural problems – an owners experience.

“Before discovering the Provide It Plan I had all the usual tests done, chiro (3 different ones), massage, which he hated, saddle fit, different riders, different saddles, different bits/bridles, teeth done, vet tests spent a fortune but no answers.
Briefly, I discovered this answer just before Xmas 2008 and yes, at first I scoffed at the thought that grass could be the cause. Read the entire story here.
Photo: New Zealand horses showing one who has been on the Provide It Plan (left) and his dam who hasn't. She should be the same colour.

Web Review – Training Horses Naturally
This website has so much more than horse training info. Training horses naturally combines clicker training and natural horsemanship methods to build a strong understanding of how horses perceive and communicate.
It also has lots of great info on barefoot hoofcare, bitless bridles and treeless saddles.
Based in Ontario, Canada, Elaine Polny is the owner of Horses By Nature (and the Training Horses Naturally website) and offers natural boarding using the paddock paradise track concept, along with Reiki and spiritual awakening to connect with her own and client’s horses.
The page on horse toys has some readily available toys that work well for any number of training situations, and I enjoyed reading the stories/advice on the horse training tips page.
This website has a huge amount to offer in an easily read format with lots of links to books Elaine recommends to expand on each subject.
Definitely worth a visit and while you’re there, sign up for her newsletter and receive a free ‘How to Tie a Natural Rope Halter’ instruction sheet.

Readers News – Treatment Success Story
"Harmony first suffered a severe problem with laminitis when she was in
foal 18 months ago.
She was so badly affected she spent most of her time laying down and the vet advised giving her bute because he said she would abort the foal as she was in so much pain.
She really didnt recover until the foal was born and I spent many an evening sitting with her head on my lap crying because I thought it may have been kinder to put her down.
When little Mia was born she was up on her feet and no more problems,
I even prepared her for the L,ton show and she won supreme!!!!!!
I decided to send her out to the stallion in early Dec where she immediately foundered but seemed to recover a little bit, when she came back to me in Feb she had got the worst woolly coat I have ever seen on her and she once again foundered although we had no grass.
The vet advised bute again but I didn't want her to be on bute long term so I spoke to Belinda Atkinson and took her out for treatment.

Harmony was standing under herself and uncomfortable in just about every part of her body which was so noticeable when Belinda gave her a session of equine touch. With a combination of equine touch, homeopathics and more hoof trimming in a few days Harmony was walking, trotting and even having a playful buck!!!! When I went to pick her up she was bright eyed, her coat was shining and she looked so happy I
felt like crying, she is such a very special girl and it broke my heart to see her hobbling around in so much pain.

Harmony is home and on a strict diet she has her chamomile, dolomite, equilibrium, rosehips plus hay and she has her daughter Mia back with her for company.
I highly recommend Belinda and her treatments for anyone who needs help with their animals and wants to see their best friends enjoying a happy, healthy life naturally." Sue, Harmony, Mia

Zintahn babies - Aurora and Casanova enjoy a trip to the beach.

Farrier John Fletcher experienced his first endurance ride on Jen Clingly's Opal, accompanied by Hoofcare Professional, Jeremy Ford on Ruby. Both horses were barefoot, bitless and had treeless saddles on.

Stallion Service Auction to Aid Bushfire Victims:
The website for the Stallion Service Auction has now been opened with over 240 services up for auction. You are now able to register to bid. You will need a paypal account in order to bid on services.
Bidding will commence on Monday 20th April 2009.
Click here for the Stallion Service Auction Website.
We would like to thank you all for supporting this auction with your donations.

News from Cynthia
Well done to Lisa Kopfstein for orchestrating Tassies’ first ‘mini equitana’.
The Equus Inspirations Event was a huge success and certainly lived up to it’s name. The clinics and demos on offer left many horse owners inspired to try something different, attend further courses, or keep on improving their skills.
The Liberty and colt starting clinics hosted by Dan James were a sell out and the breeds parade was also popular with the new Gypsy Cobs and Friesian stallions strutting their stuff.
For me it was a busy time selling products and in the process, catching up with old friends from the south of the state.
My demo on ‘How to Transition to a Bitless Bridle' was well attended and I’d like to thank Freyr Colvin with her young warmblood gelding – Farmer, and Cheryl Green with her Paint stallion – Bandit, for assisting with the demos.
The interest in the Light Rider Bitless bridles made the weekend very worthwhile for me. Every time I sell a bridle I know there is the real chance another horse will be a happier horse.
Thanks to my assistant, Sarah Pelmore, and to everyone who came to my presentations on ‘Simulating Natural Living’ too.
I do hope this annual event will continue to expand and inspire Tasmanian horse lovers from all disciplines.

On the home front, I have been focusing on educating my 4 month old filly, Aria to float load in preparation for her first trip to another property nearby.
I’m very proud to say I’ve achieved all her education to date with very little resistance or pressure, and mostly at liberty or with just a rope around her neck.
This has been due to incorporating much more ‘positive reinforcement’ into my training, along with not taking her too far out of her comfort zone in any one session. I’ve written an article on this whole process for you to read here.

I’ve also been able to borrow a microscope to do worm egg counts on my horses. This is proving to be an interesting exercise and I’ll report my overall findings after a decent period of time studying the effects of taking a more natural approach to worming combined with chemical worming when necessary.
The most helpful website I’ve found on this topic if you want to try it for yourself is www.horsetalk.co.nz, or if you just want to know more about worming in general – there are loads of excellent easy to read articles there.

Bravery in the Bushfires
A Clydesdale drum horse named Paddy has been nominated for a bravery award for his work during the Victorian bushfires.
Paddy is a retired police horse, and he's served in Gendarme parades at police graduations and major events across Australia.
Since his retirement Paddy has lived at Happy Valley near Myrtleford, with his owner Mike Salmon.
During their years serving in the police, Paddy and Mike developed a bond that would be envied by most horse riders, and they seem to know each other like old friends.
But on the eve of Black Saturday, Happy Valley wasn't a very happy place to be.
Mike says the grass around his home was like "talcum powder" and he knew it was going to be "a cow of a day."
At around 6:30 on the Sunday night, he saw the bushfire roaring up the valley towards his house.
Mike began to put his bushfire plans into place, patrolling for embers and hosing his house with water.
But the fire soon surrounded his house. "It jumped the road and exploded up beside the other side of the house," he says.
"Then it joined behind the house and started to come back down. "
With the fences around his property on fire, Mike was worried that Paddy, four sheep, and two goats would be burnt alive.
He let the sheep and goats out of their pens, knowing that they might flee into the path of the fire.
But when Mike came back from patrolling the house, he found that Paddy had rounded up the animals and they were sheltering under his huge frame.
Mike says he returned to check on Paddy every half hour during the bushfire.
He ran water over the horse's flanks and gave him instructions to stay calm and look after the other animals.
But he says Paddy never moved despite the embers falling from the sky and the wind roaring up the valley. (The noise of our bush fires is as loud as an aeroplane.)
"He was quite calm and serene but he knew what was going on.
If the sheep moved Paddy rounded them up and brought them back to the corner where they waited under him," Mike says.
In the wake of the bushfires, Paddy has been nominated for a bravery award with the RSPCA.
But Mike says it's funny, because Paddy doesn't normally even like the animals he worked so hard to protect.
"He's a bit superior to them. He doesn't like them. They're just sheep and goats and he doesn't have much to do with them."
A small burn on his nose is the only reminder of the work Paddy did in the fires, but Mike says he'll never forget how brave his horse was when he needed it most.
"He stood there and did what I asked him. If you can have that sort of communication, all the big parades and the big accolades we've had as gendarme can't compare to that because the fire was when the chips were really down. I asked him to do something and he said, righto, I'll do that. And that's what he did."

Let them grow a coat!
Now is the time of year when everyone is reaching for the rugs as the nights get cooler. Some have even put rugs on already, never to come off until summer – it’s sad to see horses sweating under a rug on a nice sunny day.
But wait – why do you want your horse to keep a short coat and be weighed down by rugs all winter? Why do you want to burden yourself with the responsibility of taking rugs off, putting them on, swapping them around etc. daily?
Unless you are a diehard ‘showie’ who needs to get out early in the show season, or an endurance rider who owns a horse that grows an incredibly thick coat, then there’s no reason to rug.
If you allow your horse to grow a coat, they will not only stay warmer when you may need to use one such as during prolonged periods of wet and cold weather. They will not get rubbed shoulders or withers, they will be less likely to harbour mites and lice and they will be so much happier provided they have some shelter from the wind.
If you have decided to let your horse ‘go natural’ for the winter and grow a nice fluffy coat, but do want to protect them from the odd cold/wet snap, the new Coolheat blanket is the ideal way to do it without overheating your horse. You can read a product review on it here.

The Coolheat Blanket will feature on The ABC’s New Inventors program on May 6th at 8pm. Don’t miss inventor, Dave McDonald (also inventor of the Old Mac Hoof Boots) telling us all of the benefits of these amazing new horse rugs. If you’d like more info or want to buy one now, go to the Natural Horse World web shop (the pre winter special price includes postage) or ask your saddlery store to order one from the supplier - Saddlery Trading Company.

Barefoot Bits & Pieces
Congratulations to Daisy Buysman from Darwin in the Northern Territory for becoming the latest graduate of the Tas. Polytechnic Cert. 3 Equine Hoofcare course.
Fourteen more students have just enrolled to start their intensive 2 week block from April 20th and will continue their studies afterwards for a year, completing assignments, trimming case studies and mentoring.
This Certificate 3 course (formerly run by TAFE Tasmania) has produced 19 Australian Certified Equine Hoofcare Practitioners to date with a further 20 currently studying the course.

Adult Education Hoof Care – Professional hoof trimmers Jen Clingly and Jeremy Ford will teach you to maintain your own horses hooves using natural hoof care techniques. A theory and practical workshop designed to enable you to do-it-yourself.
At Brooks High School on Sunday 3rd May from 8.30am. $139.70 concessions available. Enrol with Launceston Adult Education on 63 362666 or at www.adulteducation.tas.gov.au

Bitless Bridle News
More happy Light Rider Bridle buyers:

“Just to let you know, I received my bridle last week and love it! I put it on my TB gelding, who has literally had a couple of rides over the past week after 12-18 months of no work. I had a lesson Saturday morning and he went brilliantly in it. I've previously been riding him in another bitless bridle (as he's not great with bits) but found the noseband would never stay put and he was still rather resistant at times. In your bridle he was incredibly soft.
So, very impressed. Love the way it looks too, totally traditional!” Sarah W. Vic.

"Thought I would give you an update even though we haven’t got any photos yet of us jumping in the new bridle. Its been great so far, it took a couple of days to get used to, and I had to tighten the chin strap a couple of times to get it right, but we are sorted now and going well!
Abbey is a bit crazy in big open spaces at the moment, cantering sideways and threatening to buck and just getting generally excited and skitty - very scary when your horse is 16hh and just as wide! But I still felt safe with the bridle and was in control as much as I had been in the halter previously. We went to jump club without any problems and had no comments that there was no bit in her mouth - it was very inconspicuous! She is responding well to it and I am very happy so far - looking forward to competing later this year too!" Daisy in Darwin.

BITLESS BRIDLE TESTS
Having heard many conflicting opinions over the use and success of bitless bridles, Cinch Magazine has decided to follow through with their own experimental 'test drive'.
Starting in the summer of 2009, they plan to begin a 'bitless bridle experiment' and will be testing bitless bridles on various horses- from well-broke to just being started under saddle.
During the experiment, they will be evaluating the over-all quality, function, design and performance of the bridles. In addition, they will see how each horse reacts and how it feels to the rider, as far as precision of rein aids and overall control.
The Light Rider Bitless Bridle will be one of those tested in the near future. To check out the results of these experiments, go to Cinch Magazine.

PRODUCT NEWS
GONE natural insect repellant collars for horses are now available in Australia through the Natural Horse World web shop.

Photo: The Gone collar can be worn high around the neck and has a plastic buckle that will break should it get caught. It is also long enough to wear around the base of the neck but the risk of it catching on something is greater, and it could slip up the neck when the horse grazes unless it is plaited into the mane at the wither.
when first using the ankle bands it's a good idea to put one on at a time and lead the horse around until it gets used to the feel on each leg. They should be snug but not tight enough to harm the tendons, and again the plastic is soft enough that it will tear away if accidently caught.

This USA manufactured product has just been approved by the Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Authority. It’s active ingredient is peppermint oil so it not only smells great but is totally harmless to your horse (and you) but very effective against flies, mosquitoes, ticks, midges and bot flies.
Several Tasmanian horse owners have been testing them out and they report excellent results.
The gelding pictured above suffered from QLD itch before he came to Tasmania to escape the midges. But they bothered him here too (though not as badly) so we tried the collar and leg bands plus the left over collar end plaited into his tail. He happily wore them for several weeks and remained fly and itch free with the lovely cloud of peppermint aroma surrounding and protecting him.

I was impressed with the ability of the collar in repelling ticks when my dogs returned from an 'excursion' in the bush, literally crawling with ticks. Normally it takes me over an hour to pick them off before they burrow in, but this time, I put the horse collar on them and an hour later, there was not a tick to be seen! I was very impressed and glad they hadn't burrowed in anywhere on the dogs.
I also used the leg bands to repel mosquitoes from around me while staying in a mozzie zone by leaving one on the bed, after initally being kept awake by them buzzing around my head.
Peppermint oil is also used for aromatherapy to stimulate the brain, aid concentration, mental fatigue and depression. So lots of positive benefits there for your horse.

While fly season is almost over here in Tassie, there are plenty of mozzies and ticks around, expecially in warmer climates.
When comparing the cost of the horse collar set at $39 (for 30 days of protection) to other methods of applying insect repellant, the convenience far outweighed the the more expensive chemical based repellants that need to be applied daily.
For those who can't visit their horse daily, the Gone Horse Collar provides the ideal way of protecting your horse 24/7 in the most natural way possible.

Product Review
Provide It Range - I'm really excited about this new range of supplements from New Zealand - now available here in Australia. These products are already achieving great results in addressing many common behavioural issues.
They also assist in correcting vitamin and mineral imbalances that are so common in our horses especially when they are grazing dairy pasture or pasture which contains oxalate grasses (which lead to calcium deficiencies), and improving feed quality when horses eat feed that contains mycotoxins.

The excellent quality organic vitamins and minerals in the Supreme Vit & Min means the minerals are already attached to an amino acid and therefore ready for immediate absorption.
For instance supplying iron in it’s organic form means that, being already attached, it is not available to attach to other minerals like copper or zinc, thereby interfering with their absorption.
In addition to organic iron, Supreme Vit & Min also contains MSM, selenium, chromium, copper, manganese and zinc all in their organic forms.
By combining Supreme Vit & Min with plain feeds like chaffs, beet pulp, oats and barley you have a more natural and economical way to feed while knowing you're taking care of your horses mineral and vitamin requirements.

From years of experience we have found the best strategy for solving problems is to firstly ensure you are feeding the horse properly, then see what problems you have left after a month or two.
To find out more about feeding your horse to keep him calm and healthy, and to learn the symptoms that indicate feed is an issue (especially the grass or hay they are on) go to Jenny Patterson's web site - the lady who has developed the Provide It products in response to her experiences with hundreds of horses including her own.

Or you can purchase Jenny's book from the Natural Horse World web shop. Jenny's book is packed with information about mycotoxins, what they are, what grasses they can also be found in (ryegrass, paspalum, clover, and others) and what effects they can have on your horse.

Autumn Feed Warning
Autumn for a large part of Australia is the worst time of year for mycotoxins. We come straight out of the best time of the year being the driest part of summer and then when we get the breaking rains there is a massive surge in mycotoxins. With the still warm conditions and the sudden increase in moisture it's an ideal environment for fungus. You may even get some mushrooms popping up which indicates the highest time of the year for mycotoxins.

This time of year is a good time to lime the paddocks to help reduce the mycotoxins in the environment. Before you do lime it's best to get a soil test done to determine the quantity needed.

Some thing else you might need to know about is in Autumn you will notice that Kikuyu grass will go bright lime green with the breaking rains then as we get closer to winter it will go dormant. The problem is that Kikuyu under these conditions seems to surge in mycotoxins and particularly after a drought and may cause Kikuyu Poisoning. Don't panic but keep a close eye on horse grazing Kikuyu over these conditions and if you notice them looking depressed, drooling, dehydration, abdominal pain or any signs of colic, or the staggers remove them from the grass immediately.

Kikuyu is also an oxalate grass which binds up calcium and magnesium uptake in horses, and if grazed over a long period of time can also effect the kidneys via oxalate crystals. So all in all not a very nice grass to have horses grazing on. But if you do please make sure they are supplemented with a high quality calcium and magnesium supplement such as Alleviate Xrta Cal, at the oxalate dose rate.

Book Review
Let Horses Be Horses – the Horse Owners Guide to Ethical Training and Management by Lesley Skipper.
Published in 2005, this 244 page hard cover book with lots of descriptive photos is a must read.
Author, Lesley Skipper questions everything we do with horses in a constructive way, dispelling many myths with her thorough research and practical knowledge of horse care, breeding, training and psychology.
She argues her point with clarity and really gets you thinking about whether your current practices with horses can be improved upon.

There is a very good section on how horses learn where she describes the process of positive and negative reinforcement and other scientific terminology, in a way that makes sense and is easy to understand.
My favourite sections in the book were on ‘The best start in life’ where foal training and weaning is discussed deeply. I found we were definitely on the same wavelength.
There is also good information on stallions, mares and geldings with their differences in temperament, training and care are examined.

I like this book because of the way its helps you have balanced views and indeed Lesley aims to help you keep an open mind and listen to your inner feelings.
She reminds us to be flexible as each horse is an individual, and to always listen to the horse for the answers.
This book allows us to find a nice balance between providing a life as natural as possible for our domestic horses, while making allowances for the constraints a domestic situation imposes.
It is published by J.A. Allen and I borrowed a copy from the State Library but you can also purchase it from www.amazon.com.

News from Around the World
For admirers of the Russian horse master, Alexander Nevzarov, you will be pleased to know there is now a Nevzorov Haute Ecole magazine available in English for everyone on the planet!
NHE Equine Anthology (click here to take you to the order page)
This magazine upholds the epitome of horsecentric philosophy. There is simply none like it anywhere in the world. And for only $5 US. You will need broadband for this one though as Lydia Nevzarov’s amazing photos make it quite a large download. Also, be prepared to have your ideas about some aspects of the horse world confronted, with some gory photos involved.

LEGENDARY HORSEMAN RAY HUNT DIES
We mourn the loss of a legend. Ray Hunt, in his late 70s, passed away March 12. He took the mantle of natural horsemanship from the Dorrance brothers and spread it to a larger audience. He, in fact, was the first traveling clinician, taking his teaching methods on the road more than 30 years ago and continuing to teach through 2009 when he had a spring workshop scheduled at his Texas ranch. Ray will be remembered forever for his contribution as a mentor to so many horsemanship clinicians today. Visit his website to read more about the lasting legacy of Ray Hunt.

The winner of ‘The Path of The Horse’ DVD and a ‘Without Harm’ T-Shirt in the Subscriber Competition is Maren Jensen. Many thanks to all those who entered.

Please help support the New Zealand Wild Horse Sanctuary
by purchasing the fabulous ‘Path of The Horse’ DVD. This innovative horsemanship documentary by Stormy May, depicts the journey of a horse trainer who gives up her career to find a better way of being with horses. The film focuses on a select group of men and women from around the world who are considered pathfinders and are revolutionising the way we think about horses.
You can buy the DVD from www.pathofthehorse.com.au

Readers News

Introducing….
Tammy Martin is now offering Equine Sports Massage and Photonic Light Therapy services for your horse. Massage and Photonic Light Therapy offer many benefits to all horses, from the Performance Horse to the Sunday rider.

Equine Sports Massage: Improve stamina, improve disposition, provide comfort to muscle injuries, enhance performance and gait quality, increase range of motion, improve circulation, and reduce tactile defence.

Photonic Light Therapy: Increase circulation, increase lymphatic system activity, replace damaged cells promptly, repair damaged tissue, reduce scar tissue, relieve pain, fight infection, and heal wounds.

Tammy is a qualified Equine Body Worker and a member of the International Equine Body Workers Association and is fully insured.
Please call 6266 4439 or 0410 600 888 for more information or to make an appointment.

Pauline Goodwin and Quarab gelding, Royale Cola successfully completed the Woodstock 80km ride recently in Easyboot Epics and a Light Rider bitless bridle. Photo courtesy of Jodi Smith.

The beach was a great place for Kylie to build on Fanta's laying down exercise.

Maryanne and her horses Soll and Grace from Cygnet set off recently to ride around New Zealand. They have travelled many miles together through NSW, Victoria and Tasmania so I'm sure they will have a wonderful time exploring the 'long island'.

News from Cynthia
This month has been very busy with so much news coming in there was no room for a new article. However, if you click on the links further down the page, you will find lots of interesting reading, especially if you go to the Horse Conscious website here .

It’s good to see more fundraising events supporting those who were affected by the fires in Victoria. Your attendance at these events will help raise more funds to continue the care of horses and other animals displaced or injured.

Wrangler Jayne is holding a benefit for the bushfire fund called "Have a Heart for Horses" It is planned for sometime in April – date to be announced. All proceeds will be applied to the Bushfire Fund for fire-affected horse owners and carers, to help with feed needs in the coming months along with other essentials. To register your interest to attend, please email me at mail@wranglerjayne.com.au More information coming soon!

www.horsesandhorsemen along with the ABCRA Rodeo are having a fundraiser rodeo and liberty display at the Brigadoon State Equestrian Centre in WA on Friday the 27th of March. Enq. Ph. 0419193780 or see the website above for more details.

Here at home, I’m very happy to say I’ve achieved something with my stallion I’d not have thought possible several years ago. Finn is pictured below on the right.

Because I didn’t want to breed Finn again to his 23yo ‘wife’ or his 2yo daughter, I separated him with a single strand electric fence for a few weeks, but allowed him to maintain contact.
However, it wasn’t an ideal situation having him alone so I decided from the social aspect and feed requirements, that the three middle aged geldings would be the best company.
Finn is now running with the geldings full time, having met them several times previously over the fence. I was careful to ensure that they couldn’t come between him and his family who were in the paddock next door as that may have increased his aggression towards them.
When I did put them all in together, I’d moved Finn’s family so there was a lane separating them, but he could still see them.
There was no fuss, just a few greetings and the usual squeals from nose to nose contact, then they all settled down to graze.

Finn soon rose to the top in the pecking order, and his behaviour was fine while his family were always visible. However when I moved paddocks to where the family could get further away and also make contact with other horses, Finn became concerned and more aggressive towards his paddock mates whenever they came close to where the other horses were.

When they are all off grazing, he’s happily there with them, although he does tend to spend more time making sure his family are ok. And while there was only some hair taken off from Finn biting the boys when they were not quick enough to get out of the way, Finn has lost some weight from all his extra activity which isn’t a bad thing.

This gradual separation is all working towards taking his family to another property soon when the grass runs out here.
I'm attributing his acceptance of being able to run with geldings to his 'natural' up-bringing where he has always run with a herd and in with geldings until he was two years old. From my research, it seems those first two years of a colt's life are incredibly formative in terms of his social abilities in later life.

So, I’ll update you in the next newsletter on how Finn’s relationship changes with the geldings when he has no-one else to worry about. Maybe that will be a good time to start riding him!
Here he is (below left) with his 'bachelor herd'.

I’ve also been preparing for the big Equus Inspiration event being held on March 21st and 22nd now at the Tasmanian Equestrian Centre, Lauderdale. This ‘mini equitana’ will be one not to miss, with some big names such as Dan James, Heath Ryan, Warwick Schiller and Matt Williams holding clinics and demonstrations.
I will be demonstrating 'How to Transition to a Bitless bridle' in the round yard on both days at 2.45pm and also doing a talk on ‘Simulating Natural Living for the Domestic Horse’ in the lecture room at 10am each day.

Other lectures include Laminitis with Jeremy Ford, Nutrition and FeedXL Analysis. In the Health demo yard you can see Shoeless Alternatives, EMT Horse Massage, Equine Therapies and the Coolheat Blanket.

Tickets for Equus Inspiration are on sale now and Super Tickets are close to selling out along with Main Event Sessions so get yours now!
Book Tickets now at www.ticketek.com or phone 132849.
Check out the main event and lecture schedule on the website at www.equusinspiration.com .

I’m looking forward to being there at my booth with Macs Equine, so come and chat to me about the Light Rider Bitless bridle or any of the other products you see in my web shop. Hope to see you there!

Barefoot Bits & Pieces
Tasmanian Polytechnic Cert. 3 Equine Hoofcare course: The next course two week intensive is being held between the 20th of April and May 1st at Golden Valley, near Deloraine.
Applications close on the 20th of March so if you’re considering a qualification in Equine Hoofcare, this Certificate 3 course will only be held once this year. For an enrolment form please contact Loretta Satterley on Loretta.satterely@skillsinstitute.tas.ed.au

Wild Horses give us their secrets
Horse enthusiasts in Tasmania have the chance to be the first in the world to hear about ground breaking research on wild horses from a man considered to be an international leader in laminitis research.

Professor Chris Pollitt from the University of Queensland will be coming to Devonport on May 10th together with PhD scholar Brian Hampson to show unique video footage of brumbies and the scientific data collected on their hooves, diets and lifestyle.

“This will be of great interest to all horse owners and people such as vets, farriers and horse trainers” Marg Richardson, a team member of the Australian Brumby Research Unit, said. “The information they have recorded will take us to a whole new level of understanding about the health of the domestic horse, from racehorses, pony club horses to elite competition horses,”

Professor Pollitt has spent a lifetime researching laminitis and now travels around the world delivering lectures. Laminitis is a condition that is extremely common in the domestic horse. While it often goes unnoticed by the horse owner until it is well advanced, it can affect performance or render the horse unrideable. Often considered an affliction of ponies, it can affect any horse, especially those fed on high grain diets. People attending the talks here in Tasmania will be shown the most recent research as well as the current treatments for this condition.

Brian Hampson is undertaking world leading research, capturing and sedating brumbies, applying GPS collars, tracking their movement and then recording the relevant data for herd groups. This includes what they are eating, the condition of their hooves and how much they are moving.

“Never has the saying of ‘No Foot No Horse’ been more obvious, when you see how much these horses move,” Hampson says. “We have tracked the movement of domestic horses in a variety of settings from the racing environment, 5 acre paddocks up to 10,000 acre paddocks to see the variation of movement and it has been quite staggering.”

“Old brood mares turned out in paddocks are moving more over a 24hr period than our elite race horses. “

Patrons of these talks will be the first to be able to experience - via slides and video - the outback habitat of Australia’s wild brumbies. It will also be the first time Professor Pollitt has spoken publicly about his most recent and ground breaking research.

For places please contact Marg Richardson marg.richardson@bigpond.com or check out the website www.wildhorseresearch.com.

The National College of Traditional Medicine, The Barefoot
Blacksmith and Equethy wish to advise that due to the ongoing impacts
of the extensive fires in Victoria the Equine Podiotherapy course
scheduled to commence in April unfortunately is to be cancelled.

On a brighter note: The special guest lecturer for the anatomy part
of the course was to be Dr. Deb Bennett PhD of the Equine Studies
Institute. Because Dr. Bennett's trip here is already planned and she
has such great information to offer, Andrew & Niccy Bowe (The
Barefoot Blacksmith) have decided to continue with her visit but will
now host a clinic open to the public.

Dr. Deb is one of the worlds leading authorities on the equine
anatomy, the hoof, and conformation as it affects soundness. Plus
much much more. If you are a professional trimmer her disections are
not to be missed.
For more information on how to register for this fascinating clinic
please contact Niccy Bowe info@barehoofcare.com

Bitless Bridle News:
Dressage with No bridle – this lovely horse is 25 years old and looks like he really enjoys the freedom of having nothing on his head – definitely worth watching. Click here to see the video.

Are you insured while riding in a bitless bridle? I’ve had this question posed and at the present time am waiting on replies from several leading horse insurance companies.
If you’ve had any experience of this or know if your insurance covers riding in a bitless bridle, please let me know.
So far in my research I’ve found a couple of UK companies who are happy to insure riders using The Bitless bridle (could be limited to the Dr Cook style):
http://www.nfumutual.co.uk/you/horse-insurance/horse/
http://www.seib.co.uk/

In Australia, Aon Risk Services Australia Limited and Petplan (through your local Horseland store) insure horses in a bitless bridle and I’m sure most insurance companies will, especially if your sport under which you are insured (eg. ATHRA, AERA) allows the use of bitless bridles.
It was suggested that riding on the road in a bitless bridle may void your insurance, however a search of the road rules indicates that it's recommended horses be ridden in a bridle and saddle.
I will check further about this and keep you all posted.
In the meantime, it was interesting to read some road rules and safety suggestions relating to horses on the following websites:
Horses SA Road Safety booklet
Safe Road Users Guide SA
Road Safety for Horseriders

I will keep you posted on the results of further research on this topic, and if you have any information on riding bitless and insurance, please

Product News
Provide It - A new range of supplements from New Zealand are now available here in Australia. These exciting new products address some of the behavioural and physical issues that arise from horses eating grass that is too high in NSC (non structural carbohydrates), or can be toxic (ryegrass and others) or is an oxalate which causes calcium deficiency.

The Natural Horse World shop will stock the following products at the Equus Inspiration event and they will be available online from March 22nd.

Tox-Defy to bind mycotoxins, thereby vastly improving grass and feed quality. This is especially important in warm, humid weather conditions.

Alleviate which is a special organic magnesium is perfect for whenever the grass grows rapidly and/or your horse gets tight, tense, spooky, short-stepping, herd-bound, has Attention Deficit Disorder or the night before competitions or any stressful event.

Take care of your horse’s vitamin & mineral requirements with Supreme Australian-Horse Vit & Min. A deficiency of any one vitamin or mineral can upset all the rest. Supreme Vit & Min contains minerals in organic form, vitamins and minerals are best replenished daily as they have an important role in maintaining optimum health and behaviour as well as, shiny coats, strong hooves and a longer, useful life.

Add ‘Alleviate Xtra Cal’ to meet calcium & magnesium requirements. The calcium & magnesium in Xtra Cal are many times more absorbable than regular forms. The dose rates can be adjusted according to whether the horse is breeding, growing, working or grazing oxalate pastures.


More information on these products and the symptoms they will assist in treating will be available from Natural Horse World at Equus Inspiration.

News from around the world
Please help support the New Zealand Wild Horse Sanctuary
by purchasing the fabulous ‘Path of The Horse’ DVD. This innovative horsemanship documentary by Stormy May, depicts the journey of a horse trainer who gives up her career to find a better way of being with horses. The film focuses on a select group of men and women from around the world who are considered pathfinders and are revolutionising the way we think about horses.
It will be for sale at the Natural Horse World stall at Equus Inspiration.
You can also buy the DVD from www.pathofthehorse.com.au

Binh Trinh the master photographer who gave his services to do portraits of the New Zealand Wild Horses herd, pro-grata has won the International Best Animal Portrait!
His portrait of the 2 fillies grooming each other is his first ever entry in this genre, and to win is really something!
These horses sure do want to be noticed!! They are not going down without making their existence known.
Hopefully, this will help advance their cause because, as it stands, they have about 2 weeks left before eviction and they are not even close to the required funds needed for acquisition of the land.

Win ‘The Path of The Horse’ DVD and a ‘Without Harm’ T-Shirt in this month’s Subscriber Competition – all you have to do is send me the email addresses of all the people (min. 2) who you think would like to receive this free monthly news bulletin.
Entries close on April 1st so don’t delay.

Help Horses Worldwide in competition:
Join us and help petition the F.E.I. that all dressage competitions should only be shown with the horse wearing a cavesson with two finger widths between the horse's face and the cavesson, both in the show ring and in the warm up ring. This rule has been a standard for generations of horsemen and accepted as being the best for the horse. This rule/standard was so accepted around the world by every teacher and rider - that it was never even written down. Now we see training practices that include crank nosebands and rollkur - training practices that are physically, emotionally and mentally detrimental to the horse.
A return to this simple rule, that will be easy to teach and enforce, can make a huge difference for horses not only for those in the show ring but for all of the horses, whose riders and teachers use those horses in competition as their standard of correct training.
Please sign today and share this with all equestrians that you know, and together perhaps we can make a difference.
Sign the Petition here or find out more about it here in Horses For Life Magazine.

Readers News

Paul Lockwood (pictured with Twisty) is now available for Young Horse Starting & Problem Solving in Tasmania. PH: 0363695260.
Based near Deloraine, Paul is an experienced horseman, a genuine horse lover & advocate of natural horsemanship techniques.

From Angie in the South Australian outback - "Thought I'd give you an update on Gemma & I with the camels.
As you can see Gemma has become so brave and is thinking the camels are not so bad after all.
Thank you so much for your advice, the approach - retreat really is a treat!
It has been worth taking the time it takes for Gemma to work it out at her
own pace.
I also must say the reading & rereading Carlos's book and watching is DVD was and still is invaluable in my learning.
Any way I thought you might like to see a Tassie born Arab being so brave
and coping with such an unusual environment at the age of 16."

One way to increase a horse's fitness for fast work - convince your husband to lead her behind while training his pacer!

Tammy's Angel looks quite happy to follow along and her bare hooves are handling the work on the abrasive surface because they are well conditioned prior to starting this next level of fitness work.

Animal Communication Clinic - report from Leigh Martin.

Just recently my wife Tammy and I hosted and attended a clinic with renowned Animal Communicator Trisha McCaugh.
Its not everyday you discuss talking to animals. Yeah sure, we talk with animals don’t we? “Oi get off my foot” “Hey come back here!!” “who’s a pretty puppy” But they can’t actually understand us or answer back……can they?

Well in a word, YES. As much of a fairytale that sounds, it’s the real deal. We can communicate with animals with thoughts mental images and words and have them know what we are on about – and receive words thoughts and pictures back from our animals. Funny thing is most of us are doing it all the time anyway……we are just not conscious of it.
Now I am sounding a little nuts but just ask my Doctor, I am completely sane.

But seriously, what an amazing weekend, Trisha is an amazing lady helping us to contact more deeply with our beloved animals. At the beginning of the weekend a few us were skeptical and I thought yeah sure Trisha can do it she has an amazing talent but can I? I highly doubt it.
Well by the end of the first day all doubt left the building!! Jaws were on the floor.

A highlight for me was riding my horse Airleigh and getting direct feedback from Trisha in real time from Airleigh. Its hard to express what an amazing tool that is for you and your horse. The good news is Trisha is planning more trips to Tassie and to do some more clinics just related to horses. Trisha’s website is www.animaltalk.com.au. Trish also does private consultations and readings.
What an amazing weekend.

Merry and Eclipse show what friendship, softness and sweetness look like on this video taken recently while riding bridleless.

Bushfires and Horses
Here in Australia it’s a very sad time with the devastating bushfires in Victoria killing hundreds of people and probably many more animals.
The worst fire in the history of Victoria has no doubt claimed many horses too.
Students of Carlos Tabernaberri will be pleased to hear his property was spared - the fire came within 50 metres and after Carlos had moved clients horses he went back for his own but the fire was already there and he had to flee.

Those who have survived will most likely have lost everything, but people around Australia are already responding with aid - donations of clothing, food and money are being collected by the Red Cross and many other organisations.
The horse community is showing its support - TripleR Equine Welfare already have over 300 offers of agistment and even accommodation for people listed!

DONATIONS TO HELP:

Tasmanian Horse People like Carolyn and Colin White (Ph 0438 332 771 or 03 63948 167) are coordinating a local donation drive and have arranged with Tasmanian Horse Transport to ship donations over to Victoria.
Please do not donate money, we are not set up for this, the Red Cross is the way to go here.
Horse Owners: Can you have a look in your tack room for any odds and ends you don’t use anymore, anything that can be useful in the day to day care of horses, buckets, brushes, rugs etc. If you tack room is empty of these, perhaps consider going to the Saddlery store and buy a cheap halter or something and donate it to the cause.
We are not trying to restock peoples riding wardrobes, riding is going to be a long way off for most of these people, they need water buckets to give the horses a drink, feed bins, halters/lead ropes to hold the horse to apply veterinary care. It is that basic at the moment. The Victorian horse community is arranging for feed to be distributed.
We are sending all donated goods to Kilmore and Whittlesea distribution points, as they know who needs what and will ensure it gets to those in need.
Dogs and cats also need food, so you could also throw in some for them if you like. All donations will be acknowledged and gratefully accepted.

The president of AEWA, Amanda Blake (Ph. 0364923146) is also coordinating drop off points for items - Devonport Saddlery, Warehouse Traders in Spreyton and the Sheffield Shed in Sheffield are first on the list and more will be added in update emails I'll send out over the next week.

The University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary Science will provide free care at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and Hospital to pets and horses injured in the recent bushfires. Professor Hinchcliff says people with injured dogs and cats who wish to use the Faculty’s services should contact the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital on 97312232 (24 hours).
For injured horses, contact the Equine Centre at the University of Melbourne on 97312268.

Horseyard are also coordinating assistance so if you can help with transport, agistment or feed for affected areas so visit them here.

Here is a list of other organisations taking donations:

Project Hope are co-ordinating aid in the worst affected areas.
See their webpage for the latest news.

TRIPLE R EQUINE WELFARE - Any horse related donation please go to this website.

Victorian Department of Primary Industries- To provide fodder or agistment for livestock in need of feed: Contact the Victorian Farmers Federation – Phone: 1300 882 833, vff@vff.org.au, Fax: 03 9207 5500

Equestrian Federation of Australia VIC Branch
EFA members affected by the bushfires who require assistance should contact EFA on 0400 917 037. Any member who can help with agistment of horses or feed please contact EFA on info@efavic.com.au or phone (03) 9013 0707 Ext. 400

Wildlife Victoria - 1300 094 535, www.wildlifevictoria.org.au

ANIMAL AID - needs the following to support bushfire victims in need:
Small cages or hutches to accommodate rabbits, guinea pigs etc.
Pellets / food for rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens
Stock feed for sheep
Pet food for distribution
Money for purchase of accessories for distribution to pet owners e.g. dog leashes, cat carriers, dog beds, collars
Ring (03) 9739 0300 or go to our website.

This tragedy is a stark reminder to us all to prepare for such possibilities, especially now that we seem to be experiencing the extremes of weather around the world.
Make a plan and write it down – posting it somewhere visible so everyone is aware of the actions you want to take. Whether its to stay and secure your animals in a safe place, or evacuate (have a plan for both) it’s better to think it through now and make arrangements beforehand. Here is an excellent article by the DPI Victoria.

At home I’ve been busy caring for my mare, Rosie and her new colt born on the 16th of January. It was Rosie’s first foal and she was well overdue when finally one morning I saw some wax on the end of her teats (a sign of foaling within the next 48 hours).
After deciding to check on her later in the day, I hear frantic neighing just as I was finishing my lunch. She ran up to the house, leaving the herd, to frantically call me and show that she was already foaling! The front legs were presented so I grabbed a halter and brought her into the roundyard, threw down a bale of hay for her to lie on and she gave birth promptly.
The rest of the herd leaned over the rail, absolutely fascinated at the new arrival.
It was nice that it happened during the day as she wouldn’t have set the foaling alarm off – she didn’t lie flat for the birth at all.
I was touched by the fact that she came to get me. Rosie is the first mare I’ve bred that I raised from birth so we have a special bond which is why she turned to me for help when she wasn’t sure what was happening.
She is a wonderful mum and her little bay colt was named Jaffa by his owner, Amy, who has leased Rosie to breed with.

(pictured below). I wrote an impression of what it was like to sit and watch Rosie and Jaffa one evening, instead of the TV or computer! You can read it here.

My second homebred mare, Glory has also just been tested in foal after her artificial insemination to a Friesian stallion called Jakal, for her first foal. She is also being leased and like Rosie will stay here with me until the foal is ready to wean.

Put this event on your calendar!

First Aid Kit for Horses
I’m a big believer in being prepared and forewarned so apart from a fully stocked first aid kit, it’s important to have some good books on veterinary care.
One of the best I’ve read is All Horse Systems Go by Nancy Loving DVM, available from www.amazon.com .
Another book she has co-authored is a handy size to carry in your first aid kit - called ‘First Aid for the Horse and Rider’ – Nancy Loving and Gilbert Preston.
In response to my last newsletter, I had several people asking how to put together a first aid kit for horses so I’ve listed the items on this page of the web site.
The list includes each item's use and where to buy the supplies.
Remember, if you have a first aid kit and some good first aid books, you can do something for your horse until the vet arrives.

Barefoot Bits & Pieces
Wild Horse Research – is continuing to collar and track brumbies along with analysing their diet. There is also an experiment happening where 6 brumbies from wet country are being taken to dry country and vice versa, to see how the wild horse's hoof adapts to its environment.
if you'd like to keep up to date with the reports by Brian Hampson on his fascinating hoof research involving brumbies, register for the newsletter here.

Click here for a great page on all sorts of hoof boots available around the world.

Adult Education Hoof Care – Professional hoof trimmers Jen and Jeremy will teach you to maintain your own horses hooves using natural hoof care techniques. A theory and practical workshop designed to enable you to do-it-yourself.
At Brooks High School on Sunday 3rd May from 8.30am. $139.70 concessions available. Enrol with Launceston Adult Education on 63 362666 or at www.adulteducation.tas.gov.au

Bitless Bridle News

The Light Rider bridle range will soon offer a more affordable Standard Biothane for the English and Stockhorse style bridles. These will be available from the 21/22nd of March at the Equus Inspirations Expo along with the Classic Biothane bridles in English, Stockhorse and Western styles.
All biothane bridles will now be sold with rein clips and rope or biothane reins are optional.

More Accolades for the Light Rider Bitless Bridle
“I bought your Light Rider bridle at Equitana and the funny thing is,it was a spur of the moment decision and has proved to be so beneficial for Luke and me.
For Luke, because I don’t hang on his mouth anymore due to tension, and for me because it has reminded me of how I used to ride in my teens, relaxed and with ask and release. My aids are lighter. Both horse and rider are more relaxed and more confident, (thanks also to Jenny Pearce’s clinics and books).

As far as the design of your bridle goes, it is effective without being harsh. It does not take them long to adapt to no bit. I like the fact that it does not work on the poll and has instant release. Most of all I love that it doesn’t cause pain to my horse, at least not the way I use it. The halter adaptation is useful when like me you ride in the bush so I don’t need a halter as well. Thank you Cynthia for your foresight. Cheers, Jenny S. (Victoria).”

“I actually really enjoy doing these bitless trials and the one thing that I really notice is how each bridle would work best with different horse/rider combinations. As for the light rider bridle, I would say that it has felt the lightest (no pun!) on Indy of all the bridles. There truly was a quick release and other than when making contact intentionally, there was no pressure between Indy and the bridle. Steering with the light rider was just as light. Indy was very responsive even with the looser fit of this bridle. Overall, I was very pleased with this bridle and when the day comes for me to purchase tack of my own, the Light Rider is on the top of my list!”
Beth Sabor, LMT, HHP, CESMT, RM
www.holisticessence.com
~Licensed Massage Therapist~
~Certified Holistic Health Practitioner~
~Reiki Master~
~Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist~

Beth is a rider at Meadowsweet Ranch where instructor, Kathy Boettcher runs a 'Cabin Fever' class who are trialling a number of different bitless bridles (inlcuding the Light Rider Bridle) on the school horses.

New in the web shop!
Horse Playgrounds – Ideas for Creating and using your own horse playground.
This great DVD contains step-by-step detailed instructions showing how you can make your very own horse playground.
Build a pedestal, jumps, squeezes, car washes, a bridge, mailbox, highway mat, tunnels, teepee, mazes and more.
All the plans are simple to understand and include a list of materials that can be purchased at any home supply store.
The DVD shows how and why to use the obstacles along with some fun games to try on your own or with a group.
Then there is a Manual for constructing the playground items that you can print off for east reference. The measurements are all in US measures (inches, feet etc.) but it’s easy to convert them to metric.

I found the DVD well filmed and narrated, inspiring and helpful, especially when your creative or lateral thinking has run out!
It shows riders and horses of varying levels using the playground, and gives tips on how to best approach the challenges. It also has some fun footage of horses playing without the humans.
You can learn more about this DVD and view an online video ad about it: here and if you’d like to purchase one, please visit my web shop where they retail for AUD $37.95 or if you're in the US go to www.horsesjustwannahavefun.com to buy yours for US $24.95

Web Review – www.pathofthehorse.com.au
This lovely web site features Equine Massage and Stretching tutorials by Sascha Day who outlines a Massage Sequence for the horse owner that is well illustrated and very descriptive.
Sascha has also written some articles that offer real ‘food for thought’ and a guide to ‘The path’ – a new path many people are choosing to take with their horses.
When you visit the site, click on ‘The Path’ link and that will take you to articles on ‘The Truth about backs’, ‘A Word about Bits’ and ‘Do No Harm’.
It’s also a great place to buy Alexander Nevzarov’s DVD – if you haven’t seen his ability with horses, performing the Haute Ecole dressage movements with nothing on the horse’s head, then one this is a must see.

Sascha is also a passionate supporter of New Zealand’s Wild Horses and says “There has been some beautiful offers of help from people all over the world for the horse sanctuary which has borrowed a bit more time to raise money for the property to keep them.
Liz Mitten Ryan has offered 50% of her book sales from - One with the Herd, to support the fund raising - It is a stunning book. I am touched very deeply by Liz's experiences and her "words from the herd". It is honest, uncomplicated but amazingly powerful book - I am transported to a very deep and real feeling about the spirit of horses when reading it, a sense so strong it has been spilling into my daily life with my horses. A book that can transform lives? Perhaps it's only true if the reader is ready but I do want to share the possibility with others and at the same, help 36 threatened horses in some real way.
Click here for more information about the book

If you are interested for yourself or for someone you know, the link to get the book in Australia and NZ, and benefit the sanctuary is here
In order to make sure the benefits go to the sanctuary, people will have to place the code NZWH when prompted.”

You can also support the New Zealand Wild Horse Sanctuary by purchasing the fabulous ‘Path of The Horse’ DVD. This innovative horsemanship documentary by Stormy May, depicts the journey of a horse trainer who gives up her career to find a better way of being with horses. The film focuses on a select group of men and womend from around the world who are considered pathfinders and are revolutionising the way we think about horses.

You could Win a 'Path of the Horse' DVD or a ‘Without Harm’ T-Shirt in this month’s Subscriber Competition – all you have to do is send me the email addresses of friends (min. 2) who you would like to invite to receive this free monthly news bulletin.
Entries close on March 1st so don’t delay. .

Product News - aussiehorsemen.com is a new website set-up to showcase our Aussie Horsemen's educational DVD's and books all in one place. It’s a great way to compare what’s available from top Clinicians and instructors such as John Chatterton, Quantum Savvy, Steve Halfpenny, Wrangler Jayne and many more.

Readers News – Tasmanian Trail Experience: by Tara Nicklason
I just wanted to share with you the great holiday we have had doing the
Tassie Trail.
Our party included our family of 5, plus my brother, with my Mum, Dad & nephew as back-up - crew 9 in all. We took 5 horses, ranging from seasoned endurance horses to my son’s 17yo welsh mountain pony, a 4yo waler mare my 5yo quarterhorse mare.
Our journey began at the Sheffield Pony club grounds and we followed the
trail through to Ouse. We had a different campsite each night and a rest day at Bronte Chalets.
We had great weather, saw
many spectacular mountains and crossed a huge variety of terrain. Our horses had to deal with rivers, lots of rock, traffic, dogs and all sorts of sights and sounds along the way which they all handled better than I expected.

Although we only averaged about 30km per day do not underestimate the degree of difficulty involved or how hard it is on your horses.
We were joined by friends for 3 days on their arab horses, over the challenging central highlands section, and their company made the ride all the more interesting.
We had a great night at Jen & Jeremy's place and they showed us the trail from their place outside Deloraine to Blackwood Creek, stopping for lunch this day at the beautiful Liffey falls reserve.
Another highlight was the Caves Track up the Poatina Hill.
Unfortunately we had to cut our journey short as the weather turned bad and there were water troubles back at the farm.
I thoroughly recommend doing the Tassie Trail - it was great for my family and fantastic for our horses. It’s a great way to improve the partnership with your horse as you encounter so much together being in each other’s company 24/7.
The whole state is just one big playground.

Paddock Pillows a real success!
In a previous newsletter I wrote an article on Hay Feeders and showed the ‘Paddock Pillows’ made from plastic garden trellis.
They are simple to make – just fold a 2m length in half and ‘sew’ the sides together with baling twine. You can also fasten the top with twine when you have stuffed it full of hay. They allow the hay seeds to drop on the ground for re-seeding pasture and you can spread them around the paddock or track to keep your horse moving more.

Here’s what Victoria in the Bega Valley, NSW says:
“We are making layers of different types of hay to keep our horses happily occupied for hours eating what normally would have been eaten in under an hour.
A great bonus is that when its windy the paddock pillows don't blow away unlike the hay!”

Here is Beau enjoying his paddock pillow.

---

January 2009

Hello Horse Lovers!

This news bulletin would be out earlier if not for two animal crisis in a row.

These have caused me to do something I should have before – re-stock my first aid kit with regular and homeopathic remedies.

The first situation was my 23yo gelding being bitten by an insect (probably a bull ant or jack jumper) and becoming quite distressed about his swollen lips and head.

Then his whole body became covered in hives and swellings around the lymphatic areas (under the belly, top of the legs). He even started to show some signs of shock (shivering, pawing the ground as if to roll, pacing, head hanging down).

I knew the homeopathic remedy Apis was what he needed so I had to call many people after 8pm that night to find someone who had some. Fortunately, the local homeopath returned from a dinner party in time to help me!

I also called my vet who said to monitor him and call him if his breathing became laboured. Luckily it didn’t and my midnight his symptoms were decreasing.

While all that was going on, my naughty dogs took off hunting, and Tigga, the whippet cross, returned late in the night with a gaping hole in his side. Fortunately I had just enough bandages to cover the wound until I could get him to the vet for stitching up. So, my next trip is to the chemist to get first aid supplies!

My message here is you will save yourself considerable anxiety if you are prepared for emergencies. Aside from having a fully operational fist aid kit for yourself and your animals, get together everything needed for seasonal emergencies, be that fire or flood, drought or ice storm! It will save you time and probably lives if you need it.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? - Here’s one I’d like to suggest.
2009 can be a year of compassion if we help those in need. With the economic situation, climate change weather and busy lifestyles, there will be times when horses are neglected.

Most neglect is through lack of knowledge so think of some way you can contribute.

I know of many good people who are already doing their bit to rescue, rehabilitate and care for unwanted, neglected or abused horses – congratulations for getting on with it!

Those of us who see neglect can do something rather than turn a blind eye.

It might be as simple as offering to help a neighbour arrange some hoof trimming/dentistry when your horses are being done.

Or you might get them some advice on laminitis if you see a fat, foundering pony in the paddock – or offer to help set up some electric fencing to reduce access to grass – or mow a strip of pasture for them – whatever it takes to help the animal in need.

If we put aside our preconceptions about people, and work out a way to tactfully approach seeming neglect or abuse, then more animals will be assisted around the world.
If you find it hard be tactful, then call in the appropriate welfare organization, explaining the situation and asking for their help. Don’t leave it for someone else to do. We are all busy and if everyone who drives past an obvious case of neglect thinks the next person will “do the right thing”, no-one will end up helping that animal.

There are many other ways to help those in need besides direct intervention such as donating time, funds, feed or equipment to welfare organizations.
If you can write, send an article or a letter to your local newspaper or a magazine to educate the readers on a topic of horse care.

If you are an equine professional, have a list of services and contacts horse owners can use – sometimes neglect comes from just not knowing who to call or trust.

An enterprising equine service provider could print a list on a magnetic card with their name and number highlighted, so it can be kept of the fridge for easy reference – this can then be letterbox dropped around your area.

There are no doubt many more ways we can all do a little bit to help horses and animals in need. If you have a story to share about your experience with this, I’d love to hear from you.

For now, enjoy this news bulletin and when you get a chance, check out the rest of my new updated website (which is a work in progress) – it has loads of information that I’m happy for you to share in your local club newsletter or wherever you think it might help. (please remember to give me credit as the author by listing my web site).
Best wishes for a wonderful 2009.

Cynthia.

Putting horses on hay paddocks can cause problems.

With the hay season in full swing in most areas, some of you will be lucky enough to cut your own paddocks. Once the hay is baled and stored, it’s a great opportunity to put your horses on the pasture to clean up left over grass around the edges.

But beware! If you have a horse that is prone to being overweight, or has foundered previously, giving them access to the uncut hay is a recipe for disaster.

Feeding you horse/pony mature grass with seed heads is like letting a diabetic person into a lolly shop and saying ‘eat all you like’!

Freshly cut grass needs to recover a little and start growing again before it’s suitable for grazing. The remaining stems after cutting hay will be high in sugars (stored in the stem base) but once the plant puts some energy into growing it is safer.
Even though there is more grass there will be less sugar per mouthful, but you must watch the horse and limit their access if they are over eating.

It will vary according to the amount of rain you have after cutting as to how soon your regrowth will able to be grazed.

As for the tall grass left around the edges, it’s best to let cattle or horses that can handle a more feed eat that first before letting your laminitic prone horse onto the paddock. It might even be safer to slash it down and let it dry off if you can’t graze it. Or otherwise, fence it off so the ‘fatties’ can’t access the edges.
If you would like more information of how grass affects horses, or laminitis, go to www.safergrass.org where there are a lots of helpful articles (many new) by Kathryn Watts – ‘the grass guru!’.

NEW ARTICLE: Treats for horses – why use them? By Cynthia Cooper
To horses, a treat is not a bribe unless you use it as one. I see it as a reward, or payment for a job well done. It offers incentive for the horse to earn more and they look forward to their work when payment is forthcoming.

Giving a horse a treat just as that – you’re thanking them for giving their time to join in with your games or a job that needs doing.

How many times would we turn up for work if we didn’t get paid?
Some of us do voluntary work and enjoy praise and recognition as a reward – something common to predators such as humans and dogs. Read the rest of this article here.

BAREFOOT BITS & PIECES:
Congratulations to Kendra Conroy in South Africa for completing the TAFE Certificate 3 in Equine Hoof Care. Kendra has many clients around the Capetown area and is doing a lot to spread the word about natural hoof care.

Congratulations to Dave and Vanessa on the birth of their first child.
Inventor of Old Mac Hoof Boots, Dave McDonald and his wife, Vanessa (nee Smith) have a lovely daughter, Ardenne, born on the 19th of December 2008.
All are coping well with their new lifestyle although I’m sure Vanessa is looking forward to riding again soon.

BITLESS BRIDLE NEWS
Would you like the opportunity to compete in dressage bitless? Now you can online with Interdressage.com – a worldwide arena open to all levels where all tests can be ridden in a bitless bridle (or bitted). All you need to do is video the test you’ve entered and send it in by the monthly deadline for judging.
Compete from the convenience of home in our monthly online competitions.

Ideal medium for preparing you and your horse for competition success
Wide variety of tests to suit all standards
Tests judged by BD listed judges with tips and advice from professional instructors
Rosettes and prize money
No need to leave home – or even memorise a test.
Ideal for those competition nervous riders and horses.
Go to www.interdressage.com to see the various tests and rules.

The Bitless Horse Association has recently been formed by Wendy Wainwright of the UK – see www.bitlesshorse.org
The international committee has members from many countries, who are keen to see riding bitless accepted in more equestrian sports and where horses are used for therapeutic organizations.
The Bitless Horse Assoc. has launched a Bitless Aid project to help these horses. The aim of Bitless Aid is to donate bitless bridles to charitable organisations such as Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Centres and Equine Assisted and Riding Therapy Centres. If you would like to donate to support this aid, please go to the website and click on ‘Bitless Aid’.

The Bitless Horse Association also provides a forum for all who are interested in riding or driving without a bit. It is free to join and offers members the opportunity to share their experiences and ideas. Just go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/bitlesshorse/

PETITION To Allow Bitless Bridles in Competitions: I just signed the petition "Allow Bitless Bridles in USEF Rated Competitions". I'm asking you to sign this petition to help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support our efforts. You can view this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/allow-bitless-bridles-in-usef-rated-competitions

Book Review – Zen Connection by Jenny Pearce.
“Zen Connection with Horses” is a book and CD combination with a world first method of delivery.
The book, with its powerful and emotional insights, gives all the information in an easy 122 page read, and the audio CD supports the person with eight simple lessons.
Just load it onto your MP3 player and you have Jenny’s calm soothing voice taking you step by step through discovering your particular talent for communicating with your horses mind.
…. And then step by step, how to use that communication to get results with your horse that will blow your mind.

Jenny says “Some of the things people have experienced with this extraordinary communication have been practical achievements like riders dancing with their horses in just days, or a rider becoming a better rider, or a “problem”, even dangerous horse co-operating kindly and happily.
Others have been emotional achievements where a frightened horse or a frightened person has found a freedom from fear.
One of my most beautiful clinic experiences was being privileged to help a wonderful guy who was beating up on his horses discover how to get a handle on his rage.”

In the book’s introduction Jenny sets the scene for learning this way of communicating by telling of her experiences as a clinician.
“I’ve come to a theory that we all come into horses because we are yearning for the connection with this amazing creature. And that we go hunting for that connection in all sorts of ways, from racing them, to keeping miniatures in the back yard and everything in between.
It’s a connection that is sooo… satisfying to your soul when you get it.
And that’s where this book comes in. It’s a road to an amazing practical and
spiritual connection with your horse and a simple foundation that you can use wherever and however you want - into any discipline, any sort of riding. It’s a road to any sort of connection with The Horse, whether it’s the racehorse that you part own, the much loved pet or that horse you admire or even yearn for down the road.”

“Zen Connection with Horses” is available from the Natural Horse World Shop for just $45 (plus postage) and will be released as an E Book in the near future.

New Products in the Natural Horse World Shop

Light Rider Natural Bitless Bridles are now available in small pony size to suit ponies from 11 to 12.2hh. They come in black, blue or purple for just $89 with reins.

“The smaller bridle arrived safely and it fits perfectly. Teddy has taken to it already - he responded well right from the start. It's great to know that you now have the small pony size in stock because we've been recommending you to all our friends.” – Susan C. Victoria.
18yo Teddy is 9 year old Duncan's first pony. He's one lucky boy who has one lucky pony!

Replacement rein clips are now available from the web shop in both brass and stainless steel. So if your horse has stepped on a rein and broken the clip, it’s easily replaced. Just go to www.naturalhorseworld.com/shop.htm

New Year Special on Chestnut Brown Stockhorse and English styles - $149 or $180 with reins. (RRP $159 or $195 with reins). Saves you up to $15. Click here to buy now.

Product Review - Himalayan Rock Salt
HIMALAYAN ROCK SALT licks are an excellent choice to include in the diet because it assists digestion and enhances absorption allowing MICRO NUTRIENTS to be absorbed easily into the blood stream where cellular functions take place. ie., provide the nutrient support that maintains healthy cells and a healthy body.

The tremendous pressure in the formation of the Himalayan mountains created Himalayan Rock Salt, the ideal salt crystal and the many elements within it are colloidal and readily absorbed.
When table salt (or rock salt) is sold, minerals are often regarded as “impurities” and are removed during processing.
Commercial salt licks are made with table salt, and nutrients are often added later during the manufacturing process. Himalayan salt licks already contain these minerals and nutrients without any processing.
The levels of the minerals are more likely to be healthy to consume, since they are naturally occurring within the salt.

Salt from the Himalayan mountains is nourished by the nutrient-rich water and soil in the area, and contains upwards of 84 minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron.
Calcium promotes muscle strength and nourishes the bones, leading to stronger and healthier bones, joints, teeth, and hooves.
Magnesium is particularly wonderful for your active horse, providing relief for tired and aching muscles. Potassium is essential for a strong heart, while Iron keeps your horse’s blood healthy.

Another benefit of Himalayan Rock salt is the fact that it is so hard, horses have a hard time biting off chunks as they can with regular softer salt licks.
You can tie the lick anywhere your horses like to hang out and if you have other animals like goats, sheep or cattle, they will love the lick too so put it at a height they can also reach. With the lick off the ground, there’s little chance of contamination by dirt or faeces.

Himalayan Rock salt is totally natural and organic so give your horse the best salt supplement – you can purchase from the Natural Horse World Shop.

Web Site Review - Thomas Herding Technique
For Kerry Thomas, founder of the Thomas Herding Technique, getting his website live has been a big investment and the result of many years of research.
Kerry has had a lifelong love of horses and is convinced that horses, like humans, have emotional issues that impact on their well being and are the root of many equine disorders.

To assist horses and their owners/carers, Kerry has developed the Thomas Herding Technique which focuses on equine etiology, the science that deals with the cause of diseases specific to the horse.
“If we consider the plethora of equine diseases, the human being has to be considered at the top of the list of at least some of these causes. Laminitis, colic behaviour issues and many more such maladies, are too often a factor of the human artificial environment. I truly believe that no research into the cause of disease can be comprehensive unless the emotional and behavioural elements of the horse are amended to the study.” says Kerry.

With stress as the cause of many ills and unhappiness, the Thomas Herding Technique addresses this issue with tactile therapy and individual prescriptions for the social life of the horse. Kerry asserts “The socially content, happy equine harbours a reduced stress rate, convalesces better if not faster and blends extremely well with any environment when given a chance to do so.
Loving your horse means so much more than the surface level items. It means you have made an effort to view life from the hoof, namely from the hooves of your best friend or patient.”

Take a look at www.thomasherdingtechnique.com for interesting articles and ideas on how you can view life ‘from the hoof’!

News and Photos from Readers

Kylie Hutcheon (photo right) has regular lessons with Carlos Tabernaberri on his trips to Tasmania and is now riding Jackie bridless... and very proud of it!

Help Needed Dear Friends,
There are some horses that need our help.
Some of you may know Tam Ennor and her husband Allan Ennor from Elemental Wild Horses and their mission to create a safe sanctuary in New Zealand to preserve the unique and genetically distinct species of wild horses there.
Their work is vital if there is any hope to maintain the genetics of this incredible wild breed. Tam has developed a plan to give back to these horses and stand as caretaker to them and their future generations.
The most vital part of the plan - to secure a large enough piece of land as home for these horses, large enough so they can maintain all their natural characteristics, is in jeopardy. The vital funding and support that was to come from an investor in the UK has fallen through due to the credit crisis over there. Tam needs to raise the money another way, and quickly, so she can secure the deposit for the sanctuary by early next year.
There are enough people in this world that care to give these horses a chance. Otherwise, the consequences of them losing their home are dire indeed. Stress from being relocated, destruction to their family unit, and few appropriate alternative properties to this one, could mean they will face the very thing Tam seeks to protect them from, death by a gun.
There is an exciting opportunity to help!
A most generous and noble man, Binh Trinh from Picture Perfect Photography, New Zealand's ONLY Master Photographer has offered to help! http://www.ppp.net.nz
The cost of Binh's normal portrait fee (which he is generously waiving to help the horses!) is $350 NZ per canvas (approx $290 AUD) - if 2603 people purchase his works, the deposit for the land can be raised. The end of the lease and purchase date for the property is January 16th.
Please, every little bit helps ...even if you cannot afford the portrait.... If everyone we know can offer a few dollars, we can make this happen.
This is legitimate. Please check out all the sites yourself and ask around (for those in the horse world, you will know it's a REALLY small place!). If in NZ, please contact Tam to visit the horse sanctuary yourself. In fact, Tam is always very open about having visitors - wouldn't it be wonderful to visit in person, the subject of your portrait! and see them free and safe! I think that would be the biggest gift.
Thank you. Tam's contact details. Email: eucalypts@farmside.co.nz Phone: 06 929 4720.



FOAL PHOTO GALLERY - Left: Lisa Dolbel's Zintahn Aurora looking as cute as ever.

Below: Jo Atkins' Dolly had a little filly called Holly!

Le

Janella Patience from WA writes:
‘Kudos’ is currently a gorgeous pink colour but Im assured by the Stud that by six months he will be a beautiful palomino.
Mother is a quarter horse / pony cross and father is ‘Xanthos’ cremello quarterhorse.
He came into the world in quite a rush and has been quite a ‘feisty’ little fellow ever since, having fun playing with him.'

Send me your photos and news for inclusion in the next newsletter by January 31st.

December 2008

Hello Horselovers,

Welcome to a new format for Natural Horse World News.

Yes, I know…. another change, but that’s what I’ve learned works when something isn’t working!

I want more subscribers to read my newsletter and I know a lot of you are too busy to sit down and read a long web page. Also, some of you hate having to open another web page to …read more!

So, by putting together a regular news bulletin, and then adding important articles to the website, I hope many of you can find the time to read this news. And when you have time to browse more, check out the articles - there are over 110 and my New Year project is to organise them into topic related sections.

Since my last newsletter, a new herd member was born at my place. Aria arrived the day before I had to leave for Equitana which was a relief as I didn’t want Iluwka, my live-in animal carer, to be worried about an impending birth. This gorgeous purebred Arabian filly is Armero’s last foal (she’s now 23) and is sired by my Finn. Now I have three full siblings, all chestnut replicas of their parents, with their beautiful temperaments too.

Due to the foaling alarm batteries going flat (always use new rechargeable batteries every year!) I missed her birth so her imprinting began at a few hours old. It hasn’t made the slightest difference as at that age, foals readily accept whoever the mare accepts. A good reason to have your mare friendly and people oriented.

Now, Aria sees or hears me and calls out every time, enticing me to play with her which is combined with a little training session twice a day when I feed mum.

She responds so well to a tongue click to let her know she’s done well, followed by a good scratch on her many itchy spots. She has learned very quickly to yield to my hands in all directions, along with a short string, as preparation for the halter and leading. I just love being with a baby – they are such a wonderful blank canvas and so willing to interact. They like to learn new things and explore new areas, so we’ve started going out for walks with mum along the gravel drive to wear down her little hooves which at nearly 4 weeks have already grown enough to trim.

If you’ve been lucky enough to have a foal born this year, send me your photos and stories about them.

And have a wonderful holiday season with your horses.

Best wishes for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Cynthia.

FABULOUS ONLINE VIDEOS ALL HORSE OWNERS NEED TO SEE – learn more about the dangers of over-feeding your horse and how to tell if they are overweight. Click this link to Fran Jurga’s Hoofblog to read more about how we inadvertently overfeed our horses and cases of laminitis are rising as a consequence – the videos are each about 7-9 minutes long and well worth taking the time to view.
http://hoofcare.blogspot.com/2008/12/favorite-video-horse-owners-should.html

Here is my ABC Radio Interview and story about GPS Tracking Collars to study horse movement – ‘Research Proves Racehorses Have It Easy’ by Rosemary Grant.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2008/s2425207.htm
You can read or listen to the story and see photos.

Equitana 2008
EQUITANA was held from the 20th to the 23rd of November at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, this huge event attracted over 50,000 horse people who tried to cram in all the shopping, demos, shows and clinics they could.
With such a packed timetable around 4 demo arenas, 2 classrooms, 3 event arenas, the Breeders Village and 3 Halls filled with over 300 retailers, it was impossible to see everything.
This Equitana was my first as a retailer, selling the product range from the Natural Horse World web shop but focusing on the Light Rider Bitless Bridles.

The feedback I got on the bridles was fantastic and sales were great too. It was nice to see lots of people considering bitless riding for the first time. Others were looking for a different design of Bitless bridle and were very complimentary on the Light Rider range of biothane and rope styles. It was the simple action of the bridle and the quality of the materials and workmanship, along with a money back guarantee that sold so many bridles.
I’m looking forward to the feedback from a diverse selection of people and horses who will be experiencing them in the coming months.
In response to the most asked questions about the Light Rider bridles, I’ve added an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page to this web site.

I didn’t have much time to see many demos but the one I did see and was most impressed with was Georgia Bruce, Para-olympian and clicker trainer who delighted the audience with a lovely display of liberty with her horse. He seemed to be responding to her words as she explained how to use the clicker to get a horse to perform piaffe, bow, lie down, rear, circle, backup and even paint pictures! Georgia was the highest placed Australian rider in the dressage at the recent Para Olympic Games held in China, winning a bronze medal.

The weather certainly added to some of the organisational issues, with heavy rain and high winds on the Friday and Saturday making life difficult for everyone. I truly felt for the camp drafters trying for a good run in the pouring rain, and for the dressage horses warming up (or should I say freezing) in their outdoor practice arena before their night performance.

Overall, I’d say Equitana was a big success on the educational and retail fronts, but sadly I heard quite a few negative comments about some of the horsemanship displayed in the competitions and performances. I also heard the ‘Way of the Horse starting/but more like breaking’ competition was again a terrifying time for the semi-wild horses used. It will be a good day when human egos can be satisfied without putting these un-handled horses in such a stressful situation.

If you saw anything at Equitana that bothered you, please write to the organisers (email addresses are available on the website), and express your concerns, so that things can be changed for future events. Similarly, if you saw or experienced things that worked well, give them feedback on that too.


New Products in the Natural Horse World Shop
Zen Connection book by Jenny Pearce - A practical guide to inter-species communication.
This is the printed version of book and audio CD set that will take you to another higher level as a horseman or horsewoman.
It brings you to a deep and profound connectedness to your horse that will bring joy to both them and you.
Another book with Jenny’s “love this book or get your money back” guarantee.

Smart Rider ‘Classic’ and SmartRider 'Escape' Breakaway Stirrups
Proudly Australian in Invention, Design, Development and Manufacture!

The first ever Two-Part Breakaway Stirrup to be made in such a revolutionary high-tech material, the Smartrider 'Escape' incorporates UV protection within it's design and can be produced in a vast array of colours.

It also has the added ability, when tilted to a 180 degree angle to double as a ladder providing assistance when mounting your horse.

The SmartRider 'Escape' Breakaway Stirrups won't stop you from falling, but will allow you to enjoy the freedom of horse riding with the knowledge that if you do part company with you horse, you'll do just that!

Read a comprehensive review of these stirrups here.

Light Rider Biothane Bitless Bridles now available in Violet – it’s a beautiful colour that looks great on greys and dark colours. Go to the web shop to buy one.

Xmas Special on Chestnut Brown Stockhorse and English styles - $149 or $180 with reins. (RRP $159 or $195 with reins). Saves you up to $15. Click here to buy now.

DVD Review - Floating Can Be Fun DVD with Wrangler Jayne
This DVD is a continuation of the Horsemanship With Heart Essentials DVD set. You’ll discover the steps to safe, successful travel with your horse, and see exactly how it’s done. This 60 minute production stresses the preparation of both driver/horse handler and the horse for loading and travelling.
Anyone who has completed the Horsemanship with Heart 1, 2 and 3 series of exercise or the Parelli Seven Games, will find this DVD an easy next step.
Jayne uses a horse that is not too sure about the float but is comfortable enough with Jayne’s leadership to show that with some approach and retreat, going and staying on the float is ok.
Jayne shows the groundwork basics the horse should be capable of before you attempt to load, then the steps of the actual loading process right through to the unloading after travel. She has some great safety tips through out the DVD too.
Her method is gentle but effective and does not stress the horse, taking the time it takes for the demo horse’s confidence. It may take a bit longer for a more difficult horse, but the principles will be the same and I’m sure no-one wants to sit through a movie length version of loading such a horse for the first time.
If you watch this DVD, you will have started with the preparation for a lifelong confident horse in the float. Well worth it for $59. Go to www.wranglerjayne.com.au to buy your copy.

Safety Warning - Use of a carabineer on a lead rope can lead to serious injury.

The carabineer clip often turns in the halter and the wider part hangs down.

If the lead gets behind the leg while there is tension on it, the pressure can cause the clip to open and pull into the tendon.
It can go through the leg and become caught around the tendons, potentially a very serious injury.

Instead of a carabineer clip, please use a 'kwik link' on your lead as shown on the right.

Newsletter Article Archives

Sign up here for this free bi-monthly newsletter

Back to Top of Page