Inside this magazine:
Front Cover Story: ‘Twice the Love’ Josie White shares her 24-year-old Welsh pony Monty with her twin sister Kassidy. They were photographed by Louise Sedgman as part of The Sweet Teen Project, raising funds for Headspace Australia.
Equestrian Culture and Lifestyle:
- Horses and People in Art: Mares and Foals in Art; written by Dr Georgina Downey.
It’s foaling season in the southern hemisphere, the ideal time to take a tour of the world’s most significant ‘mare and foal’ artworks through time. From the prehistory to the 20th century, Georgina selects the classics and places them within their historical and social context.
Sustainable Horse Management:
- Sustainable Horse Keeping: ‘Enriching, Enjoyable, Healthy and Sustainable Horsekeeping’; by Jessica Morton
In this article, Jess interviews Jane Myers, founder of The Equicentral System, about her vision to help horse owners create pockets of biodiversity with the help of their horses. It might seem counterintuitive, but with some management, horses can be good for the environment.
- Equine Permaculture: ‘Resilience and Regeneration in a Changing Climate’; written by Dr Mariette van den Berg.
The predictions are that extreme weather events are going to become more frequent and intense. But climate change is not new to Mother Nature! Let’s learn how she h
as managed and which regenerative practices can help build resilience in our horse properties.
- ‘Preventing Fencing Injuries’; independent content sponsored by Fitton HorseInsure
Horses can injure themselves in even the best and most expensive properties, but thoughtful fencing design, construction and maintenance doesn’t have to cost the earth and will go a long way towards minimising injuries. Here are some tips on what to check.
Health, Welfare and Research:
- The Benefits of Objective Gait Analysis; by Dr Anushka von Oppen
Evaluating lameness is a challenging process that requires clinical expertise. Advances in objective gait analysis tools have become incredibly useful in improving clinicians’ ability to work up cases and provide detailed information to formulate a management plan.
- The Mare Cycle Explained by Dr Miesja Reynolds
With foaling season in full swing, many owners are watching their broodmares closely so they can plan when to breed them again. Learn from Dr Miesja Reynolds what veterinarians are looking for during their ultrasound examinations with our informative, illustrated poster.
- Treatment, Trimming and Time to Heal; by Dr Lena Clifford
Rushing is one of the biggest pitfalls Lena sees every day in practice. Using the case study of Benda, a stoic Standardbred off the track, she makes a case for paying attention to the subtle signs and making sure any pain gets treatment, foot trimming and plenty of time to heal.
- Small Frequent Meals Increase Nutrient Digestibility in Horses; by Kentucky Equine Research staff.
- Researchers recommend Helmets on and off the Saddle; by Christa Lesté-Lasserre
Evidence-based Horse and Rider Training:
- From the Experts: ‘The Coaching Sweet Spot Part 2:The Real Meaning of ‘Coaching’; by Sue Halden-Brown
Outside equestrianism, the sporting world has raced to professionalise coaching, and teaching has receded into the shadows. Yet teaching is the fo
undation on which everything is built, and in this article, Sue explains why you can’t have one without the other.
- Working In-Hand Part 1: The Hidden Gem in Your Training Toolbox; by Tanja Bornmann
Working horses in-hand is a hidden gem in your training toolbox. When done correctly, it can be very beneficial and you don’t need to be a dressage master., In this new series, Tanja will explain the basics you and your horse need to start reaping the benefits.
- Horse Training Course: ‘I ‘Only’ Want to go Trail Riding’; by Dr Kate Fenner
“I only want to go trail riding” is a common statement made, but the trail can be a scary place and if you want to enjoy a relaxed ride, you need some means of returning your horse to the engagement zone and managing their emotional level. In thisarticle you will learn how.
Sustainable Horse Sports
- Tomorrow’s World; by Gillian Keegan
All who watched the equestrian events at Tokyo witnessed the stark contrasts in the level of horsemanship and sportsmanship displayed. It’s time for us all to think about tomorrow’s world: what do you want your sport and your love of horses to look like in the future?
- Rider Mindset: ‘When Decisions Matter’; written by Tanja Mitton
Decisions that affect our lives can be difficult to make. As Tanja explains, it is often easy to make wrong decisions and harder to make right ones. There will be many questions to ask ourselves and others, so let Tanja help you discover the answers that are right for you.
Blogs and tips:
- Herbal Sense: ‘Devil’s Claw’; compiled by Hetty Tapper.
- Get the Show on the Road: ‘Camp Style Baked Apples’;
- Herd in the Paddock Blog: “Just” a Standardbred; written by Jill Griffiths