View The Very Latest In Fashion From The Horse Show Catwalk

'Er indoors has been picked for the N. NSW Dragon Boating squad so she's really pleased. The back deck is now filled with heavy objects referred to as her 'weights' which she has to move in all sorts of directions to get fit and strengthen up. There's also lots of exercises to do with core fitness or something (you as riders would know all about that eh?). She says it will do her the world of good. Me, I'm just confused.....

Horse & Rider’s band of insiders cruised this past season’s biggest, hottest shows, not only to watch the action in the show pen, but also to check out the latest show fashions on the proverbial horse-show catwalk. Just when we thought those show blouses couldn’t get any more bling-ified, it seems bling is here to stay (for now)--and the bigger, brighter and bolder the bling--the better....and how.Wow! Courtesy of Equisearch

“Picaro,” the horse brought last week to the Tufts University's Cummings School’s Hospital for Large Animals with gunshot wounds, is “bright and alert” today following a second surgery Wednesday last in which veterinarians stabilized his jaw and removed fragments of his hyoid. Nice article with a good video showing the nasty damage done to this porr animal....and it looks like a happy ending too.

Now, here's a fascinating video on the use of light to bring a mare into cycle. I really hadn't heard too much about this but the vet interviewed explains it very well and it's really well worth a lsiten and a view. According to the vet, it's about 85-90% successful in bringing a horse cycle in earlier. Courtesy of The Horse web site.

A breakthrough genetic test that can identify the optimum racing distance for individual thoroughbred horses has been launched by Equinome, a University College Dublin biotech company. Now I'm not really into horse racing but this is a first and I thought you ought to know about it because it could translate into lots of other quality testing for ALL types of horses in the future.

We have our brand new video 'Training From Double Lunge to Long Reining' now available. Here are some details and a video preview.
This is a must for anyone learnig, teaching or wanting to try these techniques. You won't be able to source this programme in Aus except from us and you get a reduction on the European cost too.

If you are watching ABC2 tonight, make sure you see this. Can two wild creatures - prisoner and mustang - help each other to a better life? Hardened criminals in the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program attempt to tame mustangs as part of their rehabilitation.
Here's more info from the ABC. If you miss it don't worry, they have an on line service called IView so you can see it for the next couple of weeks.

Here's another way to make your horse's coat really shine...by using pig oil. Never heard if it? Well I hadn't either but here's a video showing it in use. Its made for pigs, not from pigs you'll be glad to know! I think it's used to oil them before showing and keep their skin supple and in good condition. I believe it's actually paraffin oil. Worth a look...interesting.

Less than 24 hours after a near-death experience at a local horse track, some of the drivers are already back to racing. The accident happened Saturday night at Sports Creek Raceway Trots at about 9:15. Six people were involved, two were hospitalised. Quite a show.

Have a great week

The Olympics - Who's Going To Win?

Hi there,

Lost a big filling in one of my molars this week - I'm a man and of course the pain was unbearable. My dentist, god bless her, was on hand to replace said metal with more shiny new stuff and after 45 minutes, some discomfort and the loss of $275 I was cured. On the way out I asked her how much a crown would be if I needed one. After she told me it all went dizzy I 'came to' in the waiting room in the horizontal posotion but was ok after a glass of water. Wish I could make money like that!

Now if you're looking towards the equestrian events at the Olympics, just a week away now, here are some winning predictions from equestrian journalist Nancy Jaffer. Interesting reading.
tinyurl.com/6gyeps

Here's the weekly The Horse Newsletter as usual, a mine of information on all things horsey.
tinyurl.com/5cp7kl

Feet are important whether they are the human kind or the horse type. I found this blog about natural horse hoof trimming and the use of Easy Boots. I'm not advertising them but if you have a problem like this it could help.
tinyurl.com/5t9geh

If you haven't visited Horse Problems - John O'Leary's Australian Site, then you really should. He makes a lots of sense and there's a ton of useful stuff here.
tinyurl.com/qdy2s

Here's an article from the US on reining in the costs of running a horse. Their words and their pun, not mine but there are some good points and it's a view that may well affect us too this coming Spring and Summer.
tinyurl.com/67na48

Accra Race Course Squatters Ejected
About 100 policemen drawn from the Accra Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service yesterday supervised a demolition exercise at the Accra Race Course to pave the way for the construction of a five-star hotel on the site. Sign of the times isn't it?
tinyurl.com/6lpdur

I just read a really great article on grooming by Laurie Pitts in the April 2008 issue of Practical Horseman. Hope you'll find it interesting too - there's a video clip as well.
tinyurl.com/5fr3au

Have a look at this book "100 ways to improve your horse's schooling' by Susan Mcbane. It's available on the H10 site at the usual 20% discount.
tinyurl.com/6bgzof

I'm learning how to be a sweep for the local Dragon Boat crew. So far I don't think they're too impressed so I hopw it can only get better.
Have a great week and keep warm
Geoff

...And The Rain Pours Down!!!

What a week! Firstly the the hard drive in one of our computers decided to quit. Ah, the importance of backing up your info!! If you don't as yet then I can really recommend it! Saves a lot of time and heartache and is definitely good for a marriage....and I have been christened 'Grumpy Old 'Git' because I couldn't find theback up copies!
Second, the rain continues to drop and I hate grey skies.
Third, good news, the Sydney Royal Show has some horse events reinstated and I've attached the link for the show schedule for anyone interested!
http://tinyurl.com/2n4t3e
And finally, the fig tree has ripened and it's me against the birds. I'm using plastic snakes and shiny CDs to keep them off and so far failed miserably! Any ideas??

Here's a timely article from Cyberhorse on getting your horse fit after a lay off - sorry about some of the feed ads in it but the info is pretty sound:
http://tinyurl.com/2fhbxu

Here's how to tell if your horse is fat!! Um, might try it myself!!
http://tinyurl.com/2d9foc

Dr. Joyce Harman explains how to fit a treeless saddle for different types of horses and riders - I didn't know much about this but it's an interesting article:
http://tinyurl.com/2r8s9y

Watch video clips from George Morris' Lessons in Horsemanship DVD as he guides eight young riders through a special training session - these are all U Tube videos so they might take a little time to load if you don't have broadband...worth a look though!
http://tinyurl.com/yrdfor

Thanks to Equisearch for the last 3 article links.
This is your LAST chance for H10 grooming products at COST price...closing soon so stock up for the upcoming seasons:http://www.h10.com.au/

And with the rain thundering down I'll bid you a very good week!

H10 Horselovers Blog - Weird Week Articles!!

Hi there,
What a weird week - we were just on the edge of the east coast weather system and so got rain but no real storms. Now it's threatening all over again this week. Keep the fingers crossed!!Our thanks to Equus for some of these articles.

Here's a great little article on preparing for the Show....anyshow! http://tinyurl.com/23wjh9

Trail riding is an important recreation...it's also a great holiday activity AND provides an income to many. Here are a few timely tips for creating a trail riding survival kit. http://tinyurl.com/35wdgd

Thrush, a fungal disease, can be a real problem in your horse's feet...and elsewhere too. Here are some good vet tips for you.http://tinyurl.com/3a3nvc We'd also suggest that if your horse gets thrush (frogs, mud fever,rain scald) you might try H10 ointment or H10 spray if a larger area is involved. http://tinyurl.com/2gb8zr

Some of you might have Arab horses so here's a short guide from a keen Arabian owner 'blogger' on how to clip Arab feet for the show circuit.http://tinyurl.com/yoawa5

Mounted police DO have different training techniques for their horses. You might not be able to get along to this demo but you can read a little more about their methods here:http://tinyurl.com/36usjs

As a SPECIAL offer this week, we have reduced the series of John Pinnell horse training dvds to half price! Yes, that's 50% off AND with free shipping. Here's the link for youhttp://tinyurl.com/lr43x and remember, you don't have to give us your credit card details on line - just fill in the online order form and we'll contact you if you'd prefer. By the way, we still have 50% off Elegance Blue shampoo but the stocks are going fast. Get your hands on a great bargain!