The Terrible Equine Toll From Victoria's Fires

Well, the fig birds won the battle and the tree is now devoid of fruit. Any ideas for next year? The local lake flooded and so had to be opened...but of course the exposed mudbanks smell awfull at low tide..urgh.
We've been looking at the toll of equine damage from the Victorian fires and it's not pretty. We've got an article for you on that.

A 550 million year old source of minerals and trace elements for your horse or pony. Mined from the vast and ancient Himalayan mountains, transported down steep passes on the backs of Yaks, and providing the mountain people with one of their main sources of income, these Himalayan salt licks must be the purest form of salt available. They cost a bomb...are they really worth it?

One Hour to Rodent Control
Consider these measures to protect your horses and property from the ravages of rats and mice.Barns and stables provide horses with shelter and sustenance--but they provide the same service to rodents who happily nest in any number of tiny spaces in barns or tack rooms, and consume spilled grain, cat or dog food and other feed sources they find.

The best estimate of the equine toll from Victoria's bushfires is in the region of several hundred. About 50 horses are reported to be receiving intensive veterinary care as a result of injuries. There's more news here

Chris Cox’ entire life has been influenced by his relationship with the horse. He moved with his ranching family from Florida when he wasn’t yet two-years-old, to an island off the coast of northeast Australia to raise cattle. Here's a blog radio talk from him.

Deanna Castro has written about 'Legs, Feel, and The Correct Stirrup Length' in her blog this week and it's worth a look to get things right.

There is a degree of horsemanship in almost every country on the planet and I thought it might be fun for horse lovers to see what the word horse looks like in other languages.

Here's a fascinating point of view from an American on the the value of the wild or wilderness, and their decreasing use of, interest in, and value placed on the wild places…um. Interesting to see other people's perspective and compare it with our own.

Courses for old horses. Ex-racehorses should be eased into a career change or good care - I can equate with that!

We're still offering a 2 for 1 deal on H10 ointment. Click here to see what others think about it and why it's do darned good.

Have a great week!

Paddling on the Mid North Coast!

We've had over 300mls of rain here on the Mid North Coast in the past two days. I have a family of miscellaneous birds sheltering under the back deck - all of them soaked and looking very sorry for themselves but what a mess they leave!! Costs me a fortune in birdseed too.

We have a NEW competition - tell us the most amusing or entertaining story about you and a horse...any horse. Mine might as well be the time I had a 'certain' tip from a horse trainer friend of mine for the Melbourne Cup. The nag is still running! You can think of better than that I'm sure so let us know here. Great prizes for the best entry every month and of course, the 'tame vet' has been roped in to help judge the entries.

Equine charity Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria (PHHWV) has launched a lost and found registry for horses misplaced during the recent bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria. The registry can be accessed via the PHHWV Web site

Communicating Effectively With Your Horse? Deanna Castro asks that everyone listen to their horses this week, and deepen the communication with your equine parters. Have a look and see if you agree.

Teaching a young horse how to longe is a useful tool to have in your training toolbox. At different stages in his career, you can longe him to increase his fitness and to help him understand new training techniques. But as you train him, you need to be sure he doesn't begin to pull. In this article, I'll share some basic lessons that will keep him light while longeing. Courtesy of Equisearch.

You Know You're a Horseperson if You...
Horse people see the world differently than everyone else, and you know you're a horse person if you do these things.

Here's a nice, short video with a good song attached of two horses running and playing in the snow - courtesy of J Ross on You Tube.

Sue De Laurentis and Allen Pogue live at Red Horse Ranch in Dripping Springs, TX. Their web site is www.imagineahorse.com and here's a video of what they do.
You can make up your own mind....beans bags and all!

Plenty of good horse books still at 20% discount on the web site.


Have a great week!

Brand New 'Jockeys' - The Latest Reality Show For Horselovers

Hi there,
There's a real mix of articles, videos and blogs this week.

Michael Bragdell talks about young horses bred and started at Hilltop Farm in Colora, Md., and shares a video from the 2008 Breeders Group Class at Dressage at Devon.

You can use this friendly game to get your horse used to you and comfortable with the carrot stick and to being touched all over. But did you know you can also use a friendly game to desensitize your horse to just about anything?

The Horse magazine appears to have had a makeover and there's ton of great info on ALL aspects of horses and horse events. In their Articles index, there are articles about literally every aspect of the horse ...and from contributors all over the Horse world. Well worth a look!

Tips for getting your halter horse ready for the ring. 'America’s Horse Daily recently received the following question, and we were able to answer it with a video our youth members filmed during the AQHYA World Championship Show'. Interesting video for kids and beginners.

In the US, there's been a spate of horses losing tails to thieves! Why?..I don't know and I don't know what a thief would do with a horses' tail either. Read this strange story here.

Move over, Heidi Klum and Paris Hilton. Some of the littlest guys in sports are joining you on reality television. "Jockeys," a 12-episode series taking viewers behind the scenes of the backstabbing, big-money, dangerous world of horse racing, debuts Friday on Animal Planet. Um!

Ex-wife demands $53,000/ week alimony!! What's that to do with horses you might ask? Have a read and see how much she's asking for horse care!!! I take no side in any of this though!

We've put some of the best selling (according to Amazon) horse books on the H10 web site and all at 20% discount. Go on, have a look!

Part of the difficulty of learning horsemanship for anyone is mastering the complex vocabulary that has grown up around riding and horse care. It is that much more complicated if one is only nine years old, and even more complicated when trying to explain to another 9 year old that one's horse has
been gelded. Read this lovely short article.

Have a great week.
Geoff

25 Ways To Have Fun With Your Horse

Welcome to February...and a heat wave or a drenching depending on where you live! Great info for you this week and some brand new books too!

Have More Fun With Your Horse - In January 2009 Horse & Rider gave you over 25 great ideas on how to enjoy your horse on a budget. Here are the resources promised in that article. Worth a good look since there are plenty of great ideas here.

Here's the wrap up report from last weeks Royal Melbourne Horse Show - goodness knows how they survived the heat...and the tennis fans.

Learning From Wild Horses - The third guest post in a 3 part series put together by Eleanor D. Van Natta. This one is on health and nutrition. Interesting.

The cavesson headcollar or headstall is a simple but strongly made bitless bridle with a low fitting, padded noseband, throatlatch and, in some cases, a browband - if you've never heard of it or seen it,
it's an interesting piece of horse tack.

Here's a blog on natural horsemanship which I found very instructive and practical....and down to earth too unlike some of the wacky horse blogs around. There's some 15+ language though.....Here's great post about 'The Horse training Video from Hell'.

EquiSearch's Ask the Vet looks at a 'Grumpy Horse'.
In this edition of EquiSearch.com's Ask the Vet, Dr. Joyce Harman suggests cutting out sweet feed and checking for pain to help a grumpy horse improve his attitude.

Horse Jobs - Stall Cleaner. This is a position usually found in larger establishments with many animals to look after. It is often a starting point for someone looking to earn experience around horses. Not my ideal job but worth a look if you are heading for a career that way.

Here's the February 1, 2009 edition of 'Carnival of the Horse' from Blog Carnival. This is the second carnival this year and it's a great list of new horse blogs with tons of info on all kinds of horsey things. OK, so I'm not on this one but then it's American - but I will be listing for the next!

Monty Roberts makes the argument that looking a horse in the eye drives him away, that it is interpreted by the horse as a challenge. But is it? There are ways and means to do anything as you'll read here

We have some great new horse books available including two from Mark Rashid - 'Horses Never Lie' and 'A Good Horse Is Never A Bad Colour.' If you haven't heard of Mark then you can read more here.
All our books are 20% off list price of course as I share my wholesaler margin with you 50/50.

Have a great week!

Keeping Your Horse Cool

Hot...isn't it?! And believe me your horse will feel it too. So here are a couple of important articles dealing with just that - looking after your horse in hot weather.

This from my good friend Roger Bourdon looks at the use of sunscreen with horses

And this, a more in-depth drought approach for horses from David Nash of Agriculture Victoria in Rutherglen
Both are well worth reading, especially for those of you experiencing 40C plus this week.

The year has got off to a great start with the Youth Olympics taking place at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Queensland Rider Victoria Welch won Gold in the Dressage

Here's a 'clip of the week' from Deanna Castro's blog. It's trick used when getting your horse into a float or trailer. Clever! BUT, as they say, DON'T EVER try this at home!

Here's something different - an article on barn cats. I'm not a cat person but they always seem to cuddle up close if I'm around. It was definitely a disadvantage when I was young!

This video shows a woman doing the Parelli seven games at liberty in seven minutes. By "at liberty" we mean without any rope or halter on the horse. Pretty nice circle game. The Parelli seven games encapsulate the essentials of groundwork horse training.

Managing a Horse on a Tight Budget - and the budget isn't going to get any better! Great tips here from The Horse magazine.

Have a great week...and keep cool!
Geoff

The Worlds Smallest Horse?

The Wave of the Future: Shock Wave Therapy?
Though questions remain, extracorporeal shock wave therapy shows promise in helping equine bones and ligaments heal faster.

Here's the worlds smallest horse - according to UTube...and he is...small! Thanks to my friend Roger for the info. Scroll down - it's the second article.

Ultimately the purpose of having a horse is to ride him. And when you feel like riding, you probably don't feel like going through a big groundwork session. I've seen it many times, as fast as people can get the saddle on-they're headed out to the trail. This isn't the best approach to having a safe horseback ride. Have a look

Did you know Madonna has decided to chase her dressage dreams, and is training to become a top horse rider at the FTI Equestrian Festival at Wellington, Florida? Neither did I.

Here's horse joke - about a talking dog!

ESCT Case Study - Rehabilitating a Mistrained Horse. Magic - a troubled horse because of misguided training beginnings benefits from ESCT. Interesting article on Equine Stress Control Therapy


Tips for Training the Young Horse. Successful young-horse trainer Susanne Miesner offers training tips for working with young horses.
"Some of us have the privilege of learning from schoolmasters, and we are taught by the horses. However, if we prefer to work with young horses or have no alternative but to buy an untrained horse, the rider becomes the teacher."

An ongoing debate in the equine community is whether it is better to use boots or bandages when working your horse. While both sides have a point, the right answer is not based on the products themselves, but the purpose for which you are using them. Read More....

We still have a great offer on H10 ointment - an absolute must for the tack box. Forget that yellow, green or purple smeary stuff and use something that really works. Lots of testimonials too!!

Have a great wekk
Geoff

Happy New Year Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Here's Rick Lamb with a blog entry about 'Natural Horsemanship'. It's an interesting slant and I believe that Jesse Beery and Kel Jeffrey, an American and Australian respectively had the 'art' that Rick is talking about.
Read more here

Straight Talk About Colic - Here's how to reduce your horse's risk of developing serious digestive upset and increase his chances of recovery if he does.

Time Your Cues for a Perfect Showmanship Stop. How to master your stopping cues to stay in-sync with your horse, and up your chances of a dynamite showmanship pattern.

What do horses and all animals have to teach us about discovering our hearts desires and becoming powerful co-creators in the lives of our dreams? Here's the new Natural Horse Network Life Changing Radio Series

When you're off to shows or events, it’s important to hitch up to your horse trailer safely and correctly. Here are some good tips and I want a trailer like this one please!

Here's a pink blog! When riding a horse, it is important to be able to ride the horse straight from head to tail. When riding this way, you will achieve perfect balance. Deanna Castro shows how

Stress-Free Horse Clipping Tips. Follow these tips and you will be on your way to clipping your horse safely, successfully and line-free.

Here's a little extra that might help. If you haven't got Microsoft Office, they do supply a viewer so that you can open and read any messages or emails sent to you with Microsoft Word document attached. Useful huh?

The H10 site is open again and we've some good shampoo offers. If you haven't used H10 Elegance shampoo, then you should and here's a great offer.

Have a good week

Geoff

Last Blog Entry For 2008

Well, this will be the last newsletter this year becasue we're off for a break and so we wish you all a very happy, peaceful and safe Christmas.

I managed to find something new and I know it's nothing to do with horses but it's a ...pre-Christmas diet. You can download it here and it has lots of fruit in it which is good for us all at this time of year. As I see it, it's better to shed the kilos now and then you don't feel so guilty when you regain your original weight.(but please note that if you take this up it has to be at
your own risk.)

My friend Patricia watched the horse cantering backwards clip in the last newsletter and sent this one in of her own. Camels really can do Dressage. Have a look

A horse loving ranch owner in texas discovered oil on his ranch recently and so decided to add to his income by sinking a few wells and pumping it out. Imagine his feelings when, one night, he
decided to visit the wells in the middle of a storm to check they were ok.....and found this.

Here's a YouTube clip from champion US groom Laurie Pitts. It shows how she prepares a horse for an event. There's lots of great grooming tips here.

The Australian Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) is a 5,330 kilometre self-reliant multi-use route through bush, wilderness and mountain areas. It is suitable for horse riders, walkers and
mountain bike riders. The Trail winds through some of the most magnificent terrain in Australia; unsurpassed views, wilderness valleys and the excitement of the pioneering spirit will keep you
enthralled as you travel along the Trail or any section of it.

Here's the perfect Christmas gift for a horse lover. It comes with a 500 dollar shipping allowance. Curious? So was I, so I had a look.

We still have the great offers on H10 ointment and Elegance Red shampoo but we are closing the shop for christmas at 5pm on Friday so be quick!

Watch A Horse Cantering Backwards!

We're off for a break in December so there'll be no newsletters in December and all of you will no doubt be flat out preparing for the festive season to come - that's more than enough to be getting along with. We're also revamping the web site and moving our secure credit card payments system solely through Paypal. Why? Because the bank has raised the cost of processing CCs to a level we can't sustain. As far as all our buyers are concerned though, you'll notice very little change and of course the system is 100% secure.

One thing I'll miss, I help a world wide team write Santa letters to kids all over the world who write in with their Chritmas messages to the old man and I can't do it this year. It's a no cost service and believe me, the kids love it! You can access it for them too. Now the site won't open until around Dec 10th but I thought I'd give you the web address now since I won't be around then and so that you can be first in.

What was the first form of public transport used across urban Australia? Yes, you guessed it...here's a video of the first horse trams - it's episode 38
Caution - big file so only try to watch if you have ADSL or cable

Ever seen a horse cantering backwards? No?, well neither had I until Sue sent in this YouTube video. Amazing.

Rider to Rider: Riding While Pregnant. In the November 2008 Rider to Rider column, Practical Horseman readers shared their thoughts about riding while pregnant. Read more letters here.

There are 3 Horse Health newsletters this week and all are on important topics. There's nutrition, respiratory disease and deworming strategies

Here's a very sad story that's becoming all too common in the US and let's hope that it doesn't translate to us here in 'Oz. What happens when you can't afford to take care of your horse any longer?

A farrier with 40 years experience in his trade is writing a book to pass on his advice on keeping safe around horses to younger generations. Though not finished yet, it'll be a book well worth reading

You have just 10 days before we close the 2 for 1 offer on Elegance Red shampoo and H10 ointment. Worth a look.

Have a great week.

Geoff

New Horse TV Now Available

6 weeks to Christmas. Frightening isn't it. We've already had some cards arrive - some with snow scenes look ridiculous when I look out of the window and watch the sun and the blue sky. I have some friends originally from the UK who turn up the aircon fullblast on the 'great day' to try and recapture some of the 'old UK atmosphere'. We were invited to their festivities once but I inadvisedly told them that I thought the whole thing was crazy and I've never been invited back. I wonder
why....

Here's some info that could help you trailblazers out there. Master trail class lope-overs by learning how to gauge your horse's stride length with this private lesson from Charlie Cole.


Discover how Horse & Rider staffers' horses "type out" on the Parelli Horsenality Profile. Now I have to admit that I'm not an avid follower of this type of personality profiling of a horse. So I'm a bit old school I guess but my methods have always worked well for me. However, I'm not one for denying other methods so have a look:


The Horse Health newsletter is a good one this week with some relevant topics for us all.


The holidays are upon us and it is time to start thinking about what you want to get for the horse lover in your life. This kind person did some research and came up with some of the best gifts she could find online to help get you started. She's even separated them into 4 sections, the essentials, fun stuff, horse gifts for the kid in all of us and something for the guys. OK so it's mainly US stuff but you'll get some great ideas here.


The economic downturn is hitting Britain's paddocks as well as our own. Charities say they are getting more calls than ever from owners who can no longer afford to keep their horses. The Horse Trust says it has received 640 requests to retire animals in the past month - four times the usual amount. Read this BBC article:


I didn't believe it until I saw it. Horsegirl TV takes the classic world of horses and plugs it into the wired generation. Tune in, tack up...their words not mine. Have a look:


Our H10 ointment offer ( 2 for 1) is still on at www.h10.com.au. It's worth a visit.

Have a great week.

How To Learn From Horse Wrecks

Well - we watched the race that stops a nation at the local RSL. Great race but the only winners were the bookies who must have made a killing. She who must be obeyed won the fourth prize in the sweep and bought me a beer....made my day.
As I write history is being made in the USA and not before time. The last few months have been horrendous and the last year another true 'annus horribilis' as the Queen might put it. It can only get better.

This is the first edition of the Horse Nutrition electronic newsletter - worth a look with an article on feeding to lessen inflammation

Learning from Horse Wrecks - Sometimes a wreck or near-wreck can offer insight for better (and safer) horsemanship. Horse experts tell of their experiences.

Horse Training Success. Horse problems? - Here's a blog about the great and the silly of horse training from Phil Tragear with lots of contributions from ordinary horse lovers like you and I. Good reading too.

The Essentials of Parasite Control - from Equisearch. Here's how to maximize your horse's deworming program.

Here eventing trainer Brian Sabo teaches you three basic cross-country riding positions - classic,rebalancing and jumping.

Don't know how many of you use Wiki - the online encylopaedia but they now have a 'How To' wiki as well with a wealth of info on all things horsey.

Top tips here for all 'showies' from our sister company in the UK.

By the way, we won out Dragon Boat final in Grafton - gold medals all round (ok so they were plastic but they felt good).

We've still got a 'buy one get one free' offer on H10 ointment which should be an essential in any horse lovers tack box but don't just take my word for it. See what others think and then have a look.

Have a great week

How To Vacuum A Horse - Really!!

Hi there,

The Jacaranda festival is on in Grafton later this week and me and the rest of the Dragons will be battling 29 other teams in the Dragon Boat Races - might have some pics for you next time. Weather looks set for warm so it should be a great day. Jacarandas herald the start of the summer but my miserable Jacaranda effort in the front yard isn't heralding anything other than a eviction order.

Those of you who haven't signed up for Patricia Reszetylo Parade of Breeds audio series should have a look. The Virtual Parade of Breeds is a free teleconference/webinar that you can join, view and listen to for free. Attendees are able to watch and listen to the show online, and it will replay if you aren't able to attend the live event. The full programme is here and covers a multitude of horse breeds with expert coverage. Well worth a look.


Something caught my eye from Equisearch. I rarely ever advertise products but this is something taking the US by storm and I don't know if it's available in Aus yet. Here's some blurb: 'Known by the trade name of ProMotion EQ… it’s a powerful combination of micronutrients designed to have a positive impact on your horses mobility and quality of life… especially in their senior years. The healing and protective effects of the ingredients in ProMotion EQ are well documented. More than 150 research presentations, publications and abstracts have reported on the health benefits of its key ingredients'. Here's the link if you want to have alook - and I have no tie-up with these people whatsoever.

Here's The Horse healthcare latest newsletter

Here's How To Do a One-Rein Stop - with Clinton Anderson.


Purdue University in the US has a short 4 pager on Horse health. Could be useful for anyone including learners.

Karen Armstrong from North Yorkshire has discovered a new way of combining housework with grooming her horse. This short video on the BBC web site is amazing...a horse based carpet shampooer. Brilliant.

We still have great offer on Eleganve Red Shampoo and H10 ointment. See them here

Have a great week.
Geoff

Forget the financial crisis - read this!

Phew - all this financial mayhem is depressing isn't it? I'm a simple guy and can't understand why the fiscal immorality of some has such an disastrous effect on the savings of ordinary people like us.

Anyway, it's great to see local shows back on the calendar including the horse events at last. We're all a bit depressed here though, we've very reluctantly had to pull out of sponsorship of the Royal Easter Show next year. The EI epidemic flattened our grooming products business so much that we just can't afford it. I'm sure that we'll be back there in 2010 though.

Have a look at this - my friend Patricia Reszetylo has developed a virtual 'Parade Of Breeds' at her web site and they're looking at the world of the American Drum Horse. Now I'd not heard of this breed but I'm going to have a good look. You can too here

Houdini Horses that can escape from just anywhere. It will give you a laugh and perhaps remind you of some of your experiences?

Did you know that horses and rabbits share an important feature? Both can see almost as well backwards as forwards. All this from a blog about Jesse Beery a famous US horse trainer from the turn of the 19th century. You can read about some of his methods here but we can save you heaps on the Jesse Beery course rather than buying there so have a look here

Here's a good clininc - EquiSearch's Ask the Vet: Diagnosing Lameness

Jodi has proudly told us of her new horse - I don't normally advertise like this but a purebred Pecheron is a rare breed in Australia. He is "Kamilaroi Gendarme" by Lasswade Olum out of Kamilaroi Xeres and he carries the bloodlines of the French import "Hermes". He is 8 months old and although currently black he is likely to go a dark grey. He will be standing at stud to selected TB mares and registered Percheron Warmbloods or Purebred Percherons in the 2010 season with a view to breeding quality Hunter/Eventer types. You may like to know that the following horses have Percheron Blood Peppermint Grove - Gillian Rolton, Charisma - Mark Todd, & Merlins Masterpiece (originally registered Kamilaroi Talisman)

Any enquiries can be directed to the website

Horses offer women a reprieve - Despite financial and emotional commitment, women's interest in horses is increasing. Nice article

Are North American mustangs similar to our Brumbies? This Horse Trainers article showcases the value of Mustangs

In your tack box you may have yellow ointment, purple ointment, green ointment or whatever but you'll never get a better treatment for scratches, cuts, bruises and grazes than H10 ointment. If you don't believe me than have a look at what other users have said then you can have 2 for 1 here

It's our wedding anniversary on Thursday - 38 years. Better not forget eh?
Have a great week.

Ever Seen Donkey Basketball?

Hi there,
Spent the morning glumly looking at my dwindling super fund. Last September I wanted to sell it all and invest the cash - my paid 'advisor' told me that wasn't a good thing. If I could reach him I think I'd shoot him.

Whether you need to know how much dewormer to give your horse or how much you should feed him, knowing how to estimate his weight is helpful. Use Practical Horseman's handy online weight calculator to do the maths for you.
http://tinyurl.com/4cdhgb

Here's a new 'thing' from Equisearch. Use their Click 'n Learn stop-action sequence to see top trainer Cleve Wells demonstrate the type of Western pleasure jog he strives for in his training program.
http://tinyurl.com/3uuob7

Ten tips on how to take good photos while riding your horse - I've never considered this but it makes perfect sense.
http://tinyurl.com/4alycp

Ever seen Donkey Basketball? I kid you not.......this is even better than wheelchair rugby.
http://tinyurl.com/3v94fb

Laying down your horse? - here's how to do it. If you want the full story then have a look at Jesse Beery's training CD on the H10 web site .
http://tinyurl.com/4r5rnj

Here's the latest Horse health newsletter - it talks about the use of glucosamine for joint disease. Dunno about horses but it works for me.
http://tinyurl.com/3zmt3e

You've seen the Christmas decs in the shops already? Well, we'll have a wishlist of horsey books next week that will make great Christmas gifts. In the meantime, in preparation for Spring & Summer you should get your horse some H10 ointment. There's nothing better for cuts, grazes, ringworm (and even mud fever). There's also a great offer on it too.
http://tinyurl.com/3nncee

Have a great warm week.

How A Horse Helped A Man With Autism

Just been looking at the master plan for the development of our area here on the Mid North Coast. You know, if you don't go and look for these things, no-one will tell you about them and then one day you'll find the bulldozers at the back fence. Beware. This time they'll be building on a marshland. Good luck if you buy one.

Here's a great riding lesson courtesy of Equisearch and the USA's Al Dunning
http://tinyurl.com/4yzoxq

Use these simple checks to evaluate and monitor the state of your horse's vital stimuli and responses.
http://tinyurl.com/4l49ob

Here's a lovely story of how a horse helped a man with autism
http://tinyurl.com/4knkcq

Here's an article for those of us that love to watch Dressage...but don't quite understand what we are seeing sometimes.
http://tinyurl.com/3nk6ba

'If Your Horse Could Talk' has been educating horse owners to a more natural approach to their horses since 1999. Here you can listen to some audio to introduce the concept. No charge of course but scroll down the page to get the full listing
http://tinyurl.com/48aegl

Grooming Jetter - A Horse Story About a Stallion. By Mary Smith-Dinsmore. Nice read too.
http://tinyurl.com/3qw6qc

Horse Rescued From Ravine After Falling 40 Feet - thanks goodness for firefighters and SES.
http://tinyurl.com/4y4r5x

Here's the latest edition of The Horse health newsletter.
http://tinyurl.com/445rp8

Let Emil Spadone on show you how to ride Oxers and Spread Fences. A You Tube video.
http://tinyurl.com/4kkljl

Thunderstorms here this week - makes a great light show especially when the power goes off!!

Have a good week.

Your Horse & Your Personal Space

I'm a little earlier this week because the rellies are here and I'm on taxi and sightseeing duty. Lovely to see Spring arrive though AND a new Liberal leader both at the same time. What joy!Have you been watching the Paralympics wheelchair rugby? Aus is in the final tonight versus you-know-who (The USA) Time for a gold at last I think.

Here's a great clinic from Clinton Anderson on How To Teach Your Horse To Respect Your Personal Space. My horse was always invading my space. She was just being friendly but you have to let them know who's boss or you'll just get sat on.
http://tinyurl.com/674f3e

Horseshoes are expensive. What keeps horseshoes on, what makes them lose their grip and how to ensure that your horse's footwear stays where it belongs.
http://tinyurl.com/5jfdq3

I've never been to the Western Horseman site before but here's a good article from them. From the moment you enter the corral or pasture, you’re sending your horse messages. Set the tone for a successful training session with clinician Tammy Pate’s advice on catching your horse. Nice.
http://tinyurl.com/574olk

We had mixed results in the Paralympic Equestrian comps - 2 bronze medals I think but we're sure to be building a great future base with such a mix of experience and debutantes.

Horse Care - Boots Vs. Bandages? Lydia Kelly gives us her view.
http://tinyurl.com/6avw2w

Prosthetic limb offers a new life to injured horse - and yes, it's really true. http://tinyurl.com/5bjakg

Practice like you mean it - Simulate competition at home to improve your nerves and your horse’s reactions.
http://tinyurl.com/6o32rj

I've still one copy of the Braiding Manes & Tails book. Someone please buy it?
www.h10.com.au

Here's a view on Aus from Andy Curry, a well known US horse trainer: "Being American, I'm out of the loop when it comes to knowing various things about countries outside the U.S. Take Kangaroos for instance. You probably already know this, but when the explorers asked the natives what that animal was, they replied... Kangaroo' so the explorers were telling everyone else, 'Hey...that's a kangaroo.' Before long, everyone thought the animal was called a Kangaroo. Trouble is, Kangaroo means 'I don't understand.' In other words, when the natives were asked what the name of that animal is they were saying 'I don't understand what you're asking me'.
True or not? What's it got to do with horses? Search me!

Aus team doing well at the Paralympics but no medals as yet - the Brits got all of them. Plenty of time left though.

What are 'Thumps In Horses' - well, there best described in human terms as hiccups. Does your horse get them?
http://www.practicalhorsekeeping.com/Thumps.html

If you're training youngsters, then this could be very useful for you. A healthy horse check list.
http://horseguardians.com/blog/?p=44

Again, I've emphasised that horses are big and not always friendly- like some people are in the morning! Here are some Safety Rules for Kids Around Horses.
http://tinyurl.com/5em3un

Do your homework before you sell so that you'll know what's a fair price for your foals. Evaluating your foals by Tom Reed.
http://tinyurl.com/64bnqr

I always thought that giving my horse dewormer was just that. Then I read this. Um.
'How To Give Horse Dewormer'
http://www.practicalhorsekeeping.com/HorseDewormer.html

Here's this week's edition of The Horse newsletter with the ongoing debate about joint injections and cartilage health.
http://www.thehorse.com/enews/992008.html

We've just ONE copy of 'Braiding Manes and Tails' by Charni Lewis. It's at the usual 20% H10 discount and it's lonely, needing a good home. Please don't disappoint it.
http://www.h-10.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=96

Have a great week - it's getting warmer thank goodness.Geoff

Australian Equestrians At The Paralympics

I've a good friend who plays 'Murder Ball', otherwise known as wheelchair rugby, for Australia and of course he's now in Beijing for the 2008 Paralympic Games. I've just sent him some emails and also noticed that Aus has sent a 5 strong Equestrian Team too. The five riders selected are: Grace Bowman (Moonta, SA), Georgia Bruce (Kuranda, QLD), Sharon Jarvis (Donnybrook, WA), Nicole Kullen (Rock Forest, NSW) and Jan Pike (Winston Hills, NSW).
I'll keep this newsletter updated with their acheivements and you can follow their progress:
http://tinyurl.com/6zojgb

The always useful latest edition of The Horse newsletter is http://tinyurl.com/6prfj2

Here's a Personal Blog with a list of 33 useful things about horses, some of which I didn't know about either. I can heartily agree with this fact though "It is not wise to argue with something that outweighs you by 1,000 pounds" http://tinyurl.com/6kzacs

For Girls Only: Tail Care for Mares. Mares have some specific tail-cleaning needs. Get pro-level advice http://tinyurl.com/6rmttd

EquiSearch's Ask the Vet: Horse Welts
Dr. Joyce Harman offers several causes and remedies for welts and hives in this Ask the Vet column on EquiSearch.com. This is particulary relevant with Spring now here and the warmer weather on the way. http://tinyurl.com/6x2wwm

If you've youngsters who are mad about horses then this computer game Let's Ride - Silver Buckle Stables may be just what you, and they, need with school holidays not far away. Create the horse of your dreams from hundreds of combinations - Choose their coats, manes, saddles, bridles, blankets and more then head to the practice corral to prepare you and your horse, then head to the big barrel racing competition to compete in 13 events. http://tinyurl.com/6pnnf2

Finally - we still have a great offer on Elegance Red Shampoo for you.... and your horses. Buy 1 litre and get a 500 ml for no extra charge. A great shampoo and great value too.
http://tinyurl.com/6hvmsx

Now off to plant veggie seeds and pray the warm weather continues.
Have a great week
Geoff

Latest On EI In Australia

I just got this from Jodi on the EI epidemic and an upcoming important meeting you may want to know about:

AHIC is concerned about comments reported today from Minister Ian McDonald in NSW in support of compulsory vaccination for competition horses.
There is to be a national summit in Sydney on 25 September to discuss future options for Equine Influenza management in Australia. The Minister's comments (if accurate) seem premature, given that the summit has not yet taken place. AHIC surveys and other feedback clearly indicate that the majority of participants in the Australian horse industry, including the racing sector, do not favour ongoing vaccination against Equine Influenza.
EI has been eradicated from Australia by the very successful emergency response to the August 2007 incursion.
You can express your views directly to Minister McDonald at macdonald.office@macdonald.minister.nsw.gov.au

Thanks Jodi

My friend Roger Bourdon has some excellent tips on his blog for hoof care and also for looking after an older horse. HERE

US Asthorities are considering slaughtering thousands of wild horses - it's a budget issue as much as anything else they say. Can't say that I agree with this but have a look for yourself HERE.

Here's a very sensible blog with all sorts of useful info on Practical Horse Care and Horse First Aid. Worth a read. HERE

'Should We Send Our Horses To Slaughter? Why? Well, a 2007 estimate by the American Association of Equine Practitioners showed that there are about 170,000 documented unwanted horses in the U.S. each year'. The great American debate goes on but this article is sensible reading for anyone with a horse HERE .

What's Your Horse's Favorite Flavour? Researchers set out to identify which flavors horses like best. Courtesy of Equisearch. HERE

Quarantine lifted on Brisbane's 'Hendra' clinic. The latest in this disturbing story HERE.

Some good news though. You can now buy at the H10 web site and pay with a cheque, Money Order or Bank Deposit. To celebrate we're giving away a 500 ml bottle of Elegance Red Label Shampoo with every purchase of a 1 Litre size bottle.
Go over and have a look HERE.

It's getting warmer at last. Have a great week.

Geoff

How To Get Corporate Sponsorship

Hi there,
Just one message in the newsletter this week but it's one close to my heart and one everybody should listen to if they can.

Sponsorship is important to the horse industry at all levels from top to bottom. It's how the industry 'gets along' and yet most of us know precious little about requesting sponsorship and going about it in a way that will give us the best results possible.

My good friend Patricia Reszetylo has produced a broadcast interviewing real expert Linda Hollander on getting sponsorship, and she's been kind enough to make it available to us...but for one week only. So, get your skates on and listen to the broadcast and also download the work book that goes with it so that you can make notes and get yourself in shape for future sponsorship requests. Believe me, what Linda doesn't know about getting sponsorship isn't worth knowing.

Here's the link so that you can download the workbook http://www.h10.com.au/documents/sponsors.pdf

And here's the link for the broadcast - don't miss it!!
CLICK HERE
Have a great week