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30 Nov 2010

Tactical Training for 2011 With Yogi Breisner

Sarah Bullimore and her advanced ride,Valentino, warming up under the guidance of Yogi
Sarah Bullimore and her advanced ride,Valentino, warming up under the guidance of Yogi



The team at Hooked on Horses were delighted to be invited to the Yogi Breisner’s lecture and demonstration, hosted by Brook Farm Training Centre and organised by Jill Penn, which took place last Wednesday. Here is a taster of the evening with the top tips from the top man himself, including his number one pointers for training both younger and more experienced horses. Remember to pick up the December issue of Hooked on Horses for the full report.
It was a cold evening – but luckily spectators weren’t affected as they were kept warm throughout the performance by heated lamps and surplus cups of steaming hot chocolate!

The excellent facilities at Brook Farm, based in Stapleford Abbotts, Essex, provided the perfect arena for Yogi and the demo was held in their indoor school, which on the evening was decorated with trees to mark the special occasion.

Following an introduction, Yogi delved into the lecture demo, by explaining his methods of training, sharing his wealth of knowledge with the captivated spectaors. “Horses don’t often like working too much – a bit like us humans I guess! But they are very accommodating when we do ride them, and they like to work for us.”

“Riding horses to me, is pretty straight forward, it’s only us human beings that make it more complicated than it really is,” began Yogi, going on to explain that the rationale behind training is to make the horse more ‘rideable’.

“There is the norm, the rulebook if you like, which means the same horse can be ridden by different riders yet respond correctly to the same aids. For example, you wouldn’t want to get into someone else’s car, turn the lights on and the car accelerates? Or put the indicators on and the car brakes? Or put the clutch down and the windscreen wipers come on? It’s the same with horses. Us humans wrote the rulebook, because the aids we used were what horses seemed to respond to best, it’s up to us to teach the horse the rules and this process will make the horse rideable. Remember the horse is not born with the rulebook we must teach them it,” said Yogi.

“When a partnership is built up over time – when there are more smooth passages than not- it’s something wonderful.”

To find our more about Yogi’s lecture demonstration at Brook Farm, and to see more photos and get more top advice from the man himself, please pick up a copy of the December issue of Hooked on Horses magazine.

If you were at the evening, remember to leave your comments on the evening, in the comment box below, and you never know – your comment may be included in the magazine article!

24 Nov 2010

The BHS take action keeping riders safe on the road


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The British Horse Society’s new campaign, entitled “Help us fight for change” means that equestrian incident reporting is now easier than ever.

“Unfortunately, every year a high number of equestrian incidents go unrecorded. If no-one knows about them, nothing can be done.
Without hard evidence and hard statistics it is impossible to lobby those in power to make the changes that are required to ensure riding is safer for all. Sharing your experience could make a huge difference – together we can FIGHT FOR CHANGE.” – The BHS

A screen shot of the incidents reported so far in Essex, taken from www.horseaccidents.org.uk on 23/11/10
A screen shot of the incidents reported so far in Essex, taken from www.horseaccidents.org.uk on 23/11/10


By launching this dedicated horse accidents website, designed to provide statistics and data, which can in turn be used to lobby the Government for better riding conditions.

The website, www.horseaccidents.org.uk, is to provide anyone involved in an equine-related incident with an easily accessible method of reporting it. Currently, an equestrian-related road incident may go unrecorded unless a human is injured and taken to hospital for treatment from the scene of the accident, thus statistics are poor.
Currently, using the site you can record road traffic incidents concerning ridden and driven horses, incidents involving low flying aircraft, road surface dressings, dangerous dogs, fireworks, wind turbines, and issues with gates. There is provision to add other concerns as they are identified.
If you or your friends have fallen victim to any such incidents, then the BHS need your help; sharing your experiences could make a huge difference to all riders. We want to hear about near misses too. Accurate statistics are essential in order to enable us to lobby government for better conditions for equestrians – we can only campaign when we have sufficient information to carry forward concerns.
Sheila Hardy, BHS Senior Executive (Safety), explains: “Without hard evidence and hard statistics it is impossible to lobby those in power to make the changes that are required to ensure riding is safer for all – we need the public to help us before we can help them.”

If you have had an incident or accident on the road ensure you report it on their site, and take a look at the map to see incidents near you.

Visit www.horseaccidents.org.uk to find out more about this new campaign, or to log incidents.

Horseplay at HorseWorld

HorseWorld, the leading UK charity caring primarily for horses, ponies and donkeys, has used a child’s suitcase to aid rehabilitation some of their horses, helping them to become relax and play with humans.
Many of the animals in HorseWorlds care have been rescued or re-homed, and who have been abandoned, neglected or ill-treated.
Princess Penelope, the newest addition to Bristol based firm Magmatic’s famous Trunki range, played an important part in helping rehabilitate some of the horses in the care of the UK’s leading equine charity to boot.

Along with the team from Magmatic, the company responsible for bringing Trunki, Princess Penelope trotted along to HorseWorld, for her very first photo shoot. But the shoot was more than just horseplay as Amy Punter, Fundraising and Communications Assistant from HorseWorld explains:

“Training horses to play games can be a really important part of rehabilitation, as it allows our horses to relax and enjoy being around people again, so we were delighted to be given a new toy for our equines to play with. The Princess Penelope Trunki comes with a handy set of straps normally designed for tots or parents to use to pick her up, but they were also the perfect bite-sized target for our horses to get to grips with.”

HorseWorld uses a clicker to train the horses among many other training methods. The clicker is a useful tool to shape a behaviour as it pin-points the exact moment the horse got it right. And proving just how effective a training tool it is, within a matter of clicks, both Seth the Ardennes horse and Eeyore the donkey were able to sweep the Penelope Princess Trunki off her ‘feet’.

Trunki’s inventor and MD Rob Law adds: “It was amazing to see just how quickly the staff at HorseWorld were able to train the horses to pick up our little Penelope Princess Trunki. And having seen first-hand the amazing work they do here, we’re hoping to be able to work together more in the future.”

About HorseWorld
Responsible for the care of nearly five-hundred equines from Shetland Ponies like Arrow to Heavy Horses like Seth, HorseWorld is dedicated to giving the equines in their care the safe and happy futures they deserve, free from pain or neglect.

Many of the animals in their care have come from backgrounds of cruelty and neglect. HorseWorld aims to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome them into loving loan homes in and around the South-West.

The Visitor Centre plays an important role, allowing the public to meet some of the recovered animals and learn about animal welfare. It is home to rescued horses, donkeys, hens, ducks, goats, ferrets and Portia the pot-bellied pig. Funds raised from the Visitor Centre are used to help pay for the charity’s work.

For more information visit www.horseworld.org.uk

Horse killed on the Essex Stretch of the M25

A horse was killed in a collision with a car on the M25 on Wednesday 17th November, after escaping from a horsebox.
The horse got onto the motorway at junction thirty, Great Warley, Essex, at around 10.15am, where it was then hit by another vehicle.

The accident happened at around 10.20am after a horsebox overturned, blocking the clockwise carriageway between junctions twenty-nine for Romford and thirty for Lakeside.
The horse escaped the crash onto the road, but sadly was then struck by another vehicle.
A vet was immediately called to the scene. The horse had broken its leg and had heavy bleeding, so was put down at around 10.50am.

The road was still closed in both directions for around an hour as the horse’s body was removed.

Towerlands Stays Open for 2011

One of Essex’s biggest equestrian venue’s will be staying open for the 2011, catering for show jumping shows as well as private arena hire.
The owners of Towerlands Park, in Braintree Essex, have agreed to stay open for show jumping competitions next year thanks to the appeals of the equestrian community and EquestrianEvent Limited.

Towerlands Equestrian Centre
A view from above: Towerlands Equestrian Centre


Charley Nathan of Equestrian Events Ltd issued the following statement,
“Due to the request of the equestrian public, and the good working relationship built up between Towerlands Park Ltd and Equestrian Events Ltd, an agreement has been reached to allow show jumping to continue at Towerlands Park in 2011
Equestrian Events Ltd will run their unaffiliated and affiliated shows as before, and all private hires of the indoor and outdoor arena will continue to be booked exclusively via Towerlands Park Ltd”
I’m sure all local riders will agree that this is fantastic news!

towerlands equestrian centre

Borneo Pony, Bose Pony , Bosnian Pony , Boulonnais, Borneo Pony, Belgian Draft , Brandenburger, Brazilian Pony and Brazilian Sport Horse

Borneo Pony

Intro

The Borneo Pony is generally owned solely by the wealthier classes, and are used for draught work and saddle.

Origins

This breed is a pony breed found in Banjermasin and Sarawok, British Northern Borneo, and especially in the district of Ternpasak on the Northwest coast of Borneo. They were bred from stock which was introduced to the Sulu Archipeligo by Europeans & are still fairly common.

Features

Average height barely 12 hands
Hardy & resistant

Physique

Head is lovely with a straight profile
Eyes are kind & ears are long
Neck is short & straight
Back is short & strong
Croup is rounded
Legs are hardy
Hooves are tiny & strong

Traditional Colors

Temperament

Willing workers

Use

Enhancing other bloodlines
Racing
Pleasure
Showing

Bose Pony

Origins

The Bose Pony is a domestic breed from the Bose and Hechi Prefecture-Guangxizhuang Autonomous Region of China. There were around 200,000 of this breed in the area in 1980!

Features

Average height 11.1 – 11.2 hands

Physique

Head is dry, straight & slightly weighty
Profile is concave & jaw is wide
Ears are small & alert
Neck is moderately long and withers are moderate
Back is short & croup is rounded
Mane & tail are bushy but thin
Legs are short, strong with good joints
Hooves are firm

Traditional Colors

Predominately bay

Use

Labor
Cart pony
Pack animal

Bosnian Pony

Bosnian Pony

Intro

Along with the Hucul and the Konik ponies, the Bosnian pony (also called Bosanski brdski konj) is called one of the Balkan breeds and all three share the same ancestors.
Bosnian Pony

Origins

This breed is thought to be close descendant of the Tarpan with Mongolian influence. By the 17th and 18th centuries many of the bloodlines had been diluted with the blood of eastern horses
Since 1900 the breeding has been selective in Yugoslavia and controlled by the government to preserve original qualities. The stallions are maintained by the state and the mares are privately owned.

Features

Average height 12.3 – 14. hands
Small, compact and sturdy
Surefooted and hardy

Physique

Head is heavy with straight profile
Neck is short and muscular
Back is short and straight
Chest is deep and wide
Legs are strong, short and muscular with broad joints
Hoof is well-formed and hard

Traditional Colors

black | chestnut | grey | bay | dun | palomino

Temperament

Docile and good-natured
Bosnian Pony

Use

Farm animal
Transportation
Riding horse

Boulonnais

Boulonnais Horse

Intro

The Boulonnais is one of the most elegant of all of the draft breeds, known for their milky white coat and luxurious mane and tail, they have unmistakable characteristics. Their blood is often used to improve the stock of other draft breeds.
Boulonnais Horse

Origins

Found in the Boulogne District of France, this breed is thought to come from the animals imported by Julius Ceasar prior to invading Britain.
Later, during the Spanish occupation of the area a great deal of Asian, Barb,Arabian and Andalusian blood influenced their breeding.
During the World Wars their numbers shrank considerably and today the government controls the breeding programs to preserve the breed.
In the 18th century it was more common to find bay and black within the breed, however as numbers decline the dominant grey gene has made other colors rare.
Two Types
Larg Boulonnais (
Maree) – Very large
Fish Cart Horse (
Mareyeuse or Mareyeur)- very rare, smaller

Features

Average height 15.1 – 16.3 hands
Registered animals will bear an anchor brand on the left side of their neck

Physique

Head is short and elegant with a wide forehead
Neck is thick and muscular
Mane is very thick
Chest is wide
back is straight
Legs are strong and solid with clean joints

Traditional Colors

Grey with an occasional chestnut

Temperament

Easy going and sociable
Boulonnais Horse

Use

Driving horse
Riding horse
Show horse
Meat

Video


Belgian Draft

Belgian Draft Horse

Intro

The Belgian Draft is not only one of the strongest draft breeds, but this breed has also held the world record for the tallest and the largest horses in the world.
Belgian Draft Horse

Origins

Said to be the most direct descendants of the “Great Horse” of medieval times, the Belgian draft horse was the animal who carried knights onto the battlefield. Most draft breeds today carry Belgian lineage in their bloodlines.
Trough the years many of the purebred studs have been shown and exported to countries all over Europe to enhance draft bloodlines. The official studbook was established in 1885.
Until the beginning of the 20th century there were three types, although they varied little in confirmation.
The Big Horse of the Dendre
The Colossal Horse of Mehaigne
The Grey Horse of Nivelles
After WWII the need for draft horses declined on a global scale the the Belgian Draft numbers decreased.
Recently there has been a boom of interest in America for this heavy draft breed, although the American bloodlines differ considerably from the original stock. They are taller, more refined and are almost invariably chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail.

Features

From 15.3 – 17.3 hands
Built solid for hard work
Exceptionally strong and hardworking

Physique

Head is light and square, profile is straight or slightly concave
Neck is short and muscular
Back is short and broad
Body is deep and short
Legs are strong, lean and sound with some feathering

Traditional Colors:

Chestnut (often displaying the Mealy / Pangare gene)
Roan | black | bay

Temperament

Docile and willing
Belgian Draft Horse

Use

Still used for agricultural work
Agriculture work
Show horse
Draft competitions
Pleasure horse
Wagon horses
Meat

Helpful Links

Where to Buy

Belgian Draft Studs

Video


Brandenburger

Brandenburger Horse

Intro

The Brandenburger is a sub-population of the German saddle horse and bred to be an all-around under saddle mount.
Brandenburger Horse

Origins

Breeding began in 1787 with the hopes of creating a warmblood that was heavy enough to work and light enough to pull carriages. The foundation started withOldenburg, English Halfbred, Asian horses and Thoroughbred bloodlines.
The Warmblood Breeding Society was created in 1922 in order to produce horses for farmers and agricultural work at which point Hanovarian blood was used to improve stock.

Features

Average height 16 – 17.2 hands

Physique

Head is handsome and well-set
Back is medium in length and chest is deep
Legs are thick and stocky
Hooves are large and strong

Traditional Colors

All solid colors

Temperament

Even-tempered for their large size
Brandenburger Horse

Use

Riding horse
Show horse
Driving horse
Pleasure horse

Helpful Links

*All links open in a new window
Brandenburger History

Video


Brazilian Pony

Intro

The Brazilian Pony is a small scale individual that was developed to stimulate interest in diverse sporting activities for children.

Origins

The breed was developed from the tough Scottish Ponies, the fine Falabella from Argentina, with influence from animals from Uruguay and Paraguay. For awhile cross-breeding with American ponies was tried, but the size of ponies from America were larger than was desired, so the breeding was discontinued.
Today Brazilian Ponies are popular as pets.

Features

Average height 8.3 – 9.8 hands
Bred for perfect horse confirmation
Height at the hindquarters is not to exceed the height at the withers by more than .02 cm

Physique

Head is triangular with straight or slightly concave profile
Ears are small, mobile and directed upward
Eyes are remote & expressive
Neck is muscular, proportional & well-defined
Mane & tail are abundant & silky
Chest is deep, wide & muscular
Back is short & straight
Legs are medium in length & well-defined

Traditional Colors

Pintos and appaloosas are prized in this breed
Solid colors are allowed, but not as popular

Temperament

Docile & calm

Use

Pet
Cart horse
Riding pony

Brazilian Sport Horse

Brazilian Sport Horse

Intro

A newly developed breed in Brazil, the Brazilian Sport Horses (Brasileiro de Hipismo) are popular in the US and Europe and have successfully completed recent Olympic Games.

Origins

This breed was developed in 1970 specifically for competition, allowing Brazil to use the bloodlines of the Criollo horse combined with Anglo-Argentine and Trakehner breeds. The result is a sport horse with a solid work ethic and tireless ability.
Today horses of many different breeds influence the Brazilian Sport Horse and it takes traits from AndalusianThoroughbred, Trakehner, HanoverianHolsteiner,Oldenburger, Westphalian, Irish Hunter, Selle Francais, Anglo-Argentine andBelgian Warmbloods.

Features

Average height over 16 hands
Lively with no real rebellion

Physique

Because of the number of breeds involved in creating this animal, their confirmation varies.

Traditional Colors

All solid colors | dun

Temperament

Calm and brave
Noble, docile and balanced
Brazilian Sport Horse

Use

Show Horse
Eventing horse

Video