2 • Equestrian Express Issue 4

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Endurance • 3

ERASA National Endurance Ride 2012Compiled by: Nathan Nickisson | Thanks to: Fauresmith website | Photos by: Leana Erasmus

This year the Nationals for the Endurance Riders Association of South Africa (ERASA) was held from the 3rd July to the 5th July in a small but historic town called Fauresmith. The small town of Fauresmith is located in the south west of the Free State about 130km from Bloemfontein. It is also the second oldest town in the Free State and one of three in the world to have a railway line running through the main street. When the Free State was looking for a capital Fauresmith lost by a two vote majority to Bloemfontein.

The fi rst endurance ride took place in 1964 from Hanover to De Aar then to Richmond and back to Hanover. This ride was a result of an argument in the Landbou Weekblad as to which breed of horse had the best endur-ance ability. In those years there were no compulsory veterinary checks as is the rule now, and the Arabian breed emerged victorious from this test. In 1965 the ride was struck with tragedy when about 60 participating horses where poisoned by protesters who were against the ride.

After a seven year gap the ride moved to Fauresmith in 1973. The climate lends itself to endurance riding. In this fi rst year there were a total of 17 entries, and now 39 years later in 2012 the number of entries reached 387 riders starting the race this year with 236 completing. This is a true test of horsemanship as the ride takes place over three days with a total distance of 201km. The ride involves using the compulsory hold vet system. This means that once the horse and rider arrive at the vet check point they have 20 minutes to present at the veterinarian. After the 20 minutes there is a further 25 minutes before they depart again. Anyone who presents a horse after the fi rst 20 minutes is disqualifi ed. The reason for the vet checks is to make sure that the horse is still sound and able to continue. All horses that do not meet the veterinarian’s cri-teria are stopped from competing any further and disqualifi ed from the ride. They are then transported back to Fauresmith in the horse ambulance.

The day before the ride all competing horses

are subject to a pre-vet inspection to con-fi rm that all entries are sound and able to compete. All horses that fail this inspection are stopped from competing and disqualifi ed from the ride. Day 1, Leg 1 sees the riders travel from Fauresmith to Metz (23.5km) for their fi rst compulsory vet check. Leg 2 sees the riders travel from Metz to Grapfontein (26.5km) for the second compulsory vet check. Leg 3 sees the riders travel from Grapfontein back to Fauresmith (24.2km) for their third and last compulsory vet check of the day.

Day 2 sees the remaining riders riding the same route but this time in reverse. Riders start at Fauresmith and ride to Grapfontein. They then depart from Grapfontein and ride to Metz and fi nally when they leave Metz they ride back to Fauresmith. As on Day 1 there are three compulsory vet checks along the way making sure that the horses are sound and able to compete. Day 3, Leg 1 sees the remaining riders head out from Fauresmith to Sandymount (26.4km).

Here again the horses need to go through a compulsory vet check to check the sound-ness of the horse. Finally, the riders head out from Sandymount back to Fauresmith (26.2km) and the end of a long three days in the saddle. As they enter the showgrounds all riders are greeted with the song Chariots of Fire to mark their homecoming, but the ride is not over yet as they must then pass the last veterinary check to have completed the ride successfully. All this activity is closely monitored by the ride director and organiser Rinie White.

The ride is an individual event, but there is also a team competition that takes place. Every year ERASA names an ERASA team for Fauresmith and the rest of the unions namely Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Free State, North West, Northern Union, Mpumalanga and Gauteng name there union teams. There are four categories namely Young Rider, Light Weight, Standard Weight and Heavy Weight.

Child Rider Pos Number Name Horse Name Time Speed1 9855 Chandri Human El-Jellabi Ashan 08:12:04’63 24.5084km/h2 5604 Andries Swart Kalishmar Wictoree 09:06:14’95 22.0778km/h3 10359 CF Scheepers Merriesfontein Al Getio 09:57:08’47 20.1962km/h4 6105 Mintie-Louise Botha Jelby Khizan 10:21:48’13 19.3952km/h5 10387 Urich Bosch Ratswolf Sazaan 10:35:17’25 18.9835km/h

Young RiderPos Number Name Horse Name Time Speed1 329 Jan-Louis Bezuidenhout Jozami Ravelity 08:11:52’34 24.5186km/h2 327 Sorika Van Der Merwe Deo-Gratias Nazira 08:15:50’94 24.3219km/h3 2146 Carli Steyn Jazaak Arika 08:19:44’68 24.1323km/h4 10419 Ludolph Neethling Mekadesh Samorai 08:27:35’28 23.7594km/h5 4791 Daniel Strydom Danesca Kadali 08:52:15’10 22.6585km/h

Light WeightPos Number Name Horse Name Time Speed1 3362 Madeleine Raubenheimer Davey Jones 08:04:25’31 24.8957km/h2 2339 Santie Olivier Cavalos De Deus La Zamari 08:04:29’82 24.8918km/h3 364 Henriette Bosch Ratswolf Ramir 08:13:09’81 24.4544km/h4 2854 Amanda Botha Jiddua Hasan 08:20:59’21 24.0725km/h5 366 Louise Jordaan Al Mu’Barak Shaikh 08:20:59’39 24.0723km/h

Standard WeightPos Number Name Horse Name Time Speed1 1163 Mariette Visser Ramon Amarula 08:08:28’18 24.6894km/h2 333 JD Venter Marco’s Son 08:11:40’53 24.5284km/h3 1051 Leanne Wels Karoo Monarch 08:17:09’45 24.2579km/h4 494 Ami De Wet III Jozami Isabella 08:38:51’32 23.2435km/h5 2034 Samson Mjika Perdeberg Survivor 08:50:00’98 22.7540km/h

Heavy WeightPos Number Name Horse Name Time Speed1 342 Johann Nieuwoudt Vonk 08:36:48’29 23.3357km/h2 1992 Jan Blignaut El Ghiburah Darunco 09:06:47’06 22.0562km/h3 341 Jean-Jacques Kasselman Desta Rukh 09:10:10’74 21.9201km/h4 3503 Nico Marais Vidiko Rabib 09:32:39’21 21.0599km/h5 2136 Pieter E Streicher Beachcomber Spiderman 09:37:01’93 20.9000km/h

The ride has some legendary riders such as Ami De Wet I (73) also known in the endurance community as Oom Ami completing his 31st Fauresmith ride and to show his great horsemanship, in 2012 he completed his 5th ride on the same horse named Jozami Bartok in a time of 12:48.16’77 with an average speed of 15.6974km/h. Truly a great achievement.

Madeleine Raubenheimer

Chandri Human

The 2012 results were as follows:

4 • Endurance Equestrian Express Issue 4

With two years to qualify, focusing on the goal… the FEI World Endurance Championships (WEC), 25 August 2012 in Euston Park, United Kingdom. It is a decision one has to make, keeping in mind all the time that things can change, because we are in it together as horse and rider, and both being fl esh and blood - things can go wrong. Teamwork is key to success in this most demanding of dis-ciplines, and extensive preparation, continuous monitoring of the horse’s condition and skilful riding, all play a major role. I have completed 10 000km competitive endurance riding and to this day I absolutely love what I’m doing and I regard myself extremely privileged to be able to take part at this level and represent South Africa.

The 2012 World Endurance Championships in Euston Park was my 3rd world event to take part in. The world championships are staged bi-annually and long-term planning is crucial. After having to lease a horse for the Aachen World Equestrian Games in 2006 – and not be-ing able to complete the race due to lameness - I decided to either compete on my own horse in the future or not at all. Due to the fact that the organisers of the Malaysian World Championships sponsored the horse transport to Malaysia in 2008, I was able to take my own horse for the fi rst time. I was the fi rst South African to fi nish in 17th place. The Kentucky World Championships 2010 turned out to be too much of a costly affair to take my own horse and I decided to focus on 2012. I have a few horses in training but I have earmarked Lormar Karaka long before he was qualifi ed. It was a long-term dream of mine to take him to a world championship event. With the latest AHS outbreak in the quarantine area last year, the export process was again complicated and much more expensive than normal.

Karaka, who had already completed 2000km competi-tively, including 6 x 160km competitions, had to go into quarantine in Cape Town at the beginning of April this

year. About 21 days later he left for Mauritius where the horses are quarantined for another three months before they are allowed into the EU. To be able to keep him fi t for the competition meant that I had to spend time train-ing in Mauritius before he left for Europe. We had a 3 week period since he arrived in the UK to the day of the race, which in my opinion was not really enough for a horse to adjust and compete competitively. Most of the 153 horses that took part originate from Europe or the UK - not really a fair playing fi eld for a horse arriving from Africa after almost four months quarantine. The race took place at Euston Hall, which has been home to the dukes of Grafton for over 300 years. The course passed through Euston Parks 1 500acres of glorious woodland, following farm tracks, bridleways and forestry paths.

The race started at 7am and consisted of six loops. On my 2nd last loop and 60km before I crossed the fi nish line, heavy rain and lightning complicated riding immensely. By then the course was slippery and the risk of losing a shoe became more and more imminent. The temptation just to “go for it” is overpowering at that stage, and then it is down to keeping your head and your horse balanced on its legs, to see you through that fi nal vetting and judged “fi t to continue”. It then takes judgement to concede that your opponent’s horse is stronger or that a galloping fi nish on a tired horse and slippery track may risk elimination. By then I was only focusing on fi nishing sound and not rid-ing for a top placing. I’m really grateful and proud to say, Karaka did his fastest 160km ever and with 8h25mins, we improved the South African record by 10 minutes. It was also the fastest time for a South African rider on a South African horse. We fi nished 27th out of the 153 entries. Very soon after our crossing the fi nishing line, the ride was cancelled due to extremely dangerous weather condi-tions that lead to a very dangerous track. Many riders couldn’t complete the race due to the conditions.

A vital part of endurance riding is the support crew and riders are assisted by a team of helpers during the ride. I had a very experienced crew including my husband, Stephen. His support is indispensable to me. It has been a long and sometimes stressful journey for me with sacrifi ces made to achieve this goal. I am truly grateful for the support I have received from fellow riders, friends and family to be able to achieve my goal. This will be a lifelong memory for me and I hope I have done South Africa proud.

The 2012 FEI World Endurance Championships160km to be ridden in one day…. By: Naomi Muller

e d

Issue 4 Equestrian Express • 5

Over 130 athletes, 40 lungers and 54 horses from 15 nations competed in the FEI Open Eu-ropean Junior Vaulting Championships 2012 incorporating a Children’s 2* CVI competition (1-5 August) in the Areál Zdravia Rozálka equestrian centre in Pezinok, Slovakia.

The championships saw vaulters aged between seven and 18 compete over fi ve demanding days to claim the team and individual titles, as well as the top spot for the Pas-de-Deux, which was introduced for the fi rst time this year. In the junior category representing South Africa were fi ve selected young athletes and one independent vaulter participating in the children’s female individ-ual competition, the latter Jasmin Lauber was placed 14th out of 19 competitors, a great performance for her very fi rst time competing in the international arena. About 20 male vaulters participated in the junior individual male class including South Africans Damien Pretorius and Dylan Jones. After the fi rst round of compulsories and freestyle, Damien was

SA Vaulters at the 2012 FEI European Junior Vaulting Championships Pezinok, Slovakia 1st – 5th August

placed 13th allowing him to go into the sec-ond round when he achieved an overall score of 6.296 positioning him in 14th place. Sadly, Dylan had a bad landing after his freestyle round, resulting in a fractured metatarsal bone in his foot requiring hospitalisation in Bratis-lava and surgery on arriving home in South Africa. Dylan was placed 17th overall. We wish Dylan a speedy recovery and a not-too-frustrating-three-month-healing period. And also about 36 female vaulters participat-ed in the junior individual female class, Alexa Stais, Chelsey Gertenbach and Julia Pitchford were the selected athletes to represent South Africa. After the fi rst compulsory round, Alexa was lying 15th, but her hopes of getting into the second round were dashed when her freestyle round presented a few challenges resulting in her fi nal placing at 26th with a score of 6.473. Bad luck Lexi, we know you have the capacity to be up in the top rank-ings, but the nature of the sport often presents trials we cannot foresee. Chelsey was placed 19th overall with a score of 6.745 and Julia 20th with a fi nal score of 6.721.

Steffi Waidmann was a very competent Chef D’Equipe, thank you for your reliable and con-sistent care and support given to the athletes. The vaulters have committed hours of sweat and tears in preparation for this event, both on and off the horses, focusing on their routines, fi tness and strength, allowing each to gain awareness, skills and experience in the international competition arena. Big thank you to all involved in making this experience a reality, the overwhelming support from home and at the event. All our athletes did South Africa proud, in all areas of the competition – well done!

68 young athletes headed to Northern Farms on Sunday the 16th of August to participate in the fi nal SANESA event-ing qualifi er for 2012.

As ever some decent dressage scores were posted prior to the cross country phase. Very noticeable the increased confi dence displayed by our young athletes as the cross country start approached!! A lot of homework seems to have been done over the past few months and it showed with very few athletes having any major problems in the cross country phases.

Colin’s fl owing show jumping tracks generated few faults or again was it that our athletes were better prepared? Huge thank you to Linda, her team and of course our volunteers without whom we have no sport. Indeed it was

gratifying to see so many of our sport’s top athletes turning out to assist with everything from stewarding to jump judging.

Nothing more to be done now except look forward to welcoming even more young athletes to SANESA eventing during 2013 and wish all those selected for our fi rst eventing nationals to “give it horns” and bring back the silverware.

Anyone wishing to continue eventing during the SANESA off season, keep an eye on the GHS website (ghsinfo.co.za) for upcoming events and the eventing section to keep up to date with eventing socials, fundraisers and clinics around Gauteng. You do not need to be registered with GHS to compete in 60 and 70cm eventing grades.

Sanesa Eventing Q4By: Matthew Smith

By: Janet Pitchford

O 130 thl t 40 l d 54 h

Alexa Stais

6 • Equestrian Express Issue 4

Rostral Profi ling is the rounding of the rostral (front) aspect of the 2nd pre-molar. This procedure is also more commonly known as creating “bit-seats”.

The term bit-seat comes from the belief that the dental technician was creating a notch or “seat” where in the bit would come to rest under pressure, meaning the bit would ride up onto the premolars which in return would then take the pressure off the tongue, making the horse more comfort-able when pressure was applied to the bit.

This is a convincing theory as to their pur-pose, however I personally do not fi nd it to be a viable reason for creating or rolling a bit-seat. My reasoning for this is that a cor-rectly fi tted bit will lie a fair distance away from the actual premolars, more often than not an inch or more. Now given that soft hands are key to any and all styles of rid-ing, the fact that one would have to place a fair amount of pressure onto the bit in order to get it to ride up onto the premo-lars, makes the theory of bit-seating a bit far-fetched for me and in my mind also takes away the necessity for aggressive rounding of the 2nd premolars.

I do however believe that rounding the 2nd premolars is an important part of the dental treatment. Thus, why I and others in sympathy with my methodology will refer to this procedure as rostral profi ling as bit-seating for me creates the wrong impres-sion to the client, as earlier mentioned.

I believe this procedure is done in order to accommodate the pouchy fl esh on the inside of the commisure of the mouth (cor-ner of the mouth). It creates space for this tissue to go into, this theory comes from myself and many other technicians fi nding that when a bit is placed in the mouth, although it is highly unlikely to make hard contact with the teeth under LIGHT pres-sure, this tissue (the pouchy fl esh) wrinkles up extremely quickly and the tissue itself is actually what comes into contact with the teeth. This creates pinching in the corners of the mouth which causes the horse a large amount of discomfort.

So by rounding off the 2nd premolar we, A: give that tissue space to go into and

B: create a smoothed round surface for this tissue to go onto. These in conjunction prevent pinching of the tissue, increasing the comfort of the horse while he or she is being ridden with the bit under pressure.This does not how-ever give a dental technician carte blanche to roll away half of the 2nd premolar.

This procedure needs to be per-formed with care and responsi-bility.The fi rst question one should ask is, how much pouchy fl esh does this horse have, if it is a fi ne bred horse, with little pouchy fl esh then very little rostral profi ling need to be done, even in a competition horse! If a large amount of pouchy fl esh is present then I would install a more prominent rostral profi le to accommodate this tissue more effectively to ensure the horse’s comfort.The next thing for consideration before installing a rostral profi le is, has this tooth been corrected at all? If a tooth has been corrected it means that the distance between the occlusal surface and the pulp horns (blood and nerve supply of the tooth) has been reduced. Therefore making it of utmost importance that caution is expressed when performing the proce-dure. Too often I have come across horses that have had pulp exposed by either over aggressive or negligent rounding of the premolars.Exposing pulp will lead to pulpitis which will cause complications in the future if not dealt with immediately and correctly.

The last consideration for rostral profi ling is work. How hard does this horse work? What is the discipline that this horse is used for? As these also have an effect on the type of rostral profi le that will be in-stalled. Yes there is different “bit seats” for different purposes, not a one-size fi ts all. And a certifi ed technician will know what your horse’s individual needs are in terms of the relevant rostral profi le needed.

Quick examples are:Endurance horses will require very little in the way of rostral profi ling, due to the more natural head carriage during work.Show jumpers slightly larger, however they should not be overdone as a more posi-tive contact is needed for quick turns and changes of pace during jump offs.Dressage horses and saddlers will require the largest of these examples due to the use of a double bridle and the almost verti-cal head carriage, larger profi les will al-low the horse to soften into the frame more comfortably and due to the biomechanics of the mouth during this level of collection will optimise bit response.

Please note that this is a very rough guideline and all rostral profi ling should be done relevant to the individual horse’s head, that is, amount of occlusion, amount of pouchy fl esh and general confi rmation of the mouth.

There are many technicians out there who roll these rostral profi les beautifully, yet blindly. If this procedure is going to be done, the techniques used must be done so correctly, when being done manually, without a headlamp, it should be done to

the minimum, if at all, if one is not looking at what they are doing with a good light source, they cannot monitor secondary dentin levels and colour alterations, result-ing in grossly increased risk of causing damage to the tooth structure and opening pulp horns when installing rostral profi les to the premolars.When done using a light source and con-tinuous visual evaluation the procedure is done with far less risk.

I personally prefer to install rostral profi les with the electric instrumentation, not only is it easier to accomplish, but it can be done more precisely and accurately. As there is no reciprocating rasp interfering with your constant visual evaluation of the tooth’s structure. They can be done more evenly and balanced, without creating fl at spots on the teeth or altering the occlusal angle and they can be rolled consistently to the gingival margin(gum line), meaning there is no edge or posts on the profi les and gingival damage is negligible to none on account of the tissue friendly diamond burrs...However please take care who uses electric equipment on your horses as if that technician is not properly trained in the use of electric instrumentation they cannot only overdo the rostral profi les, but the rest of the mouth as well.Do not be ashamed to ask for proof of certifi cation! As then you know that that the technician has been overseas, has sat the relevant exams and practical evaluations and has proved competent to a standard accepted by the relevant certifying body.

Furthermore rostral profi ling should only be attempted by those who have good knowledge and understanding of the anatomy of the horse’s mouth, composition of hypsodont dentition and biomechanics of the mouth.

After all this is a procedure done to improve comfort of our horses not com-promise any of the natural structure of the teeth resulting in discomfort.

By: Andrew Portch AEDP-CEqD and AED-CEqD

Rostral Profi ling

In the previous two articles (in issue 1 and issue 2 of Equestrian Express) I have covered the basics of balance in the mouth, Part 1, and then wolf teeth, Part 2, in the competition horse. In this section of the series I will discuss a topic that not only affects the competition horse, but all horses throughout their life. I will try to explain some of the dental reasons for variations in treatment intervals at various developmental stages of the horse.

Part 4

Andrew PortchAEDP-CEqD and AED-CEqD072 243 3466

After Equilibration Large Profi le

BEFORE

After Equilibration Small Profi le

BEFORE

63.550% - 13/15 Individual Championship Test: 62.826% - 13/15

Grade IV: Philippa Johnson riding Lord Louis Team Test: 63.125% - 13/14 Individual Freestyle Test: 67.200% - 12/14 Individual Championship Test: 65.774% - 11/14

Team Overall: South Africa – 387.972% - 14/16

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Paralympics • 7

The Grooms and Vet stayed in a Hotel next door to the venue, whilst the athletes, Chef and Coach travel from the Paralympic Village near Stratford to Greenwich daily, a journey which takes 30 – 40 minutes depending on the traffi c in a dedicated bus. The horses had amazing, large stables, with wide passageways and all lined with rubber fl oor matting. All the stables are built off the ground and anywhere that the horses walk consists of either rubber matting or sand tracks.

Team South Africa was situated next to Australia in the barn, and with Hong Kong and Singapore on the other side. South Africa assisted their barn neighbours, Hong Kong by providing a companion horse at the side of the arena to provide their fi rst time rider with a more relaxed experience for her Individual Championship test than she had for her Team test.

There were four different arenas, and each day team members were allowed to practise in a different arena. In addition they also had the opportunity to ride in the FOP (Field of Play), which is the main arena. All the riders took their horses into the main arena and none of the horses experienced any problems after they had had a good look around. The atmosphere when the crowds arrive is another matter entirely!

On the 27th of August the Mayor of Green-wich welcomed the South African team to the Paralympic Village with a fl ag raising ceremony. Young British actors performed the welcoming ceremony. Team RSA did us proud with their singing of Shosholoza to the crowd. Philippa, Sheelagh and Tracey attended this event while the others trained at Greenwich with Chris. After fi ve days of practice in all the arenas and three days in the fi eld of play, the day of the Horse Inspection arrived.

Out of 77 horses 2 were held but passed the Out of 77 horses 2 were held but passed the

Photos by Sheelagh Higgerty.

y Anthony, Lizzie, Adam and Tracey at the stables.

following day. The fl ow up to the Inspection area was good, culminating in arriving at the Inspection area on the open end of the arena. Spectators were confi ned to the stands, and only grooms, Chef d Équip and Vet were al-lowed to accompany the horses.

The South African horses passed with no problems, and all looked smart in their Team kit. That night after Vet Inspection was the opening ceremony. As three of our riders were competing the following day, the riders did not attend the opening ceremony.

Two of the grooms attended and two looked after the horses. Those who went were treated to the roar of the crowd as they entered the stadium, and a wonderful display followed.

It was an incredible feeling to be marching with the rest of Team SA into the stadium, and what an honour to be representing SA at London 2012. More on competition later, but to suffi ce to say for now: the crowds go wild

whenever a British team member enters or leaves the arena, but they have also been very supportive of South Africa, and we are grate-ful for all those that fl y our gorgeous rainbow fl ag for the entire world to see.

The veterinary and medical services at Green-wich are amazing. There is a vet, a farrier and a doctor on the side of each and every arena all the time that it is open. There is access to physiotherapy for riders and horses at Greenwich and team SA made use of the services of both. SASCOC also provided

excellent access to Physiotherapy and Medical services in the village, and in fact, the Team Physio assigned to us, Given Baloyi, came to see the horses and watched some of the riding and also provided one of our athletes with treatment at the venue. The veterinary services are wonderful and Sheelagh has fi tted herself right in with them.

She has provided feedback that they are impressed with the SA organisation! We have also been privileged to have South African Media interviewing our riders on camera after every test – an experience that is a fi rst as far as I am aware and our riders have been an asset to our sport in their handling of this. On days between competitions the riders had a training session which they fi tted in between watching their team mates. That is also often the day they chose to have physiotherapy and the day the horses also have a light physi-otherapy treatment. The days were long and busy and we are so grateful to everyone of the Team for working so hard and for supporting one another so well.

We would like to congratulate our Paralympics Equestrian team for their great results. They have improved considerably compared to the 2008 Beijing Paralympics Games. You have made us all proud!

Grade II: Wendy Moller riding First Lady Team Test: 64.429% - 13/22 Individual Freestyle Test:

69.900% - 9/19 Individual Championship Test: 66.000% - 15/21

Anthony Dawson riding Roffelaar Team Test: 62.143% - 15/22 Individual Freestyle Test: 63.450% - 16/19 Individual Championship Test: 64.571% - 18/21

Grade Ib: Marion Milne riding Shadow Team Test: 65.818% - 10/15 Individual Freestyle Test:

2012 PARALYMPICSLife At Greenwich

Coffee Break at Greenwich

8 • Equestrian Express Issue 4

Time for a change?How to Change your Horse’s Diet successfully.

When changing a horse’s diet, great care should be taken both to avoid any digestive upsets and to give the new feed choice a sound base from which to work.Whether it is the concentrated feed, the hay or the pasture that needs to be changed, colic or laminitis may occur if the diet change is not planned properly and spread over a period of time.

The fermentation that occurs in the hindgut of the horse is a very complex and somewhat delicate process that can be disrupted by many factors. Millions of bacteria in the gut have their own life cycles of digesting the complex carbo-hydrates of ingested hay and other ingredients with the horse benefi ting from the bacterial byproducts. If a badly planned change of diet occurs which “shocks” or changes the popula-tion of bacteria the rate of fermentation changes along with the byproducts of the fermentation. In addition, disrupting normal fermentation can lead to rapid changes in the pH (acidity) of the intestine, which can further negatively impact on the normal population of bacteria and the whole digestive process.

There are many species of bacteria living within the horse’s gut including those that can cause illness if their population numbers become too high. In this situation, large numbers of “good” bacteria actually keep the numbers of potentially “bad” bacteria under control (competitive inhibi-tion). This is one reason why the administration of some oral antibiotics can cause diarrhea and illustrates why it is extremely important to make any changes in type and quantity of feed slowly. To maintain the delicate balance in the gut, any increases in the amount of concentrate given to a horse should be added at approximately 200grams per day (not more than ¼ kg) until the desired amount of concentrate is reached. Concentrate increases may be necessary when there is an increase in activity level or life change such as a mare during lactation.

When introducing a new type of hay or con-centrate to a horse, the new hay or concentrate should replace the old feed at a rate of 25% every other day, taking a total of 7 – 10 days for the new feed to be fully implemented. Feed intake, or eagerness to consume the diet, may decrease during this changeover period. If this occurs, more time may be needed for the horse to adjust to the new feed.

When a horse is turned out on pasture all day, especially where the pasture is lush and green, the time on pasture should be gradually in-creased to avoid overeating. Horses should be provided with all the hay they want to eat about a week prior to the start of complete pasture turnout. The time on pasture should be increased by 1 hour each day for 4 to 5 days. Then, be-

fore the horse is to be turned out completely, a hay meal should be provided.It is also important to remember that each horse is different. Some horses take more time to ad-just to dietary changes than others. It is impor-tant thus to monitor the horse’s eating habits and health status carefully during this time.

Changing over from High Molasses containing Diets

Unfortunately, a large percentage of available products on the market today are composed mainly of bran and molasses. Although molas-ses is an important and very palatable source of energy, it should always be used sparingly. Molasses in a horse’s diet may be compared with feeding candy to children. Horses do love it, but since it is basically sugar, it can cause an insulin spike which may not only affect blood sugar levels but may also have an adverse effect on other body processes notably cartilage, bone development and body maintenance functions.

It is important to keep in mind that diets focused on gut health or on particular diet related condi-tions, will normally contain less molasses than some cheaper concentrates available, and there-fore it might take a little longer than normal to adapt horses to the new diet with less “candy” to chew on.

Equus Safe ‘n Lite, in particular, our speciality product for horses prone to laminitis, insulin resistance and related problems, is blended with hardly any molasses because of its negative side effects. In the long run though, it is worth the effort to adapt horses gradually to the new diet until they are used to it. When changing to a new concentrated feed it is also important to ensure that the correct weight of the new feed and the feed scoop used are aligned. Feeds all have different densities and if not weighed correctly can result in too little or too much of the product being used.

Feeding by Weight, Not Volume

It is very important to ensure that horses are fed the correct portion of food by weight, and not by volume! All feeds have different densities and thus do not weigh the same. Feeding instruc-tions are also always given as a percentage of body mass so it is very important to establish the exact weight in kg of the horse, as well as how many kilograms the scoop holds of the specifi c product being fed.

Failing to establish the correct weight of the portion being fed can lead to considerable over- or underfeeding of the horse especially when changing to a new concentrate.

Overfeeding can lead to the horse becoming obese which will take time to rectify but, more seriously, it can also cause severe colic. Under-feeding, especially performance horses, might cost you the prize trophy towards which you have been working as your equine athlete will not be able to sustain his efforts due to a lack of

energy. While this can be rectifi ed fairly quickly in healthy horses by feeding the correct quanti-ties, often time is lost because the reason for weight loss or low energy levels is often sought elsewhere fi rst, for example, with internal para-sites. Always begin by checking that the horse is being fed the right amount by weight.

The table below illustrates just how easily the in-correct amount can be fed especially in a stable yard where more than one product is used:

A CONTAINER HOLDING 5 LITRES OF WATER WILL HOLD APPROXIMATELY:

1.5 kg Equus Cool ‘n Perform or Equus Safe ‘n Lite.3.0 kg of a typical pelleted horse Cube.2.9 kg of crushed maize.1.6 kg of wheaten bran.0.6 kg of a milled lucerne.6.5 kg of molasses syrup.

This clearly demonstrates how easily one can either over- or underfeed by considerable mar-gins. This does not mean one cannot use the 5 litre bucket method to feed your horses. Simply weigh out the appropriate amount of concen-trate and mark the bucket with a permanent marker so you know up to where to fi ll it each time. This technique allows one to standardize the amount of concentrate being fed.

This further explains why the person responsible for feeding at a yard might be surprised should you change from a pelleted product to a muesli style product like Equus Cool ‘n Perform or Safe ‘n Lite. Judging by the volume of the product, it may appear that the new feed is being fed at nearly twice the rate of the previous one, but judging by weight shows clearly that this is not the case.

Products in the Equus range provide adequate fi bre to help keep the ingested concentrate por-tion moving along the digestive tract normally. The muesli style concentrates are specifi cally de-signed to contain lots of highly digestible fi bre, and are therefore very voluminous so horses will take much longer to fi nish their allocated portions, which is exactly what is required as this not only stimulates saliva production, which further promotes gastric health, but also helps to avoid behavioral issues.

For further help on changing your horse’s diet

contact Equus Feeds on

+ 27 73 423 5491 + 27 83 998 6824

Issue 4 Equestrian Express • 9

UNSURPASSED QUALITYWithout the added cost

EQUUS TRAIN ‘N LEISURE CUBES

In an effort to support our loyal customers, and through clever purchasing of raw materials in advance, Train ‘n Leisure customers in Gauteng have enjoyed a stable price since June 2012 and we guarantee no price increase prior to 2013. Train ‘n Leisure is unsurpassed in quality and is by far the best rated pelleted horse feed available in SA. A healthy composition of high fibre, low starch and added oils ensures ample muscle fuel, mental focus and manageability with less digestive upset. Correctly changing over to Train ‘n Leisure has proven to be completely trouble free with most horses ready for any demands including strenuous shows in under 14 days

You will never look back - except at your competitors !

There is a feeding strategy for every horse, so contact us for an absolutely free consultation and visit to your yard.

Visit www.equusfeeds.co.za for more informationor call us on 0734235491 or 0839986824

No further price increases for 2012.

Ask your feed store for a quote.

the close of the fourth.

Chukka 5 was closely contested with the only goal coming from Lance Watson. The Indians certainly looked to be getting the measure of the SA onslaught and many anticipated a tense fi nal chukka.

Unfortunately this wasn’t to be for the visiting side with two fi eld goals scored in quick suc-cession by Hein and Hendriks to virtually seal the game. India replied with a penalty goal from Suhag to make the fi nal score 11 – 6.

South Africa’s Duncan Watson was adjudicat-ed the Man of the Match whilst Brett Chubb’s pony “Silver” loaned to Indian Dhruvpal Godara won the coveted best-playing pony award.

From a South African perspective, the young team did well to close out their more experi-enced visitors’ onslaught during the middle phases of the match when inexperience and over exuberance allowed their game plan to slip and penalties to creep in.

10 • Polo Equestrian Express Issue 4

The South African (u/16 and u/21) tour to Ireland was an unforgettable experience and a huge success to say the least.The management team decided to make the tour as affordable as possible – “Best value for money” - and we are proud to say we have managed to do that without sacrifi cing on the quality of the tour. It deserves to be mentioned that the Irish Polocrosse Association (Fiona Walsh, Sharon Kennedy and their team) contributed to the success of the tour and we would always appreciate and remember their hospitality and good sportsmanship.Although our fl ight to Dublin took almost 24 hours (due to our option to take the most affordable fl ight tickets) it also served a purpose as we really started to bond as a junior team on the fl ight and in the snooze room at Abu Dhabi Airport (thanks to Kevin and Debbie Soal who spon-sored the facility).

We arrived at Dublin Airport in the early hours of the morning of 5 July 2012 and after we took possession of our three minibuses (our transport for the next 12 days) we headed for our Hotel in Dublin (The Central Hotel is the oldest Hotel in Dublin in use) - needless to say everybody ran for a shower to get ready for the day in Dublin. Our team had enjoyed Dublin so much that we all decided to return to Dublin again before we departed back home, which we did. The following day we departed from Dublin to Carrick Mines Equestrian Estate where we received our horses for the fi rst two test games. We all agreed that the horses were better than we thought they were going

2012 Junior Tour To IrelandBy: Riaan Marx of the Management Team, Polocrosse Association of South Africa

to be! After Beth and Paddy were happy that every player was on the right horse we de-cided to return to our hotel for an early even-ing and to concentrate on the test games of the following day. It needed to be mentioned that by this time it was raining seriously and Ireland measured the most rain in one season for the past 60 years and everything was wet and I meant wet!!Both teams played well and after the fi rst weekend the under 16s had won both their games but the under 21s were 2-0 down. It was really an experience to play on fi elds that were extremely wet and the players had to dig for the ball like digging for potatoes! I didn’t think we could ever complain not to play in rainy conditions in South Africa as we had learned that it was possible to play in condi-tions like that – change your game plan!

We left Carrick Mines for our next destination, a quaint hotel. The Horse and Hound Hotel, in the Co. Wexford, the venue: Horetown Eques-trian Centre in the small town of Foulksmills. The management team had a serious team talk with the under 21 side as we were 2-0 down at that stage with only 2 test games remain-ing, we could not spoil a wonderful tour like this by losing all the games. The real character of the under-21 squad came through and they not only won the last two tests but they man-aged to win the series on goal difference and were crowned the overall winners. Well done and thank you once again for your fi ghting spirit!

The under 16s also won their series against Ireland 4 – 0. The United Kingdom and New South Wales (as guests of the UK) unfortu-nately refused to pool their horses for the last weekend’s tournament to make it an offi cial test series between South Africa, Ireland, UK and NSW. With the UK on their own horses they just managed to win the tournament with South Africa in the runners-up position. Eve-

rybody however was of the opinion that the under 16 team were the “real” winners – well done to them! A fact worth mentioning is the behaviour of the junior team, more than one member of the Ireland Management Team, adults, parents complimented us on the play-ers’ behaviour and the way the under 21s and under 16s supported each other during the games – it was really a pleasure to see how the under 16s for the under 21s and the under 21s for the under 16s ran on the fi eld between chukkas to groom and care for the horses and for each other. The players, the management team and the parents/supporters were abso-lutely fantastic - thank you very much – you all contributed to make the tour a pleasure and a huge success!

We left Ireland with a feeling of “mission complete”. The knowledge and experience we have gained and the friends we have made on the tour are priceless and we thank each and everybody who made this tour possible. We also wish to convey a special word of thanks to Beth and Paddy who coached the teams and to all the parents who assisted us on the tour.

Left to right Under 16 team - Tristan Davison, Ross Odell, Dane Csaszar, Chelsea MacDonald, Beth MacLarty (coach) , Courtney Fourie, Fanie Terblanche (manager), Megan Soal, Amber Pretorius and Stefan Terblanche (front).

Left to right – Under21 team - Garrett Fitton, Ross Beukes,

Ignaz Marx, Karia Marx, Micaela Van Staden, Chelsea Cooper and Jenny Firth.

Match Reports – BMW International Polo Series 2012By: CLIVE PEDDLE, Executive Director – South African Polo Association

1St International – Shongweni:The fi rst international against the touring Indian team took place at the Durban Shong-weni Club on 19 August 2012. With the In-dian team having arrived a few days earlier to acclimatise and try horses generously loaned from South African players, the stage was set for an exciting series.

The fact that the tourists had lost their warm-up match against a young Blesbok side prior to International Day didn’t deter the South Afri-can team from preparing for a tough contest.

South African captain Gillespie Armstrong un-fortunately broke a bone in his hand during a

training session and had to withdraw from the team. The line up of the teams was as follows:

India: Dhruvpal Godara Angad KalaanSamir SughagNavjit Singh Sandu (Captain)

South Africa Lance Watson Leroux Hendriks Duncan Watson Bryan Hein (Captain)

Unlike 2011, the weather gods delivered a superb sunny day and after a nervous start the South Africans were the fi rst to draw blood with a fi ne fi eld goal by Hendriks.

India soon equalised with a goal from Sughag

only for Lance Watson to score his fi rst on de-but after a perfectly-timed passing shot from Hendriks. Not wanting to be outdone Duncan Watson added another with the ball soar-ing through the posts and over the highway giving South Africa a 3 – 1 lead at the end of chukka 1.

Chukka 2 saw South Africa increase their dominance scoring another two goals with the Indians looking a little shell-shocked. South Africa’s 5 – 1 lead looked formida-ble at this early stage but during the third chukka they seemed to lose concentration and discipline giving away three penalties and allowing India back into the game.

The halfway stage saw the scoreboard refl ect-ing a 6 to 4 advantage to South Africa with India still very much in the game.

Chukka 4 started at a furious pace with both teams trading penalties slotted by captain Hein and Godara respectively.

Lance Watson added a second fi eld goal leaving the Indians with a three-goal defi cit at

Under16 team and Under 21 team.

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Polo • 11

After spending a couple of days at the beau-tiful Oaklands Country Manor in Harrismith, the Indians arrived in Johannesburg hungry to show their true mettle. This they did in fi ne style by convincingly defeating a Blesbok team full of young South African talent at the East Rand Polo Club. By all accounts, they looked far more settled and organised than the previous week, giving the South Africans plenty to ponder over. Both nations kept the same teams for the second international at Waterfall.

Again, the weather was superb and with the new facility at Waterfall capable of accom-modating far bigger crowds and VIP guests, the public braced themselves for another exciting encounter. After the formalities of the national anthems, the Honourable Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, got the match underway by throwing the ball in from the back of a BMW M6 convertible much to the delight of the crowd.

India wasted no time in showing they meant business and opened the score with a goal from Godara. However, the Watson cousins soon changed things with a goal a piece to leave the visitors trailing at the close of the fi rst period.

Chukka 2 saw a huge onslaught from the home side with four goals in quick succes-sion – two by Lance Watson and one each from Hein and Hendriks. With SA dominat-ing, the Indians tried valiantly to keep the scoreboard ticking over but squandered two easy chances to leave them goalless in this period. The third saw a slight change in fortunes with India slotting two without reply from South Africa making the half-time score 6 – 3 in favour of the home team.

The fourth period was tight with little quarter given resulting in a goal from each side – one by captain Hein who had a massive Series and proved to be a strong and inspi-rational leader. India’s goal was courtesy of Suhag who also showed that one cannot “coach” experience. With the score set at 7 to 4 and India looking threatening, South Africa produced some of the best polo of the

Luke Tomlinson, captain of Audi England, lifted the Coronation Cup for a third succes-sive year after a nail-biting match against South Africa at Guards Polo Club, Windsor.

Audi England faced a tough and talented South African opposition and, with the teams adding up to a 26 - and 25 - goal handicap respectively, those watching the match were ensured a competitive and exciting display of the sport. Thousands of spectators, including VIPs HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Dominic Cooper, Matt Smith, Douglas Booth, Dionne Bromfi eld, Gemma Chan, Annabelle Wallis and Steven Moyer, enjoyed some rare Eng-lish summer sunshine after months of endless rain.

Under the captaincy of 23-year-old Nachi du Plessis, the Equus & Co sponsored South Africans also included Chris Mackenzie, Jean du Plessis and Tom de Bruin - four play-ers under the age of 25, not only making them the youngest international team ever to have taken to Smith’s Lawn on International

Day, but also an indication of the young polo talent that South Africa, as a country, is producing. After the match, David Woodd, Chief Executive of the Hurlingham Polo Association was quick to praise the South Africa team saying, “It was a great privilege for England to play a young go-getting South African team.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the Eng-land line-up is one we have seen many times before – James Beim once again playing in the number one position, the Tomlinson broth-ers, Mark and Luke, working together in the middle, and Malcolm Borwick at back – a combination that has previously produced England with the desired results.

It was perhaps the team cohesion that has been established as a result of playing with one another for many years now that gave them that extra advantage, plus some expe-rienced coaching from another International Day captain, Chile’s Jose Donoso.From the moment the ball was thrown in, it

was evident that the game would be one between two very competitive sides, with the young and fresh energy of South Africa fac-ing a more experienced England side. With the half-time score reading 5 – 3 in favour in England, the home crowd was perhaps be-ginning to relax a little. However, impressive team play and confi dent attacks from South Africa kept England on edge and in the fi nal chukka, with just six minutes left of play, de Bruin equalised for South Africa, and this game was very much back on.

The next crucial play was by none other than the England captain himself, who executed a perfect 30-yard penalty shot to take the home team into the lead with just fi ve minutes to go and who deservedly won the Most Valuable Player Award which he later received from HRH Prince Philip.

Adding more excitement to the game, the du Plessis duo together produced another goal for South Africa, equalising again with just two minutes left of play. It was England’s

Borwick though who would be the one to secure the 2012 show, sending what would be the fi nal and most important shot of the day which somehow found its way between various players and fi nally the posts as well thus securing England their third successive Coronation Cup victory, after defeating New Zealand (2010) and Brazil (2011).

England’s James Beim was delighted to receive the Best Playing Pony award for his own Yacht. This 11-year-old chestnut gelding is James’s favourite pony and he showed his delight in the post event press conference, saying “It is always wonderful when your ponies are recognised, not just for me but for my grooms too.”

The young South African team can be proud of their achievement and certainly did their country proud. David Wood, Chief Executive of the HPA commented that England were lucky to have played the South African team in 2012 and not in a few years time!

2nd International – Waterfall Polo Estate, Sunninghill Johannesburg

Audi international sees England clinch victory against South Africa to win Coronation CUP 22 July 2012By: CLIVE PEDDLE, Executive Director – South African Polo Association

season, scoring four fi eld gaols (Hendriks, Duncan Watson and Hein x 2) India replied with a Godara penalty leaving them with lots to do in the fi nal chukka.

South Africa again went on the rampage, scoring another four (2 x Hendriks, Duncan Watson and Lance Watson) basically shutting India out of the match. Both Kalaan and

Godara scored for India in the latter stages of the chukka leaving South Africa victorious again to clinch the Series.

Duncan Watson was again awarded Man of the Match for his high-work rate and rak-ing passes. Best-playing pony was won by Hannes Pickard’s mare “Cornish” who was played by Suhag.

The quality of play by the young South African players bodes well for the future of the game in this

country especially after SA narrowly lost to England in their

backyard competing for the Coronation Cup.

1.At weaning:Start teaching your foals to lead. I personally do this after they are weaned. I use the old school method of haltering both my foal and a donkey and then tying them to one another with 50cm of rope separat-ing them. I do this for a few hours a day until the foal learns to follow the donkey. Foals accept this method better and you avoid any negative

association with being handled by humans from the start. It is also safer than having a handler try and teach the foal as they do not run the risk of fl ipping over and hitting their heads. Once they are leading I have them caught and groomed once a day until they are comfortable with being touched. Then I turn them out, feed them well and let them grow up, catching and handling them only when necessary for medical treat-ment. 2.At 18- 24 months: Bring them in and start handling them every day. Start lunging using a sursingle and smooth snaffl e bridle which I put over the halter to start. Do not check the over-checkup to begin with and put long side reins on so the horse can just get used to the feel of them.

They should be loose enough that they do not restrain the horse. Hook a single lunge rein to the halter and lunge for a total of 10 minutes a day increasing to 15 minutes as the horse gets used to it. Work both ways at a

walk and trot in a bullring. Do not try and do this in an open arena.

When the horse works comfortably in both directions begin to increase the tension on the side reins incremen-tally and repeat the process.Once he goes forward without fi ghting the bridle on the shortened side reins I replace them with lunge reins. Now I start teaching the horse to steer, stop, back and turn. In the case of a very nervous horse I will teach him to turn, back and stop in his stable where he feels comfortable and cannot run away hurting himself or you, before trying it in the bullring.

Once your horse can do everything in the bullring and is wearing the bridle without fi ghting you, you can take your horse to an open space and start walking behind him with the reins and teaching him to steer around, stop and backup and turn there. Finally I move to long lining down a rail. I teach my horse to side pass down a rail. The horse should face the rail and walk side-ways down it. You can start with the horses’ hind quarter at a 45° angle to the rail gradually increasing towards a 90° angle as the horse begins to understand. I also teach him to stop and back against the rail and turn around toward the rail then move off in the other direction.

3.Saddling:Next I introduce a saddle and bridle (over the halter with a lead rope at-tached). I use blinkers to begin with so the horse is not overwhelmed. I lead the horse around with the sad-dle so that he gets used to the feel of it. I have a small jockey who gets on quietly and sits still until the horse calms under his weight.

Once the horse is relaxed I have a handler lead the horse off by the lead rope while the jockey holds his mane and the reins loosely. The horse might round his back at this but just keep leading him till he re-laxes his back. Next lead the horse into a trot with the jockey posting and gently switch from a trot to a walk a few times.

When the horse is comfortable remove the lead rope and have his handler walk off next to him, from there the rider must urge the horse to go forward and then move off on his own. The rider must then teach the horse to move forward using fi rst his voice cue then his leg and a crop as the last resort, so that the horse will learn to move forwards on the voice cue. Ride the horse forward 50 – 100 metres then stop him and give him time to think about it before repeating the exercise. Once he can move forward and

stop, start getting him to turn, back and eventually side pass.

4.Bitting:I bitting rig my horses with a sursinge and bridle with side reins for 5-10 minutes a day before working them. I do this for my young horses once I move on to saddling them and I even do this for my old show horses. On the young horses I start with a loose rein and tighten it a little once they have been running for a few minutes. When starting young horses I do not over-check them initially but start on a loose check once they are com-fortable with the side reins tighter, I then slowly increase the tension on the check over time as they become comfortable. It gives them a chance to have a little fun stretch, warm up and correct themselves in the bridle so that they are relaxed and ready to work when I want to get on or jog them. It also gives me a chance to look at them and make sure they are sound and happy before I work them.

5.Driving:Once your colt is comfortable under saddle I move to teaching him to harness. I put him in the harness and hook the cart up to him and then fol-low the same procedures I did under saddle with a handler leading him by lead rope attached to his halter while I walk behind him with the driving reins. Once he is comfortable and will stop and start, I take the lead rope off and continue to walk behind him teaching him to stop, start, back and turn. Only once he is calm and relaxed and well-versed in the aforementioned do I get into the cart. If you do not have many handlers to help you or you have a nervous horse, I prefer to use a starter har-ness rig that is built to drag a tyre. This teaches the horse to get used to the feeling of dragging the weight and the tracers on his sides without any danger of him hurting himself or you.

12 • Saddlebred Equestrian Express Issue 4

5 Tips from 5 Time Trainer of the Year: Starting your young horse Remember that a young horse has the learning capability of approximately a 5-year-old child. He will not learn everything you want in one day. You need to repeat what you want him to learn every day and add to it a little at a time as he masters each skill.

1 At

Please send any questions or topics

you would like me to cover in the next issue to the team at

Equestrian Express by emailing info@equestrianexpress.

co.za

An opportunity has opened for a position

Saddle Horse “Trainer of the Year” Harold Poil.

Harold is looking to the future and would like to develop a young horseperson to take-up the reins in the Harold

looking for an enthusiastic young person with a horse background (all disciplines welcome) who is willing

to work hard and is open to learning to do things the Harold Poil Stables way.

On site accommodation and meals included. Hours are uncertain and depend on show season. Be prepared to work hard, Harold is looking to passing on his legacy so

you will have to earn the privilege.

Submit your resume to haroldpoilstables@gmail.com

with subject header “Apprentice position” for consideration or call 072 8733 220

Kindly take note that you will be required to participatein an interview requiring a practical riding skills test andif selected there will be a probationary period before

being appointed to a full time position.

APPRENTICE POSITION OPENING:

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Saddlebred • 13

14 • Saddlebred Equestrian Express Issue 4

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Saddlebred • 15

Standerton Show 2012By Karin SchellinkPhotos by: Tertius Genade - Fotojan , Cell: 0837184048, Email: genadet@hotmail.comI knew before I left my home in Port Elizabeth that I would have a wonderful time during my trip to Standerton. So many people told me that if you want to have a magnifi cent time you must go to the Standerton show, and I wasn’t disappointed.

On my arrival on Thursday afternoon at the airport in Johannesburg, it showed me how organised the ‘dream team’ of Gert Koch and Hennie was. Hennie collected Hugo Visser, one of the judges, Tertius Genade,

the show photographer and myself from the airport. After arriving in Standerton we were welcomed warmly and enthusiastically. When we arrived at our guesthouses I realised that only the best was good enough for this ‘dream team’.The three judges for the show were Visser, C.J Du Plessis, and George Borcherds. When the show started it was freezing, but this never seemed to bother any of the judges or exhibitors.

The excitement, the quality of horses and tre-mendous crowd along the rail exceeded my expectations. Every class was excellent with

the power of the horses and the dedication of the riders. The action got more exciting after lunch when the championships started.The warm personality of Koch and his team were apparent all weekend. It was a fi rst for me to see the committee make foot fi res around the outside of the show ring to ease the cold for the spectators.

We were spoilt rotten from breakfast to dinner. The food was served beautifully as though it had been made in a top class restaurant. Results:

Class: 67. Grand Champion Three Gaited Park HorsePlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Limebank Striking Jack Taz Niel Valentine 2 Wilmar My Attitude John Smuts 3 Ekalene Commanders Replacement Mia Prinsloo 4 - French Legionnaire Luci Nouwens

Class: 68. Grand Champion Fine HarnessPlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Danstell Beunos Aires Ted Groenewald 2 Bridgewaters Nite In A Million Andrew Vermaak 3 Sellouron`s War My Way Luci Nouwens 4 Danstell Charles Bronsen Alfi e Cockrell 5 Goliaths General`S Parade Tersia Malan

Class: 69. Champion Five Gaited Childs Riding HorsePlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Misty Meadows New York Nite Carla Rix 2 Brt Fleets Wings Of Glory Andre Du Plessis 3 Jo-Jo Tjailatyd Dane Van Niekerk 4 Ml Danissimo Kobus Bester

Class: 70. Grand Champion Three GaitedPlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Parash Touch The Edge Reinette Giliomee 2 Diamond Back Foo Fighter Retief Rossouw 3 Nataniel Valley`s Sound Of Music Garland Poil 4 Redwoods King Of Sports Madre Brand 5 Herjanro Touch The Sun Elias Makwena

From my perspective the 5Gaited championships was truly one of the most exciting of the day. The group of 15 horses paraded in front of the judges and I was immediately struck by the quality of horses and it sent shivers down my spine. The winner of the class, Dejané Poil had faced many top competitors during this class including Luci Nou-wens, Niel (Blikkies) Valentine and Stephan Loock, but perhaps none was more formidable than Dejané’s husband Harold Poil. The husband and wife team fi nished in 1st and 2nd place. First impressions last. My fi rst impression was of wonderful people that make this industry thrive, a well organised show, the love for horses, and the power and beauty of the horses which will keep owners, trainers, and exhibitors in love with them forever.I will always promote the Standerton show as one of the best organised events I have ever been to.

Class: 71. Grand Champion Single HarnessPlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Bridgewaters Nite Of Roses Ted Groenewald 2 Nemesia Bay City Gypsie Paul Tau 3 Ocksan Spunky Lady Dolly Aschendorff

Class: 72. Champion Three Gaited Child’s Riding HorsePlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Wilmar Eye Believe Taz Nicole Bester 2 Venngel Sir Roy Ameru Groenewald 3 Overschot I`m Simply Stunning Elsje Giliomee 4 Truwin The Star Of Africa Bernadette Schoeman 5 Jnt Pj`s Spring Power Dane Van Niekerk

Class: 73. Grand Champion Five GaitedPlace Horse Exhibitor 1 Bridgewaters Romantic Nite Taz Dejane Poil 2 Bridgewaters Nite Time Romance Harold Poil 3 Jabula Skipper Niel Valentine 4 Valley-Venture Brite Nite Luci Nouwens 5 Jonazell Royal Nite Alfi e Cockrell

16 • Saddlebred Equestrian Express Issue 4

Issue 4 Equestrian Express Saddlebred • 17

18 • Saddlebred Equestrian Express Issue 4

Parys Show Accommodation DecemberThe annual Parys Christmas Festival Horse Show Which is held at the Afri-Dome in the beautiful town of Parys, which borders the Vaal River will be held from the 5th to the 8th of December 2012.

Some of South Africa’s best Saddle Horse contenders gather each year to compete for the prestigious titles on offer here and competition is heated. The show will also host the 2012 Saddle Seat World Cup Equitation competition held between the South African Senior Protea team, the United States of America, Europe and Canada. This year the show will have exhibition tents with place for people/companies to exhibit their products and wares.

The Championship classes held on Saturday afternoon provide much excitement and cheering from the crowd as they encourage their favourites to win. Nianell will be performing at the show on Saturday afternoon between 16h00 and 17h00 and Jannie Moolman will also perform on

Saturday night after 18h00. Tickets will be available from Computicket. There will be plenty to see and do at this year’s show so don’t miss it! If you would like more information on having a stall at the Parys show or being a sponsor, please contact Apie van den Berg on cell: 0829308274, or email: minesafe@iafrica.comTo advertise your restaurant , shop or activities for visitors to Parys to do please contact Equestrian Express at info@equestrianexpress.co.za

Issue 4 Equestrian Express • 19

The last few decades may indeed be de-scribed as the mad medicine decades. Multinational companies with unlimited funds have managed very successfully to convince the public that patented chemical compounds will ensure a long and healthy life. This trend has of course also spilled over into veterinary medicine. The question is however often asked by top scientists, without hidden agen-das – are we medicating ourselves and our animals to death?

There is no question that many of the chemi-cal compounds developed by the leading multinational chemical companies have been invaluable in treating and in some cases preventing disease. It does however seem that we have become over reliant on these medicines. With the slightest sign of malady we grab for the antibiotics, anti-infl ammatory and all the other “anti’s’ so freely available. In our haste to medicate we often forget that the strongest weapon against disease is not another magical medical compound but instead the body’s own defence mechanism.Aids has taught us all that when the body’s defence mechanism collapses no amount or variation of drugs will be strong enough to kill the bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses that the weakened immune system cannot cope with. The chemical medicines are invaluable as an aid in reducing these infections to a level were the body’s immune system can cope again with the infectious load. Often the chemicals will only treat the symptoms and not take the underlying cause into account.

Nature’s natural healers

The “new age of medicine” where physicians and veterinarians are increasingly starting to realise the need for adjunctive natural products, also known as neutraceuticals, in managing disease has fi nally arrived. These neutraceuticals are all natural products manu-factured from plant or animal materials and thus not synthesized in a chemical factory. By using these compounds we are fi nally allow-ing mother nature to assist in healing our-selves and all the animals placed in our care. These natural healers are perfectly safe and unlike so many chemical compounds, seldom cause any serious side effect.

Horses hate medicines

Horses are notoriously diffi cult animals to treat. They very often react very badly to long-term antibiotic or anti-infl ammatory treatment and in many instances cannot be treated with medicines made for other species. The diges-tive system of a horse is so unique that more than any other species the use of antibiotics and other chemical compounds may lead to life-threatening colic. “Prevention is better than cure” certainly holds true for our beloved equine species. The use of neutraceuticals in the prevention and as adjunct treatment in horses is gaining popularity and scientifi c acceptance worldwide. When using natural products it is often wise to combine different products, as the combinations will work better that a single product alone. Because the natu-ral products do not have the side effects of chemicals there are seldom interactions and it is quite safe to combine them.

The Toxins, Prebiotics, Probiotics and Macrophages

Mycotoxins are highly toxic substances that are formed when fungi grow in grain or fod-der. Bacterial toxins are formed when bad bacteria grow in the intestinal tract. These toxins have an incredibly negative affect on the body causing a myriad of diseases but also importantly causing a severe depres-sion of the immune system. Probiotics is the general name for the multitude of good bacteria that live in the gut. These good bacteria are the mainstay of the health of

the digestive system. They are found in their hundreds of billions in the gut. They play a major role in the digestion of foods. As these good bacteria grow they also produce acids and other substances that prevent the bad bacteria (known as pathogens) from growing and attaching to the intestinal wall. Each species has its own unique good bacteria that colonize the intestinal tract.

Prebiotics are very special sugars and fi bres that are the food for the good bacteria living in the gut. Without an adequate amount of these prebiotics the good bacteria cannot replicate and their numbers decrease rapidly. Two well-known prebiotics are Mano-oli-gosacharides (MOS) and Fructo-oligosacha-rides (FOS).Macrophages are the white blood cells that circulate throughout the body. They are also commonly referred to as the packmen of the immune system because they engulf the virus’s bacteria and other pathogens entering the body. They also play a major role in support-ing the rest of the immune system in the body. Unfortunately only 30% of the macrophages in the body are active. The rest just fl oat around not doing much. The moment the body is attacked by disease the macrophages often become even less active.

A breakthrough in supporting the immune system. An extremely exciting new product called MULTI-MUNE has just been launched by VetsBrands the unique Vet only neutraceutical company. This product is the fi rst of its kind in the world. It was developed by collabora-tion of three specialists (veterinarian, nutrition-ist and a professional horse trainer) in their fi eld of expertise. After years of combined research this collaboration has fi nally borne fruit.

MULTI-MUNE contains fi ve different natural substances which combine to be the ultimate immune stimulant, gastro-intestinal protectant and anti-oxidant. It takes into account the health of the intestinal tract as well as the health of the immune system and combines to optimize the most effective function of both. By optimising the function of these two body systems it plays a role in ensuring the health and vitality of your hose and is an incredible aid in any medicinal treatment that your vet may prescribe. It is also a fantastic aid in helping horses to detox after over treatment with harmful drugs.

MULTI-MUNE contains a special strain of Probiotics, Prebiotics (FOS & MOS), a special toxin binding clay and three immune stimulants and anti-oxidants. The use of Beta Glucan as an immune stimulant has been extremely well researched in the USA. It exerts its immune stimulating effect by binding onto the macrophages and stimulating them to become far more active. MULTI-MUNE is the fi rst product for horses in South Africa to contain Beta glucan. Grape skin extract and ultra pure natural garlic powder are two other trusted immune stimulants included in this incredible product. If you are a concerned horse owner who is tired of the one dimen-sional approach of medicine use only to keep your horse healthy or to treat your horse, consider using this fantastic new natural product as an adjunctive aid in treatment and prevention of disease.

Keeping your horse healthy the natural way!By: DR. O.J. BOTHA (BVSc)

Issue 4 Equestrian Express • 20