Horse Racing In Australia And Its Future

Horse racing has seen many changes over its long history. The introduction of fixed starting gates, and the Totalisator are just two examples of technology that has changed the nature of the sport in more recent times. Horse Racing in Australia though faces a deal of challenges in the coming years.

The traditional funding of racing by punters is one area that has changed dramatically in Australia following the privatisation of the TAB’s. This has opened the market to far more gambling products and increased competition to horse racing for the gambling dollar. The situation is unlikely change in the foreseeable future. Current moves to amalgamate racing clubs are a direct result of economic rationalisation in the industry. Many clubs are situated on land that has grown significantly in value, and are now in the midst of highly sought after residential areas. racing will go on and be under pressure from a range of things including greater than before competition for finance.

Funding has also put a deal of pressure on the grass roots home of racing in the country. No longer supported by Government distribution, traditional tracks now play host often to only a small number of marquee style events that are receiving massive local support. Race meetings like the Ipswich Cup and Cairns Amateur Carnival clearly show the communal service that racing clubs provide.

Racing is not immune from other pressures, and climate change plays a part in the future direction of Australian horse racing. Financial pressures have seen Australian horse breeders find the best possible return on their investment in the sales ring. As a result, there is a move that is internationally growing and moving towards the introduction of all weather racetracks. Not only do they require little watering, but they also reduce the risk of cancellation of meetings due to inclement weather. Many will also argue the benefits to horses of galloping on these surfaces. With pressure on water supply, this is a luxury that is harder to guarantee for the racing industry.

No matter what happens with the global economy in coming years, the centre of horse racing always must be the thoroughbred. Racing is not immune of other stresses, and weather change plays a big part in the future direction of. Horse Racing is not immune from other stresses, and weather change plays a big part in the future direction of. This has had the effect of not only reducing the number of commercially viable stallions standing in Australia, but also a significant reduction in stallion numbers. Veterinarian advancements have also increased the rate of conception meaning that stallions can cover larger books of mares. Modern technology will go on to enhance this ability, and minor horse studs will find it getting more and more difficult to compete. A narrowing of the gene pool appears a probable result. The introduction of shuttling of stallions so as they can serve mares in both hemispheres has further contributed to a narrowing of the gene pool.

As society focuses on quicker gratification, we see the result clearly in other sports. Cricket has seen the remarkable growth of the 20/20 game, while horse racing is tending towards shorter distances. Already, the French Derby has been reduced in distance, and there are calls for many other races to follow suit. Inevitably these reductions will come, making many of the characteristics of our past champion horses obsolete. The rise of sales companies like Magic Millions and their focus on the associated 2yo race for graduates is an example of a trend towards quick return within the industry.


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Karen Cummings has 1 articles online

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Interpreting Breeches

You walk into the tack store prepared to buy a new pair of riding breeches. Sadly, you soon realize you’re not prepared for this task. There are mountains and mountains of different sorts of breeches with strange names like full-seat, knee-patch, euro seat and extended knee patch. You right away feel overwhelmed, but come to a decision to sort everything out then and there so you can have a new pair of breeches.

The Oldie but Goodie Breech

Knee-patch breeches are the most common type of breeches in the shops and they were possibly the 1st sort of breeches you owned. They have a suede patch which covers the inside area of the knee that runs to approximately 5cm above and below the knee. It is most widely utilized in the over fences divisions as it allows the rider to have some grip, yet still be in a position to get out of the saddle.

The Staunch Breech

If you want to be well placed to sit in your saddle to determine your horse’s movement, then the full-seat breech is the way to go. It has a patch made from suede, Clarino or leather which runs from slightly below the knee, through the inner leg and back to the seat. It is most well-liked with dressage riders because this type of breeches allows them to sit straight and not slide all over their saddle. Eventers use full-seat breeches in some phases, but they’re practically non-existent in over fences classes.

The New Kids on the Block

There are two new types of breeches making an appearance in arenas near you, the euro seat breeches and the extended knee breeches (also known as the dressage patch and 3/4 seat breech).

The euro seat breech has knee patches, and an extra seam which covers the seat, but doesn’t contain any material to help the rider sit in the saddle. It is becoming very popular in working hunter classes, because they’ve a reputation of being more comfortable, sturdy and stylish than the traditional knee-patch breeches.

The opposite is true with the extended knee patch breech. The extended knee patch breech looks like a full-seat breech without the seat patch. This breech is excellent for multi-discipline use as it gives riders on horses with bigger movement more grip and it gives dressage riders on smaller movers more freedom. Eventers like the extended patch breech as it strikes the ideal harmony between staying with their horses during the cross-country phase while letting them freedom to get out of the saddle.

You discover that shopping for riding breeches is a breeze once you have decoded those different styles of breech. You choose the breech that best fits your discipline and what you need as a rider. You walk out of the tack store triumphant with your new breeches in hand. Now if you could have somebody decipher those horse ads for you.

Ashley Kantter is an established independent author and columnist specialising in subjects connected with horses and equestrian matters.

Townend Online is an online equestrian clothing and tack shop for all competitive riders stocking a range of comfort bridles and breastplates and other expert equestrian hardware.

Selecting An Appropriate Stallion For Your Mare

Breeding a mare is usually a roll of the dice. You never can say what you are going to get, but you can follow one or two rules to help you lower your risk. Breeding a foal that checks all the boxes on your wish list is more than just picking a stallion out of a catalog. Selecting stud stallions requires a large amount of research, but when you get the foal of your dreams, it is always worth it.

Choose Your Discipline

This is an easy rule, yet so many folks make this error. If you want to breed a foal with Grand Prix jumper potential, you are not going to reproduce your mare with a short horse. Understanding what discipline you need your foal to participate in helps with stallion selection. Some bloodlines produce great jumpers and other bloodlines produce great dressage horses. Therefore step one comprises identifying those bloodlines which are tailored for your discipline.

Know Your Bloodlines

Naturally, not all bloodlines are made equal and the most suitable time to discover that is before you breed your mare. Do you need an amateur- friendly foal with good gaits and a great mind or are you wanting the super talented fire-breathing dragon that screams “professional rider with death wish required”? There are stallions which are famous for breeding talented but difficult progeny and there are stallions that produce talented and level headed progeny. It all comes down to what you have mapped out for your foal’s future.

Don’t Forget the Unknowns

It isn’t uncommon to need a horse with a show record, but infrequently unlucky accidents occur and a stallion must be retired before his competition career has really started. If you like a stallion without a show record, look at that stallion’s offspring. The young will tell you the stallion’s dominant traits and it’s not unknown to have a stallion without a show record siring highly talented progeny.

Yet, with the great selection of stallions with good conformation, glorious gaits and amazing temperaments, there is no deficit of options for mare owners everywhere. Now get out there and breed the next Darco!

Ashley Kantter is a longtime freelance author and columnist, concentrating on topics connected with horses and equestrian matters.

Harthill Stud is a stud farm based in the UK. Focusing on breeding sport horses, it offers a variety of horse breeding services in up to the minute premises.

What It Takes To Be One With Your Pony

It isn’t easy training a pony to be the best mount. I am aware of a manual published by the US Cavalry that goes into great depth about absolutely everything to do with horses: what to do, what not to, and how to do or not do it. That book, if I recollect, has something like 1,500 pages. Even though it was meant for the cavalry, I’m not sure if anyone ever read it cover to cover.

But you don’t need a 1500 page manual to tell you how to train your horse. You can make it a lot less complex. Which is not to say it is less complicated. You still need to work conscientiously at it.

Ever paid close attention to a riding event at a horse show, or maybe a dressage event? It looks so extremely simple, doesn’t? That is, until you start trying it out yourself.

When you’re doing some casual riding, you can simply turn your horse’s head at corners and get him pointed in the right direction. You may be fairly sure the horse will not crunch into the rail. But all that’s fine for casual riding.

It is not going to work for show riding. You are going to upset the judges terribly, to the extent they may get you thrown out after your first event. There isn’t any turning corners at these events. There are only quarter circles that involve about 12 cues. It is going to take you some considerable time to memorize all the cues, and even longer to get your horse to perfectly respond to each.

I have come up with a technique that makes things somewhat easier. I mean, the way to set about the quarter circle. I based my strategy on the simple theory that horses are literally capable of just 11 movements. These movements are:

1. Moving forward using various gaits; 2. The vital skill of stopping; 3. The vital ability of backing up; 4 and 5. Left and right movements of the neck and the head; 6 and 7. Left and right movements of the shoulders; 8 and 9. Left and right movements of the rump; 10 and 11. Left and right movements of the hindquarters.

Trust me, that pretty much covers it.

You need to conquer the cues for every one of these movements, and you need to get your horse to respond like a robot to your cues for each of these movements. You go thru all of it step by step: master each cue and response, move on to the next. Just remember: you Don’t Try and move your horse’s neck or head by pulling at the reins. You get this done with the reins draped loosely around your thumb.

The ideal to reach for, of course, is to attain top coordination with your pony, so that each cue you send to your horse produces the right response instantaneously. That implies the cues become part of your subconscious, and the responses become part of your horse’s.

When you and your pony have realized that level of coordination, you’ll be capable of achieving the quarter circle to perfection.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about horse show cloths

Only Repetitive Follow Through Pony Training Yields Success

Perhaps owing to the many sundry enthusiasms for, although not dedication to, horses and horse riding, it’s hard to reinforce upon individuals that following thru with equestrian training is tantamount to success. When we talk of following thru with horse coaching, it basically means sticking to a training technique or regime and repeating it a multitude of times, which is simply standard. Many folk are indeed horse riding fans, but their zeal for riding does not extend to coaching. Its really not surprising though. This mind-set of becoming bored with repetition is maybe natural to nearly any task that must be repeated almost continually.

Take a weight control or reduction programme for instance. Many overweight folk want to shed kilos, but few can ever commit to an almost overzealous diet and exercise programme that can effectively help them in losing weight and remain in a preferred weight range. Even if the issue concerns general fitness, chunky folk People in general lose interest in repetion whether the case is of one’s own health, one’s weight or a wannabe equestrian not following through with pony training… merely stopping as soon as his horse shows a glimmer of understanding.

Ask any committed equestrian, even the basic horse riding maneuvers taught to both rider and horse must be repeated about 2,000 times before the motions of the maneuvers become automated, second nature. A dressage champion wannabe must endure what boredom or any other impetus can trouble her in periods of follow through. But what about the individual simply anticipating weekend pony riding for leisure? Fortunately for those among us who still fall into deplorable ennui yet know the essence of following through with even the most basic training, there are some things that will help us outlast rounds of boredom:

– Count. Yes, count how often you’re repeating the drill, the pony coaching exercise. It can help you concentrate on getting the specified responses. It can also help you to understand just how long it requires for a horse to to understand what you’re trying to teach, how long that it takes for her to make it a habit, and how long it needs until the reply to your cues are nearly automated.

– Try listening to music. Bring your iPod along and stick an earphone into one of your ears. This simple, classic trick may help to keep 15 minutes from appearing like 15 hours.

– Be generous in praising your pony. This helps you focus on your pony, not the boredom. It also encourages her and urges her to learn quicker.

– Don’t schedule boring hours of pony coaching. Break down the training into simpler bites that need shorter time.

But beyond these little things, you as an equestrian should appreciate that it is only thru the numerous times of following thru that you will eventually succeed in developing a robust relationship and amazing success outcomes.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about country supply

Why You Must Use Horse Coaching Videos

Not every horse enthusiast can take up the mantle of equestrian and take part in dressage events. In truth not every enthusiast would want to enter their pony in competitive sport or shows. But what makes equine lovers all the same is their desire to improve their horse riding skills, which sometimes entail an excellent investment of time, effort, and money. Many an equestrian has spent thousands of greenbacks on clinics and workshops just to get his talents up to par and his horses up to scratch. Luckily , for the indisposed to clinics or classes, there are horse coaching videos available, and they have got a bunch of advantages you can make the most out of.

Comprehensive “Horse coaching videos can be expected to be all-encompassing at least in the subject matter it is discussing. This implies that most folks, even a skilled equestrian, can learn plenty about a selected horse topic from only 1 video. Visual learners aren’t the only ones video can influence for the better—any type of learner uses his eyes mainly to find out what he is able to. And while a clinic beats a video when it comes to interaction, well done videos consider everything involved and factor them into the video which means the information you get isn’t just all-embracing, it’s all effective.

Self-paced learning “Clinics and classes have schedules, and these schedules may not coincide with your spare time. Even an equestrian can sometimes be too tied up with other stuff to attend a scheduled class. Coaching videos on the other hand afford you the privilege of learning at your own time and pace. This way you can continually discover more about horses, their care, and their training without compromising other vital and time-consuming aspects of your life. Even only a few minutes devoted to a clip of training video can do amazing things for your horse abilities.

Repeated lessons “Clinic lessons advance based mostly on an established curricula—you can’t go back and do something over again because you missed a class or still can’t do it right. This is another main advantage of using coaching videos. Not only are you able to pause and rewind at parts of the video you would like to watch, you can also continually watch a video lesson as much as you need particularly if it’s yours. Feel free to relearn everything until you feel you are deserving to become a self-proclaimed equestrian.

Learning made portable “Video” doesn’t even need TV for you to watch it any longer. Portable players of all shapes, sizes, and media types have appeared affording you portable learning that can be carried wherever you go. This implies you can learn horse training and care lessons at your own time and pace and in nearly any place you would like. Further broadening the already convenient confines of time and space with which you schedule whereabouts and when you need to watch horse coaching videos, the arrival of even downloadable videos in an age where each spot is a Wi-Fi area just adds a brilliant new dimension and advantage to training videos.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about riding hats

Ponies Can Suffer From Four Types Of Equine Herpes Virus

Horses can suffer from four types of Equine Herpes Virus, or EHV, and the one that you would want to handle the least, is the first type: EHV-1. Sadly, the most distortive of the strains is also the typically contracted. EHV-1, though originally a breathing illness alone, has a mutant strain that spreads its effects to become a neurological disease. Infected horses will be carriers of the virus their whole lives, effectively rendering them pointless for equestrian sport and too dangerous to expose to other animals.

When under stress a carrier would readily shred the virus, and most infected horses, though seemingly healthy, are occasionally shredding the pathogen thru breathing secretions. A steed can contract the illness from nose contact with an infected horse or thru sharing tools and aids like bits. Once infected, the blood vessels ferries the virus round the animals ‘ body. You may observe initial symptoms such as nasal discharge and mild, inconsistent fever that is tough to detect unless you check ever six hours. Veterinarians can check the discharge to see if it’s indeed EHV-1.

Six to twelve days after infection of the neurological strain, horses would start to show symptoms. The disease can progress in as little as 1 to 3 days with 102 degree F fevers and nasal discharge, loss of appetite, and depression as main signals. After 1st neurological symptoms start in a steed’s hindquarters, eventually the pony won’t be able to stand. If left that way, death comes in 24 hours.

The cause of the illness being a virus, there’s no known treatment for it. Vets may recommend immune modulator shots to boost the immune system of horses. If the EHV-1 respiration strain is afflicting them, they’d do well with just the shots. But there’s not much an equestrian can do except for relieve symptoms. There are vaccines that help minimize the dissemination of the virus and can even stop the breathing strain from infecting horses, but not the mutant neurological strain.

All steeds from those utilised for straightforward horse riding and those used for precise sport should go through a food vaccination scheme, and the equestrian responsible should also practice good herd management for multiple horses. Pregnant mares and newborns should be vaccinated regularly. Breeding horses are ideally immunized before their breeding season.

Barns should be kept clean and regular sanitation every 4 months is necessary. Barns that had once had an outbreak of EHV-1 should be sanitize each two months. This sanitation program helps forestall a handful of other equine sicknesses too. Quarantine any pony suspected of having EHV-1 for 21 days, and if you were on a show or competition and one of the horses aside from yours who joined is under suspicion of having EHV-1, take the lead to quarantine your horse for 21 days.

In the case of a flare-up, have all handlers and visitors wear leather boots and gloves—easily disinfected with bleach or chlorine. Other actions include adding a disinfectant tub in all entrances and exits of your barns. Sterilize everything: enclosures, tools, aids everything that horses use or stay in.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about riding hats

Valuable Tips To Choosing The Right Horse

Each equestrian has their own image of the perfect pony “unfortunately it turns out that we simply can’t acquire that totally perfect reliable steed, without regard for how far and long we search. But weep not, there are some pointers that can help you get an almost perfect pony, a perfect equine partner for you as a unique equestrian.

You can take a very long time considering numerous horses for sale and attempting to gauge if that stud or mare can be the ideal partner for your years of equestrian horse riding and coaching to come. So as well as being capable of finding the best equine partner, these pointers can also save you a lot of time taking your pick of horses:

-Seek out dealers and sellers of repute. In all kinds of purchases, it is just the best practice to buy from reputable sellers. Ask your kin and your buddies, and of course your fellow equestrians, for suggestions. Your purchase will go better and smoother with a reliable and truthful seller.

-Be trained in your preference. Don’t select a horse not conformationally suitable for dressage if that’s the sport you intend to venture in. Naturally, for regular horse riding you may then have free choice of horse. But in all else, always be disciplined and stick to horses that you are certain can tackle your selected discipline well.

-As you are selecting an equine partner, choose a partner that will complement you and the numerous facets of you as an equestrian. For example, you’re just starting out in your equestrian career “a well-trained and experienced horse would work with your lack of expertise, and vice versa. This similarly applies to temperaments “if you’re a little bit of the timid rider, then a confident steed might be able to give you a better experience in horse riding and coaching.

-Consult with a knowledgeable equestrian. It’s usually a good idea to have someone skillful in everything concerning horses.

-Always ask questions. It would be good to have an inventory of questions and queries ready to ask about everything concerning the steeds you fancy: performance, health, personality, et al. If the owner can’t answer or offers a lofty reply that appears to hide a base truth, that’s a red flag and a factor against the acquisition.

-Ask if you can see the owner or a rider ride the stud or mare. You can better appraise precise performance and potential thru this.

-After watching the steed being ridden, you take the steed out yourself for a horse riding session. In fact ask if you can perform a handful of stuff you know that you will be doing continually with the steed of your fancy to determine if you can perform these with ease. Even and especially grooming and medical care stuff. It is like test driving an auto. Only this is more all-encompassing.

-Go for a vet check. A vet’s word about the health and temperament of your soon-to-be horse is decisive.

-Request a trial period. Nearly every product worth spending your time and money out there has a guarantee, and an investment like buying a horse should at least have some sport of testing period.

You can only go so far in pre-emptive checking and testing if you and a horse can hit it off great, but its best that you do what you can. After that, it’s all in building your relationship with your new equine partner.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about riding hats

Things You Should Not Over Look When Buying A Pony

Purchasing an animal as a pet or for any reason involves money, legalities and health concerns. When purchasing a pony, these issues take on rather more weight, because good horses are expensive, involve more formalities and necessitate more care in watching out for a variety of mental and physical problems.

You should purchase a horse that is a match for your purpose, and if you’re riding a horse for the simple pleasure of riding, you can buy one that matches your level of expertise. Buying a high strung high performer may not be appropriate for you if you are an amateur rider or a rider who likes it sedate.

When you buy a horse, it’s a case of caveat emptor. In most markets, the onus of comprehensively checking out the horse’s health falls on the buyer; with certain exceptions, the seller is not obliged to make known facts associated with the general health of the animal.

Unless you have covered yourself with a water tight contract, the seller may or may not be meticulous about divulging important information about the pony. You check out the facts by asking the seller unmistakable to-the-point questions, and ensuring he gives you direct answers without any paradoxes. When asking your questions, keep your purpose for purchasing a pony in mind , and communicate it to the seller.

As the accountability for verifying all health facts about the pony is yours as the purchaser, you ought to be accompanied by 1 expert of undoubted caliber, even if you are one yourself. Get all the facts you can out of the buyer by asking leading questions, get the horse vetted and analyze its pedigree and competition records if available.

Even when you’re selling a pony, you have tons of things you have to take care of. It isn’t easy to sell a horse you’re sentimentally attached to, and you would naturally want to be sure your horse leaves for a caring new home. You need your horse assessed entirely and correctly to get the value he merits. Each bit of training your pony has had adds to his value. Obviously, before you put a horse on sale you would have taken the trouble of getting him to lose any unacceptable habits he has.

Buying or selling a horse is a game of patience. If you are selling, you have to publicize your intention such that you draw the maximum publicity. First impressions are lasting impressions, and your pony must be smartly turned out when he is being presented to a possible customer. You could consider engaging a tutor to train your pony for a bit before you sell him; this would add value to the sale.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about horse blanket

Communicating With Your Horses

Yes, your pony most likely does not speak English. In all possibility, he does not talk any other human language, either. He can not speak the way that you and I speak, but that doesn’t mean he can’t communicate. Your pony is a constant source of non-verbal signals and body language that you would do very well to pick, translate and understand. Let’s start you off with some inputs in this article.

Moaning

A pony moans for the same reasons humans do. Quite often, the moan is an expression suggesting that the pony is experiencing discomfort. If you’re unsure of what caused a groan, you would be wise to have your veterinarian have a look.

Horse grunts that aren’t reflective of discomfort are voiced when the pony is straining over some obstacle, much as some tennis players grunt when they serve or hit a shot. These grunts are easily translated and are nothing to worry about.

Certain riders, especially those who bounce like bad checks when they’re riding, could cause horses to groan. You will assume that these are groans of exasperation. Sometimes horses grunt when they believe their work is finished for the day.

You need to become extremely alert when your horse moans; if there’s the smallest indication that he’s groaning because of physical discomfort you should call the vet straight away.

Sighing

Sometimes, horses sigh. They do so by breathing deeply and then letting out their breath slowly through their mouth or nose. Often, these sighs seem to signify ecstasy, if for example, they happen when the horse is being groomed or rubbed down. Sometimes horses sigh when they are given repetitious work; you might say these sights indicate irritation. You should look for something else to do if your pony sighs during a training session.

Snorting

When a horse sighs with a large amount of stress, with partly closed lips that vibrate when it expels breath, it is snorting. Snorting is much louder than sighing. Snorting usually is an indicator that the horse is worked up about something. Snorting is also infectious, as other horses nearby can take it up in a form of chorus. Infrequently, the excitement may build up, and the pony may get hard to manage, showing his excitement with a pride intact, a lifted tail, more and louder snorting and some prancing.

Sometimes horses snort when they get startled. In your rides, you may have occasion to notice that your pony snorts when he comes across something that looks like it might be a threat of some form.

Nickering

Typically, a horse nickers when he’s feeling cheerful, or he is anticipating something nice like an additional treat. Horses also nicker to show their affection, like mares do with their foals. Horses nicker as the times for their feeding get close; if they are feeling impatient for their feed, they make excited sounds that are high pitched.

Sometimes nonetheless , nickers can signal distress. Horses nicker softly when they’re nervous; nickering accompanied by pacing, eye rolling and ears moving back and forth signifies that the pony feels threatened. It is best to immediately attend to the situation and remove the threat.

Neighing

At varied times, neighing suggests that the horse is either concerned or assured. Horses neigh to communicate with one another while at pasture. Perturbed or high-pitched neighing together with sweating indicates stress over something. If the neighing has a sort of bugle effect, and the horse is exhibiting confident body language with ears pricked, it is in pleasant anticipation of something or someone.

Well, that just about should make it plain that horses do communicate. You can understand them only if you are alert and mindful of what each of their different methods of communication implies. You will develop an everlasting bond with your horse when you do finally understand everything he’s saying and respond in an appropriate way.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about riding hats