Newsletter: Madeleine Graham - 5485 1849 / Email ro45922@bigpond.net.au
Pomona Pony Club Monthly newsletter
March, 2008
Newsletter proudly sponsored by: Ramsay Clout –Insolvency and Forensic Accountants
Accountants
The amber zone has finally turned white. We are now able to move freely throughout the rest of Queensland except the south east corner which remains amber. A DPI permit is required to enter this zone.
This good news means Pony Club will resume as normal but with a few new procedures as outlined below. The DPI have asked us to keep these in place for awhile because although they have had no new outbreaks of EI in Queensland we are NOT EI FREE. The colder winter months may see a reappearance of the virus. Please remain vigilant, we want to stay white.
When transporting horses you will need to have a waybill & any travel documents your horse may have. The travel documents are vaccination certificates & microchip number. If your horse has them you will need to carry them wherever your horse goes. This is a requirement for horses that are ridden to events or pony club as well.
Although I have enjoyed the break from horse competitions & pony club I am very excited at the thought of being out & about with the kids & ponies again.
I look forward to seeing everyone at pony club & seeing the looks of pleasure & excitement on all the young equestrians as they learn & are guided through new experiences. I look forward to seeing the older members strive to better their riding but most of all I look forward to seeing the sheer joy that comes with kids & adults doing something they love. Happy riding.
A few things have changed at Pony Club this year. The first of these routines came as a surprise to the members who attended the training day.
When you arrive at Pony Club all horse floats will be directed around the bottom of the showgrounds. When you reach the equipment shed you will be stopped. At this point you will be asked to step out of your vehicle & disinfect your shoes & hands. You will then have to produce a waybill (every horse that is moved from their ’place of residence’, either by vehicle or on hoof, requires a waybill & the pony club is required by law to retain a copy). If the information on the waybill checks out with the horses you are carrying you will be allowed to proceed to the designated parking area. Those of you, who for whatever reason, don’t comply with this you will be asked to leave. We are not doing this because we like extra work. This directive comes from DPI & if we are caught not complying there will be consequences for the pony club & there could be random inspections from DPI staff.
The second change is that there will be no communal water troughs. Again this is a DPI directive. Please ensure you pack a water bucket. There is a tap located at the entrance to the main arena.
The last change is that we have been asked to tell our members to minimize horse to horse contact. We understand during lessons it is unavoidable but we will not allow horses to be yarded together. If possible please tie your horse beside your float/truck.
Your cooperation will be expected & appreciated.
Any questions? Phone Rob-0408 708 205
or Cameron-0409 851 850.
With Nicola McKenzie
MARCH 9th - 1st Muster (with horses)
Remember, polish up your boots & tack, spruce up those horses & ponies and get ready for the first Muster (with horses) on Sunday March 9th. We’ll start at 8.30am with a gear check, followed by flatwork & games. After a break for lunch we’ll be offering jumping for those who wish to participate. SEE YOU THERE!!
Please remember to bring your WAYBILLS. Print them off the Pomona PC web-site – www.pomonapc.org.au. Remember you need 2, 1 for Pony Club to keep & 1 for yourself.
MARCH 30th – Dressage Day with Phillipa Poulson
I’ll be taking registrations for this great Dressage Day at the Muster on March 9th. Don’t miss out – first in best dressed!
Thanks Nicola.
Round Yard: Luke has started the round yard. Thanks Luke for the use of your time, tractor & men to ram the posts in. This round yard will have a dual purpose. It will be used as a round yard & with a few mild adjustments it will become a cross country jump when needed.
Welcome to all our new members & welcome back to our old Pomona pony club members. It looks like it will be a great year with a lot of things being done already.
Web Page: Remember to check the web page regularly for updates at www.pomonapc.org.au . You can look on there to find out about upcoming events, results, photos etc.
Uniforms: Anne Doneman& her Daughter Bronte are the new uniforms coordinators. For any queries regarding uniforms please ring them on 5485 2625.
Results: If you have any results/photos for the newsletter please email them to Madeleine Graham at– ro45922@bigpond.net.au or phone them to me on 5485 1849 ah.
March:
9th: Muster Day-Pomona, 8:30am
9th: Official Showjumping-Nambour
15th: Zone 6 Equitation Champ-Gympie
16th: Zone 6 Show jumping Champs-Gympie
21-24: Easter
28-30: Team Penning & Campdraft School-Widgee
30th: Muster Day-Pomona, 8:30am
April:
5-13: School Holidays
6th: Muster Day-Pomona, 8:30am
13th: Zone 6 Dressage Champions-Buderim
27th: Official ODE-Caloundra
May:
4th: Official Dressage & Combine Training-Kia Ora
11th: Gymkhana-Maroochy
18th: Gymkhana-Kenilworth
25th: Official Dressage-Nambour
31st: Zone 6 ODE-Doonan
June:
1st: Zone 6 ODE-Doonan
1st: Gymkhana-Mooloolah
This year we will be holding a monthly competition, there will be a small prize for the winner. Enter to win as follows. You have to write the answer to a question on a piece of paper & place it in the entry box in the clubhouse before the monthly draw & Pete will declare the first correct entry drawn out as the winner. There are 3 categories: 7yrs & under. Those members studying for D/D* certificates & those members studying for C certificates. Answer the wrong question & you will be eliminated. All questions will be related to the certificates you will be studying for except the 7yrs & under, those questions will be easy & on pony club related topics covered during muster lessons. You are allowed to ask the instructors or mum/dad or even the internet for help in finding the answer.
March Questions:
7yrs & U: Who do you call if your pony is sick?
D/D*: List how you would care for & feed your pony in Summer especially in the wet conditions we have been having.
C: It’s a health question-write down the normal at rest temperature, the normal at rest pulse rate & the normal at rest respiration rate of a healthy adult horse.
Drawn: 6th April
March winner is Ayla Jones. Ayla is studying for her C certificate. Congratulations Ayla.
Although well cared for horses are generally healthy it is still good to recognize the signs of a healthy horse or the onset of possible illness.
GOOD HEALTH:
-The pony is alert & interested in what is going on around him.
-Round in condition, with ribs well covered.
-The coat in summer should be sleek & glossy, though an unclipped pony in winter will look shaggy.
-The skin should be loose, moving easily under one’s hand.
-The eye bright & wide open (unless he’s sleeping). The lining of the eye & nostril should be a deep salmon pink in colour.
-Ears should feel warm. They are a good indication of whether the pony is warm enough all over.
-Lower leg, below the knee & hock, should feel cool & ‘fine’, with tendons & ligaments standing out like hard cords.
-Feet should also feel cool. Frog should be firm but elastic, sole clean & hard.
-The pony should move ‘sound’, with a perfectly level, even stride.
-Lying down for short periods & rolling occasionally, especially after work.
-Breathing should be quiet, regular & rather slow, when the pony is at rest.
-A hearty appetite.
-Droppings: about 8 pikes should be produced daily. Colour will vary according to diet. They should just break on hitting the ground.
-Urine should be passed 2 or 3 times daily. It should be fairly thick & light in colour.
-The pony going willingly & appearing to enjoy work.
BAD HEALTH:
-Standing with drooping head & a ‘tucked up’ appearance, on his own, away from other ponies.
-Excessively fat (gross condition), or thin & ribs showing.
-Coat harsh or “staring”-standing up on end instead of lying flat.
-Skin tight or “hidebound”-often a sign of worms.
-Eye dull or half shut. Lining of eye & nostril very pale, yellow or bluish in colour. Discharge from eyes or nostrils.
-Ears cold & clammy.
-Legs hot & puffy or swollen. If one leg is affected, check carefully for lameness. If all 4 legs are “filled” it could be due to a sudden change of diet, or to the pony eating something that has disagreed with him.
-Any heat in the feet. Softness or a smelly discharge from the sole or frog.
-Any shortness or unevenness of stride. It is normal for a pony to ‘rest’ one hind leg, but not to point or rest a foreleg while standing square on the other 3 legs.
-Lying down for several hours on end. Rolling continually is often a sign of colic.
-Breathing that is quick , noisy or in any way laboured.
-Not grazing for long periods. Refusing food.
-Hard, very dark droppings (constipated). Very loose with a pungent smell (diarrhea).
-Dark coloured urine. If a pony has trouble passing urine, it should be reported to the vet immediately.
-An unhealthy pony asked to work may appear crabby & lazy, just as you would.
Most of these signs of health may seem obvious, but it takes practice to notice the details quickly. Get to know your ponies habits while he is healthy. Watch him eating & resting & take a mental note of how often during a day he does these things. Check out his healthy poo & if you regularly clean his paddock you will already know how often he goes. Watch him walking & trotting & see how regular his paces are.
If a pony is obviously sick or lame, consult your vet immediately. Write down all the signs of ill health-ie: anything that is not normal behavior. Take his temperature & heart rate if you know how. The more information you give your vet, the quicker he/she can decide how urgently your pony needs medical attention.
Otherwise known as Colic it can be caused by a sudden change in diet or a pony raiding the feed room. Another cause is drinking too much water when hot, drinking sandy water or internal problems such as worms, indigestion or poison.
Symptoms: Pony looking round at stomach, often kicking at it. Moving around restlessly, lying down & getting up & pawing at the ground. In more severe cases a pony will be rolling or thrashing about violently, grunting or sweating in patches. Any obvious signs of pain in the stomach area.
We recommend contacting your vet immediately. Colic can be fatal & your vet will have the best possible advice for your situation.
While waiting for the vet keep your pony warm & lead him around quietly. If he tries to roll get him up & moving immediately. Violent rolling may result in a twisted gut.
EXERCISE 1: HOW TO RIDE A CIRCLE
Benefit: Circles are the foundation of any horses training, making him equally supple on both sides of his body so he develops proper body alignment. A horse that performs circles properly in both directions won’t lean on your aids when asked to perform other maneuvers.
How to ride the exercise:
Set out some cones to define a 15-20 meter circle.
Start on the inside of the cones& walk a large circle to the right.
When you are circling to the right the cones are to your left. Imagine that you want a point on the middle of your horses body & your left leg to just brush the inside of the cones.
Slip to the outside of the cones & trot a circle around the cones.
When you circle right & the cones are to your right, imagine you want your horse to curl around the cones, coming as close as possible but never touching the cones.
Slip to the inside & trot a circle.
Slip to the outside & walk a circle.
Change direction across your circle & ride the entire pattern to the left.
Note:
-Guide &control the hindquarter with the legs.
Use your inside leg at the girth
* to activate inside hind leg
* to create & maintain lateral bend to the inside
* to prevent the horse from falling into the circle.
Use your outside leg behind the girth
* to maintain bend by holding the hindquarters
* to cause the outside hind leg to step forward.
Move your outside leg forward
* to assist the outside rein in straightening a bulging shoulder.
-Guide & control the forehand with your reins.
Use your inside rein
* sometimes a little higher than the outside rein
* sometimes in a lifting or vibrating manner
* to initiate flexion & bend.
Use your outside rein
* low & steady
* to limit inside bend
* to prevent outside shoulder from bulging.
Caution:
Don’t confuse circle work with lateral work. When you ride a horse on a circle, you should ride your horse straight. Riding “straight” on a circle means you must be sure the horses hind feet follow his front feet & that the horse is bent uniformly from his head to his tail according to the size of the circle & the degree of bend it requires.
(Information & exercise is from the book ‘101 Arena Exercises’)
By Pete Dumont
Four riders, Ayla Jones, Cassie Green, Nathan MacKenzie & Megan Nolan represented Pomona Pony Club at the Eventing School & Hunter Trial at Doonan on February 23rd & 24th.
Megan rode a nice, clear showjumping round on her new pony, Bailey. Ayla & Roger displayed their usual cheekiness in their approach to the day, whilst Nathan & Sakara rode hard, both taking it all in their stride with big grins on both their faces. The highlight of the Hunter Trial on Sunday was Cassie’s 3rd place win on Pete Dumont’s horse ‘Jimmy’ (Taquin Moonstride to his mates) in the ‘Pre Intro horse, rider 12-18 class’. This was in spite of a very long warm-up & a nervous wait for Cassie & Nathan prior to the Showjumping, while awaiting an Ambulance after a fall by a previous rider. All horses proved very fit, coping well with the over 40 degree temperatures on Saturday. Our riders also kept their cool & a great (but very hot) day was had by all. Well done to all our riders…
For those of you keen to have a go at some Cross Country riding we’re in the process of organizing dates for a Pomona Pony Club camp at the Cross Country course at Maryborough later in the year. It’s a FUN week-end, & very popular with riders of all ages & levels. The water hazard proved very hazardous & wet for some parents when Emily Graham’s mischievous pony went to roll in the water. Fortunately dad, Rob was on hand to save the day. We’ll let you know dates as soon as they’re confirmed for this year, and maybe you’ll have your own story to tell!!