Talking About Horses with Di Denton

Having grown up 'on' the Silver Brumby children's books series by noted Australian author Elyne Mitchell, my dogged eared copies of the books are testament to my passion for these Australian wild horses from a very early age.  So it was with pleasure that I sat down to interview Kathryn Massey, the President and Founder of the Hunter Valley Brumby Association to find out more about these iconic Australian wild horses and the Associations aims and activities.

Kathryn Massey and the Hunter Valley Brumby Association have championed Australian Brumby horses since 2009 and provide for them refuge, rehabilitation, education and training from their sanctuary property located near Stroud NSW.    The Associations main focus (working with Government, National Parks and State Forest departments and other horse charity organisations) is to protect the 3 main wild populations of Brumbies in the NSW Hunter Valley region (in the geographic regions of  Barrington, Nerong and Singleton).   The Association also works to promote the Australian Brumby as an official breed in itself and to raise the breeds profile and popularity amongst the general public, regularly showcasing the Brumby breed at horse shows, agricultural events and farm days across the region. 

Brumby herds and populations across Australia are certainly a high profile and emotive topic currently, with the case for and against the culling of wild herds receiving much highly charged debate.  Some parties even questioning the horses 'right to exist', whilst others want the horses classified as part of our official Australian heritage.  What do you think? 

More brumby information can be found on The Hunter Valley Brumby Association website at www.hvba.com.au.

It was the array of bright, shiny and rainbow coloured stirrups that caught my eye as I spent a happy time perusing the saddlery trade stands at Equifest, Hawkesbury recently.  Bright? Colourful? And stirrups no less - I had to know more.  Augusta Clarke of The Italian Saddlery (find them on Facebook) was able to enlighten me on the Italian designed and manufactured range of Makebe Wave Stirrups she was now importing.Makebe Wave ergonomically designed, solid aluminium stirrups are seriously interesting.  They not only look good  but they appear to resolve a number of issues that riders commonly experience.  Their design has moved the stirrup arch forward and both widened and angled the footplate down, enabling the rider to naturally and easily put their heel down, eliminating the need to press or force the heel down into position (and so forward).  The wide foot bed design shares the riders weight more widely across the whole foot minimising discomfort that can often occur when using standard English width stirrups.  Makebe Wave stirrups come in both Showjumping and Dressage styles and a wide range of gorgeous colours.  I think I’ll go for the purple!

It was the array of bright, shiny and rainbow coloured stirrups that caught my eye as I spent a happy time perusing the saddlery trade stands at Equifest, Hawkesbury recently.  Bright? Colourful? And stirrups no less - I had to know more.  Augusta Clarke of The Italian Saddlery (find them on Facebook) was able to enlighten me on the Italian designed and manufactured range of Makebe Wave Stirrups she was now importing.

Makebe Wave ergonomically designed, solid aluminium stirrups are seriously interesting.  They not only look good  but they appear to resolve a number of issues that riders commonly experience.  Their design has moved the stirrup arch forward and both widened and angled the footplate down, enabling the rider to naturally and easily put their heel down, eliminating the need to press or force the heel down into position (and so forward).  The wide foot bed design shares the riders weight more widely across the whole foot minimising discomfort that can often occur when using standard English width stirrups.  Makebe Wave stirrups come in both Showjumping and Dressage styles and a wide range of gorgeous colours.  I think I'll go for the purple!

An always interesting mix of Exhibition, Education, Competition, Shopping and Entertainment Equitana Australia has become a popular and solid fixture on the Australian (and international) horse events calendar since its inception in 1999. It provides the one opportunity (biannually) that members from each of the wide range of horse fields in Australia (and internationally) can gather and socialise under one, horse loving, Australian roof. 

Equitana Australia is held biannually in Melbourne and has now expanded 'across the ditch' with New Zealanders about to experience their own Equitana New Zealand in late 2017. Event owner and manager, Rod Lockwood, spoke with Di Denton about the inception and development of Equitana Australia, his newest event Equifest NSW and now Equitana New Zealand.

www.equitana.com.au

www.equifest.com.au

www.equitanaakl.co.nz

Horse Welfare Incs, Jo Briggs talks about the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Workshops which they coordinate .  As horse owners, none of us like to think about the possibility of  a ‘disaster’ or emergency situation occurring with our horses, but this course helps us think through the ‘what if’ scenarios and covers all the essential skills necessary in dealing with many equine emergency situations.  You might not need these ever for your own horse(s) but you never know, they might come in very handy for someone elses horse (or cow).The skills learned at this workshop serve all horse people really well in routine equine practice, as well as stressful equine emergency rescue situations and  the course is designed to guide participants through emergency procedures for large animal (horses particularly) rescue.  It is ideally suited to all horse industry people, anyone who is transporting horses and towing floats, as well as emergency services professionals.www.horsewelfare.com.au

Horse Welfare Incs, Jo Briggs talks about the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Workshops which they coordinate .  As horse owners, none of us like to think about the possibility of  a 'disaster' or emergency situation occurring with our horses, but this course helps us think through the 'what if' scenarios and covers all the essential skills necessary in dealing with many equine emergency situations.  You might not need these ever for your own horse(s) but you never know, they might come in very handy for someone elses horse (or cow).

The skills learned at this workshop serve all horse people really well in routine equine practice, as well as stressful equine emergency rescue situations and  the course is designed to guide participants through emergency procedures for large animal (horses particularly) rescue.  It is ideally suited to all horse industry people, anyone who is transporting horses and towing floats, as well as emergency services professionals.

www.horsewelfare.com.au

The World Polo Championship is coming to Sydney and Georgia Higgins, Brand & Media Executive, for XI FIP World Polo Championship Sydney has invited us all to come too!Polo is a horse sport played throughout Australia with approximately 50 Clubs (over 20 in NSW alone) and the World Polo Championship is the sport’s most prestigious event. This year the Championship will be held from 17-29 October 2017, at the Sydney Polo Club, on the magnificent Hawkesbury River.  These championships bring together the eight highest ranking polo playing teams in the world, with up to 300 Australian horses, 100 competitors and the involvement of the 84 polo playing nations – all vying to be crowned World Champions. The tournament will consist of 14 matches, played over a 6 day period. Of the 8 teams due to compete, 2 teams, Chile and Australia, have automatically secured their places in the competition. Chile as reigning World Champions and Australia as host nation. The remaining 6 teams will be determined through zone play-offs.This will only be the second time that the tournament has been held in Australia, the first time being in 2001 in Melbourne.http://wpcsydney.com

The World Polo Championship is coming to Sydney and Georgia Higgins, Brand & Media Executive, for XI FIP World Polo Championship Sydney has invited us all to come too!

Polo is a horse sport played throughout Australia with approximately 50 Clubs (over 20 in NSW alone) and the World Polo Championship is the sport's most prestigious event. This year the Championship will be held from 17-29 October 2017, at the Sydney Polo Club, on the magnificent Hawkesbury River.  These championships bring together the eight highest ranking polo playing teams in the world, with up to 300 Australian horses, 100 competitors and the involvement of the 84 polo playing nations - all vying to be crowned World Champions. 

The tournament will consist of 14 matches, played over a 6 day period. Of the 8 teams due to compete, 2 teams, Chile and Australia, have automatically secured their places in the competition. Chile as reigning World Champions and Australia as host nation. The remaining 6 teams will be determined through zone play-offs.This will only be the second time that the tournament has been held in Australia, the first time being in 2001 in Melbourne.

http://wpcsydney.com

Di Denton speaks with Stuart Myers about Equiculture – the horse and property management system, devised by his wife Jane Myers, of how to use techniques that will take care of your horse/s, take care of the land that your horses live on and take care of you (by saving you time and money) all at the same time! A true win-win situation!  Because when you’ve got healthy land, you’ll have healthy horses! ​http://www.equiculture.com.au

Di Denton speaks with Stuart Myers about Equiculture - the horse and property management system, devised by his wife Jane Myers, of how to use techniques that will take care of your horse/s, take care of the land that your horses live on and take care of you (by saving you time and money) all at the same time! A true win-win situation!  Because when you've got healthy land, you'll have healthy horses! 

​http://www.equiculture.com.au