Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Q: What are the rules of showjumping? The international governing body for most major show jumping competitions is the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), and in their rulebook the two most common types of penalties are jumping penalties and time penalties. Jumping penalties Jumping penalties are given for refusals and knockdowns, with each […]
By Kim Dimevski, SA Horse Trails Growing up learning about horses in the typical stable yard environment can give one a fairly limited education. Within these fixed confines we often only know what is taught to us by our instructors, and especially when young we tend to hang onto every word they say.
If you want to excel at anything, you have to learn how to manage your thoughts and feelings, both the good and the bad. Excellence is not normal or natural, and cultivating excellence in anything requires hard work and sacrifice. Physical talent is not irrelevant, but it is less important than self-discipline and mental strength.
Q: What can posture tell us about our horses? A: The Oxford dictionary defines the word ‘conformation’ as: “the way in which something is formed; the structure of something, especially an animal” while ‘posture’ is defined as: “the position in which you hold your body when standing or sitting”. These definitions may sound similar, but...
“I don’t want riders who work physically hard. Work by thinking.” – Nuno Oliveira If you want to excel at anything, you have to learn how to manage your thoughts and feelings, both the good and the bad. Excellence is not normal or natural, and cultivating excellence in anything requires hard work and sacrifice.

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Q: Is it worth buying an older horse? Answered by Farryn Day A: Over the years, I have heard many people discounting the value of an older horse for themselves or their children. Older horses are labelled as ‘difficult keepers’, ‘lazy’, or ‘over-the-hill’ and the question is often asked “Isn’t it better for my son/daughter… Read More »AskHQ: The older horse

Q: What is a hackamore? A: Many horsemen the world over opt to use a hackamore, particularly when starting a young horse. This is, importantly, not be confused with a mechanical hackamore. The hackamore provides a way of teaching the young horse to respond to the rider’s hands without risk of dulling a sensitive mouth.
Q: What is the difference between a hot-blooded, cold-blooded and warm-blooded horse? A: These terms are used to group the different breeds of horses (loosely) according to their temperament (NOT the temperature of their blood!). Arabian and Thoroughbred horses are considered to be hot-blooded, as they tend to be a bit sharper and have more
Q: What is a parrot mouth? A severe parrot mouth is seen in the skull of this young horse. A: Ideally, a horse has an aligned jaw, but in some cases horses have either undershot or overshot jaws. An overshot jaw is referred to as a parrot mouth. In this case the top jaw lies
Thank you to the SA Lipizzaners for this fantastic video on inspecting your horse for injuries.  The post Inspecting for injuries appeared first on HQ Magazine. Inspecting for injuries
A great video from the SA Lipizzaners on applying Ice Man to the hindquarters. The post Applying Ice Man to the hindquarters appeared first on HQ Magazine. Applying Ice Man to the hindquarters

Q: What is the best way to educate yourself if qualifications and formal training are out of your price range? If you don’t have the time, desire or money to complete a formal qualification, you can always educate yourself using the following tips: Analyse videos from professional riders, trainers and clinics: Visit YouTube or other… Read More »AskHQ: Getting educated

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Q: What is a fly’s lifecycle and are there ways in which we can control it? A: Flies thrive in stable yards, as horse manure is the perfect environment for them to feed and breed. A fly’s lifecycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. It takes approximately two to four weeks for… 

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Q: What is public liability cover and how does it work? When can or can’t you claim? A: Public liability cover is insurance cover that…

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Q: How do you teach a horse to spin? A: A spin is a forward trot manoeuvre. The best way to teach the spin is…

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Q: Is it worthwhile to pay for insurance in case my horse needs a colic op in future? A; Ultimately, colic surgery is not cheap.…

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Q: What is the difference between therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound? Asked by Caitlin White A: Diagnostic ultrasound involves the use of ultrasound waves to produce…

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Q: How do I cut my horse’s tail correctly? Asked by Emma Wood A: To avoid cutting the tail too short, and to make sure…

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Q: What are the minimum recommended dimensions of a stable? A: Expecting horses to stay happy when cooped up for hours in a stable is…

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Q: When you import a horse, what is the flight like? Do horses find it very stressful? A: There is a variety of flight options…

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Q: What is ‘Soft Feel’ in Cowboy Dressage? A: ‘Soft Feel’ (or ‘Fresh Rein’) is the guiding principle of Cowboy Dressage® World. It is the…

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Q: What is Cowboy Dressage®? A: The discipline of Cowboy Dressage® was born in 2013. For a short period of time, Western Dressage and Cowboy…

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Q: Which conformational factors are considered important to look for in a riding horse? A: When looking at the conformation of the horse to assess…

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Q: Is my horse built ‘uphill’ or ‘downhill’? A: Body balance is partly determined by the relative height of the croup and withers of the…

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Q: When is a pastern considered too short? Q: The pastern is the area between the fetlock joint and the top of the hoof, and…

The post AskHQ: Pastern bone appeared first on HQ Magazine.

Q: Why are large feet preferred in horses? A: It is not simply that large feet are preferred, but rather that the feet need to…

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‘Tis the season to be jolly and South Africans are bracing themselves for a sunny festive season filled with family, loved ones and the gift…

The post ENJOY A #WASTEFREEFESTIVE SEASON WITH WWF SA’S #GOODTIDINGS ADVENT CALENDAR appeared first on HQ Magazine.

Q: People say my horse is barrel-chested. What does this mean? Is it a positive or a negative? A: There are two types of chest conformation…

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Text: Hayley Kruger Photography: Shutterstock Continued from yesterday’s article… Types of blocks The palmar digital nerve block is performed by injecting a small amount of…

The post Nerve blocking – getting to the root of lameness Part 2 appeared first on HQ Magazine.

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