Talking About Horses with Di Denton

The horse sport of working equitation is a relatively new one to Australia but at its highest levels, Australian working equitation horse and rider teams are up there with the worlds best. Kim Petersen from the Hunter Valley is one of Australia's finest and a recommended working equitation educator. It was fascinating to hear how her interest in it had developed, her road to success with her horses generally and how she is spreading her love and excitement for this sport far and wide.

Tuffrock - Transforming Volcanic Residue For Your Horses Benefit - Episode 15 Talking About Horses with Di Denton Steve Hurley, the co-founder of TuffRock, is an interesting bloke. I met Steve at the New South Wales Hunter Horse Festival (he’s a Hunter Valley local) and we sat down and talked about his path into the horse industry, the establishment of Tuffrock and Tuffrocks’ range of products for horses, dogs, cattle and chickens. Tuffrock combines an intimate knowledge of Australian volcanic soils and the minerals they contain, with their’ own specialised method of extracting those very minerals and ensuring their bioavailabilty to animals. TuffRock was established in July 2002 following several years of extensive Research and Development, product development and test marketing. With a view to manufacturing environmentally friendly animal health products, Tuffrock takes pride in being a nutraceutical manufacturer and ensuring that there are no drugs, chemicals, biotics, enzymes or heavy metals used in their products.I've used Tuffrock products on and with my own horses and found them to be excellent.

Queensland Itch, Summer Itch, Sweet Itch or Summer Eczema – call it what you will, but if you’ve got an itchy horse then you definitely know what it is and how it affects your  horse - up close and personally!There are many ways and many products that Australian horse owners use to treat their itchy horses (you've probably already got a feed shed full of various lotions and potions designed to help ), with last resort options even coming down to having to send or sell ‘insect tortured’ horses to a home over the ‘ranges’ away from the coast for lasting relief.So, where does a bloke, with a background in molecular biology, a passion for virgin coconut products and a well developed liking – and business - for Hibiscus flowers in syrup (floating in champagne of course!) come into the itchy scratchy horse picture?Well,  Lee Etherington is just that bloke and I met him at Equifest Sydney when I stopped by his trade stand to find out about his new magic ‘itch fixing oil’ Calafea. Now, Lee has no real background in horses specifically, but he certainly knows about coconut oil products, the Australia native oils Lemon Myrtle and Neem and after in depth research, the allergic reactions that insect bites can cause in sensitive horses (particularly Icelandic horses and Clydesdales).   So, after becoming aware of the ongoing, widespread Summer Eczema problem with horses in Germany (to where he was a regular traveller) he decided to see what he could do about it.Fast forward 3 years and Lee’s 100% natural itch oil Calafea is now successfully into its 3rd year helping itchy horses in Germany and beyond with a proven 89% effectiveness reported. ‘Get Rid Of The Rug’ is Lee’s aim for itchy horses and their owners and having now introduced Calafea Itch Oil into the Australia market, it will be interesting to see how it goes here – from all accounts, well.  I’ll be interested to try it on one of my horses myself – oh, and did I mention Lee says its effective (and safe) on dogs and humans and their itchy bites too?If you’d like to know more about Calafea oil head to their website at www.calafea.com or their Facebook page at Calafea-HORSE- Australia. 

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!

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.auwww.equifest.com.auwww.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

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

Mel Fleming is an Australian horsewoman based in Moonbi NSW,  who travels throughout Australia and the world helping people from all horse fields to understand better their horse’s mind, emotions, body and spirit.  Di Denton talks with Mel Fleming, about the development of Mel’s own unique approach to horsemanship - “Connecting with Horses & Riding with Synchronicity”, how it focuses on positive reinforcement and Mel’s training emphasis on the connection to the spirit and the individual personality of the horse plus the importance of the correct balance and biomechanics for horse and rider, with an emphasis on saddle fitting for both horse and rider.   http://www.melfleming.com.auMobile: 0428 385 745​

Di Denton talks with Jo Briggs and friends about Horse Welfare,  a Hunter Valley based registered horse charity and their ongoing efforts to help horses.Horse Welfare was formed to support and co-ordinate the rehabilitation and rehousing of horses in Australia. Horses who may have been neglected, left behind, forgotten, mistreated or simply unable to be cared for by their owners.Not all of these horses come from homes where they were not loved. In fact, a large percentage of horses in the current climate are victims of drought or flooding in parts of our country. Their families are suffering, livelihoods are being threatened and the horses are simply victims passed on by regretful owners. Others come from homes where their owners were simply not educated appropriately in the care or management of horses. And sadly, some do come from backgrounds of complete neglect, abandonment and careless breeding programs.

Margaret Mooney talks with Di Denton about Horse Safety Australia and how it is raising the standard of safety with Australian equine businesses.  

Di Denton sat down and talked with Kate Pilcher of Globetrotting Australia under an old elephant rubbing tree on the Kenyan Masai Mara plains for a chat about her business Globetrotting (www.globetrotting.com.au ) and the addicitive world of horse riding holidays and  the ever so wonderful experience of an African horse safari.  

Di Denton talks with the the always effervescent (and very English!)  Daisy Soames on her life as, and journey to become, a  fully qualified Horse Safari Guide in Africa.  Currently acting as an assistant guide with Offbeat Horse Safaris in Kenya,  Daisy and Di Denton met on a Globetrotters horse safari across the Kenyan Masai Mara, where Daisy had her eyes fully set on a life as a guide in Africa.

Bernadette Kelly is the Australian author of the best selling childrens books Riding High and Pony Patch Series.Bernadette has two passions in life, writing and horses .  She enjoys having a go at all kinds of riding, from navigation rides to showjumping and one day events, trail riding, teaching at Pony Club and even safariing across Africa (which is where she and Di Denton met) on horse twice!Bernadette can be found online at http://www.bernadettekelly.com.au and if you have any pony mad children at home (or know of any) make sure you check out Bernadettes childrens book series.

Di Denton introduces the Talking About Horses podcast series.In the Talking About Horses podcast series you’ll hear interviews with all sorts of interesting horse people from all fields of horse activities – from trail riding to team penning, endurance to eventing plus showjumping, dressage, western riding, working equitation, campdrafting and much, much more.  You'll explore the fascinating fields of saddle fitting, equine natural therapies, beach holidays with your horse, bitless riding, pasture management, horse dentistry and so much more.  Di Denton reckons there’s always more to learn, that you can always learn something from everyone or anyone,  and that there are many ways of becoming a more knowledgable horse person.   Plus, Di just loves talking about horses (and everything related to horses) and hearing other peoples stories particularly horse peoples stories!The Talking About Horses podcast is brought to you by Muddy Creek Rain Gear – riding rain gear that really works.  Check their range of equestrian wet weather clothing out www.muddycreekraingear.com.au