Wednesday, May 28, 2008

South Africa: This huge Stutterheim 'family' gallops for kicks

Weekendpost.co.za - Full Story

Tim and Sharon Salmon WEEKEND POST CORRESPONDENTS

24 May 2008

EASTERN Cape horse breeders Greg and Maria Miles's farm in Stutterheim is home to 54 family members - 50 of which are horses.

"We love animals and it's exciting breeding horses - it's a big family we have!" said Greg.

His son Robert, 9, and daughter Stephanie, 8, help look after the horses and Maria helps him run their farm, Bare Acres.

"I wouldn�t swop our way of life for anything. It's safe and a good environment for kids," he said.

In 2004, the couple imported the country's first Pintabian mare from Iowa in the United States.

Pintabians are a cross between the Native American coloured pintos and Arabian horses.

Floral Hearts arrived in South Africa pregnant and Raine Heart was the first Pintabian born in South Africa in March 2005.

Raine Heart in turn bore the first South African-bred Pintabian colt named Thunder Heart in February 2006, sired by the Miles's South African Arab stallion, Jelby Taxman.

Floral Hearts added another first by being the first Pintabian in the world to compete in endurance riding at Thomas River near Stutterheim in March last year.

More...

Thursday, May 22, 2008

10 years of wild rides

Theunion.com - Full Story

Annual event expects 100 on horseback over holiday weekend

By Brian Hamilton
Sports Editor

Robert and Melissa Ribley long ago hopped into the saddle of endurance riding and have been enjoying the sport ever since.


But 10 years ago the Ribleys came up with a ride of their own right here in their western Nevada County backyard that has been a hit with endurance riders since its inception.

The Wild West Endurance Ride will once again hit the trails - and this year will celebrate what's been a whole decade of fun for horseback riders - this weekend at Skillman Campground.

"We just thought what would be a better thing than to put an endurance ride on in our local area," Melissa said...

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

KER's Dr Huntington to Hold Nutrition Seminar in Terengganu

20 May 2008

Dr Peter Huntington has been invited to present at the 6th Annual Edaran Endurance Classic

Dr Peter Huntington, Director of Nutrition at Kentucky Equine Research - Australasia, has been invited to present at the 6th Annual Edaran Endurance Classic to be held in Terengganu, Malaysia. Dr Huntington will be sharing his expertise in managing the unique nutritional requirements of the endurance horse and the latest research at the seminar to be held on the 27th of June 2008.

The Edaran Endurance Classic is organized by EDARAN Berhad and will be at the same venue as the World Endurance Championships to be held in November of this year.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Endurance Rider Part of American Museum of Natural History Exhibit

May 17 2008

A new exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, "The Horse", opens today in New York City. The exhibit examines the powerful and continuing relationship between the horse and humans, and examines how horses have, over time, changed many facets of human life.

One of the photographic contributors to this exhibit is endurance rider Maryanne Gabbani of Egypt. Her photograph is of Mme. Wegdan el Barbary presenting one of her fillies at a private showing. The owner of Shams el Assil stud in Giza, Egypt, Mme. Barbary ("Dani") has been breeding the Arabian horse for over forty years. Now in her 90's, she is still active at her farm. "She's one of Egypt's national treasures," says Maryanne. "She's forgotten more horse lore than most of us have ever imagined."

Maryanne has been taking random pictures in Egypt for nearly twenty years, and was contacted by the ANHM to ask if they could use her photo.

The exhibition runs through January 4, 2009.

Friday, May 16, 2008

N.J. Trail Ride Association carries out 46th 100-mile trek

Americanfarm.com - Full Story

5.15.2008

By WILLIAM PERSSON
AFP Correspondent

SHAMONG — The New Jersey Trail Ride Association held its 46th 100-mile trail ride on May 9-11. Concurrent with this were 50- and 30-mile rides. The event was held at Holly and Hugh MacDonald’s farm, Hollyview.

A short distance west of the farm was an entry point to Wharton State Forest through which the three separate distance rides traversed. The rangers of the Wharton State Forest and the New Jersey State Police were available to assist if needed.

Amateur radio operators were also stationed in the forest so the location of the horses and riders was known at all times and help could be summoned quickly, if needed.

According to the NJTRA, “The sport of competitive trail riding and driving is designed to stimulate greater interest in the breeding of good horses possessed of stamina and hardiness qualified to make good mounts for trail use; to demonstrate the value of type, soundness and proper selection of horses for long rides or drives; to learn and demonstrate the proper methods of training and conditioning horses for long rides or drives; to encourage horsemanship and good sportsmanship in long distance riding and driving as well as to demonstrate the best methods of caring for horses during and after long rides or drives without the aid of artificial methods or stimulants.”

Horses can not be entered until they are 4 years old, and only for distances no greater than 25 miles. At 5 years old they can be entered for any distance.

The New Jersey 100-mile trail ride occurs over three days, with 40 miles covered the first day, 40 the second, and 20 the third.

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Endurance Riding Team receives grant from the Kentucky Horse Council

Hunter Jumper News



May 15, 2008

Lexington, KY, May 15, 2008 – M. R. Riders 4-H Club of Campbell County was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Kentucky Horse Council. Members of the club compete as a team year round throughout the state at endurance riding competitions.

Typically the young riders and their horses compete by traveling an average of 25 miles over challenging terrain in a timed event. As they accumulate good scores and better fitness levels they enter endurance races of further distances. Those wishing to qualify for the 2009 US Endurance Riding team must be competing at 100 mile races.

M.R. Riders will use the grant to purchase blankets to protect their horses at winter competitions. Often during overnight competitions the youthful competitors camp with their horses at primitive sites which do not offer shelter for the animals. By covering the resting horses with blankets their muscles will stay warm, enabling them to compete more comfortably and safely.

“The Kentucky Horse Council is pleased to support the efforts of M.R. Riders 4-H Club. Endurance riding provides a great lesson in delayed gratification as the students condition themselves and their horses well in advance of competitions,” remarked KHC Board President, Madelyn Millard.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL - The Kentucky Horse Council is a non-profit organization dedicated, through education, to the protection, growth and development of the equine industry in Kentucky. The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs, grants, scholarships, personal liability insurance, trail riding programs, and an annual statewide equine industry directory.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Prince Asheem



May 7 2008

Sad news....

My good old friend just gave me his last favor... he died before the person arrived whom I'd called to have him put down. So I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I'd made the right call... and I didn't have to suffer second thoughts.

His last minutes were very peaceful... he had probably ruptured, so the pressure was off and he felt less pain. Although his pulse was over 100 and he'd broken out in a sweat, he got up from where we'd been lying and walked around the sun-lit meadow with me for about 40 minutes, stopping to rub his head against my leg, looking around, clearly aware. Then he crashed down and died.

Farewell, old friend.

Lari Shea