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WHA E-News - June 2007
Hi there
Welcome to another edition of E-News. We
are still compiling email so we can send this electronically so if
yours has changed please let Carol Judge know as we will be shortly
setting up email alerts for when the website has been changed or if
there is important news to inform you of.
We start this
newsletter by saying thank you to all members for being so patient
regarding the postponement of the Mid Season show. The decision was
not taken lightly as much preparation had been put in from Nick and
Bob, who between them raised over £1000 in sponsorship money. I am
sure you will join me in a round of applause for such a great
achievement.
We were not the
only association to cancel. The weather took control of BAPS, WES,
Appaloosa to name a few and many other local shows felt the force of
the rain.
However, we have booked a new venue and date, 4/5 August at Manor
Farm Equestrian Centre, Sawtry Way, Houghton, Huntingdon,
Cambridgeshire, PE28 2DY (Tel: 01480 498000) Web:
www.manorfarmec.co.uk.
A show schedule
and directions are contained within this envelope.
Shows
July 8/9th
– Grange Farm Open Show, Wittering, Cambs. Phone 01780 481179 for
details.
August 4th
– Clinic in Warwickshire – Ring Gabby on 079 775 21881 for details.
August 4/5th
– Mid Season Show – see earlier details
August 18/19th
– Clinic and Show in Warwickshire – Ring Gabby on 079 775 21881
September 8/9th - The Yorkshire
show is making headway. Due to personal circumstances Mark Taylor
has taken up the reins from John. Mark and the crew are busy making
preparations and have a radio and TV broadcast arranged to promote
the show. They have generated much interest, as this is the first
WHA show up in the Yorkshire area. I know some of you are unable to
attend with your horses but please show your support by offering to
assist in some way, however small.
November
24/25th. Sees the arrival of Father Christmas at the WHA Christmas
Show. Details of this show are on the WHA website and details will
be sent out nearer the time so don’t worry. It will be held at Manor
Farm Equestrian Centre (details as above).
Spring Show
2008. Preparation is under way to source the Spring show venue.
More details on website.
Constitution Changes
We have many
people wishing to come onto Council who want to assist the
development of the WHA. They all have many ideas of how to promote
the association but have not been full members for a year. The
Council would like to amend this rule for the next 12 months to
allow those with a keen interest in the association to join
Council. These people will be filling places made available by
resignations. It is proposed to allow those interested parties onto
Council to assist in its running however, senior members will remain
in an ex-offio role to ensure a smooth handover.
If you feel that
this Constitution change is not in the interest of the WHA, please
advise myself within the next 7 days from the date of this
newsletter.
If we receive no
such comments, Council will proceed to make the changes and advise
all members of the new people into post.
Insects.
Unfortunately
summer time inevitably results in fly and other insect problems, and
this year they seem to be starting sooner rather than later. Insect
bites can be unsightly and irritating ranging through to full-blown
sweet itch. Grazing animals are obviously the most susceptible to
worry by insects, with flies being at their worst during sunlight
hours, and midges (the main cause of sweet itch) being most active
at dawn and dusk. Grazing patterns for your horse should take into
account which kinds of insects causes your horse the most problem
and obviously any consideration of weight and laminitis. Fly
repellents and or barriers rugs are now becoming a vital accessory
to owning a horse.
I often use
Benzyl Benzoate. It is good for keeping flies off horses. Benzyl
Benzoate was used for years as an effective fly repellent,
especially for horses, which suffered from sweet itch. It is
normally supplied as a white oily solution, which is rubbed into the
coat, mane, ears, mane, intimate parts and top of the tail. However,
the pricey products we all see on our tack shelves have now largely
superseded it. The biggest problem with trying to find an effective
fly repellent is that most of them need reapplying periodically. It
is important that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed
closely, but these are usually designed to avoid potentially toxic
side effects rather than total protection.
The
most common preparations contain one or more of the following:
Piperonyl Permethrin, Cypermethrin, NN diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET).
Some
people use commercial cattle tags or bands containing repellents, in
an attempt to provide continuing relief to their horses. These also
appear to be only partially effective, but they do seem to help keep
flies away from the eyes and ears of some horses if they are
attached to the head collar.
It’s a cover-up job I am afraid.
Rugs, masks and hoods give good
protection against irritation and bites of insects. There are many
on the market and they’re not that expensive, compared to the
cumulative cost of buying lots of insect repellent.
Hard Ground
I was going to
say we are being plagued by some very hard ground this year however,
after the last few weeks I am a bit reluctant to mention it!
Nevertheless, the ground will try up and your horse could be at risk
of tendon or ligament injuries and foot problems due to bruising
and/or concussion. The risk of tendon and ligament injuries is
further increased in unfit horses, especially those carrying excess
weight. A proper programme of increasing fitness work should be
followed, with plenty of roadwork to harden up the legs. Tendon and
ligament injuries can be treated more effectively and with improved
prognosis than of old, but is still an injury that can finish a
horse’s athletics career – so prevention is definitely better than
the cure. If you suspect your horse may have injured a tendon or
ligament them immediate first aid can greatly improve the chances of
healing. Box rest cold hosing, support bandages / boots will all
help no matter how sever the injury. If there is significant
inflammation and pain then anti-inflammatory drugs should also be
given. If in doubt always consult your vet.
Laminitis
The talk of the
town was the severe cases of laminitis already seen this spring.
The exceptionally warm weather resulted in grass that had a much
higher concentrate of nutrients, then with the sudden rain there is
a significant sudden flush of growth that will make grass very
dangerous to vulnerable animals. Recent research has shown that
grass is safest between midnight and 6am. For those of you on
restricted grazing early morning until around 11am would be the best
time to turn out and you will also avoid the worst of the insects.
One thing to watch for is the vitamin and mineral deficiencies,
which can occur when horses are, placed on-restricted diets. One
mineral which has been found to be particularly important is
magnesium, a deficiency which will significantly increase the risk
the of developing laminitis in susceptible horses.
Ragwort.
Already it is
making it’s appearance in fields. Ragwort is a common injurious
weed that is controlled by the Weeds Act 1959 and Ragwort Control
Act 2003. Under these pieces of legislation, landowners must have a
control policy in place if ragwort poises a high or medium risk (ie
within 100m) to grazing animals or land used for forage
productions. The toxins contained within ragwort cause liver
damage, the result, which is cumulative, irreversible and
potentially fatal. Information about the control of ragwort can be
found at
www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses/topics/ragwort.htm .
Smoking
Just a reminder
than due to the recent legislation changes around smoking, we have
been reminded that all venues hired to the WHA will be non-smoking.
Smoking is only permitted outside the arena and internal facilities.
This is not a rule in our making but one of compliance to the
Government standards.
What were we doing in the Seventies –
organising the world’s greatest show!
Gary Davies (Herts)
has been a WHA since 1970 and has most of the WHA newsletters for
many years since that time. Gary organised two great shows at Mill
Lodge, Wisbech that were of superior quality. His co-organiser at
the time was Dr Majorie Barr, a great horsewoman who had ridden from
childhood on her parent’s farm in America and Phil McKenary.
Marjorie left most of the work to Gary to organise and handle, but
she was absolutely willing to attend to any assistance that Gary
required. The most important item was locating the venue, a vital
element of the proceedings, Marjorie undertook this piece of work
and found Mill Lodge. Phil McKenary (Herts) was the ‘wrangler’ and
gave immense support to the shows, attracting riders from all over
the UK, Red Indians, westerners and the like. Huge tepee could be
seen over Wisbech.
There were two
outdoor arenas running simultaneously, and an indoor arena. Gary
instructed the judges to ensure that every event started on time and
the arena exited efficiently to ensure everywhere ran like clockwork
and to the allocated timescales.
A pig catching
competition was also held!
Stalls stretched
row-by-row – horse pitching competitions and numerous other western
activities were in evidence. People not only came to the show they
were part of it!
The key to all
this working to time Gary feels, is down to Marshals wearing special
badges and with local folk drafted in by Marjorie to assist, in
addition Gary undertook full control by riding around on his red and
white gelding Colonel Cody ensuring that everyone was where they
should be. It ran like clockwork.
There was a bar
on site and the manager then of Mill Lodge felt like he should of
ordered dancing girls and winged doors as Mill Lodge was taken over
by westerners – all expected John Wayne to walk through the doors.
Advertising was
nationwide and local, Gary wanted an evening event and so a dance
was organised, Marjorie had three musical acts, and a professional
dancing team from the Strand area of London came and performed, as
far as Gary can recollect the music they performed to was from
"Grease", anyway it was spectacular with everyone dressed in western
attire. The following day, there was a Pleasure ride for anyone
wishing to participate
With Gary and
Phil being on site for a week before and much time afterwards,
people went away from this successfully show full of stories and
friendships, which are still on going today. Gary would like to say
apologies for all of those whom names he has not mentioned but it
takes all people to make a show a success.
As a result,
Gary was asked to put on another one the following year and he
gladly did again, with the help of Majorie and Phil another show was
borne. However Gary felt like me, he had to resign from Council as
the show took much time and he could not dedicate his spare time to
the committee and the show. The show cost £500 of Gary’s money (a
large sum in those days), the venue - Wisbech had seen the likes of
Harvey Smith and David Broome compete for supremacy and here we
were - the great WHA! Rosettes were financed by WHA and the
newsletters would print some advertising to ensure that every member
came to the event of the year, remember there was no email or
mobile phones!
Gary named the
show – ‘The Call of the Prairie 1977’ and it is still being
spoken of today.
Gary has some
posters and programmes from the show if people would like to see
them
The RDA assisted
in lodging Gary and Phil for the duration of the show for which they
are still grateful.
See more at www.wha-of-gb.org.uk
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