Brookby Equestrian Park

02/07/2024

Millie 4yo Mare by Galaxy Spring Fever at her first outing ✨

14/06/2024

I can't believe we've had so much interest in our new equine syntropic silvopasture system! So many people have asked for species lists so here we go. Everything is either non-toxic and in most cases very health-giving to horses. It looks decidedly unspectacular this time of year (almost the shortest day) but should spring into life in a couple of months!

Bearing in mind this is the bottom of the hill and will be the wettest of the rows.
Keystone species are poplars (still marked with orange pigstails as I haven't got my poles yet) and fodder willow (Salix schwerinii). I am planting Kawa and Veronese poplars. The Veronese haven't done well for us before, I'm going to give them another try in this bottom row and plant Kawa higher up the hills, which has already proven itself here. If the Veronese fail I can just take cuttings of the Kawa to replace them. Other deciduous trees include wild pears, chinese dogwood, and mulberries. Evergreens are tree lucerne, manuka, and pittosporum spp.

If we look at it in terms of layers, or strata, the pears will be the emergent layer. As regards a syntropic system I have cheated a bit (or you can call it good design) when it comes to the other trees. I have really packed them in tightly and will use many of them for 'chop and drop' but rather than planning a specific outcome of layers for the future, I intend to pick and choose depending on how the different species do, and how much the horses like them. I don't really care if in one spot i prune a pittosporum for several years and then cut it out and in another I let it grow big and cut out something else. The poplars and fodder willow are most important, they can be browsed or cut and dried for 'tree hay' and will be pollarded and coppiced respectively, so will ebb and flow between tree and mid layer. They can also be chipped for ramial wood chip for mulching. The tree lucerne is also excellent browse, fodder and biomass (and great for bees in winter).

In the herbaceous layer we have globe artichokes, jerusalem artichokes, rugosa roses, wild fennel, hollyhocks, and I'm going to give arrowroot a go though it will probably be too dry even at the bottom here. I'll add in sunflowers later in spring. I'm expecting some thistle and mallow seed to be present in the mulch, they'll be welcome too. All these except the roses will provide great biomass for soil building, and opportunities to 'pulse' the system. On the sunny ends of the rows I'll plant rosemary and koromiko.

In the base layer we have lime balm, evergreen comfrey, russian comfrey, lemon sorrel, salad burnet, alexanders and i might try some wild strawberries. I've put evergreen herbs at the base of deciduous trees and vice versa. The russian comfrey provides lots of material for mulching/pulsing too.

Hopefully I've covered all bases and built in enough redundancy - in a wet year the tree lucerne and pittos will probably fail, in a dry year the mulberries and manuka will probably fail. We may lose the tree lucerne to heavy frost (but can always replant in late spring). Such is life.

Other rows progressing up the hill will include hazel, hawthorn, linden, olive, chestnut, pomegranate, fig, honey locust, gingko, ash and liquidambar, as well as poplar and willow, natives and all the herbal layer. The tree lucerne will do much better higher up too, but it's such a useful tree it was worth a shot at the bottom.

Love to hear any thoughts about your experience of these plants with horses, and anything else you think I've missed!

22/05/2024

20/05/2024

First lesson without mum

10/05/2024

❤️Millie❤️

01/05/2024

How good is this Autumn weather 🍁

05/12/2023

Another Campeón Striker c**t to Fern. Born 5/11/23. Palomino with 2 blue eyes. Name suggestions welcome 🤗

05/12/2023

05/12/2023

Do they get much cuter? Campeón Striker x Loretta CSNZ. Can’t thank for helping me breed the most beautiful foals. Gorgeous c**t born 20/11/23

06/10/2023

05/10/2023

Have Your Say on Public Spaces for Equestrian Activity

(this includes trails, beaches, parks, forests…)

We want to hear from ALL equestrians across the country!!!

We want to understand about your use, experiences, challenges and opportunities.

This will help to provide direction and strengthen our case moving forward.

Have Your Say now by clicking https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7169957/National-Equestrian-Community-Have-Your-Say

(it only takes 5 mins!!!)



From the National Equestrian Facilities Steering Group

26/07/2023

👌

03/05/2023

Thanks for the special memories

17/04/2023

Betty’s facials say it all - great release session today after an SOS call to Betty had come into season and the hormonal changes really affect her making her tighten up. 💆‍♀️ if only could work her magic on me!

13/04/2023

Entries are OPEN for our first show of 2023 Winter Show Jumping Series Sunday April 30th at Papatoetoe Pony Club EvoEvents NZ

30/03/2023

Betty

29/03/2023

https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/equestrian/horses-ponies/ponies/auction-4063256623.htm

29/03/2023

Campeón Evie is up for sale
Sad side when breeding is you can’t keep them all and Evie has no rider so looking for a new home.

14.1hh 8yo Bay Mare by Galaxy Spring Fever

We also have a couple of youngsters (Golden Strike and Galaxy Spring Fever) to be listed soon so watch this space.

17/02/2023

Caring for Horses After the Flood

We realise the following recommendations may not be easy or may be downright impossible right now, but hopefully you will find some of this information helpful…

Where possible:
• Find an area as dry as possible for horses to stand on with access to clean fresh water and hay

• Avoid feeding flood damaged hay – throw any damaged hay on bare patches and allow it to decompose back into the soil

• Look out for signs of digestive upset or colic

• If the horse has any small nicks or skin damage, there is a possibility for cellulitis (sudden significant hot & very painful swelling in legs) to set in. This is extremely serious so call your vet immediately

• When possible, give your horse a bath with a mild detergent soap (such as Sunlight liquid) They require thorough cleansing to clean toxins, debris or microorganisms from skin. Debris and mud should be picked out of all four hooves, and feet should be cleaned

• Make sure tetanus shots are up to date

• Standing on wet ground for extended periods, can cause thrush – if you don’t have an anti-thrush product, you can use 50/50 Janola/water. Mix in a spray bottle and apply to underside of hooves especially the valleys of the frogs

• Ideally, keep horses off any land that has been flooded until grass is completely decomposed and is as mature as possible.

12/08/2022

Campeón Sky looking very grown up currently being broken in by M&R Horsemanship

11/08/2022

11/07/2022

C**t handling lesson part 11

17/06/2022

First truck ride for Sky - always easy to train when they love food