GlenOlive Equitation

15/11/2024

After a lovely couple of weeks in the UK - I’m now looking forward to being home very soon!

23/10/2024

😀

𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚔𝚎 🍰🧁🎂

21/10/2024

Pleased to be working with the National NZ Pony club team to promote microchipping and registering our all horses and ponies.

17/10/2024

Hopefully I don’t need to convince you that microchipping and registering your horses is a good idea! Hope to see some of you at Equifest this weekend. We are also doing some microchipping demos with the NZEHA.

Why you should microchip and register your horse on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.Microchipping your horse offers invaluable benefits, from perma...

14/10/2024

Signs of stress in horses..

🐴✨ More Horses Monday: Recognising the Signs of Stress in Horses ✨🐴

Understanding your horse's stress signals is key to maintaining their well-being. Horses express stress in various ways, and recognising these signs early can help prevent health and behavioural issues.

According to the British Horse Society (BHS), stress in horses may present through the following behaviours and changes:

🐴 Personality change – If your usually friendly horse suddenly appears grumpy, stress may be the cause.

🐴 Unexplained weight loss – Stress can impact appetite and digestion, leading to weight loss without any obvious cause.

🐴 Stereotypical behaviours – Actions like box walking, wind sucking, or crib biting can be signs of stress or boredom.

🐴Yawning – A horse yawning may be relaxed, but repetitive yawning in stressful situations like isolation can be a warning sign.

🐴Tooth grinding – Grinding their teeth can indicate anxiety or discomfort.

🐴Licking and chewing – While normal in some contexts (e.g., anticipating food), licking and chewing in stressful situations, like being left alone, can be a coping mechanism.

🐴Apathy – A stressed horse might show a lack of interest or apathy in activities they usually enjoy.

🐴Facial tension – Look for tightness around the muzzle and facial muscles, a subtle sign of anxiety.

Identifying these behaviours early and understanding their context is essential to keeping horses happy and healthy. If you're unsure, speak to your vet and seek referral to a FABC clinician for advice. 💙

For more detailed information, check out the British Horse Society's guide here: https://bit.ly/4889Qr6

10/10/2024

Want to help with our research work?

🐈🏠 Calling NZ cat owners keen on transitioning their cat to an indoor life 🐈🏠

Companion Animals NZ (CANZ) is teaming up with Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) and the University of Adelaide to study how cats adjust to living indoors only! We’re looking to better understand how both our feline friends and their human guardians adapt to indoor living environments.

Interested? Here's what you need to know:

✅ You must be 18+
✅ Live in New Zealand
✅ Be the caregiver of a cat 6+ months old
✅ Keep your cat indoors for 3 weeks
✅ Keep a diary of their behaviours for 4 weeks

Register your interest in taking part here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IndoorCatScreen

08/10/2024

See you there!!

🌟 CANZ is excited to attend Equifest this year! 🌟

We're on a mission to improve the welfare of horses in New Zealand, and positive identification is a key part of responsible ownership.

At Equifest, we’ll be sharing how microchipping and registering your horse can provide peace of mind and help keep them safe as well as sharing more about our EQuiChip community events and other welfare initiatives. 🐴

📍 Where: Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre, Taupo
📅 When: 18 - 20 October 2024

Come by booth A5 to chat everything around horse welfare and responsible pet ownership. We look forward to seeing you there!

07/10/2024

Please share with your Wellington based friends. Another EQuichip event!

Reminder: Our EQuiChip Wellington event is almost here! 🐴

Join us for a fantastic day promoting positive horse identification through microchipping and registration with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.

📅 Date: Saturday, 12 October
📍 Location: Wellington RDA, Battle Hill Farm Forest Park
🕒 Time: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Plus, don’t miss your chance to win some exciting spot prizes, generously sponsored by Saddlery Warehouse!

Book your spot here, spaces are limited! 👉 https://ow.ly/y96T50TzwCK

A big thank you to our local supporters, South Wairarapa Veterinary Services and Wellington Riding for the Disabled, for helping to make this event possible. We also extend our gratitude to our national sponsors, MSD Animal Health and the New Zealand Equine Health Association.

We look forward to seeing you and your horses there!

30/09/2024

Applying the precautionary approach to safeguard equine welfare!

No Significant Difference Found Between 1.5 and 2 Finger Noseband Tightness in New Study, but FEI’s Precautionary Approach Praised.

📝 THE STUDY 📝

A recent study, “Noseband Type and Tightness Level Affect Pressure on the Horse's Face at Trot,” has shed light on the effects of different noseband types and tightness levels on the pressure exerted on horses during trotting.

The research involved eight high-level dressage horses and compared the pressures exerted on the nasal bone and mandibular rami using four different noseband types (Cavesson, Swedish, Flash, Drop) at various tightness levels ranging from 2.0 to 0.0 fingers.

📈 THE RESULTS 📈

The results showed that pressures increased significantly with tighter nosebands, but no significant difference was found between 1.5 and 2.0 finger tightness levels. However, the small size of the study makes it premature to draw definitive conclusions.

💬 DISCUSSION 💬

In light of these results, we (International Society for Equitation Science) emphasise the importance of caution in interpreting non-significant findings from small studies. We applaud the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) for its continued commitment to the 2-finger rule, applying the precautionary principle in ensuring equine welfare, despite the findings of this and other related studies.

The study noted that pressures increased significantly at tightness levels below 1.5 fingers, raising concerns about potential risks to equine comfort and well-being. However, the study did not assess behavioural or physiological impacts.

This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between noseband design and tightness, but with its limited scope, caution is advised in drawing broad conclusions. Future research is encouraged to explore the behavioural and physiological responses to noseband pressures, ensuring evidence-based practices for the equestrian community.

14/09/2024

A good read about how sugar and high starch diets, are associated with increased dopamine production. Elevated dopamine can lead to elevated awareness or hyperexcitability.

How diets high in starch can impact hindgut function and performance, potentially leading to problems with the ‘gut-brain axis.’

14/09/2024

Big enjoying himself at the ‘Pass Wide and Slow’ ride today.

12/09/2024

There are quite a few dogs that live or occasionally come to stay at GlenOlive- but this one living his best life is my gorgeous boy - Jock (alicious) - a very spoiled farm dog!

12/09/2024

At last….

‘The Pony Club has reviewed its spurs policy and introduced the following change: members wishing to use spurs as an aid for enhanced rider-to-horse communication must now demonstrate both a thorough understanding of spurs and their proper use, as well as a secure lower leg position while riding’

Pony Club riders who want to use spurs will have to prove they can use them properly – or they will be taken away. The organisation has revised its policy on spurs, making changes it hopes will help “promote the welfare of horses and ponies while educating the next generation of riders”. Curre...

11/09/2024

Become the Ocean!