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April 2000 Newsletter
(text only)

Anyone who got last month’s Ireland’s Equestrian will know that we were featured extensively in said publication, which will be carrying another feature next month on the Scheme.

There are still a few MOT horses kicking about that we haven’t heard from in a while. Please update us about their achievements, or tell us if they’re for sale, so we can pass enquiries on.

This year, we have a mixed bag for you. The date for your diary is Friday evening, May 12th, and the venue is Oinri Jackson’s in Carrickmacross (200 yds out the Drumconrath Road) . Entry fee to members is £3, to non-members £5.

Teaching young stock to lead, & to load into horse boxes, with Lynne Williams

Ask the Farrier - Master Farrier Shane Cullen will discuss hoof trimming . Shane is building up a book of clients at the moment, so he’s worth a look if you’re on the lookout for a good farrier.

Saddle Fitting with Bernice Mone. Bernice will go through the basics, and show you how to spot a dodgy saddle before you part with cash.

Riding Clubs Challenge. Silver Spurs Riding Club have challenged Castle Leslie Riding Club to a relay race at the gallop. over obstacles. Last left standing takes all....

There will also be a number of trade stands inattendance, including Equine America, and the Cavan Monaghan Branch of the Pony Club. Anyone interested in bringing along a stand, please contact Bernice - there is no charge, but we need to plan a space for you.

Sessions with Niall Quirke, international dressage rider and tutor to the new Coaching qualification set up under the FEIlast summer, have now finished.

However, due to high demand, Lynne Williams will continue to give instruction every Friday afternoon & evening until further notice. Charge for the hour is £40, and you can split that with as many people as you like. Book through Carol, who can also fix you up with someone to share the hour if you want. Spectators are also welcome, free of charge. So come along, if you want to see just how far off the european standard we really are!

Foaling Tips

Well, the season is on us again, and for Chrissakes, please please please follow a few simple precautions to lessen the chance of tragedy to mare and foal:

if you’re foaling outdoors, pick a FLAT field, or at least on e that doesn’t slope down to a drain. You hear every year of ‘the best foal I ever had’ rolling down into rivers, barbed wire, all kinds of idiotic, and avoidable hazards

have the mare’s immunity boosted before she foals, to give the foal extra protection during the first days. Ask your vet.

make sure the foal gets enough colostrum -’beastings’. The mare’s first milk contains antibodies to all the local bugs she has built up immunity to, and protects the foal until it can build up its own immunity. If your mare is running a lot of milk prior to foaling, have another source of colostrum at the ready. I saw a little tub of the stuff for sale in Lakelands Equestrian shop in Lisnaskea.

do NOT give antibiotics to a newborn foal. You’ll kill all the bacteria in his gut, and without these, he can’t digest food.

Instead, have a Probiotic syringe ready. Costs less than £15 for a 5 day course. This will boost the foal’s digestive system and give it the best possible start. Bruce Steele commented at one of our past seminars that foals given probiotics were less likely to scour when the mare came back into season

Don’t neglect your worming. Mares should of course be wormed regularly up to foaling, as they can pass worms to the foal through their milk. Try to keep a clean pasture for the new foals, to give them a good start. Grazing land with cattle or sheep significantly reduces the number of horse worms in pasture, so if you’ve a mixed farm, plan your grazing accordingly.

Have a Master Farrier (not a fella that sticks on shoes) visit within the first three months. A lot of correction can be done easily at this age, before the growth plates close over. Anything left uncorrected after this age will probably never come fully right.

If you lose a foal, and have a mare available for fostering, please contact Bernice. Likewise, if you need a foster mare. Let’s help each other out - you never know which year it will be your turn to ask for help.

Tack for Romania

Jacqueline Magennis is collecting old tack, riding equipment etc for Romania. She would be grateful for anything you can spare. Tel. (049) 9522905

Ian Fearon

Ian is holding showjumping clinics at his yard in Ballyjamesduff. Excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to learn how to get the best from their horse. Tel. (049) 4330450

Kells Equestrian Centre

One of our Scheme trainers, Rita Dunne, ahs recently opened a brand new indoor arena. We wish her all the best with it. Rita can be reached on (046) 46638

Don Juan de la Bouverie

John Hughes has very kindly sent us a video of his new stallion, which is bred very similarly to the great Cavalier. The video, and literature on Don Juan, including photos of some of his first foals in ireland, are available in our library in MSW.

Ulster Rural Riders

First outing of the season is at Bellurgan (outside Dundalk) COngregate at Lumpers pub. This is a spectacular ride, up into the Cooleys, and is a lovely day out for horses and riders of all ages and abilites. URRA also have organised permits for Coillte property in Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. Give Sharon Myles a ring on (041) 6855200 to find out more.

Public Liability Insurance

For those of you who, like myself, don’t own any property and therefore find it difficult to get insurance to cover the horses, here’s a tip. The British Horse Society ahve now dropped their premium on members in the Republic of Ireland. Full membership is now £35, and that includes public liability on all your animals, and covers damage to or by anyone riding them with your permission. British Horse Society, Stoneleigh Deer Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2XZ, or visit their web site on www.bhs.org.uk

Items for Sale

If you have anything you want to advertise through the July newsletter, please contact Carol.

Single Pony box for sale.
double axled, front unload, lights in good order. Needs some work to the body. £350 ovno. Phone Carol (047) 71908
Wanted
Two very quiet cobs. Phone Kenny Burgess (042) 9745119

Monthly Meetings

The first Tuesday in the month, in John Joe Cunningham’s, Carrickmacross, at 9pm. All welcome

Membership

Tell a friend about us. We’ll give you £1 off next year’s membership for every on e you bring in. Send fees to Bernice, along with your name, and new member’s details (name, address, phone)