Horse Sense Podcast

This month's podcast guest is Equine Vet Leigh De Clifford talking best practice wound care. 

Born and raised in rural Australia on a mix farm, Leigh grew up around racing, rodeo and campdrafting.

Leigh graduated from Massey in 2008 and worked in a large equine hospital in western Victoria before taking up a position as the private veterinarian for Qatar Bloodstock and Qatar Racing, based in Gloucestershire, UK.

Leigh’s interests include sports medicine, lameness and surgery and is keen on advancing the management of the equine athlete to get maximum performance, whether it be polo, dressage, eventing, show jumping or racing. Leigh was also recently asked to join the Australian Equestrian Veterinary Team for WEG in 2014.

When not at work Leigh can be found running around a rugby pitch, at the gym or grooming for his wife at her dressage competitions.

During the interview Leigh and I talk about initial first aid, what to clean wounds with, how to prevent proud flesh, what to put on wounds and how to get the best result.

Michelle Nicols is the Victorian Agent for Southern Stars Saddlery.  But she doesn’t just sell products.  Michelle’s all about happy, healthy horses and riders and this passion is what has driven her to build a successful business with great products that solve problems.

Michelle gets out there and helps people get the right gear, fit for purpose focussing mainly on the English riding population.

In this episode we talk about safety gear – what makes some protective gear better than others, changes to the new helmet standards, how to choose a safety vest working through the myriad of products on the market and how to dress your horse to protect him and keep him comfortable.

So much gold in this show for everyone.

You can find out more about Michelle at www.southernstarssaddlery.com or follow her on Facebook.

Ever had a time when you spent a whole day prepping your horse for an event only to get up the next morning to find he WILL NOT get on that float?    In this episode I talk to resident horse trainer extraordinaire Steve Brinkworth on how to get your horse to love the float.  We cover refusing to get on, rushing off, scrambling and much more.  A really, really useful episode!!

Complete the form below to access 2 videos showing Steve training floating in 2 different horses.  The video with Forest has a bit of wind noise and might be best watched with the sound turned down!  Note the time spent training moving and leading before even heading over to the float.    You’ll also note the use of the rope to train the feel of the breaching doors against the horse’s hind.  The second video you can hear Steve explaining what he is doing with Cervaza.

Carol Layton is a woman with a curiosity that led her down the path to becoming one of Australia’s leading Equine Nutrition experts.

With a background in Science and a love of horses, Carol found that she couldn’t find good evidence to back the way we were feeding our horses.  There was not much to help horse owners work through the maze of feeds at the feed store and so most of the information was based on people’s opinions or small pieces of research undertaken on small groups of horses.  This began a search for real knowledge about equine nutrition and led her to Dr. Elizabeth Kallen.  Dr. Kallen is a Vet who has specialised in the development of sound nutritional practice for all horses.  Carol has studied under Dr. Kallen for almost 10 years now and lectures both here and overseas on the subject.

Carol also consults and sells balanced mineral mixes individualised for your horse's particular needs.  Her website can be found here http://balancedequine.com.au/ and her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Balanced-Equine-270340003009716/

Today she talks about feeding the laminitic horse.

A fabulous interview.  We did have a few hiccoughs with the connection but it has turned out pretty well in spite of this!!

Sandi Simons is an inspirational horse riding woman. Why? Because she has felt the fear of losing her confidence as a horse woman and rider......and more. In this interview Sandi talks about her journey from struggling mum afraid to get on her horse to the confident woman she is today, helping other women overcome their fears and insecurities. Be inspired and motivated by Sandi. In her words - you're worth it.

I love my horses and I also love the land.  I want to live as sustainably as possible and not be one of those horse owners that ruin the land their horses run on.

We also all want the best for our horses and by far the best nutrition or horses is grass so it stands to reason that we want to grow as much of it as possible and manage worm burdens and the like.

Jane's system of land/grazing management combines horses natural grazing behaviours with sensible systems of horse keeping to make our lives easier.  I could listen to Jane all day - some incredibly practical information that we can all implement with minimal fuss and cost.

A scientist, researcher and author, Jane's a wealth of information and tours both Australia and the UK teaching these principles.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.

Before Michelle Payne there was Lynne Blighton. Lynne was riding as a jumps jockey as a 19 year old woman and tells the tale of how this came about. Lynne tells how, riding in a track race, she beat the most successful international women jockeys of the time on Melbourne Cup Day 1972 in Western Australia. She describes her thrilling ride on an unknown 'hayburner' to take out the win against all odds. It's a story that will give you goose bumps! Lynne also shares her love of riding and horsemanship now that she is an over 60's woman.