.:EQUUS:.

Feed a man today; he goes hungry tomorrow.  Teach a man to fish; feed him then, for life.

I thought it the coolest thing last year that with my earned points on my credit card, I could purchase a goat as this was offered as one of the reward points choices.  Why would I want a goat?

The card is a World Vision card where a small percentage of the amount I spend on the card is donated to World Vision.  This was appealing when looking into what sort of credit card I would get.  But all the better that it accumulates points and with these I can do further shopping.

World Vision are linked in with my credit card provider and for a particular number of points, I could purchase and donate a goat to a poverty stricken community, positively impacting a family and community over the long term.  Giving money through the use of my credit card is a short term answer, providing an animal that produces milk and can generate an income is a long term solution.

If something from my routine can benefit another (like the use of my credit card) then I’m all for it!  But where do the horses come into it, you ask?

The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust “was established to reduce rural poverty by increasing productivity of working horses and donkeys through animal welfare and management education.” It seems the donkeys have already been provided and are making a massive difference in the income of their owners, but their state of being is questionable.

The Gambia Trust is planning to hold a couple of shows in November with the aim to reward those who take good care of their donkeys and make available education and resources to continue to do so.

“The classes were initially judged purely on condition and handling, but we are also gradually including conformation in an attempt to encourage selective breeding.”

The shows have been a big hit, helping to alleviate ignorance with regards to care of horses and donkeys and provide a place for the community to sell food and beverages to visitors from further afield.

The Gambia Trust also provides basic veterinary care at their centre and mobile clinics at local markets.  Training is also provided in schools, at college level and to farmer groups.  On top of this, the centre is also being used for harness makers to improve on what is currently being used and the training of farriers.

Volunteers from the UK come out to help judge, organise and steward these events that aim to make such an impact.  Perhaps the idea of helping out here is slowly forming?

“A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care.” - Pat Parelli

Tag: equine education, horse health, volunteer with horses, donkey welfare, gambia trust

Have a love for the racing industry and think that you’d be the sort of person to keep rules enforced and everyone playing fair?

Ensuring that the Rules of Racing are adhered to, stewards are responsible for the conducting of race meetings.  Duties surround those that help to control and regulate racing.

Within Australia, employment happens through the Principle Racing Authority of each State and all stewards start as a Cadet Steward.

In the US, whether it be for harness racing, the gallops or greyhound racing, to be a steward or racing official, you need to be accredited.  Both the University of Lousiville and Arizona have accreditation schools.  Alternatively, you can look at the Racing Officials Accreditation Program website.

Where to start?  Perhaps at one of the top racecourses:
- Flemington Racecourse, Australia.  Home of ‘the race that stops the nation’, the Melbourne Cup.
- Caulfield Racecourse, Australia.  Home of the Caulfield Cup.
Both found through Racing Victoria Limited.
- Longchamps, France.  Home of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.  Found through France Galop; French and English versions available.
- Tokyo Racecourse, Japan.  Home of the Japan Cup.  Found through Japan Racing; Japanese, French and English versions available.
- Aintree Racecourse, United Kingdom.  Home of the Grand National.  Found through http://www.aintree.co.uk/
- Churchill Downs, USA.  Home of the Kentucky Derby.
- Pimlico Racecourse, USA.  Home of the Preakness Stakes.
- Belmont Park, USA.  Home of the Belmont Stakes.
- The Curragh, Ireland.  Home of the Irish Triple Crown, the Irish 2000 Guineas, the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger. http://www.curragh.ie/

Of interest:
Article, Female Steward Will Make History.
Article, Experienced NSW Steward Joins NZ Racing.

“Ascot is so exclusive that it is the only racecourse in the world where the horses own the people.” - Art Buchwald

tag: horse racing, racing course, racing marshall, racing steward, cadet steward, racing official

I think the idea of working and gaining a qualification will forever be appealing to me.

For those interested in ministering to others that are as passionate about horses as their faith, perhaps the likes of Attunga Youth Ministries Pty Ltd - a not for profit Christian outreach camp - would be of interest to you.

The aboriginal word for High Place, ‘Attunga’ is located in New South Wales, Australia above the Wingecarribee and Wollondilly rivers.

Attunga offer an Internship which at the end you will have achieved your Certificate IV in Christian Ministry while serving through the area of horse riding, worship/music, activities, kitchen/catering or site development/maintenance.

Running from February to December each year, you can apply for the internship up to two years in advance and must be within the 18-30 years bracket.

Want to see some native Australian animals?

Maybe the place where kangaroos, wombats, koalas and rosellas hang out might be worth a visit.

Being a camp, it is possible to visit Attunga without taking up an internship or employment.

As someone who plans on reaching out to people through the horse property she owns in the (hopefully not too distant) future, this place like many others, has a lot of appeal.

“What the horse does under compulsion…is done without understanding…and there is no beauty in it.” - Xenophon

tag: equine ministry, horse goals, equine internship, christian ministry, certificate IV

I stumbled across the Blog Action Day Friday night (Oct 10) thanks to statcounter and was very curious about the general idea.  Basically, bloggers around the world unite on a particular day (October 15) and write about a particular topic.  The idea is to spark worldwide discussion on the given topic.  This year’s is Poverty.  What an amazing idea!

The idea - don’t change your blog to fit the topic; match the topic to your blog style.  The result?  A great many readers to your blog and raised awareness of a problem and potential solutions.

Dictionary reference for poverty:

For me, deficiency or insufficiency sums it up or simply put, a lack of the necessary or vital things to survive.  And who wants to just survive when they could fully live?

In the form of horses…
I have seen a lot of these gorgeous animals in shocking condition due to a lack of nutrition, veterinary and farriery care or just love.  And as someone who works within the racing industry (one of the top employers and money earners in Australia) it amazes me the amount I do see.

The associations set up to cater to damaged, abused, retired and neglected horses are an amazing work but to not need them in the first place would be all the better.

If you breed horses, ask yourself why?  If it’s a money earner, is your supply fitting to the demand or so much more that the horses lose value and are harder to sell and find homes for?

Whatever your reason for adding to the population, consider if you ended up keeping the foal and eventually full grown equine, could you afford what is needed to keep this worthy animal in good condition, healthy and happy?

If you’re competing is the brand new saddle you purchased for upcoming competitions going to put you in debt and therefore out of pocket for paying for agistment and feed.

If you’re looking to add to your herd, consider why you want a horse in the first place (paddock companion, breed, compete, show, pleasure, learn to ride) and consequently where you could shop around and find a horse that can be suited to this desire that otherwise might have been sold to an ill meaning owner or possibly put down.

I am more than blessed and I choose to stay an owner of one horse at this particular time as my funds can easily cover his needs.  Down the track I plan on having many more but at this point in time feel it would be an irresponsible move.

In the form of people…
Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch was the first eye opener for me when it comes to people and horses combining to help others who are desperately lacking.  Kim and Troy Meeder take in abused and neglected horses, work with them and bring them back to the condition they should be in and then pair them with people from abused and neglected backgrounds, raising confidence, creating friendship and establishing relationships.

Riding for the Disabled is set up to enrich the lives of those who are disabled through providing a program that can help physically and mentally.  Volunteers who take part in the program also find their lives to be that much fuller due to helping out with such a worthy cause.

For the horse obsessed, there are set ups out there that allow you to donate your time and expertise and help introduce others to these gorgeous animals and therefore a chance to enrich their life.

I am more than blessed and I choose to sponsor a child through World Vision and Compassion at this point in time.  Perhaps down the track I won’t have the funds to do so, but I may have the time instead, to invest in something.  How about you?

But I’m just one person… What can one person do?

In our own way, anyone can help to Make Poverty History.  Interested in volunteering for something horse related?  Consider Riding for the Disabled or other worthy causes.

“Poverty is another word for owning a horse…”

tag: blog action day, horse poverty, crystal peaks youth ranch, greater cause, volunteer

As someone who’s collecting as many horse books as possible with the view to have them available in a library on my property for all to read, it seemed it was about time I started to review the books I own… and other horse related books that I’ve read.

The plan for my library is to have a room full of books (hopefully in excess of 800) that line the walls and on a day that the weather doesn’t allow horse riding, all the agistees and clients of the riding school will be able to spend the day in my library just reading about horses.

Recently I was checking out a friend’s packed bookshelves while at her house and stumbled across In Search of a Wild Brumby.  Even though I had four on the go at the time, she insisted I borrow it and there was no rush with regards to getting it read and back to her.

Once I started to read it, I realised returning it wouldn’t have been an issue due to the book being hard to put down.

As someone who grew up on the likes of the Silver Brumby series by Elyne Mitchell, it’s fascinating now at 23 years of age to read about these places in the high country but from a non fiction point of view rather than the fictitious series I adore.

Keenan after being asked his opinion on the mass shooting of brumbies in the Australian High Country in a culling effort, struck out to meet those who inhabited the areas of northern Victoria and just over the New South Wales border that brumbies were found.

Through meeting such people his plan was to find the small number of remaining brumbies scattered over the country and observe them in their natural environment to determine if they were detrimental to the high country land.

A great look at the start of horses in Australia and our horse riding history, the book has been a great read and caused me to want to go check out some areas in Northern Victoria that I hadn’t before known existed.  I think the Blue Duck Inn will have to be on the list with some planned horse riding.

In Search of a Wild Brumby is well worth the read.

Author: Michael Keenan
http://www.michaelkeenan.com.au/
Non Fiction
In My Library? Absolutely!   A very interesting read with some great Australian history.

“Ride a wild horse against the sky, hold tight to his wings before you die, whatever else you leave undone, once ride a wild horse into the sun.”

tag: horse story, equine book review, michael keenan, equine author, horse library, horse writing