.:EQUUS:.

So a recent article I was writing with regards to the identification of a horse led me to linking to a page on Lipizzaner’s with regards the breed being specifically known for their grey or white stallions.  These gorgeous animals are on display at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna which for over 430 years has practiced classical equitation in the ‘Renaissance tradition of the haute école’.

The way the horse naturally moves is studied and the objective of classical equitation as well as the cultivation of the highest possible levels of haute école elegance that the horse is capable of.

For a rider, working and performing at such a school may be the perfect aspiration.  There are pre-requisites or requirements when it comes to qualifying for such a position.  Those who are successful are invited to an interview and possibly asked to give a riding demonstration.

Requirements for an eleve or cadet:

- Minimum age: 17 years
- Nationality of an EU member state
- Athletic and creative abilities
- Body height should not exceed 170cm
- In relation to the upper body, the legs should appear long
- A slim physique is required
- Fluent German and a good command of English
- A strong affinity to horses and basic riding skills

The successful eleve will then undertake a four year training program.  To become a rider the training can cover a 10 year duration.  In 2008 the first female cadets were taken in, breaking the all male tradition.

Indeed, qualifying as a cadet sounds like a lot of work but so very much worth it!  For the avid horse rider, perhaps such a position is worth looking into.

“A horse is an animal not a machine and is only as good as it’s rider.”

tag: cadetship, horseriding, Vienna, Spanish Riding School

Before having even travelled and while still planning my trip to Ireland for the Irish National Stud I stumbled across a website that caught my attention with a few words: horses, beach, South Africa.

Julie-Anne Gower along with her husband Clint run Wild Coast Horse Trails on the East Coast of South Africa.  I spent five weeks of absolute heaven learning, riding and breathing horses with them.  Julie-Anne has kindly answered some questions about their trail riding business.

What services are offered by Wild Coast Horse Trails?
We provide horse riding holidays for horse loving people, see notes on Wild Coast Horseback Adventures for all the details.

- 1 to 12 week hands on working horse riding holiday at Sunray farm
- 6 night 7 day Wild Coast Horse Safari
- 8 night 10 Day Surf & Turf Safari
- 1 to 14 day Castaway trails - custom made trails
- Day rides along the beach
- Torstone Sport Horses

How did you get into this equine related business?
I kept seeing other people trying to do this type of thing, and in my opinion they were not getting it right. Finally, we had a cash flow crisis, and a field full of horses, and I put a trail itinerary together, created a web site and waited for a year before my first booking! I was in the right place and the right time and the horse trail agents picked me up and started selling our rides.

The Gap year program developed first of all as a work for board arrangement, but this presented only problems and so I decided to charge riders for staying with us. The demand for this type of experience has grown into a full time business and we now take up to 8 riders at the farm at any one time. We have converted the old farm house into a comfortable cottage for the riders to live in, and developed the whole thing into an extended riding holiday. We have a full time yard manager who oversees the daily routine and also instructs the riding and schooling sessions.

I started breeding horses because I thought that it was a good idea at the time - I am still trying to make money out of it!!
The great thing now is that we can bring our own bred horses into the trails - and that really is rewarding. My dream is to produce competitive endurance horses that will be sold overseas. We are on the cusp of this, as the perfect prospect has to be about 8 years old and have completed 3 x 80 km rides and at least 1 x 120km competition - it’s a very long term project, but we are lucky enough to be able to use the up and coming youngsters in the trails as part of their training - and they are earning their keep at the same time.

How much of your day/week is hands on with horses?
I don’t spend as much time as I would like to! I do all the guiding for the trails, and that is very hands on with the horses. At the farm, I tend to be organising and checking rather than actually doing these days

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
To earn a living from horses, it really depends on you. Most day ride operations do ok if they are in the right place and have a consistent flow of tourists to support them. They drive old cars, and the house needs painting, but they are doing what they love!

What are the general steps taken to be able to provide such a service to others?
The overnight trail scenario is highly competitive. You have to select your market carefully, and if like me you are remote and rely on international tourists, you have to have representation in Europe and the UK.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing this line of work?
Don’t expect to make it straight off. It takes time and effort - you are planning and working with agents a year in advance for the marketing - so if you start now, only expect returns over the next 1 to 2 years. In the mean time you have to feed and care for the horses and keep them in tip top condition.

Besides being totally horsey and you must be able to ride VERY well and enjoy looking after people, get some field guiding qualification, and some hospitality training. Also, get experience in leading trails with all levels of riders.

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
I would love to meet and do some work with Richard Maxwell or Monty Roberts. I would love to do a course and improve my technique with training young horses etc.

Favourite horse memory?
When my old man Moonlight comes to me in the paddock, touches me with his nose and says hello; after all the training, sweat, and tears, winning endurance races! Also, having a young horse that you have bred, trained and sold on - do well and bring joy to their humans

Future goals?
I want to travel the world doing horseback trails and holidays To build my horse riding holidays into a profitable business so that I can go on riding holidays!

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I had a client a few weeks ago who came back to do her second trail with us. At 74 years old - what a dynamic woman - she is an inspiration to me in that I can now envision myself still riding for another 40 years! The horses have taught me to be authentic with myself and to others, do everything with love and respect.

“We have fast horses for fast people, gentle horses for gentle people, and for people who don’t like to ride, we have horses that don’t like to be ridden.”

Tags: Wild Coast Horse Trails, horse beach riding, horse riding holiday, trail riding, Julie-Anne Gower, South Africa

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

I’m reading In Search of a Wild Brumby (Michael Keenan) at the moment and although I’m only just getting into the story, it’s already sent me off searching online in regards to Przewalski’s Horse.

Keenan’s book refers to the ‘only genetically pure horse left in the wild’, Equus caballus przewalskii that was discovered in Mongolia in the late 19th century.

Apparently breeding programs have been set up in Australia, North America and the Ukraine with the view to release them to roam free once again.  It’s already proving to be successful.

Taronga Zoo in New South Wales, Australia is a part of this world wide captive breeding program as is Monarto Zoo in South Australia which is a 1000 hectare site, divided into a series of large paddocks, some of which are open to the public.

Want to know more?  Check out:
http://www.treemail.nl/takh/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przewalski%27s_Horse
http://www.hustai.mn/

Just through looking into a few of these sites, the idea of helping out with the preservation of this unique breed is quickly growing into a future goal.  If you have an interest in horses in their natural habitat, improving an environment to help them thrive, reading horses body language and observing daily behaviours, then perhaps the preservation of the Przewalski horse is for you.

Interested in helping out in the preservation of this breed?  Visit:
http://www.treemail.nl/takh/hnp/research/index.htm - There’s a scholarship offered for a Mongolian postgraduate each year.

http://www.ecovolunteer.org/ - Click on Choose Your Favourite Species - Ungulate: Przewalski’s Horses.  The site to check out if you would seriously be interested in traveling to Mongolia, observing and helping out with the preservation of this breed of horse.  Particular times of year and costs involved.

“A well trained horse isn’t less exciting than a wild one.”

tag: equine management, equine preservation, horse observation, equine growth, przewalski horse, mongolia

uShip is an online marketplace that connects horse transportation providers with customers who need their horses transported. uShip makes it easy for service providers to find profitable loads and gives customers access to affordable and reliable shipping options. The uShip marketplace is built on user feedback which helps both service providers and customers. Here’s how it works:

- A customer needs a horse moved across the country, so they list it on uShip.
- A service provider who services the necessary route and has some extra cargo space finds this shipment and places a bid.
- The customer reviews the bid and feedback left by the service provider’s past customers.
- The customer accepts the bid, contact information is exchanged, and the service provider services the shipment.
- Upon completion of the transaction, both parties leave feedback to help future users.
- Now the horse is at its destination, the customer has saved a little money, and the service provider was able to fill empty cargo space and make some extra money on a trip they were already making anyway.

uShip is always seeking to improve its services with new technology and features to make horse transportation as easy as possible. Christine Nguyen of uShip.com took the time to answer some questions regarding this online service.

When did uship.com start?
uShip.com launched in January of 2003 and since then, has been leading the online shipping revolution. Our mission is to create the most efficient marketplace for shipping that has ever existed by reducing shipping costs for customers and giving Transportation Service Providers the marketing scale, technology, and credibility they need to grow their business.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
Most of my day is related to horses. We are trying to reach out to horse owners and lovers who cannot transport their horse cross-country to find an affordable and reliable transportation service provider who can do it for them. In addition, we try to help horse carriers and transporters earn money (especially with the rising cost of gas) by making it easy to find these readily available jobs through our online marketplace.

In this field of providing a place online where people can search for transport for their horses, how is an income made by the provider? Is it the sort of income that could be considered livable?
Service providers generate income by placing winning bids and completing transportation jobs. Some service providers get a large portion of their business through uShip, while others may simply supplement their already substantial business with occasional loads from our marketplace. The great part is, this works for both of these functions.

What are the general steps taken to be able to provide this service to others for their livestock?
First of all, the service providers need to have a USDOT and MC number which ensures that they are a legitimate transporter. They also need to have a license to transport live animals. Finally, they would need to have good knowledge of interstate and intrastate transportation laws, as these laws differ from state to state.

Any advice for those interested in providing a similar service by means of the internet?
If you are looking to get into horse transportation – or any type of transportation service – the internet now offers a wealth of resources and tools, and uShip is a great place to get started. Make sure you know exactly what this job entails and that you can handle the often demanding schedule. The best way to do this is by talking to others who have been doing this for a while. They can give you a better idea of what life as a horse transporter will be like. uShip’s Community forums actually provide a great place for you to connect with other horse transporters.

Future goals?
We would like to expand awareness of the affordable, reliable horse transportation services available on uShip. As riding is becoming more popular, horses have become an important part of many peoples’ lives and are bought, sold, and transported more than ever. We want to be a resource to help service providers pursue a career in horse transportation and make a living being around horses.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The best thing is helping to rescue horses. Many times unwanted horses are sent to slaughter houses and taken down by their owners. There are many horse lovers and enthusiasts who want to help, but cannot afford the expensive costs of getting these horses shipped from across the country. With the uShip marketplace, we are able to help people avoid the high costs and get horses hauled home at a reasonable and affordable price.

“We gaze upon their quiet beauty, their natural elegance, and we are captivated. They see us softly, in gentle light… rewarding human companionship with strength, grace and intelligence. As they run through arenas and open fields, past mountains and seas, moving like the wind toward heaven, we travel with them, if only in our hearts.”

tag: horse transport, shipping horses, transport services, auction, online horse business, driving license