Harcourt Pony Club in Harcourt, Victoria | Horse riding centre

Harcourt Pony Club

Locality: Harcourt, Victoria

Phone: +61 419 902 400

Address: Bridge St 3453 Harcourt, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.harcourt.ponyclubvic.org.au/

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• Sport & recreation
• Non-profit organisation
• Equestrian centre
• Horse riding centre

25.01.2022 Always wear a helmet

25.01.2022 The significance of the sacroiliac joint (and the risk of prematurely training collection). The sacroiliac joint is the intersection of sacrum, (section of the ...spine that underlies the croup), and the ilium (the largest of the bones that make up the pelvis). The sacrum is made up of five vertebrae, which only fully solidify around the age of 5 in a horse, and only then is it able to fully load bear. This small joint is extremely sensitive. It is kept together only by ligaments there is no directly connected muscular structure in this area. In terms of its function, the sacroiliac joint is the connection of the hindquarters to the rest of the body, and plays a major role in enabling the use of the power and strength created by the hindquarters. So, the sacroiliac joint is highly sensitive, but at the same time must be very mobile to transfer the strength and power generated by the hindquarter to the back and the forehand. Why this mechanism may block.... Blockages and problems in the sacroiliac joint can be created by trauma (e.g. a fall), overstraining, or wrong training. This can significantly affect the structural integrity of the joint, which will show itself through deficiently pronounced muscles, in particular in the hindquarters. ‘Dents’ in the side of the hindquarters as well as a sharp, steeply ascending/descending croup are signs that the muscles are underdeveloped, and should not be ignored or viewed as the horse having an athletic shape. In riding horses these signs tend to point toward a way of riding that is heavy on the forehand. In young horses it often points to a lack of exercise. As previously mentioned, the sacroiliac joint is responsible for the transfer of power and therefore also plays a huge role in the horse’s ability to collect. What are the symptoms of a blockage in the sacroiliac joint? Some signs there may be a blockage in the sacroiliac joint include: - Less ‘go’ / less of a ‘push’ forward - Shortened stride - Problems in maintaining rhythm in the stride, up to the point where we would consider the horse lame - Spinal problems - The horse cannot collect - Problems when walking backwards - Problems in the canter In many cases these blockages result in a tilted sacroiliac joint, which disturbs the entire mechanics and movement of the horse - e.g. being higher on one side than on the other or a hunters bump. Because of this one-sided change in the positioning of the pelvis, the thigh bone is also moved into an unnatural position, which forces the entire hindquarter into a wrong and unnatural position. This has to be corrected by the rest of the body, which means other areas are working in ways they are not supposed to, thus overloading these areas. If you suspect your horse may have problems in the sacroiliac joint, you should consult a knowledgeable vet or equine therapist with expertise in this area. They will be able to help you get rid of these blockages, and get the joint back to working how it should. With any blockages in the sacroiliac joint, you must pay careful attention to the muscles surrounding the joint (i.e. the muscles through the hindquarters, particularly on the sides and around the croup). These muscle groups will also require care and possible physio therapy to repair damage and tension created by the blockage in the joint. Otherwise, any work your therapist has done to repair the blockage in the sacroiliac joint will be quickly undone. It should be noted that tension and or damage in the muscle groups around the sacroiliac joint can in itself create blockages in the joint, for example when the pull on the joint is uneven (one side is strongly favoured). Preventing problems You can prevent problems to the sensitive structure of the sacroiliac joint through responsible riding, targeting the correct building of muscles in the hindquarters, with special attention to the muscles in the inner pelvis region. A well pronounced and functional hind, in terms of its ability to collect and its load bearing capacity, will always look round through the steady build-up of muscle you should never see ‘dents’ or anything that ‘sticks out’ or looks ‘bony’. The importance of working the horse in a way that considers the integrity of its anatomical structure cannot be stressed enough. Further, muscles must be built up evenly, to counter the natural favouring of one side and evenness and straightness throughout the body. An uneven horse will not only overstrain its entire body, but the hindquarters load bearing abilities will also be diminished. A healthy, strong, and well-built muscular system can prevent many problems within the skeletal system, particularly in joints like the sacroiliac. www.sonovet-equine-therapy.com

24.01.2022 Excellent trying opportunity, take note of the date!

23.01.2022 Soldiers, surf and sunshine - The Household Cavalry hit the beach...

23.01.2022 Here are the dressage and show jumping clinic times for the 3rd of October and the covid and clinic rules. Happy riding everyone!

22.01.2022 Awesome explanation!

22.01.2022 More photos from today's great rally

22.01.2022 Excellent advice. Horses are well variable of regulating their own temperature.

21.01.2022 Any of our female riders?

21.01.2022 Such a great day at apple fest our pony club represented in the parade !!! Thanks to everyone who worked a shift for gold coin donation parking at pony club. Very fun day for everyone !!

21.01.2022 We had an amazing day at our rally yesterday We had some flatwork, poles and ground work lessons!

20.01.2022 Fascinating to see

20.01.2022 We’re holding another Showjumping and Dressage clinic! Book your spot early to avoid missing out

20.01.2022 Feel free to come and say hello and buy a sausage at Bunnings kangaroo flat

19.01.2022 School holidays dressage & show jumping/poles clinic this Friday at Harcourt Pony Club! More information/flyer will be posted tomorrow

19.01.2022 A great rally this morning with Stacey Tolley instructing. The kids all pushed themselves and were very proud of their achievements.

19.01.2022 POSTPONED COME & TRY DAY Sunday 9th of August - gear check at 9:30am for a 10am start. BYO lunch.... $10 insurance fee. Here at Harcourt Pony Club we welcome riders of all ages. That’s right, we have junior and adult riding members! For our August rally we are holding a come and try day open to all riders of all ages. If you have ever wanted to learn more about Pony Club, see what Harcourt Pony Club is all about or be part of a friendly and encouraging club, this day is for you! Anyone wanting to ride at our come and try day will need to bring their own horse and be wearing riding boots and a helmet. Anyone unable to attend with their own horse is still more than welcome to come along and learn more about our club and see if it would be a good fit for you and your family. Due to COVID-19 restrictions we are limited to 20 riders, so please let us know if you will be attending. For more information please call Peggy Mills on 0419 902 400 or message our Facebook page.

18.01.2022 COME & TRY DAY Sunday 11th of October - gear check at 9:30am for a 10am start. Light canteen operating or BYO lunch. $15 insurance fee.... Here at Harcourt Pony Club we welcome riders of all ages. That’s right, we have junior and adult riding members! For our October rally we are holding a come and try day open to all riders of all ages. If you have ever wanted to learn more about Pony Club, see what Harcourt Pony Club is all about or be part of a friendly and encouraging club, this day is for you! Anyone wanting to ride at our come and try day will need to bring their own horse and be wearing riding boots and a helmet. Anyone unable to attend with their own horse is still more than welcome to come along and learn more about our club and see if it would be a good fit for you and your family. Covid-19 rules apply. Please contact us if you would like to attend For more information please call Peggy Mills on 0419 902 400 or message our Facebook page.

18.01.2022 A nice trail ride out today up to the Elphinstone fire tower. Luckily we mostly scored Sun and the rain waited until just as we finished.

17.01.2022 Dressage and showjumping clinic! Wednesday the 20th of January Dressage with Amy Bachmann and showjumping with Peggy Mills. More details below

17.01.2022 Amazing day at our Christmas Rally today! We started with dressage tests, followed by a stockmans challenge and then a great lunch! Congratulations to all the place getters today and thank you for making it such a fun day! ... Enjoy the Christmas break and we hope to see you all next year

16.01.2022 Which type is your horse?

16.01.2022 4 POLES 7 EXERCISES A series of exercises that can be done with minimal equipment and in short preparation time. These exercises are based on precise lines ...and the right timing to get your horses swiftly through. Ideally the poles are placed so that the innermost circle has at least a 6-7 meter diameter. The goal of these exercises is to improve aids/communication and precise changes of direction absolute focus by both horse and rider is needed. EXERCISE 1 Ride a circle over the outer sides of the poles this can be done in walk, trot or canter. Ensure the horse is slightly bent to the inside to promote an active hind. With an experienced well trained horse you can do this exercise over the innermost part of the poles in walk or trot still too easy? Try to back up your horse around the outer circle :-) EXERCISE 2 Ride in a big circle around the poles and a small circle around each pole when you reach it. Start with larger circles and reduce them when the horse is properly warmed up make sure the horse does not lean on the inner shoulder. This exercise too can be ridden in walk, trot or canter experienced horse/rider combinations could do this in pairs. Or you can change gait, e.g. ride the large circle in trot and walk the smaller circles around the poles. This needs both precise aids by the rider and excellent response to the aids by your horse. EXERCISE 3 With this exercise ensure your horse is absolutely straight on the straight lines in the middle (marked darker in the picture) and that your horse is not leaning on the inner shoulder. Ride this on both leads in walk and trot. EXERCISE 4 Whilst you can do this one in walk, trot or best in canter. The change should happen at X. Whichever gait you are in, you should focus on changing hands precisely at X ensuring that your horse is in an absolute straight frame at X. Do this exercise on both leads. EXERCISE 5 This one looks much easier than it is especially if ridden in canter. Approach each pole in the middle in canter there should be 3-4 canter strides between each pole (depending on the horse’s size, stride and the ridden circle). Try to have the same number of strides in each quarter of the circle. EXERCISE 6 Great to teach flying changes. The moment your horse goes over the pole, change your leg position (the new inner one now being forward and the new outer one going back), slightly bend your horse to the new direction and make sure you look into the direction you now want to go to. Ideally your horse would use the stride over the pole to correctly and swiftly change and to land on the now leading leg which needs an exact timing of your aids and a quick response to those by your horse. Less experienced riders /horses might want to start this exercise in walk and trot to establish exactly timed aids and quick response of the horse. EXERCISE 7 Can be done in walk, trot or canter. Ensure the horse is correctly bent whilst in the half circles and straight inbetween. This exercise is great to combine with exercise 4 just to avoid repetition and boredom :-) HAVE FUN :D :D :D :D (by Hummel Pferdetraining)

16.01.2022 Good advice for summer

14.01.2022 The relationship between mental relaxation and utilisation of the correct muscles

14.01.2022 A great article about the relationship between the rider's seat and the horse's movement

14.01.2022 We had a big working bee today to get our grounds back into shape! There was mowing, whipper snipping, we had some tree branches cut back and had our arena and horse yards fixed! A massive thank you to B&K Landscapes for being our handy men, Macedon Ranges Mowing & Property Care for absolutely smashing it with the mowing and general maintenance and of course our volunteers and committee members for jumping in to help! ... Amazing effort by everyone involved!

13.01.2022 RIDING IN THE HEAT. Some information if you are considering riding in very hot and or humid conditions. Who is more likely to overheat - you or your horse?... It might surprise you to know that your horse gets hotter, much faster than you and is more susceptible to the negative effects of heat stress. "It only takes 17 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in hot, humid weather to raise a horse's temperature to dangerous levels. That's three to 10 times faster than in humans. Horses feel the heat much worse than we do." And the effects can be serious. If a horse's body temperature shoots up from the normal 37 to 38C to 41C temperatures within working muscles may be as high as 43C, a temperature at which proteins in muscle begin to denature (COOK!). Horses suffering excessive heat stress may experience HYPOTENSION, COLIC AND RENAL FAILURE!! Horses are more susceptible to heat for several reasons. First, they are larger and have a higher percentage of active muscle than people do during exercise. When muscles are being used, they produce a lot of heat. Horses also rely to a significant extent on sweating to cool them off. They can sweat 15 to 20 litres per hour in cool, dry conditions and up to 30 litres per hour in hot, humid conditions, but only 25-30% of the sweat produced is effective in cooling the horse by evaporation. "Because so much more sweat is produced than can be evaporated, the rest just drips off the horse's body," "By comparison, up to 50% of the sweat people produce is evaporated from our bodies during exercise and helps to cool us." The salts in horse sweat are also four times as concentrated as in human sweat. "Those salts have to be replaced," he adds. "Just giving the horse water will not rehydrate a dehydrated horse. When horses drink plain water, it dilutes their body fluids, and their bodies respond by trying to get rid of more water and more electrolytes." Horses also pant to dissipate heat, but this is only effective if the air is at least five degrees cooler than the horse's body temperature. FOOD FOR THOUGHT WHEN CONSIDERING RIDING IN THE HEAT. Some exerts from: Michael Lindinger, PhD, MSc, an animal and exercise physiologist at the University of Guelph

13.01.2022 So much good information

12.01.2022 A relaxing trail ride in the warm Autumn weather with lots of new experiences for younger riders; banks and hills, a Wallaby and a even a couple of dirt bikes!

11.01.2022 Such a great day at harcourt Pc today thanks for everyone that made it fun we missed our dc Helen Martin Heath cliff and molly Joan today but had ten horses and riders braving the cold.

10.01.2022 November rally info

10.01.2022 Still a couple of spots available for dressage lessons on the 3rd. October, and a few for showjumping. Get in quick as classes will close soon.

09.01.2022 I dare you to watch this without gasping once!

08.01.2022 POSTPONED Come and try day/August rally Due to the new stage 3 restrictions starting at midnight on Wednesday we unfortunately have to postpone our come and try day/August rally.... At this stage we are unsure when we will be able to recommence our Pony Club rallies, but we will be sure to keep you all up to date and announce our new rally date as soon as we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions in the meantime We hope everyone stays safe during this difficult time.

07.01.2022 Be proud of all your accomplishments

07.01.2022 Such an awesome story!

06.01.2022 Even fans of feeding flax may not realize all its benefits. It's a very healthful supplemental feed item for horses of all ages, classes and uses. People usual...ly feed flax for its high omega-3 fatty acid content. There are two classes of fatty acids (the building blocks of fats) that must be in the diet, omega-3 and omega-6. Both are essential for peak immune function and the omega-3s contribute to normal homeostatic balancing of inflammatory reactions. [ 545 more words ] https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com//the-benefits-of-feed/

05.01.2022 All information on our school holidays clinic Due to terrible weather, the clinic date has been changed to the 3rd of October

03.01.2022 Very busy happy day at pony club today we welcomed three new family’s as members!!

03.01.2022 Lots of great exercises

03.01.2022 Plenty of really technical information here

03.01.2022 Something different!

03.01.2022 What treats do you feed?

03.01.2022 Important information for all horse and pony owners

02.01.2022 There’s some new and exciting changes coming to Harcourt Pony Club! Watch this space! For now enjoy some photos of our rally today

02.01.2022 Harcourt Pony Club is excited to announce our new committee! President - Peggy Mills Secretary - Elsa Haebich Treasurer - Carla Taylor... District Commissioner (DC) - Jessica McHale Media & Communication - Alesha Brown Some exciting times ahead, watch this space!

01.01.2022 Just a few of the prizes for our Xmas rally.

01.01.2022 A nice inspiring blog post

01.01.2022 Reminder, tomorrow’s come and try day/August rally has been POSTPONED due to stage 3 restrictions. Stay safe everyone!