WELCOME TO APRIL’S MAGAZINE
finally plucked up the courage to contact
Guy.
Following a lengthy phone
conversation with Guy, Melanie
arranged for him to see her riding in her
own environment, unfortunately it was
snowing heavily that day but standing
outside Reggie’s stable discussing him,
Guy advised her to book Reggie in for
training as his attitude over the stable
door was enough to show Guy of his
total lack of respect for her.
Melanie had adjusted her way of
dealing with Reggie to suit Reggie. If
Reggie moved she got out of the way.
Guy had picked up straight away that
Reggie was in charge.
Reggie spent four weeks with Guy,
going back to basics and re-educating
Reggie with spacial awareness and
manners.
When Melanie went to visit Reggie
after the first week, she wept with joy.
“I couldn’t believe the change in
Reggie’s attitude, he was so laid back
and enjoying everything Guy was
asking of him. The day I went to bring
him home, Reggie performed in the
coffee morning (he likes a crowd!) and
I was overwhelmed with the positive
comments I received as his owner,”
explained Melanie.
Once Reggie was back home, Melanie
found her fear of being around him had
gone.
“He is a pleasure to own, he is not
intimidating any longer and he is a
lovely ride. Anybody doubting Natural
Horsemanship, as I maybe did, should
think again. I have even been out and
bought a yearling now, so that will be
going to clinics soon!” she added.
For further information visit www.
guyrobertsonhorsemanship.co.uk
April 2015 • Issue 19 • Everything Horse UK
Leading Scientific Journal Publishes
Study
Research into the link between diet
and horse behaviour commissioned by
Dengie and conducted at Edinburgh
University has been published by
Applied Animal Behaviour Science –
an international journal reporting on
the scientific and objective study of
the behaviour of animals managed by
humans.
“This fantastic news and means
that the study can now be referred
to as independent peer-reviewed
research, which gives it a much higher
level of credibility,” said Dengie
technical and product development
manager Katie Williams. “It will also
be used by other researchers carrying
out further studies in this field.”
The study was conducted last
year by project leader Dr Jo-Anne
Murray, researcher Louise Bulmer,
from Glasgow University (formerly
Edinburgh University) and Sebastian
McBride, from the University of
Cambridge. Although the effect of
diet on behaviour had been studied
in many species – including humans
and rats – very little had been done to
explore the link between horses and
diet.
Eight mature horses were used in
the study, which ran from January to
March, at a time when grazing was
sparse. They were each kept in light
work – taking part in jumping and
flat work for five days a week – with
daily turnout for between four and six
hours at weekends.
Two different diets were fed during
this time, both featuring exactly the
same amount of energy and based
on haylage. One diet was fibre-based,
containing Dengie Alfa-A Molasses
Free, with a starch level of 2 per cent,
and the other included a cereal-based
concentrate mix, with a starch level of
22 per cent, which is typical of a mix.
The horses were divided into two
groups and fed each of the diets for
28 days in a crossover-design study.
Behaviour was measured throughout
as the horses were introduced to new
situations and equipment. Heart rate
was also measured to monitor stress
levels during the tests.
The study showed that, overall,
the horses had higher heart rates
(indicating higher stress levels) when
exposed to new situations when
fed a cereal-based concentrate mix
compared to when they were given
fibre-based feeds.
This suggests that, although
high-starch diets are considered an
effective energy source for humans
undertaking increased exercise, they
are not necessarily ideal for providing
energy for working horses.
Instead, energy might be better
provided by feeding good-quality
fibre because the study concludes that
this type of diet appears to reduce
reactivity, making horses easier to
handle from the ground.
Images below: Reggies first hunt Taken by RFM photography
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