Ebony Park Friesian Magazine

AUGUST 2011

www.ebonyparkstud.com.au

Kate’s Knowledge - Conformation Case Study

Tash’s Training Tip

Lovely Loes’ Learnings

Friesian Stallion Selection

Ebony Park Stallion Liftout

Inside!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 2

RIDING PROGRAMSHAVE YOU VISITED

www.yourridingsuccess.com YET?!?!?

Everyone is raving about Natasha’s book “How to achieve lasting riding success”

After reading it you will:

• Be able to define what success is to you

• Know the THREE keys that are present in EVERY successful rider and how you need to have what they have if you want the same results.

• Have done your riding goals and developed your own commitment and action plan for success

Here is what some superstars had to say about the book:

“I have read the e-book and I found it really inspiring and helpful.” ~

Rebecca

“It’s awesome!” ~ Chantelle

So go to www.yourridingsuccess.com now and fill in your details on the right hand side. You will then be sent the link to the e-book in PDF and audio format immediately! Enjoy :)

Have you ever felt alone, confused and completely demotivated in your riding?

Have you every hit stumbling blocks in your training and didn’t know what the next step was?

Have you ever wanted to know what goes in the mind of a Grand Prix rider and trainer and how they got to where they are?

I know when I was starting my riding journey these were some of the challenges I faced constantly.

Imagine you were driving from one side of the country to the other. And imagine you were driving alone, without a map and no knowledge of the countryside. …. It would be an interesting trip wouldn’t it? Now imagine someone came with you on the trip. Someone who had been there before. They know the road, they know where the best place to stay and get fuel is, where the hard parts of the road are and where the easy parts are. They can point out the dangers and the things to look forward to. What to take notice of and what isn’t so important. That would make the trip more fun, exciting, less stressful, faster, easier and smoother. Most importantly if you are with someone who has been there before they make sure you don’t get lost, or worse drive in the complete wrong direction!

So I want to be your guide – your car roadie! I want to make sure you are on the right path to achieve what you want to achieve, and I want to be there to help you, champion you and support you through the challenging parts and see you on the other side ready to celebrate!

So with that in mind I have developed varying levels of Success Programs so you can learn from my mistakes, and get results and achieve your goals the quickest way possible (click on the links below for more information).

■ Your Riding Success Club

■ Your Riding Success Program

■ The Dream Team

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 3

From the EditorHi Fabulous Friesian Fanatics!! :)

We have had a busy month this month, getting things ready for the upcoming b reed ing season - organising stallions schedules and everything else involved - makes for a lot more work when there are 5 stallions to organise this year, but we are so excited to be breeding Achillies and Zeus for the first time this year, and we can’t wait to see what their foals are like next year!! :)

We haven’t had any competitions this month, but Natasha and Loes have been working super hard to get the boys ready for a stellar August! Zeus will be competing for the first time, which we are really looking forward to!! :)

I would like to congratulate Michel le on making her Friesian dream a reality - she is the proud new owner o f V i c t o r i a ’s e a g e r l y anticipated foal with Jorrit, due in January! She sent us a gorgeous. hand d rawn card tha t I couldn’t help but to show you (see right) with these lovely words

“A big heart-felt thankyou to the Ebony Park team for allowing me the opportunity of a lifetime”

This issue is packed full - our biggest yet - we look at breeding sport horses, interview Coby van Baalen and look at common conformation faults in horses with a case study! There is also a stallion liftout with information and pictures of our 5 stallions standing at stud here at Ebony Park! If you think breeding to one of our gorgeous boys is right for you, click here to go to the breeding section of our website, or email me at info@ebonyparkstud.com.au to receive your free information gift pack!

To Your Dreams Becoming Reality,

Kate Langdon

IN THIS ISSUE

• PAGE 4: BREEDING SPORT HORSES

• PAGE 5: NOTE FROM TASH AND 2011 DATES

• PAGE 6-9: KIND KATE’S KNOWLEDGE - CONFORMATION CASE STUDY

• PAGE 10-11: TASH’S TRAINING TIP - GOALSETTING

• PAGE 12: LOVELY LOES’

LEARNINGS and COMPETITION RESULTS

• PAGE 13: PHOTO GALLERY

• PAGE 14-19: STALLION LIFTOUT

• PAGE 20: 5 MINUTES WITH COBY VAN BAALEN

• PAGE 21: TOP QUALITY SUPREME

AGISTMENT

• PAGE 22: CONTACT INFORMATION

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 4

Born 21/05/1995

Liekele stands at just 160cm! He is the sire of Ebony Park Gjanna, and is

approved for breeding in North America.

He has the Friesian Sports Predicate, for excellence in the dressage arena, and

also check out the tricks he can do (below)!

BREEDING SPORT HORSESWhat characteristics make a sport horse, and is there a difference between a sport horse at Novice and Grand Prix levels? These are questions that are always asked of the top riders around the world, but Dutch riders Peter Spahn and Saskia Meinema answered these questions from a Friesian perspective.

CharacterPeter Spahn believes that a Grand Prix horses most important asset is his character, his temperament and his attitude - a willingness to work for you. For example, the best Novice horses are those with good, generous gaits, and you can’t actually tell by the gait of a horse in Novice whether it will make it to Grand Prix. He also says that he likes to ride horses from the very beginning, to see how they cope with d i f fe ren t s i tua t ions in genera l , appreciating the right mentality and learning ability in a horse. The idea is to teach as much as possible with as little aids as possible, right from the very start.

HealthHealth is very important in your horse - it is the starting point of everything. Horses do wear our because of the training and work they do, so it is important to have them checked over by a vet before you purchase, and then regularly when they are in work. No one wants to put years of work into a horse only to find it unable to live up to the expectations due to wear.

ExteriorA horse’s build is also very important (but not essential) when considering working and breeding sport horses. Peter Spahn prefers horses that have a light head-neck connection so that they can easily bring the head on the vertical, as well as a nice long neck and a good back. He also says that you should also be very aware of the horse’s exterior weaknesses, and the possibility to improve them with the right training and work.

MovementMovement is very important when choosing a sport horse. Saskia likes an active, quick hind leg, and Peter prefers to see horses at liberty, and looks at how well a horse balances when it turns and stops. He likes to see the horse put

its hind legs way under the body and tilt its pelvis when it takes off again. This shows the horses ability to collect. Peter also believe that the wlk and canter are the most important gaits, as you can

train the trot, but you can’t train a walk. Clear suspension in the canter is also really important.

Choosing a StallionWhen choosing a stallion to breed to your mare, you obviously have to be aware of your mares weak and strong points. Choosing a stallion is about upgrading the mares weak points, while at the same time maintaining her strong ones. In terms of temperament, Saskia prefers not to breed a hot-tempered mare to a hot-tempered stallion, so matching movement and looks as well as temperament are important.

DurabilityPeter Spahn feels that it is a good thing for Friesian stallions to be approved on their performance in sport, as it gives a lot of information about the horse - they are trainable, and durable, as they have been training for years, which says a lot also about their character and suitability as a sire for sport horses.

Breeding VisionThe most important thing for a breeder is being able to breed the horse that you want. Saskia also emphasises the importance of good guidance and training when you want to create a dressage horse. Everybody needs a mirror, even at the top level!! :)Peter agrees that it is vital to maintain the Friesian horse’s w o n d e r f u l d i s p o s i t i o n a n d trustworthy character.SOURCE: Phryso International 2011

LIEKELE 364

dressuurstal.be - Peter Spahn

saskiameinema.nl - Saskia Meinema

Photo:Leslie Burkhammer

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 5

Note from TashHello superstars!

Weeeeeeee!!!!!!! Another month done! Can you believe it is AUGUST?!?!

Last month of Winter, and then Spring is here with foals and breeding! Very exciting!

This month we have a bumper issue, as we have our stallion special at the back. I am so proud of my five boys, all unique and special in their own way, and I'm confident you will find a perfect fit for your breeding program. Remember, previous breeders with us are part of our breeding loyalty family and you should of all received a gift from us ... unless you bred last year, you guys get a special gift a bit later!!! :)

Also I have a favour to ask you guys! I have a silly bet with a friend of mine as to who can get to 1000 facebook likes first! I know, silly ... but I am super, super competitive, and I know you guys can help me out! So, if you are not a friend already click here to like our Ebony Park page, and you would really be helping me out!!!! Plus by liking our page you get the most up to date news and notifications every time we post a blog, new mag, have some results or any helpful news for you!

Plus if any of you are riders out there, and you haven’t checked out Your Riding Success, click here to like our Your Riding Success facebook page - same thing with this one, you get to know first when I post my weekly blog, inspirational quotes ad other cool things going on here!

This month on the dressage scene, we have the big debut of Zeus doing his first competition, and also Abe strutting his stuff in the Grand Prix. We have been playing a lot with some new techniques in the changes, as well as his piaffe, so I can't wait to see what the judges think!

We are very excited to launch our new forum on the Ebony Park website - anything and everything to do with horses, comments, questions, etc - especially Friesians! Click here to check it out, and let us know what you think!! :)

Also we would also like to personally congratulate Leonie on her purchase of Hanibal, and Michelle on her in utero Victoria foal - welcome to the Ebony Park family!

Thats about it for this month, so wishing you a fabulous, wonderful August and see you in September!

Love to hear any feedback you have or anything else you need!

To your success,

Natasha

DIARYDATES

z)

Zeus will be making his Debut, and

Jorrit and Abe will also be competing on August 6 & 7 in

Werribee!! :)

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 6

Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Conformation Case Study

To endure and thrive in the wild, horses needed the ability to eat, drink, outrun predators and reproduce. In order to perform these essential functions, correct c o n f o r m a t i o n a n d h e n c e soundness was a key factor in determining which horses would surv ive , and which would succumb to the many dangers of a grazing prey animal. In more recent times, humans have been conducting genetic trait selection in horses, selecting for strength and temperament, endurance, movement, speed, and jumping prowess.

One of the key factors in this selection process is judging conformation of various angles between joints and bones, as well as the way they interact when the horse is moving. Conformation is defined as the h o r s e ’s f o r m o r p h y s i c a l appearance, depending primarily on bone structure as well as muscles and tissues. There are many factors influencing the conformation of a horse including n u t r i t i o n , g e n e t i c s a n d environment.

In order to assess c o n f o r m a t i o n i n a horse, it is best to know what things can go wrong, and an easy way to do this is to look at an older horse, as t hey t end t o have accentuated problems due to old age.

This month, I have chosen to use the example of “Luke”, a 23 y e a r o l d c h e s t n u t thoroughbred gelding, and look at both his qualities and

faults in terms of conformation, and the consequences these might have on his movement. Luke’s history is unknown, but he probably never made it far as a racehorse as no records can be found through attempts at tracking his past via branding on his shoulders.

Head and NeckThe head and neck are often ove r looked in assess ing conformation – much focus seems to be finding leg faults, especially in the

racehorse. However, the head is very important for many aspects of wellbeing and performance of the horse. Luke has lovely wide nostrils (Figure 1), allowing adequate oxygen intake during hard work – the ability to breathe deeply is critical to success in any equ ine enterprise, especially sports s u c h a s r a c i n g w h e r e muscles are under strenuous pressure.

A broad forehead (Figure 2) p rov i des i nc reased s i nus capacity, allowing more room for air exchange through the nasal passages, and a large area for attachment of facial muscles (some of which assist in the opening of nostrils for air flow). Luke has sufficient throatlatch and jaw width (Figure 3) to provide a large surface area for insert ion of neck muscles controlling equilibrium (balance) and rapid movement changes in the body.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 7

Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Conformation Case StudyThe older the horse, t h e m o r e h i s i n c i s o r s s l a n t fo rward , coming together in a point (F igure 4) . Th is makes the teeth less effective for b i t ing off grass, although wear and l e n g t h o f t h e i n c i s o r s v a r i e s g rea t l y be tween horses depending on the diet. Hence an indication Luke is an older horse is the slope of his teeth.

The upper jaw is often wider than the lower, which creates hooks and ridges on the inside edge of the lower teeth and the outside edge of the upper teeth. Uneven teeth make it harder to eat (which can lead to a loss in condition), can also make the

horse uncomfortable, possibly affecting performance.

Generally, as the horse gets older, cartilage in the nose softens and changes caus ing d roop ing . However, Luke does not have

excessive drooping or “Elk Nose”, but does have a sunken hollow above the eye typical o f o l d e r h o r s e s (Figure 5).

T h e n e c k i s a n i m p o r t a n t l i n k between the head and shoulders as it helps the horse to maintain balance, as well as pulling the horse forward, with each stride. Luke has a neck that is well p r o p o r t i o n e d , al though not wel l muscled, meeting the b o d y a b o v e t h e shoulder (ideal), and

being around one third of total body length.

BodyLuke's overall body conformation is fine, with deep chest and adequate depth of girth to hold the heart and lungs (Figure 6), and well sprung ribs. The peak of Luke's withers is higher than the croup, allowing for good muscular attachment, but his weight is more concentrated in the hind end, predisposing to greater strain on joints (particularly the stifle) at faster paces. A horse with this conformation is more suited to flat work such as dressage and racing.

The horse's back is very rigid and inflexible, adapted for fast running in straight lines, providing a solid pivot point for the hindquarters during movement. As horses get older, their own weight pulls the back downward, generally creating swayback (Figure 7) in horses with muscle wastage and ligament stretching.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 8

Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Conformation Case Study

A swayback is often a weak back; hence Luke is probably not suitable for heavy riders or hard, fast work.

When viewed from above, Luke's back is not straight, rather forming an "S" shape, affecting movement especially at gaits faster than a trot, as the gait and leg tracking will not be even.

This could be due to muscle wastage, and uneven weight being put on his legs due to the preexisting knee injury.

ForelegsWhen viewed from the front, the ideal forelegs should have a plumb line through the middle of each joint, hitting the ground in the centre of the hoof. In Luke's situation, this is probably the case, but as is clearly shown in Figure 8, there is inflammation

of the offside k n e e j o i n t , changing the leg below the k n e e t o a t u r n e d o u t conformation.

T h i s m a y c a u s e t h e horse to wing-i n w h e n i t w a l k s a n d t r o t s , predisposing to interference injuries when moving. From the side, this arthritis in the k n e e a l s o

a f f e c t s L u k e ' s o t h e r w i s e acceptable conformation. In particular the offside foreleg, he appears over at the knee (Figure 7), where the leg is slightly angled forward below the knee, leaving the legs looking slightly bent.

This conformation is often a result of injury to the check ligament or structures at the back of the knee (he does have extensive scarring above the bad knee), and causes the column of the leg to weaken, hence the horse is more prone to stumbling and losing its balance.

The tendons at the back of the knee have increased stresses and strains - effects of these strains may be visible as lameness at the trot, making the horse only suitable for pleasure riding at slow speeds. Strengthening of the shou lder and fo rearm w i th exercises that lift the legs may help strengthen the muscles, reducing the strain on the tendons.

FeetFeet are crucial to soundness of the horse and hence it requires considerable time and effort to look after them. Feet must not only be well built and of adequate size to support the frame as well as activity of the horse, they must also be well maintained.

T h o r o u g h b r e d s h a v e b e e n genetically selected for speed over many generations by humans, but foot and hoof selection has only recently come into play.

Hence, in Luke’s feet they are slightly too small for his body frame (Figure 8), hence typically they would not be able to hold up under strenuous work and intense training due to increased stress on the feet and therefore legs. This predisposes the horse to problems such as joint injuries as well as navicular syndrome and other lamenesses.

HindlegsLaterally, the ideal conformation of the hindlimb is best described by drawing a line from the point of the buttock through the point of the h o c k p a r a l l e l t o t h e t h i r d metatarsal bone. Another line can be drawn from the point of the hip through the front of the toe. From the rear, a line can be dropped from the point of the buttock through the middle of the joints and hoof. This is the case in Luke from the rear, however from the side he appears sickle-hocked, standing under from the hocks down.

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 9

Kind Kate’s Knowledge - Conformation Case StudyThis conformation limits the straightening and backward extension of the hocks, making the horse unsuitable for jumping and speed sports. During the walk this fault would not be a problem, but in faster gaits the horse lacks propulsion and acceleration. Sickle hocks also predispose the horse to DJD (degenerative joint disease), bog spavin and strain of the plantar ligament (also called curb).

In this case, Luke possibly acquired sickle hocks due to the injury and consequent arthritis in his front offside knee, causing him to 'lean back' into his hindquarters, bringing on the appearance of sickle hocks.

Overall AssessmentsAlthough an old horse, due to his quiet nature and generally acceptable conformation, Luke could be ridden as a pleasure horse if his arthritis could be brought under control. During t h e w a l k , g e n e r a l l y h i s movement would be satisfactory and largely unaffected by any

conformational faults, but during the trot, factors such as lameness due to knee inflammation, lack of propulsion due to sickle hocks, and interference due to a slight toe-out conformation would come into play.

ConclusionAssessing an individual

horse such as Luke is useful in learning the biomechanics of why a horse should or should not perform to a particular task, but many factors must be taken into account. C o n f o r m a t i o n assessment for a purpose is still a very grey area as a horse may have "terrible" conformation and still excel in areas that

t e c h n i c a l l y i t s h o u l d n o t .

No horse is perfect - there are varying degrees of defects, and although humans have been genetically selecting horses for particular attributes for many hundreds of years, this is not very long in the grand scheme of evolution and we still have a long way to go.

To Your Dreams Becoming Reality

Kate Langdon

For a full list of references, please email me!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 10

Terrific Tash’s Tremendous Training Tip - Goalsetting

It is very important to know how to properly outline your goals.

It has been demonstrated that people who do this have a far greater chance of achieving their goals as opposed to others that don't. A col lege study asked graduate students which of t hem had w r i t t en g o a l s f o r t h e i r future and found that only 3% of t h e m h a d . 2 0 years later the students were all questioned again and it was found that the 3% who had written their goals 20 years ago had an income greater than the 97% of others that had not.

To m e t h a t i s g r e a t evidence to the notion that goal setting is important for achieving what I want from life. And we all want to achieve in our life, don't we? For this first article we are g o i n g t o l o o k a t t h e difference between a goal and a dream.

The first thing we need to do is de f ine what a goa l actually is: A goal is SMART - a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time framed objective that you a re COMMITTED AND DEDICATED to fulfilling.

For example "I will win a Novice dressage test at the Nationals with over 70%" is a goal. Whereas a dream is a wish that you would like to have come true. It can be

anything; you dream for a house or a car or to become an astronaut or have a million dollars.

So for example "I wish I could go to the Olympics" or "I wish I could ride like Anky van Grunsven" is something y o u w o u l d L I K E , n o t necessarily something that you can work towards and actually achieve.

Without a plan, without C O M M I T M E N T A N D

D E D I C A T I O N t o action, without

detailed steps to achieve it, that 's al l a

d r e a m c a n b e c o m e - a

d r e a m . N O T a reality.

The major d i fference between a goal and a d r e a m i s t h e

C O M M I T M E N T A N D D E D I C A T I O N t o i t s fulfillment. So many people set 'goals' every week, I'll make it my 'goal'. But they don't! It is only a dream!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 11

Terrific Tash’s Tremendous Training Tip - Goalsetting

So many people go through life thinking 'I don't get what I want'. Wishing and wanting to be skinny isn't enough, to get what you want, you need to have a goal and a detailed plan on how you will achieve that goal. Keep g o i n g e v e r y d a y w i t h C O M M I T M E N T A N D DEDICATION in seeing it through until you achieve it.

T h i n k about the las t t ime you had a goal and y o u ach ieved it. Do you remember that f e e l i n g o f b e i n g unstoppable, that nothing stood in y o u r way?

T h a t w h e n s o m e t h i n g c a m e u p (because it will, I guarantee you life will throw you some curve balls to divert you off track!), you didn't let it stop you because you were C O M M I T T E D A N D DEDICATED to your goal!

Now think back to a time you had a goal and you didn't achieve it. Why didn't you? What was your level of commitment and dedication then? Did one tiny roadblock throw you off track? Did you allow the day to day duties of life distract you from what

you wanted?

If so, I am curious to know why? Was it that the goal wasn't worth achieving? Was the goal not achievable or realistic enough in the

time frame? Did the goal seem too hard to achieve?

S o m e t i m e s p e o p l e subscribe to that ridiculous excuse of 'It's too hard', and we will look at that in a later article, but it can stem from people having a limiting belief that they can't fulfill their goals.

If that sounds like you, get coached on it because if this is a recurring pattern in your life, it comes up not just in y o u r h e a l t h b u t i n relationships, career or any other part of your life.

You need to address it and change it to ensure that

nothing can hold you back from achieving y o u r g o a l s a n d

starting to live the life you want!

To Your Success,

Natasha Althoff

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 12

Lovely Loes’ Learnings

Hi guys!!

I hope you have all had as fantastic a month as I have!! :)

This month I have been really busy training and preparing for my first competition on Zeus on the 6th and 7th of August!

In those two days I have three tests to compete in. I am really focussing on straight centre lines, nice transitions, round circles, and I am really excited to see how Zeus goes in a different environment.

Natashaʼs first dressage horse, Tambo (who is 1/2 Friesian), recently came back to Ebony Park after being leased out for about a year. This is great news for me, as he is Grand Prix trained and is teaching me heaps!! :)

The main thing I have learnt by riding him is keeping him through.. I am sure you donʼt have a problem like that! But I have found these top three tips help me the most in keeping the horse through:

Have connection with your outside rein

Half halts and donʼt start to hang

Have him nice and forward.

Have a fabulous month,

Loes Van Der Leest

Loes

p.s. Thanks to Catherine and Caitlin for your wonderful help during work experience here at Ebony Park last month!!

COMP RESULTS

There were no nearby competitions in July, so we focussed on training and

getting the Jorrit and Abe ready for their competitions in August, and Zeus ready for his first Preliminary competitions in

August!!

So check this space for results in next months magazine!! :)

Come on all you EP owners!! We know

that you go out and compete your

horses, so we would LOVE to hear all of your results and post them on this

page!! :)

Congratulations to Naomi and EP Prince

who went to the Geelong Winter Woolies on their first outing together and

received these fantastic results!

2nd led hack1st led novice hack

Reserve champion novice hack

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 13

PHOTO GALLERY

A flying change with Natasha and Abe

Zeus all plaited up!! :)

Loes with Zeus and Natasha with Elko during last months’ photoshoot!

Zeus letting his hair out :)

Natasha and Elko during the photoshoot

Zeus as a foal - hasn’t he grown!! :)

Abe extended trot - shame it wasn’t on a better angle!!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 14

Ebony Park is so excited to be standing 5 stallions at stud this year!! Click here for our stallion video!

If breeding to one of our beautiful boys is right for you, click here to visit our stallion page and claim your FREE breeding gift pack!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 15Click here for video of Jorrit! Click here to visit Jorrit’s page on our

website

Ebony Park Jor!t

Born 12/05/2003, 16.2hh, Jet Black imported Friesian ster stallion

By the Grand Prix Dutch Approved Dressage Friesian Jasper 366

Scored 82% for the IBOP (2009 Keuring)

Foalbook ster stallion with a Current KFPS Breeding Permit for 2011-2012

Registration Number: 5280 0420 0305 315

Jorrit is an exceptional dressage stallion that made it through to the very prestigious 70 day performance

test for approved stallions. In the performance test in Holland, Jorrit was within days of being approved as a

stallion but a muscle strain hindered his movement and was unfortunately eliminated late in the test.

He was also awarded a breeding permit from the KFPS when they came out for the 2009 Keuring. This is only awarded to very select Friesian stallions who possess the desired characteristics of the breed. There are

only a few Friesian stallions in Australia that hold a current KFPS permit, and Ebony Park is very proud to

offer Ebony Park Jorrit to the discerning Friesian breeder. This permit is limited to only 20 mares so please

book quickly and as early as possible to avoid disappointment!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 16

Ebony Park Elko

Click here for video of Elko!

Unfortunately, due to a paddock injury to his knee, Elko is no longer able to be ridden, and has been retired from the competition arena.

Ebony Park is extremely disappointed and upset by this incident, however we are very happy that he is still able to be bred, and has still retained his breeding permit (not something to be taken

lightly, as the KFPS are very strict about awarding breeding permits!). When Elko

was able to be ridden he was destined to be Natasha’s Olympic Grand Prix horse.

He had everything! Three amazing paces, the desire and trainable

temperament, and was quick to learn and improve. In his short career he scored up to

72% in preliminary and gained 44 grading points qualifying him for the 2006 Australian Dressage Championships in Novice in

only 2 months of competition.Born 21/04/2001, 17.1hh, jet black

imported Friesian ster stallion

By the Champion Approved licensed Dutch

Friesian Stallion Teunis 332

Foalbook ster stallion with a Current KFPS

Breeding Permit for 2011-2012

Registration Number: 5280 0420 0120 011

Click here to visit Elko’s page on our website

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 17

Ebony Park AbeAbe has had consistent results of over 62% at the

Inter I level, and currently competing and winning at the Grand Prix level in 2011. Early in his career

Abe was the horse to beat in Novice bringing home 3 Novice Championships with scores up to 71%. He

also took home an Advanced Championship in 2008 and competed and qualified for the

prestigious Dressage with the stars in the PSG and Inter I Kur in March 2010.

Abe is now making his debut in Grand Prix and he hasn’t disappointed. His piaffe/passage is amazing and we are now waiting for him to develop the strength

to catch up. This horse is destined for a legendary Grand Prix career.Ebony Park Abe is an exceptional stallion to

ride. He is powerful and responsive and carries you through any situation with pride and attitude.

To ride him is pure joy! He is solid, strong and powerful! Abe takes you into a test almost like a war horse taking you into battle. He is proud, noble and loves to show off

and be the centre of attention.

Click here for video of Abe!

Born 29/03/2000, 16.2hh, jet black

imported Friesian ster stallion.

First Friesian stallion in Australasia to

compete and win at Grand Prix level in

dressage.

Abe has been awarded the sports predicate

from the KFPS. He is the first stallion in

Australia to achieve the award due to his

outstanding results in the dressage arena.

By the Champion Approved licensed Dutch

Friesian Stallion Anne 340

Registration Number: 5280 0420 0010

Click here to visit Abe’s page on our website

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 18

Click here for video of Zeus!

Zeus is Elko’s first son that we have bred, and we have eagerly been waiting the years until he was old enough to work. At 3 1/2 he is broken in and ready to go, and will be

doing his first prelim start in official EA comps in July 2011!

Zeus is a delight to work with, having an exceptional canter just like his father, and a swinging, easy trot. He is still taking time to mature with some growing to do, but in

another year we are so excited to see where this boy is at! He has inherited the beautiful, willing Friesian temperament from both sire and dam.

This will be Zeus’s first season standing at stud, and a wonderful opportunity for people to get access to Elko’s bloodlines!

Zeus of Ebony Park

Born 22/11/2007, 16hh, jet black Friesian BBook1 stallion.

By our imported Friesian stallion (who has a breeding permit) Elko van der Woalderhoeve

Registration Number: AU0360 0420 0706 076

Click here to visit Zeus’ page on our

website

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 19

Achillies is our little pocket rocket! Achillies was the first of our foals imported in utero (we imported his mother Jolanda already in foal and he was the result) and is by Arjen 417 who won

the silver whip at the Northern dressage Competition for Friesian horses, and has also achieved the sports

predicate for excellence in the dressage arena.

For some reason even though both mum and dad are over 15.3, Achillies is 15.1 and doesn’t look like he has any

more growing to do! This means he is perfect for the pony breeder or someone looking for a smaller more compact size

Friesian.

Don’t let his small size fool you though! His trot is expressive, with a beautiful action and his canter is soft and rhythmical. He is a delight to train, being very responsive and light, and also trying so hard for his

rider. He has only had a rider on his back 2 months before these shots were taken, which show how fast he has come with his training in such a small

amount of time!

Click here for video

of Achillies!

Born 29/02/2008, 15.1hh, jet black imported (in utero) Friesian foalbook

stallion.

By dutch dressage approved stallion Arjen 417, who was awarded the sports

predicate for excellence in the dressage arena

Registration Number: 0360 0420 0805 910

Ebony Park Achillies

Click here to visit Achillies’ page on our website

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 20

FACTSDOB: April 6, 1957

Country: Netherlands

Height: 178cm

Weight: 63kg

Website: www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl

5 Minutes with Coby van Baalen

Jacoba ("Coby") Maria Jozina van Baalen-Dorresteijn is a rider from the Netherlands, who won the silver medal in the Team Dressage event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She did so alongside Anky van Grunsven, Ellen Bontje and Arjen Teeuwissen. In the individual competition, Coby finished in fifth position. Her daighter, Marlies van Baalen is also an Olympic rider!

Coby is after all the successes of recent years, as queen in training riders of the Pony, Junior and Young Riders. Through intensive training and coaching with her students, she and they have had many successes. Not only with her young students has Coby trained successfully, but also at the senior levels, Coby has a large share in the successes that have achieved. She has over the years coached three individual European Champions!

Besides training her pupils, Coby is also still very busy with training horses to Grand Prix level. Coby is always looking for talented young dressage horses, and enjoys both breeding, riding and training them herself, as well as finding the right match with a rider so that they make a successful team.

She has also written a book called “The Simplicity of Dressage” which is about her training philosophy.

This is what she has to say about her book:

“Using the principles of the Skala as taught to us by Johan Hinnemann and years of  experience we developed our own system, in which looseness is paramount.” She stressed the necessity of “mental strength and flexibility” in the rider, who during a test should not dwell on mistakes but concentrate on the next exercise. The use of a mental coach can help achieving the necessary focus.

Coby recalled her experiences at the European Championships in 2004, where Power and Paint was still ridden by her niece Marrigje. After her strongest competitor had been awarded 75 per cent, Marrigje got ambitious and said, let's try for 76.“I told her to be realistic and to concentrate on her strong points, to aim for a seven where it was realistic and for an eight in the movements Power does best. That year, Marrigje won the silver medal. So far, three girls have competed successfully on the same pony. Besides Marrigje there was Mara de Vries, whom we always had to remind that the test arena was no different from the home arena, and Angela, who has an 'I can do this' mentality. So with the three of them, the only difference was the trainer's approach.”

Coby was diagnosed with breast cancer, and at the end of 2009 was in remission. She is now a strong advocate for raising cancer awareness and money, especially for breast cancer and cancer in children, saying “Cancer and children don’t belong”.

S o u r c e : W i k i p e d i a & E u r o d r e s s a g e ( w w w . e u r o d r e s s a g e . c o m www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl)

DID YOU KNOW...?

In 2007 Coby was crticised, along with a number of other top dressage riders, of lunging and training horses in what is called “rollkur” - where making the horse move low, deep and round is taken to the extreme, with the horses head nearly resting on its chest.

One of Cobyʼs students, under her instruction, was photographed lunging a pony in rollkur, and the pictures posted all over the internet.

Coby responded by saying “It serves no purpose to lunge a horse/pony in the way shown on the relevant pictures. We always lunge in the normal way and this was a one-off incident from which my student has learned and which lasted no longer than half a minute.”

Coby and BMC Ojaywww.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 21

TOP QUALITY SUPREME AGISTMENTEbony Park Performance Friesians is anticipating to be opening our brand new indoor arena complex in April 2012, and we are taking reservations now to secure your choice of stable and paddock. The property is in Finlay Lane in Garfield, approximately 10 mins from Pakenham, and 5 mins off the Princes Fwy.

I am super excited to be offering part of the property and stable complex to 12 amazing, wonderful, super agistees! We are going to have so much fun training, hanging out together and supporting each other. More about who this agistment is for later, First let me tell you about it!!! ....

This agistment is Full Care, with your horse being stabled at night, and turned out during the day in a private paddock. Your horse will be treated like royalty, with the rugs changed whenever the weather does, a large roomy stable, as well as a large turnout private paddock. The indoor will be completely mirror-lined at the back so you can always have an eye on your horse and posture as you ride, as well as a shower, toilet, free tea/coffee/biscuits. A heated indoor viewing area, a full rug repair and laundry service, grooming, saddling up and unsaddling, and exercising your horse are also all options. Free float parking, shared tack room with private area for saddle and bridle, two hot washes and 3 tie up/saddle areas, all incorporated inside the stable block, which is joined to the arena so you never get wet or cold!

So - sounds great so far! Well, you also need to know ... it's expensive. Just being honest here! I know it would be fabulous to offer this for the same price as a ice cream at the milk bar, but as we all know, horses cost more than just an ice cream! The price is $1,497 per month, which includes:• Private stable for your horse with name plate, rug rack and halter hook• Private turn out paddock for your horse, with all rugging for outside and inside being taken care of by our expert groom• Two feeds per day, including lucerne hay, all the grass hay your horse wants, and two feeds including vitamins and minerals

made tailored for your horse using feed program, to ensure optimum nutrition and performance for your horse.• Your stable being cleaned by our expert staff twice daily• Full use of facilities which include:

• --65m X 23m Indoor arena with full back wall mirror-lined, and mirrors along both long side walls• --Private viewing area which is heated and air conditioned• --Free tea, coffee, biscuits to enjoy before or after you ride• --Beautiful clean shower and toilet facilities• --Two hot washes to use • --Three private tie ups• --Private tack area with a private area for your saddle/bridle/box of gear

Everything will be taken care of for you, all you need to do is focus on riding! Which is the fun part

So like I said, there is only 12 spots available - 8 stables that have a window view to the outside, 4 that don't. I am looking for people that I would like to go out to dinner with ... sorry, but I am basically sharing my home with you! I spend most of my time in the stables/arena, and I want to share it with people that are enthusiastic, going for their goals, and happy to be around.

So if that sounds like you, and you think that this agistment is just what you have been looking for/waiting for, and you would like to register your interest in a spot, please call 0422 227 364 and speak to Kate.

Can't wait to speak to you!!!!

To your success,

Natasha

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine August 2011 22

We currently have a number of young crossbred Friesians - this could be your next dream horse!! Click here for more information.

Does anyone have photos of Ebony Park horses or your other horses that they would like to share with us? We would love to put them up on our

website! :)

If you are interested in any of our young stock, or if you have anything you would like to share with us, please email us on

info@ebonyparkstud.com.au or visitwww.ebonyparkstud.com.au or call Kate on 0422 227 364

As always we would like to thank our sponsors:

HORSE BREEDING MADE EASY!

CONTACT USIf you would like to have a chat with us dial 03 9796 8690 or 0422 227 364.

Ebony Park is located in Narre Warren in Victoria, one hour's drive from the Melbourne Airport.If you share the love of the Friesian horse and would like to see the stallions or the youngstock, please contact us and make an appointment. We can also assist you with locating your new Friesian or with training.

Visit Us: 611 Belgrave-Hallam Road, Narre Warren East VIC 3804

Website: www.ebonyparkstud.com.auEmail: info@ebonyparkstud.com.au

We would love you to join us on Facebook! Click on the icon to visit our page!

Ebony Park does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omissions in this magazine, or from the use of information contained herein, and we make no warranties, express or applied with respect to any of the material contained herein.