The newsletter for the Appaloosa Horse Association of New...

www.appaloosaassn.co.nz APPALOOSA NEWS 1

Sire: Red Hot Choc

Dam: Merrivale Decked in Style

FillySire: Merrivale Southern PrideDam: Princess Grace

Colt

Sire: Waps MaseratiDam: Noble Assett

FillySire: Cee Ima Hot Version

Dam: Rules Zipped in ChocolateFilly

Foals 2016

AppaloosaSummer Issue: Jan/Feb 2017 • Vol. 41, No. 1

The newsletter for the Appaloosa Horse Association of New Zealand news

www.appaloosaassn.co.nz

2 APPALOOSA NEWS www.appaloosaassn.co.nz


ApHANZ office hours are Tue,Wed, Thu, 7-9 pm. Ph 07 322 8222 or Message anytime. Mailing address to Secretary, ApHANZ as below:Bank Account Details - Aphanz 03 0430 0248786 00 with name or membership number as reference

President: Carole DavisExecutiveStanding orders, registrar, magazine organiser50 Pioneer Rd, RD2, Papakura 258209 292 8928 [email protected]

Vice President: Margaret EytonExecutiveTrophies, Ribbons Youth & Amateur600 Waitao Road RD5, Tauranga 317507 376 7491 [email protected]

Secretary/TreasurerSheila DandyExecutiveOverseas liaison, points collator305 Hallett Rd, RD2, Whakatane 319207 322 [email protected] [email protected]

Charleen AllisonExecutiveSI Fed rep, SI travel30 Flett Rd, 2RD, Otautau 968203 225 8222 [email protected]

Judith AllisonS I Youth, SI membership30 Flett Rd, RD2, Otautau 968203 225 8222 [email protected]

Vikki MadgwickOverall assistance, endurance and trekking.265 Collie Rd, RD8, Hamilton 328807 829 7511 [email protected]

Caroline McKnightExecutiveTrophies, Ribbons, Points423 Burnand Rd, RD4, TaumarunuiPh 07 896 6089 [email protected]

Gemma ActonFacebook, Studbook 94 Sowerby Heights, PaparimuPh 021 0331606 [email protected]

PRESIDENT’S REPORTHi everyone.

Well the most exciting news for this magazine is that we have organised to join up with the Paint Association again for our National Show. Dates are confirmed and grounds booked: Waipa Equestrian Centre at Kihikihi, March 17-19. As it is a special show for us, our 40th , we are organising special commemorative ribbons for first placings in every class; everyone will want one so plan to put in entries now.

As we only have four magazines a year now, updates on what is happening will be posted on our new Facebook page and our website.

In this magazine you will find a sponsorship request letter. We are well aware of the cost of showing, and I’m sure competitors are aware of the cost of putting on a show. We do our best to keep costs down but sponsored goods are great for competitors so even if you can’t get to compete please help by taking the letter to your local saddlery, vet, feed shop etc, smile sweetly and see if they will donate something, even a small thing like a curry comb or hoof pick is helpful.

We also have enclosed a copy of the Tender Form for the horse donated to us by Ileen Hunter: he has developed into a very lovely gelding, nice natured; he is only three years old so is a but green but learns quickly. Please put this in a local horse shop; more copies are available from the office.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year.

Good luck with your horses for 2017.

CAROLE

Outside Council:Rae Mutch – Certificates, archives, Policy [email protected]

Ron Davis – [email protected]

NOTES FROM YOUR COUNCILWe need more interesting articles for the magazine: one suggestion was a ‘look back in history section’, using old magazines.

Our donated horse is now ready to be put up for tender. Form is in this magazine and spares can be obtained from the office.

Our new Facebook page is up and running and is creating some interest.

Gemma Acton has now taken over the studbook and an update will be available shortly.

Anyone wanting to keep their studbook up to date please contact the office to order the next update.

Our constitution has a very difficult ruling to comply with if we don’t get a quorum at our AGM, which often happens. Council will be seeking professional advice on how to make this more straightforward and easier to comply with. It will be presented at our next AGM.

DNA and whorl mapping: Secretary requested to allow members to pull mane samples for DNA testing and to whorl map instead of getting a vet to do it to save costs. General feeling was that we should allow this. (see p17 for ID cerficate).

We were then joined by members of PHANZ to discuss the National Show. Lots of good ideas were put on the table. Lists of names for the various jobs were made and a revamp of the classes for the show was discussed.


ApHANZ current list of classified stallions at studThe following Appaloosa stallions are registered and classified, meaning that, subject to the registration status of the mare you use, all progeny will be eligible for ApHANZ registration.

Stallions are included on this list when stallion returns are sent on time to the office and their owners are financial members – the list is updated as soon as stallions have met the criteria.

When breeding to an Appaloosa stallion, please ensure your stallion of choice is on this list to avoid disappointment.

To get in touch with the owners of any of the below stallions, please contact the ApHANZ office ([email protected]) and we will provide you with contact details.

The current list is below.

• Aratoro Princes Snowprint

• Chiefs Free Breeze

• CV Exclusive Riches

• Daydream Pepes Foxer

• Double A Ariki Pii Hui

• Executive Decision

• FHS Captain Zipper

• GAB’s Whata Kraka

• Kotuku Shakuru

• Mararoa River Breeze

• Merrivale Dipped in Deck

• Merrivale Southern Pride

• Midnight’s Silver Sapphire

• Mighty Windsong

• Plaudit Flash Fox

• Shizhoni Kahlua Chief

• Starlands Summer Rain

• Sundays Xtra

• Sundays Sensation

• The Ultimate Dream

• Vision of Pride

• Waps Maserati

Bank Account Details - Aphanz 03 0430 0248786 00 with name or membership number as reference

Petrol Raffle Results FIRST Ticket Number 0964 Noel Lake

SECOND Ticket Number 0026 Andrew Bassett

THIRD Ticket Number 1352 Julie Rush


Learning abilities in the domestic horse (Equus caballus):

Implications for training and performance

Gemma Acton BSc PgDip (Biol)

The University of Waikato, New Zealand

Introduction

Having a clearer understanding of equine learning behaviour and the implications of this on training and performance is important for anyone who works with horses. There is a current surge in interest in how horses learn and their cognitive abilities, and it has been found that they are capable of much higher thought processes than has been historically thought. This has wide reaching impacts on welfare as the current husbandry practices for horses in many countries do not allow for natural behaviour patterns. Current training practices may also be challenged as the way horses process stimuli may not be compatible to how they are expected to learn.

The Learning Process

The learning process has been described as ‘changes in an animal’s behaviour as a result of experiences due to an imposed condition or a set of circumstances’ (Tarpey, 1975).

In terms of equine learning behaviour, no evidence has yet come to light that the horse

learns any differently from any other species. In 1986, Thomas produced a hierarchy of learning skills which usurped the original hierarchy of intelligence which is generally thought of when assessing cognitive abilities. This is shown in table one below, much of the current research has shown horses to be around level 6 and 7.

Nicol (2002) found that horses are able to form classical and instrumental associations. The current question is now whether the horse is able to discriminate and classify stimuli into categories which represents a higher cognitive ability.

However, issues with testing the response of large prey animals such as the horse can complicate interpreting the learning process, many studies show that calmer or less emotional animals show better learning performance in tasks set.


For instance, in Gabor & Gerkens 2010 study several animals were excluded due to being overly distracted. This has been thought to be due to increased interference in the learning process rather than reduced intelligence (Fiske & Potter, 1979). Further complications with testing is the difficulty with beginning with a ‘clean slate’, horses are expensive to keep and all research so far has been done with privately owned horses with owner permission. This means the control over what impact previous life experience has on the horse is minimal. For example, in Gabor & Gerkens 2012 study three ponies were omitted from results for various behavioural reasons, one exhibiting a ‘learned helplessness’, whereas prior experience caused the horse to exhibit introverted non exploratory behaviour when confronted with new situations.

Most research so far has been based around visual stimuli, or what humans perceive to be important rather than that of the horse, as Heitor & Vincenti (2007) point out, the sensory, olfactory and general perception of the environment may be just as or more vital to the horse that what it can see. Fiske & Potter (1979) proved early on that horses attend to spatial clues rather than visual in their environment. Hall & Cassaday (2003; 2006) investigated how difference in floor type and the effect of the height of the stimulus can alter horses’ perception of the stimuli, both things to keep in the mind if using an experiment which was not designed for that particular species.

It has also been identified by Veisser et al (1998) that it is fairly obvious that a gregarious, social animal such as the horse be able to discriminate between individuals, therefore the questions should be more around what they are basing their categorisation on rather than whether they can or not.

Implications for training and performance

Social Learning

In 1904 there was a horse known as ‘Clever Hans’ who had apparently learnt how to count along with other skills such as musical theory. The ‘trick’ behind his cleverness, was not so much a trick as that he had learnt to read the behaviour of his trainers body language to the extent that it was almost unreadable to the observer so subtle were the movements (Pfungst, 1911). This ability to learn cues is part of what makes the human and horse partnership so unique, and in all areas of general equitation, this is the subtly to which we strive to achieve.

With horses being a gregarious species, their social and observational learning you would expect to be reasonably well developed. This has however proven to be varied so far, as the 2008 study by Kreuger and Heinze shows. They found that the subordinate horses would copy the behaviour of the dominant horses but only if they were familiar to them. This copying behaviour would occur even in cases


where the response was incorrect. Further investigations found that subordinate horses were less likely to be followed to a hidden source of food than dominant horses. These studies which have used the hierarchy of the herd to assist with the learning process support anecdotal evidence that horse engage in social learning.

However, there are some factors which confound social learning. Lindberg et al (1999) showed that none of the participants were able to learn how to open a pedal bin for a food reward but younger horses showed far more exploratory behaviour toward the apparatus than older horses did. This was also shown in a study by Kreuger et al (2014) where the young horses were able to learn how to obtain food from a drawer by pulling a rope, whereas the older ones were not. Clarke et al (1996) completed several studies where horses failed to follow pattern cues as well as spatial detour tasks i.e. maze; where they didn’t take the correct route at all despite having watched another horse being lead down the correct passage three times previously.

The differences in the results of these social learning studies maybe due to study design and also because horses are shown to be much better at spatial cues than pattern cues. Further work could also be done on the ability of cold blooded versus hot blooded breeds to learn through social observations due to

having a calmer demeanour and less excitable temperament.

Independent Learning

Horses have been proven to excel at retention of learnt information; this is well known through anecdotal evidence from horse trainers and also shown in many studies; such as Hanggi & Ingersoll (2009) proved that they were able to discriminate between rewarding and unrewarding objects up to seven years after they initially learnt the task. This skill transfers to face recognition as well, as Hanggi & Ingersoll (2009) also showed that they could recognise faces for up to 10 years after contact with that person had ceased. Maros et al (2008) showed an interesting insight into this as they showed that horses were able to recognise a familiar person and relied on the person pointing at a bucket which contained a food reward to be successful at the task. It was shown that even when the person pointed at the wrong bucket, the horse still chose the pointed at, ‘incorrect’ bucket over the ‘correct’ one. This was not so clear when an unfamiliar person was used.

A reasonable amount of effort has been put into expanding the knowledge of how capable horses are in this area through using discriminative stimuli where they have been taught to select a certain object for reward (Hanggii & Ingersoll, 2009) or complete a task to show they can choose between different objects. This latter one is particularly interesting as it was used to attempt to determine whether they were able to discriminate between different colours (Blackmore, 2008). A further interesting outcome from Hanggi and Ingersolls research was that when they view an object, it looks different to them depending on how it is rotated. Therefore they were not able to generalize very well when seeing the same object but from a different angle. This has an


important consequence for training situations such as loading onto a float, as they may be taught that one float is safe and load well, but when faced with a new one and not be given appropriate time to process the new stimuli, this is when issues may arise.

Once again, as with the social learning skills, the success of the individual may depend on many factors such as age breed, background and study design. Thus far however, the ability to discriminate and remember the consequence of various objects appears to be a strong part of horse cognition.

Future implications for training procedures

There are issues with recreating negative stimuli in a test situation, it has most commonly been an electric shock or an adverse sound as the stimuli has to be precise and measurable, whereas negative stimuli in a working situation would be pressure release which is hard to quantify experimentally.

Most of the stimuli used while riding are based on pressure from the riders’ legs, seat, hands etc, therefore there needs to be more investigation into the response of equine learning to pressure related stimuli rather than visual. Murphy & Arkins, (2007) emphasized that a much more in depth knowledge of the horses’ visual system is needed to effectively carry out the sorts of experiments that are being conducted at present. Many of the categorisation experiments are based around visual images and as we don’t really know how horses perceive things, drawing a conclusion from these tests is inconclusive.

What we are able to learn from future research must be applicable for day to day members of the horse world, or else research could be done into the relationship between how learning research methods and typical training methods are processed.

If we have this knowledge it will have the consequence of increasing the usefulness of the horse to humans and also increase the welfare for the horse as we are better able to perceive it and its needs. There needs to be much more correlation between trainers and researchers, particularly as there is so many different training methods in use by professional trainers, i.e. in the broadest sense, ‘natural’ versus ‘traditional’. Natural horsemanship is commonly thought to be more sympathetic to the animal and is based around techniques developed by Parelli et al (1993), whereas traditional horsemanship is based on original western techniques of roping and ‘breaking’. A few studies (Birke, 2007; Fureix et al, 2009) have attempted to see if there is any difference ultimately and found lowered heart rates and more willingness to approach strangers in the ‘naturally’ trained animals. However, there is no clear distinction in methodology between the two, so it would be useful for future research to define what constitutes the two approaches so further effective research can be done. Indeed the most common ‘trainer’ is the average horse owner with no prior knowledge or practice in animal behaviour or methodology. The current review of literature published so far was released in March 2016 by Brubaker & Udell and this provides an up to date insight as to where we are and where we are headed.


Welcome to our new Official Facebook page!

• To join, log in to Facebook.com

• Search ‘appaloosa New Zealand’

• Click ‘Like’

If you have any notices or photographs you would like to go onto our page, please email them to Gemma at [email protected] to be uploaded.

English RidersAll riders competing in English events like Dressage, Jumping, Pony Club, Endurance, Trail Riding etc, please remember your points are NOT awarded automatically by computer – you must fill in a points book at every show you go to.

These books are available from the office.

There are also books to fill in for our Distance Riding programme, Saddle Log, Trekking Log, Hunting Log.

No charge for books but please send 225 x 115mm SAE.

These books must be returned to our secretary for checking and points verification for end of year Hi Pt awards and certificates.

ApHANZ StudbookOur studbook was printed in the new format in 2007. Since then three updates have been printed and we are about to print a fourth. Each update has been designed to add in all new horses and update the status of all horses e.g. those who have now gone from progeny to adult registry, those who have died, those who have been sold to new owners etc. Every effort is made to keep the information as accurate as possible.

As this is our 40th year, maybe it is the time to do a completely new edition including all the updates to the end of 2016, as a 40th commemorative issue with a special commemorative cover. We would only print a limited number.

Our original print in 2007 cost $50 + P&P. Each additional update has been available to members who wished to keep their studbooks up-to-date at $5 + P&P each.

Whether we go ahead with the new edition or not will largely depend on how many people would be interested in purchasing one. Obviously the more we print the cheaper they would be.

Anyone who may be interested please contact the office and if there is enough interest we will look into costings etc.

ApHANZ Council.


Stallion Gallery


Sunspot Stud News Well, after a late start to winter – I did not feed out hay until early June, we paid for it with an almost non-existent spring, cooler than usual and rain and more rain! Paddocks in a sea of mud, horses with sore feet and covers giving up the battle to keep horses dry. Then, seemingly overnight, the paddocks got a hard crust on top, too soft in places to harrow and too hard in other parts to break the lumps. Now of course some paddocks are dry and crying out for water. We have had a very busy couple of months with horses being broken in and schooled ready to be sold to new riders. Waps Datsun has had a go at cross country jumping and loved it. We have three lovely filly foals this year: a brightly coloured snow-cap filly (see front cover) and to our surprise a black filly with a few small spots on her rump.

While I was typing this, a very pretty chestnut filly with strong characteristics, still not quite dry! Sadly we lost a colt at birth: does not happen very often but when it does it’s very upsetting. Now looking forward to good haymaking weather!

Sunspot Stud News

Five Panel TestingThe idea behind getting horses Five Panel Tested is NOT to penalise in any way horses that carry one or more of the five inheritable genes, but to prevent foals being born carrying TWO copies of the gene.

It has been proved that quite a few horses carry undesirable genes and you would never know, as often the effect is negligible.

However if you breed a mare with a stallion where both have one of these genes, the foal is at a great risk of inheriting two copies of the gene and is almost certain to be affected, often to the extend of dying or having to be euthanized.

If mare owners ask the stallion owner if he has tested positive for any one of the genes we can test for, then they may wish to test the mare before breeding to that stallion.

This is not a witch hunt to delete stallions or mares from the breeding programme, as has been posted on Facebook, it is to inform mare owners of the risks and disappointment of sick foals.

Council strongly advise that all horses who are being used for breeding are tested.

These tests can now be done in New Zealand eliminating the problem of using American dollars.

Contact the office for further details.


Easy Check Saddle FittingBefore you Saddle-Up Measure the width of horse’s spine and then measure the width of the Channel.

• Is the Channel at least as wide as the width of the horse’s spine?

Saddled, Un-Mounted ChecksSaddle the horse without a saddle blanket.

Fit:

• Do the Points of the Tree sit 3 fingers (5cm or 2”) behind the horse’s scapula?

• When you stand by the horse’s side, do the points of the tree follow the contours of the horses outline, running parallel with the area behind the shoulder where they sit?

• Feel underneath the panels. Is there the same amount of pressure felt between the Panel and the horses back from front to back both left and right sides?

Clearance:

• Is there sufficient clearance of the Withers at the Pommel, about 3 fingers (5cm or 2”)?

• Is there even clearance throughout the Chanel of the saddle?

Balance:

• Is the Cantle of the saddle 2.5cm / 1” higher than the Pommel?

• Is the lowest part of the Seat parallel to the ground?

Size:

The saddle must sit no further back than where the horse’s spine is supported by the ribcage. To find this point, find the last rib and follow it up to where it joins the spine.

• Does the back of the saddle sit ahead of this point?

Mounted Checks:• Are the Panels even?

• Is the Saddle sitting straight on the horses back?

• When the rider stands in the Stirrups, does the back of the Saddle stay in contact with the horses back?

• Is the rider able to easily sit in the lowest part of the seat with correct Shoulder – Hip – Heel alignment?

Ride Test:Ride for 10 minutes or more and re-check the following:

• Balance: Is the Cantle still 2.5cm / 1” higher than the Pommel?

• Stability: Is the back of the saddle still in contact with the horses back when the rider stands in the stirrups?

• Clearance: Is there still sufficient clearance of the horse’s spine from the Pommel right through the Channel? Can you see daylight through it?

If you answered YES to all of these checks, you have a correctly fitting saddle.

If you answered NO to any of these checks, then the fit of your saddle is not ideal.

If you are unsure, then the assessment of a professional Saddle Fitter may be the best option.

Printed by

www.kiwiprint.co.nz


Secretary’s ReportLove this time of year with the foals being born. Busy time though with breeding and foaling down. Christmas is fast approaching – where has 2016 gone.

Just a few reminders:

If you are using the DNA and whorl mapping as a form of identification when registering your adult Appaloosas please make sure you send the completed whorl map back to the office as without this I cannot proceed and complete the registration. Also DNA can now be done at Massey University so we are asking people to get this done via Massey (download all forms from their website) and then send the DNA report in with your registration and whorl map.

Also please when sending in your registration photos please make sure they are on proper photo paper and all FOUR feet of your Appaloosa are showing.

Looking forward to our 40th National Show to be held with the Paint Association again. Plans are underway and the venue is at Kihi kihi which is a lovely part of NZ to hold it. No I am not biased seeing as though that is my old home area but it is certainly a lovely arena and grounds with all facilities right there and town so close.

Please send your foal pics to Carole so she can put in the magazine plus pics and show news from those out and about.

Have a happy and safe Christmas and see you in the New Year.

Sheila


Inquiries to Jeanine and Stan McDonald, 176 Steel Rd, RD4, Invercargill. Phone 03 2159524 Email [email protected] Stud Fee $1000 LFG

P&R Dusti Snowprint

Shizhoni Kahlua Chief

Twist N Sting (Aust)

Shalimars Bobbie Breeze

Free Breeze N Nikita

Star Tric

Chief’s Free Breeze


Appaloosa Horse Association of New Zealand (Inc)

Tender Form

ApHANZ are proud to offer for tender a chestnut roan Appaloosa gelding, D.O.B. 17.3.13, fully registered. This horse was started under saddle by a professional trainer, May 2015. Since then he has been looked after by various Appaloosa councillors, including trucking to the South Island, so he has had experience of travelling and being ridden by different riders. He can be ridden both English or Western style but seems to lean more towards English style. His ground manners are very good and he is very friendly. Can be viewed at Clevedon, South Auckland. His height (October 2016) 14.2hh. Further information can be obtained from Carole Davis (027 2928 027) evenings only. Name of Tenderer: ___________ Address: ___________________ Email: _____________________ ApHANZ Member No (optional) _ I have read and understood the terms below and offer my tender for the above described horse for the amount of $ ___________ .00 in accordance with those terms. Signed: ____________________ Date: ____ / ___ 2016 Terms of Tender

Tenderers must be over 18 years of age. All tenders to be submitted to the office: ApHANZ C/- 305 Hallett Road, RD2 Whakatane 3192 Tender closes 4pm Tuesday January 31, 2017. Notification to the successful tenderer will be issued within 10 days of the above date. ApHANZ will not necessarily accept the highest, or any tender. Payment may be made by internet banking 03 0430 0248786 00 or by cheque. Horse to be named by successful tenderer. Adult registration will be completed when horse is named. The successful tenderer is to take possession of the horse within 14 days of Payment, after which agistment fees may apply. Acknowledgements Thank you to Ileen Hunter who bred this horse and generously offered him as a fundraiser for ApHANZ.

to Elaina Brown, for all her work pre and post breaking in, inc. transport and grazing. to Charleen & Judith Allison for looking after him in the South Island for several months. to Carole Davis who has grazed him and looked after him during this very wet winter, and found riders to work him.

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