Avoca Park Merchandise

Clothing:

Avoca Park Polo Shirt: Available in 3 different colours (red, black or red/black), choose your size and quantity.

Polar Fleece Jacket: Black with Red Avoca Park Embroidery, Front Zip Pockets, 320Gsm 100% Polyester Polar Fleece.

Black Military Cap with Red or White Embroidered Avoca Park Logo: Premium cotton twill, Metal side eyelets, Pre-curved peak, Comfortable padded sweatband.

Beanie: Embroidered Avoca Park Logo, Dark Grey with Red or White Embroidery, Acrylic blend heathered knit, One size fits most, 50% acrylic/50% Polyester, AZO free.

Kids Knee-High Socks: Red and Back striped Socks, 5-8, 9-12, 13-3

Adult knee-high Socks. Available in 3 different Red & Black designs: Stripes, Argyle, Checkered.

I LIVE my LOVE of HORSES T-Shirt: 100% Ethically Source, Oeko-Tex and WRAP Certified (all factory certified). A classic style ladies tee featuring a 100% cotton fabric that’s lighter and softer for an easy fit, 100% Premium Combed Cotton, 185 GSM, Twin needle sleeve and body hem, Ribbed elastane neck opening for stretch and shape recovery, Side seams for reduced twisting, Mobilon tape across shoulders for comfort and shape retention.

Keepsakes:

Flashy Avoca Park Keyring - a great keepsake to remember your great experiences here at Avoca Park.

Glass Tumbler with engraved Avoca Park Logo.

Avoca Park Gear Bag: Ethically Sourced, 34 Litres, huge wide easy opening, 600 Denier strength Polyester Sports bag fabric, 48cm W x 28cm H x 25cm D, Big Front pocket, Big Mesh- side pocket, Strong webbing handles, Adjustable shoulder strap, Solid, strong metal pullers.

Horse Gear

Horse Exercise Boots: We have been using these versatile and durable boots for the past 20 years and greatly recommend them to everyone! You can pick your own colours to match them however you like. Double points if you match them with a saddle blanket!
Set of 4 for $110.

Cavessons: All our lunging work at Avoca Park is done with a lunging cavesson or Sereta. We get our Sereta’s imported from Spain and they are able to be ordered in brown or black. The reasons we use a Sereta for lunging is that it does not have an impact on the horses mouth whilst they are being lunged. The horses mouth is precious and the drag of a lunge line can have a very negative impact. The single ring on the middle of the nosepiece enables correct spinal alignment whilst your horse is in locomotion. It aids in the development of correct longitudinal balance and lateral flexibility. These are a wonderful piece of equipment to lunge in as they fit securely over the nose so there is no slipping. By this cavesson only having one ring on the nose piece makes it lighter for the horse. Our Avoca Park designed nose covers are also a wonderful addition to the Sereta.

Cavesson Noseband Covers: These sheepskin covers have been made to measure the noseband on our leather cavessons. The four velcro straps ensure they stay securely and are easy to attach. Available in Black and Brown to match your cavesson.

FM Bit (Fixed Sided): Here at Avoca Park we choose the single jointed snaffle with shanks for it’s simplicity. This bit is named after the legendary, Franz Maringer, hence the FM or alternatively it is also called a Fulmer bit. We use this bit as it aid’s us in our Education of the Mouth process, with the shanks, it aids in stabilising the bit in the horses mouth and also aids us in teaching the horses lateral (Left and Right) flexibility as it prevents the bit from slipping through the horse’s mouth. This one is the fixed sided version, and we use this on horses that are less inclined to take the connection of the hand, the stability of the bit with the fixed sides encourages the horse to reach out and connect confidently. This is a wonderful bit to aid in the connection between you and your horse.

FM Bit (Loose Ring): This is the loose ring version, and we use this on horses that are more inclined to lean, the loose ring prevents them from doing this so much as the ring continues to move under any pressure. This is a wonderful bit to aid in the connection of any horse.

Salt Lick: Large (4-6kg) Himalayan salt licks on a rope” GiddyUp” brand, for ensuring your steed maintains a balanced mineral diet.

DVDs

Classical or Not Classical: The Role of the Forehand. According to the official doctrine, it’s the hindquarters that, as the “motor” of the horse, determine its locomotion – but is this really true? Or is it the forehand that plays the decisive role? Which consequences would follow from such a predominance of the forehand for the training of the horse? In this filmed theory lecture, the French riding master Philippe Karl analyses these fundamental questions, assisted by the biologist Dr. Tamina Pinent.

Training the Eye. Recognising training which is appropriate to the requirements of the horse. Training which is appropriate to the requirements of the horse or misunderstood dressage – is the training system in modern equestrianism on the wrong track? Anja Beran, one of the best known representatives of classical dressage, answers this question in this multimedia presentation on the subject of “Training the eye – Recognising training which is appropriate to the requirements of the horse”. Animations created on the basis of scenes at actual competitions will open the eyes of every horse lover. Anja Beran’s analysis receives professional support by Elisabeth Albescue, a vet specialising in chiropractic treatment

Books

Horse Sense: By Elizabeth Owens and Peter Huntington. There are many, many books available to horse enthusiasts, but not so many just directed to Australians and New Zealand horse owners. Well, Horse Sense is, written by Elizabeth Owens, Grand Prix Dressage rider and Peter Huntington, Equine Nutritionist it is a book which EVERY Sorthern Hemisphere owner should have as a reference. It is a book that is laid out simply so that even the youngest reader will easily be able to use as a reference to aid them in the well-being of their Equine friends. For those wanting to expand on their equine knowledge, there is information on everything from horse management, safe handling procedures and riding / training. This combined with an in-depth section on feeding and parasite control, this book covers everything you will need to know regarding owning a horse. The chapters on buying are informative and once you own that furry friend you can learn about, different breeds, health, safe facilities, how to transport and if it is your endeavour – gaining employment in the horse industry. If you have a need to sell there is also some easy to understand advice on the easiest way to do this. Even after 30 years of owning horses it is my first GO TO when I have a problem that I have not got the answer for. This book is a MUST OWN for every Australian and New Zealand horse owner.

The BHS (British Horse Society) Complete Manual of HORSE & STABLE MANAGEMENT: By (First Editing) Islay Auty & (Second Editing) Jo Batty-Smith. This 480 page book has back to back information on EVERYTHING you want or need to know about buying, owning and selling a horse or pony. Used as one of the main references for the equine education processes in the UK, here in Australia we have adopted it too. Although some aspects are directly related to life in the Northern Hemisphere, most is still directly related to us and our life with our Equine friends. The emphasis throughout the book is on correct, safe and practical procedures. When originally written this manual was compiled by a panel of experts each contributing from their specialised knowledge. Now it is a widely used reference, it is a MUST HAVE for every horse owner. There is nothing you will not find in here. The list is endless: Conformation and How to Assess it, The Psychology of the Horse, The Teeth and Ageing, Breeding, Identification, Buying and Selling a Horse, *Care of the Horse, Management Methods, Grooming, Clipping, Trimming, Pulling and Plaiting, The Foot and Shoeing, Bedding, Signs of Good and Ill-Health, How to Get a Horse Fit, Internal Parasites, Stable Vices and Problem Behaviour, Watering and Feeding, Food and Digestion, The Rules of Feeding, Food – Composition and Types, Deciding on a Ration, Feeding Problems and Non-routine Feeding, Managing Feed, The Feed Shed and Storing Food, Saddlery and Tack, Saddles, Bridles, Bits, Boots and Bandages, Clothing, Care and Cleaning, Saddling Up and Unsaddling, Specialist Care of the Competition Horse, Guidelines for Competition Horses, The Event Horse, The Dressage Horse, The Show Jumper, The Endurance Horse, The Driving Horse or Pony, The Hunter, The Point-to-Pointer, The Show Horse or Pony, The Polo Pony, Transportation, The Horse at Grass, Grassland Management, Management of Horses and Ponies at Grass, Working the Grass-kept Horse or Pony, Bringing a Horse up From Grass, The Stable Yard, Construction of Stables, Design of Stables, Buying Fodder and Bedding, Organising and Running a Yard.

Horse Movement: Anatomy is often said to be boring, but nothing could be further from the truth. Anatomy, particularly functional anatomy, is a vital and dynamic subject, an appreciation of which leads not only to superior horse management and welfare, but also to a better understanding of the anatomical challenges associated with riding, training, overtraining, injury, and rehabilitation. Using Alexa McKenna’s fabulous illustrations, this book shows the correlation of the skeleton, muscular system and locomotion, providing a clear insight into the functional and dysfunctional horse. It addresses the largely misunderstood concept of “perfect conformation” and looks at the effect of the rider and tack on the function of the horse, using cutting-edge diagnostic techniques such as thermal imaging and gait analysis. Again with the emphasis on the visual, readers will be able to appreciate how muscles function in differing athletic disciplines by analysing the heat generated in musculoskeletal structures after exercise. This will also highlight the importance of post-competition recovery. The book concludes with a range of useful techniques to improve the function of any horse, including stretches, taping, wrapping, and other proprioceptive techniques to increase balance, flexibility, awareness, and posture.

It’s not about the Horse – It is about Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt: By Wyatt Webb. Just over 8 years ago I was searching for something, what that something was, I’m not sure but what I do recall was that Avoca Park as a business was developing, the Team at Avoca Park was growing and as a Leader I had to grow too. This book was my first taste of looking inside for that growth, there had certainly been growth in my world, I carried the highest teaching qualifications we had in Australia, I was a successful Competition Dressage rider and I continued to be driven by my development in the understanding of our wonderful Equine friends via their bio-mechanics and natural thought processes and responses. But there was still a reason I was searching. I came across this little book, it initially intrigued me because it had the word “horse” in the title but the truth be known, it was not written to learn about horses it was written to learn about ourselves (the people). Wyatt Webb runs his facility in Tucsan, Arizona in America where he works with humans and horses in what is called “The Equine Experience” it is a form of therapy where he blends the horse’s responses to human responses. He brings groups of people from many different backgrounds such as and not limited to marriages on the rocks, parent-child relationships gone bad, and much worse concerns including rape and abandonment and then also delving into the corporate world. Initially he will say “how you relate to this animal will give us all some insight into what you have learnt off the course of your lifetime concerning how you relate to all living things”, “Let’s start with picking up a hoof” and remember one thing “It’s not about the horse.” From Wyatt’s experiences as a pschotherapist he has discovered that – every human suffers from 2 things in varying degrees of intensity – self-doubt and fear. For Wyatt, it’s all about connection, and the first step to healing is connecting with a horse. Wyatt initially worked as an entertainer in the music industry and made a decision to get out before his drug and alcohol addiction killed him. He made a decision to become a therapist and now 20 years later his facility The Equine Experience at Miraval Life in Balance is one of the top therapy resorts in America.

The Message From The Horse: Every human enters this life and begins a journey. The path travelled is unique to each individual, and for some, the main streets and popular thoroughfares provide all that’s needed to nourish a life well lived – food, fuel, friendship, family. For others, though, there is a desire – in fact, a need – for something more. In the form of a wandering, lyrical, autobiographical narrative, world-renowned horseman Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling exposes the inner turmoil, the burning questions, the fear, the doubt, and the darkness that pushed him off the roads most travelled in search of answers. In search of meaning. As he reflects on cultures past and his present surroundings, his words linger on visual, sensual, and inspirational clues, bringing his personal experiences alive on the page in emotional detail. His thoughts string together like clicking beads, brilliantly illustrating the passage of time and the interconnectivity of all beings. And ultimately, Hempfling comes to a truth, which for him brings heaven and earth into sharp focus. It is the horses that show him the way.

Principles of Riding: By German National Equestrian Federation. The first edition of The Principles of Riding was published more than 50 years ago, and this 28th edition, Basic Training for Horse and Rider, has been completely revised regarding language and content. The principles explained in this book leads to the education and training of the horse according to its nature and thus to its health, well-being and performance capability. The horse’s instincts and natural behaviour are presented in detail as the basis of communication and understanding between horse and rider. Modern scientific research relating to training theory and biomechanics has influenced the systematic training of the rider as well as that of the horse. The Principles of Riding provides versatile, practical assistance to horse lovers and readers of this book who want to learn, irrespective of whether they ride for leisure or competitively, are interested in hacking or hunting, or want to develop and improve their basic training for dressage, show-jumping or eventing. These principles should be indispensable for all riders, drivers, trainers and judges, and to all of those who are interested in the appropriate training of the horse, according to the horse’s nature, and who place importance on a harmonious cooperation between horse and rider.

The Resilience Project – Finding Happiness through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness: By Hugh van Cuylenburg. Hugh van Cuylenburg was a primary school teacher volunteering in northern India when he had a life-changing realisation- despite the underprivileged community the children were from, they were remarkably positive. By contrast, back in Australia Hugh knew that all too many people found it hard to be happy,or suffered from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. His own little sister had been ravaged by anorexia nervosa. How was it that young people he knew at home, who had food, shelter, friends and a loving family, struggled with their mental health, while these kids seemed so contented and resilient? He set about finding the answer and in time came to recognise the key traits and behaviours these children possessed were gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.

The Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: By Phillipe Karl. A critical and revolutionary book about dressage and what it has become today. Phillipe Karl one of the most outspoken critics of the modern dressage world which aims purely at competing a horse as early as possible in well-paid high-level competitions reveals some disturbing facts in this book. The author analyses the physical anatomical and mental condition of a horse with regard to official dressage guidelines issued by the German Equestrian Federation (FN). By comparing these with doctrines of such masters of classical riding as La Gueriniere or Baucher he illustrates beliefs and mistakes and shows us solutions to the dire situation of modern competitive dressage. Explores key problems of modern dressage: Physical aspects straightness balance exercises, The hand, leg and seat, Describes the effects of modern dressage breeding and business, Suggests a classical alternative: the philosophy of legerity.

Tug Of War: Classical versus “Modern” Dressage: By Dr Gerd Heuschmann. Provides an insightful and straightforward explanation of why classical training works and how incorrect “modern” riding negatively affects horses’ physical and mental wellbeing.

Understanding Horse Performance – Brain, Pain or Training: By Sue Palmer. In Sue Palmer’s ‘Understanding Horse Performance – brain, pain or training’, she contends that we can make the most of our time time with our horses by improving their welfare, safety and enjoyment through educating ourselves. Throughout her insightful and very thought provoking manual, Palmer explores whether a particular “misbehavior” or “lack of performance” is a result of “brain, pain or training”. She defines the terms ‘brain’, ‘pain’ and ‘training’ in a detailed yet comprehensible manner, whereby she highlights the problem that causes each factor that leads to an undesirable behaviour and lists a variety of possible solutions that can be utilised to extinguish that behaviour. To expand her explanations of the three factors that may result in “bad behaviour”, Palmer employs expert opinions from various vets, equine behaviourists and horse trainers who share their personal experiences of working with horses in their respective fields in a generalised fashion. Palmer also presents a series of case studies of different horses who exhibit a variety “misbehaviours”. She uses these case studies to demonstrate how to choose which particular road to follow when addressing an unwanted behaviour (ie. how to identify which of the three factor causes the behaviour – ‘brain’, ‘pain’ or ‘training’) and how to apply her suggested training exercises and concepts (for both yourself as a handler and/or rider and for your horse), or methods for resolving pain-related problems (which includes both simple things like regularly grooming and massaging your horse and employing professional help). Palmer concludes her manual by leaving us with the food for thought that horses can only communicate their pain, lack of understanding and lack of respect through their behavior and/or performance, which I think perfectly encompasses Palmer’s notion that we, as handlers and riders, are responsible for doing our best to correctly interpret what our horses are trying to tell us and then acting accordingly.