Taking it One Jump at a Time
Taking it One Jump at a Time
A big dream, a good measure of talent, the right horse, supportive sponsors and the willingness to try - just some of the elements needed to compete in the international show jumping arena. Ask local rider, Johan Lotter, who together with his 11 year old chestnut stallion, Nova Zonnestraal Rendement, has been competing in Europe for the past year.
Having been in the saddle since the age of 7, Johan has enjoyed a successful career on the local front working his way up the ranks from placing third in the children’s SA Champs to numerous top 5 and first places as an adult rider.
Rendement arrived in South Africa from the UK in 2004 and as horse and rider started gathering rosettes and placing consistently in events, Johan realized that the big jumping Rendement could help him realize the first of his two lifelong dreams - to represent South Africa at the World Equestrian Games with the ultimate goal being a place in the Olympic team in 2012. So early in 2008 the pair headed to Europe to enable them to compete in more qualifying shows.
Europe hasn’t been an easy ride for the pair. “It’s taken both Rendement and I a good year to settle into the competitive scene over there,” says Johan. “We started competing during their winter season, which obviously meant all shows were indoors. Neither of us had much experience riding indoors, and for a big striding horse like Rendement it took him some time to adjust to the closer positioning and shorter distances between jumps.”
“Travelling was another aspect we had to adjust to. Admittedly horses travel to shows in South Africa, but in Europe they can definitely do a fair amount of bit of cross-continental ‘jet setting’. I’m based in Holland with the top Dutch rider Eric van der Vleuten and most of the shows I enter are generally an hour and a half drive away. However to attend a show in Copenhagen last year Rendement took an 11 hour journey, being boxed by road to the border of Germany and then taken by ferry over to Denmark. When you see all these horses being trucked on to the ferry, you do think ‘Wow’,” laughs Johan.
Despite the initial adjustments, horse and rider went on to notch up some respectable 4th, 5th and 6th places at various shows last season. When the 2009 outdoor season opened this April, they placed first in a 2-Star rated Belgium show in the 1m 45 class and 8th in the Derby of Eindhoven, Holland – both major confidence boosters according to Lotter. “ To qualify for selection to the World Equestrian Games in the USA next year requires a minimum of either two clear rounds in two different 3-Star grand prixs, 4 faults in a 4-Star grand prix, or 8 faults in a 5-Star grand prix.” * “Obviously we don’t want to come scraping in with the minimum requirements so we hope to have a really good season this year. Rendement’s jumping exceptionally well right now and having opened his outdoor season on such a high note, I feel he’s going to do good things over the next few months. He’s a horse with the ability to jump the big Grand Prix’s that they have in the Europe and there’s certainly opportunity for him to achieve a lot there.”
The sheer number of big shows in Europe was precisely the reason Johan and Rendement headed north last year. “It was very hard leaving my family and I couldn’t have done it without Joanne’s support,” he says, referring to his wife who takes care of the family’s stable yard and horse transport business and the couple’s 4 year old daughter. “But at the same time, competing internationally has been my lifelong dream. When my partner in Rendement, Lynn Rowand of Nova Zonnestraal Estate in Constantia generously offered to back me in Europe, Joanne and I took the decision that I had to give it a shot. After all, you have to take the opportunities life offers you and for the first time I felt I had the right horse that could take me all the way. Yes we have some good shows here in South Africa, but Europe is the engine of show jumping and there are so many big shows and Grand Prix’s to enter. Although it’s harder to enter the higher rated four and five star shows over there as an unknown, I’m fortunately building up a strong contact base through Eric who’s helped me immensely, and once you’re in, you compete against some of the world’s best so its invaluable experience. ”
Rendement, who is by Burgraaf ouf of Gypsy, whose sire was Nurzeus, certainly has the pedigree required of a horse looking to take on the world’s best. Bought by Johan and Lyn Rowand in 2004 he spent three years in South Africa where Lotter took him from 1m 10 to 1m50. “We competed well in South Africa, placing second in the 2006 Micro Derby and winning the 1.30m speed at SA Champs the same year. In 2007 we placed in the 2007 World Cup in Pietermaritzburg, won the speed accumulator at the World Cup in Kimberley and also came second in the World Cup class.”
On the veterinary side Rendement is cared for by top international sports vet Dr Michel Heyvaert however ‘local is still lekker’ when it comes to his joint care. “With Rendement being such a big horse, his joint care is of particular importance particularly in the European winters. South African company Cipla Vet have helped keep him sound for a couple of years now on their GCS Max joint support formula. So they regularly ship over supplies to us and it’s become Rendement’s taste of home!”
* (Star ratings are based on the amount of prize money for the event and naturally the more prize money on offer, the more difficult the course.)
WHEN HOME BECOMES A TORTURE CHAMBER
They might be difficult to see but you can always tell when fleas are around, especially when they’re attacking your best friend. For your pet, fleas create a painful and miserable cycle of biting and scratching. In some animals, fleas can also cause flea allergy dermatitis and what is often not known is they can transmit some pretty dangerous or unpleasant illnesses to your pet and your family.
“With the warmer weather upon us, flea infestations have typically increased and many people are now fighting these tiny dark brown insects on their animals, in their pet’s bedding and also in the home,” says Dr Craig Mincher, MD of Cipla Vet, a veterinary products company. “The problem here is that by the time fleas are visible on your pet, the infestation is undoubtedly either established or taking root somewhere in your home. It helps to know a bit about the flea lifecycle in order to combat these parasites.”
An adult flea may live for less than two months, however during that period a female flea can lay around 2 000 eggs. Those eggs will fall off into your pet’s bedding or around the home, with the larvae hatching around ten days later. These larvae then make their way to a dark, warm area where, feeding on ‘flea dirt’ (flea faeces comprising partly digested blood) they will grow and molt before spinning a cocoon in which they’ll mature to pupae in just under 2 weeks. Now they wait for signs that conditions are hospitable before hatching. When they detect that a host is near, through vibrations, carbon dioxide or warmth, they finish developing into an adult and emerge from the cocoon. With strong back legs, they can quickly jump from animal to animal and people. If conditions are inhospitable, for example temperatures are too cold or there is no host nearby, the pupa stage becomes dormant sometimes for up to over a year. That’s why people returning from holiday often find hundreds of fleas attacking them. While they were away, all the eggs and larvae developed to the pupae stage and then became dormant. As soon as the ‘hosts’, the people, return from holiday and house is again occupied, the adult fleas all emerge simultaneously. In warmer or more humid parts of the country, fleas are a problem year round which is why treatment and prevention is so important.
“While the itching induced from flea bites is more than enough misery for your pet, for sensitive or flea allergic animals, itching from flea bites can cause hair loss, inflammation and skin infections,” says Mincher. “Fleas are also sometimes carriers of tapeworm. In large numbers they can even cause anemia in your pet which in severe cases can cause death.”
So how does one eradicate fleas? Spotting them isn’t too difficult. Dark brown / black in appearance and about the size of two pin heads, fleas are either visible running along your dog or cat’s skin although bear in mind that they don’t like light, so are best spotted in the furrier areas, on the stomach or inner thighs. Alternatively look for ‘flea dirt’ which resembles dark specks scattered on the skin. Fleas are quick to hide on your pet, so flea dirt may be the only sign you have that your animal has fleas, but if you have flea dirt, you have fleas.
Immediately start a comprehensive programme of treating your pet with an effective flea and tick product that kills fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs. A product containing fipronil, such as Cipla Vet’s Fiprotec, applied as topical drops or a spray, pools in the pet’s sebaceous glands and hair follicles killing fleas for weeks after application.
Constantly vacuum the areas your pet likes to occupy, including carpets, bedding and even your car if your best friend enjoys the occasional outing. Regularly wash your pet’s bedding and blankets in very hot water.
A critical part of controlling the fleas life cycle is ‘off the pet’ environmental control. For every one flea on your pet there will be up to 100 at various life stages within the environment. It is vitally important that a highly effective environmental spray, which will be available from your vet, is used. It needs to kill the adult fleas as well as prevent the larvae and eggs from reaching maturity. The most common reason for the presence of fleas while an ‘on the animal’ product is being used, is poor or no environmental control.
Mincher says the most common mistake people make is to only treat at the sight of fleas. “By the time the adult flea is on your dog you have a flea problem that, while starting small, can rapidly escalate to a major infestation. While administering flea and tick control products to your pet year round may seem expensive especially in the current financial climate, the good news is that there are some new releases on the market that are extremely cost effective, Cipla Vet’s Fiprotec is one example, so year round protection and prevention is easily affordable to most pet owners. It’s far cheaper than having to fight off rampant flea problems or deal with the costs of skin infections, tapeworm problems or anaemia. Over and above that, if one just imagined what it would feel like being bitten repeatedly and itching morning, noon and night without reprieve, we’d never let our pets suffer that discomfort.”
KEEPING ADULT DOGS HAPPY
In this series of articles, I’ll discuss various ways of addressing basic problems most dog owners encounter at some point when owning a pet.
Toys
Everyone knows that puppies need oodles of chew toys to help them through the difficult phase where they are chewing everything in sight. This is true, of course, but something of equal importance is making sure that your adult dog also has enough toys to play with. Remember, when you’re out working during the day, your dog needs to entertain himself, and if the environment lacks sufficient stimulation, he’s going to find things to keep himself busy, and usually it ends up being something the owners hate!
Chewing for dogs not only helps to keep their teeth clean, but it also combats boredom and most dogs will chew to relieve frustration or stress. If you watch your dog chewing a suitable toy, you can almost see him going “moggy” from enjoyment. Therefore, it is important to provide your dogs with suitable chew toys. Bear in mind, a dog chew toy is something the dog can chew, swallow and digest, so don’t get upset if he eats and destroys the rawhide!
Toys can be divided into the following groups:
- Chew Toys (rawhide bones, ostrich chews, BIG raw bones, smoked pigs ears, hooves etc.) Always make sure that the size of the chew toy is manageable for the dog, so compare hardness of chew toy with strength of jaw muscles. Rawhide toys can be soaked in boiling hot water for a while to soften them, which often helps puppies to ‘get into’ them. If you see that the toy is getting small enough to fit down your dog’s oesophagus, pick it up and throw it away – remember safety first!
- Brain Toys (toys that will encourage your dog to think). This includes toys like Treat balls, Busta Cubes or Kongs (www.kongcompany.com). You can also give him stuffed hooves – stuff peanut butter or liver/cheese spread in the hoof and freeze it.
- Human interactive toys (for example ropes, ball-on-ropes, tennis balls, dumbbells etc). These toys should never be left out for your dog. They are purely interactive toys for when he plays with a person. It’s important not to give your dog these types of toys to play with when he’s a chewer as ingested rope or pieces of tennis balls can cause a blockage which could end up with your dog in hospital
A good idea is to have a chew toy box for your dog. Fill this box with a variety of chews, and put this box out in the morning when you leave for work. Your dogs can then go and rummage about in it for something to do. Keep the toys on a rotating basis too so the novelty value doesn’t wear off. This is easily done by dividing the total number of chew toys into three piles and exchanging the content of the box every second day. Old chews can be washed, which turns them into a brand new toy.
PETS AND HOLIDAYS
It’s that time of year again when we’re all starting to plan and look forward to our yearly holiday away from the hustle and bustle of work and home. But what about your pets?
I usually get quite a few phone calls around this time of year from concerned pet owners who want to know about the best option for their pet’s holiday care. Should they kennel their dog, or get a house sitter? What about the cat? Do they prefer staying at home, and if so, is it safe.
The short answer is usually ‘it depends’. Many people prefer knowing that their pets are being cared for by professionals in a safe and secure environment, but at the same time, not all boarding kennels and catteries are necessarily great. So how to tell the difference, and which option would your pet prefer?
Cats are generally quite sensitive creatures and many do not like strangers living in their homes. If your cat is not that keen on an unfamiliar person living there, it might be a good idea to rather put him in a cattery for the duration of your holiday. For obvious safety reasons – you don’t want your cat leaving home because your house sitter and your cat don’t agree on whose house it is! If there is any doubt, rather put kitty in a suitable boarding facility. Ideally, cats should have access outside to lounge in the sun, but they also need their safe spaces and each cat should have a shelter in their individual cattery units. So when you’re looking for a cattery, be sure to go and visit the facilities and look out for clean litter boxes, access to food and water, trained staff and neat, clean cattery units. Ask about grooming and emergency procedures – do they have a vet on standby and do they have someone on the property 24/7, even when it’s a public holiday?
As for pooches, dogs are unlikely to escape the property, unless of course they already have a habit of doing so. If there’s any doubt, make sure that your property is 100% safe before making your choice. When choosing a house sitter, be sure to invite her around a few times so your dogs get to know her. Ask her to start staying with you at least one day before your departure so she can familiarise herself with your routine with your pets, and make sure she understands that Fido is not to be walked in the park off-lead if he runs away every time he has the chance!
If you’re going to board your pet, visit the boarding kennels and check for cleanliness and access to safe playing areas. Check if they allow dogs to run around loose, and if so, is there a screening process to decide if the dogs are social – this is crucial, especially if they are going to be playing with other dogs during their visit. Make sure that all pets are up to date with vaccinations and parasite control, and ask if you can take your pet’s toys with him to keep him occupied. A blanket or pet bed might also help make him feel at home. Of course, 24/7 supervision is also a must have, especially if the dogs are allowed to socialize!
Even though it’s always difficult, try to keep a happy face when saying goodbye. Pets are very sensitive to our moods and if you’re crying like there is no tomorrow when you drop Fido off at the kennels you might make him very worried. A quick cuddle and a super yummie chew toy should help make the parting process a little easier for him.
TOP 10 TIPS ON HOW TO CHOOSE A PET THAT SUITS YOU
Whether you live alone, with a husband or partner or have kids, choosing a pet is not as easy a decision as it might seem. Some people are dog, cat, bird, fish or even exotic animal people.
You need to know what type of pet you want, your time and energy for the animal and even your emotional state. If you would like a pet that is going to give you attention, then an independent cat might not be your best choice.
So, if you are deciding on getting a pet soon and don’t quite know which to choose, continue reading this week’s top 10. Hopefully it will help you in deciding which pet suites you.
To make things a bit easier as well as fun, try these tests online and see which pet suites your personality. I took both tests by the way, and they both concurred that I am a cat person (which I whole heartedly agree with).
http://quibblo.com/quiz/ny12Rq/What-type-of-pet-suits-you
http://uk.tickle.com/test/petsuits.html
1. Do you want an interactive pet?
Some pets, like dogs, are great companions and are often very interactive with their owners. If that is what you want, then the dog is definitely your best friend. Birds are also quite interactive as well. But if you just want your pet to be there for the sake of having another living being in your home, then a cat, fish or rodent is your better bet. Also see tip 3.
2. How active do you want your pet to be?
Dogs are quite active animals, depending on the type of dog you buy as well as some have more energy than others. Dogs are also great to have if you have an active lifestyle as far as exercise is concerned or just want to lose weight as well. Taking them for regular walks, as they need exercise as well, will help them to burn off some of that energy as well as help you burn off a few kilos.
Rodents, cats, fish and tortoises are basically just there for you to take car of. Well, not cat’s as much as they are quite independent.
3. How much time and energy do you have to spend with your pet?
If you spend most of your time in the office, away on business trips, behind the computer or out partying, then getting a high maintenance pet is not for you. By high maintenance I mean financially as well as spending physical time with your pet. Dogs are constantly looking for love, attention and affection. But if you are not home most of the time or will not have much time to spend with the animal, rather get an independent creature like a cat or a tortoise that can basically fend for him/herself while roaming around in your garden.
4. What are your expenses with regards to a pet?
Some pets are quite high maintenance financially. Besides taking them to the vet for regular check-ups, some animals need to be taken to the parlor, they require large amounts of food and their living area needs to be taken care of. With reference to the latter, fish and caged animals as well as dogs and cats are referred to here. If you have a fish, buying a tank is quit expensive. You also have to decide on the type/size of tank you need to buy, the equipment needed inside the tank to maintain cleanliness and oxygen levels in the tank as well as the type of fish food required. There is also the choice of salt water and fresh water fish. Remember Deuce Bigalow? He had to spend lots of time, energy and needed quite a lot of now-how to take care of someone else’s exotic fish.
Caged animals like hamsters or mice need special equipment for their cages as well. Dogs also need a kennel if it is to stay outside and cats litter boxes, scratching poles and the likes. See tips 7 and 8 for further information.
5. Is the pet for you, a family member?
If the pet is for you, then these tips should be a good guidance. If, however, the pet is for a family member like a child, you should consider the tips mentioned here but also consider the age of the child you are buying the pet for. The animal should be age appropriate for the child and if the child is a bit older, whether they have the time, energy and patience to look after another living creature. You could also consider starting your child off with a virtual pet and see how they cope with that.
6. How much space do you have in your home?
If you buy a dog, for example, consider how big your living area is and how much room the dog will need. Big dogs like Dalmatians and Labradors for example would need large spaces to run around in and would be more suited in a home with a large yard. If you live in an apartment of flat, smaller dogs like Maltese poodles are more suited for it. Fish, caged rodents and cats are also more suitable for smaller living areas.
7. Prepare yourself
Do as much research as possible about the type of pet that you would like to have. You can ask your local vet or SPCA and consult your library for useful information about different kinds of animals. If you want to buy a specific dog, for example, find out more about it like what environment if should be in, the type of food it should eat, how often you need to feed or walk it and its personality traits. Also find out where your nearest vet is and pop inside to find out how efficient they are and whether you will be comfortable with them dealing with your pet.
Thinking about having a pet and actually having it living with you is completely different. Know that it will take some time and adjustment for both of you.
8. Prepare your home
Once you have made a choice on the type of pet you would like to purchase, prepare your home like buying toys for the pet, water and food bowl as well as a place you would like the animal to sleep of live in.
9. Choosing a name
I have always wanted to have a cat called Miss Chievous. I know that it would probably be my own fault if the cat actually turns out to be that way, but I think it’s a cute name.
Find a name that suite your pet. Look at their personality. See if they remind you of a person, song or place. You will be amazed at the names people come up with. Dogs and cats are more likely to come when you call them on their names, so call them something that is easy as well as pleasant to hear (you don’t want to have your dog have some profane name when the priest comes to visit now).
10. SPCA and adopting a pet
Buying animals from pet stores are not only quite expensive, but I am always a bit skeptical about where they come from. I believe that the better thing to do is to get a pet from the vet or SPCA. That way you can provide a good home for an animal of your choice. Things to take into consideration when getting a dog from there, is to ask as much information about the animal as possible. Find out how old they are, about their previous owner, where and in what condition they were found in and how they were treated. Dogs, for example, that were abused often are aggressive and need lost of time, attention and patience to readjust. Also find out the age of the dog and go there with some kind of idea of what you want, like a puppy or a fully grown dog.
You can find more about adopting a pet at the SPCA website, www.spca-ct.co.za
Good luck with your decision.
Sources:
www.squidoo.com/findtheperfectpet
FIPROTEC: PROTECTION AGAINST FLEAS, TICKS, INFECTIONS AND INFLATION!
With the current warm weather beckoning fleas, dogs and cats around the country are now scratching as if their lives depended on it. And they just may. More than causing the odd itch, fleas can cause flea allergic dermatitis that results in excessive scratching and skin damage / infections. They also transmit tapeworm infestations, in severe cases can cause life-threatening anemia and are also possible carriers of disease in humans. And ticks are not just blood suckers that attach themselves to your pet for a fattening feast, but also transmit life-threatening diseases to dogs and cats, including biliary?
New on SA veterinary practice and vet store shelves is Cipla Vet’s Fiprotec, a new, long acting flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats. Fiprotec contains fipronil which acts by accumulating in the pet’s hair follicles and spreading over the entire body, killing ticks and fleas for weeks after application, thereby breaking the flea lifecycle.
“With the warmer weather upon us, flea infestations have typically increased,” says Dr Craig Mincher, MD of Cipla Vet. “The problem here is that fleas are a year round problem in many parts of SA and by the time they’re visible on your pet, the infestation is undoubtedly either established or taking root somewhere in your home.
Mincher says the most common mistake people make is to only treat at the sight of fleas. “By the time the adult flea is on your dog, it’s laying eggs – up to 2000 in a lifespan of less than two months – and the lifecycle of flea eggs to larva to pupae to adult is relatively quick so a few fleas can rapidly escalate to a major infestation..”
“We know the financial climate makes administering year round flea and tick control products sound like a luxury rather than the necessity it is, but the good news is that we’ve launched Fiprotec at a price of up to 30 % lower than currently available products,” says Mincher.
Fiprotec is available as a monthly spot on treatment for dogs and cats or in spray form from vets and vet shops nationwide.
