Lil Rascal goes from pest to partner

TAMING a brumby in 100 days is no easy task, but Wangaratta horse instructor Rachel Clarkson has done just that.  Ms Clarkson, 25, spent three months building a relationship with Lil Rascal, given to her to tame by the Victorian Brumby Association. Ms Clarkson, an entrant in the first Australian Brumby Challenge, will compete against 10 other trainers in the ridden section of a competition that ends this weekend at Upper Beaconsfield, 45 kilometres south east of Melbourne.  The challenge is designed to show off the talents of brumbies that have been trained for 100 days. “The brumby association passively… Continue reading

Wild horse steals couple’s hearts in Brumby Challenge – By RACHEL AFFLICK

A WILD brumby has stolen the hearts of Durham Lead couple Jillian and Brendan Maher. Gus, as he is affectionately known by the Mahers, might have wound up in the knackery after being removed from the wild as part of the Victorian government’s park management program. Instead Ms Maher, a participant in the first Australian Brumby Challenge, has had 100 days to transform him into a docile riding horse using patient and gentle methods.  “He gives kisses and he’s just awesome,” Ms Maher said. Jillian Maher with Gus, the wild brumby she tamed as part of the Australian Brumby Challenge…. Continue reading

Horse Trail Scientific Monitoring Program

This report forms part of the biophysical section of the Horse Trail Scientific Monitoring Program. Its primary focus is to observe and record the impacts of horse trail crossings on aquatic ecosystems and to ascertain if any of these impacts are of high concern. As was emphasised by Pickering et al. (2010) there have been no studies of the impacts of horse riding on streams within natural areas to date. This project will therefore add important knowledge to this understudied area of scientific research, and its findings will inform the direction of future monitoring. Stream health impacts from horse crossings… Continue reading

Wildlife and cows can be partners, not enemies, in search for food

Princeton University researchers are leading an effort to put to pasture the long-held convention of cattle ranching that wild animals compete with cows for food. Princetown Cattle Wildlife Positive Research Princetown Research link http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S32/93/41K10/index.xml?section=featured   Continue reading