Tewantin Noosa Pony Club

28/05/2026

26/05/2026

You ask your horse to move forward, but they plant their feet.

You ask for canter, and they rush, pigroot or pin their ears.

You ask them to stand quietly, but they paw, call out, fidget or pull back.

It can be easy in those moments to say the horse is being naughty, lazy or stubborn. But unwanted behaviour is information. Labelling a horse as naughty, lazy or stubborn can stop us from understanding the cause.

The Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy is clear that using terms like naughty, lazy or stubborn to describe unwanted behaviour demonstrates a lack of understanding.

That does not mean people are trying to do the wrong thing. These words are common in horse communities, and many of us have heard them used for years. But they can lead us down the wrong path.

When we call a horse stubborn, we may stop asking whether the horse is confused, worried, uncomfortable, in pain, tired, overwhelmed, or responding to unclear aids.

The Policy reminds us that horses need clear and consistent aids, and consistent expectations for their behaviour. When aids are unclear, or expectations change from one day to the next, the horse’s world can become confusing and worrying.

Good horsemanship means looking deeper. Before we label the horse, we need to ask:

❓ What is the horse trying to tell us?

❓ What part might our timing, pressure, training, handling or environment be playing?

❓ How can we make the right behaviour easier for the horse to understand?

Understanding the cause helps us support the horse, improve safety, and build better partnerships.

05/05/2026

🌱 Is chopped fibre in bucket feeds more than just filler?

Research indicates it may play an important role in how horses consume and respond to their feed.

🔬Including chopped fibre has been shown to slow intake rate and increase chewing activity, supporting saliva production and buffering within the digestive system.

There is also evidence that slower consumption can influence post-prandial insulin responses particularly relevant for horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction.

This highlights that feeding management is not only about nutrient composition, but also rate of intake.

🔍 Practical implications for ration design are worth closer consideration.

👉 Read more to explore the research behind this.
🔗https://askanimalweb.com/why-you-should-be-feeding-chopped-fibre-in-the-bucket/

05/04/2026

Are you looking for a relaxed and fun Pony club? TNPC is holding a muster on Sunday 12th April 2026 at our grounds in Tewantin. We have Melissa Flood for flat work and Megan Simpson for pole work. A third session will be Gymkhana events. Come along and see what TNPC is all about. Message the club for more details.