Committee members and our special guests Dato Malek Jeremiah, YB Hj Abdul Karim Hj Rahman Hamzah and Dato Acryl Sani.
Majlis Makan Malam dan Amal Ekuestrian Sarawak 2013
Senarai terkini nama-nama jemputan yang di jangka akan hadir ke Majlis Makan Malam dan Amal Ekuestrian Sarawak 2013 bertempat di Penview Hotel, Kuching, Sarawak.
- YB Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Hj Rahman Hamzah Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia Sarawak dan Menteri Muda Perumahan Sarawak
- Dato’ Acryl Sani bin Abdullah Sani, Pesuruhjaya Polis Sarawak, ahli lembaga pengarah Majlis Ekuin Malaysia.
- Dato Malek Jeremiah, Executive Secretary of Majlis Ekuin Malaysia
- En Joseph Ng, Pengetua SMK Batu Kawa
- En Thalasa Umik, Guru Besar SK Jalan Arang
- Puan Armisy binti Basri, Pengetua Institusi Rumah Kanak-kanak, Kuching
- Dinah Redmond, Pengarah Taiping Equine Park
- Ahli Ekuestrian Sarawak
- Ahli Pony Club Sarawak
- Supporters of Ekuestrian Sarawak
- Friends of Ekuestrian Sarawak
- En Mohd Faidz, Pengarah Taiping Equine Park
Ekuestrian Sarawak Banner for Majlis Makan Malam dan Amal Ekuestrian Sarawak 2013
Jemputan ke Majlis Makan Malam dan Amal Ekuestrian Sarawak 2013
Invitation Card to our Dinner at Penview Hotel, Kuching
Why SK Jalan Arang, Padawan / Batu Kawa, Kuching should include Equestrian as one of their sport
This picture was taken during our introduction of Sarawak Pony club to the Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Arang in the middle of 2011.
By Zulkifli Ahamat
As always, I arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes early to fetch my son from his school, SK Jalan Arang, Batu Kawa, Kuching. While waiting and browsing the school’s notice board, I realized that this school is not doing well or outstanding in any sport or any other recreational activities.
I thought to myself, I don’t see any sport activity or co-curriculum that the school could be proud of.
What if this school start and develop equestrian sports as one of their program for the students to choose and to participate? Wouldn’t they be proud that they would be the pioneer of this kind of ‘high performance’ and very prestigious sport in Sarawak? The potential to become the one and only school that can boast of having their own Equestrian program and to excel in that sports in Sarawak.
There are not many other sport that could be any more educationally or physically beneficial than equestrian sports and exposing young students to horses. I conduct my own investigation of my son’s school fitness and wellness program and I found that it will certainly be beneficial for all parties, the school, the teachers, the students and Sarawak Equestrian Sports Association if equestrian sports to become one of the sport available for the students to choose and to participate.
Equestrian sports is well known to promote positive, healthy lifestyles through physical activity and educational programs. Even the Ministry of Education also stressed the importance of sport with the policy of ‘1Murid 1Sukan’. With this in mind, I believe that this school should include equestrian sports in their sport programs for three reasons.
1st :- contrary to what most people believe, horseback riding is an exercise. It improves physical capabilities such as core strength and cardiovascular endurance.
2nd :- a ‘properly structured educational horse riding program’ has the power to teach discipline, smart & positive thinking, confidence and self esteem.
3rd:- horseback riding has psychological benefits. One of these benefits is stress relief which can improve students’ overall well being.
Horseback riding conditions muscles that even the most polished athletes didn’t know they had. Imagine incorporating that type of physical stimulation into your exercise regimen. Horseback riding is a non-conventional way to get students physically active and adding equestrian athletics to a school’s fitness and wellness program is undoubtedly beneficial.
Aside from the physical and educational benefits gained from equestrian activities, there are also psychological benefits. Examples of these psychological benefits are stress relief, happiness, purpose, team building, trust, and more. All of these will help contribute to overall emotional well being of students.
As a parent whose son goes to this school, I value student’s discipline and their academic achievement. I feel I have an obligation to contribute and help my son’s school with what I can and afford. As a qualified riding instructor and having experience with horses as an owner and a trainer, I feel obligated to help the school with the setting up of this Equestrian programs in collaboration with the Persatuan Sukan Ekuestrian Negeri Sarawak, which I am also the elected Secretary.
I am a living example of how a properly structured educational horse riding program has the power to make differences to a person and I hope that I could help SK Jalan Arang to set up and develop their own Pony Club soon.
The health and fitness benefits of horse riding
Improve your fitness and well-being through horse riding
Horse riding offers a great workout for both the mind and body, physically boosting the cardiovascular system and mentally easing stresses on the mind. Here’s the real buzz quick guide to how horse riding could be the exercise to boost your own health and fitness training.
Physical benefits of horse riding
Horse riding is a great form of exercise which has both cardiovascular and muscle conditioning benefits. Although it may seem as though the rider is not engaging in any physical exercise, an hour’s activity can burn similar calories to that of a 30-minute jog (6mph) or cycle ride (9mph). Therefore, all the health benefits associated with engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise are gained.
After your first ride you may feel muscles that you never knew you had. This is due to the movement of the horse and its affect on the rider during the ride. As the rider reacts to the horse’s movements to avoid becoming off balance, the deep postural muscles of the trunk and pelvis and the abductor muscles of the thighs are continuously being conditioned.
Psychological benefits of horse riding
Horse riding is recognized as having excellent therapeutic qualities. The psychological benefits can be of equal importance to riders as the physical benefits.
Simply being outdoors and enjoying riding in the open field will boost your general wellbeing and act as a great stress buster. There is a real sense of exhalation and freedom when you ride, a feeling that is second to none.
Furthermore, developing a relationship and sense of trust between yourself and your horse is highly rewarding. Learning to control and care for an animal much larger than yourself can have a profound effect on your confidence and is a great feeling.
Horse Racing in Islam
THERE is a general ‘misunderstanding’ in our society that horse racing is unlawful in Islam.
Reason being, it involves betting which comes under the definition of gambling – an unlawful transaction according to the Islamic Law. This misunderstanding is based on the incomplete knowledge of the teachings of Islam.
Nabi Muhammad, Rasullallah sallallahu ‘alaihi wassallam, who not only allowed horse racing but practically took part in it, had this aspect of the issue in his view. He, by creating the institution of ‘Mohallil’ for this purpose, converted the betting on horse races into prize-money.
However before explaining the details of this institution, it seems pertinent to point to the important position enjoyed by this animal in various human societies.
Horse had been an important part of all the ancient societies. It was only an important instrument of battle but also most of the day to day activities of those societies were centred round it. The climate of Arabia was very suitable for the breeding of horses and the Arabian horses were and still are famous throughout the world for their best quality. It encouraged the Arabs not only to breed best quality horses for their personal use but also for export to other parts of the world. Eventually it resulted into their natural love for this animal.
Islam did not place restriction on this love of the Arabs for their horses. Instead to encourage horse breeding, it enhanced the status of horse in the Muslim society. So much so, that Almighty Allah vowed by the racing horses in the following verses of the Holy Quran: ‘By the snorting coursers, Striking sparks of fire. And scouring to the raid of dawn. Then, therewith, with their trail of dust. Cleaving as one, the centre of the foe.’ (C.l-5).
Due to this importance of the animal, the teachings of Islam, had laid great stress on the proper breeding of horses. Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. took every possible measure for maintaining the interest of the Arabs in horse-breeding. Of the three sports allowed in Islam, one consisted of various games related to horses including the horse races.
According to an authentic Hadith, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. brought up horses for this purpose and personally arranged their race. The Hadith containing details about this race has been narrated by almost all the authentic collections of Hadith such as Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. (Nail Al-Autar vol: Vm, p-81).
In another report by Hazrat Abu Hurrarah, which has been carried by all the six authentic books of Hadith, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. allowed as a prize money in only three cases i.e. races of the camels, horses and spear-playing which is known in our society as Naiza Bazi. (Ibid)
In these Alhadith, the Arabic word ‘Sabaqa’ has been used for such a prize-winning horse race. According to the Arabic lexicographers, it is a race in which the winning horse is paid the agreed money of a bet in the shape of a prize. After quoting this definition, Imam Shaukanai, the author of ‘Nail al-Autar’ remarks that there is consensus of all the jurists of Islam that such a type of race is allowed in Islam. (Ibid) on the very next page of his book, he has carried another Hadith reported by Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umar that Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. himself arranged a horse race and allowed betting as prize-money for the winning horse. This Hadith has been reported by Imam Ahamd Bin Hanbal in his Masnad and Imam Abu Daud in his Sunnan. (Ibid, p-82) It is apparent from these details that the betting in the shape of prizes on the horse races was allowed to encourage the believers to take interest in the proper breeding of good horses.
According to the Holy Quran, gambling was an evil habit of the Arab society. The Arabs used the horse-races for the purpose of gambling also. One party was always the looser while the other was winner and gainer. Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. disallowed such type of betting. However to make this transaction lawful, he suggested that if a third person or a party without any betting be included in the race, then the betting of the first two parties would become lawful and considered as a prize. This third person or the party was given the title of ‘MohalliP i.e. the one who makes the transaction of betting-cum-prize money lawful.
Hadith about the legality of ‘Mohallil’ has been reported by Imam Abu Daud on the report of Hazrat Abu Hurrarah. (Ibid, p-84).
As ‘Mohallil’ was an important person for legalizing the betting and converting it into prize-money, the Muslim jurists had explained it in greater details with practical examples. The chapter on horse-races in all the books of Islamic jurisprudence starts with the importance of the horse for the Muslim society. It has been mentioned there that for the defence of the Islamic State, breeding of good horses is obligator on all Muslims and for this purpose horse racing is allowed in Islamic society. Details of all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence about this issue are similar but for our purpose, the details contained in the books of Hanafite jurisprudence would be sufficient as this school is followed by the majority of the Muslims in many Islamic countries.
These are as under: ‘Everybody should know that the betting for rewarding the winning horse in the horse race is only allowed if it is offered from one party of the race. If the party betting the prize-money, itself wins the race then it will retain its betting money itself and the loosing party would not have to pay anything. The other legal form of the betting is that a third person offers (sponsors) a bet-money for the winning horse. But it would be illegal if both the parties taking part in the race equally betted for the purpose as it falls under the definition of gambling. However if a third person or a party enters the contest without any betting, then the whole transaction would become legal provided the horse of this third party is equal to the horses of the first two parties in all respects. In Islamic terminology, this third person or party is called ‘Mohallil’ i.e. the one who makes the transaction lawful. In this situation if the horse of the ‘Mohallil’ wins the race, then all the betmoney will go to him as a prize and if one of the first two parties wins, it would not demand anything from the ‘Mohallil’ but instead may take all the bet-money offered as prize-money. In this type of horse race, the ‘Mohallil’ has to pay nothing. However he gains if his horse wins the race and loses nothing in any case. (Al-Fiqah ala Mazahib al-Urba vol: II, p-86, 87).
Creating interest in the proper breeding of horses, horse races and other games connected with this animal are not only allowed but greatly encouraged in Islam.
But it is unfortunate that many horse-breeders are leaving this industry and it has badly affected our society. It is therefore imperative that steps should be taken to check this unhealthy trend and to maintain the interest of the breeders; some incentives should be offered to them. The Government should provide help and to assist breeders and organizers of the equestrian sports and activities and also horse & pony racing on every level and up to the national level.
So, the conclusion is – Horse racing is not haram or forbidden in Islam. The thing that is haram is the gamblers or the punters. Gamblers and punters are everywhere, even in soccer or footballs, a state or country general election day and many others.
Fitness for the Equestrian Athletes
The world of amateur equestrian sport is full of people in their 30’s to 50’s who are fulfilling a lifetime dream of owning and doing riding with their horses. Many of these people have built successful careers and have more time to pursue their childhood dreams of being with horses and riding. Middle aged equestrians often tend to be driven, goal-oriented, high achievers who approach their chosen sport with the same determination that made them successful in their careers. One common problem among middle aged riders who are fulfilling their childhood dream of horse ownership is that while they feel like they’re young boys and girls again, blissfully happy on the back of a horse, their bodies have aged and they don’t have the natural balance or athletic ability they once did.
Learning to ride a horse (really ride a horse, not just sitting on the back of an old laid back pony as a passenger) is a fantastically difficult endeavour. Muscles are used in equestrian sports that are rarely used in normal day to day activities. Riding well requires a tremendous amount of core strength, both to balance one’s upper body and to influence the horse subtly through shifts in weight that are imperceptible to the observer on the ground. A rider has to learn to isolate various body parts; for example, keeping the hands still and quiet while the pelvis moves with the motion of the horse. Riding well demands balance, strength and agility. It is by no means as easy as the good riders make it look.
Many people who begin riding or come back to riding in middle age find progress slow and daunting. Often this is because the rider has adopted a sedentary lifestyle (sitting in the car and then at a desk for hours). Perhaps health problems contributed to weight gain and loss of fitness, but whatever the cause, a task that is already difficult becomes more so thanks to the rider’s low level of athleticism. Riding is hard enough without the added problem of being out of shape!
Please hear me when I say that I am not passing judgement on middle aged riders, and specifically on women. I would simply like to advocate for viewing equestrian activities like any other sport. Marathon runners, triathletes, boxers, basketball and soccer players all train hard for their sports and change their diets to reflect their self-identification as athletes. I believe that if riders approached learning to ride the same way they would approach training for a marathon, they would obtain more success in a shorter time frame.
When viewed as an athletic undertaking rather than a leisure activity, riding takes on a new level of significance. For example, most beginning dressage riders find it difficult to sit the trot. It’s not easy to sit still when the thing underneath you is bouncing. Many people practice and practice, but never really excel at the sitting trot because they lack the muscle control necessary to follow the horse’s motion quietly without getting bounced around. Instead of thinking, “I’ll practice my sitting trot for 5 minutes every ride,” a better approach would be to do core exercises while off the horse so that the 5 minutes of trot work at the next ride is building on a better established foundation of muscle strength. Riding is definitely a workout, but for the average rider who is unable to ride every day, the off days should be filled with an exercise program that continues to build athleticism. Becoming a better athlete will no doubt result in becoming a better rider.
Most riders’ primary concern is the health and happiness of the horse. We all want our horses to enjoy their work; we want them to know that they have done well. This is why after every clear round or every well performed dressage test, the rider pats the horse, rubs his neck and says loudly for everyone to hear, “Good boy!”
A fit rider understands that his or her level of athleticism makes the horse’s job exponentially easier.
The rider who has balance and finesse in the saddle frees up the horse to move well, jump higher, stretch long and low, or whatever is the goal of his particular discipline. Riders who are tired, huffing and puffing and pinching with their knees because the muscles in their thighs and calves have worn out is forcing the horse to compensate for their lack of ability. They are asking the horse to perform his best when they have not prepared to do theirs. It’s not fair to the horse.
When we talk about rider fitness, we are not simply talking about fat or thin. We are talking about athletic ability, muscle tone, core strength, balance, reaction time and cardiovascular health.
A fit person with muscle tone may weigh more than a skinny person with flab and no muscle, but the fit person will no doubt be the better rider. The fit person will learn faster, build muscle memory more quickly and learn to make subtle changes in their seat and weight more easily than a person who is out of shape.
In closing, please do not feel that I look disdainfully at riders who are out of shape and doing their best to ride well. In fact, I’m sure there are plenty of riders in worse physical shape than me who still ride better than me because they’ve been at it longer! My point is simply that increased athleticism will make a good rider better, and put frustrated riders on a faster track to success. Cheers to the sport we love and to doing our best to excel!
Horse Riding Lessons with Ekuestrian Sarawak
HORSE SENSE
Introduction to the world of Horses – To know a few basic things regarding the Horse.
Safety First. Always be alert.
Handling horses in everyday situations.
Safe ways of catching a stabled horse.
How to lead a horse safely.
Proper ways of tying up horse or pony.
PREPARING TO RIDE
Reasons for grooming.
General points of grooming.
Grooming kit.
TACKING UP
Procedure used when putting on the saddle and bridle.
Always practice the safe and correct way of doing things.
Always check and spot anything that could be dangerous or wrongly done.
MOUNTING
From nearside of a horse helping a rider to mount.
THE PROPER AND SAFE WAY OF DISMOUNTING
IN THE SADDLE
Tightening girth on nearside when mounted.
Correct length of stirrup when mounted.
Altering length of stirrup when mounted.
Taking up and holding the single rein.
Position of rider in saddle.
Exercises at halt with and without stirrups.
THE CORRECT WAY OF GOING
The aids.
Halt to walk, walk to halt.
Circles and turns.
TROTTING
From walk to trot, trot to walk.
Sitting & rising trot.
LESSONS ON THE LUNGE
Exercises, trot to canter
These are some of the things that beginner riders will learn from our basic horse riding lessons program. To know more about our horse riding lessons, fees and etc; please e-mail to us at ekuestrian.sarawak@gmail.com.
Horse Owners Guide to Equine Terminology
Like with many industries, there is plenty of jargon to get your head around in the world of horse ownership. If you’re a new owner, this is your essential guide to equine terminology and their definitions:
Action: In horse terminology, ‘action’ refers to the way a horse moves at various gaits such as walking, trotting, cantering, and galloping
Aged: ‘Aged’ refers to a horse over 9 years old. Horses that are ‘aged’ are normally at the end of their racing career.
Bomb Proof: A horse described as ‘bomb proof’ is a horse that doesn’t spook easily. These horses are usually well trained and extremely calm minded.
Broodmare: A ‘broodmare’ is a female horse used solely for breeding.
Colt: A ‘colt’ is a male horse, under four years old, that hasn’t been castrated.
Cribbing: Ever noticed your horse chewing on wood? This is known as ‘cribbing’ and is often associated with boredom and confinement as opposed to hunger.
Dam: The ‘dam’ is the mother of the horse.
Dapples: This term refers to the round, coloured markings on a horses’ coat. Different coloured dapples are due to different genes and pigmentations in the body hair. It is these markings that make a horse stand out, example : Dapple Grey
Filly: A female horse under the age of four, is called a ‘filly’. In thoroughbred horses, females are considered fillies until the age of 5.
Gelding : A castrated male horse.
Groundwork: ‘Groundwork’ refers to all the pre-training you do with a horse. This includes lead rope work, and long line training. You carry out efficient ground work before using reins and introducing a saddled rider.
Hands: Hands (hh) is the common way to measure a horses’ height. One hand is equivalent to four inches. Depending on the breed of the horse, the will range in height from 14 hands right through to 18 hands.
Sire: ‘Sire’ is the farther of a horse.
Stallion: A ‘stallion’ is a male horse over 4 years old that hasn’t been castrated. They often have a thicker neck and more muscular physique than their castrated counterparts. This is due to the presence of more testosterone.
Tack: ‘Tack’ is refers to all the gear that comes with owning a horse, including the bridle, saddle, stirrups, ropes and riding boots.
Yearling: A ‘yearling’ is a horse that is just approaching or has just turned one. They are much like adolescents in that they are not yet fully emotionally and physically mature.
So there you have it – a quick rundown of some essential horse owners’ terminology. There are plenty of other terms you will hear along the way, but they are easy enough to pick up as you go along.
ekuestrian sarawak 