This article has appeared previously with Equestrian Life. To see what is in our latest issue, please click here.

 

 

 

 

BY JANE O'CONNOR // PHOTOGRAPHY BY EAMON GALLAGHER

 

The equestrian sector has long been listed as sitting around third or fourth in terms of industry employment and economic worth. It would be easy to assume that's because the lucrative Thoroughbred racing industry captures much of the revenue. But, the reality is that the nature and location of horse ownership has changed, as have the equine pursuits and disciplines we choose to follow. 

 

But, within that change, a key question is whether the retention of industry skills is high on the priority list and if the sort of education required for responsible ownership is being aimed at a new breed of horse owners. Those skills - and the ability to recognise a dramatically changed equine scene and cater for it - is encapsulated in a man like Carl O'Dwyer. To call Carl merely a farrier is to sell him seriously short. Horses have been in the O'Dwyer blood for generations and Carl grew up with a father who worked teams of 10 draught horses to dig the vital water channels that irrigated a dry country. But, rather than now sitting around telling bush yarns of working horses, Carl and his son Dan, along with other highly skilled equine industry partners are creating a thoroughly modern approach to today's average horse owner. With over 49 years at the industry's 'coalface', Carl has seen it all and been an active participant not only from a business perspective, but as a lobbyist for change and progression and as a successful owner and trainer in the harness racing industry.   

 

For 49 years, he has not only specialised in hoofcare, but founded O'Dwyer Horseshoe Sales with a staff of three in 1971. Three years ago, the mechanical production plant that it had grown into with an export market into a dozen other countries and which consumed hundreds of tonnes of steel to turn out large scale horseshoe production, shut up shop. In 2002 Carl sold his then business, O'Dwyer Horseshoe Sales Australia Pty Ltd to the global Mustad hoofcare business - the Scandinavian concern that has turned out a range of products, including horsehoe nails, for 180 years. The economic reality that many Australian manufacturers have faced and continue to face, is that imports from South America, the United States and China, have made Australian production uncompetitive. Not only the shoes, but the tools and rasps - everything for the hoofcare industry - could be had cheaper. Nobody in Australia or New Zealand is producing horseshoes in mass production today. Carl remains as a consultant to Mustad in Australia, while Dan is the General Manager and Director of Mustad's operations in Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific.

 

Rather than simply hanging up the rolling mill and moving on, Dan has been enacting a scenario Carl saw looming for the industry in the 1980s. At the time, he had the choice of pursuing the manufacturing dream or creating an equestrian precinct on what then was industrial land surrounded by rural holdings.  

 

At Kilmore, north of Melbourne, a new enterprise is now emerging that will combine a well known local saddlery and equine supplier - Lowdens (part of the Saddleworld group) - Mustad Australia and the O'Dwyer expertise into one of the first complete equestrian destination facilities, Mustad Lowdens Saddleworld. In around 12 months time, services ranging from having a saddle fitted and being able to try it in an indoor arena, to understanding the basics of horse floating and safety and even knowing how to talk to your farrier about basic hoofcare, find an equine dentist or chiropractor and other experts will rise from that industrial estate on the northern edge of town.

 

Kilmore is typical of the rapid outward spread of our major capital cities. For much of the O'Dwyer's early manufacturing days, while close to Melbourne, Kilmore was still a little off the beaten track. Now, it is on the fringe of the outer suburban commuter belt and has also seen the growth of sub-divisions that provide sought after 'lifestyle properties.' It is these properties that have changed the face of individual horse ownership - the leisure riders, adult riders and pony clubs - the 'tree changers' who are often first time horse owners. But, Carl says, 'the average person hasn't learned the basic skills of owning a horse'. And, it is time to return to those basics and by doing so, 'people will come to learn.' Kilmore also has a huge wider catchment area that enjoys a high level of horse ownership, but the O'Dwyers believe that an equestrian destination point that offers the widest range possible of services - with a strong emphasis on education - will see people seek it out. It is also a retail pushback against the growing trend in online purchasing of goods and services, which while some may be cheaper, are not necessarily the right fit for an individual's needs.

 

As part of the industry's transition, Carl recalls the sector's first major nosedive in the 1950s and 1960s as the horse's working worth crumbled under mechanisation. So too did much of the skill base and trades that went with it. Prior to that, accessing an expert farrier for a problem horse or being able to acquire an expertly fitted harness or tack was as common as having a mechanic keep a car in good order. These days, however, if you asked the average horse owner whether they train a new foal how to stand for a farrier, how often their hooves should be trimmed, or even what a farrier needs most when they arrive at your property, then the answers will vary widely. Carl ran the farriers' forge at the Royal Melbourne Show for 15 years and has copped every question imagineable on the subject. The same applies to what may be considered a fairly standard purchase, such as a saddle. You can't sit on one via the internet. Even if you sit on one in a saddlery it may suit your rear end, but the horse isn't happy when you put it on. 

 

"It's not a right to have a horse, it's a privilege. As an owner the absolute basics are to have the horse drenched, provide it with clean water daily and to have hooves trimmed regularly. I see this just not done time after time and it boils down to ignorance," Carl says. Even the knowledge to be selective about who treats your horse and how, what qualifications they have and the ability to judge whether you have paid for a good, reasonable or poor job is lacking.

 

Carl says the process should begin before an individual buys or breeds a horse. By providing the type of equestrian destination point where the key questions can be answered from a basic level via regular workshops or by being able to consult experts. Not only does it create respect for such advice, but it lifts the bar on knowledge among horse owners. Those with more advanced knowledge can also keep building on their expertise. Even what we may consider to be a basic skill, such as how to handle every aspect of floating a horse, or handle an incident involving a float, is on the O'Dwyer's educational agenda, as are basic riding school lessons. By bringing the Lowden's business into the fold, Dan says, it provides an entire other layer of expertise. Stephen Dale is the qualified saddle fitter on site and is also a key part of the Destination Equestrian Precinct. A small 40x20m indoor arena has been built and will initially be used as an indoor saddle fitting facility. Owners will be able to bring their horse in and not only have this service carried out, but there will also be services such as an equine dentist, expert farrier and other practitioners on tap. Stephen says that it is the saddlefitting area that many people 'get terribly wrong'. "You need to fully test it and ride on it," he says. It is too late when it has been bought off an internet site or is an impulse purchase that turns out to be useless once you get it home. This melding of skills means most equine requirements and disciplines are catered for. It's a case of being able to get your horse's hooves balanced and achieving the right saddle fit under the one roof and in a safe, comfortable environment. The arenas can also be leased out to schools and the likes of adult riding schools to run classes. The destination model recognises that horse owners have widely varying degrees of knowledge and each level - from the most basic to advanced - needs to be catered for. The company has also committed to sponsoring young local riders - Ashlea Pace in Dressage and Amy Cleland in Show Jumping - to act as role models and share their experiences with other young riders.

 

The project has already come a long way. The integration of the companies began in mid-2012 with not only a local, but statewide and national marketing spread, particularly of the Mustad products, that can be sourced from anywhere in the country. The first stage of services should be in place in the next 12 months. Social media sites will also seek to further rider and owner education, such as via www.hoofacademy.com. The add-on advantages of the concept is that it will generate employment and attract other complementary businesses. "The internet has changed the way we need to look at doing business," Dan says. "The reality is that businesses like ours have to charge GST and cover overheads such as staff. Consumers need a reason to want to go to such outlets. We also have to constantly build the knowledge and expertise of our staff, keep pace with the trends and lead the way when it comes to the buying experience," he says. A large part of that is to be able to tailor services to today's horse owning demographic.   

 

For further information visit www.mustad.com.au  |  www.saddleworld.com or phone 03 5781 1711