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Wild conspiracy theory emerges over leaked horse cruelty video

<p>The equestrian world continues to reel after <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/leaked-footage-shows-olympic-star-s-horrific-animal-abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a controversial video surfaced</a> showing British dressage star Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse 24 times, described by critics as "like a circus elephant".</p> <p>However, the timing of the video's release, just days before the Olympics, has led to allegations of sabotage from within the British dressage community.</p> <p>In a statement to members, British Dressage Chief Jason Brautigam condemned Dujardin's actions as "completely unacceptable" but expressed skepticism about the motives behind the leak. "I do find claims that this was done to 'save dressage' somewhat disingenuous, given that it was timed to cause maximum damage to our sport," Brautigam wrote. He urged members to be kind to Dujardin, acknowledging the human element in the controversy.</p> <p>Madeline Hall, a former dressage correspondent for <em>Horse & Hound</em> magazine, echoed Brautigam's sentiments. Speaking to <em>The Daily Mail</em>, Hall remarked, "The timing of this video days before the Olympics smells of sabotage. To me, it is suspect."</p> <p>The video's release has led to significant fallout for Dujardin, including the loss of sponsorships and a tarnished reputation, jeopardising her chance to become Britain's most decorated female Olympian.</p> <p>The identity of the individual who leaked the video remains unknown, though the complainant's lawyer, Stephan Wensing from the Netherlands, has refused to comment on the matter. Wensing's involvement has fuelled speculation, given the historic rivalry between the British and Dutch equestrian teams.</p> <p>The Dutch team, which Dujardin defeated at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, have quickly distanced themselves from the incident. A spokesperson for the Netherlands team stated, "We regret the expulsion of our fellow athlete but also condemn the training method used by Dujardin in the video. This has no place in our equestrian sports, where the welfare of the horse comes first."</p> <p>As the dressage community grapples with the scandal, Brautigam reminded people of the need for a compassionate response. "Charlotte Dujardin has done the right thing by <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-trouble/no-excuse-olympic-legend-quits-days-before-paris-games-commence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accepting responsibility and expressing remorse</a>," he said. "While we do not condone her behaviour, we must remember that there is also a human element to this – and, regardless of what has happened, she still deserves our understanding."</p> <p>Dujardin, who was a favourite for a Damehood if she secured a medal in Paris, now faces an uncertain future in her sport. The dressage community continues to debate the ethical and competitive implications of the video, with calls for increased focus on the welfare of horses and the integrity of the sport.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / Good Morning Britain</em></p>

Legal

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Leaked footage shows Olympic star's horrific animal abuse

<p>The extent of dressage star Charlotte Dujardin's "error of judgement" has been revealed, just hours after she made the snap decision to withdraw from the Olympics just days before its commencement. </p> <p>The British dressage star, who is a three-time gold medallist and the joint most-decorated British female Olympian, withdrew and accepted a provisional six-month ban when coming clean about her acts of <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/no-excuse-olympic-legend-quits-days-before-paris-games-commence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">animal abuse</a> in the lead up to the Paris Games. </p> <p>Just hours after announcing her withdrawal from the equestrian events, a disturbing video of a training session began to circulate, in which she is alleged to have beaten a horse with a long whip 24 times in one minute.</p> <p>The video, first released by <em>Good Morning Britain</em>, was taken four years ago and allegedly showed the 39-year-old mistreating a horse when trying to get the animal to slowly trot during a lesson with a young student. </p> <p>With the trainee rider mounted on the horse, Dujardin can allegedly be seen whipping the horse’s legs repeatedly.</p> <p>The video has outraged many, with hundreds of people taking to social media to voice their shock and horror at the acts. </p> <p>Leading British social commentator David Kurten wrote on X, “The cruel abuse of this horse by Charlotte Dujardin is horrific and a stain on our nation."</p> <p>“Two urgent questions need answers: Did she whip horses regularly? Are dozens or hundreds of other dressage horses regularly whipped and abused by other trainers?”</p> <p>Former editor of Horse and Hound Lucy Higginson also added, “It has profoundly shocked everybody in the equestrian world.”</p> <p>The video was sent anonymously to the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), who made the choice to suspend Dujardin just days before the Paris Olympics are set to begin. </p> <p>“The FEI has officially announced the provisional suspension of British Dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin effective immediately from the date of notification, 23 July 2024,” it said in a statement.</p> <p>“This decision renders her ineligible to participate in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games or any other events under the jurisdiction of the FEI.”</p> <p>“According to the information received, the footage was allegedly taken several years ago during a training session conducted by Ms Dujardin at a private stable,” the organisation said.</p> <p>The governing body said Dujardin had confirmed she was depicted in the video and had acknowledged that her conduct was “inappropriate”.</p> <p>“Charlotte Dujardin requested to be provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the investigations and voluntarily withdrew from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and also confirmed that she will not participate in any competitions pending the outcome of the FEI’s investigation,” it said.</p> <p>“The FEI condemns any conduct contrary to the welfare of horses and has robust rules in place to address such behaviour.”</p> <p>When announcing her withdrawal from the Games, Dujardin said she made an "error of judgement", saying there was "no excuse" for her behaviour. </p> <p>She wrote in a statement on Instagram, “What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Good Morning Britain</em></p>

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A horse died on the set of The Rings of Power: more needs to be done to ensure the welfare of horses used in entertainment

<p>The recent <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/rings-of-power-horse-death-lord-of-the-rings-peta-1235564884/">death of a horse</a> on the set of Amazon’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7631058/">The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power</a> is the latest incident raising questions about how humans use horses for entertainment and sport.</p> <p>While a statement from producers said the horses’s cardiac arrest occurred before the day’s filming began, animal rights activists PETA used the death to call on all screen producers to replace on-set horses with CGI and mechanical rig alternatives.</p> <p>The incident feeds into growing public concern about horse welfare on film and TV sets, at the track and in equestrian sports.</p> <p>But improving horse welfare is about more than just reputation repair – too often it’s about survival for horses and humans.</p> <h2>Horse welfare in film and TV</h2> <p>The riding of a horse over a cliff to its death for the movie Jesse James (1939) led to the establishment of <a href="https://humanehollywood.org/about-us/">American Humane</a>, which now oversees around 100,000 animals on more than 1,000 productions each year.</p> <p>While things have improved since the early days of film and television, deaths and mistreatment of horses still occur.</p> <p>In 1987, on the set of <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118307194">The Man From Snowy River II</a>, a seriously injured horse was killed using the blunt end of an axe.</p> <p>More recently, the high-profile series <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-real-story-behind-hbos-cancellation-of-luck">Luck</a>, starring Dustin Hoffman, was cancelled following the deaths of three horses.</p> <h2>The good and bad of unprecedented global exposure</h2> <p>In 2021, the Tokyo Olympics beamed to a global audience the excessive <a href="https://7news.com.au/sport/olympics/peta-calls-for-abusive-equestrian-events-to-be-axed-from-olympics-c-3703388">whipping and punching</a> of modern pentathlon horse Saint Boy and show jumper Kilkenny’s <a href="https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/kilkenny-suffers-nosebleed-during-olympic-individual-final">spectacular nosebleed</a> during the controversial show jumping program.</p> <p>While the bleed must have been obvious, officials did not intervene to stop the ride.</p> <p>Confronting images, and the perceived failure of organisers to protect the horses involved, brought into clear and global focus the indisputable welfare issues faced by horses competing at the elite level.</p> <p>The global outcry led to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9892093/Name-price-Kaley-Cuoco-offers-buy-horse-cruelly-punched-Olympics.html">actress Kaley Cuoco offering to buy Saint Boy</a> and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/nov/02/modern-pentathlon-votes-to-ditch-horse-riding-after-tokyo-olympic-turmoil">withdrawal of the equestrian phase from modern pentathlon</a>.</p> <h2>Risk to humans and horses</h2> <p>Horse welfare does not just impact animals.</p> <p>Since the 1840s, 873 jockeys are known to have <a href="https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/2062/facts-and-figures-jockey-fatalities-australia/">died in race falls</a> in Australia.</p> <p>Internationally, the sport of eventing (where competitors complete three phases: dressage, show jumping and cross-country) reported 38 rider and 65 horse fatalities during or after competition between 2007-15.</p> <p>Riding horses is considered one of the most <a href="https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/evj.13934">dangerous of all sporting pursuits</a>, and the deaths of riders and jockeys, usually from falls, are common.</p> <p>Public concern about risk to horses and humans through horse racing and equestrian sports, as well as screen production, also <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/15/1987">threaten these industries’ social licence</a>.</p> <h2>Better horse welfare is related to better rider safety</h2> <p>Our research offers hope for the horse industry and for those passionate about riding horses.</p> <p>Last year, we <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159121003269">published a paper</a> demonstrating the link between horse welfare and rider safety. We asked riders how they cared for their horses and how their horses behaved when ridden – for example, we wanted to know how often horses were bucking or rearing.</p> <p>From this information, we calculated a relative welfare score for each horse. We also asked riders about their accidents and injuries.</p> <p>After analysing the data from over 400 riders, we found the higher the horse welfare score, the fewer accidents and injuries a rider reported.</p> <p>In a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2023.2176589">subsequent study</a>, we found horses with better welfare scores are more enjoyable to ride, most likely because they perform better and riders feel more in control, creating a win-win for horses and riders.</p> <h2>Good horse welfare means more than good health</h2> <p>Often good welfare is thought of in terms of an animal being healthy.</p> <p>While this is part of good welfare, good health alone is not enough – especially for a horse competing at the elite level or taking part in a film.</p> <p>Horses are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159117300710?casa_token=5E77h_TYKGEAAAAA:EUBGz7BTnACvpvB_3iYM-urXpBxJbS95G0-05yMRJEbMTg_SEeb_VnSoVgn35su8_aNOZEpSqctL">neophobes</a> – this means they find new things frightening – so most horses are likely to find a movie set or travelling to a new location stressful. The most up-to-date <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1870/htm">understanding of welfare</a> tells us that stress and poor mental health means poor animal welfare.</p> <p>When a horse is stressed or in pain they <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159117300692">behave in a very predictable way</a> – they run away, panic, kick out or buck and rear.</p> <p>Yet, anecdotally and in the media, people seeing a horse behaving in this way often claim the horse is crazy, unpredictable or just plain mean.</p> <p>More likely, an “unpredictable” horse is suffering from poor welfare.</p> <p>As part of our research program, we have developed a <a href="https://hub.rspca.org.au/attachments/88">new framework</a> to help horse owners identify aspects of their care and training that diminish horse welfare.</p> <p>This information can be used to make modifications to improve horse welfare, and, importantly, can be applied to horses in any equine sector, including racing, sport and film and television.</p> <h2>Investing in the future of horses in entertainment and sport</h2> <p>Although a veterinarian assessed the recent horse death on the set of The Rings of Power as “unlikely to be associated with the horse’s participation in the film”, more can be done to protect horses and the industry.</p> <p>In Australia, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/7/1986">no specific standard exists for the use of animals</a> in filmed media, and each state and territory has differing risk management guidelines.</p> <p>An opportunity now exists for the industry to set a new standard for horse care and training.</p> <p>An easily executable first step for the industry could be to insist a scientifically trained and credentialed equine behaviour expert be involved in the recruitment and supervision of horse actors and their trainers at all stages of production.</p> <p>This would ensure horse actors are appropriately trained to be on set and that horses are trained using the most up-to-date ethical methods.</p> <p>Horse behaviour experts could also help in scene design to minimise horses’ exposure to stressful situations and identify tasks that are incompatible with good horse welfare.</p> <p>If these suggestions were to be adopted, the film and television industry would be setting the benchmark for horse welfare – and pressure other horse industries to follow suit.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-horse-died-on-the-set-of-the-rings-of-power-more-needs-to-be-done-to-ensure-the-welfare-of-horses-used-in-entertainment-202939" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: The Rings of Power / Amazon</em></p>

TV

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Don’t look a GIF horse in the mouth: Short, shareable animations have been delighting humans for centuries

<p>They are a popular feature of social media and text messaging in 2022, but many people are surprised to discover short sharable animations or videos, like GIFs have been around in digital format for 35 years, but in analogue for nearly two centuries.</p> <p>Today many have become internet memes, added for emphasis, and mostly played on continuous loop.</p> <p><strong>GIFs (short for Graphics Interchange Format)</strong></p> <p>Steve Wilhite, a computer scientist working at CompuServe is <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/brief-history-gif-early-internet-innovation-ubiquitous-relic-180963543/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acknowledged as the creator</a> of the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF in 1987.</p> <p>A GIF is a small image file that can support short animations or videos. GIFs work by stringing together several frames or images into a single file, which plays like a short clip.</p> <p>Compressed they are small file sizes; GIFs are easily shared on email and social media.  </p> <p>While most can share in the delight of a well-chosen GIF, there is a long-running heated disagreement over how to pronounce the acronym, tracked <a href="https://time.com/5791028/how-to-pronounce-gif/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">by Time</a> (this COSMOS journalist had been pronouncing GIF with a hard ‘g’, while Wilhite apparently preferred the softer version, like ‘JIF’). </p> <p>But long before the GIF there were various forms of short sharable animation made in analogue. Here we flick through a few.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-photo is-provider-giphy wp-block-embed-giphy"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/giphy1.gif" alt="" width="500" height="337" /></div> </div> </div> </div><figcaption>Ghost GIF / Credit: Matthias Brown</figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Thaumatropes (from the Greek for ‘wonder turner’)</strong></p> <p>Dating back as early as 1827, a thaumatrope is a two-sided disc which creates a simple animation when spun.</p> <p>The device is a disc with different but related pictures on each side and strings attached at opposite ends. When those strings are wound up tightly, and then released, the disc spins creating a simple animation. </p> <p>While the idea was described and popularised by John Ayrton Paris, the inventor of this wonder turner is not known. </p> <p><strong>Phenakistoscopes (from the Greek for ‘deceitful viewer’)</strong></p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p202287-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>In 1832 an analogue form of the modern GIF was made by spinning a circular card on its centre. </p> <p>In that year, two scientists Joseph Plateau from Belgium and Simon von Stampfer from Austria independently created looping animations called phenakistoscopes.</p> <p>The phenakistoscope creates the illusion of moving images by slicing the circle into segments and placing a sequential image at slightly shifting locations within each slice, using vector graphics. Each slice of the circle acts like a frame in an animation. Between each slice is a black radial slit.</p> <p>When the circle is spun on its centre, and its reflection viewed using a mirror, the effect creates the illusion of smoothly moving images like a short, repeating video. </p> <p><strong>Zoetropes (from the Greek for ‘life turn’)</strong></p> <p>Two years later, mathematician William Horner <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2908" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">created the zoetrope</a>, an idea based on the phenakistoscope but able to be viewed by more than one person at a time.</p> <p>A larger cylinder like a drum has slits cut into the sides for viewing. Strips of sequential images spin inside the cylinder so that the viewer sees one after the other.</p> <p>The technology was popularised by American business magnate, game pioneer and publisher, Milton Bradley in 1866 who sold zoetropes as a toy with replaceable picture strips.</p> <p>Several animation studios have built three-dimensional versions of the zoetrope using sequentially posed figurines instead of pictures. Visitors to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne can experience a <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/acmis-cuphead-zoetrope-cool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3D zoetrope</a> of video game character <em>Cuphead</em>. Meanwhile visitors to the <a href="https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ghibli Museum</a> in Tokyo, can see a zoetrope of skipping and running totoros built using figurines from the Studio Ghibli movie <em>My Neighbour Totoro.</em></p> <p><strong>Find out more about phenakistoscopes and GIFs on the 2022 SCINEMA International Science Film Festival</strong></p> <p>For more on the history and science of the phenakistoscope (and instructions on how to make one) watch the 2022 SCINEMA International Science Film festival entry, <em>Animated GIFS: Celebrating Scientific Genius</em>, by <a href="https://scinema.org.au/register" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">registering</a> to view it for free on the SCINEMA website. </p> <p>Follow the prompts on the email you receive and you’ll find <em>Animated GIFS: Celebrating Scientific Genius</em> in the Animation / Experimental playlist. You can watch all the films until August 31 2022 when the festival ends. </p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-photo is-provider-giphy wp-block-embed-giphy"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/giphy-1.gif" alt="" width="480" height="480" /></div> </div> </div> </div><figcaption>GIF based on a phenakistoscope / Credit: Sanni Lahtinen on GIPHY</figcaption></figure> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=202287&title=Don%26%238217%3Bt+look+a+GIF+horse+in+the+mouth%3A+short%2C+shareable+animations+have+been+delighting+humans+for+centuries" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/computing/dont-look-a-gif-horse-in-the-mouth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Petra Stock</a>. Petra Stock has a degree in environmental engineering and a Masters in Journalism from University of Melbourne. She has previously worked as a climate and energy analyst.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

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"Stop slapping him!": Carriage horse collapses in busy street

<p dir="ltr">The horrifying moment a carriage horse breaks down in the middle of a busy New York City street has angered animal activists.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heartbreaking footage shows the horse's knees buckling, possibly due to the weight of the carriage it's been pulling all day in the heat, when it fell to the ground. </p> <p dir="ltr">The driver could be seen shouting multiple times at the horse, known as Ryder, to “get up” and slapping it to get up. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What if I slapped you around like that, bro?” one person can be heard saying. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Stop slapping him,” another woman called out.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m trying to get him up, alright,” the driver said, as he once again whipped the horse with the reins.</p> <p dir="ltr">The driver then removed the carriage with the help of an onlooker as police arrived and sprayed Ryder with water. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ryder then attempted to get up several times but failed until an adrenaline shot was administered.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: This horse COLLAPSED while pulling a carriage in NYC, likely from heat exhaustion, and has been down for over an hour.</p> <p>Horses don’t belong in big cities where they’re put in constant danger because of cars, humans, weather, and more. <a href="https://t.co/vXBVRJRjPB">pic.twitter.com/vXBVRJRjPB</a></p> <p>— PETA (@peta) <a href="https://twitter.com/peta/status/1557504250359361537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">After an hour or so, the horse was back on its feet and was taken to an unknown location to be looked at. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 100 slammed those who attacked the driver for jumping to conclusions saying the horse, Ryder, was suffering from EPM. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We thank everyone for their concern about Ryder, one of the beloved Central Park carriage horses,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The veterinarian believes Ryder has EPM, a neurological disease caused by possum droppings. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is another example why people shouldn't rush to judgement about our horses or the blue-collar men and women who choose to work with them and care for them.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, this did not stop animal rights group PETA from calling out the practice, which constantly puts horses in danger.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This horse COLLAPSED while pulling a carriage in NYC, likely from heat exhaustion, and has been down for over an hour,” PETA wrote.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Horses don’t belong in big cities where they’re put in constant danger because of cars, humans, weather, and more.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many other supporters have called for the ban of carriage horses to be replaced with electric vehicles. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Tourist cops earful from member of Queen’s Guard

<p dir="ltr">A tourist has learned the hard way to not interfere with the Queen’s guards, after she copped an earful from a guard for grabbing his horse’s reins.</p> <p dir="ltr">During a recent trip to London, the woman went to pose for a photo next to the guard and his horse when her hand went to reach towards the animal, drawing the guard’s attention.</p> <p dir="ltr">When she then touched the reins, he reacted by yelling with authority from atop his horse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Stand back from the Queen’s lifeguard, don’t touch the reins!” he yells.</p> <p dir="ltr">A clip of the incident was shared by the woman’s step-son Ethan on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@phigs_/video/7116598758816763141?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7112642336690570754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, with the caption, “We will never return to London after this incident” and text across the footage reading, “Queens Guard Verbally Attacks My Step mum [sic]”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d6005c55-7fff-02e7-69ff-48d842020c82"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though Ethan commented the guard as a “rather angry little man”, a large number of commenters sided with the guard, arguing that he has an important job to do and that working animals like his horse shouldn’t be touched while on duty.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/queen-guard-horse.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="360" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not Disney they are working horses and serving army,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Serves her right, you aren’t allowed to touch the guard,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have a job, just don’t go near them,” a third added.</p> <p dir="ltr">British followers were particularly quick to defend his actions and respond to their decision not to return to London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The whole of London is so upset that you won’t be returning we’re all begging you to come back,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Every British person I know knows you don’t touch them, or is she one of them ones that would put her hand in the blender,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">As some commenters pointed out, the horse’s reins are connected to the animal’s mouth - which is quite sensitive - and tugging on the reins could spook the animal, causing it to bite her or unseat the guard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others compared interfering with or touching the guard and his horse to doing the same to a guide dog, while <em><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queens-guard-member-yells-at-tourist-for-touching-horse-reins-tiktok/98f85c75-54a9-4b5e-a9a7-146c4a6699a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a></em> royal reporter Natalie Oliveri explained that as a rule, you shouldn’t touch animals that are on-duty.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Also, as a general rule tourists should be respectful of any member of Her Majesty's guard while they are on duty – they are there for an important reason and no one should try to interfere with that,” Oliveri said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that it’s also best not to speak to members of the Queen’s Guard while they’re on duty, and that you shouldn’t expect a response from them.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you would like a photo, perhaps it's best to stand at a respectable distance and never interfere with their job,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f70ace45-7fff-42a5-8c43-e349bd54bbfc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Wee-lly bad idea sees horse test positive to caffeine

<p dir="ltr">Winning racehorse Explosive Miss has tested positive to caffeine, but it’s not because the racer has been enjoying some pre-race beverages.</p> <p dir="ltr">The horse tested positive to a random post-race drug test for the substance, which is prohibited in racing, though her trainer, avid coffee-drinker Clinton Isdale, had no idea how it could have happened, as reported by the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/caffeine-in-trainers-urine-causes-horse-to-fail-post-race-drug-test/NX2UXT52SUDQVPOJ5DO3YA6D5M/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Isdale told the Racing Integrity Board that he had no idea caffeine ended up in Explosive Miss’ system, but said he would drink roughly three cups of coffee a day and then urinate in the same corner of the stables, behind the horse stalls, every morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">After testing soil samples from the spot, investigators confirmed that caffeine was present.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is believed that the probable cause of Explosive Miss’ positive has been via contamination by Mr Isdale urinating in the corner of the stables by the stall,” the board said in its decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, Mr Isdale had to forfeit the $15,000 prize from his horse’s win and had to pay a $2000 fine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Isdale, who has no previous charges for prohibited substances, told the board he was truly remorseful for his actions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am a hardworking young trainer in the industry and have worked tirelessly to get to this position in racing,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m truly sorry this happened and take full responsibility and have thoroughly improved my stable practice so nothing like this happens again.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This isn’t the first case of horses testing positive to caffeine thanks to their trainers, with a similar case resulting in a trainer being fined $2,000 in March last year after it was found they had also been urinating in the corner of the horse’s stall.</p> <p dir="ltr">Caffeine is banned in horse racing because it’s purported to give animals an edge, with the Equestrian Sports NZ website warning trainers to “be aware when drinking soft drinks around your horse, or eating snacks such as biscuits or chocolate bars as caffeine is a common positive test result”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c054e756-7fff-d935-129e-5e4801cf1b39"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Why you should be exercising more often

<p dir="ltr">As we age, our bodies begin to slow down and tasks that were quite easy to accomplish require a bit more effort to complete. </p> <p dir="ltr">The same goes with exercising, particularly for those aged 60 onwards who should be committed to a healthy lifestyle which helps strengthen the cardiovascular and respiratory system, as well as improved immune function.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anytime Fitness Wolli Creek Personal Trainer Sandro Fanunza spoke to OverSixty about the health benefits of exercising and shared some of the best movements for older people without risking injury. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What are the health benefits of exercising as someone who is aged 60+?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Being aged over 60 poses many health precautions on a daily basis. </p> <p dir="ltr">The little things you did when you were younger such as going to work in the cold weather or simply staying on your feet for long enough can now feel increasingly challenging.</p> <p dir="ltr">Inactivity increases with age and by 75 - one in three elderly people don’t engage in physical activity. This could be due to tendon and ligament loss of elasticity, reduced range of motion, a decrease of oxygen efficiency and longer recovery times to ailments.</p> <p dir="ltr">The benefits however truly outweigh the negatives. By implementing simple and consistent exercise habits daily will help increase physical and mental strength to not only continue living independently but attribute to reducing risk of falling causing injuries, helps to maintain healthy bone and muscular structure, controls joint swelling and pain, rapidly reduces blood pressure, improves oxygen flow and also reduces symptoms of developed possible depression and anxiety which directly linked to a healthy well-being. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What movements are important for older people without injuring themselves? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Basic movement and mobility will always be functionally advantageous when increasing physical activity. </p> <p dir="ltr">I believe there should be a large selection and hybridisation of exercise styles to be implemented with caution by elderly people. </p> <p dir="ltr">Walking not only improves oxygen efficiency and independent movement but adds towards rebuilding a healthy, non-invasive daily activity. Other advantages include lowering risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Using a walker also poses as great support for elderly people during these initial walks as well. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another form of movement includes basic strength training using resistance bands, which are large basic elastic bands which can reduce direct stress towards the body when used. Not only are they cost efficient but they are beginner friendly. </p> <p dir="ltr">Various activities with resistance bands can help improve movement, posture, mobility and joint strength immensely. Pilates posing as a low impact exercise improves breathing, mobility, flexibility and joint strength as well but could pose a financial strain long term. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What are some easy exercise movements to do at home</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Sit to stands: Sitting on a chair and standing directly up controlling each motion is simple yet effective. Core control and stability is challenged and improves while the lower body is strengthened. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ankle/wrist rotations: Sitting on a chair with good posture and slightly elevating one foot at a time and rotating each ankle clockwise for 30 seconds each. Follow the same order and repeat with your hands. This improves flexibility and mobility of the hands and feet which when repeated will strengthen joints when performing daily tasks like walking, cooking and cleaning. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hip hinge movements: While standing on the side of a chair, simply hold onto the chair with one hand and raise the opposing leg forward knee first to a 90 degree angle and hold for 2 seconds. Inhale on the way up and exhale when returning the leg down. Repeat with the opposite leg and alternate for 5-10 minutes. This exercise challenges and improves stability of the knees, ankles and hip joint, increases mobility of the hip and allows for an improved healthy range of motion. Elderly people have an increased chance of sustaining a hip injury so improving and strengthening their hip joints only poses an advantage.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What are some exercises to avoid due to high injury risk in the elderly?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Any high impact or plyometric style movements such as jumping, sudden sprinting will not only pose as a physical risk to the joints and muscles but challenge the heart rate to a dangerous level if not conditioned. Heavy weight lifting is always not advised unless taken under supervision long term by a trainer or practitioner. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: How can Anytime Fitness help motivate/encourage older people to join and have fun at the gym? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">At Anytime Fitness Wolli Creek we have a young, motivating team of staff and trainers who are always on the gym floor helping members and supporting them in any way they can. </p> <p dir="ltr">Trainers are always around to teach, demonstrate and watch elderly members as a safety precaution and also as a source of motivation for the - in my opinion - strongest members of a gym! </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: Is it recommended to get a personal trainer as someone 60+?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I believe seeking a personal trainer over 60 is a great idea! Personal trainers are qualified to safely instruct and motivate members of the gym. The elderly demographic will enjoy a boost of confidence from a younger trainer and will also seek to improve their fear of movement/ exercises which then will increase self belief - leading to a much more fulfilling and confident exercise session within a gym. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What is currently on offer for the elderly? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">At the moment I have a walking/running event around Wolli Creek called Wolli Move which is in its beginning stages. </p> <p dir="ltr">Wolli Move is a community event held a few times a week which seeks to improve motivation for the general community to run or walk. </p> <p dir="ltr">There are seperate free sessions per week where members of the local community can walk on a set path or run on another time slot. </p> <p dir="ltr">What a great opportunity to connect with like-minded people and rebuild healthy habits with your body to ensure a great balanced lifestyle!</p> <p dir="ltr"><em><strong>Contact Sandro for more information on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wollimove/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wolli Move</a> page. </strong></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied/Shutterstock</em></p>

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"Improvements across your life": Rebel Wilson's trainer shares key secrets

<p dir="ltr">Rebel Wilson made it no secret that she struggled with her weight since she was in her 20s.</p> <p dir="ltr">But since declaring a “year of health” back in 2020, the Aussie actress has shed more than 30kg thanks to an intense training schedule. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 42-year-old wanted to get more serious about becoming healthier and hired a team or trainers for her home in Los Angeles and Sydney. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her trainer in LA was the chief of athletics at F45 Training, Gunnar Peterson, who commends the actress for her dedication. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 59-year-old trainer gave a bit of an insight into Rebel’s weightloss journey, including techniques, diet and mindset. </p> <p dir="ltr">"There’s no such thing as typical. The workouts I do here are similar to F45,” he confessed to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/12873089/inside-rebel-wilson-incredible-4st-weight-loss-journey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">"You’re not just working on one piece of equipment like a treadmill or a bike or a rower – you’re working in different planes of motions (moving different sections of your body up, down, side to side and backwards/forwards) – the movements are functional, they will serve you in real life. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It’s a gentle scientific mixture of HIIT cardio, resistance and movement patterns – and you’re going to see improvement across your life. So you’ll be on the treadmill, squatting, pushing a sled, doing dumb-bell rows. Think two to three sets of eight to 12 reps across five different exercises.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that losing weight is not just physical, but also mentally challenging.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think it’s fortifying it, right? You get through certain things that are arduous and then you recognise: ‘Wow, I did that. And I can do that. And I can keep on doing that.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rebel’s diet was also restricted by following the Mayr Method which means no snacking, upping protein intake, reducing dairy and gluten, no food after 4pm, no technology, talking or reading whilst eating, and to focus on chewing.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Rebel confessed that she would still have two cheat night’s a week, and reminded her fans “you still gotta treat yourself”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gunnar offered advice to those looking to get on the health wagon, suggesting to start off slowly with working out, even if it’s once a week.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also said that if you keep changing your exercise it won’t stick and do what it’s supposed to do. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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fitness tips your trainer is hiding from you

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>Here is what some industry experts have to say: </p> <p><strong><span class="h3">For weight loss</span></strong></p> <p>1. Ben Gregory, former international athlete and coach, and PT at Manor London: “Drink more water and get your steps in.</p> <p>“General activity levels will help you lean down and feeling full with plenty of water not only makes your skin glow, it give you loads of energy but also keeps you feeling more satiated - you won’t be wanting to reach for those naughty snacks!”</p> <p>2. Samuel Aremu, Level 3 PT and body transformation coach: “Set alarms on your phone for getting up and away from your desk to take a 10 to 20 min walk a few times a day.”</p> <p>3. Lewis Bloor, online fitness coach: “Focus on the times you eat. Instead of going from junk food to rabbit food straight away, focus first on eating all your food within an eight hour window.</p> <p>“Gain this control, then move on to fine tuning the diet. This is called Intermittent Fasting.”</p> <p>4. Lucy Gornall, personal trainer at Digme: “Females, work with your body! Appreciate that at certain times of the month, you’ll have an increased appetite and a lower desire to exercise.</p> <p>“During these times, aim to maintain, then get back on the<span> </span>weight loss<span> </span>wagon after.”</p> <p>5. Samuel: “Use an online calorie calculator to work out what your personal calorie requirements are.</p> <p>“Start by consistently consuming your daily maintenance calories; once you can do this consistently for two weeks, and if your weight has dropped, calculate your calories again and do the same for two weeks.</p> <p>“If your weight hasn’t dropped, then slightly decrease your calories by 200 to 300 calories less per day as this will kick start the weight loss process.”</p> <p><strong><span class="h3">For a flat tummy</span></strong></p> <p>6. Baz Gouldsbury, PT and gym owner: “Abs are made in the kitchen; having reduced-sugar meals will definitely assist in achieving a flatter tummy.”</p> <p>7. Lucy: “Your posture could have a role to play in the flatness of your tummy - try tilting your pelvis forwards when you’re upright, which can often stop the lower belly protruding out.”</p> <p>8. Samuel: “Aim for a minimum of two litres of clean fluid, daily - our body retains water and it’s usually stored around our waistline.</p> <p>“Drinking water regularly allows your body to get rid of the excess, especially around the love handles.”</p> <p>9. Alex Crockford, PT and creator of fitness app, #CrockFit: “Something a little different is the ‘vacuum’ and it’s something you can do as part of your daily routine.</p> <p>“It involves really pulling in that deep core muscle, which really does tighten up the whole tummy area, irrelevant of fat loss: hold this for 15 seconds and increase this over time.”</p> <p>10. Samuel: “Avoid inflammation of the gut by cutting out the foods that you know will get you bloated, no matter how nice they may be.”</p> <p><strong><span class="h3">For lean legs</span></strong></p> <p>11. Maurice Ryan, general manager and PT at Fitness First Harringay: “Try weighted walking, lunge forwards and backwards.</p> <p>“Typically use a barbel on your back and take six to 10 steps forwards depending on the space you have, followed immediately by the same steps backwards.</p> <p>“Doing it this way gives us the opportunity to make it the total leg burner!”</p> <p>12. Samuel: “If leaner legs are what you want, high repetitions - around 20 or more - with low-moderate weight is the direction you want to be heading in.</p> <p>“Avoid heavy lifts and instead go for a weight around 30-60 per cent of your heaviest.”</p> <p>13. Lewis: “Running, sprinting, jumping and kickboxing are all great ways to strengthen and tone the legs.</p> <p>“Make sure you train legs three times a week and get your rest in too!”</p> <p>14. Lucy: “Walk everywhere. Honestly, walking is such an underrated form of movement and means your lower body is consistently working, helping to shed fat.”</p> <p>15. Jayne Lo, Elite Trainer, Third Space: “A split squat builds muscle and strength by working each leg individually.</p> <p>“Stand tall, then take your right leg back, as if you were about to do a lunge, keeping the right heel off the ground.</p> <p>“Engage your core, and bend both knees, dropping down until the right knee is just above the ground, then push back up to standing.</p> <p>“Avoid the front knee coming past the front toes and aim for eight to 10 reps on each leg.”</p> <p><strong>For a broad chest </strong></p> <p>16. Godswill Ejiogu, sport scientist and PT: “I would recommend press ups as the best exercise to grow your chest, with my second favourite being a dumbbell chest press.</p> <p>“For this, lie back on a bench, feet flat on the ground, hold a dumbbell in each hand, and then extend your arms up, so the dumbbells are over your chest.</p> <p>“Then, move the dumbbells back down towards your chest slowly; pause, then press up again - try four sets of 12 reps, with a 45 second rest between each set.”</p> <p>17. Ben: “Go heavy on any bench exercise and focus on that time under tension by going slowly and pausing at the top of the move.</p> <p>“Superset (as in, go straight into another exercise with no rest) with resistance band exercises to get that real full pump after each set.”</p> <p>18. Baz: “A lot of people stick to the same routine, week in week out, so take yourself out of that same old routine and mix it up, as shocking the body is the way to achieve the best results.</p> <p>“If you’ve always done the same program of weights, then change the moves and change the number of repetitions.”</p> <p>19. Samuel: “There are three things our chest loves; volume, variety, and big weights, son each chest day aim to do a total of no fewer than 100 reps.</p> <p>“In fact, aim towards 200 to 300. Split these repetitions between a variety of four to six different exercises then, aim to increase the weight you use for each exercise on a weekly basis and aim to do this in increments of 2.5 - 5kg.”</p> <p>20. Alex: “Instead of doing a chest day every week, try doing push ups as a part of your daily routine.</p> <p>“Do a little push up session to failure (until you can do no more reps) every day and this will help you grow your chest much better than one workout per week.”</p> <p><strong><span class="h3">To be a faster runner</span></strong></p> <p>21. Ben: “Go for shorter and faster paced sessions with good recovery between reps, so you can keep giving that high intensity effort.</p> <p>“Don’t be afraid of long recovery sessions that span more than five to six minutes’.”</p> <p>22. Jay Revan, boxing and conditioning coach at My Manor London: “Introducing explosive plyometric movements like jump squats, jump lunges or box jumps into your strength training program can improve your running speed.</p> <p>“These movements will teach your muscles to contract at a faster and more efficient rate.”</p> <p>23. Ryan Lucas-Lowther, Crossfit coach at Fortitude Fitness London: “It sounds simple, but move your arms faster, and it seems to work!”</p> <p>24. Lewis: “Instead of running for hours every day, split your training between endurance and explosiveness.</p> <p>“Go for two long, slow runs and two hard and fast sprint sessions a week; this will get you to level up in a matter of weeks.”</p> <p>25. Jay: “Interval training is a great way to improve running speed.</p> <p>“Switching between short intense bursts of running and timed recovery periods not only helps build muscle but will improve your overall speed and aerobic endurance.”</p> <p>26. Samuel: “Mix up a normal jogging pace with sprints.</p> <p>“Try one minute of jogging followed by 20 seconds of sprints, done eight times, back to back.”</p> <p><strong>For tackling a 5k</strong></p> <p>27. Baz: “If you’re new to running, start off slow. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Join your local running club as this will build your confidence.”</p> <p>28. Tim Kayode, founder of Myoset Sports and performance therapist: “Introduce a purposeful warm up - I’d encourage everyone before running a 5k to perform 3D Stretching.</p> <p>“This is functional, dynamic stretching and offers a more active way to loosen up before exercise, plus, it activates your muscles and improves flexibility and joint mobility.”</p> <p>29. Louenna Edwards, Barry’s Bootcamp Trainer and LuLuFiit founder: “Get yourself a pair of decent trainers; comfortable, supportive and bouncy - Adidas Pureboost 19’s are my go tos.</p> <p>“The same goes for your gear, don’t wear anything that will be a nuisance, fall down or get in the way of movement.”</p> <p>30. Samuel: “Map out a 5k route that you’re familiar with; select a day where you’ll cover 1k out of this 5k distance; try and jog this 1k then walk the rest.</p> <p>“Then, continue to do this and gradually increase your jogging distance to 2k. Keep repeating this until you can do 5k.”</p> <p>31. Louenna: “Use an app to track your split times, distance and progression - Strava would be my recommendation.</p> <p>“You can see what your friends are up to on it, keep yourself accountable and hearing how fast or slow I’m running each kilometre really does help me progress.”</p> <p>32. Ben: “Spend less time focusing on pace and looking at your fitness tracker. Instead, try to get out and just enjoy the feel of running.</p> <p>“Building up lots of easy miles that don’t even feel like training will help build you a serious base to build on.”</p> <p>33. Louenna: “If you struggle with distance, start by running 1k for example and build up each week.</p> <p>“Slowly but surely as you get fitter you can add a little distance and before you know it, 5k will be a breeze!”</p> <p><strong><span class="h3">For toned arms</span></strong></p> <p>34. Maurice: “Work on [your] triceps because they are the biggest muscle group in the arm and can give the toned look we all love.</p> <p>“Using the cable machine in your gym is a great way to tone the triceps. Go for a Cable Pulldown first. For this, stand arms length away from the cable machine and make sure the cable attachment point is above your head.</p> <p>“Hold a handle in each hand, overhead with arms straight. Slowly pull the cable down towards your thighs, keeping arms and back straight.</p> <p>“Pause when the cable handles reach your thighs, then return to overhead arm extension. Do 10 reps.</p> <p>“Superset this with Dumbbell Extensions: stand tall holding one dumbbell in both hands, arms up overhead.</p> <p>“Keeping upper arms straight, bend at the elbows and lower the dumbbells down towards your upper back.</p> <p>“Pause, then using your tricep muscles, bring the dumbbell up to the start position. Do 10 reps.</p> <p>“Do these moves back to back, taking a one minute rest between each pair. Go for three rounds and feel the burn!”</p> <p>35. Samuel: “Find a group of arm exercises you enjoy doing and increase the volume of each exercise.</p> <p>“So if you were doing 10 rep of three sets before, now do 20 rep of six - 10 sets.</p> <p>“The weight you chose should not be so heavy that you are unable to complete 15 reps.”</p> <p>36. Lucy: “Boxing is a great cardio workout that also provides serious arm toning. Go for five sets of three minute intervals.”</p> <p>37. Godswill: “Try a dumbbell bicep curl supersetted with a body weight bench dips.</p> <p>“Opt for 15 reps of each, back to back, then take a 45 second break before repeating it again. Do this four times.</p> <p>“For the dumbbell bicep curl, stand upright, with a dumbbell in your left hand, arm down by your side, palm facing forward.</p> <p>“Keeping your upper arm close to your body, bend at the elbow and curl your forearm up towards your shoulder, holding the dumbbell. Pause, then lower back to the start position - that’s one rep.</p> <p>“For bodyweight bench dips, you’ll need a bench or the edge of a chair.</p> <p>“Sit on your bench, and place your hands on the edge, either side of your hips. Legs should be straight out in front of you with heels in the ground.</p> <p>“Slide your glutes off the bench, then bend at the elbows and lower yourself down until you are hovering just above the ground. Then, push back up through your palms to the start position.”</p> <p><strong><span class="h3">To be more motivated to exercise</span></strong></p> <p>38. Ben: “Watch any fitness documentary on Netflix - I can’t help banging out some push ups after watching Mat Fraser win another CrossFit Games.</p> <p>“They are just such inspiring athletes.”</p> <p>39. Samuel: “Tell someone your goals as when we are accountable to someone we are less likely to quit because deep down we want to keep the image that person has of us, a positive one.</p> <p>“So we will do whatever it takes to keep it that way!”</p> <p>40. Baz: “The biggest motivation is yourself and who you surround yourself with.</p> <p>“Try to be around like-minded people who love to keep fit and healthy. Attending fitness classes is also a good way to do this.”</p> <p>41. Kate Beckitt, marketing specialist at Fresh Fitness Food and PT: “Don’t wait for motivation to come.</p> <p>“Real progress comes when even in the moments when you really don’t want to do the workout, or you really want to eat that extra slice of cake, you push through and do it anyway.”</p> <p>42. Louenna: “Music holds the key to my motivation and I really struggle if I realise my Beats headphones are out of battery!</p> <p>“Create a playlist that is going to motivate you and keep you pumped up!</p> <p>“The sense of euphoria that music can create can sometimes make you feel on top of the world, so do not underestimate the power of a great playlist.”</p> <p>43. Samuel: “Writing down your goal makes the reason why you train and exercise in the first place, more real, and the more real it feels, the more you will be connected to it which will keep you on track.”</p> <p>44. Lewis: “Focus on how you’re going to feel after the workout.</p> <p>“Try not to engage the little voice in the back of your head and just GO! Half the battle is getting there, the workout will take care of itself.”</p> <p> </p>

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Teacher sacked for punching and kicking horse has gone into hiding

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Content warning: This article contains mentions and depictions of animal abuse.</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A UK school teacher </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/teacher-sacked-over-shocking-horse-video-in-the-uk/news-story/a098daeb99f46976d6e4363050ce4658" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has been fired</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after footage emerged of her seeming to kick and hit a distressed horse.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The graphic footage shows Sarah Moulds striking the white pony after it ran out onto the road in the UK’s East Midlands, </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17099018/rider-kicks-punches-horse-teacher-sacked/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span></a></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">reports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the circulation of the footage, it was revealed that the 37-year-old woman from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire was being probed by the RSPCA.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Mowbray Education Trust also said Ms Moulds has been suspended during a formal investigation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the trust has said the mother-of-two has officially been dismissed from her roles as a teacher at Somerby Primary School and as a director of the Knossington &amp; Somerby Pre-School in Leicestershire.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can confirm that Sarah Mould’s employment with the trust has been terminated,” Paul Maddox, chief operating officer of the trust, told the </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-59728476" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As a trust we are committed to ensuring the best standard of education for all of our young people and we look forward to continuing this throughout the 2021/22 academic year and beyond.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Yesterday we filmed a <a href="https://twitter.com/CottesmoreHunt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CottesmoreHunt</a> rider kicking and punching her horse in the face.<br />Watched on by lackeys Will Ashmore and son Ed.<br />Violence running through their veins.<a href="https://twitter.com/RSPCA_official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RSPCA_official</a> <a href="https://t.co/s37BlR4Hv3">pic.twitter.com/s37BlR4Hv3</a></p> — Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs (@HertsHuntSabs) <a href="https://twitter.com/HertsHuntSabs/status/1457304240079228929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The footage was shared last month by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, an anti-hunting group, who were monitoring the hunting event at the time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The woman alleged to be Ms Moulds was seen acting aggressively towards the horse, after it ran towards her when another young rider lost control of it while trying to lead it onto a trailer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She was filmed kicking and hitting the horse before pulling it into the horse trailer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Moulds is believed to belong to the Cottesmore Hunt, a foxhound hunting group based in Rutland.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the time, she was surrounded by other members.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the incident, Cottesmore Hunt reportedly said it did not condone the actions depicted in the video “under any circumstances”.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBYBdUKiaN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBYBdUKiaN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Cottesmore Hunt (@cottesmorehuntofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The RSPCA was contacted by multiple people after the clip was posted online, and later issued a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This footage is really upsetting. We will always look into complaints made to us about animal welfare.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A spokesman from the Hunting Office in the UK said: “The Hunting Office expects the highest level of animal welfare at all times - both on and off the hunting field - and condemns the actions taken by this individual, who is not a member of the hunting associations.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Members of the public also condemned the woman online, labelling her behaviour as unacceptable.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As a horsewoman myself, nothing makes me angrier than seeing such footage as this. It is shameful. There is absolutely no excuse for this behaviour,” one person wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“No matter how frustrated you are, no matter if you’ve had a bad day. Horses are so sensitive. What a way to make them head shy.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @HertsHuntSabs (Twitter)</span></em></p>

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A MUST for any racing fan: Immortals of Australian Horse Racing review

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australia has a long history when it comes to horse racing legends, with the likes of Phar Lap and Makybe Diva taking to the tracks over the years and quickly becoming legends.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prolific non-fiction author Alan J. Whiticker has brought the stories of two dozen of these racers to life in his latest book </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing: the Thoroughbreds</span></a></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Gelding Street Press $39.99).</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> features in-depth statistics about each thoroughbred, with historic photos and artwork scattered throughout depicting the horses in action.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845861/horse-review2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c1d0f6663e6141108ec25c94654d7062" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals peppers each racer’s profile with historical photos that any history buff is sure to appreciate. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also takes the chance to bust some common myths about these famous horses, while still acknowledging the roles these tall tales play in Australia’s racing mythos.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[Archer’s] tale has become an important part of the Melbourne Cup mythology and helped make the first dual cups winner immortal,” he writes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along with Archer, Whiticker’s pickings include the horses almost everyone will recognise - Phar Lap, Black Caviar, Tulloch, Kingston Town, Winx, Manikato, and Makybe Diva - plus a selection of crowd favourites such as Peter Pan, Might and Power, Gunsynd and Sunline.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But horses with celebrity status aren’t the only ones to make the cut; Whiticker also includes the lesser-known stories of freakish Vain, ‘super mare’ Wakeful, tragic Dulcify, and underrated Northerly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845860/horse-review3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2ae98417b1494ab4ac59345586d10baa" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many have come to (falsely) believe that Archer travelled from Nowra to Melbourne by hoof, but Whiticker points out that this contributes to his immortality. Image: Supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whiticker tracks each horse’s story from their birth and their debut on the track to the pitfalls and moments of victory that made them immortal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, the ‘ranking’ of thoroughbreds also lays out Australia’s racing history from the start of the Melbourne Cup to Winx’s retirement in 2018, and each horse is compared to those that came before and after them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though less knowledgeable readers may be daunted by the statistics and racing jargon at first glance, Whiticker compensates for this with his engaging and flowing style of prose.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All in all, racing fans and history buffs will enjoy the in-depth stories that Whiticker creates, writing as if he were commentating from the sideline.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I trust this book will settle several arguments about the greatest thoroughbreds of all time and no doubt start a few more,” Whiticker writes of his selection.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One thing is for certain: they are all unforgettable in their own right.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Supplied</span></em></p>

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Australia’s best racehorses RANKED by their winnings

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australia and New Zealand have long histories as the home of many champion racehorses - from Phar Lap and Tulloch to Makybe Diva and Black Caviar.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the years these horses have also earned some hefty prizes, with some totalling in the tens of thousands.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alan Whiticker - a longtime racing fan - has compiled the stories, stats and images of these horses among 24 featured in his new book </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Immortals-of-Australian-Horse-Racing/Alan-Whiticker/9781925946963" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Immortals of Australian Horse Racing</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, including their winnings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are the ten of the greatest, ranked by their total winnings (adjusted for </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualDecimal.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflation</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">).</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845418/horses1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b108deac40cb47fc9439caf034137bf4" /></p> <p><strong>Winx ($26,421,176)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Winx, the ‘Wonder Mare’, not only collected more than $26 million in her five-year racing career, but also received a swathe of awards and honours. She was Australia’s Champion Racehorse of the Year for four years running, the World’s Top-Ranked Turf Horse in 2017 and 2018, and entered Australia’s Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Whiticker, “Winx had a V8 racing motor for a heart”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And like all champions, her will to win was freakish.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845419/horses2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5bf88fbabc9e4f5ea2921bb9589e48af" /></p> <p><strong>Sunline ($17,149,276)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Zealand-born racer was a popular contender both in her home country and Australia, with many arguing Sunline has been the best horse to come out of New Zealand since Phar Lap.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Between 1998 and 2002, Sunline collected more than $11 million in winnings, equivalent to about $17 million today. She was crowned both the Australian and New Zealand Racehorse of the Year three times, and entered the Hall of Fame in both countries in the early 2000s.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845420/horses3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9f05f6a5a2c4f5e86bad5ba62e8fa92" /></p> <p><strong>Makybe Diva ($14, 526, 685)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Born in Somerset, England, Makybe Diva went on to win three Melbourne Cups - winning one in the same year that she placed first in the Sydney Cup.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following her third Melbourne Cup win in 2005, owner Tony Santic declared she was officially retired.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845421/horses4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62915e6d93e9451fae240a8f7a8349c3" /></p> <p><strong>Super Impose ($10,973,719)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Zealander has become well-known for winning both the Doncaster and Epsom handicap races twice - and is the only horse that has done so.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He retired in 1992 with a record $5.6 million in winnings, before going on to live a life of comfort until his death at 22-years-old.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845422/horses5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/211b76c03b66472c8b298bb9c4b0fff3" /></p> <p><strong>Octagonal ($10,233,179)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">New-Zealand bred Octagonal, nicknamed ‘The Big O’, came into his own as a three-year-old and secured seven wins across Randwick, Rosehill, Canterbury, and Caulfield in just a year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 1997, Octagonal retired with a then-record $5.89 million in prize money, equivalent to $10 million now.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845423/horses6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62097a6ebe2a4a6fb528033a20bd7aae" /></p> <p><strong>Better Loosen Up ($9,097,380)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Better Loosen Up, named after his sire Loosen Up, achieved victory on an international scale with his win in the 1990 Japan Cup. In the same year, he also took the top spot in the Australian Cup and several other stakes races.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Retiring three years later, Better Loosen Up’s winnings totalled $4.77 million.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845424/horses7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/98f76bda6d0144a29fb74fa5ba81ec90" /></p> <p><strong>Might &amp; Power ($8,489,287)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another winner hailing from New Zealand, Might &amp; Power secured his first win in 1997 at Randwick just before he turned three. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before retiring in 2000, Might &amp; Power earned a hefty $5 million in winnings, which equates to just under $8.5 million today. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He was also crowned World Champion Stayer in 1998 and has since been entered into the Halls of Fame in both Australia and New Zealand.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845425/horses8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/10fc9c06acd642759119155ff7f0aeb3" /></p> <p><strong>Black Caviar ($7,953,936)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another racehorse with plenty of accolades to her name, Black Caviar also achieved the near-impossible by winning every single one of her races across her four-year career.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost four years to the day of her debut at Flemington, it was announced that she would retire to stud, taking $7.9 million in prize money with her.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845426/horses9.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9207975e82c4edfbea0d0c24bee12a6" /></p> <p><strong>Phar Lap ($6,659,594)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As one of racing history’s most well-known horses, Phar Lap became an icon in Australia and New Zealand and prompted both countries to claim him as their own.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New-Zealand born racer went on to win 37 of his 51 races, including the Melbourne Cup, and earned £66,738 in winnings that equates to over $6.5 million today.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His death in 1932 came as a shock to racing fans, with rumours emerging that claimed he was deliberately poisoned ahead of the Agua Caliente Handicap race in Tijuana, Mexico. However, Whiticker posits that his death may have been due to contaminated feed or travel sickness.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845427/horses10.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/af51500da737462ebcaba1da6a9d8e4c" /></p> <p><strong>Carbine ($6,028, 507)</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Whiticker, Carbine was “the 19th century’s giant” of horse racing in Australia. The New Zealand racer not only won the 1890 Melbourne Cup, but also carried a record weight, beat the largest number of racers, and ran the fastest time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though he was eventually sold to the Duke of Portland in England, Carbine was considered an icon by Australians.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By the time he retired in 1891, Carbine had earned 29, 626 in prizes and come first in all but six of his 43 races.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Supplied</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Retired race horses on track to help troubled kids

<p><em>Image: A Current Affair </em></p> <p>New charity ‘Rehab 4 Rehab' is saving the lives of children and retired racehorses on the Mornington Peninsula through a ground-breaking equine therapy program.</p> <p>Children struggling with mental health issues get paired up with clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and retired racehorses to accelerate therapy sessions.</p> <p>“We are seeing lots of children with anxiety, depression, self-harming, suicidal kids, lots of autistic kids,” found Alisha Griffiths told<span> </span><em>A Current Affair.</em></p> <p>“They are practicing exactly what they would do in the normal four white wall environments but they’re doing it on a farm with retired racehorses.”</p> <p>Ms Griffiths said she had been around horses all her life and now she wants to share them with others.</p> <p>“They also build a rapport with a psychologist a lot quicker, they trust the psychologist because they’re around a retired racehorse,” she said.</p> <p>Clinical psychologist Jo Paterson crossed path with Alisha’s charity when she was looking for somewhere to keep her own horse – and she ended up with a job.</p> <p>“When you’re talking about things that are distressing and through trauma, then you’ve got something there that can help regulate, when they get upset,” Ms Paterson said.</p> <p>There are 46 horses at Ms Griffiths property and most of them are retired racehorses.</p> <p>In order to train them for being a racehorse to a therapy horse, they settle their lives down and “show them a slower pace”.</p> <p>Head horse trainer Alex McDonough said she’s surprised by how well the horses have adjusted.</p> <p>“It’s almost like they know they’re around children,” she said.</p>

Caring

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Man charged over mass horse shooting

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A man has been arrested over the death of 41 horses, including pregnant mares, at a property in western Queensland.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A member of the public found the horses on August 5 at a 2000-hectare property north of Longreach.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The animals were found with multiple gunshot wounds, with police alleging the horses - including geldings, colts, pregnant mares, and mares with foals - were killed between August 3 and August 4.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 332.7731092436975px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843087/68976102d91c47d75ed4dbb8efbba07f.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2bde4707b52a4c9882a031806cde0b44" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Supplied / Queensland Police</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The owner of the property had been in hospital for some time prior to the incident, and was not home when it occurred.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police arrested and charged a 49-year-old Mount Isa man on Thursday, August 12, with one count of injuring animals.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The man was refused bail and will face the Mount Isa Magistrates Court on Friday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detective Sergeant Allan Cook said the incident caused “great devastation” in the local community.</span></p>

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Beloved General Hospital actor dies "sitting on a horse" while filming

<p><span>Veteran soap opera actor Jay Pickett, has died at age 60. </span><br /><br /><span>His wife, Elena Pickett, was the one to confirm his death. </span><br /><br /><span>Best known for his roles in <em>General Hospital</em>, <em>Days of Our Lives</em> and <em>Port Charles</em>, Pickett passed away while away from his family in Idaho. </span><br /><br /><span>News broke of the actor’s death on Friday when actor and film producer Jim Heffel shared a touching note about their friendship on Facebook. </span><br /><br /><span>“Yesterday I lost a good friend and the world lost a great person,” Heffel wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“Jay Pickett decided to ride off into the Heavens. Jay died sitting on a horse ready to rope a steer in the movie <em>Treasure Valley</em> in Idaho. The way of a true cowboy.”</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to say: “Jay wrote the story and starred in it. He was also coproducer with myself and Vernon Walker. He will be truly missed. </span><br /><br /><span>“Ride like the wind partner.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDQdQrKsPT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDQdQrKsPT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ElizanTV YouTube Channel. (@elizantv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>He was filming a scene for his upcoming movie <em>Treasure Valley</em> when he passed, his film's director, Travis Mills went on to say in a touching post. </span><br /><br /><span>"Jay Pickett, our leading man, writer, producer, and creator of this movie passed away suddenly while we were on location preparing to film a scene," Mills posted on the film's official Facebook page. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSCUBWCH5I6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSCUBWCH5I6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by 12 Westerns in 12 Months (@12westerns)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>"Our hearts are broken, and we grieve for his family who are so devastated by this shocking tragedy."</span><br /><br /><span>"He was doing what he loved: acting, riding horses, making movies. And he was magnificent," he continued.</span><br /><br /><span>Mills said that while his death is not confirm, it seems he passed from “a heart attack.” </span><br /><br /><span>Mills added that everyone who was there did their best "to keep him alive."</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to describe Pickett as an “incredible man” who was “kind, sweet and generous.”</span><br /><br /><span>“He was one of the best actors I ever worked with and it was an honor to collaborate with him,” he continued. “Everyone who met him, even for the briefest moment, could feel his warmth, his wonderful spirit. It is difficult to find the words right now to say more. His closest friends have said that he was very happy making <em>Treasure Valley</em> and my hope is that he truly was.”</span><br /><br /><span>The director finished his devastating post with a touching note, writing, “He was doing what he loved: acting, riding horses, making movies. And he was magnificent.”</span><br /><br /><span>Jay is survived by his wife Elena, and their three children, Maegan, Michaela and Tyler.</span></p>

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Friends monkey trainer calls out David Schwimmer “despicable” behaviour

<p>David Schwimmer was not a big fan of Marcel the Monkey, labelling it the “worst thing” that happened during the filming of <em>Friends</em>.</p> <p>When on the reunion, the star admitted he did not enjoy filming scenes with the monkey, as he often “messed up” filming.</p> <p>“Here is my problem: The monkey, obviously, was trained. It had to hit its mark and do its thing right at the perfect time,” Schwimmer said during the reunion.</p> <p>“What inevitably began to happen was we would all have choreographed bits kind of timed out, and it would get messed up, because the monkey didn’t do its job right. So we would have to reset, we’d have to go again, because the monkey didn’t get it right.</p> <p>“It was time for Marcel to f**k off.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842335/friends-monkeu-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d32e56fbc3284465ad4048f38b68f18f" /></p> <p><em>Image: Friends screengrab</em></p> <p>Marcel’s trainer, Mike Morris, has called out Schwimmer for his “despicable” words.</p> <p>Morris told The Sun that the two monkeys who portrayed Marcel only had a problem with Schwimmer but the other cast members.</p> <p>“I didn’t watch the reunion interview but I heard from others what Schwimmer said. I just don’t agree with it, if anything he threw off their timing if we want to be truthful,” Morris said.</p> <p>“Schwimmer was fine with the monkeys for the first couple of episodes and happy to be there, but people would laugh at the monkey and I think he got jealous because it wasn’t him getting the laughs.</p> <p>“He seemed to get a little bitter about them being there after that, and of course the monkeys didn’t like working with him after he turned on them.</p> <p>“It made it harder to do the work. A five-camera show is hard to work on with animals anyway so if you have an actor that’s not very helpful, it makes it even worse.</p> <p>“My colleague who also worked on the show says that people would laugh at the monkey and throw Schwimmer off. He’s not the kind of actor who can improvise.”</p> <p>Morris went on to say Schwimmer only despised working with the monkeys, as he was not talented enough to ad lib.</p> <p>“I think a good actor can play off an animal,” Morris said.</p> <p>“We did a shot with Seinfeld and he played off the monkey and went with what the monkey was doing.</p> <p>“I think David had a little problem with that, he was very regimented and had to do what the script said.</p> <p>“I think he had a problem improvising with the monkey.”</p> <p>A capuchin named Katie was one of the two adorable monkeys to play Marcel, and she is still working in the film business.</p> <p>Sadly, the other monkey, known as Monkey, died of cancer in August of 2020.</p> <p>“Schwimmer was talking ill of the dead when he made those comments,” Morris said.</p> <p>“I find it despicable for him to still be speaking ill of her.”</p> <p>The reunion special wasn’t the first time Schwimmer has spoken of his experience with the monkeys.</p> <p>Morris admitted he will never watchthe ’90s sitcom due to Schwimmer claiming the monkeys threw poop and tried to bite him.</p> <p>“I have refused to (watch <em>Friends</em>) ever since he did an interview after the animals got written out of the show and he said they tried to bite him and throw poop at him,” Morris said.</p> <p>“They didn’t do any of that. None of it is true, when I was there none of that ever happened.”</p> <p>Morris said Katie doesn’t hold any bad blood toward Schwimmer despite his comments.</p> <p>“Katie can’t speak for herself so that’s why I’m talking out for her,” Morris said.</p> <p>“The monkeys definitely wouldn’t hold a grudge against David, if Katie had to work with him again tomorrow she would do it no problem.</p> <p>“I know he holds a grudge against the monkeys but they definitely don’t hold one against him.</p> <p>“They’re just good-natured animals and probably don’t even remember him.”</p>

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Dying man granted his final wish

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> A dying man had his wish of a day at the races fulfilled at Morphettville’s racing track in Adelaide.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paramedics were taking Nigel Latham home from hospital to enter palliative home care when they had a simple question for him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They asked me if I’d like to stop anywhere on the way,” Nigel said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I had been watching the racing in hospital, so wanted to go there.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ambulance officer Bec Sanders and colleague Laura granted the 58-year-old’s request.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In normal circumstances I would've been there for a great day of racing,” Nigel said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve been a member of the South Australian Jockey Club for the last three years and own shares in a couple of horses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Bec and Laura worked miracles and got me there. They are commended for their care and sheer goodness of their spirit.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigel got to watch the action from the 200m mark with his wife Julie, and became the inspiration for a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After learning of Nigel’s dying wish, Craig Williams was overcome with emotion and rode Lady Dunmore to victory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nigel Latham, he was the inspiration for her success today,” Williams said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After his victory, Williams rode over to Nigel and gifted him a souvenir.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To Nigel, I said to my horse if she’d get over the line we’d make sure we give him the winning goggles and she did her job really well.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’d like to be grateful to people like Nigel who support the industry and have his last dying wish (of) coming here today for a great race day.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another thoughtful racegoer named Matt also joined in on the good spirit, offering him an ice-cold beer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigel said the day had become one of the most memorable experiences of his life, especially with his wife by his side.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Given only days to live, Nigel Latham had a wish to go to the races one last time in Adelaide. The hospital and ambulance drivers made it happen. <br /><br />Hear Bensley read his emotional message of thanks after his day at the Morphettville track on Saturday. <br /><br />Incredible. <a href="https://t.co/KZ9POXfxnv">pic.twitter.com/KZ9POXfxnv</a></p> — SENTrack (@SEN_track) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEN_track/status/1389026708074885120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People are amazing,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve had brilliant care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. They have all tried so hard for me and then getting me to the races yesterday meant so much.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He praised the kindness of the paramedics, saying, “Thanks to Bec and Laura for making it happen, to Ian (Richardo, Morphettville track manager) for facilitating it. For Matt for the beer and for Craig for caring so much.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bec said Nigel was exhausted but told 7NEWS “it was really lovely to see him home and happy.”</span></p> <p><strong>Image credit: 7NEWS</strong></p>

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High-profile horse trainer suspended over disturbing photo

<p><span>An image of top horse trainer Gordon Elliott posing for a photo while sitting on a dead horse has resulted in horror and anger from the public and British racing circles on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irishman is one of the sport’s most celebrated figures and has apologised for the disturbing image after it resurfaced on Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span>It depicted him sitting on a horse that had just died of a heart attack after a training run.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has since been suspended from horse racing, as reported by the <em>BBC</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>One of his most high-profile employers, Cheveley Park Stud, said they are "truly horrified" by the image.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840081/daily-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a5af72eeb8b8423abfbf5ad18536013a" /><br /><br /><span>Bookmaker Betfair dropped Elliott as an ambassador, saying his actions were not consistent with its "values".</span><br /><br /><span>A scathing statement from the British Horseracing Authority slammed the star.</span><br /><br /><span>"People who work in our industry believe their values — of caring for and respecting our horses — have been deeply undermined by this behaviour," the statement read.</span><br /><br /><span>The BHA said it was "appalled" by the image, saying: "On behalf of all horse-lovers, we say loudly that British horseracing finds this totally unacceptable."</span><br /><br /><span>Elliot defended his actions, saying the incident occurred “some time ago” and the picture was taken while he waited for the body of the horse to be taken away.</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to explain that he had received a phone call and had sat down on the dead animal “without thinking”.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is investigating the incident and the BHA said it is "considering its own regulatory options".</span><br /><br /><span>Both bodies have temporarily banned Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has been a Grand National-winning trainer three times, first taking the prize in 2007 with Silver Birch.</span><br /><br /><span>He would go on to train Tiger Roll to become the first back-to-back winner of horse racing's most gruelling jumps race — in 2018 and '19 — since Red Rum in the 1970s.</span><br /><br /><span>He has trained 32 winners at the Cheltenham Festival.</span><br /><br /><span>Tiger Roll owner, Michael O'Leary, is one of the few to come out in support of Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>"We accept that this photograph was a grievous but momentary lapse of judgement by Gordon," said O'Leary, who runs the Gigginstown House Stud operation and is also CEO of budget airline Ryanair.</span><br /><br /><span>He continued: “and not in keeping with our 15-year experience of his concern for and attention to the welfare of our horses.</span><br /><br /><span>"We all make mistakes, and what is important is that we learn from them and ensure we do not repeat them. We accept Gordon's sincere, profound and unreserved apology and we will continue to support him and his team."</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has said their investigation will be dealt with "as quickly as possible".</span></p>

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Put the baking soda back in the bottle: Banned sodium bicarbonate ‘milkshakes’ don’t make racehorses faster

<p><em> </em></p> <p>The controversial and banned practice of giving horses baking soda “milkshakes” before a race doesn’t work, according to our analysis of the available research.</p> <p>Racing folklore says sodium bicarbonate milkshakes can boost racehorses’ endurance because the alkalinity of the baking soda helps counter the buildup of lactic acid in the blood when running.</p> <p>But our systematic research review, <a href="https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1bv2Z2dbxqYqLj">recently published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science</a> reveals milkshakes don’t boost horses’ athletic performance.</p> <p>This means any trainer still tempted to flout the ban on this tactic would be endangering their horses’ welfare and risking heavy sanctions over a practice that is basically snake oil.</p> <p>Despite the fun-sounding name, milkshakes are anything but. The process involves inserting a tube up the horse’s nose, down its throat and into the stomach, and then pumping in a concentrated solution of sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water.</p> <p>This can be stressful to the horse, and potential <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2004.08.014">side-effects</a> include lacerations to the nasal cavity, throat and oesophagus, gastrointestinal upset, and diarrhoea. It can even be fatal if the tube is mistakenly inserted into the trachea and the solution is pumped into the lungs.</p> <p>It’s little wonder Racing Australia has <a href="https://www.racingaustralia.horse/uploadimg/Australian_rules_of_Racing/Australian_Rules_of_Racing_01_March_2019.pdf">banned</a> the use of “alkalising agents” such as milkshakes on race day, with potentially career-ending ramifications for trainers caught doing it.</p> <p><strong>No boost after all</strong></p> <p>The effect of baking soda on athletic performance has been studied in human athletes for decades with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31191097">inconclusive results</a>, but has only been analysed in horses since the late 1980s.</p> <p>Our analysis included data from eight experimental trials featuring 74 horses. Overall, sodium bicarbonate administration in the hours before treadmill tests or simulated race trials did not improve horses’ running performance in either type of test.</p> <p>In fact, in treadmill exercise tests in which horses were not ridden by jockeys, sodium bicarbonate actually had a very small negative effect on running performance, albeit not a statistically significant one.</p> <p>Whereas human athletes might gain a placebo effect from sodium bicarbonate, this is unlikely to apply to horses who don’t understand the intended point of the milkshake. And while some racehorse trainers may be educated in exercise physiology and the importance of blood pH, others may believe they work simply because received wisdom and racing folklore say so.</p> <p>Racing aficionados steeped in tradition might respond with scepticism, or argue that research can’t replicate the unique conditions of race day. But given that our comprehensive analysis of a range of research trials shows no evidence that milkshakes work, we argue any recalcitrant trainers have a moral responsibility to listen to the science.</p> <p>Milkshakes are already banned. But our research shows they deliver no benefit anyway. Trainers who are happy to continue this illicit practice and run the gauntlet of potential sanctions should consider whether it is worth it at all, and whether instead they should reconsider on moral, medical and scientific grounds.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-denham-1165121">Joshua Denham</a>, RMIT University and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-hulme-401293">Adam Hulme</a>, University of the Sunshine Coast. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/put-the-baking-soda-back-in-the-bottle-banned-sodium-bicarbonate-milkshakes-dont-make-racehorses-faster-148907">The Conversation.</a> </em></p> <p> </p>

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