RB_1_2023_ePaper_eng

MAGAZINE FOR THE EQUESTRIAN TRADE INDUSTRY
Volume 8
No 1/2023
Reitsport BRANCHE
SPECIAL: Crops & whips • RETAILER AWARD: preliminary decision • SPOGA HORSE: News
one passion – one voice

EDITORIAL
”My word for it
Spot-on
Dear Reader,
News
from
SWEET
VALENTINE
The new year begins and the first promotional
days are not long
in coming.
When you are in a tight spot, a precise solution is often most helpful – this
applies to a wide variety of life circumstances and situations.
If, for example, you want to send an offer to your customers, your chances of
success improve if you target your clientele precisely, with a spot-on description
of your service or product. Find out how to do this in no more than 10 words,
on page 6.
However, you could also use the help of other people to eliminate any blind
spots in your offer. For example, you could work with influencers to get your
message across to the (equestrian) public. In our monthly survey, we wanted
to know how many of you, i.e. the equestrian retailers, use influencers.
Astonishing result: only a small minority (p. 8).
Spotting the best candidates was the task of our award jury, which met at
Koelnmesse on 1 December to select the TOP 10 candidates from the large
number of applications for the Reitsport BRANCHE Retailer Award 2023
powered by spoga horse. We are going to tell you which shops managed to
secure a spot in the finals (p. 9).
In order to achieve a spot-on result, using the right aids is often a promising
approach. In horse-riding and carriage driving, these aids could be whips and
crops, for example. Read more about this in our Whips and Crops Special
(p. 12).
As the year draws to a close, we wish you a peaceful holiday season and
a happy, healthy new year.
“
On that note,
With kindest regards,
Michael Meenen
In order to shine in
the sign of love on Valentine's
Day, HKM offers the
perfect outfit for the great love of all riders
with the Sweet Valentine collection.
From the head collar, which is padded
with teddy fur at the neck and noseband,
to the softly lined saddle cloth, all
products are in a strong pink colour and
decorated with silver hearts and loving
details. So the horse is definitely being
thought of on Valentine's Day.
Speaking of pink: HKM has dispensed
with playful details in the
Berry collection, but the
collection still lives up
to its name with the
dominance of a
dark berry colour.
Rhinestones, glitter
details, elaborate
quilting and cords
give it a particularly
elegant look. The elastic
functional shirt Berry Lace even
features precious lace and
sparkling buttons and
thus has the potential to
become the new favourite
piece, not only, but
also in the riding stable.
Would you like more
pink-red? Then take a look at the Mellow
Velvet collection, which features enchanting
velvet fabric, among other
things.
Info: www.hkm-sports.com
Reitsport BRANCHE 3

CONTENT
6 NEWS
Survey: influencers - not widely used · IN TEAM: presenting Jürgen Winkler
(Inropharm) · Service: how to describe your offer in no more than 10 words ·
New book: horse training meets physio · Retailer Award 2023: jury makes
preliminary decision · news brief and much more ...
10 SPOGA HORSE 2023
The right energy management
12 SPECIAL
Crops and whips – the extended arm
16 PROMOTION
FLECK riding crops & whips: progress through innovation
Foto: Fa. FLECK
18 INTERVIEW
Rudi Maisack (FLECK): we are a full-range supplier for special equipment
20 BRANCHEN-VISIT
Companies at a glance
23 PRODUCT-NEWS
Intriguing novelties
Front cover: EEBA
Mattes‘ match-making
Athletico
for athletes
To avoid chafing and rubbing, it takes individual solutions created by
E.A. Mattes. In the four different versions of the special saddle girths
by Mattes, incorporated cross straps and spreaders provide for an even
distribution of pressure. This prevents contraction or creasing.
Jetzt Neu: Modell 2020
Verstellmax ®
Vario
Special features and possible uses of
crops and whips (top). Influencers –
not particularly popular with equestrian
retailers
The tapered cut of the girths
provides enough room for the
elbows without compromising
stability. Of course, the anatomy
of the respective horse
also determines the choice of
girth.
The “Athletico” version is especially
suitable for horses with an athletic, strongly wedge-shaped physique.
The special cut of the girth prevents the saddle and girth from slipping
backwards in almost all cases.
www.e-a-mattes.com
Ein Gerät. Alles dran.
Art.Nr. 90004
Vario
Everything for
leather workmanship
4 Reitsport BRANCHE

NEWS
1+1+1=4
Ralf ’s Retailing
Reflections
THE MEANING
OF TRUE OPTIMISM
Discussing topical issues, recalling the
nearly forgotten ones, providing new
stimuli – this is what our column “Ralf’s
Retailing Reflections” is all about. This
issue’s topic: negative thinking and true
optimism.
“A person's only real enemies
are his own negative
thoughts.”
This is a quote by Albert
Einstein. And there
is a lot of truth in it. Unfortunately,
it is very difficult
at the moment not to
get stuck in negative circles of
thought. Our media overload us with negative news, catastrophes,
but also a lot of negative speculation.
Speculation instead of facts
Instead of reporting facts, as is to be expected from the
media, a constant disaster scenario is currently being reeled
off: “What if the power fails...? Is there going to be a
recession?” One could just as well play out these scenarios
the other way round. And that would encourage people
more than is currently the case. We all have enough on
our plates dealing with reality, we do not need to be confronted
with pessimism on top of it.
Recharge your batteries
We should banish moaners,
scaremongers and hypochondriacs
from our
sphere of influence and
only consume news in
measured doses. Christmas
is a time for reflection
and family. Good friends,
delicious food and
some rest is good for all of us
and will let us head into 2023 with
new strength.
Therefore, let us rather look at Friedrich Schiller for inspiration:
“True optimists are not convinced that everything will
work out. But they are convinced that not everything will
go wrong.”
Ralf Mönke, Reitsport Frölich
HOW TO DESCRIBE YOUR OFFER IN
NO MORE THAN 10 WORDS
Ioften get the feeling that entrepreneurs don't really understand
their own product or offer. You have to be able to explain briefly
and precisely what problem your offer solves – 10 words are actually
enough to do this,” says sales psychology expert Julius Kemnitzer.
that offers specific advantages to the individual person. Examples
of meaningful phrases could be: “How you as target group X can
solve problem Y”, or “We help target group X to solve problem
Y”.
1. Explain your offer from the perspective of the target group
Before trying to describe your offer or product in a nutshell,
you first need to know the wishes, problems and ambitions of
your target group. Examples of successful phrasings could be:
“Losing Weight in Eight Weeks for Entrepreneurs and Managing
Directors” or “More Applicants for Medium-Sized Companies
Without the Need for Job Portals”.
2. Provide a clear solution to the problem
Each target group has their own problems. Accordingly, it is
important to provide a clear solution for the different motives
3. Obtain an external neutral opinion
Often it is not so easy to work out the advantages and the
problem solution a product or service offers. This is mainly due
to the fact that as an entrepreneur you are usually very deeply involved
in the topic – and accordingly sometimes have difficulties
seeing the wood for the trees. In such cases it can help to ask
someone from outside the business (...) who has not yet dealt
intensively with the product for a neutral opinion.
Further information:
https://www.juliuskemnitzer.de/
6 Reitsport BRANCHE

Jürgen Winkler, Inropharm
vet. Pharm. Produkte
GmbH & Co. KG
Personal data
Name: Jürgen Winkler
Age: 51 years
Marital status: unmarried,
long-term partner
Favourite rider: is completely
unknown to me
Greatest strength: cheerful and
motivated
Greatest weakness: coffee, cakes
and Radio BOB
„IN“: classic cars
„OUT“: electric vehicles
in
-TEAM
Motto for life: make “something“
out of “nothing“
Professional life::
Responsibilities:mixing plant supervisor
Company Entry:April 2022
Qualifications: capable of anything
Sense of horses a living organism with
4 legs; very big and always in the way
Personal tip: always stay positive
e-mail: info@inropharm.de
Telefon: 0049 (0)8502 1025
INTERESTED?
We will be pleased to present
your employees in this section as
well. Contact:
info@meenen-presseservice.de
Spoga spotlights
Florian Ruff,
owner of
Keralit and
hoof
specialist.
Talking to ...≤
Hello Mr Ruff, after a break of several
years, Keralit will be exhibiting again
at spoga horse 2023. Why is that?
Florian Ruff: In the past two years, demand
for our products has increased significantly,
and from outside Europe as
well. Spoga horse 2023 gives us an opportunity
to offer Keralit products to customers
abroad. Doing this necessarily involves
personal contacts, conversations and
precise explanations. And that can only be
done effectively at an event like spoga.
NEW BOOK:
HORSE TRAINING MEETS PHYSIO
Finding the right training for a horse is
a challenge for many horse owners, riders
and trainers, regardless of whether
they want to break a young horse, resume
training after a break, give the best possible
support to a schooled and healthy riding
horse or keep a retired horse fit for as
long as possible. FNverlag author Silke
Kaupp approaches the issue from two perspectives:
as a qualified trainer (Pferdewirt)
for “classical riding” and an equine
physiotherapist. In her book “Pferdetraining
trifft Physio” (Horse Training Meets
Physio, available in German only), she
shows that supple movement, efficient
muscles and an ideal training condition
are vital for keeping the horse healthy and
helping it progress in its training. The German
book costs 25 euros and is available
in bookshops, equestrian retail stores and
directly from the publisher
FNverlag in Warendorf,
telephone 0049 (0)2581/6362-154 or -254,
email
vertrieb-fnverlag@fn-dokr.de
or www.fnverlag.de.
We now offer all products with instructions
for use and multilingual labels
in many different languages. Further languages
can then be found via the QR code
on the label.
What do you hope to achieve at the
fair?
Florian Ruff: We hope to establish new
contacts to the foreign equestrian trade as
well as farrier and veterinary suppliers
and, of course, to refresh our existing
contacts. Even in Germany, not all of the
newer products are sufficiently well known.
That is why we also offer practical
training to the equestrian trade on site.
These trainings are very well received.
Apart from the classics, will you present
any new products at spoga horse?
Florian Ruff: Our company philosophy
remains to develop and manufacture
only products that really serve to protect
and restore skin and hoof health and function.
By now, we have successfully launched
the Hufbad-Vet (more info on p. 23),
which was announced in spring 2022.
Sie wollen die individuellste aller Stalltafeln vertreiben?
Kontakt: mralron@web.de
Fa. Keralit auf der spoga: Halle 8.1,
Stand B 50
Reitsport BRANCHE 7

NEWS
+++ NEWS BRIEFS +++
OBSTACLES
Show jumping, which will be
dropped as a discipline from the
Olympic Pentathlon after
the Paris 2024
Olympics following
the Tokyo
2021 disaster, now
has a successor discipline.
Instead of getting
into the saddle, athletes will
have to tackle an obstacle course
themselves – some ninja warriors
in the making.
EXTENDED
The World Equestrian Federation
FEI is extending its sanctions
against the warring parties Russia
and Belarus into 2023. This means
that all international equestrian
competitions of both countries
are removed from the FEI calendar.
Furthermore, all riders, officials
and horses from both countries
are banned from international
competition.
GOLDEN BOY
To standing ovations from riders,
drivers and vaulters, Dr
Manfred Giensch was awarded
the German Riders' Cross in Gold
at the traditional Champions'
Ball of the German
Olympic Committee
for Equestrian
Sport (DOKR).
From 2006 until the
2022 World Championships,
the Hamburg-based team
doctor accompanied the German
equestrian athletes to Olympic
Games, World and European
Championships.
RURAL
The Global Champions Tour,
which is usually found at glamour
locations such as Paris, Monaco
or New York, will make a stop in
in the tranquil town of Riesenbeck,
Germany, in 2023 (21-23
July). The previous German location
in Hamburg had not been
able to agree on a further cooperation
with the tour organiser.
The Riesenbeck International
Equestrian Centre is run by Ludger
Beerbaum and partners.
HORSE SHOES INTO
MEDALS
Dieter Kröhnert (Ellerhoop),
who turned the horse shoes of the
squad riders into medals for many
years, was awarded the German
Riders' Cross in Silver by the German
Equestrian Federation. For
more than 30 years, the wellknown
farrier
made sure
that the
German
horses were
perfectly
shod at the Olympic
Games, World and European
Championships.
DISCONTINUED
Hamburg Messe und Congress
will discontinue the Hanse-
Pferd Hamburg exhibiton and
fair. According to the management,
this was due to a sharp rise
in costs, especially in the areas of
infrastructure and personnel,
which made it impossible to run
the equestrian fair profitably in
the future. HansePferd Hamburg
was held every two years; a total of
17 times between 1987 and 2018.
In 2020 and 2022, it had to be cancelled
due to Covid19.
RECORD HIGH
According to preliminary calculations
by the Federal Statistical
Office (Destatis), the number of
people in employment in Germany
reached a new historic high
in the 3rd quarter of 2022: the previous
peak (Q4 2019) of also 45.6
million was exceeded by 82,000
persons or 0.2% in the 3rd quarter
of 2022.
ReitsportBRANCHE SURVEY
Every month, Reitsport
BRANCHE exclusively
interviews 100 equestrian
retailers in Germany.
INFLUENCERS? NOT
WIDELY USED
“Influencers” make an almost daily appearance in the
media. In July 2022, the spoga horse therefore invited influencers
to take part in the “Creator Days” to turn the
spotlight on this target group.
As a follow-up, this month’s survey pursued the question
of whether our equestrian retailers work with influencers
and, if so, what kind of influencers. Not surprisingly
for our editorial staff, the result is as follows: only 9 % of
all equestrian retailers surveyed work with professional
equestrian influencers. Even so, 24 per cent use the channels
of non-professional “influencers” who raise awareness
of the equestrian retail business via their social media channels
and promote the shop’s campaigns and products.
On the other hand, two thirds of our equestrian retailers
say they do not use influencers at all.
RB-Survey Janine Reichert
9,1 % Yes, we work with professional equestrian influencers
66,7 % No, not at all
24,2 % Yes, but with people who do not do this professionally but promote our
business and products via their social media channels
Question: In your equestrian retail business, do you co-operate with so-called influencers?
8 Reitsport BRANCHE

REITSPORT BRANCHE RETAILER AWARD 2023
PRELIMINARY JURY DECISION
After weeks of on-site research at numerous equestrian retail
stores, the jury held their decisive meeting at the premises of
the spoga horse organiser, koelnmesse, on 1 December. The prominent
and competent award jury had the task of filtering out the
candidates who will be honoured during the festive award ceremony
on the spoga horse Stage on 5 February 2023. The assessment
was made based on criteria such as range, quality of advice, presentation,
POS campaigns, marketing, sustainability or hybrid sales.
The following specialist shops (in alphabetical order) have been nominated
and may hope for the title of “Best Retailer Germany 2023”:
EquiPassion (Nuthetal, Potsdam/Brandenburg), Helle Kleven
Shop (Hergolding/Bavaria), Hofmeister Pferdesport (Gevelsberg/North
Rhine-Westphalia), Pferdesport Silberhorn (Burglengenfeld/Bavaria),
Reitsport Dohm (Tensfeld/Schleswig-Holstein),
Reitsport Manski (Güstrow/Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania),
Reitsport Schuldt (Schenefeld/Schleswig-Holstein), Traumpferd
(Lingen/Lower Saxony), Reitsport Wahl (Dietmannsried/Bavaria)
and Zum Hufnagel (Gütersloh/North Rhine-Westphalia).
The eagerly awaited decision as to which international equestrian
retail stores will be honoured at the 2023 edition of the Retailer
Award Europe powered by spoga horse will be communicated at a
later date.
Award-Jury (v.l.n.r.): Frank Hölscher (BSI Vorstand), Stefan Schwanbeck (1. Vorsitzender EEBA /European Equestrian Business Association
e. V.), Georg Ettwig (Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung, Leiter Abteilung Marketing und Kommunikation), Beate Schwerte (GF P8 Beratungs GmbH)
Karl-Heinz Turner (GF Ladenbau Turner), Dr. Maria Näther (director spoga horse), Jessica Kaup (Reitsport BRANCHE/ Projektleitung Retailer
Award), Michael Meenen (Reitsport BRANCHE/Herausgeber), Sebastian Reichert (Reitsport BRANCHE/Leitung Büro Leipzig/ Fachhandel Europa)
The international jury of six experts judging the spoga horse TOP
INNOVATIONS 2023 has been selected. The products submitted
for evaluation will be assessed by an independent and interdisciplinary
team from the retail, influencer and professional
sectors. These are the members of the jury:
Lisa Röckener (Germany)
Job title: influencer, teacher, equestrian trainer. Lisa
Röckener: “As a junior rider, I was part of the eventing
squad and, after a fall, I started to incorporate horsemanship
into my daily work. Having written two books
about this I get the chance to present my work at various
galas, shows and also in front of the TV camera.”
Harisson Ashton (Great Britain)
Job title: dressage rider, businessman, creator.
Harisson Ashton also sells sport horses, has hosted
several television shows and the “Evening With”
tour with Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin. He
is the new face of Tommy Hilfiger Equestrian.
SPOGA HORSE TOP INNOVATIONS
THESE ARE THE EXPERTS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS
Nils Dehner (Germany)
Job title: Managing Director Pferdesporthaus
Loesdau GmbH & Co. KG. Nils Dehner: “I have been
dedicated to equestrian sports from when I was a
child, and, for many years now, my love and passion for horses has
played an important role for my job at Pferdesporthaus Loesdau.
Wilken Treu (Germany)
Job title: Managing Director Hanoverian Breeding
Association. Wilken Treu (40) is a horse, sports
and breeding enthusiast. In active riding, his focus is
on dressage, although, due to his two children, he is
currently more involved in lead rein showing.
Danielle Goldstein Waldman (Israel/United
States)
Job title: former Olympian, entrepreneur. Danielle:
“After a 30-year career as a professional
show jumper, I recently retired from top-level
sport to focus on mentoring young professionals.”
Alice Faggin (Italy)
Job title: owner and manager of the Selleria
Faggin saddlery. What makes innovations special
for you? “For me, innovations are significant when
they strike the right balance between technological
progress and the well-being of horse and rider,
but I also pay attention to environmental and social
sustainability.”
Reitsport BRANCHE 9

SPOGA HORSE
SPOGA HORSE
THE RIGHT ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Energy costs are rising dramatically. There is no end in sight.
Read here how you can save energy, reduce costs for electricity, gas and water and conserve
resources. Excerpt from a blog article. Source: www.spogahorse.de
Whether on the horse farm, in the
equestrian sports shop or in the
equestrian sports industry in general - a
lot of energy is needed everywhere. This
is especially true now, for the dark, cold
season. Stables, halls or business premises
have to be lit and rooms heated almost
around the clock. An expensive business.
That is why it is enormously important to
check and make full use of energy-saving
opportunities. Whether it is old light
bulbs, machines or small appliances from
yesteryear or the "old-timer" vehicle fleet
- get rid of energy guzzlers and make your
business fit for an economical, cost-effective
and sustainable future.
Energy saving made easy
Even with small improvements, you
can save so much energy that it will have
a positive effect on your wallet. These include,
among others: Replacing light
bulbs, using motion detectors and timers,
or economy control of large lighting segments
such as the indoor riding arena
lighting. In the case of heating systems,
even regular maintenance or the retrofitting
of an automatic heat control system
can help to reduce electricity costs. In the
case of outdated models, on the other
hand, a complete replacement of the radiators
is advisable, because the investment
pays off after only a few years due
to the lower consumption. The insulation
of heated rooms as well as the insulation
of, for example, feeding basin supply
lines also saves heating energy.
Finding
energy traps
In addition, even mini-screws should
be turned: In addition to lighting and air
conditioning, electrical appliances such
as computers, printers or the telephone
system consume energy. It is also worthwhile
to check appliances that are less
noticed in everyday business but also
contribute to electricity consumption:
refrigerators or the ever-popular automatic
coffee machines can prove to be additional
cost drivers. Here, you should invest
in energy-saving models, and everything
should only be in operation and
connected to the power supply when it is
really needed.
Last but not least, check water taps and
hoses: repair leaks as well as dripping caps
and use gun attachments so that the precious
commodity is not wasted.
Let there be light
Compared to conventional light bulbs
or halogen lamps, modern LED lighting
can save up to 50 percent of electricity.
Besides investing in a modern lighting
concept consisting of LED or eco-halogen
lamps, motion detectors, for example,
can be quickly installed in little-used
storage areas.
Given the obvious advantages of LED
lighting, a conversion is worthwhile and
also pays off financially within a very
short time: to ensure that this does not
become too expensive for the individual
company, many energy service providers
offer flexible financing models for businesses
that want to convert their lighting.
In addition, such measures are usually
supported with subsidies. It's worth
doing some research here!
Water march
It doesn't always have to be tap water!
Whether stored rainwater, spring water
or water from your own well, there are
many alternatives that can be used to care
for animals, for cleaning purposes or for
irrigation, among other things. Here, too,
it is important to first seek professional
advice in order to determine the exact
composition as well as the quality of the
water and to derive measures from this -
such as certain treatment tools that need
to be used.
You can find more information about
alternative energies, switching energy
suppliers and expert advice on energy
management on the spoga blog.
www.spogahorse.de
10 Reitsport BRANCHE

SPECIAL
Foto: Fa. FLECK
Whips & crops
Foto: Fa. FLECK
The extended arm
A crop or whip can be helpful to support the rider’s calf when riding or as an extended arm
for in-hand work. It also serves as a visual signal to the horse, allowing for finer aids and clearer
communication. For lunging or driving, special whips are used. What types of crop and whip are
there, what materials are they made of and what needs to be considered when using them?
Basically, crops and whips are thin and flexible sticks that
used to be made of wood such as hazelnut or willow. Nowadays,
they are mainly made of fibreglass or/and ultralight
carbon. At the upper end there is a grip that merges into a
stick of varying length. Depending on the discipline, the end of
the crop/whip is formed as a short thong made of fabric, plastic
or leather. Driving and lunging whips have long leather or synthetic
thongs. The grips and sticks are either covered with nylon
or leather. Crops that are covered with fabric may be additionally
lacquered to prevent rubbing against the breeches. There are
also variants with a gel knob for a comfortable and fatigue-free
grip. To prevent crops from slipping out of the hand, some models
have a loop, which is placed around the wrist. Driving or lunging
whips have particularly long sticks. They can consist of two
12 Reitsport BRANCHE

parts that can be stuck together or of several segments that are telescoped
in a similar way to a radio antenna. Such poles are easy
to transport and mainly used in groundwork.
DRESSAGE WHIPS
Dressage whips
The length of the whip depends on the intended use. In dressage,
whips with a length of 110 to 130 cm are used. The maximum
length allowed for dressage whips at German competitions
is 120 cm including the thong. The dressage whip is always carried
on the side on which it is used, i.e. it always points to the inside
of the riding arena. If the rider wants to change it to the other
hand, both reins are taken in the hand holding the whip. Now,
the whip is slowly pulled upwards with the hand that is going to
hold it. A dressage whip is not grasped at the upper end but rather
near its centre of gravity. It points diagonally downwards over
the rider's thigh. When used, the lower end of the dressage whip
only just touches the horse close to the rider's lower leg. If the horse
is touched at the exact moment it lifts the leg, a forward driving
aid is achieved. Short impulses with the whip prevent the effect of
the rider’s leg to wear off over time. Ineffective squeezing and flapping
of the calves can be avoided when a crop or whip is used. On
curved lines or in lateral movements, the crop/whip has a supporting
effect. Placed behind the rider’s outer leg, the whip will
prevent the horse from swerving its hindquarters to the outside.
A whip placed on the outer shoulder of the horse will prevent it
from falling over the shoulder. Dressage whips can also be used
on the croup to increase flexion in the haunches and, in classic
equitation, to support the Spanish walk. In principle, the well-dosed
use of the whip/crop requires a lot of sensitivity on the part of
the rider so that the horse does not become numb to this kind of
aid. Whip aids should be accepted by horses with respect but entirely
without fear. Correct whip aids work according to learning
theory with positive reinforcement as a signalling effect. The horse
is only lightly touched. At the slightest reaction in the right direction,
the rider stops using the whip/crop and the horse is praised.
If, on the other hand, the crop/whip is used to build up pressure
by increasing the intensity of the touch, the aid acts as negative
reinforcement, i.e. punishment. However, a crop/whip must
never be used in a punitive way. The German Equestrian Federation,
for example, rejects punitive aids: “Any reaction in the sense
of a 'punishment' according to human understanding is to be
clearly rejected, because one cannot assume that a horse can think
abstractly like a human being”, it says in the guidelines for riding
and driving on the topic of “The relationship between horse and
rider”.
JUMPING CROPS
For show jumping, either short jumping bats with a wide leather
flap at the end or short jumping crops from about 50 cm of
length are used to touch the horse’s shoulder for animation before
the jump. At show jumping competitions in Germany, crops
with a maximum length of 75 cm incl. thong are permitted. Jumping
crops in particular are unfortunately often misused for socalled
correction. However, punishing a horse with a strong lash
after it has refused a jump is just as ineffective as thus forcing it
over the jump on account of its flight instinct. This will rather lead
to the horse associating jumping with
negative experiences, which means
it will perform even worse
in the future. This is confirmed
by a study that analysed
the use of crops by
amateur as well as professional
show jumpers
at British show-jumping
competitions from August
2018 to January
2019. For this purpose, 285
horse-rider pairs were recorded
over jumps at a height of
Jumping crops
0.8 to 1.25 metres and statistically
evaluated as to whether a crop was used
and, if so, how often, with what intensity and whether the use had
a positive effect on performance or not. The result showed that 76
per cent of the riders had a crop with them during the class, but
only 14 per cent actually used it. With frequent use of the crop, the
horse's performance decreased significantly (more fences down).
This was most extreme with those riders who used the crop with
great force.
JOCKEY WHIPS
These crops are traditionally used in horse racing. Like the
jumping bat, they consist of a short handle and body with a flap
as a thong, which is supposed to make impact less painful, but
quite loud. Whips have been used for horse racing for centuries,
especially on the home stretch. It is argued that hitting the horses
with the whip only makes them more attentive and motivates
them to run faster and that they hardly feel any pain because of
their supposedly “thicker” skin. A British survey among 3463 riders
actually found that only 30 per cent of the participants believed
that a whip can cause pain at all to the horse. Animal rights
activists have long been suspicious of this line of argument. In
2012, as part of a European initiative, numerous organisations
called for a general ban on whips at horse races, as has been in place
in Norway since 1982, for example. Despite some restrictions
on the use of whips, there has not yet been a European or worldwide
ban.
Reitsport BRANCHE 13

SPECIAL
In 2015, the Australian TV science magazine Catalyst wanted
to know whether racehorses really feel hardly any pain from the
use of the crop and commissioned pathologist Dr Lydia Tong to
investigate what differences there are between human and horse
skin in terms of their anatomical structure and pain sensation. For
this purpose, she analysed in the laboratory a piece of skin from
the flank of a horse (where the whip is usually applied) and one
from the corresponding part of the body of a human. Result: horse
skin is only 0.8 mm thicker than human skin. The main difference
is in the deep collagen layer, which lies below the superficial
pain-sensing fibres. “The horse's skin, the top layer of the skin
where the pain receptors are located, is actually thinner than the
human epidermis,” Tong said. This meant that, in the horse, there
are fewer skin cells between a pain trigger such as a whip and
the sensitive nerve endings. “In view of this, one could conclude
that when the horse is exposed to a pain stimulus, it is more thinskinned.”
By means of a special staining technique, the veterinarian
was also able to prove that horses have considerably more
sensory nerve endings in their skin tissue, especially in the epidermis,
where the primary pain sensation is triggered.
“Our small pilot study showed that the horse's skin has no padding
whatsoever, as is often assumed of larger animals. Particularly
revealing is the finding that the skin in the area where a riding
crop is used may even have a greater sense of pain than ours,”
Tong sums up.
metres long. The thong of four to five metres included, the whip
reaches up to eight metres in length to always be able to reach
the horse when lunging. Together with the voice, the lunge whip
is a forward driving aid. To achieve this effect, the horse does
not necessarily have to be touched with the thong. Rather, the
whip should be used in as measured a manner as possible by casting
the thong behind the horse without touching it with it. For
example, if the horse is meant to trot, the whip is lowered from
the neutral position behind the horse as a prompt and returned
to the neutral position after the change of gait. If the horse knows
this signal, there is no need to actually use the whip thong.
Lowering the whip is sufficient for driving the horse forward. To
slow the horse down, the whip is lowered parallel to the lunge
so that the horse does not push into the circle.
DRIVING WHIPS
For driving, whips with a stick length of 150 to 180 cm and a
thong of 20 to 30 cm are used, and the stick should be stiff and
straight.
Driving whips
CROPS & WHIPS FOR GROUNDWORK
For in-hand work, a long, soft touchier whip can be used. It
acts as an extended arm and supports the lead work by tapping
different areas of the body. A touchier whip can be used as a driving
and a restraining aid for turns or lateral movements, to keep
the horse at a distance or to halt it. At the Spanish Riding School
in Vienna, birch whips are traditionally used for the piaffe and
school jumps in hand. They are between 170 and 190 cm long,
not too heavy and very elastic at the end. Every rider at the
Touchier whip
School cuts their own whips from straight trunks of a six- to
eight-year-old birch tree in January. The branches are cut off
and the trunk is repeatedly split to obtain the whips. For better
durability, the birch whips are placed in water for one day before
use.
Whips are also part of the equipment for lunging. The twopiece
or telescopic stick of the whip is between two and three
Driving whips are available in two designs: the drop lash whip
is used with full collar harnesses. With this whip, the transition
between stick and thong is arched. The driving whip is used with
breast collar harnesses, and in this case the thong is attached to
the stick with an eyelet. While driving, the driver always holds the
whip in his or her hand. In order to not upset the horse(s), unnecessary
waving or cracking of the whip should be avoided. Whip
aids should always be inaudible and may only be given from the
free hand. With a driving whip, forward driving or collecting aids
can be applied to change or maintain gaits and tempi. The effect
of the whip aid depends on the manner of holding the reins. When
the rein is shortened, the whip has a collecting effect, when the
rein is yielded, the effect is forward-driving.
Text and Photos: Birgit van Damsen
14 Reitsport BRANCHE

PROMOTION
16 Reitsport BRANCHE

INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH RUDI MAISACK, OWNER OF FLECK WHIP & CROP MANUFACTURE
FULL-RANGE SUPPLIER FOR SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
The FLECK family business, based in Schwarzach in the Odenwald region, is the market leader for whips
and crops. The company’s origins date back to the year 1870. Reitsport BRANCHE
spoke to Rudi Maisack, owner and managing director.
When cheap imports from Taiwan flooded the market in the
60s, your company had to go with the flow. What is the situation
like today?
Rudi Maisack: That was the right decision at the time. It was
only by adding cheaper import goods to our portfolio that we managed
to leave these difficult times behind us. Unlike our competitors,
however, we continued to focus on our
know-how and many innovations and consistently
stuck to our very own products
– riding and driving whips made in
Germany. That is why today we can
offer a complete portfolio, ranging
from the simple riding school whip for
six euros through to the exclusive driving
whip for 500 euros and more.
Which and how many of your products
are manufactured in Germany?
Rudi Maisack: In short: riding and driving whips for mass and
competition sport. Meanwhile, approximately 20 % are imported,
always in accordance with our stringent requirements and under
constant on-site quality controls. At least 80 % of all products, which
are divided into the price categories economy, professional and premium,
are manufactured in Schwarzach.
Is wood as a natural material still an option?
Rudi Maisack: In fact, despite all the high-tech materials such as
glass and carbon fibre composites, wood has not been completely
banned from production. Willow wood cut to natural (thorny) whips
and particularly the driving whips made from real firethorn in the
upper price segment are much in demand among carriage drivers
and can cost up to 500 euros and more. From an economic point of
view, however, these absolute premium products are not the “saviour”,
due to their low unit numbers. We make them because we
still know how to do it, because we want to preserve this old manufacturing
tradition and because a certain clientele wishes us to do so.
How are the whips produced, is this a mechanical, automated
process?
Rudi Maisack: That is what most people think. But although fibreglass
and carbon have revolutionised production, the proportion of
manual work is still surprisingly high, accounting for 80 per cent. Even
the most basic whip variety requires at least five working steps, the premium
products easily require 15 to 20. Applying the tip of the whip,
the winding and braiding, the varnishing of the stick and applying of
the grip, all these steps need to be done individually and manually. In
the in-house braiding department, whips and crops are mechanically
braided with coloured nylon threads by modern braiding machines.
But if the traditional white cotton thread is used for quality products,
the whips will need to be coloured individually and by hand before
they are coated with a protective lacquer.Schutzlack versehen werden.
This sounds very labour-intensive.
How many employees
does your company have?
Rudi Maisack: Today,
FLECK employs a staff of 28 in
production and administration.
Although whip-making is no longer
a recognised occupation requiring formal
training, all employees are trained
professionals with a lot of experience and skill. FLECK is an important
employer in the region and we are very much aware of this special
responsibility. Besides, the know-how developed by FLECK stays
within the company and will not be transferred to other countries.
That way, we are in the best position to keep placing innovations and
trends on the market and to be a pioneer in the truest sense of the
word.
Until now, the workflow has been complicated by the fact that
you have to transport raw materials from the 1st to the 2nd floor
for production and then back again. That is about to change
now ...
Rudi Maisack: ... exactly, we will reintegrate parts of our company
buildings that have been rented out back into the business, thus
optimising our warehousing, logistics and distribution processes, and
go back to producing on two floors as before – back to the roots!
That means, despite the current crises, your business is doing
well?
Rudi Maisack: Times have become more difficult, for sure – but
we are very satisfied, our customers know what they have in us ...
... and that is?
Over the past months and years, we have invested heavily in our
warehousing. Accordingly, we have all the necessary raw materials
in stock, and in abundance. That means that our
ability to deliver is guaranteed. Our customers
appreciate this, particularly in
the current situation. On the other
hand, we always manufacture to
order. This is not only due to the
large range of products, the colour
and length varieties, but also because
customers know that FLECK
will meet all their individual needs
and wishes. We will always be able to
deliver, even though delivery times will depend
on the effort required. The bottom line is that, in addition to
the special quality of our products, it is the extreme reliability that
our customers honour.
Mr Maisack, thank you for the interview.
18 Reitsport BRANCHE

BRANCHEN-VISIT
Trade directory from A - Z
FULL-RANGE SUPPLIERS
ACCESSORIES
CARRIAGE DRIVING BRUSHES
CLOTHING
HEALTH, FEEDING
Fahrsport
Lessing GmbH
D-75446 Wiernsheim
info@mlessing.de
www.mlessing.de
Fahrsportkompetenz seit über 20 Jahren
Redderberg 49
24326 Dersau
Telefon
+49(0)4526-33 99 62
Fax: +49(0)4526-18 82
Mobil: 0171-597 893
heroreitsport@t-online.de
www.heroreitsport.de
INTERESTED IN
BRANCHEN-VISIT?
Then please send your business card
advert (German and English
version) or your company logo and
some text, indicating the desired
category, in an informal email to:
info@meenen-presseservice.de
20 Reitsport BRANCHE

BRANCHEN-VISIT
Trade directory from A - Z
HEALTH, FEEDING
ILLUMINATION
IT SERVICES
SADDLES/SADDLERY EQUIPMENT
Everything for leather
workmanship
www.kappey.de
LAMBSKIN PRODUCTS
Holubovsky
Gerberei und Handel GMBH
Division Horse- Equipment
A-3341 Ybbsitz, Alte Poststrasse 22
Telefon 07443/86384-97
Telefax 07443/86384-8
Email: info@holuhorse.com
www.holuhorse.com
Keller’s genuine
FLAXSEED
cooked / dried
Heinz Keller
Futterspezialitäten GmbH
www.kellersleinsamen.ch /.de /.at
E.A.Mattes GmbH
Birkenweg 2
D-78570 Mühlheim
an der Donau/Germany
Tel. 07463 99518 0
Fax 07463 99518 20
Email: info@e-a-mattes.com
www.e-a-mattes.com
STABLE/PASTURE
HORSEBACK MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
SADDLES/SADDLERY EQUIPMENT
For a perfect Fit!
Inh. Erhard Marschke
Mobil: 0173-49 80 500
info@hemano-sattel.de
www.hemano-sattel.de
Reitsport BRANCHE 21

BRANCHEN-VISIT
SHOP FITTING
Trade directory from A - Z
YOUR GATEWAY TO
THE EQUESTRIAN RETAIL
INDUSTRY IN EUROPE
2,200 print copies (German), 4,500 e-paper copies (English), Ad format: 45 mm
wide x 35 mm high, Price: EUR 29 per month when booked for 1 year
VERBINDUNGEN
You are looking for partners in
south-west France? Have a look
to our horsecluster
SO-Horse-Alliances
Feel free to
contcat us:
Babette SCHILY
b-schily@pau.cci.fr
www.so-horse-alliances.com
INTERESTED IN
BRANCHEN-VISIT?
Then please send your business card
advert (German and English
version) or your company logo and
some text, indicating the desired
category, in an informal email to:
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Triple placement: print edition, e-paper (in English) plus your desired category on the website, including:
accessories – carriage driving – clothing – farrier equipment – feeding – full-range suppliers – gifts – gloves – health – IT –
lambskin products – pasture management supplies – saddles/saddlery equipment – shop fitting – stable supplies –
tall boots and ankle boots – trade fairs
Publication details
8th volume
Reitsport BRANCHE, the magazine for the equestrian trade industry,
is published monthly. German print edition, German-English e-paper
Publishing house and publisher:
Presseservice Meenen, Michael Meenen, Am Mühlenberg 10,
D-47669 Wachtendonk, www.reitsport-branche.com
Editorial team:
Michael Meenen (editor-in-chief, resp.).
Editorial assistant: Heike Neeten, phone +49 (0)2836-1807,
email: info@meenen-presseservice.de.
Janine Reichert (internet and telephone research),
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Leipzig office: Sebastian Reichert (qualified journalist),
email: Sebastian-reichert@gmx.de.
Jorinde Buck, translations, state certified translator/
graduated agricultural engineer.
Florian Reichert, veterinary surgeon, specialist advisor to the editorial staff,
email: info@reitsport-branche.com
Advertising:
The currently valid advertising list is no. 8/2022..
For download at www.reitsport-branche.com
Media Office Meenen, administrative office: Heike Neeten,
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The magazine Reitsport BRANCHE is published monthly (12x per year).
The annual subscription costs EURO 89 and can be comfortbly ordered at
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22 Reitsport BRANCHE

PRODUCT-NEWS
NEW FROM KERALIT
HUFBAD-VET
As it is part of Keralit's philosophy to develop and produce only products
that really serve the protection and restoration of skin and hoof health and
function, anticipation was high for the product Hufbad-Vet, which was announced
in spring 2022, to be finally presented. Hufbad-Vet, a concentrate to be
dissolved in water to create a hoof bath, was originally intended for veterinarians
and farriers only, but is also used by horse
owners due to its easy application.
The product is effective for mild to severe
horn damage, white line disease, seedy toes,
hoof abscesses, laminitis, keratoma, thrush
and any type of horn decomposition, even
when extending into higher wall areas. This
means that there is no need to remove large
areas of load-bearing wall horn.
Info: www.keralit.de
w e s t i p ...
For all things elastic
NEW:
THE HKM ULTRALIGHT
TELESCOPIC LUNGE WHIP
The HKM Ultralight telescopic lunge whip with a length of 2 m and a
lay length of 2.10 m is particularly suitable for lunging during winter
work. Thanks to its light weight and rubberised anti-slip grip, it sits particularly
well in the hand.
Probably the biggest advantage of the lunge whip is the telescopic function.
It can be easily pushed together and thus allows for space-saving
storage in the saddle cupboard or locker. Art. Nr.: 12722
Produktlink: https://www.hkm-sports.com/de/teleskop-longierpeitsche-ultralight-2m.html
Info: www.hkm-sports.com
Saddle girths – made of high-quality,
heavy-elastic polyamide strap (10 cm wide)
• in a Western, dressage or eventing design
• elastic or inelastic
• with stainless steel buckles
• length according to your wishes
Elastic training bandages
• fastener with perforated tape and patent
button (with Velcro strip on request)
• strong design offering good support,
well-padded
• stretched length 4.5 m
Stable bandages - made of wool acrylic
or pure new wool
• fastener with perforated tape and patent
button (with Velcro strip on request)
• warm and protective with excellent
cushioning effect
• 3, 4, 5 and 6 m in length
Elastic surcingles - made of high-quality,
elastic polyamide strap (5 or 8 cm wide)
• adjusting slider and safety clasp made of brass
• non-extended length 2 m
Lunges – made of soft band material
• elastic or inelastic
• two different ways of buckling
• 7 m in length
Elastic and inelastic straps
for manufacturing and saddlery
• sold by the metre
• or cut to length by ultrasound
Wilhelm Westip Textil-Elastic-GmbH
Neuenbaumer Weg 90 • D-42111 Wuppertal
Email: westip@t-online.de
Phone +49 (0) 2 02/ 7 70 67 • Fax +49 (0) 2 02/7 70 66
Reitsport BRANCHE 23