TRAINING TIPS
Sporting a stunning $6,000 hand-made jacket featuring intricate Swarovski crystal and bead embellishments, Natasha and a perfectly groomed MTC Locked Out Of Heaven made a winning impression in the 2019 Western Breeders Group Two-YearOld futurity (Image courtesy Ev Lagoon Photography).
sure that we chose colours that are a good match for our jackets and the horse’s colour,” she adds. When buying a show saddle, the first and foremost concern is that it fits your horse properly, as well as being comfortable for you to sit in while allowing easy leg contact. Good saddles are a substantial investment, so keeping them in bags when you travel to a show will help protect them from scratches and dust. Natasha always ensures that saddles and bridles are spotlessly clean with the silver polished before they leave for a show: “The way you present your horse and gear to the judge should deliver a clear message that you mean business,” she says. Wearing black chaps over black show jeans so that they blend to create an unbroken silhouette, Natasha also dresses in dazzling jackets. Jackets embellished with crystals make an eyecatching statement, but given that good quality jackets start at around $3,000,
But now it’s time to meet another
yes, you end up with very sore fingers
Backhouse daughter, Natasha
they’re not a statement that’s cheap to
but it’s well worth it,” she says.
make!
Tails also need attention. The Humphries
However, vests and shirts are now a
horses’ wear false tails into the show
popular alternative and these give you
pen, which are washed and blow-dried
the option to mix and match: “But make
the night before to ensure they’re
sure that they do match,” she advises,
Natasha’s area of expertise is in Western
thick and glossy. When it comes to
“and that includes your vest, shirt and
Pleasure riding, including the Hunter
face makeup, Natasha says it’s a must,
saddle pad. And remember that in major
Under Saddle classes.
particularly on a horse with a pretty
classes it’s important to stand out, so
head, but suggests that you always opt
when you’re deciding on colours for
for good quality products.
your outfit, make sure that they also
Humphries, who along with husband Travis owns and operates the TNT Training Stables, a professional Western horse training facility.
They too leave their property several days before competition so that their
complement your horse so that they
horses become used to the new
“On show morning, it’s normally a
environment and are settled in the arena.
3:00am wake-up call to allow time to get
But as Natasha explains, there’s plenty to
all the horses lunged down, and to give
And a final word from Natasha: “When
do before departure: “Before we go, we
them one last time in the arena to make
you enter the show pen, you have to
want our horses look their absolute best,
sure everything is perfect. There’s no
ensure that the judge is drawn to you
and that includes washing, clipping and
room for mistakes,” says Natasha.
by the way your horse is presented –
making sure their feet are freshly shod. Then the night before we show them, we wash them thoroughly and whiten their socks”.
“We ride in high quality western saddles with a lot of silver on them for the Western Pleasure classes, and good
bring out its best too.”
well-rounded, shiny and polished to perfection. Remember, first impressions last.”
quality jumping saddles for Hunter Under
Visit www.fivestarreining.com.au
On the morning of the show, the horses
Saddle classes. Saddle pads have to
and www.facebook.com/
have their manes either plaited or
stand out, and ours are tightly woven
tnttrainingstables for contact details
banded. “That takes about an hour and
and usually come from the US. We make
and further information.
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