Equestrienne Magazine - Autumn 2023

EQUESTRIAN LUXE & LIFESTYLE

EUDAIMONIC WELLBEING. MOTHERHOOD AND HORSES. RISK AND REWARD. WALLABY HILL. REDEFINING RELATIONSHIPS. AL SHIRA’AA HORSE SHOW.

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Wow April already! How fast is the year flying along?! It has been a fantastic, busy start to 2023 and our first ‘normal’ year in quite a while. I have been lucky enough to attend some pretty cool events, collecting stories, making memories and taking way too many photos along the way.

My husband and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary, and we also welcomed a new puppy, ‘Navy’ an adorable Australian Shepherd. As a family we spent some time at Sugar Beach Ranch where we rode horses on the white sand. We’ve been mustering on a friend’s property out west and made it to some dressage days and a few Stockman’s Challenges. I didn’t intentionally buy my daughter a stockhorse, but it is great that she is so versatile. It certainly keeps us busy with no shortage of events to go to! (If you’re wondering where all the profits from the magazine go’s, it’s Nominate. Just joking… there are no profits.)

I’m proud to report I have started riding again which has been surprisingly painful but incredibly good fun. I used to be a rider and still considered myself one, but in reality, I haven’t ridden regularly for years. I actually forgot there was a fun part to owning horses. When you don’t ride it does just seem like lots of hard work and endless expenses. An academic friend of mine once described horses as ‘an illogical hobby’ and having not ridden in a while, I was starting to agree with her.

My knees are really bad, and I have developed quite literally, a crippling fear of falling off or being hurt. For the first time in my life I felt physically incapable and from there it was easy to psych myself out. A few months ago I decided

it was time. I just had to get back in the saddle. With the help of my daughter Saffron and her benevolent horse, Stella, I was on. Honestly, it felt so good, I mean, apart from the significant groin injury I sustained trying to mount from the ground (when did that become impossible?!) which is still nagging me.

Anyway, just get on with it, I thought. Rising to the trot is just like riding a bike, right?! Ok that’s a bit harder than it used to be. Let’s work up enough courage to try a little canter. God, I’m really bouncing, I don’t think I used to bounce like this… “You’re bouncing a lot!” My husband (who can’t ride but does feel entitled to comment anyway) said as I lolloped past. Thanks. “Shorten your reins!” shouted Saf. Ha – I’ve been telling you that for the last 10 years…

It’s actually so funny to have your child repeat all the advice you have ever given them (and seemed to either argue with you about or completely ignore). Saf was, somewhat surprisingly, very encouraging, forgiving and supportive in her instruction (she must have got that from me also...) and after successfully staying on a few times (bar is very low), I went and rode at my friend, Zoe’s buckle challenge. I have been wanting to do it for at least two years, I’ve put my entries in and then always bailed at the last minute. This year, I finally did it! Nothing bad happened, I had a great time and I even got one of those little applauses at the end (“really good try”…)

I feel like I’m a beginner again and it’s wonderful. I can forgive myself for not being perfect, not suffer judgement too harshly and most importantly, I can say I’m a rider! We don’t all need to be world-beaters or ribbon winners, I think riding for your own sanity, setting your own goals, supporting others and being part of a community, which is mostly made up of other women, is a wonderful way to spend weekends.

Of course, in between riding 6 times and going to one show, I did manage to find the time to put together another issue of the magazine! My favourite part about my journey with it as it progresses are the wonderful connections which I have been lucky enough to have made and hope to continue to nurture. I am thrilled to announce we have Dressage royalty Rochelle King-Andrews on board as a regular contributor. Having followed Rochelle on the socials for a while, I love how credible yet relatable she is and her first article is an absolute corker!

Sharon Lee Chapman I met through photographing at Magic Millions and she has put together a wonderful piece about some of her favourite shots and the journeys she’s been on to capture them. Naomi Hill is another fantastic new writer we have in this issue. She has given us one of the best articles I’ve ever read and I feel like the quality of the content, cover to cover, has just levelled-up this issue. The amazing equine photographer Jessica Atkins has the cover this time and it’s such an honour to showcase her work. I am really excited to continue to build on this collaboration with Jess.

One of the most wonderful aspects of photographing events is meeting other photographers. We share a common passion, can help each other troubleshoot and fully understand the frustrations (both technical and mental) of the job. I met Ash Grant last year but only in passing. She has a very minimalist, chic aesthetic which I found a little intimidating in comparison to the chaos that is my life and work. Over last few months we have become friends and she has been a constant presence (and a bit of a perfectionist) with compiling this issue. Check out her stunning Wallaby Hill feature and beautiful photos in our Good Foundations article with Jane Gollan.

So, this issue is all about collaborating with women in the horse industry, and that is really what is at the very heart of this magazine. Our passion for horses and commitment to their holistic wellbeing. Our purpose we find though meaningful goals, experiences and being our most authentic selves. And our connection to each other through our circles, clubs and communities as horsewoman.

To Lek Young and Helen Cruden – I couldn’t do this without you both! Much love and gratitude always. Special thanks to Sam Mizzi, Mel Spitall, Brooke Cowley, Tanja Kraus, Leah Manning and Liz Koob for their contributions this issue. And finally, to my beautiful friends who have supported the magazine from the start - Helen Huie, Penny Webb, Anne – Marie Lasserre, Ali Hall -Perrin and Megan Hopkins, I will forever be grateful.

One year of Equestrienne Magazine - made for tack rooms & coffee tables. A new era of equestrian reportage with a focus on women in equestrian sports & businesses.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PUBLISHER & FOUNDING DIRECTOR

At home with ‘Dora’. Photo by Saf.

8.

AL SHIRA’AA INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW 2023

Helen Cruden

The most spectacular event of the United Arab Emirates showjumping season.

16.

GOOD FOUNDATIONS

Jane Gollan

We chat to the founder of the Transitioning Thoroughbred Foundation, a non-profit organisation that focuses on the rehabilitation and retraining of retired racehorses for a career after racing.

22.

ROCHELLE KING-ANDREWS

Motherhood and Horses

How does your greatest passion survive the arrival of the love of your life?

28.

EUDAIMONIC WELLBEING

Naomi Hill

Why The Hard Yards of Horse Ownership Are Key To Your Wellbeing.

FRONT COVER

ISABELLA PRICE & DANCIERO

SUTTON FARM, NSW.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this publication is created & read. We pay our respects to Elders past, present & emerging.

PHOTO BY JESSICA ATKINS.

AUTUMN

46. JOURNEYS

Sharon Lee Chapman

On the road with one of Australia’s leading Thoroughbred and racing photographers.

78.

RIDE FIT

Anne-Marie Lasserre

How to feel better in breeches. It’s all about colour, cut & confidence!

80.

WALLABY HILL

Ashley Grant

A picturesque private equestrian facility located in the heart of the Southern Highlands.

88.

Ali Hall-Perrin

How to help an industry that runs on volunteers.

@equestrienne_magazine

STABLE

36. LUXLIFE

Jessica Atkins

Life through the lens of the multi award-winning equine photographer.

42.

CAMPDRAFT COACH

Meagan Hopkins

Unicorns don’t exist and neither do perfect horses. The risk, reward & reality of buying a horse.

54.

MARE TALES

Onessa MVNZ

“If I had to describe her in one word, it would be ‘perfect’. She has the kindest heart and the kindest eye of any horse I have ever known.”

62. EQUILEGAL

Leah Manning

Choosing the right structure is one of the most important things you can do when starting and operating an equestrian business.

64. REDEFINING RELATIONSHIPS

Tanja Kraus

There is a beautiful balance to be found in mutual respect, setting boundaries and communication.

68.

GLOBE-TROTTING

Helen Cruden

Spectacular images from the UAE Showjumping season through the lens of our favourite International Equestrienne.

84. PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR

Helen Huie

Breaking lifelong patterns and self-healing require us to develop an awareness of our own internal states.

89.

Our ambassador Kate answers some common questions about life with her horses in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

90.

STABLE WRAPS

Christy Baker

Originally from the Gold Coast, Christy is currently based in Wellington Florida USA, grooming for an international Dressage rider.

AUTUMN

essentials

Finally, after what seems like forever in the sweltering heat of Summer, Autumn is on its way! Personally, Autumn is my favourite time of year, cool mornings turning into beautiful days, not too hot, not too cold, perfect riding weather. Of course, as the season changes, so do the choices in clothing. To help with the transition I have compiled a list of my essentials so we can make the most out of Autumn.

THE UGGS

Now I know at first look you’re probably wondering why on earth I would recommend these but just have a little faith. These are a staple at home. Not only are they comfy and warm but they are waterproof! Making them perfect for the morning feed runs or when you have to get up super early for a show, walking around in the dew. I have had 2 pairs now and they are my number one ‘must have’ for autumn.

Editor’s note - You’ll always find a pair of BOGS boots at our front door. Warm, dry & comfy for early morning feeds, late-night checks & every job in between, no matter the weather! bogsfootwear.com.au

LONG SLEEVE SHIRT

I’m a long-sleeve girl all year round myself but for most people it’s around this time of year that they might start reaching for a bit more coverage than their usual short sleeve. Frosty arms are not something that anyone really enjoys. Emcee Equestrian is my go- to brand for long sleeve shirts for both competition and training. They’re still breathable enough that you won’t overheat when you get going but they provide the right amount of coverage. emceeapparel.com.au

VEST

Almost goes without saying but a vest is a must in autumn. With so many brands and multiple options, it really comes down to your own preference. Do you want something light weight that’s just a little bit of a layer or something a bit more substantial and waterproof? The options are endless. I tend to go for vests that are warm enough but are not bulky so that they will fit underneath a jacket should I need to put one on.

Editor’s note - Can’t go past a North Face goose down vest. Super durable ripstop fabric outer, extremely warm but lightweight & packs down to nothing. My Autumn essential! thenorthface.com.au

ELT HAMBURG RIDING JACKET

With the changing weather a good raincoat is something everyone needs. Now this one I will be specific about, having owned one of these for the last year. It has been an absolute essential.

The ELT Hamburg Riding Jacket is lightweight and breathable enough but still wind and waterproof. This jacket also gets bonus points for still being stylish enough to wear in the ring when the weather is less than ideal. saddleworlddural.com.au

SUNSCREEN

Just because it’s cooling down does not mean your risk of getting burned is lower. Sun protection is so important and I cannot stress enough how much we should all be wearing it every single day. In Aus where the UV rays are so strong, I never use anything less than 50+.

Brands like Hawaiian Tropic and SunSense are great but if you’re feeling fancy and want sunscreen that will sit well under make-up, my recommendations are Mecca Cosmetica - To Save Face and Naked Sundays SPF50 Hydrating Glow Mist to top up your sun protection during the day. mecca.com.au

Liz Koob - Showjumping Rider at CJB Equestrian in Sydney NSW/ Diploma of Fashion Business from FBI Fashion College. @lizkoob

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AL SHIRA’AA HORSE SHOW 2023

HELEN CRUDEN

Left. Winners of the Grand Pix, Joe Whitaker & Hulahupe. Above. with groom Alice Emsley.

The Al Shira’ aa International Horse Show 2023 was a record breaking year for the show, with over 450 horses competingmore than ever before, and with 72 of them from Europe alone. Under the vision of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Al Shira’aa International Horse Show has transformed from its infancy into the most spectacular event of the United Arab Emirates showjumping season. Top riders from Europe, the surrounding region and the UAE compete at 4* level to claim coveted titles, most notably The Al Shira’aa Longines Grand Prix.

This year saw the event become a spectacle for its audiences and competitors alike, riders at 2* level had the opportunity to qualify for the Aston Martin Ride n’ Drive which took place as the desert sun set over Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening. The class consisted of the riders jumping a set of fences with their horses, racing to the car on foot via their own fence to jump, and finally hopping into the most exceptional SUV in the world, the Aston Martin DBX, where they were accompanied by a top class driver from a selection of 4* riders, show officials and sponsors. Needless to say, with the riders as co-pilots and the crowds cheering from all around the arena, it was one of the most hotly contested classes of the week.

This year the show highlighted women’s talent in ways never seen before. From countless women competing from the region in the 2* classes, many also in the 4*, there was one stand out competitor - Ireland’s Jessica Burke. Jessica took home over €30,000 in prize money from the week, winning the Bolesworth Gold Tour Class with Inpulss, coming second in the Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Gold Tour with Express Trend and finishing as top lady rider taking fourth place in the Al Shira’aa Longines Grand Prix on Nikey HH. Such astounding results on so many different horses, simply proves what an outstanding horsewoman Jessica is, another female inspiration from the show to girls in the region and around the world.

The finale of the show was one to remember, a testing course saw only the very elite proceed to the Jump Off with equestrian household names such as Billy Twomey, Shane Breen and William Funnel. However, it was a day for one of the greatest dynasties of the sport, the Whitaker family. On his first visit to the UAE and his first show of the tour, Joe Whitaker, brother of Ellen Whitaker, rode the small but mighty Hulahupe to victory and his celebration was one to remember for years to come. His sheer elation as he raced through the finish line of the Grand Prix and his multiple laps of honour during the prize giving, paid tribute to the significance and prestige of the Al Shira’aa International Horse Show, under the patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for the showjumping community from around the world.

Left. Jessica Burke & Inpulss

Page Left. Al Shira’aa moments. Aston Martin Ride n’ Drive.

Top Right. Shamsa Al Mheiri - Al Shira’aa rider.

Above left. Sara Armouti. Right. Ioli Mytilineou

Greek rider Ioli Mytilineou & Seven Oaks.

Horses have been a significant part of many people's lives, and for some, it's more than just a hobby or a passion, it's a calling. This is certainly true for Jane Gollan, founder of the Transitioning Thoroughbred Foundation, a non-profit organisation that focuses on the rehabilitation and retraining of off-the-track Thoroughbreds for a career after racing.

GOOD FOUNDATIONS

Growing up at Misty Brae Lodge, a 25-acre property situated on Galston Gorge in Dural, Jane’s father bred racehorses as a hobby and as a young child, Jane was surrounded by horses spelling and pre-training at the farm. She remembers the magic of witnessing mares foaling down and from there, a deep love of horses was born. The family had a box at Rosehill and Jane has many fond memories from her childhood of watching the races with her father. Jane shared his passion for the Thoroughbred and when she was 13, she was gifted ‘Misty Fox’, a gelding who had been bred by her family and retired from racing. “I had an off the tracker because that’s what was accessible to me, but I remember him being such a kind, quiet, willing animal. I took him to Pony Club and was lucky enough to be coached by world-class eventer Paul Tapner. That’s when I started eventing. It was just lovely to see that progression from him as a racehorse to a child’s horse, to the top-level eventer that he eventually became. I saw what these horses could do, on and off the track. It really has been a life-long relationship with off the track thoroughbreds since then.”

Sadly, when Jane was 15, her father passed away. The horses were dispersed, including Misty Fox who went to England with Paul and continued competing successfully around the big tracks. She found herself stepping away from horses while she completed a university degree and pursued a corporate career in insurance broking.

Many of us have taken time out or away from horses for one reason or another as adults, but the love of the animal is definitely something that tends to stay with you for life. When Jane heard about a stable foreman position that had come up with a prominent Sydney trainer, she knew this was her chance to be back around horses. So, in what can only be described as ‘a leap of faith’, she traded her 9-to-5 office job in favour of ‘getting up at 2:30am and shoveling shit. I didn’t care, I loved it! I was just so happy to be back with the horses again.’

After a short stint there, Jane then spent some time working with polo ponies in Windsor, the heart of horse country, while fielding some scrutiny from her family who wondered, somewhat understandably, what exactly she was planning on doing with her life, she then landed her ‘dream job’ as personal assistant to Gai Waterhouse. It was here that she was in her element, once again surrounded by horses and fully immersed in racing.

She worked for Gai for two years before meeting her future husband, Tony Gollan. “I didn’t really know who he was, he was training up at Toowoomba at the time. The day we met was the day his horse Temple Of Boom won his first Group 1 - The Galaxy at Royal Randwick Racecourse. From then we stayed in touch and a few months later I moved up to Queensland and started working at his offices.

He obviously had horses retiring through the stable which I would help rehome. People would often come and take horses for show jumping or pony club and one day a girl came to take a horse for eventing. I thought how much I would love to do that again. It had been 10 years since I'd been on a horse, but I started riding one of Tony's horses, The Clandyman Can, when he retired. He was a wonderful horse that had been unbeatable around the Toowoomba track. We kind of learned the trade together and I started from scratch.”

Jane has continued to compete in the sport of Evening since then and has owned and ridden several retired race-horses including Grey Assignment, Gundy Son and Temple of Boom. It wasn’t until meeting Mattea Davidson that Jane acquired a fairly educated horse, Susashi, who was also a retired racehorse

Jane and Tony clearly share a love of racing and horses and about 18 months after she moved to Queensland, they took a surprise detour on their way home from dinner one evening. “I remember Tony saying, ‘We’ll just run past the stables, I just need to do something.’ I walked in behind him, the lights were off, I was thinking what is going on..? And then I saw him there, down on one knee in front of Temple’s (Temple Of Boom) box with a ring! We got married at the Eagle Farm racetrack. The week before the wedding Temple won the Victory Stakes at double-figure odds, and his brother Spirit Of Boom had come second. It was very emotional. Temple came to the wedding and when he retired from racing of course there was no way we could ever let him go. He’ll be with us forever.”

Photo by Ashley Grant - The Blachat

In 2017, Jane’s efforts in rehoming OTTs were recognised when she was presented the prestigious Godolphin Award for Thoroughbred Care and Welfare. Jane described this as ‘an incredible honour’ and continued working to promote the amazing athleticism and capabilities of the horses by bringing the Triequithon to Queensland. The event, held trackside at Doomben racecourse, is a highlight on the calendar for both racing and eventing enthusiasts and a wonderful way to showcase what these horses can do in their post-racing careers. It is an express eventing spectacle which sees former racehorses complete a dressage test, eventing course and showjumping round mere metres from the hospitality marquee. Jane is now the director of Triequithon Qld, as well as the Horse Welfare & Rehoming Manager for Gollan Racing.

It was a year later that Jane formalised her rehoming of retired racehorses by creating the Transitioning Thoroughbred Foundation, a not-for-profit organization which provides clear pathways for horses into their lives after racing. TTFs mission is to provide OTTs with the necessary care, training, and rehabilitation to prepare them for success in their second career and to show that every horse can have a purpose after racing, be it as a performance horse, show horse or pleasure horse. Every horse a period of professional retraining and rehabilitation before they are adopted into suitable, long-term homes with traceability for life.

Through their work, they also hope to dispel the myth that OTTBs are only suitable for racing and want to help demonstrate their versatility and adaptability. The foundation partners with trainers, riders, and owners to give these horses the best possible chance at a successful transition to a new discipline, whether it be in eventing, polo, dressage, or other equestrian sports. They believe that every horse deserves a chance to realise its true and unique potential, to be perfectly matched with a rider and to be traced for life.

It was very important to Jane that the retrainers enlisted by TTF have a combination of knowledge and experience, an undeniable fondness for, and a deep connection with, ex-racehorses and a commitment to their well-being. The foundation currently has the help of trainers Kate Rogers, Natalie Siiankowski and Mattea and Shane Davidson who are all qualified and accomplished riders who have had success in retraining and competing OTTs.

Jane with husband Tony Gollan & Temple Of Boom at The Ekka, 2016.

Photo by Lisa Gordon

Jane & TTF Capital Connection.

Photo by Ashley Grant - The Blachat.

The TTF team spends a minimum of three months assessing each horse’s strengths and weaknesses before rehoming them. They primarily focus on novice riders and aim to provide safe and desensitised horses that can transition into new careers with ease. The foundation accepts horses with pre-existing injuries or conditions and does not discriminate against any type of horse. Jane and her team work closely with professionals to recognise which horses can be managed correctly and matched with the right rider. The foundation has seen a mix of young and amateur riders, as well as professional riders taking on the horses.

The journey of one horse in particular, Articus, really exemplifies the TTF’s mission. Atticus was an import from France and raced until he was ten years old. He had several Group 1 starts including a Caufield Cup where he’d lined up as favourite. Initially they were unsure how easy his transition from racehorse to riding horse would be as he was quite tense on arrival, but trainer Kate Rogers soon noticed his willing temperament and discovered how trainable he was. Through Kate’s rehab program, which included specific gymnastic exercises, he became a beautiful and supple horse under saddle who was able to be rehomed to a young rider and now competes in inter-school competitions. Rehoming these horses to long-lasting homes is number one, and the foundation is always willing to give trial periods to ensure a good match.

The TTF is providing a much-needed service to the racing industry. As Jane says herself, ‘There are just so many horses.’ It is their commitment to traceability and safety that is setting a new standard for retired racehorse rehoming and is making a significant impact on the lives of these horses. By maintaining detailed records of each horse’s background and history, the foundation can help ensure that the horses are placed in suitable homes where they can thrive. The TTF model has proven successful with many retired racehorses going on to participate in off-the-track sporting events which are becoming more popular, with many specific classes and incentives for OTTs, particularly in showhorse and showjumping programs.

The bulk of TTF’s funding comes mainly from adoption fees and merchandise sales, with all proceeds going back into the foundation to assist in the retraining of future horses. Despite the success though, Jane hopes to receive more financial support from the horse racing industry to expand the foundation’s reach and provide more opportunities for horses going forward. The foundation is already providing much-needed assistance to horses from Northern and remote areas of Queensland where there are limited opportunities for them after racing. With the help of TTF, these horses now have clearer pathways into life after racing and every chance to reach their full potential.

Atricus & his young rider Sienna Elliott .

Above - Maeve Riley & TTF Hibiya. Photo by Hoofprintz

Below - TTF Larry & trainer Natalie Siiankoski. Photo by No Reins Photography

Jane’s contribution to the lives of both the horses she’s rehomed and the people who she has met along the way is evident and admirable, but she knows her work is far from done. There is still a long way to go but thanks to retraining schemes such as TTF and Racing Queensland’s QOTT which includes subsidised lessons, the future is more certain for horses retiring from racing. “I think there's definitely more awareness to this space now, at Gollan Racing we certainly educate owners about the commitment they have to their horses when they have finished racing and that is something that really needs to be enforced by authorities.”

Jane holds a clear vision for the TTF's future. She is planning some larger fundraising activities this year that combine the love of racing with the love of horses and also hopes to expand TTF's reach to include different equestrian disciplines. She would also like to support the therapeutic use of horses with disabled riders and for war veterans to receive training as a pathway to employment within the racing industry.

Jane herself is currently competing a graduate of the Foundation, Capital Connection. Originally bought through Magic Millions as a ladies syndicate horse, the brown gelding has always had a great temperament and was a very loved horse in the stable. When he retired and completed his retraining, Jane decided he was the one she would like to keep for herself as an ambassador for TTF. “Certain ones you do have a connection with, and I feel like I have that with him. It was just perfect timing; I’ve got a 3-year-old and a 5 year old so it’s busy with the kids, but you just find a way to make it work if it’s something you love doing. I’m being coached by Leslie Brodbeck, we have a good competition plan and I’m getting more and more into eventing. It’s just good fun! I also have Temple Of Boom who I get out a couple of times a week for a lunge and a bubble bath. He didn’t take to retraining like the others, he has thrown Group 1 winning jockeys off his back shying at puddles – and he was one of the country’s best wet-trackers!” Jane added with a laugh, “So I just take him to events with Cappy as a companion. They all deserve a chance.” EM

For more info about TTF, to donate or adopt a horse go to www.transitioningthoroughbreds.org

Jane & TTF Capital Connection. Photos by Ashley Grant - The Blachat. JANE GOLLAN

MOTHERHOOD and Horses

How does your greatest passion survive the arrival of the love of your life?

Rochelle King-Andrews

Can we have the proverbial cake and eat it too? For many of us when our precious dearly hoped for human babies arrive, the horses must slowly retreat into the background. Time, finances and your sense of self all change. Responsibilities that centred around your goals are suddenly overtaken by tasks and feelings you didn’t even know existed. It’s not just domestic chores but your mind is suddenly taken up by a whole new style of thinking, that has very little to do with what previously mattered to you. Your whole life is suddenly about someone else.

When I was pregnant, I thought that I would have my daughter, happily hand her to her babysitter and return to top competition without the slightest angst. Let us skip over the actual ‘having’ of said baby, because if you’re reading this you might already have a fair idea of that moment in many mothers’ lives and if you are yet to triumph in the birthing room you are better to remain ignorant of its joys! There is no comparison equal to the effort required to bring a baby forth. There is also not one single joy that can equal the feeling when your baby is handed to you… And not one single person on this earth who can tell you until you are in that moment that you now have a single purpose in life which is to protect and nurture your baby. No wonder so many of us turn from our sport, art, career, even ourselves to dedicate our lives to our families.

Whilst pregnant I was not totally ignorant that I would be different. I used to worry about how to swaddle, wander the Baby Kingdom aisles biting my nails to decide which monitor would ensure she was never alone if she needed us, or which cleaning thingy would work best to make sure bottles were 10000 % clean.

I studied and practiced how to purée. (The humble potato and the cooking of it was a mystery to me; dressage riders used to smoke cigarettes, drink coffee and occasionally eat out with friends. Maintaining a slight 50 kilos required minimal cooking skills.) I was in endless terror of what I would need to do and be, with ZERO idea how I would figure it all out. I was excited, joyous and apprehensive. I like to be prepared.

Once Allesandra arrived, the hand over I thought would be so easy was surprisingly impossible.

For those of you who found yourselves anxious over what rugs to leave on your horses, the wellbeing of our baby outstripped that angst!

Our patient nanny was often sent back to the stables if there were any cancellations so I could steal time and watch over my precious baby.

Questions you never even thought of overtake your mind… Are they sleeping well? Are they sleeping too much? Even though cloth nappies are better for the future of the universe can we cheat occasionally when we are busy, or will my child have no planet left to preserve? Will the nanny know to kiss her and keep a nice energy, so she grows up happy? What if the weekend nanny we don’t know as well is rough? And so it went …poor Greg, really! Easy to look back and laugh now she is a robust & healthy 12 year old.

The days were very hazy for the first 6 months. I took a wellearned three-day break and returned to the barn. I worked 24 hours straight twice a week in order to bank time with her. Building a successful company with zero initial capital and a big property mortgage meant I had to really hammer every single day in an organised, effective way. We employed a nanny by increasing our workload to gargantuan proportions.

When you become a mother, other than anxiety, extreme joy, and a side helping of guilt, you also realise why sleep deprivation is used to torture and kill captives. In the beginning I consoled myself with the advice I was given that highly intelligent children have more active brains. I still await Allesandra’s Einstein parallel discoveries. On one of the nights I couldn’t rock, pat or sing another note (controlled crying was an anathema to me), I cheated. Not proud, just know that I was driven to it. I woke in the wee hours, my face down on Andie’s little horse lounge, laying on the timber floor. I panicked, “OMG where is the baby”?! She was sitting up on the coffee table enjoying Tinker Bell. From that moment Tinker Bell reminded me only of being so tired that laying in the dark face down in my own drool and leaving my daughter to her own devices seemed a good idea. Tinker Bell is banned forever in our home! If I ever hear her asking Terrence for more fairy dust, my eye starts to tick. So yep, I was sleep deprived and the early mornings were hardest. I recall issuing an edict to all staff members:

“Do not speak to Rochelle before 6 am beyond ‘good morning’, keep the coffee cup full, place it on the arena rail and disappear quietly”.

I would be on the first horse by 4 am whether Andie had slept or not. Usually not or if she did it was in my arms (I know rod for my own back ‘n’ all that, but I simply don’t believe in letting people cry without hugs and compassion). Interesting side note: I’ve probably only seen Andie cry three times in her life, she usually just workshops until she feels better… so time well spent I say. I’d also read about a mother smothering her baby under her boob by accident, falling asleep while nursing so I tried to stay awake, reciting Shakespeare, impending dressage tests or creating to-do lists to stay awake. I was probably being ridiculously vigilant as my A cup bust wasn’t going to be capable of smothering a robust baby.

My morning rides whilst technically work, were a gift! The flood lights would cast romantic shadows across the arena of the beautiful trees we planted everywhere when we first moved, and as the feel of my favourite horses mixed with the strong coffee, my hazy brain and tired body came alive. My first real smile of the day would be when one of the girls would race down to the arena with my phone and hand over a picture of Andie awake and snuggled in her daddy’s arms.

Only once did a brave soul forget my proclamation and ask at 4:30 am if she could swap her two-week holidays. I don’t often have my shared diary first thing in the morning, but I could hazily think that the dates she wanted were during CDI. She was politely asked to refrain from any words beyond hello until the sun came up, or perhaps even to wait until I was in the office. I use the word politely loosely.

I don’t know about you, but once you are ‘we’, every time you walk out the door, it becomes an epic journey of puréeing, packing, boiling and always forgetting one thing essential to your child’s lifelong happiness. We all get better at it, but those initial months were interesting and unexpected... even challenging...yes, that is a more positive way to spin it.

I must say I don’t know I would’ve signed up as eagerly if I had known that every time I got out of the car the whole process needed to be done in reverse when you get home…. forever it seems! Now it’s school bags, instruments, computers, gym bags. Also, how do they spill SO much food?! And why do our children think handing us their rubbish is normal? Have they not heard of garbage bins?

Did I lose my confidence as a rider when I had a baby?

I personally did not, however I am the exception to that general rule. To provide for my family I needed to ride and ride well, so backing off wasn’t an option. I did however calculate the risk very differently and no longer rode remedial horses short term for owners. I take them but I take them for as long as I need. I don’t mind risk as long as I can ensure the horse will emerge heart whole and ready for a good long life. I also needed both legs and knees reconstructed so I stopped riding youngsters from their first starts as the short stirrups and on-off-on-off landing on my knees was not working for me. I also ceased riding horses here and there. They were either in full training with me or the owner must ride them. By this point I was very lame, so much so that Andie learnt to walk by watching me and she dragged one leg slightly and limped with a bent leg on the other. Again, sort of funny looking back, right?

The talk came after a big championship where even though we had won four championships from prelim to Grand Prix with 3 horses we trained from foals, I was tired and distraught. I felt Andie had been cold, pushed aside and asked to be quiet and still too much for a little girl. She had also been given 3 cupcakes by the Saturday nanny that weren’t DF/GF. (Who gives a kid 3?!) That left me sitting on the floor in the bathrooms all night at a show ground while she chucked them all back up. Fun times.

How I ever remembered tests and rode after nights like that I will never, ever know.

Gluten free/dairy free snacks were also taste free compared to show food so who can blame her! I didn’t go so far as to raise Andie to think that yoghurt was ice cream and sultanas were lollies, but I like aaaaalmost did. I never bought one jar of baby food, although we did give a lot of my initial purée forays to the dogs. I’m sure if I’d been blessed with 10 children as I wanted, I would’ve become normal by child 3.

1. If you want to ride after having a baby, don’t sell your safe horse. A horse who has stable ground manners and is kind to ride is a lovely asset for a mum in the initial days. And 2? Be organised. Horses like consistent, consecutive work so try and have your ducks in a row and duck out at the same time a few days a week to train. We long reined my horses while I was pregnant. It kept me fit and my horses happy. If I could do it again, I would’ve spelled them or sold all but my most favourite easy one. I would’ve taken some pressure off in many ways, but the flip side was, I was ready to go as soon as I could ride. Which was annoyingly 12 weeks after she was born…. I don’t want to talk about it…some details stay in the birthing room. Suffice to say I carried an inflatable donut to always sit on.

I guess nobody can maintain that pressure and those hours, so we hit the skids about 4 years later. I was exhausted, often felt guilty and a little lost. My parenting style with Andie has always been open and honest so I thought maybe I’d ask her if her life is so tough because I want to create something special out of my intense need to be near horses at all times.

Anyhoo, I just couldn’t feel ok after the show. I sat my four year old cherub down, looked at her with tears in my eyes and said ‘When we were at the show yesterday and you were huddled underneath the horse rug on those cold seats at the edge of the indoor, were you ok? Were you unhappy?’ Andie’s face was incredulous… “There were lollies you put in the pocket of my raincoat for me! Remember? (Dairy free, gluten free ones lol).” I said that I did, but I was also wondering if she might be happy if I didn’t compete anymore, so she had all my attention. She said, ‘oh no mamma I love the shows I’m proud of you, I like collecting your ribbons and I get to eat naughty things at shows when you’re not there’.

And there it was. My daughter didn’t need me to be her slave and Susie homemaker. My daughter was proud of me. My daughter supported my decision to be me, to go after my dreams. My daughter liked lollies more than warmth and the comfort of home …that’s not as profound but in the interests of posterity I should note it.

I do always advise Mumma’s that train with me of two things -

Whilst whirling in the angst of ‘is this the best thing for my family?’, I asked an international rider friend of mine if everything changed for him when he had his beautiful daughter? He looked concerned for me and said, “No, why should it?”

It certainly changed for me. All the overseas trips to train ceased immediately, I could not and would not leave my baby. All the goals became about financial security rather than horses, horses, horses which itself was bizarre. I simply wasn’t number 1 anymore and never will be again and I am sooo OK with that. I am me when I am a wife and a mother. I love to train horses, to nurture their beauty and noble hearts but if I had to choose, I know instantly what I would choose.

I found when Andie was little, I faced several big challenges to competing. Horse shows are dangerous for a child without someone to watch over them so we always needed a reliable helper to care for her so she was safe, warm, and dry (and had an excellent supply of lollies). I maxed out all my friendships. I still have IOUs with my best friend. The preparation itself was super tricky.

How do you learn a test with your children in the room?

Enter, track right, OMG don’t put that in your mouth, MX ... you have to go to the toilet right now?... D piaffe 15… you’re hungry? Really? About to rinse out the dye in the tail… she was right here a second ago!? So, I learnt to save special things for when I had to concentrate, iPad, bubble guppies, lollies, basically bribery.

In the end I became a master of entertainment that was parentless and absorbing enough that she was safe in her little chair in or beside the float and wouldn’t wander under a horse. I had a large suitcase of fun activities and snacks.

I often competed with stickers of Queen Elsa all over my coat and sticky handprints on my top boots. Our float was a popular meeting ground for all competitors. All were offered an Andie size chair, cakes and lollies and to be stickered, hair styled, painted or enjoy a game of Barbies. You’d be surprised how uninhibited and imaginative some of the male horse riders are at Barbie. You’d also be surprised how often your ass can get stuck in those tiny chairs.

My introduction to bribery began at my first FEI test after she was born. I had competed the young horses and managed for 18 months to scramble through because I find youngsters straight forward. Rhythm, stay on, steer to correct letters. I felt I had some sort of plan, until I took out a very sensitive GP horse that had been sent because of remedial problems.

I was in the extended trot of the Grand Prix test (so first movement in) and I heard her crying. I stopped in the middle of the diagonal and said, “is she OK!!!!!!?” Greg waved at me to keep going and then I noticed the groom holding the packet of chips above Andie’s arm height. I stage whispered, “What are you doing?!” highly aware that this was unusual, weird behaviour in a competitor but unable to continue until I was sure she wasn’t hurt… Omg such an idiot, but we live and learn. The groom said she had seen the horse jump when Andie was rustling in the packet, so she had taken the packet away. I said, “Give her the chips for the love of God so I can concentrate without my boobs getting ready to breast feed a crying child”.

On a side note, Andie hadn’t tasted chips many times and was very keen to try more salty deep fried goods. I stored this away and used it for future reference. Once she had the chips, she tucked in and not another peep. My milk stopped flowing and my horse continued shying mildly at the crackling packet as God intended.

My horses and the people I love are special to me because they are them, not because I make them into something that I can understand perfectly. I ’m not into robots.

Photo by Amy-Sue Alston.

We all laughed but Greg was worried about me. He could see that I was wondering how to balance my intense instinct to nurture Andie and my career that took my focus away from her. It took many years for me to accept she loved her farm life and was perfectly happy.

In time it became apparent that Andie was learning the language of animals. She was in fact becoming one. 7 dogs would fly by with Andie in the midst of them, I would pull them all up saying, “What are you doing?” She would look at me impatiently and say like DUH! “Chasing the cat?!” I asked her to stop and she responded, “but EVERYONE else is doing it”. She was often stealing cat food, licking the dogs in return kisses, getting little tiny bruises mutual grooming her pony, Mrs Cupcakes …it was time.

With extreme angst I sent her to preschool for some humanising. That is a whole other story... suffice to say Andie had a great time and I was left at the window staring in through tears hoping she would have a great day and her teachers would guide her to emotional wisdom, and continue her germaphobe education if needed. She did, they didn’t, and I learned she is a very resilient happy little creature. I promised myself to turn off the rotor blades.

I struggled on and off with my mummy/career angst for many years. Pulling her out of bed with a hug and wrapping her in a warm oodie and unicorn beanie at 4 am always made me feel guilty, although that unicorn beanie was pretty cute. One day I finally relaxed. We went to a show where Andie was the horse’s favourite person, so she groomed him and tidied him up after his warm in. She then went to sit in the crowd with students and friends and watch me compete our family’s favourite horse in the Grand Prix Freestyle. She was old enough to understand the degree of difficulty as she had begun riding. She was ecstatic to collect his rosette and clap him in as he danced his way around the prize giving.

Now I look back and I have no regrets. I do most earnestly and diligently make girl time for us away from the farm and barn life. Lunch, a facial, chat time. I never let anyone else take her or pick her up from school unless I must. She knows she matters more than horses to me, so I am free to pursue my chosen career.

As mothers we would give so much to be able to control the life lessons that you know deep in your gut will rain down on your child. We wish we could control their reactions to hard lessons, let them be open to learn from them and not feel too much angst.

I spend a lot of time slowly educating my horses and my daughter that sure, there are rules and boundaries I expect you to adhere to, but I respect your rules and boundaries too and won’t cross them without discussion. My horses and the people I love are special to me because they are them, not because I make them into something that I can understand perfectly. I’m not into robots.

Sometimes I know with my horses that there are big lessons and asks ahead and all I can do is ensure they are gymnastically strong enough, physically and mentally, to cruise through them and trust that I will take care of their tender hearts. Same for my daughter, sometimes there will be no tool I can give her to help her forward, sometimes life is just harder. People can be needlessly cruel; animals pass over before we do. So, I will just hold her hand and be here. My lesson is to stand back and let my daughter find her own truth. I don’t want or need to live my dreams through my daughter.

One day she too will say ‘thankyou life for my scars, they made me who I am, for my wrinkles that tell the story of adventure, adversity, happiness, love and my life so far’. She will forgive them for the pain they caused and transcend them wiser and whole again. She will feel this, just as I have and for now, I must sit back and hope my loving care mops some of the tears that I know must come and life takes care of her big, entirely precious, heart.

Being a mother is a deep joy and a deep sadness somehow all mixed up in a chaotic journey of packing & unpacking, karate classes, library bags, decisions about how the hell to make kale and quinoa taste good, where the hell are the cello music sheets and my god, the reed for the saxophone is being chewed by the fricking dog, and always, always hurry because we are late for school. Did you get the lunch I packed in the fridge? Make sure you add the fruit salad to the cold bag when you grab it. Can you call the barn and tell them to start hand walking Jaqy boy, I’ll be 5 minutes late. Your puppy just vomited on the new carpet.

That is a brief paragraph on my life these days when I stand up from the meditation mat. See, I have learnt some selfcare over the years of early struggles. I love every crazy, wonderful, painful, rushing moment. Life is complete in a way I never thought it could be. I am so glad I persevered and am surrounded by my daughter and her friends, my horses, and my career which brings me to meet and enjoy the journey with wonderful people like you.

Salute Sisters! EM

WHY THE HARD YARDS OF HORSE OWNERSHIP ARE KEY TO YOUR WELLBEING

Why do you own a horse?

Most people would say: ‘I enjoy riding’, or ‘I grew up with them’ or ‘I just love the lifestyle’: but do you really love all of it?

Between freezing mornings, soggy late nights, an ever depleting life savings, and a de-prioritised social life, it’s not all sunshine and ‘rein-bows’ (sorry- had to).

Why do we do something that, on balance, entails just as much hard work as it does pleasure, joy, and ease? Surely, I’m not the only one who’s asked this question on a latenight feed while my girlfriends are sipping rosé at their local.

It turns out we’re not masochists. In fact, wellbeing researchers (Maslow, 1968; Seligman, 2002; Deci & Ryan, 2006) and ancient philosophers alike have identified a very good explanation for not only why we stick it out, but the hidden wellbeing benefits of being a horse person: eudaimonic wellbeing.

Coined by Aristotle himself, and subsequently studied by positive psychologists over the past two decades,

The good news? Despite its lofty origins, it’s something that is available to all of us. It lives in the moments that we choose challenge over comfort, consistency over flakiness, or consider others outside of ourselves. It’s choosing to be and do good: to live with purpose and pursue a goal and vision that matters to us beyond the discomfort it may create in that moment. It’s skipping your favourite trash TV to drive through the dark at 9pm and rug up your shivering horse.

In many ways, it’s the opposite of its naughty cousin, hedonic wellbeing (i.e.hedonism), which centres around the pursuit of immediate pleasure and abject avoidance of pain.

So, is eudaimonic wellbeing reserved for horse riders? No, not at all. But in a society that is increasingly focused on fast fixes, working from home in your undies, and ordering Uber Eats instead of learning a new recipe, the opportunities for cultivating eudaimonic wellbeing- consistently doing something hard because it matters to us- are dwindling fast.

What do we get for choosing to live this more virtuous life? What’s the pay-off beyond, you know, feeling virtuous?

eudaimonic wellbeing refers to ‘the life well lived’, or the ‘virtuous life’.

As it turns out, leading a life that is rich in eudaimonic wellbeing (one of service and in alignment with our values) is conducive to a heightened sense of meaning and motivation (Kozusznik, 2019). But what is meaning? Luckily, researchers (Steger; Peterson; Seligman) have been hard at work studying and describing this concept that has been simmering in the back of humankind’s hive mind since the Stoics.

Their key findings? Unsurprisingly, as humans, we want to know what our lives are all about; how we fit into the grand scheme of things and the world around us.

“When we talk about meaning in life, we are referring to the feeling that people have that their lives and experience make sense and matter,” meaning researcher, Professor Mike Steger, explains. “People who feel this way, who have a sense of meaning in life, also report feeling more happy, more satisfied with their lives, less depressed and anxious, and more satisfied with their jobs.”

More than this, experiencing a sense of meaning and living in alignment with one’s values has been linked to better health outcomes over time, with studies showing that those who believe their lives have meaning as having a better immune system and buffer against stress, as well as living longer in general (Steger, 2009). Yes, keeping up that childhood love of horse riding might just be the thing that keeps you alive long enough to encourage your great grandkids to do the same.

So, how do we lean into the larger sense of meaning when we’re trudging through the mud or being whipped by our hair in the morning breeze? How can we create even more opportunities for eudaimonic wellbeing as we live this hardy, horsey life?

1. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE: Before you freak outwe’re not asking you to have any idea about the grand design of your life (or your horse’s life, for that matter). But research does show that we not only do better, but feel better, when we have an idea about what we’re aiming for and why it matters (Locke & Latham, 1990). In shortmeaningful goals matter. Not a competitive rider with clear success markers (e.g. numbers of ‘faults’ or fence heights)? No worries. The nature of our goals can vary us much as our fingerprints. Perhaps the purpose of your ‘horse life’ is to reconnect to your inner kid. Maybe it’s to feel that sense of pride and responsibility for keeping such a beautiful animal happy and healthy? It could be that your ‘horse life’ is a chance to escape the complexities of modern living and connect to a sense of joy and peace… Whatever sense of ‘purpose’ you land on, studies show that simply by identifying it, you’re likely to increase your sense of meaning, satisfaction in life, and boost your resilience for those harder days in the arena.

2. DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS:

Did you know that you’re actually good at a lot of things?

In fact, you have a unique set of ‘character strengths’- those things that you’re good at, energised by, and enjoy doing (McQuaid & Lawn, 2014)- that have shaped and enriched every step of your life so far. So how do these contribute to our sense of eudaimonic wellbeing? It turns out that the more we can consciously identify and utilise our strengths to make a difference in life, the higher sense of significance (believing that we matter) we feel (Steger, 2016). The good news? You can uncover and learn to apply your unique strengths by visiting www.viacharacter.org. Discover how to leverage your strength of humour to get you through a hard ride, or your strength of appreciation to bask in the beauty of your stable baby as she comes trotting towards you in the morning sun. It’s free and your de-identified results contribute to a growing body of strengths research. What secret strength might you discover?

3. SAVOUR THE SWEET MOMENTS:

It turns out all those annoying people who told you to ‘stop and smell the roses’ were onto something. In fact the practice of ‘savouring’ has been linked to a wide range of benefits, including: enhanced mood and self-esteem, increased life satisfaction, as well as decreased symptoms in those experiencing depression, anxiety, and even obsessive compulsive disorder (Bryant, 2003; Eisner, Johnson, & Carver, 2009). Researchers (Bryant & Veroff, 2007) define savouring as noticing, appreciating, and enhancing positive experiences that occur in one’s life and there are three key ways that we can practice it:

○ Savouring the past, also known as reminiscence: For example, reflecting on your favourite ride, the first time you met your horse, or your funniest fall (we’ve all had them).

○ Savouring the present or savouring the moment: For instance, appreciating the often rushed process of grooming, drawing your attention to the feel of your horse’s sun-kissed coat, or the smell of a new shampoo.

○ Savouring the future, also referred to as anticipation. For example, visualising the peaceful trail ride you have planned for next week, or imagining the clear round you hope to jump at your next competition.

So the next time you’re heading out for a ride, braiding your horse’s hair, or getting ready to hit the hay, consider how you might incorporate a moment of savouring into your day.

Photo by EKPhotography

4. KEEP LEARNING: As humans, our brains evolved to release dopamine and other feel-good chemicals when we encounter new things. Whether you’re an artist or an accountant, if you’re a human being you are literally designed to be a lifelong learner. Unfortunately, many of us have fallen for the myth that learning stops when we finish school, our latest short course, or university. But in doing so, we cut ourselves off from the many benefits that ongoing learning and development entails (e.g. heightened positive emotions, lowered levels of anxiety, increased life satisfaction, improved empathy and more (Kashdan et al., 2010; Kashdan & Roberts, 2005). The good news? Circling back to our first point, when we have meaningful goals or a more defined purpose, we’re more likely to identify and pursue growth in areas that matter to us (e.g. watching a YouTube video on running braids to get full presentation points at our next rally; enlisting a new dressage instructor to perfect your new routine; or even reading up on basic equine massage to help heal your elderly horse’s old knees).

The key to any of these eudaimonia-boosters is to tailor them to you, your lifestyle, and your unique way of seeing and showing up in the world. The invitation is one of playful experimentation, not scientific intervention: If all you do is savour the sunrise as you throw the hay over the fence, or ask a few more curious questions to your jumping coach, then you’re well on your way. EM

Naomi Hill (MAPP) is a positive psychologist, wellbeing coach and word-weaver who never grew out of the horse phase.

CONNECTION, VICTORY, PLAYFULNESS AND BEAUTY.

Life and love through the lens of multi award-winning equine photographer

JESSICA ATKINS .

She combines her love of photo media and horses to produce spectacular images from competitions and fine art shoots across Australia. Jess started her competition photography career in 2014. Her experience of competing in dressage before she took to the lens helped her to truly hone in on the moments of a test that were worth capturing.

Her business has since evolved from strictly competition work to other areas in the industry that called for high quality studio photos and fine art images of horses.

Jessica sees her business evolving as she explores new outlets for creative workshopping and welcomes professional networking to her repertoire. The career prospects of equine photography are booming as high-quality images are now the expectation across all areas of the industry. Jess has a passion for helping other photographers create strong foundations creatively and professionally to reach their goals.

Left. Oro Diablo

Above. Glenhill Matinee Right. Charlie Welsh & Dante Quando OLD

Jess and her husband Josh are converting a bus to travel Australia and New Zealand. They love being on the road and waking up to a different view each day. The practical nature of a home on wheels suits their lifestyle perfectly. “Being in the bus means we can take life a little slower, take the time to enjoy each day. We have all the luxuries we need and can live fully off grid.”

It is a little-known fact that Jessica is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Jessica feels that her condition both helps and challenges her. She believes it gives her a unique insight through the lens, as Jessica’s ability to focus on minute details helps her to know the angles, lighting and modifiers to bring out each horse’s features.

Sometimes Jess feels “like everyone was given a book on life and I was given the book with half the pages missing and the rest in some sort of elaborate code I was yet to decipher.” When she was first introduced to horses, it was as if something inside her clicked and because of her own sensitivity to sound, movement, and stimulus she was naturally able to understand and relate to them.

“I think this helps me work well with horses, especially in the studio. I am patient and we work efficiently.”

Jess has always found comfort in horses, and even though she has dabbled in other forms of photography, her passion has stayed with horses,

Through her work, Jess is able to capture priceless moments of connection, victory, playfulness and beauty. The ability to move people through her images motivates her to keep improving and push through the hard work. Jess remarked on her most memorable shoot, where Annabel Shoobridge took the ride on her late mother’s horse Noble Dancer. After following the career of Amanda and Noble Dancer for so many years, to capture the beauty of Annabel and Noble was a truly touching experience. EM

Right. Ellanbrae Serazin Gold

“they are my inspiration, I want to be able to tell their stories through my images.”

JESSICA ATKINS

BUYING THE dream.

The risk, reward & reality of buying horses.

I was once told that the true value of a horse is the price they fetch at the knackery- everything over that is human emotion. That has stuck with me, and I do believe it’s true. People don’t set out to buy a horse, they buy a vision. A hope for the future. A social status. And there, along with any emotional and financial investment, is the risk of a broken heart and a broken bank. With the stakes high and there being no such thing as a perfectly risk-free horse, can the buyer swing the odds in their favour? Despite the best thought out checklist, things don’t always go to plan. But that’s ok,

Life and horses are not meant to be a perfect process. You win some, you learn some.

Being on the market for your next equine partner can be much like hitting the dating scene. Feelings of optimism tainted with anxiety mark the start of the journey to find ‘the one’. Thumbs stop the morning scroll and hover for a moment as a sale ad comes rolling up the screen. It is quickly scanned for the basic details- height, age, breeding- then the excitement creeps in a little as the ad gets a second tap, to see if this horse continues to tick boxes. Could this be the one you’re looking for? The one that promises to jerk your dreams away from the pipe and into reality.

This can also be a very anxious time. There is a lot to lose should a poor choice be made. Like dating, often the current search will be hued by previous experience. A person that has not felt the heart break and financial loss of a horse that didn’t work out will probably approach each prospect with more optimism- focusing on the positives, being quicker to forgive the faults, and possibly rush into buying something less then suitable.

A person who knows how wrong it can go, may be more likely to quickly write off a horse, especially if its weakness resembles a pain point of the past. The risk of being burnt again renders them unable to see past minor faults in an otherwise suitable horse. It’s difficult, because there are no hard and fast rules. There’s no guarantee a horse with perfect legs and feet won’t have lameness issues- nor that the mildly club footed one ever will.

Of the list of attributes every horse has to recommend it, which are the most important? Conformation? Pedigree? The trainer? Its achievements? Or even the colour of the packaging? These qualities will appear in different order of priority on people’s carefully curated wish lists. Of course, a flawless horse doesn’t exist, so which faults are acceptable trade-offs? Unfortunately, without a crystal ball, no one can answer that for sure. But, through my own experience of buying horses that have both worked out and ones that ha- ven’t, and also friends that have done the same, there’s a few things to keep in mind. Here is my 2 cents worth on a few ways to mitigate the risk of it being a total disaster.

TIP 1. To help in not making a wrong choice. Yin-yang. Pick a horse whose natural energy is compatible with yours. Be the yin to your horse’s yang. Some horses feed off the rider’s energy and others don’t. If you are a rider whose confidence vacates at the first sign that your horse is contemplating even the smallest act of wilfulness, you won’t be a good match for a horse that will easily get drawn into your chaos. You will likely be more compatible with a horse who has a non-reactive disposition. One who is less reactive than you are nervous. This horse will give you a feeling of confidence. You will get drawn into their calm.

On the other hand, a quiet, confident rider, who can remain unfazed amidst a total shit storm, will be able to draw a reactive horse into their calm, confident leadership. The reason I mention this is because a horse’s age and experience aren’t necessarily a reflection of this quality. Some young horses are born with a steadfast temperament, whereas some 20-year-old seasoned campaigners still won’t make a kid’s horse. Training and the right rider can make a naturally reactive horse seem like a kid’s pony- which is great, that’s what good riding is about. I have one of these. An accomplished open campdrafter who is 20 years old. To anyone watching, or let’s pretend a potential purchaser, he would look like a totally placid character. And for me, he is. But, if a rider hopped on and gave tense, or mistimed aids, the anxious ball of insecurity that I knew 15 years ago would reappear in an instant. This is hard, because these

horses can be well educated and look as though they tick all the boxes, but it doesn’t mean they can’t lose their confidence under an incompatible rider. On the other hand, some green horses can be quiet and safe.

Their energy type, or how easily they are influenced by another, is more a feature of nature than it is of training level.

TIP 2. To help to not pass on a suitable horse, take vet checks with a grain of salt. Gosh this is a tough one. Getting a pre-purchase examination can often complicate a decision more then clarify. Of course, we want someone to be able to accurately gauge the likelihood of future soundness, but it’s just not possible. Look closely enough at any horse and there is sure to be something less than ideal that may or may not indicate some risk of perhaps, maybe, this horsemay or may not develop some sort of maybe mild, or maybe serious, soundness issue one day in the near or distant future. I have seen plenty of horses pass vet checks only to struggle with lameness within a couple of years. I also know of horses that were bought cheaply because of failed pre-purchase exams, that have gone on to have long and successful careers. I know everyone would love a sure-fire way to mitigate the risk of having to deal with lameness or health issues, but that, unfortunately, is just not possible. It is always going to be a risk that comes with horse ownership. I’m sure glad I could make this clear as mud for you. I think what I am trying to say is, think hard before dismissing an otherwise suitable horse for something that only bares the potential to become a problem as there are no guarantees either way.

TIP 3. To ease the sometimes crippling pressure of having to get it right. Consider resale potential. Consider how saleable the horse should be if it doesn’t work out. By now we have ascertained that there is no magical way to be sure we are buying the right horse that is going to work out just the way we hoped. When buying your next horse, ask yourself the question, “will this horse be easy to get out of if it’s not right for me?” Will it be easily resold for a similar value to what you purchased it for? Does it have any major quirks or issues that you’re happy to overlook but might make it hard to move on? You can breathe a little more when buying if you know that a horse will be easy to get out of without too much loss or heartache should it happen to not be your forever horse.

Like any decision we make in life, we just want to get it right. In no small part because we simply don’t want to feel stupid for getting it wrong. It’s easy to reflect on a decision with the luxury of hindsight and wonder how we went astray, but there IS NO WAY to be truly sure that a horse will work out perfectly. Try to have a little grace with yourself if you went ahead with a horse that isn’t what you had hoped. All a person can do is use their best judgment at the time and let time tell if the right decision was made. We’ve all done it. It can be hard to admit this and feel like we must persevere and not ‘give up’ when we find ourselves with a challenging horse. For sure, perseverance is sometimes the right course, but it is also 100% okay to make the decision to move a horse on.

How do you know when it’s time to call it quits? I would say when a horse no longer inspires you. You don’t enjoy it, you don’t feel safe, or you just know it’s not right.

Even if you’ve made a complete doozy, wasted thousands trying to solve an issue for no result and wound up with an unneeded paddock feature, all is not lost. What are the silver linings of choosing a horse that ended up with some challenges? Typically, the most valuable lessons we learn in life are the ones we don’t really enjoy learning at the time. While it sucks when you’re in the thick of trying to manage a soundness issue, trying to figure out the right diet for a horse with weight or behavioural problems, looking into the source of a chronic sore spot, or improving your riding skills and knowledge to overcome a training hurdle, its likely you will educate yourself in these areas far more then you ever would have otherwise. You’ll develop a keen eye for a quality shoeing job. Know how to prevent and manage laminitis. Learn 100 different ways to teach a flying change. Become an expert in saddle fitting. Perhaps all your research and effort trialing different things will help with this horse, and all will be well in the world. Or maybe it won’t. But challenges we face with our horses stretch and shape us in ways we otherwise wouldn’t be. These lessons will form your future training and management. This has certainly been the case for me. In many ways, I am more grateful for the challenging horses and issues I have had to learn to manage. While, at the time, I dearly wished things weren’t so bloody hard, and it felt like nothing was working out, I am truly grateful for coming out the other side just a little bit wiser.

Buying a horse is more than just buying a horse. It is buying a dream. Everyone has their criteria a prospect must meet, some ‘wanted to buy’ ads openly stating they are after a unicorn. Unicorns don’t exist and neither do perfect horses. Riders can only make the best decision they can with what knowledge and experience they have. Knowing what the ‘non-negotiables’ are and what things can be compromised on will be a good start to making the right call when assessing a prospect, but still doesn’t guarantee success. Remember to look for the silver linings and give yourself a break if things head south. Take your hard-earned lessons with you and let all your future horses’ benefit. EM

Meagan Hopkins - The Campdraft Coach

SHARON LEE CHAPMAN

Is there anywhere better in the world to view the starry skies than the Australian outback? The nights are pitch black, free from light pollution, high rises and suburbia, and full of stars as far as the eye can see. The challenge as a photographer was how to showcase this and keep the imagery of Birdsville Races relevant to Cup week.

What better way to showcase the glory of the outback skies, than doing a lightpainting of the Starting Gate. To say this shoot was challenging was an understatement, with about 10 takes required to get just the right amount of light in the right place. This involved me having the camera set on a tripod, for a 30 second exposure and me running around the gate lighting it up in the dark with a torch. We couldn’t have any other ambient light to ruin the shot, the only light I wanted was the small amount of torch light perfectly positioned. This did provide many challenges, especially trying my hardest not to trip over as I did my “30 second run” around the gates. After many failed attempts, I finally managed to get a shot where the gates were perfectly lit, but plenty of darkness still to showcase the night sky.

As a photographer, some of my most magical shots have been completely spontaneous, in the moment captures, a case of being “in the right place at the right time”. However, some of my favourite images have required a lot of planning, sometimes as the result of trying something unique, but not quite “nailing it” and then becoming obsessed with “nailing the shot”. It’s these “obsessions” that have seen me travel far and wide across Australia, traversing thousands of kilometres and many, many early mornings.

SHOT 1.

Betoota Racecourse (Outback Queensland). Population 0.

I’ll start with my obsession with Betoota. You’ll have to travel nearly 800 kms to get your hands on a Big Mac, that’s how remote Betoota is. The nearest neighbour is the Mt Leonard /Arrabury Cattle Stations (a mere 1.8 million acres). They race once a year in Betoota, and all the locals from nearby stations come far and wide for a chance to let their hair down and enjoy outback racing at its best.

It was August 2017. For the last race at Betoota, the sun sets in just the right position for the perfect “silhouette”. I attempted the shot in 2016 but didn’t quite nail it. The finish line wasn’t the right spot, not a clean enough shot, but the potential for something magical was there.

I thought about the shot for a year and travelled the nearly 2,000 kms from Victoria where I resided at the time, to Betoota.

It was the last race of the day and I ventured down to the home turn, where I knew my background would be clean and free of people and structures. The sun was in the perfect position and I set up my wide angle remote camera and exposed for the silhouette. I pre-focused on my fabulous good friend Casey who I dragged along for the adventure. Everything was set, the horses hit the home turn in a good group and I waited patiently to collect my remote after the race. I have to admit, I approached my remote camera with a sense of trepidation. I had envisaged this shot for a year, travelled 2,000 kms in order to capture this one moment in time. When I collected my remote and anxiously scrolled through the photos, I had the moment of “What the”?

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It actually surpassed my expectations as I hadn’t anticipated the sun rays hitting the dirt in such a way. It became this magical image as the horses floated through the dust as the last of the sun’s rays illuminated not just the horse, but the sea of dust behind them. As a photographer, these are the moments that take your breath away.

My obsession with Betoota continued and I wondered what I could create if I tried a similar shot but slightly changed the settings. I anticipated that nature wouldn’t deliver the exact same lighting conditions and that was exciting. The prospect of again capturing something unique in the desert was all too alluring and I headed back in 2018 for one more crack at something magical.

The image was captured in the same spot. The sun was slightly higher and I exposed a little bit differently, for a slight silhouette but not as dramatic as the previous year. Once again, trying something different proved a good decision as this image featured on the cover of Gallop Magazine in the USA.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND DON’T BE SCARED TO FAIL.

Risky shots always involve an element of potential failure, and you have to be okay with that. The reward is, if you persevere and “nail it”, you will have something truly unique that you can be proud of.

SHOT 2.

You can’t get much more remote than Betoota. My challenge as a photographer was to create an image to tell the best possible story. Here is a racetrack in the middle of the Australian outback. At the 1,000 metre shoot, there is no outside rail, it’s just the desert, but how was I going to showcase that. The only option was to position a remote camera on top of the starting gate. It doesn’t seem that high until you start climbing, unassisted with no ladders. My “safety harness” was our good friend Dave who kindly offered to be my “catcher” if I should fall off the gate. My partner Mark hovered around my head with the drone to capture the full set up of the shot. It is time consuming, it’s not for the faint hearted (especially if you have a fear of heights) and it can all go pear shaped if the horses don’t jump straight (totally out of one’s control).

The first two races didn’t go to plan (operator error on my part as I positioned my remotes on the wrong part of the starting gate and as the gates opened, my camera moved with the gates which was not ideal. It took me 2 races to figure out what I was doing wrong, but I was determined to persevere and get at least one shot as the horses left the gate into the barren desert landscape.

SHOT 3.

My determination paid off as the image featured with a story in China’s top Equestrian magazine and they chose the image as the cover shot.

SHOT 4.

Birdsville. Population 100 + 7,000.

Just up the road from Betoota is Birdsville, widely regarded as the “Melbourne Cup of the Outback”. As you drive into Birdville, there’s a famous sign “Population 100 + 7,000”. People come from all over the country to attend the races and it’s one of the most popular “Bucket List” Items. My partner Mark refers to Birdsville Race Week as “Schoolies for Adults” and it’s a great chance for old friends to reunite, new friends to meet and a great outback catch-up.

Birdsville is also one of only places in the world where you can capture the races from above. Muster pilots bring their helicopters into Birdsville for Race Week, offering everything from scenic flights to “drop offs” to the pub from the racetrack. There’s something very special about photographing the races from an open helicopter (no doors here, just a harness so you have to make sure you’re strapped in tight).

I’ve done the “chopper ride” a few times but wanted to head up later in the day to try and capture the late afternoon shadows as the horses traversed the home turn. It was very windy this particular day, around 60kms (although it felt like 100kms and when I tell the story, it was “GALE FORCE WINDS” of course as I precariously dangled out of a helicopter in order to get “the shot”. I got my dust (due to the high winds) and I got my shadows, but I was very glad when we landed safely back on the ground!

SHOT 5.

It was 2016 in Birdsville and the day before Race Day, an almighty storm hit the outback, causing chaos. Birdsville received half their yearly rainfall in a day. All roads in and out of Birdsville were closed and the town was essentially cut off in an instant from the rest of the country. Trainers who knew the storm was coming had retreated days earlier to Bedourie (some 160kms up the road) in case the town flooded. Those who stayed behind weathered the storm.

There’s something special about the spirit of the locals in the outback. Even though the town was cut off, the racetrack was a “lake” the town was determined that the races would go ahead and as soon as the rain stopped, the locals sprang into action with excavation equipment, building trenches at the track for the water to drain. Over at the trainer’s camp, as the water subsided, the racetrack was off limits for any trackwork. However, horses had to be exercised and as the salt flats started to dry out, word spread that horses would be venturing onto the flats late afternoon to stretch their legs.

There were a few photographers in town and we all had an important job to do. Document history. These were history making floods and with so many people in town affected, it was my job to make sure I documented as much as I could.

Naturally, my focus was on the horses, so it was off to the salt flats to try and capture something unique.

Dramatic stormy skies, a horse being exercised behind a Ute and the barren salt flats all combined to provide me with some unique imagery. I processed this image in black and white to showcase the harshness of the landscape and the beautiful contrasting sky.

Birdsville and Betoota have provided me with so many incredible moments to capture, but it’s about thinking “outside the square” and each year trying to create something unique, that showcases the barren nature of the outback.

If you’re surrounded by other photographers, you’re in the wrong spot!

You are only going to end up with exactly the same shot as another photographer. Never be afraid to try something different. My value as a photographer has always been to go for the risky shot. You might not always pull it off, but you can be guaranteed your photo will be unique compared to the person 50 metres away from you! EM

MARE TALES

Onessa MVNZ is a 9-year-old by Escudo I out of a Contender mare, Contessa LVP. She was bred by Mount View Sport Horses in New Zealand and is now owned and ridden by up-and-coming show jumper, Bella du Plessis.

ONE IN A MILLION.

21-year-old Bella is originally from New Zealand. This year, Bella is campaigning her two horses Onessa MVNZ and Monte Carlo MVNZ for her first year in the open division of the show jumping circuit. Outside of competing, Bella is studying interior design, a qualification to compliment her graphic design business. She also runs a boutique agistment property with her partner Will in Pitt Town, NSW.

In Bella’s early years her days were spent watching her dad ride on the racetracks of Singapore, this was where her fascination with horses started. It was when she relocated to New Zealand that her own riding career would begin. At the age of seven Bella started showing ponies- it was here that Bella remembers her first competitive streak emerging. “My love for winning definitely came from the show ring.”

Bella’s mum has always been an active part in supporting her equestrian journey, and to this day she remains involved with the industry through her business with her partner Glen, GPI Racing. Bella makes the most of her mum’s avid passion for breeding thoroughbreds saying, “I love going to all the sales and inspecting horses with Mum, the thought of finding the next superstar is exciting.”

When Bella was ten years old, she and her mother broke in a pony mare called Eastdale Diva, who went on to become extremely successful. She won every major title in NZ and then, in Australia, she won the medium pony title at EA Nationals at Werribee in 2013. Bella spoke about the years with Diva as “one of my biggest achievements in life, not so much all the class wins, but the producing of Diva herself.”

After eight years of show riding, Bella made the switch to show jumping. It wasn’t an easy change, as Bella says, “I wasn’t a natural when it came to jumping.” She had to swallow her pride and quietly put in the hard work. For Bella, giving up wasn’t an option; when she was confronted with the challenge of improving her riding, she saw it as an opportunity rather than a setback.

Bella did work experience with Katie Laurie and travelled with her and her team to shows all around Australia. This cemented her choice to move. Bella could see a future in showjumping in Australia and wanted to give herself the best chance to improve.

Bella credits much of her knowledge about training and management of horses to her time spent in the UK as a working-pupil for IN Showjumpers. Speaking of her time overseas she said, “As much as you think you know, there’s always more to learn and it’s up to you to be aware of that. Take everyone’s advice, skills, and experience on board as your own.”

When Bella moved to NSW in 2020, she began training with Olympic show jumper James Paterson Robinson. The pair instantly clicked, and it is to James that she credits a large amount of her success.

“You can have the horses, and all the gear, but if you don’t have the right person helping you, then it makes it very hard to reach the capabilities of yourself and your horses.”

Monty was imported to Australia from Rachel Malcom in New Zealand during the COVID-19 lockdown of June 2020.

Bella didn’t get to ride him before he flew over, and credits the clever choice of horse to her mother. “Mum just had a gut feeling that he would be the horse for me. Turns out she was right. She always is.”

Monty took Bella through her last few years on the young rider circuit, where she not only gained confidence over the bigger tracks but also added some impressive victories to her tally. These include the Young Rider Grand Prix at Summer Classic (2020), Young Riders at Sydney Royal (2021) and Young Rider Grand Prix at Festival of Jumping (2022).

“He is a very special horse to me and more than anything, I would say he’s more like a dog. I’m so used to his quirks and the weird things that he does; all I can really do is laugh at him now.”

Above -Bella & ‘Monty’. Page right- Bella wears Sport Luxe Technical Sports Base Layer theofficialsportluxe.com

Bella’s mare Onessa is a 9-year-old by Escudo I out of a Contender mare named Contessa LVP. She was also bred by Mount View Sport Horses in New Zealand.

“In 2020, the day that Mum went to see Monty before he was sent over to Australia, Onessa was in the cross ties next to him. Mum took one look at her and said to Rachel, ‘I want that one next.’ Rachel told her there was no way we were getting her. Luckily for me, Rachel fell pregnant and the next thing I knew she was standing in my stables right next to her old friend Monty. My Mum can really pick a horse.”

Onessa (or ‘Buttons’ as she is known around the stables) was flown to Australia in November of 2021, and again, Bella didn’t trial the horse before she bought it. This time, Bella wasn’t so sure her mum had made the right choice initially. Onessa was a completely different horse to ride than Monty. Bella described her sensitivity to sound and atmosphere, “although she is very brave when jumping, she is horse shy, and spooks at pretty much everything around her.” Getting to know Onessa’s needs and support her to be the best athlete she can has been a big part of the journey to success with this combination. Bella rides Onessa with a face compression mask with soundproof padding in the ears to help her to be calm and focused at shows. However, Bella’s biggest challenge with Onessa was learning to sit to her jump.

“It’s so powerful and my small legs didn’t help with that to begin with. After a year and a bit, I am finally used to it and wish I had appreciated her jump sooner. However, I certainly do now… It’s only over the past few months that I have realised what a special animal I have in my stable. If I had to describe her in one word, it would be ‘perfect’. She has the kindest heart and the kindest eye of any horse I have ever known.”

Bella says Onessa is also the easiest to deal with out of her two campaign horses. Her gelding Monty seems to have all the typical characteristics people attribute to mares. Bella describes him as demanding and with lots of little quirks, “he thinks the world revolves around him. He thinks I’m just his personal slave.”

Right -Bella & Onessa MVNZ on their way to victory at Magic Millioms Showjumping 2023. Page left- Bella with Monty & Buttons at home at Karaka Park.

In January of 2023 the Magic Millions hosted their second annual show jumping event with an impressive prize pool of $1.45m. Bella was selected as one of the top 48 riders to compete in an assigned team for the slot holder, Equine International Air Freight.

Bella remembers the overwhelming happiness she felt from the cheering of the crowd, the atmosphere and breathtaking location as they announced her team’s victory over the loudspeaker.

“That day with Onessa at Magic Millions 2023 was the highlight of my riding career to date. For her to jump a clean round for our team, over by far the biggest jumps either of us had seen; and then for our team to win… it was a feeling I will never forget. Magic Millions is something that we were all very lucky to be a part of and lucky to have in Australia.”

Bella feels so grateful to be able to own and compete a horse of Onessa’s calibre.

June 2022 was the first time I stepped her up to young rider and realised we could jump the big jumps. She then went on to jump clear in the final of the young rider at the Austrlian Jumping Championships. Her most recent performance around her biggest track at Magic Millions 2023 really cemented her one in a million status for me.”

What’s next for Bella?

Bella has an exciting crop of home-bred yearlings and 2-year-olds that she is looking forward to producing in the coming years. Bella’s aspiration is to focus on the long term success of her horses and to produce them to be competitors she is proud to say she bred. Bella is taking her first year in the open classes with Monty and Onessa one step at a time. She dreams of one day competing overseas in the international events, but for now she is content to continue learning and enjoying the process. EM

“Every show she goes to, she gives me more than I think possible and tries her absolute hardest.

Above -Bella & Onessa MVNZ winners of the Magic Millioms senior teams Showjumping 2023. Page left- Bella at home with ‘Buttons’ & puppy ‘Harry’.

EQUESTRIAN BUSINESS STRUCTURES

Choosing the right structure is one of the most important things you can do when starting and operating an equestrian business. This is an extremely complex area which cannot be completely covered in this article. This article is merely a basic snapshot of the types of structures. There are a number of considerations, and it is recommended that you seek legal advice in conjunction with accounting advice, when determining the right entity for you. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all”. Each business and owners’ circumstances are unique.

Why legal and accounting advice?

Whilst a lawyer can advise you on structure and risks, an accountant can provide you with more specific advice from a financial perspective that may include taxation considerations. This article does not delve into the financial or taxation benefits of structures.

What is a legal entity?

This may sound like a simple enough question, but many people get confused by this. A legal entity is an entity that has its own rights and responsibilities. In other words, an entity that has the same rights as a natural person has. E.g. the right to sue and be sued. So when deciding a structure, there must be a legal entity.

Potential structures

This article is touching on the following common business structures:

• Sole trader

• Partnership

• Company

• Trust

There are other structures such as joint ventures and co-operatives that will not be addressed in this article.

How do I choose the correct entity?

There are many considerations when deciding on the best structure for you and your business. It may be that risk protection and financial benefits are two of the most important aspects. As an example, if the business is one that could be

high risk (that is a high risk of something going wrong), then risk protection would be a priority and you need an entity that will provide a high level of risk protection. You may also have a separate job which is high risk, and therefore you need to protect your business.

Often with high protection, comes further costs and obligations. When you weigh things up, it may be that a high level of protection, which brings more costs and burdens, may not be necessary or desirable.

Considerations

When deciding on your structure, which we recommend you do in consultation with a lawyer and accountant, you may want to consider whether the following are important to you, or if you may want to avoid them:

• Flexibility

• Complexity

• Liability

• Compliance obligations

• Taxation benefits

• Control

Snapshot of the different entity types:

SOLE TRADER

This is the simplest structure where one person runs a business as an individual. You can register a business name and apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN).

Pros: Extremely simple to set up and run. There are few reporting obligations, and it is a low-cost structure to run and is easy to control. You can change your structure or wind up the business easily. Cons: There is no separation between you and the business, and you and your assets are at risk if things go wrong. You cannot disburse profits or share losses with any family members.

PARTNERSHIP

Where two or more persons form a partnership to run a business together and share the income or losses of the business.

Pros: The partners don’t pay tax on the income earned (each partner pays tax on their own share). Fairly easy and inexpensive to set up. Minimal compliance obligations. Cons: A partnership tax return needs to be lodged annually. It is moderately complex to set up.

COMPANY

This is a separate legal entity which has the same rights as a natural person.

Pros: As it is its own individual legal entity, your liability is limited (risk protection). Cons: There are compliance obligations, and it is a more complex structure to set up and run and there are set up and running costs. It also must lodge its own annual tax return.

TRUST

There are different types of trusts. A trust is set up with a trustee (which can be an individual or a company) to manage the trust for the benefit of the beneficiaries. So, the additional layer of a trustee is required.

Pros: A trust cannot stand alone as it is not a legal entity, there must be a trustee. Provides a level of asset protection. Flexibility to distribute income or capital amongst beneficiaries. Cons: Can be complicated and expensive to set up. Can be difficult to change or dissolve. There are some compliance burdens.

Summary

Below is a simple table to assist with assessing some of the benefits and burdens of the entities:

Example 1

Ash is wanting to set up an equine rehabilitation centre on his acreage property. Whilst Ash owns his property, he does not have sufficient funds to set up the business. Due to this, Ash wants to go into business with his best friend, Brad, who can contribute half of the funds needed to set it up to be a lucrative business.

Ash and Brad may want to consider registering a company. This will provide them with a level of risk protection as the business would have risks involved due to the type of business. The company would also allow them to be equal shareholders or commensurate with the amount of funds they contribute to the business. There may also be tax benefits in using a company which an accountant may be able to advise on.

Example 2

Alice is a single mother of 3 children. She is wanting to earn a little bit of money by offering a rug washing service to local equestrians.

As Alice will only be earning a nominal income from the business, which is low risk, Alice may want to be a sole trader. By being a sole trader there will be less compliance obligations and costs which will assist Alice due to her being time poor and earning only a nominal amount from the business. Alice could also register a business name if she would rather trade under a business name than her own name.

BUSINESS/TRADING NAMES

Business and trading names are exactly that, just names. They are not a legal entity and therefore need to be owned by a legal entity. The legal entity can then trade under the business name.

Tips

Start off by deciding what is important to you and how much risk protection you may need. Also, considerations should be given to the potential income of the business as this could help determining any taxations benefits (which an accountant may be able to advise you on).

For example, whilst a company comes with a lot of benefits, such as risk protection and potential taxation benefits, it also comes with set up and running costs as well as compliance obligations. You need to decide whether the benefits outweigh the downside. Here are some examples:

Summary

There are so many considerations that cannot all be captured in this article. Every person’s situation and every business is unique. It is important to seek the advice of professionals, a lawyer and an accountant, when deciding on the right structure. It is recommended that you do this prior to starting the business. EM

Written by Leah Manning of Equilegal.

Equilegal is a specialist equine law firm that assists clients in all states and territories of Australia. Equilegal’s Principal, Leah Manning, has 15 years’ experience working professionally with horses in the UK, and 18 years’ experience in law, making her the ideal lawyer to assist with equine law matters. Equilegal can assist you with providing legal structuring advice by emailing leah@equilegal.com.au.

Redefining RELATIONSHIPS

The evolution of horses and what they mean to us in our lives has been happening over thousands of years. They have been war horses, work horses, and transport. To this day horses can still be found in work roles, from police horses, station horses and even the humble trail horse. In more recent times we have seen horses become competition horses (Equestrian was first included in the Olympics in 1900, then again in 1912, and have remained ever since) and more recently horses have been a ‘purely for a pleasure’ pursuit.

When I first started out in horses 30 years ago, even as a ‘purely for pleasure’ pursuit, they were still considered a tool for our enjoyment. Horses existed to do our bidding in competition or leisure, and it was standard to hear coaches and instructors use terminology like “Don’t let him win”, “Make him do it”, “Get back on or he wins” and “show him who is the boss”. Had you spoken about trying to have a relationship with your horse, listen to your horse or have a conversation with your horse it probably would have at the very least earned you some sideways glances. Fast forward to 2023 and conversations like this are a common practice and we are experiencing a total shift in how we relate to our horses. We are now using phrases like “connect with him”, “listen”, “ask questions”.

The concepts of connection, listening and attunement are all but ‘mainstream’ as we see relational horsemanship come to the forefront of our horse community. Its rapid growth and embracement by so many people demonstrate that many people were seeking less dictatorship, more union, but simply could not find a way to implement these ideas while remaining safe, or competitive with their horses.

A ‘great divide’ if you will, still exists between ‘old school’ approaches of dominance, and the more modern connective approach, with extremes found at both ends of the spectrum. As with any tradition ‘this is the way we have always done it’ prevails, as there is a security and comfort found in the strong belief that this is the best way to relate to a horse. As mentioned earlier many people were seeking this type of interaction with their horses as more traditional approaches felt inauthentic and uncomfortable to them. But what about the other side of the coin? Those people who have been raised in that disciplinary or dominant mindset (boys don’t cry, chin up, you’ll be right and suck it up buttercup). When these people allow themselves to consider the horse as not only a tool, but a sentient being capable of fear, joy, connection and distress, it can expose us to experience a vulnerability, which for many can be experienced as a weakness, leading to feelings of shame, guilt and sorrow.

So, while the empaths in the room are celebrating this newfound approach of connection with our horses, the stoic are feeling weak, shamed and guilty, making it far easier to continue to relate to the horse as a beast that needs to be tamed, or a dumb animal, rather than one capable of sensitivity and connection. Yet another element to this subject is the judgement and condemnation of those on the ‘horsemanship high road’ of those on the ‘old school street’ which furthers the divide, resulting in a slower uptake of a connective approach. When we consider that what we are chasing in our horse experience (connection, attunement, listening) is what we all desire in our human existence, then we understand that this way of relating to our horses is not just a training method, but a way of existing in the world and relating to our fellow humans.

I believe if we can embrace the ideals of connection and attunement as a core belief, then our experience of life itself will be extraordinary.

I wanted to share a story of how a shift in perspective can change the life of a horse. Recently at a clinic I was thrilled to experience what I believe to be a pivotal moment in this ridden mare’s career. She is a beautiful Arab x Warmblood, but many would not have thought she was beautiful. In fact, she would have been labelled quite the opposite. She would have been called names like bitch, cow, rank, and she would have been described as sour, aggressive, spoilt, disobedient, stupid.

You see when the owner hopped on to ride, she had some ‘stuff’ going on. She refused to go forward, and when pressure was applied to cue her to go forward (like applying the leg aid) she would kick out at the rider’s leg, try to bite the rider’s leg, and humped up. Lucky for the mare I have seen and dealt with this kind of behaviour before. In years gone by, I have seen it managed by adding spurs, giving the rider a whip, pulling the horse in a circle, yanking down on the mouth, yelling at the horse, kicking them around. Basically, all combative approaches. It is so common when we consider the horse to have a ‘behaviour issue’ for us to come up with all types of combative and disciplinary ways to ‘fix’ the behaviour, and to punish the horse for the behaviour. Our desire to punish and fight comes from a core belief that we need to dominate the horse (show him who is boss) in order to remain safe. Remember those lessons from yesteryear. The horse must submit, the horse should perform without complaint, the horse should be obedient.

What we are realising now is that this militant approach to training is not necessary, and there is a beautiful balance to be found in mutual respect, setting boundaries, and communication.

The way we approached this mare was to strip back and ‘start at the start’ even though she was an established ridden horse. Firstly, we rewarded the try. The mare started this behaviour when leg was applied to go forward, so we got one step, and took the leg off. It is very easy here to think ‘the mare is trained and if she doesn’t want the leg on, too bad, she has to take it. Instead, we treated her as if it was brand new, the only exception being we already had the leg on. So, we didn’t want to take it off and teach her that kicking and biting was going to be rewarded, so we waited and we released immediately when the step forward occurred. Then we stopped, stood still and just hit the reset button. We waited for a breath, and for her to come back to neutral. Then we took a look at how little we could do to ask her to move forward- by the rider taking posture, taking an in breath, thinking forward, and lo and behold- forward, with no ‘attitude’.

And so, we applied this principle all day, for all cues, for all transitions. Breathe first, think first. And the mare shone! Finally, someone was riding her with sensitivity, and she shone like a diamond. She performed like she was on the world stage and loved it. You see all that ‘bad behaviour’ was that mare saying- I don’t like the way you are speaking to me! Speak softer! Don’t yell at me! I’m not stupid!

And when we listened, it was magical. Unfortunately, horses like this often end up on the ‘doggers truck’ because they are dangerous. Of course, this doesn’t happen every time. Sometimes the response is so ingrained it takes longer to create the change. Sometimes the horse has a genuine pain issue like ulcers or kissing spine. Sometimes our saddle doesn’t fit. But there is always a good reason. All we have to do is hold space and find it. Often, we take this behaviour personally, or because it can frighten us we react with aggression.

Horses like this can truly be a gift.

A gift to teach us how in tune we can be with a horse. How a shift of our weight, or an adjustment in our breath can influence their movement. How we can truly have connection. How light we can be.

Changing how we relate to our horses in a more vulnerable way can feel uncomfortable for many reasons. If we can find the courage, it can change our entire experience of our life, and that of our horses. EM

Photos by Equinox Images.

HELEN CRUDEN

Sara Armouti

Top left - Team Ecurie Fape with Brazilian rider, Mariana Frauches Chaves. Top right - Ioli Mytilineou. Middle left - Don Whitaker winning The Sharjah Nations Cup for Team Great Britain. Middle - Jessica Burke. Right - Shane Breen winning Sharjah 2* Grand Prix. Bottom left - Mariana Frauches Chaves. Bottom right - Jessica Burke.

Jordan’s Sara Armouti

PRESIDENTS CUP

GRAND PRIX

Emanuele Gaudiano & Chalou

Emanuele Gaudiano & Chalou Winners of the President’s Cup Grand Prix presented by Longines.

David Will & My Prins Van Dopherheide

Don Whitaker & Colette

Top left - Marcus Ehning & Stargold.

Top right Edwina Tops-Alexander & Catenda.

Left - Lily Attwood. Right - The Fanous Jumpjng Cat.

Bottom right - Philipp Weishaupt & the young mare Just be Gentle, winners of the GCT Doha Grand prix.

Ioli Mytilineou & Levis de Muze

How to feel better in breeches

Everyone wants to look good in their store bought clothes, especially when that item makes up ¾ of your daily outfits. No, I’m not talking about miniskirts or booty shorts. I’m talking those body hugging bandits, “BREECHES”.

There is no hiding in breeches. Every flaw, every curve and every shape is going to be illuminated with every sit trot, milk-shaker stride you take. Let’s look at tricks, aesthetic and fitness/ health based, to elongate those pins into “90% spandex, 10% nylon” showstoppers.

Unfortunately ladies, genetics make up a huge amount of the “how and why” when you feel thick in these equestrian pantaloons, so if you are wanting to feel more 6’ longlegged, Elle Macpherson before you present in your thigh huggers, here are some quick fixes to aim for.

1. DARK COLOURS

It’s no secret that dark colours make you look thinner. They cover up any shadows of imperfection and elongate the visual flow of the leg. Ahhh but what if you have to wear virgin white??!!! Aim for breeches that have a contrast colour shaped around the glutes and widest parts of the body and inner thigh. This will act as an illusion that the light colour is the contour of your body and the dark will fade out the extra width or roundness of your physique

2. THE CUT

It’s great to aim for bargains but save your extra dollars for breeches with a designer cut. Brands that work with riders themselves can offer a technical approach to design and freedom within the seat. Low cut waistlines can only offer muffin tops from even the most tiny of physiques with the body spilling over the top of the waist line. Worse, a low cut waistline will also mean a short crutch and unless you enjoy a “hard seam greeting” while you sit trot across the diagonal, stay away from low cut items.

RIDE FIT

High waist or high-backed breeches, like dark colours, elongate the line of the body from the lower back, all the way to the hamstring, especially if the side seam is uninfluenced by embroidery or clusters of motif. To continue the visual illusion, wear with a belt the same colour as the material or if you like a contrast of colour, add some bling to the belt to keep the colours lengthening not cutting you in half.

3.STRETCH

I’m short though!!! But are you really?? To elongate the leg and aim not only for a lithe look but also a more functional muscle response, my advice is to not only stretch before you mount for your comp or training but after as well. Stretching the fascia increases flexibility, improves your range of motion and therefore improves your shape and will definitely improve your athletic performance.

Examples of stretching :

Kneeling hip flexion

Hamstring stretch

Standing quad stretch

Wide stance adductor stretch

4. HYDRATION

Holding water? Especially in lower body…Your body needs water to survive because every single organ, tissue and cell in your body relies on it to function. Water cushions and lubricates your joints, helps your body maintain its temperature and flushes waste out of your system. These are just a few examples of the many ways in which water is vital to your body.

Fun fact, when you don’t drink adequate amounts of water your body goes into survival mode and holds onto it… especially where you don’t want it. If I described the hydration cellular systems in your body as a series of pipes and hoses and I asked you how to get water through those cells to flush out stagnated toxins and trapped water…what could you do? Turn the taps on more to flush it all away! The more you drink the better your system will flow and the less water you will hold. Try adding fresh lemon or naturally flavoured amino acids to your water to not only flush but eliminate toxins and help those cells recover.

ANNE-MARIE LASSERRE

5. PELVIC FLOOR CONTROL :

Battle of the bulge…. Do you feel the line of your abdominal wall behind your zipper fly is being held in by a miracle and at any minute a cough or a sneeze may “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!”Besides nutritional intolerances to be identified and eliminated, another great tool is tightening your pelvic floor and core control.

Think of the muscles that insert at the top of the rip cage, then continue all the way down to the pubic bone and then the muscles that wrap around the midsection to give you the glad wrap effect.

1.Lie down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Inhale.

2.Exhale gently, draw in your lower abdominal muscles towards the spine and squeeze in the muscles around the urethra like you’re trying to stop gas or urine. Lift groin up 10cm off floor and squeeze inwards.

3.Hold for 1–2 seconds, then let everything go. You should feel the pelvic floor muscles release and drop. Repeat x 10

6. PILATES FOR SHAPE AND STRENGTHENING:

Leg circles

1.Lie on your back and bring your legs up off the ground.

2.Bend your knees and bring them up, forming an inverted ‘V’ shape.

3.Raise one leg above you. Keeping your foot pointed outwards, rotate it clockwise.

4.You should feel tension on both sides of your hamstrings as they contract during this exercise; if not, try doing it with more speed or range of motion till they do.

5.Bring the toes back to the neutral, and repeat ten times on both sides before switching legs and repeating on the other for 20 total reps.

Scissors

1.Lie on your back with your feet flat and slightly apart.

2.Raise your straight arms above your head.

3.Lift one leg off the ground and bring it towards you before lowering it again and pressing it into the floor.

4.Repeat the movement by alternating the leg.

Glute Bridge

1.Clasp your hands behind your head to support your neck in a neutral position.

2.Engage your abdominals and press your pelvis towards the ceiling till it’s higher than flat on the mat (don’t overextend).

3.Hold for 3-5 seconds before returning to the starting position.

7. STYLE CONFIDENCE –embrace your style!

Wear what makes you feel ahhhmazing!! If it’s comfortable JUST ROCK IT MAMA. There is nowhere on a score sheet that is scribed “thighs were trailing” or “junk in trunk =3” Style confidence has a lot to do with our perspective, body image and our inner monologue. Draw strength through your style, aim to be a healthier version of yourself and radiate your character. No point starving yourself to abuse your body into a temporary thinner version. Think health first. Embrace your curves by buying the next size up with a high lycra blend and throw away old, faded clothes that make you depressed. As you age or change don’t be afraid of a fuller or different version of you. Stay strong. Ride don’t hide your flaws to the best of your ability and love the skin you’re in! XX AM

Photo by MCJukes Photography

WALLABY HILL FARM

BY ASHLEY GRANT

Located in the heart of the Southern Highlands, known locally as “the Highlands”, just outside the village of Robertson, is where you will find the picturesque private equestrian facility, Wallaby Hill Farm. The Highlands are renowned for their award-winning restaurants, vineyards, rolling farmlands and charming gardens, and Wallaby Hill Farm is no exception. The property is a unique blend of relaxed Australian charm with a hint of European touches.

Home to 4* Event rider, Alexandra Townsend and husband Derek Pascoe, Wallaby Hill Farm is an equestrian’s dream, well-known for its world class facilities; with the OTTO Sport surfaces on their stunning indoor & outdoor arenas & gallop track, not to mention the cross-country schooling area and well-run International Competitions.

Kicking off the year in style, Wallaby Hill held the Bowral Kubota Equestrian Extravaganza. This event hosted the Eventers vs Showjumpers class, the only class of its kind in Australia. This competition showcases Australia’s top Eventers and Showjumpers battling it out in fancy dress over a course combining cross country and show jumping obstacles.

Set against the backdrop of Morton National Park, spectators can get close up to the action on the viewing terrace enjoying a gourmet picnic made up of local produce & wine, while witnessing the thrills and spills of the sport.

This year saw the Eventers win over the Showjumpers with Sam Lyle and ‘BF Valor’ taking 1st place on the podium, 3 time Olympic medallist, Shane Rose in 2nd place on ‘Be My Daisy’ and 14-year-old showjumper prodigy Charlie Magnier and ‘Master Stevie G’ in 3rd.

While the main feature of the day is undoubtably the Eventers Vs Showjumpers class, the remainder of the day is filled with showjumping classes.

The second ring on has classes ranging from 65cm-1.04m, while the main ring has classes ranging 1.15m and the 1.30m. It was nearly a clean sweep for Charlie Magnier, son of Coolmore Australia Stud, Tom Magnier, in the main ring, winning the GUBBINS PULLBROOK GROUP MITRE 10 1.15m, the EQUILUME 1.30m and 3rd in the BOWRAL KUBOTA Eventers vs Showjumpers.

Wallaby Hill aims to showcase Equestrian sport at its very best and attracts riders from all over the country. Want to be a part of the action? Keep the beginning of December free, Wallaby Hill Farm will be hosting another event you won’t want to miss. EM

Left. Charlie Magnier and Shane Rose on the podium for the 1.30m Showjumping. Middle page right. Alexandra Townsend, entering the arena to ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson with outfit to match!

PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR

It’s been a long week, and I’m tired and hungry. I swing past the supermarket to grab something to make for dinner. I’ve been eating healthy all week and I’m promising myself that I’ll keep it up. I wander around the aisles, my brain is blank and I’m increasingly irritable, so I grab ingredients for pasta. I’ve made it a thousand times before, it’s easy and I know I’ll like it. I know it’s not healthy, I know I’ll regret it tomorrow. I don’t care. I just want to get out of this shop and home to the couch.

How many times have we lived through this scenario? Why are humans so good at doing things that aren’t helpful for us? We don’t have to look very far for an explanation –horses are masters of routine, and there is a very simple reason why. Comfort. Like horses, humans are animals that like to be comfortable. We choose familiarity over new or the unknown. You might think “what a load of rubbish, I always get into toxic relationships that end in heart break. How is that comfortable?’. It’s true – many of us live in cycles of behaviour that are unhealthy or even painful for us, from eating to relationships.

The key lies in our subconscious.

Our brain generally likes to sit in the driver’s seat. Neuroscience estimates that 95% of our daily brain activity is controlled by our subconscious. Our brain uses a whopping 20% of our metabolic energy consumption a day (througout childhood this can reach upwards of 60%!), meaning the more conscious we are regarding decisions we make, the more energy our brain needs. In prehistoric times when resources were scarce, we evolved to switch on autopilot and let our brain run the show as an energy saving measure.

Horses followed a similar evolutionary path. In the wild, horses eat a poor-quality, high roughage diet paired with an inefficient gut. Horses spend a large portion of their day eating to provide energy for living, and to be able to run quickly from predators. Unfortunately, horses did not head down the evolutionary path of developing their canine teeth for meat eating, instead they adapted a number of functions to enable them to be able to spend as much time eating, including their ability to calm down very quickly after being stressed. Just like us, when stressed, horses’ eating habits change. From decreased appetite to stress-pooping, they become hypervigilant, have physical and neurobiological changes, and their interactions with the ‘herd’ change. These behaviours make a horse vulnerable to predation. Our survival has also hinged on our ability to preserve energy.

In recent years horse training has moved towards employing the horse’s innate desire for calm and security in familiarity. A commonly used technique to calm a nervous horse is to give them a repetitive pattern to perform. There is comfort in predictability. Many of us when we are anxious, grapple to ‘control’ an aspect of our world, some of us clean, others hit the gym. Knowing what comes next can soothe our brain and nervous system. Even when those patterns of behaviour are not conducive to our wellbeing. Albert Einstein quoted “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”. So how do we break away from that pull of familiarity and override our subconscious to create patterns of behaviour that serve us better?

The answer comes back to AWARENESS.

Like horses, developing our awareness of what is happening in and around us can have a profound impact on our ability to notice and be present in our own experience. Our subconscious mind is imprinted from our earliest childhood relationships with parent-figures. From the moment we are born throughout childhood we are conditioned to familial patterns of behaviour we learn through observing (interestingly, horses do not have the ability for social learning). What we see and experience in childhood imprints on our subconscious and forms the basis of our behavioural reactions. We learn everything from language and cultural norms to relationship dynamics such as how we allow others to treat us and how to behave in relationships. These form the foundation of our subconscious and will be our ‘go to’ pattern of behaviour, even in adulthood. For example, you might find it really hard to make decisions or know what you want. This may be embedded in a childhood where caregivers always made decisions for you, or if you had to agree with caregivers’ decisions to keep the peace. You laid down a subconscious process of denying your needs to keep people happy. As an adult you find it frustrating that you can’t, say, choose a pizza topping when you’re out with friends and this leads to feelings of shame and anger.

In my work as a counsellor, I see so much pain being carried by people who feel like they ‘keep stuffing up’. Brené Brown, a researcher into shame explains that “shame is one of the most excruciatingly painful emotions to bear.” Our society is quick to judge imperfection, and platitudes like “just get over it”, “just stop doing it” or “you should know better” perpetuate feelings of shame with the flow on to emotional dysregulation, low self-worth and depression. When dysfunction feels like ‘home’ it can be tough to contemplate how to move out of that familiar head space.

This is where we can again turn to horses for guidance.

Horses don’t naturally exist in ‘their head’. They are sensory animals relying on feedback from their internal state to help them make choices that keep them emotionally regulated and comfortable.

Even if we wiped our memories, our senses still react to triggers that exist in our subconscious. You might unexpectedly find yourself or your horse reacting to a familiar trigger. Triggers are a reminder of a past trauma. Trauma doesn’t have to be a single event, it can be a series of events, or set of circumstances that psychologically overwhelms you, leading to shock, denial, and changes in the mind, body, and behaviour. A triggered response may come as a surprise to you and others because it seems out of proportion to the stimulus. Even if there is no memory or association to the trigger, you can physically and emotionally feel how you did at the time of the original trauma. For example, a horse hears a buzzing sound and becomes agitated because as a yearling it had a traumatic experience with clipping, or you feel anxious when you smell rum because you used to drink it with your abusive ex. The body remembers.

Breaking lifelong patterns and self-healing require us to develop a self-awareness of our own internal states. Coming away from the noise of our mind, into noticing how we are reacting to the world around us – including our own behaviour.

An example might be – I am at a show jumping competition, I’m already nervous. My heart is racing, I feel nauseous and my mouth is dry. I can’t stop thinking about getting this round clear. I feel a bit distracted by my friends and other competitors on the sidelines watching. My face is getting hot, I’m feeling dizzy. My horse is running through the course, not listening to me. We drop 3 rails. I know I look stupid because my horse is acting up. I swear at my horse under my breath on the way out of the ring and smile at everyone, hiding this overwhelming sense of shame, disappointment and anger with myself. This is a familiar feeling. My shoulders feel heavy and my stomach knots. My thoughts spiral down – ‘I should quit...I’m absolutely hopeless.’. I feel overwhelmed, sad and teary. Why do I always do this?! I am flooded with feelings of disappointment, inadequacy, resentment, sadness and self-criticism. People are watching so I suck it up. I’ll have a drink tonight. I know that’ll help me feel better. Without going deep into psychobabble, and exploration of childhood wounds, reflecting on what just happened, we might notice a few familiar things that give us a key to developing greater self-awareness.

Like Maverick in Top Gun teaches – ‘feel, don’t think.’ You don’t have to focus on the why; notice what’s happening in you. What feelings, sensations, emotions, or impulsions arrive. Noticing what happens inside of us when we start repeating a behaviour that isn’t serving us is achievable. How does that show up for us? Do we get angry, sad, scared or excessively happy? Do we get a neck ache. Do we get fiery and loud, or slouch and go quiet. Do we turn to food, alcohol, or Facebook? Notice how long it takes us to calm back down. Sometimes we can go further and ask ourselves what we need in this moment. What do we turn to for comfort – is that helping us give space to our feelings, or is it distracting us from them? Sometimes the acknowledgment that you might be feeling this way due to a deep-down experience or a threat to your safety in the past is enough for you to choose to take a breath, have a cup of tea, hug our horse or remind ourselves that here in this moment, we are doing our best. Developing an awareness of our experience is coming to deeper levels of consciousness. Awareness of how we are just repeating what we know, and we aren’t a failure as a result. It’s feedback from our past. Familiar feels safe- the subconscious mind is always trying to pull us toward what it can predict.

Awareness gives us the space to respond the way that we consciously want to. To align our behaviour with our values. Next time you feel that pull away from who you want to be, be like a horse. Take a long slow breath out, offer yourself a big yawn, stretch and shake, then choose your next move. Just like training your horse – take it moment by moment, day by day and you’ll support yourself to move closer to your goals, and what gives you comfort. EM

Helen Huie

- The Stables Counselling

If this article has brought up any challenging feelings, questions, or concerns, please reach out to your mental health practitioner, call Lifeline 13 11 14 or contact me at www.thestablescounselling.com.au

WHEN WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES A MOMENT TO STOP AND NOTICE WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING WE ARE PRACTICING CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.

Are you invested in your industry?

How to help an industry that runs on volunteers.

If you are lucky enough to be “living your dream” or working hard towards it, then you are invested in your passion and the industry. So, let’s talk about supporting your sector, those who sponsor and create events that give you the opportunities to “live your dream”.

I first started pony club in Emerald Central Qld in 1967 under the guidance of my dad but also a wonderful community-minded man known to us as Mr Llewellyn. His unwavering support, passion and gentle demeanor is still a presence in my mind 57 years on. So, as the saying goes “there is a little person watching your every move aspiring to be just like you”. Small gestures and kindnesses imprint on little people’s minds. So, I guess the moral of this story is someone is always watching and dreaming of being like you or maybe not, depending on your actions.

If you are new to the equine industry, then please get in at the ground level and help. This experience will be invaluable to you and your support will never go unnoticed.

The same can be said for those who have so much lived experience to offer and years of collected wisdom to share. We need all ages and levels of experience to come together to support our industry. We can’t just rely on the regular few!

With the rolling of the years impacting upon all of us, so many of the familiar faces seen doing the same tasks year after year for the same associations are looking to hand over the reins or teach the “New Kid on the Block” how it all works.

The old ways keep things going, but new ideas keep associations moving forward as “times they are a-changing” and equine associations are becoming more professional in all facets of operations.

I guess I am blessed to have been surrounded by so many beautiful, passionate and brave souls in my lifetime so far within the horse community. There has never been an issue with invested competitors or their family members coming forward to hold a position or to volunteer for the show.

As our lives are so busy and the pace of the world is furious, we need to look at how we keep it all together and also enjoy our chosen equine disciplines.

As an Equine Addict, I am so aware of the strong personalities that encompass the largest sporting industry in Australia. Strong personalities are made from passion, dedication and commitment. Therefore, get out there! Have a go! Offer your hand or time, give back and see how enjoyable it is.

What’s more important, don’t ever forget to THANK T HE SPONSORS!

Happy riding. EM

The old ways keep things going, but new ideas keep associations MOVING FORWARD.

“ ”

Ali Hall-Perrin. Kennallywood/Hair Test Lab

Q&A

with Equestrienne Magazine’s ambassador

Kate @mypilbaraequestrianlife

Do you worry about sharks?

This question comes up almost daily, so I thought it was worth answering! We definitely get sharks here I’m pretty sure we get sharks everywhere in Australia? (Correct me if I’m wrong!) I however don’t worry about them or really even think about them if I’m being honest. My dad was an avid free diver here for over 30 years, so as kids we spent so much time under the water diving with him where we would often see sharks of all kinds and sizes. Dad always assured us that we were not their natural prey here as we were much bigger than anything they would normally eat. Also due to us being in a fairly unpopulated area, it wasn’t overfished so the sharks always had plenty of food. I guess when it’s something you have always done and never encountered an incident you lose any kind of fear that may be present for someone else.

That’s not to say something is never going to happen but I think what a boring life it would have been living up here if I had been too scared to get in the water just in case some- thing could happen eventually. How much would my horses have missed out on if I was too scared to let them go to the beach, the place they love more than anywhere in our super-hot climate? That’s my take on it any way!

The only shark I have ever seen at the cove is a giant hammer head. He does the rounds usually in September every year for about a month. I’ve been quite far offshore when I have seen him hunting sting rays and although my heart did skip a beat for a second, I just lead the horses a bit closer to the shore and kept an eye on him. He never came anywhere near us. He’s amazing to watch cruise around. I’d love to know exactly how big he is because from afar he looks an impressive size!

Crocodiles on the other hand I do not like one bit! They eat anything and are sneaky hunters. We luckily don’t really get them here but if there has been a sighting I’ll just stay away from the mangroves and only go in where it’s clear enough to see!

How do you train the horses to follow off-lead at the beach?

I often get asked this but the truth is I have never actually “trained” them to do it. I do put a few precautions in place when trying it with a new horse for the first time such as -

1. The beach is quiet (no dogs that may chase or anything going on that may spook them)

2. The tide is out far enough that we can walk out into the water a distance and have them in chest deep so they are not too fast to catch if they are going to take off out to sea or back to shore (some horses will keep going out to the horizon and not stop!)

3. And lastly that I have established a respectful relationship with them at home first, as in they are happy to be caught or preferably will come up to you on their own to be caught even in a large, open paddock .

The first few times I take a new horse to the beach I will keep it on the lead just so they become familiar with the area and what’s going on around us but that’s about it!

I do allow the horses to almost choose freely what they want to do when we are there which I also think helps make it enjoyable for them and they are just such well-behaved ponies when they have the freedom they wish for.

I’m lucky that over the years Prada has become a kind of natural babysitter for the other horses. He will keep the others in line if they are going too far away. I also never taught him this but I can actually whistle and call his name and then say go get the girls and he will take off and herd the others back around to us. It’s such a fun thing to do, I have no idea how he understands what’s being asked but it works 9 times out of 10 and I love it! EM

Stable Wraps

Christy Baker

I am Christy Baker, I’m 24, and originally from the Gold Coast, Qld, Australia. I am currently based in Wellington Florida USA, grooming for International Dressage rider, Jemma Heran.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS

Dedicated. Passionate. Caring.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

A typical day at work here in Florida runs fairly smoothly. We currently have only 3 horses here, with each of the horses getting plenty of attention, hand walking and grazing, we like to do a lot with them. The day begins at 6:30am and consists of feeding, cleaning boxes and filling waters. Once all the morning chores are finished, I start getting each horse ready for Jemma to ride, typically one after the other. Lunch break varies depending on the schedule for the day but is normally 2.5-3 hours off and then back to the stables at 2:30pm to do the afternoon stable chores. Each horse comes out of their stables for at least 30 mins for either a walk on the treadmill or hand-walk followed by a nice hand-pick on the grass. Dinner time for the horses is typically 4:45pm then we are free to head back home. Night check is at 8:30pm and luckily Jemma and I rotate night on/night off so one of us can get a night off to relax. At night check we ensure all the horses are happy, top up hay nets, check legs, rug if needed and do a final stable pick up so the horses have a clean stable to sleep in for the night.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A GROOM?

I just love it,

I love the horses like they are my own

and I love being able to be that support person for someone you care about, to help them achieve their goals. When they do well you get that proud mumma feeling!

*you’re doing great sweetie!*

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SPEND A DAY OFF?

Here in Florida, I would have to say head to the beach as the weather is incredible and also some light retail therapy never goes astray.

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE?

If I am buying it out, I’ll take a double shot vanilla latte.

FAVOURITE HORSE? My favourite dressage horse of all time is ‘Totilas’, he is an icon. As of right now I’m also obsessed with ‘Glamourdale’.

ULTIMATE ‘MUST-HAVE’ ?

SPF day cream!

WHAT CHALLENGES YOU MOST ABOUT THE JOB?

Currently being away from home for so long, away from my boyfriend, horse, dog, cat, family and friends. It’s been hard but at the same time I’m so grateful for this experience and I will always make the most of each opportunity I’m given!

FAVOURITE EVENT TO ATTEND? As a competitor, I love Fig Tree Pocket, it’s not too far from home and it’s a beautiful venue. However, working for an international rider, I have been to some fantastic horse events abroad. My favourite so far would be The Schindlhof CDI, in Fritzens Austria. It was incredible.

THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECIEVED?

I love photography, when I’m not in front of the lens working with Equestrian brands such as Horseland, Equipad and Aisling Equestrian, you will find me on the other side of the camera. In 2018, my boyfriend organised some of my family to chip in and purchase a new camera lens for me that I had been wanting for so long, but I couldn’t afford at that time. It meant the absolute world to me, I cried! It was the sweetest thing and I’ll forever be grateful for it.

ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE A GROOM? It’s going to be blood, sweat, tears and damn hard work but if you love what you do, it’s so worth it!

IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE? As of right now, Wellington, Florida, USA. I’m loving my time here! The weather is gorgeous, the people are amazing and it’s just beautiful.

DRINK OF CHOICE? Piña colada or a lychee martini!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?

Can I say Horse Deals?

MUSIC OR PODCAST? I listen to music in the morning to get my day going, while I’m cleaning the stables, and podcasts in the afternoon while hand walking and grazing the horses.

DREAM VAYCAY? Bahamas, OMG it looks so beautiful, so relaxing and in Exuma you can swim with the pigs!

WHAT HAS THIS JOB TAUGHT YOU MOST?

It’s taught me so much, definitely patience and work ethic.

HOW WOULD YOUR FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU?

I definitely had to phone a friend for this one! Dedicated, ambitious and kind.

WORDS TO LIVE BY?

WHAT’S YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS? FOLLOWING YOUR PASSION, BELIEVING IN YOURSELF AND HAVING A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

Photo top left- - Rittergut Osthoff, Georgsmarienhütte, Germany. Above - Jemma Heran riding her Grand Prix mare Saphira Royal 2 in Loxahatchee, Florida, USA. Bottom right - The Schindlhof CDI, Fritzens Austria.

Photos by Christy Baker. Top right- Christy and her mare Gracie by Ashley Grant, The Blachat.

“Opportunities don’t just happen, you create them.”

NEGRONI SBAGLIATO

Whether you took Italian in high school or not, this cocktail will probably have you consulting Google translate before you attempt to order one for the first time.

Sba- slient g- Liato.

The hardest part of making a classic Negroni is using (or in my case finding) the cocktail shaker. For this version you don’t even need one! Equal parts (45ml) sweet Vermouth, Campari (or Aperol) & dry Prosecco, garnish with an orange wheel . Cin cin.

We support and promote the responsible drinking of alcohol.

Free to ride