I have the good fortune in my current work as an education coach in remote Central Australia to drive many kilometers. For some people, this would be a daunting prospect, but for me driving through these isolated outback expanses is a privilege. The distances are vast and the sights are many. Often I don’t see any other vehicles or even any signs of people excepting occasional homesteads belonging to cattle stations (ranches), dirt roads, stock yards, windmills and long straight fence lines, and of course cattle and horses.
One morning, having left early for the 100km (60 mile) drive between schools, I was lucky enough to meet a mob of brumbies (wild horses). With some time to spare, I stopped the car, got out my camera and sat for about half an hour observing and taking photos.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Rolex 3-Day Event in Kentucky, a test of the top competitors in the 3-day eventing field – including many past and future Olympians. Among this year’s riders were Karen O’Conner, William Fox-Pitt (this year’s Rolex winner), and Marilyn Little-Meredith (finishing a close second).
In Eventing, the horses and riders are put through three days of challenges. The first day is dressage, the second day consists of a cross-country jumping course, and the final day is stadium jumping (a course of jumps set up in an arena), meant to test the horses’ stamina and athletic ability. Eventing was originally designed to test horses’ aptitude to be mounts for the military. These horses needed to have great athleticism, maneuverability, courage and stamina to be good mounts for military men, hence the intense nature of the sport!
Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be anything like a romantic Jackie Collins or Barbara Cartland novel, just in case that’s what you’re thinking the title suggests! In a recent discussion on Parelli Connect, the topic of happy-yet-long-suffering partners came up – y’know, the girlfriends/boyfriends/husbands/wives/significant others who put up with the hours we spend with [...]
I was terrified when I first joined the Faculty Team in 2007. I had been a student at the centers for 2 years and had gotten very comfortable not giving others horsemanship advice. We were given very strict instructions as students at the center to ask our questions to our instructors and to not try [...]
Over the past 12 years, I have had the chance to travel a lot. It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I’m very thankful; I’ve been very fortunate to see many places. However, the one thing people often forget is that traveling with a wheelchair can add small detours that you didn’t really expect. I thought I [...]
Splash is a 14-year-old American Paint. She seemed to lack confidence with people if she thought she had to do something other than eat, but is very food-oriented as well. She appears to be a Right-Brain Introvert with crazy “running out and running around!” explosive episodes that take on almost Right-Brain Extrovert characteristics, but I [...]
What does waiting look like for you? Until recently, I hadn’t thought too much about the details of how I wait when my introvert mare, Jesse, has that need. I made sure to take the pressure off, but didn’t worry about it much past that. I’d watch for the signs that she was ready to [...]
Many of you understand what it feels like to be fearful when horses are in the picture. How can you be so scared of something you love so much? It is one of those situations that can destroy someone’s happiness as they decide it is not something they can get through, and so they walk [...]
Parelli Professional Lillan Roquet is studying in Florida with Linda Parelli. Here’s her latest blog. Enjoy! Hey everyone! Thought it was about time I posted a little update about the new addition to Linda’s barn – a beautiful Warmblood named Zen. He belongs to a lovely friend of Linda’s from Wellington who sent him to [...]
