.:EQUUS:.

So a recent article I was writing with regards to the identification of a horse led me to linking to a page on Lipizzaner’s with regards the breed being specifically known for their grey or white stallions.  These gorgeous animals are on display at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna which for over 430 years has practiced classical equitation in the ‘Renaissance tradition of the haute école’.

The way the horse naturally moves is studied and the objective of classical equitation as well as the cultivation of the highest possible levels of haute école elegance that the horse is capable of.

For a rider, working and performing at such a school may be the perfect aspiration.  There are pre-requisites or requirements when it comes to qualifying for such a position.  Those who are successful are invited to an interview and possibly asked to give a riding demonstration.

Requirements for an eleve or cadet:

- Minimum age: 17 years
- Nationality of an EU member state
- Athletic and creative abilities
- Body height should not exceed 170cm
- In relation to the upper body, the legs should appear long
- A slim physique is required
- Fluent German and a good command of English
- A strong affinity to horses and basic riding skills

The successful eleve will then undertake a four year training program.  To become a rider the training can cover a 10 year duration.  In 2008 the first female cadets were taken in, breaking the all male tradition.

Indeed, qualifying as a cadet sounds like a lot of work but so very much worth it!  For the avid horse rider, perhaps such a position is worth looking into.

“A horse is an animal not a machine and is only as good as it’s rider.”

tag: cadetship, horseriding, Vienna, Spanish Riding School

Before having even travelled and while still planning my trip to Ireland for the Irish National Stud I stumbled across a website that caught my attention with a few words: horses, beach, South Africa.

Julie-Anne Gower along with her husband Clint run Wild Coast Horse Trails on the East Coast of South Africa.  I spent five weeks of absolute heaven learning, riding and breathing horses with them.  Julie-Anne has kindly answered some questions about their trail riding business.

What services are offered by Wild Coast Horse Trails?
We provide horse riding holidays for horse loving people, see notes on Wild Coast Horseback Adventures for all the details.

- 1 to 12 week hands on working horse riding holiday at Sunray farm
- 6 night 7 day Wild Coast Horse Safari
- 8 night 10 Day Surf & Turf Safari
- 1 to 14 day Castaway trails - custom made trails
- Day rides along the beach
- Torstone Sport Horses

How did you get into this equine related business?
I kept seeing other people trying to do this type of thing, and in my opinion they were not getting it right. Finally, we had a cash flow crisis, and a field full of horses, and I put a trail itinerary together, created a web site and waited for a year before my first booking! I was in the right place and the right time and the horse trail agents picked me up and started selling our rides.

The Gap year program developed first of all as a work for board arrangement, but this presented only problems and so I decided to charge riders for staying with us. The demand for this type of experience has grown into a full time business and we now take up to 8 riders at the farm at any one time. We have converted the old farm house into a comfortable cottage for the riders to live in, and developed the whole thing into an extended riding holiday. We have a full time yard manager who oversees the daily routine and also instructs the riding and schooling sessions.

I started breeding horses because I thought that it was a good idea at the time - I am still trying to make money out of it!!
The great thing now is that we can bring our own bred horses into the trails - and that really is rewarding. My dream is to produce competitive endurance horses that will be sold overseas. We are on the cusp of this, as the perfect prospect has to be about 8 years old and have completed 3 x 80 km rides and at least 1 x 120km competition - it’s a very long term project, but we are lucky enough to be able to use the up and coming youngsters in the trails as part of their training - and they are earning their keep at the same time.

How much of your day/week is hands on with horses?
I don’t spend as much time as I would like to! I do all the guiding for the trails, and that is very hands on with the horses. At the farm, I tend to be organising and checking rather than actually doing these days

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
To earn a living from horses, it really depends on you. Most day ride operations do ok if they are in the right place and have a consistent flow of tourists to support them. They drive old cars, and the house needs painting, but they are doing what they love!

What are the general steps taken to be able to provide such a service to others?
The overnight trail scenario is highly competitive. You have to select your market carefully, and if like me you are remote and rely on international tourists, you have to have representation in Europe and the UK.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing this line of work?
Don’t expect to make it straight off. It takes time and effort - you are planning and working with agents a year in advance for the marketing - so if you start now, only expect returns over the next 1 to 2 years. In the mean time you have to feed and care for the horses and keep them in tip top condition.

Besides being totally horsey and you must be able to ride VERY well and enjoy looking after people, get some field guiding qualification, and some hospitality training. Also, get experience in leading trails with all levels of riders.

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
I would love to meet and do some work with Richard Maxwell or Monty Roberts. I would love to do a course and improve my technique with training young horses etc.

Favourite horse memory?
When my old man Moonlight comes to me in the paddock, touches me with his nose and says hello; after all the training, sweat, and tears, winning endurance races! Also, having a young horse that you have bred, trained and sold on - do well and bring joy to their humans

Future goals?
I want to travel the world doing horseback trails and holidays To build my horse riding holidays into a profitable business so that I can go on riding holidays!

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I had a client a few weeks ago who came back to do her second trail with us. At 74 years old - what a dynamic woman - she is an inspiration to me in that I can now envision myself still riding for another 40 years! The horses have taught me to be authentic with myself and to others, do everything with love and respect.

“We have fast horses for fast people, gentle horses for gentle people, and for people who don’t like to ride, we have horses that don’t like to be ridden.”

Tags: Wild Coast Horse Trails, horse beach riding, horse riding holiday, trail riding, Julie-Anne Gower, South Africa

The latest Horseland newsletter has some very interesting information in it regarding Australian riders who want the chance to further their riding through the aid of sponsorship.

It seems that Nature Vet is advertising positions for 16 sponsored riders, each sponsorship package being valued at $2,600 Australian dollars.

Applications are open to young and junior riders (under the age of 21) with the deadline for applications being December 15th, 2009.

Take a look at the application form which includes:
- contact details and DOB
- horse details
- riding events details of past 12 months
- list of achievements/placements with the horse listed
- maximum 200 words on why Nature Vet should sponsor you
- riding goals
- terms and conditions

Make sure you:
- fill in all the details
- complete the terms and conditions
- don’t forget to send in your photographs

“Every time you ride, you’re either teaching or un-teaching your horse.” - Gordon Wright

tag: sponsorship, horseriding, australia

Being rather a fan of computers/office work and horses, it seems a surprise I didn’t consider merging the two and taking on the likes of a racing secretarial role.

There are places that have staff that tend to help out with the morning work - exercising horses or perhaps vet work and mucking out boxes and then they settle in the office for the rest of the day.  Or perhaps a sleep in is appealing and you’d prefer to work in the office from say, 9 in the morning and help with the afternoon feed run?

If your interest lies in horses and you’re strong with regards to office skills - typing, word processing, use of the Internet, payroll and tax - as well as knowledge in entering horses into races and sales, vet records and phone skills, your boss may just consider you heaven sent!

Need more information?  RacingAcademy.ie provides a good description of this role within Ireland as well as other roles in the racing industry - http://www.racingacademy.ie/content.asp?id=45

The article Life as a Racing Secretary would also be worth a look - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/careers/article.php?aid=112367

The British Racing School offers a short course - http://www.brs.org.uk/Courses/Other_Courses/Racing_Secretaries/ as well as a general eye opener with regards to the racing industry - http://www.brs.org.uk/Courses/TRIC_-_THE_Racing_Industry_Course/.  Either could be of interest to those interested in working in an office on an equine property.

“My other car is a horse.”

Tags: administration skills, equine career, horse racing, office course, equine office job

Developed in Australia in 1939, Polocrosse is a combination of polo, lacrosse and netball. It’s comprised of six players and their horse per team with 3 players from each team playing at one time.

Unlike Polo, Polocrosse only requires one horse per team member and this can be any type of horse. Gear needed includes a saddle, bridle, bell boots, bandages, helmet and a Polocrosse Racquet. Australia was the winner of the Polocrosse World Cup in 2003 and 2007, this sport now being played around the world by both male and female players of varying ages.

The Polocrosse Association of Australia site can be found at http://www.polocrosse.org.au/.  There are also sites for states within Australia:
- New South Wales: http://www.nswpolocrosse.com.au/
- Victoria: http://www.polocrossevic.org.au/
- Western Australia: http://www.pawa.asn.au/
- Northern Territory: http://www.ntpolocrosse.com.au/
- Queensland: http://www.polocrosse.com.au/
- South Australia: http://www.polocrossesa.org.au/

Perhaps you already have a vested interest in this fast moving sport and are interested in promoting your passion. This could be done in the form of photography and advertising for these events; providing the necessary equipment for playing the sport; training and selling horses suited to this discipline or if you have the land, even setting up grounds for practice games and competitions to be held.

A Polocrosse field including the safety line measures 170.5 metres wide by 61 metres long, making the playing field equivalent to 2.6 acres in size. A spare ten to fifteen acres would be sufficient to set up a few of these playing fields for teams to compete.

“Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!”

tag: polocrosse, horseriding, australia

***
Enjoy horse stories and learning?  Take a look at some of my novel in progress that is to be finished this year and published.