26/05/2026
E for eliminated 😂
Saturday was one of those days I knew would be a STEEP learning curve from the moment the snorting T-Rex emerged from the float, for the second day of the SPPHAV State Championship Dressage Series 🦖
Despite the theatrics, I was still grateful for the opportunity to check out the Werribee National Equestrian Centre on a quiet morning.
The big guy was overwhelmed, to say the very least. Our first test was a jumble of legs and trying our best to hold it together down near those 3 horse-eating judges’ huts. We didn’t thrive, but we did survive 🙌
I was happy with how Dan settled between tests, so much so I took my safety vest off… only to regret my life choices a few minutes later 😂
Dan’s not usually the kind of fella who cares about other horses. But as the other champs with stamps from our group steadily completed their tests and left the area, one by one, he decided he didn’t want to be left behind… at all 😤
Cow kicking, grabbing the bit and running out the shoulder… I thought I had it reasonably in hand, until the big dude decided to duck out and do some reconstruction work on the entry gate🤭
Full of laughs and “cheeky bugger” muttering, I was off my game after this and proceeded to miss the next movement 🫣 The judge tooted to let me know I’d made another blunder, but also explained we’d technically already been eliminated by that point.
With the pressure completely off, I was very proud of how Dan finished the test. We got a decent long walk and no further fight when faced with the looming gate gap and view of prospective friends over yonder.
Speaking of which, I must mention the best part of our day: catching up with Callan. Long-time RTS followers may remember this gorgeous little schmoo-face, who arrived from the same harness stable with Dan. The boys paddocked together for several months, whilst we explored some RDA training, before deciding Callan was the kind of horse who deserved his very own human.
And, boy, did he hit the jackpot. Mandy travelled thousands of kms to make whole-day trips across the state, camping overnight, to attend two separate events in the Series.
A very astute and kind horsewoman, Mandy adjusted her expectations and rode the tests Callan needed in order to have positive experiences. To be able to ride so humbly, with her horse’s 💯 best interests as the priority, was just beautiful to watch ❤️ Huge credit to her.
As always, a massive shout-out to the Mitavite team for their ongoing support with Dan’s nutrition. He is just so strong, fit and looking super 💪🤩
A big thank you also goes to Renee, who generously gave her time to call both of my tests. And to my mum for another early rise and big trip to help wrangle the dinosaur.
As for our big doofusaurus, I couldnt be prouder of his efforts across the past 2 months 🥹
Smart, trainable and willing at home, I knew big-atmosphere events, being surrounded by other horses and vast venues could very well be his undoing. And so, that became the focus: get out to a few comps, see a bunch of stuff, figure out this ‘riding in an arena’ business and then come home and consolidate.
And that’s very much the plan for winter, where we’ll aim to refine what we’ve learnt so far and really look to get canter established properly.
Our online course students can expect to (finally) see some new content flowing through, as I document key exercises and tips throughout the process, from a rider who’s stripped back to ‘rebuilding-mode’ (something other women may be able to relate to), on a big, tricky ex-pacer.
Taking this opportunity to thank many of my friends and family members for supporting me over this past couple of months. It really does take a village and I feel very blessed 🫶🏻
I’ve been on such a deep personal journey of rediscovering the horsewoman I once was and finding my rhythm again. It’s been humbling to say the least, but also a very special time 🩷
