In January I celebrated a big milestone; on Australia Day January 26th, it had been 10 years since I purchased my first horse!
That was a pretty cool realisation! In 2005, just as I was starting Year 12, I bought a thoroughbred mare called Delta from an instructor of mine at the time, and my horsey journey began. I had had plenty of lessons before that, and I could sit on a horse, walk, trot, canter and jump, but I had no idea how to ‘ride’. That means that in under 10 years I have made the trip from pretty much a rank beginner to FEI level, something I have to say I was pretty chuffed about when I realised!
It really made me stop and think…What will the next 10 years hold!? I know, if someone had sat me down 10 years ago and outlined what my life would look like today and everything that I’d achieved in that time, I’d have looked at them like they were a bit crazy, so I know that chances are if someone sat me down today and gave me a glimpse of my life in 2025, it’d be no different - I’d probably think they were crazy. So I’m feeling pretty inspired about the possibilities and excited to see what the next decade has in store for me!
Now for an update on all the furkids…
I’m having one of those runs with the horses that makes all the non horsey people in your life look at you, raise their eyebrows and say something like “And remind me why you do this again?” And makes all the horsey people in your life look at you and shrug and say simply, “Horses.”
Fanny had her first trip to the beach earlier this year as well, proving bold and honest she took it all in her stride
The talented grey mare by Grande Farnese you’ve heard a little bit about, Grande Fantasia (Fanny), really turned a corner in her education! You might remember me telling you about the fact that she’d been very tricky to ride because she shuts down when you ask too much and then just throws in the towel and chucks a wobbly. Her wobblies happen to be particularly athletic ones! The ‘naughty warmblood’ feeling really freaked me out - I’ve always ridden hotter, more sensitive horses like thoroughbreds and Irish horses. They are more likely to buck and bolt when they get naughty. Warmbloods, it turns out, like to get behind your leg and then nap, or buck or rear… (every warmblood person I’ve said this to nods like it’s common knowledge! haha)
So this was a very unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling for me…so I decided to turn to my old friend ‘long reins’ to see if I couldn’t ride some of it out from the ground so when I got back on board, I had some more helpful buttons installed other than ‘run sideways’, ‘stop’ and ‘jack up’. Well, good old long reins! :-) She really turned a corner and ‘got it’!
Here are some piccies of her working like a champ at home a few weeks ago:
Unfortunately, just as she let go through the body and started feeling amazing under saddle, she also went lame. Long story short we discovered acute synovitis in her near side fore fetlock. The x-rays came back super clean (thank god!) and she responded well to a joint injection of cortisone and hyaluronic acid, but is still not 100%, so she is having three months off and some Tildren to treat for any bone pain or oedema she’s experiencing.
I’m super relieved that her x-rays are clear, but I’m nervous as anything that we’ll give her the three months off, treat her with Tildren and we’ll still have a lame horse on our hands! Particularly when she was going SO well immediately prior to this happening!
My new horse Luke, whom I bought last year, popped a little splint about 4 weeks ago and his splint bones have just been a tad active since…he’s a big baby and doing some more work on hard ground which I think is what has set them off (or it could be all the paddock acrobatics he does). At any rate, he’s had some time off to allow them to settle, but is just about ready for action and will return to work next week! He’s looking awesome and I really can’t wait to be back on board with him!
Fortunately Archie is my saving grace, and after having three months of walking on hard ground only for a very minor tendon injury, has been given the all clear and is now back on walk and trot work (no circles) on the arena! It’s great having him back in work and I’m going to treat it as an opportunity to go back over the fundamentals, something which can yield so many results once you get up the levels! He’s enjoying having a job and being back in action, and I’m loving having an educated horse to ride - for the last three months all I’ve ridden is babies
Archie had his first trip to the beach this morning since being back in work and I was finally able to use my $40 Wintec saddle that I bought last year. Because I didn’t have my good saddle on, Archie and I were able to go a bit deeper and he had his first crack at swimming, he was pretty pleased with himself! We didn’t do much though, and mainly stuck to the shallows so as to preserve his leg, but it was great to get him back out and doing things again!
Frida my 4 year old Irish mare that I bred myself has had a little holiday since getting broken in. Early in January we free jumped all the babies (before Fanny & Luke went out) and they all showed great technique over a fence! I’m still warring with myself over Frida to be honest…she has SUCH a great attitude and a super cool jump, but I think she’s only going to mature about 16hh. All of my other horses tower over her and I’m worried about her ability to carry me around course, particularly a higher level one. So it’s very tempting to sell her, but then I watch her free jump again and end up wanting to keep her! Decisions decisions…
Here are all the kids Free Jumping during January…Fanny did this once when she was younger, but this was a first for Frida and Luke. They were all good kids!
Frida having a free jump last month (above)
Fanny free jumping (above and below)
Luke free jumping (above and below)
In other news, we have been holding regular clinics with eventing legend, Megan Jones every 6-8 weeks from our property here in Devon Meadows. All the riders are thoroughly enjoying having access to such a brilliant coach here in Victoria, and I think Megan is enjoying coming back regularly and working with a group of dedicated and committed riders. The last few clinics I’ve missed out because I’ve had sore horses, but I’m very excited that when she’s back here in two weeks time, I’m going to get to have a walk and trot lesson on Archie and I’m hoping Luke will be right to do some work too! 
Exciting times!
At the last clinic Megan even brought along her sister, Emma, who is a real wizard when it comes to working horses over cross country fences, but with a twist - she puts them in a rope headcollar and on a long line and lunges them over the obstacles. She helped heaps with Archie when he was a youngster, and she was so well received last time, she’s coming back for another shot in two weeks!
Megan and I seated at the water jump discussing something (?) during the most recent clinic at Yarra Glen Pony Club
In other exciting horsey news, my broodmare Poppy dropped a lovely little filly on January 7th. Kiki, or Grande Storm Dancer, is a half sister to Fanny and Frida - she’s by Fanny’s sire Grande Farnese and out of Frida’s dam, Ellesmere Poppy. She’s hit the ground typey, uphill and super cheeky. She’s going to go grey too - she’s already wearing little grey goggles! Can’t wait to see what the future holds for this one, and most of all I’m just happy that we have a healthy and happy Mumma and Bub
Grande Storm Dancer…aka Kiki, pictured here at 1 month old
I’m very much looking forward to coming back to you next month with some updates and hopefully some positive news about the latest Megan clinic and Archie and Luke’s progress!
Hope that everyone else is having a much smoother start to the season than I am! :-) Can’t wait to get back out there and competing when the kids are right to go!
See you soon!
Best Riding,
Nicole
