Unbridled Equestrian

20/08/2026

I adore this post.

“Does my joy hold no value?”

Why is the value of joy so underrated?

A few weeks back at a comedy show I got talking to a guy who made the passing comment that his wife, now a mother to his children, use to have horses and now does not and it’s great because he thinks they’re such a waste of time and money.

In that moment my heart broke a little for his wife.

I know all too well how easy it is to lose part or all of yourself in motherhood. It is one of the most important things we will do in our lives; growing, birthing and raising a child. It’s often a thankless task and as mothers, we forsake so much of ourselves for the benefit of our child.

Perhaps his comments hit hard for me because I spent many years being told I was selfish for having horses and spending time with them pursuing personal goals while also raising my two children.

There’s an expectation that mothers put all of their own ambition by the wayside to raise and care for a family and this is often why they lose themselves in the process.

But not everyone has ambition for greatness. I personally have no particular ambition to compete anymore. But I do get immense joy from spending time with my horses and training them. I get gratification out of watching their bodies heal, grow and develop through methodical training. I feel a sense of pride in knowing my work is bettering another being.

And yet…I’m constantly hearing people say that horses are a waste of time and money.

Does my joy hold no value? Does seeing me smile not also bring you joy? Does knowing that in these moments I feel happy and free not appease you?

As parents, there is no greater joy than hearing our children belly laugh. Ohhh it’s my most favourite sound in the world. And anyone else can see the value in that.
But why is the joy I gain from horses of less value than a child’s laughter?

F**k it, guys, seriously.

The next time someone tells you that horses are a waste of time and money, throat punch them and tell them that the value of your smile is priceless.

I’d pay my last dollar to my horse if it meant a smile would cross my face.

20/08/2026

I thought this was a really interesting paper:

"To address equestrians’ concerns, a new horse-training framework would need to see the horse as a being rather than as an object, offer the flexibility of a wide-angle view of the horse to protect horse welfare, combined with the ability to zoom in and use a narrow focus to achieve specific training goals. To address equestrians’ objections, it must also offer nuanced solutions that account for the complexity of individual horse–human inter-actions."

19/08/2026

If you come for a lesson and see this trampoline and chair set up, be prepared for a little cardio 😉

17/08/2026

Absolutely.

06/08/2026

Posts I often write in my head but never publish…

The elusive first pony hunt. The true unicorn.

Do they exist?

Yes.

Are you going to find one?

Maybe.

But probably not.

Why?

Because the genuine first ponies are usually one of three things:

• They’re so expensive that most families simply can’t afford them.

• They’re 400 years old (or so it seems!), and they’ve been passed from family to family. They never make it onto the open market because the original owners retire them with love.

• They sell by word of mouth before anyone else even knows they’re available.

Does that mean you should stop looking?

Absolutely not.

But it does mean we all need to be realistic.

The truth is, most children under eight aren’t able to ride independently, all the time, on the same pony.

Why?

Because ponies are still horses.

They need tuning up.

They develop little habits.

Their training can come undone.

And that’s nobody’s fault.

Even experienced adults make mistakes, so how can we expect a tiny child and a pony—who is simply a horse in a smaller package—to stay perfectly trained forever?

That’s just not how horses work.

The best children’s ponies are usually kept that way because adults or more experienced riders hop on occasionally and remind them of their job.

Developmentally, most children aren’t ready to ride completely off the lead all the time until around eight years old—and that’s okay.

It’s not an insult.

It’s child development.

Of course there are exceptions.

Some six-year-olds are jumping courses bigger than I’d ever want to jump.

Some children are playing Mozart at five.

Some are memorising the periodic table.

Some are welding.

But childhood isn’t a race.

Just because one child is reading all seven Harry Potter books before they’re six doesn’t mean your child should be.

The same applies to riding.

So if your pony suddenly feels “naughty,” or your child was cantering independently three weeks ago but now needs to go back on the lead, don’t panic.

Progress isn’t always a straight line.

Sometimes we take a step backwards before moving forwards again.

It’s okay to put them back on the lead.

It’s okay to wait before buying a pony.

It’s okay to have an older child or an adult give the pony a tune-up.

None of that is failure.

It’s good horsemanship.

And yes…

Unicorn ponies do exist.

I’m lucky enough to have a few.

No, they’re not for sale.

But are they wonderful because they’re ridden by different riders? Absolutely.

Do I still hop on them occasionally for a tune-up?

Without question.

That’s not because they’re bad ponies.

It’s because they’re horses.

And that’s exactly what good horse management looks like.

(Unicorn who everyone loves but occasionally rears. Habits accepted because she is my favourite child)

02/08/2026

Rest easy with Shy Boy and Johnny Tivio, Monty.

Monty Roberts was one of the first pioneers of horse trainers who created a better way of breaking in horses instead of physically dominating them. I read his books and met him when I was just 11 at Equitana. He was a huge influence on how I wanted to approach horses and training, and while the horse community can squabble about their ideals on the gentlest way to approach training, he still deserves our admiration and respect in what he did for horses so many years ago.

RIP Monty. Thank you for making the world a better place for horses ❤️

The world has lost a legend.

Monty Roberts💔- the man who listened to horses.

The man that believed in me and allowed me (and my other fellow scientists) to scientifically evaluate his methods. He knew we would publish whatever the outcome of the study. He said, if he can do it any better please show him. He wanted to see his methods evaluated for the advancement of equine welfare.

He was the man that took us to meet his friend and mentor Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Rest in peace with shy boy. Thinking of your family at this difficult time.

You did leave the world a better place for horses ❤️

Love from your Scientist 👩🏼‍🔬 🐴

Me, Monty and Pat Roberts at Flag is Up Farm, California

01/08/2026

Happy horse’s birthday to our sweet Beau who turned 21 today! ❤️ 🎉

01/08/2026

🫶🥹

🖤✨🐴

28/07/2026

Spent the day putting some posts into our arena fence!

Cannot tell you how excited I am to start getting this beauty up 😍 apparently gentle encouragement (and mentioning it every single day 😜) is an important part of any arena-building project.

We also got a little bit distracted by Mack and Pumpkin, our pet cows who came down for a sticky beak 🐮

26/07/2026

Get in loser, we’re going shopping! 🛍️

Today I accompanied Angela to view this gorgeous Percheron x mare!

My job is to make sure the horse is suitable for my client, I check for:
- Rider suitability
- Soundness issues
- Red flags

When I say “red flags” unfortunately the horse industry is absolutely fraught with people who misrepresent horses, either through ignorance or greed, and it’s my job to try to protect clients from making costly and dangerous mistakes in purchasing, or even just test riding, unsuitable horses.

Thankfully, this beautiful mare was presented by a lovely, honest young horsewoman, but did display quite a few pain behaviours under saddle. For that reason, Ange decided it best to not swing on today, but to maybe come back at a later date after the owners have had a chance to explore what was causing her discomfort.

Either way, a lovely day spent talking horses, cuddling horses and topped off with the best hot chocolate I’ve had in awhile!
🦄