Having trained in Agriculture, working on farms and in a mixed veterinary practice, I then moved into Sales, as a profession. For a hobby, I have been a leisure rider most of my life, only becoming lucky enough to own my own horses 15 years ago. Since then, I have had a variety of horses and ponies, numbering an unbroken 2 year old welsh part-bred, who I broke in myself, an ex- endurance black arab mare, and whilst living in Australia, a one eyed Quarter horse called Disco, who is the reason I am doing what I am.
It was when one of our ponies became very ill, that I first encountered any form of alternative therapy on horses, and the results I saw with my own eyes, blew me away.
However, life has a habit of taking you on a meandering path, so with this in mind, in 2003, my husband and 3 children and myself, emigrated to Australia. We sold our mid-Wales smallholding, and heartbreakingly rehomed our horses and many other animals.
It was whilst we were living in rural NSW, Australia, that I first became involved with Riding for the Disabled. With no permanent visa to stay in Oz, I was desperate for a horsy fix, so unable to quite yet buy my own horse, I became an RDA volunteer. This, I found hugely rewarding, watching the children and horse bond together, and seeing the vast benefits it had for both.
When we moved to another rural town, I set up a branch of RDA for Kempsey, NSW and became chairman of the committee. This involved procuring suitable horses, some of which lived with us, assisting in training them, finding suitable premises to hold the weekly sessions, health and safety checks, and raising finance, advertising etc etc. After the initial setup, which took 2 years, I then bowed out, to concentrate on other things, but the RDA Kempsey Macleay, still thrives and continues to grow today.
I also learnt much about horse health and management under very adverse conditions, from our friend and neighbour, Jess Staines, dressage and natural horsemanship trainer. Between the two of us, including my 2 horses, we ran 20 horses jointly, on 90 acres of bushland, shared with the kangaroos. Many of them were severe rescue cases, so there was always something new to learn. With no access to good vets or farriers, life is tough for a horse in rural Australia, so it was a steep, but hugely beneficial, learning curve for me, which I feel I can now use to help other horses..
Whilst living in NSW, I trained in human bowen, treating many riders at Jess’s riding school, sometimes in the paddocks under the trees, horses sniffing the client, parrots in the trees!
Whilst living in NSW, we lived in a very rural town, midway between Sydney and Brisbane. Here we settled for 3 years, in the semi-tropical climate. We lived on a property with 20 acres of rough tough stuff, that bears no resemblance to any grass you will ever see in the U.K. At that time, we had 2 horses, Disco, my one eyed Quarter horse, and my daughter’s pony, Cruiser.
Life is tough for a horse in those parts. If left wild, most horses would die of starvation, long before they are aged, as their teeth would wear away eating the tough vegetation! However, my learning curve was only just starting, as little did I know it, but I had the huge good fortune to make a fabulous friend, our immediate neighbour, an Australian renowned natural horse and dressage trainer from Sydney, Jess Plummer.
Jess ran the best training ground for kids, adults and horses, and before long, had a large amount of good quality horses that, for whatever reason, had become rescue cases, needing lengthy rehabilitation. My daughter and myself spent every waking hour for 2 years, under Jess’s tutelage, myself learning about herbs and feeding and health, my daughter Amy, becoming a skilled and sensitive rider. We really had to work a lot out for ourselves, having no access to good farriers, vets, sometimes not even hay, when the grass was dry and bare.
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Before long, our 2 horses ran with Jess’s herd, all living as naturaly as possible, running 17-20 horses on 90 acres of rough natural pasture, which they shared with the kangaroos!
It has to be one of the best, and most moving experiences of my life, to see them live as near to the wild as horses could possibly live… who is in each sub-group, how the lead gelding disciplines newcomers or youngsters, how they look after the old and sick, which areas they graze and when, and watching them go to the dam to drink… or swim… or just all splash about like hippos..eating water lilies as they go!
We were privileged to have these experiences, and it is indelibly etched in my mind that these badly abused horses were now in a truly ‘horse heaven’.
Whilst enjoying the Oz horse heaven, I was also in a quest for learning, as I had to try and mend Disco, my quarter horse. His whole life, was one of ill health and painful lameness, having navicular, and latterly, slow liver and kidney failure, from plant toxicity. It has been my quest to help Disco, that has led me further into the world of alternative medicine, and he certainly was the catalyst for this.
Whilst living in Kempsey, I also trained as a Human Bowen therapist, treating many of the riders and relations of Jess’s riding school, sometimes in the field under the trees, horses sniffing the patient, parrots in the trees!
It is these experiences that bring me back to where I am today. In February 2007, we returned to the U.K. settling back in mid-Wales, restocking with horses as soon as we could. It is now, that I find that the ones that come to me need my help and knowledge…any idea of buying a horse in the morning, and riding it the next day, just never seem to happen to me!
We presently own Rosie, my daughter’s 24yr old (in 2011) 14.3.hh Welsh x TB, ex jumping pony. Fabihan – 12 yr (in 2011) old 15.1.hh grey arab gelding, And Seamus, 14yrs old (in 2011) 13.2.hh welsh part-bred.
In January 2008, I embarked on the Equine Bowen Therapy course. This skill and knowledge has enabled me to improve my horses health, more than I could ever have imagined, and also introduced me to the Norse Herbs, which complement bowen in an amazing way.
Top...To read more on of "Rosie´s Journey" see here
To read more on of "Fab´s Journey" see here
Qualifications
- National Certificate in Dairying ~ Sparsholt College of Agriculture, Winchester.
- National Certificate in Agriculture ~ Sparsholt College of Agriculture, Winchester.
- Human Bowen Therapy Diploma – The Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia.
- Equine Bowen Therapy (Distinction) with the European School of Equine Bowen Therapy, Hartpury College, Gloucester.
The above qualification also included theory, practical and projects on Equine Holistic care and stable management, Anatomy and Physiology, Equine Behaviour and Psychology, Equine health and tack fitting.
In Addition:
- Reiki I and II ~ Natural Harmony Centre, Llanerfyl, Powys.
- Intuitive Development ~ Natural Harmony Centre, Llanerfyl, Powys.