An early Xmas with Hollie

Well HELLO you lot! It’s your random bush blogger here… finally logging in to share a December update…

School holidays have started here – our two finished classes a fortnight already, and we have been LOVING having Dash and Violet back under our roof once more.  Boarding school is wonderful in so many ways, but nothing beats being together again.

Our girl is a December baby, so all her ‘good stuff/presents’ arrive in an avalanche at the end of the year.  As our house is already bursting with ‘stuff’ we decided to see if she was interested in a trick-riding school – an event instead of a ‘thing’.  I am not sure why we even bothered to ask…

She was beyond excited to enrol for the two-day school, with Hollie from HLS Trickriding .

She has learned much already from the young horsewoman she performs with, Breanna, and this chance to hone her skills a little more was too good to pass up.

Day 1 was on barrels – which apparently makes the tricks easier and harder to do!

Hollie helped with fine-tuning and positioning of arms and legs…

POINT THOSE TOES!!

Check…

DEFY GRAVITY!!!

Check… 

I know. My back and knees hurt just looking at that photo!

Day 2 involved some horseflesh…

NOW we were talking.

Unfamiliar horses, new instructor… and a few nerves.  This young part-Clydesdale (‘Bebe’) was at his second clinic and was a little unsure, as was his rider!  They soon warmed up to each other though…

Step-down, mid-stride…

Cannot recall official names for positions so am going to make them up – I will call this one ‘napping on the side’.  

At a canter.

This one is ‘the forward side-nap‘.

Ah – the old ‘lying down on the job‘ position.

How are your abs feeling?  I know I sit up a bit straighter just editing the photos!

Here’s a bit of vaulting practice… now this horse isn’t small.  He’s part Clydey, people!

The leap DOWN…

And the leap UP!!!

She did this dozens of times… I cannot even imagine how tired those legs were last night!

This is one of my favourite shots from the weekend – those feathery feet and flying mane and tale making it quite spectacular!

This one is a close second.

And THIS is the position she was desperate to master…

The full shoulder stand – or as I like to call it ‘complete madness’.

On actually getting it on a moving animal, of course, she was ecstatic.

Check out this smile….

There were lots of smiles actually …

Here are the Bundaberg graduating class!  Weary grins all round…

Hollie was fantastic – pushing our girl hard and staying patient through the hiccups.

I was absolutely gobsmacked that she was handling a road trip right up the Queensland Coast (and some inland areas) for a series of these schools, with TWO children (and one pretty handy partner) in tow. Before Christmas!

A massive mum effort there.  I hope someone is cooking her Christmas dinner!

This is the pic that made my weekend.

Bebe and his newest fan.

🙂

PS What’s the best birthday present you’ve given (or received) that wasn’t ‘stuff”?