A Parent’s View From The Sidelines With Shelley Lalor

This article is from the November 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Did you have experience with horses prior to Lacey and Charley’s interest?
I had my first horse when I was three years old, and I have ridden from then.

How did your daughters commence their riding career?
I was training horses when I had the girls. They started to show interest in the horses, helping me with the ones we had in training and going to shows and as they say, one thing led to another.

What were your initial thoughts when you realised Lacey and Charley were into horses?
Our family has been showing horses for three generations, so it was bound to happen, and our great grandparents had dam sinking horse teams, so it was no surprise that one of them would go to horses, but both have and we could not be happier.

Does your own personal experience with horses have an impact on your child’s sport?
When the girls first started, I think knowing what could go wrong in the ring, sometimes really was stressful as they were only four and six when they started showing on their own. Having that knowledge of what can go wrong can sometimes be worse than not knowing. My experience coming through the ranks from youth to an open rider is very helpful for the girls.

What were your expectations of your child’s first pony and what did you end up with?
We were very lucky when it came to getting our first few ponies, though the girls did not stay on them very long before they moved up to bigger Quarter Horses. We had one of my old show mares, and my good friend Trudy loaned me another great mare. When the girls got more into showing we then purchased two more Quarter Horses for them to show, Dennis and Mischief. Unfortunately we had to put Mischief to sleep this year due to cancer, so Charley has now taken over my young horse Chevy.

How do you juggle your time for horses between the rest of your commitments?
Very early mornings, I have always been a morning person, so getting out of bed at 4am and starting my day is the normal. We own our own business, some days can be very long, but it also gives me a little free time to take the girls away. Everyone in the family pitches in to help so it is a family affair.

As a family what sacrifices have you had to make in order to fulfil your child’s passion?
Well lots some days, if you ask my son and husband, but they are our biggest supporters as well. We try hard to have a balance with the boys and what they like to do. As far as financial sacrifices go, well I am still waiting on my new kitchen one day.

What are the life lessons and benefits of your child being involved with horses?
There are so many lessons they get from showing and being involved with horses; being independent, responsible, how to conduct themselves around people, problem solving, following instructions, looking after their horses and being responsible for their wellbeing. Oh and how to change tyres on the trailer. Overall life skills is a big thing and the lifelong friendships.

Horse riding is known as high risk how do you come to terms with the risk factors?
There is a risk with everything that you do, yes horses are more high risk, but knowing that you have trained them to minimise as much risk as possible while they are riding is all you can do. I also tell the girls to be on the lookout for anything that does not feel correct, that gut feeling is a big thing and to act on it.

What enjoyment do you get out of watching Lacey and Charley ride?
We love to watch the girls, for me it’s not about how many wins they have, but how many personal goals they kick. They work hard and it is always so good to see them achieve something that they have been working towards.

What advice can you give to other parents whose child maybe interested in riding?
Buy the best horse you can afford, do your research and ask lots of questions. Don’t just go have a ride, spend the day and watch everything, from feeding it to saddling, as the first horse is the most important horse of all.

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