Horses later in life

This article is from the March 2019 Horse Deals magazine

So often Horse Deals is showcasing the elite level rider with its many training and inspirational articles about Olympians and World Champions and showcasing the top end of the competitive horse world. Most of us, although we may like to dream will never attain those giddy heights of success, but we still enjoy learning and improving and competing even if it is only a novice dressage test or an 80cm jumping round. We go to a lot of expense and effort with our horses, so why do we do it?

Horse Deals found out why when we met Merran Riddell at Adam Wootten’s training facility at Yarra Junction Victoria. Merran is a member of the Monbulk-Clematis Adult Riding Club as well as the Phoenix Adult Riding Club that is based at Adam’s. She represents thousands of riders for whom the HRCAV (Horse Riding Clubs Association of Victoria) is a Godsend. The well run movement caters for the riding ambitions of the adult amateur as well as providing a nurturing environment for its members.

Everyone knows now of the benefits the horse provides, not just in a physical sense, but also and very importantly in an emotional sense. Who has not felt better after an enjoyable ride? “Horses keep you buoyant,” says Merran. “I found Banjo at a time when my husband was ill, and Banjo really kept me going. You meet amazing people in the horse world and the horses themselves can be wonderful companions.” We are sure there are many people out there with the same opinion, but this is Merran’s story.

“My parents lived in the city and were not horsey at all, but occasionally they would take me to have a trail ride, as I was mad about horses. I didn’t get my first horse until I was married with children. Early on when my husband and I were looking to build a home I said that I wanted a property that had enough room for a horse. He seemed okay with that, but we ended up with a quarter acre block in Ferny Creek. There goes my dream, I thought. I had my second daughter at Ferny Creek and at a local mum’s group I met a horsey lady and we were drawn together by our mutual love
of horses.

“I reckon its time you got a horse, she said to me and she helped me find, Macka, a Thoroughbred off the track. I was about 30 at the time and I kept him at Burnham Beeches for $7 a week. I was then on a fast track learning curve about the cost and worry of having horses. First of all, he needed an operation to remove an abscessed tooth and then I learnt about laminitis, as a local woman would occasionally dump a trailer load of bread in the horses’ paddock. Macka was a guts and ate a lot and got crook, so more vet bills.

“I had Macka for about 20 years and started at the Monbulk-Clematis Riding Club about 25 years ago. He was great and we were brave back then and would have a go at anything. We leased a pony, Charlie Brown and he taught both my daughters, Amanda and Jenny to ride and we had him for 20 plus years as well. We road all over Ferny Creek, in the heat and in the snow. He was a wonderful pony, but unfortunately got cushing’s disease in the end.

“We then moved to Avonsleigh and at last I had room for a horse, but the property did not have any fences, so a lovely lady down the road who had moved in at the same time had a fenced property and more to the point, said I could keep the horses there. It was a Godsend at the time, because I had broken my arm off Macka in the middle of the move.

“I bought an Arab for my daughters’s 18th birthday and she rode him ay pony club for a few years, but then lost interest, so, because I had retired Macka, I started to ride him and rode him for five or six years. I enjoyed that, but he was not the horse I would have chosen for me and I wanted my own horse. There were a few disasters after that until I got a Quarter Horse, Billy Jack that was perfect in every way, but after a year or so he went uneven and it was discovered that he had quite severe arthritis, which broke my heart. I can’t ride him, but I still have him and he is a great paddock partner.

“Then followed an agonising eight months of looking, scouring Horse Deals every month to find my perfect horse. The lovely Di Politz, a founding member of the Monbulk-Clematis Riding Club was helping me. She rang one day to say she had found what sounded like a suitable horse. He was a Clydesdale/Quarter Horse and I was not so keen on the Clydesdale part at the time, but we went to Koo Wee Rup to see him. Abby Hobbs the owner had done everything so well with him. He was big (16hh), five years old, passed the vet check and I bought him. I wanted a horse that I could just get on and go for a ride without needing a whole support crew around me. I would ask myself if this was a horse I could just get on and go for a ride and often the answer would be no. But when I got on Banjo (show name Come By Chance), I said yes.

“People occasionally ask, why do you do this? Horses are addictive and I love getting up and having a purpose; feeding him in the morning. I love riding him in the morning as well. I always try to ride before work, so the horse gets the best out of me and I work cleaning houses to keep the horses. Now that my husband, a paramedic has retired, I ask myself, do I need to work cleaning houses to fund the horses and lessons? Yes I do. I have been coming here to Adam for almost 20 years. I have lessons on the flat and jumping with Adam and dressage lessons with Danielle Pooles. I don’t have a lot of confidence in my ability and having the lessons reassures me that I am doing the right thing by my horse, as well as having another set of eyes on him. My lessons with Adam are fun and social, but I am learning as well; you never stop learning.

“It was horrible for the eight months when I didn’t have a horse; even my husband could see the benefit of me having one. I love riding and I like competing. I get scared because I put too much pressure on myself, but I think I have a competition coming up and I’ve got to work towards that.

“I love owning a horse, It keeps the wheel going around. Horses give me a purpose and keep the doldrums away. Banjo keeps me sane, healthy and interested and I hope to be riding as long as the Queen.”

Merran and Banjo seem to be the perfect match. Merran has a young, quiet horse capable of a reasonably high level of competition and Banjo has a loving home for life. “He’s just been a darling, I love him so much.”

Adam Wootten
Merran comes twice a week to have fun and improve and she loves it. She gets away for an hour or two twice a week and that is her time. It is just as important for these riders to have coaching as it is the elite riders, because it makes riding safer. Also, you can answer any questions they may have about their horse, so it all goes towards the better welfare of the horse. Merran asks me every week, “does he look okay?” These lessons are all about building confidence, having fun and learning.

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