Switch It Up With Lauren Reabel

This article is from the July 2020 Horse Deals magazine.

There’s no rule saying that you have to stick to the same equestrian discipline for life. Versatility makes a good rider and these two riders have taken on that challenge; totally switching disciplines.

Lauren Reabel • From Showjumping to Australian Stock Horse Classes

How old are you and where are you from? I’m 31 years old and live just outside Rockhampton in Central Queensland.

How did you first get involved with horses? My grandfather had large cattle properties in Mitchell, Queensland and when these were sold, the seven mustering horses were given to my mum, Jenny, when I was six years old. Mum has always loved horses and my first memory was Mum leading me around on one of the Australian Stock Horses called Bradshaw Mini. My sister and I soon showed an interest in learning to ride so we went to a local riding school on Saturdays to learn the basics. A couple of years later we started up with a local pony club with our own horses, I rode Bradshaw Larung another one of the registered Australian Stock Horses.

What made you start your journey in the showjumping arena? After doing a bit of everything at the local riding school and at pony club I really took a liking to both dressage and showjumping. Larung took to jumping like a duck to water so I had a lot of fun jumping anything I could with her. Together we qualified and were nominated for PCAQ State Combined Training in 2001 but unfortunately, I had to retire Larung just prior to the State event. Then I went on the lookout for another Australian Stock Horse that I could compete in the English disciplines at a State Level. At the end of 2002, I was given Persian Crusader (Loppy), a 16.1hh registered Australian Stock Horse as a Christmas present from my parents. It turns out he was quite the talented jumper so my passion for showjumping only grew and I started to compete in open and junior classes at agricultural shows as well as State PCAQ and State Qld Interschool. I also completed my first six bar competitions with Loppy. He won me many wins and places as he could turn on a dime and was very smart at getting us out of tricky distances.

Once my parents realised I was serious in continuing with my showjumping they purchased me two more horses, this time Warmblood sport horses, Baxters Chase who was already competing 1.10m classes and Momento K who was a lovely young 17.1hh horse with basic jumping training and solid dressage foundations. As my goals have changed over the years, I have had an array of different showjumpers in my competition team, mostly Warmbloods with a couple of Thoroughbreds in the mix.

What were your greatest successes in showjumping? I have been awarded many places and wins at State PCAQ level on a variety of horses over 2003-2014 including competing at the highest level of A/B Grade in 2011 on Momento K. I also have had a lot of success at agricultural shows throughout Central Queensland. My greatest opportunity was after I finished school, I had the opportunity to take my horses to south-east Queensland with me while I completed my bachelor at Gatton University. Loppy won the Mitavite Foxhunter in 2008 at Gatton Show during this time and Momento K placed 10th at the Foxhunter Finals in 2009. Baxters Chase was pretty handy at the lower heights (1.0m-1.05m) and was always in the money in speed classes. Momento K stepped up to Future Stars and got me one Young Rider start before I was too old! Once back in Central Queensland I then got the opportunity to ride Quorum NZPH who I competed at 1.15-1.30m classes throughout Queensland and my parents purchased me a yearling, who I trained up by the name of Jus De Teddy who placed 16th overall out of 60 horses in the finals at the Young Horse series at GHP Sunshine Tour Showjumping in 2015 with very few lead-in events. I then competed in a few Amateur classes (1.10-1.15m) with Teddy and had a team of young horses to take in a variety of height classes, with much success.

What made you want to change disciplines? Unfortunately, due to my Central Queensland location, it was getting harder and harder to spend the time to travel down to the larger events. I would try to get down to the south-east twice a year but without more lead-in events I knew I wasn’t doing my young team of horses justice. It was also hard to not only take time off work for competition days but also the extra days for travelling. Agricultural shows with competitive showjumping are often during the week which made them hard for me to get to and it was getting harder and harder to get regular showjumping instruction to compete at my best. We have some great instructors who travel up to our region to instruct but it’s unfortunately not the same as getting weekly or fortnightly lessons.

Why Stock Horse events? I was an Australian Stock Horse member as I still have Loppy at 27 years of age, retired in my paddock and one of my broodmares I was using to breed jumping horses was registered ASH so I had been loosely following the activities of the local CQ ASHS Branch. When I saw that they were running some local competitions and there was more interest in ASH at agricultural shows, I thought it may be a way to still compete but locally and on the weekends, which suited my current lifestyle. In February last year, I made the big decision to no longer continue with showjumping and to try my skills at something completely new.

What was the process of switching disciplines? And did it involve a new horse? Selling my showjumping horses was one of the toughest things I have ever had to do! I had been competing two horses still, Jus De Teddy who was ten years old and Weeronga Just Marlee, a young horse who I had bred myself as my next horse to take me back to the higher levels again. My mum also had three other Warmbloods that I rode one time or another, training to showjump, but I never got much time to keep them in full-time work so hence my decision to step away from the showjumping ring. Teddy and Marlee both went to wonderful new homes last year in Victoria and I proceeded to find my competition horse for the ASH arena and along came four-year-old My Macey Ace — the complete opposite to the Warmbloods I had been riding — 14.3hh, petite, can track a cow and cannot jump to save her life!

How did you manage switching your gear and tack? This was a little tricky as not much can cross over! I had three showjumping saddles, so I sold two of them and purchased a second hand, well-made, traditional stock saddle, which I now love to ride in. I luckily already had a half breed saddle (that I had actually never ridden in) stashed away, so I could ride Macey in that until I sorted the rest of the gear out. After years of riding in jumping saddles, it was the weirdest feeling riding in fenders and oxbows. I still ride in my English boots and spurs and it’s been hard to give away the joined reins, so I got some especially made which I use in ASH hacks and in training, they are still joined, just a little longer! I do practise at home in split reins, to bridge my reins and the horses wear Barcoo bridles when competing. I can swap between breeches and jeans when riding, although I always still wear a helmet and have bought a show hat just for working classes. I still have some more gear I would like to get together to complete my look.

What was your first Stock Horse event and how did you go? After purchasing Macey at the end of March and competing at my last showjumping competition in mid-April, I took Macey to her first agricultural show as just a led at the end of April last year. I was pleasantly surprised when she came home with a third in her mare class, particularly as Macey herself had never been to a competition either, but she was a tribute to her breed, never put a foot wrong. I then stayed to watch the ridden classes and made plans to ride Macey under saddle at the next agricultural show. The next local show was in early June so I had some time to prepare and entered our first working class. Macey again brought home a ribbon in the led and we managed to complete our first rollbacks in the ridden class. We also competed in our first Stockman’s Challenge at the end of July in which we placed fourth in the Working Phase and fourth in the Station Hack out of 18 riders in the Encouragement. By this stage, I was hooked and just wanted to absorb as much information as I could about competing Australian Stock Horses.

What was the biggest challenge? Apart from selling my beloved jumping horses, it has been retraining myself in my riding style and cracking a whip! I’m not very good at whip cracking, I definitely have to practise. I went to a Maryanne Gough clinic at the end of last year and learnt so much, but I really had to think about my aids. I had gone from being able to automatically apply the aid I needed without even thinking, to having to really think through the process, including letting go of my outside rein which was definitely not easy.

Where would you like to be five years from now? I was always worried I would miss jumping but the new challenge has me completely hooked, there are so many aspects to ASH competitions. My next challenge is to work more with cattle so I can advance in challenges and I would like to aim for the Queensland State ASH show next year. Eventually, I would love to compete at the ASHS Nationals and have been mulling over some ideas about starting an ASH boutique stud. I also have a three-year-old that I would like to start ASH dressage and hacking on and I have recently organised to purchase an ASH weanling so already getting my ASH team together for hopefully the next five years and more!

What advice do you have for riders wanting to try something new? It is not a decision I think you can take lightly if you are having to completely change gear and horses, but it is very rewarding to try a new challenge if it’s the right change for you! I think as horse riders we should respect all disciplines and it doesn’t hurt to give others a go. If money is an issue, look for good quality second-hand gear that will get you where you want and most of all do it just to have fun.

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