Narelle + horses

Hi, I'm Narelle

I've been around horses for about 30 years (gosh that makes me feel old) since I got my first pony Gypsy. From riding around the farm I went on to get my A certificate in Pony Club, instructors certificate, NCAS qualifications (no longer current) and have times been a club DC, chief instructor, zone chief instructor, examiner and on the DCI/ZA panel. This was all in Victoria so Pony Clubs in Tas don't really know me :)
I was part of the Victorian Junior Dressage Squad, showjumped to 1.30m and evented too. I've even done a few endurance rides!

I'm a travelling riding instructor in the Hobart area. I specialise in dressage and jumping, confidence building, beginners and non riders. Safety and calmness are essential as are caring for you and your horses wellbeing.

I'm also bringing some mental health awareness with me too. I practice mindfulness meditation and it's actually really valuable for horse riders and competitors, and really good for people who say "but I can't meditate". I have lived experience of mental health challenges and so with this I am great with helping with nerves and anxiousness.

Fully insured, independent of PC and EA
Mindfulness meditation trained
First aid qualified
Mental health first aid accredited
Working with Vulnerable People registered

I help facilitate interactions with horses

These can be

Animal assisted activities

Learn how to care for ponies and horses. Feeding, walking, brushing
Learn how horses communicate
Learn how to be safe around ponies and horses
Walk and lead horses and play some games with them
Practice midfulness using touch, smell, sight, hearing. Gain a calmness and peacefulness from them

Parents, carers and support staff are all welcome and will be included in a safe and caring manner

Is this animal therapy? Not quite as I am not a therapist, it is an animal assisted activity. Animal assisted activities are the use of animals in recreational programs. However if you want to involve your own OT, therapist, counsellor or other support I am more than happy to work with them. If you are a medical or mental health professional and want to include horses in your work I would be thrilled to talk about how we can make this happen.

Unmounted lessons

Concentrating on the skills and knowledge used for handling and horse husbandry. You might be starting out and want to learn about safety around your horse. You might be after a refresher on some handling techniques or you might really want to learn all the names of body parts and saddlery and what they all do!

Riding lessons

I'm a travelling riding instructor in the Hobart area. I specialise in dressage and jumping, confidence building, beginners and non riders. Safety and calmness are essential as are caring for you and your horses wellbeing. Focusing on calmness, safety and fun.

I'm also bringing some mental health awareness with me too. I practice mindfulness meditation and it's actually really valuable for horse riders and competitors, and really good for people who say "but I can't meditate". I have lived experience of mental health challenges and so with this I am great with helping with nerves and anxiousness.

Horse handling and training

I use calm methods to be your horses leader, not it's boss. Happy to bring your horse back into work, train a particular behaviour, work through issues or even just help you with handling or drenching!
I have retrained ex-racehorses, started young horses and really enjoy working with tricky or difficult behaviours. Limited availability for horses to stay with me so it's best to book in ahead. I also prefer to work to a set price rather than an hourly or daily rate, this gives us time to positively reinforce the behaviours we are looking for and gives my mental health space to take the time it needs too.

Float training

Handling difficult horses

Clipping, drenching

Retraining

Clicker training

I follow the the guidelines of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Their animal welfare stategy states "A world where the welfare of animals is respected, promoted and advanced, in ways that complement the pursuit of animal health, human well-being, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability".

They also give guiding principles which describe the conditions animals should experience when under human control called the Five Freedoms. These are the five freedoms and how I apply them
- freedom from hunger, malnutrition and thirst (my horses will be offered water if out of their paddock for extended period of time, or should they show signs of thirst. They will have access to grazing or slow feed wherever possible);
- freedom from fear and distress (I train with positive reinforcement techniques and do not allow them to be treated with aggression);
- freedom from heat stress or physical discomfort (they are not worked in periods of extreme heat, they will always have access to shelter from sun, wind and rain and are rugged to suit the weather conditions. Any signs of physical discomfort are investigated and treated as a priority and won't be worked until the condition has been alleviated)
- freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour (they are kept wherever possible in a paddocked herd environment)

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land my horses and I live and work on, the muwinina people. I pay respect to those who have passed before us and acknowledge today's Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their Elders past, present and emerging who are the custodians of this land. Always was, always wil be.

This is a safe place for the neurodiverse, LGTBIQ+ and refugee communities. Anyone and everyone is welcome here if they respect my horses.