Standardbred Riding Group Inc

My story starts off with buying Pace on the 1^st February 2007 after loosing my confidence big time!  He wasn’t exactly in good condition when I first looked at him & quiet frankly

I thought that I had wasted my time but anyway I had a ride on him, nervously.  It wasn’t that bad but I asked the owner if I can have a second ride out of the paddock, week later it was that horrible wind that spooks horses! The girl that I was riding with her horse was spooking a bit but Pace wasn’t bothered by it – that’s when I decided to buy him.

It was a slow journey a couple of steps forward & then backwards but I persevered with my issues & finally Pace & myself have started to trust in each other. And now we’ve done Level 1 Parelli starting Level 2, ARC, dressage, started jumping, hacking out on the roads while riding in a rope hackamore because he likes to graze, grass tastes better when you’re out of your own paddock!  LOL

Early this year (2008) when everything started to come together, I realized then that I have the best horse that I have ever owned & there is no way I’m ever going to sell him!! Our relationship is growing together every day & the enjoyment I get with him it’s hard to describe, but you know what I mean J

After my first horse Shandy, I lots a bit of confidence as she was a smart girl and new how to scare me...

Kind enough Dani offered me Dolly to use for one of our SRG Rallies. After having the best ride in a very long time I thought this was the horse for me... Lucky enough she was for sale! And I couldn't save up my money fast enough....

Now I have had Dolly for about 8 weeks and my confidence has improved big time. I have no problem asking for canter, going through town, through the bush and even if I need to leave the other horses to go in a different direction there is no problem at all…

I got my first horse over 25 years ago, he was the naughtiest pony of all time, but he made such an impression, that I still own him (he's 32yo now). I finally got my first SB in April '07. Banjo wasn't in a very good state when I got him, you might say I saved him. He was in very poor condition, and it took  quiet a few months to bring him back to looking normal. Our first ride was an experience, All I'll say is, 'he likes to pigroot!' Once over that little hurdle, we have been getting along great. I have learnt to work with him, as he can be a determined little horse (only 14.2hh). I have now owned him over 12mths and we have done so much together, Nav rides, comb trainings, showing, and even Horse Trials. I have so much faith in this SB that for me to be jumping, and in some cases, up to level 4 height. He has giving me a HUGE amount of confidience.  I never dreamt that I could ever compete at a horse trials event, thinking it was way too far out of my legue. And here I am doing them... and doing them well, placing in 2 out of the last 3. Im so impressed with Banjo and how far our journey has come so far. I look forward to our future and where we will both go from here.... The only way is up!

Being a typical young girl I always wanted a horse, but never got one until I started work at the age of 17. In the past, I have owned two Thoroughbreds, which were both great, in their own way. I started out doing pony club, then progressed to HRCAV and then to EFA, in which I competed in combined training and eventing.  After not riding for a few years due to having a family. I decided that the horse bug was still there, so after talking to Michelle, I was convinced  that a Standardbred might be just what I was after. It was at that stage I found 'Oscar.'  After previously having the thoroughbreds and knowing that they needed constant work, almost daily. It has made a wonderful change owning Oscar, as he doesn't need anywhere near that much work, even though he is only rising 5yo and still young. He was a harness racer, but only trialed, and has taken to the saddle extremely well. He has loads of personality squeezed in to his 15.3hh size. Both my young children think he's great too, they love having rides on him, and he is very patient with them. I have certainly found my 4 legged wonder-friend, he's the greatest!!!

UPDATE

Jen and Oscar have since gone on to compete and horse trials and combined training, they are doing a super job helping spread the word about this great breed of horse.

One night I was looking through some websites (horsey sites), and came across this beautiful  looking standarbred mare.  To be honest, I didn't believe she was a standy. I got on the phone to the owner, and we had a good old chat about her, for an hour or so. She sounded perfect for what I wanted, as well as what my mum wanted. The deal was made then and there. I got the ladys bank details and we put a despoit on her right away. During the week we paid for her, and got her transport all the way from South Australia. She got dropped off at 10pm on a Monday night. When I went to see her in day light  the next morning  I was rapt!!! After owning 2 standys before, I know you can't beat their temperment and nature. After buying Briah site unseen, she has been everything in a horse I have ever wanted.  I have also found her hidden talent, she loves *Jumping,* she was born to jump. We are now jumping grade 3 D and we have only jumped a hand full of times. Myself and Briah are learning all our ground work for jumping, first, so will stay at grade 4 while she learns what do with her legs..... (ect). I love her to bits and I wouldnt have her any other way .  GO STANDYS!!!

I have been riding for 11 years and have had 3 horses in that time.  My first was an Australian Pony...who was an absolute psychopath!  But she  taught me how to ride and how to stay on because lets just say she would have done very well as a rodeo horse.  I then moved onto a TB and he was great.  But i had to sell him due to study commitments.  After i sold him i think my parents thought i had "grown out of the horsey stage" but i wasnt so sure.  Then in February this year I thought it was about time to get another one so i started looking.  I came across an ad for a STB who was not too far from home and i thought...why not.  So i went to see him and immediately fell in love with him.  He was 6 years old (and i swore i wouldn't buy a horse under 9) and he was a STB (which i had always been warned against because they were "so hard to retrain from pacing").  But i just couldn't leave him...and he was at my house that very afternoon.  I found out that he had been rescued from the knackery as a 2yo and since then he had been to PC and ARC and was an absolute star.  Since then i have been opened up to the wonderful world of the standardbred and he has shown me just how versatile and giving this amazing breed is.  We have only been doing trail riding and paddock bashing but he has reminded me how great it could be to have an equine friend, and once i found SRG and was able to talk about this amazing breed with others who shared my love for them i was was hooked.  I have now, with the help of other standy fans in my area, started up the South Eastern branch of SRG and am looking forward to all that comes with being part of SRG.  Unfortunately in January this year my beautiful boy Bailey was diagnosed with arthritis in both knees and fetlocks in his front legs... so he had to be prematurely retired at the age of 7.  It was devastating for me because I thought that he was going to be my forever horse... but it was not to be.  So he has been made a glorified paddock ornament and the search began for my new standy friend.  It took me 3 months, but with the help of a fellow SRG member I found the new love of my life.  Ben came to me from Shepparton and I know now what it means to instantly “click” with a horse.  He is perfect in every way and I love him to bits!!  I have never competed and until now and i have never even considered it, but i think with the help and support of SRG, that that might change...who knows!  GO STANDYS!!! 

I have been riding for 11 years now and out competing for 7 of those years. In my younger days I had never heard of Standardbreds, so the only performance horse I could afford were TB's. Even though they taught me many things, I did lose a lot of confidence with my jumping after having a few bad accidents off them. When I meet my husband Tim he introduced me into the world of Harness Racing with his father always having many horses in work. It still wasn't for a few years later that I realised what great performance horses they can be. That's when we got offered Rusty, off my father in-law to rehome. At the time I was lacking a lot of confidence and Tim told me to just hop on. Rusty was a gem from the start even though I had a Tb at the time I found I wanted to ride Rusty more and take him out competing and within 6 weeks he went to his first dressage day. After 6 months we decided it was time to find him a new owner, and Raelene has given him a fantastic home. When Michelle was having confidence issues with Dargo I offered to ride him for 2 weeks to show her what he can do which at the end we entered him for a dressage day we ended up getting 7th
and 8th for the 2 tests. A few weeks later Michelle decided to sell him and I just loved him, so I got him, and we went out competing across all disciplines in grade 4 HRCAV, he was so much fun. Then it came time to
make a hard decision to sell him to get things built around the house here. We have re-homed many Standys now, and that is how I came across Molly. Molly was breed and trained by a very good friend
of ours and she came here to find a new home. After only 2 weeks I decided to take her to the local Clunes show, where we nearly won everything including Champion ridden Standardbred, (this was my goal in life to win a champion). I have had her for 3 months and she has many champions and even a Supreme too. Our favourite discipline is jumping where she excels and has brought all my confidence back. I would have never thought I could jump bigger than 75cm, but now we are jumping up to 1 metre and I am sure with time that height will get bigger. I just have so much fun on her and she has been able to regain the confidence I lacked. Now we can't wait for the eventing and showjumping season to start. Molly will have a very long term home with me.

After a year now I have had Molly. I have over come all my fears in showjumping and eventing. At our first horse trials we came 4th out of 15 riders as well as the first time clear over cross country for me. Have placed in so many showjumping comps including recently coming 3rd against 32 riders in grade 4 at Bullengarook showjumping.

How lucky am I?  I own the sweetest horse alive ( I think) and I've stumbled onto a great club to ride her at! 

 My journey into the world of horses began about 32 years ago, though my riding has been sporadic over this time due to family and work commitments.  I have owned some fantastic horses, and some not so great, thus creating a confidence and ability roller-coaster.  I recently bought Jess (a Standy X Appy) from a wonderful lady who actually broke her in, doing a superb job both in and out of the saddle.  Jess is affectionate, kind, intelligent and very patient ( all of which are attributes, I am quickly learning, that belong to the STANDARDBRED).  I am eager to continue her training and start teaching her how to jump.  TTT here we come!  I thought I was over the "horsey thing" though I've discovered that there's nothing like a gentle friend to rekindle the flame.  "Once in your blood. . . . . . . . . . . . "

I have been riding for 7 years which I have always been a pleasure rider. Since joining the SRG I want to be able to learn to jump and know about different disciplines and become a more confident rider and on the ground. My journey began when I met Jodie and Tim approx 18 months ago. When I came across aquaburnpark.com in search of a pleasure horse. We became friends and I assisted and watched Jodie with her horses and thought one day I would like to be able to do that. Jodie & Tim kept on the lookout for a suitable Standardbred for me.

From the begining things just clicked when I went to catch Fluerbelle to brush her. Fluerbelle is a 4yo mare standardbred pacer who has recently been broken to saddle. Fluerbelles changing colour drew me to her. Lukily Fluerbelle was for sale and I was able to buy her. What more can you say a great 21st birthday present. I am looking forward to the journey that Fluerbelle and I will have at the Western Region Standardbred Riding Group rallies and out competing.