Jenny Austin's Equine Services

18/08/2026

It’s been long awaited… and it’s finally happening!

🎉 Due to popular demand, The Healthy Hoof Clinic is back! 🎉
If you’ve been wanting clearer understanding, practical skills, and real confidence around hoof health, this two‑day workshop is for you. We’ll dive into anatomy, barefoot soundness, pathologies, trimming theory, hands‑on learning, and a full practical trimming day where you can bring your horse or simply watch and learn.

Presented by Jenny Austin and Richard van Dijk at Point Sturt, SA.

Camping welcome, plus two guest rooms available.

Freeform Treeless Saddles viewing and discussion too!

📅 17–18 October 2026
📍 Point Sturt, SA
🎟️ Bookings now open: Link in comments or use the QR code
📱 Scan the QR code on the flyer to book instantly.

We’re so excited to bring this clinic back — can’t wait to see you there.

02/08/2026

We’re Terrible at Marketing, But Horses Don’t Care

There’s something we’ve noticed in the horse world: the people who are genuinely good with horses are often absolutely hopeless at marketing. Yes, we’re talking about ourselves.

At Train Teach Trim, we’re not exactly the poster couple for modern business promotion. We don’t have slick videos, fancy graphics, or a social media strategy. Most days we’re just trying to get through the never ending list of jobs without forgetting where we put the hoof pick. By the time we’re done trimming, training, feeding, fixing something that broke for no reason, and finally get inside at the end of the day, we smell like… well, probably hoof shavings. Which is not exactly “Instagram ready”!

Technology? Let’s just say Richard barely knows how to use his phone. If it rings, it’s a toss up whether he’ll answer it or stare at it like it’s trying to communicate in Morse code. Jenny’s better, she can actually operate the thing, but she’s still busy, tired, and usually dealing with something more important than a screen. Horses don’t care about apps, notifications, or whether you’ve posted a reel today.

Here’s the thing: Being crap at marketing has nothing to do with being good at horses.

We’ve spent decades quietly helping horses who are sore, confused, shut down, overwhelmed, or just thoroughly unimpressed with humans. We often have crossed fingers behind our backs, hoping for that “clean slate” horse that’s ready to learn without unpacking any baggage first. We’ve seen horses go from “Eeek! I’m leaving!” to “Ah, I get it now!” They soften and start thinking again, not because we’re magical horse whisperers, but because we explain things in a way horses actually understand.

It’s not gimmicky, it’s just understanding them.

When we talk to people face to face, and anyone who knows Richard knows he likes a chat, they often say things like:
• “Oh that makes so much sense.”
• “I wish I’d found you sooner.”
• “Why doesn’t everyone train like this?”
We get those comments all the time. It’s always good to know we’re not completely talking rubbish.

Maybe there’s nothing wrong with being the kind of horse people who don’t shout about what they do. Who aren’t “on trend” or trying to turn every moment into content, using horses like props for engagement. Maybe there’s value in just doing good work, consistently, ethically, calmly, even if fewer people see it. There are plenty of quiet achievers out there, doing things well, caring more about the horses than the spotlight. People who end the day tired, sweaty, and smelling faintly of hoof — because they’ve been doing the real work.

We’re terrible at marketing. But we’re very good at horses. Honestly, we’d rather it be that way.

02/08/2026

Choosing a Trainer: What a Thoughtful Start Really Looks Like

Starting a horse under saddle is a big investment — financially, emotionally, and for the horse’s future. And because it’s such a big step, it’s completely understandable that people look for trainers who seem confident, capable, or who promise quick results. It’s also understandable that people compare prices. Horses are expensive, life is expensive, and everyone is trying to make the best decision they can.

The tricky part is that in the horse world, it’s not always easy to tell the difference between training that looks impressive… and training that is actually good for the horse.

Some approaches produce fast results, sometimes within a few weeks, and to someone watching from the outside, it can look like amazing progress. The horse is moving, responding, going under saddle, maybe even cantering or “working in a frame.” It’s natural to think, “Wow, that trainer is good.” And for many owners, another thought follows quietly behind it: “If it’s this fast, maybe it’ll cost me less.” That’s a very human, very understandable reaction.
But fast doesn’t always mean fair. And quiet doesn’t always mean calm. And “going nicely” doesn’t always mean the horse understands what’s being asked. Often trainers are seen at all the fast gaits which impresses people, but does the horse stand for mounting? Does the horse walk calmly on a loose rein at all times? Does the horse only know to have high energy or has it been taught that slow and calm is it’s first go-to?

Most owners aren’t taught how to recognise fear based training. Why would they be? It’s not their job. They’re doing their best with the information they have. And fear based training can look very polished when you don’t know what you’re looking at.
The truth is that horses — especially young, green horses — are not physically or mentally ready for certain movements early on. They’re not built to canter circles, carry a rider in collection, or “be on the bit” for quite some time. When they do these things early, it’s usually because they’re overwhelmed, confused, or trying hard to avoid pressure.

Sometimes they even look very quiet — not because they’re relaxed, but because they’ve gone a bit shut down. To the untrained eye being shutdown isn’t dramatic; it’s subtle. It’s just a horse that has stopped offering opinions because it’s trying to cope. To someone watching, it can look like good behaviour. To the horse, it’s simply self preservation.

None of this makes the owner wrong. None of this means they’ve made a bad choice. It just means the horse world is full of mixed messages, and it’s easy to get swept up in what looks like progress.

A good start is slower, more thoughtful and way more boring to watch. It builds understanding, confidence, balance, and trust — the things that last a lifetime.

When a horse is started quietly and with care, it learns how to cope with new experiences without becoming overwhelmed. It learns how to stay balanced, how to organise its body, how to respond to pressure without fear, and how to trust the person working with it.

This kind of foundation pays off for years to come. Horses that are started thoughtfully tend to stay more confident in new environments; handle pressure without panicking; develop better balance and posture; stay sounder because they’re not pushed too early; understand their rider instead of guessing; offer genuine willingness instead of forced compliance.

They’re also far less likely to develop the “big” problems people talk about later on — bucking, bolting, rearing, refusing to go forward, or becoming “difficult.” Most of those behaviors aren’t random. They’re the result of confusion, imbalance, or fear that started early and grew over time.

A thoughtful start prevents those seeds from being planted in the first place. It’s not just about the first few months. It’s about the next twenty years.

Choosing someone to start your horse is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your horses life. It’s completely understandable that people look at price, timelines, confidence, or how quickly a trainer can “get things done.” Perhaps the best question to ask isn’t “How fast will my horse be going?” It’s “How will my horse feel while they’re learning?”

A good trainer won’t rush your horse. They won’t push movements the horse isn’t ready for. They won’t rely on fear or overwhelm. They won’t promise dramatic progress in a few weeks. Instead, they’ll focus on: clarity; balance; confidence; understanding; welfare; long term soundness and building a horse that stays willing, curious, and safe.

It’s okay to take your time choosing. It’s okay to ask questions. It’s okay to prioritise your horse’s wellbeing over speed or cost.

A thoughtful start is an investment — not just in training, but in your horse’s future.

02/08/2026

Duty of Care Means Saying the Hard Things

We often have horses come to us for retraining, restarting, tune ups, or simply an assessment because the owner wants to ride again, prepare the horse for sale, or understand its behaviour. Sometimes the horse has been out of work for a long time. Sometimes it was bought sight unseen. Sometimes it has a history of unwanted behaviour.

From the moment a horse arrives, we begin assessing it. Nothing dramatic — just the basics: simple groundwork, handling, tying up, grooming, watching how it stands, how it moves, and how it reacts to new information. We pay close attention to posture, symmetry, balance, behaviour, emotional state, and the quality of its movement through all gaits. The way a horse walks, the way it transitions, how it carries itself, and how freely or reluctantly it moves all tell us a great deal about what is happening inside its body and mind. It is never just a quick lunge or a few minutes in the saddle. It is a thoughtful, whole horse evaluation shaped by two lifetimes spent around horses. We also consider what we know about the horse’s future, the owner’s intentions, and the capabilities of the person who will ultimately be handling or riding it. Sometimes the horse itself is perfectly decent, just not suitable for the rider, the job, or the expectations placed on it, and that becomes clear very early on.

Quite often, and usually earlier than people expect, we discover that the horse isn’t simply rusty or cheeky or in need of a tune up. We find physical issues, emotional trauma, behavioural dysregulation, or a combination of all three. When, in our professional opinion, a horse is unsafe, unpredictable, unfit for purpose, or simply not suitable for the job the owner has in mind, we have to say so. It is far kinder to be honest early than to let someone invest weeks or months into a situation that is never going to be safe.

Delivering that kind of news is always stressful. No one wants to hear it. Owners come to us with hopes and dreams for their horse; they invest in its future because they want things to work out. Hearing that those dreams may not be possible is devastating. Shock is common. Denial is common. Tears are not unusual. We understand all of it. Horses can break hearts as easily as they lift them, and we have had our own share of broken dreams and tragedies over the years.

Our duty of care, to both the horse and the owner, means we must be honest. Pretending a horse is safe when it isn’t is negligent. Some trainers choose to cover up the dangers, and the reasons vary. Perhaps they are saving face, avoiding the appearance of failure, telling people what they want to hear, feeding an ego, or simply refusing to acknowledge the truth. Whatever the reason, it does not help the horse, and it certainly does not help the owner.

One of the hardest parts for us comes after we have been honest. Sometimes the owner, unable to accept the assessment, sends the horse to another trainer, then another, and another. Eventually they find someone who tells them exactly what they want to hear. The horse has not suddenly become safe or sound. The issues have not disappeared. Someone has simply pushed it hard enough to produce a few weeks of shut down “good behaviour,” or they just lie and say all is well.

Once the horse reveals the truth (again), as it will — because horses cannot act — the awful cycle begins. The horse gets passed on, sold, moved along, rehomed, advertised as a project, given away. Sometimes this happens over and over. It never ends well.

Recently we saw one of these horses, one we had assessed, one we knew was unsafe and unsound, listed as a “Giveaway to good home. Currently out of work (no fault of his own) and needs someone to put more time into him to bring him back into work. Very sweet, loving boy. Or if someone is willing to put some time into him and sell him on. No known soundness issues. Must go ASAP. Just needs someone to give him a chance.”

We know how this story ends. We have seen it too many times. The horse is not being given a fresh start; it is being given another chance to fail in a system that does not recognise its needs.

Sadly, we cannot do much about it. All we can do is continue to be honest, continue to advocate for the horse, continue to carry out thorough assessments, and continue to tell the truth, even when it is hard to hear.

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for a horse is not to train it harder, but to accept what it is telling you.

01/07/2026

If you’ve ever been confused about neck yields, lateral flexion, or the one rein stop, this one’s for you.
Once you understand the difference, everything starts to make more sense.
Link below. (photo credit )

Richard van Dijk horse training for saddle & harness, lessons in groundwork, carriage driving and riding, barefoot trimmer/farrier in South Australia

27/05/2026

12/03/2026

12/03/2026

Richard and I are keen to get out and about for clinics or workshops on a variety of topics.

01/01/2026

South Australia’s fly season has been wild this summer, so I’ve been busy mixing up another batch of my homemade horse fly repellent. It actually works — and it’s so much cheaper than the store‑bought stuff. Sharing the recipe in case it helps someone else too.

1 tspn liquid dish detergent
2 tblspn vegetable oil
1/2 tspn eucalyptus oil
13 drops tea tree oil
1 tspn citronella oil
Add Apple cider vinegar to half of 500ml spray bottle then top up with water. Shake before use.