Dark Horse Performance Horses

15/01/2023

Tank ❤️

06/11/2022

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckmc0jNB6_b/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

13/10/2022

20 years between these 2 photos and I still feel like that excited kid in the first photo.

I've been blessed over the years with knowledgeable mentors and special horses, for this I am nothing but grateful.

May the next 20 be filled with the same joy and adventure.

22/08/2022

15/08/2022

12/08/2022

28/04/2022

Available in the Dayboro and Samford region 7 days a week. Happy to apply prescribed treatments, feed, rug, pick up yards ect.

20/04/2022

People ask me why I don't charge per hour but per session. This is why. Horses don't operate their lives by our clocks, work until you have a win but have the patience to allow them the time they need in order to get there.

Like any relationship it's give and take to find an equilibrium. It takes time and consistency to establish solid foundations.

20/04/2022

This is Eliot, he is an Australian icon. It's an honour to be a small part of helping preserve the heritage of the Australian Brumby. Eliot is one of many mustered out of Mount Kosciuszko.

He was broken in last year and has come to me for further education, proving himself not only to be a gentle soul with the iconic Brumby eyes but sure footed and brave.

29/03/2022

Whatever the weather, there's work to be done.🌞🌧☃️

17/01/2022

I believe that a GREAT pony is the surest way to send a child on the trail to effective and independent horsemanship!

I realize those are fightin' words for many of you.

I've absolutely nothing against a good horse. If you're lucky enough to have an equine who personally stands behind your child's safety, then that animal is a treasure, no matter its size. In a perfect world, though, we can teach a child to ride with the help of balance, proportion and a secure leg position.

This is one of the reasons why I continue to maintain that good ponies are worth training right. They have so much to offer, beyond their intelligence and being amazingly nimble on their feet.

Many a petite adult rider would do well to compete on a talented, extravagant-moving, large pony, rather than bobble around on a massive sport horse. Yes, you read that right. We pony people can be as 'serious' as we want to be, with the FEI Ponies division allowing every level up to Grand Prix Dressage.

See how the child sits on the left, with the narrow 12:2 pony, comparable to the adult on the horse at right? The shorter thigh is not at an uncomfortably open angle. Her entire leg wraps around the animal. This allows the small rider, no matter her age, to have a secure base and to learn effective leg aids. Never mind that a fall, which happens to us all occasionally, loses its terror when you're this close to the ground. Most of all, I believe that riding is a small part of horsemanship; that even the littlest rider should groom and help saddle her own horse!

Are quality, well-trained ponies cheap and easy to find? No, they're not... which is one of their few drawbacks. When you have one, you have hit the jackpot. Look after this pony, who can start many children on the road to passionate, achieving horsemanship over the course of its life.

Here's a blast from the past, from the dusty photo albums under the stairs. Nine-year-old Caiti and I, riding in Adult and Child Pairs at the local fair. We were decked out in our new matching vests and split skirts. The horses, Kinistino and Cowgirl, were McLean family treasures...

We must have had a mighty nearsighted judge, though, going by the size of my number! Good grief.

17/01/2022

One of my favourites enjoying some lovin' on the steamy day ❤

28/11/2021

Well lovely humans, it's been a wet one this week. Hopefully the sun comes out again this coming week and we can get back to it.

Happy riding everyone ❤🌻