Showgrounds Equestrian Centre

17/10/2025

What a wonderful day we all had ❤️

10/10/2025

Feeding and nutrition education starts young for our equine enthusiasts.

08/10/2025

This is a great description and image to help us all ❤️

🐴SOLUTIONS!🐴 To encourage your horse to travel around turns and circles in an upright balance …

Imagine his head, shoulders and hips as three connected train cars. All the parts have to follow each other along the same track. And the cars need to stay upright. To do this, put more weight in your outside stirrup while maintaining a level pelvis, and stay lifted in your core to allow your shoulders to follow the direction of travel, pointing your belt buckle up the track as your horse enters the turn.
— David Marcus

🎨 Sandy Rabinowitz

07/10/2025

It's - 'Top tip Tuesday'

💦 Should I wash my horse?

Riders always ask this one — and the answer’s simple:
👉 If they’re sweaty, wash them!

In winter, just rinse the sweaty bits — under the saddle, girth, chest and neck — to keep them comfortable without chilling them. 🧣

In summer, you can go all out! Start at the hooves and legs, working your way up for a refreshing full wash and cool down. ☀️🐴

Regular washing isn’t just about looking clean — it helps with skin hygiene, removing dirt, salt, loose hair, and bacteria that can cause itchiness, rubbing, or skin infections like rain scald and greasy heel. ✨

A clean horse is a healthy, comfortable horse — and they’ll thank you for it with soft skin, a shiny coat, and fewer skin irritations. 💛

06/10/2025

🌿 Last Call for Lessons & Trail Rides! ☀️

We’ve had a few last-minute spots open up this Friday, October 10th from 12:45pm onwards — perfect for a spontaneous trail ride or lesson!

The property is looking beautiful right now, and the weather’s set to be perfect 🌸🐴

Email [email protected] to grab a spot before they’re gone!

03/10/2025

I have had a transport space open up for Tuesday 7th - Intermediate and up day if anyone is interested!

Send me a PM

02/10/2025

3 Steps to Girth Checking Before Riding

For your horse’s comfort and your safety, the girth should always be checked three times:

1️⃣ When you first put the saddle on – do it loosely in the stable so your horse is comfortable while being tacked up.
2️⃣ Before you mount – horses often puff out when first girthed. Check and gently tighten before you get on.
3️⃣ Once mounted – your weight can shift the saddle, and squish everything down (gravity!) so check again and tighten if needed.

⚠️ Why this matters

Tightening a girth too quickly or too tightly can cause your horse stress, tension, or even resentment toward being saddled.

Girths are not clamps to “strap on” a saddle — they are levelling devices. Your horse is round, not flat, so the girth helps keep the saddle balanced. But ultimately, it’s the rider’s job to sit centrally to keep the saddle even and the horse comfortable.

⭐ Your instructor can teach you how to check and adjust your girth safely both on the ground and from the saddle.

01/10/2025

🌟 Cavesson Nosebands (or None at All!) 🌟

Our ponies wear cavesson nosebands – or sometimes no noseband at all. A cavesson sits comfortably around the nose without restricting breathing or movement. Some ponies go without a noseband, especially if they have sensitive mouths or simply don't need one!

❌ Tight nosebands = big problems
Tight nosebands can affect breathing, movement, and performance.

💬 Hot topic in the sport right now
Noseband tightness is a big conversation point in equestrian circles at the moment. It’s important to be informed so we can make choices that keep our horses happy and healthy.

✅ Comfort = better training
As Natascha van Eijk from the ICPBC explains, tightening nosebands might feel good short-term, but it can harm the horse’s training and performance long-term.

✨ Beginner tip: A simple way to check your noseband is correct is the “two-finger rule” – you should be able to comfortably fit two fingers under the noseband. Not too tight, not too loose!

📖 Read more:
👉 https://horsesandpeople.com.au/tight-nosebands-a-feel-good-shortcut-to-nowhere/

We ride with kindness, fairness, and respect for our horses. 🐴💙

30/09/2025

✨🐴 Riding Tip Tuesday 🐴✨

Ever heard your instructor say “half-halt!” and thought… half what now? 🤔

A half-halt is one of the most important tools a rider can learn — it’s like whispering to your horse:
👉 “Hey, rebalance, listen to me… but keep the energy!”

It’s not a stop button — more like gently tapping the brakes while still keeping your foot on the accelerator 🚗💨. The horse doesn’t slow down, but they get lighter, more balanced, and ready for what’s next — whether that’s a transition, a turn, or even a jump!

✅ Seat & core: engage your tummy muscles, sit tall
✅ Legs: keep them gently on to say “stay active”
✅ Hands: close your fingers for a moment, then soften
✅ Release: it’s a whisper, not a pull ✨

Think of it as the rider’s secret superpower — small, subtle, but makes everything feel smoother. 💫

Who else remembers the first time they figured out a half-halt and thought… “Wow, this works!” 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

27/09/2025

🌾🐴 Hay There, Lovely Riders! 🐴🌾

If you’re leaving your horse or pony in the stable after your ride — maybe they have a lesson later that day — please feel free to pop into the hay barn and fill a hay net for them. 🧺💚

🥕 Why it matters:
Horses are natural grazers and happiest when they have something to nibble on. Leaving them without hay can lead to boredom, stress, or even tummy troubles like ulcers. A little hay goes a long way toward keeping them relaxed and content!

So if you’ve finished riding and your mount is heading back to a stable —
🧡 Show them some love
🧺 Grab a net
🌾 Fill it up!

Happy horses = happy yard! 🐴😊
Thanks for helping us keep our ponies comfy and well-fed 💫