Ranchlands Equestrian Centre

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Townsville, QLD
Ranchlands Equestrian Centre

Horse-Riding and Agistment Equestrian Centre
Ranchlands is Townsville's oldest and most prestigious horse riding school.

Ranchlands Townsville's oldest horse riding school has been teaching adults and children to ride horses for 44 years. We cater for the 6 year old horse crazy child to the nervous any age adult, who has always wanted to ride, but never had the opportunity. Besides helping you to get fit and stay supple, you will meet like minded people and have a chance to interact with these wonderful animals. F

or most people it becomes a life long passion. Pupils can participate in private or group classes, where they can learn basic horsemanship, dressage, games on horseback and jumping.

23/12/2024

We would like to wish all who have sat in a Ranchlands saddle this year, attended an EAL session, driven, watched and supported loved ones in their equine journey a big and heartfelt Merry Christmas.

Thank you from all of us at Ranchlands for the support and trust in us to guide you in your passion with the horse. It has been an absolute pleasure yet again to share our Unicorns with you, and to watch each and every pupil grow in confidence and skill throughout the year.

And what a year…..Intro to Horses, Follow on to Intro, Adopt A Horse, Combination Challenge, Jumping Clinic, Ranchlands Revel, Horsemanship Workshops, Riding for Disabled,Equine Assisted Learning Sessions and not forgetting normal lessons 🙃

So looking forward to rinse and repeating in 2025!!

The office is now closed until lessons resume 3rd Feb (weather dependent). WE will contact all current riders re start date and times.

If you would like to take up lessons in 2025 🦄 please email your interest to [email protected] and we will be in touch in the New Year.

Please have a safe, wonderful Christmas, filled with laughter, family and friends - if lucky enough - go smell a pony 🐴

🦄

19/12/2024

Unicorns are officially on their Hollibobs 😎

What an exciting day for them all. We are so fortunate and grateful that we get to work alongside our amazing Unicorns each and everyday. Together we help the riders who attend Ranchlands, young and older 🙃 the joy of the horse.

From the 6yr old wide eyed bouncy newbies to the grandmother who wants to take up her younger self passion again - we have you covered. And our Unicorns are there, different bottoms, different instructions kindly leading the way 🦄

So at the end of the year, it is important, like us, that they have a good break. To reset, regroup, find some headspace, be a HORSE in a paddock, play, eat some lush green grass (thanks early rain!!), allow their bodies some rest.

So off they have gone again, to a 500 acre paddock with dams, creek, trees and as much delicious grass as they want 💛 We have done this every year at Ranchlands and feel very passionate about the mental well being of our herd.

The oldies have stayed at home - they also need hard feeds and medical care - but rest assured, with the early rain we are having they are also getting plenty of grass!

26/11/2024

Our beautiful grandma Patsy is also hanging up her bridle. Seems to be that time of year.

Patsy is hands down the sweetest girl we have. It is no secret that she is Jenny’s favourite (and we are not supposed to have favourites!!). Patsy came to Ranchlands later in her life. A safe place where she could live out her days, with love, pats, and cuddles. She is very wary of the herd, you will find her on the outskirts, always. She has over time felt more at ease, Leo looking out for her, as he does Miss Maggie, and moments when she has not been well, where the herd have stepped in x Patsy we believe is now fully blind in one eye, she has manages very well with this, of course as humans we need to take this into consideration when approaching and handling her, using voice and touch to help guide her. This is also where Leo comes in x

Patsy loved assisting the child beginners, when she first arrived in the group and 1/2 lessons and then in semi-retirement with the odd ½ hour lesson, she is very obliging with them, great off the leg and soft in the mouth. It was good to keep her engaged with a role to fulfil. Patsy also loves her time helping Jenny with the Equine Assisted Learning, as she loves humans, she is perfect for these sessions and has helped so many individuals over the last few years. She really is one of a kind x

You will find Patsy along the fence line in the afternoon, waiting for a cuddle and stroke. Then as the afternoon turns in, she makes her way around and comes into the yard, checking out the action, another scratch, and head rub (she loves a head rub), who’s got some treats, is it dinner time yet.....?

Do you have any photos, stories of Patsy??????

21/11/2024

It had to happen at some point…..

Our spunky little main man Leo has handed in his reins at the grand old age of 29!!! Leo has officially retired 🤩

What a little superstar you have been Leo. From the whizzy pony in the main arena, only being ridden by competent kids and small adults - as your only gear was flat out!!!! To the slippers and pipe man you are today. Looking after the younger generation of Ranchlands riders, our budding newbie riders learning their rising trot and first canters, to little tots, happily bouncing around, curling fingers in your hairy coat xx

It really is bittersweet. You really deserve your retirement, an absolute unicorn of a riding school pony you have been!! We cannot even imagine the number of bottoms you have helped learn to ride - or the sheer joy on the faces of children, when they see that the pony they are riding, is you!!

But it is time to rest, and relax with your beautiful girl Maggie 👑 you have been her carer and will continue to be so into your retirement. Maggie is pretty much deaf and relies on Leo to look out for her and keep her safe - he also seems to have taken this role with Patsy. Which is huge for Patsy as she does not trust other horses easily, what a true gentleman you are Leo x

If you have any photos or memories of Leo we would love for you to share them with us 🦄🐴🦄

Happy Retirement Leo

18/11/2024

Our gorgeous retired Miss Maggie is celebrating her 33rd birthday today 🥳

What an absolute queen she is - not looking bad for 93 human years (equivalent)!!!

So it has been declared Maggie’s Birthday Week - she is accepting all carrots / apples and licorice 🦄

14/10/2024

The original home of the lippizana horses - this is carriage driving teams practicing for the competition the next day - 80 brood mares and 40 stallions - started 1540 - what a joy to go there

06/10/2024

Another fun filled school holiday program!!

For those jumping enthusiasts - we held a Jumping Clinic. Learning about position, strides, straightness and rhythm with grid work and then moving that into a course in the afternoon.

Concentration was high and all riders and unicorns put in top effort 👌🏻 especially as it seemed to be the first day of high heat 🥵

So much fun - well done all 👏

28/08/2024

Meet the Herd

Pip 💮

~ Colour / S*x – Chestnut Mare
~ Breed – Quarter Horse
~ Born 2010
~ Height – 14.1HH

Pip is just lovely. She really is a sweetheart on the ground and the in the saddle, which is unusual for an orange mare!! She has such a gentle quiet nature with us humans, she does however seem to like her own space from the herd at dinner time!! You do not find her getting into mischief in the paddock, a quiet observer, she will be found not far away from Obi her new Beau xx To begin with she stuck with Lil Bob who she arrived too Ranchlands around the same time, but her love of Obi has shone through (he is rather sweet). But do not despair, Lil Bob is like a third wheel on often found hanging around the two 🙂

She is relatively new to the herd only joining us in 2023, but in the short time has become a firm favourite with our beginner riders, with both children and small adults, a nice balanced gait easing them along the way in their riding journey. She has adapted well into the riding school life and like Gypsy is very responsive to the rider’s seat, breathe and small aids.

Pip has a very funky brand – check it out next time you are here.

Do you have any photos, stories of Pip??????

15/08/2024

The Final School Holiday Programs of the year are nearly here!!! Get excited, book the kids in, pony smelling time, cuddles, new experiences, giggles, fun, meet real Unicorns :) We do not hold School Holiday programs during the Summer Holidays, our herd have a well-deserved 8-week holiday.

Intro to Horses ~ Learn how horses think, communicate, connect with the horse on a different level. Make new friends with the horse and humans 🙂 Learn horsemanship techniques and have a ba****ck ride 🦄 Naturally there will be plenty of time for pats and cuddles too!!

Follow on to Intro ~ ONLY for those who have attend our Intro to Horses sessions previously. Extend on horse behaviors, practice balance in the saddle on barrels, feel of the reins in preparation to ride, demonstration how to tack up, love your pony up with some grooming. A mini riding lesson with saddle and bridle, learning how to guide your horse around the arena, work on balance and feel, up for a bouncy trot? There will also be plenty of time for those pats and cuddles x

Hurry up school holidays, time to play with ponies, looking forward to meeting new happy excited faces and some returning ones too!

The Details
Intro to Horses
When: Tuesday 17th September
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $110 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 1 wk prior to secure

Follow On to Intro
When: Tuesday 24th September
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $130 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 1 wk prior to secure

Cancellation Policy: Full payment required if cancelled within 48 hrs BUT can be redeemed for riding lessons or future School Holiday Programs

Location: 83 Hammond Way, Kelso, Townsville
Age: 6yrs +⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
Mobile: 0400 345 727⁣⁣⁣
Email: [email protected]
Book Now - spots fill fast and limited numbers.

Local Townsville

31/07/2024

Happy Horse Birthday to all Aussie Horses today 🐴

Especially to our wonderful and special herd of unicorns - we are so very lucky - we need to recreate this photo from 2017!

🦄🎂🥳🦄

11/07/2024

How much weight can a horse carry?

In my experience, a horse can carry an infinite amount.

They can carry the weight of broken hearts, broken homes, and broken bodies. Countless tears sometimes comb their tangled manes. Moments when parents and friends cannot be there to help and hold a person, horses embrace and empower. They carry physical, mental, and emotional handicaps. They carry hopes and dreams; and they will carry the stress from your day when you can’t carry it anymore.

They carry graduations, they carry new careers, they carry moves away from everything familiar, they carry marriages, they carry divorces, they carry funerals, they carry babies before they are born, and sometimes they carry the mothers who cannot carry their own baby. They carry mistakes, they carry joy, they carry the good and they carry the bad. They carry drugs and addictions, but they also carry the celebrations.

They will carry you to success when all you have felt is failure. They will carry you, never knowing the weight of your burdens and triumphs.

If you let them, they will carry you through life, and life is hard, life is heavy. But a horse will make you feel weightless under it all.

🦄🐴🦄

26/06/2024

They are never just RIDING SCHOOL PONIES❤️🐴

One day you may move onto bigger, fancier horses, but never forget the school horse who made you, as without them, you wouldn’t be able to ride anything at all.

The patient soul that tolerated your bouncing while you figured out how to sit the trot.

The kind mare that didn’t walk off when you stumbled up the mounting block, trying to get your foot in the stirrup.

The sweet gelding that picked up the trot even though your body was telling him to do the exact opposite.

The saintly angel that never spooked, which was a dam good thing because your balance was precarious at best.

Too often we forget where we came from. We move on to the next chapter in our lives and say, “Oh my gosh, I’m learning so much! I’m going so far! I could never do this kind of thing on that old school horse!”

But infact you could, you were just not ready to do all these things back then.

But that school horse gave you the confidence to move forward. That school horse took care of you in all respects and allowed you to take the time you needed to find your way. You couldn’t have become the rider you are today without that riding school horse, always remember to love them unconditionally for our riding school horses are what help start your dream, make dreams come true and get you ready for those bigger dreams 🐴

04/06/2024

The winter School Holidays are nearly here!!! Get excited, book the kids in, pony smelling time, cuddles, new experiences, giggles, fun, meet real unicorns! THE best time of the year to be playing with ponies.

Intro to Horses ~ Learn how horses think, communicate, connect with the horse on a different level. Make new friends with the horse and humans 🙂 Learn horsemanship techniques and have a ba****ck ride 🦄 Naturally there will be plenty of time for pats and cuddles too!!

Follow on to Intro ~ ONLY for those who have attend our Intro to Horses sessions previously. Extend on horse behaviors, practice balance in the saddle on barrels, feel of the reins in preparation to ride, demonstration how to tack up, love your pony up with some grooming. A mini riding lesson with saddle and bridle, learning how to guide your horse around the arena, work on balance and feel, up for a bouncy trot? There will also be plenty of time for those pats and cuddles x

Hurry up school holidays, time to play with ponies, looking forward to meeting new happy excited faces and some returning ones too!

The Details
Intro to Horses
When: Tuesday 25th June
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $110 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 1 wk prior to secure

Follow On to Intro
When: Thursday 4th July
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $130 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 1 wk prior to secure

Cancellation Policy: Full payment required if cancelled within 48 hrs BUT can be redeemed for riding lessons or future School Holiday Programs

Location: 83 Hammond Way, Kelso, Townsville
Age: 6yrs +⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
Mobile: 0400 345 727⁣⁣⁣
Email: [email protected]
Book Now - spots fill fast and limited numbers.

Local Townsville

23/05/2024

When you are ticking adulthood goals, living childhood dreams and loving every moment of it!!!

Jools, the passion and enthusiasm you show at each and every lesson is fabulous, there is no stopping you! The first tumble - a true equestrian now!!! The tales may begin 🐴 it’s all about the tales.

Jools Munro - Explore Property Munro & Co

12/05/2024

A big happy 5 O to our one and only Theresa today 🤩🐴🦄🎂

All at Ranchlands sending you the biggest birthday cheers.

Gosh, we’ve been doing this a while…. 😉

.roberton

12/05/2024

ADULTS - Saves the Date!

Winter - officially the best time to ride in North Queensland. Thank you cooler weather, we are happy :)

Now time to plan some fun stuff for the Adults - these kids cannot have all the fun!! Yep, step outside your comfort zone, pull those big girl/boy pants up and have a go, say yes, perhaps win a ribbon, have giggle, learn a new skill, smell a pony, have some me time, meet new people, c***k a glass or two.... list is endless :)

The Details

Ranchlands Revel - Ranchland Riders Only
What: 2 dressage tests / 2 horses
When: Sunday 2nd June
Time: 3pm Onwards
inc's glass of bubbles and nibbles

Open Combination Challenge - Ranchland Riders Only
What: Dressage & Jump Challenge
When: Sunday 23rd June
Time: 9 - 3pm Approx (depends on numbers)

Horsemanship Workshop - Open to ALL (non-Ranchlands too)
Do not have to commit to all 3 sessions - do not have to be able to ride - beginners welcome - 2 groups for varying levels. (*weight capacity 90kg)
When:
Sunday 4th August
Sunday 18th August
Sunday 8th September
Time: 8 - 12pm
inc's morning tea

Cancellation Policy: Full payment required if cancelled within 48 hrs BUT can be redeemed for riding lessons or future programs

Location: 83 Hammond Way, Kelso, Townsville
Mobile: 0400 345 727⁣⁣⁣
Email: [email protected]
Book Now - spots fill fast and limited numbers.

Local Townsville

10/05/2024

SAVE THE DATES!!

Winter - officially the best time to be riding in Townsville. How we have waited for you!!! It is time to pull up the joddies and pencil in some pony activities!!

Intro to Horses - Open to ALL
We love this morning - for keen equine enthusiasts new to horses, come a learn how horse think, communicate, connect. Learn some horsemanship techniques and have a ba****ck ride. Plus. plenty of giggle, pats and cuddles too.

Follow on to Intro - Open to ALL who have previously attended Intro
More on grooming, behaviour, tacking up, how to sit in a saddle, balance, holding reins, the feels, steering. Then of course a ride fully tacked up to practice the skills we learnt on the ground.

Mini & Open Combination Challenge - Open to Ranchlands Riders ONLY
Ride a dressage test in the morning and then switch up gears to put your mount around a jump round in the afternoon. Overall Champion is......

Adopt a Horse Day - Open to Ranchlands Riders ONLY
Clean stalls, make feeds, groom, bath, pamper, clean tack, have a lesson, hang out with friends, eat some pizza, play some Gymkhana Games = brilliant day

The Details

Intro to Horses - Open to all
When: Tuesday 25th June
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $110 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 2 wk prior to secure

Follow On to Intro - Open to all
When: Thursday 4th July
Time: 9-12pm
Cost: $130 for one session ⁣⁣⁣- payment required 2 wk prior to secure

Mini Combination Challenge - Ranchlands Riders Only
When: Friday 28th June
Time: 9 - 3pm approx

Open Combination Challenge - Ranchlands Riders Only
When: Sunday 23rd June
Time 9 - 3pm approx

Adopt a Horse Day - Ranchlands Riders Only
When: Friday 5th July
Time: 9-3pm
Inc's Pizza lunch - bring own drinks and morning tea

Cancellation Policy: Full payment required if cancelled within 48 hrs BUT can be redeemed for riding lessons or future School Holiday Programs

Location: 83 Hammond Way, Kelso, Townsville
Age: 6yrs +⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
Mobile: 0400 345 727⁣⁣⁣
Email: [email protected]
Book Now - spots fill fast and limited numbers.

Local Townsville

24/04/2024

Today we share some extremely sad news.

Moose has been receiving treatment for an injury, unfortunately it has proven to not be successful and today she has joined her old herd mates in the eternal green paddock.

We are of course heartbroken.

Moose was one of a kind, the biggest ears on a horse you have ever seen (thus her name). She came to us as a 5yr old Thoroughbred off the track, her trainer said she was the second slowest horse she had ever had 🤭 no surprise - Moose was not build for speed!

Despite those ears, she had many admirers in the herd, Bronson being her latest Beau, he is certainly going to miss her, an extra love and pat for the big boy. She was the Matriarch of our herd, whoever eventually fills the big girls role certainly has big ears to fill x

Moose you are going to be missed by many, such a beautiful kind horse to ride, a lovely stride and rocking horse canter. Who is going to give the 3 warnings and love bites to stomachs now??? Your lips slapping together as you went around the arena, always made us smile, and the quick turn of speed and joy in games, you held your inner will to win well hidden!

Thanks girl, a unicorn you were, enjoy the endless green paddock and cool breeze, say hi to the others from us 🦄

Please share your photos and stories of Moose with us x the tears have been flowing, why stop them now.....

Address

83 Hammond Way, Kelso
Townsville, QLD
4815

Telephone

+61400345727

Website

http://www.ranchlands.com.au/

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Volunteer shout out!!!! We hold numerous events throughout the year, these are for our current riders and riders who may only attend as a one off for that event. We could not hold these events without our trusty volunteers. We are so very very fortunate to have such a fabulous community here at Ranchlands who not only ride each week, but who love our Unicorns as much as we do, that they want to help share that passion with others. These legends come from both our senior riders and our junior experienced riders who have risen up the ranks ☺️ learning the ropes and now paying forward 💛 They also help on riding nights, grooming and tacking up ponies for lessons, helping junior or beginner riders. We are so very blessed and eternally grateful to each and every one of you (not all on this photo!). You know who you are - THANK YOU ☺️🦄🐴🦄 #ranchlandsequestriancentre #townsville #voluteer #supportlocaltownsville #grateful🦄 #thankyou

The Annual Kids Christmas Gymkhana did not disappoint!! We were so lucky to squeeze it in, in-between days of rain, so very grateful ☺️ Well done to all the participants for showing such fabulous sportsmanship as always and bringing Christmas cheer to the event!!! Everyone looked super and the ponies were full of Christmas tinsel, glitter and fun 🎅🏼 Such a hoot, thanks to the RDA for putting on the sausage sizzle, our helpers and of course Unicorns who were disguised as reindeers for one day only!! #ranchlandsequestriancentre #christmasgymkhana #somuchfun #thanksteam #2024beenahoot #supportlocaltownsville #townsville

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