Yep, Tequila is definitely improving 😁😁😁😁🤔🐴🥕🐴🥕
Score your horse out of 100!!!!
Serious question. How good is your horse in relation to ITS INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL! Mine… LOOOOOONG way to go. But after riding a horse I felt was just… perfect it got me thinking. How many people think their horse is near its potential?
BPLC brand ambassadors and testers.
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for their understanding regarding why this year we will not be doing a big long ride. I am still struggling with “imposter syndrome” at times as are MANY riders I know who have done huge rides all the while criticising their every mistake. I AM a long rider, it’s what I do, but knowing when it’s time to step back and grow the weaker areas of my game is something I am still learning to do. This year I need to focus on being a supportive partner to my wife and allowing her to step Tequila up.
That leaves a BIG absence in the testing and development of products!!! THIS WILL NOT DO! As a result we have two BRUTALLY honest testers that have already invested a great deal in the development of current products. They are unpaid, and my two biggest and harshest critics. As they start to give feedback, you will very quickly see they “aren’t paid” to comment, and I will be sharing honest constructive criticism of our gear.
Next… we will be sharing the story of our very first official brand ambassador in the coming months. So… what exactly is a brand ambassador and why do we need one?
We need one because we won’t be in the saddle for months this year, and honestly… we just LOVE HER. She is unforgettable. She is GORGEOUS!!! She is as mad as a bag of rattle snakes and honestly… Lu and I loved her at first sight! Does she get a free ride? NOPE! But we have looked after her and succeed or fail I will defend this CRAZY BEAUTIFUL French girl without hesitation.
Yep, I wish I was out there doing what I do, but maybe not… maybe this is my chance to improve the many flaws I have both socially, and in the support and advice I give others???
So, I’m making 2025 the year I help others improve our gear. Not my year to refine what I’ve already got perfect for me.
Man I can’t wait to share this GORGEOUS HEROINES ADVENTURES!!!!!
Our lessons with Tequila are super variable from day to day. This is a vid from a few days ago obviously as I’m now hungover in Holland after beers that led to 2am pizza but it shows the kind of stuff we are working on. Having a horse REALLY ready for life on the road means it doesn’t just know something, or will do as it’s told, but it’s familiar with it to the point it’s boring.
It’s a long boring video. But this is how we start a horse and as undramatic and boring as it is, we strongly feel its videos like this that should go viral. NOT COWBOY SH*T AND FALLS!
Tequila has been with us for 3 months or so now and he has the following sorted.
1. Pair bonded to Marengo. Riding out he will always follow him, so as long as Marengo remains chill, Tequila will too. It means we can safely train out in the forest rather than in the pen, with Marengo essentially acting as a “fence”.
2. He understands Luisa is his person. Soft touch, pats, hugs, treats, safety, and most importantly… TRUST. It takes time, effort, and patience.
3. Physical condition. Tequila has been slowly and gradually increasing the work he does. He can and has been ridden in a saddle, but Luisa wants to focus more on getting him MOVING under and with her. As a result, she’s helping him develop his muscles and movements bareback.
4. FITTED TAC! Tequila has had two saddle adjustments, as well as at least 6 blanket changes and we’ve tested a few girth options. He has told us what he likes best, and we’ve listened.
5. Routine. Tequila has a solid understanding of routine, with constant positive reinforcement and lessons designed to focus on BASICS BADICS BASICS! Yes, it’s boring. But life on the road requires boring to be the standard. We want everything to be undramatic and consistent. Establishment of routine is key for this.
So now we take training up a notch. Physically and mentally Tequila is ready to be ridden. But we won’t. We will again slow the next stage down and establish basics and routine rather than rush. From here he needs 100 hours under saddle, and he will get that in gradually increasing lengths from the 15mins or so he gets now, up to a few hours at a time by the end of April. For MUCH of it I will be dismounted, leading both horses calmly by hand allowing Luisa to be nothing more than weight on his back. If he panics, I’ll calmly walk
A while ago I posted a video of Marengo excited during saddling playing with his bit etc as I saddled with his reins just hanging loose. As usual, I got a mix of comments so here’s another vid saddling up. This time… no reins, no restraint, and the fence is open too. Hell, there’s even two bottles of wine schrol tilting his saddle forward and he still doesn’t care.
Marengo HONESTLY enjoys riding with us. He really loves his walks, and so does Tequila because their gear fits, we are LIGHT, and they feel respected. In my opinion this is what tacking up should look like and given we LONG RIDE these boys, it’s absolutely ESSENTIAL THAT THEY ENJOY LIFE ON THE ROAD!!
Long slow trip to the pub. LOTS of time riding for Tequila, and a bit of a chat about boots
Hard at work fencing again. Come summer it’s going to be long lazy days. I might even sneak away fishing in the coming days too. I really do need a break from work.
So this video was brought to my attention by an equine professional, and to the attention of Prestige. Firstly, this rider is in NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH PRESTIGE AND THEY HAVE CONDONED HER BEHAVIOUR WITHOUT HESITATION!
It seems young “Miss ORiely” has since deleted this video and replaced it with a mare that’s CLEARY down a K hole instead. (Ill put it in the comments)
So here’s where I should shut up. And you know what… I will. I will because people will do anything for a TikTok like and that includes behaviour that makes me want… “deep breaths Pete”… go calmly inside, sit down with a beer, and quietly mutter to myself as I begin sewing some saddle bags.
So how does this make others feel? Please, go crazy!!! Say whatever you want. FEEL FREE TO SWEAR! Tell me I’m crazy, tell me whatever you want. #horseabuse
The “Big Ride”… and goals with the boys. So as everyone knows 7 years ago I planned to grab my Mongol horses and ride west. I prepared for two years and was hopelessly unprepared and poorly equipped despite $25,000nzd in the quest to become a long rider.
I met Lu day one, plans changed, and if it weren’t for her I doubt I’d have left Mongolia. Five years later we look back and laugh at who we were. Everything has been stripped to the bare necessities and its use refined over thousands of km and as many nights on the road. More importantly we know what horses are required for long distances and how to take care of the three ABSOLUTE musts for a long ride.
The saddle fit, balance, and overall weight MUST be ethical.
You CANNOT set a direction or distances in stone, remaining flexible, following adequate food, water, and offering adequate rest are NOT negotiable!
You MUST provide adequate hoof care at ALL TIMES! And… as you can see in this short vid, constantly be prepared to try new things in the never ending quest for the perfect hoof!
Personally… I didn’t think it would take 7 years to reach this standard. I thought I was this good 5 years ago thanks to my ego and all the bullsh*t I’d been told and read in utter GARBAGE like the guilds books. Now, I’m basically writing off a full year to bring Tequila up to par and then… the big rides start again.
BIG RIDE 2026.
In 2026 we plan to once again FILM A DOCO. We are in loose negotiations with a film maker, and looking at funding and options. If you can help or have contacts… reach out please. But we will be heading NORTH. FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR NORTH!!! 😉 😉 Then… we are looking at the biggest project yet.
2027-2030? 31?
Fly the boys to Melbourne, ride west, north, east, south in a circumnavigation of Australia. 🤦This… we will need help on but as I enter my 10th straight year as a professional long rider I think we will finally be ready to not only complete this task, but a
