Briosco Horsemanship

05/06/2024

I’d like to give a huge shoutout to Eleanor of Equi-Fit - Professional Saddle Fitting and Sales who fitted Louis with a new Kent & Masters S-Series jump saddle at her stunning Glenbrook property yesterday!

Not only was it the most thorough saddle fitting I’ve experienced, Eleanor was also incredibly kind and welcoming to both myself and Louis and took plenty of time to discuss exactly what was going on every step of the way. Her passion for ensuring horses are comfortable and able to succeed is inspiring and what we should hope to see in every saddle fitter.

If you’re in Auckland or the upper Waikato and want to make sure your horse is fitted by a fully qualified fitter who continues to stay up to date on all current saddle fit research, I simply cannot recommend Eleanor enough.

Very grateful indeed ☺️

31/05/2024

While I’m in this rare posting-on-Facebook mood, I figured I should put something up on the page to share Louis’ recent achievement!

Briosco Lumos finished the Woodhill Sands Shelly Bridgeman Autumn Show Hunter series in first place last weekend after leading the series from start to finish 🥇

Another huge “thank you!” to Woodhill Sands for facilitating such a positive and supportive event for this rusty rider and her big green TB! And to Shelly Bridgeman for sponsoring the class. Also special thanks to Sue Whidett for not only judging but also taking the time to give each of us feedback on our rounds. Feeling very grateful!

For his first real show experience and first taste of show hunter, he really blew it out of the park! Consistently in the ribbons at all three days, although day three wasn’t as successful due to both of us feeling a bit under the weather.

This was a bittersweet win for us as it was our last show in Auckland before we make the long journey south in four weeks’ time.

Big loves for my Louis boy ❤️

30/05/2024

🧠🐎 Mind and Body Clinic 🐎🧠

Very excited to announce this clinic! Nikita @ Equine bodywork solutions and I are teaming up to bring you and your horse a hands-on day at the stunning Brookfield Estate in three weeks’ time, Saturday 15th June.

Each 1hr private slot will be split into a 30min inhand/ridden assessment followed by a personalised 30min bodywork treatment for your horse. We’ll be looking at how various physical and mental barriers are inherently connected, and how we cannot address one without the other.

Exciting stuff! This is a one-off clinic so get in quick to book your slot 😉

18/04/2024

🔹 Next up at Redhills this April! 🔹

🍂 Horsemanship Skills Clinic 🍂

Do you…
☑️ Want a deeper relationship with your horse?
☑️ Have a “difficult” or anxious horse?
☑️ Lack confidence when handling horses?
☑️ Want to learn how to communicate and train in a way your horse will understand and appreciate?

Come join us on Wednesday 24th April for a day of hands-on learning and fun!

We’ll explore behavioural theory and learn how to apply science-backed principles to create a strong partnership with your equine friends.

Whether you’re a rider, a parent of a rider or simply want to be your best self for your horse, there’s something to take away from this clinic.

Come for the morning or the full day - the choice is yours! 😊

11/04/2024

🌈 April School Holiday Clinics @ Redhills! 🌈

I’ve been very lucky to have the Redhills Pony Club arena booked out for two days of fun these school hols! Here’s what’s happening…

Wednesday 17th April
🏇Poles and Grids 🏇
Building horse and rider confidence and technique using creative pole and jump exercises with an emphasis on straightness, balance and rhythm.
Lots of fun for all levels, from ground poles up!

Wednesday 24th April
🐴 Horsemanship Skills 🐴
Improve your relationship with your horse from the ground! Develop a deeper understanding of your horse’s behaviour and apply learning theory with equine-specific communication techniques.
Beneficial for riders, parents and aspiring horse trainers alike!

Time slots available from 9am to 3pm both days.

Send me a PM or text me on 0210508088 to book. Please specify which clinic/s, preferred time/s and whether you want a group or private session.

Hope to see you there,
Hermione 😊

11/04/2024

🍂 Shelly Bridgeman Autumn Show Hunter Series, day one @ Woodhill Sands 🍂

Louis (finally!) had his show hunter debut on Saturday for three lovely rounds and two firsts (no placing in our 60cm round due to a nappy buck past the gate)! Having only jumped a handful of times in his 2.5 years with me, I’m pretty stoked to say the least. He’s definitely ready to step up to the 80s next time - those long legs don’t have to work hard to get over 70cm!

We got some lovely compliments from the judge and other competitors so I’m feeling rather excited to see where we go in the SH ring! 🤭

Thank you to Serena Photography for the stunning shots of Louis in action - very glad to have such gorgeous photos to remember the day by! 💖

Bring on the rest of the autumn series 💪

24/02/2024

Briosco Horsemanship presents on behalf…

“Louise”
15.2hh Swedish warmblood x TB mare
DOB: 07/11/2008

Louise is looking for a loving new home. This gorgeous mare has spent the past few years as a teenager’s first horse, and before that was owned by her breeder where she was a favourite farm hack and all-rounder.

Louise has an incredible big stride with lots of bounce and swing, and is a super quick learner. Moves straight with lovely conformation and a pretty head. She would be a prime candidate for the dressage arena or for breeding future dressage stars! Alternatively, Louise would be a delightful happy hacker for a confident rider.

With her current owner, she has had outings to the beach, forest, pony club and local ribbon days. Competing has not been a priority for her owner so she does lack exposure in competitive environments. That being said, she is a hacking pro and is unfazed by busy farm life such as dogs, tractors, machinery, kids etc.

Will stand snoozing all day and loves a good cuddle - she’s a serious softy! Doesn’t mind being paddocked alone or with others. No mareish behaviour, gets along well with other horses. Does go best under saddle when on little to no grass, which her current owner has not been able to provide.

No history of illness or soundness issues, has solid barefoot hooves. No vices. Easy to float, trim, worm, dentist (everything is up to date).

Currently in light work, schooling basic lateral movements and working on the flat.

Louise is a forward, responsive mare and can be hot so does require someone with a well established seat and independent hand. NOT for novice or returning riders.

Very sadly in need of a new home as owner is entering her second year of uni and no longer has time for a horse. Price negotiable for the perfect home. Louise’s saddle, bridle etc can be purchased additionally.

Please TEXT 021 050 8088 or FB message Briosco Horsemanship to enquire. (I’m usually riding or coaching so often can’t answer calls!)

💲5️⃣5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ ONO

21/02/2024

Keep your eyes peeled for this girl, listing this weekend!

12/02/2024

For sale on behalf: NSC Aotearoa 17” dressage saddle in black/dark brown.

This is a stunning saddle in beautiful condition for its age (manufactured 2007). Extremely comfy to ride in, it has a lovely deep seat and wool flocked thigh rolls that keep you secure without forcing you into position. Comes with a matching 26” NSC girth and a blue fleece saddle cover.

Unsure of exact gullet size but would fit M-MW (should be changeable by saddler). Stamped 16” but measures 17”.

Recently reflocked by Eleanor from Equifit to fit a big OTTB. Features drop panels, a Y girthing system and a nice wide channel for spinal clearance.

Some fading and minor wear as to be expected, but no obvious scrapes or scratches. Girth straps in solid working order with no cracks, although are starting to delaminate in a couple of places.

Owner purchased for $2500 a couple years ago. Wanting to get back what she paid for it but open to reasonable offers as the owner has downsized to a pony and needs it gone!

Pickup from Huapai, Auckland

09/02/2024

Introducing Mereama 🌻

This wee Kaimanawa cutie is here to have some buttons installed and further education. Mereama was mustered in 2018 and is more or less green-broke, having only done hacking since being started under saddle.

She’s definitely a “wild” horse - clever and independent, Mereama learns very quickly but doesn’t hesitate to tell me when she’d rather be doing things her own way 😂

One of her owner’s goals is to have her jumping so yesterday we started working on the idea of getting airborne over coloured poles. It was hot and sweaty work, but she was willing and cottoned on to the coordination of her legs fairly well!

I like to do a lot of work from the ground for a few reasons:

🔸 We can introduce new exercises/movements without the added weight and balance of a rider.
🔸 I can watch the horse’s whole process from more of a distance and analyse their movement patterns, facial expressions etc.
🔸 As riders, we’re often tempted to micromanage the horse underneath us (even subconsciously!). Working on a simple lunge line gives the horse space to investigate and learn at their own pace without having to also conform to a rider’s aids.

Looking forward to getting her started over poles under saddle this week!

24/01/2024

Last Sunday saw Shannen Renae and my Brio compete in their first ever show hunter at Woodhill Sands Grassroots SH - talk about a proud coach/owner moment! 🥹😍

It was a big day of firsts for this pair:
✅ Shannen’s first show (and ribbon!)
✅ Shannen’s first time riding a full jump course
✅ Brio’s first EVER show hunter
✅ Brio’s first competitive outing in seven years
✅ And the first time I’ve attended an event with one of my riders riding one of my horses!

Brio was on his absolute best behaviour (which included snoozing ringside between rounds!) and Shannen did a beautiful job of piloting him around the x-bar and 50cm, demonstrating thoughtful arena craft and lovely light riding.

We were initially told they’d be ineligible for scoring due to the bitless bridle (and were prepared for this to be the case), however Shan and Brio were awarded fourth place in the x-bars anyway as they did such a fab round! 🏅

A huge thank you to the organisers at Woodhill Sands for putting on this event, and to judge Megan Ryan for taking the time to give the riders your feedback and support. These grassroots days are invaluable to riders and horses alike as they provide the most delightful atmosphere of kindness, community, learning and fun!

And well done of course to Shannen and Brio - my heart is full ❤️

19/01/2024

A belated “happy New Year” to all! 💫

After having a relatively quiet 2023 to focus on my own horses, I’m excited to announce that I have a space opening up for a full-time schooler at our delightful Huapai property.

This would be ideal for those with greenies needing skill progression, youngsters ready to be backed and started under saddle, or those who want their horses brought into full work.

Happy to discuss options regarding sale on behalf also.

Space for one horse/pony available starting next week (22nd Jan onwards) with a minimum two-week stay.

PM this page or TEXT Hermione on 0210508088 to book your horse in now!

18/09/2023

Come join Bex and myself at Horsemanship Academy NZ these school holidays for some jam-packed days of horsey fun!

Our 🐴Horsemanship Clinic🐴 still has plenty of space, bring your own horse or use one of ours.

This clinic (hosted by yours truly 😉) will focus on understanding equine behaviour and movement, the basics of behaviourist learning theory, and how we can improve our own communication skills to be the best human for our horse. Suitable for all ages and stages of equestrians and horse people.

We also have spaces available for our 🥕Pony Days🥕 - suitable for beginners to confident riders, ages 6+. Open to those with their own ponies or without!

Get in touch with Bex via the Horsemanship Academy page above, or send me a message, to secure your spot!

10/09/2023

My sweet Blazey heads off on a new adventure tomorrow 🥺

Although our time together turned out nothing like the plan I had for us, I am incredibly grateful for what she has allowed (and sometimes forced) me to explore in horsemanship, perseverance and acceptance over the past year.

To start with, Blaze was extremely tense and reactive; she would bottle her feelings up before inevitably exploding. So I turned her out to relax and be feral for a bit, and she put on weight and softened during this time (October through January). Then I moved her in to our wonderful Trigg Rd grazing to come into work but her first week there she tore her hindquarters open in a deep flesh wound - we’ve still got no idea how it happened but it put an immediate halt on all thoughts of riding!

However, this was perhaps a blessing in disguise as it meant I had no choice but to spend a lot of time with her each day, and slowly we learnt the ins and outs of one another. Her wound healed in record time, and I made the decision to completely restart her from the ground up.

Using mostly R+, we established breath and verbal cues for halt, back up, and deep exhale (which was especially important as she holds her breath when stressed!). She learnt how to park herself at the mounting block, and it took about a week of practicing every day before I was able to hop on without her bracing. Our ground cues translated to ridden work, and I continued to use a combination of R+ and minimal R- to keep her under threshold; Blaze was the one who dictated her own progress, while I was just there to reward her efforts.

Then when the ground got wet, Blazey went lame. Her hooves had been a serious rehab case and by this point they were looking better than ever on the outside, but there was clearly something going on internally. X-rays showed pedal osteitis (wear and remodelling of the foot bone) in her front right which was clearly not a new development - she’d had to deal with poor feet for a long time and was finally too sore to hide the pain.

We put shoes and pads on and started gentle rehab from the ground (per vet instructions) and once again made the most of an otherwise bummer of a situation! Our whole focus shifted to soundness first, everything else later, and working inhand with one ride per week has made massive changes to Blaze’s posture, body control and confidence both on the ground and under saddle.

I am so proud of this darling, cuddly, sweetheart of a horse and feel confident that we have truly done our best with the obstacles life threw at us during our time together.

The decision to move Blaze on has not been one I’ve taken lightly - I’ve cried over it more times than I ever thought I would - but it makes it easier to know that she’ll be going to her new home with a softness and emotional regulation that she didn’t have a year ago.

She’s going to leave a big Blaze-shaped hole in my heart, that’s for sure ❤️‍🩹

31/08/2023

I highly HIGHLY recommend following Amanda saddlefitting.us if you’re keen to learn about how saddle fit effects our horses and our own performance in the saddle.

She’s a fellow ADHD horse nerd (and cat person!) with a lifetime of research behind her work, and her posts are both enlightening and engaging. I’ve followed her for years and look forward to seeing her pop up in my feed each day!

I strongly believe that as horse people in a modern world, we no longer have room to excuse poor horsemanship and management practices when we have more and more resources becoming available to us via new research and technologies. And as horse owners, it’s our responsibility to be doing everything in our power to ensure our horses’ needs are being MET, not ignored.

COMPARISON SHOPPING

Saddle fit is something that is learned through comparison and experience.

Once you learn to see, you will not be able to unsee.

Wither clearance should be easily observed, both at the top of the spine and the sides of the withers. This should be apparent in all gaits. You can compare the wither clearance in these two riders.

Point billets are contraindicated for use in horses with uphill builds, pockets/dips behind the scapula, and/or high withers. A point billet is a billet that attaches to the tree point, and using the pressure of the girth, anchors the tree down behind the scapula. Due to the point billet’s far forward location, it also restricts the serratus muscle, the muscle that helps the horse breathe, as well as engage its thoracic sling. You can see the difference in where the first billet comes out of the saddle between these two riders. The rider on the left does not have point billets on their saddle, while the rider on the right does.

Girth buckle height is important for the horse’s comfort, as there is a highly sensitive nerve bundle that exits the forelimb between the pectoralis and serratus muscles. The girth buckles must be higher than this bundle (ideally, they should be as high as possible, as close as possible to the bottom of the flap, and well into the belly of the serratus muscle) to avoid irritation and nerve damage. You can compare the height of the girth buckles on the horse between these two riders.

08/08/2023

Those who have met me, whether via lessons/schooling or at Spurs of Kumeu, will know I am extremely passionate about nutrition and have dedicated nearly two years of (obsessive!) research to finding not only the best feeds for my horses, but also learning about what makes a feed and what we have available to us here in NZ.

Fiber Fresh Equine - New Zealand is a staple in my horses’ feeding regimes and I won’t be going without it any time soon! 🌱🌿🌾

Do you absolutely love Fiber Fresh? Are you passionate about equine nutrition? Do you love sharing your experiences and knowledge on social media? If you're nodding your head, then Fiber Fresh has an exciting opportunity for you!

We are thrilled to announce that Fiber Fresh is on the lookout for dedicated individuals to become part of our Brand Ambassador team. 🤝 As a Brand Ambassador, you'll have the incredible chance to represent our brand, promote your love for our premium fibre, and work with an awesome team of equestrians and equine nutrition specialists!

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28/12/2022

“Holiday mode” done right = sunset beach rides with my boys 🌅😍

Louis’ first time at the beach and he was foot perfect, calm enough even for Tom (who has only ridden a handful of times) to hop on for a cruise back to the float.

Both kids enjoyed a splash around in the water and even dipped their toes in the surf - although Louis wasn’t entirely sure that the waves weren’t going to eat him!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are now enjoying some peace and quiet as we tick over into the new year ❤️

23/12/2022

I’ve had these screenshots sitting in my camera roll since last Sunday and just have to share them!

Pictured is my 14yo rider Caitlin and her lovely horse Goose during their lesson on Sunday.

Caitlin expressed that one of her goals is to get Goose working rounder, and we had a good conversation about how a horse should and shouldn’t move under saddle in terms of biomechanics and the muscular skeletal system. Goose was weak and under-muscled when Caitlin bought him six months ago and he naturally likes to work in a long and low frame, but this often results in him being heavy on the forehand and unbalanced with a hollow back and inactivate core as he depends on his rider’s hands for balance. We worked on exercises to help him start to shift some weight back into his hind end and lift the forehand, creating a lighter feel and a shorter, more uphill frame.

I’ve loved being part of this duo’s progression as a partnership. Sessions like this make me so happy, especially with riders as easy to teach as Caitlin - you are a superstar! ⭐️⭐️