O'Reilly Colt & Saddle Co.

31/01/2022

New blog post up! Do you think Hobble training your horse is important?

https://oreillysaddlery.com/blogs/news/the-art-of-the-hobble-benefits-of-an-ancient-tool

Hobbles on a horse have likely been used in some form since humans first began domesticating horses, some 6000 years ago, and we can first see evidence of such leg restraints in Egyptian hieroglyphs, a civilization which unified in 3100 B.C. The basic premise of hobbles is that they limit the mobili...

10/01/2022

O'Reilly C**t & Saddle Co. has a rich and interesting origin story, that developed in the rugged and often harsh elements of both Australia and North America over a century ago. Read the article below to get the scoop!

https://oreillysaddlery.com/blogs/news/origins-the-story-of-oreilly-c**t-saddle-co

O’Reilly C**t & Saddle Co. is more than a brand; it is a legacy that began over 120 years ago, when the O’Reilly family emigrated from Ireland, to settle near Kyogle, in the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales, Australia. It is here that Paddy O’Reilly was born, and shaped by his s...

25/11/2021

Brendan featured recently on Warwick Schiller's Performance Horsemanship Podcast. Search for Warwick’s “Journey On” podcast in all the usual places that podcasts are found (apple, Spotify etc) and find out more about what makes Brendan tick, and what influences his work with horses and humans.

This week on The Journey On podcast I interview Brendan O'Reilly, who is a bit of a Renaissance man. He's an Australian horseman, farrier and saddle maker, and martial arts coach.

Oh, and he's also fought in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) in Las Vegas.

I was introduced to Brendan a while back, and while talking to him on the phone I got a deep sense that this was not an ego driven, combative and confrontational human, but a deep thinker with a gentle soul who likes to challenge himself in ways that most of us mere mortals fail to ever do.

Brendan got into martial arts as a way to test his limits, and his willingness to do the hard work and push himself both mentally and physically led him all the way to a TV show and the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Join us as we chat about everything from horses and connection, to philosophy and of course, his time in the UFC.

05/10/2021

Check out www.oreillysaddlery.com for a range of merchandise and saddlery products. Our full range of hand-crafted leather goods will be available over the coming weeks.

Also for those on Instagram, please follow and feel free to share any of our posts you enjoy. Thank you so much for the amazing support!

27/06/2021

“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart, give yourself to it.”

Hope everyone’s ready for a great week ahead! 😃👍

15/06/2021

Riding is certainly a big part of the breaking in/Starting process but there is no need to be in a rush for this bit to happen.
There is people in the horse industry that are so talented and gifted that they can be riding an unbroken horse in a matter of minutes or hours or maybe days depending on the horse and that is just fine.
However it bewilders me that there are people that want their horse trainer to only have their horse for maybe 3-4 weeks and then expect it to be broken in properly (for the want of a better word). Just because a horse has accepted a professional on its back doesn’t mean for one moment that it should be considered “Broken in”.
There is quite simply no way that MOST horses are ready for the world in the hands of relatively inexperienced people in just a 3-4 week period, these horses still have large holes in their schooling and in time these holes become exposed and then, well we know what happens next. Someone gets the blame (usually the Breaker or the Horse).
IF YOU have a horse that you are preparing to have broken in by a professional and you can’t afford to spend the money or time it takes to have this done well, then please ask yourself why on earth are you in the position of having any unbroken horses. Especially if you’re not experienced enough to take the freshly started horse and progress it.
Short cutting on a horses start is simply setting it up to fail and let’s face it, it’s start is the most important bit. Personally if I didn’t have the ability to start my own horses and I could afford to own unbroken horses I would want my trainer to keep my horse for 12 weeks and to send me home a well started, experienced horse that I would still consider to be green but ready for the world. Horse trainers are people that need time to do a good job, they are not miracle workers. Please don’t set your horses up to fail, they don’t send you “Get well soon Cards”. Whether you spend the time and money before or after the start, you will still spend it somehow. The reason for this post is that I see horses that are the product of this everywhere I go.
Just my take on it 🙂🙂✌️✌️✌️
Best of luck and ride safely.

06/06/2021

A wise old man once told me that if you’re going on a first date, your only goal should be to get a second date. 😂

This tip has actually helped me with c**t starting more than anything. Every first ride will be different, as the horse is, but the goal remains the same; set the horse up for a good second ride.

04/06/2021

For me, Hobble training your horse is an invaluable tool that comes in handy in so many situations.

Maybe you’re never going to have to hobble your horse out to graze in between working stock, but that doesn’t mean hobble training won’t serve your horse well.

Hobble training correctly will teach your horse to give to pressure around its legs, and thus your horse will be less likely to panic and injure them self and potentially you also, if they ever step in some loose wire, rope, or are caught up in a fenceline.

Regardless of the discipline or sport you’re training your horse for, the ability to relax mentally and physically, whilst giving you their feet is an often overlooked, but invaluable skill to train.

Have a happy and safe weekend everyone! 😊👍

02/06/2021

Some handy things I’ve learned regarding handling and starting young horses, picked up either from great mentors, or real-world life lessons. I hope some of you find them as useful as I have over the years.....

1) If you want the answer faster, ask the question slower.....

2) The horse is always trying to get the answer correct, so if things aren’t working out, look at how you’re asking the question.

3) Are you doing that for you, or the horse? Don’t let your ego, or fears, ruin what the horse is capable of on this day. Maybe his best effort doesn’t have as much juice as your ego. Maybe he is ready for the next step, and your fear is holding you both back. That can be a hard pill to swallow, but you’ll both be happier for accepting it.

4) Set your horse up to win, let him find it, and let him enjoy it.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants”. Isaac Newton.

01/06/2021

Hold the vision.
Trust the process.

The saddle featured here is an O’Reilly C**t & Saddle Co. ‘Rosehill Stockman’; an Australian fender stock saddle made using premium Hermann Oak leather, and lined with real sheepskin. Built to last and keep up with your hard day’s work.

O’Reilly C**t & Saddle Co.

27/05/2021

Sometimes when you think you have a bucking or rearing problem, what you actually have is a forwards problem.

This is a filly I started in Goondiwindi, Australia, during her first ride outside the round pen. She’s really started to relax in to her forward motion, and as you can see, things are really smooth.

During the early stages of the c**t starting process, be sure to make controlled forward motion a positive experience, it’ll pay off in the long run!

27/05/2021

It’s a real honour to be making some new gear for your favourite ultimate cowboy, John Paul “JP” Gonzales . Here’s his new Hermann Oak spur straps drying on the workbench after tooling his brand.

For anyone who watched , they know what a hand JP is, and there’s no better proving ground for my saddles and tack than a day at work with JP!

Stay tuned in the coming months for a custom built saddle JP is helping design to his specifications, and for his original music to drop on Spotify; I’m equally excited about both! 🔥

27/05/2021

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” Heraclitus.

Everything we do helps to shape who we are, and what we become. Like a young horse, the more we expose ourselves to and overcome, the better WE become at handling pressure situations.

Everyone wants that super-broke horse that can handle anything, but not many people are willing to ask the same of themselves. Our horse, and those around us will feed off our energy, so if you aren’t equipped to control your emotions, and stay present under pressure, how can you expect those that you’re leading to do the same?

This was the first outside ride for this filly in Goondiwindi, Australia, and she handled everything great. That doesn’t mean there were no molehills, we just didn’t turn them in to mountains 😂.

Work on yourself, every situation has the potential to be training. 1% better each day!

27/05/2021

Does your horse move off when you’re mounting?

Horses are excellent learners, and if we make a habit of swinging up and moving them off immediately, it won’t be long before they’re anticipating this, and moving off before you’re ready. More often than not, they think they’re doing the right thing, because of OUR habit and behaviour; so be conscious of your energy and intentions when mounting.

The early stages of starting a horse is the perfect opportunity to develop this important, but often undervalued quality in your young horses. Teach your horse where and how to relax.

O’Reilly C**t & Saddle Co.

26/05/2021

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved".