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 Tricia Day
Steve and Irena have been inspiration, mentor and friend since I turned up on their doorstep one Tuesday afternoon in February 2001 saying “Hi, I’m Tricia from England”. They weren’t expecting me, but they offered me tea, a bed for the night and horses to work with. I’d been around horses since I was 3 years old when I took my first ride on the milkman’s horse whilst he was delivering the milk. By the age of 10, I was asking for riding lessons instead of presents for birthdays and Christmas. The nearest riding stable was almost 5 miles away so my Dad pedalled with me every weekend – pulling me up the hills on a long piece of rope and then throwing it to me as I free-wheeled down the other side. Some of my fondest memories are of watching the mares and foals at the local stud farm where I would sit for hours, on the fence, drinking warm orange squash and eating cucumber sandwiches. In my teens and early twenties I was a bold rider. I would get on anything and felt safer in the saddle than on the ground – until, in my 40s, I met Charlie. Charlie was a thoroughbred, ex racehorse, chestnut mare who windsucked, cribbed and had been ‘fired’. Over a period of time she did enough rearing, bucking, spinning and napping for me to lose every ounce of confidence I’d ever had! None of the techniques I had learned were working and I was scared! It was in this scared state that I arrived at Steve’s and met Foxy. Foxy was one of the safest horses imaginable but I was nervous “We’re only going to walk aren’t we?” I asked as I clung onto the saddle. Steve was riding a young, green colt and we were heading out into the scrub. Steve’s horse bucked him off but by the time he’d landed – I was already on the ground! Since then, I’ve learnt how to read horses a bit better and the fear has been replaced by knowledge. I am very grateful to Steve and to the many horses along the way who have made a real impression on me and helped me to regain my confidence and improve my understanding of how horse’s think. One of the horses who has helped me was Rusty. In 2003, Rusty turned loose to Steve and Steve gave him to me so that I could feel what he had been trying to tell me about. It was like having 4 legs of my own and all I had to do was think something and it happened. It was magical. I wanted to be able to get that feeling for myself. Spott, my horse in the UK and Kitkat (who feels like my horse in Australia) have been the ones to help me. And of course I had to tell everyone about it too! I knew from my own experience, the power of personal growth which comes from working with horses. I also have a training background and had set up and run a training company, worked for an awarding body as an external verifier and was involved with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). In 2007 I started the children’s website, www.fun4ponies.com which now has over 5,000 members worldwide and I’ve written a couple of books aimed at helping children to improve their horsemanship by thinking about life from their pony’s point of view. In 2009 I set up a new organisation, EAQ, offering equine assisted learning and qualifications through a network of centres and practitioners in the UK and Australia. Not only is this a great way to help people to learn about themselves but it’s also a great way to help people discover a faster way to learn about horsemanship! www.equineassistedqualifications.com I feel very privileged to have been asked to join the team of Silversand Associate Instructors and will be delighted to help you with your own personal growth and development as well as your horsemanship. Please contact me by email:
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Silversand Horsemanship
Our five-year-old QH filly Candy had a colic that unfortunately ended up being surgery. Luckily she pulled through and was home in 3 weeks. Then 6 weeks later she colicked once again. This time a week at the vet with drenches and all was well again.
We had three overseas students for this camp as well as some local students that attended some of the days. 