Globetrotting The Way of the Horse is always one of the most anticipated events at EQUITANA and today’s opening session didn’t disappoint.
Trainers Matt Bleby, Flinders Greentree and Amber Scriven drew their horses and quickly set to work under the watchful eyes of their mentors and judges dressage expert Will Rogers, renown musician and horseman Tom Curtain and 2022 TWOTH winner Skye Liikanen.
There’s something so special about watching that first meeting between horse and handler. The Clairveaux Quarter Horse Stud three-year-olds were all cautious and sometimes flighty, but each settled to a comfortable place with their handlers.
It’s the first year EQUITANA has introduced mentors to the four day competition. At the heart of the event is the welfare of the horse with trainers spending just 75- minutes each day in the round pen.
It’s a completely unscripted affair and given the horses have had minimal human contact the earning of trust, building of confidence and forging of partnerships in that first meeting is key.
All three trainers made huge progress with their horses and the very engaged audience will be back in droves tomorrow to see how each moves forward.
Amber, whose mentor is 2010 TWOTH winner Adam Sutton, felt her time with the showy palomino gelding Potentially Goodbar was more a lesson for her. “Horses are always my best teacher,” she said. “He taught me a lot out there. I got a little nervous and just had to remind myself if I breathe, he’ll breathe with me. It’s good for us to slow down a little and become one with the horse.”
Flinders and his filly Clairveau Made Hot are paired with mentor Priscilla Oberreiner. “It means a lot to me to be here,” he said. “She’s bouncy, reactive and pretty flighty and needs to learn to ease down a little. It is just incredible to be here and the energy in there is amazing. It is a lot of these horses to come from their paddock to this . . . there is a lot to take in.”
Matt was super pleased with his gelding You Bet I’m Reddy. “So far so good,” said Matt who has 2012 TWOTH champ Ken Faulkner as his mentor. “The little gelding is very sensitive but he got the idea once he figured I was on his side. This should be good – it’s a bit for fun!”
Ken too was chuffed and says he couldn’t have scripted the day better.
TWOTH competition manager Sandi Simons felt the opening day was a winner for all. “It went so well,” she said. “I am very excited to see what this TWOTH will bring.”
Trainers will spend 75 minutes a day in the round pen with their horse over the coming three days, with the final 15-minute presentation in the open arena a chance to show off their new partnership.
