Tori Jeffress
Training & Horsemanship
Tori Jeffress lives and works on her Dad’s sheep and cropping property in central west NSW. After getting her first pony at the age of two, her love for horses never really blossomed until her mum sold that same pony when she was 7 years old, because she was not one bit interested! From that moment on all she wanted to do was ride! As a youngster, for the initial first few years of pony club Tori grew up spending more time with her face in the dirt than she did on the horses back, push button ponies were never a thing, you rode what you were given and you learnt to hang on… or fall off! Tori says it’s these ponies that taught her resilience- your either “Give in, Give up or Give it all you’ve got”.
Thankfully, after a few unsuitable ponies she was blessed with one she stayed on, a little more regularly at least! At age 13 Tori started open level eventing and at the age of 16 left school to pursue a career with horses.
At the age of 18 Tori’s focus was more or dressage, this is also when she found Rocco! That’s where the story really starts, the beginning of one very big, expensive but rewarding learning curve and irreplaceable knowledge. Rocco experienced some soundness issues and spent a ridiculous amount of time at the vets, nerve block, after x-Ray, after cortisone injection. He was sound for short spurts and then would go lame again.
In 2014 Tori started learning more about classical dressage, around the same time she also began training Rocco bridleless. Training with a more classical approach and knowledge of biomechanics proved to be very beneficial for Rocco’s strength and soundness.
In 2017 Tori started training under classical trainer Belinda Bolsenbroek, who she says has been an amazing mentor and coach for her and still is. With Belinda’s guidance Tori helped Rocco rehabilitate back to a sound riding horse and has since helped many other horses and owners rehabilitate from injury and behavioural problems.
Visit Tori Jeffress at the following sessions
Details
Thursday November 14th
1:30 pm to 2:15 pm
Stallion Rail Demo Arena, OTT Pavilion
In-Hand work and Biomechanics
In this education session I would like to discuss the importance of understanding horse biomechanics. Having a good understanding of biomechanical function is really important in maintaining a horses’ soundness long term. Unlike ourselves, horses do not have a collarbone, instead their ribcage is suspended within their bodies by the thoracic sling and the attachment of the ribcage at the pelvic girdle.
In-hand work can be extremely beneficial to strengthen a horse before starting them under saddle as well as in rehabilitating horses from injury and soundness issues. In-hand work involves a mixture of simple massage techniques to promote blood flow and healing as well as working a horse on the ground with spinal alignment and core engagement in mind, teaching all lateral movements from shoulder-in to piaffe.
Details
Friday November 15th
1:15 pm to 2:00 pm
Duncan Equine Group Arena
Classical Dressage, Biomechanics & Liberty Riding
Classical Dressage is a french word meaning “training”.
In this education session I will focus on spinal alignment, the function of the body beneath the surface of what we can see and how we as riders are effecting the functioning of the horse biomechically when we work them. Understanding horse anatomy allows us as riders and horse people to be able to promote correct muscle development. The stronger the structural foundation the more physically able, balanced, therefore willing to perform is the horse.
By achieving strength and harmony within the body biomechanically the horse will also be much healthier emotionally and physically. Dressage movements become more easily achievable as a result of strength and harmony.
A strong healthy horse will be able to travel in self carriage, once self carriage is achieved I begin to explore Liberty riding with the horse.
