Fun Questions About Trish

1. How long have you been riding?  

The short answer is - since I was 3 years old!  
The long answer - I don't know what my parents were thinking! They were not horsey people, I was the middle child & neither my elder sister or younger brother were interested in horses at all! I guess I must have bugged my parents something terrible, as one day, my father took me off to some cronie of his & bought a very sweet, 17yo mare of unknown breeding as my very first pony. I hopped straight on, bare back, and never looked back. This was a huge learning curve for the family, as we lived in town & had to keep "Dappy" in the backyard for a while, and find out about how to keep a horse, with all the gear required, trailer, etc! Since then, there have been many other horses that have taken me from pony club in Central Qld to showing, eventing, showjumping, judging, coaching & training around the world to finally focus primarily on teaching dressage, general good riding & horse care here in Brisbane.  

2. If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be?  

You may be surprised to learn that I don't have my own horses! I moved back to Australia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the end of 2008 and sold my horses there, thinking that there are plenty of horses in Australia for me when I'm ready. So far, I haven't felt the need to have my own again! Though I do miss the training process of my own horse and the progression and learning experience that entails. So I make an effort to travel overseas every two years for my own "professional  development". It is difficult in Australia to access training on high level dressage horses, therefore starting this programme in 2012, I went to Portugal to ride Lusitanos at a couple of equestrian centres there. You can read more about my  experience there at my website www.trishbraithwaite.com.au. It was such an incredible opportunity to ride these extremely rideable, highly trained stallions under the eye of internationally experienced coaches. Since then I have had the privilege to train in Florida with Anne Gribbons FEI 5* Judge & GP coach and in Hamburg, Germany with Holistic GP Coach Nicole Weinauge. I had planned to travel again to Portugal last year together with some student friends, and will head over as soon as we're allowed!  

3. What is your biggest pet peeve about horses?  

Oh how I wish they could talk! My aim is always to have the horse cared for in the most optimal way. We all know that doing so means a continual uphill battle to keep them well, comfortable and happy. If they could just tell us what's wrong, wouldn't that make our lives so much more simple (and cheaper!!)? But you know what? They do tell us, if we can just take the time to stop, be still and quiet, and listen to them. Make a point of finding out the best professionals around you to go to for advice and take that advice when things aren't working as well as they should. Make a list of possibilities of what could be wrong, starting with the simplest and systematically work through it. We owe this to our horses and they owe us nothing.  

4. Favourite matchy-matchy set?  

Ok, so my inner showhorse person comes through all the time, as there's nothing more pleasing to the eye as a well presented horse & rider! However, my priority is  ALWAYS horse welfare and unfortunately the use of polo wraps as part of the matchy-matchy set compromises the health of horse's legs through over heating and restriction of tendons. This issue has been extensively studied and well documented, as any google search will show. Take care of your horse's legs -  if you must use protection, use a hard-shell boot with neoprene/breathable lining rather than wraps or sheepskin/fluffy lined boots that hold in the heat and put  pressure on the tendon. You can still do the matchy-matchy and look after your horse's legs! Bonnets also can be a safety risk, as a simple shake of the head can  dislodge the bridle, as I have witnessed first-hand many times, plus there are a few videos online of top-level showjumpers losing their bridles half way through a 1.60m  course! Bonnets can be a useful tool to protect sensitive horses from insects &  outside noise, so make sure they fit well and are secured properly.  

5. What discipline would you like to try one day?  

A few years ago, SE Qld vaulting coach Darani Cumming & I created the "Improve Your Seat" clinics with her fabulous vaulting horses, Xena & Ludo (they've since retired). Through these clinics, I saw what a valuable experience learning to ride on the lunge truly is! What a fantastic way to build confidence! I came to seriously admire vaulting riders' understanding and execution of balance and rhythm. If I had my time over again, I would love to explore vaulting! And as an extension of that -  trick riding!!! I would need to work a lot harder on my gymnastic ability though, which is zero. I have sadly never been able to even jump from the ground onto a bareback pony. 

6. Who is your riding model?  

I have been training now for the past six years with Nicole Weinauge -  www.nicoleweinauge.com.de. Nicole has trained extensively in equine biomechanics, learning theory, physiotherapy, nutrition, saddle fit & bitting, effective communication and energy/nervous systems of the horse & rider. To me, Nicole is truly the consummate trainer & coach and the holistic way she works makes so much sense to me, putting the health of the horse first above everything. Even though Nicole lives in Hamburg, Germany, we can have lessons via Zoom and I love that my students and I can work with her despite the distance & time difference!  

7. Would you rather free horse feed or free vet appointment for life? 

Theoretically, as I don't have my own horses, I think I would rather the free vet appointments! Feeding a horse can be a relatively static expense, but there's potentially no end to the cost of a vet! Horses are so prone to illness & injury, often despite our best efforts. And this is the main reason why I don't own horses anymore. The dog & cat are financially draining enough! 

8. Would you rather 1 lesson with your dream coach, or 10 lessons with your  regular coach?  

Well, seeing as my dream coach IS my regular coach (see above), would that mean I could have 11 lessons?? My ideal situation would be meeting Nicole in Portugal and training with her on Lusitanos! This actually could happen.  

9. What is your horse's favourite treat?  

As mentioned earlier, I don't have my own horse. Though as a coach, all the horses I train with know me as "The Licorice Lady"! I find licorice a convenient treat, as it lasts well (even when it gets forgotten in my pockets and goes through the wash!) plus I don't like licorice much so I'm not eating it myself! Most horses can be convinced to like it, though this was tested with Kate Marsh's horse Max, who took 3 years to convince to take it (and he's been a complete licorice monster since)! I'm such an advocate to give horses treats, as the benefits totally outweigh any "treat monsters" you may create! Treats help them focus on you, produces saliva & moves their jaw which relaxes their whole body due to the activation of the hyoid apparatus and gives them a positive feeling about a possible stressful situation. If they're over excited about treats, it simply means that you then have all the power to give them a treat or withhold it as you see fit, which can be a lesson for them in itself!